Admin l Monday, February 13, 2017
IKOYI, Lagos, Nigeria – A group of women called Nigeria Women, in solidarity with the ex-first lady, Patience Jonathan today stormed premises of Federal High Court, Lagos protesting what they called continuous harassment of the former first lady by security agents.
The group led by Mrs Kate Onyejere, said continuous adjournment of the case filled by Patience Jonathan demanding $200 million from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC was meant to punish her.
“I am not satisfied today, some people came in today and said they needed time on the case and moved for an adjournment, that they needed time to study the matter and the judge moved for 6th March. But we are not happy, they just want to punish the woman and keep prolonging the issue, the Nigerian women are not happy.
Patience Jonathan is the only first lady who stood by the Nigerian women and touched the lives of the Nigerian women. I want to ask, why freezing this woman’s account, this woman has been an independent woman and was part of the women who sponsored her husband during the Presidential race, to tell you she’s solid and independent.
“Why are they harassing her, going to her house with masks, is she a criminal, going to her mother’s house and they are going about saying they won’t touch the husband. When you touch a man’s wife, haven’t you touched the man. When you touch the child, haven’t you touched the man.
“This is the time for stakeholders in the country to speak up. The likes of General Abdusalam Abubakar, General Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, they should speak up now, this is the time”, the group said.
When asked that her group had received forty million naira according to reports, Mrs Kate Onyejere said “I am sponsoring this myself, who can pay me. who can pay these women here, among them are doctors, lawyers and other professionals from various tribes and walks of life, how much can you pay each of them. Patience may be in Germany i don’t know but I sponsor these buses that bring us here everyday. So the answer is no, nobody pays me”, she said.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos today adjourned the hearing of a suit instituted by ex-first lady Patience Jonathan, to 6th March, 2017.
Patience Jonathan had sued the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, demanding $200 million as damages, after the agency froze the bank accounts containing a total of $15 million. Also joined in the suit are Skye Bank Plc, and a former Special Assistant to ex-President Jonathan, Waripama-Owei Dudafa.
Others include Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd, Transocean Property and Investment Company Ltd and Globus Integrated Service Ltd.
Mrs. Jonathan is demanding $200 million from the commission as damages for infringing on her rights. The former first lady is seeking an order discharging the freezing order, as well as restrain the EFCC and its agents from further placing a freezing order on the said accounts.
At the resumed hearing of the case, Mrs. Jonathan’s lawyers, Ifedayo Adedipe, said he had served the application to every party and that he was ready to proceed with the matter. Anana Nkerurem, counsel to the EFCC also affirmed that they were ready for the case to be heard. But Jeff Kadiri counsel to the 4th, 5th, and 6th defendants who was holding brief for Chief Mike Ozokheme pleaded for an adjournment, saying he has just been briefed.
“We have just been briefed on this matter and I am holding the brief for Chief Mike Ozokheme and we would be craving thye indulgence of the court to eneble us file the necessary process”.
Responding, Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe said he would not be opposing the fact that the Mr. Jeff is seeking for a date for the case to be adjourned for hearing.
Justice Idris who confirmed that counsel to the 4th, 5th and 6th respondents were first served the application in 2016 and later served on first February queried the delay and asked why Mr. Jeff needed more time to go through the matter, but in response, Mr. Jeff said he is not in position to know since he is holding brief for Chief Mike Ozokheme.
Justice Idris who frowned at the choice of 16th of march said that it doesn’t show any sign of seriousness and asked the Mr. Jeff to pick a closer date. 6th of March was agreed upon and the case was so adjourned by Justice Muhammed Idris.
