News

Dickson Signs State Assembly Financial Autonomy Bill, Says It Will Enhance Optimal Performance

Published

4 years ago

December 21, 2019

Editor

Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, has signed into law the State House of Assembly Service financial autonomy bill.

Dickson also signed into law, the Legislative Funds Management (Amendment) Law 2019, saying Bayelsa has joined the league of other transparent democratic states with the signing of the laws.

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In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, Dickson noted that the financial autonomy law would enhance optimal performance without any undue interference from other arms of government.

He stressed that the autonomy granted both the Legislature and Judiciary in the state would enable the two arms of government carry out their duties without interference and promote checks and balances in government.

Speaker, Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Monday Obolo-Bobou, said by the signing of the bills into law, the different directorates of the civil service of the House of Assembly are now complete and can now function optimally.

News

FULL LIST: NJC Recommends 86 Judicial Officers For Federal, State Courts

Published

2 mins ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

The National Judicial Council has recommended a total of 86 judicial officers for appointment into federal and state courts across the country.

The recommendations were made by the council’s Interview Committee on Appointment of Judicial Officers of all Superior Courts of Record in Nigeria, during the NJC’s 105th plenary meeting held between May 15 and 16, 2024.

This was revealed in a statement issued by the council’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, dated May 16, 2024, and sighted by PUNCH Online on Friday, May 17, 2024.

“Council at the Meeting also considered the recommendation of its Interview Committee on Appointment of Judicial Officers of all Superior Courts of Record in Nigeria and resolved to recommend the under-listed 86 Judicial Officers for appointment to the Court of Appeal, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Sharia Courts of Appeal and Customary Courts of Appeal of States in Nigeria.

“All recommended candidates are expected to be sworn in after the approval of the NJC recommendations to the President and their respective State Governors,” the statement urged.

Below is the full list of the recommendations:

JUSTICES, COURT OF APPEAL – 22

1.Hon. Justice Kwahar Polycarp Terna

2.Hon. Justice Ruqayat Oremei Ayoola

3.Hon. Justice Eleojo Eneche

4.Hon. Justice Asma’u Akanbi-Yusuf

5.Hon. Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman

6.Hon. Justice Abdu Dogo

7.Hon. Justice Fadawu Umaru

8.Hon. Justice Ishaq Mohammed Sani

9.Hon. Justice Zainab Bage Abubakar

10.Hon. Justice Abdulazeez M. Anka

11.Hon. Justice Nnamdi Okwy Dimgba

12.Hon. Justice Nwoye Victoria Tochukwu

13.Hon. Justice Nwabunkeonye Onwosi

14.Hon. Justice Okorowo Donatus Uwaezuoke

15.Hon. Justice Ngozika Uwazurunonye Okaisabor

16.Hon. Justice Ntong Festus Ntong

17.Hon. Justice Nehizena Idemudia Afolabi

18.Hon. Justice Nyesom-Wike Eberechi Suzzette

19.Hon. Justice Lateef Babajide Lawal-Akapo

20.Hon. Justice Akinyemi Abiodun Azeem

21.Hon. Justice Oyewumi Oyejoju Oyebiola

22.Hon. Justice Olukayode Adegbola Adeniyi

JUDGES, HIGH COURT, FCT ABUJA – 12

1.Ademuyiwa Olakunle Oyeyipo

2.Bamodu Odunayo Olutomi

3.Anumaenwe Godwin Iheabunike

4.Odo Celestine Obinna

5.Hauwa Lawal Gummi

6.Abdurahman Usman

7.Buetnaan Mandy Bassi

8.Sarah Benjamin Inesu Avoh

9.Maryan Iye Yusuf

10.Ariwoola Oluwakemi Victoria

11.Lesley Nkesi Belema Wike

12.Munirat Ibrahim Tanko

JUDGES, IMO STATE HIGH COURT – 7
Akowundu Cletus Ndubuisi
Uchenna Mary Njoku
Chibuogwu Ojiugo Chukwumaeze
Ononogbo Chidi Linus
Adaego Peace Nosiri
Emeka Ozoma Orafu
Mathew Chinedu Ijezie

JUDGES, BAUCH STATE HIGH COURT – 6

1.Amin Umar Ilelah

2.Aliyu Bin Idris

3.Ahmed Shuaibu Ningi

4.Shafa’u Ladan Yusuf

5.Abdussalam Idris Waziri

6.Kawu A. Yerima

JUDGES, TARABA STATE HIGH COURT – 3

1.Hamidu Audu

2.Bibonga Jeniffer Nauma

3.Joel Daniel Ubandoma

JUDGES, LAGOS STATE HIGH COURT – 13

1.Sunmonu Tunde Bashiru

2.Azeez Fimisola Augusta

3.Alebiosu Olawale Lawal

4.Adewale Russel Musiliu

5.Popoola Oluwatosin Ajose

6.Anjorin-Ajose Tanimola Abdulwaheed

7.Muyideen Abdul-Raheem Tejumade

8.George Alfred Akingbola

9.Balogun Adegboyega Ganiu

10.Shonubi Adenike Kudirat

11.Badejo-Okusanya Yewande Jokotola

12.Layinka Oyeladun Amope

13.Ojuromi Nalirat Olayinka Oluwatosin

JUDGES, KOGI STATE HIGH COURT – 4

1.Ajesola Joseph Sunday

2.Ojoma Rachael Haruna

3.Kadiri Badama

4.Ezema Beatrice Ada

JUDGES, JIGAWA STATE HIGH COURT – 2

1.Mohammad El-Usman

2.Nilfa Abdullahi Gambo

KADIS, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, BAUCHI STATE – 5

1.Ishaku Magaji

2.Abdurrahman Hassan Sabo

3.Bello Mohammed Sambowal

4.Muhyiddeen Mohammed

5.Mahmoud Idris Shehu Tiyin

KADIS, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, KOGI STATE – 5

1.Muhammad Muhammad Bello

2.Okino Isah Saidu

3.Yakubu Adavenge Abbas

4.Shaibu Ridwan Aliyu

5.Idris Alhaji Abdullahi

KADI, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, JIGAWA STATE – 1

1.Mukhtar Shuaibu Adam

JUDGES, IMO STATE CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL – 3

1.Everyman Ezenna Eleanya

2.Ofoha Sylvesta Uchenna

3.Ibeh Rosemond Oluchi

JUDGES, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, TARABA STATE – 2

1.Esther Tata

2.Benjamin Samuila Bawage

JUDGE, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, KOGI STATE – 1

1.Maryann Oziohu Otaru.b

News

NJC Issues Three Judges Warning Letters, Halts Two Others’ Promotion

Published

19 mins ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

The National Judicial Council has resolved to issue warning letters to Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court; Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi of the Delta State High Court and Justice Amina Shehu of the Yobe State High Court

The trio were found guilty of different degrees of misconduct, during the 105th plenary meeting of the council, held between May 15 and 16, 2024; under the Chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the council’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, dated May 16, 2024, and sighted by PUNCH Online on Friday, May 17, 2024.

Ekwo and Brikins-Okolosi were barred from elevation to a higher Bench for two years and three years, respectively.

The statement noted that Ekwo is “warned for abuse of discretionary power of a judge by wrongly granting an ex parte order in suit no. FHC/ABJ/C/626/2023 Juliet Ebere Nwadi Gbaka & 2 Ors V Seplat Energy Plc & 12 Ors,

“The Hon. Judge is also barred from being elevated to a higher Bench for two years.

“Hon. Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi of Delta State High Court is also issued a warning for failure to deliver judgment within the stipulated period in Joseph Anene Okafor Vs Skye Bank, suit no. A/94/2010 after parties had filed and adopted their final Written Addresses.”

Brikins-Okolosi “will also not be elevated to a higher Bench for a period of three years,” the statement noted.

For Shehu, the council cautioned him “for issuing Writ of Possession Conferring Title on the Defendant in suit no. YBS/HC/NNR/1cv/2020 when there was no subsisting judgment of any court to enable His Lordship issue the Writ.”

The NJC also recommended two reports written against judges of the Federal and State High Courts for further investigation.

“Council at the meeting considered two Reports of its two Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees that filtered 35 petitions written against Judges of the Federal and State High Courts and decided to empanel eight Committees to further investigate the petitions that were found meritorious by the Committees,” the statement added.

Furthermore, the council dismissed petitions against several judges “for lack of merit, evidence of misconduct, subjudice or that they were matters that could be appealed.”

The dismissed petitions were against Justices A. M. Liman, A. A. Okeke, D. E. Osiagor (Federal High Court); Justices S. B. Belgore, and Bello Kawu (High Court of the Federal Capital Territory), among others.

“The Council deliberated on the notification of retirements of three Judicial Officers including that of the Chief Justice of Nigeria Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON and notification of death of three Judges of the Federal and State Courts,” the statement concluded.

News

INEC Warns Against Incumbency Power Abuse In Edo, Ondo

Published

2 hours ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

Ahead of the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has cautioned against the abuse of incumbency power.

Yakubu noted that a situation where a ruling party denied the opposition access to campaign spaces often resulted in a breach of peace.

He appealed for security protection for both the personnel and materials that INEC would be deploying for the upcoming elections.

The Edo State governorship election is scheduled for September 21, 2024, while the Ondo State election will be held on November 16, 2024.

The Continuous Voter Registration in both states will run simultaneously from Monday, May 27, to Wednesday, June 5, from 9 am to 3 pm daily, including weekends.

Campaigns by political parties in Edo State began on April 24, 2024, and would conclude at midnight on September 19, 2024.

Speaking on Thursday at a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security in Abuja, Yakubu underscored the responsibility of security agencies to ensure the enforcement of the law throughout the election period, stressing the importance of a peaceful and orderly process.

He also called on the security agencies to maintain vigilance over the electioneering process, to prevent violent attacks and negative mobilisation by political parties, candidates, and their supporters during campaigns.

He said, “We need security protection for the registrants, registration personnel, equipment, observers, and journalists that will cover the CVR exercise.

“I urge you to keep your eyes on the electioneering process to prevent violent attacks or negative mobilisation by political parties, candidates, and their supporters during their campaigns.

“Similarly, the use of the power of incumbency to deny opposition parties and candidates access to public facilities, such as radio and television stations, public buildings for campaigns and rallies, or even outdoor advertising through the imposition of excessive fees and levies often results in the breach of the peace.

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“These actions, including the mutual destruction of campaign materials and facilities, violate the provisions of Sections 91 to 97 of the Electoral Act 2022. The security agencies must ensure the enforcement of the law,” he said.

The National Security Adviser and co-chair of ICCES, Nuhu Ribadu, stressed the need for the same level of dedication and effort in the forthcoming elections as was demonstrated in previous ones.

Ribadu highlighted the importance of strategic deployment, cautioning against overwhelming the system with excessive numbers.

Represented by the Director of Internal Security in the ONSA, Hassan Abdullahi, the NSA said, “The same efforts for the previous elections would be extended to the forthcoming elections.

“However, we need to be careful in our deployment in terms of numbers so that we will not overburden the system.”