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Tag: Abuja

  • Court insists on Imo APC Exco’s legitimacy

    *To hear motion for Oshiomhole’s committal

    A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Bwari, Abuja has insisted that its judgment and orders affirming the legitimacy of the Executive of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State, led by Daniel Nwafor, remain in force.

    Justice Othman Musa made the clarification on Monday at the resumed hearing in post-judgment proceedings initiated by the national office of the APC, its National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole and Nwafor.

    The court had in a judgment delivered on August 14, 2018 upheld the legitimacy of the Nwafor-led Executive of the APC in Imo State and forbade the dissolution of the state EXCO.

    After the judgment, Nwafor filed an application, seeking Oshiomhole’s committal to prison, on the grounds that he allegedly moved to dissolve the Nwafor-led state EXCO, in violation of the August 14, 2018 judgment.

    Oshiomhole and the APC equally filed an application, challenging the validity of the judgment, which they argued, was delivered without jurisdiction. They also filed a counter-affidavit to the application by Nwafor.

    On Monday, Damian Dodo (SAN), representing the APC and Oshiomhole urged the court to, first hear and determine his clients’ motion, challenging the court’s jurisdiction and the validity of the judgment.

    Nwafor’s lawyer, Chidozie Ogunji objected and urged the court to first, hear his client’s application for the committal of the APC’s National Chairman to prison, before hearing any other application.

    Ogunji argued that it was wrong for Dodo to asked the court to hear his (Dodo’s) application, challenging jurisdiction before taking the contempt proceedings.

    He contended that a court of law has a duty to protect its proceedings and processes from invasion.

    Ogunji added that up and until the court deals with the issue of contempt, which is an affront on the court, the issue of jurisdiction, in whatever manner, it is raised, is inconsequential.

    He stressed: “This is so, because, by the court dealing with the affront on it, the court is and will be protecting it’s jurisdiction.

    “Today, the party sought to be committed, is not in court. And, whether the said party is challenging the jurisdiction of the court or not, once it is a contempt proceedings, the defendant must be in court.

    “We do not intend, for now, to apply that a bench warrant be issued. But we ask that the court makes an order that the party sought to be committed, (Oshiomhole) attends court on the next date, so that there will not be a continuous show of disrespect to this court.”

    Dodo, in his reply on point of law, faulted Ogunji’s argument and urged the court to first, consider the challenge to its jurisdiction, before conducting any other business.

    He argued that the orders and judgment being challenged by his clients were allegedly got without their knowledge.

    Dodo added that the position of the law is that, where a party is challenging the validity of an order or judgment, that person cannot be proceeded against, by way of contempt proceedings until the question about the jurisdiction of the court is resolved.

    On Ogunji’s claim that Oshiomhole disrespected the court by being absent, Dodo argued that the APC National Chairman has shown respect for the court by retaining a lawyer to canvass legal argument, on his behalf, before the court on whether or not the court has jurisdiction.

    Dodo argued that, until the issue of jurisdiction was resolved, Oshiomhole’s presence in court was still unnecessary.

    Ruling, Justice Othman agreed with Dodo that, though the court must protect its dignity and proceedings, it was necessary that it first, resolve questions about its jurisdiction when raised, before conducting further proceedings.

    The judge consequently elected to first hear the applications by the APC and its National Chairman, on the issue of jurisdiction, before hearing Nwafor’s application for committal.

    He, however, insisted that the court’s judgment of August 14, 2018 and the consequent orders made, remain in force until the question about the validity of the judgment and orders was resolved.

    Justice Musa adjourned to March 20 this year for the hearing of the application by the APC and its National Chairman.

  • Buhari didn’t order Nigerians to be shot summarily – Tinubu

    The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday said President Muhammadu Buhari never ordered security agencies to shoot Nigerians summarily.

    Speaking with journalists in Abuja at the end of the APC caucus meeting, he said the President was misinterpreted.

    He said that the President at the meeting only reinforced that those involved in ballot box snatching will be doing it at the risk of their lives.

    According to him: “I was in that meeting; the president was just reinforcing the fact that if you are out there snatching ballot boxes and causing destruction, you are at risk of your own life.

    “Whatever happens to you; No President will give an order that his own citizens should be shot summarily, No! No, its okay, emotions are running high these days. Any individual including myself can be misinterpreted.

    “These are not his words; he is a law abiding person and he understands categorically and clearly what rule of law is and the lives of individual citizens that he is in that office to protect.

    “Now, let me run this; he has been fighting Boko Haram, kidnappers and all these before this election. Did you hear him asking them to be shot and executed summarily?”

    On the resumption of campaigns by political parties, the former Lagos governor said: “By law we should continue to energise our people; it depends on our resources.

    “Because the Electoral Act allows us to do that and ask led us to stop campaigning only 24 hours before the actual election. And once you changed the date to Feb. 23, you have given us the opening to campaign and energise.

    “If you a garden and you don’t nourish with water, the grass will remain dormant; we don’t want our party to remain dormant.

    “This is ability of leadership to convert adversity to opportunity and prosperity and that’s it; that’s what we must do.”

    Asked if the postponement has cast doubt on the credibility of INEC, he said: “It depends on how it is handled and the process. How the process is managed; you can convert a crisis–a situation of adversity to an opportunity and progress.

    “The INEC, under the law, they are empowered to postpone, cancel and do whatever is necessary to ensure free and fair election. No party other the anger, the disappointment, no party can reverse that. So, we are ready for Feb. 23.”

  • Postponement: Buhari apologizes to Nigerians

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday apologized to Nigerians for the postponement of the 2019 general elections by one week.

    He felt bittered that many Nigerians must have spent their resources in moving from one location to the other towards voting in the postponement elections.

    Buhari, who returned to Abuja at 1:15 pm from Katsina State, spoke with journalists at the Presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    Asked why he was disappointed over the postponement of elections, he said “Yes I am disappointed because INEC has got all the time and resources needed and therefore supposed to work according to their programme.

    “They were given all the resources, they had all the time and they kept on telling us up to the last minute that they were ready.

    Read Also: Why Buhari is Nigeria’s best choice, by Tinubu

    “The fact that they are not ready means there is some inefficiency along the line.” he said

    On his message to Nigerians and his supporters, he said “They should be patient, let them come out a week from today and vote.

    “I apologise for this inefficiency because they have to use their own resources to go back to their various polling units at their own expense if they are all that committed.” he said

  • Elections postponement has not dampened my spirit – Atiku

    The Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the postponement of the general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) but said the development did not dampen his spirit.

    The commission had shifted the Presidential and National Assembly elections from Feb.16 to Feb.23, and moved the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections from March 2 to March 9.

    Abubakar, who spoke to newsmen at his residence in Yola on Saturday, said he was shocked by the development, adding that it was not the best of decision to cancel an election few hours to voting time.

    “I received the news with shock; you don’t postpone an election few hours to its commencement,” Atiku said.

    Read Also: Ndigbo endorsed Atiku in error, says Ngige

    He urged Nigerians to be patient and endeavour to come out and vote on the new dates of the polls.

    “I urge Nigerians to be patient and come out en masse to vote,” he said.

    Atiku said he was on his way to Abuja for a PDP emergency meeting over the development, adding that he had no problem with voting materials already distributed for the election as long as they were kept in the “right and secure places”.

    NAN

  • REC declares ballot papers for Niger East, North missing

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Niger State on Friday said that elections for the senatorial positions of Niger East and Niger North may not hold on Saturday as the ballot papers meant for the zone were missing.

    Prof. Samuel Egwu, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, made the declaration while interacting with newsmen in Minna.

    “The issue has been reported to the INEC’s Headquarters in Abuja for urgent attention.

    Read Also: Truck carrying ballot papers held

    “The officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria saddled with the responsibility of securing the electoral sensitive materials have gone  to Abuja for the last batch of the sensitive materials for  Saturday’s elections in the state, so we are waiting,’’ he said.

    Egwu said that 85 per cent of the needed facilities for the conduct of free and fare elections in the state had been provided with the non-sensitive materials already moved to various destinations across the 25 local government areas of the state.

    He said that the commission trained 23,000 ad hoc staff for the elections in the state.

    The REC also said that 2,181,400 eligible voters would participate during the general elections in the state.

  • Court remands dismissed police officer

    A Wuse Zone 6 Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, yesterday ordered that a dismissed police officer, Ishaya Amos, be remanded in prison custody for alleged unlawful possession of 930 AK-47 ammunition.

    The Magistrate, Mr. Ahmad Ndajiwo, who gave the order, said the defendant should be remanded until March 13 for hearing of the case.

    Amos of CTU Barracks, Bukuru, Jos, is charged with unlawful possession of AK-47 ammunition, unlawful dealing in ammunition, unlawful sale of Ak-47 ammunition and joint act.

    The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty.

    Read also: ’Labour won’t accept retrenchment over new minimum wage’

    Prosecutor G. N Jinalimba had told the court that on September 28, 2017, the Inspector General of Police received information that Amos, a police officer attached to CTU Base 2, Jos, illegally had in his possession 930 AK-47 ammunition.

    He was allegedly arrested with the bullets which he was going to sell to Jubrin Mamuda.

    The prosecutor said during police investigations it was discovered that the defendant had allegedly sold 750 of the ammunition to Mamuda previously.

  • Don’t to be used for violence, destruction, Buhari appeals to youths

    Adeyinka Akintunde

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday evening appealed to youths to avoid being used for violence and destruction, as they go out to vote in the general elections this weekend.

    He made this appeal during his nationwide broadcast to the nation in Abuja.

    Buhari told Nigerians that the Federal government is committed to ensuring a free and fair election, in line with the peace accord he signed with other candidates on Wednesday.

    In his words “I want to make a special appeal to our youth: Do not allow yourselves to be used to cause violence and destruction. The people who want to incite you are those preparing the ground for discrediting the elections. Having lost the argument, they fear losing the elections.

    “As Government has a critical role in maintaining the democratic traditions, so do citizens. I therefore urge you all, as good Nigerians, to take a personal interest in promoting and maintaining peace in your respective neighborhoods during the elections. This is certainly not a time to allow personal, religious, sectional or party interests to drive us to desperation.

    Listing some of the achievements of the current administration, Buhari noted that “The damage that insecurity and corruption have done, over time, to our collective livelihood is incalculable. However, it is pleasing to note that our frontal attack on these twin evils is gaining momentum and bringing about visible progress. The recovery of the economy from recession is complete and Nigeria is back on the path of steady growth.

    Read Also: We will unite to re-elect Buhari – Nwosu

    “The economic recovery that we promised is well underway, as demonstrated by the recently released statistics. In 2018, the economy grew by 1.93%, with the Fourth Quarter growth being 2.38%, up from 1.81% in the Third Quarter.

    On agriculture and job creation, Buhari said that there has been a high supply of quality agricultural produce, in his administration.

    “I am pleased to note that in major departmental stores and local markets, there has been a surge in the supply of high quality Nigerian agricultural produce. Behind each of these products, are thousands of industrious Nigerians working in factories and farms across the nation. Our interventions have led to improved wealth and job creation for these Nigerians, particularly in our rural communities.

    Buhari urged Nigerians to be wise, and consider the promises made by other candidates, if they are what is already going on in his administration

    “In making your choice this time, please ask yourself whether, and in what ways, others will do anything different to address the issues of Agriculture, Infrastructure, Security, Good Governance and Fighting Corruption. If they are only hoping to do what we are already doing successfully, we are clearly your preferred choice. Think carefully and choose wisely. This time, it is a choice about consolidating on growth for Jobs and Prosperity.”

  • List of presidential candidates unbelievable – Banda

    The number of presidential candidates in Saturday’s poll is unbelievable, Former President of Zambia, Rupia Banda has said.

    72 candidates will be vying for the seat of the president of the country. Likewise, 109 seat in the upper chamber and 360 in the lower chamber are up for grab in the Saturday elections.

    Banda is the head of the The number of presidential candidates in Saturday’s poll is unbelievable, Former President of Zambia, Rupia Banda has said., (EISA) which has since deployed 30 international observers for the general elections. He spoke when he led a delegation of EISA to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.

    The former president noted that Nigeria was too important to the West African sub-region, the entire continent and the entire international community which informed the special interest in her electoral process.

    He said the agenda of EISA was to observe the process and make appropriate recommendations that would further deepen the democratic process in Nigeria.

    He said: “The importance of Nigeria to Africa and indeed to the world cannot be overstated so we are very honoured to be here in order to observe and to see how the elections will take place.

    “A team of about 30 people will be deployed to various parts of this great nation. We look forward to observe this successful and peaceful election as it takes place this weekend.

    Read Also: Buhari’s address to the nation

    “We know how complex the size of the country and the size of the population of Nigeria is. Therefore we wish Nigerian people under your leadership, Mr. Chairman very successful elections.

    “We wish you well on what you have put in with the election population. The many Presidential Candidates is unbelievable. In our country if I tell the people of Zambia how many members on the list of the Presidential election is almost the number of the whole Parliament in our country so we know how complicated it is.”

    In his response, Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, assured them of adequate security in the course of their assignment in the country.

    He called on the team to be free to offer criticisms when necessary as he noted that EISA’s recommendations after the election would go a long way to deepen the electoral process in the country.

    Yakubu also Commended EISA for supporting democracy and the democratization process not only in Nigeria but other African countries.

    “It is once again our pleasure in Nigeria as we conduct election this weekend to welcome yet another team for peer review, this time around from the Continent led by such an eminent person as His Excellency Rupia Banda.

    “We are always encouraged when people of your standing in the Continent come and observe what we do in Nigeria. We look forward to your important recommendations while assuring you that at the end of the day, we will give consideration to your reports and the recommendations in strengthening our processes and procedures.

    “EISA has been supporting democracy and the democratization process not only in Nigeria but elsewhere as well. It has led successful missions to Sierra Leone and Liberia in July 2017 ahead of their elections and EISA provided resource persons.

    “We look forward to your report and recommendations after the election. It will help us to strengthen the process in Nigeria.

    As we open the polling units on Saturday, feel free to move around and make your observations available to us. We are open to criticisms. All the observers are our guest, we assure you of adequate security.“

  • Ex-lawmaker counsels youths on peaceful elections

    Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudum Nwuche Thursday urged for peaceful polls in Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly election as well as March 2nd governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    He also urged leaders of political parties to maintain peace across the country in the interest of the country.

    Nwuche in a statement in Abuja asked Nigerian youths not to allow themselves to be used as agents of violence and destruction during and after the elections.

    The youths, he said, should refuse any form of inducement that will lead to acts that are inimical to a peaceful election.

    He emphasized that the whole essence of democracy is for the people to freely choose their leaders through an electoral process that is devoid of fraud, manipulations, intimidation and rigging.

    He maintained that free and fair elections are indicators of a developed society which engenders good governance and accountability as those who emerge through a credible electoral process that reflects the wish of the people will ensure delivery of dividends of democracy to the people.

    He urged Rivers sons and daughters who are in positions of authority to use their power for development of the state and its people, instead of using such powers to witch hunt perceived enemies and Rivers people generally.

    Read Also: 2019: Youths urged to embrace peace

    According to him, those in authority should “realise that all power belongs to God, and that they did not get into their positions only on account of their endowments but through the grace of God, and the mandate of the people.”

    Nwuche maintained that Rivers State was in dire need of entrepreneurs to employ the millions of unemployed youths who are forced into criminality.

    He urged the people in authority to build and support more Rivers entrepreneurs and business men and women for the good of the state.

    He said, “Our youths cannot thrive only in politics, but should cultivate a second address, as politics is not a full time job.”

    He condoled with the families of those who lost relatives during the stampede that occurred at the Adokiye Amiesimaka stadium in Port Harcourt during the APC Presidential campaign rally on Tuesday.

    Nwuche who regretted the incident described it as “very unfortunate.”

    He wished the survivors who are receiving treatment at various health facilities in the state speedy recovery and prayed for the repose of the souls of the departed.

  • ‘Don’t betray your oath,’ Acting CJN urges judges on election tribunals

    The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad has urged judges nominated to serve in election tribunals to remain loyal to the judicial oath to which the subscribed upon their inauguration.

    Muhammad, who reminded the judges that their choice as members of the tribunals impose on them the duty to rise above all temptations and do justice in accordance with the law.

    He noted that the task of adjudicating election petitions would task the content of the conscience of members of the various election tribunals.

    The Acting CJN spoke in Abuja on Thursday while swearing 17 of the 250 judges nominated to serve in the election tribunals that will determine the various petition arising from this year’s general elections.

    Muhammad had, on January 26 this year, swore in the others.

    Speaking on Thursday, the Acting CJN said: “You have just taken an oath that has not only imposed a course of upright morale undertaking on you but equally looped you with destiny.

    “Your participation in these tribunals at this crucial phase of the Nigerian judiciary is not by accident but a clear design of the Almighty Allah.

    “This is an enormous national assignment that will literally put the contents of your conscience to test.

    “As judicial officers, you may have, one way or the other, trodden this somewhat dreaded terrain, but you must, against all odds, rise above the murky waters of failure and infamy.’

    Read Also: NJC issues fresh query to Acting CJN

    “The onus is on you to keep aloft the banner of honesty and integrity that the judiciary has painstakingly hoisted over the years.

    “Your appointment to serve in these tribunals is well conceived, thus, you should do everything within your ability to justify this confidence.

    “There is no doubt that you will be exposed to different forms of temptations and even blackmails but you should know that all are aimed at testing your strength of character, honesty and integrity.

    “My candid advice is that, in whatever circumstance, you should always be mindful of this oath you have just taken because it now stands as an uncompromising witness between you and your creator.

    “It behoves you to willingly submit yourselves to the sanctity of the rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution in the discharge of your judicial functions.

    “It is the general belief that elections held when the rule of law is too fragile, seldom lead to lasting democratic governance.

    “You are enjoined to always strike a balance between justice and rule of law as you embark on this critical national assignment.

    “As you all know, the rule of law delayed, is lasting peace denied because justice is a handmaiden of true peace. We need this in Nigeria more than ever before.

    “The trumpet must first sound from the temple of justice; hence we put you forward as champions of this noble cause.

    “By virtue of this oath, you are now armed with the power to adjucate on electoral disputes and take decisions in accordance with your conviction Which must be deeply rooted in law and not sentiments or public opinion.

    “l pray the Almighty Allah will grant you the courage and wisdom to carry out this responsibility without faltering or failing,” Muhammad said.