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

NIGER DELTA EX-MILITANT LEADER, TOMPOLO GIVES BUHARI 7-DAY ULTIMATUM TO INAUGURATE NDDC BOARD

Ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, on Sunday, gave the Nigerian government seven days to inaugurate the substantive Board of the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The statement signed by Tompolo said: “I wish to call on Mr. President, members of the National Assembly and security agencies to work towards the constitution of the substantive board of the NDDC, within a few days, to avert a total breakdown of law and order that will equally affect crude oil exploration and exploitation activities in the region.

“It is against this background that I wish to call on Mr President, members of the National Assembly and Security Agencies to work towards the constitution of the substantive board of the NDDC within a few days to avert a total breakdown of law and order that will equally affect crude oil exploration and exploitation activities in the region.

“I hereby proclaim a seven- day ultimatum starting the date of this publication to inaugurate the substantive board of the Commission.”

He described the recent protest by the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) as a preamble if his demands are ignored,

“Senator Akpabio's temporal reprieve from the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) protest is a child’s play compared to what is to come in a few days. He is about to be awakened to the rage of the Niger Delta region,” he said.

Describing the running of the NDDC as undemocratic, Tombolo said, “I have watched and observed with keen interest the circumstances surrounding the constitution of the NDDC board for some time now. I would have continued to keep watching and observing, but for love of the region and the country.

“The continuous running of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by a sole administrator at the instance of the minister of Niger Delta Affairs Senator Akpabio, is undemocratic and anti-development, hence unacceptable to the people of the region. The people of the region are averse to a one man show in a commission that is supposed to attend to the developmental needs of nine states, namely, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers. It will likely set the region on fire, sooner than later.

“The act establishing the commission provided among other things that it will be administered by a board comprising a Chairman, Managing Director, Executive Directors and Commissioners who will be drawn from the nine states that made up the region. However, this provision has been blatantly undermined by Senator Godswill Akpabio and his co-travellers in the Presidency. There is no provision for either interim management committee or sole administration in the act that establishes the NDDC. 

“Common sense will tell you that the so-called forensic audit that has been used by Senator Akpabio to strangle the commission could be best conducted with a substantive board that brings all representatives from the nine states and other parts of the country. As one from the region, Senator Akpabio's initial mission to audit past activities of the commission was seen as welcome development, but later the people realised that it was a personal mission to feather the next of his 2023 political ambition. Clearly, the present state of the commission is abnormal and could throw the relatively peaceful region in the country into chaos and acrimony.

“Undermining the very clear provisions in the establishing act under the guise of an endless forensic audit is evil, and should be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians. It is in itself an act of corruption as the people of the region have lost so much resources in the process of the so-called forensic audit. No one can tell the amount of money that has been spent by Senator Akpabio in pursuing this divisive agenda. It is obvious that there will be another forensic audit to investigate the activities of Senator Akpabio by the time he let go of the commission. This is disheartening and worrisome.

“Senator Akpabio has refused to pay contractors even after evaluation of work done. He has selectively paid his cronies and those in the list of political patronage. It is an open secret that some contractors have been made to part with up to between 30% and 50% of the contract sum. I ask, where is the equity and probity of this sole administration?

“There is no way things will continue in this manner. I am surprised at the recent silence of highly placed persons from the region on this matter. Perhaps, Senator Akpabio is not alone in this NDDC abduction. This must be a product of high wired conspiracy among persons from the Presidency, National Assembly and Security Agencies to perpetually silence all well-meaning Nigerians in this strange deal. Senator Akpabio should know that it is time to end this barbaric act as it will be concertedly resisted in the days ahead."

JONATHAN'S EX-AIDE, AHMED GULAK, SHOT DEAD IN IMO STATE

A former presidential aide, Ahmed Gulak, has been shot dead in Imo State on Sunday.

Sources said that he was ambushed while on his way to Sam Mbakwe International Cargo airport.

His motorcade was attacked at a place called Obiagwa, close to the Airport.

The former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan was attacked in his vehicle – Camry – marked Texas BFT 2150.

The state Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, has already confirmed the development.

The CP said, “It is true but the 

details are sketchy. I am on the way to the airport. Please call the CP in charge of the Airport. He will give more details. You know that Imo command is different from Airport command.”

SIT-AT-HOME ORDER: SHOOTINGS RECORDED IN OWERRI AND ENVIRONS

Following the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), shootings have been recorded in some parts of Owerri and its environs.

Sporadic shootings were recorded late Friday night to early on Saturday morning at Naze Timber Market and its environs in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State on Friday between the hours of 8pm till 10pm.

The situation made it difficult for travellers on the Aba Expressway to reach their destinations on time.  

The same shooting continued on Saturday morning, when the sit-at-home order was to begin, at Egbu Road, Mbaise Road, Douglas Road by men of Nigeria Air Force, who were called out of their base by the authority.

There were also armed blockages by security agents at Chukwuma Nwoha, Egbu Road, Mbaise Road and some other roads in Owerri metropolis

Already the sit-at-home was gradually becoming effective as movements of people were being restricted, even by the security personnel, drafted to maintain peace, law and order.

The restrictions placed on people’s movements by the security agents run contrary to the position of the state government that citizens in the state should be protected to go about their normal businesses.

Reports filtering into our news room have it that people coming out for their normal business were being harassed and intimidated by the security personnel who kept shooting intermittently.

Shops and markets around Federal Housing Egbu Road and Mbaise Park were all closed by their owners at the time of filing this report.

AT LEAST SEVEN ESN MEMBERS KILLED AS SECURITY OPERATIVES RAID CAMP

No fewer than seven suspected armed members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), were killed on Thursday evening when a joint security team, raided the group’s camp located in a forest between Oyigbo and Eleme local government areas of Rivers State.

The joint security team, comprising of personnel of the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), had stormed the camp located in the forest along Pipelines Road Ogali/Kom-Kom boundary between Eleme and Oyigbo local government areas.

The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, said five persons, suspected to be operatives of the ESN were arrested during the operation, while arms and ammunition were recovered at the camp during the raid that took place at about 6:15pm on Thursday. 

The statement, which was signed by the Deputy Army Public Relations Officer, Lt. Colonel Charles Ekeocha, reads in part: “6 Division, in conjunction with Keystone, DSS and NSCDC led by Brigadier-General MD Danja conducted clearance/raid operations at suspected IPOB/ESN camp in Agbochia Forest along Pipelines Road Ogali/ Kom-Kom boundary between Eleme and Oyigbo local government areas of Rivers State.

“During the clearance/raid Operations, the team came in contact with the IPOB/ESN members. However, during the firefight, 7 x IPOB/ESN members were neutralized and 5 x suspects were arrested.

“Items recovered during the clearance/raid include: Communication gadgets, assorted cell phones, army uniforms arms and ammunition were also recovered.

“Also recovered from the camp two AK 47 rifles, two G3 rifles, one locally made machine gun and one G3 magazine. Also recovered were include three rounds of 7.62mm special,10 rounds 7.62mm , 51mm NATO, one cutlass, five Baofeng handheld radios with chargers and 10 black berets.”

IJAW YOUTHS IN DELTA, BAYELSA PROTEST AGAINST ABDUCTION OF IYC PRESIDENT, IGBIFA.

There was tension in Delta and Bayelsa and Delta states, yesterday, as Ijaw youths from both states protest to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) over the abduction of National President of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Peter Igbifa.

Igbifa was reportedly abducted on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers States by unidentified gunmen, a few hours before the expiration of the 30-day ultimatum it issued to President Muhammadu Buhari to name a substantive board for the NDDC.

The IYC Worldwide and leaders of other ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta had on April 25, 2021 given a 30-day ultimatum to the to the presidency to appoint a substantive board for be NDDC or face their fury.

They insisted on the desolation of the Interim Management Board, headed by a Sole Administrator, Effiong Akwa and appoint a substantive board, failing which they would shut down all oil installations in the region and cripple the country’s economy at the expiration of the ultimatum.

The protest, which was staged at the NDDC state offices along the Edjeba Road, Warri, Delta State and Yenezue-Gene area of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, disrupted vehicular and business activities for several hours.

Carrying placards with inscriptions as: Restructure Nigeria Now; IOCs Must Not Remit $1.6b To NDDC Now; We seek Justice In NDDC and FG Should Appoint Substantive Board For NDDC Now, they accused President Muhammadu Buhari of state-sponsored abduction of Igbifa.

They warned that the next protest on the issues and development concerns of the region would be a total and mass action. In a communiqué issued at the end of an emergency meeting and signed by its Deputy President, Savior Olali, National Spokesman, Ebilade Ekerefe and others the group alleged that the presidency sponsored Igbifa’s abduction.

“Although his abduction came to us as a shock and provocative, we have since discovered that the Federal Government sponsored and executed the action. ”

“He and other National Executive members of IYC were invited to Abuja for a meeting with the Interim Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Col. Milland Dixion Dikio (rtd.), before armed men with standard IWI Tavor rifles and Uzi sub-machine guns, abducted him.

The IYC condemned the abduction and urged the Federal Government to ensure that he was released unconditionally. Meanwhile, Ijaw youths also blocked the Mbiama-axis of the East West road in protest against Federal Government’s refusal to inaugurate a substantive board of the NDDC.The Guardian learnt that the youths shut down the Bayelsa State office of the NDDC, before proceeding to Mbiama.

SOLDIERS THREATEN TO SHOOT EFCC OFFICIALS, RECOVER PROPERTY SEIZED FROM NSA’s AIDE

Soldiers on Wednesday threatened to shoot officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that came to mark properties seized from Brig. Gen Jafaru Mohammed, the Director of Finance and Administration at the Office of the National Security Adviser.

The EFCC had obtained an interim forfeiture from a Federal High Court in Abuja on March 11, 2021, and proceeded to mark eight properties belonging to the NSA’s aide.

Our correspondent, who visited Sun City in the Lokogoma area of Abuja on Wednesday, reported that after a team of EFCC officials began marking General Mohammed’s building located on 52 Main Street, Sun City, in red paint, armed soldiers arrived in a white Hilux marked GWA481EA and chased the EFCC officials away.

The soldiers took a bucket of water and soap and quickly cleaned off the markings which read, ‘EFCC Under Investigation, Keep Off!”

Our correspondent, who visited other properties linked to the general, observed that soldiers were on guard to prevent EFCC officials from marking them.

Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo had in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/007/2021 ordered the interim forfeiture of eight properties linked to General Mohammed who is a trusted aide to the NSA, Major General Babagana Moguno (retd.).

The investigation of Mohammed is part of a wider probe into the finances of the Office of the NSA.

 

Other properties affected include: A house at 7 God’s Own Estate, Road 1, Wamba District, a fenced plot at 1 Jubril Aminu Crescent, Katampe Extension, a plot at Kubwa Express Road directly opposite Abuja Model City Gate, A house at Block SD 22, Road 5, Kabusa Garden Estate, Abuja; Plot 15, 21st Crescent, Second Avenue, Gwarinpa, 3 Liverpool Close, Sun City Estate and 25 Osaka Street, Sun City.

The properties are believed to be worth billions of naira which far exceed the income of a brigadier general.

Reports had it that this is not the first time that EFCC officials would be harassed for trying to enforce court orders.

In November 2017, masked operatives attached to a former Director-General of the Department of State Services, Ekpenyong Ita, prevented EFCC officials from arresting him and even threatened to shoot journalists who attempted to take photographs.

The Spokesman for the EFCC, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said he was not aware but promised to call back.

BAYELSA STATE GOVERNOR CALLS FOR UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF IYC PRESIDENT , PETER IGBIFA

The Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri has described the alleged abduction of the President of the Ijaw Youths Council IYC, Peter Igbifa as a direct affront on the Ijaw ethnic nationality.

Governor Diri, speaking at the weekly Executive Council meeting this Wednesday allayed fears that such dastardly act could worsen existing security challenges, just as he called for his immediate release.

The alleged kidnap of the president of the apex Ijaw youth body, Peter Igbifa rent the airwaves on Tuesday afternoon.

The IYC president was said to have been whisked away by unknown gunmen along the Port Harcourt International Airport on his way to Abuja.

Governor Douye Diri appealed for his unconditional release to ensure that the Peaceful disposition of the Niger Delta Region was not put in jeopardy.

The Governor called for peace, emphasizing that dialogue remained the best way of resolving conflicts.

This development is coming on the heels of the one month ultimatum to the Federal Government by the IYC over delays in constituting a substantive board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC , which terminated on Tuesday this week.

Source: AIT NEWS

SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN KADUNA AGREE TO SPLIT INTO TWO NEW STATES

In a development that caught many unawares, the Christians, Non-Hausa/Fulani from the Southern part of Kaduna state and its rival Northern Muslim Hausa/Fulani dominated part of Northern Kaduna, have agreed for the split of Kaduna State into two new states.

Speaking during the presentation and defence of their memos at the Senate ad-hoc Committee and the House of Reps Special Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution at the Hassan Katsina House on Wednesday who has been engaged in infamous inter-ethnic and religious clashes for decades, said creating new states from the present Kaduna State will go a long way at solving the bloody violence that seemed to defy solution.

The President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Hon. Jonathan Asake, who defended the memo of Southern Kaduna people said: “The wish of Southern Kaduna is to have a brand new constitution, not an amended one,” he said.

“But in the absence of that, we are here to make our inputs as a people who have suffered suppression and oppression for a long time,” he said.

“Southern Kaduna is made up of 67 ethnic nationalities spread in 13 of the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kaduna state. It has a landmass of 26,000kmsq with an estimated population of 5.1 million. We are endowed with an educated population and with abundant natural resources,” he said.

“Our land size is greater than that of Kano state which has a landmass of 20,000kmsq. Yet Kano is a state of its own with 44 LGAs. Our population is greater than 21 other states of the federation,” he went on. “We are demanding for the amendment of the provision of section 8 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which makes it almost an impossible task for the creation of a new state,” he insisted.

“We have been demanding for a state of our own for over thirty years and Gurara state was among the 18 states proposed in the 2014 Confab report,” he said.

“We are demanding for the creation of the Gurara state after the amendment. This will help in solving the incessant conflicts between our people and the other divide,” he said.

SOKAPU also asked for the removal of the Land Use Act from the Constitution and its amendment as a law, so that communities and families can have larger control of the ancestral lands.

“We stand by all the 2014 confab report which had captured most of our demands.

In the same vein, the Northern part of Kaduna State, under the aegis of Kaduna Development Elders Initiatives submitted a memo signed by the Senators Representing Kaduna North Senatorial Zone, Sen. Sulieman Abdu Kwari; the Senator Representing Kaduna Central Senatorial zone, Senator Uba Sani; all the House of Reps members from the Northern Part of Kaduna; all members of Kaduna state house of Assembly from the northern part of Kaduna their Chairmen of LGAs and Councillors.

Defending the memo of the group, Abdulkadir Ahmed said, “we are canvassing for the creation of New Kaduna state from the present Kaduna state and we want the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria amended to make this possible."

“Kaduna South has been complaining of marginalisation ever since, even though Chiefdoms have been given to them and they occupy 60% of the workforce of Kaduna state,” he added.

“Let the state be split and if they are asking for Gurara state, let them have it,” he said.

“This will solve all the crises we have been having in this state,” he added.

“On our part, we are asking for the creation of ‘New Kaduna State’, which will include Kaduna North and Kaduna Central Senatorial zones,” he said.

“But there should be a referendum for each section of the state to decide on where it wants to belong,” he added.

Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, who declared the meeting open, also asked for true Federalism, State Police and Financial Autonomy to Local Government Councils.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Kabiru Gaiya from Kano State, in his opening remarks assured all that each of the memos will be well looked into and submitted to the National Assembly for further actions.

Many groups and individuals also submitted memos as the sitting continues till Friday.