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Gov. Orji Urges Judges To Sustain Impartial Integrity *As Chioma Otti Becomes Abia Chief Judge

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The new Substantive Chief Judge of Abia State, Hon Justice Nnenna Chioma Otti has been sworn in along side Justice Innocent Ahunanaya Nwabughuogu and Justice Eleazar Onyekachi Enwereji who were appointed as judges of the Courts of Abia State respectively.

During the swearing in ceremony which held on Monday, April 07, 2014 at the Michael Okpara auditorium, the state governor, Chiet Theodore Orji said the appointments followed due processes, adding that “the legal and constitutional hurdles have been surmounted.”

He told the newly sworn in judges to abide by the oaths of their office by providing impartial, equitable and speedy dispensation of justice to all citizens, without any inhibitions, adding that their service is critical, hence it is tagged as the last hope of the common man.
Hon. Justice Nnenna Oti, (right) taking the oath of office during her swearing-in as the New Chief Judge of Abia State in Umuahia. With her is the solicitor general of the state, Mr. Enyinnaya Okezie

Hon. Justice Nnenna Oti, (right) taking the oath of office during her swearing-in as the New Chief Judge of Abia State in Umuahia. With her is the solicitor general of the state, Mr. Enyinnaya Okezie

Hon. Justice Nnenna Oti, (right) taking the oath of office during her swearing-in as the New Chief Judge of Abia State in Umuahia. With her is the solicitor general of the state, Mr. Enyinnaya Okezie

The governor’s speech:

“It is my pleasure to be here today to swear-in the new Chief Judge of Abia State, Hon Justice Nnenna Chioma Otti, and two other judges of the courts of Abia State. We are taking these measures now to solidify and strengthen our judicial system for efficient and speedy dispensation of justice and for the preservation of peace, harmony and security of Abia State.

“You will recall that since the retirement of Hon Justice S.N. Imo, the former Chief Judge of Abia State on the 19th day of December, 2010, no substantive Chief Judge has been appointed for the State.

“Since then, we have appointed several Judges on Acting capacities to hold forth in the position of the Chief Judge of the State, – including the person we swear-in today as the Substantive Chief Judge of the State.

“During this period, I received a number of calls from our citizens, urging me to appoint a substantive Chief Judge of the State, as well as more Judges to the bench to fill the existing gap, so as to quicken the dispensation of justice in our State. I always assured everyone that there is a due process that we must follow in doing their behest, and that our Government respects the rule of law, not a government of impunity and the whims and caprices of the Governor.

“Just recently, and in line with the laid down principles and Articles of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, section 271, sub-section (1), the Abia State Judicial Service Commission nominated Justice Nnenna Chioma Otti to fill the substantive position of Chief Judge of the State.

“The National Judicial Council then considered that nomination – decided and recommended to the Governor of Abia State that Hon Justice Nnenna Chioma Otti is eminently qualified and proper to be appointed as Chief Judge of the State.

“Further in line with the demands of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I submitted Hon Justice Nnenna Otti’s recommendations to the House of Assembly of Abia State for confirmation, and received their endorsement. These are the rules and we have followed them to the letters.
L-R President Customary Court Abia State, Hon. Justice Onwuchekwa, Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ude Okochukwu, Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, his wife, Mercy and deputy governor, Sir Emeka Ananaba

“Now that all the legal and constitutional hurdles in the appointment of the substantive Chief Judge of Abia State, and the appointments of other two judges of the Courts of Abia State – have been surmounted, I have the privilege to now swear-in:
1. The new Substantive Chief Judge of Abia State, Hon Justice Nnenna Chioma Otti.
2. Hon Justice Innocent Ahunanaya Nwabughuogu, and
3. Hon Justice Eleazar Onyekachi Enwereji.

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Oando Clean Energy, Cross River State, Sign MoU on Renewable Energy Infrastructure

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Oando Clean Energy (OCEL),  the renewable energy business subsidiary of Oando Energy Resources and the Cross River State Government have  signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the rollout of electric vehicles for mass transportation within the state at the ongoing 28th edition Conference of the Parties (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The move in setting up an electric vehicle (EV) assembly plant, is expected to create jobs for local indigenes as well as build a 100MW wind plant for power generation.

Representing the Governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu at the MoU signing was the state’s Commissioner for Special Duties, Oden Ewa, saying the landmark agreement marked a significant step forward in the state’s journey toward a cleaner and more sustainable future. He said: “The MoU paves the way for the transitioning of our mass transit system to cleaner and less expensive fuels while also allowing for the use of our natural resource, wind, to provide electrification for our people.

“I commend Oando Clean Energy for their innovative solutions that address the impact of climate change in Nigeria and her citizens.”

According to Oando , it said,  as  a company, it has committed to ensuring that this journey to a cleaner and more sustainable energy future is as seamless and as easy as possible.

“This is by putting our confidence in, not only the technology but the partnership and ensuring that the Cross River State government and her people reap the benefits of generating power from sustainable sources”. The statement read.

Oando’s Clean Energy’s scope spans the entire 35 states of the federation and the federal capital, promising to create a cleaner, more viable energy ecosystem for Nigeria and the  people of Cross River.

In attendance at the side event were amongst others, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Abubakar Momoh;  Minister of the Environment, Abbas Balarabe;  Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Kunle Salako; Commissioner for Special Duties, Cross River State, Mr. Oden Ewa, among others.

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House Of Representatives Issues Warrant Of Arrest On Central Bank Governor, Cardoso, Accountant-General, 17 Others

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The House of Representatives’ Committee on Public Petitions has asked for a warrant of arrest to be issued on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Oluwatoyin Madein, and 17 others over refusal to appear before it to answer questions on their operations.

It was gathered that the issuance of the arrest warrant was sequel to the adoption of a motion moved by Fred Agbedi, representing Ekeremo/Sagbama Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the committee’s hearing on Tuesday.

Agbedi, while moving the motion, said that the arrest warrant had become imperative following the attitude of the invitees, adding that the parliament worked with time and the CEOs had been invited four times but failed to respond to the invitations.

Agbedi said that the CBN Governor, the AGF and the rest of the invitees should be brought to appear before the committee by the Inspector General of Police through a warrant of arrest after due diligence by the House Speaker, Rep Tajudeen Abbas.

The Chairman of the Committee, Micheal Irom (APC-Cross River), in his ruling said that the Inspector-General of Police should ensure the invitees were brought before the committee on December 14.
It was gathered that the petitioner, Fidelis Uzowanem, had earlier said that the petition was anchored on the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) 2021 report.

Irom said, “We took up the challenge to examine the report and discovered that what NEITI put together as a report is only consolidation of fraud that has been going on in the oil and gas industry.

“It dates back to 2016 because we have been following and we put up a petition to this committee to examine what has happened.

“The 2024 budget of 27.5 trillion that has been proposed can be confidently funded from the recoverable amount that we identified in the NEITI report.

“It is basically a concealment of illegal transactions that took place in NNPCL; they have been in a sink with some oil companies where some companies that did not produce crude were paid cash core, an amount paid for crude oil production.”

 

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FCTA uncovers illegal oil refining warehouse in Abuja

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In continuation of the city cleaning exercise, Authorities of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) with operatives of security personnel have uncovered an illegal oil refining warehouse in Mabushi, opposite Mobile filling station on Ahmadu Bello way in Abuja.

 

The Director, Department of Development Control, FCTA, Mukhtar Galadima after the operation on Thursday, said the illegal refining site was discovered during the continuation of the city cleaning exercise.

 

According to him, about three to four plot of lands designated for commercial purposes have been converted to an area where oil and diesel are being adulterated and circulated to other parts of the city.

 

Galadima explained that the city sanitation task force will look into the provision of the law and make necessary recommendations to the FCT Administration for further actions on the plots used for the activity.

 

He said there was no arrest but the items used in carrying out the illegal refining have been impounded.

 

Galadima said, “During the continuation of our city sanitation exercise in Mabushi opposite Mobile filling station on Ahmadu way, we discovered an illegal refining site where oil and diesel are being adulterated, we have done the needful by moving the items to Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

 

“From what we have seen so far, about three or four pilot of lands designated for commercial purposes have been converted to unapproved activities, which we believe the owners are fully aware, there will be consequences.

 

“We are going to look at the provision of the law and make necessary recommendations to the FCT Administration”

 

He said the administration will continue to go tough on activities being carried out without government approval,  especially revocation of the titles.

 

Collaborating, Head, operations FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Service (DRTS), Deborah Osho said the city management team during the exercise also discovered that most of the areas in the Nation’s capital have been converted to illegal car mart and motor parks.

 

She disclosed that fifteen vehicles have so far been impounded since the operation commenced about two days.

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