Court nullifies Benue NUJ election, orders arrest of President, others

By HOPE ABAH EMMANUEL, Makurdi

The National Industrial Court sitting in Makurdi on Thursday ordered the Commissioner of Police to effect the arrest of the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo, national secretary, Leman Shuaib and the Vice president Zone D, Wilson Bako over contempt of court.

Also, the court ordered the arrest of all those that emerged as winners of the Benue council election conducted on July 3, 2021 as well as the chairman of the credentials committee, Chris Apuu and  secretary, James Shim of the said election.

A member of the NUJ, Orduen Dura of the State Information chapel had earlier dragged the union before the National Industrial Court, Makurdi Division seeking interpretation whether the national secretariat of the union has right to violate its constitution by qualifying candidates that were disqualified by the credentials.

It was based on Dura’s action that the court handed an injunction restraining the national secretariat of the NUJ from conducting the election until the determination of the matter.

But, the immediate past Acting chairman of the council,  Kajo Martins was, however, let off the hook for complying with the order of the court by staying away from the said election.

Presiding Judge, Justice I.J. Essien, who handed the order in the court, also described, Bemdoo Ugber, who purportedly won the said election as ‘illegal’ chairman when he (Ugber) through his lawyer had sought to be joined in the case as a defendant.

Justice Essien averred, “You this illegal chairman, after flouting my order, you have the gut to appear before this court seeking to be joined as a defendant. You are not leaving this court to your house but to the prison.

“How would society be if people at this level of insecurity chose to promote anarchy. All that won in that election are hereby committed to prison on till the next adjournment.”

The judge further ordered Ugber and his executive to stop parading themselves as leaders of the union in the state and to handover any property of the union in his position to the Interim Caretaker Committee led by Steven Ijoh.

Earlier, when the case came up, Counsel to the Claimant (Orduen Dura), R.I. Wombo moved that the court should commit to prison all the respondents including Vice president Zone D, Wilson Bako and all those that emerged as leaders at that election.

The Counsel told the court that all the respondents except the then Acting chairman of the council, Kajo Martins be exempted from committal to prison as the case has been adjourned to July 28.

The matter before the National Industrial Court, Makurdi Division had sought interpretation of whether the national secretariat of the union has right to violate its constitution by qualifying candidates that  were disqualified by the credentials committee.

Meanwhile, in the said July 3, 2021, Benue NUJ council election, Bemdoo Ugber of Radio Benue chapel had only six attendance while Terna Umah of NTA chapel with 10 attendance which fell short of 50 percent as required by union’s constitution and were disqualified by the credentials committee.

But, when the report was sent to NUJ national secretariat, both Ugber and Umah were cleared to join the contest along Dennis Ayom of the State Information and Vincent Nyinongu of The Prime chapel.

To this end,  on July 2, 2021, the Court bailiff had come to effect service on the Acting chairman and the credentials committee, while the Acting chairman accepted the service, the chairman of the credentials committee rejected and the bailiff placed it on the table there and left while the service were also served on the national secretariat of the union. (Daily Trust)
•NUJ President Chris Isiguzo

PIB: Nigerian governors fault proposed ownership structure for NNPC

Nigerian governors have faulted the ownership structure of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation proposed in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

They made their position known in a communique issued at the end of the 32nd Teleconference meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, which was held on Wednesday.

“The Forum is in full support of the unbundling and commercialisation of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) but concerned with the proposed ownership structure of the NNPC which places ownership on the Federal Government,” the communique read in part.

This proposal, the governors argued ignores the fact that the NNPC is owned by the three tiers of government.

Rather than place the ownership of the NNPC on the Federal Government, the Governors’ forum recommended that the new entity (NNPC Limited) proposed in the PIB should be owned by a vehicle that holds the interest of the three tiers of government.

“For now, the institution that is positioned to carry out this mandate is the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA),” the NGF said.

They plan to take up the requested amendment to the PIB as well as the proposed three percent share of oil revenue to host communities and 30 percent share of profit for the exploration of oil and gas in the basins with the relevant channels including the National Assembly and the National Economic Council (NEC) subsequently.

Apart from the PIB, the NGF also discussed several other issues including the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, financial autonomy for state judiciary and legislature.

Read the full communique below:

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE 32ND TELECONFERENCE MEETING (9TH IN 2021) OF THE NIGERIA GOVERNORS’ FORUM HELD ON WEDNESDAY, 14TH JULY 2021

We, members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), at our meeting held today, deliberated on issues of national importance and resolved as follows:

1. Executive Order #10 and Financial Autonomy for the State Legislature and Judiciary

The Forum has approved a common template for the implementation of the Memorandum of Action signed with the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASUN) on the implementation of financial autonomy for the State legislature and judiciary. The template was developed following a meeting of the State Attorneys General and Commissioners of Finance which held on the 25th of June 2021 at the directive of the Forum.

2. Nigerian Postal Service Bill, 2021 & Stamp Duties Collection

The Forum expressed concern with certain proposed amendments to the Principal Stamp Duties Act by the Nigerian Senate which seeks to remove the powers to administer and collect stamp duties from the relevant tax authorities (Federal Inland Revenue Service or State Internal Revenue Service, depending on the nature of the transaction) to the Nigeria Postal Service. The provisions of Section 163 of the 1999 Constitution requires that Stamp Duties on transactions between a company and an individual should be paid to the FIRS and returned to the State of derivation. The Forum resolved to engage with the National
Assembly on the matter.

3. The Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB)

The Forum is in full support of the unbundling and commercialization of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) but concerned with the proposed ownership structure of the NNPC which places ownership on the Federal Government. The NGF recommends that given that the corporation is owned by the three tiers of government, the new incorporated entity (NNPC Limited) should be owned by a vehicle that holds the interest of the three tiers of government – for now, the institution that is positioned to carry out this mandate is the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).

This amendment as well as the proposed 3% share of oil revenue to host communities and 30% share of profit for the exploration of oil and gas in the basins will be responded to at relevant channels including the National Assembly and the National Economic Council (NEC).

4. Sale of Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) Assets

The Forum will take a position on the planned privatisation of assets of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) which were listed by the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE) without due consultation with State governments who are shareholders of the company. NDPHC is incorporated under the
Companies and Allied Matters Act as a private limited liability company with shareholding fully subscribed to by the Federal, State and Local Governments with a mandate to manage National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) in the country.

5. Launch of the NGF Peace and Inclusive Security Initiative

The Forum put its weight behind the launch of its Peace and Inclusive Security Initiative (PISI) set up to tackle insecurity, conflicts and violence in the country. The launch of PISI which took place on 8th July 2021 heralded an important milestone for NGF as it seeks to build a more inclusive and collaborative platform to drive an urgent country-wide response to security challenges in the country.

UPDATES & PRESENTATIONS

6. The Chairman of the Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi informed members of the inauguration of the National Steering Committee (NSC) of the National Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy (NPRGS) chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo with a mandate to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in ten years. State Governors have been enjoined to nominate focal persons who will consolidate policy strategies put in place by State governments to end poverty in the country.

The focal persons will be inducted into a technical working group chaired by the Governor of Nasarawa State, H.E Abdullahi Sule and co-chaired by the Honourable Minister of State for Finance, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba.

7. The Forum received an update from the Governor of Lagos State H.E Babajide Sanwo-Olu on the recent rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases and call for consensual action to prevent a third wave in the country.

Following the update, the Forum called on all State Governors to revive their COVID protocols and collaborate with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to take appropriate and immediate actions to flatten the transmission curve.

The Forum will interface with the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 to accelerate processes required to fast track the delivery of additional vaccines for the country.

8. An update on the States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability –

Program-for-Results (PforR) was made by Mr. Olanrewaju Ajogbasile, the NGF SFTAS Programme Manager, who informed State Governors of the ongoing verification exercise for the SFTAS disbursement linked indicators and debt reconciliation exercise carried out with the Federal Ministry of Finance,
Budget and National Planning (FMBNP), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Debt Management Office (DMO).

The Forum commended the SFTAS programme office and welcomed the reconciliation exercise which will be seen through by the State Commissioners of Finance.

9. Following an update on the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus –

Programme for Results (Nigeria CARES), from Mrs. Firo Elhassan, NGF Programme Manager, the Forum resolved to interface with the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning (FMBNP) and the Federal Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to ensure speedy approval and commencement of the programme in line with the 2021 budgets of States.

10. Sequel to a presentation by Rt. Hon. Princess Miriam Onuoha, Chairman, House of Representatives, Committee on Disabilities on the adoption of the Discrimination against Person with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act (2018), the Forum committed to actively support, through the NGF Secretariat, the domestication of the disability law in States where it has not already been passed. Since 2018, at least twelve (12) States have passed disability laws, including Ekiti, Lagos, Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, Jigawa, Ondo, Bauchi, Anambra, Niger and River State.

11. The Forum received a presentation on the Roadmap for Successful Digital Transformation Execution in States from the Chief Executive Officer of Suburban Fiber Company, Mr Bruce Ayonote. The proposal which sought to build both hard and soft digital infrastructure for State governments was welcomed by State Governors. The Forum mandated its Secretariat to facilitate the planning and partnership process with interested State governments.

12. Lastly, the Forum received a report on the Diversification and Non-oil Export Opportunities for States Post-COVID-19 from the Policy Development Facility (PDF) Bridge Programme. The Forum welcomed the study and noted that findings of the report will help strengthen the diversification agenda of States.

Governor Kayode Fayemi
Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum
14th July, 2021. (Channels TV)