Category: Lead

Oluwaseun Osinbajo, the driver of the Lagos staff bus involved in last Thursday’s collision with a train that left six persons dead and several injured has begged victims for forgiveness. 

Passengers in the bus that survived the collision blamed the 44-year-old for the incident, alleging he ignored warnings not to cross the train line before the incident. 

They said he had his earpiece on while driving and ignored the directive of the Flag Officers at the rail line. 

But Osinbajo blamed the incident on a mechanical fault in the bus. 

Read Also : BRT driver ignored our warnings, Lagos train victims allege as as

The driver, who works with the Lagos State Ministry of Transport, has been transferred to the State Criminal Intelligence Department SCID after escaping the collision unhurt. 

According to Vanguard, he was heard telling his relations: “It was not my fault. How could I have ignored warning signs? The bus had a mechanical fault.

“ It is a pity this has happened. I beg everyone affected to please forgive me in the name of God.”

The February 25 presidential and National Assembly polls saw the emergence of only three women senators-elect in the list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 10th Senate. 

An examination of the list of the female senators-elect showed that all of them are new members of the Red Chamber.

The three senators-elect are Labour Party’s Kingibe Ireti Heebah, representing the Federal Capital Territory; Peoples Democratic Party’s Banigo Ipalibo Harry, representing Rivers West, and Adebule Idiat Oluranti of the All Progressives Congress representing Lagos West.

In the past National Assembly terms, women have remained consistently underrepresented.

The Ninth Assembly which was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari was inaugurated on June 11, 2019, is already winding up its activities.

Out of Parliament’s 469 seats, 109 Senators, and 360 members of the House of Representatives, women only occupy 21 seats; eight in the Senate and 13 in the House of Representatives in the Ninth Assembly.

The transition to the 4th republic in May 29, 1999 ushered in democracy and with it a new constitution, under which the current National Gender policy was promulgated. 

This policy recommends that women be represented by at least 35% in both elected and appointed public service positions. One of such key offices is the National Assembly.

Read Also : APC kickstarts hunt for 10th NASS leadership

The 13 females for 10th House of Representatives are as follow:

1. Orogbu Obiageli – LP, Awkwa North/Awka South Federal Constituency

2. Nnabuife Chinwe Clara – YPP, Orumba North/ Orumba South Federal Constituency

3. Gwacham Mauren Chinwe – APGA, Oyi/Ayamelum Federal Constituency

4. Ebikake Marie Enenimiete – PDP, Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency

5. Akume Regina – APC, Gboko/Tarka Federal Constituency

6. Onuh Onyeche Blessing – APC, Otukpo/Ohimini Federal Constituency

7. Zainab Gimba – APC, Bama/Ngala/Kala-Balge Federal Constituency

8. Ibori-Suenu Erhiatake – PDP, Ethiope East/Ethiope West Federal Constituency

9. Onuoha Miriam Odinaka – APC, Isiala Mbano, Okigwe, Onuimo Federal Constituency

10. Beni Butmak Lar – PDP, Langtang North, Langtang South Federal Constituency

11. Goodhead Boma – PDP, Akuku Toru, Asari Toru Federal Constituency

12. Bukar Abba Ibrahim Khadijah Waziri – APC, Damaturu, Gujuba, Gulani, Tarmuwa Federal Constituency

13. Fatima Talba – APC, Nangere Potiskum Federal Constituency

• Malami gets Supreme Court’s enrolled order on validity of old notes
• Silence of Presidency, Central Bank on judgment stirs anger
• Traders, transporters, others insist on hearing from Buhari
• Kogi orders arrest of persons, businesses rejecting old notes
• Confusion over acceptance, payment of old naira notes by banks
• Cash crunch lingers over scarcity of new notes, failed online transactions 

Ten states are set for a fresh legal battle with the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) following the non-compliance of the Federal Government and the apex bank with the March 3rd judgment of the Supreme Court on the extension of the validity of the old naira notes.

The non-implementation of the court order has heightened anger and frustration across the land as Nigerians wait endlessly for government to give the green light for the resumption of the use of the old N500 and N1000 notes.

At press time, traders, filling stations and transporters still refused to accept the notes while the new notes remained scarce.

The consequence is a massive slow-down of the economy.

The governments of Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara, Ondo, Ekiti, Katsina, Ogun, Cross River, Lagos and Sokoto states yesterday served the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN) the enrolled order of the Supreme Court on the extension of the validity of the old N200, N500 and N1,000 to December 31st, 2023.

By the service, the order became automatically applicable to all agencies of the Federal Government, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Malami and CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele risk being committed for contempt of the court if by Monday, they refuse to comply with the order of the apex court.

The 10 states have activated the machinery to file contempt charges against Malami and Emefiele if they defy the order of the Supreme Court.

The delay in releasing the Certified True Copy (CTC) seems to have encouraged the banks to adopt different attitudes to the judgment of the apex court.

Some of the banks have been giving the old notes to customers but the banks insist that customers go through the strenuous process stipulated by the CBN for the old notes to be banked.

The Nation gathered that the enrolled order, dated March 3rd, 2023, was served on AGF Malami yesterday.

One of the counsel in the matter said: “We have finally served the Attorney-General of the Federation the enrolled order of the Supreme Court.

“What we did on Friday was to fulfill all righteousness by serving the enrolled order on the AGF. The Federal Government has been evasive by claiming that it had not received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, which we have obtained and made available to it. The burden is on Malami to act as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation to comply with the order.

“There is no hiding place for the government; there is no excuse again. While we are waiting for the government’s decision, the law provides us backing for Plan B.”

The enrolled order of the Supreme Court, which was sighted by The Nation, reads as follows: “It is ordered that this suit has merit. That the demonetization directive/policy by the President of the Federation to wit: withdrawal of the old 200, 500, and 1000 naira notes is not consistent with the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which makes provision for the Executive power of the President of the Federation and the extant laws on the subject matter.

“That the three months’ notice given for the implementation and completion of the said demonetization policy by which time the old N1,000, N500 and N200 naira notes shall cease to be legal tender does not satisfy the condition set out in Section 20(3) of the CBN Act 2007.

“That the President cannot unilaterally give a directive to embark on the demonetization policy pursuant to Section 20(3) of the CBN Act 2007 in view of Nigeria’s Fiscal Federalism, the economic interest of the Constituents of the Federation and without consultation with, and advice from the plaintiff, individually, and in their capacity as members of the National Council of States and National Economic Council and that the directive cannot be given without consultation with, and advice from the cabinet, the National Security Council and other stakeholders.

“That in issuing the directive for demonetization policy pursuant to Section  20(3) of the CBN Act, 2007 on behalf of the Federation of Nigeria, the President is under an obligation to ensure that adequate structures are put in place for the plaintiffs and Nigerian citizens prior to the implementation  of the said directive.

“That the demonetization directive/policy by the President of the Federation to wit: withdrawal of the old N200, N500 and N1, 000 notes unlawfully impede the exercise of the Executive Powers of the plaintiffs’ states and other obligations to facilitate and protect the welfare of the citizens of the said states pursuant to Section 5(2) and other provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended) as well as other extant laws.

“That the directive given by the President pursuant to Section 20(3) of the CBN Act 2007 limiting the amount that can be withdrawn and the charges therein without an enabling law is unconstitutional and not binding on the plaintiffs.

“That the directive of the President of the President of the Federation exercised is illegal to the extent that it restricts, without an enabling law, the rights of the plaintiffs to freely use their money in various bank accounts.

“That the old version of N200, N500 and N1,000 notes shall continue to be legal tender alongside with the new or redesigned version until 31st December, 2023.

“That the reception of old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes and the swapping of same with new Naira notes shall continue till 31st December, 2023.

“That all the consolidated suits listed in pp. 12-13 of the judgment shall abide this judgment.”

The Supreme Court declared that Buhari cannot implement the demonetization policy pursuant to Section 20(3) of the CBN Act 2007 without consultation with, and advice from the cabinet, the National Security Council and other stakeholders.

It also said Buhari’s directive limiting the amount that can be withdrawn and the charges therein without an enabling law was unconstitutional. 

One of the lawyers to the plaintiffs, said: “The truth is that the order of the apex court is binding on the CBN and Emefiele because the CBN Governor acts as an agent of the bank and the CBN is also an agent of the Federal Government. In this case, the Federal Government was represented by the Attorney-General of the Federation.

“We are set for the next stage of the battle. We will initiate contempt proceedings against the AGF and the CBN Governor if the judgment is ignored. Our team is ready to see to the logical conclusion of this case.”

In its unanimous judgment, a seven-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice John Okoro, said the procedure adopted by government in effecting its cashless/naira swap policy was wrong.

Justice Emmanuel Agim, in the lead judgment, held that condition precedent was not met before President Muhammadu Buhari directed the Central Bank (CBN) governor to distribute the new notes and withdraw the old ones.

According to him, the directive by President Buhari to the CBN governor to distribute new notes and withdraw old one was invalid because no reasonable notice was given to Nigerians as required under Section 20 (3) of the CBN Act.

He noted that rather than issuing a formal or public notice, what the CBN governor did was to simply give a press statement, which he equated to the required three-month notice under Section 20(3) the CBN Act.

He said the press statement did not qualify as a reasonable notice envisaged under the CBN Act.

The justice added that Federal Government’s  reliance on the said press release as the notice of plan to distribute new naira notes and withdrawal of the old ones showed its disregard for the importance of giving reasonable notice as a valid foundation for the introduction of new naira notes and withdrawal of old ones.

Malami’s spokesman, Dr. Umar Gwandu, had told The Nation last weekend that “the functions of the office of Attorney General do not include monetary policy regulation.”

He had been contacted to respond to the silence of the federal government on the court order.

The CBN has been similarly silent on the matter.

 Confusion grips banks over CBN silence

The CBN silence is causing confusion in the banking industry with some of the commercial banks giving out the old naira notes while others seem not to be interested at all.

However customers who accept the old notes are stuck with them. 

Traders, artisans and cab drivers are rejecting the old notes in favour of the new ones or Point of Sale (PoS) payments.

In Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT, many traders, artisans and other informal business operators are rejecting the old notes.

An animal feed seller, Mohammed Abubakar, said he would not accept the old notes until he hears directly from Buhari or the CBN governor that the old notes can be accepted.

Many bank customers were forced to return the old notes they collected to their banks.

They however met a brick wall at the banks as they were told to go back and fill the CBN cash swap form online before the old notes can be accepted from the customers as deposits.

Most Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are still not dispensing cash. As a result, many bank customers are now forced to go to their banks to get cash over the counter.

An old bank along Ralph Sodehinde in the Central Business District paid out only N10,000 in old notes to their customer but refused to accept the same old notes when customers returned them.

A cab driver, Isa Idris, rejected fares paid in old notes. His reason was that “President Muhammadu Buhari has not told Nigerians to accept the old notes”.  

 Attempts to get the CBN to speak to the status of the old notes did not yield any result as nobody was ready to speak on the matter.

However, it is most likely that the CBN will be forced to comment on the development after the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting next week.

The frustrations faced daily by Nigerians since the beginning of the naira swap crisis are not helped by the epileptic functioning of the online platform of the banks.

Customers complain about failed transactions and arbitrary deductions from their accounts by the banks.

Yahaya Bello threatens to arrest, prosecute those rejecting old naira notes

Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello yesterday threatened to arrest and prosecute those rejecting the old Naira notes.

Information and Communications Commissioner Kingsley Fanwo said in a statement in Lokoja, the state capital, that the continued rejection of the old Naira notes even after the Supreme Court ruling was unacceptable and demeaning.

 ”This administration will not stand and watch some persons and businesses continue to reject the use of the old naira notes, even after the court judgment validating their use,” he said.

Coninuing, Fanwo said: “To us, rejecting the old naira notes is a clear disobedience of the Supreme Court ruling, which shall be vehemently resisted.

“Anyone who rejects the old naira notes should be reported to the security and government authorities for immediate arrest and prosecution.

“Also, banks that refuse to accept old naira deposits shall be sealed up as the state government will not accommodate financial institutions that willfully disobey court orders, more so the orders of the highest court in Nigeria.”

The governor implored all residents of Kogi to endeavour to accept the old notes since the commercial banks have started issuing them (old naira notes) for day to day business transactions.

“As patriots, the people of Kogi are bound to also receive it, because we cannot continue to kill our economy after the Supreme Court has granted us freedom.

“Consequently, the state government has set up a high-powered Committee to ensure full adherence and compliance to the ruling of the Supreme Court as regards the use of the old notes,” he said.

The committee members include the state Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning; Commissioner for Information and Communications. Others are: Commissioner for Commerce and Industry; the State Security Adviser and the Managing Director, Kogi Enterprise Development Agency (KEDA).

The governor said that the Committee was to ensure that residents take full benefits of the Supreme Court ruling on the old naira notes.

Bayelsa community protests rejection of old N500, N1000 notes

The anger sparked by the non-compliance with the Supreme Court ruling yesterday snowballed into a protest in Akenfa community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State with residents taking to the streets to call government attention to their plight.

They said they had had enough of the rejection of the old naira notes by traders one week after the apex court extended their validity to December 31, 2023.

The placard carrying protesters said life had come to a standstill as they can neither sell nor buy while hunger continued to bite them and their children.

Benin residents reject old N500, N1,000 in spite of Obaseki’s appeal

Many Benin residents are still rejecting the old N500 and N1,000 notes for business transactions in spite of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s appeal to accept them.

The governor had in a statement issued on Thursday by the Edo State Ministry of Communication and Orientation urged residents of the state to accept the old Naira notes.

The statement was signed by the Commissioner, Chris Nehikhare.

“With the Supreme Court judgment, the controversy over the circulation of the notes have been put to rest and people are urged to accept and trade with the notes.’’ the governor said.

A NAN correspondent who monitored various markets, commercial banks, bus parks and Point of Sales yesterday said the old N500 and N1000 notes were not accepted.

Residents said they would only accept the old notes when the CBN and the Federal Government had made an official statement to that effect.

• •NNPP, APGA flay call for Yakubu’s exit

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC chairman,  Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has threatened to sue officials of the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if they continue to malign his character in the media.

The INEC boss’s warning follows demand by the  PDP yesterday for his resignation.

The party accused the INEC chairman of violating the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 as well as the Commission’s regulations, guidelines and manual issued for the February 25 presidential and parliamentary elections.

The PDP also called for the investigation of Prof Yakubu by the Police, Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged electoral offences.

Addressing a media conference in Abuja on Friday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the INEC chairman subverted the will of the Nigerian people.

Ologunagba accused the INEC under Yakubu of compromising the integrity of the polls by deliberately sabotaging the uploading and transmission of results directly from the polling units thereby giving room for criminal mutilation of poll results.

Ologunagba said: “From all indications, the INEC under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu was compromised to rig the election by brazenly violating the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 as well as INEC’s Regulations, Guidelines and Manual issued for the election.

“It is also obvious that the Commission under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu deliberately sabotaged the uploading and transmission of results directly from the Polling Units to give room for the criminal mutilation, alteration and switching of election results across the nation in favour of the APC as now abundantly exposed in the pictorial and video evidence of compromised results sheets in many parts of the country.

“Several evidence abounds in states across the six geo-political zones of the country where winning figures lawfully scored by the PDP were switched in favour of the APC; where result sheets from polling centres won by the PDP were destroyed and replaced with fake result sheets in which APC was allocated unearned winning figures.

“This further explains why the INEC chairman rushed to announce and declare manipulated results that were not transmitted directly from the polling units to INEC’s server/website and ignored the objections and complaints raised during the collation of results in deliberate violation of the provisions of Section 64 (4) (a) and (b), 64 (6) (a)-(d), and 65 (1) (c) of the Electoral Act 2022.

“For emphasis, while Section 64 (4) (a) and (b) expressly require the INEC chairman as the Chief Returning Officer to announce only results that were transmitted directly from the polling units, Sections 64 (6) (a)-(d) and 65 (1) (c) compel INEC, in the case of disputes, complaints or objections regarding a collated result or the result of an election from any polling unit, to take steps including the review of collation where they are made contrary to the provisions of the Law, Regulations, Guidelines and Manual issued for the election.

“By flagrantly violating these provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 as well as INEC’s Regulations, Guidelines and Manual for the election, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu is not only culpable of serious electoral offence but also betrayed, thrashed and threw overboard the trust, confidence and hope Nigerians reposed in him and the electoral commission to deliver a free, fair and credible election in the country.”

The PDP said the continuing stay of Prof Yakubu in office as INEC chairman was vexatious and injurious to the integrity of the electoral body and an unpardonable assault to the credibility of the electoral process, the sensibility of Nigerians and the international community.

It added that Yakubu’s stay in office was capable of paving the way for the suppression, tampering and destruction of critical evidence required to further expose infractions and violations by the commission at the Presidential Election Tribunal.

“This fear is evidenced by the desperation by INEC to reconfigure the BVAS devices to erase vital data contained therein.

“Consequently, the PDP demands that the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu immediately step down from office, having abused the confidence and dashed the hope of millions of Nigerians as well as political parties and the international community for a free, fair and credible election.

“Nigerians no longer have faith in Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s capacity and integrity to manage a democracy institution as sensitive as INEC. 

“Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s exit as chairman of INEC will be the first step towards sanitising the electoral commission and restoring the confidence of Nigerians especially as the nation prepares for the rescheduled March 18, 2023 governorship and state assembly elections.

“Furthermore, the PDP demands that the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) immediately commence investigations into the electoral violations and manipulations by INEC with a view to prosecuting Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and other officials of the Commission for electoral offences.

“In the same vein the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should open investigation into allegations that certain top officials of INEC were heavily compromised financially to manipulate the electoral process. 

“The PDP notes the reports of various international bodies in disapproval of actions by the leadership of INEC in undermining democracy in the conduct of the February 25, 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections,” it added.

The INEC chairman in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary,  Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the PDP should go to court and present the bagful of evidence it claims to have rather than subjecting the process to a media trial.

He said; “The latest call by the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, just like it did previously for the resignation of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC is misplaced.

Interestingly, the PDP did not provide any convincing evidence to back up all the spurious allegations it listed as Prof. Yakubu’s ‘infractions’.

 “To be sure, the PDP failed to provide any evidence to substantiate the allegations of Yakubu’s ‘brazen violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines, and criminal manipulation and alteration of election results’.

“The PDP also did not give the evidence to prove its claims that Prof. Yakubu ‘sabotaged the uploading and transmission of results from polling units.’

“Besides, the ‘several evidences’ that the PDP claimed ‘abound in the six geo-political zones of the country where winning figures scored by the PDP were switched in favour of the APC’ were also not laid bare.

“To be sure, the Commission does not rig elections. Rather, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS has, since its introduction, among other innovations, ensured the integrity of the electoral process by ensuring that only properly registered voters are allowed to vote on Election Day.

“It is common knowledge that the PDP has rejected the outcome of the presidential election and has vowed to challenge it in court.

“The path of honour for the party, therefore, is to pursue its case in court, armed with all the evidences at its disposal and wait for the court’s decision.

“But going about canvassing the same issues the party intends to plead in court on the pages of newspapers and calling for the resignation of the INEC Chairman is like putting the cart before the horse.

“More importantly, the PDP is hereby reminded that making libelous allegations against the person of the INEC Chairman is actionable. The party should henceforth desist from the practice”.

Meanwhile, the National Publicity Secretary of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Agbo Major, said the call for the INEC chairman’s resignation does not make sense to the party at this point in time.

He said that removing the INEC chairman in the middle of the electoral process would amount to shifting the goal post in the middle of the game, adding that what Nigerians should do at this moment was to put their acts together and ensure that what happened on the 25th of February is not allowed to happen again.

He said “Most times, we don’t like commenting on issues like that. But for whatever it is, I don’t think that call is the right thing to do. Like I have always said, you don’t shift the goal post at the middle of the game.

 “INEC may have made its mistakes, but removing its head now and at a time we are just a few days away from the next round of elections does not make any sense to us. You can canvass for this after the elections have been concluded and certainly not now. 

“The only thing we need to do as Nigerians is to put our eyes on the ground and ensure that what happened on the 25th of February is not allowed to happen”.

Speaking in the same vein, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Oye said the INEC boss should be allow to conduct the entire election before calling for his resignation.

While reacting to the development in a chat with our correspondent, Oye said he would not make further comments on the call for Yakubu’s resignation until the next election is  conducted.

• Accord Party sacks Oyo leaders for endorsing Makinde •Cross River leaders of thoughts agree rotation sequence for
• governorship; back APC’s Otu •Rivers LP Crisis: National chair acted alone – South-South leader Abia PDP
• raises the alarm over alleged rigging plot •Ebonyi PDP decries unending suits against governorship candidate Odii

By ‘Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor, Duku JOEL, Damaturu , Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia, Nsa Gill, Calabar, Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki, Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan

After months of campaigns by the political parties that are presenting candidates for next Saturday’s governorship elections across the country, voters in 28 states of the federation would decide who would be their governors for the next four years. On the same day, Nigerians will elect members into the various Houses of Assembly in all the 36 states. Political parties participating in the rescheduled March 18, 2023 elections have intensified mobilisation drives ahead of the polls.

Though there are 18 political parties fielding candidates in various states and constituencies of the country for the 2023 general elections, pundits have predicted that the contests would be a continuation of the age-long rivalry between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But the outcomes of the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections have thrown up the likes of Labour Party (LP), New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) the Social Democratic Party (SDP), among others as serious contenders in some states and constituencies.

This is just as the political parties and their candidates battle to curtail some developments threatening their chances at the polls. The Nation gathered that most of the participating political parties and their flag-bearers are utilising the window offered by the rescheduling of the elections to further reach out to the electorate and canvass for more votes and support.  Some state chapters of the participating political parties are currently threatened by a serious internal crisis while others are battling the scourge of anti-party activities as some of their leaders and chieftains are openly endorsing the candidates of other political parties ahead of Saturday’s election.

Accord rejigs Oyo chapter

As part of efforts to position the party for victory in Oyo State, the National Working Committee (NWC) of Accord Party, has dissolved the state’s executive members for endorsing the incumbent governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Seyi Makinde, against the party’s candidate, Adebayo Adelabu. In a statement issued in Abuja after a two-hour emergency meeting chaired by the National Chairman, Hon. Muhammad Lawal Nalado, the party said those relieved of their offices are the State Chairman of Accord, Prince Kolade Ojo, Hon. Yinka Dairo, who is the Oyo State Accord Secretary, and the entire Executive Committee members of the party in Oyo State.

Speaking further, Nalado said the NWC also resolved to constitute a five man Caretaker Committee to steer the party to victory and also manage the affairs of the party in the build up to the governorship and State Assembly elections. He said the five man caretaker Committee members are: Alhaji Isiaka Salami, who will serve as Oyo State Caretaker Chairman, Bashiru Ayobami, who will serve as Caretaker Secretary, Hon. Fatai Salawu, Bimpe Martins, Ayodele Oyajide, who are members of the Caretaker Committee. Nalado directed those affected to hand over all party properties and documents in their possession to the new caretaker executive members with immediate effect.

Leaders of thoughts back APC’s Otu in C/River

In Cross River State, leaders of thoughts in the three senatorial districts of the state have agreed on the need to maintain a formal rotational sequence as it concerns the position of governor in the state. The decision followed two separate meetings held in Yala Local Government, Northern District and in Ikom Local Government Area in Central District with leaders from the Southern District who lobbied them on the need to have a formal rotational sequence that moves within the three senatorial districts.

Speaking at Okpoma, Yala LGA in the premises of High Chief Higgins Peters where leaders of the Northern District gathered, Etubom Bassey Eyo Ndem, who led a delegation of over 30 elders from the Southern District said the essence of the meeting was aimed at peaceful coexistence between the two brothers/sisters and a continuation of what was started many years ago by our forefathers who reached what was established as Calabar -Ogoja Accord.

The meeting reaffirmed their absolute faith in the accord and more particularly the resolutions contained in the communique from its previous meeting of 10th November 2018 which had stated that the office of the governor of Cross River State shall rotate sequentially between the three constituent senatorial districts of the South, Central, and North for equity, brotherliness, justice, and accommodation.”

The meeting noted that at the advent of democracy in 1999, the Southern Senatorial District had the first two terms of eight years, led by HE Mr. Donald Duke. This was followed by the Central Senatorial District’s term of eight  years, led by HE Senator Liyel Imoke. Subsequently, the Northern Senatorial District is coming to the end of its eight -year term, led by HE Sen. Prof Ben Ayade, KSJ, CON. That it is only fair, just, and equitable that the office of governor should return to the South in the 2023 general elections, and continue to move sequentially thereafter.”

The immediate impact of the meeting is expected to be the election of the Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Prince Bassey Edet Otu from Southern District. Another meeting of the leaders of South and Central held on Wednesday March 8th and a similar agreement was reached. Speaking in Ikom, venue of the meeting, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba SAN stressed that it is the turn of the south to produce the governor of the state.

Rumpus in LP over Rivers executives

Days to the governorship election, a fresh crisis is brewing in the Labour Party as the National Vice Chairman (South South) of the party, Favour Reuben, has alleged that members of the NWC were not party to the decision of the National Chairman, Julius Abure to dissolve the Rivers State executives. He made the allegation while briefing the media in Port Harcourt and insisted that Dienye Pepple remains the chairman of LP in Rivers State.

Complaining that as a national leader of the party, he was not informed about the decision that was made in his region. He called on security agencies to arrest anyone who attempts to occupy the Labour Party office in the name of steering committee. “I’m the National Vice Chairman in charge of South South. If there is any decision that is taken by the national committee, I should be in the know. None of the NWC members was in the know, which is an aberration.

“It is against the law of Labour Party and our constitution, that a non-member, Kenneth Okonkwo, who is not a card-carrying member, will announce the dissolution of Labour Party state exco. That is why the National Legal Adviser of the party came out to say that whatever was done by Kenneth Okonkwo was null and void.” Reuben described the appointment of Hilda Dokubo as the Chairman of the Steering Committee in Rivers State as illegal, vowing that members of the National Working Committee of the Labour Party are behind Dienye Pepple.

PDP, APC in war of words over Ladoja

The ruling PDP in Oyo State is at war with the opposition APC as the two parties struggle to win more support ahead of the governorship election. PDP advised APC and its governorship candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin to focus their energy on selling what was described as their ‘bad market ahead of the March 18 election. The party reiterated that no amount of calculated and sponsored malicious political propaganda can pitch the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland who is also a former governor of the state, High Chief Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja and Governor Seyi Makinde against each other.

A statement by the Publicity Secretary of PDP in Oyo state, Akeem Olatunji, on Friday, described Makinde’s relationship with Ladoja as that of a passionate father and son firmly committed to the growth of the state. Further describing Makinde’s relationship with Ladoja as cordial and smooth, Olatunji accused Folarin and his party of  sponsoring disgruntled and masqueraded APC elements as PDP members to spread what the ruling PDP called spurious, baseless and unfounded animosity between the incumbent and the former governor.

Olatunji stated that such malicious propaganda has again exposed what Folarin and his party expected to happen between the duo but never was, stressing that Governor Makinde’s inestimable respect for Otun Olubadan was evident in the cordial relationship between the governor and High Chief Ladoja’s political disciples as manifested in various political appointments at both state and local government levels.

According to Olatunji, Folarin and his party have exhausted their crude political missiles using all sorts of mundane approach in their political propaganda stressing that no sincere member of Ladoja political discipleship would fall for the lies and falsehood being peddled around in the media by Folarin who has been overwhelmed by moving from pillar to pole in a last minute desperate move to confuse unsuspecting members of the public over his ambition to be governor at all cost.

“It is incumbent on Folarin and his Oyo APC to appreciate that Makinde in a deliberate move to sustain and preserve Chief Ladoja’s legacies, named some monumental places including a GRA, 110km Ibadan Circular Road after the former governor so that generations to come will continue to appreciate his impact on the development of a modern Oyo State. Oyo State has left the likes of Folarin and the Oyo State Chapter of APC far behind but sadly, they’re still living in their past illusions but we hope that they wake up from their hallucinations to embrace the fact that there’s no vacancy at the Agodi Government House until 2027.” Olatunji said.

Concerns in Ebonyi PDP

Concerns are mounting in Ebonyi as the state chapter of the PDP decried incessant suits against the governorship primaries it held last year in which Ifeanyi Chukwuma Ọdịị emerged as candidate of the party. The party accused one of the governorship candidates who lost to Odii of using a suspended chairman of the party in the state to file multiple suits at an Abuja Federal High Court to frustrate his candidature.

The legal team of the governorship candidate led by Murdi Erhenede, disclosed this at a press briefing in Afikpo, Afikpo North Local Government Area of the state. He said “we have observed with great dismay the use of the Nigerian courts, particularly, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, by some unscrupulous members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State led by the suspended chairman of the party in the state, Okoroafor Tochukwu Okorie.

“It is on record that Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii was duly nominated by the Peoples Democratic Party as its governorship candidate for the 2023 General Elections, after a successful primary election of the Party which was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in line with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022. However, after the said primary election, many pre-election matters, and appeals were filed challenging the candidature of Chief Ifenayi Chukwuma Odii.

“The Supreme Court of Nigeria which is the apex Court of the land, later laid the matter to rest by affirming that Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii is the authentic Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State in the 2023 general elections. Shockingly, Mr. Okoroafor Tochukwu Okorie and his cohorts have continued to file frivolous suits and shop for forums in various Courts, especially Federal High Court sitting at Abuja to obtain a kangaroo judgment against Chief Ifenayi Chukwuma Odii, and derail the electoral process.

“Worthy of note is the fact that the filing of those suits at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja is in total disregard to the circular and directive of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, that all pre-election matters must be filed in the States where the cause of action arose. It is in light of the obvious abuse of the judicial process that we call for it press briefing/conference to inform the general public, especially the people of Ebonyi State, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Judiciary especially the Federal High Court of Nigeria and the National leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party of the unlawful conducts of Mr. Okoroafor Tochukwu Okorie and his cohorts.”

Yobe APC obtains interim order

Meanwhile, the Appeal Court Gombe Division sitting in Abuja has granted an interim order for a stay of execution of the judgement of the Federal High Court Damaturu Division. Justice Fadima Aminu of the Federal High Court Damaturu on 6/02/2023 in a judgement ruled that the APC in the state  cannot file candidates for two House of Assembly seats after she had earlier  nullified the primaries in October 2022 in  the two constituencies which were conducted on May 26, 2022 over nor compliance with section 84(13) of the Electoral Act 2022 where she ordered fresh primaries to be conducted according to the law.

In their two separate suits, Musa Alhaji Yusuf v INEC and 2 others with case no FHC/DM/CS/18/2022 and Abdulmumini Hussaini v INEC and 2 others with suite no FHC/DM/CS/19/2022 both re-approached the court alleging that some directives contained in the judgement of October, 2022 were violated by the parties and therefore sought relief of the court to declared the exercise a nullity. Dissatisfied with the judgement of the Federal High Court of 6/02/2023 the State APC, the appellant approached the Appeal Court Gombe Division to appeal against the judgement.

At the hearing in Abuja, the court of Appeal granted an Order of Stay of Execution for the judgement of the Federal High Court Damaturu restraining the party to field candidates for the state House of Assembly seats for Ngalda/Fika Constituency and Goya/Ngeji Constituency. The APC in the state have so far considered the interim court order as a victory for the party to field their candidates for the March 18th 2023 State Assembly elections. The Director General APC Campaign Council in the state Sen, Mohammed Hassan in a press release signed and made available to journalists in Damaturu sent his felicitations to the party and the candidates for becoming qualified for the House of Assembly elections.

Sen. Hassan in his statement said: “The court at its sitting today took applications for stay of Execution in both Appeals and granted the stay of Execution Order. This Stay of execution order provides our candidates with the opportunity to participate in the forthcoming state assembly elections. I therefore appeal to our candidates and their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully and within the confines of the law. We are optimistic that we will emerge victorious in the governorship and state assembly elections in the state insha Allah.”

But counsel to the first respondent, Dr. Shamsuddeen Magaji said it is too early for the APC to start celebrating. According to him, what took place at the Court of Appeal was not a judgment on the substantive matter but a mere stay of order which has only made the judgement of the federal High Court Damaturu hanging. “Celebrating the interim order will just be like preempting the judgement of the Court of Appeal. As far as the law is concerned, the substantive matter is yet to be decided and therefore it’s too early to the APC and their supporters to start celebrating a mere order of stay of execution,” Magaji said.

Candidates sign peace accord in Abia

Governorship candidates of various political parties in Abia State have signed a peace accord ahead of the Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections on March 18. The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Mustapha Bala, who spoke during the exercise which was held at the Police Officers Mess, said the state command would not compromise the peace and security of the state during the forthcoming elections.

He called on INEC and other actors concerned with the conduct of the election to provide a level playground for all the candidates participating in the election. In his remark at the ceremony, INEC’s Administrative Secretary in the State, Clement Oha, assured that the commission was making adequate arrangements for a hitch-free election on March 18, 2023. But the state chapter of the PDP said it had uncovered plots by two major oppositions in the state; the APC and LP, to rig the elections in the state.

The PDP in a statement issued Thursday by its Ag. Publicity Secretary and Vice Chairman Abia North, Hon. Abraham Amah, accused both APC and Labour Party of holding meetings at different venues in Owerri, Imo State capital and Isiala Ngwa South local government area of Abia State respectively with some officials of INEC which according to Amah, were aimed at perfecting plans to rig the March 18 elections in the state.”We use this medium to inform the APC that the charade that saw the emergence of Hope Uzodinma as the governor of Imo State through the backdoor will not be allowed under any circumstance to happen in Abia State,” he said.

“Matter of factly, the Abia PDP has evidence that a driver who hails from Mbawsi conveyed some INEC SPOs to Umu Nkpeyi in Isiala North LGA where they met Alex Otti in person and the driver was paid N150, 000 and asked to keep sealed lips. Unfortunately for the Labour Party, the driver squealed because he knows that the route the Labour Party plans to take is very undemocratic and anti-people. It is obvious that the Labour Party is clearly aware that the Feb 25 wave that ushered in the successes of some political neophytes from the LP ended on that day.

“Even the vision bearer of the Obidient Movement, Mr. Peter Obi, under whose influence the Labour Party is playing dangerous mind games with the populace at the sub-national levels has warned Nigerians to vote for people they trust because he will not take responsibility when Nigerians make mistakes and elect criminals who are hiding under the ‘saintly’ cover of a Peter Obi. Again, those that are planning to subvert the popular will of people through artful manipulations of the guber election are forewarned to desist from such dastardly act or pay dearly for it,” he added. At the time of filing the report, neither the leadership of the APC nor their LP counterparts had responded to allegations of the PDP.

• •Sanwo-Olu, First Lady, Tinubu’s wife visit victims, families

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, says 32 survivors of the train and bus accident that occurred in Lagos on Thursday have been discharged from different hospitals in the state.

Abayomi said this during a news conference while updating reporters on the accident in Lagos yesterday.

The commissioner said the accident recorded 102 casualties including six fatalities.

According to him, all the patients were presently in stable medical condition.

He said that 19 survivors of the accident were discharged from the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH); five from the Toll Gate Trauma Centre and eight from Orile-Agege General Hospital.

He added that all the victims with varying degrees of injuries and life threatening conditions were admitted and treated at LASUTH.

“Twenty-five patients with moderate injuries were later referred to five general hospitals in Lagos for further treatment and to decongest LASUTH.

“People donated 256 voluntary units of blood and 40 units were transfused yesterday,” Abayomi said.

He commended the blood donors, saying that it would assist to replenish the state’s blood bank.

Abayomi, however, noted that based on existing policy, medical bills of all patients treated as a result of the incident would be covered by the state government.

He commended the staff of LASUTH and other health workers for their prompt response to the accident victims.

Abayomi pointed out that the medical personnel who created a emergency tents within LASUTH assisted to save lives, speed up injury level profiling and support immediate critical action.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a Lagos State Government staff bus carrying civil servants from Isolo to Alausa had a head-on collision with a train at PWD Bus-Stop, along Agege Motor Road.

Casualties of the accident which occurred at 7.30 a.m. on Thursday were taken to LASUTH for treatment.

There were 85 passengers on board the bus, 17 people associated with the accident, among which 42 sustained moderate injuries, 29 serious and eight mild injuries.

Meanwhile, sympathisers including Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the President-Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, have visited the victims of the accident at various health facilities where they are being treated.

Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu were accompanied by the Wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat, and other senior officials of the state government, where they empathised with the victims and assessed their ongoing treatment at the health facilities. 

The hospitals visited include the General Hospital, Gbagada; Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre, Toll Gate and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.

They went on a ward round and got a first-hand briefing on the train crash and efforts made to save lives.

Whilst commiserating with the patients at the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre, Senator Tinubu came across a 23-year-old man, Osita Anazi from Ebonyi State, who was involved in an auto accident and required surgery as a result of pains arising from clinical right femoral fracture.

Senator Tinubu keenly enquired about his condition and out of compassion pleaded with the young man, who didn’t have the financial means for the surgery, to stay back in Lagos, assuring that his treatment would be sorted. 

According to her, “Lagos accommodates all citizens and prioritises the welfare and well-being of all Nigerians.”

Besides, Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu commiserated with the families that lost their loved ones, describing the accident as unfortunate and deeply painful. 

Speaking in an interview at LASUTH, Senator Tinubu urged drivers to be more careful and work to avoid situations that can result in loss of precious lives.

“From our assessment of the situation, we can see that the patients are in good hands. They are stabilized. We are not God but we are saddened by what has happened.

“We hope that the drivers are more careful to avoid this in the future. We commiserate with the families that lost their loved ones and wish those who are here speedy recovery,” Senator Tinubu said.  

She also commended the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the State Government for taking care of the medical bills of all the patients, just as she presented various gift items to the victims to aid and fast-track their recovery process.

Sanwo-Olu pays condolence visits to bereaved families

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday paid condolence visit to families of the Lagos State Government staff who were involved in the train accident that claimed six lives on Thursday.

Governor Sanwo-Olu was accompanied by the Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, and some members of the State Executive Council to sympathise with the bereaved families.

A Lagos State Government Staff Bus with Number 33, carrying civil servants and some dependants from Isolo to Alausa had a head-on collision with a commercial train at PWD Bus-Stop, along Agege Motor Road, in the State on Thursday.

The accident occurred when the Lagos State Government staff bus was about to cross the rail track and during the process, it collided with a commercial train at the location.

Six out of the 85 passengers on the bus died while 79 civil servants and their dependants on the bus sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was received by the three families he visited in Jakande Estate, Oke Afa, and Ikotun areas of Lagos State, commiserated with the bereaved families and prayed for them over their irreplaceable losses.

He urged them to take the death of their loved ones in good faith and see it as an act of God.

The Governor visited the families of Esther Rokosu, a staff of Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), and 54-year-old Mrs. Victoria Johnson nee Dada, a Social Welfare Officer of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

He also paid a condolence visit to the home of a Youth Corps member, Miss Aina Oreoluwa Juliana, who was serving in the Ministry of Education before her untimely death.

During the visit, prayers were offered for the deceased families, various ministries, and the Lagos State Government.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has held that it is only the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that is empowered by law to determine the mode of collating and transmitting election results.

Justice Emeka Nwite, in a judgment, also held that it is only INEC that has the prerogative to direct how Polling Unit Presiding Officer should transfer election results, including the total number of accredited voters and results of the ballot.

Justice Nwite further held that the collating and transferring election results manually in the 2023 general elections cannot be said to be contrary to the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

The judgment was on a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1454/2022 filed by the Labour Party (LP), with INEC as the sole defendant.

LP had prayed the court to declare that INEC has no power to opt for manual method other than the electronic method provided for by the relevant provisions the Electoral Act, 2022.

It urged the court to issue an order directing compelling INEC to comply with the Electoral Act, 2022 on electronic transmission of result in the forthcoming general election. 

In the judgement he delivered on January 23, 2023 a copy of which The Nation sighted on Friday, Justice Nwite held that the plaintiff misconstrued the provisions of the law and proceeded to dismiss the suit.

He said: “From the argument of the learned plaintiff’s counsel, I am of the humble opinion that the bone of contention or the sections that seeks for interpretation are actually sections 50(2) 60(5) and 62(2) of the Electoral Act, 2922. 

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“Section 47(2) as cited by the learned counsel to the plaintiff only deals with accreditation of voters using a Smart Card Reader, but not collation or transmission of result as postulated by the learned counsel,” the judge held.

Justice Nwite noted that Section 60(5) of the Electoral Act, 2022 provides for the transfer of election result, including the total number of the accredited voters from the polling unit. 

He also noted that Section 62(2) of the same Act provides for compilation, maintenance and continuous update of the register of election result as distinct database for all polling units’ results as collated in all elections conducted by the commission. 

Justice Nwite added: “The said Section 62(2) has mandated that such register of election results shall be kept in an electronic format by the commission at its national headquarters. 

“Now a close reading of Section 50(2) of the Act has provided for voting and and transmission of result to be done in accordance wit the procedure to be determined by the commission. 

“This is to say that the commission is at liberty to prescribe or choose the manner in which election results shall be transmitted. 

“In same ambit, Section 60(5) empowered the Polling Unit Presiding Officer to transfer the election results, including the total number of accredited voters and results of the ballot in a manner to be prescribeg py the commission. 

“This is also to say the commission is again at liberty to prescribe to the Polling Units’ Presiding Officer the manner in which to collate and transfer the election results as well as the accredited number of voters in an election under the Act.”

“In view of the foregoing, can the act of the defendant (INEC) in collating and transferring election results manually in the forthcoming 2023 general elections be said to be contrary to the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022? 

“The answer can only be in the negative as there is no where in the above cited sections where the commission or any of its Agents is mandated to only use an electronic means in collating or transferring of election result. 

“If any, the commission is only mandated to collate and transfer election results and number of accredited voters in a way or manner deemed fit by it. 

“In view of the above, I am finding that, by the provisions of Sections 50(2) and 60(5) of the Electoral Act, 2022 the correct interpretation of the said statutes is that the defendant (INEC) is at liberty to prescribe the manner in which election results could be transmitted and I so hold. 

“Consequently this matter is hereby dismissed,” Justice Nwite said.

The Supreme Court has affirmed the nomination of Senator Rufa’i Hanga as the candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the February 25 National Assembly election.

A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Inyang Okoro, in a unanimous judgment on Friday, faulted the refusal by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to replace Senator Ibrahim Shekarau with Hanga after Shekarau left the party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the election.

In the lead judgment, written by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, but delivered on Friday by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the court resolved both issues identified for determination against the appellant (INEC).

The court held that the appeal by INEC was without merit and proceeded to dismiss it.

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It affirmed the two earlier concurrent judgments delivered on November 11, 2022 and January 3, 2023 by the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal, both in Abuja, in which it was held that Hanga was the candidate of NNPP for the Kano Central Senatorial District.

The NNPP had, upon the resignation of some candidates from the party last year, nominated other candidates to replace those who resigned from the party,, including Shekarau.

The NNPP subsequently wrote INEC to accept its new candidates, a request the electoral body declined, promoting the party to sue at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS 632/2022 filed on September 12, 2022, the NNPP prayed the court to among others, determine “whether upon the proper interpretation of Sections 29(1), 31 and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, the defendant (INEC) has the constitutional and the statutory powers to prevent the plaintiff (NNPP) from conducting fresh primaries and replacing their candidates, who have voluntarily withdrawn from the race to contest the 2023 general election?”

It prayed the court to among others, order INEC to accept its new candidates in place of those that withdrew.

In her judgment on November 11, 2022 Justice Zainab Abubakar held among others, that the candidates,who withdrew their candidature and resigned their membership of the NNPP, ceased to be the party’s candidates or members and as such INEC cannot impose them on the party.

Dissatisfied, INEC challenged the decision at the Court of Appeal, Abuja via its appeal marked: CA/ABJ/CV/1295/2022.

In its judgment on January 3, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court and dismissed INEC’s appeal.

In the lead judgment, Justice Bature Isah Gafai declared that “on the whole therefore, both issues, having been resolved against the appellant (INEC), this appeal ends as one without merit; liable to be and is hereby dismissed. 

“The judgment of the lower Court is this affirmed.”

Embattled former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has told a court in London that he was advised by his doctor against seeking a kidney donor from among his family members.

Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, are facing charges in the United Kingdom for allegedly luring a young man from Nigeria to harvest his kidney for their ailing daughter, Sonia, who is also standing trial.

The lawmaker was arrested in 2022 and had been in the custody of UK authorities after they received complaints from the young man about an alleged plan to harvest his organ.

According to Daily Mail, the young man, a trader from Lagos, was to be rewarded for donating a kidney to Sonia in an £80,000 private procedure at the Royal Free Hospital in London.

While cross-examining the lawmaker, Prosecutor Hugh Davies KC said: “On the question of whether a family member could, in principle, act as a donor, you decided that was not possible based on a reported conversation between your non-nephrologist brother and Dr Obeta, a non-nephrologist?”

In response, Ekweremadu said: “He would have had basic knowledge. I’m not a doctor, so if he says so, I believe him.”

But Davies said: “All you had to do, rather than rely on a second-hand account from non-nephrologists, was to ask one of the specialists you were consulting whether a family member could donate a kidney.”

Ekweremadu, however, suggested he had “limited intelligence,” a claim that was rejected by the prosecutor, who said, “It is incredible. You do not lack intelligence.”

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Davies continued, “The fact is you did not even try to ask Sonia’s cousins, for example, to consider acting as a donor.

“What you are saying is you had no intention of anyone in your family – immediate or extended – stepping up to donate a kidney to Sonia.

“Far better to buy one and let the medical risk go to someone you don’t know.”

Responding, Ekweremadu said it was “not true” that he agreed to get a donor by going through agents for the task.

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Davies responded: “The pattern of communication reflects none of the type of human communication and contact you would expect if you and your family had believed that (the proposed donor) was a good Samaritan.”

Ekweremadu repeated, “Not true.”

Davies asserted, “The transplant with (the donor), not having gone ahead, you and your family then immediately sought to recruit further donors for reward, transferring jurisdiction out of the UK to Turkey.

“That failed too because even that donor had not been trained properly to give the false answers when interviewed.”

The defendant dismissed the prosecutor’s claims, saying, “These are not the facts.”

Davies continued, “You did not move away from the Royal Free clinical team because they lacked expertise.

“When another donor was required you immediately sought to transfer the clinical process to Turkey.”

On why the Ekweremadus had been prepared to leave an “internationally recognised centre of excellence” in London for an unknown quantity in Turkey, the lawmaker replied Davies, saying treatment in Turkey was “cheaper”.

Mr Davies responded, “You were looking to cut corners on your daughter’s clinical outcome to save money? You were a wealthy man, senator.”

According to Daily Mail, the defendant, who owns dozens of properties in Nigeria and Dubai, and sent his children to be privately educated, denied being a wealthy man.

Davies said, “That’s not true. Think of the number of properties you own.”

Meanwhile, Ekweremadu remains in custody while the trial of his family and a medical “middleman”, Dr Obinna Obeta, at the Old Bailey continues.