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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
CBN And Bank of Industry Partner With CEAN To Stabilise Nigeria’s Creative Sector Post-COVID
For more than a decade, CEAN has played a vital role in connecting Nigeria’s informal creative workforce to structured policy, funding, and formal economic opportunities.

September 12, 2022, Lagos, Nigeria –
In a bold and strategic move to rescue Nigeria’s creative industries from the lingering economic shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bank of Industry (BOI) partnered with the Creative Entrepreneurs Association of Nigeria (CEAN) to design and implement a nationwide intervention targeting vulnerable creative businesses.
The collaboration, launched in mid-2022, marks a milestone in the recognition of Nigeria’s creative economy as a critical pillar of national development—and affirms CEAN’s position as a trusted stakeholder in industry policy and infrastructure development.
Responding to a Sector in Crisis
The partnership was galvanized by CEAN’s early post-pandemic white paper, “Creating Through Crisis: The Future of Nigerian Creativity Post-COVID.
It presented compelling data and policy recommendations that influenced federal strategy.
While other sectors received initial support under the government’s economic recovery plans, it was CEAN’s persistent advocacy and detailed sector mapping that brought national attention to the creative industries’ urgent needs.
CEAN’s nationwide rollout had seen the training of over 2,000 creative entrepreneurs, advisory support to more than 500 micro-businesses, and the establishment of regional Creative Recovery Hubs in Lagos, Abuja, and Enugu.
“From day one of the pandemic, we understood that Nigeria’s cultural workforce—millions strong—was at risk of collapse,” said Adebowale Ewedemi, CEAN founding executive and veteran media entrepreneur.
“We didn’t just lobby for change; we brought the tools, the structure, and the roadmap,” said Ewedemi.
From Blueprint to Implementation
The result was a landmark intervention program backed by BOI and regulated by CBN, with CEAN serving as the official implementation partner.
The program delivers targeted support to struggling sub-sectors including independent film, performance art, fashion, radio, music, design, and digital content production.
Highlights of the program include:
• Access to low-interest working capital for creative entrepreneurs
• Training grants and accelerator programs for skill development
• Support for studio and performance infrastructure
• Technical assistance for digital transformation and business retooling.
CEAN’s nationwide rollout had seen the training of over 2,000 creative entrepreneurs, advisory support to more than 500 micro-businesses, and the establishment of regional Creative Recovery Hubs in Lagos, Abuja, and Enugu.
Sustained Leadership in Nigeria’s Creative Economy
This intervention is only the latest in CEAN’s long record of national impact. During the peak of the COVID-19 lockdowns, the association served as a frontline support system—offering emergency relief, transitioning training programs online, and shaping portions of the Federal Government’s Survival Fund.
For more than a decade, CEAN has played a vital role in connecting Nigeria’s informal creative workforce to structured policy, funding, and formal economic opportunities.
Through this work, the association—under Ewedemi’s leadership—has consistently introduced original models, innovative frameworks, and institutional partnerships that define sustainable creative sector governance in Africa.
Architects of a New Creative Economy
This partnership with CBN and BOI reflects a broader understanding that Nigeria’s future is tied to the creative ingenuity of its people—and that long-term development requires strategic institutions with deep insight, trust, and capacity.
“We’re proud to move beyond advocacy into implementation. This is not a moment—it’s a movement. We are helping to reshape the creative industry into a nationally recognized economic force, ”said Ewedemi.
As the creative sector continues to recover and rebuild, CEAN remains committed to ensuring that no artist, content creator, or cultural innovator is left behind.
News
President Tinubu congratulates Governor Okpebholo on Supreme Court Victory

Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State on the affirmation of his election by the Supreme Court.
The Edo State governorship election took place in September 2024, and Governor Okpebholo was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Supreme Court, as the final arbiter, upheld the election of the governor today.
According to the press statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), President Tinubu encourages Governor Okpebholo to be magnanimous in victory and rally the citizens of Edo across divides towards a singular vision of advancing the state’s development.
The President advises that now that the governor has cleared the legal hurdles, it is time for him to accelerate the delivery of exceptional services and good governance to the people of Edo State, which he has already begun to do.
President Tinubu also congratulates the leadership and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State and calls for cohesion and dedication in effectively discharging the mandate given by the people.
News
Senate Launches Investigation Into Ponzi Schemes

The Senate has mandated a joint committee to investigate the alarming rise of Ponzi schemes across the country, following the collapse of the Crypto Bullion Exchange (CBEX), which has reportedly defrauded investors of over ₦1.3 trillion.
The decision followed a motion sponsored by Senator Adetokunbo Abiru (Lagos East).
In a motion, the lawmaker expressed deep concern over the unchecked spread of fraudulent investment schemes, including the infamous MMM Nigeria (2016), MBA Forex (2020), and most recently CBEX, which lured millions of Nigerians with promises of high returns on digital assets.
Lawmakers in a debate warned that CBEX’s collapse had devastating financial and psychological consequences, pushing victims into depression, family breakdowns, and in some tragic cases, suicide.
The Senate expressed shock that CBEX operated unchecked for months despite its large-scale activities and online visibility, with no timely intervention from regulatory agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) or the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The joint committee is expected to hold a public hearing in the coming weeks and submit its findings within one month.
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