News
Tinubu gets bill proposing return to regional govt Friday
President Bola Tinubu will, on Friday, receive a draft bill seeking a return to a regional system of government for Nigeria.
The proposed legislation authored by a chieftain of the Yoruba socio-cultural association, Afenifere, Akin Fapohunda, and titled, “A Bill for an Act to substitute the annexure to Decree 24 of 1999 with New Governance Model for the Federal Republic of Nigeria’, seeks among others, new extant laws to be cited as “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria New Governance Model for Nigeria Act 2024.”
The PUNCH reported last week that the said bill was disowned by the House of Representatives whose spokesman, Akin Rotimi, and the Chairman, Committee on Rules and Business said had not been listed for deliberation in the ongoing moves to review the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
However, Fapohunda told our correspondent on Thursday that the bill would be transmitted to the President on Friday.
They Asked Me To Sign That It’s 50-50 Before Cutting My Leg – Ibadan Poly Graduate0.00 / 0.00
“I’m submitting my letter (draft bill) today but I will wait for seven days before releasing it to the public,” he told our correspondent.
Meanwhile, Fapohunda who also represents the Coalition of Indigenous Ethnic Nationalities told The PUNCH that the organisation is proposing the division of the country into eight geo-political regions with approximate interim boundaries.
The proposed regions. according to Fapohunda. include the southern region to be made up of Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, and Cross Rivers States and “Optional inclusions of the Annang, Effik, Ekoi, Ibibio, Oro Ohaji/Egbema in Southern Imo, the Adonia, Efemia, Ijaw, Ogoni, Bini, Ishan, Isoko, Urhobo and the Ijaw-speaking people in Northern Ondo State with land contiguity.”
He continued, “The South Eastern region consists of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States. The Western region comprises Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, and Ekiti States, incorporating the Yoruba-speaking people in Kogi and the Igbomina people in Kwara State. Additional options would be the Itsekiri people of Delta State and Akoko-Edo people of Edo State to make their respective choices.”
Others include the Mid-Western Region “Made up of Edo and Delta States, possibly incorporating the Anioma people and the Eastern Middle Belt Region comprising Northern Cross River, Southern Kaduna, Southern Borno, Adamawa, Benue, Kogi, Plateau, Nasarawa and Taraba States.”
The Western Middle Belt Region comprises Southern Kebbi, parts of Kwara and Niger States while the North Eastern Region will be made up of parts of Borno, Gombe, Bauchi, Jigawa, and Yobe States.
The North Western Region, according to the Afenifere chieftain, comprises Kaduna, parts of Kebbi, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara States.
Fapohunda said the coalition envisaged a two-tier government, federal and regions, adding that the latter would be at liberty to manage her affairs, “Including the creation of sub-entities, based on the stipulations that are agreed upon and embedded in their respective constitutions.”
Is this the democracy we want?
In its proposed governance stipulations, CIEN stated that “In the quest for re-configuration and downsizing, an option to consider might be to retain the present boundaries of the 36 States, as would have been adjusted, but to creatively downgrade the paraphernalia of political administration as follows:
“To introduce a new regional government framework with executive and legislative functions and bodies with the headship title of Premier.
“In the new dispensation, the present States (for example the six in the Western region) would be converted to provinces. Governance at this level shall be by Provincial Councils that integrate executive and legislative functions, with Chairman and Support Specialist Administrative Officers. The regions shall be at liberty to create provinces, subject to viability and self-sustainability.
“The present Local Government Areas are to be transformed into divisions, with divisional managers and specialist administrative officers; to operate as socio-economic development institutions. The new provinces shall also be at liberty to create divisions, subject to viability and self-sustainability.”
The coalition also proposed a new constitution to embody novelties including freedom of the regions to “Create, merge and or re-configure their sub-political units and may adopt provinces, divisions or districts as may suit their circumstances without interference from any other authority.
“Regions and sub-regional entities are to be reconfigured such as would reduce the cost of public and civil service administration to less than 20 to 30 per cent of generated revenue.
“In drafting their Constitutions, the peoples of the respective regional territories will take a cue and also dismantle any arrangement or configuration that will favour the politicians and the political class; with a focus on freeing resources for true development.
“A uni-camera federal legislature comprising members that are elected at the discretion of the regions for which they would be representatives at Abuja.
“Decentralization of federal power in favour of not more than 10 regions on which there is a general national consensus, rather than the presently unwieldy number of 36 States. These old States are inconsequential indeed in being a viable unit of a truly federal system of government.”
In all, the coalition proposes that the Federal Government “Shall comprise not more than nine Ministries and Ministers,” adding that “The very big United States has just 15 Cabinet Ministers, while Nigeria is not even up to just a State of Texas or New York.”
The group is also advocating a return to the parliamentary mode system of government “Built-in statutory rotation of headship among the regions.”
Source: The Punch
The Trump administration has informed Congress about plans to sell nearly $6 billion in weapons to Israel, demonstrating U.S. support as the country faces increasing international isolation due to its conflict in Gaza. Click link to continue reading.
The proposed package includes a $3.8 billion deal for 30 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, which would nearly double Israel’s fleet.
Additionally, there is a $1.9 billion sale of 3,200 infantry assault vehicles for the Israeli army, according to a U.S. official and another source familiar with the proposal, who requested anonymity since the plans have not yet been made public.
Officials indicated that deliveries of these weapons would take at least two to three years.
These proposed sales come at a time when U.S.-backed efforts to negotiate an end to Israel’s nearly two-year conflict with Hamas have stalled. This news follows Israel’s recent strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar, which has drawn significant criticism from American allies in the region.
As Nigeria’s political scene heats up, new allegations have emerged about the appointment of a new Chairman for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 elections.
The current INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, will retire in less than 60 days after leading the 2023 presidential elections.
There are concerns that the President’s choice for the new chairman could cause major conflicts across the country. Click link to continue reading.
*Scores 84.38 per cent in midwifery council examination
Atiba University, Oyo, Nursing and Midwifery students have excelled in the recently concluded Midwifery Council Examination held in Ibadan, Oyo State. According to a statement by the institution, “the outstanding result once again underscores the University’s status as a beacon of academic and professional excellence in healthcare education.”
According to the statement, the University recorded an impressive overall success rate of 84.38 per cent, “reflecting the quality of teaching, mentorship, and commitment that define the Atiba learning experience,” the statement said.
Out of the 32 candidates presented, 27 students passed all three papers outright, thereby qualifying with distinction, with three (3) and two (2) having reference in Papers 1 and 2, respectively.
The institution stated that it remained committed to supporting the five students who would be retaking their papers, assuring them of renewed mentoring and guidance towards eventual success.
Speaking on this achievement, the Founder and President of Atiba University, James Adesokan Ojebode (PhD), commended the students for their resilience and the staff for their tireless commitment to training competent health professionals. He stated:
“This performance is a great source of joy and pride to us at the Atiba University, Oyo. It is proof that our vision of producing globally competitive graduates who are grounded in knowledge, skill, and character is being realised. I congratulate the students, faculty, and all stakeholders who contributed to this success.”
Similarly, the Acting Registrar, Mrs. Oyepeju Ayomide Ogunseye (Esq), expressed delight at the outcome and emphasised the importance of the success to the department’s continued growth:
“These results reflect the hard work of our students and the painstaking preparation by our faculty. Midwifery is a delicate and noble profession, and our students’ strong performance in this rigorous examination is evidence of their readiness to make a positive impact in the healthcare sector.”
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Sunday Olawale Okeniyi, also congratulated the successful candidates while reaffirming the University’s dedication to continuous improvement:
“We are encouraged by these results, and as an institution, we remain committed to providing the enabling environment, academic support, and infrastructure necessary for our students to excel at the highest levels. We will continue to raise the bar in training professionals who will serve society with excellence and integrity.”
Okeniyi further noted that the performance was not only a major milestone but also a validation of the University’s steady investment in quality teaching and professional mentorship.
With this success, Atiba University Oyo continues to strengthen its role as a centre for excellence in health sciences, reaffirming its mission to nurture competent, compassionate, and ethical professionals for Nigeria and the global community.
“What is needed now is politics that can turn our anxieties about life and the future into hope,” the 64-year-old told reporters.
Takaichi, a former internal affairs minister and close ally of slain ex-premier Shinzo Abe, revealed her bid during a meeting with former Prime Minister Taro Aso, now the LDP’s supreme adviser. Click link to continue reading.
Japanese conservative politician Sanae Takaichi on Thursday announced her intention to run for the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a contest that could make her the country’s first female prime minister, Kyodo News reported.
Takaichi, a former internal affairs minister and close ally of slain ex-premier Shinzo Abe, revealed her bid during a meeting with former Prime Minister Taro Aso, now the LDP’s supreme adviser.
“What is needed now is politics that can turn our anxieties about life and the future into hope,” the 64-year-old told reporters. She is scheduled to outline her policies at a press conference on Friday.
Takaichi is considered one of the leading contenders in the Oct. 4 party election, alongside Farm Minister Shinjiro Koizumi. A Jiji Press poll of 2,000 respondents showed Koizumi ahead with 23.8% support, followed by Takaichi at 21%.
Other expected candidates include Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, and former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi.
The LDP leadership vote was originally scheduled for 2027, the end of Shigeru Ishiba’s three-year term, but was moved up after Ishiba announced his resignation on Sept. 7 following his coalition’s defeat in July’s upper house election.
While stepping down as party president, Ishiba will remain prime minister until the LDP chooses a new leader – a role that in Japan’s political system is effectively equivalent to the premiership.
The atmosphere in River State has significantly stabilized following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to lift the six-month state of emergency that had been in place.
Although the immediate tension has eased, the challenges that Fubara will face from the state assembly and local government are looming large.
These potential conflicts could ignite a new wave of political turmoil, threatening to plunge the state back into chaos. Click link to continue reading.
The underlying issues remain unresolved, leaving many apprehensive about the future of governance in River State.
Tinubu, in a statement he signed yesterday, declared that the emergency rule would end at midnight, clearing the way for Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Nma Odu and members of the State House of Assembly led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule to resume duties today.
The president said he saw no reason for the state of emergency to continue a day longer.
A fresh prophecy from Prophet Julius Okonkwo, a cleric and the presiding pastor of Kingdom Seeker Ministries based in the United States, revealed that the storm is not yet over in Rivers State.
“This jubilation should wait; I am not seeing peace at the moment, no peace, no cohesion; everyone is in a mind game, the storm is not over, and there will be another brutal storm. For Fubara, the battle is not over; he’s not happy, and things won’t favour him. The governor would be in his office with folded arms, eating and refreshing, but he wouldn’t have governing power. He has not been forgiven; only time will tell,” said Okonkwo in his weekly message.
Michael Collins Ajereh, popularly known as Don Jazzy or Don Baba J, is a Nigerian record producer, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur and philanthropist.
Following the closure of Mo’ Hits record label, Don Jazzy set up Mavin Records. Here is everything you need to know about Don Jazzy’s bio and net worth.
Don Jazzy is the founder and CEO of Mavin Records, Nigeria’s largest music company that has generated hit songs for several of the country’s top singers.
Don Jazzy has produced several popular songs for a variety of musicians, including D’banj, Wande Coal, Tiwa Savage, and many more. He has received several accolades for his songs, including the Nigerian Entertainment Award for Song Producer of the Year.…click link for full details
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