The Nation Newspaper

Tag: appeal

  • Supreme, Appeal courts begin annual vacation

    Supreme, Appeal courts begin annual vacation

    The Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal will proceed on their annual long vacation today.

    According to notices pasted on both court’s notice boards last Friday, the Supreme Court is expected to resume on September 18, a day scheduled for the inauguration of the 30 new Senior Advocates named on July 6.

    The Court of Appeal, according to a statement by its spokesperson, Hajia Sa’adatu Musa Kachalla, will resume on September 18.

    The Federal High Court and the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) commenced their vacation on July 10 and will resume on September 11.

    During the vacation, designated vacation judges (at the high court level) will sit on cases requiring urgent attention. Other departments of the courts are kept running during vacation.

    But, the five special task forces constituted by the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, in the last quarter of the court’s legal year, has delivered 232 judgments.

  • ALGON set to appeal $315.6m judgment debt 

    The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) has dissociated itself from a $315m judgement debt.

    ýThe association spoke after it National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja. It also passed a vote of confidence on its leadership led by Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmad Karaye.

    Justice Valentine Ashi of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory had in his judgement  ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to pay $318, 807,950.696 to Riok Nigeria Limited and two lawyers.

    ýRiok was said to have executed some contracts for ALGON which were not paid for.

    But ALGON, through its National Presidentý, Alhaji Karaye, its National Secretary General/ Director of Legal Services, Mrs. Evan Enekwe, described the contracts for which Riok Nigerian Limited got judgement in its favour as doubtful and unverified.

    ALGON said: “ALGON passes a vote of confidence on the current. Executive under the leadership of Alhaji Ahmad Karaye, who is the National President of the Association,

    “ALGON expresses satisfaction and endorses the initiative and reconciliation of NEC and ALGON Board of Trustees (BOT).

    “ALGON hereby dissociate itself from all claims and doubtful. Contracts purportedly awarded for projects that are yet to be verified; and consequently denies liability and direct NEC to take immediate stepsý to appeal against all such judgements that constitute impediment on the release of external debts deductions refund to local government councils”.

    The association also ask its President, Alhaji Karaye and his Executive to pay solidarity visits to states and IDPs in the North-East geo-political zone of Nigeria affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.

  • Why FG’s appeal of CCT verdict is a must

    SIR: The no case verdict of Code of Conduct Tribunal on the asset declaration infractions alleged against Senate President Bukola Saraki remains a watershed in the annals of jurisprudence in Nigeria.

    The case remains novel, first for the discharge and acquittal awarded by the tribunal chairman whereas the tribunal is constitutionally empowered to discharge and not to acquit; and secondly, for its sweeping discountenance of what the prosecution counsel regarded as overwhelming evidence of infractions proven by prosecution witnesses.

    It is gratifying that the Federal government has expressly appealed this judgement thereby living no room for speculation as to intervening political nuances. Allowing the judgment to fly without appeal would have degraded the anti-corruption outlook of Buhari’s government.

    The case which is a matter expected to terminate at the Supreme Court would provide an enduring jurisprudential precedence in the administration of code of conduct going forward.

    Furthermore, it smacks of moral insensitivity for the Senate to have celebrated the rather cold comfort when the case is still open to adjudication by courts of superior jurisdiction. It is also inchoate to advance the theory of political witch-hunt as if to suggest that we are in a banana republic where laws are skewed in favour of a suspect for his perceived political predilections.

    The rule of law is preserved when both the victim and the villain are given opportunity for redress based on equity and justice.

    Nigerians ought to wish both the prosecution and defence teams the best of luck and insulate the conversation from any extraneous spin pending the apex court’s ruling.

     

    • Bukola Ajisola,

    bukymany@yahoo.com

  • Makarfi kicks as Sheriff urges court to shun appeal

    Makarfi kicks as Sheriff urges court to shun appeal

    Apex court hears PDP leadership tussle suit today

    The leadership of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has urged  the Supreme Court to shun an appeal brought before it by the party’s sacked National Caretaker Committee led by Ahmed Makarfi.

    The PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC), led by Ali Modu Sheriff (Chairman), Prof. Wale Oladipo (Secretary) said the Makarfi Committee, having been declared illegal by the February 17, 2017 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, lacked the powers to take decisions for the party, including initiating court proceedings in its name.

    The PDP leadership stressed this position in a written argument it made in support of an application it filed on March 21 seeking the striking out of the appeal filed on February 27 by the Markafi Committee against the February 17 Appeal Court’s judgment. The written submission was filed on May 10 in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive on May 4.

    The PDP leadership is contending that the Makarfi Committee did not obtain the PDP’s authorisation to appeal in its name and on its behalf, because the PDP under the current leadership, was comfortable with the Appeal Court judgment and does not intent to challenge it.

    It contented, in the address written by a group of lawyers, led by Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), that since the Court of Appeal, in its February 17 judgment, declared that the Sheriff-led NEC is the authentic leadership organ of the PDP, the Makarfi-led Committee could no longer pursue an appeal in the party’s name.

    The Sheriff-led PDP leadership argued that the decision of the Makarfi committee to file an appeal in the name of the PDP without its (the party’s) authorisation was not only illegal, it violated the party’s constitution.

    Relying on the provisions of Chapter 5, Articles 35(1), 36(1) and 42(1) of the PDP constitution, it argued that the party, with a corporate personality, could only act through the principal national officer, whose powers and functions are stated in the constitution.

    It referred to a May 18, 2016 judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital territory (FCT) ordering a return to status quo as at May 18, 2016 and the subsequent judgment of the Federal High Court in suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/464/2016 to the effect that only the Sheriff NEC could instruct lawyers for the party, and urged the Supreme Court not to hear the appeal.

    The Sheriff-led PDP leadership noted that it had not by its argument said the Makarfi Committee could not appeal the May 17 judgment of the Appeal Court, having been parties in the case from the trial court, it (the Makarfi Committee) or its members could only appeal as interested parties after first, obtaining the court’s leave to so appeal.

    In the substantive appeal, among other issues,  Sheriff/PDP lawyers urged that the appeal should either be dismissed or struck out because the supposed appellants (Makarfi’s PDP) did not ‎obtain neither the leave of the Court of Appeal nor that of the Supreme Court before filing the appeal which is based on mixed law and facts.

    In a counter argument, the Makarfi Committee, represented by a group of lawyers, led by Wole Olanipekun (SAN), urges the court to discountenance the Sheriff NEC’s arguments and proceed to hear its appeal. It among others, urged the Supreme Court to set aside the Appeal Court’s judgment of February 17.

    In its argument dated May 15,  the Makarfi Committee queried the legitimacy of the application filed by the Sheriff-led NEC and argued that it was not only strange, but intended to frustrate the hearing of the main appeal.

    It argued that it was wrong for Sheriff and others to ask the court not to hear the appeal after briefing Akin Olujinmi (SAN) to represent them in the substantive appeal and filling a respondents’ brief, in which they also made similar arguments in relation to the competence of the appeal.

    Relying on Order 8 Rule 6 (1), (2) and (4) of the Supreme Court’s Rules, the Makarfi Committee faulted the March 15, 2017 letter of the Sheriff-led NEC applying to withdraw the appeal and the subsequent application for its strike out. It argued that since Sheriff and others did not file the appeal, they lacked the right to apply to withdraw it.

    In a response on point of law, filed by Fagbemi on May 18, the Sheriff-led NEC faulted all legal arguments by the Makarfi Committee, urged the court to discountenance its contention and hold that it lacked the locus standi to file an appeal in the name of the PDP, having been sacked by a subsisting judgment.

    On the issue of representation, they explained that while Fagbemi and others were representing the‎ PDP as a party, Olujinmi was leading a team for Sheriff and Oladipo, sued in their personal capacities and representing the National officers, NWC and NEC of the PDP.

    The Makarfi Committee has, however filed papers, seeking to regularise their processes. But, this was done after parties had joined issues and briefs exchanged.

    It was learnt yesterday that the Supreme Court had rescheduled the hearing of the appeal relating to the PDP leadership dispute for today (May 22).

    The court had, on May 4, ordered the filing of the written briefs and adjourned till May 25 for hearing. It could not be ascertained yesterday what informed the court’s decision to bring the date forward.

  • Appeal to NOUN management

    SIR: On behalf of my colleagues, I commend the management team of the NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA (NOUN) led by Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu, seasoned administrator per excellence for his recent meeting with the Senator Samuel Anyanwu -led Senate Committee towards proffering long-lasting solutions to the rejection of NOUN law graduates in the law school . His name will be written in the sand of time if a breakthrough is recorded.

    Specifically, let me appeal to the School’s Directorate of Exams and Assessments to immediately review the just released second draft time table which schedules more than two examinations for students in a day. Although, it’s well known to all and sundry that the school has an elongated calendar this semester, kindly put in place student friendly measures to ensure a hitch free examination period and not gateway to failure again!

    However, while concerned students await the quick refund of their hard earned fee that was swept away with the old portal, may I also on behalf of others call the attention of the institution, particularly, the Management Information System to the non-availability of some Tutors Marked Assignments (TMAs) as examination is fast approaching with the recent release of two sets of draft timetables.  It will be appalling if there is a replica of inefficiency on the part of the management in the assessment of TMAs like that of the previous semester where mass failure was recorded by serious minded students due to the inability of the school to allow the submission of TMAs.

    We hope for quick action in response to these complaints.

     

    • Adelanwa Quadri,

    Abeokuta, Ogun State.

  • Edo poll: PDP, Ize-Iyamu file 41 grounds of appeal

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate in last September 28 governorship election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, have filed a 41-ground of appeal against the judgment of the lower tribunal.

    Chairman of the three-man tribunal, Justice Ahmed Badamasi, had thrown out PDP’s and Ize-Iyamu’s petition for failing to support their pleadings with evidence as well as abandoning some pleadings in their petition.

    Justice Badamasi, who upheld the election of Governor Godwin Obaseki, ruled that many witnesses called by the petitioners were discredited during cross-examination because they allegedly gave hearsay evidence.

    Respondents in the appeal are: the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr Godwin Noghehgase Obaseki and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Among reliefs sought by the appellants is an order setting aside the decision of the tribunal and an order nullifying the return of the second respondent while declaring the first appellant validly elected.

    The appellants said the judges of the tribunal misdirected themselves and truncated their right to fair hearing by the “unequal treatment” allegedly given to the cases of the parties.

    They said the tribunal first found fault, discredited disbelieved and dismissed the petition of the appellants before considering and reviewing the testimonies of the witnesses of the respondents.

    The appellants insisted this caused a miscarriage of justice against them.

    They said the tribunal erred in law when it held that the testimonies of their witnesses from Akoko-Edo, Egor, Etsako Central, Etsako East, Orhionmwon, Ikpoba- Okha, Oredo, Igueben, Uhunmwode, Ovia South West, Ovia North East, Owan East, Owan West, Esan West and Etsako West local government areas, who were called to support the allegations, were unreliable.

    The appellants said the tribunal erred when it held that the testimonies of their witnesses were hearsay and that they were discredited under cross-examination, when this was not true legally and factually.

    The appellants said the tribunal misdirected itself and caused a miscarriage of justice against them when it held that the testimony of PW 1, (first appellant) was hearsay evidence and that he did not give evidence on the exhibits tendered before the tribunal, when a proper and dispassionate consideration of his testimony showed he gave evidence that was believable, cogent and demonstrated the exhibits tendered before the tribunal.

    They contended that the trial tribunal erred in law by holding that the Manual for the Election Officials, 2016, was merely an administrative document and that Exhibit 2RO64 and IRO22(1) had abolished the ticking for accreditation on the voters’ register.

    The appellants said the tribunal erred in law by disregarding the report of ballot papers recount ordered by it when legally and factually it was prevented from doing so.

    The petitioners averred that the tribunal erred in law by holding that mere tendering of some documents by the first respondent was enough to exculpate the first respondent from calling or adducing evidence and that the first respondent did not abandon its defence which is contrary to be position of the law.

    No date has been fixed for the hearing of the appeal.

  • Govt to appeal lost graft cases

    Govt to appeal lost graft cases

    •Onnoghen: no steam lost

    The setback suffered by the Federal Government in the prosecution of anti-corruption cases at the high court is temporary, Minister of Information, Culture & Toursim Lai Muhammed said yesterday.
    He urged Nigerians not to be discouraged by the negative outcome of corruption cases, promising that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration will carry on with the anti-graft war.
    The fight, he said, should not been seen as Buhari’s but Nigeria’s push for socio-economic freedom.
    In a statement in Abuja yesterday, Mohammed said the government had appealed against all the negative judicial decisions, and will vigorously canvass its case at the Court of Appeal.
    Besides, the minister disclosed that the government was reviewing the various rulings “to determine whether there were errors on our part or whether the government is the victim of mischief”.
    According to him, no setback will discourage the government from pushing the anti-graft battle.
    He said: “The war against corruption is going to be long, tough and arduous, but this administration is equipped, physically, mentally and intellectually, for the long haul.
    “We must win this war because the law is on our side, the people are on our side and God is on our side. This is only the beginning. So, any setback will not deter or discourage us.”
    Mohammed urged Nigerians to continue to identify with what he described as a “titanic struggle”, noting: “This is not Buhari’s war. It is Nigeria’s war of liberation from poverty, misery, sickness and wretchedness.”
    Nigeria, Mohammed said, cannot afford unnecessary technicalities as far as the war against corruption is concerned, especially because of the adverse and devastating consequences of corruption on the polity.
    He said: “‘Nigerians will appreciate more the grave and dire consequences of corruption when they consider that the $9.2 million found in a village house in Southern Kaduna can finance the construction of one health centre in each of the 774 local governments in Nigeria and fund them for one year.
    “Against this background, one can therefore imagine what Nigeria could have achieved with the $20 billion that was estimated to have been looted in the last three years of the immediate past administration, either in the areas of job creation or infrastructural development.
    “The government is therefore more determined than ever to recover as much of this plundered funds as possible and use them to put our youths back to work, fix our roads and other infrastructure, equip our hospitals and universities and invest in electricity in order to bring our industries back to life and bring back some level of comfort to our homes and offices.”

  • PDP crisis: Makarfi under pressure to step down, withdraw appeal

    PDP crisis: Makarfi under pressure to step down, withdraw appeal

    •Ex-Kaduna Gov may head convention committee
    •Jonathan didn’t ask him to step down, says Adeyeye
    •State excos to be harmonised

    Pressure is mounting on the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, to step down and withdraw all cases instituted against the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party.
    This, according to an investigation, is the immediate fallout of the intervention of former President Goodluck Jonathan in the crisis and his parley with PDP governors and other party stakeholders on the way out of the crisis that has torn the party into two.
    Multiple party sources told The Nation that top PDP members have been advising Makarfi to relinquish his position and to allow Sheriff organise the national convention that will give birth to a new leadership for the party as recently agreed by stakeholders.
    The proposal for Makarfi to step down, sources said, was broached at interactive sessions between party chieftains and the recently constituted reconciliation committee during the week.
    Present at the meetings were PDP governors who are the backbone of support for Makarfi.
    Embedded in the deal is the appointment of the former Kaduna State governor as chairman of the convention committee.
    Sheriff has repeatedly said that he will step down once the national convention takes place.
    It is also proposed that the reconciliation committee will harmonize the structures of the two factions as a way of ensuring that delegates for the planned convention represent all interests and factions.
    The PDP Reconciliation Committee is headed by Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, who said during the week that the solution to the PDP crisis lies in adopting a political approach.
    He said the committee is prepared for such an approach.
    He gave no details.
    The committee also comprises Senator Ibrahim Mantu as deputy chairman and Senator Joshua Lidani as secretary.
    Sources said yesterday that pressure on Makarfi to step down is part of the effort.
    The Nation learnt that an earlier plan to have both Sheriff and Makarfi quit may have been jettisoned following what some sources described as superior arguments at subsequent parleys.
    It was gathered that the need to avoid violating the recent court judgements, as well as avoiding having to enthrone another caretaker committee, largely informed the new move.
    In addition to stepping down from his position as head of the controversial caretaker committee of PDP, Makarfi and his faction are expected to withdraw all pending cases in court, especially the appeal against the recent ruling of the Court of Appeal which pronounced Sheriff as the authentic chairman of the party.
    While it is unclear whether the former Kaduna State governor is agreeable to the proposal, sources suggest that some of his backers, including the PDP governors and members of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), may have bought into the idea as the best way out of the PDP crisis.
    “It is true that Makarfi is being talked into agreeing to step down and allowing Sheriff to conduct the proposed convention that will usher in a new leadership for the party,” one source said.
    “The new leadership however, as agreed by stakeholders, must be all embracing and non-factional. It has also been agreed that both factions will contribute equally to all committees and other logistics that will lead to the said convention.
    “The initial idea that both leaders should quit was shelved following the emergence of superior arguments against it. In the process of finding a lasting peace to the crisis in PDP, many meetings have been held. Many will still be held until we achieve our aim which is to resolve all differences and put PDP back on the right track.
    “Those opposed to the initial idea warned that anything we want to do must not contravene any law of the land or any subsisting court judgement. It was also observed that having the two of them leave office will warrant the enthronement of another leadership structure, be it caretaker committee or whatever. This is another thing we want to avoid.”
    It was also gathered that on the strength of the last Court of Appeal’s judgement stakeholders are of the opinion that it is better to allow Sheriff conduct the convention “under strict moderation by the party’s reconciliation committee and other stakeholders.”
    Another party source said:” it was reasonably argued and agreed upon by our leaders that it may be in the best interest of the party to allow Senator Sheriff remain in office to conduct the convention and usher in a new leadership that will be all encompassing, for our party.
    “We realized there is no need to create a vacuum or a new body that may again be faulted by the law of the land, thereby leading to another crisis.
    “And since the last judgement endorsed Sheriff, it is safe to work with him towards achieving our aims of a clean slate and a new beginning for PDP. Sheriff himself is willing to leave and give way to a new leadership. He has promised to conduct an all inclusive convention where he will not be seeking re-election.”
    Party chieftains who do not want to be named confirmed that the new deal is in continuation of Jonathan’s proposed political solution which has been embraced by all the PDP governors and the majority of the party’s leading chieftains, including members of the BoT and the party’s national assembly caucus.
    Meanwhile, it is expected that the state executive committees of the two factions will have to be harmonized by the reconciliation committee before the planned convention.
    This, sources according to sources, is to prevent any controversy over the status of delegates going to the convention from the various states.
    “It is actually the issue of how to handle the fictionalised state executive committees that is the biggest challenge now.
    “Don’t forget that nearly all the states across the country have factional leaderships supporting either Makarfi or Sheriff. It is how well we are able to harmonise these that will determine how easy the new deal will sail through.”
    However, the spokesman for the Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye has denied reports that former President Goodluck Jonathan asked Makarfi to step down.
    “It’s not true that former President Jonathan asked Makarfi to step down for Sheriff to conduct a convention. What convention is Sheriff going to conduct?” Adeyeye said by phone yesterday.
    “I spoke with Makarfi this morning (Saturday morning) and he would have told me if it’s true that former President Jonathan asked him to step down.
    “Sheriff can’t organise any convention because he is not his own man. He is being controlled by external forces clearly outside the PDP so he can’t convince nobody of any genuine intention to organise a convention.”
    The former minister of state for works said the caretaker committee and all the critical organs of the party are determined to pursue the cross appeal against Sheriff pending before the Supreme Court.
    But he said this is without prejudice to the ongoing reconciliation efforts being spearheaded by Dr. Jonathan.
    He said:”We have resolved to pursue our case at the Supreme Court to a logical conclusion. This is without prejudice to the ongoing reconciliation efforts.
    “If we eventually resolve the matter amicably, then we move forward from there. But it would involve all the critical organs and all stakeholders within the PDP.
    “We want people to realise the fact that this is not a personal battle of any individual in the party. It’s a collective struggle that must be seen to a logical conclusion,” Adeyeye said.

  • Court adjourns Chevron’s appeal against Brittania-U on oil blocks sale

    Court adjourns Chevron’s appeal against Brittania-U on oil blocks sale

    The Court of Appeal in Lagos has adjourned hearing on the divestment of oil mining leases (OMLs) 52, 53 and 55 by Chevron.

    Two and half years after Chevron U.S.A Inc. and others appealed the judgment of a Federal High Court in Lagos, which assumed jurisdiction to hear a suit brought against them by Brittania-U Nigeria Limited over the divestment of Chevron interests in OMLs 52, 53 and 55.

    The court has fixed a date for hearing.

    The three-man panel led by Justice J. S. Ikyegh, after listening to the lawyers representing all the parties, fixed June 5, 2017 for hearing of the substantive suit.

    The appellants are Chevron U. S.A. Inc, BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Mr. Hermant Patel and Seplat Petroleum Development Company Limited.

    When the matter came up at the Appeal Court, counsel to the respondent Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) told the court of a pending application, praying the court to dismiss the appellants’ appeal for lack of diligent prosecution.

    He said the appellants had filed a motion for extension of time to enable it transmit its records of appeal despite that Chevron was the one who filed the appeal.

    Owonikoko said his client had an applied for the dismissal of the appeal.

    But the appellants counsel, Mr. Etuwewe said the court did not oppose the application.

    The court granted the appellants’ counsel’s request. It awarded N20, 000 in favour of Brittania-U Nigeria.

    Brittania-U Nigeria had approached the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, asking it to declare that by the final binding offer made by the plaintiff to the first defendant on November 14, 2013 at the invitation of the first defendant for US$1, 015, 000, 000, to acquire 40 per cent of Chevron Nigeria’s interest in Oil Mining Leases 52, 53 and 56, has been accepted by the first defendant by its conducts, representations on which the plaintiff relied and acted to its detriment, and that by provision of the Irrevocable Standby Letter of Credit for $250million opened in favour of the first defendant, to remain in force until September 14, 2014 as part payment; and further provision of firm letter of commitment by the plaintiff’s bankers for payment of the balance of $765million demanded for and duly furnished to the first defendant on November 15, 2013 the parties have entered into binding contract for the acquisition of the OMLs 52, 53 and 55 by the plaintiff from the first defendant for valuable consideration.

    Besides, the plaintiff prayed the court to declare that the demand by the first defendant on November 14, 2013 that the plaintiff asked its bankers to furnish firm commitment for payment of its final binding offer for about $1.15 million, for the acquisition of the 40 per cent  interest of Chevron Nigeria in Oil Mining Leases 52, 53 and 55 amounted to a counter offer to plaintiff’s final binding offer, which the plaintiff accepted on November 15, 2013, when it provided same to the first defendant for payment of the balance of $765 million in addition to the Irrevocable Standby Letter of Credit for  $250million opened in the favour of the first defendant, to remain in force until September 14, 2014 by reason  the parties have entered into binding contract for the acquisition of the OMLs 52, 53 and 55 by the plaintiff from the first defendant for valuable consideration.

    • An order in the alternative to the relief above granting special damages against the first and second defendants in $10,935,100 or as the court may adjudge fair and equitable as the enterprise value lost by the plaintiff for failure or breach of the contract of acquisition of the 40 per cent participating interest of the first defendant in OMLs 52, 53 and 55 in Nigeria stipulated in the Irrevocable Standby Letter of Credit and the Bid Process Document pursuant to which the parties conducted the sale.
    • Exemplary damages in $1billion for the wrongful interference by the second to fifth defendants acting in connivance or collusion with first defendant to unjustly prejudice and frustrate the contractual relationship between the plaintiff and the first defendant by making illegitimate and unauthorised use of sensitive business and proprietary information disclosed by the plaintiff in support of its bid to acquire the first defendant’s OMLs 52, 53 and 55 and which information were known by the second to fifth defendants to have been so disclosed in strict confidence and solely for the purpose of supporting the plaintiff’s bid but which were divulged to third party leading to huge business losses and reputational damage to the plaintiff.
    • An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their servants, agents, privies, proxies, fronts, staff hirelings howsoever called from proceeding to invite bids, offering or accepting, negotiating or engage in any transaction or contract calculated or purporting to transfer, sell, farm out, or otherwise charge, encumber deal in, dispose of or divest the 40 per cent participating interest of Chevron Nigeria in Oil Mining Leases 52, 53 and 55 in Nigeria in favour of any person or entity in derogation from or in disregard of the agreement entered into between the plaintiff and the first defendant on November 14 and 15, 2013, whereby the parties entered into binding contract for the acquisition of the OMLs 52, 53 and 55 by the plaintiff from the first defendant for $1.15 billion.

  • Appeal to Rivers’ electorate

    SIR: Many have asked if this is the type of democracy Nigerians hungered after in the 1990s. The fate of the people of Rivers State now rest with them, as they prepare for the Senatorial elections on December 10. It will be ridiculous, if the voters in that state, allow themselves to be persuaded to elect candidates based on the enticement of cooked rice, or bags of rice and sundries. That would be an insult to the people and by extension all Nigerians.

    They should have nothing to do with the politics of deceit and avoid been passive? This country is in ruins because the voter has made poor use of their influence and authority and what has happened? The result is the endless gulf between haves and have-nots.

    Today some office-seekers being proactive of their political ambition, set in motion a resemblance of service to the people whilst in reality it’s a scheme to clinch political power and when this is achieved they watch citizens die from diseases that care could prevent. It is now common for people to beg on the streets for alms, and in the newspapers for donations to bring medical care to their loved ones.

    And as they do, those elected on their promise of Utopia continue to fail the voters in their pursuits of self-interest. People of Rivers state in Nigeria today, are bleeding and wonder how long they would have to wait for their modest dreams to come true?

    Now is the time for them to look at the candidates eyeball-to-eyeball and ask them what they can do to stem the tide of rural-urban migration which has only added to the congestion and the problems of high-density living where infrastructure and services remain under-developed.

    Now is the time to ask them what plans they have to expand access to quality education? We have our public schools in Nigeria, unsupported and decaying with unqualified teachers and lack of funding.

    And this remains the status quo where only the poor send their children to learn in these schools. Ask them what plans they have to lift you out of poverty, to give you decent healthcare, quality life and meet all of your needs.

    Do not fall victim easily to promises made, so sincerely, hand-on-heart by those who seek your votes? Seek instead the candidate who can firmly protect your homes, provide education for your children and regular income for breadwinners.

    There is no better time to change Rivers State than now and the burden of change rests on you (voters).  This time, let voters not be swayed by the same promises that deliver nothing.

    Let voters not be seduced again. Let them not sell their precious votes for a handful of coins scattered to the masses. They are worth less than the coinage from which they are made.

    Fellow Rivers voters, do not allow a single vote to be wasted on those who will only fail you again. They do not deserve your precious vote. Not this time around. Remember: Only the small-minded keep repeating the same mistakes and hope for better outcomes.

     

    • Simon Abah,

    Port Harcourt.