Category: SouthEast

Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori yesterday submitted a 26-man commissioners-nominee list for confirmation, to the House of Assembly.

In a letter written to the assembly, Oborevwori said the list was in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 192 (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He urged the lawmakers to confirm those nominated for appointment as commissioners and members of the Executive Council.

He said: “I will appreciate if early action is taken to place the names of the nominees before the House for consideration and confirmation, to enable me effect their appointments in line with the constitution.”

Among those on the list are children of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) bigwigs and ‘Deltans’ who served in the ex-Governor Ifeanyi Okowa administration.

They include Orode Uduaghan, daughter of former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and Funyei Manager, son of Senator James Manager.

Others like the Commissioners for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu; Finance, Mr. Fidelis Tilije, Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu and the Director General, Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, Ms. Joan Onyemaechi, served during Dr. Okowa’s administration.

Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu, his deputy, Peter Odey and their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), have taken one day to present and close their case, in response to a petition challenging the governorship election of March 18.

In the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the poll, Prof. Sandy Onor, Governor Otu, his deputy and the APC are second, third and fourth respondents. The Independent National Electoral Commission is the first respondent in the case.

Presenting the case for the second and third respondents, lead counsel for Governor Otu, Prof. Mike Ozekhome (SAN), on Tuesday first tendered six judgments of courts on similar issues before the tribunal.

Ozekhome told the tribunal that it was abuse of court and time-wasting for the petition to raise questions of qualifications against the governor and his deputy, when the same petitioners had lost the same argument in federal high courts and appeal courts.

He told the court that the petitioner knew they lost the election, so they were not challenging the results, but rather were bringing up questions on the candidate’s qualification.

He said: “My lord, we had tendered the original academic credentials of the governor. Today we have tendered six judgments to prove that they had listed the same matter before and judgment cost was awarded against them. The judgment includes one from the Court of Appeal.”

Counsel for the governor called one witness, Mr. Erim Agbor, who introduced himself as the assistant state organising secretary of the APC. While counsel for the APC, Essien Andrew, also called one witness, Mr. Effiong Umo, who introduced himself as the assistant legal adviser.

Before starting his testimony, the governor’s witness, Agbor, adopted his witness statement, which he deposed on May 18, 2023 as his witness statement.

He confirmed that the third respondent is a member of the APC and tendered his party’s membership register.

Agbor told the court that the second respondent was cleared to contest the election by his party.

He also confirmed to the court that it was not the practice to delete the name of a member because he or she resigned and that it was possible to still have names of members, who had either resigned or were dead.

APC witness Effiong Umo said he interacted with the second and third respondents as regards credentials and their competence to contest the governorship election.

He said the information they gave him formed the basis of his witness’ deposition.

He said he scrutinised the documents presented by the second and third defendants before advising his party.

At the end of the proceedings, the judge, Justice Oken Inneh, gave the litigants 10 days to file their written addresses before adjourning till August 18 for adoption.

Counsel for the petitioners, Dr. Jonah Musa, SAN, said they were challenging the qualification of the governor and his deputy, adding that the fresh angle to the matter as it concerned the dual citizenship status of the deputy governor, Peter Odey, was the fact that he had sworn to an oath of allegiance to the United Kingdom.

House of Representatives has urged the National Boundaries Commission to as a matter of urgency begin and complete the demarcation of the boundaries between Cross River and Ebonyi states.

It mandated the Committee on Legislative Compliance (when constituted) “to ensure that the resolutions of this House are complied with accordingly.”

This followed the adoption of a motion titled: “Need for a Clear Boundary Demarcation between Cross River and Ebonyi States”, sponsored by Michael Etaba, yesterday.

The House noted that conflict between the border communities of Cross River and Ebonyi State had been on for over a century.

It also noted that in March 2019, it was reported that the conflict had claimed more than 3,000 lives, excluding those who lost some parts of their bodies.

The House further noted that the border communities had on several occasions convoked peace talk, which had always yielded little or no results.

It recalled that a robust stakeholders meeting aimed at finding a permanent solution to the problem, was called at the instance of Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (lPCR), having in attendance representatives from the warring communities, particularly, the people of Abi, Biase, Obubra, Yala

local government areas of Cross River State and Izzi, Ikwo, Abakaliki local government areas of Ebonyi State.

It further recalled also that Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), National Boundaries Commission, National

Orientation Agency, federal lawmakers representing the areas and traditional rulers were present at the meeting.

The Strategic Communications Committee (SCC) of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has called on some detractors in the Niger Delta to stop dragging the scheme’s Interim Administrator, Maj.-Gen. Barry Ndiomu (retd), into politics.

The Chairman of SCC, Mr. Nature Dumale, in a statement in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday said Ndiomu understood perfectly the functions of his office and was too busy to dabble in politics.

Dumale’s statement was endorsed by other members of the committee and leaders of ex-agitators like Fayeofori Ngiangia, Tonye Bobo, Sir Adokiya Dasimaka Adokiye, BB Foloki, Selepere Kalabiri, Ellington, Ekufebakumo and Victor Clifford Reuben.

He said: “We want to state categorically that the Presidential Amnesty Office is not a political office. It is a security office. In fact, the Ndiomu we know perfectly understands the functions of his office and has been discharging them diligently. The amnesty boss is too busy to engage in politics.”

Dumale appealed to Ndiomu  not to be distracted by the antics of the enemies of the Niger Delta and urged him to remain courageous and weather the storm, to enable him actualise his laudable projects and programmes for ex-agitators and other stakeholders in the Niger Delta.

Addressing Ndiomu, he said: “People will always fight you when you are doing the right thing. Nobody will fight you if you are not doing the right thing. Please sir, keep your head up. Remember the Eagle Award we gave to you. An eagle soars above challenges. 

“Understand that you will not always have the support of everyone. Don’t expect everyone to believe in you. But the many of us, who believe in you, should make you to stand strong and be courageous.”

Dumale condemned the continuous pull down syndrome in the Niger Delta and appealed to some aggrieved individuals to support Ndiomu and his plans in the region.

He said the decision of the amnesty boss to establish cooperatives and make loans available to beneficiaries was an indication of his desire to create many entrepreneurs and address the unemployment in the region.

Describing the cooperatives as Ndiomu’s flagship project, Dumale admonished stakeholders to support the initiative for the  interest of socio-economic growth and development of the region.

Dumale said: “The Interim Administrator, Maj -Gen. Barry Ndiomu (retd), has initiated a flagship programme, the cooperative project. It will help young people to be independent and enable them have their business and work hard to be successful. 

“The Board of Trustee’s Chairman of this cooperative, Justice Tabai (retd), is one person with a track record in this region. He is someone that won’t want to identify with failure. For the Interim Administrator to bring such people to the cooperative shows that he wants the cooperative to succeed and achieve its aim. 

“We need to rally round him to make sure he succeeds. We cannot continue to pull ourselves down as a people. It is becoming like a syndrome. Everybody will not be a leader at the same time. It is one at a time.”

National Association of Seadogs (NAS), Onitsha chapter, Anambra State has donated two-unit toilet blocks to traders and customers at Ogbeoye market in Onitsha.

Inaugurating the project, NAS Capoon Abiola Owoaje said the donation followed complaints by traders of lack of toilet facilities during the group’s visit to the market.

Owoaje, represented by NAS Regional President in charge of Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, Delta and Imo states, Ikem Mazeli, described the gesture as part of the organisation’s corporate social responsibility.

He hoped that the facilities would meet the needs of the traders.

“We met the Ogboli Olosi village men (landlords), who after prolonged discussion gave us a piece of land to build the public toilet.

“The project is part of our corporate social responsibility and humanitarian gesture we render to the society where we exist,” he said.

NAS President Emeka Uwaechia, an engineer, pledged his group’s willingness to give back to the society, regardless of its social and economic status.

“NAS is an international organisation, whose cardinal objectives are enshrined in the phrase- Service to Humanity.

“We shall continue to give back to the society irrespective of our social and economic status,” he said.

Chairman, Onitsha North Local Government, Onochie Ozoma, thanked the benefactors for partnering with the government.

He assured them of plans for the sustenance of the project.

“What you have done today shows you are ready to continue partnering the government. The governor should hear about your worthy projects within Onitsha metropolis,” Ozoma said.

Market Leader Mrs. Ebele Obianwu praised the Seadogs for providing them the most pressing need at the market.

She prayed God to replenish its purse.

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) will on Thursday hold a memorial lecture in honour of a departed veteran journalist, renowned broadcast manager and politician, Senator Anyim Ude.

Ex-President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olu Akpata, will deliver the lecture on the topic: “Freedom of the Press, Fake News and the Rule of Law.” 

Ude, who died on May 15, rose to the peak of his career at the managerial level that spanned decades across federal and three state-owned media establishments. 

He also served as commissioner in Ebonyi State and represented Ebonyi South in the Senate between 2007 and 2011.

A statement by the former Vice President (AG), Zone C (Southeast, NUJ), and Chairman of the Organising Committee, Kenneth Ofoma, quoted the National President of NUJ, Chief Chris Isiguzo, as saying that the union would honour Sen. Ude “for his immense contribution to journalism and the media industry in Nigeria”.

Ofoma said the lecture would hold at Enugu Sports Club Auditorium, opposite Modotel Hotel, 1, Club Road, Enugu, adding that the choice of Enugu was because it was the capital of the defunct Eastern Region “and Senator Ude was a national figure and a prominent Igbo son.”

“The lecture will be delivered by Chief Olu Akpata, former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), while governors of five states in the Southeast will serve as special guests of honour,” Ofoma said.

The dissolved Tinubu/Shettima Independent Campaign Council (ICC) in Bayelsa State has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider those who went round the creeks and villages to campaign for his election, in the ministerial slots and other appointments due to the state.

It said the gesture would enable the President’s supporters, who campaigned for him and his deputy, to deliver on the promises they made to the people.

A leader of Tinubu/Shettima ICC in Bayelsa State, Pastor Joseph Fafi, gave the advice at a news conference in Yenagoa.

Fafi, the director of Finance and Administration of the campaign team, said after failing to work for the victory of President Tinubu, some politicians, who stood aloof during the campaigns, “are now going through the backdoor to lobby for ministerial slots and other appointments.”

He said as the governorship election drew near, it would be ideal to appoint a core party man as minister, to motivate the All Progressives Congress (APC) for victory as it was done during the 2019 governorship election, which David Lyon won before his victory was upturned by the Supreme Court.

Fafi said: “The Tinubu/Shettima Independent Campaign Council (ICC) was formed to among others sell the Tinubu/Shettima ticket by engaging in one-on-one campaigns with the electorate at the grassroots.”

“The ICC in Bayelsa State under the leadership of Prince Preye Aganaba set up the required structure up to the units. This is the structure that worked to produce the result we had.

“While we acknowledge the contributions of some individuals, especially in Ogbia and Nembe local governments, ICC played a major role in achieving those victories. There is no doubt that the ICC was the most visible campaign outfit reaching out to the grassroots in the state.

“But we are worried at the action of some highly placed individuals within and outside the state in recommending persons, who contributed next to nothing in the victory of President Tinubu in the last general election, for appointments. There are those whose sense of entitlement is only based on friendship to those at the corridors of power and not based on effective participation.”

The APC chieftain said their action was against the backdrop of avoiding the mistakes of the past whereby people, who were complete strangers to the party, were appointed into offices and they turned their back on the party.

Fafi added: “Those of us who campaigned in the creeks and villages of Bayelsa are waiting for the fulfilment of promises that were made. We are therefore appealing to President Tinubu to give priority to members of the ICC in Bayelsa State in the ongoing appointment process.

“We wish to affirm our support and loyalty to the Tinubu administration. The ability of our President to always do what is right without fear or favour can never be in doubt.”

A Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, yesterday adjourned till September 13, a case filed by a governorship aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Isikima Johnson, challenging the eligibility of the party’s deputy governorship candidate, Joshua Maciver, for the November 11 poll.

The presiding judge, Justice Olaide Quadiri, adjourned the suit after parties agreed on the date during court session.

Johnson is contending that Maciver was allegedly convicted of murder and terrorism by a court of competent jurisdiction in 2006, hence was not qualified to be the running mate to the APC governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.

She also argued that Maciver allegedly lied on oath when he declared that he was not an ex-convict when he filled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) forms.

When the matter came up for hearing yesterday, Johnson’s counsel, Leizou Elijah, told the court that they had filed an application for conversion of the originating summons to pleadings (writ of summons).

However, the inability of the plaintiff’s and defendants’ legal teams to conclude exchange of filed processes led to the adjournment of the matter till September 13.

Justice Quadiri, therefore, directed that all processes should be served on all parties before the adjourned date “for hearing of all pending applications and the substantive suit.”

Counsel for Johnson, Elijah, declined comments on the matter when reporters approached him for an interview at the end of proceedings.

But Dr. Ogwu Onoja, SAN, the lead counsel for Sylva and Maciver, who was represented by Benjamin Ogbara, said they had earlier filed a counter affidavit and preliminary objection, which had been served on the plaintiff.

He claimed he was confident that the court would not entertain the case, as it was statute barred.

He said: “We have filed our counter affidavit and preliminary objection, and we have served on them. But today we came to court and we are told they have filed another process called motion to convert the originating process, which they filed since May 25 to pleadings (writ of summons), and we have not been served that process.

“As far as I’m concerned, the process is in court. I know that the court cannot entertain this matter. This is basically what I know about it because the matter is statute barred.”

APC had on April 25 forwarded the names of Sylva and Maciver to the INEC as its validly nominated governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the Bayelsa election, and the commission had since published their candidacies accordingly.

Sylva polled 52, 061 votes to emerge as the APC standard-bearer and Maciver came second with 2, 078 votes at the party’s primary election conducted on April 14 and 15.

APC governorship candidate in 2019, David Lyon, emerged third with 1,584 votes, and Prof. Ongoebi Etebu polled 1,277 votes, while Isikima Johnson and Festus Daumiebi polled 584 votes and 557 votes.

• Governor to open case today

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last general election, Bassey Otu, yesterday tendered the original of his certificates from primary school to university, including the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate, at the Cross River State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

Lead counsel for Governor Otu, Mike Ozekhome, tendered the credentials during his cross-examination of the lone witness brought by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to defend its case.

Counsel for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate and the petitioner in the case tried to oppose the move to tender the original certificates of Governor Otu, but the tribunal eventually admitted them to record.

INEC had opened their case as the first respondent at the beginning of the day’s proceedings and also closed it after calling its Head of Operations, Agwu Kenneth, as its sole witness.

Agwu, who was introduced to the tribunal by the commission’s counsel, K. O. Balogun, told the tribunal that he was at the centre of the elections.

He adopted his written statement on oath earlier deposed on the 30th of April, 2023 and also adopted same as his evidence before the tribunal.

Under cross examination by counsel for the PDP, Dr. Jonah Musa, SAN, Agwu asked him to confirm that the information supplied in Form EC9 formed the basis for which the commission said the second and third respondents were qualified to stand for the election.

Justice Oken Inneh adjourned till today for the second and third respondents to open their defence.

Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has said traders at the state-owned markets, who continue to sit at home from next Monday stand to lose their shops to serious-minded businessmen.

Mbah, who spoke yesterday in Enugu while monitoring compliance with the ban on the illegal sit-at-home, declared by some non-state actors, expressed disgust that the state was losing over N10billion every Monday, following the sit-at-home.

He said he would go along with the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority to put a seal on any shop found locked on Mondays because of the illegal sit-at-home, adding that he would assume the owners were not ready to do business.

Mbah said he would revoke the licences of any instruction to operate, as well as revoke shop titles and reallocate same to someone else, “who is ready to do business.”

The governor observed a relatively beehive of activities when he toured parts of Enugu, the state capital, yesterday to monitor the ban on sit-at-home.

Traders and residents told the governor that they were tired of sitting at home, describing it as a plague killing their businesses.

Hailing the level of compliance in most places visited, Mbah, who was at the malls and supermarkets, Ogbete Market, Garki Awkunanaw Market, Mayor Market, Abakpa Market and the state secretariat, among others, said adequate security was provided.

He noted that there had not been any attack since the ban on sit-at-home in June.

Mbah, who interacted with business owners, shoppers, traders as well as civil servants at the state secretariat, said: “It should never be heard that we were cowed because of the threat of violence by these criminals.”

He added: “The poverty that will befall us for sitting at home will kill us even faster.

“We are losing over N10billion every Monday when we sit at home. Enough is enough. This foolishness must end and it must end now. We cannot be marginalising ourselves and still complain of marginalisation.

“So, we must say no to sit-at-home because what it means is that we are destroying our employment, our economy and our GDP. We must erase it from our memories. We should see it as our shameful past, which we do not want to remember. We must put it behind us and forge ahead, ensuring that we work every working day of the week.”

To the traders at Ogbete, Garki and other markets, he warned that locking shops on Mondays would no longer be condoned.

“There are consequences for not heeding our orders. Going forward, I want to put you on notice. I will go round the state again next Monday. We are going to come with the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority to put a seal on any shop found locked because of the illegal sit-at-home. We will take it that you are not ready to do business.

“We are going to revoke your licence to operate. We will revoke your shop title and reallocate it to someone else, who is ready to do business. This is something we must enforce with effect from next Monday,” the governor said.

Market leaders and business owners assured the governor that they were ready for full compliance, saying they were sick and tired of the Monday-sit-at home.

At a meeting with Ogbete traders, President of Enugu State Amalgamated Traders Association, Mr. Stephen Aniagu, assured the governor that they had agreed to begin full business, saying all shops would be open from next Monday.

The leader of Abakpa Nike Market, Bernard Anike, also assured the governor that they had started complying with the ban on sit-at-home

A development economist, Richard Emeka Ezeh, decried the negative effect of sit-at-home and commended Governor Mbah’s determination to end it.