Senate Committee Issues IGP 24-Hour Ultimatum To Fetch CAC Registrar

The Senate Committee on Finance has directed the Inspector General of Police to compel the appearance of the Registrar General of Corporate Affairs Commission, Ishaq Hussain Magaji, before it within 24 hours. The committee issued this directive on Wednesday, citing Section 89 (2) of the 1999 Constitution to compel Magaji’s appearance after he ignored three invitations to appear before them. Magaji was expected to appear to defend the CAC 2024 budget after some financial discrepancies were spotted by the committee in the accounts submitted and needed further explanation.

Minister of Labour and Employment Resigns From Position

Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, has resigned from his position in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet. The former Plateau State Governor who served as the Director-General of the Tinubu Campaign Organisation months leading to the February Presidential election tendered his resignation after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, marking his departure from the cabinet.

Reps Issues Warrant Of Arrest On CBN Governor Cardoso, 18 Others

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, on Tuesday, issued a warrant of arrest on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Madein, and 17 others for refusing to appear before it to answer questions on their operations. Fred Agbedi, a member representing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bayelsa state, who led the motion said the arrest warrant became inevitable following the attitude of the invitees.

Reps To Investigate N210bn Out of School Children Funds

The House of Representatives has decided to investigate over N210 billion funds disbursed for the Alternative School Programme, Better Education Service Delivery for All, At Risk Children Programme and Interventions Programme for Out of School Children from 2016 to date. The motion was adopted after a motion was raised by Hon. Tijani Ismail Kayode from Kwara State during plenary on 19th December 2023. Kayode stated that in October 2019, the Ministry of Education confirmed that the Federal Government committed the sum of N10 billion for the removal of 10.2 million out-of-school children from the streets within five years to enrol two million children annually.

Court Freeze Oyo State Gov't Accounts Over N3.5bn Debt

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja has issued an order to freeze the accounts of the Oyo state government in ten commercial banks across the country. The banks include Zenith Bank, United Bank of Africa (UBA), Wema Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, Ecobank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank, Polaris Bank, Jaiz Bank, and Union Bank. The order was issued by Justice A. O. Ebong in a ruling on a proceeding initiated by ex-council chiefs in Oyo state, sacked on May 29, 2019, by Governor Seyi Makinde, and who in 2021 got a N4,874,889,425.60 judgment against Makinde and other officials/agencies of the state.

2024 Appropriation Bill Passes Second Reading

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed the N27.5trn 2024 budget for a second reading. Leading the debate on the general principles of the budget, House Leader, Julius Ihonvbere commended President Bola Tinubu, stating that national security and education which got significant allocations, will be enhanced if implemented. “Nigeria will be more secure with the allocation to defense and security. “As a teacher, I am impressed by the emphasis on basic education. I am sure that education will be better off this time,” he said.