Politics
EFCC, ICPC To Address Keyamo’s Lawsuit Against Atiku
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has stated its intention to reply to the lawsuit filed by Festus Keyamo against Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 25th February 2019 election.
This announcement was made by the EFCC on Thursday.
In addition, Lawyer to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Oluwakemi Odogun, informed Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja that the commission plans to file its response in the case.
According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Festus Keyamo, who served as a spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), filed a lawsuit marked as FHC/ABJ/CS/84/2023 against Atiku Abubakar. The suit pertains to allegations of money laundering leveled against Mr. Abubakar.
In addition to Atiku Abubakar, the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have been named as defendants in the lawsuit.
Prior to filing the lawsuit against Atiku Abubakar, Festus Keyamo had called on law enforcement agencies to arrest Mr. Abubakar based on an audio recording that was released by his former aide, Michael Achimugu.
In the audio recording, Atiku Abubakar was alleged to have explained how shell organizations were established to siphon public funds.
According to the report by NAN, Justice James Omotosho had issued a warning on March 7th that he might strike out the lawsuit due to Festus Keyamo’s alleged lack of diligence in prosecuting the case.
However, at the resumed hearing, Mr. Keyamo’s lawyer, Okechukwu Uju-azorji, informed the court that the matter was scheduled for hearing.
During the hearing, Mr. Uju-azorji stated that the former vice president, who is the 1st defendant, had served him with a preliminary objection and that they had responded accordingly.
However, he also mentioned that Atiku Abubakar was not present in court to receive their application.
Mr. Uju-azorji therefore requested an adjournment from the court to allow the 1st defendant to receive and respond to their objection.
Additionally, the counsel to the EFCC, Senami Adeosun, also requested a short period of time to file their response in the lawsuit, noting that they were still within the allowable timeframe. Similarly, Oluwakemi Odogun, who represented the ICPC, made a similar request.
“We were served on March 15 with the originating processes. We sought an adjournment since we are within time to file,” she said.
The judge adjourned the matter until 18 April for a hearing of the pending preliminary objection.
Justice Omotosho, having noted that Atiku Abubakar and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) were not represented in court, ordered that hearing notices be issued to them.
He also directed that any party wishing to file any application should do so before the next adjourned date.
According to the NAN report, Atiku’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, had filed a preliminary objection seeking an order to strike out or dismiss the lawsuit for being incompetent and lacking in “locus standi.”
Mike Ozekhome, contended that the case lacked jurisdiction and should be dismissed, as it did not provide a valid basis for the lawsuit against his client.
However, Festus Keyamo, in a counter affidavit sworn by Henry Offiah, a litigation clerk in his chamber, argued that the CCB, ICPC, and EFCC had failed to respond to the allegations he had made against Atiku.
He also claimed that these agencies had not taken any steps to investigate or invite the former vice president for questioning regarding the accusations leveled against him.
He said that he had written a petition to the CCB, ICPC, and EFCC on January 16th, requesting that they invite Atiku for questioning as part of an investigation into the accusations leveled against him.
Festus Keyamo further stated that the three agencies – CCB, ICPC, and EFCC – had refused to initiate any investigation into the accusations against Atiku, which left him feeling aggrieved. As a result, he filed the present lawsuit on January 20th.
“The allegations made against the 1st defendant (Abubakar) are the subject matter of the investigation sought by the plaintiff and the plaintiff seeks reliefs against the 1st defendant,” the document read.
Festus Keyamo argued in his counter affidavit that dismissing Atiku’s preliminary objection would be in the interest of justice.
Afrobeats star, David Adeleke, known as Davido, is thrilled to have cast his vote in the ongoing US elections, marking his first time of participating in an American election.
Born in Atlanta, Davido shared his excitement about the milestone.
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Sharing a picture of himself shortly after casting his vote, the singer wrote, “First time voter !! ”
Earlier, he shared a post on X urging Americans to go out and cast their votes peacefully.
“Election Day yall be safe as you perform your constitutional rights ❤️,” he wrote.
However, he refrained from publicly endorsing any candidate.
The minors who were just released by the Federal Government for their involvement in the end bad governance protest have arrived at the presidential villa, where they will meet briefly with government officials.
Recall that the Federal Government dropped the treason charges levelled against them for their participation in the protest that was held across the country.
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However, a source within the presidency confirmed that the governors of Kano and Kaduna States are already on ground to receive the minors and thereafter hand them over to their respective families.
The source also noted that the meeting will commence by 2pm at the Auditorium in the State House.
Following the directive of the President, Bola Tinubu on Monday, the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, had early Tuesday morning, took over the case file and notified the Federal High Court in Abuja of his decision to discontinue the case against the protesters.
Grammy-winning rapper, Cardi B has shared her intense feelings about the upcoming U.S. presidential election, admitting that her nerves are so high she feels as though she’s running for president herself.
With the election only a day away, Cardi B took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to express her anticipation, telling her 36 million followers, “I don’t know why I’m so nervous for tomorrow. I feel like I’m running for president.”
The Bronx-born rapper and cultural icon recently made headlines for her passionate endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s candidate, at a rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Friday. Speaking to a crowd of supporters, Cardi B gave a rousing speech, highlighting her concerns about the Republican Party’s candidate, former President Donald Trump. She criticized Trump’s stance on women’s rights, calling him “a hustler who is trying to hustle women out of their rights and hustle Americans out of their money.”
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The rapper, known for her outspoken political views, did not hold back, asserting that Trump is “selling more than watches and sneakers” and accusing him of promoting “bigotry, misogyny, division, chaos, and confusion.” Her words resonated with supporters, many of whom see Cardi B as a voice for younger voters who care about issues like women’s rights, racial equality, and social justice.
Addressing rumors circulating online, Cardi B also clarified that she was not paid to endorse Harris, dispelling speculation that financial incentives were behind her appearance at the rally. “I did this because I believe in the future that Kamala Harris stands for, not for any money,” she tweeted.
Cardi B has been vocal about her political stance throughout the election season, using her platform to encourage her fans to vote and make their voices heard. Her support for Harris has added significant star power to the Democratic campaign, especially among younger and minority voters. As the election approaches, her rally speech and social media statements have brought renewed attention to the high-stakes issues on the ballot.
With her passionate stance, Cardi B has become one of the most influential celebrity advocates in this election cycle, drawing both praise and criticism. As Americans prepare to vote, her message continues to reverberate across social media and beyond, emphasizing the rapper’s commitment to political engagement and advocacy for her beliefs.
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