News
Off-season polls: Electronic collation illegal, says INEC, police warn NLC
•Uzodimma, others absent at peace accord, Diri, Sylva clash, Imo workers, banks shun strike
The Independent National Electoral Commission has insisted that electronic collation of results is illegal in Nigeria.
The commission said this against the backdrop of expectations that the results of Saturday’s off-cycle governorship elections in Imo, Kogi, and Bayelsa states would be transmitted electronically.
The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, made the clarification to one of our correspondents on Wednesday, as the police in Imo State warned the organised labour against intimidating voters during the election in the state.
There has been a clamour for electronic transmission of election results in the country with the issue forming a core plank of the presidential election petitions filed at the Presidential Election Petitions Court by the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party.
But Oyekanmi clarified that the result viewing portal was not for collating election results or determining the winner; neither was the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System an electronic voting machine.
When asked how results from the polling units would be transmitted after voting had been concluded in the governorship polls in the three states, Oyekanmi explained, “Polling unit election results, also known as Form EC8As, will be uploaded directly to the INEC Result Viewing Portal from the individual PUs by the presiding officers after the close of poll and declaration of results at that level.
“Presiding Officers are expected to use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System to snap the Form EC8A and upload the same to the IReV after the conclusion of all processes at the various polling units.
“However, people need to understand that the IReV is not for collating election results or determining the winner, while the BVAS is also not an electronic voting machine.
IReV portal
“To be sure, electronic voting or collation of results is illegal in Nigeria at the moment. All that the IReV portal does is just to display the Form EC8A uploaded from the polling units for the public to see.
“The process for determining and declaring the winner of a governorship election is well encapsulated in section 179 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Speaking on the logistics arrangement the commission had made for the distribution of materials given the strike declared by the organised labour in Imo State, the chief press secretary noted, “In the area of logistics for Imo State, we already have an agreement with individual vehicle owners and the NURTW (National Union of Road Transport Workers), Imo State Chapter, for forward and reverse logistics.
“We will fulfill all our obligations and we expect the other parties to fulfill their obligations too. We have not received any information to the contrary.”
In readiness for the election, the Imo State Police Command said it would not spare anyone who might want to disrupt the exercise in the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, said the command had carried out heavy deployments across the state following an appraisal of the security situation during the presidential, National, and House Assembly polls conducted earlier in the year.
Speaking on the strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress in the state, he noted that the labour unions lacked the constitutional power to halt an election and cautioned the unions’ leaders against intimidating voters.
Okoye said, “(The) Nigerian Labour Congress can never stop the election from being held in Imo State. They don’t have the constitutional power to stop elections from being held in Imo State. The election will be held successfully in Imo State. The election will be conducted successfully in Imo State.
“We have done an appraisal of the presidential and National House Assembly elections conducted this year which was relatively peaceful. And now we have come up with enhanced security measures to ensure that the election this time around is going to be conducted free, fair, transparent, and will be acceptable at the end of the day.
“I don’t need to mention any areas, but what I can say is that we have done our assessment, and we’re fully prepared, we have prepared enough security on the ground to make sure that the election in Imo State is successful.”
Concerning the threat posed by the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra and the Eastern Security Network, Okoye stated, “We are going to deal ruthlessly with any criminally-minded individual or group of individuals that wants to disrupt the election in Imo state.”
Responding to a question about the security threats in the volatile areas in the three states, the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, noted that the police had beefed up security in all the areas of concern.
He said, “We have done heavy deployments in all areas. DIGs have been charged to head election security management in the affected states.’’
Meanwhile, the industrial action declared by the Organised Labour in Imo State recorded partial compliance as Imo workers, ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as banks, shunned the strike.
Our correspondent who monitored the development in Owerri, the state capital, reported that banks, state government offices, and the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport in Owerri opened for business.
But the courts and schools were shut while students who had gone to school were observed returning home.
There had been a power outage in the state for the past eight days.
Civil servants
A civil servant who confided in our correspondent said that there was a memo mandating employees not to honour the NLC strike.
A source at the Sam Mbakwe cargo airport told our correspondent that flights landed and took off at the airport on Wednesday.
Also, fuel stations opened and dispensed fuel to motorists unhindered in the state capital.
The state chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers didn’t join the industrial action.
A group, Imo Patriot League, and other Civil Society Organisations criticised the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and asked him to reconsider the decision of the labour unions to cut electricity supply to the state.
At a press conference in Owerri, on Wednesday, the convener cum spokesperson for the group, Jones Onwuasonya, said that the organized labour’s industrial action had cost the state about N500bn loss.
He said that the economy of the state was shrinking on account of the power outage.
The group accused Ajaero of working with the opposition parties to undermine Governor Hope Uzodimma’s re-election bid.
Onwuasonya said “We find it reprehensible that Comrade Joe Ajaero, an Imo son could bring himself to derail the governorship election because of his personal political agenda, which by all intents and purposes is vindictive and selfish.
Uzodimma, others absent at peace accord, Diri, Sylva clash
PDP urges REC to recuse self from Imo poll INEC adds Sylva to Bayelsa gov candidates list.
In Lokoja, the 18 political parties participating in the governorship election in Kogi State signed a peace accord on Wednesday.
The accord was the initiative of the National Peace Committee led by former head of State, General Abdusalami Abubakar (retd.)
Present at the occasion was Governor Alhaji Yayaha Bello who pledged the commitment of his party, the All Progressive Congress, to a free, fair, and credible election.
Speaking at the ceremony, a former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Cardinal John Onaiyekan emphasised the need for a peaceful election, arguing that no meaningful development could take place in an atmosphere of chaos and insecurity.
“The exercise should be an honest and serious commitment by all candidates to ensure a peaceful election and peaceful coexistence even after the election might have been concluded,” he said.
Bello in his address stated, ‘’I stand before today to emphasize the commitment of our party to peace before, during and after the election. I also want to assure you that we in APC are going to abide by this and none of our members will be found wanting before, during and after the election.’’
He said the government had made the state too hot for criminals.
Giving an update on the election security operation in Kogi, the state Commissioner of Police, Bertrand Onuoha, explained that the command had identified several flash points in the Central and the Eastern Senatorial Districts of the state.
The areas, he said, included Olamaboro, Dekina, Ejule in the East and Adavi, Obehira, and Obangede in the Central District.
The commissioner said sufficient personnel would be deployed in the black spots areas, before, during and after the election.
Security agents
He said. ‘’About 40, 000 security operatives will be mobilised for the poll in the state because the election is an off-season one; we will have enough officers available for mobilisation for effective coverage due to the volatile nature of Kogi elections.”
On efforts being made so far, the CP explained that he had met with the Attah Igala, who assured him that he would talk to his subjects about the need to be civil before, during and after the election.
He said the political parties had also been advised to be civil in their campaigns and not use abusive words.
“I have also been meeting with officers and rank and files of all sister security agencies and everyone has been properly briefed about the role they are expected to play during and after the election,’’ he added.
Onuoha sounded a note of warning to those who might be planning to foment trouble during and after the election to have a rethink ‘’because they will not be given a breathing space to do so.’’
Reacting to the calls for his redeployment for being partisan, the CP declared that he was not in the state to serve the interest of any individual or political party but to protect the interest of the people at the instance of the IG.
“He (IG) is the only one who can pass judgment on my performance. So, as long as the IG is satisfied with my performance, I have nothing to worry about,’’ he added.
In a move to ensure a credible and peaceful exercise, the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, Wednesday, held a crucial meeting with key stakeholders in Kogi State.
Disclosing this in a statement, Adejobi, said, “The meeting, which was held in the state capital, brought together various stakeholders including political leaders, representatives of political parties, civil society organizations electoral officials, traditional and religious leaders, youth leaders, and security agencies.
“’The primary goal of this gathering was to engage in constructive dialogue, share information, and strategize on measures to guarantee a free, fair, credible, and peaceful electoral process in the state.
“The IGP also encouraged political leaders to play a significant role in maintaining the peace by promoting a culture of non-violence among their supporters and ensuring that the electoral process is conducted without any form of intimidation or coercion.’’
He further noted that the IG charged the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department to take over the investigation into the armed attack that took place in the Anyigba area of Kogi State on Tuesday.
He added, “During the meeting, the IGP reacting to a trending video of an incident in Anyigba where it was alleged that some armed men attacked the residence of one of the key officials in one of the parties, charged the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department to take over the case for thorough investigation in order to ascertain all parties concerned, their respective levels of involvement and to ensure justice by all means.
“The Inspector General of Police reiterated that the Force is committed to impartiality and neutrality throughout the electoral process and will take decisive action against any person who engages in any form of misconduct or violence. He also charged candidates and their followers to embrace peace as the police and other security agents would not spare anyone caught fomenting troubles during the electioneering process.”
The Force Headquarters also noted that the police had carried out heavy deployments in all areas, including areas prone to violent attacks, adding that three Deputy Inspectors-Generals of Police had been deployed for election security management in the three states.
In response to the incident at Anyigba, the spokesperson for the APC Governorship Campaign Council in Kogi State, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, appealed to the security agencies to absolve its members from the violence that rocked the Kogi East Senatorial zone of the state.
Speaking at a press conference in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Wednesday, he insisted that members of the party were not involved in any violent and terrorist acts in any part of the state.
Fanwo, who is also the state commissioner for Information and Communication, said, “The APC Governorship Campaign Council expressed reservations on the recent security operations in some parts of Kogi East, especially in Dekina Local Government Area where chieftains of our party were arrested for reasons unknown to us.
‘’Our chieftains were not involved in any act inimical to the peace of the state and shouldn’t have been subjected to such treatment. We wouldn’t condone or defend any act of lawlessness, but we make bold to say that our leaders and members who were arrested and detained did not deserve to be subjected to such treatment as they are innocent.
“The arrest of the affected leaders by security agencies was unknown to us because our chieftains were not involved in any act inimical to the peace of the state and shouldn’t have been subjected to such treatment.”
According to him, “In as much as we subscribe to a peaceful and free poll, we also call for responsible conduct on the part of law enforcement agencies in such a way that innocent citizens are not unnecessarily punished for the sins of others”.
“We call on security agencies to release them unconditionally so that they can be reunited with their families. It is not in doubt as to the candidates fanning the embers of violence and division.
“A member of the All Progressives Congress, Khadija, was murdered in cold blood at Koton-care for daring to wear a fez cap with the logo of the All Progressives Congress on the day the bloodsuckers were in town.
“It is sad that security agencies have not informed us how far they have gone in apprehending the trigger-happy thugs that committed the murder.”
Fanwo, however, added that “The leadership of the All Progressives Congress is committed and determined to keep the state within the progressive family, and performance of the APC government in Kogi State has made it almost impossible for the opposition parties to rear their heads.”
18-Year-Old Drowns in Kano Pond
The Kano State Fire Service has confirmed the death of 18-year-old Abdullahi Aminu, who drowned after falling into a pond at Kofar Gabas in Danbatta Local Government Area of the state.
The Director of the Kano State Fire Service, Sani Anas, disclosed this in a statement signed by the service’s Public Relations Officer, Saminu Abdullahi, on Wednesday in Kano.
According to the statement, the incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon.
Abdullahi said the service received a distress call from the Danbatta Fire Station at about 3:28 p.m. from Aminu Lawan, the victim’s father, who reported that his son had drowned in the pond.
“Upon receiving the report, we immediately deployed our rescue team to the scene,” he said.
He said the victim was eventually brought out of the pond dead.
The spokesperson said the cause of the incident was still under investigation, adding that the deceased was later handed over to the Secretary to the District Head of Danbatta, Alhaji Baba Ado Sarkin Bai.
Abdullahi sympathised with the family of the deceased and urged residents to exercise caution around ponds and waterways, particularly during the rainy season.
(NAN)
Passengers were left stranded in Abuja and Lagos on Tuesday as aviation unions shut down operations of Air Peace over allegations that the airline was frustrating workers’ unionisation and withholding ticket sales charges owed to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The disruption affected flights in Lagos, Abuja and Enugu, with about 70 flights reportedly grounded.
The situation escalated when an Air Peace driver allegedly drove a large bus onto the airside during the unions’ picketing exercise.
The NCAA confirmed the incident and said the driver could face prosecution for allegedly obstructing movement within the airside. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) subsequently towed the vehicle away.
NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said the authority had ordered that the driver be identified and arrested.
He said, “During the enforcement of the picketing, a driver drove the large bus to the runway, parked and left the place. We have ordered that the driver in question be identified and arrested for onward prosecution. How can somebody block the runway? That is seriously uncalled for. We will investigate, and the necessary portions of the Act will be invoked.”
However, Air Peace spokesperson, Efe Whiskey-Osifo, denied that the bus blocked the runway.
The incident occurred as the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), commenced picketing of Air Peace.
The unions accused the airline of frustrating workers’ efforts to unionise and failing to remit the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) allegedly owed to the NCAA.
A NUATE official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that airlines under the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) owed about N25bn in TSC, with Air Peace accounting for approximately N15bn.
“There’s a meeting between the airline operators association. You are aware of the cause of the strike: TSC issues amounting to about N25bn. The total accrued to AON is N25bn.
“Air Peace is having the highest amount of N15bn, and secondly, they are denying airline workers of organising and to form unions, which is a fundamental right. Those are the two things that we are fighting for,” the official said.
The unions had earlier issued three warnings to airlines over the alleged non-remittance of the charge before threatening to commence picketing.
The five per cent TSC is collected from passengers on airline tickets and is required to be remitted to the NCAA for distribution among relevant aviation agencies to support their operations.
Air Peace, however, rejected the allegations, insisting that it had remitted the TSC to the NCAA and questioning why its operations were singled out for disruption.
Whiskey-Osifo said the unions targeted Air Peace’s major operational hubs in Lagos, Abuja and Enugu, effectively grounding its network.
“The unions picketed our operations across board. Lagos, Enugu, Abuja, stopping those places, which are our hubs, those places where we do night stops. So they basically grounded all our operations,” he said.
He added that while the unions had threatened to picket all Nigerian airlines, other carriers, including Ibom Air, Enugu Air and Aero, operated flights.
“They stated that they were going to picket all Nigerian airlines. However, the likes of Ibom Air, Enugu Air, even Aero, operated flights today. And you solely picked on only Air Peace, disrupting flights, the first flight out of Lagos, Abuja, and Enugu,” he said.
The Air Peace spokesperson also said the airline’s workers did not want to join the unions.
“The reason why they are singling out Air Peace is that Air Peace staff, number one, don’t want to join the unions. We don’t want to join at all,” he said.
According to him, Air Peace workers had staged a peaceful protest against unionisation but alleged that union members later infiltrated the demonstration and caused a confrontation.
“We came out to protest peacefully, but unfortunately, they hampered our operations,” he said.
The unions, however, maintained that workers’ right to organise was non-negotiable.
Achimugu said the AON had appealed to the unions to suspend the picketing to allow discussions with the affected airlines, particularly Air Peace, whose chairman is also a senior executive of the association.
“The AON pleaded with the unions to suspend it while they schedule a meeting, especially with Air Peace management,” he said, adding that the unions had been informed that a meeting could take place on Wednesday.
The NCAA spokesperson said the industrial action affected several airlines operating from specific terminals in Lagos and Abuja.
“I know that a number of airlines operating from specific terminals in Lagos and Abuja were disrupted. Take, for instance, in Abuja, a terminal that was shut down; it affected airlines like Air Peace, Aero and a host of others,” he said.
By Tuesday evening, Air Peace said it had begun restoring its operations.
“We are operating flights already. Flights will operate today irrespective of the situation,” the airline said.
The airline disclosed this in a public notice issued on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, saying operations at the airport had been temporarily suspended after union workers denied staff access to the terminal.
According to the airline, the development may affect some of its flights operating through Abuja as it works to adjust its network.
The statement said, “Please be informed that due to an ongoing industrial action at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, where union workers are denying staff access into the airport terminal, operations at the airport have been temporarily suspended.”
“Consequently, some of Enugu Air flights may experience rescheduling until further notice, as we work to adjust our network,” it added.
The airline apologised to affected passengers, assuring them that their safety and wellbeing remained its priority.
It advised passengers to check their email, SMS and the airline’s official social media platforms for updates on their flight status before proceeding to the airport.
“For assistance with rebooking and enquiries, please contact our Customer Service Team,” the airline said.
The development comes amid an ongoing industrial dispute involving aviation unions and airline operators, which has disrupted flight operations across the country.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority had appealed to aviation unions to suspend the industrial action, saying a peace meeting convened by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, could not hold after airline operators failed to attend.
In a statement signed by the NCAA Director-General, Chris Najomo, on Tuesday, the aviation regulator acknowledged the impact of the industrial action on passengers and other stakeholders.
The NCAA said it was “aware of the ongoing industrial action by aviation unions and its impact on passengers and other stakeholders.”
The regulator said the grievances could have been addressed at a meeting convened by the minister the previous week, but the meeting was called off after airline operators failed to attend.
“The matter would have been addressed at the meeting convened by the Honourable Minister last week, but the meeting could not be held as the airline operators failed to honour the invitation,” the NCAA said.
The industrial action has also affected the operations of Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest airline, after aviation unions shut down its operations as part of their demands.
The NCAA subsequently appealed to all parties to return to the negotiating table.
“We appeal to all parties to embrace dialogue and cooperation. We are confident that the matter will be resolved shortly and normal flight operations will resume as soon as practicable,” Najomo said.
The aviation regulator also assured passengers that the industrial action had not compromised flight safety.
“The NCAA assures the travelling public that flight safety remains uncompromised, and that the Authority continues to exercise its statutory safety oversight responsibilities,” Najomo said.
He, however, apologised for the inconvenience caused by the disruption and urged passengers to remain patient as efforts continued to resolve the dispute.
Air Peace also described the disruption as temporary and apologised to affected and stranded passengers.
The airline said passengers scheduled to travel later on Tuesday were being contacted and provided with updates as the situation developed.
Enugu Air similarly urged passengers to monitor its official communication channels for updates and contact its customer service team for rebooking and other enquiries.
Nigerian Army Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji has revealed why he allegedly became involved in a plot to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government, citing insecurity, corruption, economic hardship and concerns over the welfare of military personnel.
Premium Times reported how the alleged plot was discussed, funded and later revived before security agencies disrupted it in September 2025.
Ma’aji is among several serving military officers currently facing proceedings before a General Court Martial over the alleged plot. Six retired military personnel and civilians are also being prosecuted separately before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
All the defendants have denied wrongdoing.
In a statement attributed to Ma’aji during interrogation, he said discussions about military intervention began in 2023, towards the end of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
According to his account, the discussions were driven by concerns over the worsening security situation, corruption, poor governance and growing economic difficulties in the country.
Ma’aji said he and others believed Nigeria was heading towards a dangerous situation and began identifying military officers who shared their concerns about the state of the nation.
He said the initial plan did not progress because the group lacked sufficient funds, manpower and logistics.
The colonel reportedly said he personally financed some of the activities by selling properties and receiving contributions from members.
He allegedly sold three houses in Kaduna State and a student hostel at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, to raise funds for activities linked to the group.
Failed Promotion and Revival of Alleged Plot
The alleged movement was later revived after Ma’aji failed to secure promotion to brigadier general for the second time in 2024.
He said some officers contacted him following the failed promotion and urged him to revive the plan.
Lieutenant Colonel Shamsuddeen Bappah was identified as one of the officers who allegedly pushed for the revival.
According to the documents, Bappah travelled from Ibadan to Abuja to meet Ma’aji and discuss the matter.
He was also reportedly considering selling a plot of land in Bauchi to raise funds, although the property was not eventually sold.
Following the alleged revival, meetings were held at different locations in Abuja, including Brookville Hotel and Greenland Hotel in Lokogoma.
Ma’aji said the meetings involved some officers who had participated in the earlier discussions, while additional individuals were also introduced.
He, however, denied that his failed promotion was the main reason for the alleged plan.
Instead, he cited several national policies and challenges, including the removal of fuel subsidy, naira reforms, taxation, electricity tariffs, corruption and insecurity.
He also referred to the #EndSARS and #EndBadGovernance protests, saying the demonstrations reflected the level of frustration among Nigerians over unemployment, economic hardship and poor living conditions.
Concerns Over Military Welfare
Ma’aji also raised concerns about the welfare of members of the armed forces.
He reportedly complained about military salaries, the treatment of wounded soldiers, housing, healthcare and the condition of retired personnel.
He said he was particularly concerned about soldiers who sustained injuries during military operations and were allegedly left without adequate support.
The documents further revealed allegations that the group attempted to recruit more officers, soldiers and civilians.
Some individuals were reportedly approached through existing relationships, while meetings were allegedly used to discuss possible roles within the movement.
Ma’aji also spoke about an alleged proposal to mobilise members of the Civilian Joint Task Force from the North-East.
He said the idea was to bring some of the personnel to Abuja, although the plan was not fully developed.
No Fixed Date for Alleged Coup
Ma’aji maintained that there was no fixed date for the alleged coup because the group was still trying to secure additional resources and recruit more personnel.
According to his account, the alleged operation was expected to take place at night and involved plans to place some senior military officials under arrest.
However, he said preparations had not reached the point of execution when security agencies intervened.
Ma’aji named several serving and retired officers while discussing the alleged movement. He also denied the involvement of some people mentioned during the investigation, saying certain officers had merely been informed about the discussions.
Arrest and Court Proceedings
The alleged plot came under security investigation after Ma’aji was arrested on September 29, 2025, shortly before the Federal Government cancelled the October 1 Independence Day parade.
He was subsequently interrogated between October 18, 2025, and February 19, 2026, according to records cited in the investigation.
The Defence Headquarters initially described the detention of the officers as an internal process aimed at maintaining discipline within the military.
It later confirmed that an alleged plot had been uncovered and said officers found culpable would face military judicial proceedings.
By February, about 40 serving and retired military personnel, police officers and civilians had reportedly been arrested or questioned in connection with the investigation.
In April, the Federal Government filed 13 charges against six defendants before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Those charged include retired Major-General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Navy Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Police Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Presidential Villa electrician Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Islamic cleric Abdulkadir Sani.
The defendants pleaded not guilty.
Several serving officers, including Ma’aji, are facing separate court-martial proceedings.
The admissibility of statements obtained during the investigation has also become an issue in the cases.
Some defendants have challenged the statements attributed to them, arguing that they were not made voluntarily.
The prosecution has rejected the claims, maintaining that proper procedures were followed.
The court consequently ordered a trial-within-trial to determine whether the disputed statements were made voluntarily before deciding whether they could be admitted as evidence.
Sylva Denies Funding Allegation
Meanwhile, former Bayelsa State governor Timipre Sylva has denied allegations that he financed the alleged plot.
Sylva, who served as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources under Buhari, said through his spokesperson that he had no involvement in planning or providing logistics for any coup attempt.
Five people linked to him are facing separate charges over allegations that they concealed his whereabouts, while nine properties associated with him are under an interim forfeiture order.
The allegations contained in Ma’aji’s statement remain subject to judicial proceedings, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the courts.
The Kano Emirate Council has dismissed as false a viral video alleging that Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II obtained a carry-over in one of his law courses at Northwest University, Kano.
The video, which circulated widely on social media platforms on Sunday, purportedly suggested that the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor had failed to meet the academic requirements for one of his courses.
Sanusi is currently enrolled as a 200-level undergraduate student in the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) programme in Common Law and Sharia at the university.
However, Muhammad Ado, Secretary in the Office of the Emir, described the claim as untrue, insisting that the Emir remained on course to graduate with a first-class degree.
According to Ado, the Emirate’s records showed that Sanusi needed only one additional point to attain a first-class grade.
“We attended a programme organised by Law Students in the university on Saturday, and a student took the video. But it’s not true.
“In our calculations, it remains only one point for the Emir to attain first class. Sunday Dare was a visiting lecturer at the programme,” Ado said.
A student of the university, Ibrahim Abubakar-Danmasani, also dismissed the claim, saying examinations at the institution had not commenced as of Sunday.
He said the examinations were expected to begin on Monday.
Sources within the university also corroborated the position of the Emirate Council, saying the viral video did not reflect the Emir’s actual academic standing.
The sources attributed the video to some youths who allegedly recorded and circulated it as a prank.
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