News
N/Assembly Now Ready To Revisit Devolution Of Powers To Unbundle FG –Ekweremadu
The Deputy president of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has briefed the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, on the ongoing constitution amendment exercise, stressing that hope is still alive on restructuring of the federation as being clamoured in many quarters in Nigeria.
Ekweremadu had raised the hope that the issue of restructuring and indeed, Devolution of Power which did not see the light of day during the last Constitutional Amendment process by the National Assembly would be revisited.
According to him, efforts were on to build consensus around some of the failed bills, especially the bill on devolution of powers, with a view to revisiting it to unbundle and make the Federal Government more efficient.
He met with the Forum at the Presidential Villa Thursday night, intimating them that of the 33 bills on the proposed amendments, 21 were passed by the Senate and House of Representatives, while 12 failed.
On the concerns that it would be an aberration of federalism for State Houses of Assembly and the Local Governments to draw revenues directly from the Federation Account, Ekweremadu explained that amendments towards financial autonomy for both only seeks to alter Section 162 of the Constitution to abrogate the State Joint Local Government Accounts and create the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State from which all allocations due to the Local Government Councils and the State Assemblies shall be directly paid from the Federation Account.
He said the proposed amendments would guarantee the democratic existence, funding, and tenure of local government councils.
He said that financial autonomy for Local Governments would not return primary education to the era of unpaid salaries.
He explained that although education remained the constitutional responsibilities of the Local Governments, provisions have been made to deduct from the source the monthly financial obligations of the Local Governments to primary education for remission into the account of state agencies overseeing basic education.
The lawmaker further maintained that altering Section 134 and 179of the Constitution would avail the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, sufficient time for INEC to conduct bye-elections; and section 225 to empower it to de-register political parties was not total.
“INEC’s power to deregister parties will apply strictly to non-fulfillment of certain conditions such as breach of registration requirements and failure to secure/win either a Presidential, Governorship, Local Government chairmanship or a seat in the National or State Assembly or a Councillorship seat.
“Bill No. 10, seeks to alter sections 58, 59 and 100 only seeks to resolve the usual situation where the President or Governor neglects to signify his/her assent to or veto of a bill from the legislature.
“So, the President or Governor will now have 30 days to signify his/her assent/veto rather than keep everyone in endless suspense, while passed bills gather dust in the shelf. In the United States, the Constitution provides for only two weeks. So, the intent is to enable timely passage of laws for good governance”.
On Bill No. 4, which seeks to set a timeframe of 30 days for the President and Governors to nominate the Ministers and Commissioners along with their proposed respective portfolios, he maintained that the 1999 Constitution did not envisage a situation where some governments would run without cabinet for months or years.
“It will also serve the nation better if members of the National Assembly can screen nominees based on specific portfolios. That way, we are able to ascertain their suitability as we see in developed democracies like the United States”, he added.
Ekweremadu allayed the fears that independent candidacy could make the electoral process cumbersome, noting that INEC would, by law, set the modalities for qualification as an independent candidate.
Ekweremadu said that Bill No. 16seeks to restrict a person who was sworn-in as President or Governor to only completing the term of the elected President or Governor from contesting for the same office for more than one term.
On Bill No. 21, he explained that the successful amendment of the Constitution in 2010, which set the timeframe for the determination of election petitions, had greatly improved the nation’s electoral system, hence the need to replicate it in the area of pre-election disputes.
Meanwhile, he said the National Assembly had not given up to the proposed amendments of Second Schedule, Part I & II to move certain items, such as railway and power, to the Concurrent Legislative List to give more legislative powers to States.
“Besides making governance difficult, concentration of so much power at the centre fuels the struggle for federal power. We believe that devolving some power to the States will improve good governance and also make the centre less attractive”, Ekweremadu stressed.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, rose to N1,532.93 per litre in April 2026, representing a 23.69 per cent increase compared to the N1,239.33 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, findings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown.
The sharp rise in petrol prices came amid mounting inflationary pressure and worsening living costs, with Nigerians grappling with soaring transportation and food expenses that have continued to shrink household purchasing power.
The NBS disclosed this in its Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for April 2026, released on Friday.
The report further showed that on a month-on-month basis, petrol prices rose by 18.97 per cent from N1,288.54 recorded in March 2026, underscoring persistent volatility in the downstream petroleum market.
A breakdown of prices across states revealed that Yobe recorded the highest average retail price for petrol at N1,599.05 per litre during the review period.
Edo and Bauchi followed closely with average prices of N1,595.74 and N1,589.07, respectively.
However, Niger residents paid the least for petrol at an average of N1,403.89 per litre, while Sokoto and Katsina recorded N1,404.16 and N1,406.28 respectively.
At the zonal level, the South-South recorded the highest average retail price at N1,566.76 per litre, while the North-West posted the lowest at N1,508.81.
The latest petrol price increase comes as millions of Nigerians continue to battle the ripple effects of rising inflation, with higher energy costs worsening transportation fares and the prices of essential commodities.
Similarly, the NBS said the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, rose by 13.73 per cent month-on-month to N8,706.93 in April 2026 from N7,655.73 recorded in March.
On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 10.42 per cent from N7,885.60 recorded in April 2025.
Lagos recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,745.10, followed by Nasarawa at N9,451.70 and Bayelsa at N9,422.74.
In contrast, Anambra recorded the lowest average price at N7,204.76, while Ondo and Ogun followed with N7,239.49 and N7,825.75, respectively.
At the regional level, the North-West recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,025.07, followed by the North-East at N8,847.16, while the South-East posted the lowest average price at N8,224.37.
Also, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 13.89 per cent month-on-month to N22,382.20 in April 2026 from N19,652.83 in March.
Compared to April 2025, the price rose by 10.43 per cent from N20,268.06.
According to the NBS LPG Price Watch for April, Katsina recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N25,596.71, followed by Kogi at N24,558.25 and Gombe at N24,438.97.
Ogun recorded the lowest average price at N19,564.36, while Bauchi and Anambra followed at N20,178.87 and N20,511.90 respectively.
The North-West recorded the highest zonal average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N23,276.95, followed by the North-Central at N22,865.29, while the South-East posted the lowest average at N21,060.92.
The latest figures signal growing pressure on household energy costs, raising concerns over the implications for inflation and the cost of living in the coming months.
-
News7 days agoEid: Oseni Calls for Vigilance, Lauds Security Operatives
-
News1 week agoEid-El-Kabir: JTF warns of Boko Haram, ISWAP attacks
-
Politics4 days agoAlli, Folarin, Adedeji, Oseni, Dare Named to APC Ekiti Re-election Campaign Team
-
News7 days agoOyo Abduction: SWEGOP Demands Swift Rescue of Pupils, Teachers
