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

Published

4 years ago

June 25, 2020

Editor

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.

Related Topics:#Edo state governorship election #Pastor Ize-Iyamu Edo APC Crisis

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Police Reacts To Trending Video Of Woman Feeding Baby Alcohol,Vow To Fish Out Mother [WATCH]

Published

7 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

The spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has stated that the police will fish out a nursing mum filmed feeding her baby alcohol.

The disturbing video showed the woman who spoke in Yoruba, hailing her baby girl as she gulped the alcohol.

Reacting to the video, Adejobi wrote: ‘’Another assignment for us. This is too bad. We will fish her out. Thanks. @PoliceNG”

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EFCC Arrests 13 Fake BDC Operators In Lagos

Published

10 hours ago

May 14, 2024

Editor

Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested thirteen fake bureau de change operators in Lagos.

They were arrested for operating BDC without an appropriate licence.

The suspects are: Abdulahi Musa, Garba Abdullahi, Dauda Hussaini, Jubril Musa, Abdulwaheed Iliyasu and Abubakar Mohammed.

Others are: Umar Saidu, Nurudeen AbdulAzeez, Hamidu Usman, Yusuf Isa, Musa Ishaka, Liman Makki and Idris Mohammed.

They were arrested during sting operations by EFCC’s operatives between May 10 and 13, 2024 at different parts of Lagos, following credible intelligence received by the Commission about their illicit business activities.

Also, a suspected currency racketeer, Kafayat Lateef was also arrested over for alleged involvement in the sale of the Naira notes in different denominations.

A sum of N2.1 million was recovered from her at the point of arrest. A statement by EFCC Spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said that the suspects would soon be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

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Ex-CBN Gov, Emefiele Faces Fresh Charge Over Printing Of Naira Emefiele

Published

12 hours ago

May 14, 2024

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has preferred a fresh charge against the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, over an allegation that he illegally printed Naira notes while he held sway at the apex bank.

The anti-graft agency, in the four-count charge it entered before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, equally accused the former CBN boss of unlawfully approving the withdrawal of about N124.8billion from the consolidated revenue fund.

According to the EFCC, the defendant, acting in violation of law and “with intent to cause injury to the public,” okayed the printing of naira notes without the approval of both the former President, Muhammadu Buhari and the board of the CBN.

Emefiele, who is already facing multiple charges both in Abuja and Lagos, is expected to take his plea before trial Justice Maryann Anenih.

Specifically, the charge against him, read: “That you Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, between the 19th day of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007, by approving the printing of N375,520,000.00 pieces of colour swapped N1, 000, at the total cost of N11,052, 068,062 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.

“That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, between the 19th of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, by approving the printing of 172,000,000 pieces of colour swapped N500 (Five Hundred Naira) Notes, at the total cost of N4, 471,066,040 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.

“That you Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, between the 19th day of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007, by approving the printing of 137,070,000 pieces of colour swapped N200 (Two Hundred Naira) Note, at the total cost of N3, 441, 005, 280 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.

“That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, on or about the 7th day of October 2020, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 80 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), by approving the withdrawal of the total sum of N124, 860, 227, 865.16 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation in a manner not prescribed by the National Assembly, which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.”

It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu had on June 9, 2023, suspended Emefiele from office as the head of the apex bank.

He was later arrested at his Lagos residence by DSS operatives.

The former CBN boss was subsequently transferred to the custody of the EFCC, which on November 28, 2023, docked him on a six-count charge that bordered on his alleged involvement in procurement fraud.

Though Emefiele, who initially spent 151 days in custody of security agencies, was later granted bail to the tune of N300million and ordered to produce two sureties that the trial court stressed must be Abuja residents that have landed property within the Maitama District, the defendant could not perfect the conditions till December 23, 2023, when he was released from Kuje prison where he spent about 34 days.