by Oge Okonkwo
PDP sues Speaker, 20 Kwara lawmakers for defecting to APC
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sued the Speaker, Razak Atunwa, and 20 other members of the Kwara State House of Assembly to court over their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The appeal was made by the state chapter of the PDP and a suspended member of the assembly, Iliasu Ibrahim, in the suit filed at the Federal High Court, Ilorin, on Friday, asking the court to declare the seats of the 21 lawmakers vacant.
The plaintiffs joined the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as a defendant in the suit Number FHC/IL/C5/4/2014.
Vanguard reports:
The originating summons was supported by a 24-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Mr. Ibrahim.
The plaintiffs urged the court to evoke provisions of Sections 109 sub-section 1 (g), 153 (f) and 15 (a) of Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution.
They averred that the defendants had vacated their seats in the assembly.
According to the plaintiffs, the lawmakers ought to vacate their seats in the House since they defected from the PDP on which platform they secured the seats.
The PDP and Mr. Ibrahim are also asking the court to order the INEC to conduct fresh elections to fill the seats allegedly vacated by the legislators.
The plaintiffs claimed that this would be in line with the provisions of Sections 153 (f) and 15 (a) of Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution.
They urged the court to restrain the defected lawmakers from parading themselves as members of the House or performing duties relating to their respective offices.
The plaintiffs also prayed the court to order the defected legislators to refund and return to the state’s treasury, any money they collected as from January 22, when they defected to APC.
No date has been fixed for hearing on the case.
Before the lawmakers defected to the APC, the state governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, had in November 2013, decamped to the APC.
Lagos licences private firms to operate slaughter slabs
Arrangements have been made by the Lagos State Government to issue license to prospective private companies to upgrade existing slaughtering slabs in the state to international standard.
The state government has also commenced transformaton of the Oko-Oba Abattoir, Agege from its traditional operations.
This was disclosed by Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, after a stakeholders’ meeting yesterday with the operators of Oko-Oba abattoir, Agege.
Vanguard reports:
According to him, as part of improving the conditions at the Lagos abattoir, the following remedies were being given attention: licensing private companies to avert all existing slaughtering slab locations to mechanized process and removal of illegal structures, access control, waste management, food safety hygiene and quality control, developing standard operational procedures for animal markets and the meat supply chain-abattoir.
Lawal said the measure was part of the ministry’s pro-active step to further ensure wholesome, healthier meat distribution to its citizenry.
While affirming that meat being distributed in the state was healthy for consumption, the commissioner noted that the ministry recently clamped down on illegal abattoirs and slaughter slabs operating in order to avert incidents of diseased infected animals.
According to him; “Animals slaughtered at illegal abattoirs are not hygienic and not compliant with the relevant laws governing meat slaughtering in the state.”
APC plans to extend membership registration in Borno
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Borno chapter, on Friday said the party would consider the extension of the ongoing membership registration to ensure wide coverage in the state.
Speaking to newsmen in Maiduguri,the statement was made by Kaka Yale, the Interim Chairman of the party.
Senator Yale said the extension might be necessitated by the delay in the beginning of the exercise in the state.
Vanguard reports:
He, however, said that the exercise was successfully taking place in spite of the delay.
“This is mainly due to late inauguration of the state interim management committee and the training of the registration officials.
“Actually, we might be forced to seek for an extension from the national headquarters to capture all our members, especially due to our peculiar situation.”
Yale said the prevailing security challenges in the state would not affect the conduct of the exercise.
We’ll be embarrassed if Jonathan refuses to contest in 2015 – Ijaw students
Some Ijaw students’ groups in Niger Delta, yesterday, said that they will not be happy if President Goodluck Jonathan fails to seek a fresh mandate in 2015.
Vanguard reports:
In a statement by the leaders of Izon-Ebe Students, National Association of Izon-Ebe Law Students, NAILS, and National Associaiton of Izon-Ebe English Students, NAIES, Ebi Wayas and others, said: ‘’President Jonathan’s concern for building quality and affordable education for Nigerian students cannot be over estimated.
“Students of Ijaw nation and Niger Delta region will always give their support to Jonathan to show gratitude for his rapid transformation of education and other sectors of the economy. We have confidence in the person of Jonathan for better Nigeria, despite the orchestrated efforts of some unscrupulous elements in the country to make him unpopular and unacceptable.”
Oshiomhole pledges to get rid Of quack teachers in Edo
Governor of Edo state, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo on Friday said that his administration was determined to get rid of quack teachers in the state.
Oshiomhole made the statement at Sabongida-Ora, when he inaugurated the local government information office of the Department of State Security Services (DSS) in the Owan-West Local Government Council of Edo.
He said the teaching profession in the state had been infiltrated by quacks who do not have what it takes to be teachers.
Leadership reports:
“The teaching profession has been infiltrated by quacks that have no business being in the classrooms.
“This is why the government is determined to ensure that only those with the right qualification will be allowed to do the job,” he said.
Oshiomhole said the office being inaugurated would help in reducing crime in the area.
He called on traditional rulers and stakeholders to support the state government in its efforts to reform theeducation sector in the state.
“The only way to eradicate crime is to ensure good and functional education for the children, especially at the primary level,’’ he said.The Director of DSS in Edo, Mr Bandul Bakore, said the inauguration of the office in the area was to complete the efforts of the state government in ensuring adequate security in the area.
The Council Chairman, Mr Godwin Aigbodion, pledged the council’s commitment to collaborate with the DSS, to ensure the security of lives and property in the area.