The embattled National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, Thursday, begged the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to quash the seven-count criminal charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him.
Metuh, who was alleged to have received N400million from the erstwhile National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, rtd, through his company, Destra Investments Limited prior to the 2015 presidential election, contended that the EFCC, failed to nail him to the charge. Instead of opening his defense to the charge as he was earlier directed by trial Justice Okon Abang, Metuh told the trial court that he had decided to file a ‘no-case-submission’. A no-case-submission is an application that is filed by an accused person who is convinced that the prosecution, failed to by way of credible evidence, establish the ingredients of the allegation that is contained in a charge upon which his or her trial is predicated. “In this case, by the evidence of PW-3, who works with ONSA, the NSA is answerable to then President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan only. The PW-5’s evidence that presentation for which money was paid was made to Dr. Jonathan made the investigation of his role as well as his evidence vital and indeed crucial, without which no prima-facie case can conceivably be said to have been made out. “Dr. Jonathan to whom the presentation was made for which the payment was made is therefore a material and indispensable person in order for a prima-facie case to be present. Where the prosecution failed to call such a vital witness, a strong presumption will arise that the evidence, if called, would be unfavorable to the prosecution”, Metuh argued.
An Hausa Muslim man identified as Yunusa from Kano state, has been accused of kidnapping and forcefully converting and marrying off 13 year old Urhobo girl, Ese Rita Orur pictured above.
According to The Sun, Yinusa who resides in Opolo, Yenagoa, had abducted Ese on August 12th 2015 and eloped with her to Kano and has refused to allow her return home.
Rita's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Oruru, had made several visits to Kano to secure the release of their daughter but have been unsuccessful as Yinusa’s kinsmen insisted that Ese, who they now refer to as ‘Aisha’, belongs to them and that they are ready to pay the necessary bride price.
The Orurus reported the matter to the Police and the Department of State Security (DSS) and their promise to bring home Ese has remained unfulfilled forcing the parents to take the issue to youth and civil society groups.
At a press conference addressed by Kizito Andah of the Child Protection Network today February 18th, the civil society and youth groups in Bayelsa say they are ready to stage a protest and press home the demand for the release of Ese from the custody of her abductors.
That also lamented the inability of both the Nigeria Police and the DSS to secure the release of Ese. They warned against an ethno-religious crisis which the abduction and forceful conversion into Islam could trigger in Bayelsa state. Andah who addresed the press, said CPN was demanding that Nigerians prevail on all relevant authorities to ensure that Ese is released and her abductors are punished in line with the laws of the land.
President Buhari has appointed Journalist and Blogger, Tolu Ogunlesi, as his Special Assistant on Digital and New Media. Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Shehu Garba, announced this in a statement released this evening. Congrats Tolu. See the statement below...
President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday appointed Mr. Tolu Ogunlesi as his Special Assistant on Digital/New Media. Ogunlesi, who is a renowned blogger and journalist, graduated from the University of Ibadan in 2004, and obtained an MA in Creative Writing from University of East Anglia, UK, in 2011. Before his appointment, Ogunlesi had worked as a Features Editor and Editorial Board member of NEXT Newspaper.
He also worked as a West Africa Editor for The Africa Report magazine from 2014 to 2015. Ogunlesi is a two-time winner of the CNN Multichoice African Journalism Awards, and a 2015 New Media Fellow of the U.S. State Department's International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP). Ogunlesi will be assisted by Bashir Ahmad, who is a Personal Assistant to the President on New Media.
Femi Adesina Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) 18th February, 2016
Five star music president Emeka Okonkwo popularly known as 'EMoney' is a year older today and to celebrate it, he decided to give back to the street.
To do this, he flashed back to sometime last year when the label's front line act Kcee was on the street of Lagos hawking recharge cards. Kcee had met Promise, a 'shoe - rack' hawker from Ebonyi state who has been hawking for over 6 years and promised to help him.
Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has appointed her son, Charles Sirleaf, as the interim executive governor of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL). Charles, who is a highly experienced banker, was until his appointment, the deputy governor of the bank, having worked for the bank since 2004. He takes over from Joseph Mills Jones, the immediate Governor of the Bank who resigned so he can prepare to run for president during Liberia's presidential election due to take place in 2017.
President Sirleaf suspended her son for a while in 2012, following his failure to properly declare his asset.
ABUJA — It was nothing short of a melodrama at the Presidential
Villa, Abuja, yesterday, between State House correspondents and the
Federal Government over the many foreign trips of President Muhammadu
Buhari during a press briefing.
Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information, who justified the trips,
said they were necessary to bring the country back on the track of
development and growth.
According to him, Nigeria was a pariah state under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Buhari at the Preisedntial wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja on his way to Nairobi Kenya. Photo: Bayo Omoboriowo
He said that under Jonathan’s watch, corruption permeated the country, such that foreign investors deserted it.
He stated that it was necessary to tell Nigerians that the trips had
started paying off since investors’ confidence in the country had been
restored.
Mohammed spoke during a press briefing at the end of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting in Abuja.
He said: “You do not run a country by being isolated. The personal
presence of Mr. President in many of these fora is important because
before now, we were almost a pariah state. And the issues that have been
driving investments away from this country are terrorism and
corruption.
“One thing that nobody can fault this President for is his determination and strength of purpose in resolving these matters.
“Mr. President’s presence in many of these fora is highly crucial even in fixing our economy back at home.”
Mohammed’s counterpart in Environment, Amina Mohammed, corroborated
the position, saying the President needed not to run the country by
staying at home, especially when he had a deputy and a cabinet of
ministers to look after home affairs.
Journalists had waited patiently to be briefed on the outcome of the
Federal Executive Meeting, FEC, which routinely meets to take decision
on matters of government.
As usual, yesterday’s meeting was chaired by president Buhari with
his vice, professor Yemi Osinabjo and most of the 36 ministers in
attendance.
By a little after midday, the meeting had ended with the Minister of
Information, Mr. Lai Mohammed, his counterpart in Environment, Amina
Mohammed in company with Minister of State for Environment, Usman
Ibrahim come into the press gallery inside the villa to brief
Journalists.
The briefing was reduced to a two item issue: Climate change and
President’s many foreign trips so far, anchored by the Minister of
Environment.
Done with the briefing, journalists felt that there were more
pressing issues at the moment such as the fall of Naira and 2016 budget,
amongst others which an important body as FEC should have dwelt on
other than reviewing or deliberating on climate change.
Apparently surprised by the insistence and probing question,
Information Minister Mohammed, said he was embarrassed and shocked,
noting that Nigerians needed to know the benefits of the presidential
trips.
Also, speaking on the presidential foreign trips, the environment
minister stated that a review of the trips vi-sa-via the benefits was
made by the council.
“The Honorable Minister for Foreign Affairs gave a brief of four
foreign trips that the President has made towards the end of last year.
So, we are starting with the trip that happened between 22 and 23 of
November last year in Tehran and this was to do with Third Gas
Exporting Countries Forum.
Abia State has held her re-dedication service and victory thanksgiving for the affirmation of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s election victory.
In a speech at the Umuahia Township Stadium on Wednesday, Governor Ikpeazu promised to run an all inclusive government that would favour all and sundry of the state, as the victory celebration marked the end of all political exclusion.
He said: “Now is the time for all to come together to build the state irrespective of status and party inclination”.
Abians on their part, reeled out their expectations from the present administration that include a turnaround in trade and commerce, employment and inclusion of the physically challenged in his programme.
Governor Ikpeazu, however, said he would not relent in his efforts to ensure that the people get the desired dividend of democracy. he emphasised that he was a ‘governor for all’.
With expectations high, Abia State residents and citizens are looking forward to watch the government match its statements with actions and transform the state to an enviable height.
