Pre-election litigations and conflicting court orders after the primaries for the November 6 Anambra State governorship election is giving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) worry; hence it has called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and other stakeholders to wade in.
The Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Festus Okoye, expressed the concerns yesterday at the implementation meeting of the Voter Education and Publicity Department for the Anambra poll held in Awka.
Noting that the development could disrupt the smooth conduct of the election, Okoye pleaded with the bar and the bench to intervene in the disturbing trend.
There has been a spate of ex parte orders secured by political gladiators ahead of the election.
According to Okoye, some of the orders have the tendency of eroding the powers of the commission and compromising its independence, powers and timelines for the conduct of the forthcoming election.
He also said that out of the over one million persons who registered online, over 700,000 were between 18 and 34 years of age. “This clearly tells us that youths are taking interest in politics.”
Embattled Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, has deleted a post on his verified Facebook account after the Federal Bureau of Investigation alleged that money laundering suspect, Abass Ramon, aka Hushpuppi, paid N8m or $20,600 to the police officer to arrest and detain a “co-conspirator,” Chibuzo Vincent.
Upon his indictment last week, Kyari had on July 29, 2021, published a defence against the allegation of collusion in an alleged $1.1m fraud against a Qatari businessman but he deleted the post last night after many Nigerians pointed out the logical gaps in his denial.
The United States District Court for the Central District of California had accused Kyari, Hushpuppi and four others of fleecing the Qatari investor of $1.1m.
Kyari, who has 447,353 followers on Facebook as of the time of filing this report, had taken to the Blueville on on July 29, 2021 to chronicle his denial against the allegations by the US court.
Kyari had claimed that Hushpuppi raised the alarm that Vincent wanted to take his life. The cop, however, said upon the arrest of Vincent, investigation showed that “they (Hushpuppi and Vincent) are long-time friends who have money issues between them hence we released the suspect on bail to go”.
The cop had also added, “Nobody demanded a kobo from Abbas Hushpuppi. Our focus was to save people’s lives that were purported to have been threatened.
“Later, he (Hushpuppi) saw some of my native clothes and caps on my social media page and he said he likes them and he was connected to the person selling the clothes and he sent about N300k (N300,000) directly to the person’s account. The native clothes and caps (five sets) were brought to our office and He sent somebody to collect them in our office.”
However, FBI Special Agent, Andrew Innocenti, in a document titled, ‘Criminal Complaint By Telephone Or Other Reliable Electronic Means’ filed before the United States District Court for the Central District of California, alleged that Hushpuppi contracted the services of Kyari after Chibuzo allegedly threatened to expose the alleged $1.1m fraud committed against the Qatari businessman.
Page 59, item 145 of the document dated February 12, 2021 which became public recently stated, “Kyari provided the account information for a bank account at a Nigerian bank, Zenith Bank, in the name of a person other than Kyari himself.”
“This was not the only time that Abbas arranged payments with Kyari”, adding, “On May 20, 2020, Abbas sent Kyari transaction receipts for two transactions from accounts at Nigerian banks (GTBank and Zenith Bank) of a person Abbas knew in the U.A.E.— a person also arrested with Abbas in Abbas’ apartment in the U.A.E. by Dubai Police on June 9, 2020 — to the Nigerian bank accounts of another person in Nigeria.
“The amounts on the transaction receipts totalled8 million Nigerian Naira, which was approximately $20,600 based on publicly available exchange rate information,” the FBI Agent added. A warrant of arrest has since been issued by the court against Kyari.
Kyari subsequently deleted his “N300,000” Facebook post after Innocenti’s accusation became public. He also deleted a third-party post authored by a former minister in his defence.
Kyari’s post had attracted a lot of scrutiny from thousands of his social media followers and many Nigerians who expressed disappointment in the conduct of the detective and “celebrated cop”.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that Kyari, the suspended former Head of the Intelligence Response Team, appeared before the Special Investigation Panel, headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike.
Kyari, presented his defence to the SIP at the Force headquarters, Abuja, on Tuesday. The panel constituted by Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, is expected to probe Kyari and submit its findings to the IGP.
Also, the new Head of the Intelligence Response Team, Tunji Disu, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, resumed at the Guzape, Abuja headquarters of the unit on Tuesday.
Punch
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The multiplicity of Court Orders constitutes a major threat to the conduct of the November 6 Anambra governorship election the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned.
The electoral umpire observed some of the Orders have “the tendency of eroding the powers of the Commission and compromising its independence, powers and timelines for the conduct of the upcoming election”.
The Commission also noted it is becoming increasingly difficult to obey Court Orders and judgements that are the latest in time or the first in time as some political parties and candidates have perfected the art of shopping for the first in time or the latest in time. It insisted the planning and preparation for election require certainty and adherence to timelines.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, raised the concern at the implementation meeting of the voter education and publicity department.
According to him: “The Commission has variously and consistently complained at the frequency and consistency with which courts of coordinate jurisdiction from different jurisdictions all over Nigeria assumed jurisdiction and delivered judgements and issued orders with far-reaching implications on the conduct of the Anambra State Governorship election.
“Some of the Orders have the tendency of eroding the powers of the Commission and compromising its independence, powers and timelines for the conduct of the upcoming election”.
He added” “In our Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of Elections as well as the Timetable and Schedule of Activities, the Commission issues access code to the National Chairman of Political Parties with which they upload the Personal Particulars and List of their candidates electronically.
This obviated the demonstrations, fights and violence normally witnessed in the premises of the Commission by different factions of political parties and the National and State branches of political parties.
“Unfortunately, some of the judgements and Orders were given especially on the primary elections in Anambra State have bypassed our portal and sought to restore the manual submission of the List and Personal Particulars of candidates.
“It is also becoming increasingly difficult for the Commission to obey Court Orders and judgements that are the latest in time or the first in time as some of the Political Parties and the candidates have perfected the art of shopping for the first in time or the latest in time. The planning and preparation for election require certainty and adherence to timelines.
The leadership of the Bar Association and the Leadership of the Judiciary must wade into this descent to forum shopping and the multiplicity of Orders and judgements from courts of coordinate jurisdiction. This is urgent, it is imperative and cannot be carried over to the 2023 general election”.
Journalist101
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Apostle Johnson Suleman of Omega Miniseries, has told bloggers and youtubers to pay him every time they insult him. In a video on
Twitter, the servant of God had this to say;
“There is a pattern going on right now and I need to address it. That a lie has been in office for a long time does not make it the truth,” the man of God said.
He continued his speech by referencing what he called a strategy used by bloggers and YouTubers to get massive views, likes and comments.
“Their strategy is to attack pastors,” he said. “And I am a popular candidate.”
“I don’t have a problem with the insults,” he said. “What I have a problem with is the fact that YouTube pays you at the end of the month. If you want to insult me, then pay me!”
He continued by saying that one million insults are not enough to bring down a true man of God. He said that insults can only bring down a man of God who does not have proofs of his calling.
“Was it not here that they brought a blind child whose eyes were opened? Will you now tell the father of that child that this man of God is fake?” the Apostle said.
He ended by acknowledging the fact that he has the right to sue anybody for defamation of character, regardless of the country where they reside.
I couldn’t agree more. You see, people have chosen the attacking of pastors and ministers of the gospel, as a means of making money. It is only fair that they pay the people, who give them the inspiration for their work.
I wonder if Christians everywhere don’t see the massive strategy of the devil in this end times. Ministers of the gospel were not attacked in this intensity in the past. I bet Satan is thinking that by discrediting the instruments God uses to bring the gospel to the people, he can discredit the gospel and stop people from placing their trust in Jesus.
Christians everywhere should look at the real agenda, and get on their knees to constantly pray for their pastors and ministers of the gospel, as the devil will only keep increasing the intensity of the attacks as the end of the world approaches. Be blessed.
Akelicious
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ANAMBRA State Government and the state Police Command have assured citizens of protection from the sit-at-home threat of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra.
This was as a group known as Igbo for a Progressive Nigeria condemned the every-Monday-sit-at-home order by the IPOB to prevail on the Federal Government to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
IPOB had declared what it called ‘Ghost Monday’ in the South-East, starting from August 9.
The National Leader of the group, Lawrence Onuzulike, in a statement in Awka, Anambra State, on Monday said the proscribed secessionist group’s declaration was anti-Igbo, stating that it would adversely affect economic growth of Nigeria and the South-East in particular.
He said, “IPOB must not continue to oppress Ndigbo and add to their sufferings. Why must they force their fights and struggles on the entire Igbo nation?
“If governors of the South-East cannot protect the lives and properties of their subjects, then something is wrong. We call on the Federal Government to protect the lives of Igbo people if Igbo leaders are playing hide and seek.”
The group enjoined IPOB to engage in exercises that would protect the Igbo and not to always oppress and threaten their people.
However, the Anambra State Government and the Police Command said measures had been put in place to ensure that the people of the state would not be intimidated by any person or group.
The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C-Don Adinuba, said, “We won’t disclose our plans in the media, but I want to assure you that we have big plans to ensure that our people are free from any form of intimidation.”
Similarly, the state Police Command said there was no need for alarm over the threat.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ikenga Tochukwu, said the Command was committed to the protection of the people of the state.
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Ifeanyi Ejiofor, lawyer to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in an interview monitored on Arise Television spoke on the fate of his client, alleging that the United Kingdom (UK) government is not really playing its role in protecting Kanu. JOY ANIGBOGU brings the excerpts:
What can you say about Nnamdi Kanu’s trial?
The fact that Nnamdi Kanu was brought to court on the 29th of June, 2021 without reference to me, his lawyer was a violation. The court made an order to bring him to court on 26th of July to commence trial, the Department of Security Services (DSS) should have produced him in court. The agency has a history of violation of court orders even in this case. On 14th of October 2015 when Kanu was arrested in Lagos, he was taken to court in Abuja on the 16th of October. He was granted bail the same day but was not admitted to bail by the DSS. He was taken to federal High court on 19th, and granted bail unconditionally, that order was flouted. They went ahead to file frivolous and unfounded charges against him on 23rd December, 2015. It is immaterial vacation commences on 26th; they should have brought him to court on 26th to commence trial. DSS denied us access to him a few days before commencement of trial; we made effort to see him throughout last week to no avail. It means we had no discussion with our client before the trial commenced, which is why we filed an application to get him transferred to prison custody, where we can have unrestricted access to him before trial. The application will be heard on the next adjourned date and the court must hear the application because we must have the forum to see him. Though the court ordered DSS based on my application, to allow us unrestricted access to him Mondays and Thursdays and I hope that DSS will obey the order. What happened in the court on the 26th was not strange to us and very conversant with this political trial, we experienced it in 2015, when Nnamdi was brought to court; it looked like a president was brought to court. It is unfortunate that the treatment was extended to the media and the lawyers who were locked out from the courtroom. The court room is the only jurisdiction where layers belonged, unfortunately they were locked out. It took my intervention to ensure that some of them were admitted.
Was it because you were unable to access him that made you demand that he be transferred to the correctional centre?
When a person is charged with such an offence, he should be allowed access to his lawyers. We don’t think that the DSS facility is a convenient place for him to be detained, more so when the DSS made it clear to us that they have concluded the investigation. They should transfer him to a place recognized by law for him to be in the interim pending when his application for bail will be considered. We are being restricted from seeing him in the DSS facility that is why we filed the application. It was filed on the 14th of July and served to the prosecution of the federal government the same day, and they filed a counter affidavit to the application 48 hours after receiving our application, but withheld it for reasons best known to them. They didn’t serve the counter affidavit until on 26th morning. I only mentioned it to the court because they raised issues in the counter affidavit which should be addressed by way of further affidavits to ensure that the court hears it on the merit. We are not comfortable with him being in DSS custody while the trial commences and I will continue to oppose it. During our last visit to him, one of my colleagues was harassed by DSS officials. When you apply to see him they will give you a time convenient for them but not to you. They can ask you to come at 6pm or 7pm and sometimes on Saturdays. If you visit at 7pm, you are most likely to leave the place at 10pm under intimidation. I don’t think that we will work with that guideline. We cannot effectively defend him while he is in DSS custody. DSS is acting as though the government is not ready to give him a fair trial.
What was the state of Kanu’s health, the last time that you saw him?
We visited Kanu on 17th of July. It was the Saturday that we were permitted to come around 6pm. At the time we saw him he was still in pains of the injury he sustained on account of torture during his detention in Kenya. There was a burden of solitary confinement because he had no access to relatives and friends. He was not given much attention. Last week we made an effort to access him before commencement of trial on Monday but we were denied access. We hope that the DSS will obey the order of 26th July.
Britain promised to offer consular services to Kanu, what is the position?
British government is not doing much about this case. In 2015 when Kanu was arrested, the British government was keeping constant communication with him. They visited him in a DSS facility, visited every two days in prison. They were also calling me to confirm about his medical state, which they did till 2017 when he was granted bail. As at 27th of July, a British personnel was abducted on 19th June, 2021, smuggled into Nigeria, was taken to court on 26th of July, no communication. He was arrested as British citizen in Kenya, and it was only on the 27th that the British High Commissioner was talking about offering consular services. He hasn’t seen Kanu let alone talk about offering consular services to him.
You approached the African Union to accuse the Nigerian government of abduction, where are you in that case?
We have communicated with them and are waiting for further action from the African Union. We are following up.
Some members of IPOB were arrested on the day of trial in court, what is the state of those people, and what was their offence?
Some of them were released after my intervention. A few of them are still in detention and I have made contact with the commissioner of Police, FCT to see the possibility of getting them released unconditionally. A court is a public place and they have not conducted themselves in a manner that suggested that they were violent. They only came to observe the proceedings of the court. What happened in court on Monday was a matter of serious concern to the public. You will think that a battle was going on with shooting all over the place, intimidating people. Obviously if that kind of atmosphere continues to be witnessed anytime a case is adjourned for hearing, it means that there will be no fair trial..
It is clear that your client will remain in custody till October, what are your next steps?
We have applied to the Chief Justice Of Nigeria for a fiat and we are awaiting his approval for the court to hear the matter during vacation. In line with the court order that we should see him on Mondays and Thursdays, I will be there on Thursday to interrogate him. I have communicated to the DSS but they have refused to reply to our text message but I will be there at 2pm. If they don’t want to try him they should let us know.
You said that Nnamdi Kanu was not arrested but abducted, can you elaborate on that?
He was not arrested; this was a case of abduction and kidnapping. If you compare what happened to Nnamdi Kanu in Kenya with what happened in Benin Republic, you will discover that Sunday Igboho was arrested and taken to a custody where he is being subjected to trial but Kanu was kidnapped at Nairobi airport and taken to a place, not police custody. Within the 24 hours of his abduction, people who were aware of his whereabouts, visited all the police facilities in Nairobi but he wasn’t seen anywhere. He was detained in that place for eight days; it was after eight days that he was handed over to the Nigerian security agents who smuggled him into the country.
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Armed gunmen have unleashed violence in Okporo and neighbouring Communities in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State.
Vanguard gathered that the attacks which started on Sunday night continued till Monday morning.
At the time of filling this report, the reason for the attack was not known, just as residents linked it to the hardened criminal gang as well as native doctors that operate freely at night.
In the attack, a community leader whose identity has not been made known was seen beheaded and his head placed on a table around the market in Okporo community. The number of beheaded persons in the Orlu area has increased to about five, since this violence started.
However, over twenty shops were completely razed down as well as vehicles numbering more than ten got burnt. Also, a shop where caskets were sold was also burnt including the already constructed casket waiting for potential customers.
Also, in another development, another armed gunmen dressed in security attire, had set ablaze a hotel owned by Chinonso Uba in the area, also Uba’s house was razed down by the gunmen.
In the attack, two trucks were allegedly set ablaze.
According to an eyewitness, the gunmen stormed the hotel with “Two hilux vehicles, Mercedes 360, armoured car. They also burnt a brand new hylander car belonging to Uba.”
A community source who spoke to Vanguard from Orlu said: “My brother, this is what we have been seeing since Sunday, Orlu is getting hot now. We are no longer sleeping. These criminals move freely in the night and they kill and destroy everything.
“Even this Monday morning we hear of strange movement by these men in Okporo community and people started running. What is happening in Orlu is creating fears everywhere. These criminals started with beheading of our and now burning peoples homes. What do they want?
When will all these attacks end we are suffering in Orlu local government and government should please send security operatives to us to end these attacks.”
“Orlu deserves to be peaceful and people deserve to do their business peaceful with a conducive environment there will be development and people living in Orlu will be happy.”
However, security agencies were yet to react to the violence but Vanguard gathered from intelligence from security officers that efforts have been intensified to unravel the criminal gang causing mayhem in the Orlu area for the past one week.
Also, according to the Imo State Police Command Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mike Abatam, the police had earlier cordoned the forest of Njaba to checkmate the activities of the hoodlums.
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The former Deputy Senate President and Senator representing Enugu West Constituency, Senator Ike Ekweremmadu have called on Nigerians to cheer up and stop mourning over the rejection of electronic transmission of electoral results by the National Assembly adding that there is still hope of making sure that every vote in our elections count.
Senator Ekweremmadu who is also a Professor of Law made this known recently while speaking at the launching of a book titled THE LAW AND PRACTICE OF IMPEACHEMENT IN NIGERIA written by Prof. Uwakwe of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu University in Anambra State.
Senator Ekweremmadu stated that National Assembly will constitute a Conference Committee after the recession which will either adopt the recommendations of the House or the Senate adding that the Conference Committee may likely toe the line of patriotism which will ensure that all Nigerian votes count.
He maintained that electronic transmission of results is not a complicated technology adding that one can use either the WhatsApp technology or Satellite technology. According to him, ‘this is a very simple technology, there is no local government headquarters in Nigeria that doesn’t have network, so all you need to do is to take a photograph of the result sheet and when you get to the local government headquarters you transmit and it will immediately show in INEC portal
The former Deputy Senate President commended INEC for assuring Nigerians that it is capable and able to transmit all results electronically in all parts of Nigeria emphasizing that what INEC did in Edo, Ondo, Kaduna and so many other parts of country was encouraging. According to him, ‘ I was in Edo State to monitor the Governorship election and what INEC did with the unit to unit electronic result transmission was great. Apart from ensuring that all votes count, the electronic transmission of results naturally eliminates tuggry, ballot box snatching, falsification of results etc. “
Senator Ekweremmadu also reminded Nigerians that the1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic Nigeria empowers INEC to conduct all elections, collate and declare results adding that nobody can make laws to interfere on INEC constitutional rights adding that such laws will be null and void to the extent of the interference.
He expressed hope that despite what may happen at the National Assembly INEC will still do the needful by adopting any system that will make the vote of Nigerians count and eliminate most of the electoral frauds that makes Nigeria a laughing stock among the committee of nations.
A member of Clean up task force in Aba, Abia State almost lost his life in a ghastly motor accident yesterday . It was learnt that the task force team set up to enforce ‘ no movement order’ by State Government came into a corrosion with a commuter bus.
The driver of the commuter bus ,sensing trouble negotiated a dangerous bend to escape the task force team. Sadly a passenger ,a pregnant woman fell down from the bus and hit her head on the tar road . There were confusion everywhere as youths around the incident thought that the woman had died .Meanwhile ,the head of the task force – Hon Ogbonna Achonna drove off in high speed to escape being lynched by the angry youths. But ,Achonna could not in total control of his steering ,leading to yet another terrible accident- this time ,the car ran into a deep ditch . Luckily ,Hon Ogbonna Achonna came out of his car unhurt .
BVI Channel Reporter – Queen Madu was at the scene of the accident to confirm that no live was lost
