Breaking News This Evening, October 19, 2020

Currently they are trying to gain entrance at Oko Prison, to release prisoners.

Recall that the Edo state government had imposed 24-hour curfew across the state, following incidents of vandalism and attacks on private individuals and institutions by hoodlums in the guise of #ENDSARS protesters.

2. Uzodimma vows to remove barriers to speedy access to justice

Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has said that his administration is committed to removing barriers hindering speedy access to justice in the state.

The governor also said that his administration would put mechanisms in place to ensuring that all citizens of the state have easy access to justice.

Uzodinma stated this at the launch of the Justice Transformation Strategy in Owerri, the state capital.

The program was organized by the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HIIL), Netherlands.

The governor also hinted at the need for speedy dispensation of justice in the country, stressing that access to justice for everyone irrespective of social class and political affiliation, should never be compromised.

He disclosed that he would constitute a seven-man committee to work towards ensuring that the average person in the state, especially the rural dwellers, find justice accessible and affordable.

He said, “The event that brought us here today is a true reflection of my personal conviction that all human beings should indeed have access to justice.

“In line with the 3R mantra of my administration, we will work with HIIL to rehabilitate what is broken that hinders people from accessing justice; embark on the reconstruction of the true hope of the common man and ensure the recovery of Imo people’s confidence that justice can be accessible, affordable and easy to use.”

He continued, “Two things are clear from this process: we have to incorporate Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) into our justice process using the multi-door courthouse already in place; secondly, we must look into digitalization of the land registry in the state with rural land included to reduce land dispute.

“My administration recognizes these as true game-changers that are capable of transforming justice in Imo State and impacting the lives of our people.”

The HIIL Country Representative, Ijeoma Nwafor, applauded the programme, stressing that it would help to bring innovations in the justice sector and ensuring that people are carried along.

They further disclosed that the programme was the aftermath of the coming together of critical stakeholders across all walks of life, to deliberate on goals that would make justice accessible to all in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 16.3, which seeks to achieve access to justice for all.

Nwafor said the strategy would also, make citizens aware of their human rights; become aware of avenues to resolve their justice needs, and update them on any new developments in the justice sector.

3. IGP Adamu Files 20 Grounds Of Appeal At Supreme Court

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu has filed 20 grounds of appeal at the Supreme Court to challenge the judgement that voided the recruitment of 10,000 constables by the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, last year.

The IGP, NPF and Federal Ministry of Police Affairs, through their lawyer, Dr. Alex Izinyon, SAN, urged the apex court to set-aside a judgment the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal delivered on September 30, which invalidated the recruitment process.

The appellants further prayed the Supreme Court to stay the execution of the verdict of the appellate court.

A three-man panel of the Court of Appeal led by Justice Olabisi Ige had in the contested judgment, unanimously held that the IGP and NPF lacked the power to recruit the constables.

READ ALSO: #EndSARS: IGP reveals criteria used in selecting SWAT team

The appellate court held that the power to carry out the recruitment was exclusively vested on the Police Service Commission.

Consequently, the appellate court not only vacated an earlier judgment of the Federal High Court Abuja that upheld the power of the IGP to carry out the recruitment exercise, it voided the actual recruitment of the 10,000 constables.

Meanwhile, insisting that the process had already been concluded, the appellants, argued that the power of the NPF and the IGP to enlist the constables was distinct from the power of the PSC to appoint them.

They faulted the Court of Appeal’s decision that the Nigeria Police Regulations 1968 conferring the power of “enlistment of recruit constables” conferred on the NPF, was inconsistent with the Nigerian Constitution.

The IGP told the Supreme Court that section 71 of the Police Regulation, 1968 was not synonymous with the power of “appointment” used in the Nigerian Constitution or the Police Service Commission (Establishment) Act.

“The power to enlist recruit constables conferred on the 1st appellant (NPF) is distinct and is not the same function conferred on the 1st respondent (PSC),” his lawyer, Izinyon, SAN, argued.

He contended that the procedure for enlistment of recruit constables was specifically provided in section 76 – 106 of the Nigeria Police Regulations, adding that the PSC “is not conferred with absolute power on any power howsoever described to enlist recruit constables into the 1st appellant (NPF).”

He also argued that the Court of Appeal erred in law by relying on the definition of “recruitment” contained in Public Service Rules 2008, which he contended was not applicable to Police Force.

IGP’s lawyer maintained that the Court of Appeal caused a miscarriage of justice and a breach of fair hearing to the detriment of his clients by relying on sections 14 and 15 of the Police Act without giving parties to the case an opportunity to air their views on them before judgment was delivered.

He also contended that the appeal court did not show how the Police Act and the Police Regulations, 1968, made by the President, were inconsistent with the provisions of paragraph 30, Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution.

4. Nigerians in South Africa to march in solidarity with youths on #EndSARS

Hundreds of Nigerians based in South Africa say they will join the #EndSARS protests in solidarity with Nigerian youths who are demanding an end to police brutality and good governance among others.

They made the disclosure in a statement by the President of the Nigeria Union South Africa (NUSA), Mr. Adetola Olubajo, Today in Lagos.

“Nigerians based in South Africa will gather on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020, for a Peaceful Protest March to the High Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Arcadia, Pretoria.

“A memorandum will be submitted to the Nigerian High Commissioner, Amb. Kabir Bala.

“The Peaceful Protest March is in support and in solidarity with Nigerian youths back home in Nigeria with regards to the ongoing #EndSars, #EndSWAT, #EndPoliceBrutality Protest,’’ Olubajo said in the statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He added: “We have been following the protest with keen interest to see what direction the Nigerian government will follow.

“But unsatisfied with the government’s response and pace in dealing with the issue, we deem it fit as Nigerians based in South Africa to join our voices to appeal to the Nigerian government to meet the demands of millions of Nigerian youths all over the world.

“We invite members of the media to cover the Peaceful Protest March.’’

5. Ebonyi Assembly gives PDP 7 days ultimatum to zone Presidential slot to South East

Abakaliki-Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Today gave the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, 7 days ultimatum to zone the 2023 presidential slot to the southeast zone of the country.

Addressing Newsmen in Abakaliki, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru made it clear that if the demands of the House Members were not met, it will pave way for dire consequences for the Party in the State.

Nwifuru who explained that the southeast zone has lots of qualified personalities to run for the presidential position in 2023 added that the zone had paid its dues in the political arena, in order to position it for the presidential slot on the 18 February 2023 Presidential election.

“The unity of our beloved country, Nigeria, has always been hinged on the principles of equity, justice, and fairness. It is on such conventional wisdom that the country has striven to grow and develop equally across all her geopolitical zones.

“In furtherance of the above principles, we, the Honourable Members of the sixth (6th) Ebonyi State House of Assembly, wish to draw the attention of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to the rightful yearning of our industrious and peace-loving people of the southeast Nigeria, that the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 29th May 2023, be zoned to the South East.

“Since the inception of this democracy, the zone has paid its dues having worked assiduously and massively voted for all the presidential candidates of our great party – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), when the people of the South West in the year 1999 and 2003, the people of North West in 2007, the people of South-South in 2011 and 2015, the people of the North East in 2019, all contested for Presidency.

“It is on record that since the inception of democracy in this country, from 1999 till date, the five (5) States of the South East have always delivered the presidential candidates of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), 100 per cent.

“It is only appropriate in the spirit of democracy, equity, justice, and fairness that the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 2023, be zoned to the South East.

“South East has presidential personalities, people who are globally renowned, reliable, acceptable, tested and trusted to the position; having discharged their duties efficiently and effectively in the positions held before now.

“Persons like Peter Obi (Former PDP Vice Presidential Candidate in the 2019 elections and former Governor of Anambra State), Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim (former Senate President and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation), Sen. Ike Ekweremmadu (former 3-time Deputy President of the Senate), Sen. Theodore Orji (former Governor of Abia State), Achike Udenwa (former governor of Imo State), and a host of others. So we have qualified people who are very much available for this position.

“We did not mention our Governors not because they are not qualified but these highly qualified persons are not holding positions currently and there are other eminent qualified Igbo leaders as well who are trusted, competent, capable and reliable. That tells you, gentlemen of the press that we are not asking for what we don’t have, so our party should not turn this request down.

“On this note, we are giving our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), 7 days ultimatum to convocated the National Executive Committee of the party and zone the position of the Presidency to southeast Nigeria, especially as INEC has officially announced the date of the presidential elections.

“In no minimal measure, this will further develop and unite our dear country.

“Equally, the party should not contemplate removing the National Chairman of the Party, Prince Uche Secundus as it is customary that the zone (South) from where the National Chairman comes from produces the Presidential Candidate of the Party. If this advise is not adhered to, it will further divide and destabilize the party along sectional and regional lines.

“Failure to adhere to these kind requests will cost our party heavily and we, the Honourable Members of the 6th Ebonyi State House of Assembly will leave no stone unturned in taking decisive actions to ensure that traditions and dividends of democracy are respected in our party.”

Many political actors have speculated that the State House of Assembly members were preparing the ground for their eventual defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC, not minding some dissenting voices within them.

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