Metro

Court Adjourns Suit Seeking Ganduje’s Removal

Published

3 days ago

June 26, 2024

Editor

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

Police Arrest 25-year-old Armed Robber, Recover Ammunition In Lagos

Published

2 hours ago

June 29, 2024

Editor

Police in Lagos State have arrested a 25-year-old man, Toibu Hassan, for alleged possession of a pistol.

Police spokesperson in the state, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the arrest in a post he shared on his X handle @benHundeyin on Saturday.

He said that the suspect was arrested on Saturday at the Agege area of the state.

“Today, at 6: 00 a.m., under the Agege Pen-Cinema bridge, Toibu Hassan, aged 25, was arrested by officers from Elere Division.

“When searched, one locally made pistol and one expended cartridge were recovered, ” the spokesperson said.

According to the image maker, investigation is ongoing.

Metro

One Dies In Third Mainland Bridge Accident

Published

2 hours ago

June 29, 2024

Editor

One person was confirmed dead in an accident that occurred on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos on Saturday morning.

The fatal accident involved a Mini Truck (MUS 489 XS) and a Toyota Camry (KRD 470 JD).

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the accident was caused by excessive speeding during a heavy downpour this morning,” the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said in a statement.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr Sola Giwa, in the statement signed by Mr Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA, said that three others were rescued at the accident scene.

He said that operatives of LASTMA responded swiftly to the accident, which occured near the Unilag waterfront, heading towards the Iyana-Oworonsoki area of Lagos.

Giwa said that despite the government’s ongoing campaign to educate motorists about speed limits, drivers continued to flout the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018.

He urged both commercial bus drivers and private car owners to avoid exceeding speed limits on the Third Mainland Bridge and other roads throughout the state.

Giwa said that the deceased was promptly removed by State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) officials, while LASTMA cleared the accident vehicles to ensure smooth traffic flow on the bridge.

He extended his condolences to the family of the deceased and emphasised the importance of road safety.

Metro

Troops Arrest 47 Rail Track Vandals, Intercept Vandalised Irons In Kaduna

Published

5 hours ago

June 29, 2024

Editor

Troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army Kaduna while on routine patrol along Kakau Daji- Anguwan Ayaba in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, intercepted and arrested 47 suspected rail track vandals on 26 June 2024.

The suspects, who were said to have loaded two trucks with the vandalised rail tracks before their arrests, revealed that they were employed by one Alhaji Babawo who is at large, to load the vandalized rail tracks and off- load same in a nearby bush along the road.

Parading the suspects during profiling at 312 Artillery Regiment Kaduna, the Acting Commander 1 Division Provost Group, Lt Col IY Rena stated that the suspects who are 47 in number were profiled to ascertain their level of involvement during preliminary investigation.

He further stated that the suspects were also individually interviewed and cross-examined while efforts are in place to arrest the gang leader who is currently at large.

Lt Col Rena revealed that, on visit to the crime scene, some of the vandalized rail tracks were found concealed in the nearby bush waiting to be evacuated by the criminal syndicates

While handing over the suspects to the Authorities of Nigeria Railway Corporation Kaduna Station represented by the Divisional Crime Officer, Lt Col Rena urged the relevant security agencies to make adequate arrangements and deliberate efforts to secure the rail tracks from further vandalization.

In his remarks during the handing over of the suspects, the representative of the Nigeria Railway Corporation and Divisional Crime Officer, ASP Inuwa Dahiru commended the troops of the Nigerian Army for their proactiveness and collaboration with other security agencies in tackling the mirage of security challenges confronting the State.

He assured the Nigerian Army that all the 47 suspects would be thoroughly investigated before they are charged to court to serve as a deterrence to other criminally minded persons.

Meanwhile, the Spokesman of 1 Division, Lt. Colonel Musa Yahaya said, the General Officer Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army and Commander Operation Whirl Punch, Maj Gen MLD Saraso commended the troops for their professional conduct during and after the successful arrest of the suspects.

He has also charged the troops to remain resilient and focused in order to bring all criminal elements in the Division’s Operational Area of Responsibility to their knees.
NATION