JUDICIARY
Court Admits Tinubu’s NYSC, Chicago University Certificates in Evidence
The Presidential Election Petition Court, (PEPC) on Friday in Abuja, admitted in evidence, certified true copies of academic and work records of President Bola Tinubu tendered by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku.
The documents include a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Certificate, a certificate from the Chicago State University and a Mobil Nigeria Oil Company Plc certificate of service.
Other documents admitted in evidence were a computer generated copy of a Guinean passport bearing the name Bola Ahmed Tinubu and notarised document of the judgment showing criminal forfeiture of $460,000 along with the certified cover note notorising it.
The petitioners tendered the documents through a subpoenaed witness, Mr Mike Enahoro-Eba as part of efforts to prove their allegations that the president was not qualified to contest the Feb. 25 presidential election and that the election was marred by irregularities.
Enahoro-Eba who was led in evidence by the petitioners lead counsel, Mr Chris Uche, SAN, described himself as a private legal practitioner.
The petitioners also tendered a certificate of compliance and a witness statement on oath to prove the allegations contained in their petition challenging the outcome of the Feb. 25 presidential election.
The witness told the court that the NYSC certificate attached to the president’s documents which he submitted to INEC together with his form EC9, which is his nomination form, was issued in the name Tinubu Bola Adekunle.
He also told the court that the transcript in aid of admission into the Chicago State University made by South West College in the name of Bola Ahmed Tinubu had female as the gender of the applicant.
Enahoro-Eba who is the petitioner’s 27th witness also told the court that he was a human rights activist as well as a public interest lawyer.
Under cross examination by the lead counsel to INEC, Mr Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, the witness told the court that he was in Abuja during the election and that he voted.
He further said that the election was smooth from when he was accredited up to when he voted and left the polling unit.
The witness also told the court that he instituted a public interest suit against Tinubu at a Magistrate Court challenging Tinubu’s qualification to contest the presidential election.
Earlier, the petitioners tendered certified true copies of Form EC8A series which are results of the presidential election from polling units from six states.
The states include Delta with 25 local government areas, Ebonyi with 13 local government areas, Edo with 18 local government areas and Enugu with 17 local government areas.
Others are Imo with 27 local government areas and Kogi with 21 local government areas.
All the respondents in the petition marked, CA/PEPC/05/2023 including INEC, President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) objected to the admissibility of the documents.
They however, said that they would give reasons for their objections at the final address stage.
The petitioners prayed the court to discountenance the objection of the respondents and admit the documents in evidence
The Chairman of the Court, Justice Haruna Tsammani admitted the documents in evidence and marked appropriately.(NAN)
JUDICIARY
Court Shifts Judgment in Suit Seeking Ganduje’s Sack Until Sept. 23
A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, shifted the judgment in a suit seeking the removal of Dr Abdullahi Ganduje as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to Sept. 23.The matter, which was earlier fixed for today, was not on the cause list.NAN gathered that the parties in the suit had earlier been reached by the court registrar for a new date because the judgement was not ready.
“We have already called the parties on phone to inform them of the development. A new date is next week, September 23,” a reliable source said.Justice Inyang Ekwo had, on July 5, fixed today (Sept. 18) for the judgment.Justice Ekwo fixed the date after counsel to the plaintiff, Benjamin Davou; and lawyers to the defence adopted their processes and made their submission for and against the case.The plaintiff; the North Central APC Forum, led by Saleh Zazzaga, had filed the suit to queried the propriety of Ganduje’s appointment as the Chairman of the APC when he is not from the North Central geo-political zone.In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024, the plaintiff listed Ganduje, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.The plaintiff wants the court to, among others, restrain Ganduje from further parading himself as the chairman of the APC.It also prays the court to issue an order directing INEC not to accord recognition to all actions taken by the APC, including congresses, primaries and nominations, since Ganduje became APC Chairman on August 3, 2023.The plaintiff is contending among others, that Ganduje is occupying the office of the APC chairman illegally, not being from a state in the North Central geo-political zone.It argued that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the APC breached the party’s constitution when it appointed Ganduje, from Kano State in the North West geo- political zone to replace Sen. Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State in the North Central geo-political zone.It also argued that Ganduje’s appointment to replace Abdullahi was contrary to Article 31.5(1) f of the APC constitution and ultra vires the powers of the NEC of the party, among other reliefs.(NAN)JUDICIARY
Poultry Farm Manager Faces N160,000 Fraud Charge
A 30-year-old poultry farm manager, Stephen Nwachi, on Thursday, appeared before an Okitipupa Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ondo State, over alleged N160,000 fraud.The defendant, whose address was not provided, is facing a two-count charge bordering on felony and advance fee fraud.The police prosecutor, ASP Zedekiah Orogbemi, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on June 24, at 04.
00 p. m. at a poultry farm opposite Zomelo hotel on Okitipupa-Aye Road in Okitipupa.Orogbemi said that the defendant fraudulently obtained the sum of N160,000 from one Morenike Orukotan, under the pretext of supplying some crates of eggs to her but failed to do so.The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 419 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap.37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him.The Chief Magistrate, Mr Philip Akinlosetu, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200,000 with one surety in like sum.He ordered that the surety should reside within the jurisdiction of the court.Akinlosetu also held that the surety should show evidence of two years tax payment to the state government.He adjourned the case until Sept. 17 for further hearing. (NAN)JUDICIARY
Court Remands Man, 44, for Allegedly Defiling 9-year-old Girl
A Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Lagos, on Wednesday remanded a 44-year-old man, Sunday Lukas in custody, for allegedly defiling a nine-year-old girl.The Chief Magistrate, Mr Patrick Adekomaiya, ordered that Lukas be remanded at the Awarjigoh Correctional Centre, Badagry, after he pleaded not guilty to a count charge of assault.
He ordered that the case file be duplicated and sent to the office of the Director for Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice. Adekomaiya, however, adjourned the case until Oct. 28 for ruling on the bail application filed by Lukas and for DPP’s legal advice.Earlier, the police prosecutor, Ayodele Adeosun, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on May 28, at 12.20 p.m., at No. 4, Aribena Site, Ijanikin area of Lagos.He said that Lukas indecently assaulted the nine-year-old girl by inserting his fingers in her private part.The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 135 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. (NAN)