The NAFDAC Head of Investigation and Enforcement, Federal Taskforce, Embugushiki-Musa Godiya, also said the agency would work to ensure that fake cosmetics and other counterfeit products were completely wiped out of the country.
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Adereti asks tribunal to sack Ajilesoro, PDP
…Wants to be declared winner
By Jeleel Olawale
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Engineer Benjamin Adereti has asked the Osun State House of Representatives and Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Osogbo to nullify the outcome of the February 25 House of Representatives election in Ife Federal Constituency, won by incumbent Hon. Taofeek Ajilesoro of the People’s Democratic Party.
Adereti, in his petition marked EPT/OS/HR/02/2023 dated March 17th, 2023, urged the tribunal to nullify Ajilesoro’s victory on the alleged grounds that the PDP candidate was not qualified to run in the election.
The APC candidate, in his petition, contended that Ajilesoro’s emergence as winner “was invalid by reason of corrupt practices or non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. The 2nd respondent was not duly elected by the majority of the lawful votes cast at the election.”
The 1st petitioner based his petition on ground that, the 2nd respondent was, at the time of the election, not qualified to contest the election. He averred that the 2nd respondent did not possess the educational qualification to contest the election to the Ife Central, North, East and South Federal Constituency held on Saturday, 25th February, 2023 for having presented forged certificates to the first respondent.
The petitioner stated in his petition that the 2nd respondent in an affidavit in support of his personal particulars, whereof in Column C which required him to state the schools he attended beginning with Primary School and educational qualifications with dates, the second respondent only indicated when he graduated (1991) without stating the Primary and Secondary Schools he attended.
The APC candidate in the petition noted that the purported Primary School Testimonial of Osun State, Nigeria that bears Ajilesoro Taofeek A. was issued on 7th July, 1991 and West Africa Senior School Certificate bears Ajilesoro Bimbola are forged documents.
There are contradictions in the names submitted to and the ones on his documents. As at 7th July, 1991 when the Primary School Testimonial of Osun State was issued, Osun State has not been created.
There are irreconciliable contradictions in the age of 1st respondent on the Primary School Testimonial of Osun State submitted and the West African Senior School Certificate as well as on the Form EC9.
The 2nd respondent therefore, in his Form EC9, declared falsely on the oath. The 2nd respondent having presented forged certificates to the 1st respondent, 2nd respondent was therefore not qualified to contest the election.
The petitioner stated that the 2nd respondent was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast at the election and that the election of 2nd respondent was invalid by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of the electoral Act 2022 and extant regulations.
According to the petitioner, the 1st respondent (INEC) failed to comply with the law where the total number of votes and never if accredited voters recorded in the respective Forms EC8A for 224 polling units do not tally with the numbers of accredited and verified voters on the record of the Biomodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) for the polling units.
He stressed that there was improper accreditation of voters in the said 224 polling units across the 4 local government areas, as the presiding officers who are agents of the 1st respondent at the polling units permitted voting in many of the units without accreditation with BVAS.
The petitioner further noted that there were cases of recording of valid votes in excess of number of accredited voters, deliberate voiding of valid votes of the petitioners by additional thumbprinting of their valid ballot papers.
He averred that upon deduction of unlawful votes in the stated polling units, it is the 1st petitioner that scored a majority of the lawful votes cast at the election and satisfied the constitutional requirements for elected as member, representing Ife Federal Constituency and ought to have been declared duly elected.
The 1st petitioner contended that the election of the 2nd respondent was invalid by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022. The election in 224 polling units in the four local government areas, was characterized by widespread non-compliance with the Electoral Act and INEC regulations.
The 1st petitioner noted that the 1st respondent wrongfully made various unlawful entries and inscriptions not be recorded of lawful votes cast at the polling unit, which votes are liable to be voided.
The result declared by the 1st respondent in respect of the units did not reflect the authentic votes. The petitioners averred that computation of the total valid votes cast at the election will show that about 37,638 of the votes were not valid voters in the result declared by the 1st respondent.
“The petitioners aver that but for the non-compliance, in the 224 polling units being challenged, the 2nd petitioner and her candidate, the 1st petitioner should have been declared as the winner of the election having polled the highest number of lawful votes cast at the election”.
The petitioner prayed the tribunal to direct the 1st respondent to issue a certificate of return to the 1st petitioner as the duly elected as member, representing Ife Central/Ife North/Ide South/Ice East Federal Constituency.
He also asked the tribunal to declare null and void the Certificate of Return wrongly issued to the 2nd respondent by the 1st respondent.
The 1st petitioner asked the tribunal in the alternative to nullify or cancel the Ife Federal Constituency election held on 25th February, 2023 and the 1st respondent be directed to conduct a fresh election for Ife Central/Ife North/Ife East/Ife South Federal Constituency.
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Invoke executive order for state, LG police, Afenifere tells Tinubu
The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere, on Saturday, urged President Bola Tinubu to invoke an Executive Order for the establishment of state and local government Police.
Afenifere, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi,in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, also called for the erection of close-circuit television sets and deployment of modern technology for security purposes in strategic locations to end insecurity.
Ajayi said, “There are indications that Tinubu is desirous of putting an end to this deleterious menace. Towards the end of January this year, he approved the procurement of digital tracking tools to enhance the apprehension of bandits, terrorists and armed robbers.
“On Monday, April 22, this year, he used the occasion of addressing participants at the African Counter-Terrorism Summit which opened on that day in Abuja to assure everyone of his government’s readiness to ensure greater security. Unfortunately, recent happenings have not shown that the President’s desire in this respect is being worked upon.
“President Tinubu should get state and local government police off the ground immediately through the invocation of an Executive Order while the process of amending the Constitution continues.
“Close circuit television sets, deployment of modern technology for security purposes including drones must be effected immediately.”
He explained that the statement was motivated by the recent reports of banditry and kidnapping in Ogun, Edo, Ekiti, Oyo, Kogi, Zamfara and Niger States, respectively which made a research organization declare Nigeria as one of the top nations where kidnap ranks highest globally.
Ajayi noted that Fulani herders and farmers’ clashes kept occurring in Osun, Ondo and Oyo State; Otu, Igbeti and Alaga in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State were the latest victims.
The Afenifere spokesperson also said, “In order to end insecurity, enhance people’s welfare and ensure the sustenance of Nigeria as one of the top investment destinations in Africa as desired by the government, there is the urgent need by the Federal Government and security agencies to be more innovative and decisive.”
He lamented that banditry, including armed robbery, kidnapping was still occurring on South-West roads such as Lagos-Ibadan, Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode; Akure-Ilesa-Ibadan; Ore-Ijebu Ode-Lagos, Ikirun-Osogbo-Ilesa; Lokoja-Abuja, Owo-Benin and Ibadan-Iseyin-Saki.
“Latest reports have it that on Monday, May 13 instant, eight cocoa farmers were kidnapped at Marindoti Cocoa Farmers’ settlement in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State. Three students of Millicent Secondary School in the same area on their way to write their Senior Secondary School Examination, were also kidnapped at the same time.
“A sum of N31 million was reportedly paid to ransom three people who were kidnapped at Longe village on Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road last week Sunday. On Thursday, May 16, one Seliat Adeniji (nee Raji) was kidnapped in her Ebedi home in Iseyin, Oyo State. Her guard was killed in the process.
“Hon Bello Hassan representing Zurmi/Shinkafi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives last Tuesday claimed that terrorists have sacked about 50 communities and abducted over 500 people in his area of Zamfara State as bandits overran Zurmi, the second most populous town in the state killing palace officers as well as policemen.”
To put a serious check on all these, the Afenifere spokesman said that there was an urgent need to dig deep into the roots of the menace and to be decisive in applying the necessary measures.
News
NAFDAC shuts cosmetic shops in Lagos, seizes counterfeit products
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has shut three shops and raided others during a clampdown on the sale of unregistered “Dr. Teal’s” brand of cosmetics in Lagos State.
The agency disclosed this in a post on its X handle on Saturday, stating that the action came after a complaint from the trademark holder.
The statement read, “NAFDAC has shut down three cosmetics shops and raided others, targeting the sale of unregistered ‘Dr. Teal’s’ brand cosmetics. This action follows a complaint from the trademark holder regarding potential counterfeit products.
“Two suspected shops along Excellent Line at the Trade Fair Complex were targeted, resulting in sealed shops and invitation letters issued to attendants.”
It added that another development unfolded at Okas Global Link Limited where NAFDAC confiscated over 200 cartons of various Dr. Teal’s products and other unregistered cosmetics, suspecting them to be the source of distribution.
A shop identified as Cubana Stores at Phil Hallmark Plaza was also reported to have been sealed for stocking and selling the moisturising body and bath products of the alleged unregistered Dr. Teal’s brand.
NAFDAC added that according to its regulations, shop owners found guilty of selling unregistered products face penalties of up to ₦5m fine.
It said shop owners were also being questioned as part of ongoing investigations.
In the statement, the agency emphasised the health risks associated with fake cosmetics, stating the potential dangers of using products containing harmful substances.
News
Traders, soldiers clash at Banex Plaza in Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has deployed intelligence officers to Banex – an electronics and telecommunications gadgets market, in Abuja following a conflict that ensued between soldiers and some traders on Saturday.
A viral video seen by our correspondent on X on Saturday showed a multitude of civilians overpowering some soldiers during a free-for-all fight at Banex.
The Defence Headquarters, and the spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Onyema Nwachukwu could not be reached for comments as of press time.
Meanwhile, a trader who simply identified himself as Abdul, told our correspondent on Saturday that the conflict ensued over the sale of a mobile phone.
“There’s a problem at Banex now. Some soldiers came to complain about a phone, and during an argument with the traders, a fight ensued,” Abdul simply revealed.
When contacted over the development, the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh said the Commissioner of Police, Benett Igweh has deployed officers of the FCT Intelligence Response Team to the scene of the incident.
“The CP has deployed the Intelligence Response Team to the scene,” Adeh confirmed.
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