₦airaland Forum

Hitback2back:
Romancing PMB will not make you the best governor. Get close to your people, work hard and deliver your promises to them, they will love you forever.

#BeSeriousOsho

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Governor Adams Oshiomhole lays a wreath in honour of fallen heroes ‎


Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to grant Presidential pardon to the 66 soldiers whose death sentence were recently commuted to 10 years imprisonment by the Nigerian Army for offences ranging from insubordinate behavior to mutiny, among others.

The governor made this appeal while delivering his speech at the grand finale of the 2016 Armed Forces Remembrance Day on in Benin City on Friday.

He said based on the strength of the recent revelations on the $2.1 billion funds for arms purchase which was mismanaged by the last administration, the President should, in the spirit of the 2016 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, spare them the jail term but could dismiss them from the Army for their acts of indiscipline.

The governor while acknowledging the noble role of the Armed Forces in ensuring peace and unity in the nation even at the cost of paying the supreme sacrifice said it would amount to injustice if the military personnel who were sent to the war front without arms were made to wallow in prison while those who diverted the funds meant for arms purchase are being granted bail by the law courts.

“I ask Edo people to stand by our Armed Forces, to support the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari to reposition the Armed Forces, to re-kit them but also to revive our economy. The revelation about diversion of funds meant to equip the Armed Forces is not funny and therefore we must all give the President the support he needs to bring to justice those who diverted money meant to secure all of us and convert them to political funds.

“These same people sat in the comfort of their office, looking at their loot and they had the guts to put on trial soldiers who were ill-equipped and were asked to go and commit suicide in the face of Boko Haram. I am happy that the military have in their wisdom through their own judicial process committed those death sentences to various terms of imprisonment for those soldiers who were involved.

“I am not an apostle or a supporter of indiscipline but I believe it is also a matter of hypocrisy to tie the legs of a young man or a woman and ask him to go and get involved in an Olympic race. If you chain him, how can he run?”

Oshiomhole continued: “I therefore want to lend my voice on behalf of the people of Edo State, that those soldiers at best can be dismissed from the Armed Forces, but they should not be allowed to wallow in prison. The point has been made that money meant for them was shared. If those who shared it are not likely to face death sentence, they even enjoy the liberty of bail from our high court, nothing justifies harsh treatment to the victims of their own executive rascality.

“So, I appeal to President Buhari to use his powers to grant them pardon even if they will not be allowed to retain their uniforms. We all have learnt to be vigilant and to support our Armed Forces.”

While emphasizing the importance and sanctity of our unity, Oshiomhole called on the political class to be mindful of their utterances in the overall interest of the country saying, “I want to use this occasion to appeal to our political class not to allow their personal and selfish interest to override national interest and consideration and make inflammatory statements that questions the unity of our great country. I hold the view that the unity of a nation state cannot be treated the way the unity of voluntary association is done.”

Governor Oshiomhole pledged the government’s continued support for the Armed Forces and the wards of soldiers who paid the supreme price in ensuring the unity of the nation.

He said, “Edo State Government will support the legion with the sum of 10million naira and I will appeal to the legion to particularly show firm support to those widows arising from Boko Haram activities. If there is any of them whose children is in Edo State who are supposed to be in school, in universities and they are not there, because their parents are no more, Edo State Government even at this hour, we are ready to pick up their school fees that they may be able to attend university, colleges of education or polytechnics as the case may be to show that we do care that they died just so that we might survive here.”

Governor Oshiomhole along with other dignitaries later performed the laying of wreaths at the cenotaph of the unknown soldier at the Museum ground, Benin city.‎

Happy New Year everyone

No matter how it may appear to the naked eye, life in its pure, unadulterated form (without our “life sucks and then you die” consciousness laid over it) is a bubbling cauldron of possibility, composed of pure, perfect love.

The very fact that we still see heartache, limitations, and death is proof that we do not understand reality at all. We focus in on a very narrow band of experience, completely denying the many dimensions beyond the five physical senses.

Our ignorance has erected a worldview based solely on problems, on fear, on protecting ourselves from all the things that could go wrong. It has led us to separate ourselves from the whole and to believe that this, this limited viewfinder filled with individual beings, is what we have to work with.

But the dominant “life sucks and then you die” paradigm is nothing but a fictional story, a made-up pack of lies we’ve been telling ourselves for the last . . . I don’t know . . . 40,000 years?

Like radio signals, our thoughts broadcast our beliefs and expectations out into the quantum field (or what I like to call the field of potentiality, the FP) and bring back into our lives an exact vibrational match. Quantum physicists have proven that it’s impossible for us to look at anything without impacting the thing we’re looking at. It’s called the observer effect, and while it wreaks havoc on everything we thought we knew, it’s actually quite exciting. Because it means:

1. We’re not stuck with the 3-D reality we think is “it.”
2. We’re not helpless victims.
3. And there’s a whole cheerleading squad of multidimensions just waiting for us to get with the program.

What we now know is that everything we think is an objective world “out there” is nothing but a reflection of what exists in here. And by “in here” I mean the consciousness that is doing the observing.

It’s totally cool that your thoughts wield this kind of influence. It means that you and a relatively active imagination can create just about anything you desire. By sending your thoughts out into the quantum field as scouts, they bring back all sorts of riches.

The true Reality (that we’re all one, that the world is abundant and strangely accommodating, and that love is the final answer) is starting to emerge in the hearts and minds of individuals all over the planet, individuals who are standing up and proclaiming, “This can’t be right. There has got to be a better way!”

The way I see it, there are just two things we need to know:

1. The universe has our back.
2. Everything is going to turn out okay.

That’s 12 freaking words. Everything else is just a big ruse that we, in our misguided thoughts, sent scouts out to retrieve from the field of infinite potentiality.

Anyone who has ever donned a pair of Spanx understands the reality of Worldview 1.0. We have squeezed our big, beautiful selves—our radiant, multidimensional spirits— into a tight, often-uncomfortable garment known as a body.

As babies, we tune in to the adults around us. We see what they’re drawn to. We notice how they behave, what they reject, and what they praise. We learn early on what is “beautiful” and what isn’t. We learn how to think and feel about that god named money, damn him. We notice that the minute we get sick, we are trotted off to the doctor, learning quickly that we need something outside ourselves to heal.

When we are born, we are giant love generators. We radiate out a clear energy of light and incomparable joy. In a way, we’re like dolphins, sending out our own special sonar of unconditional love. When this unconditional-love sonar runs up against the unhealed places in our culture, those places where distrust has developed or joy has been rejected, the sonar bounces back, giving us an unfamiliar reading, a “not love” reading. As our boundless joy hits these rigid beliefs and “thickened” emotions, we quickly learn to match our culture’s energies, beliefs, and thoughts.

We regard these beliefs as gods, fearing them, trusting them, and completely acquiescing to them, without a single word of protest.

Here are 5 of the most popular:

1. The world is a menacing place

Our job is to put on our armor and work like hell to stay one step ahead of the terrorists, the supergerms, the dysfunctional stepmoms, and, of course, the zombies.

There is nothing to fear. As A Course in Miracles repeatedly tells us, “We lay a heavy load upon ourselves with our insane beliefs that pain and sin [are] real. Pain is purposeless, without a cause and with no power to accomplish anything.”

2. Life happens to me

“I’m an innocent bystander, a pitiful victim of circumstance, of weather, of disease, and, worse, of my own dysfunction. External events (those things from #1) constantly get in my face. The best I can do is learn to cope with these external events.”

"Life emanates from me. I create the world with my thoughts, my beliefs, and my energetic frequency.”

3. Events happen; therefore, I feel bad

Most of our thoughts and feelings are programmed by the culture in which we are raised. We are trained at a very early age what makes us happy, which feelings go with which events, and how our moods should play out. We are trained to experience unhappy emotions, to blame these feeling on outside events, and to cry and moan about the unfairness of it all. We are trained not to expect good things. In fact, all responsible people know that “shit happens.”

I recently went through a death in my family. Death, as you know, has a pretty bad reputation. It was obvious to me that the little kids, the ones under 12, didn’t view this passing the same as the adults. But after watching their parents, they quickly learned the appropriate script.

We are trained to worry about letting people down, being disliked, getting sick, being poor. We’re trained to worry about pathogens, carcinogens, microwaves, plastic containers, preservatives, using mobile phones, and on and on.

Without this training, joy is my natural state. As Esther Hicks, author and inspirational speaker, once asked, “How come we only erect statues to war heroes? Where’re the statues of surfer dudes?”

4. God is an entity outside of me

“Lowly ‘little ole me’ must appeal to His Majesty’s benevolence, with fingers crossed that He’ll somehow find time for me, a doubtful proposition, being as He’s tied up fighting world hunger.”

God is a state of being, a loving energy that flows through me, sustains me, and surrounds me with light. Although it’s impossible to define or put into words, this “Radiant X,” as poet Stephen Mitchell calls it, is the un-nameable reality that causes everything to exist.

5. No pain, no gain.

The necessity of pain and suffering is such a living mythology and so entwined in our culture that we blank it out like a refrigerator motor. We’ve become so accustomed to living in the “life sucks” paradigm that it never occurs to us that another reality, a happy reality, is possible. Pain, loneliness, and fear are the context within which we live our lives. We’re so conditioned to wallow in misery that the concept of life as a joyous adventure seems impossible or even unnatural. Sure, we can buy that there will be happy events. In fact, we look forward to holidays and birthdays and time off work. But to believe that happiness is possible 24-7 is a big stretch.

The “life sucks” paradigm is really nothing but a bad habit, a rut we’ve been in since the first time our parents insisted we act our age. Looking for pain is nothing but a grossly irresponsible way of looking at the world. There is no reason to struggle. In fact, we don’t actually have to “work” at anything. Once we let go—surrender to the universal flow of life—higher forces will take over and handle the details. Once we take sorrow off the throne, as A Course in Miracles describes our outlook in Worldview 1.0, enlightenment is our naturally occurring, organic state of being.

Tried-and-true, uncanny, humorous, and always accurate, my 52-card Oracle card deck, The Oracle of E with accompanying guidebook delivers snappy, sassy answers that will not only show you how to create your own reality, but will keep you on track while doing it. A great stocking stuffer!

tomholly:
Quite pathetic!

Our police force is a sham. It requires total re-organization, retraining and mental examination of officers and men of the force.

baby124:
She needs to get a good lawyer to ensure heads must roll. His supervisor should be sacked for retaining such a mentally unstable person in the force and giving him a gun. The police should take responsibility and compensate her for her loss. It's time we start holding these idiots with guns very accountable.

By: Afeez Hanafi and Eric Dumo


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Beatrice and sympathisers. Photo: Afeez Hanafi



Seventy-five-year-old Beatrice Oyesolu, the mother of twin brothers shot dead on Saturday by a trigger-happy policeman guarding Paulson Hotel on Anibaba Street, Ketu-Ikosi, Lagos, says the promises her children made to her had been shattered.

The septuagenarian said the children ─ Taiye, a naval officer and Kehinde, an engineer ─ had concluded plans to start building her a house next month before the tragedy struck.

The twin brothers, aged 34, who hailed from Oro, Kwara State, were bachelors.

The drunken policeman, Stephen James, with Force number 217884, had opened fire on the brothers and their friend, Jeje, who was celebrating his birthday on the fateful day. The trio had cautioned him to stop harassing customers, who reportedly declined to buy him bottles of beer.

James, said to be a drug addict and notorious for shooting sporadically, killed the twins and their friend before he shot himself dead.

It took entreaties from residents around the hotel to stop the angry mob who wanted to set the facility on fire.

Sympathisers thronged a house in the community, where the twins’ mother, who lived in Mile 12, was brought to. The sympathisers rallied round her as she cried uncontrollably.

She said, “I just came back from church yesterday when they broke the news of their death to me. The government should help me because Taiye and Kehinde were the only hope I have. I have been stripped naked because they are my clothes. Who will I turn to now?

“They promised me a lot of things next year. They wanted to start building a house on my parcel of land next month. This is the seventh month after the death of their father.”

A relative, who did not want his name in print, demanded that the police should be made to compensate the mother of the deceased.

He said, “Why was he given a gun when they knew he was a drunk? The police must be sued. They should also pay compensation to the mother.”

The aunt of the deceased, Mrs. Afusat Salaudeen, said the death was a big loss to the entire family.

She said, “They were very caring. They were the ones sponsoring their elder brother’s son who is in a polytechnic. That brother had been missing for 10 years now. They were easy-going persons.”

Beatrice’s sister, identified only as Iya Ijesha, said, “They were God-fearing children. They never let their mother lack anything.”

A resident around the hotel, Segun Elphus, said the policeman nearly killed his friends and three of his younger brothers last month. He said he advised the supervising manager of the hotel to send James away.

He said, “The policeman was posted here about three months ago. He threatened to kill my friends, who visited me from England last month. My three younger brothers intervened. He nearly shot them.

“Yesterday, he was drunk. Jeje was outside the hotel smoking and he told him to leave. They were still on it when he shot him. Taiye tried to approach him; he shot him. He shot Kehinde while he was fleeing.

Another resident, Dele, said the fatalities would have been more if he was allowed to enter the hotel.

He said, “After he had killed the three guys, he wanted to enter the hotel premises, but the gate had been locked from inside. He was frustrated and shot himself. Sometime when he was drunk, he would say ‘I go kill 30 people, I go kill myself…no case.’”

A neighbour of the deceased on Dairo Street, Johnson Adebola, said they lived in the same flat and were friendly.

“Jeje sold foodstuffs in Mile 12. His parents live in Ijebu, Ogun State. They were four that went to the hotel yesterday. The fourth person, Shola, was lucky to escape. They were actually waiting for Shola’s girlfriend who just arrived in Lagos when the incident happened,” he added.

The hotel was under lock and key as of 3pm on Sunday when one of our correspondents left the area.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, during a visit to the scene of the crime on Sunday condemned the act of the late officer, saying it betrayed the ethics preached by the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase.

Owoseni, who also visited the family of the victims, said investigation was ongoing to ascertain whether the late policeman who committed the dastardly act was on authorised duty at the hotel or not.

He said, “The incident is a devastating one and it is normal for me to visit the scene of the crime. It is also important to see the family of the victims. The IG is aware and saddened by the development. The action of the killer-cop negates what the IG preaches about. The IG has said policemen should not be posted to unauthorised places. The action of the cop negates all of that.

“As a measure to prevent occurrences like this, we have always put up monitoring in place to check the activities of policemen anywhere they may be serving to ensure that they conform to rules and regulation. We are doing everything to ensure that this type of sad incident does not happen again,” he said.

acenazt:
In as much we are becoming impatient I will try to remain expectant till the budget gets released and after then shall I say my piece.

Bode Gbadebo:


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Speaker Dogora


Ahead of the presentationof the 2016 Budget by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has called on Nigerians to exercise more patience with the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government, saying that Nigerians will soon begin to reap dividends of the promises made by the ruling party when the 2016 Budget is passed into law.

Dogara, who said that the APC-led government inherited an empty treasury and a battered nation, added that the last six months cannot be used to judge the performance of the present administration under Buhari.

A statement issued by the Speaker’s special adviser on media and public affairs, Turaki Hassan yesterday and obtained by LEADERSHIP Sunday, said Dogara spoke when he paid a visit to the Emir of Misau in Bauchi state, Alhaji Ahmed Suleiman, in his palace.

He noted that President Buhari is facing enormous challenges but that he is determined to surmount those challenges.

Nigeria, according to the Speaker, is passing through difficult times and that the citizens need to show more understanding and patience as damages done to the country will take time to be fixed.

The Speaker told the traditional ruler that the 2016 Budget will soon be presented by the President while assuring that the Appropriation Bill will contain the APC campaign promises for the masses.

Dogara argued that it is only after the budget is implemented and government fails to deliver, that the citizens would have the right to criticize.

“We cannot afford to disappoint you and the mandate you gave us. Give us and the President maximum support and we shall not disappoint you,” he said.

According to him, “change is a gradual process, with patience we will bring the desired change and development you clamoured for”.

Responding, Emir Suleiman expressed gratitude to the Speaker for the visit, saying that it was the first time Misau Emirate will be receiving a sitting Speaker of the House of Representatives.

naughtynaughty:
3. “May our Loyalty never be
tested” – Fashola The minister of
power, work and housing said this in
response to a question to god-fatherism
during his ministerial screening.

2. “Poverty is the problem between
the mindlessly rich and hopelessly
poor” – Kayode Fayemi. The former
Ekiti state governor said this during his
ministerial screening.

1. “I belong to everybody and I
belong to nobody” – President
Muhammadu Buhari. The president
said this in his inaugural speech as he
was sworn in as the 5th democratic
leader which was held at the Eagles’
Square

Ihuoma Chiedozie, Enugu

---

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Nigeria’s Minister for Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige


The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has said all youths in the country are not entitled to the N5, 000 monthly stipend promised by the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government.

The minister also said the Federal Government intends to convert most of the unemployed graduates to teachers in a bid to tackle graduate unemployment.

Ngige explained that contrary to the widely-held belief that the N5,000 was meant for all youths, only the vulnerable ones amongst them would benefit.



Ngige spoke at an event held to mark the 5th anniversary of Bina Foundation and graduation ceremony of its students in Enugu.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment donated equipment worth N10m to the graduands.

Commending the Foundation for uplifting the less privileged in the society, the minister went ahead to shed more light on the payment of the N5,000 monthly stipend, which is expected to commence in 2016.

He said, “The APC government anchored delivery on three pillars; security of lives and property, improving economy under which employment creation is the third sub-head, and infrastructure revival.

“You can see that employment creation is the main issue. We have heard people say we are waiting for N5, 000. We did not say we are paying N5,000 to all the youth. We are saying it is for the most vulnerable.”

Giving further insight to how the government intends to tackle unemployment, Ngige said that the Federal Government had budgeted N500bn for social safety needs in the coming year.

“Most unemployed graduates would be converted to teachers. The move is equally aimed at boosting the education sector,” he said.

Ngige noted that majority of the current crop of teachers in public schools were half-baked.

In the same vein, the minister, who said the era of white-collar jobs was gone, added that the government would pay serious attention to skill acquisition.

Ngige said, “For the social safety needs, we have budgeted N500bn for the next fiscal year.

“We have captured unemployed graduates. We are doing two things; we get those who read Law, Engineering and other disciplines but do not have jobs. We would train them for nine months and convert them to teachers.

“Most of our schools have half-baked teachers. We want to redefine our schools and make them what they are.

“We are also building skill acquisition centres. We have 12 of them across the country. The era of white-collar industry is gone.

“Nobody in Nigeria will be unemployed, people will learn how to use their hands.”

He also disclosed that the Federal Government would fight poverty in 2016, by giving aid to people with special needs while children will get their own through the school feeding programme.

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A 32-year-old lady, Oluwafunke Arogbonlo, is in a critical condition at a specialist hospital in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, after her sister, identified as Yemisi, allegedly poured hot water on her.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the victim was asleep on Friday night at their house on Road 1, Federal Housing Estate, Mile 4, Port Harcourt, when the suspect allegedly sneaked into her room and emptied a bucket of hot water on her.

Our correspondent was told that the victim sustained burns from her neck region down to one of her feet.

It was learnt that Oluwafunke and Yemisi were stepsisters.

It was gathered that Oluwafunke’s mother separated from her daughter’s dad as soon as she was born, and she had lived with the father ever since.

He was said to have remarried a new wife, identified as Victoria, who gave birth to Yemisi and three other children.

Yemisi was said to be a student of Medicine at a university in Nassarawa State.

On September 2, PUNCH Metro learnt that there was a disagreement between Oluwafunke and her stepmother, Victoria, and during a struggle, the latter was alleged to have fallen to the ground and hit her head against the wall.

Our correspondent gathered that Victoria reported the incident to her children, including the suspect, who was then on the campus.

She was said to have returned Friday, December 4, and pretended as if all was well.

Oluwafunke, who spoke with PUNCH Metro from the hospital bed, explained that she never suspected anything after exchanging pleasantries with the suspect.

She said, “We greeted and I tried to explain to her that I did not touch her mother, that it was a misunderstanding and she wanted to hit me when I dodged and she fell. She told me not to bother about it, that it was gone and we should move on as sisters.

“I was asleep at night when she boiled water. She came into my room with a bucket of hot water and emptied it on me.

“I knew she was the one because immediately she did it, I opened my eyes and saw her. I was in pain.”

Our correspondent was told that the victim sustained burns to her neck, breasts, buttocks, chest and back.

The suspect reportedly took the victim to a private hospital the following morning.

Her mother, who lives in Lagos and pleaded not to be named, said she was alerted to the incident on Monday.

She said her ex-husband later moved Oluwafunke from the hospital to a specialist hospital for proper treatment.

She said, “I flew in on Monday night and immediately the plane touched down, I came right to the hospital. She has been in pain ever since the incident and although I learnt the matter had been reported at the police station, the police did not act until I got here and Funke’s friends went to make the report again.

“The police had to come to the hospital to take down her statement.”

She said the matter was reported at the Ada-George Police Station.

The suspect’s mother, Victoria, when contacted, said she could not speak to our correspondent on the matter.

She said, “If Funke’s people are saying she did not beat me up, then I cannot say anything. When they have told you the truth about what happened, then you can let me know. I am not going to say more than that.”

A Lagos lawyer, Spurgeon Ataene, condemned the act, urging the police to do their job.

He said, “A family feud does not give anybody the licence to pour hot water on the offending party. It is a barbaric act that should be condemned. The police should take this matter up and make sure justice is served.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Rivers State, Ahmad Muhammad, said he does not confirm such incidents to the press.

“I am sorry, I cannot confirm or comment on it. I have been on leave and I just resumed. Aside that, I cannot say anything on the matter and I cannot confirm anything to you,” he added.

MiddyO:
TX Phema!

Phema:
Done.

Phema:
Very well. You and yours?

I see you tried reaching me. Haven't been able to access that email.

What's up?

Mourinho: Chelsea will not be relegated


The champions were sunk by Glenn Murray's solitary goal and now lie in 14th place, and while the boss is not thinking about the drop a top-four finish is looking unlikely

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has dismissed talk that his side could be relegated despite slipping to another surprise defeat against Bournemouth.

Glenn Murray's winner for the Cherries leaves the Premier League champions sitting just three points above the relegation zone in 14th place after 15 games.

And Mourinho insists his side will climb out of trouble, though their chances of finishing in the top four are diminishing.

"I am concerned, obviously. I was concerned before this game because I am not happy about our position. You can imagine now after this result at home," he told Sky Sports.

"Obviously Chelsea will not be fighting for relegation – no chance. Chelsea will win matches and come out of that area. That’s not the point and not the problem. The problem is our objective is to finish top four.

"Before this game I think this was fair to feel with our quality and getting three or four matches in a row, which we can do any time, can push us up to the kind of position I was expecting to be at the end of December. This defeat has not put us in a dangerous postion, but our objective is not to fight relegation.

"Our objective is to fight for the top four, and maybe now we have to think about fighting for the top six."

Asked about the clash, Mourinho was encouraged by an improvement after the interval and was unimpressed by the officiating once again.
"We did not deserve to lose this game. Especially in the second half, we did more than enough to win the game," he said.

"The referee made an important mistake, but it’s part of the game. Our opponents, in the period when they were thinking about a clean sheet and getting a point, they went and scored a goal.

Kingsasian:
down to league one.....

Sure, they will discover oil in that league for real

M4gunners:
The Bridge is falling faster than expected.

Phema:
Congratulations MiddyO!

MorrowCaligari:
Mo.Ron! Just because it was built in the white mans way doesn't make it any less beautiful. Im.becile

ramdris:
The city seems as if it was built by Termites....

HungerBAD:
It is beautiful.

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Ninety one polling stations would take part in today’s supplementary governorship elections in Kogi State, following the judgement of a Federal High Court In Abuja, which declined jurisdiction over the multiple cases filed by the candidates of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP Captain Idris Wada, the Peoples Democratic Change, PDC and Honourable James Faleke of the All Progressives Congress, APC. In Bayelsa, the battle line is drawn between PDP and the APC. ANDREW OOTA writes on the state of affairs in the two states.

The uncertainty over whether or not, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC would so along with the scheduled supplementary elections in the 91 polling stations of Kogi state today was settled by the judgment of the Federal High Court presided and delivered by Justice Gabriel Kolawole who in a landmark judgement declined jurisdiction and okayed that the commission proceeds with the concluding part of the election.

The incumbent governor of Kogi state and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP in the November 21st, 2015 Captain Idris Wada had approached the High Court to compel INEC to declare him winner in the inconclusive elections which, would have stalled the conduct of the polls today.

Honourable James Faleke of the All Progressives Congress, APC had also approached the High Court challenging the decision of the his party in choosing Mr. Yahaya Bello as replacement for the late candidate of the APC in the inconclusive election , Prince Abubakar Audu in which he was a running mate as well as to stop the supplementary elections.

According to Justice Gabriel Kolawole only the election petition tribunal had the jurisdiction to hear the cases and further permitted the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to continue with the supplementary election in the state, scheduled for this Saturday, December 5.

His words, “Only the election petition can entertain this case. The court does not have the affirmation to make definitive pronouncements,” the judge averred.

Equally determined to stop today’s supplementary elections in Kogi before the High Court ruling of yesterday was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Change, PDC, Emmanuel Daiko who asked that the supplementary election be declared illegal; and Raphael Igbokwe (a PDP member of the House of Reps), who also asked the court to order INEC (the first defendant) to hold a fresh election in the state.

Similarly, Johnson Jacob equally asked the court to cancel the election. At its penultimate sitting, the high court had consolidated the various cases and reserved judgment in three prayers sought for yesterday barely 24 hours to the conduct of the supplementary polls.

As it stands, following the position of justice Kolawole that beyond the issues of lack of jurisdiction, it would amount to “idle judicial indulgence to proceed with the suit”, it therefore means, the 91 polling units across the state, where election results were cancelled would return to the polls this morning to decide.

According to the justice Kolawole , the prayers sort by the candidates of the PDP, PDC as well as the Honourable Faleke can only be addressed by an election tribunal, adding that the goal of the judgement is to create a judicial and permissive order for INEC to conduct supplementary polls where the court does not have affirmative declarative powers and jurisdiction.

While for Kogi state, it is a supplementary in about 90 polling stations, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has announced that both sensitive and non-sensitive materials have arrived the state.

The late Audu was leading with total of 41, 000 votes before the cancellation of about 48, 000 votes stalled his victory. Prince Abubakar Audu was said to have died shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC temporarily put his victory on hold by declaring the elections as inconclusive.

This decision and, death of the APC candidate, Prince Audu created no small anxiety and uncertainty in Kogi state and the country at large owing to the fact that the 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended and the Electoral Act did not envisage such a scenario, hence the commission was forced to consult the Attorney General For the Federation and Minister of Justice for advice, although there were arguments in some quarters that INEC ought to have approached the Supreme Court, not an appointee whose employer and, in this case, the President and Commander -In -Chief is a member of the APC and by implications, his judgement may be biased and partisan.

Apparently based on the advice of the Attorney General for the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC requested the APC to replace the late Prince Abubakaar Audu with another candidate who would complete the race from where death terminated the late Audu’s ambition to, again rule Kogi and the lots fell on Alhaji Yahaya Bello, but late Audu’s running mate, Honourable James Faleke kicked, challenged the decision of the party before an Abuja High Court praying the court to declare him winner of the November 21, 2015 governorship elections in Kogi.

According to Honourable Faleke, the decision of INEC to declare the elections of November 21, 2015 was in error.

To some analysts, HonourableFaleke, who did not take part in any of the processes including primaries of the party but was merely picked as running mate by the late Audu could only lay any claim to the victory, if the results of that elections were declared in favour of his party before Audu’s death. They have also argued that Honourable Faleke, who made frantic efforts to emerge candidate of his party the APC to replace late Audu in the supplementary elections, but lost out, could not, in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act replace Audu because he did not take part in any process the led to emergence of a candidate in the kogi elections, therefore fielding him would mean, donating victory to the PDP through the tribunal or Appeal Court.

It is curious that, it was after losing his bid to replace his late boss, that Faleke suddenly realized that indeed he should have being declared governor-elect by INEC, for this double standard, many are of the opinion that Faleke is either playing a spoiler’s script since he could not have his way or merely playing to the gallery.

Faleke is not alone in court, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP and incumbent governor, Captain Idris Wada is also in court, laying claim to have won the November 21, 2015 kogi governorship elections, coincidentally, both Faleke and Audu are at the wrong places, because the Electoral Act says elections related cases shall begin at the election Tribunals, it did not say such cases should start from an regular court, therefore, anybody laying claims to that particular victory before a regular court may be acting in cumulative ignorance or simply playing to the gallery.

For Bayelsa, it is a full elections in the 8 local governments that constitute the state , the Nigerian Police Force has deployed its personnel to the oil rich state to ensure that today’s elections are violence free and without the usual ballot stuffing.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has vowed that Smart Card Readers must be used for accreditation for today’s elections in Bayelsa and, on no account should manual accreditation be allowed.

Like Kogi state before the death of the APC candidate, the two leading candidates in today’s Bayelsa governorship elections, Honourable Seriake Dickson of the PDP and the APC candidate, Mr Timipre Sylva have both governed the state, while Sylva was governor of Bayelsa state between 2007 and 2011; the PDP candidate is the incumbent state governor.

Like, Kogi whoever wins in today’s Bayelsa state governorship elections between the APC and the PDP candidates would only do one term, having done a term each.

The police personnel deployed to Bayelsa state, with just 8 local governments underscores not just the difficult terrain of the river line state, but also to checkmate and possibly neutralize the anxiety and fear of crisis, following the drums of war from the oil rich state by supporters of both parties as well as the uncharitable comments of former president Goodluck Jonathan believed to be designed to widen the gulf and sow a seed of discord when he told the people of the state during one of the rallies of the PDP candidate Seriake Dickson that the PDP was an Ijaw party.

President Jonathan, to many, was simply on a familiar path of regional, sectional and religious bigotry, which contributed immensely in sending him out of Aso Rock during the April 2015 Presidential elections which he lost by vilifying Muhammadu Buhari.

LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that, such comments believed to be unnecessarily incisive, informed the decision of the police and sister agencies to deploy enough personnel to ensure that the people of Bayelsa are allowed to freely exercise their constitutional rights by voting for any candidate or political party of their choice without being harassed or intimidated.

taryour:
Good morning house. wishing everyone a blessed week. where on earth is Idowuogbo

freecocoa:
I'm good o, only owu, the economy is fecked so the weekend is very dry on my end, I hope yours is better.

jamace:
You are right BUT APC fulfilled the electoral requirements before the commencement of the election proper. With the death of Audu which is a "force majeure", Faleke should suitably take Audu's place while APC add a running mate to Faleke. QED.

TonyeBarcanista:
There is no two ways about it. I keep saying and will continue to maintain that Hon Abiodun Faleke is the legitimate candidate of APC. No two ways about it

seunmsg:
Very sound argument by the legal luminary. Faleke should go to court and retrieve his mandate.

https://punchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/SAGAY.jpg
Sagay



Why do you support the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a supplementary governorship election in Kogi State?

It is because the election has already been held. It is a waste of time, resources and the efforts and energy of the people to go back and take part in an election in which they have already voted. Therefore, only those who have not voted and have been deprived of voting should vote. That is what we have been saying — Section 181 of the constitution already shows that once an election has been conducted and the results show that there is a leader, if the person dies, then the running mate should take his place; even though in this case the results have been declared inconclusive. Those are the two legs of my argument: You do not repeat an election that has been concluded and whose results have already been written down. In essence, it is only those that have not voted who will now vote. And as to who will be the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, it has to be the person who was the running mate of the person who passed away. These are the two things to consider.

Some have asked Audu’s running mate, James Faleke, to approach the courts to challenge the party’s decision not to make him Audu’s replacement. Do you think this is advisable?

No, because Faleke is an APC man. If the party decides that it wants to conduct another primary, that is their problem, and I use the word ‘problem’ advisedly because they are creating an unnecessary problem for themselves. They already have two candidates — the running mate who is surviving is a candidate and all they need to do is to pick someone else from the same senatorial district as the deceased that will be the running mate of Faleke. I don’t know why people avoid simple things and then go and complicate life for themselves. I don’t understand. While I would not advise Faleke to go to court, I think the decision belongs to the party and if they want him to retain his deputy governorship candidature, he should allow them without making any problem. But I think it would be a mistake on their (APC’s) part.

Is it true that Section 181 of the constitution only applies to a governor-elect that has been declared by INEC, as some have argued?

We can’t call him a governor-elect. He is not yet a governor-elect. A governor-elect is a candidate who has won an election and whose results have been declared. What I am saying is that what we have now is the nearest thing to that. Election has also been held. The only difference here is that it was stated to be inconclusive in the case that some people were deprived of the opportunity to vote; a small number of people of about 40,000, whereas what we have already are almost 400,000 votes. Looking at the provision in Section 181, it is very similar. Therefore, by analogy, we can apply that provision.

There are some opposed to the decision for the APC to conduct a primary with the argument that if the result of the November 21 governorship election was declared inconclusive, then a fresh election should be conducted. What is your response to that?

For me, the question of a new election is totally ruled out. Only a person who is speaking in bad faith would talk of a new election. Election has been held. It is those who lost that election who want that election to be repeated perpetually till they win; those are the people who would make such ‘bad-faith’ suggestions. For me, any other (new) election is out of the question. Election has been held; only those who have not had the opportunity to vote should vote. And I think the PDP should now learn to abide by election results.

Do you agree with the argument that, in accordance with the provisions of the constitution and the Electoral Act, it would be unlawful for the APC to select someone like Faleke, who did not participate in the party’s original primary, to represent it as a governorship candidate in the supplementary election?

They can pick anybody from among those who have taken part in that primary, but it has absolutely no legal relevance, the fact that he takes part in a primary. He is not better than any person who has not taken part in a primary. Maybe for emotional or psychological reasons, they may make that suggestion, but there is no legal significance in that suggestion.

Do you think it would have been better if this matter was taken to court for a clear and objective interpretation?

I have already told you my way out of the whole scenario, which is that we should let the running mate become the governorship candidate and then let somebody be picked from (Audu’s) senatorial district as his deputy governorship candidate. But as you know, in Nigeria we like going to court a lot. I have no doubt that somebody is going to go to court and for selfish reasons. Maybe the loser will want to go to court or the party of the loser may want to go to court to look for a second chance; to have a second election after they have lost. They would want to have election perpetually until a particular person wins. In essence, somebody is likely to go to court and, if that happens, at the end of the day, the judicial decision that is taken at the Supreme Court level will lay down the precedent which we shall follow in future. But then, if I were the one to take a decision, I would simply say, ‘Let the deputy governorship candidate become the (governorship) candidate and let someone be selected from the senatorial district of the former candidate as his deputy.’

Do you think it is necessary to amend the constitution at all, given the legal conundrum that has arisen as a result of Audu’s ill-timed death?

No, I don’t think so at all. Look at what has happened; it is a freak accident. The constitution already provides for a situation in which, if after an election a candidate who won dies, then his deputy steps into his shoes. That is what Section 181 says. There was an election, no winner was announced because there is to be a run-off and within that short period, a candidate dies. Which type of law can anticipate every situation? If we had a country in which people acted in good faith, in which there was a certain level of rational and reasonable mentality, this thing shouldn’t create a problem because no law can create a rule for every situation. I don’t think we need any new law about this; we should accept any legal rule that fills that gap if it is necessary.

After comparing the margin between the two leading candidates with the number of remaining voters in the areas where the supplementary election will be conducted, the APC says the result should not have been declared inconclusive at all. What do you think?

I’ve heard that and if the facts stated to that effect are correct, then the APC is right because I am told that only 25,000 people of those who have not voted have Permanent Voter Cards. Even if we have a supplementary election, only those 25,000 will be able to vote. What is the point of the supplementary election when, already, the APC is leading with 41,000 votes? In essence, even if all the 25,000 votes are cast in favour of the PDP, it will not catch up. If that is the case, it was a major constitutional error on the part of INEC to have declared the election inconclusive.

What do you then propose the INEC should do at this point in order not to waste time and public fund?

That is why I say the election has been held. We can’t be wasting money repeating what has already been done. Let the supplementary election be held in the units were elections did not take place and then the total results announced immediately after that.

freecocoa:
Hi, how are you?