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Court of Appeal Overturns Judgment Blocking Funds to Rivers State Government

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The Court of Appeal Abuja division, on Friday, reversed the judgment that restrained the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Accountant General of the Federation from releasing funds to the Rivers State Government.

Recall that on October 30, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja stopped the Central Bank of Nigeria from further releasing monthly financial allocations to the Rivers state government.

She held that the presentation of the 2024 budget by the River State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, before an illegitimate Rivers House of Assembly was an affront to the Constitutional provision.

“Appropriation Bill for January toto December 2024, being operated by the 5th defendant (Fubara), having not been charged by the lawful House of Assembly, is illegal, unlawful and subversion of the 1999 Constitution.

It is mandatory to present the appropriation bills before the appropriate Houses of Assembly before legitimate disbursement and withdrawal can be made,” she said.

However, a three-member panel of the appellate court presided by Justice Hamman Barka held that the federal high court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit seeking to seize Rivers State allocation.

The court added that the mere listing of federal agencies does not confer unrestricted jurisdiction on the federal high court, and the subject matter, which is the appropriation issue of a state, should not have been entertained.

While allowing the appeal of the Rivers state government, the appellate court also set aside all the orders made by Justice Abdulmalik, stating that it was unconstitutional for her to make orders restricting Rivers state government from receiving funds due to the state from its consolidated revenue fund.

The appellate court held that the lower court overreached itself and didn’t have the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

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Kano Approves 1st Term Vacation Date

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Kano State Government has approved Friday 20th and Saturday 21st Dec. 2024 as the date for the commencement of 1st term vacation to all Day and Boarding Public/Private Primary and Post Primary Schools in the state.

Therefore, Parents/ Guardians of Pupils and Students in the Boarding schools are to convey their wards home by the early hours of Saturday 21st Dec. 2024.

A statement by the Director Public Enlightenment of the State Ministry of Education Balarabe Abdullahi Kiru explained that Boarding Schools Pupils and Students are to resume back to their respective Schools on Sunday 5th January 2025 while the Day Students are to resume on Monday 6th January 2025.

The statement however quoted the Commissioner of the Ministry Dr. Ali Haruna Makoda urging Parents/Guardians of Pupils and Students of the schools to ensure total compliance with resumption dates.

The statement further warned that appropriate Disciplinary Action would be taken against defaulting Students

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It appreciated the cooperation and support given to the ministry and wished the Students and Pupils successful and hitch free holiday.

 

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Police intensify manhunt on Sanusi Dawakin-Tofa over Ganduje’s suspension

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No fewer than 40 special detective from the Inspector General of Police IGP Kayode Egbedokun monitoring team have intensify search for arrest of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa.

The IGP men who were deployed from Abuja to arrest Dawakin-Tofa on the instruction of acting Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje were said to have been lodged at Tahir guest palace in the last two weeks to execute the mandate.

Ganduje had petitioned the IGP over the controversy surrounding his suspension from his Ganduje ward in Dawakin-Tofa local government of the state, accusing the Governor’s Spokesperson who is from his constituency of orchestrating the political downfalls.

Family sources told journalists on Tuesday that the team of detective in plain clothes were noticed mounted surveillance around residence of Dawakin-Tofa on Monday as part of ground move to carry out their assignment.

One of the members of the family who want to remain anonymous because of security reasons lamented that the secret police ransacked the residence for more than 5 times, scaring members of Dawakin-Tofa’s family including the wife and children as well as creating apprehension in the neighborhood.

The IGP special force have mounted dragnet for Sanusi Dawakin-Tofa’s arrest in the last two weeks despite an order of the court restraining the IGP, DSS, CP Kano and other security agencies from arresting and or harrasing the Governor’s spokesperson.

Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu of Kano state high court on Thursday granted an exparte application, preventing further manhunt of Sanusi Dawakin-Tofa pending the hearing and determination of substantive matter on his fundamental rights slated for 22nd January, 2025.

The animosity between Dawakin-Tofa and Ganduje dated nine years ago, specifically in 2015, when Ganduje, as governor-elect, reportedly ordered Dawakin-Tofa’s arrest over his opposition during the gubernatorial election.

In the latest harassment, Ganduje was said to have petitioned the IGP , accusing Dawakin-Tofa of the brain behind his suspension by the APC Ganduje ward executives few months ago.

Consequently, a team of 40 police officers from the IGP Monitoring Unit was reportedly mobilized to Kano with the sole aim of apprehending the governor’s spokesperson.

Efforts to reach the National Police Spokesperson (FPPRO) were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages to his phone went unanswered.

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Speaker Abbas Intensifies Lobby on Regional Caucus Leaders for Speedy Passage of Tax Reform Bill

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The speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajuddeen Abbas, on Monday met with six regional caucus leaders and their secretaries to intensified lobby for the passage of controversial Nigeria Tax Bill, Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.

The bills have generated widespread controversy, especially in the Northern part of the country over some contentious clauses believed to be inimical to the development of the region.

The regional caucus leaders are Sada Soli, North West; Mukhtar Betara, North East; Ahmed Wase, North Central; Fredrick Agbedi, South South; James Faleke, South West and; Igariwey Iduma, South East.

At least three members of the House of Representatives confirmed the meeting  on Monday, saying the speaker wanted the controversial bills to be passed for the second reading on Tuesday.

“They want the regional caucus leaders to convince their members to allow the bills to be read on Tuesday. Once the bills are read and passed for second reading, that is the end of the game because they will achieve their aim at the committee level,” said a lawmaker who preferred anonymity.

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And the irony is that the chairman of the Finance Committee that will handle the bills is James Faleke, a hardline supporter of President Tinubu and one of the top promoters of the bill at the House.”

The sources further said the speaker is under pressure from the presidency to ensure passage of the bills within a week to enable President Bola Tinubu present the 2025 budget.

“Right now the presidency is at crossroads as the budget is tied to tax increase. This is the reason the presidency is desperate about the passage of the bills before the end of the year,” said another lawmaker.

It was gathered that the speaker is scheduled to meet with Northern governors tonight at the Bauchi Governors’ Lodge, Asokoro Abuja.

Mr Abbas’ spokesman, Musa Krishi, did not reply to inquiry on the matter.

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