*Lawrence Grace Foundation Marks Festive Season With Over 300 Widows In Lagos*

… Distribute Foodstuffs, Bumper Gift Packages

No fewer than 300 widows benefitted from food items and other gifts to celebrate the Christmas season with their children.

This was disclosed by the Convener of the foundation, Oluyinka Adewoye, in a statement made available to journalists.

Adewoye revealed that the foundation was established primarily to touch lives by reaching out to widows and indigent schoolchildren in less-privileged communities.

According to her, the foundation provides healthcare services, free medications, empowerment programmes, and gift items to support beneficiaries’ livelihoods.

She recalled that over 2,700 widows have so far been empowered through various vocational training programmes, as well as healthcare consultations and free medications adding that more than 2,400 children have also benefited from the foundation’s interventions.

“The foundation’s journey has been wonderful and has cut across Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo states through various charity programmes for widows and schoolchildren,”she said.

Adewoye further disclosed that, this December, over 300 widows from different communities in Lagos State benefitted from the foundation’s Christmas party through fun activities, Christmas carols, games, celebrations, and the distribution of food items to mark the festive season.

The convener also expressed gratitude to individuals and organisations that supported the event, appreciating them for their kind gestures and continued commitment to humanitarian service.

Due Process Is Not Optional: Why the National Assembly’s Authentication of the Tax Reform Acts Upholds Law, Order, and Democratic Integrity

By Philip Agbese

In every constitutional democracy, the legitimacy of law does not rest on sentiment or speed, but on process. Laws derive their authority not merely from political will or popular approval, but from scrupulous adherence to the procedures laid down by the Constitution and statute. It is against this background that recent public commentary surrounding the authentication, assent, and gazetting of key tax reform legislation must be understood and properly situated within Nigeria’s constitutional order.

The National Assembly, as the custodian of legislative authority, has responded not with defensiveness or evasion, but with institutional sobriety. The leadership of both Chambers has activated the very safeguards that give law its moral and legal force: verification, certification, and transparency. This is not an act of weakness. It is the essence of legislative strength.

The press release issued by the Management of the National Assembly makes this point unambiguously. Faced with questions relating to the harmonisation, assent, and gazetting of the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025; and the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025, the legislature chose the path of constitutional due diligence rather than public polemics . That choice deserves commendation.

At the heart of the matter is the Acts Authentication Act, Cap. A4, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. This statute exists for a simple but profound reason: to ensure that what is passed by the legislature, assented to by the President, and published for public reliance is the same text. Authentication is not an optional bureaucratic ritual; it is the bridge between legislative intent and legal certainty. Without it, the integrity of the statute book itself would be compromised.

The steps undertaken by the National Assembly, as illustrated in the published authentication process, reflect long-established parliamentary practice. From the preparation of the certified true copy of the Bill after enactment, through compilation and certification of the schedule of Bills for assent, to gazetting and official publication, each stage serves a distinct constitutional purpose. Collectively, they form a chain of custody for the law. Break that chain, and legal chaos follows.

Crucially, the leadership has been careful to clarify that the ongoing internal review does not concede any defect in legislative authority, nor does it encroach upon the functions of the Executive or Judiciary. It is an internal, administrative exercise aimed at clarity, accuracy, and the sanctity of the legislative record . In constitutional terms, this is precisely how a mature legislature should behave: correcting its own processes where necessary, without grandstanding or blame-shifting.

There is also a moral dimension that should not be overlooked. Tax legislation affects every citizen, every business, and the fiscal stability of the state. Such laws must command confidence. When the legislature demonstrates that it is willing to pause, verify, and certify before insisting on finality, it reinforces public trust. Due process is not the enemy of reform; it is the condition that makes reform legitimate and durable.

The legal effect of this approach is equally important. Official gazetting and the issuance of certified true copies provide courts, regulators, investors, and citizens with an authoritative text upon which rights and obligations can safely be based. In an era where disputes often turn on the precise wording of statutes, the insistence on authentication is not pedantry. It is prudence.

Those urging haste over process should reflect on comparative experience. In established democracies, legislatures routinely delay commencement, correct clerical inconsistencies, and re-certify statutes to protect the integrity of the legal order. Nigeria is not being exceptional; it is being orthodox.

Ultimately, the National Assembly’s actions reaffirm a deeper constitutional principle: that law is greater than politics, and procedure is the guardian of substance. By acting within the Constitution, the Acts Authentication Act, Standing Orders, and established parliamentary conventions, the leadership has shown fidelity not just to power, but to responsibility.

In defending due diligence, the National Assembly is defending the rule of law itself. That is not merely legal correctness. It is a democratic virtue.

Agbese LLB[UK], LLM [UK], MBA[UK] is the Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives.

Alleged Terrorism financing: Group to mobilise One Million Match Against Malami’s Release from detention, wants former AGF sentenced to death by hanging

The Coalition Against Terrorism and Corruption (CATC) has announced plans to mobilize a one-million-man march to protest any attempt to release former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami from EFCC detention, demanding instead that he be sentenced to death by hanging for allegedly enabling terrorism financing through massive money laundering.

In a statement signed by Dr. Hassan Adebayo, the group’s spokesperson, Malami was branded a “traitor in high office” whose actions have directly fueled terrorism, cost countless innocent lives, and betrayed the nation.

“Abubakar Malami, as AGF, turned his position into a criminal enterprise, laundering billions to arm terrorists and destabilize Nigeria while chasing a presidential ambition he later abandoned,” Adebayo stated.

“His alleged laundering of over N1 billion through Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited between 2022 and 2025 is not mere corruption—it is blood money that has killed Nigerians and left families in perpetual grief.”

Adebayo pointed to the EFCC’s 16-count charge, accusing Malami, his son, and associate Bashir Asabe of concealing and disguising illicit funds used to acquire luxury properties worth billions across Abuja, Kano, and Kebbi.

“He allegedly N500 million to buy a duplex in Maitama, retained N600 million as cash collateral for loans, and conspired to acquire assets in Jabi, Asokoro, and Gwarimpa—all funded by proceeds of crime that supported terrorism,” he said.

“While families buried loved ones killed by insurgents, Malami was busy buying mansions and plotting his political future on the blood of the innocent.”

The group condemned Malami’s role in allegedly acquiring over 41 properties traced to ₦212 billion in illicit funds.

“He disguised N1.36 billion through Meethaq Hotels Ltd, concealed N700 million for Hamonia Hotels, and laundered money for Rayhaan Hotels—all while presiding over the Ministry of Justice meant to protect Nigerians,” Adebayo charged.

“He turned the AGF office into a safe haven for terrorists and their financiers, ensuring that while our soldiers fought with limited resources, criminals like him thrived.”

Adebayo highlighted the human toll. “Every naira he allegedly laundered is a life lost, a family destroyed, a community terrorized. His betrayal is unforgivable, and the pain he inflicted on Nigerian families is irreparable,” he said.

The group warned against any bail or release, calling for the harshest punishment.

“We demand not just conviction but death by hanging for Malami—the ultimate penalty for a man who armed terrorists with laundered billions while holding the nation’s highest legal office,” Adebayo declared.

Adebayo concluded, “Abubakar Malami is a principal architect of insecurity. His actions—from laundering billions in Abuja to acquiring illicit properties nationwide—prove he prioritized personal greed and political ambition over the lives of Nigerians.

“He must face the gallows to send a message that betrayal of this magnitude will never be tolerated.”