The Supreme Court has 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. While delivering the lead judgment in the appeal filed by Atiku Abubakar, Justice 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…
Author: Michael Chibuzo
The Supreme Court has described the attempt by the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar to present fresh evidence at the appellate level in his case against the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a joke. The Supreme Court panel while ruling on the motion filed by Atiku Abubakar to admit what it described as “fresh evidence proving certificate forgery by President Bola Tinubu as contained in the deposition by the Registrar of Chicago State University, Caleb Westberg”, stated that it cannot accept fresh evidence at this level since Atiku failed to raise it at the lower court.…
Following the publishing of a recorded video broadcast on the social media platform X by a popular fake news merchant, David Hundeyin alleging that the Nigerian government had sent a military jet to Ghana to forcefully render him back to Nigeria, it has emerged that the Ghana Refugee Board on 1st October, 2023 wrote a letter to Hundeyin, who is on self-exile in Ghana dispelling such claims. On 21st September 2023, Mr. Hundeyin took to his X handle (formerly twitter) and posted a video recording where he claimed that the federal government was putting pressure on the Ghanaian government…
On 21st August, 2023, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo strolled into the office complex of the Federal Ministry of Interior to kick start what may be correctly described as the fastest and most visible transformation of a government ministry, department or agency in Nigeria’s recent history. In his maiden interaction with the heads of agencies and parastatals under his ministry, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo was blunt about his mission. He said, “I am here to work, but in working we must have a good environment. The work of this ministry affects everyone, whether you are rich or poor. I am here to…
The Business and Property Court in London on Monday halted the enforcement of the $11bn arbitration award in favour of P&ID against Nigeria. In a judgment delivered by Mr. Justice Robin Knowles, the court held that the process through which P&ID secured the contract was fraudulent. In the concluding part of the 141-page judgment, Justice Robin Knowles stated as follows: “In the circumstances and for the reasons I have sought to describe and explain, Nigeria succeeds on its challenge under section 68. I have not accepted all of Nigeria’s allegations. But the Awards were obtained by fraud and the Awards…
The Supreme Court has struck out the appeal by the Allied Peoples Movement seeking to nullify the election of President Tinubu. The party had claimed that the placeholder nominated by the president, Ibrahim Masari, was not replaced within the 14 days stipulated by Section 33 of the Electoral Act. At the hearing of the appeal on Monday the lead counsel for the party, Chukwuma Machukwu Ume told the Supreme court that their appeal was not premised on double nomination. He averred that the Vice President, Kashim Shettima was illegally nominated. Justice Inyang Okoro who is head of the panel of…
The leadership of All Progressives Congress in USA has raised alarm of plans by a political opposition group hiding under the label of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) USA to perpetrate a smear campaign against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This alarm is contained in a statement made available to Podium Reporters by the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the USA, Professor Tai Balofin. Professor Tai Balofin stated that it has come to the attention of APC USA that the impostor NADECO is organizing a World Press Conference aimed at propagating unfounded claims regarding the educational credentials of President Bola…
President Bola Tinubu has invoked the Principle of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, and has consequently approved the partial waiver of the “No Work, No Pay” Order that was instituted against striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) following the commencement of their eight-month industrial action which began on February 14, 2022 and was terminated on October 17, 2022. This was made known by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale in a State House press release to newsmen. Ajuri said, “in view of his determination to mitigate the difficulties being…
October 20th, 2020 has become a date in our history as a nation that reminds us a lot of unsavoury events that shook the very foundation of our national cohesion. However, the events of October 20 was a direct consequence of a near-nationwide protest triggered by a false news posted on the social media by Malcolm Nicholas from Ughelli in Delta State. In the video posted by Malcolm Nicholas, he falsely stated that operatives of the then Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) dragged a man named Joshua Ambrose from a moving SUV, shot and killed him, which according to him led…
By Michael Chibuzo Patriotism is a word that is presently a scarce commodity in Nigeria today. Many Nigerian citizens belong to a generation that do not understand the meaning of patriotism. They profess religions that espouse love for God and love for neighbours but find it difficult to understand the concept loving one’s country, which is what patriotism is all about. Many Nigerians cannot grasp the sort of passion which inspires one to serve one’s country. Their expectation is mostly about what the country can offer them, without understanding that for a country to be able to offer its citizens…