Tag: Ododo

The Kogi state chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has advised Governor Usman Ododo to stop interfering in the party’s internal affairs.

SDP described the move as “unacceptable” and a “blatant disregard for democratic principles.”

According to a statement issued on Monday, by the Director of New Media and Spokesperson for the Muri/Sam Campaign Council-SDP, Isaiah Davies Ijele: “The attempt by the Ododo-led government to interfere with the Kogi State Social Democratic Party’s internal affairs is unacceptable”.

Ijele alleged that the government is using the suspended Chairman and other unscrupulous members of the SDP to obstruct the submission of candidate names for the local government election.

“This is a clear encroachment on party politics,” he said.

The SDP spokesperson cautioned the state government and judiciary against interfering in party affairs, emphasizing the importance of upholding the right of every party to manage its internal affairs independently.

Read Also: Ododo welcomes Appeal Court judgment

“We will stand firm in defending our party’s integrity and autonomy in alignment with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Ijele declared.

He advised Governor Ododo to focus on governing the state and harnessing its natural resources rather than causing “fracas” in the SDP.

“Governor ODODO should be more concerned on how to govern the state and harness its natural resources while the time lasts than causing fracas in the SDP, Kogi state chapter,” Ijele said.

The SDP’s statement comes amid allegations of government interference in the party’s internal affairs, which has sparked concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in Kogi State.

Gov. Usman Ododo of Kogi on Wednesday vowed to lead and win the war against criminal elements in the state.

Ododo stated this during the inauguration of the Nigeria Police, Metropolitan Quick Response Unit office complex in Lokoja.

The Ododo administration initiated and executed the project within 90 days, as part of measures to enhance security network in the state.

The governor said his administration would not condone security breach, warning that: “I’m decisive in taking the fight to criminal elements’ hideout to wipe them out completely in the state.

“This is because my administration is not one that will be preoccupied by trying to deal with security challenges without an end.

“I am not here to do my best. I am here to defeat criminals.

“In fact, we are winning the war against insecurity and we are very intentional about our work to strengthen the state’s security architecture.”

The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to combat crimes and ensure the safety, security of lives and property of the people.

According to Ododo, the Metropolitan Quick Response operation is a proactive step to enhance security and build upon the solid foundation of the state’s security architecture, which started under the administration of Yahaya Bello.

“Nothing would be spared to guarantee safety and security in every inch of the state.

“The Metropolitan Quick Response Squad aims to ensure a safe environment for all residents and visitors in Kogi, with a focus on 24-hour response capability, enhanced intelligence gathering, and community-based approach to policing,” he said.

While commending the security agencies for their dedication and sacrifices, Ododo pledged to prioritise technological enablers to enhance intelligence gathering capabilities in combating emerging security threats.

He acknowledged President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to reverse security challenges nationwide, and pledged continued support to the Federal Government’s war against terrorism.

The governor enjoined residents of the state to be vigilant and to provide credible information to the security agencies to eliminate criminal elements.

Read Also: Ododo welcomes Appeal Court judgment

The Commissioner of Police, Bethrand Onuoha, commended the governor for his resilience in tackling crimes in the state.

Onuoha said the edifice would give the response squad ample space to operate and help the police and other agencies in dealing with criminal elements.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the quick response squad is a security initiative in partnership with the Rapid Response Squad of the Nigeria Police and the state’s Joint Task Force to tackle criminal activities.

(NAN)

Gov. Usman Ododo of Kogi has welcomed the judgment of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja that upheld the decision of the governorship election petition tribunal affirming his return as the duly elected governor of the state.

Ododo, in reaction to the appellate court judgment, thanked the people of Kogi for their support.

The governor, therefore, called on opposition politicians in the state to join him in advancing the development of the state.

He stressed that the judgement of the Appeal Court should now lay to rest the argument over the result of the 2023 governorship election and unite the people for the development of the state, irrespective of political differences.

The governor, in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media, Ismaila Isah, expressed appreciation to the judiciary for the swift and expeditious manner with which it dealt with the appeal.

He added that the court had again demonstrated that the mandate freely given to him by the people of the state “cannot be upturned by persons who may not agree with the will of God and the majority of the people of Kogi.”

“ I give thanks to God for seeing us through this phase of the court processes and I thank the people of Kogi State for uniting behind our administration and the steps we are taking to serve our people with the best of our ability.

“The judgment of the Appeal Court reaffirms the fact that the November 2023 Governorship election in Kogi State was free, fair, peaceful, and credible.

“By the grace of God, our administration has become the symbol of peace and unity in our state and we are committed to serving our people on the basis of equity and inclusion.

“I thank the judiciary for staying true to its independence with this judgment of the Appeal Court that has reaffirmed the earlier decision of the tribunal which is a clear testament that the mandate freely given to us by the people of Kogi State was done in the best interest of our state.”

The governor also expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for ensuring that the judiciary remains truly independent and transparent as the last hope of the common man in the country.

Read Also: Appeal Court upholds Ododo’s election as Kogi Governor

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Appeal Court had, on Thursday, upheld the May 27 decision of the Kogi State governorship election petition tribunal.

The three-member tribunal had upheld the election of Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected Governor of Kogi, having scored 446,237 votes which represented the majority of lawful votes cast in the Nov. 11, 2023 governorship election in the state.

Also, the Appeal Court, in a unanimous decision, dismissed all grounds of appeals filed by candidates of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Action Alliance (AA) and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) for being incompetent and for lacking in merit.

(NAN)

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the election of Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the Governor of Kogi State.

In a judgment on Thursday, a panel of the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal filed by the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Muritala Ajaka and his party on the grounds that it is unmeritorious.

The Court of Appeal , which resolved all the four issues, identified for determination, against the appellants, held that the appellant failed to proved allegations of over voting, certificate forgery, among others.

In the unanimous judgement delivered by Justice Onyekachi Otisi the court held that the election tribunal, which sat in Abuja was right to have expunged the evidence of the first witness called by the petitioners (PW1) on the grounds that the evidence given by the witness was  hearsay.

It added that witnesses in election cases, whether subpoenaed or ordinary witnesses, are supposed to front load their witness statement on oath.

The court added that, “the order of the tribunal expunging the evidence of the PW1 cannot be faulted. The law grants the lower court  the power to expunge inadmissible evidence brought before it.”

It held that the appellants’ claim that the document that Ododo submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were forged,  is a pre-election issue  which is handled by the Federal High Court and not election tribunal.

The court noted that the incident occured before the conduct of the  governorship election on November 11, 2023and as such, cannot be legislated upon by the lower election tribunal.

It held that allegation of forgery of document ought to be proven beyond reasonable doubt, “This, the appellants failed to do as required by law. Affidavit of lost attached to form EC8 by the second defendant is by no means a certificate.

Justice Otisi said: “I see no reason to disturb the decision of the lower Tribunal on the petition as the appellants have failed to prove their allegations contained in their petition”, the court held and resolved all the issues raised in the appeal against the appellants.

“This appeal failed and it is hereby dismissed for lacking in merit. There is no order as to cost, parties are to bear their respective cost”, Justice Onyekachi Otisi held.

The Court of Appeal also dismissed the appeals by Action Alliance (AA) and its governorship candidate, Olayinka Braimoh and that of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and its governorship candidate, Dr. Abdullahi Yunusa Bayawo, for being without merit.

Meanwhile, reacting to the judgment, Ajaka said he will appeal at the Supreme Court.

Read Also: BREAKING: Appeal Court upholds APC’s Ododo’s election as Kogi governor

In a statement, Ajaka said the journey to reclaiming his stolen mandate is not limited to the decision of the appellate Court.

He said, “We must remain relentless in our pursuit of justice. We cannot afford to be deterred by setbacks or disheartened by temporary defeats. 

“Our cause is just, and our determination will not waver. We must stand united and continue to support our legal team as they navigate these complex legal waters on our behalf.

“I want to assure you, our political followers, that victory is within our grasp. We firmly believe that the truth will prevail, and justice will be served. 

“We have full faith in the Nigerian judicial system, and we are confident that the apex court will rectify the injustices that have been inflicted upon us once again” he said.

He called on all his supporters to remain calm and peaceful in the face of, “this disappointment and injustice.

We understand the frustration and anger that may arise from this situation, but resorting to violence or any form of unlawful behaviour is not the solution. We must continue to uphold the principles of democracy and fight for justice through legal means”, Ajaka stated.

While commending his legal team for working diligently and tirelessly throughout the legal battle, he said,  their brilliance, dedication, and unwavering commitment to justice have been evident at every step of the way, not minding the disappointing outcome so far.

In his words, “We have tirelessly fought for the right  and and interests of the people of Kogi state and we will not let this temporary setback deter us from our mission.

“We  understand that this decision may have brought about feelings of disappointment and frustration among our supporters, but we want to assure you that this setback will not stop our determination to use all legal means to reclaim our stolen mandate”, Ajaka said.

The Court of Appeal, Abuja, on Thursday, reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP)’s candidate, Muritala Ajaka, and his party in the Nov. 11 Kogi governorship election challenging the judgement of the State’s Election Petition Tribunal.

The tribunal had, on May 27, affirmed Usman Ododo of All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected governor of Kogi.

A three-member justices of the appellate court reserved judgment in the appeal to a date that would be communicated to parties after the adoption of all their briefs filed in the matter.

Earlier in his submission, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, while adopting the briefs filed on behalf of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), prayed the court to dismiss the appeal filed by Ajaka and his party for lacking in merit.

He said there were inconsistencies in the case of the appellants.

He argued that the Appeal Court had decided that if the grounds of a petition were inconsistent with one another, and were not consistent with the reliefs, it should be struck out.

He also argued that the evidence of the petitioners were grossly insufficient, citing a Supreme Court decision.

The senior lawyer argued that once the evidence called is grossly insufficient, there is no evidence.

He said the petitioners only called 25 witnesses out of the scores listed.

He further argued that out of the 25 witnesses called by the petitioners, there was no single polling unit agent among them.

Agabi also argued that the 1st prosecution witness (PW-1) did not file any witness deposition before hand as required by law and as such cannot give evidence in an election petition.

Joseph Daudu, SAN, in his own submission on Ododo’s behalf, said no single evidence of the PW1 was admitted as evidence by the court on the ground that he failed to front load his witness statement before hand.

Read Also: Ododo hails Tinubu for appointing Sheidu Executive Secretary NPTF

Daudu said the tribunal was right to have expunged the evidence of PW1, having declared it inadmissible and added that the appellants failed to prove the allegation of over voting in their petition.

He also urged the tribunal to dismiss the allegations of forgery against his client, saying it bordered on pre-election matter, which the apex court had decided in Gbagi’s case against INEC.

Daudu, who said they failed to prove allegation of over-voting, also argued that Section 137 of the Electoral Act cited by the petitioners on allegations of over-voting did not apply in the instant petition.

He urged the court to dismiss the appeal and affirm the judgement of the tiibunal which upheld the election of Ododo.

Corroborating Daudu’s argument, Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, who appeared for APC, prayed the Appeal Court to dismissed the petition for being incompetent.

Ajaka and his party, in the appeal, hinged on 31 grounds, insisted that they are the winners of the Nov. 11, 2023 governorship election and should be declared the rightful winner.

While adopting the processes filed on behalf of his client, Pius Akubo,,SAN, urged the court to set aside the judgement of the Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and declare Ajaka as the governor of the state.

According to Akubo, the judgement of the tribunal which affirmed Ododo’s election was a serious miscarriage of justice.

It would be recalled that the tribunal had, on May 27, affirmed the victory of Gov. Ododo of APC in the Nov. 11, 2023 Kogi governorship poll.

The three-member panel of justices, headed by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, held that the petition was bereft of substance and accordingly dismissed it.

The tribunal held that SDP and Ajaka failed to prove the allegations of over-voting and non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022 in the petition.

The panel, in a unanimous, decision held that all the witness evidence filed before it were incompetent and full of inconsistencies.

It also agreed with the submissions of the respondents that the allegations of forgery raised in the petition were pre-election matter, which ought to have been raised 14 days after the documents were submitted to INEC.

Kogi had, on Nov. 11, 2023, held its off-cycle election in which Ododo of the APC emerged winner, beating his closest rival, Ajaka of the SDP with a wide margin.

(NAN)

The Kogi  State Government has flagged off the Community Revolving Fund (CRF) loan disbursement under the ACReSAL project. 

The scheme, in partnership with the World Bank, is an initiative aimed at addressing the challenges of climate change and support community agricultural efforts.

Ododo at the flag -off ceremony at the Government House in Lokoja on Wednesday expressed appreciation to all stakeholders involved in the project and emphasised his administration’s commitment to agricultural development. 

The Governor noted that within five months, his administration has implemented various initiatives to enhance agricultural productivity,  including the provision of agricultural machinery for mechanization, agricultural inputs, training, and capacity building for farmers.

The CRF loan disbursement prioritises women with 70% of the beneficiaries being female.  

He urged the ACReSAL CRF  beneficiaries to utilise the loan judiciously, stressing that it is designed to support their agricultural endeavors and improve their livelihoods.

Ododo assured that the loan would boost agricultural practices in the catchment areas, leading to increased food production and security.

Read Also: Polo: Ododo, Emirs, salute Access Bank over Charity Shield

Kogi Speaker represented by Hon. Jibril Abu, emphasised the importance of partnership for progress, as highlighted in the 17 thematic areas of the SDGs. He commended the Governor for his leadership and commitment to the development of the state.

Kogi Project Coordinator of ACReSAL, Barr. Ladi Jatto commended the Governor for his total commitment to the success of the project in the state, saying the Governor has made it easy for the people of Kogi to take advantage of the project. 

She called on the beneficiaries to make the best of the opportunity presented by the presentation of cheques to them by using the funds for the purpose stipulated. 

Each of the cluster group of farmers went home with $25,000. 

The Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Mukadam Asiwaju Idris Asiru and his Environment and Ecological Management counterpart, Engr Olusegun Joseph, thanked the Governor for paying due attention to the plight of the rural poor. 

The Obaro of Kabba and the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland also commended the Governor for his efforts in supporting the agricultural sector. 

They urged the beneficiaries to ensure timely loan repayment, emphasizing the importance of sustainability and community development.