JUDICIARY
PDP Drags Plateau Electoral Body To Court For Charging LG Polls Candidates Money
PDP in Plateau has dragged the Plateau Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) to a Plateau High Court for charging council election candidates huge sums of money to contest.
PLASIEC fixed the council polls for October and charged chairmanship candidates of participating political parties N1,000,000 each while councillorship candidates would pay N600,000 each to be eligible.
PDP said in its affidavit before the court in Jos on Tuesday that the charge was a subterranean move to exclude it from the polls.
Its counsel, Mr Edward Pwajok (SAN) told the court that he was ready to move a motion to stop PLASIEC from conducting the elections since he had served the defendant a notice.
He said the motion was to obtain an interlocutory injunction against PLASIEC over the said fees.
“We are ready for the case today having served the defendant, who has equally replied us through a counter-affidavit.
“It was just on July 26 that we filed our notice of preliminary objection already served on the defendant (PLASIEC) same day and the motion is fixed for hearing and we are ready to proceed with the business of the day,’’ Pwajok announced.
Counsel to PLASIEC, Chief Garba Pwul (SAN), however, objected to Pwajok’s application to move the motion on the ground that he had filed a preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction.
“Yes, it’s true that we have been served with their interlocutory injunction notice to which we have appropriately responded.
“It’s equally true that we filed a notice of preliminary objection challenging the competence of the suit and the jurisdiction of this court to hear the matter.
“My Lord, I don’t think we have reached there yet, since we have filed a preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of this honourable court from entertaining this case brought up by the plaintiff, the PDP.
“We believe that our preliminary objection notice should be uppermost and heard before going into the interlocutory injunction motion on notice filed by the Plaintiff,’’ Pwul argued.
The Vacation Judge, Justice Ishaku Kinda, adjourned the case to Aug. 5 for hearing of the preliminary objection and then the interlocutory injunction of the PDP. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
Ex- judge’s Daughter Seeks Share of Late Father’s Property
Ann Eniyamire, the daughter of former Abuja Customary Court of Appeal President, Justice Moses Bello, on Wednesday, prayed an FCT High Court sitting in Bwari to declare that she is entitled to 11.11 per cent of all her late father’s property, including estates.
Eniyamire told Justice Mohammed Madugu, through her lawyer, Yahuza Mahraz, to grant her the entitlement in line with her late father’s will.
The Reports says that in the suit marked: CV/667/2024, Eniyamire sued Reverend Father Ezekiel Awolumate and Christ the King Catholic Church Okene Parish as 1st and 2nd defendants.
Her lawyer contended that his client was short-changed by the executor of the will, Reverend Father Ezekiel John (1st defendant) and another.
The claimant, in the affidavit attached to the motion, deposed that her late father instructed that all his assets be shared between his wife and the children following an 11.11 per cent sharing formula.
She, therefore, accused the defendants of adopting a sharing formula of 4.16 per cent.
Eniyamire, who has 38 reliefs, urged the court to reverse the alleged decision of the defendants, relieve them of their duties (as executors of her father’s will) and restore 11.11 per cent of her father’s property to her.
She also sought a declaration that the claimant is entitled to a share of 1/9 or 11.11 per cent of all her late father’s assets of shares and stocks.
She equally sought an order directing the defendants to account, tender and hand all necessary documents
with regards to administration, management and distribution of the estates of the claimant’s late father to any appointed administrator general, among others.
When the matter was called on Wednesday, Mahruz told the judge that hearing on his case was ripe.
But the defendants’ counsel, Adewale Adegboyega, told the judge that he had filed a preliminary objection challenging the competence of the suit.
Justice Madugu, who said it was not convenient to take the matter today, consolidated the defendants’ notice of preliminary objection and the claimant’s motions so that they could be taken together in tye next adjourned date.
He then adjourned the matter until June 4 for definite hearing.(NAN)
JUDICIARY
Court Fixes May 17 for Ruling on Binance Executive’s Bail Plea
A Federal High Court Abuja, on Tuesday, fixed May 17 for a ruling on a bail application filed by the detained Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan.
Justice Emeka Nwite fixed the date after counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Gambaryan’s lawyer, Mark Mordi, SAN, adopted their processes and argued their case against and for the bail plea.
The judge had ordered the remand Gambaryan in Kuje Correctional Centre after he pleaded not guilty to the money laundering charges preferred against him by the EFCC.
The EFCC had accused Binance Holdings Limited, Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, another agent of the company, of allegedly conspiring amongst themselves to conceal the origin of the financial proceeds of their alleged unlawful activities in Nigeria including $35,400, 000.
They were alleged to have committed an offence contrary to Section 21 (a) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, among others.
However, Anjarwalla escaped from lawful custody on March 22 and fled Nigeria for Kenya.
At the resumed hearing, Mordi told Justice Nwite to grant his client’s bail, arguing that the EFCC had failed to produce any credible evidence to oppose his application.
According to him, the complainant’s allegation that Gambaryan was arranging to escape from custody like his colleague was false.
“There is no exhibit or document displaying EFCC’s credible intelligence.
Iheanacho said the court would be taken a grave risk by granting the Binance agent a bail because he had no attachment to any community in Nigeria or competent person to stand as his surety.
He contended that Gambaryan attempted to apply for a new United States passport while in detention knowing fully well his International passport was seized by the Nigerian state.
The lawyer said he was a flight risk and that if granted bail, he would jump bail like his colleague.
He disagreed with Mordi that the commission had not provided credible evidence that Gambaryan was planning to escape.
He said going by the deposition in their counter affidavit, the deponent was one of the investigative team that investigated the case.
He urged the court to dismissed the bail application.
In the alternative, he advised the court to return the applicant to EFCC custody if the judge decides to grant him bail.
Justice Nwite then fixed May 17 for ruling.(NAN)
JUDICIARY
Ogun Judiciary Staff Suspends Strike
Members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) in Ogun on Tuesday said they have suspended their indefinite strike action which began on April 8.
The union announced this through a statement in Abeokuta signed by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Adewale Adenekan.
The union had embarked on the strike over the non-payment of 40 per cent peculiar allowance by the state government.
The statement said its National Officers and the Ogun JUSUN Executive Committee members had on Monday held a meeting with the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
It said the meeting also had in attendance the state Chairmen of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)and Joint Negotiation Council (JNC).
“After the meeting with the representatives of the State Government, the authenticity of the union’s demand was established and the State Government realised its mistakes in the failure to involve the JUSUN executive in the negotiation process which led to the approval and implementation of the Peculiar Allowance.
“The state government said this was because JUSUN is not a member of JNC.
“However, the bone of contention is now the timing of the implementation of the union’s demand, putting into consideration the imminent announcement by the Federal Government of the new minimum wage which is expected on May 1.
“This will be billed for implementation between May and June 2024 for both Federal and State workers,” Adenekan stated.
“After much discussion on the matter, it was agreed that JUSUN’s demands should be treated together with the full implementation of CONJUSS alongside the minimum/living wage negotiation and implementation,” he added.
The union further said it was equally agreed that JUSUN would be given a slot in the technical committee for the negotiation and implementation of the minimum wage in the state.
It pointed out that this would give the union an opportunity to effect its dem ands, as well as the full implementation of CONJUSS and other benefits.
“This is a very difficult moment for both the leadership and members of the union, but we believe this is a fair agreement that will benefit the union and its members in the long term.
“In view of the above, the National Officers and JUSUN leadership of Ogun State, having reviewed the proceedings of the meeting, decided to suspend the indefinite strike action,” Adenekan said.
The union thereby directed all its members to resume work by Wednesday.
“The union will continue to engage the State Government towards the actualisation of its demands.
“We look forward to continui;rovide our esteemed members with excellent and quality leadership,” it stated.(NAN)