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Tag: sack

  • AEK Athens may sack Chrisantus in January

    AEK Athens may sack Chrisantus in January

    Greek Super League club AEK Athens might part company with former Nigeria U-17 international, Macauley Chrisantus in the January transfer window.

    Gazzetta. gr is reporting that manager, Gus Poyet is unhappy with the behaviour of the striker and his lack of form since the start of the season, and he has been told to find a new team in the winter transfer market.

    Chrisantus was left out of the AEK Athens squad that thrashed Larisa 5 – 0 in Group G of the Greek Cup on Thursday, fueling speculation that his days at the club are numbered.

    The 25 – year – old’s contract with the capital side is due to run out in the summer of 2018.

  • Jonathan’s ex-aide urges court to sack Secondus as PDP chair

    Jonathan’s ex-aide urges court to sack Secondus as PDP chair

    A former political adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Ali Gulak, has urged a Federal High Court , sitting in Abuja to declare the appointment of the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Chief Uche Secondus, unconstitutional.

    Gulak, in an originating summon, prayed the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining Secondus from continuing to act in the Office of the National Chairman of the party or organising or planning any election or carrying out any other functions or duties pertaining to the office.

    Joined as defendants in the suit are the PDP and Secondus as first and second respondents.

    The plaintiff also sought a declaration that by articles 35(1) and 47 (6) of the constitution of the party, read together with Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the continued functioning of Secondus as acting national chairman of the party, when he is not from the Northeast, was a breach of Article 47(6) of the constitution of the party and Section 223 of the 1999 constitution.

    Other reliefs sought by the applicant in the suit filed by his counsel, J.S. Okutepa (SAN), included a declaration that by Article 47(6) of the constitution of the party, the defendants could not hide under Article 45(2) of the constitution of the party to enable the  acting chairman,  who is not from the same area or zone where the immediate past national chairman originated, to continue to lawfully act in the office until elections are held to fill the vacancy; a declaration that by Article 47(6) of the constitution of the party, and upon the resignation of the former national chairman from office, only the plaintiff or any other member of the party from the same area or zone is eligible to fill the vacancy pending the conduct of election into that office.

    In addition, he sought a  declaration that the continued functioning of the second defendant as the acting national chairman of the party, without giving effect to or summoning the National Executive Committee to give effect to Article 47(6) of the constitution of the party was unlawful, illegal and a violation of Article 47(6) of the constitution of the party and Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution.

    In his 13-point statement of claim, the plaintiff argued that sequel to the resignation of the former Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, who is from Bauchi State in the Northeast,  he, having come from same zone with him, indicated his intention to be considered for appointment to fill the vacancy and that in furtherance of that desire, wrote all state chapters of the party in the Northeast notifying them of his intention.

    He also claimed to have made several representations to the defendants expressing his intention to be considered for appointment to the fill the vacant position of national chairman of the first defendant which the defendants ignored.

    The ex-aide contended that the failure or neglect of the second defendant to direct or cause the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the first defendant to give effect to Article 47(6) of the constitution of the party was not only selfish and self-serving, but also a grave violation of the constitution.

    He, therefore, prayed the court to determine “whether upon a calm view and construction of articles 35(1) and 47 (6) of the constitution of the first defendant read together with Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the continued functioning of the  second defendant as acting national chairman of the first  defendant, when the second defendant is not from the Northeast Zone of Nigeria is a breach of Article 47(6) of the constitution of the party and Section 223 of the 1999 constitution and therefore unconstitutional, unlawful and self-serving.

    “That in view of Article 47(6) of the constitution of the first defendant, can the defendants hide under Article 45(2) of the constitution of the party to enable the second defendant, who is not from the same area or zone where the immediate past national chairman of the party originated, to continue to lawfully act in the Office of the National Chairman until elections are held to fill the vacancy.”

  • Appeal Court reverses sack of Kogi council chairmen

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has set aside the judgment of a Kogi High Court, which nullified the election of the council chairmen and councillors.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had appealed the High Court’s decision.

    It joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), the state government, the Attorney-General, the state’s Independent Electoral Commission (KGSIEC), Abraham Olaniran, David Apeh, Haruna Ibrahim, Ahmed Samari and Amoka Suberu, as respondents.

    The appellate court, presided over by Justice Mohammed Mustapha, resolved the three issues for determination in the appellant’s favour.

    He said: “The judgment of the Kogi State High Court, sitting in Koton Karfe, delivered on December 8, 2014, is hereby set aside.”

    The PDP, among others, prayed the court to determine whether or not the judge was right to have nullified the election of the local government chairman and councillors when they were not parties to the action before him.

    In 2008, the state government appointed Olaniran, Apeh, Ibrahim, Samari and Suberu as members of the KGSIEC.

    On March 20, 2013, APC filed an action challenging KGSIEC’s composition on the grounds that its members were not qualified as chairman and members of the electoral body.

    APC argued that the KGSIEC members were partisan members of the PDP, adding that since the commission ought to be an impartial arbiter, its members should not belong to any party.

    Although the PDP said the KGSIEC members had resigned from the party, the lower court held that the actions they took were invalid.

    Dissatisfied, the PDP appealed the judgment but the appellate court held that the judge was wrong to have nullified the composition of KGSIEC. It also held that APC’s suit at the High Court was statute-barred.

    “On the whole, it is the considered opinion of this court that the judge erred in granting orders that affected the interest of persons, who were not parties to the case.

    “The orders cannot stand by reason of the fact that such orders are null and void. This issue too, for that reason, is accordingly resolved in favour of the appellant, and against the respondents.

    “Having resolved all the three issues for determination in favour of the appellant and against the respondents, the appeal succeeds perforce, and it is allowed,” Justice Mustapha held.

    Two other justices on the panel concurred with the judgment delivered on October 23.

    Justice Moore Adumein said: “For the comprehensive reasons given by my learned brother, I allow this appeal.”

    Justice Tani Hassan said: “I agree with the reason and conclusion in the lead judgment…”

  • Rochas didn’t sack Ndubuoke

    Rochas didn’t sack Ndubuoke

    Facts have emerged that Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha was unaware that Fan Ndubuoke had been relieved of his position as General Manager of Heartland FC, over a year after.

    This was revealed by Imo State Deputy Speaker Hon. Ugonna Ozuruigbo, who is the Chairman of a Task Force Committee for Sports Facilities in the state.

    “The governor had summoned a meeting involving my committee, the former sports commissioner, Ken Emelu and Heartland GM. When he (Okorocha) asked after Heartland GM, Emelu pointed at Okey Ibe. The governor shook his head and said ‘no, I’m talking about the Mbaise man that was winning those trophies (Ndubuoke)’. The fact is that over a year after, the governor was not aware that Ndubuoke was no longer the Heartland. That infraction was perpetuated by Emelu,” Ozuruigbo said.

    Ozuruigbo exonerated the state government from the ‘ill-treatment’ meted out to Ndubuoke.

    “Here was a man who had an accident while working for the club. He was still bed-ridden and the next thing was to sack him, after all he had achieved at the club. My governor will never be involved in such a thing. He wouldn’t have approved of it, if it was brought to his knowledge. Emelu and Ibe have to explain to Imolites how they did what they did,” he pointed out.

    “When Fan was in charge of Heartland, he was getting N8 million every month, yet the club won the Federation Cup back-to-back. Now, the club gets N28 million every month yet there is nothing to show for it and players are being owed bonuses. I am aware that as part of the Glo sponsorship of the league, LMC released N20 million to Heartland between March 9 and September 15, but that money is not reflected anywhere in the club’s account.

    “What we do now is that we take the players’ bonuses and allowances to the match venue and as soon as the match is over, they get are paid. The government has released all that will take care of the team till the end of the season. At Nnewi (after the game against Ifeanyi Uba United), the players begged that we should still hang around till the end of the season. At least, they want to be sure of their monies,”  he added.

    He reiterated the state government’s desire to bring Heartland back to winning ways.

    “The club is not doing well and we want to revive its lost glory. We want an accountable management that will make judicious use of government’s huge investments in the club. We want to assure Imolites that the club will bounce back stronger next season,” he enthused.

  • SACK NOTICE AFFECTED FALCONS – COACH

    Coach of Nigeria’s Super Falcons Chris Danjuma has admitted the news of him being relieved of his job regardless of how the Falcons performed at the women’s football event of the All Africa Games (AAG), had an adverse effect on his team.

    NFF president Amaju Pinnick had announced that Nigeria would be appointing a foreign coach for the Super Falcons this week while the team were in the thick of competition.

    The news seemed to have scuttled the euphoria in the Falcons camp in Congo after the team started their AAG performance on a high with a 5-1 win.

    However after that victory and Àmaju Pinnick’s subsequent announcement, the team lost three straight matches.

    “I am human. Even though we are professionals, we still have emotions. We come out every day to give our best to make a name for yourself and make our country proud. But while we are yet on this we hear the news back home and whether you like it or not these things affect us because we are human. We did know anymore what to think because we were under pressure,” stated coach Danjuma

    “We suffered from inexperience because we brought some new legs to test in this tournament. And things didn’t work out the way we wanted.”

  • Chelsea clear-out: Mikel faces sack

    Chelsea clear-out: Mikel faces sack

    •Fabregas, Terry, Falcao, Ivanovic, two others

    Nigeria international John Obi Mikel has been listed among the seven players who are simply no longer good enough and who need to be shown the door and replaced by Chelsea.

    The axe was as a result of Chelsea poor showing as they went down 3-1 at Everton. Mikel made his season’s first team line up in the clash.

    According to a report, emanating in England on Sunday, revealed that Mikel’s performances on that day were not impressive before he was replaced by Robert Kenedy after 55 minutes of play.

    The former youth international was linked with a move out of Stamford Bridge during the transfer window but Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho believed to have stopped the move.

    The 28-year-old midfielder was rated 5/10 in the match as he was considered not good enough for Chelsea any longer.

    “Finally, John Obi Mikel got a rare chance yesterday (Saturday) against Everton and didn’t impress, with Chelsea surely in need of a younger and more well-rounded central midfielder to partner Nemanja Matic. (He’s) not good enough for Chelsea any longer, Mikel did not adequately protect his defence and was taken off early by Jose Mourinho,” reports say.

    Apart from Mikel, other players that could be victims of a Chelsea clear out are:

    John Terry

    Club captain and Chelsea legend, John Terry’s time as a star player for the Blues is sadly up after a poor start to the season. The writing has looked on the wall for the 34-year-old since Jose Mourinho subbed him off at half time against Manchester City and he surely needs replacing by a younger player at the back.

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    Cesc Fabregas

    Not the player he looked like at the start of last season, Cesc Fabregas needs to be offloaded and replaced by a big name like Paul Pogba, who can offer more of a goal threat.

    Radamel Falcao

    Decent as a backup striker, Radamel Falcao isn’t really good enough to be playing regularly for Chelsea, as he may have to do at the moment due to the poor form and injury proneness of Diego Costa.

    Branislav Ivanovic

    Horribly out of form at the start of this season, Ivanovic looks over the hill and in need of replacing with a younger, quicker and more skillful right-back.

    Willian

    A player without the required skill and flair to truly change a game, Willian needs to be replaced by a top class attacker in the mould of Antoine Griezmann, or indeed recent signing Pedro.

    Loic Remy

    Another backup player who is barely good enough to be a backup, Loic Remy is too injury prone and drifts out of games too much to be considered a reliable option up front.

  • I recommended Keshi’s sack -Green

    I recommended Keshi’s sack -Green

    NFF Disciplinary Committee Chairman, Christopher Green has further revealed that his committee recommended the sacking of former Super Eagles gaffer, Stephen Keshi because of his arrogance and lack of respect for constituted authorities.

    The former Technical Committee Chairman in a chat with Sportinglife in Port Harcourt, said: “I personally recommended the sack of Stephen Keshi because he has no respect for the nation. He has no remorse whatsoever for any of his actions. You need to see how he presented himself when he appeared before our committee. He showed no remorse, and never believed he did anything wrong. So I had to recommend his sack”

    The Rivers State FA Chairman called on all stakeholders to rally round the present board of the NFF to ensure that they take the country’s football to another level

    “We need to support the President of NFF Amaju Pinnick in his quest in repositioning Nigeria football, he has a vision for the country’s football, and we should support him”.

    On the Nigeria League, the NFF Executive Committee Member said: “We can see that there is a lot of improvement in the League, and this can be buttressed by the number of away wins that have been recorded in the season, and the breaking of the 13- year-record of Kano Pillars in Kano. That is good for our football, and everyone can see that you can win anywhere, as long as you play well. We need to praise the LMC and everyone involved in the administration of the League” he said.

  • PDP seeks sack of Rivers tribunal judge

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, to sack Justice Victor Uchenna Okorie, one of the judges serving in the Rivers State Legislative Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

    Justice Okorie, who was initially the chairman of Panel One of the tribunal, was redeployed as a member of Panel Three after the PDP wrote the PCA, alleging that the judge, who is of the Customary Court of Appeal in Imo State, was not qualified to act as chairman of a tribunal, under Paragraph 1(1) and (2) of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution.

    In a fresh letter to the PCA, dated August 12, PDP’s lawyer, Godwin Obla (SAN), argued that it would be detrimental to his client’s interest should Justice Okorie be retained in any capacity where he could play any role in the determination of other petitions in which the PDP was a defendant.

    The lawyer alluded to PDP’s role in the judge’s removal as tribunal chairman.

    The letter reads: “We write to express our grave concern that immediately after the reconstitution of Panel One, which removed him (Justice Okorie) as Chairman, the latter was constituted into Panel Three, before whom PDP will appear in all pending petitions before it.

    “The net effect of the above is that PDP will continue to appear before the very one, against whom it had successfully raised objection in respect of his capacity as Chairman in the earlier panel.

    There is no gainsaying the fact that his present position as a member of Panel Three is a ‘demotion’, as it were, from his earlier exalted position of ‘Chairman’ of Panel One, a fact that will definitely continue to play out in his mind; needless to further point out the inevitable or likelihood of human passions of bias and prejudice awaiting the PDP as a party.

    “It, therefore, stands to reason from the above that the continued inclusion of Justice Okorie in the panel, where PDP is appearing as a party against another adversary, will inexorably compromise the integrity of the structure of justice system before whom our client has been made to appear in defence of its mandate in the electoral process.”

    The lawyer urged the PCA, as the appointing authority, “to take the necessary step to address our concern and that of the PDP and remove Justice Okorie from all the election petitions tribunals currently sitting nationwide, in which the PDP is a party, seeing that he is not ready to disqualify himself”.

    Obla said his client’s challenge of Justice Okorie as a member of the election tribunals was not about his competence as a judge in other capacities.

  • Sack fever grips perm secs

    Sack fever grips perm secs

    …as Buhari halts test for new ones

    Sack panic has gripped permanent secretaries following plans by President Muhammadu Buhari to trim ministries, departments and agencies(MDAs) to manageable size.

    There were indications that some permanent secretaries, especially weak and corrupt ones,  might be retired.

    Based on the pending change, the presidency yesterday halted plans to conduct a test for about 20 directors seeking to fill vacancies for the Director-General of the Budget Office and permanent secretary slots for Abia, Borno, Jigawa and Kwara states.

    It was also gathered that the alleged abuse of the selection process also accounted for the postponement of the test.

    A highly-placed source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The fear of a likely reduction of permanent secretaries by 50 per cent has gripped the civil service. Already, we have 42 permanent secretaries and if the MDAs are merged, some permanent secretaries may have to proceed on retirement.

    “The government may be forced to look at the records of the permanent secretaries. The weak and corrupt ones who fiddled with SURE-P funds, mismanaged resources and presided over phony contracts might be dropped.

    “Although the permanent secretaries are managing the government machinery with President Buhari, it will soon be their turn to be sacked or retired.”

    It was gathered that the pending change accounted for the abrupt stoppage of the examination for about 30 directors seeking to fill vacancies for the Director-General of the Budget Office and permanent secretary slots for Abia, Borno, Jigawa and Kwara states.

    A top source in the civil service said: “All the short-listed directors were yesterday abruptly told that the examination has been postponed indefinitely based on the directive of the presidency.

    “They said the shift was as a result of plans by the presidency to review the size of the permanent secretary cadre in the Federal Civil Service.

    “The presidency felt there might be no need yet to appoint new permanent secretaries when it has not decided the fate of those in charge now.”

    A circular by the Permanent Secretary (CMO), Amb. Danjuma N. Sheni, which was exclusively obtained by our correspondent, had invited the directors for the examination.

    The circular said: “I write to inform you that the timetable for the selection of candidates to fill vacancies for the appointment of Permanent Secretaries for Abia, Borno, Jigawa, and Kwara as well as the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation has been scheduled to hold from Monday, August 17 to Saturday 22, 2015 as indicated below:

    “ICT Refresher Course Self-Assessment Questionnaire Administration (August 17, 2015; Written Examination for selection of Permanent Secretaries(August 18, 2015); and Written Examination for selection of Director-General Budget Office of the Federation (August 19, 2015).

    “Permanent Secretaries are hereby requested to ensure that all candidates attend the activities as scheduled, please.”

    The Ahmed Joda Transition Committee had recommended drastic reforms in the civil service.

    The panel said: “There is no direct relationship between the number of ministries and efficacy of service delivery. The US with a population of 316million and with GDP of $17, 328 trillion (30 times Nigeria’s GDP) has 15 ministries. India has 24 ministries, while the UK has 17.

    “The current structure of the Federal Government of Nigeria with 28 ministries and 542 agencies (50 of which have no enabling laws) results in very high cost of governance. The portfolios of ministries are not responsive to all the major critical national challenges such as family and child affairs; religious affairs; vulnerable and elderly group affairs as well as the North-Eastern crisis.

    “There is an apparent conflict between the desire of reducing the cost of governance through cabinet downsize and the constitutional requirement of a cabinet-level ministerial appointment from each of the 36 states of the federation.”

  • Gunmen sack military barrack in Bayelsa

    Gunmen sack military barrack in Bayelsa

    •Four soldiers, one policeman killed in night operation
    •Arms, ammunition, gunboat seized

    Fear about the return of militancy in the Niger Delta yesterday enveloped Bayelsa State following a daring attack by unknown gunmen on  a military base at Ogbolomabiri in Nembe Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

    The gunmen suspected to be militants overran and sacked the Joint Task Force (JTF)/Operation Pulo Shield base, killing four soldiers and a mobile policeman.

    They struck in four speed boats loaded.

    The task force is charged with the responsibility of keeping the peace in the state which was notorious for kidnapping, piracy and illegal bunkering.

    Oil bunkering has long been a major cost to Nigeria’s treasury, which depends on oil for around 70 percent of its earnings.

    Another mobile policeman went missing after the incident which occurred at 11:30pm on Friday.

    The gunmen were said to have invaded the base in a coordinated land and water operation.

    Sources said they  ransacked the base and took their time to cart away all the rifles and ammunition of the security operatives.

    An army gunboat was also said to have been taken away by them.

    A source who described the incident as horrific said the security operatives were overwhelmed by the number and sophisticated weapons of the attackers.

    The source said the gunmen operated  for over 30 minutes shooting unceasingly.

    He said: “It was a shooting spree. Though the security operatives were caught unawares, there was little or nothing they could do because of the number of the gunmen and the kind of arms they came with.

    “Some of the gunmen engaged the military base from the waterways while others were shooting from land. The security operatives tried unsuccessfully to stop them. They paid with their lives. Some few fortunate ones escaped”, he said.

    He added: “It was obvious that they came for the arms and ammunition of the soldiers. They carted away all the arms and rifles and fled with a military gunboat.

    “We don’t know the motive behind the stealing of arms in this area. Could it be because of the forthcoming election or could it be a plan to start a fresh round of militancy in the region?”

    A top security source who also spoke in confidence described the attack as planned, coordinated and executed with the evil intention of stealing and stockpiling arms.

    He said the action of the gunmen caused panic in Nembe communities.

    The bodies of the murdered security operatives were recovered and deposited at the mortuary of the Nembe General Hospital.

    Continuing, the source said:”there is a serious problem in the Niger Delta region. We have been raising the alarm of functional and active militant camps operating in the region despite the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

    “The most disturbing one is this trend of attacking security operatives and stealing their arms. They have been doing this. The one they did in Cross River State was also massive. They are stockpiling arms.”

    Defence spokesman Colonel Rabe Abubakar blamed the attack on  “suspected oil bunkerers”.

    He said: “The Joint Task Force Operation PULO SHIELD has moved into action to arrest and apprehend the perpetrators of this unpatriotic and callous attacks.

    “The military will deal decisively with anybody or group involved in this and similar acts of attacks or sabotage on the nation’s economy.”

    He  advised the general public in the affected community to go about their normal business activities, and solicited their cooperation by given timely information to the military or any other security agencies to avert future re-occurrence of the ‘ugly incidence’.

    The Defence Headquarters also reiterated its commitment to ensuring the protection of lives and property of innocent citizens nationwide.

    Speaking separately on the development, JTF’s Coordinator, Joint Campaign Media Centre (JMCC), Lt. Col. Isa Ado, said :  “We are working on getting the  real details. The JTF is on the move to apprehend the hoodlums. We won’t relent on our efforts of fighting criminality in the region.”

    The Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Mr. Butswat Asinim, said details at the disposal of the police suggested that four soldiers and a policeman were killed in the attack.

    He said: “On the 7 August, 2015, at about 11:30pm, four speedboats loaded with unknown gunmen, suspected to be sea pirates attacked the Joint Task Force (JTF) Base, at Nembe Water front, in Nembe LGA, killing four soldiers and one policeman.

    “The gunmen carted away two HP Guns and other arms from the Base. A combined team of the JTF, Marine Police and the Navy are combing the creeks to recover the arms and arrest the culprits”.

    A combined military and police team was searching local creeks to find the attackers last night.