Nelson Ugwuagbo

In a surprising turn of events, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has reversed the removal of Governor Yusuf of Kano State, thereby reinstating him to his position. The landmark ruling has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, solidifying the National New Progressive Party’s (NNPP) hold on power in the state.

The legal battle surrounding Governor Yusuf’s removal began months ago when a lower court nullified his election victory, citing irregularities in the electoral process. The decision sparked widespread controversy and political unrest, leading to a prolonged legal tussle that ultimately reached the highest court in the land.

After careful deliberation, the Supreme Court justices unanimously ruled in favor of Governor Yusuf, declaring his removal unconstitutional and reinstating him as the legitimate governor of Kano State. The decision has not only restored political stability but has also reaffirmed the democratic principles of fair governance and due process.

The NNPP, the political party under which Governor Yusuf was elected, has hailed the Supreme Court’s ruling as a triumph for justice and democracy. Party leaders expressed their satisfaction with the outcome, emphasizing that the decision reflects the will of the people and the party’s commitment to upholding the rule of law.

The reinstatement of Governor Yusuf has sparked celebrations among his supporters, who have eagerly awaited this moment. The streets of Kano are filled with jubilant crowds, waving party flags and chanting slogans in support of their leader. The governor, in a statement, expressed his gratitude to the judiciary for upholding justice and vowed to continue serving the people of Kano with dedication and integrity.

However, the ruling has not been without its critics. Opposition parties and some sections of the public have raised concerns about the implications of the decision, questioning the integrity of the electoral process and the independence of the judiciary. These concerns highlight the need for ongoing efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and ensure transparent and credible elections in the future.

As Kano State moves forward with Governor Yusuf at the helm once again, the focus now shifts to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The reinstated governor has pledged to redouble efforts in areas such as infrastructure development, education, healthcare, and job creation, aiming to improve the lives of the people of Kano.

The Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of Governor Yusuf and the NNPP has not only reshaped the political landscape in Kano State but has also set a precedent for future electoral disputes. It serves as a reminder that the judiciary plays a crucial role in upholding the principles of democracy and ensuring the will of the people is respected.

As the dust settles on this legal battle, all eyes will be on Governor Yusuf as he resumes his duties, striving to fulfill his promises and lead Kano State towards progress and prosperity.

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana  Zulum, has expressed deep sorrow over the death of his spokesperson, Isa Gusau.

A government statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, confirmed that Gusau died during a protracted illness on Thursday, at an Indian hospital.

Zulum, in the statement, described the deceased as a dedicated public servant and a cherished member of his team.

Gusau, who served as the Special Adviser on Public Relations and Strategy to  Zulum since June 2019, had also served in the same capacity under Senator Kashim Shettima when he was the governor of the state.

“Mallam Isa Gusau was admired by everyone for his commitment to the people of Borno State and his exceptional professionalism in his role,

“He was a tireless advocate for the state and he worked tirelessly to communicate the government’s initiatives and policies to the public with clarity and transparency,” the statement quoted Zulum as saying.

The governor added that “Isa Gusau will be remembered for his passion for serving the people of Borno State and his dedication to the betterment of the state.  His exceptional communication skills played a crucial role in fostering understanding and cooperation between the government and the people.”

The governor prayed for the repose of the soul of the deceased and also prayed that God gives his family and other loved ones the strength to bear the loss.

In a significant judicial ruling, the Supreme Court has upheld the election victory of Bala Mohammed, confirming his position as the Governor of Bauchi. The court’s decision adds a final stamp of authority to the electoral process, settling any legal uncertainties that may have lingered since the initial contest.

The verdict not only affirms the legitimacy of Governor Bala Mohammed’s mandate but also reinforces the democratic principles that underpin the electoral system. The Supreme Court’s role in providing a conclusive resolution contributes to the stability and continuity of governance in Bauchi.

This affirmation follows a thorough legal examination of the election process, underscoring the adherence to due process and the rule of law. Governor Bala Mohammed and his administration can now proceed with renewed confidence, focusing on the welfare and development of the people of Bauchi.

The Supreme Court’s decision resonates beyond the immediate political landscape, setting a precedent for electoral disputes and reinforcing the significance of fair and transparent elections in our democratic framework.

As Bauchi celebrates the legal validation of its chosen leader, the verdict stands as a testament to the resilience of democratic institutions and their ability to ensure a just and accountable governance.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed the appeal filed by the Labour Party(LP), challenging the election victory of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State.

The apex court chaired by Justice Inyang Okoro held that a Nigerian by birth can contest for election and such person cannot be stopped for holding dual citizenship.

Olajide Adediran, alias Jandor of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP), also challenged the governor’s election.

The electoral issues raised against the governor pertain to the certificates Sanwo-Olu tendered to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the governorship election.

The appeals were entered by the Labour Party and its candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and Adediran of the PDP.

The duo had asked the apex court to set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, which affirmed the victory of Governor Sanwo-Olu.

A three-man appellate court panel, led by Justice Yargata Nimpar, unanimously dismissed the two separate appeals filed by Jandor and Rhodes-Vivour for lacking in merit and for failure to prove the facts of their case.

The panel, while dismissing the appeals, held that Jandor was constitutionally disqualified from challenging the APC primaries that produced Sanwo-Olu, having not been a member of the APC.

“The appellant was a meddlesome interloper in challenging the emergence of Messrs Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat at the primary exercise of their party, All Progressives Congress; the appellant was neither an aspirant nor a member of the APC,” the appeal court held while affirming the decision of the Lagos State Governorship Petition Tribunal.

Disagreeing with the appeal court, the LP candidate and Jandor appealed to the Supreme Court and arguments were taken from lawyers.

The legal team representing LP and PDP asked them to sack the governor on the grounds of non-compliance to the Electoral Act and for not winning a majority of lawful votes cast.

They contended in open court that the governor did not submit his WAEC certificate in his Form EC9 submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The LP candidate also urged the apex court to hold that the dual citizenship of the governor’s deputy, Femi Hamzat, disqualified him from running for elections.

On his part, the counsel to the governor, Wole Olanipekun, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, urged the court to dismiss the appeals and agree with the findings of the lower courts.

Olanipekun said the appellants, right from the tribunal, only challenged alleged variations in names in his client’s certificate.

The senior lawyer added that previous apex court decisions do not equate name variations on certificates with forgery.

Reading the lead judgment on Friday, Justice Mohammed Garba said as can be easily discerned from constitutional provisions and judicial precedent, the 1999 (179 and 182) constitution clearly states that a Nigerian by birth can aspire for any election in Nigeria.

Garba added that Section 28 of the 1999 Constitution on dual citizenship
states that a person shall forfeit forthwith his Nigerian citizenship if, not being a citizen of Nigeria by birth, he acquires or retains the citizenship or nationality of a country, other than Nigeria, of which he is not a citizen by birth.

The judge held that a person who is a citizen of Nigeria by birth and has not renounced his citizenship, can aspire for election in Nigeria even if acquires the dual citizenship of another country.

The judge further held that the LP and its candidate did not provide evidence to show that the deputy governor renounced his citizenship of Nigeria while obtaining that of the United States.

“I find that the Appeal Court was quite right in affirming the decisions of the Tribunal. This appeal is lacking in merit and is hereby dismissed,” the judge said in a unanimous decision.

INEC had declared Sanwo-Olu the winner of the election with 762,134 votes.

Rhodes-Vivour got 312,329 votes while Jandor had 62,499 votes.

A female marketing employee of a bank in Ikorodu, Lagos State, has committed suicide.

The deceased, 32-year-old Amarachi Ugochukwu, was said to have drunk an insecticide.

LeadingReporters learnt that the incident happened on Monday within the premises of the bank.

Ugochukwu had around 1pm made her way into the restroom, where she drank the insecticide, unknown to her colleagues.

Other members of staff had started looking for her when the phone she left on her table kept ringing and she was not around to pick the calls.

A police source confirmed to our correspondent that Ugochukwu was later found dead inside the toilet with the bottle of insecticide and her suicide note.

In the suicide note made available to our correspondent, the lady blamed hard economy for her decision to end her life, saying nothing was working well for her.

“Nothing is working in my life. My figures are low. My brain is clogged up. The economy is getting harder. My decisions are wrong. My mind is messed up. The future doesn’t seem bright at all. I see extreme hardship. I can’t bear the pain anymore,” she wrote in the suicide note.

Ugochukwu apologised to her parents and other members of her family in the suicide note.

“I’m sorry mum, I’m sorry dad, I’m sorry Nene, Okwe, Toto, Nazor, Chuchu, Ifunanya,” she added.

She concluded by writing, “Dear Lord, have mercy on me!”

LeadingReporters gathered that the manager of the bank had reported the incident to the police.

The bank manager had reportedly told the police that Ugochukwu locked herself up in the toilet to commit suicide, and she was found dead when the door was forced open.

Our correspondent gathered that a medical doctor examined Ugochukwu and confirmed her dead.

“The corpse was removed by the police and deposited at Ikorodu General Hospital for autopsy. The police in Lagos are investigating the incident,” the source added.

Contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, did not pick several calls made to his phone, neither did he reply a text sent to him.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has invited Civil Society Organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations interested in observing the February rerun and by-election to apply via an online portal on or before January 17.

INEC said this in a notice issued by its acting Director, Electoral Party Monitoring, Hauwa Habib, in Abuja on Thursday.

Habib advided the organisations to visit (http://observergroups.inecnigeria.org) and complete the application form.

This, according to her, was without prejudice to any previous correspondence with the commission, adding that completion of the prescribed application form (EC14A(l)) remained the only accepted means of application.

“Observer groups should particularly note that all other information including legal status (registration with CAC), evidence of registration with the Civil Society Desk at INEC-Headquarters, evidence of registration previous election observation with INEC (if any), acknowledgment of submission of reports of observation (if any) should accompany the application.

“Any falsification of documents in the submissions will lead to automatic disqualification and possible prosecution.

“The deadline for submission of application is Jan. 17, 2024.

“The list of successful observer groups approved for accreditation will subsequently be published on the commission’s website and EPM observer’s WhatsApp platform,” Habib said.

She added that the vacancies for the by-election/re-run-election occurred across two senatorial districts, four federal constituencies, and three state constituencies spanning nine states.

She added that INEC is conducting the by-election and re-run election stemming from the 2023 general elections as directed by various election petition appeal tribunals.

“Currently, 35 constituencies are affected by these court-ordered elections, while three cover entire constituencies, others involve only a few polling units.

“Both categories of elections are scheduled to take place simultaneously in all affected constituencies on Saturday February 3,” Habib added.

LeadingReporters gathered that INEC will conduct reruns and bye-elections across the country in February 2024 to fill existing vacancies in the state and federal legislatures.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has raised the alarm that the viral social media slogan for the New Year 2024, “No Gree For Anybody”, was meant to trigger chaos in the country.

Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who stated this in Abuja, said that based on intelligence, the Police were informed that the slogan was aimed at triggering a revolution in the country.

The Police spokesman, however, warned that no freedom is absolute and people should be careful of following illegal trend as freedom ceases when crime is committed, hence “no gree for anybody” slogan will not work at that instance.

He said the slogan will not work when anyone is being arrested for a crime by law enforcement agents.

“Let me say it again that the new slogan for 2024, ‘No gree for anybody’, we have been informed by intelligence that this slogan is coming from a revolutionary sector that may likely cause problems across the country,” ACP Adejobi stated.

He noted that, “‘No gree for anybody’ is being seen as a normal talk, but in the security community, we have seen it as a very dangerous slogan that can trigger crisis.”

LeadingReporters understands that ‘No gree for anybody’ is a slogan in pidgin parlance loosely meaning determination or perseverance for success, popularised by youths on social media as ‘theme’ or ‘watchword’ for the New Year 2024, as annually done by some religious organisations or establishments.