News

Timi Frank Urges PEPT to Transmit Proceedings Live

Published

3 years ago

April 6, 2023

Eric

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Thursday, called on the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) to transmit its proceedings live.

Frank in a statement in Abuja, said this has become necessary to ensure transparency and openness in the conduct of the tribunal.

He said the move would make Nigerians feel a sense of belonging by keeping them abreast of the progress or otherwise of hearings of the petitions as critical stakeholders.

He said: “We have seen in other countries even within Africa like Kenya where proceedings on election petition sittings were transmitted live so voters would have the opportunity to see how justice is being dispensed.”

He also urged the PEPT to urgently commence sitting, ensure accelerated hearing of the case and speedily conclude the case within time statutorily allotted before inauguration on May 29, 2023.

He said: “We know as it stands, the All Progressives Congress is buying time with delay tactics so as to frustrate the case till after inauguration.

“This is geared towards allowing the APC to use incumbency powers to influence the judgement of the court.

“But we call on the Tribunal especially the Justices of the Appeal Court and Supreme Court to put Nigeria first before personal interest.

“The people want the proceedings to be transmitted live. They must listen to the call of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) by doing the case differently for the first time.

“We are aware from intelligence reports that the Department of State Services (DSS) has started putting threat calls across to a few Justices of the Appeal and Supreme Courts to blackmail and get them to delay the court processes to the advantage of the ruling APC.

“This was the same way the DSS intimidated and blackmailed the Independent National Electoral Commission to swing the results of the general election in favour of the APC.

“We dare say that with the subterranean threats and pressure being mounted on the judiciary, Nigerians are beginning to lose hope of getting true and unfettered justice in the election petition cases before the courts.

“In Kenya, the Supreme Court concluded hearing of an election petition case and gave judgement in two weeks and we believe that the judiciary in Nigeria can equally save time and earn the trust of Nigerians by working to terminate the case and give its judgement before the inauguration date.

“Let the Judiciary know that Nigerians are watching them closely, both locally and internationally. Therefore there is need for them to impartially adjudicate on the present election petition task before them without any modicum of compromise or resort to selling justice to the highest bidder the way the DSS would want them to so do.

“We also use this opportunity to call on the international community to help save democracy in Nigeria by prevailing on President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency call the DSS to order and stop the agency from interfering in the electoral and judicial processes in the country.”

Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, equally called on the DSS to stop being partisan but to concentrate on their constitutionally assigned duties.

He described as unfortunate a situation where the DSS has been turned to an errand boy of highest bidders through alleged illegal sale of information that recently manifested in leakage of personal telephone conversation between high profile Nigerians.

He added: “This is not what the DSS is meant to do but today the agency has become very porous with its agents being accused of selling classified information and taking part in clandestine blackmail activities to please the ruling party.”

News

OAU: MicCom Institutes Financial Awards for Best Graduating Student, Producing Dept

Published

6 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

Makers of fine quality cables and wires, MicCom Cables and Wires Limited, has instituted an annual financial awards to reward the best graduating student, and the department that produces the best graduating student in the Faculty of Technology of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. The awards take off with immediate effect.

The revelation was made by the University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adebayo Simeon Bamire, while delivering a speech during the 49th Convocation Ceremony of the institution, held at the school’s Amphitheater.

Speaking before a crowd of graduands, academic and non-academic staff, dignitaries and the general public, an elated Bamire announced that the award is instituted in honour of Engr. (Mrs.) Comfort Olufunke Ponnle, co-founder of MicCom Cables and Wires, and mother of the present Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Olubukola Adubi.

“MicCom Cables and Wires Limited has instituted an Annual Financial Award in honour of Engr. (Mrs) Comfort Olufunke Ponnle, FNSE, for the Best Overall Graduating Student (BOGS) in the Faculty of Technology (One Million Naira) and the sum of Ten Million Naira to the Department where the BOGS emerges in the Faculty of Technology.

“This award celebrates exceptional students and the invaluable role of their department in shaping and fostering the future of Engineering and Technology.

“The award is to be presented annually during the University Graduation Ceremony starting this year, 2025. This is to empower the next generation of engineers,” VC Bamire said.

Mrs Ponnle, a certified engineer, died in October 2012 at the age of 68.

This year’s awards were quickly presented to the 2025 winner, Amuke Sunday, who emerged the overall graduating student, while his department, Computer Science and Engineering carted away the N10 million grant.

The CEO of MicCom, Mrs Adubi, was on hand to make the presentations, supported by members of the academic community.

News

N150m Spiritual Intercession Demand: Power Minister Adelabu Petitions DSS Against Primate Ayodele

Published

3 days ago

December 12, 2025

Eric

The Minister of Power, Mr. Bayo Adelabu, has accused Primate Elijah Ayodele, the founder and head of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke Afa, Lagos, of blackmail and attempting to extort N150 million from him for “spiritual intercession” to make him governor of Oyo state.

Adelabu, a former governorship candidate, has declared his intention to contest the 2027 Oyo governorship election.

In a petition dated October 13, 2025, signed by Bolaji Tunji, the minister’s special adviser on strategic communications and media relations, to the director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adelabu accused Ayodele of making false prophecies intended to malign his reputation after he rebuffed all efforts from the cleric, who allegedly demanded a huge sum of money and expensive spiritual items.

In a series of text messages between Ayodele and Adelabu, seen by TheCable, the cleric asked the minister to bring 24 APC flags for prayers. The cleric also demanded 1,000 pieces of saxophones/trumpets, with the least expensive Nigerian fairly-used grade costing a total of N50 million and the imported grade-one from China at N130 million in total.

Ayodele asked Adelabu to bring the items by April 1. He later extended the grace till April 4.

“Sir, I don’t do this, but because of the love I have for you,” the primate wrote.

The cleric told the minister that he had sent him several letters while he was CBN deputy governor and other times to the minister in Ibadan, but there was no reply. He repeatedly made requests to call the minister, who told him he was on pilgrimage. Ayodele asked him to “recite almu nasira 200 times”.

The cleric told the minister that what he was doing was based on instruction given to him by God. Ayodele repeatedly told the minister that he would rule Oyo state.

”I have divine advice for you sir, which can help a lot sir, kindly pick my call,” a part of the text message read.

”Do vigil and the angel of God is coming to hear request by 1am…I don’t want you to lose the coming election. That is why I’m following the instructions.”

In response, the minister told the cleric that he could not afford the expensive items.

After the incident, Ayodele, while speaking in his church, said Adelabu had failed and would not become Oyo governor.

In some video clips seen by TheCable, Ayodele said Adelabu had made mistakes and his message to the minister was a “warning from God”.

The cleric dared the minister to arrest or sue him.

TheCable

News

Bayelsa Deputy Gov Slumps, Dies at 60

Published

3 days ago

December 11, 2025

Eric

The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has died. He was 60 years.

The deputy governor reportedly collapsed in his office in Yenagoa on Thursday, December 11, 2025, around 1:30 p.m., and was immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa.

He was admitted into the hospital’s emergency department and placed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where efforts to revive him ultimately failed.

Ewhrudjakpo’s media aide, Doubara Atasi, confirmed the death, but declined to provide further details. Hospital sources stated that despite prompt medical attention, the deputy governor could not be revived.

Born on September 5, 1965, Ewhrudjakpo had served as Bayelsa State’s deputy governor since 2020.