Metro

BREAKING: Court Sacks Edo Council Chairman, Declares Petitioner Chairman

Published

3 years ago

March 20, 2020

Editor

A Benin High Court on Friday, March 20, sacked Victor Emuankhagbon as the elected executive chairman of Esan South- East local government area.

The removal was sequel to a petition filed by Peter Aguele against the conduct of January 24, 2018 local government primary election that produced the ousted chairman as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Recall that in January 24, 2018, APC conducted primary elections to elect chairmen and councillors for the state local government elections in the state.

The elections were conducted March 3, 2018 by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission ( EDSIEC).

Peter Aguele and Victor Emuankhagbon are both members of APC in the state.

In the petition, Aguele, argued that he was duly elected as the party’s candidate through direct primary while the ousted chairman argued that he emerged the candidate on consensus.

In his judgment, the presiding judge, Daniel Okungbowa, held that the petitioner is the rightful candidate of the party for the election, having emerged through direct primary.

He, however, ordered that the respondent should stop parading himself as the chairman of the council, and that he should refund all the monies so far paid to him while in office as chairman of the council in the last two years to the treasury of the council.

He also ordered that the petitioner should be paid all the mony and entitlements due to him since 2018 as the rightful candidate and the elected chairman of the council.

Reacting to the judgment, Peter Aguele, the now declared chairman of the council commended the judiciary for being the last hope of the common man.

Aguele, however, dedicated the victory to the people of Esan South-East local government and members of APC in the state and the local government.

In his reactions, Charity Aiguobarueghian, Esq, counsel to the ousted chairman, said his client will challenged the judgment at the court of Appeal.

While commending the court for the judgment, he however noted that there was miscarriage of justice as the petitioner was unable to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.

On his part, Nelson Irehovbude, from Dele Igbinedion chambers, commended the court for a well considered and delivered judgment.

Irehovbude, said by the virtue of the court judgment, Peter Aguele is now the substantive chairman of the council.

“The fact of the case was that the respondents claimed that there was a consensus during the local government primary election which took place on January 24, 2018.

“And we said no that the emergency of a party candidate was by direct primary election, and that direct primary election was actually conducted which produced Peter Aguele, and that he was the substantive chairman, voted for and won the local government election.

“The court declarations are in line with our petition, that the first defendant (APC) should be restrained from parading the third defendant which is Victor Emuankhagbon as the chairman elect of the council.

“And now the court has granted the restraining order, and declared Peter Aguele, as the substantive chairman of the council”, he added.

Some council chairmen who were in the court in solidarity with the sacked chairman, however, left the court disappointed and unhappy.

Metro

Three Boys Gang-rape SS 1 Student In Ondo School

Published

3 hours ago

November 28, 2022

Editor

Three secondary school students have been arrested by the police for gang-raping a 14-year-old SSS 1 girl in Ondo State.

The suspects identified as Idris Matthew,17, Olawale Tobi, 18 and Ajayi Micheal, 17, carried out the crime in Akure High School in the Akure South Local Government Area of the state.

The victim was said to have gone to the bush close to the school to defecate when she was accosted by the trio.

A source within the school claimed that the boys forcefully had carnal knowledge of the victim during the school break.

One of the sources added that the girl entered the classroom with a bloodstain on her uniform.

It was gathered that the suspects had been monitoring and disturbing the girl for a while before hatching their plan.

Confirming the incident, the police spokesperson in the state, Funmilayo Odunlami said that the suspects “lured a 14 years old student into the bush at the back of the school gate and gang-raped her.”

The three suspects, she said, “are in custody.”

Metro

ASUU Protests In UI, UNILORIN Over Alleged ‘Victimization’ Of Members [Photo/Video]

Published

5 hours ago

November 28, 2022

Editor

Members of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU staged a protest in the University of Ibadan, UI against alleged victimization of their members by the Federal Government following the 8 months strike recently called off by union body.

Members of the Ibadan zone of the ASUU, in their numbers, protested at a rally held inside the university campus on Monday.

Similarly, members of the ASUU of the University of Ilorin chapter on Monday also protested against what they described as the casualization of intellectual workers in the country.

ASUU: Union members protest alleged ‘victimization’ in UI

Members of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Ibadan zone stages a peaceful protest against victimization of their members by the Federal..

Video:

pic.twitter.com/QVqSQBfKlX

The university Dons, who went around the major areas of the university community were seen carrying various placards to make their grievances known.

Metro

[JUST IN] Adeleke: Panic In Osogbo As NURTW’s Gunshots Rain

Published

13 hours ago

November 28, 2022

Editor

Gbongan Road

Residents of Gbongan Road, Osogbo, Osun State capital, were thrown into panic, Monday morning, as members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, exchanged gunshots in the area.

Workers who rushed out to resume in their respective offices, students, pupils who were moving out to their respective schools in the area had to scamper for safety due to the gunshots.

The gunshots and its consequent panic were experienced from the popular Olaiya Junction to Ogoluwa area, all on Gbongan Road, Osogbo.

Info Daily reports that Gbongan Road housed several motor parks viz: Ore Park; Ibadan Park; Lagos Park; Gbongan Park; Ile-Ife Park, among others.

Info Daily gathered that the incident was as a result of the new government of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, sworn in yesterday, hence the impetus for NURTW members who are of the PDP chasing out those in leadership of the Union who, Info Daily learned, are of the All Progressive Congress, APC.

A resident of the area who spoke to Info Daily at Oduwoye Petrol State, adjacent Zenith Bank, Gbongan Road, but does not want his name mentioned, said NURTW members who belong to PDP want to assume office in different parks in the area hence the force and gunshots.

The resident who spoke in Yoruba said: “They are shooting gun because new government wants to take over at the parks. Yesterday, a new government was sworn in, so those in NURTW too want to change government. Before now, because APC was in power, all the people in leadership positions at the parks are APC members, but now that Adeleke, a PDP member has been sworn in, those who are of the PDP in the parks want to take over too. They are shooting gun to chase away APC members, they want to take it by force.

“I was told it happens anytime there is a change of government. When a new government with a new party comes in, the people in leadership positions would be chased away because they all belong to the old government. So, it seems to be usual something. It will be put under control, that is what some people told me.

Another NURTW member who also spoke in Yoruba said: “They are fighting because they said they swear in Adeleke, that is the reason for the gunshots.”

When asked if Adeleke was not duly elected by Osun people but he forced himself in like the NURTW members were trying to do, he declined comments.