The Supreme Court has affirmed the victory of Governor Dapo Abiodun of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at the March 18 governorship election in Ogun State.
The Apex Court upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja which dismissed the appeal filed by by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Ladi Adebutu, seeking the nullification of the re-election of Governor Abiodun.
Delivering the Lead Judgement, Justice Tijani Abubakar dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit
The Supreme Court has affirmed the Victory of Uba Sani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the March 18 governorship election in Kaduna state.
The Apex Court upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja which set aside the decision of the Kaduna governorship election tribunal sacking Sani and declaring the governorship election in the state as inconclusive.
Delivering the Lead Judgement, Justice Tijani Abubakar dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.
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The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Nasir Idris of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the Governor of Kebbi State.
The Apex Court upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja dismissing the appel filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Aminu Bande challenging the victory of at the March 18 governorship election.
Delivering the Lead Judgement, Justice Abba Aji dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit
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The Supreme Court on Friday, dismissed an appeal by Jibrin Barde of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)challenging the election of Governor Muhammad Yahaya of Gombe state.
The Apex court lead judgment read
by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, unanimously dismissed an appeal by Barde for want of merit, incompetent and liable to be dismissed.
Consequently, the apex court has affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, which had in November, 2023, upheld the election of Yahaya as Governor of Gombe State.
The appellate court had upheld Yahaya’s election after dismissing two separate appeals challenging his declaration as winner of the March 18, governorship election in the state.
A 5-man panel of the Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by David Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party seeking to upturn the electoral victory of Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Sule as winner of the election with 347,209 votes to beat his closest challenger, Ombugadu, who polled 283,016 votes.
Not happy with the results declared by INEC, Ombugadu and his party, the PDP, filed a petition at the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to challenge the outcome of the polls.
On October 2, 2023, a 3-man panel of the election petition tribunal led by Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, in a split decision of two-to-one, declared Ombugadu, the validly elected governor of Nasarawa State.
However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja, affirmed the election of Abdullahi Sule as Nasarawa State governor, after overturning the earlier decision of the election petition tribunal that removed him from office.
Delivering judgement on the appeal filed by Sule, a three-member panel of the appeal court held that the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal was wrong to have declared David Ombugadu, as the winner of the 18 March election.
Not relenting, Ombugadu appealed at the apex court.
But in a lead judgment, Justice Kudirat Kekere Ekun dismissed Ombugadu’s appeal for being ‘devoid of merit, vexatious and incompetent.
The panel unanimously held that all the sister appeals abide by the instant judgment.
More so, the panel ordered parties to bear their respective costs.
Recall that Governor Sule was initially declared the winner of the polls by INEC.
But Ombugadu challenged the election outcome at the tribunal, arguing that he won the majority of valid votes during the contest.
In a split decision of the tribunal on October 2, two members, forming the majority, declared Ombugadu the winner of the election, while the minority opinion of the only other member affirmed Sule’s victory.
Sule subsequently appealed against the majority decision of the tribunal, and won.
The supreme court, Friday, dismissed judgments on three separate appeals seeking to nullify the election of Sheriff Oborevwori as Delta state governor.
The court held that the appeals instituted by the aggrieved candidates, including Ovie Omo-Agege, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ken Pela of the Labour Party (LP) and Kenneth Gbagi of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), is incompetent and lacks merit.
In separate judgements, delivered by a five-man panel of the Justices read by Justice Inyang Okoro, the Apex court held that the appallants failed to prove that the court below erred in it’s judgement by affirming the election that declared Sheriff Oborevori winner of the March 18 election in the state.
The court held that haven considered the arguments of the Counsels, the extent laws and evidences therein as far as the authorities cited, it concluded that appeal has no singular merit.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Oborevwori, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the winner of the governorship election held on March 18.
Aggrieved by the outcome of the poll, other candidates, including Ovie Omo-Agege, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ken Pela of the Labour Party (LP) and Kenneth Gbagi of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), filed separate petitions before the governorship tribunal.
However, all the appeals were dismissed by the tribunal.
The court of appeal also affirmed Oborevwori’s election.
At the supreme court session on Tuesday, the appellants, through their respective counsels, faulted the verdicts of the two lower courts.
Omo-Agege contended that the election was not conducted in substantial compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.
He told the apex court that the results of the governorship election were not properly recorded at some polling units, adding that the forms that contained some of the recorded results did not have serial numbers.
Gbagi on the other hand prayed the court to declare that Oborevwori was not eligible to contest the election.
Pela, the LP candidate, prayed the supreme court to nullify the entire election and order a fresh one.
After listening to all parties, a five-member panel of the court said a date for judgment would be communicated.
The United Nations (UN) has sounded the alarm on the escalating wave of kidnappings for ransom in various regions of Nigeria, with a particular focus on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Expressing deep concern, the UN’s Chief Security Advisor, Phillip Ackatia-Armah, emphasized the need for urgent attention and heightened security measures.
In an advisory, Ackatia-Armah urged UN staff and their dependents to exercise caution, especially during nighttime movements, as criminals increasingly target individuals perceived as capable of paying ransoms.
While UN personnel may not be directly singled out, their vulnerability lies in residing within communities where they may be recognized as potential sources of ransom funds.
The advisory includes recommendations such as changing daily routes and timings to avoid predictability, keeping emergency contact numbers readily available, and informing others of whereabouts.
It also provides guidance on interacting with kidnappers, emphasizing the importance of staying calm, subtly signaling for help, and continuously assessing surroundings for potential escape routes.
The UN’s proactive measures come in response to a notable increase in kidnapping incidents in Abuja in recent weeks.
The organization aims to ensure the safety of its personnel by disseminating these guidelines to navigate the current security challenges in the Nigerian capital.
President Bola Tinubu has expressed sadness over the tragic incident which happened in Ibadan, Oyo state, on Tuesday, January 16.
This was made known in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, via Dada Olusegun’s X handle on Wednesday, January 17.
The statement reads: “President Bola Tinubu has expressed sadness over the devastating explosion that occurred on Tuesday night in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
“The explosion killed two persons and wounded about 80 others. It also destroyed several buildings, vehicles, and other properties.
“It is worrisome that the cause of the blast is being attributed to the activities of illegal miners. Those behind the inexcusable and reckless behaviour that has created the conditions for the sad incident to occur must be fished out and punished,” the President said.
“President Tinubu commiserated with the government and people of Oyo State and called on all concerned agencies of government to unravel the circumstances that led to the tragedy with alacrity.
“The President directs the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to work with the Oyo State Government to offer immediate and comprehensive relief to the victims.”
A survivor of the explosion that occurred at Dejo Oyelese Street, Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State on Tuesday night, identified as Adeleke, has recounted how he lost his elder brother to the tragic incident.
Fewer than 10 persons were killed in the explosion, with 77 others injured.
Adeleke, who spoke with a local broadcasting station, Lagelu FM, said they were playing tennis at the hotel before his brother left to attend to something, and the explosion, which caused a stir, sent a sharp object that gave him a deep cut in his stomach.
He identified his late brother as Oladipupo, noting that he was rushed to the Adeoyo General Hospital immediately after the incident.
He said, “He came out to the front of the transformer where the incident happened. His intestines were out after the cut.”
Another survivor, Olaitan Okanlawon, said the incident happened around 7 pm after hearing a strange sound and vibration.
She added, “I was inside with my husband and kids. And we started hearing strange sounds and vibrations, it was not clear until we began to see rubbles, outside the window.
“One of my kids has a cut on his head and is being attended to, we have moved out our stuff to the hotel.”
Reacting to the incident, the state governor, Seyi Makinde, said preliminary investigations by security agencies revealed that explosive devices stored by illegal miners caused the explosion that rocked the area.
Makinde, who visited the explosion scene Tuesday night, said that though further investigations were still ongoing, anyone found culpable would be brought to book
Governor Hope Uzodomma of Imo State has dissolved the State Executive Council and sacked the Local Government Area Chairmen.
The governor disclosed this on Tuesday during a state executive council meeting at the Sam Mbawke Executive Chambers at the Government House, Owerri.
Those affected included the Secretary to the State Government, Commissioners, Special Advisers and Senior Special Advisers, the Chief of Staff, and the Chief Press Secretary.
While dissolving the cabinet, Uzodomma thanked his former appointees for their contributions towards the success of his administration during his first term in office.
He said the dissolution has become necessary to rejig the new administration for optimum performance and new direction and to meet up with the realities of the moment.
The governor also apologised for any wrongdoing to any appointee during his first tenure and promised to carry everyone along in his second tenure in the interest and development of the state.
Uzodimma is expected to constitute a new cabinet by sending commissioner-nominees to the state assembly for confirmation.
Governor Uzodinma and his deputy, Lady Chinyere Ekomaru, on Monday, took their oath of offices at the Dan Ayiam Stadium in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
President Bola Tinubu, ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the Speaker of the House of Representative Tajudeen Abbas, and other All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains were among those in attendance.