A Federal High Court in Kano on Thursday nullified the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

An Abuja High Court had on Wednesday suspended Oshiomhole as APC’s National Chairman.

But in Thursday’s ruling, the Kano court set aside the ruling of the FCT High Court.

Justice Lewis Allagoa ordered the police and Department of State Service (DSS) to provide security for Oshiomhole to resume in his office, Channels TV reports.

However, hours after the ruling, Oshiomhole appealed the judgment at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division.

The Kano high court ruling was reportedly delivered by Justice Lewis Allagoa. But it is yet unclear who filed the case or whether the court has the jurisdiction to set aside the previous ruling.

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has insisted he remains the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), despite the order of an Abuja Federal High Court early Wednesday that he should vacate office.

Simon Ebegbulem, chief Press Secretary said, Oshiomhole remains the Chairman because APC’s lawyers had filed for a stay of execution of the judgment ordering his removal from office.

“Our legal department is studying the matter and we have filed for a stay of execution and appealed the ruling.

“With those processes, Oshiomhole remains the National Chairman of the party,” Ebegbulem said.

In a stunning ruling on Wednesday, Justice Danlami Senchi, directed the APC to desist from acknowledging Oshiomhole as its chairman. He also directed the party not to allow him access to its secretariat, pending the hearing and determination of the case on 7 April.

The judge gave the ruling on an application of interlocutory injunction by six members of the party,

In the application, the plaintiffs, led by Mustapha Salihu, prayed the court to stop Oshiomhole from acting as APC chairman since he had been suspended as a member of the party in his Etsako Ward 10 in Edo State.

They listed Oshiomhole as first respondent and the APC as second respondent in the application filed on their behalf by Oluwole Afolabi.

The plaintiffs stated that Oshiomhole’s rights as a member of the party had ceased by virtue of his suspension at the ward level. They argued that, since the former Edo State governor never contested the suspension, he could not continue to act as the party’s chairman.

Justice Senchi said the former governor, who on his Twitter handle describes himself as “Strategic General Chairman,” had been wrongfully kept in office.

Oshiomhole replies traducers: I am still APC chairman

Thursday, March 5, 2020 12:38 am | Daily News Headlines | 2 Comment(s)

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has insisted he remains the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), despite the order of an Abuja Federal High Court early Wednesday that he should vacate office.

Simon Ebegbulem, chief Press Secretary said, Oshiomhole remains the Chairman because APC’s lawyers had filed for a stay of execution of the judgment ordering his removal from office.

“Our legal department is studying the matter and we have filed for a stay of execution and appealed the ruling.

“With those processes, Oshiomhole remains the National Chairman of the party,” Ebegbulem said.

In a stunning ruling on Wednesday, Justice Danlami Senchi, directed the APC to desist from acknowledging Oshiomhole as its chairman. He also directed the party not to allow him access to its secretariat, pending the hearing and determination of the case on 7 April.

The judge gave the ruling on an application of interlocutory injunction by six members of the party,

In the application, the plaintiffs, led by Mustapha Salihu, prayed the court to stop Oshiomhole from acting as APC chairman since he had been suspended as a member of the party in his Etsako Ward 10 in Edo State.

They listed Oshiomhole as first respondent and the APC as second respondent in the application filed on their behalf by Oluwole Afolabi.

The plaintiffs stated that Oshiomhole’s rights as a member of the party had ceased by virtue of his suspension at the ward level. They argued that, since the former Edo State governor never contested the suspension, he could not continue to act as the party’s chairman.

Justice Senchi said the former governor, who on his Twitter handle describes himself as “Strategic General Chairman,” had been wrongfully kept in office.

Justice Senchi, who held that political parties must be bound by their constitutions, said he was of the view that since Oshiomhole had been suspended by his ward, he had no basis parading himself as the APC national chairman.

He thereafter adjourned hearing of the substantive suit till April 7, 2020.

The policemen arrived in two batches from the FCT Command and Wuse Divisional Police Station at about 5pm in nine Toyota Hilux vans. This was after two court officers served the Legal Department of the APC the High Court order.

They positioned themselves in strategic positions in the premises and directed all staff members to go back to their offices. Visitors were advised to leave.

Sources within the secretariat said the presence of the security agents was to prevent hoodlums capitalising on the confusion arising from the court ruling to invade the secretariat.

Acting National Secretary of the party, Chief Victor Giadom, confirmed that the party had received the court order and will abide by the content.

“We have received the court order and as a law abiding party, we shall respect it,” Giadom told reporter in Abuja.

He added: “As a party, we are aware of the court injunction. As a law abiding party, we respect all lawful court orders. Very soon, the National Working Committee will meet and you will hear further from the party.

“I am trying to say that APC will respect all lawful court orders. We will soon do that.”

The acting national secretary defended the presence of the security agents at the secretariat, saying: “there is nothing new about it.”

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has hailed the ruling of Abuja Federal High Court which bars Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, from parading himself as national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Governor stated this while addressing party members during the Edo South Senatorial rally of the APC in Benin City, the State capital.

Obaseki who has been at daggers drawn with Oshiomhole over the soul of the party in Edo State described the ruling as God’s plan and a right decision for the party which calls for a thanksgiving to celebrate it.

“When we planned this meeting last week to meet with all our executives, we did not know that God has plan for us today.

“No man is God. God is God. No man can play God. With what God has done today, what we should do now is to just thank him.

“The meaning of what happened today is that peace has now finally come to our party. The purpose of God for Nigeria in our party will now be fulfilled.

“My problem with Comrade Oshiomhole is that when people started saying that they were Edo Peoples Movement (EPM), I called him and urged him to denounce them.

“I told him to come out and say something. I told him ‘Comrade, denounce them, you are the national chairman; dissociate yourself from these people that are destroying our party.’ Up till today, he did not.”

Obaseki however said that the decision of the court barring Oshiomhole from parading himself as national chairman of the APC does not make him a happy man.

“The court has taken the right decision today, but it does not make me a happy person because it would not have come to this.

“So, my message today is, when a child puts his hands in feces, you do not cut off that hand, you take that hand and wash it.

“And for those our members who have been misled, we cannot practice our democracy the way it was in 1983,” the Governor said.

A 56-year old man, Chucks Ukah, has landed in trouble after he was allegedly caught having sex with an 11-year old girl in his house in Lagos.

According to P.M.EXPRESS the incident happened at Adeshiyan Street, Ilupeju area of Lagos, where the suspect resides with the victim’s parents.

The Police alleged that the suspect, Mr. Ukah, lured the victim into his apartment and engaged her in marathon sex between 6th to 11th February, 2020.

After days of searching, the victim was later traced to his apartment and the alleged molestation was reported to the Police at Ilupeju Division. He was then arrested and detained for interrogation.

It was gathered that during interrogation, the suspect, Mr. Ukah, admitted that he slept with her severally and that the victim was his lover despite the fact that he was married.

The Police found him culpable because of the age of the victim and later charged him before the Ogba Magistrates Court for the alleged offence.

When he was brought to Court, his plea was not taken after the prosecutor, Mr. Christopher John, asked the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for advice because the victim was still a minor.

The Presiding Magistrate, Mr. P.E Nwaka, ordered the defendant to be remanded in prison custody without an option of bail.

The Court also directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send to the DPP for advice while the defendant will be in prison custody pending the outcome of the DPP’s advice. The matter was adjourned till 18th March, 2020.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that the matter may be transferred to the High Court if the DPP finds him culpable and recommends that he should be tried for the alleged offence.

Ghanaian actress, film producer and singer, Juliet Ibrahim is 34!

The curvy Ghanaian actress yesterday took to her Instagram page to share some amazing photos of herself while appreciating God for the gift of life as she turns a year older.

She wrote:

“Men may not understand
How far You’ve brought me
They may not understand
I worship You today
Jesus ome kannaya
I worship you today… The doer of all good things
Whatever You say comes to pass
Onye di nso (Holy One)
The only precious lamb of God
When You’re involved things change
I can’t imagine what I would be without You
Go without You, Can’t live without You.
Thank You Lord for another year! #atoasttolife #March3rd #happybirthdayqueen”

For her photoshoot, Juliet was clad in a black lingerie-inspired ensemble, which she rocked graciously while striking poses on the beach.

Her outfit is a matching corset and lacy skirt that oozed sultriness which she finished off with a tiara and blond hairdo. She also wore an embellished gold outfit which she finished off with a silver tiara and a pair of fashion glasses.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Sokoto State Command, has arrested a woman who had been on the watchlist for 10 years and 18 other drug dealers.

The NDLEA Sokoto Commander, Mr Yakubu Kibo told newsmen on Tuesday in Sokoto that all the suspects were arrested in February.

“We arrested a very notorious cannabis sativa dealer in the state, Madam Queen from Raymond Village.

”Madam Queen has been on our watch list for the past 10 years and on the 28th of February, she was arrested alongside her sales boy.

“This time around, it was not limited to cannabis sativa. She is now a multi-illicit drug dealer. Apart from the cannabis we seized from her, other drugs including pentazocine injection were also found with her,” he said.

He said pentazocine is a dangerous injection which is class ‘A’ in prohibited drugs worldwide.

The commander revealed that another notorious business centre of one Ali Custom was also raided on two occasions at Kofar Marke, Rukubawa area and 97.750kg of illicit drugs were seized.

He said NDLEA had also returned sanity to popular Sokoto Hotel as well as raided a lot of other black spots in the state in February.

He said the command made a total seizure of 141.534kg of illicit drugs during the month.

According to him, the illicit drugs include cannabis sativa 134.128kg and psychotropic substances which includes tramadol diazepam and pentazocine injection.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, re-arraigned social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha, alias Mompha, in a Federal High Court Lagos, for alleged N32.9billion fraud.

Mompha was first arraigned by the commission on 14 counts bordering on fraud, money laundering and running a foreign exchange business without the authorisation of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

He was arraigned alongside his firm, Ismalob Global Investment Ltd.

The EFCC Counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court of a second amended charge against the defendant and urged the court to allow a fresh plea by the defendant.

The amended 22 count charges were read over to the defendant and he pleaded not guilty.

After his plea, defence counsel Mr Gboyega Oyewole, SAN, urged the court to grant a short adjournment to enable him study the new charge.

He told the court that he had only seen the new charge a few minutes ago before the court commenced sitting and consequently, urged the court to allow him study same.

Justice Mohammed Liman ordered that the defendant’s bail of N100 million continues.

Following the agreement of parties, the court adjourned the case until March 18 for the continuation of trial.

So far in the trial, the commission had called witnesses from commercial banks, CBN as well as the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML),

In the charge, EFCC accused the defendant of procuring Ismalob Global Investment Ltd and retaining in its account, an aggregate sum of N32.9billion between 2015 and 2018.

The Prosecution alleged that Mompha laundered the sum through Ismalob Global Investment Ltd.

Both defendants were alleged to have negotiated foreign exchange transactions in various sums like N9.4million, N20 million, N10.4 million, N2.4million, N100million, N61million, N40.7million, N42million among others.

Mompha was alleged to have aided the Ismalob to retain an aggregate sum of N14billion in its account, which was procured from Pitacalize Ltd.

He said the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 15(2) and 18(3) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act.2011 as amended.

Adams Oshiomhole has been suspended as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress by an FCT High Court in Jabi, Abuja.

Delivering a ruling on an application for an interlocutory injunction, Justice Danlami Senchi, ordered Oshiomhole to remain on suspension pending the determination of the main suit.

The court held that the party wrongfully continued to retain him as its National Chairman while he is under suspension as a member of the party.

The judge, therefore, ordered Oshiomhole to stop parading himself as the National Chairman of the party and directed the party to cease acknowledging him in that regard.

He also ordered the party to deny him access to the party secretariat.

(Punch NG Reports)

Benue State Police Command on Wednesday confirmed the release of Rev. Fr. David Echioda, a priest of Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, who was abducted on March 1 in Ado Local Government Area of the state.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Catherine Anene, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the telephone in Makurdi that no ransom was paid for his release.

NAN reports that Fr. Echioda was currently attached to Minor Seminary, Otukpo.

Anene further explained that the priest regained freedom on Tuesday night and unhurt, adding that the force is still going after his abductors.

NAN recalls that the priest was abducted along Igumale-Otukpo Road in Ado Local Government Area.

NAN further reports that Ado has recorded several cases of kidnappings, thuggery, militias, and armed robbery overtime.

The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said the Chinese man quarantined in the State has tested negative to Coronavirus.

Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi disclosed this on Tuesday evening, saying that the man who arrived on Monday evening on Ethiopian Airline with cough was tested negative for Coronavirus.

The Chinese, Si Wenqhuan was coughing seriously at the airport and had to be taken into isolation immediately.

Abayomi had earlier in the day confirmed at a news conference that a Chinese national who came into Lagos on Monday evening has been quarantined.

He had said the Chinese national arrived Lagos aboard Ethiopian Airline and was taken into isolation when he began to manifest symptom of Coronavirus.

Abayomi had said that samples had been collected from the Chinese national for test to determine if he is positive to Coronavirus.