“We note also the needless lavish showering of praises on the legal counsels of both APC and Candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu by the retired Justice.”

PRESS RELEASE • SEPTEMBER 5, 2023
Labour Party

It has become necessary for the Labour Party to draw the attention of the public and indeed democratic watchers to some unfolding developments in the country ahead of tomorrow’s ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC.

The unguarded statement from the former Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Justice Mary Odili in Abuja last week at a colloquium to mark the 25th anniversary of the elevation of a renowned jurist, JK Gadzama to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, and the boasting of some persons, serving Ministers and notable legislators about the outcome has left our party in shock.

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When those who should know the importance of the sanctity of the judiciary descend to the arena of abusing it with their preemptive utterances just to show loyalty and support to their interests, we as a party see this as unfortunate and dangerous to our democratic journey as a nation.

We note also the needless lavish showering of praises on the legal counsels of both APC and Candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu by the retired Justice when the gathering was not theirs. We find this extremely undignified of a renowned jurist who rose to the peak of her career in the country’s Apex court and who as the Chairperson of the body of benchers, should be at the forefront of defending the virtuousness of the courts.

Also curious to every discerning mind watching the unfolding events in Nigeria since the February 25th Presidential election is the fact that the PEPC that refused live television coverage of the hearings of the petition, and is now anxious to have the conclusion beamed live.

What is it that has happened between the hearing period and the delivery of the judgment that the live coverage which they claimed was a policy issue changed suddenly at the delivery point?

We are aware of the efforts of the agents of the States to orchestrate problems and blame them on the political opposition. We wish to emphasize that it is the right of the people in a democracy to demonstrate and the obligation of state security agents to protect the demonstrators and those not demonstrating.

Meanwhile, we implore Nigerians to remain calm and peaceful, abide by the rule of law, and understand that this matter has not reached its logical and final conclusion.

Our concern as a critical stakeholder in Nigeria’s project especially the democratic evolution is that what is being destroyed with all these clever by half playing on people’s intelligence is Nigeria as a nation not necessarily an individual.

Anybody who loves this country should appreciate the importance of due process and the rule of law because, without it, this country is going nowhere.

SIGN

Obiora Ifoh
National Publicity Secretary
Labour Party.

Sir Simon Martins Okechukwu, former Special Assistant to the immediate past governor of Enugu state, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, on Tuesday, resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Okechukwu, a writer and author of repute, submitted his letter of resignation to the PDP hierarchy at his Mkpologu ward in Uzo-Uwani council area.

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He alleged that his decision to resign was a result of ‘deep-rooted deception by party leaders, and apparent lack of internal democracy in the party’.

The letter sighted by Daily Gazette and addressed to Chief Robert Ezeagu, chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Nkpologu Ward in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area reads in part;

“Effective today 5th September, 2023, and by virtue of this letter, I hereby wish to inform you of my resignation from the PDP. The decision was informed by deep-rooted deception by party leaders, apparent lack of internal democracy in the party, and non-recognition of contributions of a good number of members, including me.

“Events shortly after the general elections clearly showed that I have no future if I continue to remain as a member of the party.

“Indeed, it has been a great honour to contribute to the development of the party in Nkpologu Ward, Uzo-Uwani Local Government and Enugu State at large.”

The resignation letter was copied to the chairman, PDP, Uzo-Uwani LGA, Umuluokpa; the party chairman, Enugu State, and the national chairman of PDP,
Wadata Plaza, Abuja.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has said he suspended further actions on Nigeria Air and airport concession because of complaints from not members of the public alone but agencies of government.

Keyamo had last week announced the suspension of the two projects which were parts of the aviation roadmap of the last administration.

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Speaking when he inspected the ongoing second runway project of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, Keyamo stated that the two projects would remain suspended until the government takes a final decision on them.

He said, “It would be irresponsible of me as a minister to come in and agencies of government are raising red flags here and there and I would keep quiet.

“I am not talking about people, Nigerians complaining now, agencies of government are raising red flags about both projects and I as a government functionary cannot waive all those red flags away.”

The minister said the next step will be for the Federal Government as a body, not just him, to look at all the reports he would put before them but no final decision has been taken yet on concession.

He warned those trying to commit themselves to the projects to tarry a while.

The minister had earlier during the tour charged the contractors handling the construction of the Abuja second runway project to deliver a standardized and long lasting project, warning that government would not tolerate shoddy job.

On his part, the Managing Director of CCECC, David Wang, promised to keep to standard by delivering a Hard-Surfaced runway way that will last longer.

The construction of the project took shape penultimate week after the Minister met with his counterpart in FCT, Nyesom Wike, to settle the issue of compensation of the host community.

Former governor of Ekiti state, Kayode Fayemi, says democracy in the country is not working despite the end of the military administration in 1999.

This is as Fayemi said the protest that trailed the fuel subsidy removal during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012 was due to political interests.

He spoke Tuesday in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at a national dialogue organised to celebrate the 60th birthday of Prof Udenta Udenta, founding national secretary of Alliance for Democracy (AD).

In January 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan announced the removal of fuel subsidy, causing a significant increase in the pump price of petrol, from N65 per litre to N141.

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This decision ignited widespread protests across major cities in Nigeria, known as ‘Occupy Nigeria.’

After more than a week of protests, the government adjusted the petrol price to N97 and later reduced it to N87.

While speaking at the event, the ex-governor criticised the “winner-takes-all” nature of Nigeria’s democracy stating that the nation’s current challenges could not be effectively addressed without adopting proportional representation, where election rewards are distributed among contestants based on their share of the vote.

“Today, I read former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s interview in TheCable saying our liberal democracy is not working and we need to revisit it, and I agree with him. We must move from the political alternatives. I think we are almost on a dead end of that.”

“What we need is alternative politics, and my own notion of alternative politics is that you can’t have 35 per cent of the vote and take 100 per cent. It won’t work! We must look at proportional representation so that the party that is said to have won 21 per cent of the votes will have 21 per cent of the government. Adversary politics bring division and enmity,” he said.

He also acknowledged that all major political parties in Nigeria, including the PDP, APC, and Labour Party, had previously included the removal of subsidy in their manifestos.

However, he emphasized that the actual implementation of the policy in 2012 was driven by political considerations rather than a genuine commitment to the policy itself.

“All political parties in the country agreed and they even put in their manifesto that subsidy must be removed. We all said subsidy must be removed. But we in ACN at the time, in 2012, we know the truth sir, but it is all politics.

“That is why we must ensure that everybody is a crucial stakeholder by stopping all these. Let the manifesto of PDP, APC and Labour Party be put on the table and select all those who will pilot the programme from all parties.”

Among those at the event were Jonathan, former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili; and former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka.

The Lagos State branch of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, an apex lgbo socio-cultural organisation, has reaffirmed its support and vote-of-confidence on the National Executive leadership of Ohanaeze led by Chief Emmanuel lwuanyanwu.

The Ohanaeze branch also threw its weight behind exemplary conducts of three National Youth leaders of the Igbo socio-cultural group, which included: Mr Chinedu Ugwa, Mr Obasi Onu and Comrade Chukwuma Okpalazeukwu.

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This is contained in a statement issued in Enugu on Tuesday by the Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State Branch, Chief Robert Obasi.

Obasi also explained that the branch’s recent visit to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwolu, was not fraudulent; while dismissing a libelous publication against the visit.

The statement reads in part: “Our attention has been drawn to a publication circulating on the platform of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos and other Igbo platforms, where three illustrious sons of NDIGBO were wrongly labeled “Fraudsters”.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos recognised and appreciates the contribution of Chukwuma Okpalazeukwu during the 2023 campaign. Their participation in the endorsement of Gov. Babajide Sanwolu.”

The statement said that Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State in collaboration with the G50 Ofu Obi are aware of the award presented to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwolu, by the aforementioned persons.

It said, “We state that the award was genuine and was done in good faith.

“We categorically state that no one was arrested for awarding the Excellence Award to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwolu, by the security agencies as claimed by the writer.

“We state that, Mr Chinedu Ugwa, Mr Obasi Onu and Comrade Chukwuma Okpalaczeukwu are bona fide members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo with outstanding leadership achievements.”

The statement frowned at the activities of paid mercenaries who act as tools of destruction in Ohanaeze Lagos State Branch.

“The executive members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State disassociate themselves from all the activities of any impostor,” he said.

The National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Kano has dismissed the petition filed before it by Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, son of the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman.

Ganduje who contested but lost the February 25 parliamentary election in Rimin Gado, Dawakin Tofa and Tofa Federal Constituency had challenged the victory of Tijjani Abdulqadir Jobe, his New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) rival.

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The three-man panel of judges led by I. P Chima dismissed the petition for lack of merit, saying the petitioner couldn’t prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

The Tribunal averred that the petitioner has failed to present sufficient evidence to support the allegation during the conduct of the election.

The judge thereafter awarded the fine of N200,000 against the petitioner to be paid to the respondents individually.

The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State has sacked Senator Jibrin Isah, popularly known as Echocho, the lawmaker representing Kogi East senatorial district in the National Assembly.

The tribunal consequently ordered a rerun of the senatorial election that was declared to have been won by Isah – an ally of Governor Yahaya Bello – in 155 polling units in Kogi East.

The rerun will be contested between Isah of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Dr. Victor Adoji, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In January, Isah was reportedly booed by hundreds of youths during a campaign rally in the Ankpa Local Government Area of the state.

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Isah, who was the incumbent senator representing the district had attended a campaign rally along with Edward Onoja, the state deputy governor and the House of Representatives candidate for Ankpa Federal Constituency in the state.

Some of the constituents reportedly asked Isah to return to Governor Bello, to whom he had allegedly attributed his victory in the 2019 election.

He, however, denied that he was booed, saying his campaign tour was successful.

Recently, Isah was seen in a viral video kneeling before Governor Bello to thank him for nominating Shaibu Abubakar-Audu, son of the late Abubakar Audu for a ministerial position.

In the video, Bello told the lawmaker that Abubakar-Audu’s nomination was to reward his late father for his sacrifice.

“For all the sacrifices, I am rewarding Prince Abubakar Audu, for all his sacrifices too (probably referring to Shaibu who was not visible in the video), I no loss, I gain plenty.

“To God be the glory!” Bello said.

“You’re over-rewarding us,” Isah told the governor.

The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shuaibu, has withdrawn the suit he filed at the Federal High Court to stop alleged plots by the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, to remove him from office.

Shaibu, in a circular dated September 5, 2023, cited the case with Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1027/2023 which named the Inspector General of Police, State Security Service, the Governor of Edo State, and the Chief Judge of Edo State as defendants.

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The deputy governor stated that the decision to withdraw the suit came after a series of meetings involving himself, Obaseki, and well-meaning citizens of Edo and Nigerians, including party leaders, traditional rulers, and the Archbishop, Benin Archdiocese of the Catholic Church.

“With due respect to these eminent personalities and leaders whose persuasions and persons I cannot ignore, I, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu have authorized and instructed my Solicitors to withdraw the Suit forthwith,” Shaibu wrote.

“I wish to sincerely thank and appreciate these well-meaning Nigerians, Party Leaders, Traditional Rulers, and my Archbishop, His Grace Most Rev. Dr. Augustine Akubeze for their kind words, advise and encouragement thus far in ensuring peace and unity in our dear State, Edo.

“I also wish to place on record my special thanks to Mr. Governor, my boss and senior brother for this path of peace.”