The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Umuahia has upheld the victory of Senator Orji Kalu representing Abia-North Senatorial district in the February 25 polls.

A three-man panel led by Justice Samson Paul-Gang in its unanimous ruling on Tuesday dismissed the petition of People’s Democratic Party’s Mao Ohuabunwa and Labour Party’s Nnamdi Iro-Orji for lacking merit.

Advertorial

The court while upholding the victory of Kalu of the All Progressives Congress, APC said that his election complied with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

The tribunal judges also faulted the arguments of both petitioners that the election did not hold in over 120 polling units mainly in Ohafia and Arochukwu Local Government Areas of the zone.

Iro-Orji and Ohuabunwa who came second and third respectively in separate suits had asked the court to overturn the election of the former Abia Governor as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, alleging irregularities.

The tribunal also cancelled the petition of the PDP and Labour Party argument that the total number of registered voters in the allegedly affected polling units was far above the margin of win between Kalu and the first and second runners-up.

The Court in its constitutional interpretation also validated Kalu’s eligibility to contest the election stating that his trial and conviction were quashed by the Supreme Court.

Two other matters filed by the Labour Party challenging Kalu’s election were also interpreted and laid to rest by the tribunal judges and thus declared Kalu the duly elected Senator of Abia North.

Kalu who currently presides as the Chairman Senate Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation was declared winner by INEC of the keenly contested February 25 Senatorial polls having scored 30,805 votes to defeat Iro-Orji and Ohuabunwa who got 27,540 and 15,175 respectively.

The Enugu State House of Assembly has passed the supplementary appropriation bill submitted by the Governor, Peter Mbah.

The supplementary appropriation bill with budget size of 58 billion, 95 million, 482 thousand 293 naira only (58,095,482,293) was read for the first, second and third time by the lawmakers.

The bill titled: “The bill for a law to authorize the issuance and appropriation of the total sum of 58,095,482,293 for capital and recurrent expenditure for the year ending 31st December, 2023,” generated a lot of debate as the lawmakers took time to canvass for their Constituency.

The Lawmakers argued that the bill will enable the state Governor, Peter Mbah to carry out some capital projects in the state and thereafter, passed the Bill for assent by the Governor.

The National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal has affirmed that Idris Dankawi of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has forged his West African School Certificate (WAEC), submitted to contest the election of Kumbotso House of Representatives Federal Constituency.

His opponent, Munir Babba Danagudi of the All Progressive Congress (APC), had filed a petition praying to the court to declare that Dankawi forged his Secondary School Certificate to secure admission into Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Kaduna.

Advertorial

In the judgement of the Tribunal three man panel led by Justice I.P Chima averred that Idris Dankawi of NNPP forged his WAEC certificate and accordingly voided the election.

The Tribunal ordered INEC to set aside the Certificate of Return given to Dankawi and declare Munir Babba Danagudi the winner of the Kumbotso Federal Constituency election held on 25th Feb. March.

The judge said, “having been satisfied with the provision of the law, we hereby declare and return Munir Babba Danagudi as the winner of the Kumbotso Federal House Representatives Election. All parties bear their own cost.”

Last month, the tribunal had sacked Muktar Yarima, NNPP lawmaker representing Tarauni federal constituency, over a similar issue.

The three-member tribunal had ruled that the primary school certificate submitted by Yarima to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to support his qualifications, was forged.

An FCT High Court sitting in Bwari has fixed Sept. 14 for definite hearing of a motion seeking an order to commit the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to prison over alleged disobedience to court order.

Justice Mohammed Madugu fixed the date following a committal charge which emanated from a suit marked: FCT/HC/CV/4068/2023 filed by counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr Michael Ajara.

Advertorial

While the plaintiffs are Otunba Camaru Lateef Ogidan and Mustapha Rabiu, Chief Victor Oye and Prof. Yakubu are 1st and 2nd respondents in the suit.

Ogidan and Rabiu emerged as National Vice Chairman, South West Geopolitical Zone of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and National Welfare Officer of APGA respectively at the Owerri Convention of May 31, 2019, under the leadership of Chief Edozie Njoku, the National Chairman of the party.

In the application, Oye and Mahmood were alleged to have flouted and ignored the court’s interim injunction of May 10, which ordered parties in the suit to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the substantive suit fixed for Sept 28.

Yakubu was alleged to have refused to recognise Chief Njoku as the rightful national chairman of APGA and went ahead to publish names of governorship candidates which did not emanate from Njoku for APGA for the Nov. 11 elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa.

It said the INEC boss continued to recognise Oye as the national chairman of APGA as against the court order.

The motion said Oye also held a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the party in disobedience to the court injunction which barred him from calling any meeting or hold any campaign or convention in the name of the party.

“The injunction also ordered Chief Victor Oye to stop parading himself as the National Chairman of APGA,” it said.

When the matter was called on Monday, Ajara, who appeared for the plaintiffs, informed the court that the motion was ripped for hearing, having been served on INEC chairman on July 13 which the court verified from its records.

Curiously, a copy of the proof of service of the contempt proceedings on Oye could not be found in the court file, though Ajara had certified true copies (CTCs) of the documents for the two respondents.

In a bid to unravel the mix-up, the judge called the attention of the Chief Registrar, Mr Joseph Igboyi, to verify if he was the one that signed the CTC and he admitted that he did.

When the bailiff Mr Musa Abdulwahab was called to produce the original copy of the proof of service which was meant to be in the judge’s file, he admitted that he removed the original copy from the file.

Musa never provided reason he removed the proof of service from the court file and the development generated heated argument in the court.

Justice Madugu consequently adjourned Oye’s matter until Sept. 28 for hearing.

Former national auditor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ray Nnaji has scored the administration of Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State zero for its performance in its first 100 days.

Nnaji, an Enugu-based legal practitioner, said that the governor did not do anything tangible in his first 100 days in office. He regretted that such a performance was not what the people of the state who voted him into office bargained for.

Advertorial

He said, “I know what I did to ensure that power shifts to Nkanu East and I know what I did for my brother Peter Mbah to emerge as a governor but I must tell you if I must be frank, I am disappointed. What we saw in the past 100 days of his administration is not what we expected. What we are seeing is not what is expected of him.

“As a brother and friend, if he doesn’t want closed-door advice, we can always say it in public. Whether he likes it or not, with time he will appreciate what we are doing. I am not scrutinising his administration because I hate him, no, he knows quite well that we are friends. I am not doing it because I need any favour from him.

“He has nothing to show for his first 100 days in office and first impression matters in everything. Once the people have formed their opinion about any administration, there is hardly anything you can do later that the people will appreciate.

“The SSG (Secretary to the State Government) who has arrogated power to himself even when he has nothing to offer is seriously misleading the administration. While they are visible in the media every day, there is little to nothing on the ground to show that there is a government in Enugu State.

“I must tell you that he has to buckle down and meet the expectations of the people because so far I am not satisfied. I cannot tell you he has performed to the expectation of the people who gave him the votes that got him into office. He knows what he faces, though we have a lot of hopes and a lot of expectations.

“Now it remains less than 80 days from the 180 days he promised Enugu people to flood everywhere with water. We have yet to see a glimpse of water even though we are in the rainy season.”

Speaking on the issue of sit-at-home, the PDP chieftain described it as a misplaced priority, adding that the “thoughtless action of the governor unfortunately claimed the lives of some traders”.

He said, “The issue of sit-at-home, he did not handle it well. I told him that the issue of sit-at-home is not something you will use an executive fiat to resolve.

“Instead, you will allow it to die naturally. It had started dying before he rekindled it with pronouncements that have worsened the situation and turned Enugu into a place where insecurity is the order of the day.

“Now, many kidnapping and armed robbery incidents are happening in so many places where they were not prevalent before he came into power.

“Now he has flooded the metropolis with military vans and the rest of them. It’s not as if it is not good but if you are policing the metropolis, what happened to the rural areas? Are they not part of the place you are governing? So that is the situation; it is very unfortunate. It is not what we bargained for that we are seeing.”

He added, “He is still my brother and friend but I must have to tell him the truth. We need to see something happening. We need to see action because it seems that he has not been able to gather himself to take off. Enugu wants a big change from the past but I don’t think I have seen the change so far.

“We want to see water running from our taps. We have a situation where people pay tanker drivers to supply them with water. So, I don’t know any area where he has done anything in his first 100 days in office. We are yet to see any positive development.” (Sahara Reporters)

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba, Delta State, on Monday, nullified the election of a two-term member of the House of Representatives on the platform of the All Progressive Congress, Francis Waive.

The tribunal declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the February 25 election, Solomon Ahwinahwi, as the winner to represent Ughelli North/Ughelli South/Udu federal constituency.

Advertorial

In another judgement, the tribunal ordered a re-run for Enwhe ward 09 of Isoko federal constituency and directed that the Certificate of Return issued to Mr. Jonathan Ukohdiko of the PDP as the winner of the Isoko federal constituency election should be set aside.

Candidate of the Social Democratic Party for Isoko federal constituency, Mr. Dickson Ebegbare, had approached the tribunal, insisting that Ukohdiko was not duly elected by lawful votes and that no election was held in the contentious ward 09.

In Waive’s case, the tribunal nullified the election due to failure to have his qualification published.

However, Waive rejected the judgement and vowed to appeal it at the appellate court, insisting that the grounds for his disqualification were not known to Nigerian law.Tribunal sacks Delta PDP, APC reps

The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Lagos State has sacked Thaddeus Attah of the Labour Party as the winner of the House of Representatives election for Eti-Osa Constituency.

Giving the judgment on Monday, the tribunal also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a supplementary election in 32 polling units within 90 days, as it agreed with Banky W and Obanikoro that elections did not hold in about 40 polling units.

Advertorial

INEC had declared that Mr Attah winner of the election with 24,075 votes, defeating Bankole Wellington, aka Banky W, of the Peoples Democratic Party who polled 18,666 votes and Babajide Obanikoro of the All Progressives Congress who scored 16,901 votes.

Banky W saw the tribunal ruling as a potential turnaround in his political career to be a federal lawmaker.

In a brief post on his X handle on Monday, he tweeted, “It is possible. Still.”

According to Peoples Gazette, the spokesperson for the Labour Party in Lagos, Olubunmi Adesanya, confirmed the decision.

She said, “So what happened was that two of the three judges ruled in favour of supplementary election taking place in some areas, while the third judge said the case should be dismissed.

“We’ll know what the party will do by tomorrow. We’ll await what our legal advisers tell us before we do anything.”

There is heavy security in and around the High Court of Enugu state, venue of the National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal, hearing petitions of various political parties and candidates challenging the 2023 general elections.

Daily Gazette correspondent who is in Court reports that the Enugu Tribunal is currently delivering judgment on the petition filed against the Senator representing Enugu West Senatorial Zone, Engr. Osita Ngwu by the Labour Party Senatorial candidate in the February 25 election, Hon. Dennis Oguerinwa Amadi.

The tribunal is also delivering judgment on the petition filed by the Labour Party House of Assembly Candidate for Uzouwani state Constituency, Hon. Ifeanyi Utazi against the declaration and return of the PDP candidate.

Also in the list of judgments to be delivered, is the petition filed by Dr. Festus Uzor of the PDP challenging the victory of the Labour Party Lawmaker representing Ezeagu/Udi federal constituency in the house of representatives, Hon. Barr. Cyriacus Sunday Umeha.

Stay glued to Daily Gazette for more details..

The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Tribunal, on Monday, sacked the son of Prof. Jerry Gana, Rep Joshua Gana, from the House of Representatives.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Rep Gana was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Edati/Lavun/Mokwa Federal Constituency of Niger State in the Feb. 25 general elections.

Advertorial

Gana, who won the election with 47,942 votes as against 40,003 votes scored by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Abdullahi Usman Gbatamagi, was declared the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Dissatisfied with the declaration, the APC and its candidate, Gbatamagi, through their Counsel, Johnson Usman, SAN, challenged the return of Gana.

The petition with the number; EPT/NG/HR/06/2023 on the ground that the election was invalid by reason of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022, adding that the margin of win was less than the permanent voter cards (PVCs) collected in the polling units where elections did not hold or were cancelled.

Delivering the judgment on Monday, the three-member tribunal, headed by Justice Sylvester Godspower, agreed with Mr Usman’s arguments.

The tribunal proceeded to invalidate votes in the 26 polling units of the constituency, thereby reducing the votes of Gana to 46,494 votes while that of Gbatamagi now stood at 39,159 votes, leaving the PVCs collected in the affected polling units at 14,411.

The tribunal consequently set aside the Certificate of Return issued to Gana by INEC and ordered the commission to conduct a supplementary election in the 26 polling units within 90 days of the judgment with a view to determining the winner of the election. (NAN)

One of the Ministers of President Bola Tinubu has been declared as winner of the February 25 Parliamentary election.

Simon Lalong, former Plateau State governor, who was Director-General of Tinubu/Shettima Campaign, was among the seven governors declared as losers of senatorial elections.

Tinubu had subsequently appointed him as Minister of Labour.

Advertorial

But on Monday, the National and State Petition Election Tribunal sitting in Jos sacked the senator representing Plateau South, Napoleon Bali, and declared Lalong as winner.

Bali contested the election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while Lalong ran under the All Progressive Congress (APC).

The tribunal also sacked Peter Gyendeng as member representing Barikin Ladi/ Riyom federal constituency of the House of Representatives and declared Fom Dalyop of the Labour Party (LP) who became second in the February 25 general elections in the state, as winner.

In their separate rulings, Justice Omaka Elekwo and Justice Muhammad Tukur nullified the election of the two PDP candidates because of the party’s refusal to respect the order of a Jos High court to conduct ward congresses before the last general elections.

The Justices therefore said the evidence presented by the APC and LP candidates were relevant and admissible.