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Okada: Clashes, As Police Arrests, Seizes Motorcycles In Lagos

By
The Source
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Police Arrests Okada Riders

By Uche Mbah

No fewer than 35 motorcyclists have been arrested and 195 motorcycles seized as the Police enforce the State government’s ban on motorcycle operations in the State.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwolu, had recently announced a total ban on motorcycles on certain designated routes with effect from June 1. But the enforcement is with immediate effect.

The Hausa community in Lagos had pleaded with the Governor not to implement the ban, promising that they will vote en mass for the All Progressives Congress, APC.

At the announcement, there were clashes with security agents at Alaba rago and Lagos Badagry expressway which resulted in the State government clamping down on them.

Addressing Journalists at the Command Headquarters in the Ikeja area of the state on Friday, The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, said the Command had swung into action to prevent migration of cyclists to safer parts of the state. According to him, the ban was expected to be implemented in phases, with measures put in place to forestall any contingencies.

Speaking on the clash along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway Thursday, Alabi said:“During the operation, they (motorcyclists) were accosted when they became violent and mobilized their other colleagues to attack our Police officers.

“When we got this information, we had to mobilise our Tactical and Operational Commanders to reinforce our Policemen on the ground and they (motorcyclists) were subdued. In the course of doing that, we arrested 35 suspects and impounded 195 motorcycles. Normalcy was restored immediately.”

Fielding questions on the effect of the ban on the state, Alabi assured they are on top of the situation.

“On the ban by the State Government that will take effect from June 1 and as to people (motorcyclists) migrating from that side to other areas, all the area commanders and DPOs were there when the government met with us. All of us are aware of the backlash that could happen because of this ban but we are prepared for it.

“Any security challenges that could arise because of this ban in the local government areas, we are ready to contend with it. We have told them to put in place strategic measures on how to confront this holistically. We are envisaging that some people (motorcyclists) will migrate from those areas but this ban is in phases, and we are prepared for that and will confront the challenge if it arises.“

APC Will Win Osun Gov Election On First Balloting – Gov Oyetola’s Aide

By
Ayodele Oni
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Adegboyega Oyetola

By Ayodele Oni

The All Progressive Congress, (APC) in Osun state has expressed confidence that the July Governorship election in the state will be a smooth ride and will be won on first balloting.

The party in 2019 and the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) went through a re-run election following a stalemate as a winner could not emerge.

The Independent National Electoral Commission,(INEC) declared the first balloting, which saw the PDP leading as inconclusive.

According to the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Gboyega Oyetola, Ismail Omipidan, the APC is now in a vantage position to win without much stress.

Omipidan, who gave reasons that will give his principal edge over his opponents in the forthcoming governorship election in the state, said incumbent Governor Oyetola has several achievements to his credit which would give him an edge over his opponents.

Omipidan spoke in Osogbo, while playing host to the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Southwest Zone ahead of the union’s Zonal meeting.

Omipidan pointed out that the election may not be difficult as that of 2018 considering the overwhelming achievements of the Governor and wide acceptability by the good people of Osun.

The CPS affirmed that most of the factors that made the 2018 election competitive and a bit difficult for APC had been addressed and the people now repose confidence in the Governor having experienced his good leadership style.

He noted that, since inception of office, Oyetola had not borrowed any money, yet salaries were paid as at, and when due, new roads were constructed in standard quality, good health care had been provided, while necessary policies were enacted to create conducive working and business environment for citizens.

He affirmed that the important aspect was that the Governor has been serving with utmost sincerity, prudence and with the fear of God.

“Governor Oyetola will always tell me never to write anything that his government has not done, in fact while some leaders will spend lavishly on the account that it was government money, Oyetola will always ensure that he cuts down to the barest minimum every expenses of government.”

The CPS added that the Governor loves his people and state, hence he would continue to do everything possible to work for its greatness, urging people of the state not to allow some unserious politicians to deceive them.

He appreciated the media for the support and urged NUJ leadership to continue to sustain the integrity of the noble profession.

Earlier, the Vice President, Southwest Zone-B, Mrs Ronke Samo, who spoke on behalf of Chairmen and Secretaries of Osun, Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti, Ogun and Lagos, appealed to the Osun State Government to provide adequate security for all journalists covering the forthcoming governorship election.

Mrs Samo promised that NUJ would continue to play its unbiased role as watch dog of the society.

You Can’t Be Governor Through Back Door– Oyebanji tells Oni

By
Ayodele Oni
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Biodun Oyebanji

By Ayodele Oni

The banters and exchange of words continue just as the clock ticks to June 18, a day set aside for the Governorship election in Ekiti state.

Candidates,  especially those of the leading political parties, continue to strengthen their campaigns, while trading blames on opponents in case of any attack or negative incident.

The All Progressives Congress, (APC) governorship candidate in the election, Biodun Oyebanji, took turn to remind his opponent at the Social Democratic Party, (SDP) Segun Oni, that there is no back door to Oke Ayoba Government House, except through election.

He has, therefore, advised him to withdraw if he is not ready for a real contest come 18th June.

According to the APC flagbearer, Oni’s utterances and dispositions, portray him as if  he is expecting himself to be imposed on Ekiti, rather than a real contest going by phantom accusations he has allegedly been raising against the ruling party to gain relevance.

Oyebanji, spoke in Ado Ekiti, on Friday, while reacting to an allegation by the SDP that its deputy governorship candidate, Ladi Owolabi, was allegedly attacked by suspected APC thugs on Wednesday.

Oyebanji, who spoke through the Director of Media and Publicity of his campaign outfit, Taiwo Olatunbosun told the former governor that he will be day dreaming, if he thinks of becoming governor on the platter of gold or via undemocratic fashion.

The former SSG pointed out that the people of Ekiti will elect who governs them through a keen and democratic process and not by imposition, thuggery and raising of unfounded accusations for cheap political capital.

The APC candidate added that Oyebanji and members of his political campaign family are deeply obsessed with the ongoing electioneering campaigns and won’t descend to the level of promoting thuggery and unnecessary attacks.

“I want to say with all sincerity and open heart that the APC was not aware of any attack on the SDP deputy governorship candidate.

“And if truly it happened, I want to dissociate our members from it, because we are busy campaigning all over Ekiti.

“We are the ruling party and we have a lot of good projects we have done to campaign to Ekiti people, so we have no reason to attack anyone.

“With the ways they have been threatening the people and raising false allegations, I don’t think Segun Oni is prepared for a real contest.

“All he wants is getting the governorship through blackmail and on a platter of gold, which we believe is undemocratic. If he finds himself unprepared for the contest, he can withdraw honourably from the race.

“Oyebanji had unveiled his manifesto, which is his social contract with the Ekiti people and it covered human capital development, infrastructure, healthcare delivery, commercial agriculture, and good governance, among others.

“So, we are running a race that is well defined. Let other party candidates, including Oni learn from us, unveil their manifesto if they have any and let the people know what they have in stock for them, rather than stoking violence, attacks and unrest.”

IPOB Bans APC From Rallies In Umuahia

By
Uche Mbah
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By Uche Mbah

There is heightened tension in Umuahia as the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has barred  the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governorship aspirant, Ikechi Emenike, and his party to hold rallies in Umuahia on May 20, 2022.

IPOB’s Spokesperson, Emma Powerful, said in a statement that Emenike should not hold rallies while doing nothing about the security situation in Abia state.

“We want to advise Chief Ikechi Emenike and his APC people not to hold any political rally in Umuahia tomorrow, Friday May 20, 2022, while they kept quiet and did nothing when Fulani bandits kidnapped passengers including female students along Okigwe/ Uturu road”, the statement read.

“We cannot allow Emenike and his APC co-travellers to be dancing and singing at Chidiebere Park while our daughters are still in captivity.

“It is hypocrisy for the political elite to show no concern about the plights of our people who they claim to be seeking their welfare. It is wickedness for Emenike and his co-travellers to keep mute and do nothing about the incessant abductions of Igbo sons and daughters by Fulani herdsmen around Uturu and its environs. Ikechi Emenike should keep away from Chidiebere Park Umuahia tomorrow.

“We won’t allow APC and other political parties to continue to hold their rallies in our land while Fulani bandits operative with impunity Kidnapping and raping our people, yet the politicians do nothing about it. All they care about is 2023. Enough is enough!

“Fulani bandits are holding Igbo girls and are demanding N10 million as ransom per person, Emenike and APC to be dancing at a rally when the families of the victims are in painful mood. He should not dare us.”

Igbos Will Boycott The 2023 Elections If Presidency Is Not Zoned To the South East, Says Ohaneze

By
Uche Mbah
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By Uche Mbah

The apex socio-cultural organisation of the Igbo ethnic group, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has said the South East will boycott the 2023 elections if both the Chairmen and Presidential candidates of the two leading political parties come from the North.

The  Secretary-General of the  officially unrecognized faction of Ohanaeze, Chief Okechukwu Isiguzoro, stated this in a statement Thursday, while warning that Nigeria is at a precipice of disintegration if it continues at the current trajectory. “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide insists that only a Nigerian President of Igbo stock from the seven Igbo speaking states including Anioma (in Delta,) and Ikwerre (in Rivers) will halt the disintegration threats to Nigeria’s corporate existence and unity beyond 2023′, the statement read.

He pointed out “ That the consequence of another Northern Presidency after the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in 2023 will be Nigeria’s doom and reinforcement for the secessionist campaign for Biafra restoration.

“We ought to have learnt from the lessons of Boko Haram as a political spear for seizing power in 2015 and the aftermath consequences of President Buhari’s failure to end Boko Haram, banditry, and terrorism in the North.

“The APC and the PDP National Delegates should jettison money politics and put Nigeria’s unity first by voting for Rt Hon. Chibuike Amaechi (Ikwerre, Rivers) and Gov David Umahi (South-East) in the APC and Governor Nyesom Wike (Ikwerre Rivers) and Peter Obi (South-East) in the PDP.

“Never in the history of our country has a particular region produced a Presidential candidate and National Chairman at the same time.

It will be absolute insanity for the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Ayu, and the APC’s Senator Adamu Abdullahi to plot for northern presidential candidates, as it will spell doom for Nigeria as there will be an election to boycott in the South-East.

“This is the last deciding chance to preserve and defend Nigeria’s unity and peace. The APC and the PDP National Delegates should place patriotism above nepotism and save our democracy. We acknowledge the Afenifere and Niger Delta’s support for the 2023 Igbo Presidency.

“We are aware of Igbo paid agents and we have not forgotten those Igbo saboteurs who betrayed Dr. Alex Ekwueme in Jos ’98 PDP convention. If there is a repeat of Jos ’98 and northerners emerge the PDP and the APC presidential candidates, Igbos will boycott the 2023 elections.”

Polaris Bank, Lagos Launch N1bn Fund For Barbers, Mechanics, Others

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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By Tosin Olatokunbo

Polaris Bank says it has entered into partnership with the Lagos State government to provide N1 billion to assist artisans in the state to grow their businesses. This was disclosed on Thursday by the Innocent C. Ike-led bridge bank.

The bank’s Executive Director, Lagos Business, Segun Opeke, disclosed that the aim of the fund as to create wealth and empower artisans who have operated within the state’s MSME framework at least for a year.

He stressed that the partnership is between the bank and the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, LSETF noting that the partners will provide N500 million apiece for the fund.

On her part, the Executive Secretary of LSETF, Tejumola Abisoye said, “LSETF working with the Lagos State Council of Tradesmen and Artisans and the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment is committed to making impact by ensuring it creates access to finance and sustainable job opportunities for artisans in Lagos State.

“We are happy to partner with Polaris Bank in ensuring that this mandate is achieved, and we know that through this fund, thousands of artisan businesses across the state can become sustainable. At LSETF, we are open to more strategic partnerships to reduce unemployment by building the capacity and improving the productivity of Lagos residents.

“We are working with Polaris Bank to grant this loan at a single digit of 9.5% per annum. This is extremely important because we want it to be clear from day one that it is affordable. We still think it is the most affordable in the market that you can have access to at the moment,” she added.

Explaining the process of accessing the funds Adebimpe Ihekuna, the Group Head, Products and Market, Polaris Bank, said the fund is easy to access, with a highly subsidised interest rate of less than one percent.

Some conditions for barbers, mechanics, vulcanizers to access the loan, she stated include a proof that their businesses are located in the state, as well as operating a Polaris Bank account.
She said intereted artisans can access up to N5 million for the purchase of equipment.

Anambra : Soludo Priotises Security, Health in N170bn Budget

By
James Orji
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By James Orji

Professor Charles Soludo,  Anambra State Governor, has assured the people of the State that his administration is poised to impact on their lives despite inheriting an empty treasury.

Soludo  had recently lamented that his predecessor, Willy Obino, left nothing in the Government coffers.

In spite of this, the former CBN Governor said he’s undaunted and will press on to deliver his campaign promises to the people of the State.

The Governor disclosed this while presenting a- N170 billion 2022 Revised Budget to the State House of Assembly, more than N28 billion of the N142 billion earlier presented by his predecessor.

“The purpose of the 2022 revised budget is to reflect current realities, challenges, and priorities of the new administration and Ndi Anambra. We are undaunted by the State of the treasury.

“We have seriously started reforming our system of tax administration to significantly ramp up our internally generated revenue over the coming years. The purpose of the 2022 revised budget is to reflect current realities, challenges, and priorities of the new administration and Ndi Anambra. We are undaunted by the state of the treasury,” Soludo told the assembly on Wednesday.

The breakdown of the Budget indicates that, capital expenditure has been increased from N81 billion to N108 billion, while recurrent expenditure increased from the N60 billion proposed by Governor Obiano.

Governor Soludo said his administration will priotise security and reform the current tax system in the state.

According to him, “We have seriously started reforming our system of tax administration to significantly ramp up our internally generated revenue over the coming years.

“Among the challenges, we inherited, a red treasury and pervasive insecurity, especially with criminals taking the seven Local Governments of the South Senatorial zone hostage, were the most acute.

“We have chosen to confront the foundational issue of security head-on and expected that those profiting from the lucrative criminal enterprise would viciously fight back, and they have.

“Suffice it to say that so far, so good. They are testing our will and resolve. Let me assure you this: Anambra will win.”

In spite of the daunting security challenges facing the state, the Governor said he remained undaunted, noting that his Government will ensure the provision of good service delivery to his people.

Soludo said: “In the meantime, the dire needs of Ndi Anambra and our transformation agenda cannot wait. We are working on a mixture of financing options, including debt that is ring-fenced to fund bankable projects and/or infrastructure with impacts on the economy, to guarantee efficient and effective service delivery to our people while ensuring fiscal sustainability over the medium to longer terms.

“As a reflection of our agenda, about 60% of the capital expenditure is targeted at delivering infrastructure that the average citizen can feel, see, use or touch and which have the highest developmental impact within the shortest possible time.

“For example, we have declared a state of emergency on rebuilding our road infrastructure and traffic management. About N52 billion or 31% of the total budget is for the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and we intend to simultaneously invest in roads in most of the local governments, paying special attention to our urban regeneration agenda.

“We have requested the Federal Government to kindly intervene on emergency basis on a number of federal roads in the state that have become nightmarish death traps. We confidently expect their urgent responsive action.

“But in the event that the expected response does not come soon, we may have to implement urgent palliatives in some places, especially at Amansea; Ekwulobia- Igboukwu- Nnobi road; Ogidi; etc where the roads are literally cutting off.

“We plan to recruit qualified medical doctors and nurses for our general hospitals and upscale the infrastructure in selected ones.

“We have already received over 26,000 applications in response to our advertisement to recruit and train teachers for our primary and secondary schools,” the governor said.

Anyim Is A Straightforward, Honest, Simple Leader – Jigawa PDP Chairman

By
The Source
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Anyim Pius Anyim in Jigawa State

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), in Jigawa State, Alhaji Babandi Ibrahim Gumel, has described former Senate President and frontline presidential aspirant, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, as a straightforward and simple leader deserving of trust.

Gumel made the comment on Thursday when Anyim, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), met with Jigawa State delegates at the party secretariat in Dutse, the state capital.

For the former Senate President who had been traversing the nooks and crannies of the country wooing delegates, it was, indeed, a glorious outing, with the delegates pledging their support.

While paying a courtesy visit to a chieftain of the party and former governor of the state, Alhaji Sule Lamido, in his country home, Anyim pledged to stabilise the country in six months.

“I promise that within the first six months of my administration, I will stabilise this country and prepare it for growth, peace and prosperity,” he told Lamido, protégé of the late Mallam Aminu Kano, the progenitor of talakawa politics, and the large number of party supporters who joined him to welcome Anyim.

“We must agree on the things that divide us. We must come to terms with what works for us. I will provide the platform to midwife this consensus.

“We will all work together to make Nigeria great again. I will provide that distinctive leadership that will build consensus across the country and reconcile Nigerians.”

Speaking earlier at the party secretariat, Anyim promised to make Jigawa an export hub of agricultural produce, even as he emphasised that Nigeria has a lot to learn from the state.

“Jigawa State, bedsides agricultural produce, has a lot more to export to other parts of Nigeria. Jigawa is the only state in Nigeria where there is no insecurity and there is no threat of insecurity.”

Welcoming Anyim to the party secretariat, Alhaji Gumel said that not only were the 91 delegates to the PDP National Convention scheduled to hold on May 28 and 29 in Abuja present, many elders and leaders of the party were also present.

The chairman described their presence as a mark of respect for and appreciation of the leadership qualities of the former Senate President.

With chants of Anyim, Anyim, Anyim intermittently renting the air, the former SGF, who described himself as a son of the soil, said the visit was actually homecoming for him.

Addressing the excited delegates, Anyim said: “I am most delighted by the number of leaders and elders I can behold here. I sincerely feel greatly honoured by the calibre of people here present today.

“I want to reemphasise that I am from Jigawa. I am a son of the soil and I have a senior brother here whose name is Sule Lamido.

“When I was contesting for the national chairman of our party in 2007, I was also in Jigawa and I enjoyed the very warm reception of the people that I decided to pass the night here.

“Then, Jigawa was a young state.  But eight years of Sule Lamido as governor transformed the state and I am proud to be here once again.

“I have come to inform you that we are going to start a new journey and that journey is between me and my brothers and sisters in Jigawa State. We are starting a journey to go and occupy the presidential villa of Nigeria.

“As president, I will make the Hadejia-Jamare River Basin the best in Nigeria. By the time I expand it with the requisite infrastructure, Jigawa and the neighbouring states will be the richest in agricultural produce in Nigeria.

“When I landed at the Dutse airport this afternoon, I was, again, so amazed. It is one of the best airports in Nigeria but unfortunately, it is not a busy airport.

“By the time I expand the only cattle free zone in Jigawa State, by the time I finish expanding the Hadejia-Jamare River Basin, the export produce from Jigawa State will dominate the world.”

Besides agriculture, Anyim said the rest of Nigeria has to learn why Jigawa remains the most secure state in the country without.

“This is the only state in Nigeria where there is no insecurity. I asked my senior brother, Sule Lamido, how he did it. When we win the presidency, he will come with us to Abuja so that he will teach Nigerians how to fight insecurity.

“Jigawa State has something to teach Nigeria. Jigawa State will teach Nigeria how to fight and contain insecurity. With me as the president, I will give that opportunity.”

Anyim told the party chieftains that he was not in their midst to campaign and solicit for votes, but simply to let them know that “we have something to offer Nigeria.”

“We will offer Nigeria security, peace progress and prosperity. All of these are in Jigawa State and when the state partners with Anyim, Nigeria will also enjoy.

“We will work together to rescue Nigeria. We will work together to rebuild Nigeria, we will work together to advance Nigeria.

“Support me with your votes and Nigeria will be the happiest place in the world.”

In his remarks, Lamido urged for unity among the aspirants.

He said the opposition party has a sacred duty to bring back the country from the brink where APC has taken it to.

“PDP is not just a political party, it is a family. We are very organic. It is a party which is for each and every Nigerian. It is a party which does not believe in discrimination.

“Today, our biggest problem is how to restore trust among Nigerians. Unfortunately, in the last seven years of the APC government, everything has been balkanised along tribal, ethnic and religious lines and you see the consequences.

The goal of government anywhere in the world is to engender development. But you cannot develop unless there is trust which will engender stability. How do we restore trust in Nigeria?

“The PDP owes Nigerians a duty. Somehow, all we did in 16 years have been wiped out by the APC government because they are terribly incompetent. Their main desire is to attain power but attainment of power without using it for development is useless.

So I urge you and fellow aspirants to put Nigeria first. All of you must unite Nigeria through the party. What do you do to restore confidence?

“By the time one of you emerges as the candidate, we will all be there for each other. After all the campaign, at the end of the day, only one candidate will emerge. The others are very important.

“So, we must ensure that whoever emerges, we will rally around the person. As far as I am concerned, all of you are very competent.

“PDP is my blood. PDP is a party I cherish so much because it gave me everything, so I am willing to support anyone who emerges.

“I want the exercise to be very transparent and credible so that there will be integrity in the process.

“We should avoid the issue of turning the convention into a human trade fair,”Sule Lamido admonished.

The former Senate President was accompanied to Jigawa by the Director General of his campaign organisation, Dr. Mohammed Shuaibu, Hon. Idi Waziri, Hon. Ibrahim Uzoma, Senator Zego Azeez, Hon Agolia Imoni, among others.

Betrayal; How Fmr Gov Fayose Forced His Fmr Deputy, Prof Eleka Out Of Ekiti South Senatorial Race

By
Ayodele Oni
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Ayo Fayose and Olusola Eleka

By Ayodele Oni

Sensing betrayal and possible sell out on the part of some leaders, former Deputy Governor of Ekiti state, Prof Olusola Eleka, has pulled out of the Senatorial contest.

Eleka, who was Deputy to former Governor Ayo Fayose, had been hand-picked by his former boss as a candidate for Ekiti South Senatorial district in the forthcoming election.

He was among those that contested in the Governorship primary of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) early this year but placed third.

In a letter to the National Leadership of the PDP, Eleka, however pledged to remain a loyal and committed member of the PDP.

The former Deputy Governor wrote: “I wish to notify the National Leadership of our esteemed party of my voluntary withdrawal from participating in the forthcoming People’s Democratic Party Senatorial contest in Ekiti State.

“Your Excellency will recall that I contested for the last Governorship primary election in which I came third.

“As a patriotic party man who is determined to protect the interest and ethos of the party, I congratulated the winner, Otunba Bisi Kolawole who is currently the candidate of the party.

“It is expedient to note, however, that the Senatorial ambition was the making of former Governor Ayodele Fayose.

“I received emissaries from him to contest. After much pressure from concerned stakeholders, I decided to pick up the challenge to represent the party in my senatorial district.

“To my great surprise, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, who openly endorsed my candidacy for senate in my town, discretely aided another person from the same constituency to pick the same Senatorial form.

“The above left me with no choice but to consider his endorsement as a facade and decoy.

“Having consulted widely on the foregoing with my teeming supporters across the sixteen (16) Local Governments, I have decided not to dwell where there is no sincerity of purpose but an arrogant display of deception and hence, pull out from the contest.

“The integrity I have built over the years is beyond any ambition. I am available for further arrangements that will unite the party in the build-up to the general election, slated to hold on 18th June 2022.

“Your Excellency is hereby assured of my utmost commitment to the party at the state and beyond.”

Nigeria Bar Association Tackles Wike; Says His Utterances Give One Cause For Great Concern

By
The Source
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Nyesom Wike

By Gideon Njoku

The Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, has expressed great concern over the utterances of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, as examplified by his attack on the NBA on Tuesday during a book launch in honour of the Honourable Justice Mary Peter-Odili.

Justice Peter-Odili retired from the Supreme Court on May 12, 2022, the day she turned 70 years.

Wike a Lawyer, whose wife is a High Court Judge had, at the Book Launch, lashed out at the NBA, dismissing the body as a “Paper Tiger.”

He accused the NBA of not  only being a failure in its responsibility to protect the Judiciary in Nigeria, but had  been unable to rescue it from political intimidation.

Reacting to Wike’s umbrage, the President of the NBA, Olumide Akpata, in a statement he released on Thursday, described Wike’s submission as reckless, untrue and uncharitable.

Akpata warned that while he understood Wike’s political ambitions, the Governor

“cannot, and should not, be allowed to use the NBA as fodder of any sort for his vaulting ambition.”

Recalling a number of instances where the NBA rose in defence of the judiciary, he reminded Wike of how the NBA fought the cause of Supreme Court Justice Mary Peter-Odili when her home was invaded by rogue security agents. Akpata also recalled the cases of the  Chief Judge of Cross River State, Justice Akon Ikpeme and Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court.

Noted Akpata; “Wike’s forgetfulness of these and more, suggest a dissonance that is most disconcerting and should give one serious cause for concern, especially as the Rivers governor is a senior member of the Bar.”

Akpata’s statement titled, “NBA has failed to protect Nigerian judiciary – My response to Governor Wike’s diatribe,” reads in part:

“As President of the NBA, it is not usual for me to respond to criticisms regarding the activities or performance of the NBA, and indeed our philosophy has been to welcome all such criticisms and take useful lessons therefrom.

“But I am unable to allow the Governor of Rivers State make such baseless allegations against the NBA particularly as he is a senior member of the legal profession who will be presumed by many to be speaking from a position of knowledge.

“It is indeed quite ironic that Governor Wike made these unfortunate statements at an event held in honour of the Honourable Justice Mary Peter-Odili in support of whom, the NBA stood firm in the face of that brazen attack on her home in Abuja by some persons who are now standing trial in our law courts.

“That Governor Wike has chosen so quickly, to either forget or ignore this and other actions of the NBA in support of the Judiciary is suggestive of a dissonance that is most disconcerting and should give one serious cause for concern.

“It is very convenient for Governor Wike to ask Nigerian lawyers (as he did at the Book Launch) to emulate their apparently more courageous Pakistani colleagues when the issues at stake do not concern him directly, but when in 2019 the very same Nigerian lawyers had the “temerity” to question his handling of the security situation in Rivers State and threatened to boycott the courts if there was no abatement of the rising insecurity in the State, he was only too quick to lambast the lawyers and to withdraw his “support” for the NBA in the State.

“While we understand that Governor Wike is currently on the political soapbox and, like a man with the proverbial new hammer, to whom any and everything is a nail, he will latch unto any chance to sell his candidacy, he cannot and should not be allowed to use the NBA as fodder of any sort for his vaulting ambition.

“While the NBA might have, at different points, dithered in playing these roles, the NBA is not known to have shirked that responsibility in recent times.

“Our commitment to defend the Judiciary and its integrity has remained unshaken and the NBA has been making spirited efforts to discharge that responsibility creditably in the less than two years since this administration of the NBA assumed office. Illustrative examples abound to drive home this point, and three well-known examples remain fresh in the consciousness of Nigerians and constitute recent history that cannot be rewritten even by a personality of Governor Wike’s calibre.

“Firstly, there was the crisis that rocked the Cross River State Judiciary when, against established legal tradition, the Governor of the State refused to appoint the most senior Judge in the State – Justice Akon Ikpeme – as the substantive Chief Judge on the ground that she was not an indigene of Cross River State.

“That was an attempt by the executive arm of government to extend its political turf to the Judiciary, and the active role that the NBA played both publicly and privately in defending the Judiciary and resolving that ugly debacle in that State (and a few other States where similar scenarios played out afterwards) is well-documented.

“Secondly, Nigerians would recall how the NBA swiftly rose to the defence of Mary Peter Odili JSC (rtd) in particular, and the Nigerian Judiciary in general, when the former’s residence was invaded by rogue officers of the security agencies.

“The NBA’s fierce opposition to the illegal invasion also included the appointment of a Special Investigator to unravel those behind the illegality. That the Special Investigator, after an extensive fact finding process, did not find the executive culpable is indicative of the fact that his appointment was not intended to achieve a contrived end, and should not be interpreted as the NBA being a ‘paper tiger’.

“Also fresh in our collective memories is the NBA’s defence of Honourable Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court who was wrongly excoriated by His Excellency Engr. Dave Umahi, Governor of Ebonyi State after an unfavourable judgment was entered against the Governor. The NBA’s defence of the Judiciary in that case would later result in an, almost, immediate apology by the Governor.

“More generally, the NBA has at different times in the last 20 months, filed public interest lawsuits to challenge the excesses of the Government and its agencies; issued strongly worded statements and reprimands in which it named and shamed political leaders with despotic and undemocratic tendencies; initiated a process to enthrone the appointment of only the best from amongst us as Judges; and even joined in a ten-week long strike action (with significant economic loss to our members and other debilitating effects) in a bid to contribute towards our quest for a more independent and efficient Judiciary in Nigeria.

“Short of taking the law into our hands and carrying ammunition without licence to defend the Judiciary, the NBA insists that it is doing its best in the circumstance, and in an atmosphere that is widely acknowledged to be characterised by recklessness and little regard for the rule of law by governments at all levels.

“It is in this respect that the NBA views Governor Wike’s invectives as inconsiderate and uncharitable.

“There is room for the NBA to do more in maintaining and defending the integrity and independence of the Judiciary, but  it would be mean-spirited to make such far-reaching and ridiculing statement about the NBA, at least given its engagements and activities in defence of the Judiciary since August 2020 when the current leadership assumed office.

“The NBA would continue to do all that it can to defend the Judiciary, the rule of law and indeed, Nigeria’s democracy. We will not pass that buck.”

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