ECHOCHO Vs WADA, PDP & INEC | The journey so far!

It is a fundamental principle of justice that litigation must have an end.  Therefore, it is not strange that the end of the seemingly unending litigation that has seized Kogi State since the election season of 2011 is now in sight. However, the kind of information that is being peddled around is dangerous. People no longer suggest what the judgement will look like rather, they say with confidence where the scale of justice will swing to. Sadly, most people who make such declarations don’t even know what exactly is before the court for determination.

It is important to note that this case is almost a case without a precedent and as such, it is not sensible to confidently say what the outcome will be.

A journey from the beginning of this case to this point that can better be described as “season of anxiety” is breath taking. Travel with me as I attempt to give a SKETCHY account of this litigation. Let us review Echocho Vs Wada, PDP & INEC from the cause of action!

INEC had announced that it was going to conduct general elections across the country and within its time-table, the gubernatorial election of Kogi State was fixed for 26^th April, 2011. This was in anticipation that the tenure of the sitting Governor, Enegbani Ibrahi Idris will expire on 29^th May, 2011. Accordingly, the PDP on 19^th January, 2011 conducted primary election which Enegbani Isah Echocho was declared winner; his name was therefore forwarded to INEC as the elected candidate for the 26^th April, 2011 election.

The Audu, Ozekhome connection: A question asked for too long

“Nobody should go about saying audu stole kogi state funds, but his trial on the merit is also important.”

Lawyer to Abubakar Audu, Mr Mike Ozekhome SAN who was kidnapped days back is still being held in captivity. Take it or leave it, crimes like this strive well where corruption is rampant.

You would recall the role the SAN played since Audu’s arraignment before a Kogi State High Court on 1^st December, 2006, on an 80 counts of conspiracy, fraud, criminal breach of trust and embezzlement of public fund of over N4 Billion.

Ozekhome had filed several applications in the case, an act that most legal minds saw as an effort to frustrate the trial of Audu on merit.

Greenfield Refinery Projects Suffer Setback

The planned construction of the much-awaited three Greenfield refineries in Lagos, Bayelsa and Kogi  scheduled  to commence in July this year may no longer be feasible.

A source at the Petroleum Ministry hinted that the project partners- the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) Limited were yet to reach an accord on the issue of funding.

The project had been envisaged to add 750,000 barrels per day of extra refining capacity to Nigeria’s current 445,000 barrel per day refining capacity and stem the flood of importation of refined products into the country.

The delay in the take-off of the project, the source said was a major setback to Nigeria’s plan to increase local refining to 95 per cent.
He said given the current dilapidated state of the existing refineries, Nigeria would continue to do massive importation of petrol as the Greenfield refineries could no longer come on stream in 2015 as earlier planned.

He said the only way out was to privatise the refineries, pointing out that series of Turnaround Maintenance (TAM), which cost millions of dollars did not produce any result.

The parties had about two years ago, signed an agreement for the joint sourcing of funds for the construction of the three new Greenfield refineries and a petrochemical plant in Nigeria under a $28.5 billion provisional deal.

The initial plan was that each of the new refineries would be able to process around 250,000 barrels of oil a day, potentially meeting Nigeria’s estimated need of 750,000 barrels per day over the next 10 years.

It was however gathered that the capacities on the plants to be built in Lagos,  Brass in Bayelsa and Lokoja, the Kogi State capital were downsized.

Consequently, the Kogi and Bayelsa  plants will now have the capacity for 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) capacity each, while the one to be located in Lekki, Lagos will have the capacity for 200,000bpd of crude.

An update on the project published recently revealed that the decision to downsize the capacities of the plants was based on the new Detailed Feasibility Study (DFS)prepared by Wood Mackenzie & Foster Will.

It also showed that the ICBC of China was to provide 80 percent out of the $11.3 billion now budgeted for the project, while the NNPC will provide 20 per cent equity, to be diluted for private sector participation later.

The Front End Engineering and Design (FEED), site preparation and infrastructure had been scheduled to start in February 2012, while construction will start in July of same year to be completion is 2015.

Source: www.thisdaylive.com

Re:MY LAST CRY FOR OPALUWA OGWUCHE.

I read with surprise the article authored by one JJ Idachaba titled MY LAST CRY FOR OPALUWA OGWUCHE.

I am ordinarily supposed to ignore him but it is important I teach him what he seems not to know about our customs and traditions that he professes to know so much.

In that article, the author raised several issues for determination and the crux of all the issues was which family will produce the next Atta.

What the author is asking for can be equivalent of asking for the moon. He is by implication asking that we name an Atta in waiting.

For avoidance of doubt, it is forbidden for two Attas to exist side by side, in fact, it is unheard of! That was the singular reason that aborted the planned erection of Ame Oboni’s statue in Idah several years back while Ali Obaje was alive and kicking.  Issues about succession of Atta are never visited until the death of Atta. That is why tradition requires if Atta dies; a long period of about three months must elapse before a new Atta can emerge.

Therefore, the issues raised in the article in view cannot be attended to until the office of Atta becomes vacant.

Let us be patient, time will answer us all.

Emmanuel Musa

MY LAST CRY FOR OPALUWA OGWUCHE

I actively participated in the process of selecting the new Atta, at least to the extent an Otalaka like me is permitted to. I was a champion of the arguments in favour of Idakwo Ameh. I never had difficulty in declaring my support for him. I did this vigorously until he got his ears pierced, that became a turning point for my reasoning. I mean I withdrew my support for him and I did this too as a matter of justice and fairness.

IDAH TO GET AIRPORT SOON

In what could be termed as his most daring move since assumption of office, the Atta of Igala is bent on constructing an airport in Idah and very soon. 

You will recall that Igala NA during the reign of Ameh Oboni had constructed an aerodrome where small carrier planes could operate from. The aerodrome however stopped functioning several years back for reasons that may not necessarily be disassociated from non-usage.

The old aerodrome located along Idah - Ogbogbo road is now wearing a different look as work has since commenced on it in a bid to developing it to a standard local airport.

THE MEANING OF OLI UDAGO

If you speak Igala and you do not know the meaning of “OLI UDAGO”, it is not just important for you to read this, you must read it carefully and have a good understanding so that you don’t suffer what a child of 13years is expected to suffer.

As a matter of fact, it is only a child below the age of 13 years that is prohibited from knowing the meaning of Oli Udago. As soon as an Igala child grows out of childhood, he/she is expected to know several secrets and one of them is the Oli Udago secret. That is how interesting growing up as an Igala child used to be but regrettably; most of these things are fading away with the speed of water vapor.

Though I am going to tell you the meaning of Oli Udago in a short while, I strongly feel you are now trying to imagine what this Oli Udago of a thing looks like. That is exactly the thought that occupies the mind of an under 13 child who is sent by his parents to borrow Oli Udago from a neighbor’s house.