22042019 - ACUTE HUNGER: Outrage as IDP children feed on onion leaves

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8—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 22 , 2019 :Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 By Ikechukwu Nnochiri A BUJA—THE Presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, h<strong>as</strong> rebuked All Progressives Congress, APC, describing the allegation that he is a Cameroonian <strong>as</strong> puerile, face-saving, vexatious, absolutely and completely unfounded. Atiku, in his response to preliminary objection APC filed to challenge his petition against the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari <strong>as</strong> winner of the February 23 presidential election, maintained that he is a full blooded Nigerian. He urged the presidential election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja to ignore what he termed <strong>as</strong> “extraneous facts, contradictory, diversionary, ev<strong>as</strong>ive, speculative and vague <strong>as</strong>sertions,” by APC and President Buhari. Atiku told the tribunal that contrary to APC’s allegation that he is an alien, he said he is a Nigerian by birth and a Fulani by tribe. He told the tribunal that he h<strong>as</strong> been a Nigerian politician for about 30 years, adding that in 1992, he contested in the presidential primaries on the platform of then Social Democratic Party, SDP, alongside the late Chief M.K.O Abiola and Amb<strong>as</strong>sador Baba Gana Kingibe. He said: “Contrary to the allegations contained in paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the 3rd Respondent’s reply, the petitioners state that the 1st petitioner is a citizen of Nigeria by birth and thus qualified to vote and be voted for and returned in the election to the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, held on Saturday, February 23, 2019 going by the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution (<strong>as</strong> amended). “In further response to paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 of the 3rd respondent’s reply, the petitioners state <strong>as</strong> follows: ‘The 1st petitioner w<strong>as</strong> born on November 25, 1946 in Jada, Adamawa State by Nigerian parents and he is, therefore, a citizen of Nigeria by birth. “The 1st petitioner’s father, Garba Abdulkadir, w<strong>as</strong> a Nigerian by birth, who hailed from Wurno in present day Sokoto State while the mother, Aisha Kande w<strong>as</strong> also a Nigerian who hailed from Dutse in present day Jigawa State. “The parents of the 1st petitioner are both Fulani, a community/tribe indigenous to Nigeria. “The birth of the 1st petitioner in Jada, in present day Adamawa State of Nigeria w<strong>as</strong> occ<strong>as</strong>ioned by the movement of his paternal grandfather called Atiku, who w<strong>as</strong> an itinerant trader, from Wurno in present day Sokoto State to Jada in the company of his friend, Ardo Usman. “That in Jada, Atiku, the grandfather of the 1st petitioner gave birth to Garba who in turn gave birth to the 1st petitioner and named him after his own father Atiku. “The 1st petitioner’s mother, Aisha Kande, w<strong>as</strong> the granddaughter of Inuwa Dutse who came to Jada <strong>as</strong> an itinerant trader too from Dutse in present day Jigawa State. “That all averments concerning Germany, British Cameroons, League of Nations and Plebiscite are false and misleading in relation to the 1st petitioner and, therefore, completely irrelevant more so that the 1st petitioner is a Nigerian by birth within the contemplation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic ofNigeria, 1999 (<strong>as</strong> amended). Fabricated, contrived “The averments in the aforesaid paragraphs are indeed fabricated, contrived, made in bad faith and designed to embarr<strong>as</strong>s the 1st petitioner. “In response to paragraph 7 of the 3rd respondent’s reply, the petitioners aver that the votes of the 1st petitioner in the election of February 23, 2019 to the office of the president are not w<strong>as</strong>ted votes, and the 1st petitioner being a qualified candidate in the said election indeed secured majority of lawful votes over and above the votes of the 2nd respondent. Career and political activities “In further reaction to Paragraph 7 of the 3rd Respondent Reply, the Petitioners hereby plead and contend that at all times material the 1st petitioner h<strong>as</strong> been a Nigerian by birth and h<strong>as</strong> participated in the following career and political activities and h<strong>as</strong> also received the following awards and honours: “The 1st petitioner w<strong>as</strong> a civil servant in the Nigeria Customs Service for over 20 years and retired <strong>as</strong> a deputy director. Qualification to contest elections “The issue of qualification of the 2nd respondent to contest election to the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a mandatory statutory and/or constitutional requirement that cannot be waived by the petitioners <strong>as</strong> erroneously averred in paragraph 499 (d) of the 3rd Respondent’s Reply. “In further response to paragraphs 493, 497, 498, 499, 500 and 501 of the 3rd respondent’s reply, the Petitioners challenge the 3rd Respondent to produce the originals or Certified True Copies of the 2nd Atiku replies APC, says I'm a full blooded Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. respondent’s purported certificates obtained from elementary school, Daura and Mai’adua, Middle School, Katsina and Katsina Provincial Secondary School and all other institutions pleaded in paragraphs 500 and 501 of 3rd respondent’s reply.” Atiku maintained that his petition is competent and meritorious, saying the return of President Buhari <strong>as</strong> winner of the February 23 presidential poll w<strong>as</strong> undue and wrongful. “The 3rd respondent’s reply does not answer the points of substance in the Petition but same is full of extraneous facts, contradictory, diversionary, ev<strong>as</strong>ive, speculative and vague <strong>as</strong>sertions”, he added. Buhari's qualification More so, Atiku argued that the tribunal h<strong>as</strong> the requisite jurisdiction to consider his contention that Buhari lacked the educational qualification to contest the presidential election. “Contrary to the 3rd Respondent’s contention in paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the Preliminary Objection, this Honourable Court is vested with the vires and jurisdiction to adjudicate on the Petitioners’ allegations <strong>as</strong> raised vide Grounds (D) and (E) in paragraph 15 of the Petition, <strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong> the related facts contained in paragraphs 384 to 409 of the petition, <strong>as</strong> these grounds do not fall within the purview of preelection matters contemplated by section 285 (9) and (14) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (4th Alteration No 21) Act 2017. “Grounds 15 (d) and (e) of the petition and indeed all the grounds of the Petition are covered by Sections 35(1) and (2) and 138 (1)(e) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (<strong>as</strong> amended) and are therefore cognizable in an election petition. “The issue of the qualification of the 2nd respondent to contest the presidential election under scrutiny, which is at the epicenter of the petitioners’ grounds (d) and (e) of paragraph 15 of the petition is not only a pre-election matter but also a post-election matter within the relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (<strong>as</strong> amended) <strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong> the Electoral Act, 2010 (<strong>as</strong> amended) and therefore competent and not statute-barred. “The issue of nonqualification of the 2nd respondent is fundamental and can therefore not be waived <strong>as</strong> erroneously alleged by the 3rd Respondent. “In reply to paragraph 6 of the preliminary objection, the petitioners contend that the petition discloses re<strong>as</strong>onable cause of action capable of conferring this Honourable Court with jurisdiction to entertain same. “In answer to paragraph 7 of the Preliminary Objection, the Petitioners aver that the paragraphs of the Petition set out therein by the 3rd Respondent are not in any way generic, vague, unreferable (sic), non- specific, nebulous, bogus, imprecise, speculative or at large. “Indeed the said paragraphs of the Petition have stated clearly the facts of the election Petition, the grounds on which the Petition is b<strong>as</strong>ed and the reliefs sought by the Petitioners in consonance with the dictates of paragraph 4(1)(d) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act, 2010 (<strong>as</strong> amended). “In further answer to •Adds Allegation puerile, vexatious Alhaji Atiku Abubakar paragraph 7 of the Preliminary Objection, the Petitioners contend that <strong>as</strong>suming without conceding that the 3rd Respondent is not clear <strong>as</strong> to the import of all or any of the paragraphs alleged to be vague, the 3rd Respondent is obliged to seek further and better particulars from the Petitioners, which they have failed to do and can therefore not be heard to complain of vagueness. “More so, when they have replied to the paragraph in question and others they challenged. Allegations of non-compliance “In answer to paragraphs 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the Preliminary Objection, the Petitioners state that all the allegations of noncompliance in the petition have been tied to specific polling units, wards and local governments <strong>as</strong>sociated with the allegations. “In further answer to paragraphs 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the preliminary objection, the petitioners contend that particulars of polling units where irregularities, non-compliance and other infractions took place were supplied in the Petition which ought to be read together and not in isolation <strong>as</strong> the 3rd respondent h<strong>as</strong> clearly done. “In answer to paragraphs 13, 14, and 15, of the preliminary objection alleging failure to join persons named in the paragraphs of the Petition listed by the 3rd respondent, the petitioners contend that the individuals, officers, institutions and personages named in those paragraphs acted for and on behalf of the 1st Respondent <strong>as</strong> agents, and/or on the authority of the 1st Respondent which is a named party in this Petition. “In answer to paragraphs 16 and 17 of the preliminary objection, the Petitioners contend that to the extent that the listed paragraphs deal with the question of the qualification of the 2nd respondent to contest the presidential election, these paragraphs cannot be pigeonholed within the narrow confine of section 31(5) and (6) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (<strong>as</strong> amended), since qualification is both a pre and post- election matter. “In answer to paragraph 18 of the Preliminary Objection, the Petitioners contend that paragraph 15 (b) and (c) of the Grounds of the Petition <strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong> paragraphs 107 to 363 and 364 to 387 of the Petition are proper, valid, and in no way hypothetical in that the reliefs sought in the Petition are clearly tied to the paragraphs aforesaid and the entirety of the Petition taken together, such that this court h<strong>as</strong> the jurisdiction to entertain the paragraphs and the grounds upon which they are b<strong>as</strong>ed. “In answer to paragraph 19 of the Preliminary Objection, the Petitioners contend that paragraphs 389 and 390 of the Petition are clear statements of facts tied to the provisions of the Electoral Act (supra), which in no way offend the rules of pleadings.” On his lawyer's qualification Likewise, Atiku urged the tribunal to ignore the allegation that his lead lawyer w<strong>as</strong> not qualified to practice in Nigeria. He told the tribunal that contrary to APC’s allegation, his lawyer, Livy Uzokwu, SAN, w<strong>as</strong> a former Attorney General of Imo State.
VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2019—9 LEADERSHIP: From left—Director, Project Development, Social Good Fund in US, Oliver Hack; Chief Volunteer, Servelead Global Ltd, Joledo Oyewole; and Executive Director/Co- Founder of Impact Driven Young Leaders Initiative, Ovo Otarigho, during the grand finale of Leadercom 2019, in Abuja yesterday. Photo: NAN Food security: We‘ll make law on GES to boost farm inputs —Reps •As OFAB <strong>as</strong>sures full commercialisation of BT Cotton in 2020 By Gabriel Ewepu A BUJA—MEMBERS of the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, have promised to make law to back up the Growth Enhancement Support, GES, to boost farmers’ access to quality inputs to improve food production and security. This w<strong>as</strong> disclosed by Chairman of the committee, Mohammed Monguno represented by a member of the Committee, Munir Danagundi, at the 2nd Edition of SEEDCONNECT Africa Conference & Exhibition 2019, held in Abuja, with countries from West Africa in attendance and many development partners, YPP seeks urgent review of electoral laws By Michael Eboh YOUNG Progressives Party, weekend, called for an urgent review of the country’s electoral laws to forestall a recurrence of the irregularities and violence recorded during the general election. The YPP, in a communique at the end of its 15th National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting in Abuja, also condemned the incessant c<strong>as</strong>es of extrajudicial killings and the widespread insecurity in the country. YPP in the communique by its National Publicity Secretary, Egbeola Martins, said those found culpable of extra-judicial killings should not be allowed to go unpunished, while criminals should be fished :Vanguard News seed companies and farmers. GES w<strong>as</strong> introduced by former President Goodluck Jonathan through the then Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, to boost farmers’ access to fertilisers, seeds, agrochemicals, nets, and others, which impacted on food production, employment generation and wealth creation, but w<strong>as</strong> not continued by the Buhariled administration. Danagundi said: “We are very conscious of the importance attached to the seed subsector. We can <strong>as</strong>sure you that Nigeria will continue to do her bidding <strong>as</strong> the biggest economy in Africa so that we can have better seed industry in out and prosecuted. He said, “The NEC after a comprehensive analysis of the just concluded 2019 general election agreed on the need for an urgent review of the country’s electoral laws identified to be responsible for the nationwide irregularities and violence witnessed during the elections and call on President Muhammadu Buhari, the incoming leadership of the 9th National Assembly and all relevant stakeholders to <strong>as</strong> a matter of national emergency embark on an all inclusive electoral reform using the amended 2015 Electoral Act Bill <strong>as</strong> the foundation for this reform. “The NEC unequivocally condemns the incessant extra-judicial killings by the country’s security agencies :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 terms of laws and other are<strong>as</strong> promoting the industry in our sub-region. “I understand that the market is so huge that we can harness and have regulations that will allow us have free trade in the sub-region. “On the part of the National Assembly, we want to <strong>as</strong>sure you of our support to make sure that we do our best to make laws that will promote the seed industry and agriculture. “At the National Assembly, we shall look at the option of the GES so that we can have laws with GES <strong>as</strong> c<strong>as</strong>e study to tackle the issue of agric inputs for our teeming farmers. Immediately we are in the especially the Nigeria Police found to have been responsible for majority of the killings in the l<strong>as</strong>t six months. This unprecedented rate of extra-judicial killings calls for sober reflection and should not go unpunished <strong>as</strong> all those found culpable should be made to face the full wrath of the law. “The NEC also calls on Buhari and all security stakeholders to urgently review the current approach to security in the country through adequate investment in training, retraining, equipping and proper remuneration of the officers and men of our security agencies.” YPP also commended all state executives of the party including members and volunteers for their 9th Assembly, we want everybody to help us with all necessary support in terms of having law backing GES, to serve our farmers.” Meanwhile, the Country Coordinator, Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology, OFAB Nigeria, Dr Rose Gidado, at the conference, said farmers would have access to BT Cotton after full comercialisation in 2020, following approval in 2018. “We are going to train them on how to produce hybrid seeds and also train the extension workers so by 2020, there is going to be full commercialisation of this, but we are training farmers on how they can have access to it,” Gidado said. invaluable contributions since the inception of the party. How internet users in Nigeria can be protected from cybercrime —NCC THE Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, h<strong>as</strong> stressed the need for the over 114 million internet users in the country to show interest in getting constant enlightenment to ensure proper protection against cybercrime. Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, NCC, Mrs Felicia Onwuegbuchulam stated this, yesterday, noting that there w<strong>as</strong> need for awareness programmes where consumers were informed on the dangers of cybercrimes. Onwuegbuchulam said that such programmes would ensure that internet users learn and observe skills through which they could be protected while on the internet. She said, in a statement, that the commission recently held the 47th edition of its monthly Consumer Town Hall Meeting, CTM, in Abia, where it discussed cyber space issues. According to her, cyber space covers everything consumers do online or with computing devices, including mobile phones, tablets and personal computers. “The internet touches almost all <strong>as</strong>pects of human lives. There is, therefore, need for the consumers to show interests in getting constant enlightenment and be conscious of fraudulent tendencies by some internet users while online. “As at February this year, there are over 114 million internet users in the country, with over 63 million of them accessing broadband services on 3G and 4G networks. “The need to constantly educate is further underscored by the large numbers of Nigerians online, with even more to come online," she said. Olonisakin commends military officers’ wives over home-building By Joseph Erunke ABUJA—WIFE of the Chief of Defence Staff, Mrs Omobolanle Olonisakin, h<strong>as</strong> commended military officers’ wives for their roles in home-building, saying their efforts have kept their spouses focused on their duties. Mr Olonisakin, who is the President of Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association, DEPOWA, at the inauguration of Defence Space Administration, DSA Officers’ Wives Association, in Abuja, t<strong>as</strong>ked them to continue with the spirit of ensuring a peaceful home, <strong>as</strong> according to her, it would keep their spouses focused in their official duties. She explained that the Defence Space Administration Officers’ Wives Association w<strong>as</strong> a chapter of DEPOWA which aimed at bringing together wives of officers serving in the Defence Space Administration which is a branch or department under the Defence Headquarters. Mrs Olonisakin commended the coordinator, DSA’s chapter of DEPOWA, Mrs Sylvia Whyte, for her commitment to the programmes, projects and activities of DEPOWA. “My executive officers and I have watched your activities carefully, we have seen your cooperation and commitment to the programmes, projects and activities of DEPOWA hence have taken special interest to be part of this epoch-making event. “It is pertinent to stress that you have equally worked <strong>as</strong>siduously with DEPOWA to earn my commendation." Katsina <strong>children</strong> parliament demands speedy p<strong>as</strong>sage of child protection bill By B<strong>as</strong>hir Bello K ATSINA—KATSINA State Children parliament have demanded for the speedy p<strong>as</strong>sage of the child protection bill into law by the state House of Assembly. Speaker of the parliament, Mubarak Yantaba made the call when he led other members of the parliament on an advocacy visit to the Speaker, Katsina State House of Assembly,. T<strong>as</strong>i’u Zango. Yantaba also called on the state House of Assembly to create a House Committee on Children Affairs to either stand alone or merge with another committee where <strong>children</strong> related and sensitive issues would take centre stage. According to him, “The child protection law will protect the <strong>children</strong> against Child Abuse, child labour and molestation <strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong> give them confidence which would serve <strong>as</strong> the pillar for prosperous society. “A protected child is a confident child. A protected child is the joy and pride of every society. A protected child would serve <strong>as</strong> the pillar for a prosperous society. Also, enactment of a law that will ensure retention of <strong>children</strong> to complete secondary school with special focus on the girl child (to complete at le<strong>as</strong>t junior secondary school) with the necessary enabling structural, financial and administrative environment should be put in place. If you educate the girl child, it is said you
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22042019 - ACUTE HUNGER: Outrage as IDP children feed on onion leaves

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