A NIGERIAN GOVERNOR IS OUT;

Nearly 2 years after elections, a governor of one of the Nigerian states is removed by the judgment of the Court of Appeal. What is the implication of that on Nigeria's democracy and electoral laws? It means in this case that this Governor has been in office unlawfully for two years. What about his actions as a Governor: would they now become illegal? On what legal principles would his past official actions be treated as lawful exercise of the powers of the State? Are the people he hired or the people he promoted now to revert to their previous positions or what? Read the links below and think with me;
http://newsbytesnow.com/2013/02/27/flash-court-of-appeal-sacks-governor-murtala-nyako-of-adamawa/

A NATURALIZED AMERICAN CITIZEN COULD BE STRIPPED OF HIS/HER CITIZENSHIP UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS: BE ADVISED

This is our Rule of Law Question for the day. Many foreigners who naturalized as US citizens mistakenly believe that they could never lose their U.S. citizenship. That is not the truth. In fact, a Nigerian man based in Houston just lost his US citizenship and is being deported to Nigeria. I am attaching two links for you. One is a general rule on the loss of US citizenship. The other is the case of the Nigerian man. Please follow the links: http://www.newcitizen.us/losing.html

Summary Profile of: Ephraim Emeka Ugwuonye, Esquire

Ephraim Emeka Ugwuonye (informally or simply known as “Emeka” or “Emmy”) trained as a lawyer; first at the University of Benin Law Faculty, Nigeria, where he received a degree in law (LL.B.), graduating in the top ranks of his class. He further attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, where he also obtained a diploma in law (B.L.), graduating also in the top ranks.

He subsequently worked for two oil and gas companies in Nigeria - Texaco (Nigeria) and, later, Chevron (Nigeria) - as counsel in the offices of the General Counsel of the respective entities. It was while working with Chevron that Emeka first encountered from a professional point of view the incidence of indigenous community activism in Nigeria, which ultimately mutated or morphed into the present-day militancy and targeted kidnapping of expatriates for ransom or bargaining chips; and the wider ramifications of justice, equity, due process and development in the oil producing territories in the less developed countries of the world.

After some practical experience as a lawyer in Nigeria, Emeka was accepted at Harvard Law School. He graduated in the LL.M. class of 1994, also earning top ranks in his class. Upon completion of his studies, Emeka was employed at Harvard. He worked as research associate and legal and policy advisor to the Harvard Institute for International Development (HIID). He was, during his time, the youngest member of the Policy and Planning Committee of HIID, the highest policy-making body for that institute. During his tenure at HIID, Emeka researched and taught law and policy studies at Harvard and was listed among top experts on corporate law, finance and governance; and on issues pertaining to multinational corporations and development.

Emeka’s period at Harvard was remarkable for a number of reasons. Major social and economic reforms were sweeping across the entire Eastern Europe, with several emerging countries in that region having recently enacted new corporation laws. At the same time, serious and new questions were being raised about institutional and economic reforms in the continent of Africa. Emeka followed closely in his work and research the market-oriented reform of Russia as well as the political reforms that surround the ending of Apartheid in South Africa. While at Harvard, Emeka played active roles in some of these major reform events in Europe and Africa during that period. In this capacity, Emeka visited and consulted with many countries, directly advising presidents and top officials of governments, mostly on reform projects either sponsored or otherwise endorsed by the United States Government.

Specifically and in respect of Africa, Emeka advised governments and leading economic actors in Zambia, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria on law and economic reform issues of the day such as commercialization and privatization. Also, Emeka spearheaded research projects and studies in various areas of law and policy, including specifically, access to credit and finance in Africa, privatization and restructuring of state-owned enterprises, reforms in corporate law and governance, etc.

Emeka later left Harvard to join the World Bank, in Washington, D.C. in 1997, where he worked as counsel in the office of the General Counsel. There he focused on the operational activities of the Bank in its Europe and Central Asia regional divisions. In addition to the regular operational activities of the World Bank lawyers, Emeka dedicated a significant part of his time to work on special projects such as the Trust Funds activities and Currency Conversion Programs of the Bank and researching, teaching and speaking on legal aspects of anti-corruption reforms in developing countries. Emeka also conducted the pioneering study at the World Bank on strategies and modalities for the World Bank’s private-public sector partnership initiative. This was a multi-country study that involved reviews and revisions of Word Bank policies in key normative and operational areas.

With a combination of experience at Harvard and the World Bank, Emeka was well positioned to launch a career as an international lawyer and strategy consultant. He quickly developed a reputation as a well-grounded international legal scholar and practitioner and as a professional that knows how to get results for clients, even under complex and difficult conditions, utilizing conventional and asymmetrical strategies . As an illustration, Emeka was consulting with the African Development Bank in the country of Ivory Coast, in December of 1999, when that country’s first military coup confronted him with a life and death situation, and ultimately forced that country into a spiral of political turmoil and ethnic hostilities. Over the years, Emeka has returned to Africa with even stronger commitments both as a lawyer and as an entrepreneur.

Emeka has practiced law in several international jurisdictions, including the Supreme Court of the United States, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the United States Court of International Trade, and several state and federal bars.

Over the years, Emeka’s practice of law has focused mainly on representing African clients in the United States or representing American clients interested in doing business in Africa. Emeka’s strongest strength lies in his ability to execute tasks that involve complex and strategic operations and interdisciplinary approaches. His ability to make critical contacts in a wide range of situations and to assemble a task force of experts on short notices enables him to achieve best results for clients in varying scenarios. Expanding between the traditional African/American axis, Emeka and the team that he leads have long recognized the emerging opportunities of trade and business involving new regions in the near and far East and the Eastern Europe. Emeka if focused in positioning his clients well for these new and expanding opportunities in an increasingly integrating world and converging global best practices.

Among Emeka’s most important clients has been the Government of Nigeria, for which he acted as counsel and advisor for ten years in the United States of America. Matters over which Emeka has rendered services to Nigeria include, but are not limited to: (a) the drafting of the first ever antitrust / competition bill for Nigeria, (b) representing (up to the United States Supreme Court) a former President of Nigeria, at the behest of the Nigerian Government, (c) representing the Nigerian Government in a class action lawsuit before a U.S. federal court, and (d) representing the Government of Nigeria, through its embassy in Washington, D.C., for a period of over seven (8) years on various matters. Emeka is the first to admit also that having governments as clients, particularly a transitioning polity like Nigeria, has had its significant risks such as undue exposure to politically oriented controversies. Yet, each such incident bring with it several teachable moments which has enriched his overall understanding and mastery of the challenges ahead of those who seek to penetrate the African markets.

Emeka’s ability to understand the interface between practical questions and legal problems remains of immense value, as he strives to render quality services to clients across the globe in a complex, dynamic and intensely competitive environment. Similarly, as an avid student of the interplay between world cultures and global market forces, Emeka and his team are ever poised for the requisite sensitivities it takes to thrive amidst uncertainties.

In 2009, there was a breakdown in relations between Emeka and his firm, on the one hand, and the Embassy of Nigeria and the Nigerian Government in Abuja, on the other hand. That controversy escalated to a point where a Nigerian Ambassador to Washington was recalled by Nigeria. The Embassy of Nigeria Washington filed a bar complaint against Emeka in Washington, DC, which was subsequently dismissed in favor of Emeka. In the same year, Emeka filed a defamation lawsuit against an online tabloid, Saharareporters.com, and its owner, Omoleye Sowore, for defamation and conspiracy with Nigerian officials.

Emeka has emerged a vociferous critic of the Nigerian Government, his former clients, and has repeatedly described the regimes as corrupt, inept and dysfunctional. While a civil case was pending in the United States between Nigerian Government and Emeka Ugwuonye, the Nigerian authorities made the dramatic move of abducting Emeka in Nigeria in February of 2011, while he was on a business trip to Nigeria. He was detained in Nigeria for over 150 days in 2011 under questionable jurisdictional circumstances. Emeka has alleged that he was bullied by the Nigerian officials in a blatant act of intimidation and in a bid to silence his growing opposition to Government corruption.

http://www.facebook.com/groups/DPA.Member/

WELCOME TO THE BLOG OF THE DUE PROCESS ADVOCATES (DPA)

I am so happy to welcome you to the Due Process Advocates (DPA), the authentic voice for justice, fairness, equity and right to the pursuit of happiness.

In the wake of the cold-blooded murders of four innocent students of Uniport, the Due Process Advocates formerly “Uniport 4” Organization was established. We shall continue to use what happened in Uniport as opportunity to condemn jungle justice, violent vigilantism, extra-judicial executions, crimes of sexual exploitation against women that go through the criminal justice system.

GROUP RULES:

(1) PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY: Even though we are all members of this group, each person is solely responsible for his or her own posting and comments. While there is a common group interest in due process of law, there is no group responsibility for comments and postings made by member.

(2) STANDARDS OF CIVILITY: Members shall observe civility in all communications either in general or between members. Disagreements must be done with dignity and respect to those we disagree with.

(3) LAW, JUSTICE AND DUE PROCESS: Members are encouraged to focus their postings on subject maters that concern these core themes. In this group, we shall focus on law, governments and institution as they pertain to law and justice.

(4) FOCUS ON VALUE AND BENEFIT TO MEMBERS: This group aspires to confer tangible benefits to members. We come from diverse backgrounds and age and experience. Many of us could be of help to others and vice versa. We shall simply help and learn from each other wherever possible and reasonable.

(5) THE RIGHT TO POST MESSAGES: All members shall have the right to post messages. But admin group may have to approve a posting. For this purpose, we shall appoint a number of people as administrators.

(6) NEW MEMBERS: We welcome all people without discrimination. And we encourage members to recommend and subscribe those of their friends whom they feel would be suitable members of this group. We only urge that each member should read and be familiar with our RULES and be guided by same.

(7) GLOBAL VALUES AND PERSPECTIVES: Even though our group has predominantly Nigerians as members, the goal of this group is to attract members from all over the world so we would have a truly universal or global community here. The more diverse the membership of the group the greater the opportunity for us to learn from one another and broaden our knowledge of the larger world. This is intended to be a truly quality group of refined people.

(8) GROUP EVENTS: Members shall hold many events - parties, seminars, social activities, etc. - in various parts of the world as the opportunity would exist. The whole idea is to accept our virtual world as a viable social medium for interaction in various forms.

Emeka Ugwuonye, Esquire
ECULAW GROUP
Group Founder and Principal Administrator