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Court Strikes Out APM’s Suit Against Shettima, Tinubu
The Presidential Election Petition Court has dismissed the suit of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) seeking to nullify President Bola Tinubu’s election.
The court, in its ruling delivered in Abuja on Wednesday, dismissed the petition for lacking in merit and being incompetent.
The Chairman of the panel, Justice Haruna Tsammani, who read the judgement, held that issues the APM raised in its petition contained pre-election matters that could only be determined by the Federal High Court.
The court further upheld the preliminary objections of the respondents who challenged the competence of the suit.
Justice Tsammani noted that since the petition centred on the qualification of President Tinubu to contest the presidential election, the APM ought to have gone to court within 14 days after Tinubu was nominated by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He held that since the cause of action bordered on a pre-election matter, the APM lacked the locus standi to challenge Tinubu’s nomination.
Furthermore, the court held that the Supreme Court had earlier decided that a political party does not have the right to challenge a nomination that was made by another political party.
He held that sections 131 and 237 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, made provisions for the qualification or disqualification of candidates in an election.
The court noted that the main grouse of the APM was on the alleged invalid nomination of Tinubu’s running mate, Vice-President Kashim Shettima.
He further held that Section 84(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022, stipulates that political parties should not impose qualification criteria on a candidate, except as provided for in the constitution.
It held that where an election has already been conducted and the result declared, the qualification of a candidate could no longer be challenged on the basis of sections 131 and 137 of the Constitution.
The court held that since the APM failed to challenge President Tinubu’s nomination within the constitutionally allowed period, its case, therefore, had become statute-barred.
It held that where the constitution has qualified a candidate for an election, no other law can disqualify such candidate except the constitution itself.
The court held that the issue of double nomination as alleged by the APM, was not a legal ground for disqualification.
The court held that it found no reason why Ibrahim Masari was cited as the 5th Respondent in the petition since he would not in any way be affected by the outcome of the case.
News
FEC Hold Session of Tributes for Buhari, Tomorrow
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will lead the session of tributes for the departed leader
A special session of the Federal Executive Council in honour of former President Muhammadu Buhari will be held on Thursday 17 July from 1pm.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will lead the session of tributes for the departed leader, according to Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s spokesman.
The Federal High Court in Lagos has discharged former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose of money laundering and theft charges totaling ₦6.9 billion.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, who presided over the case, upheld a no-case submission filed by Fayose’s legal team, ruling that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed to establish a prima facie case or link him directly to the alleged offences.
Originally arraigned in 2018 before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, the case was later reassigned to Justice Aneke at the EFCC’s request.
The anti-graft agency had accused Fayose of receiving ₦1.2 billion for his 2014 governorship campaign and accepting $5 million in cash from then Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, without passing through a financial institution. He was also alleged to have laundered over ₦1.6 billion through companies such as De Privateer Ltd and Still Earth Ltd to acquire properties.
Fayose and his company, Spotless Investment Ltd, were re-arraigned on 11 counts of money laundering and theft, with the alleged crimes said to have been committed during his time in office, involving funds reportedly traced to the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Defending the former governor, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Chief Kanu Agabi argued that the EFCC failed to substantiate its claims and noted that key figures allegedly involved, including Abiodun Agbele, were not charged.
“The predicate offences on which these charges are based do not hold water. Criminal breach of trust and conspiracy are distinct, and no co-conspirator was charged alongside the defendant,” Agabi stated.
Agreeing with the argument, Justice Aneke ruled in favour of the no-case submission and discharged Fayose.
News
JUST IN: Sanwo-Olu Warns Against Attacks on LASTMA Officers, Vows Offenders Will Face Full Force of the Law
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has reaffirmed his administration’s zero tolerance for assaults on officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), warning that anyone found guilty will face the full weight of the law.
Represented by Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Sanwo-Olu gave the warning on Tuesday at the Second Lagos Traffic Conference, held in celebration of LASTMA’s 25th anniversary.
The event, themed “Enhancing Traffic Efficiency and Safety on Lagos Roads: Challenges, Opportunities, and Innovations,” marked a key milestone for the agency responsible for managing traffic across the state.
The governor praised the dedication of LASTMA officers who, he said, often operate under dangerous and demanding conditions to maintain road order.
“I want to specially commend the men and women of LASTMA whose unwavering commitment ensures that Lagos keeps moving. Your uniform stands as the thin yellow line between road order and chaos,” he said.
He paid tribute to officers who had lost their lives in the line of duty, calling them heroes whose sacrifices would never be forgotten.
Looking ahead, Sanwo-Olu shared his vision of transforming LASTMA into a technology-driven agency. He revealed plans to invest in AI-powered systems, automated number plate recognition, and drone surveillance to improve traffic flow and incident response across Lagos.
“These innovations will enhance our ability to monitor real-time traffic, ease congestion, and strengthen enforcement,” he said.
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