Author: oduduwanews

The Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja has fixed Monday next week for ruling on the post-conviction bail application filed by convicted actor, Olanrewaju James, popularly known as Baba Ijesha.

The trial judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, fixed the date after listening to the arguments of both prosecuting and defence counsels on whether the convict has met special circumstances for the court to grant him bail, pending appeal.

Two months ago, Baba Ijesha was convicted for indecent treatment of a child and sexual assault of a minor between 2013 and 2014 among other offences by the court.

He was, thereafter, sentenced to serve a five-year jail term. Through his counsel, Baba Ijesha later approached the court for post-conviction bail, pending the determination of his appeal at the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal.

At the proceedings on Wednesday, his lawyer, Chukwudi Adiukwu, told the court that the defence team had brought notice for bail pending appeal pursuant to Section 6 (6) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Adiukwu argued that Section 51 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL), 2015 empowers the court to admit his client to bail, either unconditionally or upon reasonable conditions.

He also told the court that granting the application would serve the interest of justice as getting a date at the Court of Appeal might be difficult, considering the number of cases in the court’s docket.

The counsel informed the court that by the prison month calendar, the convict would have served his five years concurrent jail term within three years and six months before the hearing might take place at the appeal court.

He added that Baba Ijesha was of good conduct before the court during his trial and was never absent even until judgement.

The applicant’s counsel, therefore, urged the court to consider the special circumstances involved and grant bail to the convict.

But the state counsel, Mrs Omowunmi Bajulaye-Bishi, faulted these arguments, saying the applicant’s counsel, in his address, failed to establish the special circumstances as laid down in the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.

She specifically asked the court to refuse the application and allow the convict to continue his sentence as prescribed by the court.

After listening to their submissions, Justice Taiwo adjourned the ruling until September 19.

The Federal Government, on Wednesday, said that the protesting members of the National Association of Nigerian students, NANS, that blocked a traffic-laden section of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway are “violating” the country’s law.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN, stated this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to the Minister, the Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) recognises and protects citizens’ right to public protests but does not empower any Nigerian to “inflict pain and inconvenience on other people.”

The Ministet’s explanation came on the heels of the report that the protest embarked upon by NANS on Tuesday caused a gridlock on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, leaving motorists and passengers stranded.

The protest took place just after the Sagamu Interchange section of the expressway, towards Lagos.

The protesting students carried placards with different inscriptions and chanting solidarity songs as they lamented the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, that has prolonged for seven months.

They vowed to lay siege of the major highway and others to drive home their demand to end the strike.

But fielding question from journalists on the recurrent gridlock on the uncompleted sections of the highway, Fashola appealed for more patience from Nigerians saying that there is no alternative route in the already built-up areas.

He said “Once again, I apologise and empathise with commuters who need that place to get on with their lives. It’s the place we left to the last really because it’s the most built-up area, the last six kilometers into Lagos; very densely populated and occupied. There’s very little room for alternative routes for people. So, you just have to bear with us.

“I also heard that some aggrieved students under the aegis of NANS are going to the road to protest. My respectful view is that is not helpful at all to the citizens.

“The right to protest is a very well-protected right in our Constitution, but it does not include the right to inflict pain and inconvenience on other people. And so, whilst the protests can go on, they should refrain from blocking the road in order to do their protests. That in itself is a violation of law.”

  Students Galaxy

Following its protest on Tuesday that grounded the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the National Association of Nigerian Students appears to be relentless in seeking the urgent resolution of the ongoing strike action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

The student body today also embarked on protest in Ibadan blocking major roads

In a statement signed by the National Public Relations Officer of NANS, Giwa Temitope, obtained by ODUDUWA NEWS, NANS said

NANS said the Federal Government had shown “crass irresponsibility” regarding the strike.

“In sustaining the #EndASUUStrikeNow struggle, which commenced today, we call on all Nigerian students, parents and workers to join us in Ibadan tomorrow as we continue the agitation.

“ASUU strike has been on for exactly seven months with the Federal Government showing crass irresponsibility.

“For the past seven months, a total of 15 negotiations have been done with no tangible result. The Federal Government has displayed their unreadiness towards committing to the wellbeing of lecturers and the funding of the educational sector.

“Nigerian students have had enough of staying at home. We will not allow our rulers to use their irresponsibility to kill the future of Nigerian students,”

The People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) South West branch has praised Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate, for traveling to Ibadan on Wednesday for an important meeting with the Zonal Executive Council of the party.

The action has been characterized as a tactical choice to posture the party before the general elections in 2023.

The PDP is one cohesive and indivisible family that is determined to winning the zone for the party’s candidate in the February presidential election, according to the opposition party, which said that the candidate’s decision to make Ibadan his first stop was a clear indication of this.

This is contained in a press statement signed by the Zonal Publicity Secretary of the PDP Chief Sanya Atofarati on Tuesday made available to newsmen in Ibadan.

His words: “On behalf of members of Zonal executive council of our great party I welcome our candidate, His Excellency Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to Ibadan where he would hold a crucial meeting with all stakeholders of the party

“The visit could not have come at a better time than now in view of the ongoing reconciliation and fence mending moves by top hierachies of the party at different levels to address various interests and agitations within the party which were blown out of proportion by the ruling APC.

“As a truly democratic institution, the PDP welcomes all shades of opinions and interests which sometimes might be misconstrued by the general public as crisis, but the inherent internal mechanism for conflict resolution of our party has set the PDP apart from our main challenger and the outcome of the recent reconciliatory moves has begun to bear fruit.

“I must also commend Governor Seyi Makinde for his exemplary leadership in the zone as he is billed to recieve the visiting former President on Wednesday and put in place logistics for the success of the event.

“Governor Makinde has once again demonstrated capacity to distinguish between self interest and party supremacy because the PDP umbrella is our defining symbol which must be guided jealously going forward.

“I have always held the opinion that the PDP cannot afford to fail Nigerians because the sufferings in the land is positive campaign to our party in 2023 thanks to APC for mismanaging the country. So the rescue mission of our country begins with the PDP and all hands must be on deck to put our house in order across all geo political zones and reclaim our stolen mandate of 2019. I equally enjoined Nigerians who are going through excruciating pains and agony foisted on them by APC led wicked administration to keep their hope alive in the PDP because the storm will soon be over.

An unemployed graduate of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology(LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oludare Alaba who demanded a refund of tuition fees and other expenses during his course of study in the Institution has revealed plans for the donation given to him.

According to Tribune Online, Alaba said, 10 per cent of the amount would be paid as a tithe to his parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG), 10 per cent to 10 less privileged people, including some of his friends who are in a similar position but had been of great assistance to him in the past.

“I have made a vow that any amount that comes into my hand in form of financial support, 10% will be deducted as tithes while another 10% will be deducted in support of at least 10 less privileged people in the society. including some of my friends who had been of assistance to me in the past but are facing financial turbulence now.

“I just had one person on the radio now who is in dire need of financial support, no matter how small, I will get his contact and reach out to the person,” he said.