REVERSE TWITTER SUSPENSION OR FACE LEGAL ACTION, NBA THREATENS NIGERIAN GOVT

The umbrella body of Nigerian lawyers, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has threatened to sue the Nigerian government if it fails to reverse its decision to suspend Twitter operations indefinitely in the country.

Many Nigerians have expressed outrage at the ban announced by the information minister, Lai Mohammed, on Friday.

The government had announced the suspension barely 48 hours after the microblogging site deleted a controversial post by President Muhammadu Buhari referencing the country’s civil war, and threatening to treat those attacking government buildings “with the language they understand.”

Reacting to the government’s decision in a thread of tweets posted via his twitter handle, the NBA President, Olumide Akpata, expressed the association’s “great concern” over the implications of the development.

The implications, according to him, extend to “the right of Nigerians to freely express their constitutionally guaranteed opinions through that medium.”

He said there is no Nigerian law that can be cited in support of the ban, reminding the government that the country practises “constitutional democracy” where everything must be done according to recognised rules.

“The Nigerian Bar Association finds no constitutional or legal authority to support the peremptory action of the Federal Government to suspend the operations of Twitter in Nigeria and deprive Nigerians of their right to freely express their constitutionally guaranteed opinions. Beyond the dent on our constitutional democracy, at a time when the Nigerian economy is unarguably struggling, the impact of arbitrary decisions such as this on investor confidence is better imagined.

“Consequently, if this decision is not immediately reversed, the Nigerian Bar Association will have no choice but to challenge same in the interest of the public and our democracy,” the NBA president’s tweet read in part.

Licensing of social media operations

He added that the Nigerian government’s directive to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), to immediately commence the process of licensing all OTT (Over The Top) and social media operations in Nigeria, “is, at best, yet another disguised attempt to regulate social media, restrict freedom of speech and shrink civic space.”

JUST LIKE TWITTER, FACEBOOK DELETES BUHARI’S CIVIL WAR STATEMENT FOR VIOLATING POLICY

Facebook has deleted President Buhari’s civil war statement for violating its community standards against inciting violence.

It would be recalled that the President had threatened punishment for regional secessionists blamed for attacks on government buildings.

President Buhari, who served in the army stated on Tuesday that many people misbehaving today were too young to remember the deaths and destruction from the civil war.

A quick check shows that Facebook has now removed the post from their platform, as the whole statement, has been removed from the social media platform for violating Community Standards against inciting violence.

The social media giants reiterated its commitment to remove any content, from individuals or organisations that violates Facebook policies.

“In line with our global policies, we’ve removed a post from President Buhari’s Facebook page for violating our Community Standards against inciting violence. We remove any content, from individuals or organisations that violates our policies on Facebook.” A Facebook Spokesperson

Recall that micro-blogging platform, Twitter, also deleted Buhari’s tweet where he issued a threat to deal with “misbehaving” elements in “the language they understand”, while making reference to Nigeria’s civil war.

While defending its action, the tech company said the President’s tweet violated its rules.

JUSUN TO RIVERS NBA: 'YOU LACK LOCUS TO ISSUE CIRCULAR ON OUR STRIKE'

The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has lambasted the chairman of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Port Harcourt Branch, Prince O. Nyekwere, Esq over his statement on the ongoing nationwide industrial action by the Union.

The union in a statement warned that the strike cannot be called off by a branch as alluded by Port Harcourt NBA chairman in Rivers state over a purported meeting with the new Chief Judge of the state.

JUSUN believes that prince Nyekwere is not her member and so lacks the locus to talk about calling off an industrial action that he did not declare in the first place.

The statement which was signed by the National Treasurer of JUSUN Comrade Jimoh Musa Alonge, the union urges NBA to join hands with JUSUN to salvage the Judiciary from being suffocated by the governors in Nigeria.

“The attention of the National Secretariat of JUSUN has been drawn to a purported circular titled "JUSUN STRIKE UPDATE IN RIVERS STATE" by one Prince O. Nyekwere, Esq, Branch chairman of NBA in Rivers state that JUSUN has agreed to call off Strike in the state.

“Ordinarily, the union would not have responded to what appears to be propaganda by the NBA chairman in the state since he is not our member, but for the purposes of putting the records straight, the union wishes to state that the ongoing strike was declared by the National Executive Council (NEC) of our great union and therefore cannot be called off by any branch.

“That the union is willing and ready for dialogue towards addressing the present impasse if not for the refusal of the Governors to sign the Memorandum of Action reached at the instance of Chief Conciliator in the country and Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige.

“And that the union has resolved to take the fight to the doorsteps of the Governors with nationwide street protest and picketing to drive her point home”.

IMPLEMENTATION OF JUDICIAL AUTONOMY MUST BE IN LINE WITH CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION - GOV. WIKE

   Gov. Nyesom Wike

Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has accused the Federal Government of playing politics with judicial autonomy in total disregard to constitutional provisions. 

 

The governor made the observation at the inauguration and handover of the National Industrial Court Judges Quarters in Old Government Residential Area,  Port Harcourt on Thursday.

 

Governor Wike explained that under a federal system of government, it is only the executive arm of government, at all the tiers, that has the powers to present the annual budget to either State or National Assembly and also signed it into law.

 

According to him, the new narrative that a presidential implementation committee has been set up and will direct governors to sign budgetary allocations for the judiciary is purely unconstitutional.

 

Governor Wike said a federal government that is promoting autonomy of the judiciary should not have allowed the nation's courts to be shut for about two months by Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).

 

"Is it true that the federal government wants the autonomy of the judiciary? If the federal government wants the autonomy of the judiciary,  how can a government say that the courts should be shut down for almost two months now. Which country can survive when it's courts are shut down for two months?”

 

Speaking further,  the governor said his administration has fully implemented the autonomy of the judiciary and the legislature with releases of their financial entitlements as captured in the budget up till 2021.

 

Governor Wike explained that the funds released by Rivers State to the judiciary far exceeds the planned deductions by the federal government.  He further declared that his administration is not owing parliamentary workers who are also currently on sympathy strike.

 

He proclaimed  that already the no-work no-pay policy has come  into force in Rivers State and all judiciary and parliamentary workers cannot sit at work and expect salary anymore.

 

Speaking on one of his motivations to provide judges with official residences, Governor Wike recalled how when he was Chief of Staff, he received a call at about midnight that a judge was locked out of his rented apartment by a landlord.

 

"From that day,  I had this feeling that judges should not be so exposed to this kind of things that could lead to lose of their life.  We have also acquired land to build for judges of the federal high court who are in rented apartment. And I know that the landlord has told me that they have not paid him for several years.

 

"That comes to tell you the kind of autonomy of the judiciary that the federal government says they believe in. We agree but the rent of their judges is there,  they have not brought the money to pay."

 

Inaugurating the facility, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad noted that Governor Wike has remained a strong voice in the clamour for judicial independence and financial autonomy.

 

Represented by Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court of Nigeria,  Justice Muhammad,  said Governor Wike’s affection and innate passion for the welfare and wellbeing of the Nigerian judiciary is worthy of emulation.

 

"The Wike Model should be holistically espoused and replicated by other governors in the country for rapid development and growth of the Nigerian Judiciary.

 

"I would love to see this mind-blowing gesture, which I refer to as the emblem of humanitarianism, replicated all over the nooks and crannies of the country with a view to lifting the Nigerian Judiciary out of the current squalor which is, largely, inhibiting the seamless and speedy dispensation of justice.

 

"With this astounding feat, you have, for the umpteenth time, profoundly hoisted the banner of a true statesman."

 

The Chief Justice declared that without any ambivalence, that Governor Wike remains a shining example in the comity of contemporary Nigerian political leaders who have the interest and welfare of the Nigerian judiciary at heart, both in words and in action.

 

“You are not doing this because you are a lawyer, as we have several lawyers occupying influential political offices in the country, but simply because you are a habitual care giver and development-conscious political leader.”

 

The President of the National Industrial Court, Justice Benedict B. Kanyip  said Governor Wike has made history in Nigeria by being the first to build a court and residential apartment for judges of the Industrial Court.

 

Similarly, the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, stated that Governor Wike by  providing conducive accommodation for judges has further expanded the frontiers of the access to justice.

 

On his part, Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor (SAN), said Governor Wike was spurred to provide accommodation for the judges of the Industrial Court because of his quest to provide access to justice to people and residents of Rivers State.

 

The newly inaugurated Industrial Court judges quarters comprises of four duplexes with five bed rooms each, a club house and swimming pool. 

 

Kelvin Ebiri

Special Assistant (Media) Rivers State Governor

June 3, 2021

 

Picture:

 INLINE IMAGE 

L-R: Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon C. Amadi; Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike; Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom Wike; Deputy Governor of Rivers State,  Dr. (Mrs) Ipalibo Harry-Banigo and Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt.Hon Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani during commissioning of National Industrial Court Judges Quarters in Port Harcourt on Thursday by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad ,represented by Justice Mary Odili.

STRIKE: RIVERS STATE JUSUN WILL RELEASE CIRCULAR FOR RESUMPTION OF WORK TODAY– NBA PORT HARCOURT

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Port Harcourt Branch, has said that the Rivers State Chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, is set to call of its ongoing strike.

This is contained in a statement made available to TheNigeriaLawyer signed by Chairman of the Branch, Prince O. Nyekwere.

Nyekwere said the decision was taken during a meeting between the JUSUN and the Chief Judge of Rivers State. According to him, the circular directing resumption of work will be released today.

Read details below... 

Dear SANs/Seniors/Colleagues,

JUSUN STRIKE UPDATE IN RIVERS STATE.

The Honourable the Chief Chief of Rivers State, Hon. Justice S.C. Amadi held a meeting with the Rivers State Chapter of JUSUN yesterday June 1, 2021.

Top on the agenda for the meeting among others was the ongoing nationwide JUSUN strike that has paralysed all court activities.

The deliberations at the meeting were cordial and the outcome fruitful. The Rivers State Chapter of JUSUN agreed to call off the strike and resume work immediately.

A circular directing JUSUN members to resume work is being awaited today to effectuate the agreement reached at the meeting.

Prince O. Nyekwere, Esq.
Chairman, NBA PH Branch.
02/06/2021

NIGERIAN ECONOMY ENTERS SECOND RECESSION IN FIVE YEARS

 Muhammadu Buhari

The Nigerian economy has slipped into its second recession in five years as the gross domestic product contracted for the second consecutive quarter.

The National Bureau of Statistics announced Saturday the nation’s GDP recorded a negative growth of 3.62 per cent in the third quarter of 2020.

The country had earlier recorded a 6.10 per cent contraction in the second quarter.

It is the nation’s second recession since 2016, and the worst economic decline in almost four decades.

The Nigerian economy has been battered by the coronavirus pandemic, which caused a significant decline in oil revenues as global economic activities stalled for months.

Crude oil accounts for nearly 90 per cent of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings although it contributes less than 10 per cent to the GDP. It contributed just 8.73 per cent to the economy in the latest report.

Oil production fell to 1.67 million barrels a day from 1.81 million barrels in the previous quarter, according to Bloomberg figures, the lowest since the third quarter in 2016 when the economy last experienced a recession.

The World Bank forecast the Nigerian economy will contract by 3.2 per cent in 2020, assuming the spread of COVID-19 is contained by the third quarter. The International Monetary Fund forecast a contraction of 4.3 per cent.

Before the pandemic and its attendant disruption, the Nigerian economy was expected to grow by 2.1% in 2020.

The pandemic as well as border closure have seen the country record sustained inflation for more than two years, with the October figure of 14.25 per cent the highest in the last 30 months.

The Central Bank of Nigeria in September cut interest rates to 11.5 per cent to help boost borrowing and support the economy. It was the second reduction in months.

The latest development is likely to trigger a further cut of the policy rate. The monetary policy committee, which sets the rate, is to beging its two-day meeting on Monday.

Details

The NBS said in its report that the performance of the economy in the third quarter of 2020 reflected “residual effects of the restrictions to movement and economic activity implemented across the country in early Q2 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“As these restrictions were lifted, businesses re-opened and international travel and trading activities resumed, some economic activities have returned to positive growth,” it said.

In all, 18 economic activities recorded positive growth compared to 13 activities in the second quarter.

During the quarter under review, aggregate GDP stood at N39 trillion in nominal terms, higher than N37.8 trillion in the same quarter in 2019.