Abia election: Tribunal struck out APGA petition against PDP candidate, Ifeanyi Uchendu

The National Assembly and House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Umuahia, the Abia state capital, Wednesday, threw out the petition filed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate for Ohafia South constituency of Abia state, Leonard Eme Umezuruike, challenging the INEC’s declaration of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Honorable Ifeanyi Uchendu, as winner of the just concluded March 9 House of Assembly election conducted in the state.

Uchendu, is also the current member representing Ohafia South constituency in the State Assembly.

The plaintiff (Umezuruike), had on 30th day of March, 2019, filed a petition marked, EFT/AB/HA/11/2019, at the National Assembly and House of Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, praying that the tribunal declares him winner of the election in Ohafia south constituency. He said that the defendant(Uchendu) of the PDP was fraudulently declared winner by the INEC Returning Officer in the election.

However, the petitioner,(Umezuruike), on the 18th day of April, 2019 filed a notice of motion to withdraw the matter, excusing that he hurriedly approached the tribunal with the hope of assembling the unit election documents with the result sheets which he was unable to do on time.

He affirmed that after eventually gathering his figures in the result sheets, he found out that the respondent (Uchendu) won the election outrightly, which as a result, led him to withdraw the petition.

In her ruling, the three-man panel of the election tribunal chaired by Hon. Justice A. Aderibigbe, granted the application of the APGA candidate(Umezuruike) and thereby struck out the case.

Reacting in an interview with newsmen at the Court’s premises, the member representing Ohafia South state constituency, and the winner of the State Assembly poll, Hon. Ifeanyi Uchendu, encouraged every other candidate of the other parties to join hands with him in giving the people of Ohafia south more better and effective representation.

He said, “I am rededicating my victory in the last House of Assembly election held in Ohafia South constituency to God and my wonderful constituents. I’m calling on other opposition candidates to join me in taking our dear Ohafia south to a greater and prosperous heights”.

Recall that Professor Mrs. Elisi Adanma Sabina, the Returning Officer for the State Assembly election for Ohafia South constituency had declared the PDP candidate, Ifeanyi Uchendu, winner of the March 9 House of Assembly poll conducted in the costituency.

Uchendu polled 6228 votes to defeat Leonard Umezuruike of APGA, who scored 4162 to emerge second in the election.

‘Fayemi Sacks 2,000 ‘Ekiti Workers’

Decision of the Dr. Kayode Fayemi led All Progressives Congress (APC) government in Ekiti State to sack over 2,000 workers employed by the immediate past government of Ayodele Fayose has been described as wickedness and political vendetta promoted to the peak.

Fayose’s Spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, in a statement on Wednesday, said “Fayemi has only succeeded in writing his name in the history books of Ekiti as one who inflict pains and sorrow on the people.”

Olayinka said; “Fayemi has only demonstrated  the wickedness in his heart by sacking Ekiti sons and daughters who were duly employed by the state government.

“It will be on record that the PDP government of Ayodele Fayose gave jobs to over 2,000 unemployed youths in Ekiti while the APC government of Kayode Fayemi sacked them.

“Also, whoever that applauds this show of wickedness will be reminded in future when actions of Fayemi will also be reviewed.

“As for those sons and daughters of Ekiti who have now become victims of Fayemi’s wickedness and political vendetta, they should place their hope in God and enforce their rights to seek redress in the court of law.”

Ogun: ‘I didn’t collect money from APC to abandon my case at Tribunal’

The Peoples Democratic Party Candidate for Ogun East Senatorial seat in the last National Assembly election, Engr. Deola Sosanwo, on Thursday, denied allegations that he has collected money from the All Progressives Congress(APC) and its Candidate, Senator Lekan Mustapha, to discontinue his Petition at the Tribunal where he is challenging the outcome of that election.

Sosanwo said he remained resolute in his determination to reclaim the alleged stolen mandate and refused to be bribed or silenced in the face of brutality and evil machinations.

The PDP Senatorial candidate, who made this known in a statement, lamented that some of his supporters have been conned into believing he had collected huge sums of money from his political opponent and party, to abandon the legal steps taken to address the injustice.

He added that he has enough ground to challenge the decision of the returning officer for the senatorial district, Prof.Chris Nwuka, who publicly declared the election inconclusive only to return two days later to announce the APC Candidate, winner of the election with 84,924 votes.

Sosanwo who polled 82,457 votes in the election, noted that when elections results are declared inconclusive, the best option is to order for a rerun or supplementary election to complete the aborted electioneering exercise.

He expressed shock that the contrary was the case because the returning officer was abducted and gaged to incoherently and inaudibly declare Sen Lekan Mustapha winner.

The Senatorial hopeful advised his supporters to remain calm as the matter is before the Election petition tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, saying the cynical moves of his opponent who in his crude characteristics, illegally hijacked peoples mandate freely given to him.

According to him, his unconditional love for the good people of the Senatorial district and by extension the good people of Ogun state is the tenable reason he remained resolute with the pursuit of the mandate.

He described INEC declaration of Mustapha, winner as a shame, charade and travesty and mockery of the evolving home grown democracy.

BREAKING: Senate confirms Emefiele for second term as CBN gov

The Senate has just confirmed Dr. Godwin Emefiele as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria for a second term.

Emefiele had been screened by the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, on Wednesday during which he was grilled in issues affecting Nigeria’s economy.

The screening exercise came after the mandate given by President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, to the committee at the plenary on Tuesday. The committee was given one week to carry out the screening and report back to the Senate.

Emefiele, who was appointed as CBN Governor on June 2, 2014, is due to end his first term on June 2, this year.

President Muhammadu Buhari had last week written to the Senate requesting that Emefiele be confirmed as CBN Governor for a second term of five years.

Atiku, PDP doing everything possible to sabotage Buhari –FG

The Federal Government has warned the Peoples Democratic Party not to derail the country’s democracy through its brand of opposition politics.

The FG claimed the opposition party and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, were “desperate” for power, as exemplified in what the government called “unpatriotic” utterances lately.

Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, gave the government’s position while speaking with State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja,  on Wednesday.

Mohammed claimed Atiku and his party were doing everything possible to frustrate the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The minister said, “The Federal Government has strongly decried the increasingly unpatriotic and desperate opposition politics being played by the PDP and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, warning that such dead-end opposition could be toxic for the nation’s democracy, if left unchecked.

“Never in the history of politics in Nigeria has an opposition party and its presidential candidate exhibited the kind of desperate tactics being deployed by the duo, especially since  Buhari overwhelmingly defeated Atiku to win the 2019 presidential election.

“Either by themselves or via their proxies, the PDP and its presidential candidate are doing everything possible to sabotage the Buhari administration, generally overheat the polity and make Nigeria seemingly ungovernable, especially through their public utterances and their poorly-thought-out press releases before and after the 2019 general elections. Unless they quickly retrace their steps, they may, sooner than later, over-reach themselves.

“For those who may be quick to accuse the government of crying wolf, the pre-election statement credited to the former Vice-President, that unless Nigerians voted out the APC administration, killings by herdsmen would continue and ultimately spark a series of ethno-religious crises that would be irreversible, was looking more like a Freudian slip than anything else.”

The FG also said the PDP had been attacking the judiciary for no reason other than that the latter was doing its job of hearing the election petitions.

Mohammed added, “Also, in recent times, the PDP has taken its desperation to a new low by attacking the judiciary, an action many see as indicating a reversal of the party’s hitherto self-assured stance that it has a solid case against the  President’s election. And either by coincidence or orchestration, a faceless group emerges from nowhere calling for an overthrow of a democratically-elected government, a totally egregious act of treason.

“It beggars belief that a candidate who prides himself as a democrat can so allow desperation to becloud his sense of propriety to such an extent that he will be associating with anti-democratic forces or making inflammatory statements.”

But responding to the FG’s claim, Atiku alleged that Buhari is plotting against him.

In a statement by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe,  the ex-Vice-President said, “It is not surprising that such a despicable lie is emanating from Lai Mohammed, President Buhari’s aptly named Minister of Information.

“Lai Mohammed is so associated with lies that even Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo said on Monday, May 13, 2019 that ‘People like Lai Mohammed, Abba Kyari, Adamu Adamu are usually very well-behaved during the Ramadan. But I’m not even sure that that is true anymore.’

“When we have a situation where even those who employed him know that Lai Mohammed is a liar, who will even lie during the holy month of Ramadan, then why should Nigerians be surprised at this latest lie?

“Lai Mohammed is only being too clever by half when he says ‘it beggars belief that a candidate who prides himself as a democrat can so allow desperation to becloud his sense of propriety to such an extent that he will be associating with anti-democratic forces or making inflammatory statements.’”

Also, in a statement by its  National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a reaction to Mohammed’s press conference, the PDP told the ruling All Progressives Congress government to tackle the problems confronting the country instead of trying to shift blame.

The statement read, “The attention of the PDP has been drawn to a press conference by Alhaji  Lai Mohammed, in which he, once again, veered off issues of governance and dwelt on hauling insults, misplaced accusations and threats against our party and our presidential candidate.”

Imo Deputy Speaker, Ozuruigbo resigns

Deputy Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Ugonna Ozuruigbo, has resigned from his position.

According to Channels TV, the lawmaker representing Nwangele constituency tendered his resignation in a letter he personally signed and addressed to the Speaker and members of the state House of Assembly on Thursday.

Ozuruigbo stated that he was resigning to enable him function well as a member-elect of the national House of Representatives.

The letter reads, “As you already know, I have been sent to another four years mission by my federal constituency in Imo state, at the federal House of Representatives, Abuja.

“This new task has come with its own challenges and expectations, especially need to play key roles in the formation of the National Assembly leadership, and time to strategically position, to pursue the greater interests of Imo state, South East and Nigeria, at the federal legislature. Currently, these will make my availability in Imo state irregular.”

“Hence, I seek your undertaking as I either save the office of Imo state Deputy speaker by resigning or allow my new engagements to suffer the office of Imo state Deputy speaker by holding same tenaciously.”

“Thus, for your efficiency and the good of Imo people, I hereby resign as the Rt Hon. deputy speaker of Imo state House of Assembly (8th House), effective from the date written above,” the resignation letter read in part.

The deputy speaker’s resignation comes less than 24 hours after 21 out of the 27 state lawmakers served impeachment notices on the speaker, Acho Ihim, and the majority leader, Lugard Osuji, after suspending them.

Meanwhile, 21 out of the 27 members of the Imo House of Assembly on Wednesday served an impeachment notice on the Speaker of the house, Mr Iheanacho Ihim, and the majority leader, Lugard Osuji, for alleged misconduct.

The members also elected Mr Chinedu Offor (AA), representing Onuimo Constituency, as the Protem Speaker.

Stop lying during holy month of Ramadan - Atiku tells Lai Mohammed

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to allegation against him by the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration, alleging that he has made treasonable statements.

In his reaction, Atiku said that it is not surprising that such a despicable lie is emanating from Lai Mohammed, who President Buhari aptly named Minister of Information. Atiku, in a statement by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe said that those who employed Lai Mohammed know that he’s a liar, who will even lie during the holy month of Ramadan.

The former Vice President, who said that only the guilt are afraid, added that Lai Mohammed is so associated with lies that even Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said, on Monday, May 13, 2019, that “people like Lai Mohammed, Abba Kyari, Adamu Adamu they are usually very well behaved during the Ramadan. But I’m not even sure that that is true anymore.” “When we have a situation where even those who employed him know that Lai Mohammed is a liar, who will even lie during the holy month of Ramadan, then why should Nigerians be surprised at this latest lie? “Mr Lai Mohammed is only being clever by half when he says ‘It beggars belief that a candidate who prides himself as a democrat can so allow desperation to becloud his sense of propriety to such an extent that he will be associating with anti-democratic forces or making inflammatory statements.’ “Atiku Abubakar is a man of peace and a thoroughbred democrat. It is preposterous that those who threatened to ‘soak the dog and the baboon in blood’ are now audacious enough to point the finger at lifelong democrats.

Truly, if the farmer does not raise the alarm on time, the thief will accuse him of being a thief. “How can a man who wined and dined with Nigeria’s most brutal dictator, how can a man who overthrew a democratically elected President and held a grudge against him even in death (as evidenced by the empty condolence register he left in Sokoto, last year) accuse a man who has never been as much as associated with such tendencies, of being an anti-democrat?” he said. Asking why Buhari’s government is so desperate to implicate him, Atiku said, “we want to know why the desperation on the part of the Muhammadu Buhari government to rope in the Peoples Democratic Party and its Presidential candidate in phantom plots? Obviously, President Buhari wants to replay the Phantom plot saga of his now deceased mentor, who threw former President Olusegun Obasanjo in jail after falsely accusing him of treason in order to perpetuate himself in power.

“Could it be that they are now aware that the electoral fraud they perpetrated during the last Presidential election is about to be exposed beyond a shadow of a doubt? “If anybody is ‘beating the drums of war’, it is precisely those who have issued statements threatening Nigerians and foreigners alike with ‘body bags.’ “For the avoidance of doubt, let me inform the minister of disinformation that Atiku Abubakar resisted the Abacha dictatorship, of which President Muhammadu Buhari was a prominent member, and it is his resistance and the sacrifice of his co-travellers, like chief MKO Abiola and Alex Ekwueme, amongst others, that gave rise to the democracy that the current government is now trampling on.” The former Vice President, however, advised Lai Mohammed to face the alleged cesspool of corruption that has been exposed in his ministry.