A socio-political group, the League of Young Edo Professionals (LEYEP) has condemned the sacking of Gowon Jerry, the lawmaker representing Etsako West 11 Constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly.
PDP
Jerry was sacked by the Court of Appeal based in technicalities and declared Sylvanus Eruaga of the Peoples Democratic Party winner of the election.
The group described the court’s ruling as a miscarriage of justice.
It said the sacking of the APC lawmaker based on technical issues and not on electoral malpractice or loss of votes was a disservice to the people of Etsako West 11 Constituency.
A press statement signed by the group’s Secretary-General, Dr. Osatohamwen Nosakhare, the league said the people endured harsh weather conditions and intimidation from all areas to cast their votes for the APC candidate.
Dr. Nosakhare said it stood reason on its head for the Election Petitions Tribunal to declare a candidate who garnered 4,001 votes winner against that of a candidate who polled 14,373 votes.
The group noted: “The league of Young Edo Professionals finds it discomfiting that the Tribunal relied on mere technicalities to annul the 14,373 votes legitimately won by Mr. Jerry and gave victory to Mr. Sylvanus who polled a mere 4,001 votes.
According to the statement, “While we admit that the APC may have erred as it failed to meet the required 21-day sent to INEC to hold its primaries, we make bold to say that the candidate who went through the full electoral process should not have been made to suffer the negligence of a few.
“The reliance on technicalities to nullify the 14,373 votes freely given to Gowon Jerry by the good people of Etsako West 11 is therefore a travesty of justice.
“It is disheartening that the PDP and its candidate are celebrating the nullification of votes freely given to another candidate when they should hide their heads in shame for the poor outing in the election and seek ways to worm themselves into the hearts of the people for the next elections.
“The League believes that although the Courts have sacked the APC candidate, the PDP really has no moral right to claim a victory they could not win at the polls, but through court technicalities.”
The Peoples Democratic Party has approached a Federal High Court in Lagos seeking an order to remove James Faleke as the lawmaker representing Ikeja Federal Constituency of Lagos State in the House of Representatives.
James Faleke
The suit marked FHC/L/08/1680/15 was filed by a PDP member, Olakunle Okunola, with the PDP listed as the second plaintiff.
Okunola and the PDP are urging the court to declare that the All Progressives Congress breached Section 37 of the Electoral Act when it nominated Faleke for the March 28, 2015 National Assembly election and later nominated Faleke as its deputy governorship candidate for the November 21, 2015 governorship election in Kogi State.
The applicants are urging the court to declare that Faleke’s membership of the House of Representatives had terminated because his voting data had been transferred from Ikeja Federal Constituency of Lagos State to Ekinrin-ade ward of Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Joined as respondents in the suit are Faleke, APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The plaintiffs are seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from reversing or re-transferring Faleke’s voting and membership data from Ekinrin-ade ward in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State to the Ikeja Federal Constituency 1 of Lagos State.
They urged the court to stop Faleke from parading himself as a member of the House of Representatives representing Ikeja Federal Constituency 1 in the House of Representatives.
The plaintiffs’counsel, Kingsley Kezie, who appeared before Justice Abdulaziz Anka on Wednesday said all efforts to serve the court processes on Faleke and APC had proved abortive.
He therefore urged the court to grant the plaintiff an order to serve the defendants through substituted means at their addresses.
In a ruling, however, Justice Anka granted the order to serve APC by substituted means but directed the plaintiffs to go to Kogi State and effect personal service on Faleke.
He adjourned till January 26, 2016 for report of service.
Apparently disturbed by the slump of Naira against the major currencies in the foreign exchange market, a former member of House of Representatives, Bamidele Faparusi, has called for the immediate removal of the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele
He hinged his call for Emefiele’s sack on what he described as “poor management of the country’s forex and the fluctuation of the Naira on daily basis since he (Emefiele) assumed office during Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
Faparusi , who represented Ekiti South Federal Constituency 2 between 2011 and 2015, said it was quite disturbing that a dollar is now being exchanged for N310 in the parallel market , when the official rate is N198, due to inconsistency of the CBN’s forex policy under Emefiele.
Speaking in a chat with reporters in Ado Ekiti on Monday, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain expressed dismay that alleged poor handling of the economy under Emefiele’s watch has led to the collapse of many businesses.
Faparusi said he expected the CBN governor, being the head of the country’s currency regulatory body to have acted fast and come up with a standard and sustainable exchange rate, to forestall inflation and unpredictable currency valuation system.
He wondered why the CBN governor has not been able to manage the activities of those he described as ‘black marketers’ stalling government’s efforts at stabilizing the forex policy, thereby causing unwarranted devaluation of naira.
Faparusi said: “Many businesses have been crippled because of the poor handling of the economy under Mr. Emefiele. He has no reason to remain on that seat. He has been running the economy in a trial and error form. None of his policies had lasted for two weeks.”
The National and State House of Assembly Election Tribunal for Plateau State has nullified the election of a member of the state House of Assembly representing Langtang South, Mr Vincent Bulus.
Vincent Bulus
The tribunal also banned the lawmaker from contesting for any election for life.
Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the April 11 House of Assembly Election. Mr. Jackson Danladi, had filed a petition before the Tribunal challenging the victory of Bulus in the election, alleging that the lawmaker was an ex-convict.
Delivering judgment, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice O O Akeredolu, said the respondent was not qualified to contest the election having been convicted of an offence in line with Section 107(1)(d) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
Justice Akeredolu said: “The respondent, having been convicted of an offence involving fraud and dishonesty by a court of law, was not qualified to contest the election into the Plateau State House of Assembly to represent Langtang South constituency.
“That the election and return of the first respondent as member of Plateau State House of Assembly to represent Langtang South is a nullify.”
However, the tribunal, while observing that the petitioner obtained the second highest number of votes, held that a fresh election should be conducted into the constituency.
Delta State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon Ovwigho Igbuya has advised politicians to jettison selfish interest and think more of what they could do for the country.
Igbuya who urged elected and appointed officials to see the occasion of the country’s 55th independence as reminder of their obligation to develop the people, also counseled politicians to conduct themselves in ways that would inspire confidence in the durability of the country’s democracy
In a statement signed by Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Mr Henry Ebireri said,“Don’t neglect the people”, adding that all hands must be on deck towards moving the country forward”
He described Delta as a state with great potentials, assuring that the present administration would stick to its policy of transparency and accountability.
“A good government must provide amenities for the people. A good government must be responsible, transparent and accountable. It must be able to manage resources and ensure efficient and effective functioning of all political and socio-economic structures. We are building a Delta of new opportunities” he said.
He finally urged the people to support the current administration in achieving development.
MEMBERS of the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs, Friday, walked out representatives of the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mr Sulaiman Abba.
Chairman of the committee, Hon Usman Kumho told the representatives that it is the legislative duty of the National Assembly to summon anybody to answer questions and in this the only man who can answer the questions is the IGP.
Kumho stressed further that, “after wide consultations with my fellow lawmakers we decided to pick November 26 for the IG to appear before us”.
The IG’s team was led by Deputy Inspector General of Police,DIG, Mr Sotonye Nwakama.
The committee had on Thursday after the police unleashed terror on lawmakers at the National Assembly summoned the IGP to come and explain his role in the premeditated incident.
The IG however wrote the committee that he would be unavoidably absent at the hearing.
Sequel to the crisis rocking the National Assembly, more than 120 lawmakers have signed the impeachment notice of the President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, and to be discussed further immediately the house reopens in December.
Crisis at the National Assembly
Reacting to the development, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mohammed Zakari said the notice of impeachment was not on the order paper today but did not foreclose that some other things too place.
The Deputy House leader, Leo Ogor who also responded to the new development advised the aggrieved members of the house to ignore such plans, adding that the notice of impeachment is inconsequential, saying that the President had no hand in what happened at the National Assembly
He pleaded that the President was unaware of what’s happening in the National Assembly, he has done no wrong and as such, such plan would be defeated.
Apart from the move to impeach the President, the lawmakers also moved to impeach the deputy house speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, during the close door session but was immediately averted by the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal
Members of the Natonal Assembly were yesterday locked out by the police who claimed they acted on a tip off that some members of the house were coming with thugs to disrupt the proceedings of the house.
The members reacted that the plan was engineered by the President, a move they said was geared towards the impeachment of the house speaker, Aminu Tambuwal.
Reacting to the claim, the Police Inspector General, Abba Suleiman faulted the accusation, adding that police were at the assembly to maintain law and other.
NAIJA CENTER NEWS also published that, apart from the Police boss who defended the action, Presidency also issued a statement backing the action of the police.
According to one of the Presidential Aide, Doyin Okupe, who address journalists concerning the crisis, said IGP does not need instruction from the President to carry out his responsibilities even though the police is under government.
He advised the lawmakers to resolve the crisis on time in order to pay attention to what he referred to as “priority” which is, signing the extension of the emergency rule in the North West as requested by the President.
He urged the members to always put national problems before them rather than attending to personal issues.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party has urged the All Progressive Congress and others to leave President Goodluck Jonathan out of the problems rocking the House of Representatives, stating that as elected representatives of the people, the President cannot be blamed for the APC woes.
Jonathan
APC had accused President Goodluck Jonathan of sabotaging his own Administration’s war against Boko Haram on the altar of personal vindictiveness and political desperation, an action that is unbecoming of a self-respecting national leader.
The party was reacting to a statement by the APC where it laid the blames of the crisis in the House of Representatives as desperation on the side of the President.
But the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said in interview with journalists in Abuja on Thursday, “Every Nigerian knows clearly that PDP as a political party does not remote control it’s members. We don’t believe in interfering in the affairs of the National Assembly as a parliament, let alone the House of Representatives.
“PDP believe that as elected adults, they are responsible for their actions and it would be unfair to lay such blames on the President. The members are capable of taking decisions as adults.
“We are operating a democracy and there are three arms of government and National Assembly and indeed the House of Representatives is part of the legislative arm of government.
“There are crises in other states and the President cannot be be blamed for such crisis.”
On the APC allegation that President was stalling the State of Emergency, Metuh said, ” You know that it is a baseless allegation and not founded on any logic. Those who are playing politics with the insurgency know themselves, but certainly not this administration led by President Jonathan.”
The U.S. Government has been urged to urgently supply arms to the Nigerian military to effectively fight Boko Haram terrorists.
Obama and Jonathan
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Civil Society and Donor Agencies, Prof Ini Udoka, made the appeal in Abuja on Monday.
He spoke during the signing of 9.2 million dollars grant to 15 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria by the U.S. Government.
His remarks came against the backdrop of Monday’s attack on a school in Potiskum, Yobe by the Boko Haram sect, in which several students were killed.
The legislator said it was worrisome that the U.S Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle had been credited as saying that the U.S may not be able to sell arms to Nigeria.
According to Udoka, Entwistle was reported as saying that this was due to alleged human rights abuses by the Nigerian military.
“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the government of the United States to reconsider the stance on the issue of insecurity in Nigeria.
“This morning, we received very sad news that many students of Comprehensive School in Potiskum have been slaughtered by a suicide bomber during the morning devotion.
“We know that the assistance of the U.S. in combating insurgency in Nigeria would help us to a large extent to curb some of these atrocities.’’
The lawmaker thanked the U.S. government for the grant to civil society groups and challenged the grantees to live up to expectations reposed in them.
He, however, advised that in undertaking the assignment, civil society groups must avoid partisanship in their conducts and actions.
“My attention has been drawn to the fact that some consider advocacy for good governance to mean disparaging government and aligning with political opposition.
“Your ability to exercise independence of thought, conditioned by international best practices, should engage your advocacy to government personalities and institutions to ensure that expected reforms are undertaken in the country.’’
In a swift reaction, Entwistle said the report in some sections of the media was fabricated.
“The comments he (Udoka) was referring to was at a press conference I gave in Adamawa.
“I didn’t say what was attributed to me; those comments came from an article in the Guardian newspapers which was a complete fabrication.
“We have asked them to retract and they have not.
“We have put out op-ed in almost every newspaper explaining what I actually said, which I think the Chairman (House Committee on Civil Society) didn’t have time to read.
“We have made it clear that my government stands firmly with the Nigerian government in the fight against terror and in the fight against Boko Haram’’, Entwistle said.
The envoy added that Nigeria and the U.S had “a rich military and security relationship’’ and reiterated U.S. commitment “to the non-military aspect of the struggle.
“We are committed to helping the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), we are committed to working with your government to ensure that those displaced by this conflict were not disenfranchised.’’
On the grant, the U.S envoy challenged the recipients to partner with government at all levels to improve the rule of law, reduce corruption and strengthen health and education.
He urged CSOs in Nigeria to set the agenda and advocate issues that politicians need to address in their manifestos in the build up to the 2015 general elections.
The envoy appealed to Nigerians to denounce violence before, during and after elections.
He underscored the key role of CSOs in ensuring political, economic and development success in Nigeria.
He cited the role civil societies played in ending apartheid in South Africa and abolition of slavery in the U.S.
Also, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education, asked government officials to stop seeing CSOs as irritants.
Ezekwesili advised civil society groups not to relent in demanding good governance and accountability from the government and those in public positions.
“CSOs in this country must be determined to keep everybody that holds public position on their toes.
“The U.S functions in its democracy because of the power of civil societies; it makes the biggest of difference.
“No matter what laws and agencies you create, until you get effective demand and scrutiny, demand for accountability in the performance of those agencies, they will not transform into institutions’’, she said.
The grant to 15 Nigerian CSOs was awarded under the US Agency for International Development’s (USAID) “Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement Project.’’
According to USAID, the grant will support the CSOs’ efforts to promote democratic reforms through greater transparency, accountability and good governance.
Some of the projects will focus on public finance management, local governance reform, youth empowerment and advocacy, among others. (NAN)
A member of the Edo State House of Assembly representing Etsako West 1 Constituency, Hon. Abdulrazaq Momoh, has said his seat cannot be declared vacant because the exercise was not carried out on the floor of the House.
The Speaker of the House, Mr. Uyi Igbe, had on Wednesday declared Momoh’s seat vacant on the ground that the lawmaker who was elected on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which metamorphosed into All Progressives Congress (APC) did not follow due process before defecting to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Hon. Abdulrazaq Momoh
But Momoh, who described the House as “an institution,” said going by the pronouncement of the Supreme Court on a similar case in the past, such exercise was a nullity because the speaker declared his seat vacant at the government house and not on the floor of the House.
The lawmaker, who spoke with our correspondent in Benin yesterday, said, “You said Uyi Igbe is the speaker but a speaker sits in the House of Assembly not in a corner of the government house.
And in this document before me in the case between Lakoju and Adeleke and more specifically it is said, according to that judgment, the House of Assembly is an institution, it must sit in the place so provided for it and nowhere else.
“This was the Supreme Court judgment in that case of Lakoju when the Oyo State House of Assembly went to sit at D’ Rovans Hotel and the Supreme Court said that whatever they did at D’ Rovans was null and void because that is not the designated place for sitting of the state House of Assembly.
“So, Uyi Igbe only spoke as Mr. Uyi Igbe and not as the speaker of Edo State House of Assembly because he was not sitting in the House of Assembly.”
Referring to a newspaper advertisement, which was purportedly signed by the speaker, he said Igbe had admitted that no disciplinary action would be taken against him (Momoh) following an Auchi High Court subsisting order asking the lawmakers not to discipline Momoh.
“The House took this action in light of the issues raised therein which are yet to be pronounced upon by the court in order not to be seen or perceived as acting in contempt of the said order.
This was on July 10 and on July 17 or thereabout the courts went on strike. The strike is still on till now and the court has not sat on this matter. What has changed since then till now that Igbe will take such action?
“I would want to let you know that Igbe’s action is prompted by the fact that they forged my signature for the process of the purported impeachment of the Deputy Speaker, Festus Ebea, and the law enforcement agencies are taking appropriate steps to bring them to book,” he added.
Momoh accused the lawmakers of trying to lure him out of the Assembly complex so that he could be killed by assassins and prevented from giving evidence “when it is time for their prosecution for allegedly forging my signature.”
The lawmaker, who observed that his purported suspension was carried out on the last day of sitting, expressed shock at such move.
Momoh accused the state government of instigating the crisis because he called on law enforcement agents to probe the alleged diversion of N22 billion allocated to the state local governments
Lafia – A lawmaker in Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Othman Bala, has appealed to members not to impeach Gov. Umaru Al-Makura, in the interest of the state.
Bala (APC, Keffi-East) said in Lafia on Friday that lawmakers should put the interest of the state above other considerations.
“The lawmakers love the state and will do all within their power to ensure peace and development of the state.
“It is on the basis of that love that I appeal to my colleagues to sheath their swords in order to move the state forward.
“No one is perfect, we should forgive some of the lapses noticed with the governor with the belief that he will learn from it in the overall interest of the state,’’ Bala said.
He emphasised the need for the members to make sacrifice, saying: “there should be no winner or loser under the circumstance but the interest of the state should be paramount’’.
The assembly on Monday resolved to serve an impeachment notice on the governor for alleged gross misconduct.
The news of the impeachment notice, however, led to protest across the state. (NAN)
Pandemonium nearly broke out in Gusau yesterday when a cache of arms and ammunition was discovered in the house of a Zamfara lawmaker by security operatives.
According to a reliable source, some men who were arrested with arms in Kano made a confessional statement that they got the arms from the suspected lawmaker in Zamfara State. The raid on the houses of the law maker (names withheld) which was carried out by security operatives led to the discovery of arms and ammunition in large quantity.
“During the search, several AK47 rifles, two boxes of life ammunition and several tins of tear gas were discovered in his residence in Gusau, while a grenade was discovered in his Tsafe residence”, the source said. However, when contacted yesterday, the embattled lawmaker maintained that he was invited by the police and he had made a written statement.
The Zamfara State Command, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Lawal Abdullahi, said the operation was carried out by a special team from Abuja but declined to make further comment.
