Appeal Court Ruling, Victory For Lavun/Mokwa/Edati People, Democracy- Gana

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the election of Hon. Joshua Audu Gana of the People Democratic Party (PDP) for the Lavun/Mokwa/Edati Federal Constituency, Niger State (2023-2027). Responding to the historical judgement, Hon Gana said: “My dear Constituents on Wednesday, 1st November 2023, the Court of Appeal Abuja delivered a historic ruling on Appeal CA/ABJ/EP/HR/59/2023 where the Judges unanimously affirmed the mandate you freely gave me on February 25, 2023 election as the duly and rightful winner of that election.” It could be recalled that that the National and State House of Assembly Election Tribunal on September, 11th 2023 nullified Gana’s election and of which Hon. Gana appealed that judgement at the appellate Court. “The affirmation by the Court of Appeal truly brings to rest the contest for our Federal Constituency,” he said. The Court of Appeal on Wednesday, a three-man member unanimously upheld the argument by the lawyer of Gana, that the Tribunal was wrong to have held in favour of the petition, Abdullahi Usman Gbatamagi and the All Progressive Party (APC). Describing the judgement, Gana said: “Our victory at the Court, which is a clear reflection of what happened on Election Day reinforces the principle that the judiciary is the final hope for the common man and democracy.” Still speaking on the judgment, he said that when the Election Petition Tribunal ruled against him on September, 11th 2023, he was sure that it would not stand, “I was optimistic that the tribunal had erred and that travesty of justice was not going to stand and today, their Lords at the Court of Appeal agreed with us that we won the elections,” he said. He promised all inclusive representative saying, “We will not take the electorate for granted. We see the judgement as an opportunity to serve our people as a means of deepening the democratic culture and all hands must be on the deck in serving our people,” he promised. To his constituents, he made more promises to them saying, “I wish to assure you my good constituents that I am more than ever ready to serve and will be more focused and consistent in drawing attention to issues affecting our constituency and follow through until solutions and resolutions are found.” He called on his APC counterpart not to see the judgement as a blow, but to join hands with him in bringing development to their constituents. “I urge my brother and friend Hon. Abdullahi Usman to see the outcome as a true expression of the people’s will and God’s doing and give all the support that is required for the good of our people as we shall be magnanimous even in victory,” he said. Hon. (Dr) Joshua Audu Gana, member Lavun/Mokwa/Edati Federal Constituency, Niger State (2023-2027).

APM Withdraws Appeal Challenging Tinubu’s Victory At Supreme Court

The Allied Peoples Movement, (APM) Monday, withdrawn the appeal instituted at the Supreme Court to nullify President Bola Tinubu’s election victory. In the appeal, the party is contesting that Tinubu’s running mate and Vice President, Kashim Shettima, was nominated twice for different positions by the All Progressives Congress, APC, in relation to the 2023 general elections. APM had in its 10-ground of appeal, maintained its position that Tinubu was not eligible to participate in the presidential poll that held on February 25. However, at the hearing,  Counsel to the party Mr. Chukwuma Machukwu Ume, SAN, withdrew the matter shortly after it was called up for hearing. A seven-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Inyang Okoro, berated the party for filing an appeal the appeal for trying to over labour the court. According to the panel, APM appeal is a total waste of time and amount to an academic exercise since the party only wanted the apex court to “state the law.” “If we are idle, then maybe we will state the law. If there is nothing for you to gain from an appeal, you don’t just come to court for interpretation. “If for instance that you win a case, there must be something to be gained from the victory. We have read your appeal, there is absolutely nothing in it. You are not asking for your candidate to declared winner or anything of such, all you want is for the President to be removed. “If we remove the President, then what next? There are two other appeals here that are asking for something substantial,” Justice Okoro held. Also reacting to the appeal, Justice Emmanuel Agim, noted that issues the APM raised in its appeal, was previously decided by the Supreme Court. “We are not bound to hear every appeal. What you are asking us is to overrule ourselves. Did you not read our decision on the issue of double nomination.”  Consequently, Ume, SAN, withdrew the appeal and it was accordingly struck out.

Group slams military for burning vessels with stolen crude

*Says action destroys the ecosystem The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has decried the burning and destruction of vessels laden with stolen crude oil, describing it as a worrisome and environmentally unfriendly way of curbing oil theft. ERA/FoEN’s Executive Director, Barr. Chima Williams, in a statement signed by Communication Officer, Elvira Jordan, recently stated that the burning of crude oil-laden vessels disposes a high level of chemical content into the water bodies that destroys eco lives and aquatic organisms that humans need to survive.  “Destroying such vessels with their crude contents produces high-level chemical debris that follows tidal movement to other parts of the country. This kind of devastation destroys the aquatic organisms needed to satisfy man’s nutritional and survival needs. “What is discharged includes chemical contents from the crude and the vessels that are harmful to human health. The health implications of such activities may not have immediate effects but will be transferred to the people who inhabit these areas, as the primary occupation of the Riverine people is fishing and farming, which is dependent on the surrounding waters,” he said. He added that the destruction of crude oil laden vessels will also deprive the people of their sources of livelihood, when the chemical waste from the burnt vessels and crude oil comes in contact with the environment, killing aquatic life and poisoning the surrounding soil. The Executive Director stated that destroying and wasting stolen crude, is a disfavor to Nigeria’s economy noting that the product will generate funds that will build infrastructures and better the lives of the people. He said, “Destroying badges of crude that runs into millions is equivalent to denying the nation and its people of the revenue that can be derived from such large amounts of crude. This is a country in dire need of resources to rebuild the economy, to build infrastructures and to better the lives of the people. The country is in heavy dept, yet we are destroying sources of enhancing our economy. The burnt vessels can be transformed into other uses like enhancing the work of seafarers in the country.” On the legal implications, Williams explained that destroying the evidence would not make for the proper prosecution of the case. He stressed that such actions wipe away the key principles of the rule of law, as the chances of conviction or proper acquittal are no longer visible. According to him, this is a denial of justice to the nation, the individuals involved, and the victims of their negative operational conduct and activities. He called on military and security operatives to put an end to the burning of crude oil-laden vessels, as it goes against every tenet of environmental protection and environmental health.

Niger Crisis: ECOWAS Parliament holds extra-ordinary session

The ECOWAS Parliament will on Saturday, August 12 hold a virtual Extra-Ordinary Session to exhaustively discuss the recent political developments in the Republic of Niger. This is contained in a statement by the Communications Division of the parliament. The parliament said that within the context of giant changes that occurred in the politico-economic spectrum of the world in the late 1980s, several ECOWAS member states were motivated to take decisive steps towards achieving peace and security through the development of democracy and good governance by the early 1990s. “Thus, the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance came into force in 2001, marking an important stage in the sub-region’s political development. “Military regimes and one-party systems caved in for the emergence of multi-Party democracies. “Nevertheless, recent political developments in the region are pointing toward a reversal of the political gains of the past two decades. “There is a resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government through military coup d’etat, as recorded in four Member States of the sub-region, namely: the Republics of Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and most recently, Niger,’’ the parliament observed. It said consequent upon such developments, the day-long session would see the 115-member parliament considering the emerging developments, following the unconstitutional change of government by the military of the Republic of Niger. Niger’s military last month imprisoned President Mohamed Bazoum and assumed power, drawing condemnation from international powers and raising the spectre of further conflict in the impoverished Sahel region of West Africa which is already overrun by a deadly Islamist insurgency. The ECOWAS Parliament has a total of 115 seats and 14 Standing Committees. Each member state is guaranteed a minimum of allotted five seats, with the remaining 40 seats distributed in proportion to the population of each country. Consequently, Nigeria has a total of 35 seats, followed by Ghana with eight seats. Côte d’Ivoire is allotted seven seats, while Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Senegal have six seats respectively. The remaining ECOWAS member states, namely Benin, Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo, have allotted to each of them, five seats. 

Alleged Fraud: NUPRC staff demand sack of CEO

Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) employees on Wednesday called for the sack of their Chief Executive, Mr Gbenga Komolafe, over alleged fraud and abuse of office. The workers had on Tuesday besieged the offices of the commission in Jabi and Utako, Abuja, where they gave a 24-hour ultimatum for the grievances to be addressed. The workers identified some of the issues as non-remittance of pensions deducted from their salaries, poor working environment, insufficient working tools and unpaid staff claims. Others were staff medicals, seven months outstanding salary payments and the non-payment of the emoluments of outsourced personnel. At the expiration of the ultimatum on Wednesday, the workers stormed the main entrance to NUPRC complex in Jabi, Abuja, dressed in black and red attires. The workers, in their numbers, urged President Bola Tinubu to sack Komolafe or order him to resign. The workers also called for a forensic audit of all contract processes and payments by the commission under Komolafe’s watch. Mr Owan David, the National Treasurer, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), explained during the protest that Komolafe must go for paying deaf ears to employees plight. David warned that if nothing was done to address the situation, the workers would withdraw from their duty posts nationwide. He urged the relevant authorities to take necessary action to save the commission from total collapse. Earlier, Mr Okechukwu Anya, the Branch Chairman of the union, complained that instead of engaging the workers in resolving the lingering issues, the management had resorted to intimidating the union leaders. Anya said that the union leaders were being intimidated for asking for improved working conditions. He accused the embattled chief executive of neglecting staff welfare and gross mismanagement of the commission’s funds. Reacting to the allegations, Komolafe expressed shock over the protest, adding that the management has fulfilled almost all the claims and demands of the workers. He said in a statement that about N1.5 billion upfront deductions had been offset among other commitments. He added that efforts were already in place to address pending issues. On the non-remittance of pension deductions, Komolafe said that the commission has remitted all pension deductions to the various Pension Fund Administrators. He added that the management had also secured additional working space in Abuja, while relevant steps had been taken to fit the necessary facilities in the Port Harcourt and Lagos offices. On medicals, Komolafe explained that full and comprehensive medical care, inclusive of approved overseas treatment, where required, was being provided for all staff. “The commission has also paid all on-call allowances to deserving staff as of July 2023. “Regarding the issue of non-payment of outsourced personnel, all outsourced service providers invoices are currently being processed,” he said. The chief executive said that the commission would not succumb to threats and intimidation from any quarters.