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Abuja:   France, Australia and Avocats Sans Frontieres (ASF) France, an international non governmental organisations (NGO), on Tuesday, reaffirmed their firm opposition to death penalty in Nigeria and anywhere in the world.

The call against capital punishment came at the event to mark World Day Against Death Penalty 2023 in Abuja.

Ambassador of France to Nigeria, Emmanuelle Blatmann, said since the day was established in 2002, France had always seized the opportunity in all international fora to advocate universal abolition of death penalty.

She said 53 countries around the world still authorised the death penalty, including Nigeria.

“Every year, we continue to try to raise awareness on this common cause and diversify our means of action and efforts so that one day, this major issue will no longer be in the world, in Nigeria and elsewhere.

“In 2022, Amnesty International recorded 2,016 death sentences in 52 countries.

“Also in 2022, at least 883 executions in 20 countries took place, and this is unfortunately an increase of 53% compared to 2021,” she said.

Charge D’ Affaires of Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ms Leann Johnston, also corroborated Blatmann’s statement.

Johnston said Australia opposed death penalty in all circumstances for all people and it also supported the universal! abolition of capital punishment.

According to her, on the latest figures, there are sorne 3,300 death row inmates in Nigeria who live daily with this sentence hanging over them — not just them, but their families also.
She said though the last death penalty in Nigeria took place in 2016, the envoy urged Nigerian government to go a step further and implement the official moratorium.

“l am pleased to see that Ghana abolished the death penalty in 2023, the Central African Republic in 2022 and Sierra Leone in 2021.
“I call on Nigeria to implement an official moratorium on executions and to move towards formal abolition of the death penalty,” she said.

The Country Director, ASF France, also known as Lawyers Without Birders, France, Angela Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, said death penalty does not deter crime; it does not offer the prospect of rehabilitation and it is irreversible where there is a miscarriage of justice.

Uzoma-Iwuchukwu noted that a Nigerian police officer, Darambi Vandi, who was said to have shot dead a Lagos-based lawyer, Mrs Bolanle Raheem, on Christmas Day in 2022, was just sentenced to death by hanging on Monday.
She said the event was organised by the NGO, in conjunction with France Embassy and Australian High Commission, to step up campaign against death penalty in Nigeria.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, said death penalty is “one of the most critical human rights issues of our time.”

Fagbemi, represented by Mr Felix Ota-Okojie, Secretary, Federal Justice Reform Coordinating Committee, Federal Ministry 6if Justice, said the death penalty and the debate surrounding its use as a form of punishment had continued to stoke feelings all around the world, especially in Nigeria.

He said the country still retains the death penalty as a legal form of punishment for certain grievous crimes, including murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, treason, conspiracy to treason, sedition, treachery, among others.
“Furthermore, the list of capital offences for which the death penalty may be applied is increased as a result of the adoption of Sharia-based criminal law in some states in the Northern part of Nigeria.

“While it is true that the death penalty is still a legal punishment in Nigeria, it is important to highlight that in recent history, executions have been comparatively low and their frequency has fluctuated over time, changing how the death penalty is actually applied,’ he said.

NAN reports that while this year’s World Day Against the Death Penalty, was titled: “Death Penalty: An Irreversible Torture,” some of the sideline activities at the event included panel discussion, movie screening, etc.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng) / Flowerbudnews

By Nathan Nwakamma

The Elders Forum, All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa has faulted the judgment of the Federal High Court disqualifying the party’s governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, ahead of the Nov. 11 election.

In a statement issued on Wednesday in Yenagoa, the elders posited that Justice Donatus Okorowo erred in law in his pronouncement that Sylva had taken the oaths of office as a governor twice and was no longer qualified to vie for the governorship ticket of his party.

In the statement signed by Chief Michael Adomokeme, Chairman of the forum, he contended that Sylva had only taken one oath of office known to law, as the first one referred to by the judge had been nullified by a court of competent jurisdiction.

“In 2007, Sylva’s first term election was annulled by the court, which also nullified the oath he took when he was sworn-in as the governor.

“The annulment of the first poll and nullification of that oath by the court had rendered both the election and the oath of office non-existent.

“The first oath never existed because in the eyes of the law you cannot build something on nothing.

“Only the oath taken in 2008 is recognised by the law and stands as the only oath so far taken by our candidate,’’ he said

Adomekeme noted that judges remained imperfect humans, capable of making mistakes in their pronouncements adding that such recognition is the reason why the hierarchy of courts existed in the judicial system.

He expressed the optimism that the appellate court would do justice to this matter.

“We commend the legal team of our party which swiftly appealed the judgment and applied for a stay of execution of the verdict, which we know is a miscarriage of justice.

“We believe that the court would not allow the 2019 scenario to repeat itself where, against the will of the people, an unpopular candidate was foisted on our people.

“Sylva is qualified to contest this election in the spirit and letters of the law because when a court invalidates a situation it remains invalidated, viewed as dead and will no longer have any effect or application in the future.

“The people of Bayelsa must be allowed to vote for their preferred candidates without mischievously narrowing their chances,’’ he said.

While describing the development as a temporary setback, Adomekeme advised the Peoples’ Democratic Party and its candidate, Gov. Douye Diri to stop “their wishful thinking of relying on the courts to remain in power and prepare for the election’’.

“We know they are fretting and that is why they are mischievously shopping for help in courts.

“This one has failed because it will not stand. Governor Douye Diri must go and face his defeat at the poll because the peoples will must stand,’’ he said.

The chairman urged the APC members, residents of Bayelsa and other stakeholders not to be discouraged by the judgment stressing that it would be upturned by the court of appeal.

NAN

 

Makinde Sets Up C’ttee On Labour Unions’ Demands

 

By Adewale Owoade

The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has inaugurated ad-hoc Inter-ministerial committee on the harmonisation of various demands by Labour Union.

The inauguration took place in Exco Chamber of the governor’s office, in Ibadan.

The eleven-man committee has the Secretary to the State government, Prof. Olanike Adeyemo as the Chairman, and Director of Establishment Matters in the Ministry of Establishment and Training, as the secretary.

Others are Head of Service (HoS); Mrs Olubunmi Oni, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice ; Barrister Abiodun Aikomo, Commissioner for Finance; Akinola Ojo and Commissioner for Establishments and Training; Hon Adeniyi Adebisi

 

The Special Adviser on Labour Matters; Bayo Titilola-Sodo, the Executive Assistant on Security,; CP Sunday Odukoya, Oyo NLC Chairman; Kayode Martins,Trade Union Congress, (TUC) Chairman; Bosun Olabiyi and the Joint Negotiations Committee (JNC) Chairman.

 

Makinde said that the committee was necessary in other to address various demands by the labour unions and also having home grown solution to the effect of fuel subsidy removal on the state workers.

He charged the committee to submit its recommendations in four weeks time.

“Let me thank the labour leaders for coming to the table, and I’m optimistic that we can have our home grown solution, we’ve done it before.

“In terms of the welfares for the workers in Oyo State, we’ve been very proactive as a state, and in return we have had cooperation, from the labour leaders, workers, and that has allowed government to function properly and also to go after some of the developmental activities we are trying to carry out on behalf of the people of Oyo State.

“In sincerity of purpose and having the interest of our people at heart, the both should quickly come together and address the issues that are being face by our people due to economic crisis that the country is in right now.

“I want to solicit for your understanding, on behalf of the government we must be completely open,” Makinde said.

In interview with the governor’s office correspondents on behalf of other unions, the Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Kayode Martins said the committee must work very fast so that they can deliver in time.

“We would like to have it in good time the suffering is already on ground we will put in our best to make sure we arrive at a conclusion in a very short time.

“The major thing now is that the issue of wage award to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal. Workers today find it difficult to report to their duty post, so something has to be done in good time,” Martins said. (NAN)

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has relaxed the 24-hour curfew on the warring communities of Ifon and Ilobu to a 12-hour restriction a peace agreement reached by the two towns.

The two communities located in Irepodun and Orolu Local Government Areas of the state had engaged in violent clash over land, forcing the state government to imposed a 24-hour curfew on the communities after eight persons were reported dead and several properties destroyed.

Meanwhile, Ifon community had earlier in a statement beg the governor to relax the curfew pledging commitment to the peace accord reached last weekend.

 

The State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi in statement on Tuesday said Governor Adeleke has ordered the review of the 24-hour curfew to a 12-hour restriction of movement.

 

It added that the state government will possessed the disputed land, pending the total resolution of the clash, saying that security operatives deployed to the towns will continue with the duty of peace keeping pending the directive of the governor.

 

It reads: “Based on the recent Peace Agreement signed by Ifon and Ilobu Communities of Orolu and Irepodun local governments respectively, the administration of Senator Ademola Adeleke is happy to state that the two communities are gradually embracing the need to engender peace and harmony, forthwith.

 

“Premised on this, His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke, the Executive Governor of Osun state, in his capacity as the Chief Security Officer of the state, has relaxed the 24 hour curfew to 12 hours daily, beginning from 6pm to 6am with immediate alacrity.

 

“That the Joint Security Task Force comprising the Nigeria Army, Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and other security agents should, however, continue their normal 24 hours surveillance of both Ifon, Ilobu and Olokanla communities.

 

“That the good people of the two local governments should go about their businesses without any fear or apprehension anymore as their security are guaranteed with the eagle eyed security personnels in place.

That, anyone or group of persons found or caught doing or instigating any act,knowingly or unknowingly, to mortgage the lasting peace being currently envisioned in the warring communities would be made to face the music,via necessary prosecution, in line with the dictate of the law of Nigeria.

That, Governor Ademola Adeleke, for the umpteenth times, appreciates the resolve of the leadership and people of the warring communities to embrace peace.

 

“That, the present administration, under Governor Ademola Adeleke holds unity and peaceful co-existence of the people of Ifon, Ilobu and Olakanla sacrosanct just as it holds it for the entire villages, towns and cities of the state of the living string; and

 

“That Osun state government, once again, sympathizes with the families of victims of the communal clashes