The Court of Appeal criticizes INEC, accusing it of being partisan

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja berated the Independent National Electoral Commissioner, INEC, while accusing it of being partisan.

The appellate court on Friday, Nov. 24, slammed  the Commission for appearing before it to act in favor of a party in an election dispute, by disowning documents that it not only issued, but also duly certified.

The court lamented that the electoral body has continued to “dance naked in the market,” even though it was meant to assume a neutral stand in election litigations.

“The INEC as an institution should be reminded of its role in an election; to be an unbiased umpire between parties.

“It should stop behaving irresponsibly, having in mind that its duty to conduct election has a direct bearing on peace and well-being of the country.

“The role of INEC in election dispute should be limited to the tendering of all the documents used in an election and explaining what they were used for and how they were obtained.

“INEC should stop dancing naked in the market, pretending that no one is seeing its nakedness and its dancing steps,” the court stated while delivering judgement in a Bauchi State House of Assembly election appeal.

The lead judgement of a three-member panel of the court  was delivered by Justice K. I. Amadi.

The panel, in its unanimous decision, nullified the election of the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Suleiman, who was earlier declared the winner of Ningi Central Constituency in the state, by INEC.

The court held that evidence before it established that the election was inconclusive.

Aside from voiding the Certificate of Return that was issued to Suleiman who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the appellate court directed INEC to conduct a supplementary poll in 10 polling units in the state, within 90 days.

The court further awarded a cost of N500, 000 against INEC.

The judgement followed an appeal that was brought before the court by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Khalid Abdulmalik-Ningi.

INEC had declared that Suleiman of the PDP polled a total of 16, 866 votes to defeat his closest rival, Abdulmalik-Ningi of the APC, who scored 15, 065 votes in the election that held on March 18.

However, dissatisfied with the outcome of the election, the APC candidate lodged a petition before the State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal.

The petitioner, among other things, alleged that results of the election were cancelled due to over-voting or corrupt practices.

INEC, a Respondent in the matter, denied the claim that there was over-voting, but failed to produce any witness before the tribunal. Yet, the tribunal dismissed the petition.

The Appeal Court faulted the decision of tribunal and noted that the Appellant brought nine witnesses that testified in respect of the various polling units and also tendered certified copies of INEC documents to support his case.

It held that going by Section 137 of the Electoral Act 2022, the certified INEC documents were enough to sustain the allegation that the election was not conducted in compliance with provisions of the law.

The court wondered why INEC denied that results of the election were cancelled in some polling units, when its officials established the same fact in Forms EC 40G that they signed and submitted to it.

Nigerian Petroleum Company, NNPCL Says Oil Importation To Stop By December 2024 As Local Refineries Resume

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has declared that it would end the importation of refined petroleum products by December 2024, while noting that Nigerian refineries would be operational by then.

The NNPCL on Thursday added that it projected the national oil firm would grow its revenue to N4.5trillion at the end of 2023 and the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refining Company would be completed by December this year.

The Group Chief Officer of the NNPCL, Mele Kyari, disclosed this when he led officials of the company to a meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, where the lawmaker called for the privatization of Nigeria’s refineries.

Also, oil marketers, on Thursday, confirmed the readiness of the Port Harcourt refinery, as they stated that its operations, which could begin in January 2024, would lead to a considerable drop in the prices of refined petroleum products.

At the meeting in Abuja, Kyari declared that Nigeria was on track to stop the importation of refined petroleum products in 2024 and would emerge as a net exporter of the commodities in the same year.

He also provided explanations on the commencement of operations of the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries

The company’s helmsman said all refineries would become fully operational, adding that the country would become a net exporter of petroleum products by the end of 2024.

He blamed the petroleum subsidy for inactive refineries in Nigeria over the years, stressing that the removal of the subsidy was already attracting a lot of private-sector investments.

Kyari stated, “I can confirm to you that by the end of December this year, we will start the Port Harcourt refinery; early in the first quarter of 2024, we will start the Warri refinery and by the end of 2024, Kaduna refinery will come into operation.

“This is the commitment we are giving today and you can hold us accountable for this. In 2024, many of the initiatives including the rehabilitation of our refineries and also the efforts of small-scale refineries, and the upcoming Dangote refinery, will make Nigeria a net exporter of petroleum products in 2024.
“We will no longer be talking about fuel importation by the end of 2024. I am very optimistic that this will crystallize,” he said.

Kyari pledged that by the end of 2023, the expected government revenue from the company would hit N4.5tn, as NNPCL now returns value to shareholders in compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act.

Man arraigned over attempt to behead his brother with cutlass in Ondo

The Ondo State Police have arraigned a 33-year-old man, Olulayo Moroloye, before an Akure Magistrate Court, over an alleged attempt to kill his brother, Daniel Moroloye, with a cutlass.

The defendant, whose address was not provided, is being tried for attempted murder and assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.

Olulayo was alleged to have carried out the act on October 10, 2023, at about 9:pm at Kidimo Camp, Ode-Irele. 

According to the police prosecutor, Folashade Adeyemi, the defendant attempted to kill Daniel, with a cutlass on the farm.

Adeyemi said Olulayo attacked his brother on his left hand, and thereby inflicted deep injury on him.

According to the prosecutor, the offences contravened Sections 320 and 332(1) of the Criminal Laws of Ondo State.

However, the defendant’s plea was not taken by the court.

The prosecutor urged the court to remand the defendant to Olokuta Correctional Centre pending advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Lawyer to the defendant, Israel Tiwo, prayed for an adjournment to enable him file a counter affidavit to the application.

Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Asabi, who paraded Moroloye along with other suspects last month, said he claimed that his brother accused him of stealing his palm fruit.

“Olulayo Moyoloye of Kidimo camp, via Irele, attempted to behead his brother, Daniel Moyoloye with a sharpened cutlass. The suspect chopped off the left arm of his brother used to defend the cutlass,” the CP stated. 

“The suspect who absconded from the farm was arrested a few days after the incident. The suspect claimed his brother accused him of stealing his palm fruit, and this led to a heated argument between them, and out of anger, he brought out a cutlass and macheted his left arm and immediately fled into the bush."