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PDP begins court process to disqualify Tinubu

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Tinubu asks for more time as NLC issues strike notice

The Atiku-Okowa Presidential Campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has commenced court proceedings to disqualify the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, over criminal conviction and sentencing by a court of competent jurisdiction in the United States over trafficking in narcotics.

However, APC PCC immediately countered the PDP, saying the party did not only lack originality but was also a copycat.

But PDP’s move is a counter to the APC which on January 20, approached the courts to disqualify Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP from the presidential poll over what it termed as #Atiku-Gate and Special Purpose Vehicle, SPV, saga.

Yesterday, the PDP insisted that the conviction of Tinubu for a criminal offence by a court of competent jurisdiction in the United States of America rendered him ineligible to contest any election.

The spokesman of the Campaign, Kola Ologbondiyan, said this at a media briefing in Abuja yesterday.

$460,000 forfeiture nullifies Tinubu’s nomination — PDP

Ologbondiyan said the decision of a court in Chicago, which led to Tinubu forfeiting $460,000 in funds believed to be proceeds of crime, specifically, the sale and distribution of narcotics renders his nomination null and void.

He said: “Nigerians are not unaware of the criminal matter concerning the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in respect of his criminal conviction and sentencing by a court of competent jurisdiction in the United States over a criminal case of trafficking in narcotics for which Tinubu forfeited the sum of $460,000 to the state.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the United States court in sentencing Asiwaju Tinubu ordered ‘that the funds in the amount of $460,000 in account 263226700 held by First Heritage Bank in the name of Bola Tinubu represent proceeds of narcotics trafficking or were involved in financial transactions in violation of 18 U.S.C. S1956 and 1957 and therefore these funds are forfeited to the United States pursuant to 21 U.S.C. S881(a)(6) and 18 U.S.C S981.’

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“From the declaration of the court and the sentencing, it is clear that Asiwaju Tinubu was summarily convicted by the court, he took no step to challenge the judgment but acceded to the forfeiture of the $460,000 found to be the proceeds of narcotics trafficking.”

The PDP campaign Spokesman noted that it is an established fact that trafficking in narcotics is an international crime which all nations are obligated by international conventions and statutes to arrest, prosecute and implement any court judgment imposed on offenders anywhere in the world, as well as the consequential effects of such judgments.

Tinubu convicted in US, can’t stand for poll in Nigeria

He further said: “Having been convicted and having acceded to be guilty as charged by way of forfeiture of the $460,000, Nigeria is a signatory to International Convention is mandatorily obligated to execute the consequential effect of that conviction by virtue of Section 137 (1) (d) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“For clarity, Section 137 (1) (d) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides that:(1) A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if….(d)

“He is under a sentence of death imposed by any competent court of law or tribunal in Nigeria or a sentence of imprisonment or fine for any offence involving dishonesty or fraud (by whatever name called) or for any other offence, imposed on him by any court or tribunal or substituted by a competent authority for any other sentence imposed on him by such a court or tribunal.”

He explained that the import of the constitutional provision was that having been so convicted and fined and having acceded to the sentencing by way of forfeiture of $460,000 and have not received any state pardon or acquitted by any court of competent jurisdiction, “Tinubu remains a convict and the consequential effect is that he cannot contest the election at any level in Nigeria.”

The PDP Campaign equally said: “The effect is that the listing of the name of Bola Tinubu, who stands convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction on the ballot for the 2023 presidential election is by the virtue of Section 137 (1) (d) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) fundamentally illegal, invalid and must be expunged immediately.”

We’ve approached the courts to disqualify him

Ologbondiyan also revealed that the PDP has approached the courts to seek Tinubu’s disqualification.

He said: “Our Campaign has proceeded to the court demanding the court to:

“Declare Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Presidential Candidate of the APC, having been convicted, as ineligible to contest the Presidential election by virtue of section 137 (1) (d) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“Compel the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately delist Asiwaju Tinubu as Presidential candidate of the APC or any other political party for that matter and expunge his name from all materials and documents related to the 2023 Presidential election.”

According to him, the PDP campaign is also filing for an accelerated hearing in order to save the nation from an impending catastrophe.

He said: “This case is in the interest of the nation as our laws do not permit a convict, let alone an individual convicted on account of the international crime of trafficking in narcotic, to stand election at any level.

“Nigeria cannot afford the embarrassment of having a convict hold office at any level against our laws.”

PDP lacks originality, always copying —APC PCC

Reacting to the PDP’s counter moves, yesterday, the Chief Spokesman of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, Mr Festus Keyamo, in a chat with Vanguard, said the main opposition party lacks originality

His words: “Why did they wait all these months until we filed before they are now rushing to court? I challenged them more than two months ago, yet they did nothing.

‘’It shows a team that is lacking in originality, lacking in ideas and lacking in vision. It is just an attempt to create a counter-suit to our own.

“Unfortunately for them, Nigerians have seen through them already: SPV advocates that are trying to turn the tide of public opinion. Nigerians have decided; Nigerians have rejected them.

‘’This is so laughable that Nigerians are beginning to see that these are remorseless people; leopards that cannot change their skin; instead of Atiku facing the cameras, shed some tears and apologise to the nation for abusing his office as VP with SPVs, his reply, in summary, is, ‘what-about-you-too?’ This is disastrously sad”

Also, reacting, Mr Bayo Onanuga, director, Media and Publicity of the APC PCC, restated his statement of January 18, 2023 where he pooh-poohed PDP’s “shameless skirting of issues” using the attack as a defence.

He challenged Atiku to address the issues of whether or he employed the whistleblower, Michael Achimugu, who swore to an oath; whether Atiku made a scandalous conservation on how he and former President Olusegun Obasanjo set up SPVs, such as Marine Float to steal public money; and whether the taped voice was Atiku’s.

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Headlines

Commission, journalists partner to revamp water sector in Kaduna

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The Kaduna State Water Services Regulatory Commission (KADWREC) says it is partnering media practitioners towards revamping water services in the state.

Mr Dogara Bashir, the Executive Chairman of KADWREC, disclosed this on Monday at a one-day workshop organised for media practitioners on regulation of ‘Water, Sanitation and Hygiene’ (WASH) activities held in Kaduna.

Bashir said the commission was aware of the importance of the role media practitioners played in the society.

He stated that the workshop was to provide an avenue to liaise with them as important stakeholders on water supply and sanitation services in the state.

Bashir said: “As media practitioners, we believe you are a gateway to the citizens so, the workshop would acquaint you with some of the regulations already in place so that you can in turn transmit it to the public

“The state of water services in Kaduna State is in dire need of attention and the State Water Corporation and KADWREC were established towards addressing the seeming challenges.

“The commission is mandated to ensure better service delivery and regulation of water and sanitation services in the State.

“The idea is that once the regulations are developed, we send them to the State Ministry of Justice to gazette and then we get the state government to endorse and give the go ahead to commence the implementation of the regulations

“We intend to implement them fully come January, 2025 God willing, as we have embarked on advocacy activities having gone to zones 1 and 2 where we talked to traditional rulers, security agencies and the Judiciary.”

He disclosed that a special Court has already been attached to the commission by the Chief Judge of the State for service providers who may likely violate regulations.

The chairman further said that amongst the commission’s objectives include ensuring security, reliability and quality of service in the production and delivery of water to the consumers as well making regulations to control the sinking of boreholes.

Others included; maximising access to water services by promoting and facilitating consumer connections to distribution systems in urban and rural areas.

According to Bashir, they also include ensuring that regulatory decision-making has regards to all the relevant health, safety, environmental and social legislation applying to the water sector.

Bashir further said that the commission collaborate with the relevant state and federal agencies on water policies.

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Crime

2 ladies docked for allegedly obtaining money by fraud

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The police in Lagos have dragged two women, Mmesuma Ofunna, and Blessing Adimekwe, before an Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, over alleged obtaining money by false pretence.

Ofunna, 22, and Adimekwe, 25, were arraigned before the Magistrate, Mr L K J Layeni, on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, stealing and conduct likely to breach peace.

They each, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, ASP Simon Uche, told the court that the defendants conspired with others now at large, to commit the offence on Oct. 26 at the Okokomaiko area of Ojo.

He alleged that they had obtained the sum of N70, 000 from one Faith Ahamefule, with a promise not to post her nude photo on social media.

The prosecutor alleged that the defendants later posted the nude photo of the nominal complainant on social media, knowing that their promise was false.

He alleged that they stole the N70, 0000, thereby conducting themselves in a manner likely to breach public peace.

The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 168(d), 287, 314, and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

The court granted the defendants bails in the sum of N500, 000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.

He adjourned the case until Jan. 8, 2025 for mention.

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Headlines

Driver jailed 6 months for attempting to steal a car

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A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Monday, sentenced a 37-year-old driver, Ahmad Umar to six months in imprisonment for attempting to steal a car.

The Magistrate, Shawomi Bokkos, summarily tried and sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to the charge.

Bokkos in his judgment, ordered the convict to pay an option of N30, 000 fine or spend six months in prison.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Ibrahim Gokwat, told the court that the case was reported on Oct. 10, at the Area Command Police station through a distress call by one Sydney Peacemorie the complainant.

Gokwat said the complainant parked his Toyota RAV4 in front of Access Bank and went inside to carry out some transactions, only to return to find the convict inside his car.

“The convict unlawfully opened the car and was in the driver’s seat when the complainant raised alarm and he was apprehended, but his accomplice escaped.

“The convict was severely beaten by a mob but was rescued by the police,” said Gokwat.

“The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the Plateau Penal Code Law.

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