The National Council of State on Thursday endorsed the appointments of Silas Agara as Chairman of the National Population Commission, NPC.
This is as the body, made up of former heads of state, Senate President, Governors, some Ministers, and senior government officials, also approved the composition of membership of the Commission
The body also approved Presidential pardon for Ambrose Ali, former Governor of old Bendal State, over N900,000 which he later paid but was convicted), Moses Effiong, E.J Olarenwaju (attempted Coup in the administration of former President Ibrahim Babangida and Ajayi Olusola Babalola, earlier granted by President Buhari, in the exercise of powers under the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, briefing the State House Correspondents after the Council of State meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday, said the Council approved Silas Agara from Nasarawa State, as Chairman of National Population Commission.
Members of the Commission also approved include, Muhammed Dottijo, (Sokoto); Razaq Gidado, (Kwara); Ibrahim Mohammed, (Bauchi); Joseph Shazin, (FCT).
Others include Bala Banya, (Katsina); and Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, (Lagos).
President Muhammadu Buhari had in two separate letters dated March 20 and August 12, 2020, nominated Agara, a former deputy governor of Nasarawa State, to head the NPC.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, while also speaking at the end of Council of State meeting, announced that the Council also approved appointment of two new legal practitioners as members of the National Judicial Service Commission, NJC.
The two members who are to represent Nigerian Bar Association on the NJC are , Namoso Ekanem (Akwa Ibom ), representing the South South geo-political zone and Mammud Abubakar Mogaji, (Niger State ), representing the North Central geo-political zone.
The body, in the exercise of powers under the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy, approved grant of pardon to 45 persons, two inmates for pardon, 39 inmates for clemency and four ex-convict for presidential pardon.
Malami said “Mr. president with COVID-19 pandemic, has directed the decongestion of our correctional centers across the country.
“And by way of collaborative action, the governors, heads of courts across the nations, have worked assiduously in collaboration with the presidential committee on decongestion of our correctional centers and at the end of the day we have succeeded in taking out over 4,000 inmates out of our correctional centers across the country.
“What we have today is a consolidation of what has been done and the strategies put in place to see to the decongestion of our correctional centers.
“As you are aware, more than 70 percent inmates in our correctional centers were awaiting trial across the country and a lot of considerations were put in place to ensure our correctional centers are decongested d the prerogative of mercy was one of such considerations by Mr. President.
The law confers on the President, Powers to appoint members of the Federal Judicial Service Commission, subject to consultation with the Council of State.
“The exercise this morning relating to the presentation of the memo was for the purpose of fulfilling the constitutional requirements relating to the appointment of the two new legal practitioners.” Malami said
