Headline

Nnamdi Kanu Opts for Out of Court Settlement, Seeks to Negotiate with FG

Published

1 year ago

June 19, 2024

Eric

Nnamdi Kanu, detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has expressed his readiness to enter into a negotiation with the Federal government to secure his freedom.

Kanu took the position on Wednesday during the resumed proceeding on the seven-count terrorism and treasonable felony charge, which the government entered against him before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

His team of lawyers, led by Mr. Alloy Ejimakor, noted that Section 17 of the Federal High Court Act, made provision for amicable resolution of such matters.

Ejimakor notified the court of the decision of his team to explore the option, after he moved two applications that were filed by his client.

Whereas one of the applications, sought the committal of the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Yusuf Bichi, to prison for contempt of court, the second motion challenged the jurisdiction of the court to continue with the trial.

According to Kanu’s lawyer, he would be left with no option but to activate section 17 of the FHC Act, in the event that the court dismisses the two applications he moved on behalf of his client.

“Section 17 of Federal High Court Rules, states that in any proceedings, the court may consider reconciliation and settlement,” Ejimakor added.

On his part, the government’s lawyer, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), said he had earlier informed the defendant that he lacks the powers to embark on such negotiation as it is not part of the Fiat that was issued to him by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

He maintained that only the AGF has the authority to negotiate or take further steps in relation to the matter, noting that the case borders on alleged terrorism.

“If he is interested in negotiating, he knows the right place, the Attorney General of the Federation office,” Adegboyega, stated.

Reacting to the development, trial Justice Binta Nyako said the duty of the court was to hear the matter that was brought before it and not to act as a solicitor for any of the parties.

He said it was left for the parties to agree on the way they want the matter to go.

“If you want to discuss with the AGF, no problem at all,” Justice Nyako added.

It will be recalled that Kanu was first arrested in Lagos on October 14, 2015, upon his return to the country from the United Kingdom, UK.

Headline

Akpabio Relieves Natasha of Committee Chairmanship Position, Appoints Akwa Ibom Senator As Replacement

Published

21 hours ago

July 10, 2025

Eric

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has replaced suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora/Non-Governmental Organisations.

In her place, Akpabio named Senator Bassey Aniekun Etim (Akwa Ibom -East).

The Senate President, who made the announcement on the floor in Abuja on Thursday, did not give any reasons.

The committee position had remained vacant since March when the Senate suspended the Kogi-Central Senatorial District lawmaker for six months for flouting the Senate’s rule on the seating arrangement and seat allocation.

The suspended lawmaker, at a point, chaired the Senate Committee on Local Content before Akpabio reassigned her to the Committee on Diaspora/NGO, shortly before she ran into trouble with the Senate over her conduct on seat allocation.

Headline

Supreme Court Upholds Election of Monday Okpebholo As Edo Governor

Published

1 day ago

July 10, 2025

Eric

The Supreme Court has affirmed the 2024 governorship election victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), dismissing the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asuerinme Ighodalo.

In a unanimous decision by a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba, the apex court ruled that the appeal lacked merit. It upheld the earlier judgments of the Court of Appeal and the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had both declared Okpebholo the validly elected governor.

Headline

‘Overthrow’ Comment: Tinubu’ll Be Removed by Votes, Not Bullets, ADC Replies Presidency

Published

1 day ago

July 10, 2025

Eric

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), on Wednesday, said President Bola Tinubu will be removed through the ballot and not bullets.It dismissed insinuations that the coalition is interested in truncating democracy in Nigeria.

ADC’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, accused Tinubu of laying the foundation for a clampdown on opposition leaders.

He made the remark in response to a tweet by Tinubu’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, who alleged that the opposition was planning to overthrow the President.

Onanuga had said the coalition had ganged up to overthrow Tinubu’s administration.Rubbishing Onanuga’s comment, Abdullahi described his remark as reckless and unsubstantiated.

In a statement he signed, Abdullahi said Onanuga’s comment shows that Tinubu’s administration is out to intimidate and repress opposition political leaders in Nigeria.

He noted that ADC would explore Democratic means to ensure Tinubu’s removal from office and not by overthrowing him.

The statement read partly: “ADC condemned the tweet made by an aide of President Bola Tinubu, Onanuga, which alleges that the opposition is planning to overthrow the Tinubu government before 2027.

“If anything, it potentially lays the grounds for systematic clampdown on opposition leaders.

“The ADC is not interested in truncating democracy, we are solely committed to saving the nation from the irredeemable incompetence of this government. We are not soldiers, we are politicians.

“We don’t have bullets; we only have the ballots. When the time comes, we will only present our solutions and an alternative vision of the future to the Nigerian people and leave them to make their choice.”