The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos State on Friday nullified the victory of Hon. Dennis Agbo, member representing Udenu/Igboeze North federal constituency in the house of representatives and ordered a fresh election within 90 days.

Advertorial

Delivering her judgement via Zoom, the court ruled on the appeal of All Progressives Congress candidate, Oby Ajih, mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a fresh election for all parties involved.

Ajih had approached the appellate court, challenging the ruling of the tribunal that the election did not follow the right process as the logo of her party wasn’t in the EC8A form.

The appeal court, in a judgement that lasted less than 30 minutes, agreed that the appeal had merit and set aside the judgement of the tribunal.

They said that the non-inclusion of the logo of the APC in the result sheet (form EC8A) isn’t in compliance with the electoral act.

On Saturday, the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos state set aside the judgment of the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Enugu which earlier nullified the victory of Barr. Cyriacus Sunday Umeha representing Ezeagu/Udi federal Constituency in the house of representatives.

Advertorial

The three man honourable justices of the apallate court voided the decision of the trial tribunal on the ground that the lower court erred in law when it came to the preposterous conclusion that Umeha didn’t resign his membership of his former political party, PDP.

The court held that issues of nomination and sponsorship of candidates are entirely a pre-election matter.

Daily Gazette recall that Justice A.M. Abubakar led tribunal had declared Festus Uzor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the 25 February poll.

Not satisfied with the decision of the Tribunal, the Labour Party and her candidate, proceeded to the Court of Appeal praying the court to void the judgment of the lower court.

In a unanimous judgment on Saturday, the court maintained that based on the evidences before her, Barr. Umeha duely resigned his membership of the PDP before seeking election under the platform of the Labour Party.

It said Festus Uzor’s petition at the trial level lacks merit and ought to have been dismissed.

The New Nigerian People Party (NNPP) government of Kano State, has said that the immediate past All Progressives Congress (APC) government of Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, left the state with a debt burden of N500 billion.

Deputy Governor of the State, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, who stated this in Kaduna while chairing the North-West Zonal Meeting of NNPP emphasized that the debt owed by the past government may be in excess of N500 billion, at the end of the ongoing verification process.

Advertorial

The Deputy Governor at a meeting chaired by the party’s Northwest Chairman, Shehu Bello, said the huge debt burden had impeded the smooth take-off of the NNPP government in Kano. He said, “We came into office inheriting a government that left us with nothing but debt.

“Initially, it was N300 billion, but now it is approaching N500 billion, and we are still counting. Once we complete the assessment, we will inform Nigerians, especially our fellow Kano residents, about the total debt left behind.”

The Court of Appeal on Friday, upheld the declaration of Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi as the Senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District.

The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Uba Ahmed Nana, who came second in the elections as declared by INEC.

Advertorial

Uba Ahmed Nana having lost the election, went to the NASS Elections Petition Tribunal but lost the petition. Dissatisfied with the ruling, the APC candidate proceeded to the Court of Appeal which also affirmed the Tribunal ruling by dismissing the appeal.

Reacting to the judgement, Abdul Ahmad Ningi, while addressing his supporters, said the outcome was a clear reflection of the will of people of the Central Senatorial District for better and competence representation.

He assured that he will not let them down as he will ensure that he brings development to the area which he said has been left behind in all ramifications of development.

Abdul Ahmad Ningi then called on his opponent to put politics behind for now and join hands with him for the development of the area because according to him, collective measure is what is needed now.

He particularly called on Uba Ahmad Nana to come and join hands with him in moving the Senatorial District forward just as he called for continued prayers and support from all to enable him succeed in the tasks ahead.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos on Friday, affirmed Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah as the winner of the 2023 Anambra South Senatorial District Election.

The Senator representing Anambra South on the platform of Young Progressives Party (YPP), recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Advertorial

The court delivered judgement on the appeals filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Hon Chris Azubogu, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chris Uba and Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Obinna Uzor.

The appellate court upheld the ruling of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Awka and dismissed the appeals filed by APGA, PDP and LP candidates for lack of merit.

With the Appeal Court ruling, all legal tussles on the 2023 Anambra South Senatorial Election have been brought to an end.

Justice Ismail Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on Friday ordered the arrest of the Chairman of Ibeto Energy Development Company, Cletus Ibeto, for allegedly refusing to appear in court for his fraud trial.

Justice Ijelu issued the bench warrant after a motion moved by the counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), who informed him that the defendant had flagrantly failed to appear in court, despite repeatedly hearing notice served on him.

Advertorial

The EFCC had charged the defendant alongside his companies, Ibeto Energy Development Company and Odoh Holdings Ltd, over an alleged N4.8 billion fraud.

The anti-graft agency filed a 10-count charge of conspiracy, fraud, forgery and fraudulent use of documents.

The defendant’s arraignment was stalled on September 28 and October 5 due to his failure to appear in court, although he was represented by his lawyers.

On the two occasions, his lawyer, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), informed the judge that his client was absent due to ill health. He, however, promised to produce him yesterday.

However, when the matter was called on Friday, he was represented by another counsel, Daniel Awosika (SAN), who told the court that the defendant was sick and could not attend court.

Following the development, Jacobs urged the court to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of the businessman.

Jacobs claimed that the defendant was in Lagos, and the commission could have arrested him, but it did not have the order of the court to do so.

He stated, “Senior lawyers cannot come to court and waste the court’s time. We urge the court to grant us a warrant of arrest to force the defendant to court,” Jacob said.

In his ruling, Justice Ijelu held that the defence counsel did not adduce any compelling reason for him to grant his request for adjournment.

The judge further stated that the court did not exist for frivolities as it only existed for dispensing justice.

“The defence counsel decided to waste the court’s time. The court is the symbol of the state and not an object of ridicule.

“Although the senior counsel appeared in this matter for the first, two senior counsel have previously occurred and promised that the defendant will appear for his arraignment.

“In the absence of any cogent excuse to produce the defendant for arraignment, a bench warrant is hereby issued against the defendant,” the court ruled.

Justice Ijelu has adjourned the matter to November 15 for the arraignment of the defendant.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos has overturned the judgment of the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Umuahia which dismissed the election of Amobi Ogah of the Labour Party and the member representing Isikwuato Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State

The tribunal had in September, 2023 nullified the election of Ogah candidate of the Labour Party only for the lawmaker to approach the Court of Appeal to challenge the judgment.

Advertorial

While nullifying Ogah’s election, the tribunal had ruled in favour of the All Progressives Congress candidate, Nkiriuka Onyejiocha, incumbent Minister of State for Labour and Employment.

On Friday, the appellate court ruled in favour of Ogah who contested the election on the platform of the Labour Party.

The Appeal Court sitting in Lagos State has affirmed Jarigbe Jarigbe of the Peoples Democratic Party as the winner of the Cross River North Senatorial District election.

The court, on Saturday, dismissed the petition by former governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, of the All Progressives Congress on the election.

Advertorial

The court also awarded N500,000 against the former governor in favour of the incumbent senator.

Ayade lost the February election to the incumbent senator, Jarigbe.

The former governor who was in the Senate between 2011 and 2015, lost the National Assembly elections conducted on Saturday with 56,595 votes against Jarigbe of the Peoples Democratic Party who scored 76,145 votes.

Earlier in September, the Cross River State National Assembly Election Petitions sitting in Calabar had declared Jarigbe as the winner of the February 25, senatorial district elections and dismissed Ayade’s petition for lack of merit.

In the five-hour judgment, the chairman of the Tribunal, Justice M. A. Sambo, said the petitioners (Ayade and APC) failed to prove their case substantially a dismissed all their petitions, saying there were no credible evidences tendered before the Court to prove that the elections were fraught with malpractices.

Jarigbe, a two-time member of the House of Representatives, was elected into the Senate through a bye-election in September 2021 following the death of Dr Rose Okoh.