Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

The suspended Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State, Hudi Yunusa-Ari, on Monday, failed to show up at the Adamawa State High Court, where he was to be arraigned Monday. Justice Benjamin Manji of the State High Court ordered INEC to produce him in court during its next sitting on November 23, 2023. This came after the police failed to serve the hearing notice to Yunusa-Ari. The prosecution counsel to INEC, Justice Rotimi Jacobs, claimed police made several attempts to serve him the hearing notice by visiting his home, but he could not be traced.…

A Yaba Magistrate Court in Lagos State has granted singer Azeez Fashola, also known as Naira Marley, and Balogun Eletu, popularly known as Sam Larry, bail in the sum of N20 million with three responsible sureties. The Magisterate, Adeola Olatunbosun, ordered the duo to submit their international passports as part of their bail conditions. The magistrate also ordered them to make weekly appearances at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Adding a unique warning, the magistrate overseeing the case sternly cautioned that any attempts to contact her would be recorded and potentially disclosed in open court proceedings. “As part of…

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday sacked Musa Ilyasu Kwankwaso of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and reinstated Yusuf Umar Datti of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the Kura/Madobi/Garun Malam Federal Constituency Election. The three-panel led by Justice Tunde Oyebamiji Awotoye allowed an Appeal by Yusuf Datti and averred that the tribunal was wrong to have counted the date of the Appellant’s resignation on the date of his party’s primary election and that Section 77 of the Electoral Act was misapplied. The appellate court stated that no court has jurisdiction on the issue of membership of the…

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, awarded ₦5 million damages against the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for alleging that the corps’ discharged certificate held by Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State was fake. Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment, held that the Director General of the NYSC and the corps, who were defendants in the suit, were guilty of misrepresentation of material facts. The judge held that the certificate presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by Mbah was authentic and validly issued by the NYSC. Justice Ekwo further held that evidence before the court showed that…

Lawmakers in the House of Representatives are said to be lobbying over the membership of the committee on Appropriation of the green chamber of the National Assembly. The membership of the committee has increased in the last few weeks, which is said to be against the House rules and has caused discontentment in the lower chamber. Already, the membership of the strategic committee had risen from the statutorily allowable figure by house rules of a maximum of 40 members  to 57 members. According to Leadership, some chairmen and deputies of other Standing Committees of the House have been admitted as members…

President Bola Tinubu will travel to Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, over the next few days in what has been termed an aggressive push to promote Nigeria and attract foreign direct investment. Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, who briefed State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa said the President will be attending the Saudi-Africa Summit and the Arab-African summit which are scheduled to hold on the 10th and 11th November, 2023 respectively. According to the presidential spokesman, the President in Saudi Arabia, would discuss several issues of mutual concern with respect to economic ties between the regions and with respect…

Organised labour, made up of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has begun mobilising its affiliates and state councils ahead of the total shutdown of the nation on Wednesday. The NLC and TUC had on Friday resolved to embark on a nationwide strike to protest the brutal attack on the President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero. Recall that operatives of the Nigerian Police arrested Ajaero during a protest march organised by labour unions in Owerri, Imo State, in response to claims that the state government was abusing and violating the rights of its workers. NLC alleged…

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has announced that the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde, will be redeployed before the Saturday gubernatorial elections in the state. The CP was recently accused by the Labour Party and other stakeholders of being partisan. Similarly, the Nigeria Labour Congress had demanded the removal of the police boss following the attack on its president, Joe Ajaero, in Owerri on Wednesday. Responding to the call for the CP’s redeployment, Egbetokun said on Sunday night during a Channels Television programme that the Nigeria Police Force had concluded plans to redeploy the CP. According…

The Federal Government, yesterday, urged motorists to use alternative routes to avert gridlock as comprehensive repair works on Adekunle ramps of Third Mainland Bridge begins today. Addressing newsmen on the 11.8km Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, the Federal Controller of Wosrks, Lagos State, Engr. Mrs Olukorede Kesha, said the repairs would begin today adding that the Adekunle exit ramp would be closed to traffic from 9.00 a.m. for the two weeks’ rehabilitation after which, work would move to other areas. Kesha said: “We are here to sensitise Lagosians on the forthcoming closure of Third Mainland Bridge on Monday November 6.…

Real Madrid missed an opportunity to return to the top of La Liga as they were held to a goalless draw by Rayo Vallecano at the Bernabeu. The result leaves Real second in the table, two points behind leaders Girona who won 4-2 at Osasuna on Saturday. Federico Valverde, Joselu, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr all had chances to score for the hosts. However, the visitors held firm for their first away point in this fixture since 2000. Francisco’s Vallecano team are now unbeaten in their last nine matches in all competitions. They frustrated their more esteemed Madrid neighbours but…

Colombian-born Liverpool footballer Luis Díaz has begged for his father’s kidnappers to free him immediately and “end this painful wait”. Both of Díaz’s parents were seized at gunpoint in his hometown of Barrancas by left-wing guerrillas of the National Liberation Army (ELN) on 28 October. While his mother was found, his father is still missing. Díaz scored a goal against Luton on Sunday, lifting his shirt to reveal the words in Spanish “freedom for papa”. “Every second, every minute our anxiety grows,” Díaz, 26, said in a statement released shortly after the match in England’s Premier League. “My mother, my brothers…

Anthony Gordon’s controversial second-half winner gave Newcastle United victory over Arsenal in a feisty encounter at St James’ Park. Gordon’s scrappy 64th-minute strike summed up a dogfight of a game, with the video assistant referee checking for whether the ball had gone out of play, for a foul and for offside before Newcastle were finally allowed to celebrate. It condemned Arsenal to their first Premier League defeat of the season as referee Stuart Attwell found himself at the centre of several contentious moments even before Gordon’s decider. Newcastle were furious when Kai Havertz escaped a red card for a wild…