Speaking at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu addressed the Resident Electoral Commissioners, emphasizing the collaborative efforts with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to handle the prosecutions free of charge.

Yakubu acknowledged that there were certain challenges, including infrastructure and human factors, during the elections. He stated that the commission is carefully examining the records of those who committed infractions.

He added that the electoral body will work closely with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) which he said is willing to prosecute the cases free of charge.

“[There are] 215 case files from the police on electoral offence, we are working with the NBA to prosecute offenders. Already, the NBA has submitted a list of 427 lawyers who are ready to prosecute those cases free of charge.”

Analysing the polls, Yakubu said the 2023 general elections were the most prepared for when compared to previously held elections.

According to him, the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections were held as scheduled.

He added that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines deployed for accreditation performed optimally.

The INEC boss described the 2023 general elections as one that “produced the most diverse National Assembly ever.”

Yakubu added, “The time has come for retrospect to the conduct of the general elections. Since the conclusion of the elections, diverse opinions have been expressed. This is expected especially as it tends to improve future elections.

“The Commission has refrained from commenting on those opinions for several reasons including the fact that most of the issues are still in court.

“However, it is important that as a Commission, we take a broad overview of the Elections beginning with preparations.”

Maikyau made the call on Monday at the Annual Legal Year Ceremony of the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

Decrying the poor working condition of the court and the welfare of justices, he urged the government “to deliberately invest in the welfare of Judges and Justices by strengthening the human capital within the justice sector and meeting all the infrastructural needs of the judiciary as a matter of urgency”.

The welfare of judges has been an issue for some time now and attracted national attention recently when justices of the Supreme raised the matter.

According to Maikyau, salaries and allowances of judges and justices in the country have remained the same since 2008 and that has had a negative impact on justice and justice delivery in the country.

Also, he emphasized the need for the judiciary to be truly independent and described as worrisome the fact that “none of the presidential candidates for the upcoming  2023 election, who attended the Opening Ceremony of the just concluded NBA-AGC on the 21st August 2022 spared any thought on the independence of the judiciary”.

Maikyau called on “the Federal Government to revisit the 2018 Report of the Committee on the Review of Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service, to bring same in tune with our present-day realities and give effect to the final recommendations that will arise therefrom.”

According to the former governor of Anambra State, investment in intangible assets such as education and power are critical for economic renaissance.

“What we need to do is the two most intangible assets: security; and law and order . . . provide conducive environment to attract investors, then education and power . . . the economy is driven by these intangible assets,”

Obi stated this at the opening ceremony  of the 2022 Nigerian Bar Association’s Annual General Conference held at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos.

The conference with the theme ‘Bold Transitions’ began on Monday and will run until August 26.

Obi spoke on a panel alongside All Progressives Congress Vice-Presidential Candidate, Kashim Shettima; Peoples Democratic Party’s Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar; amongst others.

According to LASTMA, the NBA started the conference on Saturday, August 20, 2022. However, the main activities will be from Monday, August 22 to Friday, August 26, 2022.

In an advisory issued on Sunday, the traffic management agency said the conference venues which are Eko Atlantic city/Eko Hotel on Ahmadu Bello way and Adetokunbo Ademola in Victoria Island, would make the axis busy.

“In view of the above, vehicular movement towards the aforementioned axis and environs will be busy.

“Motorists are hereby advised to make use of the adjourning alternative routes/roads to connect their destinations within Victoria Island and Lekki.

“These adjourning alternative routes/roads will be professionally and effectively managed by LASTMA officers.

“Some of the alternative routes are; Ozumba Mbadiwe, Bishop Aboyade Cole, Mobil road, Abiodun Oniru road …to connect Ajose Adeogun, Ligali Ayorinde, Water Corporation drive.”

According to reports from TMZ Sports, James tested positive for COVID-19 Tuesday afternoon, November 30, and missed Los Angeles Lakers’ game against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.

James, who has said he is fully vaccinated against the virus, will miss several games. According to NBA rules, players must test negative on two separate days before they can be cleared to return. Players who test positive must sit out 10 days.

According to Michael J. Babcock, an executive producer with TMZ Sports, James took three COVID tests on Tuesday. The first came back positive, the second negative. A third test was administered as a “tie-breaker” and came back positive.

”I’m told he is asymptomatic at this time,” Babcock tweeted. “The team chartered a private jet to take Lebron back to L.A.”

Tuesday’s game marks James’ 12th absence in the Lakers’ first 23 games this season. He missed 10 games because of injuries and another because of the first NBA suspension of his 19-year career.

He’s averaging 25.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists this season. If he is out for 10 days, he would miss at least four games.

The NBA does not require its players to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to play but referees and other staff who have close contact with players are required to be fully vaccinated to continue in their roles.

Reacting to the uncertainty of some players getting vaccinated, Hall of Famer Abdul-Jabbar, 74, slammed players who ‘are unable to grasp the seriousness of the situation’ and wants them axed.

Abdul-Jabbar told Rolling Stone “the NBA should insist that all players and staff are vaccinated or remove them from the team. There is no room for players who are willing to risk the health and lives of their teammates, the staff and the fans simply because they are unable to grasp the seriousness of the situation or do the necessary research. What I find especially disingenuous about the vaccine deniers are their arrogance at disbelieving immunology and other medical experts. Yet, if their child was sick or they themselves needed emergency medical treatment, how quickly would they do exactly what those same experts told them to do?”

The body stated this while lamenting the closure of courts across the country due to the ongoing strike by the judicial workers.

Explaining that the current situation has debased the country’s democracy, the body regretted that the closure of courts nationwide has not only adversely affected the fortunes of the legal practitioners, urging the governors to swiftly accede to the request of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) to resolve the conundrum.

The NBA also urged the federal government to convene a roundtable discussion, where all stakeholders can meet, ruminate and proffer solutions to the senseless killings and kidnapping of innocent Nigerians.

The NBA, Ado Ekiti Branch, said these in Ado Ekiti at a press conference heralding the 10th Annual Law Week being held in honour of a Legal Icon, Chief Afe Babalola(SAN).

The Branch Chairman, Barr Adeyemi Adewumi, who gave the theme of this year’s Law week as: ‘The 21st Century Lawyer: Integrating Business Skills with Legal Knowledge’, said: “The Courts are shut due to the strike action by JUSUN, who are agitating for the implementation of financial autonomy by the Executive, for the Judiciary.

“And to attain a true separation of power, the other arms of Government; judiciary and Legislature must be weaned from the breast of the executive, that is, become independent in all-wise, particularly financially. This is the only way public perception can become re-engineered towards a trust for the Judiciary and the Legislature.

“Section 81 (1) and 123 of the 1999 Constitution as Amended guarantees financial autonomy to the Judiciary. Meanwhile, following the refusal of the Government to implement this autonomy, JUSUN and Dr. Olisa Agbakoba SAN had sued the Government in two different cases at the Federal High Court, where both cases were won.

“Pursuant to the judgment, the Federal Government had eventually complied when the President issued the Executive Order 10 which authorised the Accountant General of the Federation to deduct the fund standing with the credit of the Judiciary in the consolidated revenue of each State.

“This was challenged by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF). It is a pity that the Government had allowed this issue to degenerate to the level where Courts and Legislative Houses have to be shut before the right thing would be done.

“Thus, the NBA is in solidarity with the demands of JUSUN on financial autonomy for the Judiciary notwithstanding the temporary pains this industrial action may cause to lawyers’ welfare or work. We have resolved to stand by them because we believe in this cause for the good of all. We, therefore call on the Government of Ekiti State, and indeed all State Governments to attend to this matter with the urgency it deserves.

“The closure of court, Lawyers are the worst hit and we are calling on the government to please adhere to our request. They should follow what the law says concerning financial autonomy to the judiciary. This is not even about the executive order, but our Constitution.”

The state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, disclosed this on Twitter after a meeting with members of the Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos chapter and Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria on Tuesday.

The meeting was to dialogue on the ongoing strike action by the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria which has shut down courts across the country.

“I met with the representatives of the NBA branches in Lagos State today who came to dialogue with us on the ongoing strike action by judicial workers over financial autonomy for the Judiciary.

“Our administration fully supports financial autonomy and it is important to state that Lagos State has implemented and is in compliance with this.

“Lagos has always been at the forefront in Nigeria on matters of welfare and remuneration of judicial officers, reforms and working conditions.

“Our commitment to full financial autonomy to the judiciary is strong and I assured the NBA leadership that I will work with other Governors to resolve the issues that led to the strike,” the tweet reads.

The meeting is holding at the Government House, Marina.

The bar leaders were from Lagos, Epe, Ikorodu and Badagry.

Recall that the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi, had on Monday, said the state governors and other stakeholders had reached an agreement on the implementation of financial autonomy for state legislature and judiciary.

Although he did not disclose the details of the agreement reached, he assured the nation that the implementation would start in May.

Recall that the CCT Chairman was seen in a viral video assaulting a security guard at Banex Plaza in Wuse, Abuja. This generated an outcry on social media.

The NBA in a statement released by its spokesman Dr Rapulu Nduka on Thursday, April 1, said it will carry out an investigation to determine whether Umar’s conduct was unbecoming of a member of the legal profession.

The statement read “The attention of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has been drawn to the video making the rounds where the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) – Danladi Yakubu Umar Esq., was seen, together with his security detail, allegedly assaulting a citizen at Banex Plaza, in Wuse Abuja.  We understand that this citizen turned out to be a 22-year-old employee of Jul Reliable Guards Services Ltd, posted as a security guard to the Plaza and who is now reportedly hospitalised. The NBA has also read the statement credited to the Head, Press and Public Relations of the CCT in response to the actions of Mr Umar. The NBA frowns at any display of naked power by a public officer especially one who, by virtue of his high office, is expected to exhibit a high standard of conduct.”