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BREAKING NEWS: Supreme Court Orders CBN, AGF to Stop Allocation of  Funds to Rivers State ▪︎Restores Amaewhule,  26 Others

The Supreme Court has described the decision of the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara to present the 2024 budget to a four-member State Assembly as illegal as the House lacked quorum when the presentation was done.

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The Supreme Court has stopped the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Accountant – General of the Federation from allocating funds to the Rivers State government until a valid appropriation law is passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly.

A five-member panel of the Apex Court also orders that Martins Amaewhule and 26 other members “illegally excluded” from functioning as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to resume immediately.

This decision follows the position of the Court that the action of the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, throughout the political saga had been borne out of fear of impeachment.

It adds that there was no justification to attack the legislature or act in breach of the rule of law.

It clearly faulted the action of the State governor, which included the demolition of the Assembly building.

In the lead judgment read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the Apex Court says to stop Amaewhule and 26 others from functioning on grounds of alleged defection was unlawful, adding that there is now no government in Rivers State, due to the absence of a legislature.

The Supreme Court has described the decision of the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara to present the 2024 budget to a four-member State Assembly as illegal as the House lacked quorum when the presentation was done.

The Apex Court says a four-member House represents 12.5% of the geographical entity, which is Rivers State.

It therefore says that doesn’t constitute the right number to conduct legislative business.

It further says that legislative business cannot be conducted in secret.

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JUST IN: Appeal Court Affirms Okphebholo as Edo Governor

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‎‎The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed Monday Okphebholo as duly elected in the September 21, 2024 Edo Governorship polls, as it affirms the decision of the Tribunal which on April 2 dismissed the petition of Asue Ighodalo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for lacking merit. ‎‎

A three-man panel of the Appeal court, presided over by Justice Mohamed Danjuma, restated the position of the Tribunal which held that the PDP failed to provide sufficient and credible evidence to substantiate their claims of electoral malpractice, irregularities, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.‎‎

The panel held that the PDP failed to provide sufficient and credible evidence to substantiate their claims of electoral malpractice, irregularities, and non-compliance with the Electoral Act. ‎‎

The Appellate Court agrees with the Tribunal that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) Machines which the appellants tendered were merely ‘dumped’ as they weren’t demonstrated to prove overvoting.

‎‎This the Court held after it earlier expunged the 133 BVAS machines admitted in evidence at the Tribunal stage of the Governorship tussle. ‎‎

Ighodalo and the PDP were further faulted by the Appellate Court for failing to tender the voter register to prove overvoting.

The Court further adds that BVAS extract doesn’t constitute items with which to prove overvoting. ‎‎It says the documents tendered by the PDP at the Tribunal did not, on their own, prove overvoting, non-holding or cancellation of elections at the polling units.

‎‎To further puncture the case of the PDP, the panel says the 19 witnesses called by the appellants during the Tribunal hearing didn’t help their case.

It says the majority of them did not witness what they spoke about. Moreso, it adds they were insufficient to prove irregularities in polling stations at over 4,000 locations.

‎‎Nigeria’s electoral body, INEC, had declared Okpebholo the winner with 291,667 votes, against Asue Ighodalo of the PDP who garnered 247,274 votes.

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Betta Edu Congratulates President Tinubu On His Two Years In Office

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The former Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. former, Dr Betta Edu, has congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his Two Years in Office.

Edu, who joined millions of Nigerians and members of the All Progressives Congress, APC to heartily congratulate the president on his second year in office as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria said the president has been a true father to all.

Her statement reads: Mr. President, Father of the nation.

I join millions of Nigerians and members of our great party, the All Progressives Congress, APC to heartily congratulate you on your second year in office as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Despite the obvious challenges, your dedication to transforming Nigeria and changing the economic landscape by improving the lives of the citizens in the long run is visible, even to the greatest critics.

It’s has not been an easy ride navigating terrains that even lions won’t dare! Your commitment to hard work and a result oriented leadership is unprecedented.

The focus of your administration on economic rejuvenation is evidently changing the narrative and Nigerians are witnessing the positive impacts, including infrastructural development, education for all, affordable housing, huge improvement in the security situation among others, in just two years.

These positive developments underscore the renewed hope agenda of your administration.

Your Excellency, this was the toughest two years of your four + four years journey leading our nation.

The right foundation has been laid; it’s time for the fruits to blossom.

Forward forever, Nigeria will experience a rebirth, under your dynamic and visionary leader, A Lion is never distracted by the bleats of goats.

Mr. President keeps raising the bar….her statement reads.

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Taraba: Parents, school owners slam WAEC over midnight exams

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There was widespread anger and frustration on Wednesday among parents and school owners in Taraba State after candidates of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) sat for their English paper late into the night, leaving the examination hall around midnight.

The examination, which was initially scheduled for earlier in the day, was inexplicably delayed by the examination body until about 9:00 p.m., with no official explanation provided.

The majority of the candidates, most of whom are teenagers, were visibly exhausted and wrote the paper under extreme stress.

Despite a heavy downpour, school owners and parents were forced to transport their wards to the examination venues at a time when many would normally be asleep.

A school proprietor confirmed that her students completed their exams at midnight.

She expressed concern over the emotional and physical toll on the students, many of whom had been waiting in school throughout the day.

“As teenagers, they needed to be well-fed and in the right frame of mind to write such a critical paper. I had to take full responsibility for their welfare,” she said.

The proprietor also criticized the poor logistical arrangements by the examination body, revealing that she personally drove out in the rain at night to pick up exam supervisors to ensure the examination could eventually hold.

“I had to buy 30 litres of fuel to power the generator so the hall would be properly lit. This wasn’t part of our plan or budget, and we hope it doesn’t happen again.

”It was gathered that while some students managed to return home around midnight, others who couldn’t had to spend the night in school.

The incident has drawn outrage from both parents and educators, who are calling on the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to investigate the delay and ensure such a situation does not repeat itself.

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