The national leadership of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has told the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad reasons why they would not suspend its on going industrial action.

This is as the CJN met with officials of JUSUN wherein he pleaded the union to call off the strike.

The Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Hadjia Hadiza Uwani Mustapha was in attendance at the meeting with the CJN.

Recall that the CJN had, at an earlier meeting with JUSUN leaders on April 6, asked the union to call-off the strike in view of its adverse effect on the justice system in the country.

But at Wednesday’s meeting, the JUSUN officials, led by its Deputy National President, Emmanuel Abioye and Jimoh Musa Alonge (Treasurer) explained why the union found it difficult to heed the CJN’s demand to call off the strike.

Abiyoye told the CJN that the state governors must begin to demonstrate some level of seriousness by putting in place some measures precedent to the implementation of financial autonomy for judiciary in their respective states.

‘’Though there’s financial autonomy for the judiciary already in some states while some are assuring that they would comply, but others have to take steps in readiness for compliance,’’ Abioye said.

According to him, the union expect each state to start implementing its self-accounting law to deal with the Internally Generated Revenue in line with Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended; and that states without such law should put it in place.

Abioye said it is his union’s position that there must be some level of seriousness from all quarters and as such, the amount standing to the credit of the judiciary from the monthly federal allocation should be deducted directly from the source by the Accountant General of the Federation and remit same to the National Judicial Council (NJC) for onward transmission to heads of courts.

He said, for the Federation Consolidated Account also known as Federal Allocation, the budget of each state judiciary submitted to the implementation committee (received) on October 2, 2020) should be implemented by deducting the amount due to the state judiciary directly from source by Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) in line with Sections 81(3) and 162(9) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) for the states.

In other words, the AGF should deduct from the monthly Federal Allocation and remit it to NJC for onward transmission of the fund to the Heads of Courts at the State Judiciary. Until this is done, there is no going back, the strike would go on.’’

However, the CJN said it has become difficult to fault the idea of the strike since the rights of the union and its members which are clearly defined in the Constitution are being denied especially at state level.

This was contained in a statement by Ahuraka Isah,
Senior Special Assistant (on media), the CJN was quoted as saying, ‘’I can’t fault your reasons for embarking on this protest because the union wants its rights restored in line with the provisions of the Constitution. I commend you for following due process so far to protest against the injustice,’’ the CJN said.

President Muhammadu Buhari was forced to invite some state governors from the Northern part of the country on Thursday to a meeting over the alarming rate of especially kidnapping and banditry in the country

The meeting which was held inside the Presidential Villa in Abuja saw Mr President reiterating his assurance to end insecurity in the country.

The meeting was attended by the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari.

The governors were led by the chairman of Northern Governors Forum, Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong.

According to a source at the meeting, the Governors took turns to narrate their experiences, individual efforts at finding lasting solutions as well as expectations from the Federal Government.

Others in the delegation were governors of Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu; Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai; Yobe Mai Mala Buni, Niger, Abubakar Bello, and Nasarawa, Abdullahi Sule.

In an interview with State House correspondent, Lalong said, “Well, this meeting is in respect of some of the common features of insecurity that we have within our states. You’ll recall that many of the states have some of the insecurities that are very similar. So we put them together and see how to address some of those issues. And we felt that we must also meet Mr. President about it since it’s about the insecurity.”

Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, he said “I think they are not to be disclosed because these are about security. But the take away I say is that the meeting with the President was very fruitful and we are also very committed, and we have seen a lot of commitment, so we are waiting for implementation.

“The assurance I will give you is that based on this meeting, we will also wait to see the commitment, and Mr. President has given us that assurance.”

The Senate has approved federal government’s request for external loans to finance federal and state governments priority projects in the revised 2020 budgets.

The approval, which was contained in the report of the committee of the Upper Chamber on Local And Foreign Debts, is part of measures aimed at addressing the impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic and improving the country’s food security.

Recall that President, Muhammadu Buhari, in a letter dated 19 May 2020, asked the Senate to approve for borrowing, the sum of Five Billion, Five Hundred and Thirteen Million Dollars ($5, 513, 000, 000).

The funds, according to the letter read by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, is meant to “finance priority projects of the government and projects to support state governments.”

In a document obtained by our correspondent, the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, approved the sum of $500,000,000 and $750,000,000 respectively, as loans from the World Bank to cater for “States Fiscal Transparency Accountability and Sustainability program to provide fiscal support to States.”

The funds are also to factor in as “Covid-19 action recovery and economic stimulus program to support State-Level efforts to protect Livelihoods, ensure food security and stimulate economic recovery.”

Similarly, the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly approved the sum of Nine Hundred and Ninety-Five Million Pounds from the Export-Import Bank of Brazil to cater for the 2020 revised budget requested by the executive.

The sum covers the “Green Imperative to enhance mechanization of Agriculture and Agro-processing in Nigeria.”

In her findings, the Senate Committee disclosed that among others, a total of six indigenous assembly plants, one in each geopolitical zone would be rehabilitated and retooled to revitalize farm machinery and equipment to be imported from Brazil.

This is as it advised for restructuring and expansion of existing States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) program, especially seeing the disruption and shock occasioned by the Covid-19 crises, to match the fiscal measures at the federal level and reallocating the undisbursed balance of the program funds

The Committee also disclosed that the said loans are to be sourced from multilateral and bilateral global lenders and partners with proven records of financial support to the country, even as it said that the borrowing which are concessional loans come with low interest rates, moratorium and a reasonable payback period.

House of Representatives member,Hon. Yusuf Gagdi on Wednesday hinted that the bad governance was solely responsible for the unabating killings and insecurities presently bedevilling the country .

Gagdi, an All Progressives Congress (APC), from Plateau state, stated that the present security challenges would persist until government attends to the basic needs that would give quality life to its citizens.

The Lawmaker, made this known while briefing newsmen in Abuja, saying, “You hear today this one died, that one killed, I think that’s the major problem that the country is faced with.

According to him, “Security is very important and is a collective thing. The followers and leaders must work together to combat insecurity in the country.

“There is a huge moral burden on the part of government on this matter. What is our conduct over issues of insecurity?  I don’t support demolarizing government, but the major problem of insecurity in this country is lack of good governance.

“Government in the first instance, did not address the primary thing the people should enjoy in the country. Government has failed”, the legislator insisted, without fear of favour.

“I am not afraid to say this. If this trend continues, do not thank that this insecurity problem will be solved in the nearest future”, the lawmaker stressed.

He further stated that, what the country was lacking currently was a good President to deliver justice and equity to the people, in order to address to persistent call for restructuring.

“The problem of Nigeria is not restructuring, but bringing a good leader that will provide good governance”, he said.

The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu during the Wednesday plenary moved for the immediate resignation or sack of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, for showing sympathy to the activities of insurgents.

Elumelu prayed the House to cause a debate on the issue, particularly demanding Pantami’s exit from office, coming under Order 6, matters of privilege of the House standing Orders.

I would be recalled that public outrage has continued to trail revelations that Pantami made sympathetic utterances for the jihadists even though he had since apologized for making the remarks in the 2000s before taking up political appointments.

But according to Elumelu, “Pantami’s apology does not hold water”, stressing that even the Minister had apologized needlessly.

He said: “Mr. Speaker, honourable colleagues, I rise to move a point of order bothering on the infringement of my privileges.

“In the past few days I have been inundated with calls from my constituents and Nigerians seeking the resignation of the Honourable Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Mr. Pantami who was allegedly accused of having link which seems to support Al-queda and Boko Haram knowing very well what we are facing with issues of insecurity in the country.

“Although he has apologized but to me, it doesn’t stand. So, I therefore call for his immediate resignation or sack”.

Ruling on the matter, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila who presided over the plenary said that the matter had been noted.

Saying; “Your point of privilege has been noted”.