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Tag: Supreme Court

  • What Ododo told Dino Melaye after Supreme Court victory

    What Ododo told Dino Melaye after Supreme Court victory

    Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State has urged Senator Dino Melaye, candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 governorship election held in the State to work with him to move the State forward. Governor Ododo also extended the olive branch to other opposition parties and their candidates in the State, especially Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    “We have always extended the olive branch to them to join us to move Kogi forward. Kogi remains our state, and we want to come together to discuss the affairs of the state. It is not a personal fight; it is a contestation to hold power on behalf of the people, to serve them. It is not proper to stop a child from coming to his house. Our philosophy is to build the APC to win the election,” Ododo said.

    The Kogi Governor also commended the Supreme Court judgement which affirmed his election as governor of the state, describing the court as the last hope of the common man. Ododo, while addressing journalists in Abuja after the judgment on Friday, commended the apex court for withstanding intimidation and upholding the wish of the people of the state.

    “I feel elated not just because of our victory but about how the judiciary held onto the point of law and ensured justice in this matter. The judiciary remains the last hope of the common man. They were threatened, they were called names, they were intimidated, but they have held onto the point of law. This victory is not about me but for the people who trooped out on Nov. 11, 2023 to vote,” Ododo said.

    He also dedicated his victory to God Almighty and President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to strengthening the judiciary to perform its duties without fear or favour. Fielding questions from journalists on his expectation before the judgment, Ododo said there was nothing to be afraid of because he won the election.

    “The election was conducted credibly and transparently. In the history of Kogi, it was the most peaceful election, and we won,” he said. Ododo added that in spite of the litigation, his team was not distracted from delivering good governance to the people of Kogi.

    “I was elected as the chief servant of the state to serve the people, and as such, my team and I remain committed to the reason why we were elected, so it has never distracted me,” he said.

  • Supreme Court affirms Uzodinma, Ododo as Governors

    Supreme Court affirms Uzodinma, Ododo as Governors

    The Supreme Court on Friday, affirmed the re-election of Hope Uzodimma of Imo in the Nov. 11, 2023 governorship election.

    A five-member panel of the apex court, in a lead judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Idris, dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate in Imo election, Samuel Anyanwu, for lacking in merit.

    Justice Idris resolved all the issues raised for determination in the appeal against the appellants. Justice Idris equally dismissed the appeal by the Labour Party (LP) and its candidate, Athan Achonu, for being unmeritorious.

    The judge, who authored and read the lead judgment, resolved the three issues identified for determination against the appellants.

    He found that the appellants as petitioners at the election tribunal, failed to prove their case as required.

    He proceeded to affirm the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the decision of the Imo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which dismissed the appellants’ petition.

    The Court of Appeal, Abuja had, on July 16, dismissed the appeal filed by the PDP and  Anyanwu, challenging the decision of the Imo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which affirmed the election of Hope Uzodinma as the authentic governor of the state.

    The three-member panel led by Justice Bitrus Sanga held that the appeal lacked merit having resolved all issues formulated against the appellants in the suit.

    In the same vein, the appellate court also dismissed the appeal by the Labour Party and its candidate, Achonu Nneji, and that of the Allied Peoples Movement for also lacking in merit.

    The appellants, who were dissatisfied with the election tribunal judgment, had approached the Court of Appeal on grounds that the Nov. 11, 2023 election, was invalid because of non-compliance with the provision of the Electoral Act.

    The appellants also challenged Uzodimma’s qualification with an allegation that his West African Examination Certificate (WAEC) result was forged.

    While delivering that judgment, the court of appeal held that the appellants in their appeal, failed to prove the allegation of non-compliance as alleged.

    The panel also held that the appellants failed to prove that the governor submitted a forged certificate.

    Supreme Court upholds Ododo’s election, dismisses Ajaka, Braimoh’s case

    Similarly, the Supreme Court on Friday, affirmed the victory of Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Nov. 11, 2023 governorship election held in Kogi.

    A five-member panel of the apex court, in a judgment, held that the appeal by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and  its candidate, Muritala Ajaka, marked: SC/CV/654/2024 was without merit and proceeded to dismiss it.

    The apex court also dismissed the appeal by the Action Alliance (AA) and its candidate in the Nov. 11, 2023 governorship election in Kogi, Olayinka Braimoh, seeking to void the victory of Gov. Ododo in the poll.

    A five-member panel of the apex court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Sadiq Umar, held that the appeal by the SDP and Ajaka, marked: SC/CV/654/2024 was without merit and proceeded to dismiss it.

    Justice Umar, who wrote and read the lead judgment, resolved all the three issues identified for determination in the appeal against the appellants.

    In the same vein, the panel, in a unanimous judgment in the case marked: SC/CV/653/2024 filed by AA and Braimoh, held that the appeal was incompetent, the notice of appeal having been filed outside the 14 days allowed by law for the filing of such notice.

    Justice Umar, who also read the lead judgment, held that since the preliminary objection filed against the competence of the appeal was meritorious, it was of no use for the panel to consider other issues raised in the appeal.

    The judge proceeded to dismiss the appeal and awarded a cost of N5 million against the appellants and in favour of the respondents.

    A three-member panel of the Appeal Court, in a unanimous judgement delivered by Justice Onyekachi Otisi on July 11, had upheld the decision of the Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

    The appellate court held that the SDP and its governorship candidate, Ajaka, failed to prove the allegations contained in their appeal beyond reasonable doubt as required by law.

    The court equally dismissed the appeals filed by the AA and Braimoh; and that of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and its governorship candidate, Dr Abdullahi Bayawo, challenging Ododo’s victory.

    Justice Otisi, while delivering judgment on SDP and Ajaka”s appeal, agreed with the election petition tribunal which sat in Abuja.

    The judge said the tribunal was right to have expunged the evidence of the 1st prosecution witness (PW-1) called by the petitioners on the ground that the evidence tendered by the witness was a documentary hearsay.

    She said witnesses, whether subpoenaed or normal, are supposed to front-load their witness statements on oath as required by law.

    The judge held that the petitioners’ witnesses were incompetent because their statements did not accompany the petition in line with the electoral laws

    She agreed with the tribunal that there were inconsistencies in the case of the appellants.

    According to her, the allegation of forgery of document that Ododo submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is a pre-election matter which is handled by the Federal High Court and not the tribunal.

    The said action, Justice Otisi held, happened before the conduct of the Nov. 11, 2023 governorship election in the state and as such, cannot be legislated upon by the lower tribunal.

    The judge also held that allegation of forgery of document ought to be proven beyond reasonable doubt.

    Justice Otisi subsequently resolved all the issues raised in the appeal against the appellants.

    The tribunal had, on May 27, affirmed the victory of Gov. Ododo of APC in the Nov. 11, 2023 Kogi governorship poll.

    The three-member panel of justices, headed by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, held that the petition was bereft of substance and accordingly dismissed it.

    The tribunal held that SDP and Ajaka failed to prove the allegations of over-voting and non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022 in the petition.

    The panel, in a unanimous, decision held that all the witness evidence filed before it were incompetent and full of inconsistencies.

    It also agreed with the submissions of the respondents that the allegations of forgery raised in the petition were pre-election matter, which ought to have been raised 14 days after the documents were submitted to INEC.

    Kogi had, on Nov. 11, 2023, held its off-cycle election in which Ododo of the APC emerged winner, beating his closest rival, Ajaka of the SDP with a wide margin.

    Unsatisfied with INEC’s declaration of Ododo as winner of the poll, Ajaka and his party dragged the electoral umpire, Ododo and APC to the tribunal as 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.

  • Supreme Court upholds Diri’s re-election as Bayelsa gov

    Supreme Court upholds Diri’s re-election as Bayelsa gov

    The Supreme Court  on Friday upheld the re-election of Sen. Douye Diri as the governor of Bayelsa.

    The apex court in a judgment, dismissed the appeal brought before it by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC, Timipre Sylvia and his party.

    The lead judgment delivered by Justice Garba Lawal, held that the appeal by Sylvia and APC was not only lacking merit but a gross abuse of court process.

    The unanimous decision of the apex court upheld the earlier decision of the Court of Appeal and the Election Petition Tribunal.

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja had, on July 18, affirmed the re-election victory of Gov. Diri of Bayelsa in the Nov. 11, 2023 governorship poll.

    The three-member panel of justices led by Justice James Abundaga, in a unanimous judgment, held that the appeal filed by the appellants; Mr Timipre Sylva and the All Progressives Congress (APC), lacked merit.

    The panel held that the tribunal was not in error when it struck several paragraphs of the petitioner’s reply against the governor’s election.

    NAN reports that the election tribunal had, on May 27, dismissed the petition filed by Sylva and APC.

    The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Adekunle Adeleye-led, dismissed the petition for lacking in merit.

    In a unanimous decision, the tribunal held that the petitioners failed to adduce credible evidence to substantiate their allegations against the outcome of the state’s governorship poll.

    It struck out all the additional proof of evidence and statements on oath of some of the witnesses who testified for the petitioners as incompetent.

    According to the tribunal, the law expressly provided that an election petition must be filed no later than 21 days after the election result was declared.

  • Commotion as Supreme Court delivers judgment in Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi governorship election dispute

    Commotion as Supreme Court delivers judgment in Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi governorship election dispute

    There was commotion at the Supreme Court on Friday as the apex court delivers judgment in the governorship election disputes in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi.

    The court had fixed today, Aug. 23 for the final judgment of the Nov. 11, 2023 governorship poll conducted in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    However, lawyers, litigants, journalists and supporters of different candidates found it difficult to access the courtroom as police officers and private security guards from Halogen Security, restrained everyone from going into the courtroom.

    NAN reports that at about 1pm, accessing the court had become difficult as many journalists were denied entrance into the courtroom.

    The development resulted in commotion at the premises of the court as supporters of candidates in the elections struggle to have access into the courtroom at all cost.

    A five-member panel of the court is presided over by Justice Garba Lawal.

    The panel is to is deliver judgment in the petitions filed by the APC governorship candidate in Bayelsa, Timipre Sylva; PDP candidate in Imo, Samuel Anyanwu and Murtala Ajaka of Social Democratic Party (SDP)’s candidate in Kogi by 2pm.

    They are challenging the election  victory of Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa (PDP); Gov. Hope Uzodinma of Imo (APC) and Gov. Usman Ododo of Kogi (APC) respectively.

  • LG autonomy: States warned against undermining Supreme Court judgement

    LG autonomy: States warned against undermining Supreme Court judgement

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has warned against undermining the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy.

    The ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu, who gave the warning in Abuja, spoke on the sidelines of the 6th General Assembly of  the Network of National Anti-corruption Instructions in West Africa (NACIWA) in Abuja.

    The Supreme Court had on July 11 granted local governments across the country autonomy.

    “As you know, the issue of local government autonomy, the Supreme Court has already spoken that local government must be democratically governed.

    “For any person at the state level to breach that decision is gross misconduct, which is an abuse of office.

    “We at ICPC, we are going after anybody that goes against the decision of the Supreme Court on issue of local government autonomy,” Aliyu said.

    Aliyu earlier at the event identified corruption as a borderless crime that required concerted efforts of nations.

    He also maintained that the objectives and guiding principles of NACIWA gave hope and confidence and an indication of readiness to tackle corruption by member nations.

    “I would like to state here that there are little or no new laws in the fight against corruption; it is just a matter of implementation.

    “I, therefore, use this medium to emphasise the need to step up the fight against corruption via the instrumentality of digitalisation.

    “Effective use of technology and digital tools will assist anti-corruption operatives in the onerous task of taming this monster and dismantling the corruption networks,” he said.

    According to him, the sophisticated nature that corruption has assumed regionally and globally calls for innovations, strategising and collaboration.

    “To this end, NACIWA must embrace the use of technology and digital devices in the implementation of the ECOWAS PROTOCOL to tackle the menace of corruption in our sub-region and in our individual countries.’’

    The ICPC boss also stressed the importance of sharing knowledge and intelligence as well as training on the knowledge gap in the fight against corruption in the sub region.

    “As I have pointed out, the fight against corruption is not a tea party; it requires the active collaboration of all; NACIWA nations must share knowledge and intelligence since what affects one has the potential to affect others.

    “I hereby advise that the time is right for NACIWA to consider bringing anti-corruption practitioners in our different jurisdictions together for training and exchanging ideas.

    “This is a veritable means of closing the knowledge gap between us and ultimately being able to dismantle the corruption gangs in our sub-region,” he said.

  • Supreme Court reserves verdict on Kogi governorship election appeal

    Supreme Court reserves verdict on Kogi governorship election appeal

    The Supreme Court on Monday, reserved judgment in the appeal filed against the tribunal and Appeal Court judgements by Murtala Ajaka, candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the Kogi governorship election.

    Earlier, the apex court declined a request by Ajaka’s counsel for the constitution of a full panel to hear and determine his appeal.

    At the hearing on Monday, Pius Akubo, SAN, told the court that he had applied to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to allow a full panel of the Supreme Court to hear the appeal in view of Paragraphs 4.28 and 4.29 of the appellant’s brief of argument.

    Akubo had argued that the five-member panel presently constituted should be increased to seven justices.

    He said they had not received a response from the CJN.

    But lawyers to the respondents kicked against the application and urged the court to proceed with hearing.

    Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), the 3rd respondent, argued that there was a decision of the Supreme Court that a five-man panel could take an application for departure from a previous decision.

    Ukala’s submission was supported by Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, who appeared for Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the 1st respondent, and Joseph Daudu, SAN, who represented Gov. Usman Ododo of APC, the 2nd resoobdent in the appeal.

    In a short ruling, Justice Garba Lawal, who led the five-man panel, held that election appeals are time-bound, and that the court constituted as a five-member panel had the jurisdiction to determine the appeal as presented.

    The five-member justices of the apex court therefore proceeded with the hearing of the appeal.

    Daudu, who represented the 2nd respondent, moved his application to strike out certain grounds of appeal contained in the appellant’s notice of appeal.

    He also presented a notice of preliminary objection challenging the competence of the appeal itself.

    Akubo, while adopting his processes, urged the court to allow the appeal, set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal and return Ajaka as the duly elected governor of Kogi.

    Agabi, in his adoption of the INEC’s brief of argument, urged the court to dismiss the appeal since the appellant had himself contended that the election was invalid.

    Daudu also adopted his brief for the 2nd respondent and urged the court to dismiss the appeal and refuse all the prayers sought by the appellants.

    He urged the court to dismiss the appeal, including the application to depart from previous decisions.

    Justice Lawal, in a ruling, reserved judgment to a date that will be communicated to the parties.

  • Nigeria’s Supreme Court prepares for historic transition as Kekere-Ekun set to take helm

    Nigeria’s Supreme Court prepares for historic transition as Kekere-Ekun set to take helm

    Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun of the Supreme Court is set to become the next Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

    If she assumes the role, she will be the second female justice to hold this esteemed position after Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, who served as CJN from July 2012 to November 2014, a tenure of 28 months.

    Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, the current CJN, will officially retire on Thursday, August 22, 2024, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.

    As the most senior justice of the Supreme Court following Ariwoola, Justice Kekere-Ekun is the favored candidate to succeed him.

    At 66 years old, Justice Kekere-Ekun could potentially serve up to four years, in contrast to the average two-year tenure of most of her predecessors. Her appointment will also make her the head of the National Judicial Council (NJC), which is responsible for overseeing the appointment, promotion, and discipline of judges across Nigeria.

    Born on May 7, 1958, Justice Kekere-Ekun obtained her LL. B in 1980 from the University of Lagos and her LL.M from the London School of Economics and Political Science in November 1983.

    She was called to the Nigerian Bar on July 10, 1981. From 1985 to 1989, she worked in private practice before being appointed Senior Magistrate Grade II in the Lagos State Judiciary in December 1989.

    She became a judge of the High Court of Lagos State on July 19, 1996, and served as chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja, Lagos, from November 1996 to May 1999.

    Justice Kekere-Ekun was elevated to the Court of Appeal on September 22, 2004, serving in various divisions and presiding over two divisions (Makurdi and Aku) in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

    She joined the Supreme Court of Nigeria as the fifth female justice and was sworn in on July 8, 2013.

    Throughout her career, Justice Kekere-Ekun has attended numerous courses and seminars both within Nigeria and internationally, earning several merit awards. She is a life Bencher and a member of the International Association of Women Judges, where she serves as president.

    The judiciary has faced significant challenges since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999. With Justice Kekere-Ekun assuming office soon, the succession process in the Supreme Court may be smooth for the first time in five years.

    The last few CJNs have had controversial tenures. Justice Walter Onnoghen, who served from March 7, 2017, to January 25, 2019, left under accusations of asset declaration failures.

    His successor, Justice Tanko Muhammad, who took office on January 25, 2019, resigned on June 27, 2022, amid allegations of unfair treatment from fellow justices, citing ill health.

    The CJN is the head of the judiciary, presiding over the Supreme Court and the NJC. The president nominates the CJN upon the NJC’s recommendation, subject to Senate confirmation.

    The CJN holds office until death or retirement at age 70, or can be impeached by the Senate with a supermajority vote.

    In the last 15 years, seven CJNs have served, each averaging two years in office. This brief tenure has raised concerns among senior lawyers, who argue that such short terms are insufficient for meaningful judicial reforms.

    However, others emphasize that the CJN’s office is regulated by law and is not a political position, suggesting that the judicial system operates under strict rules and cannot be driven by personal agendas.

    As Justice Kekere-Ekun prepares to assume office, the expectation is that her leadership will bring stability and continuity to the Supreme Court and the broader Nigerian judiciary.

    About Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun CFR

    Hon. Mr. Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo KEKERE-EKUN CFR was born on May 7, 1958.

    She obtained her LL.B in 1980 from the University of Lagos and LL.M from the London School of Economic and Political Science in November 1983. She was called to the Nigerian Bar on 10th July 1981.

    She was appointed a Senior Magistrate Grade II, Lagos State Judiciary in December 1989. She was appointed as a Judge of the High Court of Lagos State in July 1996.

    She served as Chairman Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja, Lagos from November 1996 to May 1999.

    She was elevated as a Justice of the Court of Appeal on 22nd September 2004. She served as a member of the Court of Appeal ICT Committee from June 2011 to July 2013.

    She has attended numerous courses and seminars within and outside Nigeria, such as Case Management and Court Administration Training Workshop Organized by the National Centre for State Courts in June 2001, ICT Training Course (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) in Dubai UAE in July 2012 and the 34th Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime, Cambridge, UK in September 2016.

    She was appointed a Justice of Supreme Court of Nigeria on June 8, 2013.

    She has delivered papers at various workshops, seminars and training workshops for magistrates and judges among which are “Delay in Election Tribunal Proceedings: Solutions” delivered at the All Nigerian Judges’’ Conference, Abuja between 16th – 20th November, 2009, “Law: A Tool for Social Change” delivered at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ibadan Branch Law Week on 30th November 2010, and “Stimulation and Sustenance of Economic Development through the Use of ADR Systems in the Judicial Process- Supreme Court Perspective” delivered at the 2015 ALL NIGERIAN JUDGES CONFERENCE, ABUJA on 25th November 2015.

    She is a member of some notable clubs and Professional Associations, and has received several merit awards. She enjoys reading, music, information technology and counselling.

    She is happily married with children.

  • Joe Biden proposes Supreme Court term limits

    Joe Biden proposes Supreme Court term limits

    U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday will propose sweeping reforms to the Supreme Court .

    Biden will propose the changes, including term limits and a binding code of conduct for its nine justices, but a deeply-divided Congress means the changes have little chance of becoming law.

    “This nation was founded on a simple yet profound principle: No one is above the law. Not the president of the U.S.

    ”Not a justice on the Supreme Court of the U.S. No one,” Biden said in an op-ed published in the Washington Post on Monday.

    The White House said that the Supreme Court justices who are appointed by presidents and confirmed by the Senate, have been overturning “long-established legal precedents protecting fundamental rights.”

    It said, the court’s 6-3 conservative majority “has gutted civil rights protections, taken away a woman’s right to choose, and now granted president’s broad immunity from prosecution for crimes committed in office,”

    The White House said referring to a recent decision impacting former president Donald Trump’s criminal cases.

    Biden’s reforms would strip the justices of their lifetime appointments. The president is proposing an 18-year term.

    In an opinion piece written for the Washington Post, Biden said that term limits would “reduce the chance that any single presidency radically alters the make-up of the court for generations to come.”

    The second major reform is the White House calls “binding, enforceable conduct and ethics rules” for the nine judges.

    It would require them to disclose gifts, refrain from political activity, and recuse themselves from cases in which they or their spouse have conflicts of interest.

    Biden said the current voluntary ethics code was “weak and self-enforced.”

    “Every other federal judge is bound by an enforceable code of conduct, and there is no reason for the Supreme Court to be exempt,” he wrote in the Washington Post.

    Separate from the functioning of the court, Biden also called on Monday for a constitutional amendment which would declare that former presidents are not immune from crimes committed in office.

    This amendment “will state that the Constitution does not confer any immunity from federal criminal indictment, trial, conviction, or sentencing under previously serving as president.”

    A historic six-three Supreme Court ruling this month handed Trump a major victory by finding that former presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts.

    Biden’s proposals would have to be approved by a divided Congress, a highly unlikely prospect and a particularly high threshold of support would be needed for any constitutional amendment regarding former presidents.

    But the reforms are popular among Biden’s Democrats and could help propel supporters to the polls on Nov. 5, when Trump is set to face off against Biden’s vice president, Kamala Harris.

  • Supreme Court ruling: We have no issues with LG autonomy – Oborevwori

    Supreme Court ruling: We have no issues with LG autonomy – Oborevwori

    Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori has said that the State Government had no issue with the Supreme Court’s judgement on local government autonomy.

    He also affirmed faith in the transparency of the Local Government polls in the state, saying their transparency reflected his personal faith in democracy and due process.

    Oborevwori said that the State Government had over the years supported financial autonomy for legislature and the judiciary.

    Speaking to journalists shortly after voting at Unit 33, Osubi Ward 6 in Okpe Local Government Area of the state, Governor Oborevwori said the state believed in autonomy for the Local Government, hence he did not constitute Caretaker Committees for them at the end of the tenure of their immediate past chairmen.

    “When I came in, I did not constitute transition committees here in Delta State because I am not in support of transition committees and the Heads of Personnel Management (HPMs) were in charge for three months to enable us conduct elections and, today, by the grace of God, we are having our elections and early next week, those who won would be sworn in.

    “The Supreme Court judgment has no effect here in Delta State because we don’t tamper with local government funds.

    “As a former Speaker, we were in the forefront of the issue of autonomy for the legislature and the judiciary. So, that judgment does not affect us here in Delta State.

    “In the past, the State Government cleared monies owed by Local Governments in the state. JAAC (the Joint Accounts Allocation Committee) is just a monitoring process to ensure transparency,” Oborevwori added.

    On the local government polls, the governor expressed joy in the transparent process, adding that the elections remained free and fair.

    Governor Oborevwori said: “When we did the grand finale of our rally in Asaba, I said that we want free and fair elections and that is what we are doing now.

    “I came through that same process of free and fair elections and with all the opposition, I won by a very wide margin.

    “I have been up since monitoring the process and now I am here to cast my vote and having cast my vote, I am sure that the PDP will be victorious by the grace of God.

    “This election is a litmus test for 2027 elections which will show whether we are doing well in line with our MORE Agenda or not. For now, we are not borrowing to execute any project. We are doing our best for Deltans and we will continue to do more in the coming years.”

    The governor urged the incoming local government chairmen to be focused and not be distracted, adding that they are the closest government to the people at the grassroot.

  • Northern elders react over Supreme Court’s ruling on LG autonomy

    Northern elders react over Supreme Court’s ruling on LG autonomy

    The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) has expressed its profound satisfaction with Thursday’s Supreme Court’s judgment that granted financial autonomy to the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Nigeria.

    This is contained in a statement issued by the forum’s Director of National Publicity and Advocacy,  Mr Abdul-Azeez  Suleiman, on Friday in Abuja.

    According to him, the landmark decision is anticipated to catalyse substantial development at the grassroots level, heralding a new era of decentralized power and resources within the nation’s governance framework.

    He said, “This bold move holds great promise for empowering local governments to take charge of their own affairs and address the pressing needs of their communities.

    “One of the pivotal advantages of financial autonomy for LGAs is the enhancement of their capacity to plan and execute development projects tailored to the unique necessities of their respective communities.

    “In the past, local governments have been marginalized, emasculated, and sidelined in the decision-making process, with the bulk of resources and power concentrated at the state level.

    “This has led to inefficiency and ineffectiveness in delivering basic services such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure at the grassroots level,”

    Sulaiman said that NEF applauded the Supreme Court for addressing this imbalance of power and resources, paving the way for more targeted and effective local governance.

    He explained that, with the judgment, local governments would be able to prioritise and fund projects that directly impact the lives of their people.

    Suleiman  added that they could invest in building new schools, improving healthcare facilities, or upgrading roads and transportation networks to enhance connectivity and access to markets.

    “Financial autonomy is expected to foster greater accountability and transparency in the management of public funds at the local level.

    “This, in turn, is expected to help reduce corruption and mismanagement of public funds—longstanding issues in Nigeria’s governance system.

    “Granting financial autonomy to the LGAs will promote participatory governance and citizen engagement in decision-making processes.

    “This will foster a sense of ownership and empowerment among citizens, as they will have a direct role in shaping the future of their communities,” Suleiman noted.

    He, however, cautioned the local governments’ officials against the misappropriation of the newly-granted resources.

    Sulaiman said, “It should be noted that the plunder and pillage of LG resources by top officials would no longer be the order of the day.

    “Any acts of looting and open theft would not be tolerated. The NEF stands firm in its commitment to ensuring that the judgment marks the beginning of a prosperous and equitable era for all Nigerian communities.”