Justice P. T. Kwahar of the Benue State High Court, sitting in Makurdi, has fixed May 23, 2024, for the hearing of a suit challenging the unconstitutional sacking of elected local government officials in the state and the subsequent appointment of caretaker committees in violation of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The suit, marked MHC/346/2023, was filed by activist, Sesugh Akume against the Governor of Benue and four others.

Akume alleges that the sacking of elected council chairmen and councillors in the state by Governor Hyacinth Ali’s administration and their replacement with cronies was unconstitutional.

Recall that Akume, suing as a private citizen, dragged Governor Ali, the Attorney-General, the Speaker and House of Assembly, and the Special Adviser, Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, before the Benue State High Court.

Akume contends that Governor Ali’s action of sacking or indefinitely suspending elected local government officials since June 23, 2023, without justification, has left the local government system rudderless, with no governance in place.

He said the 1999 Constitution recognizes only democratically-elected local government councils as the supreme law of the land, under which every other law bows.

In a statement personally signed by Akume on Saturday, he said the court had fixed May 23 for the preliminary ruling.

“In the same vein, the matter of Sesugh Akume v Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) (with suit number MHC/449/2024) to compel BSIEC to conduct local government elections ready for the incoming administrations to be sworn in on 29 June when the term of the current officials ends, before the Honourable Mr Justice J M Shishi also in Makurdi, filed since 13 March has been fixed for the same 23 May.

“The reason given in both instances is that the courts are undergoing renovation. It may be noted that courts in Nigeria usually go on vacation for 2 months from some time in July through the whole of August and resume in September.

“In the former case, it is expected that the court will hear (and hopefully grant) our application to put aside proceeding to rule on whether it has the legal authority (jurisdiction) to hear our case, but to adopt or hear all our processes (including our amended originating summons) before it first, as proceeding with the ruling without hearing us would be premature, a miscarriage of justice, as well as a violation of the rules of the court, etc.

“In the latter case, it is expected that the court will hear (and hopefully grant) our application to set aside its usual processes and expeditiously hear and conclude our case to compel BSIEC to conduct local government elections with the winners ready to be sworn in within the next 5 weeks as they normally should.” The statement reads in part.

A former Provost of the College of Education, Gidan Waya, Kaduna State, Prof. Alexander Kure, has observed that it is through the coming together of people of different cultures that Nigeria can become great.

According to him, “African nationalist leaders, for example, understood this and succeeded in bringing about political independence in Africa with people of different cultures fighting for a common goal.”

Speaking in a keynote address at the inauguration of constituted standing committees of the Agbiri-Gure Development Association, in Kaduna on Saturday, he noted that it is only by coming together that the people forget their differences to fight a common enemy and achieve a common goal.

He urged Nigerians to unite towards fighting any individual or group of people that are working contrary to the wishes and aspirations of the larger society in the realisation of peace, unity and development in the country.

Prof. November N. Kuchimala of the Department of Agronomy, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, encouraged the people to remain united in all their dealings irrespective of any differences, towards ensuring peace and unity.

The President of the Agbiri-Gure National Development Association, Arch. Audu N. Y. Garba, urged the committee members to approach their responsibilities with dedication, creativity and a strong sense of purpose, saying that their contributions, no matter how big or small, will have a ripple effect that can bring about meaningful and lasting change in their community.

Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has placed a N10 million bounty on the heads of the killers of two policemen in Enugu State, Friday night, saying the state would go after the culprits with every resource at its disposal to bring the killers to book.

Mbah pledged the reward while briefing newsmen after a State Security Council meeting at the Government House, Enugu, which also had in attendance, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kanayo Uzuegbu; State Director, State Security Services, Theresa Egbunu; Garrison Commander, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, Brigadier General Murtala Abu; and the State Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Peter Ogar, among others.

On the possible culprits, Mbah said available security information pointed to men of the Eastern Security Network, ESN, who came in several SUVs, among them a black Lexus SUV.

He, therefore, called on members of the public to be on the lookout for the criminals and the exhibits and report same to security agencies.

“We just rounded off our Security Council meeting where we discussed, among other things, about the gruesome killing of our policemen – men of the Enugu State Police Command – by criminals suspected to be members of the ESN.

“Let me say this, this bestial and cold-blooded action cannot be condoned in Enugu State. I have given my directives to the security agencies that there must be no hiding place for these criminals in Enugu State.

“We must use everything necessary to hunt down, arrest, and bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous crime.

“We have also placed a bounty of N10 million as a reward to anyone, who would have any useful information that will lead to the arrest of these criminals.

“So, I enjoin members of the public to, please, come forward, or call the police and other security agencies with any useful information that could lead to the arrest of these criminals.

“We do not have room to accommodate these people, these vagabonds, and these miscreants in our state.

“We are going to do everything necessary to ensure that the ultimate sacrifice made by our valiant policemen does not go in vain.

“Our condolences go to the bereaved families. I will also ensure that as government, we are going to provide the necessary support to the bereaved families.

“Let me just also add that those who murder our policemen or indeed any member of our security agencies may assume that they have triumphed in their evil acts. Let me inform them that we are going to come after them with everything we have.

“We are going to deploy all the necessary technology, all the necessary forces within our powers to track them, capture them and defeat them.

“Enugu State and indeed with the support of the security agencies, we are going to make life uncomfortable for those who do not want to live in a decent society,” he stated.

Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has commended the bold initiative of Governor Dapo Abiodun on the Gateway International Agro Cargo and Passenger Airport, saying that the airport would soon be the transportation hub for other states in the South-West.

Gbajabiamila also applauded the Governor for forging ahead with the airport project even when many of his colleagues failed in their quest to build world class airports in their states.

The Chief of Staff, who stated this during a chat with newsmen at the airport shortly after attending the commissioning of the Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona School of Governance Studies and presentation of a book titled “Reinventing Governance in Nigeria: The Oba (Dr) Sikiru Kayode Adetona Model,” at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, said the airport will revolutionize air transportation in the region and Nigeria as a whole.

The former Speaker of the House of Representatives further gave kudos to Governor Abiodun for believing in the airport project, which he said would help improve the economy of Ogun State.

He added that the airport would help drive the economy of the state, neighbouring states, and the country as a whole, saying that the ease of doing business in the state would also be improved.

He said: “For Ogun State, this airport has the potential of being a hub for every other state around the South-West and improving the ease of doing business. You can travel from here. The potential is enormous. You can’t begin to count; it has its ripple effects on the economy.

“When I was in the National Assembly over the years, I knew of several states in the South-West that tried and struggled to build airports that were nowhere of this size and they were not able to do it. Without taking anything away from them, it’s commendations all the way for Governor Dapo Abiodun.

“I was surprised at what it looks like inside. The outside belies the inside, and I think the governor has done a good job. He deserves to be commended.

“I believe this airport was built in two years and some months, and that is a short period within which to complete an airport such as this.

“It has the longest runway, and you know what that means. So, all in all, we have to give kudos to the governor.

“Coming here today, this is my first time at the airport. I have heard so much about it; he is so proud of it.

“You know it is one thing to put your money somewhere to do something and do it for the sake of doing it. But when you do something and you believe in it and you have a passion for what you are doing, the output, the product, is different because you put your all in it, and that is what I see here in this airport.”

Gbajabiamila described the administration of Governor Abiodun as transformative, with many infrastructural projects across the state.

He continued: “I can only describe his administration in one word: transformative, very transformative.

“We’ve come, we’ve seen, what you see is what you get and each time I come here, I see what his administration is doing, especially in terms of infrastructural development and i give kudos to His Excellency, the governor.”

The 2023 People Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency, Usman Okai, on Saturday called on the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, to root out fake lawyers who undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s judicial system with their deceitful practices.

Okai said fake lawyers are everywhere, holding baseless press conferences to defend embattled former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

On Friday in Abuja, some lawyers led by one Emmanuel Agada accused the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, of disregarding valid court orders and breaching the constitutional rights of Nigerians.

Agada said: “As young lawyers, we envisage a judiciary where justice is not only done but manifestly seen to be done. It is in our patriotic quest to always pursue ventures that guarantee an independent judiciary that dispenses justice without fear nor favour that we formed this civil society of lawyers.”

Reacting to the development, Okai said the NBA must launch a thorough investigation into the duplicitous practices of the concerned lawyers, whose conduct he said tarnishes the reputation of the legal profession.

According to Okai: “The National Judicial Council, NJC, also bears the responsibility of cleansing our legal system of individuals who treat it as nothing more than a marketplace.

“In the realm of law, the term “lawyer” has been reduced to a mere facade, devoid of any substantial practice or ethical integrity.

“These so-called legal practitioners are nothing more than mercenaries for hire, prostituting their services to the highest bidder without a second thought to justice or morality.

“Instead of advocating for justice, individuals like Olukayode deserve commendation for daring to challenge the status quo.

“The alleged court order was obtained through fraudulent means, a blatant mockery of justice.

“No decree can shield criminals like Yahaya Bello, who have shamelessly pillaged our state coffers, from facing the consequences of their actions.

“It is imperative that the international community, including nations like the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and China, dismiss the baseless pleas of these counterfeit lawyers and consign their letters to the oblivion they deserve.

“The whole Nigerians are well aware of Yahaya Bello’s fraudulent activities and must not be swayed by his desperate attempts to evade justice”.

Okai lamented that Kogi State has become a breeding ground for corruption, with unscrupulous individuals shamelessly exploiting its resources for personal gain.

He noted that ‘rampant bribery and corruption’, exemplified by the lavish expenditures on faceless civil society organizations, obscure lawyers, and self-proclaimed pundits, are emblematic of the decay within the society.

“Yahaya Bello, a former governor notorious for his disregard for the rule of law, has transformed Kogi State into his personal fiefdom, appointing cronies as judges and subverting the judiciary to serve his own interests.

“It is incumbent upon the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Security to root out these fake lawyers, who undermine the integrity of our judicial system with their deceitful practice.”

Speaking further, he said the pervasive culture of legal malpractice and political corruption in Kogi State demands immediate action from both domestic and international institutions.

“We must not allow the sanctity of justice to be defiled by mercenaries masquerading as lawyers, nor permit unscrupulous politicians to trample upon the rule of law for their personal gain,” he added.