News
Senate restores State Constituency in Delta
Ethiope West State Constituency (1) in Delta State which has been a subject of legal controversy in the present day Ethiope West State Constituency has been restored.
The development followed a motion moved by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege on Wednesday at the plenary.
Omo-Agege in his lead debate submitted that a Federal High Court has ordered the restoration in line with Secrion 115 of the 1999 Constitution.
He.explained that agitations by concerned leaders, electorate and stakeholders in the constituency led to legal action at the Federal High Court, Warri with Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/21/2015, but which has now bee resolved.
According to him, in a judgement delivered by Hon. Justice M. Shitu Abubakar on 25th March, 2015, the Federal High Court, Warri upheld the arguments of the representatives of the electorate, stakeholders and people of Ethiope West State Constituency (1), granted their reliefs declaring that “the Delta State House Assembly as it currently stands is not properly constituted in line with the provisions of Sections 6, 36, 91 and 112 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore Ethiope West Constituency (1) as a state constituency with an elected member in the State House of Assembly”.
He lamented that six years after, the electoral umpire has yet to comply with the decision.
“The Senate: Observes that Ethiope West State Constituency (1) consisting of Jesse Ward I, Jesse Ward 11, Jesse Ward III, Jesse Ward IV, Mosogar Ward I and Mosogar Ward II satisfies the requirements of Section 113 of the 1999 Constitution (as altered) and this justifies its creation, and approval by the National Assembly;
“Worried that despite Ethiope West State Constituency (1) being a duly created and approved State Constituency by the National Assembly pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wilfully, negligently, unlawfully or arbitrarily omitted or removed this State Constituency (1) with code no SC/11/DT from the “Approved List of State Constituencies previously Suppressed” addressed to the Clerk of National Assembly on 2nd June, 2004;
“Concerned that this singular wilful, negligent, unlawful or arbitrary act by INEC has created a real and continuing political suppression and oppression of the electorate, stakeholders and the good people of Ethiope West State Constituency (1);
“Cognizant that to stop the continuing suppression of their constitutionally guaranteed right to proper parliamentary representation, representatives of the electorate, stakeholders and the good people of Ethiope West State Constituency (1) lawfully took their grievances to the Federal High Court, Holden in Warri and challenged the actions of INEC in Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/21/2015 for omitting/removing their constituency from the “Approved List of State Constituencies previously suppressed” addressed to the Clerk of the JiNational Assembly on 2nd June 2004;
“Notes that in its judgment, the Federal High Court unequivocally declared that the Delta State House Assembly as it currently stands is not properly constituted in line with the provisions of Sections 6, 36, 91 and 112 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and ordered INEC to restore Ethiope West Constituency (1) as a state constituency with an elected member in the State House of Assembly;
“Further notes that the Federal High Court also declared that INEC does not have the discretion or power whatsoever to suppress the existing Ethiope West State Constituency (1) with code SC/11/DT having been lawfully approved by the National Assembly, hence the suppression is illegal, unlawful, null and void;
“Recognises that amongst others, the Federal High Court equally directed INEC to immediately restore and conduct election to fill the seat for Ethiope West State Constituency 1 in the Delta State House of Assembly and the electoral area covered by this constituency shall be the present Jesse Ward I, Jesse Ward II, Jesse Ward III, Jesse Ward IV, Mosogar Ward I and Mosogar Ward II,” he said.
In his contribution, Sen. Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger State), said the motion is in order and urged his colleagues to approve same.
He also urged INEC to comply with the court order.
In its resolution, the Senate approved the immediate restoration of Ethiope West State Constituency (1) with code SC/11/DT comprising of Jesse Ward I, Jesse Ward II, Jesse Ward III, Jesse Ward IV, Mosogar Ward 1, and Mosogar Ward 11 in line with the decision, declarations and directives of the Federal High Court.
The upper legislative chamber also directed the electoral body to comply with its resolutions as well as the court decision ahead of the next General Election.
It equally sought the concurrence of the House of Representatives in line with Section 115 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as altered).
Operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS), have arrested two principal suspects involved in the killing of 16 Nigerians of Northern extraction in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government last week.
The suspects were arrested by operatives of the DSS in Uromi, following credible intelligence. Operatives of various security agencies are hunting for other key suspects involved in the unfortunate incidents
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, had on Monday in Kano State, during a condolence visit, revealed that 14 suspects had already been arrested in connection with the killing.
Governor Okpebholo who visited the State to condole with the Government and families of the victims, had vowed that justice will be served and those involved in the killing will be brought to justice.
Governor Okpebholo had also assured families of the victims that adequate compensations will be paid.
In the latest development, the two principal suspects arrested by officials of the DSS, have been transferred to Abuja, the nation’s capital, for further interrogation and prosecution by the relevant authorities.
A Nigerian televangelist, Timothy Omotoso has been acquitted of rape after spending eight years in prison in South Africa.
Trouble started when the televangelist was accused of raping young women from his South African church, an accusation he denied when he was arrested eight years ago.
His trial was aired live I South Africa and gained interest across the country, but insisted that he was not guiltynof 32-count charges against him.
In 2018, one witness told the court she had been raped by the pastor – who ran a church in the city of Port Elizabeth – when she was 14 years old.
The presiding judge on Wednesday 1st April, 2025 delivered judgement, saying Pastor Timothy Omotoso has not bèn found guilty over this case because prosecutors had mishandled the case.
South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) shared a similar assessment, saying that “former prosecutors in the case acted improperly and the accused were not sufficiently cross-examined by the state”.
The NPA said it will now “consider its legal options”.
For his part, Mr Omotoso told the media he thanked God for the verdict.
His co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zikiswa Sitho, were also found not guilty.
Mr Omotoso was dramatically arrested at an airport in 2017 as he sought to leave the country.
His trial was the first prominent rape case to be broadcast live in a country where sexual violence is rampant.
The hearings attracted huge interest, and raised difficult questions about victims’ rights, impartiality and whether justice is best served by having television cameras in courtrooms.
Following Wednesday’s verdict, Mr Omotoso will be deported to Nigeria, South African media outlet News24 reported.
The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that it has been vindicated by recent revelations from the state’s former Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke.
The Rivers APC Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, stated this in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists on Wednesday.
The former Head of Service, who recently resigned had alleged that the suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was directly responsible for the political crisis in the state and the bombing of the State House of Assembly.
In response, the Rivers State APC asserted that Nwaeke’s testimony aligns with the party’s long-held position, as frequently stated by Chief Okocha, that the suspended governor was the architect of the state’s political crisis, including masterminding the October 29, 2023, bombing of the State House of Assembly.
Chief Okocha further emphasized that Nwaeke’s account, given his high-ranking position in the state, cannot be dismissed as mere speculation.
He said attempts to discredit the former Head of Service will not deter him from exposing the alleged corruption and misconduct that the APC has repeatedly highlighted.
“What is most interesting to the APC in Rivers State as a responsible political party is that Dr. George Nwaeke’s revelations and testimonies of how suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his squad bombed the Rivers State House of Assembly is an eye witness account.
“Again , it has clearly vindicated the APC in Rivers State as the only visible and viable opposition political party in the State, and has cemented the love for the party in the heart of well meaning Rivers people as the voice of the voiceless, and the hope for a better Rivers State.
“The revelations made by the former Head of Service in Rivers State has further positioned her as a political party with high level of integrity, and the hope of Rivers people for a viable alternative to produce the Governor of Rivers State in 2027.
“The verbal attacks staged against the resigned Head of Service will not deter him from exposing the corruption within Sim Fubara’s administration, which we have consistently highlighted as the opposition party. On this matter, the APC shall function as watchdogs”, the party stated.
Chief Tony Okocha expressed confidence that security agencies would thoroughly investigate the matter.
“The APC in Rivers State strongly believes that the relevant security agencies will be professional enough to get to the root of the matter and make their findings public”, he said.
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