COVID-19: No Hajj For Muslims this Year, Says FG Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja National Hajj Commission the need to limit the annual Saturday, said the decision was and safety first,” the ministries The development marks the of Nigeria (NAHCON). Muslim spiritual rites to only “based on the Kingdom’s said those wishing to perform second year in tow that the For the second time in a The commission said its 60,000 pilgrims and strictly to constant keenness to enable Hajj must be free of any Hajj, which is usually observed row, there will be no Hajj officials in Saudi Arabia had Saudi citizens and foreigners the guests and visitors at chronic diseases, and to be by two million pilgrims will be for muslims beacuse of fear confirmed the development, residing in the country as a the Grand Mosque and the within the ages from 18 to abridged due to the pandemic. of COVID-19. which was reported by state precaution to obviate the Prophet’s Mosque perform the 65 years for those vaccinated In a statement issued by its The federal government, television and radio stations spread of COVID-19. rituals of Hajj and Umrah.” against the virus according spokesperson, Fatima Usara yesterday, confirmed this in in the Kingdom. A statement by the While noting that, “The to the Kingdom’s vaccination a statement issued by the Saudi Arabia had announced Ministries of Health and Hajj, Kingdom puts human health measures. Continued on page 10 Anambra Guber: Uncertainty in PDP as Court Dissolves Congresses… Page 5 Sunday 13 June, 2021 Vol 26. No 9561 www.thisdaylive.com T N400 RU N TH & REASO June 12: Nigerians Stage Protests Nationwide Our Correspondents Nigerians yesterday staged protests and rallies around the country to mark the second anniversary of declaration June L-R: Kwara State First Lady, Olufolake Abdulrazaq; the State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; and Deputy British High Commissioner, Gill Atkinson; at the official launch of the Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition in Ilorin, the state capital...recently Continued on page 6 Legislature, Judiciary Paralysed in Nigeria, Says Afe Babalola Explains N'Assembly has power to give Nigeria a new constitution Posits an amendment includes substitution Gboyega Akinsanmi and defeating the very essence of Victor Olakitan in Ado-Ekiti democracy as the most viable system of government. A renowned Senior Advocate In an exclusive interview of Nigeria (SAN) and founder, with THISDAY, the legal Afe Babalola University, Ado luminary and businessman, Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe who reckoned that Nigeria was Babalola, has said the current yet to have an ideal democracy state of the nation presents a given that scenario, argued that COURTESY VISIT TO RWANDA'S PRESIDENT... democracy with a paralysed Managing Director, Access Bank Plc , Mr Herbert Wigwe and Rwanda’s President, Mr Paul Kagame in Kigali during a courtesy Continued on page 10 legislature and judiciary, thus visit to the President by Wigwe...recently 2 SUNDAY JUNE 13, 2021 • THISDAY SUNDAY JUNE 13, 2021 • THISDAY 3 4 SUNDAY JUNE 13, 2021 • THISDAY ͹ͻ˜ͺ͸ͺ͹˾THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER 5 PAGE FIVE DEMOCRACY DAY CELEBRATION... L-R: Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo; Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele; Governor Dapo Abiodun and his wife, Bamidele Abiodun at the 2021 Democracy Day celebration at the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Abeokuta on Saturday Anambra Guber: Uncertainty in PDP as Court Dissolves Congresses Directs PDP to use November 2017 delegate lists New chairman cancels elected ad hoc delegates Chuks Okocha in Abuja and PDP) to the extant list of State, EXCO members, local at any time to adopt or publish Party Officers and Delegates PDP Congresses conducted David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka already inaugurated party government chairmen and the name of a State Chairman, that emerged from the Anambra on 28th November, 2017 and officers and delegates that national delegates amongst alongside persons purporting PDP Congresses conducted on 1st December, 2017 the Senator With less than a week to emerged "from the Anambra others. to be his Exco members, Local 28th November, 2017 and 1st Grace Bent Ward Congress the commencement of the PDP congress conducted on This is as the plaintiff further Government Chairmen and December, 2017, valided by Appeal Panel Report and governorship primaries of the 28 November, 2017 and 1st prayed the court for an order of National Delegates, without the Senator Grace Bent Ward Barrister Ukpai Ukairo Local Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) December, 2017, validated by perpetual injunction restraining recourse to the extant List Congress Appeal Panel Report Government Appeal Panel in Anambra State, a Federal the Senator Grace Bent Ward the PDP, its allies or cronies from of already inaugurated Party and Barrister Ukpai Ukairo Report, under the supervision High Court sitting in Abuja, has Congress Appeal Panel Report further recognising or dealing Officers and Delegated that Local Covernment Appeal Panel of Sir Chukwudi Umeaba." nullified the Southeast Zonal under the supervision of Sir with persons names on pages 14, emerged from the Anambra Report, under the supervision He contended that all parties Congresses, which held on Chukwudi Umeaba as acting 15 and 16 of the Bronchure for PDP Congresses conducted of Sir Chukwudi Umeaba, as shall bear their respective costs March 6, 2021. chairman, State Caretaker the South-East Zonal Congress on 28th November, 2017 and State Caretaker Committee. of the action. Consequently, the High Court Committee." of 6th March, 2021, "either as 1 December, 2017 validated by Acting Chairman." The implication of this is that has sacked the state chairman In the suit with reference state Chairman, EXCO members, the Senator Grace Bent Ward Accordingly, Justice Adebiyi unless the party succeeds at the of the party, Chief Ndubuisi numbered HC/CV/774/2021, local government area chairmen Congress Appeal Panel or and said the "first defendant is appellate court, if it chooses Nwobu and replaced him Anyakorah, on behalf of himself or national delegates of PDP, Barrister Ukpai Ukairo Local hereby ordered and compelled to challenge the ruling of the with Ejike Oguebego, while and all local government Anambra State chapter. Covernment Appeal Panel that during the conduct of all lower court, it may find itself directing the PDP PDP to use chairmen and ward executives, In its judgment of June 9, Report, under the supervision elections in Anambra State, fielding parallel delegates in the the November 2017 delegate lists who emerged from the 28th 2021, the court upheld the of Sir Chukwudi Umeaba, to henceforth adopt, employ, November 6 election, which may in conducting its governorship November 2017 and 1st prayer of the plaintiff, citing as Acting Chairman, State recognise and use only the list call for the replication of the primary election. December 2017, by way of Article 2 of the PDP constitution, Caretaker Committee. of already inaugurated Party Zamfara scenario, which cost Following the news, however, originating summons, sought According to Justice Adeniyi, "It is hereby further declared Officers and Delegates that the All Progressives Congress, the court-installed chairman, a declaration that by virtue of after listening to the claimant, that the arbitrary imposition emerged from the Anambra the North Western state in 2019. Mr Chukwudi Umeaba, has Article 2 of the Constitution of Anyakora, local government by the 1st Defendant on PDP Congresses conducted How the Uche Secondus-led announced the cancelation the PDP (amended in 2017), "the chairmenand ward executives its members of a State on 28th November, 2017 and National Working Committee of the recently held ward said constitution is supreme," that emerged from the Anambra Chairman, Exco members, 1st December, 2017 validated (NWC) handles this slippery congresses of the party to elect arguing that it has "a binding PDP Congresses conducted on Local Government Chairmen by the Senator Grace Bent judicial rulingwill determine the three-man Adhoc delegates for force on all members and November 28 2017 under the and National Delegates, as Ward Congress Appeal Panel fate of the party in Anambra, the forthcoming primary election organs of the PDP and that any supervision of the chairman contained atPages 14. 15 & 16 Report and Barrister Ukpai a state it governed for some of the party. action or step taken contrary state caretaker committee said, "I of the Defendant's Brochure for Ukairo Local Government years before losing out to the But a factional chairman to the relevant provisions of find merit in the Claimant's case the Southeast Zonal Congress of Appeal Panel Report, under the All Progressive Grand Alliance of the party in the state, Mr the constitution is unlawful, and the same hereby succeeds. 6th March, 2021, in ultra vires its supervision of Sir Chukwudi (APGA). Ndubuisi Nwobu, while reacting illegal, null and void and of For avoidance of doubts and power, unlawful, invalid, void Umeaba, who shall continue to However, Umeaba, at a to the court judgement that no effect whatsoever." abundance of clarity, it is hereby and of no effcet whatsoever", act in the capacities for which press conference yesterday installed Umeaba, dismissed the The plaintiff also argued that adjudged as follows: Justice Adebiyi declared. they were duly elected. told journalists that: "Based on ruling as being of no moment it was unlawful for the PDP, "It is hereby declared that In view of this, Justice "An Order of injunction is the above (his reinstatement), and having no consequences on "whether during its Southeast by virtue of Article 2 of the Adebiyi further ordered that, hereby issued, restraining the I, Hon Chukwudi Umeaba, the party, urging his members Zonal Congress of 6th March Constitution of the Peoples "All Congresses, designations or 1st Defendant, whether by itself, the acting chairman caretaker to disregard it.