The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, seeking a stay of execution of the Federal High Court judgment that ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and four other political parties.
INEC also threw its weight behind a notice of appeal lodged by the political parties.

The Commission, while addressing a three-member panel of the appellate court on Tuesday, said it was shocked by the decision of Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja to deliver the judgment despite an order that stopped him from doing so.

The electoral body, through its team of lawyers led by Mr Haliru Mohammed, decried that it was not notified that the judgment would be delivered, saying it only heard about the court’s decision through media reports.

“My Lords, we are aware of an order that this court made on May 22, which stopped the delivery of the judgment of the lower court, which was initially reserved for delivery on June 5.

“We were not aware of any notice from the court regarding the delivery of the judgment. We only saw it as breaking news in the media.

“We therefore do not oppose the application of the appellant to stay the execution of the judgment,” the Commission said

Former Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye, has thrown his weight behind Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, ahead of next year’s general elections.

In a video sighted by DAILY POST, Melaye described Obi as someone who has the intellectual and administrative capacity of being a President.

He said Nigeria needs a unifier who has the capacity to address insecurity.

The former lawmaker said, “Fellow countrymen and women, I’m here to address you once again in the course of our nation’s history. We need a unifier. I’m here to address Nigerians, especially my brother and friend, the former Governor of Anambra State, and the former Vice Presidential candidate of our political party, Peter Obi.

“He is one of the finest Nigerians who is intellectually mobile and administratively sagacious. He’s a great Nigerian, and by the grace of God, he has the potential of being a great president.

“I celebrate your conscience of the Nigerian youths and public on governance and building a new Nigeria. So I want to say it is time for us to think.

“I encourage the crusade, the movement started by Peter Obi, to continue, move from campus to campus, move from community to community, move from one progressive group and organization from this country to another to campaign for the new Nigeria that is to come and be part of the movement to rebuild, to restructure, to reorganize, and reboot Nigeria as a country.

“We must speak the truth, and the truth is the truth. The truth of the matter is we need a unifier. We need one Nigerian that can solve the problem of insecurity in this country. We need a Nigerian that will have intel from every security facet of our national life.”

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Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has insisted that the Accord in the state will support President Bola Tinubu in 2027 because he is a son of Osun State.

Governor Adeleke made this known during the official launch of his re-election campaign and welcoming of over 10,000 defectors from the APC, ADC and other political parties as well as endorsement ceremony of over 200 groups/unions/associations at the Freedom Park, Osogbo on Tuesday.

DAILY POST reports that three former commissioners, a special adviser and other chieftains of the APC in Osun State were among individuals that defected to the Accord on Tuesday.

Prominent among the defectors are former commissioners for Youths and Sporty, Yemi Lawal, Political Affairs, Taiwo Akeju, Education Folorunso Oladoyin Bamisayemi, Special Adviser, Jamiu Olawumi, other special advisers and former House of Assembly members

Governor Adeleke while welcoming the decampees said the Accord is their party and also assured the new party members that they will win the governorship election on August 15.

He also outlined that his administration has uplifted the economy of the state according to the Debt Management Office and revealed that his campaign will be hinged on a five point agenda

He maintained that the party rejected violent adding that, “Osun must not go back to the dark age. Osun is the cradle of the Yoruba nation and by the grace of God tranquility must prevail.

“We reject violence. Go out and campaign for the party. Accord will be on the ballot. Be rest assured that we will vote and our votes will count on August 15.”