Politics
Former CBN Governor, And Emir Of Kano Sanusi Under Fire, Risk Deposal
Flamboyant Emir of Kano and former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Muhammadu Sanusi 11 is in trouble and may be deposed anytime from now by the state government.
To actualize the plan, the Kano State House of Assembly has launched an investigation against him over alleged abuse of office and improper conduct.
The emirate council is already being investigated by the state anti-corruption agency over allegation of financial fraud running into billions of naira.
The House on Wednesday constituted an 8-man committee to investigate eight offences allegedly committed by the emir.
The committee was constituted following a motion by Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmad Gama, Nassarawa Constituency.
The 8-man committee was headed by a member representing Warawa, Alhaji Labaran Abdul.
The allegations are: Accusing the state governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the state legislators of mismanaging state resources while on an official visit to China.
Making remarks in Kaduna on the proposed Kano light rail project which had tarnished his (Gama) image, the government and the assembly as well.
Allegation by the emir that the state governor and his entourage wasted one month in China seeking for loan to construct the light rail in the state.
On this Gama said “First of all, we did not spend one month in China. We only spent four days and our mission was to find out the capability of the company to handle the rail project but not to secure any loan as alleged by the emir.”
He added that the emir’s allegation had caused serious embarrassment to him (the lawmaker), the state government and the House of Assembly within and outside the state.
Other allegations levelled against Sanusi include:
* Intentionally attacking President Muhammadu Buhari whenever he got an opportunity to speak at a public gathering. He said this had contravened the culture of traditional institution.
*Embezzlement of funds belonging to the emirate council.
”Tarnishing the image of the emirate by assigning his daughter to represent him at a public function, introducing strange religious issues and involvement in politics.
“Downgrading the honour of the Kano emirate council by assigning his daughter to represent him at a function organised by the #BringBackourGirls# group in Abuja, saying it was against the emirate’s tradition.
On this he said: “There are many responsible members of Kano emirate council members that can represent the emir at the event instead of his daughter. This is the first time we are witnessing this kind of representation in the history of Kano emirate council.
“The mode of dressing of the Emir’s daughter at the event was an embarrassment not only to the emirate council but the entire people of Kano,” he lamented.
Gama, therefore, appealed to the house to investigate the activities of the emirate council with a view to correcting things.
It would also be recalled that the Kano state Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission is currently investigating Kano emirate council over alleged embezzlement of over N6bn in three years.
Daily Trust gathered that, three officials of the emirate council were expected to appear before the commission today (Thursday) to answer some questions as a continuation of the ongoing investigation which the commission commenced last month.
However, the Chairman of Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Agency, Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado said that Kano state House of Assembly did not notify the commission on its decision to launch investigation into the activities of the emirate council.
He said, “The commission has suspended its investigation pending the outcome of the Assembly’s. This is because according to the section 16 of the commission’s law, we are prevented from investigating any matter that is before the State Assembly, Executive and or court of law.
“And the law of the commission is a product of Kano State House of Assembly. So, as a mark of respect, we have suspended our investigation into the embezzlement of over N6bn by the Kano State Emirate Council pending the outcome of the House ofAssembly’s investigation.
He said if the House investigation was only focused on the administrative aspect, the commission could have gone ahead with its ongoing investigation.”
But he added that since it borders on allegation of financial fraud, the commission could not go concurrently with the assembly investigating the same issue.
When contacted for comment, Walin Kano, Alhaji Mahe Bashir Wali, said the emirate had not yet received any invitation letter from the State House of Assembly in respect of the probe.
“I only heard about the development on television, but we did not receive any invitation letter from the house in that respect,” he said.
The probe is coming at a time when five northern governors – Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto, Nasiru El-Rufa’i of Kaduna, Kashim Shettima of Borno, Aminu Masari of Katsina and Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger were said to have brokered a truce at a peace meeting in Kaduna penultimate Friday between Governor Ganduje and the Emir.
Politics
Enugu LGA chairman appoints aides on garden egg, pepper, yam
Eric Odo, chairman of Igbo Etiti LGA of Enugu state, has appointed Ezeugwu Ogbonna as senior special assistant on agriculture (yam and pepper).
The appointment is contained in a letter dated November 1 and addressed to Ogbonna.
“I am pleased to inform you that the executive chairman Igbo Etiti LGA has approved your appointment as senior special assistant to the local government chairman on agriculture (yam and pepper),” the letter reads.
“You should report to the executive chairman Igbo Etiti LGA, Ogbede, for briefing and deployment.
“It is pertinent to note that this is not a career civil service appointment but a temporary appointment which you hold at the pleasure of the executive chairman of Igbo Etiti LGA.”
Odo also appointed Nwodo Ugonna as special adviser on garden egg and pepper.
The council chairman did not outline the specific duties of the appointees.
Politics
Ondo guber: Obi, NLC ruined my chances of winning, says LP candidate
Ayodele Olorunfemi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the Ondo governorship election, says Peter Obi and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) ruined his chances of winning.
On Sunday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Lucky Aiyedatiwa, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as winner of the poll.
The governor secured 366,781 votes in all 18 LGAs to defeat his closest rival Agboola Ajayi, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 117,845 votes.
The LP candidate secured 1,162 votes, finishing fifth from bottom in the 17-candidate off-cycle election.
On the eve of the election, INEC substituted Olusola Ebiseni with Olorunfemi.
On September 27, the federal high court in Abuja directed INEC to recognise Ebiseni as the LP candidate.
The party appealed the ruling, and the appellate court struck out the earlier judgment for lack of jurisdiction.
The umpire said it had restored Olorunfemi’s name as the LP candidate in line with the court judgment.
“The commission was yesterday 14th November 2024 served with the certified true copy (CTC) of the judgment of the court of appeal which set aside the judgment of the federal high court (FHC), Abuja division,” the statement reads.
“In obedience to the court order, the commission has restored Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus, whose name was first published as the Labour Party candidate for the 2024 Ondo state governorship election, and uploaded the same to our website for public information.”
In the buildup to the election, Obi endorsed Ebiseni and described him as “someone who believes in a Nigeria rooted in fairness, equity, and justice”.
“It is this conviction that propelled me to travel by road to Ondo state yesterday to campaign alongside our Labour Party Governorship Candidate, Hon. Sola Ebiseni — a candidate I believe possesses the competence and capacity to govern the State effectively,” Obi said.
‘THEY SCUTTLED MY ASPIRATION’
Speaking with PUNCH, Olorunfemi alleged that Obi and NLC sabotaged his governorship bid.
He admitted that his last-minute campaign was poorly organised and ineffectual.
“My campaign for the election was neither here nor there. I have Peter Obi and the NLC to thank for that. They have scuttled my aspirations and chances to win this Ondo election,” Olorunfemi said.
“These people spoilt things for us with that PDP reject they wanted to force on the party. Their insistence on having Ebiseni on the ballot ruined everything for me.
“They just capitalised on the crisis between the Labour Party and the Nigeria Labour Congress to create problems.
“Can you imagine that Ebiseni wrote a letter to the court in my name without my knowledge, saying I have withdrawn from the race? They cannot exclude me from such a position.”
Olorunfemi admitted that he knew his chances of winning were slim after his reinstatement, adding that he is determined to “get his pound of flesh”.
Politics
‘He wanted me to succeed him’ — Aiyedatiwa dedicates victory to Akeredolu
Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Ondo state governor-elect, says he wishes Rotimi Akeredolu, his late principal, was alive to witness his victory.
Aiyedatiwa, the incumbent governor of Ondo, secured victory in all 18 LGAs, garnering 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 117,845 votes.
Aiyedatiwa took over the leadership of the state after Akeredolu died from protracted prostate cancer in 2023.
Speaking in an interview on Channels Television after his victory, Aiyedatiwa said Akeredolu wanted him as his successor.
“How I wish he was present in that banquet hall when I was declared in the company of other brother governors. That would have been really good, but God knows better,” he said.
“It is so sad and painful that he didn’t live to see the manifestation of what he himself spoke about. I do refer to him sometimes as the man who saw tomorrow.
“He knew that I was going to succeed him as governor. He knew because he wanted me to and was ready to give me the full backing.”
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