Headlines
Politicians, Professionals, Others Make List As Buhari Rewards Friends, Loyalists with National Honours
By Eric Elezuo
A total of 437 persons, including seven foreigners, have been listed by President Muhammadu Buhari, to be rewarded at the Nigeria’s National Honours Awards 2022 scheduled for October 11 at the State House, Abuja.
The list of nominees, which hit the media space on Sunday, has since gone viral on the Internet, amid knocks, kudos and congratulatory messages from a cross section of Nigerians. Some have argued that the cabibre of Nigerians honoured are deserving of the award while others have described the awards and awardees as padi padi, accusing Buhari of assembling his friends and loyalists for honours.
Among those who made the list were politicians, public servants, businessmen, scholars, security officers, senior lawyers, traditional and religious leaders as well as deceased persons.
The Punch quoted the President of YIAGA Foundation, Samson Itodo, as saying that “The President has the prerogative to confer national awards on Nigerians, or individuals who have contributed to national development, and who have also distinguished themselves.
“Those given these awards, ideally, should be icons that people see and revere and want to emulate those qualities that they have. But if you give these awards to people who, morally, don’t have the capital to hold those awards, Nigerians would not recognise or take those seriously.”
In his response as well, the Convener, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution, Dare-Ariyo Atoye, who also spoke to The Punch, noted that there should be guidelines for choosing the awardees.
“The national award should not be an award that should be used to settle political scores. It should not be an award for vendetta. It should not be an award to serve narrow interests. But it should be an award to indeed appreciate the ingenuity of selected Nigerians, who have served the country meritoriously, so that carriers of these awards can be seen as ambassadors of this country, based on values, based on good deeds,” he said.
Notable among deceased recipients is the former Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, who died in 2020 following complications from COVID-19, and DIG Joseph Egbunike, who died in active service.
While there are five Nigerians, who made the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) category including President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan; the new Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola; the immediate past CJN, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad; Director-General, World Trade Organisation, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; and Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations, Amina Mohammed, 54 others were considered for Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) and 67 for the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
Others are 64 for Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), 101 for Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), 75 for Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR), 56 for Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) and eight for Federal Republic Medal (FRM).
The awardees include serving and former governors, serving and former presiding officers of the National Assembly, serving and former Chief Justices of Nigeria and serving and former members of the National Assembly.
Others are serving and former service chiefs, traditional rulers, retired public servants, lawyers, philanthropists, businessmen, ministers and members of the academia.
Some prominent Nigerians on the CFR list include Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor; former Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, Appeal Court president, Monica Mensem, former Army Chief, Tukur Buratai, and serving military chiefs
Others are Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali, his predecessor, Mohammed Adamu, Emir of Lafia, Sidi Bage, and Tor Tiv, James Ayatse.
Some nominees in the CON category of national honours are the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Ishaq Oloyede and state governors such as Mai Mala-Buni (Yobe), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) and Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna).
Others are Babagana Zulum (Borno), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives; Idris Wase, Finance minister, Zainab Ahmed and her works counterpart, Babatunde Fashola, amongst others.
Nominees in the OFR category include Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Ignatius Kaigama, CEO of the NNPCL, Mele Kyari, Nasiru Bayero and Muiz Banire. Others are Ishaq Bello, Aliyu El-Nafaty and Kehinde Aina, amongst others.
In the OON category, most National Assembly members such as Alhassan Doguwa, Muktar Betara, Ndudi Elumelu and Nkiruka Onyejeocha made the list.
Others are a former Permanent Secretary, Sunday Echono, NBA President Yakubu Maikyau, Sarki Abba and Sabiu (Tunde) Yusuf, amongst others.
Sanusi Lemu, late DIG Joseph Egunike (posthumous), Haliru Nababa and Burna Boy. Others are Simon Shango, Billy Okoye, Akwa Okon and Emeka Agbanari, amongst others made the MFR list.
The likes of 2Face Idibia, Shehu Othman, Teni the entertainer and Abubakar Maikano berthed on the MON category.
Additional information from Premium Times
Headlines
Abiola Cannot Be Recognised As Former President; He Was Never Sworn-in – Gen Ishola Williams
By Eric Elezuo
One of the prime actors of the June 12, 1993 incidents, General Ishola Williams, has said that much as Chief MKO Abiola wrong was created having won the election, and denied victory, he cannot be recognized as a former President of Nigeria.
Gen Williams made his revelation while speaking as a guest on Channels television socio-political programme, Inside Source.
He maintained that only those who were sworn in that recognised as former presidents, and Abiola was never sworn in.
“Abiola cannot be recognised as former president because he was never sworn in.
The General, who said that he resigned from the army as a result of the wholesome reception given to General Sani Abacha, when he overthrew Chief Ernest Shonekan-led Interim National Government, contrary to expectation, also picked flaws in the narratives given by former Military President Ibrahim Babangida, in his recently launched book, A Journey In Service.
Williams rose in the army to become the Commandant of Army Signals, Commander of Training and Doctrine (TRADOC) and Chief of Defence Training and Planning, from where he resigned.
Headlines
Breaking: Supreme Court Recognises Martin Amaewhule As Rivers Assembly Speaker, Orders CBN to Stop Releasing Funds to State
By Eric Elezuo
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has in its ruling on Friday recognised Hon Martins Amaewhule as the authentic speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, mandating him to urgently resume sitting with elected members of the assembly.
The apex court also ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria to stop releasing to the Rivers State government until a proper assembly is constituted.
Details soon…
Tension escalated at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday as impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa made a dramatic return to reclaim his position.
Accompanied by heavily armed men, Obasa stormed the Assembly complex in a bold move that has thrown the State’s legislature into turmoil.
In a stunning turn of events, security details assigned to the substantive Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda, were abruptly withdrawn on Thursday morning, clearing the path for Obasa’s controversial comeback.
Sources revealed that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) ordered the withdrawal of all security operatives attached to Meranda, leaving her exposed in the midst of an intensifying power struggle.
The Speaker’s Special Adviser on Information, Mr. Victor Ganzallo, expressed concern over the security vacuum created by the withdrawal of personnel.
“In the early hours of Thursday, we woke up to the startling news that all security details assigned to Madam Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, had been withdrawn.
This includes the police and DSS officers, leaving her exposed to threats amid the ongoing speakership crisis,” Ganzallo stated.
He further called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as the State’s Chief Security Officer, to intervene urgently to prevent a complete breakdown of law and order within the Assembly.
“The withdrawal of security personnel has left the Assembly naked and vulnerable at a critical time. Urgent action is needed to restore order,” he pleaded.
With the speakership battle taking a dramatic new turn, political watchers are keenly observing how the crisis will unfold in the coming days.
