News
JUST IN: Appeal Court Affirms Okphebholo as Edo Governor
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.
A new documentary on the life and political struggle of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola is set to premiere in Nigerian cinemas in October.
Titled MKO, the 108-minute film is directed by Ose Oyamendan and produced with American documentary filmmaker Mark Jonathan Harris. It explores the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, widely regarded as free and fair, Abiola’s subsequent detention, and the controversial circumstances surrounding his death in custody in 1998.
The documentary features interviews with key figures including former military rulers Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, Abiola’s running mate Baba Gana Kingibe, members of the Abiola family, journalists, and diplomats.
Oyamendan, who worked as a young journalist during the June 12 crisis, has described the film as an investigative documentary that examines Nigeria’s unfinished democratic journey. It had its world premiere earlier this year at the Sheffield DocFest in the United Kingdom.
The Nigerian cinema release is scheduled for early October, with some reports linking the premiere to Independence Day on October 1.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results of underage candidates for viewing.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the Board’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin, JAMB defined an underage candidate for the 2026 admission exercise as any candidate who will be less than 16 years old as at September 30, 2026.
Benjamin said the results were released primarily to enable candidates and their parents or guardians to know their performance in the examination. However, he stressed that the release does not confer eligibility for admission on all underage candidates.
According to him, the results cannot be used for admission or any other official purpose, except by candidates who satisfy the stringent requirements prescribed for exceptionally performing underage candidates.
Candidates can check their results by sending “RESULT” to 55019 or 66019 using the same SIM card with which they registered for the UTME.
JAMB reiterated that only underage candidates who demonstrate exceptional academic ability and maturity will be considered for admission through a rigorous, multi-stage assessment process. Key requirements include a minimum UTME score of 320, at least 80 per cent performance in relevant Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) subjects where applicable, satisfaction of the Post-UTME requirements of their chosen institutions, and a final assessment conducted by experts.
Veteran journalist Mr. Ohi Odiai and his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Ohi-Odiai, today mark their 17th wedding anniversary, a milestone that highlights an enduring partnership built on mutual support, professional excellence, and family.
Mr. Odiai serves as Deputy Head of News at Arise News TV, one of Nigeria’s leading television networks. He is also the CEO and Chief Editor of Ohibaba.Com, the online news platform he founded and continues to steer as a key voice in digital journalism. His career spans years of impactful reporting, newsroom leadership, and media innovation.
Mrs. Elizabeth Ohi-Odiai is the owner and founder of Bukbeth Concepts Classic, a business reflecting her entrepreneurial drive and creative vision. Together, the couple has built a home grounded in shared values and quiet strength.
The family is blessed with three children — two boys and a girl — who form the heart of their journey.
Friends, colleagues, and well-wishers describe the Odiais as a model of resilience and partnership in both public and private life.
As they celebrate 17 years of marriage today, September 5, 2026, the couple is receiving warm congratulations from across the media and business communities. Their story stands as a reminder that lasting unions thrive on commitment, respect, and the everyday work of building a life together.
Happy anniversary to Mr. Ohi Odiai and Mrs. Elizabeth Ohi-Odiai.
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