Election sequence: Buhari, AGF back suit against NASS

Election sequence: Buhari, AGF back suit against NASS

By Dennis Agbo

ENUGU- President Muhammadu Buhari and the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, on Tuesday told a Federal High Court in Enugu that they were not opposed to the suit, challenging the attempt by the National Assembly to re-order the sequence of the 2019 elections through amendment of Electoral Act.

The Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Justice, Dayo Akpata, made the position of both parties known at the hearing of the suit brought before the court by a chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Anike Nwoga.

The suit has the National Assembly and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as the 1st and 2nd defendants while President Buhari and AGF are 3rd and 4th respondents respectively.

Addressing the court presided over by Justice A.M. Liman, Akpata who came to court with a team of lawyers from the Federal Ministry of Justice, he explained that by virtue of Section 4 Subsection 8 of the Nigerian constitution, the court has jurisdiction to entertain the matter, adding that the exercise of legislative powers of the National Assembly must be subject to review by the court.

Citing relevant cases including Habib vs. AGF, AGF vs. ANPP and Attorney General of Bendel State vs. Attorney General of the Federation, Akpata argued that if in the exercise of legislative powers conferred on the National Assembly by the constitution, there is a defect, as to say that a bill is not passed according to the law, the bill is null and void.

The Solicitor General of the Federation maintained that the Supreme Court could legislate on this issue, which constitutes a limitation to legislative powers.

On whether the plaintiff (Nwoga) has the locus standi to institute the suit, Akpata made it clear that every citizen of the country has the right of access to justice when there is a breach of the constitution

He also drew attention of the court to the fact that the affidavit filed by the plaintiff has not been controverted.

On whether the subject matter is still a life issue, since it may have been overtaken by events, Akpata said, “the case of Amechi vs. Omehia makes it clear that constitutional issue can never be termed an academic exercise.”

Buttressing his argument with the case of CBN vs. Oladele Amao, he said a declaration could be made even where a matter has been rendered dead, if the issue in question has to do with the constitution.

Akpata added that the recent decision of the Abuja Federal High Court also looked at the same issues.

Making submissions earlier, counsel to the plaintiff, Godwin Onwusi, urged the court to grant the five reliefs sought by his client.

Onwusi asked the court to determine whether the National Assembly has the powers to compel INEC to conduct election in a particular sequence and even if they could, whether they could by law change the timetable already released by the electoral body before the passage of the bill.

The plaintiff counsel argued that case laws show that the National Assembly do not have such powers, as the powers given to INEC to supervise, conduct and organize elections is not subject to control by either the executive or the legislative arms of government.

Making his own submission, counsel to INEC, the 2nd respondent, Chineme Onuoma, said the commission was neither opposed or in support of the suit.

The National Assembly was however not represented in court and did not file any documents.

After listening to the submissions of the parties in court, Justice Liman reserved judgment for May 18.

The post Election sequence: Buhari, AGF back suit against NASS appeared first on Vanguard News.

Delta Govt. to spend over N1bn on health facilities rehabilitation — Commissioner

Delta Govt. to spend over N1bn on health facilities rehabilitation — Commissioner

Delta Government says it will spend over N1 billion on the rehabilitation of secondary and primary healthcare facilities under its contributory health scheme, to ensure adequate service delivery in the state.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Mordi Ononye, made this known on Tuesday in Asaba at the ongoing 2018 Ministerial Press Briefing organised by the Ministry of Information.

delta-state-map

Ononye said that N400 million was approved for the rehabilitation of the state secondary health facilities while N375 million was earmarked for primary facilities.

He also said that N300 million was set aside for the completion of work at the Asaba Central Hospital.

The commissioner added that the ministry had refurbished five ambulances as part of efforts to revamp the State Ambulance Services.

He said that the ambulance scheme, when operational, would cover Asaba, Warri, Eku, Abraka, Ughelli and Agbor, among others.

According to him, the scheme is designed to ensure immediate response to convey accident victims to the nearest health facility.

He said that the state government programme on health was all embracing, adding that boat ambulances had also been deployed to riverine communities, to ensure total health coverage in the state.

“In the creeks, we have boat ambulance; we intend to revive the riverine doctors to move from community to community to deliver healthcare to the people.

“Government has approved about N30 million for renovation and N60 million for equipping the health facility in Bomadi.”

He said that the free medicare for pregnant women and children under the age of five had been subsummed into the state Contributory Health Scheme under the vulnerable groups programme.

Ononye said that the government would pay the bills of the recently delivered conjoined twins at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara.

He said that the state government was partnering with various agencies and organisations to build its health facilities for effective service delivery.

“We signed a memorandum of understanding with Instrat Global Health Solutions for a pilot project on digitisation of health data in primary and secondary health facilities.

“Our partnership with other private and public sectors have led to various degrees of infrastructural repairs and new facilities being built by the partners.

“Recently, we partnered the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to train over 300 teachers on the danger of drug abuse and the need to form drug free clubs in secondary schools.

“The state government, in order to curb the menace of drug abuse, has also approved the building of two rehabilitations centres in Warri and Agbor,” he said.

The post Delta Govt. to spend over N1bn on health facilities rehabilitation — Commissioner appeared first on Vanguard News.

Lagos begins payment of N11.8bn compensation to property owners

Lagos begins payment of N11.8bn compensation to property owners

…Warns Speculators Against Selling Land Under Govt Acquisition
The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said it has began payment of over N11.8billion as compensation to owners of properties that had to give way for construction of roads, flyovers, ramps and other critical infrastructural projects across the State.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Urban Development, Mrs. Yetunde Onabule (2nd left); addressing the media during the Y2018 ministerial press briefing of the Lagos State Lands Bureau as part of activities to commemorate the third Year in Office of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, on Tuesday, May 8, 2018. With her: Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan (2nd right); Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Mrs. Kofoworola Awobamise (right) and her counterpart in Lands Bureau, Mr. Olabode Agoro (left).

Special Adviser to the Governor on Lands Bureau, Mrs. Yetunde Onabule who disclosed this at the annual Ministerial Press Briefing to mark the third year anniversary of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, said the payment was for properties demolished for projects including the Abule Egba road expansion, Epe Road expansion, Lekki International Airport, Pen Cinema flyover, ultra modern bus terminal in Oyingbo and upgrading of Muritala Mohammed International Airport Road.

She listed other projects to include Mechanic Village, Gbagada Phase1, Ojokoro Specialist Hospital, construction of Freedom Road/Drainage channel, reconstruction of Agri-Ishawo Konu-Arepo Road, among others.

Onabule said that following the approval of the projects, the State’s Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development moved to these areas to determine the Right of Way (ROW) for the proposed projects, while the Lands Bureau carried out a reconnaissance survey and detailed enumeration of about 1,880 properties and claimants affected by the development including residential, commercial, petrol filling stations and religious centres.

“I can confirm to you that in line with the provisions of the Land Use Act 1978, which is the enabling law for the revocation of Right of Occupancy (C of O)and payment of compensation thereof in the country, interest in the affected properties have been promptly revoked and enumeration of these properties completed and payment of over N11,814,844billion approved as compensation for property owners on the Alignment/Right of Way for construction, re-construction/ dualization of roads, flyovers and ramps aimed at alleviating traffic gridlock and other forms of infrastructural development of Lagos is ongoing,” she said.

The Special Adviser added that the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration has so far lived up to expectation in prompt payment of compensation on acquired land and titles revoked for over-riding public interest, however adding that payment is done after due presentation of all necessary documents by a claimant proving true ownership of the property.

She, however, urged affected residents to speed up their verification processes and forward their documents evidencing ownership of properties, valid means of identification, four passport photographs and other details to facilitate prompt payment.

Giving its financial report for the year under review, Onabule said the Bureau generated over N10.5billion from land transactions last year, representing over 50 percent short of the N20.7billion it generated in 2016, a development she said would improve when the sale of the new land schemes begin.

“A major total of revenue we were expecting was from our scheme, however based on the policy of the government that the infrastructure within that scheme must be completed, we had to slow down, that would bring a lot of revenue to the government. Right now the sand filling is ongoing and I can assure you that once that scheme takes off, we would surpass our revenue target for 2018 including other payments as well,” she explained.

Onabule said that the quest by the present administration to ensure that Lagosians obtain title documents with ease, the Governor signed a total of 727 Electronic Certificate of Occupancy (E-C of O) in the year under review, thus bringing the number to 5, 172 of such certificates in the last three years.

She said the implementation of the Land Administration and Automation System known as Thompson Reuters Automation Solution, when up and running, would go a long way to reducing problems associated with redundant data, increase accuracy by reducing manual entry errors and ensure a one-stop shop to facilitate unhindered, secured access to land application and title documents in the State.

Besides, Onabule expressed concern on the issue of encroachment on government schemes, warning land speculators, popularly known as Omo-Onile to desist from selling land that falls under government acquisition.

“It is most disheartening to say that a very large number of Government schemes in the State are being confronted with the problem of encroachment. We as a government ave persistently advised members of the public to ensure they do proper charting and verification on properties before consummating transactions on land.