News
Alleged False Asset Declaration: Justice Kekere-Ekun Dragged Before Code Of Conduct Bureau
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Oduduwa Descendants Coalition for Justice has dragged Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun of the Nigerian Supreme Court through the Code of Conduct Bureau and Code of Conduct Tribunal over alleged non-declaration and false declaration in the forms she submitted to the anti-graft body at various times.
The group in a petition dated the 10th of August, 2024 and signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Kehinde Johnson Olawale, alleged that as a Judicial officer, Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun failed or refused to abide by the provisions of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, which has been in force since 1991.
It noted that for example, in May 1999, at the end of her tenure as Chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Ikeja Zone ll Lagos, Justice Kekere-Ekun failed to submit her assets declaration.
In the petition, Olawale equally also alleged that in 2013, at the end of her tenure as a Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Kekere-Ekun failed to submit her assets declaration form, adding that the “assets declaration form she eventually filled and submitted upon assumption of office as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria contained false declarations and unverified statements”.
The petitioner further said that report of the the anti-graft agency on the investigation will assist the National Judicial Council and the Senate of the Nigerian National Assembly to come to a balanced decision as to the suitability of Justice Kekere-Ekun for appointment as Chief Justice of Nigeria.
The petition which was received by the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau on August 12, 2024, was copied the
Chairman of the National Judicial Commission, Senate President and Attorney General of the Federation.
When contacted, a staff of the Intelligence, Investigation and Monitoring Department of the anti-graft agency who pleaded anonymity, said that the usual practice was that the Chairman of the Bureau would request the public officer against whom the petition was written to offer an explanation in writing in response to the allegations contained in the petition.
The staff explained that; “If there is no infraction of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, the petition will be dismissed, but, if after investigation a prima facie case is established, the matter will be referred to the Code of Conduct Tribunal for prosecution of the accused”.
He referred to the similar case of a former Chief Justice of Nigeria Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen, who was investigated and prosecuted by the Code of Conduct Bureau.
Sourced from Nivonews/opr.news
News
Oritsetimeyin Oil Rig: ‘Stop Igniting Industrial Crisis In Nig & We’re Surely Not Party Of Your Strike Threat’- PTD Tells NUPENG*
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has decried the strike mongering posture of its parent body in reaction to the alleged deployment of troops that reportedly chased away members of the union from the Oritsetimeyin oil rig.
PTD also used the moment to reassure Nigerians and the entire stakeholders in the petroleum industry downstream sector that it would do everything possible within its power to stop NUPENG from making do its threat, an action which it said could further cripple the economy of the country and increase people’s hardship and hunger.
The union also maintained that Tanker Drivers would no longer work against the progressive and seamless policies of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or be an attack dog to the government under the current leadership of NUPENG.
A leader from the Port Harcourt Zone of PTD Comrade Chief Joseph Dagogo-Jack (JP) made this disclosure in Abuja on Friday, November 8, 2024 during a parley with newsmen at Top Rank Galaxy hotel around 2pm, Nigerian time.
Dagogo-Jack also appealed to PTD members across the country to go about their normal duties in actualising the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu as it concerns the oil sector.
“What NUPENG is currently facing at the Oritsetimeyin oil rig is a reflection of failure and lack of direction by its leadership as presently constituted, especially the office of the General Secretary, occupied by Afolabi Olawale. Here is a leadership that took it’s members in PTD to Court with the intention to jail them, leadership that set up and sacked its secretariat staff over trump up charges, leadership that demoted its staff and suspended several members, leadership that flagrantly disobeyed court orders and has been serially slammed with contempt of court, leadership with no prudence, discipline, transparency, probity and accountability, leadership full of high-handedness .
“Leadership that has completely destroyed all the Branches under the umbrella body of NUPENG, that is the same leadership struggling to get national relevance and attempting fight for workers at the rig whose fundamental rights were violated. NUPENG can get nothing done positively until it mend its fence and allow PTD to breathe, otherwise it can make any progress. It has set dangerous precedents for itself and it therefore needs to urgently do self introspection and restitution and as well accord leadership legitimacy to PTD led group of Comrade Lucky Osesua and his entire team.
“It is crystal clear that NUPENG has failed completely to cater to the needs and interests of its members across board, no wonder it now sees the Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum Products (ADITOP) as a threat to its existence having noticed that ADITOP is now ready and prepared to offer better deal to Tanker Drivers with a robust Collective Bargaining Agreement, security of tenure, protection from health and safety hazards, and with the poise to come up with relevant training on health and safety, among other juicy packages, which NUPENG has failed to do over the years but only sees PTD as a cash cow, yet its members are being impoverished through NUPENG’s policies and programmes. NUPENG needs to understand the beauty of democracy, NUPENG cannot continue to enjoy the monopoly of freedom of association and assembly in the oil and gas sector, our constitution is very clear about that.
“We must however reiterate that PTD is a recognised association of its own and wants to concentrate on its main core objectives and we are also using this opportunity to also appeal to security agencies to always assist and work in a friendly manner with our members at all times. Our members should also know that PTD will soon call for a national executive council meeting to treat the issues within the PTD and effectively regularise our activities within.
“We call on all national executive members, both past and present, to unite and come together towards ensuring an amicable resolution and smooth sailing of PTD, as without peace and unity, the association will not move forward. The national chairman, Lucky Osesua, his deputies Comrade Dayyabu Yusuf Garga, Comrade (Chief) Peter Moudebelu (Onwa) and the national secretary, Humble Power Obinna and other executives of the PTD branch are ready to work with everyone, and we offer an olive branch to the opposition to contribute their quota to the growth of PTD.
“I want to also assure the Nigerian people that we mean well for the country and shall never in any way inflict pain or injury on the masses. Although we are worried about the disturbing action of some overzealous security personnel, we believe with dialogue, we can still maintain industrial harmony and peace within the petroleum industry value chain. Notwithstanding, workers’ rights and the sanctity of negotiated agreements at Oritsetimeyin oil rig should not be compromised under any guise.
“It must be noted and placed on record that PTD cannot, through our action, add to the current hardship and cry of hunger by vulnerable Nigerians by engaging in any industrial tension under a fragile and weak economy that is currently screaming for help. That will be irresponsible and totally unpatriotic of us should we join NUPENG in any needless strike at a time like this,” the labour leader (Dagogo-Jack) stated.
News
Democrats not happy with Biden, campaign strategy, others for Harris’ defeat to Trump
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Democrats are facing a painful reckoning over Kamala Harris’s drubbing at the hands of Donald Trump in the US presidential election, as shock gives way to anger and recrimination in the aftermath of a devastating repudiation.
Lawmakers and strategists looking for someone to blame for Tuesday’s wipeout have so far been more likely to target President Joe Biden than Harris, who is regarded as having done a decent job with the short time she had to campaign.
The election night disaster — Trump’s triumph was accompanied by a Republican “red wave” in the Senate — has proved to be a Rorschach test, with rival factions each offering reasons for the defeat informed by their particular brand of Democratic politics.
The circular firing squad began with progressive senator Bernie Sanders arguing in a scathing statement that a party that had forsaken the working class should not be surprised to “find that the working class has abandoned them.”
That prompted an angry rebuke from Democratic National Committee chairman Jaime Harrison, who dismissed Sanders’s thesis as “straight up BS” and posted a long list of Biden’s achievements for low income families.
New York congressman Ritchie Torres hit out at what he sees as smug political correctness on the left, insisting that Trump had “no greater friend” than activists alienating voters with “absurdities like ‘Defund the Police’… or ‘Latinx.’”
Harris has escaped the harshest criticism, as she is regarded as having had insufficient time to campaign thanks to Biden’s initial insistence on running again at 81, despite having promised to be a bridge to the next generation.
The aging president’s sluggishness in bowing out after a disastrous debate performance against Trump deepened the challenge, as Harris had to start her campaign in July as a relative unknown, despite being the vice president.
Billionaire former Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg, who feels that Biden’s campaign should never have got as far as the June 27 debate, attacked the president’s team in a commentary for Bloomberg for covering up his shortcomings “until they became undeniable on live TV.”
News
NUJ National Dismisses Petition Against FCT Credential Committee
-
Entertainment22 hours ago
If you don’t shift, I will hammer you ma, Portable cautions Tiwa Savage
-
News17 hours ago
Parallel Market: Naira bounces back, rises against Dollar on November 8, 2024
-
Foreign22 hours ago
Outrage In Ghana As 80-Year-Old President Akufo-Addo Unveils Statue Of Himself
-
Foreign22 hours ago
Elon Musk’s transgender daughter announces plans to leave US after Trump’s victory
-
Sports22 hours ago
Osimhen scores two goals to drown Spurs to go top in Europa league
-
News18 hours ago
Nigeria Seeks Permanent Spot on UN Security Council
-
News18 hours ago
Adeyanju petitions Humanitarian Affairs minister for nonpayment of N-Power beneficiaries’ one-year stipends
-
News17 hours ago
Darkness : Nigerians should brace up, national grid collapse’ll not end soon-Energy stakeholders