Nollywood actor, Yul Edochie, has expressed optimism that President Bola Tinubu will wipe the tears of Nigerians amid the economic challenges confronting the nation.

Edochie gave this assurance in a statement via his verified Instagram handle on Wednesday.

He stated, “I’ll keep praying for you Sir. @officialasiwajubat. For God to give you long life and good health to deliver the good plans you have for Nigeria.

“Nigerians have suffered so much. And I believe you’ll wipe the tears and make Nigeria great again. Best of luck Mr. President. The Jagaban,” he added.

Meanwhile, Edochie had earlier appealed to Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Edochie begged the President in a Twitter post on Tuesday.

The IPOB leader has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since he was arrested and repatriated to Nigeria two years ago from Kenya.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja discharged and acquitted Kanu on October 13, 2022, but the DSS refused to release him.

In a tweet today, the actor pleaded with Tinubu, who he described as a man who fought for democracy for three decades, to let Kanu go free.

“To our Leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, @officialABAT GCFR. The Jagaban,” Edochie tweeted.

“A man who has fought for democracy for 3 decades, A builder & supporter of men & women. My President, please release Nnamdi Kanu. A humble request from your son, Yul Edochie.”

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has restated that for an efficient justice system to berth, judicial integrity is crucial.

The CJN stated this in Abuja Monday, while delivering a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the Induction Course for newly appointed Judges of the Area/Sharia/Customary Courts organised by the National Judicial Institute.

The theme of the Induction Course is: Strengthening Judicial Integrity in the Lower Courts.

At the induction ceremony, the CJN noted that judicial Integrity is crucial in establishing not only an efficient justice system but to promote judicial independence, and quality justice delivery.

“My Lords, integrity is central to effective justice administration as a key pre-requisite for establishing an effective and functional justice system for the peaceful resolution of legal disputes.

“As judges of the lower courts, you must be bound by principles of honesty and respect for constituted authority.

“My Lords, the majority of cases decided in your courts are essentially civil in nature and personal, which includes succession, child custody, administration of estates and marital disputes.

“These cases form the foundation of every society, and it is vital to carry out your duties judiciously in maintaining the family structure which every society relies on,” the CJN said.

Ariwoola charged them to remain committed and diligent in the discharge of the onerous responsibilities.

In his welcome address, the administrator of the National Judicial Institute, Justice Salisu Abdulahi tasked the inductee on need to strengthen their approach towards adjudicating the law and effectively addressing the challenges that arise in the course of their duties.

He said the workshop has been instrumental in equipping newly appointed judges with the skills and knowledge necessary for achieving judicial excellence.

At the Presidential Election Petitions Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, the legal team of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun SAN, began his defence by tendering 18 duly certified documents to quash Peter Obi’s petition against their election victory.

Two of the documents tendered by Tinubu’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun SAN were “Peter Obi’s forwarding letter for the submission of membership registration dated April 25, 2022 as well as his Register of Membership for Anambra state,” duly certified by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

In their court documents seen by THE WHISTLER, Olanipekun insisted that Peter Obi, as at April 30, was still a member of the People’s Democratic Party and his name was not and could not have been in the register of members submitted by Labour Party to INEC.

But in Obi’s legal team response to Tinubu’s submission on his sponsorship by the Labour Party, they maintained that the allegation is “misconceived” because their claim are pre-election matters and “matters internal to the Labour party.”

Obi’s team had maintained in their documents seen by THE WHISTLER that while he was granted a “certificate of waiver” to join LP on May 25, 2022, the allegation of Tinubu against his qualification is not backed by Sections 131 and 137 of the 1999 constitution.

Other documents tendered by Olanipekun are as follows: “Letter from Nigeria Police to the United States Embassy dated February 3, 2003 asking for some information about Tinubu’s criminal record, the reply from US Embassy to the Nigeria Police, same year, 12 documents relating to the educational record of Tinubu from Chicago State University duly certified by Jamaal Cor, Associate General Counsel, Office of Legal Affairs, Chicago State University, data page of Tinubu’s Nigerian passport issued on February 2, 2011 and November 20, 2019, duly certified by Nigerian Immigration Service.

“Tinubu’s visas to the United States issued between February 4, 2011 and November 18, 2021, duly certified by Nigerian Immigration Service, Copy of Reports of the Commission on the location of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, obtained from the FCT Archives and Historical Bureau, dated 1975, copy of Form EC8D(A)( The single sheet from which INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu announce winner of the presidential election) and Form Form EC8D for Kano state in respect of the presidential election.”

Others are “Acknowledgement copy of Kashim Shettima’s notice of voluntary withdrawal of candidacy from Borno Central Senatorial District election, dated July 6, 2023, Judgement of the Supreme Court in SC/CV/501/2023 between Peoples Democratic party and Independent National Electoral Commission and 3 others delivered on May 26, 2023 and Copies of page 27, 28, of Nigerian Tribune Newspaper of February 23, 2023.”

Tendering of all the documents were backed by the legal team of the Independent National Electoral Commission and the All Progressives Congress.

But Peter Obi’s lead counsel, Livy Uzoukwu SAN, vehemently opposed the admissibility of all the documents except the letter about his registration and membership.

But Uzoukwu said he would advance his reasons for objection in his final address.

Subsequently, the court admitted all the documents as Tinubu’s evidence.

The court then stood down for some minutes for Olanipekun to call his witnesses.

Relief has temporarily come the way of an 18-year-old female inmate of Warri Custodial Centre, popularly known as Okere Prison, who delivered her baby two weeks ago through a caesarean birth.

The accused, Miss Beauty Obi from Obingwa in Imo State, was arrested with her boyfriend, who was about to sell a stolen phone.

The lovebirds were confined in the Warri prison before visiting Chief Judge of the state, Honourable Justice Tessy Diai, who graciously granted her bail with the sum of N250,000, with one surety in like sum.

Justice Diai, however, assisted the girl with the sum of N20,000 after hearing about her condition.

The Deputy Controller of the custodial centre, Mr Edo Joseph Lucky, had earlier narrated the pathetic ordeal of the teenage mother who was pregnant before she was admitted to the centre along with her boyfriend.

According to him, the young mother was taken to the Warri Central Hospital where she gave birth through a caesarean section. He added that her baby was placed in an incubator for one week before being reunited with the mother in custody.

Mr Edo further disclosed that during the week the child spent in the incubator, the prison authority was spending N1000 hourly. This informed his appeal to the Chief Judge to grant her bail to enable her to go to her parents for proper care.

Narrating the circumstances that brought her to the centre, the accused claimed she was unaware of how her boyfriend got the phone, stating that she was innocent of the armed robbery charge preferred against her. She also thanked the Chief Judge for the financial assistance.

Out of the 539 warrants of inmates reviewed, the Chief Judge discharged five based on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions that they had no case to answer.

Among them were Lofore Difference (37), Innocent Okpaghe (37), Umukoro Kingsley (51), and Chenago Wisdom (29), who were charged with various offences ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping, and murder.

Meanwhile, Justice Diai has given a breakdown of warrants reviewed during her 2023 second-quarter visits to the five custodial centres in the state.

Rounding off the exercise at the Sapele Custodial Centre, the Chief Judge stated that a total of 1,587 warrants were reviewed, including 298 in Kwale, with four released and four granted bail; 539 in Warri, with four released and one granted bail; and 207, 180, and 368 warrants reviewed in Agbor, Sapele, and Ogwashi-Uku, respectively.

She commended the authorities of the various centres for their efforts and commitment to ensuring that inmates were taken to court for trial despite logistic challenges occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.

The part of the EU report that asserts that there was a single incident throughout the whole campaign where I retweeted a news item by a ‘suspicious website’ does not deserve my response because it is so presumptuous and outside their mandate and exposes a deep-seated bias about how the so-called observers went about their assignment. However, for the education of the gullible and unfortunate ones who are jubilating over such a poor report, I will say a word or two. 

Firstly, their assignment is to OBSERVE AND REPORT. Their mandate does not extend to INVESTIGATING claims made by candidates against one another and reaching CONCLUSIONS on such claims. They are not journalists nor are they law-enforcement officers. They are just OBSERVERS. Declaring any news as ‘fake’ when they don’t have alternative facts or findings by institutions statutorily empowered to investigate such claims is tantamount to taking sides on the campaign trail and trying to defend a candidate against another. And that is very disappointing and unfortunate on the part of these observers.

Secondly, even professional journalists, law-courts and law-enforcement agencies, in the course of investigating any allegation, MUST talk to all sides before reaching a conclusion. Where is the evidence that the EU observers talked to those who made these claims and sought to get further clarifications before rushing to write their jejune report?

Thirdly, they said I retweeted a story by ‘a suspicious website’. Pray, what makes a website ‘suspicious’? They did not elaborate. How can foreigners come into a country and declare a local news website as ‘suspicious’ (without more) and just walk away? What arrogance!

Fourthly and curiously, whilst other local and international journalists had previously reported that ALL THE POLITICAL PARTIES tried to outdo themselves by pushing out some false stories, the EU report just singled out the APC. So, were they blind to the antics of the other parties? For instance, was there a single mention of tons of false reports by the PDP and LP that our candidate BOLA AHMED TINUBU (who is now President) was evacuated abroad for urgent medical attention at various moments during the campaign when there was no scintilla of evidence to back that up? Is that not ‘fake news’?

Overall, the EU report is nothing but a reflection of a one-sided narrative. And I congratulate the Opposition on working closely with the EU and carting away the all-important prize of the EU Final Report. 

For us, we shall make do with the consolation prize of the ACTUAL WINNER OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2023. 

Daalu! 

FESTUS KEYAMO, SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK)

Mmesoma Ejikeme, the Anambra student who was accused of faking her 2023 UTME result by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on Wednesday, revealed how she received an automated text message from JAMB indicating that her score was 249.

Recall JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, had earlier revealed that the candidate sent a series of messages to the board’s automated telecoms system, including the results showing an aggregate of 362.

Reacting in an interview with Sunrise Daily on Channels Television, the Anambra teenager said the only SMS she sent to JAMB was through its support system: “That’s the only SMS I sent there.”

On how she got the score, she said; “The one I checked through the USSD code is the one of 360 that I saw”.

She, however, admitted that the feedback from JAMB showed her score as 249.

“After all was said and done, I now saw that I got 249. I sent them a text message there to know what really happened — the JAMB Support System. If they go to their system, they will see it there,” she further explained.

The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, has sought more Federal Government’s attention on infrastructural and developmental projects in Ogun State for the well-being of the citizens.

 Oba Gbadebo made this known while receiving a team from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, led by its Director of Studies, Prof. Oluwafunmilayo Para-Mallam in his Palace, Ake, Abeokuta, who was on a visit to the State, calling on the participants to use their visit and research method for the progress of the country.

 "As a State with prominent personalities, we need more attention from the Federal Government’s attention in terms of infrastructural facilities, developmental projects, access roads, especially the FG roads should be prioritised", Alake said.

 He said good roads, affordable and qualitative education, housing, and other infrastructural provisions are needed to enhance the social economic well-being of the entire citizenry.

 The Monarch assured the team of traditional rulers’ support in the course of carrying out their national assignment for the growth and development of the country, saying the fast pace of change and national development in countries across the globe could not be undermined.

 He pointed out that the State is hospitable and conducive to stay, adding that it is usually known for peace and tranquillity, and has produced many prominent nationalities.

 Earlier in her presentation, Prof. Para-Mallam said every year, the Institute receives a mandate to conduct research into key areas of national development, noting that there were six study groups for the year, and the first group picked Ogun as the research State.

  He stated that the State was chosen by group 1, set 45, 2023 course study, as an industrial hub of the country, saying it was strategically positioned for this year's research for the growth and development of the Institute and the country at large.

The Rivers State APC leadership has backed the state’s immediate-past governor, Barrister Nyesom Wike, in his selection of statutory ministerial appointments that will be zoned to the state.

The development comes as Sir Tony Okocha, the former Chief of Staff to Rotimi Amaechi as governor, revealed how his former boss (Amaechi) and Senator Magnus Abe almost sabotaged President Bola Tinubu’s electoral chances in the 2023 general elections.

Chief Okocha, who was the Chairman Local Organising Committee for Bola Tinubu Campaign Council in Rivers state, said at a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja that the immediate past governor, Wike, worked hard to deliver Asiwaju’s victory in the state, so he had been invited to join the party and become the leader.

According to the current leader, Sir Okocha, former governor Amaechi worked against the APC during the election, and Senator Magnus Abe delivered the Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in his ward and zone, so both have no moral justification to benefit from Asiwaju’s presidency.

Speaking on Magnus Abe’s role, Okocha said:

My worry is that you may just not have agreed to work with Tinubu. It’s a different ball game. But that you worked with Tinubu and then at the point that you were needed the most, midsea, you abandoned ship. You rejected and goofed on your own. You ported to another party or chose not to work for Tinubu again, and then only to return when the victory is here to say I was Tinubu’s first son. Does that work?

He (Magnus) said that as a member of PSC that whilst they were reviewing states, visa vie how they stand the possibilities and impossibilities of Tinubu winning in the respective states, Rivers state was not counted in as one of the states where Tinubu will score 25% at the time. So for him, remaining there would have been absurd. So he felt ‘okay, this man will not win, so let me go to another party to try my own personal interest’.

And I’m asking him when he got to this SDP Did he go there as an ordinary member? No, he went out and became the candidate of the party.

Amaechi refused to be pacified, even when Tinubu visited him in his house and said let’s work together. He refused. He attended only two rallies, campaigns in whole of Nigeria.

What I know is that the preponderance of those who supported Tinubu alongside me who stood and stuck to our guns for Tinubu, we gave ourselves a name, amalgamation of Tinubu, Shettima support groups on Rivers State. 48 groups. Now, the group had met after the election, the group met and we asked ourselves what the position was. In that meeting, it was not part of our agenda. We had a two-point agenda. One, what brief as to what has happened?

The second one was, what is the way forward? In the cause of that meeting, a motion was moved from the floor saying to us that we should invite Governor Wike to come over to APC and take over the leadership of APC. And when that motion was moved, it was followed with a standing ovation, spontaneous.

The reason is when Amaechi had left. Magnus had left. What remained was the little that I could control and with this amalgamation of support groups, we wooed the PDP. Are you not aware of the G5 who was the man behind the G5?

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has said the recent hike in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, commonly known as petrol, is one of many ways successive governments have trampled on the rights of Nigerians without remorse.

NLC added that the fuel price hike and other perceived anti-poor policies are weapons of war against the Nigerian workers and masses.

According to NLC, impoverishing workers and pushing millions more into hellish living does not in any way approximate sound economic management.

In an address at the opening ceremony of a four-day organising programme for leaders of the state councils of NLC in Lagos, President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, said from all intents and purposes, the Nigerian state had declared war on the working people and the masses of Nigeria.

Represented by the Deputy President of Congress and President-General of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, in the programme supported by the American Solidarity Centre, Ajaero noted that trade union leaders must not abandon the Nigerian people and workers to their fate.

The NLC President noted that labour leaders across the country “must all join hands in the struggle for the articulation and protection of the rights of Nigerian workers and people.

“All hope that one day, workers of Nigeria will reclaim their natural rights that have been forcefully abridged and trampled upon by uninformed employers and those in government who ought to have been in the vanguard of guaranteeing such rights.”

He lamented that “Various governments in Nigeria have mercilessly trampled upon the rights of Nigerians without any feeling of remorse.

“Politicians have ganged up against the workers and the masses without any consequences.

“It is important to note that governance in Nigeria is always spoken about in paradoxical dimensions.

“Governments are rooted in the lives of the people and thus ought to pursue service to them. But in our nation, governance has become an instrument for inflicting pains and suffering on workers and masses.

“Recently, we are all witnessed the steep heartless hike in the price of PMS by the Federal Government under the guise of the so-called petroleum subsidy withdrawal without making alternative arrangements to cushion the expected and well-known impact of such unconscionable action.

“This policy direction ought to have been the product of dialogue amongst stakeholders but was shunned by a democratically elected government which rather believes in machoism that has since left the economy reeling.

“That clearly shows that the Nigerian State, from all corners, is clearly at war with the people and workers.

“They have mounted pressures on the people at all fronts and have robbed the people repeatedly even when the people have turned the other cheek refusing to acknowledge that governance must go hand-in-hand with social justice if it is to have any meaning.

“This onslaught, comrades, is not relenting and would continue if nothing is done to mediate it immediately.”

The leadership of the National Assembly is set to present the new principal officers to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today (Wednesday) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Recall that Senate President Godswill Akpabio had announced Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC- Ekiti) as Senate Leader, Sen. David Umahi (APC-Ebonyi) as the Deputy Leader, Sen. Mohammed Ndume (APC-Borno) as the Chief Whip; and Sen. Lola Ashiru (APC-Kwara) as the Deputy Chief Whip.

Akpabio also named Plateau North lawmaker Mwadkwon Davou as Minority Leader, while Senator Kamorudeen Olarere (PDP Osun West) emerged as the Deputy Minority Leader.

Also, Darlington Nwokeocha (LP Abia Central) was named Minority Whip, while Rufai Hanga (NNPP Kano Central) was the Deputy Minority Whip.

While in the House of Representatives, the Speaker, Tajudeen Abass, announced Julius Ihonvbere as House Leader, Abdullahi Halims as the Deputy House Leader, Usman Kumo as the Chief Whip, and Adewunmi Onanuga as the Deputy Whip.

The Speaker also named Kingsley Chinda as the Minority House Leader, Ali Madaki as the Deputy House Leader, Ali Isa as the Minority House Chief Whip, and George Ozodinobi as the Deputy Whip.

Speaking with The Nation on the condition of anonymity, an APC chieftain said the National Assembly has resolved to present its new principal officers to President Tinubu on Wednesday (today).

He added that Akpabio and Abbas have the backing of the Presidency and the Progressives Governors Forum on the harmonised list of principal officers.

He said: “The National Assembly has the backing of the Presidency and the Progressives Governors Forum on the harmonised list of principal officers.

“The APC caucuses in the National Assembly amicably agreed on the list of the principal officers and no one can stop it.

“Even when there were issues with Sen. Ali Ndume as the second-ranking Senator after Dr. Ahmad Lawan, Senators prevailed on the Borno South Senator to accept to serve under Sen. Bamidele. Ndume bowed to pressure and accepted to be Senate Chief Whip.

“As the party’s national chairman, Adamu cannot overrule the decision of the APC caucuses in the Senate and the House of Representatives. There is no provision in the APC Constitution giving him such power.

“The National Assembly has resolved to present its new principal officers to President Tinubu on Wednesday (today).

“Adamu complained of inadequate communication but he shouldn’t have gone to the extent of overruling the National Assembly in public on the selection of the principal officers.”