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Okah’s Legal Team Withdraws Representation
The lead counsel of Henry Okah’s legal team yesterday at the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg announced the team’s withdrawal from the terrorism case.
Okah is the leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND).
Defence counsel, Lucky Multulanta told the trial Judge, Neels Claassen that they were withdrawing from the case to allow a new legal team take over the trial of the case that might go to appeal and beyond in the coming days and months.
“Having discussed with my client, we came to agreement that it is appropriate for us to step down from handling the matter and allow a new legal team to take over from the mitigation of sentence to the appeal court hearing.
“My client has the right to change his legal team, and now he has decided to change the legal team representing him in this case, we are both happy about the decision,’’ Multulanta said.
Our correspondent reports that the defence counsel had asked the court to grant them postponement to call at least five witnesses from Nigeria and the U.S. of America to testify at the mitigation of sentence hearing.
Justice Claassen granted the defence the postponement for Feb. 28 to March 4 to call their witnesses.
“We have experienced a lot of frustration in getting out witnesses to come to South Africa to testify on the mitigation of sentence for my client
“I don’t know the reason why it is difficult for the South Africa Embassy in Nigeria to issue visas to our witnesses. We have made all effort to get the visas but up till now their visas have not been issued,’’ Multulanta said.
Justice Claassen expressed his disappointment in the withdrawal of Okah’s legal team.
“On the last sitting of the court I told you that there will be no further postponement in this case, now you are coming to announce your withdrawal from the case.
“I must tell you that I am very disappointed about this decision, how am I sure that is not a deliberate attempt to further delay the administration of justice.
“I just hope this is not a tactic to further delay the court processes, both of you may be happy about the change of the legal team, but it is against the legal procedure for you to take such decisions after several postponements.
“Changing the mainstream at this is stage is a very serious thing to do. I have to show my displeasure about the way and manner you have handled the case,’’ Claassen said.
Prosecuting counsel, Shauns Abrahams, told the court that the change in the legal team is aimed at frustrating court proceeding.
“My Lord, this sudden change in legal team of the accused is a deliberate attempt by him to frustrate the court proceeding.
“The defence counsel approached the Nigeria High Commission in Pretoria for Visas to visit Nigeria and talk to their witnesses on Feb. 12, and the officials at the embassy asked them to come back the following day for their visas. But up till now they have not gone back for their visas.
“Only for the legal team to say they are having problem getting to their witnesses, this is all attempt to frustrate administration of justice,’’ Abrahams said.
The judge ruled that the accused has the right to change his lawyer at will.
“In as much as I am not happy about the change of legal team at this stage of the proceeding, I must say the accused person has the right to change his legal team at will.
“But I must say this is going to be the very last time this case will be adjourned,’’ Claassen said.
The new lawyer, Gerrit Miller asked the court for an adjournment to allow him prepare and consult with his client.
Claassen adjourned hearing in the matter to March 18 to March 20.
“This is really the final adjourment, I will grant your application for this first and final adjournment, you must tell your client that I will no longer tolerate any further adjournment even if he decides to change his legal team again at the 11 hour,’’ Claassen said.
Our correspondent recalls that Okah, the convicted fractional leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), was found guilty of a 13 count charge of conspiracy to commit terrorism by masterminding two car bomb attack in Abuja on October 1, 2010.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.