Headlines
Binta Nyako Hands Off Nnamdi Kanu’s Case
Binta Nyako, a federal high court judge, has recused herself from presiding over the case of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
A recuse means a judge excusing himself or herself from a case because of a potential conflict of interest or a perception of bias.
At the resumed court session on Tuesday, Kanu directly told Nyako that he no longer had confidence in her handling of his trial.
Adegboyega Awomolo, counsel to the federal government, had told the court that he had a witness in court and was ready to proceed with trial.
Awomolo had also sought the protection of the witness.
While the court was setting up a protection screen to shield the witness, Alloy Ejimakor, counsel to Kanu, told the court that his team was not ready to proceed with the trial.
Ejimakor said his client has consistently been denied the opportunity to adequately prepare for his defence.
While the lawyer was still addressing the court, Kanu yelled from the dock, asking Ejimakor to sit down.
“Sit down! I say you should sit down!” the defendant bellowed from the dock.
Facing the judge, Kanu said: “My lord, I have no confidence in this court any more and I ask you to recuse yourself because you did not abide by the decision of the supreme court”.
“I can understand it if the Department of State Services (DSS) refuses to obey a court order, but for this court to refuse to obey an order of the supreme court is regrettable.
“I am asking you to recuse yourself from this case.”
Although the prosecution urged the court to proceed with the trial, Nyako said she would go with extricating herself from the case.
She said she would be sending the case file back to the chief judge for reassignment and further necessary actions.
“I hereby recuse myself and remit the case file back to the chief judge,” she held.
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.
