…Buhari appointed ministers,  in his govt

•It’s now important they account for sources of their wealth and those of their families

•I’ll lead campaign against Tinubu if he derails

The National President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Alhaji Yerima Shettima has said that despite the laudable moves Tinubu has made in less than one month in office as President, he was prepared to engage the administration if the government goes the wrong way.

In an interview with Saturday Vanguard, Shettima, also said past Ministers and their families should be brought to account for what they have done while in office and explain the sources of their wealth if the anti-corruption fight of Tinubu’s administration should be taken seriously. He also spoke on Asari Dokubo’s outburst about oil thieves, among other issues.

What is your take on President Bola Tinubu and what he has done so far?

So far, so good. In the last 20 days, we have seen actions and body language which have given hope, unlike the last eight years when, from the beginning, we thought President Buhari was going to perform magic. It took time before he appointed his ministers. We thought he was still consulting, looking for a different set of people, and the best brain, but the same characters that were there before came up even after six months, His administration ended up squashing the treasury and putting Nigeria in a huge debt.

Now, with the body language of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we can see some changes that we could not see in eight years.

In the previous government, Buhari made appointments and went to sleep even when the appointees failed. He pretended not to see them and there was massive corruption in his government. But now, with President Tinubu in the saddle, we can see the body language, especially from the CBN and the EFCC.

We hope that will continue. Nobody should be allowed to go free, anyone who is found wanting should be brought to book. We look forward to seeing him beyond the action on EFCC head. The past Ministers and their families should be brought to account for what they have done while in office and explain the source of their wealth.

Then we will take this government seriously in terms of fighting corruption. In terms of the economy, we have seen the body language too; the Wale Eduns, the Ribadus, who are young elements, very principled and serious-minded people. We could see the direction the President is going.

Today in the country, agitations are currently going down, and I hope he will capitalise on that and continue to do the right things. But if he goes the wrong way, truly, some of us will lead a campaign against his government. For now, I think he needs our support and let us give him the support to do the right thing.

The allegation made by Dokubo is weighty. Do you share the same view, also recalling that the President recently ordered the service chiefs to go after the oil thieves?

First of all, the issues Asari Dokubo raised are very fundamental and germane. The Dokubo I know does not raise any alarm when he is not sure of it. Don’t forget that the allegation he raised didn’t just start today. It only takes people with the courage to come out and say what he said. What he said is not different from what Tompolo said a few months ago. It is also not different from what Wike said in Rivers State that some security personnel are involved in bunkering and vandalisation. I trust him and I believe what he said. It is left to the man in charge, (President Tinubu) to take a decision. He needs to take a decision on that to stop the ugly trend.

I would also advise him to critically look at all sections of the country to unite all sections. He should look at the issue of security and corruption. Anyone found guilty should not go unpunished. He is also a victim of some allegations. He should prove to the world that he is not what some people think. Tinubu has nothing to lose. God has blessed him with everything he wanted. So, he will only be remembered for the good things he did.

Many in the North were against a Southerner being elected Senate President. With the emergence of Senator Akpabio as the Senate President, is the North satisfied with the leadership arrangement in the National Assembly?

As it is today, we have to be cautious of issues that will further divide the nation. The last government succeeded in creating more division. Tinubu is aware and mindful of that. His calculation was to have a Muslim as Vice President to get the North on his side, which paid off for him. No section will win an election to rule this country without the support of the North, so in that wise, you can’t allow another Muslim to take the position of the Senate President.

It will not work. I am a Northerner and I represent the northern interest, but in all honesty and fairness, and for Nigeria to be stable, that position would not go to the Muslims. We need the country to be stable so that agitation will be reduced so that the government can be focused and get the desired result. My view is to look inward and have the South East take up that position.

I don’t know the yardstick or parameters the political actors arrived at to bring South South to take the position. However, I know it is in the best interest of the country. Again, for peace and fairness, it is better to have a Southerner, a Christian take up the number three position. If there is no country, there won’t be any election and if there is no country, there won’t be anyone to govern. So, it is a clear indication of the demonstration of political will by the Tinubu administration to bring about unity in the country and to harness all our resources for a better society we can all be proud of.

It seems President Tinubu is disposed to having youths in major positions in his government. As Arewa Youth Leader, don’t you think experience also counts especially going by where we were coming from?

Those acclaimed experiences don’t know anything and they are the same characters who took us to where we are today. For me, it is time we had younger Nigerians who are digitally savvy in major positions. The so-called experience should support them. They should allow the younger ones to learn from the mistakes of the older ones that have not taken us anywhere.

I agree that not all of them have failed, but we can tap from those that have done well. The world has moved on, we have to move on too, we cannot get that from the older. His track record is that he is somebody who always believes in youth, harnessing the best brains and making them give him results, not because he knows it all, but because he believes in tapping from the younger brain to get results.

It is on record that what he has done, no political leader from the 1960s to date has achieved that in terms of empowering people and making them greater. I hope others will emulate him. God knows why He gave him this position and that is why he (Tinubu) should do more

-Says Financial system rotten under Emefiele

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has broken his silence on the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He spoke during an interactive session with Nigerians resident in France and neighbouring European countries on the sidelines of the New Global Financing Pact Summit in the French capital, Paris.

The President said the nation’s financial system under the suspended Emefiele was rotten.

He said many Nigerians abroad were unable to send money to their relatives because of the multiple exchange rates, saying all that have become a thing of the past.

“Then the financial system was rotten. Few people making bags of our money and then you yourself, you stopped sending money home to our poor parents. Several windows… but that is gone now, is gone.

“The man (Emefiele) is in the hands of authorities, something is being done about that, they will sort themselves out.”  Tinubu said at his first Diaspora engagement with Nigerians living in France.

Tinubu’s comments come exactly two weeks after the suspended the former CBN chief to pave the way for the investigation of his office and the planned reforms in the financial sector, a statement from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation explained.

Emefiele was later arrested and is currently being detained by the Department of State Services as operatives combed his Lagos residence, where they reportedly recovered some vital documents.

The embattled Emefiele has since approached the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja to challenge his detention by the DSS.

Speaking further in France on Friday, Tinubu said his administration would implement further financial reforms in the coming weeks.

He said while addressing Nigerians residents in France, “Then, the financial system was rotten. Few people were making away with our money and then you yourselves, stopped sending money home to our poor parents.

“That is gone now. The man (Emefiele) is in the hands of authorities; something is being done about that; they will sort themselves out.

“We have security challenges in the country. Maybe that is how they are fuelling insecurity; we have to look at everything. We will change the financial system; it will work for you.”

The President said he and his Special Adviser on Monetary Policy, Mr Wale Edun, turned the fortunes of Lagos State around between 1999 and 2003 moving the internally generated revenue from N600m annually to N50bn monthly.

“Now, Lagos is on auto pilot. Anybody intelligent enough can navigate it,” he added.

 Tinubu also promised to work for those who did not vote for him during the February 25 election in which he was declared the winner.

“Whether you voted for me or you didn’t vote for me, I am your president. By the grace of God, I have to work on your behalf,” he explained.

The President who described Nigeria’s challenges as “enormous,” said he was prepared for the job ahead of him.

Tinubu stated, “So, your President is here. I danced for it and I have to continue to be prepared for it.

“The challenges are enormous. But do we have hope? Yes. With perseverance, determination and persistence, we can achieve whatever we desire.”

He also noted that he, like some in the audience, had experienced the rough side of Diaspora life, saying “I know the road and I’ve been through what many of you have been through outside the country. I’ve been in America and in the UK; I had been a night guard, security man and a door man in America. But I have achieved my aim.”

Meanwhile, Tinubu on Friday in Paris said Nigeria was ready to work with the Republic of Benin towards economic prosperity as both countries needed each other, especially on issues of trade, security and border controls.

 “We must recognise the fact that we need each other. We are in a loop and no one should separate us,” Tinubu said when he received the President of Benin Republic, Patrice Talon, after the summit on New Global Financing Pact.

The President’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Dele Alake, in a statement, described Nigeria’s relations with Benin as that of Siamese twins. Tinubu assured Talon that his administration would always be open and accessible to all neighbouring countries.

Responding, Talon said he was inspired with renewed hope for the sub-region and Africa at the inauguration of President Tinubu in Abuja, pledging to provide support on trade and security policy, especially at the borders.

The Debt Management Office (DMO) has disclosed that Nigeria’s total public debt has risen to $108.3bn (N49.8trn).

In a statement on Friday night, DMO stated that the figure which include money owed by the federal and state governments does not include the federal government’s N22.7tr Ways and Means Advances of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The statement read: “As at March 31, 2023, the Total Public Debt Stock comprising the external and domestic debts of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), the thirty-six (36) States, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was N49.85tr ($108.30bn).

“Comparatively, the Total Public Debt Stock for the preceding period, December 31, 2022, stood at N46.2tr ($103.3bn). During the period, there were increases in the debt stock of the FGN, States, and the FCT.”

“The Public Debt Stock for March 2023 does not include the FGN’s N22.719 Trillion Ways and Means Advances of the Central Bank of Nigeria whose securitization was approved by the National Assembly in May 2023. The amount will be included in the FGN’s Domestic Debt Stock from June 2023.”

Experts have warned the current administration of President Bola Tinubu against incurring debts.

The People’s Democratic Party on Friday closed its case at the Presidential Election Petitions Court after presenting a total of 27 witnesses to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s election victory.

“Pursuant to the pre-hearing report, may we most humbly apply to close the case for the petitioners,” PDP lead counsel, Chris Uche added.

The panel led by Justice Haruna Tsammani then said the “ball is now in the court” of the Independent National Electoral Commission and other respondents to defend Tinubu’s victory in line with its pre-hearing report.

INEC’s lawyer Oluwakemi Pinheiro SAN, pleaded that the PEPC should permit the electoral umpire and other respondents to open their defence after the Salah Celebration break.

He said that was the agreement between lawyers to parties.

On his part, Wole Olanipekun SAN, counsel for Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, assured the panel that he and other respondents would conclude their defense within one week.

Ruling on their application, the court “adjourned the petition to July 3 for defense.”

Earlier at the resumption of proceedings, the court cautioned Barrister Mike Enahoro Ebah regarding how he was not giving straight answers thrown at him by the lawyers representing President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress.

The witness (PW27) presented by the Peoples Democratic party had earlier tendered in evidence the notarised judgment of the US District Court regarding Tinubu’s alleged forfeiture of funds traced to his bank account suspected to be proceeds of narcotic deals, as well as printed extract of Guinean passport of the president, among other particulars.

It was admitted as Atiku’s evidence.

Under cross-examination by Tinubu’s lawyer, Olanipekun SAN, Enahoro said the US University which is the official custodian of Tinubu’s academic records, issued them to him.

The witness told the court that he instituted a criminal complaint (CR/121/2022) against Tinubu at the Magistrate court sitting in Abuja.

Olanipekun then tendered the court case Enahoro filed against Tinubu to the PEPC but PDP lawyer, Chris Uche SAN, raised an objection.

But the court admitted them as evidence.

In his court case, the witness said the Chief Magistrate of the Court declined jurisdiction on his complaint and no court order was made.

On the Guinean passport he tendered, he said he downloaded it from the internet.

“As a lawyer, did you find out from the Guinean Embassy whether Tinubu renounced the purported citizenship,” Olanipekun asked.

The witness did not answer yes or no but said he read on an online news platform, Sahara reporters, that the Guinean president confirmed Tinubu’s citizenship.

“Don’t try to dribble the court,” the panel told Enahoro, adding that even though he is a lawyer, he should respond to the questions “the way you are asked.”

The court also told the PDP lawyer, Uche to prevail on the witness to answer questions appropriately.

“Some of us here have practiced the legal profession for 40 years. We are not dumb,” Justice Haruna Tsammani told the witness, looking in his direction.

Enahoro eventually admitted that he did not find out about Tinubu’s passport from the Guinean Embassy.

Olanipekun insisted that the passport he tendered expired in 2020 but Enahoro replied that citizenship does not expire.

Speaking further on the US judgment that led to President Tinubu’s forfeiture of $460,000 to the U.S government, the witness said he was not aware that the US Consulate in Nigeria on February 4, 2003, stated that there are no criminal records against Tinubu.

“Are you aware that the Chicago State University in June 27 2022, in a statement duly signed by Caleb Weisberg stated that Tinubu attended and graduated from the school?,” Olanipekun further asked the witness, to which he said he was not aware.

Olanipekun then tendered the school’s statement as evidence but Uche objected while INEC and APC supported the tendered document.

The court admitted it.

Olanipekun asked the witness to tell the court whether there was an arraignment, plea, trial of Tinubu in the US Court judgment which he tendered.

The witness tried explaining that Tinubu forfeited a huge sum of money but a member of the panel interjected and said he should tell the layman if Tinubu pleaded guilty or not.

“On the face of the court judgement, there was no arraignment or plea, but Tinubu agreed to forfeit,” the witness replied.

“With all respect, you will not like anyone to scandalize you?

“I don’t want anyone to scandalize me that is why I will not forge documents,” Enahoro replied.

APC’s lawyer, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, asked Enahoro if the documents he tendered from Chicago State University were certified by the school.

The witness insisted the letter from the University attached to the academic records means the school records do not require any certification.

But the panel told the witness that he should stop “all this dribbling…”

The witness was then asked if he was a member of APC. He replied that he is “part of the Obidient movement of the Labour party.”

The witness was eventually discharged by the court.

LP CLOSES DEFENCE

Meanwhile, the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, also closed their case today after calling a total of 13 witnesses and presenting several electoral documents including INEC Form EC8As.

The Chief Spokesman of the LP Presidential Campaign Council and National Director, Media, Labour party, Yunusa Tanko testified on Friday.

He told the PEPC that he also served as the national collation agent at the party’s situation room.

Being led in evidence by Obi’s lead counsel, Livy Uzoukwu SAN, he tendered receipts issued by INEC to LP for several documents requested from the electoral umpire by the party.

The court admitted them in evidence.

He had earlier tendered 18,088 blurred polling unit results downloaded from IREV certified by INEC.

The five-man panel of the court led by Justice Haruna Tsammani admitted them as evidence.

Under cross-examination by INEC lawyer, Oluwakemi Pinheiro SAN, Yunusa confirmed he was in Abuja during the February 25 presidential election, adding he voted at a polling unit in Dutse Alhaji and returned to the party’s situation room in Asokoro to monitor events nationwide.

He was also presented with a copy of a Federal High Court judgement on Labour Party versus INEC (FHC/ABJ/CS/1454/2022), delivered on January 3, 2023.

Yunusa confirmed the court judgement and Pinheiro tendered it as evidence before the PEPC.

Obi’s lead counsel, Livy Uzoukwu SAN objected to the tendering of the FHC judgement but withheld his reasons until his final address.

Lawyers representing President Bola Tinubu and All Progressives Congress backed INEC on its request to tender the court judgement and the court admitted it.

He was asked to read the last two paragraphs of the said judgment of the trial court in open court, wherein the judge held there is nowhere INEC is mandated to only use an electronic means in collating and transferring results.

Yunusa was also shown Form EC8A, Polling Unit 070, Ward 07, LGA 02, FCT, by the INEC lawyer.

He said the scores on the forms shown to him by INEC lawyer are blurred, mutilated and the figures cancelled with strong ink.

“In your deposition, have you stated the unlawful votes ascribed by INEC to Tinubu,” Tinubu’s lawyer stated but Yunusa said he did not.

“In Anambra state, Peter Obi scored 95.7 percent of the votes cast. Do you want the court to cancel the votes scored by Obi?” Tinubu’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun, asked Yunusa to which he responded that he wanted the court to order INEC to upload the actual votes scored by Obi as against the one announced.

Asked if he experiences network failure on his mobile phone, Yunusa responded “seemingly so”.

He was asked to state the unlawful votes credited to Tinubu as he claimed in his statement on oath.

“Our expert documented the actual scores in his report,” Yunusa replied, saying he doesn’t have it offhand.

The witness added that the wasted votes INEC accredited to Tinubu are also contained in the evidence of its expert.

“We are challenging the entire election declared by INEC,” Yunusa said.

Yunusa was discharged for another witness, Peter Emmanuel Yari, to enter the witness box.

Emmanuel adopted his statement on oath which he filed today.

He said he served as an ad-hoc INEC presiding officer and could not upload the scanned copy of INEC Form EC8A using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS machine provided by the electoral umpire.

The petitioners, who have been tendering their evidence since May 8, will now be in the position to cross-examine the witnesses fielded by INEC and the legal team of Tinubu and the APC.

While Atiku had promised to field 100 witnesses, Obi’s lawyers had assured they would field 50.

But on Friday, the former ended with 27 witnesses while the latter concluded with 13 witnesses.

Though belonging to separate parties, PDP and LP had filed motions seeking permission for live transmission of proceedings as well as an order to inspect the BVAS machines used for the election, among others.

But the panel struck out the application for live transmission.

The PEPC had also directed INEC to reconfigure the BVAS machine while supplying the petitioners with the data extracted from the machines, among other electoral materials.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has deployed a uniquely developed software analytical tool called SCUML 360° to improve the services of the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, SCUML.

This is in an effort to improve the efficiency of SCUML’s processes as recommended by the International Cooperation and Review Group, ICRG, of the Financial Action Task Force, FATF.

Dr. Maher Abu Ghali, Chief Executive of Intellisys Consulting and Solutions, on Friday, during an in-house training of the EFCC officers at the SCUML office in Wuse 2, Abuja, explained how the software works.

He said: “SCUML 360° has the ability to process 20 million transactions per day on a single server which will greatly enhance the efficiency of SCUML.”

He noted that the software also comes with an Artificial Intelligence, AI, feature which will help to analyse the data received by SCUML.

“One of the many benefits of the new tool is that it has a messaging module where SCUML can communicate directly with Designated Non-financial Businesses and Professions, DNFBPs via the messaging board.

“With this, DNFBPs will have their questions answered without having to call or come to SCUML’s offices,” he said.

He also pointed out that with DNFBP, people will be able to print their certificates by themselves from the comfort of their offices once they receive it in their email.

The new certificates will come with a QR code as a security feature and will have a digital signature on it, he added.

Director SCUML, CE Daniel Isei, appreciated the work which Intellisys Consulting and Solutions had done.

He expressed confidence that, with this new software, SCUML is better positioned to fulfil its mandate while meeting the demand of its customers in a timely and efficient manner.

SENATOR Ned Munir Nwoko, PDP, Delta North has described the death of his close friend and business partner, Hermish Harding as sad, unfortunate, shocking and devastating.

Senator Nwoko who took to his official Instagram account to mourn the passing of Harding expressed his grief over the loss.

Harding tragically died during a submarine expedition to visit the ruins of the Titanic ship. In 2020, Senator Nwoko and Harding embarked on an expedition to Antarctica together.

Nwoko shared, “I have lost a very dear friend and business partner. Captain Hermish Harding. We both went on a very dangerous expedition to the Southpole Antarctica few years back. He was a gulf stream pilot who flew across the world in a record-breaking expedition by Guinness World Record for circumnavigation of the earth some years ago.

“He descended into the Mariana. He also invited me on his space shuttle last year and this very Titan ill-fated adventure but I was tied down with national duties. Above all, he was a partner on the various research into eradication of malaria in Africa project. He was very enthusiastic about it and always gave his support at every given opportunity.

“His last message to me was this last Sunday when he told me they were ready to dive to the Titanic if the weather permits. He loved adventure and challenges. My heart bleeds for his dear wife and kids who have become family friends over the years. We will surely miss his wealth of experience.”

It has been reported that Senator Nwoko’s recent inauguration as one of the Senators of the 10th National Assembly prevented him from joining Harding on the ill-fated Titanic expedition, which ended tragically, shocking the world.

Harding, along with four others, lost their lives in the submarine. The casualties included OceanGate founder Stockton Rush, French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, and his 19-year-old son Suleman.

The United States Coast Guard declared them dead after days of searching, as the small vessel transporting them to the 111-year-old Titanic wreckage site suffered a catastrophic implosion.

The Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA SPIDEL) held its National Conference from 20-23 June 2023. The Three-Day Conference which took place at the Citadel Event Center Oregon-Ikeja, Lagos had in attendance private legal practitioners as well as participants from the civil society and the various arms of the government - the Executive, the Legislature and Judiciary. The conference was well attended. The content of the conference was very rich and it provided opportunity to explore critical issues relating to the theme of the conference. The speakers at the conference and participants had robust discussions and made the following observations and recommendations on issues of elections and administration of justice in Nigeria.

OBSERVATIONS/ RECOMMENDATIONS

Participants at the conference: Agreed that in the aftermath of the 2023 elections, there is a huge task of sustaining the trust and confidence of the general public in the judiciary and this can be achieved by ensuring that justice is served in the process of resolving electoral grievances currently before election tribunals.

Affirmed the huge grave responsibility bestowed upon the judiciary is to interpret the law and the expectations of the good people of Nigeria that the judiciary will deliver on this

responsibility with diligence, maintaining the integrity of the judiciary whilst ensuring that the will of the majority is not substituted with the will of the minority.

Agreed that the Bench and the Bar are both made up of lawyers, an indictment of the Bench affects the Bar as such all lawyers both in the Bench and the Bar should collectively

work assiduously to ensure the protection of the integrity of the legal profession.

Stated that the Bench and the Bar do not work for themselves. As ministers in the temple of Justice All Lawyers should work in the interest of justice and their role must serve the

interest of justice.

Emphasized the importance of the Bar to the sustenance of rule of law and democracy. Bemoaned the activities of some Politicians while calling on them to desist from over burdening of the judiciary with post-electoral disputes and increasingly making the judiciary the determinant of election results.

Called for better effective utilization by the judiciary of the opportunities of training received from National Judicial Institute over the years to address whatever capacity needs required to deliver on the very important National assignment of resolving electoral disputes.

Acknowledged that justice at all times should be dispensed in accordance with the provisions of the law.

Encouraged the Judiciary to showcase itself as thoroughly independent and courageous in dispensing electoral justice without fear or favor especially now that Nigerians are looking

up to the courts for the correction of whatever May have gone wrong in the 2023 elections.

Emphasized the urgent need for all stakeholders in the Justice system to provide support to NBA and SPIDEL in their efforts to provide public interest services.

Reiterated the importance of the autonomy and independence of The Judiciary in its true sense and this must include especially financial independence and appointment based on

merit and not at whims and caprices of the executive.

Acknowledged some of the limitations already identified in the legal framework guiding elections in Nigeria, however, recommended that beyond addressing the legislative issues,

more work should be done around the attitude of the implementers of the laws, politicians and the general public. We should respect and not treat our laws with disdain and impunity.

Agreed that to move our democracy and its processes forward, Nigeria must revisit the UWAIS report and ensure implementation of the recommendations made for elections.

Lamented the incessant allegations of infractions in our Justice system and stated that when Justice is sold or available to be sold injustice prevails.

Called for the un-bundling of INEC given the many allegations that challenge its independence and non-partisanship.

Revisit the status of INEC and the process of its participation in electoral tribunals in Nigeria.

Condemned the attitude of Lawyers who are contributing more to the subversion of the electoral process and recommended accountability and sanctions of lawyers who

sabotage the electoral process.

Condemned the attitude of prioritizing election matters over every other matter in Nigerian courts to the detriment of ordinary Nigerians whose freedom may be at stake in

a criminal matter or those that may suffer irreparable loss in civil matters.

Communicated that the National Assembly lacks the vires to fix the salary of members of the senate and house of Representatives. Only the fiscal revenue Allocation Mobilization

Committee is empowered to carry out such duties.

Lamented the negative role poorly organized Political parties’ primaries play in igniting Nigerian electoral woes and recommended

better managed and monitored Party Primaries.

Lamented the corruption that exists within the administration of criminal Justice, bemoaned the negative effect on inmates and the perennial problem of congestion of

custodial center and called on lawyers to act as ministers in the temple of Justice and support the effective implementation of the innovative provisions of Nigerian criminal laws

such as Section 12 (4-12) of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and Administration of Criminal Justice Laws applicable in many

States are effectively implemented.

Made arguments for televising proceedings at the electoral tribunal in the interest of the public and as a human Rights Issues.

Integrity and Character of practitioners are critical to the survival of the legal profession as such ethics and values should for part of the training of lawyers.

It is important to address the issue of difficulty in enforcing Judgment against public institutions, especially for public interest litigation as this is contributing to public loss of

interest in judicial processes.

Searchlight should be beamed on the activities of support staff of judicial officers as some of them paint the judiciary in very bad light.

Emphasized the role technology can play in giving Nigeria a better electoral process and get need for capacity of stakeholders to be built around this.

The need to review and improve the method of appointment and the remuneration of judges in Nigeria.

Called for proper funding of Justice institutions in Nigeria.

Called on all stakeholders to join hands with NBA-SPIDEL in its continued efforts on promotion of public interest and development law in Nigeria.

Encouraged all support the effective implementation of all the recommendations stated above.

Dr Monday Onyekachi Ubani                                                                         

Chairman 

NBA-SPIDEL

Okey Leo Ohagba

Chairman, Conference Planning Committee (CPC)

NBA-SPIDEL 2023 Annual Conference

Plan by the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, to dump the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives Congress, APC, has divided opinion in the state.

Those opposed to him have continued to talk tough explaining why he’s unfit to join let alone lead the APC in Rivers State.

While close associates who served in Wike’s administration have called for his defection to the APC, traditional members of the party are up against it.

Since the emergence of Bola Tinubu as president, Wike has been busy, and has met Tinubu four times already.

He has been rumoured as one of those to be chosen as a minister in the new government.

Tinubu was inaugurated on May 29. Before he was inaugurated, Wike hosted him when he was president-elect before visiting him on three different occasions.

He has also held several media parleys where he said he would be ready to join the Tinubu administration and pick up any appointment the president may offer him, noting “I’m not too big to serve my country.”

While APC members including those at the national level have said that’s a smart way to announce his readiness to join the APC and have voiced their opposition to it, Wike’s associates would have none of that.

Leading the call for Wike to dump the PDP is a chieftain of the APC and former Chief of Staff, Rivers State Government House, Tony Okocha who said Rivers APC was ready to receive Wike if he considers dumping the PDP.

Okocha was the Coordinator of the BAT-Vanguard, the disbanded Bola Ahmed Tinubu Vanguard in the South-South.

Okocha had said on Thursday that, “In the leadership of the Tinubu family in Rivers State, we are at peace 100 per cent with His Excellency, Barr Nyesom Wike, the immediate past Governor of Rivers State as our leader.

“He who pays the Piper dictates the tune. When it was difficult, even when the national body could not oblige us with funds for the national rally here, the magic was done by somebody.”

He demanded that, “Our demand is that nobody should rob Peter to pay Paul. Our own share of the booty given to us should be handed over to His Excellency Nyesom Wike.

“We are confident that as soon as it gets to him, he knows those who worked for Tinubu, and it will get to us.

“It is only natural, that is how it should go, ” he added.

Carpeting the PDP, Wike’s party, he argued that, “It does appear to us that the PDP does not know what they have in Wike. So we are asking and calling on Wike to come over to Macedonia and lead us.”

But another chieftain of the APC, Augustine Wokocha, on Friday faulted calls for Wike to take a prime position in Rivers APC.

Wokocha, who was a Commissioner for Power and served as the Coordinator of the disbanded Tinubu/Shettima Grassroot Independent Campaign Council in Rivers State rejected the call saying, “The victory of Bola Tinubu in the last election in Rivers State cannot be given to one individual.

“It is a combination of the over 200, 000 votes from Rivers who pended their thumb for the man who is our President today.

“I ran the campaign for the Tinubu election. I can’t remember anywhere, anytime when the immediate past governor of Rivers State canvass any support for the President

“I can’t remember any forum when he referred to the candidate of our party. He did not direct his people to vote for him, to my knowledge. So I don’t know what Okocha means by Wike immensely contributing to Tinubu’s Victory.

“So it is important we continue to appreciate Rivers people. And of course, people worked, those who did the canvassing to convince people that Tinubu was a better candidate also deserve our appreciation and gratitude.”

While stressing that Wike can join the APC if he wants as he’s not opposed to his defection, he added that, “Candidly speaking politics is the more the merrier. So Wike coming to the APC is a welcome development.

“What is an aberration is to say Wike should come and take over the party. This is the same party that its members were hounded like grass cutters by those supporting the man who is being invited to join the party today.

“It was the same Wike who said APC is cancer stage four and the PDP is malaria. But he is welcome if he has suddenly realised that our cancer is better than malaria he is suffering from.

”But it will be a major disservice to the people of Rivers State to say Wike should come and lead the APC in Rivers State. APC is not lacking leadership.

He pointed out that the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and him remain the leader of the party, he added that, “Nobody should take credit that is not his own and take claims that are not theirs. We won’t allow such misleading not our people,” Wokocha stated.

A witness of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu identified himself as female while seeking admission in the Chicago State University, USA.

Mike Enahoro-Ebah, who was subpoenaed by the PDP to the Presidential Election Petitions Court, said Tinubu, in forwarding a transcript of the South West College in USA in 1977, used the name ‘Bola Adekunle Tinubu’ and identified himself as female.

The PDP also tendered certified copies of a notarised judgement of US court on the forfeiture of the sum of $460,000 and a copy of Guinean passport against Tinubu.

A five-member panel of justices presided by Justice Haruna Tsammani admitted them after taking the objections by counsel to the INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN); Tinubu, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) and the APC, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

Under cross examination by counsel to INEC, the witness denied spending a lot of money to pursue the case against Tinubu, submitting that the lawyer partner in the US obtained the documents free of charge.

The witness also admitted that he was pained when his candidate lost the February 25 presidential election.

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has charged the Assets Recovery Committees to ensure recovery of all government property stolen under his predecessor.

Alia tasked the committee to recover all assets belonging to the state government but had been illegally taken away by the immediate past administration of Governor Samuel Ortom.

He gave the charge at Government House in Makurdi during official inauguration of the Chairman and members of the State and Local Government Assets Recovery Committees.

“It’s not to victimise or witch hunt anybody but it’s the right thing to do to account for all government assets,” he added.

The governor noted that the constitution of the committees became necessary considering the large number of cars that were hitherto seen with former government officials but are nowhere to be found.

Alia added that he received allegations of conversion, abuse, and outright stealing of government property and assets and, therefore, find it appropriate to set in motion the machinery to recover all that had been illegally taken away.

He listed the items to be recovered to include all government’s land, vehicles, houses, furniture and other machinery as well as to determine all unctions of government property and assets done between March 1 and May 29, 2023 by various government MDAs without due process.

Responding on behalf of the committees, the Chairman, Hinga Biem, promised pledged their service and support to the governor and the state.