₦airaland Forum

A nine-year-old boy who was chained in Ogun State for weeks before his rescue on Friday, was given the horrifying punishment for allegedly stealing, police and the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps have said.



The NSCDC had said in a statement on Saturday said its personnel rescued Taiwo Korede from the Celestial Church of Christ (Key of Joy Parish, Ajiwo) at Ajibawo in Ado Odo/Ota local government area of Ogun State.


The statement said Korede was rescued while in chains, and that the case had been transferred to the appropriate authority for further investigation.


Three photographs, including one showing an emaciated Korede in chains, were attached to the one-paragraph statement by the NSCDC.
















Police later said that Korede was chained by the neck to a heavy log of wood in a room for “more than a month”.


The spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the boy was chained by his own father, a pastor in the church, who is currently on the run.


But Mr. Adejobi said the rescue operation was carried out by “police detectives” following a tip off from a neighbour in the community.


“The police operatives of the Command attached to Onipanu Division, Otta, on Friday, 23rd July, rescued one Korede Taiwo, M, 9, from where he had been chained on his neck to a heavy log of wood in a room by his biological father Pastor Taiwo Francis, m, of THE KEY OF JOY CELESTIAL CHURCH, Ajibawo area, via Atan Otta, in Ado Odo Otta Local Government Area of Ogun State for more than a month,” he said.


He said the child’s step-mother, Kehinde Taiwo, who has been arrested by the police, accused the boy of stealing.


The claim that police rescued the boy could not be verified. The NSCDC was first to provide details and photos of the boy in captivity and after his rescue.


In what seemed an attempt to counter the police’s claim, the NSCDC released more details and photos of the rescue later on Saturday.


A statement by the NSCDC’s Ogun State PRO, Kareem Olanrewaju, said Korede was chained for repeatedly stealing soup prepared by his step mother.


“She reported to the Father who took step by chaining his hand and legs. This situation was on like that until a Good Samaritan informed NSCDC officials on surveillance patrol of critical infrastructure in the area, they immediately swung into action and ensure the boy was immediately rescued,” the corps said.


He said church members, led by the step-mother, Kehinde, had attempted to stop NSCDC officials from rescuing the boy.


“According to the information from officer in charge of Ado-Odo NSCDC Division who led the rescue operation, the boy had been chained for two weeks at the very Celestial Church of Christ (Key of Joy Parish) the boy was tired and pail, he was not able to talk when he was initially rescued. On getting to the church there was serious resistance by members led by the pastor’s wife Kehinde, but Civil defence Corps men insisted, and they were able to force their way into the church premises. The boy was actually under lock and key. They quickly took him to the office for necessary entries and documentation and proceeded to the General Hospital, Ota.


“The boy was bath and one Dr. Akintunde asked NSCDC officials who took him there to give him lucosade boost, they then called on whether to cut the chains so as to enable them administer treatment. Before NSCDC left the hospital, he has been responding to treatment as he has started talking. However, the Hospital Medical Director one Dr. Osinbajo who came later assures the Corps that the boy will get necessary medical attention needed.


“Meanwhile, the Corps has since liaised with the police at Atan, who promised to continue with the investigation and do all necessary things needed.”

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the September 10 Edo State governorship election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has vowed to probe the government of incumbent Governor Adams Oshiomhole if elected into office, declaring that every kobo accrued to the state must be accounted for.








The Redeemed Church pastor also encouraged Governor Oshiomhole to look at the eight years he spent in office between 1999 and 2007 as Chief of Staff and secretary to the state government while he still has power to do so.


Ize-Iyamu, who said this in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of the state when he took his gubernatorial campaign to the council, said it was high time the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Godwin Obaseki, started speaking for himself since he is the one contesting election and not Oshiomhole.


"The only person speaking in APC is Adams Oshiomhole. If the candidate he has brought is dumb, he should tell us so that we can arrange a sign language interpreter for him. We can also pray for him so that he will be able to speak.


"I call on Adams Oshiomhole to probe my time in government and look at everything that I did. Let him do it because by the grace of God, when I am governor, I will probe him. I will probe him; every kobo that has come to Edo State, must be accounted for. That is his fear; that is why he can no longer sleep"


"Adams Oshiomhole believes that the more he attacks, the more he can hide the truth. He should know that it is not by insulting Ize-Iyamu or Chief Anenih. Only recently in a Catholic Church, he met Chief Anenih and he apologized to him on the alter to forgive him days after, he was abusing Chief Anenih".


"He says Pastor Ize-Iyamu is bad; Ize-Iyamu is useless. When he appointed Pastor Ize-Iyamu DG of his campaign, he didn't know that time. When he made him national vice chairman of his party, he didn't know then. Now that Ize-Iyamu has left him, Ize-Iyamu is suddenly bad."


He said it was regrettable Governor Oshiomhole's has displayed hatred for the Esan nation and Uromi in particular, regretting that the governor refused to complete the Uromi Cassavita Factory he said had reached 94 per cent completion as at the time Oshiomhole took over as governor in 2008.


He added that the Oshiomhole administration was notorious for inflating contract sums, citing the example of projects at the newly established Edo University Iyamho (EUI) and the Benin Airport Road contracts as examples of highly inflated projects in the state.

THE Niger Delta Avengers have denied engaging in Peace Talk with Nigerian government.



President Buhari had on Thursday said his administration is currently engaging Niger Delta militants in talks in order to end the spate of violence being experienced in the region.




The Avengers, which has claimed multiple attacks on oil and gas pipelines across the Niger Delta region, through it spokesperson, Brig.Gen Mudoch Agbinibo, made this known in a statement late Thursday.


”Our attention has been drawn to media report that the President is in touch with Niger Delta agitators including the Niger Delta Avengers but the truth is that  we are not aware of any peace talk.


“If there is any such peace talk, it means the President is talking to their mercenaries set to disturb the genuine struggle of the agitators.


“President Buhari led government is not sincere to the Nigeria people and their foreign allies.


“If we are to engage in any peace talk we made it clear that the international community must be part of it. The President know our demands. So they should stop deceiving the international oil companies, the general public and the international community," the statement said.

THE Economic and Financial Crime Commission has said it will immediately appeal the ruling of a Federal Capital Territory High Court which on Thursday granted bail to Abiodun Agbele, an ally of the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose.



Agbele is being investigated by the EFFC for a range of alleged criminal infractions bordering on fraud and money laundering.

Justice Olukayode Adeniyi in a ruling which the Commission described as “shocking”, offered bail to Agbele and ordered the EFCC to pay the suspect N5 million as compensation for unlawful detention.

Adeniyi said the failure of the EFCC to charge Agbele to court, since his arrest on June 27, amounted to an abuse of his fundamental rights.

But the Commission described Justice Adeniyi’s conclusion as “curious” against the background of the information presented to the court, which included the fact that the suspect is being held with valid remand warrants issued by competent courts.

The EFCC, however, said it is filing a motion for a stay of execution of the ruling.

THE Certificate of Return issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission to Uche Ogah as the Governor of Abia State has been described as invalid.



Ogah, after his declaration by a Federal High Court in Abuja as having been validly elected, was issued a Certificate of Return by INEC.

However, an informed source said the certificate cannot be valid based on the date on which the election that produced him was held.

According to the source, the election that produced a governor in Abia State in 2015 was the supplementary election of April 25, 2015 and not the April 11 election, which INEC declared inconclusive.

Ogah’s Certificate of Return said he emerged governor based on the election of April 11.

The source said: “Recall that INEC declared the April 11 governorship election in Abia State inconclusive despite the fact that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party was leading Dr. Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance with a wide margin.

“INEC called for a supplementary election in about eight canceled LGAs in the state on April 25, which Ikpeazu also won and was declared winner.

“And INEC issued him with a Certificate of Return as winner of the election after the supplementary election.

“So what Ogah has is an invalid document that can’t make him governor.

“He can’t lay claim to the governorship of Abia State on the basis of an inconclusive election.”

AN FCT Abuja High Court has granted bail to Abiodun Agbele, an aide to the Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose.








Mr. Agbele was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on July 1 on allegations of fraud.


The EFCC said Mr. Agbele received huge public funds from a former defence minister, Musiliu Obanikoro, and delivered same to Mr. Fayose.


The judge, Olukayode Fadeniyi, declared that the failure of the EFCC to charge Mr. Agbele to court, since his arrest, amounted to an abuse of his fundamental rights.


He ordered the commission to pay a compensation of N5 million to Mr. Agbele.


The court also ruled that Mr. Agbele be admitted to bail with a bond of N50 million and a surety not below the cadre of a director in the civil service.


Alternatively, Mr. Agbele is required to provide a surety who is a responsible Nigerian citizen, with landed property in any part of Abuja.


“The surety shall depose an affidavit of means,” the court also ruled.



Mr. Fadeniyi also ordered Mr. Agbele to submit his international passport at the commission.

SENATOR Oluremi Tinubu (APC-Lagos) on Wedne‎sday disclosed that she has forgiven Senator Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi) over the alleged assault on her at the closed door session of the Senate.








According to Tinubu, as a Christian, she has forgiven Melaye on the assault her last week at a closed-door session.


Melaye and Tinubu had last week engaged in a verbal war during executive session.


It was alleged that Melaye threatened to beat and impregnate her. ‎
‎
It was gathered that the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, also mediated between Senators Tinubu and Melaye after the plenary session on Tuesday.


However,‎ Senator Tinubu, who spoke when stalwarts of the APC from Lagos State, led by former Senator Munirudeen Adekunle Muse, on Wednesday, said as a Christian she has forgiven Senator Dino Melaye.
‎
Tinubu said she would continue to criticize the activities of the Senate that she felt is not good for the country. ‎


Speaking earlier, Muse condemned Melaye’s utterances and asked Senator Tinubu not to relent in her quest for qualitative legislation for the development of the country.
‎
In related development, no fewer than 50 women on Wednesday stormed the National Assembly, protesting the utterances of Melaye  against Senator Tinubu.


The protesters, who wore T-shirts with the inscription: “No to impunity for gender-based violence,” were heard chanting: “Stop violence against womem.”


They carried placards that read, among others: “Support gender equality opportunity bill”; “A Senator is a Senator, women are not threat object”; “Senate Leadership silence in the face of violence against women is conspiracy”; “Say no to impunity.”


Speaking with newsmen, a Woman Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Kemi Nelson, stated enough is enough and asked the Senate to take disciplinary action against Melaye.


“This is impunity and it has to be stopped, we must be accorded our right,” Nelson said.


Melaye had while addressing newsmen said it was Tinubu that first attacked him verbally and that he only reacted to her utterances.

Lalasticlala, mynd44

President Muhammadu Buhari’s wife, Aisha, has sued Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State for claiming that she was involved in the Halliburton corruption scandal.

Mr. Fayose had in June said Mrs. Buhari was the “Aisha Buhari” named in a U.S. court document, alleged to have been involved in a bribery case involving a convicted former U.S. lawmaker, Williams Jefferson.

The governor, in what appeared to be an error, referred to the scandal as the Halliburton corruption case. The Halliburton case is different from the Williams Jefferson scandal.

But Mr. Fayose insisted he was right despite Mrs. Buhari’s denial and threat of legal action,
The court summons, dated July 20, 2016, was exclusively made available to PREMIUM TIMES.
As governor, Mr. Fayose has constitutional immunity against criminal prosecution.
More details coming.

THE Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has been replaced.








Jibrin’s removal was announced on the floor of the House today by Speaker Yakubu Dogara.


He was replaced by Rep Mustapha Bala Dawaki (APC, Kano), who hitherto chaired the committee on housing.


Jibrin was enmeshed in controversy following revelations that he allocated projects worth over N4 billion to his Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano State.


Following the revelations, several members had demanded for his resignation, but Dogara had prevailed on them to shelve their demands.


More Details Later…

lalasticlala, mynd44

The crisis currently rocking the arms scandal, since the arms committee made efforts to submit its report, has taken another twist, as the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Bello Dambazzau, has made persistent efforts to be excluded in the arms scandal report, when inside sources in the committee had confirmed that the Minister was also involved in the scandal.

In order to save his neck, and use a presidential fiat to exclude him from the report, Dambazzau, we gathered, had approached the President, seeking to be excluded from the report.

With President Buhari not yielding to his demands, Dambazzau was seen in a shouting match with the Commander-in-Chief, following the inclusion of his name in the arms probe.

He warned against the decision as he would spill the entire beans to the whole world if his name and that of his accomplices were not removed.

Buhari has been left in a dilemma following Dambazzau’s threat, which no one knows the extent f how his threat could affect the Nation.

HUMAN rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has denied speculation in some sections of the media that he called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare state of emergency in Ekiti and also lock up Governor Ayodele Fayose.








An online news portal had quoted the legal luminary to have urged the Federal Government to declare state of emergency in Ekiti State if Governor Ayodele Fayose refuses to resign.


“Gov. Fayose should be stripped of the immunity he is currently enjoying by declaring state of emergency in Ekiti, then arrest him to face trial for corruption.” he was quoted by the news portal to have said during an interactive session with some selected students of Nigerian Law School in Abuja on Thursday 7 July, 2016.


But reacting, Falana in a text message to MEZIE TIMES denied making such a call.


“I never made such a call” he said.

He also denied being in Abuja on Thursday.

“I was in Lagos throughout the Ramadan holiday which ended on July 7, 2016. So I couldn't have been in Abuja addressing law students while I was in Lagos.”


He restated his position on emergency rule in a democratic setting.


MEZIE TIMES recalls Mr. Falana had in 2014 reacted to a call by a First Republic minister and prominent Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, to remove the governors of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, on the account of subsisting emergency rule in the states.


“As Nigeria has successfully replaced autocracy with democracy all actions of the government have to be conducted in strict compliance with the tenets of the rule of law.


“In view of the clear provision of the Constitution on the vexed issue of a state of emergency I am compelled to urge the President to ignore the illegal and unconstitutional call for the removal of the governors of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.” he had said while reacting to the call by the Ijaw leader.


Mr. Clark had been quoted to have said that, “There is nothing like partial declaration of a state of emergency in the 1999 Constitution; what section 305 (c) of the Constitution contemplates is the recourse to ‘extraordinary measures to restore peace’ and security where there is a breakdown of public order and public safety.


“This in effect means that all democratic institution should be suspended to permit the military exercise full control until peace and order returns”.


But Falana reacted stating that nothing in section 305 of the constitution referred to by Clark empowered the President to suspend democratic institutions in a state under emergency rule.


Falana said, “With profound respect to the elder statesman, Section 305 of the Constitution which empowers the President to declare a state of emergency in any part of the country does not make any provision, expressly or impliedly, for the removal of elected democratic structures.


“In other words, the power of the President, to take ‘extraordinary measures to restore peace and security’ under a state of emergency does not include the removal of elected public officers or the dissolution of democratic structures.


“In any case, state governors cannot be held vicariously liable for the inability of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to stem the rising wave of insurgency in the country.”

ERSTWHILE Governor of old Oyo State, High Chief Omololu Olunloyo, has disowned his daughter, Kemi Omololu Olunloyo, over her posts on the social media.








Kemi is known for her most of the time vulgar and abusive posts on Facebook and Twitter.


In a statement on Thursday, Chief Olunloyo described his daughter’s posts as “utterly irresponsible” and “libellous”.


He said Kemi had a history of mental illness and several efforts by the family and other well-wishers to moderate her erratic behaviour have been fruitless.


Saying the postings had been “repeatedly painful”, Olunloyo added: “I would like to apologise without reservation to all persons affected. I hope and pray they would graciously accept the apology.”


Specifically, Olunloyo apologised to former President Olusegun Obasanjo; the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Enoch Adeboye; the General Oversea of Winners Chapel, David Oyedepo; and the Founder of the Synagogue Church of all Nations, Pastor Temitope Joshua.


He added: “There seems to be a curious pair of writers, an Aboderin resident in Ireland and Kemi Olunloyo, who sometimes curiously act separately and sometimes in union. Some of their most unfortunate victims are their half siblings.


“Others of higher status in the society (like) ex-president Obasanjo and quite recently, clergy men with large respectable following, such as the General Oversea of Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor E.A Adeboye, a brilliant fellow mathematician, an inspired Bishop Oyedepo, the inimitable Reverend T.B Joshua, all learned men.


“She includes me, her father. All four of us she dubs ritualists. Of course, none of us, as far as I know, is anything of sort. She has gone so far as to accuse us of various sexual crimes and gone too far to give social media itself a very dubious name, in term of uncontrolled freedom to assault others.


“Of Late, in the last four weeks or so, she had had the audacity to pass irrelevant and hopeless comments on one of our national talented artists, prince Jide Kosoko, whom I admire so much, calling him a black widower as he has unfortunately lost three wives.


“I had thought at 52, Kemi will further train her mind and cease to be an embarrassment to herself and member of her nuclear, extended family and to the general public. I thank pastors and psychiatrists like Dr. Lasebikan, who had gone to great lengths at their own personal cost to restrain her from excesses and recklessness. I dissociate myself entirely form her conducts and statements.


“She must accept responsibility for her actions and utterances as well as the consequences. My condemnation is total and not in any instance defensible. My position is absolutely clear. She has gone too far and needlessly so.”

Abia State High Court in Osisioma has granted a motion filed by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State for extension of an orde Judge of Abia State, the President Abia State Customary Court of Appeal and any other judicial officer from swearing in Mr. Uche Ogah, as governor of the state.

The order extends to 18th July, 2016.

BARELY few days after militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, lost its twitter account, the group's Facebook account has also been barred.

MEZIE TIMES reported on Monday that the NDA twitter account was suspended after it was adjudged to have flouted the regulations guiding the conduct of members of the micro-blogging site.

They have been using the account to announce their activities, which have negatively affected oil production in the country before it got suspended.

This prompted the militant group that threatens to ground Nigeria's monocultural economy to focus on its Facebook page as a means of disseminating information about its bombing activities to the general public.

The spokesman of the Avengers, Mudoch Agbinibo, confirming the suspension of the twitter account had informed people thus on Facebook;

“Notice! This is to bring to your notice that our twitter handle @Niger Delta Avengers has been suspended.

“We use this medium to appeal to our fans and supporter to be very careful with any website or twitter claiming to represent us. We shall launch new accounts soon! We must continue the struggle!!!”

The Facebook page which had garnered over 5,000 followers to Facebook authorities and the page was swiftly unpublished accordingly.

Below is a screenshot to the feedback sent to one of the concerned Nigerians by Facebook.
[img]http://.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/nd-avengers.jpeg[/img]



Recently, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai said the war against insurgency currently ravaging parts of the country will be taken to the internet.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Mike Ozekhome, has said the human rights activist , Mr. Femi Falana, was wrong on his position that the Nigerian constitution cannot guarantee absolute immunity against criminal prosecution for governors, deputy-governors, president and vice-president in the country.




Falana had, during a paper entitled: The Limits of Immunity Clause’, he delivered at the sixth birthday of the Edo State’s Secretary to Government (SSG), Professor Julius Ihonvbere, said that the money Laundering Act and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Act as well as the international criminal court laws do not give absolute immunity to governor Fayose against criminal prosecution, adding that the EFCC was toeing a legitimate path by freezing the governor’s accounts and thereafter obtain an court order against his bank. But Ozekhome said Falana goofed on these areas and defended his position accordingly.

The senior advocate who heads governor Fayose’s legal team against the EFCC at the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti, spoke to journalists yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, saying: “Falana made three points on the matter and I totally disagree with him. He said that you can institute a legal process against governors because they are also sued during election petitions.


“And I disagree with him on that because election petitions are generic, they are generic because they are in a class of their own. They are a hybrid, neither civil or criminal procedures. That is why it is the constitution itself that gives the right for a governor to be sued when they are challenging his mandate, it is not the lower laws like an Act of parliament like EFCC. “EFCC is an act of parliament which is millions of miles lower than the provisions of the constitution.
And any provision from the EFCC Act or money laundeiring Act which is inconsistent with the provision of the constitution is null and void by nature of section 1, sub-section 3 of the same 1999 Constitution, “ he said. Arguing further, he said: “It is the same constitution in section 308 that says that when it comes to civil or criminal procedure, you can never sue the governor and such should not be entertained in any court of law.

“Falana also said that the Money Laundering Act can also apply against a sitting governor, that is wrong. The Money Laundering Act is an act of the parliament which is as low as the EFCC Act and the two of them must bow down to the Kabiyesi (Lord) of our laws which is the 1999 constitution (as amended in 2011) And that constitution in its section 308 says that whether under the money laundering Act or the EFCC Act, you cannot move against Fayose or any other governor, vice-president or President or deputy-governor.

“The third point by Falana that immunity is not total has been debunked because section 308 of the constitution overrides all the Acts of parliament such as the Money Laundering and EFCC Act. He also said that governors of Nigeria are not immune from the procedures of the international criminal court, of course that is outside the jurisdiction of Nigeria. “So, none of all the arguments Falana has canvassed therefore can show that immunity can be watered down.

THE report by some online news publications claiming that Cross River Government House in Calabar was invaded by militants has been described as false by the State Government.

Some online news portal excluding MEZIE TIMES had reported that no fewer than 20 suspected Bakassi militants yesterday invaded the Cross River State Governor’s office in Calabar, shortly after the Deputy Governor, Ivara Esu, reported for the day’s duties.

The report hinted that the suspected militants invaded the Government House at about 10am and held Esu and the staff hostage for several hours.

But reacting in a statement issued on Saturday, the Special Assistant on Media and Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ben Ayade, Mr. Christian Ita insisted that the report is not only misleading but a sad demonstration of ethical bankruptcy.

His words, “the report is a regrettable sensationalisation of a peaceful protest by some ex-militants over their three months unpaid allowances by the Federal Government.

“The ex-militants were not armed and so could not have invaded the Government House. Rather, they were very civil in their conduct as they sought audience with the officials of the state government whom they hoped would take their message to Abuja.

“Once attended to, they peacefully dispersed. So it beggars belief that such a peaceful and innocuous protest would be reported as an invasion of the Government House. More ludicrous is the claim that the deputy governor was held hostage. No such thing happened.”

The statement concluded that Cross River remains the safest state in the country and urged the media to refrain from unnecessary sensationalism so as not to cause panic among members of the public.

Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) stated that Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu is no longer the Governor of Abia State in the eyes of the Law.


[img]http://.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/olisa-agbakoba.jpeg.jpeg[/img]





This Senior Advocate of Nigeria stated this while lending his voice to the controversy trailing the sack of governor Ikpeazu by a Federal High Court, Abuja.


Justice Okon Abang, in his judgment of Monday, June 27, 2016 in a suit filed by Uche Ogah, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member held that Ikpeazu does not possess the requisite qualifications to contest the election as governor, in that he did not furnish credible evidence of payment of tax, to the Abia State Government.


The judge ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare Ogah who came second in the PDP primary, as the elected candidate.
In the suit, Ogah had contended that Ikpeazu evaded tax prior to his election and as such was not qualified to hold elective office.


Agbakoba said by Law Ikpeazu has been removed by the court and he is no longer the governor of Abia State.


“The court has removed him as governor but the problem is that there’s a transition period. But the court has removed him as governor and there’s a new governor-elect who is yet to be sworn-in. and that is why I think there’s a major political vacuum. Clearly, the Ikpeazu is no longer the governor by Law.


“I don’t know the grounds which the other order from Abia State was obtained by one of the parties. But I do know that a judgment was given and a certificate of return was issued by INEC in Abuja. If they want to stay that order they have to go to the very court that passed the judgment.


“It is procedurally wrong towant to arrest that judgment us- ing another court of coordinate jurisdiction. The order of the Federal High Court in Abuja should be obeyed.


“A Notice of Appeal is clearly not a Stay and INEC has broken no Law in issuing Certificate of Return to Ogah. But they should have relied on the prudential principle by cautioning themselves, giving the fact that they have received a Notice of Appeal, which in itself, does not constitute a stay of execution of the order of the court. However INEC has broken no law by issuing the certificate of return to Ogah,”Agbakoba said.


Another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana also stated that INEC had done the right thing by obeying the order of the Federal High Court.


“Federal High Court ordered that Uche Ogah be issued with Certificate of Return and should be sworn in as governor of Abia State. INEC complied with the order. The order exparte issued by a judge in Abia State High Court is illegal and contemptuous. The Abia State High Court cannot sit on appeal over the order of the Federal High Court as it is a court of concurrent jurisdiction,” Falana stated.


In his reaction, the President of Nigeria Bar Association, Austin Aleghe, stated that while he was not fully briefed on the issue, the position of the law is that when a stay of execution and a notice of appeal has been filed, it is incumbent on all parties to stay action to avoid a situation where one’s interest will be rendered nugatory.


He however, stated that he cannot say for certainty that a stay of execution was filed and INEC put on notice.


Yesterday, INEC confirmed that it received notice of appeal but was not accompanied by stay of execution from Ikpeazu’s lawyers and that a notice of appeal did not amount to stay of execution.

THE Attorney General of Federation and Minister of Justice, A‎bubakar Malami, on Thursday slammed the Senate over the ongoing trial on forgery of the Senate’s Rules book, saying the Red Chamber lacks the jurisdiction to handle the matter.



The Federal Government had dragged the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki; his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu; the outgoing Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa; and the Deputy Clerk, Ben Efeturi, to the FCT High Court over alleged forgery of Rules book.

Based on the development, the Senate had ordered Malami to appear before its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to explain why he had to intervene in the internal affairs of the legislature.

But Okoi Obono-Oblo, the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Public Prosecution, who represented Malami, told the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters that the matter had gone beyond the Senate.

According to Obono-Oblo, neither the Committee nor the Senate has the jurisdiction over a matter that is already in court.

He said: “This committee has no jurisdiction on this matter.

“It is clearly beyond it.”

He also informed the Committee that Malami, whom he intended to represent at the session, is not answerable to the Senate, but the President.

The Presidential Aide, who was consequently walked out by the Committee after the offensive submission and on account of not being the one summoned, fired more salvos at the Committee while fielding questions from journalists.

Obono-Obla said: “The AG has not done anything wrong.

“The AG has not undermined democracy.

“He acted pursuant to his powers vested on him by the Constitution.

“Section 174 (1) says he can prosecute anybody.

“And he has done that.

“The Senate is not on trial.

“He has not taken the Senate to court.

“He has taken four persons to court.

“They are not the Senate.

“Being President of the Senate does not make you the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The matter was investigated by the police and a prima facie case was established and the AG invoked his powers under Section 174 (1) to initiate criminal proceedings against those persons.

“And this matter is now before a court of law.

“There is separation of powers in Nigeria.

“It is not the position of the Senate to constitute themselves into a court of law.‎”

When newsmen sought to know whether the matter is the internal affairs of the Senate or not, Malami’s representative said: “It is not true.

“If I go to the chambers of the National Assembly to shoot you, would it be an internal affair?

“The Senate Rule is a law and somebody allegedly forged the rules.”

On the issue of not inviting Saraki by the police, he said: “It doesn’t matter.

“So, let him go and tell that to the court.

“That is why he should hands off and allow the court to hear this matter.

“At the end of the day, if it is established that this charge is frivolous, the court will discharge him.

“But not to take the position that the AG has committed any crime.

“He’s not answerable to them.

“B‎y virtue of the principle of Separation of Powers, he is answerable to the President who appointed him.

“And he has not done anything wrong.

“Y‎ou cannot be a judge in your own case.

“We don’t have confidence in the committee.””

The Committee, however, resolved to report the non appearance of Malami before it on the forgery case to the Senate plenary for appropriate action.
‎
The Committee Chairman, David Umaru, said: “Having invited the AGF twice to appear before us as mandated by the Senate without him responding to the summons, this committee will surely report the matter to Senate-in-Plenary for appropriate action.”

A High Court in Abia State has restrained the Chief Judge of Abia State, the President of the Customary Court of Appeal and any other judiciary officer from swearing-in Uche Ogah as the State Governor.




The order was made on Thursday by Justice C. H. Ahuchaogu.

The order reads: “Upon this motion ex-parte pursuant to section 143 (1) & (2) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and pending the determination of the motion on notice, after hearing O.O Nkume, counsel to the applicant.

“It is ordered that an order of injunction is hereby made restraining the 2nd defendant (INEC) from issuing a certificate of return to the 1st defendant (Ogah) while the claimant (Ikpeazu) remains in office in accordance with  section 143 (1) & (2) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and pending the determination of the motion on notice.

“It is further ordered that the 3rd defendant (chief judge of Abia State) or any other judge of the court or any judiciary officer are hereby restricted from swearing-in the 1st defendant (Ogah) while the claimant (Ikpeazu) remains in office in accordance with section 143 (1) & (2) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and pending the determination of the motion on notice.

“It is also ordered that this order is hereby made to last for 10 days from today. The returnable date is fixed for the 8th day of July, 2016.

“Furthermore, the condition attached to this order is that the enrolled order must be served along with the motion on notice on respondents, else he order automatically lapses on 8th July, 2016.”

Also, in a motion of ex-parte order, the court also restricted the Independent National Electoral Commission from issuing a Certificate of Return to Ogah.

The order reads: “An order of injunction restraining the 2nd defendant (INEC) from issuing a certificate of return to the 1st defendant (Ogah) while the claimant (Ikpeazu) remains in office in accordance with section 143 (1) & (2) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and pending the determination of the motion on notice.






“An order of injunction restraining the 3rd defendant (Chief Judge of Abia State) or any other judge of the court, or any judiciary officer from swearing in the 1st defendant (Ogah) while the claimant (Ikpeazu) remains in office in accordance with section 143 (1) & (2) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and pending the determination of the motion on notice.”

Meanwhile, the Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has advised Abians to remain calm and law abiding, stressing that he is still their Governor.

The orders were obtained following the issuance of a Certificate of Return to Ogah by the INEC in Abuja on Thursday.

This was sequel to the order of a Federal High Court to INEC to issue Ogah a Certificate of Return and ordered Ikpeazu to vacate office.

But Ikpeazu also on Thursday said he remains the governor of the State despite the Certificate of Return issued to Ogah.
In a statement he personally signed, Ikpeazu said: “I have received with concern, report of the purported issuance of Certificate of Return to Mr. Uche Ogah by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as governor of Abia State, despite the pendency  of a notice of appeal and motion for stay of the execution of the orders made by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

“Our laws are clear on this matter. No one may be issued with a certificate of return let alone be sworn in as governor, when there is a subsisting appeal and application for stay.

“I want to appeal to Abians to remain calm and law abiding in the face of this provocation. Unless and until the appellant courts have conclusively resolved the appeal, the status quo remains; I am still the Governor of Abia State.”

It will be recalled that Ikpeazu had on Wednesday filed an appeal against Monday’s judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja, which removed him from ‎office as governor.

The Governor, in a notice of appeal filed by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), raised five grounds of appeal, sequel to which he asked the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgment and orders of the Federal High Court.

The governor said the Federal High Court lacked the power to order him to vacate the seat of Abia State Governor.

The notice of appeal reads: “The trial judge erred in law when he ordered as a consequential order that the appellant vacates his office‎ as the Governor of Abia state immediately when there was no jurisdiction in the Federal High Court to remove, vacate the occupier of the office of the governor of a state or order the removal of such officer after the unsuccessful challenge of the result of the election at the Tribunal and swearing in of the appellant as the governor.”

The governor said that the only power, authority and order exercisable by the Federal High Court was to disqualify the candidate from contesting the election based on section 31(6) of the Electoral Act 2010.

Ikepazu also faulted the judge when he held that he did not pay his tax for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013, at when due, when he was a public officer whose tax deduction was under Pay As You Earn scheme where tax deductions were from the source of his monthly salary by the tax authorities who issued all the tax receipts and certificates.

He also said the Abia State Board of Internal Revenue Services that issued him with the tax certificates had not declared the certificates forged and that the trial court did not invite the issuing authorities to give evidence in the course of the trial.

Ikpeazu said Ogah, the plaintiff, was not a staff of the Abia Board of Internal Revenue and did not produce any staff of the board to testify ‎that the tax certificates were forged.

He accused the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, of violating his right to fair hearing by embarking on judicial investigation without giving him (Ikepazu) the opportunity to address the court on the issue.

The notice of appeal also stated: “The learned trial judge erred in law when he held that the appellant presented false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission by his ingenous meticulous study and investigation of documents filed in courts ‎in the recess of his chambers and thereby violated the right of the appellant to fair hearing.”

The governor said the judge had no duty to investigate the contents of documents dumped on the court in the recess of his chambers with a view to finding for the plaintiff.

“The decision of the judge which arose from the judicial investigation without opportunity to the appellant violated the appellant’s right to fair hearing,” the governor said.

Ikepazu also rejected the decision of the Federal High Court declaring him unqualified to be nominated as the primary election conducted by his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, because false information was supplied to INEC‎.

According to him, INEC Form CF001, which the judge relied on, was not one of the grounds of qualification to contest the primary election of the PDP.

He said the judge misconceived the evidences presented by the parties and thereby arrived at a wrong conclusion, which occasioned a grave miscarriage of justice.

Meanwhile, the governor’s party, the PDP, has also rejected the judgment and filed a separate appeal.

The party‎ said the trial court erred in law when it held that it had jurisdiction to hear the suit which was on whether section 24 (f) of the 1999 constitution was complied with.

It said:‎ “The honourable trial court misdirected itself when it construed the provisions of the PDP constitution to the detriment of the appellant without giving the appellant a chance to be heard and thereby occasioned miscarriage of justice.”

In the particulars of the error, the appellant said Ukeagbara and Mba, being “the 1st and 2nd respondents in the appeal did not pray the trial court to construe the provisions of the PDP constitution.

“No evidence was led that the said Uche Sampson Ogah participated in the 2015 Abia State gubernatorial elections yet the trial court declared him as winner of the said elections contrary to the express provisions of section 141 of the Electoral Act.”

The PDP urged the Court of Appeal for “an order setting aside the judgment of the Federal High Court of Nigeria in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/10862014 delivered on the 27th day of June, 2016”.

Justice Abang had‎ on Monday ordered Ikpeazu’s removal from office for giving false information in the form submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission by the PDP, nominating him as its candidate for the April 11, 2015 governorship election.

In two separate judgments, Justice Abang ordered Ikpeazu to vacate the office of the governor of Abia State.

The judge also directed INEC to issue a fresh Certificate of Return to the plaintiff in one of the two suits, Uche Ogah, who was the first runner-up in the governorship primary conducted by the PDP on December 8, 2014.

He had ordered that Ogah’s full entitlements be restored to him as Governor of Abia State.

The judge made the orders after disqualifying Ikpeazu as the candidate of the PDP in the April 11, 2015 governorship election on the basis that he committed perjury by giving false information in the Form 8C001 and the documents accompanying it, which he and the PDP submitted nominating him to INEC as the party’s governorship candidate.

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued the Certificate of Return to Mr Uche Ogah as the Governor of Abia State.








INEC’s Director of Publicity, Oluwole Osaze-Uzi, says this follows an order by the Abuja Federal High Court mandating  INEC to immediately issue Certificate of Return to Mr. Uche Ogah who came second at the last Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries in Abia State.


A court in Abuja, on Monday asked INEC to cede the Certificate of Return issued to Mr Okezie Ikpeazu, to his opponent.


Giving his ruling, Justice Okon Abang, said that on the account of fake tax returns during the primaries, Dr. Ikpeazu was never qualified to run in the PDP primaries as a governorship candidate.


The judge also ordered the Chief Judge of the state to swear in Uche Ogah, his opponent in the December 2014 governorship primaries in state as the substantive Governor of Abia State.

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