Author: The Nation

President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, pledged to protect Benin artefacts returned to the country from different parts of the world as a way of archiving the history of the people.

President Tinubu gave the pledge when he received the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Ewuare II, and other traditional leaders from Edo State,

According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Mr Dele Alake, the President assured them that his administration would support the Benin Royal Council in its bid to establish a museum that will house the artefacts.

The President congratulated the Benin monarch for the retrieval of the stolen artefacts, commending his effort in ensuring that a befitting museum is built to archive the rich history and traditions of the Benin Kingdom.

“It deserves our protection. We are glad to have them back, and we are glad you are happy. They are in protective custody. It is a matter of history, over a hundred years. We will work on the museum,” he said.

Read Also: ‘Nigeria shouldn’t be in a hurry to receive looted artefacts’

President Tinubu said the Federal Government is currently undertaking an audit of its infrastructure projects, promising to ensure that roads in Edo State are considered in line with a request made by the traditional ruler.

In his address, Oba Ewuare II commended President Tinubu for the giant strides of his administration within its first weeks.

“We’ve predicted that you would hit the ground running and you have done so, even faster than we thought,” the royal father said.

He said the steps taken by the President since his inauguration on May 29, 2023 had renewed the hope of Nigerians and put the country on the path to progress and development.

The monarch appealed to President Tinubu to help the Benin palace to ensure that the artefacts returned are not stolen or taken over from the Benin Royal House.

Oba Ewuare II thanked the Federal Government for his appointment as Pro-Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

• •Decry low reportage of proceedings at NASS Election petition tribunals

A coalition of civil society organisations under the auspices of Coalition of Parliamentary Advocates and Democracy Consolidation Nigerian has said that over 50 percent of National Assembly seats are currently being challenged at the Election petition tribunals. 

The group which decried low reportage of proceedings at the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunals, however, said that the Kano Central Senatorial District election was ready for determination. 

Speaking at a news conference, spokesman of the Coalition, Ambassador Chibuzor Okereke said judgement on the Kano Central senatorial election would be a test case for the Electoral Act. 

He said while the media was awash with reports from the Presidential Election Petition Tribunals, nothing was heard about what is going on at the National Assembly Tribunals. 

He said, “Democracy attraction and the unique virtues of democratic design are the opportunities for active participation of citizens in the public leadership recruitment process, the entrenched premium on the rule of law piloted by the judiciary and the media, and citizens’ oversight of governance institutions to ensure justice, accountability, and transparency in public affairs. 

“The legislature which is the fulcrum of democracy is the closest arm of government to the people; the only arm that offers the largest direct representation of citizens, naturally structured to guarantee citizens’ participation in decision-making processes in all realms of lawmaking, oversight, representation, and constituency services, thereby ensuring participatory and deliberative democracy. 

“Accordingly, priority interest and active participation of citizens and constituents in the ongoing judicial proceedings at the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunals is crucial to Nigeria’s democratic development and consolidation.

“In spite of the fundamental role the National and sub-national legislatures play in a democratic system as practiced in Nigeria, the interest of Nigerians in this all-important arm of government leaves much to be desired. 

He emphasised that over these years, the legislature was still challenged by a high legislative turnover rate both in terms of the rate of return to the National Assembly and in the rate of serving legislators who are devoted to core legislative functions and institutional building. 

“Others are the lingering problems of low perception of the legislature by citizens, issues surrounding the general recruitment process, and low media coverage of some legislative matters. 

He said that about 50% of the 469 seats in the National Assembly were currently being challenged at the various National Assembly Election Petition Tribunals (NAEPT) across the country, alleging however that there appears to be an untended suppression and low interest of the media in the proceedings of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunals.

He said “whereas the various flagship platforms of major media organizations are daily saturated with the reportage of the proceedings of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunals, little or no attention has been channeled toward the interesting and intriguing proceedings that have characterized the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunals. 

“The fourth estate of the realm which is the media saddled with the responsibility of setting the agenda, enlightening the public, and obligation of accountability of the government to the people has unfortunately not shown the required interest in the coverage of the proceedings of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunals. 

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“We are deeply worried that the paucity of publicity of the major media coverage of the Legislative Election Petition Tribunals and by extension the oversight of the Judiciary may have serious implications if not urgently addressed. 

“The media is heavily a washed with the trends and the developments in the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal and discussions and engagements among citizens on its proceedings while the Legislatures Tribunal Matters are barely even reported especially the petitions that are now being concluded and awaiting judgments. 

“Prominent among the cases in this category is the Kano Central Senatorial district petition, among others which is now set for judgment by July 24th, 2023. 

“Kano Central is about the largest Senatorial District in Nigeria and the only Senatorial District in the 2023 General Elections where the person returned as the winner by INEC relinquished the victory after the declaration on the grounds that he had resigned his membership of the party that sponsored him as the candidate before the election, at the time also, the window for candidates replacement/substitution has elapsed in accordance with the relevant extant provisions of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, 2022 and the INEC 2023 General Elections Guidelines.

“But following INEC concerns, challenging of the matter in court, and eventual Supreme Court Ruling, a certificate of return was issued to another Member of the Party. The Kano Central Election Petition is a litmus test to the Judiciary in terms of procedure and the extant provisions of Nigeria’s electoral governance laws and framework. Our Eyes Are on the Kano Central Judgement being expected.  

“These and more are what have made the Kano Central Senatorial District Tribunal Case unique and intriguing as it presents an observable lacuna in the much-celebrated 2022 Electoral law. 

“But more importantly, it is a litmus test for the judiciary and judges saddled with that responsibility in line with the prescriptions and predictions of section 285 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act, Electoral Guidelines, and the point of law. We believe this should agitate the minds of all promoters and defenders of democracy that is based on the rule of law. 

 ”We believe that the legislature, judiciary, media, and active citizens have the utmost responsibility to continue to demonstrate resilience in ways and means that promote transparency, accountability, an equitable and responsible show of duty of care by all State and non-state actors in solidarity with the prevailing ideals of democracy. Democracy is about the process which confers legitimacy based on constitutionalism”. 

Justice Mary Peter Odili(retired) says the Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has written his name in gold following his legacy projects in the state.

She said the quality of Uzodimma’s physical projects in Imo and the reforms he has initiated in the state judiciary will outlive him.

Justice Odili, spoke on Friday at the Concorde Hotel, Owerri, in her capacity as the Guest of Honour/Unveiler of the Imo State Law Reports (2004- 2022).

Taking to the podium to unveil and present the Law Reports, the first to be published in the history of Imo State, an excited Justice Odili told an equally joyous galaxy of legal luminaries that she was not only unveiling the reports but Uzodimma and his legacy projects.

Her words: “We are unveiling Chief Hope Uzodimma and his legacy projects in Imo State, both in infrastructure and legal profession. He has done that which has been left unattended for more than 20 years.

“I don’t think our governor knew what he was doing when he authorised that a committee be set up to embark on this Law Reports project. Therefore, we are not just unveiling the reports but unveiling Hope Uzodimma and encouraging him to do more.”

While harping on the benefits of the Law Reports to the state and the judiciary, Justice Odili noted that judges, both serving and retired, as well as legal practitioners, will find them handy as they go about plying their trade.

She said the reports are veritable resource materials that children yet unborn in Imo State who desire to study Law will be glad to behold just as the judges whose works were captured therein will be glad to reflect on their activities.

“It is also a way of documenting the hard work of the judges and generally, the lawyers of Imo State,” she said, noting that there will also be something to learn from reports whose cases were lost in the courts.

She encouraged all the legal practitioners and members of the public to get copies of the reports.

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In his remarks, Governor Uzodimma said his desire to see the Imo State judiciary function in a contemporary world with all the necessary reforms informed his decision to direct that the Law Reports be put together by the ministry.

He expressed delight over the outcome describing it as a feat the judiciary ought to be happy about.

He reminded the audience that on assumption of office in 2020, his administration was determined to embark on programmes and projects that would add value to the society and enhance the quality of life of the citizenry.

Governor Uzodimma, however, challenged the Ministry of Justice of the state to go beyond their expectations of having Law Reports that are in hard copies and work towards migrating them to the soft copy, bearing in mind that the new world is digital.

He said doing so would also mean “value addition to the reports.”

In his address, the Imo State Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief COC Akaolisa, specifically thanked Governor Uzodimma for all the support he has extended to the judiciary under his watch for reforms and pleaded with him not to relent for posterity sake.

Akaolisa was also full of gratitude to Justice Odili, all the legal eggheads from within and outside Imo State who graced the occasion, the traditional rulers, the academia, political class, among others for finding time to be part of the event.