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  • NASS working to pass bills in nation’s interest, says Senate Leader

    The Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, yesterday gave an indication that peace has returned to the National Assembly.

    According to him, lawmakers are more interested in working for the national interest by passing the relevant bills that would move the nation forward.

    Prior to the reconvening of the National Assembly on Tuesday, Lawan had declared at the All Progressives Congress (APC) Convention at the Eagle Square on Saturday night that APC would not allow the leadership of the National Assembly run away with its mandate.

    While the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has been of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, had recently defected from the APC to the PDP.

    But speaking on the crisis with State House correspondents yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Lawan said: “I don’t know what informed your view to anticipate crisis, but let me tell you that NASS will continue to remain focused on national issues.

    “We must be patriotic, nationalistic, we must put national interest above individual, parochial or partisan interest.

    “We definitely have to bury our hatchets for us to work for Nigeria and Nigerians. Perhaps that might have informed the disappointment of many people that there will be crisis in the National Assembly.

    “Let me also say that disagreements are usual. In fact, they are very practical components of any  parliament. When you have two to three parties or even within parties you will have views that may differ.

    “It is traditional, it is usual for us to disagree. Maybe these disagreements  may crop up and some other issues, but for now, our focus is on national interest.” he said.   Asked if the idea of impeachment has been dropped, he said: “The National Assembly is a Nigerian parliament and therefore  the best thing to do is to ensure that Nigerians get a good deal, and for now, the good deal is for Nigeria to have all those pending requests of Mr President approved by the National Assembly.

    “I think national interest for now overrides any other interest.” he said.

    Speaking further on the resumption day, he said: “Well, you could see from day one, Tuesday was not an eventful day because the National Assembly lost a member from Kwara. So traditionally, we normally don’t work on such a day when the death will be officially announced.

    “But Wednesday and Thursday witnessed the focus and concentration of members of the National Assembly on the request of Mr President for the funding of INEC for elections to be conducted in 2019, and we passed it in the Senate and the House did also.

    “We passed the request of Mr President for N189 billion for INEC activities for 2019.On Thursday, the committee on appropriation invited the head of the security agencies to come and defend the request that Mr President made on their behalf for funding of their supervisory and oversight  roles during the  elections in 2019.

    “We also had the referral of the request of Mr President approval for foreign loan component of the 2018 appropriation and that is about 2.78 billion dollars eurobond.

    “We have gone full blast consciously, purposely to ensure that Mr President gets what he requested. We lost time because some of the issues were requested for before we went on recess.

    “But we have also in the Senate passed confirmations of the CBN deputy governor, ICPC governing body and we are determined to continue to do this throughout this period.

    “Our intention is to ensure that Mr President does not lack from inactivity of the NASS that whatever he requests, the fundamental aspects especially will be attended to.”

  • APC NASS tickets: NWC okays candidates for Ondo

    The suspense and anxiety surrounding the outcome of the National Assembly primaries of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) in Ondo State appear to be over.

    The National Working Committee (NWC) of the party yesterday okayed candidates who will contest the National Assembly election on its platform.

    The intra party exercise of the party had been marred by intrigues, horse trading as well as other factors which created tension within the party in the state. It was gathered that the frosty relationship between Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole almost led to an outright cancellation of the outcome of the exercise but for the prompt intervention of party leaders on behalf of the governor.

    All the same, the governor was said to have lost some grounds, especially in the senatorial contest as all his preferred choices, but one, were dropped. Those who made the list include the following: Senators Robert Ajayi Borofice(North); Donald Tayo Alasoadura( Central) and Yele Omogunwa(South).

    On the list of approved House of Representatives candidates are former security aide to Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi  while he was governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, Ade Adeogun(Akoko South west/south east); Bunmi Oni (Akoko North West/ North East); Timehin Adelegbe(Ose/Owo); Jimmy Faloye(Akure North/South); Hon. Ola Baderinwa(Idanre/Ifedore); Dr Jibayo Adeyeye(Ondo East/West), Hon. mayo Akinfolarin (Odigbo/Ileoluji Okeigbo);

    Hon Akintoye Albert(Irele/Okitipupa) as well as a top flight journalist, Donald Ojogo(Ilaje/Ese-Odo).

    Our correspondent gathered that the Form CF001 have already been despatched to the Ondo State office of the APC for completion by all affected candidates.

  • National Assembly legislative aides protest non-payment of salaries, allowances

    legislative aides at the National Assembly yesterday welcomed lawmakers back from their annual recess with a protest over alleged non-payment of salaries, Duty Tour Allowances (DTA) and other entitlements.

    The protesters, numbering over 50, besieged the chambers’ lobby, carrying placards with various inscriptions and rendered solidarity songs.

    The leader of the workers, Mr Nyakmo Etuk, alleged that they were owed two months’ salary arrears, and DTA since the beginning of the 8th Assembly in 2015.

    “We have been here for the past three years, getting to four years, and have been witnessing issues of delay in payment of salaries.

    “Sometimes, it will linger for months. As I talk to you now, the last time we were paid was on Aug. 15, which is very pathetic because that was the eve of the last Sallah celebrations.

    “Since then, we have not received any salary from August to September. Today is October 9, almost the middle of the month.

    “We have children, we have mothers, and we have bills to pay, yet we are working here without salaries,” he said.

    Etuk said besides salary, every legislative aide was entitled to DTA, which had not been paid in the last three and a half years.

    He said that every time the workers complained, the management told them they were working on the matter.

    “We have waited, we have calculated this DTA across board, and some on us are being owed up to N1.8 million.

    “It is from the DTA we go on errand and do some other miscellaneous things.

    “I don’t know what we have done wrong, because the last National Assembly leadership paid us up to date.

    “We are not talking about training, lack of which is also an issue here. You can’t expect efficient service from people you have not trained.

    “We are supposed to be undergoing four trainings in a year, and ever since we started, we have not had even one,” he added.

    As the protest was going on, Speaker Yakubu Dogara arrived at the complex at 11:09 a.m.

    Dogara walked past the protesters, who had gathered around the back entrance through which he entered the lobby, and headed to the chambers, waving at them.

    Some minutes later, Senator Ali Ndume arrived and walked into the crowd of protesters, who started hailing him.

    “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said after the crowd had calmed down, “you know my nature; I am always with you.”

    “So, if you want me to carry this (the placard) and show the world, I will gladly do that.”

    He held one of the placards and posed for a photograph with the now jubilant workers, before heading to the Senate chambers.

    The workers staged a similar protest in September.

  • Omo-Agege says Saraki must quit Senate Presidency

    As the National Assembly prepare to resume plenary session tomorrow, Tuesday, Sen Ovie Omo-Agege (APC), has said that Dr Bukola Saraki should be ready to vacate the seat as Nigeria’s Senate President.

    Omo-Agege, who is representing Delta State Central Senatorial District, spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

    Saraki had, on July 31, defected from the All Progressive Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), hinging his defection on unsuccessful efforts to ensure a harmonious existence in the APC.

    Read Also:PDP govs split over support for Tambuwal, Atiku, Saraki

    The APC National Working Committee (NWC) had queried Saraki, asking him to respond within 48 hours why disciplinary action should not to be taken against him for breaching Article 21 of the party’s convention.

    The allegations raised against him by the party included that ‘’you encouraged and facilitated by providing an enabling environment for the defection of some senators who are members of the APC to the other opposition parties”.

    The party called on Saraki to resign his position as the Senate President, insisting that he lacked the moral ground to retain the position after defecting to the PDP.

    However, the Senate president had stood his ground even as the National Assembly declared its annual recess which began July 24.

    Although the federal lawmakers were initially expected to resume Sept. 25, the resumption was postponed to Oct. 9.

    Mohammed Sani-Omolori, the Clerk of the Assembly, who announced the postponement in a statement on Sunday, Sept. 23, attributed the development to the primary elections of political parties.

    Sani-Omolori said members of the National Assembly were expected to resume by 10am on the new date.

    Meanwhile, Omo-Agege told NAN that the demand of the APC’s senators for Saraki’s removal was still standing.

    ‘’Our demand has not changed, in fact, that demand has been accentuated by the directive of the APC national leadership.

    ‘’We have all been enjoined as APC senators at a slightest opportunity to remove Saraki and once we are provided with that slightest opportunity, we will remove him and he knows that,” he said.

    According to him, the moment Saraki left the party, APC, to join the minority PDP, he lost the right, legal and moral, to occupy the office of the Senate President.

    ‘’Absolutely, he knows he cannot be; we are not shying away from that. Our position has always been consistent.

    ‘’This is not new neither is it news. We have made that clear, very clearly in the past.

    “Therefore, the position of Ovie Omo-Agege has the position of APC as a party,” he remarked.

    On whether the members, who were aggrieved by the outcome of the primaries at various states might affect their plan, the senator said: ‘’Well, that is something that we will need to address when we return on Tuesday.

    ‘’We will take an audit of where we are in terms of the numbers, in terms of those who are happy and those who are not happy.

    ‘’But you should understand one thing, just as you have people who are disgruntled in APC, you also have others who are disgruntled in PDP.”

    When asked if the aggrieved group had the number to remove Saraki, Omo-Agege said: ‘’of course, we have always had the number. We have the number.”

    On whether defection of members could affect their plan, he responded thus: ‘’Like I am telling you, as people are leaving APC to PDP, people are leaving PDP to APC.’’

    He said as soon as the APC lawmakers in the red chamber have the number, the deed would be done.

    ‘’I mean once the environment is conducive; that is, once we have the number, we take him out, as simple as that,” he said.

  • Lagos APC primaries: Tinubu, Adeola win, Ashafa loses

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Electoral Committee of the National Assembly and State House of Assembly primaries in Lagos on Saturday officially released the results of the elections.

    The primaries, including a repeat of the senatorial primary election, were held on Friday.

    The senatorial primaries initially held on Thursday, but were cancelled and rescheduled owing to logistic issues.

    Announcing the results in Ikeja, Chairman of the committee, Mr Lucky Imasuen, said the primaries were contested for the three senatorial seats, 24 House of Representatives and 40 state House of Assembly seats .

    For the results of the senatorial primaries, Imasuen said Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, who was unopposed, polled 89,494 votes to emerge as candidate for Lagos Central.

    For Lagos West, the committee chairman said the incumbent, Sen. Olamilekan Solomon emerged winner with 378,906 votes, as against the 1,179 votes scored by Mr Kayode Opeifa and Mrs. Areago Olopade’s 1,275 votes.

    Read Also : Boroffice emerges APC candidate for Ondo North Senatorial District

    Imasuen, a former Deputy Governor of Edo State, added that a member of the state House of Assembly, Mr . Bayo Osinowo defeated the incumbent Sen. Gbenga Ashafa with 247,743 votes to emerge candidate for the Lagos East Senatorial district.

    He disclosed that Ashafa, the incumbent, polled 20,385 in the primary.

    Imasuen said the details of the House of Representatives and state House of Assembly primaries results were ready and that they would be released later.

    He described the exercise as peaceful and successful.

    “The primaries were peaceful and successful.

    “We thank the state chapter led by Tunde Balogun for the support for the committee.

    “We also thank all other stakeholders including all members of our party in the state for making the conduct a success,” he said.

    NAN

  • More NASS candidates emerge

    Former Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, a former deputy governor of Plateau State, Mr Ignatius Longjan and  a former Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly,Mr. Femi Bamisile are among the candidates picked by the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of next year’s elections into the National Assembly.

    On its part ,the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) picked two serving members of the House of Representatives, Hon Jones Onyeriri and Hon Ezenwa Onyewuchi to vie for the tickets to represent Imo West and East Senatorial zones.

    Prince Adeyeye, Mr. Bamisile and a businessman, Mr. Sola Fatoba, were picked as consensus candidates by the APC hierarchy .

    Adeyeye had no opponent for the Ekiti South senatorial district while Bamisile is awaiting affirmation  as candidate for Ekiti South Federal Constituency 2.

    Fatoba became the candidate for Ekiti Central Federal Constituency 1 following the withdrawal of Dr. Jimlas Opeyemi Ogunsakin.

    Ogunsakin, announced his withdrawal at a news conference at APC State Secretariat, yesterday  before the commencement of voting in the National Assembly in all the 177 wards.

    The primaries to elect candidates for the three Senate and six House of Representatives seats were still ongoing at press time.

    Mr. Longjan, former deputy to Ex-Governor Jonah Jang got 972 votes to beat four other contestants including Dame Pauline Tallen during the primaries in  Plateau South Senatorial district held in Shendam.

    Longjan is seeking to replace Sen. Jeremiah Useni of the PDP, who has picked the ticket for the Governorship seat at the party’s primary held on Sept. 30.

    Detail of the results as announced by the electoral officer, Mr Abu Isa, showed that Nanven Nimfel came second with 786 votes, while Jibrin Banchir, Pauline Tallen and Stephen Dashe Te,el scored 41, 9 and 5 votes respectively.

    Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Justice Reform, Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku, , clinched the Enugu West senatorial ticket of the APC,defeating Chief Osita Okechukwu, Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) and Chief Nweke Gbazuagu while former Enugu Speaker, Eugene Odo got the Enugu North ticket, and Mr Uchenna Ezemba won that of Enugu East.

  • ‘Non-passage of money laundering bill won’t affect fight against financial crimes’

    The delay by the National Assembly to pass the proposed amendment to Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act will not affect ongoing efforts by the Federal Government against money laundering and related crimes in the country.
    The Director, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Francis Usani gave this assurance in Abuja on Tuesday while speaking at the the ongoing pre-assessment training workshop for Nigeria, organised by the Inter-Government Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).
    Usani, who said he could not say the current stage the National Assembly has got in its works on the amendment Bill, disclosed that the Executive has made its necessary contributions.
    He said: “I wouldn’t know the stage the Bill is now. But it is a matter pending before the National Assembly. I don’t really know how far they have gone, though I understand certain observations that did not conform well the entire Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) architecture.
    “We have had meetings and workshops to address those issues and we made our own position known. As it stands now I can’t possibly say where the National Assembly has reached.
    “Not at all. The non-passage of the Bill will not affect the implementation of the strategy. What I want you to understand is that it was on the strength of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, which was passed in 2011 and amended in 2013 that Nigeria was removed from the Grey List.
    If you ask me, I will tell you that I do not see anything wrong with that law. I will say that law, to a greater extent, satisfy our currents needs as a country
    “I know that the fight against the AML/CFT  is a dynamic thing, because criminals are always changing tactics and there are changes in trends and patterns,  so it is also good to look at the laws, amend and put in some new provisions to make quite effective.
    “I think that is what the current amendment law is intended to do – to fill some of the gaps that have been seen as the new trend in the fight against money laundering.
    “So, I would not say the Bill is not necessary, since its proposal is to enhance  the Money Laundering Prohibition Act. It is necessary,.but then, it is not something that we should look as very fundamental. It is not as fundamental as people think it is,” he said.
    He noted that there was nothing to worry about because the relevant international agencies like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Egmond Group and the World Bank are not raising any issue about the existing law.
    Usani said the Federal Government has commenced the implementation The recently unveiled Strategy and Action Plan for Fight against Money Laundering.
    “We have started the implementation of the AML/CFT architecture action plan for Nigeria. It’s an action plan that is supposed to last for two years, 2018 to 2020.
    “So implementation has commenced by putting structures on ground. The Federal Executive Council has adopted the action plan and strategy.
    “We are going to have a sort of sensitization workshop where we will expose the responsibilities and obligations to the stakeholders, so that NFIU will monitor the implementation.
    “I think this is one of the very key things this administration has done to show the commitment to the fight against money laundering,” he said.
    The Director General of GIABA, Kimelabalou Aba praised Nigeria for all its efforts at combating money laundering and terrorism financing in the country.
    The GIABA DG, who was represented by a director of the agency, Buno Nduka commended the country for accepting to undergo mutual evaluation in September/October 2019 to ascertain it’s level of compliance with the revised Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards.
    He said the workshop is intended to prepare participants for the task of reviewing of  Nigeria.

  • Ekiti APC to elect NASS candidates by indirect primaries

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State will elect its National Assembly candidates through indirect primaries.

    The party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ade Ajayi, who disclosed this to our reporter on Monday, said the fate of the senatorial and House of Representatives candidates will be determined by delegates.

    Ajayi disclosed that Senate primaries will be held on Tuesday, October 2 in the three senatorial districts while House of Representatives primaries will follow on Wednesday, October 3 in the six federal constituencies.

    The House of Assembly primaries, according to him, will hold on Friday, October 5 in the twenty six state constituencies.

    Senator Ayo Arise, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, Dr. Olusegun Osinkolu and Sir Kayode Otitoju are slugging it out for the senatorial ticket in Ekiti North.

    It will be a straight fight between incumbent Senator Fatimat Raji Rasaki and former House of Representatives member, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele in Ekiti Central while Prince Dayo Adeyeye has emerged as consensus candidate in Ekiti South.

    Meanwhile, the Ekiti APC has inaugurated the chairmen of its sixteen local government chapters with a charge to ensure victory in all the forthcoming elections.

    The state APC Chairman, Mr. Paul Omotoso, who performed the inauguration at the party secretariat in Ado-Ekiti, said the party must maintain its winning streak which started with the governorship poll in the fast approaching general elections.

    The APC chair charged them to disciplined, law abiding and obedient to the party constitution in the discharge of their duties as party bosses in the grassroots.

    Omotoso also urged them to be committed, dedicated and loyal to the governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and other leaders of the party.

    He stressed the need for the party chairmen in the 16 LGs to embark on aggressive membership drive and mobilisation of members ahead of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    Omotoso further advised them to be attending meetings regularly and update their members on happenings in the party.

    The inaugurated APC LG chairmen are Clement Ojo (Ekiti East), Idowu Isaac (Ise/Orun), Olabode Oladipo (Ilejemeje), Oluwole Bolarinwa (Emure), Matthew Oni (Ikole), Tokunbo Akinyeye (Gbonyin), Olajide Felix (Ekiti Southwest) and Michael Akinleye (Ado).

    The rest are Olu Aladeloye (Ekiti West), Kayode Oyebode (Ikere), Opeyemi Ogundele (Irepodun/Ifelodun), James Awe (Ijero), Oluwafemi Adeyeye (Moba), Adewumi Aina (Ido/Osi) and Olumide Adeyanju (Oye).

     

  • New twists in battle for National Assembly tickets in Ondo

    Less than 24 hours to the beginning of the National Assembly primaries of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), there are fresh intrigues and new twists to the race in Ondo State.

    With several aspirants putting finishing touches to their plans, the hottest flashpoints appear to be the North and South senatorial districts.

    Worst hit is the North, where a former House of Assembly Speaker, who just left the State Executive Council (Exco) as an adviser, Victor Olabimtan, has rejected entreaties from Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu not to run and support rights lawyer, Dr Tunji Abayomi.

    In the South, Lagos-based businessman, Dr Olatunji Timothy Felder, is slogging it out with four others, including the incumbent, Senator Yele Omogunwa, for the senatorial ticket.

    Also, a top flight journalist and the immediate past Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Donald Ojogo, is facing seven others for the party’s ticket for Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives race.

    Ojogo is the only aspirant from Ese-Odo Local Government Area running against Banji Ajaka, Tayo Shadare, Taiwo Orisabinone, Oyebo Aladetan, Mrs Abosede Ehuwa, Felix Ojakomo and Lawson Akintogun, who are all from Ilaje Local Government Area.

    He has also been adopted by the leaders of Ese-Odo as their consensus candidate for the race.

    It was gathered that disturbed by the multiple aspirants from Ilaje, as against one from Ese-Odo, leaders of Ijaw Local Government Area, led by the Commissioner for Environment, Funso Esan, and the Chairman of Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Gbenga Edema, made fruitless attempts to prune the number of aspirants to one or two.

    Ojogo is also believed to be having the backing of some grassroots politicians from Ilaje who believe that equity demands that Ese-Odo, particularly the Arogbo Ijaw, produce the next member of the House of Representatives.

    The flowing is the list of House of Representatives since 1979 till date.

    • Olusola Omonira (Rep, 1979-1983, Ilaje);
    • Chief Agbudeloye (Rep, October to December 1983, Ilaje;
    • Chief Olusola Oke (Rep, 1991, Ilaje);
    • Chief Olu Mafo (Rep, 1999 to 2003, Ilaje);
    • Chief Z. O. Obolo (Rep, 2003 to 2007, Apoi);
    • Agboola Ajayi (Rep, 2007 to 2011, Apoi);
    • Raphael Nomiye (Rep, 2011 to 2013, Ilaje):
    • 2013 to 2015 was period of interregnum;
    • Kolade Akinjo (Rep, 2015 till date).

    Among the senatorial aspirants in the South, aside Felder, are: Lucky Ayedatiwa (from Ilaje); Ayo Akinrinsola, Mrs Janet Febi Adeyemi (Ileoluji Okeigbo); Senator Omogunwa and Moratorium Lebi (Irele).

    Of all, Ilaje had done eight years before Senator Boluwaji Kunlere and incumbent Omogunwa (all from Ikale) took it back to back.

    But what appears to be the most move is coming from the North Senatorial District where the governor hails from.

    Although the governor, three weeks ago, insisted openly to stop the incumbent, Senator Ajayi Borofice, using Dr Abayomi, there are still several other aspirants.

    One of whom is Olabimtan, who has rebuffed efforts to allow the governor’s preferred choice.

    The former Speaker insists on running.

     

     

  • Appeal Court upholds Senator Victor Umeh’s election

    The Court of Appeal, Enugu has upheld the election of Victor Umeh of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as Senator representing Anambra Central senatorial district in the National Assembly.

    In a unanimous judgment delivered Wednesday, the appellate court dismissed the appeal by Mr. Nkem Ekweozor, challenging the judgment of the Anambra Central Senatorial Election Petition Tribunal which upheld the victory of Umeh in the January 13, 2018 senatorial rerun in the district.

    Read Also:Appeal Court halts execution of arrest order on INEC Chair

    Ekweozor who was the candidate of the Mega Peoples Progressives Party (MPPP) in the senatorial rerun, had claimed that Umeh was not validly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the election and that the election was marred by corrupt practices.

    Ekweozor alleged that Umeh was not qualified to contest for the election, as he got his nomination while still holding the position of National Chairman of APGA.

    The appellant who joined Umeh, APGA and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents respectively, prayed the court to order INEC to conduct a fresh election and that Umeh should be disqualified from the fresh election.

    Delivering judgment, the three-man Appeal Panel headed by Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji noted that the appellant has made no reference to any particular primary election conducted by the 2nd respondent (APGA), from which Umeh emerged as the candidate.

    The judge held that the appellant’s complaints on the issue of nomination of the 1st respondent, Umeh, “are at large and ex facie.”

    According to him, there was no dispute on the primary election of the 2nd respondent, APGA, which produced Umeh as its candidate.

    Citing relevant authorities, the judge stated that the appellant’s averments in his petition bother on matters of mere conjecture and speculation, which the court or tribunal does not have jurisdiction to act on.

    Justice Abba Aji further warned that a court should refrain from indulging in speculation, as it is not part of judicial exercise but a mere guess work.

    He stated the law as settled by decisions of the Supreme Court is that the issues of primary election, nomination and sponsorship of a person as the candidate of a political party “are definitely pre-election matters.”

    He said the tribunal was right when it held that it was not clothed with the jurisdiction to look into the complaints raised by the petitioner, which relate to the nomination, sponsorship and candidature of the 1st respondent.

    “The decision to inquire into the conduct of primary election by political parties resides in the Federal High Court, the High Court of a state or the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory as donated by section 87 (9) of Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended),”the judge said.

    On the striking out of some paragraphs of the election petition by the trial tribunal, Abba Aji said he carefully perused the averments as contained in the stated paragraphs and completely agreed with the findings of the tribunal that the said paragraphs clearly and absolutely fell short of the requirements of the provisions of paragraph 4 (1)(d) of the Electoral Act and therefore resolved the issue in favour of the respondents and against the appellant.

    On whether the tribunal rightly evaluated the documentary evidence presented before it, vis-à-vis the oral testimonies of the petitioner/appellant and his witnesses in the proof of the petition, the judge said “mere making of an allegation does not shift the burden of proof to the other party.”

    “It is incumbent on the party making an allegation to adduce credible evidence in support thereof before the onus of disproving such allegation could shift to the other party. Whereas in the present case, allegations made were unsupported with any scintilla of credible evidence, the allegations by themselves fall flat and remain dead,” he said.

    “The remaining issue is: Whether the tribunal was right when it ascribed probative value to the documents tendered and admitted where the 3rd respondent failed to call oral evidence in respect of such document. The 3rd respondent did not call any witnesses at the trial but rather tendered a set of documents from the bar with the consent of the other parties.

    “The said documents were result sheets forms EC8C (1) and EC8B (1) for the respective local governments and were admitted as exhibits R12 TO R24 respectively.

    “Before us while arguing the appeal, the Appellant asked this court to hold that the first Respondent was ineligible to have contested the said senatorial elections and consequently order that the candidate with the second highest votes in that election be returned elected.

    “The implication of this volte face includes the fact that the appellant was no longer contesting the results as declared by the 3rd respondent.

    “The further implication of this later posture of the appellant is that the arguments canvassed in respect of this issue are rendered academic. Courts exist to resolve live disputes between parties and would demur from delving into academic issues,” Justice Abba Aji said.

    He added that in totality, the appeal is devoid of any form of merit and accordingly dismissed.

    The other two justices, Moore Aseimo Adumein and Joseph Olubunmi Oyewole, concurred with the lead judgment.

    The court however asked all the parties in the matter to bear their respective costs.