Author: oduduwanews

The Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu SAN and his Osun State counterpart, Gboyega Oyetola have joined Ekiti State Governor to commision a road project as well as blocks of building at the Ekiti State Polytechnic.

This was contained in a statement the governor made available yesterday via his official Facebook account as read in part:

“I had the honour of receiving my brother Governors from Osun and Ondo States, H.E. Gboyega Oyetola and Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu at the commissioning of the Agbado-Ode-Isinbode-Omuo road, as well as the blocks of Faculty Building at Ekiti State Polytechnic, Isan Ekiti (formerly Ekiti State College of Agriculture & Technology).

“These are strategic projects with socioeconomic importance and agribusiness advantage. For instance, 30.5km Agbado-Ode-Isinbode-Omuo road will serve as a shorter link from the Northern part of Nigeria, through Kogi State to Ekiti State Capital, and an additional feeder route into the Ekiti Agro-allied Cargo Airport and Ekiti Knowledge Zone (under construction).

“The two blocks of Faculty Building at the Ekiti State Polytechnic, Isan Ekiti is fully equipped to accommodate two Faculties, Dean and HODs Offices, Laboratories, Classrooms, Conference Room, Faculty/Data Room, Offices for Lecturers and Conveniences. This Polytechnic is designed to drive technical and commercial agriculture in our dear state.

“Our administration will not relent in moving Ekiti State to the next level of sustainable development in all sectors”.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has disclosed that a new policy for monthly tenancy on property occupancy would commence in Lagos State in 2022.

The Governor said this at the Lagos Real Estate Market Place Conference and Exhibitions organised by the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) this week.

In a statement signed by the Governor’s spokesperson, Gboyega Akosile, the Governor explained that the new policy is not intended to negatively affect landlords or reduce the expected revenue of the property owner.

“By next year, Sanwo-Olu said a new policy on ‘monthly tenancy’ on property occupancy would kick-off in Lagos. The concept, he said, is not to punish the landlord or reduce the expected revenue of the property owner.

“He said monthly tenancy would ease off the pressure of yearly rent on tenants, as the new policy is designed to make people pay their rents according to their monthly earnings. The policy, Sanwo-Olu said, emanated from an agreement reached by the association of tenants, a consortium of financiers, and the Government,” read the statement.

This new monthly tenancy plan is designed to enable tenants to pay their house rent as they earn monthly, which will ease the burden of paying huge sums for annual rent at once.

The attention of the Ministry of Interior has been drawn to news making the rounds on social media claiming that the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has declared all Marriages conducted by Ikoyi marriage registry to be illegal and invalid.

We would like to state that this statement is false, misleading and a deliberate distortion of the decision of the Court in Suit No: FHC/L/CS/816/18 between Eti-Osa Local Government Council & 3 others v. Honourable Minister of Interior and 2 others, where the Honourable Court held that only the Local Government councils can conduct valid marriages in Nigeria.

It is noteworthy that, the same Federal High Court situated in Ikoyi, Lagos in Suit No. FHC/L/870/2002 between Prince Haastrup and Eti Osa Local Government held that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Interior is constitutionally empowered to conduct marriages in Nigeria and heldthat the Local Governments were delegated by the Federal Government to conduct marriages, by virtue of Legal Notices issued pursuant to the Marriage Act.

In that case, the learned trial judge held that nothing in the role of local governments, as defined in the Constitution, suggests that local governments can conduct or contract marriages as alleged in their pleadings. The Court affirmed that powers of the local governments to contract statutory marriages is derived from the Legal Notices issued by the President. The Court also confirmed that the role of local governments, as enshrined in the Constitution is limited to registration of all forms of marriages (including Islamic and customary marriages).

Rather than appeal this decision, the same claimants instituted another action in 2016 Suit no. FHC/L/CS/1760/16 Egor Local Government, Eti- Osa Local Government and 2 others V Hon, Minister of Interior and 2 Others. The Court held that the Suit was an abuse of court process, as it could not be invited to make another pronouncement on the same point of law, which would lead to conflicting decisions coming from the same court and therefore struck out the case.

The same issue was adjudicated in the case of Olumide Babalola vs Ikeja Local Government and the Registered Trustees of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) in Suit No. LD/1343/GCM/2016 delivered on 15th May, 2017. The Court held that while registration of marriages are regulated by local governments, being under the concurrent list, formation of marriage is under the Exclusive Legislative List, within the jurisdiction of the Federal Government, regulated by the Ministry of Interior.

It is further worthy of note that the issue of formation, annulment and other matrimonial causes are by virtue of item 61 of the 1st Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria exclusively reserved for the Federal Government.

The General Public is invited to note that these judgments are all still subsisting, competent and havenot been appealed against till date.
Further to the above, the current decision of the Federal High Court delivered by Hon. Justice D. E. Osiagor of Court 6, cannot set aside a previous decision of the same Court, which is of coordinate jurisdiction, as that would amount to the court sitting on appeal over its own judgment.

In the circumstances, the Federal Government through the Ministry of Interior, has applied for a certified true copy of the judgement and will take appropriate further action including but not limited to filing of an appeal in respect of this conflicting and confusing decision, in line with the provisions of the Constitution.

We would like to appeal to the general public, the international community, to couples who had hitherto had their marriages solemnized at Federal Marriage Registries by duly licensed places of worship and to all intending couples to be calm and continue transacting their normal businesses at all Federal Marriage Registries subsisting throughout the federation in line with statutory and constitutional provisions.

The general public is to please note the foregoing and maintain status quo ante.

There have been a legal brawl between some Local government Areas of Nigeria against the Federal government simply for the determination of who have the power to operate marriage registries, conduct marriages and issue marriage certificates.

Statutorily, the Local governments are the ones empowered to conduct marriages and issue marriage certificates, for this reason, the LGAs have insisted that their powers to register marriages which is statutorily provided are being usurped by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Interior.

The Eti Osa LOcal Government Area of Lagos state took the Ministry of Interior and Attorney General of the Federation to court in suit no.: FHC/ LS/CS/816/18 between Eti-Osa LGA & 3 others v. Hon. Minister of Interior & 2 others (Federal High Court, Ikoyi Judicial Divaion), where the accused Federal Ministry of Interiors of usurping the Local Governments power to operate marriage registries, conduct marriages and issue marriage certificates.

They prayed the court to declare that the federal government have no business in the conduction of marriages and issuing marriage certificates and order the closure of all marriage registries opened and operated by the federal ministry of interior or through their agents including that of the Ikoyi registry.

The case lingered but recently, the federal High court sitting in Ikoyi held in the favor of the Eti osa local government and granted their prayers.

The court held that conduct of marriages and issue of certificate is statutorily the job of the local governments as provided by the law and only the local governments have the power to do such and the acts of the federal government through the ministry of interior operating marriage registries is clearly beyond their powers.

The court further held that all marriages conducted by federal marriage registries or through their agents are illegal and invalid and the federal high court also ordered for the closure of all federal marriage registries including that of Ikoyi marriage registry with immediate effect.

Osun Governor, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has expressed the readiness of his Administration to partner with willing investors in the country with interest in responsible gold mining in the State.

He made this known on Monday after embarking on facility tour of the mining sites of Segilola Resources Operating Limited located in Iperindo, Imogba and Odo Ijesa, all in Atakunmasa East Local Government Area of the State.

Governor Oyetola and his entourage inspected the Water Storage Dam used in processing the raw gold, process plant area, mining pit and sick bay for the employees of the mining company.

The high point of the visit was the unveiling of unrefined Gold samples, mined by Segilola Resources Operating Limited by Governor Oyetola.

He described the project as a practical step to good governance and commended the leadership of the firm for a job well done.

The governor who noted that his visit was memorable and historic as a result of the significant achievement recorded by the gold mining company, said the project is a reflection of the diversification policy of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He commended the mining company for maintaining cordial relationship with the host community and pledged the unalloyed support of his Administration to the mining company to ensure it operates to the optimum level.

Governor Oyetola who expressed personal conviction that the future of the State of Osun is assured, charged the host communities to continue to make the environment conducive for the gold mining company.

The Chief executives officer of Segilola Operating Resources Limited, Mr. Segun Lawson, appreciated the government for providing the enabling environment leading to the successful completion of the project within the spate of eighteen months.

This he said was made possible through the maximum support and cooperation the company enjoyed from the State government.

The Chief Executive Officer maintained that the company had impacted positively on the host communities to enhance community relations.

Mr. Lawson stated that the employment process in the organization was non discriminatory, saying over twenty percent indigenes of the host communities were employed by the company.

The Governor was accompanied to the mining sites by the Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Benedict Alabi; the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr. Charles Akinola; Deputy Chief of Staff, Prince Abdullah Binuyo; Head of Service, Dr. Olowogboyega Oyebade; other cabinet members and a former Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. General Alani Akinrinade.

The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce) Chairman, CSP Shola Jejeloye has said that unrestrained speed, gross violation of extant laws of the State Government and other regulations are fast becoming rampant among motorcycles riders in most part of the State.

He further said that for the State to achieve its vision of zero tolerance for menace of okada on restricted routes and rid the State of all criminal activities, there must be prompt attention and continuous enforcement on the recalcitrant okada operators.

He said this after the Men and Officials of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offenses Unit {Taskforce) were attacked by suspected miscreants, hoodlums and illegal drug peddlers posing as okada riders during an enforcement for compliance operation at 7th Avenue, Festac Town, Lagos.

The operation was aimed at curbing the menace of okada riders, raiding of black spots in the area and entrenching sanity in the State.

The incident which occurred at about 11am had some suspected drug peddlers, miscreants, hoodlums in their large numbers who were hellbent on causing chaos rather than allow the Agency carry out its lawful duties and entrenching sanity in the area.

Several officers sustained varying degrees of injuries while one official vehicle and two private vehicles were burnt.

The attackers, numbering about 3000, wielding stones, cutlasses, bow and arrows and other harmful weapons dashed out from different darkspots in the area, shelled the officers continuously before they were subdued by superior tactical power of the Agency without a gun shot or inflicting any serious injuries on them.

Meanwhile, the reprisal attack was carried out by the Agency officials in a week long enforcement activities in all the nooks and crannies of Festac Town and Surulere where over 382 okada were impounded, 103 miscreants were arrested and handed over to the State Police command for prosecution while 4 other culprits in the first attack had been arraigned and sentenced to two years imprisonment for violating the State Environmental and special offences laws.

The Chairman of the Agency, CSP Shola Jejeloye who spoke after the incident assured Lagosians that the Agency remains undeterred in ensuring that the menace of okada riders is over, traffic and environmental offenders brought to the barest minimum if not zero level. He stated that the incident which occurred though unfortunate, has in no way affected the vision and mission the Agency in ridding the State of criminal elements. Meanwhile, crushing of another set of okada impounded by the Agency will commence on Monday as part of the State resolved to rid the City highways of okada menace.

He stated “These suspected miscreants have shown that they have no regard for laid down laws of the State. We will also show them that we remain resolute in the discharge of our duty. We will continue raiding blackspots, impounding okada plying restricted routes in the State and enforcing all environmental laws to the letter.” Jejeloye insisted.

The Chairman reiterated and assured Lagosians not to exercise any fear during the yuletide as the Agency will do everything humanly possible to ensure a crime free festive period in the State.