Tribunal sacks Ondo APC lawmaker, Akinsuroju, orders rerun

Published

12 months ago

September 27, 2023

The Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Akure has nullified the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker representing the Ileoluji/Okeigbo constituency, Nelson Akinsuroju.

The tribunal led by Justice Rose Soji, ordered a rerun election in six out of the 27 polling units being challenged by the petitioner and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Babatunde Fadare, out of the 191 polling units.

The tribunal while delivering its judgement declared that the March 18th, 2023 Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Constituency election, was inconclusive while delivering judgement, ordered a rerun in six affected polling units in the Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo local government area of the state.

Counsel to Akinsuroju, Remi Olatubora, while reacting to the verdict, said the judgement was one-sided as it is based on the morality of the case and not the competence of the results.

Olatubora who was represented by Barrister Olumide Ogidan, said “the judgement shall be studied and shall be appealed within the stipulated time frame, as stated in the Electoral Act of 2022”

The sacked lawmaker, Akinsuroju, has however, called for calm and enjoined the people of Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo State Constituency to be hopeful as the judgment shall be appealed through his legal team.

He said the people’s mandate would be protected to ensure that they continue to enjoy the dividends of their democracy which they have been enjoying for over four months.

Akinsuroju was announced the winner by INEC, after polling a total number of 10,207 votes, to beat the PDP candidate who polled 9,287 votes.

Fadare however, petitioned the tribunal, challenging the outcome of the election on the grounds that the election results was not valid over failure to comply with electoral laws, saying Akinsuroju was not duly elected for not getting the highest lawfully votes cast.

He also urged the court to declare the election inconclusive and order INEC to conduct supplementary elections in the 6 affected units where elections were disrupted.

News

Presidential Spokesman Goes On Indefinite Leave of Absence

Published

24 hours ago

September 7, 2024

Ezekiel Tijani

Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media & Publicity, has announced an indefinite leave of absence.

This decision comes after consulting with his family due to a worsening medical situation at home. Ngelale submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff on Friday, notifying him of his leave.

Ngelale’s leave affects his roles as Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action and Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.

He expressed hope to return to full-time national service when circumstances permit. The leave of absence takes effect immediately, with no specified date for his return.

“I look forward to returning to full-time national service when time, healing, and fate permit,” Ngelale said. He respectfully asked for privacy for his family during this challenging time.

One Of God’s Power Brokers, I’m Immune From Harm, Tragedy Or Untimely Death — Dr Chris Okafor

Published

1 week ago

August 29, 2024

roamannews

Founder and senior pastor of the Grace Nation Church International, Dr Chris Okafor says his status as one of God’s major power brokers makes him immune from any untoward and unsavoury happenstances that could question his dedication and commitment to His service as an anointed minister.

According to him, his confidence derives from the immortal words taken from the Bible in Hebrews 11: 6 which says God is a “rewarder of those who dutifully and diligently serve him.”

The cleric, while expounding on the message, “Benefits of Soul-Winning” during a recent Sunday service said he had never at any time in his over 20-year work with God had cause to worry or fret over his safety or of those related to him because he considers himself immune from the buffettings of the devil and his children of wickedness.

This, he says, is because he has reached a level in his walk with God that he can be referred to as a power broker who must necessarily enjoy God’s protection at all times and in all ramifications.

“This might sound presumptuous to some people for me to say I’m a power broker in God’s kingdom. But when you have been privileged to be the conduit through which God’s virtues of prophecies, healing and deliverances have flowed all through the years, it is only right to state the obvious,” he said.

“The Bible is clear about the benefits that accrue to those who win souls to God’s kingdom. See, nothing God values more than soul winning. Soul-winning is to God what money is to man. I have come to discover that when we diligently apply ourselves to serving God in truth and in spirit, particularly working assiduously to ensure that we win souls to His kingdom, He pays our bills. He blesses us, he shields us from untoward happenings, and all kinds of tragedies and calamities.

“Above all, he makes us fruitful and elongates our lives. The scripture cannot be broken. God’s words in Exodus 23: 25 -26 remains true even till this day. It says, “So you shall serve the Lord, your God and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.

“No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.”

“God has confirmed that scripture in my life on several occasions. A lot of people are aware how I survived a hail of bullets that ripped through the car I was traveling in when I was kidnapped on my way from a crusade in the eastern part of Nigeria some years ago.

“I survived more than 50 days of captivity in those kidnappers’ den. In all of that time, most people, including members of my congregation had given me up for dead. Yet, through God’s hands of mercy, I was rescued and I am still alive today, more than over a decade after the incident.

“What about another time I survived a plane crash? I was in a flight returning from one of the foreign crusades I went some years ago when our aircraft developed a fault. The situation was so bad that the plane was falling and plummeting dangerously towards the earth. Infact, we were already seeing the ground as everyone was in a distressed mood, calling for God’s intervention.

“I had stood up, and prayed a simple prayer, reminding God that no one who diligently served Him should see untimely and an unwarranted death. He heard me and we were all saved on that occasion.

“So, as a power broker — one who has offered himself as a vessel of honour for God’s wondrous works time and time again, it will be out of character for me to experience any form of harm, tragedy or untimely death,” he added.