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Presidency: APC forms bought by Miyetti Allah, lmajiri without my consent, says Jonathan

Published

2 years ago

May 10, 2022

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Former President Goodluck Jonathan has denied consenting to the N100 million All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms bought for him to contest the 2023 presidential election by nomadic Fulani pastoralists and Almajiri communities.

Jonathan’s Media Adviser, Mr Ikechukwu Eze, in a statement on Monday, said it was an insult for the community to buy the forms for him without his consent.

The statement was in reaction to the earlier purchase of the forms for the former president to contest the party’s ticket with other aspirants for the 2023 presidential election.

“It has come to our notice that a group has purportedly purchased Presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination forms of the APC in the name of former President Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

“We wish to categorically state that Dr Jonathan was not aware of this bid and did not authorise it.

“We want to state that if the former president wanted to contest an election, he would make his intentions clear to the public and will not enter through the back door,” Eze said.

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He, however, expressed appreciation for the overwhelming request by a cross-section of Nigerians for Jonathan to make himself available for the 2023 presidential election.

Eze stressed that the former president had not in any way, committed himself to the request.

“Buying a presidential aspiration form in the name Dr Jonathan without his consent, knowing the position he had held in this country, is considered an insult to his person.

“The general public is therefore advised to disregard it,” Eze maintained.

Malam Ibrahim Abdullahi, leader of the nomadic Fulani pastoralists and Almajiri communities, had earlier told newsmen after picking the forms that Jonathan should be re-elected to enable him to complete what he began.

“My name is Ibrahim Abdullahi, I represent two of the most vulnerable communities in our country, the nomadic pastoralists and the almajiri communities.

“We have decided to purchase this form for our former president, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to come back and rule this country and continue with the good work he started,” he said.

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Among other things, he said Jonathan was the first president since the country gained independence in 1960 that found it expedient, through his magnanimity, to remember the Almajiri community.

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Court knocks FG for lack of diligent prosecution in Tukur Mamu’s terrorism financing case

Published

42 mins ago

April 29, 2024

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A federal high court in Abuja has reprimanded the federal government for lack of diligent prosecution in the charge filed against Tukur Mamu, publisher of Desert Herald newspaper.

At the court session on Monday, David Kaswe, prosecution counsel, was not in court despite having entered his name on the cause list, indicating his presence.

Abdul Mohammed, Mamu’s counsel, urged the court to stand down the matter to await Kaswe’s return.

However, the prosecution lawyer was still not in court when the case was called again after the judge had delivered a judgment.

Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, expressed surprise over “the miraculous disappearance” of the federal government’s lawyer in court.

“I am also aware that the prosecution was in court this morning, but as to the miracle of the disappearance of the prosecution as at the time this matter comes up for hearing is beyond my understanding,” Ekwo said.

“This antic of the prosecution is only being tolerated in today’s proceeding.

“If the prosecution demonstrates that they are not ready to prosecute this matter either diligently or expeditiously, the court will make the right decision at that point.”

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MAMU ASKS TO BE TRANSFERRED TO KUJE PRISON

Mamu’s lawyer moved an application to transfer his client to the Kuje correctional facility.

He said the prosecution had already responded to the motion.

In the application, the defence counsel said the Department of State Services (DSS) has refused to obey a previous court order which directed that Mamu should be allowed access to his doctors.

He said Mamu would get proper medical attention in Kuje prison.

“This application is brought so that we will take the defendant to the prisons because they always obey court orders there so that if we go there, he will have access to his medical officer,” he said.

“It is completely within the discretion of the court and we do not want to bring an application for contempt as that will take time.

“Therefore, we want the court to vary the order and the defendant will stay in the Kuja correctional facility. That is what we are asking for.”

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The judge adjourned the matter until May 20 for ruling on Mamu’s application.

BACKGROUND

Mamu is standing trial for allegedly aiding the terrorists who attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train in March 2022.

After his arrest in 2022, the federal government said $300,000 was found in his possession.

He was arraigned in March 2023 by the office of the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism.

However, in March, he pleaded not guilty to all the counts and denied having allegiance to the terrorists.

Mamu is alleged to have received $120,000 as ransom payments on behalf of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

The monies were said to have been received from families of hostages kidnapped during the train attack.

He was also accused of exchanging voice note communications relating to the hostages with one Baba Adamu, a Boko Haram spokesperson.

The federal government also tagged the $300,000 found in Mamu’s possession after his arrest, as terrorist funds.

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Mamu, an aide to Ahmad Gumi, a popular Islamic cleric, was involved in negotiations for the release of the passengers abducted during the attack on a Kaduna-bound train.

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Abuse of office: Emefiele challenges jurisdiction of Lagos court to try him

Published

2 hours ago

April 29, 2024

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The Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has deferred till the end of trial, its ruling on the application filed by the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to try him on the charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Through his lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olalekan Ojo, Emefiele submitted that he cannot be tried in the high court of any state in Nigeria for alleged acts of abuse of his office as this raises issues of constitutionality and legality.

The former CBN governor also noted that counts 1-4 of the 26 counts charge filed by the EFCC against him are unconstitutional as they are not contained in any law in Nigeria.

His counsel asked the court to make an order striking out counts one to four of the charge on the grounds that:

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. the Honourable Court has no jurisdiction to try the offence of abuse of office in relation to the office of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria which the 1st Defendant occupied at all times material to the commission of the offences and

ii. the 1st Defendant’s/Applicant’s acts said to constitute arbitrary acts resulting in abuse of office are not offences known to law as mandatorily required by section 36(12) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

The EFCC through its counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rotimi Oyedepo, however, countered these arguments.

Citing decided cases of the Supreme Court, he asked the trial judge, Justice Rahman Oshodi, not to defer or prevent the trial of the case on the basis of objections challenging the particulars of the counts of the information.

“That approach is intended to take us back to where we are coming from as this were the basis for Section 1 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA and the purpose for which Administration of Criminal Justice Law, ACJL was intended. The intention of our collective resolution as a nation was to to prevent undue delay in our criminal cases.

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“I urge my lord to refuse this invitation, trial has commenced, this application to prevent the trial today is unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional and I urge the court not to depart from the decision of the apex court as to do so would amount to judicial rascality,” Oyedepo stated.