bestofnollywood:
A few days ago I wrote a piece“Dapo Abiodun: Guilty or Not Guilty” about the Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal where I tried to situate some fundamental requirements for Justice and I tried to differentiate between “judgement and justice”.

I have received several calls from a lot of people right from Ogun State and beyond, asking what I think will or can be the possible verdict of the process in Abeokuta the Ogun State capital. Many of those calls actually referenced the confidence which they claimed is being exuded by Tunde Oladunjoye, the Publicity Secretary of the APC in Ogun State alluding to the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) judgement in Abuja, a judgement which they hope that Mr. Abiodun can benefit from. This, I can say is a fallacy because “Facts” of the matter as well as evidence and the circumstances are different on both the Presidential Court and the Ogun State Governorship Tribunal. Mr. Abiodun cannot also not hope to reap from a judgement delivered after all Final Written addresses and all legal authorities cited.

Like I said in my earlier piece, I am not a judge, neither am I a party nor a direct beneficiary in the matter, but looking at the logic of law especially as they relate to Justice.

Part of the persuasion I noticed that is being peddled from Mr. Dapo Abiodun’s circuit especially those who appear to be optimistic among them is what they call “The Law of Evidence”, they gloat so much about this that they are already celebrating imaginary victory. This is understandable because it is a season of appointments and many people have to keep hope alive, in fact they are struggling to outdo one another in the “show” of loyalty. They are therefore citing the Evidence Law as it relates to technicalities while ignoring the same Law as it concerns the “Weight of Evidence”.

Unlike the Presidential Election Court, 94 Witnesses were called by the Petitioners in Ogun State. This is what the weight of evidence is all about. Granted, the admissibility of evidence is at the discretion of the lord justices; but they forgot that the eminent jurists are not Dapo Abiodun to be thinking for him on what he wants. Are we saying the judges will discount the entire 200,000 documents and the witnesses. The learned judges are going to treat evidence before them and which supported what they already know and which was never disputed by all the Respondents in the matter.

It is inconceivable for Mr. Abiodun to assume a thought process for and on behalf of the justices to deliberately ignore those items of stolen mandate brazenly done and pitch with the alleged “thief”. Mr. Abiodun’s posture is like standing before the judges to say, *”Yes, I stole the mandate, I ticked and ink ballot papers, but my lord justices, there is nothing you can do about it because the other party does not know how to present the proofs before you”*. That is the Law of Evidence according to the letters in Mr. Abiodun’s Constitution. The next few days will tell whether Mr. Abiodun law supersedes that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria....


Read on...

https://applesbite.com/why-dapo-abiodun-is-looking-for-a-rerun/

bestofnollywood:



Legal counsel to the management of DATKEM Plaza Ijebu Ode has submitted an application to the court seeking to commit key Ogun State government officials to prison for contempt of court. The application, presented on behalf of the claimant, DATKEM Plaza and sighted by Apples Bite Magazine, invokes the authority of the court under Form 35 pursuant to Order 41 Rule 10(1) of the High Court of Ogun State (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2014.

The targeted individuals in this legal action are:

TPL Idowu James – The General Manager of the 3rd Defendant/Respondent.
Mr. Tommy Hamzat – Defendant/Respondent’s Zonal officer in charge of Ijebu Ode Zone of the 3rd Defendant/Respondent.
Engineer Abiodun – The Permanent Secretary in the office of the 4th Defendant/Respondent.

Adeyinka Kotoye, S.A.N of PAGE Law Office, the legal firm representing Yeye Daniel, conveyed the grounds for this application:

"On September 11, 2023, the court ordered all parties to file affidavits depicting the status of the property as of that date," Kotoye explained. "In strict compliance with this court order, the Claimant/Applicant promptly submitted an affidavit of status quo, including photographic evidence illustrating the extent of the property's vandalization."

"Despite the clear court order, the Defendant/Respondents, acting through the aforementioned officials, have persisted in visiting the property, even going so far as to post a new notice on September 11, 2023," Kotoye continued. "Furthermore, these officials have employed red tape to seal off the property, seemingly with the intent to inflict further damage or potentially demolish it."

He went on to emphasize, "Armed individuals in plain clothing have been stationed near the property, blatantly disregarding the court's directive. Moreover, the 1st Defendant/Respondent publicly dismissed this legal action as 'frivolous' during a press conference, making several contemptuous statements."

The legal application asserts that these actions constitute a glaring and blatant violation of the court's explicit orders, demanding that the Defendant/Respondents be held in contempt.

Attached to the submission is a copy of Form 35, the legal document utilized for this application.

This recent development injects a new layer of complexity into the already contentious legal battle surrounding DATKEM Plaza. The case has drawn significant public attention, sparking widespread demands for accountability in the aftermath of the vandalization of the prominent property. Owned by Yeye Olufunke Daniel, the wife of former Governor and current Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, the vandalization on Sunday, September 10, 2023, has been vehemently condemned as an act of executive recklessness, lawlessness, and irresponsibility...



source:
https://applesbite.com/datkem-plaza-vandalization-fresh-application-seeks-contempt-charges-against-ogun-state-officials/

bestofnollywood:
If there is anything that the Dapo Abiodun-led government has been able to get away with in the past few weeks, it is about taking the attention of the citizens away from the impending judgement of the election tribunal. I must confess, it is a strategy that seems to have worked or is still working.

Shortly after the tribunal reserved judgement on the election heist trials on September… Ogun State citizens have been treated to a cocktail of wicked distractions diversions and needless controversies by the same people who have been accused of stealing votes in a manner that suggests who is afraid of the outcome.

Starting from the threats and arrests by men of the security agencies of journalists and a lawyer to the incarceration of a local government council chairman Wale Adedayo who dared to blow the whistle on the alleged stealing of local government statutory funds based on petitions by the government on sundry and frivolous grounds.

The closest we ever got to hearing about the matter of the tribunal was briefly after the Presidential elections petition court judgement on April 6 when some members of the government were fishing for similarities on the grounds of challenge. They made feeble attempts to elate themselves by claiming or “finding” a judgement for themselves in the Presidential election petition court decisions. But this was short-lived. The flurry and excitement went down no sooner than it was raised, perhaps on the advice of their legal counsel that their joy may not last because judges treat each matter on the merit of what was presented before them.

Most importantly, the Publicity Secretary of the APC in Ogun State, Tunde Oladunjoye went to town claiming that the plank upon which the Ladi Adebutu and the PDP challenge rests had been dismantled in Abuja. Which also suggests that the APC legal team was also on a voyage of expedition, only trying to dismantle the challenge on the strength of technicalities instead of facts of the matter.

It appears that the evidence brought before the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal is so overwhelming and unassailable that neither the Abiodun, APC as well as INEC were unwilling to challenge them, but to render them useless. That means they are only looking for “judgement” and definitely not “justice” which the people of Ogun State are quite thirsty of at the moment. Justice cannot be served when you leave “facts”, “proves” and “evidence” to be window shopping for “processes”.

That would have been unjust to the foundation upon which the Nigerian legal system is erected, which is about *Justice*. I could read Oladunjoye gloating over such processes as the pedestal of hope on which Dapo Abiodun is planning to build his second term as Governor. It is like trying to smuggle in the Oriki of the Ibadan people into the legal jurisprudence of Nigeria “Omo ibi ti Ole ti nj’are olohun… iwo naa se gbe beun” (a place where the thief wins in arguments against the owner… why did you keep your things carelessly”. Such legal victory does not deserve celebration because it changes nothing about the character of the thief and our judges are not or cannot be that wicked to reward robbers at the expense of the owners...



continue reading...

https://applesbite.com/much-about-the-diplomacy-of-demolition-by-bolanle-adetola/

bestofnollywood:
On the 11th of September, 2023, the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun at a public function after inspecting the 8 kilometer Mowe Ofada Road in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the State, was quoted to have said thus:

_“Let me take you down memory lane. The purported owner of this property, when I assumed office in 2019, had a property in Abeokuta. It was meant to be a hotel. My predecessor had sealed that property for eight years. He had issued a stop order. He was going to demolish that building, but for my intervention, I pleaded with him. That building remained under lock and key until I resumed office. The first day I was sworn in was the very day the owner moved into that property for the first time in eight years. And today, the property is called Conference Hotel in Abeokuta._
_“How do you now begin to accuse the same me that facilitated the completion of that project despite different court actions that were brought then, despite different charges by the EFCC that were hanging around the project? I actually commissioned that project alongside the former Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. You are now trying to use media, trying to attract unnecessary sympathy, playing the underdog and saying that I, Dapo Abiodun, demolished a property that first I didn’t know it was yours; your name is not on that property. You never came forward to say this property is yours._
_“You expect that someone, who is a serving Senator, a former Governor of this state, would show a level of more responsibility. I have said it that I, Dapo Abiodun, if I have a building that violates the building code, bring it down._
_“And by this, I am sending a strong warning to all of us across the State. There are many of you who have buildings without approvals. There are many of you who don’t even have C of O. If you have built without approval, the long arm of the law will soon be catching up with you. We will not tolerate lawlessness in this state. We will not be defined by lawlessness and half hazard development when you just build anyhow.”_

I find it necessary to set the record straight by saying that what the Governor said is totally false. This position of mine is based on the fact that I am the legal officer of the Hotel and necessary documents at the disposal of the hotel point to the contrary.

The issue on Conference Hotel Abeokuta was a subject of litigation during that period your predecessor was in office. The management of the hotel had taken the Government to court following a purported report issued by the Judicial Commission of inquiry to look into all land allocation, acquisition, sales concessions of government properties and administration of land policies, rules and regulation between Jan 2004 and May 2011.
Your predecessor at no time issued a stop order at least to the best of the knowledge of the Hotel Management. Your predecessor may have informed you that he was going to demolish the hotel. The issue of the demolition was also not known to the Management of the hotel...


Read On...

https://applesbite.com/datkem-plaza-destruction-where-governor-abiodun-erred-by-adetona-adejumo-esq/

bestofnollywood:
The National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) in Lagos has nullified the return of Mr. Thaddeus Atta of the Labour Party as the duly elected representative for Eti Osa Federal Constituency.

In the lead judgment, which was delivered late Monday night, the tribunal declared the elections inconclusive and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a supplementary election within 90 days in 33 polling units where elections did not hold.

Reacting to the ruling Tuesday morning in a post on X, formerly Twitter, Atta said there was no cause for alarm, noting that he was not “sacked” by the court.

“The Tribunal has simply ordered a re-run (supplementary election) in the 32 polling units where elections did not hold. We will continue working for Eti Osa. I urge constituents to keep calm, as we are unshaken. We will get through this together,” he said.

Bankole Wellington (Banky W) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who was declared second in the polls and the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro (IBO) had both filed petitions to challenge the elections of February 25.

In that election, INEC declared Atta who scored 24,075 votes as the winner, while Banky W and IBO were said to have scored 18,668 and 16,901 votes, respectively...


https://applesbite.com/tribunal-orders-rerun-in-eti-osa-lagos-federal-constituency-over-inconclusive-reps-poll/

bestofnollywood:
The Ogun State government is facing criticism and legal challenges following the controversial demolition of DATKEM Plaza in Ijebu Ode, owned by Yeye Olufunke Daniel, the wife of former Governor Gbenga Daniel. The demolition, which took place in the early hours of Sunday, September 10, 2023, has been denounced as an act of executive recklessness, lawlessness, and irresponsibility.

In a press release issued by Mr. Adeyinka Kotoye, S.A.N of PAGE Law Office, the legal firm representing Yeye Daniel, it was revealed that the Ogun State government ignored court papers served on its agents on Thursday, September 7, which sought to halt any actions on the building. The dispute began when the Ogun State Planning and Development Authority sealed the plaza on August 1 without prior notice. A quit notice was served on August 31, giving the owner three days to vacate the premises.

Despite DATKEM's application for unsealing and regularization of the building, along with the payment of a mandatory fee of N500,000 to the Ogun State government on August 2, the government proceeded with the demolition, ignoring the ongoing legal process. Mr. Kotoye emphasized that evidence of this payment exists.

"We want to believe the State Attorney General’s advice was ignored on this matter," stated Mr. Kotoye in the press release. "Our clients, as law-abiding citizens of Ogun State, will continue to seek redress in the courts. Even when our clients have suffered unimaginable and huge losses as a result of this illegal demolition, we will not relent in pursuing justice in the courts."

Mr. Kotoye expressed the hope that Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, may not have been informed of this action, stating, "If he was informed and still decided to use the instruments of the State against our clients, it is nothing but executive recklessness." The legal firm affirmed its commitment to pursuing justice for their clients in light of the controversial demolition.

The demolition of DATKEM Plaza has ignited public outrage and calls for transparency and accountability in the actions of the Ogun State government. As legal proceedings continue, the incident remains a focal point of contention, with many demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the destruction of the property.



Source:


https://applesbite.com/attorney-vows-to-seek-justice-in-the-aftermath-of-datkem-plaza-vandalization/

bestofnollywood:
Residents of Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, have voiced their shock and displeasure following the vandalization of DATKEM Plaza, a multi-billion Naira property owned by Yeye Olufunke, the wife of Gbenga Daniel, Senator representing Ogun East and former governor of the state.

In what appears to be a politically motivated incident, the early hours of September 10 witnessed a violent intrusion and destruction of a nearby building on Folagbade Street in Ijebu Ode, sending tremors throughout the neighborhood.

According to a resident identified as Olasile, the operation began around 3 am, marked by loud and heavy noises emanating from inside the building. He suggested a suspicious collaboration with the power supply company, saying, "No one could come out because there was no light. It was obvious they connived with NEPA for this sinister operation because immediately they left, NEPA restored the light."

Another resident, who requested anonymity, expressed strong criticism of Dapo Abiodun, the Governor of Ogun State, calling him "wicked and retrogressive." He accused the governor of failing to bring development to Ogun State and, instead, tearing down existing development efforts by others. "It is unfortunate our governor is a destroyer of inheritance. We cannot point to a single development that he has brought to Ijebu-Ode, yet he destroys what he met on the ground. It is a shame. A notice of demolition was posted three days ago on the building. Then, around 3 am on Sunday, they came to destroy the building. How is this an official duty?" he queried.

Ahmed, another resident who claimed to be outside during the incident, alleged that Efele, a popular political figure loyal to Governor Dapo Abiodun, led the thugs responsible for the vandalism. He stated that seven armed policemen accompanied and supervised the destruction.

Government Demolishes DATKEM Plaza Despite Approvals and Compliance

DATKEM Plaza, a five-story building owned by Her Exc Yeye Olufunke Daniel, is an iconic and structurally sound edifice with full approval. Construction began in 2009, with a scheduled commissioning set for the end of September 2023.

The ground floor and mezzanine house a fully equipped banking hall, complete with bank trap doors and a CHUBB strong room. Other amenities include a Kone elevator installed by Kresta Laurel Ltd, approximately 80 brand-new split air conditioners installed by Holomicool Nig Ltd, a 150kVA generator set, a transformer, and a fire-fighting system.

External cladding was nearing completion by Vertex Nig Ltd, and the building had been supervised by qualified and certified engineers, including Engr. A Lawal and Engr. Ibraheem Shonde, among others.

The reasons given by the government for the demolition include insufficient parking space, inadequate muster points, and a claim of inadequate airspace. However, developers were preparing nearby streets for parking, and ample space existed for muster points.

A notice of demolition was issued by the government just three days prior to the demolition, which commenced at 3 am on Sunday, September 10, 2023.

The estimated cost of the building is approximately N1 billion, and it provided employment for around 100 Nigerians.

The building had no structural defects, and all relevant government approvals had been obtained. The third floor of the building was designated to house the Ogun East Senatorial Office.

The incident has sparked outrage among residents and calls for transparency and accountability in the demolition process.



https://applesbite.com/ijebu-ode-residents-decry-vandalization-of-yeye-daniels-n1-billion-datkem-plaza/

bestofnollywood:
In the wake of the election tribunal’s verdict, former Governor of Ogun State and current Senator representing Ogun East, Otunba Justus Olugbenga Daniel, has extended his heartfelt congratulations to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The tribunal’s ruling, which upheld Tinubu’s victory in the fiercely contested presidential election, has been widely celebrated as a significant milestone for democracy in Nigeria, APPLES BITE MAGAZINE reports.

Daniel lauded the tribunal’s decision as an affirmation of the robust foundation upon which President Tinubu’s mandate rests. He praised Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to progress and development in the nation, emphasizing that the verdict reflects the overwhelming support and trust the Nigerian people have vested in him.


In a statement made available to this tabloid, Senator Gbenga Daniel underscored the imperative of unity and cooperation among political leaders to drive national development. He called upon all Nigerians, irrespective of their political affiliations, to rally behind President Tinubu and support his administration’s endeavors to transform the country into a prosperous nation.

Senator Daniel’s words echoed, “Beyond the Tribunal, your mandate has been tested by time, challenged by the elements, and forged in the crucible of adversity; the tribunal merely affirms the solid foundation upon which your mandate stands for the betterment of our nation.

“You entered the election more prepared than any other candidate in the history of Nigeria. The people embraced your vision of renewed hope; the average Nigerian holds an unwavering belief that you will bring positive change to their lives, and that’s why the Court’s verdict is also a ‘vote’ for Nigerians.”

bestofnollywood:
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, on Monday, asked the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, to declare him governor of the state and winner of the March 18 election, saying the heavens will not fall.

Counsel to Adebutu, Chris Uche (SAN) said this while adopting the petitioners’ final written address before the Justice Hamidu Kunaza-led tribunal.

The tribunal on Monday resumed hearing for the adoption of final written addresses in a petition filed by Adebutu against Abiodun.

PDP and Adebutu in the petition marked, EPT/OG/GOV/03/2023 accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of non-compliance with the Electoral Act and corrupt practices during the election.

The senior lawyer urged the election court to grant all the reliefs sought including disqualification of the second respondent, Abiodun, as a candidate in the March 18 election.

Uche asked the tribunal to hold that all votes allocated to Abiodun by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were wasted and declare the petitioner (Adebutu) as the rightful winner of the election.

“To find that upon a proper calculation of the lawful votes cast in the election, excluding the votes earned by multiple thumbprinting and ticking of ballot papers under the watch of INEC, that the petitioner scored the majority of the lawful votes,” he submitted.

According to him, about 40,891 votes were affected and wrongfully credited to the second respondent.

On the margin of lead in the election, Uche said the petitioners relied on exhibits 456, 457, 576, 609 and 617.

The Counsel said the petitioners have “successfully discharged the burden of proof by calling 94 witnesses who gave vital evidence in the case.”

Uche said, “I urge my Lords to do justice by granting the reliefs sought in this matter, the heavens will not fall.”

While adopting his final written address, INEC’s Counsel, Dr Remi Olatubora (SAN), urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition “for being absolutely unmeritorious and for being a total waste of the judiciary’s precious time”.

Four Suspects Arrested For Torturing Trainee Internet Fraudsters Over Failure To Get Results

He argued that the petitioners simply dumped the documents on the Tribunal, saying “all the bags and envelopes of evidence hauled into this Tribunal and tendered from the bar are absolutely inadmissible”.

On his part, Abiodun’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) in his written address urged the Tribunal to dismiss the petition, arguing that all the evidence tendered by the petitioners were not duly signed and stamped by appropriate authorities.

He described all the evidence tendered by the petitioners as “worthless, valueless, baseless, and should have been voided ab initio”.

“The position of the law is that an unsigned document is worthless. The principle of margin of lead cannot be a ground for a petition. I therefore urged your lordships to dismiss this petition”, Olanipekun argued.

Counsel to APC, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu submitted that the petitioners raised allegations of non-compliance in six local governments but failed to mention any polling unit.

He also argued that the video and picture of alleged political thugs on bikes who disrupted elections were not related to the polling unit.

“We humbly urged my lords to dismiss the petition”, Ikpeazu submitted.


Source:

https://applesbite.com/declare-adebutu-governor-heavens-will-not-fall-counsel-tells-ogun-tribunal-in-final-address/

MTNnews: