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Presidential Election: Legal Practitioner and Social Critic, Inibehe Effiong Urges LP, PDP not to panic over INEC’s objections

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A legal practitioner and social critic, Inibehe Effiong has urged people not to panic over objections to admissibility of documents by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, at the ongoing hearings at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, saying
it is a distraction, while claiming that the objected documents by the INEC were duly certified, adding that the Court will act on them.

In a post via his verified Twitter handle on Thursday, the legal expert claimed that “the Electoral Commission’s neutrality is a mirage, especially in electoral litigations”.

He alleged that the INEC had basically aligned its defence strategy with the other Respondents, including the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Effiong said, “People should not panic over objections to admissibility of documents by INEC at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal. I’m not surprised by INEC’s roguish and embarrassing attitude. These are public documents duly certified. The Court will act on them. It is a distraction.

“Ordinarily, INEC being the maker of the documents which they’ve certified, that is Form EC8 series (polling unit & collation results), they’re not supposed to object to their admissibility.

“I’ve always said that INEC’s neutrality is a mirage, especially in electoral litigations.

“The documents have been admitted, though the Respondents will state the grounds for their objections in their final addresses.

“Typically, the tribunal will look into the documents and act on them.

“As long as the documents have been duly certified, there’s no cause for alarm.

“INEC has basically aligned their defence strategy with the other Respondents (Tinubu, APC and Shettima). They’re working in sync as they always do.”

At the resumed hearing of the petition filed by Atiku and the PDP challenging the election of President Tinubu at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja, counsel to the petitioners, Mr Chris Uche, SAN, said that the team had prepared a second schedule of documents to be tendered.

Some documents the petitioners tendered in evidence through Mr Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, were certified true copies of Form EC8A downloaded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from its Result Viewing Portal (IREV).

The Form EC8A was for eight local government areas of Bayelsa, 23 local government areas of Kaduna State, 20 local government areas of Ogun and of 23 local government areas of Kogi.

Form EC8As are sheets used for collection of results at the polling units level.

But counsel to INEC, Mr Kemi Pinhero, SAN, objected to the admissibility of all documents relating to Kogi except for those of five Local Government Areas, namely, Olamaboro, Ofu, Omala, Okehi and Ajaokuta.

He said this was because the five local governments whose documents he did not oppose were specifically pleaded in the petitioners’ pleadings.

Pinhero also objected to the admissibility of the documents relating to the BVAS except for Kogi, Rivers and Sokoto states.

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President Tinubu Designates Joseph Tegbe New Minister of Power

Mr Tegbe’s experience includes significant engagements within the power sector, particularly in regulatory and institutional reform involving agencies such as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET).

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated Mr Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as Minister of Power, subject to confirmation by the Senate.

The nomination has been transmitted to the Senate for screening and confirmation in accordance with the Constitution.

The nomination follows the resignation of the former Minister, Adebayo Adelabu, who stepped down from office to pursue elective office.

Mr Tegbe, from Oyo State, is a fiscal and economic reform expert with over 35 years of experience spanning the public and private sectors.

He is a former Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa, where he led wide-ranging initiatives in fiscal policy reform, institutional transformation, and governance.

He has also advised key government institutions and private sector organisations on strategic reforms, regulatory frameworks, and investment structuring.

He is at present the Director General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), where he is responsible for strengthening bilateral development cooperation between Nigeria and the People’s Republic of China.

The NCSP also coordinates engagements with public sector stakeholders to advance economic and social development in line with FOCAC objectives.

Mr Tegbe’s experience includes significant engagements within the power sector, particularly in regulatory and institutional reform involving agencies such as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET).

His nomination is expected to strengthen further ongoing efforts to reform the power sector, enhance grid stability, and attract sustainable investment in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The President expects the Minister-Designate, upon confirmation, to bring his extensive expertise to bear to advance critical reforms and deliver improved outcomes for Nigerians in the power sector.

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Egbin Shutdown Throws Lagos Into Darkness, says NISO

Egbin Power Station, which is the largest electricity-generating plant on the national grid and a major contributor to daily power supply in Nigeria, experienced a major operational disturbance.

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The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) said on Thursday power supply to the Lagos region is currently restricted due to a sudden shutdown of the Egbin Power Station and the forced outage of the Osogbo–Ikeja West 330kV transmission line, thereby limiting the evacuation of available generation into the Lagos load centre.

NISO said that the dual disruptions has created a significant supply gap, forcing authorities to ration electricity to prevent a total system collapse.

NISO explained that at approximately 8:21 p.m. on April 28, 2026, Egbin Power Station recorded a total loss of generation, dropping from about 641MW to zero output.

This incident was caused by the failure of the plant’s central compressor, in addition to a malfunction of the circulating water pump system, which necessitated an immediate shutdown of all generating units to safeguard the facility.

Egbin Power Station, which is the largest electricity-generating plant on the national grid and a major contributor to daily power supply in Nigeria, experienced a major operational disturbance.

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Tinubu designates Rabiu Umar new CEO of NMDPRA

Umar is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience across the energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors, and a proven track record in strategic leadership, operational transformation, and large-scale project delivery..

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the removal of Mr Saidu Mohammed as the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

In a State House statement issued on Wednesday signed by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President also approved the nomination of Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the new Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, with the appointment subject to Senate confirmation.

The decision, according to the statement, was made pursuant to the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and is aimed at strengthening regulatory effectiveness in the midstream and downstream petroleum sector in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Umar is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience across the energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors, and a proven track record in strategic leadership, operational transformation, and large-scale project delivery.

He is a graduate of Accounting from Bayero University and an alumnus of Harvard Business School.

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