Again DSS Shuns court Order, Fails To Release Kanu.

For the umpteenth time, the Department of State Security (DSS) has
scoffed at a valid court order by refusing to release the Director of
Radio Biafra and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB),
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, just as it did with that of the magistrate court,
Abuja about two months ago that sparked off demonstrations nationally
and internationally, which also left many people dead and others
wounded.

In what appears a show of its determination to do things its own way,
regarding its relationship with court orders, the agency on Friday,
practically sniggered at the orders of Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the
Federal High Court, Abuja, that the IPOB leader be released
unconditionally.

Whirlwindnews.com, had reported exclusively this morning that Kanu was
not able to regain freedom after the court pronouncement on Thursday,
because his lawyers were not able to secure the enrolment order from
the court.

But armed with the document, they were able to approach the DSS today,
only for the agency to rebuff the order on the ground that the
Director General was not in the office and practically ordered the
legal team out of their Abuja office.

"This morning, the legal team was able to get the enrolment paper
signed and with a bailiff, they went to the office of the DSS this,
and successfully served them. But instead of releasing Kanu, they were
told to go on the ground that the DG who would sign and order his
release was not in the office. They were able to ease the team out of
their office, telling the lawyers to go that they would be contacted
immediately the DG returns. That is the latest, a source told
Whirlwindnews.com, a few minutes ago.

The palpably disturbed source, argued that the implication of the
development was that Kanu would likely spend the weekend with the DSS.
"You know today is gone. What it means is that they may have to wait
till Monday, the next working day. I don't know why this is happening
in this country. Why should these people choose to operate as if there
is no law in this country? For how long will they continue with this?
Is there an agenda they have that they don't want the people of this
country to know?

"Everybody had thought that they would use this court process to cool
the entire polity. About seven people were killed yesterday for
celebrating the announcement that Kanu has been released. Is it that
they want these people to return to the street now that it appears
that they are not releasing him. Recall that the magistrate court had
earlier released him and they refused to allow him go only to rush to
the Federal High Court, which finding no prima facae case against him,
released him unconditionally. What are they then playing at? This is
the question Nigerians and the international community must now begin
to ask, before things get out of hands," he added.

Chelsea Cruise Past Sunderland As Norwich Stun United

Chelsea's new interim manager, Guus Hiddink, watched from the stands
as his team beat Sunderland 3-1 on Saturday, while Norwich City won at
Manchester United.

Appointed hours before kick-off in place of the sacked Jose Mourinho,
Hiddink was in the stands at a discontented Stamford Bridge as Chelsea
prevailed through goals from Branislav Ivanovic, Pedro Rodriguez and
Oscar.

The match unfurled amid tension, as Chelsea's fans took out their
anger over Mourinho's dismissal on their own players, and there was
also a bilious atmosphere at Old Trafford, where Norwich won 2-1.

It was United's third straight defeat in all competitions, sending
them out of the top four, and saw Van Gaal assailed with boos from the
home supporters.

A world away from the managerial intrigue, Claudio Ranieri, the former
Chelsea manager, saw his Leicester City side win 3-2 at Everton to
guarantee that they will top the table on Christmas Day.

Hiddink, 69, has returned to Chelsea in the hope of pulling off a
salvage job similar to the one he masterminded in 2009, when he led
the club to FA Cup glory after being parachuted in by owner Roman
Abramovich.

With first-team coach Steve Holland taking charge of the team, Hiddink
sat alongside Abramovich and former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba as
the bedraggled champions began life without Mourinho.

Pro-Mourinho banners were visible around the ground — one bearing the
message "You let Jose down, you let us down" — and his name was
chanted by the home supporters right from kick-off.

Despite the hostility from their own fans, Chelsea made a storming
start, Ivanovic heading in Willian's corner in the fifth minute and
Pedro slamming home from Willian's cross eight minutes later.

Chelsea Appoint Hiddink As Interim Manager

Two days after Chelsea sacked Jose Mourinho, the Blues have confirmed
that Guus Hiddink will take over as manager until the end of the
season.

The 69-year-old also managed the Blues on a temporary basis for the
final three months of the 2008-2009 campaign.

The Dutchman left his role as Netherlands Manager during their
unsuccessful European qualifying campaign.

Chelsea sacked Mourinho seven months after he led them to the Premier
League title.

The 52-year-old Portuguese had been in his second spell at the club as
the Blues are currently 16th on the EPL table.

Chelsea finished eight points clear last season and also won the
League Cup, but have endured a terrible start to their defence, losing
nine of their 16 league games so far.

-ChannelsTV

Sister Of Governor Dickson Kidnapped

Nancy Keme Dickson, the younger sister to the Bayelsa State's
Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson has been kidnapped.

A witness said the 26 year-old lady kidnapped at her shop on Okaka
Road, Yenagoa, the state capital at about 2:50pm by the abductors who
drove a Lexus SUV.

The belief was that the abductors may have carried out surveillance on
her movements before they struck.

Efforts by the state's security outfit, Operation Door Akpo to comb
strategic points in the city of Yenagoa by adopting stop and search,
did not yield the desired result.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Asinim Butswat, confirmed
the abduction of Nancy.

"On the 19 December, 2015, at about 1450hrs, four unknown gunmen in an
ash coloured Lexus Jeep, trailed one Nancy Keme Dickinson, 26 yrs, to
her shop at Okaka road, Yenagoa, and abducted her and her sales girl
to an unknown destination.

" The Command immediately embarked on a Stop and Search/Cordon
Operations in a bid to rescue the victims and apprehend the
perpetrators. Efforts have been intensified to arrest the abductors.
Investigation is ongoing," the police said in a statement.

-PMNews

Gunmen Kidnap Two Catholic Priests In Asaba

Unknown gunmen, Friday, kidnapped two Catholic Priests at Obior in
Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State.

POne of the victims was identified as Reverend Father Franklyn Odiaka,
who is the Parish Priest of Catholic Church of Assumption (Zappa
Parish), Asaba.

The identity of the second cleric was unknown as at press time.

It was gathered that the unsuspecting clergymen were returning from a
ceremony in honor of the Bishop of Issele-Uku Diocese, Most Rev. (Dr.)
Michael Elue, when they were whisked away by the gunmen.

This development came barely two weeks after hoodlums allegedly broke
into the church and remove undisclosed amount of money from the parish
treasury.

The State Public Relations Officer of the Delta State Police Command,
DSP Celestina Kalu, who confirmed the kidnap of the Catholic Priests
said information about the situation was still sketchy.

He, however expressed confidence that the hoodlums would be apprehended.

Kalu assured that the clergies would be freed unhurt in no distant time.

-Dailypost

10 Killed As IPOB Celebrates Kanu’s Release

No fewer than 10 members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)
were killed on Thursday during jubilations that erupted in Onitsha,
Anambra State after a federal high court sitting Abuja ordered
unconditional release of the director of Radio Biafra and leader of
the group, Nnamdi Kanu from the custody of Department of State
Security Services. Kanu had been in custody since October 14, 2015
when he was arrested by operatives of DSS in Lagos Justice Adeniyi
Ademola gave the order for Kanu's release while ruling on the bail
application filed by the applicant's counsel, Mr. Vincent Egechukwu
Obetta. The applicant had also challenged the federal high court order
dated November 11, 2015 that permitted his detention in custody for 90
days.

Ademola said that the released of Kanu unconditionally was based "on
the fact that there is no criminal charge against him in any court in
the country." Reacting shortly after his son was ordered to be
released, Nnamdi Kanu's father who is the traditional ruler of
Afaraukwu autonomous community in Umuahia North, Abia State, Eze
Israel Kanu thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for heeding the call to
release his son, just as Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) has commended
President Muhammadu Buhari, for heeding the pleas of Ndigbo and other
progressive Nigerians.

The 10 members of the group were killed, according to eyewitnesses, by
soldiers deployed to Onitsha in the wake of last month's IPOB protest
over the detention of Kanu. No fewer than 30 others were also reported
to have sustained various degrees of injury during Thursday's
incident. The incident, our correspondent gathered caused panic among
motorists and commuters along the busy Niger Bridge area, Enugu/
Onitsha Expressway. It was gathered that supporters of IPOB who on
hearing about court's favourable verdict on Kanu converged at the
statue of the late Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu in
large procession.

An eyewitness, Mr. Festus Uyanna, a timber trader at Bridge-Head
Market, Onitsha, told our correspondent that trouble started when the
jubilating IPOB members were asked to stop their march towards the
Niger Bridge, but the group bluntly refused and continued to advance
towards the bridge which has been notorious since the protest for
Kanu's release commenced. According to the witness, it was at this
juncture, when the soldiers started shooting sporadically, probably to
scare the crowd away, that the ten IPOB members were shot dead. The
jubilation came to an abrupt end as members of the scattered and ran
for safety. Corpses littered the road, while motorists and commuters
who could not bear the heavy gunshots jumped out of their vehicles and
ran for safety.

However, courageous ones among the group's members threw pebbles at
the rampaging soldiers who retaliated by continuous shooting as if in
an enemy territory. Shop owners and artisans transacting business in
the area all shut their businesses as early as 1pm for fear of any
eventuality. The President General, Bridge-Head Markets Association,
Mr. Sunday Obinze whose domain has been a war theatre could not talk
to the press as he was said to be in a meeting.

Earlier at the federal high court in Abuja, Justice Ademola had set
aside Kanu's detention order. He also ruled that the "detention of
Kanu for more than two months without any charge is contrary to the
provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999
(as amended)." Justice Ademola further ruled that the provisions of
Administration of Criminal Justice Act and the Constitution of Federal
Republic of Nigeria were explicit on the issue of bail and freedom of
the citizens.

He reasoned that it was either the DSS and federal government were not
prepared or lacked enough materials or were yet to make up their minds
to prosecute the applicant. Nnamdi's father, Eze Israel Kanu who
reacted in Umuahia also appreciated the support of Nigerians who stood
by them during the trying period. He advised MASSOB, IPOB and other
pro-Biafra agitators to be law abiding and pursue the Biafra project
without confrontation. Eze Kanu however urged President Buhari to let
Igbo be by giving the people independent Biafra.

In their reaction, the National President of OYC, Maxi Okechukwu
Isiguzoro, and Secretary, Nnabuike Okwu, in a press statement issued
on Thursday in Umuahia said the release of Kanu would go a long way in
dousing the tension in the polity. According to them, Kanu's final
release from detention will also restore the confidence of Ndigbo in
Buhari's administration even as it would also end the protests by
Biafra agitators which had enveloped most cities in the defunct
Eastern region.

Ohanaeze, therefore, appealed to all pro- Biafra groups to reciprocate
the federal government's gesture by discontinuing with further
protests " for the sake of peace and in the overall interest of the
people," just as it called on the federal government to quickly
address all injustices against Ndigbo which it said were the causes of
the renewed agitation for Biafra in the first place.

-DailyTimes

Rivers Speaker Resigns After Passing Wike’s Budget

The Speaker of Rivers House, Ikunyi Owaji-Ibani, representing Andoni
Constituency resign a moment ago shortly after presiding over the 2016
budget presentation by Governor Nyesom Wike at about 5:30pm today.

The Speaker made the surprise announcement after presiding over the
hurried presentation of the 2016 citing "personal reasons".
Immediately after the resignation of Hon. Ikuinyi Owaji Igbanyi as the
Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, a new Speaker stepped
in with members of the Assembly unanimously endorsing Daboturidima
Adams, the member representing Okrika State Constituency as the new
Speaker.
Hon. Adams represents Okrika State Constituency where Mrs Patience
Jonathan, the Wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan hails from.

It is not clear the remote reasons for the former Speaker's
resignation because he represents Andoni where Uche Secondus, the
acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, hails.

Speculations are rife that the Speaker may have been eased out to
satisfy Mrs Patience Jonathan.

Others speculate that the former Speaker's resignation may also be
based on the fact that he could no longer bear the pressure of being
called the Speaker of "A rubber stamp House of Assembly".

At the time of this report meeting with top stakeholders of the state
PDP and the state government presided over by Governor Wike was going
on.

-PMNews

Australia National Team Congratulate Hiddink On Chelsea Appointment

The new manager of the Blues appears to have been revealed, though not
in the way most would have imagined, as the Dutchman's old team wished
him luck at Stamford Bridge.
Australia's national football team website has congratulated former
coach Guus Hiddink on his appointment as Jose Mourinho's successor at
Chelsea, though no official confirmation has yet been released by the
Premier League club.

Mourinho was sacked by the Blues on Thursday after a string of poor
results, bad press and in-house bust-ups, leaving fans speculating as
to who would take over.

Former Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman claimed that the Dutchman had
revealed to him he would take over, but the Socceroos website took the
speculation to a new level after publishing their own announcement and
sharing their congratulations on Twitter.



Should Hiddink be appointed, the 69-year-old will have unenviable task
of lifting the Premier League champions - currently only a single
point above the relegation zone - back up the table.

As things stand, however, neither Chelsea nor the coach have commented
since Mourinho's dismissal on Thursday.

Hiddink has already had one stint in charge of the Blues, having taken
over at Stamford Bridge after Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was
sacked in 2009; he enjoyed a 73 per cent win rate and lifted the FA
Cup.

-Goal.com

MTN Drags NCC To Court Over $3.9bn Fine In Nigeria, Pays For Licences In Ghana, Ivory Coast

MTN Group is ready to stand up to the Nigerian Communications
Commission (NCC) and will challenge the regulator's powers to impose a
$3.9 billion fine on its Nigerian subsidiary. The telecommunications
company will file a case against the regulator before a Federal High
Court in Lagos. As it disclosed this, the company also said it had
paid 75 billion CFA francs ($124 million) to extend its operating
license in Ivory Coast and would pay $67.5 million in Ghana to buy a
15-year radio frequency spectrum for high-speed networks.

NCC had slammed an initial $5.2 billion fine on MTN for failing to
meet a deadline to disconnect 5.1 million unregistered subscribers.
The fine was later cut by 25 percent to $3.9 billion and a deadline of
Dec. 31 was given for the payment. But believes "there are valid
grounds upon which to challenge the fine," and will, therefore, "seek
the appropriate reliefs from court".

While that is ongoing, MTN Chairman Phuthuma Nhleko is leading
negotiations with the NCC to try and ensure an amicable resolution.

MTN's $196 million total payment for operating licences in Ghana and
Ivory Coast shows the telco remains keen about West Africa despite the
troubles it faces in Nigeria, its largest market. The penalty the
company faces in Nigeria has made the company lose 28 percent of its
value. The reduced fine is over 30 percent of its 2014 group revenue
and 95 percent of MTN Nigeria's revenue in the same year. It will be
hard to pay such fine, amid slowing growth. But Nigeria remains a very
important market to MTN. The company paid $94.2 million to renew its
operating licence in the country till 2021.

-

5 Contenders For Mourinho’s Job

DIEGO SIMEONE
Diego Simeone took Atletico Madrid to the La Liga title in 2013-14
ahead of Barcelona and Real Madrid, but perhaps could be tempted by a
new challenge in England after four years at the Vicente Calderon.

Simeone
Simeone is already familiar with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and
striker Diego Costa, having managed the pair at Atletico.
It is understood a £15m release clause would have to be met by Chelsea
for the 45-year-old Argentinian.

PEP GUARDIOLA

Guardiola
Pep Guardiola is heading for the Premier League after deciding to
reject a new £280,000-a-week contract and leave Bayern Munich next
summer.
The 44-year-old Spaniard is expected to take over at Manchester City,
but Chelsea could now well make their move.
However, City's dealmakers are ahead of the game and Guardiola would
earn around £15m a year, which is around £2m more than what Mourinho
was making at Chelsea.

JUANDE RAMOS

German and Ukrainian sources have linked Juande Ramos with the job at
Chelsea with the Spaniard out of work since leaving Ukrainian club
Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk at the end of the 2013-14 season.
The 61-year-old Spaniard has already had one spell in the English
Premier League, spending 12 months at Tottenham Hotspur from 2007 to
2008. He left the club at the bottom of the Premier League.
Ramos took up the Real Madrid job in December 2008 but lasted barely
six months as the La Liga club ended the season nine points behind
rivals Barcelona.

BRENDAN RODGERS

Brendan Rodgers has already spent time at Chelsea as a coach from 2004
to 2008 before leaving to become the manager of Championship club
Watford.

RODGERS

Rogers almost took Liverpool to their first ever Premier League title
in the 2013-14 season, falling just short to Manchester City.
The 42-year-old was sacked by Liverpool in October this year and,
despite links with a club job in Qatar, is still looking for work.

FABIO CAPELLO

Fabio Capello threw his hat into the ring as a potential replacement
for Mourinho last month. He said: 'I am now in Russia, in Moscow. I do
not miss the bench. For now I have not received anything but if
something interesting comes up, why not?'

Capello
The 69-year-old Italian is out of work after being sacked by Russia in
July. If he was to take up the role at Chelsea, it would be his first
job at club-level since leaving Real Madrid in 2007.
Capello is familiar with all in England as the boss of the Three Lions
from 2008 to 2012.

Mourinho To Receive £10m In Compensation

Roman Abramovich could be forced to pay Mourinho up to £10million
after the Portuguese manager signed a four-year deal this summer.

Mourinho
With that deal only a few months old, and no clause in Mourinho's
contract, Sportsmail understands that the sacked manager will be paid
by Chelsea until he lands another job.
As part of the settlement to leave by 'mutual consent', he is being
paid £250,000 a week up to a maximum of £10m.
If he were to take a job next week they would only pay him nominal
compensation, but an extended break from football would see him earn
the full £10m.
Mourinho's management career
Benfica (2000)
Uniao de Leiria (2001-02)
Porto (2002-04) 2 League titles, 1 Cup, 1 Champions League
Chelsea (2004-07) 2 Premier League titles, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cups
Inter (2008-10) 2 Serie A titles, 1 Coppa Italia, 1 Champions League
Real Madrid (2010-13) 1 La Liga title, 1 Copa del Rey
Chelsea (2013-15) 1 Premier League title, 1 League Cup.

Jose Mourinho SACKED By Chelsea After Disastrous Premier League Start As Roman Abramovich Calls Time On Second Spell

Jose Mourinho has been sensationally sacked as Chelsea manager after a
2-1 defeat by Leicester compounded his side's miserable start to the
season, leaving the club with no choice but to dismiss him, despite a
possible £10m pay-out.

The Portuguese boss guided his side to the Premier League title in
May, but Monday's loss was their ninth of the campaign, leaving them
in 16th place, just a point above the relegation places.

Guus Hiddink is set to be installed as the interim manager until the
end of the season, and could even take charge of the Blues clash with
Sunderland this weekend.

Pep Guardiola has been sounded out about becoming Chelsea's permanent
boss next summer, but is understood to have told the club they need 10
new players.
.


The club has long-term plans to install Diego Simeone, who will cost
£15million to extract from his Atletico Madrid contract.

Mourinho, who was ready to open talks over a financial settlement to
seal his exit after the defeat at West Ham at the end of October, has
now seen his second spell at Stamford Bridge come to an end.

Roman Abramovich could be forced to pay Mourinho up to £10million
after the Portuguese manager signed a four-year deal this summer.

With that deal only a few months old, and no clause in Mourinho's
contract, Sportsmail understands that the sacked manager will be paid
by Chelsea until he lands another job.

As part of the settlement to leave by 'mutual consent', he is being
paid £250,000 a week up to a maximum of £10m.

If he were to take a job next week they would only pay him nominal
compensation, but an extended break from football would see him earn
the full £10m.

A club statement confirmed that the club had 'parted company' with
their manager, and said results had 'not been good enough'.

'Chelsea Football Club and Jose Mourinho have today parted company by
mutual consent,' the statement read.

'All at Chelsea thank Jose for his immense contribution since he
returned as manager in the summer of 2013.

'His three league titles, FA Cup, Community Shield and three League
Cup wins over two spells make him the most successful manager in our
110-year history. But both Jose and the board agreed results have not
been good enough this season and believe it is in the best interests
of both parties to go our separate ways.

'The club wishes to make clear Jose leaves us on good terms and will
always remain a much-loved, respected and significant figure at
Chelsea.

Biafra: High Court Orders Unconditional Release Of Nnamdi Kanu

Justice Adeniyi Ademola of Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday
ordered the Department of State Services, DSS to immediately release
director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu from detention.

The court said it was illegal for the DSS to still be holding on to
Kanu after an order of the court to free him.

According to the Judge, Kanu's continued deten‎tion for about two
months without any pending charges against him against the provisions
of section 35(4) of the Constitution.
The judge also set aside an order granted the DSS on November 10, 2015
permitting the DSS to keep Kanu in its custody for 90 days.

It will be recalled that an Abuja Magistrate's Court had on Wednesday
struck out the charges instituted against a Kanu by the DSS.

This was after DSS applied for the discontinuance of‎ the case to
enable it to file charges of terrorism and terrorism financing against
him.

However, Justice Ademola said the continued detention of the
pro-Biafra leader showed that the DSS is not yet ready to proceed with
trial or did not have enough grounds to prosecute him.

-PMNews

WAEC Releases Nov/Dec WASSCE Results

The West African Examination Council has released the result of the
November/December 2015 West African Senior School Certificate
Examination.

The Head of National Office WAEC, Mr. Isaac Adenipekun announced the
release of the results in Lagos.

INEC Discloses Date For Bayelsa Rerun Election

THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has fixed January
9, next year for the supplementary election of the Southern Ijaw Local
Council cancelled by the body recently.

Impeccable multi sources within the Commission told The Guardian
yesterday that the tentative date being canvassed by top officials and
stakeholders seems to be widely acceptable to all the principal actors
in the election saga.

"Apart from the fact that the yuletide period is around the corner,
consideration was given to the fact that a lot of people would return
home to their villages and they wouldn't want to be bogged down with
the inconveniences of the election.

The commission wants to consult with the various stake holders and
needs time to prepare for the make or mar re-run," one of the sources
said.

In order to perform its duty, Yakubu was said to have decided to carry
everybody along and involve all concerned in widespread consultations.

The electoral boss, alongside his top lieutenants yesterday, met with
security chiefs in the area including the Commissioner of Police, Mr.
Sanusi Oki, his Army counterpart, Major General Alali Okunola and
those of the Naval, Air Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense
Corps.

The security situation during the recent election was discussed at the
meeting, while plans were laid out to prevent a recurrence of the
lapses recorded in the last poll.

The INEC boss is set to meet with all the parties that participated in
the last election, together with all the candidates on Thursday in
Abuja.

"They are expected to come to the meeting with all their grievances
and those present are also expected to thrash all the issues
exhaustively," another source revealed.

"The chairman has been consulting widely and he wants to carry along
all the stakeholders, regardless of their status or affiliations."

It shall be the turn of the media and civil societies groups on
Friday, during which INEC is expected to announce the date for the
bye-election.

"INEC is trying to ensure that it shakes off the under-performance tag
that is being attached to it. The boss wants to be seen as being fair
and effective.

"After the Kogi near-disaster, he can't afford to have another misstep
in this one. His integrity and that of the commission are at stake
here," a source said.

-TheGuardian

FG Shuts Down Owerri Federal Medical Centre

The federal ministry of health has temporarily shut down the federal
medical centre, Owerri in order to reorganize, restrategise and
redefine rules of engagement at the hospital.

Minister of health, Prof. Isaac Adewole made this known yesterday in
Abuja while briefing newsmen on the crisis at the hospital.
He said an interim administration will be put in place to oversee the
affairs of the institution and do a staff audit to ensure proper
restoration of services.
Security agencies have also been directed to offer maximum security
for all government owned properties at the federal medical centre.

The crisis at the hospital began in April 2015 when the medical
director of the hospital, Dr. Angela Uwakwem forwarded a proposal on
the introduction of Public Private Partnership (PPP) in some revenue
generating units of the hospital to the top management committee, in
order to entrench accountability and increase the revenue base of the
hospital.

Adewole said the proposal was vehemently opposed by people who may
have been benefitting from the system and went on to incite the
unions, adding that the federal government is fully in support of PPP
especially in the health sector.

He said the fact finding committee set up by government exonerated the
medical director from allegations leveled against her and the
government recalled her, which sparked off another round of protests
from the union which insisted she must go.

The minister said his visit to the hospital was quite revealing and he
was saddened because it showed labour unionism at the highest level of
impunity saying employees of government who have been their salaries
regularly were clad in black and were chanting solidarity songs.

-DailyTrust

Appeal Court judgement: Wike Heads To Supreme Court, Sues For Peace

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has instructed his lawyers
to appeal Wednesday's judgment of the Court of Appeal which upheld the
nullification of his election and ordered a fresh governorship
election in the tate within 90 days.

In a statement issued by Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant to the
Governor on Electronic Media, Governor Wike stated that he disagrees
with the judgment, hence his decision to exhaust his constitutional
right by challenging the Appeal Court judgment at the Supreme Court.

Governor Wike called on all his supporters and the people of Rivers
State to remain calm as justice will be done at the end of day.
He assured the people of the state that he will use all constitutional
processes to protect the mandate they freely gave him, hence his
decision to approach the Supreme Court for further adjudication.

The governor said that he still remains the duly elected governor of
Rivers State pending the determination of his appeal by the Supreme
Court.
Governor Wike assured the people of Rivers State that all ongoing
development projects will continue while his administration will
continue to promote the security of lives and property across the
state.

Mrs Ibim Semenitari former Commissioner for Information and Director
Media and Publicity of Dr Peterside Campaign Organization, in her
first reaction merely paraphrased Psalm 121 by saying "Lifting up our
eyes to the hills. Seeking justice at the feet of Jesus. Victory for
our slain colleagues. Justice for Dakuku Peterside and team."

Chief Freddy Ichegbo, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC,
and former Chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government Council in a
telephone interview amidst jubilation at the background said: "You can
hear the jubilation at the background. The mood of the people is that
the stolen mandate must be returned. God and man are lovers of
justice. The victory at the Appeal Court has long been expected. Have
you not observed what has been happening in the past few days?"

Asked if he is aware that Governor Wike still has the Supreme Court as
his last port of call to seek justice, Ichegbo said: "We know all that
but one thing remains clear: at the tribunal the mandate was
nullified, at the Appeal Court the mandate has been affirmed to be a
stolen mandate. Justice is of God. A stolen mandate is a stolen
mandate. It must be returned to the rightful owners. We are waiting."

On his part, Olatunji, a resident of Port Harcourt, recalled: "When
Governor Wike came to my street in Mile 2 Port Harcourt to campaign he
said 'Forget about me, make sure President Jonathan wins because when
he does, I go hold Amaechi and Dakuku. We will lock all the Airport
and Seaports and I will flog them on the streets of Port Harcourt. Now
who has the key to the airport and seaports? Who may likely be
arrested today? Watch what you say when you have the advantage because
you never know what can happen."

According to Obinna Okeke, "the low life ranting Wike is finally
thrown out the way he came. I've always said that he's a learner in
politics. He assumed Governorship seat through federal might now he
has lost it through Federal might. Lesson: Never bite the finger that
fed you. The dude has recorded many losses lately from failing to stop
Amaechi's Ministerial appointment to losing at election tribunal, then
losing at the Court of Appeal, and in his bid to stop the tribunal
from sitting outside Rivers State. Now he's lost his appeal on
tribunal judgement. He had better return to Patience Jonathan's
kitchen to pound yam and wash her panties to see if she could help him
secure a councillorship seat in Bayelsa."

Joseph Torubeli said: "Turn the decision of the people of Rivers many
times, they'll stand up to support the one they like. All those that
are betraying Rivers people will one day wake up to see the realities,
but by then it will be too late. Wike is the people's choice. Come
let's vote him again.

According to Lawal Abdullateef, "the Court of Appeal has confirmed
that there was no election in Rivers State. Wike should start packing
his things from Government House and stop collecting loans."

Akem AkemWell said: "I'm not from Rivers State but let me sound it
categorically and emphatically loud and clear here and now that, even
if the Appeal Court did not uphold his victory up to the apex court of
the land, and INEC conducts a fresh gubernatorial election in Rivers
State a million times, Barrister Wike will emerge victorious. I'm
saying this on the basis that the process is allowed to take place
without any bias from all quarters."

On his part, Onyenwere Ukeje said: "No tears for Wike and the PDP,
even if I am not pro-APC and will never be. Both APC and PDP are birds
of the same feathers. The right thing must be done always."

-PMNews

Appeal Court Sacks Gov. Wike, Orders Fresh Election In Rivers

The three-man Court of Appeal panel sitting in Abuja has struck out
the appeal of Nyesom Wike seeking a dismissal of the judgment of the
Rivers election petition tribunal which sacked him as governor of the
state.

In a 110-page ruling delivered by Justice M.B. Dongban-Mensem, the
Court ruled that the election of Nyesom Wike did not conform with the
electoral act.

The Court has ordered a rerun in 90 days.

In delivering a final ruling the Court of Appeal decided all the seven
issues raised by Governor Wike against in favour of Dakuku Peterside
and the All Progressives Congress party.
Recall that on Saturday, October 24, the tribunal had held that Wike
was not duly elected governor of Rivers‎ state.

It ruled that a fresh election be held in the state within 90 days.

But Wike appealed against the judgment, insisting that he was duly
elected governor of the state‎.
He asked the appellate court to set aside the judgment of the
tribunal, arguing that‎ the lower court failed to consider the
evidence – that a proper election took place in Rivers state on April
11 – tendered before it.
Wike had previously gone to the supreme court to challenge the
jurisdiction of the tribunal, which sacked him. His main argument at
the apex court was that the tribunal should have sat in Rivers state
and not in Abuja.

But the supreme court dismissed his suit for lacking in merit‎, ruling
that the tribunal – owing to security reasons – was right to have
relocated to Abuja to sit in judgment on the petition of Dakuku
Peterside, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the
April 11 governorship election in Rivers state.

-Vanguard

Breaking: DSS Drops Charges Against Nnamdi Kanu In Magistrate Court

Magistrate of the Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, Shuaibu
Usman, on Wednesday discharged the Director of Radio Biafra and Leader
of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on all counts
of criminal conspiracy and ownership of an unlawful society brought
against him by the federal government.

After holding that the government had dropped the charges against
Kanu, the judge ruled: "The accused person is hereby discharged and
the case struck out."

The government through its agent, the Department of State Services
(DSS), had elected to withdraw the case at the lower court for a
higher court, which has jurisdiction to entertain charges bordering on
terrorism, to take over.

Usman was scheduled to deliver judgment on the application of the DSS
on December 1, but he put it off until December 16, reports TheCable.

The DSS has held Kanu for at least 90 days despite an order of the
magistrate court granting him bail in October.

After the lower court granted him bail, the DSS got an order of the
federal high court, Abuja, to keep the leader of IPOB in detention.

However, his lawyer, Vincent Obetta, filed a counter application,
seeking bail for the accused person.

Meanwhile, Justice of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Adeniyi Ademola,
is expected to rule on the bail application on Thursday.

Since, the arrest and detention of Kanu by Nigeria's secret Police, in
Lagos, on Saturday, October 17, wave of protests, engineered by IPOB,
as well as members of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign
State of Biafra (MASSOB) had swept through the South-East and parts of
the South-South, demanding an immediate and unconditional release of
Kanu.

-Vanguard

I Collected SUVs From Jonathan, Not $300,000 -- Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has denied collecting $300,000 from the
past administration led by Goodluck Jonathan, noting that, he only
received SUVs from the government it labelled as a "discredited
regime".

Buhari stated that he received the SUVs because it was in line with
the constitution.

Read full statement below:

Our attention has been drawn to reports making the rounds, especially
on internet-based media, that President Muhammadu Buhari received
$300,000.00 and up to five armoured SUVs from the Office of the
National Security Adviser in the aftermath of the attack on his convoy
in Kaduna last year.

We unequivocally deny that President Buhari received $300,000.00 or
any monetary compensation whatsoever from the Jonathan Presidency or
any of its officials, in the aftermath of that attack, or at any other
time since then.

While it is true that one armoured SUV and one untreated SUV were sent
to the President in the aftermath of the attack, the vehicles were in
keeping with his entitlements as a former Head of State under the
Remuneration of Former Presidents and Heads of State (And other
Ancillary Matters) Decree of 1999.

Section 3, Sub Section 1 of that Decree provides that three vehicles
will be provided for former heads of state and replaced every four
years.

There was therefore nothing untoward, illegal or tending to corruption
in former Head of State Buhari and Presidential aspirant, as he then
was, receiving vehicles, to which he was statutorily entitled , from
the Federal Government of Nigeria.

President Buhari had in keeping with his austere, spartan and frugal
disposition shunned most of his entitlements as a former Head of
State, but was prevailed upon by his supporters to accept the two
vehicles for his personal safety in the aftermath of the dastardly
attempt to assassinate him.

It is preposterous to think that the President will allow his
acclaimed reputation of honesty and incorruptibility to be tarnished
by accepting a questionable monetary compensation from a discredited
regime.

--PMNews

Boko Haram’s Female Suicide Bombers Often Unaware They’re Carrying Bombs – UN Expert

PHOTO: Police in custody of a female suicide bomber identified as
Zahra'u Babangida


Many of the young girls Boko Haram sends out as suicide bombers in
Nigeria and neighbouring countries are probably unaware that they will
be blown up, a UN expert said Tuesday.

Boko Haram jihadists have in recent months increasingly used young
women and girls as suicide bombers in northeast Nigeria, northern
Cameroon, Chad and Niger, leaving death and destruction in their wake.

Leila Zerrougui, the UN secretary-general's special representative on
children and armed conflict, suggested Tuesday that especially the
children used in this way were in many cases not aware of what they
were about to do.

"Many of them don't know that they will be blown up with remote
devices," she told reporters, pointing out many of the girls are as
young as 11 or 12.

"I personally doubt that the children know," Zerrougui said, adding
that security forces had informed the UN that the bombs are often set
off remotely.

"That means that it is not the person herself who did it," she said.

Zerrougui lamented that the use of children as human bombs is one of
the worst manifestations of an increasingly blatant disregard for the
safety and security of minors in conflict situations around the world.

Elsewhere, thousands of youngsters are used as soldiers and children
as young as four or five are being used as human shields on
battlefields by armed groups like the Islamic State or the anti-Balaka
in the Central African Republic, she said.

"This is the worst form where children are really put in danger and
their bodies are really used as a weapon," she insisted.

Zerrougui said that since she was appointed to her position in 2012,
she has each year decried an increasingly dire situation for children
caught up in conflicts, "and every year (it gets) even worse."

And 2015 was no exception.
"I can say that 2015 was really a difficult year for children all over
the world where conflicts are ongoing," she said.

The world is currently dealing with six major conflicts, including in
Syria and Yemen, compared to one or two normally.

And if you count protracted conflicts, a jaw-dropping 20 are currently
impacting the lives of children around the world, she said.

"We have thousands of children killed, maimed, schools attacked and
children by the thousands recruited in many places," she said.

"Children are not only affected, they are specifically targeted."

-AFP

Africa’s ‘Tallest Statue Of Jesus Christ’ To Be Unveiled In Imo State

According to Cable, Africa's 'tallest statue of Jesus Christ,' is set
to be unveiled in Abajah local government area of Imo state, on
January 1, 2016 at Aloysius Catholic Church.

The statue, named Jesus de Greatest, is said to be 28 feet tall.

Obinna Onuoha, founder of Premier Petroleum Limited, reportedly funded
and offered the statue to the church.

Jesus de Greatest is set to be the fifth tallest statue in Africa, and
has a total weight of 40 tons and is made of marble.

According to the report:

At 161 feet, African Renaissance Monument in Dakar, Senegal, is the
tallest statue in Africa after Great Sphinx of Giza in Egypt which 66
feet. Ramesses II in Egypt at 30 feet, is the third tallest. Nelson
Mandela Union Building in South Africa has a 28 feet statue and is the
fourth tallest in the continent. The world's tallest statue of Jesus
is Christ the King in Świebodzin, western Poland, with a height of 172
feet.

-BellaNaija

‘Rethink Your Plan To Push Me Into War’ — Tompolo Tells FG

Ex-agitator and businessman, Chief Government Ekpemupolo (aka
Tompolo), has described his invitation by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) as an unnecessary and face-saving effort at
brinkmanship.

The EFCC had threatened to declare the former militant leader wanted
over his role in a N13 billion land scam involving the Nigerian
Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, if he failed to
honour its invitation unfailing on Thursday, December 17.

Tompolo, however, dismissed the threat as a ploy to intimidate and
witch-hunt him because of his refusal to back the candidate of the All
Progressives Congress in the inconclusive Bayelsa State governorship
election.

This is just as he vowed not to honour the latest invitation from EFCC
as he has already filed a suit in court against the commission.

The Gbaramatu traditional titleholder, who was reacting to reports
that he was on the run on account of the EFCC's invitation said in a
statement yesterday: "I know why they are after me. It is not the
alleged multi-billion naira property transaction. After all, it went
through due process and was approved by the Federal Executive Council
(FEC).

"And as such if there are any questions to answer, it is the people at
the FEC, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Federal Ministry of Lands
and Survey, Federal Ministry of Transport, NIMASA, etc who approved
the transaction that should be answering such questions.

"The real reason this APC-led government is after me is that I bluntly
refused to join APC and to support their Governorship candidate in
Bayelsa State. We cannot all be in APC. Our people have always
believed in the Nigerian project and had always hoped to join hands
with this administration to move this project forward, but the
conditions being attached are not acceptable. I insist on believing in
the Nigerian project unconditionally!

"The impression being conveyed is that I was invited by the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and I failed to honour the
invitation or even respond by letter to the invitation".

Tompolo said his lawyers' response stating why he wouldn't honour
EFCC's invitation was conveyed to the EFCC on December 3, adding, "I
have proof of delivery from the courier company".

He expressed surprise that the EFCC, which should be a reputable
institution, would stoop so low as to lie to Nigerians that he refused
to honour the invitation, adding: "my Solicitor's letter indicated I
am already in court with the EFCC.

"EFCC had been served with the court processes since 20th of October
2015 but they refused to attend court on several occasions, or to file
any court papers, only to appear for the first time on 30th November
2015 without filing any court papers. They even asked for the matter
to be adjourned to 17th December 2015, the date they are now inviting
me to appear before them.

"So the attempt to harass me by their reminder of 9th December 2015,
which was leaked to the media on the 10th of December 2015 , the same
day as it was delivered to my house in Warri is an unnecessary and
face saving effort at brinksmanship.

"As a full blooded Ijaw man and citizen of Nigeria, I have done
everything in my power to follow the laws of Nigeria. Since the
amnesty declared in 2009 by late President Yar' Adua I have strained
myself to ensure that we all live in peace in this country. Those who
think they can push us to war must rethink the necessity of such a
war.

"They froze our business accounts since August 4th 2015, but we have
not quarrelled with anybody. We sued them to court, they refused to
come to court. Now they are threatening to declare me wanted".

On the threat by the EFCC to declare him wanted, Tompolo vowed that he
would not be intimidated, adding, "The threat to declare me wanted is
an unnecessary attempt to heat up the polity. I will go about my daily
business, usual".

Pastor, Juju Priest Paraded Naked In Imo [PHOTO]

PHOTO: The pastor and alleged Juju priest stripped stark naked

A certain pastor believed to be the founder of Holiness of Heaven
Ministries, was at the weekend in Orlu, Imo State, paraded
stark-naked, alongside his accomplice, an alleged 'juju' priest. The
pastor according to reports, was until the ugly incident, 'very
powerful' and performed numerous miracles, ranging from prophesying to
healing of the sick.

It was gathered that the pastor's new wife allegedly raised the alarm
of his husband's association with a very dangerous native doctor
within the community. It was further gathered that irate village youth
raided the pastor's church and personal chambers, where a lot of
fetish items were allegedly discovered.

Consequently, the church and the shrine of the juju priest was razed
down before the alleged ritualists were paraded around town naked.

Nnamdi Kanu’s Bail Application: Court Sets December 17 For Ruling

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed Thursday, December 17, to
rule on whether to admit on bail, the leader of the Indigenous People
Of Biafra and operator of Radio Biafra, Mr Nnamdi Kanu.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola gave the date on Monday in Abuja, Nigeria's
capital after taking arguments from both parties involved in the bail
application.

Mr Kanu had been in detention of the Department of State Services
(DSS) since October, when he was apprehended by operatives of the
agency.

Reacting to the bail application, counsel to the DSS, Moses Idakwo,
asked the court not to admit the suspect on bail because he was
allegedly involved in terrorism acts.

Mr Idakwo told Justice Ademola that the Federal Government was in
possession of details of the accused person's bank accounts in U.S.
dollars and pound sterling from where he had been financing terrorism
acts against the country.

The counsel also submitted that Kanu has dual citizenship of Britain
and Nigeria and that he could flee and escape justice if allowed to go
on bail.

Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, Vincent Obeta, dismissed the claims of the DSS
on the grounds that they were speculative and not supported with any
documents or facts.

Why We Are Buying N4.7billion Worth Of Cars – Nigerian Senate

PHOTO: Senator Bukola Saraki, Nigeria's Senate President


The Nigerian Senate has responded to reports by online news platform,
Premium Times, that it plans to illegally spend an estimated N4.7
billion on exotic cars for its President, Bukola Saraki, and 108 other
members.

In a statement signed by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Chairman,
Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, the senate claimed that the
vehicles are to be used for execution of committee assignments, noting
that, they are not meant for individual senators.

Premium Times had reported that the purchase of the cars in the guise
of buying it for committees is a ploy to circumvent the monetisation
policy of government which forbids the purchase of official cars for
public officials.

Under the policy, no new vehicles should be purchased by any agency of
government for use by public officials.
Rather, public officers and political office holders are to receive
250 per cent of their annual basic salary as motor vehicle loan, which
translates to N5.07 million for each senator and N545,000,000 million
for 109 senators and not N4.7billion as quoted by the senate.

Sources at the National Assembly however said the Senators got these
loans before also proceeding to acquire these new Toyota Land
Cruisers.
The Senate spokesperson also said the cars in Mr. Saraki's convoy are
so old that they are begging for replacement.

Yet Premium Times learnt the cars were only supplied shortly before
the end of the last legislative session in June.

Mr. Abdullahi did not also explain why 10 cars were being bought for
Mr. Saraki when the law only provides for six cars for him.

Read the full statement by the senate below

PROJECT VEHICLES FOR COMMITTEE WORK, SAYS SENATE

"The vehicles are not meant for individual Senators. They are
purchased for the use of the committees.

"For those who may want to find out what happened to the ones bought
in the past, we cannot expect that after four years, the vehicles will
still be in the condition to effectively serve the present committees.
The best practice in government institutions and even private
organizations is for official vehicles allocated to top officials
after four years of use to be sold at the depreciated value",
Abdullahi stated.

"We have been very frugal, responsive and responsible in our
spendings. We have also cut down on several expenses.
However, there are certain expenses and purchases that are normal in
government and any organisation generally. The legislature is not an
exception.

"With respect to the official vehicles of the Senate President, it
should be noted that majority of the vehicles in his convoy are his
personal vehicles while some of the vehicles that he inherited,
including his official vehicles and the back up car, are so old that
they are already developing faults and not fit for long journey. We
can recall that on several occasions, his official car broke down.
Three instances will suffice here. I remember on a visit to Nasarawa
state for a wedding of the daughter of a colleague. Other occasions
were at the National Mosque three weeks ago and at the Abuja airport.

"The implication is that the vehicles in his official convoy are so
old that they are already causing embarrassment for the Senate. The
media should know that a man of his antecedent will not at this point
be excited with purchase of new cars. His official cars are really
long overdue for replacement.

"The media should avoid deliberately portraying the legislature as
irresponsible and inciting the people against it. We seek the
understanding of the media to explain issues and situations to the
people. Both the media and the legislature have different roles to
play in sustaining our democracy and none should be seen to be
undermining the other."

-PMNews

Nigerian Troops Arrest Shi’ite Sect Leader, Kill 2 Aides

Nigerian troops arrested the leader of a minority Shi'ite Muslim sect
and killed his deputy and chief spokesman in raids on his house and
other buildings on Sunday, the group said, a day after shooting dead
seven others in a clash in the northern city of Zaria.

The spate of violence began on Saturday when sect members tried to
block a convoy carrying army chief of staff Lieutenant Colonel Tukur
Buratai to a swearing-in ceremony for army recruits in Zaria,
witnesses said.

The confrontation occurred as members of the sect, known as the
Islamic Movement, were conducting their annual "Changing of Flags"
ritual to usher in the month of Maulud, the birth month of the Prophet
Mohammed at their headquarters in Zaria.

On Sunday, state Police Commissioner Shehu Umar said Islamic Movement
leader Ibrahim Zakzaky had been arrested by the military in an
early-morning raid on his home, but declined to give details.

In the course of the raids, Zakzaky's deputy Muhammad Turi, who is
normally based in Nigeria's second city Kano, was killed as was the
sect spokesman, Ibrahim Usman, at Zakzaky's house, group members said.

Usman had shortly old Reuters by phone that he was on his way to
Zakzaky's residence.

Ibrahim Zakzaky
On Saturday, Usman had said at least seven people were killed in the
clash over the convoy but the army had carted the bodies away. A sect
statement on Sunday said that "tens of other members" had been killed
and named seven people, including Turi.
Reuters was not able to independently verify the number of casualties
and the army declined to comment.

Zaria residents said that they heard loud blasts on Sunday morning.
The area around Zakzaky's house was cordoned off and a Reuters
reporter was unable to get close to the scene.

"We are hearing loud bangs and thick smoke from our houses," said
nearby resident Saminu Jalil.

An army spokesman, Colonel Sani Usman, accused sect members of trying
to assassinate Buratai on Saturday and said that soldiers were forced
to shoot in defence when sect members refused to move out of the
convoy's way and became violent.

"The sect, numbering hundreds and carrying dangerous weapons,
barricaded the roads with bonfires, heavy stones and tyres. They
refused all entreaties to disperse and then started firing and pelting
the convoy with dangerous objects."

Zakzaky denied the accusations before his arrest.
"We learnt that (Buratai) was visiting…newly graduated recruits and
that coincided with our day of Changing of Flags, which we do
annually. We had no intention of doing anything as claimed by the
soldiers," he said following the incident.

Most of Nigeria's tens of millions of Muslims are Sunni, including the
Boko Haram jihadist militant group that has killed thousands of people
in bombings and shootings mainly in the northeast of Africa's biggest
energy producer since 2009.

But there are also several thousand Shi'ites, mostly followers of
Zakzaky, who movement was inspired by the 1979 Islamic Revolution in
Shi'ite Iran.
Zakzaky's followers are generally viewed as peaceful but a similar
altercation between the sect and the army occurred last year during a
procession. Zakzaky said that 30 followers and three of his children
were killed.

At the end of November, a suicide bomber killed at least 21 members of
the Shi'ite group during its annual procession from Nigeria's second
city Kano to Zaria to pay homage to Zakzaky.

Boko Haram later claimed the attack on the Shi'ite procession.

-PMNews

Imo West: Appeal Court Affirms Uzodinma’s Election

The Court of Ap­peal sitting in Ow­erri, Imo State, on Friday
dismissed the petition filed by Os­ita Izunaso of the All Progressives
Congress (APC), challenging the election of Senator Hope Uzodinma as
the senator representing Imo West in the April 11, 2015 National
As­sembly Election and af­firmed the election of Uzodinma.

Izunaso had approached the Appeal Court to upturn the verdict of the
National/ State House of Assembly Election Tribunal in Ow­erri
presided over by Justice Ali Garba from Yobe State, which dismissed
his case for lack of merit.

At the tribunal, the 3-mem­ber panel in a unanimous de­cision held
that Izunaso failed to prove that there were no elections in three
local gov­ernment areas of the senatori­al district, namely, Oru-East,
Oguta and Ohaji-Egbema and consequently threw out the matter.

The tribunal relied on the uncontroverted evidence led by the
respondents in proof of the election of April 11, 2015 and further
held that the petitioner failed to prove that the first respondent
(Senator Hope Uzodimma) did not score the majority of the law­ful
votes cast in the election. It also held that the Izunaso failed to
prove that he scored the majority of the lawful votes in the said
election.

During the tribunal trial, the parties testified and called witnesses,
which the panel distilled the evidence presented before it by both
parties and came to the con­clusion that the evidence of the
respondents were more credible and accordingly confirmed the
overwhelm­ing victory of Senator Hope Uzodinma.

But undeterred, Izunaso took the matter to the Appeal Court, which
again dismissed the case and upheld the elec­tion of Uzodinma.

It would be recalled that the petition by the APC can­didate was
earlier dismissed before another tribunal head­ed by Justice A. Y.
Sanya, which held that the petitioner, Izunazo, abandoned his
peti­tion by failing to pay the ap­propriate filling fees for
pre-hearing.

The tribunal therefore de­clared that for failing to pay the
appropriate fees as re­quired by law, Izunaso had abandoned his
petition and that there was consequently no petition before it.

However, Izunaso took the matter to the Appeal Court in Owerri, Imo
State which ruled that the case should be heard on its merit. But
again, he failed.

Reacting to the ruling, an elated Senator Hope Uzodin­ma attributed
the victory to the will of God and the over­whelming confidence his
constituents reposed in him.

He said that throughout the duration of the trial, he had absolute
confidence in the judicial system and the will of God and most
importantly, the firm conviction that the will of the people must
pre­vail.

-TheSunNews

Dream Team VI Win African U-23 Cup

Nigeria's U-23 team also known as Dream Team VI have won the African
U-23 Cup in Dakar, Senegal.

The Samson Siasia-led team drew the first blood in the first half
through Ogenekaro Etebo through a penalty only to give away the lead
to Algeria by an own goal to put the scores at 1-1 at the end of the
first half.

Nigeria carried the day by scoring the second goal in the second half.

In the third place match played earlier, South Africa defeated host
Senegal through a penalty shootout after the game ended goalless at
full time.

Court Of Appeal Sacks 3 Rivers Senators, 12 House Of Reps Members

It was a tsunami of sort for the Rivers State chapter of Peoples
Democratic Party on Friday as Abuja division of Court of Appeal in a
judgment delivered late into the night sacked two senators and seven
House of Representatives members elected on the platform of the party
in the 2015 general elections.

The Court had kicked off the series of judgments, 14 in all, including
some cross appeals on Friday afternoon with the sack of two senators –
Osinakachukwu Idoezu (Rivers South-West Senatorial District) and John
Olaka-Nwogo (Rivers South-East) based on petitions by their All
Progressives Congress, APC challengers in the election.

In the unanimous decision of the three man panel read by Justice Ali
Gumel, the Appellate Court voided the elections of the two senators
based on what the Justices described as failure of the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) to comply substantially with the
provisions of the Electoral Act and other guidelines for the March 28,
2015 National Assembly Election in the conduct of the polls.

Justice Gumel noted that key elements of the voting process like
accreditation of voters, use of card reader machines, voters' register
and other election guidelines in majority of the voting centres, were
not adhered to, an action which he said led to manipulations of the
process.

He therefore ruled that the elections were conducted without adherence
to set guidelines and therefore cannot stand in the face of the law.

The Judge particularly censored INEC for what it described as its
failure to ensure strict adherence to the guidelines it set out for
the election such as use of card reader.

In a series of abridged rulings for lack of time to read the full
judgments, the Justices also annulled the election of Boma Goodhead,
the member representing Asari Toru/Akuku Toru Federal Constituency,
Hon. Ken Chikere (PDP) Port Harcourt I Federal constituency election,
Randolf Brown for Bonny/Degema Federal Constituency, Dum Deekor of
Tai/Eleme/Oyigbo Federal Constituency, Betty Apiafi Ahoada East/Abua
Federal Constituency, Awaji Inombek Abiante of Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro
federal constituency and Dimnamene Deekor of Khana/Gokhana federal
constituency.

However, while the three Justices of the Court were unanimous in the
decision to annul the elections of six of the representatives, the
voiding of the election of Honourable Betty Apiafi was a split 2:1
decision, with Justice Nonyerem Okoronkwo reading a minority judgment
in which he disagreed with his two colleagues.

Contrary to the assertions of his colleagues in the majority judgment,
Justice Okoronkwo said the petitioner failed to prove his assertions
that Ahoada East/Abua federal constituency election was marred by
malpractices, violence and wrongful allocation of votes. He therefore
held that elections held in the constituency and Rep Apiafi was
properly elected.

The same court had earlier on Thursday nullified the election of
Blessng Nsiegbe of Port Harcourt federal constituency II, Kingsley
Chinda of Obio Akpor Federal Constituency, Boniface Emerangwa of
Ikwerre/ Emohua Federal Constituency, Bright Gogo Tamuno of
Okrika/Ogu/Bolo Federal Constituency, and Hon. Jerome Eke of
Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency.

With the sack of his 12 colleagues, Uche Nnam Obi of Ahoada
West//Egbeama/Ndoni Federal Constituency elected on the platform of
PDP is the only surviving representatives of Rivers State in the House
of Representatives. The court also ordered rerun elections to be
conducted into the now vacant senatorial and House of Representatives
seats with 60 days.