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Supreme Court orders substituted service on PDP, others

Uche Secondus

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that all processes relating to the appeal filed by a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus, challenging his removal from office, be served on all the defendants by substituted means by pasting the same on the walls of the head office of the party at Wadata House, Abuja.

The order of the apex court followed an ex parte application moved by counsel for Secondus, Chief Oba Maduabuchi (SAN).

The senior lawyer had specifically sought the leave of the court to serve the notice of appeal filed on November 8, 2021;  record of appeal transmitted on November 11, 2021; Appellant brief of argument filed on October 18, 2021 and all other processes in the appeal on the walls of the respondents by substituted means to wit: “by pasting the processes at the 6th respondents (PDP) head office at Wadata Plaza, plot 1970, Michael Okpara Street, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.”

After listening to Maduabuchi, Justice Mohammed Musa Dattijo, who led a five-member panel of Justices of the Court granted the ex-parte application as prayed.

Other Justices of the court were in agreement with the ruling.

In the substantive appeal, Secondus is  challenging his removal from office before the expiration of his four years tenure.

Justice Dattijo  had fixed  December 7 for hearing of all pending applicants in respect of the matter

Apart from Dan Orbhi, other defendants in the appeal are Ibeawuchi Ernest Alex, Dennis Nna Amadi, Emmanuel Stephen, Umezurike Onuoha,  Godwin Pepple Manfred, PDP,  Senator Suleiman Nazif, Hon Solomon Ejike Ogbonna, Hon Uche Emmanuel Minukwa and Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt had on October 26 dismissed an application challenging the suspension of Secondus from the PDP.

A panel of three justices led by Justice Haruna Tsammani struck out the suit during its sitting in the Rivers State capital.

This prompted Secondus to approach the Supreme Court praying for an order to quash his suspension and as well restore him to office to complete his four years tenure.

SENATOR EKWUNIFE'S BILL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION, AGULU PASSES SECOND READING

Education

 SENATOR EKWUNIFE'S BILL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION, AGULU PASSES SECOND READING

The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday, December 7, 2021, passed the bill for the establishment of Federal University of Science, Technology and Innovation Agulu, Anaocha LGA, Anambra State, after second reading.

The bill which was read for the first time on 12th October 2021, was conceived to offer opportunity for many young Nigerians who are desirous of studying and showcasing their talents in the areas of practical sciences, innovative engineering and fabrication up to and beyond graduate levels. The bill was sponsored by the Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Uche Ekwunife, PhD.

According to Ekwunife, the institution if established will serve as a holistic Development Centre for knowledge, skills, research and innovation in cutting edge Hi-tech value chain. 

"With a population of over two hundred million people and a sizable portion of that number being young people, we are under served in terms of technologically oriented institutions. Based on data provided on ranking of universities and number of engineering courses which comes with full accreditation by COREN, only 21 out of the 170 Universities in Nigeria can be said to be into training technological engineers", the Chairman Senate committee on Science, Technology and Innovation said.

Ekwunife further argued that in our contemporary society where science and technology drives knowledge based economy, it has become compelling that more emphasis be placed on institutions that will enhance Nigeria’s capacity to generate a technological workforce that will bring her into global reckoning, enhance the productive sector of our economy from being a net importer to being a net exporter of goods and services, as well as keep pace with the rapidly changing technological world.

The charismatic lawmaker concluded by presenting the conceptual framework behind the University and assured the Senate that Agulu community is ready to host the institution.

Kingsley Ubani 

SA Media to Senator Uche Ekwunife