Home Blog Page 2346

Court orders Ofosu Ampofo & Kwaku Boahen to open defence

By
BERNICE BESSEY
-
0
Samuel Ofosu Ampofo

The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court has ordered the former National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and Anthony Kwaku Boahen to open their defence. Anthony Kwaku Boahen was a deputy Communication Director of the NDC.

The order follows a dismissal of No Case to answer an application filed by Ofosu Ampofo and Kwaku Boahen yesterday.

The court, presided over by a Supreme Court Justice, with an additional responsibility of the High Court, His Lordship Samuel K.A. Asiedu, said its decision was based on the evidence before it, as well as the charges that the accused persons are facing.

The two accused persons were arraigned in 2019 after a leaked audio tape went viral where they were alleged to have outlined some activities aimed at causing mayhem.

 

The Ruling

His Lordship said: The accused persons have been charged with the offence of conspiracy to cause harm, contrary to sections 23(1) and 69 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, (Act 29), as amended.

This charge appears in count one of the charge sheet. The 1st accused has also been charged, in count two, with the offence of assault on public officer, contrary to section 205(a) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, (Act 29).

Likewise, the 2nd accused has also been charged, in count three, with the offence of assault on public officer, contrary to section 205(a) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, (Act 29).

The Prosecution called three witnesses in all to give evidence towards the proof of the various charges leveled against the accused persons and then announced the closure of its case.

On the 2nd day of November, 2022 Counsel for the accused persons, each filed a submission of No Case to answer and invited the court to acquit and discharge the accused persons of the various charges, since in their view, the charges leveled against the accused persons have not been proved by the prosecution. On the contrary, the prosecution maintains, in its response, that enough evidence had been led to prove the charges leveled against the accused persons.

Section 173 of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960, (Act 30), states the circumstances under which a submission of No Case to Answer may be appropriately made and sustained by the court in a summary trial.

The section provides that: Section 173. Acquittal of accused with no case to answer, where at the close of the evidence in support of the charge, it appears to the court that a case is not made out against the accused sufficiently, to require the accused to make a defence, the court shall, as to that particular charge, acquit the accused.

Judicial Pronouncements

This section has been the subject of various judicial pronouncements in a number of cases which have sought to espouse on the meaning of section 173 of Act 30 and generally, on the concept of Submission of No Case to Answer.

The State vs. Ali Kassena

In the famous case of The State vs. Ali Kassena [1962] 1 GLR 144, the Supreme Court, at page 148, adopted the position of the law that: “A submission that there is no case to answer may properly be made and upheld (a) when there has been no evidence to prove an essential element in the alleged offence; (b) when the evidence adduced by the prosecution has been so discredited

as a result of cross-examination or is so manifestly unreliable that no reasonable tribunal could safely convict upon it.

Apart from these two situations, a tribunal should not in general be called upon to reach a decision as to conviction or acquittal until the whole of the evidence which either side wishes to tender has been placed before it.

If, however, a submission is made that there is no case to answer, the decision should depend not so much on whether the adjudicating Tribunal (if compelled to do so) would at that stage convict or acquit, but on whether the evidence is such that a reasonable tribunal might convict. If a reasonable Tribunal might convict on the evidence so far laid before it, there is a case to answer.

Apaloo vs. The Republic

In Apaloo vs. The Republic [1975] 1 GLR 156, the Court of Appeal, speaking through Azu Crabbe CJ, relied on the decision of the Supreme Court as stated in the Ali Kassena case when it held at page 175 that: “There has recently sprung up the practice by some Counsels to make a submission of no case to answer in the teeth of direct cogent evidence implicating the accused in the crime charged. This invariably delays the dispatch of work in the criminal courts, and this court now considers it necessary to re-state the tests for making a submission of no case.

“The circumstances in which a submission of no case may successfully be made are: (a) when there has been no evidence to prove an essential element in the crime charged; and (b) when the evidence adduced by the prosecution has been so discredited as a result of cross-examination or is so manifestly unreliable that no reasonable tribunal could safely convict upon.”

In the recent case of Asamoah and Another vs. The Republic [2017-2018] 1 SCLRG 486, the Supreme Court, speaking through Sophia Adinyira JSC, re-stated the law on submission of no case to answer when it observed at page 493 that: The underlying factor behind the principle of submission of no case to answer is that an accused should be relieved of the responsibility of defending himself when there is no evidence upon which he may be convicted. The grounds under which a trial court may uphold a submission of no case as enunciated in many landmark cases, whether under a summary trial or trial by indictment may be as follows:

  1. a) There had been no evidence to prove an essential element in the crime;
  2. b) The evidence adduced by the prosecution had been so discredited as a result of cross-examination; or
  3. c) The evidence was so manifestly unreliable that no reasonable tribunal could safely convict upon it,
  4. d) The evidence was evenly balanced in the sense that it was susceptible to two likely explanations, one consistent with guilt and one with innocence.”

Conclusion

The court has examined the evidence which have been placed before it by the prosecution vis-d-vis the charges which the accused persons are facing and the court has come to a conclusion that there is evidence on record in respect of the charges brought up against the accused persons.

This is not the stage for the court to review the evidence and make pronouncement as to the guilt or innocence of the accused persons.

The court is satisfied that given the evidence before it, it is fit and proper that the accused persons be called to enter upon their defence. In this regard the court adopts the statement of the law espoused in Asamoah and Another vs. The Republic (supra) to the effect that:

“There is no rule of law or procedure which gives an accused person the automatic right to make a submission of no case to answer at the close of the prosecution’s case in a criminal trial.

“In a summary trial, it is at the discretion of the Judge to determine whether or not a prima facie case had been made out against the accused person, having regard to the evidence adduced.

Where there is cogent evidence against the accused a trial Judge did not have to waste time inviting counsel for the accused to make a submission of no case…An appellate court only has to ascertain whether at the close of evidence in support of the charge, a case was made out against the accused sufficiently to require him to open his defence.

Furthermore, the standard of proof the prosecution bears at the stage of the trial before the appellants open their defence, is not proof beyond a reasonable doubt. See Tsatsu Tsikata v The Republic [2003-2004] SCGLR 1068.

For the above reasons, the submission of no case to answer is hereby overruled. The accused persons shall open their defence accordingly.

Suspected killers of GPHA boss freed by court

By
JOHN BEDIAKO
-
0
Josephine Asante, former GPHA boss

The Tema TDC District Court yesterday, January 26, 2023, discharged the two accused persons who are assisting the Police with investigation into the murder of Mrs Josephine Asante.

The accused, Amos Apeku, driver and Christian Agyei, houseboy were, however, rearrested by personnel of the Cold Case Unit (CCU) at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters of the Ghana Police Service.

Mrs Asante, Marketing and Public Affairs Manager at the Tema Port of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) was on Sunday January 13, 2019 found murdered in her Emefs Hillview Estates in the Ningo Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region.

The Prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP),Mr Ernest Kwoffie, who is the Tema Regional Judicial Police (JUPOL) assisted by Policewoman Inspector Hilda Asante-Sarkodie, told the court that based on the Attorney General’s advice, the charges have been dropped.

The court, presided over by Her Ladyship Mrs Benedicta Antwi,therefore, upheld prosecution’s request and granted it.

Detectives from the Cold Cases Unit, who have been charged to getting to the bottom of the case by the police administration rearrested and took them to their base at the CID Headquarters to assist with further investigation.

The driver was called to the house and when the door to her room could not open, a GPHA senior staff on phone suggested that they should immediately proceed to the Emefs Police Station for action.

When the door was opened, she was found dead and naked.

Police preliminary investigation suspected some substance on the body to be semen.

The Tema Regional CID took over the inquisition from the local Emefs Police and told the media of the presence of semen.

Hours later, the CID Headquarters called for the docket and debunked the assertion of semen.

The Homicide Unit of the CID continued with the inquiry and as it progresses, a number of persons, both home and abroad were interrogated.

Late 2021, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr George Akuffo Dampare created a new unit, CCU, at the CID Headquarters to cater for the unsolved murder cases which include that of Josephine Asante, Ahmed Suale and Agatha Nabin, the Policewoman, among others.

The Chronicle which has been tiptoeing a distance from the detectives can say that, the unit now a little over a year in existence is truly up to the task for which it has been created.

A senior police source at the headquarters who preferred anonymity intimated to The Chronicle that the discharged accused persons may be needed as the investigation progresses and that, sooner, the long arm of the law will grab the prime suspect in the murder of Mrs Josephine Asante.

Bawumia advocates for smart investments in critical infrastructure

By
JENNIFER AMBOLLEY
-
0
The Vice President addressing participants at the Forum
Some Dignitaries present at the forum

The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has emphasised the need for smart investments in critical infrastructure in Africa.

He made this known in his keynote address yesterday at the maiden edition of the Africa Prosperity Dialogues, dubbed the “Kwaku Summit,” at Safari Valley Resort, Akuapem.

Addressing the participants under the theme “AfCFTA-From Ambition to Action – Delivering Prosperity through Continental Trade,” the Vice President stated that as a continent, there is the need to produce and trade the way out of poverty and underdevelopment.

To be able to do that, he said there is the need for investing in smart infrastructure across the continent. The dialogue, he indicated, is organised as a solution-driven initiative to fast-track the implementation of the AfCFTA.

Furthermore, the vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia disclosed that another transformation Africa needs is to unleash the productive capacities across the continent.

Thus, “We must create platforms for knowledge brokerage and access to information on critical products and services on the continent to allow 445 million small businesses across the continent to plug into the value chains of these mega industries” he said.

On mobilising finance and investments, he stated that Africa needs between US$130 billion and US$170 billion annually to bridge its infrastructure gap and generate sustainable growth at 5% per annum or more.  If this is done, he believes it will provide immense opportunities for the private sector investment.

The Executive Chairman of African Prosperity Network, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, who also addressed the participants, indicated that the forum is for the private sector in Africa to join forces to assert a leading voice and play leadership role on how best Africa can drive a vibrant, single market for the prosperity of Africa’s nearly 1.4 billion citizens.

He also added that this is a historic event because it marks the 60th anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity, which was set up to promote the unity and solidarity of the African States.

“The AU in 2018 adopted the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which has the all-important goal of turning Africa into the world’s largest single market,” he said.

This, he believes, is the biggest promise this century for the prosperity of Africa and the African.

In order for Africa to be successful, Mr. Darko indicated that the AfCFTA must be seen and felt from this onset to be for the people of Africa.

Mr. Otchere-Darko advised that the aggregate value of enterprises and industries across Africa must be networked, coordinated and impactfully leveraged.

This, he said, is the reason why Africa Prosperity Dialogue was created to serve as an annual retreat where business leaders, thought leaders, trade associations, development organisations, young and women entrepreneurs to sit, think, plan and work together with urgency, to intensify the efforts towards achieving the goals of AfCFTA.

The Dialogue provided African political and economic leaders with a forum to advance ideas to improve Africa, with the overall objective of generating prosperity throughout the continent.

The dialogue which began yesterday is expected to climax with the Presidential and Business Leaders Summit that will be held at the Peduase Presidential Lodge on Saturday, January 28, 2023.

 

The Presidential and Business Leaders Summit, Mr. Eugene Owusu noted, will be a high-level roundtable dialogue between selected African Heads of State and Business and Industry Leaders.

Editorial: NDC must find a solution to their parliamentary leadership crisis now!

By
admin
-
0
Editorial

To ensure that citizens of countries who practice democracy reap the dividends thereof, the French philosopher, Baron de Montesquieu proposed the concept of Separation of Powers and checks and balances as one of the pillars on which democracy can thrive.

This concept, though viewed by many as a mere theory which cannot be easily practicalised, one can attest to the fact that the concept of checks and balances have been well demonstrated in Ghana’s parliament in recent times, with the aid of a strong minority and a Speaker from an opposition party.

Although the executive arm of government sometimes manages to bulldoze its way through, using the majority caucus, one cannot overlook the impact this concept of checks and balances have had on recent government policies.

During the last recess of parliament, the scrutiny of the appropriation bills by the minority side saved the country some millions of cedis. The group, with the support of the majority side  managed to quash an amount of GH₵80m which the government intended to set aside for the construction of the embattled national cathedral.

They again ensured that an amount of GH₵1.3B for the demolition and redevelopment of the Accra International Conference Center, a GH₵1.4B deposit into the Contingency Vault and monies to establish new diplomatic missions in Jamaica, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago all did not find their way into the appropriation.

The Public Accounts Committee, which is chaired by a member of the minority caucus, is also recovering monies from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies into the government chest.

From the above instances, one can attest to the fact that a strong opposition in parliament is a healthy ingredient for our democracy. This is why The Chronicle is concerned about the recent brouhaha in the minority caucus which was occasioned by the changes in the leadership of the caucus.

Readers will recall that on Tuesday January 24, a letter signed by the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Mr Fifi Fiavi Kwetey indicated that three leaders of the Minority caucus had been removed and replaced.

The affected leaders were Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Deputy Minority Leader, Mr James Klutse Avedzi and Minority Chief Whip, Mr Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak.

Dr Cassiel Ato Forson and Mr Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah were named as Minority Leader and deputy Minority Leader respectively. However, these changes have not sat well with some of the caucus and party members.

But looking at the dividends that we have gained from the minority in these past few months, The Chronicle cannot but appeal to the caucus and the party executives to ensure that they put their house in order before parliament resumes.

We need a unified opposition to help run the business of parliament to ensure that the oversight responsibility of the House is well executed.

While we make the appeal, we are also by this Editorial calling on the party executives to take the concerns of the members into account.

Many of the caucus as well as the rank and file of the party have lamented about the lack of consultation in arriving at the decision that saw the dismissal of the leaders. We, therefore, beseech the party to take these issues into consideration and address them in order to avoid future occurrences.

We look forward to a unified minority caucus on February 7, 2023.

Letter to Senior Opupulepu (216) The Shuffling and Re-Shuffling of Human Spars

By
admin
-
0
Opinion

Dear Senior Opupulepu,

How are you do? I hope you are do fine, fine, just as me and my shordies are all do fine, fine.

Senior, I know that you are know about the game of spar, as in playing cards, and that if you must win it will depend on how you shuffle and re-shuffle the cards, before distributing them to your adversaries around the table.

Senior, whenever a player is shuffling and reshuffling the cards, each of the other players will focus on how he is doing it and yell at him if he is not doing it well.

Senior, one will hear, “shuffle the cards, again,” indicating that the cards should be reshuffled.

Senior, it is this reshuffle, reshuffling matter, that has landed at the foot of the stool of our Omanhene Nana Onsurowuo Owuobiayeowuo, the Great Leopard.

Senior, for the first time in the history of Ogyakrom, every aplankeor messenger in charge of all the various asafo divisions directly under the charge of an Omanhene, has not be shuffled let along reshuffled.

Senior, the divisions include the lampo division, headed by Ofli-Actor, the momoniand koobi division headed by a certain beautiful Sweetie-Sweetie called How-Are-You, the path-cutting division headed by one Amokuie Actor, as in squirrel. He does not relate Ofli Actor.

Senior, the rest include, the division that takes care of people with chronic constipation as in hard stomach and diarrhoea as in jogging stomach. This is headed by Kweku Menu, the town-taker.

There is also the hut building division headed by a young man called I-Sense-You and another Sweetie-Sweetie, called Free-Dat. Please she is no free like what you are thinking. If you go and try to do your thing some on her, blame yourself for whatever you encounter.

Senior, I will end with these three. The one in charge of the arguments division, is a small boy, who loves playing the game of draught as in Dame. He still puts gari and sugar in his pocket when he is leaving home, just in case.

And another is to look after the division that looks at the professional thief slappers with one eye opened. This man is the only agyaba that likes Diary products.

Then we have the division in charge of whatever happens in other villages, whether it concerns us or not. This one too, is headed by a certain beautiful and shy lady, oh she is so beautiful and fair and she is called Cherry Ayorkorwuor, after a section of a hamlet called Teshie, as in Stone-Under.

Senior, this last aplanke was beautiful from birth. However, her skin was smooth alright but not like this. Initially, she speaks like a typical fishmonger, and walks like she is going to fight someone.

Senior, when the Omanhene, put her in charge of matters beyond Ogyakrom and she started going up-pion-down, up-pion-down, just like that, her smooth skin toned like an Indian princess, she started speaking like the late Ohenma Lizzy and even speaks better English than her.

Unlike before, before, when she was eating, she rushes through because she naaa, she had no time. These days when she is eating, after every bite, she will wipe her lips before chewing and until what is in her mouth had been well grinded and despatched down her Osofo-gus, she will not put any food in her mouth.

Senior, even though all the aplankeswere working hard and our Omanhene sees in them his winning hands, some enemies of progress, mostly from the Umbrella clan, have been shouting that they should be reshuffled like they are a pack of cards. But the Old pretended he did not hear.

Senior, it was later that some of us got to know the reason why. You see, these pack of human spars, sorry aplankes or messengers of our Omanhene like doing their job correct, correct.

They will not want to mix duty with pleasure and oh, one thing. They do not dash money by heart. In the case of Ofli Actor, the aplanke in charge of lampo, he always applies his favourite Sunday school memory verse, from Matthew’s Love Letter paragraph 13, line 12, which reads,“Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

So, he will alwayscollect from the poor and needy and give to the rich and wealthy. He does not care, all that he cares is his salvation and he plans reciting this verse when he comes face to face with Saint Petro at Yahweh’s Kingdom gate, so that he enters the Kingdom without paying H-levy (Heaven-levy).

Senior, it was while the chorus was being sang louder and louder that we heard that the abusuapanyin of the Umbrella clan, Asi-Edu ke-Nkatie, reshuffled the clan members in the Municipal Assembly.

Senior, but instead of seeing joy and merrymaking in that clan, we have started seeing what they know how to do best; the 4-Cs:commotion, confusion, clashes and conflicts. When asked why, they are saying reshuffling is no good.

Senior, the very people who say our Omanhene should do reshuffling, when it happened to them they are saying reshuffling is not good. How can these be trusted?

Senior, I am Dan, sorry I am Done.

Its Me

NCCE pays courtesy call to Bank of Ghana

By
JENNIFER AMBOLLEY
-
0
Dr. Ato Addison(BoG) in a Picture with Kathleen Addy(NCCE) in a picture

A 5-member delegation, led by the Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Kathleen Addy, has paid a courtesy call on the management of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to seek mutually-beneficial relationships between the two institutions.

Addressing the delegation in a short meeting, the Governor of BoG, Dr. Ernest Addison, who received the delegation, stated that public education on the proper handling of currency notes would be one of the key areas of collaboration.

He bemoaned the improper handling of currency notes by certain Ghanaians and asked the NCCE to play a significant role in the Bank’s “Clean Notes Campaign” campaign, which includes assisting to inform the public on how to handle Ghanaian currency notes.

He acknowledged that some Ghanaians dislike using coins and outlined their benefits, noting that they are more robust and inexpensive to make than currency notes.

He said that because vendors round prices to avoid using coins, Ghanaians’ dislike of using money has an effect on pricing and is detrimental to the Central Bank’s goal of reducing inflation.

Ms. Kathleen Addy, the Chairperson of the NCCE, stated that the visit was to introduce herself as the newly elected Chairperson of the NCCE and to identify potential areas of mutual collaboration.

She stated that the NCCE is an independent, non-partisan governance institution established under the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana with a mandate to educate citizens on their rights and responsibilities, as well as work towards entrenching democracy in Ghana.

Ms. Addy remarked that the NCCE played a key role in the education and sensitisation of the Ghanaian public during the Bank’s Cedi redenomination exercise in 2007.

Ms. Addy expressed gratitude to the Governor for the warm reception at the Bank and welcomed the proposal to intensify public education on the proper handling of the Ghana currency notes.

The Chairperson was accompanied by a Commission Member, Lawyer Victor Brobbey, the Acting Commission Secretary, Mrs. Lucille Hewlett Annan, the Director of Programmes, Dr. Imurana Mohammed and the Director of Finance, Ms. Monica Mamattah.

In the Governor’s team were the First and Second Deputy Governors, Dr. Maxwell Opoku-Afari and Mrs. Elsie Addo Awadzi, the Director of Research, Dr. Philip Abradu-Otoo, the Bank’s Secretary, Ms. Sandra Thompson and other officials of the Bank.

Two dead, many injured as APC, PDP supporters clash in Osun

By
admin
-
0
APC, PDP supporters clash

Two people have been reported killed and many others injured from a clash between supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ikire, Osun State.

At the centre of the clash which occurred on Tuesday were Amidu Tadese, the APC senatorial candidate in Osun West District and his PDP rival, Lere Oyewumi.

Both candidates were reported to have fixed their campaign rallies for Ikire on the same day.

Mr Tadese said Mr Oyewumi led a band of thugs to attack the gathering of his own supporters when they were about to start their rally.

“Our supporters had already erected canopy and assembled at Ward 9, Ikire before the incident occured. We were about to start the meeting when we saw the hoodlums shooting sporadically shortly after someone offered the opening prayers at the meeting,” he said.

“They were more than 30 in number led by Akogun Lere Oyewumi, the PDP Osun West Senatorial Candidate.

“They were shooting from Naira and Kobo area and before we knew it, they were already at the venue attacking people and destroying property, including our vehicles and commercial minibuses and tricycles,” he added.

But Mr Oyewumi said it was the APC members that attacked and killed two of his supporters. “The APC thug attacked our members while coming from our rally in the night and they have killed two people now while some of our members are receiving treatment in a hospital presently,” he said.

“They started attacking us as we were running for the safety of our lives.”

Yemisi Opalola, the police spokesperson in the state, confirmed the incident.

Mrs Opalola said one person was confirmed dead while some others were receiving treatment in the hospital.

Credit: premiumtimesng.com

US declares visa restrictions for anyone who undermines Nigeria’s elections

By
admin
-
0
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

The United States Government, on Wednesday, declared that people involved in undermining the electoral process in Nigeria will be slapped with visa restrictions. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a tweet, said his country supports Nigeria’s democratic process and desire to uphold the rule of law.

“To support Nigeria’s upcoming elections, today I am announcing visa restrictions for those involved in undermining democracy in Nigeria.

“The United States supports Nigerian aspirations to combat corruption and strengthen democracy and the rule of law,” Blinken said.

The US Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria, in a statement shared on its website, said the visa restrictions are specific to “certain individuals” and are not directed at the Nigerian people or the Government of Nigeria.

Excerpts of the US statement read: We are committed to supporting and advancing democracy in Nigeria and around the world.  Today, I am announcing visa restrictions on specific individuals in Nigeria for undermining the democratic process in a recent Nigerian election.

Under Section 212(a)(3)C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, these individuals will be found ineligible for visas to the United States under a policy to restrict visas of those believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Nigeria.  Certain family members of such persons may also be subject to these restrictions.

Additional persons who undermine the democratic process in Nigeria—including in the lead-up to, during, and following Nigeria’s 2023 elections—may be found ineligible for U.S. visas under this policy.

The visa restrictions announced today are specific to certain individuals and are not directed at the Nigerian people or the Government of Nigeria.  The decision to impose visa restrictions reflects the commitment of the United States to support Nigerian aspirations to combat corruption and strengthen democracy and the rule of law.

Credit: channelstv.com

APC sues three Adamawa House of Assembly members over defection to PDP

By
admin
-
0
APC sues Umar Musa Bororo, Shuaibu Babas and Shuaibu Dan Musa

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Adamawa State has dragged three members of the state House of Assembly to court after leaving the party to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state.

The APC sued Umar Musa Bororo, Shuaibu Babas and Shuaibu Dan Musa of Mubi South, Fufore Gurin and Mubi North constituencies, respectively, all members who defected at different times between 2021 and 2022.

Joined with the affected members are the Assembly Speaker, Aminu Iya Abbas, the House of Assembly itself, the Accountant General of the state, and INEC as 1st to 5th defendants.

The APC instituted the suits before the Federal High Court II in Yola, asking it to determine whether the Assembly is not bound by the law to declare the seats of the three vacant for leaving the party under which they were elected.

The party, through its Legal Adviser, Idris Shuaibu, said that the legislators who contested and won the election under the APC should remain at the assembly as APC members until June 12, 2023.

The APC argues that this should be more so as there was no crisis in the party at the time the indicated members defected.

The party, insisting that the three lawmakers should have ceased to be lawmakers after they left APC, asked the court to make them refund the salaries they have been receiving since crossing over from APC.

The Federal High Court II, Yola, presided over by Justice S. I. Kogo, fixed January 31 for mention.

Credit: dailypost.ng

House of Reps Speaker threatens to arrest Central Bank Governor over old naira notes withdrawal

By
admin
-
0
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila

The Speaker of the House of Representatives has threatened to order the arrest of Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele to appear before the committee investigating the old naira notes withdrawal.

Gbajabiamila said this on Thursday after the Majority Leader of the House, Ado Doguwa informed him that Emefiele and others shunned the invitation to a meeting on Wednesday.

Responding to the statement, Gbajabiamila said he will not hesitate to order the Inspector General of Police, Akali Baba to issue an arrest warrant to compel Emefiele to appear before the committee.

Mr Gbajabiamila added that the House ought to adjourn today to prepare for the elections, however, they will stay back to resolve the currency swap crisis.

“I will, pursuant to the authority conferred by Section 89 (1)(d) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Order 19 (2)(1) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives, not hesitate to issue a warrant to the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force to compel the attendance of the CBN or Managing Directors who fail, refuse or neglect to respond to the summons by the House of Representatives,” he said.

He also stated that Emefiele’s deadline is not consistent with sector 20 of the CBN Act, noting that the banks are compelled to accept the old notes even after the expiration of the deadline.

It would be recalled that the Presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu, who is believed to be The Godfather of Gbajabiamila, also spoke against the policy on Thursday during a rally.

Tinubu alleged that the policy is targeted at his presidential ambition.

Credit: dailypost.ng

1...2,3452,3462,347...2,951Page 2,346 of 2,951

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

©
The Ghanaian Chronicle