Governor, Duoye Diri.
The Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition
Tribunal sitting in Abuja is set to deliver judgments in three
petitions.
The petitions are that of Vijah Opuama of the Liberation
Movement versus the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) and three others.
The second petition is between Ibiene Stephen of United Peoples
Congress and INEC and three others while the third petition is
between Owei Woniwei of Alliance for Democracy and Governor Duoye
Diri and three others.
The petitioners are challenging the election of Senator Diri as
the duly elected Governor of Bayelsa State.
This comes a month after the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal
filed by a former aspirant of the Bayelsa governorship election
under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Timi Alaibe, challenging
the candidacy of Senator Diri in the November 2019 election.
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
READ ALSO: Gunmen Kill Bauchi Lawmaker, Abduct
Wives And One-Year-Old Daughter
Alaibe who had earlier lost a similar suit at the Federal High
Court and the Court of Appeal is claiming that he is the authentic
candidate of the PDP.
But the court dismissed the case on Tuesday, on the ground that
it was a pre-election matter.
Governor Diri was sworn in on February 14, a day after the
Supreme Court sacked the former governor-elect of Bayelsa State,
David Lyon, and his Deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieoyo.
Lyon’s election was nullified for submitting forged certificates
to INEC.
Details later…
Budget Ministry Sets-up Committee on 23rd Annual
ICE, Senior Officials
The Permanent
Secretary, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Olusola Idowu, has
formally inaugurated the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the
hosting of the 23rd regular Inter-Governmental
Committee of Experts (ICE) and Senior Officials meeting in
Nigeria.
Idowu, while
addressing the LOC said “The committee will be responsible for
planning, organizing and executing all approved activities for the
hosting of the ICE, co-opt any organization(s), person(s)
relevant to the successful hosting of the event and carry out any
assignment as may be required towards the success of the
event”.
According to the
Permanent Secretary, the ICE is a body established by the
United Nations General Assembly for West Africa.
She informed that the
committee met annually to discuss Economic and Social issues and
made recommendations based on the working documents prepared by the
Sub-Regional Office for West Africa (ECA/SRO-WA).
Idowu stated that the
recommendations were subsequently considered by the Annual
Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic
Development.
She noted that the
meeting was initially scheduled for May, 2020 but was
postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In her words, “With
several meetings held between officials of the UNECA and the
Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the new
date for the ICE meeting will be November, 2020, depending on the
COVID-19 situation”
She charged the LOC to
be committed and bring their wealth of experience to bear, towards
a successful hosting of the conference while assuring them of
the Ministry’s maximum support to enable the committee succeed in
the onerous task.
Responding on behalf
of the Committee, a Deputy Director in the Ministry, Dr. Sanjo
Faniron, said the Committee would put in its best to ensure
adequate preparation and a successful hosting of the meeting.
The last edition of
the Inter-Governmental Committee of Experts and Senior Officials
meeting was held in Robersfield, Republic of Liberia, in 2019.
Victoria Agba-Attah
D(Information) BNP
14/08/2020