Tag: NNPP

An Ondo High Court in Akure yesterday set aside the suit challenging the candidature of Olugbenga Edema as the flag-bearer of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) for next week’s governorship election.

Delivering judgment, Justice Oluyemi Osadabay, held that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit filed by a factional candidate of the party, Mr Michael Akintan, and his deputy, Mrs Kemi Fasua.

They are challenging the emergence of Edema as the party’s candidate. Edema, a former lawmaker, emerged as the candidate on June 5, after the former candidate, Oluwatosin Ayeni stepped down for him. He chose Dr Rotimi Adeyemi as his running mate.

Ayeni was later made the official spokesperson of the candidate and the Director-General of the Ondo State NNPP Gubernatorial Campaign Council after his resignation as a candidate.

However, in an originating summons filed by Akintan, Fasua, Dr Gilbert Agbo, and Comrade Oginni Olaposi, members of the party, questioned the emergence of Edema as the candidate of the NNPP and his running mate.

In the suit, plaintiffs through their counsel, Monday Mawah sought the court’s judgment on whether, in light of Sections  77 (2) and 77(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, the party was required to submit the register of members to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) no later than 30 days before the party’s primary.

The primary was held on April 26.

They also asked whether, based on section 77(3), the defendant, whose name did not appear in the submitted register of the party, could validly claim membership in the party as of the party’s primary date.

The claimants were seeking injunctive and declarative reliefs, including a perpetual injunction to restrain Edema from presenting himself as a member and the candidate of the NNPP for next week’s governorship election.

But the defendants, through their lawyer, Mr Rotimi Olorunfemi, asked the court to dismiss or strike out the suit for constituting a gross abuse of the court process.

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Olorunfemi said the suit was supposed to be filed at the Federal High Court, being a pre-election matter. He said the issue of jurisdiction was a matter that would go to the root and the competence of a court with adjudicatory power on a suit before it.

His words: “Since the court has no jurisdiction, the case should be dismissed with cost against the claimants.”

In her judgment, Justice Osadabay struck out the suit for lack of jurisdiction.

She said since the case fell within the pre-election matter, it was only the Federal High Court that could decide to entertain the case.

The judge awarded N100.000 against the claimants.

Edema said the judgment had led to rest the issue of whether he was a member or a candidate of NNPP. He said: “We knew a lot of people who are our adversaries were looking forward to dividing us. But thank God, apart from the judgment of this court, we have come together as a party to be one family.

“So, we are going to walk into this election as one family of NNPP. So, to the glory of God, the people of NNPP should rest assured that their candidate of NNPP is now on the ballot in the eye of the law and squarely. Come November 16,   we will win with the support of the people of the NNPP and God.”

Similarly, Akintan said he was ready to accept Edema as the candidate of the party.

He said the court had decided the candidate and he would abide by the decision.

Edema was also the Chairman of the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC).

• No election in state -APC

Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) on Saturday announced that the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) swept all the 44 local government chairmanship seats and 484 councillorship seats in the council polls held on Saturday.

KANSIEC Chairman, Prof. Sani Lawal Malurnfashi, who briefed reporters on the outcome of local government elections at the commission’s headquarters in Kano, described the election as credible, fair, and peaceful.

Malurnfashi said: “Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) had exercised and observed its Constitutional mandates of planning, organizing, coordinating, observing and conducting Local Government Election in Kano State of Nigeria.

“The exercise had been largely peaceful and successful in all ramifications. The Commission therefore deeply appreciates the roles played by the critical stakeholders, notably security agencies, media organizations, leaders of political parties, civil society organizations, religious leaders, community leaders, youth and women organizations, towards the actualization of grassroots democracy in the state.”

No LG election held in Kano -APC

Reacting to the Saturday election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) said it did not participate in the local government council elections held in the state on Saturday.

Rabiu Sulaiman Bichi, a chieftain of the APC and former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Kano, said the election was illegal, insisting there was no council election in Kano.

“The Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Simon Amobede still stands, rendering the election null and void,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the APC, he said the party’s decision not to participate was rooted in the Federal High Court’s ruling that the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission’s (KANSAIEC’s) leadership was partisan and biased towards the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

“Since this judgment hasn’t been appealed, the APC considers any outcome of the purported election to be illegal, null and void,” he said.

“APC considered three key points for its decision, which included the Federal High Court Judgment, which means the election is null and void due to the standing court ruling.

“The second point is the Partisan Electoral Commission; KANSIEC’s leadership is seen as biased towards the NNPP.

“The second issue is that of Invalid Outcome; Any result from the election will be considered illegal.

“A recent Federal High Court judgment that quashed all NNPP chairmanship candidates, further reinforcing their claims of electoral illegitimacy.”

Bich called on all the APC members to exercise restraint, patience and await the final outcome of their legal battle.

Election peaceful

The polls which were marred by low turnout of voters, especially in the metropolitan areas, were peaceful.

For instance, at the History and Culture Bureau, elections had not started as at 10:44 am when our correspondent visited the place due to the late arrival of election materials.

It was however observed that though the election had started on time at Tarauni PHC Polling Centre which houses three polling units, there was generally low turnout of voters.

The situation was different at Gandun Albasa Special Primary School where there were 21 polling units, many voters were seen waiting in queues for their turn to cast their votes.

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A cross-section of voters who spoke on the election expressed happiness for the peaceful conduct of residents against what had been anticipated.

“Many people had anticipated crisis during the election but thank God it’s peaceful,” one of the voters said.

Also commenting on the election, another voter said he was happy the election was generally peaceful as many residents complied with the order on restriction of movement.

Also speaking, a presiding Officer, Polling unit 002, at Gandun Albasa, Tajuddeen Uba said voting commenced some minutes after 8:00 am and the election was peaceful as voters turned out and cast their votes in a peaceful and orderly manner despite non- participation of the police and other federal security personnel.

In some polling units, voting ended as early as 10 am after receiving the election materials.

In places like Tudunwada, Rimin Gado, Gwale, Municipal, and Bichi, among others, elections were conducted peacefully with voters coming out very early to cast their ballots.

Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) on Saturday announced that the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) swept all the 44 local government chairmanship seats and 484 councillorship seats in the council polls held on Saturday.

KANSIEC Chairman, Prof. Sani Lawal Malurnfashi, who briefed reporters on the outcome of local government election at the commission’s headquarters in Kano, described the election as credible, fair and peaceful.

Prof. Malurnfashi said: “Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) had exercised and observed its Constitutional mandates of planning, organizing, coordinating, observing and conducting Local Government Election in Kano State of Nigeria.

“The exercise had been largely peaceful and successful in all ramifications. The Commission therefore deeply appreciates the roles played by the critical stakeholders, notably Security Agencies, Media organizations, Leaders of Political Parties, Civil Society organizations, Religious Leaders, Community Leaders, Youth and Women organizations, towards the actualization of grass root. Democracy in the State.

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“The Commission is also profouncily grateful to the good people of Kano State for their collective support, prayers and expression of positive emotions.

“The peaceful conduct of the exercise is a doubtless manifestation of public acceptability of the exercise in terms of credibility, fairness and decency.

“Six Political Parties participated: AA, AAC, ACCORD, ADC, APM, and NNPP.

“NNPP won all 44 Local Government Chairmanship and 484 Councillorship Positions contested.”