Supreme Court
Supreme Court upholds Kogi governor’s election
File Photo The Supreme Court, on Monday, affirmed the election of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State. The apex court, dismissed an appeal the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate, Musa Wada, lodged to challenge the outcome of the gubernatorial election that held in the state on November 16, 2019. It upheld the earlier judgement of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, which had on July 4, dismissed the case of the PDP and its candidate, and validated the majority decision of the Kogi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal that affirmed governor Bello’s election victory. Though the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Ibrahim Tanko, led the seven-man panel that heard the case of the appellants, the lead judgement was however prepared by Justice Inyang Okoro and r...
Senator Okorocha not in alliance with Emeka Ihedioha to remove Governor Uzodinma – aide
Rochas Foundation A former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, has denied media reports that he is in alliance with ex-Governor Emeka Ihedioha to sack incumbent Governor Hope Uzodinma from office. Senator Okorocha, who denied the reports which he said was credited to the Director-General of (DG) of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the State, Cajetan Duke, advised that such claims should be stopped, maintaining that it is only ‘making a mockery of the APC.’ Sam Onwuemeodo, the media adviser to the former governor, speaking on behalf of Okorocha, disclosed this in a press statement in Owerri. According to the statement: “To say the least, Okorocha is not in alliance with Ihedioha for removing Governor Uzodinma or for any other reason. Those behind the story should stop makin...
Donald Trump orders US census to exclude illegal immigrants in setting Congress numbers
President Donald Trump ordered the US census Tuesday to exclude illegal immigrants in its population count for determining representation in Congress, a move that could boost long-term Republican strength. The unprecedented order challenges the long-accepted constitutional mandate to count every person in the country every 10 years, as the basis for determining representation in the 435 seat House of Representatives. “For the purpose of the reapportionment of representatives following the 2020 census, it is the policy of the United States to exclude from the apportionment base aliens who are not in a lawful immigration status,” Trump’s order said. Excluding undocumented migrants in setting Congressional districts “is more consonant with the principles of representative democracy,” the orde...
Rivers APC crisis: Appeal Court rules in suit against Igo Aguma
The Appeal Court on Thursday stayed proceedings in the appeal filed before it by Abott Ogbobula, the former Rivers State Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ogbobula is challenging the judgment of the High Court of Rivers State which affirmed Igo Aguma’s appointment as the party’s Caretaker Committee Chairman in Rivers state. A three-member panel of the appellate Court chaired by Justice Steven Adah in a ruling held that the Court can’t continue in the hearing of the case, as the first respondent has proved to the Court that an appeal has been entered. Ada said: “An affidavit is evidence of proof. The affidavit is showing that an appeal is before the Supreme Court. “The notice of appeal and other processes have been brought to our notice in respect of the ruling of t...
Supreme Court Makes Landmark Ruling Deeming Half of Oklahoma Native American Territory
Source: Brownie Harris / Getty It seems that the reckoning of the United States is having a positive impact on decisions for all people of color. According to The New York Times, on Thursday (Jul 9) in one of its final rulings of the year, the U.S. Supreme Court released a decision that designates a large portion of Oklahoma as tribal territory after conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch, an appointee of Donald Trump, sided with the court’s four liberal judges in the landmark decision. “On the far end of the Trail of Tears was a promise. Forced to leave their ancestral lands in Georgia and Alabama, the Creek Nation received assurances that their new lands in the West would be secure forever,” Justice Gorsuch said on behalf of the Court. “In exchange for ceding ‘all their land, East of the...
PDP alleges plot to ‘derail’ Edo guber poll
The Peoples Democratic Party has alleged plots by the All Progressives Congress to use the trio of Governors Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, and Yahaya Bello of Kogi State to derail the September 19 Edo State Governorship Election. According to the party, the people of Edo were already aware that the trio “were selected by the APC to lead its campaign so as to force a combined formula of Kano and Kogi electoral violence as well as Imo State mandate robbery, to subvert the will of the people of Edo State in the governorship election.” This was contained in a statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja, on Friday. It read in part, “The PDP described as pathetic that the APC only has a person who has become a butt of inter...
Suspension: Adams Oshiomhole withdraws application against Appeal Court ruling
Mr Adams Oshiomhole, on Tuesday, withdrew his application for stay of execution of the June 16, 2020 judgment of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal which affirmed his suspension as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress. The withdrawal, his lawyers said, was in line with his concession to the dissolution of the National Working Committee and the subsequent appointment of a caretaker committee by the National Executive Committee of the party on June 25. Following the withdrawal of the motion, the three-man panel of the Court of Appeal led by Justice Eunice Onyemenam unanimously dismissed in a short ruling on Tuesday. Oshiomhole’s Ward 10 in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State had in November 2019 suspended him as a member of the party for anti-party activit...
PDP urges Supreme Court to dismiss Timi Alaibe’s case
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youths have urged the Supreme Court to dismiss Timi Alaibe’s case before the apex court. The PDP added that any contrary decision by the Supreme Court might ignite crisis in the region. The PDP Youths, under the aegis of South South Youth Vanguard, said that they are aware that Alaibe has been making overture to the All Progressives Congress (APC) so that the apex court will favour him. The PDP Youth Vanguard, in a statement by its National Chairman, James Efe Akpofure, disclosed that they are aware that Alaibe has been wooing, telling the leadership of the party that he will join the APC if he wins at the Supreme Court. The group warned the APC not to ignite any avoidable crisis in the state over Bayelsa state governorship election that has already been ...
Canadian court disappoints Huawei over CFO’s case
A Canadian court ruled against Huawei’s chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, on Wednesday in her extradition case to the US on fraud charges. However, the company said it has faith her innocence will ultimately be maintained. Meng, the CFO of the telecom giant and eldest daughter of its founder is wanted by the U.S for alleged fraud. The US authorities alleged that she lied to HSBC Bank about Huawei’s relationship with its Iran-based affiliate Skycom, putting the bank at risk of violating US sanctions against Tehran. In a statement posted on Twitter, Huawei Canada said; “Huawei is disappointed in the ruling today by the Supreme Court of British Columbia, we have repeatedly expressed confidence in Ms Meng’s innocence”. “Huawei continues to stand with Ms Meng in her pursuit for justice and...
Senator Orji Kalu files application seeking release from prison
The former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has filed an application before the Federal High Court in Lagos seeking his immediate release from the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Kuje, Abuja. The application has been assigned to Justice Mohammed Liman. The former Director of Finance, Abia State Government House, Ude Jones Udeogu, an aide to the former governor was listed as a respondent to the application alongside Orji Kalu’s company, Slok Nigeria Limited. The former governor also wants an order of the Court setting aside his conviction dated Dec 5. 2019, under the Hand of Hon. Justice Mohammed Idris since the Supreme Court in its judgment on May 8, 2020, held that it was given without jurisdiction. Besides this, Orji Kalu has also asked the court to set asi...
PDP expels former Kogi guber aspirant
Son of former governor Ibrahim Idris and a governorship aspirant of the People Democratic Party, PDP, in the November 2019 Kogi Guber election, Abubakar Ibrahim, has been expelled from the party for supposedly anti-party activities. Ibrahim’s expulsion followed fortnight directive of the state executive to the Disciplinary Committee set up by his home PDP of Icheke Ward in Omala Local Government Area to explore charges against him. The executive also wants his father, former governor Ibrahim Idris to face similar fate from the national Board of Trustee which he belongs to. Abubakar had however in a swift response said the supposed expulsion was a political gimmick to arm-twist him from stepping down his case at the Supreme court where he (Abubakar) is challenging the winner of the Guber pr...
EFCC: Lockdown won’t abort cases against ex-first lady, former governors, others
The lockdown arising from coronavirus appears to have slowed down the fight against corrupt practices in the country for close to six weeks. Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, says there is no cause for alarm as it will ensure that none of its ongoing investigations and cases in court will be aborted. The Commission is certain that as the federal and state governments begin to reopen the economy, it will ramp up legal actions to bring the suspects of financial crimes to account for their actions. “These suspects will unfailingly have their days in court,” EFCC Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, declared. Documents reviewed by newsmen indicate that the Commission has its hands full of cases awaiting resolution in court, while some cases being investigated are ripe en...
