The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Appeal Panel

  • APC primary: Appeal panel upholds Nwosu’s election

    The Appeal Panel set up by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to examine the petitions arising from the Imo State governorship primary, has affirmed Uche Nwosu as the party’s governorship candidate.

    The panel, headed by a former Edo State Governor, Prof. Osunbor Oserheimen, also dismissed the petitions filed by other governorship aspirants, which sought the cancelation of the primary.

    The petitioners are: Chucks Ololo, Chris Nlemoha and Chima Anozie.

    In their separate petitions, they claimed that the primary was marred by irregularities, which they said made it impossible for them and their supporters to participate in it.

    But after its sitting, the panel adopted the report of the Ibrahim Agbabiaka’s Committee, which conducted the primary.

    The committee declared Nwosu winner of the election, after polling the highest vote of 269,542 to defeat his closest rival, Chucks Ololo, who polled 6,428 votes.

     

  • Anambra APC youths to Nwoye: let appeal panel do its job

    Anambra APC youths to Nwoye: let appeal panel do its job

    Youths in the Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have urged the winner of the party’s primary, Tony Nwoye, to allow the appeal panel probing alleged irregularities during the election to do its job.

    The youths accused Nwoye of jumping the gun with respect to the appeal panel’s assignment.

    In a statement by its President, Comrade Nonso Ojukwu, the youths said: “As the APC Primary Election Appeal Committee began sitting, to look into allegations of irregularities and imposition of delegates, it is becoming clear that one of the aspirants, Comrade Tony Nwoye, whose declaration as winner of the primary election was greeted with jeers and boos by real party members, has resorted to media propaganda aimed at tarnishing the credibility of the committee and its members.

    “In a sponsored story, published in The Nation on September 12, Nwoye accused the appeal committee of collusion with members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to drop him as the party’s governorship candidate.

    “This campaign of calumny against members of the Appeal Committee and NWC is a deliberate mischief, aimed at blackmailing members of the Committee and members of the party’s NWC. It is an attempt to stampede the Committee into a miscarriage of justice.

    “It is the constitutional right of every citizen to explore legal and legitimate means to seek redress against perceived wrongful acts. Senator Andy Uba, rather than resort to anarchy and chaos, chose legal and legitimate avenues to seek redress against a perceived wrong. It is the duty of an Appeal Committee, properly and legitimately constituted, according to the constitution of the party, to review the case in question and pronounce a verdict, guided by Law and justice. Even Nwoye, according to Sun newspaper’s report on September 12, told reporters after appearing before the committee, that he had ‘confidence in whatever report the committee would come up with’.

    “Why did he suddenly begin to malign members of the Appeal Committee and respectable members of the party’s NWC? What reason is behind this sudden desperation? Why is he pre-empting the report of the committee? Why is he openly passing a no confidence vote on a committee, which had just begun sitting? What is Nwoye afraid of? He had expressed confidence in the committee. Why the sudden volte-face?

    “In the absence of malicious and mischievous motivation, he should remain calm and trust in the ability of his own party to do what is right, rather than resort to discrediting highly placed members of his own party and its conflict resolution mechanism.

    “Part of the sponsored story was that if Nwoye is dropped by APC, it will pave the way for Governor Willie Obiano’s automatic re-election. This does not represent the truth, and is merely a desperate appeal to childish sentiments. APC does not intend to remove Governor Obiano through fraud and, therefore, the party cannot, in the spirit of change, endorse any candidate who emerges through fraud.

    “Nwoye should allow the Appeal Committee to perform its duties and desist from doing or saying things that would discredit the integrity of the party and cast aspersions on the efficiency and capability of the Appeal Committee. He should avoid distracting the Committee.

     

  • Adeleke, Hussain to battle for Osun West senatorial ticket

    Adeleke, Hussain to battle for Osun West senatorial ticket

    APC NWC clears senator

    The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday cleared Senator Mudasiru Hussein to contest the party’s primaries for Osun West Senatorial District’s seat today.
    This followed the meeting of the NWC in Abuja, which reviewed the decision of the Appeal Panel, dismissing Hussein’s appeal on Sunday.
    By the regulation of the party, the decision of the NWC is final.
    “Therefore, delegates for the APC West Senatorial District’s primaries are to proceed to the designated centre for the exercise on Tuesday (today),” the NWC said last night.

    The Appeal Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Osun West Senatorial District’s July 8 by-election has upheld the disqualification of Senator Mudashiru Hussain by the party’s five-man Election/Screening Committee.

    On Sunday, the committee, led by Zamfara State House of Assembly Speaker Sanusi Rikiji, said Hussain was disqualified because he failed to tender his resignation letter as a serving commissioner within 30 days before the expression of his interest to contest for the senatorial seat.

    Hussain challenged the panel’s decision at the party’s Appeal Committee but failed to stop his disqualification.

    The Appeal Committee, led by Abdullahi Bello, noted that after going through the report of the Election/Screening Committee, “it did not find it difficult to assume the following questions:

    • “Whether the petitioner (Hussain) resigned within 30 days, as envisaged by law;
    • “Whether the petitioner’s resignation letter, as attached during the defence of his letter dated June 6, complied with the 30 days, as required by law, and
    • “Whether the Screening Committee was right by disqualifying the petitioner, based on his status as an appointed serving commissioner in Osun State.”

    According to the Appeal Committee, issues during the screening bordered on law and the provision of the constitution.

    It said failure of this was weighty and cannot be dismissed.

    The committee said: “During the petitioner’s appearance before this committee, he confessed that his nomination form did not satisfy the full requirements of a legal document which could stand him for election.

    “An objective view of the petitioner’s nomination form for his primary election was not duly sworn to before a Magistrate or a Notary Public and his failure to do this constitutes an incurable defect.

    “The purpose for which a party’s nomination form is procured is to be seen to comply with guidelines and rules of engagement. Thus, it is our view that all its contents must be complied with.

    “If the makers of the nomination form believe that the last paragraph of the form of the petitioner is of no value or of consequence, such provision will not have been provided therein. Thus, the failure of the petitioner to submit his nomination form for the purpose of certification and oath before a Magistrate or a Notary Public is fatal to his cause.

    “We, therefore, hold that even if the petitioner is not a public officer, as canvassed by him, his resignation letter should have been necessary. Therefore, having resigned on June 6 fell short of the 30 days’ requirements of the law.

    “Upon the above considerations, the appeal for reconsideration and reversal as presented by Senator Mudashiru Hussain lack merit and is hereby dismissed. Consequently, the disqualification of Senator Mudsshiru Hussain by the five-man Election/Screening Committee for the Osun West Senatorial District primary election of the APC is hereby upheld.”

    Also, the primary election to choose a flagbearer of the APC for the July 8 by-election for Osun West Senatorial seat scheduled to hold yesterday was postponed till today.

    A three-man Appeal Team, led by a former deputy governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, on Sunday dismissed an appeal filed by Hussain, one of the two aspirants for the seat.

    The chairman of the APC, Prince Gboyega Famodun, urged the party’s delegates from the 10 local government areas of the district to remain calm and prepare for the primary election.

     

  • Reconstitute Abia Electoral Appeal Panel, group tells CJN

    Reconstitute Abia Electoral Appeal Panel, group tells CJN

    A group, the Catholic Networks of Nigeria [CNN], has protested across Abia State demanding reconstitution of the panel of justices of the Court of Appeal that will be handling the appeal filed by the candidates of All Progressives Grand Alliance [APGA].

    The group asked the Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN) and the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA) to relieve the current members of the panel of the responsibility.

    Speaking while the group was demonstrating peacefully at Bende town, the coordinator, Catechist Ambrose Udensi said the people of the state no longer have confidence on the panel of justices of the Court of Appeal at Owerri.

    Udensi alleged that INEC and PDP are the main problems the state is having through their connivance to rig the last election to the benefit of the ruling party in the state, against the wishes of the people.

    The CNN coordinator said INEC and PDP are trying to stop the people from reclaiming their mandate, “The judges did their worst by striking out most of the petitions filed by APGA candidates and has now left Abia in a state of hopelessness,” they alleged