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Mixed Reactions Trail Lawyers Protest In Rivers
Mixed reactions have continued to trail yesterday’s peaceful protest organised by a group of lawyers under the aegis of the Forum of Concerned Lawyers of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt branch in Rivers State, over what they described as non-appointment of a substantive or acting Chief Judge by the state government.
The protesting lawyers, numbering about 40, all dressed in their ceremonial wigs and ties, carried various placards, with some inscriptions such as “the law is for all humans”, and “Governor Amaechi, give us a Chief Judge”, among others, marched around the Rivers State Judiciary and the Federal High Court premises to register their grievances.
Reacting to the incident in a telephone interview, Chairman, NBA, Port Harcourt branch, Mr Lawrence Oko-Jaja, said those who carried out the protest yesterday were hired lawyers, adding that members of the NBA in the state did not plan to protest or participate in any purported peaceful protest in Port Harcourt.
According to him, the people, who were said to have participated in the protest, were allegedly given suits and wigs to wear to create the impression that they were lawyers, adding that he was reliably informed by members of his executive that they only recognised two lawyers amongst the protesters.
“My brother, I’m also a lawyer. Currently, I’m out of the state for a matter but will come back in the next few hours. The people you see there are not all lawyers but are hired people except only two persons. And you know that court premises are a public place. But the people you see wearing suits and wigs are only creating an impression that they are lawyers when they are not,” Oko-Jaja said.
The Port Harcourt NBA chairman used the opportunity to thank members of the association for not participating in the protest, adding that both executive and general meetings of the body would be called soon to address the matter.
He said that if the conveners of the protest are found guilty of any acts of misconduct, they would be punished in accordance with the relevant sections of the law guiding the NBA, stressing that the leadership of the NBA did not give approval for such protest.
However, while addressing journalists at the Rivers State Judiciary Complex in Port Harcourt, Chief Coordinator of the Concerned Lawyers Forum of the NBA, Port Harcourt branch, Barrister Chris Itamunoala disclosed that the peaceful protest was to register their disenchantment over the continued failure of the state government to appoint a substantive or acting Chief Judge for the state judiciary in accordance with the provisions of the rule of law.
Itamunoala said that the non-appointment of a Chief Judge has gravely affected the fortunes of lawyers and the litigants in the state as well as other stakeholders of the judiciary in the state.
According to him, “judiciary staff, who are due for promotion have not been promoted; opening ceremony for the 2013/2014 legal year, has not been kick-started, among others,” adding that “even our fallen colleagues are no longer given valedictory session, occasioned by the unavailability of a Chief Judge in the state judiciary.”
He, however, appealed to the state government and the National Judicial Commission (NJC) to ensure the appointment of either a substantive or acting chief judge for the state.
Reacting to the illegal protest, Chief Registrar (High Court), Leonard K. Adoki said in a statement, that the state judiciary was not on strike and has not permitted any group of persons to carry out protest within its premises.
Adoki further said that, “accordingly, staff of the state judiciary, lawyers and members of the public are advised to go about their lawful duties and businesses in the court complex,” and ignore any group pretending to be protesting over the appointment or otherwise of a chief judge for the state.
The Tide learnt that judges, magistrates and judiciary workers had defied the earlier warning by the protesters to stay away from the courts, and resumed normal duties in their respective offices as early as 7:30am, thus ensuring that the impact of the protest was not felt, as judges, magistrates, lawyers and judiciary workers were on hand performing their legitimate duties without any molestation.
It was further learnt that at the state judiciary, the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal complexes, no officials from the courts came out to receive and address the protesters.
The Tide gathered that the organisers of the protest were visibly frustrated and embarrassed when, at every point, they were not noticed or accorded due attention.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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