NEWS
Appeal Court Strikes Down CCT’s Suspension Of Kano Anti-Corruption Chairman
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has overturned the suspension of Mr. Muhuyi Magaji, Chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC), which was imposed by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in April.
A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Umaru Fadawu, ruled on Friday that the CCT’s order to suspend Magaji was unjust, agreeing with his counsel, Mr. Adeola Adedipe (SAN), that it amounted to a denial of fair hearing.
Justice Fadawu ordered that the case be reassigned to a new panel at the CCT for further consideration.
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The legal conflict began when the CCT, under Justice Danladi Umar, issued the suspension order on April 4, following allegations of misconduct by Magaji, brought by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
The tribunal ruled that Magaji should step aside to prevent interference with the trial and ordered the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, and the Secretary to the State Government to appoint an acting chairman for the PCACC.
In his appeal filed the following day, Magaji’s legal team argued that the tribunal had violated his rights to a fair trial by making a premature decision about his guilt.
The notice of appeal, filed on April 5, listed five grounds for the appeal.
Among the key arguments, Adedipe contended, “The CCT erred in law when it denied him a right to fair trial, fair hearing, and right to be presumed innocent by making an order directing him to step aside as the chairman of PCACC, thereby determining his guilt at an interlocutory stage.”
Magaji also criticized the tribunal’s actions, stating, “The tribunal erred in law when, without the requisite jurisdiction, it granted the reliefs sought by the CCB, giving specific orders to Gov. Yusuf and SSG, knowing full well that they are not parties to the present charge as constituted; it thereby occasioned a miscarriage of justice.”
Furthermore, Magaji’s counsel argued that the tribunal’s decision lacked a factual basis.
“The tribunal erred in law when it adjudged him as capable of interfering with CCB’s witnesses in PCACC, even though no material evidence was put forward to support such a speculative claim,” said Adedipe.
In its ruling, the Court of Appeal found that the CCT had acted outside its jurisdiction and denied Magaji his constitutional rights to a fair hearing, describing the tribunal’s findings as speculative and prejudicial.
The House of Representatives has intensified efforts to ensure financial transparency and regulatory compliance by directing the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Agency (ICRC), Nigeria Sugar Development Commission (NSDC), and Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to submit detailed budget performance reports.
The directive was issued on Tuesday during an interactive session of the House Committee on Finance, chaired by Hon. James Faleke, in Abuja.
The session aimed to assess the agencies’ adherence to extant financial laws.
Highlighting the concerns, Hon. Faleke instructed the ICRC to provide a comprehensive list of all concessionaires and fees collected since 2008.
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This followed a presentation by Shehu Danmusa, the agency’s Director of Infrastructure, which was criticized for lacking a clear breakdown of revenue and expenditure.
Faleke stressed the need for accurate and transparent financial reporting in line with standard accounting practices.
Similarly, NERC Chairman, Sanusi Garba, presented the agency’s income and expenditure for 2023 and 2024.
He disclosed that the commission’s primary revenue source was the electricity market but faced further scrutiny from the lawmakers.
The committee stressed the importance of transparency and accountability in financial management, urging all agencies to submit the requested details promptly for thorough evaluation.
During the presentation of the N605 billion budget for the 2025 fiscal year at the Edo State House of Assembly, Governor Monday Okpebholo experienced a moment of hesitation that caught the attention of those in attendance.
As he began to outline the figures, he appeared to struggle with articulating the exact numbers, stammering and stumbling over the amounts allocated for various sectors. This brief but noticeable lapse seemed to momentarily disrupt the flow of his speech.
Despite the well-prepared nature of the presentation, the Governor’s difficulty in confidently calling out the figures raised murmurs among some lawmakers and attendees, who exchanged glances while others maintained a composed demeanor.
His hesitation was most evident when he addressed the significant capital expenditure of N381 billion and the recurrent expenditure of N223 billion, both critical components of the budget.
READ MORE: Okpebholo Tables N605bn 2025 Budget Before Assembly
It took him a few seconds to regain his footing, during which he paused, cleared his throat, and continued with a somewhat cautious tone.
Observers speculated whether it was the weight of the figures or the enormity of the budget’s implications that caused the Governor to falter briefly.
However, as the speech progressed, he regained his confidence, delving into the detailed allocations for road infrastructure, healthcare, education, and agriculture with renewed composure.
In a room where every word and gesture is scrutinized, the Governor’s brief struggle served as a reminder that even the most experienced leaders can have moments of nervousness under the spotlight.
Nonetheless, the focus soon returned to the substance of the budget, with its ambitious plans to transform Edo State’s infrastructure, education system, and healthcare sector.
Nine-time Nigerian league champions, Enyimba International FC of Aba, has signed former Super Eagles’ striker and 2013 AFCON winner Brown Ideye.
Biztellers reports that Ideye signed till the end of the 2024/25 season.
The Sporting Director of the ‘Nzogbu-Nzogbu Boys’ and ex-international, Ifeanyi Ekwueme, made the disclosure on Tuesday.
Ekwueme said, “The talks have been going on for a while and we completed it yesterday.
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“He will be with us until the end of the season and we believe he will bolster our team’s attack as we compete in the league and the continent.”
It was gathered that Ideye, 36, has been without a club since leaving Kuwaiti side Al Yarmouk in 2022 but he is now set to stage a return to Nigeria’s top flight, taking after former international teammates Ahmed Musa and Abdullahi Shehu who are currently playing for Kano Pillars.
The move will also mark the return of Ideye to the domestic scene 17 years after he left Ocean Boys in 2006.
Ideye was on the verge of joining former league champions Rivers United in October but the move collapsed.
Enyimba have two matches crucial to their domestic and continental aspirations in the next five days as they play Sunshine Stars on Wednesday in a rescheduled NPFL game before travelling to Maputo, Mozambique for their third group game in the CAF Confederation Cup against Black Bulls.
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