News
Anxiety In Kogi As Supreme Court Decides Gov’s Fate, Today
An air of uneasiness has enveloped Kogi State as parties to the dispute over the last governorship election in the state anxiously await the verdict of the Supreme Court scheduled to be handed down in Abuja, today.
The nation’s apex court is expected to deliver two judgments on the two surviving appeals on the dispute over whether or not the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and incumbent Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, was lawfully returned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the November 16, 2019 election.
The first appeal, marked: SC/CV/388/2020, was filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Engr Musa Wada, while the second one was filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Ms Natasha Akpoti.
The appellants are, among others, praying the court to reverse the judgments of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the decisions of the election tribunal, affirming Bello’s victory at the poll.
There was a third appeal filed by the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) and its candidate, Usman Mohammed, but it did not survive the court’s last proceedings on August 25, 2020.
The appellants’ lawyer, M. S. Ibrahim applied to withdraw it on realising that his clients’ case would not fly.
The appellants had challenged INEC’s disqualification of DPP’s candidate, who was said to be 31 years old as against the 35 years allowed by law.
Upon Ibrahim’s oral application for withdrawal, the court’s seven-man panel, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, struck out the appeal, and awarded N200,000 cost against the appellants and in favour of the APC and Bello.
On the same day, the court entertained arguments from lawyers to parties in the appeals by the PDP and SDP and their candidates, following which it adjourned till August 31, 2020, for judgment in both appeals.
Lawyer to the PDP and Wada, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), while adopting the appellants’ brief of argument, prayed the court to allow his client’s appeal, and grant the reliefs contained therein.
Okutepa contended, among others, that the five Justices of the Court of Appeal erred in law when they upheld the majority decision of the election tribunal, which validated Bello’s election.
On their part, lawyers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Bello and APC – Alex Izinyon (SAN), Joseph Daudu (SAN) and Ahmed Raji (SAN) – urged the court to reject the appeal on the grounds that it lacked merit.
They prayed the court to retain the concurrent findings of the Court of Appeal and the majority decision of the tribunal, to the effect that Bello was validly returned as the winner of the election.
Similar arguments were made in relation to the appeal by the SDP and Akpoti
The PDP and Wada, in their appellants’ brief of argument, raised five issues for the court’s determination.
They are: “Whether the Court of Appeal acted without jurisdiction and in breach of the right to fair hearing of the appellants when it considered and determined the appeal before it on issues that did not arise from the majority judgment of the trial tribunal and or the notice and grounds of appeal filed before it.
“Whether the Court of Appeal was right in affirming the decision of the trial tribunal striking out several paragraphs of the appellants’ petition and deeming grounds ‘B’ and ‘C’ of the petition to have been abandoned.
“Whether the Court of Appeal was not in grave error in holding that the evidence of PWl9 (the forensic expert) and his report (exhibit P185A) have no evidential value.
“Considering the peculiar facts and circumstances of this case, whether the court below was right in holding that the failure by the appellants to call polling unit agents in the polling units complained of in the seven contested local government areas of Kogi State is fatal to the petition.
“The Court of Appeal rejected the reasons given by the trial tribunal for not according weight to the evidence of PW19 and exhibit P185A as can be seen on pages 5,175 to 5,176 of the record, volume 12 thereof. But, in breach of the right to fair hearing of the appellants, the court below suo motu (on its own volition) gave its own reasons and discountenanced the evidence of PW19 and exhibit P185A as can be seen on pages 5,175 to 5,176 of the record, volume 12 thereof”.
Izinyon raised two issues for the court’s determination in the first respondent’s brief of argument he filed for INEC.
They are: “Whether the court below was right in law in affirming some of the decisions of the trial tribunal granting the prayers in the various interlocutory applications of the respondents.
“Whether the lower court was right in dismissing the appellants’ appeal, having regard to the state of pleadings and the evidence led by the appellants at the trial tribunal.”
In his second respondent’s brief of argument, Bello raised three issues for the court’s determination.
They are: “Whether the court below considered in its judgment, issues raised suo motu that neither arose from the trial tribunal’s judgment nor raised by the second respondent.
“Whether the court below was right to have arrived at the conclusion that the appellants could not rely on facts and particulars pleaded specifically in support of the already abandoned grounds ‘B’ and ‘C’, relating to non-compliance and corrupt practices, to establish their principal and only surviving ground of complaint to wit: that the second respondent did not score majority of lawful votes in the said election.
“Whether, having regard to the ground of majority of lawful votes relied upon by the appellants, the court below was correct when it affirmed the conclusion of the trial tribunal that the appellants failed to prove that the second respondent was not elected by majority of lawful votes”.
The PDP and Wada had, shortly after INEC announced the result of the election, filed a petition on December 7, 2019, before the Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which sat in Abuja.
On May 23, 2020, the tribunal, in a split decision of two-to-one, dismissed the petition and upheld INEC’s return of Bello as the winner of the election.
The tribunal’s Chairman, Justice Kashim Kaigama, and a member, Justice Baraka Wali, gave the majority decision, while another member, Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele, gave the minority dissenting judgment, upholding the petition and voiding Bello’s election.
The PDP and Wada appealed the majority decision of the tribunal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
But in a judgment on July 4, 2020, the appellate court’s five-man panel was unanimous in dismissing the appeal, and proceeded to uphold the majority decision of the tribunal.
On the Court of Appeal’s panel were Justices Adamu Jauro, Haruna Simon Tsammani, Onyekachi Aja Otisi, Elfreda O. Williams-Daudu and Mohammed Lawal Shuaibu.
The PDP and Wada again appealed to the Supreme Court, which heard the case on August 25 and scheduled the judgment for August 31, 2020.
The case by SDP and Akpoti has a similar history but for the fact that there was no split in the tribunal’s decision given on May 18, 2020.
The tribunal was unanimous in dismissing their petition.
On appeal to the Court of Appeal, a five-man panel of the court, in a judgment on July 4, 2020, dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit; a decision the SDP and Akpoti further appealed to the Supreme Court.
The judgment on the same case at the apex court is also slated for today.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, has decried the continued exclusion of members from payment of specialist allowance despite performing specialist functions in various health Institutions across the country.
It also condemned the persistent casualisation and poor remuneration of members by chief executives of tertiary hospitals.
The President of the Association in Akwa Ibom, Dr Osundara Tope, raised the concerns while addressing a press conference where he read the communique issued at the end of the May Ordinary Meeting and Scientific conference with the theme “The Medical Profession: Policies, Politics, and Future Prospects” held in Uyo on Saturday.
The communique was signed by the association’s president, Dr Osundara Tope, Secretary general Dr. Odunbaku Kazeem Oluwasola, and Public and Social Secretary Dr. Amobi Omoha respectively.
“The OGM observed with disappointment the continued exclusion of resident doctors from the payment of specialist allowances, despite their active role in delivering specialist care across various health institutions.
“The OGM strongly condemns the continued and persistent casualisation and the consequent poor remuneration of doctors by the chief executives of tertiary hospitals .The meeting also expressed disappointment over the non-payment of arrears from the upward review of the CONMESS salary structure and other outstanding salary arrears,” the communique read.
He also expressed the association’s disappointment over the non-payment of arrears from the upward review of the CONMESS salary structure and other outstanding salary arrears of members.
The association condemned federal government’s failure to pay the 2024 Accouterments Allowance arrears and persistent shortchanging of it members for the past 16 years due to absence of consequential adjustments to the CONMESS structure, which it noted was a breach of the 2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement.
He further expressed disappointment over lack of response to multiple correspondences on the issue, emphasising that such contradicts the National Policy on Health Workforce, which advocates improved incentives to retaining healthcare workers.
According to Tope, “The OGM notes with concern the persistent short-changing of members for 16 years, due to the absence of consequential adjustments to the CONMESS structure, in breach of the 2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement.
“This contradicts the National Policy on Health Workforce, which advocates improved incentives to retaining healthcare workers.
“The OGM is dismayed at the lack of response to multiple correspondences sent over the past six months regarding the consequential adjustments.The OGM condemns the Federal Government’s failure to pay the 2024 Accoutrement Allowance arrears.”
The meeting further expressed displeasure over the delay in addressing welfare issues in Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital including the non-payment of outstanding March 2024 salaries, the 7–14 months of arrears still owed to Residents and Medical Officers of the association
It therefore demanded immediate payment of the arrears of the 25/35% upwardly revised CONMESS, and other salary arrears and full implementation of consequential adjustments to the 2019 and 2024 minimum wage on basic salaries and allowances, along with accrued arrears.
A Maritime security out fit ,”Active Marine Surveillance and Coast Guard Limited” says it is ready to deploy its men to ensure security across waterways in Rivers state and Niger Delta.
The group which said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt also pledged to collaborate with the various security agencies to ensure safety on the state waterways.
Director General of the organization, Commandant Godwin Amare said the organization cannot sit down and watch pirates take control of the waterways in Rivers state and the Niger Delta region.
He said his group is planning to deploy its men to the Bonny Bille and Degema rivers to check the activities of pirates
According to him, allowing pirates to take control of these waterways will not only affects the economy of Rivers state but the entire Nigeria Delta region.
He said the paramilitary organization has the manpower to check piracy on the waterways but required the support of both the federal and state governments especially in the provision of the necessary security equipment such as speed boats.
Amare said the organization which protects jetties and waterways from Pirates is also involved in search and rescue operations ,adding that his organization has competent divers who can undertake rescue operations in deep waters.
“We cannot be sitting down here while our aims and objectives is not being fulfilled
“We want to tell the federal and state governments that we want to come out and join in the fight against sea piracy to make our waterways safe
“The Nigerian Navy cannot do it alone. We want to support the government by deploying our men across waterways in Rivers state and the Niger Delta so that it would be safer for people to travel on the waterways”, he said.
He said the governments can assist the organization by providing them with security boats and other instruments
Amare also disclosed plans by the organization to embark on a tour of jetties across the region with a view to guaranteeing their safety.
Also speaking Captain Dain Elekima , deputy Commandant, Active Marine Surveillance and Coast Guard Limited said all the creeks in the region need to be comb daily to flush out pirates.
He said his group has the required manpower but needs the support of both the state and federal governments to ensure safety on the waterways.
Speaking the director Finance and Operations Active Marine Surveillance and Coast Guard Limited Captain Emberro Michael said they are ready to work with the Nigerian Navy and Marine police to check all Incidences of insecurity along the waterways.
Captain Michael stressed the need for the federal and state governments to support the group.
John Bibor & Claire Julius
The Rivers State Government has joined the rest of the world to celebrate the 2025 International Children’s Day with a wake-up call on parents/guardians, teachers, organisations and multinationals to collaborate in building the children of today for a resilient and better Nigerian future.
To this end, the state government said it is commited to creating and recreating an enabling environment that prioritizes the welfare and development of children.
Delivering her speech at the occasion held at the Sharks Football Stadium, Port Harcourt, the Wife of the State Sole Administrator, Barr. Dr. Theresa Ibas, said that the administration places children at the center of the state with a continued efforts in ensuring that every child in the state has a reason to hope and platform to grow.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth Development, Mrs Ruhuoma Kejeh, Ibas said the year’s theme ‘Children: ‘’Our Future And Our Responsibility’ could not be more timely as it reflects on not only the dreams of the children but also the sacred duty of parents/guardians to nurture those dreams into reality.
She said “It is a profound call to action, reminding us that the children we see around us today are not just playing, learning or growing. They are quietly carrying within them the seeds of tomorrow’s society. Every child, no matter the background, is a potential leader, innovator, caregiver or visionary. Their laughter today is the foundation of a joyful nation, tomorrow”.
“While their future holds promise, it is shaped by the choices we make today – the quality of education we provide, the values we instill, the love we show and the protection we offer. Our children’s future is inextricably tied to how seriously we take our responsibility to guide, nurture and empower them. We must never take that responsibility lightly.”
Describing every child as beautiful and full of promises, Ibas said “ the journey to their full potential cannot and must not be walked alone. No child becomes great in isolation”.
She therefore called on parents, teachers, guardians, leaders and members of the society to be deliberate in recognising the sacred role of building an environment where every child is safe, educated and empowered.
“As we celebrate today with music, dance, games and joy, let it also be a time of recommitment – for all of us to build a Rivers State where every child can become what they were born to be”, Ibas stated.
Earlier in her Welcome Address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Prof. Justina A.Jumbo, said this year’s celebration was marked with a reaffirmation of the ministry’s commitment to providing inclusive and equitable education, ensuring access to healthcare and nutrition, protecting children from abuse, neglect and exploitation and promoting child participation and empowerment.
Jumbo who noted that the Ministry, through its Department of Child Welfare, has been working tirelessly to ensure the protection and well-being of state’s children said “Some of our notable efforts include:, providing shelter, health care, education and support for vulnerable children at the Port-Harcourt Children’s Home Borokiri, implementing programs to prevent child abuse, gender based violence and collaborating with stakeholders to promote child rights and welfare as well as offering counseling and rehabilitation services for children in need”.
“May I also use this forum to call on corporate and private organizations, multinational companies, and philanthropies, as part of their corporate social responsibility, to continue investing in our children’s futures, upholding our responsibility to nurture and protect them.
“I appeal to you all to see it as your duty to supplement government’s efforts, knowing that the government cannot do it alone in putting the future of Rivers State Children first. Let us work together to create a society where every child can grow, learn, and flourish.
“To our dear children, we say: your voices matter, your dreams are valuable, and your futures are bright. Keep reaching for the stars and shining your light!
Never let anyone or anything dim your light – your potential is limitless, and your future is full of promise”.
Highlights of the celebration included dance and drama presentation by the Ministry of Arts and Culture (Arts Council), match pass by selected schools and voluntary organisations, presentation of trophies and cutting of cake.
Lady Godknows Ogbulu
-
Politics9 hours ago2027: Elder Statesman Cautions Atiku, Obi, el-Rufai Against Heating Up Polity
-
Niger Delta2 hours agoDon Identifies Key Challenges To Tertiary Education In Nigeria
-
Politics9 hours agoOkpebholo Gifts Council Chairmen SUVs, Denies Interference With LG Funds
-
City Crime46 mins agoIAUE Graduates 4,379, Four Bag First Class
-
News10 hours ago
Weeds Take Over Site Of Proposed Border Park Facility In Cross River
-
Politics9 hours agoReps Propose Jail Term For Workplace Bribery
-
News10 hours ago
RSG Recommits To Children’s Welfare Urges Partnership In Upbringing
-
Opinion9 hours ago
Stop Sexual Exploitation Of Children