News
We’ll Scuttle APC’s Plans To Rig Edo Poll, Wike Vows
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Campaign Council for Edo Governorship Election and Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said the council would scuttle alleged plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to use security agencies to rig the September 19 governorship poll in Edo State.
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt, Wike said the APC was confident about winning because it wanted to rig.
He stated that the PDP has gathered enough intelligence report about the alleged plan and would scuttle it at the appropriate time.
Wike added that Obaseki cannot be described as an ingrate because he has proven to be a man of character.
He said: “Governor Godwin Obaseki is not an ingrate like Adams Oshiomhole and Osagie Ize-Iyamu who can do anything, including betraying people to grab power.
“Obaseki is morally qualified and stands out as the best candidate for the September 19, 2020 election.
“Edo people cannot support and desire the handover of power to the APC candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who is a nomadic politician and ingrate who lacks character.
“It is Oshiomhole who is an ingrate because he told us that Obaseki served as the brain box of his administration that lasted eight years. How can such a person become an ingrate?
“Look at Ize-Iyamu, he is an ingrate too. He served as Secretary to the State Government in Chief Lucky Igbinedion’s administration. When he didn’t get what he wanted, he dumped the party and moved to another party.
“In 2015, people supported him for the governorship, when he failed; he did not consult them but abandoned them for another party.
“That is the life of a nomadic politician. Like his master, they are dangerously desperate, insatiable and can do anything for power.”
Wike stated that Obaseki is not a violent man like Ize-Iyamu who allegedly instructed thugs he called “lions and tigers” to cause crisis.
He challenged the police and the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to use the Edo election to correct previous mistakes by conducting free and fair polls.
“We consider the comment by INEC to cancel or suspend the election because of violence as succumbing to the antics of the APC.
“All they want is violence because they cannot win the election. If the election is suspended, the implication is that Obaseki will serve out his tenure without an election in November,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, has adjourned till August 24, hearing in a suit seeking the disqualification of Ize-Iyamu and Ganiyu from the September 19 poll.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo adjourned the case after granting an application for substituted service of the court processes on the third and fourth defendants, Ganiyu and Ize-Iyamu, respectively.
Two APC chieftains, Hon. Momoh Abdul-Razak and Hon. Zibiri Muhizu, had sued the APC’s candidate and his running mate for alleged perjury.
Defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/758/2020 are APC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Audu Ganiyu and Osagie Ize-Iyamu as 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants respectively.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to disqualify Ganiyu from participating in the forthcoming election on account of giving false information to INEC in aid of his qualification for the governorship poll.
Ganiyu, in the suit filed on July 10, by the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Mr. Friday Nwosu, was also accused of certificate forgery.
They further prayed the court to annul the nomination of Ize-Iyamu as APC’s governorship candidate on account of running with an allegedly unqualified deputy.
In addition, they prayed the court for another order restraining the APC from contesting the September 19 governorship poll upon the disqualification of the third and fourth defendants.
In a 41-paragraph affidavit deposed to in support of the suit, the plaintiffs averred that Ganiyu contravened provisions of the electoral laws by providing false information and lying on oath in his form CF 001 he submitted to INEC in support of his qualification for the September 19 governorship election in Edo State.
According to the deponent, Abdul-Razak, “There are several irrevocable different and false information given by the third defendant about himself, which cannot be true in his 2020 INEC Form EC-9.
“That I know as a fact that both the alleged name Audu Abudu Ganiyu in his 2020 form EC-9, Audu Abudu Ganiyu in the WAEC (GCE) of December 1983, Audu Gani on the APC card No: 0054243, are not the name of the third defendant as fully and definitely confirmed by the statutory declaration of age (exhibit 6A) that accompanied the third defendant’s 2019 form CF 001 personally deposed to by the third defendant at the Registry of the Chief Magistrate’s Court, Yaba Lagos State on 24/5/1996.”
Abdul-Razak averred that the deputy governorship candidate, who is a serving member of the Edo State House of Assembly representing Etsako West Constituency, submitted a different name to INEC in 2020 from what he submitted in his 2015 and 2019 CF 001 forms.
He said the third defendant had no time in the various certificates paraded by him, attached any change of name to prove the names belong to him.
The plaintiffs accused the deputy governorship candidate of superimposing the letter ‘A” on the testimonial issued by a state authority or institution to read from originally Audu Ganiyu to Audu “A” Ganiyu, which he presented same to INEC in aid of his qualification for the election.
When the matter came up yesterday, counsel to the plaintiffs informed the court that while both the first and second defendants have been served with the processes, the third and fourth have not been served and as such he has brought an application for substituted service.
Counsel to the first defendant, Dr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa, acknowledged service while there was no appearance for INEC.
In a short ruling, Justice Taiwo granted the application as prayed and ordered that the court processes, including the hearing notice, be pasted on the Benin City residences of the third and fourth defendants.
He subsequently adjourned till August 24 for hearing in the substantive suit.
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.