In less than three months to the end of his administration, the Delta State Governor, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, in what seems to be a recapitulation of his administration’s performance, met with journalists in Delta State while he inaugurated and commissioned the newly built Press Centre at Government House, Asaba.

Speaking at the event today the 13^th day of March 2023 at Government House Asaba, the PDP Vice Presidential candidate in the just concluded presidential election ceased the opportunity to thank all critical stakeholders comprising civil servants, the press, royal fathers, religious leaders, president generals of community development unions, youths and women for their various contributions towards the success of his administration. He however, admitted that the first two years of his administration was turbulent, challenged by spill-over liabilities from previous administrations but no sooner than later the tide was over as he recounted numerous outstanding projects embarked upon by his administration while taking positives from the success his administration has recorded so far.

Speaking further, Okowa expressed optimism that the people are happy with the level of road development in the State so far especially the riverine areas of Burutu and Okerenkoko communities as he affirmed that the road networked paved so far by his administration is quite unprecedented. “We’ve done a lot on road construction; there are many things we do, we do not shout about; we’ve constructed a lot of bridges and we’re still constructing more and I know the work is ongoing. Can I finish all of these before May 29? Not likely”; the Governor admitted as he assured the next administration will continue with his good works.

Allaying fears that the present administration could have hibernated barely 2 months to the expiration of his tenure, the Governor said that his administration is still working tirelessly on completion of projects like the bridges of Beneku and Orherhe Rivers amongst other which his administration is committed to bringing to completion. He confirmed that contractors for these projects have been mobilized adequately and expressed optimism that continuity is something that works for Delta State.

On erosion and drainage system, the Governor said he has done over 1000km drainage system across Delta State, especially the stormy erosion along Okpanam road which he conquered  a few years ago but not too visible now for people to see because it had been buried underground. He further confirmed that similar erosion control project has been embarked upon in Warri which is at 70% progress, with over #20bn spend so far in flood control and drainage construction projects. “I could have put that #20bn on road construction but I don’t want to be that kind of politician to earn a name, rather want to build a foundation of road network that would last longer.

The press briefing by the State Governor recapitulated his administration’s gallant developmental stride while dispelling criticism bordering on sundry issues such as alleged bogus loans secured by Delta State Government lately which the Governor otherwise termed as “bridging finance”, concession of Delta Line Transportation and Asaba Airport to private sector, multiplicity of universities in Delta State with corresponding hike in tuition fee, focus on entrepreneurial education and vocational training by job creation office, the conundrum in contributory pensions scheme, local governments’ handicap in paying pensions and salaries, civil servants arrears, amongst other. The Governor in his concluding remarks assured that his administration will not relent but continue to do its best to finish strongly.

In a vote of thanks, the Chairman of NUJ Delta State Chapter, Cmr. Michael Ikeogwu thanked the Governor for his gallant developmental stride across the state and craved his indulgence, amongst other demands, to make good some of his promises to NUJ before he leaves office by May 29^th.

Top government functionaries and journalists from across the state were present at event which culminated in a Q&A session where the Governor fielded questions from journalists on critical issues ranging from the welfare of journalists/civil servants to the present state of politics and the polity in Delta State.

By Cmr. Wilbet Ijeoma

Three-time Honourable Member, Delta State House of Assembly, former Deputy Speaker of the House and APC Deputy Governorship candidate in Delta State, Rt Hon. Friday Osanebi charged Delta youths to be more concerned about their future as the State prepares for governorship election on 11th March 2023.

While addressing the youths yesterday at Benvo Hall, Kwale in a one-day interactive session  titled “Galvanizing support for the party’s victory next Saturday: The role of the youth”, the three-time Honourable Member DTHA commended the spirit and outing of the Labour Party supporters popularly known as “Obidients”, and charged APC party supporters to imbibe the “Obidients” spirit  displayed the just concluded presidential election which made them a force to be reckoned with.

The APC Deputy Governorship candidate’s discussion with youths was centred on why they cannot win election; in other words; what could stop them from winning the forthcoming gubernatorial election. He underscored two pointers to winning elections; which are by being honest and keep saying it; talk to one person, the person talk to another person, and so on. He commended the commitment and determination of Obidients and urged that such spirit should be displayed by youths across Delta in choosing who becomes their Governor and Deputy Governor. “My encouragement to them (Obidients) is not give up. It is a wake up call for the President of Nigeria and every other office holder to do well. They’ve always underestimated the power of the youth”, Osanebi remarked. He emphasize that  youths should come out en mass to vote for him as a person and not the party just like in the case of Peter Obi where Obidients are not party but individual Nigerians who want a change.

The former Deputy Speaker derided the level of humiliation and intimidation the present Okowa-led PDP government has brought upon Ndokwa and urged Ndokwa youths and Deltans to vote out PDP government come next Saturday. “There is nothing PDP government has done for Ndowka people” Osanebi lamented; while juxtaposing what Ndokwa contribute to the state’s and nation’s treasury to what has been done in terms of development in Ndokwa. He further expressed dissatisfaction over the lopsided development of Governor Okowa and marginalization of Ndokwa people.

“I have been a three-time member of DTHA, a former Deputy Speaker, meaning I have all it takes  to be the number two citizen of Delta State; As a youth, I have been a community youth president; I have been Ndokwa National Youth President; I have been a Delta State Youth Coordinator and South South Youth Leader”; Osanebi expressed confidently while charging the youth to support him. In the concluding remarks, the former Deputy Speaker implored the youths to come out en mass and vote for him as a person and not the party in the spirit of “Obidients”.

The town hall meeting was rounded up by a Q&A interactive session, where the APC Deputy Governorship candidate responded to questions as it affects different interest groups in his constituency in Delta State. On the question about the pipeline surveillance job slots that came to Ndokwa, Osanebi responded that only two months have been paid. However, he maintained that the project was not meant for Ndokwa nation specifically but out of his magnanimity, he spread the slots supposedly N200,000  for 85 persons only across thousands of beneficiaries in Ndokwa on a N20,000 stipends.

While assuring the youths that more is coming, the unfolded the plans of his Principal and APC Governorship candidate, DSP Ovie Omo-Agege for the youths,and assured them that he will be a bridge linking the youths in Delta State to the Governor. “My Commissioner for Youths would be younger than me”; Osanebi expressed, as he assured the youths that a new university in Ndokwa nation will be announced soon.

The event was roundly attended by youths across Delta State especially youth representatives from Ukwuani, Ndokwa West and Ndokwa East LGAs, and  Ndokwa National Youth Movement led by its President, Cmr. Benjamin Onwubolu. Also in attendance were Bar Francis Obigbo, APC Deputy State Chairman, Cmr. Chukwutem Nwogor, APC Youth Leader, Delta North, among others.

All Progressive Congress (APC) Chieftain in Delta State and Secretary, APC Presidential Campaign Council in Aniocha South Local Government Area, Delta State, Sir Barrister Joe Asem (KSM) has described the electoral victory of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu as divinely ordained, noting his Presidency would be beneficial to all Nigerians.

While he called for calm among all political stakeholders in the country, Asem, a retired Director, Pension, Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, who played host to APC members at his country home Ewulu in Aniocha South Local Government Area,charged party members to vote APC candidates for Gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections come March 11 2023 across the state.

The APC Chieftain urged party supporters and Deltans at large to vote for Deputy Senate President and APC governorship candidate, Senator Ovie Omo Agege and the House of Assembly candidate of Aniocha Constituency, Prince Rister Izudunor, adding that the people have a lot to benefit from the mainstream politics rather than be in the opposition.

Speaking further, the retired Pensions Director, while  commending the youths for their orderliness before, during and after the Presidential election, charged the people of Ewulu community and Aniocha South LGA to continue in that same spirit of peace and orderliness, and vote massively for APC in the forthcoming Gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections.

Plans to disrupt the collation of results at Delta South Senatorial District collation Centre, Oleh, Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, has been unveiled.

An impeccable source at the collation Centre said he overheard some bigwigs in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of Isoko extraction putting finishing touches on how to mobilize their waiting thugs to invade the venue and chase everybody away.

It was gathered that the All Progressives Congress (APC) Delta South Senatorial hopeful, Hon. JOEL-ONOWAKPO Thomas, was already leading in the counted votes.

The plan according to our source has it that it was obvious that the PDP candidate was no where near victory, hence the plan to disrupt the process which may lead to cancellation of results in the district.

“As I am making this call, there are plans to invade the Centre. I want the security agencies, local and international observers, INEC, the media and the general public to take note. Any attempt to disrupt the process may lead to chaos in the district. “

By Cmr. Wilbet Ijeoma

The Delta State Directorate of National Orientation Agency led by the State Director, Mr. Chris Anyabuine with his team paid advocacy visit to NUJ Delta State Council today 23^rd February 2023 barely two day to the Presidential election in view of reaffirming their partnership in voters education, sensitization and mass mobilization towards achieving a free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria.

The statement of purpose for the visit was made clear by NOA State Director who in the first hand thanked the NUJ Chairman, Cmr. Michael Ikeogwu for receiving him and his team, while congratulating the Chairman on behalf of the Council for the brand new and befitting Press Centre and commending him for the effort towards bringing the project to fruition.

Speaking further, the NOA Delta State Director affirmed that the purpose for the visit is in furtherance to strengthening NOA’s partnership with NUJ, while emphasizing that the mandate of NOA is to enlighten the masses on government’s activities, policies and programmes, as well as positively change attitude to achieve socio-economic benefits. “Our mandate is similar to that of NUJ”; Anyabuine affirmed, as we thanked NUJ for continued and sustained support to NOA towards achieving its mandate.

On voters education, Anyabuine emphasized the need to sensitize the masses adequately so as to know how to vote and conduct themselves before and during elections. In quick specifics, the Delta State NOA Director highlighted his message which are; Come out to vote; shun voters’ apathy, Say no to vote buying and selling, Say no to election violence, Campaign ends 24hrs to election, Do not solicit for votes at polling units and Say no to void votes.

Emphasizing on how voters should conducts themselves during election, Anyabuine said that voters are not supposed to wear vest or shirts with party symbol during election as that is in violation to the Electoral Act. Furthermore, he gave insight on how not to vote by highlighting that after thumb-printing, the ballot ought to be folded outwards and not inwards to avoid multiple impression and void vote.

Reacting to the visit, the Chairman of NUJ Delta State Council, Cmr. Michael Ikeogwu thanked the State Director and his team for the timely visits preparatory to the general elections. The Chairman reaffirmed the importance of media to electioneering processes while commending NOA for their sensitization programmes. Ikeogwu decried the state Nigerians find themselves today and charged the masses to rise and take a decision for a change. “As history beckons, we have to take responsibility to save ourselves from the quagmire we find ourselves today; we must rise as a people to take decision so as to make Nigeria rise from where we are today to where we are supposed to be”; Ikeogwu submitted while thanking NOA for the timely visits.

Others present in the event were the Secretary of NUJ Delta State Council Cmr. Patrick Ochei, Vice Chairman Cmr. Salvation Ogolo, State Auditor Cmr. Celestine Afokobah, Ex Officio Cmr. Ejime Udueme, Secretary NAWOJ Delta State Cmr. Tracy Ikolomi with members of NOA team, among others.

By Cmr. Wilbet Ijeoma

Two days ago, President Muhammadu Buhari is an early morning national broadcast announced to the Nigerian people, in what seems to be an Executive Order, that only the old N200 denomination alongside the new naira notes shall be accepted as a legal tender till 10^th April 2023 which shall be its return date. This has added to the ranks of authorities jostling for a stay in the Nigerian polity. Presently in what seems to be a legal fireworks barely 1 week to the general elections, we have the CBN Act enabling naira redesign, the interim order of the Supreme Court which is the prime custodian of the Constitution, the Nigerian people who makes the law and for whom the law is made, and now the Executive Order of the President.

The partial relief which came in the middle of an interim order by the Supreme Court for a stay of execution of the CBN policy was to cushion the effect on Nigerians caused by paucity of new naira notes and/or inability to access the new notes or fuse seamlessly to the cashless policy within the meaning and intendment of the naira redesign.  Nigerians have been groaning under the pain caused by the deadline as they are unable to get the new notes, while the old notes are being sold to them by Point of Sales (PoS) vendors at exorbitant rates. But what are Nigerians saying in the midst of this controversy and economic quagmire in what seems to be a legal and fiscal battle/fireworks?

Senior Advocate of Nigeria and renowned Human Rights Activist, Femi Falana condemns CBN for disobeying Supreme Court order on Naira swap deadline. He lambasted the CBN for flouting the interim injunction of the Supreme Court suspending the implementation of the 10 February deadline on the use of the old banknotes.

It is in record that the Supreme Court restrained the Federal Government, the CBN and Commercial Banks from implementing the currency swap policy, which made N1,000, N500 and N200 notes no longer legal tender from 10 February 2023. The apex court then fixed Wednesday, 15 February for the hearing of the suit brought by the governments of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara State, in which Ondo, Kano and Ekiti States have indicated interest for joinder.

International monetary regulators and advisors, IMF, has lent their voices to the Federal Government of Nigeria suggesting that the old notes be allowed to ease out within a considerable good time, but the Federal Government and CBN seems to pay deaf ears to the international community.

Deriding the position of the CBN and the posture of the President on naira swap deadline, Femi Falana, SAN, affirmed that an Act enabling any government agency is read at all times subject to the constitution and not the other way round.  “In a country where the rule of law operates, once the Supreme Court has determined a matter or given an order, it is expected that all and sundry – everybody – will comply with the order”, Falana said.

A statement was credited to the CBN that since it was not a party to the case, it’s not going to comply with the order. The CBN seemed to have absorbed itself from the Supreme Court interim order with a claim that it was not made a party to the suit, perhaps relying on the authority of the Supreme Court in BAKARE V. AJOSE-ADEOGUN SUPRA @ 643 PARAS C-D which has this to say;

“it is trite law that is it only when proper parties are before the Court that the Court will be competent to adjudicate on the suit otherwise the Court shall be incompetent. It is foolhardy not to join a proper party to a suit because any decision taken at his absence would not be binding on him.

The CBN must have also relied on the true meaning of a necessary party whom it deemed itself in this case;

A necessary party to proceedings is one whose presence is essential for the complete determination of the claim before the court; he is a person in the absence of whom the claim cannot be effectually and completely determined. In Re: Mogaji (1986) 1NWLR (Pt. 1) referred to.) (P. 429 paras. C – D); Mbanefo v Molokwu (2014) 6 NWLR (Pt. 1403) 377 at 421, Para A-C, per Fabiyi, JSC., thus rendering the suit incompetent, so also the Court.

The CBN could have been relying on the technicality of Constitution based on the above authorities of the Supreme Court itself, and therefore deemed the interim order made by the Supreme Court incompetent which rendered the court incompetent as well. However, several constitutional lawyers and stakeholders have posited otherwise that nobody should feel they are above the law, even the CBN.

In another development, some unscrupulous bankers along with PoS operators who are their collaborators over-charged customers for transactions. The CBN said it would clamp down on PoS owners, who had turned themselves to payment agents taking undue advantage of this currency transition period to get a better part of the public. The CBN described such unaccredited payment agents as “fifth columnists whose activities constituted economic sabotage, saying that it would carry out sting operations around the country this week to arrest and prosecute them”.

But what is the position of the people who makes the law and for whom the law – the Act and the Constitution – is made for? The people seems to be averse to the CBN policy which has created artificial hardship on the populace as bank credits cannot be liquidated or withdrawn for dispensing basic businesses and households’ needs.

However, some State Governments like that of Ogun, Lagos, Kaduna and Kano States, among others have warned businesses and persons not to reject the old naira notes in respect to the interim order of the Supreme Court which they feel was borne out of the urgency of necessity and within the principle of national interest and economic importance.

However, in what seemed to be a superimposition of the Executive, President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday 16^th February 2023 in an early morning national broadcast announced and ordered that only N200 old notes would be allowed in the next 90 days, inclusive of the date of such announcement, to ease out as a relief to Nigerians.

How has the people of Nigeria received this announcement and to what extent has this partial relief impacted on the livelihood of Nigerians? What is the position of the Supreme Court with respect to its interim order in this regards? In coming days, this legal fireworks will be demystified.