The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Olusegun Abraham

  • Ondo APC: My case still intact, says Abraham

    The first runner-up in the 2016 governorship primaries in Ondo state, Olusegun Abraham has urged the citizenry to remain hopeful on his matter in court.

    According to him, justice can be delayed, but not denied.

    In a statement in Akure, the state capital on Sunday by his Special Assistant on political matters, Olatunde Azeez, the All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart urged the people in the state to ignore moves by some people to discredit the judiciary.

    Already, the  Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had rejected the request of  Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to stop the proceedings and termination of the suit by the runner-up in the 2016 governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress(APC) Olusegun Abraham.

    Abraham is challenging Akeredolu’s emergence as APC’s candidate in the 2016 governorship polls.

    The petitioner in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/788/2016 was seeking the nullification of APC’s September 3,2016 governorship primary from which Akeredolu emerged as the party’s candidate on the ground that it was allegedly manipulated.

    One of the counsel to the respondent, Olumide Olujimi explained that the case had been struck out by the Supreme Court on March 5, on the ground that Abraham approached the court, 28 days after the primary election instead of the stipulated 14 days.

    Read also: Ondo East APC leaders seek political autonomy

    However, the Presiding Judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba rejected the report filed by Akeredolu’s counsel, Akin Olujimi(SAN) for lack of merit because the affidavit was not attached to it.

    The Judge said before taking a decision, he wanted to study the judgment, even though, he said it was not made available in the court.

    Besides, he said he would examine the ground in which the case was terminated by the Supreme Court, when Abraham’s witnesses had been mounting the box and cross-examined by Akeredolu’s lawyers.

    He, therefore, adjourned the case to May 28 for continuation in a way of granting the prayers of one of the counsels to Abraham, Phillip Emmanuel.

    Emmanuel had earlier sought for an adjournment to study the recent Supreme Court pronouncement saying it had ‘overruled’ itself in a related matter on March 27,  that had to do with the new Electoral law in Ekiti state.

    Abraham said many lawyers across the country were studying the purported ruling of the Supreme Court with the consciousness that it would not give verdict that would be contrary to the constitution of Nigeria.

    According to him, from all indications, what Supreme Court struck out may be the Akeredolu’s case of preliminary objection which the fourth amendment forbids any court to entertain.

    He expressed the belief that the Judiciary will continue to be trusted to save Nigeria’s democracy.

  • No victor, no vanquished on Supreme Court’s verdict, says Akeredolu

    •APC sues for reconciliation

    Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has described as victory for democracy, the judgment of the Supreme Court, which struck out the case instituted against him by Olusegun Abraham.

    Abraham came second in the keenly contested September 3, 2016 All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election in Ondo State.

    Appreciating the Ondo people and APC members for their steadfastness throughout the period of the litigation, Akeredolu called on Abraham to join hands with him in the task of building a new Ondo State.

    The governor, in a statement by Commissioner for Information and Orientation Yemi Olowolabi, said there was no victor, no vanquished.

    He said: “The victory is for everyone who wants the best for Ondo State and Segun Abraham is one of us. In other words, we are all winners.”

    The court, yesterday in Abuja, thrashed the suit filed by Abraham in which he was challenging Akeredolu’s victory on the party’s governorship primary.

    The apex court held that in line with the provision of the fourth alteration, especially Section 285(11) of the 1999 constitution, Abraham failed to file his case within the stipulated 14 days after the cause of action, thus statute barred.

    Akeredolu, therefore, dedicated the victory to the people of Ondo State, who he described as ever progressive.

    But, the state APC yesterday described the judgment as a watershed in the quest for genuine reconciliation in the party.

    Its chairman, Ade Adetimehin, noted that there was no victor; no vanquished,” stressing that the two parties belong to a family.

    The court decision, he contended, came at a critical moment when the party is exploring every democratic and lawful means to ensure enduring reconciliation of the parties within its fold.

    Adetimehin said the judgment created the elusive opportunity for Akeredolu and Abraham to unite for the state’s growth.

    “Besides, the governor can now concentrate on policies that will further promote and enhance the delivery of dividends of democracy to the people of Ondo State,” he argued.

    The party stalwart warned followers of the two leaders to desist from fanning the embers of disunity.

    Adetimehin assured that machinery for reconciliation would be set up after the election on Saturday to place the party on a new and stronger pedestal.

    He hailed the duo for exhibiting a high sense of restraint and maturity while the case lasted in court.

     

     

  • APC’s lawyer stalls hearing in suit seeking Akeredolu’s sack

    The planned commencement of trial in the suit seeking the sack of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State was stalled on Friday owing to the absence of Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), lawyer to the APC and its Chairman.

    A Federal High Court in Abuja had on December 11 last year adjourned the case, filed by APC chieftain, Olusegun Abraham, to January 15 this year for hearing. But, upon request by lawyers in the case, the court rescheduled the case to January 18 for trial.

    When the case was called on Friday, Muritata Abdulrasheed, who announced appearance for the APC and its Chairman (1st and 3rd defendants), informed the court that the lead lawyer for his clients, Fagbemi was absent in court because he was bereaved and had travelled to Kwara State for his auntie’s burial.

    Abdulrasheed, who said he was informed about the development on Friday morning, said he could not handle the case in the absence of the leader of his team, who he said participated in the pre-trial meetings. He sought an adjournment.

    Lawyers to Abraham and Akeredolu, Akin Oujinmi (SAN) and Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) confirmed the development and agreed to the request for adjournment.

    Read Also: Lawyer advocates legislation on vocational education

    Abraham, who was the 1st runner-up in the APC governorship primary in Ondo State in 2016, is by the suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/788/2016, challenging Akeredolu’s emergence as the winner of the primary and the party’s candidate for the last governorship election in the state.

    Abraham alleged that the primary was manipulated to favour Akeredolu and wants the court to nullify the outcome of the primary and pronounce him (Abraham). As the winner of the primary and the party’s candidate for the election.
    ‎

    Defendants in the case are the APC, Akeredolu, APC Chairman and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Details later.

  • Court insists on hearing suit challenging Akeredolu’s election

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected the request by Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to strike out a suit by Olusegun Abraham, challenging his (Akeredolu’s) emergence as candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last governorship election in the state.

    The court also rejected Akeredolu’s arguments that it lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit; that the suit relates to issues that are internal to the party: that the suit was inchoate, among others.

    Read Also:Ondo: Akeredolu urged to intervene in Akure North APC crisis

    Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, in a ruling on Friday, although agreed with Akeredolu that the suit was wrongly commenced, he however refused to strike it out, as requested by the governor.

    Instead, the judge converted the suit, originally commenced by way of Originating Summons, to be heard under the Writ of Summons rules, on the grounds that facts in the case were contentions and would required parties to file pleadings.

    Justice Dimgba, whose ruling was on two notices of objection filed by Akeredolu, APC and the party’s National Chairman, gave parties up to November 30 this year, to file and exchange all pleadings.

    He adjourned to December 6 and 7 for hearing.

    Abraham is, by the suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/788/2016, seeking the nullification of the APC’s September 3, 2016 governorship primary, from which Akeredolu emerged as the party’s candidate, on the grounds that it was allegedly manipulated.

     

    Details later….

  • Ondo: Suit challenging Akeredolu’s candidature stalled

    The absence of Justice Nnamdi Dimgba has stalled hearing in a suit challenging the candidature of Rotimi Akeredolu as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a stalwart of the APC in Ondo, Olusegun Abraham, filed the suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, saying the process that produced Akeredolu was illegal.

    Abraham alleged that the process that produced the defendant as APC governorship candidate was not in conformity with the law.

    He also joined the APC National Chairman, Mr. John Oyegun and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.

    The suit is seeking an interim order to restrain the APC from parading Akeredolu as its governorship candidate and stop Akeredolu from parading himself as such pending the determination of the motion.

    At the resumed sitting on Wednesday, officials of the court informed parties to the suit that the judge was ill and unable to attend the day’s sitting.

    Consequently, lawyers representing both parties picked December 6 as the next adjourned date for hearing of the case.

    Justice Dimgba had at the last sitting on November 10 adjourned hearing of other motions in the suit till November 23.

  • Election is a lottery, says party chieftain

    A former governorship aspirant in Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Abraham, has urged politicians not to sell their property to contest elections.

    He said elections could easily be rigged in favour of an opponent and the money spent on such polls would be lost.

    The politician advised those contesting for elective offices to have part-time jobs, which could be fallen back upon to sustain their families when they lose elections.

    Dr Abraham spoke yesterday in Lagos at a meeting with All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders from Ondo State.

    He donated N900,000 to the party’s registration in the state.

    The politician also urged party members at the wards to take passport photographs for their membership registration.

    Dr Abraham said the exercise was the only opportunity for the people to get a ticket to a better life under APC.

    Though the chieftain of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) said he was bigger than any governor and had no political ambition, he added that his financial support to the party was because he was involved in the fight for true democracy.

    The former Ondo State Youth leader of the defunct ACN, Comrade Enas Mohammed, decried the decadence in the state in the last five years under the Labour Party (LP) government.

    Mohammed said the turnout for the APC registration was massive.

    He noted that though Ondo was the richest state in the Southwest, much of its resources had been wasted.

    The youth leader decried the loss of careers among the youth.

    Mohammed said: “We need empowerment as well as infrastructural projects in Ondo. We have the resources. Other APC states have done well. Why can’t we also enjoy such privileges? We are still dwelling in the past in Ondo.”