Category: News

In a statement on Friday via X, the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, confirmed the withdrawal of the disciplinary query, stressing that the government is committed to upholding the rights of students in health-related programmes and ensuring a conducive learning environment.

“The Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, has directed the immediate withdrawal of the query issued to Nursing Student Osato Edobor by the Provost of the School of Nursing Sciences, Agbor,” the ministry said in a public notice.

Speaking further in a video statement, Onojaeme assured the public that the government had no intention of victimising any student over the incident.

“On the trending letter of query issued to the student of the School of Nursing, Agbor, I’ve instructed the provost to withdraw the letter. We don’t want to victimise any of the students,” he said. Punch

Recall that during the event at the Dome Event Center, Asaba, students were expected to chant “Na our mama be this o, we no get another one” in response to a song to welcome the First Lady of Nigeria to the event.

However, a section of the students instead responded with “Na your mama be this oo ehh…,” an apparent rejection of Mrs Tinubu by the students, a development which quickly went viral on social media.

The House had at plenary rescinded the passage of the bill as well as the to amend the Constitution to review penalty for certain category of offences.

The two bills were passed for second reading on Wednesday and referred to the House Committee bon constitutional review.

The bill striping the Vice President and others of immunity titled “a ill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Qualify the Immunity Conferred on the President, Remove the Immunity Conferred on the Vice President, the Governors and their Deputies, in Order to Curb Corruption, Eradicate Impunity and Enhance Accountability in Public Office  is sponsored by Solomon Bob (PDP, Rivers).

Also, the bill on penalty for certain capital offences titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Cap. C23 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Review the Penalties for Certain Capital Offences in Alignment with Relevant International Best Practices is sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Okezie Kalu & 6 others.

The Deputy Speaker, who presided over plenary, said the rescission of the earlier decision to pass them for second reading became necessary in view of the need to subject them to further debate.

Kalu said the bills will be brought back to the House for debate by members in view of the sensitive nature of the issues involved.

Spokesman of the House, Akintunde Rotimi, said the two bills remain an integral part of the constitutional amendment process and has not been discarded by the House.

Rotimi said: “In response to widespread calls for comprehensive constitutional reforms that reflect the aspirations of Nigerians, the House of Representatives remains committed to a thorough review of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“Recognising the need for a structured and non-politicised process, the 10th Assembly set a December 2025 deadline for concluding the ongoing 6th Alteration to the Constitution, ensuring ample time for due process before the next election cycle.

“As part of this effort, the House has prioritised 120 Constitution Amendment Bills upon resumption of legislative activities this week, fast-tracking their legislative progression, particularly at the Second Reading stage.

“This enables their referral to the House Committee on Constitution Review (HCCR), a multi-partisan body with broad regional, state, and gender representation, responsible for reviewing these proposals before the Zonal Public Hearings for nationwide stakeholder engagement.

“During plenary on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, the House passed 42 Constitution Amendment Bills for Second Reading, including:

“A Bill to Amend the Constitution to Qualify the Immunity of the President and Remove the Immunity of the Vice President, Governors, and Deputy Governors (HB. 1664) – Sponsored by Rep. Solomon Bob (PDP, Rivers), this bill aims to curb corruption, eradicate impunity, and enhance accountability in public office.

“A Bill to Amend the Constitution to Review Penalties for Certain Capital Offences in Line with International Best Practices (HB. 2120) – Sponsored by Rep. Benjamin Okezie Kalu and six others.

“These bills, along with 40 others, were passed for Second Reading without debate, in accordance with the provisions of the House Standing Orders (Eleventh Edition), and were referred to the House Committee on Constitution Review.

“However, during plenary on Thursday, March 27, 2025, the House resolved to rescind the passage of these two bills and relist them for Second Reading to allow for a more extensive and robust debate on their general principles.

“This decision – reaffirmed by Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, CON, who presided over the session – underscores the House’s commitment to diligent and transparent lawmaking, particularly on sensitive legislative matters.

“For the avoidance of doubt, at the First and Second Reading stages, the content of any bill reflects solely the views of its sponsor(s) and not the position of the House or its leadership. The House formally engages with a bill only after it progresses to the committee stage, where public hearings are conducted.

“These bills have not been discarded or removed from consideration. They remain part of the legislative process and will be revisited at a later date.

“The decision to rescind their passage for Second Reading is in line with the House Standing Orders (Eleventh Edition) and is intended solely to allow for thorough debate before further legislative action.

“The 10th Assembly remains resolute in its commitment to Law Reform (Agenda 3) under the Legislative Agenda (2023–2027) of the People’s House”. Nation

The constitutional amendment bill sponsored by Hon. Solomon Bob was passed at plenary on Wednesday.

Leading the debate, Bob said Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution conferred immunity on the president, vice president, governors, and their deputies, exempting them from criminal and civil prosecution while in office.

The lawmaker stated that the bill sought to alter the constitution to remove the immunity conferred on the vice president (except when acting as president), state governors, and their deputies, and to qualify the immunity conferred on the president.

He said, “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended (in this Bill referred to as the Principal Act) is amended as set out in this Bill.

“Section 308 of the principal Act is amended by: Substituting a new Sub-section (3) as follows:

“This section applies to a person holding the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Vice President only when acting as President in line with Section 145 of this Constitution.

“Creating sub-section (4) thereto as follows: The foregoing provisions of this Section shall be inapplicable where the person to whom this Section applies is acting in an unofficial capacity or where the conduct of the person is beyond the powers of his office or the conduct is criminal in nature.”

Bill to upgrade 37 LCDAs in Lagos to LGs pass second reading 

In a similar vein, a Bill for an Act to alter the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to upgrade the 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of Lagos State to full-fledged local government areas passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill, sponsored by James Faleke, Babajimi Benson, Enitan Badru, and 19 other lawmakers, if passed, would increase the total number of local government areas in Lagos State to 57 and the total number of local government areas in Nigeria to 811.

Proponents of the bill, which passed second reading on Wednesday, said granting full local government status to the LCDAs would bring governance closer to the people.

The 37 LCDAs were created by Bola Tinubu in 2003, when he was governor of Lagos State.

There had been moves by the Lagos State House of Assembly to replace the 37 LCDAs in the state with newly designated administrative areas.

The House also passed for second reading another bill seeking to alter the constitution to insert a new item in the exclusive legislative list with respect to piracies and crimes committed on the high seas.

The sponsor of the bill, Hon. Babajimi Benson, said the bill would enable the National Assembly to make laws to fight piracies and other crimes committed in the international waters of Nigeria.

Benson explained, “Insertion of a new item in Part 1, (hereinafter, referred to as ‘the Principal Act”) is altered in Part I, Second Schedule, by inserting after Item 44 thereof, the following new item- 44A. Piracies and Crimes Committed on the High Seas.”

The House also passed for second reading another bill to alter the Second Schedule to the constitution to rename and transfer Item 28 – fingerprints and criminal records in Part I – Exclusive List to Part II – Concurrent Legislative List.

“Alteration of the Second Schedule of Nigeria 1999 (hereinafter, referred to as ‘the Principal Act’) is altered – (a) in Part I thereof by – (i) deleting Item 28 thereof in its entirety and (ii) in Part II thereof, by inserting after paragraph 10, the following new Item and renumbering both Parts I and II accordingly-

“National Identification, DNA, Fingerprint and Identification of convicts.” Arise News

The vice president made the disclosure in Abuja on Thursday while delivering a keynote address at the National Land Conference organised by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in collaboration with the Johnbull Amayaevbo Foundation with the theme “Reforming Land Governance for Sustainable Development in Nigeria,”

Represented by Deputy Chief of Staff to the President in the Office of the Vice President. Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia, Shettima said, “The Land Use Act of 1978 has been the legal and policy framework for our land ownership, management, and administration and was conceived to simplify land administration and ensure equitable distribution and ownership.

“However, the Act, now 48 years old, is undeniably due for review and reform. Indeed, over the years, it has sparked considerable debates and faced constructive criticism from scholars, public commentators, policy makers, and humanities.

“The time has therefore come for a thorough assessment to identify necessary amendments and ensure improvement in the well-off socio-economic landscape as well as attract the necessary investments into the country, “ he said.

Also in his address, ESV Johnbull Amayaevbo Osarumen, noted that despite abundant land resources, Nigeria’s land governance framework remains encumbered by outdated policies, inconsistent implementation with barely 3 per cent of urban land registered.

He also proposed an independent authority tasked with auditing land-related matters, ensuring accountability, and strengthening land administration in Nigeria. Daily Trust

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government.

He congratulated Muslim Ummah on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast.

Tunji-Ojo urged all Muslims to embrace the virtues of self-discipline, compassion, generosity and peace, emphasising the importance of love, forgiveness, and solidarity in building a harmonious society.

In a statement by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Magdalene Ajani, the Minister called on Nigerians to use this festive period to pray for peace, stability, and prosperity of the nation.

He expressed hope the joyous occasion of Eid-el-Fitr would inspire unity and cooperation across religious and ethnic lines.

Tunji-Ojo also encouraged citizens to celebrate safely and responsibly, while remembering the less privileged through acts of kindness and charity, in keeping with the true spirit of Ramadan and Eid.

On behalf of the government, he extended heartfelt Eid Mubarak wishes to all Muslim faithful and prayed that the blessings of the season bring happiness, success, and fulfillment to everyone.

Additionally, the measure calls for the establishment of a commission and a centralised database to handle citizen registration and identity card issuance.

The bill was passed following the adoption of the report given by Senator Victor Umeh, the chairman of the Senate Committee on National Identity Card and Population.

Umeh is a legislator who represents Anambra Central on the Labour Party’s platform.

He said that the agency will be in charge of providing identity credentials, registering people, and managing the national identity database.

“The Act will improve biometric data collection, make it easier to create a national identity database, and enable the NIMC to issue rules and guidelines for implementing the Act and other related matters,” he stated.

The senator also promised that the bill would create a simplified identity system with less stringent, nondiscriminatory, and affordable data security protections that meet international standards.

Umeh continued by saying that the urgent need for a comprehensive national identity system was the reason why the bill garnered overwhelmingly positive feedback from stakeholders during the public hearing. Newscentral

Ibas said the HLGA appointed by the suspended governor, Siminalayi Fubara, are to submit the report to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government.

This was contained in a letter addressed to the HLGAs, dated March 24th, 2025 and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government Affairs, Itong Awani.

The letter titled ‘Re: Submission of Report of The Activities of Your Councils’ was obtained by newsmen on Wednesday.

Some of the requirements to be submitted include functions of councils, the number of staff on a nominal roll, and sources of revenue of the LGAs, among others.

According to the letter, the heads of local government administration are to submit the report on or before Wednesday, March 26, 2025.

The letter reads, “His Excellency, the Sole Administrator of Rivers State has directed that all Heads of Local Government Administration should submit the Report of their Councils to the office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government Affairs.

“I am also to inform you that all submissions using the format listed below should reach the office of the undersigned on or before Wednesday, 26h March 2025 for onward transmission to the office of the Sole Administrator, Government House, Port Harcourt, for further necessary action.

“Submission template: Introduction/Preamble, Functions of the Council. Number of Staff on Nominal Roll, stating cadre by cadre, Sources of Revenue Generation in the LGA.

“Activities of the Council/On-going and Completed Projects for the past 2 years, Achievements of the Council, Challenges, recommendations, Conclusion. Kindly treat as urgent and keep to the timeline of submission.”

Recall that Fubara had directed the former elected Government Chairmen in the 23 LGAs to hand over to the HLGA following the Supreme Court judgment which nullified the LG elections conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission in 2024.

Meanwhile, RSIEC had, before the appointment of Ibas as Sole Administrator, fixed August 9, 2025, to conduct fresh local government elections after it met with political parties and other stakeholders in the state. Punch