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Innoson Absent in Court Again As Judge Refuses to Consider Jurisdiction Application

Published

6 years ago

April 26, 2018

Eric

Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja on Wednesday failed again to consider application by businessman Innocent Chukwuma, popularly called Innoson, challenging the court’s jurisdiction to arraign him at the court.

The judge for the fourth time adjourned the case till May 24 for possible arraignment.

At the last court sitting on Wednesday, March 14, Mr. Chukwuma, through his legal team led by George Uwechue, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, challenged the jurisdiction of the Lagos State High Court to hear the suit.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had sued the manufacturer before the court on allegation of forgery.

However, Mr Chukwuma filed a motion stating that the charge is an abuse of process because a similar charge on the same subject matter is pending at the Federal High Court Lagos division between the same parties in charge no FHC/l/565c/2015.

Justice Dada had in the last hearing said she would no longer entertain further proceedings in the suit involving Mr. Chukwuma until she knows the outcome of the petition against her before the National Judicial Council (NJC).

Mr. Chukwuma had in February petitioned the National Judicial Council asking the body to investigate the circumstance leading to Justice Dada issuing a bench warrant against him and ordering his arrest.

Making his submission before the Judge on Wednesday, the lead prosecuting counsel to the EFCC, ABC Ozioko maintained that despite the petition, the Judge can still go on with the prosecution.

However J.N. Mbadugha, a counsel to Mr. Chukwuma, countered the submission of Mr. Ozioko stating that they are not aware of any NJC directives that the learned trial Judge will continue with the hearing of the case until the petition against her is determined.

He also said that Mr Ozioko had neither availed the court nor the defence team with the information.

The lawyer insisted that the issue of jurisdiction should be heard first if the court is to go on with the case.

He submitted that there is an appeal against the order of bench warrant and a pending motion for stay of its execution and as such the order ought not to be executed. He also informed the court that the parties had filled and exchanged their brief at the Court of Appeal.

Again, Mr Uwechue, also raised the issue of the Court’s lack of jurisdiction to entertain the case and that he was ready to move that application.

However, the judge maintained that she would not entertain any application except if Mr Chukwuma is at the dock.

Chief Uwechue attempted to address the Court on that point but the Court interrupted him several times.

Angered by the incessant interruption by the judge which made it impossible for Mr Uwechue to address the court, the lawyer reminded the judge of his position as a Life Bencher, a former Chairman of Body of Benchers and a counsel who has been in practice for over 50 years.

He argued that the Court ought not to engage and stampede him but rather ought to listened to, and where possible record his submission and thereafter give a ruling.

Subsequently, the judge allowed him to address the court on the point that the presence of Mr. Chukwuma is not necessary since he is challenging the Court’s jurisdiction.

However, trouble started when Mr Uwechue attempted to read out a portion of the decision of the Appellate Court from the case he cited. The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Ozioko repeatedly interrupted him and did not let him read out the decision.

Mr. Uwechue, SAN, urged the judge to call Mr. Ozioko to order but the lawyer did not relent.

Mr. Uwechue later said that he had never seen that type of proceedings in his over 50 years of practice and that as a result he would quit legal practice.

Premium Times

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Breaking: Wike Plans to Attend Thursday’s PDP NEC Meeting

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The immediate past Governor of Rivers State, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, may have concluded plans to attend the much advertised National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), billed to hold on Thursday, in Abuja.

Impeccable source, who is in the know, told The Boss that the minister, whose membership of the PDP is yet to be revoked even as he frolicks with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and serving in the President Bola Tinubu government as a minister.

The Source told The Boss that Wike’s impending presence at the NECeeting on Thursday is not unconnected with plans, already hatched with some governors, to weaken the opposition PDP.

“Yes, we have on good authority that FCT minister, Wike is planning to attend the NEC meeting tomorrow all in a bid to weaken the fabrics of the PDP, and pave the way for the continuation of the Tinubu administration come 2027, and by extension, relapse Nigeria to a full blown one party state.

“From every indication, Wike and his co-travellers, are bent on unleashing the same crisis ravaging the third force, Labour Party, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Nigerian National People’s Party (NNPP) on the PDP for the APC to remain the only political party in the country, and ensure that Tinubu has no challenger, come 2027,” the Source said.

It would be recalled that Wike has boasted over and again that there’s no opposition against Tinubu’s re-emergence in 2027, and that they have made sure of that. He has been compensated with the Ministerial job after he withdrew support for his party, and supported the APC and Tinubu to emerge as national government.

The Source further revealed that in the attempt to actualize the intended one party state, a lot of funding is ongoing to ensure that concerned stakeholders are ‘settled’ handsomely.

Wike, prior, during and after the 2023 general elections, has been floating in between the two major political parties; the APC and the PDP. While he claim to still be a member of the PDP, he is functioning as a minister in an APC government, mocking the inability of his party to discipline him.

Political stakeholders have concluded that the outcome of Thursday’s PDP NEC meeting will determine the path Nigeria’s political trajectory will take, and that it may portend the end of multi-party system and political democracy if Wike succeeds in his plan.

Headline

Bribery, Corruption: APC Suspends National Chairman, Ganduje

Published

5 days ago

April 15, 2024

Eric

The All Progressives Congress ward in Ganduje, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, has suspended the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.

The party ward legal adviser, Halliru Gwanzo, announced the suspension while addressing newsmen in Kano State on Monday.

Gwanzo cited allegations of bribery against Ganduje levelled by the Kano State Government as the reason for the suspension.

“We decided to suspend Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje from the party due to the seriousness of the allegations against him,” Gwanzo said.

Meanwhile, efforts to contact the Chief Press Secretary to the APC National Chairman, Mr Edwin Olufo, failed as his mobile phone was unreachable.

Headline

Akpabio Commits to Collaboration with Tinubu, Governor Umo Eno

Published

1 week ago

April 12, 2024

Admin

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has stated his commitment to working closely with Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Governor Umo Eno to ensure the delivery of democratic benefits to the people of Akwa Ibom State.

Akpabio stated this in his country home, Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, while briefing his constituents on the journey so far as their representative in the red chamber.

He assured the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District of his commitment to their welfare in appreciation of their total support for him, President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in last year’s election.

The Highpoint of the constituency briefing was the distribution of over 10,000 bags of rice and other essentials for his constituents from the wards, to the local governments.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, quoted Akpabio as saying, “I am here once again, to thank you for standing by me, our President and the party, before, during and even after last year’s elections. I have come to say thank you and also bring Renewed Hope to you all.

“As the President is doing his own, the Senate President is also doing his bit and being complemented by the state governor, Akwa Ibom would be the better for it. We have finished elections and politics, we are now into governance. The governor of the state must touch you, because he is the governor of all the people in the state irrespective of political affiliation.

” As I am touching you now from the political angle, I will also touch the state without any political party affiliation. Most of the projects we are putting in place would be used by people resident in the state. Relax, things are getting better.”

The former Governor of the state, assured his constituents that his current position as the Senate President would be used for the development of the state in collaboration with the President and the Akwa Ibom State Governor.

Hear him: This Senate President is not the one that would be fighting the state government. I will collaborate with , I will collaborate with , to make the state better for us all. We cannot be out of government for a long time. You have to go to a government that carries you along”

Akpabio promised to work for his constituents and Nigeria with all his strength, noting that, “as the President of the Senate, I am for the Southern region and the entire country. I may not come here regularly to tell you what I have been doing for you, but you will be feeling the impact on way or the other. Our unemployed youths would be gainfully employed. I will construct a mini stadium in all the local governments in the district, for our youths to develop their sporting potentials. ”