Politics
RVHA Considers Bill On Violence
Matters of urgent public interest formed the major
plank of legislative activities at the Rivers State House of Assembly last week in Port Harcourt.
The House, last Thursday, witnessed a swam of both past and present lawmakers, including visitors who had come for the valedictory session held by the Assembly in honour of the deceased elder statesman and its Second Republic Deputy Speaker, Chief Godspower Umejuru Ake.
The Deputy Speaker of the 8th Assembly, Hon Marshal Uwom standing for the Speaker, Rt Hon Adams Dabotorudima who was away for other official duties, described the late Ake as a very humble politician whose legacy is worthy of emulation by all politicians in the state.
Ake, Uwom noted, was a selfless leader, whose political career was devoid of violence, acrimony and greed.
Assuring the family of the full support of the House for burial arrangement, the Deputy Speaker constituted a five-man committee headed by the lawmaker representing Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Constitutency 1, Hon Christian Ahiakwo, for a befitting burial.
Speaker after speaker, cutting across political divides, showered encomiums on the deceased politician who, at various times, served as State Chairman and National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Among them were former Acting National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, Hon Christian Ahiakwo, former House Leader, Hon Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja who urged the political class in the state to emulate the peaceful disposition of the late Ake and work for the unity, peace and progress of the society, irrespective of party affiliation.
The House had on Tuesday entertained a bill for a law to eliminate violence in private and public life, prohibit all forms of violence against persons and provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders.
The bill, sponsored by the Leader of the House, Hon Martins Chike Amaewhule and the lawmaker representing Emohua Constituency, Hon Samuel Ogeh and entitled: “Rivers State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Bill 2016”, sought to raise years of imprisonment for rape to 20, 14 and 12 years respectively without option of fine, depending on the level and manner of the offence and the ages of person or group involved.
The bill also seeks 3 years or fine of N500,000.00 or both to anyone who abandons a wife or husband, children or other dependants without any means of sustenance.
The bill passed through the first reading at the plenary session of the house after a motion raised by the Chief Whip of the House, Hon Evans Bipi and seconded by the Leader of the House, Hon Amaewhule.
The Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Adams Dabotorudima who adjoined the debate on the bill, to the next sitting, commended its sponsors, saying that the bill, when passed into law, would reduce crime and violence rates against persons, especially against women, children and persons living with disabilities in the state.
Subsequently the house also adopted the resolution submitted by Hon Evans Bipi Leader, House Committee on Public Complaints and Petitions on the matter between Abua/Odual communities and the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) in the state.
According to the Committee Chairman, Hon Bipi, Abua/Odual Council was directed to pay N1,500,000 installmentally to settle the N15,000.000 claimed by PHED as debts owed by the communities in the area.
The House also directed the company to supply steady power to the people, as the council agreed to comply with the Assembly directive.
On the same Tuesday, the Assembly led by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Marshal Uwom and the Information and Training Committee Chairman, Hon Samuel Ogeh addressed protesting members of the National Association of Plant Operators, who alleged that Daewoo Construction Company sacked them without severances.
Addressing the protesters Uwom reiterated the assembly’s commitment to the protection of the rights of the citizenry.
Enoch Epelle
The Rivers contest is expected to draw heightened attention in the oil-rich state, as political actors position for influence in a district long regarded as strategic to the balance of power in Rivers State.
INEC disclosed that the by-elections will hold concurrently with the Ekiti State governorship election, underscoring what promises to be a politically charged day across several parts of the country.
Beyond Rivers, the electoral body listed other affected constituencies to include Nasarawa North Senatorial District, Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency in Kano State, Ondo South Senatorial District, and Enugu North Senatorial District.
The vacancies, according to INEC, arose from a combination of deaths, resignation, and other constitutional developments. In Nasarawa, the demise of Senator Godiya Akwashika has left a gap in a district considered a stronghold of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In Enugu, the passing of Senator Okey Ezea has set the stage for a competitive race in the South-East.
Similarly, the Ondo South seat became vacant following the resignation of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, who now serves as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, while the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa seat in Kano opened up after the death of Hon. Muhammad Danjuma Hassan.
Analysts say the Rivers South-East by-election, in particular, could reshape political alignments in the state, as parties jostle to fill the void left by Sen. Mpigi and consolidate their foothold ahead of future electoral contests.
Stakeholder from Bayelsa East Senatorial District, on Monday, endorsed the incumbent Senator representing them to run for a second term.
Leading the stakeholders, the former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism and Special Adviser to Governor Douye Diri on Political Affairs (iii), Dr Iti Orugbani, said the reason for the endorsement was based on the federal lawmaker’s trajectory of good deeds and massive execution of projects across communities of the Senatorial district.
Dr Orugbani highlighted some of the projects to include landing jetties, telecommunication masts and town halls amongst others, noting that Sen. Agadaga’s performance has exceeded those of others who hitherto represented the oil rich area.
Bayelsa East Senatorial District comprises Ogbia, Brass and Nembe Local Government Areas of the State.
The Governor’s aide who called on the State’s Eastern political enclave to respect the 2022 new zoning agreement, which guaranteed second term for Senators from the District, stressed the need for political tolerance and peace in the forthcoming 2027 polls.
“In 2022 the leaders and stakeholders across party lines from Bayelsa East held a meeting and altered the old single term for Senators from the district’s agreement and signed that begining from 2023 any Senator emerging from the district must serve for a minimum of two terms.
“In 2023, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, then an incumbent Senator representing the Senatorial district under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was given a second term ticket by the party. Though he lost to the PDP.
“Now that the entire state is now APC and the District has an APC Senator in the person of Benson Agadaga from Ogbia LGA, why not also give him a second tenure?
“The stakeholders in 2022 changed the old political agreement because they saw that it wasn’t beneficial to the district any longer. And so, because it was Ogbia Local Government Area that started the old zoning arrangement by producing the first Senator in 1999, I want to plead that let Ogbia also begin the new two terms zoning agreement”, he said.
Also speaking, the duo of woman leader of a support group, ‘Agadema Women’, Mrs. Owadaba Jokori and the Information Officer of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Central Zone, Comrade Ikio, stated that the incumbent Senator has done well for the district in the past three years that he has been in office.
They lauded the federal lawmaker for his infrastructure projects, especially the construction of landing jetties in select communities of the three local government areas of the district, commending stakeholders for supporting the lawmaker in his second term bid.
In his remarks, Senator Agadaga thanked the stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him and the endorsements he has received lately from constituents and admirers across political parties.
The lawmaker noted that within the past three years that he has been Senator, he has delivered dividends of democracy to his constituents across the Senatorial District, emphasizing that the call for him to be senator from the Brass Senatorial District came to him as a surprise, noting that he accepted the clarion call when the clamour became so loud.
“I was Chief of Staff to the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, when various groups from the zone came calling on me to contest the 2023 Senatorial polls.
“Ever since winning the elections as a senator, I’ve continued to deliver on my mandate in both representation, lawmaking, oversight, project execution and support for constituents when called upon. And I shall continue to do more if elected for a second term”, the Senator said.
By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has set May 15 as deadline for definite hearing in a suit filed by a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The judge on Monday shifted the hearing date following the absence of the plaintiff, Mr Jideobi, and his lawyer in court without any information.
Apart from the absence of the plaintiff, who is a legal practitioner, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, who are 2nd and 3rd defendants in the matter, were also not in court.
Following the absence of the plaintiff and the two defendants, Chris Uche, SAN, representing Dr Jonathan, applied to the court to strike out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution.
Having joined issues with each other, Mr Uche said, the suit is liable for dismissal with a N5 million cost to be awarded against the plaintiff and payable to Dr Jonathan.
He argued that from all indications, the plaintiff has abandoned the suit and ran away upon sighting the preliminary objections raised against the suit, adding that the court is a busy place and not for unserious matters.
Justice Lifu, however, noted that there was no evidence of service of hearing notice on INEC and AGF to appear in court for the suit, adding that lack of service of hearing notice is fundamental.
The judge said rather than striking out the suit, he prefers to bend backward to accommodate the plaintiff and the two defendants for the last time.
While adjourning the matter to May 15, Justice Lifu ordered that hearing notice be served on the plaintiff and the 2nd and 3rd defendants who were not in court on Monday.
The plaintiff, Mr Jideobi, had filed the case seeking an order to restrain Dr Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as an aspirant for the 2027 election.
He is also asking the court to stop INEC from accepting, processing or publishing Dr Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate.
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