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NASS Takes On Malami, Appeals Electoral Act Judgment

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The National Assembly has begun moves to thwart the actions of some members of the federal executive who are bent on removing  Section 84(12) from the Electoral Act 2022, according to The Punch

The Punch reports that that the nation’s apex legislature had started the process of appealing the judgment of a Federal High Court, Umuahia, Abia State, which removed Section 84(12) from the Electoral Act.

Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act bars all political appointees including ministers, commissioners and aides from contesting or voting in any party primary.

Some members of the executive, including the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, had opposed the section, saying it was undemocratic.

The President, Major General  Muhammadu Buhari (retd.),  a few months ago signed the electoral bill passed by the National Assembly into law with a caveat that Section 84(12) be deleted in order to deepen democracy in the country.

But the National Assembly in March threw out the President’s request and insisted that serving political appointees must resign before contesting elections.

Malami, who opposed the lawmakers’ decision, vowed that the Federal Government would explore other means including the court to ensure the provision that he claimed offended other sections of the Constitution was expunged from the amended Act.

On March 18, the FHC, Umahia ruled that the section was at variance with the constitution which provides that public officers contesting public office should only resign 30 days to an election. The court ordered the AGF to delete the section.

The National Assembly was, however, not joined in the suit.

Malami, who welcomed the judgment, promised to delete the section from the law in line with the judgment but the National Assembly rejected the judgment, vowing to appeal it.

A document sighted by The PUNCH on Thursday showed that human rights lawyer, Mr Kayode Ajulo, had been hired by the National Assembly to take up the matter and had filed an application before Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the FHC  Umuahia seeking leave to be joined in the suit.

It was also gathered that he had commenced the process of filing a notice of appeal. Attempts to speak with Ajulo on Thursday proved abortive.

According to the court process, the suit seeking to appeal the judgement was done in line with Section 243(a) of the constitution.

Section 243(a) reads in part, “By Section 222 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Cap. 62 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990, only a party to civil proceedings can appeal to the Court of Appeal without any inhibition on his capacity to do so.

“Any other person who has an interest in a case but is not a party to the case, cannot appeal in the proceedings until he obtains the leave of either the High Court from which the case is being appealed or the Court of Appeal to which the appeal is to be brought.”

Confirming the development, a ranking member of the National Assembly told The PUNCH that the process for appeal had begun, adding that it could not be done directly because the National Assembly was not a party to the suit.

“Leave has been sought at the trial court to appeal as an interested party since we are still within time,” he said.

The Punch

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Kemi Badenoch Coasts to Victory, Becomes First African to Lead the Tories

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By Eric Elezuo

British-Nigerian Born, Kemi Badenoch, the 44-year-old political wizkid, on Saturday won the election to replace Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservative Party. She makes history as the first person of African descent to lead the Tories.

Mrs Badenoch was the only British-Nigerian of the Conservative stock that won her election when the Keir Starmer-led Labour Party coasted to an unprecedented landslide victory in the July 4, 2023 United Kingdom General Elections. She retained her seat. Other Nigerians that made to the Parliament were all of the victorious Labour party.

Badenoch was re-elected as a Conservative Party member of Parliament despite a landslide loss of the Tories to the Labour Party.

She won with 19,360 votes defeating her main challenger, Labour’s Issy Waiter, who garnered 16,750 votes.

Speaking shortly after her victory at the polls, Badenoch said, “Many of my friends and colleagues have lost their seats. They have served their country with distinction. Their service will never be in vain. But the public have spoken and they have said loud and clear that the Conservatives have lost their trust.”

Badenoch has served under various prime ministers including Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak and recently Keir. Starmer.

The news of Badenoch’s victory was relayed by the Conservative Party, who announced her victory in a post on X on Saturday:

“ANNOUNCED: @KemiBadenoch has been elected Leader of the Conservative Party,” the party tweeted.

The BBC also reported that Badenoch, 44, beat Robert Jenrick after a four-month contest, sparked by Sunak’s resignation in the wake of a humiliating election defeat.

The vote saw a turnout of 72% according to Conservative MP Bob Blackman.

Most people said they had not formed an opinion of Ms Badenoch yet, according to a YouGov poll. But 40 per cent of those questioned said they disliked her.

Former justice secretary Robert Buckland said that as a leader Ms Badenoch “will be an excellent person to work with”, having seen her strong character and abilities first-hand when they worked in government together.

“She knows that the party’s values need to be reset and that we’ve got to win trust as without trust, we don’t get anywhere in terms of electoral success,” he added. “I think she better understands that more than most and that’s why she deserved to win.”

The role as opposition leader was an “unenviable task” and Ms Badenoch “will not be under any doubt about the scale of work ahead to win back power”, he added.


“She is the person who had more MP support than any other in the leadership race so people need to knuckle down and get on with the job of opposing the government, not opposing each other.”

He added that he hoped a “new phase in politics” would see Ms Badenoch unite the party and “the Tories regrouping”.

He also suggested that she listen to think tanks and policy units who have the expertise to provide her with new and innovative policies.

“It’s going to be very hard and unglamorous, but I believe Kemi has the strength of spirit to do it,” he said.

ABOUT KEMI BADENOCH 

Below are some facts about the new Leader of the Conservative party, whose victory is to project Nigeria’s image in the right direction.

1. Badenoch is the Member of Parliament representing Saffron Walden constituency in the UK.

2. In her maiden speech on the floor of the British Parliament, Badenoch revealed that she arrived in the UK aged 16.

3. Badenoch was born Olukemi Olufunto Adegoke in January 1980 in Wimbledon, London to parents of Nigerian origin.

4. Badenoch is married to Hamish Badenoch and they have one daughter and one son

5. Badenoch was first elected as Member of Parliament Saffron Walden on 8 June 2017. She is also the first woman to represent that constituency.

6. She joined the Conservative Party in 2005 at the age of 25.

7. Kemi Badenoch, was once appointed the junior minister for Children and Families by the then British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

Badenoch acknowledged the appointment on her verified Twitter handle, where she said, “I’m humbled to have been appointed a junior minister at the DfE. A huge privilege to be able to serve and make a positive difference on a number of issues close to my heart. I look forward to working with the ministerial team and everyone at @educationgovuk.”

By her election as the leader of the Tories, she has returned to regain the trust of the people, which was lost in July when Sunak was beaten in the general elections.

Born on January 2, 1980, Badenoch served as Britain’s Secretary of State for Business and Trade from 2023 to 2024. She also served as the President of the Board of Trade and Minister for Women and Equalities from 2022 to 2024.

Resilient, bold and diligent, Badenoch was tipped to succeed the immediate past UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, as she showed interest after Liz Truss resigned in October 2022.

The 44-year-old British politician has been in the UK Parliament representing Saffron Walden as an MP from 2017.

Badenoch studied Computer Systems Engineering at the University of Sussex and got a Master’s degree in 2003. She also studied Law at Birkbeck, University of London.

She got married to Hamish Badenoch in 2012 and is blessed with three children.

This is wishing Mrs Kemi Badenoch a successful tenure as the Tory leader.

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Akwa Ibom Launches into Lagos Real Estate Market, Flags Off 18-Storey Ibom Towers

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In a move to diversify Akwa Ibom’s economy, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, PhD, on Wednesday, flagged off an 18-storey Ibom Towers in Lagos, with a promise that the project will be completed in 24 months.

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, performed the ground-breaking ceremony.

Two former governors of Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel and Victor Attah, were among eminent Nigerians who attended the event.

Revenue expectation for Akwa Ibom, Lagos
The project is expected to drive revenue and GDP growth for Lagos and Akwa Ibom.

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State explained that the project was meant to generate income and create job opportunities for his state.

“Anytime leaders invest in forward-looking projects like this, there are challenges, but a leader must look into the future,” Mr Eno said.

“With Ibom Towers, both Akwa Ibom and Lagos are demonstrating how unity and vision can drive prosperity, marking a new era of economic innovation amid national economic downturn,” he added.

Mr Eno expressed gratitude for the partnership and his ties to Lagos, underscoring that the project represents the power of bipartisanship.

“This is the essence of bipartisanship; it should not be coloured by political affiliations,” he said.

Governor Eno expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, who was once the governor of Lagos, for his significant contributions to the development of Lagos, emphasising the importance of patience during this period of reforms in Nigeria.

“These changes may be painstaking, but they will bear fruit,” he assured.

The project located in the heart of Victoria Island would have luxurious apartments and pent house.

Governor Sanwo-Olu welcomed the development, highlighting Lagos’ longstanding role as Nigeria’s centre for commerce.

He said, “I look forward to seeing this relationship deepen, and who knows, maybe I’ll also invest in an oil well in Akwa Ibom,” adding a light-hearted touch that underscored the states’ shared economic aspirations.

A brief about Ibom Towers
The Managing Director of the Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation, Imo-Abasi Jacob, provided a detailed overview of Ibom Towers, describing it as a premium project designed to attract urban professionals.

“Featuring upscale apartments, gyms, pools, and smart building technology, the tower will serve as both a luxury residence and a revenue generator, with income from property leases and tourism expected to enhance GDP growth for both states,” Mr Jacob said.

In their separate goodwill messages, leaders from both states celebrated Ibom Towers’ expected impact on revenue and employment.

The Oniru of Iruland, HRM Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal, expressed satisfaction with the project, assuring his support and seeing it as a legacy of Lagos-Akwa Ibom cooperation.

His Eminence Solomon Etuk, the president-general of the Akwa Ibom State Traditional Rulers Council, said the project would lift Akwa Ibom’s profile internationally and encourage the involvement of young engineers from the state to gain hands-on experience.

The Speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly,Rt. Hon. Udeme Otong, pledged legislative support, asserting that “landmark” projects like Ibom Towers elevate Akwa Ibom’s standing nationally.

Former Akwa Ibom governor Obong Victor Attah said the project was the realisation of a vision to make Akwa Ibom a key player in real estate and economic growth.

“This project represents the fulfilment of long-held aspirations for our state’s prosperity,” he said.

In his remarks, the Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, Enobong Uwah, said Akwa Ibom has been blessed with good leaders, adding that Governor Eno is “expanding on the legacies of his predecessors”.

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Tinubu Congratulates Ex-FirstBank’s Group MD, Adeduntan, Lauds Bank on Management Ethos

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By Eric Elezuo

Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, has congratulated the immediate past Chief Executive Officer of the FirstBank of Nigeria Limited, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan as the bank holds a splendid Sendforth party on his behalf for a meritorious service.

The president’s congratulatory message is contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Information & Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga.

The statement reads in full:

PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES DR ADEDUNTAN, AS FIRST BANK CELEBRATES EX-GROUP CEO

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu congratulates Dr Adesola Adeduntan, the retired Group Chief Executive Officer of First Bank Nigeria Limited, for his exceptional service at Nigeria’s oldest bank.

In celebration of Adeduntan’s remarkable tenure, the 130-year-old First Bank will host a special send-off ceremony this weekend, expressing gratitude for his contributions over the past nine years.

President Tinubu commends him for steering the bank through transformative growth, which includes expanding customer accounts from 10 million to over 42 million and elevating Profit Before Tax from N10 billion in 2015 to an impressive N300 billion in 2023.

These milestones, the President said, reflected Adeduntan’s visionary leadership and commitment to excellence.

The President expresses his appreciation for Adeduntan’s willingness to serve the nation in various pivotal roles, including his contributions to the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and other prominent institutions. His extensive expertise in the financial sector has significantly bolstered Nigeria’s economic landscape.

President Tinubu also lauds the bank’s solid internal management ethos, which is responsible for the seamless transition from Adeduntan to the current CEO, Olusegun Alebiosu.

President Tinubu wishes Dr Adeduntan continued success in all his future endeavours.

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