Insecurity; You lack the powers to summon us – Governors reject Reps invitation
Insecurity; You lack the powers to summon us – Governors reject Reps invitation
Governors Dauda Lawal of Zamfara and Hyacinth Alia of Benue have dismissed a summons from the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, fueling debate over the constitutional scope of federal legislative oversight.
The committee, in a statement by media head Chooks Oko, invited the governors and their state assemblies to answer for alleged governance lapses, legislative turmoil, and escalating security challenges.
In Benue, tensions arose after 13 lawmakers critical of Governor Alia were suspended. Their removal came shortly after they opposed his controversial suspension of Chief Judge Maurice Ikpambese—an action widely condemned as executive overreach.
Zamfara faces its own legislative deadlock. A faction of nine suspended lawmakers is challenging the status quo, claiming legitimacy and urging Governor Lawal to present the 2025 budget to their camp. The resulting power struggle has left the state assembly divided and governance in disarray.
Both states are also battling serious security threats. Zamfara remains plagued by banditry, kidnappings, and rural violence, while Benue is experiencing deadly clashes between farmers and armed herders, with implications for food security and public safety.
Top state officials have pushed back against the House committee’s summons, arguing it oversteps constitutional bounds. Benue House Speaker Hyacinth Dajoh dismissed the issue, stating no formal invitation had been received. “It’s a social media matter for now. If a letter arrives Monday, we’ll address it,” he said.
Zamfara PDP spokesperson Halliru Andi criticized the committee’s actions, stating governors are accountable only to their state legislatures and citizens.
“No amount of intimidation from politically motivated committees or courts will derail our leadership,” he said.
Amid the standoff, a faction of Zamfara lawmakers claimed they had uncovered threats to their lives. “We have a recording of a planned attack targeting us and our families. Security agencies have been alerted,” they said in a statement.
Meanwhile, opposition forces in Benue, including the PDP and a faction of the APC led by Austin Agada, have welcomed the National Assembly’s intervention. Political analysts, however, warn that the matter could trigger a prolonged legal battle over the separation of powers between federal and state institutions.
As of now, it remains uncertain whether the committee hearing will go ahead or whether the House will seek to enforce its summons.
News
BREAKING: Guber candidate picks Kwankwaso’s son as Deputy guber candidate
The Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) has named Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso as its deputy governorship candidate for the 2027 election in Kano State.
Mustapha, who is the first son of the party’s vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, will run alongside the NDC governorship candidate, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo.
The announcement was confirmed on Monday by the spokesperson of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Habibu Saleh Mohammed.
In a statement, Mohammed disclosed that Gwarzo formally unveiled Mustapha Kwankwaso as his running mate ahead of the 2027 governorship election in the state.
“HE Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo unveiled Hon Mustapha Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as running mate for the 2027 Governorship Election,” the statement said.
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Court sentences 6 persons to 25 years imprisonment each for terrorism offences
Court sentences 6 persons to 25 years imprisonment each for terrorism offences
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday convicted and sentenced each of the six suspects to 25 years imprisonment each for belonging to the Boko Haram terrorist group, a proscribed organisation in the country.
Justice James Omotosho handed down the separate judgment after the six convicts pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them by the Federal Government.
The six defendants who were separately charged by the Federal Government are Ali Maigana, Adamu Ahmadu, Mohammed Ali, Umar Abubakar, Ali Mohammed and Guja Ali.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) is prosecuting no fewer than 600 suspected terrorists in the current phase.
The AGF, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, led the team of the government’s lawyers in the trials which would last till Thursday.
In the two-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/998/2026 filed against Guja Ali, the convict with Chest Number; 1320, from Borsori village, Marte Local Government Area of Borno, sometime in 2014, was said to have belonged to the Boko Haram terrorist group.
The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 16 of the Terrorism (Prevention Amendment) Act, 2013.
In count two, he was charged for failure to disclose information about the group which would have been of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution and conviction of the group members in his village.
The offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 8(1)(b) of the Terrorism (Prevention Amendment) Act, 2013.
He was sentenced to 25 years in count one and 15 years in count two.
Justice Omotosho also convicted and jailed Isah Liman for 20 years for failure to disclose information regarding the terror group.(NAN)
News
BREAKING: Federal Govt, States, others share N2.257trn April 2026 revenue
BREAKING: Federal Govt, States, others share N2.257trn April 2026 revenue
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared a total sum of N2.257 trillion to the Federal, States and the Local Government Councils for the month of April 2026.
Mr Bawa Mokwa, Director Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAGF), revealed this in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.
In the statement, Mokwa said the revenue was shared at the May 2026 FAAC meeting held in Abuja recently.
He revealed that, the N2.257 trillion total distributable revenue comprised distributable statutory revenue of N1.260 trillion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N747.088 billion and Augmentation N250 billion.
Mokwa said a communiqué issued by the FAAC indicated that total gross revenue of N3.184 trillion was available in the month of April 2026.
“A total deduction for cost of collection was N113.756 billion while total transfers, refunds and savings was N813.839 billion.
“Gross statutory revenue of N2.378 trillion was received for the month of April 2026. This was higher than the sum of N1.699 trillion received in the preceeding month by N678.224 billion.
“Gross revenue of N806.617 billion was available from the Value Added Tax (VAT) in April 2026. This was higher than the N664.425 billion available in the month of March 2026 by N142.192 billion,’’ Mokwa quoted the communiqué.
He quoted the communique further: “From the N2.257 trillion total distributable revenue, the Federal Government received total sum of N787.351 billion and the State Governments received total sum of N772.360 billion.
“The Local government Council received N540.152 billion, while the sum of N157.254 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting State as derivation revenue.
“On the N1.260 trillion distributable statutory revenue, the Federal Government received N580.942 billion and the State Governments received N294.661 billion.
“The Local Government Councils received N227.172 billion and the sum of N157.254 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting States as derivation revenue.
“From the N747.088 billion distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue, the Federal Government received N74.709 billion, the State Governments received N410.898 billion and the Local Government Councils received N261.481 billion.
“The Federal Government received N131.700 billion from the N250.000 billion, the States received N66.800 billion and the Local Government received N51.500 billion.
He further disclosed that, in April 2026, Companies income Tax (CIT), CGT, SDT, Import Duty, Oil and Gas Royalty and Value Added Tax (VTA) increased significantly, while Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Hydrocarbon Tax (HT), decreased considerably.
Mokwa added that Excise Duty and CET Levies decreased marginally.(NAN)
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