Headline

Court Orders Reopening Of COSON Accounts

Published

7 years ago

February 7, 2019

Editor

By Leke Adeosun

Mr. Justice Mohammed Hassan of the Federal High Court Lagos, on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 has ordered the re-opening of all bank accounts of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) at United Bank for Africa (UBA), Diamond Bank PLC and First Bank of Nigeria, frozen as a result of an interim order issued by him on November 30, 2018.

The judge also struck out Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1819/2018 brought by Premier Music Publishing Ltd, Pretty Okafor and one other saying that his court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit as there was a subsisting order of the Federal High Court on the matter.

On December 17 when the application to have the order of Justice Hassan vacated, was moved by COSON lawyer, Mr. Uche Val Obi SAN, the senior advocate drew the attention of the court to the fact that Pretty Okafor, one of the plaintiffs who deposed to the affidavit upon which the ex-parte order was obtained, did not disclose to the court that while he was a member of a defunct musical group called “Junior & Pretty”, he had never at any time applied to be a member of COSON, never been granted membership of COSON, does not possess a membership number, membership certificate or membership card of COSON, has not assigned any copyright to COSON and has no voting rights in any meeting of COSON and no interest in the funds of COSON.

The senior advocate also drew the attention of the court to the fact that Mr. Okafor did not disclose the existence of Suit No ID/ADR/903/18 filed on the 22nd of May, 2018 against him by the Chairman of the Board of COSON, Chief Tony Okoroji in which Chief Okoroji is claiming the sum of six hundred million naira for malicious lies and serial defamation published by Mr. Okafor, a suit to which Mr. Pretty Okafor had not filed any defence.

Mr. Obi went ahead to remind the court that COSON has well over 4,000 members across the country made up of Nigeria’s foremost songwriters and performers who have interest in the funds of the society and who had not authorized the Plaintiffs whom he described as forming less than 0.075% of the COSON membership to bring the court action and that none of the over 150 reciprocal representation partners of COSON across the world was in support of the suit and that the plaintiffs lacked locus to bring the action.

The court was also told that the Extra-Ordinary General Meeting of COSON had been fixed and widely publicized to hold on December 18, 2018 and that the injunction was a devious plan by the plaintiffs to starve COSON of funds, abort the extra-ordinary general meeting and deny the thousands of innocent COSON members their earned royalties planned to be made available to them at the EGM.

In the affidavit in support of the application, it was deposed to that Mr. Toju Ejueyitchie, the Managing Director of Premier Music, the 1st Plaintiff in the case, was a member of the Management Board of COSON and failed in his attempt to be re-elected to the Board and has since then been antagonistic to COSON and has repeatedly written petitions upon petitions against COSON and despite the fact that an overwhelming majority of the members of COSON resent their plans and strategies, the plaintiffs have become obsessed with their desire to control COSON.

The attention of the court was drawn to the fact that COSON was practically unknown and given little chance of survival about eight years ago but as a result of focused and dedicated leadership, the organization has grown in leaps and bounds, attracting the bitterness and acquisitiveness of some like the plaintiffs who have relentlessly attacked and distorted the records of the organization with every instrument they can muster.

The court was also told that as proof of the malice behind the action of the plaintiffs, immediately after obtaining the injunction, they rushed to the banks and ensured the service of the order on all the banks but made sure that COSON was not served. COSON only discovered that all its bank accounts had suddenly and mysteriously been shut down and every road block set up to prevent it from processing and filing a proper application to discharge the order.

Several members of the COSON Board as well as the COSON General Counsel were in court when the decision was read.

Reacting to the court decision, COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji who was in court when Justice Hassan read his detailed ruling said that he was happy with the judge’s understanding of the issues. He said that he was touched by the calmness with which the members of COSON had endured the trauma they had been forced to go through and said that every step would be taken to ensure that all outstanding royalties are sent to their rightful owners without delay.

The Plaintiffs were represented in the case by Dr. Adewale Olawoyin SAN.

Headline

Why Nigerians Must Reject INEC’s Revised Timetable – ADC

Published

5 days ago

February 28, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), during the week, released a fresh elections timetable, with major amendments to accommodate the just passed and signed Electoral Act 2026 by the National Assembly and President Bola Tinubu respectively.

Following the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026, which introduced adjustments to statutory timelines governing pre-election and electoral activities, the Commission has reviewed and realigned the Schedule to ensure full compliance with the new legal framework.

Accordingly, the Commission has resolved as follows:

Presidential and National Assembly Elections will now hold on Saturday, 16th January 2027 as against the earlier stated February 20, 2027
Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections will now hold on Saturday, 6th February 2027 as against the former date of March 6, 2027

Also in accordance with the approved Schedule of Activities, the electoral bidy noted in the revised timetable that:

Conduct of Party Primaries, including resolution of disputes arising from primaries, will commence on 23rd April 2026 and end on 30th May 2026.

Presidential and National Assembly campaigns will commence on 19th August 2026.

Governorship and State Houses of Assembly campaigns will commence on 9th September 2026.

As provided by law, campaigns shall end 24 hours before Election Day. Political parties are strongly advised to adhere strictly to these timelines. The Commission will enforce compliance with the law.

But in a swift reaction, the opposition coalition, African Democratic Congress (ADC), rejected the revised 2026–2027 general election timetable, describing it as a politically biased schedule designed to favour the re-election agenda of President Bola Tinubu, and calling on all Nigerians to speak up enmasse to reject the revised timetable.

The ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Friday argued that the new deadlines and compliance requirements under the Electoral Act 2026 create near-impossible hurdles for opposition parties seeking to field candidates.

On February 13, INEC initially scheduled the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections were fixed for March 6, 2027.

The timetable, however, faced objections from some Muslim stakeholders who noted that the dates coincided with the 2027 Ramadan period.

Following the concerns, the National Assembly amended Clause 28 of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, reducing the required election notice period from 360 to 300 days, allowing INEC to adjust the election dates.

Subsequently, INEC released a revised schedule on Thursday, signed by its Chairman, Joash Amupitan, moving the Presidential and National Assembly elections to January 16, 2027, and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections to February 6, 2027.

Reacting, the ADC said the requirement that political parties submit a comprehensive digital membership register by April 2, 2026, effectively bars opposition parties from participating.

The party stated: “The African Democratic Congress rejects the updated 2026–2027 electoral timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission. What has been presented as a routine administrative schedule of the upcoming general elections is, in fact, a political instrument carefully structured to narrow democratic space and strengthen the incumbent administration ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“According to the timetable, party primaries are to be conducted between April 23 and May 30, 2026, just 55 to 92 days from today. However, more significant is that, pursuant to Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026, political parties are required to submit their digital membership registers to INEC not later than April 2, 2026.

“That is only about 34 days away. Section 77(7) further provides that any party that fails to submit its membership register within the stipulated time shall not be eligible to field a candidate. These are not routine administrative rules but are deliberately constructed barriers designed to exclude the opposition from participating in the election.”

The party further noted that Section 77(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 requires the digital register of members to contain name, sex, date of birth, address, state, local government, ward, polling unit, National Identification Number (NIN) and photograph in both hard and soft copies, while Section 77(6) prohibits the use of any pre-existing register that does not contain the specified information. It warned that failure to meet these requirements would lead to disqualification.

The ADC questioned the fairness of the digital membership requirement, noting that the ruling All Progressives Congress began its registration process in February 2025, long before the requirement became mandatory.

“It is not a product of foresight but insider advantage. They knew what was coming. They therefore had one full year to carry out an exercise that other political parties are expected to complete in one month, during which they must collect, process, collate and transmit large volumes of digital data to INEC under the threat of exclusion. This is practically impossible.

“Democratic competition is based on a level playing field that does not give any contestant an undue advantage. A system where one party exploits incumbency to gain a one-year head start on a requirement that other parties only became aware of when it was nearly too late is a rigged system.”

The ADC said it has joined other opposition parties in rejecting the Electoral Act 2026, adding that the INEC timetable is equally rejected as it appears designed to serve what it described as a self-succession agenda.

“Let it be clear that ADC will not take any action that appears to confer legitimacy on a fraudulent system. We are reviewing our options and will make our position known in the coming days,” the party said.

The party also called on civil society organisations, democratic stakeholders and Nigerians to scrutinise the timetable and demand fairness, stressing that democracy cannot survive when electoral rules are structured to produce predetermined outcomes.

The party has consistently accused the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) of scheming to silence the opposition as the 2027 General Elections draw closer, citing his manipulation of state governors and Assembly members from jumping ship, and settling with the ruling party.

Presently, the president’s party has a total of 31 out of 36 states governors, more than majority of the national and states Houses of Assembly.

A frontline publisher and chieftain of the ADC, Chief Dele Momodu, has warned that Tinubu is gradually transforming into full-blown dictatorship, stressing that his second term in office would turn state governors into ‘total slaves’.

Headline

Second Term for Tinubu Will Turn Governors into Total Slaves, Dele Momodu Warns

Published

5 days ago

February 28, 2026

Eric

Chairman, Ovation Media Group, and former presidential aspirant, Aare Dele Momodu, has expressed strong concern over what he described as growing political support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu among state governors across the country.

Speaking during an interview on News Central TV, Momodu said he was shocked by the level of backing the president is reportedly receiving, warning that Nigeria’s democracy could face serious risks if the current political trend continues.

The media entrepreneur cautioned that allowing Tinubu to secure a second term in 2027 could, in his view, lead to excessive concentration of power. He particularly criticized what he described as a growing wave of opposition figures aligning with the ruling All Progressives Congress> (APC).

Momodu referenced reports of opposition governors, including Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, allegedly moving closer to the ruling party, describing the development as politically troubling.

According to him, some governors are allegedly competing to demonstrate loyalty to the president ahead of future elections.

“The governors are fighting to ensure Tinubu wins a second term, fighting to be the biggest thug for him. If a man in his first term can capture the bodies and souls of Nigerians this way, imagine what he would do with a second term. It will be a full-blown dictatorship, and the governors will regret it as they become total slaves to him,” Momodu said.

He concluded by urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and actively protect democratic institutions, warning that unchecked consolidation of political power could threaten the nation’s democracy and future stability.

Gistmania

Headline

Court Validates PDP 2025 Convention in Ibadan, Affirms Turaki-led NWC

Published

6 days ago

February 27, 2026

Eric

The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has affirmed the validity of the 2025 Elective Convention of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), which produced Dr. Kabiru Turaki as the substantive National Chairman of the party.

Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Ladiran Akintola upheld the convention in its entirety, ruling that it was conducted in full compliance with the relevant constitutional and statutory provisions governing party elections in Nigeria.

The decision marked a significant legal victory for the party’s leadership and brought clarity to the dispute surrounding the convention’s legitimacy.

The ruling followed an amended originating summons filed by Misibau Adetunmbi (SAN) on behalf of the claimant, Folahan Malomo Adelabi, in Suit No. I/1336/2025.

In a comprehensive judgment, the court granted all 13 reliefs sought by the claimant, effectively endorsing the processes and outcomes of the Ibadan convention.

Justice Akintola held that the convention, organised by the recognised leadership of the party, satisfied all laid-down legal requirements as stipulated in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended), and the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

The court found no breach of due process or statutory non-compliance in the conduct of the exercise.

In the same proceedings, the court dismissed the Motion on Notice seeking a stay of proceedings and suspension of the ruling, filed by Sunday Ibrahim (SAN) on behalf of Austin Nwachukwu and two others. The applications were described as lacking merit.

Earlier in the proceedings, the court had also rejected a bid by Ibrahim to have his clients joined in the suit.

Justice Akintola ruled at the time that the joinder application was unsubstantiated and consequently dismissed it.