Supreme Court Affirms Sanwo-Olu’s Election, Dismisses LP, PDP’s Appeals

 

 

The apex court affirms the judgement of the Court of Appeal Lagos, dismissing the appeal of Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party for lacking in merit.

The supreme court has affirmed the election of Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Governor of Lagos State.

Also read: Supreme Court Set To Deliver Judgements In Kano, Plateau, Five Gov Disputes

The five member panel in a unanimous judgment delivered by Justices Lawal Garba and Adamu Jauro, affirmed the declaration of the APC’s candidate as winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election, after dismissing two separate appeals challenging his victory.

Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP), who came second and Abdulazeez Adediran popularly known as Jandor of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who came third had challenged the election of Sanwo-Olu on grounds of alleged irregularities, malpractices non-compliance as well as non-qualification.

They had specifically argued that the Deputy Governor, who acquired citizenship of the United States of America, is not qualified to contest elective position and as such his nomination as deputy Governor was unlawful null and void.

They also argued that his alleged unlawful nomination affects the qualification of Sanwo-Olu, hence the court should nullify their participation in the governorship election.

However, both the tribunal and the Court of Appeal in their respective decisions dismissed the two appeals for failure to prove allegations made in their petitions.

The apex court in its judgement, held that it has found no cogent reason to deviate from the concurrent judgments of the tribunal and Court of Appeal which held that Sanwo-Olu was lawfully elected as Governor of Lagos State.

The appellate court in a unanimous judgement held that acquisition of a foreign national those not bar any citizen by birth from contesting election.

Justice Lawal stated that the only condition a citizen with dual citizen can lose his right to be elected as governor is when he denounces his Nigerian citizenship by birth.

The apex court subsequently dismissed the two appeals for lacking in merit.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the APC had polled 762,134 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Rhodes-Vivour, who scored 312,329 votes, with Jandor coming a distant third with 62,449 votes.

Supreme Court Set To Deliver Judgements In Kano, Plateau, Five Gov Disputes

 

The courtroom is quite filled as everyone anxiously wait for the arrival of the five man panel of Justices, in a few minutes.

Governors of Plateau, Bauchi, Kano and Zamfara states have arrived the Supreme Court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, as the apex court delivers verdicts in the governorship election disputes involving at least seven sitting governors elected last March and sworn in on May 29, 2023.

Governors Abba Yusuf (Kano), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara) are already seated in the courtroom alongside their lawyers as they await the arrival of justices of the apex court to deliver judgements.

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The courtroom is quite filled as everyone anxiously wait for the arrival of the five man panel of Justices, in a few minutes.

Former Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, is in the court room.

Ebonyi state is also on the cause list and the Ebonyi state Governor, Francis Nwifuru, just arrived the courtroom. Nasarawa State is however absent.

The courtroom is filled with Journalists and accredited political party leaders.

Meanwhile, the Justices are being awaited into the court room for the judgment delivery.

The states where their governors are expected to know their fates on whether to remain in office or not, are Kano, Plateau, Bauchi, Cross River, Abia, Zamfara, Cross River and Ebonyi.

The panel of Justices has being increased to 8 with Justice John Okoro leading.

The Justices have arrived and resumed immediately.

Yusuf VS Gawuna

Late December, the apex court reserved judgement in the appeal filed by the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, challenging the verdict of the Court of Appeal and the State Election Petitions Tribunal, which removed him from office.

The five-member panel led by Justice John Okoro reserved the judgement after the parties adopted their brief of arguments.

In September, the tribunal nullified the victory of Yusuf, the candidate of the New Nigeria’s Peoples Party (NNPP) in the March 18 governorship election.

The tribunal also affirmed Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected governor of Kano.

On November 13, the Court of Appeal upheld the verdict of the tribunal. In its ruling, the Appeal Court agreed with the judgement of the tribunal, ruling that the fielding of Abba Yusuf was in breach of the Electoral Law as he was not qualified to contest that election. But the governor proceeded to the Supreme Court to seek redress.

Mutfwang VS Goshwe

On January 9, 2024, the Supreme Court reserved judgement in the appeal filed by the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, seeking to overturn the verdict of the Court of Appeal which nullified his election.

A five-member panel of justices led by Justice John Okoro reserved judgement after hearing arguments from parties for and against the appeal.

The governor through his counsel, Kanu Agabi, prayed the court to uphold the judgement of the Tribunal and set aside the judgment of the appellate court because the respondents have no right to question how a party elects its state executives.

He said the respondents (Nentawe Goshwe and the All Progressives Congress) can not plead that the governor did not score the number of lawful votes ascribed to him at the same time say the election was invalid.

In November, the Appeal Court in Abuja sacked Mutfwang and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a Certificate of Return to Goshwe but the governor proceeded to the apex court to seek redress.

Lawal VS Matawalle

Last November, the Appeal Court nullified the election of Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal.

Lawal, of the main opposition PDP, was declared the winner of the March 18 governorship election. In a shocking victory that dislodged then-incumbent Bello Matawalle of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he polled a total of 377,726 votes. Matawalle scored 311,976 votes.

The PDP candidate, now serving as the Minister of State for Defence, had accused INEC of subverting his victory at the poll by failing to include the results of some ward areas.

In an earlier ruling on September 18, the Zamfara Election Petitions Tribunal held that the petition was devoid of merit. While upholding Lawal’s victory, the tribunal awarded the N500,000 fine against the petitioners.

An unsatisfied Matawalle, as observers expected, took the matter to the Court of Appeal in Abuja, to challenge the decision of the lower court.

Respite came for Matawalle on Thursday as the three-member panel led by Justice Oyebisi Folayemi, nullified the return of Governor Lawal as the winner of the governorship poll.

Justice Sybil Nwaka ordered INEC to conduct a fresh election in three local government areas of the state, where elections had not been held previously or where results from various polling units were not counted.

But the governor proceeded to the apex court to seek redress.

Mohammed VS Abubakar

Also in November, the appellate court affirmed the victory of Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State in the March 18 governorship election.

The appeal was filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Sadique Abubakar, following the tribunal judgment upholding Mohammed’s victory.

The panel of three justices were unanimous, awarding no cost as the court ruled that each party to the matter should bear their costs.

The presiding judge, Justice Chidi Nwaoma Uwa, read the judgment in the order of the appellant’s plea before the appeal court.

On plea number one, the appellant pleaded that the election be nullified because the forms and booklets used in the election were not properly filled. The court ruled that the appellant failed to prove this allegation with the needed evidence.

Sanwo-Olu VS GRV, Jandor

The Appeal Court in Lagos in November affirmed the judgment of the tribunal, confirming the return of Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Obafemi Hamzat as the Governor and Deputy Governor of Lagos state.

The justices of the court of appeal in a unanimous decision dismissed the appeal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) for lack of merit.

In March, INEC declared Sanwo-Olu as the winner of the Lagos governorship election.

Sanwo-Olu polled 762,134 votes to defeat his close challenger, LP’s Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour also known as GRV, who scored 312,329 votes. PDP’s Abdulazeez Adediran popular as Jandor came a distant third with 62,449 votes.

Not satisfied, the LP and PDP candidates approached the Lagos State Election Petitions Tribunal to nullify Sanwo-Olu’s victory.

In its ruling on September 25, the tribunal dismissed Adediran and Rhodes-Vivour’s suit seeking to nullify the victory of Sanwo-Olu at the poll.

Displeased with the verdict, the duo approached the appellate court but the higher court dismissed their suits. Both men subsequently approached the apex court which is expected to deliver a judgement on Friday.

Nwifuru VS Odii

The Supreme Court had on Tuesday reserved judgement in the Ebonyi State governorship election appeal.

Last November, the Court of Appeal in Lagos had affirmed the election of APC’s Fran­cis Nwifuru as the duly elected governor of Ebonyi State in the March 18 governorship election.

The three-member panel presided over by Justice Jummai Sankey, in its unanimous decision, dismissed the appeal filed by PDP’s Chukwuma Odii and upheld the earlier verdict of the tribunal but the PDP candidate approached the apex court to seek redress.

Fubara Meets With Tinubu In Aso Rock, Keeps Mum After Visit

 

This is Fubara's first visit to the Villa since the signing of the 8-point agreement after Tinubu waded into the controversy between him and his predecessor Nyesom Wike.

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday met with Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Fubara who arrived at the Presidential Villa at about 5:40 pm went straight to the office of the President where they are currently meeting behind closed doors.

Also read: Israel Denies Bombing Gaza Ambulance, Killing Medics

The reason for the visit is yet to be ascertained at the time of filing the report. He also did not speak to the press after the meeting.

This is Fubara’s first visit to the Presidential Villa since the signing of the 8-point agreement after President Tinubu waded into the controversy between him and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who is also his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.

Rivers State has been embroiled in a crisis falling a fallout between Fubara and Wike.

The rift between Wike and Fubara split lawmakers in the House with 27 of them decamping from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a party in whose central government Wike currently serves as minister.

The feud also saw the emergence of parallel sittings, an impeachment plot against the governor, the demolition of the Assembly complex, and a gale of resignations of pro-Wike commissioners in Fubara’s cabinet.

In October, the President and some elder statesmen intervened in the crisis but it degenerated into a full-blown fight. Worried by the situation, Tinubu again met with political gladiators in the oil-rich South-South state on December 18, 2023, and a truce was reached.

At the meeting which had in attendance Fubara, Wike, ex-Rivers governor, Peter Odili; and some traditional rulers from the state as well as Vice President Kashim Shettima; and the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, some resolutions were made.

Among these is that the warring parties agreed that all matters instituted in the courts by Fubara, and his team, be withdrawn immediately.

Fubara Absent At Wike’s Luncheon

Despite efforts at resolving the lingering feud between the duo, the crisis seemed to be far from being over with the noticeable absence of Governor Fubara at the luncheon hosted by Wike in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Sunday.

While Wike was present at the event with many of his allies, Fubara and his men both in the House of Assembly and the two other organs of government were conspicuously absent.

It was not clear whether the Wike camp invited Fubara and his men but the governor and his people were not present and it was not mentioned that they sent in delegates.

Some of Wike’s men present include Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, as well as 24 other lawmakers who had cross-carpeted with him from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Wike, who donned a black shirt and a butter-coloured jacket, was flanked by ex-governors in the PDP G5 — Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).

Also, Zacchaeus Adangor, George-Kelly Alabo, and some other commissioners in Wike’s camp who resigned from Fubara’s cabinet last month in the heat of the crisis were at the Sunday luncheon.

Others include the Chairman of Port Harcourt Local Government Area, Allwell Ihunda; Senator Barinada Mpigi from Rivers South East; Kelechi Nwogu from Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency; and ex-Speaker Rivers Assembly, Awaji Igbani.

Israel Denies Bombing Gaza Ambulance, Killing Medics

 

The roof of the ambulance was completely destroyed and part of the vehicle crushed.

The Israeli military on Thursday denied it had bombed an ambulance in the central Gaza Strip a day earlier which killed four medics and two other people.

“A review was conducted based on the details provided to the IDF (Israeli military) which shows that no strike was carried out in the described area,” the army said in a statement to AFP.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society had said six people were killed Wednesday in an Israeli strike on their ambulance at the entrance to the Deir al-Balah area of central Gaza.

The roof of the ambulance was completely destroyed and part of the vehicle crushed, AFP photos show.

Jagan Chapagain, the head of the International Federation for Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, called the attack “unacceptable” in a social media post and said “I strongly condemn their killing.”

Crowds of mourners gathered Thursday for the funerals of the medics, a shredded and bloodied Palestinian Red Crescent uniform placed atop one of the white shrouds.

The Red Crescent said the ambulance had been on Salah al-Din Road, a highway running north-south through the Gaza Strip that has in the past been used by thousands of Palestinians fleeing the Israeli military advance.

Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said multiple people were killed in an Israeli strike near a hospital in Deir al-Balah.

Over 23,350 people have been killed, mostly civilians, in more than three months of war between Hamas and Israel, according to the latest Gaza health ministry toll.

Before Wednesday’s ambulance strike, the health ministry said more than 120 ambulances had been destroyed and at least 326 healthcare workers killed since the start of the conflict.

The war erupted with the bloody Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which resulted in around 1,140 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

The Israeli military says 186 soldiers have since been killed fighting in Gaza.

South Africa Drags Israel To UN Court Over Gaza ‘Genocide’

 

Pretoria has lodged an urgent appeal at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to force Israel to "immediately suspend" its military operations in Gaza.

South Africa on Thursday accused Israel of breaching the UN Genocide Convention, arguing that even the deadly October 7 Hamas attack could not justify such alleged actions, as it launched a landmark case at the top UN court.

Pretoria has lodged an urgent appeal at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to force Israel to “immediately suspend” its military operations in Gaza.

Israel has dismissed the case as “atrocious” and “preposterous” and vowed to set out a robust defence on Friday.

“No armed attack on a state territory, no matter how serious… can provide justification for or defend breaches of the convention,” said Pretoria’s Justice Minister Ronald Lamola.

“Israel’s response to the October 7 attack has crossed this line and given rise to the breaches of the convention,” he added.

The Gaza war erupted when Hamas launched its unprecedented attack, which resulted in about 1,140 people killed in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Israel has responded with a relentless military campaign that has killed at least 23,357 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.

A world away from the death and destruction in Gaza and Israel, robed lawyers battled it out over technical legal arguments in the Peace Palace in The Hague.

South Africa argues Israel is breaking its commitments under the UN Genocide Convention, a treaty signed in 1948 in the wake of the Holocaust.

Top lawyer for South Africa Adila Hassim said Israel’s bombing campaign aimed at the “destruction of Palestinian life” and had pushed Palestinians “to the brink of famine”.

“Genocides are never declared in advance, but this court has the benefit of the past 13 weeks of evidence that shows incontrovertibly a pattern of conduct and related intention that justifies a plausible claim of genocidal acts,” she said.

As a fellow signatory to the treaty, South Africa can take Israel to the ICJ, which rules on disputes between countries and is often described as the “World Court”.

The ruling African National Congress (ANC) has long been a firm supporter of the Palestinian cause, often linking it to its own historic struggle against the white-minority government, which had cooperative relations with Israel.

South Africa has acknowledged the “particular weight of responsibility” of accusing Israel of genocide. It “unequivocally” condemned the Hamas attacks that sparked off the war in Gaza.

 ‘Atrocious and preposterous’

Israel President Isaac Herzog has already hinted at his country’s likely defence against what he called an “atrocious and preposterous… claim”.

“We will present proudly our case of using self defence… under international humanitarian law,” he said.

Herzog said the Israeli army was “doing its utmost under extremely complicated circumstances on the ground to make sure that there will be no unintended consequences and no civilian casualties”.

The United States is backing its ally Israel, with the State Department describing the charges as “unfounded”.

“In fact, it is those who are violently attacking Israel who continue to openly call for the annihilation of Israel and the mass murder of Jews,” said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

As it is an urgent procedure, the ICJ could rule in a matter of weeks.

Its rulings are final and cannot be appealed. However, countries do not always follow the court’s verdicts — the ICJ has ordered Russia to stop its invasion of Ukraine, for example.

But a court ruling against Israel would certainly increase political pressure on the country, with many speculating it could serve as a pretext for sanctions.

Cecily Rose, assistant professor of public international law at Leiden University, noted the court did not have to rule on the fundamentals of the case at this stage — that issue will likely take years.

“Instead, the court would only be evaluating whether there is a risk of irreparable prejudice to rights held under the Genocide Convention, in particular the right of the Palestinians in Gaza to be protected from acts that threaten their existence as a group,” Rose told AFP.

Dutch police kept rival demonstrations apart in The Hague. Hundreds of pro-Israeli protesters waving flags marched through the streets while a smaller group of pro-Palestinian supporters brandished placards saying: “End Israel apartheid.”

Pro-Israeli protester Ada Deyl, an 80-year-old pensioner, said: “I think it’s a shame that Israel — who is doing all the right things and is attacked by Hamas — is now facing a lawsuit.”

On the other side, Zohar Janovitch, 40, alleged that Israeli leaders had “explicitly expressed their disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians.”

Trump’sump’s Wife, Melania Announces

 

Knavs' cause of death was not announced.

Former US first lady Melania Trump has announced the death of her mother Amalija Knavs. She was 78.

“It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved mother,” Trump posted late Tuesday on X, the former Twitter.

“Amalija Knavs was a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth, and dignity,” she said, adding: “We will miss her beyond measure and continue to honor and love her legacy.”

Melania Trump’s mother came to the United States from Slovenia with her husband Victor Knavs, and following a years-long immigration process the couple took the oath to become US citizens in 2018, while Donald Trump was president.

After becoming legal permanent residents, they obtained citizenship through the sponsorship of their adult daughter, taking advantage of the very family reunification visa process that then-president Donald Trump himself had derided as “chain migration” and said should be abolished.

In 2017 Melania Trump became the first presidential wife to be born outside the United States since Louisa Adams in 1825.

Trump himself had campaigned heavily on restricting US immigration. As president he urged the building of a wall on the southern border with Mexico and restricting other forms of immigration and visa mechanisms.

Knavs’ cause of death was not announced.

In Slovenia, she worked at local textile factory Jutranjka, first introducing daughter Melania to the fashion business as a child model for the company in the mid-1970s. Her husband Viktor was an entrepreneur.

Donald Trump released a statement on his Truth Social media platform overnight, calling it “a very sad night” for the Trump family.

“Melania’s great and beautiful mother, Amalija, has just gone to a beautiful place in the sky,” he added. “She was an incredible woman, and will be missed far beyond words!”

Spain PM Sanchez Faces First Parliamentary Test Since Re-Election

 

Faced with the likelihood that the decrees will be blocked, the government reached out to the PP, but its leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo was unmoved.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday faced his first parliamentary test since re-election, with Catalan separatists refusing to back him in the first key vote of the legislature.

The lower house was to vote on three decrees adopted in December by Spain’s left-wing government that must receive parliament’s green light within a month.

The texts concern the renewal of anti-inflation measures, the functioning of the justice system and measures demanded by Brussels to unblock 10 billion euros of European funding.

The vote will be the first test of Sanchez’s fragile network of parliamentary support that handed him a new four-year mandate after finally putting together a working coalition in November.

He actually come second in July’s general election behind the right-wing opposition Popular Party (PP).

It looked set to be an uphill battle with hardline Catalan separatist JxCat party’s seven lawmakers, and five more from the hard-left Podemos saying they will vote against it in a ballot scheduled for the day’s end.

Without that support in a vote, the texts will not pass, given that the right-wing opposition has also pledged to vote against it.

“There can be no reason, no political outlook nor ideology that can justify not supporting our citizens, our families and our factories,” said cabinet minister Felix Bolanos, a member of Sanchez’s Socialist party, calling for support as the parliamentary debate opened.

Spanish media reports said Sanchez’s administration told its allies it would change the way of adopting such measures from a decree to a draft law proposal that would open them up to amendments but slow their implementation.

JxCat, which is headed by its self-exiled leader Carles Puigdemont, agreed to back Sanchez’s return to power in exchange for a controversial amnesty law linked to the failed 2017 Catalan independence bid that sparked Spain’s biggest political crisis in decades.

But until now, they have refused to support him in Wednesday’s vote on the grounds that one of the decrees could endanger the amnesty law that is currently passing through parliament.

They are also demanding the government sanction businesses who moved their headquarters out of Catalonia during the independence crisis.

Faced with the likelihood that the decrees will be blocked, the government reached out to the PP, but its leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo was unmoved.

“I will not take part in any rescue of Pedro Sanchez,” he said.