A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, declined a request seeking an order postponing the 2023 Census slated to be held from May 3 to 5.

Justice Inyang Ekwo refused to grant the application, but instead asked the applicant, Omotuyi Ademola, to put the defendant, the National Population Commission, on notice.

Ekwo affirmed that the applicant’s lawyer moved a motion for an interim injunction to postpone the conduct of the 2023 census, however, he said, “on considering the motion, I am of the opinion that the defendant should be put on notice” to appear in court and show cause why the applicant’s motion should not be granted.

In his ex parte application, the applicant stated that the NPC currently lacked effective preparation and adequate publicity towards the conduct of a credible, effective and constitutional census in the country.

As a result, he asked for a declaration that the commission was currently underfunded and thus unprepared to conduct a credible, effective and constitutional census.

Commission Act, the aim, intent, importance and purpose of the 2023 census will not be defeated for lack of adequate preparation, lack of adequate awareness and publicity and paucity of funds.

“Whether if the above is in the affirmative, it will not lead to an exacerbated undercount and inefficiency of the census purpose.”

He thereafter prayed the court for an order postponing the forthcoming census for six months to ensure adequate preparation, publicity and adequate funding for the commission.

Justice Ekwo subsequently adjourned the matter until May 5, for the defendant to show cause.

The Deputy Governorship Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Benue State, Idu Christopher Onyiloyi has been sacked by a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Onyiloyi who was billed to participate in the March 11, 2023 governorship election was replaced with Ochechi Godwin Adejor by justice Inyang Ekwo.

In the suit instituted by Adejor, the presiding judge, Justice Ekwo held that Onyiloyi who personally wrote the Labour Party on the withdrawal of his candidacy and deposed to an affidavit as a legal backing ceased by law to hold the same status.

Relying on sections 221, 222 of the 1999 Constitution and sections 29, 31, 32, 33 and 84 of the Electoral Act 2022, the judge replaced Onyiloyi’s name with Adejor as the Deputy Governorship Candidate of the party.

Justice Ekwoalso ordered the Labour Party to immediately forward the name of Ochechi Adejor to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for publication as the lawful Deputy Governorship Candidate.

An order compelling INEC to publish Adejor’s name and also restrained INEC from accepting any name other than that of the plaintiff as the Deputy Governorship Candidate was issued by the court.

A coalition of civil society organizations has called for the removal of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa from office following his alleged disobedience to court orders

The over one hundred and twenty- civil society groups after rounding off a weeklong protest in Lagos addressed journalists during a town hall meeting.

They accused the EFCC of greater corruption and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately put machinery in motion to sanitize the commission in line with the fight against corruption by the present administration.

They later issued a seven-day ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari directing the Inspector General of police to effect the arrest order on Bawa and commit him to prison.

Meanwhile, the Spokesman of EFCC Wilson Uwujaren in his response said the protests by the CSOs against Bawa and the EFCC were sponsored by persons under investigation by the anti‐graft agency.

The angry protesters had earlier stormed the Lagos state House of Assembly, Alausa Ikeja with their petition to the speaker, Mudasiru Obasa for onward delivery to the National Assembly in Abuja.