Politics
W’African leaders urge INEC to probe poll infractions, cautions against violent protests
Leaders of West Africa on election monitoring to Nigeria have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate allegations of infractions made by some political parties participating in the country’s 2023 poll against its officials and others.
The leaders including ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and former Ghanaian President John Mahama spoke on Tuesday under the West African Elders Forum (WAEF).
Recall that the Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had staged a walkout on INEC at the National Collation Centre in Abuja and called for the cancellation of the presidential election result collation on the account that INEC was collating results that were not electronically transmitted from the polling units across the country.
In a statement on Tuesday, jointly signed by Goodluck Jonathan and Mahama, WAEF asked political parties and their supporters to remain calm and peaceful.
The group warned Nigerians to be cautious with protests over the allegations in order not to ruin the stability and peace of the country.
The statement read in part, “The mission notes that some political parties and concerned citizens have raised procedural questions and allegations of infractions of the electoral law in the process of collation of results.
“We call on all aggrieved parties to document and present their claims to INEC, in accordance with the Electoral Act 2022.
“The mission notes the imperative of retaining the confidence of Nigerians in the ongoing electoral process and, therefore, urges the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to thoroughly investigate those concerns and comply with the electoral law and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in the process of collating the election results.
“We reiterate that Nigeria is a major stakeholder in the sustainability of democracy in West Africa and the responsibility of maintaining the nation’s thriving democracy and the general peace of our sub-region rest on all our shoulders, especially on the integrity of INEC and other election management bodies in West Africa, during elections.
“We therefore urge INEC to live up to its responsibility of delivering free, fair and credible elections, in accordance with the nation’s laws.
“WAEF urges political parties, candidates and their supporters to remain calm and peaceful while awaiting the final outcome of the electoral process.”
Politics
PDP: Sule Lamido blames court for mass resignation from party
PDP: Sule Lamido blames court for mass resignation from party
Former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has revealed why the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is grappling with a gale of resignations from its folds in recent times.
Some notable members of the nation’s leading opposition party have quit the party in recent weeks.
Speaking on the exodus from the party, Lamido blamed the situation on the procedures of the court.
He said the actions of the court and the leadership of the PDP have left the party in a precarious and parlous state.
He added that the PDP mass resignation was as a result of frustration engendered by the leadership of the party and the judiciary.
Speaking during an interview with This Day, Lamido bemoaned the selfish moves of some leaders of the party.
Recall that there has been an ongoing resignation by members of PDP especially in Imo and few other states.
The former governor said if the court did not insist that Senator Samuel Anyanwu was the National Secretary, when he (Anyanwu) went and contested for the Imo State governorship election, the position of National Secretary would have gone to another person from Imo State.
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He also asserted that some persons outside the PDP are influencing what happens in the party.
Lamido said, “Emeka Ihedioha and other chieftains of the PDP that resigned from the party were humiliated and frustrated out. They were humiliated by the leadership of the party, with the help of the judiciary.
“Ministers resigned to contest election. Other government officials and even party officials resigned to contest elective offices. Senator Anyanwu ought to have resigned to contest the governorship election in Imo state.
“What did he (Anyanwu) do. He held to the office of national secretary and contested for the governorship election. You cannot eat your cake and still have it back. You cannot appropriate the two positions. You are the national secretary and the governorship candidate at the same time. This is not done.
“So, when the stakeholders from Imo state complained, the judiciary aided him and affirmed his position as National Secretary when he lost his governorship election.
“So, Ihedioha and his group felt frustrated and humiliated by the action of the leadership of the party by failing to stand up for justice. So, as a person, I don’t blame Ihedioha and his associates. I can understand why he and his associates left. Some external influences are tele-guiding the party.”
he said, “The leadership of the party was extremely unfair to Ihedioha who first asked if Anyanwu will contest for governor and when Anyanwu said yes, Ihedioha left it for him and yet, Anyanwu still did not leave the post of National secretary. It is not fair.”
PDP: Sule Lamido blames court for mass resignation from party
Politics
Aregbesola no longer member of APC, says ex-Osun commissioner
Aregbesola no longer member of APC, says ex-Osun commissioner
The immediate past Osun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Adebayo Adeleke, has said ex-Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, is not a member of the All Progressives Congress.
Adeleke served as a commissioner in the cabinet of ex-governor Adegboyega Oyetola, currently serving as the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
He spoke at the Osun Central Senatorial meeting of the APC held in Osogbo, Osun State capital.
The APC chieftain said all serious party members in the state were aware that Aregbesola was not currently a member of the party.
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Speaking at the meeting attended by the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, and other party bigwigs from the ten local government areas that made up the senatorial district, Adeleke insisted that the two ex-governors in Osun APC are Chief Bisi Akande and Oyetola.
Adeleke said, “They said in our party in Osun, we have two former governors, we have Chief Bisi Akande and ex-governor, Adegboyega Oyetola.
“Someone asked about ex-governor Rauf Aregbesola, and my response is that all members of the APC know that Aregbesola presently is not a member of our party.”
Aregbesola no longer member of APC, says ex-Osun commissioner
Politics
Senate in rowdy session as lawmakers quarrel over sitting arrangement
Senate in rowdy session as lawmakers quarrel over sitting arrangement
The Senate broke into a rowdy session on Tuesday after three senators engaged in a heated argument over arrangement of seats.
Danjuma Goje, senator representing Gombe Central, and Sahabi Yau, senator representing Zamfara North, expressed displeasure over the seats assigned to them.
They complained to Opeyemi Bamidele, the majority leader.
The Senate is currently using its refurbished chamber, two years after renovation began on it.
According to the standing rules of the upper legislative chamber, senators should sit in order of rank.
The Easter and Sallah recess was postponed to accommodate the completion of the renovation of both chambers of the national assembly.
However, while Senate President Godswill Akpabio read his welcome address, the heated argument among the three senators began.
It was learnt that Goje and Yau, sitting on the second row on the right side of the aisle, did not like the seats allocated to them by the senate committee on services.
Sunday Karimi, senator representing Kogi west, is chair of the senate services committee.
The four-term senators subsequently insisted that they should have been assigned seats on the front row on the extreme right — opposite the row of the majority leader and the deputy senate president.
After the argument, Kawu Sumaila, senator representing Kano South, called for a “point of order” which was ignored.
Thereafter, Bamidele moved a motion for a closed-session.
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PDP: Sule Lamido blames court for mass resignation from party
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