Politics

CSO Drags IGP To Court Over Tinubu’s Alleged Perjury

Published

2 years ago

July 5, 2022

A civil rights group, Incorporated Trustees of Center for Reform and Public Advocacy has dragged the Inspector-General of Police to a Federal High Court in Abuja for allegedly refusing to prosecute the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, over allegations bordering on perjury.

The suit dated and filed on July 4 on behalf of the organisation in Abuja by Mike Nwankwo, has the Nigerian Police Force and the IGP as 1st and 2nd respondents.

The CSO said that the legal action against the police was necessitated by the IGP’s alleged refusal to take action on its petition against Tinubu over an offence it claimed the presidential candidate was indicted by the Lagos State House of Assembly in 1999.

The applicant maintained that by Sections 214 and 215, of the constitution and Section 4 of the Nigerian Police Act, 2020, the Police have the statutory responsibility to “prevent, detect and investigate criminal allegations whether brought to their notice by individuals, person or persons, corporate bodies, institutions etc”.

Consequently, the applicant in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1058/2022, is asking the court for, “an order of mandamus compelling the respondents to comply with Sections 31 and 32 of the Police Act and Section 3 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2015 in respect of alleged crime laid out in complaint of the applicant encapsulated in the letter of June 16, 2022 received by the respondents on the same date.”

The complaint was titled: “Demand for criminal prosecution of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu under Sections 191,192 and 463 of the Criminal Code Act, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 Consequent upon the Findings of the Lagos State House of Assembly Ad-hoc Committee, 1999”.

The applicant claimed that by Section 31 of the Nigerian Police Act, the respondents are duty bound to investigate alleged crime brought to them and report their findings to the Attorney General of the Federation or of a state, as the case may be, for legal advice.

The organisation added that by Section 32(1) of the Police Act, “A suspect or defendant alleged or charged with committing offence established by an Act of the National Assembly or under any other laws shall be arrested, investigated and tried or dealt with according to the provisions of this Act, except otherwise provided under this Act.”

Okonkwo claimed it has the legal competence to invoke the jurisdiction of the court to compel the respondents to discharge their legal, Constitutional and public duties in line with the law.

The plaintiff lamented that its two letters dated June 16 and 27 to the respondents wherein it demanded the prosecution of Tinubu over alleged perjury have until now been ignored, adding that respondents also “have not notified the applicant of any action taken on the said letter”.

According to the applicant, following a letter by late legal luminary, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, in 1999, the Lagos State House of Assembly had set up an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the alleged act of perjury wherein the Committee had in its report on page 13 stated that, “However, on question of providing false information on oath (sections 191 and 197) we are satisfied that the statement of the governor’s educational qualification which he has admitted were incorrect were not intended…”

The applicant in its petition to the IG claimed that Tinubu lied on oath in his form CF 001 he submitted to INEC in aid of his qualification for the governorship election in Lagos State in 1999.

The applicant further claimed that Tinubu “forged all the educational certificates he listed in his INEC Form CF 001 which he admitted he did not posses in annexure C”.

“For purpose of clarity, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the said INEC Form deposed on oath that he attended Government College, Ibadan and University of Chicago, USA when in actual fact he did not.

“On the strength of the above, we respectfully demand that you initiate the criminal proceedings of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu consequent upon the express findings of the Lagos State House of Assembly as captured above”.

Meanwhile, no date has yet been fixed for hearing of the fresh suit.

PUNCH

Politics

Edo Poll: PDP Gubernatorial Aspirant Resigns From Party

Published

14 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Editor

Felix Akhabue, a former gubernatorial aspirant for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 21, Edo State election, has resigned from the party.

Akhabue was among the 10 aspirant who contested the party’s primary election in February and protested against the conduct of its ward and local government congresses.

Akhabue, a former, chairman of Esan West Local Government Area as well as Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Cooperative and Industry in Governor Godwin Obaseki’s first tenure, dumped the party in a letter dated May 6, 2024, and addressed to the Ward 7 chairman of the party in Esan West local Government Area.

Politics

Edo Poll: Akoko-Edo PDP Leaders Meet Deputy Gov, Pledge Massive Votes For Ighodalo

Published

16 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Editor

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State Tuesday assured the Deputy Governor of the state, Marvellous Omobayo, of their preparedness to deliver block votes to the party’s governorship candidate, Barrister Asue Ighodalo in the forthcoming September 21st governorship election.

The leaders who came from ward (4), (3) and ward (5) was led by Comrade Princeswill Ogunnubi (ward 4), said Akoko-Edo, since the appointment of their kinsman as deputy governor, Akoko-Edo is a no go area for the opposition All Progressives Congress in the state, just as he predicted victory for the PDP.

Ogunnubi, who spoke during a courtesy call on the deputy governor at his office on a solidarity visit, noted that the visit was imperative to assure the number two citizen of the state of their readiness towards the continuity of the PDP in the state beyond 2024.

He said. “We are not just here today in solidarity with you on your appointment but to also assure you of our unalloyed support to deliver on the political trust and confidence reposed in you by the governor on your appointment.

“You can see that since your assumption as the deputy governor the youth of the state that forms majority of the voting population are excited and solidly behind you to see that you succeed and as a people are eternally grateful to Governor Godwin Obaseki.

“It is on record that we have never had it this good apart from the statutory elective political offices. The time has come for us to compensate the governor by delivering Barrister Asue Ighodalo as the next governor of the Edo State.”

Also on the visit, Mr Ernest Akpaja, another leader, stressed on the need for all party members to close rank and join forces in the task ahead.

“This appointment is a testament to the Governor’s commitment to diversity and inclusiveness. We believe Deputy Governor Godwin will make significant contributions to advancing the governor’s development agenda,” Akpaja said.

Omobayo who was elated at the visit, appealed to the leaders to sustain the unity of purpose in ensuring that Akoko-Edo is solidly “PDP and PDP is Akoko-Edo.”

While thanking the leaders remarked, “Without mincing words, I can assure you that Akoko-Edo will get more positions under the PDP if voted back into power. More better days ahead for our people.”

Politics

PDP Crisis: Why Party Members Are Resigning – Sule Lamido

Published

3 days ago

May 5, 2024

Editor

Former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has explained why some notable members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP are resigning the membership from the party.

Lamido blamed the current crisis in the party on the procedures of the court.

He said if the supreme court did not overturn the election of Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as Imo Governor, he would have remained a sitting governor of the state.

He added that the PDP mass resignation was as a result of frustration occasioned by the leadership of the party and the judiciary.

Lamido stated this in an interview with This Day.

Recall that there has been an ongoing resignation by members of PDP especially in Imo and few other small states.

The former governor said if the court did not insist that Senator Samuel Anyanwu was the National Secretary, when he (Anyanwu) went and contested for the Imo State governorship election, the position of National Secretary would have gone to another person from Imo State.

Lamido said, “Emeka Ihedioha and other chieftains of the PDP that resigned from the party were humiliated and frustrated out. They were humiliated by the leadership of the party, with the help of the judiciary.

“Ministers resigned to contest election. Other government officials and even party officials resigned to contest elective offices. Senator Anyanwu ought to have resigned to contest the governorship election in Imo state.

“What did he (Anyanwu) do. He held to the office of national secretary and contested for the governorship election. You cannot eat your cake and still have it back. You cannot appropriate the two positions. You are the national secretary and the governorship candidate at the same time. This is not done.

“So, when the stakeholders from Imo state complained, the judiciary aided him and affirmed his position as National Secretary when he lost his governorship election.

“So, Ihedioha and his group felt frustrated and humiliated by the action of the leadership of the party by failing to stand up for justice. So, as a person, I don’t blame Ihedioha and his associates. I can understand why he and his associates left. Some external influences are tele-guiding the party.”

On the defection of the former Governor of Katsina the APC, Lamido said the State was formally under the control of the All Peoples Party (APP), adding that it was the influence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo that made the PDP to win the state in 2003.

He, however, said with the influence of former President Muhammadu Buhari and all his political associates it went back to the APC.

He stated, “I see it as he wants to meet them. I don’t believe that he went to APC because of the EFCC. Though, I remember what the former national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole said that when you defect to the APC, all your sins are forgotten.”

Speaking further on the situation in PDP Imo State, he said, “The leadership of the party was extremely unfair to Ihedioha who first asked if Anyanwu will contest for governor and when Anyanwu said yes, Ihedioha left it for him and yet, Anyanwu still did not leave the post of National secretary. It is not fair.”

On the role of the judiciary in the plights of the PDP, he cited the case of the Supreme Court on Ihedioha’s case, arguing that, “if not the ignoble role of the Supreme Court, Ihedioha will still be governor and the same courts was used to support Anyanwu retaining the office of the National Secretary and the Governorship candidate.

“When the history of the PDP is to be told, the role of the courts must occupy a special place. This is especially with the southeast geopolitical zone.”

When asked if he was likely going to join the APC, he said, “No, they will not accept me. Go and ask President Bola Tinubu, if he and his APC will accept me.”

Meanwhile, those that have left the party in the State include former Military Administrator, Air Commodore Luke Ochulor; Former Deputy Governor, Engr. Gerald Irona; Former Ministers of the Federal Republic, Engr. Charles Ugwuh, Chief Chuka Odom and BOT member of the party – Chief Chris Okewulonu.

Former NEC member of the party- Chief Henry Ekpe; Former elected members of House of Representatives – Hon. ThankGod Ezeani, Hon. Mayor Eze, Hon. Uche Onyeaguocha, Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo, Hon. Obinna Onwubuariri and Hon. Jonas Okeke.

Others that have dumped the PDP included Chairman PDP elders’ committee – Prof. Jude Njoku; Secretary PDP elders’ Committee – Prof. Obioma Iheduru; Members of the South-east Zonal Executive Committee, Chief Stanley Ekezie; Chief Augustine Elochukwu; Two senatorial candidates of the party in the last election- including Chief Emmanuel Okewulonu, former local government chairmen, several House of Assembly candidates of the party.
VANGUARD