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Election Tribunal: Tinubu Confirms Receiving Atiku, Obi’s Petitions

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The camp of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has disclosed that they were officially served on Tuesday with copies of the petitions filed at the election tribunal by Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi and his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar.

The development is coming one week after Obi and Atiku formally filed their petitions to the elections tribunal to protest the outcome of the February 25 poll.

Their petitions came four weeks after the contentious presidential and National Assembly elections that produced the President-elect.

Both the PDP and LP candidates had accused Tinubu of deliberately avoiding being served the petitions.

In the complaints filed before the tribunal, they alleged that several attempts made to serve the petitions on the APC candidate proved abortive.

The Legal Director of Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Babatunde Ogala, also admitted in a phone chat on Monday that his principal was not served with any notice before he travelled out of the country for vacation in France last week.

In a phone chat with our correspondent, the spokesman for the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Yunusa Tanko, had lamented that, “That man (Tinubu) practically ran out of the country after evading being served the notice. But our party will serve him the notice through the APC. I am sure they must have received it by now.”

Obi and Atiku’s legal teams later obtained leave to serve the petitions on Tinubu by substituted means, i.e. via the APC.

Speaking with The PUNCH on Thursday, Ogala disclosed that the camp of the President-elect officially received the notices on Tuesday.

“Yes, we received copies of both Atiku and Obi’s petition yesterday,” he said.

On when they hope to file a response in preparation for a hearing date to be given by the court, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria maintained that there was no need for them to rush.

“Go and look at the laws. It says we have up till take 21 days to respond. You journalists shouldn’t put unnecessary pressure on us. I mean, how can they serve me on Tuesday and you are asking when I will file my response when I have a whole 21 days to do that?

“I will suggest that you wait for the day we will file it. You will surely get to know about it,” he stated.

The Spokesman for the APC PCC, Festus Keyamo, also told our correspondent that: “We are working on it.”

Meanwhile, APC legal adviser, Ahmad El-Marzuq, also told The PUNCH that the ruling party had been served.

“Of course, we have received the copies of the petition and we are planning to respond. We are on top of the situation,” he said.

The Punch

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Police Probe Four Officers Accused of ‘Misconduct’ in Lagos

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The Nigeria Police Force has launched an investigation into alleged misconduct by officers from the Satellite Town Division, Lagos State, after a viral social media video.

The Force Media Officer, CSP Aliyu Giwa, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

The complainant, Rhapstar, posted the video on X on April 4, alleging incivility by officers on surveillance duty.

In the clip, police officers stopped a vehicle, ordered occupants out, and searched one individual away from the roadside-parked vehicle.

The incident triggered widespread reaction, amid concerns over alleged harassment during a roadside stop-and-search operation.

Speaking on the incident on Saturday, Giwa said the Divisional Police Officer and implicated officers were summoned, adding that an investigation into the incident was ongoing.

Giwa wrote on X: “When (Rhapstar) posted the viral video on 4 April 2026, alleging misconduct by officers from the Satellite Town Division, Lagos, we took the matter seriously and acted immediately.

“The DPO and the officers involved were summoned, statements were obtained, and detailed interviews were conducted.

“Preliminary findings indicate the incident occurred in May 2025. We are working to obtain additional details directly from the victims, as their accounts are central to the investigation.

“This process is not a cover-up; it is a demonstration of accountability.

“The leadership of the Force management team has emphasised that the rule of law is non-negotiable in the discharge of police duties nationwide. No officer is above accountability, and no incident is too old to investigate. The investigation is ongoing. We will provide regular updates.

“To every Nigerian who spoke up, your voice prompted accountability, as it should be.”

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Turaki Faction Kicks As Police Unseal PDP Secretariat

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The Tanimu Turaki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Nigeria Police Force of acting in contempt of court following the unsealing of its National Secretariat in Abuja, describing the development as a partisan move that undermines the rule of law.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said the police facilitated the takeover of the Wadata Plaza headquarters by individuals he described as “agents of the federal government and APC apologists masquerading as PDP members,” despite a pending appeal on the matter.

The PDP maintained that the judgment by Justice Abdulmalik, which the police purportedly relied upon in unsealing the premises, is already under appeal.

According to the party, the police, being a party to the suit, had been duly served and were fully aware of the appellate process.

It argued that by proceeding to unseal the secretariat, the police had “tampered with the res”, (a legal terminology referring to the subject matter of litigation) thereby risking rendering the eventual judgment of the Court of Appeal nugatory.

“It is most shameful that those entrusted with protecting the law are those disobeying the law,” the statement read.

The party expressed disappointment that the police, under the leadership of the new Inspector General of Police, has continued what it described as a pattern of partisan conduct since the crisis began.

It alleged that officers of the force had consistently acted in support of a faction it labelled as “Wike-backed APC apologists,” thereby deepening internal tensions within the opposition party.

Despite its grievances, the PDP called on its members nationwide to remain calm and law-abiding, urging them to avoid actions that could lead to a breakdown of public order.

“As law-abiding citizens, we admonish our members to continue to maintain peace and not undertake any activity capable of breaching public peace,” the statement added, while pledging to pursue all legal avenues to defend the rights of what it termed “genuine members” of the party.

The party also assured the public that it remained optimistic that the situation would be resolved in favour of democratic principles, warning against what it described as a “state-sponsored persecution and one-party drive.”

Invoking a note of hope, the PDP said the current challenges would ultimately give way to “joy and liberation,” expressing confidence in the restoration of what it called true democratic experience in the country.

The unsealing of the PDP secretariat marks the latest twist in the protracted leadership and legal tussle within the party, which has continued to generate political tension and raise concerns about institutional neutrality in Nigeria’s democratic process.

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Why Tinubu Was Absent at Commissioning of Sanwo-Olu’s Projects in Lagos – Presidency

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The Presidency has come up with reasons behind President Bola Tinubu’s absent at the commissioning of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s projects in Lagos, on Wednesday.

Tinubu was noticeably absent at the scheduled project commissioning in Lagos, sparking public curiosity.

However, Sunday Dare, his Special Adviser on Public Communications and Orientation, has clarified the reason behind the last-minute development.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Dare revealed that the President had to prioritise urgent national security matters over the event.
According to him, although Tinubu is currently in Lagos, he has been deeply engaged in high-level State duties, particularly ongoing security briefings tied to recent developments across the country.

“The president has been busy taking constant briefs and has to prioritise when it comes to state matters, especially security,” Dare stated.

He referenced rising security concerns, including recent unrest linked to incidents in Jos, noting that the President has been closely monitoring the situation and working directly with intelligence agencies.

Dare emphasised that Tinubu remains fully engaged behind the scenes, actively coordinating with security operatives and receiving continuous updates to address emerging threats.

The absence, he stressed, should not be seen as neglect of official duties but rather a reflection of the President’s focus on safeguarding national stability at a critical time.

Tinubu skipped the Lagos commissioning not out of disregard, but to handle pressing security issues demanding immediate presidential attention.

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