News

Tension As Sacked Plateau PDP Lawmakers Vow Resumption Today

Published

2 years ago

January 23, 2024

Editor

As the Plateau State House of Assembly resumes plenary today (Tuesday), the 16 lawmakers elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party said they would resume their legislative duties despite their sacking by the Court of Appeal.

This came as the All Progressives Congress said the lawmakers remained sacked and their plan to resume was an ‘invitation to anarchy and a threat to democracy.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja had in November sacked all the 16 members of the state House of Assembly elected on the platform of the PDP on the grounds that the party had no structure to nominate them as candidates.

Addressing a press conference in Jos, on Monday, the 16 lawmakers, led by a former Majority Leader, Yobo Ishaku, said since the Supreme Court, which upheld the election of Governor Caleb Mutfwang on the same issue had ruled that the PDP had a valid structure to nominate them as candidates, the verdict of the Court of Appeal sacking them as lawmakers had become a nullity.

Ishaku, who represented Bokkos state constituency, said, “Our recess ends today (Monday) and we want to inform the public that we the PDP family are in high spirits and are willing to go back to our legislative duties willingly given to us by our various constituencies. So, we are all ready to resume work tomorrow (Tuesday).”

Explaining the rationale behind their decision to resume plenary, Ishaku said, “While we were on recess, there were two judgments passed regarding the Plateau State House of Assembly. The first one was the one given by the Court of Appeal, of which the Justices said one could not put something on nothing; PDP on the Plateau had no structure and it was on that basis and premise that they sacked all the 16 PDP House of Assembly members.

“And while we were still on recess, the Supreme Court gave its verdict regarding the same issue and in the judgment, the Supreme Court said the case that was brought before the Court of Appeal was fraudulent and that the court even lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter in the first place. And by that, it shows that referring to their submission, you cannot build something on nothing. By implication, the verdict of the Court of Appeal is a nullity and we are disregarding that judgment in its entirety.”

Ishaku, who insisted that they were products of democracy who were validly elected by their various constituents also, said, “Our constituents are ready and willing to accompany us to our sitting tomorrow because they voted for us and they are not ready to compromise that.”

The PDP lawmakers called on President Bola Tinubu as well as the heads of the Nigeria judiciary to sanction the President of the Court of Appeal under whose watch they were sacked.

But in a swift reaction, the APC in the state described the planned resumption of the sacked PDP lawmakers as an invitation to anarchy and a threat to democracy.

APC lawmakers said the plan and threats by the sacked members to resume was not only an assault on democracy but an insurrection against the state.

In a statement issued on Monday by its Publicity Secretary, Sylvanus Namang, the Plateau APC insisted that the PDP lawmakers remained sacked under the law.

The APC said, “It has come to the notice of the Plateau State chapter of the APC, a plan by the 16 members of the PDP sacked by the Court of Appeal last year to invade the House, which resumes sitting tomorrow (Tuesday) after nearly two months recess as sitting members of the Plateau State House of Assembly.

“According to information reaching us, the members sat at an undisclosed location and addressed the press on their invidious and diabolical plan.

“According to information at our disposal, the sacked members would be accompanied by members of their various constituencies to confuse an unimaginable proportion.

“The press conference, which was laced with threats, warned the APC members of the House not to go near the House of Assembly because the Supreme Court had invalidated the judgment of the Court of Appeal which sacked them.

“What began last week as a veiled threat by a former Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Istifanus Mwansat, during his infamous interview with AIT is fast becoming a reality.

“The APC and all peace-loving citizens of Plateau State had expected that he ought not to be walking the streets as a free citizen following his inflammatory outbursts.

“The APC accepted for the sake of democracy and peaceful coexistence, the judgment of the Supreme Court in good fate and appealed to our members not to embark on anything to the contrary which they obeyed.”

News

Anambra Guber: ‘I’m On Sabbatical,’ Don’t Use My Name In Your Campaign, Ngige Tells APC

Published

7 hours ago

August 12, 2025

Editor

Former Anambra State governor and two-time minister, Senator Chris Ngige, has asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, and his running mate, Senator Uche Ekwunife, not to link him to their campaign, saying he is currently on sabbatical from partisan politics.

A campaign poster featuring Ngige alongside the APC candidates has been circulating on social media, creating the impression that he is backing the party in the November 8 governorship election.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Hyggi Obialo, Ngige clarified that his consent was neither sought nor obtained before the publication was released.

“Senator Chris Ngige is on sabbatical from active partisan politics as he takes a well-deserved rest after 25 years in politics and public service,” the statement read. “We advise those behind the poster to respect his wishes, as he has repeatedly stated in public that he is out of partisan politics for now.”

Ngige served as governor of Anambra State from 2003 to 2006, represented Anambra Central in the Senate from 2011 to 2015, and was Minister of Labour and Employment from 2015 to 2023.

News

8,246 mentally ill inmates in custody nationwide – NCoS

Published

8 hours ago

August 12, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Correctional Service(NCoS) says no fewer than 8,246 inmates are currently suffering from mental illness across the custodial centres nationwide.

The Assistant Controller General of Corrections (ACG), in charge of Medical Services, Dr Glory Essien, disclosed the figure during a public hearing on Tuesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Independent Investigative Panel on Alleged Corruption, Abuse of Power, Torture, and Other Inhumane Treatment by the NCoS began the third public hearing on Monday.

Essien, however, highlighted the harsh reality of incarceration and its impact on mental health during her address to the panel.

“We have 8,246 inmates with mental health conditions in our custodial centres.

“From the moment someone is brought in, those who have seen a custodial centre know what I mean.

“The police escort them to the gate, and it’s opened, they’re admitted, and then that gate is locked behind them.

“That instant loss of freedom can trigger something. Some begin to show signs of disturbed behaviour almost immediately, as if something in their mind has shifted,”she said.

Essien explained that the prison system relied on an internal network of trained inmate-leaders who assisted staff in identifying those showing signs of psychological distress.

According to her, these leaders are trained to alert the staff when they notice concerning behaviour.

“They might say, ‘This inmate seems dazed, hasn’t eaten, hasn’t spoken to anyone.’ That helps us intervene early,” she said.

Essien said in spite of these efforts, the scale of mental health issues far exceeded the available resources.

She said: “If you’re in a facility housing 500 to 1,000 inmates, and you’re the only attending doctor, nurse, or psychologist, it’s simply not possible to monitor everyone individually.

“That’s why we rely on these trained inmates to help us identify those in need, so we can provide care as best we can,” she said.

She, however, underscored the logistical challenges of delivering mental healthcare in correctional facilities.

“Mental illness is chronic. It’s not like malaria, where a single dose clears up the issue, highlighting transportation issues, limited drug supplies, and staff shortages as ongoing obstacles.

“We’re not operating in a five-star environment.But with the little we have, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of our work,” she maintained.

Similarly, the Assistant Controller General of Corrections in charge of pharmaceutical services, Mohammed Bashir, addressed concerns around drug provision and mental health treatment.

He said that the Federal Government had actually been doing its utmost to ensure that it catered to the health needs of the inmates.

“Money has been appropriated, but is the money enough? No.

“Out of 81,122 inmates in 256 correctional facilities nationwide, about 2.3 per cent are female,” he said.

Bashir revealed that a single item, such as sanitary pads for menstruating inmates, costs over “four million naira monthly.

On mental healthcare, Bashir confirmed that a psychological services unit had been created within the service to focus on treatment.

“We have partnership with this psychiatric and psychological association. We have the consultants who usually go to about 12 designated custodial centres that have a large number of these cases,” he said.

He, however, admitted that drug supplies often ran out within weeks due to inadequate funding and staffing.

In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary(PS) in the Ministry of Interior, Dr Magdalene Ajani, called for urgent support and systemic changes.

Ajani made a passionate appeal to the Nigerian Medical Association and pharmaceutical companies for support.

“Please come to Macedonia and help us. We are in dire need of psychiatric and psychological aid in remote states beyond Abuja and Lagos.”

Ajani, who chairs the panel, expressed concern over the maldistribution of mental health professionals.

“Let them not only be centered in Abuja and Lagos. We need them to go out to the fields. Because if we even put two in the states, it will help them,” she added.

The PS emphasized the importance of transparency and collaboration with private companies, noting that public-private partnerships would be beneficial.

According to her, we can approach companies that can give us drugs as CSR; they do it.

“So, don’t let us sit in the office and forget our primary responsibility.

“Do it now. Build a bridge and empower younger people to be able to sustain that bridge that you are building,” she emphasised.

News

Tinubu Appoints New NCC Chairman, Fresh Board Members

Published

8 hours ago

August 12, 2025

Editor

President Tinubu has approved the appointment of Idris Olorunnimbe as Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr Aminu Waida, will continue to serve in that capacity.

President Tinubu also approved the appointments of the members of the board of the NCC.

The members include Abraham Oshidami, Executive Commissioner, Technical Services; Rimini Makama, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management; Hajia Maryam Bayi, Former Director, Human Capital and Administration; Col Abdulwahab Lawal (retd); Senator Lekan Mustafa; Chris Okorie, and Princess Oforitsenere Emiko.