Supreme Court Stops Constitution Amendment
Political Briefs
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THE Supreme Court on Thursday, May 7, stopped the National Assembly from taking steps to override President Goodluck Jonathan’s veto of the constitutional amendment.
The court, which was to hear the motion for interlocutory injunction filed by the attorney general of the federation, AGF, on the date, instead, granted Bayo Ojo, SAN, counsel to the AGF, time to address the court on some anomalies identified in the substantive suit. The court, thus, directed parties in the case to maintain status quo ante bellum in respect of the subject of the suit, pending the motion for interlocutory injunction.
The court’s seven-man panel, led by Justice Mahmud Mohammed, chief justice of Nigeria, CJN, ordered parties not to take any step to alter the current state of the subject of the case, and adjourned to June 18.
The AGF, acting for President Jonathan, in the substantive suit contends that the purported Fourth Alteration Act 2015, was not passed with the mandatory requirement of four-fifth majority of members of the National Assembly and the mandatory due processes provided for under the relevant sections of the Constitution.
The president, in the suit, also wants the Supreme Court to nullify and set aside sections 3, 4, 12, 14, 21, 23, 36, 39, 40, 43 and 44 of the Fourth Alteration Act 2015 purportedly passed by the National Assembly.
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Buhari Warns His Military against Violating Traffic Law
GENERAL Muhammadu Buhari, president-elect, has instructed police and military security personnel attached to him to respect traffic regulations during his movements. In a statement released by his media office in Abuja, on Wednesday, May 6, Buhari said being law abiding would be the guiding principle of his administration
“Without leadership by example, the ordinary citizens would become copycats of the lawlessness of their leaders,” the statement said.
Buhari explained further that the “arrogance of power, lawlessness and disregard for the rights and convenience of fellow citizens would have no place in his government.” For leaders to inspire respect, he said, they must obey the laws of country, adding that when leaders treat the country’s laws with contempt, they would be sending the wrong message to the citizens.
According to him, in a democracy, leaders should not inflict inconveniences and other unbearable ordeals on the citizens for their own comfort. He, therefore, advised his military and police security personnel to be in tune with his philosophy of “bringing the rule of law in the conduct of leaders during their movements on public roads.”
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Harnessing Nigerians’ Manpower for Development
MAGNUS Abe, senator representing Rivers South-East at the National Assembly, wants Nigeria to harness manpower endowment in full for the development of the country. Speaking after he received the ‘Nigeria Rising Award’ under the patronship of General Ibrahim Babangida, former head of state, initiated by publishers of Hallmark newspaper at the Civic Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, South-West, Nigeria recently, Abe who was represented by Honour Sirawoo, his media aide, said: “God endowed us with brainpower that transverses fields of human endeavour, but lack of regard for these endowments has led us to where we are today.”
The senator observed that at a point in Nigeria’s history brain-drain became very prevalent because of the failure of successive administrators to evolve deliberate ways of harnessing the country’s human resource potentials.
In any case, he said, there was still hope especially with the emergence of General Muhammadu Buhari as president. He expressed optimism that the administration would sterilise development instruments and focus on the pursuit of deliverables to the benefit of Nigerians.
Abe, who in the past declined such recognition, said he has to do some introspection before accepting award. “A retrospective glance at my journey through public service indicates that my presence and contributions are valuable to the development of my Country; I will continue to encourage processes that would assist in addressing the challenges facing generality of Nigerians,” he said.
According to the organisers, the Award is designed to acknowledge uncommon individuals who through enterprise and foresight are creating the path of growth and development for Nigeria. Also honoured at the event were: Mustafa Chike-Obi, managing director of AMCON, Sally Mbanefo, former director general NTDC, Chuku Odom and Frank Nweke Jnr, both former ministers.
Others were Victor Umeh, chairman of the APGA, Gregory Ibe of Gregory University, Ede Dafinone, a Chartered Accountant; Sam-Nda-Isaiah publisher of Leadership Newspaper, and Ali Baba, foremost comedian.
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PDP on Self-Destructive Voyage – Mark
AS members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, continue to bicker over their poor performances at the last general elections, David Mark, Senate president, on Wednesday, May 6, warned that the party would die if they failed to stop immediately all hostilities tearing them apart. Mark said the party was already in coma and haemorrhaging, and that further squabbling by its leaders would lead to its permanent death.
Speaking when he hosted Ike Ekweremadu, chairman of the PDP post-election assessment committee, and deputy Senate president, in his office, Mark said the national leadership of the party had overcome the shock and trauma the party suffered at the polls and therefore, urged members to embrace peace and work with the Ekweremadu committee.
“Unless we halt the bleeding and find the necessary therapy, we may be heading for the final burial of the party,” he said, adding: “The party is already comatose and we should do all we can to resuscitate the party rather than this unnecessary rancour and buck-passing. The emerging factions are absolutely unnecessary. The combatants must sheathe their swords and embrace dialogue. My appeal is that we should not do anything further that would damage the already fragmented house.”
President Goodluck Jonathan had intervened in the blame game going on after the election debacle which was tearing the party apart and encouraged the formation of the Post-election Assessment Committee headed by Ekweremadu to help sanitise the party.
— May 18, 2015 @ 01:00 GMT
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