As Enugu electorates awaits the verdict of the Governorship/State Assembly Election Petitions tribunal, an Enugu based public affairs analyst, Simon Edeh has called on the three panels handling various election Petitions in the state to dispense Justice and not Judgment.

Speaking to journalists in Enugu on Friday, Edeh said the judges stand at a historical crossroad and their actions and inactions will have a great impact on the state.

According to him, Ndi Enugu expect that the judges will demonstrate total commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice for all.

“In a number of cases delivered so far, the decisions and judgments of these judges especially in panel one under Justice A.M Abubakar fly in the face of logic, fact or commonsense” he argued.

Edeh urged the judges in each of the panel to uphold their integrity and defend the dignity of the constitution in their decisions.

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“The nine judges in the three panels of the Tribunal must know that the people are watching and justice must not only be done, but seen to have been done in the matters before them.”

“Few days ago, the media was agog with the allegation of some judges playing to the gallery of the rulling party in the state. Recall that three Labour Party House of Reps members and about two House of Assembly lawmakers were sacked on grounds that should be a pre-election matter. Reversing the Lawmakers’ victories in matters that have been settled by Superior Court, ridicules the integrity and avowed impartiality of the Nigeria Judiciary, thereby exposing the institution to attacks”.

“It is more confusing when diverse or conflicting judgments are given on the same matter by the Tribunal. In plethora of cases, Supreme Court have held that a tribunal lacks jurisdiction to intervene in the internal affairs of a political party.”

“The issue of nomination of candidates as well as membership are internal affairs of the party beyond the jurisdiction of courts. It is only a political party that can determine who it’s members are and who their flag bearer for an election should be”

“The act of using money to pervert and influence the tribunal judges by desperate and deep-pocket politicians in Enugu state has been on the news.”

“The judges in Enugu Tribunal must expunge all forms of public doubt and suspicion of trading justice in our courts.”

“While we expect the application of relevant laws to same by the judges of the Enugu Tribunal, I call on them to uphold their integrity to defend the dignity of our constitution in all their decisions. That is what we will accept. Anything other than this will amount to an installment by the judiciary” he said

..Petition Against Edeoga, Mbah, Dismissed

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the suit filed by Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science & Technology who doubles as the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 general elections in Enugu state, Chief Uche Nnaji.

The honourable minister was challenging the declaration and return of the Enugu state governor, Peter Mba, as well as the nomination of Barr. Chijioke Edeoga of the Labour Party.

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Nnaji whose petition was initially dismissed by the Enugu governorship election Petitions Tribunal and also the Court of Appeal had approached the Supreme Court to seek redress.

Daily Gazette recall that the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Enugu had on June 20, 2023 dismissed the petition filed by Mr. Nnaji and his party, the APC, challenging the outcome of the Enugu governorship election wherein the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, announced Mr. Peter Mba of the Peoples Democratic party, PDP, winner of the polls.

In that Petition, Uche Nnaji said Mr. Peter Mba of the PDP was at the time of the election not constitutionally qualified to contest, having presented forged certificate of national service, NYSC, to INEC.

It further said that Mr. Mbah was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the election as the process was marred by substantial non compliance with the electoral act, among other issues.

But the judge in her rulling said the petition with the suit number EPT/EN/GOV/05/23 was abandoned and cannot be entertained pursuant to paragraph 18(3) (4) of the First Schedule of the Electoral Act, 2022.

Dissatisfied with the rulling, Chief Nnaji told the Appeal Court to send back the dismissed petition to the Tribunal for hearing and determination of the suit.

But the Appeal Court in her judgment upheld the decision of the Tribunal and dismissed the suit and awarded the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand naira against the Petitioners.

Daily Gazette recall that the APC Governorship candidate pulled a total of 14,575 votes to come distant fourth in the election.

PRESS RELEASE FROM LABOUR PARTY

The Labour Party took note of the statement that emanated from the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka who as an institution we have the utmost respect for. He is a Nigerian whose accomplishments in the literary world is without doubt intimidating.

However, we beg to disagree with his prognosis and personal opinion on the performance of our party during the 2023 general elections. The facts are before the courts and out of respect for our judiciary, we will reserve our comments until the Supreme Court makes a final pronouncement.

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We understand that the literary giant is human and thus susceptible to emotions and probably said what he said based on information made available to him by those who share the ‘Emilokan sentiment’.

In Yoruba, ‘Gbajue’ refers to fraudulent activities like age, name or certificate forgery, 419 or narcotics trafficking, all of which are issues in the 2023 elections but not on the Labour Party’s part.

‘Gbajue’ in Yoruba also literally means ‘slap him/her in the face.’ Have all Nigerians not been slapped sufficiently in the face? Thanks to this man of letters for bringing this out albeit, advertently. It’s rather interesting that the erudite Prof. Soyinka who owned up to having an electoral “monitoring unit” conveniently glossed over INEC’s legerdemain leading to substantial non compliance and erosion of constitutional dictates, just as he conveniently glossed over the INEC’s advanced ‘gbajue’ of 25 February that has surreptitiously installed the King of ‘gbajue’ in Aso Rock.

It is most befuddling as well as disconcerting that a detribalized and activist Soyinka would succumb to the groupthink syndrome that subscribes to State Capture by those belonging to the criminal fringe by any means, based on primordial considerations.

We really appreciate him for at least giving some credits to Labour Party and its Presidential candidate for breaking the monopoly of power hitherto held by the two other parties. We also noted his admission of his willingness to be part of a demonstration which would be based on the banner of truth.

However we are aware that Soyinka resides in Lagos state and he was in Nigeria in February 25 when elections held in Nigeria. He watched probably with a glee when a certain individual in Lagos warned non-indigenes to vote a particular political party or risk being deported to their place of birth, and he never condemned it. He was there were ballot boxes were snatched by thugs in a polling booth right in front of his house, he didn’t condemned it. We are still looking for where he came out to condemn the unprovoked attacks on our supporters in Lagos by members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, during the last elections.

The whole world followed the 2023 general election in Nigeria and there was a global condemnation of not only the outcome of the election but also the process, particularly, the ‘glitching’ incidence that occurred only during the transmission of presidential result to IREV. As someone who is known to demonstrate based on truth, we didn’t hear as much as a whisper from Kongi reminding INEC that stand by its word.

He also watched when Labour Party provided evidences of several defaced result sheets permitted and uploaded to the IREV by INEC particularly in places where Labour Party won, again the great Soyinka was astonishingly mute.

We will not allege selective amnesia as the reason for Soyinka’s wrong prognosis but we would have expected him to be a statesman which we thought he was by remaining on the side of caution and not exhibiting dual character of someone who may be blinded by some chauvinistic tendencies.

We would rather keep our impression about his recent dual personality with us. We want to also let him know that building a New Nigeria is a dream which time has come and Nigerian youths will not relent until such dream is realized

SIGNED: Obiora Ifoh

National Publicity Secretary

Labour Party

14-09-2023

…Joke Taken Too Far – Embattled Chairman Reacts

Embattled Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State, Wale Adedayo, has been impeached.

Five out 11 Councillors in the LGA announced Adedayo’s impeachment on Thursday.

His impeachment was announced shortly after he appeared before the Legislative council at the Secretariat in Ogbere.

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Adedayo had accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of diverting statutory Federal allocations of all the 20 LGs in the state.

He also petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), seeking Abiodun’s probe on the allegations.

Adedayo was later suspended by the seven councillors from the LG following allegations against the governor, and also held and grilled for three days by the Department of State Security (DSS), Ogun Command, in Abeokuta.

However, the journalist-turned politician appeared before the Councillors investigating allegations of mismanagement against him, where he reportedly responded to questions from the legislators and left after about two hours.

A statement signed by Fasheyi Akindele, the leader of Ijebu East Legislative Council, said after Adedayo’s impeachment motion was put forward, five Councillors voted in support, four against, while one abstained.

According to the statement, Adedayo owned up to all the allegations against him when he appeared before the Legislative Council on Thursday.

It reads, “The councillors of ijebu East Local Government of Ogun State, earlier today, impeached the suspended Chairman of the local government, Hon. Wale Adedayo, over allegations of financial misappropriation and diversion of council funds, among other allegations made against him.

“After series of invitations by the House, which were ignored in the past, Adedayo eventually appeared before the legislative council today as the councillors continued their probe of the chairman.

“The suspended Chairman owned-up before the full house of 11 councilors that he diverted Federal allocations sent to the Council by the State Government and used them for purposes other than what the State Government approved.

“Adedayo also agreed that he spent the Council funds till August 2023, even when the budget was yet to be approved, whereas the laws only allows him to spend till March 2023.

“Adedayo also opened-up that he used N5.2 million to produce 20 pieces of chairs and tables instead of the 290 chairs that the money was meant for as approved by the state government.

“On the issue of illegal levies and strikers to commercial transport operators in the Local government, Adedayo said he thought the House had passed the Bill to that effect, but the Leader of House reminded him that a bill, if passed by the the House, would have been jointly signed by the Leader of the House and the Council Chairman.

“That the chairman has run foul of the laws of the land, specifically the Ogun State Local Government Laws 2006 and committed serious impeachable offences was therefore established.
After about three hours deliberation, the impeachment of the Chairman was put to votes. Five councilors voted for his impeachment, four voted against, with one abstention

“Therefore, the Leader of the House pronounced Mr. Wale Adedayo impeached as the Chairman of Ijebu East LG.”

The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, says the police have put in place water-tight measures to ensure a free and fair Nov.11 governorship election in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi.

Egbetokun said this on Thursday in Abuja at a meeting with strategic police managers and media briefing to highlight policies, breakthroughs, and achievements of the Nigeria Police Force in the last five weeks.

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He said that the meeting was to avail the participants of the opportunity to enumerate some of the operational plans toward policing the off-season governorship election to be held concurrently in the three states.

“We are going to leverage the fact that the elections are limited to just three states to deploy adequately for this election.

“Just as you have seen in other isolated elections in Nigeria, you will see that we have availability of men more in number than what we used to have in general elections.

“So, I have no fear and nobody should entertain any fair about how safe and secure the elections are going to be in November.

“Just three states, it will be very convenient for us, so nobody should entertain any fear about the election, we are prepared for it and very soon we will start the deployment,” he said.

Egbetokun said that the police deliberately decided to take its annual retreat to one of the states, where the election would hold.

“The conference would be two weeks before the election, so it is deliberate and not by accident that we chose that state and that date.

“It is to show to the public that we are ready for the election, so there is no fear about the election,” he said.

He said that the internal security situation of the country, over the last one month had been relatively calm in spite of the threats of political and socio-economic instability that greeted the removal of fuel subsidy and post-election tribunal judgements across the country. (NAN)

Ahead of the Election Petition Tribunal judgment, New Nigeria Peoples Party supporters on Thursday conducted special prayers for the success of Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, at the tribunal.

The special prayer was conducted at the six strategic Kano main entrance routes including Katsina road, Gwarzo road, Madobi Road/Sharada, Zaria road, Maiduguri road and Hadejia road on Thursday.

The Kano State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress is challenging Yusuf’s election victory.

The date for the verdict is yet to be fixed by the tribunal.

In less than two months from today, the Imo state electorates will be heading to the polls to elect a governor that will pilot the affairs of the state for the next four years.

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the state, Senator Athan Achonu, has said that blackmail against him by the government would not stop his moves to become next Imo governor to liberate the state from insecurity and industrialize it.

Achonu stated this while speaking to the people of Aboh Mbaise council area of Imo state, during the flag off of his governorship campaign.

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He alleged that the use of propaganda against him by the government showed the sleepless night his candidature has caused the government of the day.

On what he intended to do for the state, as a governor, he said: “For the past thirty years I’ve been investing and providing employment for thousands of Imo citizens. I offered scholarship to thousands, employs and pays hundreds as well as invested in the agro industry which is one of the biggest in the entire South East, with a capacity to employ 2000 Imolites meaningfully.

“I know the whole blackmail against me was motivated by morbid fear of my towering antecedents and I want to say this before I forget, nothing will deter me from the determination to march to take back the state from the abyss of misgovernance, back to the path of glory.

“I am ready to industrialize Imo through establishment of two industrial parks in each zone of the state including a pharmaceutical park in Orlu zone.”

He also restated his commitment to grant full financial and administrative autonomy to the local government areas as soon as he takes over power, insisting that for real and sustainable growth and development to take place at the rural areas and state as a whole the local government system must be fully functional and alive.