37-year-old Simon Harris emerged as Ireland’s youngest ever prime minister on Tuesday, April 9, while pledging to bring new ideas.

Harris replaces Leo Varadkar who abruptly quit last month citing personal and political reasons.

On Tuesday, Ireland’s parliament voted 88 to 69 in favour of Harris who was then officially installed at a ceremony with President Michael D. Higgins.

The centre-right Fine Gael party selected Harris as its leader following an uncontested election after Varadkar resigned but the young politician faces key elections within months as well as domestic pressure to tackle crises over housing and opposition to migration.

Harris told parliament:

“This is very much a partnership government and I intend to lead us in the spirit of unity, collaboration and mutual respect,” he said, watched by his wife and two children.

“I want to bring new ideas and new energy and, I hope, a new empathy to public life. Time is certainly short, and there’s a lot to do,” Harris added.

Varadkar quit last month saying that at the age of 45 he no longer felt he was the “best person” to lead the country. Varadkar, the youngest prime minister when first elected in 2017, said Tuesday said he “always knew” Harris would fill the top job.

“This has perhaps come a little bit sooner than he might have planned or expected. But I know he will rise to the occasion,” Varadkar said.

“He has the empathy, energy, experience, campaigning skills and political antenna to take us forward.”

Harris joined the youth branch of Fine Gael at the age of 16 and quickly rose through its ranks.

A county councillor at the age of 22, he was elected to parliament in 2011 as a 24-year-old.

At the time he was the youngest MP and was nicknamed “Baby of the Dail” (Irish parliament).

He was appointed health minister in 2016 aged just 29 and higher education minister in 2020.

Also, Harris’ prominence on social media, especially TikTok, has made him one of the most visible politicians in Ireland.

A South African Electoral Court has cleared a former president, Jacob Zuma, to contest the upcoming election.

In a judgement delivered on Tuesday, April 9, the court upturned the decision made by South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission, SAIEC, last month, barring Zuma from contesting elections.

SAIEC had barred Zuma from contesting the forthcoming elections due to his criminal record.

In 2021, Zuma was sentenced to 15 months of imprisonment for defying a court order to appear before a judicial commission.

The probe was centred on corruption allegations in government and state-owned companies during Zuma’s presidential term from 2009 to 2018.

However, in a brief court order, the electoral court said an appeal by Zuma and his party was successful, noting that the objection against his candidature had been dismissed.

“The decision of the Electoral Commission is set aside,” the court wrote.

Following the clearance, Zuma is expected to run for the presidency on behalf of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, which he founded last year after leaving the African National Congress, ANC.

The election is set to take place on May 29

The impeached Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has begun the process of filing a formal petition against the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Daniel Okungbowa.

Following his impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly, Shaibu, through the legal representation of B.I. Dakum and Co., has contacted the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, for a complaint form.

The request, dated April 8, 2024, comes in the aftermath of the seven-man panel’s investigation into misconduct and perjury allegations against Shaibu, which led to his impeachment.

The panel, constituted by Chief Judge Okungbowa, has faced scrutiny over its procedures and conclusions.

Shaibu’s legal move, articulated in a letter signed by Adaze A. Emwanta, a former Commissioner for Information and Orientation under Governor Godwin Obaseki, alleges that Justice Okungbowa abused his office, engaged in official misconduct, and violated his oath of office.

The letter underscores Shaibu’s intention to formalize these accusations by filing a petition under the Judicial Discipline Regulations 2017.

The letter titled “Re: Notice to obtain a complaint form to file a formal complaint against Hon Justice Daniel Okungbowa, the Chief Judge of Edo State for abuse of office, official misconduct and desecrating his oath of office,” reads in part, “We write as Solicitors to Rt Hon. Philip Shaibu, who until this morning was Deputy Governor of Edo State.

“Rt Hon Philip Shaibu has instructed us to file a formal complaint to your council against Hon Justice Daniel Okungbowa, the Chief Judge of Edo State for abuse of office, official misconduct and desecration of his oath of office.

“The purpose of this letter, therefore, is to formally request a complaint form prescribed under the Judicial Discipline Regulations 2017 to enable our client to file his complaint against the subject Judge.”

A date has been fixed for the arraignment of the immediate past governor of the state, Abdullahi Ganduje, his wife, son, and five others, for alleged bribery.

The Kano State High Court fixed April 17, 2024 for arraignment of Ganduje, his wife and son.

Ganduje and the others will be arraigned on eight counts bordering on a $413,000 bribery allegation, diversion, and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N1.38bn, among others.

It was earlier reported that the Federal High Court in Kano ruled that the Kano Public Compliant and Anti-Corruption Commission lacks the power to investigate Ganduje over an alleged $5m bribery video.

Justice Abdullahi Liman, while delivering his judgment, said the offence was a federal offence that could be prosecuted by the Attorney General of the Federation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Justice Liman said the Kano anti-graft agency had a limitation in investigating the former governor.

But on Monday, the state governor, Abba Yusuf, urged the EFCC to release the result of its probe into the alleged dollar bribery video involving Ganduje.

Yusuf, in a statement by his spokesperson, Sanusi Tofa, said Ganduje should rather prepare to face his trial instead of talking about non-existent failure in the current administration.

“For whatever option, the Kano State Government would advise the acting National Chairman of APC to show cause why his name, that of his family, and the entire people of Kano should permanently be erased from the global embarrassment that the dollar video has generated,” he said.

However, in a writ of summon sighted by PUNCH Online on Tuesday, the Kano State Government, in a criminal suit, named Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Hafsat Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited and Lesage General Enterprises as respondents and assembled 15 witnesses to appear before the court.

The case is fixed for April 17, 2024, before Justice Usman Na’aba of the state High Court Number Four.

Confirming the development to Daily Trust, the state Attorney General, Haruna Dederi, said the case has been filed, and all parties involved will be served accordingly.

“It is very true. We have filed the case but what I cannot confirm is whether he is served or not but he will definitely be served. What he (Ganduje) doesn’t understand is that you cannot run away from the evil day, it will definitely come to you and this will even serve as a deterrence to all of us.

“He was saying that we can’t prosecute him forgetting that the offence also falls under the category of the state offences. It’s not totally a federal affair,” he said.

The Northern Elders Forum, NEF, says Nigerians in the region are regretting their support for President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 election.

The spokesman of the forum, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman made the claim in an interview with Guardian on Tuesday.

He noted that in subsequent polls, particularly the 2027 general elections, the region will prioritize unity and consensus in selecting a candidate for the highest office in Nigeria.

“The North made a mistake in voting Bola Tinubu to the presidency in 2023, and it is unlikely that they will repeat the same error in the future.

“They have learned from their past misstep and will strive to select a candidate who can unite the country and govern in the best interests of all Nigerians.

“Moving forward, the North will be more cautious in selecting a candidate for the presidency. They will prioritize someone who is seen as more inclusive, less controversial, and more aligned with the interests of all regions of the country”, he said.

DAILY POST recalls that President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, polled the highest votes from the region to beat his major contenders, including a Northerner, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Since his inauguration in May 2023, the president has been widely criticised over some policies of his administration, which were tagged by the opposition as anti-masses.

Tinubu was also accused by Northern groups of lopsided appointments in the federal government.

The leadership of the Labour Party, on Tuesday, warned the Nigeria Labour Congress against trying to hijack the political platform, saying it lacks the power to sack the Julius Abure-National Working Committee as recently declared.

The party’s response was a reaction to Monday’s resolution taken by the NLC Political Commission at a stakeholders meeting in Abuja.

In a communiqué released after the gathering, the unionists voided the national convention that returned Abure and his NWC members to office.

To fill the vacuum, the stakeholders said the congress will set up a transition committee to oversee the party’s affairs pending when new officers will be elected in three months.

The resolution taken by the NLC also raised concerns on the need to conduct a forensic audit of LP in line with the demand of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, following allegations of corruption, forgery and fraud levelled against the party leadership.

But the party kicked on Tuesday, saying the congress lacked such power to sack its executives..

This was contained in a statement issued by National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, titled ‘NLC, cohorts lack powers to sack legitimate leadership of Labour Party.’

Ifoh described the stakeholder’s meeting as an illegal assembly of a handful of aggrieved former members of the party and some ‘social media tigers’ who are not card-carrying members of LP.

He said, “The Political Commission of the NLC is a front for Comrade Joe Ajaero which he has empowered for his political ambition come 2027. The group is unknown to the Labour Party and as such lacks powers to convene a meeting of ‘stakeholders’ to deliberate, let alone take any decision which will have a binding effect on a legally constituted party leadership.

“The group has been mandated by Ajaero to ensure that crisis in Labour Party festers ahead of 2027 by presenting itself as a rallying ground for dissident former members of our party, who recently lost the leadership battle in the courts. We are also not unmindful of the political pact the leadership of the NLC has gone into with the current All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to destabilize the opposition.

“This explains why in quick succession all their plots to hijack the party leadership failed. First, it was by illegal picketing of the party when that failed, it attempted to introduce and inaugurate a non-existing Board of Trustees that also failed. Again, the attempted plot to take over the party using stakeholder meetings comprising former members, social media tigers and non-members will fall like a pack of cards.

“It is pertinent to add that Nigerians are suffering under the harsh economic conditions of the current government. Workers and the downtrodden are at the receiving end. As we speak, there are unfair workers’ practices perpetuated by employers but the Nigerian Labour Congress has failed to take proactive roles to fight for the rights of workers. We want to remind Comrade Joe Ajaero that he has a lot of work to do for the Nigerian workers, which he is abdicating to face politics. This is why we previously advised that he should first resign as NLC President if he wants to join politics.”

•12.5kg rises 38% to N14, 150

THE price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, LPG, otherwise known as cooking gas has risen to N14,150 for 12.5kg cyclinder, about 38 per cent Year-on-Year, YoY, against N10, 323.33 it sold in April 2023 last year.
This is even as the price of aviation fuel also rose to between N1, 300 and N1, 500 per litre in the domestic market, from about N1, 000 during the period, indicating an increase of 33 per cent.

However, checks by Energy Vanguard also indicated that the price of 5kg of the gas increased by 37 per cent to N5, 700 from N4, 642.27 during the period.

In an interview with Energy Vanguard, the President, Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers, NALPGM, Mr. Oladapo Olatunbosun, said the prices of cooking gas would continue to leap as the domestic market continues to be impacted by foreign exchange crisis.

He said: “It is expected that when the foreign exchange increases, the price of LPG will follow suit because it still priced and determined by the flow of foreign exchange.”

On his part, the Minister of Petroleum (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said: “Despite the declaration of the decade of gas and the government’s push to make gas a transition fuel, low production and rising prices have continued to push Nigerians away from the use of cooking gas.

“You have seen the demonstration by the federal government by withdrawing all taxes and levies from importation of gas related equipment. It is a big incentive on the issue.

“We are interacting with the critical stakeholders to ensure that there is no exportation of cooking gas. All cooking gas produced within the country will have to be domesticated and when this is done, the volume will increase and of course, the price will automatically crash.

“I am in contact with the regulator, NMDPRA (Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority), we have meetings almost on a daily basis, and the producers of the gas like Mobil, Chevron and Shell. So, there is hope that things will turn around.

“It is not going to reflect that way. We are dealing with human beings. The policy has been put in place and the investors want to maximise the profits that they are going to get from it all. At the end of the day we have to come in. That is why you have the regulator and we are interfacing with them to make sure they crash the price.”

However, further checks indicated that many households, especially in the outskirts of cities and rural areas have taken to increased utilisation of firewood, thereby encouraging deforestation in the nation.

The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja, on Monday, sent back the immediate-past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, to the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Justice Rahman Oshodi made the remand order shortly after the anti-graft agency arraigned Emefiele on 23 counts bordering on “abuse of office, accepting gratifications, corrupt demand, receiving property fraudulently obtained, and conferring corrupt advantage.”

In the substance of the charges, the EFCC alleged that abused his office while he was CBN Governor through allegation allocations of $4.5bn and N2.8bn.

He was arraigned alongside Henry Isioma-Omoile, whom the EFCC accused of accepting gifts from agents.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

While Justice Oshodi ordered that Emefiele should be remanded in EFCC custody, he ordered that Isioma-Omoile be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, where he was already being held.

The judge made the remand orders while adjourning till Thursday, April 11, 2024, to hear their bail applications.

With Monday’s order, Emefiele returns to the EFCC custody about four and a half months after he left the custody of the anti-graft agency in November 2023, following his initial 151 days in both the custody of the EFCC and the Department of State Services.

At the Monday proceedings, his lawyer, Mr Abdulakeem Labi-Lawal, told hinted that the ex-CBN governor would be up for a fresh arraignment between April 25 and 26.

It will be the fourth criminal case filed against him by the Federal Government following his removal from office last June by President Bola Tinubu.

The DSS first arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos for illegal possession of firearms. The case was later withdrawn.

He was subsequently arraigned by the EFCC in November before Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Territory High Court on charges bordering on procurement fraud and forgery of the signature of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.

His Monday arraignment before Justice Oshodi in Lagos was the third.

At the Monday trial in Lagos, the EFCC prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), told the court that Emefiele allegedly abused the authority of his office as CBN governor by allocating foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $2.2bn without bids, the act which was prejudiced to the rights of Nigerians.

Oyedepo also told the court that the ex-CBN governor corruptly accepted the aggregate sum of $26.5m through Donatone Ltd on account of the allocation of foreign exchange by the CBN.

The commission further accused Emefiele of receiving the sum of $400,000 from Source Computer Ltd on account of the approval of a “contract” in favour of the said company by the CBN, the institution wherein he served as the governor.

The anti-graft agency alleged that Emefiele used his position as the governor of the CBN to confer a corrupt advance on his associate, Limelight Multidimensional Services Ltd, by allegedly approving the payment of the aggregate sum of N900m to the said company.

Emefiele was also alleged to have used his position as the CBN governor to confer a corrupt advantage on Comec Support Services Ltd by approving the sum of N149m to the company.

The EFCC also alleged that the former CBN governor used his position to confer a corrupt advantage on Andswin Resources and Solutions Ltd by approving payment of the sum of N398m to the company.

The prosecutor said Emefiele, between January 20 and June 2, 2023, in Lagos corruptly, received $7,720,000 on account of foreign exchange.

He was also accused of receiving $850,000, sometime in March 2023, on account of foreign exchange in favour of his employer the CBN, the institution of government where Emefiele governed.

Oyedepo told the court that Emefiele’s co-defendant, Henry Osioma-Omoile, on November 17, 2020, while acting as an agent received the sum of $110,000 through Monday Osazuwa, as a gift for Emefiele as a reward for allocating foreign currencies by CBN.

The commission also accused Isioma-Omoile of receiving the sum of $100,000, in two tranches on behalf of Emefiele as a gift reward for the allocation of foreign currency.

The prosecution said both defendants acted contrary to the provisions of sections 8, 10, and 19 of the Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences

Act 2000; as well as sections 65, 73, and 328 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

The two defendants, however, pleaded not guilty, following which the prosecutor urged the judge to fix a date for trial.

But the defendants’ counsel, Mr Abdulakeem Labi-Lawal, in two separate bail applications, urged the court to grant the defendants bail on liberal terms, pending the determination of the case.

Specifically, he said that the court should grant Emefiele bail on self -recognizance or release him to his counsel as he was not a flight risk.

He said Emefiele had served Nigeria as the number one banker for nine years and was also still standing trial in Abuja court and would always be available to attend court.

Labi-Lawal added that the charges filed against Emefiele were bailable offences and not capital ones.

“Though the first defendant was granted administrative bail by the prosecuting authorities, he is seeking bail based on self-recognizance and he is ready to attend trial.

“The court should also take into consideration, the status of the first defendant as he was the former CBN governor of the country,” the defence counsel said.

The defence counsel further told the court that Emefiele would likely be arraigned on another charge in Abuja between April 25 and 26, 2024.

“It is for this reason we are asking that this court grant the defendants bail, on self-recognizance or release them to their counsel so that they can attend the court in Abuja,” Labi-Lawal said.

Labi-Lawal also told Justice Oshodi that second defendant, Osioma-Omoile, was previously arraigned on Friday and was granted bail Justice O. Sule- Hazmat of the state high court in Yaba.

He urged Justice Oshodi to allow Osioma-Omoile to continue on Friday bail.

The prosecutor, Oyedepo, did not oppose the bail applications but urged the court to exercise its discretion judiciously in granting bail to the defendants.

Oyedepo also informed the court that the prosecution would like to ask for a closed section for some of their witnesses who were willing to come to court to testify but were scared for their lives.

After listening to the submissions of both counsel, Justice Oshodi ordered that Emefiele should be remanded at the EFCC’s custody, while the second defendant should be returned to the Ikoyi Correctional Centre where he was brought to the court.

The judge adjourned the case till April 11, to rule on the bail applications and to commence trial.

Philip Shaibu, the Edo state politician who was Deputy Governor in that state until yesterday afternoon, would seem to have failed woefully to learn certain basic lessons of power. He has said that he is a victim of an act of injustice and that he would fight to the very end. He may have been led by his counsel to believe that he can fight this to the finish and get back his seat. He would be mistaken to be so misled. He had it coming. He has just been taught a few lessons in the dynamics of power play. The 48 Laws of Power is the title of a book written by Robert Greene, an American author in 1998. It was a massive bestseller, selling over 1.2 million copies in the United States and even more world-wide, offering simple commonsensical advice, illustrated with narratives and historical examples to prove the point that power is a dangerous game, and only persons who understand its dynamics can survive in the palace. Greene recommends humility, obscurity and skillful navigation as the best skills of survival.

One of the reasons, Philip Shaibu, Deputy Governor of Edo State got impeached yesterday was due to hubris, defined in the literature as a flaw of character. And to worsen his agony, both the legislature and the Executive further conspired to nominate, approve, and swear in a replacement, within hours after his impeachment, in the person of Omobayo Godwins from Ibilo, Akoko Edo, the oldest local government area in Nigeria, in specifically, Edo North where Philip Shaibu himself hails from. In the power play that we have just witnessed in Edo State, it is clear that the intention of Governor Godwin Obaseki is to crush Philip Shaibu completely. He has publicly humiliated Shaibu, and forced him to know who the master of the game is. Less than a week after Easter, days after the betrayal of our Lord Jesus Christ by Judas Iscariot, Shaibu, a Christian has just been made to remember, forcefully, Acts 1: 20 – “For it is written in the book of Psalms, let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein and his place let another take”. Yesterday, someone else took Philip Shaibu’s place in Edo State.

How did he get here? Philip Shaibu emerged in 2016 as the running mate to Godwin Obaseki in the gubernatorial election in that state that year. They both won on the platform of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC). Shaibu was the unanimous choice as Obaseki’s running mate. He had behind him, the support of Comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole who was his political Godfather and who left no one any choice in the matter. Shaibu and Oshiomhole are from the same homestead and Senatorial district. The APC won the election and assumed office in November 2016. To be fair, Shaibu and Obaseki cut the perfect picture of a team. Many were surprised because it was unusual to have a Governor and a Deputy Governor working together so peacefully like brothers. Shaibu was not just powerful, he was visible and influential. Whenever the Governor went on vacation, he handed over the reins of power to his Deputy. In 2020, when ahead of the struggle for a second term, Obaseki fell out with his former mentor, Adams Oshiomhole and had to leave the APC to find a new political abode in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Shaibu stayed with his principal, the Governor. The big men in the rival PDP did not want him as running mate. They didn’t want him as part of the deal. But Obaseki and Shaibu were so much together, Obaseki insisted that Shaibu was part of the deal. He would not ditch him. He had his way. In 2020, Obaseki and Shaibu began a second term in office.

The Deputy Governor’s high moment came in 2021, when he led the National Sports Festival 2020, hosted by Edo State, as the Chairman of the Organizing Committee. Governor Obaseki was full of accolades for his Deputy. The Federal Government did not provide necessary funding, yet Edo State pulled it off, delivering one of the most memorable sports festivals many Nigerians had seen. Shaibu’s reputation as a go-to, can-do person soared. His political scorecard looked even brighter. At the University of Jos where he obtained a B. Sc degree in Accounting he was President of the Students’ Union from 2000 -2001. In 2003, he was elected into the Edo State House of Assembly. He spent two terms representing Etsako West Constituency. In 2015, he won election into the Federal House of Representatives on the platform of the APC, representing Etsako Federal Constituency. Having served subsequently as Deputy Governor, and having been such a star in that position, Shaibu decided in 2023, that it was his turn to become Governor and succeed his boss. The Edo Governorship election is slated for September 21, 2024.

Shaibu defined his declaration and ambition as a “a call to destiny”. This was the beginning of his problems. He did not have the support of his principal, Obaseki who thought, along with others that Edo North where Shaibu hails from, has had more than enough shot at the Government House position in Edo State. Oshiomhole, an Etsako man, was Governor of the state for eight years. Shaibu, believed to be his relative even, was going to serve for eight years as Deputy Governor. A powerful lobby group in the state believes that the people of Edo Central should be given a chance. Since the return to democracy in 1999, only one person from Edo Central, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor had shown up as Governor but even his tenure was truncated by the courts, paving the way for Adams Oshiomhole from Edo North. Whereas Governor Obaseki has insisted that he has no preferred candidate in the election, it was clear that he did not want his Deputy to succeed him. Thus, the impression that Edo State had shown a better example in terms of the tumultuous relationship between Governors and their Deputies ended up as mere illusion in the end. The fight between Shaibu and Obaseki turned messy and acrimonious, finally fitting into an established pattern with the impeachment of Philip Shaibu yesterday. It is unfortunate because it is so familiar.

The office of the Deputy Governor is a creation of the 1999 Constitution to the extent that Section 187 (1) makes it clear that a candidate for the office of Governor shall not be deemed to have been validly nominated unless he nominates another candidate as his associate for his running for the office, that is a Deputy Governor. The joint ticket nature of the Gubernatorial process has been proved, beyond a scintilla of doubt in PDP and 2 ors v. Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo and 3 ors in the November 2019 Bayelsa Governorship Election. David Lyon could not become Governor because of discrepancies in his running mate’s qualifications. Despite this twinning of the ticket, this Siamese-twins, umbilical cord connection between Governors and their Deputies, what has happened, since 1999, is that upon assumption of office, there has been no love lost between the duo. One reason is that the 1999 Constitution does not expressly assign powers to the Deputy Governor. The Governor, like the President at the Federal level, is like a monarch. He controls everything. His word is law, and so everyone from traditional rulers to lawmakers in the State House of Assembly learn very quickly that the man to fear and worship is the Governor, who claims that he is an “Executive” or that he is a “constituted authority.”

This “Kabiyesi” syndrome is the bane of Nigerian politics. The Deputy Governor gets a generous mention in Section 191 of the 1999 Constitution which upholds the principle of jus accrescendi inherent in the joint ticket, to wit a Deputy takes over in the event of death, resignation or incapacitation, but which is interpreted to mean that a Deputy Governor is a spare tyre waiting for the main tyre to develop a fault so it can be replaced and he, the Deputy can become the main driver. In a superstitious country such as ours, a Deputy Governor is treated with suspicion. Any sign of self-expression or assertiveness on his or her part is seen as a sign of disloyalty. Political courters capitalize on this and have always tried to cause problems. When the Deputy and the Governor have different Godfathers, the crisis is assured. It is rare to find any incumbent Governor who openly encourages his Deputy to succeed him. It happened in Zamfara once upon a time, but Alhaji Sani Yerima and his successor, Aliyu Shinkafi soon fell apart. Section 193 further reduces the role of a Deputy Governor to the discretion of the Governor. What is the pattern is conflict in Government Houses in the states and even in the Presidential Villa to varying degrees.

For example, President Bola Tinubu as Governor of Lagos State, 1999 – 2007 had three Deputy Governors. Mrs. Kofo Bucknor-Akerele and Mr. Femi Pedro both have stories to tell. Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje served as Deputy Governor to Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso (1999 – 2003, 2011-2015) but his former boss did not consider him good enough to succeed him. He got there by his own means. They have remained tough adversaries since then in Kano politics. The late Christopher Alao-Akala, deputy to Governor Rashidi Ladoja became Governor in 2006, only because his principal was impeached. Ladoja was reinstated by the Supreme Court in December 2006. Bala Ngilari became Governor in Adamawa state in 2014 only because Governor Murtala Nyako was impeached. In Ondo State, to cite a recent example, the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu had issues with his Deputies. In his first term, a certain Agboola Ajayi who was his Deputy fell out of favour because he was eyeing the Governor’s seat. His successor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa would also eventually run into trouble. He is Governor today because his principal died. At state level, only 10 out of 149 Deputy Governors have taken over from their bosses since 1999, across the 36 states of the Federation, and not necessarily because their bosses wanted them there. In Kebbi, Kano, Imo, Niger, Nasarawa, Plateau and Benue states, we have seen incumbent Governors supporting candidates other than their own Deputies who stubbornly sought to succeed them. Engr. David Umahi, now Minister of Works became Governor of Ebonyi State in 2015 in spite of his former principal Governor Martin Elechi who insisted that Umahi was not his choice. At the Federal level, the Obasanjo Presidency became a “Bolekaja Presidency” because then Vice President Atiku Abubakar wanted to unseat his boss before the 2003 general election. Obasanjo’s second term was a divided Presidency because the principal needed to teach his Deputy a lesson. In 2010, it took the invocation of a doctrine of necessity to get then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to succeed President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua first as Acting President and later as President. Those who did not want Jonathan as President never gave up.

In sum, there is nothing unusual in the latest development in Edo State. What must be noted is the sheer stubbornness with which Shaibu took on the war against his principal. In the process, he was banished from Government House and restricted to a corner of Benin City. His media crew was withdrawn. He was stripped of all responsibilities. He was told in no uncertain terms that he would not be Governor. He went to court to defend his rights. He later withdrew the case. He apologized. But nothing changed. When the PDP held its party primaries, he organized his own event in his own house and declared himself as the chosen candidate. The next thing that came his way was the commencement of impeachment proceedings against him. On the surface of it, the state House of Assembly tried to follow the motions prescribed in Section 188 of the Constitution on the removal of a Governor or Deputy Governor from office. Shaibu and his lawyers claim that the House acted in violation of an ongoing process at a Federal High Court. Abuja. Without prejudice to Section 188 (10), the only remedy available to Shaibu is to prove in court that his removal was unconstitutional and seek to rely perhaps on Rashidi Ladoja’s case – see Muyiwa Inakoju and Ors. vs. Abraham Adeleke, Rashidi Ladoja and ors. (2007). But the times are different. The circumstances have changed. Shaibu’s political future hangs in the balance.

Whatever tricks his lawyers may still think they have in their bags, when Shaibu is alone let him reflect on how he ignored the laws of power. Law One says: “Never Outshine the Master.” Shaibu got so carried away he began to sound as if he was the master of the Governor. He openly boasted that without him Obaseki could never have been Governor and that he in fact funded his ambition and mobilized support for him. Obaseki has just shown him where power lies. He also violated the fourth law: “Always say less than necessary.” Shaibu believes that he can talk his way to the ticket for Osadebey House. Worse, he disobeyed Law 18: “Do not build fortresses to protect yourself. Isolation is dangerous.”. Shaibu isolated himself. He parted ways with Senator Adams Oshiomhole who helped him to build his political career. He quarreled with party big wigs like Dan Orbih. He abused elders and burnt bridges. He lacks the kind of support that propped up Dave Umahi in Ebonyi and Abdullahi Ganduje in Kano State. Isolation is indeed dangerous. Shaibu’s only saving grace would be how he stands in relation to Robert Greene’s Law 26: “Keep your hands clean”. Let us hope that his hands are clean.

Nonetheless, no man should be subjected to the kind of pain that he has had to endure simply because he wants to exercise his fundamental rights under the law. A system that turns Governors into mini-gods who determine other people’s fate is deplorable. The sycophantic breed of commissioners, special advisers, lawmakers and courtiers who would do anything to please the Governor of a state pose a serious threat to the democratic process. In the long run, Nigeria must make up its mind what it wants to do with the position of Deputies: it is either we protect that office constitutionally by assigning specific powers, or we scrap it.

About 60 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives have threatened to quit the party over the ongoing crises in Rivers State and ten other chapters.

Ikenga Ugochinyere, a member of the House from Imo State, and five other members issued the threat at a press conference at the National Assembly complex in Abuja on Monday.

Some of the other lawmakers at the conference are Abdulmaleek Danga (PDP, Kogi); Midala Balami (PDP, Borno); Aliyu Mustapha Abdullahi (PDP, Kaduna) and Awaji-inombek D. Abiante (PDP, Rivers).

The lawmakers also demanded the removal of Acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagum, before its rescheduled National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.

They said they were speaking on behalf of 60 members of the PDP in the House. There are a little over 100 PDP lawmakers in the lower chamber.

“PDP can’t be handed over to the APC. APC officers can’t emerge from our party officials in Rivers or any of the ten states with the alleged imposition of APC interest. Let the world know that why they are hell-bent on imposing APC officials as our party caretaker members is to fulfil a planned bigger plot,” Mr Ugochinyere said.

Background

The PDP has been grappling with strife since the presidential convention in 2022. The blowback led to the suspension of former National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, who Mr Damagum replaced in an acting capacity.

Many have speculated that the acting chairman is an ally of FCT minister, Nyesom Wike.

More so, the recent fight between Mr Wike and the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has further escalated the crisis in the party. Despite President Bola Tinubu’s intervention, the situation in the state has not abated.

Last week, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party released a list of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caretaker Committee. However, Mr Fubara rejected the list, stating that there was an agreement for a three-month extension of the tenure of the local and ward executive.

“I know that a lot of you saw something flying in the social media dailies. Let me brief you, we had a meeting, and we agreed that, not just in Rivers State, but in all the States affected, the Executive Councils (of PDP) should be extended for three months,” Mr Fubara had told journalists recently.

Damagum must go

Speaking on behalf of the lawmakers, Mr Ugochinyere rejected the NWC’s list, stating that it is part of a plot by the ruling APC to undermine the PDP.

“Despite the decision to retain everybody, Mr Damagun went ahead and received a list of APC agents and announced them as members and leaders of the PDP Local Government Caretaker Committees wholly in Rivers State and partially in at least ten other states. This is a direct attempt to kill the PDP and ensure it goes into extinction,” he said.

He stated that Mr Damagum ought to have exited his acting role but continue to serve in an acting capacity while working against the interest of the party.

“The Umar Damagum-led NWC is assiduously working to hand over the party to the ruling APC and their agents. Serious leadership would have looked into the acts of open anti-party activities, established why they happened and set up measures to ensure that it never happened again in the party.

“He was only constitutionally allowed to step in, hold the fort and midwife the process through which the North-central Zone where the chairmanship of the party was originally zoned to present another person who would complete the slot of the North-central.

“Not only did Damagun hold tight to the seat for well over a year now, he has abdicated every responsibility of the office of the chairman of PDP and is very comfortable serving APC interests,” he said.

Resolutions

The lawmakers gave six conditions to address the crisis in the party. The conditions are:

Top of which is the resignation of Mr Damagum and the investigation of some members of the party over alleged anti-party activities.

“Immediate resignation of Umar Iliya Damagun as Ag. National Chairman of PDP for anti-party activities and allow North-central to produce the acting chairman as clearly stated in the PDP Constitution or watch us reconsider our membership of the party in the months ahead if the right thing is not done.

“Or removal of Umar Iliya Damagun by the NEC of the party with further sanctions against him for his anti-party activities.

“That the NEC of the party should ensure that the list of party caretaker committees in Rivers State and all other 10 states tampered with by Damagun and his APC friends are reversed and announced as originally agreed, that is, by extension of the tenures of the outgoing leadership. The move to use serving APC members in Rivers State and 10 other states to lead our party caretaker at the state, LGA and ward level is the highest act of political provocation and impunity that we are going to fight with everything in us.

“That NEC of PDP should review the sources of generating finance for the party to pay its national secretariat staff and to discharge all other responsibilities of the party and to investigate the allegation that pro-APC supporters are funding the present PDP of today. This is the height of political treason.

“That PDP NEC sets up a Committee to investigate all continuing acts of anti-party activities from 2023 and mete out appropriate sanctions which will serve as a deterrent and also encourage cleansing of the party. Ward executives of our party where people were involved in anti-party activities or still involved like Cross River, Rivers, Benue, Abia, Ondo, Kano, Kogi, Edo etc should immediately announce the expulsion of all those involved without fear or favour. This must be done immediately. Any executive that cannot do this should be removed by members in those wards, and new officers who have the courage to enforce the provisions of our party constitution constituted to do the needful.

“That a credible party leader from the North-central be confirmed chairman of the party in line with the zoning formula as enshrined in the constitution,” the resolution reads.

Mr Ugochinyere said the failure of the party to comply with the resolutions could prompt the lawmakers to sever ties with their party.

“Where these demands are not met, we, the opposition lawmakers coalition from PDP in the National Assembly, will be left with no other options but to suspend participating in the party activities and seek a new political relationship where decisions in that party will not be taken in the secretariats of another political party,” he said.