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Why Judgements Sacking Govs Should Be Reviewed – Falana
Human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, said the judgements of the appellate court sacking Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State and Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State should be reviewed.
Falana made this call in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
According to him, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed in its duty to conduct proper elections in the country.
He said the votes of Nigerians should not be nullified by the courts because of the supposed negligence of the electoral umpire that shouldn’t have cleared candidates put forward by parties without primaries conducted.
He also said thousands of votes should not be invalidated by the court because INEC officials failed to stamp ballot sheets.
Falana noted that election matters should be concluded before the inauguration of any administrations.
Recall the appellate court sacked three governors that INEC declared as winners in the March 2023 poll. All the three governors sacked by the appellate court are in opposition parties.
The court sacked Yusuf of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) and declared his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Nasir Gawuna, as the winner of the poll.
In Zamfara, the appellate court sacked Governor Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when it declared the poll inconclusive about eight months after.
The court ordered INEC to conduct a fresh election in three local government areas of the state. PDP’s Lawal and APC’s Bello Matawalle are the major contenders in the race.
On Sunday, the appellate court sacked PDP’s Mutfwang and ordered INEC to issue a Certificate of Return to APC’s Nentawe Goshwe. The court held that the party violated the court order that a valid congress be conducted in the 17 local government areas of that state.
However, the appellate court affirmed the election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the APC in Lagos State.
But, peaking on the judgements of the appellate court, Falana said INEC failed to perform due diligence before and during the elections.
He said all those dissatisfied with the appeal court verdicts can go to the Supreme Court.
“If you look at what happened in Lagos is different from what happened in Plateau. You are being told in Plateau that there was a judgement of the high court to the effect that primaries have to be conducted. The judgement, as usual, was dishonoured and disobeyed and the election went on.”
He said the political class must learn to comply with the decision of the court.
“It is different from Kano where you are being told that voters can be punished. It is a very dangerous judicial policy to sanction voters for the mistake of electoral officers. We are being told that 165,000 votes are wasted, they are invalid because some electoral officers committed an error by not stamping them.
On how that affect the validity of election, Falana said, “I do hope that this time around the Supreme Court will resolve these needless controversies surrounding the non-stamping of ballot papers by INEC officials who have not been recommended for any sanction.
“This is why these judgements will have to be reviewed.”
News
Rivers Assembly Suspends Impeachment Move Against Fubara After Tinubu’s Intervention
The Rivers State House of Assembly has officially suspended impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, following President Bola Tinubu’s intervention.
The House moved the motion to halt the impeachment process on Thursday at its resumed sitting in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
JomogNews had reported that during its first sitting of 2026, the House had begun impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy over allegations of gross misconduct, including the demolition of the State Assembly complex and alleged spending without legislative approval, among other claims.
More details later….
News
Reserves Surge To $48.5bn As Nigeria Reclaims 2013 Peak Levels
Nigeria’s foreign exchange (FX) reserves have reached $48.5 billion, their highest level in nearly 13 years.
This milestone, confirmed by data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), surpasses previous multi-year peaks and represents the strongest balance since May 14, 2013, when reserves stood at approximately $48.51 billion.
However, the data showed that the foreign reserves increased steadily by 6.45 percent or $2.94 billion year-to-date, from $45.56 billion reported on January 1 to $48.5 billion.
Further checks showed that the FX reserves figure was $48.36 billion on Monday.
According to the CBN, FX reserves are assets held on reserve by a monetary authority in foreign currencies, which are used to back liabilities and influence monetary policy.
On December 22, 2025, the apex bank projected that the country’s external reserves would rise to $51.04 billion in 2026, saying the increase will be supported by FX reforms.
“Reforms in the foreign exchange market are expected to sustain exchange rate stability, while external reserves are projected to increase to US$51.04 billion,” CBN said.
On February 10, Olayemi Cardoso, governor of CBN, said the bank will do “whatever it takes” to safeguard the value of the naira, while strengthening the country’s external reserves.
Looking ahead to 2030, he said the CBN’s targets include achieving single-digit inflation and growing foreign exchange (FX) reserves driven by non-oil exports, foreign direct investment, and diaspora remittances.
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Ogun Police Launch Investigation Into TikToker Mirabel’s Sexual Assault Claims
The Ogun State Police Command has launched an investigation into sexual assault allegations made by a TikToker known as Mirabel (@mirab351), who is currently receiving treatment in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The case gained widespread attention after she posted emotional videos on Monday, February 16, detailing an attack she claimed occurred at her home the previous Sunday.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed the development on Thursday while speaking on The Morning Brief.
Babaseyi confirmed that Mirabel voluntarily visited the Ibafo Police Division on Tuesday, February 17, to lodge a formal complaint and was subsequently admitted to the hospital for medical care due to her unstable condition.
“When the DPO in Ibafo met with her, she was taken to the hospital for medical analysis. She wasn’t as stable as necessary, but we ensured the investigation continued.
“As we speak, she is in the intensive care unit getting appropriate care. Her medical well-being is more important to us at this point. When she is stable, we can now continue investigations and get the necessary facts,” Babaseyi said.
According to Babaseyi, the incident reportedly occurred in Ogijo, a border community between Ogun and Lagos states.
The police have established that Mirabel was not arrested, but rather, she is being treated as a victim.
The command urges individuals with useful information to come forward and assist with the investigation.
“She was not arrested by the police. She reported a case, and we are investigating. Nothing like her arrest happened,” he said.
“If the allegation is established to be true, the perpetrator will be arrested and charged to court appropriately. Otherwise, the law also addresses giving false information,” the police stated.
The police said they will rely on evidence to reach a logical conclusion and take appropriate action.
“We advise people not to jump to conclusions based on emotions. We are investigating and will rely on evidence to reach a logical conclusion,” Babaseyi said.
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