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Justice Omotosho’s Ruling Stands as Sole Valid Judgment on Rivers Assembly Members – Rep Solomon Bob

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…say Falana’s assertion is baseless, lacks merit
By Gloria Ikibah

Rep. Solomon Bob, representing Abua/Odual and Ahoada East Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, has stated that Justice Omotosho’s judgment, along with the affirmed appeals, remains the only valid court decision on the status of the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday in response to Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN),  Rep. Bob dismissed his claims suggesting the lawmakers had lost their seats, and said “Mr. Falana’s assertion is baseless and lacks legal merit”.

Naijablitznews.com recalls that on January 10, 2025, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Governor Siminilayi Fubara against the Court of Appeal’s ruling, which had previously upheld Justice Joseph Omotosho’s decision in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023.

Speaking on the judgement the Rivers lawmaker stated that “Justice Omotosho’s judgment, which was delivered on 22nd January 2024, touched on the entirety of the issues at the centre of the crisis, including:
(a) leadership and membership of the Rivers State House of Assembly and
(b) presentation of the 2024 appropriation law or any presentations to the House of Assembly.
“One of the judgment orders declares that:
“AN ORDER is hereby made restraining the 11th Defendant (Governor Fubara) from howsoever or in whatsoever manner making any request, presentation, or nomination in the Rivers State House of Assembly except to the House of Assembly under the leadership of the 2nd Plaintiff” (Speaker Martin Amaewhule).
“Clearly, the judgment does not address question of the 2024 budget presentation alone, but all subsequent presentations (including that of 2025), requests, or nominations before the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“However, the ink on the Supreme Court’s dismissal had hardly dried up when Mr. Femi Falana SAN appeared on a television programme to proffer yet another misleading interpretation.
“In his presentation, Mr Falana claimed that the dismissed appeal related only to the 2024 appropriation law and, therefore, merely academic.
“As the above order shows, Mr. Falana was wrong. He was also downplaying the dire ramifications of spending without an appropriation law.
“He also claimed that the dismissed appeal did not touch on the question of membership of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“Indeed, virtually all the reliefs sought and granted by the Federal High Court and the decision of the Court of Appeal affirm the subsisting membership of the House of Assembly by the 27 legislators.
“By reason of section 272(3) of the constitution, only the Federal High Court is vested with jurisdiction on any question of vacancy in the seats of a House of Assembly”, he added.
According to Rep. Bob, contrary to Falana’s “vaunted opinion”, section 109(1)(g) of the constitution is not self-executory. “And realistically, under a constitutional democracy, no law is. Because every constitutional provision is ultimately subject to judicial interpretation. To suggest otherwise is to deny the imperative of judicial review”.
He expressed concerns by “Mr. Falana’s consistent penchant for misleading the public with respect to the Rivers crisis”.
“Often presenting his brief to the appotheosizing lay public as public interest advocacy, Mr. Falana eagerly justifies dangerous out-of-control behaviour and egregious constitutional abuse in Rivers State; the type he would certainly not accept in his native Ekiti.
“Nigeria’s recent history is regrettably replete with instances of defections right across state (and federal) legislatures. Mr. Falana has not been straining at the leash to make the same case in other instances.
“In his many public appearances on the Rivers crisis, he has employed self-serving sophistry and hollow whataboutism to justify every illegality and absurdity, including that 3 members can constitute the legal quorum in a House of as yet 30 members!
“Mr. Falana should separate his animus towards an individual from his exposition of the law and have the humility to admit that he is not the law.
“Because no matter how much legal knowledge he professes, his opinion remains his personal opinion and can not approximate to the law. As Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes once famously said, the law is “The prophecies of what the courts will do in fact…”
“As Rivers State reels under Fubara’s unexampled and deliquent misrule, and the courts undo his myriad criminal misdeeds, a lawyer of Mr. Falana’s prominence should at least respect their decision, not mislead the public”, Rep Bob asserted.

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Jehovah’s Witnesses announce fresh adjustment to blood transfusion policy

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The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has announced that members can now decide whether to accept or donate the four main components of blood based on their personal conscience.

The organisation made this known in a statement issued by its World Headquarters in Warwick, New York and made available on its website on Friday.

According to the statement, “the decision to accept red cells, white cells, plasma or platelets from another person’s blood is a matter of personal conscience.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses announce adjustment to blood transfusion policy
It added that “each Witness must decide whether or not to donate blood for the clearly expressed purpose of providing components or fractions for use by another person.”

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However, the organisation said its position on whole-blood transfusion had not changed.

“The long-standing refusal of whole-blood transfusions on religious grounds, a core teaching based on the command to ‘abstain from blood’ (Acts 15:20), is unchanged,” the statement said.

International spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses at the organisation’s World Headquarters, Paul Gillies, said, “Blood remains sacred to Jehovah’s Witnesses, who continue to regard life and blood as precious gifts from God.

“We recognise that medical decisions involving blood components are a matter of conscience between each Witness and their God, Jehovah.”

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The organisation said the adjustment “follows earlier updates regarding blood fractions and the use of one’s own blood during medical procedures.”

It added, “Since the Bible does not comment on such decisions, they are a matter of individual conscience. That same reasoning has now been extended to the four main components of blood.”

On medical care, the statement said, “Jehovah’s Witnesses love life and want the best available medical care. They do not practise faith healing, and they seek out doctors who can provide effective treatment in accord with their wishes, values and beliefs.”

Gillies said local congregations would not interfere in members’ personal decisions.

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“Congregations do not involve themselves in personal decisions that rest with the individual conscience. We will continue to respect and support the personal decisions of our fellow believers.

“We are grateful, too, for the many skilled and compassionate physicians who provide quality medical care that respects our personal wishes regarding blood,” he said.

The organisation said Jehovah’s Witnesses number “over nine million worldwide, in congregations across more than 200 lands.”

Recall that the religious group had clarified its position on the use of a member’s own blood during surgery and other medical procedures.

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The clarification allowed individual Witnesses to decide whether their blood could be removed, stored and returned to them during medical treatment, while the organisation maintained its position against receiving blood from another person.

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Army speaks on Boko Haram, ISWAP attack alert as fake

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The Nigerian Army has dismissed as fake and unverified a purported intelligence alert warning of planned Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks on schools, churches, mosques, NYSC orientation camps and other public institutions across the country.

Anele said the Army was aware of the circulation and had heightened vigilance across its formations and commands to prevent attacks on vulnerable facilities.

She described the purported intelligence as speculation and urged the public not to treat the document as an official Army security alert.

The response followed the circulation of a document purportedly signed by one A.M. Sodiq, which claimed that Boko Haram and ISWAP were planning coordinated attacks across several parts of the country.

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The document listed churches, schools, NYSC orientation camps and other vulnerable locations as possible targets and alleged that suspected ISWAP operatives had begun surveillance of selected locations.

It further claimed that the alleged attacks could coincide with the resumption of the 2026/2027 academic session.

However, the Army disowned the document, maintaining that it did not originate from the institution.

The Army assured Nigerians that security formations remained on heightened alert and were taking necessary measures to protect schools, places of worship and other vulnerable public facilities.

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Police Allegedly Shoot Engine Oil Seller During Minna Protest

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MINNA, Niger State — An engine oil seller in Minna, the Niger State capital, has reportedly sustained serious injuries after allegedly being shot during a police operation to disperse protesters.

The victim, identified as Ibrahim Mohammed Dada, was reportedly standing outside his shop at Tunga Market when he was struck by a bullet.

Ibrahim’s brother, Yakubu Dada Mohammed, said the victim was not part of the protest and was attending to customers at his engine oil stall when the incident occurred.

According to him, Ibrahim was simply trying to earn a living and support his family when a police officer allegedly fired a shot that hit him in the head and severely injured his face.

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«“He was not among those protesting. He was standing in front of his shop selling engine oil when one of the police officers fired a bullet that struck his head and badly injured his face,” Yakubu said.»

Ibrahim is currently receiving treatment at Minna General Hospital, where his condition was reportedly described as critical.

The incident occurred amid protests in Minna over the reported deaths of 37 miners who were allegedly in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Reports indicate that 65 miners were arrested on September 15 and 16, with 37 subsequently reported dead while in security custody.

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The protests, which began on Thursday, continued into Friday as security personnel moved to disperse demonstrators. Security forces were reportedly accused of using tear gas and live ammunition during the operation.

However, the circumstances surrounding Ibrahim’s shooting have not been independently established.

The Niger State Police Command spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, appealed for calm and said the incident would be investigated.

The case has since heightened concerns over the conduct of security personnel during the ongoing protests.

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