News
S’Court decides Tinubu, Atiku, Obi presidential poll battle today
The All Progressives Congress and the two opposition parties – the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party –have expressed confidence that they will secure victory as the Supreme Court delivers judgment on the February 25 presidential election today.
The PDP and the LP are challenging the declaration of President Bola Tinubu of the APC as the winner of the poll.
The Presidential Election Petitions Court had in September dismissed their petitions against Tinubu.
Displeased, the two major opposition parties and their candidates, Atiku Abubakar (PDP) and Peter Obi (LP), approached the Supreme Court seeking to overturn Tinubu’s victory.
The apex court, on Monday, heard the cases and on Wednesday announced that judgment would be delivered on Thursday (today).
The Supreme Court’s Director of Information, Dr Festus Akande, told The PUNCH on the telephone on Wednesday that, “Tomorrow, Thursday has been fixed for judgment on the appeals brought by Atiku and Peter Obi.”
Reacting to the announcement, each of the three parties expressed optimism that the verdict would go their way.
The APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, said the apex court would affirm Tinubu’s victory, given the evidence before the court.
He said, “Certainly, we are still sure of victory. In fact, our optimism is even stronger now because all the facts presented that day was in our favour. We are very confident of the integrity of the justices of the Supreme Court and we have no doubt in our mind that there is nothing to give us any iota of doubt with regards to getting justice tomorrow (Thursday).”
But the National Legal Adviser of LP, Kehinde Edun, disagreed, saying their candidate, Obi, will emerge victorious.
Edun said, “We are expecting victory. We have presented our case before the court and even at the Court of Appeal, we have tabled fresh facts. Don’t mind all these talks that the law cannot accommodate fresh evidence. Which law says that?
“If something has happened and you want justice, if there is still time, we will put in everything we want to add. So, we are confident we will get victory for Nigerians and the Labour Party.”
On his part, the PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, urged the Supreme Court to see beyond narrow considerations in its judgment.
He said, “We are appealing to their conscience to see beyond the narrow considerations that have characterised the way the judiciary has acted in recent times. That is approbating and reprobating at the same time. It is important to know that there is a country that we are bequeathing to our children and grandchildren yet unborn.
“If we have decided to say the crop office comes with a fraudulent judgment that we have seen lately and give that kind of priority over the expectations that the country has on them, then it will be unfortunate.”
News
Akran of Badagry is dead, aged 89
The demise of the monarch marks the end of his 48-year reign on the throne, making him one of the longest-serving traditional rulers in Lagos State.
Photo: Akran of Badagry, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi
The traditional ruler of the Badagry local government area in Lagos State, the Akran of Badagry, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi, is dead, aged 89.
The demise of the monarch marks the end of his 48-year reign on the throne, making him one of the longest-serving traditional rulers in Lagos State.
According to the palace, the Akran was pronounced dead by medical experts, after a brief illness, and the traditional rites for his burial have gradually commenced.
Residents of Badagry, who are currently mourning the loss of their revered monarch, described his death as a heavy blow, noting that the town has lost not just a king but a father figure whose wisdom, counsel and presence brought reassurance in moments of uncertainty.
News
Osun sues UBA, officials to court over illegal LG accounts
They were specifically accused of allowing the opening, operation and maintenance of accounts for each of the local government councils “by unknown private individuals as signatories…
• Map of Osun State
The Osun State Government has instituted a criminal case against United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) and four of its top officials over alleged illegal opening of local government accounts.
Tribune newspaper reported that the Chief Magistrate Court, sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has fixed January 30 for the hearing of the case, marked Charge No: MOS/601c/2025.
The defendants in the suit are: the UBA Plc, its Group Managing Director, Mr Oliver Alawuba, the Company Secretary and Group Legal Adviser, Mr Billy Odum and the Deputy Managing Director, Mr Chukwuma Nweke.
In the charge sheet, the government filed the 31-count charge against the bank and its officials, with each count relating to alleged infractions involving opening of bank accounts for the state’s 30 local government councils.
In count one, the prosecution alleged that the defendants, on or about December 9, 2025, and on subsequent days, at UBA’S Osun State branch office located in the Olonkoro area of Osogbo, conspired to commit a felony by opening, operating and maintaining what it described as illegal Osun State Local Government Council accounts.
The alleged offence, the charge stated, occurred within the Osogbo Magisterial District and is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume 2, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
They were specifically accused of allowing the opening, operation and maintenance of accounts for each of the local government councils “by unknown private individuals as signatories” after the Local Government Service Commission had introduced to the defendants, Directors of Administration and General Services and Directors of Finance of all the local governments as signatories to the councils’ statutory accounts “and thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 2 and 3 (1) and (2), and punishable under Section 5(1) and (2) of Osun State Local Government Accounts Administration Law, 2025.”
News
Umahi: We’re not tolling Third Mainland Bridge
Umahi affirmed this during inauguration of the N40 billion Closed Circuit Television Camera Centre on the Third Mainland Bridge, the previous day.
• Third Mainland Bridge
The Minister of Works Senator Dave Umahi has confirmed that the Federal Government has no plan to toll the rehabilitated Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
Umahi affirmed this during inauguration of the N40 billion Closed Circuit Television Camera Centre on the Third Mainland Bridge, the previous day.
He said : “We will not engage construction on this bridge because it will entail static load on the bridge.
“It is also within the town, so it will introduce many bottlenecks; that is why we are not tolling this bridge,” he said.
Umahi said that security would be handled by the police, noting that the 11-kilometre bridge would have a five-minute response time.
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