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Tag: Jimoh Ibrahim

  • Jimoh Ibrahim blames Mimiko for protests

    Jimoh Ibrahim blames Mimiko for protests

    The Independent National Electoral Commission-recognised Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in next month’s election in Ondo State, Mr.Jimoh Ibrahim, yesterday described the protests in the state as the handiwork of Gpvernor Olusegun Mimiko.

    Youths and okada riders in Akure, the state capital, and Ondo had yesterday shut down the two towns for several hours to show their displeasure at the decision of the INEC to substitute the name of Mr.Eyitayo Jegede with that of Jimoh as the party’s candidate .

    Jegede belongs to the Ahmed Makarfi faction of the party while Ibrahim is of the Alo Modu Sheriff faction.

    Ibrahim in a statement entitled ‘Tyre Burning for Sympathy’, personally signed by him, said the protest had Mimiko’s signature all over it.

    He alleged that the governor way back in 2009 ‘deceived’ the election petition tribunal in the state that “there were security issues in the state, leading to the cancellation of results in eight out of 18 local governments of the state.”

    He added: “Yesterday (Thursday) Mimiko called on the drivers’ union in the state, whose chairman is his relative,to gather disposed tyres across the state and burn them so as to show that there are security challenges in Akure town.

    “While the tyres were burning,school children were attending their classes. Banks were opened, market women and traders were carrying on their economic activities, courts were sitting and more tyres were burning by the side of the road.

    “Regrettably, Mimiko’s orthodoxy has played out to be fake,empty and unbecoming of a person that occupies the position of the governor of a state .

    “This tyre burning for sympathy will not work as Ondo State remains peaceful.”

  • Ondo polls: Mimiko faults INEC’s listing of Ibrahim’s as PDP candidate

    Ondo polls: Mimiko faults INEC’s listing of Ibrahim’s as PDP candidate

    The outgoing governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko on Friday faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the listing of Jimoh Ibrahim as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

    According to him, Eyitayo Jegede is the lawful candidate of the party.

    He also pointed out that the Justice Abang judgment INEC relied upon has nothing to do with Jimoh and Jegede.

    Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Mimiko said: “I am shocked. In logic, in law, in politics, there is no basis for it whatsoever. The Jimoh Ibrahim factor in all of this is predicated on a court order given by Justice Abang. Incidentally that court order is about zonal and state executives of PDP. That order is about 2009 election.

    “Neither Jimoh Ibrahim nor Tayo Jegede were parties to the suit. So, when that judgment suddenly came because when the name of Ibrahim was sent to INEC after a primary election which was conducted in Ibadan without INEC monitoring it, without security agencies, SSS or police, when the name gets to INEC and this Abang judgment was attached, INEC took the right decision initially by making it clear that to start with, it is not state or zonal executive that is empowered by the electoral act to conduct election, number two, the Abang judgment on the basis of which they were putting pressure on INEC to accept Jimoh Ibrahim as a candidate was referring to 2009 election.

    “There is nothing about 2016 election in that judgment. So, on the basis of this, a nitro, INEC refused and discountenanced the name of Jimoh Ibrahim as a candidate.

    “Then they went ahead and filed form 48 and from the blues, the same Justice Abang mandated INEC to replace the name of Eyitayo Jegede who emerged through a primary process that was supervised by INEC, security agencies on live television with all delegates that were supposed to participate, then Abang ordered that Jimoh Ibrahim should replace Eyigayo Jegede,” he said.

    “Ordinarily, we should have disregarded the order because like I said, Jegede was not a party to the suit, neither was Jimoh Ibrahim. But we were also advised that it was very important for us to appeal so that if anybody is up to a mischief, we would have taken the plank off the person.

    According to him, they immediately appealed.

    “When we had filed in our papers, submitted our briefs and gotten date, that should serve as a stay of execution. We don’t want to take chances because somebody in INEC told us that they obey the last order in the commission.

    “Some went to court and obtained two different orders mandating INEC not to substitute Eyigayo Jegede. We served one on INEC around 10 am yesterday, and we served INEC with the order one at the close of business around 3 pm. Only around 7 or 8 pm, we got to know that INEC for no justifiable reason had substituted the name of Jegede and replaced it with that of Ibrahim.

    “The question to ask is on whose order has INEC done that? Apart from the fact that we have two restraining orders on INEC, INEC knows fully well that Jimoh Ibrahim’s primaries was in Ibadan. There was no report by any security agencies that the security situation in Ondo state warranted the movement of the primaries to Ibadan or anywhere outside the state for that matter.” He said

    He also pointed out that the time for substitution of candidates has even elapsed under INEC’s guidelines.

    INEC’s action, he noted, can potentially cause a breach of peace in the state.

    He said that his administration in the last seven and half years has done everything possible to put good governance on the table.

    “We see this action as potentially dangerous. It can cause conflagration in the state and that is why as the chief security officer of the state, I have come to alert Mr President of the potential danger of this injustice so that we can nip it in the bud.” He added

    On the President’s response, Mimiko said: “Mr president has promised to look into it and that if there is any injustice, we should be rest assured that it will be rectified.”

    Speaking on protest in the state, he said: “The whole day from 5 a.m, I have been on phone with stakeholders to ensure they keep the peace in the state. The extent of the protest you have seen has been reduced by our intervention to ensure that there is no breach of peace.

    “I have assured them that this injustice will not stay. We will continue to explore all avenues to make INEC see reasons why this impunity must not stand.

    Asked whether he still has confidence in INEC conducting a credible election, he said: “If INEC finds it difficult to obey court order, a credible election starts with a process like this.”

  • Ondo: Politicians plan to clone PVCs – REC alleges

    Ondo: Politicians plan to clone PVCs – REC alleges

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, Mr Olusegun Agbaje on Thursday said raised alarm over plans to clone Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) by some politicians ahead of the next month governorship election in the state.
    Agbaje said that such cloned cards would be detected by the card readers that would be deployed by Independent National  Electoral Commission (INEC).
    He warned that anyone caught in the act will be made to face severe punishment.
    The INEC boss said this buying and selling  the PVC will also face same consequences if caught in the act.
    “We hear people are cloning cards to cheat during the election. Cloned cards will not work.
    “The card readers will detect the cloned cards. Protect your cards, don’t sell Them,it is a criminal offence. There will be enough card readers, so that if any malfunctions it will be immediately
    replaced,” he said.
    The REC who used the occasion to debunked claims by the APC and Jimoh Ibrahim, alleging that top officials of the Ondo State INEC were compromised, said: “INEC has no preferred candidate for the coming election, anybody who wins will win fairly.”
    “INEC will not do anything that reduces the credibility it has built through the years.”
    While disclosing that his office had taken delivery of non-sensitive materials, which had been distributed to all the local government areas, Agbaje noted that no one would be allowed to vote without the PVC, adding that voting without card readers is a nullity.
    The National Commissioner in charge of Publicity and Voters Education, Mr Solomon Shoyebi said that about one million six hundred and fifty-nine eligible voters are to participate in the November 26, governorship.
    Shoyebi noted that 80 percent of the voters are youths between 18 and 40 years.
    He emphasised that the use of smart card reader is sacrosanct to the election urging the electorates to adhere strictly to all electoral guideline of the commission for the successful conduct of the poll.
  • ‘Jegede, not PDP card-carrying member’

    ‘Jegede, not PDP card-carrying member’

    The factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Prince Biyi Poroye has insisted that the party’s candidate, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) “is not a card-carrying member of the party.”

    He maintained that he was not qualified to occupy any elective position on the platform of the PDP.

    Poroye said he continued to wonder about a statement credited to Jegede that his rival, Jimoh Ibrahim is not a member of the party, stressing that “it is like  a thief accusing the rightful owner of a property.”

    The chairman in a statement signed by the PDP’s Director of Media/Publicity in the State, Yemi Akintomide said Jegede was not qualified to contest the governorship poll having run foul of the constitution of PDP which made it mandatory for a member to attain  two years membership status before vying for any election.

    It said: “The truth of the matter is that Jegede joined our party in November 2014 alongside his boss, governor Mimiko when he abandoned his Labour Party (LP) platform which he used to win the 2007 election and second term in 2012.

    “Even at that, Jegede only came into the new party as a technocrat working with the governor as Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General and not as a card carry member of any political party, not even LP.

    “And if by now, he likes to join PDP as a member and wants to contest any election, he will apply for a waiver to the state chapter through his ward chairman, then, I as the state chairman reserve the right to grant the waiver or reject it.

    “You now wonder how can that person now turn around to say an outstanding leader and promoter of the party in the state, Ibrahim is not a member; somebody who single-handedly brought 22  Toyota buses for the party and gave each of the 18 local government areas N10 million to run the party offices in the council areas.

    “Even the governor himself is yet to beat this record in the history of running the affair of a political party in this state,”.

    Poroye, however, berated some leaders of the party in the state who he said betrayed their Senatorial Districts by abandoning the struggle, they vowed to protect the right of their people on the governorship seat;  but ‘shamefully’ aligned with governor Mimiko to retain the slot for the Central Senatorial District after spending eight years of two terms.

    He said God granted Ibrahim the grace to secure the PDP ticket from the Southern Senatorial District when it became imperative that the people of Ondo State are ready to rotate the slot to either the North or South through their votes if refused to shift ground for other Districts.

    Poroye said: “That is the reason why people are happy now that Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim is the candidate of PDP and they’re ready to vote for him on November 26 as the next governor of the state in place of a stooge push forward to kill the rotational arrangement on ground as if other District are slaves to the Central”

  • INEC denies $1m bribery allegation by Jimoh Ibrahim

    INEC denies $1m bribery allegation by Jimoh Ibrahim

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has denied allegation by a candidate of the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Mr Jimoh Ibrahim, that its acting Director, Legal Services, Mrs Toyin Babalola demanded $1million bribe from him.

    The commission, in a statement by Mr Adedeji Soyebi, INEC National Commissioner in charge of Publicity, said the allegation was far from the truth.

    Ibrahim’s name was submitted to INEC by the disputed National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Sheriff-led faction as the party’s candidate for the Ondo State November 26 governorship election.

    The PDP National Caretaker Committee, led by Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, also submitted Mr Eyitayo Jegede to INEC as PDP candidate for the same election.

    Ibrahim at a news conference at the weekend, alleged that the officer demanded bribe from him, before the order made by Justice Okon Abang of Federal High Court, Abuja would be  complied with by the Commission.

    INEC also quoted Ibrahim of accusing the commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ondo State, Mr Segun Agbaje of some “dirty deals.”

    Soyebi said that preliminary investigation carried out, showed that the allegation was far from the truth.

    “On the first allegation, our investigation revealed that Mr Ibrahim turned up at the INEC headquarters, Abuja unannounced.

    “Ibrahim made his way to Mrs Babalola’s office brandished a copy of the court document.

    “He insisted that INEC should accept him as the official candidate of the PDP for the Ondo State governorship poll.”

    Soyebi said that on sighting the unexpected guest, Babalola called three other lawyers in her department to witness her encounter with Ibrahim.

    “At no time during the encounter that lasted less than 15 minutes did Mrs Babalola ask for $1million.

    “Therefore, the allegation by Mr Ibrahim is false.

    “It should however, be noted that court orders/judgments are served by court bailiffs and not individual parties.

    “Furthermore, INEC only receives nomination papers from the national chairmen of political parties or their designated officials and not aspirants,” he said.

    On the allegation on the Ondo State resident electoral commissioner, Soyebi stated that investigation also revealed that it was not true.

    On investigation, he said that it was discovered that it was Ibrahim, who through an intermediary, tried to arrange a meeting with the commissioner in London.

    “This Mr Agbaje promptly declined and insisted that if Mr Ibrahim wanted to see him (Agbaje), he was free to do so at the 0ndo State INEC office during official hours.

    “Therefore, Mr lbrahim’s allegation cannot be the correct account of what actually took place,” he said.

    Soyebi re-assured Nigerians that INEC would never succumb to any form of blackmail or intimidation.

  • Ondo poll: Court orders INEC to accept Jimoh Ibrahim as PDP candidate

    Ondo poll: Court orders INEC to accept Jimoh Ibrahim as PDP candidate

    Justice  Okon_ _Abang of the _Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to accept foremost businessman, Chief Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State.

    _Justice Abang_ ruled th_at “INEC shall accept for the conduct of Ondo state governorship election only the nomination of Ibrahim for Ondo PDP.”

    Meanwhile, the_ Senator Alli Modu-Sherif faction of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Ondo State,__ has hailed the ruling of an Abuja Federal High Court that ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize its governorship candidate,Jimoh Ibrahim as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state.

    I_n a statement issued by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mr Yemi Akintomide, the faction described the judgement as “victory for democracy, the triumph of truth over falsehood, Godliness over godfatherism and a sweet beginning of a new dawn for the state.”

    The party hailed the Judiciary for being the last hope of the common man, saying the judgment has enhanced democracy in the country.

    According to the statement, “the judgment has further enhanced the course of democracy and rekindle our hope for better Nigeria through the instrumentality of law by correcting the wrong done by INEC, where Eyitayo Jegede was erroneously listed as PDP candidate in place of the rightful person, Mr Jimoh Ibrahim.”

    The statement said:”As we have always been saying that as a political party and law abiding individuals, we believe in the court of law and the goodwill of the people of Ondo State not to resort into violence or any act capable of undermining our integrity as citizens of Nigeria; but to always act in the best interest of our people, our state, Ondo and Nigeria.”

  • Sheriff PDP faction picks three as Jimoh Ibrahim’s running mate

    Sheriff PDP faction picks three as Jimoh Ibrahim’s running mate

    •Makarfi faction’s suit suffers set back

    THE Ali Modu Sheriff faction of Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said it had shortlisted three persons from eight for the position of deputy governor ahead of November 26 poll.

    They are the former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bamiduro Dada (Akoko Division, Ondo North), former PDP Chairman Ebenezer Alabi (Akure Division, Ondo Central) and the former Commissioner for Special Duties Niran Sule-Akinsuyi (Owo Division, Ondo North).

    A special selection committee headed by Senator Omololu Meroyi was saddled with the responsibility of recommending three persons for the deputy governorship position.

    At a PDP stakeholders’ meeting in Akure, the state capital, the party’s chairman, Biyi Poroye, said the list of the shortlisted aspirants had been submitted to its governorship candidate, Jimoh Ibrahim.

    Ibrahim is expected to pick one of the three aspirants.

    He said as at the press time yesterday, he had not announced any one as the deputy governorship candidate.

    Poroye added that another committee on reconciliation of aggrieved members, chaired by the former chairman, Idanre Local Government, Chief Alex Akinnadeju has begun work, adding that campaign structure has also been put in place to ensure victory for the party.

    The suit filed by the Makarfi camp, chaired by Clement Faboyede against his opponent, Poroye and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to determine the authentic PDP chairman has suffered a setback.

    Justice O.M. Adejumo of an Akure High Court in his ruling said: “Having read all the court processes filed so far in this case and also given due consideration to the submissions of both counsel, I find merit in the submission of applicants’ counsel that the suit is predicated upon a pre-election matter and therefore must be heard expeditiously since time is essence.

    “However, since the first respondent (Poroye) had filed a preliminary objection along with their counter-affidavit, it is my view that it will not be in the best interest of justice to hurriedly entertain the applications and substantive suit being a vacation judge, when sittings will soon be brought to an end.”

    Justice Adejumo consequently remitted the case file to the Court’s Registry for necessary action and further hearing by the trial Court in the interest of Justice.

  • Jimoh Ibrahim’s candidacy illegal, says Ebiseni

    Jimoh Ibrahim’s candidacy illegal, says Ebiseni

    A governorship aspirant in the Ali-Modu Sheriff faction of Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sola Ebiseni, yesterday described the faction’s primary election which produced a business mogul, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, as illegal.

    Ebiseni, who was a former Commissioner for Environment under Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s administration, said he had already petitioned the party’s Appeal Committee to readdress the matter.

    Ebiseni and Ibrahim were the only two aspirants, who participated in the poll which was held in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, after three others aspirants had dropped their ambitions for Ibrahim.

    In the exercise, Ibrahim scored 502 votes to defeat Ebiseni, who got 41 votes.

    The legal practitioner stated this in an interview with reporters in Akure, the state capital, for the first time since the primary was conducted two weeks ago.

    He blamed the two factions of the party in the state for organising undemocratic primary elections.

    He said: “What happened in Ibadan was an illegal anti-democratic contraption that cannot stand. On the other hand, the governor’s handpicked candidate against democratic tenets and just political culture of the people is also bereft of legitimacy ab initio.”

    He added: “Our grouse is that what took place in Ibadan could not be referred to as any form of election by any stretch of the imagination.

    “There was no means of identifying who really were delegates. No delegates’ list or register presented. No accreditation of any form, which faulted the entire process.

    “How could an election which lasted barely an hour have involved accreditation of almost 1000 delegates?

    “It was unfortunate that some people would, out of indiscretion, desecrate the altar of integrity on which the Sheriff group in Ondo State worship and for which we sought a separate tabernacle in the first place.

    “I have seen forms displayed on social media by several claimants to the candidacy of the PDP and I am amused that it is either some people are playing pranks or the INEC is just enjoying itself by such shenanigans.”

    The former commissioner warned that the lingering crisis in the party would spoil the chances of the party, if the house is not put in other.

     

     

     

  • Jimoh Ibrahim’s candidacy illegal, says Ebiseni 

    Jimoh Ibrahim’s candidacy illegal, says Ebiseni 

    A governorship aspirant in the Ali-Modu Sheriff People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s camp in Ondo State, Bar. Sola Ebiseni Monday described the faction’s primary election which produced a business mogul, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim as illegal.

    Ebiseni, who was a former Commissioner for Environment, under Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s administration, said he had already petitioned the Appeal Committee of the party to readdress the matter.

    Ebiseni and Ibrahmi were the only two aspirants, who participated in the poll which was held in Ibadan, Oyo after three others aspirants had dropped their ambitions for Ibrahim.

    In the exercise, Ibrahim scored 502 votes to defeat Ebiseni, who got 41 votes.

    The legal practitioner stated this when granting an interview with reporters in Akure, the state capital for the first time since the primary was conducted two weeks ago.

    He blamed the two factions of the party in the state for organizing undemocratic primary elections, saying “what happened in Ibadan was an illegal anti-democratic contraption that cannot stand. On the other hand, the Governor’s handpicked candidate against democratic tenets and just political culture of the people is also bereft of legitimacy ab initio making the PDP in the state.”

    He said “our grouse is that what took place in Ibadan could not be referred to as any form of election by any stretch of the imagination.

    “There was no means of identifying who really were delegates. No delegates’ list or register presented no accreditation of any form which faulted the entire process.

    “How could an election which lasted barely an hour have involved accreditation of almost 1000 delegates?

    “It was unfortunate that some people would, out of indiscretion, desecrate the altar of integrity on which the Sheriff group in Ondo State worship and for which we sought a separate tabernacle in the first place.

    “I have seen forms displayed on social media by several claimants to the candidacy of the PDP and I am amused that it is either some people are playing pranks or the INEC is just enjoying itself by such shenanigans.

    “In the Sheriff group, the Committee that conducted the primary just submitted its report to the NWC on the 6th of September after my petition has been received, yet purported Certificate of Return dated 1st of September has earlier been on display including form CF001 which is supposed to be obtained by the National leadership of the party.

    “It is unfortunate that rather than see the Sheriff group as a veritable higher credible platform for power, some members, especially the state Executives, merely use it as an engine of vengeance against Mimiko and anyone ever associated with him.

    “Our choice of the platform brought colour, glamour, greater credibility and acceptance by the people. Unfortunately, these assets attracted suspicion and campaigns of calumny and we were immediately denounced as Mimiko agents while some even wickedly said the Governor, from whose cabinet I have resigned out of irreconcilable differences, paid my nomination fees.”

    The former commissioner however warned that the lingering crisis in the party to spoil the chances of the party if the house is not put in other.

  • Jimoh Ibrahim gets INEC nomination form

    Jimoh Ibrahim gets INEC nomination form

    THE Senator Ali Modu Sheriff faction of Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said its governorship candidate, Jimoh Ibrahim, has obtained the nomination form of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Its chairman, Biyi Poroye, who spoke with reporters in Akure, the Ondo State capital, said the form was

    handed over to Ibrahim at the INEC national headquarters in Abuja.

    According to him, the form obtained by Ibrahim had given credence to his faction as the  authentic PDP in Ondo State.

    He said the party’s national secretariat has backed Ibrahim’s ambition.

    Poroye added that Ibrahim would represent the party in the November 26 governorship poll.

    He hinged the INEC’s decision on a judgment of an Abuja High Court delivered by Justice O.E. Aaba, which affirmed that his tenure as the state PDP chairman would end in 2018.

    He alleged that the Chairman of the Ahmed Makarfi faction, Clement Faboyede, was an impostor.

    Poroye said the Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure, which ruled in favour of Faboyede, did not have the jurisdiction to handle the matter since it involves a political party with a national spread.

    He said only a Federal High Court could handle such matter.

    He accused the Makarfi faction led by Governor Olusegun Mimiko of abuse of judiciary and warned against action.

    On the emergence of Chief Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Poroye described it as a welcome development for the PDP.

    He said: “We have nothing to fear about Akeredolu, because he will make the contest an easy ride for us. Akeredolu had contested before and we know his strength.”