News
INEC Denying Us Access To Documents Used For Election – Imo LP Cries Out
The Imo State Labour Party office in Owerri has raised alarm over plans by the state INEC under Prof Sylvia Agu to deny their legal team access to certified true copies of documents used for the November 11 governorship election as required by law.
In a press release made available to Vanguard, signed by Chibuikem Diala, Media head, Sen Achonu Campaign Organisation, he lamented that such denial is coming after the Labour Party legal team has made an official request to that effect.
“It has come to our notice that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Imo State is trying to deny our legal team access to electoral documents. This is after an official request has been made by our solicitors to the State INEC Office duly acknowledged and received on November 15, 2023.
READ ALSO: Fuel Price May Fall As Petrol Vessels Berth At Port
“It is pertinent at this stage to alert the National Chairman of the INEC and the security agencies, of this delay tactic which may be to further deny our party and the candidate of Labour Party in the November 11 election justice. This is unacceptable and we request that INEC do the needful immediately as time is of the essence,” says Diala.
According to him, some of the pertinent questions begging for answers is that; if INEC does not have anything to hide, and is willing to come to equity with clean hands, why then are they delaying the release of the CTC of documents requested by the Imo Labour Party legal team?”
Diala also stressed that if INEC was so efficient in announcing the results of 27 LGAs in less than 12 hours after the elections, why then is it taking the same INEC over 144 hrs to issue the documents backing their pronouncements, adding that one would expect a better and efficient approach from the electoral umpire.
READ ALSO: Why I Like To Date Older Men – Actress
“We only hope that this delay is not a decoy by Imo State INEC and agents of the APC-led government to perfect their rigging by tampering with sensitive materials in the INEC office.
“This strategy to deny the people of Imo State the opportunity to have a leader of their choice will not work as we call on INEC to do the needful and stop taking Imolites for granted.
“Therefore, we call on the Security agencies and the INEC led by Prof Mamoud to do all they can to ensure that the certified true copies are released as requested and timely too,” he added.
News
NiMet Predicts Three-day Rain, Thunderstorms From Monday
News
JUST IN: Ooni Visits Olubadan-designate Ladoja In Ibadan
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, paid a visit to the Olubadan designate, Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The PUNCH reports that Oba Ladoja will be installed as the 44th Olubadan on Friday, September 26, 2025, following the demise of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 90 years.
READ ALSO:Ladoja Coronation Date As 44th Olubadan Revealed
The two paramount rulers are currently exchanging pleasantries.
Details later…
News
JUST IN: FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Unpaid Fees
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has announced a fresh revocation of not less than 1,263 mineral licenses.
These licenses, which will now be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.
The minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, gave the revocation announcement in a statement issued by his special assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja.
The minister explained that the directive was issued due to the companies’ failure to comply with the requirement of paying their annual service fees.
The latest revocation brings the total mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3, 794 including,619 mineral titles revoked for defaulting in paying annual service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.
READ ALSO:FG Introduces Chinese Language Into School Curriculum
By opening up the areas formerly covered by these licenses, the revocation is expected to spur fresh applications by investors looking for fresh opportunities.
The statement read, “Not less than 1,263 mineral licenses will be deleted from the portal of the Electronic Mining Cadastral system of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, following their revocation by the Federal Government.
“These include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.”
Approving the revocation following the recommendation of the MCO, the Minister said applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector would make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.
“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder, while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites, is over.
READ ALSO:FG Gives Mining Firms Deadline For Community Agreements
“The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are interested in mining. You don’t have to wait for us to revoke the license because the law allows you to return the license if you change your mind,” the minister said.
He warned that the revocation does not mean the Federal Government has pardoned the annual service debt owed by licensees, adding that the list will be forwarded to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission to ensure that debtors pay or face the wrath of the law.
“This is to encourage due diligence and emphasise the consequences of inundating the license application processes with speculative activities.”
In the recommendation to the minister, the Director-General of the MCO, Simon Nkom, disclosed that there were 1,957 initial defaulters when the MCO published the intention to revoke licences in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.
He informed the minister that the gazette was distributed to MCO offices nationwide to sensitise licencees and encourage them to comply within 30 days in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.
READ ALSO:FG Gazettes New Tax Reform Laws
He observed that the delay in the final recommendation was due to complaints of several licensees who claimed to have paid to the Federal Government through Remita and had to be reconciled.
Earlier this month, the DG MCO had hinted that more mining licences would be revoked as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector and protect investors from fraudsters.
According to Nkom, the clean-up exercise, which covers expired, speculative, and inactive titles, is necessary to make room for genuine investors and ensure compliance with the law.
This is part of ongoing efforts at sanitising the sector since the inception of the Tinubu administration, and the salutary effects of the reforms are massive and manifest despite the attempts to push back by defaulters and their agents.
News5 days agoAir Peace Announces Recruitment For 1,000 Fresh Graduates [SEE How To APPLY]
- Politics5 days ago
FULL TEXT: Tinubu Ends State Of Emergency In Rivers State
- Politics5 days ago
BREAKING: Tinubu Ends State Of Emergency In Rivers
- Metro4 days ago
JUST IN: 6 More Deaths Confirmed In Afriland Towers Fire
- Metro5 days ago
Edo Agency Rescues 27-year-old Uwoghiren Poisoned In Burkina Faso
- News5 days ago
NAFDAC Warns Of Fake Artemetrin DS, Antibiotic Ciprofit 500 In Circulation
- News4 days ago
Court Restrains EDSIEC, Edo Govt From Conducting LG By-elections
- Politics4 days ago
PHOTO: Rivers Residents Throng Govt House To Welcome Fubara
- Politics4 days ago
JUST IN: Rivers Assembly Resumes Sitting After Six-month Suspension
Metro5 days agoPolice Kill Two Suspected Kidnappers In Delta, Recover AK-47 Rifle The Delta
