Breaking: Olisa Metuh collapses in court

Former national publicity secretary of the PDP, Olisa
Metuh, has collapsed in court
- As a result of this, Justice Okon Abang had to stand
down the matter to enable medical officials attend to
him
- It was reported that medical officials who entered
the courtroom at 9.19am were still attending to him at
about 9.25am
Olisa Metuh, a former national publicity
secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
has collapsed in court on Monday, May 21.
Metuh is being prosecuted by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over
allegation that he fraudulently received a sum of
N400m in 2014 from the office of the National
Security Adviser (NSA).
Punch reports that the incident occurred about
9.01am in the courtroom and the trial judge,
Justice Okon Abang had to stand down the
matter to enable medical officials attend to the
defendant.

Going further, the news outlet reported
that medical officials who entered the courtroom
at 9.19am were still attending to him at about
9.25am., however gathered that Metuh was
already trying to access the box before the judge
asked him to come back, he fell as the walker he
was using slipped while he was trying to adjust
himself at the entrance of the dock.
The court registrar rushed to the medical
department to inform medics of the situation. A
Dr from the court examined him where he was
writhing in pain and reported to the court that
he should be sent to a hospital
Meanwhile, adegokblog .com had reported that a
presidential aide, Lauretta Onochie, mocked the
former ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
over Olisa Metuh's appearance in court.
Onochie, a personal adviser to President
Muhammadu Buhari on social media, described
what happened in the court as something to
complement Nollywood.
“Weak, tired and bandaged to the neck on a stretcher and
ambulance to complement the Nollywood drama,” she
said.
However, the second vice president of the
Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Monday
Onyekachi Ubani, described Metuh’s appearance
in court as unfortunate and “not too good.”


“I am aware that some of the accused persons facing
criminal trials, especially high profile corruption cases in
Nigeria feign ill health most times in order to delay their
trials for reasons best known to them but the picture of
Olisa Metuh as he was brought to court today in Abuja to
continue his trial appeared not too good."

Buhari has the right to visit Rivers state - Wike

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state says President
Buhari is welcome to visit Rivers state
- He insists Rivers state is not faced with security
challenges and does not need presidential solidarity
visit
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has
denied saying President Muhammadu Buhari
was not welcomed to visit the state.
Wike made the statement on Monday, May 21,
when he he appeared on Channels TV
programme, Sunrise Daily.
He said President Buhari had the right to visit
Rivers state but not if its a solidarity visit due to
insecurity.


He said: “ I never said that President Buhari should not
come to Rivers State and I can never say it. The President is
the President of the country. He has the right to come to
Rivers State.”
The governor stated that Rivers state is not faced
with security challenges and does not need
presidential solidarity visit.
He said: " What I disagreed with is that, if you (Buhari)
are coming because of insecurity. No. An armed robber
operated and killed 15 people. This is not the same thing
that daily herdsmen are attacking people and could lead to
religious or ethnic war. That is the point I made.
“For example in Lagos State, armed robbers have killed
about five people at a time. In Ogun State, people have died,
cultists have killed people. So, I never said that the
President should not come to Rivers State and I can never
say that.”


 the governor of Rivers state, Nyesom
Wike, has alleged that there are plans to
assassinate him in a crowd and claim accidental
discharge.
The governor while speaking at the third year
anniversary thanksgiving service of his
administration at the Living Faith Church in Port
Harcourt on Sunday, May 20, said there are
intelligence reports available to support his
claims.
Wike said no level of intimidation by the All
Progressives Congress or the federal government
would deter him for carrying out his
responsibility as the governor of Rivers state,
Punch reports.

Dino Melaye breaks silence on failed attempt to recall him

Embattled senator, Dino Melaye, has finally broken
his silence after weeks of keeping mum, saying he has
bounced back.
Melaye representing Kogi West at the National
Assembly, in a message tagged, " THANK YOU
NIGERIANS" posted to Daily Trust via WhatsApp,
said he would continue to speak the truth.
It reads: "Someone once said that rock bottom is good
solid ground and a dead-end street is just a place to turn
around. In the last few weeks, I have been taken to the good
solid ground at the rock bottom and they couldn’t go
further.
I have been brought to the dead-end street but with you
standing by my side, I have turned around and bounced
back to the chagrin of those who sought to seal my lips
from speaking out against tyranny, politics of oppression
and blackmail.
"They, unleashed an endless barrage of physical,
psychological, metaphysical and emotional torture and
assault on me, but, through the power of the Most High,
and you the good people of Nigeria, we have once again,
seen the triumph of truth over lies and good over evil.


"It was Edmund Burke who was quoted as saying that when
bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will
fall one by one.... In a contemptible struggle. I am of all
men, a blessed man, to have courageous and dependable
people like you as my fellow soldiers in the struggle to free
us from the shackles of political strongholds and tyranny. It
is to you and my most wonderful and ever knowledgeable
people of Kogi State, especially Kogi West, that I owe my
deepest gratitude. You stood by me against the state and
your own ‘best political self-interest’.
"The state unleashed its raw power on me and released a
200 man-strong fully armed policemen - on a man without
a knife nor a bullet. It did this because I called injustice by
its name and called for accountability. For this they sought
to break my spirit and destroy me permanently.
"In their moment of reign, I was fully shackled. With my
hands tied to my back, and hurled into a dark solitary
confinement waiting for the butchers knife, you, my people
stood by me. You came against a raging fire and stood up
against tyranny, lies, filthy lucre, injustice, persecution and
greed."
On the failed move to recall him, Melaye said:
"While in the dark and unable to fight for myself, they
sought to take my mandate, which you had freely given to
me. But you answered back and quenched deceit in its
wake. You stood resolute and unflinching and defended your
mandate to me. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
In their attempt to break me, they have made me stronger.
"To you my indefatigable leaders; my irremovable President
of the Senate, a man of immeasurable vision for Nigeria and
true fighter for the enthronement of true democracy and the
rule of law, Sen. (Dr.) Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
"The fearless Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt.
Hon. Yakubu Dogara, I thank you both for your
steadfastness in the defence of the Nigerian Constitution and
the enthronement of the Rule of Law, justice and equity and
the emasculation of anti-democratic forces and tyranny
everywhere in Nigeria. I am eternally grateful to you.
"To the entire National Assembly Membership, especially
my colleagues in the Senate, I am eternally indebted to you
for not playing politics but standing courageously against
oppression and terror. You have shown yourself leaders on
whom Nigeria’s hope for tomorrow can be assured."


Reaffirming his position, he said: " To my people, I
promise you this and this only. I have taken my position, I
will not hold back, I will not hold my peace, I will not be
shut down, neither will I shut-up, not as long as injustice
and falsehood continues to reign, as long as I will live, I will
not bow to Baal ."
In a previous report by NAIJ.com, the lawmaker
representing Kogi west at the National Assembly,
Senator Dino Melaye, lamented over his situation
under the current administration of President
Muhammadu Buhari.
Melaye who subtly threw a dig at the current
administration in an Instagram message on
Sunday, May 20, posted that he was never
framed up for fighting former president Goodluck
Jonathan.
"I was never framed up for fighting Jonathan.Never
arraigned! Aluta continua victoria asata," the outspoken
senator said.

Not Too Young To Run movement gives Buhari 8 days ultimatum to sign age reduction bill

The Not Too Young To Run movement has given
President Muhammadu Buhari 8 days ultimatum to
sign the age reduction bill
- The movement gave the ultimatum today, Monday,
May 21 in a press conference in Abuja
- They warned the president that not signing the bill
will amount to political suic*de
The Not Too Young To Run movement has given
President Muhammadu Buhari 8 days ultimatum
to sign the age reduction bill.
The movement gave the ultimatum today,
Monday, May 21 during a press conference in
Abuja as concerns mount over the president's
refusal to assent to the bill 14 days after it got to
his officer from the National Assembly.
Section 58 of the Nigerian Constitution, 1999, (as
amended), provides inter alia 'the power of the
National Assembly to make laws shall be exercised by
bills passed by both the Senate and the House of
Representatives and, except as otherwise provided,
assented to by the president. '


The group stated that the imperative for youth
inclusion in the forthcoming 2019 general
elections is not a matter of debate but a
constitutional imperative for democratic
development.
The movement therefore demanded:
1. That the president gives his assent to the age
reduction bill within the next eight (8) days as a
democracy gift to young Nigerians whose only
demand is to be included in the democratic
process.
2. That the president fulfils his commitment to
youth development by assenting to the Not Too
Young To Run bill and the other constitutional
amendment bills.
“The movement also wishes to state here that the support
from the youth will only come if the Not Too Young To Run
bill is speedily passed into law,” the group said.
They stated that the 2019 elections present an
opportunity for young people in Nigeria to assert
their constitutional right not only as voters or
campaign merchants but as qualified electoral
candidates.
They informed that young people will only be
giving their support to political parties who
uphold internal party democracy to safeguard
the emergence of more youth candidates in the
2019 general elections.
Speaking further, one of the conveners of the
movement, Samson Itodo, said it will amount to
political suic*de if the president does not sign
the bill.
Young people in Nigeria constitute over 52 per
cent of voters in Nigeria and the president
himself acknowledged that young people
supported him in 2015.
Majority of the state Houses of Assemblies and
the National Assembly passed this bill which
means it enjoys wide support from Nigerians.
Delaying or not assenting to the bill is going
against the will of majority of the people.
Itodo urged the president to sign the bill and
open up the political space for young people to
participate in the political space.


, YIAGA Africa, a civil society group in
Abuja in partnership with INEC has commenced
a nationwide youth development meeting in a
bid to mainstream the participation of young
people and other marginalised groups in the
electoral process.
The youth consultation meetings which provides
a safe and collaborative space for youth to
contribute to the development of the INEC youth
strategy, kicked off early this month with over
400 young people cutting across various states in
Nigeria.