The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Friday, August 19, has reserved date for judgement in the appeal to upturn the judgement of the Federal High Court which disqualified Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori in the Gubernatorial primary of the Delta PDP and ordered his substitution with Olorogun David Edevbie as the lawful candidate of the party for the 2023 Governorship election.

The court which last sat on August 8 fixed hearing for August 19 and at the end of the hearing the judges announced that they will communicate a date for the delivery of judgement to the parties.

It will be recalled that following a suit by David Edevbie, the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Taiwo Taiwo declared Sheriff Oborevwori unqualified to have participated in the Delta State PDP Governorship primary due to inconsistencies in his name and age and not possessing the minimum qualification.

The particulars of the matter are that, arising from the PDP South South Zone Gubernatorial Screening in Port Harcourt, discrepancies were detected in Oborevwori’s names and age in his certificates

The contradictions include that while he is known as Sheriff Oborevwori, his First School Leaving Certificate dated 1981 for the examination said to have been written in 1977 bears the name of Oborevwori Francis; his West Africa Examination Council Certificate obtained in 1999 bears Oborevwori O. Francis with the age of the birth date of the writer stated as 1979.

In 2003, he proceeded to swear an affidavit to correct the age in the said certificate from 1979 to 1963 and gave his name as Oborevwori Orohwedor Francis.

Before then, in 1982, an affidavit deposed to on his behalf by one Benson Ogolo, said to be his cousin, gave his name as Oborguvori Francis.

His Bachelor’s degree certificate bears Oborevwori Sheriff Francis; his NYSC Exempt Certificate bears Oborevwori Sheriff while his Master’s degree certificate bears Oborevwori Francis Sheriff Orohwedor.

His claims as contained in INEC Form CF 001 with which he entered for general elections in 2018 are also inconsistent with his filings in his Expression of Interest Form for the Gubernatorial Election in 2022.

Whereas he did a Deed to correct the inconsistencies, Justice Taiwo Taiwo faulted the veracity of the Deed on the grounds that while it was dated July 7, 2011, the FIRS receipt was dated April 19, 2022 while the Gazette was signed personally by him and dated May 5, 2022.

For many Deltans, especially members of the PDP, the inconsistencies make it unsafe to proceed with him into the 2023 elections for fear that opposition parties might take advantage to sue the party and turn over their possible victory as it happened in the case of Degi Eremiayo by which the APC lost its governorship position to the PDP in Bayelsa State.

The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Delta State Council congratulates the Secretary of the Correspondents’ Asaba Chapel, Comrade Gospel Amaliamifeobu on his appointment as the substantive General Manager of the Bridge Radio, Asaba.

The news came to us as a spirit and morale lifter, an evidence that our members are doing well in their various spheres of engagements within the media industry; and as such, they are being recognised and elevated.

We are particularly proud of Mr. Amaliamifeobu who has over the years proven his mettle and shown dexterity in the media profession that he has chosen for himself.

It is a known fact that he has worked very hard to change the narrative in the broadcast media industry. This is the same in every other place he had worked, and so Bridge Radio has not made a mistake in spotting him out as best fitted to take over from the outgoing GM, who also is a thoroughbred and well experienced in his field.

On this note, on behalf of the entire members of the Union in Delta State, we congratulate and wish you well in your new assignment. We are confident that you will deliver on mandate and also help to redefine the journalism practice in the State while adding value to the system.

Comrade Michael Ikeogwu,
NUJ Chairman,
Delta State Council.

Comrade Patrick Ochei,
NUJ Secretary,
Delta State Council.

By: Ella Ogbadu

Women Journalists in Delta State have been charged to be vibrant, dynamic in their task of projecting Delta State to the World in order to attract more economic boost to the state.

The Chairperson of the State Chapter of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists NAWOJ, Comrade Sonia Unobunjo gave the charge on Tuesday August 16, 2022 during the body’s congress held at the State Secretariat of the NUJ in Asaba the Delta State Capital.

Comrade Unobunjo enjoined members to take ownership of the association by contributing their quota towards it’s growth and development.

She appealed to women journalists to help to disseminate activities of NAWOJ through their various media organizations.

The inaugural congress under the present Executive of NAWOJ Delta State, had in attendance women Journalists from across the state as well as veterans in the association.

*NSCDC “Messiah in tackling issues of crude theft, pipeline vandalism in Niger Delta”- Okwechime

Life is expected to be enjoyed by the living and not being endured in the scale of balance. Provision of social and basic amenities are essential for life to be worthy of living. In recent past and present, successive governments in their wisdom have provided the basic/social amenities and infrastructures to enjoy life. On the long run, It will interest you to know that the NSCDC who is also the lead agency in the protection of all government critical assets and Infrastructure has declared that the protection of these Critical National Assets and Infrastructure is sanrosact and not negotiable

The State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Delta State Command Akinsanya Iskilu Abiodun made these statements through the Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC DSC Emeka Peters Okwechime while briefing news men at the State Headquarters of the NSCDC in Asaba the Delta State Capital.

Dsc Emeka Peters maintained that the command in its renewed efforts to ensuring a crime free society and the dire need to beef up security in all Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, the State Commandant have ordered the Massive deployment of officers to provide adequate security and protection of all Public Centers and all Critical Assets and Infrastructure across the State. The statement also directed all Area Commander’s, various Head of Department and Units, the 25 Divisional Officers to supervise and monitor the deployed officers. Similarly, the Commandant General of the NSCDC Dr Abubakar Audi Ahmed PhD(mni), through a memo from the National Headquarters of the NSCDC ordered the immediate deployment of NSCDC personnel to schools in ensuring the safe school initiative of the Minister of Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

On the issue of monies lost by the federal government through stolen crude, the NSCDC spokesman said, that the crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism would have worsen or taken a different dimension other than what it is today if not for the emergence and the gallant fight of the NSCDC as a Messiah in tackling the issues of crude theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta Region. Recently, the Command arrested over 192 suspects, 52 tankers, 11 Articulated trucks, Toyota Sequoia Jeeps, Sienna bus, Mini buses ,Saloon Cars and 50mm diameters hose, all used in the illegally dealing in petroleum product, crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

Beside the huge success recorded by the Command, the PRO used the opportunity to call on the Judiciary to attend all NSCDC cases promptly in order to speed up the trials and prosecutions of crude oil thieves suspects brought before the court. That if these suspects are being sentence to jail regularly and timely, it will serve as deterrent to others not to take to crime. Dsc Emeka Peters also disclosed that the NSCDC would perform excellently well if the corps is well equiped and necessary logistics adequately provided in order to be able to crush these Vandals carrying sophisticated weapons.

On the 2023 general election, the NSCDC Image Maker said, that the state Commandant Akinsanya I. A called on all politicians in the state and all political stakeholders to eschew political bitterness, hate speech, campaign of calumny which is culpable of breaching the peace.

The NSCDC Boss through the command public relations officer DSC Emeka Peters, said that politicians should rather discuss their plans, programmes and strategies to better the lot of the State and her citizens. He enjoined all political class to engage themselves on issue base campaign rather than taking to cheap blackmail, lies and propaganda which will not help the system.

Halt Operations At Council Secretariat

Sewage operators on Tuesday made good their threats to stage a peaceful protest against the authorities of the Udu local government area of Delta State over what they described as daily illegal levy imposed on them and vowed to resist it.

And to drive home their points, as early as 8 am on Tuesday, the sewage Operators in Udu , Warri and it’s environs gathered at the gate of Udu local Government council secretariat to protest what they termed illegal levy of #5,000 (Five Thousand Naira) daily by Udu local Government and halted operations at the council secretariat.

Our Correspondent reports that there was heavy traffic on Tuesday morning in parts of Udu Road by Udu local government council secretariat as a result of the peaceful protest by the sewage operators

According to the protesters, all attempts to meet with Udu local Government council Chairman, Chief Jite Brown in order to address the alleged illegal levy proved abortive .

It was gathered that other local Governments in the state were not collecting the said amount from them.

The Delta State Chairman of sewage operators, Comrade Efeturi Otu, while urging members to be peaceful and law abiding, disclosed that the Five Thousand Naira daily ticket imposed on them by Udu council is sold to them by suspected thugs who are agents to the council.

Comrade Efeturi Otu who spoke at the front of the blocked Udu local government Secretariat by his members, revealed that most times the council agents seized their truck batteries and manhandled them, saying enough was enough.

Others who spoke lamented that Udu local Government council did not provide dumping ground for them and wondered why the Authorities of the Council decided to levy them the sum of Five Thousand Naira daily .

They revealed that Delta State Road Transport workers Union have dropped their own tickets which they were collecting from them since they are the ones paying for their dump site .

They asked the Udu council chairman to provide them with approved dump site, saying that they were ready to pay the Five Thousand naira since they were already committed to the payment of the levy
to private owners of dump sites.

By: Ella Ogbadu 

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association (IPMAN), South East Zone, has threatened to shut down depots in Calabar, Port Harcourt and Enugu over incessant police harassment of its leaders.

Robert Obi, Cross River Chairman, IPMAN, made the threat on Friday in Calabar in an interview with newsmen.

Obi said the association decided to close all the depots and stations after a series of meetings with some stakeholders over police harassment of its leaders.

He alleged that there were moves by the Police Legal Unit at the Force Headquarters in Abuja to arrest its executives across the zone and possibly install a factional leadership.

He said that if the police arrest its leaders in the zone it would create more crisis in the association in spite of various court pronouncements laying the matter to rest.

Obi said the Attorney-General of the Federation, in a letter which was copied to Chinedu Okoronkwo and his faction who lost out at the Supreme Court, had acknowledged Alhaji Sanusi Fari as the authentic National President of IPMAN and his depots and units chairmen.

Obi frowned at the alleged illegal moves by the police authorities and some he described as “disgruntled elements” to either misinterpret the Supreme Court ruling or subvert the will of the people.

He said their aim was to impose their cronies on the association even when the facts of the matter were very clear.

“Despite the legal advice, the police are putting all arsenals to arrest the current executives of IPMAN in Nigeria, particularly in Calabar NNPC depot and allegedly hand the leadership of the association to the people of their choice.

“IPMAN warns that further step shouldn’t be taken by the police to interfere with the current leadership of the association.

“We will shut down the distribution channels of petroleum and allied products in Nigeria pending when the police do the right thing.

“IPMAN leadership has resolved to continue with their rights in the constitution and abide by the extant laws and subsisting judgments of the courts in its favour,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the zone has been embroiled in leadership crisis which led to various court cases.

The South East Zone of IPMAN, comprises Enugu, Aba, Rivers, Cross River and Benue with more than 40 depots and 1,000 petrol stations with about 2,000 members.

The zone has been having a running battle with officers of the Nigeria Police over alleged attempt by the police to force a factional leadership on the association.

Meanwhile, Force Headquarters spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said he was not aware of the matter.

Earlier, the Cross River Command of the Nigeria Police has said it is not in position to react to the allegation.

By: Tino Tega

The 62nd Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, with the theme; “Bold Transitions,” will hold at the Eko Atlantic City in Lagos, from 19th-26th August, 2022.

Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, will be speaking in a panel session on the topic: “Democratic Transitions in 21st Century Nigeria: 2023 and Beyond.”

In the same vein, Executive Assistant to Delta State Governor on Communications, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe Esq, will also attend the 62nd Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, in his capacity as a member of Ikeja Branch of NBA.

Okowa’s EAC in a statement on Sunday said the 62nd NBA conference will afford him the opportunity of seating under the intellectual political tutelage of the vibrant charismatic leader and President in-waiting, Atiku Abubakar, who according to him, shall sweep the polls in 2023 via the Atiku-Okowa Take Back Nigeria political Tsunami.

Oghenesivbe, who is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, assured that Atiku shall do justice to the topic and also interact with members of the Bar and the Press, touching on democratic and political developments as it relates to Nigeria and his Covenant with Nigerians, going forward.

NBA’s Technical Committee on Conference Planning, TCCP, said the presidential candidates’ session will come after the conference opening ceremony and will afford participants a rare opportunity to interact with presidential candidate Atiku, just six months ahead of Nigeria’s general election next year.

“We are excited to announce that of the four leading presidential candidates we sent invites to, two have confirmed to us that they would be available to speak at the 62nd NBA Annual General Conference holding at the Eko Atlantic City in Lagos. We await a response from the other two and we are hopeful that it would be positive.

“It is a first in the history of the NBA Annual General Conference and it is in line with our aspiration to make the 2022 AGC a legacy conference that sets a standard that will become a benchmark for subsequent conferences of the NBA.

“We are looking forward to seeing participants have a robust engagement with the candidates,” NBA said in a statement.

By: Celestine Ukah

*urges Buhari to  appoint Itsekiri as  NDDC MD