News
Senate seeks data on status, management of treaties in Nigeria
The Senate has directed the Ministry of Justice and the Foreign Affairs counterpart to produce a comprehensive data on the status and management of treaties in the country.
Specifically, it asked the Federal Government to produce a comprehensive record of all treaties entered into by the country, indicating those already ratified by the National Assembly.
This followed a motion on “The urgent Need to Exercise Constitutional Powers of the National Assembly to Ratify Treaties in Nigeria” sponsored by Sen. Bala Na’Allah (APC- Kebbi) during plenary on Tuesday.
While presenting the motion, Na’Allah noted that Section 12 of the Constitution, as amended, provided that “no treaty between Federal Government and any country should have force of law except if enacted into law by the National Assembly.
According to him, out of over 250 United Nations Treaties, Conventions, Charters and Protocols which Nigeria is a party, over 50 has not been ratified while many others require succession, signature, acceptance or notification.
He expressed worry that a huge number of treaties had not been submitted to the National Assembly for domestication due to reliance on provisions of Section 3(2) of Treaty Making Procedure Act CAP T20 LFN, 2004.
“In the 5th Assembly, only 11 treaties were enacted into law by the National Assembly out of 1, 000 bills considered.
“While 61 executive bills out of 619 bills considered by the 7th Senate with none on treaties are still in the 8th Senate, only three executive bills so far have been presented for ratification of treaties,” he said.
Na’Allah, who is Senate Deputy Leader, regretted that “the good reputation and image of Nigeria may continue to be low in the eyes of the international community.
He added that the country may suffer multi-dimensional losses if the National Assembly was denied its powers of ratifying treaties to acquire the force of law for municipal application.
Contributing, Sen. James Manager (PDP-Delta), who seconded the motion, stressed the need for National Assembly to exercise its constitutional powers of ratifying treaties in the country.
In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said the importance of the issue could not be over-emphasised.
He thereafter mandated the Senate Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and Foreign Affairs to liaise with relevant ministries affected by the resolutions to facilitate collation of documents on the matter.
He announced that the committees had four weeks for the assignment. (NAN)
News
Fuel Price Skyrockets To ₦1000 Per Litre In Some States As Scarcity Sets In
News reaching us is that fuel Prices have gone up ranging up to ₦800 to ₦1000 and above per litre in different states.
The price increase is also as a result of fuel scarcity which has set in. It is believed that some fuel stations are currently hoarding fuel.
Motorists are queuing up in large numbers at filling stations across Kano State struggling to buy petrol that is now selling at over N1,000 per litre.
One Mr Ibrahim said filling stations in the metropolis were charging as high as N1,000 as of Monday morning, adding that he bought the product over the weekend at prices ranging between N950 and N920 before the price skyrocketed on Monday.
The fuel scarcity has also touched Abuja and even Lagos.
News
King Charles Reportedly “Really Unwell” And Funeral Plans Are Currently Being Reviewed
King Charles III’s health is causing concern for friends and the palace as he continues to battle cancer.
“Speaking to friends of the king in recent weeks about his health, the most common response is … ‘It’s not good,’” Tom Sykes of the Daily Beast reported Thursday, April 25.
A friend of the monarch claimed Charles “is determined to beat it and they are throwing everything at it,” adding, “Everyone is staying optimistic, but he is really very unwell. More than they are letting on.”
Royal writer Tina Brown also hinted at the monarch’s health struggles, writing recently that Charles’ cancer has put Prince William and Kate Middleton “in frightening proximity to ascending the throne just when they had hoped for a span of years to parent their children out of the public eye.”
“The prospect of it, I am told, is causing them intense anxiety.”
Sykes also reported that the king’s funeral plans, codenamed “Operation Menai Bridge”, are currently being reviewed.
A separate document that states what went well at Queen Elizabeth’s September 2022 funeral and what could be done better the next time a monarch dies is also circulating, according to the Daily Beast.
All the sources emphasized that royal funeral plans are constantly in review. However, one former staffer in particular conceded that Charles’ health woes have given his plans a different urgency.
“The plans have been dusted off and are actively being kept up to date,” the former staffer explained.
“It’s no more than what you would expect given the king has been diagnosed with cancer. But the circulation of them has certainly focused minds.”
Buckingham Palace announced in February that after undergoing surgery for a benign prostate enlargement, it was discovered that the king has cancer.
We hope the king gets well soon.
News
EFCC: New Documents Extracted Shows Yahaya Bello Allegedly Paid School Fees To The Tune Of $845,852,84 For His Family Members
Still on the EFCC trailing on Ex Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, Documents serving as exhibits have shown how he allegedly paid school fees in advance for his family members already in the school and even those to be enrolled in future with hundreds of thousands of dollars withdrawn from the state coffers.
A letter from the American International School of Abuja to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has shown the school admitting that Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, paid $845,852,84 into their bank account since September 2021 as advance school fees for 4 family members from the present class until they graduate.
Payment was also made for any future student to be enrolled by the family.
The document alleges that the payment was made by Mr. Ali Bello, alleged to be the eldest son of Yahaya Bello.
In the document, the school stated that they have deducted the fees for the educational service already rendered to the Bello children in the institution and what is left is $760, 910, which would be refunded to an account provided by the EFCC as the commission continues investigation into alleged money laundering levelled against Yahaya Bello.
The school also added that from the Bello family kids, “no further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition until they graduate from ASIA.”
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