This is another national army in country .
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Has Boko Haram been defeated?
Friday, May 24, 2019
WATCH: Boko Haram Releases New Video Showing Hostages Captured From Nigerian Army
This is another national army in country .
Watch
Has Boko Haram been defeated?
BREXIT: Theresa May Resigns
She will hold on until another PM is elected.
To watch the full speech, click the link https://t.co/eg4ElQMXVR
JUSTICES CAUGHT IN THE ACT
BY Oseghale Erahodu
An unsavoury dinner has just taken place in Aso Rock Villa. The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Mohammed, was caught on camera in a dinner session with President Muhammadu Buhari. The CJN had a full retinue of Supreme and Appeal Court justices, including members of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal at the dinner. They were at the Villa to break the Ramadan fast with the president.
If you ask me what my grouse with this high-powered dinner is, I will quickly retort by telling you that there is something distasteful about the meal. It is sour in every sense of the word because of the secrecy that was brought to bear on it.
Before their lordships were feted at this presidential dinner, some other high-ranking government officials, including the leadership of the legislative arm of government, had had similar dinners with Mr. President. But there is a difference. The dinner for the other stakeholders was in the public domain. They were announced to the Press. The public was very much in the know. But that was not the case with that of their lordships. Theirs was kept under wraps. It took some kind of whistle-blowing for some of us to know about this meal that has all the trappings of compromise.
Why were their lordships ferreted into Aso Rock and treated to a sumptuous evening without Nigerians being put in the know? That is the question that is begging for answer.
Now, let us go into the substance of the matter. I have a problem with this dinner because of the issue we have on our hands. The Nigerian judiciary is on trial because of the 2019 presidential elections. The received impression in many homes in Nigeria is that the election in question was won by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). President Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is largely believed to be holding a stolen mandate. It is this disputed outcome of the election that Atiku and his party, the PDP, have gone to court to challenge.
But an issue as testy as this cannot be resolved by a corrupt and compromised judiciary. The independence of the judiciary, the world over, is almost taken for granted. The judiciary is the last hope of the common man. It is the bastion of democracy. It is expected that the judiciary will stand firm and courageous when democratic institutions are being abused and trampled upon by corrupt politicians.
Not too long ago, the judiciary in Kenya, an East African country, made the world proud when its Supreme Court upturned the result of the 2017 presidential election in the country owing to widespread electoral malpractices. Since that courageous step was taken in Kenya, the world has been holding the Kenyan judiciary aloft as the beacon of hope for democracy in Africa, nay in the world. The judiciary in Nigeria may not have attained this enviable height, but Nigerians are hoping that our courts would, one day, help to right monumental wrongs. This is where we stand in Nigeria of today.
It was on the strength of this delicate situation that Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, the President of the Court of Appeal who also assumed the chairmanship of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, was asked to recuse herself from the trial because it is believed that she is an interested party in the case. I will not bother you here with the details of the assumed and presumed weaknesses of Justice Bulkachuwa in this matter. Suffice it to say that she has since recused herself even though she did so in a pretensious manner. Our hope is that the other Justices on the panel and whoever that will take over from Bulkachuwa will do justice in this matter without fear or favour.
But we are constrained to say that members of the presidential election petition tribunal have started on a disappointing note. Their ruling that there was not enough reason for Justice Bulkachuwa to recuse herself from the case is bizarre. How they decided to ignore judicial precedents and decided cases in this matter beats the imagination. Is this their skewed judgment a foretaste of what to expect from them in the case before them? We hope it is not. Nigerians are still waiting for them to dispense justice in a manner that will not make our judiciary a laughing stock.
You can now appreciate my agony when the matter which we are trying to resolve at the Appeal Court level is being entrenched at the Supreme Court. It must be noted that Justice Tanko Mohammed was appointed in controversial circumstances. He was chosen to replace Justice Walter Onnoghen, the deposed CJN who Buhari suspended in circumstances that were less than decent. Analysts have since linked Onnoghen's deposition to the presidential election case we have on our hands. All the talk about non declaration of assets by the former CJN was bunkum and a mere afterthought.
Given this set-up, it will be most unconscionable for Justice Tanko Mohammed to do anything that will throw him open to suspicion. Since he is believed to be the president's special nominee, he must tread with caution. He must be seen to be an impartial arbiter who will not be compromised by sticky meals.
The fact that the presidential dinner under reference took place in secret is worrisome. The impression it conveys is that the concealed meal may be one of the sessions that will be put in place to compromise the justices, particularly the CJN in the ongoing presidential election petition trials. The development is most reprehensible, to say the least. It sends uncomfortable signals to the watching world.
Justice Mohammed must retrace his steps. He must also watch his back. He must bear in mind that it will be imperative that he recuses himself from the case if he cannot maintain the neutrality expected of him. Nigeria must overcome a compromised and corrupt judiciary which cannot save the country from itself. The ongoing presidential election petition will be a case to end all cases. Our lordships must watch what they do because the world is watching.
That is why I shudder at the fact that their lordships did not see anything wrong with the secrecy that attended their outing. Considering the fact that other dinners that held before theirs were publicized, their lordships should have spared a moment to ask why theirs was made a top secret.
Circumspection is paramount here because of the case before them. They must realise that they are being looked up to resolve many of the thorny issues that the 2019 presidential election has thrown up. A cavalier disposition such as the one Tanko Mohammed and his entourage displayed in the instant case will not serve anyone's purpose in this matter. They should come off it and stay guided.
OSEGHALE, A freelance journalist writes from Benin City.
Zamfara Election: Supreme Court Nullifies APC Votes, Declares PDP Winner
The court, presided over by Justice Paul Adamu Galinji, described that all votes cast for the APC as wasted votes.
The decision of the court affected all candidates of the APC in the elective positions of the 2019 general elections.
Daily Post reports has it that a five-man panel of justices, in the Supreme Court on Friday, May 24, nullified all votes cast for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 elections in Zamfara state.
In the lead judgment by Justice Paul Adamu Galinji, the apex court held that all votes cast for the APC as “wasted votes” and declared that all political parties with the second highest votes in the elections and the required spread, are elected to the various elections.
Sit-at-home: Court Remands 140 IPOB Members For Alleged Treason In Enugu
By Chukwuemeka Chimerue - May 24, 2019
ENUGU— A Magistrate Court sitting in Enugu and presided by Magistrate A. N. Chioke has remanded 140 members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, over charges of treason.
The IPOB members were arrested by men of the Nigerian army at Ibeagwa Nike military checkpoint en route to Nsukka on Wednesday, 22 May for their scheduled evangelism for May 30 sit-at-home sensitization rally.
When they were brought to the court yesterday, in three 608 buses and one 18-seater bus, the defendants all pleaded not guilty on the allegation of conspiring to commit treasonable felony.
They were however, arraigned outside the court for about two hours as the court room could not accommodate them.
The offence was said to be punishable under Sect. 516 (A) of the Criminal Code CAP C38, Laws of Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004 as applicable in Enugu State.
The defense counsel to the IPOB members, Mr. Osita Abalu applied for their bail on the grounds that there was no evidence to back up the charge.
Abalu said that the prosecution had failed to provide probable cause why the defendants should be remanded in court in line with Section 234 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Laws (ACJL) of Enugu State, 2017.
He urged the court to exercise its powers under Section 225 of the same law and grant bail to the defendants.
Abalu said that though the offence for which the defendants were charged was punishable with life imprisonment, Section 88 of the ACJL, the Magistrates Court was qualified to grant bail.
He also urged the court to order the release of the four buses conveying the defendants to the venue of their scheduled evangelism in Nsukka area of Enugu.
Also speaking, another counsel to the 104 defendants, Mr F.C. Okeke told the court that it was ridiculous for the prosecution to claim that the defendants attempted to overthrow President Muhammadu Buhari.
Okeke said that the defendants were arrested on their way to a burial and wondered how that could translate to over-throwing the government.
“President Muhammadu Buhari is in Abuja, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is in Enugu while the defendants were arrested in Nsukka,” he said.
The counsel described the charge as trumped-up and meant to deny the defendants of their fundamental rights.
Okeke said that the prosecution deliberately brought the matter to the Magistrates Court just to punish them.
“An accused person cannot be brought to a court when such court has no jurisdiction to entertain the matter just to punish them.
“That is the essence of the ACJL of Enugu State. The law does not want an innocent soul to suffer.
“The defendants were arrested with no evidence; not even a razor blade. They were going to a burial,” he said.
Okeke urged the court to grant them bail in the most lenient means.
However, the prosecution counsel, Mr Paschal Nwachukwu urged the court to discountenance the bail application.
Nwachukwu said that the law empowered prosecutors to bring defendants to a magistrate for remand.
He said that a court could not grant bail in a matter it had no jurisdiction.
In her ruling, Magistrate Chioke declined jurisdiction in the case and remanded the defendants in Enugu Prisons and urged the defense team to make application in the appropriate court.
The magistrate ordered the release of the four vehicles to their owners on bond and on the provision of proof of ownership and particulars.
“The charge the defendants are remanded for is treasonable but the prosecution did not list any exhibit of weapon of warfare against them.
“The only document against them before the court is the charge sheet. This looks to me like a trumped up charge,” Chioke said.
Thursday, May 23, 2019
DSS Moves To Arrest Obasanjo, Surrounds Ota Farm
The Department of State Services DSS has barricaded the country home of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in an attempt to arrest him. The DSS want the former President to defend his allegations raised in accusing Buhari of plotting to use Boko Haram, herdsmen to Islamize Nigeria.
Obasanjo, who spoke on the topic, “Mobilizing Nigeria’s human& natural resources for national development and stability” also said both Boko Haram and herdsmen acts of violence were not treated as they should at the beginning.
According to him, “They have both incubated and developed beyond what Nigeria can handle alone. They are now combined and internationalized with ISIS in control.
The DSS noted that it is necessary for Obasanjo to come to the commission office to answer questions on the weighty allegations leveled against the Government of Nigeria.
Currently, the DSS has surrounded the farmland of Olusegun Obasanjo to arrest him.
Islamization/Fulanisation: Buhari Planning To Destroy S’East, S’South Regions – MASSOB backs Obasanjo
By Chukwuemeka Chimerue
ABAKALIKI— MOVEMENT for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) on Wednesday accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government of alleged plot to destroy both the south-east and south-south regions.
The group made this known through a statement signed by the Director of Information, Mr. Edeson Samuel and forwarded to our correspondent in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
MASSOB, however, applauded former President Olusegun Obasanjo for revealing the plans of President Buhari to use Boko Haram and ISIS to actualize the agenda of Islamization and fulanization of Nigeria.
The statement read, “Chief Obasanjo should not be crucified or condemned because he exposed the intended evil President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal government is planning to unleash on people of southern and middle belt regions of Nigeria.
“MASSOB have confirmed that the likes of Lauretta Onochie and Alhaji Lai Mohammed have mortgaged their consciences for their selfish desires, presenting falsehoods to the citizens because they want to be relevant to the President Buhari’s administration.
“MASSOB commends Obasanjo for been courageous and eloquence in revealing this unwanted truth, which the present government doesn’t want to hear.
“It will be recalled that MASSOB have earlier exposed this Islamization agenda of President Muhammad Buhari in pursuit, projection and actualization of the grand command of Othman Dan Fodio which is to islamize/fulanize this geographical entity called Nigeria and destroy the entire southern Nigeria but nobody believed us.
“MASSOB has gathered many secret plans by the northern political and religious leaders against the southern region through Biafra Intelligence Agency (BIA).
“In early 1960’s, the north through Tafawa Balewa and Ahmadu Bello used Chief Akintola to destabilize the Western region, today they want to use Bola Tinubu to destabilize the political structure of the Southern region. That was the recent meeting of some northern leaders in Saudi Arabia.
“MASSOB wishes to make it clearer again that there is no difference between Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen, the terrorist herdsmen where sent to go and destroy the South and Middle belt while the Boko Haram will carry their acts of terrorism in the northeast.
“That is why President Buhari can never declare Fulani herdsmen, a terrorist movement or even to condemn the killing of the innocent citizens by these foot soldiers of Islam called Fulani herdsmen,” the group stated.
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