The Labour Party has clarified that the Supreme Court’s ruling on Friday did not sack Julius Abure as the party’s National Chairman, contrary to media speculations.

In a statement posted on the party’s social media, Obiora Ifoh, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, explained the party’s stance on the Supreme Court judgment.

DAILY GAZETTE reports that the Supreme Court had in its ruling on Friday, set aside a judgment by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which had recognized Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).

The five-member panel of the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to declare Abure as National Chairman, stating that the matter concerned the internal leadership of the party.

The judgment further emphasized that the issue of leadership within a political party is a matter for the party itself and not for the courts.

The apex court also noted that Abure’s tenure had expired.

The court allowed the appeal filed by Senator Ester Nenadi Usman and another party member, deeming their appeal to be meritorious.

It subsequently dismissed the cross-appeal filed by the Abure faction of the LP for lack of merit.

In response to the ruling, Obiora Ifoh reiterated that while the court struck out the suit challenging Abure’s leadership, it also clarified that courts should not interfere in the internal affairs of political parties.

“The Supreme Court strikes out Nenadi, Abure suits, says only political parties can determine who their leaders are. It also said that the courts shouldn’t dabble into the affairs of the political parties,” Ifoh said in the statement.

He further emphasized, “Dr Barr Julius Abure is still the National Chairman of the Labour Party.”

Constituents from Kogi Central Senatorial District have expressed their gratitude to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for validating 208,132 signatures (43.86%) of the total signatures submitted in their petition to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the suspended lawmaker representing the District in the National Assembly.

Although the petitioners emphasized that they had mobilized more than the required 50% plus one threshold of registered voters, they believe that INEC’s validation of 43.86% of the signatures clearly demonstrates that the people of Kogi Central have rejected the embattled senator.

“Apparently, INEC canceled not less than 35,000 signatures at the administrative stage,” the constituents remarked in response to INEC’s statement on the recall process.

The petitioners reaffirmed their commitment to continuing the recall process, vowing to bring the Senator back to Kogi Central.

In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by Salihu Habib on behalf of the petitioners, they said, “We will liaise with INEC within the full ambits of the Constitution and regulations to demand for transparency in the handling of our petition. We have utmost confidence in the Commission not to subject the recall process to ambiguity or administrative opacity.”

The constituents also took the opportunity to thank INEC for validating the signatures, rejecting the claims made by critics who questioned the authenticity of the figures.

“We thank INEC for making it clear that the bulk of the people of Kogi Central are behind us and that we did not import a crowd like a desperate, embattled lawmaker,” Habib stated.

The petitioners reiterated their position that their call for the recall of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, citing “misconduct and divisiveness,” remains non-negotiable.

They pointed to a recent rally organized by the senator, accusing her of making inflammatory statements that could potentially incite unrest.

The petitioners vowed to use all lawful and constitutional means to ensure their voices are heard, declaring, “After God, power belongs to the people.”

“We are firm in our resolve to restore dignified and collaborative representation to Kogi Central Senatorial District. We will no longer indulge someone who will do and say anything just to remain politically relevant,” the petitioners said.

The constituents also addressed Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recent rally, where they accused her of making divisive comments, stating, “The whole of Nigeria watched her deceptive rally last Tuesday where she openly made comments capable of setting, not just Kogi State, but Nigeria ablaze.”

They further questioned her remarks, saying, “How can any patriotic Nigerian accuse other parts of the country of sabotaging Kogi State/the North because LNG plants are sited here? How can a responsible Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria try to pitch the North against the South?”

In conclusion, the petitioners restated their determination to continue the recall process, saying, “We will pursue all lawful and constitutional means to ensure our voices are heard and respected. After God, power belongs to the people.”

The President of the 10th Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday distanced himself from a planned solidarity rally in his hometown of Akwa Ibom, stating that he had no knowledge of the organisers behind the event.

In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media Matters, Jackson Udom, Akpabio clarified his stance on the rally, urging his supporters to refrain from attending.

The statement, titled ‘Disregard Any Rally in Akwa Ibom Purported to be in Support of Senate President Godswill Akpabio’, emphasized that the rally had no connection to him, and he warned that those behind it may have ulterior motives.

He stated, “The attention of the office of the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has been drawn to a planned rally purported to be in support of the Senate President and organised by an unknown association by the name, Progressive Peoples’ Resolution and led by one Ubong Idemudo, a known controversial character, slated for tomorrow, April 4.”

Akpabio continued, “The President of the Senate is not aware of any rally organised in his support at any venue in Akwa Ibom and therefore urges his supporters and the peace-loving people of Akwa Ibom State to disregard such rally and go about their lawful duties.”

The Senate President further expressed concern that the rally was being orchestrated by individuals with questionable motives.

“The planned rally, from information pieced together, is the handiwork of fifth columnists trying to use the name of the Senate President to achieve their devilish goal,” he said.

In his closing remarks, Akpabio called for swift action by the authorities to prevent the rally from taking place.

“The Police and other security agencies in the state are by this statement directed to ensure that such satanic rally is not allowed to hold, as such has no approval of the Senate President,” the statement concluded.

Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the political adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has resigned from his post, sources within the presidency confirmed to Daily Trust.

His resignation, submitted approximately two weeks ago, was cited as being for personal reasons, though further specifics have not been disclosed.

As of the latest reports, it remains uncertain whether the presidency has officially accepted his resignation.

Baba-Ahmed was appointed as Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima in September 2023.

Over his 17-month tenure, he represented the presidency at various public events, including a national conference in January 2025, focused on strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.

His time in office was not without controversy. In April 2024, the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, appeared to direct critical comments at Baba-Ahmed after the latter criticized Matawalle’s dismissal of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF).

Baba-Ahmed suggested that Matawalle could have better served the administration by highlighting the achievements of northern appointees, instead of attacking the NEF.

Matawalle countered, emphasizing that all government appointees, including Baba-Ahmed, had a responsibility to defend and promote the Tinubu administration.

Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, born on September 11, 1955, in Kaduna State, has had a long and distinguished career in public service.

He previously served as Chief of Staff to former Senate President Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and as Director of Publicity and Advocacy for the Northern Elders Forum.

His public service contributions earned him the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) honor.

Baba-Ahmed is also an academic, holding degrees from the London School of Economics and the University of Sussex.

Baba-Ahmed’s resignation marks a significant moment in his political journey, which has included a focus on northern Nigeria’s interests and advocacy for governance reforms.

The Supreme Court has annulled the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja that had recognized Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).

In a unanimous decision, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court ruled that the Court of Appeal did not have the jurisdiction to declare Abure as the party’s National Chairman, as the matter at hand was related to the party’s leadership.

DAILY GAZETTE gathered that the apex court emphasized that issues concerning the leadership of a political party are internal matters and fall outside the scope of judicial oversight.

The Supreme Court upheld the appeal filed by Senator Nenadi Usman and another party, describing it as valid. Additionally, the court dismissed the cross-appeal from Abure’s faction of the Labour Party, deeming it without merit.

More detail soon…

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello of orchestrating her recall using fake constituents.

Supporters from all five local government areas in Kogi Central gathered on Tuesday in Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area, to welcome the PDP senator.

Despite a government-imposed ban on rallies and processions, Natasha received a warm reception from the crowd.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Natasha challenged Bello to reveal where he allegedly fabricated the names of the fake constituents behind the recall petition.

“All available evidence and facts point directly to Bello as the mastermind behind the recall move,” she said.

Akpoti-Uduaghan further pointed to past incidents, including Bello’s actions during the 2023 General Elections, when he was accused of coordinating multiple attacks against her as a candidate.

Describing the recall attempt as part of Bello’s ongoing political vendetta, the senator added, “I will advise the former governor to rather focus on clearing his name over allegations of fraudulent diversion of N89.2 billion, instead of attempting to destabilise the mandate given to me by the people of Kogi Central.”

She continued, “The former governor’s hands are already full with corruption allegations, yet he is still bent on frustrating the will of the people. His actions before and during the last general elections, where he sponsored numerous attacks against me, are well documented. This recall attempt is nothing but another ploy to undermine the people’s will.”

Meanwhile, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, former Director of Voter Education at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has explained that the process of recalling a lawmaker is similar to conducting three elections.

Speaking on Arise TV, Osaze-Uzzi said, “Money is necessary for all processes. It can be the corruptive influence of money that we were talking about. INEC will spend a lot because if it goes through the whole process, it is akin to conducting three elections.”

He elaborated on the recall process, noting that it begins with the verification of signatures at the polling unit level.

“Verification officers have to go to the field, verify signatures, and all those who endorsed the petition must be present. It requires mobilization, printing materials, deploying personnel, and setting up logistics, which costs money,” he said.

Osaze-Uzzi also pointed out that voter turnout in Nigeria rarely exceeds 50%, adding to the complexity of the process.

“People have to come forward to confirm their signatures, which requires further mobilisation. INEC will mobilise, the legislator being recalled will mobilise, and petitioners will also mobilise. And at the end of it all, INEC will have to demobilise, again, that’s money,” he concluded.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the petition for the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District, did not fulfill the necessary requirements outlined in Section 69(a) of the Nigerian Constitution.

INEC made this statement in a tweet on its official social media handle on Thursday.

“The petition for the recall of the Senator representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended),” the tweet read.

This announcement follows accusations by the suspended senator that INEC was acting with bias in the attempt to recall her from the Senate.

In a speech to her supporters in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State on Tuesday, the senator, who had arrived via helicopter due to a move to prevent her homecoming rally, accused INEC of helping the petitioners perfect their actions.

She told the jubilant crowd, “What I see INEC doing is aiding and guiding petitioners on how to perfect their illicit acts.”

She continued, “The first time the petition was submitted, they didn’t have addresses and phone numbers, so INEC went out to guide them on how to submit information that would perfect their petition.”

The senator further criticized the petitioners, claiming that they were from the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), and submitted the petition using the letterhead of a group called Kogi Central Political Frontier.

She explained that the address listed on the petition, “number 4, Oboroke,” did not exist.

She also revealed that she conducted a check with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to verify the registration status of Kogi Central Political Frontier and found that the association was not registered.

“I’m still waiting and wondering why INEC has not yet made a statement to that effect or sent people down to Oboroke here, which is just five minutes away, to ascertain whether that address is real,” Akpoti-Uduaghan said.

“Or have we stooped to the point where fictitious, non-existing associations and individuals can call for the recall of a senator? Are we in a kangaroo country? We should not allow that.”

Despite the setbacks, the senator assured her supporters, “I don’t know whether the process will be stalled, but we are in courts as well. Also, I don’t know when they will come down here to verify. But I will say this, if the time ever comes for the verification of the 250,000 people that signed for my recall, I trust that you will do right.”

Reactions poured in following the ruling of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja, which upheld the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

While Governor Okpebholo extended an olive branch to his challenger, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), offering an opportunity for reconciliation and cooperation in developing the state, Ighodalo has vowed to contest the ruling at the Court of Appeal.

In a unanimous decision, the tribunal, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, dismissed the petition filed by Ighodalo and the PDP, which sought to annul Okpebholo’s election.

The tribunal found no merit in the allegations raised by the petitioners.

According to the tribunal, the election, which took place on September 21, 2024, was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act, and the results reflected the will of the people.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Okpebholo as the winner with 291,667 votes, defeating Ighodalo, who secured 247,655 votes.

Dissatisfied with the result, the PDP and its candidate challenged the election, arguing that it had not been conducted in compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

The petitioners alleged that Okpebholo did not secure the highest number of lawful votes and claimed that INEC had failed to pre-record and serialize sensitive election materials, facilitating rigging in favor of the APC.

They also alleged a miscalculation of results in 765 polling units and presented 19 witnesses, along with 153 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines from 133 polling units, as evidence.

The petitioners further claimed that results were manipulated at collation centers, leading to over-voting in Okpebholo’s favor.

However, the tribunal, in its judgment, stated that the petitioners had failed to provide credible evidence to support their claims.

The tribunal emphasized that the burden of proof lay with the petitioners and that they failed to demonstrate, through competent witnesses, that the election was not conducted in accordance with the law.

The panel also noted that the petitioners introduced new facts that were not part of their original case, and these were rejected.

While the petitioners tendered several exhibits, the tribunal pointed out that most of the witnesses gave hearsay evidence and that the necessary polling unit agents, presiding officers, or voters were not called to testify, which weakened their case.

The tribunal also noted that the BVAS machines presented by the petitioners were not turned on to demonstrate that the alleged over-voting occurred.

Even if the tribunal had deducted the votes alleged to have been unlawfully credited to Okpebholo, the governor would still have been declared the winner.

Reacting to the tribunal’s ruling, Ighodalo, through his legal team, vowed to challenge it at the Court of Appeal. Ignoring Okpebholo’s olive branch, he described the verdict as a “huge travesty of justice” and reaffirmed his commitment to challenging it.

In a statement, Ighodalo urged his supporters to remain peaceful and stressed that his petition was about ensuring that the people’s mandate was not compromised.

He reiterated that his candidacy, alongside his running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie, was driven by the aspirations of the people of Edo State.

“While we all may not agree with the verdict, we remain steadfast in our belief that the rule of law must be the bedrock of our democracy,” Ighodalo said.

“This petition was never about personal ambition but a commitment to ensuring that the people’s mandate was not compromised.”

He continued, “I have, therefore, instructed my legal team to proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge this decision,” emphasizing that his fight for justice and electoral integrity would continue.

In contrast, Governor Okpebholo’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, issued a statement celebrating the tribunal’s victory, thanking the people of Edo State for their continued support.

Okpebholo dedicated the tribunal’s ruling to the citizens who voted for him, asserting that the decision affirmed the people’s confidence in his leadership.

“The tribunal, after a thorough and impartial examination of the petitions brought forward by the opposition, has dismissed all claims, confirming that the election was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act and that Governor Monday Okpebholo was duly elected,” the statement read.

Okpebholo also expressed his gratitude to the tribunal, thanking them for their fairness and diligence.

He reiterated his commitment to delivering on his promises, focusing on good governance and inclusive development for Edo State.

“This victory is not mine alone, but a victory for every citizen and resident of Edo State. It is a mandate to continue the work we have started, to build a state where everyone has the opportunity to thrive,” Okpebholo said.

“We remain committed to our promise of good governance, transparency, and inclusive development.”

In a development that underscored divisions within the PDP, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, who is a member of the party, congratulated Governor Okpebholo on his tribunal victory.

Wike described the ruling as a confirmation of the mandate freely given to Okpebholo by the people of Edo State and urged the governor to stay focused on governance.

“I believe in him, and with the way he has started, I am confident that his government will have a positive impact on Edo State and its people,” Wike stated.

Meanwhile, former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Bode George, criticized the tribunal’s judgment, calling it a mockery of the judiciary.

He vowed that the PDP would pursue the matter up to the Supreme Court, expressing confidence that the party would ultimately reclaim the mandate.

“From the judgment we had yesterday, what we now have in this country is ‘judas-iary’ and no more judiciary,” George said.

“We hope and believe that the appellate court would address the real issue because the Governor of Edo knows he didn’t win the election.”