BREAKING: Court rejects 10 out of 13 witnesses presented by Obi
The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal said it rejected 10 out of 13 witnesses presented by the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.
Justice Haruna Tsammani, who took over to deliver judgment on the substantive petition filed by Obi and LP, said this on Wednesday.
Tsammani said Obi called 13 witnesses, who testified as PW1 to PW13, noting that of the 13 witnesses, only three witnesses whose statements are on oath, were filed along with the petition.
The remaining 10 witnesses, the Justice said, were subpoenaed and their witness statements on oath were only filed after the hearing started.
Tsammani held that by virtue of section 285 of the Nigerian constitution, section 137(7) of the Electoral Act 2022, and other provisions, every witness statement on oath must be filed along with the petition.
He said that based on the Supreme Court authority, once the 21-day window for filing an election petition elapses, the content of the petition cannot be amended.
The Justice stated further that no additional statement on oath can be filed after the close of the specified window since the respondents would not have the opportunity to respond.
Tsammani said the petitioners were aware of the legal provision relating to the filing of witness statements on oath, yet went ahead to present 10 witnesses without their witness statements on oath earlier filed with the petition.
The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) has struck out the Allied Peoples Movement petitions against President Bola Tinubu and his Vice President, Kashim Shettima, for lack of merit.
The PEPT dismissed and described APM’s case filed to nullify Tinubu’s election as “incompetent”.
The court held that issues raised by the APM in its petition contained pre-election matters that could only be determined by the Federal High Court.
Chairman of the panel, Justice Haruna Tsammani, read the ruling.
The tribunal also dismissed the APM petition against the Independent National Electoral Commission and four others.
Listed as 1st to 5th respondents are INEC, All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, Kashim Shettima and Kabiru Masari.
The tribunal ruled on each of the arguments put forward by APM.
Tsammani said the petitioners failed to prove their arguments and the petition was void of merits.
The judge also upheld preliminary objections raised by all the Respondents to challenge the competence of the petition.
Tsammani held that since the petition centered on the qualification or otherwise of Tinubu to contest the presidential election, the APM ought to have gone to court within 14 days after Tinubu was nominated by the APC.
He held that since the cause of action bordered on a pre-election matter, the APM lacked the locus standi to challenge Tinubu’s nomination.
Tsammani also held that the law did not allow a political party to query the process adopted by another political party in nominating its candidate.
The judge also held that invalid nomination or double nomination did not qualify as a ground for disqualification in respect of presidential election as provided in sections 131 and 137 of the Constitution.
The PUNCH reports that the APM asked the court to invalidate the votes of the President on the grounds of the double nomination of his vice, Shettima.
The APM argued that at the time Shettima became the vice presidential candidate of the APC, he was also a senatorial candidate in Borno State.
The case of the APM was opened and closed on June 21 after calling one private witness.
There has been a Fire Scare involving an Inverter Battery at the basement of the Arrival Pick-up section of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) which has since been doused.
The scare which happened at about 08:00hours Wednesday has the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service joining the Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service at the Echo Wing of the Airport.
The thick black smoke emanated from the Battery House as a result of the components of the Batter which was vented to bring the situation under control as the already activated Airport emergency response plan took strategic charge to bring the situation under control.
There is no record of casualty as normalcy has been restored.
Adeseye Margaret
Director
Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service
September 6, 2023
The International Passport is a Right not Privilege of Nigerians – Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister for Interior
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has mandated that no Nigerian should wait for more than two weeks before collecting their passport.
Tunji-Ojo made this known while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday.
The Minister of Interior also promised that all passport backlogs will be cleared in no more than two weeks, noting that owning a green passport is a right and not a privilege for Nigerians.
Tunji-Ojo decried the way Nigerians experience disrespect when they have to undergo the process of applying for their passports.
He therefore assured Nigerians that there is an ongoing conversation with Nigerian Immigration Service to digitise and centralise passport issuance and renewal process.
The Minister said “clearing all backlogs shouldn’t take more than two weeks.
“The scarcity and delay around fresh passport issuance and renewal fuelled corruption in the sector.
“After clearing these backlogs, no Nigerian should wait for more than two weeks,” he stressed.
“It’s a right and not a privilege, Nigerians want that right to be actually theirs, not by somebody offering you your right.”
According to him, it is not excusable for any Nigerian to be treated disrespectfully because of a passport application.
“What Nigerians want to see is solutions, and that is what the President has constantly told us… No excuses.
“In line with the directive of Mr. President, it can no longer be business as usual.
“We have critically analysed all these scenarios – from going online to fill the form to the point of payment, to the point of picking a date, to the point of biometrics, to the point of issuance of passports. And we understand the service providers involved and have seen one or two things to put right.
“We have to digitise and we also have to decentralise the whole enrolment system and make it (possible) for people to walk into the nearest post office, people can walk into may be financial institutions and some many other ways. We are still playing with so many ideas.”
DSS Arrested Syndicate Selling Palliatives in Nasarawa State
The Department of State Services (DSS) says its operatives have arrested some suspects behind the diversion of palliatives meant for “vulnerable” citizens in Nasarawa state.
The service said the suspects were arrested in various parts of the state for selling the palliatives, noting that the items have been recovered while an investigation is ongoing in other parts of the country.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Peter Afunanya, DSS spokesperson, said the service carried out an investigation after receiving reports from some state governments.
“Consequently, the Service undertook investigations in that regard and has recovered some of the items as well as apprehended the suspects,” the statement reads.
Afunanya said the service intercepted a “suspected criminal syndicate” in Nasarawa for allegedly diverting and selling palliatives meant for the vulnerable residents in the state.
He said the suspects arrested were officials of Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA) and their accomplices in the marketplaces, including Modern Market Lafia, where the items were being resold.
The DSS spokesperson said the suspects have been handed over to the appropriate body for disciplinary action.
Following the removal of the petrol subsidy, the federal and state governments have rolled out palliatives to cushion the hardship on Nigerians.
The measures include providing financial support and food items to low-income households and increasing the availability of public transportation for workers.
However, there have been concerns about the possible diversion of the palliatives away from the target population.
Nigeria is the Right Place for You…Tinubu Tells Hinduja Group Chairman
President Bola Tinubu has assured potential Indian investors about the enormous profits they stand to make in Nigeria.
He premised this on the pledge that his administration would break every bottleneck that impedes their ease of doing business in the country.
“I am here to personally assure our friends and investors that there is no bottleneck that I will not break. Nigeria will become one of the most conducive places on earth to make good profits and create lasting jobs,” Tinubu told the Chairman and CEO of the Hinduja Group of Companies, Gopichand Hinduja, a conglomerate with a total asset portfolio exceeding $100bn.
“The Indian Industrialist was received by the President within 90 minutes of the President’s arrival in India for a meeting, which began around 8:00 pm local time,” read a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.
The statement is titled, ‘President Tinubu Arrives India and heads straight into top-level investment meeting with Hinduja Chairman after 15a -hour journey’.
Accompanied to the meeting by Nigeria’s Ministers of Finance, Trade & Industry, and Foreign Affairs, Tinubu told his first visitor, Hinduja, that he was in India to attract investments to Nigeria with lucrative opportunities for investors, but most essentially, jobs for Nigerians and new revenue opportunities for Nigeria’s federal and sub-national governments.
“We are here for business. With my support, nothing is standing in your way of enjoying the unrivalled opportunities presented by our massive market and the ingenious & hardworking nature of the Nigerian people. We are open for business,” he stated.
The Hinduja Group Chairman told the President that he witnessed his landmark effort as Governor of Lagos in turning a coastal erosion and water encroachment crisis into a massive free trade zone, where industry now thrives.
He said this was partially responsible for his excitement to partner with Nigeria’s new President to create win-win prosperity for Nigeria’s talented population.
“We believe in you as a leader who has done this before. You know what the challenges are. You know how to fix them.
“We are going to make investments into the billions of dollars under your leadership because we see you are already addressing the systemic problems. I am ready now to sign an MoU and to begin execution.
“You tell me who to liaise with and we will get to work immediately, particularly concerning bus and automobile manufacturing in Nigeria, amongst other areas,” the industrialist said.
Responding to Gopichand, Tinubu said, “Ministers of Trade and Finance, the two of you will follow this up immediately and you will draw up the terms to the satisfaction of both parties.
“If there are any issues at all which require my intervention, they must be brought to my attention immediately.”
The President concluded that his task of making Nigeria great can only be achieved through teamwork and not in isolation.
He noted that when his investors are happy, Nigerians will rejoice by partaking in an inclusive economy where hard work is rewarded and excellence becomes the nation’s reputation.
After the President assigned the collaboration task to the two ministers, the industrialist noted that he had “paperwork stalled in Nigerian bureaucracy for over one year, especially in FCT, but I knew that you would be purpose-driven in this endeavour and God will help you to turn Nigeria’s rich promise into rich reality for all of its citizens.”
President Tinubu to Employ Technology on Civil Service Padded Payroll
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed concern about Nigeria’s padded civil service payroll at the national and sub-national levels.
The president bore his mind on Monday while speaking at a meeting in the State House, Abuja, with the Global Vice President of Oracle, Mr. Andres Garcia Arroyo.
He told his guest that with cutting edge technology, the country would digitize the public service and surgically apply public money for growth.
He said: “Each time they give me the payroll number, I get so frightened. Where am I going to get the capital to develop the infrastructure we desperately require if the payroll of 1% – 2% of the population is consuming all the revenue? I think we need a tight technological control that can check and balance all necessary control points of our transaction processes. I’m looking forward to working with Oracle because I have the belief and confidence that you can do it as you have in the past.”
President Tinubu expressed his support for new partnerships with global technology companies to ensure that data from public institutions were accurate and transparent in providing templates on which proper public sector planning and accounting could occur across sectors.
The president, who welcomed the company’s commitment to Nigeria’s civil service reform process and data management sector, stressed the need for greater knowledge transfer through the establishment of academies and training institutions in the country.
Aiming to promote the ease of doing business, digital innovation, effective identity management, efficient payroll administration and qualitative citizen-centred service delivery, the President cited Oracle’s proven success in the automation of the Lagos State payroll system during his tenure as Governor and lauded the positive impact of technological solutions in enhancing accountability, and expediting timelines for service delivery without sacrificing quality in the process.
“I have tested Oracle and it has worked for our success. In Lagos State, what we did in effective collaboration with you, has been copied across the states of the Federation. We can only build our institutions with accurate data and cutting edge data management capabilities that are reliable and effective. We can only rely upon our human resources for excellent service delivery to Nigerians, if they are well trained and ready to learn.
“The transfer of knowledge is essential for our nation and the continent. In this government, we believe that the only way to build our country is a bottom-up-approach and from one single sheet of paper, we can create an end-to-end solution for public administration that will rid our service of its worst tendencies in favor of effectiveness and reliability,” the President Tinubu declared.
In his remarks, the Global Vice President of Oracle proposed a comprehensive digital transformation of work process at the federal level of administration, in order to achieve greater macro-economic visibility; streamline government processes for cost and time savings; and to provide the desired skills development opportunities for Nigerians.
“You have shown tremendous practical leadership throughout your career, Mr. President. We have partnered with you and we know how determined you are to achieve all that you set out to achieve. This is why we are offering Nigeria a free national diagnostic of the present situation in the public service with a view to dimensioning across sectors the scale of solution required. We look forward to partnering with you again,” the Oracle VP concluded.
Lagos Lawmakers Begin Screening of New Set Of Nominees As Sanwo-Olu Sends Names
The Lagos State House of Assembly will on Tuesday commence the screening of a second batch of nominees sent to by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, urged the screening committee led by Hon. Fatai Mojeed to ensure a thorough screening process and report to the House on Thursday.
Prior to the Speaker’s comment, the Clerk of the House, Barrister Olalekan Onafeko, read a letter from the governor listing the names presented.
In the letter, Governor Sanwo-Olu said some of the names were represented while new names were added.
Titled: ‘Fowarding of Official List of Nominees for Appointment as Commissioners and Special Advisers’, the letter thanked the Speaker and members of the House for their diligence and commitment in relation to the recent screening and confirmation of 22 nominees.
“Your rigorous accessment of these nominees in adherence to your constitutional obligations demonstrates your dedication to ensuring a competent and effective council,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The governor said after careful consideration of the 17 names that were rejected, “I have decided to represent a list of nominees which includes a balanced selection of previously presented and new individuals.
“This list represents a broad political spectrum and diverse backgrounds reflective of the rich diversity of our lovely state,” he added in the letter.
The governor said he is confident that the new nominees would bring fresh ideas that would help the growth and progress of Lagos.
He urged the House to screen the nominees for clearance.
Names
1. Dr. Afolabi Abiodun Tajudeen
2. Mr. Oluwaseun Oriyomi Osiyemi
3. Prof. Akinola Emmanuel Abayomi
4. Engr. Olalere Odusote
5. Dr. Oluwarotimi Omotola Wahab Fashola
6. Mrs. Folashade Kaosarat Ambrose-Medem
7. Mr. Akinyemi Bankole Ajigbotafe
8. Mr. Samuel Egube
9. Hon. Tolani Sule Akibu
10. Mrs. Bolaji Cecelia Dada
11. Mrs. Barakat Akande Bakare
12. Mr. Olugbenga Omotoso
13. Mr. Mosopefolu George
14. Yekini Nurudeen Agbaje
15. Dr. Olumide Oluyinka
16. Mr. Abayomi Samson Oluyomi
17. Dr. Iyabode Oyeyemi Ayoola
18. Hon. Sola Shakirudeen Giwa
Meanwhile, the House of Assembly has resolved to review the performance of the 2023 budget in preparation for the presentation of the 2024 budget eatimate by Governor Sanwo-Olu.
Recall that the House had approved N1.768 trillion for the Year 2023.
Speaker Obasa urged the Committee for the budget review, headed by Hon. Sa’ad Olumo to ensure a proper review and make its report available to the House.
Eromosele Ebhomele
Media Assistant to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Tinubu’s cabinet has doused fears over single faith ticket – Christian Pilgrims Board
The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Reverend Yakubu Pam, has commended the Tinubu/Shettima administration for taking deliberate steps towards ensuring inclusiveness for all Nigerians.
He urged the administration to continue taking such steps in the national interest.
Giving an appraisal of the present administration, Reverend Pam said Tinubu’s choice of Ministers and other recent appointments have doused the apprehension raised over the single-faith ticket of the All Progressives Congress.
The Executive Secretary of NCPC told journalists that He visited the Presidential Villa on Friday to express appreciation for the Bola Tinubu administration’s excellent support for the NCPC, which is Nigeria’s sole facilitator of Christian pilgrimage.
“Last Friday, we briefed Mr. President on the activities and mandate of NCPC and plans for Christian pilgrimages to Israel, Rome, Jordan, and Greece.
It is an opportunity for hundreds of Christians to have prayer retreats, and we are immensely appreciative of this administration’s unwavering support.
“Many will recall that during the electioneering period a few months ago, some politicians stirred up dangerous sentiments and apprehensions by alleging that Nigeria was about to be converted to one religion, but we thank God that this administration embraces all,” he stated.
He further appealed to politicians to shun divisive propaganda and aggressive use of disinformation and misinformation, which he described as potent threats against democracy, unity, and peace.
Pointing out that Nigeria faces numerous challenges in its bid to actualise the genuine populist developmental goals of the current administration, he maintained that Nigerian politicians and their supporters must rise above dangerous propaganda and the dissemination of mischievous information that threatens national unity, peace, and progress.
Reverend Yakubu also disclosed plans to organise a ‘Peace Walk’ that would enable those who believe in the peace and unity of Nigeria to send a potent message to adherents of all religions about collective resolve to support all efforts aimed towards the actualization and sustenance of peace nationwide.
He further stressed the need to overcome hate and embrace peace and forgiveness, noting that, as a Christian, he has chosen to forgive mischief makers who made unjustified allegations against him and tried to rubbish his personal sacrifice towards the election of President Bola Tinubu by making false claims that he was anti-Tinubu.
“I have chosen the path of forgiveness,” Reverend Pam stated with conviction, emphasising the values of reconciliation, compassion, and understanding.
Don’t Cross the Blue Rail Track to Avoid Electrocution, LASG Warns
The Lagos State Government has warned residents to avoid crossing the track of the Blue Rail line as it is set to start full commercial operations on Monday (tomorrow).
The Chief Press Secretary, Mr Gboyega Akosile, gave the warning on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Saturday, adding that citizens should instead use the overhead bridges provided by the government.
“Dear Lagosians, please be reminded as we kick off the commercial operations of the Lagos Blue Line Rail transport on Monday, that the rail line is electrified. Don’t cross the rail lines because it is dangerous. Use the overhead bridges that have been provided by the government. Thank you,” he wrote.
The first phase of the rail line which extends from Marina to Mile 2 has five stations located in Marina, National Theatre, Iganmu, Alaba, and Orile.
In a video clip that was posted by the CPS on X, the General Manager of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, Abimbola Akinajo, also urged residents to respect the regulations regarding the Blue Rail line in order to avoid very bad situations.
She said, “With regards to the operations of the Blue Line in particular, we all know that we have publicised that the Blue Line is going to be an electrified rail system. If you want to cross from one side to the other, you must use the overhead bridges.
“This is a necessity for all of us to understand and we have fenced all along the alignment for the Blue Line to ensure that people do not cross it. But what we see time and again is that people go there and they cut the fences and they run across. We have bothered to put pedestrian crossings; there is access for people with physical challenges, and therefore we have no reason to cross the track.”
