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PDP Sweeps Aba Bye-Election

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PDP Sweeps Aba Bye-Election
Governor Ikpeazu campaigning before the election

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State has swept the Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency bye-election which held yesterday in all the polling units of the constituency.

Declaring PDP’s Chimaobi Ebisike winner of the election, the Resident Electoral Commissioner announced that the PDP polled 10,322 votes against its closet rival APC which polled 3,674 votes. Others are APGA 1,554 votes, AA 199 votes, ARM 13 votes and APM 8.

With the victory, Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency will now be represented by PDP’s Chimaobi Ebisike at the National Assembly.

The bye-election was scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the unfortunate demise in February of Hon Ossy Prestige of APGA who until his death was the Lawmaker representing Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency.

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu described the victory of the PDP as a clear vindication of the hardwork his administration has put into the repositioning of Aba.

In his official response to the victory of Ebisike stated that the bye election was a first-hand opportunity for the people of Aba to pass judgment on the efforts of his administration in rebuilding the broken walls of the Enyimba City.

The governor is grateful to God Almighty for His grace which made this victory possible.

“For all intents and purposes, this election was more appropriately, a referendum by the people of Aba on our work in the city. Our government has invested lots of effort in providing critical infrastructure in Aba and it is heartwarming to see that indeed, the people truly appreciate our efforts. It is also a clear message that our people detest injustice.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Tinubu Rescued From Falling In Kaduna

The people of Aba completely endorsed our message that it was only just, fair and proper to allow the aborigines of Aba an opportunity to represent their own people for the first time in 22 years of our democracy at the National Assembly”.

The governor congratulated Ebisike and urged him to see his victory, first as God’s plan for his life and then as an opportunity to offer dedicated and selfless service to his own people.

“It is a massive privilege to be called upon to serve your own people. Ebisike must appreciate the historic nature of his election and what it means for the people of Aba. He must remain humble and work with dedication in the interest of the people of Aba. He must learn from his forebearers at the National Assembly, especially those who have made their people proud. He must prove that indeed, the aborigines of Aba have all it takes to serve their fatherland well. He must also show that Aba is a home for all by carrying everyone along”.

Governor Ikpeazu also congratulates the leadership and members of the Peoples Democratic Party in the State for the great unity they displayed in this election and stated that the future of the party in the state is indeed very bright. This victory confirms that indeed, PDP remains the party of choice in Abia State, he said.

The governor added that the outcome of this election was a clear message that the days of unproductive family oligarchies were gone in Abia State.

Ikpeazu thanked the great people of Aba for showing confidence in his administration and assured them that he would remain relentless in the pursuit to the turnaround of the infrastructural foundations of the Enyimba City.

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BREAKING: Tinubu, Shettima Know Fate On Disqualification From Presidency On Friday

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Tinubu and Shettima

Whether the Supreme Court will nullify the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate in the February 25 election, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, over alleged double nomination or not will be decided on Friday May 26, 2023.

The apex court on Monday, adjourned to the above date to deliver its judgment in the appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) shortly after taking submissions from the counsel representing parties in the suit.

Specifically, the PDP is seeking the disqualification of the President-elect, Tinubu and the Vice-President-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima, over alleged double nomination; an act which they say violates the electoral laws.

The appellant anchored its appeal on the claims that the appellate court erred in law when it dismissed its appeal and affirmed the judgment of a trial court which held that the suit was incompetent and lacking in merit.

PDP is claiming that the APC breached the law when it nominated Shettima as the senatorial candidate for Borno Central and as vice-presidential candidate.

At Monday’s proceedings, while APC’s lawyer, Mr Babatunde Ogala (SAN), asked the court to strike out the case on the grounds that it has become statute barred, because the 180 days stipulated by law to hear the suit has elapsed, PDP’s lawyer, Mr Joe Agi (SAN), disagreed.

It is Agi’s position that the issue of 180 days does not apply in respect of double nomination, adding that since the act is purely an illegality, the court has the right to entertain the appeal.

“They have done that before, they did it in the case of Nwosu and APC and they will do it again,” Agim added.

The appellant accordingly urged the apex court to grant the appeal, set aside the concurrent decision of the two lower courts and nullify the election of Tinubu and the vice-president-elect for alleged double nomination.

The PDP had by their appeal marked: CA/ABJ/CV/108/2023, urged the appellate court to reverse the January 13 judgment by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja which dismissed its suit on the grounds that the PDP lacked locus standi to have instituted the suit.

The three-member panel of justices of the Court of Appeal, in the lead judgment held that the PDP failed to establish its locus standi in the case.

Justice James Abundaga, who delivered the judgment of the appellate court, had agreed with the respondents that the PDP is a busy body, which dabbled in issues that are internal affairs of the APC.

“The appellant, having failed to disclose its locus standi, this appeal fails and it is hereby dismissed,” he said and proceeded to affirm the judgment of the Federal High Court.

Justice Abundaga awarded N5 million cost against the appellant’s lawyer, J. O. Olotu.

The PDP had, in the suit filed on July 28, 2022, challenged the validity of the Tinubu/Shettima ticket for the 2023 presidential election, arguing that Shettima’s nomination as the running mate was in breach of the provisions of Sections 29(1), 33, 35 and 84{1)}(2)} of the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended).

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BREAKING: Court Disqualifies Alex Otti As Governor-elect,  Others In Abia, Kano

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Alex Otti

The Abia State Governor-elect, Dr Alex Otti and all the candidates of the Labour Party in Abia and Kano States have been disqualified.

The disqualification came from a Federal High Court sitting in Kano, presided over by Justice M N Yunusa.

The court ruled that their emergence was not in compliance with the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act.

A copy of the judgement delivered by the court was made available to newsmen on Friday.

The Court in Suit No FHC/KN/CS/107/2023 filed by Mr Ibrahim Haruna Ibrahim against the Labour Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, ruled that the failure of the Labour Party to submit its membership register to the INEC within 30 days before their primaries renders the process invalid.

“The party that has not complied with the provisions of the electoral act cannot be said to have a candidate in an election and cannot be declared winner of an election; this being so, the votes credited to the 1st defendant are a wasted vote,” the judge ruled.

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BREAKING: Adeleke, Oyetola Know Fates As Supreme Court Rules On Osun Governorship Poll Tomorrow

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Oyetola and Adeleke

By tomorrow Tuesday, Ademola Adeleke will know if he remains the Osun State helmsman as the Supreme Court will rule on the governorship poll dispute.

The ruling is on an appeal filed by former Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola against Governor Adeleke’s victory in the July 2022 governorship election in the state.

Oyetola is asking the apex court to set aside the ruling of the appellate court which nullified the judgement of the election tribunal.

The election tribunal had declared Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the election.

Oyetola was declared the winner by the election tribunal after he went to court to challenge the victory of Adeleke, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Delivering judgment on January 27, two out of the three-member panel held that the former governor was able to prove that there was over-voting in some of the polling units.

Adeleke had rejected the judgment, describing it as “a miscarriage of justice” and “an unfair interpretation against the will of majority of voters”.

In the 31 grounds of appeal, Adeleke begged the court for “an order setting aside the whole decision of the tribunal”.

He also sought “an order striking out the petition for want of competence and jurisdiction or in the alternative, an order dismissing the petition on the merit”.

Adeleke submitted that the tribunal exhibited bias when it said: “The second respondent cannot ‘go lo lo lo lo’ and ‘buga won’ as the duly elected governor of Osun state.”

The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of Justices on Friday, held that the appeal the governor lodged to challenge his sacking by the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, was meritorious.

Aside from setting aside the judgement of the tribunal, the court, in its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Mohammed Lawal, awarded N500,000 cost against APC and its candidate, Oyetola.

However, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court announced on Monday that judgment will be delivered on the matter at 2 pm on Tuesday, May 9, 2023.

This comes after the panel took arguments from the legal representatives of Adeleke and Oyetola.

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