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The Clampdown www.thisnigeria.com thisnigeria1 The credible print and online newspaper ThisNigeriaVol.1.Vol.1. No No 42 16 N200 N200 N2001 Monday July 5, – July 11 2021 Monday July 5, – July 11 2021 Editorial ZUMA: Lessons from South Africa The recent conviction of former South African President, Jacob Zuma for misconduct, is no ordinary feat. It is, indeed, an eye-opener. Zuma was jailed by a Constitutional Court over Monday, January 4 – January 10, 2021 alleged misconduct in corruption scandals that PG 3 The clampdown •Please, tread with caution –Nigerians to FG on Kanu, Igboho PG 14 PETROLEUM INDUSTRY BILL Wike’s ‘magic’ in Opobo Give us kingdom •Island now accessible •Niger-Deltamore... host communities say 2.5-5% allocation by road after 150 years insulting, deceitful •It’s in order –lawmakers PG 15 PG 10 L-R: Former Governor of Rivers State, Sir Celestine Omehia; former Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Adamu Maina Waziri; Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike; Amayanabo of Opobo, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja and Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. (Mrs) Ipalibo Harry- The historic Opobo bridge Banigo during the inauguration of Opobo/Nkoro Road on Saturday. 2 ThisNigeria Newsinpictures Monday July 5, – July 11 2021 4 From left: United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, during the National Consolidatory Dialogue for the UN Food System Summit, in Abuja Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede (L), with the Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, during a pre-mobilisation workshop for NYSC 2021 Batch ‘B’ members in Abuja View of the newly renovated Rehabilitation Centre at Iriebe the inauguration in Rivers State . From left: President, Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA), Mrs Vicky Irabor; Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor; Chairman of the Pakistani Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Gen. Nadeem Raza and his wife, Begum, during a gala night in honour of the visiting Pakistani chief in Abuja From left: Former governor of Rivers State, Mr Celestine Omehia; Gov. Nyesom Wike; Senator Zainab Kure; and Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Mrs Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, during the inauguration of Rivers State Rehabilitation Centre at Iriebe in Obi/Akpo Local Government Area, Rivers State. Yoruba traditionalists at the Lagos rally by supporters of ‘Yoruba Nation’ From left: Clerk of Senate, Mr Ibrahim El-Ladan Dauda; Clerk, House of Representatives, Mr Chinedu Akubueze; Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr Olatunde Amos; Chairman, Planning Committee and Permanent Secretary, Inter-parliamentary and Protocol, National Assembly (NASS), Elder Felix Orumwense; and Clerk, Forum of Clerks of Nigeria Legislatures (FOCON)/Clerk, Delta State House of Assembly, Mrs Lyda Ochdor, during a FOCON Meeting, in Abuja Police dispersing ‘Yoruba Nation’ protesters using teargas and water canons at Ojota, Lagos ThisNigeria 3 Monday July 5, – July 11 2021 Zuma: Lessons from South Africa dogged his ten years in power, before attempts to incite the public against has been held accountable for their OUR VISION standing down in 2019. the courts and ‘’positioned himself as misdemeanours after they left. To be Nigeria and Africa’s a nemesis of the judiciary, which is a foremost print and He bagged a 15-month conviction over critical custodian of the democratic Even at lower levels, people manage digital newspaper brand, his conduct in trial over some alleged order.’’ to find their way round the law here in projecting our country and 800 corruption charges before and Nigeria, and we say the time has come continent in their authentic after he became president. The constitutional court said it had no for that to end if we must firm up our colours to the world option than to either bend to Zuma’s democracy. At the Pietermaritzburg High Court megalomania, or uphold the rule of OUR MISSION where the sentence was handed law. It is noteworthy how the corruption down to him, Zuma said he was trial went. It shows that in a country To deliver high-quality ‘disappointed’ by the court’s decision Zuma’s conviction is a lesson to other that is on the same plane battling for journalism through our to jail him. leaders in Nigeria in particular, and leadership in Africa, there is a better print and digital platforms Africa in general; that nobody is above consideration for due process. in objective, unbiased Reports over the weekend indicate the law. and credible manner, that that he is now seeking for a way to The case went on without disturbing guarantees justice, equity have the sentence quashed. The former South African leader evidence of undue interference. and fairness to all brazenly defied the law, even in the But throughout his trial, the former face of possible imprisonment. Had it been in Nigeria, such a high THISNIGERIA South African leader cut the image profile case of corruption would have MEDIA COMPANY of a leader who tried to evade Zuma was president for more than been truncated by primordialism, accountability for siphoning the public ten years in power, but that was ethnicity, religious consideration, and Eric Osagie purse while in office. not enough to absolve him from the what have you. Publisher and CEO disgrace that trailed his misconduct in He put up all manner of theatrics but power. People would simply queue behind to frustrate the trial but the judiciary their kinsman or woman, in the he-is- was not swayed. There are several lessons Nigerians our-kinsman manner. There have been can learn from the Zuma trial. many instances of that. Delivering the majority judgment, Justice Sisi Khampepe said: “I am not In fact, it may be an item of news In fact, the moment some powerful Editorial in the habit of playing my cards close to learn that a Nigerian president leaders are arraigned in our courts, the Charles Abah to my chest, let me, at this earliest is convicted in court, especially for next thing you see on the streets are Kassim Omomia opportunity, state that Mr Zuma has corruption or other vice. None has ‘my people’ demonstrating in support of Mudiaga Affe earned himself a punitive sanction of ever been. misconduct. That should no longer be. Online Adekunle Aliyu direct and unsuspended sentence.” We know that our presidents are The same goes for the affluent and Technical Zuma was convicted for what was not tried while in office because of powerful here, there will do everything Vincent Chukwuka termed ‘’wrongful behaviour guided the immunity clause, but it is hard imaginable to frustrate trial; non- Graphics by thought-out by a long-term to understand why none of them appearance in the court; faking Jonathan Agboola strategy.’’ sicknesses, among others, just to evade Accounts Blessing Nwosu trial and the long arm of the law. Sales & Distribution Zuma tried to extricate himself from John Okpaire the doctrine of equality before the We can also learn from the astuteness Advert / Marketing law. We know that our of the judicial officers; that they were The Media Post sworn on the right side of the rule of The judge concluded that Zuma’s presidents are not law and principle of equity. conduct, if not checked, would do tried while in office significant damage to the rule of law because of the No one is saying that there are no down Contributing Editors/ because of impunity. sides to the judiciary in South Africa. Special Columnists immunity clause, But we stand to gain an understanding that such a precedent from a fellow Mike Ozekhome, SAN, PhD During trial, he also made but it is hard to Issa Aremu, mni inflammatory and offensive statements understand why none African country can assist to curb a Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN towards judges, Zuma apparently monstrous tendency back home. Sam Kargbo thought that the judges were only all of them has been held out to denounce him as part of a jail- accountable for their The era of impunity for such corruption at-all-cost political conspiracy. and vices in public offices should fast be misdemeanours after gone, if we want to bequeath a better According to reports, Zuma also made they left future for the coming generation. 4 ThisNigeria NewsAfrica Monday July 5, – July 11 2021 Sierra Leone re-imposes curfew amid COVID-19 third wave All Africa ierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has reimposed a nationwide curfew as part Sof new measures aimed at curbing rising Covid-19 cases. President Bio, in a televised ad- dress on State broadcaster SLBC on Monday, said the month-long curfew would run from 11pm to 5am. He also banned congregational worship for a month, starting last Friday, and said restaurants and bars will close at 9pm daily. The President also announced that funerals, weddings and all other social events will have a maximum of 50 par- ticipants. The country is grappling with a third wave, which the government says has seen both infections and fatalities rise exponentially. Data from the National Covid-19 Emergency Re- sponse Center (NaCOVERC) show that Sierra Le- one has recorded its highest numbers in June. President Bio said the new anti-virus measures NaCOVERC says is fueling the third wave talised and 72 percent of beds in treatment and were based on experts’ advice, following careful care centers are occupied. More people are dying data analysis. He also noted the existence of the “More people have tested positive for Covid-19 in and the western area is the epicentre of the latest deadlier ‘Delta’ variant of the coronavirus, which the last few weeks.
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