Nigeria Content Online

The Federal High
Court in Abuja has cleared the governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime,
as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the
state.

The court dismissed
a suit filed by governorship candidate of the Platform Party, Anayo
Onwuegbu, on the ground that it constitutes an abuse of court process.

Judge Abdul
Kafarati ruled that the PDP has already submitted the name of Mr Chime
as its candidate for the election contrary to the claim of the
plaintiff, Mr Onwuegbu.

The court also ordered the defendants to file their counter affidavit against the plaintiff’s claim within the next two days.

Mr Kafarati also
resolved the issue of jurisdiction in favour of the plaintiff, saying
that the court has jurisdiction to hear his case and adjourned the
matter till February 23 for hearing.

The commission had
on February 14, told the court to vacate the interim order restraining
it from giving recognition to Mr Chime as the governorship candidate of
PDP in Enugu State.

INEC told the
court through its lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu, that if the interim order
was not vacated, it may affect the chances of the party fielding a
gubernatorial candidate for the scheduled April general elections in
Enugu State.

The order of the
court, handed down on January 31, had also stopped PDP from submitting
Mr Chime’s name to the INEC as its candidate for the said poll pending
the hearing and determination of the suit filed by the plaintiff and 38
other contestants challenging Mr Chime’s candidacy.

Even though the
court ordered the PDP not to submit the list of its candidates for
Enugu State to INEC, the party had last Monday informed the court that
it had already sent Mr Chime’s name to INEC before the order was made.

The party, which
was represented in court by its national legal adviser, Olusola Oke,
equally urged the judge to set aside the restraining order, contending
that the high court lacks the jurisdiction to stop an already perfected
act.

It argued that it
forwarded the name of Mr Chime alongside other candidates vying for
various positions in the state to INEC on January 17, for publication
before the restraining order was made.

In dismissing the
suit filed by the Onwuegbu and his running mate, Ogbu, Mr Kafarati
noted that the issue in question is subject matter of litigation in
another court.

Mr. Kafarati said the suit lacks merit and accordingly dismissed it.

Jonathan Shakarho,
a Justice of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, has awarded N10 million
damages against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for
attempting to forcefully seal off the private residence of former Ekiti
State governor, Ayodele Fayose.

Men of the
commission had created a scene at the former governor’s house on
September 29, 2010 when they were mobilised to forcefully eject the
occupants and seal it off.

It took the
resistance of some of Mr Fayose’s family members, who also reside in
the house located within the Government’s Reservation Area (GRA),
Iyaganku Quarters, Ibadan, to save the day.

The former Ekiti
State governor thereafter approached the court to seek redress and
enforcement of his fundamental human rights. He prayed the court for an
order confirming and enforcing his fundamental rights to fair hearing,
dignity of human person, liberty, private and family life and to own
immovable property; an order restraining the respondent from issuing
misleading press statements or publishing the picture of the house in
the media; N50 million damages and any other order the court may deem
fit.

EFCC was obeying orders

In an 18-paragraph
affidavit in support of the prayers, the applicant alleged that the
EFCC officials intruded in his family’s privacy and also published the
picture of the building in print media.

He also averred
that the EFCC’s attempt to seal off the building claiming it was an
order of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi was a lie. Mr Fayose said the
EFCC was acting the political vendetta script authored from the Ekiti
State government house through a letter dated September 20, 2010.

But the
commission, in a 16-paragraph counter affidavit, said it only acted on
the order given by Tijani Abubakar of Federal High Court, Ikoyi which
empowered it to seal off the premises.

According to the
EFCC, its office had been inundated with several petitions on Mr
Fayose’s alleged misdemeanour while still serving as the governor in
2005.

The allegations, it
added, have to do with abuse of office, money laundering, corrupt
practices and stealing of government funds especially money obtained
through Biological Concept Nigeria Limited.

The EFCC said it
was short of prosecuting the former governor because of the immunity he
enjoyed then as one Gbenga James and some other persons arraigned in
2006 over similar offences mentioned his name as accomplice, adding
that it later amended the charges to include his name after his
impeachment by the Ekiti State House of Assembly.

It further stated
that it had pasted the said order on Mr Fayose’s house immediately
after its issuance in 2006, together with the sealing notice, only for
the former governor to go behind and “unseal the properties, removed
the order and moved into them without the permission or authorisation
of the respondent of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

The Judge’s verdict

In his judgement
delivered on Wednesday, Mr Shakarho posited that the commission must
take full responsibility of the wrongful act carried out by his men on
the day in question and ordered it to pay N10 million for damages.

According to him,
the act is tantamount to “malicious embarrassment” to the former
governor since there was no order of the court to forfeit his property
to the Federal Government.

He also gave an
order to restrain the commission, his agents, privies or anyone or
organisation acting on its behalf from further issuing “misleading
press statements, publishing pictures of the applicant’s residence and
or procuring the release of any misleading information in the print
media, in any manner.” The presiding judge equally restrained the EFCC
from sealing off the said property or from engaging in any manner of
infringement Mr Fayose’s fundamental and constitutional rights.

A Federal High
Court in Abuja yesterday, dismissed an application for stay of
execution of judgment by former Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Mr. Aminu Bello Masari seeking to halt the judgement
of the court which stopped him from contesting the governorship
position of Katsina State under the Congress for Progressive Change
(CPC) in the April election.

Presiding judge
Abdul Kafarati also affirmed its earlier judgement that Senator Yakubu
Garba Lado is the authentic candidate of the CPC in Katsina State as
well as the candidature of 43 other candidates contesting for the
Senate, Federal and State Houses of Assembly in the state.

Mr. Kafarati had,
on February 25, 2011 ordered the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) not to recognize any other candidate for the Katsina
state governorship position under the CPC other than Lado.

Senator Lado and
his running mate, Abdulaziz Yar’adua had gone to court seeking an order
to restrain INEC from accepting Mr. Masari; the senator claimed that he
won the primary election and should have been presented instead of Mr.
Masari.

Mr. Lado wants the
court to mandate the submission of no other candidate except him to
INEC as the party’s governorship candidate for the state for the April
2011 election.

Specifically, he
wants the court to mandate the electoral body to accept only him as the
candidate of the party at the 2011 general elections for which they won
their party primaries.

The aggrieved
Senator who led 44 other members of the party told the court to
restrain the electoral body from accepting any other candidates apart
from them as the candidates of the party for the April governorship
election in Katsina state.

Kafarati, in his
judgment held that CPC has no option than to submit Senator Lado’s name
to INEC as its authentic governorship candidate for the Katsina State
governorship election in April.

He dismissed the
defendants’ preliminary objection, said Lado’s action was properly
brought before the court, that the plaintiffs have reasonable cause of
action as they are the authentic candidate of the party in Katsina
State.

The former speaker
and the CPC had filed an objection to Lado’s suit on the ground that
the way and manner a party elects or nominates its candidate for any
elective position is an internal affair of the party and that the court
lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

But, Kafarati, in
his judgement said with the 1999 constitution of the federal republic
of Nigeria as amended, the election or nomination of party’s candidate
ceases to be solely an internal affairs of the party because the
amended constitution provides that any aggrieved member of the party
can sue if the process for electing or nominating the party’s candidate
violate the party guidelines and the Electoral Act which are tailored
in line with the constitution of the country.

Furthermore he held
that the defendants failed woefully to bring any documentary evidence
before the court to show that there was another governorship primary
election held by the party where Masari was elected.

Masari has gone
before the Abuja Court of Appeal challenging Kafarati’s judgment which
held in his judgment delivered on February 25, 2011 that Lado is the
authentic gubernatorial candidate of the CPC in Katsina State.

In a motion on
notice filed through his counsel, John Baiyeshea , Masari is seeking an
order of injunction restraining Lado and the 44 others who filed the
initial suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja, their agents or
privies from giving effect to the Judgment delivered by Justice Abdul
Kafarati pending the hearing and determination of his appeal before the
Appeal Court.

In an affidavit in
support of the motion, Masari said he, the party and its Chairman,
Prince Tony Momoh are dissatisfied with the judgment, as a result of
which thousands of supporters and sympathizers have resolved not to
vote for the party in the forthcoming general election in Katsina.

He also said he won the primary election which held on January 13,
2011 and it was duly declared by the relevant committee which conducted
the election.

The Oyo State government has completed the electronic
storage of about 350,000 land documents in its archives, the state
governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, said yesterday.

Speaking at the official commissioning of the newly
automated lands registry at the state ministry of Lands, Housing and
Survey, in Ibadan, the state capital, the governor said the new system
will help guard against theft, falsification of documents, fire threat
and other forms of destruction to the documents.

He said before his government took the step, land
documents were saved manually since the days of the colonial
government, exposing them to all forms of dangers associated with the
process.

According to him, the new system is not only going
to take care of those challenges, but will also reduce space used in
storing the documents as well as assure on safety.

“The paper documents in the registry consist of
volumes of several ledgers and property cards that have become very old
and worn out due to wear and tear by reason of use and vagaries of
weather,” he said.

The governor urged property owners in the state to
register their interests to avoid being outwitted by fraudsters and
those who might want to obtain land documents under false pretence.

Saving time

He warned land prospectors to go to the land registry
to conduct researches before entering into agreement on lands to
ascertain the bona fide owners of the property, stressing that the
system will always be open to all for verification after payment of the
required fee.

The consultant in charge of the project, Makinyele
Oladeji, said his company, Tabcod Nigeria Limited, uses the latest
facilities on earth for the automation.

“The implication of this project in that the time
required in searching for land documents will be reduced by more than
80% since documents can be retrieved with the touch of a button,” he
said.

Forty members of
the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) posted to Oyo State delivered
babies during the three-week orientation programme.

The state director
of the NYSC, Gabriel Ibe, who disclosed this during the passing-out
programme of the Batch ‘A’ orientation programme in Iseyin, on Tuesday,
said the nursing mothers were sent back to their families after
registration.

He said a total of 2,423 graduates were posted to the state for the compulsory one-year national service.

Mr Ibe said the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) engaged the corps
members for two out of the three weeks orientation programme to train
them for their expected duties as ad hoc staff in the forthcoming
elections.

He said the
three-week programme was packaged to expose the participants to the
ideals of patriotism and selfless service for the nation.

Mr. Ibe however expressed worries over the way politicians attempt to drag corps members into the murky water of politics.

“I have read with
utter consternation and trepidation the allegation published in a
national daily, that the government of Oyo State is organizing parties
for corps members in Oyo State, with a view to getting their support,”
he said.

“Let me state
categorically here that no person, group of persons or government has
approached me or my officers with any proposal to host a party for
corps members in Oyo State. Neither will any corps member or staff
engage in such activity, as they know fully the implications.”

He alleged that the
politicians raising the allegation had approached corps members during
the last voters’ registration exercise to manipulate the process in
their favour, adding that the refusal of the offer led to the attack on
some corps members at Erunmu area of Egbeda Local Government of the
state.

The Nigerian
Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress yesterday expressed
happiness over the signing of the N18,000 minimum wage into law by
President Goodluck Jonathan.

While briefing
journalists at the Presidential Villa, after a meeting with the
president, the NLC president, Abdulwaheed Omar, and his Trade Union
Congress (TUC) counterpart, Peter Esele, described the signing as
historic.

According to them,
the increase of the minimum wage from N7,000 to N18,000 would go a long
way to improve the welfare of workers in the country.

“We are very
excited,” Mr. Omar said, adding that they decided to meet with
President Jonathan to clarify the conflicting reports of the signing
into law of the minimum wage bill.

“Mr. President
himself confirmed that he has signed the bill to law. We are happy that
Mr. President has signed the minimum wage bill into law and the
minister of labour has assured us that a copy of the bill would be sent
to us,” he said.

“We are jubilating
over it and the next thing is implementation. We will try to ensure it
is fully implemented because as you are aware, that is usually the bone
of contention,” the NLC president said.

On the alleged
threat made by some states not to implement the N18,000 minimum wage,
Mr. Esele said the first achievement was the signing of the bill into
law, adding that the union will deal with the issue of defaulting
states when the time comes.

Mr. Jonathan
finally put to rest speculations of whether or not he has signed the
bill. Responding to concerns expressed by the leaders of the two labour
unions about the new minimum wage, the president said he had signed the
minimum wage bill into law, adding that, “ordinarily, such a sensitive
Bill should have attracted a ceremony with members of the labour
movement in attendance, but I did not want the tight schedule of the
election campaigns to delay the signing.”

Hope for successful elections

Speaking on the
national elections starting this weekend, he said the 2011 elections
will be different, because a lot of work had been done and each vote
cast would count.

“Before now, our
elections have been of questionable credibility, but we are determined
to conduct free, fair, and credible elections, so that we will be
accepted and take our rightful place in the international community,”
he stated.

Mr. Jonathan
condemned the violence that was unleashed in Akwa Ibom State and in
other parts of the country, and warned that the culture of impunity
which propels lawlessness, especially in the run-up and during the
elections, would not be tolerated from anyone.

He stated that
efforts were being made to ensure that the Petroleum Industry Bill was
passed into law during the current National Assembly, and drew
attention to the Memorandum Of Understanding recently signed by the
Ministry of Petroleum and foreign investors for the establishment of
two fertiliser plants, a refinery, petrochemical and ethanol plants,
all aimed at strengthening the economy and creating jobs in the
downstream sector of the oil industry.

The president said
Nigeria needs a generation that will make the extra sacrifice which
will take the country to a level equal to its contemporaries, and
appealed to the labour movement to be part of such a generation.

The governorship
candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Akwa Ibom State,
James Akpanudoedehe, has described his arrest and subsequent trial in
Abuja as an attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop him
from campaigning for the governorship election in the state.

He told a Federal
High Court in Abuja yesterday that his arraignment by the police was
politically motivated. His counsel, Kola Awodein told the presiding
judge, Adamu Bello that Mr Akpanudoedehe’s arrest in Akwa Ibom State
and his quick arraignment in Abuja was designed to keep him away from
the campaign trail.

Mr Akpanudoedehe,
who is standing trial for treason, has been in police custody since
last Friday following an order of the court that he be remanded pending
yesterday when his bail application was heard. He was arraigned on a
four-count criminal charge bothering on treason and felony, and pleaded
not guilty to all.

The court will tomorrow rule on his bail application.

The accused, a
former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was arrested
over last week’s clash between supporters of his party and those of the
PDP in the state during which many people were killed and properties
worth millions of naira damaged.

Mr Awodein urged
the court to grant his client bail pending the hearing and
determination of the charge against him by the police. He argued
further that the accused person be admitted to bail by the court based
on his antecedent as two-time senator, former FCT minister, former Uyo
Local Government Area Chairman and at present, a governorship candidate.

The counsel also
told the court that there was an earlier phantom murder allegation
against the accused person, in which the police searched his residences
in Uyo and Abuja and found nothing incriminating.

“The applicant was
compelled to approach a court of competent jurisdiction when he was
being harassed to create an enabling political environment to carry out
his campaign like every other candidate in the state and the court made
an order restraining the police from interrupting his campaign,” he
said.

He also told the
court that Mr Akpanudoedehe has an ailment that requires frequent
medical attention, a position he said was not countered by the
prosecution. He said the prosecution’s submission that they are still
investigating the matter showed that they have yet to establish a prima
facie case against the accused.

But the police
counsel, R. E Nkem asked the court not to grant the accused person bail
in view of the nature of the offence and the severity of the
punishment, if found guilty.

“The accused person
is charged with treason and other pending charges like that of murder,
arson and others, as such he should not be granted bail,” Mr Nkem said.

Justice Bello, after hearing from all the parties adjourned till Thursday, March 31st, 2011 to rule on the bail application.

The charge

The Police accused
Mr. Akpanudoedehe of levying war against the state with intent to
intimidate the governor of the State, Godswill Akpabio.

The charge sheet
read: “That you, John James Akpanudoedehe, ‘M’ and others now at large
as citizens of the Nigeria, on the 22nd day of March, 2011, at Ikot
Ekpene in Akwa Ibom state did conspire amongst yourselves to commit
felony, to wit: Treason by levying war against the state with intent to
cause such levying of war as would intimidate or overawe the governor
of the state and you thereby committed an offence punishable under
Section 37(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act Cap ‘C’ 38 Laws of the
Federation of Nigeria 2004.

“That you, John
James Akpanudoedehe, ‘M’ and others now at large, as citizens of the
Nigeria on the 22nd day of March, 2011, at Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom
state in the Abuja Division did levy war against the state in order to
intimidate or overawe the governor of the state by discharging several
gun shots at him and his entourage while on his official assignment and
you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 37 (10 of the
Criminal Code Act Cap ‘C’ 38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”

Mr Akpanudoedehe pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge.

The refusal of four
political appointees in Ogun State to join the Peoples Party of Nigeria
{PPN} may have landed them in trouble. The public officials who hail
from Yewa South and Obafemi-Owode local government areas have
reportedly been sacked from their jobs.

NEXT investigation
revealed that the affected appointees include Remi Ogunsola, a special
adviser on special duties, Deji Orebiyi, a consultant, and Taiwo Jimoh,
a liaison officer from Yewa South, who have all been replaced. Sources
also said that the caretaker chairman of the council, Muhammad Adekunle
Adewunmi was also under pressure to join the new party as well. Mr.
Adekunle, has not been sacked but our source said the pressure is
mounting.

In Obafemi-Owode
local government, the Liaison Officer of the Council, Obasanjo Soyoye
was allegedly removed over the same issue, and subsequently replaced.

NEXT further
reliably gathered that the victims of this power play have been handed
their sack letters which were signed by the Secretary to the Ogun State
government, Adegbemi Onakoya.

The sack letters
were also copied to the permanent secretary, Bureau of Political
Affairs and Admin and Director-General, Bureau of Management and
Budget. The sacked political appointees were directed to handover
government properties in their possession to the governor’s office.

The content of the
sack letters, a copy of which is in possession of NEXT reads, “In view
of the ongoing re-organisation machineries, I wish to inform you that
your appointment as Governor’s Liaison is no longer required.”

It added, “You
should therefore handover government properties in your possession to
the permanent Secretary, Bureau of Political Affairs and
Administration, Governor’s office, Abeokuta. I thank you for your
contributions to the success recorded by this administration and wish
you best of luck in your future endeavours.”

‘It’s victimisation’

One of the sacked
officials, Mr. Soyoye, confirmed his removal but attributed the action
to pressure to make him leave the Peoples Democratic Party {PDP}.

“I am Obasanjo
Soroye, the Governor Liaison Officer, Obafemi-Owode Local Government,
so as far as I’m concerned, I was working for the governor until
Wednesday last week when I started working for Olurin and Jonathan,” he
explained.

“And to my
surprise I was called this morning, that I have a letter, when I opened
the letter, I saw that I have been terminated. There is no further
communication,” Mr Soyode said.

However, reacting
to the issue the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation,
Sina Kawonise, denied that the victims were sacked over their alleged
refusal to defect to the Peoples Party of Nigeria.

“This to formally
disclaim the falsehood that Governor Gbenga Daniel has sacked members
of his cabinet who refused to join the Peoples Party of Nigeria {PPN}.
Governor Daniel did not sack anyone in his cabinet because his/her
affiliation,” Mr. Kawonise added.

He continued,
“Governor Daniel himself remains in PDP and continues to solicit votes
for President Goodluck Jonathan in all the PPN’s rallies he attends. I
use this opportunity to challenge any political appointee of Governor
Daniel who claims to have been sacked to produce his sack letter for
the world to see,” he added.

The Osun State
Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC), Rufus Akeju was yesterday questioned by the Police
over assault on the state correspondent of the Leadership Newspaper,
Sefiu Ayanbimpe.

The Police were
acting on a petition written by the Correspondents Chapel of the
Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on the allegation of assault against
Mr Ayanbimpe by Mr Akeju while performing his professional duties.

Mr Ayanbimpe who
was working on a petition by the state chapter of the Conference of
Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) on N25 million bribery allegation
against Mr Akeju was invited to the office of the REC where the
journalist was physically assaulted by Mr Akeju in the presence of some
senior officials of the commission.

Criminal in nature

The Police acting
on the petition by the NUJ were said to have invited Mr Akeju to the
State Intelligence and Investigations Bureau (SIIB) to explain his role
in the allegation of public assault levelled against him by the NUJ.

The state
Commissioner of Police, Olusegun Solomon had earlier invited some
executive members of the NUJ to his office over the matter with a view
to resolving the matter amicably but realised that the allegation was
criminal in nature, thus referred it to the SIIB for proper
investigation.

On Monday, a
Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo had restrained the INEC from
making use of Mr Akeju in the conduct and supervision of the next
general elections in the state.

The court had
ruled on a case of alleged financial inducement by the ACN leaders
levelled against Mr Akeju by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the
state.

Four days to the
National Assembly elections, the Independent National Electoral
Commission on its tweeter post said it is ready to ensure free and fair
elections in Nigeria, urging voters to go out and exercise their rights.

It urged that incidents and developments during the elections be reported to the tweeter platform called @inecnigeria.

The commission listed the procedure for ensuring a successful voting activity:

>>Take your Voter’s Card to the polling unit where you registered recently to be accredited between 8am-12noon.

>>During the
accreditation stage, an appropriate finger of your left hand will be
marked with indelible ink as proof of accreditation.

>>Anyone who
fails to join the queue by 12 noon when the poll orderly stands behind
the last person will not be eligible for accreditation, but whoever is
already waiting in the queue before 12:00 noon will get accredited no
matter the time.

>>Please note
that anyone without his/her Voter’s Card has no business going near the
polling centre as he/she will not be accredited.

>>After your
accreditation, you must be back on the queue at 12:30 p.m. for another
head count of accredited voters who show up to vote.

>>There will
be a head count, and the number of accredited voters will be announced
loudly by the Presiding Officer to all present.

>>Anyone who
shows up after the head count is taken will not be allowed to join the
queue, though he/she may have been earlier accredited.

>>During the
voting process, after the polling officials have verified your
accreditation, appropriate finger of your right hand will be marked
with indelible ink as proof of your having shown up to vote.

>>Thereafter, you will be issued with ballot papers signed, stamped and dated appropriately by the Presiding Officer.

>>On getting
the ballot paper, you’ll move to the voting cubicle compartment to
fingerprint the space for the party candidate of your choice

>>You’ll then return into the open and proceed to drop the ballot in the transparent Ballot Box provided.

>>Please note that Voting closes for each polling unit when the last person on the queue votes.

>>After
voting, you may remain at the polling unit until the votes are sorted,
counted and the tally announced by the Presiding Officer.

>>You must conduct yourself in a peaceful and orderly manner if you choose to stay behind and await the tally.

>>Adequate provisions have been made by INEC to enable physically challenged persons to exercise their franchise.

>>Please note that proxy voting will on no account be allowed.

>>INEC’s Blackberry PIN released: 2687A1CA