He said Atiku’s call for his election to be nullified on the ground that he was mandatorily required to score one-quarter of the lawful votes cast in each of at least two-thirds of all the States and the FCT, “becomes suspect and abusive when considered vis-à-vis relief 150(d), where the petitioners pray that the 1st petitioner who did not score one-quarter of the votes cast in more than 21 States and the FCT, Abuja, be declared the winner of the election and sworn in as the duly elected President of Nigeria”.
Politics
25%: 5 FCT residents ask court to stop Tinubu’s inauguration, extend Buhari’s tenure
25%: 5 FCT residents ask court to stop Tinubu’s inauguration, extend Buhari’s tenure
With barely 17 days to the scheduled swearing-in of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, five residents of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, have approached the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court for an order to halt the ceremony.
The plaintiffs, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/578/2023, applied for an order, restraining the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, any other judicial officer and/or any other authority or person from swearing in any candidate in the February 25 presidential election as President or Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, until it is judicially determined with finality or in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution that such candidate has fulfilled the requirement of Section 134(2) (b) of the Constitution.
They further want a declaration that, “the plaintiffs and other FCT residents have a legal interest and constitutional rights to be heard on the question of whether a President-elect must secure at least 25% of votes cast, on the first ballot, in the FCT, Abuja.”
“A declaration that no state of the country is at the same time the FCT for any propose whatsoever, including, in particular, under section 134 (2) (b) of the Constitution.
“A declaration that no candidate in the February 25 presidential election in the country may validly be declared elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria without that candidate obtaining at least 25% of the votes cast in the FCT, Abuja.
“A declaration that no candidate in the February 25 presidential election may validly be sworn in as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, without such candidate having obtained 25% of the votes case in FCT, Abuja.
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“A declaration that following the February 25 presidential election and until a successor is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and sworn in, the term of office of his Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCON, as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria subsists and endures in accordance with the provisions of section 135 (1) (a) of the Constitution”.
As well as, “An order setting aside or suspending any declaration and/or issuance of a Certificate of a Return to any candidate in the February 25 presidential election in the country as having been elected, save and except it is judicially determined with finality that such candidate fulfilled the conditions stated in section 134(2) (b) of the Constitution.
The five plaintiffs behind the suit, who identified themselves as “registered voters of the FCT, Abuja, excepting those exempting themselves”, are; Anyaegbunam Okoye, David Adzer, Jeffery Ucheh, Osang Paul and Chibuike Nwachukwu.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and the CJN were cited in the matter as 1st and 2nd defendants, respectively.
In the suit dated April 28, which they filed through their lawyer, Mr Chucks Nwachukwu, the plaintiffs prayed the court to among other things, determine; “Whether any candidate in the February 25, 2023 presidential election in the country may validly be declared elected and sworn in as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and therefore the authority to administer or oversee the administration of the Federal Capital Territory through the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and the Federal Capital Territory Development Authority, without that candidate obtaining at least 25% of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.”
Likewise, “Whether the court may restrain the swearing in of any person on May 29th 2023 or at any other date until the issues raised in the summons have been determined with finality”.
It will be recalled that one of the grounds both the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who came second in the presidential election and his counterpart in the Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi, who came third, is relying on to challenge the declaration of Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, included the fact that he failed to secure 25% votes in the FCT, Abuja.
However, in a reply he filed before the Presidential Election Petition Court sitting in Abuja, Tinubu, argued that it was not a mandatory requirement of the law that he must win the FCT before he could be declared as the President-elect.
Politics
2027 election: Shehu Sani declares bid for Kaduna central senatorial seat
2027 election: Shehu Sani declares bid for Kaduna central senatorial seat
Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has officially announced his intention to contest for re-election in the upcoming 2027 general elections.
Sani made the declaration on Sunday while delivering his Eid-el-Fitr message at his residence in Kaduna. The former senator, known for his vocal stance on national issues, expressed his commitment to representing the people of Kaduna Central once again and addressing key challenges facing the region.
“Any politician contesting an election depends on the political equation that determines the position to vie for. If the conditions are right and the equations are favorable, I will offer myself to contest specifically for the Kaduna Central senatorial district,” he stated.
He further emphasised that his ambition remains secondary to ensuring the re-election of Governor Uba Sani for a second term.
“For now, our priority is to see that the incumbent governor, Uba Sani, is re-elected. We will work with all our might and strength to achieve this. We know there will be challenges and opposition, but we are well prepared for all forces,” he added.
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Sani also used the occasion to urge Muslims to pray for Nigeria’s peace and unity during the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations. Additionally, he condemned the recent killing of hunters in Edo State, calling on security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators.
“If citizens cannot move freely across the country, then we are not truly a nation. If individuals take the law into their hands for any reason, it means there is no government or authority,” he lamented.
He called on all Nigerians who desire a better country to work towards peace and unity for the preservation of democracy, despite the challenges being experienced.
Sani also urged the government to uphold fundamental human rights, particularly the right to life, as a crucial step towards national stability and development.
2027 election: Shehu Sani declares bid for Kaduna central senatorial seat
Politics
Wike’s aide slams Atiku, says it’s too late to buy integrity
Wike’s aide slams Atiku, says it’s too late to buy integrity
Lere Olayinka, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media has alleged that one Nigerian that can never be found in the gathering of men of character and integrity is former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Olayinka said this while reacting to statement by the Atiku Media Office that Atiku rejected the choice of Wike as his Vice Presidential candidate in the 2023 election of his character.
This was in spite of the fact that a committee set up by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to select a Vice Presidential candidate for the 2023 election had recommended Wike.
However, Olayinka said rather than Wike, it’s Atiku that that lacked character as attested to by his former boss, Olusegun Obasanjo, in his book; My Watch.
According to Olayinka, it was already too late for Atiku to buy ‘character and integrity that he has lacked from birth’.
He said no one could have knew Atiku better than President Olusegun Obasanjo, under whom he served as Vice President for eight years.
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Olayinka said; “One of the reasons Wike first rejected Atiku’s offer to have him as his running mate was his not too impressive character and integrity rating, until he was prevaied upon. And this, Atiku exhibited when he rejected the decision of committee the party set up to pick his running mate even after telling everyone that the decision of the committee will be bidding on him.
“Now, after his lies that he picked his running mate based on the committee report that placed the former Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, as number one was bursted, he is now sermonising about character and integrity, which he, himself does not have.
“Funny that the same Atiku, that his boss described as a ‘blatant and shameless liar,’ is the one talking about character.
“For the records, Obasanjo said in his book, ‘My Watch’ that ‘What I did not know, which came out glaringly later, was his parental background which was somewhat shadowy, his propensity to corruption, his tendency to disloyalty, his inability to say and stick to the truth all the time, a propensity for poor judgement, his belief and reliance on marabouts, his lack of transparency, his trust in money to buy his way out on all issues and his readiness to sacrifice morality, integrity, propriety, truth and national interest for self and selfish interest.’
“Up till today, Atiku has not debunked what his boss said about him.
“Unlike Atiku, Wike does not hide or pretend on where he stands on issues. He is not one that will do a tweet on major issues and rush to delete it. He didn’t pretend about his position on the 2023 election and he won’t pretend on where he will stand in 2027.
“It is Atiku, that should start being truthful and reliable, especially now that he is old, because everything should not be about desperation to be president.”
Wike’s aide slams Atiku, says it’s too late to buy integrity
Politics
Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election
Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that he does not know if he will contest the presidency in 2027.
Atiku made the remark in a yet-to-be-aired interview for a television show, Untold Stories, with Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie, scheduled for broadcast today but exclusively obtained by Daily Trust.
The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recently announced the formation of a coalition of opposition leaders to wrest power from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.
However, there has been widespread speculation about who will lead the coalition and emerge as its presidential candidate, with former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi and former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, being considered among its key figures.
When asked if he would be running for the presidency in 2027, Atiku said: “I don’t know because there has to be, first of all, a viable platform, more than any other time in the political history of this country, particularly since the return of democracy.”
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Atiku, who has run for the presidency a record six times, did not rule out the possibility of contesting again in 2027.
“I have not seen Nigeria in dire need of, you know, an experienced and credible leadership than this time.
“We had a similar, you know, what would I say, merger in 2014. About four of us or is it three? We all ran for president and one of us emerged, and we all supported the one who emerged, and he won,” he said.
He agreed with former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s assertion that Nigeria’s democracy is deteriorating, saying the situation is “very dire.”
“No doubt about that,” he said.
Atiku also expressed his disappointment with the country’s political leadership.
“The next generation after me, many of them had been governors, had been senators. Instead of me to see an improvement in the level of governance at the state level and so on and so forth, I don’t see it. So I feel a little bit distressed.”
Atiku also questioned the credibility of the current legislative leadership, especially as it relates to the National Assembly’s ratification of the state of emergency in Rivers State
“I am not surprised,” he said, alleging that they are corrupt.
Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election
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