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Tag: verdict

  • Between Ugwuanyi and the people’s verdict

    Between Ugwuanyi and the people’s verdict

    One of the acid tests for political leaders is measured in the credibility people attach to their words. This quality, if it were to be a commodity, is very scarce indeed, especially in political arenas. But for Governor Ifeanyi  Ugwuanyi, prominent Nigerians have given a firm verdict that he has so far been working his talks.

    It was a verdict delivered in reaffirmation from Tuesday and Thursday last week  through last Sunday as the governor flagged off construction works  on many roads across locations in the three senatorial districts in the state, and received an overwhelming welcome by his kinsmen of Nsukka cultural zone also last Sunday. These assessments have come from Nigerians whose opinions could be said to be respected by discerning citizens.

    Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, fired one of the salvos at Nsukka, a university town and the second largest urban town in Enugu State during a civic reception for Governor Ugwuanyi. He was one of the guests on that occasion kicked off with a high mass celebrated by the highly oratorical Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Most Rev. (Prof.) Godfrey Onah, and ended with a civic reception at the Government Field in the town.

    Apparently following the reports of the governor’s towering popularity in the face of his numerous people-oriented policies and programmes, Dogara told the large crowd at the Government Field that Ugwuanyi would deliver all expected dividends of democracy to the people of the state, especially judging from his strides so far in spite of the present economic difficulties facing his state like the rest of the states in the federation.

    Before last Sunday, when the Speaker of the House of Representatives gave that verdict as an impartial arbiter, the fiery Enugu-based charismatic Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, had also recently assessed the governor very positively during a high mass. The church service was at the instance of the state judiciary, and the priest with a very large followership, told the judicial officers and the huge congregation during his homily that “Governor Ugwuanyi is a prayer answered for the people of Enugu State” who had been yearning for a God-fearing, humble and people-oriented leadership in the past decades. Certainly, a favourable verdict by Fr. Mbaka for a political leader is one etched in gold and credibility in view of the cleric’s reputation for severe criticism of bad political leadership in the country.

    Former Aviation Minister, Ambassador Fidelia Njeze,  had during  the flag-off of roads construction in the West Senatorial District, specifically at the knotty Ninth Mile corner, Ngwo, last week, led the people of the area in affirming that, indeed, “Governor Ugwuanyi is working his talks”. Yet, as the roads flag-off train moved to the university town of Nsukka on Thursday last week, former Information Minister, Chief Nnia Nwodo as well as Bishop Onah, led the people of the Enugu North Senatorial Zone to declare that Ugwuanyi’s emergence is a divine act of wiping away the tears off the grieving eyes of the people of the district.

    The high-rating of the governor from across notable political and religious voices afore-mentioned has been clearly based on his ambitious programmes and policies and the unfolding aggression with which he has begun to execute them. He had anchored his administration’s programme of action on a four- point agenda, one of which is rural development that seems close to his heart.

    It is a reason his administration is moving fast to tackle the bad road networks, especially in the rural areas of the state, a situation that poses some challenges in the movement of agricultural products from the hinterlands to urban areas.  Consequently, the governor has awarded eight roads for construction. And he has performed flag-off exercises for the construction of these roads. They include: Abakpa Nike and Nike Lake Roads, Opi-Nsukka dual carriage way, Amankwo-Ameke-Amah brewing junction, 9th Mile by-pass, Ohom Oba junction-Imilike Ani-Ezimo Agu- Imilike- Ogbodu Aba- Obollo Etiti- Amalla-Obollo -Afor- Udenu Ring Roads.

    Others are Enugu Road-Nsukka- Junction Umuezebi Road, Post Office -Roundabout- Odenigbo Roundabout, Ogurugu  Road-Ikenga Hotels Junction and Obechara Road  Junction-Umuakashi- Mechanic Village-Ikenga Hotels Junction.  As the ceremonies came underway last week, the visibly anxious people of the state came out in their numbers to welcome and cheer up the governor. Remarkably, their kind words humbled the amiable and humble governor who in turn vowed not to let the people down.

    At the Abakpa-Nike and Nike Lake Roads at Nike, Ugwuanyi stated that his administration would address all issues militating against the development of the state by, for instance, taking necessary steps to ease up the traffic difficulties encountered on the Nike Road now billed for construction. And it was a joyful moment for the people of the area as the flag-off exercise went underway and the governor said it was in order to create fresh economic activities for the people of the area and to reduce road traffic pressure on Enugu metropolis.

    “The project will offer our people the long desired relief from encroaching traffic congestion and other setbacks occasioned by the deplorable states of the roads; this will assist us in our rural-urban agricultural development as well as enhance businesses and commercial activities in these areas and beyond for the benefit of our people.” He pointed it out to the people that projects are taking off in spite of the prevailing economic difficulties, adding that “this is also to demonstrate my determination to continue to do so despite the prevailing economic situation in the state, and let me use this opportunity to say that we have not received any money in the name of bailout or anything from the federal government”.

    During the roads construction flag-off exercises, the Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Edward Ubosi, expressed support for the governor’s giant strides:  “the Nike Road will create job opportunities for Nike people and environs, alleviate poverty, reduce the stress of travelling through pot holes, especially while going to Opi and other towns within the Nsukka Senatorial District through this road.” And delivered the message of the state legislature and that of his state constituency to the governor thus: “Your Excellency, both the living and the dead are celebrating you for this kind gesture to Enugu East Constituency.”

    At the moment, there are clear indications across Enugu State that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is, indeed, the man that walks his talks as his all-inclusive administrative style continues to bring smiles on the faces of the people of the state. The enthusiasm of the people keep growing and Ugwuanyi himself has been leading all members of his administration into a body language that promotes work and more work in view of the people’s expectations.

    • Odu, a social commentator, wrote in from Enugu
  • NFF verdict promotes Adamawa ahead of Plateau United

    NFF verdict promotes Adamawa ahead of Plateau United

    Adamawa United will now be promoted to the Nigeria premier league ahead of Plateau United after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) organising committee awarded Plateau’s last game to their opponents Spotlight. Plateau are expected to appeal this decision within 48 hours, officials informed.

    The disciplinary and organising committee decided on Thursday that because of the delayed kick-off of the final match between Spotlight and Plateau United in Katsina, the match has been awarded to Spotlight.

    Adamawa thus finished top of their group with 29 points, while Plateau recorded 26 points.

    Precedence was set in the 2011/12 season, when Adamawa lost out on promotion to FC Taraba because their final match also started late.

    This decision also means Spotlight stayed up and Kogi United and Yobe Desert Stars have been relegated to the amateur league.

  • Tribunal fixes Sept 18 for verdict in Lagos West suit

    The Lagos State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ikeja, Lagos has fixed September 18 for judgment in the case brought before it by the Lagos West Senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Adewale.

    He is challenging the election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (aka Yayi).

    The three-man tribunal headed by Justice Sylvanus Oriji fixed the judgment date after listening to the submissions of both parties in their final written address.

    Adewale, known as Aeroland, is challenging the declaration of Adeola by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as the winner of the April 28 election.

    He had in his petition prayed the tribunal to nullify the declaration of Adeola as winner of the election.

    Adewale insisted that he won.

    Counsel to Adewale, Dr. Yemi Oke, said his client is challenging Adeola’s victory on three grounds.

    He argued that the nomination of Adeola is invalid, that election did not hold in some wards, and that there were irregularities, which include falsification of results in some wards.

    But counsel to Adeola, APC and INEC, Mr. A. Adegoke and Dr. Muiz Banire, urged the court to dismiss Adewale’s petition on the ground that he failed to prove the allegations against the respondents beyond reasonable doubt.

    They submitted that most of the allegations by the petitioner were criminal in nature and they would need to be proven beyond reasonable doubt.

  • Judge hailed over land verdict

    Residints of Gberigbe community in Ikorodu Lagos have praised Justice Michael Akin Savage for striking out a land suit brought by the Ladera Royal family.

    In his verdict, Justice Savage of the Ikorodu High Court, described the suit in which the Ladera family was laying claim to the entire Gberigbe land as an abuse of court process.

    He held that the same issue had been adjudicated upon by courts of competent jurisdiction in the past.

    A 2009 judgment in favour of the Ladera family over the land was upturned in 2014 by the Court of Appeal. The Ladera family filed a fresh suit before Justice Savage that same year.

    Responding to the ruling, the defendant’s lawyers, Olusegun Fabunmi and Richard Oguntade, said: “The implication of the ruling is that Gberigbe-Orelade family is the rightful owner of the land in question to the exclusion of other families that are laying claims.”

    Chief Kayode Sokelu Odubitan, Secretary of the Gberigbe-Orelade family, said: “The court has reaffirmed our ownership and we thank the judge for doing the right thing. We are now appealing to the government and law-enforcement agencies to help in safeguarding the lives and properties of the family and that of the entire community that had been under incessant harassment due to this protracted litigation.”

  • Synagogue: Coroner to give verdict July 8

    The Lagos Coroner investigating the collapse of a building on September 12, last year, at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Ikotun, Lagos will give its verdict on July 8.

    The Coroner court presided over by Chief Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe announced this yesterday after parties made their final submissions.

    About 115 persons, mostly tourists from South Africa, lost their lives when the six-storey building, which served as guest house for visitors, collapsed.

    The Lagos State government had set up the inquest to ascertain the cause of the collapse and identify the victims.

    The Founder of the church, Pastor Temitope Joshua, had initially linked the tragedy to a strange aircraft hovering above the building shortly before it collapsed.

    The church released a video on social media, which showed an aircraft hovering around the building before its collapse.

    The coroner took evidences from many witnesses, counsel of the government, trustees of the church and professionals in the construction industry.

    Joshua declined the coroner’s invitation to appear in person before the court.

    Instead, the cleric, through his counsel, Olalekan Ojo, filed an application in which he sought the order of the high court setting aside his invitation.

    He accused the coroner of delving into areas outside its jurisdiction.

    Joshua told the coroner court that he was not under any obligation to testify before the coroner.

    The high court presided over by Justice Lateefa Okunnu ruled that the Coroner had the power to summon anybody and corporate body it deemed fit to assist it in the conduct of the inquest.

    But the cleric appealed the ruling. The matter is still pending before the Court of Appeal.

    The Lagos State government had insisted that the inquest must be guided by Section 40 of the coroner’s law which bestows on it the role to find out who the deceased are, when and how they died.

    The government had submitted that since the issue of who the deceased are and when they died had been resolved by the report prepared by the state’s Chief Medical Director, Prof John Obafunwa.

  • Jonathan and verdict of history

    SIR: But for the agony wrought on hapless Nigerians since the electoral defeat of President Goodluck Jonathan on March 28, history would have been kinder to the former president. As a matter of fact, he had endeared himself to Nigerians for providing an enabling environment for a free and fair election and the fact that his concession of defeat had come before all the votes had been counted won him accolade worldwide. The above won him sympathy of Nigerians in spite of the inadequacies of his government.

    However, since the April 11 election, there has been palpable evidence of absence of governance, a pointer to the fact that the concession of victory to President Muhammadu Buhari was a mere show. If  Jonathan  truly  conceded defeat  in the true spirit of statesmanship,  he  would have provided  effective leadership  until the last day  of his  administration. The reverse was the case.

    In the last one month or so, the lives of the ordinary Nigerians, including millions who voted Jonathan became miserable. The former President abandoned governance and gave some shylocks, including independent oil marketers, free rein to fleece Nigerians to the marrow. Price of petroleum products skyrocketed which in turn affected the cost of production and transportation of goods. These in addition to the woes brought on the nation by endemic power failure. The irony is that downtrodden masses were most affected and living became nightmarish in most villages and towns. Security of lives and property could not be guaranteed because of the activities of insurgents, kidnappers and armed robbers. This is apart from the agony faced by civil servants who were owed arrears of salaries.

    Would it not be right then to conclude that the former President and his party inflicted pains on Nigerians because of their loss at the election? It is unfortunate that they turned their backs on history. If President Jonathan had played his leadership role to the end, he would have continually enjoyed the goodwill of Nigerians in future. But with the way his government ended, how does he think history would remember him?

     

    • Adewuyi Adegbite

    Apake, Ogbomoso.

  • Osun verdict: vox populi

    SIR: The verdict of Osun state election petition tribunal of February 6, has further reaffirmed the authenticity of the result of August 9, 2014 gubernatorial election held in the state.     But more than anything else we must commend members of the tribunal for their doggedness even at the risk of their lives. Feeble judicial minds world have crumbled.

    Also, the electorate, many of who were condemned to the narrow cells of emotional jail, deserve accolade for being civil in the build-up to the election and maintaining peace during the election in the face of intimidating security personnel as if that state was at war with the rest of the country. It is an antithesis that such red eyed security apparatus could not be deployed to Sambisa forest for the release of our Chibok 219 from the gnome called Boko Haram. We are still waiting for our government to reunite the girls with their families.

    Our leaders should, however, learn from the French phrase Noblesse Oblige; because he who is going to bury his senior brother alive must not take his junior brother along as a witness.       Now that the tussle is over, the governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola should see himself as father of all by distributing dividends of democracy evenly among the people of the state. It is noteworthy that he is known to act pro bono publica. To the people of the state we say congratulations. Vox populi, vox dei.

     

    •Adelani Olawuyi

    Odooba-Ogbomoso

  • Wike criticises Amaechi for celebrating verdict

    Wike criticises Amaechi for celebrating verdict

    Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant Nyesom Wike has criticised Governor Rotimi Amaechi for celebrating the Supreme Court judgment that brought him to power while allegedly “crippling” the state’s judiciary.

    His Special Assistant (Media), Simeon Nwakaudu, said in a statement that the former minister of State for Education spoke at Abonema last Saturday at a rally where he addressed would-be PDP delegates from the four local councils of Akuku Toro, Asari Toro, Degema and Bonny.

    The aspirant said for a man, who benefited from the judiciary, it was unfortunate that the governor allegedly locked up the courts to deny the less-privileged indigenes access to justice.

    Wike regretted that instead of presenting his party’s candidate, the governor was busy campaigning for himself.

    He also wondered why Amaechi was losing sleep over PDP candidate.

    The aspirant said: “Amaechi is happy with the Supreme Court judgemetn that brought him to power but he has crippled the judiciary. Amaechi is siphoning Rivers money. But he will lose the presidential and governorship elections.

    “Amaechi is spending on PDP governorship aspirants because he cannot present a candidate of APC. I will win the PDP primary by the support of PDP members and will go ahead to win the governorship election.”

    Responding, an Ijaw leader, Chief Precious Elegema, said it’s no coincidence that Wike was visiting the Ijaws to promote his governorship candidacy.

    He thanked the aspirant for proposing to choose his deputy from the Ijaw.

    Elegema said though the Ijaw were interested in becoming the state’s governor, but at the moment, they fully support Wike.

    He added that Rivers State was at a moment of decision, hence the need to support a strong candidate who would liberate the state.

    Former commissioner, Chief David Briggs, stressed that the Kalabari people were working with Wike for future reasons, adding that the people have entered a contract with the former minister for the state’s development.

    King Hope Dan Obusenga, a traditional leader of Oceania in Akuku Toro, said even before Wike started his aspiration, he had started his developmental projects in the area, touching the lives of the people.

    He stressed that Wike stopped Amaechi’s impunity in the area, by ensuring that soldiers were posted to maintain peace.

    According to him, if Wike as a minister could promote peace in the area, he would promote infrastructural development. He donated N10 million to the Wike campaign funds.

     

  • Osun APC to PDP: produce verdict nullifying legislators’ election

    Osun APC to PDP: produce verdict nullifying legislators’ election

    Osun State All Progressives Congress (APC) has challenged the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to produce a certified true copy (CTC) of the pronouncement of the Federal Court of Appeal, which sat in Akure last week and nullified the elections of federal and state legislators conducted by Rufus Akeju in 2011.

    The party said until the PDP can produce the CTC, Nigerians and Osun people should discountenance the party’s claim that the court had nullified the elections.

    APC Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Kunle Oyatomi, in a statement, said there was “no such declaration by any court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” adding that what the PDP has fed the public “is not only a misinformation, it is a blatant lie.”

    The APC stated as follows:

    “Before the 2011 election was held, the PDP went to the Federal High Court, Osogbo to stop Amb. Akeju, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, from supervising the said election on the allegation that the commissioner was allegedly a card-carrying member of the ACN (now APC) and a close associate of Senator  Bola Tinubu, APC National Leader.

    “The Osogbo Federal High Court granted the PDP an interlocutory injunction restraining Akeju  from supervising  the conduct of the election, but refused the prayer that INEC be restrained from conducting the election. However INEC immediately appealed and obtained a stay of execution of that ruling pending the determination of its appeal.

    “Curiously, while the appeal was pending, prior to the election, the PDP also went back to the same Osogbo Federal High Court. Against all known legal procedure to demand a stay of proceedings of the case it took to the High Court. So effectively, not only the INEC, but also the PDP stopped any further action on the substantive matter until the determination of the appeal in the Court of Appeal, Akure.

    “ The elections  held while the litigation was practically on hold.

    “After the elections (which the PDP lost woefully), they went to court –  not the Tribunal – to seek to nullify the election by bringing a fresh suit instead of the initial suit appealed against. The INEC promptly challenged the court jurisdiction to entertain the suit and the PDP on their own volition promptly withdrew the suit. “However, on the initial suit pending at the Federal High Court, which the PDP got an order for stay, ACN then applied to be  a joinder and the application was granted. But when other political parties sought similar joinder, the court rejected their application and they also immediately appealed that decision.

    “ So effectively, four different applications were before the courts – two in Osogbo and two at the Court of appeal, Akure. The appeal by INEC against the interlocutory injunction granted the PDP before proceedings were held up in Osogbo was the one determined on Friday in Akure.

    “ Our authentic information is that the court declared that the process of filing the appeal by INEC was defective, hence incompetent and was as a result struck out. “The Court of Appeal neither made pronouncement on the substantive suit, which is not before the Court of Appeal, but still pending in Osogbo, nor did it declare the elections  of 2011 ‘null and void’ (as the PDP is misleading Nigerians).

    “ As you read this, the PDP has a live case before the Federal High Court in Osogbo where it seeks the court to pronounce Amb. Akeju incompetent (because he is allegedly partisan) to conduct the 2011 election. That case has been put on hold by the PDP itself and until the party reopens the case, and get a pronouncement of ‘guilty as charged’, against Akeju, the Osun REC remains innocent. What Akure court did was to strike out a defective notice which can still be refiled.

    “The substantive case in which the PDP is seeking a court’s (not the Electoral Tribunal) pronouncement that the legislative elections of 2011 were allegedly null and void, has been withdrawn at the Federal High Court,  Osogbo. So, an Appeal Court cannot make a pronouncement on a matter that has not even  been heard or argued by the parties involved, at the High Court.

    “This completely exposes the stupidity of PDP’s claims that, by any warped implication, the Friday’s pronouncement by the Federal Court of Appeal in Akure has any direct or indirect bearing on the substantive case in Osogbo. The case is yet to be determined by the Federal High Court.”

    The APC therefore appealed to the public and the media “to be wary of information coming from the PDP and cross-check facts before arriving at conclusions or disseminating fallacies, which Osun PDP has become notorious of spreading.”

  • Lobi to appeal LMC ‘s verdict

    Lobi to appeal LMC ‘s verdict

    Lobi Stars have disclosed that they would appeal the verdict of the League Management Company(LMC) which ruled that their inconclusive Premier League Week 27 tie should be replayed from where the game stopped before it was abandoned by the home team.

    Subject to the ratification of the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF),the LMC ruled on Thursday that Nembe would play their next three home games at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City while they were also fined N500,000 for the action of the home fans who encroached on the pitch immediately a penalty was awarded the away side in the dying minutes of the match.

    But LMC ordered that the botched match be concluded at a neutral venue yet to be fixed and on a day yet to be announced.

    Lobi Stars, in a chat with SportingLife, said they would be appealing the verdict of the LMC ruling to the NFF whom must still rubber stamp the decision of the league body before it becomes sacrosanct.