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Election: Crisis Rocks Edo NLC As Government Attempt To Impose Candidate

Published

2 years ago

March 7, 2023

Editor

… Members Stage A Walk-out

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Edo State council’s election bid for Tuesday, February 7, was disrupted with A scuffle as a front line contestant for chairmanship position, was disqualified in the process of conducting the election.

Trouble started when during a pre-election business meeting one of the contestants for chairmanship position, Comrade Lazarus Imokhai Adorolo, the current Chairman of NULGE in Edo State was told he had been disqualified.

Nonetheless, normalcy was still maintained in the hall until when members were asked to move motion ɗissolving the Odion Olaiye-led executives by the National Delegate for the election and representative of NLC National President, Comarde Mike Olanrewaju.

After this, Comarde Olanrewaju was addressing members of the NLC in Edo State when the disqualified contestant politily approached the National Delegate, Comrade Olanrewaju for a one or two comments before the election, but his request was turned down which resulted to exchange of words and consequently, a free-for-all, making members in the hall to scamper for safety.

But Comarde Adorolo union -NULGE and 19 other unions, while arguing that the election should not hold, insisted that there’s already a count injunction, adding that he should be told why he was disqualified.

It took the intervention of operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, to restore normalcy to the hall, after which Adorolo union, two other contestants for the position of chairman alongside their unions and 16 others staged a walkout.

Addressing the press after his union and 18 others staged a walkout, Comarde Adorolo said despite meeting all the constitutional requirements, he was told he had been disquilified, adding that he was not told reason why he was disqualified.

He added that before now he had been pressured by some functionaries of Edo State Government, but he had insisted that if he must steped down, then the candidate sponsored by the government too must step down for new persons to show interest.

“Five persons showed interest in the chairmanship but one was called to Government House to write his withdrawal, which he did. There are pressures from government for people to step down.

“I was also approached by one of the government functionaries to step down but I insisted that it is not about me but the process, if I should step down, then government candidate too should step down, then let neutral persons come in, but they said no,” he added.

On his disqualification, he said: “I picked the form, filled it as required by law, and submitted, and no one invited me for a screening exercise; no body invited me for an oral chats; no body told me anything, only for me to get here, I was told that they screened my credentials and I was disqualified.

“When you are screening credentials, there are procedures, for instance, if the screening committee discovered any discrepancies, everyone expect I should be called for questioning, but this didn’t happen.”

He also accused the national body of NLC led by Comrade Joe Ajero of compromise, saying the present leadership of NLC is worse than INEC.

He said: “We are aware that the national leadership of NLC under Comarde Ajero has compromised, because Tuesday last week, we held a SEC meeting and thugs were brought into the hall to invade the secretariat of NLC in Benin. We did write a petition to the national leadership of the NLC calling for immediate intervention but till this moment, we have not heard from them. Ajero accused INEC of corruption after the just concluded election but unfortunately he is worse than INEC”

He continued: “Of course I told the returning officer that he has compromised too. He called me and said we should do a single line up, and I told him it’s not a bad idea but let the two parties meet. He eventually opened up to me that my group was only given the position of an auditor, but I told him that cannot happen.

“Of course, I should be given the opportunity to make one or two remarks about the disqualification but he said I cannot talk. So, we have to stage a walkout. We are not participating in the election.

“We have already gone to court. The NLC headquarters was served a court paper this morning that we are in court with them. So, if we are in court with them on this election, it is unacceptable to conduct any election. It is contempt of court.”

He, therefore, called on the national leadership of the NL C to re-addess the Issues in Edo State.

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NIS Inaugurates Digital Expatriate Residence Permit Platform

Published

8 minutes ago

July 16, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) will inaugurate a new digital platform for the application of the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC) on August 1.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Assistant Comptroller of Immigration (ACI), Mr Akinsola Akinlabi, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Akinlabi said that the development was in line with the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to reform the NIS and enhance the efficiency, transparency, and accessibility of its services.

He said that the new portal, accessible at https://cerpac.immigration.gov.ng, was designed to enable applicants submit their CERPAC applications online without the need for physical forms.

According to him, effective from August 1, the use of physical CERPAC forms will be discontinued.

“All CERPAC applications after July 31 must be submitted solely through the online portal, ‘’ he said.

The NIS spokesman noted that the digital transition was aimed at improving the user experience and ensuring a seamless application process for both individuals and corporate organisations taking immigration responsibility for expatriates.

Akinlabi advised applicants who have paid but have yet to submit their CERPAC forms to do so on or before July 31, to avoid losing their application status and associated payments.

“Similarly, individuals and companies with pending submissions are strongly encouraged to complete all processes within the stipulated timeline to avoid any inconvenience.

“Any form not submitted before the deadline will be rendered void and invalid.

“All enquiries and correspondence related to this transition should be directed to the service through the office of the Public Relations Officer,” he said.

He, however, reaffirmed the service commitment to delivering more efficient and technology-driven immigration services in line with global best practices.

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Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of N335m, Hospital, Five Filling Stations To FG

Published

1 hour ago

July 16, 2025

Editor

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered a final forfeiture of several assets, including N335 million, a hospital, five filling stations, among others, to the Federal Government.

Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s lawyer, Fadila Yusuf, moved the motion to that effect.

Yusuf prayed the court to grant the final order, forfeiting the property in Schedules I and II to the Federal Government, the commission having complied with all the directives of the court.

Justice Nwite, in a ruling, held that the lawyer’s application was meritorious and accordingly granted it.

“I have listened to the submission of the applicant’s counsel and reviewed the affidavits in support of the motion.

“I am of the view that this application is meritorious.

“Consequently, the application is granted as prayed,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the anti-graft agency had filed the motion on notice marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1058/2024.

The motion was brought pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, 2006.

The EFCC, in its affidavit in support deposed to by Tahiru Ahmed, an official in the office, averred that the forfeiture motion fell within the inherent jurisdiction of the court.

The official stated that on Aug. 13, 2024, the court made an order for interim forfeiture of the property listed in the schedules to the application.

The court had ordered the commission to publish the assets in any national daily and on its website, inviting all persons or bodies who might have an interest in the said property to show cause why they should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.

“The said orders of the court were complied with, and the publication was made in Punch newspapers on Sept. 4, 2024,” he stated.

Amend stated that since publication of the interim order of forfeiture, nobody had come forward to show interest in the said property.

He said it would be in the interest of justice to grant the final forfeiture application, “as no person will be prejudiced in any way.”

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BREAKing : Court Frees Fayose, Upholds No-case Submission In Money Laundering Trial

Published

3 hours ago

July 16, 2025

Editor

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday morning discharged and acquitted former Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, of all charges in his long-standing money laundering case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The court upheld Fayose’s no-case submission, effectively ruling that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against him to warrant further defence.

Fayose had been standing trial on allegations bordering on money laundering and fraud during his tenure as governor.

However, after years of legal proceedings, the court found that the evidence presented by the EFCC was insufficient to sustain the charges.