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  • Electoral Bill: APC, PDP in verbal war

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to veto the Electoral Act Amendment Bill sparked a fresh verbal confrontation between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday.

    While the APC alleged a plot by the PDP to hack into INEC’s data base if the bill had succeeded, the opposition party said its rejection by the President was part of the plans by the ruling party to rig the 2019 elections.

    Speaking with reporters in Abuja yesterday, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of APC, Yekini Nabena, said the PDP was perfecting plans to use Russian agents to hack into the data base of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to manipulate the results of the 2019 elections.

    He said the PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, were insisting on the President signing the Electoral Act amendment bill into law because it would afford them the opportunity  to carry out the plans they had hatched during their recent Dubai outing.

    Some of the proposals in the 2018 Electoral Act amendment bill rejected by the President include electronic transmission of results, submission of list of candidates not earlier than 120 days before primary and not more than 90 days to election and ceding the power to order elections to the National Assembly instead of INEC, among others.

    But Nabena wondered why the opposition party were afraid of using the 2015 Electoral Act for the elections when they were the ones that created it in the first place.

    “Is it the APC that created the incident form?” Nabena queried

    He alleged that complaint about the president not signing the electoral act was one of the strategies being employed by the PDP to create tension in the electoral process after failing to incite organised labour against the government over the minimum wage issue.

    He said: “The electoral Act we are using now was created by the PDP.

    “You created a bill and now you are afraid to use the bill that you created. Does that sound right?

    “What the PDP is doing right now is playing out what they designed in Dubai.

    “They started with inciting a strike from Labour on the minimum wage to cause problem in the country, it didn’t work.

    “They brought ASUU strike which also did not work and they now tried to create fuel scarcity. These were all part of the plots they planned in Dubai.

    “The next plan is snow on the Electoral Act amendment bill. Their plan is that if the President refuses to sign the bill, they will go and demonstrate, and we are waiting for them.

    “How can you put in the bill that once the votes are cast, you just transmit instead of counting first? That is part of their Dubai plot.

    “They planned to bring some Russians to help them hack into the system. That is their joker. Once the President signs the bill, they will just bring in the Russians to help them hack into the system.

    “They have their plan to hack into the system, input their figures after results have been transmitted electronically, which will now be announced.

    “We all know what they are trying to do. They are also trying to bring money into the system.

    “All these vote buying won’t work because they have failed this time around.

    “Look at Obasanjo who is talking. PDP set up all these electoral bills. Was it the APC that introduced incident form? So, why are they afraid of their own shadow?

    “Let us just pray that God will see us through this election.”

    ‘Opposition plotting national crisis’

    Nabena was emphatic that recent agitations and strike notices were part of the plots by the opposition “because they want those distractions in the system so that they will tell Nigerians that APC cannot handle the situation in the country.

    “You can see that everybody is now coming out to demand what they think is due to them in one way or the other because they know that the election is coming. They want that distraction so that they can capitalize on that.”

    The APC spokesman also said that the militancy in the Niger Delta and attacks on pipelines have been curtailed because of the leadership brought to bear on the nation by President Buhari, alleging that those responsible for the pipeline attacks were the same people getting the contract to protect them.

    He said: “That is where you see the difference. A man from the Niger Delta was there. It is still the same people that negotiated with the people that are blowing up the pipelines.

    “Who are the people that own the contract to monitor the pipelines? Who are the people that goes back at the end of the day to do the job?

    “But in this administration, there is no space for that.”

    APC conniving with INEC to rig 2019 polls —PDP

    Addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, spokesman of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, alleged APC’s desperation to foist President Buhari back on Nigerians against the wish of the majority.

    He said: “The whole world has now seen that the only reason President Buhari has refused to sign the Electoral Act is because he knows that there is no way he can win in a peaceful, credible, free and fair election.

    “President Buhari is not ready for elections. His only hope in contesting the election is getting INEC and security forces to assist him and the APC to rig.

    “For PDP, our party and Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, are ready for the election, but we caution INEC under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to note that by playing the Buhari/APC rigging script, it is running on collision course with the people.

    “This anti-democratic tendency may attract dire consequences as Nigerians are now, more than ever before, ready, willing and resolute to take back their country from the incompetent, divisive and arrogantly corrupt Buhari administration, come 2019.  Enough is Enough.”

    Ologbondiyan added: “Having realised that there is no way they can win in a credible, free and fair presidential election, the Buhari Presidency and the APC, in cahoots with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), have been engaged in series of provocative machinations aimed to corrupt the electoral process, trigger violent dissentions and ultimately derail our democratic process.

    “You will recall that on Thursday, the PDP vehemently rejected the plots by INEC and the Presidency to rig the election by creating illegal polling centres in Chad and Niger Republic, under the guise of ‘special arrangement’ for displaced Nigerians in those countries to participate in the presidential election.

    “The PDP had exposed the plot to use such illegal centres for allocation of fictitious votes, massive ballot stuffing, voting by aliens, underage and unregistered persons to pull millions of fictitious votes in favour of President Buhari.

    “Having been busted, INEC beat a retreat only to invent a fresh ruse by announcing that the ‘special arrangement’ would only be for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) within the shores of Nigeria while secretly retaining the illegal offshore voting plot.”

    The party spokesman said intelligence available to the PDP indicated that instead of the open offshore voting centres, the Presidency had directed INEC to circumvent the checks by secretly opening illegal voting centres at the desert fringes and remote border lines with Chad and Niger, and use them to achieve its original plans to rig the presidential election.

    According to the main opposition party, part of the plot is to use the illegal remote centres, which will not have functional Smart Card Readers, to allow unchecked voting by aliens, and underage persons as well as provide the unlimited latitude for allocation of fictitious votes for President Buhari and the APC.

    The PDP also alleged plots to compromise security personnel operating in the affected areas to provide official cover for the rigging plot.

    The PDP said: “Furthermore, it is instructive to inform Nigerians that as part of the Buhari Presidency’s rigging plot, INEC has been instructed to deploy defective Smart Card Readers to IDP camps, particularly in some strategic northern states, to pave way for direct manipulations, including alteration of voter register and voting by unregistered persons, particularly with the foreclosure of incident forms for manual accreditation.

    “This grand plot to rig is the essential reason President Muhammadu Buhari has deliberately refused to sign the amendments to the Electoral Act, which among other things checked manual manipulation by insisting on the use of card readers for biometric accreditation of voters and elimination of over-voting.

    “It is clear that the Buhari Presidency is desperate to re-enact the same rigging scenario, which, in 2015, allowed 13.5 million unauthorized persons to participate in the presidential election, paving the way for the illegal allocation of millions of fictitious votes to President Buhari and we urge Nigerians to unite in condemnation of this ignoble scheme.

    “The PDP therefore rejects, as completely deceptive, the untenable assurances and lip service by this overtly compromised INEC that it can deliver a credible election without an across-the-board biometric accreditation of voters and the use incidence form.

    “Our party completely rejects the plan by INEC to substitute biometric accreditation with manual verification on self-recognition and thumbprint on the voters register.

    “Such primitive method of accreditation only opens the way for unlimited rigging, multiple, underage and alien voting, as well as ballot stuffing which will afford President Buhari and the APC (the chance) to manipulate themselves back to power against the wish of majority of Nigerians.

    “The PDP, therefore in very unambiguous term, cautions INEC under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu not to be used to set our nation on fire but to immediately retrace its steps and untangle itself from the wicked scheme of the APC as Nigerians will never allow them to have their way.

    “For the purposes of emphasis, the PDP rejects all forms of fraudulent “special arrangements” tailored to rig this election. Our party insists that elections must only hold in statutorily designated polling centers across our country.

    “The PDP and indeed, Nigerians are not ready to accept any fabricated result from any illegal polling center created to assist President Buhari to rig the election.”

    Way out of APC crisis —Nabena

    Speaking on the reconciliation efforts of the APC, Nabena lamented the selfish motives of some of the aggrieved party members, but said that the party must be ready to play give and take as a way of resolving the crisis in the party.

    He said: “There is no doubt that people are aggrieved, but the good thing about APC is that there are people who love the party and the President genuinely.

    “But there are people acting purely for their own selfish interest. For those who are acting on selfish interest, what do you want to give to them in the process of this reconciliation?

    “You must have something to give to the next person for him to fall in line. But if you have nothing to offer him, what do you expect?

    “So, when you set up peace and reconciliation committee, you must be sure that you achieve results.

    “If I wanted to be a senatorial candidate and I did not get that, I will be looking out for whatever you want to offer me.

    “The committees must have a package for such people from the party or the national chairman.

    “Look at what is happening in Rivers State right now. We have some people that genuinely believe in the party and the President, but right now, they have gone to other parties but still working for the President.

    “But there are those who are saying it must be me or nothing else. What are you going to do with such people?

    “If you watch closely, all these people are not talking about the Presidential election. Where we are going to have problems as a party is the fact that some governors who were not given their preferred candidates may work against the party in such places out of selfishness.

    “The chairman tried his best even though he has his own faults because he is human. But because of selfish interest, some of the governors wanted all the candidates from their states to be their preferred candidates. Such governors are likely to support their candidates who have moved to other parties.

    “As a party, we have to be very careful so that we don’t have problems in the future, and that is why the committees must put up something for these people. It is evident that we are going to lose some senators because the governors will want to support their own candidates.

    “If these senators don’t make it, they will also turn round to work against the governors during their own elections. So, that is part of our internal problems.

    “That is why the committees must have the necessary give and take. Otherwise, they may not achieve the purpose for which they were set up.

     

    Senate APC Caucus will resist moves to override Buhari’s veto —Gumel

    Senator Abdullahi Gumel (APC Jigawa) has said that the Senate Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will resist fresh moves to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto of Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

    Gumel, a member of the caucus who made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, said the caucus would do everything possible to stop the move.

    According to him, in spite of misleading reports that APC is now in the minority, the party is still in the majority and will ensure that those working to override the President’s veto do not succeed.

    “We the APC caucus are with the President. Even if they want to override him, the APC caucus is in majority. So, they do not have the number.

    “One of the concerns of the President about the bill is the provision for transmission of results electronically.

    “It is not just picking a telephone and transmitting results. It is through an equipment.

    “And it means 150,000 polling booths in the country, transmitting results from the booths to five places: state assembly, collation centre of House of Representatives, collation centre of senate to collation centre of the states to national data bank.

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    “So, the results from these five places multiplied by 150,000 is enormous.

    “INEC is yet to buy the equipment and people are not trained on this transmission and election is two months away.

    “So, there is no way INEC will be able to transmit the election electronically even if the bill is signed into law by the President.

    “Also, the ECOWAS protocol on elections should not be wished away.”

    The lawmaker said reports that some APC lawmakers who lost in their bid to return in 2019 were teaming up with the opposition to override the President’s veto were not true.

    He said all APC lawmakers both in the Senate and House of Representatives were still working together and solidly behind Buhari.

    “So, the fear that some aggrieved APC lawmakers might work with PDP and other opposition parties to override the President’s veto is nothing for us to lose sleep over.

    “Forget about being a candidate or not being a candidate; APC caucus is intact.

    “For instance, I am not a candidate for the 2019 election, but I am still an APC Caucus member,” he said.

    Gumel said those who held the view that Buhari declined assent to the bill because he was afraid of losing the 2019 election should look for a better allegation.

    He pointed out that the Buhari he knew would not be afraid of losing elections.

    President Buhari had on December 6 declined assent to the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2018 for the fourth time.

    In a letter to the National Assembly, Buhari said he withheld assent principally because passing a new electoral bill deep into the electoral process for the 2019 general elections could create uncertainty about the applicable legislation to govern the process.

    The President also listed some drafting errors in the amendment bill.

     

  • We won’t lose sleep over Atiku’s US visa row-PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won’t lose sleep over the unresolved bid by its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar to obtain the United States visa.

    Many prominent chieftains of the PDP, who spoke with our correspondent on Friday, dismissed the visa row as a non- issue, saying the party has left the matter for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to be fixated with.

    One of the party chieftains, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said the matter has been put in abeyance.

    The source said: “As far as some of us are concerned, the hoopla over US visa for Atiku has been taken off the discussion table because we don’t want it to become a source of distraction to the party.

    “In the first place, we are working to elect a suitable President for Nigeria and not a President for the United States so those who want to spend their time debating Atiku’s visa application can continue to entertain themselves.

    “What I can tell you is that the PDP as a party has moved ahead because we don’t believe that winning the 2019 presidential election would have nothing to do with getting a US visa or not”.

    Another party chieftain who did not want to be quoted said the issue of Atiku’s US visa has become a lazy talk, adding the party was busy with its campaign strategies and had little time for such distraction.

    He said: “For how long are we going to dwell on a matter that is personal to Atiku as if traveling to America will win the election for our party and candidate?

    “As far as some of us are concerned, securing a visa to America won’t win the election for Atiku so we remain unfazed by the matter”.

    National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan said Atiku remained a global citizen, wondering how many US Presidents are given condition to visit Nigeria as part of requirements for their office.

    Stressing traveling to the US isn’t one of the conditions for anyone to become President, he recalled the late President Umaru Yar ‘Adua never travelled to the United States before he became President in 2007.

  • Osun governorship dispute: Tribunal directs PDP, Adeleke to open case Monday

    The Osun State Governorship Election Tribunal has directed the petitioners – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the last governorship election in the state, Senator Ademola Adeleke – to open their case on Monday by calling witnesses.

    Tribunal Chairman, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo, gave the directive, following the prayer by the petitioners’ lawyer, Paul Ananaba (SAN), to allow the petitioners some time to prepare their witnesses and bring them from Osun State.

    Ananaba made the request for an adjournment till Monday after the tribunal ruled yesterday on two applications by the second and third respondents.

    The PDP and Adeleke are, by their petition, challenging the outcome of the election.

    They are querying the victory of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Isiaka Oyetola, in the election.

    Respondents to the petition are: the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC and Oyetola (first, second and third respondents).

    Many people, including lawyers to the respondents who expected the petitioners to be eager to prove their case, expressed surprise at the request by Ananaba.

    Respondents’ lawyers: Adesina Agbede (for the first), Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) for the second, and Abiodun Layonu (SAN) for the third, were unhappy that Ananaba sought the postponement of hearing till Monday.

    They applied for cost to, among others, compensate for the wasted time.

    But, due to tribunal chairman’s intervention, to the effect that the case was adjourned till Thursday for the hearing of the applications by the second and third respondents, the respondents’ lawyers changed their minds and conceded to an adjournment.

    At the commencement of proceedings around 10am on Thursday, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), who led Owonikoko for the second respondent, and Akin Olujinmi (SAN), who led Layonu for the third respondent, moved their applications, in which they prayed the tribunal to, among others, decline jurisdiction over the petition and dismiss it.

    Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) led the petitioners’ legal team, which included Ananaba.

    He also adopted the petitioners’ counter-argument.

    The tribunal reconvened at noon and dismissed the applications by Olanipekun and Olujinmi on the grounds that the Fourth Alteration to the Constitution, as reflected in Section 285(8), precludes an election tribunal from dismissing a petition without hearing it.

    Justice Sirajo said the Fourth Alteration had altered the position of the law that existed when an election tribunal, some years ago, dismissed a petition by Jimi Agabje (now PDP’s governorship candidate in Lagos State) without hearing it.

    The tribunal said under Section 285(8) of the Constitution, it was empowered to reserve ruling on all preliminary applications, including those challenging its jurisdiction, and deliver ruling at the point of judgment.

    Justice Sirajo said the tribunal would stick to its earlier decision to reserve ruling on two applications argued by the respondents, which touched on the tribunal’s jurisdiction and the competence of the petition.

    Adeleke, who had witnessed the proceedings till the ruling was delivered, did not return when the tribunal returned from its noon short break.

    Olanipekun, Olujinmi and Ikpeazu also did not witness the afternoon proceedings.

    At the commencement of proceedings after the one hour break, Justice Sirajo asked if the petitioners were ready to open their case. Ananaba, who took Ikpeazu’s place, said the petitioners needed time to get their witnesses.

    He sought an adjournment to enable the petitioners bring their witnesses from Osun State.

    Justice Sirajo granted Ananaba’s request and adjourned till Monday for the petitioners to open their case.

     

  • PDP is day dreaming, says Kwara APC chair

    The chairman of the Kwara State All Progressives Congress (APC), Bashir Bolarinwa, in this interview with ADEKUNLE JIMOH, describes the party’s victory at the recent House of Representatives by-election in Eki/Oke-Ero/Isin/Irepodun Constituency as a sign post to next year’s general election in the state.

    Would you shed light on the challenge of reconciliation in the Kwara APC?

    So far so good, some stakeholders and party members preferred direct primaries. Of course, there is no mode of primaries we opted for that will not come with its own challenges. But, I want to say that the direct primaries that we chose actually caused some ripples. It came with a long of challenges, but at long run winners eventually emerged. Winners emerged for all the offices. 24 House of Assembly, six House of Representatives and three senatorial candidate and the governorship.

    After the primaries there were few hiccups as some people wrote petitions to the Appeal panel and a few of the results produced by the electoral panel were upturned. That also came with some few problems. On the whole, we saw the necessity to reconcile aggrieved members of the party. That led us to putting in place a very powerful reconciliation committee headed by Peter Olorunishola (SAN), an elderly person in the party. Notable party members served the committee.

    But, one good development is that after all said and done, the reconciliation committee is now planning to round up its work with a unity meeting in which all categories of aspirants are going to be brought together, addressed and talked to openly. At the end of the day a communiqué would be issued out to tell Kwarans and Nigerians as a whole that Kwara state APC has become one strong, united house.

    Have you been able to reconcile Shuaib Abdulraheem, one of the aggrieved governorship aspirant?

    Now, the case of Prof. Shuaib Abdulraheem, there is little or no problem regarding that. Emissaries had been sent to him and the most elderly of all the aspirants, I do not think there is anything to border about his case. He has come out to say repeatedly that he remains in APC and that he wants his supporters to remain in APC. I think that some elders of the party have also gone to speak with him. So, I do not think he is pulling any string and I think he is also going to work for the party.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the recent election into the Ekiti/Oke-Ero/Isin/Irepodun Federal Constituency, calling it daylight robbery. What is your response?

    PDP in the state is day dreaming. What happened to them was never expected. They thought that, just like their leader usually says, that he has Kwara in his pocket, he does not know that his pocket is already leaking. He did not expect what actually happened. So, I heard all they have said. APC won that election fair and square. And what happened was that we did all we have to do and because Kwarans too are ready for the freedom, they are ready to be liberated and free themselves from the shackles, stranglehold of the Saraki dynasty. That was the result that you saw in the by-election.

    There is nothing to actually cry about. Although they complained about security agencies, but it is even very clear and straightforward. If security agencies had assisted our party, what made PDP to win in Ekiti local government? Why did we have to get a draw in Oke-Ero local government? What happened was that the security agencies did a good job. They made sure that a conducive atmosphere prevailed during the election. There was nothing like ballot stuffing or ballot snatching. People were allowed to move freely and expressed their free will. There were no clashes or molestations of any form.

    That is what happened. But, they are not used to that. They are used to coercing people to do things against their wish. That is why they are crying over spilled milk.

    But, they claimed INEC rigged the election for APC?

    That is exactly what they used to do. They know how they have influenced INEC in the past. So, I don’t know where INEC had assisted us. They said they are going to the tribunal. They should go there and prove their case. I know that we won that election fair and square. No assistance from anywhere. We relied heavily on the people of the state that were ready to liberate themselves.

    What is your reaction to the withdrawal of senatorial ticket from Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed, who incidentally, is from your local government?

    We are from the same local government, but unfortunately, we are not from the same party. That is their own kettle of fish. But, it also shows and confirms all we have been saying all this while. If a senatorial ticket is withdrawn from the governor of the state, who is concluding his second term in office, and there is no reaction, it is to tell you that the governor has not performed. The party too has not performed. The case of Saraki and Ahmed is that of pot calling kettle black. They are birds of the same feathers. It is the case of Abdulfatah we are seeing now. Bukola will see his own come 2019. When he will have nobody to blame rather than himself; whoever they give the ticket to APC will by the grace of God win in 2019.

    How confident is APC about 2019?

    By the grace of God, we are very confident. We have our hope in God and in the people of Kwara who are ready to liberate themselves; who have seen the good from the bad. They know what has been happening in the neighbouring APC states. They have seen how rapid development is taking place. That has actually made them to decide that APC is the party to go for in the state.

     

  • ‘Why PDP shouldn’t return to power’

    •Lagos APC chairman: campaign starts Monday

    Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy governorship candidate Dr. Obafemi Hamzat yesterday said there would be chaos if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is voted back into office.

    Urging Nigerians to reject the party, the former Works Commissioner stressed that the “PDP should be dead and buried in 2019”.

    Hamzat spoke at the unveiling of APC’s campaign vehicles at the party’s office on Acme Road, Ogba, Ikeja.

    The ceremony was presided over by the state Chairman, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, who announced that the campaigns would begin on Monday at the Ikeja Division.

    The chairman said the branded vehicles would be distributed to the 57 councils for campaigns, adding that they would be returned to the party secretariat after the elections.

    Hamzat said: “We are unveiling the vehicles to disseminate information in Lagos, the Southwest and Nigeria. Our campaigns will be very easy because the PDP government let Nigeria down in 16 years. They spent N1.7 trillion on power in 16 years and they could only generate 2,950 megawatts (MW). Between 2015 and now, the APC government has generated 16,500MW.

    “The PDP-led Federal Government did not finish a single road between 1999 and 2015. The asphalt for Oyo-Ogbomoso road was not done. The Gombe-Yola-Taraba road, which leads to the state of their candidate, was done by this government. We should protect Nigeria. The PDP should not return to power for the sake of our children.

    “When there was oil money, the PDP did less. We have done more with less: N266 billion was put in the budget. That is why we could finish the roads.

    “The PDP government claimed it has done Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbomoso road. It was just the bidding cost. The PDP should be buried. They never did well.”

    Hamzat chided the Lagos State PDP governorship candidate, Mr Jimi Agbaje, for promising to give freedom to Lagosians.

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    The APC chieftain emphasised that the state had been liberated since 1999.

    He said: “Agbaje is talking about freedom. Who has put him in shackles? Who is enslaving them? They are not talking about education, road, water, health. In 1999, Lagos was a bankrupt state. The state was earning N600 million monthly. The salary was N1.2 billion. Asiwaju Tinubu raised the internally generated revenue (IGR) of the state.

    “Lagos has grown phenomenally. It can survive without the Federal Government. Lagos is the fifth largest economy in Africa; bigger than 31 countries.”

  • Court affirms reversal of Kashamu, others’ suspension by PDP

    •Party’s power to discipline erring members upheld

    A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Apo, Abuja, has insisted on its reversal of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) expulsion of Senator Buruji Kashamu and some other members of the party.

    Delivering judgment yesterday, Justice Valentine Ashi averred that although the PDP, by its constitution, has the power to reprimand or take disciplinary measures against erring members, including to bar or expel such members, but it must observe due process while exercising such power.

    The PDP, earlier this year, announced its expulsion of Senator Kashamu (Ogun East and now the party’s governorship candidate in the state) and the state Chairman, Adebayo Dayo, through a letter, dated August 1.

    But in a ruling on October 10, Justice Ashi set aside the expulsion and held that purported expulsion was unlawful.

    The judge held that it was done in flagrant disobedience of a subsisting order of the court made on December 7, last year, which was restated on January 9, directing parties not to do anything to jeopardise the hearing of the pending case brought against Kashamu, Dayo and two others by the PDP.

    The judge delivered the verdict in a suit in which the party prayed the court to, among others, hold that it has the power to discipline its erring members.

    Justice Ashi recalled that he earlier set aside the defendants’ suspension on the grounds that it was done without due process and during the pendency of the suit.

    The judge granted the first two prayers by the plaintiff, which relate to its power to reprimand erring members, but added that granting them did not reverse the court’s earlier decision voiding the expulsion.

    Read also: PDP hails courts validation of Kashamu’s expulsion

    He said: “The decision to suspend the defendants was nullified because it was taken during the pendency of the suit, which suspension this court had reversed in an earlier ruling.

    “That the plaintiff’s first and second reliefs succeed is not to say that the ruling has been reversed. Parties are to revert to the status quo before the suspension. The plaintiff is at liberty to exercise its disciplinary powers, but with due process.”

    He declined to pronounce judgment on the plaintiff’s other reliefs, including the prayers for restraining injunctions against the defendants to prevent them from taking steps to disrupt the PDP’s non-elective convention last held by the party.

    The judge said the reliefs were no longer virile because they had been overtaken by event, since the convention had been held.

     

  • PDP contests INEC’s publication of APC candidates’ names

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged the publication of the names of candidates of the Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 elections.

    The PDP, represented by Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), argued that INEC should not have published or displayed the purported list of candidates for APC, following the court’s voiding of the congresses and primary elections, which produced them.

    He urged the court to order INEC to withdraw the list as published by INEC and mark them disqualified for failing to comply with the stipulated procedure for selecting candidates for election as provided by the Electoral Act.

    However the APC factions, represented by Henry Bello (for Abe) and Kayode Alatoki (for Amaechi), objected to the application on the grounds that the PDP had no right to meddle into the internal affairs of another party.

    Ukala, who spoke through his assistant, Dike Udenna, said: “The PDP is one of the political parties in Nigeria participating in the 2019 elections. It has nominated and is sponsoring candidates for that election, therefore it is entitled, as of right, to check and ensure that its contenders meet the same guidelines, conditions, regulations, laws.

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    “We are on this matter because we have discovered that the APC is seeking to participate in the election but has not complied with the same requirements and laws to hold valid primaries, and INEC is going along with it, which we think is unacceptable, in view of Section 87 (1), which says for a political party to participate in an election, it must hold primaries for its candidates.”

    Justice Omotoso also adjourned a suit by PDP, challenging the INEC’s publication of names of APC candidates for the 2019 election despite the court’s nullification of the state congresses.

     

  • ‘Kwara does not need APC, PDP’

    Kwara State Alliance National Party (ANP) House of Representatives candidate Kehinde Abdullateef Obanimomo spoke with ADEKUNLE JIMOH on how he will restore peace to the troubled Ifelodun/Offa/Oyan Constituency, if elected in next year’s poll.

    Why did not venture into the murky waters of politics?

    The Not too Young to Rule policy of the current President Muhmmadu Buhari spurred me into politics. I am still young in politics. This is my first time of taking a shot at any elective post.

    What are your chances of winning?

    I am 100 percent of emerging victorious in the 2019 National Assembly Elections for Alliance National Party to represent Ifedolun/Offa/Oyun Federal Constituency of Kwara state. I have the backing of my constituents.

    Why using ANP as a vehicle for your aspiration?

    I have resolved to use the platform of the ANP for my aspiration as it is a new party that is not studded with long time politicians, godfather and moneybags.

    We have been able to convince our people not to collect money from politicians before casting their votes; because by so doing they are mortgaging their future. 80 percent of the electorates are now conscious of that.

    The collection of money from politicians during election times had beggared the lot of my constituents. You see that the three local government areas are lacking in developmental activities. Those that have been representing us have not represented us well.

    From Oyun, Offa and Ifelodun local government areas are yearning for infrastructural facilities. Most of the roads in these areas have all collapsed. Educational and health wise the areas are behind in the state and by extension the country.

    How do you hope to represent the people well, if you emerge the winner of the election?

    My watchword will be honest and transparency if voted into power. Our representatives over the years in the constituency have not utilised funds for the oversight functions well and equitably. The purposes for their elections have been neglected. My own representation shall be a clear departure from their style as I don’t have any godfather. I will make sure that all carried along development wise irrespective of the ethnic, religious and political leanings.

    How will you solve ‘the deep-seated antagonism’ between Offa and Erin-Ile in Oyun local government area?

    We have consulting with members of the two communities to see that they all one. We have also been unifying other places in Ifelodun local government area. Everybody, most especially are totally supportive of my aspiration as I am one of them; they believe I am capable of doing it. Definitely, there is the youth backing I am confident there will be unity. Once the unity is there, there will be no qualms.

    Already, there is a conflict resolution forum in the vanguard of smoothen relations between Offa and other neighbouring towns and villages. Though I am not part of the forum, but as a youth I have won the heart of Youths from Oyun local government to end the frequent clashes between villages and towns in Ibolo land.

    What is your relationship with the National Chairman of your party, Mosood Shittu, who incidentally is from Offa like you?

    I did not know him before now. He is not an Offa based person. He is based in Lagos and Abuja.

    Do you think godfatherism is bad in politics?

    It is 90 percent bad and 10 percent good. This is because as a neophyte in politics you need somebody to guide you. The issue of godfatherism in Nigeria always serves as cog in the wheel of the godsons. The influence of godfathers weighs heavily on the performance of the godsons.

     

  • PDP hails court affirmation of its power, but fails to get rid of Kashamu

    A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday left the Peoples Democratic Party disappointed by ruling that the expulsion of Senator Buruji Kashamu and leaders of his Ogun PDP faction was unlawful.

    However, the same court affirmed the party’s power to expel an erring member of the party.

    National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, apparently had not fully read the judgment in the suit marked FCT/HC/CV/0303/2017 before rushing out a statement to commend the judge and also interpret it to mean that the verdict  validated the nomination of Ladi Adebutu as the governorship candidate of the party.

    Buruji Kashamu claims that he is the legal candidate. On Tuesday, he, along with his running mate, Dr. Reuben Abati, launched his campaign in Ijebu-Igbo as the authentic, court-endorsed governorship candidate of the party.

    According to a report posted on Kashamu’s Twitter handle on Thursday, the court did not grant the PDP all the prayers it wanted. Rather, it only got affirmation for its right to discipline members. And this came with a caveat: the sanctioning must follow due process and the rule of law.

    Justice Valentine Ashi, maintained that though the PDP was empowered by its constitution to discipline, reprimand, bar or expel recalcitrant members from its fold, it held that due process must be followed in the exercise of such powers.

    Justice Ashi had in a previous ruling on October 10, nullified the suspension in August  of Kashamu and other members of the party on the premise that the action was carried out without regards to due process and in total disregard to a pending suit on the matter.

    He held that  the PDP took the action in flagrant disobedience of a subsisting order the court made on December 7, 2017, which was restated on January 9, 2018, directing parties not to do anything to jeopardise the hearing of the pending case brought against Kashamu, Dayo and two others by the party itself.

    The court scolded the party for resorting to self-help by suspending its affected members, despite the pendency of the legal action they instituted against it.

    The judge trod the same path on Thursday. The judge did not validate the expulsion of Kashamu and the others.

    “The decision to suspend the defendants was nullified, because it was taken during the pendency of the suit, which suspension this court had reversed in an earlier ruling.

    “That the plaintiff’s first and second reliefs succeed is not to say that the suspension has been reversed. Parties are to revert to the status quo before the suspension. The plaintiff is at liberty to exercise its disciplinary powers, but with due process”.

    Justice Ashi declined to pronounce on the plaintiff’s other reliefs which include prayers for restraining injunctions against Kashamu and the Adebayo Dayo-led faction to prevent them from taking steps to disrupt the last non-elective convention that was held by the PDP.

    The judge said the reliefs were overtaken by events since the said convention had been held.

    The PDP had through a letter dated August 1, announced its expulsion of Senator Kashamu who is representing Ogun East and the state PDP Chairman, Engr Adebayo Dayo.

    The victims rushed to court for protection.

    In an obvious misinterpretation of the judgment, the PDP Publicity secretary Ologbodiyan urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) to copiously take note of the development and the conduct of the governorship election in Ogun.

    “The PDP invites Nigerians, the people of Ogun and particularly the INEC to take copious note of the judgment of the court.

    “The judgement, in suit no: FCT/HC/0303/2017, delivered today, Dec. 13, 2018 affirmed the powers of the PDP, as provided in her constitution, to discipline and punish any member who contravenes any of the provisions of its constitution.

    “By this judgment, it is clear that Kashamu is not a member of the PDP, and cannot, under any circumstance whatsoever, claim to be the governorship candidate of the party in Ogun, moreso, when he never participated in any of its nomination processes.’’

    Ologbondiyan said that going by the expulsion of the senator from the PDP in August, Buruji lost his membership of PDP and as such, did not partake in any of the party’s nomination processes.

    “He did not purchase the PDP governorship nomination form and did not participate in any way whatsoever in our Ogun governorship primary. Yet, he had continued to cause confusion and parade himself as PDP candidate.

    “Finally, the PDP commends the people of Ogun for standing steadfast with its governorship candidate, Adebutu, who is already coasting to victory in the 2019 polls,’’ he said. NAN

  • Atiku assures women of strong representation, if elected

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has pledged to give women a strong representation in his government, if elected in 2019.

    Abubakar made the pledge during an interactive session with Nigerian women on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He said that he decided to have his first interaction with women because the PDP had never refused to advance or protect the interest of women.

    “This is the first interactive session we are having with any group and this is to underline the importance of women as far as our party is concerned.

    ’’Since you are about 50 per cent of our population, our representatives at all levels must reflect this population.

    ”Some will argue that gender equality is a deal that cannot be achieved overnight, I disagree.

    ”We can achieve it. The PDP almost achieved it until the government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) took over power.

    ”I stand before you here today and I want you to hold me accountable. I will commit to a strong representation of women in our PDP government and also recall that when I was the Vice President, I demonstrated this belief.

    ”I brought some of the brightest women into our government. Therefore, gender should not be a barrier.

    ”In terms of quantity and quality, you will play a lead role in our administration,” Abubakar said.

    Abubakar, while answering questions, promised to put in place a financial programme targeted at empowering them to tackle poverty as well as establish a sustainable financial inclusion system that would address discrimination against women.

    “For those of you who might have come from the same state with me, some years ago, I decided to set up a micro finance bank.

    ”I brought management experts from Bangladesh because Bangladesh is the best country in the management of micro finance.

    “I gave them instructions to make sure that 80 per cent of the loans go to women and today that bank is one of the best micro finance banks in the country.

    ”We have moved out more than 45, 000 people out of poverty in my area. If you want to fight poverty, empower women.

    ”I am not talking politics, I am sentimentally and emotionally attached to womanhood,” he stated.

    Abubakar also pledged to improve the country’s transportation system by improving the infrastructure including good roads, railway and airport to reduce accidents.

    He also pledged that in line with PDP history, his government would give better attention to the entertainment industry.