Today's Headlines: How Obi Found Missing Phones-Aide, INEC seeks law allowing journalists, security agencies, others to vote
How Obi found ‘missing phones’ at tribunal – Aide
Photo credit: Punchng
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, says his mobile phones were not stolen at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja on Tuesday.
Obi, who spoke through his media aide, Tai Obasi, told our correspondent that the phones, believed to have gone missing, were in the custody of his aide.
The media had been awash with videos and memes of the perplexed former governor of Anambra State searching for his phones at the tribunal, with many people concluding that they were probably stolen in the court while exchanging pleasantries with party supporters.
Obi, who was dressed in his usual black attire sat close to his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, National Chairman of LP, Julius Abure and renowned writer, Chimamanda Adichie, throughout the court’s proceedings.
Reacting to the drama, Obasi dismissed the report, saying the phones were never stolen.According to him, it is normal for one to look for an item, especially when one has the notion that it is misplaced.
“To start with, he never lost his phone. What happened is that one of his aides, who usually goes around with him, was with me in the court. Usually, he keeps his phone on the table in front of him. So when his aide noticed that a lot of people were coming to greet him and his mind was off the phone, he took it for safekeeping.
Photo credit: Google
INEC seeks law allowing journalists, security agencies, others to vote
Photo credit: The Guardian
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, called for amendment of electoral laws to permit voting by Nigerians carrying out essential duties during elections.
The commission noted that such persons include journalists, INEC officials, security personnel and medical practitioners.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this known during the Post Election Review of 2023 General Elections with Media Stakeholders in Lagos, yesterday.
He said many Nigerians do not get the opportunity to vote because the law says one could only do so where he or she was registered.
“Most journalists, on election day, worked in places other than where they registered, so they didn’t have the opportunity to vote. This doesn’t apply only to journalists; it also applies to officials of INEC, the regular and ad-hoc officials, including security agencies.
“Through this kind of interaction, we get recommendations from stakeholders and see what area to approach the National Assembly to amend the laws,” he said.
Also, Yakubu said contrary to what some people may think, INEC has nothing to hide concerning conduct of the 2023 elections.
Buhari: Why I Didn’t Attend APC Caucus Meeting
Photo credit: Dailytrust
Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari has explained why he did not attend the caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja.
Daily Trust reports that the ruling APC scheduled August 2 and 3 for its national caucus and national executive committee (NEC) meetings, respectively.
The national caucus meeting took place at the presidential villa on Wednesday, but the NEC summit will assemble party leaders in Transcorp Hilton on Thursday.
Explaining why he was unable to attend the meetings, Buhari, through Garba Shehu, his spokesman, said he was unavailable due to commitments he earlier made.
DSS Not An Island, EFCC Can’t Continue To Disobey Court Orders – Fagbemi
Photo credit: Dailytrust
A ministerial nominee from Kwara State, Lateef Fagbemi, says the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) cannot continue to disobey court orders.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who spoke on Wednesday when he was screened by the Senate in Abuja, pledged to work with the National Assembly and the judiciary “on certain parameters” if appointed the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice by President Bola Tinubu.
Fielding questions from the lawmakers on disobedience to court orders by federal agencies, Fagbemi, who was accompanied to the screening exercise by over 10 senior advocates, said the DSS and the EFCC should conduct investigation before arrest and not arrest before investigation.
He said, “The major areas where we have these disobedience of court orders, with main respect, are between these agencies. My advice will be that in matters of law, the AGF should be involved.
“DSS cannot be an island onto itself. EFCC cannot continue to behave as if there is no law. There is law and if you want to do investigation, you do investigation before inviting the accused person. It is not a question of inviting him and say you have caught a big fish and at the end of the day you say you are investigating.”
On his reaction if a President flouts court orders, the senior lawyer said, “I think with respect, you will not find the President flouting any order because the Attorney General will be made a party to.
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