Dele Farotimi: Is Afe Babalola After The Truth Or A Pound Of Flesh?

 By Olu Fasan

Most of those who have commented or are commenting on the Dele Farotimi-Afe Babalola saga have not read the book at the heart of the story: Farotimi’s Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System. I have. I bought a digital copy from Amazon last week, and spent four hours slowly reading – more appropriately, perusing – the 115-page book on Kindle.

*Farotimi 

Why did I buy the book? Two reasons. First, column-writing is about topicality and informed commentary. A good columnist should comment on any topical issue of significant public interest and do so from an informed perspective. The Farotimi-Babalola story has gripped Nigeria and has wider implications for the principle of legality. I decided to read the book so I could offer an informed opinion. Second, I wanted to know what irked Aare Afe Babalola so much that he went for the nuclear option, seeking to crush Farotimi personally and professionally. Well, answer: the book is a dynamite! 

In The Matter Of Dele Farotimi Before The Star Chamber

 By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu

Paul Anyebe was a judge of the High Court of Benue State in north-central Nigeria who had a young son with sticky fingers and a sense of adventure  It was his role as a dad that endangered his job as a judge.

*Dele Farotimi 

One night around 1983, Anyebe caught his son attempting to steal from his bedroom. In response, Anyebe pulled his gun in an effort to scare the boy. The gun went off, discharging a bullet which hit and seriously injured the boy.

Peter Obi: Our Democracy As Victim Of Miscarriage Of Justice

 Remarks at a Press Conference by Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, CON, Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party on The Supreme Court Judgment of 26th October, 2023  On the 2023 Nigeria Presidential Election Held in Abuja, FCT, on Monday 6th November, 2023

*Peter Obi 

  1.Fellow countrymen and women. Gentlemen of the Media, Good day and welcome to this press conference. Kindly permit me to make some brief remarks on the recent ruling of the Supreme Court, the highest court in Nigeria.

2. About a fortnight ago, I was traveling abroad on a prior scheduled engagement when I received the notice that the Supreme Court would give judgment on Thursday 26th October 2023 on our challenge of the ruling   of   the   Presidential   Election   Petitions   Court   (PEPC).   That judgment has since been delivered as scheduled. The leadership of the Labour Party has already pronounced its position on the judgment.

You Cannot Swear-In A President Twice

 By Obi Nwakanma

“If you do not know where to put your hand, rest it on the knee” – Igbo proverb.

The inauguration of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria into office is a pretty serious constitutional event. It transfers power definitively to an individual who is then expected to embody the moral, philosophical, visionary, and constitutional ideals of the nation, and direct the executive function of state. The Constitution establishes the power of Nigeria in three institutions of state: the National Assembly, the Supreme Court, and the President. The National Assembly makes the laws.

The Supreme Court interprets those laws, including the permanent laws established by the Constitution. The President, as the Head of the executive branch of the three arms, executes the laws. These three powers together make up the Federal Government. They operate separately, and each is granted the power to oversee the other in order to create a balance of power, and prevent the misuse of authority. For instance, the National Assembly, which is actually the most powerful institution of state in a democratic republic, controls the Treasury of Nigeria, by law. Not the President.

Rochas Okorocha Floors Ohakim At The Supreme Court

Emmanuel Uduaghan Wins Too...


The Supreme Court this morning (Friday, March 2, 2012), upheld the election of Owelle Rochas Okorocha of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA ) as Governor of Imo State in the April 26 election.



In the judgment, the apex court cited Section 285 (7) of the constitution, which requires that judgment must be delivered within 60 days. 

 Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha


The Supreme Court also nullified the Appeals Court's judgment and upheld the ruling of the Imo State Governorship Election Tribunal, which had earlier declared Okorocha winner of the election.

In the view of the Supreme Court, despite the fact that the Court of Appeal had delivered its judgment within 60 days as required by law, it failed to provide reasons for its judgment within the stipulated time, and so that renders it invalid. 

The Court of Appeal had delivered its ruling on January 06, 2012, but had waited till January 24, 2012 before providing an explanation for its judgment.

The Supreme Court saw that as an act of infringement on the constitution and therefore nullified the judgment and upheld the ruling given earlier by the Imo state Governorship Election Tribunal.



Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan


Former Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakim, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had taken his challenge against the declaration of Okorocha's as winner of the Imo State governorship election to the Supreme Court. But with this morning’s ruling, the matter has been laid to rest. 

Reacting to the judgment this afternoon, a political analyst described the judgment as a “great relief and heart-warming” to the mass of Imo people.  

“It was unimaginable for most Imo indigenes that the great transformation Okorocha is undertaking in Imo State should have been halted, and the old dark days of stagnation and decay reinstalled by a judicial pronouncement,” he said.  

Also Justice Tanko Mohammed who read the judgment on case between Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and his challenger, Great Ogboru,  gave the same reasons for dismissing Ogboru's petition and upholding the election of Uduaghan.