Metro

BREAKING: Court Sacks Edo Council Chairman, Declares Petitioner Chairman

Published

6 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

Sowore Arraigned Over Alleged Cybercrime

Published

13 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Editor

The Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday arraigned politician and online publisher Omoyele Sowore before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged cybercrime offences.

Sowore, a former presidential candidate, faced a five-count charge accusing him of defaming President Bola Tinubu by calling him a criminal in posts on X and Facebook. The DSS claims that his actions violate the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, as well as the Criminal Code Act.

At the hearing, Justice Mohammed Umar granted Sowore bail on self-recognition. However, the court imposed strict conditions, barring him from making any statements capable of inciting the public or undermining national security. The judge warned that any violation of these conditions would lead to immediate revocation of his bail.

Justice Umar noted that Sowore, who previously contested for the presidency, was already under bail conditions with his international passport held by the court. He said these factors justified granting him bail without a monetary surety.

The arraignment on Tuesday came after two earlier attempts were unsuccessful. DSS counsel, Akinolu Kehinde (SAN), attributed the delays to legal obstacles introduced by Sowore’s defence team.

Sowore pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, also filed a fresh bail application during the proceedings, which the court considered before ruling.

Two other defendants — X Inc. (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) Inc. — are listed in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025. The DSS claims that these companies aided Sowore in publishing the posts allegedly containing defamatory statements against the president.

The case is the latest in a series of legal battles involving Sowore, who has in the past faced arrests and charges over his activism and online publications.

The Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, under which Sowore was charged, criminalises the online publication of false statements that can harm individuals or public institutions. The law also empowers the government to hold social media companies accountable if they facilitate the spread of such content.

Sowore’s arraignment has drawn reactions on social media, with supporters describing the charges as politically motivated, while others argue that public figures must exercise caution in their statements online.

Metro

Alleged Cybercrime: Court Grants Sowore Bail

Published

13 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Editor

Justice Mohammed Umar of the Abuja Federal High Court, on Tuesday, granted former presidential candidate and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, bail on self-recognition, cautioning him to refrain from making any utterances that could incite the public against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Sowore’s bail followed his arraignment by the Department of State Services (DSS) before the court on a five-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime.

In the five-count charge, Sowore is accused of allegedly making derogatory remarks about President Tinubu on his social media handles.

Sowore, who is the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, pleaded not guilty to the charges after they were read to him.

Earlier in the proceedings, his counsel, Marshall Abubakar, had raised a motion challenging the competence of the suit, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction.

The prosecution objected, stating they had only just been served with the processes and needed time to respond.

In a short ruling, Justice Umar held that the objection on jurisdiction was not ready for hearing because the prosecution was served that morning, adding that the defendant needed to give them adequate time to file a counter-affidavit.

He then directed that the charges be read to the defendant.

When the charge was read, Sowore pleaded not guilty; his counsel applied for bail on self-recognition. The prosecution, however, opposed the application, arguing that Sowore posed a flight risk.

Justice Umar, in ruling on the bail request, granted Sowore bail on self-recognition and adjourned the matter to January 19, 2026, for trial.

Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in 2019, was accused of contravening the provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Criminal Code Act by calling President Bola Tinubu a criminal

The two other defendants listed in the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025, are X Incorp (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) Incorp.

Metro

Delta: Suspected Kidnapper Killed In Gun Battle With Police

Published

19 hours ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

A suspected kidnapper has been killed during a gun battle with operatives of the Delta State Police Command in collaboration with Community Volunteers in Obiaruku Forest.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer,SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday.

“Operatives of the Command State Anti-Cult Unit (SACU), in collaboration with community volunteers, were on intensive patrol when they received credible intelligence that suspected kidnappers were mobilising within the Obiaruku forest to carry out an attack.

“Acting swiftly on the information, the operatives advanced towards the location to forestall the planned criminal activity,” the statement said.

According to Edafe, on approaching the area, the suspects opened fire from multiple directions in a bid to repel the team.

“The operatives responded with superior firepower, leading to the death of one suspect, while others escaped into the forest with various degrees of injuries.

“One AK-47 rifle with forty-two rounds of live ammunition, nine mobile phones, and charms were recovered,” the statement added.