News

Ogun State PDP Congress Followed Due Process, Says Kashamu

Published

4 years ago

May 4, 2020

Eric

The Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in the 2019 elections, Senator Buruji Kashamu, has said that the recently held congresses of the party, which produced a new set of party executives in the state, followed due process.

Kashamus stated this in a statement entitled “Setting the records straight on Ogun State PDP executive committee” released in Lagos at the weekend.

According to the former lawmaker, the statement became imperative in light of falsehood and misinformation being peddled by some people.

Kashamu said contrary to the lie being bandied in some quarters, that an order was made by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court stopping the conduct of PDP congresses in Ogun State, there was nothing of such.

He explained that a suit was filed by some people in the name of the PDP against the authentic Ogun State PDP Executive Committee seeking a review of the judgment which had ordered that only the said authentic Ogun State PDP Executive Committee could conduct congresses or primaries of the PDP in Ogun State.

According to him, “The reliefs sought were to the effect that the court should decide that because of some Supreme Court Judgments (that allegedly suggest that only the NEC of a political party may conduct congresses and primaries), the judgment in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/636/2016 was not valid in empowering the Ogun State PDP Executive Committee to conduct congresses for its successors in 2020.

“In that action, they had applied for an order of the court to stop the Ogun State PDP Executive Committee from conducting congresses and the court had refused the application and directed that the Defendants be put on Notice.”

Kashamu said the action was illegal because “It is an invitation to the Federal High Court to sit on appeal over its own judgment delivered in Suit No. FHC/LCS/636/2016 after the appeal against that judgment had been rejected and dismissed at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court in 2019.”

He added “By March 3, 2020, when this fatally flawed matter came up, a preliminary objection had been filed on behalf of the then Adebayo Dayo-led Ogun State PDP Executive Committee, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the action because the questions raised in the action had already been decided by the same Federal High Court in favour of the Ogun State PDP Executive Committee in 2019 (in Suit No. FHC/AB/CS/1323/2019.”

The former lawmaker explained further that in the face of the preliminary objection, the court could not and did not entertain any application to stop the conduct of PDP congresses in Ogun State.

“This is because the Supreme Court has directed that in such circumstances, the court whose jurisdiction is being challenged cannot make any order against the interest of the party challenging its jurisdiction,” he said.

Kashamu noted that it was whilst adjourning the case for hearing of the preliminary objection and other applications that the judge on his own volition made the remark that “parties should refrain from doing anything that will tamper with the res of the action”.

He pointed out that it was not an order restraining conduct of congresses or for maintenance of status quo “but some people mischievously misinterpreted it and claimed that the court had made an order restraining the conduct of PDP Congresses in Ogun State or for maintenance of status quo.”

Kashamu added, “We clearly perceived the mischief inherent in this misinterpretation of the court’s remarks and therefore decided to take ourselves outside possible allegations of breach of the “order” or of contempt of court by appealing against the “order” and filing an application for its stay.”

Every lawyer knows this as the exception to the rule in Hadkinson V Hadkinson. This rule admits of an exception to the perception that a party is in contempt of court when he disobeys an order he has appealed against and filed an application to stay.

“The appeal and the motion for stay essentially neutralize the application of the order appealed against to the appellant. Therefore, the idea being bandied around that the congresses were conducted in defiance of a restraining order or an order for maintenance of status quo is clearly unfounded and completely false.”

Kashamu also stated that the claim in some quarters that INEC nullified the PDP congresses conducted on the 7th, 21st March and 3rd April 2020 was false.He said, “Already, INEC has received the reports of the congresses and is aware of the new officers that will now take over from the Ogun State Executive Committee of the PDP backed by FHC/L/CS/636/2016.

“Hon. Samson Kayode Bamgbose now leads the new Ogun State Executive Committee of the PDP.“

He and his colleagues have already approached the Federal High Court for protection from the anticipated antics of the desperate elements and their new allies in Ogun State.“On the 9th of May 2020, they will effectively be in charge of the running of the party as specified by the judgment of the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/636/2016.“If INEC has any complaints against the congresses the new case (Suit No. FHC/AB/CS/44/2020) will give INEC the opportunity to make that complaint.”

While emphasizing his desire to work with others to change the fortune of the PDP in Ogun State, Kashamu said this had to be done through the newly-constituted state executive committee. “I wish to reiterate again that we are ready for genuine reconciliation through the Samson Bamgbose-led State Executive Committee.”

News

Gunmen Invade Ekiti Secretariat, Days after Oyo Assembly Invasion

Published

2 days ago

April 16, 2024

Eric

Barely three days after armed Yoruba Nation agitators invaded the Oyo State Government Secretariat, gunmen on Tuesday, stormed the Ilejemeje Local Government Area Secretariat in Ẹda-Oniyọ, Ekiti State, causing pandemonium among the workers.

The attackers disrupted normal activities and forced employees to flee the premises for safety.

The hoodlums, who were said to have come from the Obbo-Ayegunle community in the neighbouring Kwara State, violently stormed the secretariat, firing several gunshots, making workers run in different directions for dear lives, and in the ensuing pandemonium, one person was injured.

Reports said the hoodlums vandalized the Secretariat building and other property of the council.

Although the cause of the attack was still sketchy as at the time of filling this report, it was however gathered that the two communities have been embroiled in crisis for some time over land disputes.

During the attack, which lasted for several hours, one person was said to have sustained serious injury and rushed to the State Specialist Hospital in Iye-Ekiti.

The hoodlums reportedly heavily armed with dangerous weapons including gun, charms and cutlasses. They invaded the Secretariat at about 10:am.

Speaking on the attack, the Eleda of Eda Oniyo community, Oba Awodipo Awolola, explained that the hoodlums had in few days attacked some residents of the community, with charm in their farmlands, the development which the monarch said had resulted in panic and tension in the community.

The traditional ruler, who lamented the absence of police post in the area, said there is a need for security outfits to mobilise more officer to the community to prevent further breaking of law and orders.

Similarly, the Chairman of Ilejemaje Local Government, Mr. Alaba Dada, said the suspected hoodlums were from the Obbo-Ayegunle community in Kwara State.

He attributed the attacks to the lingering land disputes between the two communities, he explained that though security agents had been mobilised to the town to prevent repraisal attacks.

He said there is need for the Ekiti and Kwara State governments to meet, and settle the land dispute in the interest of peace and harmonious relationship.

News

Kaduna Assembly Sets Committee to Probe Former Gov El-Rufai

Published

2 days ago

April 16, 2024

Eric

The Kaduna State House of Assembly has set up a fact-finding committee to probe all finances, loans and contract projects awarded under the former Governor Nasiru El-Rufai administration.

Governor Uba Sani, during a town hall meeting on Saturday, lamented the huge debt inherited from his predecessor, El-Rufai, on May 29, 2023.

Sani had said the state was left with a few amounts, not enough to pay salary, adding that his administration inherited a total of $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities from the ex-governor.

“Despite the huge debt burden of 587 million dollars, 85 billion naira, and N115 billion in contractual liabilities sadly inherited from the previous administration, we remain resolute in steering Kaduna State towards progress and sustainable development.

“We have conducted a thorough assessment of our situation and are sharpening our focus accordingly,” the governor had said.

However, on Tuesday, the state’s Assembly set up a fact-finding committee during plenary, among others, to also investigate the former governor’s top associate and Senior Counsellor on Investment, Jimi Lawal.

Besides, the panel would probe financial dealings, loans and grants and other project implementation from 2015-2023.

The State Assembly also mandated the committee to invite notable personalities including the former speakers of the 8th and 9th Assembly, commissioners of finance, former Managing Directors of Kaduna Markets, and Commissioners of Budget and Planning, among others.

The Punch

News

National Grid Collapses Again, Nigeria in Total Blackout

Published

3 days ago

April 15, 2024

Eric

The electricity national grid has collapsed again throwing the entire country into total blackout.

Some electricity distribution companies (DisCos), on Monday, confirmed the fresh collapse of the national grid, resulting in loss of power supply to their customers.

The grid experienced a fresh shutdown, and generation fell to 64.70 megawatts at 2:42 am on Monday, which was confirmed by officials of some of the DisCos.

According to an earlier report, the latest data from the Independent System Operator showed that the grid was generating 266.50mw of electricity from Okpai, Geregu and Ibom power.

Confirming the collapse in a statement, Jos DisCo said: “The current outage being experienced within our franchise States is a result of loss of power supply from the national grid. The loss of power supply from the national grid occurred in the early hours at about 0242 hours today, Monday, 15th April 2024, hence the loss of power supply on all our feeders.”

The company’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Dr Friday Adakole Elijah, expressed hope that the grid will be restored for normal power supply to its esteemed customers.

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), also confirmed the collapse in a statement titled “NOTICE OF TOTAL SYSTEM COLLAPSE”.

“The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) wishes to inform her esteemed customers of a total system collapse which occurred at 2:41 am today, 15th April 2024.

“This resulted in the loss of supply to all our interface TCN stations. Consequently, we were unable to provide service to our customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States.

“However, the situation is gradually being resolved as we received the supply at Awada TCN station, Onitsha, at 7:30 am.

“We are in constant communication with the relevant authorities awaiting the full restoration of supply by the National Control Centre, NCC, Oshogbo. Thank you for your usual understanding and cooperation,”

A statement by Head, of Corporate Communications, EEDC, Emeka Ezeh said.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is yet to confirm the collapse as of press time.