Headlines
$9.6bn P&ID Scandal: Court Orders Closure of Two Companies
An Abuja federal high court has ordered the closure of two companies linked to James Nolan, a British national, facing trial over his involvement in the Process and Industrial Developments Limited (P&ID) fraud.
In two separate judgments delivered on Wednesday, Donatus Okorowo, the presiding judge, held that the two companies were found guilty of the money laundering offences.
Consequently, Okorowo ordered that the companies be wound up and their assets be forfeited to the federal government.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Trinity Biotech Nigeria Limited and Nolan in the case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/272/2022 as the first and second defendants.
In the sister case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/273/2022, the commission is also prosecuting Resorts Express Concept Nigeria Ltd. and Corrado Fantoli as the first and second defendants, respectively.
Fantoli, also a foreigner and an associate of Nolan, was one of the suspects behind the alleged $9.6 billion P&ID fraud.
The suspect said to be at large alongside the company, was arraigned in absentia on November 25, 2022, on an eight-count money laundering charge.
He was neither present in court nor represented by a lawyer when they were arraigned.
The court declared him wanted and ordered his arrest anywhere he was sighted after an application by the EFCC counsel, Bala Sanga.
Resorts Express Concept Nigeria Ltd. and Trinity Biotech Nigeria Limited are two of the over 30 companies associated with the $9.6 billion P&ID scam.
Meanwhile, Nolan is standing trial on different charges before different judges.
In September 2022, a federal high court in Abuja revoked his bail and issued a bench warrant for Nolan’s arrest after he failed to appear in court.
TheCable
By Eric Elezuo
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been declared winner of the presidential primary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The declaration was made at the Trascorp Hilton Hotel, where the final collation of results was made.
The former Vice President polled a total of 1, 846, 370 votes to defeat his closest rival, former Governor of Rivers State, Hon Rotimi Amaechi, who scored just over 500 thousand votes. Alhaji Muhammed Hayatu-Deen came third.
Headlines
ADC Presidential Primary: Hayatu-Deen Alleges Rigging, Withdraws from Results Announcement
One of the presidential aspirants of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, says he will not attend the announcement of the party’s presidential primary election results, citing allegations of widespread vote rigging.
In a statement on his X handle on Tuesday, Hayatu-Deen expressed concern over reports of electoral irregularities from across the country.
The ADC aspirant noted that he witnessed some of the incidents.
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps,” the statement read.
The development comes amid keen competition for the ADC presidential ticket involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transportation and former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and Hayatu-Deen.
The ADC presidential primary election collation exercise will take place in Abuja. Results are expected from across the nation.
Ahead of the nationwide presidential primary held on Monday, the ADC had urged aspirants, party leaders, delegates, and members to conduct themselves peacefully and uphold party unity.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the exercise as a defining moment for both the ADC and Nigerians seeking a credible political alternative.
According to him, the party remained committed to internal democracy and a transparent leadership selection process.
“The ADC remains proud to stand today as the only truly democratic party in Nigeria because it is the only political party whose choice of presidential candidate is determined through open primaries,” Abdullahi stated.
The party also stressed that the conduct of aspirants and party members during the exercise would reflect the leadership culture the ADC seeks to promote.
Headlines
You’re Not Different from APC, INEC, Amaechi Slams ADC, Rejects Presidential Primary Results
A former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has rejected the results of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primaries, alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement and electoral malpractice.
Amaechi, in a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday, described the outcome of the exercise as “concocted results.”
He said he had earlier made it clear that he would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair and transparent.
“I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold,” he said.
Amaechi alleged that about 80 percent of party members across the country were prevented from voting during the exercise.
“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results,” he stated.
The former Governor of Rivers State accused the party of engaging in practices it had previously condemned in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to him, the ADC cannot criticize vote buying, rigging and manipulation of election results by others while allegedly engaging in similar acts during its own primary.
Amaechi added that the development was unacceptable and contrary to the ideals upon which the party was founded.
