Peter Obi, Nuhu Ribadu, others in presidential election tribunal as hearing begins

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Peter Obi, Nuhu Ribadu, others in presidential election tribunal as hearing begins

 

The running mate to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi is currently present at the hearing session of the petition filed before presidential election tribunal against the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the 2019 presidential election.

It would be recalled that Obi ran a joint ticket with the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 presidential election.

Also present in the court is a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, and a commissioner at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

Wole Olanipekun while moving an objection on the preliminary application filed by President Buhari on his qualification said the application have been filed and served to all parties involved in the matter.

But drama ensued after a counsel who identified himself as Poland standing in for the Hope Democratic Party announced his appearance over which attracted a vehement objection to his claim.

However, President of the Tribunal, Mohammed Lawal Garba further urged all parties involved to privately sort out the issues of representation.

Garba also announced that all preliminary applications pending before the court would be heard on June 13.

Meanwhile, the tribunal has just gone into the preliminary part of the substantive matter.

Details later…..

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EFCC vs Doyin Okupe: What judge told EFCC in court on Tuesday

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EFCC vs Doyin Okupe: What judge told EFCC in court on Tuesday

 

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, adjourned the trial of a former Senior Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe, to June 26, 2019, after cross examination of the fifth witness, Mr. Remigus Ugor, a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank PLC.

Okupe is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 59-count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal diversion of funds to the tune of N702, 000,000 (Seven Hundred and Two Million Naira) only.

At the resumed hearing, Remigus Ugor, while being cross examined by Okupe’s Counsel, Akinlabi Akinbade, told the court that Okupe is a signatory to the two accounts he tendered as evidence but that he cannot tell, if the defendant has other bank accounts.

While being cross examined by the defense Counsel to Value Trust Investment Ltd, Ugor told the court that he does not know the purpose for which the payment was made or what it was paid for, adding that it’s only the bank customers that know the reason for the deposits made to the banks.

The witness also released different payments made from Value Trust Investment Ltd; to various individuals and companies, which included a cheque of N3million to Gbenga Arulegba of ‘Focus Nigeria’ a programme ran on African Independent Television, AIT, on June 18, 2013, and another N2,200,000 to Aruleba on August 6, 2012.

According to Ugor, there was a payment of N500, 000, sometime in 2013, to one Suleiman Aledeh, another N12million transfer to Channels Incorporated Ltd on November 4, 2014, and another sum of N2, 150,000 payments to one Charles Iorhemba of Nigeria Television Authority, NTA.

Ugor also told the court that the bank can open a company account without a SCUML’s certificate depending on the nature of the company. While being cross-examined by the defense counsel to Abrahams telecoms Ltd, Ezenwa Ifegbulam, on whether the deposit of N35, 050,000, on October 2014, made to Abraham Telecoms was a suspicious or fraudulent transactions, Ugor told the court that he cannot say if it was fraudulent or not, adding that he knows the bank reports transactions above N10million to supervisory bodies.

The judge adjourned the case to June 26 and 28, 2019 for continuation of trial.

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