Judiciary

CJN to Swear in New Justices of Supreme Court Monday

By Web News 426

The newly-appointed 11 Justices of the Supreme Court will be sworn in on Monday.

The justices are Jummai Sankey, Chidiebere Uwa, Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, Haruna Tsammani, Moore Adumein, Obande Ogbuinya, and Stephen Adah.

Others are Habeeb Abiru, Jamilu Yammama Tukur, Abubakar Sadiq Umar, and Mohammed Baba Idris

The National Assembly had on December 21, 2023, confirmed the elevation of the justices following President Bola Tinubu’s recommendation.

According to an invite sent to our correspondent on Friday, the Supreme Court’s Director of Information, Festus Akande, disclosed that the oath of office will be administered to the justices by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola.

He said, “The newly appointed 11 Justices of the Supreme Court will be sworn in by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola on Monday at 10.00 a.m. at the Main Courtroom of the Supreme Court.”

When the swearing-in of the elevated justices is done, the apex court will have the full complement of 21 justices, as stipulated by the Constitution

Punch/Simeon Ugbodovon

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Judiciary

S’Court Affirms Fintiri as Adamawa Governor

By Web News 364

By Ifeoma Nwovu

The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri as Governor of Adamawa State.

Justice Inyang Okoro who read the lead judgement of the Five-Man Panel of Justices, dismissed the appeal by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aisha Dahiru.

While dismissing her appeal for lacking in merit, Justice Inyang Okoro held that the act of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Hudu Ari, was an act of irresponsibility and criminality.

Justice Okoro further held that the Electoral Act gives the responsibility of who to declare results, and this power exclusively rests on the returning officer.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on March 20, 2023 declared the Adamawa governorship election inconclusive.

INEC’s returning officer, Mele Lamido, had announced that Fintiri scored 421,524 votes while Binani polled 390, 275.

He said the margin between the two top candidates was less than the total number of potential voters in 69 polling units where elections were cancelled.

Following the declaration of the election as inconclusive, the electoral body fixed April 15 for the conduct of the supplementary election.

Controversy ensued during collation after the REC, Hudu Yunusa-Ari, declared Binani the winner of the poll.  Yunusa-Ari announced Binani as the winner in the absence of the returning officer.

The development forced INEC to declare the announcement null and void. It thereafter summoned the REC to its headquarters in Abuja, while the collation of results continued.

The final results showed that Binani scored 398,788 votes, while Fintiri secured 430,861 votes to win the election.

After the election, Yunusa-Ari was suspended, arrested and handed over to police for prosecution.

Judiciary

S’Court Affirms Farouk Lawan’s Jail Term 

By Web News 334

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed an appeal by a former member of the House of Representatives, Farouk Lawan, against the judgments of the lower court which imprisoned him.

A Federal Capital Territory High Court had sentenced  Lawan to seven years imprisonment for receiving a $500,000 bribe while serving as the chairman of the House’s ad-hoc committee investigating the fuel subsidy fraud in 2012.

The trial Judge, Angela Otaluka, held that Lawan demanded $3m and received $500,000 from Femi Otedola in 2012 to remove Otedola’s oil company, Zenon Oil and Gas, from the list of firms indicted for fraud in the fuel subsidy regime.

She also held that  Lawan was guilty of all three counts of corruption and bribery.

Not satisfied, Lawan approached the appellate court where his jail term was reduced from seven to five years.

Lawan is at the Apex court urging the court to set aside the judgments of the lower court.

Reading the lead judgment, Justice Tijani Abubakar upheld the decision of the Appeal court and dismissed the appeal.

Punch/Adebukola Aluko

Judiciary News

Supreme Court Dismisses Adebutu’s Appeal

By Web News 451

By Wuraola Bamgbose

The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Governor Adedapo Abiodun of Ogun State.

A five-member panel of the court, in a unanimous judgment dismissed the appeal by Oladipupo Adebutu, who was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last governorship election in Ogun State.

Justice Tijani Abubakar, who read the lead judgment, held that Adebutu and his party failed to prove their case.

Justice Abubakar resolved all the issues raised for determination against the appellants and held that the appeal was without merit.

He proceeded to dismiss it.

Details later.

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Politics

Supreme Court’s Verdicts End Distractions – Osun Gov

By Web News 423

By Funmi Ojo

Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has congratulated his counterpart in Akwa Ibom, Pastor Umo Eno, on the affirmation of his election by the nation’s apex court, describing the verdict as an end to distractions.

The Governor also congratulated Governors Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, Bala Muhammed of Bauchi State, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, Jide Sanwoolu of Lagos State and Caleb Muftwang of Plateau State for overcoming challenges posed by electoral litigations, noting that the end to litigation will provide them the needed focus to deliver on the mandate of the people.

Governor Adeleke lauds the Justices of the Supreme Court for rising to the occasion of safeguarding democracy by serving justice on the governorship litigations decided, charging politicians to learn to accept the will of the people in democracy.

While wishing them success in their respective states, Governor Adeleke anticipated sustained collaborations in the effort to resolve challenges facing the country through the Nigeria Governors Forum and the National Economic Council.

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Politics

Supreme Court Affirms Yusuf, Sanwo-Olu, Muhammed’s Victory

By Web News 394

By Ifeoma Nwovu

The Supreme Court has affirmed the outcomes of the 2023 governorship elections in Lagos, Kano, and Bauchi states.

The Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal, which had confirmed the re-election of Babajide Sanwo-Olu as Governor of Lagos State.

In a lead judgement delivered by Justice Garba Lawal, the 5-man panel of the apex court unanimously held that the appeal by the Labour Party and its governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, was unmeritorious and therefore liable for dismissal.

The apex court ruled that all parties should bear their respective costs.

The Lagos State Division of the Court of Appeal dismissed Rhodes-Vivour’s appeal on November 15, 2023, having affirmed the decision of the Lagos State Governorship Tribunal, which upheld Sanwo-Olu’s re-election.

The Labour Party and its gubernatorial candidate had urged the court to allow the appeal, set aside the decision of the tribunal, and grant the reliefs sought.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Sanwo-Olu, winner of the governorship election having polled 762,134 votes to defeat his close challenger, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP), who scored 312,329 votes.

S’Court upholds Bala Mohammed’s victory as Bauchi Governor

Similarly, the Supreme Court declared the election of Senator Bala Mohammed as Governor of Bauchi State.

In a lead judgement, Justice Ibrahim Saulawa affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which on November 17, 2023, upheld the election of Bala Mohammed as the duly elected Governor of Bauchi State.

The unanimous judgement of the 5-man panel was on an appeal by the gubernatorial candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Amb Saddique Baba Abubakar, who was not satisfied with INEC’s declaration of Bala as winner of the March 18 governorship election in the State.

Justice Saulawa held that Abubakar’s appeal was “devoid of merit” since all six issues adopted for determination were answered against the appellant.

The Bauchi Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, had earlier declared Bala Mohammed the winner of the election.

Bala, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, polled 525,280 votes to defeat Abubakar

Plateau, Ebonyi, Cross River, Jigawa and Bauchi await fate.

NNPP’s Yusuf reinstated as Kano Governor

Also affirmed by the Apex Court is the election of Governor Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) of Kano State.

Justice Inyang Okoro gave the judgement in an appeal by Governor Yusuf, challenging the decision of the Court of Appeal Abuja, which had on November 17 sacked him from office.

The Appeal Court had disqualified Governor Yusuf Kabir from the Kano state governorship election and declared Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC), winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election in Kano State.

But in a lead judgement delivered by Justice Inyang Okoro, the Supreme Court unanimously held that the tribunal never found that Yusuf was not qualified to contest the election.

Justice Inyang Okoro held that the issue of sponsorship and nomination of candidates falls under the domestic affairs of a political party.

He insisted that the tribunal lacked the jurisdiction to entertain a matter that bordered on the internal affairs of a political party.

Dauda Lawal’s mandate as Zamfara Gov restored

In a related development, the Supreme Court declared Dauda Lawal as the validly elected governor of Zamfara State, having set aside the judgement of the Court of Appeal, which declared his election inconclusive.

Justice Emmanuel Agim, who read the lead judgement, held that the decision of the Court of Appeal in declaring the election inconclusive was perverse.

The judgement was on an appeal by Lawal, seeking redress over the decision of the Court of Appeal, which on November 16, 2023, declared the Zamfara gubernatorial election inconclusive.

Justice Agim held that the appeal has merit; it subsists and allowed.

A three-member panel of the appellate court had unanimously annulled the victory of Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Lawal the winner of the March 18, 2023, election with 377,726 votes.

However, Bello Matawalle, candidate of the All Progressives Congress, who polled 311,976 votes, challenged the outcome of the poll.

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Politics

Supreme Court Decides Kano, 6 other Gov. Disputes Friday

By Web News 343

By Ifeoma Nwovu

The Supreme Court will tomorrow, Friday, deliver judgment on the Kano State governorship election dispute between Governor Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party and the All Progressives Congress candidate, Dr. Nasiru Gawuna.

This is contained in a notice issued by the apex court to all the parties in the suit.

Also, the apex court will deliver judgment in six other governorship disputes before it.

According to the notice, the court directed that each party should not have more than two lawyers in attendance.

A five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice John Inyang Okoro had in December, last year, listened to the final arguments by the parties concerned and reserved judgment on the Kano case.

The Kano State Governorship Tribunal had sacked Governor Kabir Yusuf and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to withdraw his certificate of return and instead issue same to Nasir Yusuf Gawuna, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the March 18, 2023 governorship election.

However, not satisfied with the Tribunal judgement, Governor Yusuf had approached the Court of Appeal but the appellate court had while affirming his sack, further held that the governor was not a member of the party as of the time of the election and could not have been said to have been properly sponsored for the election.

Edited by Olaolu Fawole

Judiciary

S’Court Drops SDP’s Appeal against Fintiri’s Re-election

By Web News 229

The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed an appeal by the Social Democratic Party, SDP and its candidate in the Adamawa governorship election, Umar Ardo.

This came after the counsel for the candidate prayed the court to withdraw the case. 

The five-member panel led by John Okoro subsequently dismissed the appeal.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja and the tribunal had dismissed Ardo’s petition challenging the victory of Ahmadu Fintiri

Finitiri is now left with the appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress and its candidate, Aishatu Dahiru, seeking to be declared the governor of the state.

Punch / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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Foreign

Presidential Race: US Supreme Court Decides Trump’s Fate

By Web News 406

The US Supreme Court has said it will hear a historic case to determine if Donald Trump can run for president.

The justices agreed to take up Mr Trump’s appeal against a decision by Colorado to remove him from the 2024 ballot in that state.

The case will be heard in February and the ruling will apply nationwide.

Lawsuits in a number of states are seeking to disqualify Mr Trump, arguing that he engaged in insurrection during the US Capitol riot three years ago.

The legal challenges hinge on whether a Civil War-era constitutional amendment renders Mr Trump ineligible to stand as a candidate.

The Supreme Court’s decision to hear Mr Trump’s appeal came after attorney generals from 27 states filed a brief asking the court to reject Colorado’s ruling.

In it, they argue that removing Mr Trump from the ballot would “create widespread chaos”.

“Most obviously, it casts confusion into an election cycle that is just weeks away,” reads the submission.

“Beyond that, it upsets the respective roles of the Congress, the States, and the courts.”

The 14th Amendment of the US Constitution bans anyone who has “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” from holding federal office, but the former president’s lawyers argue it does not apply to the president.

His lawyers have argued: “The Colorado Supreme Court decision would unconstitutionally disenfranchise millions of voters in Colorado and likely be used as a template to disenfranchise tens of millions of voters nationwide.”

Mr Trump has also appealed against a decision by electoral officials in Maine to remove him from the ballot.

Following the Supreme Court’s announcement on Friday, Colorado’s Secretary of State Jena Griswold said she had certified the state’s ballots for the upcoming presidential primary elections and that Mr Trump’s name was on them.

The primary ballots, held in each state, will help to determine which presidential candidates run in November’s election.

Colorado’s is set for the beginning of March – soon after the Supreme Court decision on Mr Trump’s case is expected.

“The United States Supreme Court has accepted the case, and Donald Trump will appear on the ballot as a result,” Ms Griswold said in a statement.

The split 4-3 decision by Colorado’s high court last month marks the first time in US history that the 14th Amendment has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate from the ballot.

This is the first time the Supreme Court will consider how to interpret the clause.

Mr Trump is the current Republican front-runner for a likely rematch against President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in this November’s election.

Courts in Minnesota and Michigan have dismissed attempts to disqualify Mr Trump. Other cases, including in Oregon, are pending.

The US Supreme Court has a conservative majority – with three justices appointed by Mr Trump when he was president.

But they overwhelmingly ruled against him in his lawsuits challenging his defeat to Mr Biden in 2020.

The court on Friday agreed to take up the case in an expedited manner, with oral arguments scheduled for 8 February.

Mr Trump’s legal team is due to file their opening brief by 18 January.

The group arguing for Mr Trump’s disqualification must submit its argument by 31 January.

The involvement of the top US court has drawn comparisons to the 2000 presidential election between George Bush and Al Gore, which ended in a lawsuit at the Supreme Court.

The conservative-majority court’s decision to halt Florida’s vote recount essentially handed victory to Mr Bush.

University of Richmond Professor Cart Tobias says the “exceptionally fast track” was “predictable and necessitated by the growing number of cases being filed in various states around the country”.

With state primary elections fast approaching, there is a “compelling need for election officials in many states to prepare” and also they “need for time to plan and execute smooth voting processes on short notice”.

Cases at the Supreme Court normally take between four and 12 months – in contrast with the few weeks that justices have currently scheduled.

The timeline makes it likely that the court will issue a ruling ahead of the Super Tuesday primary election in March, when Colorado and many other states hold their election to decide on each party’s candidate for president.

On the day of the US Capitol riot, supporters of Mr Trump stormed Congress as lawmakers were certifying Mr Biden’s election victory.

That day the then-president held a rally outside the White House where he repeated false claims of mass election fraud as he urged protesters to “fight like hell”, but also to march “peacefully” to the Capitol.

Mr Trump’s critics argue that he should be disqualified not only for his actions during the riot, but for his and his campaign’s efforts to overturn the lection result in Republican-aligned states that he lost.

While Mr Trump’s alleged efforts to subvert the outcome of the 2020 presidential election are the focus of trials in federal court and a state court in Georgia, he has not been criminally charged with inciting insurrection in either case.

BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

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Politics

Fresh Evidence: Supreme Court Dismisses Atiku’s Motion

By Web News 819

The Supreme Court has dismissed the motion filed by former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku had sought leave of the court to file fresh evidence in his appeal against the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the February 25 presidential election.

In his motion, Atiku requested the apex court to grant him permission to introduce additional evidence in the form of depositions on oath from the Chicago State University.

These depositions aimed to disclaim the certificate presented by President Bola Tinubu to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The 7-Man Panel of Justices, led by Justice Inyang Okoro, who ruled on the motion, held that the apex court lacked jurisdiction to allow the filing of fresh evidence that was not previously pleaded at the Presidential Election Petitions Court.

Justice Okoro further stated that Atiku should have sought an amendment of his pleadings and an extension of time, as the 180-day period allowed by the Constitution had already elapsed since the 17th of last month.

The justices are still deliberating on the main appeals challenging the victory of Bola Tinubu in the February 25 presidential election.

Security beefed up ahead of Supreme Court ruling

Earlier, there was heavy presence of security personnel around the Supreme Court, venue of the final judgment on the 2023 presidential election.

From the Supreme Court junction down to the main auditorium, combined security personnel, including the Police and the Department of State Security (DSS), manned the sections and only allowed duly accredited personalities and journalists entrance into the courtroom.

Dignitaries such as the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, President Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, the Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, the Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, and the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, have arrived at the apex court.

Other justices on the seven-man panel are Uwani Abaji, Lawal Garba, Ibrahim Saulawa, Adamu Jauro, Tijani Abubakar, and Emma Agim.

Ifeoma Nwovu

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Judiciary

S/Court Reserves Judgment on Obi’s Appeal, Atiku’s Application

By Web News 308

The Supreme Court has reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, against the tribunal’s judgment affirming President Bola Tinubu’s election.

The seven-man panel led by John Inyang Okoro after listening to the submissions of the parties involved in the matter said the judgment date would be communicated to them.

Other members of the panel are Uwani Aji, Mohammed Garba, Ibrahim Saulawa, Adamu Jauro, Abubakar Tijjani, and Emmanuel Agim.

Adopting his addresses, Obi’s lead counsel, Livy Uzoukwu urged the court to hear the appeal.

INEC lawyer, Mahmoud, while making his submissions urged the court to dismiss the appeal, adding that it lacked merit.

Adopting their addresses, Tinubu’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun, and his APC counterpart, Akin Olujinmi urged the court to dismiss Obi’s appeal.

The panel led by Okoro said, “This appeal is reserved for judgment until a date to be communicated to the parties.”

The Supreme Court, on Monday, reserved judgment on the application of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, to present fresh documents to support his appeal.

The fresh documents are President Tinubu Bola’s academic records obtained from the Chicago State University.

Punch/Simeon Ugbodovon

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Judiciary

Fire: Presidential election petition won’t be affected – Supreme Court 

By Web News 519

Festus Akande, the Public Relations Officer for the court, says the fire incident that occurred on Monday morning has no connection and won’t have an effect on the presidential election petition.

It was earlier reported that a wing of the Supreme Court complex situated at the Three-Arm-Zone, Abuja, was engulfed by fire on Monday morning.

Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Monday, Akande stated that the fire outbreak won’t affect anything in the court.

He said, “As a matter of fact, there’s no single connection, and it won’t affect anything in the court.

“This incident occurred in a chamber equipped with a computer and other equipment, as well as a functional library used by any justice occupying such chamber.

“The only thing that was affected were the books and computer equipment in the chamber. Even the books are replaceable.

“Also, it has nothing to do with it because it was from an electrical fault, which could happen anywhere, and there are things that happen daily.”

Vanguard / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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News

Breaking: Parts of Supreme Court on Fire

By Web News 518

A portion of the Supreme Court is on fire.

It was gathered that the fire engulfed chambers of three Justices of the apex court.

Details about the incident are still sketchy as of the time of filling this report as the spokesperson of the court, Akande Festus, could not be reached.

The spokesperson for the Federal Fire Service, Paul Abraham, asked newsmen to call back.

Details later…

Punch/ Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

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Politics

PDP Loses Suit against Tinubu, Shettima

By Web News 315

The Supreme Court has given a judicial seal of approval for the inauguration of President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima.

The Court on Friday dismissed the suit by the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, seeking their disqualification from the 2023 presidential election.

The Apex Court held that the PDP’s suit praying disqualification of Tinubu and Shettima was grossly lacking in merit and dismissed it.

The Supreme Court has given a judicial seal of approval for the inauguration of President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima.

The Court on Friday dismissed the suit by the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, seeking their disqualification from the 2023 presidential election.

The Apex Court held that the PDP’s suit praying disqualification of Tinubu and Shettima was grossly lacking in merit and dismissed it.

Justice Adamu Jauro who delivered the lead judgment slammed a fine of N2 million on PDP for poke-nosing into the internal affairs of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the conduct of its primary elections and nomination of its candidates.

Justice Jauro agreed with Tinubu’s lawyer, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, that PDP acted as a busybody and meddlesome interloper in the ways and manners it dabbled into APC’s affairs unjustly.

The Apex Court held that apart from the fact that PDP lacked requisite jurisdiction to institute the suit, the party also failed to provide a scintilla of evidence that Shetima engaged in double nomination.

The claim of PDP on the alleged double nomination of the Vice President-elect was described as most unfortunate and a clear deliberate mischief to mislead the Court and the country.

The Supreme Court also agreed with Fagbemi that no matter the pains of the PDP on how APC conducted its primary election and nominated its candidates, PDP must remain an onlooker.

“It is abundantly clear that the Appellant (PDP) in the totality of its position in the instant case, is peeping and poke-nosing into the affairs of another party as a busybody and meddlesome interloper,” he said.

The Court held that the action of PDP was painful because it used social media to set a booby trap for the Supreme Court to blackmail it.

It said this is most unfortunate, unwarranted and uncalled for.

Culled / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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Politics

Supreme Court Declares Hanga Senator-Elect, Sacks Shekarau

By Web News 462

The Supreme Court on Friday sacked Senator Ibrahim Shekarau as the candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party and recognized Senator Rufa’i Hanga as the party’s candidate for the 2023 general election.

Shekarau was declared the winner of the 2023 Kano Central Senatorial District election under NNPP.

Shekarau, a sitting senator was in the NNPP and was nominated to vie for the senatorial position under its platform.

However, before the elections, he announced his defection from the NNPP and abandoned his senatorial ambition to join the Peoples Democratic Party.

But the Independent National Electoral Commission later insisted that it still recognized him as the legitimate NNPP candidate, even though the party replaced him with Hanga.

Shekarau, who is going to the red chamber for the second time, was declared by the returning officer of the senatorial district, Professor Tijjani Darma.

According to INEC, Shekarau polled 456,787 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress candidate, Alhaji Abdulkarim Zaura, who polled 168,677 votes.

However, the Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the nomination of Hanga as the NNPP’s authentic candidate.

In a unanimous judgement, Justice Inyang Okoro-led five-member panel of the court faulted INEC’s refusal to replace Shekarau with Hanga after the former left the party for PDP before the election.

Justice Emmanuel Agim, who read the lead judgment, written by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, dismissed the INEC appeal.

The court, however, upheld the two earlier concurrent judgments by the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal, both in Abuja, which affirmed Hanga as the authentic candidate of NNPP.

Punch/Adebukola Aluko

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Economy

Supreme Court’s Verdict Sees PoS Charges Tumble by 90%

By Web News 493

Following the Supreme Court’s ruling that the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes should remain legal tenders until December 31, some Point of Sale, PoS, operators, yesterday, reduced cash withdrawal charges by as much as 90 percent, even as they commenced disbursement to the public.

A PoS agent in Marina, Miss Ramota Salami, said she had been accepting the old naira notes as deposits since they ceased being legal tender and now she had enough cash for her business.

“I now charge N300 for N10,000. Before the Supreme Court judgment, the charge was N2,000 for N10,000 because getting the new notes and old N200 notes was difficult and I paid heavily to get them.

“With the Supreme Court judgment, our business will revive, as many of my colleagues have closed down some of their outlets.”

Another PoS agent in Marina, Mr. Adeniyi Peter said:” The Supreme Court judgment is a relief to us PoS operators 

“I now charge N500 per N10,000 and have been accepting the old N500 and N1,000 notes because some traders have been depositing their old notes since court pronouncement for fear that it may be reversed, but they have helped my business with the provision of cash which is now legal tender.”

Meanwhile, some market women and commercial transport levy collectors (Agberos) were also seen collecting the old naira notes from bus drivers who were unable to spend the old notes before they ceased being legal tender on February 10.

A bus driver en route Agbara to CMS, Mr Sunday Okoyomo, said: “I have N10,000 of the old notes in the denominations of N500 and N1,000. 

“Due to my busy schedule, I have been unable to deposit it in the bank. So I took N3,000 out of it hoping that the Supreme Court judgment will favour me and other Nigerians who still had the old money with them. And so it was.

“On hearing the reversal of the CBN policy by the Supreme court, I was very happy.

“I just gave it to an Agberos on the way now and he accepted it. This judgment will heal the wounds of many.”

Vanguard/Simeon Ugbodovon

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Judiciary

Supreme Court fixes March 3 for Verdict on New Naira

By Web News 569

The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned judgement in the new naira policy suit to March 3, 2023.

With the apex court’s decision, Nigerians, especially consumer and business groups as well as professional and trade unions looking up to the apex court for a favourable judgment (today) that they expect will ameliorate their suffering, will have to wait.

The Supreme Court had on February 8 restrained the Federal Government from implementing the February 10 deadline for swapping the old naira notes with new ones, but the Central Bank of Nigeria refused to shift the deadline.

The injunction was a sequel to a suit filed by Zamfara, Kogi and Kaduna state governments against the Attorney-General of the Federation on February 3.

Other states including Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Kano, Sokoto, Ogun and Cross River have also joined the suit as co-plaintiffs.

While taking arguments on Wednesday, counsel for the Federal Government, Kanu Agabi, said the Supreme Court held that all reliefs are rooted in section 20 of the CBN Act.

He argued that the apex court has no jurisdiction to hear the suit as the action cannot commence with an Originating Summons.

He also contended that the plaintiffs did not deem it fit to the CBN to court as a respondent despite making reference to the apex bank 32 times in their originating summons and despite the fact that seven of the reliefs sought relate to the CBN.

He asserted that Nigerians were already turning down the old notes way the President’s directive.

Agabi also asserted that by asking Nigerians to deposit their old naira at the CBN designated centres, the president was abiding by the court order and that Buhari is empowered under the constitution to veto any legislation.

Details later…

Punch / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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Economy

Tinubu Hails Nigerian Govs over Court Ruling on CBN’s Naira Swap Policy

By Web News 573

By Oluwakayode Banjo

All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has hailed the Governors of the 36 states for standing on the side of the Nigerian people over the Central Bank’s new Naira and cashless policies that have subjected the masses to pains.

According to Asiwaju Tinubu, the Governors especially the APC Governors who instituted the suit against the CBN and Federal Government at the Supreme Court acted well on behalf of the helpless Nigerians who have been made to bear the brunt of Naira redesign policy that has been poorly implemented

The Supreme Court on Wednesday morning in a lawsuit brought before it by the governments of Zamfara, Kogi and Kaduna States gave an interim injunction against the CBN and Federal Government, allowing the old N200, N500 and N1000 to remain legal tender beyond February 10 deadline until the case is fully disposed of.

Following the apex court ruling, Asiwaju Tinubu noted that the governors have saved the country from needless political and economic crises and miseries which have clearly become the unintended consequences of the monetary policy of the apex bank.

Asiwaju Tinubu noted that the Supreme Court ruling coincided with the advisory of the International Monetary Fund urging for the extension of the deadline for the swap of the old naira notes, going by the problems being experienced across the country in getting the new notes.

“I want to salute the courage of our Governors and most especially the Progressives Governors in APC who acted to save our country from avoidable and dangerous political crises and social unrest which the Central Bank policy on new Naira notes has brought on our country. 

“The Federal Government and relevant stakeholders can now sit down and work out a better framework on how to proceed with the new policy without causing any social and economic disruption and inconvenience to our people. We have examples of other countries that have successfully and seamlessly changed their currencies to learn from. 

 “The sole aim of my running to be the president of our country is to make life better and more abundant for our people and this is an ideal for which I will remain eternally committed to.”

Asiwaju Tinubu called on the CBN to ensure that the Supreme Court ruling is effectively executed by taking all necessary steps to ensure sufficient availability of Naira notes be it old or new and properly sensitising the public on the ruling and the consequent validity of old Naira.

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Economy

Breaking: Supreme Court Halts Old Naira Notes Ban

By Web News 802 2

The Supreme Court on Wednesday temporarily halted the move by the Federal Government to ban the use of the old naira notes from February 10, 2023.

A seven-member panel led by Justice John Okoro, stopped the move of the Federal government in a ruling in an exparte application brought by three Northern states of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara.

Punch/Nafiu Busari

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Foreign

Riot: Brazil Supreme Court Investigates Jair Bolsonaro

By Web News 360

Brazil’s Supreme Court has agreed to include right-wing former president Jair Bolsonaro in its investigation into the storming of government buildings in Brasília.

It is the first time that Mr Bolsonaro has been named among those potentially responsible for the 8 January riots.

It comes days after Mr Bolsonaro posted a video questioning the legitimacy of October’s presidential election.

Prosecutors said Mr Bolsonaro may have incited a crime by making such claims.

They asked the Supreme Court on Friday to include the ex-president in the investigation.

The Bolsonaro video claimed that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was not voted into office but rather chosen by the Supreme Court and Brazil’s electoral authority.

By questioning the vote “Bolsonaro would have publicly incited the commission of a crime”, the office of the prosecutor general (PGR) said in a statement.

While the video was posted after Sunday’s riot and later deleted, the prosecutor general’s office argued its content was sufficient to justify investigating Mr Bolsonaro’s conduct beforehand.

Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes announced Mr Bolsonaro would be included in the probe into what the PGR said was the “instigation and intellectual authorship” of the rioting.

“Public figures who continue to cowardly conspire against democracy trying to establish a state of exception will be held accountable,” said Justice de Moraes.

Thousands of radical Bolsonaro supporters, who continue to claim that the election was rigged, stormed the country’s Supreme Court, Congress and presidential palace on Sunday.

They had been camping in and around the capital Brasilia for weeks calling for a military coup.

Meanwhile, Mr Bolsonaro has been admitted to a hospital in Florida with abdominal pain, his wife said.

He left Brazil for the United States in late December, after refusing to take part in the handover of power to Lula.

Many businessmen and officials are being investigated, including Brasilia’s former head of security, Anderson Torres, who flew to the US ahead of the riots.

On Thursday, police visited his home and found a document reportedly trying to reverse the election result.

Mr Torres argues the document has been taken out of context, but Justice Minister Flavio Dino has said he must turn himself in by Monday or face extradition.

Earlier, Lula accused Mr Bolsonaro’s allies of aiding an attack on the presidential palace on Sunday.

More than 1,200 people have been formally arrested and are being charged in relation to the riot at Brazil’s Congress.

Arrest warrants have already been issued for several top officials accused of being “responsible for acts and omissions” that led to the riots.

BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

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Foreign

US Supreme Court May Overturn Abortion Law

By Web News 511

The US Supreme Court could be about to overturn the nationwide legal right to abortion, according to an unprecedented leaked draft of a court document.

In a 98-page draft opinion, Justice Samuel Alito writes that the 1973 Roe v Wade decision legalising abortion across the US is “egregiously wrong”.

If the top US court strikes down the ruling, “trigger laws” could instantly make abortion illegal in 22 US states.

The justices are not expected to issue a ruling until early July.

The 1973 law is in the court’s sights because it is weighing up a challenge to Mississippi’s ban on abortion after 15 weeks, which the justices heard in December.

But the reported threat to Roe v Wade comes at a time when reproductive rights are being threatened in Republican leaning states around the US.

And it sparked immediate outcry from Democrats, and protests – by both pro and anti-abortion supporters – outside the Supreme Court on Monday night.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer – both Democrats – issued a joint statement saying that if the report was accurate, the “Supreme Court is poised to inflict the greatest restriction of rights in the past 50 years”.

News outlet Politico published the leaked document in full, quoting Justice Alito as saying: “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences.

“And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division.”

Neither the Supreme Court nor the White House have commented on the leak.

BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

Judiciary

Supreme Court Upholds Ex-Pension Director’s Jail Term

By Web News 532

The Supreme Court has affirmed the six-year jail term handed the former Assistant Director in the Federal Civil Service, John Yusufu Yakubu convicted for his complicity in the conversion of about N24billion from the Police Pension Fund.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja had, in a judgment on May 22, 2018 reversed an earlier decision of Justice Abubakar Talba of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT which convicted him on a three-count charge and gave him an option of fine at N250, 000 per count.

In its judgment in 2018, the Court of Appeal sentenced Yakubu to two years per count, to run consecutively, without an option of a fine and ordered him to refund N22.9billion.

A five-man panel of the Supreme Court, in a judgment on Wednesday, upheld the 2018 decision of the Court of Appeal.

Nation/Adebukola Aluko

Politics

Governor Abiodun Felicitates Akeredolu On His Victory

By Web News 720

Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun, has congratulated his Ondo State counterpart, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, over his electoral victory at the Supreme Court.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary Mr Kunle Somorin, Governor Abiodun described Akeredolu’s triumph at the Apex Court as a well deserved victory for democracy.

The Governor said that though he never doubted the victory of Ondo Governor at the governorship poll, his pronouncement by the court as the duly elected Governor showed that people of the state cast their votes for Governor Akeredolu.

Governor Abiodun urged his Ondo State counterpart to be inclusive irrespective of political affiliation of all the indigenes of Ondo state.

He also urged the residents of Ondo state to rally round their Governor in his bid to ensure good governance and turn the state around for better.

Bolanle Adesida

Politics

President Buhari, APC Celebrate Akeredolu Over Victory At Supreme Court

By Web News 695

President Muhammadu Buhari joins members of the All Progressives Congress APC in felicitating with Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State over the Supreme Court judgement, which upheld his re-election in the October 10, 2020 polls.

A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Mr Femi Adesina said, the President urges the governor, and all elected leaders of the governing party, to always place the people first in their consideration of development programmes and projects, affirming that the popularity of the APC would continue to depend on performance and acceptance by the electorate.

President Buhari extols the Ondo State governor for assiduously working for the development of the state, with reforms that continue to attract the goodwill of investors, and insistence that education, health and security take priority.

The President notes that the Supreme Court Judgement, preceded by that of the Court of Appeal, further bolsters the strength and reach of the APC and its bright chances of consolidation in coming elections.

President Buhari calls on the opposition to sheathe the sword, work for the development of Ondo State, and wishes the government and people a prosperous future.

Lagos State Governor Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has congratulated his Ondo State counterpart, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu SAN on the Supreme Court verdict, which upheld his victory in the October 10, 2020 governorship election.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Committee on the Ondo State Gubernatorial election, also congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Leadership of the All Progressives Congress, as well as members of the party in Ondo and across the country on the victory.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, Gov. Sanwo-Olu described the Supreme Court ruling as “validation of the people’s mandate”, saying that the election results announced by INEC were evident that Governor Akeredolu was validly elected by Ondo people.

He said: “As democrats, we must submit ourselves to the tenets of democracy, which include post election litigation. Today’s judgement has put paid to all insinuations and doubts about the resounding victory of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

“I therefore call on all lovers of democracy, especially the people of Ondo State to come together for a continuation of good governance and the developmental process of Ondo, started by Governor Akeredolu from his first term of office.”

“On behalf of the people and government of Lagos State, I congratulate my brother, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, on his victory at the Supreme Court.” Governor Sanwo-Olu said.

FRCN/Abuja

Politics

Supreme Court Reaffirms Akeredolu’s Re-Election

By Web News 610

The Supreme Court has upheld the re-election of Rotimi Akeredolu as Governor of Ondo State.

Akeredolu’s victory was affirmed after four of the seven justices of the Supreme Court that heard the case upheld his candidacy in the October 10, 2020 election in the state.

Three other justices disagreed with the majority judgment, insisting that Akeredolu’s candidacy in that election was a nullity.

The minority judgment held the view that the appeal has merit and ought not to be struck out by the Appeal Court.

Akeredolu was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in October 10, 2020, Governorship election in Ondo State.

The PDP and its candidate, Eyitayo Jegede had earlier approached the Appeal Court to challenge the candidacy of Akeredolu, insisting that his nomination form was signed by a sitting Governor Mai Buni who doubles as the Acting National Chairman of the party.

The appeal was based on the constitutional provision which forbids sitting Governors from holding executive positions outside their statutory position as governors.

They prayed the court to nullify Akeredolu’s candidacy, but the Appeal Court struck out the appeal, for lack of merit.

Ridwan Fasasi