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SERAP Drags INEC To Court Over Uninvestigated Electoral Offences In 2023 Elections

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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has filed a contempt lawsuit against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, for failing to investigate alleged electoral offences in the 2023 general elections.

The organisation stated that, despite a court order by Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on 18 July 2024, INEC has “failed and/or refused to implement the judgement.”

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This was disclosed in a statement issued by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, and made available to PUNCH Online on Sunday, 27 October 2024. However, no date has been set for the hearing of the contempt suit.

According to SERAP, the judge directed the nation’s electoral commission “to pursue cases of bribery against state governors and their deputies, as well as other electoral offences committed during the 2023 general elections,” and “to seek the appointment of independent counsel to investigate allegations of electoral offences, including bribery, vote-buying, conspiracy, and undue influence against state governors and their deputies during the 2023 general elections,” among others.

READ ALSO: Account For Missing N100bn Dirty Notes, Others, SERAP Drags CBN Gov

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SERAP stated that, regarding the notice of consequences of disobedience to the court order, the INEC chairman was informed: “Take notice that unless you obey the orders contained in the judgement of 18 July 2024, made by Justice Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/583/2023, a copy of which is hereto attached, you will be guilty of contempt of court and liable to be committed to prison.”

SERAP warned that it was “unacceptable” for INEC to ignore or fail to abide by court orders, adding that Nigeria was being mocked for its “recurring cases of electoral bribery and violence.”

The organisation said, “It’s unacceptable to treat the court, which is the guardian of justice in this country, with disdain. A democratic state based on the rule of law cannot exist or function if INEC and its chairman routinely ignore and/or fail to abide by court orders. Despite the service of the certified true copy of the judgement on INEC and Professor Yakubu, they have failed and/or refused to obey it.

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“The recurring cases of electoral bribery and violence mock Nigeria’s electoral process and participatory democracy. The latest allegations of electoral offences in Edo State show that INEC has learnt little or nothing from the well-documented problems of the 2023 general elections.”

Ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo, SERAP urged INEC to address persistent electoral offences, end the impunity of perpetrators, and ensure citizens’ right to vote and political participation.

READ ALSO:N21m Jumbo Pay: SERAP Sues Akpabio, Abbas For ‘fixing N’Assembly Running Costs’

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Quoting Justice Egwuatu’s judgement, the organisation stated, “The substance of SERAP’s grievance is the violence associated with elections in Nigeria, which tends to prevent citizens from exercising their franchise, thereby obstructing credible elections and, in the long run, credible leadership.

“There is no gainsaying that electoral violence and related crimes during elections in Nigeria are a major impediment to the country’s democratic and economic development. As citizens of this country, SERAP and its members have a legal interest whose enjoyment or enforcement depends on the performance of public duty by INEC.”

SERAP added, “In requesting the performance of the public duty imposed on the electoral body, SERAP has shown a strong sense of patriotism. The Electoral Act 2022 created several electoral offences. Sections 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, and 129 are some of the provisions of the Electoral Act that specify specific electoral offences.”

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“The trial of offences under the Electoral Act is conducted in a Magistrate Court or a High Court of the state where the offence is committed, or in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. See Section 145(1) of the Electoral Act. By Section 145(2) of the same Act, prosecution for the offences shall be undertaken by INEC legal officers or any legal practitioner appointed by INEC. The law, therefore, mandates INEC to perform a public duty.”

In July 2024, the Abuja Federal High Court ordered INEC to hold state governors, their deputies, and others accountable for cases of electoral violence, bribery, vote-buying, and conspiracy during the 2023 general elections.

In September 2024, SERAP urged the electoral commission to enforce the court judgment on the above subject matter.

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NMA Gives FG 21 Days To Avert Doctors’ Strike

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The Nigerian Medical Association has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to meet its demands to avert industrial action in the health sector.

The association, in a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, expressed disappointment and condemned the circular on the consequential adjustment of allowances under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure for medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria.

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A copy of the speech of the NMA President, Prof Bala Audu, made available to our correspondent, noted that the association rejected the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission’s circular (SWC/5/04/5.218/III/646), dated June 27, 2025, on the review of allowances for medical and dental officers in the Federal Public Service.

Prof Audu said the circular from the NSIWC violated previous Collective Bargaining Agreements with the government, adding that the recent development had worsened already existing tension among doctors who had remained committed to serving in Nigeria despite ongoing challenges.

READ ALSO:Parole Board Sensitizes Inmates In Benin, Urges Them To Key In

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“The Nigerian Medical Association expresses grave disappointment and unequivocally condemns the circular purportedly issued to address the consequential adjustment of allowances under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure for medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria.

“The circular is grossly inadequate, misleading and constitutes a flagrant violation of the spirit and letter of the agreements painstakingly reached during the collective bargaining process between the NMA and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“We want to bring this to the attention of Mr President, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), the National Assembly and the general public whom we are under oath to always protect and promote their well-being.

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“We reject this new circular in its entirety and demand a new circular that reflects previous agreements reached,” Audu said.

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He stressed that the principles of fairness and justice must guide the adjustment of allowances as previously agreed.

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He further noted that while the association had submitted the correct salary structure table as requested by the relevant government bodies, it was disappointed to find it was disregarded.

Our demands include but are not limited to the immediate withdrawal of the circular on review of allowances for medical/dental officers in the federal public service dated 27th June 2025; immediate correction of consequential adjustments in line with the agreements of 2001, 2009, and 2014 CBAs; immediate correction of the relativity agreed between CONMESS and Consolidated Health Salary Structure and compliance with relativity in all professional allowances in accordance with the 2001 CBA, particularly regarding call duty allowances, and the payment of all accrued backlogs.

“The immediate settlement of all outstanding arrears of 25/35 per cent CONMESS, clinical duty and accoutrement allowances owed to medical and dental practitioners; the immediate payment of Medical Residency Training Fund for 2025, and review of the MRTF to reflect prevailing economic realities; the immediate convocation of the long-overdue Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations on CONMESS; the immediate release of the circular on clinical duty and other allowances for honorary consultants as agreed in January 2024.”

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The association also demanded the implementation of scarce skills allowances for medical consultants; approval of specialist allowances for all doctors; approval of excess workload allowances for all doctors; and adoption of relativity in all professional allowances in accordance with the 2001 CBA, particularly regarding call duty allowances; compliance with CBA of 2021 on hazard allowances; implementation of subsisting CONMESS circular of 2024 for house officers; and universal application of the CONMESS across all federal and state Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to combat internal brain drain.

The doctors also demanded the immediate reversal of the appointment of other healthcare professionals as consultants in hospitals, citing patient safety and the need to maintain medical care standards.

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The NMA President stressed that the association had consistently engaged in dialogue with relevant government agencies and the Federal Ministry of Health in good faith, and remained committed to continued dialogue as long as their rightful entitlements were appropriately addressed.

READ ALSO:FG Places N5m Bounty On Fleeing Inmates Of Ilesa Prison

As a responsible and responsive association that understands and respects values, we have painstakingly and repeatedly engaged in dialogue with the relevant agencies of government and the Federal Ministry of Health.

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“We have exhibited so much goodwill and intend to continue the same as long as we get our appropriate and timely dues.

“We hereby expect that attention will be given to our demands within the next 21 days to avert disruption in the health services rendered to the Nigerian people,” he concluded.

 

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Lagos Suspends BRT Lane Enforcement On Eko Bridge, Odo Iya-Alaro

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The Lagos State Government has temporarily suspended enforcement of the Bus Rapid Transit lane along the Eko Bridge and Odo Iya-Alaro corridor to ease growing traffic congestion.

This gridlock is a result of the ongoing structural rehabilitation on the Ogudu-Ifako Bridge expansion joint.

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Special Adviser to the Lagos Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa announced the suspension on Wednesday, describing it as a strategic move to tackle gridlock in affected parts of the city.

This remedial measure, conceived as a palliative response to mitigate commuter hardship, aligns with the Lagos State Government’s forward-thinking and adaptive transportation strategy under the THEMES Plus Agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, particularly within the framework of sustainable traffic management and infrastructure modernisation,” Giwa said.

READ ALSO:Lagos Monarch Dethrones Six Chiefs For ‘Impersonating’ Him At Labour Party Campaign

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He explained that the temporary suspension is a transitional and conditional measure aimed at absorbing the anticipated vehicular overflow caused by the partial closure of the Ifako-bound carriageway of the Third Mainland corridor.

We are fully cognizant of the immense strain currently imposed on key ingress routes into the Lagos Mainland. Consequently, this tactical suspension of BRT lane enforcement is a calculated response designed to deliver immediate relief, reduce commuting time, and preserve the fluidity of vehicular movement throughout the duration of the bridge repairs,” he added.

According to him, the directive takes immediate effect and allows general vehicular access to previously restricted BRT corridors on Eko Bridge and Odo Iya-Alaro, particularly during peak travel periods.

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He said this move is expected to expand available road capacity and ease traffic along critical routes.

READ ALSO:Lagos Opens Teacher Recruitment Portal For Two Weeks

Giwa, however, stressed that commercial buses and articulated vehicles must remain in compliance with existing safety rules and loading guidelines to avoid worsening traffic conditions or compromising public safety.

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He also disclosed that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has been mobilised to strengthen its presence along the affected corridors.

Enhanced personnel deployment and traffic equipment are now in place to ensure orderly conduct, prevent exploitation of the temporary suspension, and respond promptly to any emergent traffic disturbances,” Giwa stated.

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Lagos Opens Teacher Recruitment Portal For Two Weeks

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The Lagos State Government has announced the reactivation of its teaching job recruitment portal to allow qualified individuals to apply for entry-level teaching positions.

In a notice issued by the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission on Tuesday, the portal will be open for applications from Tuesday, July 1 to Monday, July 14, 2025.

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The Lagos State Teaching Service Commission is set to reactivate its Recruitment Portal as a bold step towards improving access to employment opportunities, equity, and fairness.

READ ALSO:FG Gives Overstaying Foreigners Ultimatum To Regularise Visa

The job portal, which will be accessible for two weeks (Tuesday, July 1st 2025, to Monday, July 14th, 2025), is intended to provide a centralised platform where individuals can apply for State Teaching jobs at the entry level (GL 08) in their relevant fields,” the notice read.

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The move, according to the Commission, is aimed at improving access to employment opportunities in the education sector while ensuring equity and fairness.

TESCOM urged interested applicants with a degree in Education or other relevant qualifications to visit the official portal https://tescomjobs.lagosstate.gov.ng and apply for teaching roles at Grade Level 08.

The notice was signed by the Chairman of the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission.

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