News
Lagos Governorship Election: Gov Sanwo-Olu, Wife Voted With Invalid Voters Cards, Witness Tells Tribunal
There are allegations that Lagos state Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his wife, Ibijoke were allowed to cast their votes, despite their voter cards being invalid.
The testimony was given by an agent of the Labour Party, Dayo Isreal who was subpoenaed to testify in the petition filed by Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party’s candidate, in the March 18 election, seeking to nullify the return of Gov. SanwoOlu and his deputy.
A witness on Monday told the Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal headed by Justice Arum Ashom.
While being led in evidence by the Rhodes-Vivour’s lead counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olumide Ayeni, the witness told the court that he served as an agent for the Labour Party for Unit 006, Ward 15, Lagos Island Local Government in the Governorship Election.
” I observed that the card reader showed their cards to be invalid but Sanwo-Olu and his wife were allowed to cast their votes and this is against INEC’s electoral process,” Israel said before the tribunal
Under cross-examination from counsel to INEC, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Charles Edosomwan, the witness also claimed he was beaten up that day by some All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters and that he knew they were APC supporters from the way they spoke.
“I am not a member of the Labour Party but I was assigned as an agent. When the APC thugs recognised me as an LP agent, they beat me up. They also said if voters did not vote for APC, they would beat them too,” he said
When asked by counsel to Governor Sanwo Olu Olu & his deputy, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Muiz Banire, to describe how he was beaten.
He added, “During casting of votes, 4 of them beat me up. I ran away, changed my clothes to disguise myself and came back to monitor the counting of votes.
He also noted that there were cases of multiple casting of votes but INEC officials failed to intervene
“I observed more than 3-4 people voting more than once at the polling unit. INEC staff conducted the elections, though they looked the other way when this was going on.”
While answering questions from counsel to APC, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Abiodun Owonikoko, the witness disclosed that a total number of 126 people were accredited at the polling unit where Governor Sanwo -Olu voted while APC had 121 votes, LP was given 2votes.
Additionally another subpoenaed witness, the secretary of the Labour Party in Lagos State, Sam Okpala, also testified before the tribunal
Led by counsel to the petitioner, Folagbade Benson, the subpoena was tendered to the tribunal through the witness, a situation which led to another round of objections from the respondents.
The tribunal in its ruling noted the objections of the respondents but proceeded to hear the testimony of the witness while ordering the respondents to include their objections in their final written addresses.
The witness, while being cross-examined by INEC’s counsel, said he would not have appeared before the tribunal if he was not subpoenaed, adding that he never wrote a statement.
The tribunal has adjourned till July 3 for the continuation of the hearing in the petition.
News
FG Launches Counter Terrorism Strategic Plan 2025 – 2030
For ours, the question is clear: How do we secure our nation, safeguard our people and set Nigeria irreversibly on the path of peace, growth and stability?“ The Strategic Plan 2025 – 2030 answers this question with vision, discipline and ambition.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has formally unveiled Nigeria’s Counter Terrorism Strategic Plan 2025 – 2030.
The Strategic Plan was put together by the National Counter Terrorism Centre in the Office of the National Security Adviser.
In his Keynote address, Akpabio said the occasion was not merely the launch of another policy document but a defining moment in the nation’s journey.
“It is a moment when Nigeria again reaffirms that our people deserve to live without fear, that our children deserve a future of peace, and that our nation must be secured to prosper,” he said.
The Senate President remarked that every generation faced a question that history demanded it must answer.
“For ours, the question is clear: How do we secure our nation, safeguard our people and set Nigeria irreversibly on the path of peace, growth and stability?“ The Strategic Plan 2025 – 2030 answers this question with vision, discipline and ambition.
It offers a framework for transforming our institutions, modernising our security architecture, strengthening national resilience and expanding partnerships across government, industry, civil society and the international community”
“As President of the Senate, I have seen how insecurity weakens the foundations of development. Investors withdraw, schools close, farmers abandon their fields, and hope retreats from the hearts of our young people.
That is why a pragmatic, forward-looking and implementation-driven plan such as this is timely, necessary and welcome.”
(Independent)
News
Delta Police Dismiss Bandits Invasion of Girls Secondary School Kwale
• Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda
The Delta State Police Command said that the rumoured invasion of Girls’ Secondary School, Utagba-Ogbe, Kwale, today was entirely false and misleading.
In a statement, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, clarified that upon receiving the report, the Command immediately ordered a coordinated response and deployed the DCO Kwale Division, SP Udofia Kufre, to lead a patrol team for immediate on-the-ground verification and security assessment.
The Vice Principal of the school and the security man on duty were interviewed, and both confirmed that no attack occurred and that the panic emanated solely from misinformation among students.
As a precautionary measure, adjoining schools within the Kwale axis were visited and all were found to be calm, safe, and in a normal academic session.
Parents who rushed to pick up their children are advised to remain calm, as the earlier rumour has been decisively addressed and normalcy has been fully restored.
CP Olufemi Abaniwonda warns strongly against the spread of unverified rumours capable of causing fear or disrupting academic activities.
The CP reiterated the Command’s unwavering resolve to respond swiftly to any credible threat while ensuring the safety of all educational institutions across the state.
He further urges school authorities to strengthen internal communication, promptly report suspicious observations to the nearest police formation, and maintain close collaboration with local security outfits to enhance monitoring around school environments.
News
Okonjo-Iweala Decries Kidnappings of school children, teachers
As a mother I am greatly saddened by the kidnappings in our country, particularly of our children and teachers from places of learning.
The Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has expressed worries over the escalating wave of kidnappings across Nigeria, particularly the abduction of schools children and teachers.
Okonjo-Iweala in a post on X said she was “greatly saddened” by the disturbing trend, stressing that the attacks on learning institutions have inflicted fear, trauma, and uncertainty on families nationwide.
“As a mother I am greatly saddened by the kidnappings in our country, particularly of our children and teachers from places of learning.
” My heart goes out to the children and all those kidnapped and to their families living in fear and uncertainty,” she said.
She prays for the safe return of all abductees and strength for parents and relatives enduring the ordeal.
“May those taken be found, rescued, and returned safely into the arms of those who love them.
We pray God for their protection and strength for every parent and relative waiting,” she added.
Her comments come amid a series of mass abductions targeting schools and farming communities in several states in Nigeria, which has led to renewed calls for urgent action to protect citizens and restore security nationwide.
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