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Adamawa: Why Binani, REC, Indicted Security Officers, Others Must Be Punished – Falana
Published
2 years agoon
By
Editor
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.
READ ALSO: Suspended Adamawa REC’s Whereabouts Unknown, Says INEC
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.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Buhari Approves Suspension Of Adamawa REC
“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.
READ ALSO: Adamawa: APC Candidate, Aisha Binani Loses Bid To Stop Guber Election Result
“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.
READ ALSO: INEC National Commissioners In Closed-door Meeting Over Adamawa Poll
“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.
READ ALSO: AdaDrama: Moment REC Declares Binani As Adamawa Gov-elect, Returning Officer Protests [VIDEO]
“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.
READ ALSO: APC Sues Three Adamawa Lawmakers Over Defection To PDP
“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.”
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Police Urge Bauchi Residents To Remain Calm Amidst Soldier’s Death In Bauchi
Published
36 minutes agoon
August 29, 2025By
Editor
The Police in Bauchi state has called on all the residents of the state to remain calm after a soldier was shot dead by a police officer in the state.
CSP Ahmed Wakil, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) made the call on behalf of the Commissioner of Police in the state, Sani Omolori-Aliyu.
According to him, Inter-agency security forces have initiated a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident which led to the death of the soldier.
The PPRO recalled how a blogger narrated the incident that a member of the Nigerian Army attached to 33 Artillery Brigade was fatally shot while attempting to intercept a truck suspected of transporting solid minerals from an illegal mining site in Futuk, Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state by a mobile police Inspector on illegal duty.
READ ALSO:
“The blogger also said that the incident occurred on August 25 at about 7:50 p.m. when personnel from the 33 Artillery Brigade, Bauchi, purportedly stopped a truck with the registration number Gombe 676-BLG at a checkpoint in Futuk village.
“The report further added that the truck driver refused to comply, prompting the Guard Commander, Master Warrant Officer, Ali Haruna, now deceased, to pursue the vehicle with his team on motorbikes until they managed to intercept it.
“That upon stopping the truck, Inspector Yusuf Ibrahim, a mobile police officer, exited his vehicle and opened fire on the Guard Commander, striking him in the abdomen.
“The blogger added that the soldiers at the scene overpowered the policeman and disarmed him. The injured officer was transported to the Gombe Specialist Hospital for urgent medical attention, but tragically succumbed to the gunshot wound,” said the PPRO.
READ ALSO:
He however, explained that preliminary investigations, revealed that the truck is associated with Guruje Mining Company Limited and ZURFI Company Limited, which possessed valid legal licenses in Gwana, Alkaleri LGA.
He said that this authorisation pertained to the extraction of lead and zinc minerals, which was obtained from the Mining Cadastre Office, Federal Republic of Nigeria, effective from 12th May 2023.
Wakil added that the companies have complied with all mining operational protocols of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007 and possessed a certificate of incorporation pursuant to the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 2020.
READ ALSO:Bumper Harvest: Foundation Distributes 6,000 Fertilizers To Farmers In Bauchi
“The mobile police officers attached to these companies were formally requested and approved to provide security for the safety of expatriate workers and fulfil other security responsibilities associated with the company. Inspector Yusuf Ibrahim was among those assigned to this duty.
“The company successfully extracted a substantial quantity of lead and zinc minerals, which were proposed for export, and relevant fees as revenue paid to the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, referenced by RRR code 3212-7561-4841.
“The Bauchi state Police command has constituted an investigation team of experienced detectives in collaboration with the Nigerian Army military police and are tasked with collecting and assessing all relevant information surrounding the incident’s remote and immediate causes,” Wakil said.
News
How Becoming Bank Manager At 27 Changed My Life, Tony Elumelu Urges Trust In Africa’s Youths
Published
1 hour agoon
August 29, 2025By
Editor
Prominent African businessman and philanthropist, Tony Elumelu, has reflected on the defining moment of his early career when he was appointed a bank branch manager at just 27 years old.
In a post shared on his LinkedIn page on Tuesday, Elumelu recounted how his appointment at AllStates Trust Bank changed the trajectory of his life and shaped his passion for empowering young people.
“When I was 27, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime: I became a branch manager at AllStates Trust Bank, a young bank in Nigeria.
“Banking was beginning to change the country, it was the sector to be in, ripe for transformation, ready for disruption, for democratisation.
READ ALSO:EFCC Arraigns Six Katsina Revenue, Bank Workers Over N1.2bn Fraud
“At that time, few believed a 27-year-old could successfully lead a bank branch. But that opportunity changed the entire course of my life.
“It gave me confidence. It gave me a platform. Most importantly, it gave me perspective,” he wrote.
Elumelu, who is the founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation and chairs Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa, noted that his journey began not with financial capital but with trust.
His post continued, “That’s why today, I am passionate about giving young people the same chance I was given. Because I know what’s possible when someone believes in you early.
“This belief is at the heart of everything we do at The Tony Elumelu Foundation. It’s why we invest in young African entrepreneurs – because someone once invested in me.
READ ALSO:EFCC Arraigns Bankers, Accomplices For Alleged N8.5bn Fraud
“My journey didn’t begin with capital. It began with trust. Let’s keep believing in Africa’s youth. They are ready to lead, grow and transform our continent.”
In a follow-up post on X on Friday, the business leader further highlighted three lessons from his experience as a young bank manager.
“Shared recently on my LinkedIn page how I became a bank manager at just 27. I got a lot of questions. One stood out: How could someone so young handle such responsibility?
“Many doubted a young man could lead a bank branch. That chance changed the entire course of my life,” he wrote.
READ ALSO:Sealing Spree: FCTA Sledge Hammer Hits FIRS Office, Bank, Fuel Station, Others
Outlining the lessons from his journey, Elumelu wrote, “Lesson 1: Age is not a barrier. If you can execute, are hungry to learn, and committed to results — you can lead at any age. Leadership is about clarity of vision and that discipline to execute.
“Lesson 2: The most powerful capital is trust. My journey didn’t start with money — it started with trust. Trust was the seed that propelled everything else. Give young people trust, and they will surprise you. I was trusted, I repaid that trust.”
In the third lesson, Elumelu explained why perspective matters in leadership.
He wrote, “Leadership is not about doing everything yourself. It is about empowering, setting direction, and providing clarity. The sooner you learn this, the faster you grow.
READ ALSO:Outrage As Bank Insists Bedridden 96-year-old Woman Must Appear For ID Verification
“That’s why today, I am passionate about giving young people the same chance I was given. Cascading luck. Catalysing opportunity.”
Elumelu said these principles continue to drive his commitment to youth empowerment through his foundation.
“It is the reason we invest in Africa’s youths at the #TonyElumeluFDN, because someone once invested in me,” he wrote.
“My story is proof that when we trust in our youths, they are ready to lead, grow, and transform our continent. Let’s keep believing in Africa’s youths,” he concluded.

Human rights lawyer, Festus Ogun, has filed a lawsuit against Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly violating his fundamental rights by blocking him on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account.
In the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1739/25, which was shared by Ogun on Friday via his facebook page, he said the governor’s decision to block him since 2021 was triggered by his “constructive criticisms” and “demand for accountability” over the October 2020 #EndSARS killings.
“In 2021, I noticed that the Governor blocked me on his official X handle @jidesanwoolu owing to my constructive criticisms of his policies and demand for accountability in respect of the October 2020 #EndSARS Massacre,” Ogun wrote.
According to him, being blocked has deprived him of access to vital information.
READ ALSO:DSS Charges Nine Over Benue, Plateau Massacres
“Blocking me on X has prevented me from accessing public updates and receiving information about policies and governance in Lagos, which constitutes a violation of my right to receive information without interference,” he said.
In his originating summons cited by The PUNCH, the lawyer asked the court to declare the action unconstitutional, arbitrary, and discriminatory.
According to the lawsuit, Ogun said he sought “a declaration that, as a democratically-elected public office holder in Nigeria, the Respondent (@jidesanwoolu)’s blocking of the Applicant (@mrfestusogun), a citizen of Nigeria and resident of Lagos State, on X (formerly ‘Twitter’) is wrongful, unconstitutional, arbitrary and constitutes a gross.”
He further prayed the court to compel Sanwo-Olu to unblock him, issue a public apology, and stop targeting critics online.
READ ALSO:UK Bans Sanex Advert For Calling Black Skin ‘Problematic’, White Skin ‘Superior’
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondent, his agents, privies or any other person or entity acting through or on his behalf, from further blocking the Applicant on X or any other social media platform,” the suit read.
Ogun, who described himself as “haunted, traumatised and emotionally disturbed,” stressed that the matter went beyond his personal grievance. “This suit is not just about me. I have filed this lawsuit in furtherance of public interest and with the hope that it sets a precedent in our digital rights jurisprudence,” he said.
The lawyer also invited the court to take guidance from a 2019 ruling in the United States.
“I invited the Nigerian court to be persuaded by the decision of the US District Court in Knight First Amendment Institute v Trump where President Trump was found to be in violation of the 1st Amendment when he blocked US citizens for criticising him on Twitter,” he stated.
Ogun argued that intolerance to opposing views undermines democracy. “Intolerance to criticism and accountability is unconstitutional and undemocratic. Nigerian authorities continue to crack down on dissents, critics, journalists, bloggers and vocal citizens on social media using arrests, detention, surveillance, collusion with big techs and outright blocking, as weapons. That narrative must stop,” he warned.
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