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JUST IN: Court Declines To Stop Tinubu’s Swearing-in As President

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The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has declined to issue an order of interim injunction to stop the scheduled swearing-in of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, as President of Nigeria, on May 29.

The court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice James Omotosho, on Friday, held that it lacked the requisite jurisdiction to grant the prayer which was contained in an ex-parte application that was brought before it by three citizens who identified themselves as Concerned Nigerians.

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The plaintiffs- Praise Ilemona Isaiah, Pastor Paul Isaac Audu and Dr Anongu Moses- had in their suit marked: FHC/ABJ/C5/657/2023, alleged that Tinubu, who was declared the winner of the presidential election that held on February 25, lied on oath in the Form EC9 he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in aid of his qualifications to contest the election.

The plaintiffs told the court that the President-elect falsely declared that he was not a citizen of any other country, despite the fact that he was in possession of a Guinean Passport.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: S’Court Dismisses PDP’s Suit, Affirms Bola Tinubu’s Eligibility For Presidency

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On the issue of educational qualification, the plaintiffs told the court that investigations revealed that the Tinubu that attended Chicago University in the United States of America, was a female.

Besides, they alleged that whereas the President-elect claimed that he was born in 1957, it was discovered that 1952 was his actual date of birth.

They argued that Tinubu’s action was in gross violation of Section 117 of the Criminal Code Act as well as Section 156 of the Penal Code Act.

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Consequently, the litigants, among other things, urged the court to order Tinubu to be arrested, detained and prevented from being sworn in, pending the determination of cases before the Presidential Election Petition Court.

They equally prayed the court to ban Tinubu from vying for any elective position for the next 10 years.

READ ALSO: Ex-presidential Candidate Fined N40m For Trying To Stop Tinubu’s Inauguration

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The plaintiffs told the court that they were voters that participated in the presidential election that was declared in Tinubu’s favour.

However, in its ruling, the court held that the suit was “unconstitutional, frivolous and vexatious,” adding that since the plaintiffs were bereft of the locus standi (legal right) to institute the action, it equally lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

The court stressed that under section 285 (14) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, only an aspirant could challenge the qualification or nomination of a candidate in an election.

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It further held that since the election has already been conducted, only the Court of Appeal has the jurisdiction to entertain cases arising from presidential election.

While accusing the plaintiffs of wasting judicial time of the court by filing the suit which he described as an abuse of court process, Justice Omotosho held that the legal action was in bad faith as it was aimed to expose the judiciary to ridicule.

 

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It held that the suit, which sought to stop the inauguration that is few days away, was capable of destabilizing the democracy in the country.

READ ALSO: Nigerians Enemies At Home, Friends Abroad – Obasanjo

Justice Omotosho said the court would not lend itself to be used as an instrument to destabilize the country.

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He threatened to refer the lawyers that helped the plaintiffs to the suit to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for instituting an action “capable of dragging the judiciary to the mud.”

Consequently, Justice Omotosho dismissed the suit and awarded a cost of N10m in Tinubu’s favour, N5m in favour of the APC and another N1m to be personally paid by counsel for the plaintiffs, to each of the respondents.

According to Vanguard, the court held that the cost awarded against the plaintiffs would attract 10% interest per annum, pending its final liquidation.

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Justice Omotosho said he took the punitive measure “in view of the avalanche of frivolous suits” that have been filed by lawyers.

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Putin Says Will Speak With Trump On Phone Today

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Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he would speak with US counterpart Donald Trump on the phone Thursday, their first publicly announced call in over two weeks.

The two have been in regular contact since Trump took office in January and have discussed issues like the Ukraine conflict and economic cooperation.

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Putin did not say what the two would discuss in Thursday’s call.

READ ALSO:Putin Rolls Out Conditions To End Russia-Ukraine War

“I will talk to the US president today,” the Russian leader told the media during a visit to an exhibition centre in Moscow.

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Trump confirmed the call on Truth Social, saying it would start at 10.00am (1400 GMT).

The two leaders have praised each other in recent weeks, despite Moscow’s ongoing assault on Ukraine.

Putin said last week that he had “great respect” for Trump and that US ties were improving. Trump said Putin’s statements were “very nice”.

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NAFDAC Warns Against Use Of Excess Hydroquinone In Cosmetics

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned users of bleaching creams to refrain from using products containing excessive hydroquinone to safeguard their health.

NAFDAC Bauchi State Coordinator, Mr Hamis Yahaya, advised in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Tuesday.

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Hydroquinone is a skin-lightening agent used to treat hyperpigmentation, such as melasma and age spots.

READ ALSO: NAFDAC Alerts Public To Fake Antimalarial, Aflotin

Yahaya said that the approved quantity of the chemical substance in cosmetics was only two per cent.

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According to him, NAFDAC conducts checks on market products to ensure public health and safety.

The black colour provides natural protection against harmful radiation due to melanin content.

READ ALSO: Trump Says Will ‘Take A Look’ At Deporting Musk

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“Applying creams with hydroquinone contents more than two per cent is harmful. Mixing creams by non-experts is wrong.

“Hydroquinone affects the health of the users gradually, including causing cancer,” he said.

Yahaya urged the media to raise awareness about the dangers of cosmetics that could endanger consumer lives.

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AU Helicopter Crashes In Somali Capital – State Media

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An African Union helicopter crashed Wednesday at the airport in the Somali capital Mogadishu with eight people onboard, state media said.

The aircraft was part of the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), tasked with fighting the Al-Shabaab militant group.

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The state media agency Sonna said the AUSSOM helicopter, carrying eight people, “crashed during landing at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde Airport this morning after departing Balidoogle”.

READ ALSO:Man Jailed Seven Years For N11.4m Enugu Land Fraud

The fire has been contained, and authorities are assessing the situation,” it said in a post on X.

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Sonna quoted the country’s civil aviation authorities as saying that “flight operations remain normal”.

There were no further details given, but unverified clips and images shared online showed a plume of black smoke over the city.

The AUSSOM mission faces funding difficulties, even as fears of an Al-Shabaab resurgence are stoked by attacks in the Horn of Africa nation.

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