Metro

Court Adjourns Suit Seeking Ganduje’s Removal

Published

1 year ago

June 26, 2024

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, adjourned till July 5 the suit seeking to remove the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, from office.

Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the case to allow the litigants to respond to a counter-affidavit the embattled APC Chairman filed to challenge the competence of the suit.

The suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024, was brought before the court by aggrieved members of the party under the platform of North Central APC Forum.

The plaintiffs, led by one Saleh Zazzaga, are querying the propriety of Ganduje’s appointment as the Chairman of the APC.

Among other things, the plaintiffs want the court to restrain Ganduje from further parading himself as the chairman of the party.

They also prayed the court to issue an order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to accord recognition to all actions taken by the APC, including congresses, primaries, and nominations, since Ganduje became APC Chairman on August 3, 2023.

The plaintiffs told the court that Ganduje is occupying the office of the APC chairman illegally, not being from a state in the North Central geopolitical zone.

They argued that the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the APC acted in breach of the party’s constitution when it appointed Ganduje, from Kano State in the North West geopolitical zone, to replace Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who is from Nasarawa State in the North Central geopolitical zone.

The plaintiffs argued that Ganduje’s appointment to replace Abdullahi was contrary to Article 31.5(1) f of the APC constitution and ultra-vires the powers of the NEC of the party.

They added that, by the true interpretation of Article 31.5(1) of the APC Constitution 2013, as amended, the party was bound to comply with the procedure for the replacement of an officer in the event of a vacancy and ought to appoint a member from Nasarawa State in the North Central geopolitical zone into the office of the chairman of the party.

They want the court to, among other things, declare that by Article 20(1) of the APC constitution 2013, as amended, Ganduje could not be appointed as the National Chairman of the party other than through a democratically conducted election and that his current occupation of the office is illegal.

Besides, the plaintiffs want a declaration that under the provisions of Article 13 of the APC Constitution 2013 (as amended), the party’s national convention is the final authority of the party, which has the power to elect or remove national officers of the party, including the national chairman of the party.

The plaintiffs also want a declaration that the party’s NEC lacked the power to appoint any person to the office of the Chairman.

Meanwhile, when the case was called for hearing on Wednesday, counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr Benjamin Davou, told the court that he would need time to respond to the fresh process that was served on him by Ganduje’s lawyer.

His request for an adjournment was not opposed by counsel to the APC Chairman, Mr Raymond Asikeni, SAN.

Consequently, Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter for hearing.

Metro

Six Killed, Nine Injured In Fatal Crash On Lekki–Epe Expressway

Published

11 hours ago

September 1, 2025

Editor

Six people were confirmed dead, and nine others sustained injuries in a road accident at Ibeju Bus Stop along the Lekki–Epe Expressway in Lagos State.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority said the crash occurred on Monday when a blue Volvo FL6 truck loaded with wooden planks rammed into a white commercial bus with registration number AKD 336 YD.

The fatalities included two men, three women, and a child. Four other occupants of the bus escaped unhurt.

LASTMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, said officials, with support from other emergency responders, swiftly rescued the survivors.

“The nine injured survivors were swiftly extricated by LASTMA officials with support from other emergency responders and immediately conveyed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Epe and Hammond Hospital for urgent medical attention.”

He added that LASTMA worked in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps to evacuate victims and clear the accident scene.

LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, condoled with the bereaved families and cautioned motorists against reckless driving, particularly overspeeding. He urged drivers to remain vigilant, obey traffic laws, and avoid distractions, especially during the Ember Months, a period known for frequent road crashes.

He added that the remains of the deceased had been deposited at the FMC morgue in Epe, awaiting formal identification by their families.

Taofiq said the four unhurt survivors received immediate attention from the LASTMA Rescue Unit, working with other agencies.

Metro

NSCDC Arrests 84-year-old, Teenager For Vandalism

Published

12 hours ago

September 1, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Gombe State Command, has paraded an 84-year-old man and a 14-year-old boy arrested for alleged vandalism of transmission power cables in the state.

Addressing journalists at a press briefing on Monday, the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Superintendent of Corps Buhari Saad, who represented the State Commandant, Jibril Idris, said the duo were apprehended with several meters of vandalised aluminium cables.

According to him, the suspects, identified as Salisu Muhammad, 84, of Anguwa Idi, Gombe, a scrap marketer, and Muhammad Tahiru Babayo, 14, of Anguwa Dawaki, Gombe, a welder and fabricator, were caught with the items at Salisu’s shop located in Anguwa Uku.

“The two were involved in the act of vandalism and were caught with critical national assets, transmission power cables.

“They will be charged to court for vandalism and unlawful possession of vandalised items,” the commandant stated.

The NSCDC boss noted that the arrest was part of renewed efforts by the command to protect critical national infrastructure from criminals who target public utilities for selfish gains.

He warned vandals to desist from the illegal act or leave the state entirely, stressing that the command will continue to track and apprehend perpetrators of such crimes.

“We want to strongly warn vandals to steer clear of Gombe State. We will get them wherever they are.

“Security agencies are determined, but we also urge citizens to report suspicious activities because security personnel are not spirits and cannot be everywhere,” he added.

Metro

Father, Son, 72-year-old Arrested For Defiling Minors

Published

12 hours ago

September 1, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps on Monday paraded a father and son over the rape of a 13-year-old girl.

The father, Ibrahim Haruna, a 48-year-old and his 15-year-old son, Abdusalam Ibrahim, were identified as suspects.

Parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters in Gombe, the Public Relations Officer, SC Buhari Saad, decried the spate of kidnapping in the state.

He said, “The second category of people that we have, we have three suspects that are involved in rape, gross indecency and defilement.

“They are, one, Ibrahim Haruna, aged 48, of Jekarifari. He is a tailor by occupation. We also have Abdusalam Ibrahim, aged 15, of Jekadefari.

“The two people were involved in some acts of rape, gross indecency and defilement.

“It’s now a worrisome pattern; the case of rape is taking place in the state. The father has been committing this act of rape at his shop, while the son usually takes his turns at their residence. They took advantage of the young girl who is 13 years old.

“She happens to be their neighbour who has some mental illness. So they took advantage of her and have been raping her serially.”

Also paraded was 72-year-old Balarabe Suleiman, from Yelanguruza, who was alleged to have lured a 13-year-old girl into his car and raped her serially.

“He’s been giving her the sum of N200 for every act. And in this instance, it is the lady, the young girl, who became tired of his escapade and informed her parents. The case is still under investigation”, he added.