News
Cardoso ordered to appear before Kogi guber tribunal today
The Kogi state governorship election petition tribunal has ordered Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to appear before it on Tuesday.
A three-member panel of justices led by Ado Birnin-Kudu agreed with Alex Izinyon, counsel to Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi state, that Cardoso is in contempt of court by failing to honour a subpoena.
The court had on April 18, issued a “subpoena to compel the CBN governor or any of its officials to attend the proceedings to give explanations on the role of the apex bank in the November 11, 2023, off-cycle election” in Kogi.
Although the panel directed the “CBN governor or its official to appear on April 19 to testify”, there was no representative from the apex bank on the hearing day.
At the resumed proceedings on Monday, Izinyon said he was aware that the CBN management, in a letter to the tribunal, said they would not be available until April 26.
He said though his team had planned to call witnesses within five days, the issue of the subpoena must be dealt with before proceeding.
Izinyon, who said he expected an officer from the legal department of CBN to be at the tribunal on Monday, described the letter by the apex bank as “an act of contempt.”
He said the CBN team should be at the tribunal on Tuesday to give evidence, noting that if they failed to appear, it would be in the court record, going by the fact that the matter is time-bound.
“If by tomorrow, we call our last witnesses and they (CBN officers) are not here, we urge my lord to look at our application in the interest of justice,” he said.
Other respondents’ lawyers and counsel for the petitioners aligned with Izinyon’s application.
Delivering the ruling, Birnin-Kudu held that the subpoena was to the CBN governor and director of the corporate service of the apex bank.
He said the subpoena is a command in the name of the president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The judge held that the act of writing to the tribunal by the apex bank that its officials will be available on April 26 “is contemptuous and condemnable”.
The panel then adjourned the matter until April 23 for the continuation of the 2nd respondent’s defence and for the CBN to show cause.
News
Boris Johnson turned away from polling station after forgetting valid ID
Boris Johnson, former prime minister of the UK, was turned away from his local polling station after forgetting to bring the required photo identity.
Johnson had joined locals in South Oxfordshire on Thursday to vote in the police and crime commissioner election.
Polling officials however told him he would not be allowed to vote without providing his identity.
There are 22 acceptable forms of ID in the UK including passports, driving licences, blue badges, and certain local travel cards.
As prime minister in 2022, Johnson introduced the Elections Act which requires photo ID — a development that sparked intense criticisms from Britons.
Last year, the Electoral Commission warned that the new law could exclude hundreds of thousands of people, including minorities and those with disabilities.
A spokesperson for Johnson confirmed he had forgotten the photo ID, but that he was able to cast his ballot after he returned with a valid ID.
“Mr Johnson voted Conservative,” Sky News quoted the spokesperson as saying.
Downing Street said it would “look into” changing the controversial rules which require photo ID in order to vote, so that ID cards of veterans can be added to the list of valid identification.
News
Lagos state government uncovers another under bridge apartment in Ikoyi
The officials of Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) have discovered an illegal settlement under the Osborne Bridge in Ikoyi.
Tokunbo Wahab, commissioner for environment and water resources in Lagos, on Thursday, said officials of LAGSEC have commenced immediate clearance of the place.
“Another illegal settlement was discovered under the Osborne Bridge, Ikoyi. Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps @LAGESCOfficial (KAI) commenced immediate clearance operation,” Wahab wrote in a post on X.
The recent discovery comes 24 hours after officials of the ministry of environment uncovered apartments under the Dolphin Estate Bridge where tenants pay N250,000 rent annually.
Wahab disclosed that 86 rooms partitioned into 10×10 and 12×10, and a container, were discovered by an enforcement team of the Lagos ministry of environment.
Thirty-three persons were arrested at the under bridge apartments.
Another illegal settlement was discovered under the Osborne Bridge, Ikoyi. Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps @LAGESCOfficial (KAI) commenced immediate clearance operation.#ZeroToleranceLagos #CleanerLagos@followlasg @jidesanwoolu @drobafemihamzat pic.twitter.com/g6Rso9c792
— Tokunbo Wahab (@tokunbo_wahab) May 2, 2024
News
Sanwo-Olu appoints KWAM1’s daughter as SSA
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has appointed Basirat Damilola Marshall, daughter of Fuji maestro, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, a.k.a KWAM1, as his Senior Special Assistant on Tourism.
This was according to a viral video of her father thanking the governor, and congratulatory messages sighted by newsmen on her Instagram page, @damimarshall_ on Thursday.
In the viral video, her father, KWAM1, while performing on stage at the coronation and birthday reception of Oba Sikirullah Apena on Thursday, thanked Sanwo-Olu for appointing his daughter into his cabinet.
The fuji singer noted that it was his daughter, Damilola, who asked him to publicly thank the governor for her appointment.
Congratulating her on the appointment, a Nigerian, Olanrewaju-Smart Wasiu wrote, “Congratulations Barr. @damimarshall_ on your appointment as the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Tourism. This is a deserving recognition for your hard work and contributions to our party”, to which she responded by saying “Thank you, sir.”
Another person, Balogun Basia wrote, “Please, join me in congratulating my friend K1 and the entire family on the appointment of my daughter Barrister Basirat Damilola Marshall as the SSA to the governor of Lagos State on Tourism. Damilola, this shall be the beginning of many good things that will come your way and that of your siblings Insha Allah, Alaumoh Amin.”
Until her appointment, Damilola was a principal partner at a law firm, Damilola Ayinde Marshal and Co.
As of the time of this report, efforts to reach the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Lagos State Governor, Gboyega Akosile, for confirmation proved abortive, as messages sent to his WhatsApp line were not responded to.
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