The Nation Newspaper

Tag: petitions

  • Detained Ibadan businessman petitions NJC

    Detained Ibadan businessman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pelly Foam Industry, Mr. Dapo Davies, has petitioned the National Judicial Council(NJC) for the alleged bias of Justice Aderonke Aderemi of the Oyo State High Court, who issued the bench warrant for his arrest.

    In the petition dated July 14, the Pelly Foam chief, said: “Justice Aderemi’s bias against me has intensified and manifested in worse forms” ever since she got wind of the earlier petitions, as the Judge “interpreted the petitions to mean contempt of court and summoned me to appear before her even though I do not have any criminal charges filed against me.

    “On July 2, 2014, she issued a bench warrant on me and ordered that I be remanded in the prison. I immediately filed an appeal against the order. The appeal has been fixed for November 18, 2014 for hearing…Despite this fact, Justice Aderemi continued as if my appeal did not matter or that the appellate court is subservient to her court.”

  • APC petitions tribunal on Ekiti poll

    APC petitions tribunal on Ekiti poll

    •PDP: Party chasing shadows 

    The Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has filed a petition challenging the results of the June 21 governorship election.

    The interim Chairman of the party, Chief Jide Awe, told reporters at the weekend that he submitted the petition on behalf of the party on Saturday “since the law allows the tribunal to also operate during weekends”.

    He said the petitioner is urging the Tribunal to “unravel the hidden fact surrounding the election,” adding: “The poll was more of a mechanical exercise than conventional casting of votes.”

    Awe said: “The results of the election were embarrassing to us as a party and we hold the view that there is no smoke without fire.”

    He said the petition was not opposed to the earlier position of Governor Kayode Fayemi, who had accepted the outcome of the poll and congratulated the winner, Mr Ayo Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    He said: “The governor does not own the party. It is the party that owns the governor, and so the party can decide for him. You will observe that there is no name of Dr Kayode Fayemi on the ballot papers. What was contained on it was the name of the party and its logo. So, the issue is beyond the governor.

    “Let it be known to you that our candidate, Dr Fayemi, only conceded victory to guarantee continued peace that was prevalent in the state at the time as well as allow the siege laid on the state by the military to cease.

    “You can see that as soon as he announced that he had accepted defeat, the soldiers immediately vacated the state.”

    The PDP  said “the APC is going there to chase shadows”.

    Its chairman , Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, yesterday in a telephone interaction with reporters, said he was “not surprised because I knew that the APC would look for what to do and by all means too, to remain in the news following their crushing at the election by the Ekiti people”.

    Ogundipe added: “It would be interesting to see what they have this time against an election that has been the talk of the world in terms of freeness, credibility, fairness, organisation and security.

    “Even the people of the state, who voted massively for the candidate of our party, Dr. Ayo Fayose, would laugh at the mockery the APC is surely out to make of itself at the tribunal.

    “It is either their natural mischief or their usual deliberate deception of the people that has made them to act in feigned ignorance of extant court judgments on the issues they took to the tribunal as grounds to challenge the election.”

  • Former editor petitions Sports Minister

    Former editor petitions Sports Minister

    • Backs Maigari-led NFF probe 

    The Federal Government has been challenged to probe the the multi-billion naira finances allocated to the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) led by Alhaji Aminu Maigari, in the last 24 months.

    It has also been asked to look into the alleged fraudulent deal signed with the League Management Company (LMC) with an advertising agency.

    A petition signed by a former Group Sports Editor of Thisday Newspaper and current publisher of Gongnews.com, an online news medium, Olajide Fashikun and addressed to the Minister of Sports Dr. Tammy Danagogo, the petitioner said he decided to call for the probe of the NFF leadership “as part of the desired changes which Nigeria’s sports deserves following the years of mal-administration and loss of focus by those saddled with the responsibility of developing sports”.

    The areas that  Fashikun want the Federal Government to investigate include the $2 million paid by the Federal Government and $8 million paid by FIFA for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as some players are still claiming that they have not received their share of the participation having played in the qualifiers without playing in the finals; the $1 million reserved by the Sani Abdullahi led board for the furnishing of the Sunday Dankaro House and secretariat of the NFF in Package B at the National Stadium, Abuja; the N790 million for the 2013 African Cup of Nations; the N170 million received for the 2013 FIFA Confederation Cup in Brazil and the money paid by FIFA for same.

    The petitioner further wants the Federal Government to probe the $1.5 million grant given by FIFA to prepare the team, the Super Eagles for the 2014 World Cup; proceeds from the sponsorship deals with Globacom, Guinness, TomTom, Peak Milk and Adidas; N1.288 billion being the sum of the monthly subvention received from government from January 2013 to June 2014; N850 million received from government for the preparation and participation of the Super Eagles in the first round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the $8 million and $6 million expected revenue from FIFA for playing in the first round and qualifying for the round of 16 respectively.

    He noted that if “Nigeria football must be saved and helped to progress without committing the same error in the future, and as a measure to prevent this from repeating itself, given as a deterrence, you must act in good faith”.

    Fashikun, in the petition dated July 4, 2014, said since Football, is one of the 26 sectors under the purview of the minister and  for the fact that Nigeria are too emotional and passionate about football it was urgent that a probe be initiated to address the anomalies in the system.

    He said: “It is sad and unjustifiable that monies taken from the public till is being fritted away for unnecessary and under developmental purposes. That is why I am demanding from the Minister of Sports, an independent committee to probe the allegations or an investigation by a competent statutory institution”.

    The petitioner stated that had the NFF board used the funds available to them judiciously “the eventual protest of the players that embarrassed the nation would have been avoided. The cost of that embarrassment cannot be quantified in money matters”.

  • Customers file 4,142 fraud petitions against banks

    Customers file 4,142 fraud petitions against banks

    • CBN: depositors’ right to fair treatment breached

    Depositors filed 4,142 fraud related petitions against banks between March 2010 and last May, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said.

    Director, Consumer Protection Department (CPD), CBN, Umma Dutse, said the petitions bordered on excess charges, unauthorised deductions, dishonoured cheques, cheque conversion, foreign remittances andAutomated Teller Machine (ATM) frauds.

    He was delivering a paper on “Banker/customer relationship: Expectations and Realities,” at a summit organised by the Banks Customers’ Association of Nigeria (BCAN) in Lagos.
    The theme was Value based banking: Banks and their customers.

    Dutse said the petitions were received from inception of the office when it was known as the Financial Policy and Regulation Department in March 2010 to May, this year.

    He said excess charges constituted over 50 per cent of cumulative petitions it received last month.
    Greed, poor service delivery and failure to adhere to the provisions of extant guidelines and agreements, he noted, were some of the factors that led to the petititons.

    Dutse said: “We have received many petitions where banks charged Commission on Turnover in excess of the provisions of the CBN guidelines, or where banks introduced fees that were not initially in the agreement between them and their customers. In these, and similar cases, the banks involved invariably breached the customer’s right to fair treatment.”

    BCAN President Uju Ogbunika said there was the need for banking to be conducted based on values and best practices. He explained that banking should go beyond promoting products and services, to taking steps that will boost the economy.

    Head, Consumer Protection Council, Lagos Office Tam Tamunokonbia regretted that customers often became victims of excess charges because they could not read the conditions attached to contracts. He advised lenders to respect customer’s rights to disclosure, provide written terms and conditions in simple language and legible words, adding that charges and fees should be made known to customers before opening their accounts.

  • Olofa: Ruling house petitions Kwara AG

    The Olugbense ruling house of Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State has accused the deposed Olofa of Offa, Alhaji Mohammed Mufutau Gbadamosi of disobeying an Appeal Court order by parading himself as the Olofa.

    Last July, the appellate court  declared the installation of Gbadamosi, who is of the Anilelerin ruling house, as illegal.

    Olugbense and Anilelerin are the two ruling houses in the ancient town.

    The Olugbense ruling house has petitioned the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to desist from further encouraging the deposed monarch to parade himself as the Olofa.

    The petition is titled: “Re: Olofa stool: Aiding and abetting disobedience of the judgment/order of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CAL/71/2012 by Alhaji Mufutau Gbadamosi.”

    It reads: “I hereby bring to your attention the act of disobedience by the above mentioned judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on July 9, last year.

    “It is a matter of great regret that since the judgment was delivered July last year and Alhaji Mufutau Gbadamosi was dethroned by the Court of Appeal and restrained from parading himself as the Olofa of Offa, he has refused to comply with the judgment and the state has aided and abetted him to do so.

    “It is on record that soon after the judgment, the government took out paid adverts in some newspapers to greet him on his 50th birthday, describing him as the Olofa of Offa. This complaint was laid before the Court of Appeal and same is now at the Supreme Court.

    “The latest in this provocative, contemptible and condemnable act was on May 29, when Gbadamosi came to Ilorin as Olofa of Offa (purportedly to visit the governor on democracy day).

    “Then on June 2, the governor visited Offa to inaugurate some projects. The event was attended by Gbadamosi who paraded himself as Olofa of Offa in full regalia and paraphernalia of office, and to the biggest surprise of all and sundry, received recognition of the governor as such.

    “Tongues have not stopped wagging ever since on why the government would permit and, indeed, encourage Gbadamosi to flout with impunity the direct and positive judgment of the Appeal Court.

    “The case is now at the Supreme Court at Gbadamosi’s instance. Though that court has not made any pronouncement one way or the other, the judgment of the Court of Appeal dethroning him still stands; by the above mentioned contemptuous acts, the judiciary is being ridiculed as powerless and impotent.

    “As the number one legal officer of the state and key member of the profession, you ought not to keep silent.

    “Please be informed that we shall take our complaint herein further to the Supreme Court for record purposes.”

  • Community leader petitions Orji on Arochukwu road

    Community leader petitions Orji on Arochukwu road

    A community leader in Ohafia in Imo State, Chief Onwuka Ukwa has reacted to government’s attacks on him on the stae of Arochukwu/Ohafia Road. The government had said Ukwa was not competent to comment on the road which he described as the “worst” in Nigeria.

    But Ukwa said the attack did not bother him, adding “if that will make them fix the road, let them continue abusing me. The issue of that road goes beyond party politics. As a native of the area, I am entitled to my opinion because my people have suffered untold hardship because of that road,” Onwuka insisted.

    He said no amount of intimidation would make him prevent him from commenting on the road until the Federal Government thinks it right to fix it by awarding the contract to a reputable construction company.

    While saying that he would not join issues with the government of Abia State, he, nonetheless, wrote to Governor Theodore Orji complaining that the attacks on him were unnecessary and uncalled for. The letter which was made available to our correspondent reads:

    “Your Excellency, my governor, you know me very well, but consistently addressed me during your press conference as one Onwuka Ukwa of APGA. In my usual character, I will not display such disrespect to your person and office.

    Your Excellency, Governor T. A. Orji, your persistent vicious attacks on my person suggests there are really more the public and the two communities need to know about Ohafia-Arochukwu federal road.

    “Your Excellency, Governor T. A. Orji, I pleaded with you privately that I elected not to respond publicly to the unwarranted assault and attack on my person and APGA for an innocent appeal Chief Onwuka Ukwa made to the Federal Government and President Goodluck Jonathan for urgent rehabilitation of a totally collapsed Federal Road (Ohafia-Arochukwu Road).

    “Among the reasons I gave was my respect for your person and the office you represent as my governor. I equally pleaded with you that I never in that interview in The Nation Newspaper of Thursday,  February 27;  2014.

    Pages 34 and 35) mentioned Governor T. A. Orji or Abia State Government any where. So, I could not, in any way, have offended you Sir, or your government.

    “Despite my pleadings, cruel and vicious attacks continued to be unleashed on my person. The attacks were sustained for four days by Abia State government radio and rounded up by falsehood reported on the matter the Vanguard Newspapers publication of Tuesday, March 4, 2014 page 57) and Network news.

    “Why are you so determined to inject yourself and your state government into the matter is difficult to understand. My call for urgent rehabilitation of a collapsed federal road was to President Goodluck Jonathan and the Federal Government. Nowhere in my appeal was Governor T. A. Orji or Abia State government mentioned.

    “Under the circumstance, it is only natural that I must correct the lies being heaped on my person.

    1. ”In my interview, I asked Mr. President to send his Vice Namadi Sambo to travel by road not by air on Ohafia-Arochukwu federal road and also to return by road to experience the untold hardship the two communities (Ohafia and Arochukwu) have been subjected to for some years. On his return to Abuja, he will then report to the President about the true position of the road. I also described a journey on that federal road as a trip to hell, because I have personally experienced it. Everything I said in the interview was put in quotes. So, it is easily verifiable. Nowhere in my entire comment did I mention the name of Governor Theodore Ahamefula Orji or Abia State Government.

    “The governor, at a press conference, said I am not competent to speak about the road. My Governor, Chief Onwuka Ukwa is eminently qualified and very competent to speak on Ohafia-Arochukwu Federal Road. Let me repeat, it is a totally collapsed federal road. Once again, I humbly appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan for his immediate attention, to enable the road to be rehabilitated.

    2. ”The governor, in his press conference, also referred to me as a liability to APGA. Chief Onwuka Ukwa is one of the proud founding fathers of APGA, an eminent member of Board of Trustees (BOT) of APGA, and the Deputy National Chairman-South who raised the hand of Governor Theodore Ahamefule Orji at Michael Okpara Auditorium when he sought temporary refuge in APGA from PPA. Temporary occupants of Government Houses must stop using it as a platform for abusing and harassing citizens.

    3. ”I am also alleged to have said the governor will not rehabilitate Ohafia- Arochukwu Road because it is a federal road. This is a very unintelligent fabrication. Will I be calling on the Federal Government to come and rehabilitate their road, then turn around to blame the state governor when I know he has nothing to do with it? The governor claims he spent four hundred million Naira on that federal road.

    “He should go and claim it back from the Federal Government like other governors do when they spent money on federal projects. It is not a big deal. The Vanguard Newspaper publication is pure lies.

    Let me take this opportunity to alert President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Inspector-General of Police, Chief of Army Staff and Director-General State Security Service that some of our governors have their children terrorising innocent civilians with police and soldiers like Mexican Bandidos (Thugs), particularly in Abia State. This is not what democracy is all about. Mr. Governor, if you see Abia as Republic of Abia with you as the imperial ruler, sir, I don’t exactly see it the same way. Abia remains Abia State under a democratic Republic of Nigeria where people have the freedom to air their views. Abia State will never be turned into a personal family property of anyone.

    Ohafia-Arochukwu Road is not a political party affair. A bad road cannot tell who is PDP, APGA or APC. We must, as a community, encourage the rehabilitation of the road. If all it will take to rehabilitate the road is the abuse of my person, please abuse me, but rehabilitate the road and other roads.

    Thank you my governor and good friend.”

    Reacting on the letter, Governor Orji, through text message to Chief Onwuka Ukwa, said: “I still insist that you are not competent to make comment about the road.”

    Speaking with our reporter in his office in Umuahia, Orji said he had never said that he would not work on that road as he had been working on that road since he assumed office despite the road being a federal road.

    Governor Orji described Chief Ukwa as an inconsequential person and a man who has nothing to show as a member of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) who is out to deceive the people of Arochukwu who have been praising his effort and that of the Federal Government in ensuring that the road is motorable.

    The governor said: “The statement credited to Ukwa is a mischievous one with the aim of causing trouble between the state government and the Federal Government. However, I am happy the people of Ohafia and Arochukwu know better.”

    Orji said he had been worried over the state of the road when he travelled to Ututu to see their traditional ruler.

    “When I saw the state of the road, I told the people of that area openly that though it is federal road that I was going to work on the road to ease their pains”.

    He said he immediately mobilised a contractor to start a maintenance work on the road, stressing that it was the maintenance work on that road that made the people to have access to their homes before the Federal Government came into the scene.”

    The governor further said he had so far expended the sum of N400m on that road through a contractor known as New Idea.

    “You are living in this state and you are free to go and ask the contractor for the papers and how he was given the work and how much he had received.”

    Governor Orji also said with the level of work he did on that federal road before the Federal government started work, “I wonder how Ukwa who hardly comes home to his village in Ohafia will claim that I said I will not work on that road.”

    He said he had been working on several Federal Government roads in the state and an apostle of working on roads in the state whether federal or state, “since I know that my people are the ones who use such roads in the state”.

    The governor maintained that that there is nothing on earth that will stop him from working for the people of the state irrespective of their political leaning, “so long as I have the resources to do such work that will benefit the people of the state.”

    Orji said he had visited the office of the Federal Government contractor handling the Ohafia/Arochukwu Road to know why progress of work on that road is slow.

    He therefore said he had been appealing to the contractor to speed up work on that road for the benefit of the people of that area who have suffered neglect for several years.

  • Association petitions Speaker over alleged N6m fraud

    •Lawyer: it’s not true

    Members of the banned Aba Tricycle Riders’ Integrated Welfare Association (ATRIWA) have petitioned the Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Ude Okochukwu, against an Aba-based lawyer, Moses Ogbonna for allegedly embezzling their N6m.

    In a petition endorsed by six members of the association, including its chairman, Anthony Egwim and secretary, Kingsley Ogbonnaya, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent, the group said it contracted the lawyer to register the association for them.

    They alleged that after the registration process, the lawyer refused to release neither the certificate of incorporation nor the seal of the association to them. Instead, he forced them to use his office for operation and issued his chamber’s receipt to intending members.

    They also alleged that when they persisted in their demand, the lawyer who they had paid  for the services he  rendered to them, he prepared a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) whereby the lawyer’s NGO (Easylife Initiative for Rural Youths) would have 60 per cent rights and ATRIWA 40 per cent for which they refused to sign.

    The defunct ATRIWA members said as a result of non-release of the certificate of incorporation to them, the association was unable to open an account with a bank, even as they said all the monies realised was paid into the lawyer’s personal account with a commercial bank on Eziukwu Road.

    In the petition, members of the association also accused Ogbonna of not only using distorted ATRIWA receipts to issue to members of his newly formed Tricycle Commuters Co-operative Union Limited (TRICOOP), but also forcefully occupied their office at No. 1, Industry Road, Aba.

    The petitioners therefore urged the Speaker to compel the lawyer to reimburse the said N6m to the association and to vacate their office without further delay.

    When contacted, Barrister Ogbonna accepted helping the association to process its incorporation, but he denied the allegation of fraud, challenging anyone who claims to have paid money into his account to provide evidence of such payment.

    According to Moses, the allegation does not have any substance as the petitioners cannot provide any tangible evidence to prove he defrauded them of N6 million as contained in the petition.

     

  • Group petitions police, SSS over attempted abduction

    A human rights group, the Access to Justice (AJ), has petitioned Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar (IGP) over alleged suppression of police investigation into the attempted abduction of a Port Harcourt resident Mr Arthur Judah by the police in Rivers State.

    The petition, signed by the group’s Legal Programme Attorney, Mrs Destina Dalumo, was also sent to the Director of the State Security Service (SSS), the Governor of Rivers State, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Chairman, Police Service Commission and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 6, Calabar, Cross River State.

    The group said their client’s life is in danger, urging the security authorities to intervene.

    “Our client is convinced that his life is no longer safe in Port Harcourt. We are in the circumstances requesting that you use your good office to call for the case file and to re-assign the investigation of this matter to a credible police officer and police unit capable of conducting investigations into this matter with integrity,” the group wrote.

    Judah alleged that the police in Rivers abused their powers in obstructing and, ultimately, suppressing criminal investigations into an attempt to abduct him.

    AJ said sometimes in October, last year, Judah got some strange calls with the caller refusing to divulge his identity.

    The caller later said his name was “Chief Ezego”, claiming he was Judah’s deceased father’s friend who entrusted him (Chief Ezego) with some inheritance to deliver to Judah.

    It turned out the claim was false, and the “chief” was later discovered be masterminding Judah’s abduction.

    Police officers told Judah to play along and meet with the chief. He and his co-conspirators were arrested, only to be released a few hours later purportedly on the order of Rivers Commissioner of Police. AJ said the men were released when the police had not even had the chance to interview them or begin any investigation.

    “Our client was stunned as to how the attempt to abduct/kidnap him could be treated so lightly by a Police Commissioner.

    “Our client was also informed that the Rivers CP directed that the case file be transferred to his office and he asked the parties (the complainant and the suspects) to visit his office the next day, November 4, 2013.

    “On the afore-mentioned date, our client arrived at the CP’s office in the early hours of the morning with the police officers who went for the arrest and they were in the CP’s office till evening with no one attending to them.

    “Incidentally the crime suspects were not present for the said meeting. At the close of the day, police officers in the office of the CP asked our client and the police officers with him to return the next day.

    “However, to everyone’s amazement, the police officers who went for the arrest were arrested and detained for reasons only known to the CP.

    “Subsequently, the CP immediately transferred each of them to different police stations outside Port Harcourt.

    “Some persons within the law enforcement community conversant with the developments advised our client to immediately leave Port Harcourt …

    “We urge you to take urgent and adequate measures to save our client’s life and provide needed security for him.

    “We urge your urgent intervention in this regard as we look forward to a more transparent and impartial investigation of the case,” AJ wrote.

     

     

  • Rights group petitions Jonathan, Mark over murder

    Rights group petitions Jonathan, Mark over murder

    The issue on alleged criminality in Arogbo-Ijaw Kingdom of Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State over the gruesome murder of some indigenes; including Posiwei Obiko, Ogede Bowei,Oloye Samuel,Gedibowel Bolosinwei and Werikimibagba Oweifa about  three  years ago has not been resolved.

    Two prominent ex-militants in the riverside community Bibopiri Ajube a.k.a Shoot-at -sight and Omo Tonwerigha have been accused of having a hand in the heinous crime.

    According to a petition sent to President Goodluck Jonathan and the Senate President, David Mark by a Human Rights organisation, Niger Delta Youth Awareness Initiative (NDYAI) and signed by its National President, Dr Patrick Otekpo, the suspects should be prosecuted for their alleged criminal act.

    A copy of the petition was made available to The Nation in Akure, the state capital.

    It urged President Jonathan and Senator Mark to urgently wade into the matter in the interest of justice.

    Besides, the group also accused the chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, Senator Ayo Akinyelure who represents Ondo Central Senatorial District of an alleged attempt to sweep the matter under the carpet because of his alleged closeness to the two ex-militants.

    NDYAI, in the petition, said the Senate acknowledged its various letters and invited the group’s president, Dr Otekpo three times this year between February 26 and July 18, through the committee’s clerk, Mr. Jonathan Toruemi to state its own side of the alleged injustice and illegal killings of Arogbo Ibe indigenes.

    However, he said because of the failure of Senator Akinyelure’s committee to table the matter, the Senate President then thought of transferring the matter to another committee on National Security and Intelligence for swift action.

    Part of the Petition reads: ‘’This same Akinyelure who engaged in the controversial voting on child marriage at the Senate has shielded both Ajube and Tonwerigha who reported only once out of series of meetings convened by the Senate Committee  on the petition.

    Otekpo alleged that the duo ex-militant leaders were perpetrating the act through the use of ‘’Gallery Security Services’’ owned by Ajube, which ordinarily should be a security outfit to operate locally for banks and private companies without firearms and ammunition.

    He urged Senator Mark to stop Akinyelure’s committee from handling the case as an interested party, stressing that a neutral committee on National Security and Intelligence should be mandated to commence hearing on the matter.

    The rights activist also faulted Conoil Producing Limited and its associate contractors, BGP/CNHPC of allegedly colluding with Ajube to invade Arogbo Ijaw Kingdom for oil exploitation.

    He called for proper investigation of its activities; especially on the permission/authorisation document tendered by Conoil Producing Limited to the Senate.

    According to the petition, the document was characterised with falsification of signatories, and fake names to cover up illegal deals and operation without due process in the area.

    However, efforts to reach the ex-militant leader, Bibopiri Ajube for comments proved futile. His mobile line was switched off, but several documents were made available to our reporter to buttress the report.

    Otekpo, in a chat with The Nation said: ‘’Since our last invitation to the Senate on June 18 where the Committee, headed by Senator Akinyelure promised to invite us back in the next two weeks within which Conoil Nigeria Limited will submit evidence of payment of damages as claimed before the Senate, nothing has come up.

    ‘’We are afraid that since then, over the period of two months, the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges under Senator Akinyelure has kept mute over the issue in an attempt to suppress the illegal killing of innocent souls and to cover the illicit act of Conoil against the good people of Arogbo/Ijaw Kingdom in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of the state.

    ‘’We are appealing to the Senate President to prevail on the Committee against perverting justice in the interest of peace and to, as a matter of urgency, summon the accused parties for justice to prevail,” he said.

    Senator Akinyelure, in a recent telephone chat, affirmed that he heads the committee set up to look into the matter, even as he maintained that the outcome of their findings was not for media consumption at this stage.

    He said his committee would report back to the Senate for appropriate action saying, “I can assure that the matter is under active consideration and every aspect of people’s grievances will be addressed dispassionately.’’

     

  • Falana petitions Attorney- General, Taraba Speaker

    Falana petitions Attorney- General, Taraba Speaker

    A ctivist-lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) yesterday said a “political cabal” has hijacked governance in Taraba State.

    He alleged that Governor Danbaba Suntai could not have written the letter sent to the House of Assembly on his readiness to resume official duties.

    Falana said he had petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar and House Speaker Haruna Tsokwa, urging them to investigate and make public the true state of Suntai’s health.

    Falana said his petition to Adoke was based on the Freedom of Information Act.

    He spoke to reporters after making a presentation at the Military Law Forum of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) at its Annual General Conference in Calabar, Cross River State.

    On why he wrote the petitions, Falana said: “Unfortunately, another political cabal has emerged in Taraba State to cause confusion and to deny the ailing governor the opportunity to have himself fully treated.

    “He’s been brought back to the country to achieve certain selfish political interests that have further endangered the health of the governor.

    “He’s not in a position, from the information at my disposal, to write a letter, to compose a letter, to sign a letter and to send the letter to the House of Assembly of Taraba State.

    “Hence, I’ve sent a petition to the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the circumstances surrounding the writing of that letter.

    “I have also sent another one to the Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly to set up a committee to investigate the health situation of the governor.

    “Based on information that the Presidency or the Federal Government has information on the true state of health of the governor, I have sent a petition to the Attorney-General of the Federation under the Freedom of Information Act to make available to me and to the Nigerian people the state of health of the governor so that the citizens of Taraba State can be properly governed in line with the Constitution.”

    Falana said if Suntai was healthy enough to resume his duties, he should have met with his deputy and the Speaker for a full briefing on how the state fared in his absence.

    “It is very dangerous for us that this culture of impunity has continued unchecked,” he said, adding: “If the governor has recovered, and is prepared to resume his duties since Sunday, he should have appeared in his office, attending to his files; he should have allowed the deputy governor to brief him on how he has run the state since he has been away.

    “He should have met with the speaker to find out what the House has done, but to keep him away from all the relevant officials and agencies of state is not acceptable.

    “And for some people to be running the show, and signing a letter purportedly signed by the governor should not be tolerated in any decent society, having regard to what this country went through when the late President Umaru Yar’Adua was similarly brought back to the country.

    “It was the same way the then Vice-President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, was shielded away. The Senate President, the Speaker of the House – all of them were not allowed to visit President Yar’Adua. And it’s been done now in Taraba State.

    “The relevant officials that should invoke the Constitutional provisions are not allowed access to the governor. It should not be tolerated.

    “I am happy the human rights community has taken up the challenge to get to the root of the matter.”

    Falana also described as illegal the dissolution of the executive council by Suntai.

    In a statement yesterday, he said: “Today, the political joke was carried to a ridiculous extent when the state executive was purportedly dissolved. The governor, who is alleged to have resumed duty and taken the decision has not been able to report in his office. In the circumstance, the members of the Taraba State Executive Council should remain on their duty posts and insist on an urgent meeting with the governor with a view to confirming if he had actually taken the decision to sack them. On its own part, the House should not screen and confirm the list of commissioners being prepared by the cabal to replace the executive members.

    “However, before the state is plunged into further political crisis, the attention of the captors of the ailing governor ought to be drawn to Section 1(2) of the Constitution, which stipulates that no person or group of persons can take over the country or any part of it except in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

    “The Federal Government should therefore direct the security forces to round up the coup plotters, who are currently ruling Taraba State by usurping the constitutional powers of the elected governor.

    “Having regard to the experience of Acting President Goodluck Jonathan ( as he then was) under the cabal that illegally ruled the country when the late President Umaru Yar’Adua was in a state of coma, the Federal Government should not hesitate to defend and protect the Consitution in Taraba State in the interest of law and order in the country.

    “All men and women of goodwill in the country should team up with the democratic forces in Taraba State to end the brazen impunity of those who are exploiting the health of Governor Suntai to achieve dubious political objectives.

    “The governor should be freed to return to the hospital for further treatment without any further delay,” he said.