News
Court sacks Gov Umahi over defection to APC
Factual Pursuit of Truth for Progress
Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja on Tuesday declared that the defection of Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State and his deputy, Dr Kelechi Igwe, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress, was illegal, null and unconstitutional.
The court made the order in a judgement on a suit filed by the PDP seeking the removal of Governor Umahi and his deputy, Dr Igwe, from office.
Court noted that the crux of the matter was the defection of the 3rd and 4th from the PDP to the APC.
The court said the averments of the 3rd and 4th Defendants did not address the issue of defection rightly and frontally but rather resorted to general denial to affidavit evidence.
Justice Ekwo said the depositions of the 3rd and 4th Defendants in their counter affidavit were “evasive and insufficient” to competently challenge the Plaintiff’s originating process.
It was the opinion of the court that the “Immunity Clause” in section 308 of the Constitution is not absolute.
“Section 308 is a veritable constitutional shield,” and not for political reasons.
The court said Umahi and Igwe did not controvert the deposition that total votes scored in an election belong to a political party.
Justice Ekwo said evidence abounds that the 2nd defendant (APC) contested the Ebonyi State Governorship election held on March 2020, with its own candidates.
“It can be noted that the Constitution does not deal with the issue of defection lightly”, the court stated.
“The 3rd and 4th Defendants cannot transfer the votes and victory of the Plaintiff on March 9, 2020, to the APC.
“Office of the Governor and Deputy Governor of Ebonyi state belongs to the PDP.
“The option for Umahi and Igwe is to vacate office and wait for next election to contest election under the platform of its new party, the court declared.
The court said the act of the APC, Umahi and his Deputy is aimed at dismantling the 1999 Constitution.
Consequently, the court declared that under the democratic system operated in Nigeria, the plaintiff won the majority of votes during the election and is entitled to enjoy the same till the end of the tenure of office for which the election was made.
News
2023 Presidency: Atiku lists five-point agenda
Factual Pursuit of Truth for Progress
Former Vice President and a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant Atiku Abubakar, on Sunday, said listed his five-point development agenda for Nigeria if he becomes the next President come 2023.
Atiku made this known when he met with Abia State Special Delegates to the PDP National convention at the Government House Banquet Hall.
He highlighted his five-point development agenda to include; instituting symbols of unity, and dealing with insecurity, the economy, education, and restructure of the country.
He said that the South-East is his real point adding, “Therefore, nobody can label me anti-East or anti-race”.
According to him, by 2023, PDP would have been in opposition for 8 years, stating, “We must win the next election.Would we like to go back? Do we want to remain in opposition? These are the questions before us”
“Your aspiration as Igbo people will materialise and be realised. So, give me victory so that your aspiration will be realised.
“Together, we can achieve these goals if we unite as PDP and fight for power.”
He added, “I came with these objectives and if you should be able to give me this opportunity, I believe we will work together to achieve this”.
Earlier in a courtesy call on him, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu saluted Atiku for his doggedness in his quest to unify and recover Nigeria.
Nigeria, he said, “has drifted further down the valley from where we are. Nigerians are faced with serious challenges and are now begging for the opportunity to live.”
Speaking, the PDP state chairman, Asiforo Okere, expressed his excitement to receive Atiku, adding, “We are not unaware of your contributions to the nation”.
Atiku was led by his campaign director general, Raymond Dokpesi who described Atiku, as “a detribalised Nigerian, astute deliverer of democracy and a unifier”.
Entertainment
Acting Involves Brainwork, Not Only Looks
Nollywood actress, Kehinde Bankole, has advised those coming into Nollywood to be ready for the intellectual work that comes with the glamour of the industry.
READ ALSO: I Added Weight For Role In Blood Sisters – Actress Kehinde Bankole Reveals
She said, “Don’t see acting as a career you can come into when all other careers are not working for you. (Perhaps), you have been told that doctors and lawyers are more professional than actors, so you decided to start acting because you couldn’t cope in other fields. Acting is not just about looking good; it involves a lot of intellectual work. You have to think on your toes, otherwise, you would become irrelevant.”
READ ALSO: #BringingMetGalaToAMVCA! BBNaija Ifu Ennada Makes Super Bold Fashion Statement In This Maskfull Outfit
Speaking further, the award-winning actress noted that being able to sustain relevance is where the real work lies. “Being able to sustain relevance is the real work, being able to make it pay your bills. Stumbling on fame doesn’t happen like that for people every time, like the case of Olajumoke the bread seller. There are people whose stories are like that but it’s usually one out of every five hundred.”
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Photo Credit: Getty
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News
FG empowers women in sanitary items production
Factual Pursuit of Truth for Progress
About 30 women were trained over the weekend by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Bauchi State on the production of sanitary items for home management.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria the training was done in collaboration with QUB Resources Limited, Abuja, which provided the training.
The women were trained on how to make liquid soaps, hand sanitisers, and other disinfectants.
The training was done under the ministry’s Women’s Economic Empowerment Workshop.
Representative of QUB Resources Limited, Mrs. Lydia Shehu, said the theme of the one-day training is, ‘Building women’s economic resilience for inclusive recovery’.
Shehu said that the aim was for the attainment of personal and family hygiene and from bacteria, and viruses, among others, and to improve their means of livelihood.
She lauded the Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development, Pauline Tallen for organising the programme, especially during this period of COVID-19 and other diseases.
The representative explained that the skills taught were not capital-intensive, adding that the trainees could start up the business with little income and train other women on the products.
