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Tag: Chris Uche

  • ‘We are optimistic of Atiku, Mohammed’s victory at tribunal’

    Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Chris Uche, who doubles as the lead counsel for Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Alh. Atiku Abubakar at the presidential election tribunal, and Bauchi State governor-elect, Bala Mohammed at the governorship petition tribunal sitting in Bauchi state has expressed optimism of his clients’ victory in court.

    Atiku and his party are challenging the outcome of the election on the grounds of alleged massive rigging, malpractices substantial non-compliance with the electoral laws.

    In the petition, Atiku and PDP are praying that its candidate be declared winner of the February 23 presidential election.

    They are also asking the tribunal to nullify the poll and order for a fresh election that will be conducted in line with the provisions of the electoral laws.

    The legal luminary said all the respondents in Atiku’s cases have all filed their responses.

    He mentioned President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress,APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as the respondents.

    Uche added that all processes have been exchanged and very soon, there will be commencement of the pre- hearing session with the actual trial coming after that.

    He, however, queried the APC for not addressing some of the issues raised in the petition filed by Atiku.

    “It is very unfortunate that they have not addressed the issues we raised rather they are raising issues that we feel are mere distractions. Whether Atiku is a Nigerian citizen or not or whether one of the lawyers who signed the petition, whether he abbreviated his name or not”

    “But they are yet to address the issues we raised, mainly the information on the data of INEC, the physical result that INEC gave.  They have not reacted to that and all the anomalies we pointed out.

    “We are very comfortable and confident with the processes that are before the court of appeal. Very soon, hearing will be commence on that. We are optimistic of victory In both cases”

    “Having looked at all the fact in both cases,  our position are very strong, we are very confident of defending the mandate of  Atiku and Bala victory and we shall come out victorious ”

    Read Also: Buhari, Jonathan, Atiku and who?

    Meanwhile, Bala ‘s victory is been challenged by Governor Mohammad Abubakar and the APC over alleged rigging.

    Uche who spoke at the inauguration of the governor-elect’s legal team in Bauchi,   which he heads said Bala has a right to be represented and his mandate defended and protected.

    “As we all know Bala Mohammed won all the election but incidentally his opponent has challenged his victory. We are here as his legal team to defend the mandate given to him voluntarily by the people of Bauchi state.

    “Our legal team is a highly constituted one, and we have about 60 lawyers with 5 SANs which have been chosen to defend him”

    “We have seen a copy of the filed by his opponent, we have also taken a look at it and the area of the complaints and really those are not really complains”

    “Since we have just been filed and served a copy of the petition, we have 21 days to file and reply .We are already gathering our materials, the results from all the local government even though they are challenging result from only 3 out of the 20 Local government areas. We will soon file our response and will also take preliminary steps required before the pre-hearing session which will expect to take place in two weeks’ time” He said

    On his part, the governor-elect has said he would use every legitimate means at his disposal to defend his electoral mandate.

    Inaugurating his legal team, the Governor-elect said, “On behalf of myself, the deputy governor-elect, Baba Tela and the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, of Bauchi state, I inaugurate the legal team to fight for us at the tribunal.”

    “I won’t relent in defending the mandate that was freely given to me by the good people of Bauchi State. This is not the first obstacle we have had to cross, and by God’s grace, we will emerge victorious again in court. He said

    The Nation had earlier reported over the weekend that Chris Uche will lead the Bauchi governor-elect ‘s team with 10 senior lawyers which include 5 SANs and 60 indigenous lawyers from Bauchi to compliment the efforts of the Uche- led legal  team in defense of Bala ‘s victory at the tribunal.

  • Anambra 2017 Poll: Guber aspirant resigns from UPP

    Anambra 2017 Poll: Guber aspirant resigns from UPP

    Chief Chuma Offodile, who lost the United Progressives Party (UPP) governorship candidature after the primary in Anambra has resigned his membership of the party.

    Offodile, who withdrew from the party’s primaries on Aug. 19, announced his resignation at a news conference in Awka on Monday.

    He said he was resigning from the party because the party allowed the primary to go on in spite of complaints of alleged infractions and manipulations of the delegates’ list.

    He also said he was taking the position because a human life was lost on the day of the primaries due to confusion caused by the party leadership.

    “In spite of all entreaties, including court order that the UPP should adhere to the provisions of its own constitution in the conduct of the Anambra Governorship primary, the party did just the opposite.

    “After a hotly contested ward and local government congresses of the UPP Constitution, a delegates’ list comprised of local government chairmen and secretaries, treasurers, youth and women leaders were complied.

    “To the surprise of party members, a delegates’ list copiously at variance with list of elected delegates was uploaded on the UPP website on July 2017.

    “The website list contained strange names with no phone numbers unlike the authentic list,’’ Offodile said.

    “When accreditation commenced on Saturday, Aug. 19, I got information that only those whose names were on the website were allowed.

    “I drove down and hand over my letter of protest to the Chairman of the Committee, Chief Chris Uche and state Chairman, Dr Sylvester Igwilo that I would withdraw if they insist on using the illegal list.

    “A couple of minutes later, I received a call that the disenfranchised delegates were becoming uncontrollable and that armed policemen were firing teargas to scare them and that one delegates had been taken to the Teaching Hospital in Awka.’’

    He noted that by the time he got to the hospital, this delegate had given up the ghost, but his name was both on the authentic and illegal website list.

    “It is the display of gross insensitivity to the life of a member that made me to reconsider my membership of the UPP.

    “I hereby resign my membership with effect from today, Aug. 21, 2017.

    “I urge all my supporters and all those who believe in the Biafran ideology of equity, freedom and justice to do same and await further directives,’’ Offodile said.

    Chief Osita Chidoka, former minister of Aviation and Corps Marshal of Federal Road Safety Corps, emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of UPP from the primary, conducted at Emmaus House, Awka, on Saturday.

    Chidoka had in his acceptance speech on Saturday called on every member of the party to eschew bitterness and join hands with him in the task of electioneering.

    “I am extending hands of fellowship to everybody, including those that pulled out in the last minute; I am calling on them to join hands in the task of election.’’

    Reacting to Offordile’s resignation, Igwilo said it was both a surprising and a hasty decision, noting that he had the right to do so.

    The state chairman said though the party had yet to be officially notified of the resignation, the national secretariat would react appropriately in due course.

  • Anambra 2017: Chidoka emerges UPP candidate

    Anambra 2017: Chidoka emerges UPP candidate

    A former Minister Of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, has emerged the gubernatorial candidate of the United Progressives Party (UPP) in Anambra.

    Chidoka beat his opponent, Chief Chudi Offodile in the primary congress held in Awka on Saturday.

    Announcing the result, the Chairman of UPP National Congress Committee, Chris Uche, said Chidoka polled 1,222 votes against 87 polled by Offodile from total 1,309 valid votes cast.

    Uche, who is deputy Chairman of the Party (South) described the exercise as transparent and successful.

    “Based on this figures from this transparent exercise held before all of you here, we declare Chief Osita Chidoka winner and return him as the gubernatorial candidate of UPP in the Nov. 18 election in Anambra,’’ he said.

    Uche, however, announced that Offodile withdrew from the primary election before voting commenced.

    “And to put it in a simple way, Offodile withdrew this morning even when he was with us last night and earlier today,’’ he said.

    In his acceptance speech, Chidoka lauded the members of the party for believing in him, while promising to make UPP the ruling party in Anambra in the next administration.

    He called every member of the party to eschew bitterness and join hands with him in the task ahead.

    “I most sincerely thank members of our great party, delegates, primary committee and all the officials.

    “I am extending hands of fellowship to everybody, including those that pulled out in the last minute; I am calling on them to join hands in the task of the election.

    “Democracy is all about dialogue and negotiation, but as you can see 1,400 delegates out of 1, 630 coming to be accredited shows that the election has been very successful.

    “Our members at the grassroots are united in one accord to nominate a candidate truly represent the party and give it the opportunity to form the next government in Anambra,’’ he said.

  • Jonathan’s cousin petitions AGF, EFCC over detention

    Detained cousin to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Azibola Robert has petitioned the Attorney general of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) over his continued detention despite an order of court granting him bail.

    Robert said he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on March 23 over his alleged involvement in the diversion of $40 million meant for securing oil pipelines,  through a firm, One-Plus Holdings, a sister company of Kakatar Construction and Engineering Company Limited.

    The payment was said to have been made by former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

    Bothered by his prolonged detention, Roberts’ lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN) approached the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) via an ex-parte application for an order granting bail to his client.

    Justice Olasumbo Goodluck on April 7 granted Robert’s application and ordered the EFCC to release him on bail, with two sureties standing for him.

    The judge said each of the surety shall be a serving or retired director in any of the Federal Government’s ministries or parastatal and must be resident within the FCT.

    In the petition, copy of which was sent to the EFCC’s Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, Uche noted that his client was still being held in EFCC custody days after the court granted him bail.

  • Alleged threat to witness’ life stalls Ohakim’s trial

    Alleged threat to witness’ life stalls Ohakim’s trial

    The trial of former Imo State governor, Ikedi Ohakim, was stalled on Tuesday following a disagreement between prosecution and defence lawyers over alleged threat by Ohakim’s son to a prosecution witness.

    Ohakim is arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly making a cash payment of $2, 290,000.00 for a piece of land at Plot No. 1098 Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, otherwise known as No. 60, Kwame Nkuruma Street, Asokoro, Abuja.

    The prosecution lawyer, Festus Keyamo, told the court that one of the prosecution’s witnesses, Abu Sule, was being trailed by one Emeka Ohakim, a son to the ex-governor.

    Keyamo told the court that the second prosecution witness, Sule, who is the Managing Director of Tweenex Consociate H.D. Limited, phoned him at about 9.00pm on January 25, saying the second son of the defendant,  Emeka , had gone to his ( Sule) office at Asokoro to inquire about his home address from some individuals.

    He added that Ohakim’s son had allegedly approached three people, whose names he gave simply as Okon (a driver), Akpabor (a driver) and Shola (an architect), for Sule’s home address.

    ‘‘We will apply, at this stage that a word of caution and concern go out. If it repeats itself, we shall bring appropriate application before the court over the development,’’ Keyamo said.

    Responding, Ohakim’s lawyer, Chris Uche (SAN) expressed dismay at what he described as Keyamo’s outburst, arguing that the issue ought to have been discussed at another gathering rather than blowing it open.

    Uche said:‘ ‘I have no doubt that what the prosecution has said amounts to destabilizing the defence. Keyamo had been sitting directly behind us for more than one hour before the case was called, but he didn’t raise the matter. He also saw the defendant eyeball to eyeball when he came to our seats, yet he didn’t discuss the matter. Now, it is on the Internet and it will be in the press tomorrow.’’

    He urged the court to dismiss the story as unfounded, adding that the prosecution could file an application to formally bring the issue before the court.

     

  • INEC, PDP, Wada urge Supreme Court to dismiss case

    INEC, PDP, Wada urge Supreme Court to dismiss case

    Judgment on February 21

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Kogi State Governor Idris Wada yesterday urged the Supreme Court to dismiss an appeal filed by a chieftain of the party, Jibril Isah Echocho.

    Echocho is challenging the legitimacy of the December 3, 2011, election, which produced Wada as governor.

    At the hearing yesterday, INEC, PDP and Wada, represented by J. M. M. Majiyagbe, Olusola Oke and Chris Uche (SAN), faulted the competence of the appeal and urged the court to dismiss it.

    Echocho challenged the legitimacy of the election before the Federal High Court on the grounds that it was wrongly held.

    The Federal High Court declined jurisdiction, as the case involved governorship election issues over which it lacked jurisdiction.

    Echocho went to the Court of Appeal, which upheld the decision of the Federal High Court, prompting his appeal to the Supreme Court.

    Adopting his brief yesterday, Majiyagbe urged the court to dismiss the appeal because he said the reliefs sought by Echocho could only be granted by an election tribunal.

    “The narrow issue is whether the Federal High Court can entertain electoral matters, especially in light of the reliefs sought by the appellant, one of which is that the court should set aside the election.”

    Uche noted that the Apex Court on September 10, last year upheld the election.

    He argued that having not taken part in the election, it was strange that he would seek to be declared the winner of the election he did not participate in.

    “The appellant sought to rely on the primary election of January 2011, which he won, but was canceled. In the case of Sylva against PDP, the Supreme Court held that the cancelled primary had become no issue and no one could rely on it.”

    Oke said Section 285 (2) of the 1999 Constitution vested exclusive jurisdiction in the election tribunal to determine issues relating to the conduct of elections and that Isah was wrong to have come to the High Court.

    To him, the High Court and Court of Appeal were right in dismissing the case, and urged the Supreme Court to do same.

    Oke told the court that PDP had the right to abandon a primary and conduct a new one.

    Echocho’s counsel Wole Olanipekun (SAN) submitted that the case was novel because it raised issues that had not been decided before.

    “This appeal has no precedent in this country. It calls for your Lordships’ intervention to protect the sanctity and potency of the judgment of the Supreme Court and the constitution.”

    He argued that the December 3, 2011, governorship election was held in violation of the Supreme Court’s judgment, which terminated the tenure of five governors.

    Olanipekun said his client could not have gone to the tribunal because his case did not fall within the grounds for filing a petition.

    Justice Mahmud Mohammed adjourned till February 21.