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MC Oluomo: Remove Lagos REC, Now, Atiku Tells INEC

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The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Lagos, Olusegun Agbaje, for his partisanship and compromise.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said it was curious that Agbaje had insisted on using the Lagos State Park and Garage Management Committee led by transport kingpin, Musiliu Akinsanya aka MC Oluomo, who is a member of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council.

Shaibu described as watery Agbaje’s excuse that INEC would not be able to use the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) because they had been barred in Lagos State.

He stated, “The law is clear that only a court has the power to proscribe an organisation. That was why the Federal Government had to go to court to proscribe the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN).

“What Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu did in Lagos State was to arbitrarily announce a ban on the activities of the NURTW because the organisation suspended MC Oluomo, the APC’s henchman. INEC must not promote illegality by working with a partisan organisation which is filled with APC members that are working for Bola Tinubu.

“How could such people be given sensitive materials to be distributed across Lagos on election day? This has already undermined the possibility of a free and fair election. INEC must sanction Mr. Agbaje for insisting on using MC Oluomo’s committee despite protests from members of the public.”

Shaibu recalled that Agbaje was the REC who superintended over the fraudulent 2018 governorship election rerun in Osun State which even the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union discredited.

He added, “Recall that it was Mr. Agbaje who superintended over the fraudulent and violent Osun governorship rerun which produced Gboyega Oyetola as governor. US Consul General, John Bray was spot on when he stated, ‘We witnessed what appeared to be incidents of interference and intimidation of voters and heard reports of harassment or party monitors, journalists and domestic observers.”

Shaibu noted that even election monitoring groups like the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) dismissed the Osun rerun as “fraudulent and anti-democratic”.

He added, “Unfortunately, it is the same Agbaje, who could not effectively supervise a rerun in a few polling units that has been given the task of superintending the election in Nigeria’s largest state with over seven million registered voters. The election is doomed to fail if INEC doesn’t do the right thing by removing him.

“We remind the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, that this will be his last general election before the end of his tenure. We ask him to protect his legacy by removing Mr. Segun Agbaje if he insists that MC Oluomo must be the one to handle sensitive INEC materials. This election must not only be fair but it must be seen to be fair as well.”

Shaibu noted that as of Wednesday morning, over 17,000 Nigerians had signed a petition on Change.Org titled, ‘Remove Olusegun Agbaje as the Lagos INEC Commissioner for Incompetence and Bigotry’.

Agbaje has been under fire for the last one week following his comments over the inability of a large number of non-indigenes in Lagos to vote. While explaining the development on Channels Television, Agbaje, who was visibly disgusted, stated that people of the southeast migrated to Lagos and engaged in double registration hence their inability to get their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC).

Responding to the development, Shaibu stated, “It is disheartening that the Lagos REC, Mr Segun Agbaje, has begun to show open partisanship. We find it curious that it is the local governments considered as opposition strongholds that were unable to get their PVCs.

He stated, “Historians and analysts have described this 2023 general election as a watershed. The destiny of over 200 million people is at stake. INEC says it is ready to deliver a credible and free election but one weak link in the chain of command can undermine the entire process.

“We call on Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu to remove the Lagos REC, Mr. Agbaje, as his credibility is seriously in doubt. Again, we call on INEC not to use the MC Oluomo-led partisan organisation to distribute ballot papers on election day.”

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Tinubu: ‘Big Lie, I Can’t Endorse Feb 25 Illegitimate Outcome Of Flawed Process, Atiku Clears Air

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Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar has denied endorsing Bola Tinubu’s victory.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential flagbearer defeated Atiku and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP.

In a statement on Saturday, Atiku said his attention was drawn to a fake press release attributed to him, “purportedly giving legitimacy to the widely rigged presidential election”.


Atiku stressed that it did not emanate from him and should be treated with repudiation because it was contrived “by those who illegally appropriated the mandate of the people”.

The former Vice President said his lawyers still have been mandated to challenge the outcome of the February 25 poll.

Atiku reiterated his outright rejection of the “pre-determined outcome of the February 25 election” and vowed to continue to challenge the legality.


Calling it the “worst election in our democratic history”, the Wazirin Adamawa said his fight was not for personal interest but for the interest of Nigeria and its citizens.

“It is aimed at deepening democracy and ensuring that we do not confer legitimacy to an outcome of illegitimacy,” the statement added

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INEC To Issue Certificates Of Return To Governors-Elect, Others From March 29

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INEC has fixed Wednesday, March 29 to Friday March 31 as days for the issuance of Certificates of Return to governors, deputy governors-elect and states Houses of Assembly members-elect.

Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye made the declaration in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday.


“By the provisions of Section 72(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, the Commission is mandated to issue a certificate of return within 14 days to every candidate who has been returned elected under the law.

“Pursuant to the provision, the Commission has fixed Wednesday March 29, Thursday, March 30 and Friday, March 31 for the issuance of Certificates of Return to those elected on March 18.


“The presentation will take place in INEC offices in each state of the federation,’’ Okoye stated.


He added that specific dates for the issuance of the certificates would be communicated to those elected by the Resident Electoral Commissioners and Administrative Secretaries of the various states. (NAN).

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#ENDSARS: Sanwo-Olu Orders Payment Of N5m To Assaulted Uber Driver

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The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has ordered the payment of N5 million compensation to an Uber driver, Adedotun Clement, who was assaulted by security operatives during an #ENDSARS anniversary rally in the state in October 2021.

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, had on March 14 ordered the state government and Nigeria Police Force to pay the sum while ruling on an application filed by the driver.

Clement was assaulted by police operatives and members of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency during a rally to mark the first anniversary of the #ENDSARS protest near the Lekki Toll Gate in the state.

The governor, who confirmed the development on his Twitter handle on Saturday, said he had directed the state’s Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN) to set up a meeting with the driver and pay him the compensation awarded by the court.

He reaffirmed his commitment to the rule of law in the state.

Sanwo-Olu wrote: “Good evening Lagos, as governor, I’m committed to upholding the rule of law and protecting citizens’ rights with empathy and authority.

“I recently became aware of the case involving Mr. Clement Adedotun and the judgement by the Federal High Court, and I understand the impact this legal battle has had on him.

“After reviewing Mr. Clement’s case, I’ve directed the Honorable Attorney General to set up a meeting and pay him the compensation awarded by the court.”

The governor, who confirmed that the state government has appealed the ruling, said he ordered the payment of the compensation for the good of the society.

“Although the State Government has appealed the ruling, I’ve interceded in this instance in the interest of the public good and requested that the State’s Attorney General comply with the court’s ruling.

“As a strong advocate for the rule of law, I commend all parties for seeking justice through the appropriate channels, and I remain committed to upholding the rights of all Lagosians,” he added.

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