Featured
Rivers Rerun: Court Stops IGP’s Probe Panel …Panel, Plot To Indict Wike,Obuah -PDP
A Federal High Court, Abuja, has asked the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to maintain the status quo in the investigation of violence that rocked Rivers State during the re-run legislative elections on December 10, 2016.
The court said that in the event of the IGP going ahead with the probe before the issue of its jurisdiction on the matter was established, it still has the power to void the action.
In a brief ruling last Monday, Justice Gabriel Kolawole held that it was necessary to resolve the issue of jurisdiction of the court brought by the respondent before going into the substantive suit.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike had filed an application to stop the police from investigating activities surrounding the December 10, 2016 re-run elections in the state.
Wike had asked the Court in Abuja to stop the IGP’s probe into the various acts of violence and roles played by individuals in the re-run legislative elections.
However, when the case came up yesterday, counsel to the IGP, Mr. Deji Morakinya, raised preliminary objections to the application, arguing that it would amount to preventing the police from performing their constitutional and statutory duties if Wike’s prayers were granted.
He also prayed the court for interlocutory injunction to stop Wike from continuing with the suit.
The governor’s counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, said that he would respond to the issues raised in the counter-affidavit and interlocutory at the appropriate time but urged the court to order the IGP or his agents to maintain the status quo on the matter until issues raised in the originating summons are resolved.
Ozekhome said, “the police have admitted that some actions have been taken in the matter before the court but this ought not to be. Hence, the question is whether they should use the issue of jurisdiction to continue to go on with their activities when the court has not determined whether it has jurisdiction or not. They have admitted that they have carried out actions concerning this matter before this court; they are saying that we are carrying out investigation and dismissed some policemen in the matter whilst they ought to stay execution so that they would not be fait accompli. This is my worry.”
“This is no right; otherwise it will be fait accompli and an affront on this court. They should give an undertaking that when arguing the matter, they should stay action for now,” Ozekhome prayed the court.
In a bench ruling, the trial judge, Justice Kolawole said that the police have nothing to lose if the investigation was suspended.
However, the court said that the police have the option to continue with their investigation or not, adding that the court has the power to declare the findings invalid at the end.
According to Justice Kolawole, the issue of jurisdiction is to be resolved first before going into the substance of the matter.
“The issue of jurisdiction of court is said to be sacrosanct until otherwise proven,” he added.
“I see no injuries to be suffered by the defendants if asked to stay action. However, they have the option to go ahead or not but let me say that the court still has the power to declare the findings of the investigation by the police invalid,” he held.
The matter was adjourned till February 10, 2016 for arguments on the applications.
Meanwhile, the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by Governor Wike to investigate the killings and other violent acts during the elections has commenced hearing of petitions submitted to it.
The commission was inaugurated on December 22, 2016 by the governor in exercise of his powers pursuant to Section 2(1) of the Commission of Inquiry Law of Rivers State (Cap 30) Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999 and other powers enabling him in that behalf.
The Chairman of the Commission, Hon. Justice Chinwendu Nwogu, in his inaugural speech, stated that the commission is not aimed at witch-hunting anybody or group of persons.
Justice Nwogu maintained that the commission would employ and adopt all-known procedures that will ensure fairness to all parties.
A chieftain of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and Commissioner for Urban Development, Chinyere Igwe, who testified at the maiden sitting, could not conclude due to a video, which according to him, needs to be tendered before the commission.
Two other witnesses cross-examined by the commission – Lekuu Mgba and Frank David – in their statements, accused the Nigerian Army, Hon. Bari Mpigi and Nnala William of sponsoring the violence that occurred at Tai Local Government Area of the state which claimed the life of one Mr. Donwi Nte
In another development, the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, says the All Progressives Congress, APC, is at its clandestine plot again, plotting to take advantage of the panel set up by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to investigate alleged cases of killings during the December 10, 2016, re-run elections in the State to further their criminal and evil intentions against the government and leadership of the PDP in the State.
Part of the ongoing clandestine plot, Rivers PDP gathered is to contract the services of some notorious gangsters as their hatchet men to frame up the State Governor, Chief Barr Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, and the State PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah, as their paymasters for the alleged killings, particularly the murder of ASP Molid Alkali and his orderly.
Obuah in a statement by his Special Adivser on Media and Publicity, Jerry Needem said the hatchet men, who are still negotiating on how much to be paid for the satanic job, have been given the phone numbers of the State governor and the State PDP Chairman, Bro Obuah, to reflect same in their phones, as though they have been having regular communication with them as allies.
According to him, hatchet men, who are being mobilized, will in turn be accused by their paymasters, the APC chairman, and his co-plotters, will be arrested with arms and ammunitions, and upon interrogation, they will falsely admit that they were sent to carry out the alleged killings by Governor Wike and Bro Obuah.
The middleman, one Mr. George, according to information available to the PDP, is making the contact with the criminals while a certain former Commissioner, had assured the boys that they would be released by the police after playing the dirty job to rope in Governor Wike and Bro Obuah.
‘Oga George’ (as called by the gangster point-man), is an APC member,who said the action is in the collective interest of his party, the APC. He also assured the boys that the APC is working with the DSS and the Police, and would dictate to the Police and the DSS authorities what will happen, affirming that the notorious gangsters would be paid handsomely for playing the devil’s role to falsely rope in Gov. Wike and Bro. Obuah, the statement said..
It said the PDP is sufficiently aware of this satanic plot by the agents of the devil, with concrete evidence of live discussions between the gangsters and the plotters, and is waiting for them to make true their plot.
“But let it be known that one thing is to make wild allegations and quite another, to prove and be able to stand the dire consequences of such unfounded, baseless, concocted, and malicious allegations.
While we await them to hatch their evil plot, we wish to put the security agencies, particularly, the Inspector General of Police, the Rivers people, the international community and the whole world on notice about the next round of the many APC’s wicked plans to destabilize Rivers State, the statement said.
Rivers PDP said in an unmistakable terms that it was not shaken by the uncovered plot, but assured that APC have failed before they started.
The good Lord that has been fighting our battles is not tired yet and will also disgrace them in their new plot.
While we reassure the good people of Rivers State that the PDP-led government will never relent in its efforts to keep its promises and defend the mandate entrusted to it, we also advise our brothers, who are APC members to join hands with our performing governor, Chief Barr Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, to move the State to its deserved height, and desist forthwith, from the evil plot to incite another round of crisis in the state the statement said,.
It said that the crisis, no matter how coloured or to whom it’s aimed at, is an ill-wind that blows no one any good.
It would be recalled that the continued efforts of Technical Intelligence support from the TIU and 48 PMF arrested one of the key gang members, Christian Chukwuemeka Ekiekame, aka Prince Okoroma, native of Okposi village, that killed and beheaded DSP Molid Alkali and his orderly, and retrieved the late DSP’s phone from him.
He was quoted to have confessed to the crime, and the gang member also mentioned a former Commissioner and chieftain of the APC in Rivers State as their alleged sponsor.
Regrettably, the Police have not done anything to prosecute the said former Commissioner, obviously, because he is an APC member.
Letters
Ban On Christians Fellowship In Universities
If the story making the rounds on two Nigerian universities being sued for allegation of their ban on Christian fellowship in the campus is anything to go by, then Nigeria is in for another trouble.
According to the story, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Katsina State branch, in conjunction with an American conservative Christian legal advocacy group, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF International), has instituted an action against two universities in Katsina State for indefinitely banning Christian groups from holding fellowship meetings and worship on campuses.
The suit was said to have been filed against the two universities for violating the right to religious freedom by “indefinitely prohibiting” Christian groups from holding fellowship meetings and worship on campus.
The Christian legal advocacy group further alleged that one of the universities enforced the ban by locking all worship and fellowship centre on university grounds, preventing Christian students and groups from accessing the facilities and banning them from meeting for worship and fellowship elsewhere on campus while their Muslim counterparts at both universities have been permitted to hold worship and fellowship meetings in university-constructed worship and meeting spaces.
Recall that in 2017, there was a news report on the outlaw of any other religious or tribal association on campus besides the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria by the authorities of the Umar Musa Yar’Adua University, Katsina, Katsina State. A circular credited to the institution’s acting Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Sulaiman Kankara, which was later disowned by the university, contained the directive.
The last time I checked, Nigeria is a democratic, circular state where every individual is free to practise any religion of her choice. Section 38 of the Nigerian constitution provides: “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.”
It is therefore wrong for a public university to indulge in this discriminatory act. A university is supposed to be an intellectual environment where people should be allowed some level of freedom. There must be robust fellowship and inter-faith relationship. People must be able to relate with each other without any discrimination or stigmatisation.
Knowing how delicate issues on religion are in Nigeria, one hopes that the authorities of the institutions concerned should swiftly look into the report and retrace their steps. The court should be objective in deciding the case and give students of other religions some leverage of freedom. It must be stated that the judgment on this case should not be delayed to avoid any retaliation in other parts of the country.
We already have a lot of issues to deal with in the country. Adding a religious crisis to it could be disastrous. Any university established and funded by either the federal, state or local government, should have freedom of religion. Let there be no more trouble in the country, please.
Waheed Abiodun,
Victoria Street,
Port Harcourt Township.
The NIMC, NCC Partnership
Reports have it that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) disclosed that they have partnered to enhance seamless linkage of National Identification Number-SIM across the federation.
Both Commissions said that in recognising the significance of this initiative in enhancing security and improving service delivery, they were committed to improving processes and enhancing efficiency.
This is a welcome development. It has been worrisome why Nigerians should be made to go through the rigorous process of linking their National Identification Number (NIN) with their phone numbers every now and then. Some people who engage in online transactions have recorded some losses over the past few weeks as some internet providers barred their lines due to their inability to successfully do the linkage.
Two weeks ago, I went to a High Court for an official engagement and was shocked to see the number of people seeking to get court affidavits for the linkage of the NIN with the phone numbers so that their line will be unbarred.
It is therefore hoped that the NIMC, NCC partnership will remove all the bottlenecks surrounding the Nin, SIM linkage and make the process very seamless. It is also hoped that this will be the beginning of the process of proper identity management in the country and gradual collapse of all the various forms of identification – Drivers Licence, Voters Card, NIMC card. Bank cards etc into one identity card so that one would not have to be moving around with loads of identity cards.
Ebele Ubani,
Jabi, Abuja.
The Unwanted Strike
Just when the students of Nigeria public universities are rejoicing that there had been a no interruption in the universities’ academic calendar for sometiime, the news about the warning strike by the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, (SSANU), broke.
The Joint Action Committee of the two organisations had directed members to commence a seven day warning strike last week, following the federal government’s inability to pay their four months’ withheld salary.
I do not even understand why the government should allow labour unions to down tools before acting on their demands. Did President Bola Tinubu not direct that university workers that were on prolonged strike in 2022 and their salaries stopped by the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration after the invocation of “No Work, No Pay” policy, should be paid four months of the withheld salaries?
Have members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) not been paid in line with the president’s directive? Why were SSANU, NASU and unions concerned not paid? These bodies issued an ultimatum to the federal government. Why was there no effort to address their grievances within the window period?
It is said that what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. So, the government, having paid ASUU, should also endeavour to settle SSANU and NASU so that there shall be no interruption in our academic calendar. We did no wrong by choosing public universities. Government, ASUU, SSANU, NASU and what have you should let us learn in peace and graduate at the record time like our colleagues in private universities, please.
IB Michael,
University of Port Harcourt,
Port Harcourt.
Letters
Obi Should Do More, Discordant Tunes On Minimum Wage, Akpabio’s Unguarded Comment
Obi Should Do More
The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, has continued to voice out his opinion on the happenings in the country. On the budget padding scandal currently rocking the upper chamber of the National Assembly, he has told the Senate to provide Nigerians with some explanations on the matter.
He said the claims and counter-claims over the alleged N3 Trillion which was alleged by Senator Abdul Ningi to have been padded into the 2024 budget, requires proper explanation as to what Nigerians must need to know regarding management of the nation’s, insisting that the suspension of Senator Ningi for three months does not address the issue.
The Labour party chieftain had also expressed his concern over the hunger in the country a few days ago. He raised the alarm that Nigerians were spending all their money on food.
It is commendable of Obi to have stood with the masses at this critical time in the nation’s history and be critical of negative happenings in the country and bad government policies. However, Obi should do more than just criticising. It is said that “a tree cannot make a forest”. Therefore, Obi should galvanise all the law makers both on the national and state levels to tow the same line with him, which should be seen as the position of the Labour Party.
In 2023, there was a revolution in the country. People of all walks of life, of various religions and tribes trouped out in support of the labour party because they believed in Mr Peter Obi. People saw the Labour Party as a needed alternative to the two most populous political parties, PDP and APC. Based on Obi’s personality and popularity, some people who ordinarily would not have won councillorship positions in their communities were elected into state and national assemblies. Many of them won the elections for free, spending no shi shi.
Painfully, after assuming the exalted positions, many of them, especially those in the national assembly seem to have forgotten the masses. It is now business as usual. Among the seven senators and 36 House of Representative members of the Labour Party in the National Assembly, which one of them has moved a strong motion about the hardship currently being faced by the masses and how to address it? How many of them stood by Senator Ningi on the budget padding revelation? What out the exotic cars distributed to them, how many of them advised that they should go for less expensive cars and the excess money channelled into developmental projects? It has become a case of one not talking while on the dining table, right?
Obi should be able to organise his party to form a formidable opposition and a party that does things differently, a party that stands with the people. If the labour party elected political office holders carry on the way they have done since they came into office, they will keep de-marketing their party, forgetting that 2027 is just around the corner.
Ngozi Omeje,
Umuahia, Abia State.
Discordant Tunes On Minimum Wage
I have followed the discussion on the proposed new minimum wage with keen interest and I just hope the leadership of the organised labour will be firm enough to represent the workers and refuse to fall prey to the ploy to disunite them.
It is disheartening seeing workers come up with different amounts as the proposed minimum wage. While the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, demanded that South-West states should pay N794,000 the Trade Union Congress, TUC, asked for N447,000. Similarly, workers in the Federal Capital Territory demanded N709,000, while their counterparts in the North-West clamoured for N485,000.
This idea of singing in discordant tunes is not good for strong unionism. I recall my days as a civil servant in Ibadan, Oyo state. That was during the time of Adams Oshiomhole as the National President of the NLC. The labour union was a force to be reckoned with and whenever the workers barked, the government caught cold. The increase in workers’ wages was fought for as body. There was nothing like federal workers going to the left and the state workers going to the right. Of course then, in 2000, the TUC did not exist as a separate body. The entire workers spoke in unison.
Yes, the states did reserve the right to say whether they can pay the national minimum wage or not but the national body of the NLC was carried along in the negotiation. Please, the NLC and TUC should come together and present a common front in the new minimum wage quest and ensure that workers in the states also get a fair deal. If not, some of the greedy governors will continue to subject the workers to hardship.
Pa Micheal Adeniran,
Rumuogba Housing Estate, Port Harcourt.
Akpabio’s Unguarded Comment
“Today, he’s responding to a remark by the Governor that has nothing to do with him. The opposition is urging the Senate president to be mindful of his utterances. How can he turn the burial of late Access Bank CEO, Herbert Wigwe, wife and first son, such a sad moment, to a political attack?. It’s disappointing. That’s political recklessness taken too far. We, the opposition parties, won’t tolerate such utterances anymore if it continues.”
Above was the response of a member of the House of Representatives and Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, to the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, unguarded remark on Gov. Siminalayi Fubara’s comment during the burial of the late Access Holdings Plc GCEO, Herbert Wigwe, wife and first son last weekend.
It is hoped that Akpabio will heed to the advice and learn how to talk in public. Tracing his character as a public servant and political office holder in various capacities over the years, one would notice that the senate president lacks the act of public speaking and carriage.
Was it not recently that he announced that the clerk of the house had sent money to each of the senators’ personal account for their holiday enjoyment only to be called to other and he changed it to ”In order to allow you to enjoy your holiday, the senate president has sent prayers to your mailboxes to assist you to go on a safe journey and return.” What about the “honourable minister off your mic” shameful display.
Whoever wants to die seeking public/political office should go ahead but leave our dear governor alone.
Loveth Opusunju
Minima, Opobo, Rivers State.
Featured
Fubara Promises Rivers Support For Wigwe Varsity …Cautions Political Class On Power Tussle
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has promised the state government’s commitment to supporting Wigwe University.
Fubara disclosed this on Saturday after the funeral service of the late Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe, in Isiokpo, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Wigwe, alongside his wife, Doreen, and son, Chizzy, died in a helicopter crash in California near the Nevada border, United States of America.
Also involved in the crash was the Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Abimbola Ogunbanjo.
The governor said, “I want to say our brother has finished his work, though short. We, as a government, will do everything with the Wigwe Foundation to immortalise one thing.
“It is not the bank, the bank might have a new identity, a new boss to run it, other ventures will also have their names; but one thing that has his name is Wigwe University.
“We will do everything within our power to make sure the dream will continue to live just as he has planned it.”
Fubara questioned the mourners as to why they kept chasing worldly desires, stressing the significance of impacting lives rather than struggling for power.
“This one has to do with the political class, what is all these struggle all about? You want to kill, you want to bury, what is it all about?
“This is a man who was not a politician, he made his money through our investments, he had the world in his palm financially, he controlled even the political classes; but today, with all the power financially couldn’t control life. Is it not enough to ask ourselves why are we struggling? Why are we not making an impact on the lives of our people?” he queried.
Dignitaries present at the funeral service include the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Chairman, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria , Sanusi Lamido; Governors Alex Otti (Abia) Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), and Babajide Sawwo-Olu (Lagos).
Other dignitaries are former governors Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Peter Obi (Anambra), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Bukola Saraki (Kwarra), and James Ibori (Delta), among others.
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