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Tag: Governors

  • Governors, Labour, doctors reject Gbajabiamila’s Infectious Disease Bill at public hearing

    Governors, Labour, doctors reject Gbajabiamila’s Infectious Disease Bill at public hearing

    Governors, doctors and Labour on Wednesday rejected the Control of Infectious Disease Bill during a public hearing on Wednesday.

    The Bill seeks to repeal the Quarantine Act of 1926, the Nigeria National Health Act (2004), National Programme on Immunisation Act (2004) and the Environmental Health Officers (Registration ETC) of 2002.

    The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) opposed the bill, which passed second reading on April 28.

    NGF Chairman and Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi said the Bill gives governors scant operational space to manoeuvre.

    “This Bill takes away the only authority the governors have to take specific steps and measures in their domains during an outbreak of infectious disease,” he said.

    NGF believes the bill is undemocratic as it conflicts with the Constitution.

    He noted that too many powers were given to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Director-General.

    The NGF chairman said such a bill ought to take into consideration public health necessity.

    “The public should have an opportunity to participate in the formulation of policies and laws and implementation should be open and clear to promote public trust which is crucial for preventing infection spread.

    “Rights of individuals to contest an order or proceeding should be protected as much as possible

    “In cases of considerable economic losses as a result of the imposition of such measures, international recommendations proffer that fair compensation be provided to those individuals.

    “Any intervention seeking to provide a comprehensive legal and policy framework to ensure the effective management of cases involving infectious diseases…must be conducted within the context of the federation, carrying every stakeholder along and holding extensive consultations.

    “The NGF is concerned that the governors were not consulted in putting the Bill together, neither was any role created for them, in utter disregard for their constitutional functions,” Fayemi said.

    The NMA disagreed with many aspects of the Bill, such as compulsory invasive medical examination.

    Through its President, Prof. Innocent Ujah, the association faulted the provision for compulsory treatment or vaccination, saying it is against the ethics of the profession.

    Wabba, who represented the Organised Labour, highlighted 17 grey areas in the bill, which he described as undemocratic.

    “Having read through the Bill, the only reinforcing and overwhelming voice is that of dictatorship.

    “In presenting this memorandum, we choose to uphold our concern that the claim of commitment to the protection of public health and safety does not turn out to be an excuse for the provision of a tool in the hand of an autocrat, empowered to ride roughshod over the fundamental rights of the Nigerian People,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the NCDC Director-General Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu said he would speak on the Bill today.

    Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila said a lot of the engagement on the proposed legislation “has been ill-informed and outrightly malicious”.

    Represented by the House Leader, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, he said: “There are those in our society who benefit from promoting the falsehood that every government action is cynical, and every policy proposal must be the product of malignant influence.

    “We must never succumb to the impulses that these elements represent, and we must reject them always as doing so is an act of excellent service to a nation we love and are beholden to.”

  • Telecoms: Governors’ act of heroism tempered by COVID-19

    Telecoms: Governors’ act of heroism tempered by COVID-19

    By Okoh Aihe

    In moments of ruins and comprehensive catastrophe, certain images emerge to flash some hope of man’s capacity to resist turbulence and shine forth encouraging illuminations for humanity. In such surreal moments that people go for easy picks and acquiesce to defeat, some run the race of life to overcome adversity and demonstrate human resilience.
    During the Vietnam War, the picture of a young girl running down the road completely naked and shrieking in pain after napalm attack, was the most iconic picture of that era. Real name, Phan Kim Phuc, she became known as the Napalm Girl, her identity defined by the terrible circumstances of that era. The bomb burned straight to her bones but she thought she could remove her skin and stopped the fire. She did not stay down and surrender to death. She ran. Today she gives a picture of hope as an author and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.

    How will the story of two of our governors be told someday long after this nightmare is over, after another dark moment in human history? Are we ever as a people going to sit down to look at acts of villainy and heroism? The story of our country has not particularly been a very inspiring one; like a people taking a race forward but looking back, away from the finishing line; a people walking in total illogic to Ola Rotimi’s Hopes of the Living Dead which the leadership of this nation spurned in 1980 and has hardly done anything ever since to advance our existence beyond the famed playwright’s metaphorical expression of hope. Ours is a story of failed hope and deferred expectations superintended by Fela’s Vagabonds in power. The victory song is written by individual acts of heroism, people who subordinate the self to the benefit and triumph of the majority.

    Like the story of the two governors who recently broke ranks with the gang of governors in our interesting federacy to weave a tantalizing story for the telecommunications industry. You know the story of the times, a period people live on hope and have ashes in the mouth as reality. The COVID-19 is a global pandemic that has hardly accommodated human efforts and capacity for resistance. The economies of the world have gone down, and hopes of speedy recovery are in perpetual recession. This is the time that every kobo counts and every source of revenue is revered. This is the time the two governors have decided to make their audacious moves.
    Dr Kayode Fayemi and Senator Hope Uzodinma of Ekiti State and Imo State, respectively, decided to reduce the cost of fibre installation usually referred to as right of way (RoW) within the same period from N4,500 per metre to N145 metre per metre.

    First, it was Dr Fayemi who as leader of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) provided the kind of leadership that is miserably absent in this part of the world. His Executive Order No. 007 of 2020, titled: Right of Way Charges on Telecommunications Infrastructure, states in part: “The government of Ekiti State is desirous of providing all those living in Ekiti State, especially rural communities with access to reliable, affordable broadband connectivity.”

    The governor projects that the Executive Order would attract new businesses, grow investment confidence in the State, and unleash new employment opportunities.
    Never to be outdone, Senator Uzodinman of Imo State quickly followed on the heels of his Ekiti counterpart by signing Executive Order No. 002 of 2020 for his State. He hopes the Order would show a demonstrated readiness by his State to woo telecommunications operators to invest on broadband infrastructure.

    Commitment to the people is what good politics is all about, really. The two governors are in a race of their own to provide modern telecommunications infrastructure for their States while other governors will now be forced to do catch up. In fact some of these governors recently increased RoW rates. But you need to understand the set up before you begin to apportion blames.

    Globally the telecommunications industry is seen by governments as one sector that can provide low hanging revenue opportunities for government operations. The situation is worse in developing countries like Nigeria where the Federal, State and Local councils could pursue different charges even when taxes had already been made to the Federation account by the operators.

    For instance, the telecommunications sector was deregulated in 1992. However, the industry also suffered repressive military encumbrances until the Obasanjo administration, in the year 2000, recalibrated the sector with the appointment of Engr Ernest Ndukwe as the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC; his blueprint opened up the sector. Unfortunately new challenges emerged. RoW for cable laying and permits for base station buildout became problems from day one. And even Nasir el Rufai, a very forward looking Minster of the Federal Capital Territory was caught in the obstinate resistance for telecommunications service rollout with the tepid explanation that base stations were not captured in the Abuja master plan.

    Fast forward. el Rufai is the governor of Kaduna State. Although he has always played in the telecoms sector and was unfortunately the final undertaker of the defunct NITEL, the same el Rufai has completely waived payments for RoW in what may prove a master stoke in pulling telecoms service providers and investors to his State. That is the way to go.
    History is in the making in Nigeria. Each successive administration of the NCC, beginning from Ndukwe, to Engr Eugene Juwah, and now Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, has put up a fight with the various government authorities to support the telecoms industry rollout, resulting in the agreement in 2013, by the National Economic Council (NEC), to peg rates at N145.

    In fairness, Dr Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, apart from his annoying and intrusive petulance with a beleaguered regulatory authority, has been most bullish in using his ministerial powers to pressure the governors into doing the needful for the industry. It is to his credit that he met a fight and has resolved to pursue it to a considerable conclusion.

    These governors are changing the telecoms ecosystem. No matter how small or remote their States may be, operators will go there, new businesses will follow them, the life of the people will be altered and there will be a new language of social interaction. These States will be integrated to the rest of the world and, well primed, they will contribute skills and services to the global economy and open their markets to a new world.

    Going forward, the story of the country may not be that of federating States who run to Abuja in a monthly ritual to collect allocation from the Federation account but the story of governors who changed the fortunes of their States by breaking from the band of economically unreasonable lot. Like the Napalm Girl, who defeated the fire of napalm, the governors will be praised for breaking the blind intransigence of their colleagues and for exposing their people to the beauty and possibilities of a new world.

    Okoh Aihe writes from Abuja

  • Governors meet over independence of state’s legislature, judiciary

    Governors meet over independence of state’s legislature, judiciary

    The thirty- Six State Governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF will meet tomorrow to brainstorm on President Muhammadu Buhari’s Executive Order granting financial autonomy to the legislature and judiciary at the state level.

    The governors who will be holding their 9th teleconference meeting since the lockdown that resulted from the outbreak of the Coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic, are expected to come up with a position on the Executive Order. President Buhari signed the Executive Order into law on Friday last week.

    Recall that the federal government has given a very strong warning that any state government which withholds funds meant for their respective Houses of Assembly and judiciary would get their allocations deducted at source by the Accountant General of the Federation and remitted directly to the affected state organs.

    The invitation to the governors intimating them of the meeting was issued by the Director-General of NGF, Asishana Bayo Okauru.

    The governors are also expected to discuss follow ups from the last NEC meeting.

    According to a statement by the Head of Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, the governors will be given an update on the Covid19 pandemic in the country as well as review a letter from the National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on Covid19 as it relates to the Covid19 draft regulations.

    There will also be a general update on the efforts of the Coalition Against Covid-19, CACOVID.

    The statement read, “Governors of the 36 states will be holding their 9th teleconference meeting since the lockdown that resulted from the outbreak of the Covid19 pandemic.

    “The meeting, which is taking place tomorrow Wednesday 27th May 2020, at 1400 hrs will, like eight others before it, have in attendance all the state governors via Microsoft Team from their various states.

    “Among the issues to be reviewed are a number of critical national questions that revolve around the financial autonomy for the states’ judiciary and legislature code-named the Executive Order 10, 2020.

    “The governors will also touch issues around the NLNG ownership, the controversial NCDC Bill, the restructuring of states’ loans and the FAAC deductions which have been a recurring decimal on the governors’ table.

    “As usual the governors will be given an update on the Covid19 pandemic in the country as well as review a letter from the National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on Covid19 as it relates to the Covid19 draft regulations. “There will also be a general update on the efforts of the Coalition Against Covid19, CACOVID.

    “The invitation which was issued by the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Mr Asishana Bayo Okauru also disclosed that the meeting will discuss follow ups from the last”

  • COVID-19: Confusion in the land as FG overrules governors, says ban on religious gathering not lifted

    COVID-19: Confusion in the land as FG overrules governors, says ban on religious gathering not lifted

    Nigerians, particularly of the Muslim faith are a bit confused on which directive to adhere to as regards religious gatherings in their respective states. This is more pronounced because of the Friday (Juma’at) prayers and forthcoming end of Ramadan (Edi-el-Fitr) prayers and celebrations.

    While some governors have lifted ban on religious gatherings and asked residents to participate in congregational prayers, the Federal Government held a different opinion insisting that the ban on gathering of more than 20 people was still in place.

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 control Boss Mustapha on Thursday warned of the dangers in allowing large gatherings without respite in COVID-19 cases and deaths.

    He reiterated that the ban on gatherings of more than 20 people remained banned.

    Mustapha, who spoke at the daily briefing by the PTF in Abuja, emphasised the “need for states to diligently implement and enforce compliance. Particularly, I underscore the need for the governors to provide personal and strong leadership, carry the policy of community ownership to the grass-roots and create deeper awareness.

    “Governors are also advised on the decision taken by some of their colleagues to permit large gatherings as such decisions could inadvertently endanger the elderly, the sick and those with underlying factors during such gatherings. The strong advisory from the PTF is that large gatherings beyond 20 persons remain prohibited and should be adhered to”.

    The SGF also announced that the PTF would work with the National Assembly. The House of Representatives has inaugurated an Ad-Hoc Committee on COVID-19.

    “The PTF on COVID-19 is pleased to inform you that in order to underscore the seriousness attached to this COVID-19 pandemic, the House of Representatives has set up an Ad-Hoc COVID-19 Committee.

    “In deepening the existing collaborative spirit, we shall work together with the legislature to be more productive and add value to the overall delivery of service to Nigerians on behalf of whom we hold our responsibility in trust”.

    Many governors have opened up their states for religious gatherings. These include Cross River, Ebonyi, Kano, Borno, Zamfara and Bauchi, among others.

    But, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has advised Muslims to observe the Edi-el-Fitr prayers at home in accordance with the PTF-issued guidelines.

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mohammed Bello has resisted pressure to open worship centres in Abuja.

    Apart from Cross River State which has no virus case yet. The active cases in some of the states reopening the worship centres are: Ebonyi (12), Borno (122) and 24 deaths, Zamfara (8), Kano (690) with 36 deaths and Gombe (41) and three deaths.

    Defending the governors’ position, Jigawa State Governor Badaru Abubakar, told State House reporters at the end of the National Economic Council meeting at the Presidential Villa that “the issue has been resolved because, at our last meeting with Mr President, the President was clear that the Governors’ Forum and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 should meet and agree on steps to be taken, and it has been discussed today and commitment has been taken by today’s NEC that the Governors’ Forum, the Presidential Task Force would work hand -in -hand to see to the end of COVID-19.

    “A committee was formed today that will look up to the eventual opening up of the economy. Sometimes you will see a different approach by different states, that doesn’t mean that there is loggerhead between the states and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

    “Some peculiar situations require some peculiar solutions and that is why at times you see such and it will always be discussed with the Presidential Task Force so that we will always be on the same page”.

    The PTF has also raised the alarm that Nigerians have started stockpiling chloroquine in large quantities.

    Mustapha said: “Through the surveillance system set up by the PTF, we have received reports that Nigerians have been purchasing Hydrxoychloroquine in large quantities. We wish to reiterate that this drug has not being certified for use in treating COVID-19 in Nigeria by the relevant health and pharmaceutical authorities.

    “Self-medication of any kind, is fraught with the danger of increasing risks of avoidable casualties. We, therefore strongly warn against self-medication. If you are sick, please seek medical advice and if you are confirmed positive, kindly self-isolate in an approved facility. The COVID-19 is highly infectious and dangerous”, he said.

    He noted that the PTF had consistently answered questions and provided explanations on the categories of persons and services exempted from some aspects of these guidelines particularly as it relates to restrictions on inter- state movement and curfew.

    According to him, for the avoidance of doubt, essential workers including medical personnel, journalists, fire service personnel, telecommunications workers, are all exempted.

    He said the Inspector General of Police has further clarified the categories of essential workers in alignment with the guidelines and has issued instructions to security agents to work on the approved exemptions.

    “With this clarification, we sincerely hope that the persistent complaints of harassment by these categories of essential workers, especially medical personnel and journalists would be put to rest so that we can harmoniously work in battling this pandemic.

    “The PTF COVID-19 urges all essential workers to go about their legitimate businesses carrying with them valid means of identification and to exercise courtesy in approaching security personnel. I sincerely apologise for the inconveniences”, he said.

  • I cannot write on Governors and the Coronavirus – Owei Lakemfa

    By Owei Lakemfa

    It is not unusual for me to receive messages asking that I address particular issues in my twice weekly columns. Sometimes students ask that I write on particular topics they are being taught or conducting research on. But the amount of requests I have received in the last fortnight that I write on our governors and the coronavirus challenge is so unprecedented that I suspect a set up. So is an attempt by unpatriotic people and agent provocateurs to lure me into writing about members of Nigeria’s most powerful trade union, the Governors Forum.

    I refuse to take the bait because first, I have already made so many ‘enemies’ out there that I need to start making friends, especially amongst the powerful. Secondly, to write on one governor might be suicidal, to write on two, treasonable and to write on three or more is simply to commit suicide. Besides, it will be unpatriotic to write about strong, powerful, rich men who are ably leading us.

    I can easily and comfortably write volumes on Lagos State Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and the virus. It was his government, when the rest of the country was asleep, which woke us to the pandemic and has continued to lead both the Federal and state governments on COVID-19. In setting up a team of professionals and allowing them to lead the war, he gave us a model of leadership worthy to replicate.

    For instance, while many of his colleagues are hugging the limelight, he lets his Commissioner for Health, Professor Emmanuel Akinola Abayomi, who has experience in Africa and the West Indies on matters like cancer, sickle cell and diabetes, to lead the fight. This way, the state government can answer any question on the virus, no matter how technical.

    I can also comfortably write on Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State who runs a close second to Sanwo-Olu in terms of effectively tackling the virus and its spread. My verdict, which can be appealed, is that: Sanwo-Olu by being non-offensive, civil, cool-headed, accommodating and result-oriented, has been far more effective than Wike.

    While Sanwo-Olu relies more on persuasion, procedures and processes, Wike’s strength is reliance on force and putting the fear of God in people even if that violates the law and the precepts set down by God. For instance, the Bible tells us that although God knew Eve had listened to the snake and along with Adam, eaten the Forbidden Fruit, he did not deal with them summarily; rather, He gave them fair hearing.

    However, Wike has no such patience. When told that two hotels: Edemete and the Prodest Home violated his COVID-19 rules, without giving the owners or management the right to fair hearing or their day in court, he moved in bulldozers to demolish the structures. I am sure he must have felt justified. So, as he personally supervised the bulldozing, he would not have felt any pang of guilt.

    Unfortunately, there was no official bold enough to have reminded Wike that the country is running short of spaces to isolate COVID-19 patients, so the hotels should rather, have been seized and handed over to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC.

    I am a fan of the governor, and in our Wike Fans Club, a member from Rivers State said he does not mind Wike locking the people down, his only worry is that as the governor hops from place to place, he might lose the key and the people will remain perpetually locked down. The Rivers people know that the fear of Governor Wike is the beginning of wisdom. In fact, I do not know who they fear more: Wike or COVID-19?

    I can also write on Gombe State Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya who has been the most democratic so far, at least compared with Saudi Arabia. Given its monarchical nature, the latter thought the best option was to lockdown the country. Even when this was eased, and despite several appeals, Saudi Arabia maintains the lockdown on the Holy City of Mecca. In contrast, Governor Yahaya called a meeting with religious leaders in the state and the democratic consensus was that people should be allowed to congregate for religious activities.

    In a state-wide broadcast last Friday, Governor Yahaya announced the verdict of his referendum: “While majority supported the call, some cautiously approved of it. It is against this backdrop that government has resolved to gradually ease the restrictions in our dear state by re-opening places of worship.” This, of course, comes with guidelines which hopefully, will minimise casualties.

    But it is not on men like Sanwo-Olu, Wike or Yahaya people want me to write, it is about some of their other colleagues, especially those who have exhibited extraordinary brilliance, displays and uncommon toughness in combating the virus.

    They want me to write on youthful Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State who in fighting the virus, vibrated so much on his seat that the frightened COVID-19, at his command, fled across the Nigerian borders into safer havens. Yahaya Bello, whom I love calling General Yahaya Jammeh, because of the striking characteristics he shares with the former Gambian President, is so tough on the virus that in a public admonition of visiting officers of the NCDC, he threatened to detain the federal officials in an isolation centre.

    I will also not be lured into writing about His Most Excellent Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State who was asleep while Sanwo-Olu was combating COVID-19. But immediately the Federal Government allocated N10 billion to the latter, the whiff of the money woke Ganduje up, and one of his initial acts was to demand N15 billion to battle the virus. No, I will not write on Ganduje. Rather I will leave his pioneering work of expelling the Almajiri children to historians.

    I will also avoid the temptation of making further comments on His Excellency Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State. I recently wrote on his pioneering directives that anyone who tries to escape from isolation be shot summarily as the offence is a capital one. To comment on this again, will amount to plagiarising myself.

    As I earlier insisted, I will not write on any governor and COVID-19. Rather, I will commend the Governors Forum for drawing the attention of the House of Representatives to the fact that states are not carried along in its speedy attempt to pass a bill that may impose a regime of compulsory vaccination on Nigerians.

    In response, the House had dismissed the governors as mere “stakeholders” whose consent is not required to make federal laws. I suspect that this uninformed position was taken because Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and his Green Chamber colleagues have not advised themselves on the powers of the Governors Forum.

  • Work harmoniously with governors, Onaiwu urges Gambari

    Work harmoniously with governors, Onaiwu urges Gambari

    The Chairman, Governors’ Mandate Network, Mr Osaro Onaiwu, has described the newly-appointed Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, as a man of “good character, with intellectual soundness.”

    Onaiwu, in a congratulatory message issued on Wednesday in Abuja, urged Gambari to ensure harmonious working relationship with the governors of all the 36 states of the federation.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the appointment of Gambari as the chief of staff by President Muhammadu Buhari had filtered in through the media on Tuesday.

    NAN also reports that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, confirmed the appointment of the seasoned diplomat at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House on Wednesday.

    Onaiwu recalled how he met Gambari in 1998, when they both lived as neighbours at the Ikeja G.R.A in Lagos.

    He advised the new chief of staff to work harmoniously with the 36 state governors, saying that “the governors, who are the face of governance at the grassroots, will greatly assist to support the projects and programmes of the presidency better, if properly engaged.”

    He prayed for Gambari to enjoy a peaceful and productive time in office.

    NAN reports that Gambari, who hails from Kwara, succeeds Malam Abba Kyari, who died on April 17 from complications arising from COVID-19.

    He was the Minister of External Affairs between 1984 and 1985.

  • Fellow Nigerians and governors they do not deserve – Owei Lakemfa

    By Owei Lakemfa

    GOVERNOR David Nweze Umahi of Ebonyi State, 56, is a billionaire of 26 years standing. Therefore, when such a wealthy man who should be busy looking after his billions like a herdsman tenders to his cows, decides to make the big sacrifice of governing a people, he will not tolerate slackness or be bogged down by the niceties of law and order or fundamental human rights.

    This is what the uninitiated like the human rights activists misconstrue as his dictatorial and anti-democratic tendencies. For instance, he ordered that all inhabitants of the state should wear face masks as a preventive measure against the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This is a simple instruction. But rather than obey, there were people asking whether his government has provided such masks for the people, or made them available, accessible and affordable.

    An angry governor then called stakeholders to warn the people that they either wear face masks or be summarily caned in public. He directed Local Government chairmen and officials in the state to administer the cane. It must be quite annoying to Umahi that there are people challenging his cane directive. These hold that an accused is presumed innocent until found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. That every Nigerian has a right to legal defence and fair hearing. So, his directive is illegal and barbaric.

    But Umahi is just being lenient; in another case, he ordered that people should be shot at sight. It happened this way. He had ordered that all the borders in the state be shut down to prevent the virus from spreading. However, 37 persons infiltrated from Enugu State and were arrested. He ordered them isolated for 14 days and directed the police and army to shoot any of them that attempts to escape from the quarantine.

    However, that was not the first time Umahi was ordering the summary execution of people without trial. A few weeks before, his convoy was inadvertently held up on the Onicha Road by mourners. The next day, he ordered that henceforth, mourners who block roads should be summarily executed. He said he was giving the order to protect “the common man.” With such blanket order, soldiers and security men in the state have not just the licence to kill, but kill any number of persons once they are alleged to be mourners blocking a road. In this, the wise Umahi makes himself and the security men, the complainant, prosecutor, judge, appellate court and executioner. Umahi is the law, and his word is the law.

    In another case, he seized and detained the Sun Newspaper reporter, Chijioke Agwu, for allegedly publishing on April 17, 2020, an inaccurate report on Lassa fever outbreak in the state. The journalist was to be prosecuted under the Ebonyi State Coronavirus and Other Dangerous (Infectious) law, but was “pardoned” by the magnanimous governor. Umahi also banned Agwu and Peter Okutu of Vanguard Newspapers for life from entering Government House or any government facility in the state.

    Three days later, Okutu was arrested over a report he did on the alleged military invasion of Umuogodoakpu-Ngbo community of the state. On the arrest, the governor said: “Okutu is fond of degrading Ebonyi State, and I don’t know why my officials have allowed him to continue to do that because he is not from Ebonyi State. I want to ban him for life with Chijioke Agwu. I don’t want to see them anywhere in any government facility”

    He made it clear he would not allow the journalists any legal trial hinting he would rather, employ mob justice: “If you think you have the pen, we have the ‘koboko’(cow hide whip). Let’s leave the court alone. Ebonyi people are very angry with the press and let me warn that I won’t be able to control them or know when they unleash mayhem on you if you continue to write to create panic in the state.”

    Umahi, who has magnanimously lifted the ban, plays god in the state. That is why he follows no rules, has no need for the courts and would ban journalists ‘for life’ when he himself has a tenure in office. But he is highly spiritual hence his announcement that his successor will be picked by God.

    Umahi’s counterpart in Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has similar proclivities. As COVID-19 ravaged the world and made landfall in Nigeria, the Ganduje government was in self-denial. When hundreds of persons began to die in the state, rather than carry out tests to ascertain cause of death, he ruled out COVID-19 saying this was based on ‘verbal autopsy.’ When the reality of the virus sweeping the state could no longer be denied, rather than take quick proactive measures like other states such as Lagos did, Ganduje was asking the Federal Government for a hefty N15 billion to fight the virus. When his request did not seem to be granted, he cried that the centre had abandoned the state.

    Ganduje, an educated man also took disturbing steps. For instance, when a victim tests positive, the logical step is to isolate and treat. That is what Lagos State did, even to Europeans who are not Nigerian citizens. In the case of Ganduje, he ‘expelled’ a sufferer to his home state of Jigawa.

    Ganduje has since moved to ‘expel’ hundreds of homeless children called Almajiri to their alleged states of origin. Some of these children expelled to a state like Kaduna tested positive. So Ganduje has simply helped to spread the virus across more areas.

    Tragically, some state governors in the North have copied Ganduje’s bad example by expelling the Almajiris who are allegedly not from their states. Many of these children with nowhere to go, have appeared on the streets of Niger State and Abuja.

    Unfortunately, Ganduje’s actions have stigmatised these children as carriers of the Coronavirus, and the possibility of their being attacked in various parts of the country is quite real. The stigmatization and expulsion of the Almajiris by Ganduje, and copycat governors, is inhuman and unconstitutional.

    The least conscientious Nigerians, human, social and political right activists, professional associations and the trade unions should do, is to challenge these illegalities. Can we have lawyers willing to challenge these illegalities in court?

    Even if the Umahis and Gandujes have immunity as governors, we can still challenge them so that after their tenure, we can call them to account for their gross human rights abuses, if not in Nigeria, then abroad. In conclusion, I believe governors are honourable people whose acts should be meaningful to the average citizen with common-sense, if they do not, then there is a yawning gap in governance which requires we replace either the governor, or the governed.

  • Coronavirus: Count Kebbi out of governors’ 14 days total lockdown – Bagudu

    Governor Atiku Bagudu declared Thursday that there would be no lockdown in Kebbi state, as agreed by Nigeria Governors Forum.

    Instead, the people would continue to observe all the precautionary measures against COVID-19 pandemic.

    The Governor disclosed this at a meeting with the State Task Force Committee on COVID-19.

    The meeting at Medical Centre Kalgo, was called to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures put in place to check the spread of the coronavirus.

    The Governor commended the task force for living up to expectation.

    Recall that governors under the aegis of NGF agreed to impose a 14-day lockdown in their states, with immediate effect.

    The Kebbi governor was the first to opt out of the idea.

    Bagudu announced that the Federal Government has allocated three truck-load of food items to the state, comprising 2,262 bags of 50kg rice, oil and sugar.

    He also announced that the Minister for Humanitarian Services, Sadiya Umar Farouq would visit to disburse money to vulnerable persons on behalf of the Federal Government.–

  • Coronavirus: Aviation minister rejects flight approval for five governors

    Five governors have been denied flight approval by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika since the closure of the airports and the lockdown order by President Muhammadu Buhari owing to the measure to check the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

    According to the minister, three out of the four governors who were denied flight approval were members of the All Progressives Congress.

    Two of the governors, according to him are from the South-east, two from South-south while one was from North-central.

    He, however, noted that 98 percent of the flight approved and those to be approved will be COVID-19 related.

    Sirika disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday at the daily press briefing by members of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

    He said: “Every single flight that we approved and will be approved will be an essential flight and 98percent of the essential flight will be connected to COVID-19.

    “A few of them, maybe 1percent may be either repatriation, request from the diplomatic community which must go through foreign affairs, or repatriation due to illness of another kind which will be medical-kind and those evacuations will also need a stamp of a teaching hospital.

    He went further to explain: “However, I want to share with you a discussion I had on twitter with someone when I said we will not be able to open our airport and airspace as a result of the extension of the lockdown for normal operations and someone said; Kindly stop all the VIPs shuttle going on. It makes no sense to lock citizens up and allow governors to stroll in and out of Abuja. In the first instance, they carried this virus into Nigeria and now running around is not Okay.”

    “I said to the person that I agree with him but whatever is approved or whoever is approved to fly privately, governor or no governor is on an essential flight and it is addition and 98percent is related to COVID-19.

    “There is no exception to governors. I have denied several of such flights. Including two governors from South-south, two from South-east and by the way, three of them are members of the APC and I think one is from North-central.

    “For a flight to be approved, it shows that it is diligently done. It must be essential, COVID-19 related or other essential flights like cargo that will bring in medicines or equipment or other things related to COVID-19 or our whole wellbeing like food.

    “Please trust us and bear with us for this period but it will end soon by God’s grace.”

    On some flights flying around Abuja on Tuesday afternoon, he said: “I think it is occasioned by information dished out by the Nigerian Air Force that they will be carrying out flying activity this week to mark their week and I think what you see is the flight rehearsal.”

  • Two governors test positive for coronavirus

    Two governors test positive for coronavirus

    Two Brazilian state governors tested positive for the new coronavirus on Tuesday.

    They are Governor Wilson Witzel of the tourist hotspot of Rio de Janeiro and Wilson Lima, the Amazon rainforest state of Pará.

    They became the latest leaders to get the disease as it spreads across the country.

    In a video posted on Twitter, Rio Governor Wilson Witzel said that after not feeling well in recent days, with a fever and sore throat, he requested a test and received the positive result on Tuesday.

    Witzel visited a hospital later on Tuesday, where he was undergoing tests to see if he needed to be hospitalized, staffers in his office said.

    Pará Governor Helder Barbalho, in a social media post, said he had also tested positive after members of his staff came down with the virus, although he had no symptoms.

    Both governors called for people of their states to obey home shelter guidelines to avoid spreading the virus.

    “I ask you once again to stay at home. As everyone can tell, the disease doesn’t make exceptions for anyone and the contagion is fast,” Witzel said.

    Brazil had a record 204 deaths on Tuesday from COVID-19, the severe respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus.

    It was the highest death toll for a single day since the outbreak began.

    More than 1,500 people have died of COVID-19 in Brazil, with more than 25,000 confirmed cases of the disease.

    Governors have played a critical role in curbing the spread of the virus by ordering people to stay inside and most businesses to close.

    Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has criticised lockdowns at the local level, saying the outbreak has been blown out of proportion, even though several of his cabinet ministers and closest aides have been infected.