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Supreme Court Reserves Judgments In Atiku, Obi’s Petitions Against Tinubu’s Election
The Supreme Court on Monday reserved judgements in the appeals filed by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and that of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, challenging the declaration of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the February 25 presidential election.
Atiku and Obi separately attacked the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), which dismissed their petitions against the conduct of the 2023 presidential election and its outcome.
A seven-member panel of justices of the apex court, headed by Justice I. John Nyang Okoro, reserved judgements in the appeals for a date that would be communicated to parties after the adoption of the processes filed in the matter.
At Monday’s proceedings, Chief Chris Uche, who led the legal team of Atiku and PDP, informed the court of an interlocutory application seeking the leave of the court to present fresh evidence in the appeal.
The fresh evidence Atiku sought to tender is the academic record of Tinubu, handed over to him by Chicago State University (CSU) on October 2, 2023.
The 32-page document was released to the former Vice President on the orders of Judge Nancy Maldonado of the District Court of Illinois, Eastern Division, Illinois, United States of America.
The US court had ordered CSU to release the said documents to Atiku despite Tinubu’s objection because the court was convinced that it would help Atiku establish his allegation of forgery and lying on oath against Tinubu.
However, one of the justices on the panel, Justice Emmanuel Agim, told Atiku’s lead counsel that the deposition, which he sought to tender as evidence, was done in the chamber of lawyers to Atiku and not in the court as required by law.
Seeking further clarification, Justice Agim said: “I expected the college to write disclaiming the documents in dispute. Does a stenographer have the legal authority to administer oath? We are dealing with a matter that touches on the national interest of this country.”
In his response, Uche submitted that the legal system in the United States is different from that of the English legal system which is practised in Nigeria, and confirmed that the depositions were made in the law chambers of Atiku’s American lawyer, with representation by Tinubu’s American lawyer.
He insisted that there were no conflicts or disputes over the legality of the depositions.
Tinubu’s lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun, raised an objection to the admissibility of the depositions, saying such depositions have to be adopted by the individual that deposed to them before they can be admitted as evidence before a court.
In response, Uche argued that such is not the practice in foreign proceedings and clarified that the depositions were not based on a court order to clarify the discrepancies observed in the communication by the Chicago State University.
The presiding justice, Justice Okoro, observed that the issue of conflicting documents from the same institution is a serious criminal act that ought to be proved beyond reasonable doubt.
After hearing the appellants’ motion to admit fresh evidence and the objections by the respondents, the court directed the parties to adopt their briefs of arguments on the substantive appeal and thereafter reserved judgement for a date that would be communicated to the parties.
Abubakar Mahmoud, Chief Olanipekun, and Chief Akin Olujimi, who, respectively, represented INEC, Tinubu, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), listed as 1st to 3rd respondents, had, in their preliminary objections, urged the court to dismiss the appeal for lack of merit and being misconceived.
In the same vein, the apex court also reserved judgment in the joint appeal filed by Obi and the Labour Party challenging the victory of Tinubu at the February 25 presidential election.
The court announced the reservation of the judgement after the parties adopted their written addresses in the appeal.
While the lead counsel to Obi and his party, Dr Livy Uzoukwu, prayed to the apex court to allow the appeal and set aside the judgement of the lower court, Mahmoud, Olanipekun, and Olujimi, representing INEC, Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and APC, urged the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking merit.
In another development, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the appeal brought before it by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) against the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) delivered on September 6.
The court dismissed the appeal following an application for its withdrawal by APM’s lead counsel, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume.
APM had argued that Tinubu was not qualified to contest the February 25 presidential election, having violated the provisions of Section 142 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
The party also prayed for a declaration that the return of Tinubu by INEC as the President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is null and void; and that the withdrawal of the 5th respondent, Kabiru Masari, as Vice Presidential candidate to Tinubu, by the operations of the law, amounted to the automatic withdrawal and invalidation of the candidate of the APC. The party had asked for an order nullifying and voiding all votes scored by APC in the presidential election of February 25.
The party also applied for an order directing INEC to return the candidate with the second highest votes at the election as the winner of the presidential election.
News
Oyo 2027: Adelabu Quits As Power Minister To Focus On Guber Race
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has formally resigned from his position in the Federal Government to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to the President, Adelabu stated that his resignation will take effect on April 30, 2026, to enable him to focus on his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
The letter, routed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated that he was stepping down with “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude.”
He wrote, “I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”
Adelabu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his appointment as a privilege.
He said, “Your Excellency, I remain sincerely grateful for the privilege and confidence you reposed in me by appointing me to serve our great nation in this capacity.
“It has been a rare honour to contribute to national development under your leadership and to play a role in advancing reforms in the power sector—one of the most critical foundations of Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic transformation.”
The former minister said his resignation was to enable him focus fully on his governorship ambition in Oyo State, citing provisions of the amended electoral law.
He added, “My decision to step down is informed by my intention to focus fully on my gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State. This aspiration, which dates back to 2016 during my service as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ultimately led to my voluntary resignation from the Central Bank in 2018 in order to pursue the same goal.”
“In line with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which preclude political office holders from contesting elections, I consider it both appropriate and necessary to resign at this time.”
Adelabu’s exit marks a major political development ahead of the next electoral cycle, particularly in Oyo State, where he is expected to contest the governorship election.
News
Wale Edun, Musa Dangiwa Resigned Voluntarily, Not Sacked – Presidency
The Presidency has clarified that Wale Edun (former Finance Minister) and Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (former Housing Minister) voluntarily resigned from their positions and were not sacked by President Tinubu.
In a statement released this evening April 22, presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said that contrary to public opinions, Wale Edun resigned on health grounds while Dangiwa also tendered his resignation and thanked the President for the opportunity given him to serve in the Federal Executive Council.
Onanuga stated that Edun, who clocked 70 on Monday and has battled recent ill health, fittingly submitted his resignation letter on his birthday, thanking the President for the opportunity to serve Nigeria.
“It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve your administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda, Under your leadership, Nigeria has emerged stronger, more resilient and more internationally respected. I wish you and the administration every success in the future” he wrote
Onanuga stated that on Tuesday, before the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation announced his departure from the Cabinet, Edun paid a valedictory visit to the President at the Villa and held an hour-long discussion with the president and then left to focus on his private businesses.
The presidential aide stated that President Tinubu has expressed deep appreciation to Edun and Dangiwa for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the administration’s economic reform programme and wished them continued success in their future endeavours.
‘’In the same vein, the President has urged the new Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the administration’s fiscal and economic objectives with renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.
President Tinubu will shortly send the ministerial nominee for housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, also from Katsina, like Dangiwa, to the Senate for confirmation” the statement concluded
News
Unity Bank, Experts Advocate Green Investment, Climate Innovation To Drive Economic Resilience
Nigeria’s retail lender, Unity Bank Plc, alongside leading climate innovation experts, has called for increased investment in the green economy and the adoption of frontier technologies as critical pathways to driving economic resilience and reducing the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations across Africa.
The call was made during a thought-provoking webinar hosted by the Bank to commemorate this year’s Earth Day, themed “The True Cost of Climate Change and Who Pays?”. Climate experts and stakeholders convened to examine the human, economic, and institutional costs of climate change, while spotlighting practical solutions to address its growing impact.
In his opening remarks, Unity Bank’s Head of Strategy and Innovation, Ibukun Coker, emphasised the urgency of addressing climate risks from both a societal and business perspective.
He said: “Climate change is no longer a distant or abstract challenge. It is an existential threat with direct consequences for individuals, businesses, and economies. At Unity Bank, we recognise the role institutions must play in incorporating sustainability in project financing, supporting businesses and promoting solutions that build resilience in communities where we operate.”
The webinar featured Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder and CEO of Instollar, and Oluwatosin Ajide, Programme Manager at the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, both of whom provided insights into the drivers of climate change and the pathways to mitigation and adaptation.
Speaking during the session, Udo-Davis highlighted the disproportionate burden which climate change places on underserved communities and the need for inclusive solutions.
“The true cost of climate change is not evenly distributed. Communities with the least resources are often the most affected, whether through energy poverty, environmental degradation, or limited access to sustainable alternatives. Addressing this imbalance requires intentional investment in clean energy solutions that are both accessible and scalable.”
Ajide underscored the importance of coordinated, system-wide approaches in tackling climate challenges, particularly through innovation and policy alignment.
“Climate change is fundamentally a structural problem, and its solution requires a paradigm shift: from innovation and policy to financing and implementation. Stakeholders must work collaboratively to drive solutions that are sustainable and inclusive.”
The session also explored emerging opportunities in climate technology, renewable energy, and ecosystem financing, reinforcing the role of innovation and cross-sector collaboration in building long-term resilience.
By hosting the webinar, Unity Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing sustainability-focused dialogue and supporting initiatives that promote responsible growth and environmental stewardship.
The initiative underscores the Bank’s broader strategic focus on environmental sustainability as well as its commitment to financial inclusion.
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