News
Supreme court hints that the suit filed by Smart Adeyemi in Kogi State is incompetent
The Supreme Court has on Thursday hinted that the appeal filed by a former Senator who represented Kogi West in the 9th National Assembly, Smart Adeyemi, against the judgement of the two lower courts on the All Progressives Congress’ primary election, which held in Kogi State on April 15, 2023, was incompetent.
Adeyemi had filed a suit at the Federal High Court seeking to nullify the primary election of the APC, which produced Usman Ododo as the party’s flagbearer for the state’s governorship election slated for November 11. The case was dismissed by both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal for lacking in merit.
The apex court, while hearing his appeal, on Thursday, told his lawyer, Musibau Adetumbi, SAN, that his client was appealing against concurrent findings of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, which held that primary elections were held in Kogi State but that he had failed to challenge these concurrent findings or demonstrate that same was perverse.
The court which was presided over by Justice Inyang Okoro stated that by just looking at the brief, Adeyemi’s Appeal was “dead on arrival”, and hinted his Counsel on the need to withdraw the incompetent appeal.
Adeyemi’s Counsel however said he would go ahead to argue the appeal. The appeal was accordingly heard.
Counsel to Ododo, F. O. Ekpa who was led by M. Y. Abdullahi, SAN, while adopting his brief of argument, informed the court that Adeyemi’s appeal was academic considering that the relief sought by him was that fresh primaries be conducted. Counsel argued that the time within which to conduct the primary election as stipulated by the Electoral Act 2022 had expired, hence the court could no longer grant Adeyemi’s prayer.
Having heard the arguments of the Counsel, the Supreme Court therefore adjourned the appeal to 23rd October, 2023 for judgment.
Chief Anthony Adeniyi, SAN, represented the Independent National Electoral Commission, Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN, represented the All Progressives Congress, while M.Y. Abdullahi, SAN, represented the APC Governorship Candidate, Usman Ododo.
The Court of Appeal had, on August 18, 2023, held that the appeal argued by Adekunle Oladapo Otitoju on behalf of Senator Adeyemi was completely bereft of merit.
In a unanimous judgment of a 3-man panel of Justices of the Court, Adeyemi was said to have failed woefully to establish all grievous criminal allegations made against the conduct of the primary election by APC and its leaders.
Justice Mohammed Lawal Shuaib who delivered the lead judgment resolved all the three issues in dispute against Adeyemi.
Justice Shuaib said that the allegations of manipulations and falsifications of the primary election results made by Adeyemi, being criminal in nature, ought to have been proved beyond reasonable doubt as required by law.
He also dismissed another allegation by the Appellant that he was denied fair hearing by the Appeal Committee of the APC based on his petition against the alleged unlawful conduct of the primary election.
Justice Shuaib said that the issue of denial of fair hearing was not raised in his originating summons at the Federal High Court, hence, could not be raised as a fresh issue at the Court of Appeal.
In the absence of cogent and verifiable evidence on the part of Adeyemi, the Court of Appeal held that his allegations remained mere assertions that could not enjoy any probative value.
The Court of Appeal upheld the judgment of Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on July 12, which had held that Adeyemi did not prove his allegations that Ododo was not lawfully nominated by the APC.
Senator Adeyemi had, therefore, sought an order of the Supreme Court, setting aside the judgments of the lower courts, allowing his appeal and granting all the reliefs sought in his originating summons.
“Since their Lordships made a categorical finding of facts that the Appellant’s case, simpliciter, is that the primary election in issue was not conducted in accordance with the law, the duty to prove the contrary lies with the Respondents who asserted positively that the said primary election was conducted in accordance with the law.
“With profound humility to our noble Lords of the Honourable Court below, their Lordships misapprehended where lies the burden of proof in the case at hand. Hence their Lordships came to a wrong conclusion in law and equity,” he argued.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Abuja after concluding a successful state visit to Türkiye, where he held high-level talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and signed multiple bilateral agreements.
The President arrived in Abuja on Saturday evening, January 31, 2026, around 8:30–8:55 p.m. local time, following his departure from Türkiye.
Tinubu departed Abuja on Monday, January 26, 2026, for the state visit to Ankara, Türkiye’s capital.
The trip focused on strengthening Nigeria-Türkiye relations in areas including trade, defense, security, energy, education, media, and technical cooperation.
Key highlights included the signing of nine Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), aimed at boosting economic ties, defense collaboration (including potential training for Nigerian Special Forces), and a targeted increase in bilateral trade volume. Both leaders described the engagements as ushering in a “new era” of strategic partnership.
The visit drew public attention, including an incident during the official welcome ceremony in Ankara where President Tinubu briefly stumbled but continued without issue, with aides confirming he was in good health.
Upon his return, focus now shifts to implementing the signed agreements, including the activation of joint committees on trade and other sectors.
The Presidency has emphasized the visit’s role in advancing Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic interests on the global stage.
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Exactly sixty years after his tragic assassination during Nigeria’s first military coup, the legacy of Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola former Premier of the Western Region and the 13th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland continues to resonate as “the thunder of history,” a powerful symbol of courage, pragmatism, and unyielding leadership.
On January 15, 2026, marking the 60th remembrance of Akintola’s death on January 15, 1966, tributes poured in from across Nigeria, with events held in Ibadan and Ogbomosho emphasizing his enduring impact on the nation’s political evolution.
Chief Akintola, born on July 6, 1910, in Ogbomosho, was a multifaceted figure: lawyer, journalist, orator, nationalist, Baptist lay preacher, and conservative Yoruba leader who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the founding fathers of modern Nigeria.
Akintola served as Premier of the Western Region from October 1960 until his assassination in the January 15, 1966 coup that ended the First Republic. His tenure was marked by intense political rivalries, particularly his fallout with Chief Obafemi Awolowo over ideological differences Akintola’s pragmatic, business-oriented approach clashed with Awolowo’s democratic socialism.
The crisis led to a state of emergency in the region, Akintola’s brief removal and restoration to power, and the formation of the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) in alliance with the Northern People’s Congress.
Despite controversies surrounding the 1965 elections, which many historians cite as a catalyst for the coup, supporters portray Akintola as a realist who prioritized regional development, infrastructure, and confronting realities head-on rather than ideological purity.
“He believed that leadership must confront reality as it is, not as it ought to be,” noted commentators during the remembrance.
The Samuel Ladoke Akintola Memorial Foundation organized commemorative activities, providing a platform to honor his contributions and re-examine his role in Nigeria’s political history.
Prominent voices, including former Information Minister Sunday Dare, described the gathering in Ibadan as one of gratitude rather than mourning: “Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola did not live too long but he lived well and looms large. He did not die in silence he entered eternity in the thunder of history.
“Born into a family of traders and warriors, Akintola’s early life included education in Minna and Ogbomosho, teaching at Baptist institutions, and further studies in public administration and law in England. He returned to Nigeria in 1950, serving in various federal roles before becoming deputy leader of the Action Group and eventually Premier.
His assassination at age 55 in Ibadan remains a pivotal moment in Nigerian history, symbolizing the fragility of the young republic. Today, as Nigeria grapples with contemporary leadership challenges, reflections on Akintola’s life highlight lessons in pragmatism, sacrifice, and the burdens of power.
Stakeholders continue to call for the preservation of his legacy, including calls to restore his once-grand residence, now in disrepair, as a historical site.
Sixty years on, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola remains a towering, if complex, figure whose thunder still echoes through Nigeria’s political landscape.
News
Benue Governor Alia begins massive road reconstruction in Gboko and environs
Engineer Tivfa Wombo, Director of Civil Engineering in the Ministry of Works, detailed the extensive works during the event, highlighting the strategic importance of these roads in connecting critical areas within Gboko township and beyond.
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has officially flagged off the ambitious reconstruction and dualization of 55.09 kilometres of major road networks in Gboko and its surrounding areas, in a move aimed at transforming infrastructure and boosting economic activities in the state.
The groundbreaking ceremony, held at Lubona Junction in Gboko Local Government Area on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, marks a significant step in the administration’s commitment to quality road infrastructure.
The project, valued at N62.135 billion according to the Benue State Ministry of Works, is targeted for completion within five months.
Governor Alia, while performing the flag-off, emphasized his administration’s focus on deliberate development, stating that the initiative will ease traffic congestion, enhance urban mobility, stimulate commerce, create employment opportunities, and improve the overall quality of life for residents of Gboko and environs.
The scope of the project includes the reconstruction and dualization of several key roads, such as:
– Yandev Roundabout to Lubona Junction
– Captain Dawns Road
– Tor Tiv Roundabout to Lessel Road- J.S. Tarka to Mkar Roundabout (as a dual carriageway)
– Tor Tiv Roundabout (Gondo Aluor) to Mkar and Ameladu Road- NKST Anzua Link Road
– Bristow Roundabout to Tor Tiv Palace (Akaahar Adi) Road
Engineer Tivfa Wombo, Director of Civil Engineering in the Ministry of Works, detailed the extensive works during the event, highlighting the strategic importance of these roads in connecting critical areas within Gboko township and beyond.
The governor expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support, underscoring the collaborative efforts between the state and federal government in driving infrastructure development. Benue State APC Chairman, Chief Titus Zam, also commended the governor for the project, describing it as part of a broader agenda to open up the state through quality infrastructure.
This Gboko road network initiative is noted as the second-longest single road project in the state, following ongoing works on a 57-kilometre network in the Benue South Senatorial District, including the Awajir–Oju road.
Stakeholders and residents have welcomed the development as a timely intervention to address long-standing road challenges in one of Benue’s major commercial hubs, with expectations high for timely delivery and lasting impact on local economies and daily commuting.
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