News

Lawyer Sues INEC Over Alleged Failure To Electronically Transmit Election Results

Published

3 years ago

March 15, 2023

Editor

A legal practitioner, Mr. Bob James, on Wednesday, instituted an action against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over its alleged failure to electronically transmit results of the Presidential and National Assembly elections that held on February 25, from polling units to its IReV portal.

The plaintiff, in the suit he lodged before the Federal High Court in Abuja, cited INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, as defendants.

In the sole issue he set out for the court to determine, the plaintiff argued that the electoral body had a statutory duty to upload electronically on its portal, results of the Presidential and National Assembly elections “immediately” elections ended at every polling unit across the country.

Placing reliance on Section 60 of the Electoral Act 2022 and section 38 (1) of INEC’s Regulations, the lawyer prayed the court to determine whether the “failure or refusal to upload the results from each polling unit on the day of the election to the INEC IRev portal”, does not nullify the polls.

He urged the court to declare that INEC was under statutory obligation by virtue of the Electoral Act and its own guidelines to upload results from each polling station “immediately after counting and recording on Form EC 8A on election day.”

The plaintiff asked the court to hold that INEC’s failure to upload the results was a violation of its own guidelines for the conduct of the 2023 general elections.

As well as to make “a declaration that the presidential election held by the 1st respondent (INEC) on 25 February, 2023, is null and void and of no effect whatsoever, the result of same not having been declared in accordance with the law”.

In an affidavit he deposed to in support of the suit, the plaintiff averred that as a legal practitioner, he has an obligation to ensure that public institutions “entrusted with constitutional powers to conduct elections, do so strictly in compliance with the law.”

He contended that more than 90 per cent of results of the elections that held on February 25, were not uploaded on INEC IRev portal as at 12 midnight on the day of the polls.

The plaintiff told the court that paragraph 38 of INEC regulations and guidelines for the conduct of the 2023 elections, specifically mandated an electoral presiding officer to “use the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) machine to upload a scanned copy of the EC8A (election result paper) to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) as prescribed by the commission.”

He argued that the use of the word “shall” in the section of the regulation he cited, puts a statutory responsibility on INEC to electronically transmit the election results from every polling station in Nigeria to its portal.

He drew attention of the court to a subsisting judgement of the Supreme Court that was delivered by a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, where the apex court held that; “where a law prescribes the procedure to be followed in the performance of an act and that procedure is not complied with, the performance of the act in the circumstance becomes a nullity”.

Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for the suit to be heard.

News

Edo NLC Crisis: Caretaker Committee Drags Rival Exco, Govt To Court

Published

3 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The division in the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), took a new dimension on Wednesday as Prof. Monday Monday Lewis Igbafen-led caretaker committee approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Benin Judicial Division, seeking to affirm its authority and restrain a rival executive from parading itself as the council’s leadership.

Joined in the suit are the Edo State Government, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

In a suit marked: NICN/BEN/12/2026, and filed before the court in Benin, the claimant, Igbafen, acting for himself and on behalf of the NLC Caretaker Committee in Edo State, is challenging the continued occupation of the union’s secretariat and control of its assets by members of the Bernard Egwakhide-led factional State Executive Council.

The claimants are asking the court to declare that the caretaker committee (Igbafen-led faction), constituted on August 11, 2025, by the NLC national leadership, remains the only lawful authority to administer the affairs of the Edo State Council pending fresh elections.

They further seek a declaration that the continued occupation of the NLC secretariat located at No. 1 Teboga Road, Benin City, as well as the retention of union assets, financial records, and official instruments by the defendants, is illegal and void.

The suit also prays for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from parading themselves as officials of the NLC Edo Council or interfering with the functions of the caretaker committee.

In addition, the claimants are seeking a mandatory order compelling the defendants to immediately hand over the secretariat, vehicles, financial documents, cheque books, and all other properties belonging to the union.

The caretaker committee further urged the court to restrain the state government and its officials from interfering in the internal affairs of the union, alleging undue support for the dissolved executive.

The claimants further demand N50 million as general and exemplary damages against the defendants for alleged unlawful usurpation of office and acts prejudicial to the administration of the council.

According to court documents made available to our correspondent, the crisis followed the dissolution of the Edo State Council by the NLC National Executive Council on February 27, 2025, over allegations of misconduct, anti-union activities, and constitutional violations.

However, the matter has yet to be assigned a hearing date.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

8 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

9 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.