Politics
Nullify APC Primary – Party Members Demand As They Storm Court
Nullify APC Primary – Party members have demanded as they storm court.
News ToGo learned that no fewer than 39 members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State, on Monday, asked a Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi to nullify the gubernatorial primary election of the party in the State.
The APC members dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, APC and Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia to court over the alleged infringement on their rights to vote at the said direct primaries of the party, Daily Post reports.
This, they said, was as a result of the non-use of the membership register, which they said contravened INEC regulations and guidelines for nomination of candidates for the 2023 general elections and regulations 20, 22, and 26 of the APC guidelines for nomination of candidates.
The members alleged that there was no form of accreditation and the said primary was never held inline with the extant laws regulating the conduct of direct primary election, therefore the results declared is null and void.
Pine Benjamin and 38 other APC members are seeking a determination of the Court, whether by the combined interpretation of sections 77(2) and (3),82(1),(2)and (5); 84(1),(4)(a)-(c) and (13) of the Electoral Act, 2022 and sections 177(c)and 285(14) (c-the part that commences with “or” to the end thereof), of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, read together the relevant exhibits attached to the supporting affidavit hereto INEC is not under duty and can be compelled by the Court to refuse to publish and/or refuse to put the name of Rev. Alia or any of the guber aspirant as a candidate sponsored by the APC for the 2023 governorship election in Benue State.
They are also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from accepting names of any aspirant as governorship candidate of the APC for the 2023 general elections in Benue State.
Also listed as co-defendants are: Dr. Terlumun Ikya, Mr Bernard Yisa, Dr. Mathias Byuan, Godwin Tyoachimin, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN.
Others are: Senator Barnabbas Gemade, Rt. Hon Herman Hembe, Mr Anyom Mlanga, Hon. Terwase Orbunde, Chief Stephen Lawani, Dr. Sam Ode and Prof. Terhemba Shija.
During the hearing, counsel to the plaintiffs, Samuel Irabor, who filed a 38-paragraph affidavit in support of the originating summons along with accompanying documents, urged the court to grant the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs.
He submitted that INEC, which is the first defendant in the suit, had elected not to defend the suit.
Irabor urged the court to deem the uncontroverted averment as admittance, inline with section 123 of the Evidence Act, 2011.
He submitted that the INEC report on the APC gubernatorial primaries in Benue State clearly states that membership registers were not used in the conduct of the direct gubernatorial primary election in the State.
On the opposition by counsels to Terlumun Ikya and Sam Ode, Jerry Aondo that the plaintiffs are meddlesome interlopers, Irabor submitted that that argument is based on section 87(9)which is not in the Electoral Act 2022, but the old Electoral Act.
He drew the attention of the court to 4th alteration to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, assented to by president Muhammadu Buhari in May 2018, which has given birth to section 285(14)(c) which empowers not only aspirants but political parties and any complaint to be on a primary election to be heard by the court.
On the objection by Alia’s counsel, Mamman Mike Osuman, SAN, that the plaintiffs didn’t file the suit within time, Irabor argued that the suit was filed on June 9th, 2022, and the APC was still conducting rerun in the purported governorship primary election on the same day.
Irabor pointed out that the membership form annexed by the plaintiffs is same with that of the Presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu and Rev. Alia, a fact Alia’s counsel has failed to respond to.
He urged the court to discountenance the objections of the defendants to the suit and grant the reliefs of the plaintiffs.
Counsel to the APC, Dikko Ishaku, SAN, counsel to Rev. Alia, Mamman MkketOsuman, SAN, and that of Dr. Terlumun Ikya and Sam Ode, Jerry Aondo all urged the court to dismiss the suit.
Osuman, SAN, submitted that the suit was incompetent and should be dismissed.
After listening to the arguments of the lawyers, the Presiding judge, Justice Abdul Dogo adjourned the matter for judgement on a date to be communicated to the parties in the suit.
Controversy brewed yesterday as two governorship candidates emerged winners of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket from parallel primaries conducted ahead of the September 21 governorship election in the state.
News ToGo reports that a member of the House of Representatives, Dennis Idahosa, was initially declared the winner by the chairman of the APC Primary Election Committee, Governor Hope Uzodimma, at Protea Hotel. However, at the residence of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Senator Monday Okpephole was announced as the winner by the Returning Officer for the election, Dr. Stanley Ugboaje.
In one of the primaries supervised by Uzodimma, Idahosa secured victory with 40,453 votes. Conversely, Okpepholo emerged triumphant in the parallel primary overseen by Dr. Ugboaje, garnering 12,145 votes.
Announcing the results, Uzodimma affirmed the peaceful conduct of the exercise across the state’s 18 local government areas and 192 wards. He declared, “Dennis Idahosa, having scored the highest votes cast, is hereby declared winner of the primary and returned as the candidate of the party.”
In the second primary, Dr. Stanley Ugboaje announced Okpepholo as the winner with 12,145 votes, while Idahosa secured 5,536 votes to emerge second.
Prior to the conclusion of the declaration at Lushville Hotel and Suite, suspected thugs disrupted the process, compelling the officials to relocate to Pastor Ize-Iyamu’s residence. Journalists covering the event were assaulted, and their equipment damaged. Despite the presence of the State Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adeboye, the disruption persisted.
Meanwhile, the APC has urged the public to disregard any unauthorized announcement of the primary election result. National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, emphasized that only the Governor Hope Uzodinma-led Edo State APC Governorship Primary Election Committee is authorized to undertake the final collation and announcement of results.
Labour Party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, announced the engagement of an external auditor to scrutinize the party’s finances.
News ToGo reports that this follows allegations of misappropriation made by Oluchi Opara, the party’s national treasurer, who accused Julius Abure, the national chairman, of mishandling N3.5 billion. Responding to these accusations, the party suspended Opara, citing external influences seeking to harm the LP. Abure pledged legal action against Opara for defamation.
Addressing the issue in a press conference on Thursday, Obi stated, “We will account for everything now that we have an independent person who will tell us which way forward.” Accompanied by Aisha Yesufu, a member of his 2023 campaign team, Obi clarified, “I’m not involved in the party’s management and the campaign accounts.”
He assured transparency in handling funds received during the election and called on the public to provide any information on fund disbursement. Obi emphasized the importance of accountability in the party’s financial affairs moving forward.
Politics
KARMA: Alleged APC’s Memo Asking Police To Grab, Silence 16 Politicians In Kano Leaks (FULL LIST)
A leaked memo from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has surfaced, revealing the party’s attempt to engage the Nigeria Police Force to apprehend and silence 16 prominent individuals in the state allegedly for inciting the public against the party through social media posts.
News ToGo learned that the letter, dated January 5, 2024, and signed by the State Secretary of the APC, Ibrahim Zakari, urged the Nigerian Police Force to arrest the identified individuals and institute legal proceedings against them based on directives provided by the party.
In the memo, the APC expressed confidence in the victory of its gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, in the state’s gubernatorial election held in March 2023. Consequently, the party authorized the Nigeria Police Force to treat the letter as official instructions.
The letter states: “On behalf of the Kano State APC Chairman, we request that the individuals listed in the table below be traced and arrested immediately after the Supreme Court’s verdict on Friday, January, 12″ 2024, which will declare Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna as winner.
“We also request that your department should as a matter of urgency, file charges and accuse them of using the social media in uttering unguarded statements capable of promoting violence and inciting people against the APC government. We have enough record of such posts. The name of the court you should convey their cases will be sent to you in due time. Please let us know what it will take.”
The list of individuals to be apprehended includes:
- Salisu Yahaya Hotoro
- Aliyu Dahiru Aliyu
- Kabiru Sa’idu Dakata
- Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa
- Nasiru Zango
- Sufyan Safjamil Kabo
- Hajiya A’in Jafaru Darmanawa
- Alhajiji Nagoda Hon, Ibrahim Zakari
- Ibrahim Zakari Zawaciki
- Sani Musa Danja
- Hon. Auwalu Lawan Aranposu
- Sunusi Osca
- Kwankwason Dakata
- Ishak Abdul
- Aminu Abdullahi Kima
- Habu Tabule
The party reportedly promised to send the home and office addresses of the listed persons alongside another list.
The Supreme Court recently overturned the judgments of the election tribunal and Court of Appeal, affirming Governor Kabir Yusuf as the duly elected governor of Kano State. Gawuna, who had initially won at the tribunal and the Appeal Court contested Governor Yusuf’s victory over alleged malpractices.
Gawuna, in response to the Supreme Court’s verdict, expressed acceptance, stating, “The Supreme Court judgment is God’s decision, saying he had accepted it in good faith.”
BREAKING: Tension As Gunmen Kidnap Top Rivers Official, Fubara
BREAKING: Country’s Prime Minister Runs For Her Life As Angry Protesters Invade Her Palace
BREAKING: Ifeanyi Ubah Dies 48 Hours After His Condition Worsened
Organisers Of Nationwide Protest Give Wike Stiff Conditions In New Letter After His Warning, Tell Him They May Enter Aso Rock (LETTER)
BREAKING: DSS Figures Out Sponsors Of Nationwide Protest Against FG
BREAKING: Ohanaeze President, Iwuanyanwu Is Dead
Tension As IGP Orders DPOs, Policemen To Storm Vulacanizers Shops Ahead Of Nationwide Protest
Nationwide Protest: Plot To Arrest Peter Obi Will Cause Chaos – Top Politician Tells Tinubu
Dangote Reveals NNPC Officials, Others Have Oil Processing Plants Abroad Amid Moves Against Him (VIDEO)
BREAKING: Tinubu Sends N70, 000 New Minimum Wage Bill To NASS
BREAKING: Shaibu Joins APC, Reveals How They Will Take Over Edo As He Teams Up With Oshiomhole
What Tinubu Told Fashola In His New Message
JUST IN: Death Recorded As Fatal Accident Occurs On Third Mainland Bridge
Finidi George Set To Land A Top Appointment
JUST IN: Details Of The Deal That Led To The Release Of Cubana Chief President Emerge
-
Education & Jobs2 years agoApply For Australian Government Visa Sponsorship Jobs 2023 (All Fields)
-
Politics11 months agoKogi Election: Drama As Dino Melaye Angrily Tells PDP Members To Refund His Money After He Lost
-
Top Story9 months agoOgun Go Kill You – Furious Soldiers Vows To Deal With Gov Sanwo-Olu (VIDEO)
-
Politics1 year agoTinubu Set To Release List Of Ministers, Wike And 5 Others Tipped
-
Special Features11 months agoIMPEACHMENT: Two Actions Fubara Took That Turned Wike Against Him
-
Top Story1 year agoBREAKING: President Tinubu Inaugurates Appointees
-
Politics1 year agoMassive Crowd Besiege Airport Ahead Of Tinubu’s Return (VIDEO)
-
Education & Jobs2 years agoApply For UK Companies Willing To Sponsor Visa In 2023 (APPLY NOW)