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Police Absolve Igbini, Establish Forgery Case Against A’Ibom APC Factional Leader

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The Police has said it has established a case of fogery and perjury against the factional Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Akwa Ibom State, Stephen Ntukekpo and absolved the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC Mike Igini of any complicity.
The Police investigation on the allegation of forgery and perjury has also confirmed that Mr. Augustine Ekanem was duly elected as the State Chairman of APC during the party’s congress. It further said that from the facts and available evidence in the case file before it, a prima facie case of impersonation and forgery was established against Ntukekpo and advised that he should be charged to court.
These were contained in the legal advice from the Police legal unit forwarded to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, DIG, Force Criminal Investigation Department, for the prosecution of Mr. Ntukekpo over allegation of forgery and perjury.
The legal advice titled, “Re: Case of Forgery and perjury,” sent to the DIG was signed by the Commissioner of Police, Legal/Prosecution Section, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Force Headquarters, Abuja, DCP, Ochogwu Ogbeh.
According to the Report, the complainant, Yusuf Sheriff Banki, had in a letter to the Police with the reference No. CB: 3514/X FHQ ABI/SEB T3 VOL. 4 209, dated 22nd June, 2022, requested for legal advice on the alleged case of forgery and perjury against Ntukekpo.
The advice stated further that the petitioner in the case, Mr Yusf Sherif Banki had in a letter dated 11th January 2022 and addressed to the Inspector General of Police, stated that he was the Chairman of the APC Congress Committee for Akwa Ibom State during the recently conducted nation wide Congress of the party.
It said, “That in his capacity as the Chairman, he (Banki) superintended over the Congress and submitted report with summary of result sheet to APC National Secretariat.
“That couple of days ago, he was furnished with a Court Process by the legal Department of his party from the Federal High Court, Abuja, between Stephen Leo Ntukekpo (the suspect) and two others and APC & three others where his signature was forged on several documents purported to be result of Akwa Ibom State Congress.”
It further stated that “the petitioner denied and claimed that the documents are fake and the signature contained therein are forged.” The Police in the report said that after going through the facts, statements of parties and documents attached therein, it was observed that:
“All the Seven-Man committee gave statement to the police and they corroborated each other that election was held, vote counted in the presence of security agencies and delegates and Mr. Augustine E. Ekanem was announced and declared winner with 1278 votes except Akeem Ayo Babalola whose statement differ from the six members of the committee, that there was no enough time to count the ballot papers one after the other as it was already late, that the chairman Hon. Yusuf Sharif Banki just announced the prepared list he has as winners of the congress elected and that he did not sign the Report as he was not happy with the report.
“It was further observed that, Akeem Ayo Babalola in his statement to the police did not disclose who was announced or declared as the winner of the election.
“It is also observed, that records received from both Independent National Electoral Commission INEC and the All Progressives Congress APC Headquarters revealed that Augustine Ekanem is the State APC Chairman of Uyo Akwa Ibom State.
“That the Police extended investigation to the National Chairman of APC and INEC to avail them with the certified true copy of the result sheet and documents showing the winner and the result sheet show that Augustine Ekanem is the winner.
“That Akeem Ayo Babalola who denied in his statement not to have signed the report as he was not happy with the report, documents supplied by the APC to the police shows he signed the report.”
It further submitted that, “It is also observed that the suspect uttered a copy of All Progressive Congress Summary result sheets which returned him as the winner of the election held in Akwa Ibom State purportedly signed by the Complainant and used same in support of his claim in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1635/2021 before Federal High Court Abuja wherein he is the First Plaintiff.”
On its legal advice, it said, “From the facts and available evidence in the case file, we are of the considered opinion that a prima facie case of Impersonation and Forgery has
been established against the suspect, Stephen Leo Ntukekpo and therefore advise
that the suspect be charged to court accordingly.
“This is respectfully forwarded for the Deputy Inspector General of Police
information and further directive please.”

 

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Makinde Renames Polytechnic After Late Ex-Gov

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Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has renamed The Polytechnic, Ibadan as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan, in honour of a late former governor of the State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo.
Dr Olunloyo, who died on April 6, 2025, was the pioneer Principal of the Polytechnic, Ibadan, while he also served as Governor of Oyo State between October 1 and December 31, 1983.
Governor Makinde made the announcement at the state interdenominational funeral service held yesterday in honour of the late former governor at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Liberty Road, Ibadan.
Governor Makinde said Dr Olunloyo lived an eventful life, adding that his attainment and personality could not be summarised in one sentence.
“He was not a man we could summarise in one sentence. He was a scholar, a statesman, a technocrat, a lover of culture and, above all, a man of deep conviction.
“While giving the exhortation, I was listening to Baba Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu and he said in 1983, Baba became Governor of Oyo State. Though his time in office was brief, his election victory over a popular incumbent remains a powerful testament to the trust people gave him.
“I talked about preserving and digitising his library yesterday [Wednesday] as a mark of honour to Baba Olunloyo.
“Today, we will be giving Baba another honour to immortalise him. He was the first Principal of The Polytechnic, Ibadan; that institution will now be named Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan.”
Earlier in his sermon, a retired Methodist Archbishop of Ilesa and Ibadan, Ayo Ladigbolu, described the late Olunloyo as a role model with intellectual inspiration and unassailable integrity.
The cleric said the deceased also demonstrated leadership in most superior quality during his lifetime.
In attendance were the state Deputy Governor, Chief Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal; wife of a former Military Governor of the old Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Dupe Jemibewon; wife of a former Governor of Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Mutiat Ladoja; former Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; and former Deputy Governor, Hazeem Gbolarumi.
Others were the member representing Ibadan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency, Hon Abass Adigun Agboworin; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Oyo State Exco members; Chairman of Oyo State Elders’ Council, Dr Saka Balogun; Chairman of All Local Government Chairmen in Oyo State, Hon Sikiru Sanda; President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Adeniyi Ajewole; religious leaders and family members, among other dignitaries.

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10 NWC Members Oppose Damagum Over National Secretary’s Reinstatement

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Ten members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) have countered the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, on the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
The dissenting members, led by the Deputy National Chairman ( South), Taofeek Arapaja, in a joint statement, said no organ of the opposition party could overturn the decision of the 99th meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
The dissenting NWC members include Arapaja; Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary; Okechukwu Obiechina-Daniel, National Auditor; Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary; Ologunagba; Woyengikuro Daniel, National Financial Secretary and Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, National Treasurer.
Others are Chief Ali Odefa, National Vice Chairman (South East); Emmanuel Ogidi, Caretaker Committee Chairman (South South); Mrs. Amina Darasimi D. Bryhm, National Woman Leader and Ajisafe Kamoru Toyese, National Vice Chairman (South West).
The group also insisted that contrary to the position of the acting National Chairman, the 100th NEC meeting of the party would be held on June 30 as earlier scheduled.
The statement read: “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a press briefing by the acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, today Wednesday, June 25, wherein he attempted to overturn the resolution of the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which scheduled the 100th NEC meeting for Monday, June 30.
“The acting National Chairman in the said press briefing also reportedly announced that Senator Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume as National Secretary of the party contrary to the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting, which referred all matters relating to the office of the National Secretary to the 100th NEC meeting.
“The pronouncements by the acting National Chairman have no foundation as no organ of the party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC) under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party, second only to the National Convention. By virtue of Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution, the resolution of the NEC to hold its 100th meeting on Monday June 30, is binding on all organs, officers, chapters and members of the party and no organ, group or individual can vary or veto this resolution of NEC.
“Furthermore, the claim by Damagum that Sen Anyanwu has been asked to resume office as the National Secretary of the party is, therefore, misleading being contrary to the resolution of NEC.
“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, June 30, has not been canceled or postponed.”

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Presidency Slams El-Rufai Over Tinubu Criticism …Says He Suffers From Small Man Syndrome

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The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has fired back at former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following the latter’s scathing criticism of President Tinubu’s administration and his 2027 re-election prospects.
In an interview on live television, Mallam El-Rufai said it would take a “miracle” for President Tinubu to be re-elected in 2027, citing an internal poll that purportedly shows a 91 percent disapproval rating for the president across key regions in the country, including the South-East and the North. He also claimed that President Tinubu’s disapproval rating in Lagos stood at 78 percent.
Reacting on Wednesday via a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Onanuga took a swipe at the ex-governor, quoting a harsh assessment of Mallam El-Rufai’s character from former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch.
“Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological,” Mr Onanuga wrote, citing Chief Obasanjo’s words. “Why does he do it? Very early in my interaction with him, I appreciated his talent. At the same time, I recognised his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir El-Rufai.”
The presidential adviser emphasised Chief Obasanjo’s remarks that Mallam El-Rufai often tries to elevate himself by diminishing others. “He lied brazenly, which he did to me, against his colleagues and so-called friends,” Mr Onanuga continued, quoting the former President. “I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle, a man who, in an African setting, was like a foster father to him.”
Chief Obasanjo, who appointed Mallam El-Rufai as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory between 2003 and 2007, did not mince words in the memoir, describing Mallam El-Rufai as suffering from “small man syndrome.”
Mr Onanuga’s post is seen as a direct rebuttal to Mallam El-Rufai’s recent criticism and growing opposition role. The former governor is reportedly playing a central role in forming a new coalition to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
In March 2025, El-Rufai officially dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), intensifying speculations about his 2027 political ambitions.
As the political rift deepens, Mallam El-Rufai remains one of the most vocal critics of the Tinubu administration, while Mr Onanuga and other presidential allies continue to push back against what they describe as “reckless” opposition rhetoric.

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