News & Announcements

On Friday, Julius Abure, the chairman of the Labour Party, and others were suspended by Justice Hamza Muazu of a High Court in Abuja.

Others refrain from posing as LP national officials, including the National Organizing Secretary, Mr. Clement Ojukwu, and the National Treasurer, Oluchi Opara.

Martins Esikpali John, Lucky Shaibu, Isah Zekeri, Omogbai Frank, Abokhaiu Aliu, Ayohkaire Lateef, John Elomah, and Dr. Ayobami Arabambi are the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

They had requested the dismissal of Abure and the other three national officers of the party in an ex-parte action with the file number M/7082/2023, and the judge had issued the suspension order.

The ruling for stay of execution pending the outcome of the defendants’ appeal was approved by the judge after hearing arguments from the parties.

On April 5, Justice Muazu had ordered a temporary injunction preventing Abure, Ibrahim, the party’s national organizing secretary, Mr. Clement Ojukwu, and national treasurer, Oluchi Opara, from misrepresenting themselves as LP national executives.

This was stated in an ex-parte application filed before the court by the eight plaintiffs and designated M/7082/2023.

The defendants informed the court today at the hearing that they currently have an appeal filed with the court.

The judge ordered a suspended stay after hearing a lot of arguments from the parties.

After Justice Muazu issued an ex-parte injunction on April 5 to halt Abure, Ibrahim, and two other national party officials, Alex Ejesieme, SAN claimed on April 20 that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case.

The senior attorney had argued that the case at hand touched on Labour Party internal matters and that the criminal claims brought by the plaintiffs in the case could not be addressed in an originating summons.

The eight plaintiffs who filed the issue before the court, he said, were not part of the party’s National Executive Council and lacked locus standi to do so.

According to Ejesieme, “Our contention is very clear that those criminal allegations cannot be ventilated in an origination summon.

“The issue of locus standi is there. When you referred to LP’s constitution, the claimants are not members of NEC or the party.

“They have a duty to present their membership cards to the court which they didn’t.”

Attorney for the plaintiffs, Mr. George Ibrahim, requested that the court dismiss the preliminary objection made by the attorney for Abure.

He claimed that the first through fourth defendants were still posing as national officers of the LP and had not yet complied with the court’s decision from April 5.

With the court’s decision that it has jurisdiction to hear the matter, its order from April 5 is still in effect.

The judge then set the hearing for today to hear the main argument.

Through their attorney, Ogwu Onoja SAN, the plaintiffs had previously informed the court that Abure and the three other national officials were accused of forging several FCT High Court documents, including receipts, seals, and affidavits, to conduct illegal substitutions in the most recent general election.

The four individuals, according to Onoja, must be arraigned in court after being charged as a result of the police investigation, adding that arrest warrants have already been acquired.

Toyin Madein has been named the official Accountant-General of the Federation with the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd),’s approval.

The Director of Communications for the Office of the Head of the Federal Civil Service, Mohammed Abdullahi Ahmed, issued a statement dated May 19, 2023, on Friday in Abuja, which contained this information.

The appointment becomes effective on May 18, 2023, according to Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, head of the Federation’s civil service.

Madein was the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation prior to her appointment. She was born on March 7, 1965 in Iperu Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area, Ogun State.

It was previously reported on how the country’s anti-graft authorities approved 20 directors from various Ministries, Departments, and authorities to participate in the hiring process.

Following Ahmed Idris’ arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in July 2022 for allegedly misappropriating N109 billion, which was followed by his suspension and prosecution, the position became vacant.

The 20 shortlisted candidates that took part in the process are Danladi Comfort, Gombe (Interior); Mohammed Yar’Abba, Sokoto (Fire Service); Mufutau Bukola, Oyo (Transportation); Mahmud Kambari, Borno (North East Development Commission); Mohammed Dojo, Gombe (Interior); and Waziri Samuel, Borno (Agriculture and Rural Development).

Others are Maiden Sakirat, Ogun (OHCSF); Adaramoye Oluwole, Ekiti (Humanitarian Affairs); Isa Abubakar, Yobe (Science, Technology and Innovation); Ogunsemowo Olakunle, Ogun (Environment); Egbokhale Charity, Edo (NFF); Ibrahim Jibo, Kano (National Boundary Commission); Ogbodo Nnam, Enugu (National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission); and Bakare Juliannah, Ekiti (NPF).

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s candidate for president in the recently held general election, has criticized the US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken’s call to President-elect Bola Tinubu, saying that he should let the court decide who is Nigeria’s rightful leader.

Obi responded to the Friday chat between Tinubu and Blinken in a series of tweets on his verified Twitter account.

Blinken promised tighter relations between the US and Nigeria during a 20-minute phone chat to Tinubu on Tuesday.

However, the call sparked responses from the opposing sides. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar called the exchange between Blinken and Tinubu “demoralizing.”

“I am in disbelief that Secretary Antony Blinken called Tinubu, a contradiction to the publicly stated position of the US on Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election.

“This is inconceivable considering that America, as the bastion of democracy, is well briefed on the sham election of February 25. To give legitimacy to the widely acknowledged fraudulent election in Nigeria can be demoralising to citizens who have hedged their bet on democracy and the sanctity of the ballot,’’ Atiku said on his Twitter handle on Wednesday.

Obi urged the US to hold off on legitimizing any disputing party until the entire conclusion of the ongoing legal proceedings.

He said, “There is still a lack of clarity on the basis of the US Secretary of State, Antony J.  Blinken’s call to APC’s presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 16, 2023.

“It is thus of overarching importance that a beacon of democracy like the United States should not respond to political developments in Nigeria in a manner that faintly suggests taking sides.

“The final determination of the true winner of the election can only be made by the relevant courts of law,” he added.

“The most fundamental tenet and core value of democracy is the rule of law.

“Nigeria’s democracy is founded on these principles which the American people hold dear. Without the risk of interfering in Nigeria’s domestic affairs, the U.S.-Nigeria relationship should be guided by the core values of democracy.

“Above all, Nigerians expect that the US responses to our affairs should be based on mutual respect, shared ideals, aspirations and interests which ought to transcend the considerations of any individual,” Obi wrote.

The former Anambra governor added that the “willful manipulation and falsification of the will of Nigerians as freely expressed during the February 25 elections cannot be overlooked by the true friends and partners of Nigeria.”

“More so, the issues in judicial contention imply far-reaching violations of both the Nigerian Electoral Law and the Nigerian Constitution,” he maintained.

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Thursday, May 25th, confer National Honours on President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima. 

They both will be conferred with the National Honours of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) and Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON).

This is according to a brief statement shared via Twitter by the President’s Special Assistant on Digital and New Media, Tolu Ogunlesi.

According to Ogunlesi, on the same day, there will be an official handover of Transition Documents to the incoming Administration.

In his view, this process will be the most organized and seamless Presidential Transition in the history of Nigeria, enabled by Executive Order 14 signed by President Buhari.

Confirming the investiture of the President-Elect and Vice-President-Elect with the National Honors of GCFR and GCON, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha. noted that the exercise will take place at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.

The SGF who doubles as Chairman of the Presidential Transition Council, further disclosed at a briefing on Thursday that an Inauguration Lecture on the topic: Deepening Democracy for Integration and Development by His Excellency, Uhuru M. Kenyatta, former President of Kenya will take place on Saturday 27th May.

This will be followed closely by a Children’s Day Program which would involve a parade and a party for the kids.

As part of the schedule of activities marking the 2023 Presidential Inauguration, an Inter-denominational Church Service will hold Sunday the 28th at the National Christian Centre by 10:00 am and an Inauguration Dinner/Gala Night will take place later on at the State House Conference Centre.

The SGF further stated that on Monday, 29th May, the Inauguration Parade/Swearing-In exercise will take place at Eagle Square by 10:00 am, this is to be followed afterward by a Post Inauguration Luncheon.

Boss Mustapha assured that adequate arrangements have been made for the safety and security of all people throughout the inauguration period.
                 

The two employees of the US Consulate in Nigeria who were abducted on Tuesday following an attack on their convoy in the Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State have been freed by security personnel.

In a press statement given to journalists in Awka on Friday, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, the state police spokesman, revealed this.

They were rescued unharmed by the joint security forces in the early hours of Friday, according to Ikenga, whose names and identities were not made public.

“In the early hours of Friday, May 19, 2023, the joint security forces rescued unhurt the two remaining victims abducted during the attack on a US convoy attack along Atani/Osamela road in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.

“Operations are still ongoing and further details shall be communicated, please,” Ikenga added.

Yesterday, a Sabo-Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos granted a request for the troubled afrobeat musician Seun Kuti’s remand to be extended by an additional four days.

Kuti’s remand was increased by the Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Adeola Olatubosun, until May 22.

The application was moved by Mr. Simon Lough, who arrived in court with a group of police attorneys.

He claims that the reason for the prolongation is to allow for additional case investigation.
When Mr. Kuti allegedly slapped an Inspector of Police on May 13, 2023, after driving recklessly on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State and purposely impeding a moving police car, he was charged with assaulting a police officer.

On Tuesday, May 16, the chief magistrate ordered his remand for 48 hours during his earlier arraignment.

She did, however, rule that the defendant should be released from custody after a 48-hour remand and admitted to bail in the amount of N1 million with two sureties in the same amount, with the condition that one of the sureties be a landlord subject to the court’s jurisdiction.

She rescheduled the case for mention on May 22, 2023, and gave the prosecutor instructions to copy the case file and send a copy to the state director of public prosecutions for guidance.

In an effort to limit Moscow’s capacity to finance the conflict in Ukraine, Britain unveiled additional sanctions against Russia on Friday that target imports of diamonds and other minerals.

Before the G7 summit in Japan, London declared it would impose “a ban on Russian diamonds,” as well as sanctions against more companies involved in Moscow’s “military industrial complex” and a restriction on copper, aluminum, and nickel.

The estimated $4–$5 billion annual value of Russia’s diamond trade provides the Kremlin with much-needed tax income.

The assets of 86 individuals and organizations would be frozen as a result of the new sanctions, the UK foreign office announced later in the day.

These “companies connected to theft of Ukrainian grain, and those involved in shipment of Russian energy” are among them, the report added.

Additionally, “advanced military technology and remaining revenue sources” will be the target of the new sanctions.

New sanctions on Russia are anticipated to be imposed following the meeting in Hiroshima, including US actions that will add 70 more foreign and Russian businesses to a trade blacklist.

The “straightforward” message he had for Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, was that “We’re not going away.”

In order to discourage future Russian aggression, he continued, “one of the areas of conversation I’ll be having and have been having with my colleagues leaders is regarding the longer-term security accords… for Ukraine.

The G7 as a whole is anticipated to strive to strengthen current sanctions, plug loopholes, restrict Moscow’s access to the global financial system, and pledge to maintain blocked Russian assets until the end of the Ukrainian conflict.

Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, joked that the rich trade in Russian diamonds “are not forever” and pledged that the EU will target it.

Together with India and the United Arab Emirates, Belgium, a member of the EU, is one of the biggest wholesale purchasers of Russian diamonds.

A significant final market for the product is the United States.

The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has reacted to Anthony Blinken’s phone call to President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Blinken, who is US Secretary of State, had called Tinubu on Tuesday to pledge his country’s commitment to partner with the incoming administration.

Blinken said the US-Nigeria partnership is built on shared interests and strong people-to-people ties and that those links should continue to strengthen under Tinubu’s tenure.

But in a tweet on Wednesday, Abubakar said Blinken’s call to Tinubu contradicted the US position on the general elections.

“I am in disbelief that Anthony Blinken, US Secretary, called Tinubu, a contradiction to the publicly stated position of the US on Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election.

“This is inconceivable considering that America, as the bastion of democracy, is well briefed on the sham election of February 25.

“To give legitimacy to the widely acknowledged fraudulent election in Nigeria can be demoralizing to citizens who have hedged their bet on democracy and the sanctity of the ballot,” Abubakar wrote.

Abubakar came second to Tinubu, who was declared the winner of the presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The former vice president and the PDP are contesting the election outcome in court.
                 

Srichand Hinduja, the businessman who oversaw the wealthiest family in Britain, passed away at the age of 87, a spokeswoman announced.

Hinduja suffered from dementia, and his plight had been the focus of a family dispute that resulted in court hearings about whether or not to place him in a public care facility.

According to a family spokesman, the Hinduja Group conglomerate’s fourth and oldest brother passed away on Wednesday.

He was described as a “visionary titan of industry and business” by the spokeswoman, who also claimed that he “passed away peacefully” and was “looked after” by family.

The Hinduja family, whose wealth is worth an estimated £35.4 billion, topped the Sunday Times Rich List in 2022.

According to court documents that became public in November, a London judge stated that Hinduja’s demands had been “marginalized” by the family feud despite the immense resources at their disposal.

The family claimed that their disputes had been resolved.

Parmanand Hinduja, the father of the brothers, created the business while trading tea and dried fruit in Mumbai in 1919 before expanding it to Iran.

In the 1960s, the brothers took over and significantly enlarged the company.

The expansive Hinduja Group, headed by Srichand and Gopichand of London, expanded to include businesses with holdings in banking, healthcare, oil and gas, and power.

In the late 1990s, allegations that a prominent official in Tony Blair’s administration had inappropriately pushed to obtain his British citizenship propelled Srichand Hinduja into the focus of the UK media.

Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, has expressed sorrow for his support of a forum that promoted Aminu Tambuwal’s election as Speaker of the House in the 7th National Assembly.

As of the present, Tambuwal is the departing two-term governor of Sokoto State.

Gbajabiamila said, “I regret it,” referring to earlier attempts by speakership contenders to defeat the selected candidates of their respective parties.

The Joint Task – 10th Assembly, a coalition of members-elect from the All Progressives Congress and opposition parties for the incoming 10th National Assembly, met in Abuja on Wednesday night during which the Speaker delivered these statements.

At the meeting, the coalition selected Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu as the APC’s official nominees for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 10th House, respectively.

The APC candidate for Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, arrived with the Speaker before Gbajabiamila spoke, made a little statement, and then departed.

It was learned that the conference was still going on at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja as of the time of reporting this story.