Ikpeazu approves new salary structure for ABSUTH Workers

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has approved implementation of a new salary structure for workers of Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) in Aba.

Mr Samuel Kalu, Secretary, Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Allied Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), ABSUTH Chapter, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba on Friday.

Kalu said the workers applauded Ikpeazu for approving the Consolidated Health Salary Structure and Consolidated Medical Salary Structure.

He said that the union’s struggle for the implementation of the salary scale in Abia began in 2011.

ABSUTH workers even lembarked on strike on Dec. 19, 2016 to demand the implementation of new salary scale, payment of three years pension arrears to its pensioners and refund cooperative deductions to staff.

He said that Ikpeazu’s good gesture toward ABSUTH had finally erased the six years of salary scale disparity existing within the institution.

Kalu also said the deductions had been released and the pensioners paid one month arrears pending verification to enable them get their pay cheques.

Kalu, therefore, urged staff of the institution who had not heard of the resumption to return and participate in the ongoing personnel audit to enable them get paid.

“We are grateful to Dr Okezie Ikpeazu for giving this approval. We are equally grateful to the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Obinna Oriaku, he is a good man.

“We equally thank our Chief Medical Director, who led us to that fight and pleaded greatly on behalf of the workforce. We are really grateful to them,” Kalu said.

Abia State: Supreme Court grants Oti leave to appeal Ikpeazu’s victory

The Supreme Court on Friday granted leave to Alex Oti of APGA to be joined as an interested party to challenge the election of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as governor of Abia.

Justice Clara Ogunbiyi led four other justices to arrive at the unanimous decision.

“The appellant applicant appeal challenging the August 5, 2016 judgment of the lower court has merit.

“The appeal is predicated on grounds of mixed law and facts and therefore, this court is compelled to grant it in the interest of justice.

“In the circumstance, the August 5, 2016 decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which refused to grant the applicant the permission to be joined in the pending Abia governorship suit is set aside.

“The prayer of the appellant urging this court consider his appeal against Gov. Ikpeazu Okezie is hereby deemed as filed before this court,’’ she said.

Ms. Ogubiyi also held that granting this leave for the applicant to appeal the decision of the lower court on the matter did not mean that the appeal could succeed.

“The law has established that once an application is challenging a matter on mixed law and facts, justice demands that he or she must be heard,” she said.

Justice Dati Yahaya, who presided over the case at the lower court, held that Mr. Oti failed to establish his interest in the internal affairs of the PDP.

Alex Otti
Alex Otti

The court held that the subject of litigation between Samson Ogah and Okezie Ikpeazu, who were all members of the PDP, was the primary election of the party conducted on December 8, 2014.

The applicant, the court held, being member of APGA had no locus standi to question the primary election of the PDP.

Mr. Yahaya also held that the applicant failed to give circumstantial reasons to sway the court to exercise its judicial discretion in his favour.

Among others, the court held that the applicant failed to transmit the proceedings of the trial court to the Court of Appeal, where his interest was supposed to be established.

According to the judge, Mr. Oti merely relied on affidavit depositions.

The appellate court further held that allowing the applicant to join the dispute would amount to attempt to change the nature of the suit from an intra-party to an inter party tussle.

Mr. Oti had called for his enthronement as governor of Abia, when Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court removed Ikpeazu from office.

Mr. Abang had in the October 29, 2016 judgment made a consequential order returning Mr. Ogah as the governor.

However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja upturned that decision by re-affirming Mr. Ikpeazu’s election.

Kanu-Agabi
Kanu Agabi

Kanu Agabi, counsel to the governor, who spoke with journalists after the session, said Mr. Oti had no chance in the ongoing appeals against his client.

He said the decision of the Court of Appeal that re-affirmed Mr. Ikpeazu as governor had foreclosed his chances of making anything out of the suit.

“This tussle is strictly an intra-party matter. Oti is not a member of the PDP, only Ogah is in contention. In any case, the apex court is prepared to hear him,” he said.

Pensioners beg Ikpeazu to pay 3 years’ arrears.

Pensioners of Abia State University Teaching Hospital have urged Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of the state, to use part of the refund given to the state from Paris debt deductions to settle their three years pension arrears.

Victor Nwogwugwu, chairman of the hospital’s pensioners, made the appeal in an interview with NAN.

He said the government should use part of the N10 billion it got from the refund to pay up the arrears.

“We the ABSUTH pensioners want to remind the governor that when the first federal government bail-out fund was received by Abia state, salaries were paid with it but we did not benefit from it,” he said.

“Now that the governor has made a promise to pay up workers salary arrears with half of the money he has received from Paris Club, he should remember ABSUTH pensioners and workers.

“We are human beings but have kept quiet over the bad treatment given us until now.

“The government should reciprocate our good gesture of peace with the reward of paying up our three years pension arrears.”

Nwogwugwu lamented that for three years the government had neglected, and left them to suffer.

He said many of them had died, explaining that most of those who passed on were unable to access medical services due to poverty following non-payment of their pension.

Abia guber crisis: A’Court declines judgment on Nwosu, Ikpeazu’s suit

A five-man panel of the Court of Appeal sitting at Owerri Division, has declined judgment on the appeal, CA/190/ 2016, filed by Sir Friday Nwosu against the July 8, 2016 judgment of the Federal High Court, Owerri, delivered by Justice Ambrose Allagoa, which cleared Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of alleged submission of forged tax documents and false information.

 

Presiding judge, Justice R. C. Agbo, held that his panel could not hear and decide Nwosu’s suit in view of the appeal, SC/739/2016, Sir Friday Nwosu vs Uche Ogah, PDP, Okezie Ikpeazu and INEC, pending at the Supreme Court.

 

Other members of the panel, Justices J.O.K. Oyewole, Muhammed L. Shuaibu, Joseph E. Ekanem and Muhammed Mustapha, agreed with the ruling.

 

“You should go to the Supreme Court and leave us alone,” Justice Agbo ruled.

 

Counsel to the 1st respondent in the suit, PDP, Dr. Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, had asked the Court to suspend hearing on the matter because one of the appeals filed by Nwosu at the Supreme Court was similar to the suit before the Court of Appeal.

 

But Nwosu’s lead Counsel, Frank Unyimadu, stated that Nwosu’s appeal at the Supreme Court was in respect of abuse of court processes which the 4th respondent in the suit, Dr. Uche Ogah, had committed by being a defendant in Nwosu’s suit, and allegedly photocopied documents and exhibits served on him by Nwosu to file another suit.

 

Arguing further on the differences between the two appeals filed by Nwosu at the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, Unyimadu who agreed that the main issue for determination remained who was the lawful candidate of the PDP in the 2015 governorship election in Abia state, described Ogah’s suit as incompetent, stressing that he failed to serve Nwosu even when the Federal High Court ordered him to do so which rendered his suit an abuse of court process.

 

Counsel to the 2nd (INEC), 3rd (Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu) and 4th (Dr. Uche Ogah) respondents, Jude Nnodum, SAN, Theo Nkire and O.J. Nnadi, SAN, respectively, agreed with the submissions of the PDP counsel, Dr. Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, that the suit filed by Nwosu at the Court of Appeal was similar to the one he also filed at the apex court.

Abia Governor Ikpeazu sues for peaceful, free, fair LG polls.

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has applauded various political parties in Abia State for their keen interest in the upcoming local government election slated for December 17, 2016.

 

The governor particularly commended the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state for conducting peaceful primaries across the state and urges winners and losers to continue to conduct themselves peacefully.

 

The governor, who also received information on skirmishes witnessed at some locations condemned all acts of violence, regardless of the reason, as the party (PDP) has structures in place for those who feel aggrieved to appeal the outcome of the primaries.

 

A statement signed by Enyinnaya Appolos, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, read: “It is important to note that for many years, the state has not conducted polls to elect officials at the third tier of government and many have waited for the opportunity to put themselves up for election.

 

“Also, as the dominant and ruling party in Abia, the interest of aspirants to vie on the PDP platform is not strange. This was exactly what informed the decision of the governor to approve the conduct of local government elections as well as maintain absolute neutrality in the contests to select PDP candidates.

 

“Deepening democracy at the local government level is very important in ensuring accelerated even development across the state as well as spread democratic participation and dividends.

 

“The governor did not endorse any aspirant, as there was no reason for such. Therefore, any claim to such endorsement is false. The Governor will only endorse dully nominated party candidates presented by the PDP. He is bent on providing a level-playing ground for all participants in the elections.

 

“The governor wishes to assure all Abians that he will do everything in his power to ensure the conduct of a free and fair local government poll on the 17th of December 2016.”

Court Reserves Judgment On Appeals Seeking To Overturn Ruling On Ikpeazu’s Removal

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reserved final judgment in multiple appeals filed by the Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other interested parties seeking to overturn the judgment of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja which sacked Ikpeazu as governor.

A five-man panel of justices of the court led by Justice Morenike Ogunwumiju adjourned the matter for judgment after it heard six separate appeals.

 The hearing of the appeal which lasted till 5p.m., witnessed several drama including the attempt by the Ali Modu Sherrif’s faction of the PDP to come in but was rebuffed by the court.

Justice Ogunwumiju had drawn the   attention of the court to a letter from the Sheriff-led faction of the PDP that sought to withdraw the appeal.
The said letter was signed by the Deputy National Legal Adviser of the party, Bashir Maidugu.

After hearing from the parties, including Mr. Olagoke Fakunle (SAN) who said he appeared for the PDP, the court decided that the Sheriff’s group had no business in the appeal.
“Fakunle what exactly have you said? There are six appeals before this court which we must hear today. And we are going ahead with the appeals already filed. Do not disrupt this court again. You can go on appeal if you so wish,” the judge told the lawyer who was from Sheriff’s camp of the PDP.

Read More: Thisday

 

Following The Lagos Trail, Abia State Bans Street Trading.

Abia State government, yesterday, said it would Monday, August 8, begin the enforcement of the ban on street trading in the state and advised traders to relocate to approved sites, even as it extended the operational hours of tricycle (Keke) operators in the state from 7pm to 9pm.

 

Chairman of the Abia State Market Development Committee, ASMDC, Mr. Solomon Nwaigwe, who stated this while addressing phone and accessories dealers at St. Michael’s Road, Aba, said the three months grace period given to the phone dealers to relocate to the Aba Mega Mall would not be extended as enforcement of the order would commence next Monday and warned that defaulters would be prosecuted.

 

Nwaigwe, who stressed the dangers of street trading, hinted that the state government had mapped out sites for all service providers in the city to have a central market as obtainable in other parts of the world.

 

He claimed the state government had provided conducive environment with regular power supply and security at the Aba Mega Mall and ensured that traders would pay a monthly rent of N5,000 and N120,000, annually, for bigger shops.

According to him, “Abia State government is not going back on its resolve to end street trading in the state. On this, we are appealing to the phone and accessories dealers at St.Michaels road to relocate to the Aba Mega Mall where a conducive business environment has been provided for them at affordable prices. My Committee will ensure that all dealers on phones and accessories relocate to Aba Mega Mall to ensure a centralized market in Aba.”

 

Meanwhile, the government has extended the operational hours of tricycle (Keke) operators in the state from 7pm to 9pm.

 

The Government had last year restricted their operation to between 6am and 7pm, accusing them of using their tricycles to commit crimes.

 

Before the restriction, crime rates in Aba and Umuahia rose astronomically and there cases when crimes, including kidnapping and robbery were linked to operators, prompting the Government to ban their operation beyond 7pm.

 

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu who announced the extension in Aba at a solidarity rally organized in his honour by the Abia State Amalgamated Tricycle Operators Association, ASATOA,, said the initial restriction to 7pm was due to the increase in crimes linked to the operators.

 

The Governor, however, tasked operators to get rid of the bad eggs among them, promising that government would stop the imposition of multiple levies on the union.

“Settle Arrears Of Salary Owed”, NLC Tells Abia State Government

Abia State Council of Nigeria Labour Congress [NLC] has tasked the Abia State Government to settle arrears of salary owed to Abia workers without further delay.

 

In a communiqué raised at its state executive council meeting, in Umuahia, Abia NLC told Governor Okezie Ikpeazu not to use some projects embarked by his administration “as a hindrance to pay workers’ salaries”, lamenting that Abia workers “are currently passing through hard times due to non-payment of salaries”.

 

In the communiqué which was sent to Governor Ikpeazu through the Head of Service, Labour also called on the government to “as a matter of urgency address the issue of pension arrears owed to pensioners in the State which spans between 5-12 months as the case may be”.

 

Abia workers also condemned in “strong terms, the non-release of check-off dues as at when due from MDAs”, even as they called on the government to “clear the arrears of gratuity owed to retirees in Abia State spanning over 15 years”.

 

To avoid the continuation of the ugly fate of retired workers in the State, the communiqué said that Abia workers have adopted the introduction of the Contributory Pension Fund Scheme which they hoped would address the untold hardship of retirees if well managed.

 

The communiqué which was signed by the State Chairman, Comrade Uchenna Obigwe and the acting Secretary, Comrade John Onaga also frowned at “high taxation of Abia workers which is based on consolidated salary structure, not minding that not all Abia workers are on consolidated salary.”

Confusion In Abia As Ikpeazu, Ogah Lay Claim To Governorship Seat

Abia State descended into confusion on Thursday following the insistence of Sampson Ogah that he should be sworn in as governor of the state to replace the incumbent, Okezie Ikpeazu, who was sacked by the Federal High Court on Monday.

Mr. Ogah had left Abuja for Umuahia Thursday after he was issued a Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission for his swearing in, expected to be performed by the Chief Judge of the state.

But as he was travelling to Abia, Mr. Okezie obtained an injunction from the High Court of Abia State stopping the Chief Judge of the State, the President of the Customary Court of Appeal and any other judicial officer from swearing in Mr. Ogah as governor.

Both Messrs Okezie Ikpeazu and Ogah are members of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The order made by Justice Chibuzo Ahuchaogu of the Abia High Court said among other things, “Upon this motion ex-parte pursuant to section 143 (1) & (2) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and pending the determination of the motion on notice, after hearing O.O Nkume, counsel to the applicant.”

Apart from the court order, Mr. Ikpeazu also declared Friday and Monday as public holidays in “honour of a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ojo Maduekwe, who died on Wednesday”.

The federal government has already declared Tuesday and Wednesday public holidays to mark the Ed-il-Fitr.

The implication is that the judiciary in Abia State will not open for business until Thursday, July 7, making it impossible for Mr. Ogah to immediately challenge the injunction granted Mr. Ikpeazu.

Credit: PremiumTimes

I Remain Abia Governor, Says Ikpeazu

Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has assured the people of his state that he remains their governor and shall appeal the Federal High Court ruling, which yesterday set aside his election citing his non-qualification to contest the 2015 governorship election for tax evasion as reason for his sack.

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who delivered the judgment, also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a certificate of return to Uche Samson Ogah, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who contested the party’s primary that produced the governor.

Justice Abang gave the verdict in a ruling he delivered on a pre-election matter challenging the emergence of Ikpeazu as the standard-bearer of the PDP in the 2015 gubernatorial election in Abia and ordered Ikpeazu to vacate the office immediately.

He said his judgment was based on the Supreme Court decision in the case of Obi v INEC and Amaechi v INEC.

Credit: Thisday

I’ve Learnt A Lot From Fayose —Abia Gov

Abia State governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, said he has learnt some political lessons from the Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, which are helping him in his political life and administration of his state.

 
Ikpeazu listed some of the virtues to include courage, identifying with the people, how to handle intricate political issues among others.

 
The Abia governor spoke at the weekend during the burial ceremony of his mother which Fayose attended.

 
In a statement in Ado-Ekiti yesterday by Fayose’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, Ikpeazu noted that he had visited Fayose twice in the last seven months and gained some insight as far as leadership and occupying political position are concerned.

 
“Governor Ayodele Fayose is a courageous man, a voice for the voiceless, a defender of the weak and defenceless, a brother, a leader, a friend and a leader of the people. A consistent man, known for speaking the truth all the time. He told me few things that worked for me perfectly in the state. He is a man I love and respect so much and I salute his courage.

 
“He has been governor twice and he is far experienced. He has encouraged me in deed, character and in words. I pray that God will give me the opportunity one day to be able to show my appreciation to him and how I feel about him. He is a man I love and respect so much and I salute his courage,” Okpeazu said.

 

 
In his remarks, Fayose described the Igbo people as not only industrious, but dogged.

 

 
He said he named one of his sons Chukwuemeka many years ago to show how much he appreciated the Igbo people.
On the political situation in the country, he said nobody could silence him.

 

 
“The nation should resist dictatorship otherwise this democracy is doomed. Those that are applauding dictatorship now will soon end in the belly of the dictator,” he opined.

 

 
Fayose said he was certain of Ikpeazu winning at the Supreme Court and that he would return to Abia soon to celebrate with Ikpeazu.

 

 

 

Credit : Nigerian Tribune

How Okorocha, Ikpeazu, Ishaku Won In Imo, Abia, Taraba- Report

Imo State governor and candidate of All Progressives Congress, Chief Rochas Okorocha, was early this morning declared winner of the governorship election in the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Meanwhile, In the other two states where supplementary governorship elections also held on Saturday, the governorship candidates of Peoples Democratic Party in Abia and Taraba states, Dr Victor Ikpeazu and Mr. Darius Ishaku, respectively,  won, after results were collated and declared by INEC.

Okorocha scored 416,996 votes to defeat the PDP candidate, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, who polled 320,705 votes. Okorocha was declared winner by the State Returning Officer, Professor Ibidapo Obe, who is Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Ikwo, Ebonyi State.

In the senatorial election in Delta Central, Ighoyota Amori of PDP won the election, polling 115, 000 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Ovie Omo-Agege, of Labour Party, who scored 53, 000 votes. Amore was declared the senator-elect. Amori polled 2, 981 votes in Ughelli South, while Omo-Agege polled 681 votes. In Sapele, Amori got 8, 864 votes, Omo-Agege got 1, 541. In Udu, the PDP candidate got 9, 194 votes, while his LP challenger got 3, 956 votes. In Uvwie, Amori got 4, 819 votes, while Omo-Agege got 2, 366 votes. In Okpe, the PDP candidate scored 8, 613, while the LP candidate got 2, 022 votes. In Ethiope West, Amori got 172, while Omo-Agege had 12 votes. Also in Ethiope East, Amori scored 14, 142 votes, while Omo-Agege scored 7, 168 votes.

The results announced early this morning by INEC showed that Okorocha led Ihedioha in 20 of the 23 local government areas where the supplementary polls took place in Imo State. Okorocha won in Nkwerre (APC 255, PDP 164), Oru west (APC 395, PDP 129), Okigwe (APC 603, PDP 76), Orlu (APC 687, PDP 179), Ihitte Uboma (APC 131, PDP 66), Nwangele (APC 271, PDP 55), Orsu (APC 471, PDP 218), Njaba (APC 1095, PDP 236), Obowo (APC 697, PDP 505), Ow. North (APC 674, PDP 620), Onuimo (APC 412, PDP 207), Ohaji/Egbema (APC 1210, PDP 996), Owerri West (APC 1342, PDP 793), Ehime Mbano (APC 604, PDP 393), Mbaitoli (APC 3997, PDP 2422), Oru East (APC 7154, PDP 1168), Ngor Okpala (APC 416, PDP 323), Isu (APC 2773, PDP 979), Isiala Mbano (APC 1415, PDP 1000), and Oguta (APC 5030, PDP 1378). Ihedioha won in three local governments, namely, Ezinihitte (APC 213, PDP 715) and Aboh Mbaise (APC 686, PDP 939), Ikeduru (APC 786, PDP 1022).

Okorocha had polled 385, 671 votes, while Ihedioha scored 306, 142 votes at the main election on April 11. That gave a difference of 79, 529 votes between the highest scorer and the runner-up, and the number of cancelled votes was 144, 715. The election was declared inconclusive by the INEC Returning Officer in the state, Obe. After the supplementary election, APC had 31,326 votes while PDP had 13,624.

The Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) stipulates that where the number cancelled votes exceeds the difference between the number of votes polled by the candidate who comes first and the person in second place, a winner cannot be declared until the conclusion of a supplementary election in the areas affected by the cancellations.

Results, as announced by INEC, from the eight local government areas of Abia State where the supplementary governorship elections held showed that in Aba North PDP got 754 while APGA polled 857; in Ikwuano PDP 1,748, APGA 2179; Ohafia, PDP 2,479, APGA 326; Isiala Ngwa North, PDP 60, APGA 60; Aba South, PDP 722, APGA 2536; Ogwunagbo, PDP 1893, APGA polled 1289; Umuahia South, PDP 1377, APGA 4184; Umuahia North, PDP 1,899, APGA 2,376, and Osisioma, APGA 5,322, PDP 1668.

The Collation/Returning Officer for the Abia State governorship the election, Professor Benjamin Ozumba, had on April 12, announced that the governorship elections were inconclusive and subsequently rescheduled in some polling units where either did not hold or were cancelled due to irregularities. But Ikpeazu had polled 248,459 votes against Otti’s 165,406 votes after the first election on April 11, making a difference of 83,053 votes, while 177,000 votes were cancelled – which was more than the vote difference between the top candidate and the runner-up. This had necessitated the supplementary election.

In Taraba State, as results of the supplementary election continued to trickle in, the governorship candidate of the PDP, Darius Ishaku, was steadily consolidating his lead in the April 11 gubernatorial election, which was declared inconclusive by INEC. Going into yesterday’s supplementary election which was conducted in 218 polling units, Ishaku was ahead of his main challenger, Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan of APC by 54, 812 votes.

Results announced from the various polling units across the 10 local government areas indicate that PDP won in Kofar Sarki in Takum local government by 588 votes against seven votes polled by APC.
In Daka polling unit in Takum, PDP polled 378 while APC scored 110 votes just as PDP scored 178 against APC’s five votes in Rafin-Kada ward in Wukari local government.

At Asibiti ward in Donga local government, PDP scored 4,412 while APC scored 604 and in Akete ward still in Donga local government, PDP polled 2,065 votes in 11 out of the 12 polling units collated while APC scored 1,506.

Also at Suntai Daaji in Donga local government, PDP garnered 1,139 votes against APC’s 74 votes, while at Nyitan ward in Donga, PDP scored 4,304 while APC scored 199 votes.  In the only polling unit where election was held in Yorro local government, PDP scored 469 while APC polled 34 votes.

At Muhammed Tukur polling unit which was the only polling unit where election was conducted in Jalingo local government, APC polled 362 votes while PDP polled 90 votes while in 17 out of the 20 polling units in Bali local government, PDP polled 5,370 votes while APC polled 750 votes.

The PDP candidate is also leading in Karim Lamido local government where the acting governor of the state, Alhaji Sani Danladi, hails from just as PDP is leading in all the four polling units in Ussa local government.

The total number of registered voters in the 218 polling units where the election was conducted is127, 125 and based on the low turnout of voters, the number of accredited voters in the election is not expected to be more than 50 per cent of the registered voters.
The local governments where the additional elections were held are Donga, Bali, Takum, Karim Lamido, Kurmi, Yorro, Ussa, Wukari and Zing.

Creditvanguardngr