NBA threatens legal action over UK lawyers practice in Nigeria says FG undermines its legal professionals

Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) through it’s President, Yakubu Maikyau, has rejected Federal Government’s bilateral agreement with the United Kingdom, which henceforth allows English lawyers to practice in Nigeria without any hindarance. The NBA maintained that the action will undermines the Nation’s legal professionals, adding that it is a move that will enhances increase in the importation of legal services to Nigeria to their disadvantage. Opposing the agreement, the association, therefore, threatened to resist it by all means necessary within the ambit of the law. He therefore, referred the deal as a “tragic reminder of our colonial past,” as he wondered why the Nigerian government would take such a decision with likely monumental impact without consulting with the NBA. The Federal Government and the United Kingdom government, had Tuesday, formalized a new trade agreement to boost trade and investment between both countries. The agreement themed, “the Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP)” focused unlocking new opportunities for UK and Nigerian businesses. Addressing the press, Wednesday, Maikyau said, “We want to make it very clear that the ETIP agreement, in so far as it relates to legal services is unacceptable in its entirety. The NBA will take all necessary measures provided by our laws in support of our position on this matter.” He said the agreement “will compromise our legal space.” “It is indeed unfortunate that this tragic reminder of our colonial past is being gleefully celebrated at the highest level of the Government of Nigeria. What is more disheartening is the fact that a decision of this magnitude that adversely affects the well-being and livelihood of millions of Nigerians, could be taken without any consultation, especially with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). “For the avoidance of doubt, the NBA had no foreknowledge or inclination of the text of the said agreement. We could not therefore have contributed to it. I have since assuming office as President of the NBA clearly opposed any agreement that will compromise our legal space at all the meetings. Speaking further on the implications on the profession, Mr Maikyau said the British government would not undermine its own body of legal professionals in such a manner as the Nigerian government has done. “It is truly tragic that while the government of the UK is seeking opportunities for its own lawyers beyond its constrained environment, the government of Nigeria is attempting to deprive Nigerian lawyers and their millions of dependants of means of livelihood.

FG Makes U-turn, Says UK Lawyers Can’t Practice In Nigeria

The Federal Government has withdrawn its initial statement regarding the legal dimension of the Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership signed with the United Kingdom on Tuesday.  This decision follows criticism from Nigerians who raised concerns about the perceived one-sided nature of the Memorandum of Understanding with the UK.  Nigerian Minister for Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, clarified in a thread on X that there is no legal agreement between Nigeria and the UK, retracting the earlier suggestion.  She emphasized that there is no provision in the MoU allowing UK-licensed lawyers to practice in Nigeria and highlighted that Nigeria has no Mutual Recognition Agreement with the UK.  She said, “Earlier today, Nigeria signed a far-reaching MoU with the United Kingdom for Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership. “Regrettably, our earlier report erroneously suggest that Nigeria has signed a Memorandum of Understanding that allows lawyers licensed in the United Kingdom to practise in Nigeria. “We wish to state emphatically that there is no such provision or agreement in the MpU.” On Tuesday, a statement by the UK’s Department of Business and Trade, and a tweet from Nigeria’s Minister of Trade and Investment, had disclosed that Nigeria was signing a deal to remove barriers preventing UK lawyers from practising international law in Nigeria. The Nigerian Bar Association described the deal as “ridiculous, unpatriotic, and uninformed.”

Bayelsa Guber: APC, INEC tender conflicting documents

The All Progressive Congress (APC) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Wednesday, tendered conflicting election results on the November 11 governorship election before the State Governorship Tribunal, sitting in Abuja. A former Minister of Petroleum, Timiprye Silva, and his party, APC, had dragged INEC, elected governor, Senator Diri Duoye, his Deputy , Lawrence and the People Democratic Party (PDP) before the tribunal. When the matter was called up, the electoral body tendered its own certified true copies of its results, while the APC polling units agents tendered various results in respect of the places the party was represented. The conflicting results, which were objected by the parties, were, however, admitted as exhibits by the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Adekunele Adeleye, for the tribunal’s consideration during the hearing of the petition. Specifically, the petitioners are asking the tribunal to hold that election took place in three different local governments where INEC claimed that election was not conducted due to alleged diversion of electoral materials. They were also allegations of bypass of the BVAS machines . The affected local governments are Southern Ijaw, Ogbia, and Nembe Local Government Area LGAs. Led in evidence by the counsel of the petitioners, Tunde Falola, the APC’s witness, who was a poling agent, Odungele Moses, maintained that the election took place in PU unit 15 ward 4 and tendered a result which he claimed was issued to him by the election presiding officer on the election day. However, during cross-examination by counsel to the governor, Chris Uche SAN, the witness admitted that although 16 political parties participated in the election, only APC, which he represented as an agent, signed the result he tendered. He, however, did not give reasons why others did not sign. Another witness, Mallory Afin, who also testified for the petitioners, tendered APC results, which had the same serial number and number of accredited voters 169 with INEC but had different results recorded for the political parties. During cross examination by counsel to Governor Diri, it was discovered that the results tendered by APC in ward 002 were prepared and signed by the same presiding officer for ward 015. The witnesses were also cross examined by Charles Edosonwon SAN, who stood for INEC, Chukwuma Machukwu-Umeh SAN, who stood for the Deputy Governor and Tayo Oyetibo SAN who represented PDP. The witnesses, though, denied the allegations of parading fake election results but admitted that only INEC has statutory powers to conduct elections and to possess superior documents. Hearing continues Thursday,15th February.

Details Of PDP BoT Meeting In Abuja Emerge

The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to address the escalating insecurity and the continuous depreciation of the Naira. The call came after a meeting at the PDP National Secretariat in Wadata Plaza, where Adolphus Wabara, the newly appointed Chairman, expressed deep concerns about economic hardship, high costs of essential commodities, and alarming food scarcity.  Wabara emphasized the BoT’s distress over the worsening insecurity, corruption, falling Naira value, high fuel prices, and unemployment.  He stated “The BoT is alarmed by the worsening insecurity in the country as evident in the rising cases of mass killings, banditry, kidnap for ransom, and acts of terrorism by assailants who are emboldened by the manifest laidback attitude of the APC administration to issues of security, especially in the last nine months. “The BoT is appalled by the monumental corruption and unbridled treasury-looting in the APC administration especially the looting of billions of Naira meant for palliatives for poor and vulnerable Nigerians. “The BoT is seriously worried over the fall of the Naira to an abysmal N1,500 to the Dollar, incessant increase in the pump price of fuel which now sells for over N700 per liter with long queues in various parts of the country. “These have attendant negative consequences as evident in the nearly 30% inflation rate, 41% unemployment rate, and alarming 46% poverty rate where up to 130 million citizens have sunk deeper into multi-dimensional poverty in the last nine months. “The BoT is disturbed that the catastrophic economic and security situation in the country has left Nigerians hopeless, despondent, angry and constitutes a present and immediate threat to the survival of the country as hardworking young Nigerians, professionals in critical fields as well as major multinational companies are now leaving our nation in droves. “The BoT is distressed that there are no concrete and coherent policies, measures, and steps by the APC administration to address these existential threats which have put the country in a precarious situation. “The BoT calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to know that the situation in the country has become unbearable. Mr. President should immediately address the issues of corruption in his administration, worsening insecurity in the country, continuous fall in the value of the Naira, high fuel price, unbearable food scarcity, and unemployment in the country.”

How Buhari’s signature forged to withdraw $6.2 billion from CBN – Boss Mustapha

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha has revealed how former Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari’s signature was forged. Mustapha said Buhari’s signature was forged to withdraw $6,230,000 from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) before the 2023 elections. He made the revelation while testifying during the trial of former CBN governor Godwin Emefiele. Mustapha also claimed his signature was forged, stating his lack of knowledge about the funds supposedly withdrawn for foreign election observers. He emphasized that the responsibility for dealing with such matters rested solely with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), not the CBN or the federal government.

Buhari didn’t sign alleged $6.2M foreign election observers payment- Boss Mustapha

The Immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha, Tuesday, said the letter credited to former President Buhari as author and signatory did not emanate from the Presidency while another one purported to have emanated from him and signed by him were forged documents. The ex-SGF revealed this to the federal high court Abuja, clearing former President Muhammadu Buhari and himself from the alleged fraudulent payment of $6.2M dollars to foreign election monitoring observers. Mustapha made the clarifications on Tuesday while giving evidence in the trial of former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory. He said that the one, Jubrin Abubakar who allegedly collected the $6.2M cash on February 8, 2023 under the watch of Emefiele was not a staff of the office of the SGF and was not known to him. Mustapha faulted the purported two letters alleged to have emanated from the Presidency under Buhari and the SGF office adding that the letters did not conform with the standard with which the Presidency and SGF write letters. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC had alleged that Emefiele forged the letters to defraud the federal government to the tune of$6, 230, 000 under the guise of making payments to some foreign election monitoring observers. Mustapha insisted that the issue of payment for either local or foreign observers is the sole responsibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC and not any other federal government agency. “Iam not privy to the operations of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN and cannot write the governor for the attention of the Director, Banking Services. “From mere looking at the purported letters, the headline down the contents are defective. Iam not aware of the contents of the letters because there was no Federal Executive Council approval for such a thing”, he said. “The purported letter from the office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation bears my name as the SGF. To the best of my knowledge, the letter did not emanate from the SGF office. If did not emanate from the SGF office, then, I did not sign it. ” Nigerian government has no business with foreign election observers. That I know as a fact because I managed two election cycles. INEC has sole responsibility for the foreign election monitoring observers. “Looking at the signature on the purported letter that emanated from the Presidency, it is a failed attempt at reproducing President Muhammadu Buhari’s signature. “Uptil the time I left office, I did not know anything about the transactions. All through my service, I did not come across the letter purported to have been written by Mr President. “On the face value, and having served as SGF for 5 years and 7 months as SGF, I can say this letter did not emanate from the Presidency for seven major reasons. “Among others, the seal of the Presidency does not carry reference number. Seal itself is the authority. Federal Executive Council decisions are not transmitted by letters but by extracts after conclusions have been adopted. “Iam the custodian of FEC. The President will not refer FEC conclusions to me. In all the correspondences from the Presidency, President Buhari never ended with “Please, accept the assurances of my highest regards. Trial to be continued March 7th, 11th and 25th.

Alleged N10b fraud: How witness, threatened by EFCC appeared in court

There was a mild drama at the Federal High Court, Abuja, Tuesday, as Rabiu Musa, a witness, allegedly threatened by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) suddenly appeared in court. The Abuja based Bureau De Change operator, is that prosecution star witness in an alleged N10billion fraud suit against Ali Bello and Daudu Suleiman. At the resumed trial, Tuesday, Counsel to EFCC, Hannatu Kofamaisa informed Justice James Omotoso that the witness, was alleged to have been threatened, following his appearance at the last trial and got scared. Hannatu explained that the witness would not be in court to continue his evidence, based on his experience of threats at the last adjourned date, adding that she had called the witness five times but that he was no longer picking her calls. She therefore seeks for an adjournment of the trial. Responding, Counsel to Ali Bello, Abdullahi Aliu, SAN, said that he would not react to the EFCC’s allegations because they were not targeted at his client and did not oppose the request for an adjournment. However, drama unfolded when the witness alleged to have been threatened away from court and would not attend the trial, suddenly walked into the court room without any signs of apprehension. The counsel to Ali Bello got up and drew the attention of Justice Omotoso to the quiet arrival of the witness into the court room. It took the intervention of Justice Omotoso to doused tension lawyers to Ali Bello and Daudu Suleman from joining issues with EFCC on the allegations. In his testimony, the witness identitied one of his record books of transactions seized from him by EFCC during a raid of his office at Wuse, in Abuja and also admitted knowing Ali Bello. Under cross examination by Nureni Jimoh SAN who stood for Daudu Suleman, the Bureau De Change operator who claimed to be an illiterate said most of the transactions were recorded for him by one Mubarak who he said was literate and now a student at a University. The witness also said that parts of the transactions were recorded in his absence but that he was always briefed upon his arrival at the office. Meanwhile, the matter has been adjourned till February 22 and 23 for continuation of trial.

Senate President Administers Oath to Three New Senators

Three new senators, elected during the recent national by-election, were on Tuesday, sworn in by the Senate President Godswill Akpabio as members of the 10th Senate. The ceremony, conducted within the confines of the Senate chamber, saw Mustapha Musa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) representing Yobe East, Professor Anthony Ani of the APC representing Ebonyi South, and Prince Pam Mwadkon of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) representing Plateau North taking their oaths of office and allegiance. With the guidance of Senate Clerk Mr. Chinedu Akubueze, the new senators solemnly pledged their commitment to their legislative duties before being escorted to their designated seats by the Sergeant-At-Arms. The inclusion of these three senators brings about a shift in the Senate’s political landscape, as the distribution of lawmakers across different parties now stands at: APC – 59, PDP – 37, LP – 7, NNPP – 2, SDP – 2, APGA – 1, and ADP – 1. This alteration promises increased diversity and representation within the Upper Chamber, shaping the legislative agenda with varied viewpoints and interests.

FIRS Speaks On Going After  Skit Makers And Influencers Over Tax Payment

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has said it has no plans to tax skitmakers, influencers and other digital content creators. The Special Adviser on Media to the chairman of the FIRS, Dare Adekambi, was quoted as saying that social media content creators and influencers constituted a major block of tax evaders. He said content creators and influencers constitute a significant block of tax evaders, adding that a law in Nigeria requires everybody who earns income to pay tax. Adekambi stressed that the FIRS would meet with content creators and influencers and make them see why they should voluntarily pay tax. But an official of the agency who spoke to some journalists anonymously on Monday, said skit makers are individuals who do not fall within the purview of the FIRS. The FIRS official stated that the agency does not tax Personal Income Tax but only collects Company Income Tax. He said: “FIRS does not tax Personal Income Tax; State governments do. “FIRS collects Company Income Tax. Only those who are corporate names and earn profit of N25 million and more are required to pay tax.”

Alleged sexual harassment: Court grants UNICAL Prof N250m bail

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted N250 million bail to the suspended Dean of Faculty of Law, UNICAL, Professor Cyril Ndifon. Prof Ndifon is facing a trial over alleged sexual harassment and gratification case instituted against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The court also granted his lawyer Sunny Anyanwu bail to the tune of N50m among other stringent bail conditions. The court granted them bail on the condition that they will produce two sureties who own properties within FCT with a minimum valuation of 150 million and must submit their bank statements to the court. The court also held that defendants must file an undertaking not to interfere with the case, readiness to attend trial and not to cause delay. Sequel to not guilty plea, Counsel to Joe Agi and Solomon Umoh had urged the court to grant their clients bail on liberal terms, but the prosecution counsel countered the bail application, asking the court to dismiss. Ruling on the bail on Friday, Justice James Omotosho held that while bail is a constitutional right, the court must be guided by the nature of a charge and the possibility of the accused person interfering with the case against him, among other things. He said the defendants are facing sexual harassment offenses through requesting nude videos but they are not capital offense like terrorism. Justice Omotosho however adjourned the matter to February 12, for continuation of hearing. Professor Ndifon was, on January 25, re-arraigned alongside Sunny Anyanwu as 1st and 2nd defendants on an amended four-count charge of sexual harassment and attempt to perverse the cause of justice. Anyanwu, who is one of the lawyers in the defence, was joined in the amended charge filed on January 22, by the ICPC on the allegation that he called one of the prosecution witnesses on her mobile telephone during the pendency of the charge against Ndifon to threaten her.