News
Yahaya Bello: High Court Adjourns Arraignment Awaiting Supreme Court’s Decision
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, adjourned the alleged money laundering case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, until October
30, 2024.
The adjournment by Justice Emeka Nwite, came as Yahaya Bello moved to the Supreme Court to file an appeal seeking to set aside the arrest warrant issued by the trial court on April 17.
When the matter came up for hearing, the Defence Counsel, A.M. Adoyi, drew the court’s attention to the fact that the issue of arraignment of the defendant was the subject matter of an appeal already entered by him at the Supreme Court.
He said that he would like to draw the court’s attention to the appeal by virtue of the affidavit of record filed on September 23.
“The appeal number is SC/CR/847/2024 and SC/CR/848/2024.
The adjournment by Justice Emeka Nwite, came as Yahaya Bello moved to the Supreme Court to file an appeal seeking to set aside the arrest warrant issued by the trial court on April 17.
That means the most appropriate thing to do is to await the decision of the Supreme Court in the aforesaid appeal before taking any step for arraignment so as not to render the appellant’s appeal null or to pull the rug out of the feet of the Supreme Court,” the Defendant’s lawyer said.
Counsel for the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro,, however, told the court that the Defendant’s Counsels were turning the court into a place for entertainment.
He said, “Second, an appeal the defendant filed at the court of appeal disputing the mode of service of the charge and proof of evidence on their counsel was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on the 28th of August this year.
“The Court of Appeal said the mode of service was good and proper service.
The appellant shall not take any further step until he submits himself. But they took another step.”
Recall that the former governor submitted himself to the EFCC last Wednesday, accompanied by the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, but the EFCC reportedly refused to interrogate or detain him.
It was later reported that EFCC operatives allegedly laid siege on the Kogi Government Lodge in Abuja to arrest the Governor at night.
Arguing against the Defendant’s applications, Pinheiro said, “They have three applications on this – two before your lordship and one before the Supreme Court. I will now urge your lordship to demonstrate audacity of coercive power on him.”
Adoyi, Bello’s lawyer, however, argued that the life issue of the matter slated for today (Wednesday), which is the arraignment, “is subject to an appeal by the defendant at the Supreme Court.”
“In the interest of justice, we should await the decision of the Supreme Court on the issue,” he urged the court.
Justice Emeka Nwite, said that with the submission made by the counsel, he would have to decide the issues raised in one way or the other.
He said he would have to adjourn to rule on the matter.
Justice Nwite, therefore, adjourned the matter to 30th of October for ruling and arraignment.
News
Mauritania’s Tah succeeds Adesina as 9th AfDB President
Tah was elected to succeed Adesina after rounds of voting conducted by the AfDB Board of Governors during the Bank’s Annual Meetings held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Mauritania’s Sidi Ould Tah has been elected as the ninth president of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) as Nigeria’s Akinwumi Adesina prepares to bow out.
The Bank announced his election on its website on Thursday.
Adesina’s 10-year tenure will end this year and Tah is expected to assume office on September 1, 2025.
Tah was elected to succeed Adesina after rounds of voting conducted by the AfDB Board of Governors during the Bank’s Annual Meetings held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The Board comprises finance ministers and central bank governors from the Bank’s 81 member countries.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed Monday Okphebholo as duly elected in the September 21, 2024 Edo Governorship polls, as it affirms the decision of the Tribunal which on April 2 dismissed the petition of Asue Ighodalo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for lacking merit.
A three-man panel of the Appeal court, presided over by Justice Mohamed Danjuma, restated the position of the Tribunal which held that the PDP failed to provide sufficient and credible evidence to substantiate their claims of electoral malpractice, irregularities, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
The panel held that the PDP failed to provide sufficient and credible evidence to substantiate their claims of electoral malpractice, irregularities, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
The Appellate Court agrees with the Tribunal that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) Machines which the appellants tendered were merely ‘dumped’ as they weren’t demonstrated to prove overvoting.
This the Court held after it earlier expunged the 133 BVAS machines admitted in evidence at the Tribunal stage of the Governorship tussle.
Ighodalo and the PDP were further faulted by the Appellate Court for failing to tender the voter register to prove overvoting.
The Court further adds that BVAS extract doesn’t constitute items with which to prove overvoting. It says the documents tendered by the PDP at the Tribunal did not, on their own, prove overvoting, non-holding or cancellation of elections at the polling units.
To further puncture the case of the PDP, the panel says the 19 witnesses called by the appellants during the Tribunal hearing didn’t help their case.
It says the majority of them did not witness what they spoke about. Moreso, it adds they were insufficient to prove irregularities in polling stations at over 4,000 locations.
Nigeria’s electoral body, INEC, had declared Okpebholo the winner with 291,667 votes, against Asue Ighodalo of the PDP who garnered 247,274 votes.
The former Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. former, Dr Betta Edu, has congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his Two Years in Office.
Edu, who joined millions of Nigerians and members of the All Progressives Congress, APC to heartily congratulate the president on his second year in office as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria said the president has been a true father to all.
Her statement reads: Mr. President, Father of the nation.
I join millions of Nigerians and members of our great party, the All Progressives Congress, APC to heartily congratulate you on your second year in office as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Despite the obvious challenges, your dedication to transforming Nigeria and changing the economic landscape by improving the lives of the citizens in the long run is visible, even to the greatest critics.
It’s has not been an easy ride navigating terrains that even lions won’t dare! Your commitment to hard work and a result oriented leadership is unprecedented.
The focus of your administration on economic rejuvenation is evidently changing the narrative and Nigerians are witnessing the positive impacts, including infrastructural development, education for all, affordable housing, huge improvement in the security situation among others, in just two years.
These positive developments underscore the renewed hope agenda of your administration.
Your Excellency, this was the toughest two years of your four + four years journey leading our nation.
The right foundation has been laid; it’s time for the fruits to blossom.
Forward forever, Nigeria will experience a rebirth, under your dynamic and visionary leader, A Lion is never distracted by the bleats of goats.
Mr. President keeps raising the bar….her statement reads.
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