APC VS APC - COURT STRIKES OUT BABA HASSAN’S PRELIMINARY OBJECTION, ORDERS PARTIES TO INVITE ORAL EVIDENCE

By Nnabugwu Chizoba

Justice Musa Kuray of the Federal High Court, sitting in Jos, the Plateau State Capital, has Friday, 6^th July, 2016 ordered parties involved in the suit, No. FHC/J/CS/20/2015 to call oral evidence to prove their case.

Ruling on the Preliminary Objection filed by Baba Hassan, through his Council, Solomon Umoh, SAN, the court struck out the Objection for being premature, as it ventured into the facts of the case.

Hon. Justice Kuray, held that the matter, an Originating summon has become contentious and conflicting, with a lot of documents, affidavits, further better affidavit and Newspaper publications. On the strength of this, therefore, he ruled that the “Parties in the matter are to call oral evidence to prove their case”.

The matter, earlier fixed for 6^th July, 2016 for ruling by the court, could however not hold because the court did not sit due to the public Holiday declared by the Federal government of Nigeria, to mark the Salah festival.  Following this ruling, the court adjourned the matter to 11^th October, 2016, for hearing.

THE NEED TO RE-STRATEGIZE AND RE-POSITION ANAN IN THE GLOBAL MARKET

By Nnabugwu Chizoba

The financial and economic crisis in the globe, that came to a climax in 2008 and the uncertain path to recovery is a by-product of years of unrestrained sharp economic practices, improper business operations and worst of all, the undermining of accounting systems, amidst under valuing of natural capital (all natural assets both produced or non-produced, economic or environmental).

The modern economic crisis is not attributable to Euro-zone countries alone because of the universality of the instruments of performance measurement and the principles of consumption and growth.

The World Bank and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), recently concluded that the stage of development in the industrialized world had accentuated the lowering of environmental harmony, thereby accelerating the growth of dirty industrial output, depleted natural assets and over-exploiting of the system that powers nature.

MULTIPLE DEATHS AND LOSS OF PROPERTY WORTH MILLIONS OF NAIRA AVERTED IN JOS PLATEAU STATE. JOS METROPOLITAN BOARD AND THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT SHOULD DO THE NEEDFUL TO AVOID LOOMING DEATH AND PROPERTY LOSS.

Report by Euphemia Ejofor

A disaster that would have registered multiple deaths and loss of property worth millions of naira was yesterday averted in Jos, the Plateau state capital, as a huge tree fell few minutes after people left the spot the tree was at Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State. 

The incident, which happened at about 3.30pm, at the Jos metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) Garden, in-between Zaria-by- Pass and Zaria Crescent, near Our Lady of Apostles Hospital (OLA), as many people refer to call the Hospital. 

According to an eye witness account “Not long after the heavy rain of yesterday started, this mighty tree fell down and to the glory of God nobody was harmed and no property was affected”.

A CABAL HAS HIJACKED EXECUTIVE POWERS FROM PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI - Senate President Bukola Saraki

Statement on Commencement of Trial at FCT High Court

Abuja, Nigeria, June 27, 2016, we the leaders of the Nigerian Senate reiterate our innocence against the charges filed by the Attorney General of the Federal Government of Nigeria at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on the allegations of forgery of the Senate Standing Rules document.

In our view, the charges filed by the Attorney General represent a violation of the principle of the Separation of Powers between the Executive Branch and the Legislative Branch as enshrined in our Constitution.  Furthermore, it is farcical to allege that a criminal act occurred during Senate procedural actions and the mere suggestion demonstrates a desperate overreach by the office of the Attorney General. These trumped up charges is only another phase in the relentless persecution of the leadership of the Senate

This misguided action by the Attorney General begs the question, how does this promote the public interest and benefit the nation?  At a time when the whole of government should be working together to meet Nigeria’s many challenges, we are once again distracted by the Executive Branch’s inability to move beyond a leadership election among Senate peers. It was not an election of Senate peers and Executive Branch participants.

PRESS STATEMENT BY SEN. EKWEREMADU

DEMOCRACY ON TRIAL

ABUJA - I presented myself to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court today as an ordinary citizen of this great nation to plead NOT GUILTY to charges I did not and could not have committed.

It is deeply troubling to note that people in high places who swore to uphold the law have dwindled into purveyors of falsehood and rumours who seek to smear and tarnish the reputation of law abiding and responsible citizens as well as cripple the hallowed institutions of democracy. It is all the more disheartening that people who should know better use the colour of their office to pursue private vendetta against people they disagree with.

 This grotesque display of vindictiveness, arrogance, and mindless targeting of innocent citizens should find no sanctuary in our democracy. Using the machinery of justice to create disorder is a dangerous and invidious scheme that ultimately will lead Nigeria down the road to perdition. It is Senator Bukola Saraki and Senator Ike Ekweremadu today, who knows whose turn it will be next?

THE PLIGHT OF A WIDOW IN THE HANDS OF JOS ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION COMPANY: THE UNTOLD STORY

Nnabugwu chizoba and Anyiam Uzoma Edward

 

We promised our readers that we shall probe into the reasons behind the level of anger and despondence being expressed by the customers of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC), in Jos Metropolis, whenever the name of the Company is mentioned. 

The outcome of the investigation is quite revealing, engaging and obviously nauseating. Please read on!

A widow, who spoke on anonymous condition, because of the likelihood of intimidation and victimization, according to her, complained bitterly over what she considered as the wickedness of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company. 

According to her, she packed into a property that she rented recently. Few days into the property, the workers of Jos Electricity Distribution Company stepped out and descended heavily on her. 

PLATEAU STATE, CITIZENS AND GOVERNMENT DIVIDED OVER GRAZING/RANCHING POLICY

By: Valentine Adese, Alfred Saiki and Chizoba Nnabugwu

Since the issue of grazing reserves and ranching policies were made public by the Federal Government and the subsequent adoption allegedly by 19 northern state governors, the relation between citizens in the Middle Belt and their state governments have been on the constant dispute line.

The public statement released earlier that the 19 northern state governors and their administrations have signed a document at a particular meeting, agreeing to provide lands for grazing reserve or ranching policies without prior consultation with those that elected them to office, had sparked the initial reactions in the six states of the Middle Belt, who are making efforts to have independence from the north. 

The issue had also rocked the relationship between the Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Simon Lalong and the Governor of Benue state, Ortom, who out rightly rejected the policy after town hall meetings and consultations with his people . The governors had exchanged bitter words, countered each other, with allegations and denials on the issue.

In Plateau state, the long awaited names of local government areas and the names of the chiefs who gave out lands for that purpose is still hanging, as there are fears that the indigenous people to the local government areas are expressing hidden actions.