Headlines
$1.3m Fraud: APC senatorial candidate in Kano A. A Zaura evades arraignment
Nasiru Yusuf
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday told a Federal High Court in Kano that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Kano Central Senatorial district election, Abdulsalam Zaura, who is being tried for an alleged $1.3 million fraud, has absconded and is nowhere to be found.
KANO FOCUS reports that the EFCC filed a charge of criminal conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of $1.3 million against the defendant.
When the case came up in court, the prosecution counsel, Aisha Habib, told the court that the defendant was not physically arraigned in court because he could not be found.
“This is a criminal case, and the defendant must be in court to answer his plea even if he is challenging the jurisdiction of the court to arraign him,” the counsel said.
“This is a total disrespect; the defendant has to be in court before he can file an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to arraign him,” Habib said.
Counsel to the defendant, Ibrahim Garba-Waru, however, told the court that at this stage of the proceedings the presence of the defendant was not mandatory.
“Section 266(b) of Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) 2015 says in a criminal trial the presence of the defendant is necessary but where there is an exception of an interlocutory application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to arraign him cannot take place,” he said.
Mr Garba-Waru said the defendant is not in court because he is not physically fit to stand trial.
“The defendant on Oct.14, filed an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to arraign him and in as much trial didn’t start his appearance in court is not necessary,” he said.
The judge, Muhammad Nasir-Yunusa, however, ruled that in a criminal case the defendant must be in court.
“This is a criminal case where is the defendant”
Mr Nasir-Yunusa ordered both parties to file written addresses on the legality of the absence of the defendant in court and adjourned the matter until 10 November
On 9 June 2020, the defendant was discharged and acquitted by a Federal High Court over a nine-count charge of $1.3 million fraud.
But after the EFCC appealed the ruling, the Court of Appeal Kano division on April 2022 ordered a fresh retrial of the case.
Aminu Abdullahi
The Kano State Governor-elect, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has urged his supporters and members of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to embark on prayers for ingenuity and guidance for his leadership towards delivering the dividends of democracy.
KANO FOCUS reports that this is contained in a statement in Kano on Wednesday by Spokesperson of governor-elect Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.
The prayers, Yusuf said, are sufficient as a show of solidarity and celebration of his victory at the polls on Saturday and not miles of trek by some of his enthusiasts in some quarters especially given the state of insecurity with banditry, kidnapping and terrorism threatening peaceful movement of people and goods across the length and breadth of the country.
Yusuf also pledged commitment to improved infrastructure and good welfare for the aged, civil servants and private sector among others in the state.
“The incoming Kano State Government will be committed to a greater future of the people with security, health, education, economic, infrastructure and good welfare for aged, civil servants and private sector among others”, he said.
Aminu Abdullahi
All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in the last Saturday gubernatorial election, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna on Tuesday rejected the declaration of Abba Kabir Yusuf of the New Nigeria People’s Party NNPP as the winner of the poll in Kano state.
KANO FOCUS reports that Gawuna in his first public appearance after the poll, spoke during a press conference by the party in the state capital.
The Deputy Governor who admitted that power comes from Almighty Allah, however said he aligned with the positions of the party which among others gave INEC 7 days ultimatum to declared the governorship poll inconclusive.
Gawuna who was in the company of party leaders, said it was astonishing that with the same election, 16 of the House of Assembly elections held same day and same conditions were declared inconclusive by INEC.
Meanwhile, the APC in Kano has rejected the announcement of Abba Kabir Yusif of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) as winner of the just concluded governorship election in Kano calling for immediate review of the election result by the electoral umpire within seven days.
The APC chairman, who was represented by the party’s legal adviser, Abdul Adamu Fagge insists that the election should be declared inconclusive because the cancelled votes were greater than the margin between the first and the second parties of NNPP and APC respectively as provided by the Electoral Act.
Fagge said that there was no way the election could be declared conclusive with over 270,000 votes cancelled which a margin shows is bigger than the winner’s votes.
The party also drew attention to the cancellation of sixteen House of Assembly elections in the state, sighting violence as the reason, while the same votes were considered in collating the governorship election.
It expressed dismay saying the two elections took place same day, same time, same places and under the same circumstances.
Fagge said, “based on section 65 of the Electoral Laws 2022, we have written to INEC to revisit and cancel the hasty, wrong and selfish declaration of the NNPP as winner of the elections, and declared the conduct inconclusive”.
He said they have since written to INEC to within seven days revisit the elections based on the provisions of the Electoral laws and declare it Inconclusive.
The Legal Adviser explained that INEC Returning Officer, acted not on the only basis of the provisions of laws.
Mukhtar Yahaya Usman
The Kano State Government has lifted the dawn-to-dusk curfew imposed in the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that the state government on Monday imposed the curfew with a view to avoiding a breakdown of law and order.
The order followed tensions generated from the collation of results of the governorship and state Assembly elections.
The state Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Muhammad Garba, made the announcement lifting the curfew in a statement issued on Monday night.
He said the decision to lift the curfew followed a careful review of the situation and the relative calm throughout the state.
The commissioner called on commercial banks, public servants and the people in the state to continue their normal activities.
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[Friday Sermon] Let’s belief in predestination and support Jagaban for the good of our country!
