By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday, set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, which nullified parts of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s electoral guidelines for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.

The appellate court, in a unanimous judgment, held that the Youth Party, which instituted the suit challenging the guidelines, lacked the locus standi to do so.

The lead judgment, prepared by Justice Adebukola Banjoko and read by Justice Okon Abang, held that the party failed to demonstrate how the guidelines affected it or its members in the conduct of its primary election or the submission of names of its candidates for the 2027 polls.

Justice Banjoko held that the Youth Party did not establish any injury arising from the guidelines to justify the institution of the suit.

The three-member panel further held that Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court erred when, on May 20, he nullified the guidelines on the grounds that they were inconsistent with some provisions of the Electoral Act, adding that the decision occasioned a miscarriage of justice.

In the May 20 judgment, Justice Umar had ruled that INEC lacked the constitutional and statutory powers to compel political parties to conduct their primaries within timelines fixed by the commission.

The trial court also nullified aspects of INEC’s timetable requiring parties to submit their membership registers and candidates’ particulars ahead of the timelines prescribed by the Electoral Act, holding that the commission could not lawfully abridge statutory timelines.

Dissatisfied with the decision, INEC appealed, arguing through its counsel, Dr Alex Izinyom, that the Federal High Court failed to determine its preliminary objection that the suit was hypothetical and academic, thereby denying the commission fair hearing.

The Court of Appeal upheld the appeal, and vacated the Federal High Court’s judgment, thereby restoring the validity of INEC’s electoral guidelines for the 2027 elections.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has filed a N15 billion defamation suit against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, over allegations that he demanded a 48 per cent kickback from a N27.3bn take-off grant approved for a federal agency.

In the suit, Gbajabiamila is seeking N10 bn in general damages, N5bn in aggravated damages, N200m as the cost of the action, and an order directing Matthew to publish a full retraction and apology in five national newspapers.

He is also asking the court to compel the defendant to pin the apology on all social media platforms and online channels where the alleged defamatory statements were published for 30 days.

The suit was filed by Gbajabiamila’s legal team from Pinheiro LP, led by Kemi Pinheiro, with Folu Oguntade, Olukayode Enitan and Chukwudi Enebeli, who described the allegations as false, malicious and defamatory.

According to the statement of claim, Matthew had alleged during a press conference that a dispute arose after Gbajabiamila purportedly demanded a 48 per cent kickback from the agency’s N27.3 bn take-off grant.

He also claimed that N400m had already been paid through a proxy allegedly acting for the Chief of Staff, while an additional N200m was required to secure presidential approvals.

However, Gbajabiamila denied ever meeting or communicating with Matthew or authorising anyone to act on his behalf.

“The claimant has never met the defendant, never held any meeting with him and has never authorised any intermediary, representative, agent or proxy to demand or receive money on his behalf,” the court filing stated.

The suit also referenced Adeyemi’s allegations concerning the death of one Babatunde Tanimola, whom he claimed acted as an intermediary between himself and the Chief of Staff.

Adeyemi alleged that Tanimola died in a hotel fire in Utako, Abuja, on October 22, 2025, a day after Gbajabiamila allegedly petitioned the police.

He further claimed he survived an assassination attempt along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway in September 2025 and alleged that a “directive from above” instructed the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force to discontinue efforts to recover his stolen mobile phones, which he said contained vital evidence.

Court documents revealed that Gbajabiamila’s solicitors issued a cease-and-desist letter dated July 6, 2026, which was published in THISDAY and other national newspapers on July 7, demanding an immediate retraction and apology.

Rather than withdraw the allegations, the claimant alleged that Adeyemi granted an interview to social media influencer VeryDarkMan, where he made admissions that contradicted his earlier claims.

According to Gbajabiamila’s witness statement on oath, Adeyemi admitted during the interview that he had never met the Chief of Staff in person, never held a video call with him, and had no independent means of verifying the identity of the individual he believed to be Gbajabiamila.

The claimant said Adeyemi further admitted that all communications were conducted through the late Tanimola.

Gbajabiamila also told the court that Adeyemi stated he could neither say the Chief of Staff was lying nor confirm that he was telling the truth, adding that he intended to submit his documents to law enforcement agencies for verification.

Despite those admissions, Gbajabiamila alleged that Adeyemi repeated the allegations during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television on July 13, 2026.

The court filings further disclosed that Adeyemi was already standing trial before the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/652/2026: Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew & others, over allegations involving forged presidential documents and forged appointment letters.

According to the claimant, those documents formed the basis of Matthew’s public allegations against him.

The FCT High Court has directed Adeyemi, whose address was listed as unknown but who is deemed to be within the court’s jurisdiction, to enter an appearance within 14 days after being served with the originating processes, failing which judgment may be entered against him in default.

In his witness statement, Gbajabiamila maintained that he had never met Matthew or had any personal, official or professional dealings with him.

He denied demanding any kickback, receiving N400m through a proxy, requesting an additional N200m, abusing his office, manipulating security agencies, intimidating media organisations or interfering with investigations involving the defendant.

He also denied instructing the Nigeria Police Force, DSS, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, or any other law enforcement agency to harass or investigate Matthew.

The Counsel to the former Governor of Kaduna state, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, Paul Erokoro (SAN), has apologized to the State High Court sitting in Kaduna on Wednesday.

The counsel sought the court permission to discontinue the three applications earlier filed by the defendant’s legal team.

Erokoro has also filled a fresh application in the ongoing corrupt allegation instituted against El-rufai by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

As the sitting continues before Justice Darius Khobo, El-Rufai’s lawyer, in his submissions admitted that the pending applications are combative in nature.

While apologizing for bothering the court, he mentioned that he could not adopt some of the languages used in the applications earlier filed by the legal team of the defendant.

Erokoro who just took over the case, explained that he had studied all the applications filed earlier, but due to their confrontational nature, hence the need to file a fresh application.

He pleaded for more time to file a new application, just as he sought the permission to withdraw the three pending applications earlier filed.

While fielding questions from journalists shortly after the court sitting, one of the prosecution counsels, Ibrahim Muktar explained that between the adjourned day till date, two more applications were filed on the same issue, asking the judge to requise himself.

Muktar who frowned at the filling of fresh application by El-Rufai’s new counsel, described such action as a delay method, adding that as prosecutors, and in the interest of justice, they have a duty to prosecute without any delay.

He explained further that the matter came up on the 6th of July for hearing with all the witnesses ready, however, the defense’s counsel filed an application with other series of applications aiming at frustrating the trial.

“Charge has been filed, prosecution is ready, defense is bringing multiple application and that is what is destroying the time, frustrating the prosecution from commencing the trial, we would have gone far if not because of these applications,” the counsel explained.

Following the plea by El-Rufai’s new counsel for more time to file a new application, the case has been adjourned to 22nd day of July,2026 for hearing.