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We Recorded 1,000 Pre-election Litigations On 2023 Poll – INEC

Published

7 months ago

October 19, 2023

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it was faced with more than 1,000 pre-election litigations in the build-up to the 2023 general election.

INEC Director, Legal Drafting and Clearance, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, said this in a presentation at a two-day capacity workshop for journalists in Akwanga, Nasarawa State.

The presentation was titled “Effects of Litigation on INEC’s Preparations for Kogi, Imo, And Bayelsa Governorship Election.”

Babalola said the pre-election litigations were borne out of primaries conducted by political parties, substitution of candidates and failure of parties to adhere to their constitution and timetable for the conduct of the election.

Pre-election litigation are matters in which the cause of action arose before the conduct of election proper, as provided for in Section 285(14) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

She said most of the cases were borne out of lack of internal party democracy where political parties failed to adhere to their constitutions and guidelines.

Babalola said the unique nature of pre-election matters could not be overlooked as judgments in that regard were capable of negatively impacting planning, logistics, funding and certainty of participants in the conduct of the election.

She said those judgments were sometimes delivered on the eve of the election, thereby prohibiting INEC from conducting elections for certain positions and replacing candidates after the printing of ballot papers, among others.

“Beyond the impact of pre-election matters on preparation for election, the commission is sometimes ordered to withdraw the certificate of return issued to a candidate who emerged winner and issue a fresh certificate of return to a judgment creditor.

“After the 2019 general elections, the commission was ordered to issue 94 certificates of return in pre-election matters,” she said.

Babalola added that INEC had to withdraw seven Certificates of Return earlier issued and reissue the same pursuant to court orders in the 2023 general election.

Headline

Breaking news: Minimum Wage: Labour rejects FG’s N54,000 offer

Published

6 hours ago

May 21, 2024

Olakunle Adeniyi

The organised labour has rejected the Federal Government N54,000 new minimum wage proposal.

According to reliable source, the meeting on the ongoing negotiations on new minimum wage has been adjourned till Wednesday after the organised labour.

Media report has it that the Federal Government upped its offer from its earlier proposed N48,000 to N54,000.

Tuesday’s meeting came as a result of the walkout staged by members of the organised labour following the proposal of N48,000 as minimum wage by the Federal Government during last week’s meeting.

During that meeting, the OPS had also proposed N54,000 while labour insisted on its N615,000 living wage demand.

Our correspondent who spoke to sources who attended the follow-up meeting on Tuesday learnt that the Federal Government upped its offer from N48,000 to N54,000.

“Well, during the meeting, the government increased its offer from N48,000 to N54,000. However, labour rejected that offer and the meeting has been adjourned till Wednesday,” a source who asked not to be named said.

When asked if the government’s side was showing any sign of seriousness, the labour leader said, “No seriousness at all. Even state governors did not show up. Those who represented them, like Bauchi and Niger states, did not have the mandates to speak on their behalf.

Headline

Real Madrid’s goalkeeper shares recovery insights after two injuries

Published

8 hours ago

May 21, 2024

Olakunle Adeniyi

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has opened up about his recovery journey following two serious knee injuries.

Courtois said, “In August, I cried because the worst thing that can happen to you in football is a cruciate ligament injury. When I returned home, I said that I was going to work hard and come back stronger. That was my idea from the beginning: to stay positive, fight, never give up, and push my limits.

“Many thought my season was over, but I knew it wasn’t,” Courtois told Marca.

Recall that for most of the current season, Courtois missed out due to two injuries: a cruciate ligament tear and a meniscus injury. In his absence, first-choice goalkeeper was Chelsea’s loanee Kepa Arrizabalaga, and later, he faced competition from Andriy Lunin.

Upon his return, Courtois played in 3 La Liga matches, keeping clean sheets in all of them. In the last game against Alaves, the Belgian made 10 saves.

Earlier, it was reported that Courtois’ recovery from injury will be featured in a documentary series.