The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has said that he is working toward having more retired armed forces officers in governance.

Musa said this while speaking with newsmen on Thursday in Kaduna after the Pulling Out Dinner organised by the Infantry Corps in honour of retired Infantry Generals.

He said the retired Generals, who were used for more training at operational and strategic levels, would be needed in governance where they could bring their experiences to benefit the nation.

“The nation has spent so much in training them, such vast knowledge should not just go like that.

“We want these top military men to continue to contribute their own quota to the development of the nation,” he said.

The CDS pointed out that some of the retired Generals had served the Nigerian Army for 35 years, with some going even beyond that number.

“It means they have accumulated experiences that we cannot afford to do away with.

“They are still strong, capable and ready. We need them to contribute so much to the nation,” he said.

The crisis rocking Edo state chapter of Labour Party (LP), is anything but over, as a pressure group within the party, Shine Your Eyes Group, (SYEG), has again raised raised dust over the emergence of Olumide Akpata as the party’s candidate in the 21 September governorship election.

The Group in a statement by Comrade Jonah Ifada and Osagie Omoregie, Coordinator and Secretary respectively, urged the party to concern itself with how to save the party and its candidate, Olumide Akpata from legal embarrassment over what they described as “weighty allegations” contained in a petition filed against his emergence by one of the governorship aspirants, Kenneth Imansuangbon

They also reminded the LP Publicity Secretary, Comrade Sam Uroupa, that the Shine Your Eyes Group he attempted to deride in his statement is “an existing body that includes all the mama papa, pikin and those who want a better Edo state are members of the body and are in the majority.”

The group said the major issues before the court for determination among others is whether in substituting his deputy Alufokhai Oluyinka Faith, he complied within the time limit and the constitution.

It also said INEC should not be blamed for any perceived infraction by the party, noting that the electoral body did not nominate Alufokhai for the LP in the first place.

The statement said: “What Imansuangbon in his application is asking the court to determine is whether the party followed the normal National Working Committee, NWC’s approval?

“Whether the mandatory signatories by Abure and the National Secretary were obtained and if the answers are in the negative, then Akpata does not have a substitution and therefore not a candidate of the LP in the eyes of the law.”

“We want to say with due respect to our judges that the world is watching and that if Donald Trump can be brought to trial before the watchful eyes of the world Olumide can’t use the court to legitimate his error and Nigeria need to move with the rest of the world and respect of rule of law and democracy.

“Olumide, amongst others, pledged oath of allegiance to another country called Vanuatu, which is against Section 182 of our constitution. Imansuangbon is not contending that he was born in Germany but our Country is against his voluntary oath of allegiance to another country.

“We want to remind him that he cannot appropriate and reprobate at the same time. In the coming days, activities in Vanuatu will be revealed to Nigerians and the world.”

It added that the APC and PDP are keenly watching and waiting in the wings for the party to make this grievous mistake adding that the Supreme Court judgment in Bayelsa was very explicit and in line with section 29 of the electoral act.

Lawmakers loyal to the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Wednesday elected the member representing Bonny Constituency, Victor Oko-Jumbo as the Speaker of the state House of Assembly.

The pro-Fubara lawmakers disclosed this on Wednesday night in a statement by Oko-Jumbo and a factional Clerk of the House, Dr. G. M. Gillis-West.

Oko-Jumbo emerged as the factional Speaker amid calls by the state All Progressives Congress Caretaker Committee and local government chairmen in the state for the impeachment of the governor who got the backing of the Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Debo Ologunagba, at a press conference in Abuja, said the APC should perish the thought of Fubara’s impeachment by the Assembly.

At the inception of the current session last year, the state House of Assembly elected Martin Amaewhule loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as the Speaker of the House.

However, the crisis in the state started later when the Assembly attempted to impeach the governor. The crisis worsened as the state Assembly complex was demolished by the state government, which said the building was defective.

The House was factionalised after Fubara’s loyalists elected Eddison Ehie as the Speaker.

A truce initiated by President Bola Tinubu led to the resignation of Ehie and factions ceased to exist in the Assembly.

Ehie was later appointed the Chief of Staff at Rivers State Government House by the governor, while Amaehule remained the Speaker leading the majority members of the House of 27 loyal to Wike

Lately, the crisis reignited after the state assembly vetoed Fubara to pass the state local government amended law which empowers the council chairmen to remain in office for another six months after the expiration of their tenure, should the governor fail to conduct local government elections.

Despite the governor’s objection, the assembly exerted its authority by passing two bills.

On Monday, Fubara denounced the assembly as an unlawful entity, asserting that he did not recognise them.

Furthermore, he maintained that the eight-point peace accord facilitated by the President was merely a political resolution rather than a constitutional matter.

Consequently, on Tuesday, the state APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, urged the 27 members of the assembly aligned with the FCT minister to initiate impeachment proceedings against Fubara.

However, the crisis took another dimension on Wednesday as lawmakers loyal to the governor elected Jumbo as the Speaker.

The pro-Fubara faction in a statement by the new Speaker and Gillis-West, stated that Oko-Jumbo had emerged as the new Speaker.

According to the statement, Oko-Jumbo was elected on Wednesday at 10 am during plenary, in line with the Standing Order of the House.

The statement added Victor Oko-Jumbo in his acceptance speech thanked the members for electing him as the new Speaker.

Factional speaker

Oko-Jumbo called on Fubara to henceforth discontinue any dealings with the 25 lawmakers.

He said: “This is in line with Section 92(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (CFRN 1999) as Amended.

“You will agree with me that after the House last sat on the 13th of December, 2023, and adjourned sine die, there has been an avalanche of legislative rascality perpetrated by the 25 former members of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly, led by the former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule.

“These former members, being fully aware of the provisions of Section 109(1)(g) of the CFRN 1999, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Party (APC) on the 11th of December, 2023.

“Consequently, the Rt. Hon. Edison Ogerenye Ehie-led Assembly, on the 13th of December, 2023, wrote to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declaring the seats of the 25 lawmakers vacant in line with Section 109(1)(g) and (2) of the CFRN 1999.

“My distinguished colleagues, there are a plethora of cases pending in our courts further to the defection of the former lawmakers.”

“All laws, plenary sessions and actions taken by the illegal House members are hereby declared void and a nullity in the eyes of the law by the judgment of Lord Denning in the celebrated case of MacFoy v UAC (1961) 3 All ER 1169.

“Lord Denning held in that case that you cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand. Particularly, Lord Denning stated: ‘If an act is void, then it is in law a nullity. It is not only bad but incurably bad. There is no need for an order of court to set it aside.

“’It is automatically null and void without more ado, though it is sometimes more convenient to have the court declare it to be so’.”

Efforts to get reactions from the pro-Wike lawmakers were unsuccessful as several calls made to the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon.. Dumle Maol, and the spokesman for the House, Hon.Enemi George were neither picked nor returned.

Also, the two senior House members had yet to reply to text and WhatsApp messages sent to them as of the time of filing this report on Wednesday night.

However, on Wednesday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, described the APC’s call for Fubara’s impeachment as unlawful.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, on Wednesday, he stated that the remarks made by the APC chairman in Rivers State revealed the desperation of the APC.

Ologunagba noted, “Such a reckless and unwarranted statement by the APC Chairman in Rivers State exposes the vile desperation of the APC, which is roundly rejected in Rivers State, to use violence, coercion and bullying to undermine the will of the people and forcefully take over the state.

“The fact that the Rivers State APC chairman, in his warped imagination, thinks he can direct impeachment proceedings against a duly elected state governor not only shows the level of APC’s arrogance and condescension for the people of Rivers State but also further confirms the APC’s desperation to forcefully annex their democratic rights under the constitution.

“In any event, the individuals that the Rivers State APC chairman directed to commence impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara are not legally members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot contemplate or exercise such powers under the law.”

The PDP spokesperson urged the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to pay attention to the statement made by the APC leader, cautioning that it had the potential to incite unrest and disrupt the democratic process in the country, emphasizing that the constitution is unequivocal on the matter.

Ologunagba continued, “These individuals, by section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), have since vacated and lost their seats, rights, privileges, recognition and obligations accruable to members of the Rivers State House of Assembly after their defection from the PDP, the political party platform upon which they were elected into the Rivers State House of Assembly. For emphasis, section 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution.

“It should be noted that section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution is self-executory. The import of this provision is that the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected have vacated their seats by the reason of that defection.

“The unlawful directive by the Rivers State APC chairman to these individuals to commence an impeachment proceeding against the governor is, therefore, a brazen call for anarchy as it amounts to an attempt to forcefully overthrow a democratic order in clear violation of section 1 sub-section 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He urged the APC leadership in Rivers to acknowledge that the state was firmly under the control of the PDP and that the residents of the state were not inclined to change this allegiance.

Ologunagba further stated, “The APC must perish the thought of forcefully taking over Rivers State as such is a direct assault on the sensibility of the people which will be resisted firmly.’’

Efforts to get the reactions of the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Felix Morka and the National Publicity Director, Bala Ibrahim, were unsuccessful as they did not respond to calls and messages sent to their phones.

Endorsing the plot against the governor, the Rivers State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria accused him of tampering with LG allocations.

The state ALGON Chairman and Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Allwell Ihunda, stated this at a news briefing in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.

The association alleged that the governor withheld the LG funds for April, pointing out that Emuoha LG had not received its due allocation since March 2024.

The body noted that the action of the state government had prevented the local government chairmen from discharging their responsibilities, which they said was tantamount to proscribing the local government system in the state.

Ihunda, who was flanked by 21 of his colleagues, also said the security votes due to the various councils had not been released to them, saying these were signs of highhandedness and dictatorship by the governor.

The council chairmen vowed not to vacate office at the expiration of their tenure later in June, insisting that there is an existing law which allows them to remain in office for at least six months, noting that the governor was not prepared to conduct local government elections.

Ihunda stated, “It has come to the notice of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, that the Rivers State Government under the leadership of His Excellency, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, has neglected, failed and deliberately refused to hold the statutory Joint Account Allocation Committee meeting which is the prerequisite for the release and disbursement of funds due to the local governments in the State Joint Local Government Account and has continued to withhold the statutory allocations due to the 23 local governments councils of Rivers State since April 2024.

“And in the case of Emohua LGA, since March 2024 till date, for no just cause, thereby starving the third tier of government of the funds required to discharge its statutory functions in the administration of the local government areas.’’

It further said that the governor held a meeting with some officials where he made decisions on how to short-change the LGs.

‘’It has also come to our notice that the governor of Rivers State held a meeting with heads of local government administration, heads of personnel management treasurers of local governments and other directors on Monday the 6th day of May 2024 in Government House Port Harcourt.

‘’He directed them to go and compile for presentation to him of the salary vouchers and overheads of civil servants, excluding chairmen, vice chairmen, councillors and other political office holders, for the various local governments to unlawfully dip his hands into local government funds to pay staff salaries directly without the involvement of the democratically elected local government chairmen.

“In other words, the governor of Rivers State is seeking to proscribe the system of local government by democratically elected local government councils which is guaranteed under section 7 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

“This action is tantamount to an illegal proscription of the local government Councils by a Governor who had recently announced that the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are non-existent or exist merely at his convenience/mercy.

“These are clear signs that Rivers State is on the verge of being plunged into the dark ages of totalitarianism and autocratic rule under His Excellency, Sir Siminialayi Fubara.”

The ALGON chairman further said the action of the governor smacked of executive high-handedness and lawlessness, saying, “It is not only despicable and unconscionable in a democratic setting, but is also unconstitutional given the clear provisions of sections 3(6), 7 and 162 of the 1999Constitution, as amended.”

He added, “We are aware that as far back as the year 2004, the Supreme Court of Nigeria had determined, in its landmark judgment in the case of Attorney General of Lagos State v. Attorney General of the Federation (2004) LPELR-10 (SC)118, that the withholding of local government statutory allocation is wrongful and unconstitutional and that the 1999 Constitution, as amended, has not vested any powers on the President or the state governors to withhold local government funds for any reason whatsoever.

“It is worrisome that the Governor of Rivers State who took the oath of office and swore to uphold the Law and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will stoop so low as to resort to such undemocratic and unconstitutional means to strangulate the third tier of government to achieve personal political ends, and without minding the dire consequences which his actions portend not only for the system of local government administration in Rivers State but also for the welfare of the local government employees and the good people of Rivers State who live in the various local government areas and deserve the dividends of democracy.’’

He accused the governor of undermining his oath of office to uphold the law and the Constitution, adding that he was determined to denigrate the sanctity of the authority of the judicial arm of government by flouting and disobeying court orders at will.

“We, therefore, call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Federal Government of Nigeria to intervene by calling the Governor of Rivers State to order to avoid a breakdown of governance, law and order in Rivers State.

“We call on the honourable members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to take appropriate steps to check the excesses of the Governor of Rivers State and ensure the survival and sustenance of democratic institutions in Rivers State,’’ Ihunda said.

Asked if the association was backing the call for Fubara’s removal from office, the council boss said, “yes. “

The ALGON Legal Adviser and Chairman of Andoni Local Government Area, Chief Erastus Awortu, shed light on why the council chairmen would remain in office beyond June when their tenure will expire.

Awortu explained, “Yes we were elected in 2021 and our tenure will expire in June. By now local government elections ought to have been conducted and concluded, waiting for swearing-in for those that are victorious.

“But the State House of Assembly has seen that no action has been taken on conducting local government elections and in their wisdom to ensure that there is no vacuum, we must maintain a democratically elected system as the constitution and in the local government law of Rivers State.

“The House has said until elections are conducted, this local government (administration) will stay in office for another six months in the interim.”

Awortu explained that it was in this respect that the LG chairmen went to court because the state government had not shown any inclination towards conducting local government elections.

He added, “But what we are seeing is associates of the governor and even the governor himself making comments like on the 17th on the 18th they are going to invade the local government offices and burn anybody they see. This is an invitation to anarchy.

“We, as local government chairmen, are going to remain in office because the recently amended local government law that creates and provides for tenure and functioning of local governments in Rivers State as empowered by the Constitution has given us an additional six months period. And we will remain in office until that period expires.

“It has been done in other states. Recently in Zamfara State, they extended. So, we expect that the governor will do what is reasonable and conduct local government elections instead of seeking to plunge the state into needless violence.’’

On his part, the Chairman of Emuoha Local Government Area, Dr Chidi Llyod, said it was unfortunate that council chairmen who fought and rallied around the governor to win the elections were suffering such a fate, alleging that the governor has been tempering with their funds in the last one year.

Llyod stated, “The governor has been illegally tampering with our money without our approval. Deductions are made; we do not even know how much comes from the federation account. It is as bad as that.

“The ecological fund that has since been released has not been given to us. Then the 10 per cent Internally Generated Revenue that ought to come to the local governments are not also coming.

“Even the funds from Mr President do not come to the local governments. So, it is unfortunate that we have arrived at this point in Rivers State. But we take solace in what Ecclesiastes said in chapter 10 verse 16: Woe to the city whose king is a child.

“So governance is not an all-comers’ game. Governor Fubara was given a Mercedes Benz to learn how to drive instead of a Beetle. So that is what we have to contend with. Rivers State cannot be for a learner driver.’’

Reacting to the position of ALGON, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, said the council chairmen were merely grandstanding, saying they did not have the power to stay in office beyond what the law allows.

Johnson, who spoke with one of our correspondents on the telephone on Wednesday, also said Emuoha LG funds were withheld because of the issue it has with the state local government service commission.

The commissioner revealed that three LGAs acted outside their powers to sack staff when such powers rest only with the commission, even as he said the law the LG chairmen were relying on was prohibited from the onset, as according to him, a law cannot be made in retrospect and that they cannot sign any document after June 17th, 2024.

He stated, “The fact is very straight. The only local government fund being withheld is that of Emuoha. There are 23 local government areas in the state. One local government is very infinitesimal, to say the least. We cannot withhold one for no reason.

“But the truth of the matter is that three LGAs went beyond their boundaries and went ahead to sack their staff. And the only commission that is vested with that power is the Local Government Service Commission.

“The local government service commission came with the hammer on the three LGAs namely, Ahoada East, Ikwerre and Emuoha. Ikwerre local government has fulfilled all righteousness and their funds were released to them. Ahoada East has also fulfilled its righteousness.

“The only local government that has refused to hearken to the demands of the service commission is Emuoha.”

Continuing, the spokesman said, “So for ALGON members, they are grandstanding. There is a law that brought them and that law gave them a three-year tenure. You cannot shift the goalpost in the middle of the game.

“After the 17th of June, they will become functus officio. It is a Latin word to say that your tenure has elapsed. The mandate you have has expired, so you will become former chairman. Anything outside this will not be recognized by the law.

“So they cannot sign any document on the 18th of June as chairman of anything, particularly that the law they are claiming to be obeying which is one that the Assembly made for them, that law is prohibited. The Nigerian constitution says no law is made in retrospect. There is a prohibition on retrospective law.’’

Meanwhile, the National Legal Adviser of the APC, Prof Abdulkareem Kana, has said he cannot comment on the impeachment call against Fubara until the National Working Committee of the party is properly briefed.

He said, “We cannot properly respond to what is going on there until we are properly briefed, at least, by the state APC chairman.”