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Labour Party challenges Osun REC transfer, urges President Tinubu to intervene
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
The Labour Party's National Vice Chairman South West, Abayomi Arabambi, has criticized the transfer of Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner REC, Mutiu Agboke, calling it unconstitutional and urging President Bola Tinubu to reverse the decision. Agboke was transferred to Ondo State by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC on April 8, ahead of the August 2026 Osun State governorship election. INEC's Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, stated the redeployment was a routine administrative measure. However, Arabambi argued that the appointment, tenure, and removal of RECs are governed by the 1999 Constitution as amended, specifically referencing the Third Schedule, Part 1, Item F, Paragraph 2, and Section 1541, which require presidential appointment and Senate confirmation. He contended that INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, lacks the constitutional authority to remove a REC and alleged that Amupitan acted on a petition from the Osun State APC Chairman, thereby allowing partisan influence. Arabambi questioned the lack of due process, fair hearing, and evidence in Agboke's transfer, stating it sets a dangerous precedent. He urged President Tinubu to direct Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, to reinstate Mutiu Agboke to Osun State and to remove Toyin Babalola from any role in Osun State or any other state. He also called for a directive that no REC be transferred or removed within 90 days of an election except through the ful
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Must ReadSenate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele has elaborated on measures to prevent the abuse of proposed state police services by political actors. He stated that funding for state police should be a first-line charge in the ongoing amendment to the 1999 Constitution. Bamidele, who is also Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, warned that without financial independence, state police could be exploited by businesses, cabals, criminals, and other organizations. He acknowledged public concerns about the state police bill, many of which stem from experiences during the First Republic when regional authorities established police forces under the 1960 and 1963 Constitutions. To address these concerns, Bamidele explained that the National Assembly is developing a multi-tiered safeguard focusing on personnel discipline, institutional independence, and fiscal autonomy. He emphasized the National Assembly's commitment to enshrining state police funding as a first-line charge in the country's law, similar to the judiciary. He noted that the 1999 Constitution provides for judiciary funding, allowing the Chief Justice of Nigeria to operate without needing presidential approval for every procurement, unlike ministers. This mechanism would ensure that the Commissioner of Police and State Police Service Commission have a guaranteed source of funds provided for in the 1999 Constitution, thus insulating the police chief from the influence of a state governor.
Must ReadThe Nigeria Immigration Service has announced that all of Nigeria鈥檚 Country Signing Certificate Authorities have been successfully imported into the International Civil Aviation Organisation鈥檚 Public Key Directory. This development resolves passport authentication issues that previously affected Nigerian travelers at foreign borders. With this integration, Nigerian passports can now be seamlessly verified by border control systems in all member states of the ICAO Public Key Directory, eliminating technical challenges that led to delays and additional screening for some passport holders. The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, completed the process at the ICAO headquarters in Montreal, Canada. This move establishes the necessary chain of trust for Nigerian electronic passports within the global verification system, ensuring that the chip embedded in electronic passports can be authenticated by other countries' border systems. The Ministry of Interior, led by Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, coordinated the exercise, which reflects the Federal Government鈥檚 commitment to strengthening secure digital identity management and international border security cooperation.
Argentina secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over England on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, to advance to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. They will face Spain in the final match. England initially took the lead in the 55th minute with a goal from Anthony Gordon, appearing poised to end their 60-year wait for a World Cup final appearance. However, Enzo Fern谩ndez equalized for Argentina in the 85th minute. Lautaro Mart铆nez then scored the winning goal in stoppage time, heading in a cross from Lionel Messi, sealing the win for Lionel Scaloni's team.