Rivers Crisis: Oko-Jumbo- led Assembly insists on challenging A’Court decision

The Oko-Jumbo-led Rivers Assembly has insisted that it will challenge the decision of the Appeal Court on the assembly crisis. The Court of Appeal in Abuja had on Thursday nullified the removal of Martin Amaewhule and 24 others from the Rivers State House of Assembly by the Rivers State High Court. But the speaker of the pro-Fubara lawmakers Victor Oko-Jumbo has maintained that he and his members believed that the Appeal Court erred in its decision. He was seen saying this in a video shared by Channels TV via their X handle on Saturday, July 6. He said: “We strongly believe that the Court of Appeal was in error when it held that the Rivers State High Court lacked the Jurisdiction to hear and determine SUIT NO PHC/1512/CS/2024. “Accordingly, we have instructed our lawyers and they have filed an appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria Challenging the Judgement of the Court of Appeal delivered on the 4th Day of July 2024.”

Court Gives Two Kano Judges 48 Hours To Resign

Justice Simon Amobeda of the Federal High Court has instructed Justices Faruk Adamu and Zuwaira Yusuf, judges of Kano State High Court, to step down from their positions as chairmen of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Misappropriated Public Properties and Assets as well as Political Violence and Missing Persons within 48 hours. The National Judicial Council (NJC), Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Attorney General of Kano State, Justices Faruk Adamu and Justice Zuwaira Yusuf are defendants in the case. In a ruling on Thursday in a case brought by former Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Justice Amobeda stated that the NJC should halt payment of any remuneration, allowances and benefits to the two judges from the consolidated revenue fund if they do not comply with the order.  Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, had on April 4 inaugurated the two judicial commissions of inquiry under the chairmanship of Justices Adamu and Yusuf to investigate cases of misappropriation of public properties, political violence and cases of missing persons from 2015 to 2023. Justice Amobeda directed that the judges should refrain from carrying out the executive functions assigned to them by the governor in courtrooms designated for adjudicating disputes between individuals and authorities in the state. The judge held that “The combined effects of sections 6, 84, 153(1), 271(2), 272 together with paragraph 21(c) of part 1 of the third schedule to the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the 4th and 5th defendants (Justices Faruk Adamu and Zuwaira Yusuf) are not legally permitted, “while purporting to hold the office of a judge of high court of Kano State, to accept appointments as chairmen of commission of inquiry with quasi-judicial powers equivalent to that of a Magistrate and subject to review by a judge of the High court of Kano State.” The court ruled that the governor lacked the authority to appoint and administer the oath of office for individuals to serve as chairmen of a commission of inquiry, a position designated for commissioners exercising executive powers. The court emphasized that Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman’s ruling, which stated that only the EFCC and the ICPC have the jurisdiction to investigate the former governor, deems it an abuse of power and a violation of judicial integrity for the governor to establish a commission of inquiry to probe the plaintiff’s administration. Nevertheless, the court dismissed the plaintiff’s counsel’s argument that the judges compromised their judicial roles by participating in the judicial commission of inquiry.

Edo Guber: Court nulifies PDP Primary poll

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has declared as invalid the People’s Democratic Party’s Primary election that produced Asue Ighodalo as a governorship candidate. The primary election conducted on February 22, 2024 was voided on the ground that 378 delegates who were supposed to vote at the primary election were unlawfully excluded by PDP. The court invalidated the primary election on Thursday while delivering judgment in a suit instituted by the aggrieved delegates. The suit marked THC/ABJ/CS/165/2024 was instituted by one Hon Kelvin Mohammed in a representative capacity. Justice Ekwo held that both the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and PDP Guidelines were grossly violated in the conduct of the primary election at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin. Details later.

Diezani’s ex-husband wants court to stop her from using his name

A former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Alison Madueke, has asked a Lagos State High Court to stop the former petroleum minister, Diezani, from using his last name and to revert to her maiden name Agama. In the petition that declared that their marriage has ended, Mr Alison argues that Diezani’s ongoing use of his name despite their marriage being legally over is damaging to his reputation. He submitted that her actions could lead to unintended consequences, including mistaken liability, particularly given the corruption allegations against her. According to him, Diezani had previously filed for divorce at the Nassarawa State High Court in Mararaba Gurku in November 2021, citing an irreconcilable breakdown of their marriage, seeking to end their union formally. He said he did not oppose the suit, resulting in the court’s dissolution of the marriage, yet Diezani persists in using his surname despite the formal termination of their marital union. He stated, “On the 13th day of April 2022, judgment was delivered in Suit No. NSD/MG345/2021 by Hon. Justice A.A. Ozegya dissolves the marriage between the petitioner and the respondent on the ground that the marriage has broken down irretrievably. “The said dissolution of marriage has now become absolute by the operation of law. “Even though the marriage has been dissolved and is now legally finalised, the respondent continues to use the petitioner’s first name (Alison) and surname (Madueke) as her own without any justification or consent from the petitioner. “It is now more than two years that the respondent continues to use the name of the petitioner to his embarrassment.” Madueke revealed that he directed his legal representatives to serve Diezani a formal request on December 14, 2023, demanding that she cease using his surname and revert to her maiden name, Agama However, despite this legal notice, Diezani has failed to respond and continues to use his name. The petition further read, “The respondent has continued to hold out herself as the wife of the petitioner even when the marriage has been dissolved. “The respondent is undergoing criminal trials in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom. The charge in Nigeria is Suit No. FUC/ABI/CR/208/2010. “The respondent faces public allegations of corruption and financial misconduct, for which trials are ongoing for both. “The persistent portrayal of the respondent as the spouse of the petitioner is creating embarrassment, a misleading impression, and tarnishing the reputation, integrity, and public image of the petitioner. “The respondent’s continued use of the petitioner’s first and surname falsely suggests to the public a continuing relationship between the parties though same has since legally ended. “The respondent’s continued use of the petitioner’s first and family names poses a significant risk of legal and financial harm to the petitioner. “The petitioner seeks the intervention of this Honourable Court to prevent the respondent from further using his first name and surname, thereby safeguarding his image, personality, and reputation.” Madueke sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining Diezani from further using his names following the dissolution of their marriage. He also prayed for a perpetual injunction restraining the respondent from further asserting, by words or conduct, the existence of marriage between them. He is seeking a court order that compels Diezani to revert to her maiden name and to publicly announce in a national newspaper, both in Nigeria and the UK, that she has ceased using his surname.

Court Sentences LP Candidate to Seven Years Imprisonment 

An Enugu South Magistrate Court presided over by Justice E D Onwu, has sentenced the Labour Party candidate for Enugu South Urban state Constituency, Hon Bright Ngene, to 7 years’ imprisonment. The Magistrate, who handed the verdict on Friday had on Thursday, said that he was under instruction to deal with a matter involving the LP candidate who won the Enugu South Urban state Constituency, during the March 18, 2023, general elections. Ngene and two others were arraigned in court since 2017 by the Nigeria Police Force, Enugu command in a matter involving himself and his community worth about N15million. After he won the 2023 general elections against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, who also challenged the victory of Ngene and sought for the election to be declared inconclusive, which the election petition tribunal agreed and ordered rerun election in eight polling units, the ruling government resurrected the matter involving his community development fund. The matter was abandoned since 2017 when he was lawyer for his community, Akwuke, Enugu State. SaharaReporters reported on June 25, that Bright Ngene had raised the alarm over an alleged conspiracy between the executive and judiciary arms of the state government to imprison him.  Ngene, who spoke to journalists in Enugu, had claimed that the plot was aimed at punishing him for insisting on the mandate he won in the March 18, 2023 House of Assembly Election.  He had noted that the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice A. R Ozoemena, the Deputy Chief Registrar, Chijioke Agbo, and Magistrate E. D Onwu colluded to disregard the petition pending before the National Judicial Council which seized the case.  Ngene is seeking for an urgent intervention to prevent what he sees as a gross miscarriage of justice aimed at terminating his political and legal careers. Ngene of the Labour Party was declared the winner of last year’s Enugu South Rural Constituency election and was sworn into the House of Assembly but was aborted by the court in a petition by his rival, Sam Ngene of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.   Re-run elections for the disputed eight polling units in the Constituency have been held twice but were inconclusive, while the scheduled third-time re-run of June 8 was cancelled without notice to the LP candidate. In his petition to the NJC, Ngene alleged that “there is corruptive agreement between the Honourable Chief Judge of Enugu State, His Lordship A. R Ozoemena, the Deputy Chief Registrar N.L Chijioke Agbo, His Worship E. D Onwu, Esq and the Enugu State government to at all cost or willy nilly put me behind bars before a re-run is conducted over my seat in the Enugu State House of Assembly. “Otherwise, why are these parties applying impunity in continuing with the trial when the NJC has accepted custody of the matter? The ideal thing is that parties in this matter should relax for NJC to decide but they are rushing the matter to put me behind bars and go ahead to conduct the re-run election. “I seek the NJC to save me from oppression, persecution, and impeding wrongful conviction bathed by corruption and obvious abuse of judicial office and power. “Unless the National Judicial Council intervenes, the Honourable Chief Judge of Enugu State, the Deputy Chief Registrar, and His Worship E. D Onwu will wrongfully and corruptly destroy my ambition to continue to be in the House of Assembly of Enugu State and dent my political and legal career with conviction,” Ngene petitioned. But when the matter came up for adoption of written addresses, on Thursday, there was an uproar in court room as three lawyers fought fruitlessly to dissuade the magistrate to give a long adjournment date in a matter against Ngene and two others. While the defence counsels, Messrs CJ S Okereke, Benjamin C. Nwobodo and Frabel Awgu asked the trial Magistrate to adjourn the matter till next week to enable them study and reply to application filed by the prosecuting counsel, His Worship E D Ownu insisted that c

Yahaya Bello’s lawyer applies to withdraw from case

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Adeola Adedipe, on Thursday, applied to the Federal High Court in Abuja to withdraw his appearance for the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. Bello is facing a 19-count charge bordering on his alleged complicity in money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of about N80.2billion. Following his absence in court for his scheduled arraignment, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, urged the trial judge to dock his lawyers for failing to fulfil an undertaking they made to ensure his availability for trial. Lead counsel for the EFCC, Mr. Kemi Pinhero, SAN, prayed the court to punish the two senior lawyers that always represented the former governor, insisting that they have breached the rules of professional conduct. Pinhero, SAN, argued that Order 31(3) of Rules of Professional Conduct for legal practitioners stipulated that any lawyer that failed to comply with an undertaking he made before a court, aside from being in contempt, is automatically guilty of misconduct. “My lord, our application is that since one of the lawyers is present in court, he should be moved to the dock and dealt with him summarily, that is what the law says. “We urge the court to exercise disciplinary jurisdiction over the lawyers so as to preserve the integrity of the judiciary. “If a Chief Justice of Nigeria can be docked before an inferior tribunal, who then is an SAN or a former governor in terms of status? “Even a former President of the United States of America was docked. These senior lawyers have been helping the defendant to treat this court with scorn. “For five consecutive sittings, the defendant refused to make himself available for his trial and his lawyers have continued to use all forms of chicanery to frustrate his arraignment. “If this sort of conduct is not punished, then we will be sliding to a situation that will be worse than the Animal Farm. “The world is watching. Punishing these senior lawyers will send a very clear message,” EFCC’s lawyer added. Responding, Adedipe, SAN, told the court that he was not Bello’s lead counsel, even as he denied making any undertaking to secure his presence for the trial. “My lord, the narration by the prosecution counsel is very untrue and it is accentuated by malice. I am not the lead counsel in this matter. “What the learned prosecution counsel has tried to do was to pitch my person against this court,” Adedipe, SAN, insisted. He argued that it was the EFCC that treated the court with disrespect as it failed to execute the warrant it obtained for the arrest of the defendant. Adedipe, SAN, said his team had earlier notified the court that it was not aware of the whereabouts of the former governor. He said in the light of the turn the case had taken, he had no option than to activate the provision of section 349(8) of ACJA, 2015, by withdrawing his appearance for the defendant. However, the EFCC, through its counsel, maintained that it was late for the defence lawyer to pull out of the case. “My lord, he should be used to set an example that this is not a lottery game. His request to withdraw is only an afterthought and it should not be countenanced by this court. “I urge your lordship to invite him to the dock immediately,” the prosecution counsel submitted. Trial Justice Emeka Nwite is yet to rule on the matter.

Alleged N80bn fraud: Again, Bello absent in court …wants case transfer to Kogi

The embattled former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has failed to appeared in court as he wants he case transfered to Kogi State. At the resumed proceeding in the matter Thursdays, Bello, failed to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja to enter his plea to the charge against him. The embattled Bello, is facing a 19-count charge before the federal high court, raised against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC). In a letter to the Chief Judge through his team of lawyers led by Mr. Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN, maintained that only Lokoja Division of the high court has the territorial jurisdiction to entertain the allegations levelled against him. Counsel to Bello, Mr. Adeola Adedipe, SAN, brought the attention of trial Justice Emeka Nwite to the letter his client wrote to the CJ. He said, “My lord, after the proceedings of the last adjourned date, I went back and gave a report of what happened in court to our team. “However, I was made to understand that a letter had been written on behalf of the defendant to the honourable Chief Judge of the Federal High Court requesting in substance, that this matter be administratively transfered to the Federal High Court, Lokoja Judicial Division, which we believe have territorial jurisdiction to handle this matter. “That letter was received at the Chief Judge’s Chambers and the office of the of honourable CJ wrote the prosecution team through Mr. Iseoluwa Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, on June 13, notifying him that administrative steps has been activated, whereof he was directed to provide a response to the request for transfer of the matter. “My lord, as of this morning, I am not aware whether there has been a response by the prosecution team in compliance to the directive of the CJ. “We are also not in receipt of any decision that has been made on this request by the CJ. “I am also aware that this administrative directive of the CJ has been formally communicated to this court. “We have filed an affidavit wherein we attached two documents referencing the details that I have just highlighted. “My duty is first to the court. As of the moment, I am not urging anything from the court, but just to present the facts as they were,” Adedipe, SAN, added. On his part, the EFCC, through its counsel, Mr. Kemi Pinhero, SAN, urged the court to compel the defence lawyer to explain why the defendant was not in court, despite an undertaking he made on June 13 to ensure his presence in court for arraignment. He prayed the court to dismiss “the story of the defence lawyer as dilatory and a further attempt to treat this court with scorn.” The EFCC counsel argued that the letter to the CJ did not discharge the undertaking that were made by the senior lawyers representing the defendant. Pinhero, SAN, further argued that even where a petition is forwarded against a judge to the National Judicial Council, NJC, it does not stop proceedings on cases pending before the judge. Consequently, he applied for the court to invite the two senior lawyers representing the former governor to show cause why they should not be dealt with for contemptuous conduct. Bello, who piloted affairs of Kogi state for eight years, is facing a charge bordering on his alleged complicity in money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of about N80.2billion. EFCC alleged that the former governor, alongside his nephew Ali Bello and two others, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu, were complicit in money laundering. Also the defendant briefed his lawyers to file an application to set aside an arrest warrant that was issued against him on April 17, as well as to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to try him. He insisted that the EFCC acted in breach of a subsisting judgement of a High Court in Kogi State when it entered the charge against him and also applied for a bench warrant to be issued for his arrest.

Senate Never Proposed New Aircraft For Tinubu, Shettima – Akpabio

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has dismissed the report that the 10th Senate is proposing that the Federal Government should procure new aircraft for President Bola Tinubu and his Vice, Senator Kashim Shettima. Speaking to newsmen in Maiduguri shortly after leading a delegation to pay a condolence visit to Senator Tahir Monguno over the death of his father, Akpabio noted that the report is not true. Last week, reports filtered in the media that the Senate President made a comment that the Senate would approve the purchase of new aircraft for the President and Vice President irrespective of the fact that Nigerians are hungry. The Senate President said the report was from propagandists and fifth columnists, stressing that the Senate was focused on delivering legislation that would support the actualisation of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Akpabio, who expressed satisfaction with the present security situation of Borno State, urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the present administration. The Chairman of the National Assembly stated that, “I want to dispell the rumour that you are hearing that the Senate President said he will buy a new plane for the President and his Vice, irrespective of the fact that Nigerians are hungry or whatever. “I never said that. I was actually in Zanzibar, Tanzania, It is the handiwork of propagandists and fifth columnists, who never see anything good in what we are doing. Be rest assured, pray for the government, have patience and be assured that the combination of Tinubu and Shettima will bring wealth and prosperity to all. “I am happy to see that peace has returned to Borno, as a result of the hardwork of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I want to tell the good of people of Borno to continue to support the administration.”

Court Adjourns Hearing In Case Against Emir Bayero, See New Date

A Kano State High Court has adjourned the hearing of a case filed by the Kano State Government seeking to restrain the 15th Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero and four other emirs from parading themselves as emirs to July 2, 2024. Presiding over the case, Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu listened to arguments from both sides before deciding on the adjournment. Counsel to Ado Bayero, Barr. Ibrahim Muktar, and the counsel representing the Attorney General of Kano State, the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, and the House of Assembly itself, Barr. Ibrahim Isah-Wangida, also presented their cases before the court. The court was initially set to address a motion on notice filed by the plaintiffs, concerning an interlocutory injunction following an interim order granted by the court, however, the first defendant had served the plaintiffs with a counter-affidavit, necessitating a response. The respondents in the case include Emir Aminu Ado Bayero, Emir Nasiru Ado Bayero of Bichi, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar II of Karaye, Emir Kabiru Muhammad-Inuwa of Rano, and Emir Aliyu Ibrahim-Gaya of Gaya. Other respondents include the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigerian Army. The case was previously slated for hearing on June 11, 2024. However, Mr. Abdulsalam Saleh, counsel to the IGP, informed the court that attempts to serve the first to fifth respondents had failed due to a Federal High Court order preventing harassment and intimidation. As a result, the counsel for the applicants, Eyitayo Fatogun (SAN), requested another date to complete the necessary applications for service on the respondents. Justice Aliyu directed that the emirs be served through the office of the Kano State Commissioner of Police and adjourned the matter to June 24, 2024, for hearing the motion on notice. During Monday’s proceedings, Barrister Abdulrazak Ahmad confirmed that Bayero had been served and requested the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that the Kano State High Court lacks jurisdiction over the case. Contrarily, Barr. Ibrahim Isah-Wangida, representing the government, maintained that the court has jurisdiction and requested the court to hear the case in its entirety, including the originating summons. Justice Aliyu subsequently adjourned the case to July 2, 2024, to consider the pleas from both sides and continue the hearing of the case filed by the Kano State Government.

Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of N12.18b Property Linked To Godwin Emefiele

The court has decreed the permanent forfeiture of a property valued at N12.18 billion associated with former CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele. Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke granted the ultimate forfeiture order following a court session where the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by lawyer Chineye Okezie, presented and discussed a motion. The properties, situated in highly sought-after locations within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Abuja, were included in two separate listings. Justice Aneke directed the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper to give all concerned parties the opportunity to challenge the final order. On June 21, when the court resumed proceedings, there were no parties present to contest the temporary order. After carefully examining a detailed 41-paragraph affidavit presented by EFCC Investigating Officer Michael John Idoko, along with the 19 accompanying exhibits and a written address signed by Okezie, Justice Aneke approved the application. The judge said, “Having carefully considered the application and submission of counsel, it is hereby ordered as follows: a final forfeiture order is made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria, properties contained in Schedule A, which were traced and reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.”