News
Tribunal: Absence of Witness Stalls INEC’s Case

The planned commencement of defence which was scheduled to open today by the Independent National Electoral Commission before the Presidential Election Petition Court has been suspended owing to the absence of its first witness.
At the mention of the case, lawyer to INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud, told the court that although his client plans to call three witnesses within three days, but the one slated for today was unavailable due to some family issues.
Mahmoud thereby applied for an adjournment, stating INEC will require three days to complete its case.
The Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel of the Court therefore adjourned proceedings to Tuesday 4th July for INEC to eventually open its case.
About a week ago the Labour Party had closed its case after calling a total of 13 witnesses in its case challenging the electoral victory of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress in the presidential polls.
Following today’s events, the Labour Party legal team says it’s not surprised by the development.
News
ALLEGED CONTEMPT: INEC CHAIRMAN ABSENT, COURT FIXES OCTOBER 8
The lawsuit is instituted by Edozie Njoku, Chairman of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), who was accusing the INEC boss of flouting an order of mandamus directing INEC to accept the outcome of an emergency convention that produced him.

The Chairman of Nigeria’s electoral body INEC, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, failed to show up when a case of contempt against him came up for mention at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday.
The lawsuit is instituted by Edozie Njoku, Chairman of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), who was accusing the INEC boss of flouting an order of mandamus directing INEC to accept the outcome of an emergency convention that produced him.
At the proceedings, Alhassan Umar, counsel for Professor Yakubu informed the Court of a pending application challenging the jurisdiction of the court.
But this was contested by NRM’s lawyer, Oladimeji Ekengba ought to have been present as it is a criminal case.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu subsequently adjourned the case till October 8.
News
FG Immortalizes Buhari renaming UNIMAID after him
UNIMAID will now be known as Muhammadu Buhari University, Maiduguri.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday announced that the University of Maiduguri would be renamed in honour of the late leader, Muhammadu Buhari.
UNIMAID will now be known as Muhammadu Buhari University, Maiduguri.
Presiding over the FEC session, President Tinubu delivered a stirring tribute, celebrating Buhari’s life as one defined by discipline, moral fortitude, and unwavering patriotism.
He described Buhari not as a perfect man—no leader is—but as a good, decent, and honourable man.
While acknowledging that Buhari’s record, like all legacies, will be subject to debate, Tinubu insisted that the character he brought to public life, the moral force he carried, and the incorruptible standard he represented will not be forgotten.
Crime
JUST IN: Court Frees 24 IPOB Members After Four Years of Detention

A high court in Ebonyi State has ordered the release of 24 members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) after they were held in detention for four years.
The ruling on Thursday marks a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings involving the group.
The 24 IPOB members were discharged and acquitted by Justice I. P. Chima of Ebonyi State High Court.
It was gathered that they were among the last batch of the IPOB detainees out of the 36 held since May 4 2020.
Meanwhile, their lawyer and human rights activist, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, confirmed their freedom in a statement titled, “Justice Delayed, But Never Denied.”
According to him, the ruling followed the preliminary objection which highlighted the brazen violation of their fundamental rights: particularly the constitutionally guaranteed protection against double jeopardy, enshrined under Section 36(9) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Ejiofor said the sacred principle, “autrefois acquit”, stipulates that no person shall be tried again for an offence in respect of which they have previously been acquitted.