Folarin Kehinde

The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal against the election of Governor Hycinth Alia of Benue State.

This development follows the withdrawal of the appeal by counsel to Mr Titus Uba of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sebastian Hon, on Monday.

Uba had challenged the victory of Governor Hyacinth Alia of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Recall that the Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal Abuja, had affirmed Alia’s election as governor of Benue State, following his declararion by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the March 18 governorship election.

The court said it was a pre-election matter and that it lacks the jurisdiction to hear the petition.

These are not the best of times for the minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, Betta Edu.

Days after she was indicted for approving the payment of N585.189 million grant meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun and Lagos States into a private account owned by one Bridget Mojisola Oniyelu, another scandal has surfaced.

Official documents have revealed that she approved funds for flight tickets and airport taxis for her team members to travel from Abuja to Kogi, a state with no airport, in November last year.

Documents seen by Daily Sun show that Edu approved N200,000 for flight tickets and N20,000 for airport taxi for each of her 13-man team to travel from Abuja to Kogi, while she approved N300,000 for herself, though no amount was approved for airport taxi for her.

This makes it a total of N3,160,000 for flight tickets and airport taxis to travel directly to a state without an airport.

The team spent N4,374,500 on flight tickets, airport taxis, daily transport allowance, and local running for the time spent in Kogi alone.

In contrast, in total, she approved the sum of N226,188,500 million for Kogi, Bayelsa, and Imo states through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation ahead of the November 11, 2023 governorship elections, which includes funds disbursed to vulnerable people in the three states.

However, Kogi has no airport and the nearest airfield to it is in Akure, the Ondo State capital, a distance which would take over five hours to get to by road, much farther than the distance between Kogi and Abuja by road, which is about three hours.

Other airports around Kogi are in Owerri, Enugu, Asaba, and Delta State, but they are all farther from Akure than Lokoja.

President Bola Tinubu has been advised to sack the embattled Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, over an allegation of financial misappropriation.

In a statement on Saturday, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) urged the Edu to tender her resignation as minister and submit herself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for questioning.

HURIWA made this call following the federal government’s ongoing N44.8 billion fraud investigation in NSIPA as it involved the public fund she allegedly deposited in a private individual’s bank account.

The group emphasized on the potency of the public sector financial regulations of 2009, which prohibits the payment of public funds to the account of a private individual.

HURIWA especially noted that it would be a “twofold norm” in the event that the the president suspended his representative heading the social investment coordinating office for the allegations of paying public funds worth over N34 billion as alleged by EFCC into private accounts.

It urged the President and the EFCC to use the best global practice in the enforcement of the anti-graft laws since the law shouldn’t be made to favour individuals because they are top officials in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“We are not accusing the minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation of committing any infractions, but based on the media statements that her office has issued so far, the attempt to convince Nigerians that it is lawful to keep public fund in private account is just like the polemic promoted by one erstwhile civilian governor of Kano State in the second Republic,” HURIWA said.

“It is incongruous and indeed puerile to say that on one hand, the EFCC arrested one official of the same government over allegations of payments of public funds into private accounts but on the same breath, a cabinet level minister is inundating the public space with her submission that keeping public money in private account of someone heading a certain portfolio, is appropriate.

“This sounds illogical and fallacious and by the way, if as the Minister argued that under a certain civil service rule, public funds can be kept under private accounts, why then does the financial regulations act governing public service in Nigeria say the exact opposite?”

HURIWA cited that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, has raised alarm over what she termed “disgruntled elements” trying to dent her reputation following the federal government ongoing N44.8 billion fraud investigation in NSIPA.

It may appear like the political crisis between Rivers State governor, Sim Fubara and FCT minister, Nyesom Wike is far from over.

This is even as Wike has declared that he still has a stronghold in the state despite a successful end of his eight year tenure as governor of Rivers.

Recall that Wike has been loggerheads with his godson, Governor Fubara. Wike believes with time, residents of the state will know the real political giants.

“Forget about these hungry noisemakers on the road. When the time comes, we will know who is in charge and who is not in charge. I don’t know whether you understand what I am saying. There is a time for everything. There is a time to plant and there is a time to harvest,” Wike said.

The minister said this when he visited a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Victor Giadom in his hometown of Bera in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday.

“We have no time for politics. This is not the time for anybody to say: ‘I am for this, I am for that’. We have not reached that time. When the time comes, we will know who is who,” he maintained.

Despite the increasing popularity of social media platforms, the FCT minister said he is not swayed by comments on digital mediums. He is instead calling on politicians to work for the people.

“If you like, abuse me as you want. If you like, employ everybody on social media. Let me tell you: I have never bothered myself one day to know who is abusing me,” Wike noted.

He added: “Politics will come. We didn’t contest elections based on social media. We contested elections speaking to the people and they listened to us”.

President Bola Tinubu on Sunday ordered investigation of the alleged payment of N585 million into a private account by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.

A statement by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the investigation became necessary to ascertain the accuracy and validity of the reported details.

According to him, the Ministry is committed to providing timely updates to keep Nigerians informed about the progress of the investigation.

Idris called on Nigerians to exercise patience as the investigation unfolds, adding that the government is focused on ensuring a fair and unbiased process, and the findings will be communicated duly and transparently to the public.

The statement reads, “Mohammed Idris, the Honorable Minister of Information and National Orientation of Nigeria, issues this statement to address the widespread information circulating regarding the use of public funds by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation._

“The Ministry of Information and National Orientation acknowledges the concerns raised by the public regarding the alleged payment of funds into a private account by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. We are aware of the narratives circulating widely and wish to assure Nigerians that the Government takes these issues most seriously.

“The Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is transparent and accountable to the people, and committed to ensuring that public funds are allocated and utilized effectively and efficiently to address the needs of Nigerians.

“In light of recent events, the President has directed that a thorough and comprehensive investigation be conducted to ascertain the accuracy and validity of the reported details.

“The government is determined to unravel the truth as it relates to this matter, and assures that appropriate action will be taken to ensure that any breaches and infractions are identified and decisively punished, in line with the Administration’s commitment to public accountability and due process.

“The public is advised to note, against the backdrop of various unverified narratives circulating on the Internet, that the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, under the leadership of Minister Mohammed Idris, is the primary source for verified information about events and actions of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“Only accurate details will be shared with the public. The Ministry is committed to providing timely updates to keep Nigerians informed about the progress of the investigation.

“We urge Nigerians to exercise patience as the investigation unfolds. The government is focused on ensuring a fair and unbiased process, and the findings will be communicated duly and transparently to the public.”

Urges Senior lawyers to emulate example

Former Hon Attorney-General of the Federation & Minister of Justice, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, CON. SAN has sent his condolences on the demise of late legal luminary, Alhaji Aliyu Salman SAN.

Adetokunbo in a statement on Sunday described Alhaji Salman as a meticulous and thorough legal practitioner who enjoyed huge respect from both young and old at the bar.

His words:

“I met and had several opportunities to relate and interact with Dr Salman SAN, Life Bencher, from about 1985 and onwards.

“He was such a loveable and kind gentleman. He would always advise and guide us. He usually had a word to give about comportment at the Bar. He would ask after your family and give words of encouragement.

“I recall he was also a calming force in the tumultuous years of 1990 to 1998 at the Nigerian Bar Association, when pernicious forces were gnawing at our heels.

“Dr Salman showed and had within him, grace, a quiet sense of contentment and deep personal satisfaction with his life. He was easygoing and above all enjoyed a happy life.

“This is why we so much loved and respected him.”

While praying for strength and fortitude for family, associates and friends at this time, Adetokunbo implored senior lawyers to learn and emulate these simple yet edifying qualities of late Alhaji Aliyu Salman.

Benue state governor, Hyacinth Iormem Alia on Saturday, January 6, suspended the House of Assembly primary in Guma Constituency scheduled for Guma local government area.

The governor said the exercise was suspended because of the unruly behaviour of some National Assembly caucus members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who threatened to hijack the process.

He said in a state that although these unnamed federal legislators were not from the constituency and local government, they intruded and wanted to shift the venue to an unknown destination.

The governor alleged that these intruders wanted to perpetrate some irregularities, thereby going against the pattern of the rule of law set by him.

Speaking with reporters at the Old Banquet Hall of Government House, Makurdi, Alia said he put the primary on hold to avoid crisis in the state.

He lamented that certain individuals had planned to truncate the shadow poll, deny the stakeholders and delegates the freedom to exercise their franchise.

Fr. Alia said: “This posses some security threats in Guma local government and it became imperative for me to calm the nerves of all the party stakeholders, and delegates for the by-election primary down, who were feeling disenfranchised.

“In the last seven months, and counting, we have been experiencing relative peace, and efforts are being made by all the security agencies in the state that peace returns to the state permanently.

“So, I wouldn’t want all those efforts we have put in place to be in vein. I wouldn’t want anything that would resemble or even trigger non peace and insecurity at any corner, not only in Guma local government, but the entire state. And this is why I suspend the delegate primary election that is expected to be in place today (Saturday 6 January, 2024).

“Sad enough, the party faithfuls came out to exercise their franchise but were stopped at the gate. Some people that do not belong to the local government at all. Some big politicians from other locals governments, came and hijacked the process and even the officials that came in to do the elections, locked all the stakeholders out and then the youths were becoming quite emotional about the disenfranchisement and then I have to come in.

“Please, dear party faithful, you must assist me and all our security agencies to keep peace in the state. People are saying peace is returning to the state and it remains my prerogative to return even the IDPs back to their ancestral homes and farmlands.

“The same Guma local government where we are expected to hold this election, is the most vulnerable local government in the state and if I don’t come in immediately to arrest thea situation, a number of things can come in to take place. I wouldn’t want any bloodshed. People get quite sensitive and sentimental on issues of politics. So it remains my prerogative to maintain peace and security in the state.

“I have charged the security heads in the state to ensure that their is peace and calm in the local government just like any other local government in the state. I am working for you, and we are all working for the development of Benue State. That is my priority is your governor.”

A statement by the governor’s aide, Donald Kumun, said the chairman of the primary election committee, Prof. Kabiru Ibrahim, had requested that screened aspirants and elected delegates for the conduct of the primary to converge at Avine Agbom Hotel Daudu, in Guma local government area, by 8:am before some people invaded the venue.