News
BREAKING: Return to the top, Buhari enthuses, as Anthony Joshua beats Franklin
President Muhammadu Buhari is in celebration mood following the victory of Nigerian-born boxer, Anthony Joshua, over Jermaine Franklin, commending the triumph of the gifted pugilist, who prevailed over his opponent through a unanimous decisions of three judges.
Extolling the mentality of Joshua, who did not allow personal setbacks and obstacles to dent his resilient spirit, the President, was quoted as saying the former three-time world heavyweight champion has demonstrated that by hard work, patience, dedication, persistence and humility, those who dare do win.
The President’s position was conveyed by Femi Adesina, his spokesman, who in a statement spoke of how he also lauded Joshua for his courage and discipline, on and off the ring, and prayed that Saturday’s success would be a stepping stone to one of the greatest comebacks in boxing history.
“The President believes that the accomplishments of Joshua on the world stage will continue to inspire many upcoming professionals, particularly sportsmen and women, not to be discouraged by temporary defeats and setbacks. He wishes Joshua a bright future and fulfilling career,” the statement, said.
Joshua, who returned to winning ways with the victory was adjudged the winner at the O2 Arena in London after a grueling contest for 12 rounds, by the decisions of the judges who scored him 118-111, 117-111, 117-111.
Before now, the former world champion got his first win since 2020, was humiliated on two consecutive occasions by Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, first on September 25, 2021, and the second on August 21, 2022, about two years after he prevailed over Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev, on December 13, 2020.
Saturday’s win, set him on a 25 wins in 27 bouts, with two losses, and set him on the way of fighting Tyson Fury, his fellow Briton, who is currently holding the three belts in contention at the Heavyweight category.
He said after prevailing over Franklin: “I try and provide for the fans. I know who they want. They said Tyson Fury; the ball is in his court. I would be honoured to fight for the WBC Heavyweight Championship of the World. If he’s listening, he knows my promoter; we’ve had dialogue before, so let’s continue this. We ain’t getting any younger.”
On his part, Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, said: “We want the Fury fight. We believe it can be made. The nature of the victory was always going to be important, but he has the right to call out Fury or Deontay Wilder.”
Succour came the way of the David Mark, following the restoration of his leadership of African Democratic Congress (ADC), by the Supreme Court, which removed the order by the Court of Appeal for parties to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the determination of its leadership crisis at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel headed by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, held that the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal acted beyond its jurisdiction by unilaterally issuing such an order after it had already dismissed a case that was brought before it by one of the factions.
“Giving such an order in an appeal it had already dismissed was unnecessary, unwarranted and improper,” the Supreme Court held.
It held that the appeal that was filed before it by Senator David Mark succeeded in part, even as it dismissed the aspect that challenged an ex parte order the Federal High Court made for service of processes in the suit filed by aggrieved members of the party.
The apex court directed the factions to return to the trial court for continuation of hearing of the case.
It will be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had removed Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from its portal and website as ADC National Chairman and Secretary, respectively, on April 1, citing the Court of Appeal’s judgment.
The electoral body said it would, in line with the order for maintenance of the status quo ante bellum, not recognise any of the warring factions until the legal dispute is determined.
By Sunny Igboanugo
The Supreme Court on Thursday, finally nailed the Seyi Makinde camp of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which also includes Bala Muhammed, Governor of Bauchi State, by nullifying the national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo state, on November 15 and 16, 2025, which produced Taminu Turaki as National Chairman.
Justice Stephen Adah, who read the majority judgement in a two-three split decision of the five-member panel of the apex court, dismissed the appeal filed by the camp, which had earlier lost at the Court of Appeal, for lacking in merit.
Adah, said the camp not only violated a susbsisting order of the federal high court which restrained it from proceeding with the planned convention, adding that such defiance of an existing judgment of the Federal High Court, delivered by Justice James Omotosho would not be condoned by law.
Berating the Turaki-led group for going on to another court of coordinate jurisdiction to secure an order, instead of going on appeal, the apex court described the move as an abuse of court process, adding that any litigant who engaged in the act of abuse of court process would do so at his or her own peril.
The majority judgment dismissed the appeal for lack of merit.
The Turaki group had asked the Supreme Court to set aside a Court of Appeal ruling that voided the convention for breaching a subsisting court order.
Through their counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN), the appellants urged the apex court to uphold the convention and dismiss a cross-appeal filed by a rival faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
However, the respondents, including former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, contended that the dispute transcends internal party matters and centres on disobedience to a valid court order.
Lamido had earlier obtained a Federal High Court injunction barring the PDP from holding the convention until he was permitted to contest for the position of national chairman.
Despite the order, the party went ahead with the exercise—an action later declared unlawful by both the trial court and the Court of Appeal.
The appellate court further ruled that the matter was not protected under the doctrine of internal party affairs and accordingly nullified the convention.
The apex court further held that political parties are the vehicle through which politicians get to public office, hence they have a responsibility to obey court orders in deference to the rule of law.
Stressing that once a party knew of an order of court, it was bound to obey it, the court held: “The conduct of the national convention of November 15, 2025, is null and void and is hereby nulled. This court will not lend its machinery to any litigant who abuses the process of the court. This appeal is lacking in merit and is hereby dismissed. Parties will bear their own costs,” it added.
Justice Haruna Samani, in the minority judgment he read, maintained, among other reasons, that the process of who runs a political party is the internal affairs of the party, and therefore not within the jurisdiction of the lower courts.
This position was also supported by Justice Abubakar Umar, who cited an earlier ruling of the Supreme Court, which states that any matter that does not concern primary elections of political parties is not a pre-election matter and therefore not justiciable.
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