The Nation August 03, 2011

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Nigeria’s truly national newspaper

Ex-ANPP chair Ume-Ezeoke dead NEWS

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•Dies at 75 in Indian hospital

VOL. 7, NO. 1841 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2011

Fed Govt to pay minimum wage •All workers to benefit

NEWS

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TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

Jonathan forges ahead with single tenure plan 50 amendments likely in Constitution review Bill

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OVERNORS will soon lose their grip on local governments cash, if the Presidency succeeds in pushing through a bill to kill the Local Government Joint Account. The bill will also fix tenure for elected local government officials, contrary to the situation in various states where two-year and three-year tenure systems are being operated. Besides, the Presidency

From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation, Abuja

may put on hold the proposed review of the revenue allocation formula, until the Local Government Reform is carried out and accepted by the governors. But, despite public outcry, the Presidency is pushing ahead with its plans for a single six-year tenure for President, governors and members of the National Assembly, The Nation learnt yes-

SOME OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS •Six-year single tenure for president, governors •Fixed tenure for the 774 local government councils •Abolition of Joint State- Local Government Account •Constructive true federalism •Removal of prison management from exclusive list •New revenue allocation formula terday. The President is said to be leading the consultation team selling the proposal to Nigerians. “Even at the government level, there are divergent views. That is why the Presi-

dent will be consulting many stakeholders and he is going to allow robust debates on the proposal to guide the National Assembly in its decision,” a source said, adding: “The draftsmen will revisit some documents, like the

Abacha Constitution of 1995, the report of the National Political Reform Conference of 2005 and the 1999 Constitution Citizens’ Forum for Constitution Reform (CFCR), which prepared a draft Constitution and the Pro-Na-

tional Conference (PRORONACO) Peoples Constitution.” President Goodluck Jonathan is considering between 30 to 50 sections of the 1999 Constitution for amendment. Some of the proposed amendments are: •six-year single tenure; •fixed tenure for the 774 local government councils; •abolition of Joint StateLocal Government Account, as applicable in most states; •constructive true federalism; and •removal of prison manContinued on page 2

Ripples over CJN’s calls to Salami

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HERE seems to be no let-up in the controversy ignited by the report of the panel that examined the crisis in the Judiciary. The National Judicial Council (NJC) has set up another panel, headed by Justice Ibrahim Auta, to make recommendations on the report of the Justice Umaru Abdullahi panel, which exonerated Chief Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu and Appeal Court President Isa Ayo Salami. Lawyers have said the Auta Panel is against the norm because a junior judge cannot determine the fate of

From Yomi Odunuga and Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

his seniors. Now, there are questions over Justice Katsina-Alu’s telephone calls to Justice Salami, following the Abdullahi Panel’s finding that the Sokoto governorship dispute’s verdict was not under any threat, as alleged. The controversy stemmed from the facts that the report absolved the CJN of any attempt to influence Justice Salami to use his position to get judgment in favour of Governor Aliyu Wamakko of the Peoples Democratic Party Continued on page 2

•A bus smashed by a tree that fell at a vehicles’ stand at Zaria bypass during a rainstorm ... yesterday. Story on page 6. PHOTO: YUSUFU AMINU IDEGU

14 dead as bus runs over robbery victims •SEE PAGE 2

•Horror at dawn on Lokoja-Abuja road •Five dead in Lagos •POLITICS P17 •SPORTS P23 •LIFE P29 •MONEY P43 •INVESTORS P45

•Police chief Hafiz Ringim


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