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Umahi, Deputy Can Remain In Office – Court

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Why Govt Can't Borrow To Pay Striking ASUU Members - Umahi

A court has brought relief to Governor David Umahi and his Deputy, Kelechi Igwe who were asked to vacate their offices by another court.

The duo secured an interim order from the Ebonyi State High Court not to vacate their offices.

This followed an ex-parte motion by counsel to the duo, Roy Umahi brought pursuant to rule 3(3) of the High Court rules of Ebonyi state in suit no HAB/13/22.

The court had on February 28, 2022, ruled that Governor Umahi and his deputy did not flout any law by defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the All Progressive Congress, APC.

The court presided over by Justice Henry Njoku had dismissed the matter for lacking in merit and fined the plaintiff, Sunny Ogbuoji, who was the APC candidate and runner up in the 2019 governorship election N500, 000.

However, an Abuja Federal High Court on 8th March ruling on a similar matter filed by the PDP ordered the governor and his deputy to vacate their seats.

READ ALSO: Court Fixes Date To Hear Suit On Defection Of Matawalle, 37 Lawmakers To APC

The presiding Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo further ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept new nominations for the two positions from the PDP and to issue them with certificates of return for them to be sworn in as governor and deputy.

Umahi and his deputy rejected the Abuja ruling arguing that the Ebonyi High Court ruling should take precedence.

To this effect, Messrs Umahi and Igwe approached the same Ebonyi High Court yesterday, praying the court to declare that its judgement of the 28th February 2022 on their defection to APC remains valid as a judgement in rem and as such should have precedence over any other contrary judgement and should be binding on all parties, persons and authorities.

In his ruling, Justice Henry Njoku granted the prayers sought by the duo and adjourned the matter to March 16 for a hearing on the motion on notice.

He declared: “it is hereby ordered as follows, an interim order of this honourable court for seven days(subject to renewal) is hereby granted in view of the judgement in suit no. HAB/13/22 delivered on the 28th day of February 2022, being a judgement in rem and having precedence over any contrary judgement.

“The applicants hereto Engr David Nweze Umahi and Dr Eric Kelechi Igwe shall accordingly remain and not be removed from office as governor and deputy governor of Ebonyi state respectively.”

Meanwhile, the Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Francis Nwifuru and 14 other lawmakers were sacked by the Court for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday said they were dissatisfied with the judgement.

Justice Inyang Ekwo of Federal High Court, Abuja, had on Tuesday in his ruling, declared vacant the seats of Speaker Nwifuru and 14 other lawmakers.

The Judge ordered INEC to conduct a bye-election to fill in the vacant seats, in the respective constituencies within 90 days.

But Mr Nwifuru who briefed journalists alongside the other 14 lawmakers in Abakaliki disclosed that they had filed an appeal and stay of execution, with respect to the judgement.

Nwifuru, however, said they would obey the judgement.

“It is about two days ago we started hearing the rumour that a federal high court in Abuja declared our seats vacant on the ground that we defected from PDP to APC.

“I know the position of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, but I am not in a position to know how the judiciary interprets the law. I am not against that.

“We have filed an appeal and a stay of execution. Since the matter is in the court of law, there is no need to say anything about it. Our position is that the law will take its position. We are begging our constituents to remain law-abiding”,he said.

While many in the government circle are optimistic that the present judicial turbulence would end gloriously for the governor and his deputy, other political analysts are of the view that the present development might present a new judicial precedent.

 

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LG Election: Opposition Parties On Holiday, APC Remains Party to Beat – Abiodun

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My Dad Asked Me To Prioritise Civil Servants, Pensioners, Teachers - Abiodun
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has declared that based on the performance of his administration in the last five years, opposition parties are clearly unpopular and invisible in the forthcoming local government election.

The governor added that the quality of candidates the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is presenting in the election would make it the party to beat with landslide victory in all the 20 Local Government Areas of the State.

Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, over the weekend, Prince Abiodun explained that his administration has changed the hitherto volatile political environment in the state and made it conducive for opposition parties to operate without hindrance or intimidation.

According to him, instead of the primordial machinery of intimidation, his administration has dwarfed the opposition parties in the state through sterling performance and creative ideas for development.

Governor Abiodun, therefore, urged members of APC in the state to show more commitment and work in harmony to sustain the feats already attained in the past years and ensure resounding victory during the November 16 local government poll.

“With the quality of candidates our party is presenting in the forthcoming local government election in the State, APC remains a part to beat; we have assiduously and consistently made remarkable impacts in the life of our people and this is indeed our selling point.

“Without going through the primordial route of physical intimidation of opposition parties, our administration has obviously silenced them by our intimidating projects, creative ideas and prudence, which have earned us a leading status among other federating units.

“It is now incumbent on every APC member across the 20 Local Government Areas to sustain the enviable feats our party has recorded in the last five years by showing more commitment and work in unison for the victory of our party come November 16,” Abiodun said.

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LP Chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo Disagrees With Peter Obi

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LP Chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo Disagrees With Peter Obi

By John Michael Ojo

Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the Labour Party who doubled as the party’s spokesman during the 2023 general elections has accused the party’s chairman, Julius Abure of corruption and mismanagement of the party’s fund.

Okonkwo, a Nollywood Actor turned politician disclosed this on Tuesday via microblogging platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

He also alleged that the LP’s national convention organised by the Abure-led National Working Committee lacked merit in its entirety.

While distancing himself from the embattled party’s chairman, he wrote: “I am suspending my relationship in all ramifications with the purported Abure-led National Working Committee of Labour Party.“

For me, it’s either a new Nigeria or nothing. I prefer to lose doing the right thing to winning doing the wrong thing.

“Nothing can wash out the criminality, corruption, and incompetence with which the purported Natokoional Convention was purportedly organised by Abure.

“I did not leave the comfort of a ruling party, APC, because I believe that they are incompetent and dishonest, only to come and join another incompetent and corrupt association, which is the current Abure-led National Working Committee of Labour Party.”

Okonkwo’s claim is coming barely days after the presidential candidate of party, Peter Obi drummed support for the Abure-led NWC.

Obi who was viewed as a favourite in the build-up of the presidential election came a distant third behind former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.

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Abiodun Commends Ogun Assembly For Seamless Transition As Elemide Is Elected Speaker

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L-R: Hon. Adegoke Adeyanju; Minority Leader, Lukman Adeleye; Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade; Deputy Speaker, Hon. Bolanle Lateefat Ajayi; new Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide; Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele; SSG, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi; Deputy Chief of Staff, Toyin Taiwo; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ganiu Hamzat; Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff and Hon. Waliu Owode.

Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun has congratulated the new Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide and other lawmakers for ensuring a rancour-free process.

The governor, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Engr. (Mrs.) Noimot Salako-Oyedele spoke when he received 19 members of the House who accompanied the new speaker on a courtesy call on him on Tuesday in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

He commended the seamless manner in which they elected the new speaker, reaffirming that the lawmakers have the right to decide who would lead them in a democracy.

He said: “It is worthy of note that the executive has not interfered in the process to make sure that you are comfortable in what you want to do, that led you to making your decision. And we support you in the decision that you make.

“You have gone through the process in a way that is exemplary. This is not the first time in this country that members of a particular legislature have decided to change their leader.”

He emphasized that the executive arm would continue to adhere strictly to the concept of Separation of Power and the rule of law in its relationship with the House of Assembly.

The governor pledged that his administration would support and work closely with the legislature to maintain the harmonious relationship that has existed in the last four and a half years.

In his remarks, the new speaker, Rt. Hon. Elemide said the House would continue to complement the executive and avoid the unnecessary mudslinging that may hinder the progress of the state.

“We are not going to fight, and neither are we going to compromise the executive. In the legislature, there is room for lobbying. We will lobby where we need to lobby, we will assert where we need to assert, and we will let the whole people of the State know that we are there for them.

“To my colleagues, I would not want to betray their confidence that they have in me. It is going to be we and not I. I am just the first among equals, and we were voted in from our various constituencies. I will take cognisant that we are equal.

“I will be there to speak for them, and I will speak whatever they put in my mouth,” Elemide concluded.

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