Ikwechegh vs Uber driver: Allow due process of investigation to unfold — Reps tell Nigerians

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Sunday, condemned the rising cases of jungle justice across the country. This is as he has ordered the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department to investigate these incidents and bring all persons found wanting to face the full wrath of the
Read More

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Sunday, condemned the rising cases of jungle justice across the country. This is as he has ordered the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department to investigate these incidents and bring all persons found wanting to face the full wrath of the

Read More

A coalition of opposition lawmakers has raised the alarm over an alleged move by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a group supporting the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to secure a court injunction or judgment to stop the constitutional monthly Rivers State Local Government allocation. The spokesman of the coalition, Hon. Ikenga Imo
Rivers Crisis: APC, pro-Wike group move to stop state’s LG allocation

A coalition of opposition lawmakers has raised the alarm over an alleged move by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a group supporting the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to secure a court injunction or judgment to stop the constitutional monthly Rivers State Local Government allocation.

The spokesman of the coalition, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, stated this on Tuesday in a statement he made available to DAILY POST.

Ugochinyere represents the Ideato South/North Federal Constituency of Imo State.

According to him, the opposition obtained credible evidence from a source that the above-mentioned group, working with some anti-democratic forces, has filed a legal process at the Federal High Court seeking an injunction or judgment to withhold monthly funds allocated to the local governments in Rivers State.

The statement read: “The APC and Pro-Wike group, as I am speaking, is filing a suit at the Federal High Court to help them seize the statutory sovereign allocation of the entire Rivers State LGAs, knowing fully well that no court in Nigeria has declared the election of the LGA chairmen invalid. But still, they want to stop the constitutional allocation of revenue to an arm of government that is constitutionally mandated.

“This is the second of such cases by the Wike group to bring about constitutional disorder. They have a pending case seeking to seize the entire Rivers allocation/LGA funds they filed, and now they are using the Wike-APC faction to file another suit seeking an order to stop the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee, the Accountant General of the Federation, the Minister of Finance, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Attorney-General of Rivers State, and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.

The lawmaker stated that the Wike group is still reeling from the outcome of the just-concluded Rivers State LGA election, which was held in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment that mandated the election. The pro-Wike group, who claimed to be working for President Tinubu, wanted to stop it at all costs.

Ugochinyere added that their intelligence includes reports of boasting by some pro-Wike supporters that the case, before the close of business today or tomorrow, will be assigned to the usual judges who always deliver swift ex-parte orders or judgments in favor of the Wike camp.

He warned that the opposition is closely monitoring the development and will not hesitate to alert the Nigerian people.

He stated that the LGA allocation is a statutory, constitutional, and sovereign fund for an arm of government that cannot be hijacked, especially with the existence of valid LGA leadership.

He urged the FCT Minister’s camp to accept defeat and abandon their alleged plan to undermine the people of Rivers State. He also urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and not allow unscrupulous elements to lead the nation into anarchy and tarnish democracy under his watch.

“The APC and Pro-Wike group, as I am speaking, is filing a suit at the Federal High Court to help them seize the allocation of the entire Rivers State, knowing fully well that no court in Nigeria has declared the election of the LGA chairmen invalid, but still they want to stop the constitutional allocation of revenue to an arm of government that is constitutionally mandated.

“The people of Rivers State have elected their council chairmen and councillors in line with the recent ruling of the Supreme Court to democratize all LGAs in Nigeria, and any attempt to truncate democracy in Rivers would be resisted by the people.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu cannot afford to fold his arms and watch as the Wike group plots to reverse democracy in Rivers State and undermine the peace and stability of the country. I hope the case doesn’t go to those who like to issue orders for the Pro-Wike group in seconds.

“We are watching closely. The judiciary should quit granting any frivolous requests from the Wike group related to the LG polls in Rivers to help save the image of the judiciary, which their desperation is undermining.”

Rivers Crisis: APC, pro-Wike group move to stop state’s LG allocation

Enugu State Government has created the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. The initiative was taken as the government begins to introduce Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses as part of the efforts to preserve the environment and also make transportation affordable for citizens. These were made known by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof.
CNG: Enugu creates new ministry

Enugu State Government has created the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

The initiative was taken as the government begins to introduce Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses as part of the efforts to preserve the environment and also make transportation affordable for citizens.

These were made known by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, and the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Obi Ozor, after a meeting of the State Executive Council at the weekend.

Briefing Government House correspondents after the meeting, Prof. Onyia said, “Recall that earlier in this administration, the governor signed the Enugu State Electricity Law and that Law requires that an independent regulator will be set up, but there will also will be a supervising ministry that will handle all our engagements in the energy space and also in our mineral resource space.

“Considering the level of mineral resources availability in Enugu State, the government had decided, at the end of EXCO today, to now create this Ministry and the mandate includes oversight of most of our investment opportunities within the solid mineral space and also to help catalyse investments in the energy space. EXCO resolved that this new Ministry would take effect immediately.”

On his part, Dr. Ozor said the state was not only introducing CNG buses, but also building the supporting infrastructure to ensure ease of operation and safety of commuters, noting that the government is also doing its part to not only invest more in buying CNG buses, but also to support private sector investment in the transportation space.

“The Executive Council resolved that it is very important for the state and her citizens to begin the process of transitioning from petrol to CNG which saves about half of the cost of fuel in our transportation, thereby reducing the cost of transportation for our people.

“All these are geared towards bringing safe and affordable and sustainable transportation system. This ties into the infrastructure that is underway – the bus terminals, improved bus shelters, the internet of things and gadgets in these buses that will allow us to be able to know where our citizens are and make sure that they are safe from any incident.

“The state is also creating an enabling environment to attract the right investors within the CNG space and the state has already done that with partnership with Greenville Energy,” he stated.

He explained that the government was already constructing a CNG mother station at Ugwu Onyeama, which would have the capacity to serve the entire South East, adding that the construction of the ancillary daughter stations that would look like filling stations would commence in a matter of weeks.

CNG: Enugu creates new ministry