…Special C’ttee to lead Ighodalo, introduce him to all stakeholders in Edo Central as sole aspirant

The Edo Central Senatorial District Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has adopted frontline governorship aspirant and former Chairman of Sterling Bank Plc, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, as its consensus governorship aspirant.

The resolution was announced during the Edo Central PDP Caucus meeting chaired by the Senatorial Vice Chairman of the party, Archbishop Anthony Okosun.

The party’s decision followed the report of the Edo Central PDP Special Committee chaired by the National Leader, High Chief Tom Ikimi.

Archbishop Anthony Okosun, in a press statement made available to journalists after the meeting, said the Senatorial Caucus accepted the recommendation of the Special Committee and adopted Barr. Asue Ighodalo as the consensus aspirant of the PDP from Edo Central Senatorial District.

According to him, “The Edo Central PDP Caucus met today, Thursday, January 11, 2024, in the PDP Senatorial District Secretariat in Uromi. The meeting was chaired by the Senatorial Vice Chairman of the party, Archbishop Anthony Okosun in accordance with section 20(1)(a) of the 2017 PDP Constitution (as amended).

“The caucus in accordance with its functions as spelt out in section 20(2), considered the report of the Edo Central PDP Special Committee chaired by the National Leader, High Chief Tom Ikimi.”

The statement enumerated the resolutions adopted by the Senatorial District to include, “1. The Senatorial Caucus applauded the members of the Special Committee for the diligence and transparency they applied in carrying out their assignment.

“2. The Senatorial Caucus accepted the recommendation of the Special Committee and adopted Barr. Asue Ighodalo as the consensus aspirant of the PDP from Edo Central Senatorial District.

“3. The Senatorial Caucus noted that the adoption of Barr. Asue Ighodalo is without prejudice to the right of any other aspirant to pursue his or her aspiration.”

Okosun added, “The Senatorial Caucus mandated the Special Committee to lead Barr. Asue Ighodalo and introduce him to all stakeholders in the state as the consensus aspirant of the Edo Central PDP.”

L-R: Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain, Joe Okojie; past senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District, Sen. Clifford Ordia; Secretary, Edo PDP Senatorial Caucus, Central, Barr. Luckson Ogendengbe; National Leader of the PDP, High Chief Tom Ikimi; Edo PDP Senatorial Vice Chairman, Central and Senatorial Caucus Chairman, Archbishop Anthony Okosun, and Deputy Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Marie Edeko, during the Edo Central PDP Caucus meeting, in Uromi, on Thursday, January 11, 2024.

The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Francis Nwifuru of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Governor of Ebonyi State.

The apex court affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal, Lagos, dismissing the appeal of Chukwuma Odii of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for lacking in merit.

Last November, the Court of Appeal in Lagos affirmed the election of Nwifuru as the duly elected governor of Ebonyi State in the March 18 governorship election.

The three-member panel presided over by Justice Jummai Sankey, in its unanimous decision, dismissed the appeal filed by Odii and upheld the earlier verdict of the tribunal but the PDP candidate approached the apex court to seek redress.

The panel also resolved all the five issues raised against the appellant and dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.

Justice Sankey had held that the PDP and its candidate lacked the legal right to meddle in the internal affairs of the All Progressives Congress as it relates to the nomination of candidates.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the Nwifuru as the winner of the March 18 poll in Ebonyi State.

Nwifuru polled 199,131 to defeat Ifeanyi Odii of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 80,191 and the Ben Odo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) who got 52,189.

The Supreme Court has reversed the sack of Caleb Mutfwang, affirming him as Governor of Plateau State.

On November 19, the court of appeal in Abuja sacked Mutfwang as governor of the state. The appellate court held that the PDP violated the court order and ordered that a valid congress be conducted in the 17 Local Government Areas of Plateau.

The court said the party conducted congress in only five LGAs of the state “which amounted to a nullity.”

But a five-member panel led by Justice Emmanuel Agim reversed the decision of the appellate court for being perverse because the issue of the primary election that produced Mutfwang was outside the jurisdiction of the lower court.

The apex court pointed out that the validity of nomination and sponsorship is not a valid ground to void an election.

He held that the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to entertain it, besides the issue of sponsorship has elapsed long ago, adding that the petitioners not being members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PD) have no locus to challenge the party’s primary election.

On the issue of whether the order of the Plateau State High Court can affect the National Executive Committee (NEC), the apex court held that the appellate court was wrong in holding that the order affects the NEC.

Justice Agim further stated that the issue of primary is an internal matters of political parties which both the Tribunal and Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction.

Agim also pointed out that contrary to the claim of the petitioners and the judgment of the appellate court the order of the Plateau High Court was not disobeyed by the PDP as evidence showed that a fresh primary was conducted.

He warned the legal profession to wake up or else it would render itself irrelevant to the society.

The Presiding Justice, John Okoro also lamented that a lot of people have suffered because of the wrongful judgments of the appellate court which had sacked several legislators who won elections under the platform of the PDP.

In her submission, Justice Helen Ogunwumiju also berated the appellate court for going into the issue of nomination and sponsorship despite several decisions of the apex court to the effect that another political party cannot challenge the primary election of another.

Mutfwang of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 525,299 votes to beat the All Progressives Congress candidate, Nentawe Yilwatda, who garnered 481,370 votes during the 18 March governorship poll in Plateau State.

The governor’s election was upheld by the Plateau State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Jos, the state capital.

However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja, in its judgement delivered on 19 November 2023, overturned Mr Mutfwang’s victory, prompting him to file an appeal at the Supreme Court to challenge the lower court’s decision.

Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, has reacted to the Supreme Court verdict that affirmed him as governor, saying he feels extremely happy.

Briefing reporters at the premises of the apex court on Friday in Abuja, the governor said the apex court declared that there is no illegality regarding the Kano State governorship election.

According to him, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the contentious 165,616 ballot papers were issued by them.

“I am extremely happy with the judgement of the Supreme Court that took place today, January 12, 2024. I feel extremely happy, as you can see, so many people are happy and cheering,” he stated.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court restored Yusuf’s votes that were cancelled by the Court of Appeal and the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal on the basis that the ballot papers were not signed.

Justice John Okoro, who read the lead Judgement, said the Court of Appeal was wrong in affirming the decision of the tribunal, which held that Yusuf did not win the majority of lawful votes cast in the governorship election of March 18, 2023.

In the judgement, Justice Okoro held that the tribunal was wrong in deducting 165,616 votes accrued to Yusuf in the election because the ballot papers were not signed and stamped by officials of INEC.

When asked about his position on the lower court’s deduction of his votes, Governor Yusuf said the apex court’s position is that there is no illegality regarding the March 18, 2023 governorship election.

“The Supreme Court has confirmed that there is no illegality as far as the election is concerned. They were saying illegal ballot papers. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that the ballot papers belong to them, they were issued by them.

“The Supreme Court justices have just confirmed also that there is no illegality, so people are aware.”

‘Justified’

The governor said he feels justified with the apex court’s decision on his electoral victory last year, saying the controversy trailing the election has been set aside.

He commended the people of Kano State for supporting his administration within the past seven months as well as Nigerians across the world who stood by him.

“I feel justified, I feel that issue has been set aside because there was no justification whatsoever. Well, my good people, the first thing is to say a big thank you to everybody for all the support, and prayers that have been rendered for the last seven months of our administration.

“I just want to say a very big thank you to everybody, not only Kano State people but the entire good people of Nigeria as well as other people across the globe,” Yusuf said.

The Supreme Court has upheld the election of Abba Yusuf as Governor of Kano State, reversing the decision of the Court of Appeal and the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which sacked the governor.

Justice John Okoro, who read the lead Judgement, said the Court of Appeal was wrong in affirming the decision of the tribunal, which held that Yusuf did not win the majority of lawful votes cast in the governorship election of March 18, 2023.

In determining the case, the apex court raised two issues: whether the lower court was right in deducting 165,616 from the votes the Independent National Electoral Commission announced for the governor and whether the lower court could determine the issue of party membership.

In the judgement, Justice Okoro held that the tribunal was wrong in deducting 165,616 votes accrued to Yusuf in the election on the grounds that the ballot papers were not signed and stamped by officials of INEC.

According to him, Section 71 of the Electoral Act relied upon by the tribunal to deduct the disputed votes does not apply in the instant case.

The Supreme Court panel of five Justices, subsequently went ahead to restore the deducted 165,616 votes to reinstate the victory of Yusuf in the governorship election.

On the second issue, the Supreme Court again faulted the Court of Appeal for holding that Yusuf was not a member of the NNPP as of the time he contested the election, adding that the issue of nomination and sponsorship is a pre-election matter and outside the jurisdiction of the court.

Justice Okoro observed that contrary to the appellate court, the tribunal never held that Yusuf was not qualified to contest the poll but that his name was not in the NNPP’s membership register submitted to INEC.

The apex court subsequently set aside the judgment of the two lower courts for being perverse and restored the electoral victory of Abba Yusuf.

Gov Yusuf’s Court Of Appeal Sack

A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal led by Moore Adumein, in a unanimous judgement in November, sacked Governor Yusuf and declared Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the 18 March election in Kano State.

The Court of Appeal, in addition to that, disqualified Governor Yusuf as a candidate in the election, on the grounds that he was not a member of the NNPP as of the time of the election.

The three-person panel would also deduct 165,663 votes from Yusuf’s total votes claiming the votes are invalid because the ballot papers were not stamped or signed.

In its judgement, the court maintained it acted in the public interest when it permitted the APC to tender papers during the trial since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had given the APC access to materials piecemeal to undermine the petitioner’s claim.

It also ruled that the 1999 Constitution did not support Yusuf’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun’s contention that the APC should have included its candidate Yusuf Ganuwa as a party in the tribunal proceedings because a candidate is allowed to be represented by his political party during legal procedures.

According to the court, political parties are required by the 1999 Constitution to maintain a membership register and provide it to INEC and the tribunal upon request.

The Supreme court has affirmed the election of Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Bauchi State governor.

The apex court affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal and dismissed the appeal by Sadique Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress for lacking in merit.

The appellate court had in November affirmed the victory of Governor Bala Mohammed in the March 18 governorship election.

This followed earlier judgement by the tribunal upholding Mohammed’s victory.

In the Court of Appeal judgement, the panel of three justices were unanimous, awarding no cost as the court ruled that each party to the matter should bear their costs.

The presiding judge, Justice Chidi Nwaoma Uwa, read the judgment in the order of the appellant’s plea before the appeal court.

On plea number one, the appellant had pleaded that the election be nullified because the forms and booklets used in the election were not properly filled. The court ruled that the appellant failed to prove this allegation with the needed evidence.

The supreme court has affirmed the election of Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Governor of Lagos State.

The five member panel in a unanimous judgment delivered by Justices Lawal Garba and Adamu Jauro, affirmed the declaration of the APC’s candidate as winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election, after dismissing two separate appeals challenging his victory.

Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party (LP), who came second and Abdulazeez Adediran popularly known as Jandor of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who came third had challenged the election of Sanwo-Olu on grounds of alleged irregularities, malpractices non-compliance as well as non-qualification.

They had specifically argued that the Deputy Governor, who acquired citizenship of the United States of America, is not qualified to contest elective position and as such his nomination as deputy Governor was unlawful null and void.

They also argued that his alleged unlawful nomination affects the qualification of Sanwo-Olu, hence the court should nullify their participation in the governorship election.

However, both the tribunal and the Court of Appeal in their respective decisions dismissed the two appeals for failure to prove allegations made in their petitions.

The apex court in its judgement, held that it has found no cogent reason to deviate from the concurrent judgments of the tribunal and Court of Appeal which held that Sanwo-Olu was lawfully elected as Governor of Lagos State.

The appellate court in a unanimous judgement held that acquisition of a foreign national those not bar any citizen by birth from contesting election.

Justice Lawal stated that the only condition a citizen with dual citizen can lose his right to be elected as governor is when he denounces his Nigerian citizenship by birth.

The apex court subsequently dismissed the two appeals for lacking in merit.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the APC had polled 762,134 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Rhodes-Vivour, who scored 312,329 votes, with Jandor coming a distant third with 62,449 votes.

The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Zamfara Governor.

The apex court set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal Abuja, which had declared the Governorship Election as inconclusive and ordered a re-run in three Local Government Areas of the state.

The Court of Appeal had in November nullified the election of Lawal’s election.

He was declared the winner of the March 18 governorship election. In a shocking victory that dislodged then-incumbent Bello Matawalle of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he polled a total of 377,726 votes. Matawalle scored 311,976 votes.

The APC candidate, now serving as the Minister of State for Defence, had accused INEC of subverting his victory at the poll by failing to include the results of some ward areas.

In an earlier ruling on September 18, the Zamfara Election Petitions Tribunal held that the petition was devoid of merit. While upholding Lawal’s victory, the tribunal awarded the N500,000 fine against the petitioners.

An unsatisfied Matawalle, as observers expected, took the matter to the Court of Appeal in Abuja, to challenge the decision of the lower court.

Respite came for Matawalle at the appellate court as the three-member panel led by Justice Oyebisi Folayemi, nullified the return of Governor Lawal as the winner of the governorship poll.

Justice Sybil Nwaka ordered INEC to conduct a fresh election in three local government areas of the state, where elections had not been held previously or where results from various polling units were not counted.

But the governor proceeded to the apex court to seek redress.

THE Super Eagles of Nigeria have confirmed that Umar Sadiq is ruled out of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire (AFCON 2023) after sustaining an injury in training.

The Real Sociedad striker was involved in the team’s friendly defeat to Guinea on Monday but has not trained with the group since they arrived in Abidjan on Wednesday.

Trabzonspor striker Paul Onuachu has been called up as replacement for Sadiq, the Super Eagles media team announced this morning.

Sadiq joins a long list on injury-enforced absences for the three-time African champions, with fellow strikers Taiwo Awoniyi and Victor Boniface as well as midfielder Wilfred Ndidi also unable to play in the tournament, which kicks off tomorrow.

Nottingham Forest striker Awoniyi was ruled out with a long-term injury even before the 40-man provisional squad was named, while Bayer Leverkusen hitman Boniface and Leicester City midfielder Ndidi withdrew after being named in the 25-man squad for the continental showpiece.

Boniface has been replaced by Nice striker Terem Moffi, with Royal Antwerp’s Alhassan Yusuf stepping into the big shoes of Ndidi.

The Super Eagles get their AFCON 2023 campaign off the ground on Sunday against Equatorial Guinea before facing hosts Cote d’Ivoire on January 18 in one of the standout group phase fixtures.

Jose Peseiro’s side round off the group stages with a clash against Guinea-Bissau on January 22.

The tournament will end on February 11.

PHOTO: Umar Sadiq.

 [NaijaTimes]

Kano State citizens, particularly in the capital, are in anxiety as they anticipate the Supreme Court ruling on the Kano Governorship election today.

According to reports, financial institutions and schools are shut in anticipation of the violence that may erupt after the verdict.

The Supreme Court is expected to deliver a ruling that would determine if the governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party’s (NNPP) at the 2023 governorship election in Kano, Abba Yusuf, will continue in his role as state governor.

The embattled Governor is seeking a ruling from the Supreme Court that will overturn the ruling of the Kano Election tribunal and the Court of Appeal that sacked him and declared the candidate of the ruling All progressives Congress (APC) winner of the governorship poll.

However, the highly anticipated ruling has created a noticeable sense of unease in the city due to audible indications of unrest prompted by statements made by APC and NNPP members.

Due to increased tension and security risks, private schools in the city have already halted their regular operations. Our reporter has received communications from private schools verifying the closure of schools on Friday, even though the government has not yet declared the shutdown.

Naija News recalls that the state’s Police Command has, however guaranteed the safety of people and property both during and after the ruling.

Commissioner of Police (CP), Mohammed Gumel, told reporters at the Bompai Police Headquarters on Thursday that the state’s security apparatus had put in place measures to preserve peace and serenity.

The police chief allayed residents’ concerns and asked them to go about their legitimate business without fear of harassment or molestation.

[NaijaNews]