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Ekiti election: Oyebanji evading service – Oni lawyers allege

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Lawyers to the Social Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in the June 18 poll in Ekiti State, Engr Segun Oni, have accused the governor-elect , Hon. Biodun Oyebanji of evading service to begin his petition before the Election Petition Tribunal against his victory.

The counsels to the petitioner, also alleged that the Yobe State Governor and former National Caretaker Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Mai Mala Buni and Oyebanji’s deputy, Monisade Afuye, had been difficult to serve on account of lack of fixed addresses.

Alleging that such antic was geared towards stalling the petition, Oni’s counsels averred that they had on July 20, 2022, at the Election Petition Tribunal filed an application for substituted service for speedy service and prompt trial of the case.

Oni had on July 7, 2022 filed his petition before the Tribunal in Ado Ekiti, calling for the reversal of the declaration of Oyebanji as the winner of the election.

Oni also urged the court to declare him the winner of the poll, claiming that he scored the highest number of lawful votes in the poll.

The petitioner urged the Tribunal to in the alternative nullify the election and order a rerun in view of alleged widespread manipulations that characterised the poll.

The former Secretary to the State Government and the candidate of the APC, Biodun Oyebanji garnered a total of 187,045 votes to defeat Oni, who polled 82,122 votes in the election.

Addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, Oni’s legal team, led by Obafemi Adewale (SAN), was upbeat that Oni will be declared winner of the poll at the Tribunal in view of the avalanche of evidence to be presented to substantiate their claim of widespread rigging in the poll.

Adewale, who spoke through a former Attorney General and Justice Commissioner in Ekiti, Owoseeni Ajayi, said: “Fact speaks for itself. Segun Oni ought to have been declared winner because he scored the highest number of valid votes, but this couldn’t happen because the election was characterised by widespread irregularities.

“We filed our petition on July 7 within the time stipulated for us in the Electoral Act. Since that time, we have been having issues of service.

“INEC had been served without restriction. The APC had also been served in Abuja without restriction. But we have problem serving the governor-elect, Biodun Oyebanji, his deputy, Monisade Afuye and the caretaker chairman of the party when the candidate was elected at the primary, Governor Mai Mala Buni.

“There had been deliberate avoidance of service by these respondents. In any election petition, time is of essence because we have to conclude the petition within 181 days.

“In the election petition trial, the days started counting the very day we filed our petition and it also includes their 21 days to which they must respond to our petition.

“To make things difficult, the governor-elect and his deputy have no addresses and the only place to serve them is the party secretariat in Ado Ekiti that is now locked up, we can’t reach them.

“The Bailiff of the tribunal went to Abuja’s liaison office of Yobe State Governor, their officials resisted being served. They said they can’t collect the letters on his behalf.

“Service is of essence in any case and they have to be served personally, except we are given this option of substituted service.

“We are not resting and we are desirous of going with the litigation until Oni, who won the majority of the lawful votes is declared the winner”, Obafemi stated.

Obafemi posited further that the petitioner has credible evidence to present that would influence the Panelists to give favourable judgement to Oni and SDP.

“We have proof of widespread malpractices and manipulations that really offended the Electoral Act in the election.

“We are confident that there won’t be any reason to order a fresh election. By the time we will finish our case, there will be declaration of the petitioner as the validly elected candidate”, Obafemi boasted.

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Iran War Disrupts Oil Supply, Global Loss Hits $50bn

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The global oil market has recorded losses exceeding $50bn following massive supply disruptions triggered by the ongoing Iran war, which has now stretched to nearly 50 days.

Data from energy analytics firm Kpler showed that more than 500 million barrels of crude oil and condensate have been wiped off the global market since the crisis began in late February, making it the largest energy supply disruption in modern history.

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, on Friday said the Strait of Hormuz had been reopened after a ceasefire agreement reached in Lebanon.

However, tensions escalated again on Saturday as Tehran warned it could shut the strategic waterway if the United States sustains its blockade of Iranian ports.

Also, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism that a deal to end the conflict could be reached “soon,” although he did not provide a definite timeline.

Analysts warned that the scale of disruption could have prolonged effects on global energy stability, with shocks expected to linger for months or even years.

Providing context, Principal Analyst at Wood Mackenzie, Iain Mowat, said the 500 million barrels lost is equivalent to grounding global aviation demand for 10 weeks, halting all road transport worldwide for 11 days, or shutting down the entire global oil supply for five days.

Further estimates showed that the lost volume is nearly equal to one month of oil demand in the United States or more than a month’s supply for Europe. It also represents about six years of fuel consumption by the U.S. military and could power global shipping activities for approximately four months.

The crisis has significantly affected oil-producing nations in the Gulf, with output losses reaching about eight million barrels per day in March—roughly equivalent to the combined production of two of the world’s largest oil companies.

Jet fuel exports from major producers, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman, dropped sharply from 19.6 million barrels in February to just 4.1 million barrels recorded across March and April combined. Analysts said the shortfall could have powered about 20,000 round-trip international flights.

With crude prices averaging around $100 per barrel since the onset of the conflict, the lost volumes translate to an estimated $50bn in revenue. Experts noted that this figure is equivalent to about one per cent of Germany’s annual Gross Domestic Product, or roughly the size of the economies of smaller European countries.

Meanwhile, global onshore crude inventories have declined by about 45 million barrels in April alone, while total production outages have risen to approximately 12 million barrels per day since late March.

Industry experts cautioned that unless a lasting resolution is reached, the disruption could intensify volatility in global oil markets, worsen inflationary pressures, and further strain fragile economies worldwide.

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Oseni Secures Prestigious City People Political Award Nomination

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A member of the House of Representatives representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, Aderemi Oseni, has been nominated for a Special Award in Politics at the 2026 City People Political Awards.

The nomination was conveyed in a letter dated April 13, 2026, signed by the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of City People Magazine, Seye Kehinde.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by Oseni’s media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan on Thursday.

According to the statement, the lawmaker earned the nomination in recognition of his “outstanding contributions to politics in Oyo State, particularly in Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency.”

The organisers noted that Oseni emerged as a nominee following a comprehensive review of performances across sectors by the award’s selection committee.

Part of the letter read, “Having performed creditably well in your sector last year, the Organising Committee presented you as a nominee in your sector.”

The award ceremony is scheduled to hold on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at Etal Hall, Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, at 4pm.

The City People Awards is an annual event that recognises individuals who have distinguished themselves in governance, public service and other sectors of national development.

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Kaduna Electric to prosecute, expose attackers of staff

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The Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company has announced a crackdown on individuals who assault its staff, warning that offenders will face prosecution and public exposure.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the company expressed concern over what it described as a “disturbing surge” in attacks on its field workers and third-party partners.

It noted that the affected personnel were mainly engaged in meter installation, revenue collection and maintenance of electricity infrastructure.

According to the firm, the increasing cases of harassment, physical assault and unlawful detention of its workers pose a serious threat to employee safety and the stability of electricity service delivery across its franchise areas.

The Deputy Managing Director, Abubakar Mohammed, said the company would no longer tolerate any form of aggression against its workforce.

“Let this serve as a clear warning to anyone who engages in the assault of our staff. Kaduna Electric will pursue every case to its logical conclusion,” he said.

“We will work closely with security agencies to ensure offenders are brought to justice and face the full weight of the law,” Mohammed added.

He further disclosed that the company would publicly reveal the identities of individuals found culpable.

According to him, names, photographs and other details of offenders would be published on the company’s official platforms as well as in national and local media.

“This measure is intended to ensure accountability and serve as a strong deterrent. Anyone who chooses to attack our personnel should be prepared not only to face prosecution but also public exposure,” he added.

The company stressed that assaults on utility workers attract serious legal and financial consequences, noting that offenders risk criminal charges that may lead to fines or imprisonment.

It added that perpetrators could also face civil liabilities, including compensation for medical treatment, psychological trauma and loss of work hours.
While condemning the attacks, Kaduna Electric urged customers to adopt peaceful and lawful means of resolving disputes.

It advised aggrieved customers to channel complaints through its customer service units or appropriate regulatory bodies.

The management reaffirmed its commitment to protecting its workforce and partners, stressing that a safe working environment is essential for delivering reliable and efficient electricity services.

Although disputes between electricity providers and consumers are often linked to billing issues, metering challenges and service delivery concerns, the company maintained that such matters must be resolved through dialogue, insisting that violence against its staff will no longer be tolerated.

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