The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a request by All Progressives Congress (APC) for it to review its last judgment in which it voided the participation of its candidates in the last elections in Zamfara State.
A five-man panel of the court, led by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, in a ruling early on Monday, struck out the application marked: SC/377/2019 filed by the APC, seeking a review of the judgement.
The court rejected effort by the lawyer to the APC, Robert Clarke (SAN), to take a second look at the decision given earlier this year.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) says political actions of some members of houses of assembly in Bauchi State and Edo in the inauguration of the assemblies are undemocratic.
APC National Publicity Secretary Lanre Issa-Onilu said the party would never allow such developments again and the impunity the actors enjoyed.
He spoke to journalists in Abuja on Sunday night, noting that “it is a shame that APC controlled state would be involved in such acts with impunity.
“I want to refocus the public through the media on what the issues are and there is one common issue for both Bauchi State and Edo — the improper inauguration of the houses of assembly.
“In Bauchi with 31 members of House of Assembly, no fewer than 11 members convened and purportedly inaugurated the House of Assembly; that is taking us back.
“In Edo, you have a situation where you have nine members, some of them in knickers, who convened and claimed to have inaugurated the House of Assembly’’.
He noted that APC ought to have dealt with issues in Bauchi State and Edo all together if not that Bauchi State is controlled by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Kogi Government has renewed its resolve to end preventable maternal, newborn and child death in the state.
Dr Saka Audu, the state Commissioner for Health, made this known on Monday in Lokoja.
He fielded questions after a weeklong Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW), a week designed to offer free healthcare service for women and children under the age of five years across the state.
Audu said that the maternal, newborn and child healthcare had taken centre stage in the Kogi Health Sector since the advent of Gov. Yahaya Bello’s administration with numerous healthcare programmes.
According to him, the healthcare programmes includes Health Care Plus, Bello Health Intervention and MNCHW, which are delivering uninterrupted, free, high-impact and life-saving interventions to the door step of every Kogite.
“A week full of MNCH high-impact/Low-Cost interventions being implemented by Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KSPHCDA).
“The interventions are Vitamin A supplements, family planning with reliable contraception, deworming, penta vaccination and provision of free ORS for the treatment of diarrhoea.
“Others are Exclusive Breastfeeding facilitation, ANC – Iron-Folate supplementation, intermittent malaria prevention with free SP for pregnant women, free HIV counselling and testing (HCT).
“Free Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) to pregnant, lactating women and children under-five years, health education on key household practices, and birth registration, among others,” he said.
The commissioner stressed that Vitamin A supplementation had shown to have preventive effects on all-cause and disease specified deaths in children under five years, reduces all-cause neonatal mortality by 12 per cent and reduces all-cause mortality by 25 per cent.
“In developing countries like ours, 15 per cent of maternal deaths would be averted if women aged between 15 and 49 years who want no more children, had access to reliable contraception.
“Deworming of children twice a year reduces anaemia and improves cognitive development.
“Penta vaccination has 17 per cent chances of reducing infant mortality; about 30,000 child death would be averted yearly.
“Free distribution of ORT has the potential of reducing death due to diarrhoea or related diseases by 50 per cent, which kill 1.2 million children annually worldwide; and majority of these deaths occur in the first two years of their lives.
“Exclusive breastfeeding that is usually taught during the MNCHW can help reduce child mortality by 15 per cent,” Audu explained.
NAN recalls that the MNCHW commenced on July 15 and ended on July 20 across the state.
He restated that the governor had an uncommon determination to end preventable maternal and child death, noting that he had assented to the Maternal and Prenatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) bill.
He said that the MPDSR Bill had now criminalised deliberate refusal to report maternal death and refusal to take action when such a case was reported.
“Offenders will be liable to six months imprisonment or N100,000 fine or both,” Audu said.
Mr Alhassan Yahaya, Zone E Vice-President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has advised past leaders in the country to desist from making utterances that could threaten peace and unity in the country.
Yahaya gave the advice in an interview on Monday in Gombe on the security challenges in the country.
“It is not time for politics. Election is over; let’s try as much as possible to unite as one country to develop Nigeria.
“Now that election is over, national interest and citizens’ welfare should be top priority.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us and until we keep sentiments, religious and ethnicity aside, only then will we move forward and experience development as one united country.
“Based on our constitution, everyone has the right of freedom of speech but we must speak within the provisions of the constitution and not to speak to create chaos or tension within the country,’’ he said.
Yahaya charged security personnel to monitor and arrest anyone guilty of hate speech that could incite violence.
Similarly, Mr Victor Alkali, the immediate past chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Gombe State chapter, said the security of the country was a collective responsibility and not an individual task.
Alkali stressed that for the country to enjoy peace, everyone including traditional institutions must be involved.
“Leaders must not be sentimental or biase, there should be collective condemnation of all negative acts.
“If our leaders can be nationalistic, we would have fewer problems in the country and our unity as a people would be easily protected for sustenance of peace,’’ Alkali added.
The hospitality industry in Madinah has witnessed a boost, following the arrival of Nigerian pilgrims in the city for the 2019 Hajj,
Our correspondent in Madinah reports that many Nigerian pilgrims were seen booking for lodging in some of the hotels located in the Al-Salam area of Madinah.
A check revealed that several Nigerians lodged in some of the hotels such as Wefadah Alzalrah, Gulnar Alsalam and Diyar Alsalam.
It is also reports that some of the pilgrims, especially women, are engaging in purchase of gift items and other basic needs.
The gift items, according to them, are meant for presentation to their families, friends and well-wishers upon return home from the pilgrimage.
Some Nigerian women were also seen selling Nigerian foods such as rice, beans, chicken and tuwo masara, among others.
An operator of a provision store, AbdulAziz Abdulmalik, in an interview, described the presence of Nigerian pilgrims in the city as a positive development.
Abdulmalik added that the Nigerian pilgrims are boosting commercial activities in Madinah.
“I have made some profits since the arrival of pilgrims in Madinah, especially those from Nigeria who check into my shop to buy one thing or the other,’’ he said.
Sources from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) indicate that no fewer than 15,629 pilgrims from Nigeria had so far arrived Madinah in 33 flights for this year’s Hajj.
Ahmed Magari, the Madinah Coordinator of NAHCON for 2019 Hajj, told journalists that the commission had contracted a Madinah-based transport company, Hafil, to transport about 35,000 Nigerian pilgrims from the city to Makkah for continuation of their Hajj rites.
In a show of hospitality to the pilgrims, some Arabs were seen giving them chilled bottled water and other packed foods.
Popular afro pop singer, Akintoye Balogun a.k.a Ajebutter and Joseph Donus, a.k.a Joeboy, thrilled Abuja music fans at a Food Expo event on Sunday in Abuja.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that the show, tagged’:’Summer Fiesta’ took place at the River Plate Park in Wuse II.
Joeboy performed his popular song “Baby” alongside some of his other popular hit music and caused a wild stir among the crowd.
As he performed a medley of his hit songs, the fun seekers were heard screaming the songs’ lyrics and dancing excitedly.
Ajebutter22 who surprised the crowd with his appearance as he was not expected to perform by fun seekers, sang several of his hit songs.
He had Abuja music fansroar towards him as they chorused the lyrics to one of his major hit songs “Ghana bounce”.
Th event featured musical performances by upcoming Abuja artists, face painting, display of foods, drinks, dance performances, food challenges and clothes sales.
It also provided space for vendors and food enthusiasts, who tasted a unique mix of meals and delicacies from several notable brands in Nigeria.
Sen. Danjuma Goje, has said that he had never faced a N25 billion corruption charge preferred by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Goje, the senator representing Gombe Central at the National Assembly, disclosed this in Abuja on Thursday in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
His denial is however running contrary to a story published by the EFCC on their website in 2013 which clearly stated that the former Gombe State Governor was standing trial along four others for 25 billion alleged fraud.
The story on the EFCC website reads in part: “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has urged Justice B.O. Quadri of the Federal High Court, Gombe, to discountenance the opposition of Sambo Muhammad Tumu to the admissibility of his statement which he claimed was obtained involuntarily.
“Tumu, a food supplier to Gombe State Government House alongside the erstwhile governor of Gombe State, Muhammad Danjuma Goje and four others are facing a N25 billion conspiracy and money laundering charge brought against them by EFCC.
“At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th May 2013, his counsel Paul Erokoro, SAN insisted the statement of his client should not be admitted in evidence”.
However, in a statement signed by Mr Paul Erokoro, lawyer to the senator, Goje said the claim was “inaccurate and untrue.”
Erokoro was reacting to recent reports in the media that corruption charge being faced by the senator were withdrawn following his decision to step down from the Senate president race in June.
He insisted that the actual amount mentioned in the charge was N9 billion.
Screen shot of the story on alleged N25 billion alleged fraud against Goje posted on the EFCC website
“The so-called “N25b fraud” that has been bandied about in the media, never featured in the case.
“The sum total of all the monies mentioned in the charge was about N8b.
“Of that total, N5billion was a loan taken from Access Bank for completion of infrastructural projects such as the Gombe airport, waterworks, numerous roads, Gombe Jewel Hotels, schools, hospitals and rural electrification.
“The bank testified in Court that the money was properly utilised for the projects. The EFCC investigators also confirmed to the Court that the projects were all completed.”
On the N1 billion agricultural loan, he said that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had testified in court that the loan was utilised in full compliance with the bank’s loan conditions.
“Other witnesses told the court that the governor never awarded any contract for the supply of food to Government House and Government Guest Houses during his tenure for the N1 billion alleged in the charge or for any other sum.
“On the N1.6 billion for the supply of English Dictionaries for primary and secondary schools, the Court was told that Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) gave its approval and that the contract was advertised in two newspapers and that reputable book publishers and suppliers tendered and that State Universal Basic Education Board awarded the contract to the lowest bidder.”
He said all the 19 counts of the charge around the above monetary issues collapsed during the trial.
He said because the prosecution witnesses completely exonerated the defendants was why the 19 counts were all dismissed by the court, on the the ground of No Case submission.
He added that the star witness of the Prosecution, a senior EFCC operative who headed the investigation, told the court that throughout their investigation, no money belonging to the Gombe State Government was traced to the Governor, his family members or associates.
He because of their embarrassing nature, the two counts of the charge were withdrawn by the Attorney-General of the Federation and not on political negotiation as being speculated.
Former President of South Africa Jacob Zuma has withdrawn from the corruption inquiry, saying that he would no longer give evidence in the probe over his administration.
Zuma’s lawyer Muzi Sikhakhane according to Times Live, wrote to disclose that his client would no longer be giving evidence to the inquiry.
He wrote:
“You will recall that on Monday, I expressed my reservations that a commission, which is a creature of statute, which has set out ground rules, writes a letter in June to say ‘we are calling your client in terms of no rules’.
“We expressed our reservations because this commission at all times has to comply with its ground rules.
“Basically, our client from the beginning was treated as someone who must come and answer, as someone who is accused. Everyone [every witness] who came had a grievance against him.
“We said our client sat waiting to be treated just like you treated [other witnesses].
“This commission does not know who is guilty, it’s trying to find out.
“A legal process must be cleansed of prejudices which come from outside… We therefore submit to you that there is something irrational about a parallel approach to the witness.
“We’ve come to tell you that because of the reservations we’ve raised and our experience in this room that my client has instructed me that he will take no further part in these proceedings.”
A 37-year-old guard, Wasiu Orilonise has publicly confessed that he raped his 15-year-old daughter for verification of her virginity and protection.
Wasiu who appeared in Oyo State Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ibadan, however, appealed to the court to forgive him as he did that only to confirm if her daughter was still a virgin.
The prosecutor, Mr Sunday Ogunremi, told the court that the accused had sometime in December 2018 at Omo village, Agbofieti, Ibadan, in the Ibadan Magisterial District, raped the victim without her consent.
Ogunremi said the offence was contrary to and punishable under Section 34, sub-sections 1 and 2 of the Child Rights Law of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2006.
The plea of the accused was, however, not taken during the arraignment.
When the Chief Magistrate, Mr Taiwo Olaniran, sought to know what pushed him into defiling his biological daughter, Orilonise said since he lost his wife a few years ago, he had been taking care of the victim and her siblings.
He told the court that he committed the act in order to protect his daughter.
Orilonise said the incident happened when he was trying to ascertain if the victim had lost her virginity, adding that upon discovering that she was still a virgin, he started having sex with her regularly before she would leave for school and at night.
The magistrate berated fathers who were fond of sexually abusing their daughters and other under-aged girls, saying they were allowing the devil to use them to destroy the society.
He ordered that the accused be remanded in the Agodi Prison pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions and adjourned the case till July 30, 2019.
