Former People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Adamu Muazu yesterday met with the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
The meeting, which was held at the Vice President’s office, lasted for about one hour.
At the end of the meeting, he declined to speak with to State House correspondents on the purpose of his visit to the Villa.
It was, however, gathered that the visit was to thank the Vice President, who attended the former PDP’s daughter wedding recently.
•Judge to rule on bail tomorrow
MARYAM Sanda, who was remanded in prison for allegedly killing her husband, Bilyamin Mohammed Bello, has told a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Jabi, Abuja, that she is three-month pregnant for the deceased.
Mariam is been charged together with her mother, Hajia Maimuna Aliyu, Aliyu Sanda as well as Sadiya Aminu for the murder of Bilyamin, the son of ex-People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Alhaji Bello Haliru Mohammed.
At the resume of hearing yesterday, the defendant’s counsel, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), in his new application dated January 25 and filed January 26, prayed for an order to grant the first defendant bail pending the hearing of the matter.
He said: “My Lord, the new fact is that she is three-month pregnant and I have done my research. The court should exercise its discretion that there will be guarantee that the defendant will attend trial in all the adjourned dates.
“Apart from issue of blood pressure, pregnancy is a thing that comes with complicating issues.
“I urge the court to exercise its discretion under the ACJA (Administration of Criminal Justice Act) and grant the defendant bail. I have no reference, where a woman is pregnant and is denied bail.
“In other words, let us leave the social media on one side; there is a threat to two lives.”
The defence counsel also objected to hearing of the case since the matter has not been sent to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice as stipulated by Section 104 and 105 of the Penal Code.
“There is no point of commencing cross-examination. There must be a fair trial and due processes must be followed,” Daudu said.
Objecting to the bail application, police prosecuting counsel, Mr. James Idachaba, told the court that the evidence put forward by the defence were not sufficient enough to grant the application.
He told the court that in reaction to the application, the prosecution have filed a counter-affidavit of 12-paragraph against bail for the defendant.
“With greatest respect, the fact brought before your lordship is insufficient. There is no evidence to prove that she is three-month pregnant. We urge your lordship to dismiss the application because the defendant has not taken her plea,” Idachaba said.
After listening to both parties, the trial judge, Justice Yusuf Haliru, ordered that the first defendant be remanded in prison facility that is been maintained by government and adjourned the matter till tomorrow to rule on whether to grant the bail or not based on her pregnancy claim.
Justice Halilu had previously rejected plea for the defendant, who is nursing a six-month old baby girl, to be released from Suleja prison on bail.
The court had on November 24, last year, remanded Maryam in prison after she was arraigned on a two-count charge of culpable homicide punishable by death under section 221 of the Penal Code Law.
In the charge, which police filed pursuant to section 109 (d) of the ACJA, 2015, Maryam was accused of stabbing her husband to death with a broken bottle on November 19 at their Abuja residence.
The prosecution told the court that Bilyamin died as a result of several stabs on his chest and neck.
A senator and 8,700 members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have defected to All Progressives Congress (APC) in Jigawa State.
The lawmaker, Senator Danladi Abdullahi Sankara, said he led 8,700 PDP members to APC because the party was performing.
He promised to be loyal to the party and its leadership at all levels.
Sankara was the national vice chairman of PDP in charge of Northwest.
Members of the Accord and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who recently defected to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Egbeda Local Government Area of Oyo State, have hailed Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s visionary leadership style. They also lauded the infrastructural development ongoing in the state, saying these are part of the reasons they defected to the ACN.
They spoke at a ceremony organised to formally welcome them into the party.
The Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, who represented Governor Ajimobi, delivered goodwill messages from him to the new ACN members, assuring them of the dividends of democracy
The state Chairman of the party, Chief Akin Oke, hoped that before the end of Ajimobi’s first term, the state would have assumed its pacesetter status. He assured the new members of equitable stake in the party.
Egbeda Council boss, Mr. Mufutau Animashaun Oyewo, appealed for co-operation and support from the new members to move the local government and state to a greater height.
The former Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akoko North West Local Government, Mr. Phalics Apalowo, at the weekend resigned his appointment and joined the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
Apalowo, speaking with reporters in Akure, said he left the PDP to join those he called “the progressive forces” to take the state to a greater height.
He said his formal declaration would hold on October 4.
The Special Assistant (SA) to Governor Olusegun Mimiko on Special Interest, Mr. Jerry Akinwunmi and former Ilaje Local Government Caretaker Chairman have defected from the ruling Labour Party (LP) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Others are the Personal Assistant (PA) to the Senator representing Ondo South, Boluwaji Kunlere, Oluwanbe Olomu and their supporters, who defected to the PDP at Okitipupa.
The former LP leaders officially joined the PDP at the local government rally of the part held at the weekend.
They were received by the governorship candidate of the PDP, Chief Olusola Oke.
The politicians and their supporters said they dumped the LP for the PDP because they have discovered that the party and its leaders do not possess the economic blueprint that could transform the state.
They said the LP led- government is not interested in the development of the riverine areas.
They alleged that the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC) under the LP has served as an intervention agency for a few leaders of the party, thereby encouraging the diversion of the billions accruing to the agency into the private pockets of a few politicians in the Labour Party.
“Our people are suffering in the hands of the Labour Party. We thought they would add value to our lives, but the reverse is the case. After watching events, we decided to dump the party for a more progressive party like the PDP, which has been tested and trusted in our local government area.
“We have decided to join hands with the leaders of the party to allow the good work they have done in our area to continue,” they said.
Timilehin Olowofoyeku, the Special Adviser on Media to the incumbent Caretaker Chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area and Timi Sobijoh, Special Assistant to the Ese-Odo Caretaker Chairman also defected to the PDP.
Welcoming the new members, Oke and his running mate, Saka Lawal, received them into the PDP fold.
The former PDP National Legal Adviser said the party would do everything to transform the lives of the people of the area.