News

Jubilation In Kaduna As Tribunal Upholds Ekene Adam Winner Of Reps Election

Published

2 years ago

August 22, 2023

The Gleamer

…. As Court awards 500,000 damage against the petitioner

…Ekene dedicates win to constituents

By: Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna

Supporters of the Labour Party, (LP) have stormed the streets in Kaduna state to celebrate the victory of Hon. Ekene Abubakar Adams, following the judgement that upheld his election as the duly elected Member representing Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency, in the February 25th general election.

The Jubilation follows the dismissal of the suit filed by Hon. Yakubu Barde of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) demanding Ekene’s sack over an alleged certificate forgery.

The National Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Kaduna on Tuesday dismissed the petition brought by Barde on the ground that it lacks merit.

Justice F.A. Fiberesima while delivering judgment on the case on Tuesday, leading a three-man panel that heard the petition, dismissed the case and awarded N500,000 damages to Ekene for defamation of character by the petitioner.

According to her, forgery from the point of law is a criminal act, a very weighty allegation that must be proved beyond every reasonable doubt.

She noted that the tribunal was already in doubt because the petitioner could not prove the allegation on the ground that his claims lack merit and therefore discountenance.

The judge further stressed that despite the fact the petitioner tendered documents to support his claims, the respondent, Ekene Abubakar Adams also tendered his own document from the same schools and therefore the best way to have given the petitioner’s claim an edge was to present an eye witness.

Speaking with Journalists shortly after the event, Ekene said “I feel normal. I was never agitated because I know the court will do the right thing. The victory is for the people and that is why you see celebration ongoing everywhere.

“We have been up and doing and so we will continue to serve the people as we have promised. I, therefore, called on the aggrieved members to come and join hands with me so we can build our dear constituency together.”

Reacting to the judgement, Counsel to the respondent, Muhammed M. Sani said the judgement was highly educative, adding that justice has prevailed at last.

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Business

Stakeholders Push for Stronger Labor Polices to Protect Jobs in Energy Transition

Published

20 hours ago

March 27, 2025

The Gleamer

…Unveil ‘Workers’ Charter of Demand’

By Joel Ajayi

In a bid to strengthen labour laws and safeguard Nigerian workers from job losses amid the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy, stakeholders have called for equitable policies that protect employment and workers’ rights.

***Presenting the Workers’ Charter of Demand, Tunde Selman, Researcher and Team Lead at GGT-Nigeria, outlined key labour concerns in Nigeria’s evolving energy landscape***.

The call was made at the public presentation of the Workers’ Charter of Demand and Stakeholders’ Engagement held on Thursday in Abuja.

The event, organized by the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) in collaboration with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Nigeria, also marked the launch of the Justice Department Transition Project, aimed at ensuring a just and sustainable shift to renewable energy.

In his remarks, Lennart Oestergaard, Resident Representative of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung FES Nigeria, emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between trade unions, the private sector, and the government to develop policies that protect jobs and equip workers for employment in the renewable energy sector.

“As Nigeria moves towards cleaner energy sources, we must ensure that workers are not displaced or exploited,” he stated. “A just transition means that no one is left behind. This requires deliberate policies that promote job security, social dialogue, and economic fairness.”

Presenting the Workers’ Charter of Demand, Tunde Selman, Researcher and Team Lead at GGT-Nigeria, outlined key labour concerns in Nigeria’s evolving energy landscape.

“The charter is a call to action, advocating for fair labour practices and worker protections,” Selman said.

Some of the key demands highlighted in the charter include: Job Security: Preventing mass redundancies in the energy sector.

Social Protection Measures to Ensuring access to pension schemes and health insurance for workers transitioning from fossil fuel jobs; Fair Wages and Improved Working Conditions to Address labour rights in both traditional and renewable energy sector.

Also, Equipping workers with skills in clean energy technologies, Stronger Labor Union Involvement: Ensuring labor unions play a role in policymaking related to energy transition amongst other.

In her goodwill message, Executive Secretary of the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN), Dr. Tosin Akande, thumbed FES and its partners for their advocacy efforts in protecting labor rights during the energy transition.

However, She stressed the need for stronger policies to prevent unemployment and low wages. “Without strong policies, many workers could face job losses or poor working conditions,” Dr. Akande warned.

Meanwhile, the event also featured a panel discussion on “Just and Clean Transition for Trade Unions in Nigeria,” where experts examined challenges and opportunities in the energy transition.

Discussions focused on: Expanding the renewable energy sector while protecting workers’ rights; The role of government and private sector investment in job creation and Vocational training for green economy jobs.

Stakeholders therefore reaffirmed their commitment to advocating for policies that ensure a fair transition for Nigerian workers, ensuring that no one is left behind as the country moves toward a greener future.

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