Niger Delta
Tribunal Dismisses Case Against Bayelsa Speaker
After more than four months of sleepless night over Election matter against him pending before the Tribunal, the Bayelsa State House of Assembly Speaker, Mr Nestor Binabo can at least for now have a rest of mind.
This is because the Tribunal has dismissed the case for lack of merit.
Giving reasons for the dismissal, the Tribunal chaIrman. Justice Halima Mohammed, remarked that exhibit “B’’ (letter of termination of appointment) in which the applicant relied upon was not supported in evidence.
.The Speaker, Nestor Binabo was elected to represent Sagbama II Constituency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last April general elections; and the Labour Party candidate,at the election, Barnabas Edure however objected to the victory by asking the tribunal to nullify the election alleging that the speaker falsified his records by presenting forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Edure argued that Binabo failed to disclose that his appointment in the civil service of the old Rivers state was terminated in the intent form he filled and submitted to INEC prior to the elections.
But in his judgment which lasted over two hours, the chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Mohammed, threw the objections of the petitioner over board saying that the petitioner has not prove his case beyond every reasonable doubt.
The Tribunal Chairman stressed that exhibit B which was a certified true copy of dismissal letter relied on by the petitioner to prove his case was insufficient and contained irregularities contrary to the provisions of the Evidence Act.
Justice Mohammed also ruled that failure to produce other documents to support the exhibit by the petitioner had raised doubts on its genuineness as the source was not sufficiently proven.
According to the Tribunal, there is “a disconnect from what was pleaded and what ought to be proved” adding that instead of using the word “dismissal”, the petitioner pleaded ‘’termination’’ of appointment.
“The wordings of Section 107(1) of the constitution speak of dismissal. We, therefore, found out that there is a disconnect from what was pleaded and what ought to be proved. It has been held that termination of appointment cannot be a ground for disqualification.’’
“We find, therefore, abinitio that the case by the petition cannot stand to the extent that they had pleaded termination of appointment which is not the wordings of Section 107(1) of the constitution.”
The Tribunal further held that: “The non-production of other documents surrounding exhibit B is another issue that raise doubt in the minds of the tribunal. All the documents pleaded in the petition were not tendered expect exhibit B. The original letter, that is, exhibit B was not dated, “We have noted similar irregularities in that particular document. The document is supposed to have been issued from the office of the civil service commission. If the court draws inference from the two stamps in the document, the stamps are not visible at all and the tribunal cannot strain itself in trying to know what is written in the document.”
The Federal Government has handed over 24,180 bags of 50kg maize and 5,828 bags of 25kg ‘garri’ to the Akwa Ibom State Government for distribution to vulnerable households.
The Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, made the presentation on behalf of the Federal Government in Uyo, the State Capital.
Represented by Mrs. Mmandu Aisueni, the Head, Operations, NEMA, Akwa Ibom State office, Umar said the donation was in fulfilment of President Bola Tinubu’s promise to Nigerians.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government approved the release of 42, 000 metric tonnes of assorted food items from the National Strategic Reserve to vulnerable households.
Umar said that the president’s promise was the government’s way of reducing the impact of the current economic hardship in the country.
“We are here to hand over the food items to the state government for distribution to the intended beneficiaries in the communities”, she said.
The NEMA D-G said that the food items should be shared in the communities through properly constituted committees at the local government levels.
She said membership of the local government committees should include the council chairman, representatives of the State Emergency Management Agency and the traditional institutions.
Umar said 20 per cent of the food items for each council area should be given to religious groups, and that three per cent of it should be given to boarding schools in the area.
Receiving the items, Dr Offiong Offor, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, commended the Federal Government for the intervention.
Offor said that the gesture was a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to the wellbeing of the citizenry.
The commissioner promised that the state government would ensure that the items were given to the intended beneficiaries.
The Delta State House of Assembly has commenced public hearing on the State Human Trafficking (Prohibition) Bill, 2024.
The Tide’s source reports that the public hearing was organised by the House Committee on Housing, Women Affairs, Humanitarian Support Services and Girl Child Entrepreneurship in Asaba.
Chairman of the committee, Mrs Bridget Anyafulu, said the hearing was to provide members of the public the opportunity to offer contributions to the proposed law.
“The ultimate goal is to ensure that the state has a law that adequately answers to the challenges it seems to address and satisfy the needs and aspirations of our people and society.
“We have invited you to join us to make a law that will help to effectively address and eradicate the odious practice of human trafficking in our state.
“We know that as stakeholders, the effective participation in making this law will go a long way in enhancing the quality of the law that will finally emerge from the process”, she said.
Anyafulu assured the stakeholders that the committee would look into their suggestions and consider areas that could help to strengthen the bill as well as enhance its quality.
On her part, the State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Community Support Services and Girl Child Development, Ms. Orode Uduaghan, called for the inclusion of the National Agency for the Protection of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in the implementation process.
It also reports that Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), State Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), among others, were involved in the public hearing.
They commended the State Executive for initiating the bill and called for its speedy passage.
A group, Concerned Obidient Movement, has declared support for Mr. Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the September 21 Edo State governorship election.
Leader of the group, Mr. Ikhuenbor Igbinevbo, told newsmen in Benin that the election transcends individual personalities.
“It is a critical moment that will shape the future of Edo. The PDP is creating a climate of renewed political energy that promises sustainable progress.
“Its candidate, Ighodalo, and the deputy, Osarodion Ogie, possess the vision and qualifications that align with the aspirations of Edo people,” he said.
Igbinevbo highlighted the candidates’ deep understanding of the State’s challenges and potential which, he said, positions them to lead the state into a new era of prosperity and responsible governance.
He urged Edo people, both at home and in the Diaspora, to unite in their support for the PDP and its candidates ahead of the election.
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