Law
Why domestication of Administration of criminal Justice act is long overdue, by Niger Ag CJ

From Naseer Mijinyawa Minna
The Ag chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik has enumerated benefits of the domestication and implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act in the State
Justice Abdulmalik spoke at a stakeholders forum on domestication and implementation of the administration of criminal Justice act, 2015 state validation public forum held at Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre in Minna.
She indicated that the domestication of administration of Criminal Justice act, 2015 (ACJA),will assist in ensuring speedy dispensation of Justice in the state
Justice Abdulmalik noted that the passage of the administration of criminal Justice act, will among others address the delay in the administration of criminal Justice, decongest cases in courts and checkmate corruption in the Judiciary.
She called on the Niger State House of assembly to hasten the passage of the administration of criminal Justice act, noting that Niger state is among the few states yet to domesticate the ACJA.
She applauded the MacArthur foundation and the national Secretariat of the Nigerian Bar Association for their commitment to the domestication and implementation of the Administration of criminal Justice act,
Speaking earlier, the Chairman Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Minna branch, Mallam Mohammed Abubakar El-Surur, observed that most of the laws in Niger State were obsolete as he called for speedy domestication of the act for quick dispensation of criminal Justice in Niger State.
According to him, no society can survive on obsolete laws as he urged the state house of assembly to as a matter of urgency ensure the speedy passage of the act.
Also speaking the chairman house committee on Judiciary in the Niger State House of assembly Hon. Ahmed Bello Agwara assured that the state assembly is committed to ensuring the speedy passage of the ACJA act in the state.
He disclosed that the ACJA bill has passed the second reading and already at the committee level adding that the house committee on Judiciary will soon call all stakeholders for public hearing for onward passage of the act.
In his remarks at the forum the Dean faculty of law University of Jos, Prof. Alphonsus Alubo,(SAN) observed that the passage of the Administration of criminal Justice act (ACJA) will assist in bringing succour to the criminal Justice system in Niger State and the criminal Justice in the nation’s judiciary system.
He noted that the domestication of the act will among others remedy convictions of offenders explaining that instead of convicting an offender the conviction will be placed on hold thereby decongesting the correctional facilities across the country.
Prof. Alubo expressed Concern over the increasing proportion of inmates on awaiting trial across the correctional facilities in the country describing the trend as unhealthy for the criminal Justice system in the country.
He insisted that the ACJA if domesticated in the nation’s legal system it will go a long way in ensuring the speedy dispensation of Justice “in our courts and reducing cases in courts”
He suggested that the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner Of Justice in the country should take over the prosecution of cases in the lower courts of competent jurisdiction than allowing police to prosecute cases noting that “if police must prosecute in court, the police must have to be a lawyer”
Law
Appeal Court Sacks Nasarawa speaker

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has sacked the Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a judgement delivered on Tuesday, the court declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Hon. Sa’ad Abdullahi Ibrahim (Turakin-Opanda), as the rightful winner of the election for Umaisha/Ugya State Constituency.
Law
Appeal Court affirms Hyacinth Alia’s victory as Benue Governor

The Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, on Monday, upheld the election of Hyacinth Alia as declared by INEC after the March 18th, 2023 election as governor of Benue State
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the March 18 governorship election, Titus Uba, had approached the appellate court to set aside the judgment of the tribunal that upheld Alia’s election.
At the tribunal, Uba accused Alia’s deputy, Samuel Ode, of presenting a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) contrary to Section 182(1)(j) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended)
He also alleged that Alia’s name was submitted less than 180 days before the election date, and Ode was also not submitted to INEC after the party conducted a further re-run primary election.
A three-member panel of the tribunal, headed by Justice Ibrahim Karaye, dismissed the petition on the ground that it was a pre-election matter and was statute-barred.
Ruling on the appeal on Monday, the appeal court’s three-member panel led by Justice Onyekachi Aja Otisi held that Uba failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the allegations of forgery against Ode
Law
As long as God remains on the throne our mandate will be preserved, says Mutfwang

Plateau Governor, Caled Mutfwang spoken with confidence that as long as God remains on the throne, the people’s mandate will be preserved and protected as he reiterated his commitment to the rule of law, while assuring the people that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Mutfwang who was reacting to the Appeal Court judgement that sacked him on Sunday described the verdict as a temporary setback that will not deter him from repositioning the state.
“We have unwavering faith in the judiciary and the Constitution of Nigeria,” he added.
The Governor said he has instructed his legal team to file an appeal at the Supreme Court, admonishing citizens of the state and PDP supporters to remain calm.
Mutfwang gave the indication in a press statement signed by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, expressed optimism that the mandate overwhelmingly given to him by the citizens would be restored.
Mutfwang polled 525,299 votes in the March 18 governorship election in the state, while Goshwe polled 481,370 votes.
Goshwe challenged the victory of Mutfwang at the tribunal, claiming that the Governor was not validly nominated and sponsored by his Party, insisting there was non-compliance with the Electoral Act in the election.
In a unanimous decision, a three-member panel of the tribunal headed by Justice R. Irele-Ifijeh dismissed the petition for lacking in merit.
Displeased with the judgment, the APC candidate appealed the tribunal judgment.
The appellate court ruling on Sunday, led by Justice Elfrieda Williams-Dawodu, held that the PDP did not validly sponsor the Governor during the election.
She held that the Party violated a court order to conduct a valid Congress in that state’s 17 Local Government Areas.
She said there was no evidence that the PDP complied with a subsisting High Court order which had directed it to conduct a valid party congress before sponsoring the governorship and other candidates.
The court held that the issue of qualification is both a pre-election and a post-election matter contrary to the tribunal’s findings, which held that the appellant lacked the locus to contest the validity of the respondent.
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