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JUST IN: Supreme Court Dismisses Ihedioha’s Application
The Supreme Court has dismissed the application for the review of the decision sacking former Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, and declaring Hope Uzodinma winner of the March 9, 2019 judgement.
A Seven-member panel of justices presided by Justice Tanko Muhammad, on Tuesday ruled that the court lacks the jurisdiction to sit on appeal over its judgment on the Imo Governorship.
In the main judgment read by Justice Olukayode Ariwoola held that the application lacked merit and dismissed the application.
“The judgement of the Supreme Court is a finality,” he said.
The judge however said no cost would be awarded against the applicants.
Justice Nweze however delivered a dissenting judgement.
Earlier, Counsel to PDP and Ihedioha, Kanu Agabi, SAN, asked the apex court to set aside the judgement of January 14 and uphold the judgement of the Court of Appeal which dismissed the petition by Uzodinma. But Counsel to Uzodinma, Damian Dodo, SAN, said the Supreme Court judgement actually set aside every decision of the Court of Appeal, which he described as a “Tsunami”.
He added that there was no ambiguity in the judgement of the Supreme Court which declared his client winner.
Ihedioha and the PDP had in an application dated February 5, 2020 and brought through his counsel, Kanu Agabi, SAN, asked the apex court to set aside its judgement of January 14, which nullified his victory in the March 9, 2019 election and declared Hope Uzodinma of the APC winner of the election after he presented excluded results from 388 polling units.
Recall that in its judgement, a seven-member panel of justices presided by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, held that Ihedioha was not validly elected as governor by majority of lawful votes cast in the election.
The panel therefore ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Ihedioha and a fresh certificate of return issued to Uzodinma forthwith and “he should be sworn in as governor immediately.”
In the main judgement read by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the apex court held that Uzodinma proved the allegation of exclusion of results in 388 polling units of the state where he scored 213,695 votes.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Resources Authority says it has commenced a clampdown on illegal LPG retail outlets in Akwa Ibom State.
The state Coordinator, Ikechukwu Eseka, disclosed this on Thursday while receiving the state commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Bakshar Hussaini, in his office on a courtesy visit.
He said, “We have started enforcement of LPG retailers embarking on illegal decanting of LPG, filling stations, LPG refilling plants and other illegal downstream operations in the state.
“We are currently working on the illegal proliferation of decanting of LPG in the state, Eseka stated, adding that gas is very volatile, and some of them are using gas that is not meant for the purpose.”
He said he has directed that gas plant owners should not load gas on people who don’t have licenses NMDPRA in the state, warning that “decanting of gas from cylinder to cylinder is an illegal activity which is punishable by law.”
He also called on marketers to register and renew their licenses before operating LPG in the state.
“We used the opportunity to talk on the aspects of the downstream which has to do with our enforcement, sealing of filling stations and those who are using diesel for industrial purposes that are yet to register with NMDPRA.
“We have also commenced engagement with individuals and organisations using storage tanks that are over 500 litres, to come and register with the Authority in the state,” he added.
Eseka thanked the Commandant for coming to re-strategise and collaborate with the Authority in the state.
Earlier, the State Commandant of NSCDC, Hussaini, explained that the purpose of coming was to collaborate with NMDPRA on how to checkmate indiscriminate decanting of LPG in the state.
“I know with the present situation in the country, a lot of them are going to cry and you have to use human face to handle their cases so that we don’t injure the government and the public themselves,” he said.
He lamented that some people used their houses to sell cooking gas which can cause environmental hazards to the public.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced plans to phase out the Permanent Voter Cards, PVC.
INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, made this known at a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners RECs, held at the INEC Conference Room, Abuja on Thursday.
This was part of the identified 142 recommendations released by the Commission which deals with the general state of preparedness, voter management, voter education and public communication, political parties and candidate management.
Other areas of recommendation include electoral operations and logistics management, election officials and personnel, partnership and collaboration, monitoring and supervision, election technology, voting and result management, election security, electoral offences and the electoral legal framework.
The Chairman said there are eight recommendations among the 142 which require legislative action by the National Assembly.
“The Commission also believes that with the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, the use of the Permanent Voters’ Cards, PVC, as the sole means of identification for voter accreditation on Election Day should be reviewed.
He, however, said that those who already have the Permanent Voter Cards can still use them to vote.
He added, “But going forward, computer-generated slips issued to the voter or even downloaded from the Commission’s website will suffice for voter accreditation. ”
Yakubu said this new development will save costs and further eliminate the issues around the collection of Permanent Voter Cards.
He also said the practice of buying up the Permanent Voter Cards from voters to disenfranchise them, would be reduced.
President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to present the 2025 proposed budget to a joint session of the National Assembly on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.
The announcement was made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during a plenary session, revealing that the President has sent a communication to that effect.
“The president has made his intention known to the National Assembly to present the 2025m budget to the joint session of the National Assembly on the 17th of December, 2024,” he said.
The proposed budget, totalling N47.9 trillion, was earlier announced by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Atiku Bagudu.
NMDPRA begins clampdown on illegal LPG retail outlets in Akwa Ibom
Elections in Nigeria: There’ll be no more need for voter cards – INEC
BREAKING: Tinubu to present 2025 budget proposal to National Assembly Tuesday
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