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2019 Rivers Elections: S’Court Can’t Entertain APC’s Issues -Lawyers …As PDP Hails Apex Court Verdict …On Rivers APC Primaries
A Constitutional Lawyer, Emmanuel Anele has declared that Rivers All Progressives Congress (APC) case before the Supreme Court on the Rivers election was merely an academic exercise because the apex court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the matter, which it had earlier ruled upon.
Speaking during Africa Independent Television (AIT) Kaakaki Programme, monitored in Port Harcourt, yesterday, Anele said that the Supreme Court cannot reverse itself, having voided the primaries and congresses conducted by the APC in Rivers State.
Anele said, “The Supreme Court decided 14 cases this year on the basis that the time the appeals were filed had lapsed. The Supreme Court, I know, will not oblige what the APC is asking of them. The Supreme Court can’t reverse itself in this instance otherwise, there will be no certainty.
“Unless there is a distinguishing factor to say let us depart from our past judgment.
“The APC is not raising any new issue. It amounts to abuse of court process. The Supreme Court even yesterday (Monday) struck out the suit filed by Senator Magnus Abe to amend processes.
“APC has never raised a new issue that will compel the Supreme Court to reverse its earlier decision”, he argued.
The constitutional lawyer added, “The crux of the matter is whether the primaries conducted by the APC in Rivers State are valid or not, and the Supreme Court has repeatedly said that it is invalid.
“It is not even asking the Supreme Court to compel INEC to add it in the Rivers State gubernatorial election. The election has come and gone, the only way to challenge the declaration of Chief Nyesom Wike as governor of Rivers State is the tribunal.
“The Supreme Court has no jurisdiction in the instant case before it. If you look at the prayer sought, the court is not a Father Christmas. It cannot give you what you did not ask”.
The legal practitioner said that the game APC wants to play is to approach Supreme Court and seek omnibus orders.
He said APC wants to use such omnibus orders to approach the election tribunal.
Anele said: “They will now use that trophy to approach the tribunal. That would have orchestrated constitutional crisis in Rivers State. As at the time the governorship election was conducted, there was no injunctive order stopping INEC from conducting election.
“The game will not favour anybody, but to truncate the wish of Rivers people.
“They have voted and the results announced. Anybody going to the Supreme Court to get any reliefs that he will use as a trophy to approach the election tribunal will not avail the person anything.
“The Supreme Court will not be blackmailed to give judgment to anybody. Their integrity is at stake, democracy is also at stake. The Court of Appeal based its judgment on the earlier consolidated judgment of the Supreme Court. How will the Supreme Court now reverse itself?
“The Supreme Court justices should be firm and stand on their earlier judgments, so that there will be certainty in the electoral processes.
“Nobody will blackmail the Supreme Court justices. Nobody will get anything out of this. It is an academic exercise.
“Elections have been conducted and winners emerged. Anybody that is dissatisfied with the conduct of that election should approach the election petitions tribunal, if you participated in that election”.
Another lawyer on the programme, Mr Ilemona Onoja said there was absolutely nothing new in the APC applications before the Supreme Court.
Onoja said: “Asking that it be determined on the merit, what merit? The Court of Appeal was to determine the suit on its merit, and the Supreme Court reached a decision. The judges of Court of Appeal said with the Supreme Court judgment, that APC in Rivers State can’t field candidates, it will be fruitless determining the matter.
“Going to the Supreme Court to say the Court of Appeal did not determine the matter on its merit, when in actual fact, the Court of Appeal based its decision on the Supreme Court is curious. It is flogging a dead horse. At some point, there should be an end to litigation”, he advised.
He said there was no basis for the Supreme Court to grant their prayers to invalidate a validly conducted election and order that they benefit from their wrongdoing.
Onoja said: “If the Supreme Court makes an order to invalidate the election and order the inclusion of APC, the judiciary will be saying it is okay to disregard the court.
“If the APC in Rivers State had refrained from conducting state congresses pending the determination of the suit, they wouldn’t have had this problem and they wouldn’t have come to this impasse. Everything APC has done thereafter is to attempt to benefit from its own violation of court orders”, he argued.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, last Monday, struck out the notice of amendment filed by Senator Magnus Abe on the primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State.
In a unanimous judgment read the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Ibrahim Mohammed, the apex court dismissed the application on the ground that it lacks merit.
The court also noted that the suit was incompetent and a gross violation of Order 2 Rule 8 of the Supreme Court Rules.
It held that once a notice of appeal has been found defective, it cannot be amended.
The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had on January 7, nullified the direct and indirect primaries conducted by the two factions of the APC in the state.
Justice Kolawole Omotosho, who presided over the case, also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from presenting Tonye Cole and Magnus Abe as governorship candidates in the general election.
He said none of the primaries were conducted according to the law, noting that the INEC did not do well by submitting names of candidates without consideration of previous court orders.
Following the court’s ruling, Abe filed an appeal against the nullification of the party’s primaries at the Supreme Court.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
The Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, has assured the commitment of Rivers State government to workers’s welfare and industrial harmony in Rivers State.
The Sole Administrator gave the assurance after meeting with leadership of organized labour unions at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Ibas reaffirmed government’s policy of prompt payment of salaries and pensions to workers and retirees, stating that all local government employees are not receiving the approved minimum wage.
He disclosed that approval has been given for payment of newly employed staff at Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and the Judiciary, while medical workers in Local Government Areas will now receive correct wages.
Ibas explained that, Government is reviewing implementation challenges of the Contributory Pension Scheme ahead of the July 2025 deadline, adding that Intervention buses have been reintroduced to ease workers’ transportation ,with plans to expand the fleet.
He said specialized leadership training for top civil servants will commence within two weeks, while due consideration is being given to implementing the N32,000 consequential adjustment for pensioners and clearing outstanding gratuities.
Ibas commended Rivers State workers for their dedication to service and called for sustained partnership with labour unions to maintain industrial peace.
“This administration recognizes workers as critical partners in development. We remain committed to addressing your legitimate concerns within available resources,” he stated.
The State NLC Chairman, Comrade Alex Agwanwor, thanked the Administrator for the steps taken so far with regard to workers welfare while appreciating his disposition towards alleviating the transportation problem faced by workers.
He also expressed appreciation for the government’s openness to dialogue and pledged continued cooperation towards achieving mutual goals.
The Rivers State Government assured all workers of its unwavering commitment to their welfare and called for continued dedication to service delivery for the collective progress of our dear State.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Rivers Council, has called for policies that will improve the economic situation of the country in order to ensure enhanced living standard for workers.
The State Chairman, Mr Alex Agwanwor, made the remark on behalf of the unions affiliated to Labour Congress during the 2025 workers day celebration in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Agwanwor highlighted the demands of the Unions which included the immediate payment of pension arrears, implementation of the N32,000 minimum wage for pensioners, and payment of gratuities and death benefits without further delay.
“We are calling for the regulation and protection of e-hailing drivers, implementation of increments and promotions, and resolution of long-standing issues in the polytechnic sector,” he said.
Agwanwor on behalf of the unions appealed to President Bola Tinubu to reinstate the democratically elected Governor, Deputy Governor, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
He stressed the importance of democratic governance and good working relationship with elected representatives.
According to him, the unions expressed disappointment over the imposition of taxes, increase in electricity tariff, and high cost of goods and services, which have further worsened the plight of workers.
“We urge the federal government to take measures to alleviate the suffering of citizens,” he said.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima says President Bola Tinubu is committed to unlocking Nigeria’s full potential and position the country as a leading force on the African continent.
Shettima stated this when he hosted a delegation from the Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, led by its Senior Fellow, Dr Rolf Alter, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja last Wednesday.
He said Nigeria was actively seeking expertise from the global best institutions to enhance policy formulation and implementation, particularly in human capital development.
The Vice-President noted that President Tinubu was determined to elevate Nigeria to its rightful position as a leading force in Africa.
“The current crop of leadership in Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is ready and willing to unleash the full potential of the Nigerian nation on the African continent.
” We are laying the groundwork through strategic reforms, and at the heart of it, is human capital development.”
He described the Hertie School as a valuable partner in the journey.
According to him, Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, has track record and institutional knowledge to add value to our policy formulation and delivery, especially in this disruptive age.
Shettima reiterated the government’s priority on upskilling Nigerians, saying ” skills are very important, and with our Human Capital Development (HCD) 2.0 programme.
“We are in a position to unleash the full potential of the Nigerian people by enhancing their capital skills.”
The Vice-President acknowledged the vital support of international development partners in that effort.
” I want to thank the World Bank, the European Union, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and all our partners in that drive to add value to the Nigerian nation,” he maintained.
The Vice-President said human capital development was both an economic imperative and a social necessity.
Shettima assured the delegation of the government’s readiness to deepen cooperation.
” We need the skills and the capacity from your school. The world is now knowledge-driven.
“I wish to implore you to have a very warm and robust partnership with the government and people of Nigeria.”
Shettima further explained recent economic decisions of the government, including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms.
“The removal of fuel subsidy, the unification of the exchange rate regime and the revolution in the energy sector are all painful processes, but at the end of the day, the Nigerian people will laugh last.
“President Tinubu is a very modern leader who is willing to take far-reaching, courageous decisions to reposition the Nigerian economy,” he added.
Earlier, Alter, congratulated the Tinubu administration for the successful launch and implementation of the Human Capital Development (HCD) strategy.
The group leader described the development as ambitious and targeted towards the improvement of the lives of the citizens.
He expressed satisfaction with the outcome of his engagements since arriving in the country.
He applauded the zeal, commitment, energy and goodwill observed among stakeholders in the implementation of Nigeria’s HCD programme.
Alter said the Hertie School of Governance would work closely with authorities in Nigeria across different levels to deliver programmes specifically designed to address the unique needs of the country.
He, however, stressed the need for government officials at different levels to be agile and amenable to the dynamics of the evolving world, particularly as Nigeria attempted to successfully accelerate its human capital development aspirations.
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