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Pictorial – Senate screens INEC chairman-designate Amupitan

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The newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, is currently appearing before the Senate for his screening and confirmation.

Amupitan, who arrived at the National Assembly complex earlier and exchanged pleasantries with Senators, was accompanied to the chamber by the Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo, and other dignitaries.

At about 12:50 p.m., the nominee was ushered into the Senate chamber by the Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Abubakar Lado, and was already seated ahead of the commencement of the exercise.

Amupitan was allowed into the hallowed chamber after the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), moved that Order 12 be set aside to allow strangers into the chamber, and he was seconded by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South).

Senate President Godswill Akpabio welcomed Amupitan, his family members, and well-wishers to the Red Chamber, commending them for their presence.

Before introducing himself to the Senators for the question and answer session to take off, Akpabio disclosed to his colleagues that the nominee had been cleared by the office of the National Security Adviser after vetting.

According to Akpabio, the office of the Department of State Services had also cleared him.

The Senate President also said that the Office of the Inspector-General of Police, having done a fingerprint search on him, he was cleared him and said that he had no criminal records with the Police.

The screening exercise commenced at about 12:55 p.m. following Akpabio’s opening remarks, during which he outlined the procedures to be followed by the lawmakers in considering the nominee’s credentials.

PUNCH Online earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu had nominated Amupitam, a Professor of Law from the University of Jos, to succeed Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who resigned from his position.

The President’s letter conveying Amupitan’s nomination was read on the floor of the Senate by Akpabio during plenary on Tuesday.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Jos, Amupitan, is widely regarded for his expertise in constitutional and international law.

His appointment has, however, generated mixed reactions from civil society groups and political stakeholders, with some calling for reforms that will strengthen the independence and transparency of the electoral body.

The screening session is expected to focus on Amupitan’s vision for credible elections, his plans for institutional reforms within INEC, and measures to deepen the use of technology in Nigeria’s electoral process.

If confirmed by the Senate, Amupitan will oversee preparations for upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and lay the groundwork for the 2027 general elections.

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Politics

See what the court did to PDP convention plans

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The Federal High Court in Abuja has reaffirmed its earlier order directing all parties to maintain the status quo regarding the forthcoming Peoples Democratic Party  National Convention slated for November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, on Thursday, held that the previous order remains valid and must not be violated by any party pending the determination of the substantive suit.

Justice Omotosho warned that any attempt to take actions capable of undermining the court’s authority or rendering its eventual decision ineffective would attract consequential sanctions.

The warning followed a complaint by PDP’s counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), who told the court that his client was restrained by the subsisting order and therefore sought an expedited hearing.

In response, the judge assured all parties that judgment in the case would be delivered before the end of October, stressing that no party would be permitted to employ delay tactics.

“You and I, as lawyers and ministers in the temple of justice, know that once a suit has been filed and parties have been served, the law is that no further step should be taken concerning the subject matter. The court must not be overreached,” Omotosho said.

He added,“Where any party violates this principle, the court has the power to issue consequential orders nullifying such acts. Let us all respect the law; it is in our collective interest. I assure you that judgment will be delivered before the end of October, and copies will be made available immediately.”

The court fixed Monday, October 20, for the definite hearing of the originating summons filed by three aggrieved PDP members against the Independent National Electoral Commission and eight others.

The plaintiffs are Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP Chairman), and Turnah George (PDP Secretary, South-South).

They are seeking to stop the party’s planned national convention, scheduled for November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State, where new national officers are to be elected.

Listed as defendants in the suit are INEC, the PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu (National Secretary), Umar Bature (National Organising Secretary), the National Working Committee (NWC), and the National Executive Committee of the party.

At the last sitting, the court joined Umar Damagum, Ali Odefa, and Emmanuel Ogidi as the 7th to 9th defendants, following a successful application for joinder.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, the plaintiffs are seeking declarations and injunctive orders compelling the PDP to adhere strictly to democratic principles in the conduct of its congresses, conventions, and internal elections.

They contend that the party failed to hold the required congresses to elect delegates for the planned convention, thereby invalidating any notice issued to INEC.

The plaintiffs also asked the court to restrain INEC from recognising or giving effect to any notice or outcome of the PDP convention unless it is conducted in full compliance with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.

They further seek orders restraining the PDP and its officials from holding any National Executive Committee, National Caucus, or Working Committee meetings without due notice from the National Secretary.

Justice Omotosho directed all parties to exchange their processes by October 17 to ensure a smooth hearing.

During Thursday’s proceedings, the PDP was represented by Chief Chris Uche (SAN) and the party’s National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN). The judge, however, directed both lawyers to file formal papers to enable the court to determine the party’s proper legal representative in the case.

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Abure taunts Otti-led LP faction over infighting

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The internal wrangling within the Labour Party took a fresh twist this week after Prince Tony Akeni, the factional National Publicity Secretary loyal to Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, accused top officials of neglect, sabotage, and deliberate attempts to frustrate the party’s national convention.

In a leaked pre-resignation memo dated October 9, 2025, and addressed to the party’s National Executive Council and Board of Trustees, Akeni protested what he described as “intolerable working conditions” and “policy sabotage” by certain officials within the interim National Working Committee led by Senator Nenadi Usman.

According to him, the committee, inaugurated in Umuahia on September 4, 2024, had been mandated to conduct nationwide congresses and an all-inclusive national convention within 90 days.

Over a year later—445 days into the process—no tangible progress had been made, he lamented.

“Membership registration and revalidation, which are compulsory antes to the congresses and convention, are not close to commencement, much less conclusion,” Akeni wrote.

The factional spokesman also decried what he called the “zero budget policy” of the iNWC, alleging that he had been forced to fund his official duties from personal resources since relocating to Abuja in August.

“I have been carrying out all assignments of the office from hotel accommodation without a penny from the Labour Party or its stakeholders except a single N10,000 token for data,” he stated.

“The fund-yourself policy gives rise to aching questions. Which political party’s national image maker in Nigeria’s history funded their party’s publicity from private income—especially an opposition party seeking to replace a gigantic, incumbent dictatorship?”

Akeni accused an unnamed official of being a “Trojan agent” bent on sabotaging the Labour Party’s progress from within and weakening it ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Whoever made the assertion that the National Publicity Secretary should single-handedly bear the burden of the party’s media needs does not mean well for the party. Such an individual should be marked as a saboteur seeking to silence the Labour Party’s voice nationwide,” he warned.

The embattled spokesman further queried why the Usman-led faction had yet to be recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission, despite repeated assurances.

“Why is it that months after our inauguration, our council is still not recognised by INEC while the new ADC coalition has achieved the same effortlessly?” he asked.

Akeni ended his letter by urging party elders and stakeholders to act swiftly before “external forces ruin the Labour Party’s standing again in 2027 through internal betrayal.”

However, the rival faction led by Julius Abure dismissed Akeni’s grievances, describing the Usman-led interim leadership as “non-existent and illegal.”

Reacting to the memo, the Abure faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, mocked Akeni and his colleagues, insisting they were “impostors.”

“These people (Nenadi Usman-led committee) are impostors. They are not known to Labour Party. Anything ‘interim’ is not in the party’s constitution,” Ifoh told The PUNCH in a phone interview.

“They just went about creating offices for themselves and occupying positions up to national chairman. Both Nenadi and the Akeni you talked about are not in our register. You can even go to INEC to verify.”

Ifoh accused the media of “encouraging impostors” but said the Abure-led leadership was focused on preparations for the 2027 general elections.

Efforts to obtain reactions from Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, were unsuccessful as of press time.

Also, when contacted, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr Yunusa Tanko, declined commenting on the issue.

“We will react to it later,” he said before hanging up.

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Wike’s aide slams Obi over FCT school renovation claims 

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The Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka, has criticised comments made by the 2023 Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, accusing him of seeking media attention through “baseless criticisms” of government efforts in the FCT.

Following his visit to LEA Primary School in Kapwa, Abuja, alongside the African Democratic Congress Chairmanship candidate for Abuja Municipal Area Council, Dr Moses Paul, on Wednesday, the former Anambra State Governor lamented the school’s condition, describing it as “a national disgrace” that “exposes Nigeria’s hollow commitment to education.”

Obi said he was shocked to find classrooms without chairs or toilets, adding that as governor, he had made it a point of duty to visit all the primary and secondary schools, and that he was the only governor to have left public funds for the state.

Reacting in a statement on Thursday, Olayinka said the former Anambra state governor was seeking media attention, “by turning himself into a critic of everything, including the most ridiculous,” while noting the efforts of the current FCT Administration to renovate 73 schools across the six Area Councils, with 21 others already completely renovated.

“In the FCT, real and verifiable development is taking place. 73 schools are presently being renovated across the six Area Councils in the FCT, while 21 have been completely renovated,” he added.

The media aide also criticised Obi for what he described as his failure to address similar challenges while serving as governor of Anambra State.

He further accused Obi of financial mismanagement during his time as governor, noting that the state was still “trying to fix the rot he left behind.”

He added, “Unlike Obi, who did nothing to uplift the education sector as Governor of Anambra State, the Wike-led FCTA has been building and renovating schools. 102 contracts have been awarded for the renovation of schools in the FCT, and as of today, 21 schools have been completely renovated, and works are ongoing in others.

“If, as governor of Anambra State, he had performed the same magic he has been lying to Nigerians he could perform in four years, Anambra State would have become a reference point in terms of development.

“As governor of Anambra State for eight years, he chose to keep the state’s money in his own bank instead of using the money to build schools, roads, hospitals and other critical infrastructure. Today, Anambra State is still suffering from Obi’s eight years of madman advice-induced misgovernance, with his successors trying to fix the rot he left behind.”

Olayinka dismissed Obi’s campaign rhetoric about changing Nigeria’s trajectory in four years, describing the former Presidential Candidate as an “Internally Displaced Politician looking for a permanent abode in the media space”.

“The same Obi said yesterday that he can change the trajectory of Nigeria in four years, and I am challenging him to show Nigerians how he changed that of Anambra State in eight years. It is funny that someone who should be bothered that he does not have a platform to contest the 2027 election has turned himself into a political wanderer.

“Under which party is Mr One Shoe contesting the 2027 presidential election? Will any party still award its presidential candidate to him simply because he can lie about having one shoe and one wristwatch, the way the Labour Party did in 2023?”, he added.

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