TheNewsGuru

Tag: constitution

  • Nigeria failing, we need new constitution – Nwodo

    Nigeria failing, we need new constitution – Nwodo

    President General of the pan-Igbo sociocultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, yesterday raised the alarm over the state of affairs in Nigeria.

    He declared that except President Muhammadu Buhari convokes a national conference of ethnic nationalities to fashion out a new constitution, the nation will become a failed state.

    Nwodo, who made the assertion in his address during the brief stopover of the remains of Justice Eze Ozobu, former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, at the Ohanaeze Secretariat, Enugu State, also decried the prevailing dearth of political culture and constitutionalism whereby “legislators abandon their party in the currency of their tenure and in violation of extant court decisions the Attorney General goes to sleep.

    “Nigeria is failing as a state that guarantees equal treatment for all her people. Nigeria is failing as a state that can conduct transparent elections. Nigeria is failing economically. We need a National Conference to throw away the Constitution imposed on us and to restructure our political system. Otherwise, we should agree to disagree and go our separate way.

    “If you are a Fulani herdsman, you can carry firearms without license. If you are a Hisba police in Kano, you can carry firearms without reproach. If you belong to the Civilian Joint Task Force in the Northeast, you can carry firearms.

    “If you are a Northern Fulani, you can exceed your term of office as Chief of Army Staff or Chief of Air Staff in violation of our establishment rules and laws.

    “If you are in Amotekun or Neighbourhood Watch in the Middle Belt or South Eastern Nigeria, the Attorney-General will turn himself into a court and declare it illegal for you to operate let alone carry firearms.

    “If you are from the Southeast and you are elected a governor, the Supreme Court can reallocate votes and take away your victory even when your opponent who was voted for the same day as the state legislators could not win a single state Assembly seat for his party,” he lamented

    Nwodo said that the most important reason for the weeklong activities in remembrance of Hon. Justice, Igwe Eze Ozobu was to dramatize his positive attributes in the hope that the living will try to emulate him.

    “For me, Justice Eze Ozobu’s life was a lesson in many ways. He thought us the ‘can do spirit’. At the time he went to the United Kingdom to study law, very few of his contemporaries could do it. He had the choice of settling to a teaching career, a civil service position. Either would in the colonial era have guaranteed him food on the table and a comfortable family.

    “But No! Not near Chief. He seems to have imbibed the motto of the Brigade of guards in the UK who protect the Queen of England. The motto declares: ‘He who Dares, Wins’”.

  • Reps to begin constitutional amendment in 2020 – Speaker

    Reps to begin constitutional amendment in 2020 – Speaker

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila has said that the House will begin the process of amending the 1999 constitution in 2020, as well as the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB).

    The Speaker who said this at a retreat organised for chairmen of standing committees of the House organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) said both the constitution review and the PIGB are part of the bills that the House would prioritise in 2020.

    He said the House will do everything within its powers to give Nigerians the best in terms of laws that would promote peace and good governance in the country.

    He challenged chairmen of committees to work as a team with their deputies and members of the committees to achieve objectives set out in the House legislative agenda, stressing that Nigerians have high expectations on the Legislature, hence they must work hard to meet such.

    He said “we have been elected at a time of great upheaval at home and abroad. We are confronted with great peril; oil prices have fallen and refuse to go back up, our population growth continues to outpace economic growth, we are besieged on all sides by rising insecurity and its consequences.

    “How do we build an economy that is attractive to investment, that creates jobs to meet our present needs, and grows apace to meet future demands?

    “How do we build a society where the weak are not afflicted by the powerful, where our differences of gender and tribe, religion and opinion are not weaponised to deprive any citizen of life, of liberty or the freedom to pursue happiness?

    “How do we achieve the promise of greatness that so long ago caused the world to look upon us and say, here comes the giant of Africa? These are the questions that should engage our interests and animate our efforts because in the answer to these questions lies the best dreams we have for ourselves and the highest ambitions we hold for our country.”

    He announced that the sum of N2 billion was approved in the 2020 budget by the National Assembly for the takeoff of a legislative library, saying the Legislature as the conscience of a nation needs a befitting library.

    “Where it is the responsibility of the executive to implement programmes and execute projects, it falls to us to articulate through legislation, the broad objectives of our nationhood, and through oversight, hold the executive accountable to those objectives. The standing Committees you each lead are the principal instruments of legislation and oversight.

    “Whatever we are, whatever we will achieve, and everything we will be remembered for in this House of Representatives depends on how well your Committees function and how effectively you serve as leaders of those Committees.

    “Our ability to rise to the responsibilities of our offices are often constrained by institutional weaknesses that have been for too long left unaddressed. We are here to critically examine how we operate in the House of Representatives.

    “Let us take full advantage of the opportunity provided by this seminar, away from the hassle and hustle of our offices to speak honestly about the deficiencies we have observed, identify the areas where we are lacking and consider the options available for reform.

    “This is the first, necessary step towards achieving the other high objectives to which we have committed ourselves individually and as one House.

    “Ensuring collaboration and cooperation amongst members of the Committees you lead is a sine qua non of effective Committee management. Keep in mind, that collaboration is not merely the absence of conflict or rancour.

    “collaboration requires that you actively engage the experience and intellect of your members in problem-solving, policy development, policy implementation, monitoring and reporting.”

  • FG’s proposed ‘RUGA’ settlement an affront on Nigeria’s constitution – URM

    The Urhobo Rennaisance Movement (URM) has described the proposed nationwide RUGA settlement for Fulani herdsmen by the Federal Government as an affront on the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    The movement like other groups and state rejects in entirety the proposed settlement.

    The movement’s decision was revealed in a statement signed and released by its chairman, Prof. Hope Eghagha and Assistant General Secretary, John Uwa

    Recall that the proposed RUGA settlement has sparked criticisms by both states and interest groups across the country.

    The URM’s full statement below:

    PRESS STATEMENT BY URHOBO RENNAISANCE MOVEMENT ON THE PROPOSED BILL TO GRANT WATER RESOURCES TO MIGRANT PASTORALISTS IN THE NAME OF RUGA

    Motto: Egba r’Okugbe

    We members of URM are indeed shocked by the sheer audacity behind the proposed bill before the National Assembly which plans to grant control over water resources in the hands of the federal government. We see this as a subversion of the letter and spirit of federalism and the will of the people, generally in the southern part of Nigeria and especially the Urhobo people who depend on water resources for their daily existence. It is an affront on the 1999 Constitution and should not even have been conceived in the first place.

    We therefore call on all elected representatives of the Urhobo nation in the National Assembly to pitch tent with their kith and kin and resist the obnoxious Bill. Water is crucial to the survival of the Urhobo people and this natural resource should be left in the hands of locals to control having been forced to part with the natural oil resource. We also call on all patriots who can read between the lines to kill the Bill which had earlier been rejected by the same National Assembly.

    The federal government should immediately withdraw the Bill in the interest of national unity and cohesion.

    Thank you.

    Signed:
    Professor Hope Eghagha John Uwa
    Chairman Assistant Secretary

  • Cuba plans to introduce right to private property into Constitution

    Cuba plans to introduce right to private property into Constitution

    The Republic of Cuba, one of the world’s last remaining communist countries, is set to enact reforms, expected to introduce recognition of the need for private property into the charter.

    TheNewsGuru reports the Cuban Parliament on Wednesday started discussing a planned constitutional reform to introduce right to private property ownership into constitution.

    Parliamentary commissions met behind closed doors to discuss the reform, which is expected to be brought before a plenary session on Saturday, the state television channel Cubavision reported.

    The reform has already undergone preparations by 33 lawmakers guided by former president Raul Castro, who ruled the Caribbean island from 2006 until being succeeded by Miguel Diaz-Canel April 2017.

    The new constitution is expected to include a mention that private markets can play a role in a socialist economy and that foreign investment is important for developing the country.

    It will also introduce the figure of a prime minister, which was abolished by the current 1976 constitution.

    The number of presidential mandates, which is currently unlimited, will also be limited to two.

    About half a million people Cubans have already been licensed to run small private businesses such as restaurants, lodgings or mechanical workshops but there is no mention of them in the constitution.

    The constitutional reform would be submitted to a referendum at a later, as yet undefined date.

     

     

  • Why Attorney General & Minister of Justice should protect the constitution from breaches – Akpojotor Agaga

    By Akpojotor Agaga.

    One of the constitutional duties of the minister of justice is enforcing the laws and guide them from being broken. This responsibility is not limited to individuals but extends to organs and institutions of government. We do not expect the Attorney General to take any preventive measures on issues that are still recondite. But when an issue has been pronounced upon by several courts to the extent that it has become trite, the minister of justice is beholden to the nation to take steps from preventing reoccurrence of such breaches in the interest of the integrity of the country.

    The recent suspension of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege on Thursday, the 12th day of April, 2018 which has been looming for several weeks over a statement made by him, on the sequencing of elections in the Electoral Act amendment bill could have been stopped by the minister of justice, if indeed he took his responsibility of protecting the laws of the country seriously.

    For as long as the minister of justice does not rise to the occasion to proactively stop the constitution from being desecrated and shredded so long shall we have this regime of impunity that has now become the forte of the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives as a cog in the wheel to the growth of democratic culture, governance and development of the country.

    But now that we are having on our hands a repeat too many to condone, in the latest imperial action of the Senate, in suspending an elected senator who is the voice and mouthpiece of more than two million people of delta central senatorial district with a backlash that could debilitate the weak fabric of our federation especially with the perception of constituents hard hit by the suspension order that they are being technically excised from Nigeria, there cannot be a more apposite time than this for the minister to rise up to the challenge by initiating legal measures to arrest the ugly and disgusting situation with a view to reassuring the people of Delta central senatorial district who have vowed to protect their rights recognized by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Africa Charter on Human & people’s right that they are valued and recognized as an integral part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    In the past, that was the trend that helped grow democratic culture and values as witnessed by instituting of court cases by state governments against the federal government and vice versa on issues they considered as encroachment on constitutional provisions.

    This is the time to go back to the regime of deploying legal measures to curb the excesses of people and organs/ institutions of government. This option is far more rewarding than the Gestapo approach of using anti-corruption agencies to harass and intimidate people the hallmark of President Obasanjo’s government still flickering in this government with little success to show for it because president Muhammadu Buhari is not gifted with a sadistic temperament for such abusive actions. Nigerians can still remember the number of Senate presidents, governors and PDP national chairmen illegally removed from office by Obasanjo’s barbaric practices. We, therefore, call on the Attorney General to always do the needful to protect our democracy and restrain people from advocating and calling for autocratic measures of Obasanjo that should be trashed forever.

     

  • We have to part ways with judiciary if… – Dogara

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has urged the nation’s Judiciary to adhere strictly to the principles of separation of powers as enshrined in the 1999 constitution.

    Speaking during plenary Thursday, Hon. Dogara lamented that some persons were using some judges to gag the National Assembly, a situation he said will spell danger for Nigeria’s democracy.

    Hon Dogara stated that Nigeria is not a Banana republic and warned that if the Judiciary continues to cross the line, the National Assembly will be left with no option than to part ways with them.

    “We would part ways with the judiciary if it continues to gag the National Assembly. There are external forces pushing the judiciary to tackle the Legislature. Some persons somewhere are intimidating the nation’s Judiciary to gag the National Assembly.

    “We know that Nigeria is not Banana Republic and operates on basic principles such as rule of law and separation of powers, which states that none of the arms of government should gag the other.

    “Just as we cannot gag the Judiciary, we also expect same from them. We make laws and the Constitution only empowers them to interpret the laws, but for us to sit here and the judiciary tells us what we should consider and not consider and when to seat, then we are no longer practicing democracy.

    “The way the judiciary is going, nothing stops them (the judges) from coming tomorrow and saying the National Assembly should not sit. I don’t think it is us that is intimidating the Judiciary like is being alleged. It is some people that are intimidating them from somewhere else, to gag the National Assembly.

    “We have respected the Judiciary a lot and we expect same from them. When the Judiciary gets to the level they are now, that spells danger for our democracy. If they insist they must continue this way, we have to part ways.”

     

  • Benue massacre: Buhari violated no law, acting within ambit of Nigerian constitution – Presidency replies CAN

    The Presidency on Tuesday insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari violated no law in handling the recent farmers/herdsmen clashes in Benue and other parts of the country which had led to loss of several lives and properties.

    Recall that the General Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Musa Asake, that President Muhammadu Buhari was complacent and biased in handling the clashes that has now degenerated to a national crisis.

    Mr. Asake had addressed journalists on Tuesday in reaction to attacks that led to the death of several persons in Benue State since the beginning of the year.

    The Christian leader reiterated CAN’s earlier accusation that the Buhari administration was slowly accomplishing a purportedly hidden agenda to Islamise Nigeria through the recent killings.

    “Under President Buhari, the murderous Fulani herdsmen enjoyed unprecedented protection and favouritism to the extent that the herdsmen treat Nigeria as a conquered territory. Rather than arrest and prosecute the Fulani herdsmen, security forces usually manned by Muslims from the North offer them protection as they unleash terror with impunity on the Nigerian people.

    “The bottom line is that President Buhari failed woefully to protect Nigerians. He wilfully permitted the Fulani herdsmen to operate killing people, destroying communities wholesale, destroying farmlands and turning the entire Middle Belt into “killing fields”, all the while enjoying government protection from counter attack, arrest or prosecution,” Mr. Asake said.

    However, in a swift response to the allegations, presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said it was unfortunate that Mr. Asake “could not cite any valid cases of constitutional violations” by Mr. Buhari.

    Mr. Shehu said Mr. Buhari’s government “poses no threat to the country’s democracy and Constitution.”

    “There are no cases of any violation of our sacred constitution and there will be none under this President.

    “The respected religious leader should stick to his religious duties and leave politics for politicians,” the presidential spokesperson said.

  • Aftermath of Abuja meeting: Governors, State Assemblies agree to hold public hearing on 1999 constitution

    The Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the Speakers of the State Houses of Assembly have resolved to hold public hearing on ongoing efforts to amend certain sections of the 1999 constitution.

    The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Abdul-Aziz Yari, and the Chairman, Conference of Speakers, Ismaila Kamba, made this known when they addressed newsmen at the end of an emergency meeting between the forum and the Conference of Speakers.

    The meeting was held on Tuesday at the old conference hall of the State House, Abuja,

    They stated that the meeting had agreed to approach the amendment of the 1999 constitution with maturity and the future of the nation’s democracy at the back of their minds.

    The communiqué read: “We, all the governors of the 36 states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, under the platform of the Nigeria Governors forum and the Speakers of the states houses of assembly, under the auspices of the Conference of Speakers at the end of a consultative meeting regarding the ongoing efforts to amend certain sections of the 1999 constitution resolved as follows:

    “The meeting agreed to approach this amendment with maturity and the future of our democracy at the back of our minds.

    “The meeting agreed that the State houses of Assembly should consult all stakeholders and hold public hearing on all the items transmitted to them by the National Assembly in a bid to promote our democracy and strengthen its institutions.’’

    They also disclosed that the meeting agreed to constitute a committee to look at all the issues pertaining to the constitutional amendment and revert to members within a reasonable time.

    Yari, who fielded questions on the recently approved one billion dollars by the National Economic Council (NEC) to fight insurgency in the country, said the State Houses of Assembly would soon back up the approval through appropriate resolutions.
    “We (governors) agreed to forfeit one billion dollars of our own share of excess crude which we are going to back up with state assembly resolution at a later time.

    “This is not the first time a decision like this is being taken. It happened during former President Jonathan’s era when they took two billion dollars.

    “We all agreed at that time collectively in the same chamber to withdraw the two billion dollars to procure equipment for the military and also for logistics for the military because they were telling us whether it was true or false that our soldiers were being killed.

    “Some (of the soldiers) were on the social media saying that they were being killed like rats because they didn’t have the training and the equipment, that was what generated discussions at the same Chamber and there was no controversy, there was no opposition to the decision at that time.’’

    Also speaking on the issue, Gov. Ayo Fayose of Ekiti, said he not in support of one billion dollars and will never be in support.
    “In my state we have agreed to go to court to contest this. It is our legitimate right, all accruals to the federation must be shared by the three tiers of government and for me to get justice I have to go to court,’’ he added.

  • State Governors in critical meeting with speakers over constitution review

    State governors are currently meeting on the auspices of the Nigeria Governors Forum.

    The emergency meeting holding inside the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja is also being attended by Speakers of States Houses of Assembly.

    The meeting is being chaired by the forum’s chairman, Abdulazeez Yari, who is also the governor of Zamfara State.

    It is believed to be in connection with the planned review of the constitution.

    The Conference of Speakers has given a December 20 deadline to all Houses of Assembly to conclude debate on the proposed amendments sent to the states by the National Assembly.

    Details soon…

  • Strike: Ngige blasts resident doctors, says ‘you breached the constitution’

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige on Wednesday at the renewed negotiation deal between the Federal Government delegation and leadership of the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, in Abuja lambasted the doctors for embarking on a strike action despite earlier meetings with the him delegation and reaching a consensus to shelve the then proposed strike action.

    He accused the doctors of breaching section 18 of the Trade Dispute Act of 2004.

    The minister said he was hopeful that the current strike would be the shortest in the history of Nigeria, urging them to immediately call it off.

    He said, “Once conciliation starts by the government, no employer has the right to embark on strike.

    “By going on strike you have breached Section 18 of the Trade Dispute Act of 2004.”

    Apart from members of NARD, others present include the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole; the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association; representatives of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation among others.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the doctors embarked on a nation wide strike on Monday, September 4 to press home their demands with the Federal Government.

     

    Details later…