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[BREAKING] Electoral Act: Reps To Report Judge To NJC For Empowering Malami To Delete Section 84(12)

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The House of Representatives is considering reporting Justice Evelyn Anyadike of a Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia State, to the National Judicial Council for nullifying the provisions of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022.

Justice Anyadike’s nullification thereby empowers the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), to delete the section from the Act.

The House also resolved to appeal the judgment and have it upturned.

The lawmakers also asked Malami to allow the National Assembly to exercise its right to appeal the case.

Several members of the House, at the plenary on Wednesday, criticized the judiciary and the executive for usurping the powers of the legislature, stating that only the parliament and not a presidential appointee can amend the law.

The Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, said he got to know about the case on the media. He said he discovered that the chamber was not served any notice, since it was not a party to the suit.

Gbajabiamila said the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), was rightly advised to approach the National Assembly for amendment of the Act.

The Speaker stated that he would not sit back and allow the parliament to be ridiculed under his watch.

Gbajabiamila said it was curious that the National Assembly was joined in the suit and the judgment was secured from a court in Umuahia.

The Speaker stated that the parliament must appeal the judgment and ensure that it was set aside. According to him, it is a mistake and lawmakers must correct it.

Gbajabiamila appealed to the AGF to “tarry” and not take over the responsibility of the National Assembly.

The Senate had also on Tuesday resolved to take a decision on the matter today.

Section 84(10) of the Act reads, “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”

On Friday, Anyadike had held that the section was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever, saying it ought to have been struck out.

A lawyer and chieftain of the Action Alliance party, Nduka Edede, had approached the court, in the suit that had the Attorney-General of the Federation as the Defendant.

The Plaintiff had asked the court to determine whether Section 84(12) when to read together with Sections 66(1)(f) 107(1)(f)(137(1)(f) and 182(1)(f) of the 1999 Constitution, was not inconsistent.

Malami had said his office would accordingly give effect to the court judgment in line with the dictates of the law and the spirit of the judgment.

The minister said, “The judgment of the Court will be recognized by the government printers in printing the Electoral Act.

“The Act will be gazetted factoring the effect of the judgment into consideration and deleting the constitutionally offensive provision accordingly.

“The provision of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022 is not part of our law and will be so treated accordingly.

“This is in line with the dictates of chapter 7, Part 4, Section 287 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) on enforcement of decisions that make it a point of duty and obligation on all authorities and persons to have the judgment of the Federal High Court, among others, to be enforced.”

Meanwhile, the National Assembly had been divided over the ruling by a Federal High Court, Abuja, stopping the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN); and the parliament from tampering with the Electoral Act 2022.

While the Senate had insisted on going ahead to consider the request by the President, who asked the federal parliament to delete Section 84(14) of the new electoral law, the House said it would obey the court.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, had stated that the ruling by the FHC negates the principles of Separation of Powers. The chamber had gone ahead to consider the executive bill for second reading and voted against it.

However, Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Benjamin Kalu, while addressing journalists on Tuesday, argued that the chamber would obey the Rule of Law principle.

Buhari, while assenting to the Electoral Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on February 25, had highlighted sections of the new law that would revolutionalize the electoral system in the country but expressed reservations about Section 84 (12).

The President had last week officially conveyed his reservation about Section 84 (12) of the Act 2022 to the National Assembly, asking the lawmakers to delete it.

BIG STORY

Buhari Never Honoured Anyone The Way Tinubu Did To Him — Shehu Sani

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Former senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, stated that while he was alive, late President Muhammadu Buhari never paid tribute to anyone in the same way President Bola Tinubu did for him.

He mentioned that Tinubu declared a public holiday on the day of Buhari’s funeral, personally attended the burial, and also renamed a federal institution in Buhari’s honour, among other gestures.

Sani referred to these actions as extraordinary and worthy of recognition.

He took to X to outline the several ways Tinubu showed respect to his predecessor.

These actions included declaring a public holiday, being physically present at Buhari’s burial, visiting his family, holding a Federal Executive Council meeting in his memory, and renaming a university to commemorate him.

The President physically attended the burial of Buhari, met with his family, declared a public holiday, held a FEC meeting in his honor and renamed a university to immortalise him.

Something even the late President never did to others. And yet they said he is ‘exploiting the death of Buhari’.

What would they have said if he had done none of the above? Politics is something else, the senator tweeted.

The post continued to draw reactions, with over 1,000 likes recorded at the time this report was made.

Sani’s statement came amid increasing political discourse regarding Tinubu’s actions following Buhari’s death, especially from opposition groups.

His remarks appeared to be a direct response to criticisms from parties such as the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which accused Tinubu’s administration of leveraging Buhari’s death for image-boosting.

Presidential media aide, Sunday Dare, dismissed ADC’s claims, describing them as nothing but an opportunistic exercise in manufactured outrage.

He pointed out the irony of the same party accusing Tinubu of politicising Buhari’s passing while also trying to gain attention by speaking ill of the late president.

Their latest press release alleging that President Tinubu’s government is ‘exploiting’ the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari for political gain is not only dishonest.

It is an insult to millions of Nigerians who genuinely mourned the loss of a statesman, and who watched the State Burial accorded Buhari with solemn respect and dignity, he said.

He added that the funeral was held with full honours appropriate for a former leader, and witnessed by dignitaries worldwide, with millions following on various media platforms.

According to him, Tinubu is not chasing superficial popularity but rather letting his growing accomplishments speak louder than the distractions posed by groups like the ADC.

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BIG STORY

Court Jails Gospel Singer Moses Otitoju, Eight Others For Cybercrime

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The Federal High Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, has sentenced Moses Otitoju, a self-proclaimed gospel singer, and eight others to prison for crimes linked to cybercrime, conspiracy, and misuse of funds.

Otitoju was sentenced along with Ayodele Joseph, Adeoye Joseph, and Abubakar Abdulmalik, all charged with similar offences by the anti-corruption agency.

The charges were filed by the Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

According to a statement issued Friday by Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity at the EFCC, the 31-year-old gospel singer from Iyamoye in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State was sentenced to six months in prison by Justice Abimbola Awogboro without the option to pay a fine.

Otitoju was convicted for keeping over N8.4 million in his bank account, which was traced to illegal activities.

One of the charges read, “That you, Otitoju Moses Sesan, sometime between October 2024 and December 2025, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did retain control of the gross sum of N8,404,339 in your account, being proceeds of criminal conduct, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17(a) and (b) of the EFCC Act, 2004.”

Ayodele, who had N243,750 in his account, received an eight-month jail sentence without an option of fine.

His Tecno 19 phone was confiscated by order of the court and handed over to the Federal Government.

Adeoye, a native of Okene LGA in Kogi State, was also sentenced to eight months without the option of a fine.

He forfeited $220, an iPhone 13, and a Tecno Pop 9 phone to the Federal Government.

Abubakar was handed a six-month prison term. His iPhone 16 and Samsung S10 were also ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.

EFCC prosecutors Aliyu Adebayo, Sesan Ola, Rashidat Alao, and Mustapha Kaigama led the cases, presenting statements, exhibits, and recovered funds as evidence, all of which were admitted in court.

In another case, Justices Haleema Saleeman and Sulaiman Akanbi of the Kwara State High Court found Emeka Achi, Isaac Oluwafemi, Afolabi Olatoye, Zubeiru Zubeiru Junior, and Abdulkadir Taofeek guilty of cybercrime and diversion of funds.

Justice Akanbi sentenced Abdulkadir to three years in prison with an option to pay a N500,000 fine, and ordered that N800,000, an iPhone 14 Pro Max, and a Samsung phone be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

Justice Saleeman sentenced Emeka, Isaac, and Afolabi to six months in jail each, with the option to pay N100,000 as a fine.

In addition, Emeka was ordered to repay N3.35 million within three months and report to the EFCC every two weeks alongside his parents until full payment is made.

Tunde Oyekola

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BIG STORY

Kogi University Lecturer Dies During Sex Romp In Hotel Room With 200-Level Student

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A senior lecturer at Kogi State University, Anyigba, named Dr. Olabode Abimbola Ibikunle, reportedly died in a hotel room following a sexual encounter with a 22-year-old student in her second year.

It was reported that the event happened on Tuesday, July 15, and the police at Anyigba were alerted shortly after. The student involved was taken into custody for questioning.

The lecturer, known across the university for his strict approach, was allegedly infamous for taking advantage of female students in return for academic favours.

Sources claim Dr. Ibikunle, who was married with children, had booked a room in a hotel alongside the student, who is studying Social Studies Education.

According to those familiar with the situation, the lecturer consumed several energy drinks prior to the incident, presumably in anticipation of vigorous activity.

Unfortunately, the lecturer collapsed and passed away during the act.

The Kogi State Police Command verified the incident to SaharaReporters on Friday, labeling it as unfortunate.

In a statement to SaharaReporters, the Command’s spokesperson, SP William Ovye Aya, stated that the student had been moved to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for deeper inquiry and potential charges.

Aya explained: “The report was received on July 16, but the unfortunate incident happened on July 15, 2025. It was the manager of the hotel (name not disclosed), who came to the police station at Anyigba and reported about his guest, the lecturer who had lodged in their facility with a 22-year-old 200-level student, 22 years old, named Gloria Samuel.

“According to the manager, the girl on that fateful day rushed to the reception and complained that the lecturer took her to the hotel, and after they had sex, the man slumped.

“So the manager rushed and informed the DPO, and the DPO rushed to the scene, and they moved the man to the hospital. On arrival, a doctor on duty confirmed the lecturer’s death.

“So the girl in question has been transferred from Anyigba Police Division to the State CID for further investigation and prosecution. An autopsy has been conducted, but right now I don’t know whether the result of the autopsy is out because I haven’t spoken with the SCID.”

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