Business/Judicial Report, Kaduna.

Kaduna State High Court presided by Justice A. Edward Andow on 28th, September 2022, has given judgment in favour of the Plaintiffs and against the Defendants (Kaduna State Government) to the effect that the State government lacks the constitutional powers to unilaterally takeover the Kasuwan Bacci market.

Alh. Abdullahi Maikano Kaya-kaya, Chairman, Shop Owners of Kasuwan Bacci market, said in a statement issued to pressmen on Monday in Kaduna that the case which was in court for about six years, was filed on the 9th May, 2017 and the court had ordered adequate compensation to be paid to each of the Plaintiffs and to be reinstated into the Market.

He said that the Kaduna State government was in breach of the constitutional provision vesting the creation and operation of markets in the local govts by usurping and arrogating to itself the clear powers and function of the local government.

Kaya-Kaya added that the traders of the Kasuwan Barci and Raga markets all within the Kaduna metropolis being dissatisfied by the action of the state government approached the courts to interprete the extent of the powers of the state government over the markets.

He noted that before the court heard the suit before it, the Kaduna state government hurriedly despite an injuctive order for parties to maintain status quo issued an obscure quit notice to the occupants of market stalls and went ahead to demolish the markets.

"Precisely in 2017, the State government issued Kasuwan Barci shop owners with a ten days vacation notice, hence the reason for going to court.

"After receiving the vacation notice, the shop owners sought audience with the state Governor, Nasiru El-Rufai which was granted. They pleaded with the Governor to either allow them build the shops themselves by using the authorized government building plan or give them another space to relocate pending when government would rebuild the shops since the Governor promised returning the shops to the real owners.

"Unfortunately, both parties could not reach any agreement as government refused the proposal of the shop owners, saying, only government has the final authority in issues regarding it's policies, hence their decision to proceed to court,"he said.

Kaya-Kaya further said that, as shop owners, until the Kasuwan bacci market was demolished, they were up to date with revenue payment.

"Kasuwan bacci is a market that is fully managed by shop owners because all the shops in the market were built by individuals unlike the Ceceniya, Abubakar Gumi and Veterinary markets that were built and leased out by Kaduna state government,"he said.

He recalled that in 1992, Governor Tanko Ayuba allocated the market land to the shop owners after it was burnt down the same year.

"Governor Ayuba allocated the same land to Kasuwan Bacci, backed with a document (land approval) with the condition that, shops will be properly built in accordance to a building permit and an architectural plan to avoid fire incidents.

"Subsequent government also directed the then Southern Kaduna Local Government Area Chairman, Mr Sawawak to grant shop owners permission to building story buildings.

"Our expectations of government was that, since she is aware that we built our shops ourselves on the land given to us by government, they should have either relocated the market or have adequately compensated us but instead, they ignored us and went ahead to demolish the shops," he said.

Kaya-Kaya prayed that Kaduna state government would respect the court judgement by reinstating them back into the market and compensate them accordingly.

"Many shop owners have died, some are just idle while a few have relocated to other towns due to the demolision," he said.

=========Other stories==========

News Politics

PDP intensifies efforts to woo Wike as party flags off campaign in Uyo

BAYO WAHAB

October 10, 2022 5:49 AM

The Board of Trustee (BoT) of the party led by Senator Adolphus Wabara is leading the effort to get Wike’s support for Atiku and the party.

Nyesom Wike, Rivers State Governor (TheWhistler)

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to officially kick off its Presidential campaign in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom state capital on Monday, October 10, 2022.

READ ALSO

Top party chieftains including the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, have reportedly arrived in Uyo for the campaign.

According to Debo Ologunagba, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, arrangements have been put in place for the commencement of the campaign.

Ologunagba while addressing journalists said the PDP will undertake an issue-based campaign and inform Nigerians on why they should vote for Atiku in the forthcoming presidential election.

Meanwhile, the party is making efforts to woo Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State to join the campaign train.

Wike, who lost the presidential primary to Atiku in May has been at loggerheads with the PDP leadership since his Delta counterpart, Ifeanyi Okowa emerged as Atiku’s running mate.

The Board of Trustee (BoT) of the party led by Senator Adolphus Wabara is leading the efforts to get Wike’s support for Atiku and the party.

Recall that the BoT’s recent meeting with the governor in Port Harcourt ended inconclusively as Wike doubled down on his demand that the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu must be removed for peace to reign in the party.

However, the BoT is believed to be making last-minute efforts to cut a deal in favour of Wike and his camp.

A member of the party, who spoke to Daily Trust disclosed that the BoT has not given up on talking to Wike to get his support.

But contrary to Wike’s demand, the party member said the BoT will not ask Ayu to resign.

“The Board of Trustee is making frantic efforts to see whether they can broker any peace deal before the campaign commences tomorrow. It is not going to be easy, but they have shown that they do not want to give up.

“The real issue is that I don’t think they will advice Ayu to go because of the timing and circumstances and that is the main thing Wike and his people are asking for. You know the BoT is an advisory body. They can only advise. They are supposed to meet with the National Working Committee (NWC), after that they will come out with their report on the way forward.

“It will now be left for the candidate, NWC and the Wike group to accept the recommendations or not”, the source said.

The source added that many of the stakeholders were “expected to meet this night and fashion out a deal.”