The Nation Newspaper

Tag: revoke

  • Revoke NHIS boss recall, says Falana

    Revoke NHIS boss recall, says Falana

    Lagos lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has urged the Federal Government to stop the reinstatement of Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf.

    Yusuf resumed work yesterday, according to Head of Media and Public Relations of NHIS, Mr Ayo Osinlu.

    Osinlu said: “NHIS Executive Secretary, Prof. Usman Yusuf, resumed office today (February 8) after his reinstatement by the Federal Government on February 6.”

    Yusuf was suspended last June by Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, following allegations of gross misconduct.

    Security agents were seen keeping vigil on the premises of the organization in Abuja.

    In a statement yesterday in Lagos, Falana said: “In line with the provisions of the Public Service Rules, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Messers Babachir Lawal and Ayo Oke, were suspended pending the conclusion of investigations into allegations of corrupt practices and money laundering levelled against them.

    “But the established principle has just been set aside by President Muhammadu Buhari in this case.

    “In a bid to play on the intelligence of Nigerians, the Federal Government has said the allegation of the criminal diversion of the over N900 million involving the Executive Secretary has not been swept under the carpet and that his purported reinstatement will not stop the investigation being conducted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    “The Federal Government should be advised to stop insulting the intelligence of Nigerians. Since Section 42 of the Constitution bans the Federal Government from according preferential treatment to any citizen, the reinstatement of Prof Yusuf cannot be justified in law. It should be withdrawn by President Buhari without delay.”

  • EFCC urges court to revoke Metuh’s bail

    EFCC urges court to revoke Metuh’s bail

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), the prosecuting agency in the ongoing trial of former Peoples Democratic Party( PDP) spokesman, Olisah Metuh, has urged the court to revoke Metuh’s bail.

    Mr Sylvanus Tahir, counsel to the EFCC, who made the application at the resumption of hearing of the matter on Tuesday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, said Metuh should be remanded in prison.

    Tahir said the application was based on the grounds that Metuh had breached the terms of the bail granted him by the court, by being absent in court for two days with no cogent reason.

    The prosecutor asked the court to discountenance the submissions of the defence as to why Metuh was absent in court.

    “Since the defendant has been absent from court for two days for inexplicable reasons, and bearing in mind that the defendant is enjoining the bail of the court and has undermined the purpose of the bail.

    “The prosecution is constrained to apply for the revocation of the bail pursuant to Sections 137(b) and 169 of the Administration of Criminal Justice.

    ” We urge the court to revoke the bail and commit the defendant to prison pending the determination of his case.”

    He further told the court that he was vehemently opposed to the application to vacate the days already fixed for trial and adjourn to the next dates convenient for the court.

    On the said medical report sent to the court by Dr. O.C. Ekweugwu of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Universiry Teaching Hospital, Anambra, the prosecutor said there was nothing before the court to prove the authenticity of the letter.

    “The letter ought to have come by way of an affidavit, but nobody has deposed to an oath verifying the worth of the so called medical report, rather the report was just dumped in the court.”

    He further submitted that it was of no purpose for the defence to ask the court to order an investigation to ascertain the veracity of the medical report.

    Mr Onyeachi Ikpeazu (SAN), counsel to Metuh, had in his submission, prayed the court to vacate the earlier dates the court had fixed for the trial and fix fresh dates in the interest of justice.

    Ikpeazu urged the court to grant the application on the grounds that his client was currently in hospital undergoing treatment for a spine related illness.

    He further submitted that being a criminal case, it was mandatory for his client to be in court since it was against the law to proceed with the matter in the absence of his client.

    Mr Tochukwu Onwubufor (SAN), counsel to the second defendant in the matter said that he aligned himself with the submissions of Ikpeazu.

    Onwubufor, however, added that there was substantial reason for Metuh’s absence in court.

    “There is a letter from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, Anambra stating the medical condition of the first defendant.”

    On the question of the authenticity of the report and whether the person who signed it was indeed a medical doctor, the counsel asked the court for time to investigate.

    Justice Okon Abang said the court noted that there was no proof before the court to show that the person who issued the letter was a medical doctor or an employee of the hospital.

    Abang added that the hospital was not a party in the matter and that the person who issued the letter was not in court to testify.

    He further wondered how the said letter found its way into the court records.

    He adjourned the matter until Jan. 24 for continuation of arguments by counsel.

  • Edo Assembly urges Fed Govt to revoke road contract

    •Lawmakers decry slow pace of Benin-Auchi highway

    The  Edo State House of Assembly yesterday called on the Federal Government to revoke  the contract awarded for  the reconstruction of  the Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi road.

    Speaker Adjoto Kabiru  made the call at Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area while leading members on a ‘protest inspection’ of the road.

    Kabiru decried the slow pace of work by the contracting firms.

    He said the deplorable state of the road had hampered socio-economic development of the people as well as others plying the road.

    “It is our view as an Assembly that the contract awarded to Dantata and Sawoe, Mother Cat and Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) should be revoked. Raji Fashola is a man that we respect. He is doing wonderfully well as a minister but  on this Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi-Okpella road , there is need to revisit the performance of the contractors. They are not competent.

    “We are dissatisfied with the Federal Controller of Works and we have resolved that the contractors can no longer deceive us.

    “The present condition of the road was unacceptable to residents in the state who now travel through Ondo or Delta states to get to their destination.

    “The protest on the road was to show solidarity and share in the pains experienced by travellers and motorists.

    “Our oversight functions have doubled. We are now together as a team. It is unacceptable for Edo residents to travel through Ondo State when coming from Edo North.

    “We are not satisfied with the pace of work and quality of jobs done. We are moving through that road. We know Edo people are suffering,” the Speaker said.

    He said the road was awarded to four contractors, to be completed in 36 months.

    Kabiru alleged that the level of work done by the firms is below the huge funds released to them  by the Federal Government.

    He said  the people and the Assembly were not satisfied with their performance.

    Responding, Principal Resident Engineer in charge of Ekpoma road, Mr Ishaku Mamri, said he was not in a position to tell lawmakers reasons for  the alleged delay.

    He said Dantata and Sawoe construction firm was mobilised to the Ekpoma axis for palliative works to address traffic challenges on the road.

    Also speaking, Project Site Supervisor for the firm, Malam Suleiman Nasiru, said the initial contract awarded to the firm was from Agbede in Etsako West to Ewu hill in Esan Central.

    Nasiru added that the Ekpoma axis was recently awarded to the company to address the traffic challenges in the area.

  • Cynthia: Court threatens to revoke defendant’s bail

    Cynthia: Court threatens to revoke defendant’s bail

    Justice Olabisi Akinlade of the Lagos High Court yesterday threatened to revoke the bail of one of those being tried for Cynthia Osokogu’s murder over his lawyer’s antics.

    Justice Akinlade accused Mr C.J Ajakona, lawyer to Nonso Ezike, the fourth defendant, of “deliberately frustrating the trial by not coming to court”.

    She vowed to revoke Ezike’s bail if his lawyer failed to file his ‘no case submission’ application before the next adjourned date.

    Ezike, brother to the second defendant, Olisaeloka Ezike, is being tried for selling the late Osokogu’s BlackBerry Phone.

    Justice Akinlade said: “I tell you at the next adjourned date if nothing is filed, I will revoke your bail and send you back to prison. Then your lawyer will know what to do.

    “It is because you have been on bail that is why your lawyer is wasting the time of the court. It is a deliberate act.

    “The court is already on vacation but I left the comfort of my home, thinking that the case will go on today, only for my time to be wasted.”

    According to Ezike, he was informed his counsel had an accident when he called his telephone on Monday.

    The defendant also told the court that he has a feeling his lawyer was not serious with the matter, recalling how Ajakona told him he had forgotten about the matter when he called him before the last adjournment.

    He notified the court of his intention to appoint Chris Obiaka counsel to the third defendant, Osita Orji (a pharmacist) to take over his case.

    Adjourning the case to October 26 for the adoption of ‘no case submission’ of the third and fourth defendants, Justice Akinlade held that Ezike’s lawyer must have file and served his application for ruling by them.

    Osokogu, 25, was drugged, assaulted and murdered on July 22, 2012 at Cosmilla Hotel in Lake View Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.

    The primary suspects, Okwumo Nwabuifo, 34 and Olisaeloka Ezike, 25, were said to have picked her from the airport on her arrival from Abuja, after meeting on Facebook.