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LG Autonomy: Senator Daniel Congratulates President Tinubu, Supreme Court

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***Abba Moro applauds SC, says its victory for democracy

The landmark Supreme Court judgement which granted full financial autonomy to the Local Government administration has been applauded by former Governor of Ogun State and Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District Otunba Gbenga Daniel and the senator representing Benue South Senatorial District and Senate Minority Leader,
Senator Abba Moro.

While Otumba Daniel described it as
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s demonstration of uncommon courage and leadership in a manner that seeks to return Nigeria on a trajectory of growth and development, Moro applauds Supreme Court judgement on local government autonomy, said it’s victory for democracy, Nigerians.

According to Otunba Daniel, “This constitutional resolution is long overdue because the local government administration is the closest to the grassroots and they should have the capacity to impact directly on the lives of the people through the initiation of life-changing programs and projects.

“President Tinubu and the Supreme Court have restored sanity to the Nigerian political space as this will allow the dividends of democracy to reach the masses.

“As a Democrat, and a Progressive one at that, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has demonstrated enormous capacity in the struggle towards strengthening the Nigeria’s Democracy, and with this Local Government financial autonomy, he has once again set to recalibrate the wheels of our political and Economic growth in a way that it will make clear meanings to the average citizens.

“I salute Mr. President for this global road map that will usher in true and practical development in our nation”

Comrade Moro said the apex court, while delivering judgement on the suit filed by the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) on behalf of the Federal Government, seeking full autonomy for local government councils in the country, had declared that local government councils should receive and manage their allocations themselves.

The court said state government had no power to dissolve a democratically-elected local government council and putting in place a caretaker committee, stating that only democratically-elected local government councils are constitutionally and legally recognized.

According to him, the Thursday ruling is victory for democracy and Nigerians.
He said the court remains the last hope of the common man, stating that the ruling will bring rapid development to the grassroots where majority of Nigerians live and transact businesses.
He charged governors to abide by the ruling and allow the local government to function optimally for the overall good of all Nigerians.

You will recall that the Nigerian Senate, on 1st December, 2023 through a motion moved by Senator Moro had condemned arbitrary dissolution of democratically elected local government councils by governors and urged the federal government to withhold statutory allocations to councils not democratically elected.
The senator is also sponsoring a constitutional amendment bill seeking local government administrative and financial autonomy, to give local government areas financial and administrative independence to make progress. The bill has since passed First Reading.

Senator Moro, a strong advocate of local government autonomy, has been in the forefront of the struggle for total freedom of local governments from the firm grips of state governments, which he believes will speed up infrastructural development at the local level. He commends the highly revered judges of the Supreme Court for the judgement and says t
hey 00⁰have saved and strengthened Nigerian democracy.

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Law

Again, Edwin Clark Urges Constitutional Compliance in Rivers Political Crisis

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Chief Edwin Clark

**Insists, defection by 27 lawmakers disqualifies them as members of Rivers House of Assembly

Niger Delta elder statesman and leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has expressed his deep concern over the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, which was triggered by the defection of former Speaker Martins Amaewhule and 27 other lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement issued on the matter on Monday Chief Clark strongly criticized the actions of the defecting lawmakers, citing Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates that lawmakers vacate their seats if they defect from the party that sponsored their election, unless there is a nationally recognized division within the party. 
Clark made it clear that the defections, which occurred on December 11, 2023, have led to the automatic disqualification of the lawmakers from the Rivers State House of Assembly, rendering any further actions by them legally null and void.
Chief Clark traced the crisis back to tensions between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. 
Clark alleged that Wike, now the Minister for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), had sought to control the current administration, causing a breakdown in their political relationship. 
This rift was further exacerbated on October 29, 2023, when unknown assailants set fire to the Rivers State House of Assembly building. Following this incident, Amaewhule and the defecting lawmakers began pursuing legal means to cement their positions, despite their constitutional disqualification.
Clark further accused the defecting lawmakers of manipulating the judicial system to remain in power. 
He claimed that they had filed multiple contradictory affidavits and withheld key information regarding their defections from the court, thereby obtaining rulings that favored their positions. 
Chief Clark described these actions as a “flagrant abuse of court processes” and called for an investigation into both the lawmakers’ conduct and the judiciary’s role in the matter.
The elder statesman also directed his criticism at Nyesom Wike, accusing the former governor of intentionally creating instability in Rivers State. Clark alleged that Wike had used a combination of intimidation and inflammatory rhetoric to destabilize the current administration, further deepening the political crisis. 
He urged the federal government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to intervene and ensure that Wike’s actions did not go unchallenged, stressing that such behavior was a direct violation of constitutional principles.
Chief Clark reiterated that the Constitution must prevail and that the defectors’ actions were unconstitutional from the moment they changed political allegiance. 

He called for a swift judicial review of all legal actions taken by the defectors and their supporters, demanding that any rulings obtained through fraudulent means be nullified.

In conclusion, Chief Clark called on all political stakeholders in Rivers State to prioritize the rule of law and work towards restoring peace and stability in the state. 
He urged President Tinubu to ensure that all political leaders in the state adhered to the principles of constitutional governance and refrained from actions that could undermine the democratic process.
“This political crisis is a critical test for our democracy,” Chief Clark concluded. “We must resolve it in a manner that upholds fairness, justice, and the supremacy of the Constitution.”

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EFCC Grants Bail to Two Kogi Officials, wants Yahaya Bello’s Fraud Case adjurned

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has granted administrative bail to two co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, in a fraud case involving former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello. The case, centered on charges of fraud totaling N101.4 billion, has been adjourned until November 27, 2024, by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

At the hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro requested an adjournment, noting that the 30-day compliance period for Bello’s summons, issued on October 3, had not yet expired. Agoro explained that the November 20 court date was inconvenient for the prosecution, and that seeking an arrest warrant would be premature as Bello still had a few days to respond to the summons.

Both the second and third defendants’ legal representatives supported the adjournment request.
Following this, Justice Anenih approved the EFCC’s request, extending the deadline for Bello’s appearance and authorizing service of the hearing notice to be sent to his last known address.

In a parallel development, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama ordered a hearing notice to be posted at Bello’s residence on Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, and on the court’s notice board.
This step follows multiple missed court appearances by Bello since the public summons was issued, urging him to appear for arraignment on 16 counts related to the alleged fraud.

Justice Anenih emphasized the importance of due process, setting November 27, 2024, as the final date for Bello’s court appearance. This case has drawn attention to the EFCC’s efforts to enforce accountability among high-profile figures in Nigeria amidst allegations of large-scale financial mismanagement.

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Appeal Court Sacks MC Oluomo as NURTW National President, Reaffirms Baruwa’s Leadership

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Musiliu Akinsanya

In a significant development, the Court of Appeal has annulled the appointment of Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, as the National President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
The ruling upheld a previous ruling by the National Industrial Court, which had already recognized Tajudeen Baruwa as the rightful leader of the union.

The legal dispute surrounding the NURTW’s leadership has been ongoing, with tensions escalating within the organization.
Despite the court’s ruling in favor of Baruwa, MC Oluomo was recently elected by the Southwest Zone of the union during the Quadrennial Delegate Conference held last week in Osogbo, Osun State.
This election took place amid growing concerns and disputes within the union’s regional factions.

The Appeal Court’s decision is expected to settle the leadership question, restoring Tajudeen Baruwa’s position as the legitimate National President of the NURTW.
However, the union faces potential challenges in maintaining unity across its various regional branches, as supporters of MC Oluomo continue to advocate for his leadership.

This ruling marks a pivotal moment for the NURTW, as it works to stabilize its governance and address internal divisions that have led to several controversies and disputes over recent years.

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