Category: News

By Ogenyi Ogenyi,Uyo

The Appeal Court in Lagos has upheld the election of Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom after it dismissed two suits brought before it by the governorship candidates of the Action Alliance and Accord Party, respectively, Akpan Jeremiah and Emem Coffie.

The three-man panel therefore upheld that Eno remains the validly elected governor of Akwa Ibom State.

The governorship candidate of the Accord Party, Emem Coffie, had approached the Appeal Court, seeking that the judgement of the tribunal be upturned in his favour.

Kofie, through his counsel, Chidi Nwachukwu, argued that he deserved to be declared the governor as other candidates in the election were not qualified to contest the election.

But, counsel to Governor Eno, Paul Usoro, counsels to INEC, Kolapo Kolade, and Mofesomo Oyetibo faulted the claims by the appellants that 800 polling units recorded infractions, saying no effort was made by the petitioners to identify the 800 units, nor was there any attempt to bring witnesses from any of the said polling units.

The respondents also told the court that the only witness the appellants brought was the governorship candidate, Emem Coffie, who admitted that he was only in his polling unit and, after voting on the said date, went to his house.

They insisted that the appellants acted on ‘hearsay’ which was the reason their petition was thrashed at the tribunal.

In the appeal filed by Akpan Abraham of the Action Alliance, he and his party claimed to have been unlawfully excluded by INEC.

However, in its judgement, the appellate court upheld the arguments of the respondents and dismissed the case as lacking in merit.

By Noah Ocheni, Okene

The Kogi state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello on Saturday at Okene Charged journalists to always air or published verified election reports to avoid misinformation.

Governor Yahaya Bello gave the charge on Saturday immediately after casting his vote at his Agassa poling unit 11, Agassa Okeneba ward, and accompanied by the first lady, Barrister Aminat Bello.

He enjoined them to always ignore rumours that might be circulated on social media without authenticating the reports.

Bello commended the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Security Agencies over the peaceful conduct of the gubernatorial election in Kogi state.

He however expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the election adding that he has not heard any negative report from any quarter.

Gov. Bello Charged journalists to air verified reports and ignore rumors that might be circulated on social media without bases.

The Kogi State Governorship Election is set to begin with accreditation with the early arrival of electoral materials.

By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

It was an intervention of security personnel in conjunction with local vigilante that a middle aged man was arrested with already filled INEC result sheets and #1m cash in Ogori – Magongo local government area in Kogi state.

Reports said no INEC officials report with election materials in any of the polling unit in the council area which may lead to the cancellation of 67 polling units in the local government area.

A resident who spoke to Journalists said the election did not hold in Ogori -Magongo because of claims that voting took place over the night of Friday till the early hours of Saturday, which is the official election day.

The source said true to the claim, a man was seen dropping filled INEC Election Result Sheets from one polling unit to another in the area .

According to the source, vigilant residents arrested the man with some filled election result sheets and One Million Cash in his bag.

The suspect was arrested and consequently handed over to security agents.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reacted to reports of pre-recorded result sheets in some local government areas in the central senatorial district of the state.

Taking to its verified X handle (former Twitter), the electoral umpire said it viewed the situation with all seriousness.

“Our attention has been drawn to a report that filled result sheets were discovered in some polling units in Kogi State”.

“Our senior officials deployed to the State are currently investigating the incident(s). The Commission will communicate its decision earnestly,” INEC, writes.

The House of Representatives has promised to allocate adequate funding for the rapid development of the Culture and Tourism sector.

Chairman House of representatives Committee on Culture and Tourism’ Hon. Kareem Tajudeen Abisodun made this known when the Committee held it’s inauguration meeting at the committee room 437, National Assembly new building .

The Committee also said the sector was strategic for the growth of the economy and national development.

He said that they are working to ensure that the country’s cultural heritage and tourist attractions are well-maintained and accessible to all.

Hon. Kareem Tajudeen Abisodun, who is the member representing, Saki East/ Saki West/ Atisbo Federal constituency of Oyo state further said that the committee would work to promote and preserve the country’s cultural heritage, and to develop the tourism sector.

He notified members that the committee will oversee two ministries which are Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, likewise the agencies under these ministries.

During the meeting the Committee pledged to work towards Promoting the country’s cultural heritage and tourism attractions as well as the development of cultural and creative industries.

The Committee also discussed its work plan for the year ,which includes a number of activities, such as Holding public hearings to gather input from stakeholders,Conducting research studies on various aspects of culture and tourism as well as developing and recommending legislation to support the culture and tourism sectors .

The committee members also expressed their commitment to working together to promote the development of culture and tourism in the country.

They also pledged to develop a comprehensive national culture and tourism policy as well as invest in capacity building for cultural and tourism operators.

They also agreed to promote public-private partnerships in arts, culture, creative economy and tourism sectors as well as support the development of innovative arts, culture, creative economy and tourism services.

The Committee also pledged to ensure that the country’s cultural heritage and tourist attractions are well-maintained and accessible to all.

” By implementing these recommendations, the House Committee on Culture and Tourism can play a significant role in promoting the development of arts, culture, creative economy and tourism in the country ” they added

By Daniel Edu

Reports suggest that numerous voters were directed by two individuals, accompanied by a woman comfortably seated at the polling unit, apparently awaiting compensation after casting their votes.

According to The Nation, some police officers were observed guiding voters on where to receive money. In a confusing turn of events, some voters even approached a team of journalists, mistakenly thinking they were involved in the distribution of funds.

In a concerning twist, one voter handed his ballot paper to one of the individuals involved for inspection before officially casting his vote. In some instances, voters abstained from casting their ballots after thumbprinting.

In a related incident, the ongoing governorship election in Kogi State witnessed agents from political parties offering financial incentives to voters in Lokoja, the state capital.

These agents strategically positioned themselves approximately 500 meters away from polling units, providing money to voters to influence their choice of candidate. The amounts disbursed ranged from N3,000 to N5,000, depending on the individual’s perceived influence or negotiation skills.

To receive the financial inducement, voters were required to present their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) as a precondition.

Beneficiaries of this apparent vote-buying scheme shared with journalists that the agents distributing cash had been moving from one polling booth to another, raising concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in both Bayelsa and Kogi States.

By Daniel Edu

In a decisive ruling, the Court of Appeal in Lagos has upheld the triumph of Governor Umo Eno in the Akwa Ibom State governorship election. The dismissal of the petition filed by Action Alliance (AA) and Accord Party (AP) against Governor Eno came on Friday.

Led by Justice Tani Hassan, the three-member panel declared the tribunal’s findings as valid and unassailable. Hassan stated, “I resolve the issue against the appellant and uphold the judgment of the tribunal. I dismiss the petition as lacking in merit.”

Action Alliance and its governorship candidate, Akpan Udolt, had argued that the party’s name was omitted from the ballot paper, urging the court to annul the election. However, Eno and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) urged the court to disregard AA’s submission.

Paul Usoro (SAN), former President of the Nigerian Bar Association and counsel for PDP and the governor, argued that the appellants lacked the locus standi to initiate the petition, citing Section 133(1) of the Electoral Act 2022. Usoro emphasized that the section clearly states that “an election petition may be presented by…a candidate in an election; or…a political party which participated in the election.”

The court had earlier reserved judgment in a case filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) against Governor Eno. The APC contended that Eno’s conviction by an Upper Area Court in Abuja constituted a constitutional disqualification for a sitting governor.

Hassan Liman, counsel to APC, argued for the disqualification of the Young Peoples Party (YPP) candidate, who came second in the election, citing a forged certificate presented to INEC. Liman urged the court to nullify the votes and declare the second runner-up (APC) as the duly elected governor of Akwa Ibom State.

In response, counsel to PDP affirmed that the petitioner’s witnesses unanimously confirmed the setting aside of the sentence by the same court. He argued that the tribunal lacked jurisdiction to overturn a court judgment and urged the Appeal Court to dismiss the appeal.

The three-member panel reserved judgment, with the date to be communicated to the involved parties.

In a significant move to enforce regulations and uphold the rule of law in the mining sector, the Oyo State Mineral Development Agency has sealed unauthorized mining sites within the state. The Director General of the Agency, Mr Abiodun Oni, made the announcement today in Ibadan following a comprehensive operation.

The sealed sites, namely Sequia Mining Industry and Eminent Quarry, were found to be operating without the necessary consent letters and community development agreements required by the state. Mr Oni emphasized that this measure was taken to restore order and curb illegal activities in the mining sector, aligning with the commitment of the Oyo State government to uphold the rule of law.

Prior to the sealing, the Agency had explicitly requested consent letters, community development agreements, and other pertinent documents essential for the legal operation of mining industries within the state. Mr Oni highlighted that the government, under the leadership of His Excellency Engr Seyi Makinde, is prepared to collaborate with stakeholders to sanitize the Oyo State mining sector in accordance with the Mining Act and relevant laws.

The Director General reiterated that the Agency will not tolerate any form of illegality, emphasizing that Governor Makinde has signed an Executive order granting the agency the authority to seal any mining industry found to be in violation of the rules and regulations governing the sector.

Mrs Jolade Omidiran, the Coordinating Director of the Agency, urged miners and all relevant stakeholders to promptly submit their required documents to avoid any disruptions to their operations. This action signals the government’s commitment to creating a regulated and compliant mining industry that benefits the state and its residents.

The Oyo State Mineral Development Agency remains resolute in its pursuit of a lawful and sustainable mining sector for the overall development of the state.