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Help Ekweremadu, Reps beg
….Summon Foreign Affairs Minister, Head of Immigration,NIMC
The House of Representatives on Tuesday charged relevant Federal Government agencies, corporate bodies to respond to legitimate requests for information that will facilitate the prompt resolution of the charges brought against Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, who are in a UK custody over allegations of human trafficking and exploitation in the United Kingdom.
The Lawmakers specifically begged the National Identity Management Commission, Nigerian Immigration Service and banks to step up and assist the ex deputy senate President
The House has also mandated the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the High Commission of Nigeria to the United Kingdom to take all necessary steps possible to ensure that Senator Ekweremadu and his wife are provided with all consular services as they may require in this time.
Similarly it has invited the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Acting Comptroller of the Nigerian Immigration Service, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission to brief it through the relevant committees on all necessary actions taken regarding the matter.
These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent National importance sponsored by Abdullahi Saad Abdulkadir.
Debating the motion , the House expressed concern over the arrest of Senator Ike Ekweremadu, a Nigerian citizen and serving senator, former Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate and former Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS parliament by the Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom.
Senator Ekweremadu was arrested alongside his wife Dr Mrs Beatrice Ekweremadu at London Heathrow airport on their arrival from Nigeria to the United Kingdom.
According to the lawmakers,they are aware that the Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have since charged the Ekweremadus of offences relating to human trafficking and exploitation and have had them detained pending the determination of the jurisdiction issues by the Attorney-General of England and Wales.
However, disturbed by the nature and details so far available about the charges against the couple, the House said it was very concerned about the additional information emerging from the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and other legitimate sources including the visa issuing protocols at the UK High Commission, bank verification number (BVN) suggesting a different narrative which might not have been available to the Metropolitan Police at the time of arresting and charging the Ekweremadus
Nonetheless, they are optimistic that the UK authorities will work with their national security and intelligence counterpart in Nigeria to conduct a holistic and thorough investigation to ascertain all the facts relating to the allegation in order to make a fair determination on the issues in the best interest of equity and justice for all concerned.
They expressed confidence that the Federal Government, will through the respective organs use all available tools to ensure that the investigation and outcome will be conducted in the highest fidelity to the rule of law and with respect to the dignity of the person as enshrined in the European Convention of Human Rights, of which the United Kingdom is a signatory.
Part of the motion reads: “The House is aware of Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s unblemished record as a constitutional lawyer, ranking legislator at the highest level in Nigeria, West Africa subregion and various international parliamentary bodies and foremost advocate of the right and dignity of man.
“The House is also aware that Mrs Ekweremadu has had a flawless career in the Nigerian federal public service rising to the rank of director.
“The House is mindful of the value of human life. It is imperative that Miss Ekwemadu who has a life threatening ailment is not allowed to come to arms way due to the unavailability of parental care owing to their continuous detention in the United Kingdom,”
Speaking earlier during the debate , Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, explained that a criminal charge does not constitute a conviction or conclusive proof of guilt and called for fairness in the matter.
“This merely the beginning of the judicial process to substantiate the fact of the allegation and gather sufficient evidence to sustain the charges therein. Until that process is concluded and even then let us keep in mind that at the heart of this matter there are human beings and fellow citizens whose lives have taken a turn none of us would ever wish for ourselves”
The speaker disclosed that he has asked the Nigerian High Commission to avail Senator Ekweremadu and his family all necessary defense and support that he will need to defend himself.
” Indeed I have spoken to the High Commissioner in the UK. I still spoke with him this morning and he has been very proactive. He has done all that needs to be done. The Queen’s Counsel has been made available to Ekweremadu. He has access to him. The Nigerian High Commission is doing all that is necessary to make sure that Senator Ekwemadu is given the full opportunities, rights and privileges that he would need to defend himself.”
Contributing to the motion later, Gbajabiamila said urged the UK parliament to ensure Ekwemadu gets the proper due process, that the rule of law is applied
“As I said in my opening remarks, this is very important. I have spoken with the Nigerian High Commissioner who has been extremely proactive in this matter and I expressed the need for him to continue to avail Senator Ekweremadu with all the necessary assistance that he will need to prove his case.
“I think this should be heightened as well to the UK Parliament. I would try and get in touch with the Speaker of the Parliament whom I was opportune to meet with and had fruitful discussions with just a couple of months ago. I believe (Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs) Honourable Buba Yusuf should also get in touch with his foreign affairs counterpart in the UK Parliament. We are not talking about anything but for the parliament in the UK to make sure that Senator Ekweremadu gets the proper due process, that the rule of law is applied and that he is treated fairly on this matter.
“I believe the UK Parliament or the Congress of the United States, if their own was involved or if they have one of theirs, even a citizen, in this country that was going through the same travails, I believe that those parliaments would responsibly get involved as well. So, it is important that we apply diplomatic pressure. Nigeria has very strong diplomatic ties with the United Kingdom and all those areas must be explored. I wish the Senator and his family well. We cannot imagine what they are going through at this time.
“And I want to reiterate, like many of us have said, that Nigerians should please, whatever the political opinion is on him as a person or the National Assembly, to at least, for a moment, step back and follow the Constitution that presumed these people innocent until they are proven guilty. Facts are emerging and we have to wait to gather all the facts.”
Speaking further, Abdulkadir said the motion aims to achieve justice and fairness of all.
“We cannot have a situation where a simple allegation that has not been thoroughly investigated would result in a high ranking public officer who has served and is still serving the Nigeria public, the Nigerian State and he has a diplomatic passport. We cannot allow this to happen. If it can happen to some of Ekwemadu’s status, I wonder what would happen to ordinary Nigerians.
“That is why I feel the House should rise up and urge and impress on all authorities concerned both within Nigeria and in the United Kingdom and everywhere else in the world to ensure that there is justice for all by doing a thorough investigation, by not subjecting Senator Ike Ekwemadu to the court of public opinion before this matter is thoroughly investigated. Secondly as a diplomatic passport holder there are status and privileges that he is supposed to enjoy. But from what is happening so far, we feel that all the privileges and status that he is supposed to enjoy has been thrown to the dustbin,” he said.
Also contributing, the Deputy Minority Leader of the House, said recent developments have shown that Toby Okechukwu, what the Met Police relied on may not have been the truth.
He said, “This matter is a matter that has to do with freedom. It has to do with the rights and dignity of man. It has to do with justice for all. It has to do with fairness. Mr Speaker, Hon colleagues, you are aware as a man of letters and a lawyer that there is a presumption of innocence and in that presumption, the law deals with reasonable doubt, beyond all reasonable doubt. Even though we are not talking about conviction, the law presupposes you have to hear the other side.
“And as the facts are emerging, it is very clear or it is an alternative narrative that shows that what may have been relied on in haste may not be the truth. So I want to thank my colleagues for bringing this up. Nobody is saying anybody who is responsible for an act should not undergo investigation or prosecution, but we must also realise that presumption of innocence means that someone should not unduly and hastily be put in such a position that he would have suffered some jeopardy before he now has a finding of innocence.
“I believe we would call the necessary authorities to ensure that there is fairness. To ensure that the facts speak to justice. What is clear also is that lives are involved and the life of a young lady is involved. If a parent is unduly denied the access to a child who is ailing, who is having an issue that can be determined summarily by a sudden shock, we need to be careful too because the issue regarding the health of the child is still a matter that is on the table. We need to look back. So I want to thank my colleagues for rising to the occasion. The silence has been deafening in terms of responsiveness to what is the matter. What are the protocols involved here?
“As a holder of a diplomatic passport, should he not be availed the use of that? More also is the fact that there should also be consular services to Mr Ukpo who is claiming to be a child, so the facts are completely ascertained. We are saying, who is the Minister of the truth here? So facts and facts and any action to be taken should be based on facts and nobody should be subject to any jeopardy, when investigations are not complete,” he said.
END
By Kassim Omomia
The House of Representatives Committee on Steel has assured that it will effectively oversight all subsidiaries, agencies, especially research and development centres conneted to Ajaoukuta steel company and Steel development in the country, in order fulfil the long dream of making Nigeria a global steel producer
Chairman of the House Steel Sub- Committee on National Metallurgical Development Centre, NMDC , Hon Abdulmaleek Danga, stated in Jos during an oversight and investigation of petitions of contracts allegedlly awarded, paid- for, but not completed
He stated that the current Committee on Steel in the National Assembly was committed to ensuring proper oversight of steel devevelopment related agencies and research institutions so as to make Ajaokuta work this time around
Hon Danga told staff and top management cadre led by the Director General of the National Metallurgiical Develoomemt Centre, Professor Linus Asuquo, that the Committee was at the Centre in Jos, to carry out a thorough oversight and investigation , following a petition
He reminded the management , staff and Unions of the NMCD of the importance of the establishment of the Centre as a critical support base to sustain Ajaokuta Steel company
“We are here. We will do a thorough job here to sustain Ajaojuta and make it work. This place, (NMDC) must work first before we go to Ajaokuta”
Adressing the petition, Hon Danga pointed that with the avalanche of petitions against the NMDC, the place cannot work
He noted that petitions without facts and figures are retrogresive and create backwardness and stunt growth of any organisation
He noted that even though petitions have become the order of the day in our public life, they are undesirable, create backwardness ,stunt growth and as well create impressions that government agencies are wasting resources, especially when the petitions are without facts and figures
He added that the House was set to ensure the sustenance of NMCD and other ancillary steel agencies. so that Ajaokuta which is so dear to the current government can come on full stream
The subcomittee oversighting NMCD,Jos, which also included Honourable Ayuba Danba, Hon Domimic Okafor,embarked on a facility tour of the massive centre after a thorough session with management, top Staff, contractors, visiting the various departments, laboratories and workshops and projects executed by contractors especially those disputed in the petitions currently investigated by the sub-committee.
The Committee also addressed some aggrieved union leaders, who laid siege on the committee members in one of the sections of the Centre to express their grievances and alleged mismanagement of the Institute by the Prof Asuquo management
Hon Danga, however, appealed to both sides to work harmoniuosly , so that the current efforts of reviving Ajaokuta are achieved by the House of Representatives Committee on Steel and the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
According to the lawmaker, there is a noticeable lack of communication between the management and some critical stakeholders in the institute, which can result to misunderstanding, misconception about the Centre ,and thus, the avalanche of petitions
“Please work together, so that the current administration can revive Ajaokuta and make Nigeria a steel producing country, which is a dream long sought” he, advised
About 1000 Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, under the auspices of Coalition Of Civil Society Organisations, CCSOs, on Saturday Faults President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Economic Team and called for immediate reconstitution.
Expressing deep concern and worry over the state of the economy and escalating fuel prices compounding the hardship of Nigerians despite the recent protest, the groups said Tinubu must act now to avert disintegration.
The groups said the current situation across the country has cast doubt on the competence of the Tinubu economic team and called for urgent review.
The CCSOs in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Mallam Ibrahim Mohammed, pointed out that the plight of Nigerians is sinking low and their patience is wearing off following the deteriorating economy.
The statement reads in part, “The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) is deeply concerned about the deteriorating state of the Nigerian economy, which is becoming increasingly unbearable for millions of citizens.
“It is evident that the recent hike in fuel prices and the unstable exchange rate are the direct results of economic mismanagement by those responsible for overseeing our nation’s financial policies. The ripple effects of these failures are being felt in every household across the country, worsening poverty and crippling economic activity.
“The floating of the Naira, which was initially sold to Nigerians as a means of stabilizing our currency, has done little to prevent the continued devaluation of the Naira. In fact, the exchange rate disparity has widened significantly, with the Naira losing value daily, impacting the cost of living, basic commodities, and inflation.
“While this policy was expected to ease foreign exchange pressure, it has instead deepened economic challenges due to poor implementation and lack of strategic foresight.”
The coalition also expressed concern over what it described as death trap of indebtedness of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, which also they claimed had slowed down importation of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, hence the current shortage of PMS across the country.
“Of equal concern is the precarious position of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which finds itself in a debt trap, with global suppliers of petroleum products losing confidence in Nigeria’s ability to honour its obligations.
“Reports have shown that NNPCL has accrued debts totalling over $6 billion, causing petrol supply shortages. International suppliers are now reluctant to continue providing fuel on credit, exacerbating supply chain issues and pushing up the price of petrol at the pump”, they claimed.
The CSOs also asserted that, “We hold the managers of the Nigerian economy responsible for these disturbing developments. Their inability to provide sound policies and long-term solutions has left the nation in this predicament.
“It is clear that there is no cohesive strategy to address the rising debt, the growing imbalance in the foreign exchange market, or the country’s heavy reliance on importation for petrol supply. The recent hike in fuel prices reflects the collapse of responsible economic management and accountability.
“Nigerians are left to bear the brunt of these failures. Businesses are shutting down, transportation costs have skyrocketed, and citizens are spending an increasingly larger percentage of their income on basic necessities. This state of affairs is unacceptable.”
The group therefore placed some demands; Immediate intervention from the government: There needs to be a comprehensive and transparent plan to stabilize the Naira, restore confidence in the petroleum supply chain, and negotiate a restructuring of NNPC’s debts to ensure continuous fuel supply.
“Accountability for economic mismanagement: Those responsible for the reckless management of our foreign exchange policies and NNPC’s debts must be held accountable. The government must also disclose its plan to mitigate the rising fuel costs and economic burden on Nigerians.
“A return to sound financial policy: The floating of the Naira has proven ineffective under current conditions. We call for a re-evaluation of monetary and fiscal policies to stabilize the economy, reduce inflation, and attract foreign investment.
“In conclusion, the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations reiterates that without immediate corrective measures, the economic situation will continue to deteriorate, leading to further hardship for the average Nigerian. The government must act decisively and responsibly to reverse this downward spiral”, they added.
…..Says They ‘re Bunch of Hypocrites,
By Sim Omo
A group known as Patriots of Nigerian Democracy has lambasted the 2023 Governorship Candidate of the Labour Party in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour and other leaders of the party for saying they will take over Lagos State in 2027.
It will be recalled that Rhodes-Vivour while speaking to journalists in Umuahia, Abia State capital at the end of LP’s extended stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday said that they will take over Lagos.
“LP is now well structured, not just to win but to take power in 2027. What we have come to do here in Umuahia is to bring everybody on the same page. We are set for new victories in 2027.
“I believe Labour Party will win Lagos State more convincingly in 2027. Since after the 2023 elections, work has not stopped; we have not gone quiet. Every day, we are getting stronger and stronger.
“So, we are not just going to win but stand up and take power”, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour had said in Umuahia.
Reacting to the statement, the group said that LP leaders are a bunch of hypocrites who pretend to be on the side of the people but neck deep in their selfish interests.
The statement jointly signed by the President of the group, Comrade Olaolu Esan and the Secretary, Engr. Abdullahi Rabiu recalled that LP and its supporters recently attacked the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu for urging the Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti to rejoin the All Progressives Congress (APC), vowing that the ruling party will win the State in 2027 in a viral video.
“All hell was let loose recently when the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu in a video that went viral called on the Governor of his own Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti to rejoin APC.
“Kalu came under heavy criticism and attacks by LP and its supporters. They criticized him for speaking his mind. They made Nigerians to see him in bad light as if what he said was a taboo.
“But here we are. Just about one or two weeks afterwards, the same LP leaders assembled in Umuahia, the Abia State capital to issue a quit notice to APC in Lagos.
“So, where is their nobility? Where is their shame? They abandoned governance for politics of 2027. How does that make them the “Saints” of the Nigerian politics? Are they for the people or against the people?
“We had thought that the LP leaders gathered in Umuahia to discuss the biting economy and the solution. We had thought they gathered to tell Nigerians how they will entrench good governance in Abia State but didn’t know their meeting was about strategies to take over Lagos, an APC controlled State. We have waited for Abia Governor, Dr. Alex Otti to call Rhodes-Vivour to order or to at least tell him, it is not yet time for politics but more than 24 hours, none of the LP’s leaders has done that.
“We want to say that this is very unfortunate. It simply means that politicians irrespective of their political parties and leanings are all one and same. They always think about the next election and not about good governance. They are always after their personal agenda and selfish interests.
“If this will be tolerated, it simply means that the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Kalu is vindicated. Labour Party supporters owe the Deputy Speaker a collective apology for attacking what he said and saying what they attacked. This is hypocrisy.
“Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour’s comment indicates and gives a feeling that the media attacks on Kalu were actually sponsored even though it was highly unnecessary. LP leaders can’t be a bunch of hypocrites.
“Our concerns are good governance and the welfare of the Nigerian people. While we are not saying that politicians should not “battle” themselves over 2027, they must ensure that Nigerians get the dividends of democracy. Good governance should not be sacrificed on the altar of politics. Nigerians should not be shortchanged in anyway rather their lives should be improved by every means possible. That is our position”, the statement stated.
