Connect with us

Politics

BREAKING: Justice Abdulmalik Should’ve Waited For Supreme Court, Lawyers Fault ‘Premature’ Rivers Verdict

Published

on

An Abuja-based legal practitioner, Chidi Odo, has described as “premature” the judgment of the Federal High Court which barred the Federal Government from releasing allocations to Rivers State.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik issued the ruling restraining the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from allowing Rivers State to access funds from the consolidated revenue account. She determined that Governor Similari Fubara’s action of presenting the budget to only four members of the State Assembly violated the 1999 Constitution.

The judge further noted that Governor Fubara’s disbursement of state funds since January, before presenting the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the State Assembly, were unlawful and unconstitutional.

Justice Abdulmalik thus ordered the governor to present the bill to the State House of Assembly, led by Rt. Hon. Martin Amaehwule, and prohibited financial institutions from disbursing funds to the state until the bill was passed.

But in an interview with THE WHISTLER, Odo said the judgment should have been delayed until the Supreme Court issued its final decision on the leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Odo said, “The judgment is premature because the issue of the authentic leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly has not been determined by the Supreme Court. They would have waited for the Supreme Court to make their decision, determining who is the authentic leader of the assembly, before their own.

“Meanwhile, the judgment is not against Fubara; it’s not against the Rivers State government; it’s against the entire Rivers State people, because if you starve them of funds, the state machinery will come to a halt, and everybody will suffer because of one man.

“I think they should have been more careful and circumspect in their decision.

“Remember that the 27 lawmakers said they have resigned and defected to another political party, meaning that there are only four members remaining in the house. It was based on that foundation that Fubara presented the budget to the available lawmakers.

“Constitutionally, you need a two-thirds majority to pass the budget, but because there are no lawmakers, the governor cannot be compelled to do the impossible, which is why he decided on the basis of necessity and allowed the four to pass the budget.

“And I know for a fact that if there is a state of emergency, the law requires him to present the budget to the National Assembly. But given the circumstances of the matter, you cannot blame him, because when there is an emergency, every action is legitimate.

“The judicial process needs to be streamlined; all matters pertaining to the Rivers State government should have been submitted to one court for one final adjudication to avoid conflicting judgments,” he said.

Another legal practitioner, Maxwell Opara, who also spoke to THE WHISTLER, said the judgment further complicates issues in the state.

“I don’t see a reason for the judgment; it is uncalled for. They just used it to compound the problems in Rivers State,” Maxwell told our correspondent.

“You are elected in a political party but decided to decamp; now it has boomeranged, and you start causing trouble. When you decamp, you cease to be a member; it is a constitutional matter.

“When people decamp and only four are left, are you saying that the governor should allow the state to just stay? No, the state must progress.”

Speaking about the judge, the lawyer added, “Moreover, someone has challenged that you are biased; that is enough for you to recuse yourself from the case.

“There is no basis for the judgment. The Federal High Court should have adjourned the matter pending when the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court have decided on it,” he concluded.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>

Leave your vote

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings

Politics

Karoline Leavitt says. ‘The Black Voters Turned Out For Trump In Numbers, We Have Never Seen That Before’

Published

on

By

 

Karoline Leavitt, the Trump 2024 National Press Secretary, has emphasized the encouraging developments in states like Georgia and North Carolina, pointing out that President-elect Donald Trump achieved historic wins among Hispanic voters and witnessed historically high Black voter turnout. She credited Trump’s strong work ethic and the campaign’s ground game’s unwavering efforts for this victory.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>

She stated that the election results marked what she called “the greatest political comeback in American history,” showcasing Trump’s ability to rally support even amid significant challenges. She also underscored the adversity Trump has faced during his campaign, asserting that he has encountered obstacles unlike any other political candidate in history.

She said in an interview with Fox News, ‘It was an incredible night for President Trump and our team. When we saw the returns from Georgia and North Carolina, and just the trends across the country, President Trump picking up historic gains with Hispanic Americans. The Black voters turned out for Trump in numbers, we have never seen that before. We felt very good that all of our hard work, our ground game, and President Trump’s work ethic and determination ultimately won. Last night, the world witnessed the greatest political comeback in American history. And throughout this campaign, our boss, President Trump, has faced more adversity than any candidate to ever run for office.

They tried to imprison him; they forced him to take a mugshot; they tried to remove his name off the ballot; they forced him to sit in a dirty courthouse for six weeks. Two people even tried to kill him, for goodness’ sake. And what the American people see in Donald Trump is clear: a leader who, even in the darkest of times, is going to lift his fist in the air and say, ‘Fight, fight, fight for this country.’ And President Trump last night didn’t just defeat Kamala Harris; he defeated the Big Tech oligarchs who have tried to censor him.”CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>

Leave your vote

-1 Points
Upvote Downvote
Continue Reading

Politics

Nigerian Reacts After Tinubu congratulates Donald Trump on his successful re-election

Published

on

By

As the 47th President of the United States, President Bola Tinubu congratulated President Donald Trump on his reelection. Tinubu expressed hope that the two countries will fortify their economic relations, cooperate to advance peace, and address global issues that affect their citizens in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>

His words: “President Tinubu looks forward to strengthening the ties between Nigeria and the United States amid the complex challenges and opportunities of the contemporary world.

“President Tinubu says, “Together, we can foster economic cooperation, promote peace, and address global challenges that affect our citizens.”

“According to President Tinubu, Trump’s victory reflects the trust and confidence the American people have placed in his leadership. He congratulates them on their commitment to democracy.

 

 

“President Tinubu believes that, given President Trump’s experience as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021, his return to the White House as the 47th president will usher in an era of earnest, beneficial, and reciprocal economic and development partnerships between Africa and the United States.

“Acknowledging the United States’ influence, power, and position in determining the trend and course of global events, the Nigerian leader trusts that President Trump will bring the world closer to peace and prosperity”.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>

Reactions

 

Leave your vote

Continue Reading

Politics

as police disperse Ikwerre council workers with teargas, scores injured, Rivers LG crisis thickens

Published

on

By

 

On Monday, police officers used tear gas and gunshots to scatter local government employees who had congregated to begin work in Isiokpo, the administrative hub of the Ikwerre Local Government Area (LGA) in Rivers State. After months of closure, the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) ordered employees to return to the council’s facilities, which led to the unanticipated altercation…. CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶️▶️

Reports indicate that numerous police patrol vans stormed the Ikwerre council secretariat “commando style,” discharging rounds of gunfire and launching teargas to forcefully clear the premises. Witnesses recounted the sudden eruption of violence, which threw workers into a panic, with many fleeing into nearby bushes or scrambling for cover to escape the scene. The incident reportedly left multiple workers injured, including two women who fainted while attempting to evade the unrest.

 

 

The tense standoff followed an earlier attack on the council offices by suspected political thugs after local elections. Ikwerre LGA, alongside two other councils in the state, suffered severe damage and was subsequently shut down to prevent further violence. The reopening of the council headquarters had been under strict surveillance, given the risk of renewed arson or property destruction.

An eyewitness, who preferred to remain anonymous for personal safety, described the distressing scene. “This morning, NULGE instructed members to resume work at Ikwerre LGA. But over 100 armed policemen arrived, and suddenly they started shooting and firing teargas everywhere. Workers, women—everyone was running. Two women slumped, and the police initially blocked any medical help from reaching them,” he said.

According to The PUNCH reports, An eyewitness told our reporter that scores of workers, including two women, were injured while trying to escape from the scene of the shooting, adding that many fled into nearby bushes for safety. “While we were there, we saw more than 100 policemen fully armed. And they started shooting and firing teargas everywhere, workers, women and everybody started running.”

Confirming the incident, the Chief of Staff for Ikwerre LGA, Richard Henry, expressed concern over the police’s actions, noting that some workers fled into nearby bushes to escape injury. He condemned the police operation, calling it unwarranted, as the matter of the arson was already under investigation by the Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry. “This was unnecessary. Our mothers and youths who were there got injured. The inquiry is still ongoing, yet the police teargassed everyone. We will not stand for this treatment,” he said.

In response, the Rivers State Police Command acknowledged its presence at the Ikwerre council premises but defended its actions, saying they were necessary to maintain law and order. Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the police command, noted that the Ikwerre secretariat had been ordered closed due to the severe damage it sustained from the earlier attacks. She explained that the police were summoned when a large group of over 300 individuals allegedly forced entry through the main gate, intending to either loot or cause further damage.

Iringe-Koko remarked, “The officers at the scene were there to maintain law and order. Some people tried to break into the council premises, and our men had to act swiftly to disperse them and prevent any damage to public property.”CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶️▶️

Leave your vote

Continue Reading

Trending

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.