Headline

How Clean is Danladi Umar to Preside over Corruption Cases?

Published

6 years ago

January 13, 2019

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

On Monday, January 14, 2019, Mr. Danladi Yakubu Umar, will be presiding over the false asset declaration case and other sundry issues levelled against the Chief Judge of Nigeria, Mr. Walter Onnoghen, in what many has described as a rape of the judiciary.

Mr. Umar, who himself has a corruption case dangling over his head, will be heading the panel of three judges on this assignment.

Public opinion has however, not only frowned at the executive muscling of the other arms of government, but insinuated that it is improper for an officer with a huge corruption case to preside over corruption related matters.

Umar is on EFCC’s administrative bail.

On February 2, 2018, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), through a private lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN ), who is now the official spokesperson of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), filed bribery charges against the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) chairman, Mr. Danladi Umar, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The prosecution in the case marked, CR / 109/18, accused Umar of demanding N10 million as favour from a defendant standing trial before the CCT, Rasheed Owolabi Taiwo, in 2012.

The anti- corruption agency accused Umar of receiving, through his personal assistant, Alhaji Gambo Abdullahi, the sum of N1.8 million out of the N10m demanded from Taiwo in the same year.

The offences were said to be contrary to Section 12 (1 )(a ) & (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2003. Even as the chairman was arraigned on March 16, the case has remained inclusive.

Consequently, a group, The Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International filed a suit requesting the Federal High Court to declare that the CCT, which Umar leads, “was established to enforce the code of conduct for public officers and preside over cases of those accused and charged with failing to maintain a high standard of morality in the conduct of government business and for having failed to conform to the highest standard of public morality and accountability,” it therefore, sought an order, “directing /compelling the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Mr. Danladi Yakubu Umar, who has put himself in a situation where his personal interest conflicts with his official duty to immediately vacate the office and cease to act as the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal having been accused and charged to court in charge number CR / 109/18 at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”

In its report, the EFCC said, “There are indications that the Tribunal Chairman (Mr. Umar) might have demanded and collected money from the complainant through his said Personal Assistant. However, efforts to recover the telephone handset used by Justice Umar proved abortive as he claimed he lost the phone in 2012.

“This has made it impossible to subject it to independent analysis with a view to corroborating the allegation. In the same vein, the complainant could not also make available his telephone set on the grounds that he had lost it.”

This also died a natural death.

While undergoing trial at the mercy of Umar, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki filed a lawsuit seeking for the CCT chairman to be excused from the trial on asset declaration, because the judge has been on administrative bail with EFCC for allegedly receiving bribe.

The EFCC had earlier dropped charges against Danladi Umar, but some very incriminating documents emerged later on, which tends to substantiate the Senate president’s case against Mr Umar. At this, Umar reportedly went berserk in court, and ordered Saraki’s lawyer arrested. It appeared that from several independent sources, Danladi Umar was in fact guilty of accepting bribes and is tainted. (Refer to Naij.com’s publication https://www.legit.ng/806354-cct-vs-saraki-controversy-see-evidences-cct-chairman-photos.html)

But that passed and the chairman resumed his duties as if nothing was amiss.

Headline

APC Govs Forum, Others Adopt Tinubu As Sole Candidate for 2027 Presidential Race

Published

15 hours ago

May 22, 2025

Eric

The All Progressives Congress has endorsed President Bola Tinubu as its flag bearer in the 2027 presidential elections.

The Party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, announced this on Thursday, on behalf of its National Working Committee, at its National Summit held at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja.

The endorsement came hours after APC governors and lawmakers cast a vote of confidence on the president and endorsed him for a second term.

Headline

FG Drags Natasha to Court for Defamation, Lists Akpabio, Yahaya Bello As Witnesses

Published

15 hours ago

May 22, 2025

Eric

The Federal Government has filed a criminal suit against the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, over comments she made on national television that were allegedly deemed defamatory.

The case, marked CR/297/25, was filed on May 16, 2025, before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, with Akpoti-Uduaghan listed as the sole defendant.

According to court documents, the government is charging the senator under Section 391 of the Penal Code (Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990) for allegedly “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person.”

The said comments were allegedly made during a live broadcast of Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on April 3, 2025, where Akpoti-Uduaghan was said to have criticised unnamed individuals in a manner the government claimed was defamatory.

Count two of the charges accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of “making an imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person, contrary to Section 391 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990, and punishable under Section 392 of the same Law.

“That you, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on or about the 3rd day of April 2025, during the same Politics Today programme on Channels Television in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, made the following imputation concerning Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State.

“It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night to eliminate me. When he met with him, he then emphasised that I should be killed, but I should be killed in Kogi.

“You knew or had reason to believe that such imputations would harm the reputation of Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State”, the charge added.

Among the witnesses lined up to testify include Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello, who are identified in court filings as the nominal complainants.

Other witnesses listed include Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, Sandra Duru, and police investigators Maya Iliya and Abdulhafiz Garba, who were involved in probing the matter.

The former Kogi governor had in April, petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), accusing Akpoti-Uduaghan, of making defamatory statements against him.

Bello, through a petition signed by his lawyer, N.A. Abubakar, submitted to the IGP on Wednesday, April 16, called on the police to invite Akpoti-Uduaghan to present credible evidence backing her allegations against him.

The former Kogi governor alleged that during a homecoming event on April 1, 2025, in Okehi Local Government Area, the female lawmaker ‘maliciously’ defamed him and accused him of being involved in an assassination plot.

The case comes amid ongoing political tensions surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was suspended from the Senate earlier this year. Her suspension sparked widespread criticism and allegations of political persecution.

Akpoti-Uduaghan had accused Akpabio of targeting her after she rejected his alleged sexual advances, claiming that her suspension was orchestrated to silence her.

She made the allegations following the altercation over sitting arrangement in the Senate Chamber that led to Akpabio ordering the sergeant-at-arms to eject her from the chamber when she rejected the seat offered to her.

She is challenging her suspension at the Federal High Court, where the hearing has been scheduled for June 27.

Source: ICIR

Headline

Again, Dangote Refinery Slashes Petrol Price by N15

Published

19 hours ago

May 22, 2025

Eric

Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has announced another reduction of N15 in the price of its high-quality Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

As a result of this reduction, Nigerians will now purchase the product at the following prices: N875 per litre in Lagos; N885 per litre in the South West; N895 per litre in the North West and North Central, while it will be sold for N905 per litre in the South East, South South, and North East.

These prices will apply through all its partners, including MRS, AP (Ardova), Heyden, Optima Energy, Techno Oil, and Hyde.

The refinery called on other marketers to join its expanding network of partners, thereby demonstrating their support for President Bola Tinubu’s Nigeria First policy, which advocates for the prioritisation of locally-produced goods and services.

Since the commencement of operations, Dangote Petroleum Refinery has consistently implemented cost-reduction strategies aimed at delivering tangible savings to Nigerians.

In February 2025, the company carried out two price reductions on petrol, resulting in a total decrease of N125 per litre.

This was followed by a further reduction of approximately N45 per litre in April.Additionally, the prices of other key products, such as diesel and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), have been significantly lowered, improving affordability across transportation, industrial, and domestic energy sectors.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery recently reassured Nigerians of price stability despite fluctuations in global crude oil prices, reaffirming its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s economy.

“By refining petroleum products domestically at the world’s largest single-train refinery, we are proud to make a substantial contribution to Nigeria’s energy security, foreign exchange savings, and overall economic resilience—aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on addressing the nation’s economic challenges and improving the well-being of Nigerians.

“We are immensely grateful to His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, for making this possible through the commendable Naira-for-Crude Initiative, which has enabled us to consistently reduce the price of petroleum products for the benefit of all Nigerians,” it stated.Dangote Petroleum Refinery further assured the public of a consistent supply of petroleum products, with sufficient reserves to meet domestic demand, as well as a surplus for export to enhance the country’s foreign exchange earnings.Recall that only last Tuesdsy, the founder of Dangote Refinery, Aliko Dangote, was named in the inaugural 2025 TIME100 Philanthropy list.The list recognises the 100 most influential leaders shaping the future of philanthropy worldwide.The list, published by TIME Magazine, includes Aliko Dangote, whose Foundation spends an average of $35 million annually on programmes across Africa, alongside other global figures in charitable work, such as Michael Bloomberg, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffett, and Melinda Gates, all of whom were recognised as Titans.