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Court Fixes Date On Seventh Day Church’s Suit Seeking To Stop Saturday Elections, Exams
Published
4 months agoon
By
EditorA Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed March 20 for judgment in a suit seeking to stop elections and examinations from being held on Saturdays in the country.
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court fixed the date on Wednesday after listening to the arguments for and against the suit.
The suit was instituted by an elder in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Ugochukwu Uchenwa.
Listed as defendants in the suit are the President, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and the Minister of Interior.
Others are the Joint Admission and Matriculation Examinations, the National Examination Council, the West African Examination Council, the National Business and Technical Examination Board, the Council of Legal Education, and the Ministry of Education.
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The plaintiff told the court that fixing elections and examinations on Saturdays violated his rights and that of other members of the church to freedom of worship.
Uchenwa is praying the court to declare the fixing of elections and examinations on Saturdays as unconstitutional.
In the alternative, the plaintiff prayed the court to order the defendants to allow him and other members of his church to vote or sit for examinations on any other day of the week, including Sundays.
At Wednesday’s hearing, counsel for the plaintiff, Benjamin Amaefule, told the court that his client was only seeking an enforcement of his fundamental right to freedom of education and freedom to participate in elections.
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He said, “Fixing examinations and elections on the Sabbath day of the Lord was also a violation of the right to freedom of education of the applicant and the members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church Nigeria.
“It is a violation of the fundamental rights of freedom of conscience, profession, and free practice of faith of the members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church Nigeria”.
The plaintiff also asked the court to make an order mandating the first and second respondents (the President and the AGF) to declare Saturdays as public holidays just the same way Sundays are public holidays.
Moreover, he insisted that Sunday was the first day of the week while Saturday was the seventh day of the week, hence the Sabbath day.
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Responding on behalf of the President and the AGF, Maimuna Shiru told the court that she filed a 17-paragraph affidavit on behalf of her client in opposition to the suit.
She prayed the court to dismiss the suit for lacking in merit.
On his part, counsel for WAEC, Friday Chorio, argued that Nigeria is a secular state.
According to Chorio, the constitution provides that Nigeria shall not adopt any religion as its own.
“In this circumstance, the plaintiff is seeking an interpretation of the law that Saturday should be fixed as a holy day for the Seventh-day Adventist church.
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“We have so many laws that provide for holidays. Section 4 of the Public Holiday Act provides and declares Sunday as a public holiday so government activities cannot take place on Sundays.
“Anybody can adopt Sunday as his or her own holiday so you cannot come to court and ask the court to declare Saturday as a public holiday,” Chorio said.
For the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Safinat Lamidi told the court that she filed a preliminary objection praying the court to dismiss the suit as it lacked the jurisdiction to entertain it.
The Minister of Interior, INEC, NECO, National Business and Technical Board, Council for Legal Education, and the Ministry of Education were all absent in court as no counsel announced an appearance on their behalf.
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EFCC Trial: ‘Even The Prophets Went To Prison’ – Buhari’s Minister Comforts Self In Court
Published
4 hours agoon
May 10, 2024By
EditorA former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, standing trial for an alleged N7.2bn fraud, said he was ready to go to prison just like the prophets.
Sirika, his daughter, and three others were arraigned at a Federal Capital Territory High Court on Thursday on a six-count amended criminal charge before Justice Sylvanus Oriji.
A video of the ex-minister speaking in court with his lawyers surfaced on X on Thursday.
In the video, Sirika, dressed in cream Babariga, could be heard saying, “It’s okay. Fatima, it’s okay,” while comforting his daughter.
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He continued, “Even prophets have gone (to prison). Those that went, haven’t they finished theirs already?…whatever Allah says”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had accused the ex-minister, his daughter, son-in-law and Al-Duraq Investment Limited, of fraud in connection with the botched Nigerian Air project.
Meanwhile, the court granted each of the defendants bail in the sum of N100m with two sureties each.
Before the trial judge, Justice Sylvanus Orji granted the bail request of the defendants, they pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them after it was read out to them.
The prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, had informed the court of an amended charge by the EFCC dated May 7, and filed on May 8, which was not opposed by the counsel for the defendants.
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Sirika’s lead counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), informed the court of his client’s bail application dated May 6.
The other defendants similarly, moved their bail applications and prayed the court to be liberal in the bail conditions.
Jacobs, on his part, told the court that all the defendants were on administrative bail and asked the court to grant bail on the condition that would make them appear for their trials.
Apart from the N100m bail, Justice Osuji added that one of the sureties must own a landed property with valid land titles in like sum within the Federal Capital Territory.
The judge also held that the sureties must depose to an affidavit of means while he barred the defendants from travelling outside the country without its permission.
He added that failure to fulfil the bail conditions would earn the defendants a stay in a correctional facility.
News
Tiktok Bans Nigerian Content Creator’s Account After Completing 24-hour Buried-alive Challenge [VIDEO]
Published
5 hours agoon
May 10, 2024By
EditorNigerian man, Young C, has been successfully exhumed after spending 24 hours buried alive in a coffin.
Young C began the challenge on Wednesday, May 8 and has completed it.
At several intervals, Young C gave updates from inside the coffin.
His challenge however led to TikTok permanently banning his account.
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After he was ‘’exhumed’, he cautioned viewers against attempting similar stunts due to the inherent dangers involved.
Watch a video of him being exhumed below
News
Former Super Eagles Player, Ibrahim Babangida Is Dead
Published
5 hours agoon
May 10, 2024By
EditorFormer Super Eagles star, Ibrahim Babangida has died in a car accident.
It was gathered that the car accident which happened along Zaria road, also involved the ex-Super Eagles brother, Tijani, his wife, son and maid.
However, only Babangida died in the auto accident, while others who were with him were taken to the hospital, where they are responding to treatment.
Tijani is president of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN).
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According to The Nation, a statement by the General Secretary of (PFAN), Emmanuel Babayaro, confirmed Ibrahim died in the crash.
Details later…
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