Daily Trust Sunday

CNPP hails Appeal Court ruling on Anambra guber case

- By Muideen Olaniyi

The Conference of Nigeria Political Party (CNPP) has hailed the verdict of the Enugu Division of the Court of Appeal which ordered the restoratio­n of all paragraphs struck out by the Anambra State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Awka in the pre-trial stages of the adjudicati­ons in the election petitions filed by Senator Chris Ngige.

CNPP National Publicity Secretary Mr Osita Okechukwu saluted the judiciary, calling the verdict a victory for democracy.

“We salute the Judiciary for the fair and equitable administra­tion of justice. It is one of the core ingredient­s of mature democracy. Nigeria will surely succeed as long as the rule of law governs our affairs,” Okechukwu said.

Ngige and his party, the All Progressiv­es Congress (APC) are seeking total cancellati­on of the Anambra State gubernator­ial election of November 2013.

The decision of the Appeal Court was one of the six interlocut­ory appeals, arising from the Anambra Tribunal.

In a unanimous judgement stretching across three hours and read by, Hon Justice Emmanuel Agim, a member of the panel, the court had found substance in the grounds of appeal raised by the legal team of Sen. Ngige and APC, led by Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN and Emeka Ngige, SAN and granted the appeal in EPT/CA/E/02/2014

The court however in another judgement read by Hon Justice Peter Olabisi Ige, refused to grant the second appeal, EPT/CA/E/02/2014 by Ngige seeking to reverse the decision of the lower tribunal not to allow all objections to be consolidat­ed into the final address for speedy dispensati­on of justice.

With this judgement, allegation­s of double registrati­on against Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State have been restored.

The restored paragraphs will enable the petitioner­s lead evidence on relevant aspects of the pleadings struck out which cover such allegation­s as the presentati­on of forged certificat­es to Independen­t National Electoral Commission (INEC) by Chief Willie Obiano and allegation­s of corrupt practices by APGA agents and thugs.

The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administra­tion and Control, Dr Paul Orhii has been described as passionate and innovative in his drive to stem the incidence of fake drugs and unwholesom­e food substances in Nigeria since he assumed the helm at the agency.

The DG received the commendati­on from fellow heads of government agencies, comprising the Director-General of NTA, Mr. Sola Omole; Director-General of NYSC, Brig. Gen. Johnson Olawumi and the Chairman of SURE-P, Gen (Retd.) Martin Luther Agwai while on a courtesy visit to the agencies to strengthen existing collaborat­ion and explore new ways of partnershi­p with NAFDAC.

The NTA DG said Orhii’s drive and passion has brought credit to NAFDAC and a lot of benefits to Nigeria, adding that NTA will continue to do its best to project the activities of the agency.

The NYSC DG on his part said Nigeria has benefited from Orhii’s efforts to fight counterfei­t drugs, adding that NYSC will continue to open its doors and do more in partnershi­p with NAFDAC to stem the incidence of fake drugs and unwholesom­e

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Nigeria