A non-governmental organisation, Face Of Waziri-Nigeria (FOWN), has alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was making frantic effort to frustrate at least two of the Justices of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) to resign, so as to make mess of the judicial panel.

The Director General of the group, Comrade Bukky Adeniyi, made the allegation in a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday, July 21, 2023.

Adeniyi stated that given the existing legal proviso, which necessitated a replacement and retrieval in case any Judge resigns and consequently translates to buying time beyond the stipulated time by the Supreme Court, was a ploy to make the case statute barred and of no effect.

FOWN noted that the alleged surreptitious move made by President Tinubu was to make the Justices resign and the target was at ensuring the time frame of 180 days elapsed before the case is concluded by the panel.

The statement reads, “the Justice has not resigned at the moment but we have it on good authority that Mr. Tinubu and his team are seriously working hard to threaten and frustrate one or two of them to resign so that the panel will be bereft of jurisdiction at this stage.

“This will lead to replacement and retrieval de novo. In which case, it will be statute barred once outside the 180 days stipulated by the constitution and attendant of which ends the matter, because Supreme Court cannot extend time.

“At the moment Tinubu is pressuring the tribunal. He wants two judges to withdraw or resign from the panel,” FOWN stated.

The group also cited a former PDP Governor from the South-South turned “APC lackey having allegedly helped to rig elections in Tinubu’s favour within the zone” is now being used to hoodwink the Justices to give favourable decision.

“A particular Governor formerly with the PDP but now in APC sequel Tinubu’s blessing from South-South is delegated to use document of money exchange between the government of that state and one or two of the justices in the past for judgement favour then, as a proof to harass and intimidate the justices to shift the judgement of the Tribunal in their favour.

The group, however, raised some poser on the matter: “How do you explain if at all such money exchange occurred in the past, to now want to use such to blackmail the Justice?

“Did the Justice or Justices demand for money the governor gave then or was given as thank you? In whatever case, the Tribunal matter is different from whatever transaction they had together in the past,” he added.

In its resolve to ensure justice is served without undue interference, the group also explained how Tinubu has tried again to shroud in secrecy his Chicago State University saga having known that the truth, if revealed, will further worsen his plight.

“He faulted the recent move by the counsel to the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, to subpoena the institution on the need to ascertain authenticity of documents relating to his attendance at Chicago State University.

Recall that Atiku had in a petition dated July 11, 2023, by and through his attorneys, requested the court to “issue subpoena commanding a corporate representative of Resident Chicago State University (Respondent) to appear for deposition upon oral examination of the topics set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto at the offices of Dechert LLP at 35 West Wacker Drive, Suite 3400, Chicago, Illinois 60601 on July 21, 2023 at 9.00am.”

The respondent is expected, amongst other things to, “testify and give evidences and in support thereof states as follows: “That non-party Bola Ahmed Tinubu is currently the President of Nigeria and is facing various court proceedings concerning his election and the authenticity of documents relating to his attendance at Chicago State University; “That Mr. Tinubu had previously asserted that he attended various educational institutions located in the Chicago area, including but not limited to Chicago State University;

“To test the truth and veracity of Mr. Tinubu’s assertions, Petitioner must depose a corporate representative of Respondent Chicago State University (Respondent) regarding educational record or lack thereof, from respondent;

“To identify and determine if Mr. Tinubu attended above-mentioned institution, petitioner needs deposition testimony regarding the following information, as outlined in Exhibit A, including but not limited to admission information pertaining to Mr. Tinubu, proof of enrolment and attendance of Mr. Tinubu, and any degrees Mr. Tinubu attained from the Respondent.”

The Kano State Police Command, on Thursday, disclosed plans to begin a clampdown on blacksmiths in the state engaged in the fabrication of weapons for criminals.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mohammed Gumel, made the disclosure while briefing newsmen on the efforts of the police toward dislodging hoodlums from Dala Hills in the Dala Local Government Area of the state.

“You can see the various types of knives on display and anybody, who looks at these knives would know that they were not fabricated for domestic use but rather for committing violence on human beings.

“From the edges of the knives, they have the semblance of jackknives, only be used by officers of conventional services, comprising the military and the police.

“Currently, our artisans, blacksmiths are now producing these weapons without minding the consequences but all they know is to produce and sell them to criminals at give-away prices. Thereafter, the criminals arm themselves with the weapons, which they use to attack innocent citizens and kill if they refuse to surrender their property.”

The CP disclosed that he had sent an invitation to blacksmiths for dialogue, during which they would be educated on the dangers of fabricating weapons for members of the public.

“If a customer comes to you, it is mandatory for you to confirm his trade, whether he is a butcher and what he intends to do with the weapons that he is ordering to be fabricated for him,” the CP said.

Tinubu has presented a motion to dismiss a subpoena filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Chicago, in response to a fresh petition from the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

On July 11, Abubakar filed a petition seeking more information on Tinubu’s academic history at Chicago State University.

The documents requested by Abubakar and his lawyer, Angela M. Liu, include Tinubu’s university admission record, attendance dates, degrees, awards, and other honours. Abubakar stated the goal of the subpoena was to “test the truth and veracity of Mr. Tinubu’s assertions.”

However, in response, Tinubu’s lawyer, Victor P. Henderson, on July 19, requested the court to reject the petition, arguing that no judge had heard and approved the subpoena from Atiku.

Henderson also criticized the timeline given for compliance only six days which he pointed out was shorter than the 14 days stipulated under Rules 219 and 137 of the Illinois Supreme Court Rules.

Furthermore, Henderson criticized Abubakar for engaging in an “improper fishing expedition about a foreign public official utilizing the Illinois court’s subpoena power.”

Naija News understands that the former Vice President is challenging Tinubu’s declaration as the winner of the 2023 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).a

The Anambra State Government says it has handed over 19-year-old Mmesoma Ejikeme, who forged her Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination result, to a psychotherapist for a three-month guidance and counselling

The state Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, disclosed this at a press briefing in her office in Awka, on Thursday.

Chuma-Udeh said Mmesoma would undergo a therapy class for three months as recommended by the state panel, which probed the UTME forgery case.

Mmesoma, a student of Anglican Girls Secondary School, Nnewi, recently made the headlines after the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board called her out for fraudulently manipulating her UTME score from 249 to 362, thereby falsely parading herself as UTME top scorer for 2023.

Before admitting the forgery, Mmesoma had engaged JAMB in accusation and counter-accusation, with the exam body slamming a three-year ban on her.

On Wednesday, she appeared before a panel of the House of Representatives in Abuja, where she tendered an apology to the exam body and pleaded for leniency.

While briefing journalists on Thursday, the Anambra State Commissioner for Education recalled that a panel set up by the state to investigate the matter recommended that the teenager should be made to undergo a psychological counselling and therapy.

Chuma-Udeh said, “We considered what Mmesoma did as ‘juvenile delinquency’ to which any child could fall victim. So, we are not going to throw the baby away with the bath water. She is now under a psychotherapist counsellor who will take her on therapy for three months after which the state government will appeal to JAMB management on behalf of her to reconsider one or two things.”

The commissioner commended Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, for approving the psychotherapy class for Mmesoma.

Monarchs in Ondo State, under the auspices of De 130 Krown Obas, on Thursday, organised a prayer session for Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who has been sick for some months and has gone abroad for treatment.

The group, which comprises some first-class and second-class Obas in the state, also condemned the way some people in the state were allegedly playing politics with the health of the governor, saying such must stop.

The chairman of the group and Molokun of Atijere in the Ilaje Local Government Area of the state, Oba Samuel Adeoye, while speaking at the end of the session held in Akure, said, “The purpose of today’s meeting is to organise a special prayer for our governor because we are all aware that our governor has health challenges.

“As traditional rulers, we believe that there is a need for us to organise this special prayer, we can jointly pray for our governor to have a quick recovery so that he can join us as soon as possible.

“Our governor is a good person and he had done so much for us. Since he came down with some health issues some months ago, we have not been happy. We feel it is necessary as kings to pray for him so that God would grant him quick peace.”

The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the association and Olupe of Ipe Akoko, Oba Francis, Apata, in his remarks, said, “Several bodies have been praying for his (Akeredolu’s) quick recovery, the council of the Obas in Ondo State has also prayed for his recovery, we believe as a constituted body, there is need for us to pray for his quick recovery and that is why we decided today to pray for his quick recovery.”

The PUNCH reported that Akeredolu had last month transmitted power to his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to stand in as acting governor, while he took a three-week medical leave.

He later wrote the state House of Assembly to ask for an extension of the sick leave.

Ekiti Assembly on Thursday confirmed all the 21 Commissioner-Nominees by Governor Biodun Oyebanji.

When Speaker Adeoye Aribasoye sought to confirm the nominees by voice vote one after the other, the legislators present at the plenary answered in the affirmative.

Aribasoye explained with the confirmation of their nomination, the nominees have become commissioners-designate.

He said the executives can proceed to swear them into office and hand them portfolios.

The commissioners-designate are Dr. Kofoworola Aderiye; Mr. Oyeniyi Adebayo; Mr. Seun Fakuade; Chief Folorunso Olabode; Mr. Gold Adesola; Dr. Kareem Akande and Prof. Patrick Tedela.

Others are Prof. Ojo Bakare; Mr. Kolawole Ajobiewe; Mr. Kayode Fasae; Mrs. Tayo Adeola; Prof. Bolaji Aluko; Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade and Otunba Dolamu Adeniyi

Others include: Karonwi Oladapo, Mrs. Olapeju Babafemi, Mr. Ojo Atibioke, Mrs. Tosin Aluko, Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun, Mr. Adesola Adebayo and Mr. Oluwafemi Awe.

The motion that the Governor be empowered to appoint ten Special Advisers was moved by the Majority Leader, Hon. Tolu Ige (Ekiti Southwest 2) and seconded by Hon. Oluwayomi Ayorinde (Ido/Osi 2).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has complied with a Supreme Court order to recognize the Youth Party (YP) as a registered political party in Nigeria.

The YP was deregistered among others by INEC in 2020 for “failing to meet the criteria provided for by section 225(a) of the 1999 constitution (as amended)”.

However, the party challenged the deregistration in court and the Supreme Court ruled in its favour in December 2022.

The Supreme Court’s ruling ordered INEC to reinstate the YP as a registered political party and to allow it to participate in future elections. INEC has now complied with the court order, making Nigeria’s political parties increase to 19.

The YP is a relatively new political party, having been founded in 2018.

The party’s objective includes to “encourage the Nigerian youth to be organized politically to determine the Nigeria of their future” and its participation in future elections could help increase the number of young people in elected office and to bring about more progressive policies.

Festus Okoye, INEC’s National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education Committee, announced YP’s reinstatement on Thursday after a meeting of the commission’s management in Abuja.

“Following the Commission’s decision to deregister some parties in accordance with Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the Youth Party approached the Federal High Court and secured an Order restraining the Commission from deregistering it.

“On appeal by the Commission, the Court of Appeal set aside the Order of the Federal High Court and on further appeal by the party, the Supreme Court set aside the deregistration of the party.

“Based on the judgement of the Supreme Court, the Commission interfaced with officials of the Youth Party on the modalities for its operation based on the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 and the Regulations and Guidelines of the Commission.

“Consequently, the Commission has recognised the Youth Party (YP) as the 19th Political Party in Nigeria with all the rights and privileges accorded political parties in Nigeria,” said Okoye.

Mr. Yunana Barde, Chairman of Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, has called for calm over the outbreak of a yet to be confirmed disease in Kafanchan on Wednesday night.

Barde made the call on Thursday, while speaking with newsmen at the General Hospital in Kafanchan.

He urged the people not to panic as all hands were on deck to contain further spread of the disease.

The council boss commended the General Hospital for its prompt response in providing a temporary isolation centre for suspected cases of the disease.

Meanwhile, the Medical Director of the General Hospital, Dr Isaac Nathaniel, said that resuscitative measures were being carried out on 10 suspected victims on admission, adding that their samples had since been collected for investigation.

“Last night I was notified of the outbreak of what looks like a respiratory tract infection at Ward B community in Kafanchan.

“I quickly dispatched a team of medical and laboratory personnel who got in touch with three of the suspected cases.

“We counselled them to come to the hospital for proper evaluation and treatment, after seven more victims were brought in today.

“We are doing all we can, to stabilise them and give them treatment while we carry out investigation,’’ he added.

He said the victims were children between ages three and 13 who displayed symptoms ranging from sore throat, headache, fever, difficulty in swallowing and breathing amongst others.

According to him, the state epidemiologist and his team were on their way to Kafanchan from Kaduna to ascertain the epidemiologic basis of the outbreak and its spread.

On the alleged death of about 10 people from the ailment, Nathaniel said it was ‘hearsay’ as none of the purported dead bodies had been brought to the mortuary.

“We were notified of some deaths last night but none of the so-called dead bodies has been brought to us. So, it’s all hearsay for now,” he said.

He called on residents of Kafanchan to be on the look out, as measures are put in place to prevent further spread of the disease.

The outbreak has forced many primary and secondary schools in Kafanchan to shutdown pending the conclusion of medical investigation. (NAN)

Four persons have been arrested by the operatives of the Anambra State police command in connection with a lady who was killed and dumped in abandoned swimming pool of a hotel in Awka, the state capital.

The state commissioner for culture, tourism and entertainment, Hon Don Onyenji, has said the hotel had been sealed off by the state government pending the outcome of the police investigation of the incident.

The police public relations officer in the state, DSP, Ikenga Tochukwu told LEADERSHIP Friday yesterday that those now in the police custody over the matter wasa celebrant who was marking his birthday in the club located in the hotel where the lady, aged about 30 years.

One Miss Chinyere Awuda was killed and her body dumped in the hotel’s abandoned swimming pool.

The police spokesman however did not disclose the name of the celebrant and the three other suspects, he said the others were staff members of the club which name he gave as “The Same”.

Not a few persons were shocked as tongue wagged in Awka as the video of the floating body of the lady in a swimming pool became viral yesterday.

Sources said that Miss Chinyere who was a popular clubber in the capital city was beaten to death by friends of the birthday celebrant in the club on Saturday for allegedly stealing money being sprayed on the celebrant.

It was learnt that while the celebrant was being sprayed money, Chinyere was caught picking up the money and pocketing it, a development that was said to have infuriated some of the celebrant’s friends who after beating her to death, dumped her lifeless body in the abandoned swimming pool in the hotel in Awka.

The police image-maker said the other suspects were being trailed.

A fresh crisis is brewing in the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the choice of former Kano State governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, as the next national chairman of the party, with his zone, the South West, staging the first protest against the move.

National vice chairman (North-West) of the party, Mallam Salihu Lukman, has warned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and APC governors against the choice of Ganduje as replacement for the erstwhile national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

According to him, the decision is suicidal and the height of insensitivity that may upset the zoning arrangement of the party.

With his zone championing the protest against the decision to make him the next national chairman, there are indications that the former Kano governor may be bracing for a bumpy ride, replete with stiff opposition, to the chairmanship seat of the governing party.

Lukman’s warning is coming 24 hours after reports emerged that President Tinubu and APC governors may have tipped Ganduje as the next national chairman of the party after the resignation of Adamu and the national secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore.

In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, the APC national vice chairman said, “So far, as things are, only the President and Governors blocs are active in the negotiation to produce and engage leaders of APC. Already, part of the speculations emerging from the Governor’s bloc is that Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is being considered to succeed Sen. Abdullahi Adamu. If this is true, it only suggests insensitivity and taking members of the party for granted. This is without prejudice to the person of Dr. Ganduje.

“This is because such a choice will completely distort the zoning arrangement that informed the present configuration of the leadership of the National Assembly. With the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Deputy Senate President coming from North West and North Central shut out of consideration, to propose the party’s National Chairman move to North West from North Central will be unjust.

“We must caution our governors that since the emergence of APC, governors have served almost as the conscience of the party. Any consideration for such an insensitive and unjust consideration of Dr. Ganduje to become the National Chairman of APC must be discarded. If anything, the position of National Chairman of the APC must be retained in North Central.

“Part of the challenge of managing the current transition within the party is getting the NWC to properly take the driving seat in managing and facilitating negotiations to produce and engage leaders of the party. The NWC must sit up and guide the unfolding negotiations. No single power bloc should be allowed to appropriate the process,” he said.

In the statement titled, “APC: Way Forward,”, Lukman asked President Tinubu to douse tension by speaking on the matter in order to return the APC to its founding vision of progressive politics.

He noted: “This is where the intervention of the President, being the leader of the party, would be required to moderate the excessive conduct of any power bloc, especially when such conduct risks further damaging the prospect of returning the APC to its founding vision.

“At these early stages of President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s leadership of the party, he needs to make that strong intervention to guide the process of restoring constitutional order and returning the APC to its founding vision of progressive politics. Progressive politics must be about inclusion and justice and not some blind and insensitive considerations.

“Following the resignation of Sen. Abdullahi Adamu and Sen. Iyiola Omisore as National Chairman and National Secretary respectively, there is all manner of speculation as to which way forward. Of course, understandably, most of the speculations, if not all, are driven by interests to control the affairs of the party.

“It is, therefore, necessary that at this very early stage of negotiating new leadership for the APC, we caution all our leaders that the only way we can justify the exit of Sen. Abdullahi Adamu and Sen. Iyiola Omisore out of the leadership of the APC is by demonstrating a commitment to restore constitutional order in APC and return the party to its founding vision of being a progressive party. These are issues that would appear to be taken for granted and if not engaged could be abused by power blocs within the party, which could lead to the emergence of leaders that are worse than Sen. Adamu and Sen. Omisore. This must be avoided.”

Adamu, Omisore Served APC Well, Resigned Voluntarily – APC Governors

Meanwhile, governors on the platform of the APC have finally broken their silence on the exit of Senator Abdullahi Adamu as national chairman and Senator Iyiola Omisore as national secretary, saying they resigned voluntarily.

They also absolved the duo of any wrong doing during their tenure in office, noting instead that they served the party meritoriously.

Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma, gave the governors’ position while addressing journalists after meeting of the APC governors in Abuja on Wednesday night.

The meeting held behind closed doors at the Imo State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, started at about 9.54 pm and ended at 11.12 pm.

Uzodinma debunked reports suggesting that there is crisis in the party, just as he said the APC governors were in support of Adamu and Omisore’s resignation.

He stated that both Adamu and Omisore served the governing party to the best of their abilities while APC enjoyed increased fortune under their administration.

He said, “I am aware some of you are anxious to know what is going on in our party and the country. We deliberated on so many issues that have to do with our party, the APC. You must have heard of the resignation of the National Chairman of our party and the National Secretary of the party. Those are voluntary actions that have been taken with due respect to our national chairman and our secretary.

“We commended the wisdom in what they have done and they served us well in the party, we are happy with the services and the party is united, there is no crisis in the party. They are happy; we also are happy. So, we are in support of their actions and they would continue to be commended, respected, and recognised for the services they have rendered to our great party.

“Their resignations have also been accepted by the leadership of the party. There is now an acting chairman and acting Secretary”.

Uzodinma further said the APC governors were conscientiously working with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the current hardship Nigerians are going through as a result of removal of fuel subsidy.

He apologised for the recent adjustment in the pump price of petrol from the previous N550 to N617, assuring that the current hardship occasioned by the skyrocketing cost of food, petroleum products and cost of living will soon be addressed.

He also refuted reports that the governors are silent on the plight of the citizens because the increase in the cost of fuel means more money to them through the Federation Account Allocation Committee.

He continued: “I decided to deal with the controversial social media posting of our upcoming FAAC. We are aware that the result of the removal of the fuel subsidy will increase the volume of money that would be received by us during the Federation Allocation Account meeting.

“We are working with the Federal government to ensure that the proceeds of that FAAC will be utilised in a manner that the citizens of the country are happy, the Labour happy and we also the practitioners happy. The economy of the country would be protected. So what has happened is something that we should be happy about.

“The current hardship occasioned by the price increase on both food, Petroleum products, and cost of living is being addressed. The sub-national government is working with the Federal Government and tomorrow (Thursday), there would be National Executive Council to discuss further that”.