Only a few months after welcoming their first child together, Hollywood actor Al Pacino, 83, and girlfriend Noor Alfallah, 29, have split up, according to the Daily Mail.
Roman Alfallah Pacino’s mother, Alfallah, who gave birth to their kid in June, also requested custody.
The report states that Alfallah requested complete custody of their son and “fair visitation” rights for Al Pacino.
The two started dating in 2022, but they didn’t go public with their romance until April 2023.
Stakeholders are focusing their attention on the new Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and his vow to overhaul the power industry through a seven-year program the government claims it is minting in the midst of the nation’s acute energy crisis. To restore the uneven generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructures that previous administrations failed to solve, the electricity industry urgently needs surgical intervention. In order to steer the economy in a new direction and avoid repeating past mistakes, President Bola Tinubu and Adelabu must take the necessary, audacious, and innovative steps.
Nigeria continues to face problems with low electrification rates, unequal distribution, shortages, inadequate infrastructure, a lack of investment, corruption, political instability, and poor governance even after successive administrations invested billions of dollars in the sector. Adelabu must summon the strength necessary to swiftly save the sector with Tinubu’s support.
The insufficient generation and supply of power has severely restricted Nigeria’s economic potential. According to verified data from the Nigeria Electricity System Operator, the total amount of power transmitted through the country’s sole grid came close to 5,000 megawatts in March. 5,801.6MW was the nation’s all-time highest generation capacity. This is appalling for the biggest economy in Africa and the 31st largest in the world.
According to some experts, the energy power supply needs reach 78,000 MW by 2030 for the economy to grow at a 10% annual rate. This will demand a large investment throughout the power value chain.
It should be investigated how to raise domestic and foreign funding for energy projects through public-private partnerships, grants, and loans. To finance sustainable energy efforts, the government can create cutting-edge financing methods like green bonds. To acquire technical assistance and funds, donors and international development agencies should effectively collaborate.
Attracting foreign direct investment is essential because of the size of the investment needed—$10 billion to $20 billion each year for ten years, according to analysts. There should be a short-term emergency effort to dramatically improve transmission and distribution in order to increase the effective supply.
To remove all the obstacles to the effective implementation of the agreements and produce significant results, the 2013 privatization should be reconsidered. It is also necessary to take pragmatic steps to resolve the gas-related issues that are preventing the 21 gas-fired facilities from operating to their full potential.
The 11 distribution businesses and 6 generating companies’ buyers lacked the technical know-how and financial resources necessary to deliver the projected benefit through investment, infrastructure replacement, and implementation. The government ought to do every effort to draw FDI and reputable foreign investors to the industry. In order to make room for powerful international power sector enterprises, it should make plans to give up its minority holdings in the privatized companies and prod the current majority investors to do the same.
In order to fully benefit from the Electricity Act of 2023, which grants states, businesses, and individuals the right to produce, transfer, and distribute electricity, Tinubu needs mobilize state governors. The state governments ought to create mini-grids and micro-grids as well to boost their economy by supplying power to rural areas and SMEs.
Off-grid and mini-grid systems can effectively electrify distant and neglected areas. It is also crucial to invest in renewable energy sources like solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power to diversify the energy mix.
Businesses’ reliance on diesel-powered generators for self-generation drives up expenses significantly. Lack of power can sometimes spell the end for small businesses.
Transparent and responsible governance is necessary to draw in both domestic and foreign investment. It is necessary to do away with the cronyism, corruption, and lack of merit in personnel nominations to regulatory and enabling agencies that characterized previous governments.
Lessons learned from other nations like Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar show that if you have the determination, commitment, and tenacity, you can significantly increase your power capacity in a short period of time.
Adelabu and the Tinubu administration must succeed in their major test of handling the power morass.
In order to work with President Bola Tinubu’s government of national unity for the benefit of the nation, Okpokwu Ogenyi, a pillar of the All Progressives Congress, has urged the presidential candidates of the Labour Party, Peter Obi; the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar; and the New Nigeria People’s Party, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The appeal follows the dismissal by the court on Wednesday of the petitions filed by the Allied Peoples Movement and Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.
Ogenyi urged Obi and Atiku to look above the legal processes and consider how they could assist Tinubu in delivering the “Renewed Hope” he promised Nigerians. Ogenyi, who arrived to the court with numerous APC members on a solidarity walk, made the request.
They (Atiku and Obi) are also Nigerians, he added. They ought to abide by the court’s decision and support the president. As Chief Olabode George, who long criticized the president, shown, Mr. President is a friendly individual. In anticipation of the general election, Chief George declared that he would move to Ghana if Bola Tinubu won. He is still residing in Nigeria now and benefiting from democracy there under the same president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We are stating that Peter Obi, Kwankwaso, and Atiku are all welcome to serve in this administration. Because all we want is for the Nigerian system to succeed and advance, which we thought would be possible under the presidency of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Further, the national coordinator of the Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiative told The PUNCH that he had never doubted that Tinubu will win the 2023 presidential election again.
Ogenyi’s belief was based on the president’s outstanding accomplishments during his first 100 days in office.
“He was able to sign the Students Loans Act into law during his first 100 days in office. By reestablishing ministries and giving them the proper responsibilities, he was able to diversify the Nigerian economy within his first 100 days in office and take steps to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal. Asiwaju has made great progress in his first 100 days in office. Nigeria is now a major player in the world, and the United States has invited him to speak in a side session during the current NUGA match in Portugal.
“We would like to express our gratitude to the Justices of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal for their so far sound ruling. We are Nigerians because of providence, and God the Almighty sent President Asiwaju to end the suffering of the Nigerian people. Asiwaju has made a lot of promises, and he is keeping them, the man said.
Sen. Teslim Folarinon, a former leader of the Senate and an APC candidate for governor of Oyo State in 2023, congratulated President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and the APC on Wednesday for their victories at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.
The presidential tribunal reportedly rejected the petitions submitted by the Allied Peoples Movement, the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as well as those of the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, for lacking merit, according to The PUNCH.
The ruling was characterized as a win for democracy and sound governance in a statement that Folarin personally signed.
The judgment will serve as a tonic to further stimulate the President to carry out his Renewed Hope Agenda, he claimed.
Folarin urged the opposition to work with the president and the APC to advance the nation as a result.
On Wednesday, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (ret. ), a former president, expressed his happiness with the decision of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, which recognized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 election on behalf of the All Progressives Congress.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Buhari claimed that the Tribunal had “created history” by defying intimidation and all kinds of bias in order to deliver justice in accordance with the law and to the majority of Nigerians, who wanted their decisions to be recognized.
The Supreme Court’s decision means that the election season is finished, and it is now time to put the heat and dust behind us. If anyone has won today, it is democracy and the people, the speaker continues.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s new APC administration “should gain the backing of everyone from here on out in order to deliver the promises it made to the people,” he stated.
The former president also thanked all Nigerians for upholding peace during that time and prayed for continuing advancement and development under the APC administration.
He offered heartfelt congratulations to the President, the Vice President, and the APC on their win in court and best wishes for realizing the goals of the people.
As electoral petition tribunals around the nation started issuing rulings on cases, the All Progressives Congress lost two seats in the National Assembly while the Peoples Democratic Party gained another seat.
The People’s Democratic Party’s Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan won the state’s senate race on February 25 according to the Lokoja-based race Petition Tribunal, which met on Wednesday.
The court dismissed Abubakar Ohere from the All Progressives Congress and then ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (third respondent) to revoke the certificate of return it had given to Ohere. Additionally, the panel mandated that Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan receive a certificate of return.
Ohere results were allegedly inflated in nine polling units of the Ajaokuta LGA, while those for Natasha were allegedly purposefully decreased in those same nine polling units by the INEC ward collation staff, according to the Tribunal Chairman, Justice K. A. Orjiako, who read the unanimous ruling of the three-man panel. Additionally, he claimed that Natasha’s results from three additional polling units were purposefully not entered in the same LGA.
In contrast, Ohere urged his followers to remain calm in a statement on Wednesday, promising to talk with them and utilize his right to appeal the ruling within the allotted time frame.
The results of Natasha in the nine polling places of the Ajaokuta LGA were 1073, as opposed to the 77 recorded by the Ward Collation officials, while those of the APC candidate, Abubakar Ohere, were inflated to 1553, as opposed to the true number of 1031.
The tribunal is further satisfied that the 996 votes cast by the petitioners in the Ganaja village, Ajaokuta LGA, polling units 009, 046, and 049 were purposefully not registered at the Ward Collation Center.
The panel ruled that collation officers are not required to disapprove results that presiding officers submit from polling places in elections that largely adhered to the electoral guidelines.
After making the necessary corrections, Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan (PDP), who received 54,074 votes versus Abubakar Ohere (APC), who received 51,291, is now certified the authentic winner, the statement said. “The problems highlighted by the petitioner are hereby resolved in favor of the petitioner.”
The court also reprimanded INEC for willfully deviating from its responsibility to hold free and fair elections in order to collude with political parties to thwart the decision of the people.
As punishment for “subverting justice” in the senatorial election, it mandated that INEC pay Natasha N500,000.
“This is a success for the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District, a victory for Kogi in general, and a victory for the election procedures,” stated Johnson Usman (SAN), the attorney for Akpoti-Uduagan, in response to the judgment.
Yahaya Bello, the governor of Kogi State, is a native of the area.
Ohere responds
Ohere stated in a statement provided to newsmen in Lokoja on Wednesday that he was deeply shocked by the Tribunal’s decision.
I firmly believe that judgment violates Paragraph 15 of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act of 2022, it stated.
In actuality, I argued before the Tribunal via my legal team that the Appellate Courts’ ruling that a respondent is not required to file a cross-petition in order to contest votes in an election petition if the basis for doing so is the “majority of lawful votes” is true.
“While I wait for my legal team to fully explain the verdict to me, I urge all of my followers to be calm and peaceful since their mandate is still valid. I am aware that I have the right to appeal to the Court of Appeal, and I will do so after seeking the advice of my attorneys. I kindly ask my fans not to worry and to have faith in our ability to make things right.
Supplemental elections in Delta
Sen. Thomas Onowakpo of the APC, who represents Delta South, was also dismissed by the Senate Election Tribunal on Wednesday in Asaba, the capital of Delta State.
Mr. Michael Diden, the PDP candidate, had petitioned the APC candidate, pleading for the disqualification of the APC candidate and claiming that the election body had broken the election Act before announcing the APC winner.
Onowakpo’s certificate of return should be revoked, the Tribunal Chairman, Justice Catherine Ogunsola, said after almost seven hours of deliberation.
In accordance with the tribunal’s directive, INEC must hold further elections in the Warri South Local Government Area within 90 days.
Clark Ekpebe, an attorney for INEC, said in a statement shortly after the verdict that they would analyze it and that they still had time to appeal.
The verdict has been delivered, and we’ll go home and analyze it, he said. We must remove his certificate of return and hold a new election within 90 days, according to the request.
In the 90 days, there are 60 days. Don’t forget that we can appeal the decision.
dismissed PDP petition
On Wednesday, the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal dismissed Joseph Tegbe’s (PDP) petition regarding the Oyo South Senatorial District election.
The Ibadan-based tribunal determined that Sarafadeen Ali of the APC’s victory was legitimate.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Tegbe and his party contested Ali’s election victory on February 25.
After Ali received 111,513 votes to defeat Tegbe’s 92,481 votes, INEC proclaimed Ali the winner.
The petitioners claimed that violations of the Electoral Act of 2022, including excessive voting, anomalies, election malpractices, and over-voting, marred the election that resulted in Ali’s victory.
Tegbe had requested that the court deem Ali’s declaration as the election winner unlawful since he did not receive the majority of the valid votes cast in the election and order a repeat.
According to NAN, Ali and the APC each called 12 witnesses, compared to 32 witnesses called by Tegbe and the PDP in support of their appeal.
INEC did not present any witnesses.
Ali’s triumph was maintained by the tribunal in a unanimous decision that was read by Justice I. Okpe, one of the three judges on the three-person panel.
In favor of the three respondents—Ali, APC, and INEC—it awarded costs of N500,000 against the petitioners.
It is impossible to prove overvoting on its own. The voter list is a crucial component of the evidence of excessive voting.
The judge stated that the petitioner bears the burden of proof since “the bar of proof is not minimum in an election petition matter.”
Okpe added that the tribunal saw that the majority of the petitioners’ witnesses’ testimonies were mass-produced and that their signatures were remarkably similar.
“The petitioners have failed to present any convincing evidence that the tribunal may depend on that there was excessive voting in the Oyo South Senatorial election, which would justify Tegbe’s requested declaration.
“As a result, the responses are the winners in this situation.
The case is rejected, and the tribunal awarded the respondents N500,000 in costs against the petitioners.
Refusing the APC petition
Abdulmumini Kofa of the NNPP won the election to represent the Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency, but Muhammad Sa’idu-Kiru of the APC filed a case disputing that outcome. The National and State House of Assembly Election case Tribunal, which has its headquarters in Kano, the capital of Kano State, denied the plea on Wednesday.
The petitioner claimed that a number of anomalies, including thuggery, violence, excessive voting, and disregard for the 2022 electoral act, marred the election.
Through the assistance of his attorney, Haruna Saleh, Sa’idu-Kiru requested that the court declare him the winner and void Kofa’s election.
INEC, Kofa, and NNPP are the petition’s respondents.
However, the three-judge panel, presided over by Justice Ngozi Flora, unanimously decided to dismiss the appeal due to its lack of merit and ineptitude.
A member of the NNPP, Kofa left his position as Executive Secretary of the Federal Housing Authority 30 days prior to the election on February 25, according to documents presented before the tribunal by both parties, she claimed.
“The petitioner’s statement under oath contained inconsistencies, and the petitioner failed to call credible witnesses to establish that certain voters were disenfranchised during the conduct of the election,” claimed Flora.
According to Flora, the petitioner failed horribly to demonstrate that there was violence, excessive voting, or non-compliance with the 2022 Electoral Act’s requirements.
She granted each respondent a sum of N100,000 while rejecting the petitioner’s request.
Alhaji Alhassan Yaryasa, a chieftain of the APC and a former coordinator of the Tinubu Campaign Organization for Kano South, responded to the ruling by saying that he was not surprised by it given that Kofa was well-liked in the district because he performed well while he was a member of the APC.
“Unlike in the past, when politicians would use any and all tactics to win elections, politics is dynamic now.
“Observe the selection of Barau I. Jibrin as Deputy Senate President. He performed well as well, which led to his election again. Therefore, individuals nowadays are wiser than ever. They choose those they believe will perform, Yaryasa stated.
Rep of Abia LP was fired
On account of a violation of the Electoral Act, the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, which is based in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, invalidated Amobi Ogah’s election as the Labour Party’s representative for the Isiukwuato Umunneochi Federal Constituency on Wednesday.
The three-member Panel 1 of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal handed down its ruling in the case labeled EPT/AB/HR/8/2023 on Wednesday in Umuahia, finding that the Labour Party candidate had broken the Electoral Act’s rules.
There is no proof that the respondent gave INEC 21 days’ notice before holding its primary election, which is how a candidate is sponsored by a political party both before and after the election.
“No date for the primaries was presented to us; there was no proof of the primaries, and the third respondent has always maintained that it is a party internal matter.
The tribunal decided, “We have tabulated and found that the results computed by the petition are correct and the results computed by the 1st respondent are dis-countenanced.”
Ogah had stated that accepting Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha’s appointment as minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was evidence that she had given up on her appeal. However, the tribunal rejected the lawmaker’s submission in her decision.
Because the petitioner is not a member of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s legislature, we believe that Section 66 does not apply in this case. Being a part of two branches of the government is an illegal situation, the court found.
On February 28, the Independent National Electoral Commission announced that Ogah, a candidate for the Labour Party, had won the election for the Isiukwuato Umunneochi Federal Constituency with a total of 11,769 votes against Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, the incumbent Minister of State for Labor and Employment, who the commission said received a total of 8,752 votes.
Onyejeocha, dissatisfied with the outcome, petitioned the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, asking for seven reliefs, including the annulment of Ogah’s election.
Do you want to know which musicians are the 10 wealthiest in the world as of 2023? If your response is yes, you must read this article all the way through because I’ll explain everything you need to know about these well-known and renowned musicians and how they rose to fame in the worldwide entertainment industry.
The fact that the entertainment sector is one of the most lucrative in the world should not come as a surprise. There is always a musician in your nation or state, wherever you are. You must have between two and five favorite musicians whose music you can’t resist listening to every day.
All musicians worldwide have found success with their music over the years, particularly with the aid of the internet, which gives them the chance to profit from streaming services like YouTube, Spotify, Audiomack, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and other well-known audio and video streaming platforms worldwide.
In addition to the streaming services, it is now much simpler and quicker to create music than it was in the past when you needed to engage a professional music producer with a lot of studio time to record a song. Even without the guidance of a professional music producer or other members of the music industry, it is now simple to record a song from home.
2023 list of the 10 richest musicians in the world
1. Jay-Z
Popular American hip-hop artist Jay Z has been a part of the country’s music scene for many years.
Jay-Z was born in Brooklyn, New York, in the United States on December 4, 1969, when he was 53 years old.
Jay-Z began his career in the late 1980s. He co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records in 1995, and in 1996, he released his first studio album, Reasonable Doubt.
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, a well-known American singer, and Jay-Z were wed in 2008.
With a net worth of 2.5 billion USD as of 2023, Jay-Z is currently the wealthiest artist in the world.
2. Bono
On May 10, 1960, Paul David Hewson was born at Rotunda Hospital in Dublin, Ireland. He goes by the name Bono in popular culture. Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist Bono is well-known. He is the rock band’s lead singer and main lyricist.
According to estimates, Bono will have a net worth of $1.8 billion by 2023.
Rihanna 3.
Popular American singer Rihanna has been active in the music business for many years. At the time this article was written, she was the richest female musician in the world.
Rihanna was born in Saint Michael, Barbados, on February 20, 1988, when she was 35 years old.
Her estimated net worth as of the writing of this article is 1.4 billion USD.
Since starting her music career in 2005, Rihanna has sold over 60 million album copies and 215 million digital tracks globally, making her one of the most successful musicians of all time.
Rihanna earns money through a number of commercial ventures in the American and international beauty sector in addition to her music career.
Fourth, Andrew Lloyd Webber
The famed English composer and musical theater tycoon Andrew Lloyd Webber. One of his musicals has played on Broadway and on the West End for more than ten years. In addition to 21 musicals, a song cycle, a set of variations, two film scores, and a Latin Requiem Mass, Andrew Lloyd Webber also wrote 21 musicals.
He was born in South Kensington, London, on March 22, 1948, when he was 75 years old.
He has an estimated net worth of $1.3 billion, making him one of the top 10 richest musicians in the world.
Paul McCartney, no. 5
Popular English musician, singer, and composer Paul McCartney is well-known.
He was born in Walton, Liverpool, the United Kingdom, on June 18, 1942, when he was 81 years old.
The estimated net worth of Paul McCartney is $1.2 billion as of 2023. His lucrative music career and many commercial ventures are his main sources of income.
P Diddy, 6.
Puff Daddy, Puffy, P. Diddy, and Diddy are all variations of Sean Love Combs. He is a well-known American rapper, record producer, actor, and executive of records.
Puff Daddy was born in Harlem, New York, in the United States on November 4, 1969, when he was 53 years old.
You can check out the Latest Naija Music to see how many Nigerian musicians imitate Puff Daddy.
P Diddy will likely rank among the top 10 richest musicians in the world by 2023 with an estimated net worth of $900 million.
His 1993-founded record label, Bad Boy Records, is where he derives his income. He also owns a television network, a clothing line, and a vodka company.
Seven. Madonna
Madonna Madonna or the “Queen of Pop” is the popular moniker for Louise Ciccone, an American singer, songwriter, and actor. She is renowned for her capacity for constant innovation and her range in songwriting and music production.
She was born on August 16, 1958, in Bay City, Michigan, in the United States. She is now 65 years old.
Lourdes Leon, Rocco Ritchie, David Banda, and Mercy James are Madonna’s children from her marriages to Guy Ritchie (m. 2000–2008) and Sean Penn (m. 1985–1989).
Madonna’s current estimated net worth is $850 million.
Herb Alpert 8.
Herb Alpert, a well-known trumpet player from the United States, was best known for founding the group Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass in the 1960s. He was born on March 31, 1935. He founded the A&M Records with Jerry Moss about the same time.
He was born in the US state of California, in Los Angeles.
Having an estimated net worth of $850 million, Herb Alpert ranks among the top 10 richest musicians in the world as of 2023. His lucrative music career, record label ventures, and American investments provide the bulk of his income.
Celine Dion 9.
Popular Canadian singer Céline Marie Claudette Dion is from Canada. She is referred to as the “Queen of Power Ballads” and is renowned for her strong vocals and technical prowess.
She was born in Charlemagne, Canada, on March 30, 1968, at the age of 55.
If you’re a fan of Celine Dion, you should read the most recent news about her and her career at Latest Nigerian Entertainment News & Updates.
According to estimates, Celine Dion has an estimated net worth of $800 million, making her one of the richest musicians in the world as of 2023.
10. Dr Dre
Andre Romell Young, better known as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper. He is a record producer and rapper from America. He founded, served as CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, co-owned Death Row Records, and is currently serving as its president.
He was born on February 18, 1965, in Compton, California, when he was 58 years old.
If you’re interested in learning more about Dr. Dre, visit Celebrity Biography & Net Worth.
Dr. Dre’s estimated net worth in 2023 will be $400 million. Only a few music record labels and investments in the United States, Lite9ja, are his primary sources of income in the entertainment sector.
The protection of people and their fundamental rights, according to Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff, requires special attention because it consumes a lot of the time of field commanders.
He pointed out that the service involves interacting with human rights advocacy organizations in all operational theaters to make sure the concerns are well-understood and implemented.
Lagbaja gave a speech on Wednesday in Abuja at a military event with the theme “National Security and the Complexities of Human Rights.”
Maj. Gen. Jimmy Akpor, the Chief of Administration Army, who was acting on behalf of Lagbaja, said that the Army was prepared to carry out operations in accordance with legal and established rules of engagement.
“The Nigerian Army Human Rights Seminar was conceptualized to engage organizations, security agencies, the media, and other stakeholders involved in human rights advocacy and the protection of civilians in crisis regions on the concerns relating to human rights during conflicts,” according to Lagbaja. Since it consumes a significant amount of the time of field commanders, the protection of people and their fundamental rights demands special attention.
“While conducting operations to address ethnic and occupation-based issues in the North Central region of the country, our troops are also deployed to checkmate the actions of the separatist IPOB in the Southeast. Additionally, there are conflicts with militancy, cultism, oil theft, and a variety of well-armed criminals in the South-South and South West.
These deployments call for cooperation between security services and all well-intentioned people and organizations and utilize both kinetic and non-kinetic measures. I would want to stress that because the operations are carried out in inhabited civilian areas, securing a nation within the parameters of the current security environment necessitates mobilizing the efforts of citizens in a “whole of the nation approach.”
This facet of warfare and conflict management necessitates the utilization of other actors’ potentials within the complex operating environment. The goal of my command philosophy is to make the Nigerian Army into a well-trained, well-equipped, and highly motivated force that fulfills our constitutional obligations in a cooperative setting.
PEPT: Tribunal explains why Atiku, Obi, and APM’s petitions against Tinubu were denied.
PEPT: Tribunal explains why Atiku, Obi, and APM’s petitions against Tinubu were denied.
JUDGMENT SUCCESSIVES
Obi, LP failed to demonstrate vote tampering or overvoting
Obi’s petition has some unclear, hazy, nebulous, and devoid of specific materials passages.
…Obi duly proposed by LP
Shettima is a legitimately nominated vice presidential contender for the APC.
There is no proof that Tinubu was convicted of narcotics trafficking in the US.
Tinubu has never been charged, arraigned, prosecuted, or found guilty in the US.
…the confiscation of $460,000 is a civil matter, not a finding of guilt.
It is not possible to compel INEC to deliver election results electronically.
…On 25% of the vote, Abuja is no different from other states.
by John Alechenu, Ikechukwu Nnochiri, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Dapo Akinrefon, and Innocent Anaba
LAGOS — In a historic ruling, the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, yesterday rejected the petitions filed by the Labour Party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, as well as the candidates they were running for office, to challenge the election of President Bola Tinubu.
The case filed by Mr. Peter Obi of the LP to invalidate Tinubu’s election was rejected by the five-person panel, which was chaired by Justice Haruna Tsammani.
Additionally, it denied APM’s motion to disqualify the president for nominating Senate Kashim Shettima as his running partner.
Dismissal of Obi’s petition
The Labour Party, LP, and Mr. Peter Obi, their candidate, claimed that President Bola Tinubu was the beneficiary of a fraud in the 2023 presidential election. The PEPC rejected this claim.
Obi and the LP failed to provide sufficient evidence to support their claim that the election on February 25 was marred by obvious electoral fraud, the court ruled in its preliminary judgement, which was given by Justice Abba Mohammed.
The petitioners claimed that there were anomalies in the election, but the court found that they lacked particular information on the locations of the alleged violations.
The court observed that despite Obi and the LP’s claims that there were 18, 088 manipulated voting places throughout the federation, they were unable to identify them.
It further ruled that Obi’s claim that President Tinubu and the APC had false results recorded by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was unfounded.
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Furthermore, the court ruled that the petitioners were unable to provide the numbers they claimed were slashed from the election results they obtained in other federation states, particularly in the states of Ondo, Oyo, Rivers, Yobe, Borno, Tabara, Osun, and Lagos.
The court ruled that the petitioners had also failed to identify the polling places where there had been excessive voting or the precise number of illegal votes that the INEC had given Tinubu credit for.
It emphasized that despite Obi and LP’s claims that they would depend on spreadsheets, forensic reports, and expert analyses of their expert witnesses, they failed to serve the Respondents with the documents as required by law or attach them to the petition as they should have.
The petitioners failed to provide details on the exact polling places where the occurrences occurred, according to the court, despite the petition’s significant allegations of violence, non-voting, vote suppression, fraudulent election results entry, and corrupt acts.
It determined that a number of the petition’s allegation-containing sections were “vague, imprecise, ambiguous, and devoid of particular materials.”
As a result, the court invalidated the petition’s paragraphs 9, 60, 61, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 76, 77, 78, 83, and 89.
Obi is a legitimate candidate for the LP.
But the court rejected the Respondents’ argument that the LP had no right to legitimately nominate Obi to run for president.
It mentioned that the Respondents had claimed that Obi joined the Liberal Party (LP) on May 27, 2022, after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on May 24, 2022.
The Respondents claimed that as of May 30, 2022, Obi was not a legitimate member of the LP and was therefore ineligible to vote in that party’s presidential primary.
They claimed that it was impossible for his name to be listed in the LP membership register, which was supposed to be submitted to INEC 30 days prior to the primary election.
However, the court found in its decision that the question of membership is a matter of a political party’s internal affairs, which are not subject to the law.
The court ruled that only the LP has the authority to decide who is a member of the organization, adding that the Respondents lacked the legal authority to inquire about Obi’s membership in the LP.
In addition, the court determined that the Petitioners were not required to support Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who finished second in the election, or his party, the PDP, despite claims made by Tinubu and the APC to the contrary.
It concluded that neither Atiku nor the PDP are required parties to the petition or statutory respondents.
There is no proof that Tinubu was convicted of narcotics trafficking in the US.
The PEPC also rejected the claim that President Tinubu had been found guilty of drug trafficking in the United States of America, USA.
The court determined that the $460,000 punishment levied on Tinubu in the US constituted a civil matter based on the information presented to it in its lead judgment in the joint lawsuit filed by the LP Obi.
It was decided that Tinubu could not be barred from running in the February 25 presidential election since a fine of this size did not equate to a criminal conviction.
The case that resulted in the fine against President Tinubu “was in the civil docket” of the court in the US, according to Justice Haruna Tsammani, who presided over the five-member panel.
He concluded that, in contrast to the Petitioners’ assertion, the case included a civil forfeiture procedure against bank funds and not an action against Tinubu personally.
Such civil forfeiture actions, according to him, are a special remedy that focus on a piece of property rather than the owner.
No criminal history against Tinubu in the US The court further ruled that Obi and the LP had failed to demonstrate that Tinubu had ever been charged, accused, tried, or found guilty of a crime in the USA.
The court also observed that the American Embassy certified there was no criminal record against Tinubu in its consolidated information center in response to a letter the Inspector General of Police wrote in 2003.
It was decided that the letter from the IGP and the US Embassy’s reply were both public papers that could be used as evidence.
The petitioners, according to the court, failed to present any proof that Tinubu was prosecuted and found guilty of a crime involving dishonesty.
Additionally, the court ruled that Tinubu’s fine could not be used as a legitimate reason for seeking his disqualification because ten years had passed since the fine was levied against him.
As a result, it denied that part of the petition the LP and Obi submitted to overturn President Tinubu’s election.
The petitioners, among other things, contested Tinubu’s eligibility to run for president on the grounds that he had previously been found guilty of dishonesty and drug trafficking and fined $460,000 by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Case No: 93C 4483.
They argued that such an indictment qualified as a disqualifying circumstance under section 137(1)(d) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
It is not possible to require INEC to transmit election results electronically.
The tribunal stated that INEC was not required to send election results electronically with regard to the issue of it failing to transmit the presidential election results electronically real-time on its result viewing page.
The Electoral Act of 2022 does not contain any provisions for the electronic transmission of election results, according to Tsammani.
The panel stated that INEC is free to specify the mode it plans to utilize when transmitting election results.
“Under the terms of Sections 52 and 65 of the Electoral Act, INEC is free to impose restrictions on the distribution of election results. The court ruled that INEC cannot be forced to electronically transmit results.
On 25% of the votes, Abuja is no different from other states.
The Federal Capital Territory, or FCT, Abuja, does not have a special status that distinguishes it from the other 36 states of the federation, according to the PEPT, so receiving 25% of the votes there does not make a candidate the winner.
In the Federal Capital Territory, Peter Obi received around 59 percent of the votes; President Tinubu received 19%; and Atiku Abubakar received 15%.
The panel asserted that FCT residents do not have any unique privileges as the petitioners alleged in response to the required assertions made by the LP and Obi.
The PEPC claims that in order to meet the requirements of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), a presidential candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast in a presidential election in which two or more candidates are running, as well as at least 25% in two-thirds of the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The petitioners’ reading of Section 134(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, according to the tribunal, is “totally illogical, if not downright ludicrous.”
APM’s complaint against Tinubu is ineffective
In its initial decision, the panel dismissed the case the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, sought to invalidate President Tinubu’s election as being unfounded.
The court decided that the pre-election problems presented by the APM in its petition could only be resolved by the Federal High Court.
All of the Respondents submitted initial objections to the petition’s competence, which Justice Haruna Tsammani, the panel’s chairman, upheld in reading the decision.
In light of the petition’s focus on President Tinubu’s eligibility to compete in the February 25 presidential election, Justice Haruna observed that the APM was required to file a lawsuit within 14 days of Tinubu’s APC nomination.
He maintained that the APM lacked locus standi to contest Tinubu’s nomination because the subject touched on a pre-election affair.
Furthermore, Justice Tsammani ruled that a political party does not have the authority to contest a nomination that was made by another political party, as the Supreme Court had previously determined.
According to him, the 1999 Constitution, as amended, provides provisions for the qualification or disqualification of candidates in an election in sections 131 and 237.
The court observed that Kashim Shettima’s alleged nomination as Tinubu’s running partner was allegedly invalid.
“It is obvious that the 4th Respondent’s (Shettima) alleged invalid nomination is the basis for the claim of non-qualification of the 3rd Respondent (Tinubu). It is an election-related issue, the judge ruled.
In addition, he claimed that the Electoral Act of 2022’s section 84(3) prohibited political parties from requiring candidates to meet prerequisites unless the constitution specifically permits it.
Sections 65, 66, 106, 107, 131, 137, 185, and 187 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the court claimed, resolved the question of a candidate’s eligibility and nomination for an election.
It was decided that a candidate’s eligibility could no longer be contested on the grounds of sections 131 and 137 of the Constitution in cases where an election had already been held and the results announced.
The court ruled that the APM’s case had expired since it had not objected to President Tinubu’s appointment within the legally permitted time frame.
The court ruled that once the constitution has already qualified a candidate for an election, no other law—not even the constitution—can disqualify them.
According to the court, the APM’s proposal of a double nomination was not a legally cognizable reason for disqualification.
Furthermore, the court ruled that it did not understand why Mr. Ibrahim Masari was listed as the petition’s fifth respondent given that the outcome of the case would not in any way effect him.
It therefore removed his name from the petition.
With regard to Sections 131(c) and 142 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the APM stated in their petition, designated CA/PEPC/04/2023, that Mr. Masari’s departure as the vice presidential candidate of the APC rendered Tinubu’s candidacy ineligible.
The party argued that there was a lag of roughly three weeks between the time Tinubu allegedly replaced Masari with Senator Kashim Shettima and the time Masari, who was listed as the petition’s fifth respondent, declared his intention to withdraw.
It further said that by the time Tinubu proposed Shettima as Masari’s substitute, his time for running had run out.
When Tinubu announced Shettima as his vice presidential candidate, the petitioner claims that “he was no longer in a position, constitutionally, to nominate a running mate since he had ceased to be a presidential candidate of the 2nd Respondent having regard to the provisions of section 142 of the 1999 Constitution since he had ceased to be a presidential candidate of the 2nd Respondent.”
The APM maintained that Masari’s initial nomination activated the joint ticket principle established by the Constitution and that his later withdrawal rendered the joint ticket ineffective.
LP disputes the verdict and considers what to do next.
The LP, meantime, has disagreed with the PEPC’s ruling affirming Tinubu’s announcement as the election’s victor on February 25, 2023.
Shortly after the court’s announcement of its ruling, the party’s national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh, explained the party’s position in Abuja.
According to Ifoh, the Labour Party “watched with dismay and trepidation the dismissal of petitions by the five-member panel of the Presidential Election Petition Court led by Justice Haruna Tsammani today (yesterday). We reject the outcome of the judgment in its entirety because justice was not served and it did not reflect the law and the will of the people.
“Electoral robbery that occurred on February 25, 2023, was witnessed by Nigerians and denounced around the world, but the Tribunal, in its wisdom, refused to acknowledge the obvious.
Democracy is on the line, and we won’t give up until the people’s will wins.
We applaud the tenacity of our legal team for bravely disclosing the fury of our system.
“We can only cry for Nigeria’s democracy, but we won’t give up on that country.
“Following consultation with our attorneys and receipt of the Certified True Copy of the ruling, specifics of the party’s position will be disclosed.
“A new Nigeria is achievable, and we urge all supporters of democracy to be determined and upbeat about it.”
Tinubu praised the tribunal’s decision as a victory.
President Bola Tinubu hailed the decision as a positive development yesterday in response to the verdict.
Assuring Nigerians of his renewed and refocused commitment to realizing his goal of a united, peaceful, and prosperous country.
Mr. Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, stated in a statement that the verdict will motivate him to help Nigerians.
The following is from the statement: “President Tinubu greets the Tribal’s decision with a deep sense of solemn responsibility and readiness to serve all Nigerians, regardless of their varied political persuasions, religious beliefs, and tribal identities.
“The President acknowledges the five-member bench, presided over by Justice Haruna Tsammani, for their professionalism, thoroughness, and diligence in interpreting the law.
The President asserts that his dedication to the rule of law and the Tribunal’s unimpeded performance of its duties, as evidenced by the panel’s exclusive respect for the merits of the petitions submitted, further reflect the development of Nigeria’s legal system and the advancement of Africa’s largest democracy at a time when other parts of the continent are putting their democratic systems of government to the test.
“The President considers that Nigeria’s democratic credentials have been confirmed by the participation of Presidential Candidates and Political Parties in the 2023 general elections, as well as by the subsequent legal process.
The President calls on his brave rivals to instill in their supporters a sense of patriotism that will always rise above partisanship and manifest itself in support for our government’s efforts to raise the standard of living for all Nigerians.
“President Tinubu once again thanks Nigerians for the mandate granted to him to serve our nation while vowing to fulfill and exceed their expectations, by the grace of God Almighty and by extremely dedicated hard work with the team that has been established for that single purpose,” reads the statement from Tinubu’s office.
Democracy has won, Sanwo-Olu.
President Bola Tinubu received congratulations from Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday for his victory at the Presidential Election Petition Court, calling it “another well-deserved victory.”
Mr. Gboyega Akosile, his chief press secretary, claimed in a statement that the All Progressives Congress, or APC, put a lot of effort into achieving the success it did in the presidential election on February 25.
“The Presidential Election Petition Court’s ruling in the President’s favor is consoling, and it also confirms the preferences of the over eight million Nigerians who turned out to vote for the APC and President Tinubu.
“The beauty of democracy and the rule of law is what we are seeing today. Over eight million Nigerians participated in the election in February of this year, choosing Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to lead the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It’s time to think clearly—ADEGBORUWA, SAN
Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, an activist and attorney, also commented yesterday. He said: “Given the grave realities facing us as a nation and the status of the law, the Presidential Election Petition Court’s ruling was not wholly unexpected.
The presumption of election regularity and the requirement of considerable conformance make it very challenging to conduct elections successfully.
“In this specific case, the petitioners’ burden to overturn the election was nearly impossible to meet. To make matters worse, INEC fought the petitioners to a standstill in a manner that seemed it had a stake in the outcome of the case.
“I genuinely don’t think anyone, including the lawyers, anticipated a different judgement from what was announced in Abuja today. There was no need for the strain. This is why we continually stress that the electoral umpire should be the focus of anyone wishing to bring about a genuine shift in our election history.
“Anyone designated the “winner” will typically coast to victory in the election tribunal without first unbundling INEC to make it more independent, non-partisan, and effective.
“Today’s decision should prompt everyone to think critically, notably the parties to the case, their attorneys, and all supporters of democracy. Within a few days of the election, the petitions could have been resolved solely on the basis of legal arguments.
“When it appears that the foundation of our democratic engagements has been hijacked and undermined, there can be no meaningful success in the court’s decision of the legal concerns. We should look back and analyze the electoral process and the litigation that followed it as part of the lesson we can learn from this process. Any credible election in Nigeria cannot be produced by INEC as it is currently set up.
The Labour Party candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has vowed to fight the PEPC’s decision upholding President Bola Tinubu’s election.
Sound electoral jurisprudence will vanish in the nation if precautions are not taken, according to Obi, whose petition was rejected by the court.
He emphasized that litigants who are unhappy with an election’s decision may turn to self-help if hurdles from governmental organizations like the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, make it very difficult for them to prove their case.
“If we are not vigilant, our electoral jurisprudence would soon disappear,” stated Dr. Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, Obi, speaking through his team of attorneys. I say this with the utmost sincerity because if an election contestant finds it increasingly difficult to prove their case due to roadblocks put up by INEC, they will undoubtedly turn to other, potentially illegal, means of seeking redress.
Additionally, I applaud the Court of Appeal for implementing live streaming. You may remember that we requested that the court allow live broadcasting of all sessions; however, the court, in its wisdom, denied our request.
“However, in the end, they recognized its wisdom and the need to ensure transparency, which is why the verdict was streamed live.
“Undoubtedly, it would have been preferable if the entire event had been streamed live so that the general public could witness and fully connect to the ruling.
I’ll thus cross my fingers and hope that it will be continuous this time, beginning at the commencement of a case.
“That is the only way that you can ensure transparency,” he continued, “because when something is open, Nigerians will see things for themselves and they will decide, one way or the other.”