News
Again, PDP Drags AP Assembly Candidates To Court
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has, again, dragged the state House of Assembly candidates of Accord Party to a Port Harcourt High Court for alleged non-compliance to electoral guidelines in the conduct of the party’s primaries.
This recent suit challenging the eligibility of the state House of Assembly candidates comes after the PDP had also dragged party’s National Assembly flagbearers to a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt for same offence.
Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed of Federal High Court 5, yesterday, adjourned to September 23, 2022, after listening to arguments from the plaintiffs and defendants’ counsel on whether there was proper service on the defendants in line with the laid down High Court rules.
Speaking to journalists outside the court room, counsel to the 3rd to 27th defendants(Accord State House of Assembly Candidates), Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), said, “we have to come in obedience and respect for the court, notwithstanding that there have not been proper service or actual service on some of our clients, and on getting to court, today, the court checked if, indeed, we were served. Record of the court indicated that an order of service was made but there were issues whether we were served.
“Since we all have duty of cooperation in matters of this nature, the other side offered to effect proper service on us, and we indeed, accepted service. Effectively now, we are in the case for the 3rd to 27th defendants.
“In the next adjourned date, we will have our appropriate response. The defendants are actually candidates for party state House of Assembly in Rivers State. The case was adjourned to September 23,2022 for appearance”.
Also speaking, counsel to Accord Party, Abdulameed Mohammed (SAN) said, “this is a suit that is very unusual by a political party challenging the primaries of another political party.
“We look at the processes. We are objecting to the jurisdiction of the court, the competence of the suit and the competence of the court to entertain the suit.
“We filed notice of preliminary objection to serve them, and they reacted. We filed counter-affidavit, and you can see this morning, we were trying to highlight what we filled. There are other processes which we applied to INEC, which we obtained. We need to file further affidavits in reaction to the originating summons. So, this is where we are. We are hopeful that this matter will be dismissed”.
On his own, counsel to PDP, Dike Udenna, said the fact of the matter was that the primary conducted by Accord Party was not in compliance to electoral guidelines as the election for the state House of Assembly candidates did not hold in the respective constituencies but in one venue.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt will on September 23, 2022 deliver judgement on a motion for joinder filed by the Peoples Democratic Party against the Accord Party in a suit seeking to disqualify Accord’s National Assembly candidates from the 2023 general election.
The court will also on the same date deliver a ruling on a motion by counsel to Accord seeking to strike out the suit by the PDP which is said to have sued the wrong party instead of Accord.
When the matter came up for hearing, yesterday, counsel to PDP, Dem Nwigwe, SAN, moved his motion for some additional defendants to be joined in the suit.
Justice Daylop-Pam, after listening to arguments from the counsel to the plaintiffs and defendants during the resumed sitting, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, reserved ruling on the application to the next adjourned date of September 23,2022.
Speaking to journalists after the court sitting, counsel to PDP, Den Wigwe(SAN), said his clients filed the suit against Accord Party because they produced new set of candidates all-together against the initial ones, adding that PDP was working to give opportunity of being heard to those excluded in the process.
Wigwe said PDP believes the presence of the new set of candidates would affect their position on the matter.
In an interview with newsmen, Counsel to the Accord Party’s National Assembly candidates, Owonikoko Abiodun(SAN) said, “on our own part, we needed to regularise our response to the main suit, which, because of lack of proof of service the last time, was adjourned till today. So, the court has taken that application and has granted it. So, all our responses and defence to the suit are in”.
According to him, “we filed an application; the plaintiffs responded to the application. What we are saying is that they sued Accord Party, and we said that such name is unknown to us, and is unknown to law; and we say that the name(Accord Party) should be struck out from the suit. We exhibited the certificate of incorporation duly certified by INEC that, that name is not known to any person.
“Is like you are suing nobody.So, we are asking the court to strike it out, and the judge adjourned for ruling”.
Meanwhile, the Guber candidate of Accord Party in Rivers State, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, who was in court, described the action of PDP as misnomer.
Lulu-Briggs said it was a deliberate plot by the PDP to distract Accord Party during the political campaigns which are drawing close.
He maintained that Accord Party and its candidates could not be distracted, adding that Rivers people would have an opportunity to elect people who would represent them at all levels.
By: Amadi Akujobi
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
