NEWS
Fraud: Court orders service of summons on EFCC, Oshiomhole
The Federal High Court, Abuja Tuesday ordered that court processes be served on former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomole, over alleged financial fraud while in office.
Justice Anwuli Chikere, gave the order while ruling on the exparte application brought before the court by Bishop Osadolor Ochei.
The application is seeking an order of mandamus to compel Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to arrest and commence criminal proceedings against Oshiomole for allegedly diverting state funds into personal use.
Justice Chikere, while ordering that the EFCC be served also with the same court process, stressed that the service be done within five days from October 9, when the order was made.
The ex-parte, with suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/628/ 2018, and filed by Dr. West Idahosa on behalf of the plaintiff, has Oshiomole and EFCC as 1st and 2nd respondents respectively.
Idahosa while arguing the motion, urged the court to allow the respondents file their reply to the weighty allegations made against them by the applicant.
Bishop Ochei had on October, 28, 2016, petitioned the EFCC against Oshiomhole, who was governor of Edo state from November 2008 to November 11, 2016.
While praying the court to grant the request of his client, Idahosa referred the court to 86 exhibits filed in support of the application, stressing that there were documents and electronic pictures of palatial houses of the former governor, whose earnings all his life cannot acquire and that there were evidence on how Oshiomhole allegedly diverted money meant for Edo State project to his personal projects.
The counsel added that there were vouchers of exorbitant air fares that the former governor incurred, and that the amount of air fares was enough to buy air carrier for the people of Edo State.
Idahosa also stated that there were receipts of how the former governor used huge amount of states funds to repair of his private vehicles, and urged the court to grant the relief of his client.
According to him, EFCC has arrested and prosecuted lesser crimes and there was no reason the anti-graft agency should ignore the petition.
The court has adjourned the matter till October 23, for arguments from parties in the suit.
•Sourced from The Guardian report
The party faulted the decision of the electoral umpire in a statement on Saturday by the spokesperson for its Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Festus Keyamo.
Keyamo, who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said they received the news of INEC’s decision with “great disappointment and disillusionment”.
“We condemn and deprecate this tardiness of the electoral umpire in the strongest terms possible,” he said.
“President Muhammadu Buhari had since cooperated fully with INEC by ensuring everything it demanded to conduct free and fair elections were promptly made available to it.”
The APC campaign council spokesman noted that the postponement was a disappointment to his party and their supporters across the country.
He, therefore, warned INEC against bowing to the purported pressure of the opposition which he said was not ready for the elections.
According to Keyamo, credible demographic projections have predicted a defeat of the opposition party and it needs the breather to halt President Muhammadu Buhari’s momentum.
“We do hope that INEC will remain neutral and impartial in this process as the rumour mill is agog with the suggestion that this postponement has been orchestrated in collusion with the main opposition,” he alleged.
The council spokesman added, “It is in the light of the above that we wish to appeal to Nigerians and our supporters to be patient, calm and resolute despite this temporary setback.
“Let us not give anyone … the opportunity to plunge this nation into a crisis, which is what they earnestly desire.”
INEC had postponed the general elections by a week, less than five hours to the start of the polls.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, announced the decision at a short press briefing held at 2:44 am on Saturday morning in Abuja.
According to him, the Presidential and National Assembly elections, initially scheduled for today, February 16, will now hold on February 23, while the governorship and state houses of assembly elections will take place on March 9.
The Independent National Electoral Commission in Nigeria (INEC) on Friday night announced a shift in the general elections dates to February 23 and March 9 respectively.
The new schedule was announced by the Chairman of the commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, early Saturday morning after an emergency meeting with security officials, election observers and other political stakeholders.
He said the postponement was due to logistic and operational reasons.
According to him, the new dates for the elections are 23 February and 9 March for the Presidential and National Assembly, as well as the governorship, state houses of assembly and FCT Area Council elections respectively.
It would be recalled that the Presidential/National Assembly Election was initially billed for today February 16 while the Governorship/States Assemblies election was billed for Saturday, March 2.
According to Prof. Yakubu, “the commission came to the conclusion that proceeding with the election is no longer feasible.”
He added that “This was a difficult decision for the commission to take but necessary” for the success of the elections.
The National Assembly had in October last year approved the sum of N242.245bn for this year’s elections.
Out of the amount, INEC got N189bn, while the police was allocated N27.3bn. The DSS got N10.2bn; NSA’s office, N9.4bn; N2.628bn for Nigerian Immigration Service, and N3.573bn for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has issued an arrest warrant against Walter Onnoghen, suspended chief justice of Nigeria.
At its resumed trial on Wednesday, the tribunal ordered the nation’s security agencies to arrest Onnoghen after he failed to appear before it.
Aliyu Umar, lead prosecution counsel for the federal government, had asked the tribunal to order Onnoghen’s arrest over his refusal to appear before it.
The suspended CJN has not been in court for at least five times since his trial started.
The federal government is prosecuting him for alleged false assets declaration.
Umar, while making an oral application for the arrest warrant, kicked against Onnoghen’s continued absence.
He said both the administration of criminal justice act and the practice direction of the CCT mandates a defendant to be present in court before any proceedings can be conducted in respect of a pending charge.
Adegboyega Awomolo, lead defense counsel, however, kicked against the application.
-
NEWS1 day agoBREAKING: INEC postpones elections to February 23
-
NEWS1 day ago
APC condemns postponement of elections
-
ENTERTAINMENT2 days agoEl-Amin School founder’s vision kept alive – Principal
-
OPINION2 days agoHammed Olamijuwon to youths: Vote wisely, shun violence and don’t sell your vote
-
ENTERTAINMENT19 hours agoNigerian elections postponement foretold by Apostle Suleman
-
ENTERTAINMENT19 hours ago
Nigerian elections postponement foretold by Apostle Suleman