Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State has said he inherited an empty treasury and no single note was handed over to him by his predecessor, former Governor Aminu Tambuwal

Aliyu was responding to the deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kanu, who asked how the Governor was able to execute 100 projects in his first 100 days in office during a condolence visit to the state on Thursday.

Advertorial

Aliyu, who spoke through his deputy, Engineer Idris Gobir, said it was just a sacrifice as there was nothing in the treasury when they took over about five months ago.

“We inherited an empty Treasury and nothing to show, not a single paper was handed over to us.

“We made sacrifice to change the narrative of the state and we have succeeded in changing it within the last 100 days,” he said.

He described the relationship between the state government and the legislature as cordial, saying they were groomed by the current leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko.

Aliyu, however, thanked the leadership of the green chamber who sent a powerful delegation to condole the government and people of the state over the demise of their colleague and member, representing Isa-Sabon Birni Federal Constituency, Jelani Danbuga.

He described the late lawmaker as patriotic and a complete gentleman.

Earlier, Kanu said they were amused by the number of projects so far executed by the state government, noting that it was a thing of joy to see leadership at the state level was making a positive impact on the lives of the people.

He stated that they were in Sokoto to commiserate with the people of the state over the death of their colleague who believed in the unity and progress of the country.

“Iam particularly impressed by the renewed hope initiative of President Bola Tinubu and I have found it needful to join the trend so as to integrate my senatorial district into the laudable mission of my president.” – Ubah

Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, representing Anambra South, under the Young Progressive Party, has switched his allegiance to the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The announcement of his defection was conveyed in a letter directed to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and publicly read in the Senate Chamber on Thursday.

Advertorial

Ubah, who had been elected for a second term under the YPP in the previous elections, according to the letter, said his reason for switching parties was due to the insurmountable disagreements within the party.

Ubah said, “I am willing to formally notify and inform the Distinguished Senate President and our colleagues of irreconcilable differences between me and the leadership of my party.

“I, therefore, resolved to move from the Young Progressive Party (YPP) to the most important party in Africa, the All Progressives Congress.

“After careful considerations and due consultations, the members of my community, my constituents, and critical stakeholders of Anambra State.”

Ubah noted, “After a thorough evaluation of the political landscape in Nigeria particularly, the good works being done by the All Progressives Congress since the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the president of Nigeria.

“I have come to realization and conclusion that the All Progressives Congress is better suited to champion the ideals and principles that are known.

Ubah added that the APC’s commitment to good governance, economic development, and social progress resonates deeply with his conviction and the alignment of each member on key national issues making a choice for achieving the promises of any decent politician and particularly the promises that he made to my constituents to better the lots of all of them.

The lawmaker added, “I have been the national leader of the Young Progressive Party for several years and I am grateful for the opportunities and experiences this has earned me. However, as our nation faces numerous challenges which have triggered down to my constituency, it is crucial for me to align myself with the party that has the capacity to address these issues effectively for the betterment of my constituency and Nigeria at large.”

“I am particularly impressed by the renewed hope initiative of President Bola Tinubu and I have found it needful to join the trend so as to integrate my senatorial district into the laudable mission of my president.”

Ubah’s defection increases the number of APC senators to 60.

Kogi State factional Chairman of the African Democratic Party, ADC, Kingsley Oga, and some members of the party across the three senatorial districts have dumped the governorship candidate of the party, Leke Abejide, for All Progressive Congress, APC, candidate, Ododo Usman.

Oga addressed members of the party during their decamping on Friday at the Government House, Lokoja.

Advertorial

He said he remained the state chairman of the ADC, but that they decided to abandoned the party’s candidate and work for APC candidate.

According to him, “Among all the governorship candidates for the November 11 governorship election, the candidate of the APC, Alhaji Ododo Usman is the best.

“Before now, he set up a five-man committee to asses all the candidates contesting. At the end, the committee’s report shows that Alhaji Ododo Usman is the right candidate to vote for.”

‘Why we’re dumping ADC’
Oga said the effort of the governor of the state, Yahaya Bello, towards development of the state need somebody that will continue from where he will stop.

He said it was why they have all decided to support Alhaji Usman in the coming election.

He commended Governor Bello for his achievements across the state in the last seven and half years of his administration.

Oga pointed out that from what they have seen and heard about the APC governorship candidate, Ododo will definitely perform well.

Also speaking, Idowu Ibikunle, representing Yagba West at the Kogi House Assembly, said despite the fact that he contested as ADC candidate and won, he and his supporters have all decided to vote for the candidate of APC in the coming governorship election.

“Governor Yahaya Bello is a performing governor and because of that I will support his candidate for the election.

“This is so that the incoming governor, Ododo, can continue from where the governor stop come 2024,” he added.

The Enugu state Governorship/House of Assembly election Petitions Tribunal on Friday nullified the victory of Hon. Okey Mbah, representing Nkanu East constituency in the state assembly under the platform of the PDP.

The court held that the election and return made by INEC on March 18 election for Nkanu East constituency fell shot of all indices of a credible, fair and transparent election on the condition that the said election was marred by gross substantial non compliance with the electoral act.

Advertorial

Daily Gazette correspondent who was in Court reports that the three man tribunal headed by Honourable Justice Adie Attoe Onyebueke while delivering her judgment on the petition filed by Labour Party candidate, Surv. Okwudiri Nnaji against Okey Mbah of PDP and INEC, ordered a rerun in polling units of Ugbawka and Owo wards where number of votes are higher than the number of registered and accredited voters.

The three man honourable Justices noted that the return made by INEC is invalid.

It however ordered the electoral umpire, INEC, to conduct a rerun election in the affected polling units within 90 days.

Akwa Ibom State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo on Thursday upheld the election of Pastor Umo Eno of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP as the governor of the state.

The three-member panel of justiceschaired by Justice Adekunle Adeleye, dismissed the Petition jointly filed by the All Progressives Congress,(APC)and its candidate, Obong Akan Udofia, challenging the electoral victory of Umo Eno for lack of Merit.

Advertorial

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Umo Eno winner of the election of the March 18, 2023 election.

Eno polled a total of 356, 346 votes to defeat Senator Akpan of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and Obong Akan Udofia of the APC who scored 136, 262 votes and 129, 602 votes respectively.

But dissatisfied with the result declared by INEC, Akan Udofia and his party had approached the Tribunal seeking the disqualification of governor Eno on the grounds that he had presented forged documents to INEC, and alleged failure to score the majority Lawful votes in the Governorship election.

The petitioners also alleged that Eno who was joined as the 2nd Respondent in the electoral matter having been convicted by an Abuja Magistrate Court, therefore was not qualified to contest for the said election.

But in its judgement on Thursday, the Tribunal panel held that the petitioners failed to prove their allegations of non-compliance with the electoral Act 2022 in the conduct of the governorship election.

The Justice Adeleye’s panel also held that the Magistrate court in its judgement, nullified its earlier conviction of Pastor Umo Eno and that once a judgement is nullified, it ceases to exist.

The Tribunal further held that regarding the issue of qualifications, that the Supreme Court had already determined that Pastor Eno (2nd Respondent) 1981 and 1983 WAEC certificates he submitted to INEC are genuine.

It accordingly expunged the evidence by the petitioners’ subpoenaed witness, an acclaimed Interpol officer, who came to tender a report on the 2nd respondent’s WAEC results.

The panel unanimously disagreed with the petitioners on the legality of the setting aside of judgement by the same Magistrate, stressing: “It is not the duty of the tribunal to determine if the decision of the magistrate court to upturn its own judgment was justified. That falls under the jurisdiction of the Abuja High Court.”

Also the Tribunal dismissed the grounds of petition filed by Udofia challenging the eligibility of Senator Bassey Akpan of the YPP, who scored 136, 262 votes to come second in the election.

The tribunal insisted that the APC and Udofia
claim that Senator Albert was not qualified to be fielded by YPP having already vied for same office in the PDP was baseless, as it is a party matter to determine who emerges its candidate.

The judgement which lasted for almost 4hours was read by Justice Kadi Usman Sikudu.

Reacting to the judgement, the Attorney-General of Akwa Ibom State, and one of the Counsel’s to governor Eno, Essien Udom (SAN) thanked the Court for once again affirming the election of the governor.

“The petition has been dismissed. It was a very, very thorough judgement you could not have expected anything better. All the issues were thoroughly addressed. We are happy”, he asserted.