Tribunal receives 4 petitions

 
The chairman who spoke alongside Justice A.O Ayoola, member of the tribunal said all petition filed had been responded to and were awaiting the appropriate steps by the litigants for further actions.
He said it was not true that the tribunal may not be able to dispense of the matters before the time life of 180 days allotted to tribunal matters by the electoral act.
“The tribunal is on ground, having been constituted two weeks before the Nov. 13 governorship election here in Anambra as required by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The tribunal has four petitions before it; three for governorship and one for senatorial; petitions are time defined, there is time during which a process must be completed and you can’t go to the next without concluding the other.
The Anambra Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Awka has assured fair hearing for all parties in the petitions before it.
Chairman of the tribunal, Hon Justice H.A Olusiyi, who spoke to journalists in Awka on Tuesday said the tribunal had so far received four petitions, including three for governorship election and one in respect of Anambra Central Senatorial rerun election.
“We are presently on interlocutory allocations after which the hearings will commence, so we are still within the timeframe and we shall conclude all the petitions before the tribunal ends,” he said.
Olusiyi expressed disappointment over the petition written against the tribunal by Dr Paul Obianaso, a candidate of African Democratic Congress, ADP in the November governorship election, describing it as hasty and misleading.
He said the fears of Obianaso that the N400, 000 deposited with the Secretary of the tribunal was not receipted for and therefore was not safe.
The Judge described the money as security which when no longer needed as security for costs, charges or expenses shall be returned to the pers
Olusiyi said Schedule 39 of the Electoral Act provided it could also be returned to the person entitled to receive it by order of the tribunal or court which may be made on motion after notice and proof that all just claims have been satisfied.
The judge said such petition should have been appropriate if after the tribunal ended and he did not get the money as required by the Electoral act.
“There is no iota of truth in his allegations, it is hasty and misleading.
“Obianaso is the party that filed petition and he wrote a petition against the tribunal with the name of his political party, African Democratic Congress (ADC), which is not before us.
“He is just misinforming the public with those allegations, he should have complained if after the tribunal ends, he did not get his money.
“The appointing authorities have confidence in us and that is why they sent us here, what we are assuring is that there will be fair hearing for all parties,” he said.
on in whose name it was deposited.

The policeman whose name is still unknown was reportedly killed by some hoodlums.

 
According to him, the police officer is part of the police team mobilised to restore calm in the Southern area of the state. Residents of some communities in the area are currently on flee, leaving their homes due to killings and attacks by armed men suspected to be herdsmen.
Kennedy said the police officer was shot while he alongside his colleagues were trying to repel attacks by hoodlums who were attempting to burn deserted houses in the area.
He further revealed that investigations are on to nab perpetrators.
Security challenges confronting the nation has not spared anyone including civilians and security officers who victims of various attacks across the country. One of the remaining two policemen declared missing in Benue State was found dead on Monday, February 12.
Two personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) were also killed by suspected herdsmen in a village in Benue State. The officials were killed in Awange village of Kasseyo Ward in Guma Local Government Area of the state.  
One police officer was on Tuesday morning found dead in Adudu community of Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa state.
The policeman whose name is still unknown was reportedly killed by some hoodlums.
Nasarawa Police Public Relations Officer, Idrissu Kennedy confirmed the news of the death to Channels Television.

Fayose visits Ipao community

 
While meeting with leaders of the town, governor Fayose promised to set up a five-man committee that would investigate the root cause of the killings in the town.
He also promised to compensate the bereaved family and affected Fulani herdsmen who lost their cattle.
The governor also said he would amend the anti-grazing law such that anyone who kills a cow would be jailed for a year.
He appealed to the people of Ipao and their leaders to ensure that there was no reprisal.
Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has visited Ipao Ekiti, the community where herdsmen allegedly murdered a farmer, Tunde Olayemi, 32, on Sunday in Ikole Local Government Area of the state.
Hundreds of the people of the community trooped out to welcome the governor. They displayed placards to show their displeasure at the sad development. 
“I appeal to you to ensure you live peacefully with the Fulani herdsmen in tour community. We want a peaceful situation and don’t allow any reprisal.
“We will investigate and get the root cause of this sad development and particularly why this community has become a flashpoint so we can find a lasting solution to it.
“The security operatives have been deployed to your town and would secure your place,” he said.
Commissioner of police in the state, Ibrahim Chafe assured that he was holding a meeting with all other security operatives, such as the State Security Services, Civil Defense Corps, and the army on how to mobilise their men to secure the community.

“I’m holding a security meeting with all other security operatives to discuss how we would ecure the community with our men.
“The reason why this community has become a flashpoint is because it is a border town. We will be on top of the situation and this would no longer happen,” he said.

IPOB:group warns South-East governors against cattle colony

This was stated by its Anambra North Coordinator, Chief Vincent Iloh.
BIM noted that the provision of land will be another license to kill more Igbo people, adding that Igbos had businesses and were not funded by the government.
The statement read, “Biafra Independent Movement says no to Cattle Colony in South East and any Biafra land.providing land for the Nigerian Federal Government proposed ‘Cattle Colony’ will be tantamount to putting Biafrans under Fulanil herdsmen siege and perpetual enslavement of Biafra people of Igbo land.
“The Fulani herdsmen have been terrorizing the people of South East and other states of Nigeria, when they have no place called their own in such states; one will then imagine what they will do when lands are provided for them for establishing Cattle Colony, only God will save the people of the state where they will be occupying.  
The Biafra Independent Movement, BIM, has warned South East Governors against providing any land for the proposed Cattle Colony in any state of the South-East.
The group said providing land for colony puts Igbos under the Fulani herdsmen’s siege. 
“Giving them Cattle Colony will amount to giving them take off point for unleashing more terror on Nigerian, we are waiting for the South East Governor that will provide land for the proposed Cattle Colony, we will make such Governor realize that he did not elect himself.
“We will resist such Governor with our life, we will not keep quiet while the life of our people are put into jeopardy, no South East Governor will have his way in providing such land for killing our people and putting them in perpetual fear over their lives.
“The Fulani herdsmen have been having their ways unhindered in terrorizing states and communities, with the Federal Government of Nigeria turning blind eyes to their heinous crime of massacring people in their homes, they are so emboldened that their leaders openly, proudly and stupidly tell Nigerians why they struck in some states, without Federal Government frowning at such unguarded statements.
““We cannot afford to fold our hands while our people are put under perpetual siege and everlasting enslavement in their God given land, Biafrans must exist freely in their land, anybody doing business must provide for all his needs in such business activities, Igbos are mostly businessmen who engage in industrial activities, buying and selling, nobody is providing fund for them to do their businesses.  “Herdsmen should learn how to conduct themselves peacefully where ever they are found in the states of the federation, so that they will be peacefully accommodate by the citizens of such states, they should not move into the states to destroy peoples farm and kill them because they feel that their brother is the President of Nigerian and therefore, turn blind eyes to their criminal activities and make they feel above the law.”

BIAFRA PEOPLE:Buhari govt using police, DSS to persecute christians – IPOB

IPOB made the allegation in reaction to the arrest of its members from the Shalom Synagogue Church of Israel in Aba, Abia State.
The pro-Biafra group stated that said it was unfortunate that the Nigerian government through the instrumentality of the police and the Department of State Services, DSS, have reduced themselves to playing the role of religious police.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group stressed that the police and DSS have effectively constituted themselves into instruments with which enemies of Israel in the Nigerian government are now using to suppress those practicing Judaism.
The statement reads, “It is on record that IPOB activities are firmly anchored on the finest Judeo-Christian traditions, which has made Biafrans and IPOB in particular the target of these state sponsored indiscriminate and arbitrary arrests of innocent civilians by agents of Nigerian government in pursuit of an Islamist agenda. There has been repeated raids of synagogues and places of worship in Aba and Igweocha (Port Harcourt) respectively.  The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on Wednesday alleged that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government is persecuting people of the South East. 
“Security operatives whose constitutional role is to protect the lives and property of citizens, have now turned to instruments of oppression against innocent civilian populations.
“Arresting members of Shalom Christian Church because they are connected to the Jews in Israel is religious discrimination of the worst kind. Every religion has a root and in as much as nobody can deny that Saudi Arabia is the root of Islam, nobody can deny that Israel is the foundation of both Judaism and later Christianity. Discrimination based of religious affiliation to Israel is misplaced and a crime against the very principles of freedom of worship and association.
“Since President Trump announced US recognition of Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel, the wave of arbitrary arrests and persecution of Biafrans that practice Judaism in Aba and Igweocha (Port Harcourt) have dramatically increased.
“Nigerian Government, by towing this path, is setting a very ugly and dangerous precedent. Those arrested for their faith must be released immediately including all those illegally detained for expressing their legitimately held views that they are better off in Biafra than Nigeria.
“We want to bring it to the notice of the entire world what IPOB in particular and Biafrans are suffering in general at the hands of this Buhari administration. The world must therefore prevail upon Nigeria to desist from this blatant religious persecution and release those in their custody.
“Members of the Shalom Synagogue of Israel in Aba did not commit any crime known to law. They are a spiritual congregation merely being persecuted for their spiritual connection to the holy land of Israel.
“It is the responsibility of the government and people of Israel as custodians of the Judaic faith to rise to this challenge the same way Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries defend Muslim faithful all over the world”.

BIAFRA PEOPLE:What governors would have done to Tinubu if he was an Igbo man – Uwazuruike

Uwazuruike maintained that such, “retrogressive mentality” is responsible for the retrogression in the South East.

Uwazuruike said, “If an Igbo man sponsors another person to be governor, that governor becomes his enemy the next day. Juxtapose it with what is happening in Yoruba land.”

“If (Bola) Tinubu had been an Igbo man, he would have gone on exile. Look at how many governors he anointed in Yoruba land; they all pay him respect up till today. If it were to be in Igbo land, they would send him out of town immediately. He will not live in Igbo land because they will chase him out. Look at all the Igbo who were anointed governors. How many of them respect those who anointed them?

“That is the mentality of the Igbo man, retrogressive mentality; the mentality that leads to nowhere but doom. So, what Nnamdi Kanu did was of no difference because it is the typical nature of the Igbo man. That is what makes the Igbo man to be backward and they will continue to remain backward until they change their ways of life.”    Ralph Uwazuruike, founder of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has alleged that if Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was an Igbo man, governors from the South East would have sent him on exile from the region.

He observed that governors in the South East never respected those that, “anointed” them into power.