News
Tinubu not a suspect, we can’t try him IGP tells court
He told the court that since the APC presidential candidate was not a suspect in any case, there was no reason for the police to put him on trial.
However, the IGP, in the legal process filed through his lawyer, Wisdom Madaki, said he was aware of two different petitions from the group, requesting Tinubu’s arrest and prosecution over alleged perjury and certificate forgery.
He explained that the two petitions were predicated on allegations that the Supreme Court decided in 2002, in a suit filed by the late foremost human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi.
The IGP argued that since the alleged perjury and certificate forgery had been resolved by the apex court, there was no need for police to reopen the matter again.
Besides, he contended that police does not need any court order to make arrest or prosecute any individual since it derived its powers from the constitution and statutes.
Describing the suit as frivolous and vexatious, the IGP sought its dismissals for want of merit.
Meanwhile, counsel to the Applicant, Mr Eme Kalu Ekpu, told the court that he was just served with the counter-affidavit, even as requested for a short adjournment to enable him respond.
Consequently, Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the matter till January 19, 2023, for hearing.
It will be recalled that the court had earlier granted the group the permission to apply for an order of mandamus to compel the IGP to in line with Sections 31 and 32 of the Police Act and Section 3 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2015, prefer charges against the APC flag-bearer, following an allegation that he lied on oath.
It ordered service of all the relevant processes in the substantive suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1058/2022, on the Nigerian Police Force, NPF, and the IGP, who were cited as 1st and 2nd Respondents, respectively.
The group told the court that the suit was necessitated by the IGP’s refusal to take action on its petition against the APC presidential candidate over an offence it said was established by report of an investigation conducted by Lagos State House of Assembly in 1999.
The CSO told the court that it earlier forwarded a petition to Police authorities, demanding further action on the said investigative report.
It maintained that by virtue of Sections 214 and 215, of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as Section 4 of the Nigerian Police Act, 2020, the Police have the statutory responsibility to “prevent, detect and investigate criminal allegations whether brought to their notice by individuals, person or persons, corporate bodies, institutions etc”.
It further claimed that by Section 31 of the Nigerian Police Act, the Respondents, are duty bound to investigate alleged crime brought to them and report their findings to the Attorney General of the Federation or of a state, as the case may be, for legal advice.
The Applicant added that by Section 32(1) of the Police Act, “a suspect or Defendant alleged or charged with committing offence established by an Act of the National Assembly or under any other laws shall be arrested, investigated and tried or dealt with according to the provisions of this Act, except otherwise provided under this Act”.
It contended that it had the legal competence to invoke the jurisdiction of the court to compel the Respondents to discharge their legal, constitutional and public duties in line with the law.
More so, the Applicant lamented that its two letters dated June 16 and 27, which it forwarded to the Respondents, wherein it demanded the prosecution of the APC candidate over alleged perjury, had until now been ignored.
It said the Respondents had also “not notified the Applicant of any action taken on the said letter”.
The Applicant told the court that following a letter by late legal luminary, Gani Fawehinmi, in 1999, the Lagos State House of Assembly had set up an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the alleged act of perjury wherein the Committee had in its report on page 13 stated that “However, on question of providing false information on oath (sections 191 and 197) we are satisfied that the statement of the governor’s educational qualification which he has admitted were incorrect were not intended…”
The Executive Secretary of the Igbo Oriental Think Tank, Dr. Kenneth Anozie, has highlighted the vision of Dr. Chukwuma Anyichuks Odii for Ebonyi State ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
In a statement titled “Anyichuks Odii 2027: I Have a Dream for Ebonyi State,” Anozie compared Odii’s vision for Ebonyi with the transformational ideals associated with American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
According to the political analyst, Odii believes that Ebonyi State possesses enormous potential capable of benefiting the wider population rather than serving the interests of a few.
Anozie said Odii’s proposed agenda includes a restructuring of government to ensure equitable representation and development across the different zones of Ebonyi State.
He also listed improved infrastructure as a key component of Odii’s vision, particularly roads and other projects that would facilitate the movement of agricultural produce, stimulate industrial development and create employment opportunities for youths.
The analyst further said Odii plans to make the civil service more responsive to the needs of residents, establish major healthcare centres across the state’s local government areas to help reduce child mortality, and provide extensive ICT training for young people.
Anozie said the ICT initiative could position Ebonyi as a hub for technology talent, with trained professionals able to compete for opportunities locally and internationally.
“Anyichuks has a dream. Ndi Ebonyi need to cue in to that dream for the benefits of all,” Anozie said.
He urged Ebonyi residents to pay attention to the proposed agenda and participate actively in determining the direction of the state ahead of the 2027 election.
Dr. Kenneth Anozie is the Executive Secretary of the Igbo Oriental Think Tank and a political analyst.
…Governor trounces APC’s Oyebamiji with 66,252
The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared Governor Ademola Adeleke, of the Accord Party, the winner of the 2026 governorship election.
Announcing the final results, INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, the Vice- Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti declared Adeleke winner and returned him elected.
Ogunwole announced that the Accord candidate secured 511,067 while his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, recorded 444,815 votes.
Adeleke trounced his major opponent with 66,252 votes amid wild jubilation by party supporters and other residents.
Details later…
The Osun State Governor and Accord Party candidate, Ademola Adeleke, has won 19 of the 30 Local Government Areas in Saturday’s governorship election, while the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Oyebamiji, secured victory in 11 LGAs.Download Offline Maps
The results are being collated and announced, with the Independent National Electoral Commission expected to make the official declaration after the completion of the process.
Adeleke recorded notable victories across several parts of the state, including Ede South, Ede North, Osogbo, Ife Central, Ife East, Ife North, Ilesa West, Odo Otin, Egbedore and Iwo.
Oyebamiji, however, won key LGAs including Ilesa East, Boripe, Irepodun, Obokun, Atakumosa West, Atakumosa East, Irewole, Isokan, Ola-Oluwa, Ife South and Olorunda.
The results announced so far show a closely contested election between the two major candidates, with the other candidates recording significantly lower figures in most of the LGAs.Download Interactive Maps
In Boluwaduro, Adeleke polled 7,118 votes against Oyebamiji’s 7,050. In Ede South, Adeleke secured 26,188 votes while the APC candidate scored 6,219.
Adeleke also won Ife North with 13,879 votes to Oyebamiji’s 9,613; Ilesa West with 16,196 against 12,756; Ifedayo with 7,427 against 6,836; and Ife Central with 21,171 against 15,913.
In Osogbo, Adeleke recorded 36,480 votes while Oyebamiji polled 30,474. He also won Oriade with 21,343 votes to 14,863 and Odo Otin with 18,003 votes against 15,435.
Other LGAs won by Adeleke included Ife East, where he scored 27,201 votes against Oyebamiji’s 18,600; Ifelodun, 21,107 against 18,396; Iwo, 27,085 against 19,660; Ede North, 35,427 against 10,283; Ila, 16,211 against 12,934; Ayedire, 11,073 against 9,910; Egbedore, 19,278 against 11,194; and Ayedaade, 16,681 against 15,719.Design Campaign Signs
Oyebamiji secured victories in Ilesa East with 16,208 votes against Adeleke’s 12,280; Boripe with 19,963 against 12,448; Irepodun with 15,713 against 14,504; and Obokun with 16,120 against 12,023.
He also won Atakumosa West, polling 10,037 votes to Adeleke’s 7,479; Irewole, 29,972 against 10,934; Atakumosa East, 9,936 against 7,872; Isokan, 14,063 against 13,765; Ola-Oluwa, 10,782 against 10,063; Ife South, 14,678 against 13,507; and Olorunda, 24,671 against 23,514.
The outcome places Adeleke ahead in the overall LGA tally, although the final result remains subject to the completion of the official collation and declaration by INEC.
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As of about 4:30pm on Saturday, INEC had uploaded 903 of the 3,763 expected polling-unit results to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV), representing about 24 per cent of the results expected across the state.
The emerging figures show Adeleke’s party making an early statement, particularly in Osogbo, where results from two polling units reviewed showed the Accord Party ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
At Ward 4, Unit 39, Osogbo Local Government Area, Accord secured 65 votes, while the APC polled 43. The ADC recorded two votes, while ZLP, AA and AAC each scored one vote.
Another result from Ward 4, Unit 13, also in Osogbo, further tilted in favour of the Accord Party, which scored 134 votes against 75 votes for the APC. The ADC polled four votes, while ADP, AAC and APGA recorded one vote each.
The figures have placed Adeleke ahead in the early results emerging from the available uploads, although the lead cannot yet be treated as an indication of the final statewide outcome.
The race remains open, with thousands of polling-unit results still to be uploaded, verified and collated through the official INEC process.
The emerging results are nevertheless significant because they provide the first concrete picture of how the three leading contenders — Adeleke of the Accord Party, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji and African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam — are performing in areas where results have been made available.
The early advantage for Adeleke comes after a tense election day marked by complaints over delays in the electronic transmission of results, alleged incidents of intimidation and vote-buying, as well as isolated reports of violence.
Adeleke had earlier expressed confidence in victory after casting his vote, while Oyebamiji also declared that he expected to win the contest. Salaam, meanwhile, raised concerns over the alleged non-recognition of some ADC agents and later reported an attack at his polling unit in Ejigbo.
Attention has now shifted from voting to the results battle, with parties and supporters closely monitoring the IReV portal and the official collation centres.
Following the conclusion of voting, presiding officers have commenced the sorting and counting of ballots at polling units, with results beginning to emerge from different parts of the state in Saturday’s governorship election.
Three major candidates in the Osun governorship election had expressed confidence in emerging victorious as the polls entered the sorting and collation stage, with each candidate and their supporters optimistic about securing the mandate of the electorate.
Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, on Saturday, expressed confidence in emerging victorious in the ongoing governorship election after casting his vote at Sagba Abogunde Ward 2, Unit 9, in Ede North Local Government Area.
Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Osun State, Najeem Salaam, raised concerns over the alleged non-recognition of his party agents in several areas across the state during Saturday’s election.
Meanwhile, as at 4.30pm, a check by our correspondent to the IReV portal indicated that 903 out of 3,763 units have been uploaded
Results announced so far:
1. Ward 4, Unit 39, Osogbo Local Government Area
ZLP — 1
AA — 1
AAC — 1
ADC — 2
APC — 43
Accord Party — 65
Presiding Officer: Oyeranmi Deborah
2. Ward 4, Unit 13, Osogbo Local Government Area
Accord Party — 134
APC — 75
ADC — 4
ADP — 1
AAC — 1
APGA — 1
Presiding Officer: Mabel Olowolayemo
3. From Ede North, 007/02/07/29
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