Appeal Court upholds Kashamu’s election

The Court of Appeal in Ibadan dismissed the verdict of a lower election petition tribunal in Ogun State which had earlier nullified the election of Senator Buruji Kashamu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and declared him winner of the election.

Prince Dapo Abiodun of the APC, had challenged the victory of senator Kashamu representing Ogun East senatorial district in the March 28 election saying the election had lots of irregularities and that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, erred by declaring Kashamu winner of the election. The tribunal ordered a re-run of the election in 91 out of 110 polling units in the senatorial district.

Court Dismisses FG’s Suit To Extradite Kashamu

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed an application for the extradition of Ogun-East Senator in the National Assembly, Buruji Kashamu, to the United States of America to face illicit drugs related offence trial.

The immediate past Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, had filed the application on May 28, 2015 upon a United State government’s request asking the Nigerian government to submit Kashamu for extradition.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole in his ruling held that he lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit ‎while the judgment of the division of the court in Lagos nullifying the proceedings on June 8, 2015 and the same judgment affirmed by another judge of the same Lagos division had not been set aside by an appellate court.

Kashamu Withdraws N20bn Libel Suit Against Obasanjo

Ogun-East senator in the National Assembly, Buruji Kashamu, has withdrawn a N20.1bn libel suit he instituted against former President Olusegun Obasanjo before a Federal Capital Territory court in Abuja.

It was learnt that the presiding judge, Justice Valentine Ashi, struck out the suit on May 26, 2015, following the notice of discontinuance of the suit filed by the plaintiff.

Kashamu, a Peoples Democratic Party chief in Ogun State, was said to have anchored his decision to withdraw the suit on “an ongoing settlement talks” between him and Obasanjo.

Senator Buruji Kashamu Seated in The Senate Chamber

The Embattled Senator Elect Buruji Kashamu was pictured seated at the Senate chambers observing proceedings for the election of Deputy Senate president this morning. His colleagues cheered and clapped for him when he stepped forward to cast his vote.

A federal high court has re-affirmed its earlier order not to arrest or extradite the Ogun East senator-elect Kasamu Buruji.

Kashamu Hid In Toilet For 6 Days During NDLEA House Raid - Lawyer

A Senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu, wanted by the United States government for alleged drug offences, hid in his apartment’s toilet in Lagos for six days as Nigerian anti-narcotic agents raided his home and placed him under house arrest two weeks ago, his lawyer said Thursday.

The lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, told a federal court in Lagos that Mr. Kashamu remained in hiding while 20 masked operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency took over his bedroom.

Mr. Oluyede said despite an earlier ruling of the court that the NDLEA lift its siege on Mr. Kashamu’s home, the agency only withdrew its personnel after he was compelled to sign an undertaking.

‘’The only reason they left was because I signed an undertaking,” Mr. Oluyede said. “My client was 

in a toilet for six days with 20 masked armed men in his bedroom. So, I signed the undertaking before they left. They should not claim to have obeyed the order of the court.”

Mr. Kashamu’s lawyer urged the court to nullify any warrant of arrest that might have been obtained by the NDLEA from any source in an attempt to extradite his client.

The judge, Ibrahim Bubba, ‎ordered the Attorney General of Nigeria, the NDLEA not to take any further action to extradite Mr. Kashamu to the United States, until the proceedings before him are determined.

Repeating his earlier orders, Justice Buba said ‘’at the expense of being repetitive, the defendants who are alleged contemnor are once again ordered not to do anything that will undermine the suit before the court. It is the duty of all parties to obey the order of court’’.

‘’Therefore, counsel should note that the motion to set aside the orders of court and the main application has not been argued. So the court has to adjourn this matter in order for parties to be served appropriately so that justice can be done,” he stated.

He said the judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction subsists until they are set aside.

He said whether the orders were made rightly or wrongly, parties are bound by that order of the court no matter how perverse the order may seem to be.

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Justice Buba therefore adjourned the suit to June 19 for hearing of contempt proceedings against the former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, and the NDLEA Chairman, Ahmadu Giade.