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Adamawa: Why Binani, REC, Indicted Security Officers, Others Must Be Punished – Falana

Published

3 years ago

April 22, 2023

Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has stressed on why the former Resident Electoral Commissioner REC in Adamawa, Hudu Yunusa Ari, indicted security officers among others found complicit in the state governorship election.

Recall that Ari, had defied the Chief Returning Officer, Mele Lamido, and unilaterally announced the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governorship Candidate, Senator Aishatu Dahiru, as the winner, when collation had not been concluded.

But, the National headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, acted swiftly by annulling Ari’s action, suspending him, writing the Presidency to get him sacked.

The Commission immediately appointed Mele Lamido to conclude the collation.

Lamido consequently announced Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate as winner, the matter has raised debates on how to safe Nigeria’s democratic process.

Speaking on the issues in an interview on Channels Television, Falana said the Adamawa REC, APC candidate and security personnel involved in the saga must be prosecuted and punished.

On calls for probe of Adamawa governorship and supplementary elections

“It is not a matter of probe; the law is very clear on these matters. One, under Section 120 sub-section 4 of the Electoral Act 2022, anybody involved in any false declaration of elections is liable to be prosecuted and the penalty is three years imprisonment which, for me, isn’t stringent enough.

“Two, there is also Section 121 of the Electoral Act which prescribes 12 months imprisonment for financial inducement with regard to the election. There are allegations that a sum of N2 billion must have changed hands. So, it is not enough for the candidate of the APC, Aishatu Ahmed Dahiru (Binani) to deny. There must be an investigation.

“Would these things have happened in the normal cause of events? Was there inducement? That has to be investigated. The officers, who were at the high table with Mr Hudu Yunusa Ari such as the Commissioner of Police, the Director of State Service and the Commander of the Nigeria Defence and Security Corps, are involved in the criminality that occurred.

“So, they all have to be tried under the law. It is not enough for the Inspector General of Police, IGP, to simply deploy the Commissioner of Police involved or for the Director of the DSS to be withdrawn from that state. We must make an example this time because this is not the first time that it has happened.

“There had been false declarations of results before now in 1983 that plunged the old Ondo State into a major violence eruption. In 2003, many false results were declared. So, we must find out what happened this time so that this terrible experience will not be repeated in the history of our country.

If the REC can be punished in line with the electoral law, what laws would be meted out to the accomplices?

“There is a provision for conspiracy. If you conspire with anybody to make a false declaration of results, you are liable to be prosecuted. The NTA must be brought in. The NTA televised the acceptance speech of the candidate of the APC. The candidate of the APC has to be brought in because she was party to the whole false declaration otherwise her acceptance speech would not have been ready and delivered.

“She has denied allegations levelled against her, particularly that from the DSS official captured in a video…

“The EFCC and the ICPC would have to be brought in to investigate. And I am not accepting the allegations for now. More so, they may be statements he made while being tortured by the crowd. So, we need to investigate and get to the root of the matter.

“However, with regard to the acceptance speech delivered by Madam Binani, she is liable to be prosecuted under Section 120 of the Electoral Act.

“On claims by Alhaji Lai Mohammed that President Buhari did not intervene in the Adamawa saga because it was the job of the INEC chairman

“I don’t want to believe that the president has not taken action because he is currently (while the interview was going on) out of the country on a tour of Saudi Arabia but the statement is not correct.

“Under the constitution and the Electoral Act, the appointment of a Resident Electoral Commission, REC, is made by the president and the nomination will have to go to the Senate for approval. That was what happened in November, last year with respect to the 19 electoral commissioners appointed last year. Unfortunately, some of us cried out with respect to all those who were appointed at that time.

“We made it clear that we wanted the Senate to reject the majority of the nominations because it was published in detail who had nominated who among the 19 RECs and we did say that they were not likely to deliver. So, INEC cannot go beyond suspending him.

On Binani’s case at the court seeking judicial review

“Section 129 presupposes an action taken by the appropriate authority. There was a returning officer, a professor who is saddled with the responsibility to make the announcement, somebody hijacked that position, usurped his authority and made a false declaration. Section 149 does not come in because the whole exercise is illegal.

“What has to happen now is that the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has to come in because Yunusa Ari is a senior lawyer. So, the NBA has to write a petition to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for immediate sanction to serve as a lesson because this guy has brought the legal profession to disrepute.

“Second, the IG will have to speed up the investigation. By now, we expect him to have been arrested and if he cannot they have to get a court order to declare him wanted. Three, all the security officers that were involved in the charade will have to be investigated and prosecuted. Lastly, the president will have to send a request to the Senate next week, to remove the REC because he has betrayed the Constitution and his oath of office. Unless we do that this time around, we are not going to get out of this crisis.

“What should the process of this retribution be, who does what first and what should the sequence be in order to take these four or five issues?

“They have to be taken together. One, the INEC has done the right thing by suspending him. It is now left for the president to now embark on his removal via the Senate.

“Secondly, the investigation that will have to be conducted, contrary to the request of INEC, the IGP cannot prosecute him because he has committed an electoral offence. By virtue of Section 145 of the Electoral Act, the statutory duty to prosecute all electoral offenders is imposed on INEC.

“So, once the INEC gets the report from the IGP on the investigation, all the suspects will have to be arrested and prosecuted by the INEC. Happily, this time around, the NBA has come in to collaborate with INEC, and the anti-graft agencies are also collaborating with INEC for us to stop this menace, this colossal embarrassment, this national embarrassment.

“Happily, the INEC has decided to ensure that all those who were arrested and some who are yet to be arrested are prosecuted this time around. The police arrested 781 electoral offenders, the EFCC arrested over 100 people inducing voters, ICPC made arrests, and other agencies made arrests including the Armed Forces.

“This time around, they are sitting down to say this level of impunity cannot continue and that is why some of us are collaborating with the INEC and the NBA to ensure that all those who are indicted are brought to book.

“It appears that you disagree with Lai Mohammed, who said the Adamawa REC is a staff of INEC and it is INEC that has the responsibility to deal with him.

“He is not a staff of INEC, he is a public officer. He is an official of INEC and that point will have to be made very clear. It is like a judge if there is a strong petition against a judge the National Judicial Council, NJC, carries out an investigation and the judge is indicted, the NJC will place the judge on suspension and send it’s a recommendation to the president who is the appointing authority.

“So, this time around, the INEC has no power under the law to remove a REC because he was not appointed by INEC. The REC, like national commissioners, are appointed by the president with the approval or endorsement of the Senate. So, if you are going to remove any of them, it has to go through the same process.

“As I said earlier, the police will investigate and turn in a report, the report will have to be forwarded to INEC because INEC is the only authority under Section 145 of the Electoral Act that is empowered to prosecute electoral offenders and this is an electoral offence.

“The last point is on the role of the NTA, which televised the acceptance speech. I expect the NBC to move in speedily and sanction the NTA because, at that time, the collation was still ongoing just like I have requested the NBA to also send a petition to the Legal Practitioner Disciplinary Committee with respect to the conduct or the misconduct of Mr. Ari, who has brought the legal profession into disrepute and unless this action is taken holistically, somebody else or some other people will commit the same offence and that is why people who engage in impunity in our country must be sanctioned with respect to people going to court.

“Again, I will like to advise our judges to behave like the American judiciary. President Donald Trump filed 62 cases challenging the election of President Biden. Within two months, all of them were heard and thrown out. Some of the lawyers who engage in false allegations of electoral fraud were recommended for discipline. Unless we adopt such an approach, we are not going to get it right.

How should the recruitment process of electoral officers be done?

“We have to go back to the recommendations of the Uwais panel endorsed by the Ahmed Lemu panel, endorsed by the Ken Nnamani panel set up by this regime. The Uwais panel was set up by the late President Yar Adua. The Ahmed Lemu committee was set up by President Jonathan, and the Nnamani committee was set up by President Buhari.

“All the committees were united in demanding a transparent procedure for the appointment of electoral chiefs and that the vacancies should be advertised. At the end of the process, the NJC is recommended to do the short-listing and then recommend three candidates to the president for appointment.

“The president will then take one of them based on different considerations and send the name to the Senate for confirmation. That is the only way to prevent the system from appointing members of political parties or sympathizers of the ruling party.”
VANGUARD

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OPINION: Aláàfin Ọ̀yọ́ Cuddling A Dead Empire (1)

Published

9 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Tunde Odesola

The (Ọmọ) child (tó) is (bá) the (ma jẹ́) father (Àṣàmú) to (kékeré) the (ló ti ń jẹnu) man (ṣámú-ṣámú). Ehn, yes! Deal with it! The mishmash opening sentence is intentional because it is confusion I have on offer today, not peace or order. Not prostration or placation. My esteemed readers can’t be eating Christmas rice and chicken while I wrack my brain to produce an article, which will be digested within 20 minutes, amid mutterings of ‘uhm!’, “na wa o” and “you said it all.” No, I won’t have all that.

Dear readers, where’s my Christmas rice and chicken? At all, at all, na im bad. It’s not only your mouths that can describe the road to Ọ̀yọ́: Ẹnu yín nìkan kọ́ ni wọ́n ń bá dé Ọ̀yọ́. My own mouth too can also describe the road to Ọ̀yọ́ if I sight a plateful of chicken and jollof rice.

Even if my cheeks bulge with a mouthful of rice and my eyes ogle with foodie greed while I clutch chicken thighs in both hands, I still can describe with my mouth 100 roads leading to Ọ̀yọ́. Right now, I’m journeying to the palace of Aláàfin Abimbola Akeem Ọwọade, the Iku Baba Yeye, to celebrate Christmas with him. If you are interested, you can come along; Aláàfin has more than enough food and palm wine to go round.

Now, let’s get a bit more serious. If you run the jargony first sentence of this article through a literary sieve, you will get two intertwined proverbs: one English, the other Yoruba. The English proverb is “The child is the father of the man”, and its Yoruba counterpart is “Ọmọ tó bá ma jé Àṣàmú, kékeré ló ti ń jẹnu ṣámú-ṣámú”. Neither plagiarised the other. Only that the same stream of thought flowed through two different social milieux in different languages, at different eras, before congealing in wisdom. The English proverb was coined by William Wordsworth, an English poet, in his 1802 poem, “My Heart Leaps Up.” Its Yoruba equivalent, “Ọmọ tó bá ma jé Àṣàmú,” is a fruit of logic dangling on a communal tree at the village square.

Since the two proverbs mean the same thing, I’m taking both with me to the Ọlọ́yọ in Ọ̀yọ́. “The child is the father of the man” implies that the gamut of a person’s childhood experiences, character, and values fundamentally shape who they become as an adult, stressing that the innocent, formative years of childhood lay the groundwork for the entire adult life. The proverb has a couple of other meanings, but the meaning I deploy here suffices for this engagement. The Yoruba proverb, “Ọmọ tó bá ma jé Àṣàmú, kékeré ló ti ń jẹnu ṣámú-ṣámú,” means “A child that would grow to become Àṣàmú (an adult), would possess from childhood, Àṣàmú’s sharp oratory skill.”

Let me bore you with the story a deputy governor told me many, many years ago. “Tunde, I was a rascally child. There was no mischief beyond me. One day, I rummaged through my father’s alcohol cabinet, which had all sorts of choice drinks. Normally, I drink from any bottle that tickles my fancy. But, one particular day, I took a swig from a dark bottle, it was so sweet, nice and creamy. I took another swig and fell asleep, right by the cabinet.

“I jerked awake to my father’s car horn. Quickly, I locked the bar, bolted to my room, grabbed a book and sat like a saint. Ha, that was a close shave! Hot air zipped down my nostrils. That night, I slept soundly. I looked forward to another drink from the dark bottle. On subsequent occasions, I drank from the bottle. Each time I drank, I topped it up with a little water.”

“One day, my daddy had some of his fellow top civil servants visiting. He was happy to receive them. He went to his mahogany bar, opened it and brought out various drinks. Clutching ‘my’ bottle, my father proudly announced to his friends that he bought the creamy drink and some others from France. One of his friends took the ‘my’ bottle from him, noticed it was already opened, but he didn’t say anything. As he opened and poured the drink, my heart relocated. The drink that was once chocolate had turned snow-white. When he tasted it, his face crumpled like a deflated balloon. He called my father by his first name and showed him the content in his cup, saying, ‘Lagbaja, this is not from France.’

“My father was no-nonsense. His instrument of chastisement was an entwined six-wire whip. After seeing off his friends, he stormed back in. He called all of us to the sitting room and announced the crime. He didn’t ask who the culprit was. He just said, “I’ll begin with the youngest! Hey, you, come here!”

“My youngest sibling screamed, “Èmi kọ́ o ! It’s not me o! It’s aunty Tamedo. I saw her when she opened your cabinet and drank your drinks! It’s not me o!!”

Unknown to him that the soul of his Irish Cream had been killed by his daughter, the deputy governor’s father lived on false hope, believing that his bar was still as warm as a furnace, not knowing that it was as cold as a refrigerator. He was living in the past, like Aláàfin Ọwọade is doing today.

Enthroned in the first quarter of 2025, Ọwọade has yet to clock one year on the àpèrè of his forefathers. But it appears the Ọlọ́yọ has been reigning for over a decade. The gbas-gbos sound of the pestle pounding the mortar in Ọ̀yọ́ is not a dinner invitation. The sound is the drumbeat of an unnecessary war. On April 11, 2025, exactly six days after his inauguration on April 5, 2025, I wrote an article, “Letter to Alaafin Abimbola Owoade,” in honour of the new king, congratulating him and charging him to rule in peace, love and harmony. In the article, I prayed, “May the land not be angry with your majesty. May Ọ̀yọ́ live in harmony during your reign…Aláàfin, so far, your feet appear set on the path of honour, I beseech thee not to depart from it.”

Upon noticing the unmelodious bata sound emanating from Ọ̀yọ́ palace thereafter, I wrote another piece on May 9, 2025, titled, “Aláàfin Ọwọade: Thy bata drum is sounding too loudly.” In the article, I called on Ọwọade to tread with caution, warning that royalty road is strewn with banana skins. Specifically, I recalled the controversial death of Chief Lookman Arounfale, the Baba Ọjà of Ọ̀yọ́tùnjì, a US community, after he was reportedly attacked in Aláàfin’s palace. However, the palace issued a statement denying involvement in the death of Arounfale.

In the article, I also recalled how the Ọ̀ràngún of Ìlá, Ọba Abdulwahab Oyedotun, and his entourage were allegedly treated shoddily during a congratulatory visit to the Aláàfin.

From day one, I mean, right on Aláàfin’s coronation day, controversy erupted over what many Yoruba sons and daughters perceived as shabby treatment of the Ooni of Ife, Ọba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, whose name was not mentioned at all during the programme. As the culturally recognised head of all Yoruba traditional rulers, the Ọọni was not given the honour to speak at the occasion. This action presupposes that the Alaafin, even before his coronation, nursed a complex against the Ọọni. My personal findings showed that when it was the turn of an oba to speak on behalf of all traditional rulers present at Ọwọade’s coronation, it was the Oloro of Oro in Kwara State, Ọba Oyatoye Titiloye, a couple-of-months-old king, who was called to speak. When it was time for the Alaafin to talk, he failed to recognise the Ọọni or kings from Osun State. I don’t think that’s a good way to treat visitors who left their ‘ile ati ona’ to come and felicitate with you.

In his eight-month reign so far, Ọwọade has visited the Aseyin of Iseyin (Oyo State), Okere of Sak (Oyo State)i, Alake of Egba (Ogun State), Sultan of Sokoto (Sokoto State), Onitede of Tede (Oyo State), Olofa of Ofa (Kwara State), Oluwo of Iwo (Osun State), Emir of Ilorin (Kwara State), and the Olowu Kuta of Owu Kuta (Osun State), on a thank you and familiarisation visit. But he has yet to visit the ancestral and cultural head of the Yoruba nation, the Ooni of Ife, Ọọni Adeyeye Ogunwusi. I suspect Aláàfin Ọwọade is saving the biggest for the last. Iku Baba Yeye is at liberty to choose who and when to visit.

Ọwọade’s attitude became a matter of particular concern for me because the heatmap of his relationship with the Ooni indicates red, while that of the Arole Oduduwa is green. At this juncture, it is good to ask the Aláàfin a pertinent question. How has the Ooni wronged you? As I said earlier, it behoves the Aláàfin to associate with whosoever he desires, but it doesn’t lie in his right to exhibit an attitude that casts the Yoruba in discourteous, arrogant and unroyal light.

I ask again, what has the Ọọni done to deserve disdain from the Aláàfin – when the Ọọni has not publicly disrespected him? Before the Aláàfin thinks I’m doing a paid job for Ogunwusi, he should grab a copy of last Friday’s PUNCH and read how acerbic I was of the Ọọni for installing Senator Oluremi, the wife of President Bola Tinubu, as Yeye Asiwaju Gbogbo Ile Oduduwa, without using the symbolic ‘akoko’ leaves. The title of that my critique is “Tinubu: Ade Ori Okin befits KWAM 1, not Awujale crown”. Aláàfin, nobody send me o; I am just in the queue of Nigerians who demand responsible leadership for our society to grow.

The long queue of Nigerians demanding decorum from their leaders was shocked a few months ago when Ọwọade announced that he was the only traditional authority that could honour anyone with a title that covers the whole of Yorubaland. Ọwọade’s announcement came after the Ọọni honoured an Ibadan businessman, Dotun Sanusi, as the Okanlomo Oodua. Hehehe. The King of Oyo also gave Ogunwusi 48 hours to rescind the title given to Sanusi or face a consequence. The Ọọni has not rescinded the title. And thunder from the Ṣango of Ọyọ has failed to strike Ogunwusi. Abi, does the Aláàfin mean 48 years?
Or was the Iku Baba Yeye ‘catching cruise’ – as the youth of today would say? When confronted with an unserious or funny matter, the youth of today would also say ‘dey play’ or ‘ọ̀rọ̀ àpárá. Is the Alaafin plying?

A foremost traditionalist and Araba of Osogbo, Ifayemi Elebuibon, shared his opinion on the ongoing issue, saying the Old Oyo Empire, which Ọwọade is using as a basis for his preeminent claim, was long dead and buried. He said, “Ọyọ should pay reparation to other parts of Yorubaland that they despoiled. Ọyọ wreaked havoc on fellow Yoruba towns, lording it over towns and villages, and forcing them to pay tributes. When they argue that they rescued Yorubaland, did they fight wars as much as Ibadan? Where were they when Ibadan warriors repelled and defeated the Fulani? The Old Ọyọ empire had collapsed then. So, should Ibadan also get up and say they are superior to Ile-Ife? No. How can a child be older than his father? Did Ọranyan, who founded Ọyọ, not leave from Ile-Ife? So, what are they saying? Is supremacy fight what our kings should be engaged in now?

“Look at how many people Basorun Gaa killed. Look at how many Alaafins he killed? Is that the type of history that we should be proud of? Is that the type of history that a king should derive his present-day authority from, and try to lord it over others as if we are still in the past? The Alaafin should learn patience. Many of our traditional rulers are bringing shame to us. Was it Ifa or a royal election that made Alaafin superior? But the Ọọni derives his superiority from Ifa.”

I reminded Elebuibon that Ifa chose the new Alaafin. He said, “Yes, Ifa chooses kings, but the chosen king must also reinvent himself…”

To be continued.

Email: tundeodes2003@yahoo.com

Facebook: @Tunde Odesola

X: @Tunde_Odeso

News

Makinde Increases Gratuity Payment Of Retirees From N1.5b To N3b

Published

9 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has approved a 100 per cent increase in gratuity payments for retirees in the state.

The Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Aribatise Adebayo, confirmed the development in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan on Friday.

Adebayo noted that gratuity payments have increased significantly from ₦1.5 billion to ₦3 billion.

He said the development further confirms the governor’s worker-friendly disposition towards labour unions in the state.

Adebayo added that the governor has not reneged on his promise to continue paying the 13th-month salary at the end of every calendar year.

The statement read, “The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) in Oyo State sincerely appreciates the Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde, for his commendable and worker-friendly gestures.

“We particularly commend the Governor for increasing the proposed gratuity payment from ₦1.5 billion to ₦3 billion, a decision that demonstrates his deep commitment to the welfare of retirees.

“We also applaud the consistent payment of the 13th-month salary, which has now been paid for the seventh time, as well as the prompt release of subventions.

“These actions further reaffirm the governor’s dedication to the well-being of workers and retirees in Oyo State and his unwavering support for industrial harmony.”

Makinde has felicitated Christians in the state and across the country on the occasion of this year’s Christmas, urging them to continue to live in love and harmony with one another and with their neighbours.

The governor made the call in a Christmas message released on Thursday and made available to journalists by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju.

According to Makinde, Christmas is a season of love, with the birth of Christ as the essence of the celebration, stressing that Christians must reflect this message by showing love to others and living in peace in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ.

He also counselled residents of the state to remain vigilant during the Yuletide, noting that security is a shared responsibility between the government and the people.

The governor urged citizens to report suspicious movements and activities to security agencies through the Oyo State Citizen Emergency Number, 615, reiterating that the principle of “if you see something, say something” remains in force.

He said: “This is to wish our Christian brethren and, indeed, all residents of Oyo State and Nigeria a Merry Christmas.

“Christmas, as we all know, symbolises love as exemplified by the miraculous but humble birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, we must live the message and the essence of the festival.

“Let me also use the opportunity to charge residents of the state to be vigilant and observant as they go about merrying. As a government, we have been up to the task in terms of securing the state, but there is still a role for residents to play. This is why we always say that if you see something, say something, and your government will do something.

“The Oyo State Citizen Emergency Number 615 is active. Please call to report any emergency or suspicion of criminality, and our rapid response system will be activated to bring the situation under check.

“Once again, Merry Christmas!”

News

PHOTOS: SGF George Akume Weds Ooni’s Ex-Queen

Published

10 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, has officially wed Queen Zaynab Ngohemba, the former wife of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.

The announcement was made public on Friday by a facebook user and member of the Dajoh family, Abraham Double-d Dajoh, via a celebratory social media post.

He confirmed the union between the high-ranking government official and the former Olori of the Ife Kingdom.

The Dajoh family described the union as “beautiful” and “uncommon,” as they formally welcomed her into their fold in Benue State.

In a statement that quickly went viral, the Dajoh family expressed their collective joy, signalling a significant chapter for the SGF’s household.

“We, the entire Dajoh Family, happily join our daddy, uncle and brother, His Excellency, The Secretary To The Government Of The Federation, Sen. George Akume Jugu Dajoh in welcoming his new and uncommon wife, Queen Zaynab Ngohemba-George Akume Dajoh, into the Dajoh family,” the post read.

The family further extended their appreciation to the political associates and supporters of the SGF, urging them to remain steadfast in their loyalty to him as he embarks on this personal journey.

“We appreciate and thank the fans and supporters of Sen. Akume for always standing by him. We enjoin every one of you to continue to support his Excellency even in this beautiful union with Queen Zaynab,” the post further read.

Queen Zaynab, who was previously known as Olori Wuraola during her 17-month marriage to the Ooni of Ife (which ended in 2017), was ushered into her new home with deep cultural reverence.

The Dajoh family emphasised the importance of their ancestral roots in Mbakor and the wider Benue State.

“Welcome to Benue State, the Food Basket of the Nation, welcome to Mbakor, the seat of leadership of the Tiv nation and welcome to the Dajoh family, the home of your darling husband. Welcome home, Queen Zaynab,” the statement concluded.

The announcement coincided with the festive period, as the family used the opportunity to wish Nigerians a happy holiday season.

“We wish you all a happy Christmas Celebration and a Prosperous New Year,” the post read.

Akume, a former Governor of Benue State and a politician, currently serves as a key figure in the President Bola Tinubu administration.

The news of his marriage to Queen Zaynab—a prominent humanitarian and former royal—has become a major talking point across the country’s social and political circles.

Contacted on the telephone on Friday, Akume’s spokesman, Yomi Odunuga, confirmed the marriage.

He, however, said contrary to reports that the wedding was held on December 24, the marriage is over a year old.

“I can confirm the marriage. However, contrary to the rumour that the marriage was concretised in Gboko on Christmas eve when the couple appeared together at an event to celebrate Christmas, it was actually a marriage that is over a year old,” Odunuga said.