Index to Nigerian Newspapers

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, has filed a motion to the US Court to overrule President Bola Tinubu's request to stop Chicago State University from releasing his academic record. Atiku has secured an order from a US magistrate for CSU to make Tinubu's academic records available to his legal team. He is seeking to test the authenticity and origin of 12 pages of documents, including two different diplomas, that purport to have been issued by CSU.

The All Progressives Congress on Thursday slammed the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, for criticising the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal which upheld President Bola Tinubu’s election and the electoral process. This happened as Atiku and Obi attacked the Independent National Electoral Commission over its conduct of the polls. The five-member tribunal had nullified the petitions of Atiku and Obi in the 12-hour judgment delivered on Wednesday. However, speaking on the development during a press conference at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja, Atiku said his belief that the PEPC’s judgment left a lot to be desired convinced him to direct his legal team to approach the Supreme Court for redress. The former vice president slammed the Independent National Electoral Commission for poor management of the last general elections which he said the judiciary had a duty to redress. The LP presidential candidate, Obi, has similarly criticised Wednesday’s judgment of the PEPT. The ex-Anambra State governor averred that it was “not conterminous” with justice, adding that everything about the presidential election was not yet over. He insisted the matter had not yet reached its logical conclusion.

As the Supreme Court today hears the appeals challenging the electoral victory of President Bola Tinubu, the ruling All Progressives Congress has expressed confidence that the President will come out victorious. Tinubu's victory in the February 25 presidential poll is being challenged by the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party. Displeased with the verdict of the PEPC, both parties and their candidates, Atiku Abubakar (PDP) and Peter Obi (LP) proceeded to the Supreme Court, which has fixed today for hearing. Speaking on Sunday ahead of today's hearing, the APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, told The PUNCH the opposition would lose again. But the PDP expressed optimism that the Supreme Court will sack Tinubu and declare Atiku as winner.

Atiku Abubakar's legal team plans to challenge President Bola Tinubu's plea for Chicago State University not to release privileged documents from his academic records. The legal team had 48 hours to respond in the US court. Tinubu's lawyers argue that his academic records are not useful in Nigerian courts and that Atiku's request is intrusive, allowing him to conduct a fishing expedition into his private, confidential, and protected educational records.

Nigerian workers are preparing for an indefinite nationwide strike, with the National Deputy President of the Trade Union Congress, Tommy Etim, stating that the government has given enough time to address their demands. Etim warns of fuel scarcity and nationwide blackouts from Tuesday, and health workers will be unavailable to attend to patients. The strike is expected to begin on October 3, 2023.

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party have berated the ruling All Progressives Congress for appointing former governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, as the new National Chairman of the ruling party, saying the 73-year-old politician has corruption baggage hanging around his neck.

However, Ganduje, who emerged APC National Chairman on Thursday at the party’s National Executive Committee in Abuja, promised to promote unity among party members, carry out reforms and adhere to internal democracy under his watch.

At the APC NEC meeting, attended by President Bola Tinubu, a former Senate spokesman, Senator Ajibola Basiru, was also appointed as the APC National Secretary.

In his welcome address, Tinubu defended the legitimacy of the presidential poll. 

He said, “Some people baited us but we honoured their wishes and yet coasted to victory. Yes, we are facing challenges in court and I say this is one of the freest and fairest election in the history of Nigeria. As a democrat, those who cannot accept the result of a free and fair election, do not deserve the joy of victory.

‘’We have worked hard, and we have received the trophy. Winning an election is the first part of the process. What is next is good governance and quality service delivery. We must promote unity, peace, and love among all organs of the party.”

‘’You are the makers and drivers of the party. When we have all passengers inside the bus, the driver must not fall asleep. The brake must also work well. Party loyalty must exist.”

The Supreme Court, on Thursday, ended the 171-day legal tussle to nullify the election of President Bola Tinubu with the rejection of the election appeals filed by the Peoples Democratic Party standard bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of the Labour Party. Atiku and Obi's appeals commenced on May 8 and were concluded on Thursday, October 26, with the Supreme Court effectively ending their dreams of overturning Tinubu's election victory. In the lead judgment delivered by the Chairman of the seven-man panel, Justice Inyang Okoro, the apex court refused to consider the academic records of the President obtained from the Chicago State University, which Atiku sought to tender as fresh evidence to prove his allegation of certificate forgery against the ex-Lagos State governor. The other justices on the panel-Uwani Aji, Mohammed Garba, Ibrahim Saulawa, Adamu Jauro, Abubakar Tijjani, and Emmanuel Agim, agreed with the lead judgment dismissing Atiku and Obi's appeals. An elated Tinubu welcomed the Supreme Court verdict and sought the support of Nigerians, promising to exceed expectations in service delivery in the remaining years of his administration.