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JUST IN: Impeachment: Edo Assembly Directs CJ To Set Up Probe Panel Against Shaibu

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The Edo State House of Assembly has passed a resolution directing the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, to set up a seven-man committee to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct levelled against the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu.

The House passed the resolution during plenary on Tuesday.

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Nineteen out of the 24 members of the House voted in favour of the resolution.

Earlier, the Speaker, Blessing Agbebaku, had notified the House that the seven-day ultimatum granted the deputy governor to respond to the impeachment notice served on him has expired.

READ ALSO: Nigeria Opens Land, Air Borders With Niger Republic

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Agbebaku said the impeachment notice was served on the deputy governor on March 6, 2024 but due to alleged evasion of service, the House ordered that he be served through substituted means.

He said the substituted service was published in the state owned newspaper The Observer, and the Vanguard Newspaper, on March 12, 2024.

The notice, according to him, expired by March 19.

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In a motion, the Majority Leader, Charity Aiguobarueghan, moved that the Chief Judge be directed to set up seven-man committee to investigate the petition against the deputy governor.

Aiguobarueghan averred that the motion was in line with Section 188, Sub-section 3 and 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

READ ALSO: How Soldiers Were Ambushed, Killed In Delta Community, Ex-General Speaks

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He noted that failure of the deputy governor to respond to the petition at the stipulated time was not a problem as Section 188, Sub-section 3, clearly stated that “whether he responds or not, the House has a duty to perform”.

“That duty was bestowed by Section 188, Sub-section 3 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that a motion be moved, when it will be resolved that if these allegations are not denied, they are worthy of investigation.

“I am, therefore, moving a motion in pursuant to Section 188, Sub-section 3 and 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that is designed not to be argued.

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“That the notice served on the deputy governor alleging gross misconduct be sent for investigation and that the Speaker cause the Chief Judge of the state to set up a seven-man committee to look at the allegations and report its findings to this House as soon as possible,” he said.

In a voice vote, 19 members voted in support of the motion, which was more than two-thirds of members of the House.

The Speaker subsequently directed the Chief Judge to set up a seven-man committee to investigate the petition against the deputy governor.

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FG Shuts 22 Illegal Tertiary Institutions

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The National Commission for Colleges of Education has uncovered and shut down 22 illegal Colleges of Education.

The discovery was made during a crackdown on illegal colleges of education in the country.

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The development was revealed in the commission’s achievements, seen by our correspondent.

“The NCCE identified and shut down 22 illegal Colleges of Education operating across the country.

READ ALSO:FG Predicts Heavy Rainfall, Flood In Seven States

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“The NCCE conducted personnel audit, financial monitoring in all the 21 federal colleges of education,” the commission said.

President Bola Tinubu had recently urged the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education to weed out illegal higher institutions of learning in the country.

Speaking at the 14th convocation of the National Open University of Nigeria in Abuja, the President ordered the NUC, the NBTE, and other agencies to take decisive action against what he described as “certificate millers” undermining the credibility of the education sector.

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READ ALSO: FG Partners Traditional Rulers To Curb Proliferation Of Small Arms, Light Weapons In Nigeria

Tinubu, who was represented by the Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Rakiya Ilyasu, warned that the integrity of the academic system must not be compromised.

At this juncture, it has become imperative to reiterate that this administration remains committed to strengthening the integration of all agencies involved in the administration of education to enhance efficiency and quality,” the President said.

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He added, “The National Youth Service Corps, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education are working in alignment to improve the quality of education and ensure that cases of forgery and unrecognised institutions both within and outside the country have no place in our education ecosystem.”

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EFCC Orders Arrest Of Dismissed Officer On Lege Miami’s Show

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has condemned the actions of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, who was recently spotted participating in a matchmaking programme on social media platforms hosted by popular entertainer Lege Miami.

The agency has ordered his immediate arrest for retaining official EFCC property, including an identity card, following his dismissal for certificate forgery.

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The anti-graft agency, in a statement on its official X handle on Monday, said Folarin served as a driver at the EFCC’s Ibadan Zonal Directorate.

READ ALSO:EFCC Releases Former Sokoto Gov Tambuwal

He was, however, dismissed after investigations confirmed he had forged his academic credentials.

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It said, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, condemned in the strongest terms, the involvement of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, in a matchmaking programme running on Lege Miami social media platforms.”

“Folarin was recently dismissed from the Commission for certificate forgery. He was a driver at the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.”

READ ALSO:EFCC Arraigns Six Katsina Revenue, Bank Workers Over N1.2bn Fraud

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The statement said EFCC Executive Chairma,n Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered Folarin to be arrested and emphasised that Folarin’s actions should not be associated with the commission.

“The Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered his arrest for being in possession of some Commission’s properties, including an identity card, which he should have handed over upon being dismissed from the EFCC.

“The public is advised against associating Folarin’s post-dismissal conduct with the EFCC,” the statement concluded.

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NERC Transfers Regulation Of Electricity Market To Bayelsa

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The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has transferred regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State to the Bayelsa Electricity Regulatory Agency.

In a notice on its social media handles on Monday, the commission said this was in compliance with the amended 1999 Constitution and the Electricity Act 2023.

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In compliance with the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued an order to transfer regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State from the Commission to the Bayelsa State Electricity Regulatory Agency,” the commission said.

READ ALSO:NLC, TUC Give NERC Deadline To Reverse Hike In Electricity Tariff

Recall that with the Electricity Act 2023, the commission retains the role as a central regulator with regulatory oversight on the interstate/international generation, transmission, supply, trading, and system operations.

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The Act also mandates any state that intends to establish and regulate intrastate electricity markets to deliver a formal notification of its processes and requests NERC to transfer regulatory authority over electricity operations in the state to the state regulator.

The transfer order by NERC directed Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc to incorporate a subsidiary distribution company to assume responsibilities for intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Bayelsa State from PHED.

PHED was also directed to complete the incorporation of PHED SubCo within 60 days from August 21, 2025.

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READ ALSO:Estimated Bills: NERC Fines BEDC, Others, Deducts N10.5bn From Discos Revenue

The subcompany shall apply for and obtain a licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from BYERA, among other directives,” the commission said.

It concluded that all transfers envisaged by the order shall be completed by February 20, 2026.

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With this order, Bayelsa has joined states like Lagos, Imo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Enugu, Niger, Edo, Oyo and Plateau, which have got the power to regulate electricity markets.

The state can now generate, transmit, and distribute electricity while issuing licences to investors within the value chain.

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