Supreme Court strikes out appeals against Jegede, Makarfi faction

Mr Eyitayo Jegede, PDP Governorship candidate for Ondo State

The Supreme Court on Thursday further validated the candidacy of Mr. Eyitayo Jegede as the PDP flag bearer in Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State.

This was sequel to the striking out of all the pending interlocutory appeals filed by the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party.

Justice Walter Onnoghen, leading four other justices of the apex court, held that Wednesday’s judgment of the Court of Appeal on the main appeals rendered the interlocutory ones academic.

Onnoghen held that it was against the rules of the court to determine interlocutory appeals and motions when a lower court had decided on the substantive issues.

“To this end, all interlocutory appeals relating to the Ondo State PDP governorship crisis and the leadership tussle of the party at the national level are hereby struck out.

“The contending parties are ordered to go back to the lower court and do the needful.

“That would mean filing notice of appeal on the judgment of the Court of appeal,” he stated.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Court of Appeal on Wednesday removed Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate of the PDP in Saturday’s election.

Jegede, the candidate of the Makarfi faction of the party, was relisted to contest against other leading candidates such as Rotimi Akeredolu of APC and Olusola Oke of the Alliance for Democracy.

Justice Ibrahim Saulaawa, who led two other justices in a unanimous decision, held that the Federal High Court, Abuja, erred in its Oct. 14 ruling which substituted Jegede’s name with that of Ibrahim.

He also held that the court equally erred when it ordered INEC to remove the name of the appellant from its nomination register.

Justice George Mbaba, who delivered the lead judgment on the party’s leadership crisis, described the process that led to the June 29 judgment as a “fraud”.

Mbaba said the trial court breached Section 36(1) of the constitution by denying the Ahmed Makarfi Caretaker Committee right to fair hearing.

Comments

Pope not involved in Colombian peace deal- Vatican

Pope Francis Pope Francis has turned down a request to play a role in the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. The Vatican in a statement issued on Wednesday in in Vatican City said that an invitation was sent to his Holiness in early August to appoint a representative to participate in the committee that selected the judges for the talks. The statement said that though Pope Francis supported the peace process, he, however, reiterated that he would not get involved in Colombian peace deal. It said that Pope was praying for the enlightenment of the hearts and minds of those who were called to promote the common good of the Colombian nation. A deal was announced last week, putting an end to five decades of internal conflict between government forces and the FARC rebels. The agreement, which needed to be ratified through a referendum in Oct. 2, would entail setting up a special court to grant amnesties or pu...

Houthis Claim Attack on Central Israel in Response to Gaza ‘Massacres’

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has taken a concerning regional turn as the Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for an attack on central Israel. The group announced this as part of their escalating response to what they describe as "massacres" in Gaza amid the Israeli military’s operations in the strip. Details of the Attack The Houthis, a Shiite militant group with ties to Iran, declared that they launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israel. While the exact impact of these attacks remains unclear, reports suggest that Israel’s defense systems intercepted several threats over its airspace. This marks a significant escalation as the Houthis widen their involvement in the conflict beyond their typical operations within Yemen and neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Houthis’ Justification In their statement, the Houthis framed the attack as retaliation for Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which they characterized as indiscriminate bombings resultin...

Fall of Assad is a Blow to Russia's Prestige

The potential fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing ally of Russia, would mark a turning point in Moscow’s global influence, particularly in the Middle East. Steve Rosenberg’s analysis underscores the profound implications for Russia, which has invested heavily—both militarily and politically—in ensuring Assad’s survival over the past decade. This article delves into why Assad’s downfall would strike at the core of Russian prestige and what it could mean for the broader geopolitical landscape. Russia's Strategic Commitment to Syria Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Russia has been a staunch supporter of Assad's regime. In 2015, Moscow launched a military intervention that proved decisive in stabilizing Assad’s hold on power. This intervention solidified Russia's role as a key power broker in the Middle East and demonstrated its willingness to project military power far beyond its borders. Syria is not just an ally for Russia; it is a...

Global Naija Info

Search This Blog