Tag: Prof. Ben Ayade

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: Governor Ben Ayade again floors Cecilia Adams

Prof. Ben Ayade, the Cross River State Governor, has again notched on another victory at the Court of Appeal Abuja Division, in appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/1394/2022 by Cecilia Omonya Adams, a participant at the May 28 primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Cross River State.

It was gathered that Cecilia had scored zero votes at the said elections, but refused to participate in the fresh APC primaries conducted on 14th July, 2022, for the Cross River North Senatorial District towards the 2023 General Elections.

Cecilia, the Appellant at the Court of Appeal, had previously lost the suit she instituted as Plaintiff at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, where she unsuccessfully sought to challenge the candidature of Gov. Ben Ayade towards election into the National Assembly, at the Senatorial level.

The Court of Appeal panel, on Monday, 6th February, 2023, presided over by Hon. Justice Stephen Jonah Adah (with Justices…), delivered the unanimous decision of the Court, in the appeal argued for Ayade by Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN.

Prof Ben Ayade

It upheld that the decision of Hon. Justice N.E. Maha of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, and dismissing the Appeal which had sought to dismiss the Judgment of the trial Court and grant the reliefs sought in its originating summons, amongst which was to order INEC to recognize, accept and publish her Cecilia Omonya Adams’ name as the candidate of the APC for the Cross River North Senatorial District.

The Appellant had, through an Originating Summons filed on 26th July, 2022, approached the Federal High Court, Abuja, praying amongst other, for “AN ORDER of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st Defendant (INEC) their agents, servants, affiliates or privies from recognizing and dealing with the 2nd and 3rd Defendants, or any other person, as the 2nd Defendants candidate for the Cross River North Senatorial District election in the forthcoming National Assembly elections to be held on the 25th February, 2023 (or any other date that may be fixed).”

Also joined as co-Respondents with Ayade in the Appeal challenging the APC primaries were APC, Martin Orim and INEC (the 1st, 2nd and 4th Defendants respectively).

The 2nd Defendant, Martin Orim, had earlier won the 28th May, 2022 Senatorial primaries; but later resigned to enable fresh primaries to be conducted by INEC. It was from this fresh primaries that Ayade emerged as the sole contestant and winner on 14th July, 2022, all of which were in strict compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

Ayade had through his counsel )Prof Ozekhome) argued before the Federal High Court, Abuja, that Cecilia was not entitled to the reliefs sought before the court.

The trial court rightly agreed with him and dismissed the claims of Adams in its entirety, in view of the fact that the 2nd Respondent (Martin Orim) duly complied with the provision of section 31 of the Electoral Act, 2022, in validating his withdrawal process from the Cross-River Senatorial District 2023 General Election; and that the 1st Respondent (APC) also fully complied with the provisions of Section 33 of the Electoral Act, 2022, in organising fresh primaries.

Dissatisfied with the judgment of the trial court, Adams proceeded to the appellate court, seeking to overturn the decision of the lower court.

The Court of Appeal, in its judgment delivered on Monday 6th February, 2023, dismissed the appeal in its entirety and upheld the decision of the lower court, stating that since the decision of the lower court was not perverse as it reflected the true position of the law, the appellate court had no business interfering with such a judgment.
The Court of Appeal also held that the law was clear.

Cecilia Omonya Adams

Section 33 of the Electoral Act, 2022 provides for a situation (as the one before the court) where a party in compliance with the Electoral Act duly held fresh elections. The Appellant who was not a participant in that fresh election could not be heard to complain about the result of such election.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that in its conclusion, the panel stated that the judgment of the lower court captured the facts of the case and the position of the law.

According to the panel, where the facts and laws are properly captured, the Court of Appeal has no business interfering with such a decision.

The court concluded thus: “we stand by the decision of the lower court to hold that the appeal lacks in merit and is accordingly dismissed”.

February 10, 2023
How Court dismissed suit challenging Gov Ayade’s candidature to contest for National Assembly position

Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade, has scored yet another victory in another suit instituted against him by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator Jarigbe A. Jarigbe, as Justice A.R Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja struck out the suit on January 12, 2023.

In the suit, PDP and Jarigbe challenged the candidature of Ayade to contest the election into the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to represent Cross River North Senatorial District in the 2023 General elections.

Justice Mohammed, in the judgment delivered in favour of Ayade (3rd Defendant in the suit) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) (2nd Defendant in the suit), dismissed the Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1248/2022, instituted by the PDP and Jarigbe, who had claimed that the APC made Governor Ayade the Senatorial Candidate through an illegal election.

Ayade had, through his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, argued that the PDP and Senator Jarigbe A. Jarigbe, as plaintiffs had no locus standi to institute the action, as they were neither members of the APC nor aspirants in the election conducted on 14th July 2022, by the APC as prescribed by the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2022.

The Plaintiffs had through an Originating Summons filed on 27th July 2022, approached the Federal High Court, Abuja, praying amongst others, for “AN ORDER of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st Defendant (INEC) their agents, servants, affiliates or privies from recognizing and dealing with the 2nd and 3rd Defendants, or any other person, as the 2nd Defendant’s candidate for the Cross River North Senatorial District election in the forthcoming National Assembly elections.

Also joined as Co-defendants with Ayade in the suit challenging the APC primaries were INEC, APC, Martin Ovim (who had earlier won the May 28, 2022 Senatorial primaries, but had resigned to enable a fresh primary be conducted by INEC.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that it was from these fresh primaries that Ayade emerged as the sole contestant and winner on 14th July 2022.

Cecilia Adams, the 5th Defendant, had earlier instituted a similar suit against Governor Ayade, but had lost same at the Federal High Court, before Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha, on a similar ground that she lacked locus standi to have instituted that suit against Governor Ayade, having not participated in the APC primaries of 14th July 2022, from which Governor Ayade duly emerged as the APC candidate for the Cross River North Senatorial District.

The court had held that Mrs Adams failed to establish or prove that Ayade was not properly nominated by his party; or that any of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, INEC Guidelines, or the Constitution of APC, had in any way been breached by the APC or Ayade in his emergence as the APC Senatorial candidate.

Justice A.R Mohammed, in his judgment while dismissing the Suit, aligned himself with the submissions of Chief Ozekhome, SAN, in his Preliminary Objection which wrecked in totality the case of the PDP and Senator Jarigbe A. Jarigbe. He held that the Plaintiffs did not have any locus standi to approach the court as nothing in section 285(14)(c) of the Constitution permitted the Plaintiffs to bring such a case.

The section above-made use of the word “its candidate”, not “any candidate”, and thus, was referring to the political party itself which was dissatisfied with the candidate it produced; and not any other political party dissatisfied with such party’s candidate.

The Court stated that it was robbed of the jurisdiction to entertain the matter, the Plaintiffs have failed to demonstrate that not only were they members of the APC, but that they were also aspirants who had contested in the primaries being challenged.

The court further held that the Plaintiffs by their own Originating Summons had already confirmed that they were neither members of the APC nor did they participate in the election; thus making them total strangers to the APC’s politics.

Justice A.R Mohammed finally held that the Plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to institute this matter and this, stripped the court of jurisdiction to hear same. It follows therefore that the court could not hear any of the other issues for determination that had been raised by the Plaintiffs.

January 19, 2023
2023: Cross River Governor Ayade picks senatorial form as back up

Insinuations are rife that the Governor of Cross River State, prof. Ben Ayade, has picked up a senatorial form with receipt number 9498 under the ruling All Progressives Congress party.

Ayade was reported to have picked up his form on the May 10th as a form of back up.

The Cross River state Governor could be contesting in the northern senatorial district against Orim Martin Ojie who bought his form on May 6,2022.

It was gathered that a group of persons known as sons and daughters of Cross River, presented him the APC nomination form to contest for Presidency in 2023.

The governor, who assured that he would tackle the problem of poor electricity supply head-on, said that he was ready to deploy a workable solution to fix the problem once and for all.

Recall that Prof. Ben Ayade, on Monday, said he hoped to run for the office of the president in the 2023 general election, expressing confidence that he “will be next president of this country”

Speaking shortly after he received his nomination and Expression of Interest (EOI) forms purchased for him by sons and daughters of Cross River State, AREWA Youths as well as other interest groups across the country’s six geopolitical zones, Ayade said he would replicate his successes as a state governor at the national level and help address the country’s myriad of challenges.

May 12, 2022
Quit if you want to contest election – Ayade to aides

Political appointees seeking political offices in Cross River State have until 12:00 noon of today (Thursday) to quit their offices.
The State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade gave the directive on Wednesday in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Christian Ita.

ALSO READ: See odd names of Cross River State budgets under Gov Ayade since 2016
In the same vein, the governor has directed permanent secretaries to assess all political appointees as he plans a minor cabinet reshuffle for his cabinet.
The statement reads; “The governor has directed that any political appointee presently serving in his government but desires to seek elective position in the forthcoming 2023 elections is at liberty toelective

ALSO READ: APC asks Gov Ayade to fire appointees without party membership card
“He, however, added that such appointees should turn in their resignation on or before 12 noon, May 5, 2022; and such letters should be submitted to the Office of the Secretary to the State Government.
In another developement, Ita disclosed that Ayade is set to reshuffle his cabinet to flesh in additional ideas for the good of the state.
The statement reads in part; “Governor Ben Ayade is set to carry out a major cabinet reshuffle in a bid to ensure that the administration indeed finishes strong as it enters the last lap of its lifespan.” it concluded.
The hint on possible cabinet reshuffle is believed to be Prof Ayade’s way of re jigging the government for the administration to finish strong despite winding down as 2023 polls fast approach.

May 5, 2022
How to check spread of HIV/AIDS – Ayade

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River says the only way to end the HIV scourge in Nigeria is for married couples to remain faithful to their partners while young people abstain from sex.

Ayade said this on Thursday in Calabar at the commemoration of the 2016 World AIDS Day celebration.

He said: “The absolute factor that can put an end to HIV/AIDS spread is total loyalty and abstinence.

“ Married couples must be faithful to their partners.

“Young people must remain virgins until they get married and never allow any barber to use unsterilised clipper to barb your hair.

“Whatever the story, AIDS is real, it is a scourge, you must avoid it,’’ the governor said.

According to Ayade, the time has come to teach young people true African culture where sex before marriage is a taboo.

He described the usage of condom `campaign’ as creating a false feeling of protection, adding that the use of condom had not helped in stopping the scourge.

“Rather, it increases the level of promiscuity among the younger generation and encouraged unfaithfulness,’’ he added.

He said that the state government would do everything within its power to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS in Cross River.

In her remarks, Dr Rose Nyambi, the Director-General of the State Action Committee on AIDS (SACA) disclosed that no fewer than 164, 267 people were currently living with HIV/AIDS in the state.

She said of the number was made up of 103,000 females and 61,627 males.

Nyambi said the figure, which represented a 6.6 per cent prevalent rate, put the state on the fifth position in Nigeria.

According to her, Cross River has a mixed epidemic which shows that the prevalence among the general population and key population is high.

Nyambi also said that the state had the highest rate of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (MTCT) in Nigeria.

She stated that this was achieved through various government policies and programmes on HIV/AIDS prevention.

The director general, however, lamented the exit of donor partners, describing the development as creating an extra burden on the state government.

“It is quite disheartening to inform you that donors and most implementing partners are exiting and this places a huge burden on the state government to sustain and take ownership of the response,’’ she said.

She said that the theme of this year’s campaign “Hands on for HIV prevention,’’ was in accordance with the global focus targeted toward eliminating new HIV infections through scale up interventions.

In a goodwill message, Dr Kenneth Ehouzou representative of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) stressed the need for all stakeholders to partner in the efforts to end the spread of HIV/AIDS.

He disclosed that the UNFPA was organising a month long campaign against the spread of HIV in the state tagged: “Wise up Cross River.’’

Ehouzou said the campaign would take place at the Calabar Christmas Village with the youth population as its main target.

December 1, 2016