TheNewsGuru

Tag: absent

  • Defection talks: Why ex-president Jonathan was absent at PDP National Convention – Gov Okowa

    Defection talks: Why ex-president Jonathan was absent at PDP National Convention – Gov Okowa

    The Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, on Monday said former President Goodluck Jonathan was absent at the just concluded National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party because he had prior engagements abroad.

    Eyes had been raised at Jonathan’s absence at the Convention amid speculations that he may soon defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress or that he was unhappy with developments within the PDP.

    But Jonathan, since leaving the Presidency in 2015, has undertaken several international appointments and regularly travels abroad.

    In July 2020, Jonathan was appointed Special Envoy of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to lead mediation talks during the 2020 Malian protests.

    On Saturday, the day of the PDP Convention, the ex-President was scheduled to depart for Nairobi, Kenya, to attend the 12th African Union (AU) High-Level Retreat on the promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa.

    “I believe communications were made with the former President Goodluck Jonathan but he had prior engagements outside the country,” Okowa said on Monday. “He was unable to attend because he had commitments abroad and he had to meet up with that.”

    The Governor said the PDP “is very cohesive and we are working together.”

    However, Okowa couldn’t explain why former Vice President Namadi Sambo, was absent at the Convention.

    Okowa said the PDP, with the success of its National Convention, was now ready to rescue Nigeria from the APC.

    He said the ruling party had mismanaged the country and his party was a “credible alternative.”

    “We do know exactly what we are in at the moment; there is crisis in everything, in insecurity, in the economy. And a lot of people are really hungry, the number of unemployment is growing, the youths are becoming restive. And they are no longer comfortable with the country they call their own,” Okowa said.

    “So when you look at all these things and the fact that the economy is nosediving everyday, and when you look at the kind of budget that is being presented to Nigerians, there is cause to worry, that it is something that cannot take us in the right direction.

    “The insecurity is beginning to impact on our agricultural production. And that is not good for our country. We may find ourselves in the next few years going into food insecurity, and that will probably be the worst.

    “So looking at this, you will agree with me that we need to retrieve Nigeria from the path we are on now. Something needs to be done. That is why we have presented ourselves as a credible alternative, to take Nigeria back to the path of progress.

    “We need to make people believe that there is hope for a new Nigeria and we will not be in a situation where we have deep insecurity crisis, like we have in places like Afghanistan, because we are almost at that level now at the moment, and it is not the best for our nation.”

    Meanwhile, Okowa denied that PDP Governors had hijacked the party structure.

    “I don’t agree that the Governors are dominating the party,” he said. “The Governors try their best, to give guidance to the party.”

  • Tinubu absent as Buhari commissions projects in Lagos

    Tinubu absent as Buhari commissions projects in Lagos

    Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, was absent as President Muhammadu Buhari visits Lagos State on Wednesday.

    The President is in Lagos to inaugurate some projects.

    Tinubu was said to be out of the country with some prominent members of the APC.

    President Buhari landed at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos at 10.32 a.m on Wednesday amid tight security

    Buhari arrived aboard a Nigerian Air Force Boeing aircraft with registration number 5N-FGT.

    He was received with a dance by cultural troupe and a Presidential Guard of Honour.

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi; Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and Deputy Governor of Edo, Phillip Shuaibu.

    Others include Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State Governor-elect and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat .

  • Alleged N400m fraud: Metuh, lawyers absent from court as trial proceeds

    Alleged N400m fraud: Metuh, lawyers absent from court as trial proceeds

    The trial of a former National Publicity of the Peoples Democratic, Olisa Metuh, proceeded before the Federal High Court in Abuja in his absence and that of his lawyers on Friday.

    Metuh had, since his fall in court on Monday, been absent from the trial.

    His lawyer, Mr. Emeka Etiaba (SAN), who had since been appearing for him, did not attend the Thursday and Friday proceedings without any explanation offered for his absence.

    No lawyer in the defendant’s defence team led by Etiaba and another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, attended the Thursday and Friday proceedings.

    Justice Okon Abang was forced to adjourn on Thursday due to the absence of legal representation for Metuh on Thursday.

    But on Friday, the judge ordered the continuation of the trial after overruling an objection to the application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s lawyer, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, for the trial to proceed in the absence of Metuh and his lawyers.

    The objection was raised by Mr. Tochukwu Onwugbufor (SAN), the counsel for Metuh’s co-accused, Destra Investment Limited, who had argued that the law never envisaged that a criminal trial would ever be conducted behind a defendant and his counsel.

    But in dismissing the objection, Justice Abang ruled that although the court had ruled that the matter would proceed in Metuh’s absence, the absence of the defence team was designed to frustrate the trial.

    The judge explained that the court did not bar Metuh from the proceedings but only held that “the trial will proceeding in his absence” due to what the court described as the defendant’s ‎”misconduct” in court on Monday.

  • BREAKING: Kanu absent, co-defendants arrive court

    Three of the co-defendants facing charges of treasonable felony against the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, have arrived the Federal High Court in Abuja.

    They were brought to court by prison officials at about 10am on Tuesday.

    However, Kanu, whose lawyers said was last seen on September 14, 2017 following a military operation in his hometown in Abia State, is absent from court as Justice Binta Nyako is now set to commence proceedings.

    His co-accused already in court are the National Coordinator of IPOB, Mr. Chidiebere Onwudiwe; an IPOB member, Benjamin Madubugwu; and a former Field Maintenance Engineer seconded to the MTN, David Nwawuisi.

    But Bright Chimezie, who became a co-defendant in the case following an amendment of the charges was also absent.

    Kanu was on bail before he was declared missing.

    Announcing his appearance on Tuesday, Kanu’s lawyer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejifor, told the judge that the IPOB leader was still in the custody of the Federal Government.

  • Nigerian constitution silent on how long Buhari can be absent… – Falana

    Human right lawyer, Femi Falana has disclosed that the Nigerian constitution has no time limit for when President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to return and resume his duties.

    Falana made the disclosure while reacting to protest by some cross section of Nigerians in Abuja, who were demanding the immediate return or resignation of the President.

    Recall that, after initially spending over 50 days on medical vacation in London, the President had in May returned to London for a follow-up medical check-up and is yet to return.

    Against this backdrop, some youths led by ace musician, Charlyboy asked the President to return and resume his duty or resign.

    Speaking yesterday, the constitutional lawyer maintained that the Constitution is silent on how long the president can be away on medical vacation.

    He said, “As at the time the Constitution was amended in 2010 it took cognizance of the president leaving the country without handing over hence the constitution was amended compelling the president to transmit a letter to the National Assembly. And once he does that, the Vice President shall automatically become the Acting President.