POLITICS
Atiku Is Eligible To Vie For Presidency, Adamawa Govt. Tells Court
The Adamawa government, on Tuesday told a Federal High Court, Abuja, that former Vice President Atiku Abukakar was eligible to vie for the office of the president. The Attorney-General (AG) of Adamawa, Afraimu Jingi, told Justice Inyang Ekwo while moving a motion on notice, seeking to be joined in the suit filed by a group against Atiku and three others.
The group, an Incorporated Trustees of Egalitarian Mission for Africa (EMA), in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/177/2019 had sued Atiku, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as 1st to 4th respondents respectively. EMA is challenging Atiku’s eligibility to contest for presidency on the grounds that he was not a Nigerian citizen by birth. The group asked the court to hold among others, that considering the provisions of Sections 25(1) &(2) and 131(a) of the constitution and the circumstances surrounding the former vice president’s birth, he cannot contest for the top office. But Jingi, through his lawyer, Chief L.D. Nzadon, in the motion dated April 26 and filed June 24, sought an order of the court to be joined in the matter. Moving the motion, Nzadon based his argument on 21 grounds. The lawyer described the matter as “a public interest suit to ensure that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) is complied with in the election of the President of Nigeria.” He said the Adamawa AG is a chief law officer of the state who must be brought in as a party.“The Attorney-General is traditionally the guardian of the public interest in any public interest litigation,” he added.
According to him, this matter can not be effectively and conclusively determined unless the Attorney General of Adamawa is joined as a party.
Nzadon said Atiku, against whom the suit was primarily directed, is a citizen of Nigeria from Adamawa who had been elected as a Governor of the state in 1999 and served as the vice president of the country between 1999 to 2007.
He said the suit threatens the right of not just the ex-vice president to contest the office of president “but that of the citizens of Nigeria of Adamawa State origin covering 12 out of the 21 Local Government Areas in the state.”
The lawyer listed the local government areas to include Ganye, Jada, Toungo, part of Mayo-Belwa, part of Fufore, part of Song, part of Hong, Maiha, Mubi-North, Mubi-South, Michika and Madagali.
He said the total population of the citizens of Nigeria from Adamawa who would be affected by the outcome of the suit was about 2 million people going by the 2006 National Population Census.
“Every citizen of Nigeria whatever his ethnic, religious or cultural background or persuasion should have the same right to vie for any political position under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as any other citizen.
“To disenfranchise the citizens of the 12 local government areas of Adamawa State in relation to the office of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is to discriminate against them contrary to Section 42(1)(a), (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended),” Nzadon told the court.
According to him, Adamawa has the highest number of Nigerian citizens from the former Trust Territories of Northern Cameroon of the three states that have such citizens, to wit: Adamawa, Taraba and Borno States.
The lawyer said it would be extremely difficult to get each one of these Nigerian citizens to defend this action in court.
“This is a public interest Suit and can best be defended by the Adamawa State Government through its Chief Law Officer, the Attorney General of Adamawa State.
“This cause will be defeated by the non-joinder of the citizens whose civil rights and obligations will be affected in violation of Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended),” he said.
“The citizens of Adamawa in the 12 local government areas ought to have been joined as necessary parties to this suit but were not.
“The presence of the said citizens is necessary to enable the court to effectually and conclusively adjudicate upon and settle the questions involved in the action.
“The government and people of Adamawa State have a greater interest in this suit than the 4th respondent (AGF).
“It is the constitutional responsibility of the Adamawa Government to advance and protect the political, social and economic interests of the citizens of Nigeria from Adamawa State.
“The applicant is a necessary party to this suit without whose joinder the citizenship issues affecting the indigenes of Adamawa State from the 12 of the 21 local government areas in the state can not be determined with finality,” the lawyer said.
Since counsel to other parties in the suit did not oppose the motion, Justice Ekwo granted the prayer.
The judge, who gave the applicant seven days to file and serve all their processes, adjourned the matter until Sept. 27 for hearing of the substantive suit.
Atiku and the PDP had since asked the court to dismiss the suit which they said was grossly lacking in merit.
In a preliminary objection be jointly filed with the PDP, Atiku, maintained that he is “a bonafide citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
He told the court that aside serving as Vice President from 1999 to 2007, he held many public/private offices in Nigeria, including serving as Governor of Adamawa State and as a Commissioned Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service.
He said both his parents, grandparents and great grandparents were born in Nigeria and they lived, died as Nigerians and were buried in Nigeria.
Atiku told the court that he is qualified and eligible to be elected into the office of the President of Nigeria, adding that the Plaintiff filed the suit malafide.
“I know as a fact that this suit as filed by the Trustees of the Plaintiff is aimed at maligning the person and integrity of the 1st Defendant”.
He further queried the locus standi of the group to challenge his nationality, saying it failed to show before the court, the interest it has above other citizens of Nigeria to be entitled to the requisite jurisdiction to institute the action.
He therefore urged the court to dismiss the suit in its entirety. (NAN).
From Marcel Duru, Owerri
The Labour Party Candidate in the 2023 general elections for Mbaitoli-Ikeduru Federal Constituency, Rt Hon Uche Ogbuagu, has appreciated the party faithful in the area for their massive support for him, in last year’s general elections.Speaking during a special well attended Thank You Parley at his Akabo Ikeduru Country Home, the political Leader poured out his heartfelt appreciation to his supporters, who fought tooth and nail to ensure his electoral victory at the polls.
He explained that he did not abandon the mandate which the people freely gave to him but blamed the outcome on a few bad compromised elements who were bent on subverting the will of God and the people, maintaining that he has left Vengeance to the Almighty.According to Ogbuagu Uche Ogbuagu, he followed the right path as enshrined in the relevant laws of the land as he approached the court, the arbitrator and last Hope of the citizenry *from the tribunal to the Appellate Court.He assured his numerous supporters to keep faith alive as God still rules in the affairs of men and his faith in Christ Jesus remains unfazed.In the same vein he thanked God Almighty and the people of Mbaike, including the women and many others who accompanied him while he campaigned across the length and breadth of Mbaike.Many leaders of the party from the State, and across Mbaike which included His campaign Council Director General, Hon. Chris Egesimba, State Deputy woman leader, Chief Innocent Anukam the Chairman in Ikeduru, Chief Ifeanyi Aguocha, the Party Chairman in Mbaitoli, the Labour Party Candidate for Ikeduru State Constituency Hon. Engr Chuks Anaele and many other leaders,party executives from State,LGA and Wards,other stakeholders from all spheres attended the special event.Highlights of the events include the Observation of one minute silence in honour of departed LP Heroes in Mbaike and Exceptional Word Of Exhortation by Apostle Chiemela Rowland, which he titled ” Allow God to Avenge.”
By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja
The Board of Trustee (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the solutions to the leadership problems confronting the PDP are contained in its Constitution but are being stalled by deliberate litigations.Sen. Adolphus Wabara, the Chairman of the BoT, who stated this at the board’s 77th meeting yesterday, however, said the PDP needs to resolve the challenges in the best interest of the party and its members.
”It is incumbent upon us to resolve this matter with utmost urgency, guided by transparency, fairness, and the best interests of our party and its members,” Wabara said. He added, “Recalling the events that led to the ousting of the former Chairman of the Party in person of Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the current Acting Chairman has spent over a year in office whereas as the usual practice of the party, the region from whence the national officer hails from should have produced a viable candidate to complete the tenure of the former national officer.”Furthermore, the contentious issue surrounding the office of the National Secretary has regrettably sown seeds of discord within our party. The ambiguity surrounding this position has led to confusion and internal strife, hindering our collective efforts to pursue our noble objectives.”The solutions to these two challenges are clearly imbibed in our party’s constitution but deliberate litigations have made the application of these constitutional solutions impossible.”He said the BoT as leaders feel the pulse of Nigerians and particularly members of the party in their demand and quest for direction at this critical time in the life of the PDP and the nation.”Nigerians are currently passing through a perilous time and their earnest expectation is for us as a party to put our house in order and effectively lead the charge to rescue our nation from the stranglehold of the All-Progressives Congress (APC),” he said.He, therefore, said that the impending expiration of the Ward and Local Government Area executive structures of the PDP presented the party with the opportunity to reinvigorate and reposition for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”The forthcoming congresses at various levels serve as a beacon of hope, offering us a platform to reaffirm our commitment to democratic ideals, grassroots participation, and inclusive governance. Let us seize this moment to embrace change, foster unity, and chart a course towards a brighter and more prosperous future for our party and our nation,” he said.In his remarks during the meeting, the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Amb. Iliya Damagum, said that in spite of the challenges confronting the party, it has been going about its activities, adding that consultations were ongoing to resolve them.Among members of the BoT in attendance at the meeting are Governor of Bauchi State, Sen. Bala Mohammed, former Governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi and Secretary of the BoT, former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido and Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Abbah Moro.Others former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Sen. Ben Obi, former Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, former Imo State Governor, Achike Udenwa, former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, Josephine Anenih, Sen. Biodun Olujimi, Sen. Osita Ngwu and former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswan.
By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja
The House of Representatives said it is working on plans to ensure financial autonomy for managers of nuclear energy centres in the country.Chairman, House Committee on Renewable Energy, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene called on personnel and nuclear scientists managing Nigeria’s nuclear research centres to make efforts to avoid any act of sabotage that could lead to adverse incidents that would jeopardize the security of the nation.
He assured them that the parliament is working towards ensuring that the Budget Office of the Federation “grant the two Centres of Excellence Financial Autonomy, by providing them with separate budget lines for Effective and Efficient discharge of their mandate. ”Ogene made this appeal on Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Abuja, when representatives of the two Centres met with the Committee on Renewable Energy, at the National Assembly, in continuation of the investigation into why the hazard and high-risk allowances, which was approved for the scientists in the two centres were withheld by the Budget Office, but ironically, allegedly, paid to civil servants in the employ of Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), Abuja.The two Centres in question are the Centre for Energy Research and Training, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Centre for Energy Research and Development, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife.While the Centre in Zaria, Kaduna state, hosts the nation’s only nuclear reactor, the Centre in Ile-Ife hosts nuclear Tandem Accelerator in addition to nuclear waste and other dreaded sources of radiation that must be handled with care.The management of the two high-risk centres had raised concerns over the impact of the non-payment of the deserved allowances to the morale of scientists at the two centres, who faced daily risks in managing the nation’s nuclear facilities, through a complaint letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abass Tajudeen, in January, 2024.They also raised concerns over the danger of a possible sabotage or avoidable nuclear accident as a result of the disillusionment of staff at the two centres over poor working conditions and lack of institutional support for their programmes.The Speaker subsequently directed the Committee on Renewable Energy to look into the challenges raised by the Centres.The representative of the Centres, Prof. Ganiyu I. Balogun, Prof. J.F.K Akinbami, Dr. Bashir M. Umar and Dr. M.B Katif, who spoke in turns, explained the challenges of the centres and how they have been trying to manage the situation in order to avert ugly nuclear incidents that could lead to serious international embarrassment.But Hon. Ogene, while appealing to them for calm, informed them about the efforts of the House to bring a lasting resolution to the identified challenges.Speaking further, he told them that the Committee found merit in their petition and have therefore made some recommendations, which include:”That the Rt. Honourable Speaker, do direct the Budget Office of the Federation, as well as the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to restore the Allowances under review.”Also, direct the Budget Office of the Federation to grant the two Centres of Excellence Financial Autonomy, by providing them with separate budget lines for Effective and Efficient discharge of their mandate.”Also that the various appeals by the Chairman/CEO, Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, made on behalf of his staff, should be approved by virtue of the sensitive nature of the jobs they undertake.”That the National Income Salaries and Wages Commission be queried because of its negative role in the matter.”
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