Tag: Judiciary

Defection: INEC Asks Court To Dismiss PDP’s Case Against Ayade
Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Defection: INEC Asks Court To Dismiss PDP’s Case Against Ayade

The Independent  National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, asked the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to dismiss the suit the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, filed seeking to declare the seat of Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State and his Deputy, Ivara Esu, vacant, following their defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress,  APC. INEC through its lawyer, Mr. Anthony Onyeri, told the court that the issue of defection, which PDP raised against Ayade and Esu, had already been decided by the Court of Appeal in Enugu in a similar case that involved Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State. It argued that by the principle of stare decisis (judicial precedence), the high court ought to abide by the decision of the appellate court to the effect that neither a go...
‘I Will Conclude My Tenure In 2023’ ― Umahi Reacts To Appeal Court Judgment
Judiciary, News, Nigeria

‘I Will Conclude My Tenure In 2023’ ― Umahi Reacts To Appeal Court Judgment

Dave Umahi Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi has said that his administration will conclude its tenure on May 29, 2023, irrespective of its challenges. Umahi said this on Friday while reacting to the judgment of the Appeal Court sitting in Enugu which affirmed the judgment of the Ebonyi High court on his defection. The Ebonyi High Court had quashed a suit challenging the defection of the governor from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nov. 2020. Umahi while presiding over the weekly state Executive Council meeting, congratulated the people of the state over the judgment and thanked various religious bodies for their prayers. “The enemies have tried using the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the courts but failed. ...
BREAKING: Appeal Court Upholds Defection Of Gov Umahi, Deputy
Judiciary, News, Nigeria

BREAKING: Appeal Court Upholds Defection Of Gov Umahi, Deputy

Dave Umahi and his deputy The Appeal Court sitting in Enugu, Friday affirmed the ruling of the Ebonyi State High Court, which declared that Governor David Nweze Umahi and his Deputy, Dr. Kelechi Igwe, did not offend any provision of the constitution or the Electoral Act by defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the State. The Court held that there was no consequence under the law against the defection of the holder of the office of the President, Vice President, Governor or Deputy Governor, to another political party from the party that sponsored the election that brought him or her to office. The Plaintiffs in the matter are the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ebonyi State, in the 2019 Governorship election...
Court Orders Transfer Of DCP Abba Kyari, 6 Others To Prison Custody
Crime, Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Court Orders Transfer Of DCP Abba Kyari, 6 Others To Prison Custody

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday, ordered the transfer of the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari, and six others that are facing drug trafficking charges with him, to the Kuje Correctional Center Trial Justice Emeka Nwike ordered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, to transfer the Defendants to prison custody, shortly after he denied them bail. The court held that the NDLEA placed sufficient materials before it to warrant the refusal of bail to Kyari and his Co-Defendants. Abba Kyari The court equally denied bail to former members of the IRT, ACP Sunday Ubia, Inspector Simon Agirgba, and Inspector John Nuhu. Other Defendants in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022, are; ASP Bawa James, as well as two drug traffickers that we...
I Cried Every Day For Three Months, Had Therapy To Survive NYSC Certificate Saga – Adeosun, ex-minister
Judiciary, News, Nigeria

I Cried Every Day For Three Months, Had Therapy To Survive NYSC Certificate Saga – Adeosun, ex-minister

Kemi Adeosun A former Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, has come out to reveal how she was able to forge ahead after the National Youth Service Corps certificate saga. Adeosun said she wept every day without working for three months. Adesosun, who spoke at the 10th anniversary of the Uncommon Woman Conference organised by the Jesus House Church, United Kingdom, explained that she felt like she was in a horrible pit. According to her, everything about her life was at a standstill while she had to deal with shame, betrayal, disappointment and humiliation. Adeosun explained, “That period of life was tough for me. I went to step into the shoes of someone like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. So, I was under fire from day one, it looked like things were not working. Then all of a ...
PDP Asks Court To Declare APC Convention Illegal, Seeks Party’s Deregistration
Judiciary, News, Nigeria

PDP Asks Court To Declare APC Convention Illegal, Seeks Party’s Deregistration

APC Ahead of the National Convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress scheduled to hold on Saturday (today), the opposition Peoples Democratic Party has asked the Abuja division of the Federal High Court to declare the planned exercise unconstitutional and illegal. In addition, the PDP equally seeks an order of court de-registering the APC as a political party having failed to meet the requirements of sections 222(a), 223(b) and 225 of the 1999 Constitution. The main opposition party further asked the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising, communicating with, dealing with or having any business whatsoever with the APC as a registered political party. In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/ 389 2022 and...
Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of Diezani Allison Madueke’s Land In Lekki To FG
Corruption, Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of Diezani Allison Madueke’s Land In Lekki To FG

Justice Akintayo Aluko of a Federal High Court in Lagos, on Friday, directed the Federal Government to permanently take over a vacant plot of land linked to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke. Justice Aluko’s order of the final forfeiture of the land located at Plot 13, Block I, Oniru Chieftaincy Family Private Estate, Lekki, Lagos, after listening to an application to that effect from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The application was filed by Ansalem B. Ozioko on behalf of the Head of Legal Section of the EFCC and argued by Abbas Mohammed, a Legal Officer in the Commission. It would be recalled that Justice Babs Kuewuni of the same court had on May 15, 2018, granted an interim forfeiture of the said land. In his rul...
INEC Suspends Action On Court Judgment Sacking Umahi, 16 Others
Judiciary, News, Nigeria

INEC Suspends Action On Court Judgment Sacking Umahi, 16 Others

Mahmood Yakubu Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended action on the court judgment sacking the governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi; his deputy, Eric Igwe, and 16 members of the State House of Assembly over their defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). A Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, had in a suit declared vacant the seats of Umahi, his deputy, and those of the lawmakers who defected with them to the APC. The court order followed two suits brought against them by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The judge also ordered INEC to issue a fresh Certificate of Return to PDP’s nominees for the vacant executive positions without delay. Following the judgment, PDP nominated candidates to tak...
Sack: Umahi, Deputy Notify Court of Appeal Against Judgement
Elections, News, Nigeria

Sack: Umahi, Deputy Notify Court of Appeal Against Judgement

Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State yesterday filed an appeal against the Federal High Court’s judgment ordering him and his deputy, Eric Igwe to vacate office as Governor and Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State respectively. This is just as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has declared that Umahi and Igwe can no longer exercise the functions of Ebonyi State governor and deputy governor respectively However, Umahi through his lawyer, Chukwuma Machukwu-Ume, accordingly applied to the court to withdraw the application for stay of execution of the judgment pending their appeal at the higher court. Justice Ekwo had in a judgment delivered on March 8, ordered the applicants to vacate the elected offices they occupied owing to their defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)...
Electoral Act: NASS Seeks Legal Advice, May Challenge Court Ruling
Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Electoral Act: NASS Seeks Legal Advice, May Challenge Court Ruling

The National Assembly is shocked by Friday’s judgment from the Federal High Court, Umuahia, voiding Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act and ordering its deletion forthwith. Consequently, the legislative arm has started assembling a team of legal giants to study the judgment and advise it on the next line of action. No less shocked by the court’s pronouncement are several senior lawyers who, yesterday, questioned the premise on which the judgment was based and the circumstances that birthed it. But that is not the only issue with the act. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday turned in its own assessment of the law, saying that some of its provisions are inimical to the electoral process. The commission said it would seek practice direction on how ...