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Tag: Ngige

  • Ngige to reply on three applications next week

    Ngige to reply on three applications next week

    Senator Chris Ngige of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will next Monday reply the three applications filed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Willie Obiano and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on whether to strike out paragraphs in the petitions.

    The tribunal refused yesterday the application of Ngige to admit additional witnesses, who participated in the inspection of the electoral materials used by INEC during the November 16 governorship poll in Anambra State.

    The tribunal, led by Justice Ishaq Bello, will next Tuesday rule whether one of the claimants to the APGA governorship ticket, Dr. Chike Obidigbo, should be allowed to be joined in the tribunal matter.

    There was a little altercation at the tribunal between Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), lead counsel to Ngige, when he applied to study the ruling of the tribunal on the application of additional witnesses as read by Justice Akintola Akinniyi.

    Justice Bello said the tribunal could not be stampeded on such issues, while Akeredolu reminded the chairman that it had been agreed inside the chamber.

    He opposed another motion raised by APGA to strike out paragraphs in its petition as raised by Patrick Ikwueto (SAN), which the APGA lawyer withdrew.

    Ahmed Raji (SAN), representing INEC and others, prayed the tribunal to strike out paragraphs in the petition, which he described as incompetent.

    He applied that paragraphs should be struck out, especially paragraphs 14 (E) AA, AC, AD, AE, AF, among others, describing them as pre-election matters, while his third prayer sought to strike out other paragraphs in 15B(i), C(i and ii), describing them as vague, imprecise and generic.

    The tribunal deferred the application by counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief A.O. Ajana, till next Monday, while counsel to Tony Nwoye, D.C. DeNwigwe (SAN), opposed INEC’s, APGA’s and Obiano’s applications.

    DeNwigwe (SAN) told the tribunal that it was the wrong time for some of the paragraphs to be struck out.

    According to him, “the respondents will lose nothing in law, if the petition is heard. They will not be denied the opportunity of fair hearing.

    “But the petitioner will suffer the opportunity of fair hearing if certain paragraphs are struck out. He will suffer irreparable injustice.”

    He urged the tribunal to refuse the application.

    On the matter involving two contestants to the APGA ticket and who the authentic national chairman of APGA is between Chief Victor Umeh and Chief Maxi Okwu, counsel to Okwu and Obidigbo, Mr. Maduabuchi Oba, said the petitioner was the party’s candidate.

    Before then, Ikwueto (SAN), counsel to APGA and Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), counsel to Obiano, urged the tribunal to strike out the case on the grounds that it was an abuse of court process.

    But Oba urged the tribunal to grant the application, referring it to the case – Benkay vs Cadbury Nigeria Ltd.

    The ruling on these cases will come up next Tuesday, while Akeredolu (SAN), counsel to Ngige, will give his reply to the three motions raised by Ikwueto (SAN), Ikpeazu (SAN) and Raji (SAN) on Monday.

  • My govt will be transparent, says Ngige

    My govt will be transparent, says Ngige

    All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige, has promised to ensure transparency and accountability, if voted into office on November 16.

    He also promised to fight the infrastructure battle in the state. The flag bearer said the local governments will become huge construction sites, astressing that more roads will be constyructed at the grassroots.

    Addresing supporters at his campaign office in Awka, the state capital, Ngige said that he will not disappoint the people, if given the mandate to rule.

    He said: “Our party has a rich antecedent. The works of our governors are visible. I have been the governor of the state before and I did not disappoint the people. This time again, I will not disappoint the good people of Amanbra State”.

    The politician is expected to formally flag-off his campaign on Saturday. The campaign director, George Moghalu, said that APC will run a scientific campaign and attract votes from the nooks and crannies of the state.

    Ngige stands tall among the various candidates competing for the State House. Apart from serving as the governor of the state for about two and half years, he is also a senator representing the Central District. The communities that savoured his developmental projects when he was the governor are rooting for him. The APC flagbearer has been endorsed by many groups, associations and societies on merit.

    APC has also put its house in order, ahead of the poll, more than other parties. It is not certain that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has settled the crisis generated by its choice of candidate. Also, the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is still battling with leadership crises.

    Moghalu said that Ngige is the best among a the candidates, pointing out that, having been tested, he can be trusted by the people.

    Exhuding confidence, the flagbearer told th crowd of suppporters that he will not betray them. he has not betrayed or failed them in the past.

    He, however, assured all that he will continue to spend his time, money and energy to provide the basic amenities that will make the change they desire come to fruition, even as he disclosed that he is regarded as the truly-trusted and tested choice of the Anambra people because he has not disappointed them at any point of his career, political or otherwise.

    On the double candidacy of the opposition, he said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) promised to stop one of the candidates, positing that his party, All Progressive Congress (APC) will take up the issue if INEC does not live up to its assurance.

  • Ngige celebrates Mandela

    Ngige celebrates Mandela

    The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige, has described the late former South African President, Nelson Mandela, as an embodiment of humanity, a moving spirit for a people’s unwavering struggle to freedom.

    Ngige, in a message to the people of South Africa yesterday said: ”The demise of Nelson Mandela has come to me, my family, my constituents in the Anambra Central Senatorial District and the long-suffering people of Anambra State as a shock, true to human feelings.

    “He was the Elder Statesman of the world, an ex-president of South Africa, a embodiment of humanity, a harbinger of courage; a moving spirit for a people’s unwavering struggle to freedom; a tower of knowledge deployed to public good and an abode of forthrightness.

    “Africa needs these qualities. Nigeria has a gap for them and Anambra State badly needs them now, more than ever before.

    “The Madiba himself encapsulated these qualities in one paragraph when he declared in 1954 that ‘I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.’

    “I do not mourn Mandela’s death; I celebrate his qualities, acknowledge, the inspiration I have derived from his life and commend these sterling attributes of his for my people, particularly in Anambra State, who deserve good leadership.

    “I commiserate with his immediate family, his people in Eastern Cape Province, South African Government and peoples. The world will sorely miss your warmth, but will take recourse to the full library and museum of a long and eventful life of the world’s greatest symbol of tenacity.”

  • Tribunal grants Ngige’s prayer to inspect election materials

    Tribunal grants Ngige’s prayer to inspect election materials

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has been given the nod to inspect the electoral materials used for the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State.

    The Elections Petition Tribunal, headed by Justice G K Kaigama, yesterday gave the order consequent upon a December 2 application filed by counsel to the APC candidate, Dr. Chris Ngige.

    The materials to be inspected at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Awka, the state capital, as directed by the Tribunal include materials used for the November 16, 17 and 30 elections including the voter register, result sheets, Form EC 17, oath of neutrality by INEC staff, used and unused ballot papers, staff payment vouchers for settlement of allowances of ad hoc staff, among others.

    The Tribunal directed that the materials be made available urgently to enable the petitioner move expeditiously.

    Dr. Ngige is challenging the result of the election which was awarded to the candidate of the All progressives Grand Alliance Dr. Willie Obiano.

    Also yesterday, the APC alleged that the state INEC under the leadership of Prof Chukwuemeka Onukaogu, has been doing everything possible to “tidy up” the loose ends in the electoral documents used in the election.

    It said Prof Onukogu has been distributing appointment letters to those recruited on the eve of the election.

    These emergency ad hoc workers could who not swear to the Oath of Neutrality required of them before the election. This, it was gathered they are now doing with today’s deadline.

    Under the Electoral Act, election officers ought to complete and swear to the Oath before a Commissioner For Oath in any of the Registries of High Courts or Magistrates Courts.

  • Anambra election, mockery of democracy – Ngige

    Anambra election, mockery of democracy – Ngige

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the Anambra State governorship election, Dr. Chris Ngige, has described the election which took place on Saturday in the state as a mockery of democracy.

    At a world press conference which he addressed Sunday morning in Awka, capital of the state, Ngige said the exercise was “systematically and scientifically rigged.”

    “It is unfortunate, we are toying with the future. We are destroying the hope of those coming behind. Our children will one day rise up and ask why they were born in this part of the world. I weep for Nigeria. This generation has decided not to bequeath anything good to coming generations, “he stated.

    He said from what the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has done, it has taken a step forward and three backwards. He alleged that the irregularities that characterized the 2010 governorship election through the manipulation of the voters register, delay of materials to strongholds of particular candidates, restriction of results sheets and use of violence were repeated on Saturday.

    He rejected the rerun in the 65 units in Obosi, saying it was the height of disregard for God and the faith of the people to fix election on a day of worship. He wondered if any election would be fixed on a Friday at 1.00 pm in any northern state of the country.

    Ngige hinted that the APC may subsequently ask for a total cancellation of the whole exercise given that the issue of manipulated voters’ register was noticed throughout the state.

    He also said the APC will explore the legal options open to it in the Electoral Act as amended to seek redress.

    “Nobody knows where we will go to from here in 2015. As it is, we will ask for a total cancellation of the entire exercise giving the degree of fraud, especially the question of result sheets not being sent with other sensitive materials. There is provision for us to seek redress from the Tribunal to the Appeal Court down to the Supreme Court and we will take full advantage of this,” he said.

     

     

  • Ngige faults process

    Ngige faults process

    The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chris Ngige, yesterday formally lodged a complaint with INEC over the sloppy conduct of the election especially in  Idemili North,Idemili South,Awka South and parts of Dunukofia,all his strongholds.

    He said: “This is deliberate because I’m the senator representing there. And they know that my catchment area is there.

    “However, I believe that I will make inroad and come out with some successful results in other senatorial zones.

    “But you know that this election is won based on majority of votes cast, who scored the highest number – where a candidate must attain 25 per cent in two-thirds of all the 14 Local Governments Areas of Anambra State.

    “We have filed in our complaints to INEC, I have spoken to the National Commissioner in charge of Southeast and the administrative secretary, and we’re waiting to see what they can do.”

    Ngige said he has no confidence in the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukogu.

    According to him: “I don’t have confidence in the Resident Electoral Commissioner. At the last interactive session, I asked a question and I told INEC chairman: ‘You have an electoral commissioner who conducted the 2011 election and he worked against my party and myself. We petitioned you. I have an official status as candidate; my party has an official status as a political party. We never heard anything about the petition.’

    “I said further that some of the election results we talked about were upturned by the courts – such as the Court of Appeal, vindicating our petition.

    “They cancelled those places outright, like the votes in Anaocha, where there were no result sheets, and results came in and were accepted. I told him that specifically.

    “In my constituency – Idemili South, the results were declared inconclusive. There were no by-elections, only for him, after three days, to go and do certificate of return and announce a new result.

    “So we went to court, and the court upturned all those results. And in those places we won when a eutral persons was brought here to conduct the rerun.

    “So I’m flabbergasted, I’m surprised, I’m dumbfounded that Prof Onukogu was left here to conduct this election.

    “We made verbal representations and we were told that RECs don’t stay in their places of domicile to conduct election; that it is neutral RECs that come.”

  • All eyes on Anambra as Ngige, Obiano, Nwoye, feanyi Ubah test strength

    All eyes on Anambra as Ngige, Obiano, Nwoye, feanyi Ubah test strength

    Today is a decision day in Anambra State. It is a day to elect the man that will succeed Governor Peter Obi.

    Today’s race is strictly a four-horse one. And they are the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Chris Ngige; All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Willie Obiano; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Comrade Tony Nwoye and Labour Party (LP), Chief Ifeanyi Ubah.

    The fate of these four men would be decided by a total of 1, 784,536 registered voters. Of the lot, 900,701, representing 50.5%, are women, while 883,835, representing 49.5%, are men.

    They are spread across 326 wards of the 21 local government areas of the state which prides itself on being “The Light of the Nation”.

    After months of speculations, consultations and preparations which included vigorous campaigns across the local government areas, with seven being in each of the three senatorial districts – Anambra North, Anambra South and Anambra Central.

    Obiano and Nwoye are from Anambra North, while Ngige and Ubah are from the Central and South respectively.

    The four leading contenders in the governorship poll have one thing in common: incredible war chest! So, today’s election would, to some extent, be a fair fight.

    The contest will be determined by many forces. First is the support base. While Nwoye is said to enjoy the support of Chief Arthur Eze and Chief Emeka Offor, Obiano enjoys the support of incumbent governor. Ngige has the strong support of the recently registered APC, an amalgam of four major opposition parties. Ubah, apart from self-financing, has many wealthy friends as supporters.

    The candidates’ popularity will play a major factor. There is no doubt that they are all popular and have carved a niche for themselves in various aspects of life. The popular opinion here is that Ngige parades a larger than life image, having ruled the state once and made indelible marks in the areas of infrastructure.

    Nwoye also has fierce followership, especially among the youths, who are calling for a generational shift. Obiano’s meritorious career, administrative acumen and the support from the ruling party have shot up his popularity. Ubah, an oil and gas magnate, has been made so popular by his kerosine sales to the people at an affordable price.

    Then, there is the ubiquitous factor of religion. Here, religion is a highly emotive subject that every candidate has been careful not to be on the wrong side of it. That probably explains why the recent tragedy at the Adoration Ground was handled with much tact by all the candidates.

    The zoning philosophy may not really be the deciding factor, as it is not very much mentioned here.

    The legal tussles that raged on in the PDP which literally stalled good planning and campaign will sorely hurt the party, federal might notwithstanding.

    While Obiano and Nwoye would be splitting the votes of Anambra North, Ngige, analysts believe, would face no resistance in Anambra Central. He is quite popular and is expected to garner substantial votes there.

    The South Senatorial Zone will act as the swing zone in today’s election. In all, the winner in todays election will the most popular candidate among the people of Anambra State.

  • Ngige’s campaign vehicle ‘vandalised’

    Ngige’s campaign vehicle ‘vandalised’

    The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Chris Ngige, has alleged that one of his drivers was on Tuesday beaten up by four armed men suspected to be members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    The incident, according to Ngige, occurred at Agulu in Anaocha Local Government.

    Narrating the incident to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar and Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, yesterday, at the Women Development Centre, Awka, Ngige said the same thing occurred during the senatorial election in 2011.

    He alleged that the four-man armed gang, after beating up his driver, took away his campaign vehicle.

    The IGP addressed stakeholders on the need to organise a free, fair and credible election on Saturday.

    Ngige urged the security agencies to ensure that such incidents do not occur again.

    Abubakar assured the APC standard-bearer that such issues would be taken care off, but APGA’s National Chairman Chief Victor Umeh said Ngige’s allegation was not true.

  • Ngige leads other candidates in pre-election poll

    Ngige leads other candidates in pre-election poll

    Seven days to the Governorship election in Anambra State, an opinion poll conducted in the state has ceded the result of the election to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Chris Ngige.

    The candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Willie Obiano, came second, while Comrade Tony Nwoye of the people’s Democratic party (PDP) came third with Labour Party’s (LP), Ifeanyi Ubah in fourth place.

    The poll was conducted by Pollstar Opinion Poll and Survey, a policy, politics, economy, business and consultancy outfit wich has Obi Benedict Ekene as its Executive Director.

    Others who followed the leaders included Godwin Ezeemo of the Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA) with 10 per cent; Ifeatu Ekelem of Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) with 5 per cent; Basil Iwuoba of PPN (3 per cent); Prince Akanegbu of UPP (2.5 per cent); Anayo Arinze of ACD (1.5 per cent) while the remaining 3.5 percent was shared by the remaining candidates.

    In the poll result made available to reporters in Awka yesterday, Ngige’s APC scored 27 per cent, Obiano’s APGA polled 21 per cent while Nwoye’s PDP had 15 per cent.

    According to Pollstar, “Key factors that will determine the election outcome include pedigree, organisational capacity, emotional attachment and to a larger extent, the political party platform.

    “In organising this opinion poll on Anambra 2013 governorship election, our major aim is to instill further the spirit of sportsmanship into the election, which has characterised Anambra election in recent times, and to separate the real contenders from the pretenders.

    “We have therefore exercised the highest level of objectivity in generating and analysing data, leading to a factual result which reflects the reality on the ground.

    “Pollstar is the most respected opinion poll agency in Nigeria with our predictions reflecting close to 99 per cent clarity,” Ekene said.

  • I ‘ll tackle insecurity, says Ngige

    I ‘ll tackle insecurity, says Ngige

    The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Chris Ngige, has vowed to tackle insecurity if elected on November 16.

    He said he would solve insecurity, within his first 100 days in office.

    His words: “Insecurity of life and property appears to be the greatest challenge facing Anambra State. I’m determined to solve it.”

    Political stakeholders in the state and the governorship candidates at campaigns have scored Governor Peter Obi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) low on security, saying unless insecurity is tackled, there will be no development.

    Answering questions from reporters in Awka, Senator Ngige said if he is elected as governor, security would be restored within his first 100 days in office, as he tackled it during his first tenure.

    The APC standard bearer, quoting Section 2.14 of the 1999 Constitution, said Governor Obi had failed the people.