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Akpabio’s Lawyer Alleges High Conspiracy In Favour of Ekpenyong As Tribunal Adjourns

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6 years ago

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Legal fireworks came to an end Thursday, at the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where Minister designate, Godswill Akpabio is challenging the declaration of Chris Ekpenyong as winner of the Akwa Ibom North West (Ikot Ekpene) Senatorial District
However, more dramas played out as Akpabio’s counsel, Sunday Ameh (SAN), shocked the tribunal during adoption of his written address that result of the February 23, 2019, senatorial election in Ikot Ekpene was prepared even before the election day.
Ameh told the tribunal that the Independent National Electoral Commission’s  Resident Electoral Commissioner  (REC) in the state, Mike Igini, falsified Akpabio’s result in favour of the People Democratic Party’s candidate, Ekpenyong.
Based on the anomalies observed, Ameh urged the tribunal to declare  Akpabio of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the senatorial election.
He submitted that Akpabio is the validly elected senator for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District having scored majority of the lawful votes cast in the election.
Ameh also submitted that Ekpenyong , who was declared winner of the election, was not elected by lawful votes cast as evidence showed that Akpabio had the highest votes scored.

The tribunal was thrown into shock when Ameh exposed how the INEC Returning Officer for Essien Udim Local Government Area , Dr Olosunde William, after recording the result for the Local Government Area took the result to INEC office in Uyo and cancelled the votes of Akpabio to give an edge to his opponent.
According to Ameh, the Returning Officer had admitted that he collated the result for 11 Wards of Essien Udim Local Government in Form EC8B1 handed over to him by the various collation officers. He had also stated that the results were compiled by him in Essien Udim and Akpabio scored 61, 329 votes while Ekpenyong scored 9, 050 votes.
However, in a curious twist the Returning Officer without the presence of the party agents and other officials unilaterally reduced the votes of Akpabio to 6, 241 in INEC office in Uyo.
Ameh submitted that the alteration of Akpabio’s votes at INEC office in Uyo was illegal. “Form EC8C1 which showed the adjustment of the result is dated February 24, 2019. While Form EC8CD1 which showed the result collated by INEC in Essien Udim is dated February 25, 2019. My Lord, that is dishonesty,” Ameh submitted.
Counsel to Akpabio said the appropriate person to write the report of election not holding  or cancellation of the result is the Presiding Officer at each Polling Units.
He posited further that all the Presiding Officers who appeared in court when cross-examined responded that they did not cancel any result and they did not know what Form EC40G which should have been used in event of any cancellation was.
According to Ameh: “In the absence of any valid report for the cancellation, the respondents cannot impugn the integrity of the result  that were collated by INEC in Form EC81 tendered before this tribunal,” he submitted.
He drew the attention of the trribunal to the submission by PDP witnesses during cross examination, alleging that APC thugs carted away all electoral materials in some Wards in Essien Udim, however, they had no explanation when shown the card reader reports and voter registers of the same units they claimed were carted away.
Meanwhile,  Ekpenyong urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by Akpabio for lacking in merit.
The former Deputy Governor also argued that the reliefs sought by Akpabio, differed from the grounds of his petition.
Senator Ekpenyong through his counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), in his written address said that out of 10 local government areas that make up the senatorial district, witnesses were called by the petitioner for only two local government areas.
He also argued that the petitioner was unable to substantiate his claims, as the depositions he relied on, had no evidential value.
“My lord, you remember each and every one of his witnesses saying “my deposition is made up of what I saw and what I was told.”
“On the authority of Gungiri Vs Nyan, the Supreme Court said, if a witness does not distinguish in his deposition, between what he heard and the things he saw, that such depositions have no evidential value,” he said.
He insisted that all the witnesses could not differentiate between what they saw and what they heard, and that responsibility cannot be that of the court.
“The depositions were chorusing one another. Why would A who was in Jericho have an identical situation with B who was in Jerusalem?”
Chief Agabi averred further that: “The relief of being declared the winner is only available to a petitioner who pleads majority of lawful votes”
“In this petition, the petitioners are not seeking nullification of the election, but rather they are seeking to be declared the winner. Reliefs must flow from the grounds, and their ground does not avail them.
Agabi insisted that no single agent was called by the petitioner, yet all the witnesses called by the respondents alleged malpractice at the polling units. He said this could be likened to Algebra where one is expected to show the formula and process he used in arriving at his conclusion.
On his part, Solomon Umoh (SAN), counsel to the PDP told the tribunal to dismiss the petition due to the absence of polling witness to give life to the claims of the petitioner.
Umoh maintained that “a petitioner who brings his case on fraudulent cancellations, must establish two ingredients, that there were cancelations, alterations or mutilations in the electoral document and that the cancellation, alteration or mutilation were dishonestly made in a view to falsify the result of the election.”
He said that the effective way to unravel the truth was based on the integrity of Form EC8A, the unit result, where votes are generated.
The PDP counsel wondered why the petitioner failed to present any unit witness before the tribunal, thereby making Form EC8As to appear helpless.
Citing various court precedents, Umoh argued further that “in any matter of this magnitude, Polling Unit agents must be witnesses to how they were produced and must be signatories to them, otherwise it has a doubtful and suspicious origin.”
INEC counsel Robert Emukpoeruo citing the poor foundation of the petition, urged the tribunal to dismiss it completely.
The INEC counsel maintained that the petitioner was obliged to bring unit results and not just result from the collation centre because their petition claimed that the first respondent did not win by majority of lawful votes cast..
Emukpoeruo further  argued that votes are not cast at ward or local government collation centres, but at Polling Units and reasoned that the petitioners ought to have led the tribunal to the Polling Units.
On this, Ameh said the respondents completely misunderstood the case of the petitioner.
According to Ameh, the petitioner case are on the grounds that Senator Ekpenyong was not validly elected by majority of lawful votes cast and his return was not in compliance with the Electoral  Act.
After listening to the submissions of the parties, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice W. O. Akanbi thanked the parties and counsel  for their cooperation throughout the proceedings.
He said the matter was adjourned for judgment on a date to be communicated to the parties concerned.
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Insiders Revealed, Omoge Saida To Marry Billionaire Lover This December

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2 months ago

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December 5, 2025

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The social scene is already heating up as insiders reveal that popular lifestyle personality,Saidat Aralamo Asabi Balogun popularly known as Omoge Saida, is set to marry her billionaire lover in December — a development that has sent whispers of excitement across London, Lagos and Abuja high society.

According to those close to the stylish socialite, preparations for the much-anticipated ceremony are already underway, with talks suggesting it will be an exclusive, invitation-only affair.

Sources hint that the billionaire, a discreet yet powerful business magnate, has decided to make their relationship formal, in what many tagged a face saving situation from the nude video scandal.

Friends of Saida describe her as glowing, excited as she prepares for what many say is the beginning of a new, lavish chapter in her life.

Details remain tightly guarded, but insiders insist December is locked in — and if the early buzz is anything to go by, Omoge Saida’s wedding may well be one of the biggest society moments of the festive season.

 

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News

All The Shocking Details As PDP Declares Adedamola Osun Flagbearer, Beats Gov Adeleke in Tense Primary

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2 months ago

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December 3, 2025

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In a dramatic twist that has sent shockwaves through Osun’s political landscape, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared Hon. Adebayo Adedamola as its governorship flagbearer after a fiercely contested primary that saw him defeat incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The keenly watched primary, held amid heavy security and intense party interest, drew party delegates from across the state. What many expected to be a smooth victory for the governor turned into a tightly fought race, with Fryo gaining momentum during delegate consultations and strategic bloc alignments.

According to party officials, Fryo clinched the majority of valid votes after what they described as a transparent, credible, and highly competitive exercise. His supporters erupted in celebration as the final tally was announced, chanting solidarity songs and hailing what they called “a new direction for Osun PDP.”

Adedamola, popularlcy called Fryo is said to be a close ally of APC stalwart, Iyiola Omisore. Fryo was among the people arrested over the killing of late Attorney General, Chief Bola Ige.

Political analysts say the upset signals a significant shift within the party’s power structure, as the result reflects growing agitation for fresh leadership and a repositioning of the party’s influence across local government blocs.

Governor Adeleke, who had sought the party’s ticket to secure a second term, was said to have congratulated Fryo in a closed-door exchange, though members of his camp are still digesting the unexpected outcome.

Fryo, in his acceptance speech, promised to unify the party, consolidate on its achievements, and present a formidable front ahead of the general elections. He described his victory as “a mandate for renewal” and urged party faithful to rally behind him for what he termed the decisive battle ahead.

With this development, all eyes are now on how the PDP navigates the post-primary atmosphere and prepares for a heated governorship election season in Osun State.

 

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Business

Tunde Ednut Earns $5,000 Per Day! -Report

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4 months ago

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September 22, 2025

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“Tunde Ednut earns $5,000 average per day, ISWIS made approx $200,000 from live events in one month” — Chude Jideonwo unveils creator economy data at Digital Creator Africa Summit
At the inaugural Digital Creator Africa Summit, media entrepreneur and #WithChude host Chude Jideonwo unveiled new data positioning the Nigerian creator economy as one of the most commercially powerful industries on the continent.
Highlighting explosive growth and overlooked business models, Jideonwo revealed that:
 • Tunde Ednut, the former musician turned Instagram media mogul, is estimated to earn over $5,000 a day through his platform — with a business model based on affiliate promotion, Instagram advertising, and music amplification.
 • The hit podcast “I Said What I Said” (ISWIS) reportedly made approximately $200,000 in gross revenue from live events alone in a single month, drawing thousands of fans across there US, the UK and Canada.
 • “What these numbers show,” Jideonwo said, “is that creators are no longer just influencers — they are media companies, and increasingly, nation-builders.”
The summit, held in Lagos and attended by creators, investors, and media leaders, was designed to shift the conversation from virality to value — reframing content creation as infrastructure, not just entertainment.
As part of his address, Jideonwo announced his $500,000 personal commitment to the FourthMainland Creator Fund — a catalytic investment vehicle to back high-potential African creators with funding, IP support, and platform distribution.
“We’re building the Mavin Records of storytelling,” he said. “Not just with fame, but with financial tools, ownership, and a full studio system that lets creators scale across the continent and diaspora.”
The Creator Fund is part of the broader FourthMainland ecosystem, a creator commerce platform set to launch in 2026. The platform will offer monetization tools, subscription infrastructure, and joint-IP models built around African content — positioning it as the first at-scale infrastructure for the continent’s growing $100B creator economy.
Jideonwo, whose ventures include Joy, Inc., #WithChude, and YNaija, closed with a call to funders and policymakers:
“If music had Mavin Records and tech had CcHub, then creators now have their studio systems — their Mavins — and they’re building billion-dollar value chains without waiting for permission.”
The keynote, titled “Overtaking is Allowed,” argued that Africa’s most important civic and cultural shifts today are being led by independent creators, and that media-tech infrastructure for creators is now one of the biggest opportunities for economic growth across the continent.
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