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Buhari to re-present Laureta Onochie, PDP, Senators differ over rejection
Despite the Senate’s rejection of the nomination of Lauretta Onochie as Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Presidency on Tuesday reaffirmed its confidence in her.
A Presidency source told The PUNCH, “The fact that President Muhammadu Buhari — who made the nomination — had not chosen to withdraw it shows that he still has faith in the process and Onochie’s candidature is viable. So far, he hasn’t withdrawn his confidence in Onochie.”
Onochie’s nomination attracted public outcry because of her open partisanship and the fact that her appointment would have amounted to a breach of the federal character principle.
Rejected INEC Directorship nominee, Laureta Onochie
The Chairman of the Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission, Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano South), had disclosed that the petitions against the Presidential aide were against the backdrop of her involvement in politics and alleged membership of a political party.
Gaya said, “In the case of Ms. Lauretta Onochie, we studied her curriculum vitae and other relevant documents, followed by exhaustive interaction around the petitions against her nomination which she responded to accordingly, including attesting that she is not a registered member of any political party.”
Attempts to get a response from the Special Assistant to the President of Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu were futile.
Calls to his mobile phone indicated that he was unreachable. He had yet to respond to a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.
While reacting to Onochie’s rejection by the Senate, a former INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, commended the Senate for rejecting her nomination.
An elated Jega told The PUNCH late on Tuesday, said that by their action, the Senators have “Distinguished themselves.”
He said “The Senators had on this matter ‘distinguished’ themselves. We hope that they would do better on the Electoral Bill 2021.
Speaking in a similar vein, the Peoples Democratic Party, welcomed the decision of the Senate to listen to the voice of reason.
National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbodinyan, told The PUNCH, “It was a victory for Nigerians, it was a victory for reason and morality in the interest of democracy.
“The fact remains that the All Progressives Congress is desperate to hang on to power by all means. Allowing people like Onochie to get into INEC would have compromised any election even before the first ballot is cast.”
In response, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Yekini Nabena, dismissed the PDP’s claim. He told one of our correspondents in a telephone interview that the opposition party was sulking that it was losing members “by the minute.”
Nabena said, “The argument that her political affiliation is enough reason to reject her is not even an argument. As we speak, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Edo State, Johnson Alalibo, was a member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, he is a card-carrying member of the PDP appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan; so what is the PDP talking about.”
Gaya also explained that the presidential aide was not rejected based on political affiliation.
Gaya said this while addressing journalists after Tuesday’s plenary.
He said, “We couldn’t approve the appointment of Onochie because she is from the same state as an INEC commissioner from Delta State, Mrs Agbamuche-Mbu, whose tenure may expire by December this year.
“Agbamuche-Mbu is still serving in INEC till December this year. That’s why we cannot clear another candidate from the state.”
Gaya said the committee considered various legal implications of the confirmation or otherwise of the nominees and also studied the mood of Nigerians before coming up with its report.
The Senator said his panel did not rely on the submissions of Onochie when she told the committee that Agbamuche-Mbu was actually representing Cross River State on the board of INEC.
“President Buhari actually specified her (Agbamuche-Mbu) state, which is Delta, in the letter.
“Also, during her confirmation by the 8th Senate, I was there when two senators from Delta, Messrs Ovie Omo-Agege and James Manager, stood up to congratulate the Senate for confirming her.
“We also got records from the past senate screening that Agbamuche-Mbu was a nominee from Delta State.”
On her membership of the APC, Gaya said the committee could not disqualify Onochie based on the records before it.
He said, “Madam Onochie has said she has ceased to be a member of the APC.
“The law said we can only disqualify a card-carrying member of a political party and since she denied her APC membership, we cannot hold that against her.”
Gaya had said in his report at plenary said the Committee received several petitions against the nominations of Onochie and Adam.
The Senate had earlier confirmed the appointment of five nominees as National Commissioners of INEC.
The upper chamber also stepped down the confirmation of Prof. Sani Adam (North Central) for further investigation by the committee.
The confirmation of the nominees followed the consideration of a report by the Gaya-led Senate Committee on INEC.
Those confirmed include Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru (North-West), Prof. Muhammad Sani Kallah (Katsina), Prof. Kunle Cornelius Ajayi (Ekiti), Dr. Baba Bila (North-East), and Saidu Babura Ahmad (Jigawa).
However, a PDP Senator from Benue State, Abba Moro, insisted that the nominee would still have been rejected even if not for the federal character principle.
Moro stated this in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Tuesday.
He said the Senate Committee on INEC, gave her a soft landing.
PUNCH
Embattled Nigerian pastor and founder of SPAC Nation, Tobi Adegboyega, has defended his opulent lifestyle, claiming it serves to inspire young people rather than flaunt wealth.
This statement comes amid a UK Immigration Upper Tribunal ruling ordering his deportation over visa violations.
Adegboyega, 44, faced accusations of overstaying his visitor visa, which expired after he arrived in the UK in 2005.
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He had applied to remain in the country on human rights grounds. The tribunal, however, ruled against him, citing his failure to regularize his status.
The pastor’s luxurious lifestyle, including designer clothing and expensive cars, was a focal point of the case.
Addressing the tribunal, Adegboyega stated that his lifestyle is fully funded by his wife, Mary Olubukola Alade, who earns £100,000 annually at AON.
He said, “I live with my partner, Mary Olubukola Alade, who earns £100,000 per year working for AON. I spend my time working for the church, for which I am unpaid. I am entirely supported by Mary. I have a first-class law degree from Nigeria, but I have ‘sacrificed’ my legal career to help those who cannot help themselves.”
Defending his appearance, Adegboyega emphasized the importance of projecting success to his young congregation.
The court noted, “For instance, people have pointed to the fact that he wears designer clothing and drives expensive cars. He was adamant that all of his personal possessions had been paid for by Mary.
“He believes it is important for him to dress the way that he does because he needs to inspire these young people – they need to understand that there are legitimate ways of making money, for instance through entrepreneurship.”
Despite the ruling, Adegboyega dismissed the deportation concerns as insignificant.
“I’m right here at home, no cause for alarm. Naturally, I will dismiss things that have to do with retrogression; every Nigerian should be proud of me. Living in the UK, a city that is well known for pulling people down, I have survived all sorts, so the matter that they are propagating is the smallest matter,” he said.
He further expressed confidence in his resilience. “No panic, I love London city, it is my city, and nobody can do anything. Of all the people of colour you know here – pastors and leaders – I have survived everything. I’m here, I am at home, nobody should panic for me.
“I succeeded well in this country despite all challenges, and I’m in the league of people you look up to. I have survived that well; nothing has changed, nothing will change,” he added.
Amid the growing controversy surrounding the detention of human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi, renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Aare Afe Babalola has publicly addressed the defamation allegations leveled against Farotimi.
The legal action stems from claims made in Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, which Babalola asserts contains false and defamatory statements about him and his law firm, Afe Babalola & Co.
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In a petition dated November 19 and submitted to the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Adeniran Akinwale, Babalola accused Farotimi of making “criminally defamatory” statements about him, his law firm, and two senior lawyers at his firm, Olu Daramola SAN and Ola Faro.
The defamatory remarks are tied to the Supreme Court case Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu & Ors v. H.R.H. Oba Tijani Akinloye & Ors.
Babalola revealed that the allegations came to light when one of his lawyers purchased Farotimi’s book while traveling through Murtala Muhammed Airport.
After reading the book, the lawyer immediately brought its contents to Babalola’s attention.
Other members of his firm reportedly did the same, prompting the senior lawyer to take legal action.
In his petition, Babalola pointed to specific passages in Farotimi’s book that accused him of corruption and unethical conduct. The petition reads:
“I write to report the criminal defamation of myself, my law firm Afe Babalola & Co., and my lawyers, Olu Daramola SAN and Ola Faro, by one Dele Farotimi in his book titled ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System’, published by Dele Farotimi Publishers, in respect of Suit No. SC/146/2005: Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu & Ors v. H.R.H. Oba Tijani Akinloye & Ors.
“Sometime on 2/11/2024, one of our lawyers, while traveling through Murtala Muhammed Airport, bought a book by Dele Farotimi titled ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System’. He read the book and immediately brought it to my attention. Many of my lawyers also bought the book and read it.”
“The defamatory statements are as follows:
- That Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court to procure a fraudulent judgment in the service of his client.
- That Aare Afe Babalola, Olu Daramola, Olu Faro, and the law offices of Afe Babalola & Co. (Emmanuel Chambers) compromised the Supreme Court and the remaining semblance of integrity it might have had, when they went back to the Supreme Court and got the Court to swim in the sewer of corruption and shameful self-abnegation.”
Babalola strongly denies the allegations, claiming that they are false and damaging to both his personal reputation and the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary.
Nigerian author and activist Dele Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, has surged to bestseller status on Amazon amid a legal battle with prominent lawyer and businessman, Afe Babalola.
The controversy surrounding the book has captivated public attention, driving both online and offline demand.
The book, which critiques systemic corruption in Nigeria’s judiciary and highlights alleged misconduct by key legal figures, saw modest sales following its release in July 2024.
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However, Farotimi’s arrest on Tuesday, following a petition filed by the 93-year-old Babalola, triggered a wave of public curiosity.
By Thursday evening, it had climbed to the top of Amazon’s bestseller rankings, according to checks by Vanguard. Bookstores across Nigeria also reported a significant uptick in demand.
Biztellers reports that Farotimi was detained in Lagos by armed police officers and transported to Ado Ekiti, about 300 kilometers northeast of the city, where Babalola is based.
The senior lawyer alleged that the book accused him of compromising Nigeria’s judiciary—a claim that has sparked heated debates about freedom of speech and accountability in the legal profession.
On Wednesday, Farotimi was arraigned in an Ekiti court, where the judge ordered his remand pending a bail hearing scheduled for December 10.
Farotimi’s legal team has vowed to contest the charges, framing the case as an attack on intellectual freedom.
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