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Tambuwal Assures NANS Fairness Over Disputed Anambra Federal Constituency Seat

House of Representatives' Speaker  Aminu Tambuwal on Tuesday in Abuja said the House would always follow due process in resolving crisis stemming from disputed seat.

The Speaker gave the assurance to the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) who had earlier protested the delay in  swearing-in of Nwoye as the new representatives of Anambra East/West Federal Constituency.

Tambuwal explained  that he was not in any way against the swearing in of Nwoye, adding however, that he would have to follow due process. 

According to him, the case between Tony Nwoye and Chriscato  Ameke is still in court, and  the House will ensure that none of the parties in dispute  suffers injustice.

"We will take up this matter to do the right thing, this matter will receive due attention," the Speaker assured.

Tambuwal stressed the need for the students protest of solidarity to be extended to other Nigerians aside from a former member of NANS.

Earlier, the  NANS President, Mr Yinka Gbadebo, presented a letter to the House leadership, issuing a 72-hour ultimatum within which Nwoye would be sworn in as Member of the House.

He later extended the ultimatum to April 16 when the House is scheduled to resume from recess.

The New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nwoye, on July 13, 2012, secured a court order mandating INEC to recognise him as the candidate of the PDP for the Anambra East/West  Federal Constituency.

The Supreme Court had earlier ruled  that Mr Chriscato Ameke, occupying the disputed seat, never participated in the said election in Anambra State.

INEC on July 16, 2012, issued Nwoye with a certificate of return and withdrew the initial one issued to Hon. Ameke in obedience to the judgement.

However, Nwoye did not  take oath of office on August 17, 2012 as anticipated because  the Office of the Clerk to  the National Assembly failed to do the necessary documentation in order for him to be sworn in .     

The students also recalled a letter dated March 14, 2013, and written by the Director of Legal Services at  the National Assembly,  advising  the Speaker and Clerk of the House to swear in Nwoye .

This followed the judgement of the  Enugu Division of the Court of Appeal of Feb. 27, 2013 striking out the  Notice of Appeal and Motion for Stay of Execution filed by Hon. Ameke.

They further noted that Nwoye was still not sworn in despite the fact that a four-man panel headed by Rep. Ishaka Bawa had recommended that he should be sworn in.         

Nwoye is contesting the Anambra East/West  Federal Constituency seat with Ameke currently occupying the seat.

The bone of contention  is about the rightful candidate of PDP in the  party's primaries in 2011 between Nwoye and Ameke as the PDP eventually won the seat. 

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INEC Explains Refusal To Register Africa People’s Congress

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that it did not register the African People Congress (APC) as a political party because it did not meet the conditions for registration.

The INEC Director of Public Affairs, Mr Emmanuel Umenger, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja that the commission’s letter to APC was unambiguous on the issue.

Umenger said that it was left for the party to prove the commission wrong.

He said: “INEC as a law obeying body, relates with stakeholders in the electoral process basically on what the law of the land says. Our relationship with the stakeholders is determined by the relevant sections of the law.

“We don’t go outside the law, INEC has premised the non-registration of APC on its inability to satisfy the requirements of section 222a of the 1999 constitution as amended.”

Umenger said that the commission also observed that there were some gaps in the form PA1 which was given to the political association.

“In our acknowledgement, 20 copies of the commission's prescribed form PA1 were forwarded to the association for completion and return to the commission with affidavit in support of the claims in the form.

“Also, we listed other requirements to include establishment of party headquarters in the FCT with proof of ownership, constitution and manifesto of the political association,’’ he said.

According to him, the requirements also include evidence of payment of registration fee, and the association’s logo.

Umenger said as far as the law was concerned, APC did not meet the conditions, therefore, the commission had rejected the application of the APC to be registered as a political party.

However, the director said that the party was at liberty to apply for registration under a new name.

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Achebe Was My Hero – Akunyili

A former Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili on Sunday in Abuja  joined other prominent Nigerians to pay tribute to Prof. Chinua Achebe.

The former minister described the literary giant as her hero, adding that the death was  a great loss to the nation.

 This is contained in a statement, signed by Mr Isaac Umunna, Special Assistant (Media) to the former minister.

 ``Chinua Achebe was not only from my state Anambra, he was also one of my heroes and role models right from my days at the University of Nigeria Nsukka where he taught.

``I therefore feel a deep sense of personal loss by his death. It is like losing a part of me.

``Prof. Achebe’s death leaves a void not only in Nigeria and Africa but globally because he is one of the best novelist the world has ever produced,” she said.

The former minister said that Achebe would be greatly missed, adding that  Nigerians and indeed, the world should take solace in the rich legacies that he left behind.

Achebe, described by his admirers as the ``Eagle on Iroko'' is best known for his novel, `Things Fall Apart’.

Until his death, Achebe served as a professor at Brown University in the U.S. He died on March 21, at the age of 82 years. 

 

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