Author: The Nation

All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Edo State, Prince Emmanuel Odigie has endorsed former Edo Governor Adams Oshiomole, as the best fit to lead the Senate in the 10th National Assembly.

In a statement, Odigie cited Oshiomole’s vast leadership experience in both governance and civil society as the key reasons why he is the best candidate for the job. 

He praised Oshiomole’s track record of delivering results and his unwavering commitment to the betterment of Nigeria.

Odigie said: “Adams Oshiomole’s leadership experience and commitment to the people of Nigeria make him the best fit to lead the Senate in the 10th National Assembly.

“Throughout his career, Oshiomole has demonstrated a deep understanding of the challenges facing our country and a willingness to take bold action to address them.”

Odigie highlighted Oshiomole’s impressive track record of accomplishments as Governor of Edo State, including his efforts to improve infrastructure, boost economic development, and increase access to education and healthcare. 

He also praised Oshiomole’s work as a civil society leader, where he fought tirelessly for the rights of ordinary Nigerians and worked to promote transparency and accountability in government.

Odigie said: “Adams Oshiomole is a proven leader who has the experience, vision, and integrity to lead the Senate in the 10th National Assembly.” 

“I do not doubt that he will work tirelessly to advance the interests of the Nigerian people and help move our country forward.”

Odigie also used the opportunity to call on the leadership of APC in Edo state to replicate what the party did at national levels in the just concluded presidential election. 

He appealed to the party leadership in the state to zone the 2024 Edo Governorship ticket to Edo Central in the spirit of equity, justice, and fairness just like APC did in the presidential election.

Those calling for the determination of presidential election petitions before May 29 are “plainly ignorant or crassly mischievous”, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), has said.

In Keyamo’s view, it is not in opposition parties’ interest for their petitions against the victory of President-elect Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to be rushed.

If that happens, he argued, Obi and Atiku’s cases could be destroyed because “Justice rushed is justice crushed.”

Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) are seeking to overturn Tinubu’s victory at the tribunal.

In a statement on Sunday, Keyamo said the law and rules of the court do not allow for the quick determination of cases, but that the laws could be amended to permit this in the future.

The statement was titled “THOSE CALLING FOR A QUICK DETERMINATION OF ELECTION PETITIONS BEFORE MAY 29TH UNDER OUR PRESENT LAWS ACTUALLY WANT TO DESTROY THE CASES OF THE PETITIONERS”.

Keyamo said: “Those calling for the determination of the Election Petitions BEFORE the swearing-in ceremonies on MAY 29th under our present electoral laws and Rules of Court and/or procedure are either plainly ignorant or crassly mischievous.

“In the future, it is possible to amend our laws and rules of court to accommodate such an idea, but it is clearly IMPOSSIBLE under our present circumstances.”

He argued that those who think by such a call they are doing the petitioners any good, “do not realise that they are, in fact doing great harm to the cases of the petitioners. It is the Petitioners that need more TIME to prove their cases and not necessarily the defendants.

“That is why the Petitioners are given 21 days to file and the defendants have 14 days to respond. And the Petitioners have a further 7 days to reply, making a total of 30 days as against the 14 days of the Respondents.

“It follows that in leading evidence in court/Tribunal in support of the Petitions, the Petitioners would also take more time. It is more arduous to prove an Election Petition than to defend it.

“If these characters say a single point (let’s say the FCT 25 per cent storm-in-a-teacup issue) should be set down for determination immediately, would the Petitioners’ lawyers agree to withdraw and abandon all other issues raised in their Petition and proceed only with that issue? Will they take that risk?

“Ask them privately. They know better. This is because the rules of Election Petitions do not allow Petitioners to prove their cases piecemeal.”

The senior lawyer explained that a Petitioner cannot pursue a single point up to the Supreme Court and after losing, return to the Tribunal or Court and say he/she/it wants to now prove other aspects of the case.

He added: “Even that single point alone CANNOT be determined by the Supreme Court BEFORE MAY 29th because of the time given by the rules for parties to file their Notices of Appeal and exchange their briefs.

“It is indeed only the Respondent that can raise a preliminary objection that can determine the Petition in limine (that is, at the threshold). Even at that, the rules allow the Court/Tribunal to take the objection together with the Petition itself and give one judgment at the end in order to save time.

“So, this is free advice to the advocates of pre-May 29th determination of the Election Petitions: they are doing the cases of their Principals (the Petitioners) great harm. They should realise that just as we say ‘justice delayed is justice denied’, we also say ‘justice rushed is justice crushed’.”

An Abuja-bound aircraft from Yola operated by Max Air narrowly crash-landed after the tire reportedly burst into flames at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Sunday.

The Max Air B737 aircraft with registration number 5N-MBD was said to have experienced the incident due to the burst of its left landing gears.

The incident occurred around 1450hrs and had 144 passengers on board with six crew members.

An official of the airline who confirmed the incident said the passengers safely disembarked.

He however said efforts are being made to tow the aircraft out of the runway.

Reacting to the development, the management of MarAir on Sunday stated that its flight experienced tire bursts during landing.

The airline on its official Twitter page @MaxAirLtd posted: “On May 7th, 2023, a Max Air flight with 143 passengers and one infant on board, departing from Yola at around 14:05, was scheduled to arrive in Abuja at 15:00.

“However, the aircraft experienced two tire bursts on landing in Abuja, and the emergency response team quickly responded at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

“We are pleased to report that all passengers and crew on board the aircraft are safe and sound.

“The airline has taken all necessary steps to ensure that the passengers are comfortable and are being taken care of during this time.

“They have been conveyed to the arrival terminal with their luggage and belongings. The aircraft tires are being replaced and the aircraft will taxi to the ramp for further investigations before being released for future flights.

“Max Air is committed to providing safe and reliable air travel to all its passengers. We thank all the passengers for their patience and understanding of what transpired.

“The airline would like to extend its appreciation to the airport authorities, emergency services, and all relevant agencies who responded promptly and professionally to ensure the safety of all passengers and crew on board.

“Max Air will continue to provide updates on the situation as more information becomes available.”

Confirming the incident too, an official of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA),  stated: “It is not a plane crash but a Max Air aircraft from Yola to Abuja that landed had burst tires on landing.

“Passengers were safely evacuated while efforts are being made to tow the aircraft out of the runway where it got stuck.”

The Police station in crisis-torn Effium community in Ohaukwu local government area of Ebonyi State has been razed by hoodlums. 

The station was razed at the weekend following an attack on security agencies stationed in the community as peace keeping force.

The Effium and Ezza Effium people in the community have been engaged in about three-year long war in which thousands have been rendered homeless.

Hundreds of lives have been lost in the crisis while many houses and properties worth millions have been destroyed.

The State Government has continuously stationed a joint team of security agencies in the community to keep the peace and help to end the conflict.

But the conflict have continued unabated with intermittent fighting breaking out ong the two groups.

At the weekend, the crisis re-ignited leading to the razing down of the Police station in the area.

Ebonyi police spokesman, Onome Onovwakpoyeya confirmed this in a statement on Sunday.

She denied reports that the policemen deployed to the area ran out of ammunition to counter the attacks.

Onovwakpoyeya noted that the Ezxa warriors attacked the Effium communities but were repelled by the security agencies.

She said: “To set the record straight, there has been ongoing Communal crisis between Ezza and Izzi Communities for years. 

“Consequently, the Army, Mobile Policemen, both visiting and State based and Conventional Policemen have been permanently stationed in the Crisis zone”

“However, for the past three consecutive days,the Ezza Warriors have launched an attack on Effium Community and the security forces stationed in the zone. 

“The forces had repelled them, but in the ensuing gun duel, the Colonial building used as Police Station was razed down but no casualty on the part of the Police or loss of Arms/ammunition”, she said.

The spokesperson said reinforcement has since been sent to the area including arms/ammunition and a gun truck.

“Meanwhile, the area is calm. The Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi state Command, CP Faleye S. Olaleye is using this medium to warn the Aggressors to lay down their arms or face the full wrath of the law”, she added.