Author: The Nation

The Federal High Court has dismissed a suit by Jafar Sani Bello challenging the nomination of Mohammed Abacha as the Kano State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in next year’s election.

Ballo, a governorship aspirant, who came second behind Abacha in the last governorship primary, had, in the suit marked: FHC/KN/CS/186/2022, sought the nullification of Abacha’s nomination.

The plaintiff, who sought to replace Abacha as the party’s candidate, had claimed among others, that his (Abacha’s) name was not on the membership register of the PDP in Fagge Ward, Fagge Local Government Area, Kano State and as such, he was not qualified to have contested the primary election.

In a judgment delivered via Zoom on Wednesday, Justice A. M Liman of the Kano division of the Federal High Court, held among others, that the absence of Abacha’s name on the register of the PDP in Fagge was not enough to disqualify him from contesting the primary election.

Justice Liman, who upheld the arguments by Abacha’s lawyer, Reuben Atabo (SAN), held that the PDP membership card issued to Abacha and the waiver granted him by the party were sufficient to qualify him for the primary election.

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The judge held that having polled the highest number of valid votes cast at the primary election, he (Abacha) was the actual winner and the party’s authentic candidate.

Listed along with Abacha as defendants in the case were the PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Sadiq Wali.

Justice Liman had, in an earlier judgment delivered via Zoom on December 22 voided the submission of Wali’s name to INEC as the governorship candidate of the PDP in Kano.

The judge held that INEC acted unlawfully to have accepted and published Wali’s name in place of Abacha, who scored the highest votes at the PDP’s gubernatorial primary held in Kano on May 25.

Justice Liman ordered INEC to accept and publish Abacha’s name as PDP’s authentic governorship candidate.

The judgment was on the suit marked: FHC/KA/CS/204/2022 filed by Abacha.

Abacha had claimed that, after emerging as the primary winner, he was surprised that some leaders of the PDP in Kano State sent Wali’s name to INEC as against his own, a decision he challenged by instituting the suit.

Suspected gunmen on Wednesday killed a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Mudasiru Baraka.

Baraka, shot at close range, died on the spot at his family compound in Oyo East Local Government Area.

Some PDP members are alleging that the rival political parties are responsible for the attack.

It was alleged that miscreants were sponsored to perpetrate the heinous act.

Police spokesman, Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the incident.

He said: “There was an unfortunate case of random violence that led to the death of one Hakeem Mudashiru ‘m’ 40yrs reported by the father of the deceased, one Jimoh Agala at Durbar Divisional Police Headquarters,Oyo State today Wednesday, 28/12/2022 at about 1335hrs (01:35pm local time).”

“Preliminary investigation has it that the deceased was attacked by hoodlums who he had  hitherto engaged in an heated argument.

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“At the moment, nine suspects, including a female have been apprehended in conjunction with the case, which is currently being handled by the State Criminal Investigation Department.

“Ample deployments of Police operatives have been sent to the area to prevent further breakdown of law and order, updates would be provided accordingly.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the death of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide President General, Prof George Obiozor.

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma announced Obiozor’s passing on Wednesday night.

A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, reads: “President Buhari is deeply saddened by the passing of Prof Obiozor.

“He extends heartfelt condolences to Obiozor’s family, the government and people of Imo State as well as Ndigbo, at home and in the Diaspora.

“Describing his demise as an immeasurable loss to the country, the President notes that the former Ambassador of Nigeria to the United States, High Commissioner to the Republic of Cyprus, Ambassador to the State of Israel and former Director-General, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) exemplified leadership skills and values as a thoroughbred diplomat.

“The President believes that the contributions of the unique leader and strong proponent of peace and a stable polity, who also held other strategic public positions, will never be forgotten.

“President Buhari trusts that all who mourn the demise of the statesman, who commanded great respect among his peers in the academia and foreign policy arena, will honour his memory by actively embracing his beliefs and ideas geared towards uniting Nigeria beyond geo-political considerations.

“The President has fond memories of meeting Prof. Obiozor on several occasions, and values his endearing sense of patriotism.  

“He joins the Igbo nation in mourning the irreparable loss of this great son of Nigeria, even as he prays for the peaceful repose of the soul of the deceased.”

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Also, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide described the death of its president general as a big blow to the Igbo nation.

The Igbo group said the late diplomat sacrificed his personal comfort in the service of Igbo nation. 

In a statement by the spokesman, Alex Ogbonnia, Ohanaeze said Obiozor would be remembered as a man who displayed an uncommon intellect, irrepressible courage, candor, tolerance, large heart and equanimity.

The statement reads: “It is with pain and sorrow in our hearts that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and indeed all the Igbo sons and daughters received the news of the passing of Prof George Obiozor, CON, (Ugwumba).  

“Obiozor was a prodigy and an enigma of some sorts: an erudite reflective scholar of world renown, prophetic intellectual, astute resourceful administrator, sagacious phebian political submarine, seasoned diplomat, cultural reservoir, detribalized patriot, jovial cerebral discussant, among others. 

“The most endearing of the Obiozor mystique can be summarised in character; the courage of his convictions, steadfastness and uncompromising commitment to his goals.

“What stands Obiozor out among his peers is his unique intellectual wizardry, profound sense of humour, extraordinary creative imagination, rationality, clear-headedness, unwavering determination and incandescent passion with which he pursues his views even in most hostile or complex circumstances.”

It noted that Obiozor was sometimes misrepresented and misunderstood because of the silent cautious strategy and tactics with which he pursued his goals.

“But behind the great achiever was an uncommon and perfect gentleman of immense proportions.

“The Obiozor life trajectory is one of the most enviable: he started as a child in Awo-Omamma, went to the USA for further studies, acquired a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), taught in the world class universities and promoted to the rank of a professor of International Relations, served Nigeria in various capacities without blemish as the Director General, Institute of International Affairs, Lagos; Nigerian Ambassador to three countries, Israel, Cyprus and the USA; articulated the Return of Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu with Dr. Chuba Okadigbo and Joe Asogwa in 1982; led the Igbo delegation to the 2014 National Constitutional Conference and ultimately, was elected the President General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural body, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.

“Above all, Obiozor in his first world press conference as the President General, at the headquarters of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, assured the Igbo that time has come for the age-long collective aspiration of a Nigerian president from the Southeast of Nigeria. 

“He demonstrated his unassailable commitment to the Igbo by leading delegations to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, British Embassy, Chief E K Clarke, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Sultan of Sokoto, among others. 

“The Obiozor led advocacy assumed an irreversible, unquenchable and irresistible national charm, resonance and unprecedented crescendo. 

“During the last meeting of the National Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide held at Owerri, Obiozor spoke emotionally about the candidacy of Peter Obi and pointed out that it would have been a major catastrophe if Obi were not in the race.

“He expressed satisfaction that Peter Obi has changed the political dynamics of the country and created a pathway for Nigerian new beginning.

“While we condole the wife, children and the immediate family, we take solace in the fact that when a chronicle of Igbo personages will be launched, some leaders will appear in footnotes while some chapters will be devoted to Ambassador Professor George Obiozor.”

Zamfara State Governor,  Bello Matawalle, is building political unity in the state by bringing the key interests and critical stakeholders together.

This is according to a political analyst, Alhaji Bello Bashir.

Speaking with reporters in Gusau, he said: “Believe it or not, the coming together of four former governors of Zamfara namely: Ahmad Sani Yariman Bakura, Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi, Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar and Bello Muhammad Matawalle as one indivisible political entity in Zamfara is a fusion of a formidable, unbreakable political alliance which has not only brought political sanity and peace in the APC but has put to rest the hope of all rival political parties in the state.”

Aliyu pointed out that an elder statesman in Zamfara, Alhaji Ahmad Zabarma, had earlier made the same observation. 

Bashir described this as clear political maturity of the governor whom he described as a “political golden star” in the history of Nigeria.

He pointed out that the political development in Zamfara from May 2019 when Matawalle assumed power remains the most unpredictable political circumstance in the history of Zamfara. 

“Many observers believed that the governor may face serious political frustration from both the opposition APC and within. 

“The crises caused by the review and build-up to the post-2023 election by Matawalle and Yari political camps speak volumes about the political tension Zamfara was to suffer. 

“The confusion caused by the Bakura by-election alone is another eye-opener to the unpredictable political pressure ahead of Governor Matawalle and his political opponents led by former Governor Yari. 

“But Governor Matawalle, out of a sheer political sense of reasoning, was able to seal up these high-level political interests championed by himself, Yari and Sen. Marafa camp and unite the APC as one formidable political entity.

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“Today, the APC Zamfara is matching toward the 2023 election with one single political voice and with Matawalle and Yari as the leading arrowheads working toward one common interest. 

“Yari is leading the re-election bid of Bello Matawalle as Zamfara Governor with all the former governors, deputies and all those that matter in the politics of Zamfara in one political train. 

“Matawalle’s sense of political reasoning which brought political sanity in Zamfara politics would remain a political hypothesis that is scientifically proven and with a positive outcome.”

Bashir said he was happy that God has used  Matawalle to change the perception.

“The 2023 campaign has commenced in Zamfara without a single attack or someone losing his life.

“International political democrats, including the United Nations, needs to honour the man called Bello Matawalle for his wise political decision to bring sanity and peace to Zamfara politics,” Bashir added.