2019 polls: APC to pick guber candidates on Sept 24

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is proposing to hold its governorship primary election on September 24.

This is contained in a letter Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the party, wrote to Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In a copy of the letter seen by TheCable, Oshiomhole asked the commission to be prepared to send officials who would monitor the exercise.

He listed the proposed dates for the federal and state assemblies, governorship and presidential primaries.

“Please be advised that our party has scheduled to hold its congresses and primary elections for the nomination of candidates in respect of the 2019 election,” read the letter dated August 17.

“This serves as a formal notification pursuant to the provisions of section 85 of the electoral act 2010 as amended. Kindly arrange your officials to monitor the exercise accordingly.

“While hoping to receive your cooperation, please accept the assurances of my highest esteem.”

Here are the dates:

• Saturday September 8, nationwide congresses to elect delegates to the national convention (presidential).
• Saturday September 19  national convention to elect the party’s presidential candidate.
• Saturday September 19, house of representatives candidates.
• Thursday September 20, pick senatorial candidates.
• Monday September 24, pick governorship candidates.
• Saturday September 29, house of assembly candidates.

Yekini Nabena, acting spokesman of the party, said the dates could be changed if necessary. The spokesman also asked the commission to investigate how some of its confidential documents get to the media.

He had earlier denied that the party had fixed dates for primary election. - TheCable

54-year-old transporter rapes minor

A 54-year-old transporter, Felix Idehen alias Alaye has been arrested by the police in Lagos for alleged defilement of a minor.

Idehen was apprehended by policemen attached to Onipanu Division following a report by a group, Child Protection Network  (CNP) on Friday afternoon.

It was gathered that Idehen allegedly defiled an 11-year-old primary school pupil (names withheld) at 8, Imagbon Street, Fadeyi.

It was learnt that the suspect started the sexual assault on his victim when she was nine-year-old.

Although the suspect initially denied the allegation, it was gathered that the victim gave a vivid description on how Idehen forced her pants down and penetrated her private part.

According to the police, Idehen had serially abused the minor and turned her into a sex toy.

“The last times he had sex with the victim were on August 19 and 23. He had three rounds of sex with the minor.

“He told her not to inform anyone, not even her mother. The victim said the suspect used to fondle her breasts and that he usually overpowered her when no one was around,” said a source.

Police spokesman Chike Oti, a Chief Superintendent (CSP) confirmed the arrest, adding that the case would be transferred to the Gender Unit of the command.

Oti said a medical paper was given to the victim so that she could be taken to Miracle Centre for further investigation, commending the group for bringing the information before the police.

He assured that justice would be done in the case. - The Nation

I pay my wife upfront before she allows us have sex – Man tells court

Mr Yinka Alabi, 35, on Friday, pleaded with an Idi-Ogungun Customary Court, Agodi, Ibadan, not to dissolve his marriage in spite of his wife admitting to being raped by another man.

In his defense to a divorce suit filed by his wife, Funmilola, he told the court that although the woman claimed to have been raped in her office, he still loved her.

”My wife’s adulterous ways are terrible. She was in the habit of receiving her boyfriends’ calls in my presence, but my ill-health condition makes me to accept all her shortcomings.

”My lord, I urinate through the use of catheter and my wife knows what I’m passing through.

”I paid her upfront before allowing me to have sex with her, but I am not bothered because I love her and do not agree with the dissolution of our 10-year-old marriage.” Yinka said.

Earlier, Funmilola, 31, had urged the court to grant her divorce request, alleging constant brutality on her by the husband.

According to her, “Yinka is always suspicious that I engage in extra-marital affairs.

”He has no regard for my parents, so I can no longer endure his nagging and brutality,” she stated.

In his ruling, President of the court, Chief Mukaila Balogun, urged the parties to resolve the issue for the sake of the only child of the marriage.

Balogun advised the respondent to find means of reconciling with his wife since he did not want the marriage to end.

He, however, adjourned the case until August 31 for report of settlement or continuation of hearing. - Daily Post

Self-proclaimed pastor jailed 54 months for theft

An Igbosere Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos Thursday, sentenced a self-proclaimed pastor, Abel Adewale Olukayode, to four years and six months imprisonment for stealing N984,450 from Wema Bank Plc.

Chief Magistrate A. T. Omoyele convicted Olukayode, 58, on a three-count charge of stealing.

The magistrate found that he transferred the sum in tranches of N22,550, N701,900 and N260,000 through WEMA Bank’s mobile application to his First Bank and Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) accounts.

She sentenced him to six months imprisonment on count one and two years each on counts two and three without an option of fine.

All sentences will run concurrently, meaning Olukayode, who claimed to be a clergyman with the Apostolic Church, will spend only two years in jail.

In the course of the trial, prosecuting Sergeant Cyriacus Osuji said the convict, of 26, Sadiku Ayinla Street, Odo-Kekere in Ikorodu, committed the offence between March 5 at about 4pm and March 6, at about 7am, in 2012, with the aid of his mobile phone.

He said: “The defendant, with the aid of his mobile phone with sim number 08034456771, stole N22, 550 through his Wema Bank account, property of WEMA Bank Plc.

“At the same time and place with the aid of his mobile banking application, he transferred N701,900 from WEMA Bank to his GTB Bank account and N260,000 to his First Bank account, property of WEMA Bank Plc”.

According to the prosecutor, the offences contravened sections 278(2) and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Olukayode pleaded not guilty and was released on bail.

But a witness from WEMA Bank testified that between March 4-6, 2012, the bank’s system malfunctioned and the convict, who had only N300 in a joint account he operated with his wife, took advantage of the situation to steal.

He stated that immediately Olukayode noticed the malfunction, he started buying airtime which accumulated to N22, 550 and thereafter transferred the other amounts to his GTB and First Bank accounts.

The court heard that Olukayode wasn’t the only one that took advantage of the situation, but he was one of a few, who when he was approached, refused to return the money.

When others, who took advantage of the situation, were approached, they admitted their offence and started repaying the money, the witness said.

But Kayode told the bank that he had been praying and asking God to provide for him to enable him build his own church and the money was God’s answer to his prayers. - The Nation

Biafra referendum : Intersociety releases photo, names of women arrested in Imo

The International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety), has asked the Nigerian and Imo State Governments to discontinue, withdraw and discharge all the 10-count charges of treasonable felony, conspiracy to commit treasonable felony and terrorism levelled against over 100 women arrested during a pro Biafra protest.

Intersociety, in a statement signed by Board Chairman Emeka Umeagbalasi and Head, Civil Liberties and Rule of Law Programme, Obianuju Joy Igboeli, Esq, accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration of pushing Igbos to the wall.

“The incarcerated Mothers of Igbo Nation deserve apologies and reparative packages for their wrongful detention and being labeled “terrorists” and “felons” in Government’s panicky and draconian response to their use of “braziers as human rights kits” to protest Government’s sundry atrocities against their children and husbands,” it said.

“In line with the recent Judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on unconstitutionality of the so called “Holden Charge”, we further call upon the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the AGF, as case may be, to issue a practice direction to all Magistrates in Nigeria to refrain from using their Courts to effect indiscriminate dumping of suspects in prison custodies especially in offences the said Magistrates and their Courts do not have jurisdiction to try,”

“Common sense and logic suffix that where a Magistrate Court cannot exercise jurisdiction over an offence before the Court, such zero jurisdiction must be exercised fully including non admittance of the arraignment of the suspects connected to the zero jurisdiction matter or by not allowing the charge sheet to be read in open Court. The arresting and detaining authorities coming to the Court with such zero jurisdiction matter should be sent out of the Court or ordered to take their detainees to the appropriate Courts (i.e. High Court) and charged them accordingly.

“Analysis done by Intersociety on their social and family backgrounds clearly shows that most of them are mothers of young children. Those under this category are between the ages of 22 and 45, numbering 80. Yet their incarceration and torture has attracted little or no attention locally and internationally.

“This is in spite of the fact that they did not commit any felony during their street protest, with no gun or rifle of any kind or IEDs found in their possession or from any of them; except flags and insignias and other faith objects such as bangles, chaplets, bibles, necklaces, sachets of water, etc. Still they were arrested, detained, tortured and labeled “terrorists” and “treasonable felons”; with the world maintaining inexplicable silence of congregated and aggregated proportion till date.

“It is recalled that the incarcerated Mothers of the Igbo Nation whose names are provided below had on 17th August 2018 embarked on peaceful street protest (guaranteed by Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution under rights to freedom of expression, assembly and movement) in Owerri, Imo State.

“The street protest was organised by the unarmed, defenseless and innocent women to express their deep displeasure over persecutory policies of the present central Government in Igbo Land including ceaseless killing in hundreds by the same Government of unarmed and defenseless pro Biafra activists and maiming of hundreds of others as well as planned “Army Python Dance 111” and non disclosure of the whereabouts of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu and his royal parents, HRH, Eze Israel Okwu and Lolo Ugoeze Nnene Kanu who reportedly went missing following the military invasion of their Afara-ukwu Palace near, Umuahia on 14th September 2017.

“The police and other security agencies, on orders of the Government of Imo State and the Federal Government of Nigeria resorted to use of draconian methods by getting them rounded up and detained for three days at the State Police Command Headquarters in Owerri; from where they were arraigned at Owerri Magistrate Court, presided over Mrs. S.K. Kaduruma. The arraignment was with charge number: OW/430/2018: CP Imo State v Ijeoma Okorie (30yrs) & 111 ors. The Legal and Prosecution Department of the State Police Command represented by SP Thaddeus Okechukwu later read 10-count spurious charges of “treasonable felony”, “conspiracy to commit treasonable felony”, “terrorism”, among others.

“Despite efforts made by their team of lawyers led by Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor to draw the judicial attention of the presiding Magistrate, Mrs. S.K. Kaduruma to the recent judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to the effect that “a Magistrate Court that does not have jurisdiction to try an offense brought before her, cannot exercise same jurisdiction she does not have by remanding the alleged offenders of the offence to prison custody”, the presiding Magistrate ignored same, hiding under the same cover of “orders from above” and remanded the 112 Mothers to prison custody and adjourned till 3rd September 2018.

Intersociety, in the statement, identified most of the incarcerated women follows: Afoma Umoh Wisdom (64yrs), Virginia Akwufube (62yrs), Ezike Emmanuela (62yrs), Uzoma Oraka (62yrs), Charity Obioha (60yrs), Chinyere Nwachukwu (55yrs), Udeogu Margret (58yrs), Ratchel Okengwu (58yrs), Angelina Felix (55yrs), Monica Anaelechi (54yrs), Esther Osuji (52yrs), Florence Olewembu (52yrs), Nkechi Ekwedisika (52yrs), Kosarachukwu Udegbunam (51yrs), Josephine Ogolo (51yrs), Monica Nwaeleke (50yrs), Mabel Okoire (50yrs), Chika Njoku (50yrs), Grace Nkemakolam (50yrs), Paulina Awunezi (50yrs), Christiana Muonwuba (50yrs), Margret Eze (50yrs), Florence Egede (50yrs), Rose Osuchukwu (50yrs), Comfort Uti (50yrs), Nnedinma Onuoha (49yrs), Agatha Nwachukwu (49yrs).

Ijeoma Okorie (30yrs), Uloma Ejiogu (30yrs), Victoria Jacob (45yrs), Vivian Ozuruigbo (30yrs), Chinenye Imo (40yrs), Chinyere Egbulom (38yrs), Cynthia Onyebuchi (31yrs), Chigbata Chinyere (38yrs), Egesi Josephine (41yrs), Hope Eze (45yrs), Ikejiofor Amechi (44yrs), Nkeiru Ajagba (45yrs), Ngozi James (46yrs), Nnene Nweke (46yrs), Lucy Mary Kanu (21yrs), Irole Goodness (30yrs), Ogechi Okechukwu (30yrs), Tochukwu Eze (38yrs), Onyemaechi Ijezie (38yrs), Ginika Awuzie (39yrs), Vero Nnamani (30yrs), Nkwoagu Chinenye (22), Ijeoma Victoria Nnadozie (43yrs), Blessing Udeme (25yrs), Nnewuchi Obiageli (31yrs), Ngozi Onyenwugo (22yrs), Ruth Onwumere (45yrs), Nkeiruka Ohanebo (45yrs), Nzube Uwaigwe (22yrs), Eberechi Iheanacho (39yrs), Ego Nwafor (40yrs), Chinyere Eze (32yrs).

Adaku Inyama (45yrs), Ndidi Uchenna (45yrs), Nneka Kingsley (38yrs), Nkeiru Nwankwo (37yrs), Chinwendu David (38yrs), Juliet Nwaiwu (42yrs), Juliet Innocent Onwuka (40yrs), Chinyere Nwankwo (25yrs), Nkeiru Orji (34yrs), Joy Uwabunike (47yrs), Nnene Ibeneli (38yrs), Jane Isaac (25yrs), Kelechi Emmanuel (40yrs), Ngozi Nwajiaku (34yrs), Ugochi Okwum (32yrs), Ifeoma Emmanuel (42yrs), Nkeiru Onyegbari (35yrs), Eucharia Eke (42yrs), Ijeoma Onyedinefu (33yrs), Blessing Nnedede (26yrs), Iheanyichukwu Ogueri (35yrs), Ogochukwu Alaribe (35yrs), Uchechukwu Okoro (48yrs), Iheomachi Ejiaku (40yrs), Uchchukwu Ahamuefula (32yrs).

Evelyn Usulo (38yrs), Joy Chimezie (45yrs), Precious Ogbonna (40yrs), Obiageli Nwite (48yrs), Ginika Ndibe (20yrs), Chinelo Ugwueze (38yrs), Nwachukwu Blessing (22yrs), Rita Edet (29yrs), Nnenna Okorie (36yrs), Chinyere Eze (43yrs), Iwuneme Bibian (45yrs), Onuoha Ogechi (no age), Peculiar Nwachukwu (28yrs), Felicia Ike (42yrs), Obiageli Obumsolu (39yrs) Ugonne Godwin (45yrs), Kalunwoke Ekemiri (28yrs), Nwauwa Cecelia (44yrs), Igboka Ngozi, Angela Okeke, Blessing Aguama, Oguchim Chinedu and Mary Okorie (classified in their charge sheet as “adults” but possibly in their 70s). - Daily Post

Trump: Americans will be poor if I’m impeached

US President Donald Trump says American citizens will become “very poor” if he is removed from office.

He wondered why anyone would think of impeaching a president “who has done a great job”, adding the effect will also be felt on the US stock market.
Trump was speaking during an interview with Fox News on Thursday.
“I don’t know how you can impeach somebody who’s done a great job,” he said.

“If I ever got impeached, I think the market would crash. I think everybody would be very poor.
“Because without this thinking, you would see numbers that you wouldn’t believe in reverse. I got rid of regulations. The tax cut was a tremendous thing.”
Trump’s comment comes on the heels of speculation he could be impeached after Michael Cohen, his former lawyer, admitted in court to paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels to influence the 2016 election.

Paul Manafort, his former campaign chief, has also been found guilty of eight out of 18 charges relating to financial crime.
Reacting to Manafort’s guilty plea, Trump said he felt “very sad” for his former campaign chair.
“This has nothing to do with Russian collusion… This is a witch-hunt and a disgrace,” the president said. - TheCable

Transfer news : Spurs failed with deadline day bid for Abraham

Chelsea rejected a late bid from Tottenham to sign Tammy Abraham on transfer deadline day earlier this month, Goal reports. 

Spurs had offered the Blues a fee of £25million for their academy graduate, but Chelsea responded with a firm no.

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino had seen Abraham as an ideal candidate to deputise for Harry Kane, and according to Goal, the player himself was keen on a switch.

However, Chelsea had no interest in letting Abraham leave on a permanent deal, especially not to a direct and local rival, and instead are looking to send him out on loan again.

Abraham spent last season on loan with Swansea, scoring five goals in the Premier League, and spent the previous season with Bristol City where he scored 23 goals in 41 Championship appearances.

It is unclear whether Spurs will return with another offer for Abraham in January, but they will be forced to pay a premium price, with the 20-year still having four years on his current contract. - Read Sport