Category: Lead

• Sagay insists S’Court judgment binding on all

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele is in contempt if he has not issued a directive to banks to pay and accept old N1,000 and N500 notes as ordered by the Supreme Court, eminent professor of law Itse Sagay (SAN) said yesterday.

The Supreme Court last Friday held that the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes would remain legal tender until December 31 and co-exist with the new ones.

Speaking at a media parley in Lagos on the activities of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), which he chairs, Prof Sagay restated that every Supreme Court order is binding on all.

He said: “Every decision of the Supreme Court is binding on everybody, including the government, its agencies and the President. 

“The only thing is that nothing can be done if the President decides to disregard it because of his immunity, but he is bound by law.

“The CBN does not need anyone to give it instructions to obey a judgment because it is an agency of the Federal Government.

“So, if the CBN has not yet directed banks to obey the Supreme Court decision, it means that the governor Godwin Emefiele is committing contempt of court and there could be consequences for that.

“We hear there is a level of obedience by some banks that are paying and accepting the old notes, so hopeful the level of compliance will increase.

“But, everybody is bound by the judgment, including the Attorney-General of the Federation. He is bound by the judgment.”

A PACAC member, Prof Etannibi Alemika, said more awareness was needed to reassure Nigerians that the old notes remain valid.

He said: “I think it will take time for people rejecting old notes to be reassured. It is not possible to arrest everyone who rejects it.

“We should have a statement from the CBN saying that the old notes remain legal tender in the light of the Supreme Court judgment. 

“A statement is required because I think people are not too sure whether the CBN would comply with the Supreme Court judgment. 

“Before the week runs out, I expect that there should be clarity.”

From Tony Akowe, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented certificates of return to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, his Deputy, Ahmed Wase, and 322 other members-elect.

Among them are the wives of two former governors, Regina Akume (Benue) and Khadijat Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe).

Kayode, son of the Oba  Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos; Akeem. son of the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; Olumide,   son of Ogun State former  Governor  Segun Osoba;  Erhiatake,  daughter of former Delta State Governor James  Ibori and Mohammed, son of Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai are among the incoming lawmakers.

Besides, Regina, Khadijat and Erhiatake,  11 other women are on the list. They are  Maureen  Gwacham (Anambra), Boma Goodhead (Rivers), Mariam   Onuoha(Imo), Beni Lar (Plateau),  Fatima Talba (Yobe); Zainab Gimba (Borno),  Onanuga   Oriyomi (Ogun),  Blessing Onuh (Benue), Clara  Nnabuefe (Anambra) Ebikake   Enenimiete (Bayelsa) and Obiageli  Orogbu-(Anambra).

Out of the 324 members-elect listed by INEC, only 104 of them are serving members of the House.

The results of 35 federal constituencies are not ready. Although supplementary elections are to be conducted in some of them this weekend,  some had the announcements of winners halted by courts. The result of the Doguwa/Tudun Wada federal constituency of Kano State was deleted by the electoral commission because it was announced under duress.

The supplementary elections are to be conducted in constituencies in   Akwa Ibom, Edo, Imo, Oyo, Kebbi, Rivers,   Zamfara,  Anambra, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Kano, Kogi, Taraba and     Sokoto states.

INEC is withholding results from some constituencies in   Ondo and    Enugu due to court orders.

During the presentation of the certificates of return, security operatives had a hectic time controlling the supporters of the House of Representatives-elect.  

Some of the returning members told The Nation that the high number of new lawmakers would impact the functions of the Legislature.

One of the returning members, Bamidele Salam, said:”I want to appeal to all new members to put Nigeria first.   Whichever political party brought us to the parliament, Nigeria should be first because we must have a country before a political party and tribe.

“The result of this election has shown us that unless we do something fast to change the trajectory of unemployment and youth restiveness, I don’t know what will happen to our democracy.

“The young generation is getting impatient and they are justified. We need to do something this time around”.

Spokesman for the House, Benjamin Kalu, advised  Nigerians to  “be expectant because there is going to be a robust legislative outing.” 

He added: “In the 10th Assembly, we need to continue from where we stopped, supporting good policies of the government and fighting against unhealthy government policies for the growth of our nation.

“We are coming back to make sure that beyond party colours, we synergise with other members in analysing their needs and having a buy-in towards having political interventions in those zones. We will work to ensure that there is a healthy Nigeria because when we build a healthy nation, we will be proud of it.”

Chairman of the House Committee on Water Resources, Sada Soli, said the high number of new lawmakers would impact the 10th Assembly because it’s like going back to the drawing board.

His words:  “Legislative engineering is a very rigorous process and to have this kind of large turnover is a great deal of work. We need to the cooperation of the Executive, and the Judiciary for us to move on. In view of the turnover we have, a lot of our people will have to learn the process from the beginning.

“It will be a hell of work for the few of us that remain and it is incumbent on us to carry the new members along and take them through the process. I can see a lot of jobs ahead of us because of the turnover.

However, one of the returning female members,  Mariam Onuoha   wants the position of either the Speaker or Deputy Speaker reserved for a woman.   

“I am glad that I am one of the few women who survived the tsunami. I pray that the 10th Assembly will give women more opportunities. 

“The few of us that survived will sit down and revisit women’s bills that did not scale through a constitutional amendment and ensure that they are passed by the House and the Senate.

“I  also use this opportunity to seek leadership positions for women. The few women that have come will be happier if a woman becomes the Speaker or Deputy Speaker.” 

The member representing Oshodi/Isolo 1 of Lagos State, Bashiru Dawudu, said the 10th Assembly should dedicate a lot of time to address issues of youth restiveness and good governance.

He said: “There are some issues that came out of this campaign that we need to learn from. Governance is about being dynamic. There is a lot of youth restiveness and we need to do more for our youths.”

A member-elect, Donatus Matthew, said he has once elected a councillor after he stopped being a commercial motorcycle (okada) rider in Kaduna. 

He said:  “My name had been trending and people have been trying to know who I am and from where I am coming. Being an Okada rider was my humble beginning. There are other responsibilities that I had been involved in.

“I was once appointed a supervisory councillor. After that, I contested and won election as a councillor and I have held various positions before getting to this place”.

Asked what he was bringing to the table, Matthew, replied: “We have been with the people and know their plights. We will contribute our quota to ensure that there are programmes that will have a direct bearing on the people.”

Ibori’s daughter,  Erhiatake gave kudos to her father but was quick to add that her victory was made possible by the people of her constituency.

She said:  “As Ibori’s daughter, people will believe that I came into politics on a platform created by him. I am very proud to be Chief James Ibori’s daughter and I tell people that because he is a great man and a great father. 

“But I worked with my people to deliver this mandate because I understand the fact that as women, we struggle to belong in Delta politics. As a woman, even if you are 50, you cannot   dream of a position like this.”

President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday inaugurated his legal team, charging the legal luminaries to defend his mandate and virtue of democracy.

The team, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun,  is made up 49 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANS). 

Tinubu won the February 25 election, defeating the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate,  Atiku Abubakar, and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Peter Ob, who are challenging the victory at the tribunal.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate won in three geo-political zones-Northwest, Southwest and Northcentral. He came second in Northeast, Southeast and Southsouth. 

According to foreign observers, the poll was credible, transparent and peaceful. 

At the inaugural meeting of the legal team at the Ikoyi office of the lead counsel, Olanipekun, highlighted the tasks before the members. 

He said the task before them was not just about defending his election, but a task that had as its heart, the defence of democracy. 

Reflecting on the poll outcome, he said results from Lagos, his home state, and Katsina, where President Muhammadu Buhari hails from, were  unthinkable, adding that they were only possible due to the free and fair nature of the election.

Tinubu reiterated his Trust and confidence in the ability of the team, recalling that he had worked with most of them in the course of his own defence of democracy and democratic institutions.

He said he has complete faith in the ability of the counsel to bring their wealth of knowledge, experience and diligence to bear in the defence of popular wish of the people. 

Thanking them for their patriotism, altruism and selflessness, he said by volunteering to accept his instruction, they not only represented him, but  Nigerians who clearly stated their choice at the poll.

The president-elect commended the lawyers for their comity, camaraderie, collegiality, partnership and solidarity with the masses.

Olanipekun, who said the team had accepted the charge handed down by Tinubu, said given the calibre of the counsel, there will be team work.

 He said the task before the team was a solemn and sober one, which must be executed through the deployment of expertise.

Olanipekun said the task has to do with the instrumentality of the law, adding that the team should be ready  to extract, extricate and excavate any legal authority, no matter where they may be hidden in the world, to actuate the President-elect’s instructions. 

Other counsel at the meeting included Prince Lateef Fagbemi, Mallam Yusuf, Ali, Tayo Oyetibo, Chief Niyi Akintola, Chukwuma Ekomaru, Dr. Hassan Liman,  Professor Dakas Dakas, and Anthony Malik.

They pledged to leave no stone unturned in realising the President-Elect’s mandate.

 Also at the meeting were Babatunde Ogala (SAN), the All Progressives Congress (APC) Legal Adviser, Ahmad El-Marzuq, Life Bencher, and Festus Keyamo (SAN). They assured the counsel of the party’s support.

The team members are Olanipekun, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, Chief Akin Olujimi, Mallam Yusuf Ali, Emmanuel Ukala, Chief Afolabi Fashanu, Prof. Konyinsola Ajayi, Chief Niyi Akintola, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan, Tani Molajo, Tayo Oyetibo, Mike Igbokwe, 

Bayo Adelodun, Oladele Adesina, Oladipo Okpeseyi,  Lawal Pedro, Chukwuma Ekomaru, SAN

Olasupo Shasore, Abiodun Owonikoko,  Dr. Hassan Liman, Adesegun Ajibola, Solomon Umoh, and Tunde Busari.

Others are Prof. Dakas Dakas, Ogwu James Onoja, Prof. J. Olukayode Olatoke, Chief Hakeem Afolabi,

Dr. Muiz Banire, Oladapo Olanipekun, A.U Mustapha, Chief Yomi Aliyu, Olusola Oke,  Kehinde Ogunwumiju, Bode Olanipekun, Prof Lawan Yusufari, Anthony Malik, Babatunde Ogala, Funmi Quadri, Remi Olatubora, Kunle Adegoke,  Abdul Mohammed Rafindadi, Chief Anthony Adeniyi, Marcel Oru,  M.A Abubakar, Said Sanusi, Adebayo Mutalubi Ojo, Hanafin Mumin, Prince Lukman Fagbemi,  and Ahmad El-Marzuq. 

There is confusion over alleged postponement of Saturday ‘s Governorship and Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Some unnamed officials of the Commission were quoted to have said the elections slated for Saturday have been postponed for a week. 

It was learnt the decision to postpone the elections was based on the inability to reconfigure the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System on time for Saturday due to an initial order by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

Read Also: Court orders INEC to upload election results to IReV

The Tribunal however ruled on Wednesday that the Commission can reconfigure the machines for the governorship election.

INEC’s National Commissioner Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye and Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekunmi neither picked calls nor responded to  Whatsapp messages by The Nation. 

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) has rejected the request by Peter Obi and his party, the Labour Party to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from tampering with information in respect of the February 25 presidential election, embedded in the BVAS machines until they conduct their inspection and certified true copy (CTC) is made available to them.

A three-member panel of the tribunal presided over by Justice Joseph Ikyegh, held, granting the such request would impede INEC’s preparation for the next round of elections using the BVAS machines.

Justice Haruna Tsammani, who read the lead ruling, said: “Prayer six has the effect of constraining or restricting the respondent from the use of the BVAS machines for any other purpose, and particularly considering the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections coming up on the 11th of March 2013.”

Justice Tsammani said the assurance by INEC that the information regarding voters’ accreditation, stored in the BVAS machines are safe Nd could not be tampered with when evacuated as stored in its accreditation backend server was not controverted or challenged by the applicants (Obi and LP).

He however ordered INEC to avail the applicants the CTC of the result of the physical inspection of the BVAS machines.”

INEC had, in its counter affidavit, stated that it needed to reconfigure the BVAS machines for the next round of elections.

It added that the process of
In his lead that the reconfiguration of the BVAS devices entails purging the accreditation data on the BVAS devices.

“The commission said accreditation data on the BVAS devices are uploaded to the Accreditation Backend Sever before the pumping is approved by the BVAS devices.”

Justice Tsammani noted that these averments by INEC were not controverted or challenged by the respondents.

Justice James Abundaga who delivered the lead ruling in the motion by INEC for the variation of the tribunal’s earlier orders, struck it out for being unmeritorious.

Read Also: Court summons Wike, PDP, INEC over motion seeking suspension of Saturday’s polls

Justice Abundaga said the apprehension expressed in the motion by INEC was unnecessary because the tribunal never granted any order for any applicant to scientific ally access the Electoral body’s database.

He said: “We made the orders of 3rf March 2023 which is sought to be varied by this application.

“The court did not in any of those orders authorised the applicants to access the database of the applicant (INEC).

“Therefore, the fear that the orders we made, if not varied, will expose the identities of the voters and who they cast their votes for is not genuine.

“We made the orders, very conscious of the court’s power to do so pursuant to the Electoral Act, particularly, Section 74 of the Act to enable the respondent herein (Obi and LP) to have simple access to electoral materials for the purpose of instituting and maintaining their petition if they ever wish to file any.

“We take judicial notice that similar applications to access electoral materials for the purpose of instituting petitions were made by other applicants.

“The respondents (Obi and LP) are hereby reminded, in case of any misapprehension by any of them, that the court did not, in any of those orders granted, authorise the applicants therein, the permission to electronically open the applicant’s (INEC”s) database.”

The tribunal applied the ruling to a similar application filed by INEC in respect of the orders for inspection earlier granted to Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In other rulings, delivered by Justice Ikyegh, the tribunal granted the request by the President-elect, Senator Bola Tinubu and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) to inspect materials used for the February 25 presidential election.

The tribunal, in four rulings on Wednesday, granted the reliefs sought to by Tinubu and APC in the four ex-parte motions except prayers 5 and 6 in the motion filed by Tinubu, which relates to the scientific inspection of the BVAS.

The Presidential Election Petition Court sitting at the Court of Appeal in Abuja has granted the request of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reconfigure the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS it used for the presidential election.

The Nation reports INEC had prayed the court to allow it to reconfigure the BVAS for the upcoming governorship election.

Read Also: INEC: reset of BVAS a must for governorship poll

The court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of justices, held that preventing

The electoral umpire from reconfiguring the BVAS would adversely affect the forthcoming governorship and State Assembly elections.

It dismissed objections that the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the request.

Details shortly…

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) has granted the request by the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) to inspect materials used for the February 25 presidential election.

Read Also: Fagbemi to lead APC’s legal team at presidential election tribunal

A three-member panel of the court, in four rulings on Wednesday granted the reliefs sought by Tinubu and APC in the fourth motions ex-parte, except prayers 5 and 6 in the motion filed by Tinubu.

Details Shortly…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented certificates of return to Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, his Deputy, Ahmed Idris Wase and about 323 members elect who won last Saturday’s election into the House.

Among those who collected the certificate of return were the wife of former Benue Governor, Regina Akume; son of the Oba of Lagos Kayode Akiolu; Son of the late Alaafin of Oyo Akeem Adeyemi; son of former Ogun Governor Olumide Osoba and wife of former Yobe Governor, Khadijat Bukar Abba Ibrahim as well as the daughter of former Delta Governor, Ibori-Suenu Erhiatake.

Read Also: Democracy has won with Tinubu’s victory- Gbajabiamila

Only about 12 women won the House of Representatives seats.

Out of the 324 members elect listed by the Commission as Reps-elect, only 104 of them are serving members of the Ninth Assembly while 220 are first-timers.

Supplementary elections will be conducted in 36 Federal Constituencies this weekend. Others are being stalled by court orders stopping the announcement of the winner while the result for Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal constituency was deleted because it was allegedly announced under duress.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has ordered commercial banks to collect old N500 and N1,000 notes from customers. 

It said the old notes are legal tender following the directive of the Supreme Court. 

CBN’s spokesman Isa Abdulmumin said banks have begun to issue the old and new notes to customers at their various Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) terminals and over the counter.

He said though the CBN was yet to issue an official statement on the matter, Nigerians can spend and collect old and new notes in line with the apex Court’s ruling. 

Read Also: We’ll accept old notes when Buhari, CBN, give order – Traders

The spokesman, who spoke with The Cable: “Banks are paying old notes as well as new notes. They are all legal tender.

“Yes, the CBN has not issued an official statement on the issue. Anyone banks give to you, you can collect. We just want to make life easy for Nigerians.”

Abdulmumin was concerned over continued rejection of the old notes by some traders and transporters.

The CBN spokesman said the old notes should not be rejected as they are still a valid means of exchange.

He added: “No. They can’t reject it. It’s all legal tender.”

Terrorists have killed a six-month pregnant woman and four others in Agwa community in Rafi local government area of Niger State.

The terrorists also abducted 50 people while several others were injured.

It was learnt the terrorists invaded Agwa village in Rafi local government area, shooting sporadically but their attack was cut short by military on aerial patrol who engaged them in gunfire.

Read Also: Five injured as terrorists attack Gwoza, Norno – Police

Unable to bear the fierce aerial battle, the terrorists took to their heels but not without abducting 50 people which include mostly women and children.

The people in the community expressed fear over their safety during the upcoming Governorship and House of elections which would take place on Saturday.

Niger Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarian Affairs, Emmanuel Umar, who confirmed the incident said that the real number of casualties is yet to be ascertained.