Innocent Ojefia Blog

Proficient management of individuals is a vital skill essential for upholding harmony and efficacy in any societal or organizational context. Yet, the incapacity of certain individuals to adeptly oversee others can result in grave repercussions. In this discourse, I delve into the adverse outcomes of ineffectual leadership, with a particular focus on the manifestation of incompetence, the apprehension of exposure, and how such factors can contribute to the rise of authoritarian regimes. Leaders lacking competence often endeavour to mask their deficiencies behind a veneer of authority, refraining from acknowledging their own limitations. This obstructs advancement and fosters an atmosphere where capable individuals are deterred from contributing their expertise. These leaders might require enhanced communication prowess, emotional intelligence, or decision-making acumen, leading to an inability to delegate tasks, motivate their team, or mediate conflicts. Such inadequacies become pr...

   The last four months have been a ding-gong legal tussle until the closing arguments last Thursday. Leading up to this point, both parties involved had presented their legal arguments supported by evidence. Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege's evidence was formidable. His votes were backed by solid proof—BVAS records, Voter Registers, and Forms EC8A—all authenticated by both experts and INEC. The PDP also possessed BVAS data, although their evidence mostly consisted of manually filled result sheets, voter registers, and Forms EC8A. These documents from the PDP were also confirmed by INEC. The PDP had also submitted handwritten outcome records from Delta South, notably the Patani elections. However, a significant issue arose: the number of votes recorded in Delta South exceeded the accredited voter count. A similar trend emerged in several LGAs supposedly won by the PDP, presenting a substantial case of over-voting. The PDP seemed less concerned about the over-voting problem, con...

Under the 2022 Electoral Act, petitions are instituted for the purposes of challenging the validity of an election or disputing the return of a candidate. An election petition is usually presented by a candidate in an election or a political party that took part in the elections. It will be recalled that the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, had assured millions of his teeming supporters that he would not abandon his mandate and vowed to prove to the world that he won the March 18 governorship election. Ovie Omo-Agege had accused officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), of violating essential provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act on the use of BVAS for accreditation. The hearing notice had earlier fixed the governorship election petition tribunal’s adoption of final addresses or closing arguments for August 24. Today, all parties adopted their final written addresses before the Delta State Governorship Electi...

The Delta State interim governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has been accused of forging a Federal Government Gazette. In a viral video currently trending on YouTube and social media, the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the March 18 Delta State gubernatorial election, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, alleged that Sheriff Oborevwori, Delta State interim governor forged a Federal Government Gazette. Gbagi accused Oborevwori of forging the Gazette to cover his acts of forgery since his political adventures began. He noted that Oborevwori has been using this forged Federal Government of Nigeria Gazette in courts up to the Supreme Court and back to help corrupt judges hide under it to get reprieves. The forgery was exposed through a letter from the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation dated July 28, 2023, confirming that the gazette being paraded by the governor did not emanate from that office and therefore was not authentic. In other words, the gazette in q...

  Silence is not an option when things are ill-done" - Lord Denning, 1899-1999 After weeks of hearing the case of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, CFR, it was the turn of the respondents to open their defence. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the first respondent to the petition, opened and closed its case with a sole witness. The second and third respondents, Sheriff Oborevwori and the PDP, also opened and closed their cases with a sole witness. The election tribunal adjourned to August 24 for the adoption of addresses. The “adoption of final addresses,” as it is called in Nigeria, or “closing arguments,” as it is called in the USA, is usually the penultimate phase of the winding up of a trial. It is where the lawyers summarise their IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, and Conclusion). The final addresses allow the lawyers to emphasise their key points and answer questions that the justices may still have. Thereafter, the court adjourns for judgement, before which th...

Proceedings started on Monday with the introduction of counsels. Our legal team headed by Alex Iziyon, moved straight to the business of the day. They opened with the witness, who is the HOD/Director of Operations of INEC Delta State. In addition, they presented fourteen local government area polling units' ballot papers used for the elections. The local government are as follows: Aniocha South, Aniocha North, Bomadi, Burutu, Ethiope East and West, Ika South and Ika North East, Isoko North, Ndokwa East and West, Okpe, and Oshimili North. Isoko South will be presented too but not among the ones presented because it is not on the schedule. The witness identified the ballot paper.  When Ovie Omo-Agege's lawyer tendered the ballot papers used, the Tribunal asked INEC lawyers if there were any objections. They said no objections but PDP and Sheriff Lawyers objected.  The Tribunal then took a short break. After the court reconvened around 11:00 am the Tribunal accepted all ballot ...

With great pleasure, we wish a very happy birthday to an exceptional political leader who continues to inspire us with his dedication, passion, and unflagging commitment to public service. As we celebrate this special day, we honour a respected statesperson whose unwavering commitment to the betterment of our society, especially Delta Central Senatorial District, is indelible.  Throughout your political career, you have consistently displayed exemplary leadership skills. It is truly inspiring how you bring people together, foster positive change, and make a difference in the world. You have earned the respect and admiration of the nation with your dedication and wisdom.  Your birthday is a celebration of your impact on our country and a reminder of your commitment to serving it. May this day mark the start of another fruitful year filled with accomplishments, happiness, and more meaningful contributions to society. May your birthday be filled with joy, surrounded by ...