BREAKINGNEWS: LABOUR CLOSES ABIA LINE DUE TO NON-PAYMENT OF 12 MONTHS SALARY

The strife between Abia Workers and Abia State government is becoming a one day one bad news relationship. The bone of contention remains the non-payment of salary with each ministry and parastatals having different lengths of months of salary non-payment.

Abia Facts Newspaper just gathered that Abia line network Ltd, the state owed transport company was picketed today by Abia State Labour Congress under the instruction of its national body because of their inability to pay salaries for 12months running.

The General Manager of Abia Line  Mr Ugochukwu Uwaeke while responding to reporters said that Abia State government led by Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu has failed in giving them the agreed subvention  for a long period of time and this has affected their ability in meeting with their obligation to the workers.

He further said that the state government gave choice sites to private transport companies, while Abia Line was given a remote place which in turn is affecting their patronage.

The state of Abia State workforce is really terrible and the state government must look for ways to cushion the effect of salary non-payment.

Source: Abia Facts News

ECOWAS Court orders Dasuki’s release, imposes N15 million fine on Nigerian Government

The Court of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, on Tuesday declared the arrest and detention of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, as unlawful and arbitrary.

The court also held that the further arrest of Mr. Dasuki by government on November 4, after he was granted bail by a court of law, amounts to a mockery of democracy and the rule of law. Mr. Dasuki is facing multiple trials for alleged diversion of $2.1 billion meant for the purchase of arms in the immediate past administration.

He is also accused of illegal possession of fire arms. He approached the ECOWAS court after he was rearrested by members of Nigeria’s State Security Service shortly after meeting his bail conditions in November last year. He has remained in the custody of the SSS since his arrest. On Tuesday, a three-member panel led by Justice Friday Nwoke said Nigeria’s government was wrong in arresting Mr. Dasuki without a search warrant, adding that the pattern of arrest negates the provisions of Section 28 of the Nigerian Police Act. According to the said section, a superior police officer may authorise the search of a resident belonging to a suspect assumed to be in illegal possession of an item, if the officer so authorised has a search warrant. 

The court also noted that Section 143 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, allows that where such a search is proposed by the police or other authorities, an application must first be made to a court of law and and granted after due consideration of the said application, in compliance with section 144 of the ACJA. The court further said the submission of Nigerian government that it came with the search warrant to Mr. Dasuki’s house but could not give it to him, because officers at his residence resisted the security operatives, was ineffective in proving its points. Acording to the judge, the search warrant presented before the ECOWAS court was not certified and therefore lacks verifiable authenticity.

The court said government failed to prove its reasons for arresting and detaining Mr. Dasuki, as documents presented before it only emphasised the allegations of fraud and illegal possession of arms. It added that the ECOWAS court was not set to determine whether or not the possession of arms by Mr. Dasuki amounted to an offence or not. It however decided that the arrest was unlawful, arbitrary and a violation of local and international rights to liberty. The court ruled that Federal Government should pay a sum of N15 million as damages to Mr. Dasuki. It also decided that the cost of litigation will be summed up and charged against the Nigerian government.

Source: Premium Times

Police nab tricycle snatchers in Abia

A three-man gang is currently in police net for allegedly snatching a tricycle from its owner at gunpoint along Amakama road, a suburb of Umuahia in Abia State.

It was learnt that policemen acting on a tip-off arrested the suspects identified as Chidi Ukazu (aka Onyemuo), Kenneth Ekpendu (aka Obere) and Ikechukwu Ogbonnaya (aka Ghana Bons) in Obingwa Local Government Area in the state.

It was gathered that the suspects had chartered the tricycle at FMC junction in Umuahia but later overpowered the owner on the way and took away the tricycle from him.

A police source told Southern City News that the suspects had already erased the original registration and security numbers of the tricycle and replaced with a new one through an agent, before they were picked up by the police.

The suspects all confessed to the crime with Ukazu admitting that he and Ogbonnaya were helping their friend, Ekpendu, to replace his tricycle that was allegedly stolen from him earlier.

He said, “Our friend told us that his tricycle that he bought on hire purchase was collected from him by armed robbers. So, he pleaded with us to help him to steal another tricycle and replace it.

“He promised to settle us with some money if we succeed in the operation and the registration of the tricycle; that was why we joined him to snatch the keke from its owner.”

The Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeleye Oyabade, confirmed the arrest of the suspects.

He pointed out the state Police Command under his watch was working towards making Abia a crime-free state, even as he warned those involved in crimes like kidnapping and armed robbery to leave the state.

He stressed that Abia would not be comfortable for them to operate. Oyebade said, “We are ready to practise the community policing that we have been preaching. As a result, we will partner members of the public in policing the state.

“I want to appreciate Abians for their commitment in giving us relevant, dependable and reliable information that has assisted us so far in maintaining law and order in the state.”

SOURCE: Punch

Nmanani to review electoral laws

The Federal Government has set up a 24-member committee to review the nation’s election process and suggest ways of improvement.

The committee, headed by former Senate President Ken Nnamani is to produce a new electoral framework, working with among others, unimplemented recommendations by similar bodies.

A statement yesterday by Salihu Isah, spokesman for the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN), said the committee would be inaugurated by the minister on Tuesday at the AGF’s Conference Room, Federal Ministry of Justice headquarters, Abuja, by 11 am.

“The committee is expected to review electoral environment, laws and experiences from recent elections and make recommendations to strengthen and achieve the conduct of free and fair elections,” he said.

Isah said the Fed Govt’s decision to review the electoral process was part of efforts to deepen democracy, ensure the creation of a process that meets global standard and the desire of the electorate.

He named other committee members as Dr. Mamman Lawal, of Bayero University, Kano (Secretary); National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muiz Banire (SAN); Dr. Clement Nwankwo; Chief A.C Ude; and Director, Legal Drafting, Federal Ministry of Justice, Hamza Tahir, among others.

Isah said members had been notified of their appointments and the Tuesday’s inauguration.
Source: The Nation

TA Orji remains one of the worst govs Nigeria has ever produced –Ukasanya, APC chieftain

The founding Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, Chief Tony Ukasanya, has said that former governor of the state, Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, is one of the worst performing governors Nigeria has ever produced.
Ukasanya, who was also a Board of Trustees member of the PDP and served in ex-Governor Orji’s government for 29 months before joining the All Progressive Congress (APC), said the former governor was chasing shadows when he called him (Ukasanya) a greedy and fair-weather politician that was receiving monthly allowance of N1 million as a political adviser and still making demands on him.

Ukasanya described Orji as one who ran government by deceit and ended up performing badly in office.
“He (Orji) ran the state as an uncivilised man, one who believed in using the resources of the state in buying cheap popularity, in place of using it to better the lot of the people. He is the only governor who did not build a single road during his eight-year tenure as Governor of Abia State. He remains one of the worst performing governors Nigeria has ever produced,” Ukasanya said.
On his work with Orji, he said: “He hired me to launder his image, which was battered as a result of his political recklessness and incivility. He said he was surprised that I went back to Orji Kalu, who made him a governor.      The truth is that I got back to Orji Kalu knowing the difference between the two people. I worked with TA Orji for 29 months and with Kalu for three to four years.  I found out that Kalu was a better person to deal with than TA Orji. Kalu does not make promises he would not fulfill. TA Orji doesn’t keep promises.

“During his first tenure, Orji made several visits to me in my country home at Ubakala, trying to convince me to facilitate his return to PDP. I had discussions with him, and pleaded with other elders of the state and we all agreed to give him a try; but all we got was total disappointment. I served his administration for 29 months and discovered that he deceived me and others to help in stabilising his government, as all the promises he made were not fulfilled.
“He knew that I did not join his government for my personal interests. He should remember that Orji Uzor Kalu and I bargained to recruit him in 1998 when he was working with INEC. He knew my status during that period. After recruiting him in 1999, we promised to make him principal secretary to government, government secretary, permanent secretary and Chief of Staff, which he held until he went to prison. From prison, he was assisted by Orji Uzor Kalu to become the governor of Abia State in 2007.
“TA Orji is a man you sit with and he will be telling you yes, when he actually means no. Orji Kalu, on the other hand, keeps to his word and promises. During the time I worked with TA Orji, I did my best to give his government a boost, both in the state and the nation.”

But, this reporter asked, TA Orji said you were awarded a contract and never executed after collecting money…
“As I speak with you, government is owing me about N68 million, which he refused to pay before leaving office. So he lied saying that he awarded me contract and paid me upfront. He never paid. He did the same to so many contractors in and outside the state.
“He had intentions of ‘dealing’ with anyone he suspected of having the same political aspirations as him. He would do everything within reach to ensure that he either incapacitates the person politically, drain the person’s finances or any other thing that would make the person not have money to challenge him politically. He believed that the best way to deal with some of us was to fleece us of our money through giving us contracts, which we would use our money to execute and he would not pay. He did the same to many other people in Abia.
“When I was his adviser, I asked him to make sure that he reactivated the regional water scheme. He started it and abandoned it immediately I left his administration. He should tell Abians what he did with their billions for eight years, without infrastructure on the ground. There is no water, no hospital; what he did at Amachara Hospital and Abia State University Teaching Hospital, they are all death traps now. Anyone who goes there has made up his mind to die. Go to Abia State University Teaching Hospital, it is just painted structures, no equipment.  There is no water, proper ventilation, electricity and equipment. Go to the so-called state secretariat and see the quality of the buildings. There is no electricity and toilet facility,” he said.

When Daily Sun noted that Orji was now a senator, Ukasanya quipped that: “It was evidently clear that nobody voted for him. We shall see the next place he will fraudulently go after this place. Now as a senator, what contributions would such a person make to better the conditions and lives of his constituents? In a civilised world, a person like TA Orji should have faced the court to answer charges on what he did with the federal allocation and IGR for eight years.
“This man should have been in prison, convicted for failure to give account of his stewardship for the number of years he served as the governor of the state.
“When I was still in PDP, he made a promise about his successor. He said that the elders of this state, the party and himself would jointly decide who would take over from him. He reneged and decided to single-handedly appoint his successor, to continue being a de facto governor after serving out his tenure. When I found out that it was his intention, I opposed it, but because he has the treasury of the government under his control, he was able to actualise his wish. His successor cannot perform. This is because he is just like a man who is asked to go and swim with his hands and legs tied. This is the kind of governor he has made.
“At the House of Assembly, he made sure that the governor was not in control. On the executive structure, he made it such that the governor has no right to choose his Chief of Staff and others to serve him. The governor cannot control the Attorney-General, Secretary to the State Government, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

“The deputy governor is the nominee of TA Orji and his son; so with such a structure (Governor Okezie) Ikpeazu can never perform. As a young man, he would like to make a name, but he won’t get that chance, except he tries to unfetter himself from Orji and his family. The Ngwa people, who are happy that they have a governor of their own extraction, will, along the line, find out that the way things are in this state, this governor will not serve them.  I want the governor to bear in mind that Nigeria of today is different from what we had two years ago; whatever he does,  he should bear in mind that at the end of his tenure, he will give account of his stewardship to Abians.
“I am also calling on Orji to come and give account of his stewardship to the people of Abia before the people, on their own, drag him out to do so.”
Source: Daily Sun

THREE KIDNAPPERS OF WIFE OF CBN'S GOVERNOR (GODWIN EMEFIELE) ARRESTED

Details of how Margaret Emefiele, wife of Central Bank Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, was rescued emerged last night as security sources disclosed that she was recued at Ugoneki, a midway between Benin and Agbor, on Friday night.

Her rescue was sequel to a directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to security agencies, an order that was carried out within 24 hours. A rescue team comprising operatives of the Department of State Security Service, Police and the military was deployed to track down her kidnappers and secure her release.

The operation that led to her rescue from the snare of her abductors claimed the life of one of her kidnappers while three others were arrested.

The remaining four members of the eight-man gang that kidnapped her are currently on the run.
Though a N1.5billion ransom was said to have been demanded by her kidnappers, security sources said no ransom was paid and she had now been reunited with her family in Lagos.

The CBN governor’s wife was kidnapped on Thursday along Benin-Agbor road. It was gathered that at the time of her abduction, she was being driven in an SUV with her police orderly and a back up vehicle with three mobile policemen.

Security sources said investigations were on to unravel why none of the policemen attached to her “did practically nothing”, when the gunmen struck.

“The three mobile policemen did practically nothing even though each of them had about 10 rounds of ammunition in their guns”, the source said.

The CBN governor has however praised security agencies for their gallantry in bringing his wife back home within 24 hours in compliance with the directive of President Buhari.

In a statement issued sunday by CBN Acting Director, Corporate Communications, Mr Isaac Okorafor, Emefiele thanked God for the life of his wife and also expressed his gratitude to the Delta and Edo State Governments, friends and well wishers who, through their actions, prayers and goodwill, helped to bring the harrowing experience to a joyful end.

He reaffirmed his resolve to continue to serve the nation diligently and with all his heart without any fear of intimidation.

 

Source:Thisday

ABIA GOV. TUSSLE: NWOSU WANTS SUPREME COURT TO MERGE SUITS

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abia State, Sir Friday Nwosu, who filed a tax forgery suit against Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, has prayed the Supreme Court to merge all appeals on the protracted state governorship tussle in order to ensure justice for all the contending parties. 

Nwosu whose appeal on the judgment of the Federal High Court, Owerri, is still pending at the Court of Appeal, Owerri Division, wants the Supreme Court to take over the hearing of his appeal or direct the panel sitting over it to determine the matter without further delay.

A five panel of the Court of Appeal headed by Justice R.C. Agbo which was constituted to hear the appeals arising from the judgment of the Federal High Court, Owerri, had adjourned to October, 20, 2016, as the court held that counsel to Uche Ogah, O.J. Nnadi, SAN, was not served.

While praying for the apex court to consolidate and deliver judgment on all appeals lying at different courts on the tax suit, Nwosu insisted that it will serve the best interest of justice if the appeals on the judgment of the Justice Morenike Ogunwumiju panel, lying at the Supreme Court, are heard together with his appeal, CA/OW/190/2016 pending at the Court of Appeal, Owerri, to avoid rendering it an academic exercise.

Nwosu noted that the trial of the two suits differently and delivery of two contradictory judgements has caused monumental embarrassment in the country’s Judiciary while the development has thrown Abia State into a near state of anarchy, since 27th June, 2016 and 8th July, 2016 when the two judgements were delivered by Justices Okon Abang and Lewis Allagoa, of the Abuja and Owerri Divisions of the Federal High Court, respectively.

He said, “If the Supreme Court does not intervene under Sections 17 and 22 of the Supreme Court Act as I prayed, Appeal No. CA/OW/190/2016 will be rendered an academic exercise and thereby denying me the right to fair hearing. All the materials required for the determination of the Appeal are contained in the Records of

Appeal already compiled and transmitted to court of Appeal, Owerri Division in Appeal No. CA/OW/190/2016 Sir Friday Nwosu vs. PDP and 3 others. Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/71/2016 i.e. CA/A/390/2016, CA/A/390A/2016 and CA/A/390B/2016 had been heard and determined at the Court of Appeal Abuja on 18/8/2016 while my appeal ,CA/OW/190/2016 is still being delayed and pending at the Court of Appeal, Owerri.

“In the alternative, I pray the Supreme Court to make an order directing the Panel of Justices of the Court of Appeal already set up to hear and determine the Appeal No.CA/OW/190/2016 between Sir Friday Nwosu vs. PDP & 3 ors to hear and determine the said Appeal expeditiously so that any appeal from their decision might be brought to the Supreme Court before the commencement of hearing in the Appeal Nos.SC/717/2016, SC/719/2016 and SC/739/2016 pending before the Supreme Court.”

He further stated that granting of the application by the Supreme Court, will ensure fair hearing as none of the parties in the four appeals who are still the same parties in the suit at Owerri,would suffer harm.

Source: Vanguardngr