BREAKING: Adoke discharged, acquitted of all charges as court dismisses EFCC’s second case
Justice Inyang Ekwo of the federal high court, Abuja, on Friday upheld the “no case” submission by Mohammed Bello Adoke, former attorney-general of the federation, on charges of money laundering. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had charged Adoke and Abubakar Aliyu, a property developer, to court in 2017, alleging money laundering to the tune of N300 million. Although there is no mention of the OPL 245 transaction in this case, the same particulars were also charged by the EFCC before Justice Abubakar Kutigi of the FCT high court in 2020. While the EFCC admitted before Ekwo that it was a mortgage that Adoke took from Unity Bank, it alleged before Kutigi that the money was a bribe from the sale of the oil block by Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd in 2011. On March 28, 2024, Kutigi pointed out the contradiction while dismissing the charges against Adoke and other defendants, chiding the EFCC for wasting the court’s time for four years. In his own ruling on Friday morning, Ekwo said the EFCC did not provide any evidence to prove the essential elements of the offence against Adoke, who was listed as the first defendant. He upheld the no case submission, discharging and acquitting, However, Ekwo ruled that Aliyu, the second defendant, has to open his defence because he has a case to answer.
Zamfara Government Bans Political Officers, Civil Servants From Granting Radio, TV Interviews
The government of Zamfara State has implemented a ban on political office holders and agency heads, prohibiting them from engaging in interviews, issuing statements, or broadcasting programs on radio, television, or social media without prior authorization. Media organizations within the state are also cautioned against airing any programs without approval from the Ministry of Information. The Commissioner of Information, Mannir Haidara, emphasized the ministry’s dedication to overseeing compliance with these regulations, ensuring accurate dissemination of government policies and information through radio stations. The statement reads: “The Zamfara state government has observed with dismay the attitudes of some individuals, political groups and heads of MDAs towards conducting radio, television stations and social media platforms interviews and programmes on state government’s policies and programmes without following the right channels”. “In an effort to checkmate the unwanted behaviour, the Zamfara state Ministry of Information and Culture hereby announce that henceforth no political office holder, group or head of any agencies is allowed to conduct any interview, issue statement or air a programme on radio, television stations or social media without seeking a permission from the authority”. “Moreover, the Ministry of Information and Culture is hereby calling on the media organisations based in the state to desist from conducting or airing any radio or television programmes on government’s policies for any individuals or group of people without the approval of the supervising Ministry or the Ministry of Information“. “The information ministry is highly committed to observing and monitoring the radio stations for compliance and ensuring that all Information passed to the general public on government and its policies are true and properly disseminated”.
Details Of PDP NEC Meeting Emerge
The details of the 98th Meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have emerged. The NEC expressed concern over the ill-implemented policies of the insensitive APC administration, leading to worsening insecurity, harrowing economic hardship, soaring unemployment rate, high cost of food and other necessities of life with pervading misery and despondency across the country. It also expressed serious apprehensions over the spate of acts of terrorism and violence including the escalated cases of mindless killings, mass abduction of innocent Nigerians and marauding of communities in various parts of the country. It condemned the insensitivity, nonchalance, incompetence and arrogance in failure of the APC administration which continues to conduct itself in a manner that shows that it has no iota of interest or commitment towards the wellbeing of Nigerians. It also kicked against the creeping totalitarianism and tendencies towards a One-Party State which is inimical to the peace, stability and corporate existence of our nation as well as the development of Democracy and good governance in the country. The PDP after due consideration demanded that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should urgently convene a special National Security Council meeting to proffer a holistic solution and measures to curb the disturbing insecurity with its attendant negative consequences on our national life. It also appealed that President Tinubu should immediately rejig his Economic Team to bring in persons of proven integrity and competence without bias and vested interest to assist in repositioning the economy.
PDP To Elect New Chairman In August
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has resolved to elect a new national chairman in August 2024. This announcement follows the 98th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja yesterday, at which party stakeholders decided to extend Umar Damagum’s tenure as the party’s acting national chairman. Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, who serves as the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, shared this information with journalists during a press briefing held in Abuja yesterday. He said: “In the next two months we will see a lot of activities, leadership is a responsibility. We said in September that we would have come out from our congresses. “We will look at the issue of leadership and look at the issue of our constitution where it will be and we will do it without rancour.” Mohammed emphasized that the smooth execution of the party’s NEC gathering demonstrated the absence of any disagreement or hostility within the leadership. “It was planned that the party will have an explosion. PDP is more than that, we have gone beyond all these idiosyncrasies. This party is a united party that is guided by experience and constitutionality. “There were a lot of permutations and mischievous thinking outside there. But we looked at all the issues and we worked along our guidelines and constitution. There is no problem or dissension and problem among members,” Premiumtimes quoted the PDP chieftain saying. In his remark, the acting national chairman, Damagum, said that the leadership of the party was not a do-or-die affair. “This is not a matter of life and death. I am still an elected member of this NEC. Even if I revert to deputy national chairman I’m still a member of NWC. The issue of surviving or not does not emerge,” he said.
Why PDP failed to suspend Wike, Makinde, others over anti-party activities – George
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has reacted to calls for the the suspension of FCT minister, Nyesom Wike and other members of the G-5 group. According to George, the PDP is more focused on reconciling its members than punishing them over previous actions against the party. The PDP chieftain stated this during an interview with ChannelsTV on Thursday, April 18. Wike, now the minister of the FCT under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), fell out with the PDP hierarchy in the lead-up to the presidential election of last year. He and a group called G-5 including then-governors, worked against the PDP in the presidential election, insisting the southern part of Nigeria ought to produce the party’s flagbearer. While many have questioned Wike’s membership of the party with others calling for sanctions against him, Bode George says the PDP is working to settle its matters. “There is a standing committee. They are going to add more members to do a post-mortem analysis,” he said. “We don’t want to start firing because there are one or two people that are still thinking about the past. The party must move on.” “It is an issue in the party. It should not be resolved in the marketplace,” the PDP chieftain said, insisting “We are going to settle our own matters like a family.” The PDP was the runner-up in the 2023 presidential election, losing to the ruling APC. Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president, was its flagbearer in that exercise and also in 2019.
BREAKING: EFCC declares Yahaya Bello wanted
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, wanted for offences relating to economic and financial crimes. This was contained in a notice posted on the commission’s official Facebook page on Thursday. “The public is hereby notified that YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO (former Governor of Kogi State), whose photograph appears above is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with alleged case of Money Laundering to the tune of N80,246,470,089.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eighty Nine Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo). Bello, 48-year old Ebiraman, is a native of Okenne Local Government of Kogi State. His last known address is: 9, Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja. “Anybody with useful information as to his whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its lbadan, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt and Abuja offices or through these numbers 09-9044751-3, 08093322644, 08183322644, 07026350721-3, 0706350724-5; its e-mail address: info@efccnigeria.org or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies, ” a public notice issued by the EFCC read. Yahaya Bello’s response to these allegations remains unknown at this time, as he has yet to issue a public statement regarding the EFCC’s declaration.
N40bn fraud: Obiano loses bid to stop trial
The Federal High Court, Abuja, has refused to quash the N40Billion money laundering charges brought against the former governor of Anambra State, Willie Maduabuchi Obiano by the federal government. The trial Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling Thursday, faulted and rejected all grounds upon which the application was predicted by Obiano. The court held that all the reliefs sought by Obiano are not grantable because they are premature and lacking in merit. Meanwhile, Justice Ekwo permitted the ex-governor 60 days to travel abroad for medical treatment. He ordered that Obiano be made to sign an undertaking to return to the country after the treatment and to deposit his travelling passport within three days of his return to Nigeria. The former governor had, amongst others, prayed the judge to dismiss the 9-count charges instituted against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC on behalf of the federal government. He claimed that there was no connection between the proof of evidence supplied to court by EFCC and the accusations against him. He averred that there was no testimony from any witness indicating that he issued directives for the disbursement of security votes and other funds belonging to the Anambra State government. Obiano also claimed that he can not be held accountable for any alleged unlawful actions by officials of the Anambra State government as there is no concept of vicarious liability in the criminal justice system. His motion on notice was brought pursuant to section 6 (6) (a) and (b) and section 36(6) (6) b of the 1999 constitution as amended and section 1(1) & (2), 266, 271(b), 383(4) &492 (3) of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act 2015. Among others, Obiano sought “An order of the court quashing the instant charge for it amounts to flagrant abuse of judicial process and a mockery of the criminal Justice “An order quashing the charge for non-disclosure of a prime facie case being vague and devoid of precision in respect of all the 9 count charges. “No prima facie case has been disclosed against the defendant in this charge. There is no link between the proof of evidence and the purported allegation made against the defendant in the charge “No evidence exists from any witness showing that the defendant passed down a directive for the disbursement of security votes and other funds belonging to the Anambra State government. “The defendant can not be made answerable for any purported unlawful actions of officials of Anambra State government as there is no vicarious liability in our criminal jurisprudence. “The thinking and conclusion of the prosecution on the counts arose from speculation and suspicions “The subject matter of the charge borders on accountability for security vote funds. The honourable court lacks the requisite jurisdiction to entertain issues on accountability for security vote funds “There is an appeal filed by the Anambra state government challenging the powers of EFCC to investigate the security vote of the Anambra state government. “The preferment of the entire charge is in bad faith. This honourable court has inherent judicial power to grant all the reliefs sought above. However, the judge said that there is no way the court would know whether the former governor is linked with the alleged offences or not unless the trial is conducted in line with the provisions of the law. The former governor is being prosecuted by EFCC on 9-count charges bordering on money laundering to the tune of N40 billion. The matter is adjourned to June 24, 25, 26, and 27 for commencement of trial.
Protesters storm PDP secretariat, demand Wike’s suspension
Some protesters, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Reform Vanguard, have besieged the party’s secretariat in Abuja to demand the suspension of FCT minister, Nyesom Wike. The protesters also called for the resignation of Umar Damagun as acting national chairman of the PDP. The group arrived the headquarters on Thursday morning ahead of the scheduled national executive council (NEC) meeting of the PDP, while demanding that Wike should be suspended for alleged anti-party activities. Speaking with reporters, Usman Seidu, convener of the group, said Damagun and Wike have “undermined our collective efforts and jeopardised our very existence as a formidable opposition force”. “We commend our former National Chairman Dr. Iyorchia Ayu for his demonstration of unwavering loyalty and love for our party by withdrawing all pending suits against the party in the court,” Seidu said. “His actions have paved the way for our great party to move forward, to cleanse our ranks and restore integrity to our leadership. However, the presence of individuals like Amb. Iliya Damagun and Mr. Nyesom Wike within our midst remains a cancerous growth on the body of our party. Their actions, tantamount to betrayal, have undermined our collective efforts and jeopardised our very existence as a formidable opposition force. “The time has come for the NEC to act decisively. Amb. Iliya Damagun must be removed from his position as acting national chairman, in accordance with the provisions of our party’s constitution. “He must be replaced with a loyal member from the north-central, someone who embodies the spirit of our party and will work tirelessly for the advancement of its course. “Furthermore, we cannot turn a blind eye to the continuous presence of Mr. Nyesom Wike within our ranks. His romance with the APC has been handsomely rewarded with his appointment as minister of the FCT and as such, his stay is a slap in the face of every loyal member of our party. ”If the party fails to take decisive action against those who have betrayed our trust, then it risks losing the faith and support of it’s loyal members across the country.” Wike attended the national caucus meeting of the PDP on Wednesday.
Kogi Governor to chair committee for Ondo APC primary poll
Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi state, has been appointed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to lead a seven-member committee that will conduct the party’s governorship primary election in Ondo state. The Ondo APC primary poll has been slated for April 20. The committee is expected to conduct direct primary elections in the 18 LGAs of the state. The five-man primary election appeal committee will be headed by Mohammed Abubakar, former governor of Bauchi. Abubakar’s committee will be inaugurated by Suleiman Argungu, APC national organising secretary; with Ovie Omo-Agege, former deputy senate president, serving as the secretary of the primary election committee. Obiocha Israel will serve as secretary to the five-man election appeal committee, with Jamilu Gwamna, Patrick Obahiagbon and Onyeka Okafor as members.
Another Judge Halts Ganduje’s Suspension From APC
A Kano high court has issued an order halting the suspension of the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, from his party. Justice A.M Liman gave this interim ruling in response to an ex parte motion filed by Ganduje, wherein he sought to enforce his fundamental right to a fair hearing. The suspension, initially enforced on April 15 by APC executives in Dawakin ward, Tofa LGA of Kano, came after Ganduje was accused of corruption. The Kano State APC working committee quickly overturned this local party action, which also disciplined the ward executives involved in Ganduje’s suspension. However, to complicate matters further, Justice Usman Na’Abba of the Kano High Court previously upheld the suspension, deepening the legal and political intrigue surrounding the case. The respondents named in Ganduje’s application included not only local party officials but also major national security agencies like the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Justice Liman’s order temporarily stops any enforcement of Ganduje’s suspension, stipulating that no action should be taken until the case is fully heard and a determination is made. “That all the parties are hereby mandated to maintain status quo before the purported emergency meeting of the alleged executive members of APC Ganduje Ward, and to stay action in respect of this matter pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application,” Liman said. The judge subsequently fixed April 30 to hear Ganduje’s appeal.