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EFCC accuses Obiano of evading court process
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has accused a former governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, of evading the service of court process.
The counsel for the commission, Sylvanus Tahir, disclosed this to the court on Thursday during proceedings.
On January 24, the EFCC arraigned the former governor on nine charges bordering on alleged money laundering to the tune of N4bn.
In the charges, the EFCC accused Obiano of diverting Anambra State’s security votes to the tune of N4,008,573,350 while he was governor between 2014 and 2022.
The counsel for the prosecution said efforts to serve the defendant’s reply to his motion have been futile.
He said, “In compliance with the order of the court made on Monday, we filed a counter affidavit to oppose the bid by Obiano to challenge the territorial jurisdiction of the court to prosecute him but our efforts have been to no avail.”
Tahir said his team was on Wednesday at the Chamber of Obaino’s counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) but that the gate to the office was locked.
He said he phoned two of the defendant’s lawyers but he was told they were at a Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
He said as a result, he was only able to serve the counter affidavit on the defendant inside the courtroom on Thursday.
He asked the court to proceed to hear the motion of the former governor challenging the territorial jurisdiction of the court along with the counter affidavit.
However, Patrick Ikweto (SAN), who represented Obiano at Thursday’s proceedings told the court he was served the counter affidavit in the courtroom.
Justice Inyang Ekwo subsequently adjourned the matter till March 13 for a hearing of Obiano’s motion.
However, in the motion on notice by the former governor’s counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) dated March 3, he informed the court of an appeal by the Anambra State Government challenging the EFCC’s authority to investigate the funds.
Ikpeazu said, “The subject matter of the charge bothers on accountability for security votes funds;
The honourable court lacks the requisite jurisdiction to entertain issues on accountability for security votes funds;
“There is an appeal filed by the Anambra State Government challenging the powers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the security vote of the Anambra State Government
“The preferment of the entire charge is in bad faith.”
Ikepazu stated that there was no testimony from any witness indicating that he issued directives for the disbursement of security votes and other funds belonging to the Anambra state government
He said, “No evidence exists from any witness showing that Defendant/Applicant passed down directives on the disbursements of security votes and other funds belonging to Anambra State Government,
“The defendant/applicant cannot be made answerable for any purported unlawful actions of officials of Anambra State Government, as there is no vicarious liability in our criminal jurisprudence;
“The thinking and conclusion of the prosecution on the counts arose from speculation and suspicion.
“This honourable court has inherent judicial powers to grant all the reliefs sought above.”
President Bola Tinubu has accused organisers for the deadly stampedes that occurred during the distribution of relief materials in three states.
Recall in the past week, chaotic scenes in Ibadan, Anambra and Abuja led to the deaths of over 60 people, including children, as crowds scrambled for food items.
During a Presidential Media Chat on Monday, Tinubu described the events as a critical failure in planning and execution.
Condolences to those who lost a family member, but it is good to give. I have been giving out food stuff, commodities, etc. in Bourdillon.
“I am an organized person and that’s why I have been giving people food for the past 25 years and no incident has happened.
“Let this tragedy not affect us”, the Nigerian leader said.
The president also said he has no plans to reduce his cabinet or sack more ministers.
For the controversial tax reform bills, he said it has come to stay.
He also revealed he has no regrets removing fuel subsidy.
He declared utmost confidence in his security chiefs saying over the past decades, wanton killings has reduced drastically.
President Bola Tinubu will hold first presidential chat since assuming office on Monday night.
Accoding to a statement released by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the chat will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on the stations of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
All television and radio stations are requested to hook up to the broadcast.
“The first Presidential Media Chat with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on Monday, December 23, on the Nigerian Television Authority and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria.
“All television and radio stations are requested to hook up to the broadcast,” the statement.
The US President-elect took to the stage AmFest in Phoenix to talk about his contact with the Russian leader.
He told the crowd: “President Putin has said he want to meet with me as soon as possible.”
Trump went on to brand the war “horrible” and stated it needed to end. It is not known whether or not this meeting will take place in person. His comments at the event in the US come as Putin met with another world leader.
Putin held talks in the Kremlin today (December 22) with Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Fico arrived in Russia on a “working visit” and met with Putin one-on-one. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s RIA agency that the talks would focus on “the international situation” and Russian natural gas deliveries.
Visits and phone calls from European leaders to Putin have been rare since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine, although Hungary’s PM Viktor Orban visited Russia in July. Orban’s visit drew condemnation from Kyiv and European leaders.Fico’s views on Russia’s war on Ukraine differ sharply from most other European leaders. The Slovakian PM returned to power last year after his leftist party Smer (Direction) won parliamentary elections on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform. Since then, he has ended his country’s military aid for Ukraine, hit out at EU sanctions on Russia, and vowed to block Ukraine from joining NATO.
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