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Court to determine validity of Olukoyede’s appointment as EFCC chairman, June 19
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Justice Obiora Egwuatu of a Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned till June 19, for judgment in a suit seeking the sack of Mr Ola Olukoyede as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC).
The judge fixed the date for judgment after lawyers representing parties adopted and argued their briefs of arguments for and against the suit.
An Abuja-based legal practitioner, Mr Victor Opatola, had last year dragged President Bola Tinubu to court, over the appointment of Olukoyede.
Opatola, in the suit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, is specifically challenging the validity of his appointment on the grounds that he did not meet the years of service required by law for the office of chairman of the anti-graft agency.
The President of Nigeria, National Assembly, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Olukoyede are first to fourth respondents respectively, in the suit marked: HC/ABJ/CS/1403/2023.
Adopting his brief on Thursday, Opatola urged the court to discountenance and dismiss the objections and prayers of the defendants and grant the reliefs sought in the suit.
However, the respondents argued otherwise, praying the court to dismiss the suit for lacking in merit.
Olukoyede, who was represented by Olumide Fusika (SAN, challenged the legal authority of the plaintiff to institute the suit in the first place.
Besides, Olukoyede claimed that he is eminently qualified to occupy the office of EFCC Chairman, having served as Secretary of the Commission, a grade Level 17 position, which is higher than the rank of an Assistant Commissioner of Police, a grade Level 14 position.
He accordingly asked the court to dismiss the suit.
After listening to all parties in the suit, Justice Egwuatu subsequently adjourned to June 19 for judgment.
Amongst the issues Opatola raised for determination are: Whether by the true construction and interpretation of Section 2 (1) (a) of the EFCC Act 2004, Olukoyede, who has not fulfilled the conditions of the Act can be validly appointed as EFCC chairman.
He also asked the court to determine whether by the true construction and interpretation of Section 2(1)(a) of the EFCC Act 2004, the person appointed to the office of the chairman of the EFCC can be said to be above the rank of assistant commissioner of police or its equivalent.
“Whether by the true construction and interpretation of Section 2(1)(a) (iii) of the EFCC Act 2004, the interpretation of subsection (iii) should be read disjunctively of subsection (ii) of the act in a manner that Olukoyede, who was appointed to the office of the chairman of EFCC can be said to have 15 Years of cognate experience in any field outside the government security or law enforcement agency.
“Whether by the true construction and interpretation of Section 2(1)(a) (ii)(iii) of the EFCC Act 2004, the National Assembly can validly confirm the appointment of Olukoyede who has not fulfilled the provisions of the law.”
Opatola also prayed the court to make further declarations upon the determination of the above questions.
“A declaration that pursuant to Section 2(1)(a) (ii)(iii) of the EFCC Act, the appointment of Olukoyede to the office of the EFCC chairman is illegal and void.
“A declaration that pursuant to Section 2(1)(a) (ii)(iii) of the EFCC Act, any confirmation of the 4th defendant’s appointment made by the National Assembly is void and of no legal consequence.”
The counsel also asked the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the National Assembly from confirming the appointment of the fourth respondent.
He further prayed the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the fourth defendant from holding office as chairman of EFCC.
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BREAKING: Jubilation As PDP Wins All 30 LGs In Osun State(See winners)
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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, has announced that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won all the local government and councillorship positions in the just concluded local government elections in the state.
The Chairman of the Commission, Hashim Abioye, made this announcement via a Facebook Live broadcast on Saturday evening.
Abioye stated that PDP candidates secured all the councillorship seats in all 332 wards in the state, as well as the chairmanship elections in all 30 local government council areas.
The names of the PDP chairmanship candidates and their respective local government council areas:
Babalola Wasiu Kayode – Boripe
Okunade Oluwafemi Adesanya – Egbedore
Adeyenuwo Rotimi John – Ife Central
Agboola Francis Olajire – Obokun
Azeez Lateef Adeniran – Isokan
Aina Abayomi Adesina – Boluwaduro
Sodiq Samuel Oluwapelumi – Ola Oluwa
Ajibade Oluwatoyin S. – Irepodun
Adebanjo Oladiti Tunmininu – Ilesa West
Ibironke Alade Adegboye – Atakumosa East
Aroke Muyiwa Aderemi – Ife South
Kolade Obafemi Kolawole – Olorunda
Moshood Adekunle Kabiru – Iwo
Awotunde Abiodun Sarafadeen – Ifelodun
Akande Taiwo Adekunle – Osogbo
Dada Feyisayo Ajibola – Atakumosa West
Amodu Taiwo – Ede North
Atolagbe Kayode Olayinka – Ifedayo
Akande Michael O. – Ife North
Adeyekun Taiwo Adebayo – Oriade
Adeniran Adenike Felicia – Ayedaade
Afolabi Oyekola Lukman – Ede South
Odunyemi Haruna Bukola – Ife East
Jooda Ambali Babajide – Irewole
Adewale Adeyinka Oluwaseun – Odo Otin
Ogunbiyi Solomon Akinyemi – Ayedire
Raimi Adenike Nafisat – Ejigbo
Adebisi Jayeola Nasir – Ila
Ilesanmi Taiwo Sunday – Ilesa East
Alade Aderemi Fatai – Orolu
News
DSS arrests three for assaulting operatives during LSHA crisis
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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested three persons linked to the alleged assault on its officers during the crisis that rocked the Lagos State House of Assembly, following the removal Mudashiru Obasa, as Speaker
Apparently sensing danger, some lawmakers had mobilized their supporters to the Assembly Complex, but these supporters allegedly attacked some DSS officers who were invited by the Assembly leadership to secure the facility. Security sources revealed that “after extensive analysis of CCTV footage, we were able to clearly identify three of the suspects”.
“The suspects, Ibrahim Olanrewaju Abdulkareem, a photographer and two others attached to the Assembly’s Seargent at Arms, Adetu Adekunle Samsudeen and Adetola Oluwatosin Fatimoh, a lady, were consequently tracked and arrested during the week in different parts of Lagos,” The trio have since confessed to the crime and will soon be charged to court, the source said.
It would be recalled that the Lagos Assembly had in a leaked memo dated 14th February, 2025 and addressed to the DSS Director in the State, and Heads of other Security Agencies in Lagos State, told the Security Agencies in Lagos that, there was credible information to the effect that, Obasa had planned to forcefully reinstate himself today, February 18, 2025.
Accordingly, the Assembly management, held the view that, the development posed “a potential security threat” to it and its members.
News
Police seal OSSIEC office, officials nabbed, says chairman
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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), Hashim Abioye, has claimed that the police have sealed off the headquarters in Osogbo.
In a video post on the OSSIEC X handle, Abioye accused the police of also arresting election officials and blocking journalists from covering the local government election.
According to him, several OSSIEC officials were detained while on their way to polling units on Saturday.
Attempts by our correspondent to reach Abioye for further details proved abortive as his telephone line was switched off.
The OSSIEC chair, in the post, assured voters that materials had been deployed to affected areas.
So far so good, the reports have been positive and the conduct has been very smooth and peaceful as against the false alarm raised by the police. Everywhere is calm,” Abioye said.
“The only thing is that in some of the areas in which materials are supposed to have arrived for voters to cast their votes, we had reports of police arresting our officials.
“I don’t know on whose order because there is no court order that warranted the arrest of officers of our officials.
“As it is, we have deployed materials to those units because we have enough on the ground.
For our people in the media community, I want to apologise for the inadequacy of the tags and the jackets because we have enough but the police sealed our office and that was not warranted at all.”
Abioye’s comments come after police had called for the local government election to be called off by the state government, citing a security threat.
In a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Friday, the Police said it received credible intelligence indicating a likelihood of violence and significant security threats should the planned elections proceed.
The police explained that reports gathered from joint intelligence gathering revealed that various groups, including political elements and other interested parties, are mobilising to instigate unrest, disrupt public peace and undermine the democratic order.
However, the Osun State government acknowledged the police’s advice but insisted on going on with the election.
Channels Television reports that the election eventually went on as scheduled on Saturday.
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