Headlines
APC Files Counter Appeal Against Atiku at Supreme Court
The All Progressives Congress has filed motions challenging sections of the September 11 presidential election tribunal judgement, and seeking the nullification of evidence proffered by the PDP and accepted by the tribunal.
In a cross appeal filed in an apparent reaction to the PDP’s earlier application before the Supreme Court Tuesday, the APC asked the apex court to disregard a number of evidence and witnesses noted for the PDP at the Court of Appeal.
Following the September 11 decision affirming the election of President Muhammadu Buhari, the PDP on Tuesday filed its request before the apex court challenging the decision.
The PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, said the Court of Appeal panel that heard their petition erred in law when it ruled that President Buhari did not need to submit an actual certificate before INEC as part of documents in his CF001.
The PDP also said the presidential tribunal erred when it ruled that the PDP did not provide sufficient evidence to back its claim that Mr Buhari did not attend a secondary school among other issues.
But in a counter application filed on Tuesday, the APC asked the Supreme Court to reconsider the decision of the election tribunal to accept evidence proffered by the prosecution witness numbers 40, 59 and 60.
The witnesses whose appearances the APC is challenging are Mr Abubakar’s spokesperson, Segun Showunmi, whose appearance at the tribunal resulted in the PDP’s presentation of a video evidence containing statements made by a INEC official from Bayelsa, Mike Igini, who said that INEC had planned to transmit results to a central server.
The other two witnesses are the witness number 59 and 60: David Njorga was cited by the petitioners as a data expert, and Joseph Gbenga, described by the PDP as a data analyst.
The APC also wants the court to remove at least 42 paragraphs from the PDP’s documents.
The request made by the APC is similar to an initial request brought by the party challenging the PDP’s petition at the tribunal.
The APC application was brought by its lawyer, Lateef Fagbemi.
The Supreme Court is yet to fix a date for hearing of the appeals.
Mr Abubakar and the PDP seek the nullification of the February election won by President Muhammadu Buhari and the declaration of Mr Abubakar as president-elect.
The presidential election tribunal had earlier ruled in favour of Mr Buhari and the APC.
Premium Times
The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, has declined to set up a judicial panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara, citing a court order.
The Rivers State House of Assembly had requested that Amadi set up a seven-member panel to probe Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, over allegations of gross misconduct.
However, in a letter dated January 20 and addressed to the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, the chief judge cited two court orders barring him from receiving, forwarding, or considering any requests to form such a panel.
The judge stated that the orders were served on his office on January 16, 2026 and remain in force.
The chief judge emphasised that constitutionalism and the rule of law require all authorities to obey subsisting court orders, irrespective of their perception of the orders’ validity.
He referenced legal precedents, noting that in a similar case in 2007, the Chief Judge of Kwara State was condemned for ignoring a restraining court order when setting up an investigative panel, a decision later voided by the Court of Appeal.
Justice Amadi further observed that the Speaker has already filed an appeal against the court orders at the Court of Appeal, adding another layer to the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding the allegations.
“By the doctrine of ‘lis pendens’, parties and the court have to await the outcome of the appeal,” he said.
Justice Amadi further stated that the existence of the injunctions and the pending appeal had effectively tied his hands.
“In view of the foregoing, my hand is fettered, as there are subsisting interim orders of injunction and appeal against the said orders. I am therefore legally disabled at this point from exercising my duties under Section 188(5) of the Constitution in the instant,” he said.
The chief judge appealed to the lawmakers to recognise the legal constraints surrounding the matter.
Justice Amadi, therefore, urged the state assembly to be “magnanimous enough to appreciate the legal position of the matter.”
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has reportedly affirmed the removal of Julius Abure as the national chairman of the Labour Party, LP.
The Court also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to recognize the Senator Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee as the party’s lawful leadership.
The development was disclosed by human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, in a post on X, where he said he was present at the Federal High Court when the judgment was delivered in a related case.
Effiong stated that Justice Lifu delivering judgment on Wednesday, upheld the Nenadi Usman-led committee as the only valid and lawful leadership of the Labour Party, reaffirming that Abure’s tenure had elapsed in line with an earlier Supreme Court judgment.
The court consequently directed INEC to immediately recognize Nenadi Usman as the party’s leader.
He wrote: “I am currently before the Federal High Court in Abuja for a case. I listened to judgement delivered in an another case.
“Honourable Justice Lifu has just upheld Senator Nnadi Esther Usman-led National Caretaker Committee as the only valid and lawful leadership of the Labour Party.
“The Judge reaffirmed that by the Supreme Court’s judgement, Julius Abure’s tenure had since elapsed.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria defeated Egypt 4-2 on penalties to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 third-place playoff on Saturday.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali proved the hero of the night with two crucial saves during the shootout, including one from Egyptian star Mohamed Salah.
Ademola Lookman then calmly converted the decisive penalty to secure the bronze medal —Nigeria’s ninth third-place finish in AFCON history.
With neither side able to break the deadlock in a cagey second half, the game ended 0-0, sending the contest directly to penalties.
Despite Fisayo Dele-Bashiru missing Nigeria’s first kick, Nwabali’s immediate saved from Egypt’s first two attempts shifted the momentum.
