By Ejimnkeonye Nnamani

The intention of the legislature is that the affairs of registered political parties are to be regulated by the Electoral Act. Stiff penalty is provided for registered political parties whose affairs are conducted in violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act. See Adejoh v. Olofu & ors (2004) LPELR – 22347 (CA). It is for that reason that Section 84 (13) of the Electoral Act, 2022 provides that:

“(13) Where a political party fails to comply with the provisions of this Act in the conduct of its primaries, its candidate for election shall not be included in the election for the particular position in issue.”

Section 77 (2) of the Act supra, requires every political party to maintain a register of its members in both hard and soft copy, while Section 77 (3) thereof requires that such register must be made available to INEC not later than 30 days before the date fixed for the party primaries, congresses or convention. Section 77 (3) of the Act supra provides:

“77. (3) Each political party shall make such register available to the Commission not later than 30 days before the date fixed for the party primaries, congresses or convention.”

The Supreme Court in EFCC v. Akingbola (2015) 14 NWLR (Pt. 1478) 1 said that the word “before” means “in advance of.” It follows that the word “before” in Section 77 (3) of the Act supra means that each political party is required to make available to INEC its register of members not less than 30 days “before” or “in advance of” its primaries, congresses or convention.

In purporting to comply with the provisions of Section 77 (3) of the Act supra, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) by a letter dated 6th May, 2022, submitted its register of members in Enugu and three other States to INEC, and referred to its letter of 28th April, 2022. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State thereafter began the conduct of its congresses, culminating in its gubernatorial primary on 25th May, 2022.

The period between the 6th of May, 2022 and 25th of May, 2022 is 19 days. In other words, the gubernatorial primary election of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State was conducted within a period less than 30 days before the primary. It is to be noted that the  congresses that produced  the House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senatorial candidates of the party were conducted earlier than 25th May, 2022 when the party’s gubernatorial primary election took place. It follows without equivocation that the congresses were also conducted before the expiration of 30 days after thr submission of register of members of the party in the state to INEC.

Having conducted the congresses and primary election that produced its candidates in Enugu State for the 2023 general election before the expiration of 30 days after the submission of its register of members in the state to INEC, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), clearly acted in contravention of the provisions of Section 77 (3) of the Act supra. The consequence, as provided in Section 84 (13)  of the Act supra, is that candidates of the party in Enugu State shall not be included in the 2023 general election. The words of Section 84 (13) of the Act supra, are clear and unambiguous, and effect must be given to them irrespective of whether or not it would lead to a harsh or inconvenient result. See Dangana v. Usman (2013) 6 NWLR (pt. 1349) 50.

Submission of register of members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in  Enugu State to INEC 30 days before its congresses and primary election to choose its candidates for the 2023 general election is a condition – precedent for inclusion of candidates of the party for the election in the state. Congress, primaries or convention of a political party held before the expiration of 30 days after submission of the register of its members to INEC cannot validly produce candidates for such political parties to contest in an election, as the provisions of Section 77 (3) of the Act supra, would have been clearly violated.

Having realized the futility of its May,  2022 congresses and primary election in Enugu State, and given the obvious strength of Mr Chika Emmanuel Idoko’s action, challenging the charade and travesty of justice, which is before the Federal High Court in Enugu, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State and its officials have begun to make frantic efforts in virtually all directions to circumvent the law and compromise the course of justice.

The lid has been blown off the nocturnal meetings of officials of the party in Enugu State and their candidates, including their telephone calls to highly placed and connected individuals within and outside judicial circles for purposes of making overtures to a judge before whom the matter is pending. Thankfully, the Judge has a rich background of being unenticeable, and generally7 known for the quality of her character, incorruptibility and sound knowledge of the  law.

Ejimnkeonye Nnamani writes from Lagos

Civil Society Organisations in Malaria Control, Immunisation and Nutrition (ACOMIN) have identified shortage of health workers, lack of medical equipment, power and water supply as major challenges threatening Primary Health Care Centres (PHCs) in Anambra State.

The Zonal Coordinator, ACOMIN, Southeast, and Executive Director, Malaria Eradication and Safe Health Initiative of Nigeria, Prof. Dennis Aribodor, made this known at a news briefing on COVID-19 Response Mechanism/Resilient and Sustainable System for Health (C19RM/RSSH) Project.

He said the gaps were identified during the implementation of the projects by the organisation, calling on government’s intervention in addressing health workers’ dearth and other challenges at the health centres.

He also listed high cost of drugs, lack of staff quarters, deplorable condition of ambulances and lack of drivers during emergencies as other problems facing the facilities.

Aribodor said: “As we speak today, 100 per cent of the centres lack adequate health personnel. Some have one or two volunteers. Currently, we have less than nine doctors manning over 300 health facilities in the state, which is very poor.

“We call on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to pay more attention to health facilities, particularly the PHCs. They need to be functional.

“Just as he had done with the education sector by employing teachers, he should do the same in the health sector. He should employ more health and medical personnel to curb shortage of health workers across PHCs.”

“We also call on relevant stakeholders at all levels to support the CBOs implementing this project, towards improving health outcomes.”

He urged residents to access the health centres, noting that they should feel free to make complaints where necessary. The Executive Director, Anambra State AIDS Control Agency, Johnbosco Ementa, described the project as novel, saying his agency would leverage on the challenges thrown up during the assessment to assist the CSOs in planning areas of interface with the communities.

The State Programme Officer, Mr. Wisdom Jacob, said the community- based organisations had achieved much in less than two months through advocacy to decision-makers at the state, community and local government levels.

He listed some of the achievements to include: donation of generators, construction of perimeter fences, completion and roofing of abandoned security posts, donation of mattresses and wheelchairs, among others.

Enugu State House of Assembly has passed a motion calling on stakeholders to support Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in tackling insecurity

It said all hands must be on deck, adding that there must be community involvement from the grassroots in security.

The Chairman, House Committee on Information, Jeff Mbah, told reporters in Enugu that the collaborative approach became necessary because federal security agencies were no longer enough.

He said the House lauded the establishment of Forest Guards by the governor and other efforts in the area of security.

“The motion mainly called on stakeholders of every community to support the effort of the governor in tackling insecurity, considering the enormous resources he has invested.

“We can no longer rely on federal security agencies because we have seen sabotage and compromise here and there,” the lawmaker said.

He recalled that Enugu was one of the safest states since the advent of the Ugwuanyi administration, and blamed enemies of the government, who were bent on soiling that record, for the current happenings there.

Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has handed over relief materials worth millions of naira to the Edo State Government, for distribution to flood victims.

Edo Director of NDDC, Mrs. Mercy Babawale, yesterday presented the items to the government in Benin.

She said the Federal Government interventionist agency was complementing the state government’s efforts.

Babawale said: “We are here to officially hand over our donation of 18 items to the Edo State Government. The items, which are in two categories, comprise food and non-food components, totalling 9,426.

“On behalf of the Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua, the management and NDDC workers, I hereby hand over the items, namely 1,350 bags of rice, 675 cartons of noodles, 675 bags of beans, 675 bags of garri, 204 kilogrammes of salt, 69 cartons of milk, 69 cartons of beverage, 204 kilogrammes of sugar, 675 bottles of vegetable oil (three litres), 102 cartons of seasoning cubes, 675 tins of tomatoes, 675 cartons of bottled water, 675 numbers of nylon mats, 675 units of treated mosquito nets, 675 tablets of bathing soap, 339 numbers of mattresses/pillows, 339 numbers of blankets and 675 numbers of rubber slippers.”

She commiserated with Edo residents on the flood, praying that such would not happen again.

She pleaded with the authorities concerned to ensure the relief materials got to the victims.

The NDDC director said: “Some items are perishable. We desire that they get to the target beneficiaries, who are the victims of the flood disaster, in the shortest possible time.”

Special Duties Commissioner Jonathan Lawani, an engineer, assured Babawale that the items would be delivered to the victims.

He praised the commission for putting Edo in focus, noting that the materials would ameliorate the suffering of the victims.

Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has given the Physical Planning and Development Board (PPDB) marching order to enforce extant laws and policies, to ensure development control in Yenagoa and other parts of the state.

He gave the order yesterday at a three-day summit organised by the board, with the theme: ‘Physical Planning and Development in Bayelsa State: The Way Forward’, at Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall, Yenagoa.

The governor, represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, urged the board to carry out the enforcement objectively without sparing anybody, including himself and other government officials who violated the building laws and regulations.

He said the haphazard development pattern in Yenagoa was as a result of impunity by land sellers and developers, as well as lack of political will on the part of the government to enforce the laws.

Diri, who cautioned community leaders and youths to desist from the attitude of selling land indiscriminately to land developers, assured the people that his administration would give all necessary support to relevant agencies to implement its urban renewal policies.

Former deputy governor Rear Admiral Gboribiogha Jonah (rtd.) hailed the board for organising the summit.

He urged them to be courageous in the implementation of useful ideas that would emanate from the event.

Delivering a keynote address titled: ‘The Role of Master-planning in Bayelsa State as a Tool for Sustainable Development’, Mr. Harcourt Adukeh expressed concern why successive administrations had not been able to implement the Yenagoa masterplan.

Adukeh, a renowned architect, said the masterplan, published in 2000, was aimed at achieving economic and demographic growth of Yenagoa, as well as promoting a green and beautiful Yenagoa.

PPDB Executive Chairman Chief Gideon Ekeowei said the summit was put together for stakeholders and sectors of the society to proffer better and sustainable ideas on building and development control.

The Director General (DG) of Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mallam Farouk Salim, has said the activity of smugglers is a threat to national security.

Salim, who spoke at a one day interactive session with heads of security agencies, in the fight against smuggling, particularly the Immigration, Customs, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Navy, at Onne Port in Rivers State, said the criminal activities were the reason for the influx of substandard products into the country.

He said there were plans by SON to sanction businessmen and importers, who smuggled substandard goods into the country.

The DG was on a two-day working visit to the state.

He said: “Smuggling of substandard goods into the country is the biggest threat to our national security. The problem is so big that even with our heads together; we still have to fight that devil of a problem. It is one of the issues we are having as a nation.”

“The more substandard goods coming into this country, the less our industries will produce. The less they will employ our children and the less we are going to have taxes and the less government agencies will have allowances paid. So, it’s a big disaster facing us.

“We feel that after seven years, the 2015 Act of Standard Organisation of Nigeria needs a little bit of rejigging. We need improvement because N1 million in 2015 is different from N1 million in 2022.

“So, we are going to the National Assembly with a proposal to change some of our laws, update them and take more measures. We are going to ask for stiffer penalties in terms of mandatory jail sentences for individuals found to be breaking the rules against importing substandard and life endangering goods into the country.”

“I want a situation where the National Assembly, with the help of other agencies, will realise that this is not only economic saboteur, we should upgrade the level of punishment for those bringing substandard products into the country and their collaborators.”

Salim hailed Customs and other sister agencies operating at Onne Port for their cooperation with SON in the fight against importation of substandard products into the country.

Customs Area Comptroller, Area II Command, Onne, Auwal Mohammed, praised the commitment of Customs to support and collaborate with SON in the fight against influx of substandard products into the country.