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Tuesday, January 9, 2024
NAFDAC seeks stiffer counterfeiting law without fine option.
Court declares Anyanwu as PDP national secretary.
Court declares Anyanwu as PDP national secretary.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the legitimate National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The court also in a judgment delivered on Tuesday restrained the national leadership of the PDP from appointing any person as acting National Secretary, adding that in line with the party’s constitution, Anyanwu’s four-year tenure ends December 9, 2025.
But the PDP rejected the judgment, saying it would be appealed.
Reacting, the PDP National Vice Chairman (South-East), Ali Odefa, told The PUNCH: “Certainly, we will appeal that judgment. There was an earlier judgment from Enugu declaring Udeh-Okoye as the secretary. We will appeal it.”
After Anyanwu became the PDP’s governorship candidate for the November 11 election in Imo State, demands for his resignation intensified.
On October 20, the South-East zonal executive committee of the PDP nominated Sunday Udeh-Okoye to replace Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary.
However, the National Working Committee of the party on November 14, 2023, ordered Anyanwu to step aside and directed the deputy national secretary, Setonji Koshoedo, to take over.
Two members of the party, Geoffrey Ihentuge and Apollo’s Godspower, filed an ex-parte motion stopping the defendants from removing Anyanwu as National Secretary.
In the suit, the PDP; its acting National Chairman, Umar Damagun; its National Executive Committee; the National Working Committee of the party, and the Independent National Electoral Commission were joined as the first to fifth defendants, respectively.
The presiding judge, Inyang Ekwo, had on November 23 stopped the PDP from removing Anyanwu as National Secretary pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter.
Delivering judgment on the matter on Tuesday, Justice Ekwo also declared that any meeting held, or resolution reached, by the party to prematurely remove or prevent Anyanwu from exercising the powers of his office would be in violation of Article 47 (1) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).
“The plaintiffs have been able to demonstrate, with credible evidence, the threat and move by the PDP leadership to remove its national secretary without due compliance with the provisions of the party’s constitution.
“The court is duty-bound to prevent that from happening. The plaintiffs do not have to wait until the 1st-4th defendants carry out their threat before coming to seek redress. In such a situation, the court is bound to grant the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs,” he held.
The judge also restrained INEC from recognising any purported appointment of any person as national secretary of the party, whether in an acting capacity or otherwise, except Anyanwu
Tinubu Slashes Travel Convoy By 60%.
Tinubu Slashes Travel Convoy By 60%. .....office of the President, VP, First Lady, Ministers and heads of agencies affected.
President Bola Tinubu has slashed by 60 per cent the travel expenditure of government officials in his administration.
Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed this to State House Correspondents on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to him, the decision was part of cost-cutting measures of the Presidency.
He said that the decision will affect the office of the President, Vice President, First Lady, Ministers and heads of agencies.
He said, “Tinubu has directed that all state entourages be drastically reduced. This is not a request. It is a directive. The office of the president and staff will be affected. VP, appointees are affected.
“By this directive, there will be a slashing of expenditure on official travel by 60 per cent.”
He said consequently the President is limited to 20 number of staff outside the country.
He also said every minister is limited to having just four members of staff on any foreign trip while heads of agencies are limited to just two.
Ngelale said Tinubu has also said that he will no longer travel with huge security delegations to any state in the country.
The presidential spokesman also added that if the president travels to any state, the security in the state will take care of his security and the same applies to the vice president and other top government officials.
Orji Kalu lauds Tinubu’s approach to fighting insecurity.
Governor Oyebanji Strengthens Fiscal Ties: Pays a Productive Visit to Accountant General's Office in Abuja.
Oyebanji Visits Former Governor Fayemi: A Gesture of Unity and Progress for Ekiti State.
Monday, January 8, 2024
S’Court upholds Alia’s victory as Benue governor.
S’Court upholds Alia’s victory as Benue governor.
The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed two appeals by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Benue State, Titus Uba, seeking to void the victory of Governor Hyacinth Alia of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A five-member panel, presided over by Justice John Okoro, said issues raised in the appeals do not qualify as post-election matters.
Appellants’ lawyer, Sebastine Hon (SAN), attempted to explain the basis of the appeal.
He said the appellants challenged the sponsorship of Alia and his deputy, Samuel Ode.
According to him, while the APC failed to submit Ode’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the election, Alia’s name was submitted out of time.
Hon was still explaining his client’s case when a member of the court’s panel, Justice Emmanuel Agim, intervened.
Justice Agim said there were no post-election issues in the appeal, adding: “You are dealing with pre-election matters here.
“It is not every issue about sponsorship that falls into post-election cases. This is clearly a pre-election matter.
“This case does not fall in the category of post-election matters. This case is a matter dealing with nomination and presentation of candidates’ names.”
Another member, Justice Helen Ogunwumiju, noted that there were no serious issues of law raised in the appeal requiring the court’s intervention.
Justice Okoro added: “This is not the kind of case that should come here. On a very serious note. We have a lot of work to do. We are unanimous on this matter.”
The Justices then prevailed on Hon to withdraw the first appeal, which he did, following which the court dismissed it in the absence of objection from the respondents’ lawyers.
Justice Okoro said as agreed by the parties, the order of dismissal on the first appeal, marked: SC/CV/1162/2023 shall apply to the second, marked: SC/CV/1164/2023.
The court session was witnessed by Alia, Ode and some other politicians from Benue.
Alia left the Supreme Court straight for Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) George AKume’s residence to convene to him the good news of his triumph at the apex court.
He was warmly received by the political leader of the APC in the state, who embraced him for a few minutes after vigorously shaking hands with the governor.
Alia, who said the victory will ginger him to push on with his laudable programmes for Benue people, told reporters: “I resolve to remain focused until the fortunes of the state are turned around for good and to ensure that Benue realises its potential and takes its pride of place in the comity of developed states in Nigeria.”
He dedicated his victory to the ordinary Benue people on the street, farmers, teachers, market women, pensioners, IDPs, youths, and civil servants previously depressed and demotivated.
The governor vowed to prioritise their needs and interests and called on the people to continue to support the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.
The PDP in Benue State said it had accepted the verdict of the Supreme Court in good faith.
It thanked its leaders and supporters for their backing and urged them to remain steadfast.
Judgment reserved in Ebonyi governorship dispute
Also yesterday, the apex court heard three appeals seeking to void the election of Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru of the APC.
One of the appeals, marked: SC/CV/1156/2023 was filed by Odoh Benard of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), while two, marked: SC/CV/1212/2023 and SC/CV/1218/2023 were by Chukwuma Odii Ifeanyi of the PDP.
With the agreement of all parties, the court heard the one marked SC/CV/1212/2023 and said the judgment on the one heard would be applied to the other two.
Appellants’ lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN), adopted his clients’ briefs, urged the court to allow the appeal, set aside the decision of the court below and grant the reliefs as prayed.
Uche explained that his clients’ main contention is that the Nwifuru was not a member of the APC when he contested the election; therefore, his nomination was invalid.
While he was still making his submissions, Justice Agim asked Uche about the implication of a judgment given by a Federal High Court in Abuja last year.
It was held that Nwifuru, who was then the Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, should vacate his seat because he was no longer a member of the PDP on which platform he got into the House of Assembly.
Responding, Uche said: “We are saying that he…failed to obey and held on the seat for over five months.”
He noted that Nwifuru’s appeal against that judgment was listed for hearing on Monday by the Court of Appeal.
Lawyer to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Babandala Fika, prayed to the court to affirm the concurrent findings on the merit by both courts below.
Nwifuru’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the appeal.
He faulted Uche’s argument, noting that the judgment of the Federal High Court was on a case initiated by the PDP.
Ikpeazu, who also faulted Uche’s claim that his client forged his APC membership card, argued that the court having determined that Nwifuru had left the PDP, he was entitled to have a membership card of his new party.
Lawyer to the APC, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the appeal, affirm the decision of the court below and uphold the declaration and return of Nwifuru as the Governor of Ebonyi State.
Ogunwumiju argued that Section 177 on which the appellants hinged their case, is only meant to prevent an independent candidate from contesting an election.
The SAN said: “The question to be asked is whether the person, whose nomination is being challenged identified with a party or whether he was sponsored by the party.
“Was he voted for by the electorate because he is a candidate of a party? Did INEC publish his name as a candidate of a party?”
Ogunwumiju noted that the appellants, in their petition before the election tribunal, answered the questions themselves by listing the candidate and his party, and also tendering Form EC8A, showing his scores in the election.
He argued that the information in the appellants’ petition was sufficient to address their doubt that Nwifuru was a member of the APC.
Justice Okoro said judgment has been reserved.