Rotimi Amaechi’s Victory Challenged

Finally, a ray of judicial hope appears in the questionable imposition of Rotimi Amaechi as governor of Rivers State by the Supreme Court. The Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) candidate in the 14 April 2007 election in Rivers State, Sergeant Awuse has petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) over the refusal of both the Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal to hear his appeal challenging the victory of the PDP in the election.

Awuse wants the NJC to reconstitute an Election Petition Tribunal to hear his petition alleging massive irregularities. According to Awuse, the law cannot trade off these irregularities, rigging, allotment of votes and unlawful votes INEC donated to PDP. He further more stated that the Supreme Court’s resolution of the PDP primary crisis in favour of Amaechi, is different from the general election.

Both the Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, has refused to hear Awuse’s petition on the grounds that the Supreme Court had ordered Amaeachi the rightful PDP candidate and all votes cast for PDP in the election be deemed for Amaechi. It is this blank cheque that Awuse is challenging, reasoning that, the election that produced the votes PDP claimed, was rigged and should be held up to the rules of the Electoral Act.

In the run up to the election, Amaechi’s name was substituted with Celestine Omehia, who contested the general election on the platform of the PDP against other political parties in accordance with the Electoral Act.

Rotimi Amaechi, never stood for the general election, as he was not fielded by the PDP.

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3.2

PDP Disagrees with Ondo Tribunal Verdict.

In deed how the cookies crumble. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ondo State Chapter, are up in arms, shouting blue murder over the July 25th judgment of the Ondo Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Akure. The tribunal had nullified the election of incumbent PDP governor Dr. Olusegun Agagu and ordered that the Labour Party (LP) candidate Dr. Olusegun Mimiko be sworn in as governor.
In an advertorial in the major national dailies, signed by Dr. Tayo and Professor Olusoga Olopade State Chairman and State Legal adviser of PDP respectively, the PDP accused the tribunal of frustrating their efforts to get a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, to enable them file an appeal within 21 days as prescribed by the rules of the Electoral Act. The advertorial further alleged that the judgment was not ready after over 2 hours despite the chairman Justice Garuba Nabraruma’s promise in open court that the judgment is ready.
Another curious expose by the advertorial, is that the judgment was not wholly type written. This lacuna has given PDP a life line to impute that the untyped part is reserved for adulteration to balance the judgment delivered in favour of LP’s candidate.

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3.2

100 Million Naira Bribe Allegation Eclipses Power Probe

The greatest cardinal point of the Yar’Adua’s seven points agenda is energy epitomised by the power sector. The electricity situation in Nigeria has been held to produce beyond the desired capacity to turn the wheels of the rusty industrial machines. The prices of finished products have been heaped at the threshold of the cost of producing using generators.

Against this backdrop, Nigerians were agog when the lower chamber of National House of Assembly, set up a probe panel headed by Hon. Ndudi Elumelu to investigate the eclipse in the Nigerian Power sector. After much revelation into the rot in the sector, the House Committee after touring the various power plant sites closed public sitting, to garnish their finding before tabling it before the House of Representative for deliberation.

Two months after, nothing has been heard of the panel report, rather the nation is gripped with bush telegraphic reports that the members of the panel were compromised in one of their on the site inspection in Port Harcourt, where each member was believed to have received N 100 million Naira.

Following this development, the House has suspended the Probe Panel report till the Ethics Committee can investigate this allegation. According to the Chairman House Committee on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eziuche Ubani it would be suicidal to deliberate on the content of the Probe Panel report, when the allegation of bribery against the members of the Probe Panel has not been cleared.

Earlier, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Dimeji Bankole had in a statement announced that the House cannot be rushed into taking any action by any governmental agency on the Probe Panel report till the House have taken the requisite procedures. The Speaker’s statement was targeted at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who is believed to be in possession of a leaked content of the Probe Panel report.

Meanwhile the government has released billions of Naira into the power sector to guarantee power supply. We cannot but ask: Whichway Nigeria? The money sunk into this white elephant project has not been accounted for, or have those entrusted with finding out what went wrong given a verdict/recommendation(s) yet the government is ploughing more money into the sector.

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3.2

David Mark Senate President Wins!

The Court of Appeal sitting in Jos, delivered judgment in favour of the Senate President, Senator David Mark. In a judgment legal luminaries are still querying, the court of appeal’s decision to over ruled the judgment of the Benue State Electoral, which had ordered a by-election in two Local Government Areas within the senatorial zone. The lower tribunal had ruled that Young Alhaji, the challenger in the disputed April 2008 election, had the highest number of valid votes cast.

By the strength of this, Young Alhaji cross appealed, praying the court of appeal to announce him the winner but David Mark in his own appeal, petitioned that there were irregularities in the other Local Government  Areas that Young Alhaji won. The Court of Appeal unanimously held that David Mark won the election.

In a related questionable circumstance, the Osun State Electoral Tribunal sitting in Osogbo, yesterday, entered judgment in favour of the incumbent PDP Governor Olagunsoye Oyinola against the petition of Rauf Aregbesola of the Action Congress. There is an uneasy calm in Osun State, following what the AC called rape of justice by the active participation of the judiciary.

At the wake of the April general election, a flash in the pan boost was given to the battered image of the judiciary, especially the judges of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court showed rare courage when she ruled in favour of Peter Obi of Anambra State, whose mandate was stolen and kept in custody of Dr. Chris Ngige, while the then president, Olusegun Obasanjo kept criminally silent.

But this mirage has turned into full bashing of the judiciary, especially the members of the Court of Appeal. One wonders if these judgments are not endorsement of survival of the fittest and who can mobilize the greatest and ferocious thugs on election day.

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2.5

Nigeria, A Paradox?

Written by: ADEKUNLE THEOPHILIUS

At times, i just stare at space in particular, as i ponder over life in Nigeria. I always find it difficult to fathom the Nigerian clime and stereotype. Most inexplicable is the fact that things that are anomalous in decent climes are passed off as acceptable and the norm in Nigeria. To be plain, Nigeria is a country where aberration thrives, where the ludicrous reigns supreme and the absurd stumps over the terrain like a colossus.

Why are we so misanthropic in this country for God’s sakes?, it’s so hard to decipher!, is it a natural or a mentality thing?, How can a society in the 21st century deride people for espousing honesty, how can people be condemned for decent works?, how can corruption be so brazenly condoned and promoted by a state.

No issue is most poignant than the events after the death of Abraham Adesanya. I am sure the man must be weeping and gnashing his teeth in his grave with the way he was messed up and things he would never have subscribed to while alive was made the norm on his demise. This is a modest and frugal man shunned ostentation, flippancy, mediocrity,opulence and equivocation. He was a practical man who lived a life devoid of self aggrandizement and watched his circle of friends. But his demise showed that death is not a deterrent to grandiose looting by Nigerians. Read more

Senate begins 2 months questionable vacation

The Nation was jolted yesterday when the Senate after a closed door sitting announced that it shall proceed on two months recess starting from today July 10th 2008. Senate Majority Leader Senator Teslim Folarin briefed newsmen that circumstances made it imperative to amend the seasonal calendar and embark on recess, two weeks earlier.

Nigerians believe that this circumstance is the Tuesday 15th Judgment day in Jos of the cross petition against David Mark’s victory at the polls.
Furthermore, Nigerians are worried that the Senate is amending her rules in a closed door meeting to accommodate the ambition of the President of Senate. For a Senate and government that parrots transparency and rule of law, this Gestapo approach is disturbing and unhealthy for maturity of democracy in Nigeria

Political gurus believe that this questionable two months amended recess, is to preserve the Senate President’s seat for David Mark, should the Court of Appeal sitting in Jos uphold the judgment of the Benue State Election Tribunal. The recess will also allow PDP to fine tune soft landing should the seat be vacant as a result of the judgment, which is believed will not be in favour of the Senate President.

The Election tribunal sitting in Makurdi had earlier nullified the election of Senator Mark, on the strength of a petition filed by Alhaji Usman Dan Abubakar popularly called Young Alhaji. The lower tribunal ordered a fresh election in two Local Government Areas (Opoku and Agatu) and upheld that the valid votes counted put Young Alhaji ahead of David Mark.

Both Mark and Young Alhaji appealed the judgment. Mark’s camp believes that they can rake in enough votes in the two LGAs to cancel out Young Alhaji’s lead, while Young Alhaji’s camp wants the Appeal Court to declare him winner, having secured majority of the votes counted.

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2.5

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