Just In: INEC Nullifies APC Primary Election In Anambra State
The All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship primary elections which held on June 26, 2021, has been nullified by the Independent National Electoral Commission, IgbereTV reports.
According to the monitoring team for the election, it has been confirmed that the election that produced Andy Ubah as its winner is nonexistent as no elections held in any of the wards all around the state.
IGBERE TV recalls that the Senator who represented Anambra South in the 7th and 8th Senate, Dr Emmanuel Nnamdi Uba, popularly known as Andy Uba had been declared the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election, held on Saturday, June 26, 2021.
The declaration was made by the Chairman, Anambra State APC Primary Election Committee, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State.
Andy Uba scored 230,201 out of 348,490 accredited voters.
But NEC disclosed on Wednesday, reported that the June 26 APC governorship primary in the Anambra state did not hold.
The commission said that in all the 326 electoral Wards of the state-monitored, that none of the APC team saddled with the responsibility to conduct the primary.
The commission said the electoral officials and materials were not available at the voting centres for the APC governorship primary scheduled for 26 June 2021 in Anambra state, up to 5;30pm when INEC monitors withdrew from the field.
The commission’s monitors did not witness accreditation, voting, counting of votes, collation or declaration of results at the voting centres and collation centres up till 5:30pm when the monitors were recalled.
Recall that 11 of the 14 governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra have said the June 26 governorship primary in the state did not hold.
Dr George Muoghalu, the spokesperson for the aspirants, made the position of the group known in a press conference on Saturday in Awka.
Muoghalu said that in all the 326 electoral Wards of the state, people came out, but were disappointed, saying that none of the APC team saddled with the responsibility to conduct the primary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials was seen.
Muoghalu, the Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and one of the aspirants, said anybody who claimed that there was primary is fraudulent and did not wish APC well in the November 6 election.
Paul Orajiaka and Edozie Madu, both aspirants, corroborated the position of Muoghalu and warned that the era when one man would come up with fake figure to claim victory is over.
The aspirants, however, appealed to the party leadership to come up with a fresh date for the Anambra primary to ensure that the party beat the deadline in the Electoral Act.
Other aspirants at the event were Johnbosco Onunkwo, Ben Etiaba, Amobi Nwaokafor, Chidozie Nwankwo, Geoffo Onyjegbu, Azuka Okwuosa, among others.
Igbere Tv
Breaking: Nnamdi Kanu’s Family Give Details on How He was Arrested
The family of Nnamdi Kanu has narrated how the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) was ‘unlawfully’ arrested in Kenya.
The Nigerian government had on Tuesday announced Kanu’s arrest and extradition to Nigeria to continue to face trial.
He was subsequently arraigned with a blindfold before Binta Nyako, a Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kanu is facing charges bordering on treasonable felony instituted against him at the court in response to years of campaign for the independent Republic of Biafra through IPOB.
He was granted bail in April 2017 for health reasons but skipped bail after flouting some of the conditions given to him by the court.
In a statement on Wednesday, Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel Kanu said he was unlawfully arrested in Kenya, detained and was subsequently extracted from the country to Nigeria where he is now detained.
He said, “My brother Nnamdi Kanu demands the right to self-determination for Biafra. Self-determination is the right tthat underpins the United Nations.“Because Biafrans support Nnamdi Kanu’s call for Biafran self-determination, my brother has now been subjected to the most serious violations of international law.
“Whilst visiting Kenya, Nnamdi Kanu was detained and handed over to the Nigerian authorities who then flew him to Nigeria.
“My brother has been subjected to extraordinary rendition by Kenya and Nigeria. They have violated the most basic principles of the rule of law. Extraordinary rendition is one of the most serious crimes states can commit. Both Nigeria and Kenya must be held to account. I demand justice for my brother, Nnamdi Kanu.”
“Nnamdi Kanu holds both British and Nigerian citizenship. Nnamdi Kanu is Biafran, not Nigerian. He has rejected his Nigerian citizenship.“The British High Commission in Nigeria must insist upon my brother’s immediate release. They must guarantee his safety and security. Nnamdi Kanu must be returned home to the UK to his wife and his sons who live here. The Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, must make clear to the Nigerian authorities that they will not tolerate the unlawful detention of British citizens and that the UK Government condemns the Nigerians and Kenyans for undermining the rule of law. Foreign Secretary Raab must be clear.
“There will be consequences for those who resort to extraordinary rendition. The British Government must insist upon justice for Nnamdi Kanu,” he added.
On Tuesday, it was reported that Kanu was extradited from an African country.
“He was not arrested in London or anywhere in the United Kingdom. Diplomats confirmed that Kanu was picked up somewhere in Africa. The family and IPOB are very unhappy. Apparently, they have known about the trailing and arrest for some time,” he had said
Journalist101
Intersociety ‘Commends’ Nigerian Government For Not Bringing Kanu Back In ‘Body Bag’, Worries Over His Safety In Custody
Kanu Was Arrested On Sat Night, June 26, 2021:* The Leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu was arrested on the Sat night of June 26 2021 in Kenya, a member of the African Union. He had traveled to Israel, having transited from Germany to Israel before heading to Kenya, where he was intercepted on Saturday night, 26th June 2021. He appeared to have been trapped by some persons of his own tribal stock over some lingering issues. His arrest was initially taken to be ‘a minor immigration issue’, which later turned out to be a clear act of ‘strawmen’ and subsequently attracted the involvement of the Nigerian diplomatic officials and security attachés at Nairobi, the country’s capital. He was later on Sunday, 27th June 2021 handed over to Nigerian security attaches and diplomatic officials after providing paper evidence that ‘he is being wanted in Nigeria for continuation of his trial where he jumped bail’ and escaped ‘from judicial justice’.
Worries Over Kanu’s Safety In Custody And Hateful/Selective Law Enforcement:* The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law is not worried over the recent arrest and bringing back of the IPOB Leader, but we are deeply concerned over his safety, healthcare and upkeep in the custody of the country’s Spy Police where he may likely remain throughout his trial period. The Nigerian Government also deserves to be ‘commended’ for not bringing the IPOB Leader in ‘Body Bag’. In other words, we are happy that the Nigerian Government did not ‘kill him extra-judicially on transit and falsely labeled’ the circumstances of his death, a notorious practice that has become the Government’s modus operandi in recent times. Intersociety has remained opposed to all forms of offensive violence and a stickler of pacifism. As an apostle of ‘positive peace’ or absence of structural, cultural and physical violence’, we challenge the Nigerian Government and aggrieved non state actors to eschew violence and embrace dialogue and reconciliation. To ensure this, the Nigerian Government must ensure the round-the-clock safety and welfare of the IPOB leader in its custody as it will be more catastrophically untamed should anything untoward happens to him. The Government should consider granting him and his group amnesty including withdrawal of all charges against him and his members, same way the Government has been treating the “repentant Boko Haram and Banditry Jihadists” as well as un-tagging of IPOB as ‘a terror group’.
No Fanfare Over Kanu’s Arrest At International Borders:* It is important to point out that the across border arrest of the IPOB Leader is part of the criminal justice administration and law enforcement applicable globally covering crimes of ‘mala inse’ and ‘mala prohibita’. While ‘mala inse’ represents crimes with universal application or enforcement; ‘mala prohibita’ represents crimes to the extent that they are recognized, defined and enforced by a particular country or jurisdiction. In the application or enforcement of the two crimes anywhere in the world, if a national or international citizen is standing trial under presumption of innocence until found judicially guilty and he or she is reported to have fled the jurisdiction under which he or she was standing trial, it is allowed under the international law and through legitimate diplomatic means to use non lethal measures to bring him or her back to face and complete his or her trial. Exception to this rule is where he or she is running away from legitimate state persecution including attempts on his or her life and grave infringement on his or her other fundamental liberties. Under this, he or she is expected to be protected by the country that offers him or her temporary and protective shelter; otherwise he or she can be arrested and sent back to his or her country for continuation of the trial. Therefore, it is on record that the IPOB Leader did not flee Nigeria out of his own freewill in September 2017 but he escaped from being assassinated by the security forces of the Federal Government of Nigeria. The Government’s ‘defense’ of Kanu breaching his court bail conditions or inciting his followers against the Nigerian Government as reasons for wanting to kill him extra-judicially did not hold water. This is more so when the same Government could have made a legitimate case before the trial Court for the revocation of his bail conditions, if truly found to have been breach.
Principal Officers: Emeka Umeagbalasi, Obianuju Igboeli, Esq. and Chidimma Udegbunam, Esq.
Nnamdi Kanu: Abaribe Urges Respect to Fundamental Human Rights, Adherence to Rule of Law.
Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe has urged caution and strict adherence to the rule of law in the handling of the Mazi Nnamdi Kanu issue by the federal government.
The Senator in a statement released by his Media Adviser, Uchenna Awom in Abuja on Wednesday, also advised the federal government to be guided by the provisions of Section 31 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights as it detains and re-arraign Mazi Kanu in court for the continuation of his trial.
The relevant section and charter he said presupposes that the detainee should be humanely treated while in the custody of the state.
“What it means is that it is the duty of the government in this instance to protect him and ensure the respect of his fundamental human rights while his trial lasts. For now, it is trite law, that he is presumed innocent until proven guilty”, Abaribe said.
However, the Minority Leader called for calm saying that the recent events presents ample opportunity for dialogue and for the federal government to address the contending issues that seems to challenge the peace and unity of the country.
Kanu’s Arrest, Elimination Won’t Stop Biafra Agitation, ADF reacts
A pan-Igbo organization, Alaigbo Development Foundation has reacted to the re-arrest and arraignment of the leader of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, describing the development as unfortunate.
ADF, in a statement by its Chairman Bureau of Media and Publicity, Chief Abia Onyike and signed by its President, Prof. Uzodinma Nwala, noted that Kanu’s arrest portends unfortunate tidings for both the Biafra struggle and the Nigerian state.
The group while calling on the international community to look into the matter, said the IPOB leader’s arrest or elimination won’t quench the call by Igbo for self-determination.
The statement reads in full: “The Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF) has received the news of the arrest and deportation of Nnamdi Kanu to Nigeria and his subsequent arraignment in Court in continuation of his previous trial.
“This development is very unfortunate both for the continued existence of the crisis-riden Nigerian federation and the struggle for the self-determination and emancipation of Igboland from the artificial Nigerian federation.
“The arrest or elimination of Nnamdi Kanu from the scene of the struggle is most unlikely to result in the smashing of the spirit of the longing for freedom of the Igbo Nation or that of other Nationalities that are equally struggling to free themselves from the chaotic Nigerian federation.
“Earlier in the day, we saw a social media news item with the headline: “Nnamdi Kanu arrested and Boko Haram fighters released”. This news item summarizes the grave injustice in the Federal government’s attempt to crush Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB supporters, while the blood sucking Boko Haram and other bandits are on the prawl throughout the entire Federation including Katsina the home state of Mr President.
“The Igbo Nation is meanwhile groaning under the agony of the massive arrests, torture and killing of many Igbo youths by security agents of the Federal Government.
“One thing is very clear. The Federal Republic of Nigeria is breathing its last. It may well go the way of other federations which were created artificially and held together by the force of arms.
“We call on the International Community not to turn it’s back on the horrors taking place in Nigeria, especially in Igboland.
“We equally call on all Igbo lawyers no matter their persuasions, to come together and defend Nnamdi Kanu as well as several other Igbo youths who are languishing in various detention centres and prisons all over Nigeria.”
What Nnamdi Kanu Told The Court Today
The leader of Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu on Tuesday, opened up on why he escaped from the country inspite of the criminal charges of terrorism and treasonable felony brought against him by the federal government
Looking heavily weighed down, Kanu, who was brought to court for the continuation of trial shortly after he was intercepted by security operations, sought the permission of Justice Binta Nyako to address the court and present his side of the story.
Upon the permission, Kanu told the court in the presence of heavily armed security operatives that his house was unlawfully invaded by security men with his life seriously threatened.
Nnamdi Kanu further alleged that he would have been killed along with others on the day of the invasion if not for the wisdom he applied to jump out of the country.
Kanu’s reaction was provoked by the federal government’s information through its counsel, Shuaib Labaran that Kanu jumped the bail granted by the court to escape trial by running out of the country.
Labaran had applied to the court for an order to remand Kanu in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS).
The counsel said the request became imperative because lawyers to Kanu were yet to be abreast of his re-arrest.
Justice Binta Nyako granted the request and ordered that Kanu be remanded in the custody of DSS till July 26 for the continuation of his trial.
Although the continuation of trial was originally slated for October 20, 2021, it was brought downward to July 26, 2021, for his lawyers to appear for his defense.
Kanu appeared to have been given the VIP treatment while being moved out of court.
He was taken away in handcuffs through a special gate reserved for Judges and highly placed persons from where he was moved to the DSS detention centre.
Hordes of photographers and cameramen who had positioned themselves to take his photographs were disappointed upon discovery that Kanu had been taken away.
Meanwhile ,reports have it that Nnamdi Kanu travelled from England to Singapore before heading to Czech Republic on Friday where he was arrested.
With the tip off from the Czech Republic officials to Nigeria government, the IPOB leader was arrested on Saturday in Prague, Czech Republic.
Nnamdi Kanu To Remain In Custody Till July 26
Justice Binta Nyako has ordered that Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, be kept in custody until July 26 2021 for continuation of trial.
The order came following the arrest and subsequent arraignment of Mr Kanu by the Nigerian Government.
The operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS), on Tuesday, produced the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Mr. Kanu, who was brought to the court amidst tight security, arrived at the court at about 1:40 pm.
However, all the entrances to the court have been under lock as the hearing in the matter is ongoing.
Earlier, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, announced his arrest to journalists on Tuesday, revealing that Kanu was arrested and brought back to Nigeria on Sunday.
He said the arrest followed a collaborative effort between security agencies in Nigeria and the Interpol.
Malami further disclosed that Kanu would be taken before the Federal High Court in Abuja for continuation of his trial on charges bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, unlawful possession of firearms and management of an unlawful society.
BREAKING: Federal Govt says it has arrested Nnamdi Kanu
The Federal Government says it has arrested the leader of the proscribed Indegeniuos People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, who made the disclosure to journalists on Tuesday, revealed that Kanu was arrested and brought back to Nigeria on Sunday.
He said the arrest followed a collaborative effort between security agencies in Nigeria and the Interpol.
Malami further disclosed that Kanu would be taken before the Federal High Court in Abuja for continuation of his trial on charges bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, unlawful possession of firearms and management of an unlawful society.
Emma Powerful, IPOB spokesman, denied the news of the arrest while Frank Mba, police spokesman, is yet to respond to TheCable’s enquiry on whether the police was involved in the development.
Kanu is facing charges bordering on treasonable felony instituted against him at the federal high court in Abuja in response to years of campaign for the independent Republic of Biafra through IPOB.
He was granted bail in April 2017 for health reasons but skipped bail after flouting some of the conditions given to him by the court.
He has also been on the run since then after soldiers raided his father’s residence in Abia state.
IPOB was later declared a terrorist group by the defence headquarters and court after the south-east governors proscribed it.
Despite the court’s insistence on his appearance, the IPOB leader has remained abroad, and once said he jumped bail to pursue the cause of Biafra.
Source: cablenews
Former President of South Africa Sentence to 18 month in Prisonment
South Africa’s top court on Tuesday handed former president Jacob Zuma a 15-month jail term for contempt of court following his refusal to appear before graft investigators.
“The Constitutional Court can do nothing but conclude that Mr Zuma is guilty of the crime of contempt of court,” judge Sisi Khampepe said.
Zuma, 79, is accused of enabling the plunder of state coffers during his nearly nine-year stay in office.
“This kind of recalcitrance and defiance is unlawful and will be punished,” Khampepe said.
“I am left with no option but to commit Mr Zuma to imprisonment, with the hope that doing so sends an unequivocal message… the rule of law and the administration of justice prevails.”
“The majority judgement orders an unsuspended sentence of imprisonment for a period (of 15 months),” she declared, ordering Zuma to hand himself over within five days.
The commission of inquiry is headed by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
The panel was set up by Zuma himself, under pressure over mounting scandals, shortly before he was ousted in 2018 by the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
But he only testified once, in July 2019, before staging a walkout days later and accusing the commission’s Zondo of bias.
He then ignored several invitations to reappear, citing medical reasons and preparations for another corruption trial.
He presented himself again briefly in November but left before questioning, and Zondo asked to ask the Constitutional Court to intervene.
Most of the graft investigated by the commission involve three brothers from a wealthy Indian business family, the Guptas, who won lucrative government contracts and were allegedly even able to choose cabinet ministers.
Zuma is separately facing 16 charges of fraud, graft and racketeering relating to a 1999 purchase of fighter jets, patrol boats and military gear from five European arms firms for 30 billion rand, then the equivalent of nearly $5 billion.
At the time of the purchase, Zuma was president Thabo Mbeki’s deputy.
Punch