Nasarawa Governor Speaks On Contesting Presidency In 2027
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has confirmed that he has no aspirations beyond his current role after securing a second term following the Supreme Court’s affirmation of his electoral win. The 64-year-old leader expressed satisfaction with the resolution of the election litigation, emphasizing his commitment to his gubernatorial responsibilities. Sule, elected in 2019, assured his rival, David Ombugadu, that he harbours no ambitions for higher political positions. “I came in only to be a governor. I did not come in to be a chairman, a senator or a member of the House of Representatives. I don’t have any dreams for those offices,” he stated. “I have no dream of becoming even president. I have no dreams of that. I can tell you categorically that Abdullahi Sule would not go for Senate after leaving office. By the time I finish my eight years I can do whatever I want to do. “You can take it from me confidently that I have no intention to run for the office of a senator. You can keep this tape and play it one day.” He also expressed his joy that the election litigation is over.
“Your protests won’t change anything” — Nasarawa Gov reacts to Supreme Court Judgment
The Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has said that protests against his victory at the Supreme Court will not change anything. The governor said that the Supreme Court is the ultimate and final court in the country, adding that those who appreciate democracy should accept its verdict in good faith. Governor Sule said this during a visit to President Bola Tinubu at the State House on Friday. The governor was accompanied by the immediate past national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Abdullahi Adamu and the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Tanko Almakura. His words: “Nasarawa is a state where we had over 600,000 votes, and we won with over 340,000 votes, so you will know that over 200,000 people did not vote for us. So if out of these 200,000 people who did not vote for us and other sets of 1,000 people are protesting somewhere, then you will know because it’s a day that not everybody will be happy. “In every state where the Supreme Court passed judgment in every one of these states, you will find some people happy and some other people not happy. “But I think people who understand what democracy is all about will understand that the Supreme Court is the ultimate and is the final, and those who appreciate or respect democracy should leave it right there because protests or no protest will not change anything; the Supreme Court has already passed its judgement. “So in our case, when we lost at the tribunal, we told everybody that nobody should protest, and that’s why nobody protested, but that is the level of maturity that you will see from one political party or the other. “We are a very mature political party; we’re the ruling party in the country; we’re the ruling party in the state; and we’re showing a good example, so that’s why we will not protest.”
LP National Chairman, Julius Abure Speaks On Arrest Rumours
The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, has denied rumours of his arrest. A report emerged on Wednesday that operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, on Monday, reportedly arrested and detained Abure over alleged fraud linked to the party’s governorship primary in Plateau State. The report claimed that Abure’s purported arrest followed a criminal complaint against him by Yohanna Margif, who accused him of forgery Magif, a governorship aspirant of the LP in the 2023 governorship election in Plateau State, alleged in a criminal complaint to the Police that Abure forged his signature on a letter where he (Yohanna Margif) is supposed to have withdrawn from the governorship primaries. The report claimed the embattled LP chairman was released on bail after the police obtained his statement. It also stated the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), which investigated the matter, reportedly recommended that Abure be prosecuted after it was confirmed by the Chief Registrar of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). But in a chat with Channels Television on Thursday, Abure said he was never arrested by the police or any other security agency. Abure also said that security agencies would invite him personally if they needed him.
Ogun: Supreme Court Affirms Governor Abiodun’s Re-Election
The Supreme Court has affirmed the victory of Governor Dapo Abiodun of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at the March 18 governorship election in Ogun State. The Apex Court upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja which dismissed the appeal filed by by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Ladi Adebutu, seeking the nullification of the re-election of Governor Abiodun. Delivering the Lead Judgement, Justice Tijani Abubakar dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit
Kaduna: Uba Sani wins at the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has affirmed the Victory of Uba Sani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the March 18 governorship election in Kaduna state. The Apex Court upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja which set aside the decision of the Kaduna governorship election tribunal sacking Sani and declaring the governorship election in the state as inconclusive. Delivering the Lead Judgement, Justice Tijani Abubakar dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit. More Details later
S’Court Upheld Nasir Idris as Kebbi State Gov
The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Nasir Idris of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the Governor of Kebbi State. The Apex Court upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja dismissing the appel filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Aminu Bande challenging the victory of at the March 18 governorship election. Delivering the Lead Judgement, Justice Abba Aji dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit More Details later
Gombe Guber: Gov Yahaya election affirmed a S’Court
The Supreme Court on Friday, dismissed an appeal by Jibrin Barde of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)challenging the election of Governor Muhammad Yahaya of Gombe state. The Apex court lead judgment read by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, unanimously dismissed an appeal by Barde for want of merit, incompetent and liable to be dismissed. Consequently, the apex court has affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, which had in November, 2023, upheld the election of Yahaya as Governor of Gombe State. The appellate court had upheld Yahaya’s election after dismissing two separate appeals challenging his declaration as winner of the March 18, governorship election in the state.
Nasarawa: Supreme Court Dismisses Appeal Seeking To Sack Gov Sule
A 5-man panel of the Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by David Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party seeking to upturn the electoral victory of Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State. Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Sule as winner of the election with 347,209 votes to beat his closest challenger, Ombugadu, who polled 283,016 votes. Not happy with the results declared by INEC, Ombugadu and his party, the PDP, filed a petition at the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to challenge the outcome of the polls. On October 2, 2023, a 3-man panel of the election petition tribunal led by Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, in a split decision of two-to-one, declared Ombugadu, the validly elected governor of Nasarawa State. However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja, affirmed the election of Abdullahi Sule as Nasarawa State governor, after overturning the earlier decision of the election petition tribunal that removed him from office. Delivering judgement on the appeal filed by Sule, a three-member panel of the appeal court held that the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal was wrong to have declared David Ombugadu, as the winner of the 18 March election. Not relenting, Ombugadu appealed at the apex court. But in a lead judgment, Justice Kudirat Kekere Ekun dismissed Ombugadu’s appeal for being ‘devoid of merit, vexatious and incompetent. The panel unanimously held that all the sister appeals abide by the instant judgment. More so, the panel ordered parties to bear their respective costs. Recall that Governor Sule was initially declared the winner of the polls by INEC. But Ombugadu challenged the election outcome at the tribunal, arguing that he won the majority of valid votes during the contest. In a split decision of the tribunal on October 2, two members, forming the majority, declared Ombugadu the winner of the election, while the minority opinion of the only other member affirmed Sule’s victory. Sule subsequently appealed against the majority decision of the tribunal, and won.
TEI Gears Up for February Bye-Elections with Intensive Training Workshop
In preparation for the upcoming Bye Elections and Court-Ordered Fresh/Re-run Elections scheduled for February 3rd, 2024, The Electoral Institute (TEI) orchestrated a one-day Training-of-Trainers Workshop. Attended by TEI Trainers, collaborating department staff, and State Training Officers (STOs) participating remotely through ZOOM, the workshop aimed at arming participants with the latest insights into electoral process advancements. The primary focus of the workshop was to empower Coordinating Trainers with the skills necessary to conduct detailed and effective training sessions across all states affected by the impending elections. Special emphasis was placed on training Supervisory Presiding Officers, Presiding Officers, and Assistant Presiding Officers in billing and counting procedures. Participants were also familiarized with the operation of the Biometric Voter Authentication System (BVAS) and guided through the process of uploading election results onto the INEC Result portal using the INEC Results Viewing Device (IREV). Dr. Sa’ad Umar Idris, Director-General of TEI, stressed the importance of embracing innovations and new initiatives, underlining the crucial role of participants in passing on this knowledge to election personnel. He highlighted TEI’s significant contributions to the electoral process, including the use of E-learning platforms and the INEC Training bot during the 2023 General Elections. Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, National Commissioner, and Chair of the Board of Electoral Institute (BEI), officially inaugurated the training on behalf of the DG Electoral Institute. Prof. Zuru urged participants to serve as exemplary ambassadors of the Commission, emphasizing their critical roles as Trainers, Coordinators, and Monitors throughout the entire electoral process across the Federation.
Taraba: Deputy Gov Alkali confident of victory at S’Court
Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Aminu Abdullahi Alkali has expressed optimism that the People’s Democratic Party PDP and governor Kefas Agbu will emerge victorious in a legal battle against them at the Supreme Court. The New Nigeria People’s Party NNPP and its governorship candidate, Prof Yahaya Sani are contesting the victory of the governor and PDP in the last year March 18 gubernatorial election in Taraba State. The Deputy Governor, who was at the Apex Court on Wednesday to witness proceedings in an appeal filed by NNPP and Sani said that the coast has appeared very clear for the two respondents to be victorious. He praised the transparent and unambiguous ways and manners proceedings at the Supreme Court are being conducted adding that the court has shown that there can never be miscarriage of justice. The position of the Deputy Governor followed the request by the lead counsel to governor Agbu and PDP, Kanu Agabi SAN to the apex court to either strike out the case the appellants or dismiss it outrightly. Agabi who led a retinue of senior lawyers told Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun led panel of five Justices that the case of the NNPP and its governorship candidate was lacking in merit and substance. He said that the appeal of the appellants was grossly incompetent to be considered because of the several flaws in the way the case was couched and presented at the Apex Court. The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC adopted the arguments canvassed by the governor’s lawyer in resolving the dispute on the governorship election. However, lead counsel to the NNPP and Sani, Olusegun Jolaawo SAN appealed to the Justices to allow the case of his clients and grant all the reliefs they are praying. The Court of Appeal had in Abuja affirmed the election of PDP and Kefas Agbu as Governor of Taraba State. The three-member panel of the appellate court in two separate appeals held that Agbu, was lawfully declared winner of the March 18 governorship election in Taraba State. The appellate court held that the allegations of non-compliance, irregularities and other malpractices were not proved by the appellants in line with the provisions of the law. In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Peter Affen, the appellate court had faulted the appellants for dumping documents on the court, stressing that even if there was manifest incidents of malpractices or irregularities on the face of the documents, the appellants ought to have led oral evidence to support the allegations. Besides, the court of appeal had dismissed the appeal for being incompetent and lacking in merit on grounds that the record of proceedings transmitted to the appellate court was not complete. It will be recalled that a three-man panel of justices led by Justice G. A. Sunmonu of the Taraba State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal had on September 30 dismissed the petition filed by the NNPP and its governorship candidate for lacking in merit.