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Julie Payette: Canada governor general quits amid bullying claims

Ms Payette, a former astronaut, was picked by Justin Trudeau in 2017

Canadian Governor General Julie Payette has resigned amid claims she created a toxic work environment for her staff.

The representative of the head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, quit amid reports a highly critical workplace inquiry would be made public.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed he had received her resignation.

He had recommended the appointment of the former astronaut in 2017, though her exit has no immediate implications for his Liberal government.

The government had launched a third-party investigation of harassment claims after CBC News reported last July that several staff members felt bullied by Ms Payette.

“Everyone has a right to a healthy and safe work environment, at all times and under all circumstances,” Ms Payette, 57, said in a written letter to the public on Thursday.

“It appears this was not always the case at the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General. Tensions have arisen at Rideau Hall over the past few months and for that, I am sorry.

“From a personal side, this decision comes at an opportune time, as my father’s health has seriously worsened in the last few weeks and my family needs my help,” she added.

Assunta Di Lorenzo, Ms Payette’s secretary and a top bureaucrat, is also resigning, CBC News reports.

Ms Payette has held a high profile in Canada for many years. In 1992, she was chosen from over 5,300 applicants to become one of four astronauts in the Canadian Space Agency. In 1999, she became the first Canadian to board the International Space Station.

As The Queen’s representative in Canada, the governor general is the official head of state in her absence.

Although the position is largely ceremonial, the governor general presides over important state duties.

He or she has the power to give a throne speech and suspend parliament, give royal assent to legislation, swear in the prime minister and is commander-in-chief of the Canadian Armed Forces.

“Every employee in the Government of Canada has the right to work in a safe and healthy environment, and we will always take this very seriously,” Mr Trudeau said in a statement.

“Today’s announcement provides an opportunity for new leadership at Rideau Hall to address the workplace concerns raised by employees during the review.” He did not thank Ms Payette.

Mr Trudeau said Chief Justice of Canada Richard Wagner would act as governor general in the interim. The prime minister said he would submit recommendations for Ms Payette’s replacement to the Queen “in due course”.

BBC

The little-known first Zimbabwean president who was a serial rapist

Mugabe and Canaan Banana --- Nehanda Radio

When former Zimbabwean leader, Canaan Banana reportedly died of cancer on this day in 2003, he was not given a hero’s burial that senior governing party members normally received.

This was not only because he was a serial rapist but also because it had become public knowledge that he was a homosexual shortly after Robert Mugabe, then the prime minister condemned the practice and called such people “worse than dogs.”

Born in 1936, Banana was chosen to serve as president in a ceremonial post when Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980.

He renounced this position in 1987 when Mr Mugabe, then prime minister, became executive president.

Banana first trained as a teacher and then as a minister at a local theological college before being ordained as a Methodist minister in 1962.

Canaan Banana — Famous People

He later got attached to politics as the independence struggle at the time intensified.

Reverend Banana used his pulpit to condemn the white regime of what was then Southern Rhodesia, writing statements and even reportedly putting down an updated version of the Lord’s Prayer, with lines such as “Our father who art in the ghetto…Teach us to demand our share of the gold/Forgive us our docility/As we demand our share of justice.”

Authorities were not pleased with his words and actions, but he received commendation from many black leaders who were part of the liberation movement.

Becoming a member of Mugabe’s party, Zanu PF, Banana was picked as the party’s main leader when the country gained independence.

His struggles and commitment to get the white supremacist regime out of office were, however, outshone by a scandal that rocked his last years in administration, destroyed his reputation and career and ended his marriage.

There had been rumours about his private sex life and hobbies that included raping his male servants, but these became public only in 1997 when one of his victims, his bodyguard spoke out.

Banana and family

The 36-year-old, Jefta Dube, who was on trial for the murder of a colleague, had pleaded in mitigation that the man he shot had embarrassed him by calling him “Banana’s wife”.

Dube told the court that while he was serving Banana in the mid-1980s, the president had repeatedly raped him.

He narrated that the first time it occurred, Banana played cards with him, and laced his drink with drugs. Dube said he woke up on the carpet of the State House library with no trousers and was greeted by a smiling president who said: “We helped ourselves.”

Even though Banana denied these, many more people accused him of similar acts, including a cook, a gardener, a policeman, and even his own students from the University of Zimbabwe, where Banana, a former Methodist minister, was Professor of Theology.

In 1998, Reverend Banana was convicted of 11 counts of “sodomy” and “unnatural acts”.

But before his sentence, he fled the country due to fear that Mugabe might have him killed. He, however, returned upon advice from the then South African president, Nelson Mandela to do so.

Canaan’s trial and conviction dented his image

He served eight months of a ten-year sentence, being given an early release due to good behaviour.

Banana’s trial and conviction, however, dented the image of a statesman who had hitherto been given praises for brokering the Unity Accord of 1987 which brought an end to the country’s Matabeleland massacres.

It was said that there were even plans to have him serve as a mediator between President Mugabe and opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, after the contentious election of March 2002 but this did not materialize.

Canaan Banana — ru.wikipedia.org

Banana subsequently fell ill and it was reported that on his sick bed, he felt deeply troubled about the political tensions and other happenings in the country but knew he couldn’t do anything about them.

Face2faceafrica

Supreme Court Dismisses Appeal By Abacha’s Family To Access Frozen Foreign Accounts

Nigeria’s Supreme Court has dismissed a suit filed by the family of the country’s late dictator Sani Abacha seeking access to the looted funds which had been stashed in Swiss and other foreign bank accounts.

A five-man panel led by Sylvester Ngwuta on Friday dismissed the suit for lacking in merit.

Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, a Justice of the Supreme Court, who prepared the lead judgment, held that Ali Abacha’s case was not different from that of a son of the ex-dictator, Abba Mohammed Sani, which was earlier dismissed by the apex court on February 7, 2020.

The judgement read: “It is pertinent to state at this juncture that a case with the same facts and issues was decided recently by this court in SC. 68/2010 Alhaji Abba Mohammed Sani Vs the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

“Judgment was delivered on February 7, 2020. It is now reported in (2020) 2-3 SC (Pt. II).

“Although the appellants are different, the facts and issues in contention are the same. Both had their bank accounts in Switzerland and other countries frozen as a result of the authorisation given to the Swiss law firm by the respondents.

“In the earlier case, the contention was also that the respondents acted outside the scope of their duties under a repealed law and were therefore not entitled to seek refuge under section 2(a) of the Public Officer Protection Act.”

The apex court held that as in Abba Sani’s case, the Ali Abacha’s matter too had become statute-barred and incompetent because it was not filed at the trial court within three months of the occurrence of the action complained about, thereby flouting section 2(a) of the Public Officer Protection Act.

“It is not in dispute that the suit before the trial court was filed outside the three months stipulated in section 2(a) of the Act.

“The only issue to be considered was whether, in the circumstances, the action was maintainable. The suit was in no doubt statute-barred and rightly struck out by the lower court.

“Incidentally, R.O Atabo also represented the appellant in Sani Vs the President & Another.

“He has not advanced any superior argument to warrant a departure from our decision in that case. This issue is resolved against the appellant.

“In conclusion, I find this appeal to be devoid of merit. It is hereby dismissed,” she ruled.

Thenigerialawyer

Soleimani’s ’revenge is inevitable’, Iran warns Trump

Iran’s supreme leader’s office has posted a photomontage of former US president Donald Trump playing golf under the shadow of a warplane alongside a pledge to avenge a deadly 2020 drone strike he ordered.

The post on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s @khamenei_site Twitter account late Thursday warned there was no escape from payback for the US strike outside Baghdad airport which killed Iran’s storied foreign operations chief General Qasem Soleimani and his Iraqi lieutenant.

“Revenge is inevitable. Soleimani’s killer and the man who gave the orders must face vengeance,” it said.

“Revenge can take place at any moment.”

Trump left office on Wednesday and flew straight to his Mar-a-Lago golf club in Florida, without attending the inauguration of his successor President Joe Biden.

Iranian officials have pledged repeatedly that Soleimani will be avenged.

Earlier this month, on the first anniversary of his killing, judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi warned that not even Trump was “immune from justice” and that Soleimani’s killers would “not be safe anywhere in the world”.(Sundiata Post)

Industrial Court Partners Akwa-Ibom Govt. On Efficient Justice Delivery

The building of a workable synergy between the Executive and the Judiciary at all levels of government will promote corporate governance and will further enrich the beauty of democracy.

On Thursday 21st January 2021, the Hon. President of the National Industrial Court, His Lordship, Hon. Justice Benedict Kanyip PhD, FNIALS led judges and principal officers of the court on a courtesy visit to the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel in a bid to partner the state on efficient justice delivery.

In his remark, the Hon President said the courtesy call became important to keep the State Government abreast about Uyo Judicial division permanent site developmental project embark upon by the court to ease administration of justice for the people of the state and its environs.

The Executive Governor of the state ably represented by his deputy, His Excellency, Engr Moses Ekpo expressed appreciation to the Hon. President and entourage for the unique visitation and for finding Akwa Ibom as their first choice destination for their retreat that the state’s hospitality can be compared to none and voiced the State government’s readiness to partner with the judiciary.

Speaking further, he said the governor has mandated the Attorney general to liaise with the court to identify possible ways the state can be of help to the court in a bid to improve the Justice delivery system and to promote industrial harmony for the people of the state that the governor as a promise keeper will fulfill his promise.

In attendance are the Chief Judge, Akwa Ibom State, Hon. Justice Godwin Abraham, the state Attorney general, Uko Essien SAN, and other executive council members.

Their Lordships, Justice F. I. Kola-Olalere, Justice O. A. Obaseki-Osaghae, Justice M. A. Namtari, and Justice I. J. Essien were part of the Hon. President’s entourage.

Others are the Chief Registrar, Olurotimi Daudu Esq, the Deputy Chief Registrar, Peter Udomiaye Esq, and Uyo Divisional Registrar, Peter Ortese Esq.

Thenigerialawyer

$85.8m ‘Debt’: Appeal Court Unfreezes Seplat’s Accounts, Suspends Mareva Order

The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division yesterday suspended an order of Mareva injunction which froze the accounts of an oil firm, Seplat Petroleum Development Company over an alleged $85.8million legacy debt.

The Appellate Court overturned the decision of Justice Rilwan Aikawa of a Federal High Court in Lagos that granted the Mareva injunction last November 23, in a suit by Access Bank against SEPLAT over the debt.

Other defendants in suit are Cardinal Drilling Services Limited, Mr. Orjiako Ambrosie Bryant and Kalu Nwosu.

Justice Aikawa had granted the Mareva injunction following the bank’s argument canvassed by its counsel, Kunle Ogunba, SAN.

The judge also ordered the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2, Lagos, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State and their Deputies and Assistants to assist the Receiver/ Manager in his lawful duties over the assets of SEPLAT pending the hearing and final determination of the suit.

Ogunba had told the court, among others, that the order was necessary to preserve the res from being disposed of before the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The assets affected by the Mareva order included; 25, Lugard Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos, 6, Agodogba Avenue, Parkview, Ikoyi, Lagos and the one at 11, Oba Adeyinka Oyekan Street, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Dissatisfied, SEPLAT appealed against ruling and urged the Appeal Court to suspend the order pending the hearing of the appeal.

But in its ruling delivered by Justice Joseph Ikyegh (presiding), supported by Justice Umaru Abubakar Sadiq and Justice Bayero Abdullahi-Mahmud, the appeal court held that there was substance in the appellant’s application adding that the mareva injunction granted by the lower court could cause irreparable damage to the operations of the appellant’s businesses.

Justice Ikyegh held that the fear entertained by Access Bank that lifting the order would amount to treating substantive issues at interlocutory stage was unfounded and not based on facts.

Justice Ikyegh further held that the first defendant (Access Bank) did not challenge or contravene the crippling effect on appellant’s businesses which may lead to a termination of gas supply to electricity generating companies and may cause power blackout in some parts of the country.

Consequently, the court ordered that the company’s sealed offices should be opened with immediate effect.

“I find substance in the application and thereby suspend the order of Mareva injunction granted by the lower court. All the bank accounts operated by the applicant are unblocked for transactions,” Justice Ikyegh held.

The Court however ordered SEPLAT to provide a bank guarantee in the sum of $20 million USD with a reputable bank in the name of the Chief Registrar of the court.

After the ruling, counsel to the appellant, Etigwe Uwa, SAN informed the court that SEPLAT had already complied with the order.

He told the court that SEPLAT on Thursday, January 21, 2021 deposited the sum of $20 million with Zenith bank in anticipation of the decision of the court.

Thenigerialawyer

Federal Government is tacitly supporting threats against Bishop Kukah – Rights groups

Nigerian Human rights activists and Civil Society Organisations have accused the Federal Government of tacitly supporting threats against the Catholic Bishop Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, while calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to take prompt action in ending “the violent threats” against the cleric.

A statement signed by 17 Civil Society Organisations and 13 Human Rights activists expressed concern that in spite of open and repeated violent threats by different Islamic groups against Bishop Kukah’s life, the Federal Government choose instead “refused or wilfully neglected to take any action.”

Part of the statement titled: “THE REGIME OF PRESIDENT BUHARI HAS A DUTY TO BRING TO JUSTICE AND BRING TO AN END THE VIOLENT THREATS TO THE WELLBEING OF BISHOP MATTHEW HASSAN KUKAH” reads:

“The regime of President Muhammadu Buhari has refused or wilfully neglected to take any action against the known persons inciting violence against the person of the Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, in north-west Nigeria. The sequence of notable incidents here include the following:

“In a sermon on Friday, 15 January, 2021, Abubakar Malami, an Islamic cleric based in Sokoto, threatened to kill the Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, by ensuring that ‘he will be crucified’ if he challenges government, warning that they ‘will not listen to anybody when we are crucifying him.’

“On Tuesday, 12 January, an unknown group calling itself the ‘Muslim Solidarity Forum’ issued an ultimatum requiring Bishop Kukah to ‘quickly and quietly leave’ his seat in Sokoto, in north-west Nigeria.

“In response to the statement by the Muslim Solidarity Forum, presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, on 13 January, issued a statement in which it accused Bishop Kukah deliberately of ‘anti-Islamic rhetoric’.”

The Organizations and activists including: House of Justice, Global Rights, Open Bar Initiative, National Association of Catholic Lawyers, a former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, Gloria Mballason, and Silas Joseph Onu observed that Bishop Kukah is the latest voice that president Buhari has moved to silence by distorting his Christmas message

Insisting that the cleric’s message made no reference to Muslims, they accused the federal government of slyly supporting the threats against Bishop Kukah.

“Bishop Kukah is the latest independent voice that the regime has moved to silence through targeted intimidation, based on invented, sectarian distortion of his Christmas Day 2020 Message. This is designed deliberately to incite deadly physical harm against him in a region characterized by indiscriminate violence.

“It is notable that the text of the message contains no reference to Muslims.

“In response to the violent threats against Bishop Kukah, the regime has chosen to take no steps but have to the contrary, issued a statement that implicitly lends backing to those who have threatened on sectarian grounds to liquidate Bishop Kukah or run him out of his seat in Sokoto.”

Asserting that Bishop Kukah is unarmed and has right to freedom of movement the group further stated that citizens have the right to demand accountability from their government

“Nigeria’s constitution guarantees a right to freedom of movement within the country to all citizens. Bishop Kukah is a full-blooded citizen of Nigeria. He is also un-armed.

“The conduct of the regime and its spokespersons and supporters is in keeping with a pattern of attacks, intimidation and persecution of voices who have sought to speak truth to the regime in exercise of civic and constitutional rights and duties.

“On New Year’s Day, officers of Nigeria’s security services severely assaulted and injured peaceful citizens, including the publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, exercising their right to symbolic protest as their act of cross-over into the New Year. They were released after 12 days in detention.

“To be clear, citizens have a right and a duty to demand accountability from their government.

“Section 15 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a state based on the principles of democracy and social justice and confers sovereignty upon the people of Nigeria from whom government through the Constitution derives all its power and authority.

“Section 17(2)(c) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution requires that ‘governmental actions shall be humane’. Bishop Kukah’s Christmas message invited the government to take this charge seriously. Rather than do that, the regime has launched a campaign of dog whistle against him in a pattern consistent with the escalating efforts to shut down Nigeria’s civic space.

“The Nigerian state must be built on the ideals of freedom, equality and justice that can secure every Nigerian equal significance in the affairs of the country.

“The campaign against Bishop Kukah confirms the fear that the regime is reluctant to conform to basic constitutional standards. The regime can end these fears by taking immediate action to bring those threatening Bishop Kukah to justice. As long as it fails to do so, Nigerians and the international community must hold the regime responsible for any harm that befalls Bishop Kukah or any member of Nigeria’s civic community.” the statement concluded

The statement was signed by: House of Justice, Global Rights, TAP Nitiative, SESOR, Open Bar Initiative (OBI), CedarSeed Foundation,  We The People, Network of Disabled Women, CEE- HOPE, Centre for Citizens with Disability, CCD, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (C.S.W), Srarina Initiative for Peace Justice and Development (SIPJAD), Kunak Foundation, Resilient Aid and Dialogue Initiative (RADi), Disabled People in Leadership, National Association of Catholic Lawyers (NACL), and Hope Builders;

Others are – Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, Abiodun Baiyewu, Gloria Mabeiam Ballason, Mike Utasha, Silas Joseph Onu, Steven Kefas, David Anyaele, Savn Daniel, Ier Jonathan, Ariyo Dare- Atoye, Ohimai Godwin Amaize, Ken Henshaw, and Okhiria Agbonsuremi.

Any lesson for Nigerian politicians?

Three former presidents called for unity and touched on the importance of a peaceful transition of power in a video message that aired on Inauguration Day. Former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton all voiced their support for the newly sworn-in President Joe Biden.

Watch the video

CREDIT: CBS News

She believed so deeply in America that she birthed its first female Vice President!

When she came to the United States at 19, little did Shyamala Gopalan Harris know that she was future mother of the country’s first female Vice President. It’s most unlikely that young Shyamala ever contemplated such thoughts.
Fast forward to Wednesday January 20, 2021 and the world stood still Kamala Harris paid special tribute “to the woman most responsible for my presence here today…” To the woman who paved way to her becoming one of the most powerful woman in the world.
Watch the inspiring tribute:

Trump’s democratic misadventure, lesson for spineless Nigerian politicians

By Ikechukwu Amaechi
20/01/2021

“The bane of Nigeria’s so-called democracy is the hero-worshipping of too many strong men. In Nigeria, those elected into public office become masters rather than servants of the people. They become demi-gods whose words, rather than the law must be obeyed.

To be fair, the shenanigans did not start with the Buhari presidency but it is not better under his watch either. In fact, it is even worse.

Under his watch, democratic institutions which ought to stand as a bulwark against the excesses of those who exercise executive powers, bend to the whims and caprices of strong men.

As long as Buhari can whimsically orchestrate the removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria on the eve of a consequential election and install a crony in his place, the country’s democracy will remain endangered.

As long as security chiefs see their job from the very narrow prism of regime protection rather than the big picture – security of lives and property of citizens and territorial integrity of the country – we will have issues.

As long as Nigeria has a Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives whose loyalty is to the President and not to the Constitution, our democracy remains endangered.

As long as we have electoral officials, including the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who see the electoral victory of those who appointed them into office as a sacred mandate, our claim to being a democracy remains a fantasy.

That is the lesson from Trump’s ignominious departure, and Biden’s ascendancy to the Oval Office.”

Trump’s democratic misadventure, lesson for spineless Nigerian politicians
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