A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking to bar the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu from participating in next year’s election.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu, in a judgement on Tuesday, held that the suit filed by a political party, Action Alliance (AA), was statute barred, having been filed outside the 14 days allowed under the Constitution.

Justice Egwuatu, who upheld the preliminary objection raised by the APC and Tinubu, noted said that the suit was grossly incompetent, thereby robbing the court of the jurisdiction to entertain it or grant the reliefs sought by the plaintiff.

The judge equally held that the plaintiff lacked the locus standi to file the suit, adding that the AA acted as a busy body by seeking to interfere in the internal affairs of another political party.

The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/954/2022, had the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the APC and Tinubu listed as defendants.

The plaintiff had among others prayed the court to declare that Tinubu’s that he attended Government College, Ibadan and the University of Chicago, as contained on his INEC FORM CF 001 in 1999 which he presented to INEC, was false.

Read Also:2023: Court rejects suit seeking to bar Tinubu 

It equally sought a declaration that the false information on Tinubu’s “INEC FORM CF 001 wherein he claims to have been awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics by the University of Chicago is a forged certificate.”

The plaintiff urged the court to declare that in view of Section 137(1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution, Tinubu, having allegedly presented a forged certificate to INEC in INEC FORM CF 001 which he submitted as a candidate in the 1999 general elections for the post of the Governor of Lagos State, was not qualified to contest for the office of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

While urging the court to declare that the submission Tinubu’s name to the electoral umpire by the APC (2nd defendant) as its 2023 presidential candidate is null and void and of no effects, AA prayed the court to issue an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from publishing his (Tinubu’s) name as a candidate in next presidential election.

AA equally sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from listing APC as a political party in the ballot for the conduct of the 2023 presidential election to be conducted by INEC.

National Vice President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene has said presidential candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar lost support of Southeast following his roles in jettisoning zoning which he had largely benefited from.

He said Atiku would have been the greatest hero if he had been among those insisting that 2023 was Southeast’s turn to produce President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor.

Speaking during a chat with The Nation on Tuesday, Okeke-Ogene, who doubles as Southeast Zonal Coordinator, Peter Obi/ Ahmed Datti Presidential Campaign Committee, said the PDP flag bearer would have seen the forthcoming election as a payback time for the sacrifices Ndigbo made to him during the last election.

According to him: “If conscience is anything to go by, the two major political parties, couldn’t have field candidates from any other zone other than Southeast. Igbos are being persecuted by Buhari today because they gave Atiku during his last election 95% votes.

“What Obasanjo and others are doing today is what we had expected from Atiku who happens to be our in-law. That’s why it’s not good to vote according to sentiments.

“Atiku would have known that the entire Southeast sacrificed their votes and interest for him and see this election as a payback time. He wouldn’t have engineered and funded the no zoning campaign because we voted for him based on zoning.

“Atiku would have been the greatest hero of our times if he had been in the fore front of championing it’s turn of the Southeast. But if Atiku fails this election, he’ll go to the grave as unrepentant person, sorry to use that word, but it’s very unfortunate.”

Asked if he was worried over perceived lack of support of Southeast Governors for Peter Obi’s candidacy, Okeke-Ogene insisted he was optimistic of LP’s victory, saying the era of a Governor boasting of entire votes in his state was over.

Read Also: I’ll restore security, revamp economy, says Atiku

He added: “Southeast Governors are five persons with five votes. I have a family of five, so I have five votes. I can’t even guarantee that all of them will join me to vote for my candidate.

“The same way the votes of the governors belong to them. They may decide to cast it to Labour Party or elsewhere. Days are gone when one man will say, leave the entire Southeast for me to deliver; it’s a joke.

“We’ve grown to the level that you can’t drag people like cow. Even today’s cow is resisting. For the past 27years I’ve served Ohaneze, I perceive the people’s odour and innuendo. They’re not voting for Obi because he’s an Igbo, but as a Nigerian project.

“Obi’s national acceptance is the first of its kind in Nigerian history, even Zik and Ojukwu didn’t enjoy such handshake across the Niger. But he’s having more than handshake. We’re even expecting handshake across Africa. It’s a divine intervention.

“The Igbos have voted for every tribe and zone in this country. That’s why people, including Obasanjo are speaking for us. They appreciate our pains and know they’re genuine. They are ready to carry our load.”

Thousands of potential buyers on Tuesday stormed the Basketball Court of the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba to bid for vehicles in the sale of forfeited assets facilitated by the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC).

The sales through public auction began with an inspection of the vehicles which held earlier on Monday.

The Nation reports that the Commission, on December 6, began the exercise at the Lagos Command of the agency before spreading it to the Zonal commands for wider participation.

As early as 8am, hundreds of potential buyers had besieged the Adamasingba stadium where pictures of the items for auction were displayed for sighting by members of the public.

No fewer than 80 vehicles were auctioned during the exercise.

Before the exercise commenced, the auctioneers provided answers to inquiries, questions and explain the process of the auction to the public.

A top staff of the Zonal Command who is in the know of the exercise but did not want to be named explained described the exercise as competitive and successful with the highest bidder winning the vehicles.

He explained that the rules guiding the conduct also provides that successful bidders pays directly to the Federal Government account.

Speaking on the exercise, the National President, Nigeria Association of Auctioners, Aliyu Kiliya commended the Federal Government for embracing the sales of forfeited items, saying such is a veritable means the government can raise fund to meet some needs.

Kiliya, who doubles as the representative of Aliyu A. Kiliya and Co. Auctioneering Nigeria Limited that led other auctioneers in the Ibadan exercise charged the government to sustain the exercise sales and spread same to other abandoned, forfeited assets in the various Ministeries, Departments and Agencies of the government.

He described the Ibadan exercise as transparent and peaceful express ecstacy at the large turn put of bidders. He said successful bidders are expected to pay within 48 hours to the Federal Government’s account, adding however that an alternative arrangement has been made to make room for a second bidder who would be contacted in case the first bidder fails to meet the deadline for payment.

Read Also: Candidate cautions EFCC against media trial

He commended the Ibadan Zonal Command for ensuring a good maintenance culture of the assets while in their custody, saying such effort in no small way helped retain a good value for the vehicles.

Opinions were divided as to the transparency and conduct of the auction. While some bidders said the amount peg the vehicles were brought the auction were on the high side, some others felt it was an open exercise where the bidders with the highest bid wins.

Sikirulai Olayiwola who was successful in the exercise said most of the vehicles were sold at almost current market value. He urged government to make subsequent exercise truly an auction buy bringing down the cost to what is most affordable for the common man on the street.

Another successful bidder, Adeya Adedoyin faulted the massive presence of car dealers who he said had stormed the bidding venue to amass vehicles at ridiculously low prices.

He said although the turnout of bidders was large and massive, he appeal to government to come up with measure that would ensure that only common people with noble and genuine interest were made to get vehicles in subsequent auctions.

Sola Adelaja who could not win any bidding said he was not only disappointed in the high rate placed on the vehicles, but also the rowdy nature of the exercise, noting that it could be better.

He said the prices were not a reflection on current economic realities noting that many of those were successful in the exercise were those who would go and resell to make brisk gains.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking to bar the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu from participating in next year’s election.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu, in a judgement on Tuesday, held that the suit filed by a political party, Action Alliance (AA), was statute barred, having been filed outside the 14 days allowed under the Constitution.

Justice Egwuatu, who upheld the preliminary objection raised by the APC and Tinubu, noted said that the suit was grossly incompetent, thereby robbing the court of the jurisdiction to entertain it or grant the reliefs sought by the plaintiff.

The judge equally held that the plaintiff lacked the locus standi to file the suit, adding that the AA acted as a busy body by seeking to interfere in the internal affairs of another political party.

The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/954/2022, had the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the APC and Tinubu listed as defendants.

The plaintiff had among others prayed the court to declare that Tinubu’s that he attended Government College, Ibadan and the University of Chicago, as contained on his INEC FORM CF 001 in 1999 which he presented to INEC, was false.

Read Also: Nigerians will not regret voting me – Tinubu

It equally sought a declaration that the false information on Tinubu’s “INEC FORM CF 001 wherein he claims to have been awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics by the University of Chicago is a forged certificate.”

The plaintiff urged the court to declare that in view of Section 137(1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution, Tinubu, having allegedly presented a forged certificate to INEC in INEC FORM CF 001 which he submitted as a candidate in the 1999 general elections for the post of the Governor of Lagos State, was not qualified to contest for the office of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

While urging the court to declare that the submission Tinubu’s name to the electoral umpire by the APC (2nd defendant) as its 2023 presidential candidate is null and void and of no effects, AA prayed the court to issue an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from publishing his (Tinubu’s) name as a candidate in next presidential election.

AA equally sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from listing APC as a political party in the ballot for the conduct of the 2023 presidential election to be conducted by INEC.