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PDP plans to ‘win with cash, rice,’ APC alleges

Osun State All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of vowing to use money and bags of rice to “win” the governorship election on August 9, as it allegedly did in Ekiti State.

Its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Kunle Oyatomi, in a statement yesterday, said sources quoted a PDP national official of revealing the plan to a monarch in Ile-Ife.

“We are in power and we have the cash. At best, Osun voters would not be worth more than N10,000 and a bag of rice each. That is what we gave them in Ekiti. We will repeat it in Osun and win,” the PDP chieftain was quoted as saying.

The party accused the party stalwart of assuring the old man that he had nothing to worry about the election, as the Federal Government has the power and the money to make him win.

“We did it in Ekiti and we are prepared to do it in Osun again,” the PDP chieftain was reported by eye-witnesses to have said.

But the APC vowed that the PDP will meet its waterloo in Osun because the people “do not suffer fools and do not sell their birthrights.”

“The insinuation that the total value of an Osun voter is a bag of rice and N10, 000 constitutes an abominable insult on the Yoruba nation and for that alone, the people of Osun will show the PDP that we are neither hungry nor ready to be slaves.

“Sooner or later, the PDP leadership will be held to account for its misuse and abuse of political power, the reign of criminal impunity and the squandering of Nigeria’s wealth through massive corruption unprecedented in the political history of Nigeria,” the statement read.

July 18, 2014
36 APC chairmen for Osogbo rally

The 36 state chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have resolved to storm Osun State in solidarity with Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s re-election bid.

Delta State APC Chairman Jones Erue, who is also coordinating the party chairmen, spoke yesterday in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

Erue, represented by State Publicity Secretary, Isaac Adakpo, said the move was part of resolutions reached at the just-concluded summit of APC chairmen in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

He said the group will seek legal redress should the law enforcement agents prevent them from entering Osun State to offer solidarity support to Aregbesola.

Erue said rift among members of the State Working Committee (SWC) has been resolved, adding that the 16 member committee is poised to give leadership to the party and “fight 15 years of PDP barrenness and sinister umbrella politics.”

July 18, 2014
APC chief hails Okorocha’s free education

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State and the founder of Rimax Institute, Lagos, Chief Livinus Opara, has hailed the transformation agenda of Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha in the education sector.

Opara, an indigene of Imo State and a supporter of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s defunct Unity Party of (UPN), said yesterday that the free education programme of Okorocha has impacted positively on the state, as youths have access to free education.

He described the governor as the ‘new Awolowo’ because of his love for education and his progressive thinking.

July 18, 2014
‘APC has prospect in Kogi’

The Minority Whip of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Adebola, in this interview with JAMES AZANIA, speaks on the quest for power shift in the Northcentral state.

How vibrant is the All Progres-sives Party (APC) in Kogi State?

It’s not as if there are is no vibrant opposition, but the structure of politics itself is against the emergence of the kind of vibrant opposition you are talking about. And, really, you don’t need a party to build an opposition. Every man on the street is an opposition; once their right and their welfare are not attended to. We are all opposition as long as our interest, our right, our welfare are at stake. The whole country is looking up to us as an alternative, but the nature of politicians we have here, they only respect democracy to the extent that it will satisfy their interest. Once it goes outside their interest or their view of what is on ground, the next thing is that they bring in all these sort of tendencies that are not democratic. It’s not that there are no opposition members here, but the party has been structured and totally hijacked by forces that are not truly democratic. You can’t deceive yourself. You can’t deceive people outside. People see us when we are practising real democracy he people know when we are agents of change. So, until we have people that are serious minded, genuine in their attendance of democracy, that is when opposition can emerge. Not the way we are going about it.

What does the loss of Ekiti in the recent election portend for the future of APC?

I think it is an eye opener, that we need to understand the people that we govern better. But, in a larger sense, if the APC gets itself together I don’t see it as a setback. It’s a challenge. It is something we can overcome, but that still depends on how well we are able to see it as a challenge. A lot of things has to change; fundamentally, structurally and we don’t have a lot of time to do that. More transparency, more democratic culture, and I am sure we will triumph. It’s unfortunate for the party what happened in Ekiti.

If the people of Ekiti have made their decision, that means there are one or two lessons we must learn as a party and I think we have what it takes, if there is the will.

How can the party regain its composure?

One, people-friendly culture. Two, the party must clearly differentiate itself from the practice of existing political parties, in excellence per se. We cannot afford to do things the way other political parties are doing it. In most cases, we keep saying we are opposition and what other parties are doing we do it; imposition, by-cutting the electoral laws, even internally. So, if we can place ourselves above board, I think it will go a long way for our system

Are you saying there is no internal democracy in the APC?

There is, but it’s not enough to the extent to which we think it should be. We think we can do better than what we are doing now. There have been some challenges, especially in some states. We have to create a platform within the system with which we can reappraise ourselves; we can challenge ourselves, we can oppose ourselves, all for the better, not just a one directional thing, or group thing, or a caucus thing or a leaders’ thing. It has to be something that looks up to a new generation, built in transparency and in progress.

There are crises in some APC chapters. How can they be resolved?

It’s what I told you. It’s a problem which we have created for ourselves. If we had allowed the democratic process to play its way, even if there is going to be crisis, the crisis is going to be minimal. When you feel aggrieved, when you feel you have been cheated, when you feel you have not been consulted, that is what brings political crisis. But, if we institutionalise the process, if there is a loss it won’t be a bitter thing, you will know it’s the system that has defeated you and you will go and re-strategize, but often times most people are angry because it is not the institution that has defeated them, it is the people there. So, let us build the democratic culture round the institutional process and all these challenges will reduce naturally. That is my view. We still have a lot of chances to make a lot of positive difference.

Now, we have an exco, which should reach out, soothing nerves, making sure everybody come to the table, examine various interests, then see how we can parley it together, make it work together for the good. I think the APC has a lot of future. But, it has a lot of issues to address within itself.

Do you believe the APC is an alternative to the Peoples Democratic Party in 2015?

Yes. With the precedents, with what is happening now, APC is an alternative to PDP any day.

What does the APC possess that can make the party dethrone the PDP, especially at the federal level?

Naturally, and with the mood of the country, they are suited as an alternative, with the lots of challenges which the country has gone through since 1999. I think people will want change and see something different. Remember that PDP has been in power since 1999 and of course, nothing has changed; is it poverty? Is it insecurity? Is it provision of basic facilities? Is it inflation? Mention it, all factors are not improving significantly. So, I think the APC in that regards has a chance, because people will want to see something different. That is the number one chance they have. And, number two, I think they have been able to pull themselves together from different areas of the country, this is also an advantage. Then, number three, I think Nigeria is a youthful country, which is why we have to be careful in all the decisions we make as a party. If the APC can position itself as the party of the youths, I mean, about 70 per cent Nigerians are less than 35 or 40, If APC can start from the ideals which we have been talking about, if it can position itself as a party of the youths, I think it will also have an advantage well over other parties.

July 18, 2014
APC: Jonathan has begun war against opposition

Five more governors on sack list, says party

PDP dismisses claim

The battle line was drawn yesterday between the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Goodluck Jonathan presidency.

APC Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun accused President Goodluck Jonathan of declaring war against the opposition with state-sponsored impeachment proceedings.

He said the impeachment of Admiral Murtala Nyako as the governor of Adamawa State was “unacceptable”.

He alleged that members of the Adamawa State House of Assembly were induced with $300,000 as part-payment to impeach Nyako.

He said a N500 million offer had been dangled before Nasarawa State lawmakers to remove Governor Tanko Al-Makura and N75million per lawmaker to sack Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

Odigie-Oyegun alleged that Jonathan and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were out to remove APC governors in Borno, Nasarawa, Edo, Osun and Rivers states.

He said the President, who had become “obsessed” with his re-election aspiration in 2015, was ready to destroy the country.

Odigie-Oyegun, who spoke at a crowded press conference in Abuja, said the APC will resist any moves by the President to return Nigeria to the “dark days”.

He said: “Events in Nigeria in the past few weeks point to a return to the dark old days of state dictatorship, lawlessness, impunity and repression.

“Our freedoms are being emasculated, our economy being run to the ground, and our only hope of bringing about change – our democratic expression – is being smothered before our very eyes all because President Goodluck Jonathan is so obsessed with re-election in 2015 at all cost that he is destroying not just all our key institutions but indeed the entire country.”

The APC National Chairman said the party was being pushed to the wall and would fight back.

He added: “At this critical juncture of our history and despite our desire for restraint and mature engagement with President Goodluck Jonathan and the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), it is evident that inaction is no longer an option and we must resist.

“Indeed keeping quiet in the face of the ceaseless and unrelenting reckless violations of all known laws of the land and the Constitution will amount to complicity in the lawlessness and impunity that has become the norm under President Goodluck Jonathan. We know it has been the dream of the ruling PDP to rule for 60 unbroken years, not minding if Nigeria becomes a desert land in the process.

“Their evil machination has manifested in Ekiti. It manifested yesterday in Adamawa. They have carried it to Nasarawa, and they have Edo, Osun and Rivers in their sight.

“In the states mentioned, all of them opposition strongholds, President Jonathan and his party have abused national institutions, resorted to a crude use of force and engaged in unprecedented financial inducements to achieve their objectives.

“All these anti-democratic tactics come under the umbrella of power with impunity!”

Odigie-Oyegun said: “But there is a bigger problem. President Jonathan is obsessed with his re-election in 2015, and he does not mind if Nigeria is destroyed in the process.

“He does not care whether every institution of state, be it the military, the courts, INEC or any other one, is destroyed. All that matters now is his re-election.

“This explains why he has embarked on this war against the opposition, this war against all of Nigeria.

“Having bastardised the army, the police, the courts, aviation and the electoral commission, he has now moved to the next level: Impeachment. Every impeachment or threat of it in recent times has the imprint of President Jonathan.

“As we speak, the Governor of Adamawa, Murtala Nyako, has been impeached at the instance of the President and his party. They have moved to Nasarawa, their next stop, while Rivers, Edo and Borno, all APC states, are not being spared the destabilisation that precedes their new-found weapon.”

He attributed Nyako’s impeachment to the ex-governor’s defection to the APC.

He said the President was guilty of allegations of extra-budgetary expenditure with which Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State is being threatened with impeachment.

He added: “What was Nyako impeached for? Offences he allegedly committed five years ago. Those offences were not impeachable when he was in the PDP. But the moment he decamped to the APC, they became impeachable.

“The entire ‘impeachment’ of Governor Nyako is so fraught with irregularities, bias, judicial contradictions and in violation of every procedural and constitutional provision that it is the worst manifestation of impunity.

“We intend to mount an immediate and rigorous challenge to this gross injustice to the party and people of Adamawa State.

“What is Governor Al-Makura of Nasarawa being threatened with impeachment for? Allegations of extra-budgetary expenditure, the same offence that President Jonathan has committed many times.

“In fact, on only on the 10th of July 2014, the Senate passed a resolution asking President Goodluck Jonathan to prepare and submit to the National Assembly supplementary budget to cover the over expenditure in the sum of N90.693 billion (US$585 million) for PMS subsidy 2012 and the sum of N685.910 billion (US$4.430 billion) for Kerosene (DPK) subsidy expended without appropriation by the National Assembly in 2012 and 2013!”

A livid Odigie-Oyegun gave insights into mass bribery of lawmakers in Adamawa and Nasarawa states to impeach their governors.

He said: “In Adamawa, each member of the State House of Assembly was allegedly given US $300,000 as part payment to impeach Governor Nyako; some N500 million has allegedly been moved to Nasarawa to induce the state’s lawmakers to impeach Governor Al-Makura, and in Edo, each lawmaker has allegedly been offered N75million to impeach Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

“Now, who is guiltier of gross misconduct than a President who is frittering away our commonwealth to induce perfidious legislators to impeach state governors? Who is guiltier of gross misconduct than a President who deploys troops to harass, intimidate and arrest the opposition during an election?

“Who deserves to be impeached for gross misconduct more than a President who uses national institutions against the opposition, and shuts airports arbitrarily?

“President Jonathan’s desperation knows no bounds, and he is willing to set a record of presiding over the greatest number of impeachments under his tenure.

“Before Nyako’s impeachment on Tuesday, a total of five impeachments have been carried out in all of the 15 years of the Fourth Republic. But between now and 2015, President Jonathan is championing five impeachments, in Adamawa, Nasarawa, Edo, Rivers and Borno.”

Odigie-Oyegun expressed concern that the military had been compromised to do the President’s biddings.

He said: “In doing so, he is subverting hitherto respected national institutions. The Army has been so compromised that it can no longer be trusted by anyone to be neutral. The army has been so abused that it now carries out police duties.

“Soldiers were deployed to guard the residence of the Chief Judge of Adamawa while the impeachment proceedings were on. Soldiers were deployed to guard each member of the impeachment panel. Soldiers were also deployed to guard the venue where the panel sat.

“In Ekiti, soldiers were deployed to hunt down the opposition and prevent them from moving around freely, in contravention of the nation’s constitution.

“In Osun, soldiers are again to be deployed to shut down the state and go after the opposition.

“By using the military for election duties, President Jonathan is clearly disobeying a court order as the Court of Appeal had ruled as far back as 2005 that the involvement of the military in the conduct of elections is an aberration and, therefore, unconstitutional. Indeed in the words of Salami, JCA on page 176 in the case of Yusuf v Obasanjo (2005) 18 NWLR (Pt. 956 96@174-5)

“It is up to the police to protect our nascent democracy and not the military, otherwise the democracy might be wittingly or unwittingly militarised. This is not what the citizenry bargained for after 1999. Conscious step or steps should be taken to civilianise the polity and thereby ensure survival and sustenance of democracy.”

“The Akure airport was suddenly slammed shut just to punish opposition leaders who had converged on Ekiti for Governor Kayode Fayemi’s campaign rally. They had to travel all night by road to Lagos.

“In Borno, under the guise of ensuring security, the Maiduguri Airport has been closed for several weeks; hence the Borno Governor and the people of the state, including the pilgrims heading for lesser Hajj, have been forced to travel by road to Kano to board their flights.

“However, the reason for shutting the airport has suddenly vanished as the private plane bearing former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff was allowed to land at the airport on Monday, the same day the governor had to travel by road to Kano to see his brother who was involved in an accident on the same road.

“Obviously, President Jonathan is fast turning Nigeria into George Orwell’s Animal Farm, where some animals are more equal than the others.

“Welcome to Nigeria of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, where the only people who are deemed to be true Nigerians are those under the umbrella of the PDP, where the only people worth protecting are PDP members!”

The APC National Chairman reminded President Jonathan and the PDP that political greed had always derailed the nation’s democracy.

He called on all friends of Nigeria to prevail on President Jonathan to apply the brakes in his “obsessive” quest for power.

Oyegun said: “We have raised the alarm several times that President Jonathan’s obsession with his re-election is a clear and present danger to our democracy.

“Today, we say this President’s obsession with re-election is threatening the very existence of our nation.

“Never in the history of our dear nation has any President waged war on the country the way this President is doing. Never in the history of our country has any President desecrated national institutions like this President is doing to the very institutions that sustain democracy.

“Never in the history of our country have our people been so divided along ethnic, religious, political and social lines, with poverty rising astronomically in the backdrop of a claimed rapid growth in the nation’s GDP.

“We warn that excessive political greed will always have its consequences. Any student of Nigeria’s contemporary history will realise what acts of impunity and desperation to win elections at all cost did to the country in 1965, 1983 and 1993, just to mention but a few.

“We call on all friends of Nigeria to prevail on President Jonathan to apply the brakes in his obsessive quest for power, because every action has consequences.

“It is time for those who can still get the ears of this President to remind him that his ambition is not worth the destruction of a whole country. All those who can must act now before it is too late!”

The briefing was attended by party bigwigs, including Deputy National Chairman Shuaib Lawal; National Secretary Mai Mala Buni, one-time Minister and former National Chairman of PDP Chief Audu Ogbeh; a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Mallam Nasir el-Rufai; Senator Bukola Saraki; Minority Leader in the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila; ex-Deputy Governor of Bauchi State Alhaji Mohammed Garba Gadi, National Vice-Chairman (North-East) B. D. Lawal; National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed; National Organising Secretary Senator Osita Izunaso; National Publicity Secretary of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties(CNPP) Osita Okechukwu; anti-corruption crusader Dino Melaye and other members of the party’s National Executive Committee.

July 17, 2014
Ekiti Tribunal begins sitting as APC alleges plot to burn INEC office

The Election Petitions Tribunal set up to hear grievances relating to the June 21 Governorship Election in Ekiti State yesterday began sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

The Chairman of the three-man panel, Justice Mohammad Siraj of the Federal High Court, Jos Division, was the only Judge who appeared at the inaugural sitting on the premises of the High Court complex.

A motion ex-parte filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow it (the APC) inspect the materials used for the conduct of the election was struck out by Justice Siraj on the party’s request.

APC’s counsel said it withdrew the petition because events had overtaken the demand, adding that the parties joined in the application were different from the parties in the substantive petition filed against the respondents’ action for the withdrawal.

Although the APC lead counsel, Alhaji Lateef Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) was absent at the inaugural sitting, he was represented by Kabir Akingbolu.

Security was strengthened around the premises of the High Court. Armed policemen barricaded the courts entrances including the dual carriageway facing the court.

The state APC said it has uncovered a plot to burn the INEC office in Ado-Ekiti.

The party, in a statement, said: “We have it from reliable source that plans are being hatched to have ‘strange fire’ occurrence at the INEC office in Ado Ekiti and all the materials relating to the just concluded election will get burnt. The fire incidence would be blamed on some faulty power surge. But why would any person or persons want to set the ballot papers of a ‘free and fair’ election on fire, especially now that the APC has decided to test the result with the tribunal? Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.”

July 17, 2014
Nyako’s impeachment: APC will go to court, says Odigie-Oyegun

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, yesterday said the party would challenge the impeachment of Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako in court.

Nyako himself has vowed to head for the court.

Odigie-Oyegun said: “I don’t know how much I can say to that your question because I think if we are not already in court, I think we should be.

“But it is clear that there was no due process. Even as loose as the provisions are, they did not have the patience and decency to abide by them.”

Asked to be specific, Oyegun said: “For example, just to take the basic one: the law provides that the governor must be personally served. Was he served personally? “Secondly, there was a subsisting court order, which should have stopped the impeachment process until the governor’s petition was disposed off. But they went ahead. “There are a lot more other but when our lawyers go to court, you will see that. Concerning allegation of gross misconduct, it was the most fair- less impeachment procedure on record up to date.

“I have no doubt in my mind that any properly constituted legal tribunal is going to reverse the process.

We are going to vigorously challenge what has happened in Adamawa State.”

Oyegun was however taken to task by reporters on why APC had to blame President Goodluck Jonathan for the impeachment of Nyako after the former governor publicly absolved the President of complicity.

Oyegun insisted that there was no contradiction between the party’s position and Nyako’s purported statement.

He added: “There is no contradiction there. The governor did what he had to do. But we will agree as a party what to do when the need arises for us to do it. There is no contradiction, the governor is a governor, the party is a party. That is a bit different.

“On the loose provision of the constitution, our legal luminaries and representatives will look into it.

“In this nation, you know what happens, when the weakness of the law favours those who have the hammer in their hand, they use it to the fullest possible effect.”

July 17, 2014
Nyako’s impeachment: APC will go to court, says Odigie-Oyegun

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, yesterday said the party would challenge the impeachment of Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako in court.

Nyako himself has vowed to head for the court.

Odigie-Oyegun said: “I don’t know how much I can say to that your question because I think if we are not already in court, I think we should be.

“But it is clear that there was no due process. Even as loose as the provisions are, they did not have the patience and decency to abide by them.”

Asked to be specific, Oyegun said: “For example, just to take the basic one: the law provides that the governor must be personally served. Was he served personally? “Secondly, there was a subsisting court order, which should have stopped the impeachment process until the governor’s petition was disposed off. But they went ahead. “There are a lot more other but when our lawyers go to court, you will see that. Concerning allegation of gross misconduct, it was the most fair- less impeachment procedure on record up to date.

“I have no doubt in my mind that any properly constituted legal tribunal is going to reverse the process.

We are going to vigorously challenge what has happened in Adamawa State.”

Oyegun was however taken to task by reporters on why APC had to blame President Goodluck Jonathan for the impeachment of Nyako after the former governor publicly absolved the President of complicity.

Oyegun insisted that there was no contradiction between the party’s position and Nyako’s purported statement.

He added: “There is no contradiction there. The governor did what he had to do. But we will agree as a party what to do when the need arises for us to do it. There is no contradiction, the governor is a governor, the party is a party. That is a bit different.

“On the loose provision of the constitution, our legal luminaries and representatives will look into it.

“In this nation, you know what happens, when the weakness of the law favours those who have the hammer in their hand, they use it to the fullest possible effect.”

July 17, 2014
APC’s allegation unfounded, says PDP

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has denied the allegation that the impeachment of the Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako was instigated by President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP.

In a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the PDP described the allegation as wild and unfounded, adding that it was meant to cause confusion and incite the people against the President, the PDP and institutions of government.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) accused Jonathan and the PDP of instigating and bankrolling Nyako’s impeachment and the gale of impeachment threats hanging over other APC governors.

The PDP said: “While we do not wish to join issues with a party that has become notorious for falsehood, deceit and blackmail, we wish to alert Nigerians that this is part of the orchestrated plot by the APC to discredit and blackmail institutions of government, particularly the legislature, the citadel of democracy and stronghold of the will of the people and ultimately set the stage to destabilise the polity.

“We note that this onslaught against the legislature is not spontaneous. Nigerians may indeed recall the vicious attack on the National Assembly early this year wherein the APC also raised a false alarm that federal lawmakers were being induced with millions of dollars to defect to the PDP.

“We invite Nigerians to note the anti-democratic and anti-Nigeria actions of the APC. Indeed, never in the history of this country has an opposition constituted itself into a rebellion against our dear nation and its corporate existence.

“Never in the history of this country has the opposition sought spiritedly to cause confusion to destabilise our nation using wild allegations and lies; never has an opposition resorted to supporting insurgency and instigating violence through their utterances for political capital; never has an opposition taken it upon itself to continue to insult and attack the person and office of the President and government institutions for parochial interests.

“We in the PDP believe in democracy and the principle of separation of powers as enshrined in our constitution. As such, we have never and will not for any reason whatsoever interfere in the activities of the legislature at any level.

“Our advice to the APC is that resorting to blackmail and unfounded allegations will not help them. They must understand that in a democracy, the will of the people and the rule of law are paramount.

“Nobody is above the law or above the will of the people. Also they must note that the law does not exonerate an erring official simply because he is in the opposition”.

July 17, 2014
Ekiti Tribunal begins sitting as APC alleges plot to burn INEC office

The Election Petitions Tribunal set up to hear grievances relating to the June 21 Governorship Election in Ekiti State yesterday began sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

The Chairman of the three-man panel, Justice Mohammad Siraj of the Federal High Court, Jos Division, was the only Judge who appeared at the inaugural sitting on the premises of the High Court complex.

A motion ex-parte filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow it (the APC) inspect the materials used for the conduct of the election was struck out by Justice Siraj on the party’s request.

APC’s counsel said it withdrew the petition because events had overtaken the demand, adding that the parties joined in the application were different from the parties in the substantive petition filed against the respondents’ action for the withdrawal.

Although the APC lead counsel, Alhaji Lateef Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) was absent at the inaugural sitting, he was represented by Kabir Akingbolu.

Security was strengthened around the premises of the High Court. Armed policemen barricaded the courts entrances including the dual carriageway facing the court.

The state APC said it has uncovered a plot to burn the INEC office in Ado-Ekiti.

The party, in a statement, said: “We have it from reliable source that plans are being hatched to have ‘strange fire’ occurrence at the INEC office in Ado Ekiti and all the materials relating to the just concluded election will get burnt. The fire incidence would be blamed on some faulty power surge. But why would any person or persons want to set the ballot papers of a ‘free and fair’ election on fire, especially now that the APC has decided to test the result with the tribunal? Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.”

July 17, 2014