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HURIWA APPLAUDS FEDERAL HIGH COURT ON OKIGWE SENATE SLOT

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4 years ago

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…..charges INEC to be swift, decisive and professional in the Okigwe senate poll

The leading Civil Rights Advocacy Group in Nigeria :- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) thinks that the decision by the Federal High Court Owerri division, which categorically decided on the legal interrogatory of who exactly is the flag bearer of All Progressives Congress (APC), in the yet to be fixed but much anticipated election to choose a senator for Okiwe that has remained “ a political orphan” in the upper legislative chamber, is a welcomed development.

Consequent upon the ruling of the Federal High Court resolving the controversy trailing the Okigwe by-election’s Senatorial primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Rights group said the candidates validly presented now to the Independent National Electoral commission as candidates including the Court decided flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress must now go to the fields and tell the constituents what blueprints they possess to change the fortune of Okigwe.

HURIWA stated that it is imperative that the just reappointed INEC Chairman should fix a quick date for the conduct of the by-election just as the Rights Advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) said it was high time that Okigwe Senatorial zone changes from the unfortunate position as the most marginalized senatorial district in Nigeria to an economic zone whereby industrialization upgrade would drive up employment for the youngstars and bring about stability, growth, progress and security for all.

The group which says it has no favoured candidate in the poll, however charges all those willing to serve the people to be ready to do the most simple of all tasks by producing academic qualifications they have claimed to have so Okigwe no longer suffers perennial lack of representation in the senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“HURIWA has recently visited Okigwe senatorial zone and from our findings, the constituents have this feeling of being short changed and the bad state of the only Federal road traversing Okigwe to Umunahia and Okigwe to Owerri, is a disgraceful phenomenon which means that this prolonged lack of representation of Okigwe in the senate is not just a political disadvantage but a gross human rights violation.”

Mahmood Yakubu
INEC Chairman

“We urge the rejuvenated independent National Electoral Commision (INEC) to fix a definite date for conduct of the Okigwe senatorial poll just as we challenge the electoral empire to conduct a free, fair, peaceful and transparent election so it will be impossible for the winner to be removed by the election Tribunal and so the seemingly unending episode of lack of representation of Okigwe at the senate would stop. We trust that Professor Yakubu Mahmood led INEC will not help to perpetuate this deliberate under-representation of Okigwe Senatorial zone.”

HURIWA recalled that a Federal High Court sitting in Owerri last Friday ruled that former Senator Ifeanyi Ararume and not Mr. Frank Ibezim or Lady Uchenna Uba, was the rightful candidate qualified to represent APC in the forthcoming by-election.

HURIWA recalled that the seat of Imo North Senatorial District formerly occupied by Senator Benjamin Emeka Uwajumogu, became vacant following the sudden death of the senator in his residence in Abuja last December even as part of the process of selecting a candidate to fly the party’s flag during the by-election earlier fixed for October 31, 2020, but put forward indefinitely due to the #EndSARS protests, APC organised parallel primaries.

HURIWA recalled that the then ‘candidate’ Ibezim, who was favoured by Governor Uzodimma emerged from the rival primary organised by the Chairman and Secretary of the APC Senatorial Primary Election Primary Committee, Senator Ararume, was announced winner in the alternate primary endorsed by other members of the committee.

Hope Uzodinma
Governor, Imo State

Dissatisfied with the outcomes of both exercises, Lady Uchenna Uba approached the Court seeking an order to be declared the authentic candidate of the party for the Senatorial by-election.

Joined, as parties to the suit were, APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Araraume, Dr. Edith Chidinma Uwajumogu and Hon. Mathew Omegara as 1st to 5th defendants.

Ruling on the suit No. FHC/101/2020, which was earlier scheduled for October 27, 2020, the Presiding Judge, Justice Tegem isolated two issues for resolution, including the issue of tentative result and determining the rightful winner.

He remarked that there were two different results tendered in evidence before the court, the result from the Plaintiff, the 1st Defendant, and also Mr. Frank Ibezim.

According to the court, while the first result was signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Seven Member Panel that conducted the primary election, where Ibezim polled the highest number of votes and was declared winner, the second tendered in evidence before the Court by the third Defendant (Senator Ifeanyi Araraume) was written by a split group of the same Seven Member Panel for the conduct of the Election, but did not sign that Result in which the third defendant polled the highest number of votes and was declared winner.

Although the court found on the first issue that “in the Court of law an unsigned document is no document, since the authenticity of the document cannot be ascertained,” it declared that the “result signed by Chairman and Secretary of the Seven Member Panel in my view is the tentative result.”

On the issue of who was the rightful winner, Justice Tegem queried: “What is the implication of the disqualification as adduced by the counsel to the 4th respondent (Edith Uwanjumogu)?

The Presiding judge noted that by coming to court through a proxy, Ibezim spoilt what ordinarily was a very good opportunity before him, but missed it having chosen to do it by proxy.

Consequently Justice Tegem disclosed that tendered in evidence before the Court by the Plaintiff was the reports of both the Screening Committee and the Appeal Panel of the APC, stressing that there was no evidence that the disqualified aspirants (the Plaintiff (Uba), Ibezim and the 5th Defendant Omegra and three others) showing that they appealed to the National Working Committee of the party.

The judge noted also counsel to the plaintiff and the 1st Defendant never raised any point of law in defense of the issue of disqualification during there adumbration in adoption of their written addresses and held that “this amounted in my view to an admission.”

“In the eyes of the Law, the Plaintiff, Frank Ibezim, Mathew Omegra and three others never participated in the primary election. Disqualified aspirants remained not aspirants in the said primary having been disqualified,” the judge declared.

Consequently the court ordered as follows: “The participation of Frank Ibezim is nullified having been disqualified by the party screening committee and the Appeal Panel before the primary election.

“That the next person who polled the third highest votes in the resolved tentative result, which is Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, to now be the candidate of the party for the by-election of the Imo North Senatorial District, replacing Ibezim.”

The Rights group is therefore urging politicians to give peace a chance so the people of Okigwe will be offered the Constitutional right that belongs to them as Nigerian citizens to freely elect their Senator so the vicious circle of systemic lack of representation at the highest legislative body in the Federal Republic of Nigeria is brought to an end

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University Don Canvases Implementation of New Public Management to accelerate Nation’s growth

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1 week ago

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November 28, 2024

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By Elizabeth Okwe and Ojone Grace Odaudu


A Professor of New Public Management at the Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK) Prof. Charles Nwekeaku has advocated the implementation of New Public Management to accelerate growth and development in Nigeria.


Delivering a lecture titled “New Public Management, National Development and Transformation in Globalized World”.
at the 47th Inaugural Lecture of the university in Keffi, the university Don explained that NPM is a new administrative system that promises to address the perceived inadequacies contained in the Traditional Public Administration system which tend to neutralize it’s efficacy.

According to him, NPM has the potentialities of succeeding where the TPA has failed because of its creativity, efficiency, flexibility, adaptability to new administrative challenges, market oriented posture, good governance as well as inbuilt mechanisms that make NPM withstand the shocks of developmental challenges.

Nwekeaku added that these advantages led him to advocate for all levels of government to get involved in the implementation of NPM, given it’s potential to help accelerate Nigeria’s growth and development.

“The NPM advocates new innovations, ideas, strategies and creativity in meeting the needs of the members of the society who should be seen as loyal and important customers yearning for efficient and effective service delivery from the government.

“It emphasizes the application of the concept of the private sector which sees and treats people or citizens as customers who should get value for their money and who yearn for efficient and effective service delivery from the government,” Prof. Nwekeaku declared.

He explained further that it is in the contextual setting of the NPM that national development can occur as the human and material resources of the state will be actively harnessed for efficient and effective use of the society.

“Nothing practically is working in Nigeria today, and the situation will remain so except the yoke of traditional public administration is yanked off and replaced with the New Public Management,” he said.

The university Don pointed out that in practical terms,the adoption of NPM for national development and transformation will entail the application of principles and practices of corporate governance, alternative service delivery, e governance, and commerce.

“Other are artificial intelligence, financial inclusion, as well as other tools and attitude that engender efficiency, good governance and profitablity in all public institutions and enterprises at all levels of governance,” he said.

In an interview, Prof. Sa’adatu Liman, Vice Chancellor of NSUK aplauded the lecturer for a well researched inaugural lecture and described the topic of the lecture as apt and instrumental in helping to transform Nigeria giving the present economic challenges.

“The lecturer spoke eloquently of the failures of the traditional public administration and the need to apply the new public management system for quality .and growth.

“It it is applied, it will surely bring development to the country because as it is the country has been stagnated due to the continuous use of the traditional public administration procedure,” she said.

Source: City Post

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Anambra Approves Tax Relief for Small Businesses, Awards Contracts for Health and Other Infrastructures

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1 week ago

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November 27, 2024

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As part of its efforts to boost small and medium enterprises in the state, the Anambra state government has granted tax relief to businesses operating with less than N100,000 capital. This, according to the government, is in consideration of the difficulties faced by businesses in recent times.

The state government has also awarded contracts worth over N600 million for the supply and installation of new medical and non-medical hospital equipment at both the specialist hospital, Fegge, and the General Hospital, Anaku, Onitsha South, and Ayamelum LGAs. The contract was awarded to CHRISLAUG LTD.

This followed the approval of the projects by the State Executive Council meeting in Awka on Tuesday.

A statement by the State’s Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor said the contract is expected to be delivered in three months.

The statement gave details of the contract and other decisions of the council thus:

“LOT 1: SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF NEW HOSPITAL MEDICAL AND NON-MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AT THE SPECIALIST HOSPITAL, FEGGE, at the sum of N367,560,500.00. It will be supplied 3 months after the mobilisation fee.

“LOT 2: SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF NEW HOSPITAL MEDICAL AND NON-MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AT THE GENERAL HOSPITAL ANAKU at the sum of N285,473,000.00. It will be supplied 3 months after the mobilisation fee

“The Council encouraged investors to take over the management of public enterprises (PEs) in the state by restating that leasing and concessioning PEs are better alternatives to the Government managing them directly.

“The Council restated that the Anti-touting Law of Anambra State remains in force and strongly advised touts to join the Soludo administration’s empowerment schemes for legitimate livelihoods. The Council also approved tax exemptions in Anambra State for groups whose business capitals are less than N100,000 and devolution of more powers to the local governments in the state in the area of sanitation.

“The Council has approved a memo presented by the Commissioner for Water Resources and Power, Engr. Julius Chukwuemeka, for the rehabilitation of the vandalised injection substation at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam Campus. The contract was awarded to Kolc Ventures at the sum of N228,147,634.33.

“The contract for the provision of free internet access to the Anambra State House of Assembly Complex, Awka, at the sum of N81,872,000.00 was awarded to PINE HEIGHT GLOBAL RESOURCES LTD to be installed within 2 weeks from the date of the contract award.

“The one for the construction of 151 open stalls at Afuzo Market, Isuofia, to boost local commerce and support economic growth was awarded to Crystal Dove Construction Company at the sum of N279,072,710.75.

Allpee International Ltd won the contract for the road-marking of the Amawbia flyover motorway with a spur through Ezeuzu Junction to ICC, along Amansea Old Road at the sum of N118,716,874.41. It will be delivered in 6 weeks.


“The ANSEC also approved the memo for the supply and installation of Solar Street Lights within the Awka Metropolis Lot 1, Lot 2, and Lot 3.
LOT 1: SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF 544 NR SOLAR STREET LIGHTS
awarded to VIGEO-DOME LTD
N460,732,148.31
3 months delivery post mobilization fee.

II: SUPPLY and INSTALLATIONS OF 346 Nr SOLAR STREET LIGHTS.

FRANKTORCH NIG LTD
N385,605,574.49
2 months delivery post mobilization fee.

111: SUPPLY and INSTALLATIONS OF 240 Nr SOLAR STREET LIGHTS.

HONEYDOVE INTEGRATED
N163,800,279.72
2 months delivery post mobilization fee

“The contract for the production and installation of 500 pieces of fluorescent “Solution Is Here” concrete signage for the branding of all landmark infrastructures across the state was awarded to Conifer Konstruction Nig Ltd at the sum of N200,000,013.51

Signed

Law Mefor, PhD
Commissioner for Information
Anambra State

November 25, 2024.

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Economy

Despite Earlier Apprehensions, Senators Agree on Funding for Development Commissions

Published

1 month ago

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October 25, 2024

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Despite Senators’ division over new regional development commissions’ funding arrangement, Lawmakers in the Red Chamber on Thursday finally agreed on the source of funding for the newly created zonal development commissions.

The arguments had unfolded as the Senate and House of Representatives moved forward with legislation to establish these commissions, which were also stripped of operational immunity for their boards and executives.

The disagreement emerged during the clause-by-clause consideration of the South-South Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024, which serves as the structural template for other zonal commissions.
Central to the debate was the Senate Committee on Special Duties’ recommendation that 15% of statutory allocations from member states be directed toward funding these commissions.

Several Senators, including Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP, Kebbi North), Wasiu Eshinlokun (APC, Lagos East), and Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West), voiced concerns over the proposed funding model.

 

 

Senator Abdullahi warned that the provision could lead to legal challenges from state governments, as no state would willingly allow its statutory allocation to be reduced.

“Mr President, distinguished colleagues, the 15% of statutory allocations of member states recommended for funding their zonal development commissions would be litigated against by some state governments,” Abdullahi said.

Seeking to clarify the matter, the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, quickly intervened.

He explained that the 15% allocation would not involve a direct deduction from the states’ funds.

He said, “Mr President, distinguished colleagues, the 15% of statutory allocation of member states, recommended for funding of Zonal Development Commissions by the federal government, is not about deduction at all.

“What is recommended, as contained in the report presented to us by the Committee on Special Duties and being considered by the Senate now, is that 15% of the statutory allocation of member states in a zonal development commission would, by way of calculation by the federal government, be used to fund the commission from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

“Each state has a monthly statutory allocation, 15% of which, as contained in this report being considered, will be calculated by the federal government and removed from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for funding of their Development Commission.”

Despite Barau’s explanation, several senators remained unconvinced and expressed their desire to contribute to the debate.

However, Senate President Godswill Akpabio stepped in, asserting that the provision was constitutionally sound.

“We don’t need to debate whether 15% of statutory allocations from member states in a commission would be deducted,” Akpabio said, citing Section 162(4) of the 1999 Constitution, which grants the National Assembly the authority to appropriate funds from either the Consolidated Revenue Fund or the Federation Account.

“Fifteen percent of the statutory allocation has been recommended by the Senate, and by extension, the National Assembly, for funding these zonal development commissions. Anyone who wishes to challenge that in court is free to do so,” he added.

Akpabio then called for a voice vote, and the majority voted in favour of the provision.

In his remarks following the passage of the consolidated bills, Akpabio expressed gratitude to the Senators for their efforts in finalising the Zonal Development Commissions.

He noted that these commissions would provide a foundation for the newly created Ministry of Regional Development.

The bills passed include the South-South Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024, the North West Development Commission Act (Amendment) Bill 2024, and the South-East Development Commission Act (Amendment) Bill 2024.

The South West Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024 and the North Central Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024 were previously passed.

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