Author: Editor
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Supreme Court, Friday, upheld the victory of Gov. Alex Otti in the March 18 governorship poll in Abia State. Otti who contested on the platform of the Labour Party was declared winner of the poll, but Chief Okey Ahiwe, and Chief Ikechi Emenike of the Peoples Democratic Party, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, respectively, rejected the outcome of the election and headed for the tribunal. The tribunal affirmed Otti’s victory, but his challengers took the legal battle to the Appeal Court which also upheld the judgment of the tribunal in Otti’s favour. Delivering judgment on…
Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki Ebonyi State Government on Friday, January 12, commended the judiciary for affirming Governor Francis Nwifuru as governor of the state. Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Chikadibia Okpor stated this in a statement. He was reacting to a judgment by the apex court which threw out cases by the opposition parties against Mr Nwifuru’s election. Mr Okpor said the state received with satisfaction the cheering news of the governor’s victory at the Supreme Court. He said: “Like a journey of a thousand miles, today’s verdict by the nation’s Apex Court has summarily laid to rest all…
Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki The Supreme Court on Friday, January 12, affirmed the election of Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State. The court, in a unanimous judgment, dismissed the appeal by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election, Chukwuma Odii Ifeanyi because it was without merit. Mr Odii who came second in last year’s governorship election had challenged the results at the Tribunal. The tribunal however threw out the matter arguing that Mr Odii did not prove alleged irregularities at the election. Not satisfied with the ruling, Mr Odii took the matter to the appeal…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Supreme Court Friday refused to affirm the lower courts’ decisions sacking the Kano State Governor, Yusuf Abba. Recall that the tribunal had sacked Governor Yusuf’s election, declaring his 165,663 votes invalid. The tribunal held that the deducted votes were from ballot papers that were neither stamped nor signed. Dissatisfied with his sack, the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, then approached the appeal court for redress. The appeal court upheld the tribunal’s decision and faulted the lower court for not disqualifying the governor. The appellate court said the governor was not properly sponsored by the New Nigeria…
Ugo Nosiri, Owerri The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, has promised to stabilise security in the South-East geo-political zone, urging residents to go about their legitimate businesses without fear. Lt. Gen. Lagbaja who was in Imo State on an operational tour of Army formations in the state, stated this when he paid a courtesy visit to the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma. He said the purpose of the visit was to access infrastructural facilities in the barracks, and operational deployment as well as having a first hand security report in Imo State. The Chief of Army…
By Azu Ishiekwene I knew Femi Adesina when he was “Daddy Tobi.” He still is, of course. But back in the day when we were neighbours in “Olowora Inside,” a Lagos suburb, when you could call to a neighbour from your frontage, often by using the name of their first child, that was how we called Femi: Daddy Tobi. I have heard people complain that a friend in government is a friend lost. I have seen it too – friends who are not only lost but who are also happy to lose themselves once in power or positions of influence.…
By Zainab Suleiman Okino Nigeria has become a vast scam zone, demanding urgent action. Just when it seemed we had reached the peak of scams and scandals with the revelation of certificate racketeering from neighboring Cotonou in Benin Republic, allegations of outright stealing and money laundering surfaced from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Eradication. However, whether by coincidence or design, the female gender bore the brunt of a scandal involving the triumvirate of former minister Sadiya Farouq, suspended minister Betta Edu, and suspended National Social Investment Programme Agency, (NSIPA), boss Halima Shehu, all linked to an N84.1 billion…
By Uzor Maxim Uzoatu Chief Obafemi Awolowo famously described his wife as “the jewel of inestimable value.” In the political evolution of Nigeria Awo was the great lion that made things happen. Mama HID was the rare jewel who stood by her man through thick and thin. I have just discovered in a corner of my scattered library a worn book that is a compilation of the life and times of the great Awo and his wife, a publication that marked the 90th birthday of the matriarch. Yomi Mamora did a very necessary memorabilia, compiling the 244-page book of rare…
Ben Ezechime, Enugu The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has decorated 42 newly-promoted officers in Enugu Maximum Custodial Centre within Enugu State. The decorated personnel include: one Assistant Controller of Corrections (ACC), other officers as well as those in rank-and-file of the service. Speaking before the decoration on Thursday in Enugu, Officer in-charge Enugu Maximum Custodial Centre, Mr Sunday Oyakhire, urged the decorated officers to justify their promotion by re-dedicating themselves to excellent and diligent service. Oyakhire thanked the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; the Controller-General of Corrections (C-G-C), Mr Haliru Nababa and the Controller of Corrections in Enugu State,…
Ben Ezechime, Enugu The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is prepared to conduct the appeal court ordered rerun elections in Enugu State on February 3. The INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, disclosed this on Thursday in Enugu during a stakeholders meeting in Enugu in preparation for the rerun elections. It would be recalled that the Appeal Court had ordered a rerun of elections in Udenu/Igbo-eze North Federal Constituency and Enugu South Urban State Constituency in Enugu State. Chukwu explained that both constituency elections would be conducted in 25 Registration Areas, which amount to…