By Omang C. Omang

It is obvious that from the Judgements of the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court, Stephen Odey is no longer the Senator representing Cross River North.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has obeyed the judgement of court and issued a Certificate of Return to Rt. Hon. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe (MHR), which automatically invalidates the Certificate of Return earlier issued to Odey after the by-election.

The fact that the apex court has ruled on who was the authentic candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is incontrovertible. The candidate remains Jarigbe, as affirmed by the Supreme Court, which struck out the appeal filed by Stephen Odey, challenging the decision of the Court of Appeal. The appeal was struck out due to a defective Notice of Appeal on the 25th of February, 2021.

Odey sought to be joined as an interested party to the suit and was joined at the Court of Appeal. He went ahead to appeal the judgement at the Supreme Court. He sought some relief, including his affirmation as the authentic candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the December 5th, 2020 by-election for Cross River North. The appeal was struck out, but Odey now claims he was not part of the suit. This is an attempt to approbate and reprobate.

The man who took the appeal to the Supreme Court was Stephen Odey and not John Alaga. Alaga was one of the respondents at the Supreme Court. Alaga lost his case at the trial court and the Court of Appeal. The appellant at the Supreme Court was Odey, he lost the case to the respondents. On that note, the subsisting verdict of the Trial and Appeal Courts are affirmed and yet to be upturned. It cannot because the Judgement of the Supreme Court is final and infallible. This truth is incontrovertible.

It is not the duty of the Senate to explicate court judgements. The Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA) is supposed to verify the Certificate of Return issued by INEC and document the elected Senator, in line with the Certificate of Return (latest in time), for swearing in. Senate President Ahmad Lawan has a duty to act in line with the advice of the CNA, based on the brief and advice of the legal department.

The Senate President is still being expected to obey the court judgements, and recognize INEC’s compliance and issuance of Certificate of Return to Jarigbe, in compliance with the rule of law. The questions: Why is Senator Lawan yet to act on the judgements and INEC’s action? Why is he dwelling on interpretation of court judgements, when there is a valid and authentic Certificate of Return issued? What is going on in the Senate is an illegality taken too far. Lawan should retrace his steps to avoid bringing the legislature to disrepute.

The general public should advise Barrister Daniel Bwala, who has been hallucinating on this issue, to accept defeat, instead of prevaricating and coming up with half-truths. These are issues that should have been canvassed in court. At this point, it is too late to cry wolf. Attempting to condemn the judgement of the Supreme Court is wrong.

The case of Hon. (Mrs) Dorathy Mato V. Hon Iorwase Herman Hembe (2017) is a locus classicus on who the authentic candidate of a party is. Hembe was declared winner by INEC but the Supreme Court gave the victory to Mato, who took over the seat at the House of Representatives in 2015. Both Hembe and Mato were members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the suit was a pre-election matter.

Jarigbe was declared winner of the PDP primary election, monitored by INEC in line with section 85, 86 and 87 of the electoral act. He campaigned and took part in all stages ahead of the election. The judiciary has proven it is the last hope of our democracy. Jarigbe’s victory has been affirmed by the judgment of the Supreme Court. The citations of Bwala are academic and inconsequential at this point. The Supreme Court is final and infallible.

Omang, a legal practitioner, writes via Omangcomang@gmail.com

A humanitarian group, the Ebele & Anyichuks Foundation, has called on all tiers of government to “ramp up their security architecture in order to curb the floodgate of violence and bloodshed in the country.”

The foundation, in a statement to The Nation by its co-founder, Dr. Ifeanyi Odii, specifically made reference to the carnage in Ebonyi State, saying the Ezza-Effium lingering crisis and last week’s killings in Ishielu Local Government Area, called for sober reflection and proactive actions by stakeholders, especially the government and security agencies.

Odii, a United Nations POLAC ambassador, however, lauded the Federal and Ebonyi State governments’ efforts to restore peace to the crisis-torn communities in the state but was quick to add that a lot needed to be done.

His words: “While we commend the governor of Ebonyi State(Dave Umahi) for the many efforts by his government towards securing lives and properties in the state, we call on the government to do more towards providing a lasting solution to the needless pogrom and making insecurity a thing of the past in the state.

“The foundation is not unaware that the government of the federation and that of Ebonyi State are not folding their arms and watching but have been up and doing to clear the nation and the state of elements intent on making life miserable for Nigerians, including Ebonyians.”

He therefore admonished the perpetrators of violence, their sponsors and governments to make Costa Robin’s quote: “at the end of the day, we are all human,” their watchword.

Stressing that “we must relentlessly pursue, maintain and preserve the sanctity of our humanity,” Odii quoted a verse in the Koran(Surat Alma-idah 5:32) that says: “Whoever kills an innocent life is as if he has killed all humanity.”

Odii, who is also a member of the Lagos State University(LASU) Governing Council, said the foundation would always align itself with Greenspoon’s view that “the hallmark of the human species is great adaptability.”

The philanthropist, therefore, appealed to all Nigerians, irrespective of their tribe and religion to realise that “one of the greatest attributes humans is our ability to adapt, bear, tolerate and accommodate the imperfections of one another in the interest of peace, happiness, and prosperity.”

By John Ofikhenua, Abuja

Managing Director of Rural Electrification Agency (REA) Engr. Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad has urged the people of Obudu community in Cross River State to put the commissioned 60kPw solar hybrid mini-grid project to productive use.

He spoke at the commissioning ceremony in Obudu Ranch Resort in Obanliku Local Government Area.

The Minister of Power for Power Goddy Jedy-Agba, who commissioned the project, said he was delighted to tick off another achievement of the REA.

According to him: “The commissioning of this 60kWp solar hybrid mini-grid power plant is coming at the right time to a community that will equally value it and made the best of it as this project has been deliberately designed to serve the needs of this community”.

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The Minister noted it has also become obvious that renewable energy plays a critical role in accelerating energy access across the nation.

He said government’s plan is to continue to do all it takes to ensure the nation’s massive renewable energy resources are efficiently utilisd to energize communities, schools, hospitals and businesses across Nigeria.

The Minister also flagged-off the ground breaking ceremony of 100kWp Isolated Mini-grid at the bottom hill community of Obanliku.

He said: “By the power conferred on me as the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Power, I set this project in motion and I urge the REA team as well as the project developer to accelerate the completion of this project at the usual pace the Agency is known for”.

Continuing, the REA boss said the commissioned 60kWp project is planned to change the socio-economic status of the Obudu people.

He charged them to take full advantage of the intervention with clean and reliable energy to impact on their growth.

By Chinyere Okoroafor

Law groups in Rivers State have condemned alleged moves by the Rivers, Governor Nyesom Wike, to impose a new Chief Judge.

The groups, under the aegis of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and the Concerned Lawyers in Rivers State, asked Wike not to approve the recommendation and appointment of Justice Simeon Amadi as Chief Judge.

The groups noted the incumbent, Justice Adama Laminkanra, an indigene of Edo State, who retires in May 2021, was appointed by the Governor based on seniority.

They recalled Wike had promised to sustain the policy of seniority and precedence in judicial appointments.

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They wondered why Wike would abandon seniority and precedence to overlook Justice Joy Akpughunum in the list sent by Judicial Service Commission to the National Judicial Council for consideration for appointment.

They stated Justice Akpughunum is the most senior judge while Justice Simeon Amadi comes a distant second with Justice Teetito coming third.

According to them: “What reasons informed the exclusion of Justice Joy Akpughunum, who, apart from being the most senior judge after the incumbent Chief Judge, is outstandingly brilliant, diligent, fair and most importantly, completely free of any smear of corruption?

“Why was the NJC mischievously presented with a fait accompli to make a choice between candidates that by judicial tradition ought to have been considered only after the most senior was found unworthy or unqualified by the NJC?”

Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni on Thursday performed the commissioning ceremony of the newly completed 13 floor Twin Tower Ultra modern headquarters building of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Port Harcourt.

Buni, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari, commissioned the project in company of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godswill Akpabio and Imo Governor Hope Uzodinma.

The NDDC headquarters has been operating from a rented building since the commission started operating.

The building, which started in 1996 witnessed slow pace of work until 2019 when President Muhammadu Buhari committed to its completion.

In line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to prudent management of resources, the completion of the office building, Godswill Akpabio said, will create an efficiency of N300 million paid yearly as rent for NNDC’s old office.

The new NDDC office is equipped with facilities including hospital, banking hall, conference hall and restaurant.

By Elo Edremoda, Warri

A Delta State High Court sitting in Warri has restrained the Inspector – General of Police, Mohammed Adamu and police officers from arresting a rights activist, Comrade Israel Joe.

Counsel to the activist, Omemiroro Ogedegbe (Esq.) Confirmed the ruling in a statement.

He noted that Comrade Joe had filed a fundamental right application before the Court.

Joe had been invited by the Delta Police Command on Thursday, March 4 for interrogations on a Facebook post over an accident that killed a woman and a child, January 20, near PTI Junction in Effurun, Uvwie council area of the state.

According to him, the Police had accused him of raising a false alarm that its men were involved in the accident, leading to the burning down of a police van.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 5, and the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Ari Muhammed Ali, were also restrained in the order.

Ogedegbe said the Court gave an order restraining the respondents from inviting and arresting his client, pending the hearing of a fundamental right application filed before it.

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According to Ogedegbe: “The facts of the case as revealed in the application is to the effect the applicant’s post on Facebook was responsible for the burning down of the police vehicle on the 20th of January, 2021.

“While the applicant contends the vehicle was already burnt down as at the time he made his post. These are the issues to be determined in the main application, but in the meantime, parties have been ordered to stay all actions.”

Joe, who corroborated the claims of his lawyer, said: “the Court heard a motion restraining the Inspector General of Police, Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Zone 5 Benin and the Delta State Commissioner of Police from inviting, arresting or harassing me over the alarm raised on social media alleging the Police to have been the cause of the accident which claimed the life of a woman and child at PTI on the 20th of January, 2021.

“The judge granted the order restraining all the above mentioned to maintain the status quo and appear also in court for the determination of the motion filed to enforce my fundamental human rights slated for the 28th of March.”