The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Sly Ezeokenwa as the legitimate National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), dismissing an appeal by Edozie Njoku.

The court’s decision, delivered on Wednesday, also included a N20 million fine against Njoku for filing a frivolous lawsuit at the FCT High Court in Bwari.

This ruling follows a Federal High Court decision in Abuja, which had previously restrained Njoku from claiming the title of APGA National Chairman.

Justice James Omotosho, in his judgment, emphasized that there was no valid court order or judgment recognizing Njoku as the party’s leader.

Ezeokenwa and APGA had filed the lawsuit in response to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) replacing the names of Ezeokenwa and his executive team with those of Njoku’s faction on the INEC website in July 2024.

The lawsuit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/966/2024, challenged this action, claiming that the Njoku-led faction’s recognition by INEC was not supported by any court ruling.

In delivering the judgment, Justice Omotosho criticized INEC for accepting the Njoku-led faction, stating that there was no valid court order supporting their recognition.

He referred to a previous ruling by the Supreme Court in 2023, which clarified that Victor Oye had been legally recognized as APGA’s National Chairman, and that following the expiration of Oye’s term in 2023, a national convention in Awka produced Ezeokenwa and his executive as the rightful leaders of the party.

The court further ruled that INEC must correct the records and recognize Ezeokenwa and his team as APGA’s national leadership.

Justice Omotosho also noted that the Supreme Court had already settled the issue in a case between Njoku and Oye in March 2023, reaffirming that internal party matters, including leadership, were not subject to judicial interference.

He criticized Njoku’s claim and the actions of INEC, stating that there was no legal basis for recognizing him as the party’s chairman.

As a result of the ruling, INEC has been ordered to restore the names of Ezeokenwa and his executive team as the duly recognized leaders of APGA.

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Maryanne Anenih, has ordered the remand of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The court also adjourned the case until December 10, 2024, to decide on his bail application.

Bello, along with two co-defendants—Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalam Hudu—faces 16 charges brought against them by the EFCC, including conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully obtained property.

The trio pleaded not guilty to the charges when read to them in court.

The charges stem from allegations that the defendants misappropriated state funds to acquire properties, including several properties in Abuja, and transferred substantial sums of money to TD Bank in the United States.

The accused are also said to have unlawfully obtained N677.8 million through Bespoque Business Solution Limited.

During the hearing, Bello’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu, filed a bail application, arguing that his client should be granted bail in accordance with the law, which presumes innocence until proven guilty.

The EFCC opposed the application, citing a previous bail request that had expired in October.

EFCC counsel Kemi Pinheiro further argued that Bello’s position as a former governor and the ongoing charges at the Federal High Court posed a risk of him committing further offenses.

After hearing both sides, Justice Anenih adjourned the decision on the bail application until December 10, 2024.

In the meantime, Bello, along with his co-defendants, will remain in the EFCC’s custody. Oricha and Hudu have been granted administrative bail by the EFCC.

This case is one of several legal challenges facing Bello, who is also facing a separate charge at the Federal High Court related to a different alleged financial crime involving Kogi State funds.

Governor Francis Nwifuru has appointed three special assistants as acting commissioners following the suspension of three government officials over allegations of gross misconduct and neglect of their duties.

In a move aimed at ensuring the smooth continuation of government operations, the Governor directed Franklin Ukah, Special Assistant on Water Resources, to assume the role of Acting Commissioner for Water Resources.

Patrick Enyi, Special Assistant for Housing and Urban Development, will now serve as Acting Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development. Dr. Sabinus Nwibo, Special Assistant on Primary Health, will take on the responsibilities of Acting Commissioner for Primary Health.

The suspended officials include Chinedu Nkah, the former Commissioner for Water Resources, who was indefinitely suspended, along with Engr. Francis Ori, the former Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, also suspended indefinitely. Dr. Moses Ekuma, the former Commissioner for Health, was suspended for three months.

Engr. Jude Okpo, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, made the announcement during a press briefing following the state executive council meeting in Abakaliki.

He emphasized that the Governor’s decision was to ensure that the day-to-day functioning of the ministries would not be hindered in the absence of the suspended commissioners.

The appointments take immediate effect.

Yahaya Bello, the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, along with two co-defendants, has pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of fraud brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Bello, who is the first defendant, strongly denied the allegations when they were read to him before Justice Maryann Anenih at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday.

Following the plea, Bello’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu, filed a bail application. However, EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, objected, stating that the application had expired in October.

Daudu clarified that the only relevant bail application before the court was one filed on November 22 for Bello, supported by an affidavit and written address.

He emphasized the significance of “Exhibit A,” the public summons, and argued that Bello’s appearance in court demonstrated his respect for the law.

While the EFCC sought to proceed with the trial immediately and call its first witness, Daudu requested more time, explaining that they had only received the charges at 11 pm on November 26 and needed time to prepare.

On the matter of bail, Daudu stated that Bello, as a defendant, had the right to enjoy his liberty until proven guilty.

He also argued that the EFCC’s objection was based on issues from another court and should not affect the proceedings before the FCT High Court.

The EFCC countered Daudu’s submission, asserting that its objection was based on three grounds: the competence of the application, the factual content, and adherence to judicial principles.

The court adjourned the matter to December 10 for a ruling on the bail application. In the meantime, the defendants were ordered to remain in EFCC custody.

The other two defendants, Umar Shoaib Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, had earlier been granted administrative bail by the EFCC.

Yahaya Bello, the immediate former governor of Kogi State, has arrived at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja for the hearing of the alleged N110 billion fraud case against him.

Bello had been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in April 2024.

He reported to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, where he was interrogated. The former governor was subsequently taken to court on Wednesday morning.

Since the charges were filed against Bello, the EFCC has faced challenges in bringing him to court for his arraignment.

The commission initially filed 19 charges against Bello, along with his nephews Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu, for money laundering offenses involving over N80 billion.

Professor Paul Nnamchi, House of Reps member, representing Enugu East/Isi Uzo Federal Constituency, has called on the Acting Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, to redeploy soldiers withdrawn from Eha-Amufu, an agrarian community in Enugu State that has been plagued by banditry since 2019.

The soldiers, stationed at Eha-Amufu, a border community between Enugu and Benue states, were withdrawn just before a planned #EndBadGovernance protest and have yet to be returned, despite promises from the authorities.

Nnamchi’s request for the soldiers’ redeployment follows a recent surge in banditry attacks over the weekend, which resulted in the brutal killing of three farmers and left several others severely injured.

These victims are currently receiving medical treatment in private hospitals in Enugu.

The lawmaker lamented that the bandits, suspected to be herders, have caused extensive damage in the community over the past five years, killing more than 200 residents and displacing thousands from seven villages, burning homes and properties valued in the millions.

He noted that these attacks are particularly targeted at the harvest season and the Christmas period when many indigenes return home for the festivities, with bandits also kidnapping returnees for ransom.

Nnamchi recalled that the security situation in Eha-Amufu had prompted the late Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, to approve the establishment of an army barracks in the community earlier this year after an on-site security assessment.

He further urged the Acting Army Chief to expedite the construction of the barracks and ensure immediate redeployment of military personnel to Eha-Amufu to restore peace.

Additionally, Nnamchi appealed to the federal government to provide relief materials and appropriate compensation to the victims of the attacks, particularly those who have lost their rice farms to the encroaching cattle of the herders.