The Nation Newspaper

Tag: SDP

  • SDP candidate Ajaka rejects Kogi Gov tribunal ruling

    SDP candidate Ajaka rejects Kogi Gov tribunal ruling

    The gubernatorial of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kogi State,  Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka has said his loss at the tribunal to Governor Usman Ododo is a temporary setback, declaring he is prepared to pursue the case to the highest court.

    Ajaka, who was reacting to the verdict of the Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which dismissed his petition against Governor Ododo, said in a statement that: “A long walk to freedom has just begun”

    According to him: “Today, I come before you with a heavy heart, but also with a fire of optimism burning in my soul. We have just received the news that our election petition has been unsuccessful at the tribunal.

    “It is a setback, a moment of disappointment, and it is natural for us to feel disheartened. But let me tell you this, my fellow Kogites, this is not the end of our journey. This is just a chapter in our fight for justice, truth, the rights of our people and freedom”.

    Ajaka affirmed that: “Despite the outcome at the tribunal, I am proud to say that we had a team of brilliant lawyers who did an outstanding job in proving the case of overvoting during the election.

    “Their dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to upholding the principles of democracy have left an indelible mark on our case as we push further”.

    The SDP candidate added: “Throughout the entire process, our lawyers exhibited the highest level of professionalism and tenacity. They meticulously gathered evidence, scrutinized data, and presented a compelling case to the tribunal, but the tribunal despite agreeing to over-voting struck our case out.

    “These lawyers did not fail us. We are very optimistic that they will be vindicated by the end of the petition. I can assure you that this judgment will not stand the test of time.

    “Yes, we may have lost the battle at the tribunal, but the war is far from over. Our stolen mandate, our voice, our power, will not be silenced. We will rise from the ashes of this defeat, stronger and more determined than ever before.

    “Today, we must encourage each other to be hopeful, to be relentless in our pursuit of justice, and to keep our faith unwavering”.

    According to him: “It is in times like these that our resilience is tested. We must remember why we embarked on this political journey in the first place. Our dreams, our hopes for a better future for Kogi, for a fairer society, for the upliftment of the marginalized, for the protection of our people, and for the progress of our state – these dreams are not dependent on a single election outcome.

    “We must remind ourselves that our fight is not just about winning an election; it is about standing up for what is right, for what is just, and for what we believe in.

    Read Also: One year in office: Tinubu has performed well, says Wike

    “Our opponents may have won this first round, the battle, but they have not won the war. We will take this fight to the very end, where justice will prevail. We will reclaim our stolen mandate and restore the faith of our people in the democratic process.

    “Let us not lose sight of the bigger picture. We have been given an opportunity, a platform to make a difference. Losing at the tribunal does not make us losers; it makes us fighters, warriors who will not back down in the face of adversity.

    “The violence, aggression and intimidation we faced during the election did not stop us. We will not be deterred by temporary setbacks, because our spirit is unbreakable.

    “I call upon every one of you, my fellow Kogites to stay united, to stand strong, and to continue the fight. Our journey may be long and challenging, but together, we can overcome any obstacles that come our way. Let us not lose hope, let us not lose faith, and let us not lose sight of the ultimate goal.

    “Remember, my fellow Kogites, that history is filled with stories of triumph against all odds. We are the authors of our own destiny, and we have the power to shape the future. Let our determination be our guiding light, and let our relentless pursuit of justice be the fuel that propels us forward.

    “I want to remind you all that we are not alone in this fight. The people who believe in us, who have placed their trust in us, are counting on us to fulfil our promise. Let us not disappoint them. Let us rise above this setback, and together, let us reclaim our stolen mandate”.

  • SDP lauds FG over efforts to tackle insecurity

    SDP lauds FG over efforts to tackle insecurity

    • …commends EFCC chairman for transparency, professionalism

    The national chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alh Shehu Musa Gabam, on Sunday, April 28, commended the efforts of the federal government in addressing insecurity nationwide.

    Gabam spoke in Abuja while answering questions from reporters on the state of the Nation.

    He pointed out that the efforts of the government have yielded significant improvements and called for the support of Nigerians to achieve more for the betterment of the citizens

    He also called on the government to ensure it keeps improving as the non-statement of the actors behind such nefarious activities is also improving itself.

    He also commended the government for the measures it was taking to ensure the stability of the naira and improve the economy, saying that the nation would rise again with the political will to maintain the current efforts aimed at fixing the nation for the betterment of the Citizens

    He said: “I know as a matter of fact that the level of crime and criminality, kidnapping, the maiming and barbarism have drastically reduced. Most of the gang leaders that have been responsible for kidnapping people have been eliminated or arrested or under prosecution.

    “This is a kudos to the Federal government because in the absence of securing the environment, you cannot have a political environment and you cannot have an investment-friendly environment. The confidence needs to be restored.

    Read Also: Benue insecurity and attempted vilification of Jonathan Agbidyeh

    “People who are bringing in resources need to be assured that their lives would be secured, their investment would be secured. So the security level in the country is tremendously improving.

    “You can drive from here, Abuja to Kaduna anytime now even in the night. Even in the south East, the sit-at-home has reduced drastically. So the government has put a lot of attention, a lot of priority in securing the territorial integrity of the country.

    “So I give them kudos in terms of security and in terms of improving the security architecture of the country. But they should do much more because the sophistication of the non-statement actors challenging the states is also improving.

    “So the dynamics and the approach of the government and the security agencies must also improve to deal with the unanticipated areas of behaviour to undermine the government that is in place. But so far in the area of security, the government is doing tremendously well.

    “In the currency, we are seeing the fluctuations even though in the last few days it has shot up again but we hope that they would look at the entire mayhem surrounding the forex and those responsible for the fluctuations and sabotaging the economy and deal with it aggressively.”

    This came just as the SDP national chairman lauded the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede, for his efforts in addressing the problem of corruption threatening the foundation of the country in all spheres of the economy.

    He urged Nigerians to be fair to the new chairman of the EFCC and support him in his efforts to deal with corruption in the country.

    Gabam counselled the EFCC boss to be focused and not be deterred from sanitizing the system.

    He noted: “Listening to the current chairman of the EFCC, his approach, I think Nigerians should be fair to him. They should give him credit for the way and manner he is dealing with the issue.

    “First he mentioned that the institution needs to be sanitized because individuals use institutions to siphon public funds. Now if you do not strengthen the institution, if you do not block the leakages, there’s no way you can be able to strengthen the institution and stop individuals from using our public institutions to siphon resources of the country for personal interest.

    “I believe that approach he is doing particularly in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs is professional, well-articulated. And he has said he is not dealing with individuals. He is dealing with institutions and that investigation would take time because it has to do with the root causes and the easiest way people can siphon public funds which is great to me.

    “So it is not fair for people to vilify him simply because he has granted a press conference and he is giving a situation report and the approach he is taking. Normally investigations professionally all over the world take a very long time.

    “So for me, he has expressed himself. He should be given the opportunity. He is approaching it professionally. The government should strengthen and encourage him to do the needful.

    “He should remain focused, decisive and patriotic in dealing with every issue. He has a more civilised approach as far as I am concerned. In encouraging him to continue doing whatever he is doing. Whatever he does people are going to criticize him so let him remain focused and achieve the goal.”

  • Kogi guber: SDP closes case after 25 witnesses

    Kogi guber: SDP closes case after 25 witnesses

    • Ododo, APC to open defence April 15

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the last governorship election in Kogi State, Governor Usman Ododo are to open their defence on April 15 in the dispute over the outcome of the election held on November 11, 2023.

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate in the election, Murtala Yakubu Ajaka are challenging  Ododo’s victory before the state Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja.

     Yesterday, the petitioners – SDP and Ajaka – closed their case, following which a three-member tribunal headed  by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, adjourned till April 15 for the respondents to commence their defence.

    The petition by the SDP and Ajaka has the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ododo and APC listed  as first, second and third respondents.

    At the commencement of proceedings on Friday, lawyers to the respondents  opposed the move by the petitioners’ lawyer, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) to call a Digital Forensic Expert,  Edidiong Udoh as his witness.

    Kanu Agabi (SAN) for INEC,  Alex Iziyon (SAN) for Ododo and Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) for the APC  argued that the petitioners did not list Ufoh among its witnesses as required by law.

    They added that Udoh’s  witness statement on oath was not front-loaded alongside the petition, as required.

    The respondents’ lawyers equally argued that the petitioners served the reports of the witness’ analysis on them 20 minutes before the commencement of the proceedings.

    Okutepa, however, insisted that the forensic expert was listed on Page 56 of the petition as item 10, adding that his statement was also front-loaded.

    He agreed that the report was served on the respondents a few minutes to the proceedings.

    Okutepa subsequently urged the tribunal to allow him to lead Udoh in evidence and stand down the matter for 30 minutes for the respondents to study the report.

     When he was eventually allowed to testify, Udoh sought the tribunal’s permission to effect some corrections in his statement which the tribunal allowed, but asked the respondents to raise their objection at the point of final address.

    The witness said: “The particular words that I used were not proper. I said, ‘There was some very suspicious software.’ I apply to change it to ‘there was no suspicious software used,’” he prayed.

    Agabi, Iziyon and Ukala disagreed with Udoh’s oral application.

    Agabi said: “If this kind of amendment is permissible, then there is no kind of amendment that cannot be permissible,” Agabi said.

    The judge asked them to reserve their objections for their final written addresses.

    Iziyon and Ukala, who aligned with Agabi’s submission, agreed to raise the objection at the appropriate time.

    While giving evidence, Udoh said he had 12 certificates in support of his qualifications.

     And when Okutepa sought to tender the certificates of the witness as exhibits, the respondents’ lawyers objected.

    They queried why the counsel only sought to tender photocopies of the certificates without supporting the documents with the originals.

    The witness responded that he forgot to come with the original certificates.

    Read Also: SDP closes case after 25 witnesses, Ododo, APC to open defence April 15

    “The originals were mistakenly left in my office in Port Harcourt but I have them,” Udoh said.

    Although the tribunal refused to admit the photocopies, the petitioners’ lawyer pleaded, insisting that the certificates were personal documents and that they could be admitted.

     Justice Birnin-Kudu admitted the documents and urged the counsel for the respondents to reserve their objections till the final address.

    On cross-examination, the witness was asked if he was the only one that worked on the report, and he said eight other experts worked on it with him.

    His attention was drawn to the fact that he did not signify the names of these experts in the report and that their signatures were not also included.

    Udoh responded that his name and signature were on the report because he was the team leader.

    “Eight of us conducted the analysis. As digital forensic experts, our qualifications are identical.

    “I signed the report as the team lead. The reason I did not include their name is because I was the team lead,” he said.

    The witness was also asked if he knew the meaning of BVAS Machine and what it contained. He said they were supposed to contain information on accredited voters and registered voters and any other information.

    The respondents’ counsel asked if such information included Form EC8A and he said yes, it might include it.

    The respondents’ lawyer then asked if all the snap shots of BVAS Machine that were included in his report contained Form EC8A.

    Udoh said the snap shots were only for accredited voters and registered voters.

    The INEC guideline provides what BVAS  should contain and Form EC8A is one of it.

    When asked if he examined the ballot papers and if his findings on the ballot papers were contained in his report, he said no.

    He, however, confirmed that INEC gave him the voters register but that he could not remember the number given to him.

    A major discrepancy observed during the hearing was that figures reflected in the witness’ report conflicted with the figures contained in SDP’s petition.

     But he said he did not depend on the petition to write his report.

    The witness, who was said to have used a word, dactylography in his report was asked if he knew the meaning, he said yes, that he was an expert in finger print.

    His attention was then brought to his CV, as tendered, which did not mention that.

    When asked if he knew that there was a certificate for experts in dactylography, he said he didn’t know.

  • SDP witness: My counsel’s name is ‘my lawyer’

    SDP witness: My counsel’s name is ‘my lawyer’

    Hearing continued at the Kogi State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Wednesday with four witnesses testifying for the petitioners, the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    The witnesses’ accounts, like in previous sittings, followed virtually the same patterns even when they voted in different polling units.

    Visible contradictions were also discovered during cross-examination, which, in most cases, could not be explained by the witnesses concerned.

    While one of the four witnesses, Danlamin Abaji Yakubu, from Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State, claimed that he was an agent of the SDP during the election, others said they were not agents.

    Yakubu, who said he was a member of the SDP, a voter and the Party’s agent during the election, however, noted, under cross-examination, that he had lost everything that could prove that he was an agent.

    When asked if he stated in his deposition that he was an agent in the election, he told the Tribunal that he forgot to say so.

    He also admitted that he did not write his deposition but explained to his lawyer, who he said wrote it for him.

    When his attention was also brought to the fact that in Paragraph 4 of his deposition, he did not indicate the total number of accredited voters, he said it was a mistake by the typist.

    The Respondents’ counsel asked him to state the number he meant to write if it was a mistake. But he said, “I don’t know the number.”

    In his deposition, he indicated that the number of registered voters in his polling unit was 771, but when he was asked to confirm the number, he said, “I did not indicate that I voted in my deposition.”

    This was amusing because his answer did not tally with the question he was asked.

    Another witness, Abdulkareem Muhammed Ogeja, also from Ajaokuta, created room for a mild drama under cross-examination.

    He said though he was a member of the SDP, he did not state in his deposition that he was a member of the party.

    But he confirmed that he was not the party’s agent during the election and that the SDP had an agent at his polling unit.

    The Respondent’s counsel asked, “Are you surprised that the SDP agent did not complain and you were the only one that complained? He said, “I’m not surprised.”

    The interesting part of his appearance was when he was asked if he wrote the deposition by himself and he said his lawyer did after he explained what happened to him.

    When he was told to mention the name of his lawyer, the witness said, “His name is my lawyer.”

    The Respondents’ lawyer then asked him, “Which language did you use to communicate with your lawyer?” Ogeja said he communicated with his lawyer “in vernacular”.

    Investigations, however, revealed that there was no illiterate jurat in his deposition as required.

    He also noted that he did not know the number of registered voters in his polling unit and that he did not also receive any paper indicating the number on the day of election, whereas he was said to have quoted the figures in his deposition.

    On his part, Emmanuel Ohiare, from Okehi Local Government Area, said he was not a member of the SDP neither was he an agent but noted that the party had an agent at his polling unit.

    It was therefore an issue of concern that the SDP agent did not complain of irregularities but a random voter.

    He also admitted, under cross-examination, that the election went on smoothly and proper procedures were followed, noting that voters were validly accredited. But he maintained that there was over-voting even though it was observed that he could not substantiate this during cross-examination.

    He told the Tribunal that his lawyer prepared the deposition for him but did not know the name of his lawyer.

    Read Also: APC settles for direct primary to pick Ondo Gov candidate

    The judge observed that the witness, Ohiare, was being evasive during cross-examination.

    Abdullahi Musa, from Ajaokuta Local Government Area, said he was not at his polling unit as the agent and did not know whether the SDP had an agent.

    He told the Tribunal that proper procedures were not followed, but during cross-examination, he was confronted with Paragraph 5 of his deposition, where he had said that the procedures were properly followed.

    He indicated there that there was voters’ accreditation and that he was fully accredited.

    Another interesting twist to his claims was that he had made reference to a particular Form EC40H(1)PWD in his deposition. But when asked, during cross-examination if he knew the said form, he said no.

    When the witness’ attention was drawn to Paragraph 5(F) of his deposition, which contained the Form EC40(1)PWD, and the fact that his response meant that the statement in that paragraph was not correct, he said, “I know.”

    Sitting was subsequently adjourned to April 4, 2024 for continuation of hearing.

    Four witnesses had testified on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, and they all confirmed that they were voters and not party agents.

    One of the witnesses, Abdulsalam Adamson, from Okehi Local Government, had said no one threatened him not to testify in court, contrary to claims that the SDP witnesses were being threatened.

    Others that testified on Tuesday were Salawudeen Abdulraheem, Adavi Local Government;

    Abdulazeez Abdulkareem, Okehi Local Government; and Raji Usman, also from Okehi.

    The lead counsel for the petitioners at the hearing on Wednesday was Pius Akubo, SAN.

    Kanu Agabi SAN represented the Independent National Electoral Commission,

    A.M. Aliu SAN, appeared for Governor Usman Ododo, while

    E.C. Ukala SAN, represented the All Progressives Congress.

    On Tuesday, Alex Iziyon  SAN appeared for Governor Ododo.

    The SDP is challenging the victory of Gov. Ododo of the APC in the November 2023 Governorship election in the state.

  • SDP alleges attacks on witnesses in Kogi election tribunal

    SDP alleges attacks on witnesses in Kogi election tribunal

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its governorship candidate Murtala Ajaka have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and security agencies to halt alleged attacks on its witnesses at the ongoing Kogi Election tribunal sitting.

    The party, in a statement by Director New Media of Muri/Sam Campaign Council, Isaiah Davies Ijele, said many of iits witnesses at the trial have been intimidated and harassed by the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC).

    It alleged: “In a deeply concerning development, witnesses from Kogi Central who have come forward to testify about overvoting and irregularities during the November 11, 2023 election have been subjected to violence and intimidation.

    “Their properties have been vandalized and burnt, with reports of a pregnant woman being assaulted. These acts are unacceptable and are creating a climate of fear that discourages individuals from participating in a peaceful judicial process. If unchecked, this can undermine our democracy in Nigeria.”

    It added: “The presentation of BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System) data has revealed significant discrepancies, indicating potential over voting in all wards and polling units presented thus far, raises serious questions about the legitimacy of the election results declared by INEC.

    “Furthermore, an affidavit submitted by Mr. Usman Ododo, the APC candidate, has been verified as fake by the High Court Registrar at the tribunal. This blatant attempt to mislead the INEC undermines the integrity of the entire process.

    “Moreso, it should be a matter of great concern to every citizen of Kogi state and lover of democracy in Nigeria if a supposed governor has no substantial document of his claimed academic qualifications and could present a fake affidavit of declaration of age and loss of documents.

    “It is also worth knowing that certain individuals from Kogi Central are reportedly spreading misleading information about the tribunal proceedings on social media platforms. Additionally, some mainstream media outlets have been accused of publishing biased reports that inflame emotions rather than providing accurate information.

    Read Also: SDP’s alleged attack on witnesses reckless, says Kogi

    “We urge the President and all relevant authorities to intervene immediately in this situation. It is imperative to ensure the safety and security of all individuals involved in the Kogi electoral tribunal case. A thorough investigation into the reported violence and intimidation is essential at this moment.

    “We also call upon media houses to uphold journalistic integrity and professionalism in their reporting of the tribunal proceedings. Accurate and factual reporting is crucial for maintaining public trust in the democratic process.

    “We cannot allow our democracy to be undermined by electoral fraud, violence, and the spread of misinformation. We urge all stakeholders to act swiftly and decisively to ensure a fair and transparent judicial process.”

  • Kogi governorship dispute: SDP’s witnesses make conflicting claims

    Kogi governorship dispute: SDP’s witnesses make conflicting claims

    Four witnesses called by the petitioners in the ongoing hearing in the dispute over the November 11 governorship election in Kogi State made conflicting claims in their testimonies before the tribunal on Monday.

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate in the election, Muritala Ajaka are challenging the declaration of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Ododo as the winner of the election.

    Led in evidence by petitioners’ lawyer, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), the four witnesses – Rufai Muhammed, Yakubu Abdulazeez, Hamza Abdulazeez, 

    Said Muhammed, all from Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi – took turn to adopt the written statements.

    In the statements, they claimed, among others, that the election was marred by irregularities and that no valid accreditation and voting took place.

    Read Also: Why we did not recover $69.4 million electricity debt, by NBET

    Under cross-examination, they denied authoring the statements and admitted not being polling unit agents, but voters.

    As against the claim in his written statement that no valid accreditation of voters took place in his polling units, Muhammed, under cross-examination, said he was validly accredited to vote and that he voted. 

    When confronted with his written statement, Muhammed denied writing it.

    Abdulazeez claimed, in his statement, that he stood in a particular place during  the voting exercise and noticed that there was over-voting.

    Abdulazeez, who claimed, in his statement, that he stood watching the voting process,  could however, not stand on his feet while testifying on Monday.

    The witness said he has had problem with his legs since 2008 following which the panel directed that he should be given a chair to sit.

    Another witness , Hamza Abdul Azeez said he wrote a letter of complaint to the tribunal that there was over-voting. 

    When asked how many votes each political party actually scored at his polling unit, the witness said he did not know.

    He claimed that their lawyers wrote their statements for them, but said he could not recall the names of the lawyers.

    Respondents’ lawyers at the proceedings were: Kanu Agabi (SAN) for  the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC);  Ibrahim Muhammed, (SAN) for  Ododo and Abdulwahab Muhammed (SAN) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Further hearing in the case resumes on Tuesday.

  • Kogi: Drama as SDP witness contradicts self before tribunal on alleged ‘affidavit forgery’

    Kogi: Drama as SDP witness contradicts self before tribunal on alleged ‘affidavit forgery’

    The testimony of a witness of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) at the Election Petition Tribunal on the Kogi governorship election went awry on Thursday as the witness’ statement before the Tribunal contradicted the documents submitted.

    The petitioners had delved away from BVAS after their star witness claimed he was not in Kogi State during the said election, and alleged that the All Progressives Congress candidate, now the Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, forged his age declaration affidavit. 

    The witness, one Dan Musa Williams from the FCT High Court, in Abuja, who had said the document did not emanate from the Court, upon cross examination, could not substantiate his claims.

    When asked whether he checked the record of the registry to ascertain that it was a forged document, he said he just looked at the date, being a Saturday and concluded that it could not have been from them.

    It was, however, found that the “declaration of age” affidavit was sworn in Okene, Kogi State, and not in FCT, but the witness claimed that a lawyer forwarded the one he was talking about to him.

    Confusion, however, set in when the witness claimed that he also concluded that the affidavit submitted by the APC candidate was fake because it did not have the name and picture of the deponent on it.

    At this point, the attention of the SDP witness was drawn to the fact that the affidavit with INEC, which he also annexed, had both the picture of the deponent and name, and that it was sworn in Okene and not FCT.

    Read Also: LG polls: Opposition may boycott election without BVAS, Oyo SDP warns

    The contradictions between what the witness said in court and the documents he (the same witness) presented to the court, seemed to have damaged his testimony beyond repair, as he could not give further defence after the discrepancies were pointed out.

    Sitting was adjourned to March 30, 2024 for continuation of hearing.

    Pius Akubo, SAN, represented the petitioners, while Kanu Agabi SAN, JB Daudu SAN, and DC Denwigwe SAN represented the Respondents.

  • ‘SDP’s fake videos, senseless concoctions of delusional losers’

    ‘SDP’s fake videos, senseless concoctions of delusional losers’

    The Kogi State All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Campaign Council has lambasted the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its Governorship candidate over “a concocted rigging video”, released to divert the attention of the public away from the conversation around their not being able to file a petition against the outcome of the November 11 election within the stipulated time frame.

    The APC said the concocted videos reflects the level of intelligence of those it described as the “delusional mob of ethnocentric bigots” around the SDP candidate, adding that these archaic strategies had always given birth to failure.

    Director, Media and Publicity/Spokesperson for the Council, Kingsley Fanwo, in a statement yesterday, asked the public to disregard the senseless concoction, noting that the SDP and its thugs put up an autocratic gangsterism against democracy in Kogi East during the election apart from the blood that was allegedly spilled in the build up to the poll.

    According to him, the release of the concocted video on a day the SDP is battling with the determination of the people to make them do the right thing “is a road-side strategy to divert the people’s attention from the heavy cloud of controversy on their inability to file their petition within the constitutionally approved period.”

    “The November 11 Governorship Poll remains one of the most peaceful and credible in the political history of Kogi State. The flashes of killings and thuggery by the SDP gun men was not enough to blight the defining moment of our democratic history as a people,” he maintained.

    Fanwo blamed the security agencies, particularly the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Police for the lawlessness being allegedly displayed by the SDP, saying, “The State Director of the DSS and the Commissioner of Police in charge of Kogi State Command seem to have licensed the violence and illegality of the SDP.

    “Releasing and circulating concocted videos to discredit a credible election and stir insurrection is a clear sin against the laws of the land. But the two security chiefs have put us in no doubt that they are in Kogi to defend the illegalities of the SDP.”

    Read Also: Police issue 24-hr ultimatum to SDP campaign council spokesman in Kogi

    He stressed that the APC would continue to follow the saga of inconsistencies surrounding the SDP’s purported petition and ensure that the right thing is done.

     “When the citizens rise to defend their rights, democracy is enriched. It is unfortunate. The antinomianism of the SDP should be a thing of concern for all Kogites,” he added.

    The APC Campaign Council said, “The danger of having the SDP go scot free with their disregard for the rule of law is dangerous as it may spark a major breakdown of law and order. We must be deliberate on the need to avoid disregard for constitutionalism.

    “We urge the general public to disregard the concocted video and ask SDP to explain how they got those ballot papers. They have questions to answer. Our party has won a free, fair and credible election and the mandate of the people can only be renewed in 2027.”

  • SDP ready to work with Tinubu, raises hope in the 2024 budget

    SDP ready to work with Tinubu, raises hope in the 2024 budget

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP) says President Bola Tinubu’s 2024 Appropriation Bill of N27.5 trillion should not fail to truly renew Nigerians’ hopes.

    The Southwest Zonal Secretary of the party, Mr Femi Olaniyi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos that there must be a departure from the non-performing budgets of the past.

    Applauding Tinubu’s focus on internal security and economic restoration, Olaniyi said the president’s plan to tackle unemployment, inflation and poverty were commendable.

    “The 2024 Appropriation Bill is truly remarkable because of its focus on internal security and economic revamping to address galloping inflation and threatening poverty.

    “We are hopeful that this budget will truly renew the hope of Nigerians as we have seen numerous budgets in the past without corresponding improvement in the wellbeing of the people.

    “We are truly optimistic for better budget performance with Tinubu’s ingenuity. He did it in Lagos State before; he can do it again.

    “This budget should and must not fail to rejig this country and reposition it,’’ Olaniyi, the Lagos State Chairman of SDP said.

    He noted that the 2024 budget addressed key sectors and needs of the people, adding that with diligent implementation strategies, Nigerians would soon rejoice.

    Olaniyi noted also that national defence and internal security, job creation, macro-economic stability, investment environment optimisation, human capital development were the hallmarks of the budget.

    Notable also in the 2024 Budget of Renewed Hope are poverty reduction and social security, he said.

    Olaniyi also told NAN that the SDP was fully prepared to support Tinubu’s administration to build a prosperous Nigeria that would create happiness for all.

    The president presented an Appropriation Bill of N27.5 trillion, tagged: “Budget of Renewed Hope’’ to the National Assembly on Wednesday.

    He said at the presentation that government would focus on ensuring value for money, greater transparency, and accountability.

    He assured that government would also work more closely with development partners and the private sector for effective budget performance.

    Read Also: Security agencies disperse SDP protesters at INEC, barricade office

    Tinubu said also that his administration would implement business and investment-friendly measures for sustainable growth, expecting the economy to grow by a minimum of 3.76 per cent, which is higher than the forecasted world average.

    The 2024 budget was benchmarked on a conservative oil price of 77.96 dollars per barrel and a daily oil production estimate of 1.78 million barrels.

    Tinubu said the benchmark was adopted after a careful review of global oil market trends.

    The president added that an exchange rate of N750 to the dollar was also adopted for the 2024 budget.

    (NAN)

  • We have confidence in electoral umpire, says SDP candidate

    We have confidence in electoral umpire, says SDP candidate

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate in the forthcoming Kogi State governorship election, Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, has reiterated his absolute confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a transparently-free and fair election on November 11.

    Addressing a meeting of party stakeholders in Abuja at the weekend, Ajaka said he and the party leadership had taken time to exhaustively examine the measures against electoral fraud introduced by the commission and are satisfied that the votes of the electorate will ultimately prevail.

    He said his campaign was rather concerned with the desperation of those arming thugs and procuring security agents to create an atmosphere of fear and terror before the elections. 

    He described as shocking that a suspected thug pursued into the bush and arrested by his security operatives last Wednesday night after a failed ambush turned out to be a serving Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).

    Read Also: Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has clarified that there was no assassination attempt on his life

    The claim could not be independently verified last night by this paper.

    Ajaka recalled how he ran into a blockade by the suspected thugs who opened gunfire on his convoy but were repelled by his security details, who chased the thugs into the bush.

    He claimed that a kingpin who was declared wanted by the Federal High Court, was stil at-large.

    “I was shocked when the one caught in the bush started begging and crying out that he’s a police officer detailed to follow the thugs by his superior.”

    “We know the outgoing governor is desperate and will compromise all those who are willing to be corrupted but the INEC measures against fraud and manipulation are too full proof for anyone to undermine.”

    “All our supporters should disregard any alarm of crooks reconfiguring BVAS devices. It’s just not possible. We have total confidence in the ability of INEC to secure our votes,” Ajaka told the meeting.