Ado Ibrahim remains Ohinoyi of Ebiraland

The Supreme Court yesterday affirmed the appointment of Alhaji (Dr.) Ado Ibrahim as the Ohinoyi and paramount ruler of Ebiraland in Kogi State. The apex court struck out a legal action instituted against the traditional ruler by six aggrieved contestants to the stool in 1998. Justice John Inyang Okoro, who delivered the lead of the unanimous judgement, held that the case against Ibrahim was statute barred at the time it was filed in June 3, 1998. He held that since the appointment of the monarch was made public by the Kogi State government on June 2, 1997, the legal action ought to have been filed within the three months stipulated by section 2 of the Public Officers Protection Act. The Supreme Court said the case having been filed after a clear nine months after the appointment was made in a letter signed by the then military administrator of the state, Col. Bzigu Lassa Afakirya, ran afoul of the Public Officers Protections Act and had become a nullity. “There is no more cause of action for the plaintiffs at the trial court since they did not commence their court action within the three months the law permitted them to do so,” Justice Okoro ruled. A Kogi State high court judge, Hussein Tanko, had in his judgement of April 2, 2006, dethroned Ibrahim on account of alleged irregularities and breaches of laws in his appointment. Justice Tanko had held that the appointment was “illegal and fraudulent” because it breached the state and Ebira chieftaincy laws and deposed him. The Court of Appeal, Abuja division, had also on December 12, 2009, in a judgment delivered by Justice Mary Peter Odili, upheld the judgment of the lower court. However, not satisfied with the judgments of the two lower courts, Ibrahim had approached the Supreme Court, urging it to set aside their decisions. But the Supreme Court set aside the two judgments on the grounds that they were given in vain and in error since they have no jurisdiction to entertain a statute barred suit. A fresh issue that the case was statue barred raised at the Supreme Court by the appellant through his counsel Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) was upheld. Respondents in the appeal are Alhaji Maigida Lawal, Alhaji Momoh Jimoh, Alhaji Ibrahim Ohida, Alhaji Ahmadu Anivbassa, Alhaji Isa Sani Omolori, Engr Idris Seriki and Comrade Momoh Sanni.

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APC Members Adamant Over Kogi Assembly Leadership Impasse

There seem to be no end in sight to the disagreement that has trailed the inauguration of the 6th Kogi State legislative Assembly? as 11 All Progressives Congress (APC) members have remained adamant notwithstanding mediation. They said they have taken their position that as Progressives, they would rewrite the history of Kogi State to salvage it. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has 14 out of the 25 members in the House. The Guardian gathered that about five members who won election on the PDP platform are disposed to dumping the party for the APC but having come to terms with the consequence of loosing their seats they beat a retreat. This, The Guardian learnt, was responsible for the proactive action of the ruling party. Addressing news men, the spokesman of the 11 aggrieved APC legislators, Abdulmumini Ibrahim representing Ankpa 1 constituency said the members were embarrassed when a list of the Principal Officers of the House allegedly brought from the Government House was read to members and the principal members subsequently called out for swearing in without any election or input from other members. He asked rhetorically that if the PDP is sure of their 14 members as being for them, why are they then scared of 11 APC members? On their earlier 24-hour ultimatum issued to the ruling PDP to allow for due process by ensuring there is a proper election of the principal officers, he said they have consulted and decided to extend the ultimatum till Monday after which they will elect their own officers. “They have appealed to us to wait. We are giving them till Monday and if by then there is no tangible answer, then we will name our leaders. “We maintain that the Kogi State House of Assembly has no principal officers and we are prepared to follow it to a logical conclusion.” He said the situation they have now, they are not just threatening but all they are asking is that the due process be followed according to the constitution. “The law says after declaration, nomination must be made followed by election. A fundamental error was committed and it must be redressed." It would be recalled that the sixth legislative Assembly in Kogi State kicked off on a bad note when APC members stormed out of the chambers in protest over alleged imposition of principal leaders. The APC members called on the state government to stop interfering in the affairs of the House, saying it would not be business as usual for the PDP. Speaking earlier, Chief Clarence Olafemi, former speaker and Acting governor of the state said there was need to put the legislators-elect on sound footing from the onset and urged them to learn from the party leaders. He said that they were so lucky that in the party leadership in the state, there is a former governor, a former Acting governor, two former speakers of the state House of Assembly, former and present legislators among many others.

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Kogi qualifies for next round Milo Basketball Championship

Government Boys’ Secondary School, Barnawa, Kaduna State and St Peter’s College, Idah, Kogi State joined Ilupeju Grammar School, Lagos State in the semi-finals of the boys’ category of the ongoing Milo Secondary Schools Basketball Championship. The event is holding at the Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos. The Kogi boys lost 45-43 to General Murtala Muhammed College, Yola, Adamawa State on Thursday but went through with the Kaduna boys on point difference after the three teams were tied on one win each. Kaduna lost to Kogi with a two point margin but defeated Adamawa with a seven point margin to finish with a plus–five point difference, while Kogi lost to Adamawa with a two-point margin to finish with a zero point difference and Adamawa’s seven-point loss to Kaduna meant they finished with a minus-five point difference to book a place in one of Friday’s classification matches. The Adamawa coach, Tinism Dickson, said he was okay because they bowed out with grace. “We are happy with our performance in this year’s Milo basketball,” he said. “We were not disgraced because we still won a match and only missed out on points difference. We didn’t really prepare well for this tournament because of the Boko Haram crisis in our state; it affected the boys’ academics and they lost about three terms. “On their return, they had to focus more on academics and I am happy they still made it to the national finals.” In Friday’s semi-finals, Group B leaders, Lagos, will play Group A runners-up, Kogi, while Group A winners, Kaduna, will play Group B runners-up, St Augustine’s Seminary, Ezzamgbo, Ebonyi State, who defeated St Joseph’s College, Nyman, Benue State 49-36. Coach Yinka Oyeyemi of Ilupeju said his team is prepared for the game. “I have a good team. We have been working on some of the errors observed in our last two matches. My boys are set to play in the final.”

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Nigeria Vs Hungary preview

Both teams need a victory to confirm their place to the last 16 – a scenario which should ensure excitement at the Stadium Taranaki in New Plymouth Nigeria U20 and Hungary U20 will meet in New Plymouth seeking a place in the knockout stages of the Fifa U20 World Cup. Coaches Manu Garba and Bernd Storck want to accompany Brazil, leaders of Group E, and earn their spot amongst the top 16 teams of the tournament. The Flying Eagles were heavily criticized for losing their first game against Brazil and for relying too much on Kelechi Iheanacho’s inspiration. They responded positively and caged North Korea 4-0 in their second game. Coach Garba appears ready to stick with a 4-4-2 formation and is expected to start with the same XI that defeated Korea DPR on Wednesday as he prepares his team for greater challenges in the decisive rounds of the tournament. The Europe who lost 2-1 to Brazil will have to overcome a battling Nigeria side, now on the brink of qualification. Bernd will have to make at least one change to his starting line-up however, as Krisztian Tamas is unavailable due to suspension, following his red card against Brazil. His position will be taken by either Attila Talaber or Donat Zsoter, with the former sitting in pole position to feature from the start. Zaharadeen Bello is a booking away from suspension so will have to be careful, but Nigeria are expected to name the same starting XI that beat An Ye Gun’s team.

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Canada beat China in World Cup opener

Striker Christine Sinclair scored an injury-time penalty for hosts Canada as they edged out China in the opening match of the Women's World Cup. The game looked to be heading for a goalless conclusion until China's Zhao Rong was adjudged to have brought down Adriana Leon in the box. Watched by a record crowd for Canadian football, China's Gu Yasha curled a free-kick against both posts. Josee Belanger then hit a drive for Canada which rattled back off the bar. The first match of the tournament was watched by more than 53,000 inside the Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, making it the best attended match in Canadian men or women's football history, and supporters were experiencing a drab encounter until its dramatic conclusion. Sinclair, who has now netted 154 goals in 224 international games, sent the fans into ecstasy with a coolly-taken late spot-kick as Canada went top of their group. The 2015 tournament will be the biggest so far after the seventh edition was expanded to include 24 teams, with the final on 5 July in Vancouver. There was controversy in the lead up when 84 players from 13 countries were involved in a lawsuit against the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) and world governing body Fifa for the use of artificial pitches in the tournament, which could clearly be seen by the uneven roll of the ball. These two sides line up in Group A alongside Netherlands and New Zealand, with the winners and runners-up from each of the six four-team groups qualifying for the last 16, as well as the four best third-placed teams. Japan are the current holders of the trophy. Englishman John Herdman's Canada side went into the event having beaten England 1-0 in their final warm-up game last month, and will be overjoyed by snatching the win against China. The Chinese backline had defended resolutely, but came away with nothing and their winless run now extends to 11 games, dating back to December 2014. Kadeisha Buchanan had a shot blocked by China goalkeeper Wang Fei, while star striker Sinclair nicked an effort wide. Both sides came within inches of grabbing the opening goal, but Gu Yasha and Belanger both hit the woodwork, before Sinclair's late intervention.

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Barcelona claim third Champions League in six years

Barcelona claimed their third Champions League in six years as the brilliance of their attacking trident proved too much for the brave challenge of Juventus in Berlin's Olympic Stadium. In a thrilling spectacle, and with both Barcelona and Juventus attempting to claim a treble after winning domestic league and cup competitions, it was Luis Enrique's side that eventually came out on top. Barcelona started as if they would romp to a comfortable victory when Ivan Rakitic capped the sort of passing move that has become their symbol to put them ahead inside five minutes. Juventus, always a danger after ending notions of an "El Clasico" final by beating Real Madrid in the last four, showed fierce resilience and with veteran keeper Gianluigi Buffon defiant, held on for Alvaro Morata to scramble an equaliser before the hour. Redemption time arrived for Suarez, the player who ended last summer's World Cup in disgrace after biting Italy's Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini, in the 68th minute when he showed a predator's touch to pounce after Buffon failed to hold Lionel Messi's shot. Juventus could not mount another recovery and Brazil superstar Neymar wrapped up the win in what he described as the biggest match of his life with the final kick of the game. For all Barcelona's brilliance, built around Neymar, Messi and Suarez, Juventus ran them every inch of a compelling encounter and were left with a hard luck story to tell as they were convinced they should have had a penalty when Paul Pogba tangled with Dani Alves seconds before Suarez scored. In the end, however, Barcelona simply had that extra touch of fantasy that places them above the rest of Europe and Enrique's side can put their names alongside those who brought the giant trophy back to Catalonia as they claimed their fifth triumph in the tournament. As well as Suarez's happier storyline, there were other sub-plots too as Neymar made up for his own World Cup heartbreak last summer, when he was injured before their 7-1 loss to Germany in the semi-final. And for 35-year-old Barcelona legend Xavi, he was able to say farewell after a glittering career with another Champions League win before a move to Al Sadd in Qatar. It was the perfect ending as Andres Iniesta handed him the armband.

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