metro
Supreme Court fines ex-presidential candidate N5m for seeking Tinubu’s removal
Supreme Court fines ex-presidential candidate N5m for seeking Tinubu’s removal
The Supreme Court has again dismissed a suit seeking the disqualification and removal of president Bola Tinubu from office.
The suit was filled by a former presidential candidate, Ambrose Albert Owuru, who contested the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP).
During hearing on Monday, the apex court chided Owuru for filing the suit despite previous dismissals, describing it as frivolous and vexatious.
In his ruling, Justice Uwani Musa Aba-Aji ordered Owuru to pay the N5 million to Tinubu and also directed its Registry not reject any frivolous originating summons from the plaintiff again.
At Monday’s proceedings, Owuru, who claimed to be a lawyer called to the Nigerian Bar in 1984, demanded to argue his own case wearing his wig and gown.
He was directed to exit the Bar and remove his wig and gown before he could be allowed to argue his case.
After complying with the directive, Owuru was asked why he came before the court again, having had his suits dismissed three times.
Although he tried to persuade the Apex Court to pay him heed, his pleas were rebuffed as unconvincing.
Justice Aba-Aji ruled that Owuru’s conduct was unbecoming of a lawyer of over 40 years, as he claimed to be.
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In the end, the Court dismissed his suit and ordered him to pay Tinubu N5 million.
It will be recalled that the Court of Appeal had previously imposed a fine of N40 million on Owuru, to be paid to Tinubu, INEC, and others, for filing a suit against them.
The new suit, marked SC/CV/667/2023, asked the Apex Court to remove Tinubu on two major grounds: alleged non-qualification to hold office as Nigeria’s President and alleged usurpation of the office in contravention of the law.
Defendants in the suit were former President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Tinubu as 1st to 4th defendants, respectively.
Owuru, a British-trained lawyer, insisted that he won the 2019 presidential election but alleged that his tenure was usurped by Buhari for eight years.
He claimed that his suit at the Supreme Court, which would have removed Buhari from office, was technically jettisoned by the Apex Court due to a mix-up in hearing dates.
He also prayed the Apex Court to disqualify Tinubu on account of the forfeiture of $460,000 to the United States of America over an alleged drug trafficking-related offense.
Besides the alleged forfeiture, Owuru accused Tinubu of being an active agent of the CIA, a position he claimed disqualified Tinubu from holding the office of President of Nigeria.
Specifically, Owuru prayed the Supreme Court to invoke Section 157 of the 1999 Constitution to remove Tinubu from office on the grounds of being under the control of foreign authorities.
He also asked the Supreme Court to declare him Nigeria’s President and order his immediate inauguration to reclaim his alleged usurped mandate.
Supreme Court fines ex-presidential candidate N5m for seeking Tinubu’s removal
metro
Zamfara: Bandits Allegedly Burn 13 Family Members Alive After Locking Them Inside Room
Zamfara: Bandits Allegedly Burn 13 Family Members Alive After Locking Them Inside Room
By Newstrends Correspondent
MARADUN, Zamfara State – Tragedy has reportedly struck Gidan Taba community in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State after suspected bandits allegedly killed 13 members of the same family by locking them inside a room and setting their house ablaze.
The victims were identified as Sani Ɗanwawo and 12 members of his family, who reportedly died in the inferno during an attack on Saturday night, November 7, 2026.
According to a report published by Daily Post on Sunday, November 8, the attackers allegedly confined all 13 occupants inside a room before setting the building on fire, leaving them with no opportunity to escape.
The incident was disclosed by Bakatsine, a security and conflict reporter who monitors banditry and other security developments in Nigeria’s North-West region, in a post on X.
The reported killing represents another disturbing incident in Zamfara State, which has continued to experience attacks by armed groups, including killings, kidnappings and destruction of property.
Maradun Local Government Area and other parts of the state have witnessed repeated security challenges, leaving residents exposed to violence and displacement.
However, details surrounding the latest incident, including the identities of all the victims and possible reactions from security agencies, remain unclear.
As of the time of filing this report, independent confirmation of the reported 13 deaths from the Zamfara State Police Command or other security authorities had not been established.
Zamfara: Bandits Allegedly Burn 13 Family Members Alive After Locking Them Inside Room
metro
[ICYMI] Lagos Summons DisCos, Regulators Over Persistent Power Outages, Seeks 24-Hour Electricity
Lagos Summons DisCos, Regulators Over Persistent Power Outages, Seeks 24-Hour Electricity
By Newstrends Correspondent
The Lagos State Government has summoned electricity regulators, distribution companies (DisCos), power resellers and suppliers to a major energy summit aimed at addressing persistent electricity shortages and finding lasting solutions to the state’s unreliable power supply.
The initiative is part of efforts to develop a roadmap towards achieving reliable, round-the-clock electricity across Lagos State, amid growing complaints from residents and businesses over frequent power outages.
The Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Biodun Ogunleye, disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing ahead of the 2026 Lagos Energy Summit.
The summit, themed “Lagos Energy Evolution: Transforming the Future,” is scheduled for November 10 and 11, while a technical tour will take place on November 12 at selected energy infrastructure facilities.
Ogunleye said the gathering would bring together critical stakeholders across the electricity value chain to examine structural challenges affecting the sector and develop practical solutions capable of improving electricity supply.
He explained that discussions would focus on electricity sector reforms, energy efficiency, renewable energy, metering solutions and alternative sources of power.
According to the commissioner, the government intends to move beyond policy declarations and ensure that the summit produces practical outcomes that can improve electricity access and strengthen Lagos’ energy infrastructure.
The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Ibilola Kasumu, said the summit would adopt a different approach from conventional industry gatherings by placing actual problems before experts for possible solutions.
She explained that the objective was to bring stakeholders together to identify challenges within the electricity value chain and develop workable strategies for addressing them.
Kasumu added that the government hoped to establish a framework for reliable electricity supply that could eventually serve as a model for other states.
Ogunleye also disclosed that the Lagos State Government was engaging the Federal Government on issues surrounding their respective regulatory responsibilities and the need to strengthen the state’s control over its electricity infrastructure.
The discussions are expected to cover the development of renewable energy, alternative power sources and other initiatives that could reduce dependence on conventional electricity generation.
The summit will also showcase clean-energy innovations by young Nigerians, including projects and prototypes developed by secondary school students.
The development comes amid persistent complaints by Lagos residents over erratic electricity supply, which has continued to affect households, commercial activities and small businesses across the state.
The Lagos government says achieving a more reliable energy system is essential to supporting economic growth, attracting investment and advancing its ambition of building a 24-hour economy.
However, residents will be watching closely to see whether the summit produces concrete measures capable of addressing the electricity challenges affecting communities across Lagos.
Lagos Summons DisCos, Regulators Over Persistent Power Outages, Seeks 24-Hour Electricity
metro
Afenifere Crisis: ‘There Is Only One Afenifere’, Secretary Insists Amid Breakup Allegations
Afenifere Crisis: ‘There Is Only One Afenifere’, Secretary Insists Amid Breakup Allegations
The General Secretary of Afenifere, Chief Ademola Folarin, has dismissed suggestions that the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation is heading for a fresh split, insisting that there is only one Afenifere despite disagreements over leadership and political affiliations.
Folarin said members of the organisation remained committed to reconciliation, adding that efforts were ongoing to bring aggrieved members together under one umbrella.
He spoke in an interview with Vanguard, in which he addressed the leadership dispute, alleged plans to establish another group, the process of choosing a successor to the late leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, and Afenifere’s political position ahead of the 2027 general election.
The Afenifere secretary acknowledged that disagreements existed within the organisation but argued that they should not be interpreted as evidence that the group had broken apart.
According to him, members had recognised the need for unity and understood that the organisation would be more effective if its different tendencies worked together.
Folarin said reconciliation efforts had gained fresh momentum before Fasoranti’s death, disclosing that the late leader had invited some members, including Oba Oladipo Olaitan, to a meeting as part of efforts to resolve the disagreements.
He said the proposed meeting was postponed because of arrangements for Fasoranti’s burial, but stressed that the reconciliation process had not been abandoned.
The secretary maintained that Afenifere would continue working towards bringing everyone back together, noting that patience and dialogue were necessary to achieve a peaceful resolution.
On the question of succession, Folarin criticised discussions about who should take over the leadership of the organisation before the burial of Fasoranti, describing such conversations as disrespectful to the memory of the late leader.
He cited the position of Chief Olu Falae, who had reportedly advised that discussions on succession should wait until after the burial.
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Folarin also dismissed suggestions that there was an existing plan to install former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, as the next Afenifere leader.
He said there was no such arrangement, although he acknowledged that individuals were free to express interest in the position.
According to him, the next leader would emerge through a gathering of elders and leaders of the organisation rather than through an ordinary election.
He explained that Afenifere was not a political party and that its leadership process involved consultation among respected elders and leaders.
Folarin said anyone aspiring to lead the organisation must demonstrate a record of commitment to its ideals, particularly unity and service to the Yoruba people, rather than personal or partisan interests.
He also rejected the suggestion that an individual’s political influence or ambition should automatically qualify them for the leadership position.
The Afenifere secretary further addressed reports that some members were considering the formation of a group to be known as Afenifere Independent, amid the lingering disagreements.
While the interview raised the issue, Folarin’s broader position was that the organisation should remain united and that efforts to reconcile members should continue.
On Afenifere’s political position ahead of the 2027 presidential election, Folarin confirmed that the organisation under his leadership had endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term.
He said Afenifere supported Tinubu in the 2023 election and saw no reason to reverse its position, arguing that the president’s experience and record in government informed the endorsement.
Folarin, however, acknowledged that members of the organisation were free to support other candidates, describing Afenifere as a democratic organisation in which individuals could hold different political opinions.
He also defended the late Fasoranti’s decision to endorse Tinubu in 2023, despite earlier political disagreements between the former Lagos governor and some Afenifere leaders.
Folarin contrasted Fasoranti’s approach with that of the late Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, whom he accused of endorsing Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi in the 2023 election without first consulting other leaders of the organisation.
He argued that Fasoranti placed greater emphasis on collective decision-making and consultation, describing him as a unifying figure who respected the views of other members.
Folarin also maintained that political differences should not be allowed to destroy the organisation’s longstanding role in promoting Yoruba interests and national unity.
He urged members to put aside their disagreements and embrace reconciliation, insisting that Afenifere’s future depended on its ability to remain united.
Afenifere Crisis: ‘There Is Only One Afenifere’, Secretary Insists Amid Breakup Allegations
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