Politics
PEPT: Court Admits Additional Video Evidence In Peter Obi Petition
The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) in Abuja has accepted additional video evidence presented by Mr. Peter Obi, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP).
The video, stored on a flash drive, was presented by Ijeoma Osamor, the anchor of the Democracy Today program on AIT.
During the court session held on Friday, the video recording which was played openly after being admitted as an exhibit, was brought forward in response to a subpoena issued by the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel to Africa Independent Television (AIT).
In the video, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, can be seen addressing the press during a conference.
He assured that the results of the upcoming 2023 general elections will be transmitted electronically, utilizing Bimodal Voter Accreditation (BVAS) devices.
Subsequently, following the admission of the video recording as evidence, the court granted permission for the lawyers representing INEC, President Bola Tinubu, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) – who are respondents in the case – to cross-examine the witness.
During the cross-examination, Osamor clarified to the court that contrary to the positions presented by President Tinubu and the APC, the INEC Chairman did not declare before the elections that the results would no longer be uploaded.
However, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko, SAN, counsel for the APC, insisted that there was a newspaper publication supporting the party’s claim that the INEC Chairman had provided reasons before the elections as to why the Commission could not transmit the results.
During her testimony, the witness affirmed to the court that as a reporter assigned to cover INEC-related news, she had attended all press briefings conducted by the Commission.
She stated categorically that she never heard any announcement from Prof. Yakubu regarding the discontinuation of result transmission.
Furthermore, she informed the court that the publication referred to by President Tinubu and the APC, dated February 23, was likely a personal interview between the INEC Chairman and Tribune Newspaper.
This suggested that it might not have been an official statement or declaration made by Prof. Yakubu during a press conference or public event.
In the midst of the trial, all the Respondents raised objections to the admissibility of the video recording obtained from AIT as evidence. They expressed their intention to present detailed reasons supporting their objections in their final written addresses.
Earlier during the proceedings, Prof. Eric Ofoedu, a Mathematics professor from Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State, testified that he had analyzed some of the results of the presidential election that INEC had uploaded on its IReV portal.
During cross-examination, Prof. Ofoedu clarified that his analysis was undertaken as an academic exercise with the aim of benefiting his students, rather than for any particular legal or political purpose.
The witness emphasized that he did not receive any payment for conducting the analysis.
He further stated that he was subpoenaed to present the outcome of his analysis as evidence since his original intention was not to utilize the report for election litigation purposes.
However, the witness stood by his assertion that out of the 18,088 result sheets that INEC uploaded concerning the presidential contest, a significant number of them were blurred or lacked clarity.
The court adjourned the proceedings and scheduled further hearings on the matter to take place on Monday.
Following his observations that ‘the momentum was strong’ Matt Gaetz whom 47th POTUS elect, Donald Trump nominated for Attorney General has withdrawn.
Biztellers reports that this follows his meeting with Senate and the feedback, which included two women, represented by their attorneys, who accused him of having paid for sex.
Consequently, Gaetz placed on record his full commitment to seeing “that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history.”
His withdrawal according his statement on micro-blogging site, X, was based on his conviction that “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle”.
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In is view, “Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1”.
Gaetz wrote, “I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.
“I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America.”
His backers have promptly encouraged to take his seat in the House of Representatives, having been elected to the house under the flag of the Republicans to represent Florida.
The Executive Governors from Nigeria’s South West have unanimously nominated Senator Ademola Adeleke as the chairman of the zone on the National Economic Council (NEC).
Adeleke is the Executive Governor of Osun State, southwest, Nigeria.
This, according to the Spokesperson to Governor Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed, transpired on Thursday, at a meeting of the NEC.
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He noted that the meeting reviewed the state of Nigeria’s electricity sector and resolved to engage subnational structures to address current challenges in the sector.
“The meeting particularly sought to build on the devolution of the electricity sector and its movement into the concurrent legislative list which empowers state governments to regulate the sector in their respective areas,” he stated.
Consequently, the NEC, therefore set up an ad hoc committee to review actions in the sector by state governments and explore ways to ramp up activities through coordination, Rasheed highlighted.
The full list of members of NEC’s Ad-hoc Committee on National Electrification:
- Governor of Cross Rivers State, Bassey Out – Chairman, South-South
- Governor of Katsina State, Mallam Dikko Umaru Radda – Chairman, North-West
- Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya – Chairman, North-East
- Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke – Chairman, South-West
- Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma – Chairman, South-East
- Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang – Chairman, North-Central
- Hon. Minister of Finance, Wale Edun
- Hon. Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu
- Special Adviser, NEC and Climate Change, Rukaiya El-Rufai
- Special Adviser, Power Minister, Hon. Bolaji Tunji
- MD/CEO Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu
- MD/CEO Niger Delta Power Holding Company, Jennifer Adighije
- Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazak
- NEC Secretariat
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has announced its decision to back Northern candidates in the 2027 general elections, citing the urgent need to address the worsening socio-economic and security challenges facing the region.
In a communique issued after its National Executive Council meeting in Kaduna on Wednesday, the forum expressed deep concern over the economic state of Northern Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, attributing the region’s struggles to flawed governance and poor policy decisions.
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The ACF criticized the Federal Government’s economic policies, describing them as detrimental to the livelihoods of Northern citizens.
According to the communique, signed by the forum’s National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the policies have compounded the already dire economic conditions in the region.
The statement reads, “Arewa people remain at a great disadvantage, being already worse off economically compared to other parts of Nigeria. While economic reforms are indeed desirable, they should not impoverish the same people they are meant to serve. Policies must have a human face.”
The forum noted that the North faces chronic food insecurity, limited educational and vocational opportunities for youth, and a heavy reliance on small-scale economic activities.
“Livelihoods are currently dependent on micro activities. The region faces acute and chronic food insecurity; its youths lack education and skills training. Daunting as these may be, they can be reversed. The time to think big is now,” the communique emphasized.
The ACF also addressed the pervasive insecurity in the North, warning that the situation has begun to erode public confidence in the government.
“Security is an irreducible minimum of human existence. In this regard, insecurity in its various manifestations remains the most worrisome challenge of Arewa people, that has even started to corrosively undermine the authority of government,” the forum stated.
It condemned the government’s response to the crisis, arguing that the Federal Government has failed to meet its primary duty of safeguarding lives and property.
“That those whose responsibility it is to provide security will be saying they are doing their best is unacceptable,” the communique said. “The minimum duty of government is to safeguard life and property, and doing anything less is a failure.”
The ACF faulted what it described as the “flawed leadership selection process” under the Tinubu administration, claiming it has elevated individuals without the requisite competence or experience to key positions.
It urged the Federal Government to “review, reassess, reevaluate, and re-order the direction of its economic policies with a view to giving it the needed human face.”
Looking ahead to the next general elections, the ACF pledged its support for Northern politicians who demonstrate a clear commitment to addressing the region’s challenges and fostering national development.
“Notwithstanding the parlous state of Arewa’s glaring economic conditions, the policies of the current Federal Government have continued to make matters much worse,” the communique stated.
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