Politics
Dep Speaker Harps On Rule Of Law
This is indeed a dry season for Journalists who cover the Rivers State House of Assembly more so as the House has adjourned Sine Die. But for Journalists under obligation to report activities of the State lawmakers, it has been a case of squeezing water out of rock. The situation is not made any easier by the crisis within the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the State, which has a majority of the members. The fact that members of the House are currently involved in three different suits in the court, and the allegation of insecurity by 27 of the 32 members, which had seen most of the members literarily going underground has ostensibly shifted all attention from legislative matters to court proceedings. But for the occasional activities of some key office holders among the members, by virtue of their positions, and the court proceedings, there would have been nothing to report.
It is therefore not surprising that only two events involving the lawmakers took place last week. Coincidentally, both events took place on Tuesday. The first was at the High Court in Port Harcourt presided over by Justice George Omereji, who granted independent representation to five lawmakers. The other was in the office of the Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Leyii Kwanee, who played host to a delegation of the Law Graduates Forum (LGF) of Rivers State.
The suit filed by the five lawmakers was a sequel to another filed by the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, asking the court to stop the Assembly, represented by its Speaker, Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Dan-Amachree, from impeaching him unlawfully. Delivering the judgment which lasted for over thirty minutes Justice Omereji noted that since counsels to the plaintiff and the defendants were not opposed to the suit filed by the counsel to the five lawmakers, the court has no option than to grant their quest for independent representation, saying that the five lawmakers have the fundamental right to be independent of the other 27 lawmakers. Following the judgment, counsel to the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Beluolisa Nwofor (SAN), argued that since all processes and responses had been filed, it would be expedient for the court to adopt them and go ahead to hear the injunction. But counsel to the five lawmakers, Mr. Dike Udenna, insisted that the originating summons must be re-filed, and Justice Omereji adopted Udenna’s argument. Udenna also countered that he should be served the re-filed suit and allowed 21 days to respond in accordance with the rules of the court. Omereji, therefore, adjourned the matter to July 25, 2013 for hearing.
During their courtesy visit on the Deputy Speaker, President of the LGF, Mazi Augustine Nnaemeka, said the visit was to register their support for the present administration in the state for the Governor’s ability to defend the ideals of democracy, good governance, rule of law and justice in the state under what they christened the “prevailing challenging state of affairs”. They also appealed to him to use his good offices to facilitate the payment of their bursary. Hon. Kwanee used the opportunity to stress the need for politicians in the state to always adhere to the Rule of Law, saying that only strict compliance to it would avert chaos and breakdown of law and order in the prevailing political challenges in the State.
He cited the crisis within the State PDP as a case in which the anti-Amaechi faction had thrown overboard the tenets of the Rule of Law, saying that chaos was averted because the Rivers State House of Assembly insisted on the Rule of law in tackling the challenges.
The Deputy Speaker specifically recalled that the State Police Command acted ultra vires when it disobeyed a court order to vacate Obio/Akpor Local Government Council premises. He charged them to ensure that they mobilise sufficient support for the Rule of Law to be obeyed.
The Rivers contest is expected to draw heightened attention in the oil-rich state, as political actors position for influence in a district long regarded as strategic to the balance of power in Rivers State.
INEC disclosed that the by-elections will hold concurrently with the Ekiti State governorship election, underscoring what promises to be a politically charged day across several parts of the country.
Beyond Rivers, the electoral body listed other affected constituencies to include Nasarawa North Senatorial District, Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency in Kano State, Ondo South Senatorial District, and Enugu North Senatorial District.
The vacancies, according to INEC, arose from a combination of deaths, resignation, and other constitutional developments. In Nasarawa, the demise of Senator Godiya Akwashika has left a gap in a district considered a stronghold of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In Enugu, the passing of Senator Okey Ezea has set the stage for a competitive race in the South-East.
Similarly, the Ondo South seat became vacant following the resignation of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, who now serves as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, while the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa seat in Kano opened up after the death of Hon. Muhammad Danjuma Hassan.
Analysts say the Rivers South-East by-election, in particular, could reshape political alignments in the state, as parties jostle to fill the void left by Sen. Mpigi and consolidate their foothold ahead of future electoral contests.
Stakeholder from Bayelsa East Senatorial District, on Monday, endorsed the incumbent Senator representing them to run for a second term.
Leading the stakeholders, the former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism and Special Adviser to Governor Douye Diri on Political Affairs (iii), Dr Iti Orugbani, said the reason for the endorsement was based on the federal lawmaker’s trajectory of good deeds and massive execution of projects across communities of the Senatorial district.
Dr Orugbani highlighted some of the projects to include landing jetties, telecommunication masts and town halls amongst others, noting that Sen. Agadaga’s performance has exceeded those of others who hitherto represented the oil rich area.
Bayelsa East Senatorial District comprises Ogbia, Brass and Nembe Local Government Areas of the State.
The Governor’s aide who called on the State’s Eastern political enclave to respect the 2022 new zoning agreement, which guaranteed second term for Senators from the District, stressed the need for political tolerance and peace in the forthcoming 2027 polls.
“In 2022 the leaders and stakeholders across party lines from Bayelsa East held a meeting and altered the old single term for Senators from the district’s agreement and signed that begining from 2023 any Senator emerging from the district must serve for a minimum of two terms.
“In 2023, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, then an incumbent Senator representing the Senatorial district under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was given a second term ticket by the party. Though he lost to the PDP.
“Now that the entire state is now APC and the District has an APC Senator in the person of Benson Agadaga from Ogbia LGA, why not also give him a second tenure?
“The stakeholders in 2022 changed the old political agreement because they saw that it wasn’t beneficial to the district any longer. And so, because it was Ogbia Local Government Area that started the old zoning arrangement by producing the first Senator in 1999, I want to plead that let Ogbia also begin the new two terms zoning agreement”, he said.
Also speaking, the duo of woman leader of a support group, ‘Agadema Women’, Mrs. Owadaba Jokori and the Information Officer of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Central Zone, Comrade Ikio, stated that the incumbent Senator has done well for the district in the past three years that he has been in office.
They lauded the federal lawmaker for his infrastructure projects, especially the construction of landing jetties in select communities of the three local government areas of the district, commending stakeholders for supporting the lawmaker in his second term bid.
In his remarks, Senator Agadaga thanked the stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him and the endorsements he has received lately from constituents and admirers across political parties.
The lawmaker noted that within the past three years that he has been Senator, he has delivered dividends of democracy to his constituents across the Senatorial District, emphasizing that the call for him to be senator from the Brass Senatorial District came to him as a surprise, noting that he accepted the clarion call when the clamour became so loud.
“I was Chief of Staff to the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, when various groups from the zone came calling on me to contest the 2023 Senatorial polls.
“Ever since winning the elections as a senator, I’ve continued to deliver on my mandate in both representation, lawmaking, oversight, project execution and support for constituents when called upon. And I shall continue to do more if elected for a second term”, the Senator said.
By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has set May 15 as deadline for definite hearing in a suit filed by a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The judge on Monday shifted the hearing date following the absence of the plaintiff, Mr Jideobi, and his lawyer in court without any information.
Apart from the absence of the plaintiff, who is a legal practitioner, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, who are 2nd and 3rd defendants in the matter, were also not in court.
Following the absence of the plaintiff and the two defendants, Chris Uche, SAN, representing Dr Jonathan, applied to the court to strike out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution.
Having joined issues with each other, Mr Uche said, the suit is liable for dismissal with a N5 million cost to be awarded against the plaintiff and payable to Dr Jonathan.
He argued that from all indications, the plaintiff has abandoned the suit and ran away upon sighting the preliminary objections raised against the suit, adding that the court is a busy place and not for unserious matters.
Justice Lifu, however, noted that there was no evidence of service of hearing notice on INEC and AGF to appear in court for the suit, adding that lack of service of hearing notice is fundamental.
The judge said rather than striking out the suit, he prefers to bend backward to accommodate the plaintiff and the two defendants for the last time.
While adjourning the matter to May 15, Justice Lifu ordered that hearing notice be served on the plaintiff and the 2nd and 3rd defendants who were not in court on Monday.
The plaintiff, Mr Jideobi, had filed the case seeking an order to restrain Dr Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as an aspirant for the 2027 election.
He is also asking the court to stop INEC from accepting, processing or publishing Dr Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate.
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