Appeal Court Upholds Isah’s Election As Kogi East Senator
The Abuja division of the Appeal Court has affirmed the election of Jibrin Isah, of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the Senator representing Kogi East Senatorial District. The Chairman, Senate Committee on Customs, was declared the winner of the said election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Not satisfied with the outcome of the election, Victor Adoji of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) went to the Tribunal, citing cancellation of election results in some polling units where the PVCs collected were more than the margin of win. Specifically, he Prayed the court to nullify the victory of Isah and ordered a supplementary election in the affected 94 polling units in the senatorial district. In a unanimous Judgement, the tribunal led by Justice K.A. Orjiako ordered a rerun in 94 polling units where there were irregularities in the last general election. Not pleased with the judgment, Isah filed an appeal against the decision of the lower court. The appeal court in its judgment on Thursday, held that the witness on which the tribunal relied its judgment on was incompetent. The court subsequently expunged the exhibits presented by the witness from the records. “The appeal succeeds. The judgment of the tribunal is hereby set aside and the appellant’s victory is sustained and affirmed, ” the appellate court held.
November Polls: INEC Cautions Political Parties Against Peddling Fake News
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned political parties against spreading fake news, ahead of the November 11 Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo governorship elections. Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman stated this in a statement in Abuja.Oyekanmi was reacting to a statement by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) that INEC was configuring Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines at the Government House, Lokoja, with the intention of manipulating the state governorship election.“The attention of INEC has been drawn to a statement signed by ID Ijele, the Director of New Media of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) of the governorship campaign team.“The statement alleged that three staff of INEC are right now maliciously reconfiguring the BVAS machines in the Government House, Lokoja, with the intention of manipulating the Nov.11 governorship election in a part of the state in favour of a candidate. “The story is untrue. The three persons mentioned are not associated with the configuration of the BVAS machines and not even in Kogi at the moment. “Nicholas Ocholi is on his duty post in our Ondo State office in Akure.“Ibrahim Egbunu is attending to a very close family member hospitalised in Abuja, Mohammed Adara retired last year and is no longer a staff of the commission,” Oyekanmi said.He said that the configuration of BVAS was done simultaneously and exclusively in INEC offices in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi by teams deployed from the national headquarters, Abuja. “The public is advised to disregard the story as fake news. “At the same time, the commission appeals to political parties to desist from engaging in malicious rumour mongering of this nature,“ Oyekanmi said.
Supreme Court Sets To Hear Atiku’s Appeal Against Tinubu October 23
The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for Monday, October 23, regarding the appeal filed by Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, against the election of President Bola Tinubu. It’s worth noting that on September 19, the PDP candidate lodged a 35-ground appeal challenging the verdict of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPC) that upheld Tinubu’s victory. Earlier, a five-member panel led by Justice Hassan Tsammani had, on September 6, dismissed the petitions filed by Atiku and his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, citing a lack of merit. Additionally, the former Vice President sought the Supreme Court’s permission to submit fresh evidence obtained from Chicago State University, furthering his claims of discrepancies and forgery in President Tinubu’s academic records. Atiku maintains his stance, urging the apex court to remove Bola Tinubu from office.
Obi Beat Tinubu In 2023 Presidential Election, Babachir Lawal Insists
A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Dr David Babachir Lawal said in Abuja on Tuesday that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, (LP) Peter Gregory Obi won the February 25 presidential election and not Bola Ahmed Tinubu as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). According to Babachir, available factual data as aggregated from several independent sources indicated that Obi got the majority votes while Atiku came second in the election, adding that Bola Tinubu came a distant third in the number of votes scored. In a statement he issued on Tuesday, Babachir Lawal said “I have resisted the temptation to engage in the contemporary political discourse since the May, 2023 election faux pas. “I did this for two reasons; the first being that as an active player in the drama, I needed time to analyse and digest the data that led to the outcome(s) so I could arrive at an informed decision; the second, being that the rainy season had just set in and it was necessary that I focused my attention on my farms which are the mainstay of my livelihood. “The current topical issues for political discourse and inquiry are whether or not Bola Tinubu won the presidential election and/or that he was apriori qualified to participate in the election given his murky bio data as is now being publicly unveiled daily in an avalanche. “My answer to the first inquiry is that regardless of whatever INEC or Appeal Court said or did, Bola did not win the election. “Right from the start of the campaigns, Bola new knew he was not going to win the election in a free and fair contest so he decided to go by all means. “Available factual data as aggregated from several independent sources indicate that Obi got the majority votes while Atiku came second. Bola came a distant third in the number of votes scored. “My answer to the second inquiry is that given the now unfolding deluge of uncomplimentary information about who or what he actually is, ordinarily, sound ethics and morality should have convinced him to voluntarily excuse himself from participation in the election. “But this, notwithstanding, I believe he still has time and opportunity to save himself this public humiliation and embarrassment to his person, both locally and internationally by resigning so that he can give more attention to his health. “After all, no one knows about the truism of these severely embarrassing and humiliating exposures about his person than the man himself. “Leadership is all about integrity; sound pedigree, trustworthiness and the ability to unite and instil hope and confidence in the people one seeks to lead. In these qualities, most Nigerians are in total agreement that Bola has them in very very short supply indeed. “But now, six months down the line, the chicken has come home to roost as Nigerians have come to the realization that we have not got what we deserved politically. “Confusion and despondency are now all over the nation as no one trusts the government to do what it says it will do. No one trusts the leader; and no one trusts appointees who are appointed as rewards for their roles in the election or who had in the past helped him in his life. “Bola the President and his group are now in government and are in full control of Nigeria’s vast resources and opportunities. They are enjoying their offices while Nigerians languish in insecurity, poverty and hopelessness. “During the campaign, Bola mouthed some platitudes about competence; but we are so far yet to see it reflected in his political appointments. It seems more like he is rewarding people who supported him to get the Presidency at all cost. “This band of appointees that Bola is assembling into his government don’t care about Nigeria at all. “Fuel prices will continue to gallop upwards until only they can afford it; the Naira will continue to race downhill in a free-fall until only they can afford anything in the market; insecurity will continue its escalation until every community in the nation is consumed by it”, he said.
IReV Not An Election Result Collation System -INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says its results viewing portal is to enhance election transparency and not a result collation or transmission system. The INEC Director of ICT, Paul Omokore, gave the clarification in his presentation titled: “The role of BVAS, IReV for Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo Governorship elections” at a two-day capacity workshop for journalists on Monday in Akwanga, Nasarawa State. Omokore advised journalists and members of the public not to confuse uploading of PU results to INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) with electronic transmission of results. He said that INEC Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is only used to upload pictures of PUs results on form EC8A to IReV, which does not translate to electronic transmission of results. “Form EC8A is the result that we collated at the PUs. We use BVAS to snap this form and upload the same thing to the IReV portal for public viewing. “This is not a collecting system. It does not tally a system. What it does is to snap the EC8A which is the result at the polling unit and upload the same to the public view. That is all. “I know that 70 per cent of the populace think that the others have collected the figures. No. “All what it does is snapping the EC8A that the presiding officers have collected all the scores of the parties, signed and stamped and then sends this same picture to the IReV for public viewing. That is all. So it is not a collecting system,” he said. Omokore said that from inception of elections in Nigeria, results were transmitted manually, from the PUs to the collation centres. He said that technology deployment had proven to be an effective tool in achieving free, fair and credible elections. He said that while challenges were eminent, INEC had put in extra efforts to ensure that they were mitigated. “The role of BVAS is to ensure one-person-one-vote. “The role of the IReV Portal is to improve the openness and credibility of our elections,” he said. Ezenwa Nwagwu, who is also the Chairman, Partners for Electoral Reform, in his lecture titled: “Ethical Dilemma in Election Reporting: Navigating Bias, Balance and Promoting Transparency” urged journalists to uphold accuracy reporting. He said that the core issues in election reporting are Independence, unbiased and accuracy report by the media. “Accurate and transparent report is the only cure for fake news, which is the responsibility of the media,” Nwagu said. He advised the media to always investigate reasons behind some news being presented to the media by people with biased minds on electoral process and balance it with what the provision of the laws.
Guber Polls: INEC Fixes Sept, Nov 2024 for Edo, Ondo
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed September 21, 2024 for the conduct of Edo governorship election and November 16, 2024 for Ondo State. The commission announced the dates in the timetable and schedule of activities for the two states governorship elections released on Tuesday in Abuja. The schedule was signed by by Sam Olumekun, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee. According to him, for Edo governorship election, the party primaries will hold from Feb. 1 to Feb. 24, 2024. “The submission of the list of nominated candidates via the online portal will start at 9a.m. on March 4, 2024 and close at 6p.m. on March 24, 2024. “The final list of candidates will be published on April 23, 2024 while campaign in public by political parties commences on April 24, 2024 and ends 24 hours prior to Election Day on Sept. 19, 2024,” he said. For Ondo, Olumekun said that party primaries would hold from April 6 to April 27, 2024. He added that the submission of the list of nominated candidates via the online portal would start at 9a.m. on April 29, 2024 and close at 6p.m. on May 20, 2024. “The final list of candidates will be published on June 18, 2024 while campaign in public by political parties commences on June 19, 2024 and ends 24 hours prior to Election Day on Nov. 14, 2024,” he said. Olumekun said that the timetable and schedule of activities for the two states governorship elections was issued by INEC in exercise of the powers conferred on it by the Constitution and the Electoral Act. He recalled that the tenure of the governors of Edo would end on Nov. 11 2024, while and Ondo would terminate on Feb. 23, 2025. Olumekun said that “as provided in Section 178 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), election into the said offices shall hold not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the tenure of` the last holder of the office. “The latest date for Election to the office of Governor, Edo State, is 12th October 2024 while that of Ondo State is 24th January 2025. “Similarly, Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022 requires the Commission to publish Notice for the Election not later than 360 days before the date of the election.” Olumekun added that detailed timetable and schedule of activities for the two states elections had been uploaded to the commission’s website and social media platforms. “By this ample notice as required by both the Constitution and the Electoral Act, the Commission appeals to political parties and candidates to note the activities in the Timetable for strict compliance,” he said.
Presidential Election: Tribunal strikes out Obi, LP’s claim of irregularities, corrupt practices
The ongoing Presidential Election Tribunal has struck out Mr. Peter Obi, and Labour Party’s allegations of irregularities and corrupt practices leveled against the election that produced Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The court ruling in the preliminary objection held that the affected paragraphs were “vague, imprecise, nebulous and failed to meet the requirements of pleadings”. The judgement posited that Mr Obi and his party failed to mention the number of lawful votes they scored and the number of the unlawful votes recorded by the electoral body. The ruling read by Justice Abba Mohammed, insisted that the petitioners failed to establish the polling units or wards were irregularities, corrupt practices and manipulation of results were carried out. Justice Mohammed explained that “averments” must not leave room for confusion or ambiguity, adding that the aim of pleadings is to avail respondents of the facts of the case so as to prepare adequately. Mohammed held that, “petitioners failed to specify polling units where anomalies occurred or where agents complained of alleged malpractices and irregularities. “According to the ruling in a case of alleged malpractices in over 500 polling units, it does not suffice for the petitioners to say some polling units or collation centers without being specific. “Averments must not be general but specific.” Further in the ruling, the panel noted the total of over 18, 000 polling units where the petitioners alleged that INEC uploaded “blurred results ” unto the INEC Results Viewing (IReV) Portals, not one polling units was cited. “They did not specify polling units where election results were not uploaded” or where scores attributed to them was reduced or added to Tinubu”. “They did not show the majority of votes they claimed they had scored “, the tribunal held, adding that petitioners only make generic allegations of irregularities and malpractices. Mohammed further faulted the petitioners for relying on a spreadsheet analysis, inspection results and experts reports, adding that such documents ought to be served on the respondents to enable them do their own analysis and respond accordingly. “The spreadsheet report, inspection results and experts reports were not served but only listed as documents to be relied on in adjudicating the petition”, the court held. “It is unimaginable that a petitioner will allege widespread rigging in 176,000 Polling units, over 8,000 wards, 774 LGAs, 36 States and FCT without stating the specific place where the alleged irregularities occur.” Consequent to the above, the tribunal strike out the affected paragraphs as requested by the petitioners. On Obi’s membership of LP as he was still a PDP member. The court overruled the respondents claims stating that Obi and LP certified the provisions of Obi being a member.
Atiku’s insistence on FCT 25% votes illogical, absurd – INEC, Tinubu
*25% votes mandatory, Atiku insists President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have described the 25 percent of votes in the country’s capital insistence as absurd and illogical. At the resumed sitting of the presidential tribunal for the adoption of final addresses by different parties, the Respondents urged the court to dismiss Peter Obi and Atiku Atiku’s petitions as completely lacking in merit. The Petitioner Atiku Abubakar had urged the court to hold that he scored the majority of lawful votes cast in the February 25 polls while declaring that Tinubu’s alleged academic, court, and diplomatic records were enough to disqualify him from running for office. Responding, INEC maintained that the petitioners failed completely to discharge the burden placed on them by law against President Bola Tinubu’s victory. INEC’s lead counsel, Abubakar Mahmoud SAN, argued that the arguments of the petitioner’s case are non-compliance with the Electoral Act, INEC Regulations and Guidelines, and the use of technology in the election. On the 25% votes of the FCT, INEC insisted that the claim is illogical and absurd, adding that it will create a situation where FCT voters would be given special status above other Nigerians living in other states. Further in his adumbration, Mahmoud submitted that in evidence shows that accreditation and authentication of voters was effective and that the technical glitches cited by Atiku happened for about 4 hours but were resolved. Concluding, INEC added that the technical glitches did not affect the outcome of the presidential election. “Pieces of evidence adduced by the Petitioners showed that the BVAS actually did the work of capturing the image of the results band transmission to the INEC IREV. “They have failed woefully to establish that there was human interference in the technical glitches that happened on Election Day.” “The petitioners constructed certain things in their minds to which they failed to prove,” Mahmoud. President Tinubu on his part asked the court to dismiss Atiku’s petition for lacking in merit. Adopting his final addresses, Tinubu, through his counsel Wole Olanipekun SAN, insisted that uploading of polling unit results to INEC Results Viewing Portal, IReV, places no obligation on INEC regarding collation of results but was just for public view. Specifically, Tinubu submitted that there was no line in the Atiku’s’ final address stating how many votes Atiku Abubakar actually scored, adding that documents PDP tendered were dumped on the court and it is not the duty of the court to do an investigation of those documents. Therefore, he urged the court to dismiss Atiku’s petition and uphold Tinubu’s victory. “Your Lordships are not Father Christmas” to give parties whatever they want. Olanipekun also argued that it will lead to “absurdity” to interpret the 1999 Constitution without looking at all the sections talking about FCT. “FCT is the 37 state in Nigeria for the purpose of the presidential election,” Olanipekun said. Meantime, Justice Haruna Tsammani, reserved judgement for a later date that will be communicated to the parties.
INEC dramatically ends defence against Obi, LP with one witness
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday dramatically terminated its own defence in Peter Obi’s petition against them, after calling one witness and tendering four documents. INEC had through its counsel Abubakar Mahmoud SAN, suddenly announced the closure of its defense, calling one witness against the three registered with the Presidential Election Petition Court at the pre-hearing section. In his evidence-in-chief, the witness, Dr Lawrence Bayode, admitted that INEC suffered glitches during the presidential election but maintained that the glitches did not in any way affect the conduct of the election, collation of results, and declaration of final results. On the allegations of blurred result sheets on INEC’S portal, the Deputy Director of Information and Communication said that clear result sheets can still be obtained on request by those in need of them. Sequel to INEC’s closing of its defence, Tinubu’s lead counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, told the Court that his client is fully ready to kick-start his defence against Mr. Peter Obi and the Labour Party on July 5. Olanipekun maintained that Tinubu is ready with his witnesses and documents to justify his victory in the presidential election. Meanwhile, further hearing in the petition has been shifted to July 5 by the Court.
Tribunal admits EU’s final report faulting Tinubu’s victory
The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) on Monday admitted as an exhibit, the final report of the European Union Election Observer Mission, which faulted the conduct and outcome of the 2023 presidential election that produced President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and others as winners. The report tendered by the former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar was admitted as an exhibit in spite of vehement objections by President Bola Tinubu, the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In the report, the EU election observer mission claimed that the presidential election did not show credibility, fairness, and transparency in the ways and manners it was conducted by INEC. The report tendered through INEC’s sole witness and Director of Information Technology (IT), Dr. Lawrence Bayode, said only 31 percent of the presidential election results were uploaded into INEC’s result viewing portal. Before the admission of the report, Atiku, through his lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche SAN, had applied that cross-examination of the INEC’S witness must be kick-started by Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress APC in view of their common interests against Atiku’s petition. The application was however bluntly opposed by Tinubu and APC through their lead counsel, Wole Olanipekun SAN, and Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi SAN, respectfully. However, the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led panel, admitted it as evidence.