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Edo Guber: Court Authenticates Ize-Iyamu’s APC Membership

Published

5 years ago

June 25, 2020

A Benin High Court presided by Justice Emmanuel Ahamiojie, has authenticated the membership of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as bonafide member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that he is qualified to contest in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

The Judge in his ruling said the issue of granting of waiver is a matter that is subjected to every political party and that it is not for the court to determine who is to be given waiver or who not.

” I hereby declare that the Osagie Ize-iyamu (third defendant) is qualified to contest being a registered member of the All Progressives Congress”, he said

Kenneth Asekomhe,
Benjamin Oghumu, Mathew Ogbebor and Unweni Nosa, had earlier instituted a suit challenging the decision of the All Progressives Congress for granting a waiver to Ize-iyamu, to make him eligible to contest the APC primary election.

Defendants in the suit are the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, and Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

The claimants predicated their case on the ground that any waiver purportedly granted by the National chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole without the approval of the National Executive Committee of the APC and without Osagie Ize-iyamu formally applying for such waiver through his claimed ward, local government area is null, void and of no effect.

They prayed the court to restrain the APC from recognising
Osagie Ize-iyamu as an aspirant of the party in its primary election to select a candidate to represent it in the governorship election.

Addressing journalists shortly after the delivery of the judgment, Counsel to the 1st and 2nd Defedant, Victor Ohiosumua, said the Lordship in his ruling said the court has no jurisdiction to dabble into what should be the internal affairs of any political parties.

“You are aware that we took all our preliminary objection and we also took the originating summons. So, both processes were consolidated.

“So your Lordship has considered all the processes filed by both parties and he has come to the legal conclusion and very erudite judgement that he has no jurisdiction in determining who a member of a political party is and this is in line with the litining of cases as your Lordship said basket full of cases in the Supreme Court that membership of political party is an internal affairs of the party.

“So, he has reaffirmed those precedence and said he has no jurisdiction to know who is a member, however, to be on the side of caution, he also dived into the merit of the case assuming I have jurisdiction, is this case worth his while?

” He has come to the conclusion that pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is a registered member of APC and he is qualified to contest the primary that was held last Monday.

“So, all issues about membership has now been resolved”, he said.

Corroborating what the Councel to the 1st and 2nd Defedant said, Henry O. Ogbodu, Counsel to — quickly advised that it high time political parties started resolving their problems internally instead of dragging the court into their political squabbles, noting that the court is already over burden with cases.

“The judgement of the court today, basically, pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is bonafide member of APC and he is qualified to contest the governorship election on behalf of that party. That is the basics of the judgment today.

“I am absolutely satisfied. Number one, politicians by this judgement, should learn to settle their difference themselves.

“They should learn how not to drag the judiciary into their internal party affairs or political squabbles.

“We have had enough of internal squabbles of political parties. Political leaders should learn how to resolve their difference outside the judiciary and not because we don’t have confidence in the judiciary, we maintain the confidence there but they had better resolve it in order not to heat up the polity.

“Heating up the polity is not of the best interest of the economy either economically or politically. We should grow up”, he added.

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Lawyers Fault EFCC Statement, Say It’s Misleading

Published

19 minutes ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Some legal practitioners in Bauchi state have faulted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) official statement about their client on Wednesday, adding that it was erroneous, false and misleading.

It could be recalled that EFCC posted on its official Facebook handle that a Bauchi State High Court has cleared the commission to proceed with its investigation of a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bauchi State, Hamza Koshe, and his company, Pentech Engineering Nigeria Ltd.

According to the EFCC statement, the commission said Justice Aliyu Baba, in a judgment delivered on July 30, 2025, dismissed an application by Koshe seeking to restrain the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission from probing him.

However, in a statement jointly signed and made available to newsmen in Bauchi on Thursday by Jibrin S. Jibrin Esq, M.M. Usman Esq, H.B. Pali Esq, Abbas Ibrahim Esq, I.G. Agwam Esq and Salome Audu Esq all counsel to Pentech Engineering Nigeria Ltd & Anor as well as Koshe insisted that the statement was misleading.

According to them, the EFCC owed the public the duty of relating only the truth of what the courts decided as regards the contract financing agreement in the issues their clients were parties.

“Our attention as the legal representatives of Pentech Engineering Nigeria Ltd & Alhaji Hamza Koshe in respect of suit No. BA/271/2024 has been drawn to the statement posted on the official page of the EFCC on Wednesday, where the Commission supposedly rendered an analysis of the judgement delivered by the High Court of Justice No. 4 Bauchi Presided by Justice Aliyu Usman on the 30th July 2025.

“Now against the background of the erroneous, false and misleading publication by the EFCC on the matter, we deem it necessary to set the records straight by stating what actually is the truth of the matter in terms of the enrolled judgment Order of the Court to which this press release is attached.

“It is proper to state as a fact that in an earlier judgement relating to the subject of this release, the verdict of the High Court of Justice No. 10 Bauchi presided by Justice M. M. Abubakar delivered on the 19th December, 2024 is to the effect that the Contract Financing Agreement the subject matter of the suit having been found to be valid and not contravening any law remains enforceable hence, Pentech Engineering Nigeria Ltd is accorded the applicable injunctive reliefs as regards the activities of the Commission.

“We state as a fact that the main question of law determined in Justice Aliyu Baba Usman’s judgment is to the effect that the Contract Financing Agreement the subject of the suit is valid.

“The EFCC failed to state in its statement in reference the fact that many parties and contractors concerned or involved in the Contract Financing Agreement in the issue have been invited by the Commission with virtually all of them responding, honoring its invitation on the matter and thereby discharging their legal obligation speak volumes of ‘the bidding of some’ which the publication seeks to achieve ab initio,” said the lawyers.

The counsel added that the mischief and deliberate misrepresentation in EFCC’s statement could be seen when not only did it make no mention of this fact but also created the impression that their clients went to Court to evade investigation on the matter.

They said that Koshe was a guest of the Commission having honored its invitation in September 2024 which he was released on administrative bail, the terms and conditions applicable to which he has been observing.

“It is also important to clarify as a fact that there is no truth at all in the Commission’s statement to the effect that our client sought a perpetual injunction of general nature against the Commission’s activities.

“The truth about the reliefs sought by our clients is as contained in the Court’s processes filed in the suit in reference.

“We challenge the Commission to provide evidence of where our client ever sought a perpetual injunction at large or of general nature against it or any other body duly established by law.

“We urge members of the public to disregard in its entirety EFCC’s statement on the subject and be guided in its stead by the facts as contained in the relevant court processes to which this release is attached,” he said.

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Tricycle Riders Sentenced To Five Years Over WhatsApp Group Mobilising Protest Against Nigerian Gov

Published

44 minutes ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has been accused of being power-drunk following allegations that he ordered the arrest and conviction of two members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and tricycle operators for creating a WhatsApp group to mobilize a protest against his administration.

Crack police operatives carried out the arrests in Maiduguri before the scheduled End Bad Governance protest.

The two men, identified as Mohammed Bukar (alias Awana) and Ibrahim Mohammed (alias Babayo), were convicted on June 30, 2025, by Hon. Justice A.M. Ali and handed a five-year prison sentence.

Court documents with reference number BOHC/MG/CR/2150/CT10/2024 revealed that the men were accused of creating a WhatsApp group called “Zanga Zanga Group”—translated as Protest Group—to mobilize Keke Napep (tricycle) operators for a planned demonstration against the Borno State Government.

Mohammed Bukar and Ibrahim Mohammed were the 6th and 7th defendants in the case in which Governor Zulum accused them of using videos on the WhatsApp group to instigate Keke Napep (tricycle) operators in Borno State to join the protest against the government.

They were also accused of producing videos in Kanuri and Hausa languages, urging tricycle riders to come out en masse, declaring “no going back” on the planned protest against the Borno State Government.

On June 30, 2025, Hon. Justice A.M. Ali sentenced the duo to five years’ imprisonment for allegedly planning the protest on WhatsApp.

Meanwhile, the seven defendants were charged with two counts: Count 1. That the defendants conspired to form a group named Zanga Zanga group (or protest group) on WhatsApp social media platform wherein they agreed to take up arms, to wit; guns, knives, bows and arrows and all forms of dangerous weapon against the Government thereby committing an offence contrary to Sections 60 and punishable under Section 79 of the Penal Code Laws of Borno State 2023.

Count 2. That the defendants formed a group named Zanga Zanga group (or. protest group) on WhatsApp social media platform and agreed to take up arms, to wit; guns, knives, bows and arrows and all forms of dangerous weapon against the Government thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 79 of the Penal Code Laws of Borno State 2023 All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them at their arraignment on April 11, 2024. The prosecution called four witnesses to prove their case.

However, all defendants pleaded not guilty when arraigned on April 11, 2024.

The prosecution called four witnesses, including Sgt. Isa Abubakar, an investigating police officer attached to the Crime Squad of the Nigerian Police, Borno State Command.

Sgt. Abubakar testified that on July 21, 2024, the 6th defendant used one of the videos as his WhatsApp status to mobilize tricycle riders for the End Bad Governance protest.

He added that the 6th and 7th defendants also made another video in Hausa, saying, “Allah Yaisa Zulum two Billion Namu,” roughly translating to “May God punish Zulum for our two billion.”

He further testified that he downloaded the videos and arrested the two suspects on July 23, 2024, before handing them over to the Crime Squad office in Maiduguri.

Justice Ali said, “I have considered the pleas for leniency made by each of the convicts and the pleas made on their behalf by their counsel. The 5th convict is 17 years old, the 2nd convict is 14 years old, and the 3rd convict is 15 years old.

“The 5th, 2nd, and 3rd convicts are therefore young persons within the meaning of the Children and Young Persons Law of Borno State.

“It was held by the Apex court in the case of Aminu Tanko VS the State 2009 Legalpedia SC 61216 that where the sentence prescribed upon conviction in criminal charge is term of imprisonment then some extenuating factors, such as the age of the convict and whether he is a first offender can be taken into consideration in passing the sentence.

“It is in this regard that, on the 1st count charge, I sentence the 5th, 2nd, and 3rd defendants to community service specifically washing the toilets of General Hospital Maiduguri, for 3 months. Make an order that they be given 20 strokes of the cane each.

“On the 2nd count charge, the 5th, 2nd, and 3rd convicts are sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment. The 2nd and 3rd convicts are to be held at the children’s remand home, while the 5th defendant is to be remanded at the Maiduguri correctional centre. The period of imprisonment should commence today.”

“Regarding the first convict, who is also a young man, he is hereby sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment. The first convict is sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment. The 6th convict is sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment. The 7th convict is sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment. All sentences should commence today, the 30/6/2025,” Justice Ali added.

Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that the families of two commercial tricycle operators had accused the state government, led by Governor Babagana Zulum, of ordering their arrest and prolonged detention after they allegedly planned a peaceful protest over the alleged mismanagement of funds contributed by riders.

The detained operators, identified as Muhammed Bukar and Ibrahim Muhammed—both members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—were arrested by the Police Crack Squad on the alleged orders of Borno State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Saina Buba.

According to relatives, the riders were detained for three months and two weeks at a police facility before spending an additional two months in prison custody while facing trial.

At the centre of the dispute is a daily N100 ticket fee collected from tricycle operators, supposedly serving as insurance to provide financial support to any operator facing emergencies.

However, the riders alleged that officials managing the fund embezzled the money and failed to assist operators in need, prompting plans for the protest before their arrest.

News

Ebonyi Raises Minimum Wage From N70,000 To N90,000

Published

1 hour ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

The Ebonyi State Government has announced an increase in the minimum wage of civil servants from N70,000 to N90,000.

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chief Ikeuwa Omebe, disclosed this on Thursday during a briefing for newsmen on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting.

“We want to state categorically that this is not a political statement, as this government does not toy with workers’ welfare.

“The government has offset the pension and gratuities of state retirees from its creation in 1996 to date.

“The verification process for retirees in the Local Government Areas had commenced, and when completed, the payment will be made,” he said.

“The governor is a leader, builder of capacity, human beings, and infrastructure.

“The government is anchored on the biblical people’s charter of needs mantra, which is leading the people according to their needs,” the commissioner said.

On Wednesday, SaharaReporters reported that the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, approved a new minimum wage of N104,000 for civil servants in the state, in response to the prevailing economic realities in the country.

Uzodimma announced the new minimum wage package on Tuesday night during a meeting with various labour union leaders at the Government House in Owerri, emphasising that there’s no way a government can thrive without a cordial relationship with organised labour.

The minimum wage was increased from ₦ 76,000 to ₦ 104,000. Additionally, the minimum wage for doctors was increased from N215,000 to N503,000, while that for teachers in tertiary institutions was increased from N119,000 to N222,000, among other changes.

The governor stated that Imo citizens had faced numerous challenges since his government took office, including insecurity, the COVID-19 pandemic, economic hardship resulting from reform policies, and disputes over minimum wage and the removal of subsidies.