Dino Melaye Appeals Judgment Sacking Him – TheNigerialawyer

Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West on the platform of
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has appealed the August 23, 2019
judgment of the Kogi State National and State Houses of Assembly
Election Tribunal, which voided is election.

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the said
election, Senator Smart Adeyemi, had petitioned the tribunal,
challenging Melaye’s victory.

The tribunal upheld the petition, nullified the election and
ordered for a fresh poll within 90 days.

In the notice of appeal he filed, Melaye wants the Court of
Appeal to set aside the judgment.

He raised 23 grounds of appeal, in which the faulted the
majority decision of the tribunal.

In the notice of appeal dated September 5, 2019, Melaye is also
seeking an order of the Court of Appeal allowing his appeal; and an
order sustaining his objection to the petition or dismissing the
petition and confirming his electoral victory.

The appeal, which was filed for Melaye by Rickey Tarfa (SAN),
has Senator Smart Adeyemi, All Progressivess Congress (APC),
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) as respondents.

Among the grounds of appeal include whether the person sued at
the Tribunal being Senator Dino Melaye, is the same as the person
who contested the poll and declared winner of the election as
contained on Form CF001 – Melaye Daniel Dino.

“The provision of the law is that the name as used in Form CF001
is the only valid name that can be used to challenge the election
of the Appellant.

“The principle of equity accepted and applied by the majority
members of the Tribunal cannot override the provisions of the law
in respect of the petition.

“The judgement of the Tribunal was perverse and against the
weight of evidence before it,” he said,

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Sanitation, Hygiene, Everybody’s Business, Says Water
Minister
The Minister, Federal Ministry of Water Resources Engr. Suleiman H.
Adamu FNSE, FAEng has said that Sanitation and hygiene in Nigeria
should be everybody’s business.

The Minister said this yesterday in Abuja when he paid a
courtesy visit to Minister of FCT Mallam Mohammed Bello as part of
the robust National Action Plan to secure the buy – in of all
stakeholders including state governors which is hinged on
goveranance, sustainability, sanitation, funding monitoring and
evaluation.

In his address during the visit, Engr. Adamu reiterated the
approval by the Federal Executive Council to carry out a “Clean
Nigeria: Use The Toilet Campaign” with roles and responsibilities
assigned to states and FCT, which includes in part developing and
implementing a National campaign/transformational sanitation
promotion agenda to end Open Defecation in Nigeria by 2025. The
Minister however, appealed to the FCT Minister to “declare State of
Emergency with clear communication of state – specific plans,
create the required enabling environment and build sector
capacities and ensure establishment of a regulatory mechanism for
the local monitoring of WASH activities and subsequent reporting to
Area Councils”.

In addition, Engr. Suleiman Adamu requested that the FCT
administration should commit to investing a minimum of three times
the current WASH investment level and improve revenue collection to
ensure that institutions pay tariffs owed for Water supply and
sanitation services.

He also opined that FCT Government should key into programmes
and initiatives of the Water Ministry, participate in programmes
such Global Handwashing Day Commemoration and World Water Week
which the Ministry recently participated in, in Stockholm, Sweden.
The Minister further urged the FCT Administration to mobilize Civil
Society Organizations to develop an effective policy, and to
legislate against Open Defecation and reckless urination practices
as Nasarawa State had done.

Adamu stressed that with dedicated effort, Nigeria would be able
to reduce the high statistics of being the country with the highest
number of people practicing open defecation as India which is 99.9%
ODF exists the first position in the world of those practicing open
defecation.

FCT Minister, Malam Mohammed Bello while commending the Water
Minister for his re – appointment and his giant strides in the
Water Ministry noted that his Ministry had been partnering with
Federal Ministry of Water Resources. Malam Bello equally noted that
FCTA has keyed into this sanitation agenda and has gone ahead to
identify locations in the FCT for the establishment of toilets
powered by solar energy in partnership with the Private Sector.
The FCT Minister also informed that the FCT Minister, Malam
Mohammed Bello would coordinate the sanitation programmes and
collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources on the
sanitation agenda.

In attendance at the advocacy visit were the Minister of State
FCT, the Permanent Secretary, FCT Administration, some Directors
and members of staff of Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

Kenechukwu Offie (Mrs.)

Director (Information Department)