Category: Politics

The Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has petitioned the National Broadcasting Commission, asking for sanctions against Arise News and Channels TV over their fake reports on the APC Presidential Candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In a petition signed by the Special Adviser, Media, Communications and Public Affairs of the PCC, Mr. Dele Alake, which was addressed to the Director-General, Balarabe Shehu Ilelah both television stations were accused of breaching broadcast codes with their actions.

According the Alake, the purported indictment against Asiwaju Tinubu as reported and discussed on Arise News and Channels TV had already been cleared in a correspondence between then Inspector General of Police Tafa Balogun and the US government.

The PCC said continued broadcast of a non-existing ‘indictment’ violated the NBC code.

“The case in question, which did not indict our candidate, has since been overtaken by events after interrogation and correspondences between the then Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun in 2003 and the United States government. The US Justice Department in a letter dated 4th February, 2003, issued by the Lagos Consulate of the United States Embassy cleared our candidate. The letter was signed by Michael Bonner, the Consulate’s legal attache.

“The Campaign Council was therefore surprised that certain media houses, such as ARISE News and Channels TV among others, went ahead to transmit and broadcast issues purportedly indicting our candidate in violation of section 3,3 I of the Code which says that:

“The Broadcaster shall

(a) Ensure that any information given in a programme in whatever form is accurate’,

“We believe that the operators of the stations, by their professional standing, should have access to research platforms to verify information before dishing it to the public,” the petition read.

It further accused both stations of using the already cleared document in their interviews of Festus Keyamo SAN and spokesman of the opposition PDP respectively.

Both stations, the petition said, went further to broadcast a fake letter in circulation, purportedly issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission, stating that the electoral body was investigating Tinubu.

This was also against the NBC code, which forbids broadcasting fake news in the words of Mr. Alake.

“Notwithstanding the broadcast of the falsehood peddled by opposition elements, ARISE TV and Channels TV went ahead to transmit and circulate a fake letter insinuating that the Independent National Electoral Commission has initiated an investigation of the APC Presidential candidate premised on the fake letter in circulation.

“Section 5.1.2 states that ‘The Broadcaster shall present news as factual and in correct and fair manner without (a) Distortion, Exaggerations or Misrepresentation.

“Section 5.1.3 further states that ‘Fake News is prohibited’.
“The fake INEC letter has been proven to be fake and this breach is tantamount to disinformation.”

The APC Presidential Campaign Council listed other infractions against Arise TV which has been known to carry fake reports against Asiwaju Tinubu.

“Arise TV has admitted guilt to this in a broadcast few days ago. We make bold to say that in 2014 the AIT transmitted a TV documentary “The Lion of Bourdillon” to which the NBC sanctioned it and it apologized to the victim.

“However, only last week Chief Bode George, a chieftain of the PDP in an interview on Arise TV referred to materials from the documentary to vilify our Presidential candidate in breach of the Code and the apology granted the victim.

“These breaches attract a sanction of Class B and we implore the National Broadcasting Commission to invoke the aforementioned sections to penalize ARISE TV and Channels TV for breach of the Broadcast code. Section 5.3.3 of the code states that “The Broadcaster shall (b) in using Political materials for News and current Affairs Programmes avoid hate speech, inflammatory, Derogatory and Divisive remarks or Allusions’.”

The party said the events “vilified and denigrated” Asiwaju Tinubu as an indicted offender and law breaker in the US”.

As a matter of seeking justice for the APC presidential candidate, the PCC is asking the NBC to invoke the appropriate sanctions against the offending television stations.

“Our Presidential candidate was vilified and denigrated as an indicted offender and law breaker in the US court case by ARISE TV and Channels TV during their broadcasts in the last week, such as The Morning Show and Politics Today respectively.

“Section 3.1.2 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code also states that-
‘The Broadcaster shall not transmit any programme, programme promotion, community service announcement or station identity which is likely in any circumstance to provoke or perpetuate in a reasonable person intense dislike, serious contempt or severe ridicule against a person or groups of people..

“For the effect of reference of powers to sanction erring broadcasters, The Code states in Chapter One, Section 1.1 (h) ‘The Power to establish and disseminate the code is derived from the provisions of Section 2 (1) (h) of the NBC Act, which is its enabling law.

“We hereby request the National Broadcasting Commission to sanction the offending Stations in the name of justice and in protection of the rights of our candidate as well as avoidance of future reoccurrence,” Alake said in the petition.

Bayo Onanuga
Director, Media & Publicity
Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council
November 14, 2022

A renowned Lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wole Olanipekun, wants the new administration in Ekiti State to focus more on infrastructure, Education and Security.

Olanipekun, who was speaking to newsmen in his hometown, Ikere Ekiti, also appealed to those who have cases in court against the governor to sheath the sword in the interest of the State.

The occasion was the Annual Wole Olanipekun Scholarship for Ekiti Students where governor Biodun Oyebanji was in attendance.

He explained that, though it was in their right to fight for perceived injustice, but urged them to prioritize Ekiti’s development and allow the government of Oyebanji to settle and perform for the next four years.

The legal luminary expressed his readiness to broker peace, as he described governor Oyebanji as a young man who had been extending olive branch to all, adding that the uplift of the state should be paramount to all.

Speaking on his expectation from Oyebanji’s administration, Olanipekun said that infrastructure should be given more attention, which, according to him would in turn bring industrial revolution to the state.

He told the governor to also prioritize internal security by utilizing the Amotekun Corps effectively to curb insecurity.

The legal icon was of the view that the government should be people driven and encouraged the administration to maximize the opportunity in people of letters that abound in the state.

A Magistrate Court sitting in Ikirun, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Osun State has granted LEAVE to an applicant seeking the binding over and restraint of Prince Yinusa Akadiri from being installed, coronated and presented with staff of office as the new Akirun of Ikirun in order not to cause further breakdown of peace and order in Ikirun and environs, ordering the applicant to file and serve on the respondents, within 14 days, the application to show cause why the order of binding over for the maintenance of peace in Ikirun should not be granted.

On the face of the application, the applicant deposed to the fact that taking any further step regarding Akinrun Chieftaincy and opening the palace will imperil the peace of Ikirun until all litigations in court regarding Akinrun Chieftaincy is laid to rest.

Prince Abass Adeyemi has also approached the Osun State High court to restrain the Osun State Government, Attorney-General of Osun State, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs, Ifelodun Local Government and the Kingmakers from furthering the process of installation, coronation and presentation of staff of office to the purportedly appointed new Akinrun.

Granting the leave, Chief Magistrate Ijiyode allowed the application thereby paving way for the applicant to apply that the respondents, i.e, the Kingmakers and Prince Yinusa Akadiri, be caused to enter into a bond to show cause why they should not be made to enter into recognizance in order not to cause further breakdown of peace, law and order in Ikirun and its environs.

In the same vein, another suit had been filled at the Osun State High Court seeking for an injunction restraining the State Government and kingmakers from proceeding on the installation, coronation and presentation of staff of office to the purported new Akirun.

The injunction was hinged on the fact that there was an existing pending case in the appellate court which is the main issue, unfortunately, the State Government went ahead to appoint Prince Yinusa Akadiri as the new Akirun and this has caused a lot of crisis in the town.

Meanwhile, since the day the new Akirun was announced, it has triggered a lot of crisis within the town, as the palace has been under lock and key. This has made it impossible for the new monarch to access the palace as the processes of his purported nomination, selection and appointment are being challenged in court.

Recall, recently, the Osun State Government announced the appointment of Prince Yinusa Olalekan Akadiri of Oba-Ara Ruling House as the new Akinrun of Ikirun, in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the State. This has generated a lot of crisis in the town.

The Akinrun stool became vacant on February 8, 2021, following the demise of Oba Rauf Adedeji who mounted the royal stool in 1991.

However, since the purported appointment of the new Akinrun, the process of installation, coronation and presentation of staff of office to Akadiri has been on hold, making his appointment to be yet inconclusive.

Rauf Aregbesola, Minister of Interior, has written to the Nigerian Governors Forum to request a meeting in order to decongest jails around the country.

This was made known to our correspondent by the Minister’s Media Adviser, Sola Fasure, on Tuesday.

In exactly one month, Aregbesola stated he would meet with state governors to agree on the mass release of at least 30 per cent of convicts from correctional facilities across the country.

The minister said that the interface was necessary as more than 90 per cent of the inmates were being held for contravening various state laws, noting that over 70 per cent of the 75,635 inmates at present were awaiting trial.

He said that the federal offenders in the system were far fewer than 10 per cent, adding that the bulk of people in custody were those who had run afoul of state laws.

Aregbesola said that they were therefore being kept under the legal jurisdiction of their respective states.

The minister added that the decongestion of the 253 custodial centres nationwide was necessary as some of the inmates have no reason to remain in custody.

However, speaking on the action taken by the minister, Fasure said, “The minister has written to the Governors Forum, but he has not met with them because they will have to communicate with him and give him a date.

“He wrote to them with the request that he wants to meet with them, but he is yet to get a response. In other words, the meeting has not been held.”

12,000 inmates

Meanwhile, the Federal Government on Tuesday revealed that over 12,000 inmates were released from various correctional centres across the country within the last six years in line with the policy of prison decongestion.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice , Abubakar Malami, stated this to members of the Senate Committee on Judiciary , Human Rights and Legal Matters during 2023 budget defence session with the committee .

Malami, who made the declaration in response to question from Senator Ajibola Basiru ( APC Osun Central ) , said the Federal Government was able to decongest prisons across the country through policy actions aside from the Administration of Criminal Justice Act , meant for expeditious dispensation of Justice.

“When this government came on board in 2015, the problem of prison congestion was at the front burner of national discourse , which made President Muhammadu Buhari to set machineries in motion in different ways for required solution.

“One of such machineries set in motion was a presidential committee set up for prison decongestion which liaised with other stakeholders in the justice sector for way out .

“Aside from the committee, Mr President himself also wrote letters to the 36 states governors and Chief Judges of the states for required visitations to prisons and exercise of prerogative of mercies from time to time .

‘In one of such visitations made by the Governor of Kano State , Abdullahi Ganduje , about 500 inmates were granted pardon in one day, totality of which had led to release of over 12, 000 inmates across the country within the last six years .

“Special attention was given to awaiting trial persons who constitute the bulk of the inmates across the various correctional centres in the country by taking Magistrates and Judges to the centres for on the spot dispensation of Justice .

Earlier in his remarks , the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele ( APC Ekiti Central), said the 2023 budget estimates for the Federal Ministry of Justice and its agencies as contained in the Appropriation Bill submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari , is N71.291billion.

The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised alarm over leaked plan by the Oyetola administration to pay cumulative future salaries amounting to Ten Million Naira each to the 30 falsely imposed local government chairmen in Osun state.

PDP Caretaker Chairman In Osun state, Dr Adekunle Akindele in a statement on Tuesday disclosed that the outgoing Governor in anticipation of the imminent exit of his kangaroo council chiefs has concluded a compensation packages.

The defeated Governor had earlier paid severance allowances to councillors and chairmen even when they were less than a month in office.

Not satisfied with that illegal payments that breached state financial regulations, Mr Oyetola is now in the process of paying a whopping sum of Ten Million Naira each to local government chairman as cumulative future salaries.

“We learn on good authority that the payment process was directed by the Governor. We were told payment vouchers are being prepared. This is the height of state plundering, a reprehensible conduct that should stop now.

” We alert the public to this latest war against Osun people. For how long does Oyetola want to go in his revenge war against Osun people? Is it a crime for a people to vote for a leader of their choice?”, the PDP Chairman asked.

● Says Denying July 16 Outcome is Heretical

Meanwhile, the party has mocked the outgoing Governor of the state, Gboyega Oyetola, for still living in denial of losing the July 16 governorship election in the state, stressing that the people’s will can not be hijacked.

Dr Adekunle counsels the outgoing Governor to drop the thought of imposing himself on Osun people for the second time, noting that the mandate willingly entrusted on Senator Ademola Adeleke by Osun electorate can not be stolen.

“If democracy is about the people, then it amounts to absurdity for anyone to think he can manipulate himself to power against th will of the citizens,” the statement reads in part.

“As far as we are concerned, Osun people have made a choice of who should be the Governor of the state, and we can only sympathize with Governor Oyetola for failing to accept this simple reality.

“Let Oyetola or whoever is with him in this illusionary mandate restoration know for a fact that this is 2022 and not 2018 when the will of Osun people to determine who lead them was fouled and shamelessly abused as the foisting of Oyetola on them evidently demonstrated.”

Dr Akindele said the PDP has no issue with Oyetola going before the Tribunal over the election, noting that “We believe strongly in the Judiciary to uphold the victory of Senator Adeleke in the poll notwithstanding the antics of Oyetola and his backers.”

“In a democracy, the ballot remains the acceptable route to leadership, and we have firm faith in the Judiciary to affirm this straightforward principle. Our party shares the overwhelming resolve of Osun people to decide who is their Governor and warn that anything to the contrary, will not only hurt our democracy but have far reaching implication on Osun state.

“Senator Adeleke victory has come to stay and we want to assure our supporters and the generality of Osun people that we will do everything to safeguard this mandate.”

The Senator representing Oyo North Senatorial District, Sen. Fatai Buhari had yesterday flagged off the construction of the Okerete-Saki road. At the Palace of the Okere of Saki Land, Sen. Fatai Buhari PhD explicitly stated his love and affection for the Saki people and Oke-Ogun at large.

He used the ocassion to assure the people of Okerete that he would oversee the completion of the road and also reassured the entire community of his unflinching loyalty for the progress and development of the entire Oke-Ogun.

Senator Fatai Buhari while speaking to newsmen said, “Out of the four roads, I have facilitated, the road that leads to the Okerete Border International Market is one of them. Two of the four roads are completed, one is under construction and the last one was flagged off today.

The roads; Isalu-Ikere Gorge Dam in Iseyin, Oke-Ado in Ogbomosho, Ofiki/Agunrege in Oke-Ogun, Okerete-Saki Road in Oke-Ogun, are all facilitated by Distinguished Sen. Fatai Buhari PhD. Thus was duly appreciated by the Okere of Saki Land, the Bagii of Saki and the National President of Saki Parapo at the palace of Okere of Saki Land.

The Senator used the ocassion to throw a jibe at Hon. Shina Peller by asking him to mention any Oke-Ogun indigene he appointed among his legislative aides.

“If anybody says he is representing the interest of Oke-Ogun more than me is lieing. I have chosen to make my campaign issues and not to join issue with him but if I don’t talk, people may assume his of Oke-Ogun Lokan’ agenda as truth.

“When we were welcomed as National Assembly members, we were given five legislative aides to appoint and out of five, I appointed four from Oke-Ogun and this Honourable is saying he is representing Oke-Ogun and never appointed at least one person from Oke-Ogun as legislative aide. So, who is now more of Oke-Ogun than me? I challenge him to mention one Oke-Ogun indigene he appointed as legislative aide openly with appointment letter. If he does so, I would not contest again.

The Okere of Saki Land, Oba Dr. Khalid Olabisi mentioned the importance of the Okerete-Saki Road as it dated the precolonial era.

The Trans-Shahara Trade: the people of Saki and Yoruba people entirely, plied the road to transact with the people of other countries. Particularly, the francophone countries. Of course, the importance of the Okerete-Saki Road can not be overemphasized in the economic activities of the entire Yoruba Land.

In company of Sen. Fatai Buhari PhD were the Chairman of the Oke-Ogun Youth Solidarity for Sen. Fatai Buhari, former Commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr Azuzu Dauda, Barr. Lawal Waheed O., Alhaji Afeez Nasirudeen Bakoja, Hon. Prince Semiu among other important dignitaries who accompanied Sen. Fatai Buhari PhD to the flag-off of the Okerete-Saki Road.

Lagos reporters reports that the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, has revealed how his doggedness made way for Adams Oshiomole, Kayode Fayemi and Rauf Aregbesola to become governors of their respective states.

Peter Obi, speaking at a Town Hall meeting organised for presidential candidates by Arise TV on Sunday, recalled how he challenged what he described as “rascality” when he was removed from seat as Anambra Governor.

He said, “I had some remarkable things that happened in my transition into politics. I would say I was the first governor to be declared through the court.
Because when I contested the election, I won but someone else was declared and went to court and challenged it and I was declared winner.

Six months after being governor, I was impeached. I went to court and challenged the rascality and I became the second person to come back as governor from impeachment.

“Five months after that, my tenure was terminated by an election that wasn’t supposed to exist and I went back to court and established the tenure of governor.

“Without me, the likes of Fayemi, Oshiomole, Aregbesola wouldn’t have been governors, it was my challenge of that rascality that made it possible for them to become governors.”

The governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, on Sunday, played host to his colleagues from Rivers, Oyo, Abia and Enugu States respectively.

Governors Nyesom Wike, Seyi Makinde, Okezie Ikpeazu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Ortom arę governors who have insisted on the removal of the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Iyorchia Ayu.

According to report, it was gathered that the G-5 governors met in Benue to restraategize on the next political step to be made since the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alh. Atiku Abubakar has concluded his plan to move on without them.

It was learnt that the governors had also concluded plan to back a presidential candidate from another party which will be made known to their political followers as soon as election remains few days to hold.

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, has asked the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and others who are opposed to Senator Iyorchia Ayu as the National Chairman of the PDP to leave the party.

At a gathering in Abeokuta where he addressed non-indigenes resident in Ogun State, Adebutu asked those who could not abide by the decisions of the party to feel free to leave or form their own party.

Adebutu, in veiled reference to Wike and other members of the G5, said: “Unlike those that don’t understand that the party is supreme, that Iyorchia Ayu is our oga (boss), they don’t recognise that he has the power to hire and fire, we accept his leadership.

“By the Supreme Court judgements severally pronounced, those that don’t like your party have a few choices. They can either abide, go and form their own party or get out! We have chosen to abide and obey Ayu’s dictates.

“We agree that he is our chairman. We agree that Hon. Sikirulahi Ogundele is our leader in Ogun and he is representing Iyorchia Ayu. We agree to submit ourselves to the National Working Committee of the party. Those that don’t abide should go and form their own party.”

Adebutu told the Igbo, Hausa, Igede, Ijaw, Idoma and other tribes who were there to declare support for Atiku and other PDP candidates that Nigerians remain one big family regardless of tribe or religion.

He said: “We are one Nigeria because we are one family speaking different languages; but we are happy together. May we continue to live together as one family and be happy.

“We are happy that we have somebody joining us together, His Excellency, Waziri Atiku Abubakar. It is not in dispute that he is our leader and we shall all work hard to make him the president of Nigeria.

“He is the unifier. We have a duty to do him proud and do ourselves proud. We must continue to promote his ideologies,” Adebutu said.

In their remarks, leaders of Hausa, Igbo and other ethnic groups pledged to mobilise no fewer than four million votes for the presidential candidate of the PDP to win the 2023 election.

The leader of the Igbo community in Ogun State, Kinsley Chukwuleta, who spoke on behalf of the other tribes, described Atiku as the most experienced candidate who can fix Nigeria and return the country to the path of greatness.

Chukwuleta said: “We came out to support him (Atiku) because we know he has the experience, he has been to Aso Villa before as the Vice President of Nigeria and if he becomes the President, he will unite Nigeria.

“In Ogun state here, Atiku is going to get 4 million votes from us. He has the experience, he has been there before, he is not new to the system, he can fix things quick and he can make Nigeria one.”

A man whose identity is yet to be made known has been electrocuted while allegedly destroying a campaign billboard of one of the governorship candidates in Oyo State.

It was learnt that the man was destroying a campaign billboard of Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, the gubernatorial candidate of Accord in the 2023 elections when his life was cut short by electric shock after he touched the electric wire beside the billboard at the Challenge area of Ibadan on Friday.

A resident in the area who begged to remain anonymous, noted that the residents of the area had already warned the man against destruction of the campaign billboard.

He said, “We had cautioned him against destroying peoples’ properties around.

“Suddenly, we saw him shaking, and no one could move closer to him as it is obvious that he had mistakenly touched the electric wire beside the billboard”.

Confirming the incident on this Saturday morning, the Media Director, Bayo Adelabu Campaign Organisation, Mr. Bolaji Tunji explained that there have been different reports of destruction of campaign billboards in the State. He added that Adelabu expressed deep regret about the incident.

“We heard of the unfortunate incident. There have been different reports on what the guy was doing. Some said he was fixing the billboard while others said he was vandalising it. Whichever it is, no one wishes for the death of anyone, not any citizen of Oyo State. Even if he was vandalising the board, we would rather engage him positively rather than wish him that fate.