News

S’ Court Adjourns Ihedioha, Zamfara’s Fresh Appeals To March 2

Published

5 years ago

February 19, 2020

The Supreme Court, yesterday, adjourned the hearing of the fresh application that sacked the governor of Imo State, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, filed to be restored back to the office, till March 2.
The development came on a day the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, assumed the headship of a seven-man panel of justices of the apex court that would hear the matter.
Also, yesterday, the Supreme Court fixed March 2 to review its judgement that sacked all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that won various positions in Zamfara State in the 2019 general election.
A five-man panel of justices of the apex court headed by the CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad, adjourned hearing of the application for a review of the judgement, after it noted that some of the parties were not served.
Aside from the CJN, other justices that participated in the proceedings that led to the January 14 judgement of the apex court that removed Ihedioha and declared Senator Hope Uzodinma of the APC, also made a comeback in the panel.
The other justices in the panel are Kudirat Kekere-Ekun who delivered the lead judgement that sacked Ihedioha, Justices Sylvester Ngwuta, Umani Abba-Aji, Aminu Sanusi, Kayode Ariwola and Amina Augie.
When the case was called up, yesterday, Ihedioha’s legal team led by a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, applied for a short adjournment to enable them to respond to motions that were served on them.
Neither Uzodinma’s lawyer, Mr Damian Dodo, SAN, nor that of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), opposed the request.
Consequently, the CJN-led panel deferred the hearing of Ihedioha’s request for review of its judgement till March 2.
It would be recalled that the panel had in its verdict that is being challenged by Ihedioha and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declared Uzodinma winner of the Imo governorship contest after it noted that some valid votes that accrued to him in 388 polling units were illegally excluded during the computation process.
It held that if the excluded votes were added, Uzodinma, who was the appellant, would have secured the majority of valid votes cast at the governorship election.
The apex court, therefore, ordered INEC, which was the 1st Respondent in the matter, to immediately issue a fresh certificate of return to Uzodinma who came fourth in the election.
Dissatisfied with the decision, Ihedioha, in his fresh five grounds of appeal, contended that the Supreme Court lacked the jurisdiction to declare Uzodinma governor in the absence of any proof that votes ascribed to him met the mandatory geographical spread.
Reacting, the APC and PDP, yesterday, aired their opinions regarding the adjournment of the Supreme Court review on the January 14, 2020 judgement till March 2, as requested by the PDP, to respond to motions that were served on them by the APC.
According to the Imo PDP Publicity Secretary, Damian Opara, “APC and Senator Hope Uzodinma filed a motion that was served on the applicants.
“Normally, when you file such motion, they need time to study and respond to it. How can somebody say that they were not prepared in a matter they filed long time ago. The lawyers needed time to study and reply them. We are fully prepared for the matter”.
When asked if his party was in high expectation, he said: “Well, I am not a lawyer but the little I know is that justice will prevail.”
On the other hand, the Imo APC Publicity Secretary, Enyinnaya Onuegbu, said, “The reasons for asking for adjournment was that the processes were still coming in. Maybe, they have filed or they were still supposed to file.
“Yesterday, they filed and served a fresh application, which apparently, the respondents have not responded to.
“What I mean is that the reply that the Senator Hope Uzodinma and APC served on Agabi, probably, the lawyer to the applicant would want to serve further responses.
“But the only thing is that why will they ask for a hearing notice despite knowing that all the processes have not come in. They are asking for a hearing notice and inconvenience the party on the other side.
“But it is allowed for the party on the other side to ask for an adjournment. You see, we did not oppose the application; we conceded to it. Normally, the courts do not have any choice than to consent to such an adjournment”.
When asked if APC was still in high expectation, he said: “We have the judgement of the Supreme Court. The governor has been sworn-in and adjudicating the function of the office, including payment of the civil servants.
“He paid January salaries by January 26; the governor has allowed most unusual contractors appointed by the past administration to continue their contracts.
“We are already in the office, so we do not expect any change because the time to contest any election petition matter in court has come and gone.”
On the issue of the governor yet to arrive in Imo, Onuegbu said: “The governor accompanied the president to Ethiopia, for four to five days; the governor by law is expected to attend Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday.
“The Imo State has a liaison office in Abuja, which is why wherever the governor is that is where the Government House is. The functions of government run smoothly with other appointees and the civil servants. Yes, we should expect the governor home.”
On the Zamfara case, the fresh application was brought by a faction of the APC led by a former governor of the state, Abdulaziz Yari.
Counsel to the Applicants, Chief Robert Clarke, SAN, said his clients were challenging the verdict of the apex court on the basis of its consequential orders that handed victory to candidates of the PDP in the state, which he said rendered the entire judgement a nullity.
The Applicants argued that reliefs the Supreme Court granted in favour of the PDP and its candidates were extraneous to issues that aggrieved members of the APC brought before it for adjudication.
In their fresh application marked SC/377/19, they argued, “That the Consequential Orders made by this Honourable Court in 5 appeals have made non-parties to the appeal to unjustifiably benefit from the outcome of the appeal contrary to age-long decided authorities by this same court, hence, making these non-parties to reap from where they never sowed.
“That the teeming electorate in Zamfara State have been unfairly and unjustifiably denied or deprived of their natural or ordinary outcome of the votes cast by them.”
However, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, who appeared for the Senator Kabiru Marafa-led faction of the APC in Zamfara State, told the apex court that he filed a preliminary objection to challenge the competence of the fresh application.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was cited as the 179th Respondent in the matter.

News

Shettima In Ethiopia For State Visit

Published

2 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

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

Published

3 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

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

News

Tinubu Orders Civil Service Personnel Audit, Skill Gap Analysis

Published

3 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

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.