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Tag: Election petition tribunal

  • Tribunal strikes out Ogbuoji’s petition against Umahi

    The Ebonyi state governorship election petition tribunal on Wednesday struck out the petition filed by the All Progressive Congress, APC, and its candidate, Sonni Ogbuoji against the election of Governor David Umahi.

    This followed the motion for withdrawal of the petition by Mr Ogbuoji’s counsel Michael Odo at the resumption of hearing on Wednesday.

    The counsel to Governor Umahi, Okechukwu Otukwu did not oppose the motion.

    Also the People’s Democratic Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, did not object to the motion.

    The Tribunal Chaired by Justice A. Abdulkarim was left with no other choice but to strike out the petition.

    It also awarded cost of N100,000 to the 1st Respondent.

    It will be recalled that Ogbuoji lost the March 9th governorship election to the incumbent governor David Umahi of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.

    The governor garnered a total of 393,343 votes cast across the 13 local governments in the state.

    Ogbuoji of the All Progressive Congress (APC) got a total of 81703 votes cast to place a distant second.

  • 77 tribunals to hear 766 petitions filed on polls

    A total of 766 petitions have so far been filed across the country by politicians aggrieved over the outcome of the last general election.

    The Nation learnt on Tuesday the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, in exercise of her constitutional authorities, has set up a total of 77 election tribunals to hear and determine the petitions.

    According to the Deputy Chief Registrar, Election Petition Tribunal, Court of Appeal, Mrs. Rabi Abdulazeez, a breakdown of the petitions revealed that four were filed by four political parties and their candidates in respect of the presidential election.

    They include the one marked: CA/PEPC/002/2019, filed on March 18 this year by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the election, Atiku Abubakar.

    There is the second filed by Hope Democratic Party (HDP) and Ambrose Owuru, who claimed to be the party’s presidential candidate.

    The petition, marked: CA/PEPC/001/2019 was filed on March 7.

    The third, marked: CA/PEPC/003/2019was filed by the Coalition for Change (C4C) and Geff Ojinika, who claimed to be the party’s presidential candidate.

    The fourth petition, marked: CA/PEPC/004/2019, was filed on March 19 this year by the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) and Pastor Aminchi Habu, listed as the party’s presidential candidate.

    Figures made available by the Court of Appeal’s spokesperson, Mrs. Sa’adatu Musa Kachalla revelead that a total of 54 petitions have been filed for the governorship elections, while 205 Petitions have so far been filed in relation to the senatorial elections.

    For the House of Representatives, 101 petitions have been filed across the country.

    The Court of Appeal had, on April 4 put the total number of petitions filed at 736, implying additional 30 have been filed between then and now April 16, 2019, according to Mrs. Kachalla.

  • 2019 election: Tribunal orders service of another petition on Buhari

    The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) has ordered that President Muhammadu Buhari be served a petition, challenging his victory, through the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    A three-man panel of the tribunal, led by Justice Abdu Aboki, gave the order on Friday in a ruling on an ex-parte motion filed by the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) and its presidential candidate, Pastor Aminchi Habu.

    The tribunal ordered that copies of all the processes filed by the petitioners be served on President Buhari through the APC’s National Legal Adviser at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

    Read Also: Buhari salutes Oshiohmole for building strong, unified party

    Petitioner’s lawyer, Aliyu Lemu, while arguing the motion, told the tribunal that the bailiff had problem serving President Buhari in his office.

    He said it was necessary that the President, who is listed as the second respondent be served through substituted means so that their petition could be heard within the stipulated 180 days.

    The petitioners are, in the petition, praying the tribunal to invalidate the 2019 presidential election.

    They also want the tribunal to order a rerun, for omitting the name of its party’s presidential candidate from the ballot papers used in conducting the election.

     

     

  • Osun: I’m still governor, says Oyetola

    Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola at the weekend said he remained the duly elected governor regardless of Friday’s judgment of the Election Petition Tribunal.

    Oyetola enjoined the public to disregard the insinuations that he had been sacked, saying he was confident of retaining his mandate at the appellate court.

    He spoke yesterday while inspecting some on-going road and drainage projects in Osogbo, the state capital.

    The Governor said the outcome of the lower court didn’t in anyway affect the validity of the votes freely and willingly given to him by the people of the state.

    He said since the Constitution allowed him to file an appeal against the judgment, he remained the legitimate governor of the state.

    The governor said: “I am confident that our mandate will be reaffirmed at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

    “As you all know, it was a split judgment, telling us that it was not a unanimous decision. This is part of our strength at the Appellate Court

    “I must correct the impression that I have been removed from office I remain the governor of Osun till all the electoral litigations are finalized.

    “So, my visit to this site is in furtherance of our commitment to ensure a better life for all residents of the state and to demonstrate that governance brought about by our government continues”, he said.

    Oyetola who had earlier received the leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Government House and assured the teeming supporters of the party that he would come victorious at the end of the electoral litigation.

    He called on the party loyalists to remain calm and expressed confidence in the judiciary to deliver justice as it remained the ‘hope for a common man’”

    He told the people of the state and supporters of APC not to panic over the Friday judgement. Speaking while addressing supporters and members of the APC in Osun State, who paid a solidarity visit to him at the Government House yesterday, he reiterated his commitment to the development of the state, saying nothing would deter him from providing dividend of democracy to every nooks and crannies of the state.

    He expressed gratitude for the solidarity visit, and assured them that there was nothing to panic about the ruling.

    Describing the judgement of the tribunal as a ‘split judgment of two against one’, he said with God by his side he would become victorious.

    He said: “I want to appeal to our people to remain calm with the judgement of the Tribunal. I want to appreciate you for identifying with me over yesterday’s verdict. Well, it was a split judgement of two of one and it’s not unanimous.”

    He expressed confidence in the judiciary despite the judgement of the three-man election petition tribunal that declared his major contender, Adeleke, the winner of the September 22, 2018 governorship poll.

    In a state broadcast, the governor said: “I address you this day to inform you that in response to the judgment of the Osun Governorship Election Tribunal, sitting at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Friday, the 22nd day of March, 2019, we have gone on appeal to challenge the split decision of the Tribunal.

    “This split decision notwithstanding, our confidence in the judiciary remains unshaken, which is why we are going back to it for necessary review through the Appellate Court.”

    Meanwhile, APC in Osun State yesterday urged the Police and other security agencies to disregard claim by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  that the ruling party planned to unleash mayhem in the state.

    The APC branded the PDP claim a false alarm.

    “The notorious gang of violent acts in Osun are the PDP thugs, who when they break loose on streets and localities leave a trail of blood and tears. These people have been notorious for violence since 2003”, the APC director of publicity, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, said in a statement.

    According to him, “Whatever violence the PDP leadership is falsely accusing the APC of plotting is actually what the PDP itself must have worked out to unleash on the peaceful people of Osun, consistent with that party’s own trademark.”

    The APC argued that it had no incentive for violence over the verdict of the Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja because there are “credible options for redress in both the court of appeal and the Supreme Court.

    Oyatomi added:”Our party is intelligent enough to know that it remains in power at Abere until the Supreme Court decides otherwise. So, why should we be planning violence against our own people?’

     

  • Atiku faces uphill task at tribunal, says Agbakoba

    National Intervention Movement Co-chairman, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), yesterday said Alhaji Atiku Abubakar faces an uphill battle to overturn Presidential Muhammadu Buhari’s victory at the Election Petition Tribunal.

    According to him, it has to be proven that there were electoral irregularities and that they affected the election results.

    Agbakoba, a Life Bencher who chairs the Peoples Trust Party (PTP) and the “third force political parties”, said he was misquoted in his earlier statement to say that Atiku would lose at the Tribunal.

    “That is far from the truth. I meant the former Vice President will face an uphill task, given the circumstances of challenging the election results.

    “My initial decision to charge the former Vice President not to go to court is based on the fact that President Buhari has subverted the Supreme Court by the removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen, and the appointment of the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.

    “My perception is that we need to resolve the status of the Supreme Court. I wonder what is taking the National Judicial Council so long.

    “I am also worried about the historical precedent, as no petition on presidential election result has ever succeeded.

    “As one of Nigeria’s experienced election petition lawyers, I know that the burden of proof to succeed in an election petition is unfairly huge.

    “We first have to prove that there are electoral irregularities and in my view, once you prove this, you should succeed.

    “Unfortunately, even if you prove electoral irregularities you will have to show how that affected the results of the election.

    “Remember that the gap between former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and President Buhari is about four million votes,” Agbakoba said.

    The former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President believes the presidential election results were “manifestly riddled” with electoral irregularities.

    He, however, emphasised that Atiku is constitutionally entitled to approach the tribunal.

    “My personal advice has become irrelevant. I fully support and wish former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar every success,” Agbakoba said.

    In the earlier statement urging Atiku not to challenge Buhari’s victory, Agbakoba said: “I understand the PDP is aggrieved about the outcome of the election and alleged massive irregularities. But, I urge former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar not to approach the Election Petition Tribunal.

    “He might have moved backwards by his loss but he should not lose sight of the legacy and greatness that lies in front of him. He is in a strong position to take up the mantle of a statesman.

    “He can build a new Nigeria movement from the motley of small parties, third force actors, change actors and millions who are desperate for a strong, united Nigeria.”

  • Agbakoba to PDP candidate: don’t challenge Buhari’s victory

    National Intervention Movement Co-chairman Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) yesterday urged Alhaji Atiku Abubakar not to challenge his loss to Presidential Muhammadu Buhari at the Election Petition Tribunal.

    He said Atiku should rather take up the mantle of a statesman and build a new Nigeria movement.

    Agbakoba, who chairs the Peoples Trust Party (PTP) and the “third force political parties”, decried the fact that the voting pattern for the 2019 presidential election showed that ethnicity played a significant role.

    He said in a statement: “President Buhari kept his base in the North while Atiku Abubakar largely held his base in the South.

    “The All Progressive Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) benefited from primordial voting. The excepted zone is the Southwest where voting occurred on the basis of issues.

    “The significance and consequence of the 2019 presidential election is huge, unless we are able to reverse it. The 2023 presidential election will follow the pattern of 2019 unless we do something about it.

    “I understand the PDP is aggrieved about the outcome of the election and alleged massive irregularities. But, I urge former Vice President Atiku Abubakar not to approach the Election Petition Tribunal.

    “He might have moved backwards by his loss, but he should not lose sight of the legacy and greatness that lies in front of him. He is in a strong position to take up the mantle of a statesman.

    “He can build a new Nigeria movement from the motley of small parties, third force actors, change actors and millions who are desperate for a strong, united Nigeria.”

    According to the former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president, there is also a lot of work to be done in both political and electoral reforms.

    “I can see how tempting it is to take the option of the Election Petition Tribunal, but that in my view is not the right decision.

    “We look forward to a new Nigeria, strong and united; a new Nigeria that will not vote on the basis of ethnic and primordial sentiments.

    “I was shocked at the strength of the two parties in holding their respective bases. But the problem was that the basis was simply primordial and not driven by issues,” he said.

    Activist-lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must tame what he called the antics of politicians and their desperation.

    To him, the crude quest for power across the divide “is simply sickening”.

    He said INEC must rise to the occasion to leverage on presidential election experience to improve on the forthcoming governorship and Houses of Assembly election.

    The senior lawyer urged those with grievances to embrace due process of law.

    “INEC having declared winners for the elections – no matter the merits or otherwise, the options available should be exhausted through due process of law. We have no choice than that noble option, in the interest of our dear nation.

    “If we can conduct the March 9 elections without shedding the blood of any Nigerian, then we would have fulfilled the lofty expectations of our heroes past,” Adegboruwa said.

  • Kogi: Hearing begins Monday in Faleke’s petition

    The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal will commence hearing in the petitions challenging the election of Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as governor of the state.

    Six petitions were filed before the tribunal now sitting in Abuja following fear of insecurity in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.

    On Tuesday, tribunal Chairman, Justice Halima Muhammed announced that parties would adopt reports of their pre-hearing sessions beginning from Monday (March 14), following which trial will commence.

    The chairman said the tribunal will take the objections to the petition along with the substantive petition.

    Parties in the petitions told the Tribunal that they will be calling two witnesses each to prove their cases in the petition challenging Governor Bello’s election.

    On February 23, 2016, the Tribunal fixed dates for pre-hearing sessions in the six petitions filed by different parties challenging the outcome of the last governorship election held in the state.

    Upon agreements by lawyers in the petitions, including Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), (Alex Iziyon –SAN), (for the Independent National Electoral Commission), Mahmud Magaji (SAN), (for Yahaya Bello), Chris Uche  (SAN), (Idris Wada and Peoples Democratic Party), among others agreed to ensure that all the necessary processes were filed before the next dates.

    The first petition mentioned was the one by James Faleke against INEC and Bello. Faleke who ran as running mate to the late governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abubakar Audu, is seeking to be declared winner of the election on among other grounds, that his joint ticket with the late Audu won the election.

    The second petition was the one filed by Idris Wada (immediate past governor of the state), his deputy, Yomi Awoniyi and their party, the PDP against Bello, APC and INEC.

    Pre-hearing session will be held on Wednesday in the third and fourth by Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) and Labour Party (LP), while those by Usman Zainab and her party, the African Development Party (ADP), and Akwu Umar Goodman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) have been fixed for March 11, 2016.

  • Tribunal to deliver judgment on Ladoja’s petition Tuesday

    Tribunal to deliver judgment on Ladoja’s petition Tuesday

    The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ibadan will on Tuesday deliver judgment in Sen. Rasidi Ladoja’s petition.

    Ladoja, the governorship candidate of Accord Party, is challenging the victory of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in April 11 polls.

    He joined APC, INEC and the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Rufus Akeju, as co-respondents.

    The Counsel to the petitioner, Mr Richard Ogunwole (SAN), had urged the tribunal to nullify Ajimobi’s election and declared his client as the winner of the election or order a rerun.

    Ogunwole contended that the election was marred by irregularities and malpractices.

    But, Mr Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Counsel to Ajimobi, urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition, saying that it lacked merit and facts.

    The tribunal Chairman, Justice Mohammed Mayaki, had on Sept. 30 after the adoption of the written addresses promised that the date for the judgment would be communicated to the parties.

  • Election tribunal receives seven petitions in Niger

    The Election Petitions Tribunal in Niger has received seven petitions relating to the March 28 and April 11 elections in the state.

    Mr Oluremi Olagunju, Secretary to the tribunal, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Thursday.

    Olagunju said that three of the applications were for the House of Representatives and four for the House of Assembly elections, adding that one request was also granted for inspection of election materials.

    “The tribunal has received seven petitions relating to the House of Representatives and the state House of Assembly. The petitions were filed within the limit set by the Electoral Act.

    “So far, we have given an ex parte motion on application for substituted service in respect of APC candidate for Suleja/Tafa/Gurara Federal Constituency.

    “On April 30, we also granted application for inspection of electoral materials to the APC candidates from Magama/Rijau federal constituency and that of the state assembly,” said the scribe.

    Olagunju assured that the activities of the tribunal would begin in earnest by the first week of June.