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  • Governor Sim Fubara Has No Power To Use Executive Order To Relocate The Venue Of The Rivers State House Of Assembly By OKOI OBONO-OBLA 

     

    The constitutional crisis in Rivers State continues unabated with Governor Sim Fubara using all the apparatus of power at his disposal to ensure that the Rivers State House of Assembly is totally emasculated and does not perform its constitutional responsibility.

    After collaborating with three members with three members of the House of Assembly to secure an injunction restraining 25 members of the House of Assembly from sitting on 10 May 2024; Governor Fubara issued an executive order directing the relocation of the sitting of the Rivers River State House of Assembly to the Government House Port Harcourt.

    What is an executive order ?
    It is the declaration by the President or a Governor that has the force of law usually based on statutory power.

    The Constitution makes provisions for three branches of government, namely the executive ,legislature, and judicial.
    Each branch of government is a sovereign in itself and therefore independent.

    The pertinent question is : Is it within the constitutional power of the Governor of Rivers State to issue an executive order to relocate the sitting of the Rivers State House of Assembly to the precinct of the Government House, Port Harcourt?
    I submit that the executive order by Governor Fubara amounts to an interference with the legislative powers vested in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

    The Constitution vests the power on the Rivers State House of Assembly to regulate its own procedure.
    Section 101 of the Constitution provides that subject to the Constitution, a house of Assembly shall have the power to regulate its own procedure, including the procedure for summoning and recess of the House.

    I therefore submit that it’s the Rivers State House of Assembly that has the power to decide where it should sit temporarily in view of the fact that the House of Assembly was gutted by fire recently.
    It certainly does not lie within the plentitude of executive powers vested Governor Fubara to decide the place where the Rivers State House of Assembly should relocate temporarily.

    If the venue of the Rivers State House of Assembly is unsafe, it is entirely within the constitutional purview of the House to decide on what to do.

    The Supreme Court has declared that Executive Order 10 (EO10) signed by President Muhammadu Buhari on financial autonomy for the judiciary and legislature is unlawful.
    In the case of 36 States versus Attorney-General of the Federation, the Supreme Court declared that Executive Order 10 (EO10) signed by President Muhammadu Buhari on financial autonomy for the judiciary and legislature is unlawful and unconstitutional.

    The executive order of Governor Fubara is a dangerous precedent that must be thrown away into the waste basket of illegalities and unconstitutionalities.
    @ Okoi Obono-Obla

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, and does not represent TheLumineNews, its agent or the organization the author works for.

  • Cross River TOPREC Laud Governor Otu for Creating More Satellite Towns

     

    The Cross River State Representative of Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria, TOPREC, TPL. Dr. Simon Ajom has lauded the recent declaration by the state Governor, His Excellency Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu for the creation of more Satellite Towns in the state.

    Dr. Ajom made this known during an interactive session with Journalists on Thursday 9th May, 2024 in Calabar, the state capital.

    According to him, the idea aligns with the Governor’s ‘People’s First’ mantra of his Administration and if fully implemented, it’ll serve as growth poles centers that will help in expanding the state Government’s effort in the provision of basic infrastructural facilities as they relates to roads, power supply, housing, schools, telecommunication, etc which are already overstretched as a result of increase in human population.

    Emphasizing the needs and importance of satellite towns, Ajom said the action and activities will promote effective utilization of different land-uses as well as guarantee environmental quality, comfort, security and safety of lives and properties in the state.

    He also expressed the readiness of professional Town Planners in the state to partner with the State Government to achieve the desired goal in the areas of site selection and layout design, infrastructural and facility planning, Urban designs and renewal, regional and rural development planning, sector planning, master planning and development control amongst others.

    Dr. Ajom is also a fellow and one time Cross River State Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, NITP and a former Director of Physical Planning Unit, University of Calabar. He is currently the Head of Department, Urban and Regional Planning in the Faculty of Environmental Sciences in the University of Calabar.

    ©️Onigah Joseph Egidi

  • NYCN, Cross River State; A Body Of Fraud BY PHYLO MODLIN ODU

     

    A list of requirements for consultation has surfaced online, purportedly from NYCN-CRS Consultative Heads. That list is an embodiment of disgraceful avarice, mindless exploitation, disdainful extortion and coming from a youth body, it is painful. Even a fine for the most abominable crime in a community or bride price list to marry a graduate maiden from a disobliging family in C’River State isn’t so tainted by Cupidity as compared to an ordinary NYCN election, particularly in this difficult economy.

    A youth is expected to spend not less than 5 million naira for the Chairmanship position, in an election that is already compromised. Everything on this list is to be presented to each consultative body of the three Senatorial district. This is aside from LGAs, Wards consultations and individual consultations.

    To continue a circus of ineptitude, incompetence and corruption, there’s an ongoing exploitation, bribery, foolish threats, character assassination, spiritual tussle, interference from politicians and so many untoward things. NYCN-CRS is like Students Union pro-max, where many have been perpetual undergraduates in the name of stakeholders, never graduating, exploiting students who seek offices in SUG. They have passed the age of youthfulness, some are nearly grandfathers, but greed and perhaps, laziness is still keeping them in NYCN.

    In 2019, I was made Award planning committee Chairman out of the blues, even though I have never been a registered member or active participant of the group. I resigned shortly after. It didn’t make sense to me, the kind of cartel appointment made into subcommittees. They just wanted someone they could manipulate into generating funds for their event, and mostly, for the pockets of their so called cartel. Not long after, they had an election that was erupted by violence and unresolved controversies till date. In the style of Prof. Ayade, titles of no-value adding offices were imagined, and hundreds of youths appointed into them. What they do is to attend funerals and child dedications with their Chairman in a convoy.

    There is no single achievement in the interest of C’River youths or the State that can be ascribed to NYCN. No job, no talent/craft promotion, no scholarship, no profitable empowerment. Just eye-service and sycophancy. The government they should be holding accountable and liaising with when necessary, is the same government they’re busy blackmailing themselves to, for appointments. This is the reason why many leaders do not respect the group.

    NYCN has a youth parliament, with members representing every constituency in the State, just like, CRSHA. But what laws are they making and for whom? All I know about them is that some of them are just white starched-shirt wearing boys who call themselves ‘Honourable Member’. No value!

    The present NYCN-CRS has a catastrophic impact on our youths who may want to seek political offices in future. It is a breeding ground for mediocre politicians, and until conscious efforts are made to resist and uproot the bad eggs and their nonsense, it will soon become a group synonymous to political nuisance.

    Take a look at the list. Is NYCN a group or a cult?

    Phylo Modlin Odu.

     

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, PHYLO MODLIN ODU, and does not represent TheLumineNews or its agent.

  • Power To Proclaim: We Are Challenged By The Ascension To Proclaim With Power, As Jesus Remains With US Through The Holy Spirit BY PETER OBELE ABUE

     

    Grace, we understand, is the supernatural gift from God bestowed on all baptized Christians and as christians, we can not afford to turn our grace into disgrace. After his Ascension, Christ commands his disciples. “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15.” This power to proclaim comes with God’s grace and we have been given that power from the mandate by Jesus Christ himself. As we prepare to celebrate the solemnity of Pentecost, we are challenged by the Ascension to proclaim with power, as Jesus remains with us through the Holy Spirit.

    Unfortunately, most modern-day Christians lack the power to proclaim. They are afraid or ashamed to boldly stand for Christ and proclaim what they believe. The book of Acts of the Apostles, gives an account of the Ascension of the Lord and recounts jesus last to his disciples: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8)”. From these words, it is clear that power has been given through the Holy Spirit of God to all believers to proclaim the good news.

    Jesus goes up to heaven, now at the right hand of God, promises to send the holy Spirit in a special way on Pentecost, and he fulfils that promise. As we await this Pentecost, we are challenged to use this power to proclaim our faith in thoughts, words, and actions. As the saying goes, “God does not call the qualified, he qualifies the called”; so you don’t need to be a perfect person or very fluent in English to have the power to proclaim. Jesus did not call only those who have some position in the Church, but he calls each one of us to proclaim the good news and he promises that he will be with us till the end of time, so we need fear no evil. This mandate challenges each one of us to live our faith and to proclaim it boldly before everyone.

    The power of the Holy Spirit will change the Church, the community, and our individual lives, if we who follow the Lord and take advantage of this mandate. This is what the Church of Christ needs now more than ever. This is what will change the world and not a few timid churchgoers, not sure of where they stand. As St Paul says in his Letter to the Ephesians: ”One body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift (Ephesians 4:4ff) .” This can only be possible by the power of the Holy Spirit.

    Be not afraid!

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Peter Obele Abue and does not represent TheLumineNews or its agent.

  • Weaponization Of Poverty… BY AGBA JALINGO 

     

    Once, I attended an ANPP campaign event in Maidugri as a journalist and was privileged to be in the Governor’s convoy. The Governor then was ANPP. He was in company of a former National Chairman of the party, who was also from the North. (I want to withhold their names.)

    While the governor’s convoy was negotiating a wide roundabout in the center of Maidugri, there was a large number of young people running around and selling petrol in kegs. Obviously there was fuel scarcity and black market was thriving. In a later conversation which I overheard, the former national Chairman asked the Governor why he allowed so many people to run around with flammable liquid like that in the center of town? He warned that it was very risky and advised the Governor to do something about it.

    The Governor promptly replied in Hausa language that, it was election time and those boys selling fuel are the boys they use to disrupt elections when the need arise and any attempt to remove them from that point during elections will lure them to the opposition party. He said they are easy to procure and dispense and promised the Chairman that, they will be removed after elections, if the fuel scarcity persisted. I speak Hausa fluently so I didn’t need an interpreter.

    Let me give you another instance. I have also heard a political office holder from the South say, “Don’t worry yourself Agba, about those complaints. People are hungry, once you send them some money, all the annoyance will disappear.”

    These are two actual scenarios that I was able to shovel from my memory this morning to buttress the point that the perpetuation of poverty is a weapon of politicians and political organizations. They create poverty, and weaponize same for their self-benefit. There are well researched theories which have managed to show how politicians create poverty, manipulate poor people for their benefit and clip the poor to remain on the same level over a long period.

    Even amongst the people, we have weaponized poverty against ourselves. For most important persons in our lives and families, the comfortable time for them to give money or assistance is, when you want to entertain or when you are grieving. Like when you want to conduct a burial, friends and relatives will spend millions to travel across oceans, and from the cities to attend. WhatsApp groups will open for generous donations. When you are ill or want to start a business or fund education, you will be ignored. We are acquiescing to a vice.

    Successive governments have conducted numerous researches on causes of poverty, suggesting various policies, yet there is no political will to implement these policies and ensure poverty is addressed. But the worsening situation in the country is proving daily that, handing out tokens to the citizens like our leaders are doing today will not resolve any problem. It is rather creating a dependent citizenry and escalating an already fragile situation. Political realism should therefore open our eyes to the urgent need for sustainable poverty eradication methods that can enthuse the alienated population.

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author,,l Agba Jalingo and does not represent TheLumineNews or its agent.

  • Why The Judiciary Should Not Be Dragged Into The Political Fray In Rivers State BY OKOI OBONO OBLA

     

    The antagonists in the political internecine warfare going on in Rivers State presently should not use the judiciary as sacrificial lamb through dragging political motivated cases to the court under the guise of asserting their rights .

    The latest injunction obtained on 10 May 2024 in the High Court ,Port Harcourt, by three members of the Rivers State House of Assembly against 25 members of the House, which restrained them from parading and holding out themselves as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly or meeting/sitting at the Auditorium of the House of Assembly Quarters at Aba Road,Port Harcourt or any other place whatsoever to purport to carry out the legislative business of the Rivers State House of Assembly, their legislative sears having been declared vacant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

    This seems to me a dangerous escalation of the intractable crisis that has dogged and engulfed the State since 2023.

    It seems to me wrong for three members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to use the weapon of a court injunction to prevent 25 members from carrying out their constitutional responsibilities under the guise that their seats have been vacated.

    Who vacated the seats of these 25 members?

    I know as a fact that in 2023 27 PDP members of the Rivers State House of Assembly defected from the PDP to the APC.

    I know as a fact that under the 1999 Constitution, a member of a legislative house that leaves the political party that sponsored his election to join another political party stands to lose his seat.

    But the exception is when there is a splinter or crisis in the political party that sponsored his election, his defection would not affect his seat.

    Therefore, under the circumstances, could it be said that these 27 other members of the Rivers State House of Assembly that defected from PDP to APC have lost their seat?

    This is a legal question under the circumstances that only a court of law can determine.

    Therefore, he doesn’t lie in the mouth of the three members of the Rivers State of House of Assembly to determine the fate of their colleagues on the other side.

    The Rivers State House of Assembly has a 31 membership strength.

    A quorum of one-third of these 31-member House of Assembly is required constitutionally for it to conduct the business of the House.

    Accordingly , 10 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly is needed to declare the seats of 27 members that defected vacant.
    It is illogical or unconstitutional for three or five members to remove 27 members when, in the first place, they can not form a quorum.

    I think that the injunction obtained on 10 May 2024 by three members of the Rivers State House of Assembly against 25 other members is a desperate act to ward off the impeachment of Governor Sim Fubara by the majority in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

    I think it was a wrongful exercise of discretion by the learned trial Judge to have exercised his discretion in favor of these three members who applied for the order of injunction.

    The judge ought to have ordered that the 1st-25th Defendants should put on notice in order to hear their own side.

    It was wrong for the judge to have at the level of ex parte application to have agreed with the applicants that these 25 members have lost their seats.

    This is the reason why I was saying at the beginning of this write-up that the combatants in Rivers State should not drag the judiciary into their fight.
    @ Okoi Obono-Obla

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Chief OKOI OBONO-OBLA, and does not represent TheLumineNews or its agent.

  • C’River State Govt Set To Revamp Home-Grown Feeding Programme, Disengages Old Vendors

    TheLumineNews

    As part of efforts to reinvigorate the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, the Cross River State government has announced the disengagement of its former vendors, in a press release dated 3rd of May 2024, sighted by TheLumineNews.

    The release signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Nsa Gill expressed appreciation to the outgoing vendors for their service and wished them well in their future endeavors

  • Foundation Distributes Yam Seedlings To Farmers To Boost Food Production

     

    By Ovat Abeng

    In continuation of his drive to help indigenous farmers in Anambra State boost food production and arrest the lingering food crisis in the country, Anambra philanthropist, High Chief JohnBosco Onunkwo, through his Foundation, JohnBosco Onunkwo Foundation, has carried out the second phase of his foundation’s free yam seedlings distribution.

    The second phase of the yam distribution took place at Ekwulobia and Umuchu in Aguata local government area of the state last week.

    Speaking to beneficiaries by a proxy, Mr. Onyeka Offor (Deputy Chairman, APC Aguata), the philanthropist urged them to cultivate the yam seedlings this planting season and promised to reward those who harvest the biggest size of yams during the new yam festival with cash prizes.

    On behalf of Aguata APC excos, the chairman, Chief Godson Anyadike thanked the founder, Chief Onunkwo for his thoughtful initiative in boosting food production in his constituency among other numerous interventions and prayed for God’s blessings upon him.

    The Foundation have earlier in her first phase distributed the seedlings to farmers in Awka and Onitsha axis respectively.

  • Just In: Court Convicts Man for Raping An Eight Years Old Child In Calabar

     

    A High Court sitting in Calabar, the Cross River State capital has convicted Aniedi Mfon, age 25, for  raping an eight years old child in Calabar today, May 6th 2024.

    Delivering the judgement, Hon. Justice Blessing Egwu, of the High Court of Cross River State, sentenced him to life imprisonment.

    The Judge who lamented the high prevalence of rape, also awarded a fine of One Million naira to the survivor.

    Reacting to the development, Founder of Basic Rights Council Initiative, Mr James Ibor Esq, noted that “I wish to thank the Commissioner of Police and his team, Attorney General, Ededem Ani and his team the staff of the Basic Rights Counsel Initiative and the survivor and her father who resisted intimidation and bribes to back out. Special thanks to our amiable Prosecutor Patience Akpama. You are a rising star”

  • Legal Aid: Foundation Targets Over 10 Inmates Of Calabar Correctional Centre

    By Christian Njoku

    Royal Ambassadors Family Enlightenment Foundation, (RAFEF), a Non Governmental Organisation, (NGO), has taken steps to assist some inmates of the Afokang Correctional Centre in Calabar with legal aid.

    This was disclosed by Mr Jonathan Okwudiri, Chairman, Board of Trustees of RAFEF on Monday in Calabar during the official inauguration Ceremony of Cross River Executive Working Committee of the foundation.

    Okwudiri who doubles as the Director General of the foundation said apart from there programmes to empower women and youths, they would be embarking on a project in Cross River to assist inmates in the state’s correctional centre with legal aid.

    According to him, “In Afikpo, we visited the Correctional Centre and got inmates who didn’t have representation and those who didn’t have money to pay for their bail after they were granted bail by the court.

    “The legal team of this foundation went to work ensuring that applications were made to the court to see how we could assist about 12 of them with legal representation and bail payment.

    “We also did the same thing in Amawbia Correctional Centre in Awka where we equally picked 13 inmates to help secure there freedom; in Cross River, we will be doing the same in Afokang Correctional Centre,” he said.

    He said while ensuring that they empower over 1,000 women and youths in each of the 18 Local Government Areas of Cross River, they have taught their members never to protest or fight against government adding that it resolved nothing.

    He said as a group, they had a system of getting positive results through negotiations, dialogue and consultations whenever there was conflict.

    He appealed to the members of the foundation in Cross River to uphold the watchwords of integrity, truth, trust, transparency and accountability, noting that with these virtues, they would excel.

    On his part, Dr. Moses Agboreyo Cross River Coordinator of the foundation said he would work to mobilize members of the foundation to get positive results and meet up with their aims and objectives of empowering people.

    Agboreyo who is also the South-South Zonal Director said the major challenge they faced was funding and mobilisation due to the vast and difficult terrain of Cross River but added that they were working to surmount these challenges and touch lives. (NAN)