Politics
Osun: Erring INEC Officials Should Be Sanctioned – Don
A senior Law lecturer at the University of Hull, United Kingdom, Dr Lateef Misbau, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to identify and punish its officials found to have erred in the conduct of the last July 16 Osun governorship poll.
Alamu, an indigene of Ifon Orolu in Osun State during an exclusive interview with The Tide source on Monday, also said the commission should be held responsible over the decision of the Election Petition Tribunal that annulled the outcome of the poll.
Justice Tertsea Kume-led panel had annulled the victory of Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party and declared Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the poll, after deducting over-voting discovered in 744 units spread across 10 local government areas of the state.
There was however a dissenting judgement by a member of the panel, Justice A. Ogbuli, who dismissed Oyetola’s petition, saying the BVAS report on which the majority judgement was based was a product of controversies.
But the university don, who specifically noted that delayed sychronisation mentioned by INEC as the reason for issuing two BVAS reports for the Osun governorship poll, was alien to the Electoral Act, also said there should be probe into the manipulation of BVAS reports with a view to identify and punish those staff of the Commission involved.
He further said, “INEC must be held for what is now a case of a clear compromise in Osun. INEC issuing multiple BVAS reports and at different times clearly cast aspersions on the integrity of the electoral process. It is now clearer that while BVAS itself may not be defective as a device, there might be unscrupulous officials willing to subvert the process in collusion with dubious politicians.
“So, INEC owes the public some explanation and apologies. Above all, whoever is found complicit for manipulating the BVAS reports must be identified and prosecuted.
“For example, whoever came up with the idea of synchronisation in Osun must be sanctioned. There is nothing whatsoever like synchronisation under the Electoral Act and the Electoral Guidelines.”
Asked if BVAS machines should not be used in the conduct of the 2023 general elections, Misbau said since the use of BVAS had been made mandatory by the law, it may be too late to stop its deployment for the poll.
“In fact, I don’t think BVAS should be cancelled. The problem isn’t the BVAS. The problem is the corrupt officials who may compromise the system. This is why it is always important to apply the laws against erring officials in order to serve as deterrence for others,” he concluded.
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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