Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has approved a reshuffle of the State Executive Council with immediate effect.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chief Declan Emelumba, Commissioner for Finance and Coordinating Economy, Dr. Mrs. Doris Anite and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. COC Akaolisa retained their portfolios.

Emelumba who disclosed the reshufflement in a statement on Saturday, said the list of commissioners and their portfolios as approved by the Governor moved from 17 to 35.

According to the statement, Prof. Johncliff Nwadike replaces Prof. Sylvester Ifunanya Okorondu as commissioner for Education; Emeka Okoronkwo becomes the Commissioner for Sports, Youths and Social Development while Bar Emenike Ejikeme moves to Ministry of Environment.

Others that retained their portfolios include, Hon. Dr. CC Osuala, Budget, Economic Planning and Statistics, Lady Love Ineh, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs. Ruby Emele, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Martin Ekeh, Mines and Solid Mineral, Prince Henry Okafor, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Chijioke Onumajulu, Industries, Noble Atulegwu, ministry of Lands and Physical Planning Amadi Chimezie Paulinus (Digital economy), among others.

Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Abia State chapter, has given the state government 21 days ultimatum to pay several months of salary arrears owed to its members or risk an indefinite strike.

In a communiqué signed by Dr. Isaiah Abali, Chairman and Dr, Daniel Ekeleme, Secretary, at the end of State Officers Committee (SOC) meeting in Umuahia, the Association said if after the 21 days ultimatum nothing was done to pay the salary arrears, all doctors in federal, state and private employment in the state will embark on a total and indefinite strike.

In the communiqué addressed to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, the doctors recalled that Nigerian Medical Association had in August risen from its National Executive meeting in Gombe State, directed NMA Abia State to issue a 21-day ultimatum to Abia State Government to pay up all salaries owed doctors under the state employment.

The Association further noted that the NEC meeting equally directed that at the expiration of the 21 days ultimatum, all doctors in state, federal and private employ in the State, are to proceed on total and indefinite strike.

In the communiqué which reads in part, the body said, “That Nigerian Medical Association in her August 2022 National Executive Meeting in Gombe State directed NMA Abia State to issue a 21-day ultimatum to Abia State Government to pay up all salaries owed doctors under the state employ; at the expiration of which all doctors in State, Federal and Private employ in the State, are to proceed on total and indefinite strike.

“That SOC in her courtesy visit to Your Excellency took her time to explain to Your Excellency the untold hardship doctors in ABSUTH and HMB are passing through.

“That doctors working in HMB are owed 12 months’ salary arrears, resident doctors in ABSUTH 20 months and other cadre of doctors in ABSUTH 24months. This is really crippling.

“That the cries of Abia doctors due to the crippling arrears of salary have become so deafening as so many of these doctors have been living in heavy debts, not being able to handle the needs of their various families.

“That arising from the ordinary general meeting of NMA Abia state held on October 16, 2022, the state congress mandated the SOC to initiate this ultimatum being the last measure in getting financial reprieve for our dying members.

“That Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Abia State branch hereby gives Abia State Government a 21-day ultimatum to clear all the outstanding salary arrears owed doctors working in Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba and Hospital Management Board (HMB).”

“That if ABSG fails to clear the said arrears at the expiration of the 21 days, all doctors in federal, state and private employ in the state will embark on a total and indefinite strike.”

While thanking the governor for receiving them well when they called on him, NMA said the communiqué however serves as the notice of the proposed action.

Thought leaders in the business space have urged entrepreneurs in Nigeria to submit to learnings that aid capacity development with a view to ensure business sustainability.

They spoke during the maiden edition of a business summit held this November in Lagos with the theme “Breaking Limitations.”

In a statement by the Convener and Chief Executive Officer, Karotiz Couture, Carol Arheghan, she said the summit is the outcome of a divine instruction she received, to teach budding entrepreneurs from her wealth of knowledge and experience in other to help them thrive.

Addressing the participants comprising of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), the Convener said many business owners are where they are today because the emphasis is on money.

She stated that business should not be about money but about bringing value to the table.

“As business owners, you must be ready to pay the price to grow your business. You must create products and services that are marketable, invest in trainings, engage in strategic networking, put structure in place and hire the right personnel. ” She noted.

Other speakers took their turn to address issues relating to challenges faced by SMEs. Mr. Ezekiel Solesi spoke on benefit of strategic positioning for your Business. He urged business owners to raise their standards because the growth of any business is a direct reflection of the standard the business owner has raised for himself or herself.

Mayowa Adeoti, a website development expert spoke on the benefit of owning a business website. She encouraged the participants to build a strong online visibility in other to access a global audience.

Another resource person, Pst. Dotun Arifalo, advised the participants to be vision driven, develop mental capacity, and build a system to thrive.

Pastor Prince Arheghan, on his part tasked the participants to embrace business principles because everything in life works by principle.

Treasure Kalu, a sales expert harped on the need to master sales as no business can survive without it.

Highlight of the event was the business exhibition which provided the business owners the opportunity to gain visibility for their business and also enable participants of the summit to make discount purchases.

The National Population Commission (NPC) has solicited the commitment of stakeholders in Cross River State for the success of the 2023 census.

The state NPC Commissioner, Navy Captain Charles Ogwa (rtd), made this known in Calabar at a joint news briefing with the National Orientation Agency (NOA).

According to the NPC boss, “it is better for the government of Cross River State to own up this census exercise. Since census is a national event, it is the responsibility of every citizen to participate, because every citizen of this country must present himself or herself to be counted.

“That’s basically what this census project is all about. The commission will no doubt need the support of all stakeholders to deliver to the country, reliable, true and digital data that can be used for sustainable development planning.

“We are going to do the census; the outcome of every preparatory activity for the exercise in the state has been very reassuring.  We are not left behind.

“We have completed demarcation of the 18 local governments, which we have presented the compendium of localities to the local governments for them to look at, where if there are mistakes, they will forward the mistakes, and in fact, over 12 local governments in Cross River have sent their error observations to us.

“The commission is waiting for other local governments to bring theirs.  So we have done first and second pretest exercises, we are testing the census instruments and the commission’s readiness towards the 2023 census.”

The state Director, National Orientation Agency, Amissuie Ogban, said the census did not require any form of migration, but that it was a digital exercise that all citizens should stay where they were based and would be captured accurately.

“In this census, because it is digital, it will be unwise for anybody to migrate to their locations of origin for the purpose of the census. We already have all the data we need when we did our enumeration in localities.

“So, it is a waste of time for anybody to move. It will not be the usual exercise where we declare a national holiday. Now we have established the frame, for the exercise, we have established all the houses. And we have an estimate of the number of persons and all.”

Rivers State House of Assembly has passed the state government’s proposed N555, 666, 987.238 medium term expenditure framework (MTEF), for the year 2023-2025.

This is coming ahead of the planned presentation of 2023 Appropriation Bill to the lawmakers by Governor Nyesom Wike on the floor of the House next week.

Preparations for the governor’s visit are in top gear.

The Assembly complex has been renovated.

A breakdown of the MTEF, as read out by Speaker Ikwuinyi Ibani-Awaji, showed that N350, 977, 495, 537 will be appropriated for capital expenditure.

The sum of N175, 249, 692. 497 is for recurrent expenditure, while N18, 472, 409, 765 will be proposed for planning reserve.

All the 15 lawmakers present at plenary voted in favour of the executive Bill. Those who spoke during the debate supported the proposal.

Speaking before passing the bill, the Speaker said: “If you look at the three-year sector allocation, you will find out that the total budget size of 2023 fiscal year, as explained in the medium term expenditure  framework,  particularly  in 3 (c), as a whole is N555, 666, 987. 238.

“Out of which N175, 249, 692. 497 is for recurrent expenditure, while personnel cost overhead, social contributions, special programmes, grants and contributions, public debt charges, transfer to internal revenue service and transfer to local governments, N350, 977, 495, 537, will be for capital expenditure.

“The sum of N18, 472, 409, 765 will serve as planning reserve to be allocated to sectors and bilateral discussion to form critical expenditure items not envisaged at the stage of issuing budgets.”

Abia State House of Assembly has passed into law, a Bill allowing female children to inherit their parents’ property.

The Bill titled: ‘The Abia State Female Persons Right of Inheritance of Property Bill, 2022’, a Bill for a Law to provide for the Right of Female Persons to own and inherit property, was sponsored by Speaker Chinedum Orji.

The Bill, which was passed into law after scaling through the third reading at the plenary, has been raising dust, as many believed it would be an effort in futility, while others believed it was a right step in the right direction.

The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Speaker, Jude Ndukwe, in an interview with our correspondent, while giving insight into the Bill, said the passage was based on natural justice, equity and good conscience, adding that the law took effect from the day the Bill was passed into law.

He added that the Bill was expected to be transmitted to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to assent to the Law.

Delta State House of Assembly has passed Criminal Justice Bill 2022 into law, after the third reading.

The Bill, which was passed during plenary on Wednesday, was presided over by Deputy Speaker Christopher Ochor.

The passage followed suspension of Order 12 Rule 82 and 83 of the House Rules to enable the passage of the bill, following the submission of a report by the Joint Committee of Rules, Business, Legal and Judicial Matters and Special Committee on Bills of the House.

Chairman of the joint committees Charles Whomrowho, the lawmaker representing Ughelli North 1 State Constituency, said the committee collated the necessary documents and responses from stakeholders.

He said a public hearing was organised by the joint committees of the house, which scrutinised submitted documents and submissions by stakeholders.

Ochor described the passage of the bill as a hallmark of the achievement of the 7th assembly.

He said by passing the Bill into law, criminal cases would be dealt with justly and in the shortest possible time, to ensure innocent suspects were acquitted.

Ochor said: “The law has equally provided for the guilty ones to be given an expeditious trial.”

He said the new legislation repealed the gap in the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of 2016.

”The provisions of this bill have addressed the gap in the repealed Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2016 and have strengthened our courts to deal with cases efficiently and expeditiously.”

The Court of Appeal has upheld the nomination of Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Bayelsa East Senatorial District in next year’s general election.

Degi-Eremienyo was the deputy governorship candidate of the APC in the election held in Bayelsa State on November 16, 2019.

Although the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared him and the governorship candidate, David Lyon, winners of the election, the Supreme Court in a judgment on February 13, 2020 (a day to their inauguration) voided their election on the grounds that Degi-Eremienyo was not qualified for the election.

A five-man panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Mary Odili, held among others that Degi-Eremienyo presented false information to INEC, in aid of his qualification for the election, in view of the unexplained discrepancies in the names in his academic credentials.

But the Court of Appeal, in its latest judgment, cleared Degi-Eremienyo to contest the next election as the candidate of the APC in Bayelsa East Senatorial District and held that the Supreme Court’s judgment of 2020 no longer applies.

In the judgment given on November 4 by the Port-Harcourt division of the Court of Appeal, a certified true copy (CTC) of which The Nation sighted in Abuja yesterday, a three-member panel was unanimous that Degi-Eremienyo had effectively corrected the discrepancies in the names in his academic credentials.

Justice Joseph Ikyegh, in the lead judgment, found that having made a deep poll, which was published in the official gazette, in line with the Supreme Court’s judgment, the discrepancies in the names shown in Degi-Eremienyo’s academic credentials have been effectively regularised.

Justice Ikyegh agreed with Degi-Eremienyo’s lawyer, O. S. Kehinde that in the absence of any specific order in the Supreme Court judgment barring him (Degi-Eremienyo) from further contesting elections or holding any public office, he was eligible to contest the next general election, having been lawfully nominated and cleared by INEC.

The judge said: “The Supreme Court, in the case of P.D.P. v Degi-Eremienyo, held that only a deed poll will cure the 11 multiple names in the educational certificates of the 1st respondent in that case, who is also the 1st respondent in the present dispute, without deciding that an order of injunction be issued against the 1st respondent for the unexplained multiple names and from contesting any subsequent election, or that the 1st respondent was barred from contesting future election on that account.”

The judgment was on an appeal marked: CA/PH/450/2022 filed by Sodaguwo Adegadiza Festus-Omoni, with Degi-Eremienyo, the APC and INEC listed as respondents.

The appeal was against an earlier judgment by the Bayelsa division of the Federal High Court, which affirmed Degi-Eremienyo’s nomination and dismissed the suit by Festus-Omoni.

Justice Ikyegh, while affirming the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court, said: “I am satisfied that the deed poll attached to the counter affidavit of the 1st respondent is indeed and does represent a deed poll contemplated and recognised by law as it corrected and confirmed the name in the three educational credentials or documents to belong to the 1st respondent, which the 1st respondent submitted to the 3rd respondent (INEC) through the 2nd respondent (APC) in tandem with part of the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of PDP v. Degi Eremienyo (2021) 9 NWlR (Pt.1781) 274 on deed poll and official gazette.

Other members of the panel – Justices Ridwan Abdullahi and Abdulazeez Waziri – agreed with the lead judgment.

“The deed poll and the official gazette, therefore, confirmed that the name of the 1st respondent is Biobarakuma Wangagha Degi Eremienyo and concluded that all documents with any of these names remain valid and that the public should take note.

“There was thus, a deed poll that put the records straight in respect of the educational documents in question belonging to the 1st respondent; more so, the 1st respondent’s deed poll was published in the official gazette, which gave sufficient notice to the public in that regard, since May 2022.

“The Supreme Court held in the case of PDP v Degl-Eremienyo, at page 290 that it is only the authorities that issued certificates that can effectively change the names appearing thereon, that an affidavit of change, correction and confirmation of name has to be by deed poll; and that since the procedure necessarily affects official record and archives of the nation, the deed poll must be published in the official gazette which was followed In this case.

“I think in that wise, that the major aspect of the decision of the Supreme Court in PDP v Degi-Eremienyo, which required a deed poll published in the official gazette in respect of the name of the 1st respondent in the educational documents in issue was complied with by the 1st respondent in this case.

“The deed poll and the official gazette therefore confirmed the names in the educational certificates the 1st respondent submitted to the 3rd respondent through the 2nd respondent, the subject matter of the present dispute, as both the deed poll and the official gazette had published, it conveyed the three objectives of either to correct or change or confirm the name.

“The lower court was accordingly, right to hold that the deed poll and the official gazette regularised the multiple names in the educational certificates spotlighted in the case of PDP v Degi Elemienyo submitted to the 3rd respondent, as the said finding is supported by the evidence in the record, particularly the deep poll and the official gazette.

“Viewed from another angle, it is not the case of the appellant that someone has come forward to claim the same name contained in the said academic documents,” he said.

On whether INEC was right to have cleared Degi-Eremienyo to contest as APC candidate for Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Justice Ikyegh said: “There is the presumption under Section 168(1) of the Evidence Act to the effect that when any judicial or official act is shown to have been done in a manner substantially regular, it is presumed that formal requisites for its validity were complied with.

“The appellant did not rebut the presumption. The 3rd respondent is, accordingly, taken to have acted properly, regularly and validly in the educational credentials or documents supported by the deed poll and the official gazette to clear the 1st respondent to contest the coming election for the senatorial seat in question, in my modest view.

“In my modest opinion, the lower court arrived at the right decision in the instant case. In conclusion, I find no substance in the appeal and hereby dismiss it and affirm the judgment of the lower court,” Ikyegh said.