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Court declares Akande-Sadipe APC Reps Candidate for Oluyole
The Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan on Friday, dismissed a case filed by Hon. Olugbemi Sunbo, against the victory of Rep Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, who emerged as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Oluyole Federal Constituency in May 2022.
Rep. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe won the ticket of the party on 27th May, 2022.
On the 22nd of June, an action was filed by Olugbemi, asking the Presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Uche Nma Agomoh to invalidate the Primaries that declared Tolulope Akande-Sadipe as the winner.
On Friday, December 9th, 2022, the court held that Akande-Sadipe, who represents the constituency, remains the rightful candidate of the APC in Oluyole Federal Constituency.
The suit, Samson OLUSUMBO Olugbemi vs APC & 2 others with Suit no. FHC/IB/CS/109/2022 was dismissed on the grounds that there was no evidence that he won the primaries.
“No evidence of any malpractice in the primary election was established by the plaintiff”, the counsels to Akande-Sadipe and APC, Olawole Abiola and Adeola Adedipe said.
The court inferred that the case was held to be statute barred having been filed over 14 days after the cause of action occurred, which is the APC primary election of 27th of May, 2022 contrary to the provision of the constitution that provides that any action challenging primary election must be filed within 14days of the primary.
The court upheld that the plaintiff does not qualify as an aspirant under the electoral act 2022 having not asserted that he participated in the primary.
Hence, the court ruled that there were no grounds put before it, to nullify the ticket of the party in the custody of Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, having fulfilled all the provisions of the law and complied with stipulated guidelines.
Speaking further, the Counsels said the Presiding Judge struck out the case filed by the appellant, Olasunbo Olugbemi saying it does not have jurisdiction to entertain the plaintiff’s action “because the plaintiff claimed that there was no primary election”.
“The court is only empowered under section 285(14) of the constitution to examine the absence of due process in the conduct of primaries of a political party. However, the plaintiff said there was no primary election. The court rightly declined jurisdiction”.
“The federal high court Ibadan is not the proper forum to commence the action because by the FHC Practice Direction on Pre Elections, 2022. An action must be commenced at Federal high court Abuja where the plaintiff complains against the decision of INEC and APC whose headquarters are both in Abuja”, the counsels said.
Accordingly, the court declared Akande-Sadipe as the validly nominated and authentic candidate of the APC for the Oluyole Federal Constituency House of Representatives seat February 2023 election.
News
BREAKING: INEC confirms contact details, begina recall process of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from Senate
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has confirmed that the representatives of the petitioners seeking to recall the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District have now provided their contact details.
In a statement on Wednesday, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said:
“The contact address of representatives of the petitioners, their telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses have now been provided in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Commission.”
He added that INEC has formally notified the senator about the recall petition.
“As provided in Clause 2(a) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, a letter has been written to notify the senator sought to be recalled about the receipt of the petition and delivered to her official address,” Olumekun stated.
He further explained that the same letter had been copied to the presiding officer of the Senate and published on the Commission’s website.
Speaking on the next step, Olumekun said INEC would now verify the signatures to ensure that more than 50% of registered voters in Kogi Central signed the petition.
“This will be done in the coming days. The outcome, which will be made public, shall determine the next step to be taken by the Commission,” he said.
Olumekun reassured Nigerians that the recall process would be conducted in an open and transparent manner.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado, has commended his principal for assenting to South West and South – South Development Commissions Bills as well as the Nigeria Anti – Doping Bill 2025.
Senator Lado who made the commendation in a personally signed statement, described presidential assets to the bills as monumental milestone and testament to visionary leadership and national progress.
The statement reads: “I extend my warmest congratulations to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for yet another historic achievement his decisive and visionary assent to the South-West Development Commission Bill, the South-South Development Commission Bill, and the Nigeria Anti-Doping Bill, 2025.
“These landmark legislations are a clear reflection of President Tinubu’s relentless commitment to inclusive governance, equitable progress, and Nigeria’s emergence as a global powerhouse.
“His Excellency has once again demonstrated that leadership is not merely about policies—it is about impact, legacy, and a deep-rooted dedication to uplifting every citizen.
“By signing into law the establishment of the South-West and South-South Development Commissions, President Tinubu has reaffirmed his role as a transformational leader who prioritizes regional empowerment, economic expansion, and infrastructural excellence.
Building on the foundation of his earlier assent to the South-East and North -West Development Commissions, it is evident that President Tinubu is deliberate in bringing development across all regions.
“These commissions will serve as catalysts for industrial growth, job creation, and social advancement—ensuring that every corner of Nigeria benefits from his administration’s progressive vision. This is the mark of a true statesman—one who understands that a nation’s strength lies in its ability to uplift all regions without bias.
“In the same vein, the Nigeria Anti-Doping Bill, 2025 is yet another bold step that solidifies Nigeria’s commitment to fairness, excellence, and integrity in global sports.
“President Tinubu has once again positioned Nigeria as a nation of high ethical standards, ensuring that our athletes compete on the world stage with honor and credibility. By domesticating the UNESCO International Convention Against Doping in Sports, his administration has safeguarded the future of Nigerian sports, protecting our athletes from unfair practices while reinforcing our global reputation as a country that upholds integrity.
“This momentous occasion underscores President Tinubu’s unmatched leadership—one that is proactive, decisive, and deeply attuned to the needs and aspirations of the Nigerian people.
His ability to enact groundbreaking policies that foster unity, drive economic prosperity, and elevate our international standing speaks volumes of his unwavering dedication to national transformation”.
News
BREAKING: Key contact details missing in petition to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan – INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has acknowledged receiving a petition for the recall of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District but noted that key contact details of the petitioners were missing.
In a press release signed by Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission stated that the petition was submitted with six bags of documents containing signatures from more than half of the 474,554 registered voters in the district.
However, the covering letter only provided a general location, “Okene, Kogi State,” without a specific address or multiple contact numbers as required by INEC’s regulations.
INEC emphasized that the recall process is guided by the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and its 2024 Regulations and Guidelines for Recall.
The commission assured that once the petition meets all requirements, it will proceed with verifying the signatures using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in an open process involving petitioners, observers, and the media.
INEC is currently making efforts to reach the petitioners through other means and urged the public to disregard speculation on social media regarding the recall process.
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