News
Tribunal: Battle for the Presidential election commences
The long-awaited pre-hearing proceeding, which was held at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, was presided over by Justice Haruna Tsammani, who gave the assurance that justice would be served dispassionately.
Other members of the five-man panel include Justice Stephen Adah of the Court of Appeal, Asaba Division, Justice Misitura Bolaji-Yusuf, Court of Appeal also of Asaba Division, Justice Boloukuoromo Ugoh of Kano Division and Justice Abba Mohammed of Ibadan Division of the Court of Appeal.
Addressing the petitioners and lawyers in the jam-packed courtroom, Tsammani, who is the Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal, stated, “We are determined to look at the matter dispassionately and give justice to whoever deserves justice.”
He said they would consider the substance of each case over technicalities so that “whoever leaves here will be satisfied that justice has been done.”
He also warned the parties against unnecessary applications that could delay the proceedings.
Tribunal advises lawyers
The jurist stated, “Election matters are time-bound, let us not waste unnecessary time, let us cooperate with each other so that everyone will leave here satisfied.
“Avoid unnecessary technicalities; we are determined to look at all the matters brought before us. Let us look at what is good for our country and avoid time-wasting applications.”
The justice further sought the cooperation of lawyers, saying “Let us avoid making sensational comments or statements.”
Responding to the appeal by the court, the lead counsel to the president-elect, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, said the lawyers were ready to cooperate with the court.
“We are not unmindful of our responsibilities as members of the bar. I want to assure your Lordships of our unflinching support. Whatever the court wants to do to accelerate the matters, we are ready to give the court our support,’’ he pledged.
Similarly, the counsel to the Labour Party, Levy Uzoukwu, SAN, and Chris Uche, SAN, for the Peoples Democratic Party, pledged their support to the court.
Five political parties and their candidates are challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election on the grounds of non-compliance with the electoral laws as well as the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Dissatisfied with the declaration of the former Lagos State governor as the winner of the presidential election by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the candidates of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar and three others dragged the commission, the APC and Tinubu to the PEPC.
After acknowledging the promised cooperation of the lawyers, the presiding judge announced that only the first three petitions would be considered during the pre-hearing while the 4th and 5th petitions “can take off tomorrow (today).’’
The petitions include CA/PEPC/01/2023 filed by the Action Alliance and its standard bearer, Solomon Okanigbuan; CA/PEPC/02/2023 lodged by the Action People’s Party as the sole petitioner; and CA/PEP/03/2023 by the LP and its presidential candidate, Obi.
Tsammani explained that the cases would be alternated until the pre-hearing comes to an end. “Then we will alternate until we finish the pre-hearing,” he further said.
The court subsequently adjourned for a few hours during which the LP standard bearer walked into the courtroom.
At the resumed sitting, the court dismissed the petition by the Action Alliance challenging Tinubu’s victory.
The court’s decision was sequel to a motion moved by the petitioner’s lawyer, Oba Maduabuchi, SAN, which sought to withdraw the petition.
The petitioners had contended that their candidate, Okanigbuan, was excluded from the list uploaded on the portal of the INEC.
Lawyers to the respondents did not object to the withdrawal, following which Tsammani, in a ruling, dismissed the petition.
The petition had as respondents the INEC, the All Progressives Congress, Tinubu and Hamza Al-Mustapha.
There was, however, a mild drama during the announcement of appearances by the parties.
Okanigbuan was in court and the AA was represented by the chairman of the party, Adekunle Omo-Aje, but moves by the Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, to present himself as Tinubu’s representative was rejected by the court which ruled that he cannot represent Tinubu, but the APC.
There was also confusion as Maduabuchi and Malachi Umuebe both announced their appearance for the AA.
But maintaining his stance as the representative of the party, Maduabuchi sought the order of the court to withdraw the petition in its entirety which was granted.
Following the withdrawal and consequent dismissal of the AA’s petition, the court scheduled the pre-hearing of the petitions from the PDP and Allied Peoples Movement for Tuesday (today) while the petition of the Labour Party and its presidential candidate was adjourned to Wednesday.
The panel asked all the parties to identify the issues they would be objecting to before the next pre-hearing session.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Six members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police .
The six persons led by Mr Chukwuebuka Ohaechesi, include Emma Okonkwo, Jude Uwa, Gentle Okoro, Uchenna Dike, and Emmanuel Nwankwo who are said to be at large.
The were said to have fled to neighboring states in the South East hence signaling the other four Police Commands in the geopolitical zone to assist in the manhunt for them
The Police accused them of executing protests against the detaintion of the leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently serving jail terms in Sokoto Correction Center.
According to a statement issued by the Abia Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Eguavon Omokaro, the individuals are suspected members of IPOB who have allegedly participated in protests at various times and locations within the state.
The statement alleged that the protests were organised in connection with the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and demands for justice through the judicial process.
The Police Command further stated that these protests have allegedly resulted in breaches of peace and disruptions to law and order in Abia State. Consequently, the Police Intelligence Department reportedly concluded that the named individuals were among the principal organisers and coordinators of the demonstrations.
The statement further alleged that; ;
“It should be noted that on every 30th day of May, these men and their cohorts convene for the so-called remembrance of Biafra, holding clandestine meetings at various locations in the name of the emancipation of the Biafran Republic and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
According to the police, the six individuals were invited on several occasions for questioning in relation to the allegations against them.
The statement indicated that the first invitation was issued on 18 December 2025, followed by a second invitation on 7 February 2026, and a third invitation on 3 March 2026.
The police alleged that the individuals failed to honour all three invitations.
The statement further asserted:
“These individuals were invited by the police on several occasions. Firstly, on 18 December 2025, they failed to honour the invitation. Again, they were invited on 7th February 2026 and failed to appear. Finally, they were invited on 3 March 2026, and they also failed to present themselves before the police.” It stated.
As a result, the Abia State Police Command announced that all six individuals had been formally declared wanted.
The police appealed to members of the public to provide any reliable information that could lead to their arrest and prosecution, stating that informants would be suitably rewarded.
The declaration of the six individuals as wanted persons is linked to allegations of their participation in pro-Biafra activities, demonstrations concerning the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and their alleged association with IPOB, an organisation that has been the subject of extensive scrutiny and security operations by Nigerian authorities.
In a statement shared on social media, VeryDarkMan argued that Wike may not fully understand the pain and trauma experienced by parents of abducted children and affected teachers. He claimed that the minister’s children were educated abroad, away from the security challenges facing many Nigerian families.Nigerian entertainment news
The activist stated that insecurity, kidnapping, and attacks on schools remain serious national concerns and should not be dismissed or reduced to political issues. He stressed that the fears and frustrations of parents whose children face security threats deserve greater attention from public officials.
VeryDarkMan further warned that political power is temporary, urging leaders to remain accountable to the people and sensitive to the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
DSS Detains Novelist Okey Ndibe at Lagos Airport, Awaits Clearance from Abuja
Renowned Nigerian novelist, journalist, and academic, Okey Ndibe, was reportedly detained by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday morning.
Ndibe disclosed his situation in a message sent while in custody, stating: “I’ve been with the SSS now for more than an hour. They’re waiting for clearance from some oga before they let me go.”
According to sources close to the writer, his detention follows a pattern that dates back to previous administrations, including that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, during which he was frequently stopped and questioned over his critical commentaries on Nigerian governance and public affairs.
However, associates noted that Ndibe has largely stepped away from active commentary in Nigerian media over the past two years, focusing instead on writing books and his academic responsibilities at University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he teaches.
A close friend of the author and former Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, said similar incidents had occurred several times in the past. He explained that airport DSS officials typically contacted their superiors in Abuja before eventually releasing Ndibe.
“It is a pity that this agency doesn’t update its database to enable officers on duty at the airport to know that the agency no longer regards Prof. Ndibe as a security threat to the administration,” Adinuba said.
He added that on previous occasions, the DSS had apologized to the respected author after determining that his detention was unwarranted.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the DSS regarding the circumstances surrounding Ndibe’s latest detention. The development has raised renewed concerns about the treatment of government critics and the continued use of security watchlists affecting returning Nigerians.
Hegseth made the disclosure during a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, where he said the directive was issued about a year ago after Trump became aware of attacks against Christians in Nigeria.
He explained that the operation involved behind-the-scenes coordination and deployment of military assets, adding that intelligence gathered during the mission contributed to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as ISIS’s second-in-command, during a joint operation involving U.S. and Nigerian forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
“Maybe a year ago, he heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS in Nigeria, and he said, ‘Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything we can to protect those Christians,’” Hegseth said.
According to him, the operation yielded significant results in the fight against terrorism in the region.
“And we got the assets there, and over the last month, and there hasn’t been much coverage of this, we killed ISIS number two in Nigeria, who’s most responsible for killing Christians and trying to target the U.S. homeland,” he stated.
Hegseth added that working on the Intel gathered, they have killed hundreds of ISIS members who were targeting and killing Christians in Nigeria.
The U.S. defence chief described the operation as part of the Trump administration’s broader commitment to counterterrorism efforts and the protection of vulnerable communities.
“So there are a lot of things we do that the media pays attention to, and a lot of things that the President empowers the Department to do on behalf of the American people that he deserves great credit for,” Hegseth stated.
ISIS second in command, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was killed in a coordinated U.S.-Nigeria military operation in northeast Nigeria earlier this month.
-
Crime4 days agoNigeria’s Army General, wife kidnapped by gunmen
-
Foreign4 days agoNigerian Catholic priest convicted in US for sexual assault
-
Crime3 days agoOyo abduction: Teachers begin strike as Tinubu sends 1,000 forest guards to rescue victims
-
Education3 days agoEnugu East Chairman Celebrates Children’s Day with St. Ann’s College, Reaffirms Commitment to Education
-
News3 days ago
DSS Detains Novelist Okey Ndibe at Lagos Airport, Awaits Clearance from Abuja
-
Crime3 days ago
US Announces $3.5m Religious Freedom Initiative, Questions Nigeria’s Response to Attacks
-
EverydayNews Telescope4 days agoThree Years On the Saddle : The Governor Peter Mbah score card that is a tall order
-
Crime3 days ago2 Police Officers Shot Dead as Gunmen Attack Anambra Chief of Staff’s Convoy