…says sack of LP lawmakers by tribunals shocking

The Labour Party has expressed shock at the spate of judgments emanating from the National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunals where several of its elected lawmakers have been sacked.

National Chairman of the party, Barr. Julious Abure, in a statement, in Abuja, on Tuesday, said most of the judgements are conflicting with matters already settled by the Supreme Court.

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According to him, it was amazing that lower courts arrived at judgments on matters bothering on internal nomination processes of political parties while ignoring a subsisting judgment of the highest court in the land.

The party chairman noted that the LP took Nigerians by surprise by rewriting the political narratives and ending the dominance of the two major political parties in Nigeria. during the last general elections.

With this feat, he said, the LP became a household name with over 10 million members and supporters across the nation.

He, however, expressed sadness that this feat is being reversed by the pronouncements coming out from the various tribunals.

Abure said, “We are worried because the reasons for reversing our victories are matters that have been settled by the superior courts in the past.

“It is even incomprehensible and ludicrous when different tribunals give conflicting and diverse judgements on thesame matter, a matter that has since been ruled by the Supreme Court and very recently at the Presidential Election Petition Court in APC v Peter Obi.

“The courts have in a plethora of cases held that the court has no 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 its members are and who their flag bearer for an election should be.

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“In its judgment in SC/CV/501/2023 which was sighted for the Tribunal, the Supreme Court held that: “A political party that files a suit to challenge the nomination of the candidate of another party will be a nosy busybody, a meddlesome interloper, peeping into the affairs of his neighbour without any backing in law. No court of law can entertain such a Suit”

He further said, “In the case of ARDO & ANOR v. NYAKO & ORS (2013) LPELR-CA/YL/15/2012 (CONSOLIDATED), the court of appeal, per Per DENTON-WEST, J.C.A., held that; “However it is a notorious principle of law that courts have no right whatsoever to descend into the internal affairs of political parties as to choose their candidates for them” or decide the status of their membership.

“This position is more vividly expounded in the case of AGI v. PDP & ORS (2016) LPELR-SC.256/2016, where the Supreme Court held that; “… a party is supreme over its own affairs……A party is like a club. A voluntary association. It has its rules, regulations, guidelines, and Constitution…”

The LP National Chairman equally noted that Part of the rules and guidelines of the Labour Party is to accord membership to any Nigerian whoso desire, and including by way of a waiver.

Adding, “ If you look at our guidelines, it is very clear, that we can grant a waiver to people who are joining us during the election, and Labour Party in observance of its own relevant rules and guidelines discharged its obligations by granting a waiver to as many as requested for it. So, It is our inalienable right under our own rules and we activated it to the fullest.

“The decisions of the tribunal against our elected lawmakers are clearly in contravention of established jurisprudence. Where the leadership of a party regards a person as a member of the party eligible to contest the primaries, no member of the party can complain against such a decision.

“ Such an issue is within the the domestic and internal affairs of the party over which the courts have no jurisdiction as such is not justiciable.

“It is therefore a mockery of our judicial system for lower court to upturn a judgement already delivered by the Supreme court.

“Though the tribunal is not the final court but we frown at the recklessness of our judicial officers in entering a judgement that looks suspicious.

“We are therefore calling the attention of the Nigeria Judicial Council to the injustice on going and to review the activities of some of our legal officers who may have been compromised and found wanting in the discharge of their duties.

“Labour Party must be encouraged to widen the political space and end the one party system being vigorously pursued by the ruling party. Pushing the party under a moving trailer will not in anyway help any one.”

The National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Jos, Plateau State, has nullified the election of a two-term member of the House of Representatives in the state, Dachung Bagos.

Bagos, who represents Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party during the February 25 National Assembly poll.

Nullifying Bagos’s election, the tribunal declared the Labour Party candidate, Ajang Alfred, as the rightful winner of the poll and ruled that the PDP candidate was not validly nominated by his party to contest the poll.

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Bagos was the third PDP candidate whose elections had been nullified in the state by the tribunal.

The other two were Senator Napoleon Bali who represents Plateau South, and Peter Gyengdeng who represents Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency.

Officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency have commenced the demolition of distressed structures on Lagos Island, Mushin and other areas across the state.

This was disclosed in a statement on the official X handle of the Lagos State Government on Tuesday.

According to the statement, the evacuation and partial demolition carried out by the agency became necessary in order to compel the occupants of the distressed buildings to relocate to safer accommodations, adding that it was going to be the last move by the agency before the final demolition.

The statement revealed that the agency had earlier marked the buildings unfit for habitation and the occupants were expected to have vacated the affected buildings for their safety.

It further read, “The affected buildings include units of three and four flats in Oke-Arin and Doherty Streets of Lagos Island and four-floor one-unit residential buildings in Idi Araba areas of the State, among others.”

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.”