Justice A. O. Onovo of the Enugu State High Court, Thursday, declared the proscription of the Indigenous People of Biafra by the South-East Governors’ Forum as illegal, unconstitutional, and null and void.
Recall that in 2017, the South-East Governors Forum, led by former Gov David Umahi of Ebonyi State, proscribed IPOB activities. The development led to the Federal Government listing IPOB as a terror organisation three days later.
However, IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, through his counsel, Mr Aloy Ejimakor, approached the court to seek the reversal of the prescription.
Kanu sought the court’s declaration that IPOB proscription was illegal as it was an organisation “composed of citizens of Nigeria of the Igbo and other eastern Nigerian ethnic groups, professing the political opinion of self-determination.”
The IPOB leader prayed the court to declare his “arrest and consequent detention and prosecution as illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and amounts to infringement of the applicant’s fundamental rights.”
He urged the court to make a declaration that “self-determination is not a crime and thus cannot be used as a basis to arrest, detain and prosecute the applicant.”
He then prayed the court to compel the defendants to pay him N8bn in damages “for the physical, mental, emotional and psychological trauma he was subjected to.”
In his judgment on Thursday, Justice Onovo agreed with Kanu and declared IPOB proscription “unconstitutional and illegal.”
He also ordered the defendants to pay him N8bn damages and to tender a public apology to him through newspaper publications.
Addressing journalists shortly after the judgment, Kanu’s lawyer, Ejimakor, said, “We are grateful that justice has prevailed over this matter since 2017. The court has reaffirmed the hopes of the common man in the judiciary. You have saved thousands of lives.”
The Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, has rejected the apology tendered by his deputy, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, over the embarrassment that the ongoing political crisis must have caused in the state.
The governor, who reacted to Aiyedatiwa’s apology through his Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Strategy, Dr Doyin Odebowale, also rejected some of the claims made by Aiyedatiwa in his apology and insisted that his deputy had a question to answer before the state House of Assembly.
Aiyedatiwa, who blamed the ongoing crisis on desperate politicians in the state, had said he remained loyal to the governor and also denied sponsoring any protest against Akeredolu.
The deputy governor stated this while speaking with journalists in his office in Akure on Thursday.
Aiyedatiwa said, “I am deeply saddened by the embarrassment and discomfort that Mr Governor has faced due to the barrage of negative news in the state as a result of the events of the last few months. I tender my sincere apology to Mr Governor on this as our leader in the state.
“Our beloved state has witnessed a series of events triggered by the health challenges faced by Mr Governor, which gave rise to a lot of assumptions, falsehoods, insinuations, misunderstandings, misconceptions, and exploitation by political contenders preparing for the upcoming 2024 governorship election in the state.
“We have continued to read in the media all sorts of lies fabricated to create crisis just for the purpose of election. The recent impeachment attempt by the House of Assembly and the ensuing reactions have further created division and chaos, with my loyalty to Mr Governor being questioned.
“It is, therefore, imperative for me to put on record that there has never been any issue between Mr Governor and myself and I have never undermined him. Political actors have only taken advantage of his absence to create a non-existent crisis for their own selfish interests.”
The deputy governor commended Akeredolu and the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress for their intervention and roles in resolving the crisis. He specifically thanked the governor for persuading members of the Ondo State House of Assembly to embrace the political solution offered by the APC in the face of the impeachment move.
“It is in reference to all of the above that I tender my unreserved apologies to Mr Governor for the embarrassment and discomfort that the political chaos of these past months has caused him and the good people of Ondo State.
“I remain fully committed to the principles of good governance that Mr Governor has established, and I pledge my unwavering loyalty to him, and I will continue to submit myself under his able, courageous and selfless leadership.
“I completely distance myself from any group or individuals holding protests or calling on the governor to resign. I have never commissioned any individual or group to engage in such protest or campaign,” he said.
However, Odebowale, in his reaction on behalf of the governor, disagreed with the deputy governor’s point that Akeredolu had intervened in the crisis by asking the House to embrace political solutions to the crisis.
Odebowale also faulted the denial of the deputy governor that he had never sponsored any group to protest against the governor.
He said, “Governor Akeredolu does not meddle in the affairs of the House of Assembly of Ondo State, as subtly suggested at the (Aiyedatiwa’s) press conference. There has never been any time when the governor ‘persuaded’ the ‘distinguished members of Ondo State House of Assembly to embrace the political solution offered, by the APC, ‘in the face of an impeachment move against’ the Deputy Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
“The governor, a senior advocate of over two decades, possesses a deep understanding of constitutional democracy. Any snide suggestion of meddlesomeness in the business of the second arm of government by the governor is repudiated with vehemence. Mr Governor cannot descend too low.
“The deputy governor referred to the allegations of malfeasance levelled against him by the House of Assembly as ‘all sorts of lies against my person in the media.’ It is only decent that we advise him to take this defence to the same House of Assembly which came up with 14 allegations of gross misconduct against him.”
Odebowale also took exception to Aiyedatiwa’s reference to Akeredolu’s ill health, saying, “More instructive is the unfortunate reference made to ‘a series of events triggered by the health challenges faced by Mr Governor, which gave rise to misunderstandings, misconceptions, assumptions, and insinuations, and exploited by political contenders preparing for the upcoming 2024 gubernatorial election.’”
According to him, “the good people of Ondo State are too discerning to be hoodwinked with dissembling equivocation.”
He said, “Keen observers of events, as they have been unfolding in the state, cannot miss the import of the malicious intents, insensitive posturing and diabolical projections of the last six months in the government of the Sunshine State.”
Frozen fish and chicken retailers in Warri, Delta State, on Thursday, staged a peaceful protest against the rising cost of the products in the metropolis.
The aggrieved traders, mostly women, armed with fresh green leaves, sang anti government songs as they took their protest to some of the leading wholesalers of frozen foods in Warri South and Uvwie Local Government Areas.
The protesters complained bitterly that the daily rises in prices of frozen foods were becoming unbearable, as it was having adverse effect on their business.
One of the leaders of the aggrieved protesters, Mrs Onoriode Onokpite, while speaking with journalists, lamented that they now recorded low patronage on daily basis.
She said, “Customers no longer patronise us as they used to. It is suffocating us. Most of us are bread winners of our families.
“We decided to take our protest to the wholesalers of frozen foods so that they can reduce prices of frozen foods for us. Government should wade into the matter. We are dying”.
A spokesperson of Ocean Lord Frozen Foods Company, Solomon Ogheneovo, while reacting to the protest, attributed the cause of the increase in the frozen foods prices to the unprecedented increase in exchange of the naira to dollar.
While acknowledging the right of the aggrieved retailers of frozen foods to protest, he however noted that they were misdirecting their grievances.
According to him, the wholesalers bought products in foreign exchange of currency.
He was of the opinion that the protesters should rather direct their protest to government and not the wholesalers of frozen foods.
“If the exchange rate of the naira to dollar is low, the retail price of frozen foods will equally be low”, he said.
The naira maintained its downward trend on the Investor & Exporter forex window after closing at 837.49/$ at the end of trading on Thursday.
It had earlier closed at 801.10/$ at the end of trading on Wednesday.
Total turnover at the official market however rose from $100.18m on Wednesday to $113.22m on Thursday
Figures obtained from the official trading platform, FMDQ, showed that the naira commenced trading at 780.50/$ and was sold as high as 891/$ before closing at 837.49/$.
At the parallel market, the naira traded between 1,300/$ and 1,310/$ on Thursday, some Bureau de Change operators told The PUNCH.
Guinness blames forex harmonisation as shareholders bemoan non-dividend payment
A BDC operator, Yusuf Kareem said, “We bought naira for 1,220/$ and sold at 1,300/$.”
Another BDC operator, Idris Musa, said, “We sold dollars for 1,310 today. The rate is still not yet stable.”
It would be recalled that the Central Bank of Nigeria recently lifted the forex ban on importers of 43 items.
This allowed the importers to access forex at the official rate on the FMDQ.
Analysts however said the recent order would put more pressure on the official market as the forex liquidity challenge still lingered.
Several suspects accused of crimes such as armed robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, and one-chance incidents have been arrested by the police in Abuja.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Haruna Garba, who paraded the suspects before newsmen on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, said following distress call about a robbery incident at the residence of one Dayo Balogun of Zone B Apo resettlement, police operatives from Apo division swiftly mobilised to the scene and apprehended one Ogbonna Ezechukwu of Area 1.
The CP revealed that Ezechukwu is a notorious and wanted armed robber who has broken into many homes within Apo axis with members of his gang who are presently at large.
“A bag containing gold earrings, a laptop, four wristwatches, and other valuables was recovered from the suspect. He is assisting the Police in an effort to arrest his accomplices on the run,” the CP stated.
In a similar development, on October 15, police operatives from Mpape Division, while on routine patrol, arrested one Musa Ayelolo, a tipper driver and recovered a locally made pistol with two live cartridges from him. The suspect will be charged to court at the conclusion of the investigation,” CP Garba noted.
On October 17, an informant and logistic supplier to a gang of kidnappers, Muhammed Suleman, aka Bardi, was trailed and arrested by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Command, following credible intelligence.
In the course of interrogation by the police, the suspect confessed to being an informant and food supplier to bandits terrorising Mpape, Bwari, and Byazhin axis and getting a usual ₦10,000 to ₦15,000 rewards for carrying out the tasks
The Commissioner noted that Suleman, who is now cooperating with the police to arrest other gang members currently at large, is also a close associate of wanted bandit leaders – Buba and Nasiru (surnames unknown).
Meanwhile, following a report by one Sunday Idemudo that his ash-coloured Toyota Corolla car Reg No: ENU 104 JZ 2023 was discovered to have been removed from where it was parked at Michael Opara Way, Wuse zone 5, at the close of work on October 16, police operatives from Utako Division swung into action, tracked and recovered the vehicle at Tollgate, Kaduna State with the help of Reconstructive Digital Analysis (Tracking).
Two suspects – Mohammed Yunusa and Ibrahim Haliru were arrested in possession of the car and are now cooperating with the police to apprehend other accomplices currently on the run.
Also, the new ‘Operation Sting and anti-one chance squad,’ created by the FCT Police Command in an effort to rid the city of one chance activities, carried out coordinated operations and impounded nine tinted vehicles suspected to be used for one chance activities.
The vehicles impounded include a red Golf with Reg. No. ABJ 897 DC; White Peugeot 206 with Reg. No. JJJ 638; Ford Vita Black with Reg. No RBC 567 MK; Nissan Almeira with Reg. No. AWK 260 IB; Toyota Corolla Gold in Colour with Reg. No. ABJ 590 AE; Mazda 323 Protege with Reg. No. RBC 258 XC; Toyota Corolla Gold in colour with Reg. No. LD 364; Toyota Corolla with Reg. No. YAB 561 EH Black in colour, and a vehicle with Reg. No. ABJ 597 TH.
In the same vein, on October 22, police operatives from CPS, while on routine patrol, intercepted a Gold coloured Toyota Corolla with hand-inscribed Reg. No. RSH 287 is suspected to be used for one-chance activities at phase 1 Federal Secretariat.
On sighting police operatives, the suspect took to his heels leaving behind both the car and the victim whom he had attempted to rob. In the course of searching the vehicle, a locally made pistol, jack knife and a rope were recovered from the vehicle,” Garba revealed.
On October 20, police operatives from the anti-violent crime section of the Command arrested one Aliru Shuaibu and recovered a Hyundai Accent Car with Reg. No AAA 903 CG, being the property of one Yusuf Ibrahim, is reported to have been stolen from No. 3 Gwarimpa Estate Abuja on 28/09/2023.
The CP further advised members of the public to rethink handing over their original particulars to their servants or drivers while noting that a preliminary investigation by the police revealed that the suspect, who was a driver to the owner of the vehicle, removed the vehicle from the house and was able to sell it because the original particulars of the vehicle were in his possession.
On the same day, police operatives at Utako Division received a distress call that a Toyota Prado SUV jeep with Reg. No. KWL 276 CL was snatched at gunpoint from the owner at Utako by armed hoodlums.
The police operatives, however, gave the hoodlums a hot chase, forcing them to abandon the vehicle and take to their heels. The vehicle was recovered within two hours and has since been released to the owner.
Earlier on October 18, one Abubakar Umar, who specialises in receiving stolen items from a nine-man armed robbery gang, was arrested via actionable intelligence.
Umar’s arrest led to the arrest of three other members of the notorious armed robbery syndicate, namely – Ahmed Umar, Gadafi Suraju, and Abubakar Sadiq Umar, who carried out a robbery operation behind Customary Court, Arab Road Kubwa, on 03/09/2023.
Several stolen items, such as laptops, iPads, mobile phones, and television sets, amongst others, were recovered from the suspects, who have all confessed to the robbery and will be charged in court after investigation
Meanwhile, on October 23, police operatives from the Maitama Division, while on routine patrol, arrested one Shamsu Umar, who is a member of a three-man gang, while trying to rob one Mrs Aisha Hakeem and her husband along the Maitama expressway. The hoodlums swooped on them while the couple stopped to fix their broken-down vehicle.
CP Garba noted that the modus operandi of this gang is to patrol the expressway with their motorcycle, and when any person is found standing alone waiting to board a vehicle, or while the vehicle has a mechanical fault, as in this instant case, they move in to dispossess their victims of their valuables.
"The motorcycle used in the operation has been impounded, and the suspect is in custody assisting the Police to apprehend his gang members.
"In conclusion, therefore, I wish to reassure you that the FCT Police Command, under my leadership, will do all that is humanly possible to prevent crime and criminality, but when it does occur, to detect it. To all law-abiding residents of the FCT, I wish to solicit your support and cooperation in the spirit of community policing. Together, we shall defeat crime in the FCT,” Garba said.
Oby Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education has broken her silence after the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld President Bola Tinubu’s election in the February 25 presidential election.
According to her, the fight has just begun.
Recall that the judgement followed appeals filed against Tinubu’s election by Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP.
Atiku and Obi approached the apex court to appeal the ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal which dismissed their petitions against Tinubu.
“The fight for a Good Society has only now started and we know that nothing can defeat a People who have had enough of the invasive Cancer of Corruption and Criminality,” Oby Ezekwesili wrote on X.
“Read the story of the 70s Hong Kong to learn that in the quest for a Good Society, ‘it is never over until a people say it is over’.”
Muhammadu Buhari, the immediate past President of Nigeria, has reacted to the Supreme Court judgement which upheld the election of President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 presidential poll.
In statement signed by Garba Shehu, his spokesperson, the ex-President said the apex court’s decision to dismiss the appeals by Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) is a welcome relief to him and majority of Nigerians.
The former President repeated what he said on the 6 September, 2022 verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Court, which affirmed Tinubu’s victory.
The decision is “a reaffirmation of the will of the majority of the people against the determined will of a hard-fighting minority,” he said.
“Now that we have arrived at the last bus-stop, after a tortuous 8-months of expensive legal journey, the nation deserves a break. The opposition has fought a good fight.
“Having now exhausted their rights as constitutionally allowed, they should take the hand of fellowship extended by the Tinubu/Shettima APC government. Let them allow the government to run their administration and the people to enjoy the full benefits of the promises the All Progressives Congress (APC) made,” Buhari added.
He expressed concern over low voter turnout recorded all over the country, especially in urban areas, and said the situation should change, given the acceptance and vibrancy of democracy in Nigeria.
Buhari wished Tinubu and his team a successful term in office.
Bisi Fayemi, a former First Lady of Ekiti State, has disclosed that Nigeria has the highest number of child brides at 22 million, which she said was the highest number in West Africa.
She disclosed this at the Women (Wfm 91.7) Conference and Award, VOW2023, with the theme: “Repositioning Women for Greater Impact” on Wednesday in Abuja.
Fayemi said Nigeria featured poorly on most global indicators measuring gender equality and women’s empowerment, adding that the nation might not meet up with most of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, by 2030.
According to her, “Nigeria features poorly on most global indicators measuring Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE). The most recent global gender gap index 2023, ranks Nigeria 130th out of 146 countries. The global gender gap index tracks economic opportunities, education, health, and political leadership.
“Nigeria has one of the highest number of child brides at 22 million, which is the highest in West Africa and 11th highest globally. Not only did Nigeria not meet any of the original Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, we might not meet most of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, in 2030 either.
“If by miracle we manage to meet a few of the targets, we will not meet SDG 5 which aims to achieve gender equality by ending all forms of discrimination, violence and any harmful traditional practices against women and girls, as well as participation in decision making.
“Nigerian women are among the better educated and wealthiest women in Africa, yet this has not translated into political power. The level of representation of women in elective positions has gone down during the past four general elections, 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023.
“Nigeria is not only one of the countries of the world with the lowest level of women’s representation in elective office but also where very little progress has been made in promoting gender equality”.
Stressing the need for more participation and inclusion of women in politics, she said, “Regardless of the platforms we occupy, we all have a role to play, starting from wherever we believe we have influence.
We need personal commitments to social change, qualitative legal and policy frameworks that can remove oppressive patriarchal norms and values, comprehensive implementation frameworks, investments of appropriate financial, material, human and technical resources and significant political will to make all these commitments meaningful in the lives of African women.
“We also need to continue to work together in sisterhood and solidarity across borders, to leverage our experiences, and our lessons should be documented and shared consistently”.
In his remarks, the Governor of Kwara State, and Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, lauded women for driving change in the society through the conference, stating that interventions would be made available to highlight gender inclusiveness in Nigeria.
On her part, Vice President of Liberia, Jewel Taylor, beckoned on Nigerians to collaboration to change the dynamics of the Nigerian Women’s movement for increased participation and work to stop the biases against women’s leadership.
Also speaking, CEO, of Women Radio, Toun Okewale Sonaiya spoke about the organisation’s achievements and stressed the organisation’s commitment to be apolitical and maintain editorial independence and female-centricity.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the verdict of the Supreme Court on Thursday regarding the outcome of the 2023 presidential election as disappointing.
The PDP in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba said the majority of Nigerians are alarmed, disappointed and gravely concerned with the reasoning of the Supreme Court.
It added that the confidence of many Nigerians in the judiciary has been shaken by the Supreme Court ruling.
Naija News recalls the apex court on Thursday affirmed the ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, which declared All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the winner of the February 25th presidential election.
The court proceeding led by the Presiding Judge, Justice John Okoro, dismissed the petitions filed by candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, on the ground that they lacked merit.
The Supreme Court held that the candidate of the PDP failed to prove that he won the election, stating that there was no alternative figure of votes to counter that validly declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Justice Okoro, who read the judgment, said the Supreme Court could not manufacture votes in support of Atiku and PDP.
Reacting to the court judgement, the PDP said the Supreme Court has failed Nigerians.
It submitted that the position of the apex court is against the constitution and the 2022 Electoral Act and Nigerians are surprised as to how the court failed to take cognizance of the reported violation of electoral rules and guidelines, brazen manipulations and alterations of election results by the APC.
The statement reads: “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is appalled by the judgment of the Supreme Court in the petition filed by the PDP and Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar against the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Bola Ahmed Tinubu as winners of the February 25, 2023 Presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“The PDP and indeed majority of Nigerians are alarmed, disappointed and gravely concerned with the reasoning of the Supreme Court which the PDP believes is against the express provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, the Guideline and Regulation issued by INEC under which the election was conducted.
“The PDP asserts that it is indeed a sad commentary for our democracy that the Supreme Court failed to uphold the provisions of the law. Instead, it trashed the expectation of majority of Nigerians who looked up to it as a Temple of Impartiality to deliver substantial justice in the matter having regards to the laws and facts of the case.
“Nigerians earnestly expected the Supreme Court to uphold and defend the clear provisions of the 1999 Constitution in terms of qualification and minimum requirement for a winner to be declared in a Presidential election in Nigeria especially with regards to the required statutory 25% of votes in the FCT as well as issues of violation of electoral Rules and Guidelines, brazen manipulations and alterations of election results by the APC.
“Nigerians are still at a loss as to how the Supreme Court condoned the serious issues of forgery, falsehood and perjury on the altar of technicalities.
“The general gloom, melancholy and sense of despondency across the country upon the delivery of the judgment is an ominous sign of eerie situation which portend grave consequences because of the disappointment embedded in the judgment.
“This judgment by the Supreme Court has evidently shaken the confidence of Nigerians in the judiciary, especially the Supreme Court as the last hope of the common man.
“The PDP remains undeterred and charges Nigerians not to be discouraged or allow the judgment to detract from their collective quest for the entrenchment of a credible electoral system that can guarantee a government that truly derive its legitimacy from the people.”
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has said the judgement of the Supreme Court affirming the victory of President Bola Tinubu is a proof that the February 25 presidential election was not manipulated.
Ganduje stated this in a statement released through his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, on Thursday.
The former Governor of Kano State called on presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and is counterpart in the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi to wait till 2031 when Tinubu would have rounded off his second term.
Ganduje, who congratulated Tinubu, said the judgement has laid to rest all claims by the opposition parties.
Ganduje said the Supreme Court verdict would pave the way for President Tinubu to concentrate on implementing the “Renewed Hope” mandate of the APC for the benefit of Nigerians.
He said, “Nigeria belongs to all of us, it is our responsibility as patriots to pool our resources together to move the country forward. I congratulate both Atiku and Obi on their dogged fight in extending the frontiers of our democracy and law.
“This is democracy. Tinubu’s victory is another victory for democratic rule in the country. There is still room for both Obi and Atiku to actualize their presidential aspiration after the second term tenure of President Tinubu in 2031.”
Ganduje also called on Nigerians, irrespective of political leaning, to rally round the President to ensure that he delivers more dividend of democracy and move the country on the path of sustainable progress.
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Nigeria’s apex court, the Supreme Court has backed the Court of Appeal in its position that the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, is like other states.
The apex court took the position at it ongoing ruling on the appeals filed by Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi challenging the decision of the presidential election petition tribunal which upheld the victory of Bola Tinubu in the last presidential election.
The presiding justice of the panel, John Okoro, asked, “Are you saying if someone scores 25% votes in 30 states but not in Abuja, he should not be president? Is that how you interpret the law?
“That is not the law. Supreme Court agrees with the Court of Appeal,” he added.
Meanwhile, the apex also ruled that the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission to transmit the election results on the INEC Result Viewing Portal did not affect the outcome of the presidential election.
Reading the lead judgment, Okoro said, “When IReV fails, it does not stop the collation of the results. It deprives people of viewing results. The nonfunction will affect the trust of the electorates in the election.
“Unavailability of IReV cannot be a ground for the election to be nullified.
“The failure did not affect the outcome of the election. The issue is resolved against the appellants. “
[hallmarknews]
The Supreme Court on Thursday, October 26, dismissed the appeal by Atiku Abubakar and the PDP against the September 6 judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), affirming the election of President Bola Tinubu.
On the issue of President Tinubu’s CSU certificate, the apex court rejected new evidence provided by Atiku Abubakar’s legal team.
However, in a statement by one of the justices, it was explained why the deposition was not allowed.
He said that the deposition made by the Registrar of the Chicago State University (CSU), Caleb Westberg, was not authenticated.
He further argued that the deposition had no seal by the court, or signature by the consulate to affirm the authenticity of its origin.
Nigeria's Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the opposition's challenges to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's election victory, validating his mandate after the final legal appeal.
A seven-judge panel ruled as without merit the opposition appeals over claims of fraud, electoral law violations and Tinubu's ineligibility to run for president.
A former Lagos governor, Tinubu won 37 percent of the vote in February, beating Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party's Peter Obi, in one of the tightest votes in Nigeria's modern history.
"Having resolved all the issues against the appellant, it is my view that there is no merit in this appeal and it is hereby dismissed," Justice John Inyang Okoro said of PDP's appeal in a ruling broadcast live on television.
The panel also rejected Labour's motion against Tinubu.
An election appeals court last month already rejected the two main opposition party petitions, including allegations of fraud, violations by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and claims Tinubu did not meet the constitutional requirements.
Along with its original claims, Atiku's legal team had also sought to introduce new evidence it claims shows Tinubu submitted a forged certificate from the Chicago State University as a qualification to the election commission when he applied to run for president.
Vowing an agenda of "Renewed Hope", Tinubu took office in May and has quickly introduced reforms his government says will help grow Africa's largest economy and attract more foreign investment.
AFP
Unavailability Of Election Results On IReV Not Ground For Election Nullification - S’Court Rules
AdminThe Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the non-availability of election results on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal is no ground for the nullification of the February 2023 presidential election.
Justice Inyang Okoro, leader of the five-panel of Supreme Court justices, gave the ruling in the appeals filed by Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the Presidential Elections Petitions Court (PEPC) which upheld Bola Tinubu’s February win.
He said the petitioner seeking to nullify an election must show noncompliance substantially affected the election.
According to him, the appellant abandoned the duty placed on them to prove noncompliance but relied solely on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) inability to electronically transmit the election results to the INEC Results Viewing (IReV) portal.
Justice Okoro said the Electoral Act empowers INEC to determine the mode of transmission of election results.
He said a court should give a holistic interpretation of the constitution. According to him, such an interpretation must be people-oriented, adding that a narrow and selfish approach should be avoided.
He says the interpretation of law must be such that it will reduce law-making to absurdity, noting that he sees merit in the issue as raised by the appellants and dismissed it.
The decision of the PEPC is unavailable, Justice Okoro says.
“The interpretation of the constitution should serve the generality of the people Let me drive this matter home,” he said.
“Are saying that if a candidate scores majority votes across the country but fails to win the election in the Federal Capital Territory. Can’t the candidate be declared president?”