News
Olumide Akpata Settles For Politics Without Bitterness, Unfolds New Focus
Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata, the Candidate of the Labour Party, Edo 2024 Election, has resolved not to challenge the recent election
results before the election petitions tribunal, preempting negative outcomes.
Akpata also dismissed as falses, the swirling rumours and whispered insinuations that he has some sort of secret or backroom alliance with the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“I want to be crystal clear: these allegations are not just false; they are a malicious attempt to tarnish my reputation and the principles I stand for.
These rumours are not just an attack on me but on the collective aspirations of every Edo citizen yearning for genuine change,” he said.
The Nigerian Bar Association’s President says he is redirecting his energies and resources toward grassroots mobilisation and advocacy for electoral reform including rebirth of democracy in Edo State and Nigeria
In a message to his supporters and other key stakeholders, Akpata, says: ” After extensive deliberations with my legal team and key stakeholders, I have made the decision not to challenge the recent election results before the tribunal.
This choice, borne out of deep reflection and rigorous analysis, transcends mere political calculation.
It is a statement on the state of our democracy and a clarion call for all who cherish the principles of free and fair elections.
As a legal practitioner with over three decades of experience, alongside my deputy, a distinguished Senior Advocate of Nigeria, we have scrutinised every facet of this election.
Our conclusion, reached after we had consulted with some of the nation’s finest legal minds, is not just about the outcome of a single election but about the very foundations of our democratic process.
The irregularities that marred this election – from brazen vote-buying to questionable collation procedures – are symptomatic of a deeper malaise afflicting our electoral system.
These are not mere technical infractions but fundamental breaches of the social contract between the government and
the governed.
My decision not to approach the tribunal is not a capitulation to injustice but
a resolute stand against a flawed system.
I choose to rise above the quagmire
of protracted legal battles that sometimes serve to legitimise a fundamentally
compromised process.
Instead, I commit myself to the arduous but necessary task of systemic reform.
Our fight transcends the confines of a courtroom; it is a battle for the very soul of our democracy.
The stark reality we face is this: Nigeria’s electoral adjudication framework has
become a labyrinth where justice is often lost to technicalities.
The burden of proof placed on petitioners is not just high; it is often insurmountable. Moreover, the custodianship of crucial electoral materials by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which is itself a necessary party and defendant in election petitions, presents practical challenges in building a compelling case within stipulated time frames.
These factors, combined with my vision for a more robust democratic framework, have informed my strategic decision to focus on grassroots mobilisation and advocacy for electoral reform.”
News
US military strikes in Nigeria killed 155 Lakurawa terrorists -Report
Dando Sibu, a key Lakurawa commander, is reported to have survived the attack because he left the location less than five minutes before the second missile was fired.
Military strikes conducted by the US in December 2025 killed 155 Lakurawa terrorists in Sokoro, a report by The New Humanitarian has claimed.
The US focus was Lakurawa though the strikes didn’t touch other jihadist groups including Boko Haram, as well as the al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru.
The publication also claimed that the attacks left 200 additional Lakurawa fighters missing in the week following the operation.
The strikes, carried out in collaboration with Nigerian authorities, were believed to have involved Tomahawk missiles launched from a US destroyer positioned in the Gulf of Guinea.
The missiles targeted three districts in Sokoto State: Isa, Tangaza, and Tambuwal, though only Tangaza is widely recognised as a core area of Lakurawa.
It is believed that Tambuwal is not generally associated with organised armed violence; while Isa is a bandit stronghold largely controlled by Bello Turji.
Although details of the strike on Isa remain unclear, Turji is widely believed to have survived the attack.
A Lakurawa camp in Tangaza, however, reportedly suffered significant losses.
The New Humanitarian reports that there were two missile hits.
The first reportedly killed around 30 fighters. As surviving members converged to assess the damage and assist the wounded, a second missile struck, killing those who had gathered.
In total, an estimated 155 Lakurawa were killed, including 19 who were initially injured but later succumbed to their wounds.
Dando Sibu, a key Lakurawa commander, is reported to have survived the attack because he left the location less than five minutes before the second missile was fired.
However, in the week following the strikes, about 200 Lakurawa fighters were reported missing. The group was also said to have lost nearly half of its cattle, which is a major source of its revenue.
(The Sun)
News
Curfew, restriction for Akran of Badagry’s burial rites
Residents said the rites would affect social and commercial activities around the palace and may force many residents especially those working outside Badagry to return home early.
Following the death of the 89-year-old monarch, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I, the Akran of Badagry., restrictions have been imposed on vehicular movements around the palace vicinity with some sections of the road leading to the place barricaded.
Commuters were said to be directed to take alternative routes.
Sources said the traditional worshippers have started observing rites necessitated by the demise of the monarch.
Security and palace officials were seen restricting movement in the immediate vicinity.
Residents said the rites would affect social and commercial activities around the palace and may force many residents especially those working outside Badagry to return home early.
News
Akran of Badagry is dead, aged 89
The demise of the monarch marks the end of his 48-year reign on the throne, making him one of the longest-serving traditional rulers in Lagos State.
Photo: Akran of Badagry, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi
The traditional ruler of the Badagry local government area in Lagos State, the Akran of Badagry, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi, is dead, aged 89.
The demise of the monarch marks the end of his 48-year reign on the throne, making him one of the longest-serving traditional rulers in Lagos State.
According to the palace, the Akran was pronounced dead by medical experts, after a brief illness, and the traditional rites for his burial have gradually commenced.
Residents of Badagry, who are currently mourning the loss of their revered monarch, described his death as a heavy blow, noting that the town has lost not just a king but a father figure whose wisdom, counsel and presence brought reassurance in moments of uncertainty.
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