News
LG Autonomy: ‘Fed Govt Sued Lagos In Error’–Sanwo-Olu
..…CJN Hails Lagos For Setting Good Example In Justice Dev
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Lagos State should have been left out of the legal action instituted by the Federal Government against Governors at the Supreme Court over alleged misconduct in the administration of Local Governments, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said yesterday.
To Sanwo-Olu, it was a legal anomaly for the Federal Government to join Lagos in the Supreme Court matter, decades after the Local Governments in the State had been enjoying full autonomy.
Sanwo-Olu, who spoke in support of the suit, however said the Attorney General of the Federation should have identified those that were not in compliance with the law before filing a blanket lawsuit against all states.
The Governor spoke at the on-going Justice Reform Summit organised by Lagos State Judiciary with the theme: “Enhancing the Administration of Justice for Economic Growth, Investment Protection and Security in Lagos”.
The summit, attended by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, is being held at Marriott Hotels, Ikeja.
Sanwo-Olu said infringement on the local council autonomy was an affront to the spirit of the constitution to which the judiciary must make a clear interpretation for equity and fairness.
He said a better justice system would protect the interests of parties and discourage actions limiting efficiency of any government entity.
He said: “It is interesting to read the news that the Honorable Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation has sued all the 36 states because Governors did not give autonomy to the third tier of government. The only mistake, which I am going to tell our Attorney General, is that some of us are in compliance.
“The Attorney General should have done his due diligence to identify which states are not in compliance, so that we don’t sue all the 36 states together. You can determine which states are not violating the Constitution. If it is three, four or five states are in compliance, then you can sue the 31 states violating autonomy of the Local Governments. That is part of the back work that we need to do.”
Sanwo-Olu said the judicial reform must remain on the agenda in a functional society in order to improve administration of the justice system and make the court the last hope of the common man.
The Governor said the judiciary in Lagos had remained a beacon in protecting the rule of law and setting good examples for other jurisdictions in dispensation of justice. But he challenged judges and law officers to change the status quo in order to raise the standard of the justice system.
Drawing a parallel with Singapore – a fishing village with environmental similarities with Lagos, Sanwo-Olu said Singapore’s faith in rule of law and fairness transformed the efficiency of the country’s justice system, leading to the country’s rapid economic growth and prosperity.
He said: “Just like Lagos, Singapore has no resources. Singapore is what it is today because of Ease of Doing Business. It takes less than 30 minutes to register a business in Singapore, which makes it to surpass many countries in Ease of Doing Business. Singapore has one of the best judiciary system in the world; they have quick turnaround time in mediation and dispute resolution.”
Sanwo-Olu said Lagos needed strong judicial system to attain all its investment potential, while promoting transparency and accountability.
The Governor urged the Bench and the Bar to collaborate to promote an efficient justice system.
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kayode Ariwoola, represented Justice Iyabode Yerima of the Supreme Court, hailed Lagos judicial system for being “a forerunner” in justice development, stressing that other jurisdictions usually borrowed from examples set by Lagos.
The CJN listed some of landmark examples set by Lagos judiciary in the justice system to include Administration of Criminal Justice laws, which after implementation, set the template for the designing of Criminal Justice Act at the National Assembly.
Fagbemi, SAN, represented by Mr. Fernandez Marcos-Obiene, said robust and transparent reforms embarked on by Lagos in the justice system had promoted economic growth, pledging that the Federal Government would continue to provide platforms for reforms that would improve public trust in the judiciary.
Chief Justice of Lagos, Justice Kazeem Alogba, commended Gov. Sanwo-Olu for his non-interference stance in judicial matters in Lagos.
Alogba said: ”No society thrives without robust justice system. The essence of any society is to have justice, without which there will be no peace and order. Security is an integral element of a robust justice system. When you have judges who are incompetent and corrupt in the system, the society will suffer for it.”
Other speakers at the two-day event included the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, and Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN, among others.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) says it has sealed off the Idera market in the Oshodi metropolis.
In a statement on Thursday, Ajayi Lukman, LAGESC spokesperson, said the agency sealed the market due to unhygienic practices and indiscriminate dumping of refuse, which contravened the environmental law of the state.
He said the measure was taken to enforce adherence to environmental cleanliness across registered markets in the state.
‘‘Our operatives stationed across the Oshodi division during routine market monitoring identified the filth, unhygienic practices, and indiscriminate dumping of refuse around the Idera Market area, which prompted us to seal off the market until further notice,” the statement reads.
Lukman quoted Olaniyi Cole, the corps marshal of the agency, as decrying the level of hygiene at the market, which could lead to an outbreak of diseases.
He said Cole frowned at the inability of the market leadership to provide a valid waste collection contract, which resulted in the heaps of refuse in the facility.
He added that the display of wares for sale on road setbacks, lay-bys, medians, verges, kerbs, street trading, and hawking remained banned in the metropolis.
The LAGESC corps marshal reiterated the ban on the sales, distribution, and usage of styrofoam in the state, noting that anyone found culpable would be punished decisively.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Hours to the Edo State governorship election, the guber candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP)Amb Osalumese Areloegbe on Thursday morning collapsed the structure for the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie Esq.
Addressing journalists at the party secretariat in Benin City, Areloegbe said his decision to collapse the structure for the PDP candidate was because he believed that Ighodalo had all it would take to govern the state to greater heights.
According to him, I urged all my followers and supporters to disregard any information that I have aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo.
“I am supporting Asue Ighodalo because he is competent, not that I am not competent but I believe Asue is on the forefront. That is my reason for supporting his candidacy.
“My party is aware because they have been having a series of negotiations for us to align with the APC, and I told them categorically that I am supporting PDP. My eighteen local government followers are in full support of my decision, I mean 100 per cent supporting the PDP candidate, Barr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie in this election.
“My choice for Asue Ighodalo is because, apart from myself, I see him as the next better candidate that I can support and I can put my weight on because he has the capacity, mentally, physically and otherwise to pilot the affairs of Edo State to greater heights.
“The national secretariat of my party, APP – they are in Abuja and I am in the state, and know much more of what is happening in Edo State. They are not here and don’t know what is going on here in Edo. And I am in a position to tell them what will be better for the Edo people.
“There is a parable that says, ‘You cannot shave a man’s head when he is not present’. I am here in Edo State and I know who to support and why I am supporting him. The national leadership might have taken a different tone, but this is what I and my followers have chosen.
“We had a series of other politicians who had made such decisions before. That is why I agreed with the support of my supporters to collapse my structure for the governorship candidate of the PDP Barr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie.”
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A resident of Ifetedo in Osun State, simply identified as Idowu, had reportedly died in an incident of collapse building that occurred in the town.
The collapsed structure was said to be a dilapidated building that suddenly caved in and killed the woman.
A resident of Ifetedo, simply identified as Ogunyemi, while speaking to The PUNCH on Thursday, said operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, responding to a distress call, were at the scene of the incident.
Some NSCDC operatives rushed to the scene after they were informed of the incident. They were joined by some other people in the community.
Idowu was the only person in the building when the incident happened. She was brought out dead from the rubble.
“The incident caused panic in Omiloode Area, where the building is located. The building that collapsed is a dilapidated structure,” Ogunyemi said.
Osun NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Kehind Adeleke, when contacted confirmed the incident, adding that the scene was immediately cordoned off by security men.
“An abandoned dilapidated building located along Omiloode Street, Ifetedo collapsed and killed one Mrs Idowu, who was said to be around the structure when the incident happened.
“The tragic incident occurred at about 17:30 hours on Tuesday.
“Officers and men of NSCDC Ife South Division, upon getting information rushed to the scene of the incident for rescue operation. But unfortunately, the woman had passed on. She was brought out of the rubble dead. The site was immediately cordoned off,” Adeleke said.
LASG shuts down Idera market over ‘environmental pollution
Hours to Edo guber polls, major opposition candidate crumbles structure for Ighodalo
SAD! Woman reportedly d!3s in Osun building c0llapse
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