The Nation Newspaper

Tag: allegation

  • Abuja property tussle: Businessman denies document forgery allegation

    The police have arraigned a businessman, Alhaji Lawal Abba, at a Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse, Abuja, for alleged fraud and forgery of documents of Plot 105, Aso Drive, Abuja.

    The documents were suspected to have stolen from one Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, said to be late.

    The arraignment followed a complaint of forgery of land documents made by Gusau, Inuwa Abdulkadir and Sunrise Resource Limited Abba.

    The complainants had also reported a case of alleged trespass and willful destruction by Abba.

    But the defendant, who was arraigned on June 18, denied the allegation and insisted he is the legitimate owner of the house.

    The police said the alleged crime was contrary to sections 319A, 177, 342, 364, 368 and 366 of the Penal Code.

    Abba was granted bail in the sum of N3million.

    He claimed he purchased the house known as Plot 105 Aso Drive Cadastral Zone A5, Maitama Abuja by virtue of Deed of Assignment and a Power of Attorney dated March 3, 2004.

    The property was said to be executed and donated to him by Messrs Rexparts International Nigeria Limited

    A dispute over the title of the land between one late Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau and Abdulkadir, a lawyer, on the one hand, and Rexparts International Limited, Mrs Perveen Akhter Ahmad and Abba on the other is pending before Court of Appeal Abuja division.

    While case is pending, the family of the late Gusau, allegedly without Abdulkadir’s knowledge and consent (as lawful Attorney over the property), sold the property to one Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar.

    Abubakar was said to have demolished the house, although he was allegedly told by Abba that the property is his (Abba’s) and that he and others were before the Court of Appeal Abuja over the house.

    Rexparts International and Abba, it was said, had been in possession of the property for over 30 years until January 15 when he was allegedly forcefully ejected and unlawfully dispossessed of the house by Abubakar with the aid of the police.

    However, Abba insists that Gusau sold the plot of land to Rexparts International, and having received the consideration, Gusau agreed and surrendered the certificate of occupancy and also signed a deed of assignment and Power of Attorney which was duly registered at the Abuja Land Registry since 2000.

    The police invited Abba in January over the allegation of a criminal complaint of forgery and fraud against him by Gusau and Abdulkadir, who was said to have later written the police denying any knowledge of the said complaint against Abba.

    Meanwhile, Abba, on his part, wrote a criminal complaint against Abubakar for “willful destruction” of his property, but the police is allegedly yet to deal with the complaint.

    When Abba received an invitation in writing from the police over the complaints, he was charged with fraud and forgery over title deeds of the property he claimed he purchased from Rexparts International.

    The court adjourned till July 3.

     

  • Activists petition NJC over Okeke’s allegation

    A HUMAN rights group, the Access to Justice (AJ), has sent a petition to the National Judicial Council (NJC), urging it to investigate the allegation made by a former judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Okechukwu Okeke that a Supreme Court Justice, Clara Ogunbiyi, extra-judicially attempted to influence the outcome of a case pending before him.

    He made the allegation during a valedictory court session in his honour on May 27. The NJC is yet to react publicly to the issue.

    AJ, in the petition signed by its Director, Joseph Otteh, said the allegations raise very troubling concerns for the independence and integrity of the administration of justice in Nigeria and need to be thoroughly, promptly and credibly investigated.

    It said: “Please recall that not too long ago, a sitting President of the Court of Appeal made somewhat similar allegations against an incumbent Chief Justice of Nigeria and the events which followed thereafter brought considerable embarrassment and ridicule to the Nigerian Judiciary from which it is yet to recover.

    “We acknowledge your efforts as Chief Justice of Nigeria to reform the administration of justice landscape, hold judges accountable for their conduct and rebuild public confidence in the judiciary and salute this commitment.

    “We bring this petition also because of our civic responsibility to help you succeed in the daunting task of transforming public perceptions of the judiciary by strengthening the independence and integrity of justice delivery in Nigeria.

    “We urge the NJC to investigate whether the allegations…are founded and true or not and whether there has been conduct that violates the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers (CCJO). Rule 1 and 1.1 of the CCJO provides as follows: “A Judicial Officer should avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all his activities. A Judicial Officer should respect and comply with the laws of the land and should conduct himself at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the Judiciary.

    “While we hold the honourable Justice of the Supreme Court who has been named in these allegations in high esteem, we think it is absolutely necessary in this circumstance that the allegations be properly investigated and that she be given an opportunity to refute or state her position in relation to the claims made.”

     

  • Oyo ACN urges IG to probe PDP’s allegation

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Oyo State has urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to investigate the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) allegation that the state’s Joint Security Task Force, called Operation Burst, is being used to witch-hunt perceived political enemies.

    In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Dauda Kolawole, ACN described the allegation as “baseless, puerile and illogical”.

    It said a probe of the allegation would put an end to the “PDP’s long years of tarnishing the image of the opposition for political advantage”.

    ACN said: “While we have always known the PDP to be a nest of liars, we never knew its operatives had no respect for the sacredness of facts and figures. The people of Oyo State know that the Governor Abiola Ajimobi administration is modern and cannot stand thugs and violence.

    “They also know that but for Operation Burst, the crime rate in Oyo would have quadrupled. How come the PDP is dishing out this falsehood? The security outfit comprises professional members of all the forces.

    “Until a few weeks ago, when it was deployed in Ibarapa, Operation Burst, was only in Ibadan. This is a fact that can be cross-checked, so how come the PDP is claiming that it was deployed to harass one of our leaders, Chief Michael Koleoso? We urge the IG to investigate these allegations, so that the public would not be deceived by these cheap lies.”

    The party alleged that the Accord and PDP were out to tarnish the image of the state government.

    ACN said: “We learnt that former Governors Rashidi Ladoja and Adebayo Alao-Akala met in London after Ajimobi sacked Ladoja’s men in his administration. Less than a week after the report, Accord and PDP are in cahoots trying to dismantle our greatest achievement in Oyo State, which is peace. The IG should please investigate this because as the African proverb says, we should not dismiss the unholy connection between the witch that cried overnight and the child that died at dawn.”

  • CPC candidate: Ondo tribunal’s judgment vindicates my allegation of bias

    •Ehinlanwo urges Akeredolu, Oke to appeal ruling

    The candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in last October’s governorship election in Ondo State, Prince Soji Ehinlanwo, yesterday criticised the judgment of the Justice Andova Kaka’n-led Election Petition Tribunal.

    He said it has vindicated his position that the panel members were biased.

    Ehinlanwo had petitioned the Appeal Court President seeking dissolution of the panel and the constitution of a fresh one.

    He said the tribunal’s judgment, which upheld the election of Governor Olusegun Mimiko, does not reflect the aspiration of the people.

    In a statement, Ehinlanwo said: “It is no wonder that the judgment was greeted with zero enthusiasm, graveyard silence and sober reflection across the state.

    “Like I mentioned in the interviews I granted shortly before the judgment and in the petition I wrote some weeks ago to the Appeal Court President, the CPC and I had no confidence in the panel, as it clearly appeared to have taken a definite position even before evidence were adduced.

    “What other conclusion could one reach about the panel, given the reckless, ludicrous and demeaning conclusions it made about our petition, even before we were allowed to adduce evidence.

    “As sad as it seems, we conclude that the judgment is a vindication of my earlier position and that of the CPC. Many people have continued to encourage me to keep on with the struggle to ensure that our justice system remains a bastion of hope for the common man, which means that justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done.

    “This is based on the unarguable premise that the judiciary is pivotal to building a virile and enduring democracy. In standing against the absurdity that occurred in respect of our matter, I believe we are making our modest contribution to strengthen our judicial institution and enhance its respect by the citizenry.

    “I believe this is the right path to follow and I thank those who have encouraged us thus far. However, a few people have asked me whether it was worth the effort, personal sacrifice and risks I have had to take.

    “To them, I say we cannot hope to build strong institutions and a strong democracy, if we do not demonstrate the courage needed to confront and address the glaring faults and aberrations that we will have to face in the evolution of our democracy.

    “I remain convinced that our people crave for a change from this rudderless government that has been imposed on them. I also believe that the tribunal’s judgment cannot and should not stand in the face of judicial scrutiny by a superior court.

    “I urge Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Chief Olusola Oke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to appeal this judgment in the interest of justice and our dear state.

    “The CPC and I are awaiting the decision of the President of the Court of Appeal on our request for the constitution of a new panel to hear our petition.

    “When the decision is made and communicated to us, we will take the next appropriate step. We remain hopeful that the right decisions will be taken, so that we can have the benefit of presenting our case to a panel that will hopefully examine it dispassionately and on its merit.

    “I assure our supporters and the public that CPC and I remain resolute in our goal to get justice and rid our state of this illegitimate government that has been foisted upon it.”

    Also yesterday, a group, the Ondo Youth Alliance (OYA), said the judgment was a “mirror of the unjust society we live in”.

    In a statement by its coordinator, Mr. Olukayode Adeyemi, after the group’s emergency meeting in Akure, the state capital, OYA said: “The illegal injection of names into the electoral register discredited the election. How do you want youths to comprehend this kind of judgment? Some judges have perfected the art of politicising judgments.

    “The panel has failed to dispense justice in this matter and we will ensure that justice is not only done, but seen to have been done. The late activist lawyer Gani Fawehinmi will be turning in his grave because of this jaundiced judgment.”

     

  • Ekiti Govt lashes PDP over profligacy allegation

    The Ekiti State Government yesterday advised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Southwest to stop “peddling falsehood”.

    In a statement, the governor’s media aide, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, said the people of the state are “too intellectually sophisticated” to be taken in by unfounded lies being spewed by the Southwest PDP, whose arrowheads have been “indicted of electoral fraud by courts”.

    Oyebode described the PDP’s allegation that the state government has spent N250 million on legal fees, street rallies and media campaign on a pending Supreme Court judgment as “laughable, illogical, absurd, diversionary and intended to provide comic relief to a band of political jesters”.

    He said the PDP spent huge state resources to sustain a stolen mandate during its three-and-half year illegal occupation of the Government House.

    Describing the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration as the most accountable in the state’s history, Oyebode said the N250 million allegation only exists in the PDP’s imagination.

    He said the passage of the Freedom of Information (FoI) Law and the Fiscal Responsibility Law showed that the administration is accountable and transparent.

    Oyebode said with the FoI Law in operation, Southwest PDP and its agents need not source for information through the backdoor.

    He said: “There are procedures for the approval of funds for projects, which are appropriated by the House of Assembly through the annual budgets. As admitted by the PDP, money approved was actually budgeted for the projects and due process was followed to the letter.”

     

     

     

     

  • Jim Iyke debunks lovechild allegation

    Jim Iyke debunks lovechild allegation

    JIM Iyke is on the news again and, as is the attribute of the Nollywood act, for the wrong reasons. Stories making rounds have it that the actor is currently enmeshed in a lovechild saga dating back eleven years. According to reports, eleven years ago, as an undergraduate, Jim was involved with a certain Chantelle Nkechi Benson, a UK-based lawyer, the product of which is a son.

    Speaking via his publicist, the actor who is known to have a temperamental persona said that he is aware of the viral story currently making the headlines stating that this is not the first time that issues of this nature have arisen.

    “Nonetheless, as a responsible man, he is always disposed to verify any such development(s) brought to his attention and when any satisfactory outcome has been ascertained, the general public will be duly informed without ambiguity. The only specifics at the present time is that at the age of 22yrs-23yrs old he dated for a brief period the lady at the centre of the story who subsequently left Nigeria for the UK,” a statement said.

    The actor denied that there had been contact between them ever since and by implication no linking of the existence of a living product of that encounter. “Since this is more about an innocent child than the star himself we advise caution and respect for privacy,” the statement further stressed.

  • CJN orders Appeal Court to respond to allegation

    CJN orders Appeal Court to respond to allegation

    The Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, National Judicial Council (NJC), Justice Aloma Marian Mukhtar, has directed three justices of the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure to respond to the allegation of violating the constitution in their handling of the election petition appeal filed by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and its candidate in Owo Constituency 1, Princess Ogunoye Folashade Fabuluje, against the Labour Party (LP) and Mr. Samuel Arowele.

    The CJN directed Justice Chikwe R. Agbo, Chinwe E. Iyizoba and Moore A. A. Adumein to within two weeks of receipt of the CJN letter respond to the petition, which is self-explanatory.

    ACN on August 27, through its counsel, Titiloye Charles, requested the NJC to investigate the dismissal of ACN election petition appeal by the Court of Appeal on August 25, 2011 without giving any reason for its dismissal.