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The lawmaker representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency at the National Assembly under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Rtn. Hon. Ossy Prestige has attributed his victory at the National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, the Abia State capital as an act of God.

Candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Uzor Azubuike and Mascot Uzor-Kalu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had respectively approached the tribunal challenging the election victory of Prestige which the asked the tribunal to nullify.

In their petitions, they contended that Prestige did not win the majority of the lawful votes cast at the Feb. 23 poll and urged the tribunal to respectively declare them the rightful winners. Azubuike accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of excluding results from 14 polling units in the election. In a unanimous judgment delivered by a member of the panel, Justice I.P.C Igwe, the tribunal dismissed Azubuike’s petition for lacking in merit. The tribunal held that INEC’s exclusion of some results was in order, saying that the results were submitted by people who were not election officials after collation had ended.

It further threw away Uzor-Kalu’s petition, describing it as fundamentally defective because he failed to join the party that came second in the poll. “Having come a distant third in the election, the petitioner failed to join the party that came second,” Igwe said.

Prestige in an exclusive chat with our correspondent in Aba, the commercial nerve of the state recalled how the powers that be in the state wanted to snatch from him, the mandate he said was given to him by the people of Aba North and South through an engineered rerun.

According to him, the people of the constituency, stood by him by coming out in their numbers to not only cast their votes during the rerun, but they also stood firm to defend their votes and when such plans failed, they (opponents) resorted approaching the tribunal despite losing to him with wide margins.

The Aba North and South Federal Constituency lawmaker who said that he is not afraid if the petitioners appeal the judgment of the tribunal expressed confidence of coming out victorious at the Court of Appeal as he maintained that his victory is an act of God.

Prestige who said that his concern is to deliver democratic dividend to the people that elected him, used the opportunity to hint that plans were underway to roll out an empowerment exercise that will benefit most of the constituents.

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“You were aware when the INEC Returning officer for reasons that are best known to him, decided to declare the election for Aba North and South inconclusive. Aba people protested even going to INEC office in Umuahia where they were shot canisters of tear gas. Some of them were manhandled and others arrested and taken to police.

“Some of the results were canceled and election ordered to hold in such areas. Mind you that the areas that units canceled were my area of strength. The people of Aba came out in their numbers to vote and also ensure that their votes counted.

“It is the constitutional right of anyone to go to court and seek redress over any issue that he or she feels aggrieved with. But in this case, I am sure that even the Court of Appeal will definitely validate the decision of the tribunal.”

A 50-year old civil servant, Mrs Magdalene Suleiman, on Saturday, said she had made millions of naira since she ventured into fish farming eight years ago.

Suleiman, who resides at Sabon Tasha area, Kaduna, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) in Kaduna.

“It is a very lucrative business that can fetch you cool money if you are disciplined, consistent and patient,” she said.

She said that she started with N200,000 in 2011, two ponds, 200 fingerlings, fish feeds and other materials.

Suleiman said she later learned how to hatch and started selling fingerlings to fish farmers in her community and beyond.

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“I produce an average of 10,000 fingerlings monthly and sell each at N30, which is equivalent to N300,000.

” I have trained many people in the business, from groups to individuals, and I am proud to say that most of the people I trained are doing very well in the businesses, “ she said.

According to her, fish farming is easier compared to poultry as long as there is frequent water supply into the pond and proper feeding of the stock.

Suleiman said she had six employees working at her farm and called on women to be self-reliant and not be dependent on their spouses.

Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), is optimistic that the meeting between Nigerian and South African Presidents in October, will bring lasting solutions to the recurrent xenophobia.

The President of NICASA, Mr Ben Okoli, made this known in a telephone conversation with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from Johannesburg, South Africa.

Okoli said President Muhammadu Buhari and his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, were expected to meet in October to discuss modalities to address attacks on Nigerians living in that country.

“We are looking forward to the state visit by President Buhari and we believe his coming will help reduce the suffering Nigerians go through in South Africa.

“We will use the opportunity to lay our complaints to the president and highlight security of lives and properties of our members, as the area of concern that we want addressed.

“We will also be able to get assurance from our host country’s president towards securing lives and properties of Nigerians here.

“We hope the visit will comfort Nigerians here, because we expect our plight to be tabled before the host government, so they can provide adequate protection to ensure Nigerians feel safe,” he said.

He lamented the high handedness of Police operatives in South Africa on matters that concerned Nigerians, saying issues like brutality and killings should be brought to the fore at the meeting.

“We will list all potentials that could bring about economic benefits and growth to Nigerians through the anticipated state visit,” he said.

He said that Nigerians ha, without any fear of contradiction, contributed immensely to the growth of the South African economy.

“We urge the South African Government to ensure that the attacks do not reoccur. We appeal to them to device alternative strategies since previous efforts to stop xenophobia have not worked.

“We believe xenophobia can be stopped and therefore appeal to the South African government to provide succour to foreigners who have lost their source of livelihood, especially Nigerians.

He commended the Nigerian Consulate General to South Africa, Godwin Adama, for the pro-active steps he had so far taken to douse tension via the media in that country.

“The mission’s gate has never been shut against Nigerians; it has always kept its door open.

“What happened is that after the crisis in Pretoria where South African’s destroyed Nigerian businesses and property, those whose property were destroyed went to the mission out of frustration and anger.

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“I understand the situation; it is not easy for somebody to lose his property and just be watching; but the mission gate was not shut against them,” he said.

He said they were invite in and received by an official of the consulate who went as far as organising food and drinks for them to make sure that they are comfortable.

“So they were attended to and nobody would say that the gate was shut against them.

“The mission allowed them in even though they came in by force and destroyed part of the entrance.

“They were encouraged to go and calculate their losses and bring back the report through the organisation. So, we are actually collaborating with people who have lost their property.

“We are taking inventory of what our people lost, which I will make available to the high commissioner in due time,” Okoli said.

The Conference of Speakers of South West Legislatures on Friday called for the involvement of all stakeholders to tackle the worsening insecurity in the region.

They also stressed on the need for integration in the region to ensure even development and adequate security.

These were some of the resolutions at the end of the maiden meeting of the Speakers at the complex of the Lagos State House of Assembly on Friday night.

These were disclosed to correspondents at the end of the meeting by the Chairman of the Conference and Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon. Bamidele Oleyelogun.

He disclosed that the meeting was to proffer lasting solution to security threat confronting the region and also to discuss issues bordering on development in the region, xenophobic attacks and others.

In his welcome address earlier, the Chief host and Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, who also doubles as the Chairman of Conference of Speakers of Nigeria, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa said all stakeholders in Southwest must collaborate to find lasting solutions to the hydra-headed security problems confronting the region.

“We know the problems confronting us as a region which includes; kidnapping, theft, arson and herdsmen attacks on our people. It has reached an alarming height and we need to beef up our internal security.”

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He said the speakers were to deliberate on Southwest economic and socio-political integration, adding that the idea to establish special security offices across Southwest is also in the offing.

Obasa urged the Federal Government to be proactive in securing Nigerian Nationals in South Africa against the xenophobic attacks.

“I urge the local governments, State and Federal Governments to work assiduously to stem the threat to peace.

“There should be speedy action to halt this sad development, we condemn xenophobic attacks in it entirety and we urge our citizens to give peace a chance and not to result to vandalization of their investments in Nigeria in retaliation to South African xenophobia,” Obasa said.

Oleyelogun said the speakers deliberated on a lot of issues including unity, security threats, killings in South Africa, “we condemn it in its totality.”

“We want peace and unity in southwestern states and we had a robust debate on what can move our zone forward.”

Commenting on the models of tackling insecurity in the region, Oleyelogun said, “each of the respective Speakers have to go back to their own domain and have discussions with their governors and meet with stakeholders to fine-tune the way forward.”

On how to fund the proposed special security offices to be established across southwest, he noted that the governors are ready to support security matter, “You can not quantify it in money as it involves lives.”Oleyelogun said.

Present at the parley were all the speakers from the South West; Ogun State Assembly, Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin of Oyo, Hon. Funminiyi Afuye of Ekiti, Hon. Timothy Owoeye of Osun, and some of the principal officers of the respective state Assemblies and their Clerks.

The Kaduna State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal will on Monday, Sept 9, rule on the petition challenging the re-election of Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna state.

The Tribunal Secretary, Mrs Hafsat Suleiman, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Kaduna.

Suleiman said the Tribunal concluded its sitting on Aug. 19 and has fixed Monday, Sept. 9, to pass its verdict on the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The PDP and its governorship candidate in the March 9 poll, Alhaji Isah Ashiru, had petitioned the Tribunal asking it to nullify El-Rufai’s election.

The petitioners in their final written address, asked the Tribunal to cancel a total of 515, 951 votes which it contended were unlawfully added to the total votes cast during the March 9 poll.

The petitioners had called 135 witnesses out of the 685 they assembled to prove alleged massive rigging, ballot stuffing and other irregularities during the poll as contained in their petition.

The petitioners had accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of adding 391,741 votes to El-Rufai of APC and 124, 210 unlawful votes to the PDP, through wrong or double entry on the result sheets.

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They also contended that declaring El-Rufai winner by INEC was illegal as he did not score majority of lawful votes.

The PDP through its legal team led by Mr. Emmanuel C. Ukala (SAN), said deducting 391,741 votes from 1,045,427 scored by El-Rufai and 124,210 from Ashiru’s 814, 168 votes will give victory to PDP and Ashiru, its candidate in the poll.

The counsel had argued that after the deduction of the alleged unlawful votes, Ashiru will be left with 689,958 lawful votes, while El-Rufai will have 653,686 votes.

Ukala argued that all parties to the petition are bound to argue their cases on the basis of whether or not the petitioners had assembled credible evidence to sustain their petition, as formulated by the Tribunal.

According to him, “only the 2nd respondent premised his argument on the issues formulated by this honorable tribunal.

“The 1st and 3rd respondents went on their own forays.

“It is, therefore, our submission that the argument of the 1st and 3rd respondents should go to ‘no issue’, having not addressed the issue which was binding to all parties, “ Ukala argued.

The petitioners counsel further said that based on the issues formulated by the tribunal, the issue has been narrowed down to the credibility of evidence.

“Based on this simplification of the issue, it is our humble submission that when the evidence led by both sides are placed on the imaginary scales of justice, what is obvious is that the weight of evidence of the petitioners will overwhelmingly weigh in favour of the petitioners as against the respondents, “ he said.

“First, the petitioners called 135 witnesses. All respondents put together, 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents, called a total of five witnesses.

“What is obvious is that there were so many areas covered by the petitioners that were not addressed by the respondents.”

Ukala further pointed out that the quality of the petitioners’ evidence was more qualitative than that of the respondents, with polling unit agents who actually saw what happened on the election day testifying.

However, in its final written address and reply to points raised by the petitioners, Counsel to APC, Ibrahim Bawa (SAN) said: “our final written address before the tribunal is that the petitioners have not been able to establish their claim before the court.

“There are certain allegations that were made which were criminal.

“The petitioners also complain that certain votes were illegally recorded for the 2nd and 3rd respondents, but unfortunately no evidences were made to prove those points.

“So, we urge the Tribunal to dismiss the petition as the petitioners have failed to live up to the standard expected of them in proving their petition.”

Similarly, Abdulhakeem Mustapha, counsel to El-Rufai, the 2nd respondent in the petition, asked the tribunal “to invoke its majestic powers to dismiss the petition as lacking in merit.

“And to confirm that the 2nd respondent, Malam Nasiru El Rufai as duly elected as governor of Kaduna State in the March 9 election. “

Mustapha further said: “we have been able to tell the court that all the witnesses called by the petitioners failed woefully to prove the ingredient of the fact relied upon in their petition.

“The onus is on the petitioners to come with credible evidence and all the testimonies of the witnesses produced by the petitioners were demolished under cross examination.

“There is nothing that the court will see to be persuaded to give judgment in their favor, we have been able to show with the witnesses we called that the election was conducted in conformity with the provision of the electoral Act.

“We are very satisfied with the proceedings and we are very sure that justice will be done and sure that Malam Nasiru El-Rufai was duly elected by the people of Kaduna State.

“On behalf of the 2nd respondent, the final written address which was dated 2nd August, was filed on 3rd August, 2019, while the 2nd respondent filed a reply on fact of law on August 16,” Mustapha said.

On his part, Counsel to INEC, Aliyu Umar (SAN), urged the tribunal to “dismiss the petition and confirm El Rufai as duly elected Governor of Kaduna State.“

Umar drew the attention of the tribunal to the fact that the petitioners had just served him with a list of additional authorities on the day of sitting.

“And their witnesses have all confirmed during cross examination that no INEC officials connived with any other person.

“The petitioners only called 135 of the 685 witnesses the petitioners said they would call, that is short of the number they were supposed to call to prove their case.

“They are to win their case by the evidence presented not by our witnesses,” Umar said.

The Tribunal is chaired by Justice Ibrahim Bako, with Khadi Adamu Usman and Justice Jude Obiora as members.

The inability of Plateau state government to swear-in Hon Joshua Lanven of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the elected chairman of Langtang North local government of Plateau is generating tension capable of disrupting peace in the locality.

Council elections were held in December 2018, results were declared and aggrieved partied approached the election tribunal for redress.

That of Langtang North went to the appeal court and judgement was finally given to the appealant Hon Joshua Laven of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)

The appeal tribunal in its judgement in July 2019 held that the PDP candidate was the true winner of the election and ordered for the swearing-in of the winner.

The appeal tribunal stressed that the Hon Nanlok Amos of the All Progressive Congress (APC) was wrongly declared winner of the election by the state electoral commission, and that the rightful winner is Hon Joshua Laven of the PDP.

While Hon Laven was waiting to be sworn in based on the court judgement, the ruling APC instituted a fresh suit at a Jos court stopping the state government to carry out the order of the appeal tribunal.

The institution of a fresh case in a lower court after an appeal court of superior status has passed its judgement left people of the locality in shock and disbelief.

The people felt that the fresh court case was a calculated effort by the ruling party APC to deny them their right to elect their leader.

While staging a peaceful protest over the development in Jos on Saturday, a group of youths known as “Taroh Concern Youths for Justice and Good Governance” said the masses in Langtang North who voted for Hon Laven as their leader are becoming impatience over the prolonged legal tussle.

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The group noted that tension is rising in the locality over what the people term political conspiracy by ruling APC to hoodwink them and rob them of leader of their choice.

The group led by its National President, Comrade Manasseh Telzing said it is worrisome for them as concern youths in the area to know that “Hon. Nanlok Amos Kparnim and the APC instituted case at the High Court of Justice in Jos against the position of the Local Government Election Petition Tribunal Court” which is the highest Court to handled local government election matters in the country.

He said “As concern young people, we are appealing to Governor Simon Along and the All Progressive Congress (APC) to respect the position of the Appeal Tribunal as history would always be unfair to them.

“We still believe strongly that there are men of integrity whose conscience is the highest authority in the Plateau State Judiciary.

“Our kind plea is to our Father, the Executive Governor of Plateau State Rt.Hon. Barr. Simon Bako Lalong to prevail on Hon. Nanlok Amos Kparnim and the All Progressive Congress (APC) to accept the decision of the Plateau State Election Petition Appeal Tribunal which is the final adjudication body or apex court regards local government elections in Nigeria as delivered on the 19th July,2019 which declared and returned Ubadndoma Joshua Laven as the duly elected Chairman of Langtang North Local Government Council by taking on the path of honour in discontinuing the certiorari proceedings instituted at the High Court of Justice Jos.”

The President maintained that “We strongly believe that the political upheavals in Langtang North can be resolved amicably out of court to give room for good governance to the people of Langtang North who are suffering because of this political crisis,” the stand

According to the group who alleged that the political crisis in the locality overtimes are often caused from Jos said “Langtang North LGC is not new to political upheaval or crisis which is mostly caused from Jos by successive administrations, despite taken longer time before conducting local government elections denying people at the grassroot the opportunity and democratic rights to choose their leaders.”

They maintained that the Taroh Concern Youths for Justice and Good Governance recalled how they mobilized people to come out and exercise their franchise in the last local government elections which if left as it is can best be described as a “Democratic rape and disgrace, more worrying is the fact that some contestants at the elections who lost out heard their names announced as winners in Jos the state capital,” Telzing lamented

The youths were also carrying placards demonstrating their displeasure on the recent development in their area with inscription such as “We are peace loving people”, “Justice is justice! Please, judiciary should follow the real procedures of local government elections petition tribunal.” Other are “Respect the rule of law,” and “We are peace makers, don’t make us peacemakers in the grave.”