Court dismisses suspended Adamawa REC’s suit against IGP, others

Justice James Omotoso of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the suit filed by the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner of Adamawa state, Hudu Yunusa-Ari for lacking in merit. Yunasa-Ari is before the court, seeking protection from media trial, arrest and harassment by security agencies following his controversial announcement of the All Progressives Congress(APC) governorship candidate, Senator Aisha Binani Dahiru, as winner of the last Adamawa governorship poll. Mentioned as Defendants in the suit are the Inspector General of Police(IGP) Nigeria Police Force,(NPF) the Attorney-General of Federation(AGF)and Minister of Justice, the Director of the State Security Service (SSS) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st to 5th respondents respectively. Yunasa-Ari,had announced Binani winner of the governorship poll against the due process but the declaration was annulled by the INEC leadership which eventually returned the incumbent governor, Umar Fintiri. In his argument, his counsel, Jibrin Okutepa said his decision to announce Binani was due to a tight security breach in Adamawa. He submitted that since the incident, the respondents kept issuing press statements against him when he had not been convicted by a law court. Justice James Omotosho while delivering Judgement on held that the only issue to determine in the case is whether the fundamental rights of Hudu were breached by any of the respondents. The trial judge noted that as fundamental as human rights are, there are exceptions. Justice Omotosho noted that the applicant filed this suit to hide himself from prosecution for the role he played in the Adamawa guber poll. The court therefore dismissed the suit for lacking in merit.

President Tinubu Directs Inclusion of National Pledge at Official Events

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has mandated the recitation of the National Pledge following the National Anthem during official and public engagements. The directive was issued during his address at the groundbreaking ceremony of the 3,112 housing-unit Renewed Hope City in Karsana, Abuja, on Thursday. President Tinubu emphasized the importance of reaffirming commitment to the values, greatness, and hope of the nation.  He stated, “It is our pledge to Nigeria, our country, to be faithful, loyal, and honest. To serve Nigeria with all your strength – we saw it on the field of play yesterday. We were all rejoicing.” The President highlighted the positive and hopeful mindset, expressing confidence that Nigeria will excel despite challenges.  He concluded, “We will defend our unity and uphold Nigeria’s glory in every way possible because we are Nigerians, and we have no other country.”

INEC Receives Primaries Schedule from Political Parties for Edo State Governorship Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been notified by sixteen political parties of their intention to participate in the upcoming off-cycle governorship election in Edo State. With the primaries scheduled for conduct between 1st and 24th February 2024, parties are gearing up for a crucial phase in the electoral process. The schedule (dates and modes) of primaries proposed by the political parties has been uploaded to the Commission’s website and social media platforms for public information. In line with the provisions of Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, political parties are required to inform INEC at least 21 days prior to their planned primary dates. The recent deadline for notification expired on 4th February 2024, prompting INEC to assess the parties’ readiness. It is stipulated under Sections 84(4) and 5(b) of the Electoral Act 2022 that the primaries must be conducted within the boundaries of Edo State. This geographical specificity aims to ensure transparency and inclusivity in the electoral process. In anticipation of the primaries, INEC is set to deploy monitoring teams to oversee the proceedings. The Commission emphasizes the importance of strict adherence to electoral guidelines, cautioning against any disruptions or irregularities. Political parties are urged to avoid last-minute changes, including postponements, venue alterations, or manipulation of delegate lists. Additionally, INEC warns against the submission of candidate names that did not emerge from valid primary elections, as well as the occurrence of contentious primary processes that may lead to legal challenges. To enhance transparency, the schedule outlining the dates and modes of primaries proposed by the political parties has been made publicly available through INEC’s official website and social media channels.

Suit seeking to compel PDP to hold NEC meeting adjourned till March 4…Grants order of substituted service

By Vivian Michael Abuja The Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday, adjourned till March 4, the case seeking an order directing the Ogun State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leadership to hold the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) for the purpose of presenting the activities of the party from the date of the last NEC meeting held on September 8, 2022. The suit filed by a former governorship candidate of the party, Otumba Segun Sowunmi, has the PDP, its National Chairman, Umar Illiya Damagun, National Secretary, Sen Samuel Anyanwu, National Organizing Secretary, Capt Umar Nature, National Auditor, Okechukwu Daniel, National treasurer, Hon. Ahmed Mohammed Yayari, Youth leader, Mohammed Suleimane Kadade and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st to 8th defendants. At the resumed trial, Thursday, counsel to the plaintiff, Anderson Asemota told the court that he could not serve the 2nd to 7th defendants in the matter with the processes of the court because all efforts to serve them proved abortive, but had served the 1st and 8th defendants (the PDP and INEC) with the court processes. He said, he has filed a motion seeking to serve the court processes on the 2nd to 7th defendants through substituted means. The trial judge, Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon granted the plaintiff’s request for an order of substituted service of court processes on the 2nd to 7th defendants and adjourned the matter till March 21 for hearing. Sowunmi is praying the court for an order, directing the 1st to 7th defendants to call a NEC meeting of the PDP for the purpose of presenting the proposed guidelines and regulations governing the conduct of elections to the party offices at all levels and procedures for selecting party candidates for elective offices to the members of the NEC. He is also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the 2nd to 8th defendants by themselves or their servants, agents or privies from functioning or continue to function or discharge the functions of their offices until they call for or cause to be called and held meeting of the PDP’s NEC in total fidelity and obeisance of the party’s constitution. The plaintiff wants the court to declare that by virtue of the provisions of Article 31(2)(d), 4 and 5 of the PDP constitution (as amended in 2017), he, as spokesman of the party during the last election is obligated and/or entitled to file the suit to give effect to the aims and objectives of the PDP and to ensure that the provisions of Article 7 of the PDP constitution are observed and respected by members and national officers. “A declaration that under and by virtue of the provisions of Article 31 (2)(4) and (5) of the PDP constitution and Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, the 1st to 7th defendants are obligated to call or cause to be called and held quarterly or at the request of one-third of members of NEC of the PDP, the meeting of the NEC of the PDP at which the 1st to 7th defendants shall be present quarterly financial reports or income and expenditure of the party to the members of the NEC. “A declaration that, under and by virtue and the provisions of Article 31 (2)(4) and (5) of the PDP constitution and Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, the 1st to 7th defendants are obligated to call for or cause to be called and held quarterly or at the request of the one-third of members of the NEC of the PDP at which the defendants shall present quarterly reports containing the activities of the PDP to the members of the NEC”. He also wants the court to declare that the defendants are under obligation to call for PDP NEC meeting to present proposed guidelines and regulations governing the conduct of elections to the party offices at all levels and procedures of selecting party candidates for elective offices to the NEC members. “A declaration that, having failed, refused and/or neglected to call for meeting and held quarterly or at the request of one-third of members of the NEC of PDP in which the 8th defendant (INEC) ought to have been invited, the 1st to 7th defendants are in the breach and/or violation of the constitution of the party and the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022”. In an affidavit in support of the suit, the plaintiff averred that the last NEC meeting of the party was last convened by the sacked National Chairman of the party, Sen. Iyorcha Ayu on September 8, 2022. The NEC, he said is saddled with the responsibility of fixing and approving the date of the party’s national convention, which is the highest decision making organ of the party and that all efforts to get the defendants to call for NEC meeting proved abortive as the, “defendants have woefully failed, refused and/or neglected to response to my entreaties viva voce and repeated demand for a NEC meeting as well as the letter written by my solicitors in that regard. “That, it is in the interest of justice to grant the claims or reliefs sought by the plaintiff in the originating summons as the defendants will not be prejudiced”, he said

Unlawful detention: Court orders DSS to pay Abuja Driver N5m

Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the federal high court, Abuja, Thursday, ordered the Department of the State Service (DSS) to pay five million (5million), over the unlawful arrest and detention of an Abuja based commercial driver, Sanusi Shuaib. Justice Olajuwon also ordered the DSS to immediately release him after keeping him in detention without trial since January 16, 2023. The court held that the prosecution agency action contravenes section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, which prohibited detention of any Nigerian beyond a maximum period of 48 hours without an order of Court. The Judge said that DSS on March 29, 2023, got an order of the Federal High Court to hold and detain the driver for only 20 days to investigate and charge him to court if indicted for any criminal matters. The Court said that since the DSS did not apply to the court for extension of the 20 days detention period and also did not charge him to court for any offence, any detention outside the 20 days was unlawful, illegal, unconstitutional and null and void. Recall that the detained driver had through his counsel, Bala Dakum dragged the DSS before the court to challenge his detention without trial since his arrest on March 16 last year. He claimed that the DSS upon arrest accused him of being in possession of firearms for some terrorists and had since remained in the custody of the respondent. The applicant prayed for his release and N50M compensation for the unlawful detention. Justice Olajuwon in the judgment agreed that the fundamental rights of the applicant to freedom of movement had been breached by the DSS. The Judge faulted the claim of the DSS that it was granted six months to detain the driver adding that what the court granted was just 20 days. Justice Olajuwon also disagreed with the DSS that the detainee had been moved to the Military detention facility in Gwa gwa, Niger State for trial in terrorism offences adding that there was no evidence to that effect placed before the court. The Judge also faulted the claim of the security agency that the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice gave approval for the trial of the driver. Justice Olajuwon who quoted the letter of the AGF said that the AGF office only recommended that fresh investigation be conducted into the allegations against the driver but which was never done. Consequently, the court nullified the continued detention of the driver and ordered his immediate release from the DSS custody in Abuja.

Killer of Enugu Based Make-up Artist, Ijeoma Sentence To Death By Hanging

The late Enugu based makeup artist, Ijeoma Nneka, has got justice as an Enugu State High Court sentenced her killer, Chiamaka Ifezue, to death by hanging. The convict alongside her sibling, Chukwuemeka Ifezue, were arraigned on two counts-charge bordering on conspiracy and murder, had on 11th November, 2020, murdered the 27-year-old makeup artist, Ijeoma, by forcing her to drink a poisonous substance that caused her death. However, on July 28, 2022, Justice K.I. Okpe discharged Chukwuemeka on the basis that there was no evidence that he actually participated in the crime. In delivering the judgement, Justice K.I Okpe, agreed with the prosecution, Mrs Chinelo Chigbo who led the prosecution from the Department of Public Prosecution that the suspect was actually responsible for the death of the 27-year-old make-up artist based in Enugu. Recall that the convict dumped the body of the deceased at the Maryland axis of Enugu metropolis and poured a corrosive substance suspected to be acid on the body. During the trial, the court admitted in evidence police exhibit on the case of the alleged murder of the makeup artist. A broken 9Mobile SIM card, itel phone, another black phone (no brand name), MTN SIM pack, and makeup tools belonging to the deceased were also tendered as evidence by the prosecution. Also tendered in evidence was the key of a Toyota Matrix Scan with registration number JJJ410BJ, which was allegedly used to move the dead body of the deceased from the scene of the crime to where it was dumped. Hard copies of the WhatsApp messages and text messages (SMS) the deceased had with her fiancé and girlfriend, respectively, while at the scene of the crime.

Retract bribery allegation against appeal court justices, lawyers tell Sen. Abbo

Some senior lawyers have called on Senator Elisha Abbo to retract the unsubstantiated allegations of bribery and corruption made against the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem. According to the lawyers, Senator Abbo in his reckless and unconscionable Press Briefing described the President of the Court of Appeal as a cash-and-carry Judge, adding that Judges now send their children and agents to go around asking for bribes. The lawyers led by Uwemedimo Nwoko, stated that Abbo has not produced any iota of evidence to substantiate his weighty allegations. Senator Abbo, a former senator representing Adamawa north, in the press conference said Nwosu-Iheme and members of the panel made up of Muhammad Ibrahim and Olabode Adegbehingbe erred when they declared Amos Yohanna of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the duly elected senator of the district. Also, Senator Abbo, accused Justice Chioma Nwosu, elevated from the court of appeal to the supreme court, some Justices of the Court of Appeal and Judges of the various Tribunals. The former senator said he had written the NJC and Tinubu to stop the elevation of Nwosu-Iheme into the supreme court until an investigation is conducted. Reacting to the allegation, the Lawyers therefore called on the senator to retracted the allegations publicly or face the consequences of his actions in court. He maintained that this brand of nonsense and unprovoked attacks against Judicial Officers and the Judiciary must stop. “We take very strong exceptions to the criminal blackmail deliberately fabricated and calculated to impugn on the integrity and reputation of our revered and hardworking Judges and Justices by characters like Senator Abbo. “May I remind Senator Abbo that when he lost the case that removed him from the Senate, he openly accused the Senate President, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON of being the architect of his misfortune. When he was confronted with the task to prove the allegation he promptly went on his knees and apologised profusely to Senator Akpabio and retracted the allegations. “It is sad and most unfortunate that this Senator who shot into the limelight on account of his misconduct in a Sex Toy Shop in Abuja would have the criminal courage and effrontery to malign, denigrade and make such invidious imputations against our Justices and judiciary simply because he lost a case. “I wish to state most categorically that it is totally unacceptable, morally reprehensible and legally culpable for a person with Senator Abbo’s moral credentials and profound deficits in character content to embark on such character assassination against our Justices who have sacrificially built their good reputations over the years,” he said.

Court orders Gov Fubara loyalists remain in prison custody

Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon, had ordered that the five loyalists of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State to remain in prison custody, as the court refused to grant them bail. The federal high court, Abuja, rejected and dismissed their application for bail for lacking in merit. They were charged with terrorism offences by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and argued by Lukman Fagbemi SAN. The five defendants charged with terrorism are Chime Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald and Ochueja Thankgod. Refusing the bail application, Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon held that they did not provide special circumstances to warrant their respective release from remand at the Kuje Prison in Abuja. The judge insisted that the defendants, especially Chime Eguma Ezebalike and Prince Lukman Oladele, failed to give cogent and verifiable evidence to back up their request for bail. Also, the Judge held that in their affidavits in support of request for bail deposed to by one Mariam Alawiye, an office assistant, she claimed to have obtained information and exhibits on the defendants from some persons but refused to share the identities of the persons with the court. Justice Olajuwon explained that an affidavit evidence must supply names of those who volunteered information about defendants in a criminal charge as stipulated by Section 115 of the Evidence Act. The Court held that rather than containing facts as required by law, the affidavit contained extraneous issues that are not relevant to persuade any court to grant bail. The Court disagreed with an assertions by the deponent that the defendants would not jump bail, commit any other offence or interfere with witness and investigation adding that claims were vague and hearsay because the deponent did not establish or produce any evidence. To compound the problem, the Judge said that the defendants are charged with terrorism offences which are not ordinarily bailable. In the application of Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Justice Olajuwon said that the claim of his 10 years of chronic hypertension and high blood pressure was not supported with any medical documents. Besides, the Judge held that the counter claim by the IGP that the sickness can be managed by medical personnel of the prison was not disputed While dismissing the bail request, Justice Olajuwon ordered them to remain in Kuje Prison from where they would be coming for their trial. The Judge subsequently granted accelerated hearing and fixed February 8 for opening of trial by the Inspector General of Police IGP. The IGP had on January 25 slammed terrorism charges on the five Port Harcourt-based men who allegedly invaded, vandalized and burnt down Rivers State House of Assembly last year. They were alleged to have committed the alleged terrorism offences during the wake of political upheaval that rocked Port Harcourt in October last year. In the charges against them marked FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2024, police alleged that apart from burning down the State House of Assembly, some of them were said to have killed a Superintendent of Police, (SP) Bako Agbashim and five police informants at Ahoada community of the state. The police informants said to have been killed by the defendants are Charles Osu, Ogbonna Eja, Idaowuka Felix, Paul Victor Chibuogu and Saturday Edi. They were also accused of using various cult groups, namely- Supreme Viking Confraternity, Degbam, Iceland and Greenland to unleash mayhem on the people of the state and their commercial activities. Specifically, they are alleged to have on October 29, 2023 at Moscow Road in Port Harcourt conspired to commit acts of terrorism by wilful destruction of public properties by invading, attacking, destroying and burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly, an offence punishable under section 26 of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022. Part of the charges read, “That you, Chime Eguma Ezebalike, 37 years, business man of Street 5, Radio Estate Ozuoba, Port Harcourt, Prince Lukman Oladele, 47 years of Okocha Street, Port Harcourt, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Hon Edison Ehie and others now at large on 29th of October 2023 at Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, while acting in concert conspired together to commit felony to wit: acts of terrorism by wilful destruction of public properties by invading, attacking, destroying and burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 26 (1) of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022. “That you Chime Eguma Ezebalike, 37 years, business man of Street 5, Radio Estate Ozuoba, Port Harcourt, Prince Lukman Oladele, 47 years of Okocha Street, Port Harcourt, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Hon Edison Ehie and others now at large on 29th of October 2023 at Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, while acting in concert and armed with dynamite, iron rods, lighters and other offensive weapons willfully and maliciously invaded, attacked and set fire on the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 1 of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. ,

FG Says NYSC Will Soon Be Revenue Generating Agency

The Bola Tinubu-led federal government has unveiled a fresh plan to transform the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) into a revenue-generating agency. The Minister of Youth Development, Jamila Bio-Ibrahim, disclosed this during an interview with ChannelsTV on Sunday night. Asked if there were immediate plans to increase the monthly allowance of corps members, the minister said the government was working on reforming the NYSC scheme to reflect the present realities of the nation. “We all understand that resources are dwindling, even oil revenues are not as they used to be but we will find innovative ways of ensuring that corps members’ welfare is well-taken care of,” she said. “When it comes to remuneration and looking totally at the holistic funding of the NYSC, we have announced a reform of the NYSC scheme itself. So, we want the scheme to go beyond that social programme of government to be that revenue-generating scheme and agency. “The reforms which transform the NYSC into a revenue-generating agency and prepare the corps members for the job market and to be decently and gainfully employed or to be employers of labour through entrepreneurship and of course, perfect matching into primary assignment and all the support they need in that career path.” She noted that corps members were no longer posted to states deemed unsafe in the wake of worsening security conditions in the country. “As an immediate intervention of the government and the NYSC as an agency, we have actually stopped posting corps members to the very unsafe states. “We have been doing it. We have been doing it in the past. There are states we have not been posting corps members to to ensure their safety,” she added. According to her, the security of corps members requires collaboration with other agencies of government. “When it comes to security matters, it is a multi-sectoral approach. So, it is not the NYSC alone and the ministry that is involved. We are working with security outlets to ensure corps members are safe,” the minister said.

Enugu Rerun-Election: Labour Party Calls For Cancellation

The Labour Party, LP, has described the House of Representatives re-run election in Igbo-Eze/Udenu federal constituency, Enugu State, as a sham and called for a total cancellation of the exercise. The national secretary of the party, Umar Farouk, who led its monitoring team to polling stations involved in the by-elections on Saturday, told journalists that due process was not followed. He said that accreditation was compromised, result sheets were hijacked, and BVAS machines were disregarded while voters were not allowed to exercise their right to vote. The LP national secretary, who addressed the press in the company of the party’s House of Representatives candidate, Dennis Agbo, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately cancel elections in areas where illegalities have been reported. In his comments, Dennis Agbo also called for the immediate and total cancellation of the supplementary election. He accused the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of using the local government vigilante to intimidate LP supporters. Agbo said LP members were chased away from polling booths by the local vigilantes and further alleged that INEC officials took instructions from PDP officials and allowed voting to take place in private houses.