Headline

Group Petitions US Govt against Buhari’s Administration, Says President’s Vindictive, Authoritarian Autocrat

Published

7 years ago

February 7, 2019

Eric

A group under the aegis US Nigeria Law Group, has petitioned the United States government against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, alleging repression of opponents, subversion of judiciary and constitution among others.

In a letter addressed to the Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, US State Department, dated February 7, 2019 and signed by Emmanuel Ogebe, the group faulted President Buhari’s style of administration while highlighting systematic efforts to denigrate the Judiciary & Rule of Law in Nigeria.

It further dismissed the president as vindictive and authoritarian autocrat who removes any judge not found to be doing his bidding.

SEE THE FULL LETTER:

THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE
FOR AFRICA
US STATE DEPARTMENT
WASHINGTON DC
February 7, 2019

Dear Assistant Secretary Nagjy,

REPRESSION OF OPPONENTS, SUBVERSION OF JUDICIARY/CONSTITUTION & AND ELECTION THREATS TO WESTERNERS BY NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT – EARLY WARNING & ACTION

During your testimony before Congress in December, you expressed the opinion that there might be pockets of violence during Nigeria’s February elections. Based on a recent pre-election assessment, we wish to highlight to you systematic efforts to denigrate the Judiciary & Rule of Law in Nigeria by the Gen. Buhari administration weeks to the elections as well as incitement, provocation and threats of violence.

A. SUBVERSION OF THE RULE OF LAW BY ABUSE OF JUDGES AND THE CONSTITUTION

The President Buhari administration has assaulted the judiciary and eroded the rule of law on a multiplicity of levels too numerous to elaborate.

On Friday January 25th, the Gen. Buhari removed a constitutionally appointed head of a co-equal arm of government (the Chief Justice) unconstitutionally and then appointed a new head of the judiciary unconstitutionally usurping both the statutory and constitutional functions of the National Judicial Council and the Senate. This occurred in my presence as I was the Nigerian Supreme Court in Abuja as it unfolded.

Below are the details of the self-incriminating and deeply indicting recent statements by the president himself admitting to his crass manipulation of the judiciary:

“It is no secret that this government is dissatisfied with the alarming rate in which the Supreme Court of Nigeria under the oversight of Justice Walter Onnoghen has serially set free, persons accused of the most dire acts of corruption, often on mere technicalities, and after quite a number of them have been convicted by the trial and appellate courts. Since there is nothing the Executive Arm can do after the apex court of the land has spoken on any matter, several of these individuals walk free among us today, enjoying what are clearly the proceeds of the corruption which for so long has defeated the efforts of this nation to develop and prosper.” – Buhari January 2019 (on punishing the CJN for not ruling the way he wants.)

Permit me another exhibit:
“Don’t talk even of the US Ambassador (Justice Nsofor.) That one he wrote a minority judgement on my behalf so I paid him back (laughs)”. – Buhari (on rewarding a judge for ruling the way he wants.)

The sum total of these two confessions made last month are that President Buhari is a vindictive, authoritarian autocrat who punishes judges who do not do his bidding and rewards those who do. His hatred for Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen is predicated on this fact which is “no secret” and not really about asset declaration. Since he is “dissatisfied” and “there’s nothing the executive arm can do” he has done the worst which is to get rid of the “problem” Justice. Gen Buhari himself has established his clear personal animus against Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen on the basis of his professional duties as a judge. This fact is overwhelming established.

Chief Justice Onnoghen has only been Chief Justice for less than 2 years. A review of that time frame shows that the only notable such case he handled was the senate president’s own asset breaches. On appeal, the Supreme Court ultimately decided in favor of the senate president – Gen Buhari’s foe. This obviously drew the ire of President Buhari for which now Justice Onnoghen is paying the price by his own admission.

The question then arises, is the punishment and rewards of judges system based on their rulings as espoused by Gen Buhari not itself the very essence of corruption?
Do these actions not only amount to manipulation and interference with the judiciary but as a dire warning to intimidate judges to vote pro regime?

The swearing in of a new Chief judge by Gen Buhari and his swearing in of 250 election tribunal judges within 24 hours is troubling in this regard as it sends a message to the judges that those who rule for Buhari will be favored and those who don’t will be persecuted.

It is ironic and tragic that Gen Buhari openly brags that Nigeria’s Ambassador to Washington is actually a payoff for a judgment. It is clear that the subversion of the Chief Justice and the constitution is also a subversion of the electoral process because of the significant role of the judiciary in electoral review in Nigeria.

2. BRAZEN FORGERY & ABUSE OF COURT PROCESS BY EXECUTION OF FAKE JUDGMENT

The Buhari administration perpetrated a hoax on the nation and democracy by executing a fake judgment to wit:

– The president executed the judgment of a court that did not sit;
– enforcing a prayer on a motion never moved;
– implementing a relief of suspension that was never ordered
– on a party who was never served said order.

As a reminder, the court orders that truncated the June 12, 1993 elections and precipitated a prolonged national crisis were actually obtained in court sittings. General Buhari’s so-called Tribunal order is even worse as there was no known sitting but mere fabrication by a “ghost court” session which is alien to Nigeria’s jurisprudence and jurisdiction.

Nothing can be based on such an obvious fraud and everyone involved by commission or omission, complicity or complacency, aiding and abetting, before and after the fact must be held to account. If Gen. Buhari is allowed to procure a fake judgment to justify his manifestly unlawful acts, rigging the elections will be a walkover for him.

In view of previous reports from justices that they were approached by a serving minister and principal campaign promoter of Gen Buhari that he had sent him to ask the Supreme Court to rule in favor of the ruling APC in several Gubernatorial matters whereupon the recalcitrant justices were then arrested in 2016, we alert the international community of Gen Buhari’s persistent and sustained onslaught on the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law.

The electoral intent is clear – that procuring the judiciary is the regime’s insurance policy for failing to secure the elections.

3. FRAMING & FRAUDULENT CHARGES AGAINST OPPONENTS
Following the visit of top presidential challenger ex-VP Atiku Abubakar to the US recently, we are deeply concerned that the Nigerian Government declared its intention to interrogate him upon his return on trumped up charges.

We had previously condemned the Buhari regime’s campaign to criminalize Mr Atiku vicariously via the US legal system and the weaponization of US visa process.
Following the disastrous failure of this international campaign of calumny, the FGN framed up charges overnight against the former VP faster than they did the current CJN. FGN’s agents framed Chief Justice Onnoghen in 72 hours from Wed-Friday. VP Atiku was framed in 24 hours – from the moment he set foot in US on Thursday to the announcement of the “crimes” in a press conference on Friday January 18.

We are especially alarmed that the Buhari regime announced the investigation against VP Atiku when he was in US visiting Congress and the USIP under your office. We are alarmed that the government of Nigeria continues to flagrantly disregard all entreaties to stop harassing critics and opponents and actually attacks them for meeting with US authorities.

It is equally apparent that the Buhari regime has chosen to continue repression of critics despite Congress raising concerns during the hearing on Nigeria entitled, “Nigeria at a Crossroads: The Upcoming Elections” held on December 13, 2018, aforementioned.

Specifically Rep Smith informed you that the sub committee was in possession of a memo by the Nigerian embassy targeting a human rights lawyer (myself) for testifying before them. Concerned at the apparent repression of “opponents” of the Buhari regime, the Chairman asked whether the US government was engaged with Nigeria on these violations of citizens’ rights just for holding “contrary” views.

The Nigerian embassy’s secret memo said, ”Mr. Ogebe derives pleasure from trash-talking Nigeria on social media, in the Chambers of the United States Congress and other public places across the United States.”
More worrisome, the Charge d’ affaires (Acting Ambassador) of Nigeria Hakeem Balogun made the following chilling request, “Going forward, to prevent Mr. Ogebe, who is a Nigerian citizen, from making further derogatory comments that are inimical to the image of Nigeria, Government may consider taking punitive action against him, including withdrawal of his privilege to carry a Nigerian passport.”

As you know this is a criminal offense and is conduct incongruent with their diplomatic status. 18 USC 1505 provides in pertinent part that, “Whoever corruptly, or by threats or force, or by any threatening letter or communication influences, obstructs, or impedes or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede” or retaliates for testimony in Congress is guilty of a crime (USC 1513).

THREATS TO INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY & SUSPICIOUS FOREIGN INVOLVEMENT IN BUHARI CAMPAIGN

Finally we wish to raise concern over the direct involvement of foreign officials to promote Gen Buhari’s reelection. While the Buhari regime bristled when queried by the US and others on the unconstitutionality of the CJN’s ouster over “foreign interference”, the neighboring country of Niger sent a delegation of 60 officials to Buhari’s campaign. As far back as 2011, our fact-finding missions found evidence of citizens of Niger being imported across borders to vote in Nigerian elections for Buhari and were implicated in post-election violence by Gen Buhari’s party that claimed hundreds of lives. The overt material support from a foreign government is a glaring indicator of advanced plans to infiltrate Nigeria with foreign voters while bona fide Nigerian citizens abroad are denied the opportunity to vote.

Worse still, we are gravely concerned by remarks made by the APC ruling party stalwart and Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai who after condemning the petitions sent to the US, the UK, the EU, Germany and France by the opposition, calling on the foreign countries to prevail upon Buhari not to derail the nation’s democracy, reportedly said, “Those that are calling for everyone to come and intervene in Nigeria, we are waiting for the person that will come and intervene. They will go back in body bags. Because nobody will come to Nigeria and tell us how to run our country.”

Mr El-Rufai’s comments are deeply troubling and should not be taken lightly for several reasons:
Mr. El-Rufai infamously admitted on national TV that his government had traveled abroad and paid money to Fulani herdsmen who killed people in Kaduna state during the post-election violence of 2011 rather than bring them to justice
Mr. El-Rufai has in a deeply divisive and potentially explosive move picked a Muslim running mate in utter insensitivity to the conventional wisdom of balancing a Muslim and Christian ticket in a religious divided state with a history of ethnoreligious conflict. By his action, El-Rufai has primed the pump for internecine violence in Kaduna state undermining years of peace-building efforts.

Last month it was resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress—
(B) condemn(s) in the strongest terms the use of speech that incites violence, and (urge to)refrain from any rhetoric or action that seeks to demonize or delegitimize opponents, sow division among Nigerians, or otherwise inflame tensions; (C) seek to resolve any disputes over results peacefully, including through the legal sys-
tem as necessary; ”.

We respectfully submit that the actions of the Buhari regime and El-Rufai seek to “demonize and delegitimize opponents (namely ex-VP Atiku) sow division among Nigerians, or otherwise inflame tensions (namely the controversial removal of Chief Justice Onnoghen, and the imposition of a Muslim Muslim ticket contrary to B above)“ and threaten the opportunity for peaceful election resolution “through the legal system” contrary to C above.

It is humbly submitted that:
the documents proving my persecution by the Government of Nigeria for testifying in Congress before the Subcommittee,
the statements by GON against VP Atiku as he visited the US Congress and USIP
the statement by Gen Buhari justifying his removal of the Chief Justice for not ruling in his favor
the death threats to members of the international community per Mr El-Rufai show an egregious and pernicious pattern of repression by this regime of human rights lawyers, political opponents, justices and even international observers who won’t do his bidding.

We request your urgent intervention to send a strong signal to the Nigerian government that lawlessness, impunity, incitement, threats, repression and intimidation will not be tolerated.
Only last month you stated that, “We, and other democratic nations, will be paying close attention to actions of individuals who interfere in the democratic process or instigate violence against the civilian population before, during, or after the elections.
We will not hesitate to consider consequences – including visa restrictions – for those found to be responsible for election-related violence or undermining the democratic process. Under U.S. immigration law, certain violations may also lead to restrictions on family members.”

We urge that all those culpable in the above be immediately subject to targeted sanctions by the US government to preempt a build up to violence.

Thank you for your urgent attention.
Emmanuel Ogebe

US NIGERIA LAW GROUP

Headline

Akpabio Lashes Out at Tinubu’s Critics, Says Nigeria Safe Despite Insecurity

Published

3 days ago

June 10, 2026

Eric

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has urged Nigerians to be careful of those trying to kidnap for ransom.

Akpabio argued on Tuesday that those behind kidnapping are perpetuating the activity to create an impression that Nigeria is not safe.

Speaking in Abuja during the commissioning of road projects to mark President Bola Tinubu’s third year anniversary, Akpabio said some of the president’s critics have resorted to paying youths to cause mayhem.

Akpabio accused Tinubu’s critics of focusing on insecurity instead of policy and infrastructure.

“Minister you said that people claimed that nothing is happening in Nigeria under the administration of President Tinubu. If they did not say that, how will they go for election? he asked rhetorically.

“If you realize what is happening recently, when they realized that they can’t talk about projects, performance, good laws, transformation in the Petroleum industry, subsidy removal that have been promised Nigerians for decades, they can no longer talk about the high-rise buildings in Abuja such as the NRS building, they resorted to paying young people and recruiting them to cause mayhem in the country.

“Be very vigilant and be careful about people trying to kidnap for ransom. They are kidnapping in order to give the impression that Nigeria is not safe.

“Our men and women in uniform have done tremendously well but many people will not know and that is why I keep saying that the devil you see today, you will soon see them no more.

“Elections will come and go; elections will never be our end; we will see the end of elections; it will never see our end,” he said.

Headline

The Search for Justice: ADC vs Tsoho

Published

5 days ago

June 8, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

From the first day the African Democratic Congress (ADC) took a new shape in July, 2025, in readiness to wrest power from the government of the day, crises, allegedly engineered by the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC), have remained its lot.

From the struggle for leadership positions to the fight to save itself from deregistration, the hitherto coalition and main opposition party, has remained in a battle for its life and existence. And has not relented in the search for lasting justice. This time, it has taken the law itself to court to ensure that justice is not only done, but seen to have been done.

It would be recalled that shortly after the the party ratified the election of Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as Chairman and Secretary of the party respectively, skirmishes were noticed among the rank and file of the party as a supposedly former deputy national chairman of the party, Nafiu Bala Gombe, claimed chairmanship of party, saying that since the founding chairman had resigned, it is constitutionally incumbent upon him to automatically assume the chairmanship role.

Gombe’s claims came on the heels of his ‘resignation’ from office, which paved the way for a new national executive of the party to be constituted. But his claims did not deter the party from carrying on with the formation and running of the party, including holding a keenly contested presidential primary election, which produced His Excellency, the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. So Gombe went to court. Yet, Mark and Aregbesola carried on the running of the party.

As a result, Gombe had approached a court for an order restraining Mark leadership from parading themselves as leaders of the ADC pending the hearing and determination of his suit challenging their leadership.

He had also asked the court to issue another order against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), restraining it from recognizing the Mark leadership.

But in his ruling in the interlocutory application, Justice Emeka Nwite ordered Gombe to put the defendants on notice so that they appear before the court to show cause, why the application should not be granted.

Rather than appearing before the trial court to show cause, the defendant appealed to the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal, challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court to dabble into the matter they described as internal matters of the ADC.

The appellate court in dismissing the appeal for lacking in merit, ordered accelerated hearing in the suit and further ordered all parties to maintain status quo ante bellum.

Dissatisfied, Mark had approached the appellate court but, his appeal was dismissed and the matter returned to the trial court.

With the to and from nature of the cases involving the ADC leadership crisis, the party has accused judges of bias in favoring party detractors and disobedience to court rules among other malice, the party has taken a new route to obtain the much eluded justice, and that involves charging the custodians of the law to court.

Consequently, the ADC has filed a lawsuit before a High Court in Abuja involving the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, over concerns arising from the ongoing leadership dispute within the party.

Also joined in the suit is the National Judicial Council (NJC), which the party said had not addressed issues it raised regarding the handling of a case challenging the leadership of former Senate President, Senator David Mark, within the ADC.

The lawsuit, dated June 4, 2026, was filed by the National Welfare Secretary of the ADC, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who is seeking to be joined in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe against the Mark-led leadership of the party.

According to the suit, Ukandu expressed concerns about the handling of the matter and alleged that the actions of both Justice Tsoho and Justice Peter Lifu, the judge assigned to hear the case, could affect confidence in the proceedings.

The lawsuit further stated that the assignment of the case to Justice Lifu stirred concerns among some members of the party, who believe the process may not guarantee a fair hearing.

The legal action marks a fresh twist in the leadership dispute within the ADC, which has attracted significant political attention ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Aside Justice John Tsoho, other defendants are the National Judicial Council (NJC), and Justice Peter Lifu, a judge newly assigned to hear the suit challenging the Senator David Mark-led leadership of ADC.

The plaintiff, who was seeking to be joined in the Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, brought by Nafiu Bala Gombe against the Mark-led leadership, accused the chief judge and Lifu of manifest bias, and willingness to do the biddings of persons against the interest of the party.

Ukandu, in the suit he personally filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, faulted the chief judge for reassigning the suit to Lifu, in alleged disregard of the orders of the Supreme Court as well as Justice Emeka Nwite of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, who initially heard the suit brought by Gombe against the party.

The plaintiff, in the suit marked FHC/ ABJ/ CS/ 1165/2026, recalled that an appeal from an interlocutory decision of Nwite rose to the Supreme Court, wherein the apex court on April 30, 2026, “made an order of remittance of Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025: Nafiu Bala Gombe VS. ADC & 4 ORS back to Justice Emeka Nwite for continuation of hearing of pending applications challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court.”

He stated that upon resumption of hearing before Nwite, the plaintiff wrote to the chief judge praying for a reassignment of the matter to another judge of the Honourable Court.

Ukandu stated, “All the defendants’ counsel, including counsel to the applicants seeking to be joined in this matter, opposed the said application by the plaintiff’s counsel and Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite thereafter adjourned the matter sine die pending the service of the said letter by the plaintiff’s on all the parties in the matter, outcome of the letter by the 2nd defendant and the furnishing of the CTC of the judgement of the Supreme Court to the court.

“Without complying with the orders of the Supreme Court and Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite, the 2nd Defendant in abuse of his judicial powers reassigned this matter,” to Lifu.

He added that the third defendant, on his part, pretending not to see the order of Nwite, went ahead and fixed the matter for hearing for June 3, 2026.

Ukandu further recalled that ADC had on May 7 informed the public through a press release that the chief judge had planned to reassign the case to another judge favourable to the plaintiff.

He said the party had “warned against such unethical practice but the 2nd Defendant despite the public outcry reassigned the suit to the 3rd Defendant who have been nick-named as ‘Wike Judges’.”

He stated that the third defendant had started presiding over the matter, despite taking judicial notice of the orders of the Supreme Court and Nwite, and that the matter came up for hearing before the third defendant.

Though neither the Federal High Court nor the National Judicial Council had publicly responded to the issues raised so far, it is imperative to to state that the ADC appears to have lost interest in both the judiciary, which it believe is kowtowing to the dictates of Gombe, and by extension the body language of the Federal Government.

The ADC appears to have managed to draw the sympathy of the public as a group known as the Grassroots Mobilization Network (GMN), has lent their voice to the supposed injustice leveled against the Mark-led ADC, raising concerns about the handling of the matter, and calling for transparency in the judicial process.

The group alleged that the judiciary was being used to target opposition parties.

The group expressed concern over what it described as growing public distrust in the judiciary and called on relevant authorities to ensure fairness and transparency in the handling of politically sensitive cases.

While Nigerians await the outcome of the litigation, and other resolution of other sundry issues arising from the ADC and the judiciary, the party is going ahead making last minute transparent efforts to nominate a suitable running mate to bear the presidential flag with the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Among the party’s shortlists are the first runner-up in the presidential primary, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Akinwumi Adesina, Emeka Ihedioha, Emeka Nwajiuba and Chief Dele Momodu.

Headline

Gunmen Abduct Ex-Power Minister Adelabu’s Sister, Her Two Sons in Ibadan

Published

1 week ago

June 3, 2026

Eric

Suspected gunmen have abducted the sister of a former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The family of former minister and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) confirmed the abduction, disclosing that Mrs. Olaide John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons were kidnapped by the gunmen on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.

According to a statement issued by Adelabu’s media aide, Femi Awogboro, the victims were kidnapped at about 7:30am while Mrs. John-Paul was taking her children to school.

Mrs. John-Paul, the youngest of five children of Mrs. Olufunmilayo Aduke Adegoke Adelabu, reportedly retired voluntarily from her career at First Bank Pension Custodian in 2025 before relocating to Ibadan with her children.

She was said to be making arrangements to join her husband, who had earlier relocated to the US.

The family expressed deep concern over the development but stated that security agencies had already commenced efforts to rescue the victims and apprehend those responsible.

“We are pleased to confirm that security operatives have swung into action and preliminary investigations have commenced in earnest,” the statement partly read.

While appealing for calm, the family urged members of the public to refrain from spreading unverified information that could undermine ongoing rescue operations.

“We are deeply distressed by this unfortunate incident, but remain hopeful that the victims will be rescued safely. We appeal to the public to remain calm, avoid speculation and support ongoing efforts with prayers,” the statement added.

The family also called on anyone with useful information that could aid the rescue operation to promptly share such intelligence with security agencies through the appropriate channels.

It assured that it would continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement authorities and provide updates as investigations and rescue efforts progress.