Politics
EndSARS protests: Senate asks President Buhari to address Nigerians immediately
The Senate on Tuesday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately address the nation on the raging #ENDSARS protests.
And as the Senate called on the protesting youths to embrace dialogue with the Federal Government in resolving the issues, President Buhari was urged by a former Kebbi State governor and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Senator Adamu Aliero, to adopt the use of force if dialogue fails.
Also Read: [#EndSARS] IGP deploys anti-riot police officers nationwide
Checks revealed yesterday, as reported by the Guardian that the intervention of the Senate in calling on President Buhari to address the nation as a way of resolving the problems may have prevented a more serious action of declaring emergency rule across country.
A lawmaker who would not want to be mentioned in print said the Senate’s decision disclosed that the President might be forced to use his constitutional powers to impose the state of emergency as guaranteed in section 305 of the constitution.
According to section 305 of the constitution, the President shall have power to issue a Proclamation of a state of emergency only when –
* the Federation is at war;
*the Federation is in imminent danger of invasion or involvement in a state of war;
*there is actual breakdown of public order and public safety in the Federation or any part thereof to such extent as to require extraordinary measures to restore peace and security;
*there is a clear and present danger of an actual breakdown of public order and public safety in the Federation or any part thereof requiring extraordinary measures to avert such danger;
*there is an occurrence or imminent danger, or the occurrence of any disaster or natural calamity, affecting the community or a section of the community in the Federation;
*there is any other public danger which clearly constitutes a threat to the existence of the Federation; or
*the President receives a request to do so in accordance with the provisions of subsection (4) of this section”
Seconding Tuesday’s motion sponsored by Senator Abiodun Olujumi and co-splnsored by all other Senators, Aliero stated:
“While seconding, I want to also suggest very strongly that dialogue should be used to get the youths to suspend the #ENDSARS protest. Where dialogue fails then we should use whatever means possible otherwise it will lead to anarchy.”
The Guardian reported that he explained that “already, a number of people have been killed and no responsible Government would allow lawlessness to take place while it is in power and for that reason Government should use whatever means possible to ensure that it bans the #ENDSARS movement.
“Of course in liberal democracy like ours protests take place but where it is being hijacked by hoodlums using violence on innocent citizens, Government should use its constitutional powers by ensuring that law and order is maintained.
“It is for that reason that I am supporting this motion and I am urging my colleagues to do the same” Aliero stated.
Adopting the motion, the Senate approved that all tiers of government should put in place machineries to address socio-economic issues affecting youths across the country.
It equally called on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to embark on a comprehensive reform in the police .
The Senate asked the protesting youths to approach the Constitution Review Committees of the National Assembly and present issues they would want amended .
The Senate advised the President to immediately set up a Judicial Panel of enquiry to probe cases of abuse of human rights by policemen in the past.
Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, who suggested the prayer, informed the Senate that some five notorious Special Squad Anti-Robbery (SARS) operatives who had killed people illegally were yet to be made to face the law adding that there was need to do so immediately .
Most Senators including the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, testified that they had witnessed cases of police brutality in the past.
Explaining the motion, Senator Olujimi said most of the prayers adopted should serve as wake up calls to government.
She lamented that government had not been proactive in addressing issues pointing out that this government is worse in that regards.
According to her, ignoring the issues raised by the protesters could push the country into more difficult times.
The specific prayers of the motion tagged “#ENDSARS protest: Need for comprehensive and holistic reform” are:
*That all tiers of government put in place and sustain policies and programmes of socio-economic reforms that raise the standard and quality of life of our people, particularly youths who are leaders of tomorrow;
*That the police and other security agencies operate strictly in accordance with the rules of engagement appropriate to a democratic environment that abjures the use of aggressive and brutal force against peaceful protesters;
*That the Inspector General of Police ensures a holistic, comprehensive reforms of the police to include the overhaul of the welfare, training and medical insurance of all members of the Nigerian Police Force;
*That all Nigerians should resort to use of legal and institutional channels of resolving conflicts and disputes instead of misusing security agencies to secure undue advantages;
*That Nigerian youths and the Nigerian citizens should approach the National Assembly Committees on Constitutional Reforms in order to secure far-reaching and holistic amendments that are vital to the restructuring and re-shaping our Federation to make it an inclusive and viable polity;
*That the Federal Government should faithfully and comprehensively implement all the five demands of the #EndSARS movement and protesters;
*That the #EndSARS movement and protesters stop their actions and embrace genuine dialogue in order to give the government the time and space to meet their demands.
In a significant development, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially lifted the visa restrictions that were previously imposed on Nigerian travelers. This announcement came from the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, following a Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.
“I can tell you that the agreement has been reached and effective from today, Nigerian passport holders intending to travel to the UAE are able to do so,” Idris confirmed.
The lifting of these restrictions marks the end of a prolonged diplomatic dispute between the two nations. The UAE initially imposed the visa ban due to several unresolved issues, including financial disputes. Notably, Dubai’s Emirates airline had suspended flight operations to Nigeria over the Central Bank of Nigeria’s inability to remit an estimated $85 million in revenue to the UAE.
In June, after extensive negotiations, the Nigerian government reassured its citizens that the visa ban would soon be lifted. The government also announced that it had paid 98% of the $850 million owed to the UAE, paving the way for this positive outcome.
Further details on the agreement will be provided later today, as mentioned by Minister Idris. This development is expected to strengthen bilateral relations and promote travel and trade between Nigeria and the UAE.
Stay tuned for more updates as the full details of the agreement are released. For now, Nigerian travelers can start planning their trips to the UAE, free from previous travel restrictions.
The Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, told the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja on Tuesday that he was leaving the party.
He said he would join the ruling All Progressives Congress which he claimed would protect the interest of the South-East in the 2023 elections.
Our correspondent gathered that Umahi told the members of the National Working Committee of the PDP that his decision to join the APC was irrevocable.
The members of the PDP NWC, who were led to the meeting by its National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, were said to have tried in vain to convince the governor not to abandon the party.
Apart from Secondus, among those that were at the meeting at the Ebonyi Governor’s Lodge in Abuja were Deputy National Secretary, Agbo Emmanuel; National Organising Secretary, Austin Akobondu; Financial Secretary, Abdullahi Maibasira; National Women Leader, Mariya Waziri and Senator Sulieman Nazif.
The governor was said to be friendly when he received the PDP delegation, but stuck to his decision to leave the PDP when the issue came up.
It was gathered that the PDP delegation impressed it upon the governor that there was no need leaving the PDP for the APC, which they argued had become unpopular.
Sources at the meeting, however, said the governor was not convinced, insisting that the APC was planning to zone the 2023 Presidency to the South-East.
He was said to have promised to stay in the PDP if the party could make a pronouncement that it would zone the Presidency to the same zone.
One of the sources said, “I think his (governor’s) mind was made up. We told him there was no need for him to abandon the party that had made him a deputy governor, state chairman of the party, two-time governor and all that. But he refused.
“He wanted us to unilaterally zone the office of the Presidency to his area. We cannot do that. Parties are not run that way. He told us he was leaving. That is what we got from him.’’
When contacted, Secondus confirmed that the party’s leadership met with Umahi.
He, however, refused to declared the details of the meeting, insisting that the meeting was on ‘‘national issues.’’
An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigating officer, Adariko Michael, on Tuesday, alleged that N2.2 billion was spent on prayers in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia to win the war against Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria.
Mr. Michael was giving evidence as the first prosecution witness (PW1) in the trial of Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser (ONSA) to President Goodluck Jonathan, in the alleged two billion dollars arms deal fraud.
Others charged with Mr. Dasuki, a retired colonel, are a former General Manager with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited, and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
The EFCC charged them with 32 counts bordering on misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, dishonest release and receiving various sums of money before Husseini Baba-Yusuf.
Led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, Mr Micheal said N750 million was allegedly transferred from the ONSA special account to Reliance Referral Hospital Limited’s account with First Bank.
He added that N650 million was also transferred to Acacia Holding Limited’s account with EcoBank, while another N600 million and N200 million were transferred to the company’s account with UBA.
“Between September 27, 2013, and April 16, 2015, N50 million was credited to Reliance Referral Hospital’s account.
“Based on responses from the banks involved, as investigating officer, we found out that money was transferred to several individuals and companies.
“When we went through the account statement, we asked the second defendant (Aminu Babakusa) the reason for this.
“He informed us that the money was used to hire clerics to pray for the nation as regards Boko Haram crisis.
“When we asked him to provide the names, contacts and phone numbers of the clerics he hired to pray for the nation, he mentioned only two,” he said.
Mr Dasuki spent four years in detention, following his arrest in 2015 over alleged misappropriation of N2.2 billion meant for arms purchase during his time as National Security Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan
After the Federal Government had consistently failed to honor court orders granting him bail, including an ECOWAS court judgment in 2016, he was finally released on December 24, 2019
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