A Federal High Court sitting in Enugu has adjourned the case between the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and electricity consumers under the aegis of South East Electricity Consumers Association (SEECA) to November 27, 2024.
The matter which was called up for hearing could not progress as the EEDC legal representative, Okwudili Agbo, pleaded with the the court for more time to respond to some papers served on his client by the defendants.
Council to the defendants, Ejike Ezenwa (SAN), who said that he was ready for the case, conceded to the plea for adjournment to allow the plaintiff file his reply.
The judge, M.G. Umar, adjourned the case to November 27 for hearing.
The EEDC had dragged SEECA to court for allegedly interfering in its operations in the South East by rallying other consumers against purported outrageous billing system and other anti-people activities of the company in the region.
EEDC’s counsel, Agbo, who spoke on why his client sued SEECA said that the Disco wanted the court to determine whether any other organization had the right to perform regulatory functions outside the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
‘Our clients observed that a certain group, which calls itself SEECA where issuing orders, directives, and threats to the customers of our clients. They were ordering our clients not to pay bills to our clients,” he said.
But National Chairman of SEECA, Okechukwu Obiora, said that the EEDC took the group to court for enlightening other electricity consumers on their rights and obligations concerning electricity supply.
He explained: “Our offence is that we came out to ask the EEDC why we still have about 70% of South Easterners on estimated billing? Why the outrageous billings? Why they are yet to give customers prepaid meters. They felt threatened by our information to our people and took us to court.”
He further noted that NERC investigated the complaints of the South East customers and found out that from January to September last year, EEDC as a Disco was owing consumers on estimated billing, bulk billing and community billing about N11.86billion.
“NERC agreed with the Discos on a calculated average that should be given to customers on estimated billing monthly, until they are metered. They called it CAP and EEDC has refused to abide by these agreement,” he said.
The Nigeria Patriotic Front Movement (NPFM) has declared October 1, a day of nationwide protest for national survival.
The civic organisation which stated this in a statement made available to our Reporter on Thursday, stated that a president who makes peaceful change impossible invites only one solution: “People’s Power”.
Signed by Comrade Abdulmajid Yakubu Daudu for the NPFM Secretariat, the group asked Nigerians to make at least 12 urgent demands from the President Bola Tinubu-led government.
The group highlighted in its release, “Food inflation, Petrol overpricing, High cost of governance, High cost of electricity, High interest rates; Insecurity of life and property, Non-payment of pension obligations, Debt slavery for higher education, Starvation wage for workers, Grand corruption and Criminalising protest.”
According to the statement, the protest also seeks the re-nationalisation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and electricity distribution companies (DISCOs).
The President of Osisioma Foundation, Dr. Chike Obidigbo, has expressed dismay at the mixed reactions trailing the recent Edo State governorship election, saying that the observations and outcome of the poll underscored his advice to Mr. Peter Obi.
He disclosed that as a long time friend and senior brother, he had been urging the 2023 Presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) to channel his creative energies to other interests, especially to his concern for the wellbeing of young people, and the overall interest of his immediate constituency instead of continued involvement in Nigeria’s putrid politics.
Obidigbo said he was surprised to hear some commentators chiding Obi for supporting Olumide Akpata, who was accused of breaching the zoning arrangement in Edo State, not minding the democratic inclination of the former LP presidential candidate.
In a statement issued yesterday, the elder statesman regretted that the Nigeria system has been skewed against people like Mr. Peter Obi who will always on doing this the right way adding that the Igbo are usually frustrated by the Nigerian system that upholds double standards and conspiracy.
He wondered why those that criticized Obi for supporting Akpata did not find their voice in 2023 when it was obvious that the power rotation favoured the Southeast.
“Nigerians should have come together to insist in all the major political parties that it was the turn of the Southeast to produce the President. The politicians were not prepared to repeat the 1999 standard that threw up all presidential candidates from the Southwest.
With all the antics of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and the Judiciary the question Nigerians will resolve in 2027 is whether the country’s democracy will continue without an Igbo person at the pinnacle of leadership.
“Northeast is having another four years after previous eight as Vice President. Northwest has had eleven years as President and three years as vice president. Southwest is on another four years after cumulative sixteen years as president and vice president respectively.
“If Nigeria has become a rogue nation that has no respect for the rule of law, fairness and equity, now would be time to review the union. How can there be democracy without respect for the rule of law? When injustice is perpetrated against the Igbo everybody keeps quiet, including the Igbo social political elites”, he stated.
Obidigbo declared that the insult and denigration of Igbo in Nigeria has attained an unbearable turn and it is time for all Igbo to begin to give serious thoughts about this systematic exclusion.
He lamented that politicians from Southeast have been frightened so much so that none of them is bold enough to speak out about the growing injustice and maltreatment of the Igbo in the Nigeria project.
“These Igbo politicians have become mere breadwinners. They are not representing anybody except their bellies and narrow political interest. Look at the case of Nnamdi Kanu, he has been jailed through the backdoor just for speaking up against the growing injustice with serious mistreatment against his people.
“If things are done properly in this country with equity and justice for all, and Ndi Igbo not visited with hate and gang up, Kanu would not be agitating. His quest for referendum is because Nigeria has mindlessly been rubbing salt into the Igbo injury for the past 64 years and counting. The Igbo social political elites are not doing enough to provide adequate representation and protection for their people in a country that does not respect its own laws but then one day, circumstances of life will force them to remember Mama Peace professy that “there is God ooo”, he queried.
The Osisioma Foundation boss said the outcome of the Edo State governorship was a veiled message to Mr. Peter Obi that Nigeria is not yet ready for his kind of politics of nation building, stressing that the nation is doomed when politicians feel no qualms to bribe, conspire, steal elections, and run with results.
He stated: “So, as a friend of Peter Obi for very many years, I urge him to stop further efforts of trying to improve Nigeria’s leadership recruitment process because he is too decent for the kind of duplicity being played in Nigeria. He doesn’t belong there.
“My take is that Peter Obi should channel his vast energy and wide acceptance towards the liberation of his suffering people, rather than waste them on an ungrateful and unreasonably antagonistic people. Enough of these pretenses, Obi has too much to offer to a system that is so lucked in filth.”
While lamenting that the off cycle election in Edo State showed that Nigerians are yet to come to terms with the crucial issues that underpin good governance and responsible leadership, Obidigbo remarked that the system has been skewed against those who insist on doing things the right way and he does not see any change in the near future.
He declared that every political move after the 2023 general election tends to expose a subtle plot against Mr. Obi adding that each balloting opportunity leaves the ugly impression that democracy was deteriorating from bad to worse in Nigeria.
“Nigeria is turning itself into a laughing stock to other African countries that once looked up to this country as a ready example of democratic success. Barely 16 months after the last general election, irregularities like official manipulation, voter suppression, ballot trading and intimidation have continued to feature as the standard operating manual of electoral process.
“It is most painful that both the All Progressives (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have refused to drop the inclination towards impunity, but chose to progress in error. By indulging in all antics aimed at power grab, it is not surprising that corruption must continue to flourish, with no end insight.
“Reports from many credible and highly respected Election Monitoring organisations, including YIAGA Africa and the Situation Room observed that various forms of electoral malfeasance, especially irregular collation, vote buying and vote heist defined the outcome of the Edo election yet APC National Chairman has boasted that the success of Edo election will be repeated in Anambra and Ondo States.
“With this flawed process, it is mindboggling that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) refused to make use of the humongous powers granted it by the establishment laws. Rather, some officials of the Commission see election as golden opportunity to gang up with powers that be for primitive acquisition.”
Obidigbo remarked that INEC’s indifference and collusion have combined to enable politicians to impose themselves on the people through crooked means, lamenting that the lawlessness and desperation of political office seekers are setting the wrong examples for the young Nigerians.
He stated: “How can these crop of leaders that get into political positions serve as role models for the youths the acclaimed leaders of our tomorrow? It is becoming a tradition that nobody now wants to do things the right way or follow due process in the quest for public office.
“This is why I urged my junior brother Mr. Peter Obi to leave the stage and stop trying to show what leadership by examples should be because the people are not yet ready for it. The former Anambra State governor has shown that he is too pure and clean for Nigeria. Corruption, lying and cheating have become a way of life for Nigerians such that whoever tries to parade integrity and modesty is looked at as stranger and intruder.”
The elder statesman reiterated that the Edo State election was programmed to serve a higher, but ignoble purpose, stating that the plan was to demoralize genuine voters from participating in elections as well as create the impression that leaders can only emerge through hook and crook.
“But, on the flipside, I think these deplorable electoral practices would help to mobilise Nigerians of good conscience to get ready to make 2027 impossible for INEC and desperate politicians to trample on the inalienable rights of the people.
“This rape of the people’s fundamental rights should stop or Nigerians will redefine the country’s democracy. Experience has shown that whenever security agencies are mobilized for elections, those at the helm try to take advantage of command and control structure in the military hierarchy to carry out their parochial intentions.
“And, with the judiciary dancing to the tunes of the executives or the highest bidders as well, this dangerous trajectory may justify the saying that when constitution fails, compulsion and confusion follows.”
In a letter addressed to Falana on Thursday, Maire Tecnimont’s legal representative, Muyiwa Ogungbenro, a partner at Olajide Oyewole LLP, stated that the company is currently reviewing the request.
The Managing Director of Maire Tecnimont S.P.A, the company awarded a $1.5 billion contract by the Federal Government of Nigeria for the Port Harcourt Refinery has formally responded to human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN.
Falana had filed an official request under the Nigerian Freedom of Information Act, seeking clarity on the completion date of the much-delayed refinery overhaul.
In a letter addressed to Falana on Thursday, Maire Tecnimont’s legal representative, Muyiwa Ogungbenro, a partner at Olajide Oyewole LLP, stated that the company is currently reviewing the request.
Ogungbenro assured that a detailed response would be provided no later than October 2, 2024.
The rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refineries has been a subject of public concern, with repeated delays fueling frustration over the country’s dependence on imported petroleum products despite possessing domestic refining capacity.
The letter read, “We are counsel to Maire Tecnimont SPA, and we have our client’s instruction to let you know that they have received your letters dated 17 and 24 September 2024 requesting for information on the contract between our client and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd.
“Our client is considering your letters and they intend to get back to you on or before 2 October 2024.”
Earlier on Monday, our Reporter reported that Falana officially requested information regarding the completion date for the long-overdue rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refineries.
In a letter addressed to the Managing Director of Maire Tecnimont S.P.A., the company handling the project, Falana referenced the $1.5 billion contract awarded by the Federal Government of Nigeria for the overhaul of the refineries.
The request, made under the Nigerian Freedom of Information Act, seeks clarity on the timeline for the long-awaited refinery overhaul.
Falana, who chairs the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), an influential NGO in Nigeria, expressed the urgency of obtaining transparency on the progress of the rehabilitation project.
In his letter, dated September 17, 2024, Falana stated, “I have confirmed that the Federal Government of Nigeria awarded the contracts for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refineries to your reputable company for the sum of US$1.5bn.”
Falana explained that in line with the terms of the contract which was awarded sometime in April 2021, the project is expected to be completed in three phases of 18, 24 and 44 months.
He said, “It has therefore become necessary to request the Management of your company to furnish me with information on the completion dates of the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refineries.
“As this request is made under the Freedom of Information Act applicable in Nigeria, you have seven days within which to respond to this letter.”
“Notwithstanding that Saipem is a private company, it is bound by the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act because it has utilised huge public funds to execute the rehabilitation contract.
“In the case of Coscharis Motors Ltd. v. The E.I.E Project Ltd/GTE & Anor. (2022) CLRN 63, the Court of Appeal held that a “private body or company would be as accountable as a public institution or body under the Act if it has provided any form of public services, or performed any form of public function or utilized public funds.
“In view of the foregoing, you are advised to accede to our request in order to assure the Nigerian people that the contract sum of $1.5 billion has been judiciously utilised for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refineries.
“Therefore, if you fail to accede to my request, I will not hesitate to approach the Federal High Court for legal redress.”
Holding people in the frontline accountable is key to building a modern society .Again ,having sane people in Leadership position encourages egalitarian and productive society. They work hand in hand .
Majority of us see Tinubu and APC Government as most insensitive towards the overall well-being of indigenous people living in Nigeria. With the right system,Nigeria has surplus material and human resources to build a modern society where majority of the people will feel the impact of modernity .
The Abia government announced that it will begin implementing the new minimum wage in October.
Commissioner for Information Okey Kanu shared this update on Tuesday during a briefing about the recent State Executive Council meeting at the Government House in Umuahia.
“Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Abia government will initiate the payment of the minimum wage to its workers starting in October. This initiative will enhance the welfare of Abia workers and fulfill Governor Alex Otti’s promise to the citizens,” he stated.
Mr. Kanu also noted that the minimum wage payments would apply to all categories of workers.
Additionally, he revealed that the state government plans to construct court halls in all 17 local government areas (LGAs) of Abia, a project aimed at improving the timely delivery of justice in the state.
The commissioner announced that on October 2, the governor will commission the pilot road under the RAMP project in Isiala Ngwa South LGA, a road that connects Isiala Ngwa South and Obingwa LGAs
Furthermore, Mr. Kanu mentioned that the governor will soon host members of Nigeria’s Paralympic team from Abia, who distinguished themselves at the last Paralympics. Among those to be honored are gold medalist Onyinyechi Mark and silver medalist Esther Nwogu.
He also highlighted that the governor’s wife, Priscilla Otti, would kick off the enrollment of children, women, and elderly individuals into the Abia State Health Insurance Scheme on Wednesday. This event will take place in Ugwunagbo LGA, alongside a medical outreach for the community.
Justice Binta Nyako of the the Federal High Court in Abuja has withdrawn from the treason trial of the self acclaimed leader of the separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Justice Nyako announced her withdrawal on Tuesday shortly after Kanu demanded that the judge recuse herself from his trial.
At the mention of the case on Tuesday, Kanu’s lawyer, Alloy Ejimakor urged the court to postpone the commencement of trial, claiming that his client was denied the opportunity to prepare his defence.
But, before Ejimakor could conclude his submission , Kanu rose from where he sat in a dock and told his lawyer to sit down.
Kanu said: “Sit down! I say you should sit down,” adding “my lord, I have no confidence in this court any more and I ask you to recuse yourself because you did not abide by the decision of the Supreme Court.
The value of the naira has appreciated again against the United States dollar in the official foreign exchange market. According to data from FMDQ securities, the naira exchange rate against the dollar closed at N1,541.52/$.
The latest exchange rate is N2.70 or 0.16% depreciation compared with Wednesday’s closing rate of N1,544.02/$1.
The good performance of the naira for the second straight trading day happened as forex supply increased on Friday by 117.8% or $103.06 million to $190.57 million from the $87.51 million recorded a day earlier.
This open letter has become necessary in view of the current economic situation in the Country as well as the need to encourage productivity. I had expected Mr Governor to automate all the land assets in the major cities in the State within 24 Months of his administration .This is in line with Solution manifesto which promised Ndi Anambra that processing of title document(s) will be done within 72 hours .
I have been reliably informed that ministry of land is making arrangements to digitalize land assets in the State,however ,such arrangement is still on the drawing board and has not seen the light of the day .
The purpose of this open letter is to draw the attention of Mr Governor to what has been going on in various communities in the name of development levy. In Nkpor for instance, youths and community leaders demand as high as N800,000 as development levy before property owners could be allowed to develop on their legally acquired properties. In Nkwelle Ezunaka, developers pay higher including all forms of levies . In Awka , youths have set a parallel government with different command structures extorting money from innocent property owners . In Nnewi and Oba axis , the story is the same . Few months ago ,a friend of mine wanted to fence his property in Isiagu , some youths stopped his site Engineers from mixing cement until development levy of N300,000 is paid . Mgbakwu and Okpuno are not left out in the development levy collections ! This development levy has become a tradition in all the communities in the State that even the Army and Police recognize it as a legitimate levy ,alas , nobody has seen where such money is utilized for any known purpose like construction of roads and drainage system!
Mr Governor , i have always believed that you would reform the institutions in Anambra State the very way you reformed the Nigeria financial market . In 21st century , technology has made very complex workload become easier.With technology ,Land management has become a major source of Government revenue earnings as well as avenue to build public wealth and increase people purchasing power. Land administration is not in exclusive list like crude oil and gas , it is under the command of Mr Governor.
Looking around us , the major source of income in most communities is land transactions,that many people can kill in order to control the ”oil business ‘ called land speculation ‘ .Your Government can do better by streamlining the land transactions such that it will encourage investment and increase Government revenue as well as creating quality jobs for youths and community leaders . A working formula could be worked out such that all the stakeholders will be smiling to the banks.
Note that lack of economic opportunities and income inequalities could be among others, reason why youths and community leaders see land development levy as their legitimate rights .
Mr Governor , the confusion in land transactions within the State calls for your urgent attention and intervention. It is a complex situation but only your office can resolve the situation and this could be done by working closely with the hardworking Commissioner of Land .
Our youths need to be shown how to earn legitimate income while enforcing the law on rural and urban planning . I still believe that our people are the best but they need visionary leadership.
…fingers officers at police zones 9 Umuahia, 13 Ukpo
Ônurube, a non-governmental organization (NGO), has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over the alleged deprivation of Mrs. Perpetua Nwagbo’s right to inheritance, the perpetuation of harmful widowhood practices, and fundamental rights abuse by the Federal Investigation Department (FID) Abuja and State Investigation Department (SID) units of the Nigerian Police, as well as one Dr Charles Nzeh.
The group, based in the five Southeast states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo, and with special focus on gender-based violence, in the petition signed by the Convener, Marjorie Ngozi Ezihe, among other things, called on the IGP to engage actions to bring to justice all those in the corridor of justice who have enabled the continued marginalization, traumatization and sustained abuse of the vulnerable widow, as well as members of her extended family.
The group also wants the IGP to stop the ongoing harassment of Mrs. Nwagbo and her husband’s family by persons using the police in zones 9 Umuahia and 13 Ukpo.
It was gathered from the petition that Mrs. Nwagbo, from Umunachi village of Osuama autonomous community in Isiala Mbano Local Government area of Imo State, was allegedly abducted from her shop in the state on Friday, September 13th, 2024, by men of the Police from the SID.
Without definite unit information, the NGO reached out to the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, who assisted in locating the widow.
The petition to the IGP also explained that when Mrs Nwagbo was later found seated in a police facility in Imo, she looked pale, mute and withdrawn, and that a man seated beside her who introduced himself as Dr. Charles Nzeh persisted in responding to questions posed at Perpetua on why she was brought to the police facility.
According to the NGO, the man, Dr Nzeh, claimed to represent “a brother,” Obiora Ezeakabekwe, who is the second respondent in a case instituted by the widow and her late husband’s family. Dr. Nzeh alleged Mrs Nwagbo’s culpability in criminal infractions against Obiora Ezeakabekwe, the reason she was wanted in Onitsha as ordered by the Abuja office of the FID.
Though they were said to have expressed willingness to stop proceedings against the widow and pay her 10 million naira for Livelihood support if she renounces support for legal action and ownership of her late husband’s property, the NGO petition to the IGP further alleged that to forcibly take over the widow’s late husband’s landed property situated at Trans-Nkisi Onitsha, the said Dr. Nzeh and others had falsified documents; declaring Mrs. Nwagbo dead, and presenting themselves as executors of the estate of her late husband, Clement, who died in 2002.
Meanwhile, a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Onitsha, Anambra State, has granted bail to the sum of five hundred thousand naira to the 54-year-old widow and mother of a girl child, who is currently facing trial for allegedly conspiring with others to break into a building with the intent to commit a felony, among other 5-count charges.
With the Inspector General of Police as complainant, Mrs Nwagbo, alongside her brother-in-law, Michael Nwagbo, aged 45, and others now at large, are accused of conspiring among themselves sometime in 2020 at Onitsha.
Among other charges brought against the defendants were that they criminally and unlawfully broke into the fence housing Plot No 288 Trans-Nkisi Layout Onitsha said to be the property of one Mr. Obiora Ezeakabekwe, and chased away his workers who were working on the land and thereby committed an offense punishable under section 381 of the Criminal Code Law CAP 36 Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991.
The defendants are also accused of giving false information to the police by denying knowledge of the existence of the said plot of land and their involvement in any transaction relating to the land, an offense punishable under section 154(1) of the Criminal Gode Law, CAP 36 Revised Laws of Anambra State 1991.
Addressing journalists after the court proceedings presided over by Justice U.B Okoye granted the defendants bail and adjourned the case to 22nd October for the continuation of trial, an Owerri-based lawyer and leader of the defense team, Sylvia Iwejor, said their widow client was arrested and detained on trumped-up charges, adding that the bail conditions for her and co-defendant were very severe.
On her part, the Convener of Ônurube, Ezihe, explained that without a frantic search at police facilities that led to her being found in police custody in Imo, Mrs Nwagbo would have been brought to the Onitsha court in kangaroo style for continued detention.
