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JUST IN: Court Reserves Judgement On Atiku’s Petition Against Tinubu, INEC Atiku

The Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, reserved its judgement on the petition that a former Vice President and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, filed to nullify President Bola Tinubu’s election.
The Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel okayed the matter for judgement, after all the parties adopted their final briefs of argument.
While adopting their final written address, Atiku and the PDP, through their team of lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, urged the court to declare that President Tinubu was not qualified to contest the presidential poll that held on February 25.
Alternatively, the Petitioners, urged the court to nullify the entire outcome of the presidential election and order a re-run or fresh contest.
Atiku and his party alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, despite receiving over N355billion for the conduct of the election, deliberately bypassed all the technological innovations it introduced for the purpose of the 2023 general elections.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Chimamanda Joins Peter Obi At Presidential Election Petition Court
They contended that INEC acted in breach of the amended Electoral Act, when it refused to electronically transmit results of the presidential election.
“On the issue of transmission of election results based on new provisions in the Electoral Act, we are all in agreement, including the INEC, that there is a new regime in election management.
“The essence of the innovation was to enhance transparency in the collation of results, which was an area that we usually had problems and not the actual election, and secondly, to enhance the integrity of result declared.
“We agree that INEC had an option and we brought a video evidence by INEC Chairman showing that the electoral body indeed chose an option.
“It is our contention and it is here in evidence that witnesses admitted that results from the National Assembly election were transmitted but that of the presidential election was not.
READ ALSO: PRESIDENTIAL Election: Atiku In Court As Parties Adopt Final Addresses
“A whopping N355bn was deployed for the election, therefore, INEC owe this court and the nation an explanation.
“It is our submission that there was no technical glitch on the election day, rather, there was a deliberate bypass of the technology in order to create room for the manipulation that eventually took place.
“Until the court makes a judicial pronouncement, there may not be compliance to express provisions of the new regime of the Electoral Act.
“My lords, Imin a situation like this, the burden shifts on INEC to explain. It is not on the Petitioner to explain why there was such technical glitch.
“We urge this court to hold that there was a deliberate non-compliance. The substantiality of the non-compliance lies on the national spread of the non transmission of results. It was national and not limited to certain polling units,” Uche, SAN, added.
However, all the Respondents- INEC, President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress, APC- through their respective lawyers, prayed the court to dismiss the petition as grossly lacking in merit.
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INEC, through its legal team led by Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, maintained that the presidential election was not only validly conducted, but done in substantial compliance with all the relevant laws.
Likewise, President Tinubu’s team, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, argued that the petitioners failed to establish why the presidential election should be nullified.
Insisting that he was duly elected with majority of valid votes that were cast during the election, President Tinubu, urged the court to dismiss Atiku’s petition.
On its part, the APC, represented by Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, equally prayed the court to dismiss the petition for want of merit.
After it had listened to all the parties, the Justice Tsammani-led panel adjourned the matter for judgement.
The court said it would communicate the judgement date to all the parties.
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UNIMAID, Federal Polytechnic Matriculate 82 Degree Students
University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in affiliation with the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi has matriculated 82 students into the degree programmes across five courses.
Speaking during the matriculation ceremony at the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi on Tuesday, Professor Muhammad Laminu Mele, the Vice chancellor, University of Maiduguri, charged the matriculated students to strictly adhere to the rules and regulations guiding the two institutions to enable them achieve the set objectives.
The VC, who was represented by Professor Muhammad Ahmad Waziri, Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Services, warned that any student or group of students trying to breach the peace of the two institutions would face the full wrath of the law.
READ ALSO:NEDC Hands Over Mega School To Bauchi Govt
The Don further assured that the University and its affiliated institutions would continue to make easy access to higher quality education to the teeming population across the country.
In a remark, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Alhaji Sani Usman, said they were affiliated with the university to pursue academic excellence, describing the affiliation as a huge pillar in the education reforms.
READ ALSO:Bauchi Govt, UNICEF Strengthen Education Platforms To Improve Learning Outcomes
The Rector, who was also represented by Dr. Dalhatu Saidu, the Deputy Rector of the Polymeric, commended the university of Maiduguri for not only improving the UNIMAID’s conducive learning environment but expanding the horizon to different higher institutions of learning across Nigeria.
He therefore advised the newly matriculated students to pursue knowledge, to interact freely with the Polytechnic staff, be vigilant and be a brother’s keeper, adding that this would help to achieve the desired objectives.
The affiliated courses included BSc Mass Communication, BSc Accountancy, BSc Public Administration, BSc Business Administration and BSc Banking and Finance respectively.
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Trouble Looms As Egbesu Group Drags FG To Court Over Resource Control, Others
Group known as Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA) has dragged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to a Federal High Court, Yenagoa, over failure to create additional 24 Local government councils in Bayelsa State as the need for Ijaw to control natural resources in its territory.
The Originating Summons marked: FHC/YNA/CS/63/2026 was filed on Tuesday April 21, 2026 by the plaintiffs including; Felix Tuodolo, Weri Digifa, Ebi Waribigha, Kabowei Akamade, Rosebella Jackson, Thomas Jacklloyd, Primrose Kpokposei, David Imole and Welman Warri at the Federal High Court Yenagoa.
Joined as defendants in the suit are the National Assembly, the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Attorney General of the Federation.
In the court documents, the Egbesu Assembly premised their action on the alleged failure of the federal government particularly the National Assembly to deliberate, approve and amend the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
This, according to them, is to allow for resource control as well as the creation of additional LGAs in the state to fulfil the requirements in line with the Constitution.
READ ALSO:FG Bans Unauthorized Use Of Ambassador Title
The group is therefore seeking, among others, the amendment of the constitution by the National Assembly to allow for the right to resource control.
The Supreme Egbesu Assembly described the suit action as a promise kept.
Mranwh, In a press statement announcing the institution of the lawsuit on Tuesday, the Egbesu Assembly recalled that, on 12th February 2026, it wrote to both the Federal Government and the National Assembly wherein its gave a 21-Day ultimatum for the duo to respond to the age-long demands for resource control and creation of additional LGAs or face a lawsuit.
The statement partly reads: “Recall that on 12th February 2026, we did inform you that we have written to the National Assembly and the federal government on the need for the creation of an additional 24 Local Government Areas in Bayelsa State as well as the control of our God-given natural resources in Ijaw territory.
“We promised that if the National Assembly and or federal government did not respond to these age-long demands, we were going to seek legal actions to address our demands.
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“We gave a time frame of twenty-one days for them to respond to us—we got no response!
“Today the Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA) has kept to its promise.
“We instituted an action at the Federal High Court Yenagoa against the National Assembly and the Federal Government after the expiration of the 21 days. Today we were in court for the first hearing of both cases.”
According to the group, creation of additional local government areas for Bayelsa is as old as the creation of the State itself.
The SEA maintained that “there is nowhere in any democracy where a state is limited to just 8 LGAs: more pathetic is the fact that Bayelsa State is an oil bearing State.
“Bayelsa State presently has twenty four Rural Development Authorities (RDA) which can be easily converted to Local Government areas thereby making the State eligible to participate in the sharing of allocation and the development of their areas for the purpose of justice and equity.
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“Gentlemen, we wish to inform you that our suit on Resource Control is a revival of our age long agitation.”
The group further stated that Nigeria can no longer operate a system where contributors to the national coffers are not in charge of their resources.
The group added that the lawsuit is therefore for the Ijaw people.
“The Ijaw Nation must be free from all economic strangulation carried out against them by successive Governments,” they added.
The SEA called on all Ijaws to be steadfast and resolute, and continue to support the process by attending all court sessions, stating that “your solidarity is very vital at this point of time in our history. “
The group also called on other Ijaw organizations, communities, Niger Delta people, organizations and all people of goodwill “to join in the march to control and manage our despoiled and mismanaged natural resources.”
News
BREAKING: Tinubu Sacks Wale Edun, Dangiwa As Ministers
President Bola Tinubu has approved a minor reshuffle of the Federal Executive Council, removing the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, from their cabinet positions.
Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yomi Odunuga, said the development was contained in a memo signed by the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
According to the memo, Taiwo Oyedele has been appointed as the new Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.
Also appointed is Dr. Muttaqha Darma as Minister-designate for Housing and Urban Development.
READ ALSO:VIDEO: I Took Over Leadership From Myself; The Late Buhari Is Me — Tinubu
The memo directed the outgoing ministers to complete handover processes to their respective successors or supervising officials.
It stated that all handing over and taking over activities must be concluded on or before the close of business on Thursday, 23rd April, 2026.
Explaining the decision, Akume said the changes were aimed at improving coordination and strengthening delivery across key sectors of the economy under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“These changes are aimed at strengthening cohesion, synergy in governance as well as achieving more impactful delivery on the economy to Nigerians, through the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Akume stated.
READ ALSO:VIDEO: Tinubu Till 2031, City Boy Movement Members Declare At Bayelsa Rally
He added that President Tinubu acted in line with his constitutional powers as provided under Sections 147 and 148 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The SGF also conveyed the President’s appreciation to the outgoing ministers for their service to the nation and wished them well in their future endeavours, noting that the process of cabinet reinvigoration would remain continuous.
The statement further noted that Taiwo Oyedele was appointed as Minister of State for Finance in March 2026, while Edun was among the ministers appointed on August 16, 2023.
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