The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has raised concerns over the integrity of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, if an alleged X account linked to him turns out to be his after his denial.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Adebayo said the controversy goes beyond technical arguments and touches on public trust in the electoral umpire.

“If it is traced to him and he denies it, then it raises questions about integrity,” he said.

He explained that while digital content can be manipulated, modern forensic tools make it possible to determine the true ownership of online accounts.

“It is well known that in the digital space, you could manipulate anything, but there is forensic tracing of identity,” Adebayo stated.

According to him, the issue can be resolved either through the courts or a legislative inquiry by the National Assembly.

“It is either someone will go to court to challenge his qualification on grounds of partisanship and present evidence or the National Assembly will conduct an investigation, possibly through its INEC committees,” he added.

The former presidential candidate, however, clarified that even if the account is proven to belong to Amupitan, it does not automatically disqualify him from office under the law.

“The requirement is that at the time of appointment, you should not be a member of any political party. It does not mean you could not have been a member in the past or that you did not vote. Someone who voted in 2023 can still become INEC chairman in 2025,” he said.

Adebayo stressed that the key issue remains honesty and public confidence in the electoral body.

“In a simple matter like this, if you are already lying to the public and we are to trust you with determining election outcomes, then it becomes a question of integrity,” he added.

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The Supreme Court will on Tuesday hear an appeal filed by the embattled National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, Senator David Mark.

Mark is seeking an order staying the execution of the March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal.

The apex court, in a hearing notice with appeal number SC/CV/180/2026 between Sen. Mark vs Hon. Nafiu-Bala Gombe and four others, said the proceeding is scheduled for April 14.

The hearing notice, sent to the parties in the case through the Litigation Department of the Supreme Court on Friday, was sighted by the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.

The hearing date coincides with the date earlier fixed by the trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Although the two cases will be coming up on Tuesday, NAN learnt that the lower court may, however, step down the matter or adjourn its proceedings pending the hearing at the apex court, in line with the hierarchy of courts.

Mark, the appellant in the appeal, has named Hon. Nafiu-Bala Gombe, ADC, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Chief Ralph Nwosu as 1st to 5th respondents respectively.

Mark, in the motion on notice filed by his lawyer, Realwan Okpanachi, prayed the court for an order of stay of execution of the appellate court’s judgment pending the hearing and determination of his appeal.

He also sought an order restraining INEC from acting on the Court of Appeal’s judgment by recognising any person(s) other than him and the existing national officers of the ADC, pending the hearing and determination of his appeal.

Mark, a former Senate President, further prayed the apex court for an order restraining INEC from tampering with the national leadership structure of the party as presently constituted and represented by him, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.

Besides, he sought an order staying further proceedings in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 pending before Justice Nwite at the FHC, pending the hearing and determination of his appeal at the apex court.

The motion on notice was brought by his lawyer pursuant to Sections 6(6)(a) and 233 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Order 4 Rule 1 of the Supreme Court Rules, 2024, and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.

Giving a 12-ground argument, Okpanachi said the Court of Appeal delivered judgment in Appeal No: CA/ABJ/CV/145/2026 on March 12.

He said Mark, being dissatisfied with the said judgment, filed a notice of appeal to the Supreme Court on March 16, and that the record of appeal was duly compiled and transmitted on March 31.

According to the lawyer, the appeal has been duly entered before this honourable court as Appeal No: SC/CV/180/2026.

He said one of the orders made by the Court of Appeal was that parties should maintain status quo ante bellum.

“The 1st respondent (Gombe) has been relying on the said order to write to the 4th respondent (INEC), urging it to refrain from dealing with or recognising the appellant (Mark) and other national officers of the 2nd respondent (ADC).

“The actions of the 1st respondent (Gombe) amount to attempted enforcement of the judgment of the Court of Appeal,” he said.

The lawyer, however, said Mark had filed a competent appeal challenging the entire judgment of the Court of Appeal.

“Unless this application is granted, the judgment of the Court of Appeal will be enforced and the appeal rendered nugatory.”

Okpanachi, who submitted that the appeal raised substantial and arguable issues of law, stated that the balance of justice favours the grant of the application

“It is in the interest of justice to preserve the res and protect the authority of this honourable court,” he prayed.

NAN reports that INEC had on April 1 removed the names of Mark and Aregbesola from its official portal and website as ADC’s national chairman and national secretary respectively, following the Court of Appeal judgment.

In reaction to INEC’s decision, Mark filed a motion on notice before Justice Nwite on April 7 through his new lawyer, Sulaiman Usman, SAN, praying the court to order the commission to restore their names as they were prior to the institution of the suit by Gombe.

He also sought an order for accelerated hearing of the case, and the judge fixed April 14 for hearing.

NAN reports that Gombe, in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 at the FHC, had sued ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, INEC, and Nwosu as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.

Nwosu was the former ADC national chairman who stepped down for David Mark’s leadership.

Gombe, who was former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC, had urged Justice Nwite to restrain Mark and Aregbesola from further parading themselves as national chairman and national secretary of the party.

The aggrieved ex-deputy national chairman argued that the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola as party leaders breached the provisions of the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.

The judge had on Sept. 4, 2025, declined to grant an ex-parte motion filed by Gombe seeking to stop the Mark-led leadership of the ADC, pending the hearing of his substantive suit.

Nwite had refused the three prayers sought in the ex-parte motion filed by Gombe and moved by his lawyer, Michael Agber.

Rather, the judge directed Gombe, the plaintiff in the suit, to put all the defendants on notice to show cause why the motion should not be granted.

The judge then adjourned the matter until Sept. 15, 2025, for the defendants to show cause.

However, the Mark-led ADC approached the Court of Appeal, challenging the lower court’s jurisdiction to hear the suit, and the appellate court ordered the parties to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the case.

(NAN)

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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday called his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian, offering support to help resolve the escalating Middle East crisis following the collapse of talks between Iran and the United States.

“Vladimir Putin emphasised his readiness to further facilitate the search for a political and diplomatic settlement to the conflict, and to mediate efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” the Kremlin said in its readout of the call, according to AFP.

The development came as the entire US negotiating team withdrew from failed discussions in Islamabad, with no officials remaining in the Pakistani capital to continue back-channel efforts, a US official confirmed.

Officials said the delegation, including chief negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, departed after marathon talks yielded no meaningful progress on the conflict involving Iran.

During a stopover at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, a US official travelling with Vice President JD Vance said no members of the team stayed behind, despite earlier speculation that further negotiations might continue.

Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Washington failed to build trust during the discussions.

“My colleagues in the Iranian delegation put forward constructive initiatives, but the other side was unable to gain the trust of the Iranian delegation,” he said in a post on X.

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The Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has debunked reports of a crisis within its fold, describing allegations of mass resignations and non-payment of delegates’ stipends as a “false narrative” orchestrated by mischief-makers.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the State Publicity Secretary, Uche Obute, the party maintained that there was no agitation regarding the welfare of delegates who attended the recent national convention.

Obute described the claims as “concocted stories” designed to distract the party from its goal of securing the highest number of votes in the 2027 general elections.

Addressing the alleged exit of members over claims of marginalisation, the APC stated that the leadership of Governor Peter Mbah had rather strengthened the party’s presence in the state.

The party claimed that Enugu has been transformed into an APC stronghold, with all members of the National and State Assemblies, as well as the 17 Local Government Area chairmen and councillors, now fully aligned with the party.

“The Governor is widely known for his inclusive leadership style, carrying along both members of the old APC bloc and new entrants into the party,” the statement partly read.

The party further clarified that members of the “old bloc” still occupy critical positions, citing the Zonal Woman Leader (South-East), Oby Ajih, and the Deputy National Chairman (South), Ben Nwoye, as examples of its inclusive structure.

The statement added, “Both the old and new blocs are fully accommodated at all levels of party leadership, from the wards to the local government areas and the state structure.”

Reiterating its unity under the state chairman, Martin Chukwunweike, the party urged the public and its members to disregard the reports.

The APC expressed confidence that no amount of “sponsored misinformation” would derail its progress or its commitment to consolidating its dominance in the state ahead of future polls.

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Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has alleged that Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, is plotting the removal of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rahidi Adewolu Ladoja.

In a post on X on Sunday, Fayose claimed that the alleged move would begin with official queries against the monarch over his absence at a recent coronation ceremony.

“I heard reliably that Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State is plotting the removal of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rahidi Adewolu Ladoja. The plot is to commence this week, with Government Query to be issued against the Olubadan, citing his absence at the failed coronation of High Chiefs in Ibadanland two weeks ago, and other allegations,” Fayose wrote.

I heard reliably that Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State is plotting the removal of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rahidi Adewolu Ladoja.
The plot is to commence this week, with Government Query to be issued against the Olubadan, citing his absence at the failed coronation of…

— Peter Ayodele Fayose (@GovAyoFayose) April 12, 2026

Describing the governor as a ‘sigidi’, a statuette, Fayose said he would continue watch his ignominious machinations.

“As for us, we will be watching the Sìgìdì of Seyi Makinde tó fẹ́ se eré ẹ̀tẹ́,” he added.

The allegation comes amid recent speculation about a possible disagreement between the monarch and the state government.

Recently, the Olubadan Palace dismissed claims of any rift between the traditional ruler and the governor, describing such reports as unfounded.

In a statement, the palace said, “We wish to make it abundantly clear that there is no rift between Kabiyesi and Olori omo oba of Ibadanland.”

It also addressed reports regarding the monarch’s absence at the coronation event, clarifying that the Olubadan did not deliberately avoid the ceremony.

“In addition, the Olubadan did not travel out of Ibadan to avoid the coronation ceremony. Kabiyesi is hale and hearty in Ibadan and performing the role expected of him as Olubadan,” the statement added.

The palace urged the public to disregard unverified claims and rely on official sources for accurate information.

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The Delta State Police Command has revealed how a 17-year-old boy allegedly hacked into celebrities’ WhatsApp accounts and sold explicit materials to fellow students.

This was disclosed in a video shared by comedian Otaghware Onodjayeke, popularly known as I Go Save, during a security awareness programme where he spoke with the Divisional Police Officer of Ugborikoko Division, Uvwie Local Government Area, Temi Agbede-Zuokumor.

WATCH VIDEO:

 

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A post shared by OTAGHWARE O. ONODJAYEKE (@igosave)

Agbede-Zuokumor said the case was uncovered after officers conducted a routine check on a student’s phone, which first raised suspicion.

She said the student’s mother initially claimed the device belonged to his sister, but inconsistencies in her explanation led officers to investigate further.

“The woman looked very modest, so I asked her if she was from Deeper Life. She said no. I then asked why her son took a phone to school, and she claimed it belonged to his sister,” she said.

She added that officers decided to inspect the phone after her suspicions were triggered.

“Something told me to check the phone. When we did, we discovered that everything on the device belonged to the boy,” she said.

According to her, the phone contained over 80 foreign contacts, including Australian numbers, as well as a large volume of explicit materials.

“We saw several foreign numbers, over 80 Australian lines, and the phone was filled with p0rnographic content,” she said.

She further disclosed that the suspect allegedly sold explicit materials to classmates, who reportedly referred to him as “boss.”

“We also saw chats with his classmates asking if he had explicit content to sell. They were calling him ‘boss’ in school,” she added.

Investigations also allegedly showed that the teenager had gained access to WhatsApp accounts belonging to celebrities and used them to solicit money from victims.

“We discovered he had access to WhatsApp accounts of some celebrities, which he used to demand money from unsuspecting victims,” she said.

Speaking during the session, comedian I Go Save recounted a similar experience involving a suspected scammer impersonating Elon Musk.

“That was how someone impersonating Elon Musk messaged me, saying he was stranded and needed a recharge card,” he said.

“I was surprised and asked which network he used. The person later sent an Opay account,” he added.

The police urged parents and school authorities to remain vigilant, warning that cyber-related crimes among young people are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

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President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will begin blocking ships from entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz after talks with Iran failed to end the conflict.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has denied allegations that it copied a recent press statement from Dada Olusegun, a Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on New Media.

The commission described reports suggesting otherwise as “fake, misleading, and a misrepresentation of facts.”

The controversy followed INEC’s reposting of a press statement originally issued to debunk claims that its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, had endorsed a partisan post on X or maintained a personal account on the platform.

The statement, signed by the Chairman’s Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, on April 10, 2026, described the allegations as “entirely baseless” and a “fabrication,” while warning of cybercriminals using fake accounts in the Chairman’s name.

However, on Sunday, Peoples Gazette reported that Olusegun had posted a similar or identical statement hours before INEC’s publication.

In the report titled “Nigerians react as INEC reposts Tinubu aide’s message,” the publication cited public reactions accusing the electoral body of copying content and raising questions about its independence.

Some social media users claimed the wording was verbatim and suggested coordination with the Presidency.

“An X user, #Mrfestusogun, said, ‘Dada Olusegun posted an INEC press statement 23 hours before INEC even posted it.’”

“Another user, #adeyanjudeji, wrote that ‘the president’s SA on media is the one helping the INEC chairman to debunk allegations of partisanship,’” the report stated.

In a statement posted on its official X handle on Sunday, INEC clarified that it did not copy the statement from any third party.

“Any circulation of the statement outside the Commission’s official channels was done independently and not coordinated by INEC.”

“The publication by Peoples Gazette is fake, misleading, and a misrepresentation of facts.”

“INEC’s repost of the statement was solely to amplify accurate information earlier released from the Commission and should not be misconstrued as alignment with any individual or political office holder,” the rebuttal read.

INEC reaffirmed its strict non-partisan stance, saying:

“The Commission remains strictly non-partisan and urges the public to disregard misleading interpretations of its actions.”

It advised Nigerians to rely solely on INEC’s verified official channels for accurate information.

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The police in Ekiti State have arrested two suspects over a robbery attack on the private hostels of the students of Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti.

The Police Public Relations Officer for Ekiti State Police Command, SP Sunday Abutu, said that the robbery took place at about 2.30 am on Saturday.

Abutu said in a statement made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti on Saturday that the arrest followed the operations of the Iworoko Police Division, which trailed the robbers to their hideout.

The police spokesperson, who said that police were on the lookout for two other suspects who escaped, said that items including “one unregistered Bajaj Motorcycle used in perpetrating the act, two stolen phones, two stolen MP Digital Radio, stolen shoes and clothes”, among others, were recovered from the suspects.

He stated, “At about 2.30 am on Saturday, a distress call was received from students’ hostels, off campus, Iworoko, that some suspected robbers broke into their hostels, forcibly collected their phones and made away with them.

“Upon receipt of the information, Police operatives from Iworoko Division swung into action, trailed the culprits to their hideouts and arrested two, while others escaped.

“During interrogation, the two suspects arrested, one Abdulraman Abdulmumini, 26 years old and Abdulsalam Oseni, 31 years old, confessed to the commission of the crime and mentioned other gang members who are currently at large.

“Investigation is underway, and the arrested suspects are helping with necessary information that will aid the process for the possible arrest of the fleeing suspects as well as the recovery of other stolen items.”

According to him, the state Commissioner of Police, Michael Falade, urged members of the public to continue to support the police with credible information that will assist the command to arrest criminal elements and curb criminal activities.

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