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Tag: Adams Oshiomhole

  • Oshiomhole to Atiku: we’ll meet you in court

    APC chair can’t tell Nigerians who is electable, says PDP

    All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole said yesterday that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was destined never to be President.

    He told the PDP candidate in last Saturday’s election that the governing party was prepared to meet him in court.

    Addressing a news conference in Abuja on the outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly elections and the decision of the PDP candidate to reject the outcome of the election, Oshiomhole said Atiku was desperate to be President and has been jumping from one party to the other to actualise his ambition.

    He said it smacked of arrogance for the former Vice President to believe that the destiny of Nigerians is tied to his being President, stressing that Atiku and his party were never committed to the peace accord as they believe that the election was free and fair only if they won.

    Oshiomhole said: “I think it is arrogance for Atiku to think that our future is tied to his presidency. Atiku is destined never to be President of Nigeria and I ask you to review his character. Leadership is about character.

    “Atiku’s desperation is so obvious. He is so desperate that in 2003, he challenged his own boss, Obasanjo. He decamped to join ACN and we offered him the ticket and he lost the election and returned to PDP. He contested again and lost the nomination and because he has only his interest at heart, he decamped again from PDP. He joined us in Lagos and rolled out the dollars, but we voted for Buhari as our candidate. He knew that he cannot defeat Buhari in the primary and went back to the PDP.

    “Do you think that such a political rolling stone, does he think that Nigerians are so insincere as to think that a man who is not stable and whose interest is about himself will be a possible candidate to be elected?

    “What makes him have that sense of entitlement that he must be President of Nigeria? You cannot deny anyone the right to dispute the outcome of an election, however, free, fair. So, we hope and we are looking forward to meeting Atiku Abubakar in court. We might also choose to also cross petition because there were many areas we can dispute. In Adamawa State, he had already lost the election before he did some magic that gave him that narrow victory in Adamawa State.”

    Oshiomhole said the turnout of voters in the Northeast, especially in Borno State, was a reflection of the substantial peace that has returned to the area, adding that if the former Vice President does not know about that, it could be because he does not go home regularly.

    Accusing Atiku of not being committed to the peace accord, Oshiomhole said: “When the National Peace Committee invited political parties to commit themselves to peace and to pledge to accepting the outcome of the results, you will recall that the PDP and their candidate were absent at the first meeting.

    “Following public outcry and pressure from their friends, he reluctantly went  to sign the peace accord. So, from day one, Atiku made up his mind that unless he wins, the election is not free and fair and that it will only be free and fair if he is returned as the winner. Then, we ask the question, what is the value of the peace accord?

    Oshiomhole congratulated Nigerians for defending democracy and for celebrating democracy. He said: “We are proud as a people that all those who thought that last Saturday was going to be a war have realised that election is not another word for war. It is a day to celebrate democracy and the only day in democracy in which everybody is equal.

    “I am happy that Nigerians have spoken and they did every thing to maintain the peace, inspite of the fact that some elements conducted themselves in such a way that  led to the loss of lives of some of our countrymen.

    “I believe that government must do everything possible to identify those behind those killings and bring them to justice. Each time hoodlums and ballot box snatchers maim and kill and try to destablise the will of the Nigerian people and they go away without being prosecuted, the culture of impunity is strengthened and the fear for the rule of law is weakened.

    “I believe that now that the President has been declared winner, he has a duty to call on the Inspector-General of Police and indeed all the security agencies to identify all those behind these killings. No Nigerian deserves to die because he wanted to go and vote.

    “Yesterday, the PDP candidate who lost and who was a signatory to the peace accord and who went into this race knowing fully well that Nigerians can not possibly elect two Presidents because only one President will emerge, having suffered defeat which I believe he deserved, rejected the results, adducing very laughable arguments as basis for his decisions.

    “I have found out that in this country, when you recycle lies, people begin to think there is truth in it. The conventional wisdom is that there is no smoke without fire. But in Nigerian politics, there can be huge smoke and yet, there is no fire. It is not about whether this election was perfect, but whether it was substantially free and fair and whether it represents the will of the Nigerian people. I am convinced that this election reflects the will of the Nigerian people.

    “Atiku spoke about what he called statistical impossibility and also about the two zones where he is strongest and that votes in those areas were smaller and the margin of victory also small. In 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari got fewer votes than he got in 2015 and from INEC figures, we secured 15.2 million votes. So, when Alhaji Atiku Abubakar talks about statistical impossibilities, I don’t want to call him a poor student of history, but invite you to look at the figures of registered new voters.

    “If Atiku had taken time to review the performance of his political party over the years and compare them to that of President Buhari over the same period, he wold have understood and be clearer. To suggest that votes were suppressed in the Southsouth and the Southeast is not to be able to appreciate what the resort to card readers have done to election riggers.

    “When we conducted an isolated election in Anambra State, no governor secured 400,000 votes and any one who is familiar with the realities of Rivers State know that if you conduct a free and fair election and you deny periwinkles the opportunity to come out and vote, it is impossible for them to get up to 500,000 votes. Yet, you had situations where you had 99 percent of voters turning out to vote in Rivers State before the advent of the card reader.

    “Rather than Atiku thinking that rigging has come to stay and could not understand why the numbers can’t add up in the absence of massive rigging, he should be reminded that the essence of the collective effort that has been made and the intervention of genuine friends of Nigeria has been to try to improve the electoral process, such that rigging can be eliminated or reduced to tolerable level.”

    Oshiomhole said the APC had petitioned INEC on how it allegedly rigged out in Akwa Ibom State. “It is interesting that it is the PDP that is complaining about rigging in Akwa Ibom State. How do you explain that INEC cancelled so many units in several states in order to be able to declare PDP candidates winners. That was how Senator Akpabio was rigged out in Akwa Ibom State,” the party chief said.

    “Atiku also alleged that the economy lost N85 billion on hearing that President Buhari won the election. That is twisting the facts. When Atiku start talking about his irrevocable commitment to privatise and sell NNPC, many people wondered aloud whether he has not already collected deposit, especially when he says even if he was going to die.

    “Was he going to rule Nigeria against our will because democracy does not end at voting. Citizens must hold their leaders accountable for their policy choices. So, if those depositors see that it will not be business as usual and decided to take their flight, we don’t even want them to come back. Nigeria needs genuine investors who have faith in our country with long term interest,” Oshiomhole said.

     

  • It’s over for Saraki politically, says Oshiomhole

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole on Wednesday mocked Senate President, Bukola Saraki for losing his re-election bid.

    He said though the ruling party had been planning to impeach the Senate President, it was better his constituents retired him politically from the Red Chamber.

    He spoke with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja after congratulating President Muhammadu Buhari who was declared winner of last Saturday’s election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Oshiomhole also pointed out that there was apprehension before the February 23 presidential election over who was going to win the election.

    He said President Buhari’s statement that the ruling party should be magnanimous with the victory was what was expected of a statesman.

    According to him: “Even in victory, he sowed humility and hand of fellowship to those who share commitment to the future of Nigeria and contested against him. But in every race, there would always be a winner.”

    Apparently referring to Saraki, who lost his bid to return to the Senate, Oshiomhole said: “People who came to the senate with less than a 100,000 votes and began to hold the country to ransom, their own people have recalled them home.

    “While we were saying that we will impeach them, their people said they would rather bury them.

    “Politically, now, they are out. It shows the power of democracy, it’s a leveler, an equalizer.

     “You cannot be bigger than the people.  Our people say that a politician is likened to an Okro tree. It should never grow taller than the person who planted it.

    “And those who plant the political okro tree are the Nigerian people. I think, a couple of lessons have been learnt.

    “This game is for those who are humble, those who believe in the people. There are no dynasties, the people are the sovereign.

    “When they borrow you the power, remember, it is only lend to you, and it will expire, and it will require renewal. If you don’t behave, thy will remove you.”

    On false prophesy about Nigeria, he said: “For those analysts who have been active since 1999 in his fourth republic, this is the most keenly contested election and my joy is that first, in the electioneering season, given all issues about security in Nigeria, there is no incident of terrorists attack except one or so in maybe Yobe or somewhere. That for me, to God be the glory.

    “The second is people who had predicted that Nigerians are going to fight, are going to war and that we are preparing for a Second World War. I am sure again, they have been put to shame.

    “I know that Nigerians believe in their country, we appreciate our friends but we also know that those friends will never accept us as citizens of their country.

    “The only country we cannot be deported, the only country we don’t need visa to stay, no matter who you are, no matter what you do, is Nigeria.

    “It is the only home we can truly call our own. Even for those who have multiple passports of various nationalities because their real country is Nigeria.”

  • Buhari thanks Tinubu, Oshiomhole, other Nigerians for victory

    President Muhammadu Buhari around 5.19a.m on Wednesday delivered his acceptance speech at the Campaign Headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Buhari was declared winner of the 2019 Presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the early hours of Wednesday.

    Buhari scored 15,191,847 votes while the People’s Democratic Party candidate, Atiku Abubakar scored 11,262,978.

    At the Campaign Headquarters, Buhari thanked Nigerians generally for electing him for the next four years.

    He specifically commended the National Leader of the APC and Co-chairman of the Presidential Campaign Council, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole.

    Apart from commending the members of the Presidential Campaign Council, he also thanked all those who contributed to his success one way or the other.

    Buhari also commended the International community for their interest in the development of Nigeria.

    The President commended the security agents for their patriotic roles during the election.

    He said “First and foremost, I give thanks to Almighty God Who has spared our lives to witness another victory for Nigerian democracy and victory for our party APC.
    “I thank the millions of Nigerians who voted to re-elect me as your president for the next four years. I am deeply humbled and profoundly grateful to you for judging me worthy of continuing to serve you and for your peaceful conduct.

    “In particular, I would like to thank Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for his masterful leadership as Co-chair of the Campaign Council. I would like to also thank the Party Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, the Director General of the Campaign Council Rotimi Amaechi, all members of the Presidential Campaign Council and other various Support Groups.

    “My grateful thanks to all those who contributed to the logistical expenses of the campaign in such a vast country like Nigeria.

    “I also thank the millions of volunteers, self-appointed overseers, canvassers, agents, escorts and sentries who sacrificed so much of their time and resources to ensure the success of these elections. I do not have the words adequate to thank them.

    “Although Saturday’s elections were relatively peaceful, troublemakers in a handful of states attempted to disrupt an otherwise orderly process. Security agencies will bring to justice all those arrested in the process.

    “I am very sad at the grievous loss of lives during these elections. Security agencies will step up their efforts to protect voters in the forthcoming State elections.

    “I would like to commend our security agencies, as severely overstretched as they are, for handling the difficult task of securing the country during the election period.

    “I will like to make a special appeal to my supporters not to gloat or humiliate the opposition. Victory is enough reward for your efforts.

    “We give thanks also to our Domestic and International observers for contributing to the success of our elections and for their interest in our country and our developing democracy.

    Read also: Buhari’s victory shows Nigerians determined to move forward, says BMO

    “The new Administration will intensify its efforts in Security, Restructuring the Economy and Fighting Corruption. We have laid down the foundation and we are committed to seeing matters to the end. We will strive to strengthen our unity and inclusiveness so that no section or group will feel left behind or left out.

    “I thank you for your support and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria”

    With the him at the campaign council were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu  among other party supporters.
    INEC will officially hand over certificate of returns to President Buhari by 2pm on Wednesday.

  • Oshiomhole meets APC leaders in Edo

    .. Says no intention to rig elections

     

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Party (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, says the party will not allow thuggery and ballot box snatching during the general elections.

    Oshiomhole stated this on Thursday in Benin while briefing newsmen after he met behind closed doors with leaders of the party from the 18 local government areas of Edo.

    He also said that the party had no intention to rig the elections.

    “We had a special meeting; we met as APC family to reaffirm our commitment to ensure we do what is expected of us as leaders to mobilize the people of Edo to vote for APC and President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “In Edo, we are used to one man, one vote; so, we will not allow thuggery and ballot box snatching,’’ he said

    Read Also: INEC working for PDP, says Oshiomhole

    Oshiomhole said Buhari had demonstrated that “he is a trusted and honest leader and therefore, deserved a second term to complete his development agenda’’ in the country.

    “We have promised to give Buhari a second term and based on the track records of APC governments in Edo, I believe Buhari will win,” he said.

    Also speaking, Gov. Godwin Obaseki said his administration recorded successes within a short time because of the support he got from the president.

    “Edo is an APC State and there is no doubt about it.

    “The Buhari led administration has been supportive to us and granted all our requests; he has assured that he will do more for us,’’ the governor said.

    Obaseki assured that the people of the state would vote for APC, expressing confidence that the state would deliver one million votes to Buhari.

  • Oshiomhole accuses INEC of colluding with anti-democratic forces

    •Says party’ll resume  campaigns

    ALL Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole is not done with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the stoppage of the Presidential and National Assembly elections last Saturday.

    Oshiomhole believes that some elements within INEC are colluding with “anti-democratic forces” to push the general elections to a point where it becomes impossible to hold as guaranteed under the law.

    The chairman, who spoke at the emergency National Caucus meeting of the ruling party, also said that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has no legal power to stop parties from continuing with their campaigns.

    He said that the APC, as a law abiding party, will go ahead with its campaigns until Thursday –  in line with the 48-hour before election, as provided for by law.

    The APC chairman insisted that some of the staff deployed by the commission have been identified as working with the opposition in their states. He cited Akwa Ibom.

    Oshiomhole said that allowing the “anti-democratic forces” to have their way would give victory to those calling for an interim government. He urged the President to act.

    “The President should invoke the powers of state to ensure that any institution of state that has misbehaved, anybody that is involved in that act, particularly actions that weaken the fabrics of our democracy, you have a duty to trigger the process that will compel everyone involved in this to account,” he said.

    The APC chair said he was sure INEC knew it was going to postpone the elections and shared the information with the PDP, while pretending that all was well.

    He said: “As a governing party with huge a support base, we were determined not to disappoint our members and those who believe in our party. We mobilised our members to ensure that on Saturday, the 16th of February, all our polling points were manned by people who are competent and passionate about our party to function as agents of our party.

    “We did what is expected of a responsible political party. Unfortunately, we saw INEC magic. Gradually, as if it is a joke, we woke up to the worst; INEC postponed the elections by one week without adducing conducive reasons.

    “In moments like this, those who are weak hearted will give up while those determined will fight on. Whoever is involved in this action designed to frustrate our party and members as well as the electorate, it is our collective duty to put them to shame by using the period we have effectively to assure Nigerians that one setback cannot be the end.

    “Our commitment to democracy is not negotiable. Our people’s determination to re-elect Mr. President is not at the mercy of anybody, including INEC. Many have resolved that the more INEC tries to frustrate our people, the more determined we are. We want to assure Nigerians that we are committed to a free and fair election and we are not going to compromise on that.

    “It will be out of place to ignore all the hidden speculations surrounding the unjustified postponement of the election by INEC. This date was fixed by INEC about two and half years ago. It was not imposed on them and it was difficult to accept that in all of the period at their disposal, INEC did not know what ought to be where and at one time or the other to guarantee free and fair election.

    Read also: PDP alleges plots by Buhari, APC to truncate democracy

    “INEC chairman talked about the huge challenges of managing an election like this. In 1999, we conducted election and there were lessons to learn from that and we have had elections thereafter.

    “One had expected that 19 years down the road, INEC would have studied the process of its predecessor and it turned out not to be so. As we speak, we have questions we want INEC to provide answers to. For election to be free, fair and credible, the man with the key responsibility is INEC.

    “We have conveyed to INEC, the need to move some officers who have stayed too long in particular locations and have become part of the establishment in those locations and therefore may not be able to co duct free and fair election.

    “We have pointed out some Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) who have become so comfortable in their current states who are embedded in the state authority in their respective states.

    “In the past, when issues like this are raised, particularly when they can be proven, INEC leadership is known to have used administrative mechanism to change and redeploy. This INEC insists and the more you complain about a compromised officer, the more they are determined to keep the compromised officer.

    “For example, an officer in the Southsouth, a REC, chose to use the governor’s special assistant to superintendent over the training. How can our brother and sisters in Akwa Ibom State have confidence when the recruitment, process and deployment of the ad hoc staff is done between INEC and the government of Akwa Ibom State.

    “What we are expected to do is to point out what will be unhelpful and draw the attention of the authority. As we speak, that problem persists.

    “From what we now know, INEC leadership knew they were going to postpone the election and they shared the information with the PDP and advised them not to waste their resources while pretending to us that they are on top of the situation. I think that INEC deserves to make explanation to us, not because we are the governing party, but because we are a major player.

    “What INEC is doing in collusion with PDP is to get the opposition party to be shouting that they want INEC chairman removed under fake attack. If you ask me, I would say that as APC chairman, I second Secondus.

    “I have no difficulty seconding Secondus in having a new INEC chairman, if that is what it means to have a credible election. But this is fake; it will be a tragedy if, as a governing party, we cannot complain of being rigged out and yet, the early warning signals are there.

    “There are reports of elements in INEC working with anti- democratic forces to gradually move us to a situation where elections will become impossible, having regards to the provisions of the law. Those anti-democratic forces calling for interim government will, therefore appear to be winning.

    “It is time to assert the authority of state and direct INEC to begin to do what they need to do and if they don’t do it, they must be made to understand that that there are huge consequences. Whoever will preside over Nigeria must do so on the basis of one man, one vote. Those who want short cut to power must be identified and flushed out.

    “We must now go back and renew the campaign with the additional cost it entails. INEC again took a wrong decision to attempt to amend the law through mere administrative pronouncements that campaigns are frozen. INEC is not in a position to make law and the laws made by our parliaments are superior to the opinion of the INEC chairman.

    “The law is clear that when you postpone election, you are entitled to renew campaign up to 24 hours to the day of election. Therefore, as a law abiding party, we will proceed to re-energise our members to continue with the campaign and come out in huge numbers.

    “When you have a low voter turnout; that is when election rigging is most easy. Voter turnout and voter apathy can result from the confusion. We need to remind them across the country that elections have been rescheduled and they should have faith and be determined to vote.

    “We will resume the campaigns between now and Thursday because Friday is not a campaign day. Not going out to campaign can be good for parties without a support base. So, we want to inform INEC that we are proceeding with campaign and we are ready to meet them in court because they cannot, by administrative fiat, amend or distort the provisions of the Electoral Act and those laws are not secret to INEC.

    “INEC, having violated our confidence, must now earn it and sustain it every inch of the way. We have been told they will reconfigure card readers and we are told that they are about 180,000. Has it started and when will it be concluded?

    “Since we have about 176,000 polling points, it would mean that we have 4000 extra. Is INEC assuring us that the failure rate of the card reader will be about two  per cent? What is the basis for making allowances for only 4000?

    “Should there be failures above 4000, what is INEC contingency plan? We do not want staggered election, but nationwide election on the same day. So, they need to speak to us on the basis of this small addition. I would have thought that every card reader should have a spare. What they have done create room for suspicion.

    “From what we now know, in some states, INEC materials have been distributed, some people have cited some of the result sheets and some ballot papers. What is INEC doing differently to ensure that those who have seen those samples will not go and print them.

    “Are they telling us that they have taken care of some of the things that happened last Friday? For example, the materials meant for Edo state were delivered to another state, the ones meant for Delta state were delivered to Edo state.

    “Mr. President, I believe that because you are the President, you have dual responsibilities. One is to ensure that any institution of state that has misbehaved, anybody that is involved in that act, particularly actions that weaken the fabrics of our democracy, you have a duty to trigger the process that will compel everyone involved in this to account. We cannot be helpless because at the end of the day, all fingers will point at you.

    “We should insist that the election must be conducted properly and those RECs that have been compromised, we will impress on the INEC leadership that they don’t have the right to impose a corrupt or compromised REC on us.

    “When sufficient doubts have been raised on the character of a referee, no responsible match official will impose that referee on the players. We don’t care where people are posted to but INEC has the responsibility to move people around.”

    The governors at the meeting include: Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Umar Jibrilla Bindow (Adamawa), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Tanko Al Makura (Nasarawa), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara).

    Also at the meeting were: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; former Lagos Governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; former Senate President Ken Nnamani; Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan; Power, Workers & Housing Ministers Babatunde Fashola; Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi and Information, Culture & Tourism Minister Lai Mohammed were also at the meeting.

    Also at the meeting were: former Zamafara State Governor Ahmed Sani Yerima; former Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio as well as governorship candidates of the party.

  • Buhari’s directive could lead to extra-judicial killings – Dogara

    Speaker Yakubu Dogara has faulted the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to security agencies to deal ruthlessly with anyone who may attempt to snatch ballot boxes during the rescheduled presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday.

    Speaking at a national caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja on Monday, Buhari had said, “Anybody who decides to snatch boxes or lead thugs to disturb the election, may be that would be the last unlawful action you would take.

    “I have given the military and police the order to be ruthless. I am going to warn anybody who thinks he would lead a body of thugs in his locality to snatch boxes or to disturb the voting system; he would do it at the expense of his/her own life”.

    But addressing newsmen in Abuja on Monday, Dogara said the President’s directive to the military and the police amounted to a call for extra judicial killings of would- be electoral offenders.

    The Speaker reminded the President there were adequate provisions in the nation’s laws to address electoral offences.

    Dogara said: “These statements clearly indicate that our democracy has become the victim of a full blown dictatorship, when one considers that a democratically elected President would give a directive that is in clear violation of the laws of the land, which by his oath of office, he is to defend and protect.

    “In view of this statement by the President, it is obvious that the military has been given a central role and coopted into the conduct of the election despite the fact that they have no constitutional role in our electoral process”.

    Speaker Dogara described as false claims and unnecessary blackmail, a statement by the national chairman of the APC, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, to the effect that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) gave the PDP prior notice of the postponement of the February 16 elections.

    He recalled that the PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus was the first to call for an inquiry into why INEC postponed the elections.

    The Speaker added the PDP will support a genuine and transparent probe into why the presidential and National Assembly elections could not hold.

    Read Also: Why I left APC – Dogara

    He expressed the hope that the President’s inflammatory statement was not a direct threat aimed at intimidating the electoral commission.

    “We also strongly condemn Mr. Oshiomole’s false, mischievous and inflammatory claims against our party, when he said INEC colluded with PDP to abort last week’s elections.

    “This is a very surprising statement considering the fact that the Federal Government controls every institution and agency involved in the electoral process, including the CBN, Nigerian Airforce, Aviation authorities amongst others.

    “From our position, we strongly believe that the deliberate delivery of election materials to the wrong electoral centres, cancellation of flights, and other actions that undermined the logistics arrangement of INEC, were deliberately done to sabotage and manipulate the process.

    “We are also very familiar with the pressure brought on INEC by top government officials and APC leaders to go ahead with the elections despite not being adequately prepared for the election.

    “We are also aware the APC wanted the INEC chairman to conduct elections in some states and postpone in other states so as to have staggered elections.

    “It should also be noted that the areas that would have been affected by inadequate delivery of materials were PDP strongholds.”

    He added: “Obviously, we know they are doing everything humanly possible to discredit INEC, remove the chairman and stall the process conscious of the fact that they cannot win this election.

    “Embarrassingly, this is the first time that we have witnessed a ruling party play victim, which is a clear indication that they have lost the plot.

    “Evidently, their recent actions and statements clearly show they are panicking and desperate to cling onto power, even when the people have rejected them.

    “Also, opinion polls conducted by the APC, and other international agencies clearly indicate that the APC will lose this election, anytime it is conducted; we believe that is why they are resorting to desperate measures of arm-twisting the electoral commission, undermining the entire process and planning to unleash terror on the country.

    “Finally, let it be known that the PDP, with the support of every well- meaning Nigerian, will employ every legitimate means to resist attempts by the APC and the Federal Government to undermine and compromise the electoral process and truncate our democracy.”

  • Court insists on Imo APC Exco’s legitimacy

    *To hear motion for Oshiomhole’s committal

    A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Bwari, Abuja has insisted that its judgment and orders affirming the legitimacy of the Executive of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State, led by Daniel Nwafor, remain in force.

    Justice Othman Musa made the clarification on Monday at the resumed hearing in post-judgment proceedings initiated by the national office of the APC, its National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole and Nwafor.

    The court had in a judgment delivered on August 14, 2018 upheld the legitimacy of the Nwafor-led Executive of the APC in Imo State and forbade the dissolution of the state EXCO.

    After the judgment, Nwafor filed an application, seeking Oshiomhole’s committal to prison, on the grounds that he allegedly moved to dissolve the Nwafor-led state EXCO, in violation of the August 14, 2018 judgment.

    Oshiomhole and the APC equally filed an application, challenging the validity of the judgment, which they argued, was delivered without jurisdiction. They also filed a counter-affidavit to the application by Nwafor.

    On Monday, Damian Dodo (SAN), representing the APC and Oshiomhole urged the court to, first hear and determine his clients’ motion, challenging the court’s jurisdiction and the validity of the judgment.

    Nwafor’s lawyer, Chidozie Ogunji objected and urged the court to first, hear his client’s application for the committal of the APC’s National Chairman to prison, before hearing any other application.

    Ogunji argued that it was wrong for Dodo to asked the court to hear his (Dodo’s) application, challenging jurisdiction before taking the contempt proceedings.

    He contended that a court of law has a duty to protect its proceedings and processes from invasion.

    Ogunji added that up and until the court deals with the issue of contempt, which is an affront on the court, the issue of jurisdiction, in whatever manner, it is raised, is inconsequential.

    He stressed: “This is so, because, by the court dealing with the affront on it, the court is and will be protecting it’s jurisdiction.

    “Today, the party sought to be committed, is not in court. And, whether the said party is challenging the jurisdiction of the court or not, once it is a contempt proceedings, the defendant must be in court.

    “We do not intend, for now, to apply that a bench warrant be issued. But we ask that the court makes an order that the party sought to be committed, (Oshiomhole) attends court on the next date, so that there will not be a continuous show of disrespect to this court.”

    Dodo, in his reply on point of law, faulted Ogunji’s argument and urged the court to first, consider the challenge to its jurisdiction, before conducting any other business.

    He argued that the orders and judgment being challenged by his clients were allegedly got without their knowledge.

    Dodo added that the position of the law is that, where a party is challenging the validity of an order or judgment, that person cannot be proceeded against, by way of contempt proceedings until the question about the jurisdiction of the court is resolved.

    On Ogunji’s claim that Oshiomhole disrespected the court by being absent, Dodo argued that the APC National Chairman has shown respect for the court by retaining a lawyer to canvass legal argument, on his behalf, before the court on whether or not the court has jurisdiction.

    Dodo argued that, until the issue of jurisdiction was resolved, Oshiomhole’s presence in court was still unnecessary.

    Ruling, Justice Othman agreed with Dodo that, though the court must protect its dignity and proceedings, it was necessary that it first, resolve questions about its jurisdiction when raised, before conducting further proceedings.

    The judge consequently elected to first hear the applications by the APC and its National Chairman, on the issue of jurisdiction, before hearing Nwafor’s application for committal.

    He, however, insisted that the court’s judgment of August 14, 2018 and the consequent orders made, remain in force until the question about the validity of the judgment and orders was resolved.

    Justice Musa adjourned to March 20 this year for the hearing of the application by the APC and its National Chairman.

  • PDP alleges plots by Buhari, APC to truncate democracy

    The People’s Democratic Party ( PDP ) has alleged plots by President Muhammadu Buhari and the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) to trigger widespread political crisis, aimed at derailing the democratic process and plunge the nation into anarchy.

    The opposition party particularly faulted the President’s directive to the security agencies to deal ruthlessly with any ballot box snatchers and others that may act in ways that could threaten the electoral process.

    A statement Monday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP viewed President Buhari’s directive as “threat to the lives of Nigerians”.

    The President had, during the APC caucus meeting held in Abuja Monday, said anyone caught snatching ballot boxes should consider the offence the very last they would ever commit.

    But the PDP said President Buhari’s statement was a direct call for jungle justice and attempt to divert public attention from details of APC’s caucus meeting where the President issued the warning.

    The statement said, “We do hope that this call by President Buhari is not a camouflage for the fake soldiers mobilized by the APC to shoot at innocent Nigerians, snatch ballot boxes and execute their rigging plans on the election day. It is indeed a license to kill, which should not come from any leader of any civilized nation.

    “The underlining fact to the above is that President Buhari and APC leaders, upon getting to their voting constituencies last Saturday, realized that there is a nationwide rejection of Buhari’s re-election bid, and this has thrown them into a panic mode.

    “President Buhari must however bear in mind that his resort to threats and scaremongering will not deter Nigerians from coming out en-masse to vote him out of office on February 23.

    “We are aware that President Buhari, who had earlier boasted that nobody can ‘unseat’ him, is bent on using every dictatorial and tyrannical act to truncate the process of a free, fair and credible election”.

    The party also said intelligence available to it showed that the Buhari Presidency has directed the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reshuffle the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).

    According to the PDP, the alleged deployment was to eagle INEC deploy “compromised” officials to manipulate the electoral process in President favour, adding, as they did with the police shortly before February 16.

    The said it’s also aware of the pressure allegedly being mounted by the Buhari Presidency on INEC to cancel elections in some states and make others inconclusive so as to achieve the President’s objectives of a staggered election not minding the crisis such will trigger across the federation.

    “We want Nigerians and the international community to hold President Buhari personally responsible for any electoral crisis, otherwise he will as usual, claim that he was not aware of the plots and transfer the blame to Adams Oshiomhole and Rotimi Amaechi.

    “It is already known that President Buhari has been unrelenting in his attempts to subdue our democracy by trying to subjugate the legislature, emasculate the judiciary and seize control of the electoral umpire.

    “Nevertheless, the PDP wants to assure President Buhari that our nation is bigger than him and that Nigerians will never allow him and the APC to rig this election.

    “Nigerians have reach an irreversible democratic consensus to vote Buhari out and elect the Peoples Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who is ready to rescue our nation from the hardship, anguish, agony and bloodletting which the Buhari administration has plunged us,” the statement added

  • We may not obey INEC’s directive on campaign – APC

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has given indications that the party will not obey directives by INEC not to reopen campaign, saying the directive was against the laws of the land.

    Oshiomhole said that the electoral management body does not have the power of making laws and cannot on its own amend the law by asking parties not to campaign after shifting the election.

    Read Also: Elections: APC UK wants INEC reviewed, reformed

    He said the APC and its members nationwide will continue in their campaign till Thursday this week as provides for by the Electoral Act and will be prepared to meet the commission in court.

    He also accused the commission of failing to take concrete action against some of its officials accused of taking side with certain political parties.

    Details shortly…

  • Buhari, Osinbajo, Tinubu, others meet in Abuja

    President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday met in Abuja in the party’s caucus meeting.

    The meeting started at the APC National Secretariat around 11.30am when the President arrived.

    Those in attendance included the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole.

    State governors at the meeting included that of Zamfara, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Jigawa, Borno, Bauchi, Kebbi, Niger, Lagos and Kaduna state.

    Read Also: Buhari: no plan to remove INEC Chairman Yakubu

    Also in attendance were the Senate leader, Ahmad Lawan, senators, Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF), Boss Mustapha, ministers, among others.

    Discussions at the meeting will not be unconnected with the issues affecting the party, including the postponement of the general elections by a week.