Category: News

The Presidential Election Petitions Court has adjourned till May 22 to rule on the applications for a live broadcast of proceedings and the modalities for witnesses.

A five-member panel of justices presided by Justice Haruna Tsammani Saturday also announced that the adjourned date will also be used to modify the modalities agreed by parties for the main hearing.

The parties had earlier argued their positions on the application separately made by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Peter Obi for the live broadcast of the court’s proceedings with INEC, Tinubu and APC objecting.

The parties in the matter also agreed on modalities for the testimonies of witnesses during the main hearing.

Counsel to the PDP and Atiku, Chris Uche (SAN) informed the court that they agreed to allocate more time for the main examination of star witnesses and expert witnesses for 30 minutes, cross-examination 20 minutes and any re-examination five minutes.

He informed the court that although the law permits seven weeks to present their witnesses, they would need only about three weeks to do so.

The parties in the petitions of LP also agreed to allocate 30 minutes to expert or star witnesses, while other witnesses will have 10 minutes.

Cross-examination and re-examination will be 20 and five minutes respectively.

The court adjourned for the final judgement the applications by INEC, Tinubu and APC seeking to strike out some paragraphs in Obi’s reply to their motion to strike out new issues raised in his reply over the double nomination of the APC vice-presidential candidate, Shettima.

Daily Trust

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Yusha’u Dogara Ahmed, has distanced the Scheme from the Discharge Certificate in possession of the Enugu State Governor-elect, Mr Peter Mbah.

Reacting to the DG, the PDP, Enugu State faulted the claim by the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig Gen Yusha’u Dogara Ahmed, that he told the Governor-elect of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, that his discharge certificate was not issued by the NYSC.

The party, however, said his claim was in sync with the agency’s conspiracy, deceit, and wilful misrepresentation of facts, which necessitated Mbah’s N20 Billion lawsuit against it.

It equally described as an irony a situation where the DG said he would not want to comment on the matter since it was in court, only to go ahead to not only deny knowledge of the lawsuit and consequent court order, but also to act in clear contempt of the court.

The Director of Communications and Spokesperson of the Enugu State PDP Campaign Council for the 2023 general elections, Barr. Nana Ogbodo, stated these at a press conference on Friday where he reacted to an interview by the NYSC DG on Arise News earlier in the day.

“We should have viewed with surprise the false claim by the NYSC DG, Brigadier-General Yushau’u Dogara Ahmed, on national television this morning. But he has not said anything new, as his statements were in sync with the continued conspiracy, deceit, and wilful misrepresentation of facts by the agency and its Director of Corps Certification, Mr. Ibrahim Muhammad, which necessitated Mbah’s N20 Billion lawsuit against the agency and Mr. Muhammad in the first place.

“The DG lied when he claimed that he told Mbah during a meeting in his office that the NYSC did not issue his certificate. The truth is that he told Mbah that the Director in question neither briefed nor cleared with him before issuing the letter dated February 1, 2023 disclaiming Dr. Mbah’s discharge certificate.

“He equally expressed surprise when Mbah showed him the letter by the NYSC national headquarters dated 7th May 2003 (reference number NYSC/DHQ/CM/27/20) to the State Director, Lagos, NYSC, re-mobilising him for the remaining part of his service year after a break, by the express and written permission of the agency, to complete Bar Part II (Bar Final).

“Excerpt from the re-mobilisation letter states: ‘I am directed to refer to your letter of 24th April, Reference No. LA/01/1532/T on the above subject matter and to request you to re-instate the corps member to continue his service year from where he stopped, with effect from May 2003’.

“It is noteworthy that the Directors and staff present at the meeting did not deny that the NYSC authored the letter re-mobilising Mbah, while his place of primary assignment, Udeh & Associates, Lagos, has not denied that it authored the letter reabsorbing him to complete the remaining months of his service year as well as the final clearance letter to enable him receive his NYSC discharge certificate at the end of his service.

“The DG actually told Dr. Mbah that he was barely three months in office at the time, but would resolve the matter with dispatch. But it is striking that the NYSC is yet to formally respond to Mbah’s petition since February 2, 2023. Instead, the NYSC, through its Director of Corps Certification, has continued to issue letters of disclaimer to various political interests in Enugu State, in clear contempt of a subsisting court judgment upholding the authenticity of his certificate and in relentless disparagement of his reputation”, the PDP stated.

The party wondered why Mbah would go through all the rigorous process to serve his fatherland only to end up forging a certificate, saying it was irrational to contemplate.

It underlined the fact that the final verdict on the genuineness or otherwise of Mbah’s NYSC certificate did not rest with the agency, and urged it to face the N20 Billion lawsuit in a court of law where the agency also has the right to subpoena other relevant agencies in the production and authentication of NYSC certificates to give evidence.

“NYSC discharge certificates are printed by the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company PLC. They have security features such as watermarks and serial numbers denoting the batches. We therefore challenge the NYSC to produce any other certificate in the series of Mbah’s certificate that has the same serial number as his.

“Meanwhile it is equally important to point out that the statement by the NYSC DG, Brigadier-General Ahmed is a clear contempt of a valid interim court order sequel to suit number FHC/ABJ/09/611/2023 restraining the agency and its Director of Corps Certification whether by themselves, their directors, officers, servants, legal representatives, counsel or any other person or persons howsoever described and connected, from issuing, publishing or continue to issue, publish disclaimer to the effect that Mbah’s NYSC discharge certificate was not issued by the agency pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit already filed.

“This should not be the way of a body established by law, NYSC cannot be above the law of the land”, the party concluded.

ENDS

Barr. Nana Ogbodo

Director of Communications/Spokesperson

Enugu State PDP Campaign Council

Justice Muhammad Nasir-Yunusa of the Kano Division of the Federal High Court said the candidates who participated in the 2023 general election in Abia were not parties before his court.

Justice Hamza Muazu of a High Court in Abuja, on Friday, granted an order of stay of execution on the suspension of Julius Abure as the Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) and other officials of the party. The others are the National Organising Secretary, Clement Ojukwu and National Treasurer, Oluchi Opara. The court had restrained all of them from parading themselves as LP national officials,

The Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party PDP in the last election, Abubakar Atiku told the Presidential Election Petition Court that the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC is a meddlesome interloper in its defence of Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the qualifications for the election.

Atiku’s Counsel accused the electoral body of being a proxy in its petition against Tinubu.

INEC through its counsel had moved a motion on notice praying the Court to strike out some of the allegations made against Tinubu by Atiku in his petition.

The electoral body pleaded with the Court to strike out 32 allegations made against Tinubu by Atiku in the petition challenging the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 Presidential election.

INEC said that the allegations which formed 32 paragraphs in the Atiku’s petition should be discontenced by the Court for various reasons comprising lack of jurisdiction.

But Atiku through his lead counsel, Chris Uche, filed counter affidavit in opposition to INEC’S request and asked the Court to dismiss the electoral body’s position.

Uche argued in the counter affidavit that it was not the duty of INEC to do the battle or argue the case of Tinubu who is 2nd defendant in the petition.

Specifically, Atiku’s lead counsel insisted that INEC ought to be neutral but turning to a meddlesome interloper by taking up the defense of Tinubu against the provisions of the law.

He therefore asked the Court to dismiss INEC’S motion for being gross abuse of court process, lacking in merit and grossly incompetent.

Channels TV

There was a mild drama at the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday as the resumed Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal stopped a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Oba Maduabuchi, from representing the Labour Party.

At the pre-hearing session, Maduabuchi tried to make a legal representation for the party, which is contesting the outcome of the February 25 election with its candidate, Peter Obi.

Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on March 1, was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Maduabuchi told the court that he was briefed by the party to represent them. This is after another senior advocate, Awa Kalu, had made an appearance for the party.

He was however stopped by the panel who insisted that the legal representation for the petitioners is one.

The chairman of the panel told Maduabuchi that he did not file the petition and as such cannot represent the party.

Justice Haruna Tsammani noted that the SAN that being a Senior Advocate, ought to have advised his client properly.

He was asked to either sit and observe the proceedings or take his leave.

He opted for the second option and left the courtroom.

Peter Obi also made representation for himself and his political party.

Channels TV

A member, House of Representatives Committee on Loans, Aids and Debt Management, Abubakar Yunusa Ahmad, says federal lawmakers have approved the $800 million loan request of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The lawmaker however argued that the loan would not be utilised by the Buhari administration, saying the incoming government would deploy its own approach to utilise the loan.

“The $800 million — there were so many talks that we did, especially we in the loan committee and we advised them: ‘First, leave this thing to the incoming government,’” Ahmad who was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday said.

“But since the loan has been granted, we can collect. If we cannot use it, maybe when the incoming government comes, they may have a different approach to issues, maybe unlike this government that is there.

“Thank God, I won’t say it clearly but it was on social media that probably they intended not to use any of Buhari’s ministers because they have already taken them to have underperformed.

“So, the issue is, we have granted that loan, it is approved, so we want Nigerians to take it but it is not going to be utilised by this outgoing government. Now, if the incoming government comes, we will see also their own template.”

Buhari had earlier sent a letter to the Senate seeking approval to take a loan to the tune of $800 million from the World Bank to cushion the effects of subsidy removal.

This follows the Federal Government’s April announcement of an $800 million World Bank grant targeting 50 million vulnerable Nigerians or 10 million households, as part of its subsidy palliatives measures.

However, the request was met with rejection in some quarters, especially among the civil society organisations.

In a statement earlier in the week, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) lamented what it described as the nonchalant attitude displayed by the Buhari administration towards the country’s crippling debt crisis.

Also, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the World Bank President Mr David Malpass to use his “good offices to suspend any disbursement of the $800m loan to the Federal Government and to request the incoming administration to provide satisfactory explanations for the loan.”

SERAP urged Mr Malpass and the World Bank “to reopen discussion on the reportedly approved $800m loan with the incoming administration to clarify the details on the rationale and use of the loan because the term of office of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari ends in May 2023.”

Channels TV

Abia Governor -elect, Dr Alex Otti, has urged Abians not to panic over his purported sack by a Federal High Court in Kano, saying there is no cause for alarm over the kangaroo judgement.

Otti who spoke with Vanguard in Abia, said arrangements for his swearing- in on May 29 were on full gear as planned, declaring that the antics of the enemies of democracy cannot truncate the will of Abians.

This is as the Labour Party has dismissed the said judgment as a waste of time.

Vanguard

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says the outgoing Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle is under investigation for alleged N70bn fraud.

The Commission, in a statement on Thursday, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) powerbroker is being investigated over allegation of monumental corruption, award of phantom contracts and diversion of over N70billion.

“The money which was sourced as loan from an old generation bank purportedly for the execution of projects across the local government areas of the state, was allegedly diverted by the governor through proxies and contractors who received payment for contracts that were not executed,” the statement partly read in part.

“The Commission’s investigations so far reveal that more than 100 companies have received payments from the funds, with no evidence of service rendered to the state.”

The EFCC said some of the contractors had been invited and quizzed, adding that they made “startling revelations on how they were allegedly compelled by the governor to return the funds received from the state coffers back to him through his aides after converting the same to United States Dollars”.

“They confirmed that they did not render any service to Zamfara State but were allegedly directed to convert the monies paid to them into United States Dollar and return to the State governor through some of his commissioners, notably the Commissioners in charge of Finance and Local Government Affairs.”

“As part of the extensive investigation of contracts award by the Matawalle administration, especially for phantom projects in the local government areas, the Commission has recovered a sum of N300million from a company, Fezel Nigeria Limited. The funds were traced to the Zamafara Investment Company.

“In Nigeria state governors and their deputies enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution while in office, a reason the EFCC has yet to arrest Governor Matawalle.”

Matawalle, who lost his re-election bid in the 2023 governorship election in the state in March, would complete his single term tenure of four years on May 29, 2023.

Channels TV

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano, presided over by Justice M N Yunusa has nullified the candidature of the Abia State Governor-elect, Dr Alex Otti and all the candidates of the Labour Party in Abia and Kano States.

The court ruled that their emergence was not in compliance with the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act.

A copy of the judgement delivered by the court was made available to newsmen on Friday.

The Court in Suit No FHC/KN/CS/107/2023 filed by Mr Ibrahim Haruna Ibrahim against the Labour Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, ruled that the failure of the Labour Party to submit its membership register to the INEC within 30 days before their primaries renders the process invalid.

“The party that has not complied with the provisions of the electoral act cannot be said to have a candidate in an election and cannot be declared winner of an election; this being so, the votes credited to the 1st defendant is a wasted vote,” the Judge ruled. Vanguard

Claim: Peter Obi’s legal team comprises only Igbo lawyers and is the same legal team representing the IPOB Leader Nnamdi Kanu.

Verdict: FALSE. Our findings show that the assertion that Mr Obi’s legal team comprises only Igbo lawyers is false. They are also the same representatives as that of Nnamdi Kanu.

Full Text

Following the February 25, 2023, general election, displeased candidates have gone to court to challenge the result. One of these candidates is Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP). Thus, the presidential election tribunal commenced its hearing on May 8, 2023.

On Wednesday, May 10, 2023, a Twitter user, Sarki (@Waspapping) in a tweet asserted that Mr Obi’s legal team are all Igbos and are the same people representing the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

“I heard all the lawyers representing Peter Obi in court are Igbos and are also the same lawyers representing Nnamdi Kanu,” part of the tweet reads.

The user also suggested that Mr Obi is tribalistic, seeing he had an all-Igbo presidential campaign team during the election, even in Northern states.

The user made these assertions mocking Mr Obi’s unified Nigeria goal.

As of Saturday, May 13, the tweet generated 206 retweets, 143 quotes, 1,149 likes and 17 bookmarks.

In reaction to this in the comment section, a Twitter User, Aisha Daraja (@PweedyTofer), believed this assertion exclaiming, “Ahafff, I knew it”.

Another User Dan_Borno (@DanBornoReal), said it is normal to have your tribal person lead your team, noting it’s the same with the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu.

“The senior lawyer leading Tinubu’s court case is a Yoruba man. It’s normal. But because Peter Obi’s lawyer leading his case is an Igbo man, it’s now a big problem. Your sentiment is from another planet. I wish you a quick recovery,” Dan_Borno wrote.

Another Twitter user Panaf Olu Ojedokun (@employlawone), countered the assertion, noting it is a false narrative as two legal team members are his classmates who are not Igbos.

The sensitive nature of issues around the election tribunal and the mixed reactions prompted us to verify.

Verification

A keyword search led to news reports by Tribune Online, The Guardian etc., containing members of Mr Obi’s legal team.

The list of Peter Obi’s lawyers, as seen on the copy of the petition filed on March 20, 2023, also shows members of his legal team are not all Igbos.

This list contains a combination of different tribes, even though the majority is Igbo. Dayo Ashonibare, Abiola Kolawole, J.S. Okutepa from Kogi State and Agbo Madaki are on this list.

Also, the list published by the LP shows a mixed legal team, contrary to the assertion by this Twitter user.

Comparing the names of Mr Obi’s legal team members and that of the publicly named lawyers of Mr Kanu, which include Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Chukwuma Umeh (SAN) and Aloy Ejimakor, we realised they are not the same.

On a similar assertion concerning the Director Generals (DG) of the presidential campaign council of the LP, available reports show that Doyin Okupe was initially appointed the Director General of Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed’s campaign but resigned after being convicted for money laundering. Akin Osuntokun subsequently replaced him.

Looking at the list of the party’s presidential campaign organisation, it is also a mixed team with Northerners heading the North West and East region, contrary to the assertion by the Twitter user.

Conclusion

Our findings show that the assertion that Mr Obi’s team of lawyers and campaign DGs are all Igbos is false. These lawyers are also not the same as that of Nnamdi Kanu.

Dubawa