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The National Judicial Council, NJC, has dismissed four separate petitions filed against Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja over judgements he delivered on Rivers State political matters. The petitions written to the NJC were predicated on allegations that the judge was induced with $1 million, a bulletproof car and a gift
Rivers State cases: NJC dismisses $1m, bullet-proof car, land gift allegations against Justice Lifu

The National Judicial Council, NJC, has dismissed four separate petitions filed against Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja over judgements he delivered on Rivers State political matters.

The petitions written to the NJC were predicated on allegations that the judge was induced with $1 million, a bulletproof car and a gift of a plot of land in the discharge of his judicial functions.

The chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, Chief Emeka Beke, is one of those who authored the petitions.

However, after the appearance of the judge before the NJC probe panel and the blunt refusal of the petitioners to show up to establish their allegations, it was held that the petitions were unsubstantiated and could not be relied upon.

The NJC report on the petitions obtained by judiciary journalists read in part: “The Council deliberated on 4 petitions against Hon. Justice Peter O. Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, as follows:

“Petition by Mr. Douglas W. Chukwu, the Secretary of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, against Hon. Justice Lifu was discountenanced, as the petitioner, who had earlier indicated interest to participate in the hearing of his petition, failed, neglected and refused to appear before the Committee.

“The Council also finds that the allegations of inducement to the tune of $1 million, a bullet-proof car and gift of a plot of land to Hon. Justice Lifu by Chief Emeka Beke, Chairman, All Progressive Congress (APC), Rivers State, were not substantiated in any form.

“It was also found that the same parties who appeared before the High Court in Rivers State also appeared before Hon. Justice Lifu at the Federal High Court in Abuja but failed to disclose or bring to the notice of the Hon. Judge the existence of a sister case at Rivers State High Court.

“The Council noted that the acts of misconduct alleged were actually perpetrated by the petitioners who filed the case at the Rivers State High Court, after the case at the Federal High Court, Abuja had been instituted, suggesting forum shopping.

“Council finds that Hon. Justice Lifu neither exhibited personal interest in the matter nor misconducted himself in the procedure and noted that the complaints contained in the petitions are now subject of appeal by the petitioners.

“Similarly, Council dismissed the two petitions by Abednego Oli Benjamin, Chairman, Boot Party, Rivers State Chapter, against Hon. Justice Lifu, as it finds the allegations of bribery and other corrupt practices against the Subject Judge were unsubstantiated.

It also finds that there is no proof of misconduct in the ex parte orders made by the Subject Judge. Council also noted that the ex parte orders are now the subject of appeals.

“On the petition by Dr. G. M. Giles-West, Clerk, Rivers State House of Assembly, against Hon. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, the Council finds that the petition was not supported with a verifying affidavit and was therefore discountenanced.”

In the same vein, the Council resolved that legal practitioners who, by themselves or in collusion with litigants, write frivolous petitions to blackmail the judicial officers will be reported to the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee, LPDC, or the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee, LPPC, for appropriate action.

Meanwhile, NJC has set up seven committees to investigate allegations of judicial misconduct against other judicial officers.

Rivers State cases: NJC dismisses $1m, bullet-proof car, land gift allegations against Justice Lifu

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Climate change intensified Cyclone Chido as it barrelled toward the Indian Ocean archipelago of Mayotte, according to a preliminary study by scientists studying the link between global warming and tropical storms. The assessment by Imperial College London also estimated that cyclones of Chido’s strength were 40 percent more likely in the warmer climate of 2024

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President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, on Tuesday explained that the decision of the president to purchase a new presidential jet was justifiable. Bwala explained that Tinubu needs a good presidential jet to travel around the world. In 2024, Tinubu had purchased a new presidential jet worth around N150 billion despite
Tinubu justified buying new presidential jet, borrowing foreign loans – Presidency

President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, on Tuesday explained that the decision of the president to purchase a new presidential jet was justifiable.

Bwala explained that Tinubu needs a good presidential jet to travel around the world.

In 2024, Tinubu had purchased a new presidential jet worth around N150 billion despite outrage from Nigerians.

However, appearing on Arise Television’s Morning Show, Bwala said: “As for the purchase of the presidential jet, it’s justifiable because for the president to travel around the world, he would need a better jet.

“I understand that when Buhari was in power, occasionally his jet had problems that needed to be fixed.

“And with respect to appointment, you appoint to meet a purpose, if there is a need to appoint people you will appoint, where the trouble will come is when you appoint people and they are not effective.”

The presidential spokesman also stressed that Tinubu’s administration was justified in borrowing because the funds are being used for infrastructural development.

He said: “When I made the decision to support the president, I decided to pay attention to his policies and doing research. In doing so I decided to look at where there failure, I tried to know why.

“For example, there was a time we had food inflation and I tried to look at what actually is the cause of the food inflation and I realized there was natural disaster in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa, while we have insecurity in the Northwest.

“The research is to find reason for whatever is the policy and where there is a misinterpretation of the policy, we will come out and give our perspective. Government is a work in progress, there is nothing magical about what I said before and what I’m saying now .

“As opposition, I opposed the government and now I speak for the government.

“The government borrows and there is a justification for borrowing. Before now, I never cared about whatever is the justification but now I realize that for the government to be able to carryout it’s mandate for the people with limited resources, it needs to borrow.

“I will give you an example, there is a research by economics that only infrastructure alone, Nigeria needs to spend between 30 to 100 billion dollars annually in other to meet up with the deficit. Or in proper perspective, over a period of 30 years, Nigeria must spend between two to three trillion dollars.

“The budget of Nigeria is less than 35 trillion dollars, so definitely you see the need to borrow, when you borrow what do you do with it is what matters. The government borrow for infrastructure and intervention in the areas where it affects Nigerian people, so there is a justification for borrowing.”

Tinubu justified buying new presidential jet, borrowing foreign loans – Presidency