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Court nullifies El-Rufai’s revocation of Durbar Hotel’s C of O

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A Kaduna High Court has nullified the revocation of the Certificate of Occupancy of Durbar Hotel by the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

In January 2020, El-Rufai demolished Durbar Hotel, which belonged to the family of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, and revoked its C of O while the case was still pending in court.

The Abacha family through their counsel, Dr. Reuben Atabo, consequently dragged the governor and three others to the Kaduna High Court presided over by Justice Hannatu Balogun for the “illegal demolition” of the Hotel and revocation of its C of O.

Joined in the suit number KDH/KAD/51/2020 with the Kaduna governor were the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Kaduna State, the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency, and the Kaduna State Geographic and Information Service, according to a news report.
The lead counsel to the Abacha family, had, upon a “Motion on Notice brought pursuant to Order 15 Rules 1 of the Kaduna State High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2007 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the Honourable Court dated and filed on 17 December, 2020 prayed for an order setting aside and or nullifying the purported Notice of revocation of Certificate of Occupancy No. 177789 in respect of Durbar Hotel addressed to Alhaji Mohammed Abacha during the pendency of the suit.”

He also prayed for “an order setting aside and/or nullifying the revocation of the title of the Plaintiff/Applicant on the 24 day of January 2020 by the Defendants/ Respondents but received on the 29/1/2020 during the pendency of the action.”

The counsel also prayed for “an order to maintain status quo antebellum prior to the commencement of this action, and for such further order (s) as the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the present circumstances which came up for hearing on 30/03/2023 before the presiding Judge.”

Counsel for the Plaintiff, E.D Izu Esq, moving their application supported by a nine-paragraph affidavit, annextures and a written address in support of the application, submitted that the Defendants had not been able to counter the averments in the affidavit because they were awaiting directives from the government officials and applied for an adjournment to put their house in order.

In the ruling, the presiding Judge, Justice Hannatu Balogun, stated that, “Having heard both counsel, the oral application to stay hearing of the motion dated 17/12/2020 and filed on the same date cannot be granted because the matter in the Court of Appeal is an appeal against the grant of leave to amend the Plaintiffs processes.

“There is currently no stay of proceedings in this Court and the Defendants appear not to be diligent in prosecuting their appeal while at the same time they continue to disobey the Orders of this Court and also are trying to do acts that will prejudice the other side. The duty of this Court is to ensure that there is a level playing ground for all parties.

“In the circumstance, the application to stay proceedings or adjourning this matter cannot be granted in the interest of justice and fairness. It is accordingly refused and the business of the day shall proceed.

“I have considered the application to adjourn this matter made again after the motion has been moved and I agree with the Plaintiffs Counsel that the Defendants have not shown bona fide. They have not denied the fact that there is tampering of the res by them or others at their instance.

“In the circumstance, since the application has bearing on the res and the Defendants have not deemed it fit to respond to the motion for over 2 years, there is nothing to show that the interest of justice will be achieved by an adjournment of this matter. The application for adjournment is accordingly refused.

“Having considered the Plaintiffs motion of 17/12/2020 which is uncontested, I am of the view that the application has merit in view of the grounds of the application, the unchallenged affidavit and the Exhibits annexed.

“The Supreme Court and in deed all Courts of the land have decried the use of self-help by litigants. It is the duty of the Courts to provide a level playing field for all parties and not allow any side to use the judicial system side by side with self-help to the disadvantage of the other.

“On the whole, I grant the Plaintiff’s motion dated 17/12/2020 and nullify the purported Notice of revocation of Certificate of Occupancy No. 177789 in respect of Durbar Hotel and nullifying the revocation of the Plaintiff’s title made on the 24/01/2020 and received on the 29/1/2020 during the pendency of this action. The status quo antebellum i.e. prior to commencement of this action shall be maintained by all parties.”

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How Palmpay overcame trust deficit in 12 months- MD Nwosu

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Nigerians’ trust in Palmpay, a Central Bank of Nigeria’s fintech licensed bank, has grown tremendously in the last 12 months.

The Managing Director of Palmpay Nigeria, Chika Nwosu, disclosed this recently when he appeared on  Channels TV Business Roundtable.

Recall that the CBN recently restricted Palmpay and four fintech banks from onboarding new customers.

However, Nwosu gave insights into regulatory concerns surrounding the FinTech ecosystem and said that Palmpay has come to stay within Nigeria’s banking sector.

“Whatever happens with regulation is for the good of the FinTech space in Nigeria. Initially, when we started, there was an issue of trust. However, I can tell you now that the last 1 year after the cashless policy has seen the trust start to grow”.

The Managing Director emphasized PalmPay’s unwavering support for regulators in regulating the FinTech ecosystem, underscoring that regulators want to improve the services of strong players in the FinTech space, such as PalmPay.

On the ease of doing business and how it affects PalmPay, he said:

“Doing business in Nigeria for us is difficult, but Nigerians are embracing our App and digital payment”.

When asked about the problem of failed transfers, he stressed,

“Every institution has its business strategy and infrastructure. For us and most fintechs, we have a structure that makes transactions seamless”.

Regarding the regulator’s recent onboarding policy, he stated that PalmPay agreed with the regulators on some grey areas that must be addressed.

Reassuring customers that there was no issue with using PalmPay, he emphasized, “If PalmPay completes their own today, we will start onboarding today”.

On the issue of trust and the security of the PalmPay app, he said,

“There is no day you won’t see on our app boldly written that we are licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and our deposits are insured by the Nigeria Deposits Insurance Corporation (NDIC). PalmPay is here to stay”.

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Mushin LG Chairman flags off construction of Yusuf Street road, promises solar lighting

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The Mushin Local Government Chairman, Hon. Emmanuel Bamigboye on Wednesday flagged off the construction of Yusuf Street road in Papa Ajao.

The project is expected to bring relief to residents and traders in the area and is set to be completed within six months.

According to Bamigboye, the project is a fulfillment of his campaign promise to the people of Mushin, and he expressed gratitude to God for the opportunity to execute the project.

He urged residents to cooperate with the contractor and the local government to ensure the successful completion of the project.

The councillor representing the ward, Ayomide Abioye, expressed his joy and appreciation for the project, stating that it is the longest street in Papa Ajao and will bring immense benefit to the community.

Also, the Baba Oloja of Ladipo International Market, Eze Monday, also commended the Executive Chairman for the project, stating that it will make a significant impact on the development of the area.

The project includes the construction of the road and the installation of solar lighting, which is expected to enhance security and facilitate economic activities in the area.

Residents and traders in the area have been warned not to disturb the contractor or disrupt the project in any way.

Meanwhile, the traders applauded Hon. Bamigboye for demonstrating its commitment to infrastructural development and the welfare of its citizens.

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Giving back to community — Prof Oyedokun speaks on motives

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Lead Facilitator Professor of Accounting & Financial Development Founder OGE, Prof. Godwin Emmanuel Oyedokun, has disclosed that giving back to society community is his motive for pursuing his career.

He made the disclosure in an article titled “My motive for running a free professional diploma course in Forensic Accounting and Fraud Investigation is of several folds.”

He said, “Running a free professional diploma course in forensic accounting and fraud investigation is also motivated by my desire to give back to the community.

“By sharing my expertise and knowledge without any financial barriers, I am helping individuals from diverse backgrounds and financial situations to acquire valuable skills and advance their careers.”

The academic reiterated that the motive for running a free professional diploma course in forensic accounting and fraud investigation is centred around education, skill development, community service, and professional growth.

It is a way to contribute to the accounting profession, address a skill gap, and empower individuals in their pursuit of knowledge and career advancement.

According to him, “Promoting Education and Professional Development to contribute to the growth and development of the accounting profession by providing individuals with an opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills in the specialised field of forensic accounting and fraud investigation.

“By offering this free course, i am enabling aspiring professionals to access valuable education that might otherwise be costly or inaccessible.”

The Don addressing the need for expertise in Forensic Accounting said, “In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for professionals skilled in forensic accounting and fraud investigation due to the rise in financial crimes and fraudulent activities. By offering this free course, I am helping to address this skill gap and aiding in the fight against financial fraud.”

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