INEC reschedules Assembly poll in eight Bayelsa constituencies

The Independent National Electoral Commission has postponed the State House of Assembly elections in eight of the 24 constituencies of Bayelsa State.

The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Baritor Kpagih, said in a statement on Friday that the elections for the affected constituencies would hold on Saturday, April 18, 2015.

The affected councils are Ekeremor Constituencies 1, 2, and 3; Kolokuma/Opokuma Constituencies 1 and 2; Sagbama Constituencies 1 and 2 and Southern Ijaw Constituency 1.

Kpagih said however that the election would hold as scheduled in the rest 16 constituencies on Saturday.

Curiously, the REC was silent on the reason for the decision to postpone the election by one week.

He simply stated that the elections were shifted because of the position of stakeholders that elections should not hold ‘without full complements of the ballots papers.’

He said, “Following the stand of the stakeholders that no election should take place in the state without full complement of ballot papers, having regard to the total PVCs distributed, the state House of Assembly election slated for Saturday, the 11th of April, 2015, in Bayelsa State has been rescheduled to Saturday the 18th day of April, 2015.”

It was however revealed that the political parties and their candidates insisted on the postponement of the election because of serious discrepancies in the ballot papers for the constituencies.

It was further gathered that the number of ballot papers sent to the constituencies was inadequate.

For instance, INEC was said to have sent only 13,000 ballot papers out 27,000 to Southern Ijaw Constituency 1, thereby creating a short fall of 14,000 ballot papers for the election.

Also, only 5,000 ballot papers were available at the headquarters of the Ekeremor Constituency 3, for the election that was billed to be conducted with 15,000 ballot papers.

Already, there is mounting suspicion that there could be a covert plan to rig the election even before its conduct on Saturday.

The same situation which ignited suspicion in the various political parties was repeated in the seven affected constituencies.

Ignore APC lawmakers, factional Speaker tells Ekiti CJ

Factional Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Dele Olugbemi (third left), with other lawmakers while addressing newsmen in Ado-Ekiti... on Friday.

The factional Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dele Olugbemi, has written the state Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, asking him to ignore a request to set up a panel to investigate allegations raised in the impeachment notice to Governor Ayodele Fayose.

He was reacting to a letter written to the CJ by the embattled Speaker and leader of the All Progressives Congress lawmakers in the Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin, on Thursday.

The letter had requested Daramola to raise a seven-man panel within seven days of receipt of the letter to investigate Fayose and his deputy, Dr. Oluosla Kolapo, over allegations of impunity, violence, stalking and other constitutional breaches.

The lawmakers relied on Section 101 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which according to them, empowers the Assembly to regulate its sittings, including sitting in a public building within the state capital if the lives of members are not safe.

The Majority Leader, Churchill Adedipe, representing Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency One, explained that the sitting ought to have taken place in the hallowed chamber on April 7, 2015 but members were waylaid by thugs who mounted roadblock and threatened their lives with weapons.

However, Fayose, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, argued that no sitting of the Ekiti Assembly took place on Thursday as claimed by the APC lawmakers.

Addressing journalists on Friday in Ado Ekiti, Olugbemi said the letter directing the CJ to raise the investigative panel did not emanate from the office of the Speaker because Omirin had been impeached since November 20.

“We never wrote any letter to the Chief Judge directing him to constitute an investigative panel, neither was the House involved in any impeachment proceedings against the executive governor of our great state,” he said.

The clerk of the Assembly, Mr. Tola Esan, was at the briefing with the sergeants-at-arm and some members of staff of the assembly..

The old and new mace of the Assembly were also presented to journalists.

Olugbemi went on, “It is common knowledge that all legitimate sessions of any House of Assembly takes place only inside the hallowed chambers of House of Assembly. Indeed, any purported sitting of the House at any other location outside the hallowed chamber of the House of Assembly is null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

“This is more so when such sittings purportedly took place without the principal officers here present with me now.”

The factional Speaker said he had advised the CJ to “discountenance all letters, resolutions, proceedings or processes emanating from Dr. Adewale Omirin or any other person impersonating his person or office.

“I have also copied the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Director, Department of State Service and the Commissioner of Police so that they can jointly assist with the apprehension of this impostor and his cohorts before they cause further breakdown of law, order and further havoc on Ekiti State and its people.”

Responding to questions, Olugbemi faulted the APC lawmakers for sitting outside the hallowed chamber.

He also debunked insinuations that his security details had been withdrawn.

He said, “My security aides are all still with me. Is it proper to shift the venue of the Assembly? That section is irrelevant to the judgement of the Supreme Court. That is an indication that the only sacred place is the hallowed chambers.”

My Lagos visit, not to rig for Agbaje – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday faulted a claim by the All Progressives Congress that his Thursday visit to Lagos was to coordinate rigging plans for the Peoples Democratic Party in the Saturday governorship election.

He wondered why he would rig the governorship election for the PDP when he did not rig the March 28 presidential election in which he was a candidate.

Jonathan’s position was contained in a statement made available to journalists by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.

Abati insisted that there was nothing unusual in people paying homage to the President when he is on a visit to Lagos or any other part of the country.

He said the APC spokesman lied as usual and was rude to insinuate that Jonathan met with people in Lagos for the purpose of rigging the elections.

The presidential spokesman said Muhammed and his paymasters were only cooking up meaningless tales in order to change the commendation Jonathan had received across the globe for conceding defeat in the presidential election.

He said, “Lai Muhammed is wrong to say that the President came to Lagos to rig the governorship and State House of Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, April 11. He is of course lying as usual. And rude.

“President Jonathan visited Lagos. He arrived on Thursday and left on Friday. People visited him. So what? Anytime the President is in Lagos or any part of the country, a lot of people come to pay homage to him.

“Nothing unusual happened during his last visit to Lagos. Senator Musiliu Obanikoro’s visit to the President in Lagos is not something that anybody should use to play politics. Koro is a Minister of the Federal Republic. He came to see his boss.

“Mr. Jimi Agbaje is the governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos. I don’t see how his visit to the President, who is also the leader of his party, the PDP, should become an issue.

“Yes, Gani Adams also visited, but so did a lot of other people.”

Abati added that the President did not hold meetings with INEC officials, neither did he meet with the police, polling officials or with anybody who is involved in organising elections.

He said to claim that the President went to Lagos to supervise the rigging of Saturday’s election was most uncharitable and cruel.

“After the presidential election, the President immediately congratulated Gen. Buhari and the whole world has commended him for saving Nigeria.

“President Jonathan’s sportsmanship, statesmanship and leadership saved this country at that critical moment. He has demonstrated his commitment to free and fair election, the rule of law and due process. He has shown that he is a man of character, honour and integrity. Nigerians generally are proud of him.

“He has left a worthy legacy and shown a great example. That, obviously, is the narrative that Lai Muhammed and his masters want to change, so they are now cooking up meaningless tales.

“Lai Muhammed should look for another target and leave the President alone. His fatuous tale does not make any sense. I repeat: we will like to advise that the APC should just leave the President alone.

“President Jonathan was a candidate in the presidential election; he did not rig the election. Why would he want to rig tomorrow’s elections? he added.

Creative powerhouse, Oronto, bows to cancer

The creative industry mourns the death of the Special Adviser to President on Research, Documentation and Strategy, Oronto Douglas, AKEEM LASISI writes

Death practically struck the intellectual engine room of the Goodluck Jonathan administration on Thursday as dogged environmentalist and creative thinker, Oronto Douglas, who was the Special Adviser to the President on Research, Documentation and Strategy, passed on.

The deceased, who died of cancer at the age of 49, was the brain behind many of the publications, films, musical and other visual art works that sought to project Jonathan and his government in a positive light.

Among other initiatives, he was the driving force behind Bring Back the Book project of the President, which seeks to revitalise the reading culture and regenerate the publishing sector in the country.

So much was Douglas involved that many stakeholders believe that the failure of his health, with cancer weighing him down especially in the last few years, affected the progress of the BBB and other related ideas. It is therefore not surprising that many members of the creative industry have expressed sadness at Douglas’ departure.

One of the earliest people to mourn him is, however, President Jonathan himself, who along with Vice President Namadi Sambo, have paid the deceased’s family a condolence visit. According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Reuben Abati, Jonathan is deeply saddened by the death.

He said, “President Jonathan extends his heartfelt condolences to the Douglas family the government and people of Bayelsa State on the death of one of their most distinguished sons who served his country, state and the Niger Delta region, passionately and diligently, during his very impactful years on earth.

“Oronto Douglas, who passed away after a protracted battle with cancer, was President Jonathan’s personal aide for close to a decade. The President will always remember him for his passion for work, excellence, inspiring creativity and outstanding commitment to his duties.

“The President remains thankful to God Almighty for the brilliance and resourcefulness Oronto brought to bear on every assignment as a loyal and dutiful aide during his tenure as Governor of Bayelsa State, Vice President, Acting President and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. President Jonathan believes that Oronto will remain a shining and worthy example for every young Nigerian who seeks a life of service and achievement.”

While celebrities such as Omoni Oboli and TY Bello have also bid Douglas goodbye, the management of the African Movie Academy has also paid him a tribute. It described him as a very beneficial friend.

AMAA noted in a statement, “AMAA as an award organisation has a long history with Mr Douglas, from his days as the Commissioner of Information in Bayelsa State. He actually mid-wifed AMAA when the then Governor Depriye Alameyesiegha told him to work on our proposal.

“For about 11 years now, we have maintained relationship with this worthy son of Nigeria and environmentalist. The birth of AMAA also marked the beginning of his association with Nollywood, the Nigerian film Industry which Mr. Douglas partnered and worked with till the end.

“AMAA and Nollywood will sorely miss him and President Goodluck Jonathan will also miss one of his trusted aides.”

President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Ibinabo Fiberesima Egbuka, also said Nigeria had lost ‘the one who was brought to us a solid foundation for greatness.”

She described Douglas as a very good man.

Oronto Douglas is Nigeria’s leading environmental human rights lawyer. He was deputy director of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria, and has been a visiting lecturer and speaker at community-organised events, international conferences and universities all over the world

Among other landmark responses to the challenges minority groups face in Nigeria, Douglas was a member of the legal team that represented Ken Saro-Wiwa before he was executed by the Sani Abacha administration in November 1995.

He received degrees in law from the University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and De Montford, Leicester, England. His articles and speeches featured in books, journals and magazines in Nigeria, Europe and the United States. His book, ‘Where Vultures Feast, Shell, Human Rights, and Oil in the Niger Delta’, was published by Random House.

Up till March 28 when the presidential election was held, Douglas still fought on all fronts to see that Jonathan won. Although he was not as lousy as some of the President’s aides, he always sought to put what he believed to be Jonathan’s achievements in perspectives. One of his Facebook messages underscores this.

He wrote, in ‘On the Pathway of the Good News’, “No matter how much an attempt may be made to stifle positive news and turn the narrative towards the negative the positive still finds a way to soar over the negative just like an eagle will always soar higher than other birds. And despite our challenges the wing of the Nigerian Eagle must not be clipped. It is in fact soaring.

A number of reports evidence this. Last week, in recognition of the marked increase in Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product and its positive debt to GDP ratio, the World Bank announced that Nigeria has officially moved from being a low income nation to a middle income nation.

“This is tangible transformation. Days later, the International Monetary Fund scored Nigeria’s economy high and ranked our economy as ‘positive’.

As is commonly said, in the mouth of two witnesses a matter is established. But it did not stop there. Further reports brought awareness that for the first time Nigeria has overtaken South Africa as the number one destination for Foreign Direct Investment.”

Mimiko recalls sacked council workers, waives promotion exams

Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko

The Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, has reinstated about 1,000 local government workers his government sacked last year.

The governor said he had also waived the outcome of the last promotion examination conducted for workers in the state.

The 1,000 workers were laid off because the Ondo State government said it discovered that their employment was illegal.

A statement by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, on Thursday indicated that the workers, about 50 in each of the 18 local government areas in the state, had been reinstated and the irregularities in their employment process corrected.

The statement added that Mimiko had approved promotion of every worker that was due for promotion, irrespective of their performance in the promotional examination already conducted.

The statement read, “The state government has re -absorbed   and properly employed about 1,000 local government workers identified to have been illegally employed during the last screening exercise in the state.

“About 50 workers from each of the 18 local government areas in the state were discovered during the last screening exercise to have been employed illegally and were consequently laid off.

“Governor Olusegun Mimiko has however graciously ordered the re-instatement of the affected workers and their employment perfected. The governor has also ordered the promotion of workers due for promotion to the next level of their career without recourse to the result of the promotional examination earlier conducted for the same purpose.”

The information commissioner further said that the state government had decided to commence preparation for the conduct of local government election in the state “as soon as the state assembly election is done with on Saturday.”

The Mimiko’s administration had in 2014 embarked on a staff audit during which the government said it discovered that the councils had been engaged in illegal recruitment of workers.

The state government also said salaries were being paid to non-existent workers.

In the build-up to the 2015 general elections, Mimiko had promised that elections would be conducted to the 18 local councils in the state after the general polls.

Ekiti APC lawmakers to CJ: Raise panel to probe Fayose

Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose

The 19 All Progressives Congress members of   the Ekiti State House of Assembly have written to the state Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, asking him to set up a panel to investigate the allegations contained in their impeachment notice to Governor Ayodele Fayose.

The seven-member panel which should be constituted   within seven days of the receipt of the letter is to investigate allegations of impunity, violence, stalking and other constitutional breaches the lawmakers levelled against Fayose and his deputy,   Kolapo Olusola.

The legislators reached the resolution at a special sitting presided over by their   Speaker,   Adewale Omirin, at the Mary Hills Boys’ High School, Ado Ekiti.

According to a statement by Omirin’s media aide,   Wole Olujobi, the lawmakers, in a unanimous vote, supported the motion directing the chief judge to set up the panel.

The Majority Leader, Churchill Adedipe, who explained on Thursday that the sitting ought to have taken place in the hallowed chamber on April 7, 2015, said they were waylaid by political thugs who mounted roadblocks and threatened their lives.

Due to the violence, he said, they jettisoned the plan to go to the assembly.

He said, “Relying on Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Adedipe moved the motion empowering the CJ to set up the panel.

“His motion was seconded by the Deputy Speaker, Adetunji Orisalade, representing Ido/Osi Constituency II.

“The Assembly adjourned to the next legislative day.”

The lawmakers relied on Section 101 of the 1999 Constitution as amended which empowers the Assembly to regulate its sittings, including sitting in a public building within the state capital if the lives of members are not safe.

The CJ could not be reached by our correspondent in the state but the Chief Registrar of the state High Court, Obafemi Fasanmi, said he was not aware of the lawmakers’ letter.

Journalists, who   visited the school, were told by students that they saw no strange faces in their school on Thursday.

However, Fayose has argued that no sitting of the   assembly took place on Thursday as claimed by the APC lawmakers.

The governor, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said, “The State House of Assembly is on recess. No sitting   took place in the House of Assembly.

“Kindly disregard information being circulated by the APC that their lawmakers are sitting somewhere in Ado Ekiti.

“Of course, members of the House of Assembly can gather anywhere in the world to have social or political meetings.

“Parliamentary business is done in the hallowed chamber of the House of Assembly

.

“Besides,   Omirin, who claimed to be the speaker of the   assembly was impeached on November 20, 2014 and he is in court, challenging his impeachment.”

Fayose and   Olusola had during the week raced to a Federal High Court in Abuja to stop   the APC legislators from going ahead with the impeachment process.

But they met a brick wall as the judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, turned down their request and granted only the prayers contained in their ex parte application relating to the service of the court processes on the defendants.

Fayose and Olusola, in the ex parte application, asked for an interim order stopping   the impeachment notice served on them and the moves to remove them from office.

Rather than granting the prayers for interim injunction, Justice Mohammed ordered the defendants in the suit, including   Omirin, and the CJ,   to appear in his court on April 16.

The APC has however   reacted to the rejection of Fayose’s request to stop   impeachment proceedings against him, saying that it was laughable that the governor who once desecrated the judiciary could approach the same institution to protect him from his “illegal acts.”

It also expressed surprise that the governor could approach the FHC in Abuja for protection over a matter that happened in Ekiti after lampooning the party. It recalled that Fayose once ridiculed it for approaching the same court in Jos, Plateau State, while seeking protection from his harassment and attacks.

The APC added in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, that the governor was confused on how to handle his cases in court, having desecrated the state judiciary and instigated its workers to refuse to resume   duties.

It said, “Fayose didn’t allow Ekiti courts to function and he declared the state Chairman of the APC, Olajide Awe, wanted over a phantom murder charge.   Awe obtained an injunction against his arrest from a FHC in Jos, which the governor referred to as a ‘‘black market injunction.’’

“He has now run to Abuja to get an injunction to restrain the 19 lawmakers from impeaching him but the court in its wisdom has turned this request down.”

Also, the APC Elders Forum,   declared that there was no escape route for Fayose beacuse he had “serially breached the constitution, desecrated the esteemed office he occupies and should be ready to face the consequences of his actions.”

The Publicity Secretary of Ekiti APC Elders Forum, Bayo Orire,   therefore warned the military and the police against being used to hinder the lawmakers from carrying out their constitutional functions.

The forum also congratulated   Buhari on his victory in the March 28 presidential poll.

Also on Thusday,   the Ekiti Justice Forum   urged Fayose to respond to the impeachment notice served on him by the lawmakers with maturity and all sense of responsibility.

The forum which   called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to postpone the House of Assembly election, accused the governor of worsening the political crisis in the state.

In a statement by its Chairman, Sesan Fatoba; Secretary, Dare Owotomobi; and Director of Publicity, Ojo Andrews, the group advised the governor to know that no amount of impunity could solve any constitutional crisis.

It said, “The political tension created in the last few days by the move of the 19 Ekiti State House of Assembly members to commence impeachment process against Governor Fayose has been made worse by the negative response of the governor.

“The majority of the Ekiti State House of Assembly members being hunted by Governor Fayose are candidates in the April 11, 2015 election.’’

Ekiti monarchs urge peace

The state Council of Traditional Rulers has also advised Fayose and the APC lawmakers to sheathe their swords for peace to be restored in the state.

The monarchs, in a communique read by their   Chairman and the Onitaji of Itaji Ekiti, Oba Adamo Babalola, lamented that their troubleshooting efforts   were frustrated by both parties.

They advised that since the parties were in court, any discussion or action by   them would be subjudice.

The communiqué read in part,   “This position stalled all further deliberations and efforts to find an amicable settlement of the matter.

“The recent development in our dear state is a source of concern and embarrassment to all well-meaning people of Ekiti State.

“It is unfortunate that the incident which resulted in the death of one Mr Modupe Olaiya of Efon Alaaye could have been avoided.

“Council appreciates the representations from various individual groups, and associations such as, the Ekiti State Council of Elders, the labour unions, both serving and retired, religious leaders, business and professional bodies for their concerns and suggestions.

“Council hereby appeals to all political gladiators to sheathe their swords, eschew violence and give peace a chance, as we believe that violence cannot solve the problems at hand.”

The monarchs called on the law enforcement agencies to ensure the security   of lives and property during and after the April 11   elections.

The council said it would soon convoke an expanded meeting of stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the face-off.

Police commissioner redeployed

The state Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, has however been redeployed.

He has been replaced with   Emmanuel Ibine.

Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, disclosed this in an interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja on Thursday.

Ojukwu, an acting commissioner of police, said the redeployment is with immediate effect.

The PUNCH had earlier learnt on Thursday that an   Assistant Inspector-General of Police, M. J. Gana, was directed to take charge of the state during the elections and until violence in the state abated.

When contacted on the redeployment of Lakanu, the Peoples Democratic Party Publicity Secretary in the state, Joseph Adaraniwon, said, “We have no problem with the deployment. The power to redeploy is with the Police authorities.”

Adaraniwon’s APC counterpart, Taiwo Olatubosun, could not be reached for comments.

Ekiti State has been embroiled in crisis since the declaration of Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) of the APC as the winner of the March 28 election.

Gunmen had   attacked the APC secretariat and some members of the party in the state.

The APC members had just returned from Ado Ekiti where they had gone to celebrate the victory of   Buhari when thugs attacked them.

The party petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, over attacks.

The petition   by the state Secretary of the party, Paul Omotoso, was also sent to the National Human Rights Commission;   the AIG in charge of   Zone Eight in Lokoja;   Lakanu and the State Director of the Department of State Services, Samuel Tamuno.

Fayose also sent a   petition to the IG , accusing an APC   lawmaker of firing the shot that killed Olaiya in Efon Alaye on Tuesday.

Fayose, in the petition, urged Abbah to investigate the role of policemen in the killing.