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Court Ruling: PDP Holds Emergency Meeting, Today
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), under the Caretaker Committee of Sen Ahmed Makarfi, holds an emergency meeting of party stakeholders, today, over the court ruling that affirmed Ali Modu Sheriff as National Chairman of the party.
It would be recalled that an Appeal Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, had last Friday ruled in favour of the former Borno State governor.
But the Makarfi’s faction of the party rejected the ruling, saying it was heading to the Supreme Court to contest the judgement.
According to a notice signed by the faction’s Publicity Secretary, Dayo Adeyeye, the meeting will hold at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja 2pm on Monday.
Adeyeye said the decision of the Appeal Court which gave victory to Sheriff will be discussed.
The notice of the meeting posted on the party’s twitter handle @OfficialPDPNIG mentioned that those invited to the meeting are “members of the National Executive Committee (NEC), members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), National Assembly members, former governors of PDP, former ministers under the platform of the PDP, former National Assembly members and party elders.”
Adeyeye urged all invited guests to attend “unfailingly.”
Even as Senator Modu Sheriff extends olive branch to the National Caretaker committee of the PDP to join him in rebuilding the party, the spokesman of the Committee, Dayo Adeyeye, yesterday insisted that it will appeal the judgment to the Supreme Court. In a statement he issued in Abuja, Adeyeye said apart from being a “ big disappointment” , the judgement delivered by the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division “ is a travesty of justice, a mockery of valid facts and a miscarriage of justice” and “an invidious attempt to destroy the PDP”.
According to him, ‘the Minority Judgement is very sound in law, logic and fact. It gives us hope that we will have our day in the Supreme Court. Whereas the Lead Judgement left out the main issues and laboured unconvincingly to work to a preconceived answer, the Minority Judgement thrashed all the issues and upheld the Judgement of the High Court in Port Harcourt delivered by Liman J on July 4, 2016. We will certainly appeal to the Supreme Court. No reconciliatory effort will stop it.
We need the Supreme Court to make a pronouncement on the issue once and for all. “We maintain that this is a continuation of the attempt to kill the PDP and thereby destroy all opposition in Nigeria.
The rebels in the party who were favored by the two justices of the Appeal Court are snakes within the house working for the Ruling Party, the APC. The great conspiracy to silence the PDP is an assault on the Nigerian democracy. We are however determined to resist this onslaught to the very last.
Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has reacted to a statement credited to the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff , where he said Governors Ayo Fayose and Nyesom Wike would be pushed out of the party.
Addressing people of his state on Ekiti Radio-91.5FM and EKTV on Saturday, Fayose said he does not talk to “monkeys.”
Quoting a passage from the Bible, the outspoken governor said all things will work for his good and the good of the PDP.
The Chairman of the PDP’s Governors Forum wondered who Sheriff would lead since most members of the party were on the side of Ahmed Makarfi.
He also urged members of the PDP who are aggrieved by the Port Harcourt Appeal Court ruling to “calm down.”
Fayose said, “On that comment by Sheriff that he will kick me and Governor Nyesom Wike out of PDP, I don’t talk to monkeys. That Appeal Court judgement is just a phase, it will fizzle out. All things will work together for good for me, that’s what the Bible says.
“All the governors, National Assembly members, BOT, etc are on this side. So, who is he going to be leading?
“Whether he is being backed by whatever forces, be it external or internal, good luck to him.
“Let everybody in PDP calm down, there is salvation ahead of us.
“I’m aware that some people are apprehensive of 2018 but I want to say it here that they should worry not. What I know that will happen tomorrow is that I will get to greater heights.
“There are three major important factors in elections, the people is number one, followed by the party and the candidate. You can have a party and candidate, if you don’t have the people, you will fail because the power of the people is greater than the power of those of us in power.
“Here in Ekiti, we have the people.
“I am saying it here that we are under the leadership of the Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee.
“When we got the judgement at the lower court, affirming the Caretaker Committee, Sheriff was still parading himself as the chairman.”
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.