News
A Lagos-Ibadan train, on Thursday, stopped abruptly after “running out of diesel”.
According to a Twitter user, King Isaiah Obadore, who was reportedly on the train, the crew members said the train stopped moving because it had exhausted diesel.
“Boarded Train from Ibadan to Lagos. We’re still stuck in the forest with unknown Chinese Men,” Obadore said.
“They said fuel finished. What a beautiful country, Nigeria.”
In a trending video, another passenger was seen commenting about the situation while some passengers were seen hanging around the train.
When contacted, Mahmood Yakubu, spokesperson of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), said he was not aware of the situation.
“I don’t know. I am not aware of it. I’ll find it about it and feed you back,” Yakubu told our correspondent on phone.
On Tuesday, the price of automotive gas oil, also known as diesel, had hit N625 per litre in some fuel stations.
The development is due to scarcity of fuel amid supply disruptions occasioned by the Russia-Ukraine war.
The Cable
...lawmakers refuse EFCC invitation, after instituting a suit against the agency
The Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, and his colleagues allegedly embezzled millions of naira belonging to the House, including forging the receipts of two filling stations, court documents filed before the Federal High Court in the state have shown.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is investigating the lawmakers over a N700 million alleged fraud.
The documents, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, showed that the Assembly, under the leadership of Mr Oluomo, had claimed to have spent the money on training and other “miscellaneous expenses.”
Part of the money, it was gathered, was also expended on the purchase of fuel from two fueling stations in Abeokuta.
On request, the Assembly had submitted receipts to the EFCC as proof that the spending followed due process.
Yazid Bawa, an operative of the EFCC who deposed to the commission’s counter-affidavit, said after analysing the receipts, they invited the lawmakers to come and make clarifications on some discrepancies observed.
Despite several letters to the lawmakers, Mr Bawa said they refused to honour the invitation.
Fuel purchase
The EFCC said the Assembly submitted receipts of fuel purchases from NNPC mega station and Ashkash filling station, both in Abeokuta.
The franchise of the NNPC mega station in Abeokuta is owned by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, while the immediate past Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Suraj Adekunbi, owns Ashkash filling station.
Upon receipt of the documents from the Assembly, the anti-graft agency wrote both stations to confirm the veracity of the receipts, but both stations wrote EFCC confirming that the receipts presented to it by the Assembly are fake.
In their separate responses to the EFCC, it was seen that both companies clearly denied the receipts in question.
For the NNPC, through a letterhead by Obasanjo Holdings Limited (Mega station), the filing station responded saying, “Your letter dated January 24, 2022, on the above subject refers. We write to inform you that the receipts being investigated were not issued by our filling station.
“Please find attached copies of the receipt we issued in 2018,2019 and 2021 which differs from those in question. We hope this addresses your concern.”
Also, Ashkash on its letterhead, Ashkash Nigeria Limited, responded that, “Sequel to your letter with reference no CR: 3000/EFCC/LS/CMU/OG Vol 1/63. Dated January 24, 2022.
“We have painstakingly and extensively gone through our records, nothing of such exists in our transactions records.
By this, we did not know anything about the receipts sent for investigation. Thanks for your usual cooperation.” ‘Financial records’
The EFCC said it had received intelligence that principal members of the House connived to divert for personal use N700 million allocated for the running of the House of Assembly.
The agency said preliminary investigation into the intelligence showed there are “criminal schemes perpetuated inside the Ogun State House of Assembly by its members and officials including but not limited to forgeries of documents, falsification of financial records and diversion of public funds by some elected members and civil servant.”
The agency further said the financial records of the House were falsified in order to retire public funds the lawmakers had diverted or wanted to divert for their personal use.
“Investigations have also revealed that some corporate entities that purportedly issued some invoices and receipts to the plaintiffs do not exist even though these receipts and invoices were used by the plaintiffs and their cohorts to justify the disbursement of funds.”
The EFCC accused the lawmakers and their agents of threatening some possible witnesses that would help the agency in its investigation.
The commission denied claims that it was being used by Oludare Kadiri, the impeached Deputy Speaker of the House, adding that it was not aware of the political differences between the House and Mr Kadiri.
The House had impeached Mr Kadiri last year over allegations of gross misconduct.
The lawmaker had also accused his colleagues of forging his signature to swindle the Assembly of about N50 million.
In its reaction to the EFCC, the Ogun Assembly approached a Federal High Court in Abeokuta seeking an order to stall the anti-graft agency’s investigation pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The lawmakers attributed their failure to honour the EFCC invitation to the pending suit.
Premium Times
The Yewa North Patriotic Forum has expressed displeasure over the kidnapping of two siblings Esther Kehinde, 20, and David Kehinde, 15 on Tuesday by unknown gunmen, saying the state is no more safe for residents.
The duo who were abducted at Oremeji street, Joga Orile area of Ayetoro, Yewa North Local Government, Ogun State, were said to have been forcefully taken away from their resident around 9:00pm while they were carrying out domestic chores.
The group, in a statement by its Secretary, Ganiu Fatolu, appealed to law enforcement agencies to live up to their responsibilities.
“We are highly devastated at the horrible incident which took place at a not too far distance to a police station. While the kidnappers shot in the air for minutes, they were left to have a field day.
“As an association that fights for the interest of our people, we can only appeal to the law enforcers, especially the police, to be alive to their responsibilities and ensure the safe return of these two young ones.
“Although we understand that the state is no longer safe for citizens not to talk more of investors, our case in Yewa axis is more than terrible. People now keep vigils protecting their families.
“We know that this too shall pass. But, we must all remember, that a king who turns a village into a city and the other who turns a city into a village shall both not be forgotten. But what they will be remembered for shall either be the evil or the good they do during their times,” the group posited.
GRANDFATHER PASSES OUT AS KIDNAPPERS ABDUCT TWO SIBLINGS FROM THEIR HOME IN OGUN, DEMAND N15M RANSOM
There was pandemonium as unknown gunmen on Tuesday kidnapped two siblings, Esther Kehinde, 20, and David Kehinde, 15, at Oremeji street, Joga Orile area of Ayetoro, Yewa North Local Government, Ogun State.
The victims were said to have been abducted from their residents around 9pm while they were carrying out domestic chores.
A source, who pleaded anonymity said the kidnappers entered the house as gentlemen, held the victims’ hands and forced their way out of the premises.
The victims’ grandfather, who was also present at the scene, was said to have passed out when he was hit in the head by the kidnappers.
It was gathered that after about twelve hours, the kidnappers contacted the family of the pupils and requested N15 million ransom before the duo could gain their freedom.
According to an eyewitness, “They came into the house around 9pm, just behind our house where David and her sister were washing their school uniforms. Their grandpa too was seated there when the kidnappers appeared and held the two of them.
“The grandpa challenged them but one of them hit the man on the head and he passed out immediately. Their mother heard the noise and rushed out, but met the kidnappers’ stiff resistance.
“They shot in the air for a few minutes before taking to their heels,” the source said.
Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi confirmed the incident, saying the police is on top of the matter.
Oyeyemi appealed to the family to carry the police along in their conversations with the abductors.
“We are frantically on top of the matter. We would like to also use this medium to appeal to the family of the victims to please carry us along in any conversation with these hoodlums,” Oyeyemi pleaded.
National Union of Road Transport Workers, Lagos State Council’s chairman, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, has announced the withdrawal of members of the state’s council, including himself, from the national body.
He made the announcement at the state secretariat, Agege on Thursday.
This is coming a few hours after NURTW headquarters suspended Akinsanya for alleged insubordination.
Oluomo in his address titled, ‘Crisis in NURTW’, MC Oluomo said, “there has been some crisis in our umbrella body, NURTW. All attempts to have an amicable resolution have failed. In fact. we have protested to the Lagos State Government about the State of affairs in our Union.
“Being law-abiding and responsible citizens, we have decided to explore all avenues for peace in the interest of all, we will not support any action that can threaten the peace that we cherish so much in Lagos State.
“Therefore, I, Comrade Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya, on beha|f of the State Administrative Council, State Executive Council members and the entire union rank and file members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Lagos State Council with over 200 branches and zones hereby resolve to immediately withdraw our membership and operation from the National body of NURTW for peace to reign in Lagos State; write to Lagos State Governor, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation and other relevant agencies about our decision.
“It is important to state that our action is in line with section 40 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended, which provides as follows – Every person shall be entitled to assembly freely and associate with other persons, and in particular, he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any association for the protection of his or her interests. This means that every person shall be entitled to join an association and exit freely without molestation.
“In view of this and the crisis at hand, Lagos State Government is hereby invited to consider its white paper on Transport Union activities, 2004 section 5C, which states that the Government should take over the management of any garage or motor park where there is a crisis until such is resolved by the consultative committee.
“We hereby call on Lagos State Government to take over the running of the affairs of the Union with the Constitution of a Park Management Committee for Motor Garages and parks in the state, thereby ensuring peace and tranquility, pending the determination of the matter in the interest of the good people of Lagos State.”
Punch
The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has suspended its Lagos State Chairman, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as Mc Oluomo, indefinitely over alleged misconduct, insubordination, and inciting members of the state chapter against the apex body.
The new development may be connected to a protest staged by Mc Oluomo supporters during which they accused the union’s national leadership of unnecessarily interfering in the state affairs.
NURTW has also directed MC Oluomo to immediately hand over the mantle of leadership to his deputy chairman and release all property belonging to the transport body in his possession to the state secretary.
It alleged that the decision to place MC Oluomo on indefinite suspension was to prevent any breakdown of law and order after it came to its notice that he was already inciting members against the union, an act that is completely against NURTW constitution.
MC Oluomo’s suspension was contained in a letter sent to him on decisions taken by the national body as regards his recent conducts which Union described as a total disregard for the constitution governing members’ activities across the country.
In the letter dated March 9, 2022, the national body stressed that it resolved to suspend MC Oluomo after it became obvious that he was not apologetic over his actions even after he was directed to explain reasons for embarking on such.
According to the letter signed by the General Secretary for the national body, Kabiru Yau, the Union promised to often ensure that the NURTW constitution remains sacrosanct and adhered to by members across the country.
The letter reads: “This is to convey to you that in line with Article 42 section 5, subsection I, II, III, IV, V, and VIII of the union’s constitution, you have been placed on indefinite suspension from office as State Chairman of Lagos State Council of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) with effect from March 9, 2022.
“Your suspension is sequel to sustained acts of insubordination and gross misconduct coupled with your clandestine plans to instigate crisis and unleash mayhem on any branch or branches of the union in Lagos state that refuses to obey your order or instructions not to accept directives from the national headquarters of the Union.
“Your orchestrated plan to attack branches that may disobey your orders aforesaid will ultimately endanger public peace and order in Lagos state. It is also very likely to threaten and/or affect the lives and property of the peace-loving people of Lagos state, particularly those doing their legitimate businesses within motor parks, hence the urgent need to take drastic actions against him.
“It is on record that you were earlier issued with queries on 25th of February 2022 and 3rd of March, 2022 respectively in which you were directed to explain the circumstances surrounding your untoward actions and to also show cause why disciplinary actions should not be taken against you for such acts of insubordination. You bluntly neglected/refuse to respond to the second query, while your response to the first query was unsatisfactory.
“In view of your suspension, you are hereby directed to hand over the mantle of leadership of the Lagos State Council to the State Deputy Chairman and also surrender all Union properties in your possession to the State Secretary of the Union forthwith.”
Meanwhile, a leader of the Lagos State chapter of the union who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the chapter will respond to its chairman’s suspension soon.
Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a ban on foreigners and their representatives purchasing agricultural produce at the farm gate.
This implies that only licensed and duly registered local buying agents can now buy farm produce directly from farmers in Nigeria.
According to the federal government, the effort is to ensure that the farmers are no longer cheated in the purchase of farm produce.
Speaking on the development, Niyi Adebayo, minister of industry, trade and investment, said that as part of the FEC approval, the attorney-general would draft a law that would be sent to the national assembly to support the implementation of the new policy.
“We will also use commodity associations, to which the farmers belong, to ensure effective implementation,” the minister said.
Briefing state house correspondents after the FEC meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the minister said he presented two memos on behalf of his ministry.
According to him, one memo was the promotion of agribusiness in Nigeria through right farm gate pricing and a ban on foreigners and their representatives from purchasing agricultural commodities at the farm gates.
Adebayo said the council approved the establishment of an appropriate mechanism that would protect indigenous farmers in terms of achieving the right prices for their goods and commodities.
He said the mechanism would also ensure that they have the appropriate incentives and the needed encouragement to guarantee their continued participation in the farming business.
According to Adebayo, foreigners have been going to the farm gates to buy produce from the farmers at low prices, thus discouraging the farmers from continuing with their trade.
The minister also disclosed that he presented another memo to FEC for the approval of a trade policy action plan with the theme “Unleashing Nigeria’s Development Potentials through Trade and Investment”.
He said the action plan which was also approved by FEC was formulated to utilise trade as another means of generating revenue asides from oil.
“The whole idea is that because we’re not making as much money as we used to from the sale of oil, and because of reduction in the money that comes from that aspect of Nigeria’s revenue generation, we want to utilize trade as a means of generating revenue for the country,” Adebayo explained.
“So, the action plan aims to utilise the existing national trade policy to facilitate effective use of international trade and investment as tools for economic growth and poverty reduction in the country.
“So, we’ve got approval from Council today to engage with all the ministries, departments and agencies involved in trade and revenue generation, and also the organized private sector and civil society organisations to ensure a successful implementation of the trade policy action plan.
“One of the next steps that we will be taking now that we have this approval, is to inaugurate a committee which will look into the update of the existing trade policy, which was last updated in 2002.
“And also, we’ll be looking into coming up with an investment policy. And these two policies we believe should be ready before the end of this year”.
The Cable
Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, and his deputy, Kelechi Igwe, have urged the Court of Appeal in Abuja to nullify the judgement of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which, on Tuesday, ordered their removal from office.
The Federal High Court judge, Inyang Ekwo, had sacked Umahi and Igwe alongside 15 lawmakers of Ebonyi State House of Assembly over their defection from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC).
Umahi and Igwe, in November last year, defected from PDP to the ruling APC.
Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume in a notice of appeal filed on behalf of the appellants, questioned the entire judgment delivered by Ekwo.
Ume, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), also lodged a separate notice of appeal on behalf of the 15 state legislators whose seats were declared vacant by the trial court on Tuesday.
Grounds of appeal
In the notice of appeal seen by this reporter, Umahi and Igwe anchored their displeasure over Ekwo’s judgment on 11 grounds.
The appellants said the judge erred in law in arriving at his decision as “there is no provision of the 1999 Constitution that provides for the removal” of Umahi and Igwe as governor and deputy governor respectively of Ebonyi state on account of ditching the PDP on whose platform they rode to power.
They submitted that the trial judge set aside the Supreme Court decision in AG Federation V Atiku Abubakar & 3 ors (2007) LCN/3799/(SC), to the effect that there is no constitutional provisions prohibiting President or Vice and invariably the Governor and or deputy from defecting to another political party or punishment being meted on them for doing same.
The appellants’ lawyer urged the Court of Appeal to declare that the trial judge erred in law by holding that ” I have not seen any authority which propounds that where a Governor or deputy Governor defects his political party on which platform he was selected into office, he cannot be sued by that political party to reclaim its mandate….section 308 of the 1999 constitution did not envisage such a situation.”
They further contended that the judge erred in law when he assumed jurisdiction on issue of defection when he lacked such powers.
“That the trial court erred and misdirected itself when it relied on sections 68 and 109 of the 1999 constitution in holding that the appellants having defected from the 1strespondendent (PDP) to the 3rd respondent (APC), offended the provisions of the Constitution and must vacate their offices as governor and deputy governor respectively.”
The lawyer explained that there is no specific mention of governor and deputy governor in the provisions of section 68 and 109 respectively of the 1999 Constitution.
Ume further argued that by relying on the above constitutional provisions, “the trial court assumed the role of the legislator and arrogated to itself the powers of amendment of the Constitution.”
The appellants equally argued that the court erred in law and overruled as well as set aside the decisions of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal when it held that ownership of vote cast during the governorship election belongs to the PDP and not the appellants.
“That the trial court relied on Ameachi V INEC and Faleke V INEC when same are no longer the law on the ownership of votes cast in an election,” the appellants’ lawyer said.
He cited Ngige V Akunyile (2012), which he pointed out as the prevailing authority on the matter, showing “that a political party canvases for votes on behalf of the candidate.”
”In other words a political party is nothing more than an agent of the candidate in gathering votes to an election,” he added.
He also argued: “That the trial court erred in law when it restrained the appellants from carrying on the duties in their offices as Governor and deputy governor of Ebonyi state on the basis that the appellants offended the provisions of section 177(c) and 221 of the 1999 Constitution.
“That the trial court erred in law when it ordered appellants to vacate their respective offices as Governor and deputy Governor of Ebonyi state and 1st respondent (PDP) to submit to submit to 2nd respondent (INEC), names of its candidates to replace appellants as Governors and deputy governors of Ebonyi state.
“That section 141 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and section 285(13) of the 1999 Constitution states: “An election tribunal or court shall not under any circumstances declare any person a winner at an election in which such a person has not fully participated in all the stages of the said election.”
Backstory
In two separate judgements handed by Ekwo on Tuesday, the court voided the continued occupation of offices by Messrs Umahi and Igwe and the 15 lawmakers on account of their defection to APC.
The judge based his decision on the grounds that a defecting elected official ought to have resigned his position before dumping the political party that gave them the platform for election.
The court ordered PDP to submit fresh names of candidates to Messrs Umahi and his deputy as well as the 15 state legislators.
PT
Two days after bandits killed 63 vigilantes, the outlaws on Tuesday again killed 19 security agents in the entourage of the Kebbi State deputy governor, Samaila Yombe, in Kanya in Dangu Wasagu Local Government Area of the state.
The latest incident occured during a visit by the deputy governor to areas in the state affected by banditry.
Danko Wasagu LGA shares boundaries with Sakaba, both under Zuru Emirate in Kebbi State.
The zone shares boundaries with Niger State, which is now one of the worst-hit states by bandits’ attacks.
Danko Wasagu attack
Multiple sources spoken with on the phone said the bandits had targetted the deputy governor, Yombe, who is from Dabai in Zuru Local Government Area.
Gombe confirmed to BBC Hausa Wednesday evening that he was at the village when the bandits struck.
Labaran Magaji, a native of Danko Wasagu, said that the bandits stormed Kanya around 5 p.m.
“They (bandits) overpowered the security agents present because they fought from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The deputy governor was miraculously saved while his security details were trying to repel the attack. If not because of the soldiers that came, the bandits would have overrun the village and killed the deputy governor,” he said.
He said after the bandits left, more soldiers arrived to chase them while others evacuated the dead security agents.
According to Magaji, 13 soldiers and six police officers attached to the deputy governor’s convoy were killed.
“I know Inspector Idris Libata. He was attached to the deputy governor’s convoy and I saw his dead body yesterday,” he added.
Another local source, Ahmed Umar, told this reporter that Yombe, who is from the zone, was at Kanya to sympathise with people of the area over recent bandits’ attacks.
“Some youth protested on Monday over the incessant bandits’ attacks that are recently becoming too much. All the youth in the four areas under Zuru emirate were angry, so Samaila (Yombe) was asked by the governor to reach out to the locals. It is obvious that the bandits heard he was coming and decided to attack him while he was in the village,” he said.
Shehu said he heard that the deputy governor intended to spend the night and visit areas under Sakaba Local Government before the bandits struck.
Kebbi police command spokesperson, Nafiu Abubakar, did not respond to calls and SMS sent to him on the attack.
PT
The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun state, have started trading words over the emergence of Senator Ademola Adeleke as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state.
While the APC described the emergence of Adeleke as an opportunity to enable Governor Adegboyega Oyetola emerged victorious in the July 16 governorship election, the PDP said the ruling party is jittery and afraid of defeat in the coming election.
A statement by the Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy of APC, Kunle Oyatomi, said the opposition PDP should expect a smashing defeat in the July 16 gubernatorial election in the state, saying the opposition has made APC job easier by electing the duo of Senator Ademola Adeleke and Prince Dotun Babayemi as its gubernatorial candidates.
Noting that neither of the two can withstand the status of Governor Oyetola, the APC said, “with what we have seen so far, PDP is not an alternative to APC; that party is in a big mess. It’s is dogged with crises and won’t be free from it even after July gubernatorial election.
“It is as certain as daybreak that the PDP controversial primaries that produced two factional candidates have no doubt marked the beginning of the end of the opposition party, and today, we are serving notice to the PDP as the main opposition party in the state and to expect another round of disheartening defeat in the July 16 gubernatorial election.”
The publicity secretary of PDP, Ayodeji Areola, said the emergence of Adeleke has caused panic for the ruling party, saying “APC is jittery and scared of political death with the emergence of Senator Ademola Adeleke as the governorship candidate of the PDP for July poll.”
It described the APC statement as “a jaundiced and outburst from a sinking ship that is dead within and that is awaiting final burial at the next elections.
“The deceit that APC and usurper, Gboyega Oyetola represent is set to be unmasked so that the electorates will see through the house of falsehood, mismanagement and bad governance that his status quo represents. Our Congress has produced an official winner, Senator Adeleke validly elected in line with PDP constitution, relevant laws and party tradition.
“We sense the APC was pained by its gross failure to achieve its devilish plot of permanently gridlocking PDP to prevent us from producing an official challenger who will eventually take over the state. After sponsoring several failed conflicts in PDP, the APC is disturbed that the man it feared most has finally received official endorsement of party delegates and is ready to retake the stolen mandate.
“We hereby issue quit notice to APC. On behalf of the good people of Osun state, we are prepared to salvage the state and our candidate is fully resourced to lead the rescue mission to victory.
“It is on records that our party defeated APC in 2018. We are now even better placed to defeat Gboyega Oyetola at this first ballot and with a landslide,” PDP added.
The Sun
More...
The only surviving daughter of the former Iyalode of Ibadanland, the late Alhaja Aminat Abiodun, Fatimah, is reported to have been assassinated by gunmen in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Wednesday.
The ex-Iyalode, who died in 2018 at the age of 93, represented the women in the Olubadan-in-Council, from 2007 to 2018.
The 13-member council comprises 11 ‘High Chiefs’ of Ibadanland, the Iyalode and the Olubadan as the head. The former Iyalode was preceded by Wuraola Akintola, and was succeed by the incumbent Iyalode, Chief (Mrs) Theresa Oyekanmi.
As gathered, Fatimah was said to have been shot several times, especially on the head, by the assassins that stormed her residence at Bashorun in Bodija area of the city.
They reportedly left after ensuring that she was dead and did not take away anything from the house.
A family source, who preferred anonymity, told journalists: ‘Our sister, the daughter of the late Iyalode Abiodun, was assassinated in Basorun, Bodija area of Ibadan. It was an unprovoked attack in her house, given that Fatimah was a peace loving person. Information I have revealed that she was shot several times by the gunmen.
‘Her influence had grown over the years and she used everything she had to promote humanity. This is a big loss to the family.’
The Police Public Relations Officer,(PPRO) for Oyo State Police Command, Adewale Osifeso, was contacted to confirm the assassination.
He simply responded through a text message by saying: ‘Updates would be provided in due course, please.’
The Sun
The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA has slammed Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi for refusing to obey a court order which has asked him to vacate office as governor of the state.
NBA President, Olumide Akpata, in a statement on Wednesday, described Umahi’s response as “impunity of the highest order and executive rascality taken too far.”
Mr Akpata said the NBA has absolutely no interest in the outcome of the case in question and will continue to stay away from partisan politics.
He added that the NBA “condemns without equivocation, Umahi’s unfortunate diatribe which, if it had emanated from an average litigant, would still have been regarded as shocking but coming from one who occupies the exalted office of a State Governor, is nothing short of a national embarrassment.”
Akpata said Umahi is expected to have called for calm from his supporters and assured them that all legal and constitutional avenues would be explored to challenge the judgment instead of giving such a response to attack and denigrate the judiciary which is unacceptable .
The NBA, therefore, demand an immediate apology from the governor and a retraction of the comments he made against the person and Judgment of the Hon. Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court.
SEE THE FULL STATEMENT BY THE NBA PRESIDENT BELOW…
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has noted with utter dismay, the unfortunate and totally unacceptable reaction of His Excellency, Dave Umahi to the Judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja delivered on 8th March 2022, coram Honourable Justice Inyang Ekwo which inter-alia ordered him and H.E. Mr. Eric Kelechi Igwe to vacate the offices of Governor and Deputy Governor, respectively, of Ebonyi State on grounds of their defection from the Peoples’ Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
Following the Judgment, Umahi, in the course of a Press Conference – video evidence of which is currently making the rounds on both new and mainstream media – threw caution to the wind and deployed very uncomplimentary adjectives and intemperate language in characterising both the Judgment and Hon. Justice Ekwo, including but not limited to describing the Judgment as “jungle justice” and His Lordship as “a hatchet man”.
As if these were not enough, Engr. Umahi accused the Court of “murdering justice” and also arrogated to himself the judicial powers and magisterial authority to declare the judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction as null and void while unashamedly declaring his intention to disregard the Judgment in favour of another.
To put it plainly, this is impunity of the highest order and executive rascality taken too far.
While the NBA has absolutely no interest in the outcome of the case in question and will continue to stay away from partisan politics, it is inconceivable that this Association that is charged with upholding the rule of law and defending the Judiciary would sit idly by in the face of this unprovoked and totally unwarranted attack on the Judiciary.
Indeed, the leadership of the NBA has been inundated with calls from a cross-section of well meaning Nigerians who are understandably outraged by the utterances of Engr. Dave Umahi and who have rightly demanded that appropriate action be taken to protect the sanctity of the Judiciary.
It is for this reason that we condemn without equivocation, Engr. Umahi’s unfortunate diatribe which, if it had emanated from an average litigant, would still have been regarded as shocking but coming from one who occupies the exalted office of a State Governor, is nothing short of a national embarrassment.
In the wake of the Judgment, one would have expected Engr. Umahi to sue for calm from his supporters and to assure them that all legal and constitutional avenues would be explored to challenge the judgment. For H.E. Engr. Umahi to instead resort to attacking and denigrating the high office of a Judge in this unprecedented manner is disgraceful, undemocratic and completely unacceptable.
As Kayode Eso, JSC of blessed memory famously noted, “[t]he essence of the rule of law is that it should never operate under the rule of force or fear.”
We view Engr. Umahi’s reaction to this Judgment as being consistent with the current penchant, on the part of those in the executive arm of government, for intimidating the Judiciary whilst taking advantage of the historical reluctance of that arm of government to rise to its own defence.
In light of the foregoing, the NBA hereby demands an immediate apology from H.E. Engr. Dave Umahi and a retraction of the comments he made against the person and Judgment of the Hon. Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court. It is also our demand that this apology and retraction be given as much media coverage as the Press Conference where the unfortunate comments were made.
OLUMIDE AKPATA
President
9th March 2022
Channels
Ademola Adeleke and Dotun Babayemi emerged Osun State governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party in two parallel primary elections conducted on Tuesday.
A faction of the party led by Sunday Bisi held its governorship primary at Osogbo City Stadium, while Wale Ojo-led faction held another primary at WOCDIF Centre, Osogbo.
Announcing result of the primary held at Osogbo City Stadium, Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewurujakpo, who was the chairman of the governorship primary, said Adeleke garnered 1,887 votes to emerge victorious, while Fatai Akinbade, Akin Ogunbiyi and Babayemi recorded no vote. Sanya Ominrin got four votes.
At another primary held at WOCDIF Centre, Osogbo, the retuning officer, Adelani Ajanaku, said accredited voters were 1,907, while 27 votes were voided.
Ajanaku further said Omirin got 16 votes; Ogunbiyi scored 23; Akinbade -28, Dele Adeleke -32, while Babayemi got 1,781 to emerge the winner.
The two factions had initially disagreed on the list of delegates that would be used for the exercise.
Speaking after the exercise, Babayemi, described his emergence as a challenge to turn around the state for the betterment of its people.
He said, “I see my emergence today as a great challenge, a clarion call to a divine assignment to bring to bear, the vision of our founding fathers.
“This, I promise, shall be pursued with every fibre of our being. This is because Osun, which is our common heritage, has suffered enough degradation in the hands of interlopers.”
Adeleke, in his acceptance speech, called on the party to unite ahead of the governorship poll, adding that with cooperation, the PDP would defeat the ruling party at the poll.
He said, “No victor, no vanquished. We are all winners. Let us work together to rescue people of Osun State from the current APC government.
“The good people of Osun State have suffered enough under the current APC government.”
Commenting on the parallel primary held by a faction in the party, Bayelsa Deputy Governor said the exercise held outside the one he supervised would not be recognised.
“Any other primary held outside this place is invalid and will not be recognised. The crown is here, the palace is here and the authority is here. Any exercise not done here cannot be recognised,” he said.
Dignitaries present at the primary where Babayemi emerged winner include; ex-Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, Shuaib Oyedokun; Olu Alabi; and ex-PDP National Vice Chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo, among others.
At the primary where Adeleke was elected were dignitaries that include ex-PDP National Secretary, Wale Oladipo; Lere Oyewumi, Diran Odeyemi; members of the House of Representatives, Wole Oke and Bamidele Salam, as well as, ex-Osun PDP chairman, Ganiyu Olaoluwa, amongst others.
Punch
At least 63 vigilantes from five communities of Kebbi State have been confirmed dead after bandits ambushed them Sunday evening.
Traditional rulers of two of the affected communities told BBC Hausa that the vigilantes were ambushed while chasing the bandits who had attacked the communities.
But two additional sources spoken to from Sakaba Local Government Area of the state said the number of casualties was higher.
The state police command also confirmed the killings but said the bandits were fleeing from military airstrikes in Niger State when they were confronted by the volunteers.
The Sunday attacks
Village head of Takita, who refused to provide his name, told BBC Hausa that the bandits had stormed villages in Sakaba local government area in Zuru Emirate, abducted people and rustled some cattle.
“Residents were running from the bandits. When the volunteer vigilante members were informed of the attacks, they mobilised and followed the bandits.
“You know how dangerous these bandits are. They know all the forest very well, so they decided to hide on the trees and allowed the volunteers to reach the ring after which they encircled them and started shooting sporadically. 63 vigilantes were killed because we counted them before we buried them in the evening. They were from five separate communities of the area,” he said.
The traditional ruler, however, said some of the bandits were killed, too.
The areas where the vigilante members were from include Takita, Magajiya, Rafin Zuru, Dabai and Sanci.
An anonymous vigilante leader in Zuru told BBC Hausa that after the evacuation of the corpses, they were taken to the police station where members of the vigilante groups of each village took those belonging to their people.
“The attacks affected every village in the Zuru emirate and we suffered a lot in evacuating the dead bodies,” he said.
Ahmad Umar, a native of Sakaba who lives in Birnin Kebbi, and Shehu Bello, a native of Zuru, in separate interviews said those killed were more than 100.
“I can confirm that the number is more than that. Even yesterday (Monday), there were still corpses in the forest where the attack occurred. Those who went to evacuate the bodies couldn’t do that on that Sunday,” Umar said.
Police speak
Kebbi police command spokesperson, Nafiu Abubakar, explained that the police did not know the number of those killed yet.
“There is an ongoing military operation in Niger state. The areas affected (in Kebbi) share boundaries with Niger, so while the bandits were fleeing from military airstrikes, the volunteer vigilante members confronted them,” the spokesman said.
He said the state police commissioner has mandated officers of the command to launch an investigation to unravel the identity of those killed.
“They were among those complementing our efforts,” he said.
“They were part of the security setting and helped us a lot in arresting bandits,” he said.
BBC Hausa