News
Buhari’s aide, Abba blocked me from being sworn in – Hon. Garba Shede cry out
Hon. Garba Shede who represented Bali/Gassol Federal Constituency of Taraba State in the House of Representatives in the 8th National Assembly has revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s Personal Assistant on Domestic Affairs, Sarki Abba Abdulkadir has blocked him from being sworn in.
Shede recontested the 2019 election with the present occupant, Hon. Mubarak Gambo which became a subject of litigation and after a tedious legal process, Hon. Chede won and got a Court order to be sworn in.
The ex-lawmaker speaking in an interview with journalists in Abuja, explained how the aide connived with the Speaker of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila to make him disobey Court order despite persuasion from some members of the House.
He said: “The Federal High Court has granted an order that I should be sworn in as a member representing Bali/Gassol Federal Constituency, but I am yet to be sworn in. Though the order is the order of mandamus which means the order mandates the Speaker to swear me in.
“But when I brought the order, I handed it over to Mr. Speaker and after he read the order, the Speaker said there is somebody called Sarki Abba who is a Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs in the presidency who has an interest on the current person.
“The S.A on Domestic Affairs equally told Mr Speaker that the current occupant has gone to appeal the judgement and he also said it is the culture of the House to shield a seating member even if there is Court order. It is not automatic to swear in a new member at that point.”
Hon. Shede further told journalists that the House of Reps Minority leader and other members persuaded the Speaker to respect Court order, but, he continue to decline.
Sarki Abba Abdulkadir
He continued: “The Minority leader of the House, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) attacked him and told him to obey Court order. To my surprise, a lawmaker is so adamant to the ruling of Court.
“I am surprised that the Speaker disobeyed Court judgement and I doubt much how he will make law and disobey the law at the same time.
Speaking on what to do, he said, “now we are going back to court to seek another directive. The surprising thing is that Mr. Speaker is a lawyer and he know the implication. All I know is the selfishness, we are talking of the Court order; we are talking of the law; law supercedes every individual.
“The story of Sarki Abba, I am not the only one he told. He told many people that Sarki Abba at the presidency is interested in the member occupying my office illegally.
“Of course, the action of the Speaker is enough to give opposition a chance to take over because if the Speaker that is our head in APC can not respect the Court order, that is total destruction.”
He further revealed that the Attorney-General of the Federation has written the Speaker on the position of Court advising him to swear me in as the member, but he chose to obey Buhari’s aide than the judiciary.
“The Attorney-General of the Federation who is the law officer of the Federation wrote him first that he should swear in Hon. Garba Shedi and even the legal department of the National Assembly.
“He wrote Mr. Speaker to swear me in. But all, he said was that I should go and bring Court order he change as a chameleon. I still insist that there is someone called Sarki Abba. He made the statement in the presence of many people.
“So all my fate now is in Court for another mandate in him. If the Speaker chose to disobey the Court order. Let’s see how it goes.
“But, this offence, although I am not a lawyer, this may land him in prison. I am assuring my supporters that we are going to get the victory against the Speaker’s will.
He further pointed out how the House leader intervened, but was shunned, wondering whether he has been promised that his political godfather, Ahmed Bola Tinubu would be given presidency in 2023 that was making him to obey few elements in the executive rather the institution of the Judiciary.
“I met the house leader, Hon. Ado Doguwa over the issue and in my presence, Ado Doguwa text him. He called him and told him that Hon. Garba is our member and even the other person did not participate in the primary, even our head boy, Hon. Mutari Betara also contributed that he should swear me in and he refused.
“Also, one of our leader, Hon. James Faleke told him to respect Court order, he refused and telling him that there is one, S.A, to the presidency called Sarki Abba who is interested in the guy occupying the seat and Faleke was surprised and asked what concerns the President’s Special Assistant with the National Assembly.
“To me, I am surprised, may be they are telling him that they will give him the President of this country and that’s why he is obeying their instruction.”
Operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS), have arrested two principal suspects involved in the killing of 16 Nigerians of Northern extraction in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government last week.
The suspects were arrested by operatives of the DSS in Uromi, following credible intelligence. Operatives of various security agencies are hunting for other key suspects involved in the unfortunate incidents
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, had on Monday in Kano State, during a condolence visit, revealed that 14 suspects had already been arrested in connection with the killing.
Governor Okpebholo who visited the State to condole with the Government and families of the victims, had vowed that justice will be served and those involved in the killing will be brought to justice.
Governor Okpebholo had also assured families of the victims that adequate compensations will be paid.
In the latest development, the two principal suspects arrested by officials of the DSS, have been transferred to Abuja, the nation’s capital, for further interrogation and prosecution by the relevant authorities.
A Nigerian televangelist, Timothy Omotoso has been acquitted of rape after spending eight years in prison in South Africa.
Trouble started when the televangelist was accused of raping young women from his South African church, an accusation he denied when he was arrested eight years ago.
His trial was aired live I South Africa and gained interest across the country, but insisted that he was not guiltynof 32-count charges against him.
In 2018, one witness told the court she had been raped by the pastor – who ran a church in the city of Port Elizabeth – when she was 14 years old.
The presiding judge on Wednesday 1st April, 2025 delivered judgement, saying Pastor Timothy Omotoso has not bèn found guilty over this case because prosecutors had mishandled the case.
South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) shared a similar assessment, saying that “former prosecutors in the case acted improperly and the accused were not sufficiently cross-examined by the state”.
The NPA said it will now “consider its legal options”.
For his part, Mr Omotoso told the media he thanked God for the verdict.
His co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zikiswa Sitho, were also found not guilty.
Mr Omotoso was dramatically arrested at an airport in 2017 as he sought to leave the country.
His trial was the first prominent rape case to be broadcast live in a country where sexual violence is rampant.
The hearings attracted huge interest, and raised difficult questions about victims’ rights, impartiality and whether justice is best served by having television cameras in courtrooms.
Following Wednesday’s verdict, Mr Omotoso will be deported to Nigeria, South African media outlet News24 reported.
The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that it has been vindicated by recent revelations from the state’s former Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke.
The Rivers APC Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, stated this in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists on Wednesday.
The former Head of Service, who recently resigned had alleged that the suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was directly responsible for the political crisis in the state and the bombing of the State House of Assembly.
In response, the Rivers State APC asserted that Nwaeke’s testimony aligns with the party’s long-held position, as frequently stated by Chief Okocha, that the suspended governor was the architect of the state’s political crisis, including masterminding the October 29, 2023, bombing of the State House of Assembly.
Chief Okocha further emphasized that Nwaeke’s account, given his high-ranking position in the state, cannot be dismissed as mere speculation.
He said attempts to discredit the former Head of Service will not deter him from exposing the alleged corruption and misconduct that the APC has repeatedly highlighted.
“What is most interesting to the APC in Rivers State as a responsible political party is that Dr. George Nwaeke’s revelations and testimonies of how suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his squad bombed the Rivers State House of Assembly is an eye witness account.
“Again , it has clearly vindicated the APC in Rivers State as the only visible and viable opposition political party in the State, and has cemented the love for the party in the heart of well meaning Rivers people as the voice of the voiceless, and the hope for a better Rivers State.
“The revelations made by the former Head of Service in Rivers State has further positioned her as a political party with high level of integrity, and the hope of Rivers people for a viable alternative to produce the Governor of Rivers State in 2027.
“The verbal attacks staged against the resigned Head of Service will not deter him from exposing the corruption within Sim Fubara’s administration, which we have consistently highlighted as the opposition party. On this matter, the APC shall function as watchdogs”, the party stated.
Chief Tony Okocha expressed confidence that security agencies would thoroughly investigate the matter.
“The APC in Rivers State strongly believes that the relevant security agencies will be professional enough to get to the root of the matter and make their findings public”, he said.
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