News
Again, PDP Drags AP Assembly Candidates To Court
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has, again, dragged the state House of Assembly candidates of Accord Party to a Port Harcourt High Court for alleged non-compliance to electoral guidelines in the conduct of the party’s primaries.
This recent suit challenging the eligibility of the state House of Assembly candidates comes after the PDP had also dragged party’s National Assembly flagbearers to a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt for same offence.
Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed of Federal High Court 5, yesterday, adjourned to September 23, 2022, after listening to arguments from the plaintiffs and defendants’ counsel on whether there was proper service on the defendants in line with the laid down High Court rules.
Speaking to journalists outside the court room, counsel to the 3rd to 27th defendants(Accord State House of Assembly Candidates), Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), said, “we have to come in obedience and respect for the court, notwithstanding that there have not been proper service or actual service on some of our clients, and on getting to court, today, the court checked if, indeed, we were served. Record of the court indicated that an order of service was made but there were issues whether we were served.
“Since we all have duty of cooperation in matters of this nature, the other side offered to effect proper service on us, and we indeed, accepted service. Effectively now, we are in the case for the 3rd to 27th defendants.
“In the next adjourned date, we will have our appropriate response. The defendants are actually candidates for party state House of Assembly in Rivers State. The case was adjourned to September 23,2022 for appearance”.
Also speaking, counsel to Accord Party, Abdulameed Mohammed (SAN) said, “this is a suit that is very unusual by a political party challenging the primaries of another political party.
“We look at the processes. We are objecting to the jurisdiction of the court, the competence of the suit and the competence of the court to entertain the suit.
“We filed notice of preliminary objection to serve them, and they reacted. We filed counter-affidavit, and you can see this morning, we were trying to highlight what we filled. There are other processes which we applied to INEC, which we obtained. We need to file further affidavits in reaction to the originating summons. So, this is where we are. We are hopeful that this matter will be dismissed”.
On his own, counsel to PDP, Dike Udenna, said the fact of the matter was that the primary conducted by Accord Party was not in compliance to electoral guidelines as the election for the state House of Assembly candidates did not hold in the respective constituencies but in one venue.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt will on September 23, 2022 deliver judgement on a motion for joinder filed by the Peoples Democratic Party against the Accord Party in a suit seeking to disqualify Accord’s National Assembly candidates from the 2023 general election.
The court will also on the same date deliver a ruling on a motion by counsel to Accord seeking to strike out the suit by the PDP which is said to have sued the wrong party instead of Accord.
When the matter came up for hearing, yesterday, counsel to PDP, Dem Nwigwe, SAN, moved his motion for some additional defendants to be joined in the suit.
Justice Daylop-Pam, after listening to arguments from the counsel to the plaintiffs and defendants during the resumed sitting, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, reserved ruling on the application to the next adjourned date of September 23,2022.
Speaking to journalists after the court sitting, counsel to PDP, Den Wigwe(SAN), said his clients filed the suit against Accord Party because they produced new set of candidates all-together against the initial ones, adding that PDP was working to give opportunity of being heard to those excluded in the process.
Wigwe said PDP believes the presence of the new set of candidates would affect their position on the matter.
In an interview with newsmen, Counsel to the Accord Party’s National Assembly candidates, Owonikoko Abiodun(SAN) said, “on our own part, we needed to regularise our response to the main suit, which, because of lack of proof of service the last time, was adjourned till today. So, the court has taken that application and has granted it. So, all our responses and defence to the suit are in”.
According to him, “we filed an application; the plaintiffs responded to the application. What we are saying is that they sued Accord Party, and we said that such name is unknown to us, and is unknown to law; and we say that the name(Accord Party) should be struck out from the suit. We exhibited the certificate of incorporation duly certified by INEC that, that name is not known to any person.
“Is like you are suing nobody.So, we are asking the court to strike it out, and the judge adjourned for ruling”.
Meanwhile, the Guber candidate of Accord Party in Rivers State, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, who was in court, described the action of PDP as misnomer.
Lulu-Briggs said it was a deliberate plot by the PDP to distract Accord Party during the political campaigns which are drawing close.
He maintained that Accord Party and its candidates could not be distracted, adding that Rivers people would have an opportunity to elect people who would represent them at all levels.
By: Amadi Akujobi
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.