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Lagos Governorship Election: Gov Sanwo-Olu, Wife Voted With Invalid Voters Cards, Witness Tells Tribunal
There are allegations that Lagos state Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his wife, Ibijoke were allowed to cast their votes, despite their voter cards being invalid.
The testimony was given by an agent of the Labour Party, Dayo Isreal who was subpoenaed to testify in the petition filed by Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party’s candidate, in the March 18 election, seeking to nullify the return of Gov. SanwoOlu and his deputy.
A witness on Monday told the Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal headed by Justice Arum Ashom.
While being led in evidence by the Rhodes-Vivour’s lead counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olumide Ayeni, the witness told the court that he served as an agent for the Labour Party for Unit 006, Ward 15, Lagos Island Local Government in the Governorship Election.
” I observed that the card reader showed their cards to be invalid but Sanwo-Olu and his wife were allowed to cast their votes and this is against INEC’s electoral process,” Israel said before the tribunal
Under cross-examination from counsel to INEC, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Charles Edosomwan, the witness also claimed he was beaten up that day by some All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters and that he knew they were APC supporters from the way they spoke.
“I am not a member of the Labour Party but I was assigned as an agent. When the APC thugs recognised me as an LP agent, they beat me up. They also said if voters did not vote for APC, they would beat them too,” he said
When asked by counsel to Governor Sanwo Olu Olu & his deputy, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Muiz Banire, to describe how he was beaten.
He added, “During casting of votes, 4 of them beat me up. I ran away, changed my clothes to disguise myself and came back to monitor the counting of votes.
He also noted that there were cases of multiple casting of votes but INEC officials failed to intervene
“I observed more than 3-4 people voting more than once at the polling unit. INEC staff conducted the elections, though they looked the other way when this was going on.”
While answering questions from counsel to APC, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Abiodun Owonikoko, the witness disclosed that a total number of 126 people were accredited at the polling unit where Governor Sanwo -Olu voted while APC had 121 votes, LP was given 2votes.
Additionally another subpoenaed witness, the secretary of the Labour Party in Lagos State, Sam Okpala, also testified before the tribunal
Led by counsel to the petitioner, Folagbade Benson, the subpoena was tendered to the tribunal through the witness, a situation which led to another round of objections from the respondents.
The tribunal in its ruling noted the objections of the respondents but proceeded to hear the testimony of the witness while ordering the respondents to include their objections in their final written addresses.
The witness, while being cross-examined by INEC’s counsel, said he would not have appeared before the tribunal if he was not subpoenaed, adding that he never wrote a statement.
The tribunal has adjourned till July 3 for the continuation of the hearing in the petition.
News
FG commissions 37 electric buses for civil servants
Walson-Jack described the commissioning as her “parting gift” to federal civil servants, coming less than 24 hours before the end of her tenure as Head of the Civil Service.
•Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack
The Federal Government has commissioned 37 electric buses as the first batch of 100 approved under the Renewed Hope Mass Transit Programme.
Each of the electric buses can carry up to 200 passengers and cover at least 200 kilometres on a full charge.
The full deployment will be completed by December 2026.
The buses were unveiled on Wednesday at Eagle Square, Abuja, with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, describing the initiative as a significant step towards improving working conditions for government employees.
Walson-Jack described the commissioning as her “parting gift” to federal civil servants, coming less than 24 hours before the end of her tenure as Head of the Civil Service.
“What we have here is 37 buses, being the first instalment of the 100 Electric Buses,” she said.
She noted that transportation costs and challenges directly affect workers’ finances, safety, punctuality and productivity.
“For many Civil Servants, the daily commute shapes their finances, their safety, their punctuality, and ultimately their productivity,” she said.
The buses will initially operate on selected routes under a pilot phase before being expanded nationwide.
They will eventually be deployed to Federal Secretariats across the states to extend the benefits to civil servants outside Abuja.
News
NIGCOMSAT To Procure Two New Communication Satellites
The deployment is expected to extend connectivity to underserved, unserved and hard -to- reach communities, strengthen national communications resilience and increase Nigeria’s capacity to deliver satellite e-enabled services.
The federal government, through the Federal Executive Council (FEC), has approved the acquisition of two communications satellites, NIGCOMSAT 2A and NIGCOMSAT 2B.
This was contained in a statement released by the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), and signed by the Acting Head, Corporate Affairs Division, Stephen Kwande.
He said that the satellites, to be deployed by Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), are designed to expand Nigeria’s satellite capacity and strengthen broadband, broadcasting, enterprise and critical communications services.
NIGCOMSAT will lead implementation under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.
The deployment is expected to extend connectivity to underserved, unserved and hard -to- reach communities, strengthen national communications resilience and increase Nigeria’s capacity to deliver satellite e-enabled services.
News
Gunmen abduct Dangote Cement senior driver in Ogun
The victim was attacked by three gunmen as he alighted from his motorcycle in front of his residence.
Gunmen have abducted a senior driver with Dangote Cement Company, Ibese Plant, Ogun State, Usman Umar, popularly known as “Baba Olowo,” in Yewa North local government area of the State.
A senior official of Dangote Cement, Ibese Plant, confirmed the incident, saying that Umar was reportedly abducted around midnight on Wednesday at Ajibawo Village, near Ijako-Orile, shortly after returning home from work.
The source said that the victim was attacked by three gunmen as he alighted from his motorcycle in front of his residence.
The assailants were said to have dragged him into a nearby bush while firing shots into the air to scare residents and prevent them from intervening.
The incident has reportedly prompted security operatives to commence efforts to locate the victim and apprehend his abductors.
FG commissions 37 electric buses for civil servants
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