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Appeal Court To Deliver Judgment In Rhodes-Vivour, Jandor’s Appeals Wednesday

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The Court of Appeal in Lagos has fixed tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 15 to deliver judgment in the appeal filed by the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour and that of tppeàhe Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Abdulazeez Olajide Adediran challenging the re-election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

A notice sent out by the court to parties in the appeal indicated the judgment will be delivered tomorrow at 3 pm.

Exactly a week ago, on Nov 7th, the Court of Appeal panel led by Justice Yargata Nimpar had reserved judgment in the two appeals after listening to the arguments of the parties.

Other Justices of the panel are Justice Samuel Bola and Justice Paul Bassi.

The court said the date for judgment would be communicated to the parties.

On September 25, the Election Petitions Tribunal had in its unanimous decision dismissed the two petitions and upheld the re-election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy Obafemi Hamzat.

At the hearing of the two appeals on Nov 7th, the three-man panel led by Justice Yargata Nimpar reserved the judgment after taking arguments from parties.

In his submission before the justices, the lead counsel to Rhodes-Vivour, Olagbade Benson, urged the court to allow the appeal, grant the reliefs sought and set aside the decision of the Tribunal delivered on Sept. 25th.

He also urged the court to interpret Section 182 (1) (a) of the Constitution and its implication to the qualification of the 2nd and 3rd respondents.

On Oct. 7th, Gbadebo-Rhodes Vivour filed his notice of appeal containing 21 grounds of appeal challenging the decision of the State Governorship Tribunal which upheld the return of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The appeal among others stated that the tribunal erred in law when it relied on the Court of Appeal’s decision in the petition of Mr. Peter Gregory Obi & Anor. Vs. INEC & Ors. to strike out the evidence of all his subpoenaed witnesses.

In Grounds 2 & 3, the appellants sticking with the issue of its subpoenaed witnesses also claimed that the Tribunal erred in law when it held that the three witnesses, PW7, PW8, and PW9 were not witnesses that fall within the category of witnesses that could be subpoenaed and subsequently discountenanced their oral evidence and documents on the premise that they were not listed as witnesses and their sworn statements did not accompany the Petition and documents frontloaded in line with the Electoral Act 2022.

In Grounds 4 & 5, Rhodes-Vivour contended that the Tribunal erred in law when it held that the burden of proof of the specific Oath of Allegiance subscribed to by the Deputy Governor as well as the evidence of his renounced citizenship rests on the Appellant and that exhibits placed before the tribunal on this issue were deemed abandoned.

It also stated that the tribunal failed to disqualify Sanwo-Olu and his deputy having found that Hamzat is a naturalized United States of America citizen who made a declaration of allegiance to that country.

Other grounds of the petition touched on the failure of the tribunal to disqualify Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy having found that Dr. Obafemi Hamzat is a naturalized United States of America citizen who made a declaration of allegiance to that country.

Rhodes-Vivour argued that Section 177 of the 1999 Constitution states that only a Nigerian citizen by birth is qualified to contest for the office of Governor and Deputy Governor of a State.

In its response to the appeal, counsel to Gov. Sanwo-Olu and Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Wole Olanipekun urged the court to dismiss the appeal.

He contended that the dual citizenship argued by the appellant was never presented before the tribunal.

“They are now presenting a case of dual citizenship, they believe that this is a trial court. The tribunal found out that the purported oath of allegiance to a foreign country was not before it so it ruled it out. We urge your Lordship to dismiss this appeal,” he said.

In the appeal of the PDP & its governorship candidate, Azeez Olajide Adediran popularly known as Jandor, he filed 34 grounds of appeal against the judgment of the Tribunal which declared Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the winner of the election.

In the grounds of appeal, Jandor says “Contrary to the misleading conclusion of the Tribunal, the issue of disqualification of the winner of an election, is both a pre and post-election dispute, and it was highly erroneous of the Tribunal to treat it as merely a pre-election issue”.

The candidate and his party, also reiterated the reliefs in their petitions, asking for the disqualification of the candidates of both the APC and Labour Party.

Jandor also faulted the tribunal for striking out the Labour Party and its candidate from his petition especially as he had made several allegations of infractions against Rhodes-Vivour. He noted that the law acknowledges that everyone against whom an allegation is made, must be made a party in such an action.

The PDP candidate in his appeal also said that he deserved to raise issues in the tertiary qualifications of Gov Sanwo-Olu which were built on false A Level WAEC Certificates as demonstrated in some of the exhibits he placed before the court.

Among other reliefs, he wants the Court of Appeal to hold that the tribunal had no jurisdiction to hold that the different names in the different certificates presented by the Sanwo-Olu belong to the same person.

At the time of the Governorship Election of Sat. March 18, 2023, Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat were not qualified to have contested the elections.

All the votes recorded for both candidates and the APC in the said election were wasted votes owing to the non-qualification of the 2nd and 3rd to have participated in the election.

That Jandor having scored the third highest number of votes in the Election and having satisfied the provisions of the Electoral Ac,t 2022, is the validly qualified candidate to be returned as the winner of the said election.

In its response, counsel to Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Bode Olanipekun, submitted that the reliefs sought by the appellants are such that they must succeed on the strength of their petition and not on the weakness of the respondent’s defence.

He argued that the appellants did not prove anything before the lower tribunal and no burden shifted to the respondents to disprove any fact.

“In the instant case, the petitioner tendered the alleged false A Level WAEC Certificates from the bar, and could not produce before the Court the Original document from which the exhibit was counterfeit.

“It is trite law that where oral evidence and documentary evidence tendered by a party in proof of a fact says different, that party cannot be said to have led credible and cogent evidence in proof of that fact,” Olanipekun said.

He subsequently urged the court to dismiss the appeal.

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Peter Obi Urges Transparency After Rise In 2025 Budget

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The presidential candidate of Labour Party in the 2023 polls, Peter Obi, on Friday called for greater transparency and accountability as a result of the recent increase in the Budget of Restoration to ₦54 trillion due to reported revenue growth.

Obi made the call in a statement on X, noting that while the sources of revenue were detailed, there was no corresponding breakdown of expenditures to justify the budget increase.

The LP chieftain stressed the need for Nigerians to be informed on how public funds are allocated and spent.

“For transparency and accountability sake, Nigerians need to know how the resources generated from them are being allocated to ensure that they are judiciously spent on the country’s development and the well-being of the people,” Obi said.

According to the former Anambra governor, budgetary expenditures should be directed toward critical areas of development, including education, healthcare, security, and poverty alleviation, to ensure meaningful impact on citizens’ lives.


Yesterday, I read about the increase in the Budget of Restoration to ₦54 trillion due to increased revenue.

While the sources of this revenue were detailed, there is no corresponding breakdown of expenditures to justify the increase. For transparency and accountability sake…

— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) February 7, 2025

He said Nigerians are still waiting for a detailed account of the execution and expenditures of the Renewed Hope budget, which was passed in December 2023.

While urging the government to provide clarity on how the funds from that budget have been utilized, he wants the “National Assembly to seize this opportunity to obtain and make public the full details of the 2024 budget of Renewed Hope budget.”

He also called on lawmakers and government officials to prioritise openness and accountability to safeguard public trust as preparations begin for the 2025 Budget of Restoration,

“Transparency in this regard is crucial for ensuring accountability, learning from past budgets, and making informed decisions for the nation’s progress.

“As we work towards passing the Budget of Restoration for 2025, let us uphold openness, accountability, and the welfare of the Nigerian people. We owe it to ourselves, our children, and the future of our great nation,” he stated.

Obi’s demand comes two days after President Bola Tinubu hiked the proposed 2025 budget from ₦49.7 trillion to ₦54.2 trillion, citing additional revenues generated by key government agencies.

Tinubu conveyed the budget adjustment in separate letters sent to both the Senate and the House of Representatives, which were read during Wednesday’s plenary by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

The President disclosed that the increase was driven by ₦1.4 trillion in additional revenue from the Federal Inland Revenue Service, ₦1.2 trillion from the Nigeria Customs Service, and ₦1.8 trillion generated by other government-owned agencies.

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TUC Threatens To ‘Down Tools’ Over Telecom Tariff Increase

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The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has threatened to go on strike if the Federal Government does not rescind its recent approval for the 50 per cent increase in telecommunications tariff.

The President of the TUC, Comrade Festus Osifo, made this known during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.

Following its National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting earlier in the day, the TUC condemned the proposed tariff hike, saying that it is not only ill-timed but also a deliberate act of economic oppression against Nigerians.

Asked if the union will down tools and enter the streets if the FG doesn’t act on their demand for the reversal of the decision, Osifo replied, “Yes! Correct!”

On the date the action will begin, Osifo said, “What we had today is the NAC meeting to bring about the sensitization. After that, we will have the CWC meeting and the NEC meeting. So, it is the responsibility of NEC of TUC to give a date and define the next line of action.”

The TUC president advised the Federal Government to tackle the root cause of the problem which he said is forex management rather than the symptoms.

“If you know what the root cause of the problem is, why would you start looking at the symptoms? So, all the increment that we are seeing today is the symptoms of the FX mismanagement.

“So, all we are asking is that let us sit down, let us look at how we can go back to that root cause because we strongly believe that if that root cause is addressed, there is no need for these symptoms to prop up,” Osifo said.

He acknowledged that the telecommunications companies are facing high costs of operations, but said that it would be better for them for the government to provide economic stability that will reduce the cost of operation instead of always looking to increase tariffs.

The proposed telecom tariff increase has raised dust among labour unions and civil society organisations. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had fixed a protest on Tuesday but suspended the action following a talk with representatives of the Federal Government.

After extensive deliberation, both the NLC and the FG agreed to set up a 10-man committee comprising five members from both parties to review and submit its report within two weeks.

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Well-Meaning Not Enough In Leadership, Fayemi Tells Tinubu

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Former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi says President Bola Tinubu means well with his policies but well-meaning is not enough in leadership.

The ex-governor, who described the president as his elder brother, said the Tinubu administration must have a policy framework that aligns with leadership acumen to get Nigerians the desired change.

“He (Tinubu) is well-meaning but well-meaning is not enough in leadership; intentionality is critical to success,” the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain said on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday.

Fayemi, a high-ranking member of the president’s party and an ally of the number one citizen, said those in power know the truth but do not act the truth “because sometimes there are many mediating factors”.

He said, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done many good things, we all must acknowledge that. He’s been bold to take on some of the most difficult decisions that previous leaders have been reluctant to take on.

“The fallout of those decisions has caused us huge cost of living crisis. Fuel subsidy removal, convergence of FX window.

“Whether you talk about student loan or other efforts at resisting insurgency, taming insecurity, tax policy reform, increase revenue into the federal coffers, some elements are there but need to come together.

“This is where effective policy framework go side by side with leadership acumen to get a change of narrative to the story. Maybe that’s the area where we need to do lots more.”

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