NEWS
Turmoil As Pro-Wike Lawmakers Obtain Court Order For Session Continuation
At the Rivers House of Assembly on Thursday, a standoff occurred when the police initially stopped Martin Amaewhule’s faction from entering for a session.
They yielded after being handed a Federal High Court order from Justice J.K. Omotosho in Abuja, confirming the Assembly’s authority to conduct its constitutional duties without impediment.
Additionally, the Court prohibited the Rivers State Government, its agents, or affiliates from withholding funds for the Assembly and disrupting the duties of the Assembly’s Clerk, Deputy Clerk, or the Assembly itself.
Later on, lawmakers aligned with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, all dressed in black, were eventually allowed entry into the Complex.
According to report on Wednesday, December 6, the faction led by Martin Amaewhule held their session at the Assembly complex with police protection. This action garnered criticism, controversies, and allegations of police bias.
During this session, the lawmakers went as far as electing new principal officers.
Solomon Lenu, the Spokesman of the Rivers Civil Society Organization (RIVCSO), criticized Commissioner of Police Tunji Rilwan Disu and the Command, urging them to maintain neutrality.
He emphasized the importance of withholding access to the Assembly Complex for any faction until all pending litigations halting further sessions are resolved in court.
Lenu cautioned that the recent session and security protection granted to the lawmakers for entry into the complex should be the final instance of such oversight.
Recall that Governor Siminalayi Fubara had sought an injunction from a High Court in Isiokpo, Ikwerre local government area of Rivers State.
This injunction aimed to prevent lawmakers aligned with Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, from continuing the impeachment process after sending a notice to him.
Edison Ehie, the factional Speaker aligned with Governor Siminalayi Fubara, also took legal action to obtain a restraining order against the Martin Amaewhule-led lawmakers from conducting any sessions.
This move came after Ehie and three others faced suspension, and a notice of impeachment was served on the Governor.
It was discovered that the lawmakers under Martin Amaewhule’s leadership intended to host a Valedictory session today at the Assembly complex in honor of the late lawmaker representing Khana constituency II, Hon. (Barr) Dinebari Loolo.
Chief Gani Topha, the leader of the Conscience of Ogoni People, advised the late Loolo’s family to refrain from attending the special sitting at the House.
He highlighted that this convening would be illegal and against a court order.
Topha emphasized that as an Ogoni man and a lawyer, the late legislator deserved a peaceful funeral and shouldn’t be involved in any alleged “illegality” attributed to the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule.
The Committee on Consequential Adjustments in Salaries for Civil Servants has confirmed that the newly approved minimum wage will be implemented starting July 29, 2024.
This was disclosed in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) issued at the conclusion of the committee’s meeting in Abuja on Friday.
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The MoU reads, “The National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission (NSIWC) will prepare and release the necessary salary templates for other consolidated salary structures. The implementation date for the new wage will take effect from July 29, 2024.”
The committee, comprising 16 members, was set up to oversee the execution of the National Minimum Wage Act of 2024. This legislation raised the country’s minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000.
Among its key responsibilities, the committee is tasked with negotiating salary adjustments across various sectors and developing a template for implementing the newly approved wage structure.
With the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popular in the streets as petrol, hovering around approximately N1000-N1300 per litre, concerns are mounting about the viability of fuel subsidies in Nigeria.
Energy policy analyst, Adeyemi Adeoye, has underscored the critical role of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) in this issue, shedding light on who bears the subsidy costs.
He shared his views on TVC News on Friday.
Biztellers reports that the pump price of petrol has risen from below N200/litre at at May 29, 2023 to around N1300/litre as at September 20, 2024, with little variations depending the part of Nigeria, consumers are buying from.
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He stated, “Only the NNPC can engage in negotiations of this nature. Their partnership with the Dangote Refinery gives them leverage to negotiate from a position of strength.”
Adeoye highlighted that while the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and other marketers lack significant influence over prices, the Dangote Refinery prioritizes profitability.
According to him, this makes the NNPC’s negotiations vital, as they are legally required by the Petroleum Industry Act to ensure fuel availability across the country and prevent long queues at gas stations.
Adeoye said, “It is only NNPC that could have gone into that type of negotiation because NNPC is coming to the table from a position of strength because they have a partnership with the Dangote Refinery, and they have other businesses they are supplying crude to, so they can come and say, ‘Look, this has to be this way.’
“The IPMAN and the other marketers cannot do that because Dangote is a profit-making organization; it is not a charity organization. So, the only thing that is important to the Dangote Refinery is to make a profit, which is the same thing that is important to any business.
“So, the NNPC went into these negotiations because it also understands that it is the last resort. In terms of fuel distribution in the country, NNPC is mandated by the Petroleum Industry Act to make sure that there are no queues in the country. So, even if they don’t want to do it, the law mandates NNPC as the supplier, the last resort, to make sure that there is petroleum product across Nigeria.
“That negotiation is such that NNPC took all the calculations in and said, ‘This is a fair pricing that we know we can withstand.’
“Because what NNPC was paying out, which you might call a subsidy or under-recovery, NNPC was paying the difference on behalf of the government, which is under the directive of the president, who has also said he wants to see this situation totally resolved.
“That was why he directed the NNPC to make sure that crude oil to the Dangote Refinery is sold in Naira, because NNPC produces the crude in dollars, and it has to be sold to the Dangote Refinery in Naira, which is good faith.” he added
Ukraine has implemented restrictions on Telegram for government, military, and security personnel, citing national security threats associated with the app, founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov.
The National Security and Defence Council announced in a statement on it’s Facebook page that these limitations will affect all government agencies, military units, and critical infrastructure facilities.
The council emphasized that this measure is essential for protecting national security.
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It reads, “The National Security and Defence Council decided to restrict the use of Telegram in government agencies, military formations and critical infrastructure facilities. It is a “matter of national security.”
More to follow………….
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