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Arewa Youths to Tinubu: Ignore Matawalle’s outburst against Emefiele
The Arewa Youth Assembly has raised an alarm over the call by Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, for President Muhammadu Buhari not to approve any study leave for the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele and cautioned President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu from acting against Mr. Emefiele.
In a press statement signed by the Publicity Secretary of the Arewa Youth Assembly, Alhaji Aliyu Sani, the group expressed its displeasure at Governor Matawalle for “believing and acting on a baseless rumour.” The statement by the group noted that a spokesperson in the Office of the President, Mallam Garba Shehu, denied the existence of the imaginary study leave.
The group remarked that instead of the Governor to be afraid of his fate when he leaves office, he is more concerned about the destiny of Mr. Emefiele who is serving Nigerians diligently.
The group challenged Matawalle to make public the number of persons kidnapped in Zamfara State when the Naira was not in excessive circulation and the number kidnapped after the reintroduction of the Naira.
The group accused Matawalle of failing to guarantee the right to life for citizens of the state as provided for in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) in Section 33.
“Your failure to provide security in the state has halted educational activities, with the closure of schools. At least 75 secondary schools in the state are still shut because of security, tagging the state as an educationally backward state. Zamfara state has a total of 61.4% of children out of school, with boys at 57.4% and girls at 66%.”
The group said in contrast to the glaring failure of Matawalle, Emefiele was busy working hard to boost the economy by impacting all sectors through programmes like Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme, intervention programmes and schemes for MSMEs and manufacturers as well as exporting activities.
“This has helped in increasing revenue generation outside crude oil, thus helping this administration to actualize its diversification agenda, creation of employment, alleviating poverty, and recreating Nigeria’s image before the world,” the statement said.
The youths also noted that the, “Only person seeking to damage the good work President Buhari has done is you, that’s why your people voted for APC in the presidential election but never hesitated to vote you out, because you have failed them. This justifies why you were never voted in the first place.”
The Arewa youths said “while you were busy spending Zamfara people’s money on irrelevant things, Emefiele was busy on Naira redesign, a policy that had the power to stop insecurity, curtailed corruption, and drop the prices of commodity immediately. Conversely, the problems came back in full immediately after cash started flowing, people were no longer safe, and bandits hit Zamfara, Kaduna, Minna, and other parts of the country.”
The statement said, “For this alone, Emefiele should be given a gold medal and celebrated, for he helped President Buhari abide by the constitution that states the security and lives of citizens are paramount.
“All that Emefiele has done are with the blessings of the commander in chief, his activities have been completely transparent and accountable, the records are there, the world is digital, every naira, every kobo is accounted for how it comes in and how it is spent.
“For the record, even if there were requests for study leave, it is legal. The Public Service Rules make ample provision for the training and development of Civil Servants, to enhance the officer’s performance.”
The statement added that, “Study leaves are approved to allow an employee to complete an accredited course of study provided by an overseas educational institution. Study leaves are legal and have been granted before in Nigeria and even in superpower countries of the world. An individual has the right to seek study leave in any part of the world.”
The Youth Assembly called on President-Elect Tinubu to note that the North voted for him when the sound of gunshots from bandits went silent as a result of the Naira redesign policy. “Insecurity is the reason why our people rejected the PDP. We saw a workable solution to our number one problem.”
The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that it has been vindicated by recent revelations from the state’s former Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke.
The Rivers APC Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, stated this in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists on Wednesday.
The former Head of Service, who recently resigned had alleged that the suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was directly responsible for the political crisis in the state and the bombing of the State House of Assembly.
In response, the Rivers State APC asserted that Nwaeke’s testimony aligns with the party’s long-held position, as frequently stated by Chief Okocha, that the suspended governor was the architect of the state’s political crisis, including masterminding the October 29, 2023, bombing of the State House of Assembly.
Chief Okocha further emphasized that Nwaeke’s account, given his high-ranking position in the state, cannot be dismissed as mere speculation.
He said attempts to discredit the former Head of Service will not deter him from exposing the alleged corruption and misconduct that the APC has repeatedly highlighted.
“What is most interesting to the APC in Rivers State as a responsible political party is that Dr. George Nwaeke’s revelations and testimonies of how suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his squad bombed the Rivers State House of Assembly is an eye witness account.
“Again , it has clearly vindicated the APC in Rivers State as the only visible and viable opposition political party in the State, and has cemented the love for the party in the heart of well meaning Rivers people as the voice of the voiceless, and the hope for a better Rivers State.
“The revelations made by the former Head of Service in Rivers State has further positioned her as a political party with high level of integrity, and the hope of Rivers people for a viable alternative to produce the Governor of Rivers State in 2027.
“The verbal attacks staged against the resigned Head of Service will not deter him from exposing the corruption within Sim Fubara’s administration, which we have consistently highlighted as the opposition party. On this matter, the APC shall function as watchdogs”, the party stated.
Chief Tony Okocha expressed confidence that security agencies would thoroughly investigate the matter.
“The APC in Rivers State strongly believes that the relevant security agencies will be professional enough to get to the root of the matter and make their findings public”, he said.
A coalition of civil rights organizations, the Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness (CCLCA), has called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the allegations leveled against suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, by Dr. George Nwaeke, the former Head of Service of the state.
During a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Dr. Gabriel Nwambu, Director General of the CCLCA, urged the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Department of State Services (DSS), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to take swift action in probing the allegations. He emphasized that if proven true, these claims pose serious risks to governance and democracy.
The coalition, comprising 30 civil society organizations, stands in solidarity with Dr. Nwaeke, who has expressed willingness to provide evidence of alleged corruption and constitutional breaches involving Governor Fubara and his Chief of Staff, Mr. Edison.
“We collectively urge the relevant authorities to act swiftly and transparently. Addressing these allegations is critical to restoring public confidence in governance at both the state and national levels,” Dr. Nwambu stated.
He commended President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for his intervention in Rivers State, which led to the declaration of a state of emergency, a move he described as crucial for stabilizing the region.
Dr. Nwaeke’s accusations against Governor Fubara include:
Arson and Sabotage: Allegedly instructing his Chief of Staff to burn down the Rivers State House of Assembly to prevent impeachment proceedings, a violation of Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution.
Corruption and Financial Misconduct: Claims of large sums of money being used for personal and illegal activities, contravening Section 15(5) of the Constitution.
Threats to Public Safety: Alleged plans to sabotage state infrastructure, potentially inciting public disorder, which falls under Section 1 of the Terrorism Prevention Act (2011).
Collusion with Militant Groups: Alleged meetings between the governor, his Chief of Staff, and militant leaders, posing a threat to national security and violating Section 43 of the Constitution.
Suppression of Labour Rights: Alleged attempts to bribe labour leaders to silence dissent, contravening Section 40 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of assembly.
The coalition has urged law enforcement agencies to ensure a thorough, transparent, and expedited investigation into these allegations.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has appointed Sam Ifeanyi Hart, Esq. as his new Chief of Staff (CoS).
Hart replaces Hon. Toby Okechukwu who was recently appointed Executive Director, Projects of the newly established South East Development Commission (SEDC).
Prior to his appointment, Hart served as Special Adviser to the Deputy Speaker on Public Affairs and has an extensive background in training and consultancy.
Hart also previously served as Director-General, Abia State Marketing and Quality Management Agency from 2019 to 2023 after occupying other appointive positions.
He was also a member of National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS), Kuru where he attended the Senior Executive Course 45, serving as Course Secretary-General.
He has also served on the Boards of several corporate and non-governmental entities.
Hart brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new role, with a distinguished career spanning law, leadership, and public service.
A lifelong learner, he holds multiple academic qualifications, including a Master’s Degree in Environmental Law (LLM) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) from Abia State University.
The new Chief of Staff is also currently pursuing a Doctorate Degree in Law.
A seasoned professional, Hart has attended prestigious institutions, including the GOTNI Leadership Centre, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS), and the School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG).
He is also a member of several professional bodies, including the Chartered Institute of Directors of Nigeria (M.IoD), Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (ACIArb), and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
As Chief of Staff, Hart will provide strategic guidance and support to the Deputy Speaker legislative activities, leveraging his expertise to drive policy initiatives and promote good governance.
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