Edo Assembly: NASS resolution mockery of state sovereignty, says Odigie-Oyegun

A former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress
(APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said the resolution of the
National Assembly to a sitting governor was a mockery of a state’s
sovereignty as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.

Oyegun said this at the weekend in Benin while speaking with
journalists in preparatory to his 80th birthday anniversary
celebration.

The National Assembly had, last week, given one week ultimatum
to the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, to issue a fresh
proclamation to the Clerk for the inauguration of the state
assembly, threatening that it will take over the house if the
governor failed.

He warned those he described as detractors not to destabilise
good governance in Edo State.

“What is happening is a mystery to me and for funny reasons; we
have been unable to get the story behind the story. All I know is
that we have a government and the voice of the people says Obaseki
deserves all the support that he can get,” he said.

He explained that the issue in contention is before a competent
court, arguing that the nation has a constitution that binds
everybody.

He therefore, wondered why the National Assembly or anybody
would issue instructions to a sovereign governor.

“I am shocked and amazed but I believe that in the coming weeks
and months, the law will prevail. I called on all parties in the
dispute to be law-biding and allow the nation’s constitution to
prevail irrespective of the interests of some powerful persons in
the corridors of power,” he said.

Oyegun said, as a former governor and National Chairman of APC,
he never interfered in the affairs and running of Edo State.

“I have never interfered in the running of the state but
strangely same is not the case and it is sad as people fail to
realise we have two sovereignties: that of the president which
reflects the nation and also the governors that reflects the
states. Anyone that fights the governor undermines the sovereignty
of the people of the state,” he said.

Subscribe ToNairalaw News!

Again, ICPC Recovers N117m worth of Constituency Project
from another Senator

In its continuing effort at ensuring the satisfactory execution
and completion of all Constituency Projects across the country
through the Constituency Projects Tracking Group (CPTG) initiative,
the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC) has again recovered items worth N117,123,375.44
million from the Senator representing Enugu North Senatorial
District of Enugu State.

The items covered by this amount and recovered from the
legislator are 168 and 51 numbers of motorcycles and tricycles
respectively. They were discovered to be stashed away in a compound
in Mkpologu town of Uzo-Nwani Local Government Area, believed to be
owned by the Senator.

ICPC findings indicated clearly that the contract for the
procurement of the items was awarded on 23rd January 2018, under
the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the Senator’s
constituency projects.

Investigations have also shown that the companies awarded the
contracts for the project are as follows: Al-Amir Int. Ltd.,
Du-Lumac Ltd., Com Technologies System Ltd. and Chumax Agency
Ltd.

Additionally, ICPC recovered 203 grinding machines, 60
motorcycles and 5 transformers in the compound which had been
procured under another constituency project. Thereupon the
Commission impounded all the items and sealed the Senator’s
compound.

The tricycles, motorcycles and grinding machines were meant to
be distributed to the lawmaker’s constituents to empower them as
part of the Federal Government’s efforts to alleviate poverty.

The Senator has pledged to ICPC that they would be distributed
to beneficiaries on Tuesday 6th August, 2019.

While ICPC is investigating circumstances that led to the items
being in the possession of the sponsoring legislator rather than
the implementing agency, its officers will be on the scene to
supervise the distribution.

Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, mni
Spokesperson for the Commission