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Fake News: Police Debunk Reports of Supporting Chieftainy Crisis in Osun Community
The Nigerian Police Force has denied allegation of instigating Chieftainy Crisis in Osun community.
The Force made the rebuttal via a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), ASP Mayegun Aminat, on behalf of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police incharge of the unit, AIG Ogundele Ayodeji, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP).
The statement noted that it was imperative to make the clarification, stressing that both the Online report and the petitioners were false in their narratives.
The FCID maintained at no point did Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun involved himself or the police in the chieftaincy tussle of the community, adding the IGP has no knowledge of what was going.
The statement reads in full:
Clarification on False Report Regarding Chieftaincy and Police Involvement in Kingship Selection.
The Nigeria Police Force has become aware of a false and misleading report published by Sahara, which claims that the “Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, passed down an order from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to arrest the intending Chief and threatened other kingmakers who insisted that due process must be followed.”
We wish to categorically clarify that this report is inaccurate and does not reflect the facts. The Nigeria Police Force is not involved in the selection of traditional leaders, and at no point did the IGP order the arrest of any individual in connection with the kingship selection process.
The arrest mentioned in the report was carried out following a formal petition submitted by members of the community. The petition alleged that certain kingmakers were engaging in acts of extortion, bribery, conduct likely and threat to life and demanding money from individuals seeking to assume the position of the Olojudo. This form of conduct is not only unethical but violates traditional practices and undermines the integrity of the selection process.
Upon receipt of the petition, detectives from the Special Enquiry Bureau at the FCID Annex in Lagos launched a thorough investigation. The investigation led to the questioning of one individual who admitted to receiving money, as detailed in the petition. Furthermore, this individual acknowledged that others were also involved in this illegal practice and confirmed that payments were made to secure positions.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional individuals suspected of being involved in extortion and bribery will be invited for questioning. Once the investigation is complete, legal charges will be filed against those found culpable.
AIG Ogundele Ayodeji, psc+, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of the FCID Annex Lagos, has urged the public to come forward with any relevant information that could assist in the investigation and ensure that justice is served. He also issued a stern warning to anyone attempting to involve the leadership of the IGP or the Nigeria Police Force in corrupt practices. AIG Ogundele Ayodeji emphasized that anyone found guilty of such behavior will face the full force of the law. As Nigeria police force is not part of kingship selection process and wont parake in such act as the Nigeria Police Force remains committed to maintaining professionalism, integrity, and transparency in all its operations. We reiterate the IGP’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption and affirm that the Force will continue to work diligently to ensure that justice is upheld in all matters.
The Edo Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, affirmed Senator Monday Okpebholo as the governor.
A three-member panel headed by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, against the outcome of the September 21, 2024, governorship election.
In its judgment, the panel ruled that the petitioners failed to call competent witnesses to prove the allegations of non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
In the lead judgment read by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, the Tribunal said non-compliance must be proven convincingly. It noted that the failure of the petitioners to call polling unit officers, presiding officers or even voters during the election proved fatal to their petition.
The Tribunal stated that most of the 19 witnesses called by the PDP merely gave hearsay evidence during the proceedings.
Justice Kpochi faulted what he termed as the PDP’s reliance on Section 137 of the Electoral Act to dump documents on the Tribunal. The Tribunal noted that it’s not for it to scrutinise documents tendered by the petitioners.
The Edo Tribunal further said the BVAS machines tendered by the petitioners remain dormant, as it’s not the duty of the Tribunal to access the data in the machines.
In the unanimous decision, the Tribunal thereby restated that to prove overvoting as alleged by Ighodalo and the PDP, there’s a need to tender the voters register, BVAS machines and polling unit results or Forms EC8A.
Following that, the Tribunal dismissed the petition of Asue Ighodalo, candidate of PDP for lacking merit.
INEC had declared that Okpebholo of the APC secured 291,667 votes to defeat Ighodalo who got 247,655 votes. PDP approached the Tribunal to challenge the results from 765 polling units of the 4,519 units in Edo State.
The PDP candidate faulted the outcome of the election on the grounds of non-compliance with the Electoral Act and the failure of Monday Okphebholo to secure a majority of the lawful votes cast. Putting that in context, the PDP governorship candidate alleged improper computation of votes by INEC, non-serialisation of electoral materials and over-voting.
The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, has
scheduled Wednesday, April 2, 2025, to deliver its judgment on the petition filed by Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo in the September 21, 2024, gubernatorial election.
A three-member panel, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, reserved judgment on March 3 after parties in the suit concluded their final arguments.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on September 22 declared Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the election with 291,667 votes, defeating Ighodalo, who polled 247,274 votes, and Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata, who garnered 22,763 votes.
Dissatisfied with the outcome, the PDP and its candidate approached the tribunal, alleging widespread irregularities, including
over-voting, ballot serialisation issues, errors in collation, and miscalculations in results.
In the suit marked EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024,
Ighodalo presented a senior technical officer from INEC’s ICT department as a witness, who tendered 154 BVAS machines as evidence to substantiate claims of
over-voting.
Adopting his final address, Ighodalo further alleged that results from 765 polling units were manipulated at the collation centers and that errors in computation affected the final outcome.
He urged the tribunal to nullify the Certificate of Return issued to Okpebholo and declare him the rightful winner of the election.
A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has summoned President Bola Tinubu and Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, over the emergency rule declaration in the oil-rich State.
The summons follows a lawsuit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Peoples Life Improvement Foundation, alongside individuals Precious Elekima and Inanna Wright Harry, challenging the legality of the emergency rule imposed on the state.
Also listed as defendants in the suit are Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, the National Assembly, Attorney General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi, the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
President Tinubu, on March 18, 2025, declared a state of emergency in Rivers, suspending both the executive and legislative arms of government and appointing retired naval officer Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as administrator.
In suit number FHC/PH/CS/45/2025, the plaintiffs are seeking judicial interpretation on whether the emergency declaration aligns with constitutional provisions, arguing that it is unconstitutional, null, and void.
They contend that it violates Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement Act) and Section 305(3)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution, which outlines the conditions under which a state of emergency can be declared.
The plaintiffs have urged the court to restrain the Rivers State Administrator from appointing caretaker committees for the 23 local government councils, forming a state executive council, or making financial transactions from the state treasury.
Additionally, they are seeking an order for the immediate reinstatement of the suspended executive and legislative arms of government in the state.
Meanwhile, the court has given the defendants 30 days to respond to the summons.
