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Nigeria Governors’ Wives Forum Commemorates Global 16 Days Of Activism Against Gender-based Violence

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Nigeria Governors' Wives Forum Commemorates Global 16 Days Of Activism Against Gender-based Violence
Erelu Bisi Fayemi, First Lady, Ekiti State and Chairperson, Nigeria Governors'Wives Forum,

The Nigeria Governors’ Wives Forum (NGWF) will be commemorating this year’s global 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence with a range of activities as a collective and in the various States of the Federation. The theme for 2021 is “Orange the World: End Violence Against Women Now”.

In a statement by HE Erelu Bisi Fayemi, the First Lady, Ekiti State and the Chair, Nigeria Governors’ Wives Forum, the group said: “In June 2020 the NGWF helped influence the declaration of a State of Emergency on Gender Based Violence by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. The theme for the 2021 16 Days of activism carries a sense of urgency and that is the spirit in which the State of Emergency was declared in 2020. We still need urgent action. We need to ensure adequate funding of all interventions, respond effectively to the needs of survivors, intensify strategies for prevention of GBV and collect relevant data for analysis and planning. We all need to leverage whatever platforms and competencies we have to make this happen. Whilst we acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of all those who have been working  tirelessly on these issues, we are painfully aware that there is so much more to be done.

“On November 25th 2021, to flag off the 16 Days campaign, NGWF is using its GBV Survivor Fund to support many Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) Survivors in States across the Federation.

“It is our own small way of calling attention to the need for more survivor-centered approaches to GBV interventions.

“As the 16 Days of Activism for 2021 begins, the NGWF joins millions of women around the country to demand for an end to all forms of violations against women and girls. This is a summary of some of the activities being coordinated by State First Ladies around the country. Most First Ladies are organising multiple events during the 16 Days, ranging from marches to community advocacy, media campaigns and policy dialogues.  The activities listed for each State here are just one of many that will take place during this period. With each activity, no matter how modest, it is hoped that we will all take giant strides together to END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN NOW!”

The NGWF’s schedule of activities for  16 days of activism against  GBV is as follows:

“November 25th: NGWF GBV marches in several States to open the 16 Days campaign

“November 25th: Adamawa State, Street Walk on GBV awareness and advocacy for the passage of the Child Protection Bill.

November 25th: Akwa Ibom State, Symposium on ‘War against Rape’.

“November 25th: Edo State, Statewide advocacy and sensitisation activities throughout the sixteen days and the inauguration of school GBV Clubs in all Senatorial districts

“November 26th: Kebbi State, launch of Orange Page on social media for GBV sensitisation

“November 29th– 9th December: Gombe State, Skills acquisition training for women in all Local Government Areas (LGAs)

“November 29th: Cross River State, Engaging community leaders to ban ‘Money Marriage’ in Obanliku LGA of Cross River State.

“November 29th: Niger State, GBV sensitisation walk

“November 29th: Lagos State, Grassroots sensitisation on SGBV and adverts on major bridges

“November 29th:  Sokoto State, Empowerment of 100 adolescent GBV survivors across 23 LGAs

“November 29th-December 1st:  Osun State, Public presentation of the recently signed VAPP Law and stakeholder meetings

READ ALSO: No Need Dying For Nigeria’s Problems We Can Resolve By Dialogue – Fayemi

“November 29th-December 7th, Ogun State, SGBV Town Hall meetings, media sensitisation and Stakeholders Meeting with Ogun State VAPP Committee.

“November 30th:  Oyo State, Sensitisation program on GBV with selected groups in the 33 LGAs of the State.

“December 1st-2nd: Ondo State, Forum of Spouses of Ondo State Officials (FOWOSO) Annual Conference

“December 2nd: ‘Sustaining Action on the State of Emergency against GBV’: Nigeria Governors’ Wives Forum Conference, Abuja

“December 3rd: Ford Foundation/National Academy of Science review of pilot project on Strengthening GBV Responses in Abia, Edo, Ekiti and Niger States in Abuja.

“December 4th: Benue State, Town Hall meetings across the 23 LGAs

“December 6th: Ekiti State, annual GBV Summit with the theme ‘Consolidating gains made in the fight against GBV in Ekiti State’.

“December 7th: Kwara State, Kwara Women’s Conference

“December 7th: Imo State, IMO SGBV Conference

“December 7th-9th: Bayelsa State, SGBV Town Hall Meetings in 3 Local Government Areas

“December 6th– 8th: Abia State, Community Tour of selected LGAs and interactive session with SGBV clubs

“December 6th-8th: Ogun State,

“December 9th: Enugu State, Empowerment of women and GBV survivors drawn from across the State

“December 9th, Borno State, Empowerment of 225 GBV Survivors and vulnerable women

“December 10th: NGWF GBV marches in several States to close the 16 Days campaign.”

 

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BREAKING: Alex Otti Of Labour Party Emerges Abia Governor-elect

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Alex Otti

Alex Otti of the Labour Party has emerged the winner of Abia State governorship election.

This followed the eventual declaration, on Wednesday, of the results of the controversial Obingwa Local Government Area results.

With the conclusion of the collation of the outstanding results of the election, the Peoples Democratic Party scored 9,962 votes while the Labour Party, 3,776 votes in the LGA.

Consequently, the LP has won in 10 LGAs, the PDP in six LGAs, and the Young Peoples Party in one LGA.

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Abia State, Chief Alex Otti, was, consequently declared the winner of the 2023 governorship election in Abia State.

Otti polled a total of 175,466 to defeat his closest rival and candidate of the PDP who scored 88,526.

The Returning Officer, Prof. Nnenna Oti, declared the LP candidate the winner at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Umuahia, the state capital, Wednesday afternoon after completing the suspended collation of results.

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CAN, Churches Defeat Govt Over CAMA Act

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Emefiele Sick, Can't Meet With Reps - CBN
President Buhari

It was victory for the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and churches under it as a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, stopped the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) from suspending or appointing their trustees.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment, held that the provisions of Sections 17 (1), 839 (1) and (7) (a), 842 (1) and (2), 851 and 854 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020 and Regulations 28, 29 and 30 of the Companies Regulations (CR), 2021 were not applicable to CAN and the churches, including mosques, as a religious body.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Registered Trustees of CAN, in the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/84/2022 field by Joe Gadzama, SAN, had sued the CAC and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment as 1st and 2nd defendants respectively.

The plaintiff, in the suit, had posed five questions for determination.

CAN had asked the court to determine that whether Section 839, Subsections (1), (7) (a) and (10) of the CAMA, 2020 and regulations 28 – 30 of the CR, 2021 are inconsistent with Sections 4 (8), 6 (6) (b) and 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which guarantees the its right to freedom of association and the right to seek redress in court, among others.

It, therefore, sought 13 reliefs which include a declaration that Section 839 (1), (7) (a) and (10) of the CAMA and Sections 28 – 30 of the CR are inconsistent with |Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, and thus unconstitutional, null and void.

“An order striking down Sections 839(1), (7) (a) and (10), 842(1) and (2), 843, 851 and 854 of the CAMA for being unconstitutional.

“A declaration that Section 17(2) (a) and (d) of the CAMA demand an impossible and impracticable action; thus, void and for being impracticable and unknown to Law.”

CAN also prayed for an order of perpetual injunction restraining and barring the defendants from taking any step to give effect to the provisions of Sections 17(2) (a) and (d), 839(1), 842(1) and (2), 842(1) and (2), 842, 843, 851 and 854 of the CAMA against it as mentioned in Article 4 of its constitution, to prevent further contravention of the provisions of Sections 4(8), 6(6)(b), 251(1)(e) and 251(3) of the 1999 Constitution.

It argued if CAC was allowed to suspend its trustees and appoint interim managers to manage its affairs, it would be usurping its powers under the constitution and the powers of the standing committee and the plenary session which would not be in line with the constitution.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Ekwo said that the CAC did not controvert the averment of CAN that it was constituted by the churches.

“It is settled law that averments without contradicting evidence or averments are deemed admitted.

“There is a need at this point to define what a church is in order to see how applicable the provisions of the CAMA 2020 can be applicable to it,” he said.

Citing a previous case, the judge said “a church in its true definition is the body of Christ. One person cannot constitute the body of Christ; it connotes a congregation, an assembly of people. An individual cannot own a church. A church property must be the collective responsibility of all the members.”

He said the summary of the above was that “the church is an ecclesiastical being.

“Each church is characterised by its distinct dogma or creed and same for each congregation and denomination that constitute the church.

“It is on this ground that it is impossible for one church to be administered by another church and the church being what it is for the soul of man, the doctrinal distinctness and difference must be respected by the authorities within and without.

“This being so, it is then impracticable for the church or a denomination thereof to be administered by secular arrangement such as interim manager or managers stated in

Section 839 of the CAMA 2020 or any other arrangement put in place by the CAMA which does not take into account the doctrinal composition of the church.

“It is also my opinion that to suspend the trustees and appoint an interim manager or managers to manage the affairs of the church will conflict with the sacerdotal order of its divine administration and desecrate same.”

Justice Ekwo, who observed that the Minister of Trade (2nd defendant) neither filed any application nor represented in court despite being served by the plaintiff, held that the effect of the failure of a defendant to file pleadings is that the assertions of the claimant stands unchallenged and are deemed admitted and established.

According to him, therefore, the case of the plaintiff succeeds on the merit.

The judge, consequently, made a seven declarations, which include a declaration that Section 839 (1), (7) (a) and (10) of the CAMA 2020 and Regulations 28, 29 and 30 of the CR , 2021 are not applicable to religious organisation as CAN and the churches as they violated the right to worship guaranteed by Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He also made an order of perpetual Injunction, “restraining the defendants from taking any step to give effect to or implementing and/or continuing with any act to implement the provisions of Sections 839 (1), 842 (1) and (2), 842, 843, 851 and 854 of the CAMA 2020.

Justice Ekwo, however, did not make the generic order striking down the sections of the CAMA 2020 as prayed by the plaintiff.

He said such an order would affect other bodies and organisations registered under Part F of the Act.

“These provisions are applicable in respect of the administration, supervision and regulation of other bodies like company, limited liability partnership, business name or incorporated trustee registered for other purposes stated in Section 823 (1) of the CAMA 2020.

“The court is also unable to strike down the provision of Section 17 (2) (a) and (d) of the CAMA 2020 which provides for mandatory pre-action notice to the 1st defendant, as prayed, as the practicability of compliance with such provision depends on the circumstance of each case thereby affected,” he said.

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BREAKING:Confusion As INEC Rejects Irregular Votes In Abia, Enugu Governorship Election Results

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INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu

There is confusion over the governorship election results of Enugu and Abia States as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected some votes it considered irregular.

The Labour Party agents and governorship candidate in Enugu State opposed results collation of Nkanu East council, claiming that the votes were padded.

This was as political thugs reportedly disrupted collation of results in Obingwa council area of Abia State.

These have led to the suspension of the exercise by the electoral umpire on Sunday in the two states.

An INEC official said that the commission had rejected the allegedly padded results after a careful review of the exercise on Tuesday, and wanted the right things to be done.

“For Abia State, INEC ordered that the results should be announced based on the accredited voters,” the source said.

On Enugu’s case, the commission according to the source has similarly ordered the review of the results of the Enugu State Governorship Election of last Saturday.

The collation was suspended following controversy over the alleged padding of results from Nkanu East Council, which returned over 30,000 votes in favour of Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Mr Peter Mbah, while only about 7,000 voters were accredited in the area by the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

The suspension of the announcement of results of Abia and Enugu gubernatorial elections had heightened tension in the two states.

The supporters of PDP’s Mbah have been calling on INEC to announce the results that had been collated and declare their candidate the winner, saying those who opposed the result should go to court.

In Abia, Dr Alex Otti of the Labour Party had won a total of 10 out of the 16 Local Government Area results so far declared by INEC, while his counterpart in Enugu, Hon Chijioke Edeoga, has won nine local governments and is currently in the lead in the state.

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