News

Adamawa Guber: Court Refuses To Extend Order Stopping INEC’S Prosecution Of REC

Published

10 months ago

July 18, 2023

Editor

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, refused to extend its July 10 interim order stopping the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) from prosecuting the suspended Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa Ari pending the hearing and determination of a motion filed by Senator Aishatu Dahiru, also known as Binani.

INEC is seeking the prosecution of the suspended REC for declaring the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Aisha Binani winner of the Adamawa state governorship election on April 15, 2023.

The court had ordered parties in the motion filed by Binani, which had INEC, IGP and the AGF as defendants to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The Court also asked the defendants to appear before it on July 18 to show cause while they should not be permanently restrained from prosecuting the suspended Adamawa State REC.

At Tuesday’s proceedings, INEC’s counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) told the court that the applicant had not served the defendants with the July 10 order of the court.

Jacobs, who also told the court that, the defendants have not been served with the originating summons filed by Binani had, in a counter affidavit to the motion challenged the competence and the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter.

He told the court that the life span of the interim order elapsed on July 18.

However, counsel to Binani, Michael Aondoaka (SAN) argued that the interim order has not elapsed as the defendants have not shown cause as directed by the court.

According to Aondoaka, counsel to INEC cannot say he was not served with the processes of the court as he had joined issues in the matter.

Justice Donatus Okorowo, however, adjourned the matter till Monday, July 24 for hearing the originating summons served on the defendants in court on Tuesday.

The court refused to extend the interim order stopping the prosecution of the suspended Adamawa state REC.

In the suit marked, ABJ/CS/935/2023, the applicant is seeking the interpretation of section 144 of the Electoral Act 2022 by the court and a preservative order seeking the maintenance of status quo in the matter pending the determination of the suit.

Aondoaka, in the application, drew the attention of the court to the fact that the matter is before a tribunal and is time-bound, whereas the star witness to his client, Hudu Yunusa Ari is being harassed and prevented from giving evidence before the tribunal which if continued, would jeopardize the case of his client at the tribunal.

He therefore, urged the court to halt the harassment of the star witness in the petition before a governorship election petition tribunal challenging INEC’s declaration of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate and governor of the state, Ahmadu Fintiri as the winner on Sunday, April 16, 2023.

The lawyer told the court that according to the relevant laws, since the applicant has been declared by the INEC, the declaration can only be legally and authentically reversed if need be, by a court of competent jurisdiction or a tribunal.

Senator Binani had earlier, through her counsel, Mohammed Sheriff filed a suit before a sister court presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo which was, however, dismissed following a notice of discontinuance filed by the applicant.

The Adamawa State governorship supplementary election was conducted on April 15 following the declaration of the March 18 poll as inconclusive over alleged irregularities.

After voting ended, the collation of results began at the state collation centre but the exercise was suspended after results from 10 LGAs were announced.

However, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, declared Senator Binani as the winner before the collation resumed on April 16.

Yunusa-Ari made the declaration when outstanding results were yet to be announced. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) subsequently described his action as illegal and null and void.

INEC also suspended him and is determined to prosecute him for electoral malpractice.

News

Police Reacts To Trending Video Of Woman Feeding Baby Alcohol,Vow To Fish Out Mother [WATCH]

Published

39 mins ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

The spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has stated that the police will fish out a nursing mum filmed feeding her baby alcohol.

The disturbing video showed the woman who spoke in Yoruba, hailing her baby girl as she gulped the alcohol.

Reacting to the video, Adejobi wrote: ‘’Another assignment for us. This is too bad. We will fish her out. Thanks. @PoliceNG”

News

EFCC Arrests 13 Fake BDC Operators In Lagos

Published

4 hours ago

May 14, 2024

Editor

Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested thirteen fake bureau de change operators in Lagos.

They were arrested for operating BDC without an appropriate licence.

The suspects are: Abdulahi Musa, Garba Abdullahi, Dauda Hussaini, Jubril Musa, Abdulwaheed Iliyasu and Abubakar Mohammed.

Others are: Umar Saidu, Nurudeen AbdulAzeez, Hamidu Usman, Yusuf Isa, Musa Ishaka, Liman Makki and Idris Mohammed.

They were arrested during sting operations by EFCC’s operatives between May 10 and 13, 2024 at different parts of Lagos, following credible intelligence received by the Commission about their illicit business activities.

Also, a suspected currency racketeer, Kafayat Lateef was also arrested over for alleged involvement in the sale of the Naira notes in different denominations.

A sum of N2.1 million was recovered from her at the point of arrest. A statement by EFCC Spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said that the suspects would soon be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

News

Ex-CBN Gov, Emefiele Faces Fresh Charge Over Printing Of Naira Emefiele

Published

6 hours ago

May 14, 2024

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has preferred a fresh charge against the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, over an allegation that he illegally printed Naira notes while he held sway at the apex bank.

The anti-graft agency, in the four-count charge it entered before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, equally accused the former CBN boss of unlawfully approving the withdrawal of about N124.8billion from the consolidated revenue fund.

According to the EFCC, the defendant, acting in violation of law and “with intent to cause injury to the public,” okayed the printing of naira notes without the approval of both the former President, Muhammadu Buhari and the board of the CBN.

Emefiele, who is already facing multiple charges both in Abuja and Lagos, is expected to take his plea before trial Justice Maryann Anenih.

Specifically, the charge against him, read: “That you Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, between the 19th day of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007, by approving the printing of N375,520,000.00 pieces of colour swapped N1, 000, at the total cost of N11,052, 068,062 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.

“That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, between the 19th of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, by approving the printing of 172,000,000 pieces of colour swapped N500 (Five Hundred Naira) Notes, at the total cost of N4, 471,066,040 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.

“That you Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, between the 19th day of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007, by approving the printing of 137,070,000 pieces of colour swapped N200 (Two Hundred Naira) Note, at the total cost of N3, 441, 005, 280 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.

“That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, on or about the 7th day of October 2020, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 80 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), by approving the withdrawal of the total sum of N124, 860, 227, 865.16 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation in a manner not prescribed by the National Assembly, which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.”

It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu had on June 9, 2023, suspended Emefiele from office as the head of the apex bank.

He was later arrested at his Lagos residence by DSS operatives.

The former CBN boss was subsequently transferred to the custody of the EFCC, which on November 28, 2023, docked him on a six-count charge that bordered on his alleged involvement in procurement fraud.

Though Emefiele, who initially spent 151 days in custody of security agencies, was later granted bail to the tune of N300million and ordered to produce two sureties that the trial court stressed must be Abuja residents that have landed property within the Maitama District, the defendant could not perfect the conditions till December 23, 2023, when he was released from Kuje prison where he spent about 34 days.