fbpx
Connect with us

News

Anambra Traditional Rulers Condemn Soludo’s Government for Disrespecting Traditional Institutions

Published

on

Obi of Onitsha

 

Traditional rulers in Anambra have expressed displeasure with the way the government of Charles Soludo is treating the traditional institution.

In a letter signed by Igwe Alfred Achebe, the chairman of Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council (ASTRC), the traditional rulers said the way and manner the government maltreated and suspended members were disrespectful.

The Anambra government, through the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, suspended a ruler for conferring a chieftaincy title on Ifeanyi Ubah and threatened others if they did not reverse the recognitions.

No fewer than three traditional rulers, including Gerald Mbamalu of Ojoto, Damian Ezeani of Neni, and F.E. Ebelendu of Aguluezechuwku, had bowed to pressure by apologising to the governor for conferring such titles and withdrawing their recognition.

Mr Achebe said Tony-Collins Nwabunwanne, the government disrespected the traditional institution by taking unilateral action against traditional rulers and communicating with them through social media.

He condemned the suspension of Mr Ezeani, the ruler of Neni in Anaocha, for conferring chieftaincy title for alleged “non-compliance with the Code of Conduct” as dehumanising and selective.

Mr Achebe noted, “Assuming that Igwe of Neni did not strictly comply with the code of conduct, would the foregoing factors not be sufficiently extenuating to warrant a far less sanction on him as was meted to some other tiny few that also failed to comply?

The severity of suspension and threat of withdrawal of Certificate of Recognition suggests that there may be other issues with either lgwe of Neni or Distinguished Senator Ubah which are being stealthily ventilated in this circumstance.”

The ruler added, “Your letter to Igwe Damian Ezeani was copied to the commissioner of police and director of DSS, Anambra state, but not to the chairman of the ASTRC.

“This act, amongst many others, was seen by the traditional rulers of Anambra state as a measure of the worth of the traditional institution to the present administration.

“You publicly visited the sins of an unrecognised self-acclaimed traditional ruler on the entire state traditional institution, to which he does not belong.”

Mr Achebe said the traditional institution in Anambra comprised some of the finest sons of the state who achieved sterling academic heights and professional and vocational attainments.

He said the claim of the government that rulers had demonstrated a penchant for trading chieftaincy titles for money was not supported by any evidence, adding that their stool was not sustained by it or government stipend.

“The livelihood of the traditional rulers does not depend on selling chieftaincy titles or the N175,000 monthly stipend from the state government, but on their own hard-earned modest personal resources,” Mr Achebe stressed.

He added, “By their office, age, attainment and standing in society, they deserve far better respect and dignity than being publicly bullied and unfairly shamed at every opportunity by people in the state government.

The federal and other state governments hold the traditional institutions in high esteem. What, then, has gone wrong in Anambra state? The traditional institution of Anambra feels strongly that the present administration is progressively dehumanising and deprecating the institution against the trend in the rest of the country.”

#

News

President Tinubu Seeks Senate Confirmation for Lt. General Oluyede as Chief of Army Staff

Published

on

 

President Bola Tinubu on Friday wrote the Senate, seeking confirmation of Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede’s appointment as the substantive Chief of Army Staff.

“In his letter sent today, President Tinubu seeks Oluyede’s confirmation in accordance with the provision of Section 218(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act,” Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, revealed in a statement.

The statement is titled ‘President Tinubu writes Senate, seeks confirmation of Lt. General Oluyede as Chief of Army Staff.’

#

Tinubu appointed Oluyede as the Acting Chief of Army Staff on October 30 following the illness of Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.

General Lagbaja, however, died on November 5.

Onanuga said, “President Tinubu is confident about the leadership qualities, professional integrity, and experience of Lt. General Oluyede to lead and inspire the army to ensure national security and stability.”

Before he was appointed Acting Chief of Army Staff, Oluyede, a member of the 39th Regular Course, like his predecessor, served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna.

 

Continue Reading

News

Lawyer Alleges Tenure Elongation Plot in Letter to Governor Yusuf

Published

on

 

Barrister Mustapha I. Zubair, a prominent lawyer and politically conscious citizen of Kano State, has written a letter to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, alleging a plot by certain senior civil servants to extend their tenure of service beyond the mandated retirement age. The letter, which expresses deep concern over the issue, highlights the potential implications of such actions on the state’s governance and public trust.

Zubair, a registered voter of Gwale Local Government, begins the letter by expressing gratitude and admiration for Governor Yusuf’s leadership and pro-people policies. “Your exemplary leadership and pro-people policies have continually fostered growth and prosperity, and we, the citizens, are deeply appreciative of your dedication,” Zubair states in the letter.

However, Zubair quickly shifts focus to the matter of tenure elongation, which he describes as a growing concern among the people of Kano State. “It is evidently clear that after the recent posting of permanent secretaries in the state, some top government functionaries who will be due for retirement in December 2024 are now striving day and night to secure tenure elongation only for themselves,” he alleges.

The letter emphasizes the potential negative implications of such actions, suggesting that the attempt to prolong service tenure by a few senior civil servants could undermine the principles of fairness and transparency in the state’s administration. Zubair urges Governor Yusuf to address the issue promptly to maintain public trust and ensure that the state’s governance remains transparent and accountable.

The letter concludes with a plea for Governor Yusuf to take immediate action to prevent any attempts at tenure elongation and to uphold the integrity of the state’s civil service. “We trust in your commitment to justice and fairness, and we believe that you will take the necessary steps to address this issue,” Zubair writes.

The allegations have sparked discussions among political observers and citizens, who are keenly watching how Governor Yusuf will respond to the concerns raised in the letter.

 

#

Continue Reading

News

FG Obeys Court’s Order, Stops FAAC Allocation to Rivers State

Published

on

Senator Bola Ahmad Tinubu

 

The Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu has confirmed that it has stopped the October monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) revenue payment to Rivers State.

The development comes amid the ongoing face-off between Governor Simi Fubara and the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesome Wike.

According to the Spokesperson of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, the decision to stop the payment was made in respect of a court order.

Mokwa disclosed that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) will respect the court order, which barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian government from disbursing monthly allocations to the Rivers State government.

His words: “What I got is that the October 2024 FAAC has not been distributed yet. However, the Federal Government will obey the court order on the matter of Rivers State allocation.

“We are going to follow due diligence as long as there is no contrary order. In case there is a contrary, the status will remain.”

He added, “The process of disbursement of the October 2024 monthly allocation is going.”

The court order was obtained by the factional Rivers State Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, who had filed an originating summons against the Rivers State Executive, under the leadership of Simi Fubara.

The Amaewhule faction had alleged that the Rivers State Executive was yet to comply with the order of a Federal High Court directing it to re-present the 2024 appropriation bill to the faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

#

Continue Reading

Trending