₦airaland Forum

Peter Okoye of Psquare shared this picture with him and Chelsea star Eden Hazard in turkey for Samuel Etoo's Testimonial Match tomorrow, which Peter Okoye is set to be featured.


http://newswirenaija..in/2016/07/peter-okoye-pictured-with-chelsea-super.html


Cc: Lalasticlala

On 27 June 2016, the Federal High Court, Abuja ruled on a two year old case instituted by Mr Uche Ogah in 2014 which was based on the fact that Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu never qualified to run in the 2014 gubernatorial primaries of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) because he (Ikpeazu) failed to pay his taxes as required by law. In his judgment, Okon Abang ordered the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately issue a certificate of return to Mr. Uche Oga as Governor-elect, a directive which INEC has complied with.

While the landmark judgment and victory of Uche Ogah is based on unassailable facts, the Ikpeazu camp have embarked on an orchestrated campaign of misinformation and outright lies. The clear objective of the Ikpeazu campaign is to deceive Abia people and the Nigerian populace, curry unmerited public goodwill by posing as a “victim” and sabotage the just, balanced and valid judgment of an appropriate court.

The Ikpeazu camp has also procured a tainted court order for stay of execution which has rightly been condemned by respected luminaries such as Olisa Agbakoba SAN for being a travesty of the law and justice. This intervention is aimed at setting the records straight and to explain in very clear terms – based on the history and facts of the court case – why the victory of Uche Oga is valid and not a hurriedly executed legal ambush for the acquisition of political power as being insinuated by some persons.

OGAH’S VICTORY IS A TWO YEAR-OLD PRE-ELECTION CASE, NOT AN AMBUSH

The Ogah victory is not a recent one. It was instituted two years ago. Uche Oga had filed the case at the Federal High Court against Ikpeazu in 2014 questioning Ikpeazu’s eligibility to participate in the PDP gubernatorial primaries on the basis that he failed to pay his taxes as required by law. Knowing that the facts were not in his favor, the Ikpeazu team tried to frustrate the case through frivolous legal antics. For example, they tried to ensure that the case was not tried in Abia for obvious reasons. They queried the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to hear the case. This process went to the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court eventually ruled that the Federal High Court had the jurisdiction to treat the matter.

When this antic failed, the Ikpeazu team questioned the integrity of the Federal High Court judge assigned to the case, Justice Ademola whom they alleged was compromised and biased against them. The Judge was eventually changed and replaced with Justice Okon Abang at their instance. It is this same Judge that eventually delivered the judgment against Ikpeazu.

Ogah’s victory is clear proof that Ikpeazu is guilty of tax evasion – a serious crime against the state – which disqualified him from contesting for the office of Governor. It is a victory that all lovers of democracy should celebrate. A man who does not pay his taxes does not have the moral or legal right to manage the proceeds of tax paid by law abiding citizens for the collective good of the state as Governor. Ikpeazu’s guilt raises a fundamental issue of his personal integrity which the law has finally dealt with.

It is therefore clear that contrary to the impression being given by the Ikpeazu camp, this case is far from an ambush. It is strongly anchored on facts and the refusal of Ikpeazu to respond to the core issues and his resort to propaganda speaks volumes. If Ikpeazu is convinced about the rightness of his cause, he should do what Peter Obi did: vacate the seat, plead his case in a court of law and when granted victory come back rather than the resort to propaganda.

WHO IS UCHE OGAH?

Uche Ogah as those who know him can attest is a quiet man. But anyone familiar with his exploits in business and industry will confirm his accomplishments are loud. He is one of the highest achieving entrepreneurs and industrialist of his generation. He is currently the President of Master Energy Group – a conglomerate with workforce of about 42, 000 with interests in oil & gas, banking, insurance, aviation, shipping, dredging, logistics, construction, travel services, and power. Beyond his track record in business, his record in transformational philanthropy and his positive impact on the lives of individuals and communities all bear eloquent testimonies to his humanity.

He is passionate about Abia and wants to bring real change to the state. Uche Ogah is a fully accomplished and financially comfortable individual who is not in the race for the money. Rather he sees involvement in politics as an opportunity to have more solid and sustainable impact on Abia. In the coming days Abians will get a full flavor of his plans. The law has spoken. Justice is on the side of Uche Ogah. His record is clear. His passion for Abia cannot be hidden. For the sake of Abians, Abia youths and the generations unborn, Abians should support this worthy, humble achiever.

By Chukwuemeka Ezeche

Chukwuemeka Ezeche is a member of the ABIA United for Excellence Forum

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/abia-governorship-uche-ogah-won/


Cc: Lalasticlala

The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said that the party cannot afford to lose the Edo gubernatorial election holding on Sept. 10.

https://d19lga30codh7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/APC-chair.jpg
Chairman of APC Odigie-Oyegun at APC National Convention in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.


Odigie-Oyegun made the statement in Abuja on Tuesday after presenting the certificate of return to Mr Godwin Obaseki, the party’s flag-bearer in the poll.

Odigie-Oyegun said “there is nothing to capture in Edo, we are just going to go ahead and win.

”We cannot afford to lose Edo State, that thought must never arise because it is significant … it is no longer local politics.

”By God’s grace we will win the election,” he said.

Commending the Gov. Aminu Masari-led election committee, Obaseki said: ”the team was truly professional.‎”

The chairman pledged to unite the party, saying ”of the 11 opponents at the primary, only one has not agreed to work with us.’’

Speaking to newsmen afterwards, Obaseki cleared the ‎air over ongoing rumour about controversies surrounding his proposed deputy, Hon. Philip Shuaibu.

There are reports that since Gov. ‎Adams Oshiomhole is from Edo North, Obaseki from Edo South, his deputy should be from Edo Central but Shuiabu, the proposed deputy, is also from Edo North.

”We had far-reaching consultations with party members, had meetings with leadership of the party and looked at his credentials before we arrived at this decision.

”Nobody is going to be marginalised over this issue.”

On whether he views the opposition as a threat in the upcoming election, Obaseki, who heads Oshiomhole’s economic team, said: ”we don’t believe we have opposition in Edo State.

”We beat ‎them in every election as opposition in Edo. They don’t have much to campaign on, we contested against them in the past and we won so they don’t stand a chance.”

Obaseki also debunked the story that the incumbent administration had run the Edo economy and civil service aground.

”They are used to running fiction and lies, for them to insinuate that about the civil service I think is fraudulent.

”Even if we forgive them for the money they stole‎ we will never forget what they did to our bureaucracy. Building Edo back is our priority.

”In 10 years they barely recruited, they removed top civil servants while the junior ones had nobody to learn from and ‎did not employ.

”We have built back moral, paid pension ‎to those they retired without paying and so on. Once we finish, Edo will be the model city we dreamed of.”


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/cannot-afford-lose-edo-election-apc-chairman/

Cc:Lalasticlala

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) said that foreign nationals from the African Union (AU) member states can now travel to Ghana and be issued with visas on arrival.

Francis Palmdeti, Head of Public Affairs of the GIS, said on Monday in a statement that Ghana kick-starts the new visa policy.


Kotoka-International-Airport, Ghana
He said the arrangement would be piloted at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra for three months, and thereafter extended to all other entry points of the country.

“All AU nationals affected by this policy who arrive in the country must have a passport, valid for at least three months, from the date of entry; they must have a return ticket or evidence of onward travel.

“Travellers must show evidence of sufficient funds and proof of accommodation before they are granted visas,’’ he said.

Palmdeti said that the visa-on-arrival decision by the Ghanaian government was in fulfilment of a resolution adopted at the AU Executive Council meeting held earlier this year in Addis Ababa.

He said that the resolution stipulates that AU Member States should review their internal and external security realities in an attempt to implement mechanisms allowing for the issuing of visas on arrival for citizens of member states, with the possibility of a 30-day stay.

Palmdeti said Ghana became the first AU member state to adopt such a policy and has received commendation from the AU Commission for the bold step. (Xinhua/NAN)


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/ghana-begins-visa-arrival-policy-au-member-states/

PORT HARCOURT—Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has denied allegation that he had any business link with the current Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mr Aniedi Ikoiwak when he was Minister of State for Education.



Senator Magnus Abe had alleged recently that the state Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, boss was a contractor in the ministry when the governor was a Minister, stressing that he should be stopped from conducting the rerun elections.

Abe had also accused the REC of allegedly skewing the last rerun elections in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in appreciation to the governor for the alleged contracts he got while Wike was Minister.

But reacting, Wike who spoke through the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr Austin Tam-George said that the allegations by the All Progressives Congress, APC, senatorial candidate for the Rivers South East senatorial district, Abe, were tissues of lies, and a clear show of his desperation.

His words: “Faced with his imminent defeat in the forthcoming legislative rerun polls in Rivers State, Senator Abe has started a campaign of calumny and vilification against Governor Wike and INEC officials in Rivers State.

“Abe’s latest allegation that Governor Wike had a previous business relationship with the current INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State is a grotesque fabrication.

“Governor Wike categorically denies any form of business association with any INEC official, in the past or at present.”


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/ive-no-business-link-rivers-rec-gov-wike/

Ado-Ekiti—The gale of protests in Ekiti State following the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, revelation of the involvement of Governor Ayo Fayose in the arm scandal has not shown any sign of ending yet, as the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, and other anti-Fayose groups, yesterday trooped to the streets of Ado Ekiti in protest against alleged looting of the state by the governor.

The Coalition commended EFCC for freezing the governor’s accounts in a new generation bank for allegedly containing N1.3 billion from the office of the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, (retd) to fund the governor’s campaign in 2014.

Security agencies, comprising of the police and operatives of Department of State Services were deployed to provide cover for the mammoth crowd that attended the rally.

https://d19lga30codh7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Fayose-Ekiti.jpg
Fayose


The protesters comprised party leaders, students, youth groups, artisans and other like-minded individuals who marched from Fajuyi Park through Okeyinmi to Ijigbo area where they were addressed by their leaders.

Unanimously, the protesters passed a confidence vote in the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and his anti-corruption war, challenging the EFCC to dig deep into the finances of the state and prosecute whoever was indicted in the looting of the state’s treasury.

They chanted anti-Fayose’s songs and displayed placards of various inscriptions to deride the way the governor had allegedly been looting the state, especially his alleged indictment in the arms fund, alleged collection of kickbacks from contractors handling various projects in the state to buy multibillion naira property in Lagos , among others.

The APC Acting Chairman in the state, Mrs Kemi Olaleye, lamented how the immunity conferred on Governor Fayose in accordance with section 308 of the constitution, had been impeding his prosecution for alleged embezzlement of funds.

“We are tired of immunity clause. Immunity has become impunity in Ekiti. We condemn Governor Fayose’s corrupt tendencies .Things must change. The EFCC must do its job and ensure that looters of Ekiti are brought to justice”, she said.

A statement presented by the CNPP Chairman in the state, Mr Tunji Ogunlola, challenged Fayose to waive his immunity and face prosecution over his alleged involvement in N4.7 billion arms deal alongside former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro and Peoples Democratic, PDP, governorship candidate in Osun State in the last poll, Mr Iyiola Omisore.

“On the issue of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, we ask the 17 members alleged to have falsified their certificates to submit themselves for prosecution. It is very unfortunate that their primary roles have been abandoned for Fayose’s defence. We also plead with the Federal Government not to release bailout for payment of salaries to Governor Fayose. The Federal Ministry of Finance should pay into workers’ accounts directly, because we have lost confidence in the government. The previous N9.6 billion bailout should be probed.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/immunity-has-become-impunity-in-ekiti-apc/

THE Information and Communications Technology (ICT) accessories market located in Ikeja, Lagos is about the largest ICT accessory market in Africa.



Apart from information and technology accessories, the market also has computer engineers and technicians who specialized in the repair of faulty computers and mobile phones.

The market which opens on a daily basis except on Sundays and public holidays has enviable popularity that has attracted new investors and ICT dealers across Africa, which incidentally expanded the market size and population with profound effects on Lagos State economy.

The unique characteristic of this market is its compliance with Perfect competition setting where no trader or group of traders has the power to influence the price of products.

This singular factor has made products cheap and affordable in the market and attracted multitude of gadget lovers, especially mobile phone freaks who go there to explore the latest and innovative offerings and subsequently buying same.

However, recent investigations reveal that this is no longer the situation. Prices of products especially mobile phones are now going up in the market such that users are resorting to patronising the grey market and unauthorised dealers on the roadside markets than going to the computer market.

Vanguard Hi-Tech investigations, however, reveal that this present situation is neither because the setting of the market has changed nor that dealers or their groups are now influencing market prices.

Many factors have contributed in whittling down the power that made the market a toast of all phone lovers. These include unstable exchange rate, illegal levies, extortions, exorbitant and double taxation and high cost of cargo clearing and import duty. All of these are putting the dealers on the edge as they have no option than passing the costs to end users.

Some of the dealers who spoke to Hi-Tech but preferred that their names are not mentioned, lamented that they pay in excess of N15, 000 daily on taxes and levies, which are in many instances, duplicated.

One of them said: “Today, apart from forces of demand and supply that can always push up price of devices in the market, these factors are majorly why price of mobile phones like Lumia, BlackBerry, Samsung, LG, Tecno, Huawei, among others now go up”.

Cost of clearing:“Why would anybody expect us to sell at affordable prices like before when we pay through our noses to clear the goods?. Officially, it costs about N850 to clear one Kilogramme of phone. When we say one Kilogramme, we are just talking about three pieces of phone. But now, by the time we are through all huddles the customs set in the process of clearing, a dealer would have spent about N7,627 to clear one kilogramme of phone.

“A bag of phone usually will contain 40 to 50 pieces of mobile phones. There is no reason why cost of phones will not go up with what is playing out in the clearing process.

Unstable forex regime

You can now imagine why even the Nokia 105 that used to sell for N2,900 now goes for about N6,500. The situation is getting terrible”, he added.

Forex: Another dealer who took Hi-Tech into confidence also lamented the unstable forex regime and asked the government to do something fast if the prices of things must go down. He said that the continuous depreciation of the naira at the international market, is one reason they are jerking up prices of devices. He regretted that Lumia 930 that he used to sell at N98,000 when it was launched now goes for about N110,000 in his shop. “If the exchange rate is stable, the cost of this device should be dropping instead of going up because it is not even the latest in the line up” he added.

Power:Power problem which is a general disease in Nigeria is also crippling the business of phone sellers in the market. Some of the dealers cried out that they spend huge sums to generate power which is necessary in the running of their day to day businesses. Big vendors, like IT World, Dallas Communications, Micro Station, Slot, Gafunk, among others, said they spend in excess of N5,000 per day and N30,000 per week, to generate power for their businesses. What this means is that this amount would be spread among the products on display and eventually, the price is paid by the final consumer.

Taxes: The computer market has also been discovered as a major cash cow of the Lagos State Government following levies and taxes collected. The dealers said that each shop pays about N5,100 per annum to the State Government. In addition to this, there are also company tax and personal income taxes paid by workers of the same companies.

In fact, a trader who was happy to give details to Vnguard, stated that:”Every member of my staff pays tax to the government.

Users of products and services

The Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) also comes to collect their own. The Health workers collect their own. All these are double taxations. At the end of the day, the end users of products and services bear the brunt”, he lamented.

Illegal levies: He further lamented illegal levies which have been made compulsory for traders in the market. “On daily basis, we pay Community Development Association, CDA, N300; Police, N300; Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), N500; Lagos State Government Ministry of Environment.N500; and Street urchins also come on daily basis to collect fees which depend on your power of negotiation.

“Do you think that the prices of devices will ever remain the same with all these extortions? It’s impossible! He exclaimed.

Confronting the leadership of the Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria with these myriad of problems the members highlighted, a member of the exco and Public Relations Officer of the group, Mr Godwin Enamor, said there were expectations that the market will wear a new look soon and appealed to the government to provide enabling environment for every business to thrive in the market.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/computer-village-prices-mobile-phones-increase/


Cc: Lalasticlala

Good job. See more here http://newswirenaija..ae/2016/07/nigerian-troops-in-north-kill-4-boko.html?m=1

At the early hours of today, troops of 118 Task Force Battalion, 8 Task Force Division sprang a surprised ambush on some elements of Boko Haram terrorists along Gerere Junction, Kukawa Local Government Area, on the northern part of Borno State.


The Boko Haram terrorists were suspected to be fleeing from the advancing troops of 119 Task Force Battalion presently mopping the general area of Kangarwa in Kukawa Local Government Area.


During the operation, the troops killed 4 Boko Haram terrorists carrying logistics items. The troops recovered 48 Jerry cans containing 1,440 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) Automatic Gasoline Oil (AGO), 8 Motorcycles out of which 2 were destroyed, 21 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, 2 AK-47 rifles, an unprimed Improvised Explosive Device and a 36 Henagar Hand Grenade, as well as assorted drugs. However, one of the military vehicle and communication equipment were badly damaged from gun shots by the terrorists.


The troops have continued to intensify vigilance and high level of alertness following concerted efforts of clearing the remnants of the terrorists.


You are please requested to disseminate this information to the public through your medium.




http://newswirenaija..ae/2016/07/nigerian-troops-in-north-kill-4-boko.html?m=1

Cc: Lalasticlala

The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has said President Muhammadu Buhari reneged on the promise he made to name treasury looters because two serving ministers in his cabinet are among those looters, who recently returned their loot.

The spokesperson for the PDP in Osun State, Mr. Diran Odeyemi, said this in a statement in Osogbo on Sunday.

The opposition party dared Buhari to name the looters who returned the stolen funds.

The party also accused the President of being selective in his anti-corruption war, describing the war as a deceit to hoodwink Nigerians.

Odeyemi stated that despite the glaring evidence against some aides of the President and those close to him, Buhari had yet to see the reason to name the looters who had returned stolen funds.

The PDP statement partly read, “We hereby dare Mr. President to name those people that reportedly returned stolen money. From our findings, two serving ministers also returned huge amount of money stolen from public treasury and that made Mr. President to renege on his promise to name looters on May 29.

“Many petitions detailing sleaze ongoing in Osun State in the last five and a half years are lying unattended to at the EFCC’s office. Few individuals have also heightened the feast on the state’s intestine in the last six months making Osun to be gasping for breath. From 9th position in 2009 in the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination passing rate to 29th in 2015, and as a matter of fact no sector is working.

“We implore Mr. President to re-examine his anti-corruption fight and make it total instead of the targeted attacks on the PDP members to permanently silence opposition voices in the country.

“No individual has succeeded in killing the truth. Today Buhari is keeping Femi Fani-Kayode, Esther Nenadi Usman in prison, Olisa Metuh almost lost his life in detention, Fayose, Omisore, Akpabio are being trailed and despite huge evidence of graft against many serving governors elected on the APC’s platform and many ministers and other political appointees of Buhari, the corruption “fighters” would rather not touch them.”

http://punchng.com/president-didnt-name-looters-protect-ministers-pdp/


Cc: Lalasticlala

The Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) weekend adopted the PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, as its candidate for the election.

The party said the decision was taken after its leadership and some members in Edo State carefully assessed the candidates of the two major parties, PDP, and APC.

Edo State chairman of the PDM, Nosa Omorodion, who led some other members of his executive to the residence of the PDP candidate, said his party would make available their resources for the actualization of his gubernatorial ambition.

He said he would rally other smaller political parties in Edo State to give their support to Pastor Ize-Iyamu as there was no need for them to present governorship candidates that cannot go anywhere, adding that the change brought upon the country by the APC has been disastrous.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/pdm-adopts-ize-iyamu/

xecutive governor of Abia State, because the Chief Judge is not going to remain in hiding forever.”


Ubani, who disclosed that Ogah’s team of legal counsels were prepared for the task ahead, said, “if the Chief Judge continues to hide, we would explore other available alternatives to ensure that the right thing is done, which is swearing in Dr. Ogah as the executive governor of the Abia state.”

Genesis of legal battle

However, chronicling how the legal battle between Ogah and Ikpeazu started, Ubani said: “This issue came up as a result of the Primary of the Peoples Democratic Party which was held on December 8, 2014.

“My friend, and client, Dr. Uche Ogah and by the special grace of God the current governor of Abia State was a participant. He was manipulated out because the irregularities of that primary was glaring for all to see. Before we could start the Primary the delegates that were not supposed to be there were already inside the stadium. That irregularity produced Ikpeazu as the PDP candidate.

“But that was not the issue. The main issue all started when we sought to look at the documents presented by Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu which is a requirement of the law. The law says if you want to contest an election you must file in an affidavit, fill a form, disclose your educational qualification, your birth certificate and your tax papers. Now, the issue of tax is very critical. It is a constitutional requirement that if you want to contest an election in any political party you must have paid your tax for three years as at when due.

“Section 177(c) of the 1999 constitution says that a party must sponsor a candidate before he contests a general election. If a party don’t sponsor you, you can’t run for election. For that to happen, it means such a candidate must have complied with the guidelines of a political party before he is qualified to contest.

“But in Ikpeazu’s case, we went through his papers and discovered that he had lied. There were so many lies on the face of his tax papers. One of the things we discovered was that he was alleged to have started paying tax when he was not yet in the employment of the Abia State Government. Two, the serial numbers on his tax receipts were evidence of deception. The 2013 serial number showed as if it was the beginning of the tax payment, whereas, the 2011 receipt showed as if it was the last payment. The serial numbers were conflicting. The conflict showed that Ikpeazu had not paid his tax as at when due in accordance with the law.

“Third, was the issue of figures. Let us assume he was supposed to earn N500,000 per annum but in his tax papers, it was showing above N1million.

“He said his tax was being deducted at source. But the question is. If that was so, why the discrepancies in your taxable income. Is it not what he was earning, he should be taxed on. We found so many discrepancies in his tax certificate.

Why the case delayed

“And the law in Section 31 of the 2010 Electoral Act as amended gives a co-aspirant the opportunity to examine the documents of an opponent to validate whether he was qualified to contest for the primary election in the first place, because it is a pre-election matter. And if you find out in his disclosures and declarations that he has given a false or misleading information, the section guarantees you the right to apply to a Federal or State High Court for a redress. You also have the right to ask that that candidate be disqualified because he was not qualified in the first place to run for primaries.

“Section 31(6) says if such a candidate was found to have declared false information, he is liable to be disqualified by the court. When we found all that, we proceeded for Originating Summons, but they (Ikpeazu’s legal team) came up with the issue that the court has no jurisdiction. So, we had to trash it out at the Supreme Court. That was why time was wasted, because this matter would have been settled a long time ago.

“So, when the Supreme Court ruled that the lower court has jurisdiction to hear the case, we had to come down to the Federal High Court again to start all over.”

Allegations of bias
He added: “Ikpeazu’s team alleged bias against Justice Adeniyi Ademola that he has been compromised and all manner of frivolous allegations. So, the Justice said, ‘look I hands off the case, I don’t want anything that will tarnish my image.’ For sanctity of the Justice and the judiciary, he transferred the case back to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN for reassignment.

“The CJN now reassigned the case to Justice Okon Abang, who went on to hear the case. They came again with all manner of applications. But if you read the judgement of Justice Abang, it was comprehensive. He took time to tackle all the applications they brought, including the issue of jurisdiction, which had already been decided by the Supreme Court. All these were tackled before the Court came to the merit of the case. They (Ikpeazu’s team) agreed that on the face of the tax papers, the disclosures were false, but that it was a mistake. This in law is an admission.

“If this was a mistake, it means on the face of the law you are not qualified to participate in the electoral process. Does it now mean that the Dr. Uche Ogah, who came second in that primary should go empty handed? the court said no. Even though election has taken place and Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu won, since he was not qualified to have participated in the election ab initio, the proper order is to ask him to vacate the seat. PDP as a party should have presented a qualified candidate for the general election.”

Justice Okon Aban’s ruling

“Again, now that the Supreme Court has held in the case of Otti vs. INEC, that PDP is the winner of April 11, 2015 election in Abia State, the PDP is the party that ought to replace the candidate that was not qualified. This is exactly what Justice Okon Abang ruled on June 27, 2016.

“The Judge ordered that Ikpeazu should vacate the office and that INEC should issue a Certificate of Return to Dr. Uche Ogah immediately and he should be sworn in immediately by the Chief Judge of Abia State. And this was exactly what INEC did. There was no contrary order to that judgement. It’s the extant law,” he declared.

Ikpeazu’s appeal

On the appeal by Ikpeazu, the former Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA Ikeja Branch, said: “Now they have appealed. The fact remains that appeal does not operate as a stay of execution. Every elementary student of law knows this. They still have to obtain an order of stay before you can stay execution of judgement. Now, it’s a different scenario when it’s a judgment of the tribunal. Many lawyers are making a mistake that for the fact that Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has appealed, there should have been an automatic stay of execution.

“But this is not true. Section 143 of the electoral Act 2010 as amended says if you appeal after your election has been validated by the Tribunal, your appeal operates as a stay automatically if it’s within 21 days. But in a pre-election matter like this one, it does not apply. You still have to obtain a separate order from the appeal to stay execution.

INEC did the right thing

“So, the allegation that INEC was in a hurry to issue Certificate of Return to Dr. Ogah, despite their appeal is a wrong assumption. The problem we have in Nigeria is we tend to do certain things wrong and when it becomes a norm, we feel that is the way it should be. No, the normal thing is that when a court makes a pronouncement, you have to obey it, you don’t look behind you or begin to read meanings.

“I must say that INEC’s action was very historical and good for the development of our laws and judicial system. For the first time obeyed our laws and issued Dr. Uche Ogah Certificate of Return. Dr. Ogah was supposed to be sworn in immediately as the courts have ordered, in the absence of any contrary order.

Chief Judge Disappeared

“But he got to Umuahia and discovered that the Chief Judge of the State and the President in charge of the Customary Court of Appeal in Umuahia have disappeared or may be kidnapped or may be went into hiding. This gave them the opportunity to obtain a black market injunction in a nearby court in Umuahia. But the fact is that order can’t stand, because it is a court of coordinate jurisdiction with the Abuja Federal High Court. The order is nullity. The only court that can reverse the decision of the Abuja High Court is a higher court and not one with a coordinate jurisdiction; one that shares the same power with the Federal High Court in Abuja.

“Again, that interim order was based on the wrong premise of law. It was quoting Section 143 of the Electoral Act which we already know is only applicable to a judgement delivered by a Tribunal. So, in the absence of any stay of execution to the ruling of the Abuja High Court, Dr. Sampson Uche Ogah (OON) today, is the governor of Abia State.

“Yes, when INEC issued him that Certificate of Return, the implication is that the earlier one you have issued has been cancelled. So, Ikpeazu is sitting there illegally. He has no right to declare public holidays and he also has no right to withdraw money from the bank. What we hear now is that he’s withdrawing money from Abia State Account, whereas he is not the Governor of the state.

“What Ikpeazu has to do now is to vacate office, while he continues his appeal. Then, Dr. Ogah according to the court order should be sworn in and be administered with oath of office by the Chief Judge, so that he can begin his responsibilities as the governor of Abia State. Off course, if tomorrow the Appeal Court reverses the ruling of the Abuja High Court, INEC would re-issue Dr. Ikpeazu another Certificate of Return, until the matter is finally decided at the Supreme Court. This is the way the matter should be.”

Why court disqualified Ikpeazu
Adding, the legal practitioner said: “Again, people are making similarity with a murder case. They are not similar at all. This is a pre-election case, in which somebody who was supposed to be the right candidate was being denied since 2014. Up to this time somebody who is not qualified to be the governor has been there drawing salaries and allowances from the state and making decision on behalf of the state.

“Let me clarify that in the documents aspirants file, there is a column that says you the declarant every information you have given is attributable to you and you are held responsible for it. And if it is found out to be false, misleading and inaccurate that section says I the aspirant is liable to be disqualified. This is a statement filed under oath to the High Court before any aspirant contests an election. So, the Court looked at it that the statement he made under oath was discovered to be false, so it disqualified him.

“It should also be clarified that Ogah didn’t sue Ikpeazu for forgery or evasion of tax. Rather, he sued for the fact that in the form Ikpeazu submitted he made false declaration. The law allows that after the filing of documents opponents are supposed to have certified true copies from INEC. Being a public document, this is what we submitted to the court.

“So, it was the court that discovered that Ikpeazu had lied. Even the Board of internal Revenue was called in and they agreed that it was a mistake. What we were alleging that it was false and that is what the court discovered to reach its decision of disqualifying him. In the affidavit he sworn in court, he had affirmed that he has gone through the documents and certify that all documents presented were true and that he should be held liable if not true. So, saying the Board of Internal Revenue was not brought in as a witness, don’t hold water here. If Ikpeazu had brought a superior document to show that look this is what I was earning and this was what is being deducted as tax. If it was the Board of Internal Revenue that was making the error, it would have been a different case.

“The case of Rotimi Amaechi vs. INEC is still being used a judicial precedence in a pre-election matter. The Supreme Court had held that if a political party fields an unqualified candidate in a general election, if the party goes on to win the election, and the right candidate comes to the court for redress the court will ask the man who came second to be sworn in. It’s the law and it has not changed. It is only the Supreme Court that can over rule itself on this, not a lower court.

“It is best to put all these issues in perspective to debunk the lies peddled out there. The Ikpeazu team are going to the Court on Monday to get a Stay. So, since they only appealed and there was no stay, they have no right to stop the swearing in of Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah. I reiterate, as at today, Dr. Sampson Uche Ogah is the executive governor of Abia State going by the subsisting court order of the Abuja Federal High Court last Monday.

“The delay by the Chief Judge is only a temporary thing. In the fullness of time, he would officially take his oath of office. At the same time, he would declare his assets in accordance with the law and begin to perform his function as governor. Now, he can’t perform that function until he takes that oath and declare his assets.”

Otti has no case

On insinuations that Alex Otti, candidate of All Progressives Gramd Alliance, APGA has a case, he said: “No! The Supreme Court has already decided that the PDP won that election and that judgement has not been changed. There is an end to every litigation. So, no political party can come back to re-litigate after the Supreme Court has decided.

PDP Nwosu’s brief thrown out

Reacting to the case filed by another aggrieved PDP aspirant, Friday Nwosu, who lay claimant to the governorship seat, he said: “He has filed a case but it is subjudice to comment. However, in this case that was decided by the Abuja High Court, he joined as a party in the case. We allowed him. However, the court found his claims very strange. That Uche Ogah complained about the conduct of the PDP primary does it change the result that he came second?

“Even Nwosu came fifth and not third. Even the PDP constitution says if you are not happy with the conduct of the party’s primary, you write to the election appeal panel, which Ogah did and they didn’t even reply him. They were also aware of the action he filed in court even when Ikpeazu was presented for the general election.

“So, the brief by Nwosu was thrown out in Abuja, although he still has a substantive case in Owerri. In the Sheet submitted in Court, the PDP said Okezie Ikpeazu won with the highest votes and Ogah came second.”

Abia Chief Judge can’t be in hiding forever

Condemning however, the alleged absconding of the State Chief Judge, Justice Theresa Uzoukwu, Ubani said, “Ogah would duly take his oath of office. The Chief Judge can’t remain in hiding forever. We are making efforts to ensure he comes out from hiding to do the needful. However, even if she doesn’t come out, we have other alternatives. Our team of Senior Advocates are very ready for this case. We are on ground even up to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

“The whole world is taking note that our efforts are being frustrated and all these would be tested in court in time to come. How can Ikpeazu declare public holiday to mourn Chief Ojo Maduekwe when the time table for his funeral is not yet announced. He declared a public holiday for someone who is not even a former Governor of the state. That means if a former Governor dies, he may declare one year holiday for mourning. The entire world is watching, the Justices are watching how they are frustrating us with delay tactics.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/battle-abia-entire-world-watching-ikpeazu-delay-tactics-ogah/

Today mark another year to Her Excellency the First lady of Rivers State Justice Eberechi Suzzette Wike.I wish her more year and God's protection.Happy Birthday to you Her Excellency.



http://newswirenaija..com/2016/05/today-mark-another-year-for-rivers.html



Cc.lalasticlala

See more ,how Buhari and co was blasted even more here http://newswirenaija..com/2016/05/nigerians-blast-apc-and-buhari-over.html

More

More and more

See More http://newswirenaija..com/2016/05/nigerians-blast-apc-and-buhari-over.html

This is very interesting. Even me can't believe this lies. Well these are some people's views. This chibok girls of thing is getting serious. God help us in this country.



Via:http://newswirenaija..com/2016/05/nigerians-blast-apc-and-buhari-over.html

Dear father, It has been four years since you left us.
You died as a titan of your time; a legend of the years that you walked the earth.
As we remember you today, and pay homage to your memory, I want to say:
“Thank you Baba. We miss your presence.”

https://mobile.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154274095699962&id=53942489961&refid=28&_ft_=qid.6285668885158665226%3Amf_story_key.1538860883205964534

Buhari again

I can't browse again with my innjoo phone do to battery problem. please where can I get new innjoo fire plus 3G battery. is urgently need, any amount I will pay to have the battery. thanks

texazzpete:
The person calling someone else a 'dullard' does even know how to spell 'Katsina' correctly.

I don't care. that is part of Bubas chain agenda. lol buhari is a dullard. he has chain you

Vinshu:
I don't

Lol.. you do. can you prov it

why is that we always urinate during taken our bath or after bathing. what is the cause of it. when you pour water on your body you will urinate or after bathing you urinate.


cc: SuperModes

congrats to her, She resembles her father. pls Nairalanders show her some love.

Hope Mr Dullard of Kastina is Aware of the land given to you people. @ Alexsrports

How I have been surviving Fuel Scarcity
and Lack of Electricity:



Go to Nearby Bank


Greet Everyone,


Plug Phone to Charge,


Plug Power Bank, Rechargeable lantern,


Drink Water from Dispenser,


Sit Enjoy AC, Watch Buhari on CNN,


Withdraw N1000


Thank the bank staff and return home.


The next day go and join queue to pay
back the N1000 into my account and also do the normal routine.

Sai Buhari. Mr. Traveler

cc:lalasticlala,mandy44

webcalculator:
My sister took UTME on 2nd of march this year and received her score a day after through text message. Since then we've been checking the result online and the site is saying 'No Result yet'. What should we do. Please we need your help.
I will be glad if this is pushed to FP.
mynd4, seun

Check Back Now. The have released all the No Result Yet issues

she is fine, please be my missing rib

Amaechi was monstrously corrupt as governor, says Rivers State Government


The River State government has challenged the former governor of the State, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, to a public debate on the logic, financial cost, and social value of the failed monorail project along Azikiwe Road, Port Harcourt.


Mr Amaechi had recently criticized Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State for not completing the controversial project.


But the State Government said it would meet Mr Amaechi for a debate on any platform, concerning projects abandoned by the previous Government.



In a press statement, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr Austin Tam-George, also challenged Mr Amaechi to come prepared with full explanations on other inflated contracts and unexecuted projects, such as, the Greater Port Harcourt City project over which 200 billion Naira was spent with nothing on the ground to justify the huge expenditure.


Dr Tam-George also asked Mr Amaechi to give reasons for pulling down a standard, well equipped teaching hospital complete with doctors’ quarters along Hospital Road, Port Harcourt, leaving only weed to grow wildly in the space were the hospital once stood.


“By that thoughtless and disastrous action Mr Rotimi Amaechi restricted healthcare access for thousands of people, particularly women and children, and may have contributed to the deaths of thousands of people in the past eight years”, the Information Commissioner said.


“Will Mr Rotimi Amaechi also explain how 80 billion Naira was spent on the Rainbow Town project, near Amadi Ama, that was originally designated in 2010 to cost 40 billion Naira? Why does that project remain uncompleted six years after? "


"How about the billions of Naira signed off the State treasury in the name of the so-called Justice Karibi Whyte Specialist Hospital, which is a fictional project that does not exist on land, sea or anywhere in Rivers State?” the commissioner asked.


The Commissioner reiterated the commitment of the Nyesom Wike administration to complete any relevant project that could uplift the socio-economic life of the people of the state.


The commissioner condemned the Amaechi administration for leaving the most abandoned projects in the history of Rivers State, since 1967, despite receiving over 3 trillion naira in revenue in eight years.


Dr Austin Tam-George,
Commissioner for Information and Communications, Rivers State.


http://www.newswirenaija..com.ng/2016/03/rivers-state-government-challenge.html?m=1


Cc:lalasticlala

See Names of people that will go with him here. This Man loves traveling, without anything good in return.

See details here http://www.newswirenaija..com.ng/2016/03/president-buhari-leaves-abuja-tomorrow.html?m=1