Nation
Obio/Akpor: Govt To Obey Ruling …Rep Flays GDI’s Assault On Omuma Boss
Rivers State Government says it will obey the judgement given by Justice Adanma Iyayi-Lamikanra in the suit on the suspension of the Obio/Akpor Local Government chairman and councillors.
Reacting to the judgement, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, said the trial Judge held that the action of the Rivers State House of Assembly in respect of the suspension of the former Chairman and councilors of the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council for alleged fraudulent practices was flawed and unconstitutional.
“As a responsible Government, which respects the rule of law, we have noted the ruling and in our usual manner would abide by the pronouncement.”
However, we are constrained to note that the trial judge acted in total disregard of the Court of Appeal, which at the moment is entertaining an appeal in respect of the matter. We are aware that under the rules of court, where there is a subsisting ruling essentially from the court above, lower courts are as a rule expected to stay action pending the determination of the appeal,” she added.
In this instance, we wish to state without equivocation that the trial judge erred in law when she failed to adhere to age-long principles upon which the rule of law draws inspiration and strength. For the avoidance of doubt, the Rivers State Government has filed an appeal for a stay of execution of the judgment while the ongoing matter that is being heard by the court above is billed for Thursday, the 28th of November, 2013.”
The government urged all Rivers people, “particularly the good people of Obio/Akpor to remain calm and law abiding,” assuring that government will pursue the cause of justice through constitutional and judicial means until the people secure justice.
In a related development, the lawmaker representing the Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency, Rt the Hon Ogbonna Nwuke has reacted to last Sunday’s invasion of the Omuma Local Government premises and the physical assault on the elected Council Chairman, Mr John Anucha by security forces.
The siege on the council premises, using tanks, armed police and a sprinkle of soldiers is coming against the backdrop of attempts to use the Omuma council premises to launch the GDI by supporters of the Supervising Minister of Education, Barrister Nyesom Wike.
The honorable member in a statement issued in Abuja after he had received briefs from his constituents in the area described the roles played by the police as despicable, shameful, unacceptable and undemocratic.
According to him, “Once again, the police apparently acting on the instructions of a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly who claims to be a staunch supporter of Nyesom Wike has demonstrated great disregard for decency and resorted to the use of terror to intimidate the good people of Omuma Local Government in pursuit of narrow parochial political interests.
“We are shocked that such undemocratic methods could be adopted by the police and an elected official who claims the mandate of his people to undermine democratic tenets and the rule of law”. “It is evidence of the abysmal use of security personnel in Rivers State since the arrival of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Mbu to distort law and order and create tension and crisis”.
The lawmaker urged all men and women of goodwill, including rights groups to condemn the Rivers State Commissioner of Police for his penchant for fomenting trouble under the guise of supporting certain interests in Abuja, saying his acts of great indiscretion were becoming alarming and legendary.
The Chairman of Malumfashi Local Government Council of Katsina State, Maharazu Dayi, has been impeached.
Maharazu Dayi was impeached yesterday by 11 out of 12 councillors, barely two days before the local government elections in the State.
The councillors reportedly took action following allegations of misconduct and poor governance against the chairman after a dispute over the distribution of the council’s Paris Club funds.
The development has sent shock waves across the local government area, especially as the impeached chairman is among those who failed to secure the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest in the forthcoming election.
The Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association, Mile 1, Port Harcourt, has urged the state government to utilise the available spaces within the area to build phase 3 of the Rumuwoji Market in order to solve the ever increasing needs of traders.
The association, which said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, also described as a welcomed development the decision by the state Governor to open the phase 2 of the market for business.
According to the association, “We consider it as an answer to the various cries of the people, because he is a man on a mission who is out to place the interest of Rivers people first. It is a dream come true for the first time for the market to be dully allocated and open for business”
Chairman of the association, Hon Godspower Wobo, who briefed the press shortly after a meeting of the association in Port Harcourt, also urged the public to disregard the activities of some persons whose stock in trade is to cause disaffection in the market.
He said the attention of the association was drawn to the activities of some strange fellows who went about misforming the people about situation in the market, stressing that apart from his association, no other group exists in the market except subdiary unions.
Wobo also tasked the reallocation committee to tread with caution so as to avoid being deceived by any group.
According to him, time has come for the state government to engage in robust discussion with aggrieved shop owners who went to court and those who paid monies to the state coffers and issued with allocation certificates for the overall interest of peace.
He also advised the public to deal directly with his association, stressing that the meeting was to review activities for the last year as well as unveil their new Constitution.
Also speaking, former Chairman of the association, Deacon Kenneth Eze urged the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara to open the phase 2 of the market, as it is long overdue.
Eze who is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the association also urged the public to do business with only the Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association as it is the only union recognised by the traders.
The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has debunked reports linking him with the race for Nigeria’s presidency in 2027.
Reacting to the report on his X handle yesterday, following a recent interview with Arise TV, the AfDB boss said his quotes were misrepresented and misinterpreted in several Nigerian media reports.
However, the AfDB president denied the media reports, stating that he never said that he wanted to contest for President.
“A segment of my recent interview on @Arise TV has been both misinterpreted and misrepresented in several Nigerian media outlets. What I said was, “I will be available to serve in any capacity, globally, in Africa, anywhere, including my own country.”
“A listen to the substantive and robust interview, which is available online, will show this to be the case. For clarity and for the record, I did not say that I am running for the office of President of Nigeria,” Adesina said.