Politics

Tribunal: Jandor’s counsel accuses WAEC official of compromising evidence

Published

1 year ago

June 28, 2023

Abdulazeez Adediran popularly known as Jandor

Tribunal: Jandor’s counsel accuses WAEC official of compromising evidence

Mr. Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN), the lead counsel for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr Abdulazeez Adediran, has accused the West African Examination Council (WAEC) official of compromising evidence in his testimony.

The official was subpoenaed by the court to give evidence on the controversy surrounding the qualification of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Onwuenwunor accused Mr Olaolu Adekanmbi, the WAEC official, who was subpoenaed by the tribunal at his instance, of not being truthful in his evidence.

The petitioner’s counsel told the tribunal that the evidence of the witness was adverse to its earlier findings after a search on WAEC’s online result verification portal which had allegedIy indicated the absence of the governor’s names and result on it.

Jandor’s counsel also applied to the tribunal for leave to cross examine the witness in order to challenge the accuracy of the WAEC official’s evidence.

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“There is a major conflict between what the witness has just brought and what we earlier tendered which was also issued by WAEC.

“Our search before the polls had discovered that the governor had no result on WAEC’s portal and now this witness is bringing something different which contradicts their earlier position.

“He is not being a witness of truth.

“He has also refused to give more evidence on what he presented, and said the council does not produce hard copy of certificates or retain duplicate certificates,” he said.

Ealier, the witness had presented a document bearing a May/June O’level result with the name of the governor issued in 1981 by Ijebu Ife Community Grammar School.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that three member tribunal headed by Justice Arum Ashom admitted the document among the list of exhibits before it, into evidence.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) counsel, Mr Adetunji Oyeyipo (SAN), described the petitioner’s grouse as a storm in a teacup.

He said: “This witness has made two contradictory statements.

“There is nothing to warrant treating him as a hostile witness.

“At the very best, he has only given evidence not palatable to my learned friend.

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“We urge you to refuse the application of the petitioner,”

Dr Muiz- Banire (SAN) representing Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, who were the second and third respondents in the petition, also aligned himself with INEC’s position.

“Exhibit P36 is a product of one Ijebu Ife community Grammar School, not WAEC while exhibit b2 is a product of one Grandex Ventures Ltd., not WAEC.

“No one has led evidence to establish the authenticity of that portal so the attachment to it is totally unreliable.

“No witness has even testified on the said Grandex, section 230 of the Evidence Act does not avail the petitioner the right to seek leave of court to declare the witness hostile,” Banire said.

However, Labour party and its candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, urged the Tribunal to grant the petitioner’s request.

They argued that the witness was being hostile to the truth and exhibited animosity.

The Tribunal, in its ruling, held that the petitioner could not cross-examine the witness and that the exhibit containing the findings from the portal could not be linked to WAEC directly.

The tribunal, thereafter, ordered other counsel to cross examine the WAEC official.

Court orders release of ex-JAMB registrar Ojerinde, fines ICPC N1.2m

The witness told the tribunal during cross examination that the governor was found to have been entitled to a certificate issued by the school in question and that the online portal did not exist as at 1981.

He said: “Since there was no portal in 1981, this master list of 581 candidates that sat for the exam at the school is the primary information that will be fed into the result verification portal.

“I think electronic registration of candidates started in 2004.

“For migrating results, we have three portals and the council does not retain duplicate copies of certificates.”

The tribunal adjourned until July 4 for continuation of hearing.

Tribunal: Jandor’s counsel accuses WAEC official of compromising evidence

(NAN)

Politics

PDP crisis: Two ex-Senate presidents lead fresh plot to oust Damagum

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Trends Admin

Umar Iliya Damagum, Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

PDP crisis: Two ex-Senate presidents lead fresh plot to oust Damagum

Two former Presidents of the Senate, Chief David Mark and Dr Bukola Saraki are leading a fresh charge aimed at removing Amb. Umar Damagum as the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The push by Mark and Saraki has received the backing of prominent stakeholders, including the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Muftwang and other political office holders elected on the platform of the PDP.

Similarly, former governors from the Northcentral zone who served on the party’s platform have also aligned forces with the group.

Rising from a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Thursday night, the party chieftains resolved to produce a candidate from the zone early 2025 to replace Damagum.

According to them, the move to replace Damagum with a substantive chairman from the Northcentral, has received the endorsement of key party stakeholders from the Northwest and the Northeast zones.

Among those being projected as potential candidates to take Damagum’s seat include Mark; a former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam; and a former House of Representatives member from Nasarawa State, David
David Ombugadu.

A communique issued after the meeting, said the stakeholders
reviewed the festering crisis in the party following the exit of the erstwhile National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.

Ayu lost his seat to the crisis triggered by disagreements over the emergency of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2023 general election.

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The crisis has continued to deepen with the apparent overbearing influence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike on the Damagum-led national leadership.

The Northcentral stakeholders argued that Damagum’s continued occupation of the office breached provisions of the PDP constitution.

The communique states in part, “The PDP’s constitution clearly states that succession of offices in the party at all levels is largely to the extent that any vacant position can be replaced by appointment from the zone, as per Section 47 (6) of the party.

“The party is guided by its constitution at all times. Therefore, the leadership of the party needs to rise up to the occasion to restore goodwill and cohesion in the party by making necessary sacrifices and compromises to restore confidence and cohesion in the party.

“It is in the light of this that the stakeholders of the Northcentral Zone appeal to the conscience and goodwill of our compatriots in other zones of the Northern region to restore the seat of the chairmanship of the party back to the Northcentral Zone to serve out its tenure.

“That the stakeholders must strive to build consensus to get the buy-in to the position of Northcentral zone.

“The Northcentral is united and will strive to preserve the PDP as a veritable platform for good governance in Nigeria.”

The meeting, which was attended by Governor Muftwang, also had former Governors Jonah Jang (Plateau), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Idris Wada (Kogi) in attendance.

Others at the meeting included the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro; incumbent PDP National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN); and a former Information Minister, Prof Jerry Gana.

Also at the meeting were former senators Tunde Ogbeha, Philip Aduda, Suleiman Adokwe, Dino Melaye, Mohammed Onawo and Peter Jiya.

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Similarly, former Ministers, Labaran Maku and Sarah Ochekpe also attended the meeting. Other stakeholders like Simon Mwadkwon, Mrs. Margaret Icheen, Mr. Raymond Dabo, Maika Jiba, and Isa Dobi were also present.

Damagum, who is from Yobe State in the Northeast zone, emerged Acting National Chairman in March 2023 following the exit of Ayu who is from Benue State in the Northcentral zone.

Damagum was the PDP Deputy National Chairman (North) before his appointment as Acting National Chairman.

By virtue of Section 47 (6) of the party’s constitution, he ought to have relinquished the seat for a substantive National Chairman from the Northcentral zone where Ayu hailed from.

The Section reads: “Where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from to serve out the tenure of the officer.”

Ayu was elected chairman in 2022 for a four-year tenure that should expire in 2026 before his tenure got truncated in 2023.

Several moves by critical organs of the party, including the PDP Governors Forum, the Board of Trustees (BoT) and the National Caucus to replace Damagum have been thwarted by the Acting National Chairman, allegedly with the backing of Wike.

Miffed by the development, the PDP Governors Forum, led by Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, had, a few weeks ago, directed the Damagum-led leadership to convene the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting latest by February 2025.

The NEC meeting has suffered four postponements between August and November 2024, as Damagum, who is supposed to convene the meeting has been evasive.

The power to ratify any candidate chosen by the Northcentral zone to replace Damagum is vested only in the NEC.

PDP crisis: Two ex-Senate presidents lead fresh plot to oust Damagum

Politics

PDP expels South-East national vice chairperson over anti-party activities

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Trends Admin

PDP expels South-East national vice chairperson over anti-party activities

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oguduokwor Ward, Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, has officially expelled Ali Odefa, the suspended National Vice Chairperson of the party in the South-East, following allegations of anti-party activities.

Odefa had been suspended on September 11, 2024, by the ward executives, a move that was later upheld by the Federal High Court in Abakaliki. In its ruling on November 29, 2024, under suit number FHC/AI/CS/182/2024, the court affirmed the legitimacy of his suspension.

On Wednesday, Onyeka Ovuta, the Acting Chairperson of the PDP in Oguduokwor, announced Odefa’s expulsion in a statement. Ovuta explained that the decision followed recommendations from the party’s disciplinary committee, which confirmed the allegations against Odefa.

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The party announced that Mr Odefa by the virtue of his expulsion, “ceases to be a member of the party.”

Reacting, Mr Odefa laughed off the expulsion, stating that those who announced it were “frustrated charlatans”.

He said the expulsion cannot stand because “it did not take place in the ward but in Abuja”. He said those who made the announcement against him were not ward executives of the party.

“Let them come home come and announce it. Or is our ward now located in Abuja?”

PDP expels South-East national vice chairperson over anti-party activities

Politics

INEC recognises Sylvester Ezeokenwa as APGA national chairman

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Trends Admin

APGA National Chairman, Sylvester Ezeokenwa

INEC recognises Sylvester Ezeokenwa as APGA national chairman

Sylvester Ezeokenwa has been reinstated as the national chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

Ezeokenwa was reinstated by the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday, December 17.

According to Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, the commission had been served with the judgement of the Supreme Court.

The apex court judgement with the Appeal No. SC/CV/824/2024 APGA & ANOR vs OYE & ORS was delivered on November 27, 2024.

The court ruled that Ezeokenwa should be recognised as the national chairman of the party.

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“In compliance with the judgement of the apex court, the Commission has restored Barr. Ezeokenwa as the Chairman of APGA and restored his name on our website accordingly,” the INEC commissioner said.

He also stated that the reisnstatmemt of the new chairman would automatically lead to the withdrawal of the recognition of Njoku as the national chairman of the party.

The court also upheld an earlier judgement of the appeal which did not confer any enforceable rights on Njoku.

If also awarded N20 million each against the appellaants.