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Presidential Tribunal: Tinubu Tenders 17 Exhibits To Defend His Election Victory
Published
10 months agoon
By
EditorPresident Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, tendered 17 sets of exhibits in evidence to defend his eligibility to contest the presidential election that was held on February 25.
Tinubu, who maintained that he is the bonafide winner of the presidential contest, through his team of lawyers led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, tendered from the Bar, certified copies of bundles of documentary evidence before the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja.
He adduced the evidence to defend the petition the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, filed to nullify his election victory.
Among the exhibits that President Tinubu tendered before the court, included a letter dated February 3, 2003, which the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, wrote to the Consul General of the Embassy of the United States of America, in Nigeria, demanding for his criminal record.
As well as a reply the US Embassy sent to the NPF on February 4, 2003, which indicated that there was no criminal file against him.
READ ALSO: Presidential Poll: Tinubu, APC Kick As Court Admits EU’s Report In Evidence
Other bundle of documents that President Tinubu tendered in court on Tuesday, were his academic records from Chicago State University, his travel records between 2012 and 2021, which was certified on July 3, 2023, by the Nigerian Immigration Service, as well as report of the Committee on the location of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
More so, President Tinubu tendered Forms EC8A of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which represented the polling unit results of the presidential election in Kano State, and equally, Forms EC8D(A), which are the summary of results of the election from all the states of the federation.
Also admitted in evidence by the court was the certified true copy of an Originating Summons marked: SC/CV/354/2023, which the Attorneys-General of six PDP controlled states- Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Sokoto- filed at the Supreme Court on February 28 to void the outcome of the presidential election.
The last proof of evidence the President tendered in support of his election victory, were certified copies of six newspaper publications.
Whereas INEC and the All Progressives Congress, APC, through their team of lawyers led by Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, and Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, respectively, did not oppose the tendering of all the documents, however, Atiku and the PDP, vehemently challenged the admissibility of all the exhibits.
READ ALSO: State Of The Nation: Those Commending Tinubu Are Hypocrites – Cleric
The Petitioners said they would adduce reasons behind their objections, in their final written address.
Meanwhile, despite the objection, the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel of the court admitted all the documents in evidence and marked them as Exhibits RA 1 to RA 17.
It will be recalled that INEC had on March 1, announced Tinubu of the ruling APC as winner of the presidential poll, ahead of 17 other candidates that contested the election.
It declared that Tinubu scored a total of 8,794,726 votes to defeat the two major contenders, Atiku of the PDP who came second with a total of 6,984,520 votes and Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, who came third with a total of 6,101,533 votes.
However, dissatisfied with the outcome of the election, both Atiku and Obi, who are separately claiming that they won the presidential contest, approached the court to challenge Tinubu’s victory.
They both prayed the court to withdraw the Certificate of Return that was issued to President Tinubu by INEC.
Specifically, Atiku, in the joint petition he filed with his party, maintained that Tinubu “was at the time of the election, not qualified to contest.”
READ ALSO: Presidential Tribunal Adjourns INEC’s Defence To July 4
He contended that President Tinubu “demonstrated inconsistency as to his actual date of birth, secondary schools he attended (Government College Ibadan); his State of origin, gender, actual name; certificates evidencing Universities attended (Chicago State University).”
According to the petitioners; “The purported degree Certificate of the 2nd Respondent allegedly acquired at the Chicago State University did not belong to him but to a female (F) described as “F” in the Certificate bearing the name Bola Tinubu.
“The 2nd Respondent did not disclose to the 1st Respondent (INEC) his voluntary acquisition of the citizenship of Republic of Guinea with Guinean Passport No. D00001551, in addition to his Nigerian citizenship. The 2nd Respondent is hereby given notice to produce the original copies of his said two passports.”
He argued that the APC candidate did not meet the constitutional threshold and was “constitutionally disabled from contesting for office of President of Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
Besides, Atiku, challenged Tinubu’s eligibility to occupy the presidential seat, alleging that he was previously indicted and fined the sum of $460,000.00 by the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, in Case No: 93C 4483, for an offence involving dishonesty and drug trafficking.
The petitioners closed their case after they produced 27 witnesses that testified and tendered documents before the court.
Likewise, INEC closed its defence with a lone witness, thereby, paving the way for Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, who are 2nd and 3rd Respondents in the matter, to open their own defence to all the allegations.
The Justice Tsammani-led panel adjourned further proceedings in the matter till Wednesday.
VANGUARD
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News
JUST IN: Again, Aircraft Skids Off Runway At Lagos Airport
Published
4 hours agoon
May 11, 2024By
EditorBarely 16 days after Dana Air was shut down by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authorities, another aircraft belonging to XEJET Airlines also skidded off the runway and landed in the grass at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos on Saturday.
Following this development, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has shut the 18/Left runway of the airport
The Airbus with registration 5N-BZZ with 52 passengers on board departed Abuja and landed in Lagos at 11.29 am.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Aircraft Belonging To Dana Air Skids Off Lagos Airport Runway
Just last month, Dana MD-82 aircraft was involved in a skidding off of the runway, necessitating the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to order the suspension of the carrier for a comprehensive auditing.
Last year, in November, two aircraft from two different airlines skidded off the runway, in one week.
Aero Contractors, flight NG 119 with a registered Boeing 737 aircraft 5N-BYQ from Lagos to Abuja had a total of 133 passengers on board.
All passengers were safely evacuated through a controlled disembarkation.
READ ALSO: Tragedy Adverted As ValueJet’s Aircraft Skids Off Runway
The temporary closure of the runway by FAAN limits the airport to one single runway which is expected to lead to aircraft delays and landing.
The spokesperson of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, Bimbo Olajide, confirmed that an aircraft belonging to Xejet Airlines skidded off the runway of the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport on Saturday.
She stated that a team had been deployed to the site of the incident.
“Our teams are there and on top of the matter. But whether or not the runway will be reopened today, i cannot immediately answer questions on that.” NSIB spokesperson told PUNCH Online.
News
Ededuna Obaseki’s Descendants Congratulate King Charles On Coronation Anniversary
Published
6 hours agoon
May 11, 2024By
EditorThe entire direct descendants of World War II Veteran and a recipient of World War II Medals of Honour, Capt. Ededuna Walter Obaseki, has congratulated His Majesty King Charles III on his first coronation anniversary.
A congratulatory message signed by Mercy Ededuna Obaseki on behalf of The descendants, and made available to INFO DAILY prayed God to bless the King with long life, honour, and good health.
“We wish His Majesty good health so that he can effectively pilot the affairs of The United Kingdom of Great Britain, Northern Ireland and The Realms of The Commonwealth,” the message added.
The descendants, while thanking the British government for preserving the records of their late father, urged the King of the Great Britain to “start soon, the Colonial Legacy review in Nigeria because it is so important to us.”
READ ALSO: World War II Veteran, Obaseki’s Descendants Felicitate Oba Of Benin On Igue Festival Celebration
While approaching efforts being made by His Majesty to review Colonial Legacies, the descendants said in hearing the King’s move to review it, “our Joy knew no bounds, and this feeling of great Joy increased more abundantly when we saw that indeed he was already doing this.”
“We watched with great happiness and excitement, The King presenting replacement World War II Medals in Kenya to the Veterans of The Second World War.
“We hope the King will also take action soon in actualising and fulfilling our dreams that both the British and the Nigerian government meet our demands that our father’s entitlements and work benefits be paid to we his direct descendants. It is also our prayer that the King empowers and supports us in our quests and in the present circumstances that we are in right now, your quick help is highly solicited.
“Our father Ededuna Walter Obaseki was a captain of the British Merchant Navy, a World War II Veteran and a recipient of The World War II Campaigns and Gallantry Medals of Honour. The 1939-1945; Atlantic Star; Italy Star; British War Medals were
Awarded to our father Ededuna Walter Obaseki and other officers and Seamen of the British Merchant Navy by HRM King George VI.
READ ALSO: World War II Veteran; Obaseki’s Descendants Congratulate King Charles III On His Coronation
“Obaseki was a pioneer industrialist, governor, prime minister and head of government, and he handled the British administration in Southern Nigeria that brought great success to Nigeria in many areas like modern agriculture, education, healthcare, and maritime Shipping. The forming, shaping and developing of the navies during the time of the boom that both countries enjoyed and its citizens can still speak well of in sheer glories of remarkable advancement today.
“We are aware of some attempts by the Federal Government of Nigeria particularly in 2014 to help bring out and make known, the legacies of those that played active and very important roles in making this country Nigeria to be great, especially the Merchant Navy Officers who were the first ambassadors, head of administration and head of the British Board of Trade that brought about very positive growth and boom in Nigeria through the exports of timber, rubber, cocoa and palm produce, etc.
“We also want the distinguished senators and honourable members of the House of Representatives of Nigeria to grant our request that our father’s entitlements and work benefits for service in Nigeria to be paid to us by the Nigerian government. We need them (The Law Makers) to use their voice to also make our demands from The British Government.”
News
Banditry: Niger Speaker To Marry Off 100 Female Orphans
Published
8 hours agoon
May 11, 2024By
EditorThe Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, has announced plans to marry off 100 female orphans who lost their parents to banditry attacks in Mariga Local Government Area.
Sarkindaji disclosed this to journalists in Minna, the state capital on Friday.
The Speaker pledged to pay the dowries for the bridegrooms and has procured all necessary materials for the mass marriage ceremony.
Accordingly, the girls who would be married off were carefully selected from the 170 girls whose names were submitted. Sarkindaji stated, without disclosing the age range of the orphaned girls.
READ ALSO: Court Stops Speaker, 24 Others Loyal To Wike From Parading As Assembly Members
The Speaker, who represents the Mariga Constituency, described the initiative as part of his constituency empowerment project, “aimed at alleviating the suffering of the impoverished.”
Sarkindaji revealed that the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, and the Emir of Kontagora, Alhaji Mohammed Barau, would serve as guardians to the female orphans during the mass marriage ceremony.
The Kano State Commander General of the Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, is expected to attend the event, slated for May 24 at Bangi, the headquarters of Mariga Local Government Area.
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