Politics
Tribunal Gives Nod For Oyetola, APC To Tender Documentary Evidence Against INEC
The Osun State Election Petition Tribunal has ruled that the All Progressives Congress (APC) should on Tuesday tender some documentary evidence challenging the result of the July 16 governorship election in the state.
INEC declared Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the election winner. This declaration prompted the APC and its candidate, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, to head to court.
At the tribunal’s sitting in Osogbo on Monday, the chairman, Justice Tertsea Kume, also charged respondents to cross-check the list of documents to be tendered to make the process seamless.
Counsel to Mr Oyetola and the APC, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had earlier told the court of his intention to tender some documentary evidence to prove alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act by INEC.
However, counsel to the PDP, Alex Izinyon (SAN), objected to the tendering of the documents.
He argued that the plan ran afoul of Paragraph 3 of the pre-hearing report, which indicated that a list of witnesses should be filed 24 hours before the hearing.
Mr Izinyon urged the court to dismiss the petition for failing to comply with the tribunal’s orders in line with the pre-hearing report.
Counsel to INEC, Paul Ananaba (SAN), aligned himself with Mr Iziyon’s argument and said the attempt by the APC to tender the documents violated the tribunal’s order and the petition should be dismissed.
In his arguments, Onyeachi Ikpeazu (SAN), counsel to Mr Adeleke, said the petitioners should have allowed the respondents access to the documents earlier to cross-check them.
In a counterargument, Mr Fagbemi submitted that paragraph 3 of the pre-hearing report being relied upon by PDP’s counsel did not refer to documentary evidence but to the calling of witnesses.
“My Lord, there can only be consequences if we have violated the court’s order; but in this case, we have not breached any order.
“The paragraph 3 refers only to the calling of witnesses and not to the tendering of documentary evidence.
“There is a difference between witnesses and documents. The issue of consequences does not arise because we have not violated anything.
“It is when we start calling witnesses without following your lordship’s order that they can raise issues. But I’m sure we are not going to breach the court order.
“Therefore, my Lord, we want to start by tendering of documents,” Mr Fagbemi said.
Justice Kume subsequently asked the parties to discuss and agree on how the documents should be tendered seamlessly.
Counsels discussed among themselves and resolved that the documents could be tendered, making the tribunal fix a Tuesday date for the process.
The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, says he would not help President Bola Tinubu’s administration to correct the administration’s policies affecting the citizens.
Emir Sanusi spoke on Wednesday in Lagos as the chairman of the 21st Anniversary of Fawehinmiism (Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture 2025).
The emir stated that while there were “a few points” he could offer to explain the trajectory the administration had taken and how such decisions were predictable, he chose not to do so because “they don’t behave like friends.”
He said explaining the government’s policies would help the government, but he did not intend to assist them due to the way they had treated him.
“I can give a few points that are contrary, that explain perhaps what we’re going through and how it was totally predictable, most of it, and maybe avoidable. But I am not going to do that.
“I have chosen not to speak about the economy or the reforms or to even explain anything because if I explain, it would help this government, but I don’t want to help this government,” the emir said while addressing some of the points made by speakers about the economy.
He added: “You know they’re my friends, but if they don’t behave like friends, I don’t behave like a friend. So I watch them being stooges. And they don’t even have people with credibility who can come and explain what they are doing. I am not going to help. I started out helping, but I am not going to help. I am not going to discuss it. Let them come and explain to Nigerians why the policies that are being pursued are being pursued.
“Meanwhile, I’m watching a very nice movie with popcorn in my hands. But I will say one thing: What we are going through today is, at least in part, not totally, but at least in part, a necessary consequence of decades of irresponsible economic management.
“People were told decades ago that if you continue along this path, this is where you’re going to end up, and they refused to open their eyes. Now, is everything being done today correct? No.”
Emir Sanusi, who was deposed as the 14th Emir of Kano in 2020 by then-Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the current national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was reinstated as the 16th Emir of Kano in 2024 by the New Nigeria People’s Party-led Kano State Government.
His emirship has faced ongoing challenges from forces believed to be backed by the federal government, including federal officials’ continued recognition of his predecessor, Emir Aminu Ado Bayero.
Last month, the police barricaded his palace, with the state government accusing the federal government of orchestrating the action to stir unrest in the peaceful state.
The Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Oriyomi Onanuga, is dead.
Also known as Ijaya, Rt Hon. Onanuga, who was the member representing Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency, is said to have died following a brief illness.
This was confirmed in a tweet on the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the House of Representatives, on Wednesday night.
Rt Hon Onanuga, who was born in Hammersmith, London, to Nigerian parents on December 2, 1965, was a politician and entrepreneur. She held the position of Deputy Chief Whip in the Nigerian House of Representatives since 2023.
She contested and won a seat in the House of Representatives under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019. She also served as the Chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development.
Gov. Aiyedatiwa, however, exempted two members of the cabinet from the dissolution due to the critical nature of their duties.
The two commissioners exempted include the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Kayode Ajulo, SAN, and the Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Omowunmi Isaac.
This was contained in a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Mr Adeniyan said in the statement that “All the affected cabinet members are to hand over all government properties in their care to the accounting officers of their respective ministries.
Gov. Aiyedatiwa thanked the executive council members “for their service and contributions to the development of Ondo State under his administration and wished them well in their future endeavours”.
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