Uppercut! Judge throws out Okoroji's Case Against Legal @COSON Board

By Victor Ojelabi

When it rains, it pours. The noose around the necks of Tony Okoroji and his band of puppets tightened further with bruising defeat at the Federal High Court on May 23, 2019.

Presiding over SUIT NO. FHC/L/CS/606/2018 - Copyright Society of Nigeria and Ors v. Efe Omoregbe and Ors, the Honorable Justice Saliu Seidu ruled in favour of defence counsel, Barrister Dapo Ademola's (AOA Legal) preliminary objection, challenging the authority of the 1st plaintiff to commence the case and the jurisdiction of the honourable court to hear the suit. Justice Saidu ruled to strike out the names of the 1st - 6th defendants and the entire case eventually.

Tony Okoroji, a serial litigant whose desperate and illegal hold on the reins of COSON may have cost the society over N50,000,000.00 in legal expenses over the last 18 months (COSON admitted to N34m plus in their 2018 account) suffered the damaging loss in the directorship case filed against Efe Omorogbe, Sikiru Agboola, Obi Asika, Joel Ajayi, Dare Fasasi, Audu Maikori and others.

Justice Saidu's judgement signals the beginning of the end of the litany of frivolous suits filed by Okoroji in the name of COSON to shackle the regulator, gag the oppposition, muddy the waters, harass users and generally buy time while seeking vistas for a political resolution that would sweep all his alleged infractions under the carpet.

The devastating legal uppercut COSON suffered at yesterday's hearing digs a damaging hole in Okoroji's posturing as an invincible juggernaut who knows his way around the courts and always gets vindication in the long run even though he's suffered debilitating loses against PMAN, MCSN, Mayo Ayilaran and many others in the past.

More importantly, the ruling digs a hole in about a dozen other cases against the NCC, broadcasters, the legal board, Efe Omorogbe, Audu Maikori, Joel Ajayi, Dare Fasasi, Pretty Okafor and even officers of the NCC. Cases funded by rights owners' royalties to serve the purpose of an intransigent director against the widely published wishes of the members on whose repertoire royalties are collected in the first place.

Adeleke’s case: Judge threatens to send police prosecutor to prison

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, threatened to send Mr Simon Lough, a police prosecutor, to prison for violating an order of the court.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in his ruling, held that It was obligatory on every person to obey orders of the court.

“This court stands to commit Mr Lough to prison custody for this blatant act of impunity and contemptuous disobedience.

“The exercise of restraint by this court in not dealing with the learned counsel for the complainant/applicant (Lough) forthrightly is to demonstrate to the learned gentleman that the best of use of power is to restrain”, the judge said.

The court also dismissed an application filed by the Police seeking a stay of execution of an order, allowing, Senator Ademola Adeleke to travel to the United States for a medical check-up.

The judge, on May 6, gave the senator permission to travel to the United States on May 7 and return on June 9 for medical treatment.

The judge had, however, ordered Adeleke to honour an invitation of the police on May 6 before travelling and restrained the police from arresting him.

The Police, however, in defiance of the order, arrested Adeleke when he honoured the invitation.

He was subsequently arraigned in a Magistrate Court in Mpape area of the Federal Capital Territory on five counts, bordering on alleged false statement and forgery.

The police approached the court with an application praying it to stay execution of the ruling, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal at the Court of Appeal.

The security agency claimed that its statutory duties would be disturbed if the ruling of the court was executed while the appeal was pending since the senator would have escaped from the country.

In dismissing the application, Justice Ekwo held that from the submissions of Lough, Adeleke had already travelled which meant that the application was spent.

The judge said there was nothing to stay as the injunction was not normally granted over completed acts.

“The issue here is not merely that of granting an injunction over a completed act but whether a party can disobey an order of court and come before the same court, seeking for its discretionary power”.

According to him, the police refused to comply with the order of the court and to have reason for not complying, the police resorted to self help.

This he said was by arraigning Adeleke before the Magistrate Court on May 7, just to stop him from travelling.

The judge further said that the police acted disdainfully by arraigning Adeleke on the day he was granted leave to travel for a medical check-up in an inferior court.

He added that by doing so, the police had derailed the authority of the court, which he said was a condemnable act.

He described Adeleke’s arrest by the police and his arraignment as a very dubious manoeuvre of the judicial system in order to avoid compliance with the order of the court.

Justice Ekwo subsequently dismissed the application for lacking in merit.

(NAN)

NPA, Apapa Roads and How To Run Government Business, By Babatola Oke

As a long-standing player in Nigeria’s maritime space, I have watched the traffic gridlock along the Apapa axis progressively deteriorate and grow into the colossal national embarrassment it has become over the years.

Since I started conducting business in the Apapa Area in 1998, access roads into that part of Lagos have never been anything that reflect the revenue that the country reaps from the natural endowments that the heavens have blessed Nigeria with in the two ports, as well as the multi-billion-naira investments in the area.

I have thought about this year-on-end and it has continued to appear to me that successive governments have been at a loss as to what to do about this situation that has not only brought monumental losses to the national economy and is doing damage to the environment but is equally resulting in serious human hardship. Even as it continued to get worse and has finally reached a shameful head lately. How does a country priding itself as the foremost on the Africa continent allow its premium port facilities to become such eyesores? That is not to say that no effort has been made to reverse the situation at all, but these have been largely tentative palliative measures that provide no sustainable solution. The roads have always come out worse than they were before the series of initiatives to fix them, while life around the area has, expectedly, become more tortuous.

Not even hopes that the swearing in of President Muhammadu Buhari would improve things have materialised and I, like many others who I know, have given up on prospects that government would get its acts together as it concerns improving the hellish congestions that exist in Apapa.

This is even more so when you read stories about government bodies throwing blames about who should do what to terminate this disgraceful situation that faces Nigeria. One has heard, for instance, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing bicker over whether it is the roads or the volume of cargo coming into the ports for which they do not have holding capacity, that is responsible for the congestions. So you wonder how, for goodness sake, agencies of the same government, responsible for the welfare of the citizens, are unable to sit together to solve this problem permanently. I have been particularly peeved at the NPA for the seeming failure to take the initiative and save Nigeria the shame that Apapa has become. This is more so when the completion of rehabilitation of the Wharf Road, which the NPA commendably spearheaded in collaboration with Messrs AG Dangote and Flour Mills of Nigeria, did not contribute anything significant to the actual decongestion of Apapa. Even though it had coughed out a whopping N1.8 billion in this collaboration, the fact that this congestion persisted made stakeholders in Apapa expect that the NPA would, at that time, put up an aggressive plan that attends to holding trucks that have become a nuisance on the expressway and turns the country into a banana republic.

But it seems the NPA is currently doing its best to find a solution to the situation that we have at hand in Apapa and that is heartwarming. The recent news about the conversion of the Lilypond Container Terminal into a truck park gave a deep sense of relief that the NPA is set to deal with this issue terminally. And this is a thing of joy. If NPA is deliberate in improving the call-up system for truck gaining access into the ports for cargo evacuation and removal, as what it introduced in 2018 as feelers in Apapa indicate, then we would be on the path to permanently resolving the perennial congestion in Apapa. The call up system, which is said to have been delayed due to the need to protect the shorelines at the Tin Can Island Port, will take trucks off the road and free up more space to enhance the free flow of traffic along the Apapa port access road.

And just before the end of last week, news filtered in that NPA had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a company, A.P Moller capital, on how to exploit the waterways for the movement of cargo. This is truly not a new initiative, given that the NPA had sometime last year spoken about its licensing companies to evacuate containers to the Ikorodu Lighter Terminal, and this current arrangement is reportedly considering to extend the use of barges to evacuate containers from the ports beyond Ikorodu to Epe. Public-private partnerships like this is what one expects of liberalised entities like the NPA.

One assumes however that the NPA realises that the combination of Lilypond and the new initiative with A.P will not sufficiently take care of this congestion challenge. There are many private parks on that road and the NPA should not relent in the effort it made last year made to license private park operators.

Arguments about the congestion in Lagos being attributable to the inactivity in other ports in the country is largely debatable because the port business is usually determined by the most convenient location for port users as such, rather than suggesting that more traffic in Onne, Warri and Calabar would have direct effect on traffic congestion in Lagos, Nigeria should work to make the ports in Lagos competitive. Even then, however, one has heard about efforts that are being made to improve service delivery at these ports. Was a contract for the dredging of the channel into the Warri ports not awarded last year for instance?

Given the positive steps the NPA has taken so far, I advise that it should pursue the recently signed contract between the federal government and Dangote AG for the construction of the Apapa Oshodi Express way. And the enabling environment should also be created for greater private sector involvement, taking greater advantage of the inland waterways and rail network in the evacuation of cargo to and from the ports.

I am persuaded that as we optimise multimodal means of transportation of goods and cargo from the port, we would minimise vehicular traffic, and the Apapa gridlock will become a thing of the past.

Babatola Oke, a licensed freight forwarder, wrote in from Lagos.

NAFDAC busts illegal alcohol factory in Akwa Ibom

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered an illegal factory that produces and circulates fake alcoholic beverages in Akwa Ibom State.

NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said that the factory was discovered at Afaha Obong in Abak Local Government Area of the state.

Adeyeye disclosed that the factory, located in that remote community, had been falsifying and circulating various brands of alcoholic beverages for several years unhindered until stakeholders lodged a report at NAFDAC.

“NAFDAC has uncovered an illegal factory which specialises in falsifying and circulating fake alcoholic beverages at Afaha Obong, Abak LGA of Akwa Ibom.

“We gathered that the factory had existed in the remote village for years, producing fake alcoholic beverages of local and foreign brands unhindered.

“Agents of Diego Nigeria Limited, distributors of Hennessy, Black Label and Baileys lodged a consumer’s complaints and that led to the discovery of the factory,’’ she said.

Adeyeye said NAFDAC team was able to penetrate the area due to the security back up by the Nigeria police force, adding that evidences of the falsification of different brands were discovered at the location, adding that though the proprietor of the factory escaped, his wife was arrested.

According to the DG, thousands of empty bottles of different brands of alcoholic beverages, labels, empty cartons of drinks, cocks and already finished products were found in the premises.

“The kingpin, Mr Peter Etokakpan was not found during the raid but his wife , Mrs. Uyime Etokakpan, who is also a partner in the illegal business was arrested.

“It was almost leading to a riotous situation as young men and women started almost, violently to attack the NAFDAC team,’’ she said.

She said that the case would be transferred to the Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC for further action.

The DG said that the NAFDAC team also uncovered another alcoholic beverage factory; Sir Bigman Industries Limited, producers of Bigman products at Ikot Ekpene.

“The company was previously registered by NAFDAC but its license had expired and the owner started faking other companies’ products which they produced in a very unhygienic condition,’’ NAN quoted her as saying.

She therefore warned counterfeiters to desist from their unwholesome practice and commence registration processes if they were interested in producing or circulating any NAFDAC regulated product.

Buhari approves NEPAD’s transformation into AU development agency

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the transformation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) into African Union Development Agency- NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) in line with African Union (AU) decision for improved service delivery.

This was disclosed on Friday in a statement signed by Gloria Akobundu, National Coordinator of the agency.

According to Ms Akobundu, the presidential approval was a followup to the adoption of the decision of the 11th extraordinary session of AU Assembly held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from Nov. 17 to Nov. 18, 2018.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that AUDA-NEPAD has the mandate to coordinate regional integration and strengthen capacity of AU member states.

“The transformation from NEPAD to AUDA-NEPAD will allow the improvement on effectiveness and efficiency in delivering AU development policies and programmes across its member countries.

“President Buhari’s approval is a follow up to the adoption of the decision of the AU Extraordinary Assembly held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from Nov. 17 to Nov. 18,2018,” she said.

The coordinator added that the setting up of the structure of AUDA-NEPAD in Nigeria had been concluded.

She expressed the appreciation of the entire Nigerian Country office, AUDA-NEPAD to the President for his prompt approval in line with other participating 55 AU member states.

NAN reports that the rationale behind the establishment of the AUDA, is that it shall be a vehicle for the better execution of the African Union Agenda 2063.

The mandate of the AUDA-NEPAD is: to coordinate and execute regional and continental projects to promote regional integration towards the accelerated realisation of Agenda 2063.

Others are to strengthen the capacity of African Union Member States and regional bodies; advance knowledge-based advisory support, undertake the full range of resource mobilisation and serve as the continent’s technical interface with all Africa’s development stakeholders and development partners. (NAN)

BREAKING: Supreme Court affirms Fayemi’s election, dismisses PDP, Olusola-Eleka’s appeal

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Kolapo Olusola-Eleka challenging the election of Governor Kayode Fayemi.

Affirming Fayemi’s election, the five-man panel of the Supreme Court led by the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad unanimously held that the appeal challenging the outcome of the poll lacked merit.

Justice John Okoro, who read the lead judgment, affirmed the judgments of both the Ekiti State Election Petition Tribunal and the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, which had both dismissed the petition challenging the outcome of the July 2018 poll.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Fayemi and the All Progressives Congress polled a total of 197,459 votes to defeated Olusola-Eleka and the PDP who placed second with 178,121 votes in the July 14, 2018 election.

Dissatisfied with the outcome, PDP and Olusola-Eleka had filed their petition before the Ekiti State Election Petition Tribunal which sat and delivered its judgment in Abuja.

The petitioners alleged among others in their petition that the election was marred by a lot of wrongs including non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

But the tribunal on January 28, 2019 dismissed their petition and affirmed the results declared by INEC.

The petitioners further appealed to the Court of Appeal, raising seven issues against the judgment of the tribunal.

But delivering judgment, Justice Stephen Adah who led the three-man panel of the Court of Appeal, resolved all the seven issues raised against the appellants and in favour of the respondents – Fayemi, INEC and APC.

Justice Adah dismissed the case for lacking in merit, a decision the two other members of the panel – Justices Tinuade Akomolafe-Wilson and Emmanuel Agim, consented to.

In their further appeal to the Supreme Court, the PDP and Olusola-Eleka, urged the apex court through their lawyer, Yusuf Ali (SAN), to upturn the lower court’s judgment.

The appeal was dismissed by the Supreme Court on Friday.

Supreme Court sacks Governor-elect, Yari, others as PDP set to take over Zamfara

The Supreme Court has sacked all the elected candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Zamfara state during the 2019 elections.

The five-member panel of justices, in a unanimous judgment on Friday, held that the party in the state failed to conduct primaries in accordance with the party rules.

In the lead judgment by Justice Paul Adamu Galinji, the apex court held that all votes cast for the APC as “wasted votes” and declared that all political parties with the second highest votes in the elections and the required spread, are elected to the various elections.

The APC had won the gubernatorial as well as all the national and state assembly seats in Zamfara State, but the joy of those elected was short-lived when the Court of Appeal declared that their party did not conduct valid primaries, a development that induced anxiety in the state as to what would happen as the May 29, 2019, inauguration day inches closer.

Some of the persons likely to be affected include the Governor-elect, Mukhtar Shehu Idris; Senators Abdulazeez Yari (Zamfara West); Aliyu Ikra Bilbis (Zamfara Central); Kaura Tijjani Yahaya (Zamfara North); seven elected members of the House of Representatives and 24 House of Assembly members. They all belong to the incumbent governor’s camp. The opposition PDP scored the second highest valid votes in the general elections. For instance, in the governorship, while Idris got 534,541, his closest opponent, Dr. Bello Muhammad Mutawalle of the PDP polled 189,452. The candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Sen. Dansadau scored 15,177, while Dr. Abdullahi Shinkafi of APGA garnered 3,865.

BREAKING: Nigeria may slide to another recession – CBN

The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, has expressed fears that Nigeria may slide into another recession if measures are not taken to tackle the high rate of unemployment and other economic crisis.

Emefiele said this today at the University of Benin, while delivering a lecture titled “Beyond the Global Financial Crisis: Monetary Policy Under Global Uncertainty”.

According to him, Monetary and Fiscal Policy Authority must rise up to the challenge to begin to think of what can be done to tackle the situation.

The CBN governor said: “From some of my concluding remarks, you may have observed whether you like it or not, there is global uncertainty that will unfortunately most certainly, lead to another crisis.

“The question could be, how are we, as Nigerians, particularly our leaders, I am talking of Monetary and Fiscal Policy Authority, how are we preparing our country for the next set of crisis?”

He said “we have luckily exited recession. We have seen inflation pending downward to about 18.72 percent in 2017 to about 11. 37 percent today. We see reserve moving up, exchange rate stabilizing but unfortunately, we still have issue and those issues bother on unemployment rate.”

He assured that CBN will continue to take proactive approach in mitigating the likely adverse effects that may emanate from external headwinds.

Southern and middle belt leaders reject Fulani radio station funded by FG

The southern and middle belt leaders’ forum on Wednesday, May 23, rejected federal government's plan to acquire an Amplitude Modulation (AM) radio broadcast licence to reach Fulani herdsmen across various locations in the country.

According to Sahara Reporters, the group in statement signed by Yinka Odumakin, Bassey Henahaw, Isuwa Dogo and Chigozie Ogbu said Nigeria was suffering from the militia activities of Fulani herdsmen.

Adamu Adamu, minister of education, who confirmed the acquisition of the licence in Abuja, on Tuesday, May 21, said the radio service will operate on frequency of 720KHz, and will be strictly in Fulani language.

The group said: "We totally reject this insensitive decision of the government on the following fundamental grounds:

"It smacks on hypocrisy and deception for a government that has in the last four years denied responsibility on behalf of the Fulani herdsmen for crimes they even owned up to, to now tell us it wants to set up a radio for them to address the same issues.

"Section 55 of the 1999 Constitution recognises English,Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo as Languages in which the official business of the National Assembly can be conducted. There was no mention of Fulani which is not a language most northerners even understand.

"Why it's sudden promotion to a language the federal government will set up a radio to promote? Will it also set up radio stations for the officially recognised languages and the over 250 languages spoken in different parts of Nigeria?

"We fear seriously that the proposed radio will become a weapon of spreading hate propaganda against other nationalities in Nigeria given the kid gloves treatment with which the Buhari administration has handled the killings of thousands of Nigerians in the last four years.

"We are guided the genocide-aiding role radio played in inciting ordinary citizens to take part in the massacre of Tutsis and moderate Hutus during the Rwandan Genocide from 1993 to late 1994, RTLM was used by Hutu leaders to propagate an extremist Hutu message and anti-Tusti disinformation by identifying specific targets and areas where they could be found and encouraging progress of the genocide.

"In 1994, Rwanda Radio began to advance the same message by issuing directives on where to kill Tutsis and congratulating those who had already taken part.

"Using the instrumentality of the federal government to set up a radio for Fulani herdsmen will throw a knife at the tiniest of the threads still holding Nigeria together as all illusions of an inclusive country would be removed and the rest of the country would conclude we are now under Fulani government of Nigeria.

"We therefore demand that the federal government should perish the thought of a Fulani radio sponsored by government if it cares in any form about the corporate existence of the country."

Recall that we reported that the minister of education, Malam Adamu Adamu, on Wednesday, May 22, revealed that the federal government has acquired an Amplitude Modulation radio broadcast licence that would be used to reach out to herdsmen in different locations in Nigeria.

Chelsea vs Arsenal: Emery told who to play between Cech, Leno in Europa League final

Former England international and Premier League star, Danny Mills has urged Arsenal manager, Unai Emery to feature goalkeeper, Bernd Leno, instead of Petr Cech in their Europa League final clash against Chelsea on May 29 in Baku.

Mills wants Emery to play Leno and drop Cech, who has been tipped to take up a newly-created Sporting Director role at his former club, Chelsea.

Emery’s men reached the Europa League final after defeating Napoli in the semi-final encounter, while Chelsea dumped Frankfurt out of the competition.

Speaking on who Emery should drop between Leno and Cech ahead of Arsenal’s clash against Chelsea, the former Norwich and Leeds United defender told talkSPORT: “You start to call into question the player’s integrity, his ability to perform.

“And I don’t think that’s in question, but the problem is if Cech makes a mistake, if something happens in that game against Chelsea.

“Go back to the start of the season where I think they played against Manchester City and he [Cech] tried to play out from the back and he gave it to some of the Man City players.

“Imagine if he did that again… I just think you’re putting him under enormous pressure, it puts himself under incredible pressure.

“If I was Arsenal, I’m not sure I’d want that. If he makes a mistake, if something happens, there will always be that doubt in people’s minds.”

Mills added: “If I was Arsenal, and they must know what he’s doing and where he’s going at the end of the season, if he is going to go to Chelsea as we believe, I wouldn’t play him.

“He can still walk around the pitch and clap all the fans. But I would not play him in that situation, but instead go for Leno.”

BREAKING: Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa Steps Down From Presidential Election Petition Tribunal

Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa has recused herself from the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja.

The People's democratic party had asked Justice Bulkachuwa to recuse herself because she is married to a senator-elect of the All Progressives Congress.

Counsel to Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the PDP, Livy Ozuokwu asked the Chairman of the tribunal to recuse herself on the grounds that she will be biased in the case.

On Wednesday, Justice Bulkachuwa recused herself after a prolonged sitting.

More to come.

June 12 celebration will signify triumph of people’s will, says Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has described the upcoming maiden June 12 Democracy Day celebration as “triumph of people’s will after decades of subversion”.

Mohammed stated this on Wednesday when he featured on African Independent Television (AIT) programme, “Kakaaki”, monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

The minister was speaking on activities lined up by the federal government for the May 29 inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the first democracy day celebration on June 12.

“For me, the lessons of June 12 is that no matter is the situation, the peoples will must always triumph.

“Temporarily, you might subvert them but ultimately the peoples will must triumph.

“That is why many decades after June 12 1993, somebody came around and said the day which had been denied to celebrate the nation’s democracy now stands,” he said.

According to Mohammed, the celebration is in fulfillment of President Buhari’s declaration last year of June 12 as democracy day and a national holiday with official commencement in 2019.

He said that both chambers of the National Assembly had endorsed the pronouncement.

NAN reports that the declaration was to commemorate the democratic election of the late MKO Abiola as President on June 12, 1993.

The election, adjudged to be free and fair, was, however, annulled by the then military president, Gen.Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).

The minister recalled that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at its meeting on May 8 gave an approval for the May 29 inauguration to be low-key, while major events scheduled to mark Democracy Day should be shifted to June 12, when the maiden Democracy Day celebration would hold.

Responding to question on progress made so far since 1993, the minister said, “democracy all over the world is work in progress and the nation has improved democratically.

“When you look at our trajectory of democratic evolution there have been a lot of improvement in our electoral process.

“An example is the introduction of the card reader and the increase in political participation.

“Although, it might not be perfect right now but I think we are on the right path,” he said.

The minister, who reiterated that world leaders had been invited to attend the maiden democracy day celebration, assured that the country is safe and all slated events would be hitch-free.

He itemised some of the programmes slated for the two events to include a three-day National Youth Entrepreneurship Empowerment Summit which started on Tuesday.

The FEC Valedictory Session of May 22, special Juma`at lecture and prayers on May 24 and the First Lady’s interaction with women on May 25.

Others included, special Interdenominational Church Service on Sunday May 26, Children day broadcastvby the President on May 27 which will be followed by a Children’s Variety Party the same day.

The President and the Vice President will be sworn-in on May 29th at the Eagle Square, to be followed by a State Banquet at the State House in the evening of the same day

The minister said that the events to celebrate June 12 as Democracy Day would begin on June 7 with a historical exhibition in art, pictures and immersive environment which will run through June 12.

He said that on June 10, there would be a Youth Concert, Creative Industry, Entertainment Night on June 9 and Secondary Schools Exhibition/Panel Discussion, while three events, namely: PMB Oratorical Contest at the ICC; Anti-corruption Summit at the Transcorp Hilton; and First Lady’s Commissioning Programme in Yola, Adamawa will feature on June 11.

According to him, June 12 will start off with a parade at the Eagle Square, just as a Dinner and Gala Night at the State House Conference Centre will wrap up the Democracy Day programme. (NAN)

Breaking: Contempt of court: Sen. Izunaso narrowly escapes prison

Sen. Osita Izunaso, the third defendant in the ongoing certificate of return suit filed by Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo, narrowly escaped being sent to prison on Wednesday.

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court Abuja said that Izunaso ought to have been remanded in prison for putting up an attitude before the court which could best be described as “rascality of the highest order”.

At the resumed hearing of the matter, the judge announced that he received an affidavit of facts filed by Izunaso that he had an application at the Court of Appeal for stay of proceedings in the matter.

While all counsel to the defendants prayed the court to honour the said application for stay of proceedings, Okorocha’s counsel, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, urged the court to dismiss it because it was incompetent.

Having listened to submissions from all counsel in the matter, the judge then asked the court registrar to ask Izunaso to stand in front of the court in order to listen to his ruling properly.

The judge in his ruling held that putting the name of a presiding judge as one of the parties to be served a court process filed at the Court of Appeal was scandalous and embarrassing and showed that Izunaso had no respect for the court.

“The motion filed at the Court of Appeal where my name is recorded is before me, tagged as exhibit c, attached to the third defendant’s affidavit of facts.

“The third defendant is also before me so I have jurisdiction over him summarily, if that was not sufficient, he deposed to an affidavit that the motion was duly served on me.

“This is only to ridicule the court and lower the esteem of the the judge in the eye of the public as if the judge is a party in the matter.

“This shows the level of disregard Izunaso has for the court which is established by the constitution.”

According to the judge, the conduct of the senator that is before me is contemptuous; it is contempt to the face of the court not outside the court.

“I have jurisdiction to deal with him summarily because he is the contemnor and he is before the court.

“The senator ought to have been remanded in prison today for contempt of court, he is before me and the offensive affidavit is also before me.”

Justice Abang held that in the case of contempt before the court, the judge was the complainant, the prosecutor and remained the judge.

He, however, held that the plea of the counsel to Okorocha had saved Izunaso and so he should “go home and sin no more”.

“Having regards to the passionate plea from the learned senior counsel, (Ogunwumiju),I will let the distinguished senator go home today, not because the court is weak or cowardly.

“We have been trained to use our summary powers sparingly, I will leave the senator to his conscience, he is accordingly discharged even though I find his conduct before the court contemptuous,” the judge said.

With regards to the issue of the motion filed by Izunaso for stay of proceedings, the judge said that the court records showed that he only became aware of the motion on Tuesday.

He, however, said that even though he agreed with Ogumwumiju’s submission with respect to not staying proceedings, it was safer and neater to adjourn proceedings in the matter.

“However, notwithstanding the argument of the SAN, it is safer to,adjourn proceedings in this matter for mention, to abide the decision of the Court of Appeal with respect to the pending application for stay of proceedings.

“The Court of Appeal did not order stay of proceedings so I can’t stay proceedings, I will only adjourn for mention.”

The judge also said that he was aware that his staff made photocopies of his handwritten proceedings without his knowledge and permission.

He said that the only authentic certified true copy of the proceedings was the one that contained his signature.

He adjourned the matter until May 30 for mention and or to abide the outcome of the Court of Appeal with respect to Izunaso’s motion for stay of proceedings.

Okorocha filed a suit asking the court for an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue him with a Certificate of Return as the Senator- elect for Imo West Senatorial District.

Izunaso applied to be joined as a party in the suit after which he petitioned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Adamu Abdu-Kafarati saying he felt shut out of the matter and was being denied fair hearing.

The court however, ignored the petition and proceeded with the matter on Tuesday but had to adjourn on Wednesday to await the outcome of the application for stay of proceedings at the Court of Appeal.

FRSC closes parts of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has announced the temporary closure of only the Ibadan-bound carriageway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway from Magboro to Kara and Ibafo.

Clement Oladele, FRSC Commander in Ogun, made this known in a statement made available to journalists in Abeokuta on Wednesday.

Mr Oladele said the closure took effect on Wednesday, noting that the road would be reopened on Friday to enable the contracting firm, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, lay asphalt on that section of the road.

“This is to inform the motoring public that Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, currently rehabilitating the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway, will be temporarily closing only the Ibadan bound carriageway from Magboro to Kara and Ibafo.

“Is scheduled to commence from Wednesday, May 22, 2019, and reopened on Friday, May 24, 2019.

“The temporary closure is to lay a section of 400m of wearing asphaltic surface on the affected section of the corridor.

“The closure will not affect traffic inbound Lagos around the affected road but will narrow the carriageway which is expected to build up traffic around the mentioned sections,’’ he said.

The sector commander advised motorists to note the occurrence and plan their trips, saying that those using the corridor within the period should obey all traffic rules and regulations.

Mr Oladele urged motorists to refrain from driving against traffic, saying that violators were liable to be apprehended for dangerous driving, which attracts a fine of N50, 000 and the impounding of the erring vehicle.

“The FRSC is working with sister traffic agencies to maintain visibility to ease the traffic discomfort the temporary closure of that section of the corridor will cause,’’ he said.

Anambra doctors reject new minimum wage, insist on strike

Resident doctors of Anambra State-owned Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital have rejected the new minimum wage offer presented to them by the state governor, Willie Obiano.

The doctors have been on strike since May 13 over the poor condition of service.

Rejecting Obiano’s offer, the doctors insisted on continuing the indefinite strike.

The president of the resident doctors association of the institution, Dr. Obinna Aniagbaso, while conveying the governor’s message to members during its meeting on Tuesday in Awka, the state capital, said the governor offered to pay them the newly approved minimum wage.

He said,” According to the governor that would amount to N12,000 increment across the board to Anambra State civil servants as soon as the national guidelines are released.”

He said the governor during a meeting with him expressed dissatisfaction with the poor payment of salaries to the doctors and admitted that it was due to low Internally Generated Revenue of the state.

Aniagboso added,” The governor promised to revisit resident doctors’ salaries issue in one year time when the Internally Generated Revenue of the may have increased.

On hearing the message, the members raised their voice saying, “No, No, No”.

They expressed shock and disappointment at the minimum wage offer, wondering why COOUTH doctors should be neglected for long.

They insisted that full payment of their salary should retrospectively commence from April 2019 as agreed to by the government in their meeting in January, this year.

JUST IN: Kidnapped FRSC officials freed

The two officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), kidnapped on Monday, have been released.

Their release was confirmed to us by the agency’s spokesman, Bisi Kazeem, on Wednesday.

The two officials, identified as Abioye and Bayegunmi, were kidnapped by unknown gunmen at Iwajara in Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State.

The kidnappers on Tuesday morning demanded N1 million ransom.

The officers were freed late on Tuesday.

It is not clear if payment was made for their release or not.

When contacted, Mr Kazeem in a short message to us confirmed the release of the duo.

“They have been released,” his message read.

He said the agency would provide more details of the release later.

Kidnapping for ransom has become rampant in many states across Nigeria despite the efforts of security agencies. Dozens of kidnappers have been arrested by security agencies in different states in the past month.

How Zamfara Governor, Abdulaziz Yari abandoned state over insecurity – Senator Umeh

Senator Victor Umeh representing Anambra Central Senatorial district has explained that the governor of Zamfara state, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari has been overwhelmed by insecurity in the state, and has consequently abandoned the state.

Reacting to a motion on the frightening killings in Rivers State as sponsored by Senator Andrew Uchendu during Senate plenary on Tuesday, the Anambra lawmaker posited that some governors are the architects of their security perils.

He was emphatic that Zamfara state Governor who is the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum now, “administers the state from Abuja”, adding that he has failed.

Umeh said, the essence of security votes which governors are statutorily entitled was to fight insecurity in their States.

“Governors should use security votes to fight insecurity in their States. They should not leave anti-crime battle to the Police alone. ”

They should use the security votes to place ransom on perpetrators of heinous crimes in their States. By so doing, they will get useful information that will assist security agents.”

”In Zamfara, the State Governor has run away from the state and he is harbouring and administering the state from Abuja”, he emphasized.

“On daily basis, he holds meetings and attends to state matters in Abuja, while Zamfara citizens are groaning over attacks and kidnappings.”

‘Join hands with Fayemi to restore our core values’

Director-General Ekiti State Council for Arts and Culture Ambassador Wale Ojo Lanre has urged Ekiti people to join hands with Governor Kayode Fayemi led administration in restoring the core value of honesty, diligence and integrity of the state through cultural intervention.

Ojo Lanre said that ‘the degree of social and moral decay in our society as being witnessed today threatens our security and peaceful existence as a people and the value we place on material things has continued  to make our society unsafe is so alarming’.

According to a statement issued to commemorate this year’s World Culture Day, he noted that ‘our culture has become part of us that we relegate it to third class of our priority,’ adding that cultural development and promotion were not accorded enough attention, which is the bane of our current situation as a nation.

World Culture Day is celebrated annually to deepen peoples’ understanding of the values of cultural diversity as well as to advance the four goals of UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

He observed that it is frustrating to realise that the erosion of our culture has swept into our door steps unimaginable moral decay and our core values are becoming a thing of history.

“Ekiti people are known as people who are distinguished by their higher level of bravery, loyalty, integrity and hard work. If we reactivate our core value system and celebrate the attributes listed above far above materialism, a lot would be achieved in making our society safer and more habitable,” he noted.

While advocating for attitudinal change and positive advancement and reactivation of value system, the Chief cultural officer of the state said  ‘the second coming of Fayemi administration marks a revival of the cultural sector in the state and need to be supported by all and sundry.’

Blame Fayose, Not Fayemi Over Plight Of Sacked Over 2,000 Ekiti Workers

Ekiti State Chapter of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has said that former Governor Ayo Fayose and not incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi over the plight of the 2,000 workers whose recruitments are being reviewed.

CNPP appealed to the affected workers to resist being misguided by politicians to protest against the government and cause public disorder in the state.

The government had, at its last week’s state executive council meeting, taken a decision to sack over 2,000 workers employed after the July 14, 2018 governorship election.

Speaking with journalists in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, the CNPP State Chairman, Deacon Olu Akomolafe, said Governor Fayemi has been magnanimous enough by overlooking some infractions committed in the recruitment exercises and promised to retain those that were employed between 2014 and 2017 when Fayose was in the saddle.

Akomolafe said it was a gross abuse of office and insensitivity for Fayose to have employed people into the state civil service and to keep on paying them manually three years after.

The CNPP boss stated that the present government was circumspect of the civil service rule which stipulated how a legitimate worker can be sacked, saying the step confirmed that those workers were not protected by the rule, being products of illegality.

“From the first term of Governor Fayemi in 2010, every Ekiti worker knows that what qualifies you as a civil servant is the biometric payroll and if you are not captured, you are considered a ghost worker.

“A very large number of the affected persons were not captured on the payroll and this confirmed that they were not legitimate workers.

“Though, as concerned citizens, we are really worried about the plight of the victims considering the economic hardship being experienced, this should not be the basis for illegality in the civil service.

“It also baffled us that Fayose, who owed between seven and nine months’ salary and pension arrears, could go ahead to employ over 2,000 more workers few days to the end of his tenure.

“The affected individuals had got the best advice and opportunity from Governor Fayemi, who advised them to participate in the coming recruitment exercise to be able to achieve their dream,” he said.

Akomolafe added that the whole world, including those who didn’t believe in Fayemi’s political ideology, was aware that Fayose deliberately did the last minute employment to create landmines for the incoming government.