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JUST IN: INEC explains kicking against tendering own documents against Tinubu’s election
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
FG slams 8-count charges on Adeyemi over fake agency ” I’m not a criminal”, he defends
It was learned that the alleged ‘‘fake’’ Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council was allocated N1.302 billion in the 2026 Budget of the Federal Government.
Photo: Gbajabiamila, and Adeyemi
The Federal Government has filed an 8-count charges against Adeniyi Adeyemi, convener of a purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, over the controversy trailing the agency.
Adeyemi, however, fought back claiming that he was given an appointment letter.
Adeyemi, during an appearance on Channels Television claimed that the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila gave him an appointment letter, insisting that he is not a criminal.
However, it was learned that the alleged ‘‘fake’’ Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council was allocated N1.302 billion in the 2026 Budget of the Federal Government.
In a statement on Wednesday, Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson, said the charges were filed by the Police on November 27, 2025, against Adeyemi and two accomplices at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Onanuga said Adeyemi is expected to appear in court on July 27, 2026.
News
NDC calls for Gbajabiamila sack over fake agency scandal
The NDC has referenced Adeyemi’s allegations that he paid N600 million to secure his appointment, with N400 million allegedly paid through intermediaries linked to the Chief of Staff while an outstanding balance of N200 million reportedly contributed to the current dispute over the agency’s status.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for the immediate removal of the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations linking him to the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) agency involving one Prince Mathew Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claims to be the Director-General of the agency .
In a statement signed on Friday by NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the party urged President Tinubu to suspend the Chief of Staff to allow for what it described as a transparent and unbiased investigation into the allegations.
The NDC’s demand is sequel to claims made by Adeyemi, who identified himself as the Director-General of the alleged PFIPC, an agency the Presidency has maintained does not exist.
According to the party, the allegations raise serious concerns over transparency and accountability within the current administration. It questioned how the purported agency allegedly secured budgetary allocations in the 2026 Appropriation Act and reportedly operated domiciliary, Pounds Sterling and Treasury Single Account (TSA) accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria despite being disowned by the Presidency.
The party also queried claims that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation allegedly approved 314 staff positions for the agency, asking how such approvals could have been granted if the organisation was not officially recognised.
The NDC has referenced Adeyemi’s allegations that he paid N600 million to secure his appointment, with N400 million allegedly paid through intermediaries linked to the Chief of Staff while an outstanding balance of N200 million reportedly contributed to the current dispute over the agency’s status.
News
US ends military operations in Nigeria, withdraws 200 soldiers
Anderson emphasised that the specific mission that required the deployment of US troops has been completed, prompting the withdrawal of most personnel.
Photo: General Dagvin R.M. Anderson
The United States has withdrawn the majority of its military personnel deployed to Nigeria for a joint counterterrorism mission in the Lake Chad Basin, while maintaining intelligence sharing and other security cooperation with Nigerian authorities.
The United States deployed about 200 military personnel to Nigeria in February 2026 to assist with intelligence, surveillance and counterterrorism operations in the Lake Chad Basin as both countries expanded cooperation against ISIS and other extremist groups operating in the region.
Commander of US Air Forces in Africa, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, announced the development during a virtual press briefing on the outcome of the African Chiefs of Defence Conference 2026.
He said the partnership between Washington and Abuja remained active, particularly in intelligence operations targeting the Islamic State (ISIS/Daesh).
Anderson emphasised that the specific mission that required the deployment of US troops has been completed, prompting the withdrawal of most personnel.
However, he noted that the United States would continue providing intelligence assistance at the request of the Nigerian government.
FG slams 8-count charges on Adeyemi over fake agency ” I’m not a criminal”, he defends
NDC calls for Gbajabiamila sack over fake agency scandal
US ends military operations in Nigeria, withdraws 200 soldiers
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