AGF WRITES BUHARI, SAYS MANDATORY DIRECT PRIMARIES WILL CAUSE CONFUSION – PUNCH PG.2
The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has written a letter to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), highlighting the problems with the inclusion of mandatory direct primaries in the Electoral Act amendment bill. The PUNCH on Thursday gathered that the AGF’s letter on the amended Electoral Act bill was received by the President two weeks ago. When contacted on the telephone, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, confirmed that the President had received a communication from Malami on the bill.
APPEAL COURT OKAYS FINAL FORFEITURE OF EX-NDDC DIRECTOR’S N1.8BN PROPERTY – PUNCH PG.8
A three-man panel of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, on Wednesday, dismissed the application filed by one Francis Momoh and affirmed the final forfeiture of properties worth N1.8bn recovered from a former Executive Director, Projects, Niger Delta Development Commission, Tuoyo Omatsuli, to the Federal Government. Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, had, on December 10, 2018, ordered the final forfeiture of the properties which include Block 117, Plot 4, Lekki Peninsula Scheme, TPAO 992, Ikate, Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos, and Plots 1-18, Block 43, TPAO 992, Ikate, Lekki Peninsula, Eti-Osa, Lagos.
NJC SANCTIONS THREE JUDGES FOR CONFLICTING RULINGS, ONE ON WATCH LIST – PUNCH PG.29; DAILY SUN PG.6, DAILY TRUST PG. 48, THIS DAY PG.47, THE NATION PG.1&5
The National Judicial Council, on Thursday, came down hard on three judges from courts of concurrent jurisdiction. A statement issued by the Director, Information, NJC, Soji Oye, in Abuja, explained that the judges were said to have granted conflicting ex parte orders in matters with the same parties and subject matters. As a result, they were barred from promotion to the higher Bench for a period ranging from two to five years whenever they were due for such promotion.
DRUG WAR: MARWA MEETS SERVICE CHIEFS – DAILY SUN PG.4, THIS DAY PG.51, THE NATION PG.2
The Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, has solicited the support of the Nigerian Army to tackle incidences of drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria. Marwa made the call yesterday during a courtesy visit to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya in Abuja. He stressed that drug abuse is one of the crimes that is widely spread in the country, irrespective of tribe, gender or religion, adding that not less than 15 million Nigerians are directly or indirectly affected by drug abuse or trafficking.
BOLA IGE MEMORIAL SYMPOSIUM HOLDS DEC 21 – THE NATION PG.25
President Muhammadu Buhari is the guest of honour for the 20th edition of the Bola Ige memorial symposium which holds on December 21 in Lagos, the organisers have said. Awa Bamiji, President of the Bola Ige Centre for Justice, said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will deliver the keynote address. The symposium titled: “Two decades of injustice: what are the implications on Nigerian democracy?” will be delivered by Chief Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, and a former Minister for Power and Steel Development, Dr Olu Agunloye.
