JUDICIARY
2023 Governorship Poll: PDP Prays Court to Disqualify Inuwa Yahaya, Deputy
Abuja, Aug. 3, 2022 (NAN)The PDP in Gombe State have prayed a Federal High Court in Abuja to disqualify Gov. Inuwa Yahaya and his Deputy, Jatau Daniel from contesting in the 2023 Governorship Election for alleged submission of forged certificates.
The party and its Governorship Candidate, Muhammad Barde sought the disqualification in a Suit No: FJC/ABJ/CS/1301/2022 between PDP & two others against the INEC & others .
In an Originating Summons filed by two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Chief Arthur Okafor, and J.
J. Usman, on behalf of the plaintiffs, the party relied on on series of Supreme Court decisions.The PDP said that Yahaya and Jatau, having deposed to FORMS EC-9, the said forms constituted Certificates and making false statement in them amounted to submitting forged certificates.
This according to the party is a disqualifying ground under Sections 177(d) and 182(1)(j) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended).
In the court processes, the plaintiffs alleged that Jatau bears multiple names in his certificates to wit :Certificate of primary Education (Manassah Jatau)
“West African examination Council School Certificate (Daniel Manassah J); University of Maiduguri Certificate (Manassah Daniel Jatau) and National Youth Service Corp Certificate (Daniel Manassah), without a deed poll and any valid change of name attached to his Form EC-9 submitted to INEC.”
The plaintiffs alleged that in 2022, Yahaya submitted FORM EC-9 (Affidavit of Personal particulars of Person seeking election into the office of governor of Gombe state).
The plaintiffs alleged that Yahaya stated in the form that he worked in the Bauchi state Investment Company Ltd. in 1984, A.Y.U & Co. Ltd. between 1985-2003 as against what he deposed to in 2018 as working in Bauchi Investment Company Ltd. in 1985, A.Y.U & Co. Ltd between 1980-1990.
“That Yahaya in 2018 while presenting his personal particulars to INEC to participate in the Gombe state governorship election, stated in his INEC FORM CF001 that he worked with A.Y.U & Co. Ltd. from 1980 to 1990.
That, however, in 2022, the same Inuwa stated in his INEC FORM EC-9 that he worked with A.Y.U. & Co Ltd from 1985 – 2003.
“The governor by his INEC FORM CF001 has stated under oath that in 1980 -1990, he worked with A.Y.U. & Co Ltd.
“However, in 2022, the same Inuwa stated again on oath via his INEC FORM EC-9 that he worked with the same A.Y.U. & Co. Ltd from 1985 – 2003.”
According to the plaintiffs, Yahaya’s deputy attached his Certificate of National Youth Service Corps dated the July 31, 1980 which stated thus:
“This is to certify that Daniel Manassah NYSC/Mad/79/6201 has satisfactorily completed one year of the national Service from Aug. 1, 1979 to July 31, 1979 in accordance with section 11 of the national Youth Service Corps decree No. 24 of 1973”
The plaintiffs further contended that, the deputy governor who claimed to be working with the Nigeria Army from the period of August 1979 till July 1980 submitted an NYSC discharge certificate with contrary information.
The plaintiffs alleged that the NYSC discharge certificate stated on its face that Jatau commenced his National Youth service in August 1979 and completed same in July 1979.
The plaintiffs also contended that from the paragraph D of the Jatau’s INEC Form EC-9, he claimed that he worked for the Nigeria Army from July 1979 till August 1980 and his reason for leaving the Nigeria Army in July 1980 was for the National Youth Service.
The plaintiffs contended further that in Jatau’s INEC FORM EC-9, he commenced his NYSC after he left the Nigeria Army in July 1980 but submitted an NYSC Certificate that stated he commenced his National Youth Service in August 1979 and ended in July 1979.
The PDP argued that FORM EC-9 being an affidavit on oath, both Yahaya and his deputy, haven made false statement therein, had committed forgery and therefore not qualified to contest the state election.
No date has been fixed for hearing in the suit. (NAN)
A Kano State High Court has restrained the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, from parading himself as a member of the party.
Justice Usman Malam Na’abba, on Wednesday, made the order, following an exparte motion filed by Dr Ibrahim Sa’ad on behalf of two APC executive members of Ganduje ward, Dawakin-Tofa Local Government Area.
The plaintiffs are the party’s Assistant Secretary, Laminu Sani, and its Legal Adviser, Haladu Gwanjo.
The duo are among the nine ward executive members who suspended Ganduje from the party at the ward level, two days ago.
The respondents in the case include, All Progressives Congress (APC), APC National Working Committee (NWC), APC Kano State Working Committee (KSWC), and Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Granting the motion, Na’abba made an order restraining Ganduje from parading himself as APC National Chairman.
The court further made an order directing Ganduje to henceforth, desist from presiding over all affairs of the APC National Working Committee (NWC).
The court directed the respondents to henceforth maintain status quo ante belum as from April 15, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit on April, 30.
Justice Na’abba also granted the plaintiff’s prayer which ordered the APC SWC, from interfering with the legally and validly considered decision of executives of Ganduje ward, essentially on action endorsed by two thirds majority of the executives as provided by the party constitution.
“An order is hereby granted directing all parties in the suit APC (1st), APC National Working Committee (2nd), Kano State Working Committee APC (3rd), Dr. Abdullah Umar Ganduje (4th), to maintain status quo ante belum as of 15th April, 2024.
“The order thereby restraining the 1st respondent (APC) from recognizing the 4th respondent (Ganduje) as member of APC and prohibiting the 4th respondent (Ganduje) from presiding over any affairs of the NWC and restraining the state Working Committee from interfering with the legal and valid decision of the ward executives of Ganduje ward.
“That the 4th respondent (Ganduje) is prohibited from parading himself as member of APC or doing any act that may portray him or seem to be a member of APC, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit”.
It will be recalled that nine members of the Ganduje ward proclaimed the suspension of the National Chairman of APC over the allegation of corruption slammed on him by the Kano state government.
The nine APC executives said they were prompted to act following a petition written by one Ja’afaru Adamu, a member of APC from Ganduje’s polling unit.
In the petition, Adamu made allegations of corruption charges against the former governor just as he urged the ward leaders to investigate the matter to redeem the dented image of the party against the backdrop of President Bola Tinubu’s fight against corruption.
Following the failure of the Ward Chairman and Secretary to act on the petition, nine members of the executives, led by the legal adviser, acted and took the decision that led to the suspension Ganduje. (NAN)
A Jos Magistrates’ Court, on Wednesday, sentenced a 28-year-old businessman, Peter Sunday to one year imprisonment for stealing motor parts valued at N200,000.
The Magistrate, Mr Shawomi Bokkos, summarily sentenced Sunday after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Bokkos, however, gave the convict an option to pay N30,000 and a compensation of N100,000 to the complainant.
The magistrate held that the punishment would serve as deterrent to other would-be offenders.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Labaran Ahmed, told the court that the case was reported on March 19, at the “B” Police station Bukuru by one Stephen Dung, the complainant.
The prosecutor alleged that the convict had trespassed into a mechanic workshop and stole the gearbox.
He told the court that the convict was however, apprehended at the point of his wanting to sell the stolen item.
The offence, according to him, is punishable under the Plateau state Penal Code Law. (NAN)
A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday sentenced a 29-year-old security guard, Harow Mali to three months imprisonment for stealing 25 litres of diesel.
The Judge, Shawomi Bokkos, summarily sentenced Mali after he pleaded guilty.
Bokkos, however, gave the convict an option to pay N10,000 fine.
The judge said the punishment would serve as deterrent to other would-be offenders.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp Labaran Ahmed told the court that the case was reported on March 20, at the “A” Police station Jos by one Yab Sunday, the complainant.
The prosecutor said the convict was caught with the 25 litres of diesel by the Police.
The offence, according to him, is punishable under the Plateau state Penal Code Law. (NAN)
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