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The Supreme Court, has upheld the election of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State

The court, in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, on Thursday, dismissed as lacking in merit, an appeal the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Tonye Cole, filed to challenge the outcome of the governorship election that held in the state on March 18, 2023.

In the lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, the apex court said it found no reason to dislodge the concurrent verdicts of the Court of Appeal and the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which upheld Fubara’s victory at the poll.

The court held that Cole did not establish that the election was not conducted in compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

It will be recalled that the APC pulled out from the case against governor Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, while it was being heard by the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

The court held that Cole did not establish that the election was not conducted in compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

It will be recalled that the APC pulled out from the case against governor Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, while it was being heard by the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

Despite the position of the party not to challenge the declaration of Fubara as winner of the gubernatorial contest by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mr. Cole, vowed to prosecute his petition to its logical conclusion.

INEC had declared that Fubara of the PDP polled a total of 302,614 votes to defeat his closets rival, Cole of the APC who got a total of 95,274 votes.

Dissatisfied with the outcome of the poll, Cole approached the tribunal to challenge it.

The appellant, among other things, alleged that the Rivers State governorship poll was marred by corrupt practices, insisting that it was not conducted in substantial compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

Former Governor of Kano State and National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has returned to the state for the first time since leaving office in May 2023.

His party lost the governorship election to New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) candidate, Abba Kabir Yusuf.

APC’s governorship candidate, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna and Ganduje’s former deputy, was defeated by Yusuf, an anointed candidate of the NNPP national leader and its 2023 Presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Usman Alhaji, the then secretary to Kano state government under Ganduje, handed over to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf during his inauguration on May 29 as Ganduje was at Eagle Square in Abuja to witness the inauguration of President Bola Tinubu.

One of the aides of the APC national chairman, who preferred not to be mentioned, confirmed that Ganduje had arrived Kano ahead of the meeting to reconcile aggrieved party members following the supreme Court verdict which reversed the declaration of Gawuna as validly elected governor of Kano by the lower courts.

The aide confirmed that all key APC stakeholders, including the deputy governorship candidate, Murtala Sule Garo, accompanied Ganduje to the state.

He said only Gawuna would not be attending the meeting because he was away in Saudi Arabia.

He said Ganduje would remain in Kano till Friday when he was expected to return to Abuja.

Thursday’s meeting is prelude to reconciliation efforts between Ganduje and Kwankwaso brokered by Tinubu.

By Yaseer Adamu.

Gov. Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau has condemned the recent security breach in the Kwahaslalek community and other parts of Mangu Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

The governor said this in a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs (DOPPA), Mr Gyang Bere, on Thursday in Jos.

Mutfwang, who decried the escalating security situation that resulted in the recent destruction of lives and property in the locality, condoled with the affected families.

The governor, who advised residents of the affected communities to remain vigilant, however, called on them to promptly report any suspicious movements for swift intervention from the security agencies.

Mutfwang, who also warned that his administration would not tolerate any further breakdown of law and order in any part of the state, called on security agencies to intensify efforts towards the return of absolute peace in the state.

He further appealed to the citizens to be law-abiding, adding that the government had put all modalities in place for the safety of lives and property of all citizens. (NAN)

By Bashir Mansur.

The Dangote Refinery which costs about $20bn has started production.

The largest single-train refinery in the world located in Nigeria’s commercial hub began production in the early hours of Friday.

This followed the delivery of six million barrels of crude supply to the refinery this week.
Although it was supposed to begin operations in June 2023, the oil refinery built by Aliko Dangote received its first crude deliveries – late last year – in the latest step to starting up the delayed megaproject.

Billed as Africa’s largest of its type, the 650,000 barrel-per-day Dangote refinery could be a game changer for Nigeria’s economy when fully operational by helping end the country’s reliance on fuel imports.
The initial run will be for the production of diesel and aviation fuel before moving on to petrol output.

Though one of Africa’s largest oil producers and the continent’s top economy, Nigeria relies almost totally on imported fuel and diesel because of a lack of refining capacity.

Fuel imports and subsidies caused a huge drain on foreign exchange when Nigeria was struggling with dwindling oil revenues and foreign currency shortages.

“Dangote Petroleum Refinery can meet 100 per cent of Nigeria’s requirement of all refined products, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and aviation jet, and also have surplus of each of these products for export,” the company said in a statement.

As the Dangote refinery begins production, the Port Harcourt refinery is also expected to start production.

The Supreme Court has declared Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf winner of the March 18, 2023 Kano governorship election.

The Independent Mirror reported that the judgement was delivered by Justice John Inyang Okoro.

The development has put an end to the protracted legal tussle between Mr Yusuf’s party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Mr Gawuna’s party the All Progressives Congress.

It was observed that teams of armed security personnel including the Police, army, DSS and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) have been deployed in strategic locations across Kano city to forestall break down of law and order

In line with his avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians, President Bola Tinubu suspends the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, from office with immediate effect.

The President further directs the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transactions involving the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as one or more agencies thereunder.

The suspended Minister is hereby directed to hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, and she is further directed by the President to fully cooperate with the investigating authorities as they conduct their investigation.

Furthermore, the President has tasked a panel that is headed by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance to, among other functions, conduct a comprehensive diagnostic on the financial architecture and framework of the social investment programmes with a view to conclusively reforming the relevant institutions and programmes in a determined bid to eliminate all institutional frailties for the exclusive benefit of disadvantaged households and win back lost public confidence in the initiative.

These directives of the President take immediate effect.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

These directives of the President take immediate effect.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

January 8, 2024