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Certified Copies Of Election Documents Will Be Available — INEC To Political Parties

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will make certified true copies (CTC) and photocopies of election materials available to political parties.

Tanimu Inuwa, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), spoke on Tuesday on behalf of the commission during an administrative meeting at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

Representatives of the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the All Progressives Congress (APC) were present at the meeting.

On March 1, INEC declared Bola Tinubu, candidate of the APC, as the winner of the February 25 presidential election.

But Peter Obi, the LP standard bearer, and Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the PDP, are challenging the outcome of the election in court.

They also asked the court to grant them permission to inspect sensitive materials used by the INEC in the conduct of the election.

Upon request, the court also granted Tinubu permission to inspect INEC materials to defend his election.

In the report of the administrative meeting seen by TheCable, Inuwa said INEC currently has forms Ec8d, summary of results of each state, and FCT, Ec8da, national summary, and form Ec8a, result sheets.

However, he said the result sheets and ballot papers are in the various states not at the headquarters.

He also suggested that a timeline for visitation for all parties should be made for ease and the persons appointed to inspect should be limited.

Inuwa said the BVAS and backend report of over 11,000 pages were being finalised, adding that the certified true copies and photocopies of the document will be made available.

Responding, Joe-Kyari Gadzama, a SAN representing the PDP, requested that the inspection begins on Tuesday (today) given the timeline.

Gadzama said representatives of the PDP in various states have gone to the INEC offices for inspection but were denied access because the headquarters had not given the go-ahead.

He said in addition to the documents already requested by the party, it would need the report of the offline and online logs and server from February 24 and March 1, including the phone numbers used on each BVAS.

“Babatunde Ogala, SAN representing APC stated that all parties should henceforth inspect the documents together in the spirit of transparency and a joint committee of all parties should be made to come up with a schedule for the inspection,” the report reads.

“Livy Uzochukwu, SAN representing LP stated that LP and PDP petitioned while APC is responding. Hence the timelines are different and petitioners should be treated with priority.”

At the end of the meeting, it was resolved that PDP and APC can commence inspection immediately while LP having started inspection will continue from where it left off.

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JUST IN: CBN Increases Banks Capital Base To N500bn, N200bn For National Commercial Banks

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The capital basis for commercial banks with international permission has been raised to N500 billion by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The policy change was confirmed by Mrs. Hakama Sidi Ali, CBN’s acting director of corporate communications. in a declaration.

She added that commercial banks with regional authorization are expected to reach a capital floor of N50 billion, while those with national authority must meet a ceiling of N200 billion.

Announced on Thursday, March 28, 2024, this comprehensive financial reform requires significant increases in banks’ minimum capital bases, which vary depending on the size of the bank.

The latest policy directive specifies that commercial banks with international authorization are now required to shore up their capital base to N500 billion.

In a bid to tighten the financial fabric, the CBN has not overlooked merchant banks, which are now subject to a N50 billion minimum capital requirement.

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Detained Binance Executive Gambaryan Drags EFCC, NSA To Court

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Tigran Gambaryan, the CEO of Binance who is currently in detention, has claimed that he has been violated in his fundamental human rights by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission and Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser.

Gambaryan, in an originating motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/356/24 sought a declaration that his detention and seizure of his international travel passport, contravened Section 35 (1) and (4) of 1999 Constitution.

He urged the court to order the NSA and the EFCC to release him from their custody and return his international travel passport with immediate effect.

Gambaryan also sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents and their agents from further detaining him in relation to any investigation into or demands from Binance.

He also urged the court to order the respondents to issue a public apology to him.

Gambaryan averred that he was in Nigeria alongside fleeing Nadeem Anjarwalla to honour the invitation of the ONSA and EFCC to discuss issues relating to Binance in Nigeria.

Anjarwalla escaped from the guest house where he and Gambaryan were being held

He argued that he had not committed any offence during the meeting, and neither was he informed in writing of any offence he personally committed in Nigeria at any other time.

“The only reason for his detention is because the government is requesting information from Binance and making demands on the company,” he added.

The fleeing Anjarwalla also filed a similar suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/355/24.

At the proceedings on Thursday, T.J. Krukrubo (SAN) appeared for the plaintiffs, while the respondents had no representation.

Krukrubo informed the court that the respondents were served two days ago.

Shortly after that, he announced to the court that he was withdrawing from the matter as counsel for the fleeing Anjarwalla.

He did not give reasons for his withdrawal.

The trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, adjourned the matter till April 8.

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Federal Government To Arraign Binance Executives Over ‘Tax Evasion’ On April 4

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On April 4, the federal authorities will file charges against senior executives of the cryptocurrency company Binance, Tigran Gambaryan, and Nadeem Anjarwalla, for allegedly engaging in “tax evasion.”

Anjarwalla is Binance’s regional manager for Africa, while Gambaryan oversees the company’s compliance with financial crimes.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) charged Binance with a crime on March 25th for “tax evasion.”

The service claims that the action is intended to maintain national economic integrity and fiscal discipline.

The lawsuit, designated as suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/115/2024, is said to “implicate Binance with a four-count tax evasion accusation”.

However, on Thursday, NAN reported the federal government will charge the three defendants before Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, at the federal high court (FHC) in Abuja on a four-count charge.

Despite not being a vacation judge, according to the report, the chief judge granted the fiat for the judge to oversee the case during vacation because it is a matter of critical national interest.

The lawsuit comes a month after Anjarwalla and Gambaryan were detained by the Nigerian authorities.

Anjarwalla and Gambaryan had flown into Nigeria but had their passports seized by ONSA.

On March 12, Anjarwalla was transferred to a local hospital after he fell ill while in detention in Nigeria.

However, on March 25, Anjarwalla escaped from custody and fled Nigeria with a smuggled passport.

Meanwhile, Gambaryan, on March 28, sued Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA) and the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging violation of his fundamental rights.

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