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Tag: Federal High Court

  • Court to continue ex-PDP spokesman, Metuh’s trial in absentia

    …Summons Two Channels’ TV officials over alleged prejudicial comments

     

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the trial of ex-spokesman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh will continue in his absence following his alleged refusal to further attend proceedings.

    The court also ordered that the General Manager of a private television station, Channels Television, Abuja and the anchor of its daily Sunrise programme, Mrs. Maope Ogun-Yusuf should attend court on May 25 at 9am to show cause why they should not be compelled to produce the master tape of the recording of the programme aired on May 22 this year.

    Read Also: Ex-PDP spokesman Metuh collapses in court

    Justice Okon Abang made the orders on Wednesday while ruling on applications by Metuh’s lawyer, Emeka Etiaba (SAN) and prosecution lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir.

    Etiaba had, at the resumed proceedings in the case on Tuesday (May 22), told the court that although his witnesses were in court and ready to testify, but that his client was absent in view of the incident of the previous day.

    Etiaba said his client was on admission at the intensive care unit of the National Hospital, Abuja, where he was allegedly rushed to after he fell in court on May 21.

    He consequently applied for adjournment until when his client would be fit to attend court.

    The application, though supported by the second defence lawyer, Tochukwu Onwugbufor (SAN), was rejected by Tahir, who insisted that trial should go on in Metuh’s absence on the grounds that his lawyer did not provide any evidence to support his claim.

    Tahir equally complained about some alleged prejudicial statements purportedly made by a lawyer in the defence team, identified as Ben Chuck Nwosu, in relation to the pending trial, while he appeared on May 22, 2018 in Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily.

    He applied that the station’s Managing Director and the programme’s anchor be summoned to produce the recording of the programme unedited.

    Metuh, who is currently conducting his defence and was to call his 11th witness on at the resumption of proceedings on May 21, fell in court while making his way into the dock in defiance of the court’s earlier directive that he should not bother to move into the dock.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Breaking: Metuh collapses in court

    Former spokesman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh collapsed Monday morning at the resumed hearing in his trial before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Metuh, who is being tried for alleged money laundering offences, with his company, Destra Investment Limited, collapsed when he attempted to enter the dock when the case was called.

    Read Also: I can’t be convicted, says Metuh

    Metuh had consistently complained of ill-health for some time now. He had on two occasions applied to the court to be allowed to travel abroad for medical attention, whcih the court rejected.

    Metuh was still lying in the dock and being attended to by medical officials of the court.

    Metuh’s lawyer, Emeka Eitaba (SAN) has applied to withdraw from the case following the directive by the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang that proceedings must continue.

     

    Details later…

     

  • Court didn’t close down Ikoyi marriage registry, says FG

    The Federal Government (FG) has faulted claims by the Lagos State Government that a Federal High Court had shut down the Ikoyi marriage registry, insisting that the report was false.

    The Ministry of Interior said that the court presided over by Justice Chuka Obiozor simply upheld the judgment of a Federal High Court delivered in 2002 which was not appealed.

    It explained that the case, Suit No: FHC/L/CS/1760/16 between Egor local government area, Edo State & 3 others Vs. Ministry of Interior & others, cited by the Lagos state government was actually struck out by Justice Obiozor in his judgment delivered on April 30,2018.

    Read Also:24 hours at Ikoyi Marriage Registry

    The Director of Legal, Ministry of Interior, Bola Odugbesan, made the clarification in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, in reaction to a press statement on Thursday by the Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, Bisi Olufuwa.

    Olufuwa had claimed that the Lagos state had secured a court injunction restraining the Ikoyi registry from conducting marriages.

    Dismissing the claims, Odugbesan presented a copy of the judgment by Obiozorwho described who described the case an abuse of court process and struck it out.

    He stated that Lagos State Government was not a party to the suit.

    Clarifying what transpired in the suit, Odugbesan said, “In the case, the court was invited to interprete the provisions of the Constitution conferring on local governments, the powers to register marriages.

    “The Minister of Interior, through his Counsel, Bola Odugbesan, argued that under item 61 of the Exclusive List, matters connected with marriage under the Marriage Act, issuing of marriage certificate and its registration are outside the purview of State and/or Local Governments.”

    “The Federal High Court in its judgment dated April 30, 2018, struck out the case of the Plaintiffs, ie, Egor LGA & Ors. The court held that the case is an abuse of the court process in view of the earlier judgment of the court in 2002 which upheld the sanctity of the rights of the Minister to issue licences to places of worship to conduct marriages, and the Registrar under the Marriage Act to register marriages. It is instructive to note that Lagos State was not a party in the case,” the director explained.

    Odugbesan insisted that the Federal High Court never ordered the closure of Ikoyi Marriage Registry as claimed by Olufuwa.

     

  • Supreme Court orders Akingbola to submit self for trial

    Chides sacked Justice Achibong

     

    The Supreme Court has ordered expeditious trial in the charge against   the former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank Plc, Ersatus Akingbola.

    A five-man panel of the court, in a unanimous judgment, affirmed the February 20, 2015 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Lagos, which set aside the April 2, 2012 ruling the Federal High Court, Lagos, quashing the charge.

    Akingbola is one of the bank chiefs against who charges bordering on corruption were filed in 2009 by the Federal Government, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The then trial judge, Justice Charles Achibong quashed the charge against Akingbola, in a ruling on April 2, 2012 on the ground that the prosecution was not diligent.

    Justice Achibong has since been compulsorily retired by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    In its judgment, the Supreme Court ordered that the charge marked: FHC/L/443c/2009 be remitted back to the Federal High Court, Lagos for prompt hearing.

    The apex court also came down hard on Justice Achibong for his conduct in the case and for criticising the prosecution team in its handling of the case.

    Read Also: N5bn fraud: Supreme Court orders Akingbola to face trial

    Justice Sidi Bage, who read the lead judgment, said Akingbola’s appeal against the Court of Appeal’s decision of February 20, 2015 lacked merit.

    Justice Bage therefore ordered that the case be remitted to the Federal High Court and be assigned to another judge in the Lagos Division for expeditions trial.

    A member of the five-man panel, Justice Kumai Akaahs, noted that Justice Archibong, in his handling of the case, acted in a manner that belittles his title as a judge.

    Justice Akaahs, who also agreed with the lead judgment and the consequential orders made, said Justice Achibong portrayed the conduct of a military dictator in his handling of the case.

    Akaas said, “I have serious worry about the stance taken by the trial judge.

    “I reproduce the record of proceedings of the April 2, 2012 and this is the comment I have to make:

    “From the record of the proceedings, the learned trial judge needlessly descended into the arena and poured “vituperation on the team of the prosecuting counsel on their competence to prosecute and thereby removed his toga of impartiality.

    “No matter the level of provocation, engendered by the lacklustre attitude displayed by the prosecuting counsel in delaying the prosecution of their case, and the announcement by the counsel to appeal the ruling of January 31, 2012, this does not warrant the action taken by the learned trial judge in the matter.

    “Rather than act judicially, in accordance with his oath of office, the learned trial judge constituted himself into a military dictator that is known for spewing out orders that cannot be challenged.

    “A judicial officer that is worthy of answering the appellation: Honorable, should not descend so low by casting aspersions on the competence of the prosecuting team and directing the Attorney-General of the Federation to disband them.

    “This is judicial tyranny and a clear case of bias as displayed by the learned trial judge,” Akaahs said.

  • Court orders forfeiture of NDDC director’s N800m Lekki property

    Justice Chuka Obiozor of Federal High Court in Lagos  on  Thursday ordered the temporary forfeiture of four landed property in Lekki allegedly belonging to a former Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Executive Director of Projects, Mr. Tuoyo Omatsuli.

    The judge made the order based on an ex parte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The commission said the land, valued at N846.03million, was reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.

    EFCC accused Omatsuli of receiving kickbacks from a contractor to the NDDC on no fewer than 11 occasions.

    An EFCC operative, Adamu Yusuf, said Omatsuli allegedly received a bribe of N3, 645,000,000 from a consultant to the NDDC, Starline Consultancy Services Limited.

    EFCC said the firm was engaged to help NDDC recover its statutory three per cent annual budgets of oil and gas producing companies in the Niger Delta.

    Read Also: NDDC to complete 25km road project in Imo – Ekere

    Yusuf said it was agreed that Starline Consultancy Services would be paid 10 per cent commission on the total funds recovered.

    Starline Consultancy Services, he said, got the help of the House of Representatives Committee on NDCC, which wrote to the oil and gas companies to demand that they pay their statutory levies to the NDDC.

    According to the operative, Starline Consultancy Services eventually succeeded in the job and was paid N10, 218,019,060.59 as its 10 per cent commission between August 22, 2014 and June 25, 2015.

    Yusuf said: “Omatsuli agreed and received kickbacks to the tune of N3, 645,000,000.000 from Starline Consultancy Services Limited through Building Associates Limited, whose alter ego is Francis Momoh (an ally of Mr. Omatsuli).”

    The anti-graft agency presented a table showing that Omatsuli allegedly received kickbacks 11 times from Starline Consultancy Services between August 28, 2014 and September 8, 2015.

    EFCC’s lawyer Ekene Iheanacho said it would be in the interest of justice to order the temporary forfeiture of Omatsuli’s landed property in Lekki Peninsula to the Federal Government.

    Justice Obizor granted the order and directed EFCC to publish it in a national newspaper to enable anyone interested to show cause as to why the property should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

    He adjourned until June 19.

  • Court refuses order to unfreeze N1.9b linked to Patience Jonathan

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Thursday refused to discharge an interim order freezing N1.9 billion which was allegedly obtained fraudulently by a businesswoman, Hajiya Bola Shagaya.

    Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) validly obtained the order.

    Shagaya had urged the court to grant her access to her account, which had been frozen since December 29, 2016.

    Through her lawyer, Mr. Napoleon Emeaso-Nwachukwu, she claimed she was not given fair hearing before Justice Muslim Hassan of the same court made the freezing order.

    She urged Justice Oguntoyinbo to declare the freezing order unconstitutional, null and void “as same violates the applicant’s right to own movable property as guaranteed by Section 44(1)(k) of the I999 Constitution of Nigeria.”

    Read Also: EFCC gets fresh order to seize Patience Jonathan’s N7.3b, $8.4m

    But, EFCC argued that Justice Oguntoyinbo lacked the power to sit as an appellate court over Justice Hassan’s decision, describing Shagaya’s originating summons as an abuse of court processes.

    It accused Shagaya of filing the suit “so as to impede the proper dispensation of justice and thus avoiding criminal investigation and possible prosecution.”

    The anti-graft agency claimed that the N1.9billion was the balance of N3, 305,150,000, which Shagaya allegedly received as “founder fees” on behalf of an organisation “Women for Change” being spearheaded by former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.

    The EFCC claimed that the N3.3billion was realised through Shagaya’s “fraudulent activities in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC),” where she allegedly “influenced the fraudulent allocation of Dual Purpose kerosene to Index Petrolube Africa Ltd., with the aid of the former First Lady, Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan.”

    According to the EFCC, the N3.3billion was paid by Index Petrolube Africa Ltd and its sister company, Autodex Nigeria Ltd.

    The two companies, it said, belong to one Honourable Ezeani ThankGod, adding that the reason for the N3.3billion payment was to “fraudulently facilitate Dual Purpose Kerosene to ThankGod’s company, Index Petrolube Africa Ltd.”

    The anti-graft agency claimed that out of the N3.3billion, Shagaya had “paid a cumulative sum of N1,212,000,000 to the former First Lady, Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan, through her account, ‘Women for Change Initiative’ account domiciled in Diamond Bank, to which the former First Lady is the sole signatory.”

    It said after paying N1.2billion to Mrs Jonathan, Shagaya kept the balance of N1.9billion for herself by “warehousing” it in her Unity Bank account.

    The EFCC said it secured an order by Justice Hassan on December 29, 2016 to freeze the account pending the conclusion of its investigation.

    The anti-graft agency said the applicant would “use this honourable court as a shield against criminal investigation and prosecution” if the application was granted.

    In her verdict Thursday, Justice Oguntoyinbo faulted Shagaya’s claims she was not given the opportunity to defend herself.

    “The interim order was made based on an ex-parte application filed by the EFCC. An ex-parte application has no respondent and the court is not expected to hear from the other party.

    “Even when the other party is around, it can only be seen and not heard. Therefore, the failure of Justice Hassan to hear the applicant cannot invalidate the order.

    “The granting of the interim order of attachment is not unconstitutional and does not constitute an infringement on the applicant’s rights to own property”, the judge held.

    Justice Oguntoyinbo said the applicant failed to controvert EFCC’s claim that she refused to honour invitation.

    The judge said Shagaya’s claim that the order was made in perpetuity did not hold water because there was no evidence that the EFCC had concluded its investigation.

    “It is erroneous to claim that the interim order has metamorphosed into a permanent one or in perpetuity because it was to last until the conclusion of investigation by the respondent.

    “There was no evidence to show that the respondent has stopped investigating the property or has concluded investigation,” Justice Oguntoyibo said.

    The judge, therefore, held that Shagaya’s application lacked merit and dismissed it.

  • Lawyers clash over National Theater directors’ arraignment

    Two lawyers from the Special Presidential Investigation Panel (SPIP) and the office of Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) clashed at the Federal High Court in Lagos Monday over who is authorised to arraign five National Theater directors for alleged corruption.

    There was a hot verbal exchange between a Chief Legal Officer with the SPIP Dr Celsus Ukpong, who filed the charge, and Mr A. K. Alilu from the AGF’s office.

    When the case was called for the directors to be arraigned, Ukpong announced appearance for the prosecution.

    Alilu also announced appearance for the prosecution, saying he was directed by the AGF to take over the case.

    He asked for a short adjournment to enable him study the file and return on another day for the arraignment.

    A surprised Ukpong rose and urged Justice Muslim Hassan to disregard Alilu’s appearance.

    He said he was not informed ahead that the AGF intended to take over the case, and described Alilu’s appearance as an ambush.

    He said: “We are in the same office; he knows where to get us. They have all the time to inform us officially. We are not private counsel. If they have special interest in this matter, they should let us know.

    “I filed this charge as a staff of Special Presidential Panel on the Recovery of Public Property (SPPRPP) created under section 1(1) of the Recovery of Public Properties Special Provisions Act, 2004, and I filed this charge for the AGF.

    “We don’t have issues about the power of the AGF to take over this matter or any matter whatsoever. The AGF has power to do so but due process must be followed.

    “Anybody can’t just jump up and say: ‘I am representing the AGF’. We are in the same office. They have to write us and ask for the case file. It’s not for the counsel to come to court.

    “I asked that the defendants be arraigned, and subsequently, the AGF can do the necessary thing and take over the case.”

    Alilu said the AGF reserved the right to take over any case at any point.

    “I don’t know why the counsel is taking it personal. I am from the AGF’s office – the Department of Public Prosecution. We do not oppose anybody being tried or charged.

    “We are aware that SPPRPP filed this charge, but the AGF has the power to take over any matter at any stage, by provisions of section 174 (1) of the 1999 of Constitution,” he said.

    Ruling, Justice Hassan held that the AGF is empowered by the Constitution to institute a charge against any person or to take over a case at any stage or to discontinue such case, and that the AGF was not bound to give any reasons for taking over any case.

    According to him, Alilu could validly take over the case as directed by the AGF since it was not in dispute that he was from the AGF’s office.

    Defence counsel Adamu Muhammed said his clients had two applications – one a preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the charge, and a bail application.

    The defendants are former Acting General Manager/Chief Executive Officer George Ntanta, Director of Business Development and Events Management Abiodun Abe, Director of Engineering and Technology Ndubuisi Nwogu and Director of Planning, Research and Strategies Doris Okafor.

    The Federal Government said the defendants, last January 16, being public officers, accepted N500, 000 from Market Execution Solutions Ltd, a commercial firm which had a contract with the Federal Government.

    The prosecution said they accepted the money “on account of transactions entered into on behalf of the Federal Government” with the firm in the discharge of their duties.

    The alleged offence is contrary to section 10 (1) & (2) of the Code of Conduct Act and punishable under Sections 1 (2) and 10 (1) (a) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provisions) Act.

    Justice Hassan adjourned until June 13 for arraignment.

    Read Also: ICPC chief accuses lawyers of glorifying corruption

  • Court dismisses Evans N200m suit over seized trucks

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday dismissed a suit by suspected millionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (alias Evans), seeking the release of his seized 25 Mack trucks.

    Through his lawyer Olukoya Ogungbeje, Evans said the trucks were seized without a court order.

    Justice Rabiu Hadiza Shagari held that the suit lacked merit.

    Ogungbeje had argued that the police forcefully confiscated the trucks from Evans last June 15 without any court order.

    He prayed the court to award N200million as general and exemplary damages against the Police for the alleged violation of Evans’ rights under sections 36, 43, and 44 of the 1999 Constitution.

    But, the Police urged the court to dismiss the suit as the trucks were proceeds of crime and were exhibits.

    In a counter-affidavit, the deponent Inspector Haruna Idowu said he was on the team that investigated Evans’ case.

    He said the suspect acquired 11 trucks with proceeds of crime, adding that 10 of them were recovered by the police.

    He said the trucks were listed as exhibits in the criminal charges filed against Evans at the Lagos State High Court.

    “The applicant is the notorious and most dreaded armed robber and kidnapper known as Evans, who defiled police arrest for over 10 years and who had terrorised many states of Nigeria with his various gang members.

    “The applicant has no other source of livelihood except armed robbery and kidnapping as so many arms and ammunition was recovered from the applicant during his arrest.

    “The applicant had purchased various properties with proceeds of armed robbery and kidnapping.

    “The applicant purchased 11 trucks with proceeds of crime. The police recovered 10 in Lagos while they were not able to tow the remaining one from Anambra State to Lagos due to the fact that the applicant’s brother-in-law, Mr. Okwuchukwu Obiechina, and his wife had tampered with the brain box of the truck in a bid to pervert the course of justice.

    “The trucks recovered are proceeds of crime which are preserved and kept as exhibits to be tendered in the ongoing criminal prosecution of the application at the High Court of Lagos State,” Idowu said.

    Justice Shagari held that the law empowers the Police to seize assets in the course of their investigation in such cases.

    According to her, by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, the Police have the right to seize and confiscate any items or properties as exhibits in a criminal case.

    The judge said the court could not stop the Police or other security agencies from carrying out their constitutional duties.

  • ‘How we ‘caught’ businessman with cloned SON logo’

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Monday heard how 147 cartons of NSNOWS Gas Refrigerants with cloned Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) logos were allegedly found in the possession of the Managing Director of Agastorm Ltd, Nonso Udoye.

    A prosecution witness, Aladesuyi Oluwadare, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), told Justice Saliu Saidu that a SON patrol team discovered the products in Agastrom’s warehouse at Ebute-Meta, Lagos.

    Udoye, of 36, Ayara Street, Surulere, Lagos, is standing trial on a 15-count charge of forgery and counterfeiting following his arraignment by the SON on February 25.

    The defendant has been on remand following his inability to perfect his bail terms.

    At the commencement of proceedings Monday, Oluwadare was led in examination-in-chief by SON’s counsel, Amaka Allen-Ngbale.

    The witness testified that he was part of a five-man team that investigated the case following a petition by SON Director-General to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

    Oluwadare said: “It was stated in the petition that on December 7, 2017, during a patrol by a SON patrol unit, they intercepted a warehouse at No. 137, Bornu Street, Ebute-Meta, belonging to the defendant. On inspection of the goods inside the warehouse, they discovered cartons of NSNOWS Gas Refrigerants and cylinders with unauthorised SON seal. So they locked up the warehouse.”

    He told the court that following Udoye’s arrest, the businessman took the police investigative team to another warehouse, “where another product, Chap Gas Refrigerant Cylinder, was discovered.”

    The witness testified that SON told the police team that it did not authorise the use of its seal on the products.”

    Following a brief cross-examination by defence counsel Emmanuel Okoroafor, Justice Saidu adjourned till May 18 fir continuation of trial.

    According to the charge, Udoye allegedly “made an impression of a production registration counterfeit seal knowing the seal to be counterfeit of the SON on 147 cartons of NSNOWS Gas Refrigerants of 12 cylinders each stored at the warehouse.

    The court also heard that he imported “1441 cartons of Regfrigerant Gas that did not comply with any industrial standard”, among others.”

    The alleged offences contravened sections 465, 467, 467(4)(v) and 468 of the Criminal Code Act, 2004 and sections 26(2)(b) and 26(2)(b)(iii) of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria Act, 2015.

    Read Also: SON destroys substandard LPG cylinders

  • LG Polls: No court can stop us – Ajimobi

     

    Party holds mega rally ahead of ward congress

     

    Following the controversy trailing the court ruling on the forthcoming May 12 local council election in the state, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Friday said that no court has the power to stop the conduct of the polls scheduled to hold across the 33 local government areas, 35 local council development areas and more than 600 wards in the state.

    He made the clarification on the heels of news making the round across the state that a Federal High Court, sitting in Ibadan, had on Wednesday delivered a ruling, stopping the conduct of the poll, when the court did not.

    Addressing thousands of the members of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) during a sensitization mega rally which held at the State Party Secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, Governor Ajimobi explained that the ruling delivered by the court presided over by Justice J.O. Abdulmalik did not stop the council poll, but only restrained the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) from conducting elections into newly created wards by the commission in Ibarapa East Local Government Area, following issues arising from ward delimitation.

    According to a Congress timetable from the National office of the party, ward congress is slated for today (Saturday) across the country.

    But the governor insisted that the council poll would be held in all the LGAs, LCDAs and wards, including the wards in Ibarapa East Local Government, saying the constitution has made it clear that no court has power over an election.

    He said, “There is this speculation spreading across the state that the council poll will not hold as a result of the court judgment. The court has not stopped us from conducting the election, except in some newly created wards.

    “But we are telling the court that it is in the constitution that no court has power over an election. We are telling you that the wards mentioned and those that were not mentioned, we are going to conduct election there.

    “We are in touch with the aggrieved members of the party that had gone to court. I want to assure you that the election will hold across the state, even in the disputed wards.”

    It would be recalled that Justice J.O Abdulmalik of a Federal High Court, sitting in Ibadan, had granted an interlocutory injunction restraining OYSIEC from conducting election into the new wards created by the commission in Ibarapa East.

    The ruling was delivered in a litigation instituted by five elders from Eruwa in Ibarapa East Local Government Area in a case with number FHC/IB/ES/47/2018 against the Independent National Electoral Commission, OYSIEC, Oyo State Governor and the Attorney-General of the state.

    The applicants had prayed the court for an order on interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants, their servants, agents or privies from using, relying on or employing the use of any electoral areas or wards and polling stations for the purpose of any elections in Oyo State, including local government elections, other than the electoral areas or wards and polling stations created by the INEC, pending the determination of the substantive action.

    They also prayed the court to declare as illegal, null and void, the creation of the electoral areas or wards by OYSIEC in Ibarapa East council area of the state. The court has, however, adjourned the substantive suit to May 28, 2018, for hearing.

    Speaking on the ward congress, Ajimobi appealed to members of APC to ensure the success of the ward congress, warning that his administration does not tolerate hooliganism and that anybody that foment trouble will be handed over to the police.

    The governor, who passionately appealed to the party’s members to go back to their local government areas and wards with a view to reconciling with their people, however,  charged the loyalists of the party to defend themselves peradventure some people want to attack them during the congress, saying: “If they slap you once, slap them back six times.”

    He also appeals to the members to show understanding with their existing executive members who might be willing to continue in office but that if a peaceful agreement cannot be reached, “go to the field. It is not automatic to be a member of the executive.”

    The rally was attended by party chieftains, members from across the 33 local governments, lawmakers, members of the state executive councils and all relevant stakeholders.