JUDICIARY
Kano Tribunal Confirms Ganduje’s Governorship Victory
The Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday upheld the election of Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by dismissing the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) petition.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the PDP candidate, Abba Kabir-Yusuf had challenged the victory of Ganduje in the March 23 governorship election.
Delivering judgment, the three man panel led by the Chairman, Justice Halima Shamaki, upheld Ganduje as the duly elected and held that PDP failed to prove all the allegations against him.
“It is only when a petitioner proves his case before the tribunal that he will have a case, the petitioners failed to prove the exact number of valid votes in each polling units,” she said.
In a unanimous judgment, the tribunal struck out some paragraphs of the petition because they were just speculations and held that the petitioners failed to give the number of votes for the March 9 election by tendering certified true copies of result sheets.
“Some Local Government Area (LGA) results like Wudil, Magwan, Nasarawa and Gama Ward presented were not stamped, apart from that they were not true certified copies,” he said.
Shamaki said that the Gama Ward result presented was written with pen, which was carted away by the petitioners.
She also said that since results were carted away in some polling units leading to over voting, INEC had to order for a rerun according to the Electoral Act as amended.
“INEC has proved that the March 9 election was marred by violence that was why the election was cancelled in some units,” he said.
She held that the PDP candidate failed to establish his petitions against Ganduje, saying that the cancellation of 207 polling units was constitutional and valid.
“The petitioners failed to discharge the burden of proof placed on them by the law,” Shamaki said.
She called on the people of the state to stay in peace.
“Let there be peace, Kano is my second home.
“We have done our best, we still have the Court of Appeal, please lets make peace that is the only way you can repay us for staying in Kano for six months,” Shamaki added. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
Court Strikes Ex-Kogi Governor’s Bail Application
Justice Maryann Anenih o a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court on Tuesday struck out the bail application filed by former governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi.Anenih struck out the application on the grounds that it was filed when the former governor was yet to be taken into custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The application was filed on Nov. 22, while the former governor was taken into custody of the anti-graft agency on Nov. 26 and arraigned on Nov. 27.(NAN)Details later….
JUDICIARY
5 Men Face N25m Worth of Milo Products Theft Charge
Five men, on Monday appeared before an Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun, for allegedly stealing a truck load of Milo products worth N25 million.The defendants, Temidire Ramon, 35, Aminu Yusuf, 26; Olusola Opadare, 35; Oludayo Adeleye, 38, and Amodu Jimoh, 51, are standing tial on a two-count charge of stealing and conspiracy.
The prosecutor, Insp E. O.Adaraloye, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Oct. 13, 2020, at Agbara in Ogun.Adaraloye, said that the defendants conspired and stole a truck load of Milo products valued at N25 million, belonging to Nestle Company.He said that the offences contravened Sections 390(9) and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun, 2006.They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.The Magistrate, Mr O.A Onagoruwa, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.He ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.Onagoruwa also ordered that the sureties must show evidence of tax payment to Ogun State Government.He adjourned the case until Dec.12 for hearing. (NAN)JUDICIARY
Court Grants Mother Custody of 2 Children
A Grade 1 Area Court, Kubwa has granted Maryam Muhammad custody of two children from her former husband, Bashir.
The judge, Musa Sabo ordered Bashir to pay Muhammad N175,000 for a self contained apartment in arrears following the plaintiff’s claim of already paid rent.
Sabo added that Bashir should secure a self contained apartment or pay the plaintiff N250, 000 annually for accommodation.
He said that the children would spend first and third term holidays with their father and second term holidays with their mother.
The judge said the father could pick his children up every weekend for outings within 10a.m to 6.pm from the mother and notify her before hand.
He also ordered him to pay outstanding school fees if any and pay the plaintiff arrears for the fees she claimed to pay after verifying same as she failed to prove it.
Sabo ordered Bashir to pay N40,000 from October 2023 To February 2024 and subsequently pay N45,000 monthly for the children’s upkeep..
Regarding the children’s medication, he ordered Bashir to make an arrangement based on his financial capability.
Earlier, the plaintiff approached the court for custody of her children, maintenance, Islamiyya school fees, enrollment of one of the children in a special needs school and transportation.
She also sought for Bashir to refund N770, 000 which she paid for her house rent with the children and pay for the medicals of the children.
Bashir however said his ex-wife paid the rent without his consent adding that he is a civil servant and not financially capable.
“I do not earn up to N2 million annually and I am currently paying N600,000 rent annually. My children are already under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS),” he said.(NAN)