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#EndSARS Protest: Mandate International UK Speaks Over Lagos Carnage

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A political group in affiliation to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the UK, Mandate International, UK has said the actions of the peaceful protesters were praiseworthy and very necessary considering the way the now banned Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) was brutalizing Nigerians mostly youths before they were proscribed a few days ago.

Mandate International UK under the coordination of the APC stalwart, Hon. Ibrahim Yusuf said the protest was all Nigerians needed at the time but condemned the unnecessary arson and looting that preceded the protest.

Yusuf in a statement signed and made available to the press condemned the way some hoodlums and thugs turned the peaceful protest into an avenue to wreak havoc on the peace of the nation. He condemns the insinuations that thugs were destroying properties owned by the government and individuals thinking that Tinubu owns them all.

In his word, it is condemnable to think that some hoodlums either sponsored or otherwise will take such an action against a great man like Tinubu who has built bridges and made people across the land and has never relented in doing so. Asiwaju has done all within his power to ensure he delivers the best at all times.

“At Mandate International UK, we urge those who are planning to bring the political strongman down to have a rethink, Tinubu will not succumb, he remains the rally point for Lagos and Nigeria politics at large”.

Meanwhile, Sen. Bola Tinubu has been accused of ordering the military to shoot at the protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate, but in rebuttal, Tinubu described the insinuation as a complete lie.

According to Tinubu in a press release he signed, he was surprised to be linked to such an incident. His words “let me directly address the sharp point aimed against me. I have been falsely accused of ordering the reported deployment of soldiers against peaceful protesters that took place at Lekki on 20 October 2020. This allegation is a complete and terrible lie. I did not order this or any assault against anybody. I would never want such a vile thing to happen nor did I have any prior knowledge about this sad event. It is my firm belief that no one should be harassed, injured or possibly killed for doing what they have the constitutional right to do in making their contribution to a better, more equitable society”.

Tinubu had described the allegation as slander and untrue. “The slander aimed at me is based on the untruth that I own the toll gate concession. The hate mongers prevaricate that I ordered the Lekki assault because the protests had caused me to lose money due to the interruption of toll gate activity”.

Yusuf encouraged the social media influencers to be wary of their actions as their responses to the Lagos protest have brought wanton damages to Lagos and the nation at large. He described the burning of public institutions including Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) and others as surprising and condemnable.

The statement urged the governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to make governance people’s more friendly so as give clarity to the difference between progressives and others. It also commiserates with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state and other affected governors of the federation.

Yusuf condemned in a strong term the killings saying no one should die for asking for good governance, “he urges the government to ensure that the killers of these victims be unraveled without delay and be immediately be brought to book. He opined that our police officer should carry body cameras at all times whenever on duty, this will help them in an investigation and ensure justice”.

Mandate International UK commends Gov. Sanwo-Olu over his handling of the matter since the pandemic era up till now. He has risen to the occasion, he is dogged, has the firmness of purpose and pertinacity. These characters have helped him and we have no doubt that he will succeed in taking the Lagos state to the next level.

BIG STORY

BREAKING: Court Finds Natasha Guilty Of Contempt, Fines Her N5 million

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The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday convicted the senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, for contempt over a satirical apology she posted on her Facebook page on April 27.

Justice Binta Nyako, delivering judgment in the suit filed by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan challenging her suspension, began with the contempt application submitted by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

Akpabio, in his application, argued that the senator’s social media post breached an earlier court order that restrained all parties from speaking to the press or posting on social media about the matter.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s counsel contended that the post was unrelated to the court’s order on her suspension but was about a separate matter involving sexual harassment claims against the third respondent (Akpabio).

However, Justice Nyako ruled that after reviewing the post and the application before her filed by the third respondent, she was convinced it was connected to the suspension case before the court and therefore declared the plaintiff guilty of contempt.

The judge directed Akpoti-Uduaghan to publish an apology in two national newspapers and on her Facebook page within seven days. She also imposed a fine of N5 million.

 

More to come…

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BIG STORY

BREAKING: Court Orders Senate To Recall Suspended Natasha Akpoti

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A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday ruled that the Nigerian Senate exceeded its powers by suspending Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, ordering her to be immediately recalled to the Red Chamber.

Justice Binta Nyako, delivering the judgment, described the suspension period as “excessive” and lacking a solid legal basis.

The court stated that both Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Orders and Section 14 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, which the Senate relied on, do not specify a maximum suspension length. Therefore, their application in this situation was considered overreaching.

The judge noted that since the National Assembly is only mandated to sit for 181 days in a legislative year, suspending a lawmaker for about the same length of time effectively silences an entire constituency, calling it unconstitutional.

“While the Senate has the authority to discipline its members, such sanctions must not go so far as to deny constituents their right to representation,” Nyako ruled.

However, the court agreed with Senate President Godswill Akpabio on a different issue, ruling that his decision to prevent Akpoti-Uduaghan from speaking during a plenary—because she was not in her designated seat—did not violate her rights.

Nyako also dismissed Akpabio’s argument that the judiciary should not interfere in what he described as an “internal affair” of the legislature, saying fundamental rights and representation fall squarely within the court’s jurisdiction.

In a separate twist, the court imposed a monetary penalty on Akpoti-Uduaghan for violating an earlier court directive that barred both parties from making public comments about the ongoing legal proceedings.

The fine amounts to millions of naira.

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BIG STORY

COALITION: We’ll Register New Party As Backup To ADC — El-Rufai

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A leader of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, and an important figure in the opposition coalition, Nasir El-Rufai, stated that a new political party would be registered as a backup for the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

El-Rufai explained that the new party would serve as an alternative option to guard against potential infiltration by the All Progressives Congress, APC, into the ADC.

The opposition coalition had chosen the ADC as its platform on Wednesday.

However, El-Rufai noted that there is a possibility the APC could spark a crisis within the ADC by turning old members against the new leadership.

He revealed this during an interview with Radio France International (RFI) Hausa Service on Wednesday night.

“Those who refuse to join the APC face threats of investigations by agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), or Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

“The opposition parties’ alliance in the ADC is temporary, and we may register a new party as a second option, which we will move to should the ADC be instigated into crisis by the government,” the former Kaduna governor stated.

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