• Afe Babalola Calls for Involvement of Retired Judges in Election Petition Tribunals
• FG Set to Harmonize Revenue-Collecting Agencies in Nigeria
• Governor Akeredolu Extends Medical Leave, Deputy to Continue as Acting Governor
• FG Files Eight-Count Charge Against Stella Oduah for Felony
• Court Halts Prosecution of Suspended Adamawa REC

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss

Afe Babalola Calls for Involvement of Retired Judges in Election Petition Tribunals

Renowned senior advocate of Nigeria, Afe Babalola, has voiced his strong opinion on the composition of election petition tribunals. According to Babalola, only retired judges should be entrusted with the responsibility of handling these tribunals, emphasizing the need for experienced jurists to preside over such critical matters.

Babalola’s stance on the matter was made known during a recent interview. He argued that retired judges possess the requisite wisdom, experience, and impartiality necessary to handle election petition cases effectively. By involving retired judges exclusively, Babalola believes that the tribunals would benefit from their wealth of knowledge and deep understanding of legal intricacies, leading to fair and just outcomes.

The senior advocate expressed concern over the current practice of allowing serving judges to preside over election petition tribunals while simultaneously handling their regular judicial duties. In his view, this dual responsibility often results in an overwhelming workload for judges, compromising the quality and speed of justice delivery. Babalola emphasized the need for the dedicated attention of retired judges, unburdened by the pressures of daily judicial responsibilities.

Supporting his argument, Babalola referenced the precedent set by the United Kingdom, where retired judges are exclusively appointed to handle election petition tribunals. He pointed out that this practice has been successful in ensuring fair and efficient resolution of election disputes, which are critical to upholding the democratic process.

Babalola further stressed that the Nigerian judiciary must take proactive measures to enhance public confidence in the electoral system. By entrusting retired judges with the responsibility of overseeing election petition cases, the judiciary can reinforce the perception of fairness and impartiality, which are essential for maintaining public trust.

FG Set to Harmonize Revenue-Collecting Agencies in Nigeria

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to streamline and harmonize all revenue-collecting agencies in the country. Zach Adedeji, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Revenue, revealed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today program.

Adedeji emphasized that the government’s objective is to double Nigeria’s current annual revenue, which stands at below N15 trillion. He stated that achieving this goal will be accomplished by deepening the nation’s revenue collection system rather than imposing additional taxes.

According to Adedeji, Nigeria faces a revenue problem, but the current administration is prepared to address the challenge through fiscal discipline and the harmonization of revenue channels. This will involve leveraging technology to monitor all government revenue-collecting agencies in real time.

Referring to Section 162 of the Nigerian Constitution, Adedeji highlighted the legal requirement for all government revenue to be deposited into the Federation Account. The harmonization process aims to integrate all revenue-collecting agencies onto a single platform, enabling comprehensive oversight of entities such as NIMASA, NPA, NCC, Customs, and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in real-time using technology.

Adedeji clarified that the intention is not to dissolve revenue-generating bodies like the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, FIRS, NIMASA, and the Nigeria Customs Service. Instead, the administration plans to employ technology to integrate these agencies and eliminate any duplication or parallel systems, effectively removing the concept of “government within government.”

Furthermore, Adedeji confirmed that President Tinubu has already approved the harmonization of all revenue-collecting agencies, indicating the government’s commitment to driving efficient revenue collection through technological advancements and data-driven processes.

Adedeji also touched upon recent economic reforms, such as the removal of petrol subsidy and the unification of foreign exchange rates. He stated that these measures have eliminated distortions in the economy, and Nigerians will soon experience the positive effects, leading to shared prosperity for all citizens.

Governor Akeredolu Extends Medical Leave, Deputy to Continue as Acting Governor

Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the Governor of Ondo State, has officially requested an extension of his medical leave by forwarding a letter to the State House of Assembly. The decision comes after Akeredolu’s doctors advised him to take sufficient rest following his recovery.

The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, received the letter on behalf of the lawmakers. She acknowledged that Akeredolu’s action is in line with Section 190 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

As per the letter, Akeredolu’s deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, will continue to act as governor until a written declaration stating otherwise is provided.

Earlier, on June 5, 2023, Akeredolu had informed the House of his intention to go on medical leave, with the expectation of resuming his duties on July 6, 2023.

FG Files Eight-Count Charge Against Stella Oduah for Felony

In a significant development, the federal government has taken legal action against Stella Oduah, the former Minister of Aviation, by filing an eight-count charge against her for a felony. The suit, with the mark FHC/ABJ/CR/275/23, was officially lodged before a federal high court in Abuja on June 26, indicating the seriousness of the allegations against Oduah.

All the charges leveled against the former minister revolve around the accusation that she made false statements under oath, which is tantamount to committing a felony. The specific allegation against Oduah is that she falsely claimed to have misplaced her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate in order to establish her eligibility to contest elections and hold public office.

The federal government asserts that Oduah went to the extent of obtaining a police report stating that her NYSC certificate was lost. This police report, along with other documents and affidavits, was subsequently submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the federal government on various occasions.

However, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has come forward with a revelation that could have far-reaching consequences.

In a letter dated May 24, the NYSC management stated that Oduah did not complete the mandatory one-year national youth service scheme.

Shuaibu Ibrahim, the Director-General of NYSC, disclosed that Oduah was initially mobilized for national service in 1982/83 and was assigned to Lagos but absconded after the orientation. Consequently, according to Ibrahim, Oduah is not eligible for the issuance of a national service certificate.

Responding to these allegations, the former minister vehemently denied the accusations, deeming them “reckless” and “scandalous.” In addition, she warned that she would take legal action if the claims were not retracted.

Interestingly, this is not the first legal suit involving Stella Oduah and her alleged false statements.

Following her emergence as the senatorial flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra, an aggrieved aspirant named John Emeka challenged the outcome in court. Emeka claimed that Oduah had made false statements under oath in her expression of interest and nomination forms, including Form CF001 submitted to INEC.

In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/841/2022, filed on June 8 by Emeka’s lawyer, Mbanefo Ikwegbue, he urged the court to declare that Oduah’s information regarding her participation in the NYSC scheme, as provided in her INEC Form CF001, was false. However, the case was dismissed by Inyang Ekwo, a federal high court judge in Abuja, on November 22, 2022, due to being time-barred.

Court Halts Prosecution of Suspended Adamawa REC

In a recent development, Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order to halt the prosecution of Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Adamawa State. The order was directed at the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in light of Yunusa-Ari’s premature declaration of Senator Aishatu “Binani” Dahiru as the winner of the Adamawa governorship election held on April 15.

The order was granted following an ex-parte application brought by Mike Aondoaka, the legal counsel to Dahiru. Justice Okorowo ruled that since the matter is already before a tribunal and the parties involved have submitted to the law, they should maintain the status quo until the conclusion of the ongoing lawsuit.

During the court proceedings, Aondoaka presented two applications on behalf of the applicant: a motion seeking to interpret Section 144 of the Electoral Act 2022 and an order to maintain the status quo in the matter until the lawsuit is resolved.

The senior lawyer highlighted that the case is currently before a time-bound tribunal and emphasized that Hudu Yunusa-Ari, who is a crucial witness for the applicant, is facing harassment and obstruction in providing evidence before the tribunal. He argued that such interference would adversely impact the judicial process.

Aondoaka urged the court to intervene and put an end to the harassment of Yunusa-Ari in the ongoing petition before the governorship tribunal, which challenges INEC’s declaration of the winner as Ahmadu Fintiri, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the incumbent governor of the state.

The lawyer further emphasized that, according to relevant laws, once a candidate has been declared by INEC, the declaration can only be legally and authentically reversed, if necessary, by a competent court or tribunal.

It is worth noting that Senator Dahiru had previously filed a lawsuit before another court presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo. However, the case was dismissed following a notice of discontinuance filed by the applicants.