Headlines
Sanwo-Olu Wins as Tribunal Dismisses AD, LP Petitions
The Lagos State Election Petitions Tribunal on Monday dismissed the petitions filed by the governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy, Owolabi Salis, and his Labour Party counterpart, Ifagbemi Awamaridi, challenging the victory of the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the last election.
In a ruling, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice T. T. Asua, dismissed the petitions due to the inability of the petitioners to file applications for pre-hearing conference after the close of pleadings within seven days as prescribed by the law.
The three-man panel noted that the timely application for pre-hearing conference was a condition for the hearing of the petitions and without the application for pre-hearing conferences, the petitions could not commence or get to the stage of judgment.
According to the panel, Section 285(4) of the Fourth Alteration to the 1999 Constitution is inapplicable because the timely application for pre-hearing conferences is a precondition in election petitions matters.
Sanwo-Olu’s counsel, Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), had on May 22 filed a motion raising an objection based on Paragraph 18(1)(4) of the Electoral Act.
He noted that the AD and the LP had not filed applications hearing for the pre-trial conference within seven days after the close of pleadings.
However, while dismissing the petitions, Justice Asua noted that the inability to serve any of the respondents was not an excuse and that the consequence of failure to apply timely for pre-hearing conference was the dismissal of such a petition.
The petitioners had alleged that Sanwo-Olu had a criminal record in the US, adding that he lacked the soundness of mind to govern a state and should be disqualified from being sworn in as governor.
They alleged that he had records of unsound mind and rehabilitation with the Gbagada General Hospital, Lagos State and as such should not be sworn in as a governor.
Both candidates sought the order of the court restraining the Chief Judge of Lagos from swearing in Sanwo-Olu.
The Punch
The first hostages freed from Gaza under a long-awaited ceasefire agreement are back in Israel. The news sparked jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv where large crowds gathered ahead of their release.
The three freed Israeli hostages – the first of 33 to be released over the next six weeks – are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. They are said to be in good health and are receiving treatment at a medical center in Tel Aviv.
In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are set to be released by Israel from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military withdrew from several locations in southern and northern Gaza after the truce began earlier on Sunday, an Israeli military official told CNN.
Displaced Gazans have started returning to their homes, while the aid trucks laden with much-needed supplies have crossed into Gaza. Here’s what we know about how the ceasefire deal will work.
Hamas, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself, and a failure for Israel.
One of Hamas’ main goals for taking some 250 people during its brazen October 7, 2023, attack on Israel was to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. As Israel pounded Gaza in response, Hamas vowed not to return the hostages until Israel withdrew its forces from the enclave, permanently ended the war, and allowed for rebuilding.
Source: CNN
The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has said she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.”
Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience.
“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.
“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
Badenoch has been in the news of late after she dissociated herself from Nigeria, saying she has nothing to do with the Islamic northern region.
She also accused the Nigeria Police of robbing citizens instead of protecting them.
She said: “My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.
“The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”
