A former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzo Kalu failed on Friday in his bid to stop the Federal Government from appealing the September 29, 2021 judgment by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja that stopped his prosecution on a N7.1bn money laundering charge.

In two rulings on Friday, a three-member panel of the appellate court rejected the objection by Kalu and his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited to the application for leave to appeal out of time filed by the federal government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Kalu and Slok had argued, among others that the Court of Appeal, having delivered a judgment on March 6, 2024, striking out an earlier appeal by the federal government, the court had become functus officio and could not longer take any further steps on the case.

Justice Ishaq Sanni, who read the rulings on Friday, noted that the March 6, 2024 judgment did not determine the substance of the appeal and thus, was not a judgment given on the merit.

Justice Sanni held that the Court of Appeal, in the March 6, 2024 judgment only struck out the appeal on the grounds that the record of appeal was not properly certified, because the official of the Federal High Court, who certified the record did not include his or her designation.

He held that since the March 6, 2024 judgment was delivered after the three months allowed an aggrieved party to appeal, the federal government was in order to have filed its application for extension of time to appeal.

Justice Sanni proceeded to issue an order extending the time within which the federal government should file a notice of appeal against the September 29 judgment of the Federal High Court.

He also ordered the federal government to file its notice of within 14 days.

The rulings were on the appeals marked: CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/430MI/2024 (FRN v. Orji Uzo Kalu and two others) and CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/431MI/2024 )FRN v. Slok Nigeria Limited and two others.

Details shortly.

A legal challenge has been filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking the removal of Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State. The suit, lodged on Tuesday by Abuja-based lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, contends that the appointment of a sole administrator for the state is unconstitutional.

The case lists President Bola Tinubu as the first defendant, alongside the Attorney-General of the Federation, Vice Admiral Ibas, and the Attorneys-General of all 36 states, making a total of 39 defendants. The lawsuit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/572/2025, seeks a court declaration that all decisions made by Ibas as Rivers State’s Sole Administrator are null and void.

The plaintiff is also asking the court for an order preventing President Tinubu or any of his agents from removing, suspending, or interfering with the tenure of any state governor or deputy governor. Additionally, the suit demands a perpetual injunction stopping the president from appointing sole administrators in any state government house across Nigeria.

Jideobi’s legal argument is based on constitutional provisions, including Sections 1, 5(2), 180, 188, 189, 305, and 306 of the 1999 Constitution. He asserts that these provisions do not grant the president the power to remove or suspend a duly elected governor and appoint a replacement, such as a sole administrator. He contends that only the legal processes outlined in the constitution, such as impeachment or resignation, can lead to the removal of a governor or deputy governor.

Among the declarations sought, the plaintiff asks the court to nullify the suspension of the Rivers State governor and deputy governor on March 18, 2025. He also wants the appointment of Ibas as sole administrator declared unconstitutional and for the retired admiral to vacate the Rivers State Government House immediately.

In a supporting affidavit, Jideobi argues that Nigeria operates a federal system based on separation of powers, and the president lacks the authority to suspend elected officials. He warns that allowing such actions could set a dangerous precedent, leading to the arbitrary removal of governors and potential instability in the country.

No date has been set for the hearing of the case.

Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has said the Minister is working for the Nigerian government and not the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Olayinka was reacting to the decision of the FCT Administration to revoke land belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

There has been an uproar since the FCTA, under Wike, revoked 4,794 land titles over failure to pay ground rent for the past 20 years.

PDP’s National Secretariat was among the affected properties revoked by Wike despite him being a member of the party.

However, Olayinka said Wike carries out his duty without favoritism or preferential treatment.

Featuring on Arise TV’s Morning Show, Olayinka said:

“No leader of the party is working for the opposition. I know that you are alluding to the fact that Wike is a Minister in an APC-led government.

“A Minister in the government is not working for the ruling party; he is working for the government of Nigeria, he is working for Nigeria.

“PDP leaders in this government are working for the government of Nigeria, not for APC.

“Wike is a PDP member and remains in the party, but he has never been involved in the administration of PDP. The only thing people outside the NWC can do is support the party financially, morally, or otherwise.

“Those directly involved in the administration of the party are the ones who know what to pay and what not to pay.

“As of 2003-2004, PDP refused to pay ground rent on Wadata Plaza. Bode George was the Deputy National Chairman of PDP and was in the NWC, so he should know.

“Wadata Plaza does not belong to PDP. So when I listen to Debo Ologunagba, the most incompetent National Publicity Secretary PDP has ever produced, saying it’s a fight against democracy and opposition, he, as a member of the NWC, should know that on paper, the place does not belong to PDP.

“The Minister does his job without looking at faces.”