What Does Prince Abubakar Audu Want Again? By Emmanuel Okeji Asojo

May 5, 2015

The Nigerian Political domain is free for all comers; it is only those who can play the game well that succeed at the end of the day. Some politicians, who have looted the treasury, believe that at all times; they are relevant while forgetting certain basic facts in the environment where they seek power.
Since the creation of Kogi State over 20 years ago, one ethnic group has continued to lord it over the other two senatorial districts by rotating it among themselves. Having completed that rotation order, the same group has charted another course for the rotation in a new cycle.
While the Central and West produce about 92% of the internally generated revenue, the East can only boast of about 8%. Yet, the resources are not fairly distributed, rather, over 85% of the IGR and the state’s shares of the monthly Federation Account are used to service the East.
One interesting thing about Kogi State is that the East, where the Governor comes from, is somehow impoverished as one can hardly notice meaningful development.
Unfortunately, the Central, where the Speaker comes from, is totally neglected. The Speaker has only learned the art of using his hammer to stamp budgets without asking questions on what is due to his area and the West.
We have got to a stage where the West and Central now see the actions of the East as a great insult. Without prejudice to the non-implementation of the National Conference report, the East should realize that they are working toward an unimaginable tsunami in the state.
What does Prince Abubakar Audu want again?
What is it that he lost and has not found? Since the beginning of Governor Wada administration, Prince Audu has been wearing the skin of PDP. When Wada celebrated two years in office, he openly and jointly cut the anniversary cake with Governor Idris Wada.
As soon as APC was formed, Audu, by virtue of the new party’s constitution, assumed the leadership of the party, lording it over everyone arrogantly. And before the presidential primary, he was working for Governor of Kano State to be the APC presidential flag bearer. During this time, Audu refused to attend any functions that would see General Buhari in attendance. As soon as Buhari clinched the ticket, he started working for his return as Governor by sponsoring billboards, press statements and interviews. He caused some political problems for APC aspirants in the state in course of his desire to get a structure for his ambition.
If APC is actually ready to fight corruption, it should not field candidates with questionable characters, people with EFCC cases so it will not go the way of PDP, the party that fields and appoints people that are known worldwide to be having many skeletons in their cupboards. The APC should be very careful of people who have joined the party with stolen wealth which they have come to display in Buhari administration.
All said and done, General Buhari and Prince Abubakar Audu had once sojourned in ANPP and they are very familiar with each other.
As a leader in APC, Prince Audu had had the opportunity of receiving governorship candidates introduced to him by the highly placed with a view to supporting them but unknown to the big shots and the aspirants, Prince Audu has been plotting against them because of his inordinate ambition.
The havoc Audu has caused to APC in Kogi State is enormous. We have just learned that primaries were not held for the three senatorial seats in Kogi which APC has already won. We pray this situation will not be the beginning of APC doom in Kogi State. This same problem exists in some constituencies in the state as primaries were not held. And this ugly trend has already given rise to litigations.
APC has credible candidates in all the districts of Kogi State and Prince Abubakar Audu and his money cannot drive them to sleep.
He should now behave like a father that he claims to be rather than continue to look for something that he has since lost to the vultures.
A word is enough for the wise.

[myad]

Court Rejects Adegboruwa’s Move To Join Plaintiffs In DSTV Case

Greenbarge Reporters

May 5, 2015

The Federal High Court in Lagos has rejected a move by Lagos lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, to join as plaintiff, the class suit brought by two lawyers, Osasuyi Adebayo and Oluyinka Adeniji, against Multichoice, the provider of Digital Satellite Television in Nigeria.
At the resumed hearing in the case today, the Presiding Judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, in rejecting Adegboruwa’s move, said since over 170 million Nigerians use the services of DSTV, not everyone can be accommodated as plaintiff.
The case was to take argument over whether the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the matter as argued by Multichoice.
It would be recalled that Adebayo and Oyeniji had dragged the company to court in a class action for themselves and on behalf of other subscribers.
At the resumed sitting, Yemi Salman led a team of lawyers, including Adebayo, Oyeniji, Mufutau Olajobi, Olutoun Akinfire and Oluwole Fola, to argue the position of the plaintiffs, while Moyo Onigbanjo (SAN) appeared for the 1st Defendant.
A mild drama however played out when Adegboruwa, who had earlier challenged the Lagos State Government on the restriction of movement during environmental sanitation, expressed his willingness to join the plaintiffs in the matter.
He argued that the matter, being a noble one and himself also being the owner of five decoders of Multichoice, is entitled to join the plaintiffs.
He therefore told the court of his readiness to join the plaintiffs though his processes were still being filed at the Registry.
Onigbanjo vehemently opposed Adegboruwa’s right to be heard.
According to him, only one counsel, Oyeniji, who filed the matter on behalf of the plaintiffs, could appear or nominate a lead counsel for the plaintiffs.
Aneke then cautioned that since all Nigerians are subscribers of DSTV, the court would become rowdy if 170 million Nigerians each retain lawyers.
The court admonished that plaintiffs be represented by one counsel though it is a class action.
It equally ruled that no other action may be filed.
In his opening remarks, Salman argued on the priority of applications based on the fact that a pending contempt proceeding had been initiated against Multichoice.
He retorted that having adjourned the matter for argument on jurisdiction for Tuesday, the same would go on regardless.
He then commenced his argument, urging the court to decline jurisdiction.
In reaction, plaintiffs urged the court to dismiss the application and discountenance the further affidavits filed by Multichoice without seeking Leave of Court prior to hearing of the application.
The matter was then adjourned to May 21, 2015 for ruling.
Salman also informed the court of the pendency of exparte application for substituted service of contempt proceedings on Multichoice but the court admonished him to exhibit more facts surrounding attempt to serve the Managing Director of the company, John Ugbe, and its Public Relations Manager before the argument of the application.

[myad]

Landlord Throws Out Students Of Otuoke University Over N24 Million Rent Arrears

Greenbarge Reporters

May 4, 2015

A private hostel owner, Emmanuel Toiyebo, has thrown out more than 100 students of the Federal University, Otuoke in Bayelsa State over unpaid rent amounting to N24 million.

The affected students were assigned to the hostel as part of the Bayelsa State government’s contribution to assist the newly established university located in Otuoke, the hometown of President Goodluck Jonathan. But the landlord alleged that both the university and the state government owed him two years’ arrears of rent, hence his decision to evict the students.
The 52-bedroom hostel, known as the Oniegbum Hostel, is located a few minutes from Jonathan’s country home. In 2014, Bayelsa State procured the hostel as a residential facility for students, and handed the hostel to the university at a ceremony presided over by the Secretary to the State Government, Dakoru Allison-Oguru.
The Federal University, Otuoke, was one of the nine new universities established by the Jonathan administration in 2011. Mobolaji Aluko, a professor at Howard University, Washington, DC, was appointed the university’s inaugural vice chancellor.
Commenting on the development, the dean of student affairs, Marcellina Offoha said the students were supposed to move back into the hostel this week, and confirmed that the facility has now been locked up even as he expressed confidence that the state government, the university and the landlord would settle the dispute “in the shortest time possible.

he said that they have to beg the landlord and that discussions with the school and the state government are continuing.
The eviction letter to the students was issued by a lawyer to the landlord and signed by R.E. Ndiomu. The letter read: “We the landlords of the 52-bedroom apartments at Onuegbum, Otuoke Road, Otuoke, give you notice to quit and deliver possession of the aforementioned property with its appurtenances which you hold as a tenant on or before the expiration of seven days upon the receipt of this notice, for failure of the Bayelsa state government through the office of the Secretary to the state government, Bayelsa state to pay the balance of N24 million as rent accruable.
“We have been patiently waiting for the balance [of the] sum since last year but have been frustrated by the lack of commitment which the Bayelsa state government has shown despite several attempts to get the state government to adhere to its promise as we have kept our part of the bargain hence the notice.”

The eviction warned that the landlord would repossess the hostel if the students did not adhere to the eviction notice.

The eviction notice was copied to the vice chancellor, the chief legal adviser to the university, and the Secretary of the state government. The affected recipients received the letter March 10, 2015.
The landlord said that he had made several attempts to resolve the dispute over rent with the Bayelsa State government. He added that all the meetings he held with university as well as state government officials had failed to resolve the issue of the outstanding rent. [myad]

Fuel Scarcity May End Soon, As Oil Marketers Resolve Subsidy Controversy With Government

Greenbarge Reporters

May 4, 2015

There are indications that soon, the nation-wide fuel scarcity and crisis would be a thing of the past, as the Major Oil Marketers have resolved the knotty issue of subsidy payment controversy with the minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), today, met with the minister and came up with an assurance that the fuel scarcity, being experienced across the country, would be over within the next few days. The meeting was held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Finance in Abuja.

It was also resolved at the meeting, which was attended by representatives of MOMAN and some senior officials in the finance ministry that outstanding subsidy claims would be paid even after a new government takes over power.

At the end of the meeting, which lasted over four hours, Okonjo-Iweala briefed newsmen along with the Executive Secretary, MOMAN, Mr. Thomas Olawore.

According to the finance minister, the issues that led to the scarcity had been resolved adding that based on the discussions at the meeting, the Federal Government and the oil marketers had both agreed to bring an end to the fuel scarcity problem.

“We have appealed to them (oil marketers) and you have heard them saying, following the payment of the N154bn, things will ease off.

“We have spent a considerable time talking about this and we welcome the news that have been announced by the marketers and we thank them.

“On our own side, we have discussed the issues they have put on the table and we are looking into them, government is a continuum and you find out that whatever the issues are, they would be resolved so that Nigerians will not suffer.”

When asked how the controversy surrounding the actual outstanding subsidy arrears, being owed the marketers was resolved, the minister said it would be difficult to get the exact debt owing to what she described as the “rolling” nature of the business.

She, however, said that with the understanding reached with the marketers, all the outstanding debts would be paid based on claims processed by Petroleum Pricing Products Regulatory Agency (PPPRC)

“What I want you to understand is that this is a rolling business and there is no one definitive figure.” [myad]

Governor Uduaghan Bags Silverbird Man of the Year Award

Greenbarge Reporters

May 4, 2015

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has received Silverbird Man of the year Award in recognition of his laudable achievements in the year 2014.
Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan dedicated the Silverbird Man of the year Award bestowed on him by the organization, to his wife and all Deltans who stood and worked with his administration to build a peaceful state.
The Governor said that the award is for all peaceful Deltans and for the prevailing inter-ethnic harmony in the state.
He expressed his appreciation for the honour done him saying: “I am very happy that Sliverbird Television has recognized the good work God is doing in Delta State through my administration. This achievement is a collective effort and l dedicate this award to my wife and all Deltans who made this dream of having a peaceful state a reality during our time and l pray that this peace will be sustained.”
Uduaghan appealed to the incoming government of General Muhammadu Buhari not to undermine the South-South and South East regions of the country
The Governor said that it would be dangerous and disastrous for the regions to be ignored just because they did not vote for the in-coming government.
“I must counsel here that the South – South and the South-East regions must not be ignored or undermined by the in-coming Federal Government on account of their voting patterns in the general elections.”
According to him, it would be precarious for such strategic regions or any region for that matter to be undermined solely because of their political leanings, and stressed the need for every part of the country to be treated fairly and equitably.
Governor Uduaghan assured that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is prepared to form a formidable opposition party in the country, adding that the party would bounce back sooner than expected.
He also charged the in-coming administration in Delta State to uphold the people’s oriented programmes already put in place by his administration.
The Governor explained that he had to give up his senatorial ambition for peace to reign in the State, stressing that if he had pushed ahead with his ambition, inter-ethnic crisis would have returned to the state.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Occasion and Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Odien Ajumogobia (SAN) said that apart from key infrastructure, urban renewal and human capital development, Governor Uduaghan is leaving behind a peaceful and united Delta State.
Barrister Chike Ogeah, Information Commissioner and Hon. Funkekeme Solomon works Commissioner described the award as a crowning glory for the governor.
In a keynote address, former chairman of Silverbird Group, Mr. Ben Murray-Bruce said that the Nigerians must shun the display of affluence in the mist of poverty, promising to represent the poor Nigerians as a Senator of the Federal Republic.
Other Deltans who bagged award at the ceremony include Chief Phillip Asiodu and Mr. Gameliel Onosode. [myad]

Olisa Metuh Describes Un-Named Jonathan Aides As Divisive Elements In PDP

Greenbarge Reporters

May 4, 2015

National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisa Metuh is angry with the un-named aides of President Goodluck Jonathan who have been trying to cause crisis in the party so that they would hijack it, describing them as divisive elements.

He accused them of flying all sorts of allegation against the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

Addressing newsmen today at his Wadata House office in Abuja, Metuh said that the Presidential aides have accused members of the NWC of misappropriating the Presidential campaign fund, saying: “when this wicked and baseless allegation was debunked by the NWC who publicly clarified that it was not involved in the handling of the campaign and its funding, and that such were exclusively managed by the Presidential Campaign Organization appointed by the President, these divisive elements in their desperation came up with another allegation claiming that the leadership embezzled funds belonging to the party.

“Even after the NWC also debunked this despicable allegation, showing that the party’s funds were judiciously appropriated for our state election campaigns, this group resorted to labeling the NWC with attempts to instigate President Jonathan, PDP governors and other well-meaning members of our party against the national leadership.”

Metuh blamed part of the reason for defeat of President Jonathan in the election on part of the hate campaigns adopted by the Presidential Campaigns against the opposition presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.

This even as the party’s NWC has vowed to involve competent firm of chartered accountants to investigate its financial transactions within the period of the presidential campaigns even as the party decided to call off the face-off as President Goodluck Jonathan had intervened on in the crisis between it and President’s aides

Metuh said that despite the intervention of President Jonathan into the crisis, the NWCfelt that it is necessary for the party to call for a transparent forensic audit into the finances of the party since the commencement of the presidential and general elections.

He decried the actions of the aides of the President in circulating payment vouchers of housing, furniture and medical allowances of the NWC to the media, stating that it points to the fact that the aides of the president concerned has a heinous agenda against the NWC of the party.

Metuh reiterated that the NWC did not receive any money directly for the 2015 general elections, rather, he said that out of the money generated from the sales of delegate forms, governorship and state and national assembly forms that the party donated the sum of N500 million to the presidential campaign of the party, N100 million each to the 29 governorship candidates of the party.

He acknowledged that the members of the NWC received N30 million each, but said that the money was for their medical, furniture and housing allowances for the past two and half years.

Pressured by reporters to disclose the names of the aides of the President that are behind the hate campaign against the NWC, Metuh declined, saying that President Jonathan has intervened in a meeting held at the presidential villa on Sunday.

But, Metuh said alerted Nigerians that some members of the party, including ambitious aides and associates of President Jonathan, are using their perceived closeness to him to further their heinous agenda of injecting crisis in the party with a view to highjacking the structure for their selfish interests.

“In the attempt to discredit the NWC, these elements pushed out series of misleading information to the unsuspecting public alleging that the party leadership mismanaged the Presidential campaign funds, leading to the poor performance in the polls and as such NWC should be made to resign.” [myad]

Housewife, 25, Confesses That She Stole Day-Old Baby In Katsina

Greenbarge Reporters

May 4, 2015

A 25-year old housewife, Fatima Ibrahim has reportedly confessed to the police that she stole a day-old baby in Danja town, Katsina state even as the judge of the Katsina Chief Magistrates’ Court handling the case considered it serious.

Mrs. Fatima Ibrahim, who was said to have committed that offence at about 5.00 a.m. on March 10 this year was reported to have confessed when interrogated by the police, to have stolen the baby girl.
The prosecuting police, Inspector Hashimu Musa, told the court that the case was reported to the Central Police Station by one Malam Nuhu Umar of Funtua town, adding that the accused person stole the baby at the comprehensive Health Centre, Funtua at the time the staff on duty had gone to say their morning prayers.
The prosecutor alleged that the accused went away with the baby under the pretence of assisting the nursing mother even as she dropped her hospital card, bearing Fatima Ibrahim when was leaving the hospital, adding that during investigation, the card left by the accused was used to trace her and rescue the baby from her.
The prosecutor said that the accused committed an offence, contrary to Section 274 of the Penal Code.

The Chief Magistrate, Hajiya Nafisa Bagiwa, said that the court would not take the plea of the accused, as her case was very serious even as she ordered the police to continue with the investigation, while the case file should be duplicated and forwarded to the State Ministry of Justice for advice.
She adjourned the case to May 7 for continuation of the trial. [myad]

Court Decides June 18 Whether Or Not To Jail Fani-Kayode For Alleged Laundering Of N2.1 Million

Greenbarge Reporters

May 4, 2015

A Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed June 18 this year for judgment in a case of money laundering, amounting to N2.1 Million against the Nigeria’s former Aviation Minister and recently, Director of media and publicity for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Counil, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode.

Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia fixed the judgment date today following the adoption of final written addresses and summary arguments by lawyers to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the accused person.

Fani-Kayode, whose trial began in 2008 before Justice Ramat Mohammed, was accused by the EFCC to have laundered about N100 Million while he was Minister of Culture and Tourism and subsequently Aviation Minister.

The allegedly laundered sum was however reduced to N2.1 Million on November 17, 2014 after Ofili-Ajumogobia, dismissed 38 out of the 40 counts levelled against Fani-Kayode by the EFCC for want of proof.

The EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Festus Keyamo, while urging the court to uphold the remaining two counts and to accordingly convict Fani-Kayode, said the former minister had failed to exonerate himself of the allegations.

Keyamo pointed out that the object of the charge was that Fani-Kayode transacted in cash sums above N500,000, which was the threshold stipulated by the Money Laundering Act.

According to Keyamo, Fani-Kayode himself had admitted making such transactions in his confessional statement of December 22, 2008 made to the EFCC.

“In this statement, he admitted that he transacted in cash above N500,000. My Lord, this statement went in without objection by the accused person and the statement was voluntary.

“With the combination of this confessional statement and the statement of the IPO that investigated the allegation, we rely on all of these to submit that we have discharged our burden that monies were received by the accused person in cash and were not done through any financial institution.”

Keyamo argued that the prosecution had discharged its duty once it established that Fani-Kayode transacted in large sums above the Money Laundering threshold, adding that it was left for Fani-Kayode to explain the source of the money.

“Once you cannot explain the source of the large sum of money found on you, you are guilty of money laundering. If the prosecution must show where the money is coming from, then the whole essence of the money laundering law is defeated.

“It is not in all cases that the burden of proof lies on the prosecution; the burden at this point shifts to the accused person,” Keyamo argued.

He further argued that the court could not simply believe that the large sums in cash that Fani-Kayode allegedly transacted were proceeds of his father’s estate, saying the accused should have called the tenant, who paid to testify in court and back it up with his statement of account.

But Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Mr. Adedayo Adedipe (SAN), in his summary argument, maintained that Fani-Kayode made no confession to the EFCC, adding that the anti-graft agency had failed to show that Fani-Kayode actually accepted a cash sum of N1m as alleged in one of the counts.

Adedipe said the EFCC had also failed to show to the court the person who handed the cash sum to the accused persons. [myad]

Saudi Government Beheads 5 Foreigners For Murder, Robbery

Greenbarge Reporters

May 4, 2015

Saudi Arabia government has beheaded five foreigners for murder and robbery, described in diplomatic circle as an unusually high number that has added to what Amnesty International has called a “macabre spike.”

According to the Saudi Arabian interior ministry in a statement today, two Yemenis, a Chadian, an Eritrean and a Sudanese were among those that were put to death in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.

Those who were beheaded were identified as Yemenis Khaled Fetini and Ibrahim Nasser, Hassan Omar from Chad, Eritrean Salem Idriss and Abdel Wahhab Abdel Maeen from Sudan. They were all convicted of killing the Indian guard at a business and stealing money from the safe.

Their beheadings bring to 78 the number of locals and foreigners executed in Saudi Arabia this year, compared with 87 for all of last year, according to AFP tallies. Normally one or two people are executed at a time.

London-based Amnesty ranked Saudi Arabia among the world’s top three executioners of 2014. Drug trafficking, rape, murder, apostasy and armed robbery are all punishable by death under the Gulf nation’s strict version of Islamic sharia law. The interior ministry has cited deterrence as a reason for carrying out the punishment. [myad]

Enugu Speaker Locks Horn With Deputy Over Moves To Impeach Governor Chime

Greenbarge Reporters

May 4, 2015

Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly Eugene Odoh, leading 14 other members is now at logger-head with his deputy, Chime Oji who is leading eight members, over the moves by the speaker’s group to impeach the state governor, Sullivan Chime for what they called, gross misconduct.

The deputy speaker has not only announced the impeachment of the speaker, Odoh and the sacking of the Majority Leader, S.K.E. Ude-Okoye but also purported to have suspended them along with seven other members.

Apart from electing a new speaker, Hon. Chinedu Nwamba (Nsukka East), the group of nine lawmakers also appointed Hon. Donatus Uzoagbado (Oji-River) and Hon. Emeka Ogbuabo (Isiuzo) as the new Majority Leader and Chief Whip respectively.

They also went ahead to recall Hon. Johnbul Nwagu who was suspended by the House about two weeks ago, while also defreezing the accounts of the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB) which was frozen by the Assembly two weeks ago.

But, in an earlier sitting which commenced about 6:28am, the group of 15 lawmakers who had a tough time trying to gain entry into the Assembly complex, having been stopped at the gate by a team of policemen directed the Clerk of the House, Christopher Chukwurah to serve the governor with the notice of impeachment.

They accused the governor of forging the 2012 Supplementary Budget running into billions of naira. Other impeachable offences listed against the governor are alleged inflation of the contract sum for the construction of the new State Secretariat complex from N13 billion to N21 billion without recourse to the House of Assembly, award of the contract to Arab Contractors Limited even when another contractor submitted a lower bid, as well as using the police to deny the lawmakers access to the House for their sitting on Monday.

They also suspended three members including the Deputy Speaker, Chime Oji, who was recently elected to represent Enugu North/South Federal Constituency, Hon. Emeka Ogbuabor and Deputy House Leader, John Ukuta for alleged anti-House activities.

The lawmakers had complained that the governor was using some legislators to disrupt the activities of the House and undermine their interest following their refusal to approve the N11 billion loan requested by the governor.
However, the mace was taken away after Hon. Odo adjourned sitting of the House to Tuesday.

The G-15 lawmakers who signed the impeachment notice are Hon. Eugene odo, 2. Sunday Udeokoye, 3. Okechukwu Nwoke, 4. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, 5. Elochuchukwu Ugwueze, 6. Iloabuchi Aniagu, 7. Nze Michael Onyeze, 8. Anichukwu John Nwankwo, 9. Theresa Egbo, 10. Dame Nkechi Omeje Ogbu, 11. Chika Eneh representing Governor Chime’s Udi South, 12. Mathias Ekweremadu Jnr, 13. Paul Okechukwu Ogbe, 14. Anthony Ogidi, and 15. Nelson Uduji.

But at 7.05am, the G-9 led by the Deputy Speaker and other members of the House including the state Deputy Governor-elect, Hon. Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo walked into the chamber with another mace and conducted their own sitting.

The Group of nine lawmakers are: 1. Chime Oji, 2. John Ukuta, 3. Chinedu Nwamba, 4. Donatus Uzogbado, 5. Edward Mbosi, 6. Joseph Agbo Ugwumba, 7. Emeka Ogbuabor, 8. Cecilia Ezeilo and 9. Johnbull Nwagu.

After a short prayer, Hon. John Kevin Ukuta, who was also suspended by the Odo-led group, moved a motion that Hon. Johnbull Nwagu who was earlier suspended by the House for alleged misconduct, should be recalled and Hon. Chinedu Nwamba seconded the motion.

Hon. Ukuta thereafter moved another motion calling for the suspension of the Speaker Eugene Odo and six other members in his group including Anichukwu Nwankwo, Okechukwu Nwoke, Paul Ogbe, Nze Michael Onyeze, Chika Eneh, Theresa Egbo and SKE Udo-Okoye.

The motion was approved by the nine members.

The principal officers among those suspended were also stripped of their positions and benefits.

Ukuta further moved for the nomination of other colleagues to fill the vacancies created by the suspension and went ahead to nominate Chinedu Nwamba, representing Nsukka East constituency as replacement for the suspended Speaker.

The motion was approved and Chinedu Nwamba was immediately sworn in as Speaker of the G-9.
Nwamba who moved to the seat of the speaker, thanked his members for the confidence reposed in him to preside over the affairs of the house and directed the House Clerk to inform the governor of the decision of the House.

Ukuta informed the lawmakers of the letter written by the State Attorney General, Anthony Ani, informing the lawmakers that they had no powers to investigate the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board, ENSUBEB, saying the recent order of the House freezing of the account of the board was a legislative recklessness.

He said the members of the House should be seen as lawmakers and not law-breakers, condemning the action taken against the board chairman.

Ukuta, therefore, urged the lawmakers to regard the freezing of the ENSUBEB’s account as erroneous and should be lifted immediately .

Emeka Ogbuabo seconded the motion, saying the House erred by freezing the account of the board, saying the petition against the board chairman was not properly handled before the sanction.

The G-9 lawmakers, however, lifted the order freezing the account of the board and directed that the account be immediately de-frozen, while the board was asked to continue dealing with the Chairman of ENSUBEB, Ms. Nneka Onuora.

At 7.50 am, the House adjourned sine die and directed the police and Department of Security Services, DSS, to ensure that nobody was allowed into the House of Assembly complex until further notice. [myad]

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