Politics
Impeachment: Drama as Ondo Assembly counsel denies petition against judge
Impeachment: Drama as Ondo Assembly counsel denies petition against judge
There was a mild drama at the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, as counsel to the Ondo House of Assembly, F. E. Emodamori, denied being the author of a petition written against Justice Emeka Nwite at the National Judicial Council (NJC).
Emodamori, who appeared for the state assembly and its speaker, Olamide Oladiji, refuted the allegation levelled against him by Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, lawyer to the embattled Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Nwite had, on Sept. 26, restrained the Ondo State assembly and its speaker from impeaching Aiyedatiwa, over alleged gross misconduct pending the hearing and determination of the interlocutory application.
The judge gave the interim order in a ruling shortly after Kayode Adewusi, counsel who appeared for Aiyedatiwa, moved the ex-parte motion to the effect.
The judge also restrained Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu from nominating a new deputy governor and forwarding the name of the same to the lawmakers for an approval as the state’s new deputy governor based on a letter of resignation purportedly authored or signed by Aiyedatiwa.
The deputy governor had, in an ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1294/2023, sued the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS).
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Others joined in the suit are Gov. Akeredoku, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chief Judge of Ondo State and the House of Assembly as 1st to 6th respondents respectively.
In the application dated and filed by Adelanke Akinrata on Sept. 21, Aiyedatiwa sought for four reliefs.
The judge, after granting the reliefs, fixed today for hearing of the motion on notice.
Upon resumed hearing yesterday, Adegboruwa informed the court of the development of the matter.
He said on October 6, the All Progressives Congress (APC) set up a reconciliation committee headed by former Katsina State governor to settle the issues.
“In line with extant practice and procedure of this honourable court to encourage parties to promote settlement, it is our humble view that the court allows and encourages the reconciliation effort as the continued prosecution of this suit may be hostile to those efforts,” he said.
Besides, Adegboruwa said on Oct. 3, the speaker and the assembly (4th and 6th defendants) submitted a petition to NJC “accusing this very court of compromise and deploying all manners of unprintable epithets against the court.”
He said the petition is still pending before the NJC.
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“The consequence of that petition is to express lack of confidence in this honourable court.
“And if the allegations are investigated and found to be correct God forbid, the consequence will be that this court may not be in the position to proceed on the determination of this suit,” he said.
The senior lawyer, therefore, prayed the court to direct the speaker and the assembly, through their counsel, Emodamori, to serve all parties in the suit with the said petition in order for them to respond too.
He also prayed the court to direct them to stop further attack on the judge
“I watched on television news where they described my lord as ‘a certain judge,’” he said.
Adegboruwa said that the derogatory comment was also confirmed in a letter dated Sept. 29 and authored by Emodamori to the state’s chief judge.
He, therefore, urged the court to adjourn the suit sine die (indefinitely) to await the outcomes of the APC reconciliatory effort and the petition file to the NJC.
But Kassim Gbadamosi (SAN), counsel to Akeredolu, who objected to indefinite adjournment, said Ondo State was not a one-party state.
He said the APC’s move was only to reconcile Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa which did not affect other political parties which made up the assembly.
Impeachment: Drama as Ondo Assembly counsel denies petition against judge
(NAN)
Politics
Damagun writes INEC to conduct by-election for 27 vacant Rivers assembly seats
Damagun writes INEC to conduct by-election for 27 vacant Rivers assembly seats
Few days after governors on the platform of the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) handed down an ultimatum for things to change in the party, the Acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagun has moved against the FCT Minister and his loyal lawmakers, the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Damagun in a letter addressed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) dated 13th November 2024 and released on Sunday by the spokesperson of the Opposition Lawmakers Coalition, Ikenga Ugochinyere urged the electoral umpire to conduct a bye-election to fill up the 27 seats, they vacated to join the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Wike has been accused of being behind the crisis in the PDP over his disagreement with the Rivers State governor, Sim Fubara, his successor.
The crisis which started over control of resources divided the party in the state with 27 lawmakers in the state assembly siding Wike and defected to the APC following Wike’s acceptance to serve in the government of the APC.
He has also been accused of working in cahoots with Damagun to damage the PDP by not organising the National Executive Committee which would lead to the acting Chairman’s ouster.
After a series of agitation, the latest being from the PDP Governors’ Forum over the weekend, Damagun has demanded that INEC conduct elections as soon as possible, apparently moving against the FCT minister.
He argued in letter titled, ‘DEMAND FOR IMMEDIATE CONDUCT OF FRESH ELECTION IN 27 STATE CONSTITUENCIES OF RIVERS STATE WHICH HAVE BECOME VACANT PURSUANT TO SECTION 109(1)(g) OF THE CONSTITUTION’ that it’s “unlawful” for the 27 members to defect.
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The members defected to the APC on December 11, 2023.
Damagun said, going by provisions of the Constitution, the lawmakers are no longer members of the Assembly.
The PDP acting chairman therefore urged the Commission to perform its constitutional duties and begin the process of conducting fresh elections to fill the vacancies created in the 27 state constituencies by the unlawful act of the former Assembly members.
Parts of the letter read, “The Leadership of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wishes to draw the attention of the Commission to the gross violation of Section 109 (1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) by 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly following their unlawful defection from our Party, the PDP who sponsored their elections to the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Monday, December 11, 2023.
“The Commission may recall that our Party, the PDP nominated all our 32 State House of Assembly candidates in Rivers State for the 2023 General Election on the 7th of July 2022 via your electronic candidate election nomination portal (See attached acknowledgement).
“The Commission may also recall that following the nomination, the Commission conducted election into the Rivers State House of Assembly on the 18th of March, 2023 and our Party won 32 seats in the state Assembly. The elected State House of Assembly members were inaugurated and sworn-in on June, 2023.
“However, on Monday, 11 December, 2023 a period of just six (6) months after inauguration, 27 out of the 32 members publicly announced their defection from our Party to the All Progressive Congress (APC). This defection is a gross violation of Section 109(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As amended).
“The only two grounds of division and merger provided for in the Constitution that permit such defection are completely non-existent in our political Party. It therefore means that the defections of the 27 members are without lawful excuse and these members have vacated their seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly by the operations of Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution.
“In view of the foregoing, we hereby demand that the Commission performs its constitutional duties and begin the process of conducting a Fresh Election to fill the vacancies created in the 27 State Constituencies by the unlawful act of the Assembly members. Find attached the list of the 27 State Assembly Members and their Constituencies.
“While thanking the Commission for its commitment to deepening democracy in our country, please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
Damagun writes INEC to conduct by-election for 27 vacant Rivers assembly seats
Politics
Nigeria would have been better under Peter Obi, too much nepotism under Tinubu – Senator Abaribe
Nigeria would have been better under Peter Obi, too much nepotism under Tinubu – Senator Abaribe
Nigeria would have been better than what it is currently if Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP), had won the 2023 elections, the senator representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has said.
Abaribe, who spoke on ‘Politics Today,’ a Channels Television programme, on Monday, said Obi would not have been as nepotistic as the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
“Number one, he would not be as nepotistic as this government; he won’t; it’s not in him. That is just who we are; we feel for the other people.”
The lawmaker called attention to Tinubu’s appointment of four ministers from Ogun alone, noting that many other states have just one.
“I say it, and I don’t think so. We are seeing it everyday. I just gave you one example. How can Ogun state have four ministers? Why does he favour Ogun state? Oyo state has only one minister,” Abaribe said.
”The nepotism of Buhari, which nobody followed, has now deepened under President Tinubu because Buhari did it, and nobody said much. I was the only person shouting.”
He said that rather than waiting for presidents to be fair to the people of the south-east, it is high time people of the zone went back to revamp it, make it more livable, better, and more cohesive.
“It’s obvious that if we continue to look at whoever becomes president, they will look at us and do us right. Apart from Obasanjo and maybe Jonathan, I do not think that we have seen that same type of fairness,” he said.
Politics
Lagos 2027: Seyi Tinubu campaign team releases his life documentary
Lagos 2027: Seyi Tinubu campaign team releases his life documentary
Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, has been tipped for the seat of Lagos governor in the 2027 governorship election.
This was according to a video making the rounds on various social media platforms, which Peoples Gazette saw on Sunday.
The video highlights the president’s son’s biography, focusing on his education, career, and humanitarian activities as a Nigerian. It also documents his involvement in youth development in the country.
This biopic comes on the heels of some groups’ endorsements of Mr Tinubu’s son as a potential successor to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2027.
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On Tuesday, the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders issued an endorsement in Owerri, Imo, suggesting that the younger Tinubu would be welcomed to contest the governorship seat in Osun or Imo.
He was also endorsed by Friends of Seyi, a group emphasising his vision and intellectual wherewithal to govern the country’s commercial nerve.
APC chieftain Joe Igbokwe, however, described the gale of endorsements as a ploy to undermine the president in a Facebook post.
“Who are these faceless people pushing Seyi Tinubu for Lagos governor? This is a needless distraction,” said Mr Igbokwe. “To pull PBAT down is their target. Ruling Lagos is not the job of boys.”
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