COURT DISMISSES AMAECHI’S SUIT AGAINST WIKE’S INAUGURATION

Efforts by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, to stop the inauguration of the State governor-elect, Chief Nyesom Wike, as the state governor on May 29 suffered a set-back yesterday as the Federal High Court sitting in Owerri Imo State, struck out a suit instituted by the governor.
The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Worgu Boms, and the APC had in suit number FHC/OW/CS/100/2015 asked the court to stop the inauguration of Wike and the deputy governor-elect, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, on May 29.
But at the sitting of the court yesterday, the presiding judge, Justice S. M. Shuaibu, struck out the matter on the grounds that his court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
Counsel to Amaechi and the APC, Beluolisa Nwofor (SAN), had argued that the court could hear the suit as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that was listed as the third defendant, the police (listed as the eighth defendant) and the Department of State Security (DSS), listed as the 10th defendant, all had offices in Owerri.

OKONJO-IWEALA BAGS HONORARY DOCTORATE DEGREE FROM YALE

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has received an honorary Doctorate degree from Yale University, one of the United State of America’s most prestigious institutions of higher learning.
The Minister was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters at Yale’s 2015 Commencement Ceremony in New Haven, Connecticut Monday.
She will be only the second Nigerian in the university’s 314-year history to receive its highest honour after Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka who received an honorary Doctor of Letters in 1980.
Giving out the award, the President of the University, Professor Peter Salovey described Okonjo-Iweala as “a brilliant reformer and dedicated public servant.”

PDP CRISIS DEEPENS AS FANI-KAYODE CALLS NWC MEMBERS COWARDS, TRAITORS

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday took a new dimension as the Director of Media and Publicity of the party’s presidential campaign organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, described some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party as traitors, ingrate and cowards not deserving of their offices.
Fani-Kayode dismissed the allegations of hate campaigns allegedly orchestrated by the campaign directorate as one of the reasons why President Goodluck Jonathan lost the presidential election and indeed PDP losing the general election.
He called on the NWC members to resign if they have any modicum of dignity as some Labour leaders did after losing elections in the United Kingdom.
Fani-Kayode also accused the NWC of using hate campaigns against the All Progressives Congress (APC) as it described APC as a ‘Janjaweed’ and Taliban party.
The National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisa Metuh, had last week said President Jonathan lost the presidential election because of the hate campaigns introduced by the presidential campaign organisation of the party.

I’M STILL IN PDP, ORUBEBE

 Erstwhile Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe Tuesday dscribed media reports that he was leaving the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to All Progressive Congress, APC, as the handiwork of mischief makers.
Elder Orubebe was alleged to have purportedly posted on his twitter handle @EderGOrubebe, “I have concluded plans to join my folks in the APC to champion and sustain the movement for a better Niger Delta in the new administration.”
But in a statement through his media Aide, Mr. Ekenwan Akwagbe, a copy of which was made available to Vanguard in Abuja, Orubebe described the reports as false and malicious propaganda aimed at tarnishing his image.
According to him, “News making the rounds and going virile in the internet and published by an online newspaper that Elder Godsday Orubebe, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs has defected to the All Progressives Congress is not only mischievous but malicious and intended to tarnish the good image of Elder Orubebe.

PDP House of Assembly Candidates withdraw Cases at Tribunal Against APGA Memeber Elects

The towering stature of the governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano has continued to grow in the state as twenty one PDP candidates who contested for seats in the recent House of Assembly elections have decided to either withdraw their petitions from the Election Petitions Tribunal or stay action on any further challenge of their electoral losses in courts.

In a Communiqué issued in Amawbia after holding fruitful deliberations with the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Nkem Okeke, the group declared that their decision to desist from any acrimonious legal battles to wrestle victory from their APGA counterparts who emerged victories at the polls was in a bid to enable them to “cooperate with the Executive Governor, Chief Willie Obiano to move Anambra State forward in view of the good works which he is presently doing in the state.”

BUHARI APPOINTS FEMI ADESINA SPECIAL ADVISER ON MEDIA AND PUBLICITY

Less than 10 days to the inauguration of his administration, the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, may have made his first official appointment by naming the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Sun newspapers, Mr. Femi Adesina, as his Special Adviser (SA) on Media and Publicity.

Adesina's appointment, though yet to be formally announced, is said to have been concluded but merely waiting for some formality before the official announcement.

Already, the management of The Sun Newspaper, it was gathered, is concluding plans to re-organise its management structure following Adesina's impending departure.

Adesina was recently re-elected as the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) for another term of two years.
The NGE president was returned unopposed at the 2015 bi-ennial convention of the Guild which held in Lagos by his colleagues, most of whom described his tenure as the “best the Guild has ever had.”

With his new appointment, Adesina also becomes the second person to be so appointed while serving as the president of the Guild of Editors. The first person was the late Mrs. Remi Oyo, who was the SA, Media and Publicity to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Armed Robbers Invade Silverbird Awka, Cart Away Valuables Worth Millions of Naira

The emergence of the Governor Willie Obiano led administration has no doubt brought succor and hope to the people and residents of Anambra state, while the giant stride recorded in combating insecurity challenges in the state is on assumable, but some unscrupulous element vowed to make sure the perceived peace recorded would not be maintained.

The unfortunate incident that left many question unanswered was the invasion by some yet to be identified armed robbers that invaded Silverbird Communications Office Awka, carting away equipment and damaging offices keys and locks left many resident bewildered that the sudden attacks on Media houses in the country need a call to enhance security in the media houses by all relevant authorities.

ECOWAS leaders bid Jonathan farewell, hail Nigeria’s transition

ECOWAS leaders on Tuesday in Accra paid glowing tribute to President Goodluck Jonathan for his contributions to regional peace, security and overseeing the conduct of successful elections in Nigeria.
Speakers at the opening of the 47th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government hailed President Jonathan for conceding defeat to President-elect Muhammadu Buhari in the presidential election in Nigeria.
The one-day summit was Mr. Jonathan’s valedictory appearance at the regional summit, as President of Nigeria, before the May 29 inauguration of Buhari.
President John Mahama of Ghana, the Chairman of the ECOWAS, opened the tributes when he described Mr. Jonathan’s conduct in the aftermath of the elections as “a personal show of mature statesmanship’’.
Mr. Mahama’s speech was greeted with a resounding applause to Jonathan by delegations at the summit.
“I believe that his name (Jonathan) will be recorded in a special place when the history of Nigeria’s democracy will be written.
“Let me also on this occasion salute Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, for his victory in the presidential election,” Mahama said.
The ECOWAS chairman expressed the hope that the successful conduct of the general elections in Nigeria and Togo would be replicated in forthcoming elections in Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Guinea.

Zoning not in APC agenda – Bisi Akande

The former Interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Bisi Akande, has said that zoning of political offices has never been the position of the party and rejected the notion that the party was standing in the way of any qualified senator in its fold to contest the position of Senate President.

The APC chieftain said it was the Peoples Democratic Party that brought zoning into Nigeria’s polity and that no way would his party adopt the debilitating tradition.

“Zoning is not part of APC,” he said. “It is a PDP arrangement and we will not practice it. What you see with the Senate Presidency is us trying to ensure there is no rancour amongst the senators. Of course, we want the best man to emerge and that is what will happen.

I am Hale & Hearty Now – Pastor Tunde Bakare

Outspoken Nigeria pastor, Tunde Bakare, who collapsed Monday while giving a lecture to a group of investors in Lagos is “hale, hearty and in good spirit though in need of rest,” his church, the Latter Rain Assembly said through its social media handles. 

While thanking followers of Mr Bakare, who is also an influential social activist and one of the most relentless critics of governments, for their outpouring of love and concern, the church said he needs “the space and time to fully recuperate over the next few days”.