Author: The Nation

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaigns Council (APC PCC) has urged the National Working Committee (NWC) to ensure the recovery of the party’s “stolen mandate” in the South East region during the just concluded general election.

The council accused the Labour Party (LP) of celebrating the ‘stolen mandate’ of APC in the region and called for a review of the results of the general elections in the region.

The PCC in conjunction with Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiative, Center for Leadership Legacy International, and the United Arewa Movement for Peace and Good Governance, at a briefing in Abuja on Tuesday specifically asked the party’s NWC to step in and ensure that Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha’s stolen mandate is recovered and restored.

Expressing concerns over the lukewarm attitude of the party to the purported victory of LP in the South East, the Secretary of the Directorate of Agro and Commodities of the PCC, Retson Tedheke, lamented that nobody in the party was speaking for candidates who were allegedly rigged out through votes suppression, intimidation of voters and obvious manipulation of elections results.

Lamenting, Tedheke said,:“Many frontline and dedicated members of the party, who contested for various elective positions but were denied victory arising from rigging by the opposition political parties, we are asking that the party stand strong for them, to ensure that they reclaim their stolen mandates without further delay, especially, in the prosecution of their cases before the Election Petition Tribunal.

“In the next few weeks, we will detail some of the shocking irregularities, abuses and fraud that we have uncovered with concrete evidence during the presidential and national assembly elections.

“Most outstanding case in view is that of House of Representatives Deputy Chief Whip, Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, representing Isikwato/Umunneochi federal constituency. It’s on record that Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha was the only APC stalwart in Abia State, who openly identified with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and stood on the podium to campaign along with him during the presidential across the region. While we don’t want to go into some of the issues she openly told Asiwaju during his campaign in the region, which eventually came to pass, we want to say that the party must stand up and reclaim all its stolen mandates in the country.

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“We like to put it on record that the Labour Party (LP) candidate for Isiukwato/Umunneochi federal constituency, Amaobi Ogah, was not a bonafide member of LP at the time of the party primary, because he left the APC and joined the PDP on March 19, 2022. On June 4, 2022, he joined LP and contested the party primaries four days later, on June 8. By contesting the primary on June 8, it explains clearly that he was not a member of any political party according to the provisions of the law and Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended).”

Tedheke described “the election of the Isiukwuato/ Umunneochi federal constituency as a sham and charade and if allowed to stand, would have thwarted the resolve of the majority of the people of the constituency and set a bad precedent for future elections.

“While this is not the only basis for which she is challenging the results of the Isiukwuato-Umunneochi Federal Constituency election of 25 February, we must also state it clear evidence of electoral infractions has been compiled to validate our claims.

“Our prayers therefore, are: the APC should and must make every move to reclaim its stolen mandates, even if it means setting up a committee from the existing Presidential Campaign Council to review what transpired during the elections. 

“While Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha has so far approached the Court to reclaim to challenge what members of her constituency have termed robbery hatched against her, we maintain that the Leadership of the APC at all levels rise to the occasion to retrieve her mandate and that of many others who contested on the platform but were robbed of their mandates through widespread malpractices, vote suppression and falsification of results as witnessed in the South-east.”

Kaduna State Government has confirmed the abduction of eight students of Government Secondary School, Awon in Kachia Local Government Area. Commissioner for Internal Security and Affairs, Samuel Aruwan in a second security report on Tuesday evening, said the eight students were kidnapped on their was home from school.
Aruwan said their abductors had earlier kidnapped some other citizens before coming in contact with the students.
The Commissioner also announced the relaxation of 24-hour curfew imposed 

on Sabon Garin Nasarawa – Tirkaniya community in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna metropolis. 

According to Aruwan: “In an update to the earlier report suggesting the kidnapping of about ten students in Kachia LGA, the Kaduna State Government has received detailed reports from security agencies on the incident. MRead Also :

“The Government can confirm that eight students of the Government Secondary School, Awon in Kachia LGA were  kidnapped on Monday in the general area, 

along with other citizens.  

“Furthermore, it was verified that the students were not kidnapped within the school premises, but on their way home from school when they came in contact with the bandits, who had abducted other residents. 

“The management of the school has submitted the names and classes of the kidnapped students. 

“Governor Nasir El-Rufai has condemned the abduction as unfortunate, and has received assurances of efforts being exploited to rescue the eight students and other kidnapped citizens.

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“In another development, the Kaduna State Government has relaxed the 24-hour curfew imposed on Sabon Garin Nasarawa – Tirkaniya community in Chikun LGA. The review follows close monitoring and assessment of the situation by security agencies. 

“With effect from tomorrow, Wednesday 5th April 2023, the curfew will be in place from 7:00PM to 7:00AM, while residents of the area can go about their activities between 7:00AM and 7:00PM. 

“The Government advises residents of the community to comply with the curfew and maintain orderly conduct as security agencies continue to work in the affected areas.”

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has refuted allegations of phone tracking and leakage of audio conversations among Nigerians and notable personalities. 

The Commission, in a statement by its Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, said the allegations have been referred to security agencies for investigation and appropriate actions. 

The NCC noted it had been inundated with enquiries by the media in recent times regarding phone tracking and audio conversation leakage. 

Though the NCC didn’t mention the leaked audio conversations between the Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi and the founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide Bishop David Oyedepo, the leaked audio had been trending on social media platforms since last weekend. 

The NCC denied the allegations and advised Nigerians to disregard them. 

It said: “The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been inundated with enquiries by the media on allegations of telephone “tracking” and “leakage” made against the Commission by some individuals and groups in the social and alternative media.

“The Commission wishes to make the following clarifications:

       i.            The Commission denies the allegations in their entirety.

     ii.            By the provisions of the Nigerian Communication Act (NCA) 2003 and other extant Laws of the Federation, the Commission does not and cannot “track” nor “leak” telephone conversations of anyone. 

  iii.            The Commission has reported the allegations, which we take seriously, to relevant security agencies for proper investigation and necessary action.

  iv.            The Commission restates its commitment to discharge its responsibilities to the Nigerian people in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; the NCA 2003; and other extant Laws of the Federation; and global best practices.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Commission denies these allegations and advises the public to disregard them.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has broken its silence on the ongoing protest by parties to inspect electoral materials and obtain the Certified True Copies (CTC) of documents used in conducting the just-concluded general elections in Rivers State.

Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by its Governorship Candidate, Tonye Cole, started the protest, which was later joined by members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Members of the two parties clashed on Monday causing bloodshed and destruction of properties in Port Harcourt with Cole saying he was attacked and injured by the thugs.

On Tuesday while Cole and other APC chieftains stayed away from the streets, different groups of PDP members held protests in front of INEC’s office.

A PDP group dominated by women stormed the commission’s office demanding that the PDP must jointly partake in the inspection of materials used in the election.

House of Assembly members including the Leader of the House, Martins Amawhule; Deputy Speaker, Edison Ehie and the Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Samuel Nwanosike, joined the protest.

They further demanded immediate arrest of Cole for an alleged murder saying the APC Candidate’s attack on them on Monday resulted in the death of one person.

They said the party had already submitted a petition to the Commissioner of Police for Cole’s arrest and prosecution.

The protesters brandished a copy of the PDP’s petition dated March 24 where they demanded that INEC should release the CTC of electoral materials.

They vowed to sustain the protest to avoid a repeat of the 2016 scenario in which evidence from the police was used to cancel the electoral victories of the PDP at the Appeal Court and a similar situation in Imo State.

But the protest took a dramatic twist when another group led by a fetish doctor in his full regalia came to perform a sacrifice in front of the INEC office.

Wike wondered why Cole, who is standing trial for diverting $50m belonging to the state would be angling to govern the Rivers.

INEC, however, in a statement signed by the Rivers Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Johnson Sinikiem, said though the application for the CTC remained the legitimate entitlements of the candidates, some basic processes must be followed.

Sinikiem said the commission was processing about 50 applications it received so far from candidates and that the process was ongoing.

He said: ” The commission has observed with equanimity the unfolding events in the past few days concerning the issuance of Certified True Copies of election materials and access for inspection of election materials used during the just concluded 2023 General Elections in Rivers State.

“Although the application of Certified True Copies of documents and access for inspection of election materials are the legitimate entitlement of Candidates and Parties to election petitions, these are however governed by processes and procedures which include payment of requisite fees, making copies/photocopies of relevant documents and certification by the authorised official of the commission. 

“The commission has received nearly fifty (50) of these applications since the conclusion of the Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship and State Assembly elections Rivers State and a good number of these applications have been processed in accordance with the date of receipt of such applications and payment of certification fees. This process is still on-going.

“The commission has also advised all applicants to visit our local government offices where these documents are domiciled for inspection while we work out modalities for inspection of other documents domiciled at the state office in accordance with available spaces but they insisted that the huge volumes of documents like ballot papers be brought to the state office. 

“They are once again reminded to avail themselves of this opportunity at our local government offices to inspect these materials as earlier advised.

“The management of INEC Rivers State therefore wishes to assure all applicants and the general public that the commission is committed to discharging its constitutional and lawful duties without preferences or bias, and do request the cooperation and understanding of all parties and the general public to enable us serve you better”.