The Nation Newspaper

Tag: stalled

  • Work on Oshodi transport interchange, bus projects may be stalled

    The recently commissioned world class Oshodi Transport Interchange and high and medium capacity buses for public transportation in Lagos by President Muhammadu Buhari may be endangered if what transpired during the debate on the report of the Appropriation committee of the Lagos State House of Assembly and subsequent passage of the budget on Monday is anything to go by.

    The projects which were intiated and still on-going by the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode administration have unresolved issues with the state Assembly which would affect their speedy completion by this administration.

    Infact, the projects were the only issues that came up for mention during the debate of the Appropriation committee report on the 2019 budget at plenary on Monday before the budget was eventually passed.

    Part of the recommendation of the committee as contained in the report was that the money budgetted for the completion of the projects should be deleted from the 2019 budget which would have meant stalling or stopping work outrightly on the projects.

    Our investigations into why the House would want to do that to such laudable projects that would bring succour to millions of Lagosians and Nigerians revealed that there are issues, of non compliance by the executive to directives of the Assembly concerning the projects, involved.

    However, during the brief debate on the committee report at plenary, Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Rotimi Abiru advised or suggested that instead of deleting the monies for the projects outrightly from the budget it should be transferred to Special Expenditure fund.

    And former Chairman of the Appropriation committee, Hon. Rotimi Olowo who spoke after Abiru supported the suggestion, they were the only two people who contributed to the debate and this was the only issue raised before the committee’s report was adopted as a resolution of the House and budget was subsequently passed.

    The implication of remitting the monies to the special expenditure fund is that the governor cannot access the money unless he makes recourse to the House.

    Our investigations revealed that the lawmakers took this step because, according to them the two projects are alien or unknown to the House.

     

     

     

  • Evans’ trial stalled as witness gets accident

    A prosecution witness, Inspector Idowu Haruna, scheduled to testify in the trial of a suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike aka Evans, was yesterday reported to be involved in an accident.

    State prosecuting counsel Adebayo Haroun, who disclosed this before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of an Ikeja Special Offence Court, explained that the development was the reason the police officer was absent in court.

    The development stalled proceedings in the charges preferred against Evans and three other members of his gang for allegedly shooting the Young Shall Grow Motors (YSG), Chairman, Chief Obianuju Vincent and killing of two of his escorts, before Justice Taiwo.

    Evans and three co-defendants, Joseph Ikenna Emeka, 29, Chiemeka Arinze, 39, and Udeme Frank Upong, 43, are facing a seven-count charge of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to kidnap and selling of firearms.

    Although details of the accident were not stated, Haroun told the court that the witness sent an SMS informing him of his current predicament.

    “My lord, our first prosecution witness is not present in court today. He is not in court because he had a slight accident.

    “He sent me an SMS saying he was involved in an accident and therefore cannot make it for today’s proceedings. We craved the indulgence of the court to grant another date for trial.”

    At the last proceeding, Inspector Haruna had told the court that Evans shot Chief Obianuju in his right arm while attempting to kidnap him. He said his driver, Peter Nweke and an escort, Chijoke Ngozi, were shot dead during a gun duel between the police escorts and the gang.

    Three of the kidnappers were also shot dead by Inspector Solomon Igwe, while the rest fled.

    In a related development, the defence team of the suspected kidnap kingpin, led by Olanrewaju Ajanaku, failed to serve copies of their final written address on the prosecution for the trial-within-trial on the admissibility of the alleged ‘confessional statement’ of Evans.

    The development stalled proceedings in another charge against Evans and Victor Aduba, a dismissed officer of the Army, before same court.

    Haroun had complained that a copy of the final written address by Mr. Emmanuel Ochai, counsel to Aduba, was also served on his team late yesterday.

    He said that of Evans, the first defendant, had not been served on them.

    Responding, Evans‘ counsel, Ajanaku, said his inability to file the documents was as a result of a ‘mix up.’

    He assured the prosecution that the defence final written address would get to them between yesterday and today.

    Evans and Aduba are facing a four-count charge of kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.

    They were alleged to have kidnapped Mr. Sylvanus Ahamonu, holding him hostage for nine weeks and collecting $420,000 ransom from his family.

    The defence had claimed in the on-going trial-within-trial that their alleged confessional statements were obtained by coercion by members of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team.

    Justice Taiwo adjourned the two cases till February 6.

     

  • Illegal firearms case stalled again

    The trial of Sulaiman Sanusi, one of the children of the late industrialist, Chief Abdul Rasak Sanusi, for alleged firearms possession, has stalled again at a Lagos Magistrates’ Court, Igbosere.

    The case has suffered several adjournments since trial began in 2015.

    Last Wednesday, Magistrate Omolola Omotosho informed the litigants that the court could not proceed with the trial as Wednesdays have been dedicated to the hearing of family cases.

    She adjourned to a date to be communicated by the court registrars.

    According to the charge, Sanusi is also standing trial for alleged disobedience of a Lagos High Court order directing him to, among others, surrender all documents relating to his father’s estate in his possession.

    The alleged offences contravene Sections 4 of the Firearms Act, 2004 and  104 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

    The case was originally allocated to Mrs Adeola Adedayo before whom the defendant was arraigned.

    However, after Magistrate Adedayo raised the alarm that her life was being threatened, the then Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade re-assigned the case to Magistrate Omotosho.

    Sanusi pleaded not guilty in both arraignments.

    Besides this trial, over 13 cases filed by different Sanusi siblings are pending at various state high courts.

     

  • Suit querying N213b loan to private power firms stalled

    Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has declined a suit querying the N213 billion loan handed by the Federal Government to privatised electricity companies under the Nigeria Electricity Market Stabilisation Facility (NEMSF).

    The plaintiff, Baribefi Tebira, sought to restrain the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from giving out the money, from which he said about N57.79 billion had been disbursed as at mid-February.

    Tebira, a lawyer, contended among others, that the arrangement was fraudulent and meant to swindle the country. Also, he noted that the facility is a duplication of an earlier one – the N300 billion Power and Aviation Intervention Fund (PAIF) – created by the Federal Government in 2013 and from which N11.628 billion was disbursed by June 2013.

    He argued that the CBN lacked the powers, under its establishment law (particularly, Section 34(c) and (d) of the CBN Act 2004), to create a loan facility of 10 years to private companies at 10 per cent.

    The plaintiff urged the court to declare that the loan paid from the NEMSF by the CBN to the privatised electricity companies, which were privatised under the Public Enterprises (Privatisation and Commercialisation) Act was illegal and contrary to public policy.

    Tebira sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the CBN from further disbursing any fund by whatever name, whether NEMSF or other, to the privatised electricity generating and distribution companies under the Public Enterprises (Privatisation and Commercialisation) Act.

    He prayed for an order directing the CBN to terminate and recall such facilities granted to the privatised  companies under the NEMSF.

    Defendants in the suit were the CBN, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the attorney general of the federation (AGF).

    The plaintiff argued, in a supporting affidavit, that having been privatised and the companies having increased tariffs more than once and directed customers to make down payment for meters, there was no justification for the Fed Government to further hand out public funds to them.

    “As much as government owns shares in these companies, majority of the shares in the companies have been bought by private investors, who before buying them, demonstrated capacity to finance the project as a private commercial concern.

    “I am surprised that the same private investors, after demonstrating they can acquire such shares are applying for loans under the facility created by the CBN over projects they claimed to be able to finance, which was a criteria for winning the bid process,” Tebira said.

    He argued that even if such loan should be granted, there was no need creating another one as the better organised N300 billion PAIF, created in 2013, and from which only over N11 billion had been accessed, was not yet exhausted.

    “I am aware that the PAIF was created for the same purpose and the facility was disbursed under stringent measures, using the Bank of Industry (BOI) as the authorised deposit money bank and the African Finance Corporation (AFC) as the technical adviser.

    “The NEMSF, unlike the PAIF, was created with relaxed rules, no regulators and technical partners, with 14 private commercial banks acting as deposit money banks as disbursing banks.

    “The CBN, as a defacti bank, can indirectly give loans and advances for a maximum period of one year at a minimum rate of interest, which should not be less that one per cent above the bank’s minimum rediscount rate. Banks minimum rediscount rate as at December 2014 was 13 per cent.

    “The first defendant (CBN) can only give advances and credit facilities for a maximum period of one year as against the 10 years the first defendant is advancing credit facilities to the companies.

    “The process is fraudulent. The process demonstrates a colossal looting of the treasury in the guise of formulating bogus sector-driven monetary and banking policies aimed at revitalising the power sector,” Tebira said.

  • Oyo Election Tribunal stalled over non-arrival of chairman

    Oyo Election Tribunal stalled over non-arrival of chairman

    One month after its inauguration, proceedings at the  Oyo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ibadan, the state capital has been stalled following the delay in appointing a new chairman. The former Chairman, Justice F.C Obieze  retired after attaining the minimum retirement age of 65 years.

    The tribunal has been adjourning since he retired.

    The other members of the tribunal, Justice Mohammed Karaye and J.E Ikede, have appeared at different sittings to inform the court that they were still expecting the arrival of the new chairman.

    During its sitting on Friday, the ‎lead counsel of the petitioners, Senator Rashidi Ladoja and Accord Party, Chief Richard Ogunwole (SAN), informed  the tribunal that he had travelled to Abuja on Wednesday to speak with the President of the Court of Appeal to ask for the appointment of a new chairman, stressing that the tribunal had lost a month due to the absence of a chairman to direct the proceedings.

    “The president promised a new chairman would be appointed and given  his letter of resumption that same Wednesday but was not sure if he would  be able to meet up with today’  sitting.  But she promised that the new chairman will resume latest by this weekend. I will implore the members of this panel to communicate with the president to be sure about when the new chairman will be resuming,” he said.

    Ogunwole  expressed hope that the new chairman would know the importance of timing and willing to resume as early as possible.

    Justice Karaye suggested that the tribunal should be adjourned till 21st of July, due to the Salah public holiday coming up  next week Thursday and Friday.

    His suggestion was  however rejected by  Ogunwole (SAN), who insisted the tribunal resumes  on  Tuesday, 14th of July in order to cover up the time wasted.

    In his remark, Chief Olanipekun (SAN), said, incessant adjournment of the tribunal to dates that are not realistic for the resumption of the new chairman is giving the law profession a bad name in the media.

    He urged the court to adjourn to a date that will be certain for the resumption of the new chairman of the tribunal.

  • Oyo council polls stalled by court case, says Attorney-General

    The Oyo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ojo Mutalubi Adebayo, has said legal, rather than political considerations, was responsible for the delay in the conduct of local government polls.

    Speaking with reporters yesterday in Ibadan, the state capital, Adebayo said the legal constraints hindering the constitution of the State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) have put the conduct of council polls on hold until a court rules on the matter.

    He said: “In 2007, former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala unconstitutionally sacked OYSIEC members appointed by his former boss, former Governor Rashidi Ladoja and replaced them with his protégées.

    “Chief Oyemomilara Okunola and others appointed by Ladoja, who were sacked by Alao-Akala, filed a suit at the High Court, Ibadan, challenging their unlawful removal, because the constitution guaranteed them a fixed term of five years from 2003 to 2008.

    “The Oyo State High Court President then, Justice P.O.Ige, who is now at the Court of Appeal, gave judgement in favour of Ladoja’s appointees . The court and held that they were illegally sacked and declared their sack null and void. It ordered that their entitlements up to 2008 be paid.”

    The Attorney-General said OYSIEC members appointed by Alao-Akala in 2007 also went to court in 2011 to challenge their removal by Governor Abiola Ajimobi,

    He said the High Court, presided over by Justice M.O. Bolaji-Yussuff, ruled in favour of tAlao-Akala’s men and ordered the state to pay them entitlements.

    The Attorney-General said: “The state government is confronted with two sets of judgments from the StateHigh Court, with each of them validating the appointment of the claimants.

    “It will amount to contempt of court if the state government urges the House of Assembly to proceed with the screening and clearance of the nominees forwarded to it for OYSIEC in view of the court judgments.

    “The state government chose the path of honour and constitutionalism by subjecting the latter judgment to the Court of Appeal for determination, while the state also settled all the entitlements of the OYSIEC men from 2003 to 2008.”

    He said the appeal on the case is yet to be heard by the Court of Appeal, Ibadan.

  • Why finance houses’ reform is stalled, by operator

    Why finance houses’ reform is stalled, by operator

    Approval from the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is delaying ongoing reforms in the finance houses subsector, The Nation has learnt.

    An insider at the Finance Houses Association of Nigeria (FHAN) said pending issues such as withdrawal of licences of 47 finance houses whose liquidity were called into question in May, and funding for the subsector will be decided after the CBN board’s assent.

    He said progress is being made now, unlike before when nothing was happening in the subsector. He said the reform is taking shape and may be concluded by year-end.

    However, he said the CBN may withdraw licences of 47 finance houses whose liquidity were called into question in May.

    The apex bank had, given a 30-day notice to 47 closed or inactive finance companies to submit evidence of their existence and/or operations, or lose their operating licences. The order had expired on Tuesday, April 18.

    The banking watchdog said that the affected finance companies had closed shop, ceased to operate, or abandoned finance company business.

    The source said the withdrawal of the institutions’ licences is certain because their conditions are beyond repair.

    He said the apex bank is also considering developing a regulatory framework that will govern finance lease practice, institutionalising a “funding pool” to stimulate lending activities in the sub-sector and structured programme to address the reputation and poor visibility challenges of the sub-sector.

    President of the association, Samuel Durojaye, had earlier said in a statement that the CBN reforms in the sector will transform, and reposition the finance company sub-sector to enable it play increasing role in Nigeria’s financing value chain.

    He acknowledged the apex bank’s continuing support to and engagement with the association on this project.

    He called on FHAN members to support the bank’s efforts at strengthening the regulatory environment by regular and timely rendering of all statutory returns and reports, as well as the renewal of their operating licences every year.

    Durojaye enjoined them to note that the apex bank is taking the issue of corporate governance practices very serious and, therefore, counselled members to identify structural weaknesses in their various organisations and take immediate remedial steps to rectify them.