Read Why Buhari Would Marginalise Women in His Govt

Read Why Buhari Would Marginalise Women in His Govt

The Senior Special Assistant on Political Matters to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Gideon Samani today said the President did not include many women in his cabinet because he is very shy dealing with the opposite sex.

Samani, who spoke at the fifth Annual Lecture Series, organized by the Change We Need In Nigeria, in Abuja, said Buhari is used to interacting with men, but quickly added that the issue of gender is being looked into by the President.

Samani said: “If you are close to the President, you will know that he has the interest of the nation at heart.  He did not intentionally marginalized women.  It is just that Mr. President is shy with women. He has been interacting mostly with men. I can assure that in the shortest time, this issue of gender inequality will be dealt with.”

The former Speaker, Kaduna State House of Assembly, who represented the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal at the event, said the then ruling party lost the last election to APC due to insecurity, economic challenges and corruption in high places, thereby forcing the people to seek for change.

“The change we seek is real and not mere rhetoric. People must feel it, torch it, and experience it across the different strata of our societies; in schools, churches, market places and at all our duty posts.

“It is not going to be business as usual. Many guilty Nigerians, on their own, have fled the country. Our public institutions are now working . The availability of fuel and the generation and distribution of power have improved ever since. All hands must be on deck for all of us to be these agents of change”, he stated.

Speaking at the event, Senator Chris Anyanwu expressed disappointment at the appointment made so far by the President, stating that despite the fact that the number one citizen benefitted immensely from women, he has relegated them to the background.

She noted that so far, no woman from South East has been given political appointment and that even the numbers of women in Buhari government is a far cry to what is obtainable worldwide.

“Mr. President has benefitted so much from us. We don’t expect him to draw us back. Women are able and strong to move this nation forward. Anything you do, you should know that the whole world is watching you. So far, women have been marginalized. No woman from the East has been given political appointment and the ones he did was a far cry to what is obtainable anywhere in the world.

“We talk of change but we are afraid of the change. We have moved from the era where women clap and dance for male politicians. President Buhari should be gender sensitive. Open the door and let women rise up to their full potential”, she said.

The Senator stated that gender equality should begin with parents by treating their children equally.

Golden Jubilee Bombings: This is What FG Asks Court to do to Okah...Put him in Chains

Golden Jubilee Bombings: This is What FG Asks Court to do to Okah...Put him in Chains

Today, the federal government has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to put the alleged mastermind of October
1, 2010, Golden Jubilee Independence Day anniversary bombings, Mr. Charles Okah, in chains.

Okah, who is standing trial on charges of terrorism alongside Obi
Nwabueze, had on October 6, 2015, caused a commotion in the court as
he attempted to end his life by attempting to jump down through the
window from a three storey building.

But at the resumed trial, the federal government, through its
counsel, Dr. Alex Iziyon (SAN), made an oral application before Justice Gabriel Kolawole, requesting that Okah be chained in view of what transpired during the last court proceedings.

Iziyon had on making his application, referred the court to Section 269 of
the administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and urged the court
to grant the application that the 1st defendant be put under fetters while the trial is in progress.

"Where a defendant or an accused person misbehaves or misconducts in
the course of proceedings, such person can be placed under fetters.
I urge the court to take judicial notice of the proceedings of October
6 and grant our request," he said.

Responding, Okah’s counsel, Mr. Samuel Ozidiri (SAN), apologised
on behalf of his client, and urged the court to discountenance the
prosecution’s request.

Ozidiri argued that the application was premature and not worthy of any
sympathetic consideration, stating that the prosecution failed to put
the defence on notice before coming up with such an application.

However, Justice Kolawole on delivering a bench ruling on the application, refused to grant the prosecution’s request, on the premise that it may turn out to be the greatest distraction in the suit.

He said: “By the provisions of section 6 subsection 6 paragraph 8 of
the 1999 Constitution as amended, this court, as one of the superior
courts of record created by the constitution, is imbued with
discretionary jurisdiction which could be exercised without the need for
an application from the prosecution once it is of the view that the
conduct of the 1st defendant (Okah) is such that it may impede the
smooth administration of proceedings on the charge of which the
defendants are standing trial.

"It is a discretion which the court would exercise whenever the occasion demands, but must be exercised with
caution perhaps circumspection otherwise the court’s purpose and
attention will be needlessly distracted by incidents such as we have
witnessed on October 6, 2015.”

The presiding judge further held that: “I have decided to pull back the court’s exercise of discretionary jurisdiction on the apologies given by both defence
counsel, but the powers to make any of the orders prescribed in Section 269 and 71 of the ACJ Act are exercisable once the court forms the view that the defendants or the 1st defendant needs to be restrained so that the proceedings of their trial can no longer be distracted by what I would regard as a 'side show' meant to draw public attention perhaps of sympathy on what has been going on since 6 December, 2010, when the charge in this case was filed by the Attorney General of the Federation against the defendant.

“1st defendant may see this as perhaps the last opportunity not to
test the resolve of this court to exercise such powers that are
conferred on it by both the constitution the ACJ Act.”

The judge therefore adjourned the suit till October 27, for continuation of trial.

Wow! How PDP Exposed APC Governorship Candidates in Kogi and Bayelsa States

Wow! How PDP Exposed APC Governorship Candidates  in Kogi and Bayelsa States 

 

The attention of the people of Kogi and Bayelsa States has been drawn to the alleged corruption credentials of the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming governorship elections in the two states by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

PDP described as a shameful irony and display of crass hypocrisy, the fact that a ruling party that prides itself as an anti-corruption crusader, would field candidates being held on corruption charges, saying such act has further exposed the insincerity of the APC.

The PDP in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, today said: “It is a mockery of strategy that the APC which has been touting the fight against corruption as its major policy, would present to the people of the two states, candidates whose public questionable credentials are further evidenced in the charges brought against them by anti-graft agencies.

“In Kogi State, we have the APC brazenly fielding for the November 21 governorship election, Prince Abubakar Audu, a former governor of the state who was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for corruption, and who is now facing charges before the court of breach of trust, embezzling and misappropriating the sum of N10.9 billion meant for the development of his state.

“In the same vein, in Bayelsa State, the APC is fielding for the December 5 election, Chief Timipre Sylva, also a former governor of the state who is similarly before the court on charges of embezzlement of a staggering sum of N19.2 billion belonging to the state.
“This APC candidate in Bayelsa State is being charged by the EFCC for embezzling funds meant for state workers for a period of four years, 'under false pretence' of using the funds to augment their salaries.

“Now that the APC is brazenly fielding candidates with questions of corruption, we ask, do they in all honesty expect Nigerians to take them seriously on their much-hyped anti-corruption crusade?
“Does the APC expect the people of Kogi and Bayelsa States to be fooled into voting for the same individuals who are facing charges of looting funds meant for the development of their respective states?
“Also, the controversies trailing the primaries conducted by the so-called APC’s best hands to produce these candidates with questionable credentials further foreground the corruption prevalent in the party, which has also manifested in the presence of some persons with debatable reputations in the 21-man list of ministerial nominees forwarded to the Senate for clearance.

“Evidently, the APC has clearly established itself as a party enmeshed and thriving in corruption, even as it tries to hoodwink the public into believing that it is on a mission to fight graft in the country, a contradiction we urge all Nigerians to take copious note of.
“It has therefore become manifest that this administration’s anti-corruption agenda is dead on arrival, and only applicable as a tool for witch hunting against the PDP and those holding views divergent to those of the government. 

The party said: “Consequently, this is an open invitation by the APC to corrupt persons to join them as a party that accommodates, protects and promotes corruption in the country.
“Our joy remains that the people of Kogi and Bayelsa State will definitely reject this attempt to use immunity to cloak and protect friends and associates of the ruling party and government from further prosecution.

“It is on this note that we urge the people of the two PDP states to remain unrelenting in their support for our great party and its candidates: Governors Idris Wada and Seriake Dickson respectively, to ensure their deserving overwhelming victory at the polls.”