Politics
It’s Not Easy To Conduct Elections In Bayelsa, Kogi, Imo – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has described Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states as difficult areas to conduct elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this at the quarterly meeting with heads of media organisations on Wednesday, in Abuja.
Yakubu, who did not explain further on his observation, said there were no election season any longer because of the avalanche of elections mostly linked to resignation or deaths.
He said the November 11 governorship polls would be different because the commission would improve on the successes recorded during the 2023 general elections.
He identified lack of Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal as one of the reasons electoral offenders go scot-free. He said the country’s electoral process would remain ineffective without proper agency to deal with electoral offenders.
According to him, Nigeria should revisit the recommendations made by the Electoral Reforms Panels headed by Justice Mohammed Uwais (retd), Sheik Ahmed Lemu and Dr. Ken Nnamani, which were set up by the Umaru Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari administrations, respectively.
“Here we are, the commission is saddled with the responsibility for prosecution of electoral offenders. And I’ve said this repeatedly that in our case, some of the offenders may be INEC officials.
“How practicable is it for us to get ourselves prosecuted? That’s why consistently, committee upon committee have made recommendation since the Justice Uwais committee of 2009, Lemu committee of 2011, Nnamani committee of 2017 that there should be an electoral offences commission to deal with all violators of the electoral laws, whoever they are, whether they are voters, INEC officials or adhoc staff. “So, that is a practical concern. Some of the things we have been doing may not lead to successful prosecution in the manner that we’re dealing with them. Now let’s look at this scenario. You have security personnel deployed for elections. Now, during elections, take an example of a police officer posted from Abuja to say Delta State for election duties; that police officer then makes arrest. Immediately after the election, the policeman comes back to Abuja and in the next six months, he may be in Sokoto, but he’s the investigating police officer.
“The law says that electoral offenders should be prosecuted in the magistrate court, the High Court of state or the high court a of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) not federal high court in the state where the cause of action has risen. So, that policeman that was moved from Abuja then to Sokoto in a manner of speed is the investigating police officer. By the time you are ready to prosecute in Delta where the cause of action took place, the policeman would have lost trail of the case and might not even know where the case file is and would have made prosecution very difficult,” he said.
In his contribution, the President, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo, stressed the need for stakeholders to address the issue of hate speech and misinformation by seeking ways to combat them without infringing on the principles of free speech.
According to him, stakeholders must also discuss how to “ensure equitable access to media platforms for all political actors, promoting inclusivity and fair representation.”
Politics
Ex-Women Affairs Minister, Tallen Felicitates Tinubu’s Wife @ 63
Former Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Tallen, has felicitated First Lady, Sen. Remi Tinubu on the occasion of her 63rd birthday.
Tallen, who congratulated the President’s wife in a statement on Friday in Abuja, eulogised the First Lady, who she described as “a rare gem and rare gift to the nation.”
She prayed for more years of God’s exceeding grace on Mrs Tinubu, describing her as extremely humane, an epitome of humility and an indispensable strong pillar of support to her husband.
Tallen said, “Your Excellency, on this milestone and auspicious occasion of your 63rd birthday, I join millions of your well-wishers across the globe, especially the womenfolk, to celebrate with you, while thanking God for His exceeding grace upon you, while wishing you the best that life can offer in the many decades ahead.
“As a wife, mother, fervent preacher of the gospel, as well as an iconic political leader, who exemplifies the struggle for women in politics, you will remain a veritable source of inspiration and pride for women for generations yet unborn.
“Indeed, we could not have asked God for a better First Lady at this time, considering your rare track record of achievements, as your life has been a gift, not just to Nigerian women after your breaking of many barriers for women and setting a perfect example for young girls over the years.”
The former Deputy Governor of Plateau and one-time Minister of State, Science and Technology, said that the people of Plateau would remain eternally grateful to Mrs Tinubu, particularly for her recent visit to the state and donation of a whooping sum of N500 million to families of crisis victims in the state.
She said that through her Renewed Hope Initiative, as Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs Tinubu has demonstrated her empathy, humanity and philanthropic gesture by pursuing the well-being of others with unquantifiable compassion and zeal to help the less privileged, the challenged and those in need.
Tallen, therefore, prayed for long life, good health, increased grace and wisdom for the First Lady and her entire family.
Politics
Tani Olorun Not Against Out-Of-Court Settlement, Says Lawyer
The legal team of embattled Isese advocate in Ilorin, Kwara State, Abdulazeez Adegbola, alias Tani Olorun, has said they are open to an out-of-court settlement of the case of criminal defamation brought against him by the police.
Tani Olorun’s lead counsel, Ademola Bank, disclosed this in an interview with The Tide source.
Tani Olorun is standing trial on five counts of alleged criminal conspiracy, inciting public disturbance, disturbance of public peace, criminal defamation of character, and intentional insult before a Kwara Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin.
In a separate case, he is also standing trial before the Kwara Upper Area Court sitting in Ilorin, alongside the Oluwo Nla of Tede, Chief Ademola Olawoore.
The offence, according to the prosecution, was contrary to sections 97, 210, 392, and 114 of the Penal Code Law of Nigeria.
Speaking in an interview with our source in Ilorin on Saturday, Tani Olorun’s lead counsel, Bank, said, “If an agreement for an out-of-court settlement comes up, why are we not to agree? The court allows it, the law allows it, and wisdom allows it. The law does not frown on it, the court does not frown on it, and wisdom does not frown on it. Parties can agree to an out-of-court settlement at any time. If it comes, so be it, if the situation allows it.”
He was, however, silent on whether the agreement for an out-of-court settlement would come from the defendant, saying, “It is the situation that dictates it. If it comes from the parties, we will not stand against it. The lawyer will not stand against it. No lawyer will oppose any bid for settlement by parties; it is for peace to reign.”
Politics
I’m Not Afraid Of Appeal – Gawuna
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the March 18 governorship election in Kano State, Nasir Yusuf Gawuna, has said he is unafraid of the appeal challenging his victory at the tribunal.
The Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal had, last Wednesday, declared the APC candidate winner of the election and sacked Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
The three-man panel ordered a certificate of return to be issued to Gawuna and the withdrawal of a certificate of return presented to Yusuf.
The court noted that ballot papers of 165,663 votes were not stamped or signed and, therefore, were invalid and deducted the 165,663 votes from Yusuf’s total.
Speaking with BBC Hausa in an interview while commenting on the tribunal judgment, Gawuna said, “I am grateful to Allah for our victory in the Kano State election, which was affirmed by the court today (Wednesday). I thank Him for His will, which chose us to lead. I also thank our lawyers and the general public for their prayers and support.”
He noted that the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) was initially declared the winner of the election but believed that Allah had already decided the outcome, saying they had the right to challenge the results in court, and they did so.
Gawuna said that anyone who believes that nothing happens without Allah’s will will never worry or take governance as a do-or-die affair, stressing that whatever happens to them, they believe it is the will of Allah.
According to him, “We are not intimidated or afraid, because we know that whatever happens is for the best. Allah never makes mistakes.”
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