News
Senate to Consult Supreme Court Regarding Ministerial Nominee
… Screens Wike, 13 others
…9 nominees take bow
The screening of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ministerial nominees started yesterday with the Senate resolving to contact the supreme court over a court judgement submitted to it by Sen Abubakar Sani Danladi, from Taraba.
Before his appearance on the floor of the Senate, reports say Danladi was barred by the court from holding public office for 10 years.
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The former Deputy Governor and Acting Governor of Taraba State, after introducing himself, Senators from Taraba State gave him a clean bill.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, however, sought for clarification from Danladi on the allegation that he was barred by the Supreme Court from holding public office.
The ministerial nominee Danladi attributed the report to the handiwork of his enemy, stating that there was no time the Supreme Court gave any judgement barring him for ten years.
Danladi, who presented the court Judgement to the Senate President, said because of his age and certificate, their was a judgement against him at the High court which he pursued to the supreme court and got a favourable judgement.
“When I was deputy Governor in 2007, there was a judgement against me. The Federal High court in Jalingo sat on that judgement and another federal high court set it aside,” Danladi said, adding that he pursued the case to the supreme court and got victory..
But Akpabio said two federal high courts gave a conflicting judgement on his case, adding, “say what you need to say. We will study it, because it is a matter of interest,” Akpabio said adding that they will contact the relevant authorities including the supreme court with the court judgement he submitted.
But Danladi, who said the supreme court was clear on his matter, insisted there is no judgement from the supreme court barring me.
“The supreme court is hearing me. The lawyers here are hearing me. I was not barred from contesting the election,’ Danladi said.
The Senate had listed on its Order Paper for the day’s legislative business names of sixteen nominees for screening.
However, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, from Abia State, whose name was not on the Order Paper later came and was screened.
At the end of the day, the Senate succeeded in screening 14 out of the 28 nominees.
Nine out of the 14 nominees that were screened, were asked to take a bow and go, without subjecting them to questions.
The sixteen nominees listed for screening in the order paper are: Sen.Abubakar Kyari – Borno State; Abubakar Eshiokpekha Momoh – Edo State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike – Rivers State; Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev – Benue State, Sen. John Owan Enoh – Cross River State; Hon Bello Muhammad -Sokoto State, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar – Jigawa State; and Amb Yusuf Maitama Tuggar – Bauchi State.
Others are: Sen. Abubakar Sani Danladi – Taraba State; Barr. Uju-Ken Ohaneye – Anambra State, Hon Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo – Ondo State, Dr Betta C Edu – Cross River State; Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim – Nasarawa State, Arch Ahmed Musa Dangiwa – Katsina State; Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji – Enugu State, and Stella Erhuvwuoghene Okotete – Delta State.
Abubakar Momoh from Edo State was the first nominee to be admitted into the chamber for screening.
The nominee, who was a two-time member of the Edo State House of Assembly and former member of the House of Representatives, answered questions from the Senators.
He promised to work in line with ideas and programmes of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A second nominee to be admitted for screening was the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.
His nomination as minister had generated controversy, as he is still a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Despite the controversy, Senators from Rivers State said that they were solidly behind him, and that they believed that he would perform as a minister, just as he performed in Rivers state.
Wike was subsequently asked to take a bow and go after introducing himself.
Professor Joseph Utsev from Benue State, was the third nominee to take the stage.
Utsev said the perennial menace of flooding in the country can be tackled mainly by dredging the rivers in the country such as River Benue which is heavily seated.
Utsev who is a Professor of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering said this while responding to questions by Senators when he appeared before the Senate for screening on Monday.
Flooding has become an annual disaster in the country as floods in various parts of the country led to an estimated economic loss of $9.12bn, approximately N4.2 trillion last year.
Speaking on the way out, the Benue nominee said: “We are talking about flooding, for example, River Benue is heavily seated and that is the only reason why we are having flooding in the country.
“If I am giving the Ministry (Water Resources), I will collaborate with the Ministries of Transportation, Agriculture and other Ministries to see how we can tackle the menace of flooding by trying to see how we can dredge the River.
“By dredging the River you would have to curb the menace of flooding and as well provide the water for irrigation so that will solve the problem.”
The former Benue commissioner for Water Resources explained that irrigation farming was artificial supply of water to crops and there are certain areas where dams can not be constructed for the purpose but there is inland drilling for the purpose.
He said he has conducted several researches on water harvesting and uses, adding that: “We don’t encourage wastage of water so what we now do is that the water that causes problems we put it into use.”
Speaking of concern raised by a lawmaker regarding the long period between when he left secondary school and graduated with a degree despite his show of brilliance Utsev said it was due to the protracted Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike.
“I went to Primary School in the year 1984, 1989 was when I got my First School Leaving Certificate. I started my secondary school in 1990 – 1995 that was when I got my SSCE.
“I graduated in 2004, I was actually supposed to pass out in 2003 but there was a prolonged strike by ASUU. I did a five year programme but with the strike, I spent six years on the programme that is why I graduated in 2004,” he explained.
The next called up for screening was Senator Abubakar Kyari, who is currently the Acting National Chairman of the ruling APC, and hails from Borno State. He was a member of the 8th and 9th Senate.
He was introduced by the Deputy President of the Senate and subsequently asked to take a bow and leave in line with the tradition of the legislative Assembly, that its former members will always enjoy the privilege of taking a bow and go.
Another former Senator, John Enoh from Cross River State was also screened. Enoh, who was a Senator in the 8th Senate and a three-time member of the House of Representatives, said he chaired different committees including Finance and Appropriations. He was also asked to take a bow and go.
Bello Mohammad from Sokoto State was scrutinized by the Senators after questions were raised about his university admission on secondary school results that included no more than two credits.
In his response, Muhammad told the chamber that he had other secondary school results that he “all passed” which he admittedly did not attach to his CV “because we are talking of secondary school certificates.”
Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Tambuwal, came to his defense by saying that he had worked closely with the nominee and appealed to his colleagues to screen him for confirmation.
The immediate past Governor of Jigawa State, Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, during his screening, narrated how he started as a trader and built his business into a multi-billion naira conglomerate. Without being asked questions, he was asked to take a bow and go..
Uju Kennedy Ohanenye from Anambra State was also screened. She spoke about her passion for helping the poor in society.
When Ohanenye finished speaking, the Senator representing Anambra Central, Victor Umeh, appealed to his colleagues to confirm the nominee based on her qualification.
Senator Ifeanyi Ubah also appealed to the Senate to confirm Ohanenye, claiming that she had been spending her money on charity in the last many years of her life. She was subsequently asked to take a bow and go.
Other nominees screened for confirmation before the Senate adjourned the session include: Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Dr. Betta Edu and Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim.
The Senate will resume today, to continue with the screening exercise that will lead to their confirmation.
The Kano State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the Kano State Censorship Board Amendment Bill 2025, granting the board broader regulatory powers over entertainment and media content in the state.
The passage followed the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House and the third reading by the Clerk, Bashir Diso, during Monday’s plenary presided over by the Speaker, Ismail Falgore.
Briefing journalists after the plenary, the lawmaker representing Dala Constituency, Lawan Husseini, explained that the amendment empowers the board to oversee the registration of event centres and enforce strict compliance with Islamic principles in entertainment-related activities.
He further disclosed that the board’s name had been officially changed from State Censorship Board to Kano State Censorship Board to reflect its jurisdictional authority.
All films, series, and serials must now be censored and certified by the board before they can be aired,” Husseini stated.
Additionally, the amended law prohibits the indiscriminate shooting of films within the state without obtaining prior approval from the board.
Meanwhile, the Kano State Water Users Association Bill 2025 has passed the second reading in the Assembly.
Beneficiaries of the New Nigerian Newspapers, associated with the Northern States Governors Forum, have expressed their deep frustration over the prolonged issue of unpaid benefits totalling N2.1 billion. As of January 2025, the death toll of members awaiting these payments has tragically reached 106.
A statement issued by Alhaji Sadiq Tela on behalf of the Elders Forum, and Friday Sule for the Joint Union of the New Nigerian Newspapers, highlights that “following the recent out-of-court settlement between the Northern Governors and Albert Iweka and Co, which was ratified on 27th November 2024 by the Federal High Court, expectations have soared due to the extreme poverty exacerbated by the delay in these benefits.”
It is worth noting that Barrister Iweka and Idi Sule, both former employees of the New Nigerian Newspapers, had previously taken the Northern Governors to court over the payment of check-off dues. They successfully secured a garnishee order that froze the account of New Capital Properties Limited (NCPL), where the proceeds from the sale of NNN assets were held.
“Thanks to the tireless efforts of the New Nigerian Beneficiaries, the case was eventually dismissed, and all previous garnishee orders were vacated, with all parties duly settled except for the New Nigerian Beneficiaries,” the statement emphasised.
The statement further lamented, “More than 100 days have passed since the resolution of this decade-long court battle, yet all New Nigerian Beneficiaries who served the 19 Northern Governors continue to suffer in silence, overwhelmed by pain and despair.”
However, the workers have praised the current Secretary to the State Government of Kaduna for providing some relief through strategic discussions with the Northern Nigeria Development Company and the Northern Governors’ Secretariats. “These efforts are comforting, but in light of the harsh economic realities, the over 800 beneficiaries who have nearly 10,000 dependants are left in tears,” they added.
The statement reiterated, “The Northern Governors, led by Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, possess the authority to shape the futures of nearly 1,000 New Nigerian Beneficiaries.”
“We take this opportunity to implore our Northern Governors’ Forum to extend their support, as the death toll of NNN beneficiaries awaiting payment has sadly risen to 106 as of January 2025.”
“In the spirit of Ramadan, we beseech our Northern Governors to show compassion towards our families, as many of us are struggling to break our fast.
Both Dangote Refinery and the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) have crashed the cost of the essential commodity in recent weeks.
Rewane attributed the reduction in fuel price to a fall in global crude oil price.
Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane, has predicted that the cost of premium motor spirit also known as petrol will continue to decline until June 2025.
Both Dangote Refinery and the Nigeria National Petroluem Company Limited (NNPCL) have crashed the cost of the essential commodity in recent weeks, easing the pressure on millions of Nigerians who depend on fuel for their energy needs.
But Rewane says the recent reduction in the pump price of the product is expected to continue until mid-year.
“So, generally between now and June, we will see prices begin to decline. But after June as things stabilize, depending on what happens in the global oil and currency market, we might begin to see some stabilisation,” Rewane said on Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Business Morning.
According to him, the price war between Dangote Refinery and NNPCL will benefit the consumer more.
“In a price war, nobody wins, the consumers win in the short run then eventually the market goes back to where it should be. But, at the end of the day, between now and June, the price leadership will be firmly established,” Rewane said.
He attributed Dangote Refinery’s reduction in the pump price of petrol to production cost efficiency.