More trouble for Sterling Bank over nauseating apology on ‘Like Agege Bread, He Rose!’ - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

As a result of backlash over its Easter Sunday message entitled ‘Like Agege Bread, He Rose!’ shared on social media, the Sterling Bank has committed more nauseating error with what looks like an apology on the initial outburst, reports ITREALMS.

Investigations by ITREALMS revealed that in its bid to apologise, Sterling Bank through its Twitter handle @Sterling_Bankng had asked for those criticizing its Easter message to throw the first stone if they have not sinned before.

Sterling Bank in trouble over 'Like Agege Bread, He Rose!' Nigerians urge boycott - ITREALMS

ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!

Backlash has greeted Sterling Bank’s Easter Sunday message to Nigerians, comparing the risen Jesus Christ to Agege bread, reports ITREALMS.

Sterling Bank had on Sunday morning by 6:41am sent out an Easter message which read “Like Agege Bread, He Rose!” which has set Nigerian Tweeps against the bank with multiple questions begging for answers including some urging Christians to boycott the bank.

More trouble for Oyegun: Lagos APC kicks against tenure elongation

ITREALMS:

More trouble seems to be coming the way of the National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, as the Lagos State branch of the party has kicked against the elongation of tenure of the party's national and state executives, declaring it as unconstitutional both for the party and Nigeria’s constitutions, reports ITRealms.

Rising from a Consultative Forum held at State House Marina, Lagos and attended by party elders from across the state, the leaders said the extension of the tenure of the party's National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and his executives by one year was against the spirit of the country's APC’s constitutions.

Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution as amended provides for periodical election on a democratic basis for principal officers and members of the executive committee of political parties. According to the constitution, election of the officers or members of the executive committee of a political party will be deemed to be periodical if done at regular intervals not exceeding four years.

Article 17 of the party’s constitution also provides for a four-year tenure for its national and state executives, which is renewable for another four years.

Lagos State Central Senatorial District Leader of the party, Chief Tajudeen Olusi, spoke with journalists after the consultative forum.

He said: "We have taken reports of the state APC chairman in respect of the NEC meeting held in Abuja. We have also had the privilege of receiving great reports from our leader from the reconciliation committee.

“We have considered the issue of extension of tenure and we are of the firm belief that the decision is a breach of the constitution of our party and of the country. We are against the elongation of tenure.

We shall continue to make our decision known to the party and to the president".

The tenure of Oyegun and its executives is due to expire in June this year.

Section 223 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, as amended, specifically states that:

“(1)The Constitution and rules of a political party shall

(a) provide for the periodical election on a democratic basis of the principal officers and members of the executive committee or other governing body of the political party; and
(b) ensure that the members of the executive committee or other governing body of the political party reflect the federal character of Nigeria

(2) For the purposes of this section –

(a) the election of the officers or members of the executive committee of a political party shall be deemed to be periodical only if it is made at regular intervals not exceeding four years; and…”

In extending the tenure, the APC National Executive Committee had relied on Article 13.3 (ii) of its constitution which states that The NEC can discharge the functions of the convention in a period of emergency.

Article 13.3 (ii) of APC Constitution specifically states that the NEC of the party is empowered to;

“Discharge all functions of the National Conventions as constituted in between Conventions”.

But the provision in Article 13.3 (ii) is not limitless and open-ended. It is a responsibility restricted by the same constitution, which provides exclusively under Article 30 (i) that: “This Constitution and Schedules hereto can be amended only by the National Convention of the Party”.

The party’s constitution provides the processes for constitution amendment.

Article 30 “(ii) Notice of any proposed amendment by any member or organ of the Party shall be given to the National Secretary at least twenty-one (21) days before the date of the National Convention.  The notice, which shall be in writing, shall contain a clear statement of the proposed amendment and reasons thereof.

(iii) Notice of proposed amendment(s) shall be served on the members of the National Convention at least fourteen (14) days before the date of the meeting at which the proposed amendment is to be considered.  Publication of the notice of the proposed amendments in a National Newspaper shall be deemed to be sufficient Notice.

(iv)The Constitution or any part thereof shall stand amended if a proposed amendment is supported by at least two thirds of the delegates present and voting.

(v) Where new positions and Offices are created as a result of the amendment of this Constitution, the relevant Executive Committee shall until the next Convention or Congress fill such positions and office in an interim capacity.”

Ayo Midele/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

Trouble: 3 lawyers docked over missing Charity Aiyedogbon

ITRealms:

Three legal practitioners, Emeka Ugwuonye, Nsikak Udo and Farouk Khamagam were on Thursday, arraigned before Chief Magistrate Court 2, in Wuse zone 2 area of Abuja, presided over by chief Magistrate Mabel Bello, for their alleged criminal roles in the case of the disappearance of missing Abuja woman, Charity Aiyedogbon, reports ITRealms.

While disbarred Lagos lawyer, Emeka Ugwuonye is charged with criminal defamation, the other two lawyers were charged for forgery and perjury.

Following their arraignment, the accused persons, through their lawyers applied for bail.

Opposing the bail application by Mr. Ugwuonye, the Prosecutor, Adama Musa described the accused as notorious, expressing fears that he may jump bail. He alleged that he is in the habit of not honouring invitations, adding that he has dual citizenship and may jump bail, if granted.

In his ruling, the chief Magistrate, Mabel Bello granted him bail in the sum of five million Naira (N5m), with a surety, who must be a Civil Servant and must earn not less than three hundred thousand Naira monthly, with a traceable address in the Federal capital territory.

The other two accused, Nsikak Udo and Farouk Khamagam were granted bail on self-recognition, being practicing lawyers, resident in the Federal capital territory.

Ugwuonye’s criminal defamation matter comes up on the 16^th of March, 2018, for hearing, while that of Nsikak Udo and Farouk Khamagam is adjourned to March 30, 2018.

It is not clear if Mr. Ugwuonye has fulfilled his bail conditions, as at the time of filing this report.

Ugwuonye, who had claimed to have an overwhelming evidence that the missing woman was dead, and that she was killed by her estranged husband, David Aiyedogbon, is expected to show evidence to the Court.

His trouble may have started when, in different posts on his Facebook group, Due Process Advocates- DPA, he said:

“I now have overwhelming evidence that Mr. David Aiyedogbon killed his wife, Chacha. David has an idea of the kind of evidence at my disposal.”

In another post, he said: “this is the headless and dismembered body of Charity Aiyedogbon (posting a corpse on his DPA Facebook group). DPA has been able to identify this as her body within the limits of resources at our disposal.”

“I will describe David as a low-life and cold-blooded murderer of his own wife. The only reason I would not go further to describe David in the most despicable language that he rightly deserves is that I would rather focus my argument on points that would lead to justice for Chacha.”

“…the issue is not whether Emeka’s account is accurate or not, but, rather, the issue is whether Emeka has evidence that would send David to the hangman. Yes, I do…”

When invited by the Police to produce evidence, after several meetings, Ugwuonye was unable to produce any, to substantiate his claims.

Ugwuonye is already facing a N10b defamation suit filed by Mr. David Aiyedogbon. The Suit, with number CV/2750/16, before Justice Peter Kekemeke of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court 14, Apo Abuja, also prays that the defendant be ordered to pay the cost of the suit.

Similarly, the other two Abuja-based lawyers, Nsikak Udo and Farouk Khamagam, charged alongside Ugwuonye are said to have confessed in writing to the Police that they forged the signature of their missing client, Charity Aiyedogbon.

Their trouble started when, those believed to be close to the missing woman were quoted as saying that she went missing on the 9^th of May, 2016, but her lawyer, Barrister Nsikak Udo, handling a suit filed at the Federal High Court, Lokoja on 29^th April, 2016 against 29 respondents, including her biological children and former husband, David Aiyedogbon, claimed she (Charity) came to his house on the 18^th of May, 2016.

Following questions arising from the lawyer’s claim of meeting with the missing woman eight days after her purported disappearance, the Police invited him for questioning, wherein he allegedly confessed that her signature was forged.

Confirming the development, a Police source involved in the investigation, who spoke on the grounds of anonymity explained:

“Yes! We charged three of them to Court this morning. The offence of Nsikak Udo and Farouk Khamagam is forgery. In Nsikak’s statement to the Police, he confessed that he forged the signature of missing Charity Aiyedogbon in an affidavit he filed in court in Lokoja. He had earlier claimed that the missing woman came to him and one of his staff accompanied her to a High Court, to sign and depose to an affidavit in support of the ex-parte motion filed along with the case. The question was: how could someone who was declared missing on the 9^th of May reappear on the 18^th of May? Following a Petition, the Police investigated the matter. 

In Mr. Udo’s statement to the Police, he confessed to the crime. He therefore lied on oath. That is the problem. Farouk conspired with him to commit the crime. Ugwuonye’s case is that of criminal defamation. In spite of all the claims he made on his Facebook Group, the Due Process Advocate, when he was invited to produce evidence to help Police investigation, he could not produce any. We took him to Court so he can produce the evidence to substantiate his claims.”

In another development, counsel to David Aiyedogbon, Tony Ogbulafor, has filed a fresh defamation suit against embattled Emeka Ugwuonye in the Abuja judicial division.

Our Correspondent reports that Mr. Ogbulafor took advantage of Mr. Ugwuonye’s appearance in Court to serve him the court papers, since, according to him, all efforts to locate him for service earlier, proved abortive.

The matter comes up for hearing on Monday, 5th February, 2018.  

Destiny Ugorji/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!