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I’m Confident Justice will Prevail – Saraki

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The President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, seeks to inform the wider Nigerian public that as a firm believer in rule of law, he intends to totally submit himself to the due process of the law as the trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) begins today, Friday, March 11, 2016. This is founded upon the premise that “justice must not only be done, but justice must also be seen to have been done.”Dr. Saraki and his team of lawyers have earlier submitted an application to quash the illegitimate suit being brought against him before the CCT based on several alleged discrepancies found in his asset declaration form. As Nigerians carefully follow the proceedings of the case, we must all be guided by the fact that a basic scrutiny of Section 3, Paragraph D of the Act that establishes the CCT and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) state in explicit terms that before any complaint (if any) is forwarded to the CCT for adjudication, the public officer against whom a complaint is made must be given the opportunity to either deny or admit the claims by the Bureau. As it stands, Nigerians must ask why this fundamental and indispensable condition for a trial at the CCT has not been followed.

What this means is: the condition precedent mandates that Dr. Saraki – as every other citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is entitled to – should have been given the opportunity to explain any perceived inaccuracy, but he was never given the opportunity to do so.

Secondly and more crucially, the application submitted by the Senate President draws attention to the fact that the 13-year-old declaration forms on which the majority of the impending suit is predicated, were examined and investigated by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) at the time of submission and were found satisfactory to the Bureau’s requirements at the time.

Given that for 13 years, all the documents from the Senate President’s asset declarations from 2003, 2007 and 2011 were accessible by the Bureau for investigation, Saraki’s application states that the condition precedence should have been drawn to it; to give the Senate President the opportunity to explain and address any identified issues.

The Senate President has expressed indignation that these confirmed forms which have rested in possession of the CCB for over a decade without issue are now being flagged.

In this regard, as the trial begins, Nigerians should note that this outright non-observance of the rule of law, reaffirms the belief that this trial is borne from political mischief and malice associated with the timeliness and nature of this suit.

As the head of Nigeria’s legislative branch, Dr. Saraki is confident that justice will ultimately prevail and he is ready, willing and prepared to submit himself to all proceedings that adhere to the strict dictates of the law. He believes that the law must take its righteous course and reassures Nigerians of his commitment to serving the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Hon. Gbenga Makanjuola

Deputy Chief of Staff to the President of the Senate

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Nigerian Army Lacks Equipment to Combat Boko Haram – Governor Zulum

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Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has raised concerns over the Nigerian Army’s insufficient equipment in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents. According to him, the insurgents are now leveraging advanced technology, putting Nigerian soldiers at a disadvantage.

“Recently, I met with the Chief of Army Staff who revealed that the Army needs 32 drones to effectively combat the insurgency,” Zulum said. “Each drone costs about $5.5 million. We must pool resources to acquire them and prioritize national security.”

The governor also stressed the importance of transparent procurement processes. “We need to focus on direct, government-to-government procurement of military equipment, both hardware and software, to ensure value for money,” he said. “Contractors often fail to deliver when funds are handed over to them.”

Zulum called for unity and cooperation between the federal and state governments. “If we are truly committed, this insurgency can be ended in six months. We must not politicize security issues. The Federal Government must listen and act.”

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Tinubu’s Reforms Have Significantly Reduced Poverty in Northern Nigeria — Governor Uba Sani

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Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as transformative efforts that have led to a significant reduction in poverty across Northern Nigeria, particularly in the North-West region.

Speaking on the impact of federal government interventions under the current administration, Governor Sani noted that prior to President Tinubu’s tenure, poverty levels in the region were alarmingly high, with estimates ranging between 65 and 70 percent.

“Over the last two years, President Tinubu has initiated key reforms and strategic interventions that go far beyond short-term relief measures,” the governor stated. “We are not merely referring to palliatives — we are talking about deep, structural support that addresses the root causes of poverty.”

Governor Sani emphasized that no administration in recent memory has committed as robustly to agricultural development as that of President Tinubu. He highlighted various initiatives, including extensive fertilizer distribution, financial assistance to smallholder farmers, and large-scale monetary support allocated without political bias.

“These initiatives have not only boosted agricultural productivity but have also contributed to job creation, improved rural infrastructure, and the overall reduction of poverty in many communities,” he added.

The governor concluded by asserting that these targeted interventions are laying the groundwork for sustainable economic growth and social inclusion, especially in underserved and rural areas.

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Wike Urges PDP to Clarify Zoning Arrangement Ahead of 2027 Presidential Election

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Former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has called on the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to be transparent with Nigerians regarding the zoning of its presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking on the party’s internal crisis and past decisions, Wike criticized the PDP for allegedly abandoning its established tradition of power rotation between the North and South. He recalled that in 2023, despite the understanding that once a particular region produces the party chairman, the other should produce the presidential candidate, some leaders chose to manipulate the process for selfish reasons.

“They refused to zone the presidency and allowed aspirants from the same region to emerge as both party chairman and presidential candidate,” he said. “We warned them then that ignoring zoning would have consequences, but they dismissed it with arrogance.”

Wike further questioned the party’s current stance as it heads into its national convention. He alleged that there are attempts to zone the party chairmanship to the South again, which, he believes, would be a strategic move to deny the South the presidential ticket in 2027.

“Why not come out now and declare that the South will produce the 2027 presidential candidate, especially since the South currently holds the national presidency?” he queried. “This continued game of political trickery will only lead to another disaster for the party.”

He urged PDP leaders to abandon what he described as political “smartness” and embrace openness and fairness. “Let Nigerians know where the party stands now. Don’t wait until it backfires again and start pointing fingers. I’m saying it clearly — I won’t support this kind of manipulation,” Wike warned.

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