News
Tinubu’s witness says ‘Obi not qualified to contest for president’
A witness of President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima told the election petition court on Wednesday that 25 percent of the votes cast in the federal capital territory (FCT) is not a criterion for winning the election.
Here are the major takeaways from the proceedings
Tinubu and Shettima, through their lawyer Wole Olanipekun, told the court that Peter Obi was not a registered member of the Labour Party (LP) at the time he contested the presidential election.
The president and his deputy tendered a copy of the LP membership register for Anambra state.
The respondents’ lawyer displayed the document alongside LP’s letter, which is dated April 25, 2022.
The letter indicated that the membership register was forwarded to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Olanipekun tendered 12 sets of documents in evidence during the hearing.
Opeyemi Bamidele, senator representing Ekiti central and the majority leader of the senate, was called as Tinubu and Shettima’s first witness.
Bamidele said 10,929 votes were deducted from the total number of votes polled by APC in Kano state.
On allegations of drug trafficking against the president, the senator said Tinubu was never convicted in the US, adding that no charge was filed against him in any court.
The legislator was shown the LP voter register to identify whether or not Obi’s name was in it.
He confirmed that Obi’s name was not in the register, which the LP submitted to INEC on April 25, 2022.
Under cross-examination in the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bamidele, who was presented as the second and third witness of the respondents, admitted that Tinubu polled only 19 percent of votes cast in the FCT.
Bamidele said 25 percent of FCT votes is not needed to declare a candidate winner of the presidential election.
The senate majority leader told the court that the judgment of a US court on forfeiture of $460,000 by the president was a civil suit and not a criminal matter.
Bamidele was the only witness called by the president and his vice.
News
Breaking: Court of Appeal rules in favour of Turaki -led PDP candidate for Osun governorship election
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Thursday, ruled that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Gubernatorial Candidate in Osun State was validly nominated by the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee.
The court also ordered INEC to list the PDP logo on the ballot ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial election.
The Court held that access code is neither a creation of the Constitution nor the Electoral Act; rather, a creation of INEC’s guidelines and cannot, in any way, override the provisions of the Constitution.
Section 288 of the Constitution does not specify the method for nominating candidates; it only states that the names of candidates should be forwarded to the Commission.
The court further held that the defendant (INEC) should take steps to include the name of the appellant on the ballot paper.
Additionally, the court ruled that the primary election conducted by the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP was a valid primary election in law.
The three-man panel of justices—Justice Mahmud, Justice Jaro, and Justice Ankawere, was unanimous in its judgment.
News
Breaking: NHRC sets up situation room to monitor and document hate speech, intimidation, threat to life ahead 2027
The national Human Rights Commission, NHRC, has set up a situation room to monitor and document all incidences of hate speech, intimidation and threat to life by politicians and other actors ahead of the 2027 general election.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed concerns over rising incidences of hate speech, intimidation and outright threat to life by highly placed individuals, especially politicians and religious leaders.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chef Tony Ojukwu, SAN, revealed this on Thursday in Abuja at a press conference.
He said the situation room would enable the Commission harvest data, analysis and document persons, agencies and others involved in the negative statements in order to ensure they are properly tracked and brought to book by relevant agencies.
Ojukwu also took journalists on a tour of the newly set up situation room.
Details later…..
News
Breaking: NHRC expresses concern over rising incidences of hate speech, threat to life ahead 2027 elections
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed concerns over rising incidences of hate speech, intimidation and outright threat to life by highly placed individuals, especially politicians and religious leaders.
At a press conference in Abuja Thursday, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chef Tony Ojukwu, SAN, recalled statements credited to Senator Francis Fadahunsi and Sheikh Yahya Jingir and described the das dangerous with capacity to set the nation ablaze.
He called on politicians, religious and traditional rulers, among other stakeholders to call their supporters and faithful to orders.
He urged government to act before rhetorics turn to violence, saying the forthcoming election in Osun State should serve as example of Nigeria’s capacity to conduct political contest in compliance with international best practices.
Details later…..
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