The Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam, has cautioned those he said were playing politics with the health of his Taraba counterpart,Danbaba Suntai, contending that he was far better than his people were being told.

Suswam said Suntai had made remarkable recovery from injuries he sustained in an air crash in October 2012, adding that he “would soon resume duties.’’

Suswam who just arrived from a trip to US during which he visited the ailing Taraba State governor regretted that the health of his colleague was being politicized.

Addressing journalists in Makurdi, Suswam maintained that Suntaihad recuperated enough to think of returning to work and  dismissed speculations that he lost his memory from injuries sustained during the crash over nine months ago.

”It is not true, I was with him and he spoke with the Vice President on telephone for about three minutes. Even if that was the case, he has regained it and he is doing very well and recuperating in America,” Suswam stated.

He said that it was curious for people to maintain that his condition remains the same as the initial period after the crash when he was in the German hospital and in critical condition, noting that he has since received the best medical attention in the world.

He expressed optimism that Suntai would soon return to the country.

“The truth is that he has substantially recovered and … If you look at him you would not know that he was involved in a plane crash, because he spoke and did things by himself contrary to the stories we were told.”

Loyalists of the Nasarawa State governor, Umaru Tanko Al-makurahave fired back at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for rating the ruling Congress for Progress Change,CPC,- government below average in performance.

A chieftain of the CPC in the state, Baba Sambo who spoke to our reporter in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital early this week said that the achievements of CPC government in two years supersede that of 12 years of successive PDP administrations.

Sambo said that those that were criticizing the Al-makura led – government have no formula for measuring his achievement adding that the governor’s developmental records are incomparable with any administration that the state ever had.

Amplifying Sambo’s view, the state commissioner for Information and ethical re-orientation, Hamza Elayo, said that in the last two years, the CPC administration had been battling with the battered image inflicted on the state and its citizens by the 12 years of PDPmaladministration.

Hamza dismissed the allegation made by the state chairman ofPDP, Yunana Iliyah, that governor Al Makura had confiscated some parcels of land to be given to the former minister of the federal capital territory, F.C.T, Nasir el-Rufai in exchange for presidential ticket in 2015 election.

He added that, the governor has no presidential ambition and could not have engaged in such an act bribing to achieve his political desire.

The commissioner accused the PDP of dealing with more crises when it was in power and charged the party to stop politicizing matters of security and peace in the state,  adding that security is a collective responsibility of everybody.

The PDP, through its chairman, Iliyah, had earlier scored the government of Al-makura low in performance, accusing it of maladministration and corruption.

The PDP chairman also accused the governor of confiscating farmers land to be given to El-Rufia in exchange to further an alleged political ambition to run for the presidency in 2015 under the umbrella of the CPC.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar Thursday nullified the selection and proclamation of Etubom Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu as theObong of Calabar and ordered for another selection process to be conducted.

Otu was announced as the Obong of Calabar on March 31, 2008.

The judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Garba, who was assisted by Justices Uzo Ndukwe-Anyawu and Onyekachi Otisi, upheld an earlier judgment of the lower court that due process was not followed and that the selection of the incumbent was null and void.

The judgment was sequel to an appeal filed by Etubom Essien Ekpenyony Efiok, Etubom Okon Asuquo and Etubom Micah Archibongappealing against the lower court’s judgment.

A Calabar High Court presided over by Justice Obojor Ogar had delivered a judgment restraining Otu from participating in the selection process and also from parading himself as the Obong ofCalabar until proper election was done, in suit, HC/102/2008 filed by the first respondent, Etubom Anthony Ani, a former minister of finance on January 30, 2012.

The lower court also declared the process that brought the Obongto the throne as null and void and restrained Otu from participating in any selection for that purpose. It also restrained the EtubomTraditional Council from excluding Ani and Mbiabo Ikoneto from any election or selection of an Obong.

The Court of Appeal ruled on Thursday that “the selection and proclamation of the 6^th respondent as the Obong-elect of Calabarby the Etubom Conclave of the Palace of the Obong on March 31, 2008 is hereby set aside.”

“The conclave is hereby ordered to conduct another process of selecting a new Obong of Calabar in which all qualified candidates including the 6^th respondent will be given the opportunity to participate,” the court also ruled.

The court stressed that the process of selecting a new Obong of Calabar should be done in strict compliance with the rules of natural justice.

It held that Ani’s right to fair hearing was breached during the selection process conducted by the appellants.

In reaction to the judgment, Ani said he would assess its full meaning and that he might go to the Supreme Court if he is not satisfied. He however expressed satisfaction with the aspect of the ruling declaring the Obong’s seat vacant.

“I was not in court and my lawyer just briefed me. So far, I see the ruling as 50-50 affair. I will look at it, see how it affects me and maybe appeal the judgment. However, one thing we are sure of for now is that there is no Obong of Calabar because the judgment today has nullified the entire processes,” he said.

Counsel to Out, A.A Archi said that the judgment was “a vindication that capping is a fundamental requirement for a candidate to be eligible to contest for selection, election or appointment to theObong of Calabar throne.”

“The judgment also upheld our view that a learned trial judge, with all due respect, sought to perpetually alter the standing andrecognised customs of Efik people which would have affected the lives and people of the community. It is also a vindication that the6^th respondent was eligible to be selected and appointed as Obongalthough the court nullified the processes,” he said.

A Lagos State lawmaker has said that more than 60 per cent of the Certificates of Occupancy, C of O, in the state are fake.

The chairman, committee on lands and housing, Lagos State House of Assembly, Bayo Osinowo, disclosed this during Thursday’s plenary session.

He said if passed into law, the state’s Properties Protection Bill, 2013, which had scaled through the second reading, would correct the anomaly.

Osinowo said that the proposed law would also check otherwrongdoings associated with landed property ownership and sale in the state.

“In Lagos State, land is our major resource; therefore, nothing will be too much to protect it,” he said.

Chairman house committee on human rights and public petitions,Sanai Agunbiade, in his contribution said that the bill would take care of agents who took landed property forcefully, as it would prevent anyone who, without lawful authority, uses violence to secure entry into any landed property.

“The bill would prevent ‘Omo-onile’ (indigenes) from exploiting potential buyers before or during construction work,” he said.

The proposed bill recommends three years imprisonment or an option of N300, 000 fine for offenders.

The Niger State government says it will soon begin the demolition of houses constructed on drainage systems, ahead of this year’s rains to allow for free flow of water.

The commissioner for environment, Umar Nasko, told newsmen inMinna, the state capital, that the decision was taken when the government realised that the several warnings to owners of such buildings were not heeded.

He warned that the state government would not give any other ultimatum to the property owners.

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• Over 60% Of Certificates Of Occupancy In Lagos Are Fake – Lawmaker

Nasko added that the government has established mobile courts that would prosecute anyone caught throwing refuse into drainsinaccordance with the law.

According to him, the state is also planning to relocated residents of nine resettlement identified to be in flood prone areas and that five basic health centres, educational facilities and police posts would be constructed in the resettlement areas to make life worth living for the people

The commissioner said that Nigeria Meteorological Agency had warned the state against flooding this year and would therefore avert it.

“NIMET (the Nigeria Meteorological Agency) had warned early this year of imminent flood that will accompany rainfall and I want to appeal to the council areas to take proactive measures to reduce the impending disaster,” he said.

The African Union has condemned the military overthrow of Egypt’s elected president, Mohammed Morsi, and has barred the country from participating in AU activities until the return of constitutional order.

AU Commission’s chief, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, told a news conference in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, where theorganisation has its headquarters, that Egypt’s membership would remain suspended “until there is an election.”

He said: “The overthrow of the democratically elected president does not conform to the relevant provisions of Egypt’s constitution, and therefore falls under the definition of an unconstitutional change of government.”

The decision was taken after deliberations by the AU’s peace and security council earlier today.

This is not the first time the AU would suspend members. It is the practice of the body to suspend the membership of countries where the military ousts a democratically elected government.

In March, membership of the Central African Republic, CAR, was suspended after rebels seized power. Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau also remain suspended.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Friday affirmed the death sentence passed on Usman Maigari, a former policeman, for killing his wife.

Maigari was arraigned before the Sokoto State High Court on one count charge of culpable homicide punishable with death contrary to section 221(a) of the Penal Code.

He was said to have strangulated his wife, Sa’adatu, to death for ritual purposes at his house in Yabo, Yabo local government area ofSokoto State and dumped her corpse it in a culvert near JanzomoVillage along Kanjiji-Shagari road.

He committed the offence on Jan. 11, 1999.

Maigari pleaded not guilty to the charge but the respondent called seven witnesses and tendered numerous exhibits to prove the case.

The trial judge at the high court convicted the appellant and sentenced him to death by hanging.

Dissatisfied with the decision, the appellant approached the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Judicial Division, which upheld the conviction and sentence.

Again, not satisfied, the Maigari appealed the decision of the appellate court to the Supreme Court on May 13, 2010.

Maigari had approached the court to determine whether the Court of Appeal was right in holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

He further prayed the apex court to determine whether the Court of Appeal had not considered his submissions before affirming his conviction.

However, in delivering judgment on the case on Friday, Justice MaryPeter-Odili of the apex court, held that the appellant’s appeal lacked merit.

“I affirm the judgment of the Court of Appeal which affirmed the decision, conviction and sentence of the appellant for culpable homicide punishable by death. I order that the sentence as passed by the trial High Court be carried out,” she said.

International bodies and human rights groups have continued to condemn capital punishment for offenders.

The hanging of four prisoners condemned to die in Edo State recently raised a lot of dust.

In 2008, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights called on States Parties to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to “observe a moratorium on the execution of death sentences with a view to abolishing the death penalty”.

On April 19, 2012, the Working Group on the Death Penalty of the African Commission reaffirmed the necessity of the abolition of capital punishment.

The Senate on Wednesday adjourned indefinitely the debate on President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for amendment to the State of Nation Address Bill to calm rising tension among senators.

Jonathan had earlier requested the Senate to redraft some clauses of the bill to bring it in conformity with the Constitution.

But the senators on Wednesday argued that Jonathan’s request was an indirect refusal of assent to the bill, insisting that the Senate should override the President’s veto and pass the bill into law.

The Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi, said the bill should be returned to the President for assent or rejection.

He said the Senate could exercise its constitutional powers tooveride the veto  if the President refused to give assent.

Ningi also added that the content of the bill was not a duplication of the constitutional provisions, but an opportunity for the President to tell Nigerians where his government was headed.

“This is going to be an institutionalised culture for our democracy and not targeted at personalities. The letter has no merit. It has no basis and should be returned to him to sign or reject the bill and for us to veto the President for the first time,” he said.

Also contributing, Senator Ita Enang said that the executive could not request for an amendment when it did not make any presentation opposing aspects of the bill during the public hearings.

Enang said the Constitution only provides for the President to either give assent or reject assent to a bill and not to propose amendment.

“He is not a part of the legislature. So, he has only two options, either to assent or reject assent. This is an opportunity for the legislature to seek the interpretation of the Supreme Court on whether the President has power to propose amendment after a bill had been passed,” he contended.

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• AU Suspends Egypt’s Membership, Condemns Military Takeover
• Policeman To Die By Hanging For Killing Wife

In the same vein, Ahmed Lawan and Ike Ekweremadu, the Deputy Senate President, also urged the Senate to override the President because the bill was targeted to make the nation better.

“This bill is very important to the nation and we cannot afford to lag behind where other smaller nations are ahead of us,” Ekweremadusaid.

The debates became charged following the calls by majority of the lawmakers on the Senate to override the President’s veto on the Bill.

There was also an altercation involving Senators Kabiru Marafa(ANPP – Zamfara), Bashir Garba (PDP – Kano) and Paulinus Igwe(PDP- Ebonyi).

In another scene, Oluremi Tinubu (ACN- Lagos) and James Manager (PDP- Delta) were also involved in a verbal exchange with the two pointing fingers at each other.

The Senate spokesman, Enyinnaya Abaribe, however, explained to journalists that the argument involving  Marafa, Garba and Igwewas not related to the debate.

He explained that the trio was arguing over whose right it was to bring a motion on the proposed plan by Zamfara Governor,Abdulazzez Yari to arm vigilante groups in the state.

The Senate President, David Mark had to call off the debate when tempers began to rise resulting in hot exchange words with the plenary turning into a shouting match.

Mark urged Senators to live up to their responsibilities as democrats by avoiding any form of hostility in the course of resolving issues on the floor of the Senate.

“As democrats, we should resolve all the problems by talking and not by boxing,” he said, adding that: “In any case, for the first time in 14 years, I have seen an effort for people to put out boxing gloves. It is never necessary, we must never do that, we are distinguished senators and elder statesmen,” he admonished his colleagues.

The Federal Executive Council, FEC, has approved the sum of N459million for the procurement of seventeen thousand smart card readers for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, ahead of the 2015 elections.

The smart card readers which are to be used for the verification of voters card by prospective voters during election are to be delivered within the next six months.

Addressing journalists after the FEC meeting on Wednesday, the minister of Information, Labaran Maku, said the contract for thesmart Card reader was the first batch of contracts to be awarded by INEC.

“In its desire to ensure free, fair and credible elections, the INEC is to procure, customise and configure 17,000 smart card readers that will be deployed during elections for voters authentication,” he said.

According to him, the approval was part of efforts to show the commitment of the administration to free, fair, and credible elections in the country.

The contract was awarded to Zinox Technologies Ltd and is to be delivered to the commission at the rate of N27,000 each.

About 25,000 metric tons assorted food have been ordered released by President Goodluck Jonathan from the national strategic grains reserves to Borno, Yobe and Adamawa which are under emergency rule.

The President also approval of the sum of N250 million for the purchase of rice, cooking oil and other accessories to be distributed to the people of the three states.

The minister of state for finance,Yerima Ngama who disclosed this to journalists in Damaturu last weekend said that presidential order was given because of incessant reports of food shortages in the affected states.

Ngama stated that he and his agriculture ministry counterpart,Tijani Bukar,  took a report to the President on the food situation in the three states which immediately elicited Jonathan;s reaction.

The minister said that the step was taken particularly to assist people of the three states get adequate food supplies as Ramadan approached, adding that the federal government was aware that the people of the affected states had been suffering untold hardship because of the restriction of movements imposed by emergency rule.

Ngama said the grains that would be released include maize, millet and guinea corn and that in all there would be a total of 930 trailers(over half a million bags)of food stuff.

He explained that because of the large quantity of grains to be moved, for logistic reasons, it will be distributed in batches.

In the first batch, 399 bags or 665 trailer loads will be released to the affected states. Of this consignment, Borno state, the largest and worse hit by terrorist attacks would get 324 trailer loads, Yobegets 195 trailer loads while Adamawa takes the least of 170 trailer loads.

In Yobe state for instance, Ngama said that all the 178 wards will be given a trailer load of food while the remaining will be shared to civil servants, police, army and other organizations on the state.

While breaking the good news, the minister admonished those who would be involved in the distribution of the items not to politiciisethe process.

“We are giving this food not because we are PDP but because of God. I am calling on all the people of my state to come and collect the food. It does not matter whether you are PDP or any other political party. Nobody will discriminate in the sharing of the food”, he said.

The minister said that the distribution process would also be aided by security men in order to maintain order and ensure equitable sharing of all the items.

He noted that all security agencies with Aid groups will be involved to ensure a hitch free distribution of the food.