Emefiele withdraws suit against INEC, AGF

The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has withdrew the suit he filed against the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation over his presidential ambition.

Emefiele, through his counsel, S.T. Maliki, on Monday, told Justice Ahmed Mohammed that a notice of discontinuance had been filed and served on the defendants in the matter.

Maliki, who held the brief of Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, said though the matter was scheduled for mention, they had Emefiele’s instruction to withdraw the suit.

“Pursuant to the instruction of the plaintiff (Emefiele), we filed a notice of discontinuance dated and filed May16, 2022.

“And the said notice of discontinuance was served on all the defendants on that said date of May 16, 2022, which proof of service is before your lordship,” Maliki said.

The lawyer said of all the defendants, only the 4th and 5th defendants filed a counter affidavit in response to the plaintiff’s amended originating summons, after the notice of withdrawal had been served on them.

He prayed the court to discontinue the suit and make an order striking it out, issues having not been joined by parties in the suits, citing Order 50 of the rules of this court.

Although lawyer to the 4th defendant, John Aikpokpo-Martins, opposed Emefiele’s intention to withdraw the suit, he urged the court to dismiss the suit with N1.5 million cost.

However, counsel for the 2nd and 3rd defendants, Chris Nevo and T. J. Adi respectively did not object to the withdrawal notice.

For Nevo, he asked the court to award a N1 million cost against Emefiele.

In his ruling, Justice Mohammed held that Emefiele had the right to file the notice of withdrawal.

He said the notice of discontinuance was valid and accordingly struck out.

The News Agency of Nigeria had, on May 9, reported that Emefiele, through his lawyer, Ozekhome, had approached the court.

He had approached the court with an ex-parte motion, seeking the court’s interpretation as to whether he could run for the 2023 presidential primary while he holds as governor of CBN.

He had sought an order of the court, restraining the Federal Government from removing him from office over his presidential ambition, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter.

He also prayed the court to stop the INEC from taking any action against him in the bid to contest in the presidential primary by virtue of his office.

The CBN governor made the prayers in an ex-parte motion dated and filed on May 9 by his lawyer, seeking an order of maintenance of status quo ante bellum pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

Emefiele, in the suit, sued the INEC and the AGF as 1st and 2nd defendants respectively.

But Justice Mohammed, on May 12, also joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and two other lawyers, for themselves and on behalf of members of Save Nigeria, Our Fatherland, as 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants respectively.

Dismissed policeman gets life imprisonment for defiling nine-year-old

An Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court has sentenced a dismissed policeman, Mohammed Alidu, to life imprisonment for defiling a nine-year-old school girl in a barrack

Justice Abiola Soladoye, in her judgment, held that Alidu was a disgrace to the police because he failed to uphold law and order and went about frolicking with an underage girl.

Soladoye held that the prosecution had convincingly proved the charge of defilement against the convict beyond any reasonable doubt.

She said the survivors’ evidence was fully corroborated by the medical evidence.

“The evidence of the survivor is the most credible evidence in identifying the perpetrator.

“The vivid and oral testimony of the survivor satisfies the court that prosecution has proved every inch of the ingredients.

“He is a disgrace to the entire Police because he failed to uphold law and order as he went on a frolic of his own by engaging in a bizarre and irresponsible behaviour turning the barracks into a sex den.

“It is most chilling. The defendant is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment without the option of fine.

“He should have his name entered in the Sex Offenders Register of the Lagos State Government,” the judge held.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that four witnesses testified against Alidu in the trial.

According to the prosecution team, Mr Olusola Soneye, Mrs Olufunke Adegoke and Ms Abimbola Abolade, Alidu committed the offence on June 29, 2018 on Makinde Police Barracks Road, Mafoluku, Oshodi.

The prosecution said that Alidu grabbed the survivor into a wooden house on her way to school and defiled her.

They submitted that the defendant was apprehended after the survivor reported the case at the police station.

The prosecutors said the defendant confessed to defiling the survivor, blaming it on the devil but later denied it as an after thought.

NAN reports that the prosecutors said the offence contravened Sections 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.