President Buhari Meets With Pastor Adeboye

President Muhammadu Buhari has held a meeting with the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye.

Also present at the meeting was Vice President Yemi Osibajo who is also a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church, according to Channel News.

Pastor Adeboye arrived the President’s office with Vice President Osinbajo at about 12.30pm and was led straight into the President’s office by the Vice President.

Their meeting lasted for about 30 minutes.

High Court to Hear NERC’s Stay Of Proceedings Feb.19 On Electricity Tariff

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday fixed Feb.19 for the hearing of the stay of proceedings application brought by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

A lawyer and rights activist, Mr Toluwani Adebiyi, had challenged the Feb. 1 hike in electricity tariff.

Justice Mohammed Idris fixed the date after counsel reconciled the order in which pending applications would be heard.

At the resumed hearing, the plaintiff drew the court’s attention to an application seeking to commit the commission’s Chairman and the Chief Executives of the Distribution Companies (Discos) to prison.

He said the contempt application against the parties was for allegedly flouting an order of the court which halts any hike in electricity tariff until the final determination of the suit.

Idris had on May 28, 2015, directed NERC to suspend all actions relating to any increment in electricity tariff pending the determination of the suit.

However, in spite of the subsisting order, NERC in conjunction with the Electricity Distribution Companies commenced the implementation of the new electricity tariff on Feb.1, 2016.

In his argument, Adebiyi said that it was highly compelling for the court to hear the application since by the implementation of the new tariff, the defendants had indicated that the substantive suit meant nothing to them.

He then urged the court to commence proceedings in the contempt charge.

Meanwhile NERC’s lawyer, Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN), has urged the court to dismiss the plaintiff’s request.

He said that they have an appeal against the order and there is a motion for stay before the court.

In the same vein, Counsel representing the Discos, Dr K.U.K Ekwueme, also aligned himself with Idigbe’s submissions.

In a short ruling, Idris noted that in the midst of pending applications before the court, contempt proceedings, being criminal in nature, should be heard first.

He, however, said that it was in the interest of justice for him to first hear the defendant’s application for a stay of proceedings pending the determination of their appeal against the court’s order.

Idris subsequently adjourned the suit to Feb. 19 for hearing of the application for a stay of proceedings.

Adebiyi, in the substantive suit, is seeking an order restraining NERC from implementing any upward review of electricity tariff without a significant improvement in power supply.

He also wants an order restraining NERC from foisting compulsory service charge on prepaid meters, until the meters are designed to read charges per second of consumption.

Agege Bread Seller, Olajumoke Turns Pay Porte Brand Ambassador

Olajumoke Orisaguna (Centre) TY Bello during the official signing of Olajumoke as brand ambassador for Pay Porte. (Photo: Internet)

Online shopping brand, Pay Porte, has officially, signed TY Bello’s fashion discovery, Olajumoke Orisaguna, the former Agege bread seller as it’s official 2016 campaign face.

Celebrated photographer TY Bello, Jumoke’s husband Sunday, Jumoke’s lawyer Yomi Adeseyoju, publicist Azuka Ogujiuba, Irene Kayoma, Head-Corporate Strategy/Planning and Noble Igwe were present at the signing.

Olajumoke has now joined popular On Air Personalities, Toke Makinwa and former Big Brother Africa first runner-up, Tayo Faniran as a fellow brand ambassador of Payporte.

Basking in the glow of her new fame and new life, Olajumoke, also enjoyed massive media exposure locally and internationally, the latest being the international news network, CNN.

Olajumoke Orisaguna, the new campaign face for online shopping brand Pay Porte.

According to CNN, monitored by NAN, renowned Nigerian photographer TY Bello was behind the change in Jumoke’s fortunes.

TY Bello was photographing U.K. popstar TinieTempah, when Jumoke walked into the shoot. Bello said that Jumoke seemed a little confused, when some people were asking her to walk past really quickly, others were asking her to stay, and she was just in limbo, she added.

“I said ‘is it okay to take your photograph?’ And she nodded ok’’ Bello added.

A teary-eyed Olajumoke said she never expected her fortunes to turn around like this.

My friends have told me they saw me on TV and they are really happy. My parents cannot believe their own child can become such a success. They are all so happy,’’ she said.

Economic and Financial Crime Commission Today Arraigns Lawyer Rickey Tarfa For Alleged Obstruction

Federal High Court Lagos

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today Tuesday February 16, 2016 arraigned Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN) before Justice Aishat Opesanwo of Lagos State High Court, Igbosere on 2-count charge bordering on obstruction of justice and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to both counts.

Based on the plea of the defendant, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo prayed the court for a trial date and to remand the defendant in custody.
However, Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, who represented the defendant with hordes of Senior Advocates and several other lawyers in the over 90-man list of representative said they have filed an application for bail which he said was served on the prosecution on the 10th of February, 2016.

In his application for bail, the defence counsel told the court that the defendant came to court voluntarily and that he was granted administrative bail by EFCC on self-recognizance. He said the defendant was a very senior member of the bar with no criminal record. He said there was nothing to show that the defendant would jump bail.

However, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo urged the court to dismiss the application as the offence was grave. He, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the application and order for an accelerated hearing.

Justice Opesanwo in her ruling granted bail to the defendant on self recognition but ordered that he must not travel out of the country without the permission of the court.

The trial judge bemoaned the number of counsel who were in court for the defendant. She noted that there was no need for such magnitude of support as it amounts to harassment and intimidation of the court.

Soon after the ruling, Akintola told the court that he has filed an application to quash the charge. Rotimi responded that he had not been served. He was subsequently served by the defence counsel in open court.

Justice Opesanwo adjourned the matter to March 14, for hearing of the application to quash the charge while the substantive case was fixed for April 20, 2016 for trial.

Mr. Ricky Tarfa, SAN, was accused of willfully obstructing two officers of the EFCC, Moses Awolusi and Sanusi Mohammed from arresting Gnanhooue Sourou and Nazaire Odeste, who were suspected to have committed economic and financial crimes in contravention of Section 38(2) (a) of the EFCC Establishment Act of 2004.

Also, he is alleged to have engaged in improper communication with Justice M. Yunusa of the Federal High Court Lagos between May 11 and June 25, 2015 while the case between the EFCC and two others was pending before the judge.

President Buhari Hosts Ooni Of Ife

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, has held a closed door meeting with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The meeting is coming shortly after President Buhari played host to the Liberian President, Ms Johnson Ellen Sirleaf; the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church Of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, among others, according  to Channel News.

The Ooni of Ife, who visited the President on Tuesday, had earlier stressed the need for further diversification of Nigeria’s economy, with a call on the government to explore the solid minerals in his state, Channel reported.

He expressed confidence that Ile Ife would be the take-off point of the new Nigerian economy in a post oil and gas era.

Oba Ogunwusi also expressed optimism that an exploration of the huge solid minerals in the state, especially gold, would give an unprecedented boost to the nation’s economy and shift it away from volatility of the crude oil market, in the report.

He stressed the need for focus to shift from oil and gas to other solid minerals in Nigerian states.

The monarch said that he was already working with the State and Federal governments to promote solid minerals, tourism and agriculture to keep the youths engaged and promote the local economy