Tag: State governors

All Govs. now in support of State Police – NEC

Aminu Imam
NEC on State Police

Gov. Uba Sani, of Kaduna State, has said 36 States of the federation had endorsed the creation of state police, following the submission of their reports to the National Economic Council, (NEC). The Governor made the disclosure while briefing State House correspondents at the end of 147th NEC meeting, chaired by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, on Thursday, in Abuja. Sani stated that many States were in agreement with plans to establish state police in view of the fact that virtually every state had security challenges. According to him, there are a…

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Dont downgrade, scrap States’ Information Ministries - Minister Idris appeals to Govs.

Aminu Imam
Minister Idris appeals

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has appealed to some state governments considering the dissolution or downgrading of their Ministries of Information to reconsider the decision. The Minister, who made this appeal in Kaduna yesterday, stressed that the ministries are not just administrative bodies but key drivers of public engagement, national orientation, and societal cohesion. The Minister, in a statement issued by his Special Assistant (Media), Rabiu Ibrahim, spoke at the 48th National Council of Information and National Orientation, with the theme: Enhancing Public Information Management for Inclusive…

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S’Court dismisses States govs. suit challenging constitutionality of EFCC, ICPC, NFIU Acts

Aminu Imam
S'Court dismisses

The Supreme Court, on Friday, dismissed the suit instituted by 16 States of the federation against the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), challenging the constitutionality of the acts establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) and two others. The other agencies are the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, (NFIU). A 7-member Justices, in a unanimous judgment, held that the suit was unmeritorious. In the lead judgment by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, the Supreme Court resolved the six issues raised for…

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NNPCL in massive N2tr fuel subsidy scam – Report alleges

Aminu Imam
NNPCL HQ

”Its a lie” – State govts. The controversial fuel subsidy regime purportedly scrapped by President Bola Tinubu at his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023, may have bounced back in full force, with the nation spending trillions of naira monthly on what the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) calls ‘under-recovery’, a report has revealed. According to the findings and analysis,  published yesterday, NNPCL, on behalf of the Federal Government, spends N16.48 billion daily and N494.16 billion on the 870 million litres of petrol imported monthly for local consumption. Recall…

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Court orders INEC to probe electoral offences perpetrated by Governors

Aminu Imam
Court orders INEC

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate cases of electoral violence, bribery, vote-buying, and conspiracy during the 2023 general election. The judgment was delivered on Thursday, following suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/583/2023. The suit, which was filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP), had sought for the prosecution of suspected perpetrators of electoral offences and their sponsors. In a statement issued yesterday, SERAP said the court ordered INEC to ensure the appointment of independent counsels to investigate cases of electoral violence…

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“Return LG funds or face legal action”, SERAP tells 36 Govs., Wike

Aminu Imam
SERAP on LG funds

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP), has called on the 36 State governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to immediately account for and return the local government funds which they have collected over the years. SERAPs appeal came in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling yesterday that declared the practice of state governors and the FCT Minister withholding and utilising funds intended for local governments unconstitutional. In an issued statement yesterday, signed by SERAP’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said, We…

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SERAP sues Tinubus Govt. over failure to account for loans by ex-presidents

Aminu Imam
Collage Maker 05 Nov 2023 09 58 AM 2422

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the government of President Bola Tinubu over the failure to publish spending details of the loans obtained by the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa YarAdua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari. The suit was filed against the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Debt Management Office, (DMO). In the suit, filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Andrew Nwankwo, last Friday at the Federal High Court,…

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How 30 Govs. spent N968.64bn on refreshments, others in 3 months – Report

Aminu Imam
State Govs.

No fewer than 30 State governments of the federation spent N986.64bn on recurrent expenditures, including refreshments, sitting allowances, travelling, utilities, etc., in the first three months of 2024, according to reports. The States Budget implementation reports was obtained from Open Nigerian States, a website supported by BudgIT that acts as a repository for public budget, showed for the first three quarters of the year; data for six States was not available. A breakdown showed that the 30 State governments spent N5.1billion on refreshments for guests, N4.67bn on sitting allowances to…

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EFCC denies releasing list of ex-Govs. under investigation

Aminu Imam
EFCC denies

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), has disassociated itself from a circulating report in the media alleging the release of a list of 58 former State governors under investigation for corruption, to the tune of N2.18 trillion. In an issued press statement yesterday, signed by EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the Commission clarified that it has not issued any such list nor discussed the investigation of the former governors with any media outlet. According to the statement, the report, titled: EFCC Releases Full List of 58 Ex-Governors that Embezzled N2.187…

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’35 State governors hiding palliative money’ – Anti-corruption group alleges

Aminu Imam

Leading anti-corruption body, Follow The Money (FTM) has accused 35 state governors in the country of hiding the N9 billion palliative and infrastructure development funds provided by the Federal Government, saying that only Plateau State has been open on the money. FTM co-founder, Hamzat Lawal, speaking in an interview, said Nigerian governors have kept mum following confirmation of the receipt of the money, which came as N2 billion for fuel subsidy removal palliatives and N7 billion for infrastructure development. Noting how FTM sent Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to all…

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