News

Adeleke vs Oyetola: Appeal Court Reserves Judgment in Osun Governorship Debacle

Published

3 years ago

March 13, 2023

Eric

The Court of Appeal, on Monday, reserved judgment in the appeal filed by Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, seeking to upturn the decision of the petition tribunal, which earlier nullified his victory in the governorship election.

Judgment in the matter will be given at a later date as a three-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Shuaibu takes the arguments and adopts the briefs of all parties in the suit.

During proceedings on Monday, counsel for Adeleke, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) noted that a member of the panel, who is also a chief magistrate, did not give her opinion during the judgment delivery. Rather, she only signed her signature, arguing that the constitution mandates her to state her views in the suit.

Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, counsel for Oyetola, however, sumitted that merely signing the judgment, and not making any comment does not invalidate the judgment.

He noted that the case of over voting exceeded 6 polling units as claimed by the Appellant, adding that the anomaly was experienced in 744 polling units across the State.

Fagbemi further stressed that the findings of over voting were obtained from the back end server of INEC.

In their defence, however, Onyechi Ikpeazu argued that results stored in the backend server, are inconsistent and unreliable as they can be affected by internet connectivity and battery life of the BVAS used to upload the result.

These two factors according to him can affect the upload.

Adeleke’s counsel also stated that he conducted a physical examination on the BVAS, and it showed that over voting occurred in just six polling units, and not 744 as claimed by counsel for Oyetola.

Over-voting debate

Senator Adeleke who is candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party had won the said election held on July 16, 2022, the result which was nullified on the grounds of over-voting.

Adeleke had in February, appealed the judgement of the Osun State Governorship Tribunal which nullified his election.

The tribunal ruled in favour of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola. While delivering the judgment, two out of the three-member panel of the tribunal held that Oyetola proved that there was over-voting in some of the polling units.

But Adeleke rejected the ruling and described it as a “miscarriage of justice”.

Weeks later, the governor filed an appeal before the Akure division of the Court of Appeal.

In the 31 grounds of appeal filed on Wednesday, Adeleke prayed the court for “an order setting aside the whole decision of the tribunal”.

The governor equally sought “an order striking out the petition for want of competence and jurisdiction or in the alternative, an order dismissing the petition on the merit”.

“The second respondent cannot ‘go lo lo lo lo’ and ‘buga won’ as the duly elected governor of Osun State,” the governor said.

“The tribunal, in its judgment, erred in law and displayed bias against the appellant when it made reference to the appellant’s dance at his inauguration as governor of Osun State, which was never an issue before the lower tribunal,” Adeleke noted.

“By referring to the appellant’s personal eccentricity for dancing, the lower tribunal derided and mocked him in a manner suggesting that it was biased against him.

“The appearance of bias manifests in the reference to the Appellant’s proclivity for dancing and particularly the Buga song, has rendered the decision of the lower tribunal a nullity.

“The tribunal in its judgment erred in law in returning the 1st respondent as the duly elected candidate without due regard to the enormity of the voters in the units where the results were cancelled for over-voting.”

News

Hours After Meeting Tinubu, Rivers Gov Fubara Dumps PDP, Joins APC

Published

31 minutes ago

December 9, 2025

Eric

Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Announcing his defection on Tuesday evening, Fubara said the move is a reciprocity to the overwhelming support, which the State has received from President Bola Tinubu.

The defection ends months of speculation about whether the governor would join the APC, which many believed was part of a peace agreement between him and the President.

Meanwhile, Fubara held a closed-door meeting with President Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on Monday.

Reports said the governor arrived at around 5pm for the meeting dressed in a deep-blue long-sleeve shirt, black trousers, and a black flat cap.

Minutes earlier, Ebonyi State governor, Francis Nwifuru, had been ushered in for a separate engagement. Details of both meetings were not undisclosed.

But specifically, Fubara’s visit had raised suspicion to the rumour that he might defect from the PDP to the APC following political turbulence in Rivers State.

His announcement on Tuesday has confirmed the rumours.

News

Airspace Violation: Burkina Faso Detains 11 Nigerian Soldiers, Seizes NAF Aircraft

Published

12 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Eric

The Burkina Faso junta has said it detained 11 Nigerian military officers and seized a cargo plane belonging to the Air Force following an emergency landing in the country after they crossed into Burkinabe airspace without authorisation.

The statement stated that the Sahel alliance, consisting Burkina Faso, Niger and Mail, headed by military regimes, noted that the transport airplane had two crew members and nine passengers onboard.

The statement said that the individuals were later identified as members of the Nigerian armed forces and are currently being detained in the country.

“The military aircraft had on board two (02) crew members and nine (09) passengers, all military personnel,” the statement noted.

Meanwhile, the regional body condemned the incursion, adding that the Burkinabe authorities had opened an investigation to determine the circumstances behind the incident.

The body also noted that three countries had placed their military forces on high alert and ready to engage external threats.

The AES said, “An investigation was immediately opened by the competent Burkinabe authorities and revealed the absence of authorization for the aircraft to fly over Burkinabe territory. The Confederation of the Sahel States strongly condemns this violation of its airspace and the sovereignty of its member states.

“Faced with this unfriendly act carried out in disregard of international law and international civil and/or military aviation regulations, measures have been taken to guarantee the security of the confederal airspace, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its member states, as well as the safety of the populations of the AES Confederation.

“In this regard, and upon the instruction of the Heads of State, air defense and anti-aircraft systems of the confederal space have been placed on maximum alert, in accordance with the Declaration of the College of Heads of State dated 22 December 2024, and have been authorized to neutralize any aircraft that violates the confederal airspace.”

News

Court Rejects Nnamdi Kanu’s Request to Be Transfered Out of Sokoto Prison

Published

1 day ago

December 8, 2025

Eric

The Federal High Court in Abuja has denied an application filed by Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB, seeking his transfer from the Sokoto Correctional Centre to a custodial facility within the Federal Capital Territory or the neighbouring Nasarawa State.

Kanu, represented by the Legal Aid Council, submitted an ex-parte application requesting an order that would direct the Federal Government or the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to transfer him from the Sokoto facility to either the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja or the Keffi Custodial Centre in Nasarawa.

He requested a transfer to any custodial facility within the court’s jurisdiction, such as Suleja or Keffi, to allow him to effectively pursue his appeal.

However, Justice James Omotosho denied the request on Monday, stating that such an order could not be granted without first hearing from the Federal Government.

The judge directed Kanu to convert the ex-parte application into a motion on notice and serve all parties to allow fair hearing.

The case was subsequently fixed January 27, 2026, for the hearing of the motion.