Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on Friday, failed to open his defence for the second time at the Federal High Court in Abuja in the alleged terrorism trial.
Kanu, who opted to defend himself, told Justice James Omotosho upon resumed hearing that his disengaged lawyers were yet to handover the case file to him.
“My lord, my counsel left the case yesterday and I have not received the file from them
“The few people that would have brought this were precluded from seeing me,” he said.
The IPOB leader then sought an adjournment to enable him prepared for his defence.
Although counsel for the Federal Government, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, did not oppose the application, the senior lawyer prayed the court to stand by the standing order which directed Kanu to defend himself within six days.
“I m aware that there is a standing order for the defendant to defend himself within dix days.
“The defendant wasted yesterday. This is the second day my lord. I urge your lordship to keep to the standing order,” Awomolo said.
Justice Omotosho, who begged Kanu to make judicious use of the opportunity offered to him in line with Section 36 of the constitution to defend himself, said the defendant cannot be enforced to do so if he decided to waive the right.
The judge adjourned the matter until Monday for Kanu to open his defence.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
