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JUST IN: INEC explains kicking against tendering own documents against Tinubu’s election

Published

3 years ago

June 2, 2023

187 Views

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has shed light on why it kicked against the tendering of its documents as exhibits by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Gregory Obi, to establish his petition against the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The electoral body had on Thursday vehemently objected to the admission of several documents brought to the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) by Obi and the Labour Party for the purpose of tendering them as exhibits to justify their petition.

However, at Friday’s proceedings, INEC lawyer Kemi Pinheiro SAN, told the court that the electoral body kicked against the tendering of certified true copies of the documents, mainly election result sheets, because Obi and the Labour Party did not challenge the conduct of the election in the areas relating to the documents.

Pinheiro explained that issues were not joined in the local government areas where the result sheets were sought to be tendered, adding that it was wrong of the petitioners to go beyond the areas where the election is disputed.

He accused Obi of trying to confuse issues by bringing result sheets where he did not dispute the election and the returns adding that the presidential candidate ought to have guided himself with the pleadings in his petition.

According to INEC, the local government areas unlawfully smuggled into proceedings of the court are totally strange to the petition and cannot stand in the face of the law.

INEC’s explanation offered while lawyers were ordered to make an appearance, however, drew the anger of the Presiding Justice of the Court, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani.

Justice Tsammani held that it was wrong of INEC’s lawyer to have smuggled the explanation into the proceedings because all parties in the petition had agreed to offer such explanations at the address stage of proceedings.

Pinheiro, in return, apologized to the court but said that he was forced to speak up on the objections because of the deluge of criticisms suffered in the media by his client.

The senior lawyer hinted that social media users had turned his client to an object of ridicule without finding out reasons for objections against the admissibility of the documents.

Meanwhile, the court has admitted as exhibits form EC8A from 21 local government areas of Adamawa and eight local government areas of Bayelsa States and parts of Rivers and Niger State as tendered by Obi and the Labour Party.

Peter Afoba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, is conducting proceedings for Obi and LP.

Earlier, hearing in the petition of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) was further shifted to June 9 by the court to enable lawyers to obtain the May 26 judgment of the Supreme Court that would determine whether the petition still has life to sustain it or not.

News

MARKETING EDGE publisher John Ajayi dies at 62

A visionary entrepreneur, Ajayi was widely acknowledged as a pioneer of brand journalism in Nigeria.

Published

2 hours ago

December 11, 2025

OCHEFA

11 Views

• Mr John Ajayi

The Founder and Publisher of Marketing Edge magazine, Mr John Ajayi, has died.

He was 62.

His demise has thrown the brand and marketing communications industry into mourning.

Ajayi was a respected journalist and one of the foremost voices in the nation’s integrated marketing communications space.

He left behind a legacy that profoundly shaped, and will continue to shape, the industry he passionately served.

A visionary entrepreneur, Ajayi was widely acknowledged as a pioneer of brand journalism in Nigeria.

Through MARKETING EDGE, he championed ethical practice, elevated professional standards, and built a respected platform that provided insight, analysis and thought leadership for practitioners and institutions within the sector.

Under his stewardship, the publication grew into an authoritative voice, shaping discourse and spotlighting excellence and innovation across the marketing communications ecosystem.

The MARKETING EDGE family described his demise as a devastating loss to the organisation and the wider industry.

(The Nation)

News

President Tinubu to NEC: You’re too Slow on Livestock Reforms

Tinubu asked Vice President Kashim Shettima to get the National Economic Council to identify grazing reserves that can be rehabilitated into ranches or livestock settlements.

Published

20 hours ago

December 10, 2025

OCHEFA

18 Views

President Bola Tinubu during today’s Federal Executive Council meeting, expressed frustration with the National Economic Council’s slow pace on livestock reforms and urging members (Governors) to carry out their constitutional responsibility.

Emphasising on the livestock reforms, he insisted that the NEC must revive grazing reserves or ranches across the country.

Tinubu asked Vice President Kashim Shettima to get the National Economic Council to identify grazing reserves that can be rehabilitated into ranches or livestock settlements.

He said that conflict prone areas should be converted into opportunities for economic development and long-term prosperity.

Regarding the withdrawal of VIP police escorts , President Tinubu directed ministers and other VIPs who still require security cover for their official assignments to route such requests through the inspector-general of police and obtain his personal clearance.

He asked the minister of interior to work with the IGP and the civil defence corps to replace police officers currently deployed on special duties.

He also instructed the NSA and the DSS to set up a committee to review existing security arrangements, noting that the country faces persistent threats from kidnapping and terrorism and must maximise all available security assets.

News

Double Voices As Senate Seeks Exemption from Withdrawal of VIP Police Escorts

The push for possible exemption for Senators followed a Point of Order by Senator, Abdul Ningi, (PDP, Bauchi Central), who lamented the withdrawal of his lone police orderly in compliance with the directive of the President

Published

20 hours ago

December 10, 2025

OCHEFA

27 Views

The Nigerian Senate has expressed serious concerns over the withdrawal of Police orderlies attached to senators, worried that the move could expose members to unnecessary danger.

Worried about the situation, Deputy President of the Senate , Barau Jibrin disclosed that the leadership of the Senate held an emergency meeting on the issue on Tuesday, with the hope of positive feedback as it seeks to secure
exemption for lawmakers from the Presidential directive.

President Bola Tinubu had on the 23rd of November issued a stern directive calling for the withdrawal of Police officers attached to “Very Important Persons”, VIPs in the country to make available more hands to tackle Nigeria’s internal security challenges.

About 11, 000 police officers are currently engaged on such assignments across the country.

Ningi said while he has no issues with the withdrawal , he expressed disappointment at the manner the directive of the President is being flouted and called for a strict compliance with the directive starting from the Presidency, the Office of the Vice President , and Federal Ministers.

The Bauchi Senator said while his own police orderly has been withdrawn, he continues to see some businessmen including Chinese citizens and celebrity singers being escorted by contingents of police officers in brazen disregard to the directive of the President.

Based on the revelations by Senator Ningi, the Senate mandated its Committee on Police Affairs to immediately conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged disregard of the President’s directive .

The Committee has 4 weeks to complete the assignment and revert to senate at plenary.