₦airaland Forum

The Presidency on Thursday morning broke its
silence on the whereabouts of President Goodluck
Jonathan’s wife, Patience.
Mr. Ayo Adewuyi, media assistant to Mrs.
Jonathan, in a statement made available to
journalists in Abuja, saysthe President’s wife is
currently in Congo.
He said Mrs. Jonathan is in the country to join her
colleagues from Africa for the celebration of the
30th anniversary a Non-Governmental
Organisation, Congo Assistance Foundation,
established by the Congolese First Lady, Madam
Antoinette Sassou-Nguesso.
Adewuyi however did not indicate when Mrs.
Jonathan arrived in Congo or when she is
expected back in Nigeria.
He added that his principal was received on arrival
by the Nigeria’s Ambassador to Congo Brazzaville,
Princess Onipede, in company with top Congolese
officials.
The President’s wife has not been seen at any
public event inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja,
since her husband lost his re-election bid in the
March 28 presidential election.
She was absent during the Good Friday and Easter
Sunday services held inside the Aso Villa Chapel.
Mrs. Jonathan did not also join her husband for the
funeral service held in honour of his top aide,
Oronto Douglas, in Bayelsa State last Saturday.
While she voted alongside her husband in the
presidential election in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, she
stayed back in her home state, Rivers, during the
April 11 governorship election.
She had expressed fears ahead of the elections
that she would be thrown into prison if Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) won the election.
The Presidency had so far kept mute on her
whereabouts, therefore giving room for
speculation.
Adewuyi’s statement read, “First Lady, Dame
Patience Faka Jonathan, is in Brazzaville, Republic
of Congo, joining other African First Ladies for the
celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Congo
Assistance Foundation, an NGO of Congolese First
Lady, Madam Antoinette Sassou-Nguesso.
“The Foundation, established in 1984, has
engendered social action in the areas of health,
education, skills acquisition in favour of indigent
people of Congo.
“Dame Patience Jonathan runs similar
organisation in Nigeria, the A.Aruera Reachout
Foundation, which also focuses on the upliftment of
women and children, the needy and imprisoned.
“The First Ladies of Benin Republic, Senegal, Mali,
Tchad, Niger and Guinea Conakry are also in
Brazzaville for the grand finale of the week-long
programmes, during which a National Centre for
Sickle Cell disease was inaugurated.
“Dame Patience Jonathan was received on arrival
by Nigeria’s Ambassador to Congo Brazzaville,
Princess Onipede, in company with top Congolese
officials.”

The River State Governor-elect,
Nyesom Wike, has debunked
speculations that the absence of a
substantive chief judge in the state
would stall his inauguration on
May 29.
Mr. Wike, who spoke through his
media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu,
blamed the All Progressives
Congress, APC, for creating an
impression that the state would
run into a constitutional crisis.
“There is no constitutional crisis
whatsoever. He is going to be
sworn on May 29. These are issues
being raised by the APC to confuse
people,” Mr. Nwakaudu said told
PREMIUM TIMES.
“There is an administrative judge
in Rivers State as we speak as
appointed by NJC. Even though
the outgoing governor pretends
not to recognise the
administrative judge, the judge is
still there. The administrative
judge can still perform the
function of the state chief judge.
“The Customary Court of Appeal in
Rivers State also has an
administrative judge that can also
perform the functions of the chief
judge.
“The constitution also talks about
any other judicial officer as
appointed by the NJC. The NJC can
as well do that on May 29, so there
is nothing to worry about.”
Mr. Nwakaudu insisted that the
absence of a chief judge does not
constitute a hindrance to the
swearing in of the new governor.
He argued that the chief judge of
any state in the country could be
invited to administer oaths on the
new governor and his deputy.
For instance, he said since Bayelsa
State does not have a swearing in
ceremony on May 29, the chief
from the state could be invited to
swear in Mr. Wike and his deputy.
The Rivers State judiciary has
been engulfed in protracted crisis of interest
which has stalled the appointment of a new
chief judge for the state after Justice Iche Ndu
retired in August 2013.
After Mr. Ndu retired, the Governor, Rotimi
Amaechi, and the National Judicial Council, NJC,
have been locked in a disagreement over who
should be appointed the state’s chief judge.
Following the provisions of Section 271 (4) of
the 1999 Constitution, Mr. Amaechi had
forwarded the name of the former President of
the Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Peter
Agumagu, to the NJC.
But the council refused to confirm Mr.
Agumagu’s appointment and instead preferred
Justice Daisy Okocha for the job.
The governor, however, insisted on his choice
on the ground that Mr. Agumagu is the most
senior High Court judge in the state.
While the controversy was raging, the NJC sent
Mrs. Okocha’s name for confirmation to the
National Assembly which had at the time taken
over the functions of the Rivers State House of
Assembly.
Irked by the action, Mr. Amaechi dragged the
council to the Federal High Court in Port
Harcourt and for the interpretation of Section
271 (3-5) of the constitution as regards the
appointment of chief judge of the state.
On March 18, 2014, Justice Lambo Akanbi
delivered judgment which showed that the NJC
erred by recommending Mrs. Okocha for
appointment to replace Justice Ndu.
Mr. Akanbi ruled that the NJC’s argument that
Mrs. Okocha is the oldest judge of the Rivers
State High Court and more qualified to be chief
judge of the state because Mr. Agumagu
belonged to a different arm of the judiciary, was
wrong.
Based on the ruling of the court, the state house
of assembly sat at Old Executive Council
Chambers of Government House for the
screening and confirmation of Mr. Agumagu as
the substantive chief judge of the state.
Mr. Agumagu was immediately sworn in by the
state governor in a move that angered the
former Chief Justice of Nigeria and then NJC
Chair, Justice Mariam Aloma Muktar.
The CJN immediately suspended Mr. Agumagu
from parading himself or acting in the capacity
of chief judge of Rivers State.
While Mr. Agumagu is still in court to challenge
his suspension by the CJN, Rivers State has
been robbed of a chief judge and the courts
have also been shut as a result of attacks by
unknown gunmen.
PREMIUM TIMES has learnt that for close to a
year now, the Customary Court of Appeal, the
High Courts and the Magistrate Courts in the
state have been on a lock down.
It was this situation that perhaps, prompted the
former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar
Association, O.C.J Okocha, to raise the alarm
over impending constitutional crisis in the
state.
Mr. Okocha, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN,
had argued that based on the provisions of the
1999 Constitution, only the state chief judge and
the president of the Customary Court of Appeal
or a Grand Khadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal
can administer oaths on a governor-elect.
But the situation in the state’s judiciary is
worrisome as High Courts, Magistrate Courts
and the Customary Court of Appeal have been
under lock down for months now.
The courts were forced to shut after unknown
gunmen bombed court rooms in Port Harcourt,
Ahoada, Degema and Okehi.

I said I won't laugh but boosted immediately I saw d pic.

it will b done. but like GMB said don't expect miracle. its gonna take time. GMB will start it. laying a good foundation will straighten things
God help us

efilefun:
Who can translate the meaning of the Tor of TIV's name (from Yoruba to English) "AKAWE Torkula" no insults to the people of that tribe thou

heard more of dat when I was at nasarawa
its more of exclamation meaning I hear or okey

amsoslim:
,

sorry dear ds post isn't going front page so no rush FTC

By Ben Agande, Abuja.
A disagreement has broken out between the
transition committees of President Goodluck
Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari as the
president accused the Buhari team of acting like a
parallel government and trying to stampede the
Jonathan administration out of office.
President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari
Addressing state House correspondents after the
Federal Executive Council meeting Wednesday, the
Minister of National Planning who is also a member
of the Jonathan Transition Committee, Abubakar
Suleiman said the Buhari transition team was
making impossible demands from the government.
Although he did not name those demands, he
however warned that the president’s magnanimity
should not be construed as cowardice.
Details later.

[quote author=januzaj post=33241659]nice one . . WHEN TANOIDS RUN INTO THIS THREAD AND SEE AMAECHI ON THE LIST[/quote
Lol lol lol lol lol Lol Ameachi!!!

ApexTitan:
There are too many gullible fools in this part of the world.

hope u aren't part of them

we already know. abi no b may 1? workers day for sure

olaxy2:
GMB knows there's a lot of things to be dealt with. The Power Privatisation thing is also a cover up like the NNPC. u would marvel at things when the PHCN is revisited by the incoming govt. Heard they bought it amongst themselves.
meanwhile, if this is coming from Atiku then, the end of the world is at hand. God is watching.

u made me laugh even when I hardly do it in NL

papaejima1:
Does he have the right to do that?
I thought there is freedom of and for the press in this country.

Aswear this man go soon use him hand dig him own pit and when him fall inside with his two eyes open make him no call anybody oo

note that AIT wasn't ban from airing
buhari only said pls AIT don't come to my house after trying to kill me. I didn't see anything wrong with DAT.
will u welcome ur killer to ur house
common sense isn't common at all.

talking of who efcc goes after. don't forget they go after fg enemies. still observing sha

goallll for real

cy22me:
i sent mine , but i recieved a mail saying failure to deliver. Pls help

was it on PDF. how can one convert to PDF from office..

ñow

maxddude:
what is this one saying? ?
What is false there. oga read b4 u comment. thank you

guess u didn't read my comment bf u responded. ur headline is misleading.

Dannyset:
Not at all bro!
This exactly what newspapers do to get attention and make high sales. Its a captivating headline.
He was good at it.

that I know. that's y newspapers headlines are not helping our country. some don't care for details. to then headlines is ok.
lets say it the way it is
telling lies is part of corruption - don't lie just to make gains. cheers!

people like u are those that give false information. must u twist d already know info? pls let us all help build ds country. thanks

interesting comments but some people lack home training. like I said sometime ago if PDP or APC blood runs in ur vein u can't analyse things sweetly
am from Rivers Wike was my former LGA chairman. those saying Rivers have decided are wrong because many of us didn't vote. PDP won fine but ridiculous winning. Ameachi isn't bad as they want us to know. good Nigerians are wiser now. they may keep quiet but if u allow them use their PVC they will speak. Wike will make a good governor but can he withdrew those guns d boys used? hence fear comes
God help us Amen