BREAKING: Court nullifies Edo PDP gov primary – Newstrends
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BREAKING: Court nullifies Edo PDP gov primary

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Asue Ighodalo

BREAKING: Court nullifies Edo PDP gov primary

A Federal High Court Abuja, on Thursday, invalidated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election that produced Asue Ighodalo as party’s candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment, held that the PDP’s primary held on Feb. 22 failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022; the guidelines for the conduct of the poll amd the party’s constitution.

Justice Ekwo, who said that the Exhibit PDP 1 tendered by the party was bereft of evidence, held that the plaintiffs, through the exhibits tendered, were able to establish their case against the defendants

The judge said that from the exhibit presented by the PDP, he found that the returning officers who prepared the result sheets only sat down in a place to manufacture the outcome.of the poll.

He said the exclusion of the 381 delegates, including the plaintiffs, were against the provisions of the law.

Justice Ekwo held that, though INEC, the 1st defendant, filed a memorandum of appearance in the suit, it was unfortunate that the commission did not file any process in the case.

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According to the judge, the 1st defendant counsel only said it will be bound by the decision of the court.

“I found that the case of the plaintiffs succeed on merit,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that three aggrieved ad-hoc delegates, on behalf of the 378 others, had sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP, its national secretary and the vice chairman, south south as 1st to 4th defendants respectively.

In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/165/2024 dated Feb. 7 but filed Feb 8, the plaintiffs sought for two orders

These include an order for the defendants or their agents not to act but to show cause why the reliefs of the plaintiffs in their originating summons should not be granted with regard to the plan of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants to exclude them and 378 other delegates, whose names and election results are contained in “Exhibits BID 8A to 8L,” from participating in the primaries.of Feb. 22 in Edo.

The plaintiffs, which include Hon Kelvin Mohammed, Mr Gabriel Okoduwa and Mr Ederaho Osagie, on behalf of others in 12 local government areas and 127 wards, averred that it would be in the interest of justice for their reliefs to be granted.

NAN reports that the 381 delegates are those loyal to Philip Shaibu, the impeached deputy governor.

BREAKING: Court nullifies Edo PDP gov primary

(NAN)

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APP clears 22 of 23 chairmanship seats in Rivers LG election

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APP clears 22 of 23 chairmanship seats in Rivers LG election

The Action Peoples Party (APP) has won 22 of 23 chairmanship positions in Rivers State local government election.

Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Adolphus Enebeli, announced the results of the elections on Saturday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

He said the result of the remaining LGA — Etche — world be announced at a later date because collation was still ongoing.

Siminalayi Fubara, the governor of Rivers, had recently directed his loyalists to defect to the APP to contest the election.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers had earlier cautioned against the declaration of the results.

Aaron Chukwuemeka, the Rivers PDP chairman, warned that announcing results could incite violence.

Victor Giadom, APC chairman in the South-South, said the party boycotted the election because of discrepancies with the existing laws.

On September 4, a high court in the state held that RSIEC could conduct the LGA elections using the 2023 voter register.
But on September 30, a federal high court in Abuja barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voter register to RSIEC.
The court also barred the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the poll.
Fubara was however not deterred and insisted that the election must hold.

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Days of red cap numbered, Barau says while receiving NNPP defectors

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Days of red cap numbered, Barau says while receiving NNPP defectors

Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, has received a large number of grassroots leaders of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The senator it would soon be rare to see someone with a red cap, the symbol of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, in Kano State.

Responding to a question on the gale of defections rocking the NNPP in Kano, he said the rate at which the NNPP members, including their leaders, are trooping to the APC is a testament to the growing popularity and support APC is getting in Kano despite being an opposition party.

“I will continue to receive NNPP members rushing to join our party. Politics is a game of numbers. If you have a political party and members of other parties are not joining you, it means there is a problem.

“The NNPP members are attracted to the APC by our numerous interventions across critical spheres of our state and the country at large by the President Tinubu administration.

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“At the formation of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu went across the country to woo people to the party. And this was why the party became popular in the country.

“We will continue receiving NNPP and other party members regardless of what some people say. Time will come. You will be looking for someone with a red cap, the symbol of the Kwankwasiyya, and you won’t see any in Kano. We will get there soon.

“We are doing this to lay a solid foundation for our party, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and others to win the presidential, governorship, national and state House of Assembly elections come 2027 in Kano and beyond,” he was quoted in a statement by his media aide, Ismail Mudashir.

The Deputy National Women Leader of the APC, Hajiya Zainab Abubakar Ibrahim, who witnessed the defection, commended Senator Barau, describing him as a blessing to the APC, the people of Kano, the North and the country.

“The massive support our party is receiving in Kano shows the days of the NNPP are numbered in the state. We will take back our state at the poll come 2027, by Allah’s grace,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Deputy President of the Senate has received members of the APC Amalgamated Support Groups in Kano State at the National Assembly.

Under the leadership of Hon. Shehu Isa Direba, the group was at the National Assembly to reaffirm their support and appreciation for Senator Barau over his various interventions in the state.

The group, comprising former LG chairmen, party stakeholders, farmers, businessmen, and civil servants, among others, said that with the support and interventions of Senator Barau, APC is no longer considered an opposition party in Kano.

“APC members are envied in Kano State by the NNPP, the ruling party in the state, because of Senator Barau’s numerous interventions, projects and programmes,” the group said.

Days of red cap numbered, Barau says while receiving NNPP defectors

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Rivers crisis: PDP moves against Fubara, demands suspension of LG elections

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Governor Siminalayi Fubara

Rivers crisis: PDP moves against Fubara, demands suspension of LG elections

The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called on security agencies to step in and forestall any potential unrest and breach of public peace in the state.

According to the party, the intervention is needed to prevent the state government from disobeying court orders.

The state chairman of the PDP, Aaron Chukwuemeka, made call on Thursday, after delivering protest letters to security agencies in the state.

PDP members in Rivers State, loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, and members of the All Progressives Congress loyal to Tony Okocha, embarked on a public demonstration demanding the suspension of the local government council elections scheduled for October 5, 2024.

The protesters gathered at the PDP state secretariat on Aba Road before marching to the offices of the Department of State Services, DSS, and the Rivers State Police Command Headquarters to express their concerns.

Chukwuemeka warned that if security agencies fail to act, the PDP will take laws in its hands and ensure that the elections do not take place, emphasizing the party’s commitment to maintaining peace and upholding the rule of law.

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He said, “We are here to submit a petition to you from the Peoples Democratic Party, Rivers State ably led by my humble self, the state chairman of our great party, Hon, Aaron Chukwuemeka.

“And attached to this letter is an order of court, Federal High Court, a judgement of Federal High Court on 30 September, 2023.

“In that order, it was expressly stated that RSIEC should not go ahead with the election. In that same judgement, INEC should not give them voter register, and then, the security agencies were told not to participate in that election.

“And as law abiding citizens, we believe in justice and equity, we believe in rule of law. And that is why we came to you, to tell you that, that election, the governor, the RSIEC, should obey that judgment.

“No man is bigger than the law. We as a party, we are not going to participate. And then if they go ahead to do that election, and that becomes crisis, we as PDP, we will not fold our hands.

“And that is why we are begging the security agencies to stop them from conducting that election.”

Addressing the protesters, the State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, who was represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operation, Adepoju Olugbenga, assured the the protesters that their letter would be delivered to the appropriate authorities.

 

Rivers crisis: PDP moves against Fubara, demands suspension of LG elections

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