City Crime
A’Court Rules On Motion To Suspend PDP Convention, Today …As BoT Blasts Secondus, Says Event To Hold
The Appeal Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has reserved judgement on the application brought before it seeking the leave of the court to suspend the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention scheduled to begin in Abuja, tomorrow.
This is as the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) has insisted that its national convention would hold according to plan.
The three-man panel of Justices of the Appellate Court led by Justice Haruna Tsammani reserved the judgement for ruling, today at 12noon after taking all arguments from the counsel representing the parties in the matter.
Justice Tsammani while adjourning the sitting, yesterday, expressed happiness with the level of maturity shown by all the parties, especially the counsel who represented their clients in the matter, and appealed to the media to report accurately what transpired in the court and avoid heating up the system.
The embattled former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Prince Uche Secondus in Appeal Court suit number CA/339/2021 versus Ibeawuchi Alex & 11 Others is seeking, among other things, the leave of the court through a motion to suspend the holding of the National Convention of PDP scheduled to hold on Saturday, October 30, 2021 at Abuja pending the determination of the matter before it.
Secondus through his counsel, Tayo Oyetibo, a senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), is asking the court to put the convention on hold and determine whether his removal as the national chairman of the party was valid, saying that the constitution of party empowered him to preside over the party’s convention.
He explained that his client had not asked the court to nullify the party’s national convention but that it was his constitutional right and not a privilege to preside over the convention, and urged the court to grant him the prayers sought in the application.
According to him, Article 35,Sub-Section 16 of the PDPConstitution used a mandatory word “Shall” preside over, adding that such word invested on Prince UcheSecondus the power to preside over the convention making it mandatory and not “privileged power.
“I draw the attention of my Lords to Paragraph 19 of my written address on point of law which captures the essence of my prayers. We urge you, my Lord to preserve the mace in this case, the jurisdiction of the court, and to give efficacious judgement in this appeal. The appellant has placed before you that he was unconstitutionally removed as the national chairman of the party and his image is permanently destroyed.
“I urge you to give him justice, his tenure as the national chairman of the party will come to an end by December 3, 2021”, he stated.
In their own presentations and arguments, the respondents’ counsel for Ibeawuchi and 11 others, Henry Bello (Esq), S.I.Ahmed,representing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who are the 6th respondent; Godwin Obla, (SAN), 8th respondent; Donald Dee Wigwe (SAN) 9&10 respondent; and Sabastine Hon (SAN) for 11th respondent; vehemently opposed the application, and urged the court to dismiss it in its entirety as the application was lacking in merit.
They submitted that the application sought by the appellant applicant was alien, adding that the allusion infused in the motion was a radical departure from the appeal.
They, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the motion.
According to them, the applicant’s application was belaboured, in vain, and prayed the court to consider in balance the over 4,000 members of the party who have since travelled to Abuja for the convention.
They argued that the interest of an individual cannot override the interest of 4,000 persons, adding that all arrangements for the convention have been concluded.
The Tide reports that the appeal was in respect to the earlier judgement given by the Rivers State High Court which sacked Prince UcheSecondus as the national chairman of the party.
Around six Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) are taking part in the legal war at the Appeal Court.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has insisted that its planned national convention would hold.
PDP’s Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), Walid Jibril, said the convention would hold despite the suit challenging the event by the party’s suspended national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.
It would be recalled that the Rivers State High Court had restrained Secondus from parading himself as the party’s chairman.
But, Secondus vowed never to withdraw the suit challenging his removal from office.
He had challenged PDP to stop all forms of preparation for the convention pending the hearing of his case in the Court of Appeal.
However, Jubril urged Secondus not to make the former ruling party ungovernable.
Featuring on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, the BoT chairman insisted that the party’s national convention would take place as scheduled.
According to Jibrin: “It will be very wrong for Secondus, being a founding member of the PDP, to make the party ungovernable.
“Could it be now that he goes against what the party is doing, what the party intends to do? I say it will be very wrong if Secondus is taking another fight completely, yielding the course to solve his own problem.
“Everything will come to an end. He had been in this party since the formation of the party. Is he going to die, what is going to happen to him? Let’s look at the party as supreme and go on with the decision of this party.
“I would like to say that the convention planned for the 30th of this month is on and we’re going to be there and carry out our duties and improve our party.
“We have processes and we have the national deputy chairman from the south, where he comes from and he is on course and he is now leading our party. His presence in the convention is not necessary at all.”
By: Akujobi Amadi
The Rivers state Government has urged the Federal Government to address the high rate of maternal deaths in the country.
Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Mekele Comfort Igwe, made the call while declaring open a four-day capacity building workshop in Port Harcourt, recently.
The workshop, which was organised by the State Ministry of Health with support from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, was aimed at developing realistic and effective operational health plans for 2026 that will shape the state’s health budget and improve public health outcomes.
Themed “Realistic and Effective 2026 Annual Operational Plan That Informs Health Budget for the People of Rivers State,” the training brought together selected health managers across the State to enhance their capacity in evidence-based health planning under Nigeria’s Sector-Wide Approach.
Igwe stressed the need for the country to address the issue of maternal mortality, describing the present ranking of Nigeria as the global capital for maternal deaths as a poor assessment of the nation’s health sector.
He described the workshop as a critical step in addressing the state health challenge through strategic planning and collaborative problem solving.
“Today marks another step in our journey towards effective health planning for the people of Rivers State. This workshop builds on the foundation laid by the Master Trainers’ training held in Abuja from June 30 to July 4. We are here to cascade that knowledge to ensure more people are equipped for the tasks ahead,”she said.
She reaffirmed the state’s commitment to the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Initiative and praised development partners for their continued support.
“I thank all our development partners for their unwavering commitment and financial support under the new funding arrangement.
“Their intervention has been crucial in helping us survive our worst health challenges,” she added.
Also speaking at the event, Dr. Dozie Nwokedi, a representative from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming the health sector through the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Nwokedi stated that the ongoing reforms are aimed at reducing physical and financial burdens on Nigerians seeking healthcare, increasing health insurance coverage, and promoting the local production of medical consumables and equipment.
“We are here to support Rivers State in strengthening the capacity of its health workforce.
“The goal is simple: save lives, reduce pain, and provide quality healthcare for all Nigerians. These reforms are built on a strategic blueprint that includes four pillars, three enablers, 27 priority initiatives, and 265 interventions,” he said.q
Also speaking at the workshop, the Director of Health Planning, Research, and Statistics in the Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr. Juhanne Woke, explained the rationale behind holding the workshop in July, noting that it aligns with the national health planning framework.
“This program is a vital part of preparing for the 2026 health sector budget. By Quarter 3 of each year, we are expected to begin planning using data and evidence generated within the current year,” Dr. Woke said.
She called on participants not to lose faith in the system despite past frustrations.
“I know some of us may be weary with the thought of ‘same old garbage in, garbage out.’ But I urge you to believe that meaningful change starts small. Let us all pull in one direction towards better health outcomes,” she added.
John Bibor
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned against the practice of scooping fuel from accidented tankers, noting it has led to the loss of many lives and property.
The agency’s Head of Operations in Ibadan, Mr Kadiri Olanrewaju, cautioned during a sensitisation programme on tanker fire accidents, held on Wednesday at Akinyele Local Government Area (LGA) of Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme was held in collaboration with the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency (OYSEMA) in Akinyele LGA and other stakeholders.
Olanrewaju said Akinyele LGA was selected for the awareness campaign because of its strategic location as a trailer route from the northern to the southern part of the country.
“These agencies felt that it was necessary to bring this important message to critical stakeholders in communities under the Akinyele LGA, where we have major trailer parks.
“The campaign kick-started in Ogun; we will soon move to Osun.
“The focus is to drive strong sensitisation against the scooping of fuel at the grassroots level, especially for local governments along the trailer routes to reduce needless loss of lives and property,” he said.
He charged the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other relevant agencies to enforce the laws against underage driving and ensure the proper certification and retraining of drivers.
The Administrative Secretary of OYSEMA, Mrs Ojuolape Busari, said that Community Development Associations (CDAs) were involved in the campaign to reach a larger number of people.
Busari noted that people still scoop fuel from accidented tankers because there had not been any serious punishment attached to the offence.
She, therefore, called for stiff penalties for anyone caught perpetrating the act.
“Apart from the risk of fire outbreak that may occur during the practice, it is stealing, which is a serious offence,” she said.
Earlier, the Executive Chairman of Akinyele LGA, Hon. Akinwole Akinyele, suggested that fuel transportation should be handled through the rail system, while leaving tankers for intra-city fuel transportation.
The chairman called for an urgent review of laws and policies related to fire services and road safety to meet the urgent and modern demands.
He said that the implementation of stricter fuel transportation regulations, vehicle maintenance, drivers’ training and retraining, and safer fuel handling practices remained crucial to the fuel distribution system in Nigeria.
“The attendant costs of tanker fire accidents have been huge, both in terms of the high number of fatalities and the loss or destruction of property, environmental damage, and public infrastructure,” he said.
NAN reports that the event featured technical sessions, lectures, and presentations from the FRSC, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Fire Service, traditional and market leaders, among others.
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