Tinubu left for Europe as tribunal dismisses petition against him

 By Isaac Ike

Eighteen days to his inauguration, the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, yesterday departed Nigeria for Europe.
Tunde Rahman, one of Tinubu’s media aides, who disclosed this in a statement, said Tinubu left Abuja on Wednesday afternoon with some of his key aides.
The statement reads in part: “The trip will reduce unnecessary pressure and distraction on the president-elect ahead of the May 29, inauguration.
“He will use the opportunity of the trip to fine-tune the transition plans and programmes and his policy options with some of his key aides without unnecessary pressure and distraction.
“During the visit, the president-elect will engage with investors and other key allies with the goal of marketing investment opportunities in the country and his administration’s readiness to enable a business-friendly climate through policies and regulations.

Presidential tribunal: Obi, others agree on processes

 By Isaac Ike

The Presidential Petition Election Court (PREPEC) has adjourned the petition by the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to Wednesday, May 17, to enable parties to harmonise their processes.
The tribunal adjourned the petition, which was against INEC, Bola Tinubu, Kashim Shettima, and APC, after an agreement by the lawyers to harmonise their processes.
All the parties in Obi’s petition, Number CA/PEPC/03/2023, agreed to review the processes and motions and decide on them.

Bishop raped, threatened me with madness – Assistant pastor

A 23-year-old assistant pastor yesterday told an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court how a bishop, Daniel Oluwafeyiropo, allegedly raped her twice.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oluwafeyiropo is standing trial on an amended three-count-charge bordering on rape and sexual assault, to which he pleaded not guilty.
The assistant pastor (name withheld) testified for the prosecution at the bishop’s trial.
She was led in evidence by Lagos State counsel, Mr Babajide Boye.
She told the court that she was an assistant pastor of 1 Reign Christian Ministry founded by the bishop.

7 dead after drinking tea at wedding in Kano

 From Hussaein Jibr

Seven people have been killed and several others hospitalised after drinking a tea suspected to have been made with a local leaf known as Zakami at a wedding ceremony in Kano.
Zakami contains a psychoactive substance.
A source that witnesses said it affected nearly 50 people and that some were still missing. The incident happened in Sheka area of Kumbotso Local Government of Kano metropolis.
One of the witnesses, Sanusi Yahaya, who is also an elder brother of the bride, said the tea was suspected to be made with different types of drugs apart from the local leaf.
He said it had become a norm for the young people in the area, especially drug addicts, to cook tea during ceremonies and that they hide under that to take drugs.

Forgery saga: Reps deny House rules

 By Hassan Ibrahim

The House of Representatives has debunked reports that it carried out a secret amendment to the Standing Orders of the House, the rule book guiding the Green Chamber’s business.
A media report had claimed that the House rule book was secretly altered to restrict members to open ballots in the election of presiding officers.
It alleged that the move was to give an edge to Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, the preferred candidate of APC for the speakership seat.
But the chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Services, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, who chaired the panel that reviewed the rules book in 2019, denied the report yesterday.

Tribunal commences sitting, receives 17 petitions in Nasarawa

 From Musa Aliyu

The elections petition tribunal in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital has commenced sitting.
Speaking during its inaugural sitting yesterday in Lafia, the chairman of the 3-man panel, Justice Francisca Nnang-Isong emphasised the need for maximum cooperation between counsels and the panel for speedy dispensation of justice.
Speaking on behalf of the counsels, Barrister Ismail-Idris expressed confidence in the ability of the jurists to dispense justice in all the petitions before the tribunal.
Our correspondent reports that the tribunal has so far received no fewer than seventeen petitions consisting of 2 Senate petitions, 5 House of Representatives petitions and 10 State House of Assembly petitions respectively.

Judiciary staff strike stalls tribunal sitting in Calabar

 By Effiong Ajugu

The Judiciary Staff Union Congress of Nigeria (JUSUN) has blocked the Election Petitions Tribunal (EPT) from sitting in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
They said they embarked on an indefinite strike since yesterday, and as a result, no judicial activities can be held in the state.
Secretary of the EPT, Akawu Bamber, had invited journalists for the sitting in Calabar which was to commence from May 3, 2023, to hear grievances arising from the last national and state house of assembly elections.
Officials of the EPT who arrived at the venue of the EPT sitting on Moore Road, Calabar, met all entrances locked up.
Chairman of JUSUN in Cross River State, Comrade Enya Egon Etorti, confirmed that they commenced an industrial action a day earlier.