2023: Court rejects motion seeking Tinubu, Atiku’s disqualification – Newstrends
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2023: Court rejects motion seeking Tinubu, Atiku’s disqualification

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3 years ago

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Atiku Abubakar and Bola Ahmed Tinubu

A Federal High Court, in Abuja, has refused to grant a motion, seeking an order compelling Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting Bola Tinubu as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)’s candidate for the 2023 presidential election.

Similarly, the court declined to grant the prayer, asking INEC from recognising Atiku Abubakar as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s presidential candidate for the next year’s poll.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling Tuesday, instead ordered the plaintiffs; Incorporated Trustees of Rights for All International (RAI) and Northern Nigerian Youth Democrats (NNYD) to put all the defendants on notice.

 Justice Ekwo, who refused to grant prayers one, two and three in the ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/942/2022 which was dated and filed June 22 by the plaintiffs’ counsel, Kingdom Okere, however granted prayers four, five and six.

The judge further ordered the lawyer to effect service of the court papers on the defendants within seven days of the order and adjourned until July 14 for further mention.

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that RAI and NNYD, through their lawyer, had filed the motion seeking for six orders.

Listed as defendants in the application include the APC, PDP, Tinubu, Atiku, Nyesom Wike, Bukola Saraki, Anyim Pius Anyim, Bala Mohammed, Udom Emmanuel, Terella Diana, Dele Momodu, Ayo Fayose, Charles Ugwu and Chikwendu Kalu as 1st to 14th defendants respectively.

Others are Sam Ohuabunwa, Chukwuemeka Nwajuba, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Ahmad Yerima, Rochas Okorocha, Tein Jack-Rich, Ben Ayade, David Umahi, Dr Ahmad Lawal, Yemi Osinbajo, Rotimi Amaechi, Yahaya Bello, Ogbonnaya Onu, Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu, INEC and EFCC as 15th to 30th respectively.

Among the orders the court declined include “an order restraining, prohibiting and barring the 29th defendant (INEC) from accepting the nomination of the 3rd and 4th defendants (Tinubu and Atiku) as the presidential candidates of the 1st and 2nd defendants (APC and PDP) for the 2023 presidential election pending the hearing of the motion on notice or as may otherwise be directed by the Hon. Court.

“An order directing all parties in this suit to maintain status quo which existed before the suit pending as may otherwise be directed by this Hon. Court.

“An directing speedy hearing/fast-tracking of this suit and abridging the time within which the plaintiffs and defendants may file their respective defence/responses in this suit to five days from the date of granting this application.”

But the court granted an order of substituted service on Tinubu, Atiku, Wike, Saraki, Nwajuba, Bakare, Yarima, Okorocha, Jack-Rich, among others.

It also granted an order of substituted service on all the defendants through a publication of only the originating summons in a national daily.

Okere, who gave seven grounds why the orders should be granted, said the “suit is a public interest suit that seeks to promote constitutional democracy, rule of law, the Federal Character Principle and principles of equity, justice and fairness in holding the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” among others.

In the originating summons, the lawyer wants the court to determine “whether having regard to the clear, unambiguous and express provisions, spirit and tenor of ARTICLES 11 (A) (I), 12 (1) AND 13 (1) of the Constitution of the APC, 2014 (as amended), the special national convention of the 1st defendant held on the June 6 and June 7 was properly constituted as regards the composition of delegates who should attend and vote at the said convention.

“Whether having regard to the clear, unambiguous and express provisions, spirit and tenor of Section 33 (1) AND (5) (C) of the Constitution of the PDP, 2017, (as amended), the special national convention of the 2nd defendant held on the May 28 and May 29 was properly constituted as regards the composition of delegates who should attend and vote at the said convention,” among others. NAN/EAGLE

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Prison officer sentenced for engaging in sexual activity with inmate

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7 hours ago

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January 7, 2025

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Prison officer sentenced for engaging in sexual activity with inmate

A 31-year-old prison officer, Linda De Sousa Abreu, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for engaging in sexual activity with an inmate at HMP Wandsworth in London.

The incident, which took place on June 25, 2024, was recorded by another prisoner and later circulated widely on social media.

The footage, lasting nearly five minutes, led to De Sousa Abreu’s identification and subsequent investigation.

Authorities arrested De Sousa Abreu at Heathrow Airport on June 28, 2024, as she attempted to flee to Madrid. She had informed the prison of her resignation, stating she would not return to work.

De Sousa Abreu pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office on July 29 last year. At her sentencing at Isleworth Crown Court on Monday, Judge Martin Edmunds KC described her actions as “immensely serious,” stating, “You engaged in sexual activity with a prisoner. That compromised your role as an officer and was misconduct which undermines discipline within the prison, putting fellow officers at increased risk.”

The court heard that De Sousa Abreu had a history of poor mental health and trauma. On the day of the incident, she had consented to the sexual activity and agreed to the presence of another inmate, who filmed the act while appearing to smoke cannabis. The video was later shared online without her consent, causing significant repercussions.

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Judge Edmunds acknowledged that De Sousa Abreu participated in the encounter with “evident enthusiasm” and had also engaged in sexual activity with the same inmate earlier that day, as well as on a prior occasion. He added: “Whether you intended it or not, the fact is that the video went viral and caused great harm.”

The fallout from the incident extended beyond De Sousa Abreu’s actions. Female officers at HMP Wandsworth reported increased abuse, harassment, and sexual advances from prisoners after the video’s release. Some officers’ children were also teased at school about their parents’ professions. Judge Edmunds remarked, “It is inevitable that the damage for which you were responsible at Wandsworth has spread, to some degree, through the prison estate.”

De Sousa Abreu’s 15-month sentence will see her serve half the time in custody, with the remainder on licence. She also received a 95-day reduction due to wearing an electronic tag for 190 days.

A spokesperson for the Prison Service condemned the incident, emphasising that such behaviour undermined the integrity of the system.

“While the overwhelming majority of Prison Service staff are hardworking and honest, we’re catching more of the small minority who break the rules by bolstering our Counter Corruption Unit and strengthening our vetting processes. As today’s sentencing demonstrates, where officers do fall below our high standards, we won’t hesitate to take robust action.”

Tetteh Turkson of the Crown Prosecution Service described De Sousa Abreu’s conduct as “a shocking breach of the public’s trust,” adding, “She was clearly an enthusiastic participant who wrongly thought she would avoid responsibility.”

 

Prison officer sentenced for engaging in sexual activity with inmate

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Container falls on tricycle in Ogbomoso, three die

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7 hours ago

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January 7, 2025

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Container falls on tricycle in Ogbomoso, three die

Tragedy struck in the Takie area of Ogbomoso, Oyo State when a container-laden truck lost control and fell on a commercial tricycle, crushing three people to d3ath.

The accident which occurred around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at Takie Junction, trapped two female passengers and the tricycle rider under the fallen container.

According to eyewitness accounts, the truck lost control while navigating a bend, causing the container to topple and crush the tricycle beneath it.

Rescue officials later confirmed that all three victims had died.

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Efforts are ongoing to remove the container from the road to prevent further accidents and restore normal traffic flow in the area.

Container falls on tricycle in Ogbomoso, three die

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Police arrest ex-convict, two others plotting to burgle Minna shop

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7 hours ago

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January 7, 2025

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Police arrest ex-convict, two others plotting to burgle Minna shop

Operatives of the Niger State Police Command have arrested three notorious armed robbers including an ex-convict planning to burgle a provision store in Minna.

Spokesperson of the command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, January 6, 2025, said the suspects were arrested in a hotel room based on credible intelligence.

According to the PPRO, the ex-convict, Jibrin Ndako, 19, was recently released from prison for motorcycle theft.

“In a continuous effort of the Niger State Police Command to stem the tide of crime and criminality in the State, the following arrests were made; on 4/01/2025 at about 6pm, based on a credible intelligence received, police operatives attached to Tudun-Wada Div arrested three suspected notorious armed robbers and burglars who are; Jibrin Ndako 19yrs of Barikin-Sale, Haruna Abubakar 20yrs of Angwan-Kamfani and Aliyu Abdullahi 18yrs of Kpakungu, Minna,” the statement read.

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“The suspects were arrested in a hotel along Eastern Bye-Pass, Minna where they lodged in a room and they were found with dangerous weapons of three cutlasses and one industrial iron cutter.

“During interrogation, Jibrin Ndako who had just returned from a jail term for the offence of theft of motorcycles, narrated that he met his accomplices from Agaie and brought them to Minna to join him in breaking a targeted provision store located at Barikin-Sale Minna before their arrest by the Police.

“The suspects have been transferred to State Police Headquarters, Minna for further investigation and diligent prosecution.

“The suspects are still undergoing preliminary investigations at the Div and they will soon be transferred to SCID Minna for further investigation and diligent prosecution.”

Police arrest ex-convict, two others plotting to burgle Minna shop

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