City Crime
Citizenship: Court Hears Suit Against Atiku, Sept 27
The Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, fixed September 27 to hear a suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Egalitarian Mission for Africa, a group, challenging the citizenship of former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
The plaintiff instituted the suit in 2019 challenging Abubakar’s eligibility to contest for president.
When the matter was called, counsel to the plaintiff, Mr Akinola Oladimeji told the court that he was not prepared to go on with the matter.
Oladimeji told the court that it was only on Wednesday that he got wind of the fact that the matter had been slated for hearing on Thursday since the next adjourn date known to him was September 20.
The judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, then sought to find out from the court registrar if parties had been informed of the date and the registrar responded in the affirmative.
The judge in a short ruling said that he was not happy that he gave a date for hearing which had become a subject of controversy.
He, however, adjourned the matter until September 27 and warned the plaintiff that it would be the last adjournment for his client.
The plaintiff, a civil society organisation in suit no. FHC/ABJ/CS/177/2019 is challenging the citizenship of Abubakar on the grounds that he was not born in Nigeria.
The plaintiff joined the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation as co-defendants in the suit.
The plaintiff formulated the following questions for determination by the court:
“Whether Section 25 of the Constitution is the sole authority that spells out ways by which a person can become a Nigerian citizen by birth.
“Whether by the provisions of Section 131(a) of the Constitution, only a Nigerian citizen by birth can contest for the office of the president.
“Whether by the combined interpretation of Section 25(1) (2) and 131(a) of the Constitution and giving the circumstances surrounding the birth of Abubakar, he can be cleared by the PDP and INEC to contest for the office of the president.”
The plaintiff held that if the answers to the questions were resolved in its favour, it should be granted the following reliefs, “A declaration that by provisions of Section 131(a) of the constitution, only a Nigerian citizen by birth can contest for the office of president.
“A declaration that by the combined interpretation of Sections 25 (1) (2) and 131(a) of the Constitution, and giving the circumstances surrounding the birth of Abubakar, he cannot be cleared by PDP and INEC to contest for president”.
The plaintiff also asked the court for any order which it may seem fit to make in the circumstances of the application.
However, Abubakar and the PDP, on which platform he contested the last election asked the court to dismiss the suit for lacking in merit.
In their notice of objection filed jointly, they insisted that the former vice president was a bona-fide citizen of Nigeria.
Abubakar also said that besides serving as Nigeria’s vice president from 1999 to 2007, he held many public and private offices, including serving as governor of Adamawa and was a commissioned officer of the Nigerian Customs Service.
He said his parents, grandparents and great grandparents were born in Nigeria and they lived, died as Nigerians and were buried in Nigeria.
He told the court that the suit was filed in bad faith in an attempt to malign his person and integrity.
Abubakar also objected to the plaintiff’s right to challenge his nationality, arguing that it failed to show the interest it had above other citizens of Nigeria to be entitled to approach the court on the issue.
The Rivers State Government has vowed to enforce strict compliance with approved building plans by property owners and developers in the State to guarantee safety and adherence to regulatory standards.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Rt. Hon. Evans Bipi, in his inaugural meeting with the Permanent Secretary, Directors and staff of the Ministry, said he would ensure full implementation of the Physical Planning Development Law of the State.
He warned that the Rivers State Government will no longer condone a situation where developers make deliberate adjustment or completely deviate from approved building plan in the execution of their projects without recourse to the Ministry.
Hon. Bipi solicited the cooperation of the civil servants of the Ministry while promising to run an open door policy and be easily accessible.
He also promised to right the wrongs, make a positive impact and leave an enduring legacy in the Ministry.
He promised to enhance the physical landscape and aesthetic of Old and New GRA as well as other parts of Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Surv. Wisdom Hebron, assured the Commissioner of maximum cooperation to foster a harmonious working environment.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has approved the payment of N85,000.00 as the new minimum wage for civil servants in the employ of the Rivers State Government.
This is the agreement reached during a closed door meeting presided over by the Governor and attended by representatives of organised labour under the auspices of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council in the State at Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, who spoke on behalf of the Government, affirmed that Governor Fubara has graciously approved a new minimum wage of N85,000.00, adding that the government will begin in November, 2024.
Dr George said, “He (Gov Fubara) has pronounced a figure that is higher than the National Minimum Wage. He pronounced a sum of N85,000.00, which is higher than the minimum wage that was prescribed nationally.
“So, as the Head of Service and a major stakeholder in the labour family, I am very happy to say that the Rivers State Civil Servants have never had it this good since the inception of this State.
“The labour union leaders and all the other major stakeholders were happy with this development,” he added.
Responding to possible payment of arrears, Dr Nwaeke, said it is yet to be determined because a technical committee has been set up to critically work out a tenable payment chart, which will cater to issues of arrears.
He clarified, “Issues of arrears will be worked out by the committee that I am going to be Deputy to the SSG. We are already going to work on it in a technical committee that will now get the nitty gritty of the payment and inform the press later.”
On his part, the Rivers State Chairman of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Comrade Emecheta Chuku, explained that this is their first meeting with Governor Fubara to discuss the issue of the new minimum wage as approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Comrade Chuku pointed to the fact that the gracious approval of N85,000.00 new minimum wage is very appeasing to the labour leaders, adding that it demonstrates love for the workers.
He explained, “For the Governor to come, against all the crisis, against all the things that he is facing and more, to say he will pay N85,000.00 minimum wage, I think our hearts are full of joy.
“Of course, we have no doubt, knowing the kind of person we have as our Governor. He is a decent man; very responsible enough; and grew through the rank and file of the system. He understands what it takes to earn a living salary; he understands the difference between gifting money and paying somebody salary that can sustain him or her from the first day to the last day of the month.”
Also speaking, the Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Rivers State Chapter, Comrade Alex Agwanwor, noted that the amount approved by Governor Fubara puts Rivers State Government ahead of Lagos State as the highest minimum wage paying State to civil servants in Nigeria.
He stressed, “Why do I say that? Lagos State said N85,000.00 and Rivers State is paying N85,000.00. The IGRs of Lagos State and Rivers State are not the same. So, for the Governor to agree to pay the same rate with Lagos, that means we are at the top of it.
“We are the best, and we want to continue to commend the Governor. We assure him that, as far as this State is concerned, labour is going to stand with him. We will be with him even until the next eight years.
“I want to commend His Excellency, Executive Governor of Rivers State, our own Number One Worker in Rivers State, he has, once again, proven that the workers in Rivers State gave him an award on May Day as the Champion of Labour, as the Most Labour-Friendly Governor in Nigeria. He, again, has shown that to us today, and I want to commend him.”
He added that they were returning to the State Secretariat Complex to inform workers of the Governor’s magnanimity and benevolence towards civil servants in the State.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has felicitated Muslim faithful as they celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad, urging them to show love, tolerance, perseverance, patriotism and commitment to the growth and development of the State.
Governor Fubara, in a message in Port Harcourt, the State capital, urged the Muslim Ummah to use the lessons of the 12th day of the third month of Rabi’ al-Awwal to reflect on the core teachings of the Holy Prophet, and interceed for one another as exemplified by the sacrifices He made for humanity.
The Governor charged the faithful in the State and across the country to commit to ensuring that they continue to benefit from the genuine policies and programmes of government put in place to make live easy for all living and doing business in the State, without discrimination.
He said, “I, on behalf of the government and good people of Rivers State, heartily felicitate all Muslim faithful on the occasion of the Eid-el-Maulud celebration, to honour the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, and urge for prayers for the revival and unity of Nigeria.
“The occasion, yet again, provides an opportunity to reflect deeply on the need for greater application of the Prophet’s teachings bordering on piety, charity, patience, resilience, justice and peaceful coexistence,” he added.
Governor Fubara assured the Muslim community in Rivers State, and indeed, all residents of the resolve of his administration to sustain the tempo of providing critical projects and social services to improve the quality of life of the people.