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Tag: Abbo

  • Ex-AG challenges Senator Abbo to prove bribery claim against judges

    Ex-AG challenges Senator Abbo to prove bribery claim against judges

    Former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Akwa Ibom state, Uwemedimo Nwoko (SAN) has faulted Senator Elisha Abbo‘s claim that Justices of the Court of Appeal engaged in bribery.

    Abbo, who was the senator representing Adamawa North senatorial district until he was sacked last October by the Court of Appeal, recently addressed a press conference where he accused justices of the court, including its president of engaging in bribery.

    Nwoko, in a statement on Wednesday, challenged Abbo to present evidence as proof of his wild allegation against the hardworking judicial officers or face the legal consequences.

    The lawyer said: “It is instructive to note at this stage that up till this moment, Senator Abbo has not produced any iota of evidence to substantiate his weighty allegations.

    “We take very strong exceptions to the criminal blackmail deliberately fabricated and calculated to impugn on the integrity and reputation of our revered and hardworking Judges and Justices by characters like Senator Abbo.

    “May I remind Senator Abbo that when he lost the case that removed him from the Senate, he openly accused the Senate President, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON of being the architect of his misfortune.

    Read Also: Yohanna replaces Abbo in Senate

    “When he was confronted with the task to prove the allegation he promptly went on his knees and apologised profusely to Senator Akpabio and retracted the allegations.

    “It is sad and most unfortunate that this Senator who shot into the limelight on account of his misconduct in a sex toy shop in Abuja would have the criminal courage and effrontery to malign, denigrate, and make such invidious imputations against our Justices and judiciary simply because he lost a case.

    “I wish to state most categorically that it is totally unacceptable, morally reprehensible, and legally culpable for a person with Senator Abbo’s moral credentials and profound deficits in character content to embark on such character assassination against our Justices who have sacrificially built their good reputations over the years.

    “This brand of nonsense and unprovoked attacks against our judicial officers and the Judiciary must stop. I challenge Senator Abbo to promptly produce verifiable evidence to substantiate his allegations or be ready to face the consequences in law.”

  • I’m sorry, sacked Senator Abbo apologises to Akpabio

    I’m sorry, sacked Senator Abbo apologises to Akpabio

    Embattled senator representing Adamawa North Senatorial District, Elisha Abbo, has apologised over his allegation that the Senate president Godswill Akpabio plotted his removal by the Court of Appeal. 

    Abbo made the apology while speaking in an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday, October 18, monitored by The Nation. 

    The Nation reports that Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Monday, October 16, nullified the election of Abbo.

    The appellate court declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Amos Yohanna, as the winner of the February 25 senatorial election.

    Abbo had blamed his fate on the Senate President. 

    He alleged that Akpabio had a hand in the unfavourable court judgment against him.

    Backtracking, he said: “I have to say this with all sense of humility and responsibility that the press release we issued yesterday was premature and based on the available information at our disposal yesterday.

    Read Also: Court sacks Adamawa North APC Senator Abbo

    “As of today, we have discovered a lot of things, and yesterday night I had a discussion with the Senate president, and I am convinced that he is not involved.

    He quoted Akpabio: “I swear by my mother’s grave that I’m not involved; I don’t even know that you’re in court.”

    Abbo further stated: “For a number three citizen to come up to tell me that he has sworn on his mother’s grave, a woman that he loves so much, a woman who brought him up after he lost his father at the age of six, I don’t see a reason why he would lie.”

    Abbo, however, apologised to the Senate president, emphasising that Akpabio was not involved in his ousting from office. 

  • Court sacks Adamawa North APC Senator Abbo

    Court sacks Adamawa North APC Senator Abbo

    • PDP’s Amos Yohanna declared duly elected

    The Court of Appeal yesterday annulled the election of Senator Ishaku Elisha Abbo (APC Adamawa North) and declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Rev. Amos Yohanna, winner of the February 25 poll.

    Abbo, who had previously been affiliated with the PDP, made headlines when he defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), following the end of his initial term as senator.

    He faced another legal setback in the appellate court, where he contested the outcome of the 2023 senatorial election.

    The Court of Appeal’s ruling marks a new chapter in the political landscape of Adamawa North Senatorial District.

    On February 27, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Abbo, the APC candidate, the winner with 71,927 votes, defeating Yohanna with 61,895 votes.

    Dissatisfied with the outcome, the PDP and Yohanna filed a petition at the tribunal.

    The party and its candidate sued Abbo and the INEC over the outcome of the election.

    In his petition, Yohanna alleged that the election of Abbo was invalid for alleged corrupt practices or non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

    The PDP candidate averred that Abbo was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast during the election, adding that there were cases of over-voting at various polling units, false entries, alterations, and cancellation of votes at several polling units.

    According to him, some of the alterations and cancellations were not signed by the presiding officers at the polling units.

    Yohanna prayed the tribunal to set aside the election of Senator Abbo.

    Read Also: UPDATED: Appeal Court sacks Senator Abbo, declares PDP’s Yohanna winner

    The PDP candidate also sought an order of the tribunal to return him as the duly elected candidate for Adamawa North Senatorial seat, having polled the highest number of lawful votes cast during the election.

    In its ruling, the tribunal dismissed Yohanna’s petition and asked him to pay N600,000 to Abbo.

    Dissatisfied, Yohanna headed to the Court of Appeal, which is the final court for the determination of National Assembly petitions, which ruled in his favour.

    Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri is believed to have fielded Yohanna and backed him with everything necessary to defeat Senator Abbo, who left the PDP for the APC following a rift in their relationship.

    Many analysts believe this has been fueled by intra-party power tussle, following the electoral victory of the duo in 2019.

  • UPDATED: Appeal Court sacks Senator Abbo, declares PDP’s Yohanna winner

    UPDATED: Appeal Court sacks Senator Abbo, declares PDP’s Yohanna winner

    The Court of Appeal on Monday, October 16, annulled the election of Senator Ishaku Elisha Abbo (APC- Adamawa North) and declared the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Rev Amos Yohanna as the winner.

    Abbo, who had previously been affiliated with the PDP, made headlines when he defected to the APC following his initial term as senator.

    He faced another legal setback in the same court, where he contested the outcome of the 2023 senatorial election.

    The Court of Appeal’s recent ruling signals his defeat in this election petition, marking a new chapter in the political landscape of Adamawa North Senatorial District.

    On February 27, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the APC Candidate, Senator Abbo, as the winner with 71,927 votes defeating PDP’s Yohanna who scored 61,895 votes.

    Dissatisfied with the outcome, the PDP and Yohanna approached the tribunal.

    Read Also: I sat, ‘won’ common entrance exam in primary three, says Senator Abbo

    Yohanna, who contested the election under the PDP, dragged Abbo and INEC before the tribunal, challenging the election which brought him back to the Senate.

    In his petition marked, EPT/AD/SEN/02/2023, Yohanna, alleged that the election of Senator Abbo was invalid by reasons of corrupt practices or non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

    He averred that Senator Abbo was not duly elected by the majority of lawful votes cast during the election, alleging overvoting at various polling units, false entries, alteration, and cancellation of votes at several polling units.

    According to him, some of the alterations and cancellations were not signed by the presiding officers of the polling units, and prayed the tribunal to set aside the election of Senator Abbo.

    He also sought an order from the tribunal to return him (Rev. Amos Yohanna) as the duly elected candidate for the Adamawa North Senatorial seat having polled the highest number of lawful votes cast during the exercise.

    However, in its ruling, the tribunal dismissed the petition and awarded damages, asking the petitioner to pay N600,000 to Abbo.

    Dissatisfied with the lower court’s ruling, Yohanna headed to the Court of Appeal which is the final Court for National Assembly petitions which has ruled in his favour.

    Governor Ahmadu Fintiri is believed to have fielded the candidate of his party and backed him tremendously to defeat Senator Abbo, who left the PDP for the APC, following a rift in their relationship, which many analysts believed had been fueled by intra-party power tussle following the electoral victory of the duo in 2019.