Metuh Drags EFCC, AGF To Court

Olisa Metuh, the national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has filed a suit before a Federal High Court in Lagos, seeking his immediate release from custody.

                                                             Mr Olisa Metuh

The Punch reports that on Monday, January 11, the PDP’s spokesman filed a suit through his lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, against the EFCC and Attorney-General of the Federation.

The EFCC had arrested the PDP spokesman last week in continuation of its investigation into the alleged diversion and sharing of over $2 billion meant for purchase of arms to fight Boko Haram.

The commission said Metuh had some questions to answer regarding some funds said to have been traced to his firm.

Adegboruwa asked the court for an order restraining the respondents from further arresting, detaining, persecuting, trailing or in any other manner taking steps that may jeopardise the liberty, freedom and life of the applicant except and in a manner permitted and sanctioned by law.

He further urged the court to make a declaration that the Respondents are not entitled to arrest, detain or in any other manner restrict the liberty of the Applicant without charge.

“Such is a flagrant violation of the Applicant’s fundamental rights guaranteed under sections 35, 38, 40 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and Articles 4, 5, 6, 9, 12 and 14 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights 2004,” he stressed.

The lawyer also want a declaration that the Respondents are not entitled to demand for, seize, impound, detain, attach, forfeit and/or confiscate or in any other manner deal with the Applicant’s property and assets in flagrant violation of the Applicant’s fundamental rights guaranteed under the law.

In a 19 paragraph affidavit, Adegboruwa averred that Metuh had been the spokesperson of the PDP, even before President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in and had functioned effectively in that position since March, 2012.

The lawyer claimed that on January 5, 2016, officers of the EFCC stormed the home of the applicant at Prince and Princess Estate, Abuja and arrested him without a court order and he has been in detention ever since.

He said: “I verily believe that the applicant has not committed any offence other than his principled opposition to the ruling government and his arrest and detention are meant to silence the opposition and create a one party state, by the respondents and allow the APC to dominate Nigeria.

“Nobody knows the present whereabouts of the applicant, as to his exact place of detention, his condition in custody and how he is faring.

“Recently, detainees in the custody of the 1st respondent have been dying due to lack of proper care and adequate medical facilities, and the 1st respondent is not normally well funded to function effectively, except to be used by the ruling government to hound the opposition,” he alleged.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the application.

Dangote Pictured With Olamide And Don Jazzy During Reconciliation meeting

Report has shown that Alhaji Aliko Dangote was person behind Olamide and Don Jazzy reconciliation.

The location of the photo is not known but it is now widely believed that this was the moment when the duo finally buried the hatchet. Flytime Entertainment CEO, Cecil Hammond is also spotted in the photo.

In the sequence events, the two singers posed together and shared the photos on their respective instagram pages with a message apologizing to fans for their public display.

Many doubted it since there was to picture to prove it. But a picture from the meeting called by Dangote, at his house, has now surfaced online.

Donald Trump Asked to Apologise to To Ejected Muslim Protester

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a leading Muslim civil liberties group, called on Trump to apologize.

"The image of a Muslim woman being abused and ejected from a political rally sends a chilling message to American Muslims and to all those who value our nation's traditions of religious diversity and civic participation," CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said in a statement. 

"Donald Trump should issue a public apology to the Muslim woman kicked out of his rally and make a clear statement that American Muslims are welcome as fellow citizens and as participants in the nation's political process."

The group also mandated Mr Trump to “make a clear statement that American Muslims are welcome as fellow citizens and as participants in the nation’s political process”.

Rose Hamid’s eviction from the rally in South Carolina sent a “chilling message to American Muslims” as she was removed after making a silent protest on Friday.

Mr Trump’s proposed ban on Muslims entering the US had been widely condemned.

During the rally in the town of Rock Hill, Ms Hamid stood up wearing a t-shirt bearing the words: ‘Salam, meaning I come in peace in Islam’.

When she stood up, the crowd around her began chanting “Trump! Trump!” as they had reportedly been instructed to do in the event of any interruption.

Ms Hamid, a 56-year-old flight attendant, was then told by a security officer that she had to leave as she was booed.

DASUKIGATE:SDP Absorbs Falae of Wrong Doing

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) made the declaration in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Abdul Isiaq, on Sunday in Kaduna State, northwest Nigeria.

The party said that the 100 million Naira that was received by Mr Falae from Mr Tony Anenih, was meant for the SDP/PDP Electoral Alliance project.

They also explained that the money was shared to all the 36 state chapters of the party in the build-up to the 2015 elections.

The party maintained that “neither the SDP nor Mr Falae was aware that the money came from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, through Chief Anenih and meant for arms purchase”

The SDP stressed that “the SDP as well as many Nigerians were aware that the PDP had a fund raising event prior to the election where billions of naira was donated”.

They said that the party was also conscious of the fact that the PDP had ruled Nigeria for 16 years and expected that they capable of funding their part of the electoral alliance.

The statement emphasised that neither the SDP nor Chief Olu Falae had anything to do with the $2.1 billion arms deal scandal.

According to the statement, “SDP was approached by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih, for electoral alliance for the re-election of the former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.”

The statement also stated that Mr Falae, being the National Chairman of SDP, summoned the National Executive Committee of the party to a well-attended meeting to consider the PDP’s proposal of Electoral Alliance for the re-election bid of former President Jonathan since SDP did not field a presidential candidate of its own.

Clamp-down mission: Jafaru Isa’s Release Vindicates Us– PDP…Says EFCC Compromised

In a statement release by Barr. Victor Kwon, National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), said the release of the associate of President Muhammadu Buhari and APC chieftain, Brig. General Jafaru Isa (retired) by the EFCC barely eight hours after arrest while its spokesman Chief Olisa Metuh remains detained and without being charged to court since last Tuesday, vindicates its position that this Federal Government is not fighting corruption but on a clamp-down mission on PDP leaders.

He said the party spokesman, who was arrested without invitation by the anti graft agency has remained incarcerated since Tuesday while the APC chieftain who even disregarded the commission’s invitation and had to be arrested was quickly released after the EFCC boss meeting at the Presidential villa.

 Barr Victor Kwon on Sunday said there can be no clearer indication that the APC-led administration is on a man-hunt against PDP leaders, and that it has a personal grudge against Chief Metuh, ostensibly for his stance as opposition spokesman, particularly his recent exchange with the government and the APC over their dictatorial activities.

The party queried the action of the EFCC in freeing Brig. General Jafaru Isa, eight hours after his arrest last Wednesday night while Chief Metuh is still being detained even when the two are being investigated over same allegation of receiving funds from the office of the National Security Adviser.

“The release of Jafaru Isa, a known associate of the President and chieftain of the APC eight hours after his arrest while our spokesman remains in detention even when the two are being investigated over same allegation, clearly shows that the President Buhari-led APC government is not fighting corruption but using the much hyped crusade as a cover to persecute PDP leaders and decimate the opposition, a project the EFCC has clearly yielded itself as a willing tool.

“We have information of the marching order from the Presidency for the immediate release of the President’s associate and that his issue is one of the major part reasons for the repeated visits of the EFCC Chairman to the Presidential villa within the period of his arrest. Of course, there is nothing hidden under the sun.

“We ask, how can the EFCC now explain to the world that it is not corrupt and teleguided by the Federal Government to persecute PDP leaders? What happened to the illegal holding charge upon which it has detained the PDP spokesman beyond the limit stipulated by section 35(5a) of the constitution and in violation of his guaranteed personal liberty under the law?

“Are there now two separate sets of laws; one for PDP leaders and perceived foes of the President Buhari-led government which allows them to be detained beyond constitutional limits without being charged to court and another set, for associates of the President associates and APC leaders, which guarantees them a slap in the back and immunity from investigation and prosecution, and if arrested, an immediate release?

“Is it really true that the fund Jafaru Isa was alleged to have received from the former NSA was traced near the corridors of those who today bestride power in the country? Furthermore, can the Federal Government and the APC now in all honesty face the world and announce that this administration is indeed waging war against corruption?

“Can the EFCC explain what has happened to several petitions by Nigerians on corruption issues against many APC leaders including those who as former governor looted funds belonging to their state? Are they now under immunity for the fact that they are in the APC and that most of the funds they looted where used to finance APC’s Presidential campaign?

“While we reiterate our support for any effort aimed eradicating corruption in our nation we stand our ground in demanding that the fight must be holistic, credible, within the limits provided by the laws irrespective of political affiliations.

“The PDP therefore restates its demand that the EFCC immediately releases its spokesman, Chief Olisa Metuh or charge him to court if they have any case against him. His continued detention without being charged to court is only indicative of the fact that the commission has not been able convince itself of enough evidence of guilt and is now lending itself as a willing instrument of persecution against Chief Metuh.

“The public will recall that the PDP is not given to frivolous claims as evidenced in many instances including our alert last year of a meeting between the Presidency, the then newly appointed INEC Chairman and top security officers just before the Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections.

“Finally, we state with every sense of responsibility that now that it is clear, with the release of Jafaru Isa eight hours after his arrest, that the continued detention of our spokesman is politically motivated, this party can no longer guarantee that it can rein in its members and supporters who have been exercising restrain since this particular arrest by the EFCC.

Nigeria belongs to all of us and the laws are made for all of us and must be applied on its values and spirit without political considerations.