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 Supreme Court Affirms Umo Eno As Akwa Ibom Governor

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By Boma Al Humphrey
The Supreme Court has upheld the election of Pastor Umo Eno as the validly elected Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
The apex court has accordingly struck out all three appeals filed by Governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Akanimo Udofia, New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP), Sen John Udoedehe and the Young Progressives Party, (YPP) Sen Bassey Albert Akpan.
This follows the withdrawal of the appeals by the respective appellants when the matters were called up for hearing on Thursday in Abuja.
When the appeal filed by John James Udoedehe(NNPP)came up, Mr Liman Hassan, SAN, Counsel to Mr Akanimo Udofia of the APC, told the Court that the crux of their appeal was the eligibility of the 2nd respondent(Pastor Umo Eno) and the 4th respondent on the basis of their having been convicted prior to the elections.
He said while Pastor Umo Eno was convicted by the Magistrate Court, Abuja Division, Senator Albert who came second, was also convicted by the Federal High Court and upheld by the Appeal Court, hence  his client APC should be granted victory at the polls.
“My lordships, the purported verdict upturning the conviction of Pastor Umo Eno by the same Magistrate Court, is not tenable”, Udoedehe’s counsel raised.
https://thebossnewspapers.com/2024/01/01/akwa-ibom-is-rising-the-golden-era-is-here-governor-umo-eno-reveals-on-new-year/
“If it is true that the conviction has been set aside, you can’t just bring it up again”, the Supreme Court fumed.
But Hassan argued that the conviction ought to have been upturned at a higher court.
“If there is no appeal against the setting aside of the conviction of the 2nd respondent, then you have no reason to introduce it here. You are wasting our time because that is purely an academic issue. Without an appeal, there is no basis to challenge a judgement”, one of the Justices roared.
On that score, the APC Counsel went on to speak on the case of certificate forgery against the Governor.
“It is not every matter you bring here to bother us. Since you couldn’t invite WAEC to disown the certificate you claimed was forged, then stop wasting our time. The tribunal did a good job, we read the judgement and it was a perfect judgement.“
Consequent upon this, Hassan Liman, SAN, counsel to APC & Akanimo Udofia applied to withdraw the appeal.
Following no objection from the other parties, the five man panel, presided over by Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji struck out Mr Udofia’s appeal.
Surprisingly, when the second appeal, between Senator Albert Akpan and Governor Eno came up,   Counsel to Sen.  Bassey Albert, Mr. Ahmed  Raji, SAN,  who was in court, declined to make an appearance hence the appellant was represented in court by Barr. Tunde Falola.
The apex court agreed to jointly handle the two cases including that of NNPP’s candidate, Senator John Udoedehe.
“The decision we take on one will be binding on the other case,” the parties were told.
“We have seen your petition and we read your processes. How is your case different from that of APC”, the Supreme Court asked Tunde Falola, appearing for Bassey Albert.
The Court frowned at Bassey Albert’s counsel for repeating the same argument presented by APC’s Akanimo Udofia on the arrangement of names on the WAEC certificate of Pastor Umo Eno and urged him against further waste of the court time.
At this point,  Ahmed Raji, the senior counsel to the Appellants quickly rose to apologize to the Court and consequently announced the withdrawal of the appeal, with none of the parties objecting.
Senator Bassey Albert had filed his initial petition before the lower court on two main grounds, the purported non qualification of the 2nd Respondent (Governor Umo Eno), to stand election based on alleged forgery of his senior school certificates, as well as not scoring the highest number of lawful votes in the March 18 Governorship elections in Akwa Ibom State.
However, in the appeal Number SC/CV/1230/2023 before the Supreme Court, the YPP governorship candidate failed to appeal against the decision of the tribunal which upheld the overwhelming victory of Pastor Umo Eno in the 2023 governorship elections but focused only on the allegations of forgery and fake certificates.
Gov. Umo Eno was represented by Paul Usoro, SAN, Essien Udom, SAN, Uwemedimo Nwoko,SAN, Emmanuel Enoidem, SAN.
INEC was represented by Offiong Offiong, SAN, the PDP legal team was led by Tayo Oyetibo,SAN and Barr. Francis Ekanem represented Udoedehe.
The defeated Governorship candidates had earlier filed petitions, separately, challenging Governor Umo Eno’s election at the Governorship Elections Petition Tribunal in Uyo
In its composite Judgment, comprising the decisions on the preliminary objections as well as on the substantive petition issues, the Tribunal dismissed the petitions on their merits based on the preliminary objections of the Respondents.
The Tribunal consequently declared the Governor Eno as “eminently qualified to contest the” Election and as “duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the Election.”
 Aggrieved by the Tribunal’s Judgment, the appellants went to the appellate Court.
The appeal was however thrown out for lacking in competence at the Appeal Court,  Lagos judicial division.
Dissatisfied with the lower Courts’ judgment, the Udoedehe, Akpan, and Udofia went upstairs to the apex court, which has finally put an end to all the doubts surrounding the elections.
The Supreme Court had last week, dismissed the appeal by the governorship candidate of the Accord Party, Engr. Emem Coffie and Akpan Abraham, Action Alliance, after the parties withdrew their appeals.

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Innovation Meets Vision As Glo Partners Samsung to Unveil New Galaxy S26

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In a convergence of technology and vision, digital solutions leader Globacom has entered a partnership with global electronics giant Samsung to introduce the much-anticipated Galaxy S26 Series to the Nigerian market. It is a device conceived for a generation that lives, works and dreams in real time.

The unveiling, held at Globacom’s corporate headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos, gathered an august assembly of high-net-worth customers, industry figures and members of the media. The atmosphere was not merely ceremonial; it was symbolic — a quiet affirmation that when global engineering meets indigenous connectivity, innovation finds its true signal.

As part of the partnership, Globacom has commenced an exclusive pre-order window for its subscribers. Each Galaxy S26 purchased at any Gloworld outlet nationwide is bundled with 18GB of complimentary data under the Glo Smartphone Festival Data Plans delivered as 3GB monthly for six months.

In addition, customers receive a distinguished Platinum Number eSIM, accompanied by up to 10GB of extra data monthly. It is a proposition crafted not as an afterthought, but as a deliberate statement of value.

The Galaxy S26 Series itself is a study in assured sophistication. It fuses next-generation processing power with a sleek, immersive display, enhanced camera intelligence, durable battery performance and privacy screen technology. Its Agentic AI capabilities introduce a more intuitive user experience, one that anticipates need, protects data and enhances productivity.

In essence, it is a device built not merely to function, but to empower.

Speaking at the event, Samsung’s Product Manager, Sellout Platinum, Mr. Solomon Osibeluwo, described Globacom as the first partner to host the S26 masterclass session — a testament, he noted, to the enduring strength of the relationship between both organisations. He reaffirmed Samsung’s commitment to deepening this alliance, adding that the S26 Series has been meticulously engineered to enrich the calling, browsing and overall digital experience of Nigerians.

In his address, Globacom’s Head of Gloworld, Mr Mohamed Rabie, underscored that the collaboration is anchored on delivering real and measurable value. Premium technology, he remarked, must travel with meaningful benefit. He expressed pride that Globacom stands as the first partner to offer both the masterclass engagement and immediate pre-order advantages following the device’s launch in Nigeria.

Encouraging Nigerians to experience the device firsthand at Gloworld outlets nationwide, Rabie concluded with quiet conviction: “this moment transcends the unveiling of a smartphone. It signals the unfolding of new possibilities powered by intelligence, sustained by partnership, and carried on the dependable wings of connectivity”.

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FCCPC Uncovers Patterns of Price Manipulation by Local Airlines

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The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has uncovered patterns of price manipulation perpetrated by some local airlines during the last festive season.

The findings are contained in the interim report released on Thursday by the Commission’s department of Surveillance and Investigations, according to a statement signed by the Director, Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, and made available to The Boss.

Recall that the Commission announced an industry-wide investigation earlier in January.

The forensic exercise benefitted from data collated by the Commission from airlines operating local routes in the country.

The report compares domestic airline pricing from the December 2025 festive period with post-peak January 2026 fare levels.

Preliminary analysis indicates that fares recorded during the December peak were materially higher than those observed in the post-peak period across several routes despite relative stability in critical operating variables like fuel price, government taxes and foreign exchange.

The differences observed in fares therefore appear to reflect airlines’ arbitrary pricing decisions, including yield management and capacity allocation, rather than any variation in regulatory fees.

Route-level analysis shows that higher fares coincided with periods of reduced seat availability during predictable seasonal demand peaks. On some high density routes, peak fares were clustered within relatively narrow ranges across several operators.

For instance, on certain corridors like Abuja-Port Harcourt, peak fares were several times higher than corresponding post-peak levels. On selected routes, the difference in the price of a single ticket reached approximately ₦405,000. Median fares across the sampled routes also rose markedly during the festive window when compared with post-peak benchmarks.

However, the interim report recognises that seasonal demand pressures, scheduling constraints and fleet utilisation may also affect pricing during peak travel periods.

These factors remain under consideration as part of the Commission’s ongoing review.

Commenting on the release of the interim report, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello, said the review is part of the Commission’s statutory responsibility to promote competitive markets and safeguard consumers.

“This assessment is intended to provide clarity on pricing behaviour during predictable peak travel periods. The Commission’s role is not to disrupt legitimate commercial activity, but to ensure that market outcomes remain consistent with competition and consumer protection principles under the law,” Mr. Bello said.

He noted that the Commission is conducting further structural and route-level analysis before reaching any conclusions.

“It is important to emphasise that this is an interim report. Our next action will be dictated by full facts established at the end of the review exercise.  Then, the Commission will decide whether any regulatory guidance, engagement or enforcement steps are necessary, strictly in accordance with the law,” he said.

The report identifies the possible relevance of Sections 59, 72, 107, 108, 124 and 127 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, which respectively address the prohibition of agreements in restraint of competition, the prohibition of abuse of a dominant position, the offence of price-fixing, conspiracy to commit offences under the Act, the right to fair dealings, and the prohibition of unfair, unreasonable or unjust contract terms.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bello announced that foreign airlines will come under FCCPC radar after the ongoing review of local airlines in view of widespread complaints of exploitative fares they allegedly charge Nigerians on certain routes compared to fares in neighbouring countries that are of equal distance.

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Many Killled, Houses Torched As Terrorists Unleash Deadly Attacks on Adamawa Communities

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At least 25 ⁠people were killed and several houses torched after ​gunmen attacked two villages late on Tuesday in Adamawa State, northeast ‌Nigeria, residents and the ‌state governor said on Wednesday.

The attackers struck Kirchinga in Madagali ⁠district ⁠and Garaha in neighbouring Hong, two villages on the edge ​of the Sambisa Forest where Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) operate.

The twin raids highlight the enduring insecurity in Nigeria’s ​northeast, the epicentre of a 17-year Islamist insurgency, despite years of ⁠military ⁠campaigns.

Abubakar Lawan Kanuri, the ⁠village ​head of Kirchinga, told Reuters the attackers arrived on Tuesday evening ​dressed in military uniforms ⁠that initially led residents to mistake them for soldiers on patrol. He said 18 bodies were recovered after the gunmen swept through the community.

In Garaha, seven people were killed when ⁠gunmen on more than 50 motorcycles stormed the village and attacked ⁠a nearby military base, said resident Musa Isa, who added he “narrowly escaped.”

They advanced from several directions and hit the military base, killing three soldiers. Four fleeing residents were shot, and a school was also burned. Many villagers have since fled to Mubi, the nearest big town, Isa said.

Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri condemned the attacks ⁠as “cowardly acts of terrorism” and vowed not to “let terrorists undermine our efforts to restore peace and stability,” according to a statement from his spokesman.

Source: usnews.com

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