₦airaland Forum

By Saawua Terzungwe



Chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are embroiled in a fresh battle for the chairmanship of the party.

This followed ‎the Supreme Court verdict that ended the 14 months power tussle between senators Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff.

As National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Makarfi who won at the Supreme Court is expected to organise a convention soon to usher in new set of leaders ahead of the 2019 elections.

PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has approved the zoning of the presidential ticket to the North and the chairmanship to the South.

It will be difficult to predict who the presidential candidate will be for now but our correspondent reports that contenders for the post of the chairmanship include a former Minister of Education, Prof. Tunde Adeniran.

 Adeniran, who at a time served as Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, is also a member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT).

Similarly, a former National Vice Chairman of the party, Chief Bode George; former PDP governorship candidate ‎in Lagos State, Jimi Agbaje; Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, are all reportedly in the race.

Prince Uche Secondus, a former acting national chairman of the party is also reportedly considering going for the chairmanship.

In the previous contest, broadcast mogul, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, was in the race. It is, however, not clear whether he is still nursing the ambition.

But some of the contenders from the South West who spoke with our correspondent yesterday said they should be allowed to produce the PDP chairman on the grounds that their region was never entrusted with the revered office since the emergence of the party in 1998.

It was also learnt that the South West and the South East were intensifying strategies to secure the vice presidential slot of the party ahead of 2019.

Tobi Soniyi


The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has written to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, asking him to ensure that the court does not obstruct the commission in the performance of its statutory duties.

INEC, in the letter signed by its acting Chairman, Professor Okechukwu Ibeanu, objected to the order granted by Justice John Tsoho stopping the commission from proceeding with the recall of Senator Dino Melaye, who represents Kogi West Senatorial District in the Senate.

INEC said the order granted by the judge was aimed at frustrating its constitutional duties, contending that it was in violation of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

The commission noted that despite the fact that the judge knew that the recall process must be completed within 90 days, he decided to adjourn Melaye’s suit to September 29, effectively frustrating the process.

In the letter exclusively obtained by THISDAY, the commission said: “The conduct of referendum for recall is one of the constitutional duties of the commission, as stipulated in Sections 69 and 110 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and Sections 2(c) and 116 of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended.

“Pursuant to the presentation of a petition for the recall of Mr. Dino Melaye, to the chairman of the commission on the 21st June, 2017 by petitioners alleging lack of confidence in the senator, the commission in accordance with its constitutional mandate issued a timetable and schedule of activities for the recall of the senator.

“My Lord, the commission by virtue of the provisions of Section 69 of the constitution is mandated to conduct a referendum for recall of the senator within 90 days from the date of receipt of the petition.

“Section 57(10) of the Electoral Act, 2010, also stipulates that courts are not empowered to stop the conduct of primaries or general elections or processes thereof under the act, pending the hearing and determination of a suit.

“The above order and adjournment of hearing of the motion on notice to 29th September, 2017 have clogged the performance of the commission’s constitutional duty having regard to the fact that the period for the conduct of the referendum in question shall lapse on 18th September, 2017.

“The commission will highly appreciate the intervention of your Lordship to ensure that courts do not grant orders capable of hindering the commission from carrying out its constitutional duties as required by the constitution.”

The commission attached copies of the order and the processes filed by Melaye to the court to the CJ.

Justice Tsoho had on July 6 ordered the parties in the suit filed by Melaye against INEC to maintain the “status quo as it stands today, July 6, 2017 pending the determination of the plaintiff’s motion on notice”.

He also ordered Melaye to file an undertaking to pay damages to the INEC as would be assessed by the court if it “turns out that this order ought not to have been made”.

Some aggrieved voters from Melaye’s senatorial district had collected signatures and filed a petition to INEC for his recall, citing lack of performance.

Not leaving anything to chance, the senator filed the case, seeking among others, to nullify the petition submitted to INEC.

In the originating summons he filed through his lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), the embattled lawmaker prayed the court to declare that the petition presented to INEC for his recall was illegal, unlawful, wrongful, unconstitutional, invalid, null and void and of no effect in law.

He also prayed the court for a declaration that the petition purportedly forwarded to INEC was invalid and of no effect, the same being signed by fictitious, dead and non-existing persons in his senatorial district, as well as for an order of injunction restraining INEC from commencing or further continuing or completing the process of his recall.

Melaye also asked the court to make an order stopping INEC from acting on the petition submitted to it.

In the suit, which he filed pursuant to Sections 36, 68 and 69 of the 1999 Constitution and Order 3, Rule 6 of the FHC Civil Procedure Rules 2009, Melaye begged the high court to stop the electoral body from conducting any referendum predicated on the fictitious petition allegedly submitted to it by his purported constituents on the basis of the fundamentally and legally flawed petition.

He specifically urged the court to determine whether by provisions of Sections 68 and 69 of the constitution, he is entitled to a fair hearing before the process of his recall, as envisaged by the provisions of Section 69 of the constitution can be triggered.

To determine whether the petition presented to the defendant is in compliance with the requirements of the constitution, same being heavily tainted with political malice, bad motive, personal vendetta and bad faith, which were initiated by top politicians in Kogi State who wield enormous power over his senatorial constituency.

Likewise, to determine whether the process of a recall as provided for in Section 69 of the constitution can be initiated against him when the number of registered and qualified voters in the constituency who purportedly signed the petition was grossly less than the number required in Section 69(a) of the constitution.

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By John Owen Nwachukwu


A senior pastor of the Labourers Assembly, in Singorwet ward, Bomet County, Kenya, pastor Nwanga Gwranja has been rescued after unsuccessful attempted to fly to Jerusalem using artificial wings.

The controversial pastor fell off a tree and break his legs in the process.

Gwranja, known for predicting the second coming of Jesus on several occasions, something which has never come to pass, is said to have gone round the village announcing his departure to Jerusalem.

According to Standard News, the pastor said he was following an invitation by God himself in a dream.

Residents said the pastor, who had tied improvised wings made of polythene bags and rags to his shoulders, had also spoken during his sermon early Sunday, of his imminent trip to Jerusalem.

A member of the church told the newspaper, “We thought he was joking until he appeared dressed in his flying gear, bidding people farewell.”

He was said to have asked curious members of his church, who had gathered to see him off, to escort him to a tall Eucalyptus tree, which he claimed was a suitable take off point, as revealed to him by God.

As the pastor climbed atop the tree nervous parishioners, who thought he was on a suicide mission, alerted the chief who in turn called the police and ambulances for an emergency rescue.

Word had gone round and within a short time, the scene was jammed with thousands of locals, eager to see the man of God flying to Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, authorities were frantically trying to get him to climb down.

Attempts by the choir master, a very close friend to the pastor, to convince him to abandon his flight to Jerusalem fell on deaf years as the pastor stood his ground, insisting, “I must fly to Jerusalem”.

“You cannot stop an idea whose time has come more so when it has the blessings of the most high! Just let me go”, insisted the pastor atop the tall tree.

Elders were soon summoned to come and convince the adamant pastor against attempting to take off without their blessings.

But the elders were met with utter shock when the man of God rebuked them, saying God was showing him the elders burning in hell for trying to stop him.

“You can command humans to stop going against worldly cultures but commanding against God’s commandment is impossible.

“You should rather repent because these are the last days, Jesus is coming back,” the pastor retorted.

Cries and mourning of women and children who feared for the pastor’s life, did not deter the man of God.

When he discovered that a young man who had climbed the tree to get him was almost catching up with him, he spread his wings and took a plunge.

The pastor came tumbling down with a thud, and immediately began wailing, asking for help.

Gwranja’s legs were broken, his nose bleeding as he later passed out.

He was rushed to a local hospital.

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Samson Folarin


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A local government worker, Mercy Oluwafeyibunmi, has been arrested by the police and detained at the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (Annex ), Alagbon , Ikoyi, Lagos State.

It was gathered that the woman, who had been in detention for two weeks , had also been admitted to the police clinic at Alagbon after falling ill.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the offence of the mother of three was that she bore the same middle name , Adetokunbo , with one Eileen , a Nigerian based in the United Kingdom.

Our correspondent gathered that Eileen sent a representative to an Ondo State High Court , who swore to an affidavit , claiming that Mercy ’ s middle name was “imposive.”

Mercy , 35, was subsequently arrested and detained at the Force CIID Annex , Alagbon , since July 7.

Investigations by PUNCH Metro, however, revealed that Mercy and Eileen’ s differences were beyond a middle name.

The two women's ex - lover, Bankole Ogunnowo, who is based in the UK , was at the centre of the conflict.

Our correspondent gathered that Bankole and Mercy had a brief relationship in Nigeria in 2006 , which produced a baby girl , named Damilola.

Bankole later married Eileen and they both relocated to London, UK, where they also had a child together before they broke up.

Eileen, while allegedly seeking sole custody of their child, told a London court that her estranged husband was not to be trusted with children because he performed Female Genital Mutilation ( FGM ) on Damilola , the child he had with Mercy.

Mercy , who got wind of the allegation , deposed to an affidavit , dated November 27, 2015, clearing Bankole of the charges.

In the affidavit, which revealed her name as Mercy Adetokunbo Oluwafeyibunmi, she stated that FGM was also a criminal offence in Nigeria.

However, one Oyebo, who acted for Eileen , swore to a counter - affidavit before an Ondo State High Court, accusing Mercy of stealing Eileen’s name.

Bankole told PUNCH Metro that the accusation was the beginning of Mercy ’ s ordeal.

He said, “Eileen denied me access to the child she had for me in the UK. I went to court so I could take my child out once in a while despite our separation. But she told the court that I belonged to a gang in Nigeria called OPC, and that we kidnap children to do FGM for them.

“ She said I did that for the daughter that Mercy had for me in Nigeria . It became a concern to the UK authorities because I also work with children here (UK ).

I contacted Mercy and asked if I did that for my child and she said no. I asked her to swear to an affidavit , which she did. The affidavit was sent to London.

“ Eileen alleged that Mercy stole one of her names in order to bring my daughter, Damilola, to the UK. ”

PUNCH Metro learnt that the counter - affidavit by Oyebo was given to the Commissioner of Police in charge of Interpol, CP Olushola Subair.

The commissioner was reported to have written the London court, saying Bankole and Mercy were being investigated.

After Bankole won the court case against this ex - wife in February 2017, some individuals were alleged to have threatened Mercy for her role in the matter.

The woman allegedly got a Federal High Court’ s injunction forbidding any harassment.

However, despite the injunction, she was arrested and taken to the FCIID, Alagbon.

Mercy's husband in Nigeria , Nicholas Oluwafeyibunmi, with whom she had two children in Akure, lamented that his wife was being harassed for the assistance she rendered to Bankole.

He said, “On the day she was arrested, she wanted to pick our child at school. A man called my wife that he wanted to see her at a place.

“When the call became intense, I decided to follow her, together with another friend.

The caller brought out the Whatsapp picture of my wife and asked if she was the one. We didn’t know he had called the police.

“Suddenly, some policemen from the Ondo State Police Command came in and took her to the Yaba Police Division. They later sent a signal to those at Alagbon, Lagos, who came to take her away . Since then, she had been held incommunicado. I don’t know why they picked my wife. She did not commit any crime. ”

Mercy, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone on Monday , said she had been admitted to the police clinic after she fell ill.

She said, “They said my crime was that somebody in the UK , who I did not know, said I stole one of her names. My name is Mercy, Joy, Adetokunbo. Why will steal her name ?”

Mercy's mother, Gbonjubola, said Adetokunbo was among Mercy's names.

She said , “ When I gave birth to her, I named her Anu, Joy. She had up to 10 names given by different relatives. Her father, who was away, came back and gave her Adetokunbo. For the past two weeks, I don’ t know where my daughter is. Please help us. ”

Eileen’s father, Jimi Odumosu, did not pick his calls when our correspondent called him on Monday.

However, in a recorded conversation he had with Bankole, which was obtained by PUNCH Metro, Odumosu urged a peaceful resolution of the matter, saying he was separated from Eileen’s mother and he was not sure if she (Eileen ) would listen to him.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the FCIID, Alagbon, Mr. Abutu Yaro, confirmed that the suspect was in custody.

He, however, said he did not know the details of the case.

He said, “That case was investigated by Interpol Lagos and was sent to Interpol Abuja. The Interpol Abuja then wrote a note on the case file that the police lawyer attached to General Investigation, FCIID , should take the matter to court.

So, I don’t know about the case. It is not our case. The lawyer that they asked to prosecute the case is the lawyer attached to my office, but I don’t know the offence. I don’t know anything about the court process. ”

Eileen did not pick her calls as her phone rang out severally, while a text message sent to her line had yet to be responded to as of press time.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Moshood Jimoh, had also yet to respond to a text message from PUNCH Metro.

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Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja

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Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has abandoned his desire to seek reelection in 2018. Instead, he has launched his presidential campaign on Facebook.

Fayose had initially said he would approach the Supreme Court to determine his eligibility to run again for the office of governor of his state because of his inability to finish his first term in office.

The governor, whose impeachment then had been declared null and void by the apex court, had said there was need to finish his first four years in office.


See the campaign inauguration :

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Fayose, who is the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors ’ Forum, was one of the two governors in the party who spoke vehemently against the continued stay in office of the former National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

Ironically, the governor was also among the few governors who brought the former governor of Borno State to the office of the national chairman of the former ruling party.

The PDP had zoned the position of the party's presidential candidate to the northern part of the country.

It is, however, not clear if the party would go back on this, but analysts believed that Fayose could be positioning himself for the position of running mate for the party ’ s presidential candidate.

The three organs of the party , which are the Expanded National Caucus , Board of Trustees and the National Executive Committee are meeting in Abuja in Monday and Tuesday.

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye , Abuja


The Presidency has blown the whistle on illegal, large scale and indiscriminate clandestine recruitments in federal ministries, department and agencies (MDAs).

A circular by the acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Dr. Habiba Lawal to the Chief of staff to the President, National Assembly, service chiefs, heads of ministries and agencies amongst others, said many MDAs have been carrying out recruitments in the guise of replacement of existing staff without following due process.

The memo is titled “Streamlining procedures for recruitment into federal agencies.”

While condemning the scam, which has led to Federal Government’s payroll ballooning, the circular warned MDAs to follow due process in their operations.

It stated that if the practices continued unabated without reference to budgetary provisions and due process, government was at risk of owing workers salaries, budget shortfalls and the threat of increasing the cost of payroll, which was already over 40 per cent of total government expenditure.

It said government has seen the need to take drastic action to arrest the situation in view of the current economic situation facing the country.

The acting SGF who frowned at the recruitments, which she said, were in flagrant disregard of rules and established procedures for recruitment in the public service, noted that the recruitments had affected the ongoing reform of the payroll and personnel cost management, as it had created ghost workers in the payroll who receive fraudulent and erroneous salaries and also perpetuated nepotism and regional imbalances in the public service.

“The attention of the President has been drawn to reports of massive and indiscriminate clandestine recruitments in federal ministries, department and agencies (MDAs) in flagrant disregard of rules and established procedures for recruitment in the public service.

“Many MDAs have been carrying out recruitments in the guise of replacement of existing staff without following due process,” she claimed.

Lawal also argued that the current ongoing reforms aimed at providing a high level assurance on the integrity of the payroll and personnel cost would be jeopardised.

The acting SGF explained that government has decided to streamline the process and procedures for recruitment and appointment into the public service in conformity with the certain guidelines.

She listed the guildlines to include: adherence to manpower budget for proposed recruitment, which must be approved by the supervising agency or ministry; obtaining of waiver to recruit from the office of the Head of Service of the Federation; appropriate budgetary provisions to accommodate the proposed recruitment and letter of clearance from the director general of the budget office of the federation to confirm budgetary provision for the proposed recruitment.

Other guidelines include approval of Federal Character Commission for the distribution of vacancies for the proposed recruitment to ensure equitable distribution of vacancies among the states; obtaining certificate of clearance for the Federal Character Commission for the recruitment; representation of the Federal Civil Service Commission as observers in the recruitment process in the ministries, representatives of the office of the head of service of the federation in other to ensure compliance with extant rules and provision of recruitment.

“In case of agencies/parasatals appropriate representation of supervising ministries and agencies to provide necessary guidance and give credibility to the exercise. Permanent secretaries and heads of extra- ministerial departments would be held personally responsible for ensuring strict compliance with this circular.

“The implementation of the provisions of the circular takes immediate effect. Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all staff and ensure strict compliance,” she stated.

The issue of illegal recruitment has become a major challenge in the country.

Many government agencies, including parstatals and ministries have been indicted in the unwholseome act.

Last year, members of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions were served lurid details on the secret recruitment in various agencies and departments of the Federal Government.

One of those ‘indicted’ for subverting due process was the Nigeria Prisons Service.

But the Comptroller General, Dr. Peter Ekpendu confessed that the Service wrote and got approvals from the Minister of Interior and Federal Character Commission to avoid the due process of advertisement.

Ekpendu was responding to a petition against him by a Prison Officer, Okere Ethelbert seeking that the prisons boss be investigated over acts of secret recruitment, lopsided promotion and also calling for an open audit of the Prisons Co-operative and Multipurpose society.

Ethelbert accused Ekpendu of secretly hiring over 2,000 people into the service and backdating their employment letters many years back to cover-up.

Ekpendu denied the figure saying they were only 605 people. He also denied backdating their appointments.

The prisons boss also claimed that what happened was ‘replacement’ and not ‘recruitment’ as alleged.

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By Chukwudi Akasike

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A banker, who only gave his name as Kingsley, has lamented the loss of his newly wedded wife, Adaoma, to gunmen suspected to be kidnappers.

Adaoma and her husband were abducted on June 11, 2017 while on their way back to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, from Ekpoma, Esan -West in Edo State.

The deceased and her husband wedded on April 29, 2017 in Port Harcourt.

Narrating how they were accosted by heavily armed kidnappers around Rumuoji in Emohua LGA of Rivers State, husband to the deceased, who insisted that his name should not be mentioned, explained that he tried to escape from the kidnappers with the reverse gear immediately they came out of the bush.

“When they saw that I was making an attempt to escape, they began to shoot at the bonnet sporadically and the engine of my car stopped immediately. They came and dragged us out of the car and moved us into the bush.

“The kidnappers were in two groups; one of the groups took my wife to one direction while the other took me to another direction. We were attacked and taken away at about 3 .40pm. I was asking them (kidnappers) about my wife ’s whereabouts and they assured me that she was with the other group.

“By the time I saw my wife, she had collapsed and her face was swollen. I became afraid and begged them that they should release us so that I could take her to the hospital. They gave me the beating of my life. That was about 8 pm.

“When I continued to beg them, they allowed me to call a friend of mine (James) to drive down to the main road that night to pick my wife and rush her to the hospital. The kidnappers ordered me to carry her to the road while they followed me.

“ The entire place was dark and I carried my wife and tried to wait and have a rest, the kidnappers would again begin to beat me. This continued until we got to the road. I was told to lay my unconscious wife by the side of the highway with some leaves used to surround her for easy identification.

“They immediately marched me back to the bush. My friend, who knew that we were kidnapped, travelled from Port Harcourt that night to the point where my unconscious wife was dropped.

He eventually took her to the hospital , where she was confirmed dead, ” the devastated Kingsley added.

The husband, who was eventually released by the hoodlums around midnight, told our correspondent that he was still shocked that Adaoma, who he married five weeks earlier, was killed by kidnappers.

Describing her as an easy -going, God - fearing person and a devout Christian, the husband explained that he was beaten to a pulp after the kidnappers spoke with his pastor, adding that his pastor had cursed them for abducting me and my wife.

“They gave me another round of beating when my pastor spoke with them through my phone and cursed them. My wife must have been punched in the face or hit several times with the butt of a gun. They were dragging her along the bush. That might have caused her to collapse and died, ” he said amid tears.

He explained that he had been traumatised by his experience in the bush and felt that the kidnappers could still waylay him again.

However , the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, said he was not aware of the incident and promised to reach the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Emohua, where the incident happened.

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Adewale Oshodi and Tinuola Are


A housewife, Mrs Bukola Ogun, has been arrested by the Oyo State Police Command for allegedly staging her own kidnap with the intention of extorting money from her husband, and to also make the man, who is an American citizen, relocate her to the Unites States.

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Abiodun Odude, who was speaking during the parade of 12 arrested suspects in the state at the Police Headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, said the 37-year-old businesswoman, had conspired with a two-man gang, among whom was his cousin, Kayode Adepoju, to orchestrate her own kidnap in order to fraudulently obtain money from her husband.

The police boss said the incident happened at about 7:45p.m. on Tuesday, July 4, when three armed hoodlums stormed the residence of the supposed victim and ‘kidnapped’ her to an unknown destination.

“Barely four hours later, the suspects contacted the victim’s husband, demanding for N10million as ransom as a condition for his wife’s release.

“Unknown to the husband that the kidnap was actually arranged by his wife, he reported the case to the police, and upon the receipt, operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) began a manhunt for the hoodlums.

“During intensive investigation, two suspects were arrested, and they let the cat out of the bag, as operatives were stunned to discover that the victim was the architect of the fake kidnap.

“The woman, for the three days she was away, lodged in a hotel at Imalefalafia area, Ibadan, while efforts were on to rescue her, but after two of the suspects were eventually arrested in their criminal hideout at Imalefalafia area, they confessed to the crime and the mastermind was arrested,” the police boss said.

However, while speaking, the woman, Mrs Ogun, said she called her cousin, Kayode, informing him that she wanted her husband to relocate her to the United States, so wanted to stage her own kidnap so after her rescue, her husband would be left with no option than to send her abroad.

“So I left home on Tuesday, July 4, and returned on Thursday, July 6, acting as if I was kidnapped.

It was then that my husband started calling about that I had been kidnapped before finally informing the police.

“Everything is still like a child’s play; he is an American citizen and I just wanted him to relocate me to the US. I told the gang to demand for N10million from my husband; I knew he could not afford that kind of money, but just for the whole plan to look real.

“And within the three days I was away, I lodged myself in a hotel, but I regret everything now,” Mrs Ogun, who had been married to her husband for six years with two children, said.

While speaking on his role in the whole case, Mrs Ogun’s cousin, Kayode, said the woman just called her one day, informing him that she wanted to stage her own kidnap so that her husband would agree to relocate her to the United States since he is a citizen.

“So she told me to find one of my friends who has a car and we would come to her house in the evening of the day we wanted to stage the kidnap.

“When we even got to her house, she was the one who walked out herself and entered the car we brought, and we took her to the hotel where she lodged for three days.

“After that, we called her husband, asking for N10million ransom, just to make the whole plan look real, but we didn’t collect anything from him.

“However, I was arrested the following day after she returned home; policemen came to my office to arrest me, and we had no option than to tell the police the truth,” Kayode said.

The Oyo police boss, however, said that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as possible so as to serve as a less to others who might be planning such stunts.

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The Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan, on Friday, dissolved a 21- year - old between one Idowu Iyanda and his wife Florence over the wife's infidelity and alcoholism.

The President of the court, Mr Ademola Odunade, ruled that the marriage was dissolved due to irreconcilable differences between the couple.

“When wives refuse to keep to dos and don’ts binding a union, the result is usually tragic and bring about break up such as what is currently taking place.

“In the interest of peaceful coexistence, the union between Idowu and Florence has ceased to be henceforth.

“Custody of the four children produced by the union is granted to Idowu.

“ Idowu shall pay N 3,000 to Florence to enable her move out her property from the house, ” the Arbitrator said.

Earlier, Idowu, a carpenter had told the court that his wife Florence, was an unrepentant prostitute and alcoholic.

“My lord , when I entered into the union with Florence in 1996, I never knew that I was making a very terrible mistake for choosing her as a life partner.

“ She is never to be trusted for a single moment in terms of fidelity as Florence has made herself a public tap where all sorts of men of easy virtue fetch water.

“ My lord , times without number, I have caught her with men and I have warned her against the adulterous act.

“For the sake of emphasis my lord, our fourth and last child is a sickle cell patient, my own Genotype is AA, Florence is AS, how did our last child become an SS.

“Worst still, Florence is an addicted alcohol consumer. In fact, she still consumed one last night, this is the bottle, my Lord.

“When she was complaining that she wanted to be riding a car, despite the fact that I don’t drive, I bought a car.

“We agreed that she will be driving the car, carrying me to and from my workshop.

“One day, Florence carried me to a particular point and abandoned me in the car and went her way.

“In addition, she no longer perform any of her conjugal rites and she quarrels with me all the time.

“Florence is a highly disobedient wife and she has even vowed to eliminate me from the surface of the earth.

“She poisoned the drinking water at home with the intention that I will drink it , but I got to know and refused to take the water, ” Idowu said.

Florence, a hair dresser, who could not deny most of the allegations, however, pleaded with the court to save her marriage.

She said that she was not ready to part ways with Idowu because they both achieved greatness together.

“My lord, it is true that I consume alcohol, but it is only during cold weather.

“I wonder why Idowu is rejecting the paternity of our last child. I don’ t know why he is an SS, ” Florence said.

The couple resides at Alegun-Oleyo area of Ibadan.
(NAN )

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Contrary to the generally held belief that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo trip to meet Buhari was secretly planned and concealed from members of a shady group of presidential political manipulators who exploited the absence of ailing Nigerian President Muhammad Buhari to create internal crisis, the group had known about the trip and sent the Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami to Buhari in advance as a means of sabotaging his trip. His trip was on Monday while Osinbajo was on Tuesday.

The cabal was in a panic over the news from his doctors, who have ruled out Mr. Buhari’s return to Nigeria this month (July), as earlier projected by the clique.

Malami, our sources stated spent five minutes with Buhari before quietly returning to Nigeria unannounced. It was not clear if the short but uneventful trip achieved any purpose
The Attorney General of the Federation, Malami, was the cabal’s nominee for Vice President should Buhari fail to return to work due to ill health.

Last week, the AGF was cut off from a meeting of the “National Prosecution Committee,” which he had set up at the inception of the Buhari regime, with the Acting President. That action incensed Mr. Malami, who now fears that Mr. Osinbajo may remove him from office in the absence of President Buhari. Sources say the AGF called for the files of high-profile cases in the country and threatened he would sabotage them by filing a “Nolle Prosequi” should the Ag. president continue to sideline him.

Members of the Buhari cabal are apprehensive that Ag. President Osinbajo is consolidating his hold on power, considering the appointments he has made, and his focused work as Acting President.

The President who left for the United Kingdom abruptly on May 7, shuttles between two hospitals, one outside London and the other one within the city, occasionally returning to “Abuja House” where he recuperates when his treatment is less intense.

The Nigerian government has still not disclosed the nature of Mr. Buhari’s treatment, but it has since May 8 left his presidential jet parked at the London Stansted Airport, to where it was flown from Luton Airport.

The family of President Buhari, led by his wife, raised public expectations on Monday when she released a statement on Facebook claiming the answers of “weaker animals have been answered and that Hyenas and Jackals will be kicked out of the kingdom”.

Her cryptic message did not disclose Mr. Buhari’s condition, nor did she say if or when he will return to Nigeria after almost 10 weeks in the UK. Although Mrs. Buhari traveled to the UK reportedly to see her husband. Saharareporters learnt she rented a separate apartment in London for the duration of her stay and only met President Buhari in Abuja House for dinner.

While her Facebook posting was being circulated, President Buhari’s recently married daughter, Zahra Indimi, also sent out a tweet in which she said, “Afternoon Nigeria....”

The message appeared to infuriate Nigerians on tweeter, as they bombarded her with questions and insults. She later responded to one of the questions about her father’s health, asserting that he was doing “pretty good”.

SaharaReporters learnt from presidency sources that persons going into Abuja House to visit President Buhari, his wife included, are thoroughly searched and prevented from going in with a mobile phone. Mrs. Buhari has not released any photos of her meeting with the President since arriving in London, however, she released a photo of herself attending a memorial event for Prof. Osotimilehin in London where she gave a brief speech. She made no mention of President Buhari's health.

The cabal had earlier queued behind Senate President Bukola Saraki to frustrate and sabotage the Ag. President. That plot came to a head when Saraki, believing Mr. Osinbajo to be out of the country, plotted with some other Senators to declare him “Acting President.”

Unknown to him, the Acting President had returned from Ethiopia, where he had attended an African Union summit.

Following the exposure of their desperate moves, the cabal began to move around the north to whip up ethnic and religious sentiments against Mr. Osinbajo. On his part, Saraki has in the past two weeks twice met with the Acting President to explain his side of the story, the first at the behest of the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie-Oyegun.

Also, on Sunday, Saraki flew from Lagos for a late-night meeting with Mr. Osinbajo, in the company of the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara. Saraki is said to be losing the support of some Senators in his latest quest for power, but to shore up his base and reward core loyalists, he threatened to rejig committees in the Senate.

Also, to curb the backlash that resulted from his wild ambitions, he began pushing the Senate Whip, Prof. Sola Adeyeye, to defend him and his colleagues, trying to take advantage of Prof. Adeyeye’s credible image as a man who hails from the same Southwest region as the Ag. president.

Our presidency source said that in order to beat a possible backlash of President Buhari spending three months in London and the attendant consequences of the pressure which might come from the public, the cabal will soon announce that he will be going on his annual leave and keep hoping that he can make it to Nigeria sometime in August to help them keep power.

Posted by Kunle Olayeni


A socio-political group, Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF), yesterday declared war on the cabal allegedly working to undermine the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

It said the cabal would not stop Osinbajo from becoming the substantive president if President Muhammadu Buhari resigned or declared unfit to continue in office due to ill-health.

Addressing a press conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the NYLF National President, Comrade Elliot Afiyo, noted that the fate of Nigeria should not be determined by any selfish individual or group of individual.

Afiyo, who was flanked by the group’s Political Secretary at the event, Alhaji Abdullahi Tijani, and the Women Leader, Hajiya Hassana Iliya, said members were in the state to consult with some opinion leaders and interest groups on the road to 2019.

He expressed concern over reports that members of a cabal met in Saudi Arabia and discussed how to stop Osinbajo from becoming president if circumstances compelled the need on the country.

Afiyo stated that though the group had prayed fervently for Buhari’s quick recovery to enable him to complete his tenure, Osinbajo cannot be stopped by anybody from making progress according to constitutional provisions.

He said: “Nigeria and Nigerians have reached a stage where a group of few and selfish individuals should no longer be allowed to determine their destiny.

“We want to state that no individual or cabal can stop Professor Yemi Osinbajo from becoming substantive president if President Muhammadu Buhari resigns or declared unfit to continue in office.”

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A Nigerian passenger on Emirates Airlines on Wednesday slumped and died on arrival at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

The passenger, who arrived on the aircraft with registration number EK 783 (DX ), was identified as Dr Olusola Dada with passport number A04501199.

The spokesperson for the Lagos Airport Police Command, DSP Joseph Alabi, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday.

Alabi said the incident was reported to the police authorities after the passenger was pronounced dead by medical personnel.

The deceased, who was said to have flown in from the U.S. alongside his wife, reportedly collapsed at about 3:55 p.m. at the check port screening point.

Efforts by the airport medical personnel to resuscitate Dada proved futile and he was pronounced dead at 5:34 p. m.

It was further gathered that the deceased was the District Governor - Elect , Lions Club International, District 404 A 1.

Posted By: Precious Igbonwelundu


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The police in Lagos have arrested one Ufom Udoh for allegedly staging his kidnap in order to fleece his sibling.

The incident occurred on July 3, at Liverpool, Apapa.

It was gathered that one Victor Udoh, had reported at the police command that his younger brother was kidnapped by unknown persons.

According to the command’s spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), the case was referred to the anti-kidnapping unit and they swung into action.

He said the unit traced all calls the complainant got on his phone, adding that it led to the arrest of one Paul Okiemute, who reported the case at Udoh’s work place.

Okiemute, upon questioning confessed that Udoh staged his own kidnap to collect money from his elder brother due to his financial problems.

Famous-Cole said: “Udoh was not kidnapped. It was all planned. He staged his own kidnap so that his elder brother can pay ransom.”

The suspect said he made calls to the victim’s elder brother with an unknown number demanding a ransom of N60 million.

“Udoh was later picked up and he confessed to the crime. He said he had checked into a hotel at Iyana-Ipaja area on July 3, where he spent three nights without food and water.

“The suspect said he later trekked to Ifo area in Ogun state, only to return to Lagos looking frail for his story to look convincing,” said Famous-Cole.

Police spokesman said the Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, has directed that Udoh and his accomplice be charged to court to serve as deterrent to others likely to cause breach of peace.

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Samson Folarin

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A motorcycle rider, Ibrahim Kosoko , has been killed after he was allegedly tortured by some policemen attached to the Area D Police Command, Mushin, Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that 41-year - old Ibrahim was among nine suspects picked up by the operatives during a raid on a shopping complex at Rainbow bus - stop, Agege - Motor Road, Mushin.

The policemen were said to have arrested some persons in some shops and demanded from them the whereabouts of one Ilesanmi, who was alleged to be among the masterminds of the mayhem that was created sometime in April 2017, in the Idi - Oro area of the state.

The suspects, who denied knowing Ilesanmi ’ s whereabouts, were said to have been taken to the area command where they were detained.

Our correspondent was told that the Investigating Police Officer, one Eric, allegedly accused Ibrahim of being Ilesanmi and descended on the Lagos State indigene.

Eric was said to have been joined by other policemen , who allegedly told the victim to either confess to being Ilesanmi or give information on his whereabouts.

It was gathered that a policeman attached to the Inspector - General of Police Monitoring Team later intervened and got Ibrahim and another suspect released.

Ibrahim was said to have succumbed to his injuries and died on Saturday.

One of the shop owners , who identified himself simply as Muazu, told PUNCH Metro that Ibrahim and other customers were arrested by the policemen last week Monday.

He said , “Some people were eating in my noodle shop , while some others were chatting when the policemen appeared suddenly and arrested them. I don’ t know their offence. The policemen didn’ t say anything. ”

One of those arrested that night , who identified himself only as Azeez, said the raid occurred around 11pm.

He said, “When we got to the station, they said they were looking for Ilesanmi. Ibrahim was the one they tortured the most because the IPO, Eric , said he must tell them where Ilesanmi was. At another time, Eric said Ibrahim was the one bearing the name. The policemen took our fingerprints after which they took us to our houses to search for exhibits. They found nothing incriminating and returned us to the cell.

Another suspect, Isiaka Gbadamosi, a vulcanizer, said the policemen punched Ibrahim on different parts of his body.

“ We were there from Monday till Wednesday. I think Ibrahim sustained internal injuries from the beatings, ” he added.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the owner of two shops in the complex, whose workers were also arrested, Tunde Yusuf, contacted the policeman with the IGP monitoring team, identified simply as Supol Ben.

Yusuf said he begged Ben to help in securing the bail of his workers , as well as Ibrahim.

“ I own a lottery shop and a bar in the complex. My workers had closed for the day and were relaxing when they were arrested. Ben knew Ibrahim because the rider sometime took him free of charge to his destinations. When he heard about the incident, he went to mediate.

But the police only released Ibrahim and Isiaka (Gbadamosi ) to him, ” he added.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the families of the other seven suspects paid sums ranging from N 7,000 to N 12,000 before they were eventually freed.

Our correspondent learnt that Ibrahim took ill shortly after returning from the police station on Wednesday.

The widow, Funmilayo Kosoko, 39, said Ibrahim gave up on Saturday after complaining of pains.

She said, “ I was told that a policeman hit him on the head with a big stick during the torture. When he returned, he complained of pains. He died on Saturday. I want the government to arrest that IPO and give us justice. ”

PUNCH Metro was told that the father of four learnt tailoring as a trade, but ventured into commercial motorcycle operation to get quick money to support his family.

Our correspondent gathered that the victim was buried in Ikorodu on Monday.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous - Cole, denied the allegation of torture.

He said, “ The Area Commander said there was no torture and that the suspects arrested were suspected to be part of the Idi -Oro mayhem. As a result, they were questioned and interviewed and it was discovered they had no specific place of abode. A senior officer came for the bail of three of them, including the man in question . He was not tortured or assaulted."

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Power generation companies (GenCos) in the country are calling for an increase in electricity tariff due to “high business costs”.

Ismaila Funtua, vice chairman, Mainstream Energy Solution, made this known on Tuesday while speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the quarterly presidential business meeting held in Abuja.

He said the GenCos were asking the government to stop subsidising electricity and “let those who can pay for it do so”.

He also said the GenCos operatives had asked to meet with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo alongside key government officials to sort out constraints in their business.

“Whether government likes it or not, they have to review the tariff of power in this country,” Funtua said.

“All those playing politics with it that they do not want to increase, people do not want to hear of this. This is my cell phone; you pay for it even before you make use of it. And nobody is controlling the tariff, they charge what they want and all of us have at least one cell phone, therefore government needs to do the needful.

“If government wants power, then they cannot continue to subsidise for people, you were there when the minister of power was saying that people who have ability to pay will pay but those government needs to subsidise will be subsidised for.”

Commenting on the calls for the review of power privatization in the country, Funtua said pending questions must be answered before such calls would be addressed.

“So many people are talking about the review of the privatisation of power without knowing where we started from, where are we today, are we owed money or are we not owed money, these monies, some of it belongs to the banks, some of it belongs to us,” he asked.

Kola Adesina, managing director of Egbin Power Plc, also called for an increase in electricity tarrif, saying “the current structures on ground “are not business friendly since electricity is not political but business inclined”.

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Oluwatoyin Malik

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AN 18-year-old male, Adebayo Matthew, a JSS 2 student, who was arrested with two others by the Oyo State Police Command, made a startling revelation at the weekend on how he used to conjure knives from the air through a charm made for him by a native doctor.

Matthew also spoke on how a Yoruba Nollywood film entitled “Gbewiri Meta” he watched on cable TV influenced him so much that he decided to practise what he watched.

Speaking on the arrest of the suspect and two others, namely Akinleye Dolapo (19) and 14-year-old Deola (surname withheld), the state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Odude told Metro that they were nabbed after they attacked a female retiree in her residence on June 29 at about 11:30p.m., and dispossessed her of her Toyota Corolla car with registration number RBC 471 CG which was later recovered.

Odude added that the suspects’ arrest was made possible through the assistance of members of the public, adding that they had confessed to similar operations they carried out in the area within the same period.

In an interview with Metro, Matthew said: “After watching a Yoruba Nollywood film entitled “Gbewiri Meta” on GoTV one day, I felt it would be good for me to copy the action of the lead actor. In the film, the armed robber had three faces.

Whenever he went for robbery, he would put on a face and whenever he was arrested, he would change his face so there would be confusion, and he would be released.

“I started by entering a neighbour’s house to steal N500, but I only covered my face with a cloth which I used as mask. It was day time. I continued until I met Dolapo in June during a church programme at Otu town. We belonged to the same denomination but in our different towns.

“Later, he came to Iseyin to see a pastor and we met again. He complained that he was finding it difficult to pay his WAEC fees and needed money. I told him I would help him out. That evening, we went to a church revival service; it was there I pointed at a blue car belonging to woman and I said I knew her house. I made Dolapo know that we would go and rob the woman.

“We later went to the woman’s house between 11:00p.m., and 12 midnight, armed with knife.

When we knocked and there was no response, we broke one of the ceilings and went in. We told her that we were sent to kill her, but promised not to kill her if she would give us money.

We collected about N1,550 the woman had and took her car key. She begged me that she got the car with her retirement benefit after 35 years in service but we did not yield.

“We drove the vehicle to Tede where we stayed for four days before moving to Oyo. We left Oyo and were on our way back to Iseyin when a lady flagged us down to hitchhike to Iseyin. We picked her, but when we got to a spot, we brought out a knife and asked her to bring the money she had.

“She pleaded with us and said that all she had was the N300 she wanted to pay us for transport.

When we saw that she truly had only N300, Dolapo and I took turns to rape her in the car. While doing this, an elderly started approaching us and the lady raised the alarm.

“We abandoned the vehicle and ran away. We used the N300 we got from the lady to board a vehicle to Iseyin. We scaled the fence of a building whose owners were not around and went in.

“It was from there we went to a compound to steal a car but we could not get the key. We left a note which we hung on a car we found in the compound that we were coming back. We went away with the car’s number plate and its documents.

“We went back to the house to sleep. In the morning, we wanted to come out, unknown to us that some people had already noticed us. We waited till night, but they still waited, and when we came out at about 8:30p.m., they raised the alarm and pursued us. That was how we were arrested.’’

The teenage suspect also said that he used to command knife from the air, disclosing that the charm was made for him by an elderly man in Tede.

‘‘I went to a programme where the man performed magic. I got his address and went to him later. He made some potion with meat and told me to swallow it. He said it would start working after four days. When I tried it, it worked.

All I needed to do was to hit my hand against a wall and a knife would appear.

‘‘The charm was destroyed on the day I was arrested when water was poured on my head.

That was the charm’s taboo,’’ Matthew narrated.
He also said that 14-year-old Deola also followed him to the house where number plates were removed.

The second suspect, Dolapo, confirmed Matthew’s diabolical power to conjure knives from the air, saying that he did it in his presence to scare him when he said he was not going to join him in robbery.

Dolapo, who said he did not have money to sit for the just-concluded WASCE, said he was training to become a ‘doctor’ under one Aunty Saadat in Okeho town. He added that he was in Iseyin to see a pastor over his boss’s thermometer that he broke when he met Matthew and he lured him to robbery.

He also admitted raping their female victim.
The police commissioner said that the suspects would be arraigned in court at the conclusion of investigation.

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Posted by Kunle Olayeni

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Police said yesterday they had arrested a middle-age man, Ojo Adebowale, for allegedly hacking into the Facebook account of a member of the Ogun State House of Assembly.

The suspect, until his arrest, was a security guard with a Lagos-based private security firm, Proton Guard.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, said in a statement that the suspect was tracked by detectives in Lagos.

Oyeyemi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, added that Adebowale impersonated the lawmaker representing Ipokia/Idiroko State Constituency in the House, Hon. Ojo Adebowale Viwanu.

He explained that following the lawmaker’s complaint, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ibara, Abeokuta, Abiodun Bakare, detailed some detectives to unravel the person behind the alleged impersonation.

He said: “The suspect was tracked down to Lagos State by detectives attached to Ibara Divisional headquarters where the lawmaker has earlier complained that an unknown person has hacked into his Facebook account and using it to defraud unsuspecting members of the public of their hard earned money.

“The lawmaker revealed that some of his associates fell victim of the impostor.

“On the strength of his complaint, the DPO Ibara Division, CSP Abiodun Bakare, detailed some detectives to unravel the person behind the dastardly act.

“Their efforts paid off when the suspect was eventually technically traced to Lagos where he was arrested.”

The PPRO added that the suspect had already made confessional statement to the police.

He said the state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, had ordered that the suspect be arraigned as soon as investigation was concluded.

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BY ISAIAH BENJAMIN, Kaduna


The All Progressives Congress (APC) Kaduna State under the aegis of ‘APC AKIDA’ has passed a vote of no confidence on Governor Nasir El-Rufai over series of allegations against his administration considered to be anti-people.

This was disclosed at a press conference addressed by chieftains of the party in the state as contained in a statement read by Maitamaki Tom Maiyashi.

Others who were in attendance at the briefing include, Senator ShehuSani, Hon Isah Ashiru, Ambassador Sule Buba, AlhajiTijjani Ramalan, Alhaji Yaro Makama Rigachikwu, Admiral Ibrahim Iko among several other chieftains of the party in the state.

According to the APC chieftains who expressed displeasure with the activities of the governor in the statethe governor has embarked on the “destruction of community peace or mortgaging the future of our children whose state of education and development is hitting its worst level.”

The party chieftains said, “The current sorry state of affairs in the state is characterized by the near total absence of leadership of the party at all levels. The party has been deliberately weakened and virtually rendered ineffective.

“There is complete lack of consultation with critical stakeholders even on matters relating to party members or the community.

“Government’s intolerance of any opinion contrary to the mindset of the governor.

Mercenaries are hired to attack individuals and anybody who dares any opinion meant to add value to public policy.

“The only opinion or input respected is, those of hired consultants specifically recruited from outside the state who do not even understand our environment and lack the commitment to address our developmental priorities.

“These cronies and agents so recruited have virtually rendered the state civil service redundant and inactive. Morale in the civil service today is at its lowest ebb.

“Local government administration has been badly fractured, weakened and literary strangulated. Regrettably the state is walking into another circle of avoidable crises. This time around, it is the ‘attack’ on traditional and community institutions that have sustained our sense of community for ages from pre –colonial days”


. . . Vote Borne Out Of Frustration – el-Rufai

In a swift reaction to the vote of no confidence passed on the governor of Kaduna State, MalamNasir El-Rufai by the Kaduna All Progressive Congress (APC) under the aegis of ‘APC AKIDA’, the governor has described the action as mere demonstration of their frustration and greediness and a deliberate attempt to set the state on fire.

The governor who addressed the press through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Samuel Aruwan reiterated that “Government cannot be deterred from doing what is important, necessary and consequential for our people. That is a more important goal than the ego and private interests of certain individuals.”

Posted By: Yusuf Alli


Barring a last-minute change of mind, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will begin today the recall of Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West).

But supporters of the embattled senator have been pleading with some Christian clerics to intervene in the matter.

A team headed by INEC National Commissioner might oversee the process, which may also involve its Operation Department.

A top INEC official, who spoke in confidence, said: “There is no restraining order from any court. We will go ahead with the first leg. But if along the line, INEC is stopped from going ahead with the exercise, we will stop it.

“Pasting the verification notice is just the first leg of the process, which cannot hurt Melaye in any way.

“Even the process does not amount to removing the senator. By virtue of Section 110, a lawmaker is only opportune to gauge the mood of his or her constituents on his or her performance.

“If a lawmaker is doing well, he or she should feel free to face the electorate. The process is not a setback at all for any lawmaker.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “A team to be coordinated by the National Commissioner for Northcentral will oversee the process. Definitely, the Operation Department will be involved.

“INEC will, however, seek legal opinion immediately it is served the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

“We have subsisting court judgments, including those of the Court of Appeal, indicating that no court can stop a recall, which is like an election.”

Melaye’s counsel Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) flew into Abuja yesterday.

Some supporters of the embattled senator have been begging some Christian clerics to assist by whipping up religious sentiments, another source said.

The INEC timetable shows that Melaye’s recall will run from July 10th to August 19th.

The notice, dated July 3, 2017, reads: “In exercise of the powers conferred on the Independent National Electoral Commission (“the Commission”) by Sections 69 and 110 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended); Section 116 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and of all the powers enabling it in that behalf, the Commission hereby issues this timetable schedule of activities for the recall of the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Kogi State.”

The details of the timetable are as follows:

Notice of Verification(July 10, 2017). To be posted at the constituency (INEC LGA office, Lokoja).

Last day for submission of application by interested observers (31st July 2017). INEC headquarters.

Last day for submission of names of verification agents for the member sought to be recalled and the petitioners (August 10, 2017). By a letter addressed and submitted to the Resident Electoral Commission (REC) indicating the Polling Unit verification agents arranged by LGAs as well as collation agents and where they will serve.

Stakeholders meeting (August 15, 2017). INEC State Office.

Conduct of Verification (August 19, 2017). To be held in the Polling Units in the constituency.

“The commission shall issue the timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of referendum subject to the outcome of the verification exercise.”

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By Ismail Mudashir


The comment by the acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, on the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, was not the real reason why the Senators drew a battle line with the acting President, Daily Trust on Sunday has reliably gathered.

High level sources at the Senate told our correspondent that three reasons considered as “unpardonable sins of the acting President” were responsible for the senators stance. Osinbajo’s comment on Magu, the sources said, was only used as a cover up to justify the hostile action.

The Senate, on Tuesday passed a resolution suspending all issues relating to confirmation of political appointees sent to it by the Presidency, until the chairman of the EFCC was removed.

The Senators also demanded the outright sack of Magu, withdrawal of the comment made by Osinbajo and respect for laws relating to confirmation.

The resolutions were passed after the acting President’s request for the confirmation of the Director-General of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Mr Lanre Gbajabiamila, was read on the floor of the Senate.

A Senator close to the leadership of the Senate said Federal Government’s appeal of the judgement of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in the asset declaration case against the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, was the main reason for the onslaught against the acting President.

Saraki was in June acquitted in the false and anticipatory declaration of assets case before the CCT.

The CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar, had on June 14 upheld the no-case submission which Saraki filed after the prosecution closed its case, clearing him of the 13-count charges bordering on corruption leveled against him.

But the Federal Government filed 11 grounds of appeal at the Appeal Court in Abuja, challenging the judgement of the tribunal.

The government is asking the appellate court to set aside the CCT judgment and order Saraki to open his defence.

Appealing the judgement by the Federal Government, according to the source, was responsible for the latest offensive against the acting President, as it was generally believed by the Senators that Osinbajo was behind it.

“The Appeal of the case laid the foundation for the fight. It is widely believed in the camp of the Senate President that the acting President was responsible for it. If the appeal is not withdrawn, the fight will not end,” the lawmaker who does not want to be named said.


He also said the ongoing bid to recall Senator Dino Melaye in Kogi West by members of his constituents was being considered as ploy to get at Saraki.

“We are of the view that the rate at which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is going about it, is because it’s being teleguided to do so by the Presidency. This is another ploy to get at the Senate President. As you know, Melaye is his (Saraki) top loyalist,” he said.

Reminded of the fight between Melaye and the Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, the lawmaker said, “You cannot know this more than me. I’m aware of it but the fight at the home front cannot make INEC to be all out to recall Melaye, no matter the influence of the governor in the commission. INEC is being controlled by the Federal Government.”

The third reason, according to the ranking Senator was the issue of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, who he said was acting the script of the acting President “to abuse the National Assembly and shortchanged five out of the six geopolitical zones.”

“We are not happy with Osinbajo at all because he has refused to call Fashola to order. Fashola and him (Osinbajo) are only interested in pumping money to the South-West. Look at the Airport project. And it is only the Lagos/Ibadan road that is ongoing in the country. There is the feeling of sectionalism,” he said.

Another Senator who also corroborated this said the issue of impeachment was real and that the acting President had no support base in the National Assembly.

“If you look at it, the voices in support of it are more than those who are against it. Saraki has no opposition in the Senate now. If somebody like Marafa can come out and say Saraki should be the acting President, which opposition are you talking about again?

“If care is not taken, we are heading towards a serious problem because if they started collating signatures, the man will become a history. The House will not hesitate to concur with us. It’s going to be a one-way affair,” he said.

It was gathered that the issue of impeachment came up at an executive session of the Senate on Tuesday that preceded the resolution on Magu. At the session that lasted for about an hour, a Senator mooted the idea. Source at the meeting said the issue of Melaye was also discussed.

The source said: “A Senator brought the idea but let me be frank with you, it wasn’t the general opinion. In fact, it was a side comment.”



On resolution for the sack of Magu, he said: “If they refuse to sack Magu, we will look at the constitution and do the needful, the source said.

In a phone interview, the chairman of the Senate Commitee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Kabiru Marafa (APC, Zamfara), denied that there was anything to the resolution other than the acting President’s comment on Magu.

“As a Senator and on my honour, I know nothing underground to the resolution. Nobody has anything underground against anybody, to my knowledge. It’s purely because of the acting President’s comment on Magu, that’s all,” he said.

Clarifying his statement on Saraki during the debate on acting President’s comment, he said, “I stated it on a lighter note. This government is ours and I’m an APC member blood and soul. I’m solidly behind this government. Both the President and the acting President are my leaders. I respect their humility and honesty.

Contacted, the chairman of the Senate Commitee on Ethics, Privileges and Public petitions, Senator Samuel Anyanwu (PDP, Imo), who gave the Senate leadership 48 hours to act on Osinbajo said they are waiting for the decision of the Senate leadership on it.

Anyanwu who replied to a text message from our reporter said: “We are looking up to the leadership because they are yet to meet with the acting President.” Senator Anyanwu stated this on Friday night, 24 hours after Saraki met Osinbajo behind closed doors.

Several efforts to get the reaction of the Senate’s spokesperson, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, were not successful as his mobile phones were switched off as at the time of filing this report.

Our reporter recalls that this is the second time that the Senate would be suspending the confirmation of the President’s nominees over Magu. In March, it suspended the confirmation of 27 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) over the same issues.

After many weeks, it screened the nominees. So Far, 15 out the nominees have been confirmed.

A former governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, says the Bill before the House of Representatives seeking amnesty for treasury looters would only legitimise corruption.

Musa said that he was disappointed with the lawmakers for even discussing the bill.

“ Honestly, I am terribly disappointed that a bill like that is being discussed at the National Assembly.

“The bill is immoral and it shows the level of moral degeneration the country has attained especially at the leadership level.

“The proposal to me, is a way of legitimising corruption because you are telling people to loot and declare may be part of the loot, then you are set free.

“This is not good for Nigeria, for development and for the fight against corruption, ” he said.

The bill, sponsored by Linus Okorie (PDP Ebonyi) was read for the first time on the floor of the House on June 14.

It seeks to allow those who looted public treasury to return certain percentage of the money in exchange for total amnesty from prosecution.

Musa who questioned the morality of the lawmakers for even discussing the bill urged them to drop it, saying it hurt the collective interest of Nigerians.

Also speaking on the issue, Chairman, Center for Anti -Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL ), Mr Debo Adeniran , said if the bill was allowed to become law, it would encourage corruption with impunity.

Adeniran said what the country needed at this time were laws that would strengthen the anti - corruption war and ensure punishment for looters.

“This bill is uncalled for because the only thing it will achieve is to encourage people to steal and return part of the money for amnesty.

“At the end, it will still be victory for corruption and that is not good for the development of the country, ” he said.

Adeniran also spoke on the decision of the government to publish names of looters, saying the move would go a long way in discouraging corruption.

He, however, urged the government to ensure judicious use of recovered looted funds so as to impact on the lives of the masses.

“ Yes, the decision of the Federal Government to publish names of looters following a court order is a welcome development.

“We cannot say we are fighting corruption when people steal money at the expense of the generality of Nigerians and they cannot be identified, so the development is good for the anti - corruption war.

“However, the government must also ensure recovered monies are channelled into development projects.

“It is not justifiable to have bad roads, unemployment and all of that when recovered monies are lying somewhere.

“So government should not only publish the names but expend the recovered monies on development projects, ” he said.
(NAN )

lalasticlala

Posted by Juliana Francis

https://newtelegraphonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Aishat.png

At an age when most girls are still burning the midnight candle, in preparation for the senior secondary school examinations, 15-year-old Aishat has become a mother.
Less than two weeks after she had the baby, her mother-in-law and her lover’s siblings forcibly took the baby from her. They also allegedly beat and kicked her out of their home.

Aishat, a Junior Secondary School (JSS3) dropout, didn’t know what to do after she was sent out of her lover’s house and her two weeks’ old baby snatched from her.

She went to call her mother, Adijat, hoping she woman would resolve the issue and retrieve her baby. However, her mother was also thoroughly beaten.

According to Aishat’s mother, life has been too tough and difficult for her to handle after the death of her bricklayer husband. The financial situation was so bad that she and her children now sleep outside in the cold.

According to Adijat, she and her three children sleep in front of a locked up shop at Iyano-Oba.

They took to sleeping there because Adijat, who sells sachet water, could no longer afford to pay house rent, which is N2,000 monthly.

Aishat’s traumatic story started when she was 12 years’ old. She was staying with her maternal grandmother in Ilorin, Kwara State, when she was first defiled.

It was later discovered that Aishat wasn’t the man’s only victim. The man, identified as Taiwo, was later arrested, but she couldn’t tell if he was arraigned or not. She was never called to testify in court.
After her grandmother died, Aishat returned to Lagos, to start assisting her mother to sell water. Then she met Sunday Rowland.

She couldn’t remember the year she met Sunday, but she ran away to stay with him for a week in 2015. This means that Sunday started having sexual intercourse with Aishat when she was less than 13 years’ old. Sunday is a carpenter and sometimes works as bus conductor. He is believed to be 28 years’ old. He lives in a room apartment in his mother’s house at Jakande, Ajagbadi, Okokomaiko.

He told Aishat that he loved her and promised to marry her. She believed him. She disclosed that on the very first day they met, Sunday compelled her to spend the night with him.
She, however, quickly added: “But we didn’t do anything. No sex.”

She said: “Sunday’s mother asked me to bring my parents for introduction. Sunday came with me to see my mother. He told my mother that he was going to marry me. I started staying with him, his mother, sisters and brothers. They are many. They stay in one room, gave Sunday one room and rented out other rooms. I assisted Sunday’s mum in hawking oranges. I became sick. The woman took me to a nurse, who operates in a room apartment. The nurse said I was four months pregnant.

“I thought my mother-in-law liked me, especially since I used to assist her to hawk oranges. But she and others joined hands in beating my mother and I two weeks after I had my baby. They didn’t care that I had just been delivered of a baby. They beat and kicked me out of their house and took my baby.”

Adijat, 36, said Aishat was the oldest among her children. The second child is two and a half years old, while the third is just seven months old. Adijat’s husband died when she was just three months pregnant. She said the man died after a lingering typhoid fever.

She said: “When my husband died, Aishat had to drop out of school. I couldn’t afford school fees. We were living at Iba then, but later forced to leave our apartment because I couldn’t pay the N2,000 monthly rent. We came here to Iyano-Oba to live. We sleep in front of this shop, morning and night, rain or sun.

“My parents are late and my husband’s father is late too. His mother is alive, but very old. I ought to be taking care of her. I’m from Kwara State, but my husband is from Osun State. We refused to return to Osun State after everything fell apart because there’s nothing there for us. How do we survive? Who will take care of us?

“I realised that something was going between Sunday and Aishat when I saw him twice with her. Then, Aishat ran away from home in 2015. I started looking for her and found her in Sunday’s house. I also met his mother. The mother told me that Sunday was going to marry Aishat.”

Last year, Adijat realised that Aishat was looking sickly, she took her for pregnancy test and it was positive. She dragged the girl to Sunday’s mother.

“When I got to their house, they said they knew she was pregnant. That they had already registered her with one nurse operating in a room apartment,” said Adijat. “It was after that discovery that she started living with them.”

Adijat thought that her first daughter was finally settled, thus she could focus on taking care of the other two children, she didn’t know her troubles were just beginning.

She recounted that Aishat was six months pregnant when serpent crept into the otherwise perceived rosy relationship of Aishat and Sunday.

Adijat said: “He stopped giving her food and money. She used to come to meet me for food. Sometimes, even with pregnancy, Aishat would join me in hawking sachet water. If we don’t sell the sachet water, we wouldn’t be able to raise money to buy food. I used to collect the bags of sachet water on credit; it’s only after selling that I would pay the owner.

“Sunday bought a phone of N2,000 for Aishat. She was hungry and had to use the phone in exchange for food. She gave it to a Hausa man and he gave her noodles and some money. Sunday and his family got angry over that. She was pregnant and hungry. What were they expecting her to do? What’s the use of a phone when you’re hungry?”

Adijat said that on the day Aishat went into labour, she was alone in Sunday’s family’s house. She rushed to Iyano-Oba to meet her, confused and worried that she was “urinating on her body.” Immediately, Adijat knew Aishat’s water had broken.

Adijat rushed her to the nurse’s place, but the woman refused to commence treatment. The nurse said that some vital items, needed for baby delivery, had not been bought.

Adijat recounted: “In fact, Sunday and his people had not bought anything. Not a single item. I ran around and raised some money; I bought two baby clothes and a shawl. I gave the nurse N2,000 to commence work. Aishat delivered a baby girl two weeks ago. We took her home to Sunday’s family.”

On the eight day after delivery, they had a christening. A day after the christening, Aishat was kicked out and the baby collected by Sunday’s mother.

Recollecting the drama that led to Sunday’s mum seizing the baby, Aishat said: “At midnight, a day after the christening, the baby was crying, Sunday’s mum woke me; she said I should breastfeed her. I did, but she continued to cry. I told her that I didn’t think that it was hungry that was making the baby cry. She asked what was making the baby cry, I didn’t say anything. The baby was still crying, and then I fell asleep again. In the morning, she asked me to leave. She said Sunday said I should leave and that they should lock his room. She collected the baby from me.

“I went to tell my mother. She took me to Sunday’s mum, when we got there; they started beating me and my mother. It was Sunday’s sister, Iya-Grace, that beat me; I thought she wanted to kill me. My mother was attacked and beaten by a man, along with Sunday’s mum.”

Adijat took over the narration: “They drove Aishat away and collected her baby from her because, according to them, she didn’t breastfeed the baby properly. What does Aishat know about baby and breastfeeding? Is Aishat not a child herself? I went to Ajamgbadi Police Station to report the attack on us and the abduction of the baby. How can anyone take a two weeks’ old baby from its mother? I was given a policewoman at the station.

When we got to Sunday’s house, they almost attacked the policewoman, she left. The following day, I went back to the station, they gave me a policeman, we went back to Sunday’s family, the same thing happened. The third time, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) gave us six policemen, but when we got there, nobody was at home. The place was deserted. We left; no arrest was made.”

Adijat didn’t know what to do next, not until a concerned trader, Mr. Michael Igbokwe, selling in one of the shops got to hear about the alleged maltreatment and abduction.

He took over the matter and started frequently visiting police station on behalf of the widow and her daughter.

Igbokwe said: “I’m the caretaker of this plaza. I noticed that the woman and her children used to sleep outside here every night. I noticed that the little girl’s breasts were unusually large and dripping. I started asking questions. I heard that her mother-in-law collected her two weeks’ old baby and sent her packing. It was annoying.

They knew the mother is poor and uneducated. They took advantage of the little girl. They collected her baby. I don’t like injustice. I took them to police station.

“The family of the man seemed to have gone into hiding; police are looking for them. In fact, the DPO said if anyone has information that could lead to arrest and rescue of the baby; they should come to the police station. Right now, nobody knows what had become of the baby; whether they have sold her. One thing I know, however, if anything happens to that baby, the whole world will hear about it.I can bet you that!”

An Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Mr. Monday Agbonika, formerly working with Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), said that Sunday ought to be arrested and charged to court for defilement, which attracts life imprisonment under the Lagos State government law. Sunday’s mum should be arrested for child labour, for making Aishat to hawk oranges.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olarinde Famous-Cole, disclosed that Sunday’s mother and the baby are now with the Ojo Police Station, while the DPO is trying to mediate in the matter.

He said: “The case was reported at Ojo Police Station, about a girl that just had a baby. She refused to breastfeed her baby.

The man, who got her pregnant, had no wherewithal to take care of her. The mother-in-law now decided to take care of the child. The lady now raised the alarm that the mother-in-law was trying to take the baby from her.

“The matter was taken to DPO Ojo and he had been trying to mediate and see that them both parties came to an agreement.

But the problem is that these people don’t have the wherewithal to take care of the child. The girl’s mother is not ready to accept the terms and conditions given to her by the DPO. It’s a case of negligence on both sides.”

Famous-Cole added that information available to him was that Aishat and Sunday, failed to take care of the baby, so the mother-in-law took over.

He added: “One of the best ways of handling this issue is to refer them to the government. If they can’t take care of the baby, they should give her to the state; the state will take care of her.”

Our correspondent had also alerted Mrs. Lola Vivour-Adeniyi, Coordinator, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) of the matter.

In a text message, Vivour-Adeniyi asked that Aishat and her mother be brought to her office.

lalasticlala

ImadeUReadThis:
I will not defend a treacherous coward afonja Presidency

CharlotteFlair:
If he Saraki doesn't take your advice, what befell the evil bigot in London would be child's play right?

ImadeUReadThis:
I will not defend a treacherous coward afonja Presidency

ImadeUReadThis:
Afonjas getting all religious this morning


Gbaduraah

By Jideofor Adibe @JideoforAdibe


There is a new test of will between the Senate and the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo. The trigger was a recent letter by the Acting President seeking Senate confirmation of Gbajabiamila as DG, Lottery Commission. Shortly after the letter was read, Ahmed Sanni from Zamfara State raised a point of order and opposed the demand from the acting president. Several media outlets reported that the Senate at that session  threatened to impeach the Acting President unless he withdraws his statement on Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman of the EFCC, which the Senators regard as a deliberate attempt to denigrate the institution of the Senate. The Senators also want Magu to be sacked as Acting Chairman of the EFCC on the grounds that he twice failed to scale through the screening hurdles.

The background to this is that in April 2017 Professor Osinbajo reportedly faulted the insistence of the Senate that Ibrahim Magu should cease from parading himself as Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). After the Senate rejected Magu’s candidacy for the second time, Osinjabo was quoted as saying: “I’m fully in support of Magu as the EFCC chairman, just as the president is. It is up to the Senate to make their judgement.

If our candidate is rejected…we can represent our candidate.... I fully agree with [Femi] Falana that there was no need in the first place to have presented Mr. Magu for confirmation.” (The Sun, April 13, 2017).  In taking that position Professor Osinbajo, a lawyer and SAN, argued that although the EFCC Act requires that an EFCC chairman be confirmed by the Senate, part of Section 171 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which he argued is superior to the act, does not mandate such Senate confirmation.

The Senate first refused to confirm Ibrahim Magu as chairman of the EFCC in December 2016, and rejected him again in March 2017.  On both occasions he was rejected based on adverse security report from the DSS.

There are speculations that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has been the main supporter of the candidacy of Magu in the presidency. For instance the two times  Magu was presented for confirmation in the Senate coincided with periods the substantive President Buhari was away, and he was holding forte for him as Acting President.  It is also speculated that the DSS would not have had the audacity to submit such a damning report on Magu – twice, with the second being even more damning than the first- if President Buhari was truly warm to Magu’s candidacy.

Being that as it may, I believe there is a strong moral - if not legal- issue on the position of the Presidency (or is it the Acting President?) on the Magu affair: 

I believe that those criticising the Senate for rejecting Magu twice, (when in their estimation he is doing a good job), miss the point.  The Upper Chamber has the constitutional and moral authority to reject any nominee put before it. Whether members are driven by emotions or a desire to cover their backs is immaterial.

In the past the Senate had also been accused of treating some nominees with velvet gloves with its infamous “take a bow and go” – just as some had also been refused confirmation on trite grounds such as their inability to recite the national anthem off-head (Sure, the ability to recite the national anthem is important but it is hardly a valid metric for measuring one’s competence for a job).  The point here is that being ‘qualified’ is not enough to scale the screening hurdle just as being qualified does not guarantee that people will vote for you if you stand for an election. 


A broader question raised by Magu’s second rejection by the Senate is whether he can continue as Acting Chairman of the EFCC. While the law seems to be silent on the number of times an Acting Chairman of the EFCC can be re-presented to the Senate for confirmation, I believe there is a persuasive moral argument why it will amount to impunity if Magu is allowed to continue to act. First, it will make mockery of the entire Senate confirmation process - which is a legal requirement in the statute setting up the EFCC.

Second, we may be setting a precedent where in future, a nominee likely to have issues of confirmation in the Senate can be appointed to that office in an acting capacity ad infinitum. Third, is the implicit  notion that the effectiveness of the EFCC is dependent on a mythical ‘superhuman’ who heads it and that Magu is such a superhuman whose fear should be the beginning of wisdom for all the corrupt people in the land. Such a messianic complex is antithetical to institution-building. Sustainable fight against corruption must be institution, not person-driven. 

Let me mention that under the separation of power principle in presidential systems of government, it is not abnormal for nominees to be rejected on any ground or even for the three arms of government to aggressively and jealously guard their spheres of influence. 

Based on the above, I am with the Senate in trying to guard against the institution of the Senate being ridiculed. A judge whose judgment is continuously flouted should at a point question whether there is a need for delivering more judgments if the ones he delivered previously are being disregarded. I believe that is the point the Senate wants to make by refusing to discuss the letter presented by Acting President Osinbajo asking it to confirm Gbajabiamila as DG, Lottery Commission.

However, I believe that by raising the impeachment axe at this point, (as reported by some papers), the Senate may have misfired.  It is a PR disaster to raise an impeachment axe against an Acting President, who is on a crest of his popularity with Nigerians. The Senate (and the entire national Assembly) seems oblivious of the fact that it has an image problem – sometimes unfairly.  Members of the National Assembly are often vilified for malfeasances that may actually be worse in the other two arms of the government.

While I am sympathetic with their position to suspend the screening of nominees from the presidency, wouldn’t it have been more ennobling for the Senate to approach the Supreme Court for a declaration on the Magu affair and declare that such a suspension of screening will remain in force until the Supreme Court rules on the matter?  By making it seem as if they have issues with Magu as a person – rather than defending principles and the institution of the Senate-  they worsen their image problem by inadvertently feeding  into  the narrative that they are picking on Magu  only because he is their nemesis and the only one they cannot bribe or manipulate.  

Raising the impeachment axe will also work against the image of the Senate president Bukola Saraki – as a person. The general belief is that that he has a presidential ambition – a legitimate aspiration for any Nigerian. But then people may start linking the impeachment axe being raised to a desire by Saraki to realize his supposed presidential ambition using the Macbeth or ‘apiam way’ method. In the unlikely event that the Acting President is impeached, the Senate President takes over. Now if you add the way he emerged as Senate President to this sort of narrative, it will not be a flattering portraiture of the Senate President.  

And talking about the Senate’s penchant for shooting itself on the foot, I believe it is also wrong of the Senate, as an institution, to dabble into the current moves to recall Senator Dino Melaye. The Senate was quoted as telling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that it was wasting its time with the recall move “because the various stages so far in the move, as facilitated by the electoral umpire, were not in line with laid down constitutional procedures and guidelines” (Vanguard, July 5, 2017). The resolution of the Senate was sequel to a point of order raised against the recall move by Senator Dino Melaye himself. The problem here is that it is not the constitutional role of the Senate to interpret the law or adjudicate on whether the procedures followed in the  Dino Melaye recall case were lawful or not.

It is a matter for the courts – and the case is already in court. The Senate cannot therefore be accusing the executive of usurping its functions while at the same time trying to usurp another branch of the government’s function.  

Of course we all know that the entire move to recall Senator Dino Melaye is politics. Certainly fellow Senators have a right to do what they can to help their colleague – but not in the name of the Senate as an institution. Besides, Dino Melaye’s traducers are not publicly showing their faces, raising the question of the propriety of institutions that are supporting Melaye publicly showing theirs.

lalasticlala

A mother, Rhoda Joshua of Karu, has asked a Grade 1 Area Court, Karu, Abuja, to order John Okechukwu, 27, of Nasarawa State to pay her N 800,000 damages for allegedly impregnating her 14-year - old daughter.

Joshua told the court on Wednesday that her daughter, who was a Secondary School 1 student in a school in Nasarawa State, had been in a sexual relationship with Okechukwu since 2016.

“ My Lord , my daughter has been seeing this guy since last year when she was 13 and as a mother, I noticed she had started having sex with him.

“ I warned her and even beat her to stop it but instead of bringing home a result of flying colours , she brought this pregnancy nine months ago.

“ I kept cautioning my daughter against the relationship and advised her to face her studies because I am a widow but she told me the guy said he wanted to marry her.

“He impregnated her while she was still in school so she had to drop out and since she took in till now that she will give birth he has never given her even one naira for her or the coming baby.

“ I have been the one taking care of her , the pregnancy and her younger one and I have no support from anywhere.

“ So , I am pleading with this Court to order him to pay me the sum of N800,000 in damages for allowing her to drop out of school because of the pregnancy and for not taking any responsibility since my daughter became pregnant and for refusing to marry her.

“ He promised to marry her but since she became pregnant till now that she will soon put to bed, he has refused to even take us to his family members, keep to his promise or take any form of responsibility, ’’ Joshua said.

In his response, Okechukwu said he was not ready to get married but would be giving a little sum for the upkeep of the girl.

“ My Lord, she will have my baby and that is my responsibility and I will be giving a token toward that.

“ Even if I don’t marry her that baby will make our relationship everlasting.

“ I am also a student and cannot get married now but I will try and be giving a token for the upkeep of the baby. I am not sure of the future itself, ’’ he said.

While responding to a question from the court if she was ready to get married to the respondent , the victim said she was not willing to get married to him.

“ I cannot marry him because he did not keep to his words of getting married to me and taking good care of me since I became pregnant rather he denied me and said he can't marry me. ’’

After listening to all involved, the judge, Abdullahi Baba , said the case could only be heard in a customary court.

“ The issue brought by the plaintiff before this court is centred on marriage and this can only be determined by a customary court of law.

‘”So , let this case be transferred to the Customary Court in Karu for a proper trial , ’’ Baba said.
(NAN )

lalasticlala

Oluwatosin Omojuyigbe


The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday confronted an embattled Senior Advocate of Nigeria , Dr . Joseph Nwobike , with various text messages he allegedly sent to court officials to influence court cases he was handling .

Nwobike is being tried by the EFCC on 11 counts bordering on perverting the course of justice and offering gratification to public officials .

The judges involved in the alleged gratification scam are Justice H. A. Nganjiwa and Justice Musa Kurya , all of the Federal High Court , Lagos and Justice Agbadu Fishim of the National Industrial Court .

The EFCC claimed that Nwobike engaged in sending illegal text messages to four registrars of the Federal High Court in a bid to unduly influence his cases being heard by the judges .

Nwobike , however, denied all the charges .
While being led in evidence by his counsel , Mr. Olawale Akoni (SAN) , Nwobike had told the court that the money he allegedly gave to the judges was not gratification but was meant to assist them.

He had noted that the judges were old friends who he had been acquainted with while in the university which was long before they were appointed as judges
A compact disc (Exhibit P21) allegedly containing text messages from the SAN’ s seized mobile phone (Exhibit P18) was projected on a screen during the cross - examination of Nwobike at his ongoing trial at an Ikeja High Court .

During cross - examination , the EFCC counsel , Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, accused Nwobike of sending text messages to one Mr. Baruwa, a clerk of the Federal High Court, Lagos .

He claimed that Nwobike was aware that Baruwa worked with one Mr. Jide, a Deputy Registrar of the court .

Responding, Nwobike said , “ I know Mr. Baruwa ; he is a clerk of the Federal High Court. I do not know he works with Mr. Jide; he told me that his office is directly opposite Mr. Jide’ s office .

“ I have had course to send messages to Mr. Baruwa in the course of my duties just like any other legal practitioner , ” Nwobike said .

Disputing Nwobike ’ s claims , Oyedepo maintained that Nwobike was aware that the clerk shared an office with the Deputy Chief Registrar.

Confronting the SAN further , Oyedepo showed him text messages in which details of lawsuits were allegedly sent by Nwobike to Baruwa in a bid to assign the cases to some specific judges.

Oyedepo accused the SAN of obstructing the prosecution of Dr . Femi Thomas , a client of Nwobike who was allegedly caught at the Muritala International Airport with $ 200 m dollars .

Justice Raliat Adebiyi adjourned the case till July 12 for continuation of trial.

lalasticlala

CROWNWEALTH019:
Only miscreants would kick against the senate headed by our incorruptible saraki

Saraki is the reason we still in democracy cause left to buhari he's ready to destroy the country