The Police Service Commission has approved the appointment of 12 Commissioners of Police to different State Commands in the Country.

The Head, Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani made this known in a statement on Tuesday, April 25th 2023.

The new Commissioners of Police are;

Mohammed Usaini Gumel, posted to Kano State Command;

Haruna Gabriel Garba; Federal Capital Territory, FCT Command Abuja;

Tajudeen A. Abass; Delta State Command;

Oladimeji Yomi Olarewaju;

Ogun State Command; Taiwo Jesubiyi;

Ondo State Command;

and Julius A. Okoro; Benue State Command.

Others are;

Romokere Ibiani; Bayelsa state Command;

Mohammed Bunu; Yobe State Command;

Garba Musa Yusuf; Kaduna State Command;

Garba Ahmed; Zamfara State Command;

Hayatu Kaigama Ali; Sokoto State Command
and Aliyu Musa, Katsina State Command.

Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Solomon Arase, CFR, retired Inspector General of Police, called for greater dedication to national duty from the new State Command Commissioners.

According to Ani, Arase said the new posting comes with a lot of commitment and innovativeness and demand of them total loyalty to the Nigerian nation.

He noted that at this national transition period, the new State Command Commissioners must brace up for challenges in the course of their duties.

The PSC Chairman said they should quickly settle down to duty and tackle the security challenges in their respective states of posting.

He however noted that the Commission will monitor their stewardship in their various State Commands and ensure that they do not derail from established rules and regulations.

He wished them well and promised the Commission’s support at all times.

Lagos CP Removes DPO Over Negligence, announces sanctions of other Officers for professional misconduct.

     

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Olosan Division Mushin in Lagos has been removed by the State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa over professional misconduct by his officers.
Owohunwa, also directed that all the policemen involved in the act be identified, arrested, and be made to face disciplinary actions.

The Police Public Relations Officer SP. Benjamin Hundeyin made the disclosure in his Twitter handle on Tuesday.

Hundeyin added that Owohunwa has also directed that the matter should be charged to court. According to him,  the Police Commissioner gave the instruction after listening to all parties involved in the matter.

It was said that some  policemen had tried to cow a young lady seeking justice when she reported at the station. The married lady was slapped for refusing the love advances of a man called Bebex in the Mushin area of the state.

It will be recalled that the lady after the attack, made a video, calling for human rights activists to assist her in fighting for justice since the Bebex in question has money.

 “Due to multifarious interests in this matter and the need to ensure justice, CP Idowu Owohunwa is personally interviewing all parties in this case, community members, landlord association, councilor representing the area, the committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Omolara and family, Bebex and his employees, and lawyers representing both sides are in attendance.

“It is elating and morale-boosting that we now have a willing complainant and as a result, a tenable case to present in court.

CP Idowu Owohunwa, having carefully listened to all parties, has established that there are indeed cases to answer and has therefore directed that the matter be charged to court immediately.

“The CP also identified professional misconduct on the part of some of the police officers involved in the case. For this, the Command Provost has been directed to immediately commence disciplinary action against the officers concerned.

“And finally, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Mushin, in whose division all the officers aforementioned are serving, has been relieved of his posting with immediate effect.” he twitted.

‘If Binani is sure that some INEC officials meet with Fintiri at the Government House, she should provide the evidence to prove that what she claimed actually took place- Festus Okoye .

Following allegations levelled against the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, by the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the Adamawa State governorship election, Binani, who claimed that Fintiri held a meeting with INEC officials at the Government house during the election, Festus Okoye, has come out to deny such claims.

According to Festus Okoye, since Binani is sure that some INEC officials meet with Fintiri at the Government House, she should provide the evidence to prove that what she claimed actually took place. Festus Okoye reminders Binani that it is an offence to withhold information about an offence from the police.

Festus Okoye went on to say that it is wrong for anyone to just accuse another individual without prove. Festus Okoye said that the era when people falsely accused National Commissioners of INEC are gone. Festus Okoye urged Binani to submit her prove to the police so that the police can investigate her claims.

Confusion as LP asks tribunal to discouninue petitions against APC, Tinubu.

Labour Party (LP) has called on all election petition tribunals to disregard letters by its suspended National Legal Adviser, Mr Samuel Akingbade, withdrawing all the party’s petitions.

The party’s Acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr Obiora Ifoh, stated on Tuesday in Abuja that the presidential election petition tribunal in particular should dismiss the letter.

He called on the police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and anti-graft agencies to quickly apprehend and question the party’s ex-officials involved in the letter before they succeeded in igniting the nation.

“The party’s suspended Deputy National Chairman, Mr Lamidi Apapa has approached all election tribunals wherein LP has pending matters, including that of our presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, asking for withdrawal of cases.

“We are hereby this statement informing all arms of the Judiciary, including the tribunals and courts to ignore the ignoble antics of these compromised, suspended members of the party.

“Daily, the evil intention of the breakaway faction of the Labour Party, led by the suspended deputy national chairman, Mr Apapa continues to manifest.

“Just on Tuesday morning, our legal team was confronted by the stark revelation that these men have advanced their plots by approaching tribunals where our candidates lodged petitions to discontinue the cases,’’ Ifoh stated.

He added that the plan was to frustrate Labour Party’s destined victory at the tribunals and also to derail the country’s fledgling democracy. He listed some of the suspended party members to include Messrs Akingbade, Gbenga Daramola, Anselem Eragbe and Abayomi Arabambi.

They were the National Legal Adviser, National Financial Secretary, National Youth Leader and National Publicity Secretary, respectively.

Ifoh recalled that the leadership of Labour Party had been swimming through the murky waters of conspiracy, treachery and sabotage orchestrated by the former officers.
He stated also that party had long-suspected that moles were planted to sabotage its efforts to offer Nigerians alternative governance.

“The desperation of the moles to satisfy their paymaster is beginning to threaten the nation’s peace and democracy.
“Approaching the tribunals to withdraw all the cases lodged by Labour Party candidates is the height of subterfuge and treachery, and Nigerians will resist this ploy to plunge the nation into unnecessary turmoil.

“Their actions show that they are working against the party to destroy it.
“If they claim they have problem with the national leadership of the party, will they also claim that they have problem with the candidates of the party?

“What offence has the candidates of the party committed that they are now moving around to withdraw their matters from the tribunals,’’ he queried.

Ifoh recalled that the leadership of Labour Party had been swimming through the murky waters of conspiracy, treachery and sabotage orchestrated by the former officers.
He stated also that party had long-suspected that moles were planted to sabotage its efforts to offer Nigerians alternative governance.

“The desperation of the moles to satisfy their paymaster is beginning to threaten the nation’s peace and democracy.
“Approaching the tribunals to withdraw all the cases lodged by Labour Party candidates is the height of subterfuge and treachery, and Nigerians will resist this ploy to plunge the nation into unnecessary turmoil.“Their actions show that they are working against the party to destroy it.

“If they claim they have problem with the national leadership of the party, will they also claim that they have problem with the candidates of the party?

“What offence has the candidates of the party committed that they are now moving around to withdraw their matters from the tribunals,’’ he queried.

Ifoh stated also that he was appointed national publicity secretary of the party at a meeting in Asaba because of the vacancy created by the expulsion of the former national publicity secretary.

“All relevant government agencies, including the National Executive Council of the party were present where I was unanimously appointed,’’ he stressed. (NAN).

Ogun tribunal: Stop sending emissaries to Adebutu’s father – PDP, APC trade words

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State has warned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop sending emissaries to Chief Kessington Adebutu, father of the PDP candidate in the March 18 governorship election in the State, Ladi Adebutu.

   

The PDP cautioned that the APC should face the case before the election tribunal instead of sending dignitaries to plead with the business mogul to prevail on his son to withdraw his petition.

This was contained in a statement made available to the media by the PDP Publicity Secretary in Ogun, Akinloye Bankole, on Monday.

Earlier, the APC spokesman in Ogun, Tunde Oladunjoye, had accused Adebutu of bullying the judiciary.
Oladunjoye told Adebutu that he cannot be a petitioner and judge at the same time, saying election petition is not won on social media.

The APC leader said, “Adebutu’s persistent bullying of the judiciary, peddling of lies against the government and inciting the citizens, is the worst version of what defective petitioners do to give non-existent hope to gullible followers to keep them in check and securely warehoused.”

He described Adebutu’s petition as nothing but foul smoke that will be blown away with the wind.
“They fantasised about votes to be deducted from APC votes! This is laughable. They have been deceived by rookie statisticians who came up with all manner of strange allegations, expecting their one-winged petition to fly. The decent thing to do is for Adebutu to refrain from propaganda,” Oladunjoye stated.

Reacting, the PDP said Adebutu, together with the party approached the elections petition tribunal with petitions, to register displeasure on the level of partisanship, anomalies, manipulations and several irregularities discovered in the just concluded 2023 elections in the State.

The PDP spokesperson said it is a shameful act for Oladunjoye and the Ogun APC team to have called Adebutu out for exercising his fundamental human rights, stressing that the Nigerian constitution reckons with freedom of speech and expression, which Adebutu has done harmlessly.

“For Oladunjoye to have started crying when trials have not commenced, is it not a new antics to cause distractions, particularly when the truth is catching up with them daily?”

Bankole maintained that an election tribunal is never a military zone and anyone with no skeleton in his cupboard should not shiver but accept being served with the petitions and not wait until an order for substituted service is granted.

“If truly the APC won the election beyond reasonable doubt, then, there is no need for the APC to twist narratives, whip sentiments around the judiciary and cry foul when nothing happened.

“The APC should prepare themselves for the trials at the tribunal and stop disturbing the public with lies and also stop sending emissaries to the patriarch of the Adebutu family to plead. Rather, they should allow the judiciary, the only hope of the common man, to perform its constitutional duties. After all, ours is a constitutional democracy,” Bankole noted.

He spoke further that the “APC is known for intimidating and attacking peaceful individuals, so as to restrict people from exposing their illicit acts, hence, their new endeavour of using Oladunjoye as a microphone to orchestrate and cause post-election chaos.”

“The APC should prepare themselves for the trials at the tribunal and stop disturbing the public with lies and also stop sending emissaries to the patriarch of the Adebutu family to plead. Rather, they should allow the judiciary, the only hope of the common man, to perform its constitutional duties. After all, ours is a constitutional democracy,” Bankole said.

He spoke further that the “APC is known for intimidating and attacking peaceful individuals, so as to restrict people from exposing their illicit acts, hence, their new endeavour of using Oladunjoye as a microphone to orchestrate and cause post-election chaos.”
Bankole alleged that Oladunjoye “is supposed to be under an arrest somewhere and be answering questions bordering on corruption and reckless dereliction of duties during his inglorious days as council chairman; he should not be here claiming to be more Catholic than Pope in the bid to massage his principal’s ego.

“He has been a serial betrayer and a cheat. Even recently, he was exposed by his party members for siphoning campaign funds.
“The iniquity perpetrated by the APC in the just concluded general elections are visible to the public view, there is nowhere to hide, as we have enough video evidence of their brazen brigandage and harassment deployed to subvert the popular wish of innocent
citizens”.

Dapo Abiodun sends Akarigbo, Ogun chiefs to beg Adebutu to overlook dubious election, withdraw petition from tribunal.

The governor dispatched the frontline monarch and others to London to meet with Kesington Adebutu, hoping to broker an accord that will end in the termination of the legal battle.

Governor Dapo Abiodun, who was illegally declared winner of the March 18 Ogun governorship election, has resorted to begging his opponent Ladi Adebutu to concede defeat and withdraw his petition from the tribunal.

To plead his cause, Mr Abiodun dispatched the Akarigbo of Remo, Babatunde Ajayi, and other traditional chiefs from the state to London to meet with Kesington Adebutu, Ladi’s father, hoping to broker a peace accord that will end in the termination of the legal battle, multiple sources familiar with the matter.

   

The Akarigbo was joined on the trip by Asiwaju Solomon Onafowokan, chairman of Coleman Cable; Otunba Tunji Lawal-Solarin, chairman of Remo Growth and Development Foundation; Adewale Osiberu, Elepe of Epe;

The traditional rulers specifically stated that they were sent on the trip by Mr Abiodun, who lamented to them that he had lost concentration and unable to get a grip on the state because of the lingering judicial battle against his reelection.

“We have had a discussion with our governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, and we were able to gather from him that the relationship between him and our Balogun is not as cordial as it used to be,” the traditional chiefs said in a prepared statement during the London visit. “All these have made our rising to the exigencies of this restiveness a compelling necessity.”

The chiefs said a “palpable threat of bloodletting and heightened tension” in the state might escalate if the dispute was left unresolved between Mr Abiodun and Adebutus.
Mr Adebutu contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party against Mr Abiodun, the incumbent who ran on his ruling All Progressives Congress party line.

The Returning officer, Kayode Adebowale of the University of Ibadan flouted the electoral law when he declared Mr Abiodun winner despite a small margin that fell short of the cancelled votes in the election.

   

The electoral guideline stipulated that a supplementary election should be held where the margin of lead between the first and second candidates in an election is lower than the number of eligible voters in the areas where ballots were disrupted or cancelled.

The measure was followed in Kebbi and Adamawa, where INEC held supplementary ballots to determine a final winner.

In Ogun, Mr Adebowale, a scientist, said Mr Abiodun scored 276,298 votes against Mr Adebutu, who received 262,383 votes. The released results showed that Mr Abiodun won with only 13,915 votes, which fell well below the 49,066 eligible voters (PVCs collected) in affected precincts.