By Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

The Federal High Court in Abuja has been asked to set aside the appointment of Effiong Okon Akwa as the new interim administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The suit, filed by the Patriotic Youths Organisation of Nigeria (PYON), also wants the court to declare Akwa’s appointment as a nullity for allegedly violating sections 2, 3, 4, and 12 of the NDDC (Establishment) Act.

President Muhamadu Buhari recently sacked the Prof. Daniel Pondei led-Interim Management (IMC) and appointed Akwa as the commission’s interim administrator.

Read Also: Buhari appoints Akwa as NDDC’s interim administrator

Defendants in the suit are the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria; Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; the Senate, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and Akwa.

The plaintiff wants the court to declare that by a holistic consideration of all sections of NDDC (Establishment) Act, Akwa’s appointment as sole Interim Administrator or any other appellation ascribed to his appointment is in clear violation of the NDDC (Establishment) Act specifically Sections 2, 3, 4, and 12 of the Act.

It equally wants the court to declare that by the provision of sections 2, 3, 4 and 12 of NDDC (Establishment) Act, the appointment of Akwa as a sole interim Administrator of NDDC is illegal, void and null and of no effect.

The case is yet to be assigned to any judge for hearing.

By Emma Elekwa, Onitsha

Tipper drivers on Monday blocked the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway in Onitsha, Anambra State, to protest the alleged imposition of Anambra State Tippers Association (ASTA) on them.

The drivers, under the umbrella of Great Tipper Drivers Association of Nigeria, Anambra State branch, accused the Ministry of Transport of imposition the association of them.

The protest started about 8.30am and disrupted vehicular and human movement.

Motorists entering and exiting the state from Delta, Imo, Abia, Cross River and Akwa Ibom state were trapped in the traffic for several hours.

Efforts of security agencies to force the protesters to vacate the road were unsuccessful as most of the drivers were nowhere to be seen.

Read Also: NULGE, ALGON, call for scrapping of multiple taxes, illegal roadblocks

Vice Chairman of the association Boniface Udenwa said the protest was against the imposition and inauguration of strangers on them by the Commissioner of Transport, Afam Mbanefo. He insisted they would only vacate the roads if Mbanefo addressed them.

He said: “When we visited Awka, we explained to the commissioner the implication of his actions, but he turned deaf ears to our appeal. Today, you have seen what is happening.

“How can you impose strangers as an umbrella body to control activities of tipper unions, let them come out and address us. If they are accepted, why are they on the run? ASTA is a group owned by a contractor, they are not tipper owners or drivers. On Friday some of their members came with a ticket called ASTA Welfare Ticket of N500, forcing our members to buy it on every trip of sand they carry.

“This means that if you carry sand 20 times a day, you will pay N500 20 times, when we pay N700 and other levies daily to the state. Some of our members are now hospitalised due to the beating they received from those collecting money for the ticket. They even invaded sand pits and beat our members.

“Even members of Sand Miners Association who have no business with them were beaten in an attempt to collect the money, to show how desperate they want us to accept the illegal body. What business do they have coming to harass us at sand beaches or pits, beating the beach or pit owners and harassing them not to protest their illegal fee?”

President-General of Sand Miners Association Sir Chris Mbaezue said: “ASTA sealed our sand beaches or pits to intimidate us. Since last Friday, sand beach owners have not done their business because of ASTA’s harassment.”

By Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State Kingsley Esiso has said candidates will be selected for the local government polls instead of the usual primaries.

Esiso, who addressed party executives in Sapele Local Government at the weekend, said: “Tenure of the present chairman and councillors will soon end and some aspirants are already planning to contest for the positions. But we have decided to guide the system.

“The chairmanship form is N2 million; councillor N350,000, and form will be sold to only one aspirant. We have one form for chairman and one form for one councillor.

“It’s your right to aspire and nobody can fault you for aspiring, everybody has a right to aspire, but we cannot have two chairmen or councillors at the same time. If you are aspiring, check yourself, do what I call political analysis of the environment. If you know you scored less than 50 per cent, don’t waste your money.”

By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

• ‘Chapter not affected by dissolution’

• APC will fail again in Rivers, says Abe

The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has continued following Igo Aguma’s insistence on being chairman of the caretaker committee.

Aguma, in a statement by his media aide, Livingstone Wechie, said the dissolution of all party structures by the National Caretaker Committee had no effect on the Rivers State chapter because of its pending court cases.

Wechie dismissed the inauguration of Isaac Ogbobula as chairman of the caretaker committee and his swearing in of caretaker committees in the local government and ward levels.

According to him, Ogbobula and others involved in the ceremonies were impostors and members of the Rotimi Amaechi Political Group. He insisted Rivers APC had no structures apart from the caretaker committee consisting of statutory party members led by Aguma, and as declared by the court.

He said: “The December 13 inauguration of local government chapters of the Amaechi Political Group (APG) by an impostor, Isaac Ogbobula, has nothing to do with the APC in Rivers State.

“For emphasis, the inauguration is that of an aggrieved set of people within the APC, consisting Amaechi’s followers.

“The National Executive Committee, during the last NEC meeting, announced the dissolution of all existing structures from wards, local government, state, zonal and national levels, and directed that all existing structures should now function as caretaker committees.

“It is on record that the APC has no existing structures in Rivers State at all levels, apart from the Caretaker Committee led by Aguma, comprising statutory members whose chairmanship was declared by the court and is still subsisting.

“We will continue to abide by the court judgments and any further judicial position in ensuring that justice is done on every issue in line with the APC Constitution.”

Senator Magnus Abe has said the APC will fail again in coming elections following its recent actions.

Abe described last Sunday’s inauguration of state, local government and ward caretaker committees as an act of impunity. He said leaders failed to consult widely before holding the inauguration.

A statement by his media aide, Parry Benson, said the inauguration was masterminded by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

He said it was the same attitude of insensibility that had kept the party in comatose in the state.

The senator maintained that any inauguration of caretaker committees without consultation of other stakeholders would only put the party in more chaotic situations.

He said: “It is this imperial approach to challenges facing the party without the input and consultation of other stakeholders that is responsible for the crisis. It is clear that those who believe in the power of man are once again on the move.

“It is unfortunate that APC in Rivers State has learnt nothing and forgotten nothing, it appears that the minister and his supporters are still bent on ‘their way or the highway’. The end result of this kind of behaviour is not difficult to predict. As usual, it will end in failure. When it fails, Nigerians should note that the choice of impunity, disrespect for party members, exclusion of critical stakeholders, contempt for judicial pronouncements and petty arrogance, over humility and inclusiveness, is the foundation of our serial failure as a party.”

By Bassey Anthony, Uyo

Akwa Ibom State Internal Revenue Service (AKIRS) has sealed two branches of the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) – Udo Udoma and Abak road in Uyo for alleged N184 million debt.

The agency said on Monday that the bank was sealed for failure to settle its outstanding tax liabilities.

The branches were shut after the agency acquired an exparte order of Notice of Distrain from the State High Court.

The court order, signed by Justice Imeh Umanah, said access to the bank premises and its facilities be restricted.

Recall that the branches were given a warning notice on February 4. According to AKIRS, the bank failed to comply with the warning 10 months after.

It was also gathered that the bank sued AKIRS to court in Uyo, Port Harcourt and Benin, over the non-tax remittance but the cases were struck out in favour of AKIRS.

Executive Director (Enforcement and Recovery) Leo Umanah said the board had exhausted reconciliation and negotiation opportunities with the bank. He noted that since they refused to remit taxes accruing to the state despite the long time given them, AKIRS is left with no choice but get exparte order to recover the state’s revenue.

By Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

Five persons have been arrested for their alleged involvement in last month’s invasion of the Toru-Orua, Sagbama country home of former Governor Seriake Dickson.

A police inspector was killed in the attack.

Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police Mike Okoli stated this on Monday when he paraded 45 suspects for robbery, rape and murder.

Okoli said though crime and criminality could not be totally eradicated, the police were on top of their game to check and arrest perpetrators.

A 41-year-old man from Ekeremor, who works in the Ministry of Education, was also paraded for allegedly raping of a 25-year-old virgin.

The police boss said the five suspects who invaded Dickson’s home were arrested following intelligence gathering and discreet investigations.

The suspects confessed to planning the invasion but said they were not part of the attack.

He stated: “We will arraign them and allow the court determine their fate. They are also expected to tell the court who carried out the invasion that led to the inspector’s death.”