State Governors

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed has warned that with an estimated 13 million children currently out of school in Nigeria which represents 20% of globally, the country now faces the danger of a full education crisis.

Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State says his government will not oppose implementation of financial autonomy for judiciary when a standard framework is eventually agreed upon nationwide.

Sen. Michael Bamidele, Chairman Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

The federal government turned down a request by state governors to borrow from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to augment the N50 billion federation account allocation committee (FAAC) shortfall in March.

The Committee of Chairmen of the Branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Anambra State at the weekend lamented that the justice was gradually sliding into a destructive dungeon with no hope of recovery.

Sunshine Liberation Movement (SLM) has expressed concern over the plight of residents of Ute, a community in Owo Local Government Area, Ondo State, that has lost access to electricity supply for over 15 years.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, last night, described a former governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, as a despicable fellow, who resorted to lies and half-truths to try to remain politically relevant.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has directed its branch chairmen nationwide to lead “visits” to government houses in their states over the 36 governors’ alleged unwillingness to implement judiciary’s financial autonomy.

The former governor of Niger State, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu yesterday painted a detailed picture of the role played by all the governors of the 19 northern states, including those of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in denying former President Goodluck Jonathan a second term in 2015.

The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) says it will hold a nationwide peaceful protest on April 19 to further press home its demand for financial autonomy for the judiciary.

State governors have again thrown their weight behind financial autonomy for the legislature and judiciary at the state level but would want its implementation to follow the provisions of the constitution.

The House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary is to engage the Nigerian Governor’s Forum and all relevant stakeholders with a view to ensuring judicial financial autonomy.

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), on Wednesday, said state governors have the right to ignore Executive Order 10 in their implementation of judicial and legislative autonomy in their states.

Leader of the group and National President of NYU, Chinonso Obasi, confirmed told newsmen, Wednesday, that he was invited by the DSS, adding he had concluded arrangements to be at DSS headquarters on Wednesday morning in honor the invitation.

The Governor said this while speaking to with newsmen on the ongoing strike by the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) who are protesting the non-implementation of financial autonomy for the nation’s judiciary.

A former aide of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe, has said the outcome of the zonal congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West will be negative and may affect the future of the party in the zone.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has elected 23 officials to run the affairs of the party in the North-central zone for the next four years.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Northern States and and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter, has said that paying of ransom and giving amnesty to kidnappers and bandits will not bring an end to the menace of banditry.

A plan to deliver electricity to about 25m Nigerians whose communities are off the grid has commenced in Jigawa State flagged off by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, who restated the determination of the Buhari administration to ensure that millions more will now have access to cheap and environmentally friendly renewable power.

The federal government yesterday stated that the general state of insecurity in the country has triggered a rising call for secession as well as politicisation of ethnic and religious differences.

In order to enhance the success of its programmes, the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, on Thursday, called on the 36 state governors to constitute and empower governing boards for the Scheme in their domains.

The governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has said the way security agencies act on security threats in the country was unacceptable.