Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has advised Nigerians to report incidents of extortion or harassment during enrolment for National Identification Number (NIN) to its offices. The NIMC acting Director-General, Mrs Abisoye Coker-Odusote, said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja. “NIMC has been made aware of specific reports involving some Front End Partners (FEPs) who were allegedly extorting money from members of the public for NIN enrollment. Even as they are currently being subjected to a revalidation process. “You can reach out to our official channels, including our website, social media platforms, or our helpline, to report such…

Police will not tolerate electoral violence in Bayelsa State during the off-cycle governorship election scheduled for Saturday. Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun issued the warning in Yenagoa on Monday during a courtesy visit to Governor Douye Diri. Egbetokun said that the police and other security agencies are fully prepared and duty-bound to ensure free and fair polls. He stressed that troublemakers would have the law to contend with. The IGP also assured that the police and other security agencies would be neutral before, during and after the exercise and enjoined Bayelsa people to have confidence in them. According to him,…

The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos, on Monday, nullified the election of Stainless Nwodo, a member representing Igbo-Etiti/Uzo-Uwani federal constituency of Enugu State in the House of Representatives. The appellate court declared that Rt. Hon. Martins Oke of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won the February election. The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Enugu had, on September 8, upheld the election of the LP candidate. The candidate of the PDP, Oke, and his All Progressives Congress, APC, counterpart, Samuel Ekwueme, had challenged Nwodo’s victory at the tribunal. The duo asked the tribunal to sack the LP candidate…

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, on Monday held a press conference on the outcome of his appeal before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court struck out the appeal filed by Obi against President Bola Tinubu. The apex court affirmed the declaration of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the February 25, 2023 election. Obi, during the press conference, vowed to work for the betterment of the country despite his defeat. The full text of the press conference reads: “Fellow countrymen and women. Gentlemen of the Media, Good day and welcome to this press conference. Kindly…

Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of an FCT High Court has again ordered the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to either produce or release the embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, on November 8. Justice Adeniyi gave the the first order on Friday after hearing an ex parte motion, on fundamental right marked M/122/2023 in a Motion on Notice with the number, FCT/HC/CV/040/2023, filed by Emefiele. Unfortunately, the EFCC could not obey the order at the resumed sitting on Monday as the EFCC counsel, Farouk Abdullahai, told the court that the order was not understood. He…

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the February 25th, 2023 election, Peter Obi, has reacted to the ruling of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court affirmed President Bola Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential election. The apex court, however, struck out the appeal of Obi seeking to be declared as the winner of the electoral process. Obi had condemned and appealed the earlier ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) which affirmed the declaration of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The LP presidential candidate speaking during a press conference on Monday described the Supreme…

There was a major fire outbreak at the High Commission of Canada in Nigeria’s capital city on Monday. Parts of the building situated at 13010G, Palm Close, Diplomatic Drive, Central Business District in Abuja was affected. The fire, which broke out on Monday morning, led to evacuation of staff from the building. Details of the incident were sketchy as of this time but the Head of Operations of the FCT Fire Service, Amiola Adebayo, said no fewer than three other victims had been rushed to the hospital. “We have two fatally injured and the others in the hospital, either three…

The suspended Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, Hudi Yunusa-Ari, on Monday, failed to show up at the Adamawa State High Court, where he was to be arraigned Monday. Justice Benjamin Manji of the State High Court ordered INEC to produce him in court during its next sitting on November 23, 2023. This came after the police failed to serve the hearing notice to Yunusa-Ari. The prosecution counsel to INEC, Justice Rotimi Jacobs, claimed police made several attempts to serve him the hearing notice by visiting his home, but he could not be traced.…

A Yaba Magistrate Court in Lagos State has granted singer Azeez Fashola, also known as Naira Marley, and Balogun Eletu, popularly known as Sam Larry, bail in the sum of N20 million with three responsible sureties. The Magisterate, Adeola Olatunbosun, ordered the duo to submit their international passports as part of their bail conditions. The magistrate also ordered them to make weekly appearances at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Adding a unique warning, the magistrate overseeing the case sternly cautioned that any attempts to contact her would be recorded and potentially disclosed in open court proceedings. “As part of…

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday sacked Musa Ilyasu Kwankwaso of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and reinstated Yusuf Umar Datti of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the Kura/Madobi/Garun Malam Federal Constituency Election. The three-panel led by Justice Tunde Oyebamiji Awotoye allowed an Appeal by Yusuf Datti and averred that the tribunal was wrong to have counted the date of the Appellant’s resignation on the date of his party’s primary election and that Section 77 of the Electoral Act was misapplied. The appellate court stated that no court has jurisdiction on the issue of membership of the…

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, awarded ₦5 million damages against the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for alleging that the corps’ discharged certificate held by Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State was fake. Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment, held that the Director General of the NYSC and the corps, who were defendants in the suit, were guilty of misrepresentation of material facts. The judge held that the certificate presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by Mbah was authentic and validly issued by the NYSC. Justice Ekwo further held that evidence before the court showed that…

Lawmakers in the House of Representatives are said to be lobbying over the membership of the committee on Appropriation of the green chamber of the National Assembly. The membership of the committee has increased in the last few weeks, which is said to be against the House rules and has caused discontentment in the lower chamber. Already, the membership of the strategic committee had risen from the statutorily allowable figure by house rules of a maximum of 40 members  to 57 members. According to Leadership, some chairmen and deputies of other Standing Committees of the House have been admitted as members…