BAYELSA GOVERNORSHIP UPDATE: TRIBUNAL READY TO DELIVER JUDGEMENT TODAY

Today is 26th of July,2016, a day set aside to make history not only in Bayelsa, but Nigeria as a whole and beyond, reason being that, this is the day the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Tribunal will deliver judgement on the petition filed by former governor of Bayelsa State and APC governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva against Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, the governor of Bayelsa state and governorship candidate of the PDP to set aside Dickson's victory and declare him, Chief Sylva as the winner.
The matter was transferred to Iyayan, in Abuja, for purposes of security, which made the Bayelsans; especially members of the APC and of the PDP within and outside the state to make Abuja their dwelling place, where so much money was spent on transport fares, on hotel accommodation, feeding etc., and for litigation, where legal luminaries of choice by the candidates argued on the Electoral Law to its very conclusion before the 3 man Panel of the Election Tribunal led by Justice Kazeem.
It was indeed an uneasy journey to get to the end of the tunnel, that is today, the day judgement will be delivered, about 5 hours from now, after all the intrigues, legal fire works, media wars, propagandas etc.
A careful look at the Bayelsa State Governorship Election case, will reveal its peculiarity amongst other cases because of all that had happened within the period. The most unique aspect is that the case had passed through the entire processes of the law, receiving due attention from the Election Tribunal through  the Appeal Court to the Supreme Court and had received judicial opinion from the upper and supreme courts on the basis of which position the tribunal judgement is expected to be delivered.
At the tribunal, among-st other key issues raised by the petitioner, Chief Timipre Sylva, the APC governorship candidate, was the playing of a DVD digital disc. and inspection of election materials that were in the pleadings, but the tribunal approved the inspection of election materials, but inhibited the playing of the DVD in the open court as pleaded. And that inhibition informed, Sylva through his lawyers led by Sebastine Hon. {SAN} to the Appeal Court to seek redress. After looking at the matter, the Appeal Court had no alternative than to direct the Tribunal to play the DVD in the open court as pleaded by the petitioner.
"Friday, June 14 2016...the Court of Appeal Abuja in a ruling... ordered the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Tribunal to play in the open court a digital video disc {DVD} recording, of the announcement of the cancellation of the election in Southern Ijaw by the Resident Electoral Commissioner REC."
Sylva's prayers were granted to have the DVD played as pleaded based on Section 84 of the Evidence Act reads; "The court ordered the tribunal to play the said DVD in the open court...further noted that since it was admitted in evidence in line with section 84 of Evidence Act; the foundation of its admission well laid and the DVD well pleaded in the petition, it is not the decision of the Judiciary to supply any authority other than to follow the law in the circumstances."
"The court said, that there ought not to be any inhibition to the playing of the DVD in the open court by the tribunal because all conditions prescribed by law have been fulfilled by the appellant."
Both the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court "...held that the DVD ought to be played by the tribunal in the open court to demonstrate that it intended not to make it a sleeping exhibit."
On the the basis of all these, the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja has taken today 26th of July as the day to deliver judgement on this matter, according to the 48 hours notice given by the Justice Kazeem led 3 man panel in Abuja.
In view of the fact that, the case is not all about Sylva and Dickson, but between the ruling party [APC] and the opposition [PDP], the entire nation is waiting for justice by 3.pm today.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, AMERICA WILL MAKE HISTORY WITH HILARY CLINTON

The flag bearer of the Democratice Party for the forthcomig presidential election in the United States, Her Excellency, Hilary Clinton will make another history for that country if Americans vote her into office as the first Lady president.
This is the view world of many across the world; especially to those who evaluated the political worth of the former First Lady, Hilary Clinton, who had been in the corridors of power for sometime now, whose motherly passion for America had made her to persistently ask the Americans for the presidential mandate, which if given her will sincerely attract world attention than going for any other candidate that is not too familiar with the political terrain as Clinton. Besides the presidency of America is not constitutionally meant to be occupied by only men as it was not constitutionally meant for occupation by only the white, the reasoning upon which the first black American, Barack Obama was elected president, 2008. And he became the first ever black man to occupy the White House.
This time, is like the American Spirit is working for another change in her history, another positive change, a change of breaking the jinx of gender discrimination to gender equality whereby the American woman, the daughter of America, who is also the mother of America should be given equal opportunity like the men to occupy the White House.
Hilary Clinton will make better history as first American Lady President than any other candidate, this is a point every lover of America should consider.
By Evans Tubonah
 Publisher/Editor-In-Chief
Golden Pen Newspapers.

MAN OF GOD PROPHESIES ON LOOMING PLANE ACCIDENT, CALLS FOR PRAYERS

The Niger Delta based Tele-Evangelist, Founder and General Overseer of the Mercy Land deliverance Ministries, Prophet Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin has prophesied that Nigerians and indeed people of other countries should pray against, plane accident that may claim the lives of some prominent Nigerian politicians.
The man of God made the remark during Sunday service today at the Mercy Land Deliverance Church Headquarters Warri, Delta State. He also stated that two big political figures in Nigeria may die one after the order as he had seen in the spirit world, and also calls for prayers to avert such untimely deaths.
Prophet Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin while delivering the days message advised Christians not to treat the work of God or men of God with levity, but rather to support the work of God and believe in his Prophets, emphasizing that the secret of tapping into the anointing and blessings of God is to sow into  the Ministry and the life of God's servants.
His voice sounded out of the high capacity loud speakers saying: 'I prophesy to you. Let the power of the Holy Spirit surprise you from now on, in Jesus name. I speak to you this morning , wherever you are watching or listening to my voice from, let the plans of the enemies concerning your life and family scatter, in the name of Jesus..."
The text of his message was taken from Matthew 11:28, 2 Kings 4:8-19, Zachariah 8:13.
It was a Prophecy galore, where the Prophet Jeremiah, graphically prophesied as if he was reading from an invisible booklet, the lives, activities and events of many people in the Church and those, connected to them. while the sick and diseased received their healing and those looking for fruit of the womb and job seekers were all blessed.
The man of God was however, not comfortable with the elders of the Church whose prayers he said were not going anywhere because of their disunity and contention over seats in the house of God, emphasized that elders who married more than one wife were not qualified to be there according to the Bible, and consequently announced the dissolution of the elders council of the Church with immediate effect.
Many that were possessed got delivered and the lame worked and the poor blessed.

DSS,WHERE IS JONES ABIRI?

It was reported yesterday, Thursday, July, 21 2016, about 11a.m that, the Publisher of Weekly Source Newspaper, Chief Jones Abiri was handcuffed and taken away by security operatives from the DSS. 

Chief Abiri since yesterday had neither been seen or heard-of, as he was said  to had been taken to an unknown destination.. 

According to eye witness account, the men numbering nine, came with three vans with registration numbers SAG 391AA, PBT 480  AA and Lagos 193 DN to the Chief Ayabowei's shopping plaza at Ekeki, in the Bayelsa State Capital Yenagoa where Chief Abiri has an office.

Our source stated that: 

"Abiri was returning from a restaurant, when the men of the DSS, met him and asked if he is Abiri, and as he replied in the affirmative, he was handcuffed, and two of the officers put their fingers to his trousers and began to drag him like a common criminal." 

When they dragged him upstairs they mistakenly batched into the office of a Lawyer Olorogun's chambers, who condemned the officers of DSS who claimed to be from Abuja for the transparent impunity in the display of state power against the citizens of the nation they were engaged to defend. Barrister Olorogun was quoted as telling them that;

"..it was lawless on their part to arrest a Nigerian citizen without letting the accused person know  what offense he had committed or why he was being invited or arrested in accordance to the constitution"

Our source emphatically stated that all efforts made by elder Statesman Chief C.J. Ayabowei and members of the Publishers Association to approach the officers to know what wrong Abiri had done, was unsuccessful because the fierce looking officers kept everyone at a distance and brazenly entered the publisher's noffice and ransacked it, and went away with him and with volumes of documents, and electronic gazettes. our source concluded.

Meanwhile, the Bayelsa Federated Newspaper Publishers Association [BAFENPA] led by Hon. Easterday Ayebaitari has called on the office of the DSS to tell the public the whereabout of the publisher and what offense he has committed and deal with him according to the rule of law.

BARRISTER ZIMUGHAN SPEAKS ON THE ROLE OF SENIOR LAWYERS

A legal luminary in the Niger Delta and South/South geo-political zone, Barrister Fedude Zimughan had said that the role of senior lawyers in the country is that of presenting the law as it is, standing on the rule of law and being light to the younger generation of lawyers.
To this end he said, senior lawyers have more commitments to be learned, by reading widely, law journals and professional articles. Infact a serious minded legal practitioner should read at least one case law a day to be abreast with the law. He said, the language of the law is embeded in the pages of case law where lawyers have argued their cases for and against their clients, and judges in their eminent wisdom come to a reasoned decision after looking into the issues in controversy by the parties.
Barrister Fedude Zimughan is one of the notable lawyers of Nigeria from the Niger Delta region and the South/South geo-political zone, who is highly respected across the nation stated that he himself has tremendous respect for those who are Senior Advocates of Nigeria, (SAN)-the highest rank in the legal profession.
Asked to name some of them-  he said, time and space will not permit, but all the same, named:-
* T. J. O OKPOKO SAN
* AFE BABALOLA SAN
* J. B. DAUDA SAN
* EMMANUEL UKALA SAN
* B.M. WIFA SAN
* O.C. J. OKOCHA SAN
*ALBERT AKPOMUDJE SAN
* AUGUSTINE ALEGHE SAN
* DAN OKO SAN
* LAVAL RABANA SAN
* TAYO OYETIBO SAN AND
* LARRY SELEKOWEI SAN AMONG OTHERS.
When Golden Pen Newspapers visited him in his office, our camera caught him busy at his library looking for the law in the pages of law books.

OLUASIRI THRONGS YENAGOA FOR KING AWULULU

King I. C. Awululu 

Wednesday had a new look from Tuesday, when the Ibenyanaowei of Oluasiri, His Royal Highness, King Iyerite Chiefson Awululu was  attacked violently by  machetes wielding suspected assassins at the early hours of 3.am.
The news of his attack spread like wildfire not only across the state and nation, Nigeria, but across the global society. King Awululu's attackers inflicted deep machete cuts to his tender body  from his right shoulder almost across the back and other strokes as can be seen from the plasters, one can say that the attacks were apparently targeted at his neck, but for the saving grace of God. However, the people of Oluasiri who received the news with a heavy shock  thronged into the State capital, Yenagoa to see what had happened to their king.
The story wasn't a lie, King Awululu was not in the palace extension where he use to receive guests and exchange pleasantries.
That was a tense moment for them seeing the wounds and the blood of the king they so loved.
The only solace was that the king was taken to the hospital and was receiving attention, and the people kept hope alive in God believing in one accord that their king shall not die, but live. It was not easy for the hospital authority to control the huge crowd that dominated the place just to catch a glimpse of him. Those who trusted in God were always praying and affirming that, the king of Oluasiri be miraculously sustained and healed.
Doctors and nurses paid due attention to ensure that the free flow of blood from the butchered body of the king was put under control by their dressing of the deep cut wounds he was inflicted, by the suspected assassins.
The fact that the king was not dead, though fainted at the hospital he was revived by the Grace of God, and put upon a bed to rest.
Those who caught glimpse at him expressed their views attributing his survival as an act of God. which observers described, as beyond comprehension that the king survived the attack and is responding to treatment, as you can see in the photo.
Goodwill messages and phone calls have been pouring in.

HOW KING AWULULU CHEATED DEATH

The body wickedly matched as can be seen in the picture is that of the Ibenyanaowei of Oluasiri, His Royal Highness, King Iyerite Chiefson Awululu. King Awululu is a 2nd Class Traditional Ruler in the Nembe Bassambiri Kingdom, who has been on the throne for the past eight years,
But within the eight years there have been attempts to remove him by some power  seekers.
According to some Oluasiri, elders who spoke to Golden Pen Newspapers under a strict condition of anonymity said,
 this is the second attempt on the life of the king, the first been when he was attacked by some suspected paid assassins who went into his bed room beating the security, and used dangerous weapons to finish him  and left when they thought he was dead.
They felt disappointed when they saw that  King Awululu was still alive.
Our source said when they saw that he was not dead, his attackers went ahead with radio announcements that the Ibenyanaowei was dethroned.
There were letters forwarded to the Nembe Bassambiri Council of Chiefs, addressed to the  Amanyanabo in Council, for which a committee was said to have been constituted, which found out that the king, His Royal Highness, Iyerite Chiefson Awululu, the Ibenyanaowei of Oluasiri committed no offense to warrant his dethronement, and the Chiefs Council of Nembe Bassambiri, led by the Chairman and some members of the Chiefs council came with the Ibenyanaowei in an historic occasion that the people of Oluasiri celebrated in attendance at the King's Palace at Otuma-ama, in 2012.
Our impeccable source further stated that, when the king was being investigated based on the moves by his petitioners suspected as the very persons that masterminded his elimination attempt in Port Harcourt, the Olua-Ibe became stagnant of progress until he was cleared and returned to Oluasiri.
"Soon after his return he had moved the community forward by providing generators to each of the major communities and the palace, The decision of positioning the generators to the principal communities and the palace was taken in a meeting by the king and the stakeholders, the minutes for the meeting are available to those who would like to see it."
"Those who were out to oppose the king for whatever reason still came out to say that, the positioning of the generators was a unilateral decision taken by the king, consequently they mobilized some hoodlums and vandalized the king's palace and removed the generator from there to another place which was not decided at the meeting."
"The Constitution of the Oluasiri Development Union [ODU] and the Oluasiri Youth Federation [OYF] has always been by zoning the positions to the various communities whereby the Amadabo and stakeholders of each community submits a list of choice candidates to the King for announcement and introduction to SPDC."
Our source went further to graphically explain that:
"When the above mentioned procedure was applied to replace the out going Excos of both ODU and OYF, the opposition said, this time around, political party interest must be represented, which did not go down well with the king. So, after receiving the names of choice candidates from the Amadabos, the king went ahead to announce the names in the list of the exco. members that was presented to him, then there was a counter announcement by the opposition of names of their exco members for the two bodies."
These issues were reported to the police, the Commissioner of Police Bayelsa state Command, the State Service, the DSS, these two law enforcement bodies invited the two parties, but the talks were inconclusive, our source said.
"While waiting for the new date for settlement by the law enforcement bodies, the opposition went to Oluasiri and appointed a Regent which is unheard of in the history of Nembe kingdom to remove a King with a Regent, except for criminal offences, such as rape, embezzlement of community funds etc, ''
"This act of the opposition has pitched the Oluasiri Community and about ninety percent of the populace are with the monarch, consequently the opposition has been dragged to court to among st other things:
1. Prove the authority they have in removing him.
2. Prove beyond reasonable doubts, the offense the king committed to warrant his removal."
These are some of the issues that had heightened the tension in Oluasiri clan for some time now.
On Tuesday, the 19th 2016, about 3a.m, some suspected assassins scaled the walls at the palace extension of the  Ibenyanaowei of Oluasiri, King Awululu in the Bayelsa State capital, Yenagoa, with machetes, forced the protectors opened and entered his bedroom to assassinate him, and that was a day the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers had scheduled a meeting between the king and the opposition at the Traditional Rulers Secretariat some hours ahead, and exactly 3.am the king was attacked, hours before the meeting time.
First to be at that meeting were three of the opposition members [names withheld], who were already seated before the arrival of those from the king' s side according to our source.
Meanwhile, the matter is said be under investigation by the Police, while the Ibenyanaowei is said to be alive and responding to treatment. All efforts to contact the PPRO for his comments proved abortive as his phone was said to be out of coverage.