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S’Court Hears APC’s Request To Review Bayelsa Judgement, Today
The Supreme Court has scheduled hearing for today, in the application by the All Progressives Congress (APC) seeking, among others, a review of its February 13, 2020, judgment disqualifying the party’s candidate in the last governorship election in Bayelsa State, David Pereworimin Lyon.
The announcement came just as a constitutional lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), described the attack on Justice Mary Peter-Odili as dangerous for the independence of the Supreme Court.
It was gathered, yesterday, that the Registry of the Supreme Court has communicated the date of hearing to parties in the case.
It was, however, not clear whether or not respondents to the APC’s application have filed their responses.
In the application filed on February 20 by its team of lawyers led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), the APC wants the Supreme Court to set aside some portions of its judgment.
They include where it “wrongly” held that the Federal High Court disqualified its governorship candidate along with its deputy governorship candidate and where it held that joint ticket of its candidates was vitiated by the disqualification of the deputy governorship candidate and that both candidates are deemed not to be candidates in the election.
It is also the APC’s prayer that the Supreme Court sets aside the portion of the judgment where it ordered INEC to declare as winner of the governorship election, candidates with the highest number of lawful votes and where it ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Lyon and issue a fresh one to the candidate who had the highest number of lawful votes.
However, residents of Bayelsa State are anxiously waiting for the outcome of the review of the Supreme Court’s judgement that sacked Chief David Lyon and Senator Degi Erimienyo as Governor-Elect and Deputy Governor-Elect, investigations have revealed.
The review, which is scheduled to begin, today, at the apex court, was the single most important discussion among residents including non-politicians such as bankers, artisans and traders.
The review was the leading subject in beer parlours, pubs and most places where people gathered for engagements in Yenagoa.
The court on February 13, a day to Lyon’s inauguration as the governor of the state, delivered a controversial judgement that returned Senator Douye Diri of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the governor of the state.
Thousands of residents, including members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) took to the streets of Yenagoa, the state capital, to protest the judgement, which they said was against their collective interests.
But others, especially members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) trooped to the Government House in wild jubilation to celebrate the verdict.
The tension generated by the shocking judgement has subsided following the decision of the top hierarchy of the APC to approach the apex court for a review.
As the court fixed February 26 to begin the review, uneasy calm hit the state as all eyes were reportedly fixed at the apex court.
It was observed that most people invested their hope and expectations at the likely outcome of the review.
Investigations revealed that most politicians across party lines relocated to Abuja ahead of the scheduled review.
Governor Douye Diri and his team had been in Abuja, though a member of the team, who spoke in confidence, said his principal was in Abuja to also attend a valedictory session organised for him by the Senate.
Most PDP leaders in Bayelsa were also said to be in Abuja to monitor proceedings leading to the judgement review.
In the camp of PDP, expectations were high, yesterday, that Diri would remain the governor as opinion leaders in the party and pro-PDP lawyers described the review as an academic exercise.
Other residents, however, believed that the review would either restore the mandate of David Lyon or make a fresh consequential order for a new election, which would involve Lyon and the APC.
The camp of APC was said to be seriously undertaking activities to seek divine intervention ahead of the review.
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Let’s Approach Regional Development Issues Differently – Fubara …As S’South Govs Host Fubara To 50th Birthday Celebration
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has sued for a change in the current approach adopted by South South Governors in their pursuit to achieve holistic regional development and economic prosperity.
The governor insisted on de-emphasis in vested individuals’ political interests while looking at the bigger picture of achieving enduring regional integration that will strengthen unity of purpose to change the trajectory of development in the region.
Fubara made the appeal during the meeting of Governors of South-South States, under the auspices of BRACED Commission, at the Bayelsa State Government House in Yanagoa on Tuesday.
This was contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chukwudi.
BRACED is an acronym for Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta.
He said: “I want to appeal that if we have to succeed in this drive, we need to keep our political differences aside and understand that the struggle, as at today, is for posterity, for the development of our region.
“It is really sad that in Niger Delta that is the economic base of this country, the construction of a road that you tagged ‘East-West Road’ could be an issue, that we need to beg, protest, and complain to get it fixed. I don’t think it is proper.”
Governor Fubara stated that it is not that the federal authorities do not understand that Niger Delta needs the road but quickly added that they have seen that even the people of the region do not take themselves seriously.
The governor said the moment Niger Delta people stopped playing to the gallery, and place value on themselves, outsiders will have no option than to accord the region and its people due regard.
Fubara said: “On my part, I want to say this: This is not the first time we are meeting. For me, I followed the course of the region meeting in a forum that we tagged “BRACED Commission.”
“BRACED Commission is also one of the bodies that was constituted at that time to support and work out development strategies for this region. But what I am seeing today is just limiting this meeting to only BRACED COMMISSION.
“We need to widen the scope where other leaders of the region should be part of the discussion of the development of the region, and I think this is the direction that will help the region.”
Reading the Communique of the meeting, the new Chairman of the Forum of Governors of South-South States, and Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, said they support the Federal Government Tax Reform Bills, and urged President Bola Tinubu to extend the Value Added Tax (VAT) sharing percentages to oil and gas derivation.
He stated the Forum’s request to the Federal Government to urge relevant stakeholders and agencies to extend remediation of polluted environment ongoing in Ogoni land to other impacted communities and States in the region.
Governor Diri also said that the Forum resolved to establish a structural regional security network to enhance safety and security, foster stable Niger Delta region conducive for economic growth and prosperity.
Highlight of the event was the hosting of Governor Fubara to a surprise 50th Birthday celebration by the Governors of South-South States at the Government House in Yenagoa.
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Fubara Lauds Tinubu For Setting Up Education Load Fund … Vows To Ensure Rivers Benefit Maximally From Scheme
The Rivers State Government has applauded President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for conceiving the idea of setting up the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) which has opened up opportunities for youths to acquire tertiary education irrespective of their financial status.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, gave the commendation while playing host to a delegation from NELFUND who came on an advocacy visit to the Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Represented by his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, Governor Fubara said in developed countries it is common for people to go through school with loans which they sometimes pay all throughout their lives, noting that “for us, it is more accessible and more friendly because you would be required to pay back the loan two years after your National Youth Service.
“It is a win-win situation; it is a situation where the youths in Nigeria should not say because my parents are poor or passed away I cannot improve on my educational growth. This offers them a golden opportunity and I am glad you came for this advocacy.”
The governor urged NELFUND to intensify its advocacy to let the people know how they can benefit from it, adding that it is more important when talking about vocational institutions.
“If you look at the developed countries it is people that went to the vocational schools that make so much money, because it is pricey to get somebody to do anything, we need to instil this into our people, our youths, because people sometimes tend to look down on people that went to vocational schools, it should not be,” he said.
Fubara expressed delight with the NELFUND programme and assured that the State Government would do whatever it can to ensure Rivers State benefits maximally from the scheme.
In his remarks, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of NELFUND, Dr. Akintunde Sawyer, informed the governor that they were in Rivers State to seek the support of the State Government towards the loan, stressing that President Tinubu has directed them to ensure no Nigerian student who has the ability and desire to get educated at tertiary level is denied the opportunity due to lack of funding.
He explained that the scheme provides interest-free loans to students who apply, adding that these loans are not repayable until two years after their Youth Service when they must have gotten a job.
A British-Nigerian politician, Florence Eshalomi, has been appointed as the United Kingdom’s trade envoy to Nigeria.
Her appointment makes Eshalomi the second Nigerian to hold the position.
Confirming her appointment on X on Tuesday, she wrote: “It is an honour to have been appointed as the United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria.
“I’m looking forward to building on my close ties with Nigeria to promote a strong and flourishing economic relationship between our two great nations.
“I am looking forward to strengthening the UK’s relationship with Nigeria to explore shared growth and opportunities for both countries.”
Announcing the appointment in a statement on Tuesday, Jonathan Reynolds, the UK’s Business and Trade Secretary, said the decision was aimed at attracting investment into the UK and boosting economic growth.
“I’ve launched a new team of trade envoys who will use their experience, expertise, and knowledge to unlock new markets around the world for British businesses, attract investment into the UK, and ultimately drive economic growth,” Reynolds said.
Eshalomi, 44, is an MP representing the Vauxhall and Camberwell Green constituency.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Political and International Studies with Law from Middlesex University.