General
Tambuwal Loses At Supreme Court
By Dipo Olowookere
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has lost his bid to stop an action on his nomination at the Supreme Court.
On Friday, the apex court dismissed his suit challenging the propriety of his nomination for the 2015 governorship election by the All Progressive Congress (APC) and ordered a Federal High Court in Abuja should retry the case on its merit and make decision as demanded by law.
The Supreme Court held that the nomination of Tambuwal by his party should be challenged by another governorship aspirant, Senator Umaru Dahiru on the ground that he has sufficient justifiable cause.
In a unanimous decision of a five man panel of the Supreme Court Justices, the court held that to agree with Tambuwal that the primary election that produced him cannot be challenged by another governorship aspirant is to allow democracy to be murdered by the governor.
In the lead judgment by Justice Musa Dattijo Mohammed and read by Justice Chima Nweze, the apex court set aside the decision of the court of appeal that the legal action instituted by Senator Dahiru against Tambuwal had been overtaken by events on the strength of the April 11, 2015 election of the governor
The Supreme Court said that the Appeal Court erred in law by holding that the event had overtaken the case of the appellant simply because the governorship election had been conducted after the primary election of APC that produced Tambuwal and which was been challenged in court.
Senator Dahiru had challenged the conduct of the primary election that produced Tambuwal as candidate of APC on the ground it was fraught with fraud.
The Senator claimed that the primary election of APC conducted in 2014 in Sokoto was fraudulent because the original list of the delegates for the primary election was swapped in favour of Tambuwal by some external forces.
By this development, the Federal High Court in Abuja is now to determine the matter against Tambuwal on its merit and acceleratedly as ordered by the Supreme Court.
Two appellants Senator Umaru Dahiru and Barrister Aliyu Abubakar Sanyinna who were governorship aspirants on the APC Platform in the 2015 general election had filed the appeal.
In their brief of arguments filed by Professor Awa Kalu SAN, the two appellants pleaded with the apex court to reverse the decision of the Court of Appeal which held that their suit had become academic exercise by virtue of the election of Tambuwal in the April 11, 2015 governorship poll.
In the brief of argument adopted by Mr. Ikoro M. Ikoro, the two appellants insisted that the lower court (Appeal Court) erred in law by holding that their joint suit has no life to sustain it simply because of the conducted general election.
They argued that the April 11, 2015 general election cannot take life out of their case or render it academic exercise because the suit had been filed on January 27, 2015 long before the general election was conducted.
The appellants chronicled the genesis of their suit, claiming that several frivolous motions and applications filed by the respondents at the federal high court in Abuja delayed judgment delivery until after the general election.
Their counsel argued that since all the delay tactics were at the instance of the respondents, the respondents should not be allowed to be beneficiaries of the unjust delays which made expeditious hearing practically impossible.
They asked the apex court to invoke Section 22 of the Supreme Court Act to resolve the issue to a finality as the said section of the law empowers it to act as a court of first instance in the circumstances of the case.
Respondents in the appeal are the APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
But counsel to Tambuwal Mr. Sunday Ibrahim Ameh SAN stood his ground that the reliefs sought by the appellants at the Federal High Court have been overtaken by the general election and the declaration of Tambuwal as winner of the April 11, 2015 election.
The counsel urged the court to dismiss the appeal on the ground that it had become pure academic issue without any live.
In his own argument, Mr Jibrin Okutepa SAN, who stood for APC aligned himself with the third respondent’s submission.
The appellants had at the federal high court sued Tambuwal and asked the court to declare that the primary poll of December 4, 2014 which produced him was unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void and inconsistent with the Electoral Act, 2010 and the APC guidelines.
They claimed that the list of accredited delegates was swapped at the election venue and that votes were arbitrarily, unlawfully and fraudulently allocated to the aspirants after series of manipulation, intimidation and threat from the then state government officials backing the third respondent.
They asked for the court order restraining INEC from acting, publishing or recognizing Tambuwal as APC gubernatorial candidate.
They also prayed for an order nullifying or withdrawing the nomination of Tambuwal and that a fresh primary election be ordered.
Justice Evoh Stephen Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja ruled in their favour.
But the appeal court in its judgment delivered by justice Moore Adumein set aside the decision of the trial court and held that the reliefs of the plaintiffs cannot be granted again in view of the 2015 governorship poll already won by Tambuwal.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is considering expanding the country’s Deep Blue Project due to its perceived success, with impact felt across the Gulf of Guinea, where it has helped to reduce piracy massively and gained global recognition, to ensure sustainability and greater impact.
The Director General of NIMASA, Mr Dayo Mobereola, made this known during his strategic visit to the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abass, at the Naval Headquarters, Abuja.
Mr Mobereola, while commending the Navy for the harmonious collaboration with NIMASA and congratulating the CNS who had previously served as Maritime Guard Commander under the agency, called for continued partnership with the security outfit under his watch.
“It is important that we continue our partnership and strengthen our relationship. Our purpose here is to congratulate you and to discuss the benefits of the Deep Blue Project, how to sustain it, expand it, and increase its impact on the Gulf of Guinea.
“We are confident that we have the backing of the President, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, and the Nigerian Navy, hence, we are working towards presenting our proposal on the necessary improvements to be undertaken,” he stated.
The DG acknowledged the importance of the Deep Blue Project, noting that its impact resonates globally, with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) commending it.
“The Deep Blue Project is vital, and countries around Africa and some other parts of the world are coming to copy our model. The IMO is asking how a civilian organisation was able to achieve this feat. It is therefore important that we continue to collaborate and do even better for greater sustainability,” he said.
Mr Mobereola also congratulated the Chief of Operations, Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Musa Katagum, who is joining the NIMASA governing board as the Navy’s representative.
On his part, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abass, while welcoming the NIMASA DG and his delegation, commended the Agency for the good work it is doing in the maritime sector and its continued support to the Nigerian Navy.
“Part of my command’s objective is to work in synergy with other agencies to achieve our goal as a country. We complement each other. We have no option but to collaborate and synergise.”
The Naval chief noted some concerns, which include the MoU between NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy, which has been in place since 2007 and should be revisited.
He also solicited for the Navy to be called upon for such needs as vessel repair, hydrographic surveys and chartings, stating the Navy’s capacity in handling such tasks.
The CNS also canvassed NIMASA’s assistance for wreck removal, particularly as the Navy gears towards its 70th Anniversary, where it looks forward to welcoming foreign ships.
He further commended NIMASA for its recent launch of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) Application Portal, noting that the organisation has come a long way in its planned disbursement of the fund.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company has described as malicious and misleading a widespread publication currently circulating online alleging impropriety about its chief executive, Ms Folake Soetan, and its board chairman, Mr Kola Adesina.
The management of the DisCo noted that a publication attributed to ‘Nigerian Global Business Forum’ defamed its CEO and the chairman of the IKEDC board.
The company said, “The publication, attributed to yet to be verified individuals and organisation, is clearly intended to misinform the public and bring the company and its leadership into disrepute through fabricated claims, the DisCo observed.”
Ikeja Electric noted that its investigation so far revealed that the ‘Nigerian Global Business Forum’ is an unregistered organisation with no recognised legal or corporate existence locally or abroad.
According to the energy firm, the signatories, “Dr Alaba Kalejaiye” and “Musa Ahmed,” have no verifiable professional credentials or established public profiles, and the publication contains false and misleading statements regarding Ikeja Electric’s operations, safety record, and financial practices.
The organisation said it had instructed its legal advisers to conduct a thorough forensic investigation and to initiate defamation proceedings against the authors, publishers, and any persons or entities found responsible for sponsoring or disseminating this malicious publication.
Ikeja Electric said it operates within a strict framework of accountability and remains committed to transparency and service improvement, warning it will not tolerate coordinated disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining public confidence and tarnishing its corporate integrity.
“Ikeja Electric remains steadfast in its mandate to deliver reliable power while upholding the highest standards of corporate governance and customer excellence.
Members of the public are advised to disregard the false publication in its entirety,” it said in a statement.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Nigerians may be forced to purchase premium motor spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, for almost N1,000 per litre if marketers choose to go for the costly coastal evacuation and not the cheaper gantry loading, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has cautioned.
Though the company clarified that marketers were free to choose their preferred mode of evacuation, it emphasised that the implication of adopting the coastal loading was that consumers would pay more for the product because of the extra costs.
According to Dangote Refinery, “Coastal logistics can add approximately N75 per litre to the cost of petrol, which, if passed on to consumers, would push the pump price of PMS close to N1,000 per litre.”
The firm noted that its “world-class gantry facility” has 91 loading bays capable of loading up to 2,900 tankers daily.
Operating on a 24-hour basis, the facility can evacuate over 50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit PMS, 14 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) and other refined products each day, it added, urging marketers and policymakers to prioritise logistics choices that support price stability and consumer welfare.
It stressed that direct gantry evacuation eliminates port charges, maritime levies and vessel-related costs that do not add value to end users, helping to optimise costs, improve distribution efficiency and support price stability.
“Reliance on coastal delivery, particularly within Lagos, may introduce avoidable costs with material implications for fuel pricing, consumer welfare and overall economic wellbeing,” the company stated in a statement.
Based on Nigeria’s average daily consumption of about 50 million litres of PMS and 14 million litres of diesel, the refinery estimated that sustained dependence on coastal logistics could impose an additional annual cost of roughly N1.752 trillion. This cost, it said, would ultimately be borne either by producers or Nigerian consumers.
The refinery also renewed calls for coordinated investment in pipeline infrastructure nationwide, arguing that functional pipelines linking refineries to depots would significantly cut distribution costs, improve supply reliability and strengthen national energy security.
It said domestic refining has already delivered measurable benefits to the Nigerian economy. Since the commencement of operations, the price of diesel has fallen from about N1,700 per litre to N1,100 and currently trades between N980 and N990. Similarly, PMS prices have declined from about N1,250 per litre to between N839 and N900.
It added that increased local supply has sharply reduced fuel importation, eased foreign exchange pressures and improved market stability, contributing to a stronger naira, which recently traded at about N1,385 to the dollar.
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