Headline

Atiku Declares Intention to seek Redress at Supreme Court, Says PEPT Judgement Bereft of Substantial Justice

Published

3 years ago

September 7, 2023

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

Former Vice President of Nigeria and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25, 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, has announced his intention to further seek the nullification of the election of Bola Tinubu as president at the Supreme Court following the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday.

Atiku made his intention known during a world press conference he held in Abuja, where he rejected the judgment, noting that the judgment was bereft of substantial justice, and that “electoral process in Nigeria should be devoid of untidy manipulations and that the outcome of every election should be a perfect reflection of the wishes of the electorate.”

In attendance where top members of the party, representatives of the international community and the general public.

Read the detailed statement below:

Good afternoon, Gentlemen of the Press.

I am here today to give my official reaction to the judgment delivered yesterday by the Presidential Election Petition Court on the 2023 presidential election.

As you already know, I approached the court following the declaration by INEC that the APC and its candidate are the winners of the February 25, Presidential Election.

My decision to go to court is anchored in my belief that the court is the sanctuary of justice. The journey of my political career, as you know, holds so much to the courage and fearless decisions of our judiciary.

Indeed, I am no stranger to legal battles, and I can say that I have a fair idea of how the court system works. All through my career as a politician, I have been a fighter, and I must say that I have found the judiciary as a worthy pillar to rest on in the pursuit of justice.

The last presidential election in our country and the way it was managed by the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, leaves behind unenviable precedents, which I believe the courts have a duty to redress. Our gains in ensuring transparent elections through the deployment of technology was heavily compromised by INEC in the way it managed the last presidential election, and I am afraid that the judgement of the court as rendered by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal yesterday, failed to restore confidence in our dreams of free and fair elections devoid of human manipulations.

Like I did say at the beginning of this legal battle when I instructed my lawyers to file my petition challenging the outcome of the presidential election, my ultimate goal in this pursuit is to ensure that democracy is further strengthened through the principles and processes of fair hearing.

Gentlemen of the press, I take great pains to tell you that the decision of the court of first instance on this matter utterly falls far short of that expectation. I am therefore here to tell you that, though the judgment of the court yesterday is respected, it is a judgment that I refuse to accept. I refuse to accept the judgment because I believe that it is bereft of substantial justice. However, the disappointment in the verdict of the court can never destroy my confidence in the judiciary.

Consequently, I have asked my lawyers to activate my constitutionally guaranteed rights of appeal to the higher court, which, in the instance, is the Supreme Court. It is my conviction that the electoral process in Nigeria should be devoid of untidy manipulations and that the outcome of every election should be a perfect reflection of the wishes of the electorate. I believe that such is the only way through which our democracy can have a manifest expression of its true meaning. Whether I prevail in this quest or not, the record of my effort in ensuring an order of credible elections in Nigeria shall remain for the future generations to evaluate.

On this note, I urge all my supporters to remain steadfast. I urge them to take solace in an immortal lesson I learned from my leader and mentor, the late Shehu Yar’Adua, that losing a battle is less important than losing the war. We might have lost a battle yesterday, but the war is well ahead of us. And I believe that with our hopes in God, we shall win the war of restoring confidence in our electoral system.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen of the Press, I thank you for your attention.

Headline

Tambuwal Finally Dumps PDP, Defects to ADC

Published

4 hours ago

March 12, 2026

Eric

Former Governor Aminu Tambuwal has announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the African Democratic Congress.

“I write to formally tender my resignation as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), effective from today,” the letter stated.

Mr Tambuwal stated that the party’s persistent internal crisis, leadership disagreements, and divisions at various levels made it difficult for him to continue his active participation and commitment as a member.

“The ongoing conflicts have, unfortunately, worsened the unity and direction that once defined the party,” the former Sokoto governor stated.

Meanwhile, in a statement on X on Thursday, Mr Tambuwal said he had officially joined the ADC with his associates and supporters.

“I am convinced that this decision is guided by my belief that Nigeria needs a stronger political platform built on integrity, accountability, inclusiveness, and a clear commitment to national development.

“I remain fully committed to the service of our country and to the ideals of democracy, justice, and national unity,” the former governor stated.

Headline

Tenure Policy: India, Others Reject Tinubu’s Ambassadors

Published

1 day ago

March 11, 2026

Eric

Some countries, including India, have reportedly declined to accept a number of ambassadors recently nominated by Bola Tinubu, citing diplomatic policies tied to the remaining tenure of the sending government.

Sources within Nigeria’s Presidency and the foreign service disclosed that India has a standing practice of not accepting ambassadors from administrations with less than two years left in office.

One of those affected is career diplomat Ambassador Muhammad Dahiru, who was nominated to serve in New Delhi.

According to officials familiar with the matter, the Asian country is exercising its discretion to delay or reject the request from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Dahiru’s acceptance.

“They don’t accept an ambassador from an administration that has less than two years in office. So they are giving us that body language already,” a Presidency source said.

The development follows earlier concerns that several of Tinubu’s ambassador-designates could face resistance from host countries due to the limited time left in the administration’s current tenure.

Under diplomatic protocol, countries must grant formal approval known as agrément before a nominated envoy can assume duties. Without this consent, ambassadors cannot be officially deployed.

Officials say while India’s position is the most explicit so far, other countries may adopt similar approaches, potentially delaying Nigeria’s plan to fully restore ambassadorial representation across its foreign missions.

Headline

Adenuga, Dangote, Otedola, Rabiu Make 2026 Forbes Africa Billionaires List

Published

2 days ago

March 10, 2026

Eric

Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Femi Otedola, and Abdulsamad Rabiu have been named among Africa’s richest individuals in 2026.

According to the latest Africa Billionaires ranking released by Forbes, Dangote retained his position as Africa’s richest man, with an estimated net worth of $28.5 billion. He added about $4.6 billion to his fortune over the past year, largely driven by the strong performance of Dangote Cement on the Nigerian Exchange Limited.

Telecommunications magnate Adenuga also retained his place among Africa’s billionaires.

The founder of Globacom and chairman of Conoil Producing remains one of Nigeria’s most influential entrepreneurs with diversified interests spanning telecoms, oil and gas, and banking.

Otedola, chairman of Geregu Power Plc, also featured on the list despite a slight dip in his wealth over the past year. Forbes estimates that the billionaire investor lost about $200 million following the sale of a majority stake in the power generation company at a discount to its market price.

The increase in Rabiu’s net worth was largely driven by the performance of BUA Cement, whose shares rose 135% over the past year, outperforming the broader rally on the Nigerian stock market.

The 23 billionaires on the continent are now worth a combined $126.7 billion, representing a 21% increase from 2025 after they collectively added $20.3 billion to their net worth.

Across the continent, billionaire fortunes were boosted by strong equity market performance, record corporate profits, and improving currency stability in several African economies.

South Africa remains the highest number of billionaires on the list, with seven individuals, followed by Egypt with five, Nigeria with four, and Morocco with three.

No female billionaires from Africa appeared on the 2026 ranking list.