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Petition To NJC: Rivers Judiciary Berates PDP
The Rivers State Judiciary has berated the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Hon Felix Obuah over a purported statement alleging that the state governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi wants to use the office of the Acting Chief Judge, Hon Justice Peter Agumagu to thwart the administration of justice in the state.
A press statement signed by the Chief Registrar, High Court of Rivers State, Leonard K Adoki yesterday in Port Harcourt and made available to The Tide, said the state judiciary would not have reacted to such wild allegations from the PDP in the state as it would not want the judiciary in the state to be dragged into the political crisis but had to do so in other to preserve and safeguard the independence of the judiciary, especially in the state.
According to the statement, the attention of the Rivers State Judiciary was drawn to statement signed and issued by Mr Jerry Needam, Special Adviser on Media to Chief Felix Obuah, Chairman, PDP Rivers State chapter that Governor Chibuike Amaechi wants to use the office of the Acting Chief Judge, Hon Justice Peter N C. Agumagu to thwart the administration of justice in the state.
The statement further state that the PDP alleged that the plot is aimed at ensuring that all cases involving Governor Amaechi, all the state House of Assembly members loyal to him, his political aides and other government officials as well as other state PDP related matters should be assigned to only judges that are prepared to do his (Amaechi) bidding.
Adoki averred that the allegations contained in the said publication, that there are selected judges to undo political opponents of the state governor as only a mere figment of the imagination of Mr Jerry Needam, adding that the state judiciary was not surprised because such antics which are outright fabrications were aimed at scoring cheap political points.
He appealed to politicians especially the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to desist from tarnishing the image of the respected judges in the state, stating that assignment of cases is a routine duty performed by the Chief Judge of the state.
The Registrar posited that the acting Chief Judge was not a stranger to such duties having once been a Chief Registrar and President, Customary Court of Appeal.He noted that in both capacities, he has been performing that task of assigning cases to judges and magistrates of the state judiciary.
In the performance of these duties, the Acting Chief Judge does not take directive from any body, the governor inclusive “as a seasoned, respected and very experience judiciary officer, the Ag Chief Judge knows he is not answerable to any group of individual in the discharge of his duties”, he added.
Mr Adoki used the opportunity to call on the National Judiciary Council (NJC) not to be bothered by the said publication as it was only targeted to drag the council to a non-existence issue, while emphasising that the state judiciary does not wish to be continually distracted by these fabrications. He prayed that NJC to discountenance the said and future publications as it was only a cheap blackmail.
It further advised the general public especially Rivers people to disregard what it called the baseless allegations concocted by Jerry Needam and called on Mr Needam and his cohorts in the state chapter of PDP to discontinue the barrage of attacks aimed at rubbishing the integrity and image of the state judiciary in the state and country at large.
He assured that the state judiciary will continue to discharge its constitutional obligations to the society without fear of favour.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Nworgu Boms has condemned the attempt by some politicians to portray some judges in Rivers State in bad light stating that the attempt was to emasculate the judiciary by dragging it into the political crisis in the state.
Boms who addressed the press in Port Harcourt yesterday in reaction to a publication in the Nation Newspaper of Monday October 14 page 47, signed by Monwan Etete for the Obuah-led Peoples Democratic Party, described the publication as a criminal contempt and part of the group’s emerging desperate politics in the state”.
According to the publication, four judges of the state High Court, Hon Justice E Thompson, S Iruagunima, E Teetito and I. Iyayi Lamikanra, are ‘uncompromising and unapproachable” judges of the state in whose various courts are pending some politically- related cases.
It also accused the Acting Chief Judge, Hon Justice Agumagu of transferring cases pending before those four judges to those willing to compromise on the directives of Governor Amaechi, an allegation the Attorney General described as untrue.
Boms who described the allegation as ‘a measure of how morally low they have sank in the name of politics’, challenged the group to petition the National Judicial Commission by tendering the particulars of the alleged judicial malfeasance of the judges they accused of corruption, rather than engage in a campaign of calumny against them.
Boms recalled that the group had once petitioned the former Chief Judge of Rivers State against a matter in a particular court and the then Chief Judge promptly removed the matter from that court and took it to another court.
He said the group was happy at the outcome as the then Chief Judge acceded to their objection.
He also recalled that the group defied the judgement of the Federal High Court that the illegal siege at the Obio/Akpor Local Government Headquarters be removed, noting that the council headquarters is still under police siege and overgrown with grass.
The Attorney General further disclosed that the purpose of the publication was to intimidate the judiciary so that the pending Obio/Akpor matter in the state High Court will be decided by the Judge they prefer for what ever reason”.
The Attorney General also picked holes in the statement by the Chief Registrar of the state High Court in the media that both counsel in the Obio/Akpor mater petitioned against Justice Iruagunima’s handling of the matter and requested the then Chief Judge to transfer the matter for hearing by Justice Adama Iyayi Lamikaura where it is now pending.
He called on the Chief Registrar to make public the complaint of the lawyer to the governor and the Attorney General, Roland Otaru Esq (SAN), against the Chief Judge, Hon Justice Iche Ndu (rtd) “which is now touted as the basis for what is now clearly a mysterious transfer”
He added that if the Chief Registrar could provide the petition allegedly written by him against Justice Iruagunima, he would not only resign his appointment as Attorney General and commissioner for Justice but tender an apology to him.
L-R: Chief of Staff, Rivers State Government House, Mr Tony Okocha, Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari and Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mr Samuel Eyiba, at a public presentation of the book titled “Eminent Persons of Rivers State” written by Rivers State Newspaper Corporation in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
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DEPLOY YOUR CAPACITY, TECHNICAL KNOWHOW TO REVITALISE SONGHAI FARMS, FUBARA TELLS TASK FORCE
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that diversifying the economy of the State has become inevitable because of the need to solve the problem of food shortages while also providing jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
These, he said, are the reasons why great care has been taken to critically look at the prospects of revitalising the Songhai Integrated Farms, which is located in Bunu Tai, in Tai Local Government Area of the State.
Governor Fubara insisted that if the problem associated with food shortages is tackled with good intent and purpose, about 40 to 50 percent of current problems of economic hardship plaguing the country and its people would have been solved.
Governor Fubara made the assertion while inaugurating the Chairman, Mr Biedima Oliver, and members of the task force saddled with the responsibility of supervising the revitalization of Songhai Integrated Farms by its partners: Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Other members of the task force included, the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr Victor Kii; Commissioner for Finance, Barrister Emmanuel Frank-Fubara; Dr Ayebaesin Beredugo; and Mr Maurice Ogolo.
The Governor explained that it took him time to approve the constitution of the task force being inaugurated because of the ugly experience with the previous group that shown such interest.
Governor Fubara stated that a process was initiated and driven halfway into the handing over of Songhai Farms on concession to an interested partner who latter showed a total lack of the needed capacity to undertake such task.
He said, “As a matter of fact, if few of you could remember, we even conceded the place to an investor who came in after he had made his presentation, and we, believing that he has the capacity, we said okay to him, and we had already signed up.
“But something happened. He came back to tell us that he wanted us to give him a N5billion bank guarantee. We then asked him, why? If we have the N5billion, why do we need you to come and even revitalize Songhai Farms? We would have put that N5billion there ourselves. For that reason, we cancelled that arrangement.”
Governor Fubara said now that two separate companies have come together to indicate interest and given the assurance of having the needed capacity to drive the process, he is delighted to see them meeting that expectation.
Governor Fubara pointed to the expectation of the people who want to see the Songhai Farms back on stream on a sustainable basis.
That expectation, he insisted, is also what his administration wants to see actualised within its lifespan.
He noted, “We want to see food sufficiency, because we know when Songhai Farms comes on board, there will be food, which is one of the problems we are having in this country. If we are able to tackle the issue of food, 40 to 50 percent of our problem will be solved.”
Governor Fubara also stated that although he believes in the presentation made by the group and has taken their assurance to heart, but warned that he would not tolerate a repeat of what happened before.
The Governor said, “I hope your story will not be (end) halfway too. I hope you have the capacity and all the technical knowhow to handle it. It is not when we start now, after we had finished inaugurating the task force, you will come back to tell us that you need $2million. If we have $2million, we won’t need you. We will invest it by ourselves.”
Governor Fubara, however, praised the capacity of the Chairman of the task force, Biedima Oliver, saying that incidentally, he was one of the personnel that convinced the then administration to develop the Songhai Farms, and had worked with the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) to manage the project.
He said, “He knows and understands the workings of Songhai, and now that we are making you the chairman of the task force, we want to believe that you will make that place come back to life.
“I don’t have any doubt in your capacity. A few things you’ve touched, you turned them to gold. Please, bring it back to what we used to see in Songhai. Bring it back with the help of your committee.”
Governor Fubara assured that his administration will remain committed to providing all the necessary support that they may require to make their assignment a success.
He added, “So, I hereby inaugurate you. Your task is very simple: Do everything within your powers and with our support to make sure that Songhai becomes operational to the benefit, not just the people of Tai, but to the entire Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole”.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Task Force to Supervise the Revitalization of Songhai Farms with Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, Mr. Biedima Oliver, expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for the opportunity and confidence reposed in them to revive Songhai Farms.
Mr. Oliver assured that they will deliver the expected goal on Songhai Farms, and doing so on time and on target so that the good people of Rivers State can eventually be happy and also benefit from the huge investment.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that all the policies and programmes of his administration are tailored towards the protection of interest of Rivers people, especially the youths.
This, he said, is borne out of the importance his administration attaches to youths’ development and empowerment as leaders of tomorrow.
Fubara, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, disclosed this when he received the youths of Emohua Local Government Area under the auspices of “Emohua Youths For SIM” on solidarity visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, last Friday.
He said that his administration has put in place modalities that will boost the livelihoods and well-being of Rivers citizens, which youths of Emohua will also benefit when they materialise.
The governor, who spoke through the Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, pointed out that the recently awarded Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku Road, the ongoing Emohua-Kalabari Road, reinstatement of illegally sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Area and the approval for electrification of the area, are part of deliberate measures to open up the area to make life conducive and more meaningful for the people.
According to him, “Everything about the governor is putting the interest of Rivers State first. He is looking at and taking action on those things that we need to do to restart the wheels of progress in Rivers State.
“There are many things the governor has planned and is already doing that will boost the life and welfare of every citizen of Rivers State, but most importantly the youths.
“Growing up, I learnt that Egbeda is one of the biggest communities in the whole of Ikwerre, and it’s predominantly an agrarian community. They have food in Egbeda, they have food in Ubimini, they have food in Omudiaga and other natural resources. The whole world is tilting to agriculture, and this is the way to go.
“The Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Omoku road, when completed, will open up the area for real development. Your food and everything you produce there will now have value, they will no longer be thrown away. In all these, you the youths are going to be the utmost beneficiaries.”
He added, “Same will be applicable to the Emohua-Kalabari Road which will also, trigger development in the area, and you will be the greatest beneficiaries. When the LGA is also electrified, you will be having 24 or 20 hours of electricity, and those things the youths can do with electricity, you can stay at home and create wealth for yourself and children.
“All the totality of what the governor is doing, when they are completed, or even as some are completed now, the youths are going to be utmost beneficiaries.”
While acknowledging that youths are the true leaders of tomorrow and any government that fails to carry them along in the scheme of things is doomed to fail, the governor assured them of his administration’s commitment to always address issues concerning youths and ensure that they are part of his government.
He commended the youths for toeing the path of truth by identifying with his administration, urging them to sustain the tempo and shun evil, as his government will ensure that the trend whereby politicians turn youths to beggars are over.
He said, “Youths are, indeed, the leaders of tomorrow. The time of youth is a very important time. It a time that your parents or whoever is your leader at that time have to make the greatest investment in you. And any Government that decides to only carry the elderly, chiefs aling and abandon the youths is bound to fail,” he asserted.
“But I am happy that Governor Fubara has concentrated his energy on everything that will benefit the society, especially the youths.
“And based on these, I want to thank you for recognising what is good and calling it good, for shunning what is evil, for saying the Governor is standing for you.
“Let me tell you, you are on the right direction. Let me tell you again, Rivers State is the bride of Nigeria. The whole Nigeria is looking at what will happen here. As they look here and see you standing on the path of truth, this is a very important step that you have taken to right all the wrongs of the past, to make Rivers State stand on the tripod of justice, peace and security. That is what we are going to gain through the governor, taking all the wise actions that he has already initiated.
“The projects the governor is embarking on are meant to prepare nets for the youths to fish and put food on their table, hence you should continue to follow him.
“The SIMplified Movement brought upon by the governor will ensure that Rivers youths stop the habit of going to bow down before politicians, pledging loyalty before they can eat.”
Earlier, spokesman for the Emohua Youths for SIM, Comrade Ovamale O. Ovamale, had said that the visit by youths from the 14 political wards in Emohua Local Government Area was to thank the governor for the award of the Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku road, the approval for electrification of the area and reinstatement of sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Council, of which the youths were mostly affected.
According to him, “Siminalayi Fubara of recent has given Emohua Local Government road that links Elele to Omoku, which comprises over four communities in the local government.”
“Emohua Local Government has also been in darkness for eight years. No community in the local government that has light. But, of recent, because of the passion and love the governor has for the people of Emohua, he has approved the electrification of the local government.
“Also, the illegal sack of Emohua Local Government workers, for which the youths were mostly affected and without the approval of the Local Government Service Commission, the governor, in his compassionate nature, has reinstated them, and that is why we said we must come and thank His Excellency”, he said.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that his administration will collaborate and continue to consult widely in delivering a liberated State experiencing enduring peace.
Fubara said, in doing so, he would not operate as a dictator but as a member of a team that has the best interest of the State at heart and determined to leave a lasting legacy that can be celebrated.
The governor spoke during the formal presentation of Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office to the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Michael Tom, as first class tradition ruler, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Fubara stated that, during the Sixth State Executive Council meeting, N80.8billion was approved with 50 percent contract value paid already as the Government awarded the construction of the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road.
He said the project will be funded from the savings from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to underscore his administration’s prudence without also borrowing to complete the project.
“We are at a crossroad in our State where we all need to stand for what is right. It happens once in a life time. So, for now, be one of those people that will be in the course to liberate and free our dear State.
“And I know strongly that having the support of a peace-loving Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, having the support of the wonderful Council of Chiefs, having the support of the great people of Rivers State, we will bring peace in our State. We will do those things that are right to develop our State.
“We will continue to consult. We will not act as dictators. We will act as people who know that one day, we will leave, and when we leave, the way we have acted will speak for us. We will not force people to talk good about us. Our legacy will be a signature for how we led”, the governor said.
Fubara explained that he acted within the ambit of the law to upgrade the traditional stool upon which King Ateke Tom sits in recognition of his efforts in promoting peace in Okrika, and indeed, the State, and urged him to continue to do justice to everyone.
In his speech, Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon Charles Amadi, congratulated King Ateke Tom for being formally presented with the Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office as first class traditional ruler.
Also speaking, former Transport Minister, Chief Abiye Sekibo, thanked the governor for fulfilling his promise of upgrading the traditional stool of Okochiri Kingdom, and pledged the support of Kirike Se people to his administration.