Connect with us

News

BREAKING: Tinubu swears-in Kekere-Ekun as ‘CJN’ pending lawmakers confirmation 

Published

on

President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

She is to act as the CJN pending confirmation by the Senate.

Kekere-Ekun was sworn in at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja on August 22, 2024, following the retirement of her predecessor, Olukayode Ariwoola.

Ariwoola had disclosed that he signed off on the new rules following reviews by his successor, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, and brother justices of the apex court, namely, Justice Inyang Okoro, Justice Moronkeji Helen Ogunwumiju, Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN, and Yakubu C. Maikyau, SAN.

He expressed concern that the rules regulating procedures in the apex court were those made in 1985 when information technology, electronic transactions, and global telecommunications, among others, were either not in existence or in their formative stages.

Ariwoola’s retirement yesterday paves the way for Kekere-Ekun to step in as the acting CJ, subject to presidential approval and Senate screening.

Brief profile of Kekere-Ekun 

Justice Kudirat Motonmori Kekere-Ekun became next in line to take on one of Nigeria’s most prestigious judicial roles, following her recommendation by the National Judicial Council (NJC) to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun has had an illustrious career she was born on May 7, 1958, in London, United Kingdom, and began her education in private primary schools before attending Queen’s College, Lagos in 1970.

In 1977, she embarked on her legal studies at the University of Lagos, where she earned her LL.B degree in 1980. The following year, she attended the Nigerian Law School and was called to the Nigerian Bar in July 1981.

Justice Kekere-Ekun’s legal journey began in private practice from 1985 to 1989, before she was appointed a Senior Magistrate Grade II in the Lagos State Judiciary in December 1989.

Her ascent in the judiciary continued when she was appointed as a Judge of the High Court of Lagos State on July 19, 1996.

During this period, she also served as Chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja, Lagos, from November 1996 to May 1999, where she dealt with some of the most challenging criminal cases of the time.

Hon. Justice Kekere-ekun was elevated to the Court of Appeal on 22nd September 2004.

She served as a member of the Court of Appeal ICT Committee from June 2011 to July 2013, where she contributed to enhancing the court’s technological capabilities, among others.

News

Yahaya Bello Vs EFCC: Court Adjourns Ruling and Continuation of Trials to June 26 , 27 and July 4 and 5

Published

on

By

You cannot cross examine him based on the document,” Daudu SAN argued. Enitan SAN added that he had the right to draw the attention of the court to some specific paragraphs in the document.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the hearing of the alleged money laundering case instituted against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to June 26, 27 and July 4 and 5 for ruling on the request by the prosecution to “cross-examine” the 3rd witness and for continuation of trial.

Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the hearing after listening to addresses by the prosecution and defence counsels on the Prosecution’s move to initially cross-examine the witness, a position that was rejected by the Defendant’s Counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN.

When the matter was called for continuation of cross-examination, the Defendant’s counsel asked the witness, Nicholas Ojehomon, whether he had testified in other courts with respect to the issue of school fees paid by the Bello family to AISA, he said yes.

But the witness, an internal auditor at the American International School, Abuja, said he could not mention the exact courts.

He admitted testifying in a similar charge involving Ali Bello but added that he never said anything adversely against former Governor Yahaya Bello just as he had not said anything negative or adversely against him in the instant charge.

After Daudu SAN concluded the cross-examination of the witness, Nicholas Ojehomon, the EFCC’s lawyer, Olukayode Enitan, SAN, moved to also cross-examine the Commission’s witness on Exhibit 19.

He told the court that he was not re-examining the EFCC’s witness, but cross-examining him because the document was admitted in evidence.

“I am not re-examining him, I am cross-examining him because they brought this document,” he said.

The Defendant’s lawyer, however, drew the court’s attention to the fact that the prosecution counsel’s position was unknown to law, in line with the Evidence Act.

“If you want to cross-examine your own witness, you have to first declare him a hostile witness. You cannot cross examine him based on the document,” Daudu SAN argued. Enitan SAN added that he had the right to draw the attention of the court to some specific paragraphs in the document.

At this point, the judge asked: “Do you have any provision of the law to support this?””I will draw your lordship attention to Section 36 of the Constitution.

They sought to tender this document, we objected and the court granted their prayer. Fair hearing demands that the complainant too has the right to examine this because Section 36 of the Constitution talks of fair hearing,”

Enitan responded. “We are not saying that they cannot re-examine the witness. That is what Section 36 under the law says about fair hearing. But if it is to cross-examine him, he will have to show us the law that backs that.

“He cannot come under the guise of fair hearing to want to cross-examine the witness,” the Defendant’s lawyer maintained. The judge, at the end of the arguments, refused to allow cross-examination of the witness by the EFCC lawyer.”

Under the procedure, the witness gives evidence in chief and the defendant cross examines, then the prosecution re-examines.

“With due respect, what I will do is if you people are so skewed to continue with this, it is better to address me on this and I will take a position,” he stated.

At this point, the prosecution counsel agreed to re-examine the EFCC’s witness and the judge gave him the go-ahead.”You can re-examine him on that but not to ask questions that will show cross examination,” Justice Nwite said.

However, when the prosecution lawyer proceeded to re-examine the witness, and his questions pointed at cross-examination, as observed by Daudu SAN, the judge insisted that the parties had to address him on the specific issue.

The Defendant’s Counsel, in his address, maintained that the position was unknown to law.

“My lord, the procedure that is being sought by the prosecution by refering the witness to the document tender in Exhibit 19 and by asking him to read paragraph 1, without drawing his attention to the issue on how the document affected his evidence in chief, the question asked in cross-examination, and the ambiguity, which needs clarification, amounts to a strange and unknown procedure not covered by the Evidence Act,” he stated.

Enitan SAN, disagreed, saying that in the case of Amobi Amobi referred to by the defendant’s counsel, the Supreme Court held that the learned trial judge ought to have allowed a re-examination of Exhibit E.

He said when the defendant sought to introduce the document, the prosecution team “submitted that this document was not made by the witness and as such, he should not be allowed to speak to it under cross examination or allowed to be confronted with it.”

“Having brought it in now, during the case of the prosecution, particularly during the cross examination of PW-3, your lordship should not allow them to shut us out as that would amount to the court allowing them to blow hot and cold,” Pinheiro SAN said.

Justice Nwite thereafter adjourned to June 26, 27 and July 4 and 5 for ruling and continuation of trial.

The 3rd prosecution witness had, at the last hearing on Thursday, said there was no wired transfer of fees from the Kogi State Government or any of the local Governments in the state to the account of the American International School, Abuja.

He also read out a part of a previous Federal Capital Territory High Court judgment that said there was no court order for AISA to return fees to EFCC or any judgment declaring the money as proceeds of money laundering.

Continue Reading

News

Bill Gates to give away 99% of his wealth

“I have decided to give my money back to society much faster than I had originally planned,” Gates, 69, wrote in a statement.

Published

on

By

The Gates Foundation plans to give away $313 billion over the next 20 years before shutting down entirely in 2045.

The move, according to Bloomberg, marks a new deadline for one of history’s largest and most influential charities.

That target would represent a doubling in spending for the non-profit foundation which has disbursed more than $100 billion since it was co-founded by Microsoft Founder Bill Gates and Melinda Gates in 2000.

Originally, the foundation was set to close 20 years after Gate’s death.

“I have decided to give my money back to society much faster than I had originally planned,” Gates, 69, wrote in a statement.

“I will give away virtually all my wealth through the Gates Foundation over the next 20 years to the cause of saving and improving lives around the world,” he added.

Credit: Bloomberg

Continue Reading

News

Peter Obi’s Comparison of Nigeria’s Educational System With Bangladesh, Turkiye

Bangladesh, which once lagged behind Nigeria in virtually every measurable development index, now surpasses us in all key areas of development and in the Human Development Index (HDI).

Published

on

By

Peter Obi wrote on his X( Twitter) : “I just came across the official results from JAMB showing the recent exam figures.

In the data shared by JAMB, a total of 1,955,069 candidates sat for the exam.

Shockingly, out of this number, only about 420,000 candidates scored above 200, while over 1.5 million scored below 200.

This means that over 78% of the total candidates failed to meet the 200-mark threshold — a reflection of the deep-rooted challenges in our educational system.

The latest JAMB results once again highlight the consequences of decades of underinvestment in education, a sector that should be central to our national development strategy.

Currently, Nigeria’s total university enrollment stands at approximately 2 million students.

By comparison, the National University of Bangladesh — a single university — has over 3.4 million students enrolled, despite the country having only about 75% of Nigeria’s population.

One university in Bangladesh surpasses the entire university enrollment in Nigeria.

Bangladesh, which once lagged behind Nigeria in virtually every measurable development index, now surpasses us in all key areas of development and in the Human Development Index (HDI).

Similarly, Turkey (now Turkiye), with a population of about 87.7 million people, has over 7 million university students — more than three times Nigeria’s total university enrollment.

I have consistently said it: education is not just a social service; it is a strategic investment.

It is the most critical driver of national development and the most powerful tool for lifting people out of poverty.

We must now invest aggressively in education — at all levels — if we are serious about building a prosperous, secure, and equitable Nigeria.”

Continue Reading

Trending