By Seun Adams

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said that as part of organised effort to rid the establishment of corruption, it’s board, has granted approval for the award of various degrees of punishment

to 28 officers of the corps in accordance with the provisions of it’s regulation on discipline.

The officers according to the agency, had been found culpable for desertion, forgery, number plate racketeering, bribery, scandalous behaviour, drivers license racketeering and patrol misconduct.

According to Bisi Kazeem, the Corps Public Education Officer, in a statement made available to SHARPEDGENEWS over the weekend, he said the approval which reaffirms the corps’ resolve to align with the anti corruption policy of the President Muhammadu Buhari led Administration was granted during the meeting of the Board on Friday,

According to him, the sanctions consist of 8 dismissals, 10 termination of appointments, 5 reduction in ranks and 5 loss of seniority.

While reemphasizing the need for personnel to desist from any act of indiscipline, the Board Chairman, Barr. Bukhari Bello, revealed that the disciplinary actions are to serve as deterrent to others who may form the habit of contravening established regulations and tarnishing the good image of the Corps.

In the same vein, the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi re-stated that his administration will continue to operate on the tripod of Consultation, reward and punishment as he called on staff to internalize the ideals of the founding fathers whose drive and commitment were geared towards saving lives.

It will be recalled that since the inception of the leadership of Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, as the Corps Marshal, the Federal Road Safety Corps has ensured the entrenchment of discipline among its personnel with continuous clamp down on corrupt elements while a reasonable number of staff have received different punishments for misconducts and in the same vein, many staff have been commended and appreciated for disciplined and exemplary conducts.

sharpedgenews.

By Yemi Oyeyemi, Abuja.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has told a Federal High Court in Abuja, that the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC) was sacked to pave way for a final end to internal leadership crises rocking its rank and file.

The party also said that immediately the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee was put in place after the NWC’s dissolution, the crises that had characterised the affairs of the NWC were laid to rest.

Reacting to a legal action challenging the dissolution of its NWC instituted by one of its chieftains, Mr Kalu Kalu Agu, APC said further that the present court action challenging the NWC dissolution effected on June 25 was designed to destabilise it.

In a five paragraph counter-affidavit in opposition to the court action, the APC said that by its own constitution the National Executive Committee (NEC) has power to set up any committee including the current National Caretaker Committee led Governor Mai Mala Buni.

In the counter-affidavit deposed to by Mrs Adenike Adelakun, a Librarian in its legal department, APC further said that Governor Buni and other members of its National Caretaker Committee are eminently qualified for their appointment and pleaded with the court to dismiss the suit.

Meanwhile, the plaintiff in the matter has asked the court to order for continuing hearing of the substantive suit during the ongoing vacation of the Federal High Court.

Kalu also pleaded with the court for another order abridging the time within which the 14 respondents are to file and serve jointly or severally their counter-affidavits and other processes in response to the suit.

His motion on notice filed by Ukpai Ukairo was predicated on the grounds that his suit is a pre-election matter which ought to be decided within 180 days prescribed by the Constitution.

He claimed time is of essence and that a delay may cause irreparable damage or serious mischief.

However, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, counsel to the 14 Caretaker Committee members in their counter to the motion, claimed that the suit has no particular life span, adding that the subject matter of the suit did not relate to any particular election.

Fagbemi therefore urged the court to decline the request of the plaintiff.

Meanwhile, trial judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo after taking submission from parties in the matter fixed September 18 to deliver ruling on whether to hear the matter during the court’s vacation or not.

Kalu, a Youth Leader of the APC in Abia State is challenging the powers of the National Executive Council (NEC) to sack the national leaders barely two years out of their constitutionally guaranteed four year term of office.

In the suit with number: FHC/ABJ/ CS/736/2020, the plaintiff asked for an order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, setting aside the dissolution of the NWC by APC’s NEC meeting held at the presidential villa in June this year.

He is also praying the court for an order restraining the National Caretaker Committee members led by Buni from parading themselves as national officers of the APC and from usurping the functions of the party’s NWC.

Plaintiff also prayed the court for an order restraining the National Caretaker Committee from putting into effect the resolution of the APC’s NEC meeting passed on June 25, 2020 and for another order against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising, dealing with or relating with the caretaker committee in whatever guise to usurp the functions of the NWC.

Similarly, the plaintiff also prayed for an order of mandatory injunction compelling Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to continue to recognise the Oshiomhole-led members of the NWC as the authentic national officers of the party.

He also prayed the court for an order striking down Article 17 of the APC’s constitution which provided for appointment of officers into the organs of the party for being inconsistent with section 223 of the 1999 Constitution and section 85 of the Electoral Act of 2010.

In a 44- paragraph affidavit in support of the originating summons, the plaintiff claimed to be one of the foundation members of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) under which he contested for the House of Representatives in Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency of Abia State in 2011 and that after the 2011 general elections the party along with others merged in 2013 to form the present APC.

Plaintiff further averred that he is an accredited APC member and that he was elected as the Abia State Youth Leader in April 2014 during the state’s congress held at Umuahia, adding that the national officers of the APC were also elected in 2014 in accordance with the party’s constitution.

Insisting that the 1999 Constitution guaranteed four year tenure for party officials, Agu averred that in breach of the same constitution on June 25, 2020, APC’s NEC meeting at the presidential villa Abuja, passed an illegal and unlawful resolution dissolving the NWC and also setting up an illegal caretaker committee of the NWC.

Plaintiff’s further grouse was that members of APC’s NWC had barely spent two years from their four years in office before they were purportedly dissolved by the NEC.

He is therefore praying the court to declare the dissolution of the NWC as unconstitutional, illegal, null and void and another declaration that the recognition accorded the caretaker committee is unconstitutional and illegal.

Plaintiff further prayed the court to declare that the setting up of the caretaker committee for APC by the NEC on June 25, is unconstitutional, illegal, null and void and of no effect.

Respondents in the case are INEC, APC, Governor Mai Mala Buni, Isiaka Oyebola, Ken Nnamani, Stella Okorete, Governor Sank Bello, Dr James Lalu, Senator Abubakar Yusuf, Hon Akinyemi Olaide, David Leon, Professor Their Mamman, Isiaka Ahmed and Senator Akpan Udoedehe.

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A legal luminary, A. A. Malik, SAN, has called for the remembrance of late Chief Gani Fawehinmi whose post-humous birth anniversary was on 22n April, 2020

Malik, SAN, in a statement made available to TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL) titled: “REST ON, THE LATE GANI FAWEHINMI, SAN”, said prayers should be said to the deceased legal icon

“Even in the midst of the rather sombre and depressing discussion on Judicial integrity in Nigeria, let us spare some thoughts and prayers for the late Prince of Ondo Kingdom, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, who died 11 years ago, today.”

According to Malik, Gani’s voice would have been heard against the anti people policies of government and desecration of the Rule of Law if he were alive

He said, “It is beyond argument that were the legal Iroko to be alive today and given the sorry state of affairs in our own dear native land, Chief Gani Fawehinmi’s voice, would have been the loudest and most critical, in condemnation of all the anti-people policies of govt and, as well, the profane desecration of, irreverence and disrespect for, the rule of law.”

“How Nigeria and the legal profession miss the ‘conscience of the nation’ ”
May his gentle soul continue to rest.” Malik concluded

Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

Ebikaboere, the wife of detained Bayelsa State Governorship Candidate of the Liberation Movement (LM) in the last election, Vijah Opuama, has expressed concerns over the safety of her husband.

Opuama was arrested on 15th August 2020 at the premises of the Bayelsa State Governorship Tribunal sitting in Abuja during the judgment on the case he filed seeking the disqualification of the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewrujakpor.

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja earlier ordered the Inspector-General of Police to bring Opuama to court on September 2 but was surprised that the police failed to heed the order.

The court presided over by Justice Taiwo, renewed the order, and gave the IG the last chance to unfailingly produce Vijah on September 7.

But Ebikaboere said she became scared of her husband’s life on Friday when armed policemen took him away from his cell under the guise of taking her to the IG’s office.

She said since 12noon on Friday when he was taken away on handcuffs till Saturday, the whereabouts of Opuama had remained unknown.

She urged the IG not to let any harm come to her husband insisting that Opuama was not a criminal and should not be treated as one.

She said: “On Friday afternoon, the police came and took Vijah Opuama out of the station on the pretence that IGP wanted to speak with him at Force Headquarters.

“They handcuffed him and went out with him. We have made all efforts to find out where they took Vijah all to no avail. He is not in Force Headquarters and has not been returned to the Police station up to now.

“The purported Area Court Zuba the police claimed he was taken to sat that day between 9 am to 11 am and heard only three cases which did not include that of Vijah. Incidentally, one of Vijah’s Lawyer was also in that area court throughout Friday and saw all the cases that were heard and there was no case like that of Vijah that was mentioned. Where is Vijah?

“The Federal High Court has already ordered the IGP to produce the Vijah in Court on Monday. We are apprehensive that they have taken Vijah out of the station to go and harm him. I am scared of his life. Where is my husband?

” I am begging the IG under whose custody, my husband is being detained not to let anything harm come the way of my husband. He has done nothing wrong apart from fighting for justice in Bayelsa.”

The Federal Government disclosed on Thursday that September 21, 2020 has been set for the reopening of Tertiary institutions, Primary and Secondary school in the country, it’s almost 5months schools has been closed. Minister of Education Mr. Adamu Adamu made this statement at the end of this week’s Federal Executive Council meeting.

Stakeholders are expected to continue to put protocols in place toward the reopening of schools according to the guidelines set by the Federal Ministry of Education, and also put in place infrastructure and COVID-19 protocols that would facilitate resumption in the Institutions.

That means all schools in the country are set to resume on Monday, 21st September for a completion of first semester examinations for tertiary institutions and abridged third term of the 2019/2020 academic session for Primary and Secondary Schools.

Having conducted an assessment of schools within the country to ascertain the level of preparations for general reopening of schools in the country, FG has scheduled schools to resume from the COVID-19 break on September 21st.

Also the ongoing industrial Strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will be resolved within the remaining weeks before the scheduled resumption date.

The Lagos State Judiciary has announced an existence of vacancies for the appointment of two High Court Judges

This is contained in a circular dated 3rd September 2020 signed by the Chief Judge of the State, Hon. Justice Kazeem Olarenwaju Alogba and sighted by TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL)

“The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has given approval for the appointment of Two (2) High Court Judges for Lagos State Judiciary to fill the existing vacancies.” the circular reads in part

Hon. Justice Alogba, therefore, requested for nomination by the incumbent judges of qualified persons within their respective jurisdictions

He said “May I, therefore, request Your Lordships to nominate suitable and qualified persons of Lagos State origin within your jurisdiction for consideration for the appointment”

The CJ also requested the names to be submitted on or before 24th of September, 2020

“I shall be grateful if you will forward the expression of interest and detailed particulars of such person(s) to me not later than 24th of September, 2020” the circular concluded

The Central Bank of Nigeria has frozen the bank accounts of 38 Nigerian companies.

This is as scarcity of dollars at the parallel market during the week forced the naira down to N465 against a United States dollar.

Nigeria is presently facing one of its biggest dollar crunch in recent years with the impact hurting critical sectors of the economy.

In a circular dated September 4, Bello Hassan, CBN’s Director of Banking Supervision, asked banks to place the accounts of the 38 companies on Post-No-Debit (PND) order

“You are hereby required to place the under listed accounts on Post-No-Debit with immediate effect and revert with the account names, numbers, currencies and balances of all accounts placed on PND.

“Note that only the listed entities should be placed on PND, all related accounts are excluded. Your response should be forwarded to the underlisted email addresses [email protected] or [email protected],” part of the circular read.

Among the companies listed by CBN is Premier Lotto owned by Adebutu Kessington, Nigerian billionaire known as Baba Ijebu.

The move by the apex bank comes months after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission launched an investigation into the activities of Adebutu for alleged tax fraud and economic sabotage.

According to PREMIUM TIMES, Segun, one of Adebutu’s children and other management officials of Premier Lotto were in January detained at the EFCC office in Lagos.

According to officials of the commission, the investigation was as a result of a petition submitted by Western Lotto, another betting company run by late Buruji Kashamu.

PREMIUM TIMES quoted EFCC sources as saying that they had identified N5bn revenue that should have been remitted to the Nigerian Government but was allegedly kept aside by the company.

The probe might be expanded to include other betting companies and investigate claims of sharp practices and how some firms allegedly withhold funds from winning customers.