Judiciary

National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal Sacks Labour Party Representative
Elections, Judiciary, Legislature, News, Nigeria

National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal Sacks Labour Party Representative

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Asaba, Delta State, has invalidated the election of Mr. Ngozi Okolie, the member representing Aniocha/Oshimili Constituency at the House of Representatives. Okolie, who was declared the winner of the February 25 House of Representatives election in the federal constituency by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has been disqualified and removed from his position. The petition challenging Okolie's victory was filed by the immediate past Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ndidi Elumelu. Elumelu contested the results, arguing that Okolie was not properly sponsored by the Labour Party and that he did not resign from his position as a public office holder, ...
Emefiele: Court Gives DSS 7 Days to Either Charge or Release Him
Judiciary, Justice, Law Enforcement, News, Nigeria

Emefiele: Court Gives DSS 7 Days to Either Charge or Release Him

In a significant development, the Abuja Federal High Court issued a one-week ultimatum to the Department of State Security Service (DSS) on Thursday, demanding that they either charge or release the detained suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele. The order was delivered by Justice Hamza Muazu during a ruling on a fundamental human rights suit filed by Emefiele against the DSS and other parties. Justice Muazu acknowledged the constitutional authority of the DSS to make arrests, detain individuals, and combat internal crime. However, he emphasized that such actions must be carried out in accordance with the law. The arrest of Godwin Emefiele by the DSS took place on June 10, shortly after President Bola Tinubu suspended him from his position as the g...
INEC: Accusations Against Electoral Commissioners Met with Skepticism
Elections, Judiciary, Justice, News, Nigeria

INEC: Accusations Against Electoral Commissioners Met with Skepticism

The recent accusations made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) involved in this year's general election have been met with skepticism by Nigerians, who hold a deep distrust of the electoral body. Many believe that INEC itself played a significant role in the irregularities that marred the elections. Consequently, the news of impending legal actions against erring officials fails to excite the public, particularly as the presidential election outcome is still being hotly contested in court, with INEC displaying a lack of transparency regarding the events that transpired. INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu addressed the RECs from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), revealing that the police had conclu...
Bulkachuwa Denies Influencing Wife’s Judicial Decisions
Elections, Judiciary, Legislature, News, Nigeria

Bulkachuwa Denies Influencing Wife’s Judicial Decisions

Former Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, who represented Bauchi North during the 9th Assembly, has refuted claims that he had influenced the decisions of his wife, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, the former President of the Court of Appeal. He specifically addressed the incident during the valedictory session in the Senate, where he alleged that he used his position to seek favors for his colleagues from his wife but was interrupted by the former Senate President, Ahmed Lawan. In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Sunday, Senator Bulkachuwa clarified that his words were misrepresented and that he was not given the opportunity to fully express his thoughts. He explained that he had only just begun his remarks during the valedictory session when he was cut off. He had intended to thank his wi...
I Won the Presidential Elections and I’ll Prove it – Peter Obi
Elections, Judiciary, Justice, News, Nigeria

I Won the Presidential Elections and I’ll Prove it – Peter Obi

On Thursday, Peter Obi, the Labour Party's presidential candidate, insisted that he had won the presidential election held on Saturday and was ready to prove it. According to him, the election, won by the All Progressives Congress candidate Bola Tinubu, was controversial and designed to deliver predetermined outcomes. Although the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu as the president-elect, Obi claimed that the election did not meet the necessary requirements and could not be deemed credible. Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, was declared the winner of the 2023 presidential election after he polled 8,794,726 votes. The INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, announced Tinubu as the winner at the International Collation Centre in Abuja during the ear...
<strong>Appeal Court Judge Collapses, Dies In Akure</strong>
Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Appeal Court Judge Collapses, Dies In Akure

The judge of the Ondo state court of appeal, Ayobode Lokulo-Sodipe, has died. Lokulo-Sodipe who recently celebrated his 67th birthday on February 15 reportedly collapsed in his office while dressing up to attend a court session on Monday. All efforts made to revive him proved ineffective and he died before getting to the hospital. The incident was confirmed by the immediate past chairman of the Akure branch of the Nigeria Bar Association, Rotimi Olorunfemi, in a message. He wrote, “Just confirmed it (the judge’s death); it is true. He collapsed in the office at court of appeal, Akure, this morning. “[He] was rushed to the hospital but confirmed DOA (dead on arrival).” Also, Banji Ayenakin, chairperson of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Akure branch, confirmed the ...
<strong>40-Year-Old Jobless Man Defiles 15-Year-Old Girl</strong>
Crime, Judiciary, Justice, News, Nigeria

40-Year-Old Jobless Man Defiles 15-Year-Old Girl

A 40-year-old jobless man, George Ukpong, has been remanded by an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court on Thursday in Kirikiri Correctional Centre for allegedly defiling a 15-year-old girl. According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Magistrate, Mrs E. Kubeinje, who did not entertain Ukpong’s plea, ordered that the case file be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, for legal advice. The Magistrate adjourned the case till March 22 for DPP advice. See Also: Court Orders Evans To Pay Kidnap Victim €233,000, N50m The prosecution counsel, DSP Kehinde Ajayi, earlier stated that Ukpong committed the offence on February 19 at Jaiye oba Street, Shasha, Lagos. According to Ajayi, Ukpong tricked the girl into his room and defiled her. He alleged that the defendant was caught b...
<strong>US Charges Nigerians For ‘Fraudulently Obtaining Nursing Credentials’</strong>
Judiciary, News, Nigeria

US Charges Nigerians For ‘Fraudulently Obtaining Nursing Credentials’

The Texas board of nursing has pressed charges against some nurses for reportedly obtaining educational credentials deceitfully in the United States. The US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) in a multi-state coordinated law enforcement action, tagged Operation Nightingale, found that some persons had obtained fraudulent nursing degree diplomas and transcripts. The investigation which started on January 25, was targeted at uncovering fraudulent dealings where individuals acquired nursing credentials and used them to qualify to sit for the national nursing board examination.   Tired depressed female african scrub nurse wears face mask blue uniform gloves sits on hospital floor. Exhausted sad black doctor feels burnout stress of corona vir...
<strong>Court Sentences Obasanjo’s In-law To Seven Years Imprisonment</strong>
Crime, Judiciary, Justice, News, Nigeria

Court Sentences Obasanjo’s In-law To Seven Years Imprisonment

John Abebe, a businessman, has been sentenced to seven years in prison by a Lagos state special offences court in Ikeja for forging a document belonging to an oil company. Ruling on the suit on Saturday, the judge, Mojisola Dada, gave an option of a fine of N50 million to be paid within 30 days in place of imprisonment. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had in 2018 arraigned Abebe, a younger brother of the late Stella Obasanjo, former first lady, on four counts. The anti-graft agency accused Abebe of knowingly forging a November 30, 1995, letter written by BP Exploration Nigeria Limited to Inducon (Nigeria) Ltd. See Also: Court Orders Evans To Pay Kidnap Victim €233,000, N50m According to the EFCC, Abebe who is an in-law to former President Olusegun Obasa...
<strong>Naira Scarcity: El-Rufai Blows Hot, Counters Buhari’s Directive On Old Naira  </strong>
Economy, Finance, Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Naira Scarcity: El-Rufai Blows Hot, Counters Buhari’s Directive On Old Naira  

Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, has directed that old and new naira notes remain legal tender in the state pending the outcome of supreme court judgment. Buhari in a televised address on Thursday said he has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to allow N200 notes remain legal tender until April 10. According to the president, all N500 and N1,000 notes will remain redeemable a the CBN and designated points for 60 days. His directive came less than 24 hours after the supreme court insisted that the old notes were still valid, and adjourned the case filed by many states – including Kaduna, seeking an extension to the deadline on the old notes beyond February 2022. Reacting, el-Rufai stated that all old notes would remain legal tender until the supreme court dete...