Anambra: Court reverses order declaring Okonkwo senator
The Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) has called for the arrest and prosecution of Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai’s Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Mouktar Maigamo for what it called “thuggery.”
This was contained in a statement issued yesterday by the NLC Secretary General Dr Peter Ozo-Eson in Abuja.
The statement noted that the NLC was reliably informed that the thugs who were sent to attack workers during our mass protest yesterday were led by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Affairs who was seen among the hoodlums as they moved towards the secretariat of the State Council of Nigeria Labour Congress in Kaduna.
The NLC says, it has also been reliably informed that 10 of the hoodlums were arrested insisting that the Special Assistant must also be arrested and prosecuted along with others by security agencies.
It also berated the security agencies for preventing several union A Federal High Court in Abuja has set aside the judgement declaring Obiora Okonkwo winner of the March 28, 2015 Anambra Central Senatorial District election. Justice John Tsoho on Friday set aside the order of December 13, 2017 on the grounds that the facts were presented in such a manner as to mislead the court on the two earlier decisions of the Court of Appeal in Abuja on the matter.
Justice Tsoho said despite Okonkwo’s claim that he was not a party to the two appeals, his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was party to the suits, which are binding on him, adding that decisions of the appellate courts take precedent over the high court.
Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) had on Wednesday January 10 asked the court to review its order following the earlier decisions of three Courts of Appeal in Enugu and Abuja on December 7, 2015 and November 20, 2017 which ordered a re-run of the election within 90 days.
Okonkwo, had in December, 2014 filed the suit as a pre-election matter following his substitution with Uche Ekwunife as the PDP candidate at the primary of December 7, 2014.
INEC had fixed today to hold the re-run election.
‘Benue killings may undermine food security’
A former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) Dr Obadiah Mailafia has urged the federal government to end the persistent killings in Benue State, warning that the violent attacks could undermine national food security.
Mailafia was speaking in Abuja at the public presentation of three books by Ambassador Joy Ogwu, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Mailafia, in a lecture titled “The Crisis of Leadership and World Order” said the recent spates of killings in the Middle Belt were taking on a genocidal proportion.
“…These killings are taking on a genocidal proportion, and if care is not taken, may not only undermine national food security but also, ultimately, the future of our federation,” he said.
A former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, stressed the need for a united Nigeria and called for end to wanton killings and destructions across the country.
NLC wants el-Rufai’s aide arrested as pro-gov’t protesters hold rally
leaders and workers from entering Kaduna city.
However, there held a protest in Kaduna yesterday to support the state government’s decision to sack unqualified teachers. The procession marched from Murtala Mohammed Square to Sir Kashim Ibrahim House and expressed support for Governor el-Rufai’s educational reforms.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Ibrahim Aliyu, who addressed government officials, advised against succumbing to pressure to reabsorb the teachers.