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Murder of OAU post-graduate student: Court decides fate of Adedoyin, six others next month

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Anxious Nigerians would, in a month’s time, know the thinking of the law on the fate of Rahmon Adedoyin and six of his staff currently standing trial for the murder of Timothy Adegoke, the post-graduate student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), who was found stone-dead on November 6 2021 in his hotel room.

Justice Oyebola Ojo, of the Osun State High Court  sitting in Osogbo, the Osun State capital fixed the date for judgement in the matter, which jolted the entire nation and beyond, following the manner of his death and the stories surrounding it.

The latest development is coming at the conclusion of address by the prosecution and defence on Thursday, ending months of legal back and forth and investigative hiccups involving the incident.

Before adjourning the matter in which Adedoyin, owner of Hilton Hotel Ile-Ife, is the principal suspect, the court had heard a tough exchange from both parties on the propriety of Femi Falana, human rights activist comining in for the prosecution, which was stridently opposed.

Others standing trial in the 18-count charge of conspiracy, murder, felony, indecent interference of the corpse, alteration and cancellation of receipt and oath-taking to prevent justice, include Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwole Lawrence, Oyetunde Kazeem Adebayo Kunle and Adedeji Adesola.

Lawyer to Adedoyin, Yusuf Alli, in challenging the locus of Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), told the court that it was not in agreement with the law and the fiat granted to him to prosecute Adedoyin and other staff was not properly obtained, and therefore prayed that he be prohibited from participating in the case as prosecutor.

But Falana, who stated he was properly introduced by the counsel from the Osun State Ministry of Justice to take over the matter, maintained that no law made it compulsory for him to produce the fiat granted to him by the ministry to prosecute the matter before the court, urging that the prayer of the defence be dismissed as not doing so,  could set the trial back.

Pronouncing on the issue, Ojo held that the ruling on arguments of fiat, would be delivered alongside the final judgement of the case, which she adjourned to May.

Alli who had in his defence of Adedoyin, maintained that evidence by the prosecution witnesses were based on speculations and he urged the court to discharge him and the six staff.

Arguing further that there was no direct evidence against any of the defendants linking them to the death of the late Adegoke, he said going by the account of the pathologist, Adegoke died either late on 5th or early on 6th of November 2021, adding that the entire case was based on suspicion.

Stressing that the court should discharge the defendants on conspiracy to murder and murder, he argued that the only connection Adedoyin had with the matter was simply because he is owner of the hotel where the death occurred, adding that there was no other vicarious liability in law connected him to the incident.

But Falana insisted that Adegoke was killed and dumped in the bush and efforts were made to obliterate the act by those involved, who took oath of secrecy.

Based on the evidence led, he urged the court to ensure justice. He said even if heaven will fall, if any of the defendant is found guilty, punishment should be melted.

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Obi to Nigerians: Don’t be despaired, your mandate won’t be lost

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The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi says he is aware of some evil designs against himself and his supporters in the coming months.

The former Anambra State governor disclosed this in a statement released on his verified Twitter handle on Monday, May 29, 2023.

The release of the statement coincided with the inauguration of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Nigeria’s President at the Eagle Square in Abuja.

 

I am aware of some evil designs being hatched against me and my supporters in the coming months. Efforts will be made to taint my image. Campaigns of calumny are being perfected to defame my character and diminish my hard-earned integrity.

— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) May 28, 2023

See full statement:

For all Nigerians, this is a time for deep reflection. It is also a time to re-examine our assumptions, even as we reaffirm our hopes. Let us calmly review our aspirations, in order to recalibrate our expectations and pin down the causes of our missed opportunities and disappointments.

We stand at that critical moment in time when, as a people, we must collectively come to grips with the reality of our injured destiny as well as the reasons for that injury. It is for us to reassess our plight as a young democracy and identify clear pathways to a better and greater future for us all. As we await the verdict of the election tribunal, I urge all Nigerians to use this opportunity to renew their commitment to the Nigerian ideal. That ideal remains noble and worth every sacrifice we can make.

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Nigeria remains our only patrimony and it is a patrimony we must protect, rather than violate. We have no other nation but this, so let us remain committed to rescuing and rebuilding it.

The judiciary is part of the democratic enterprise and a critical governance tool for determining the propriety of the decisions and actions of every citizen and every institution of state. To that extent, and for that reason, I urge everyone to treat it with the respect and dignity it deserves.

We expect that the Nigerian judiciary will use the election cases now before it to reaffirm its independence and integrity. It has to do so, for all our sakes and for itself.

Nigerians must, therefore, remain peaceful and law abiding. No matter the depth of anyone’s reservations about what is going on in the polity today, no matter the real and imagined provocations, and no matter the disagreement out there, we should remember that this will not last forever.

I remain committed, and untiring, in my determination to work with like-minded fellow Nigerians to end the curse of missed opportunities and squandered hope that has become our lot here.

I will never shrink from that original commitment, because I firmly believe that we must change from the present politics of criminality, and corruption, in order to make a new Nigeria possible.

I call on fellow Nigerians, especially the youths to remain steadfast, calm, patient, and peaceful. Our journey may be long and difficult but it is worth it in every way. Victory is assured.

We have to work together to move our beautiful country from corruption and criminality to a center of productivity rather than aimless consumption.

I am aware of some evil designs being hatched against me and my supporters in the coming months. Efforts will be made to taint my image. Campaigns of calumny are being perfected to defame my character and diminish my hard-earned integrity.

These schemes will aim at degrading our support base and confusing the public. But, no evil campaign will alter the substance of my character; nor diminish my patriotic commitment to a better Nigeria. It is about the future of our youths. it is about ending the Years of Locust.

In all of this, I thank Nigerians, our great party (LP) and the media. The latter, as the Fourth Estate of the realm, has remained a trusted ally.

This Estate must continue to guide our people on the immense promise of a future in a new Nigeria.

God bless Nigeria and protect the troops keeping us safe in this season of vaulting insecurity.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. –PO

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Tinubu will unveil Ministers in two months *He’ll be different – Faleke

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James Faleke, lawmaker and Secretary of the now defunct All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC), has revealed that President Bola Tinubu would unveil members of his cabinet within 60 days.

Channels Television, which quoted him as saying on Monday, at the inauguration of of Tinubu and Kashim Shettima as president and vice-president of Nigeria was underway at the Eagle Square in Abuja, said the President, would , unveil his cabinet as soon as possible.

Faleke, who promised that the new President would bring a different approach to power, was quoted as saying: “Of course, within 60 days, that’s what the law says. He can announce anytime but I just know he must do it within 60 days.”

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Tinubu: My stand on corruption, insecurity *How I’ll banish poverty in Nigeria

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Eradication of terrorism, waging war against corruption and battling the crippling poverty in Nigeria, would form the fulcrum of a new Nigeria President Bola Tinubu, says he would strive to put in place as his new government began hours ago after assuming the reins of power as the 16th President, after Muhammadu Buhari handed over to him at an elaborate ceremony at the Eagle Square, Abuja, on Monday.

Vowing to  defend Nigeria from all forms of terror, as well as end extreme poverty in the country, Tinubu, told Nigerians: “I will do that through job creation and food security and end to extreme poverty. I will ensure that corruption is tacked by strenghtening anti-corruption agencies.”

He also promised that his administration would discourage corruption through the introduction of a credit culture, stating: “Our government will continue to take proactive steps such as championing a credit culture to discourage corruption while strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the various anti-corruption agencies.”

It was also on a day the President, who had during his presidential campaigns, promised Nigerians that he would remove subsidy on petroleum products, made good his words by announcing suspension on them, adding that the era of payments on fuel was gone, as the 2023 Budget made no provision for fuel subsidy “and more so, subsidy payment is no longer justifiable.”

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