Governorship Poll: PDP Cautions Against Militarisation of South-South

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday raised the alarm over  what it described as the illegal occupation and provocative siege of PDP states in the South-south, including Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Akwa-Ibom and Cross River States by the military ahead of the March 9  governorship and state assembly elections.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, while addressing a press conference on Thursday, alleged that it was clear that after using the military to unleash violence, fabricate 25 per cent ballot for President Muhammadu Buhari across the South-South states and other PDP strongholds, the All Progressives Congress ( APC) now wants to use the military to fight its governors, suppress its members and forcefully take over the states.

According to him, “This illegal operation is to further militarise the South-South zone, use soldiers to suppress voters and re-enact the massive rigging of polls for the All Progressives Congress (APC), as was done in the widely discredited February 23 presidential election.”

Ologbondiyan said that Nigerians already know how APC leaders from the South South are going around boasting that the military would use violence to give them governorship election victoory, the same way it did during the presidential election, where innocent Nigerians were brutalised and murdered.

The PDP warned  in vry unequivocal terms, that those who sow the wind should also be ready to reap the whirlwind.

Ologbondiyan noted that it is now clear to all that the 2019 elections are not between the PDP and the APC, but a war between the state apparatus of power and the PDP, adding that the PDP cannot continue to fold its hands in the face of the killings and suppression of voters by the APC. 

He stressed that Nigerians were witnesses to how 13 persons were murdered in Akuku-Toru Local Government in Rivers State, in addition to those killed in Ahoada East, Ahoada West and Emohua Local Government Areas during the presidential election.

Ologbondiyan stated:  “The public already knows how the Minister of Transportation and the Director General of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Rotimi Amaechi, used soldiers to hold an INEC official hostage, changed the election results and allocated fabricated figures for President Buhari.

“In Akwa-Ibom state, Senator Godswill Akpabio has been using soldiers to suppress and harass the people, in spite of assurances by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, that the military will not be involved in elections

“In Bayelsa State, soldiers were freely used against the people. In the process the photographer to the State governor was murdered. The Deputy Commissioner of Police in the state was even kidnapped. 

“In Brass, East Senatorial district of the state, it was a war situation as the military took over the electoral process and even declared winners. Soldiers were deployed to the remotest villages where the voters were suppressed and results altered in favour of President Buhari.

PDP Mocks Oshiomhole for Losing His State

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday mocked the National Chairman of the  All Progressive Congress (APC) for his failure to deliver his state, Edo to his party in last Saturday’s presidential election. 

Despite President Muhammadu Buhari winning the election, the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, defeated him in Edo State.

Reacting to a statement credited to Oshiomole, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, at a press conference in Abuja said Oshiomhile was not in the position to tell Nigerians who is electable or not. 

 Oshiomhole had claimed during a press conference in Abuja that Atiku lost the election because he was not electable.

But  Ologbodiyan stated categorically that Oshiomole was not someone his party could be proud of given the way he had run the ruling party, adding that neither Nigerians nor the opposition party took the APC’s boss or his utterances seriously. 

He stated: “He (Oshiomole) told the whole world that he will deliver 100 per cent vote for president Buhari in his ward. What did that tell you? That is pure rigging because there is nowhere in the whole world that everybody will be in one political party. It showed manifestly how much rigging Oshiomhoe is capable of. 

“Is it not strange that a sitting national chairman, it doesn't matter whether he is a factional chairman or not, that cannot deliver his state for his party, in spite of the fact that he has a sitting governor. Will it not bother him? That is a question that should bother his mind. 

“If truly the APC is a political party, that should bother them that they have a national chairman who woefully failed to deliver his State to his party. 

“I don't think anybody takes s Oshiomhole seriously in this country going by the manner he conducted primaries in his party, the internal democracy in his party,  going by the manner his presidential candidate was pelted in Ogun State with stones and water. 

“He will go down in history as a respected national chairman who conducted the affairs of his party very well.  It is rather unfortunate” he added.

Continuing he said: “It is manifestly clear to Nigerians what happened on February 23. The mood of the nation since the announcement of that result by  Mahmood Yakubu (INEC chairman) as to the wishes of Nigerians. The wishes of Nigerians was to get Atiku Abubakar elected. And now that they have used the instrument of power to rig us out, we will take the matter to the next level but not Buhari’s ‘next level’”.

Crisis Looms on Plateau over Alleged Manipulation of Election Results …CAN, PDP task INEC on transparency

As palpable tension continues to mount in Plateau State following allegations that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) connived with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate last Saturday National Assembly elections in the state, the commission has continued to hold unto the results, refusing to declare it for fear that there might be a breakdown of law.

Youths from one of the trouble spots, the Plateau North zone, have threatened to crackdown on INEC should they announce any result different from the popular choice of the people.

The polls for the three senatorial seats and a House of Assembly in the state were allegedly won by the PDP candidates going by the results declared at the ward level. But the commission which cited some regularity declared one inconclusive and held on to the rest since last Saturday.

There are insinuations that the All Progressives Congress (APC) government in the state has mounted pressure on the commission to change the results in its favour.

Though INEC has denied the allegation, it has however refused to declare the results despite pressure from various quarters, including the PDP, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Civil Society Organisations (CSO) among others.

The INEC on Thursday issued a statement to journalists declaring that Dimka Hezekiah Ayuba of the APC won the Plateau Central senatorial zone, a position that was immediately rejected by the PDP in Plateau Central senatorial district.

The commission said Ayuba, a former Police Commissioner, polled 149,457 to defeat Paradang David Shikfu, a former Comptroller of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), of the PDP who scored 145,048 votes.

The statement by INEC’s Voter Education and Publicity Head, Mr. Osaretin Imahiyereobo, on Thursday also disclosed that the Plateau South senatorial election was declared inconclusive, while results for Plateau North senatorial election was still yet to be declared.

Other results declared in the statement are those for Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam federal constituency won by Yusuf Adamu Gagdi of the APC; Shendam/Mikan/Quan’pan federal constituency won by Longgap Komsol Alphonsus of the APC, while Wase federal constituency won by Idris Ahmed also of the APC.

Others are for Barkin-Ladi/Riyom federal constituency won by Simon Davou Mwadkwon of the PDP; Jos South/Jos East federal constituency won by Dachung Musa Bagos of the PDP; Mangu/Bokkos federal constituency won by Solomon Maren Bulus of the PDP, and Langtang North/Langtang South federal constituency won by Beni Lar of the PDP.

Meanwhile, Plateau State governorship candidate of the PDP, General Jeremiah Useni (rtd), has led all PDP senatorial and House of Representatives candidates in a protest to the INEC headquarters in Jos to urge the commission to declare the remaining results of Plateau North senatorial zone and Bassa Jos North federal constituency without further delay.

Money Laundering: Court Sentences Air Chief To 7yrs Imprisonment

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday sentenced a former Air Vice Marshall, Tony Omeyi (rtd) to a seven years imprisonment on money laundering charges.

Justice Dimgba who gave the sentence in a judgment delivered yesterday, held that the money received by Omenyi amounted to criminal liability and that the defendant failed to prove otherwise.

He accordingly sentenced the defendant to 7 years imprisonment on each of the three count charge preferred against him.

The sentences however are to run concurrently.

Justice Dimgba also ordered that the sum of N62m already recovered from the convict by the EFCC be forfeited to the Federal government.

He also ordered a compulsory winding up of the said company which was listed as 2nd defendant in the suit, having been a vehicle of corruption.

The defendant, is also a former Managing Director of the Aeronautical Engineering and Technical Services Ltd, AETSL.

Omenyi, was arraigned alongside his company, Aeronautical Engineering and Technical Services Ltd, (AETSL) as 2nd defendant, for allegedly receiving over N136m in kickback from Syrius Technologies and Sky Experts Ltd., engaged by the Nigerian Air Force, NAF.

ECOWAS Court Orders FG to Investigate 2016 Agatu Killings

The ECOWAS Court of Justice sitting in Abuja has ordered the federal government to investigate the 2016 mass killings and destruction of properties in the Agatu community of Benue State, identify and prosecute the perpetrators as well as redress the victims.

Delivering judgment in a suit brought by a Catholic priest, Rev. Father Solomon Mfa ,and eleven others on Thursday, a three-member panel of the court found the government in ‘violation of their obligation to protect the human rights of the Agatu Community and prevent its violation.’

Other plaintiffs in the suit no: ECW/CCJ/APP/11/16, are, Reverend Joseph Dooga, Dr. Sam Abah, Dr.David Iordaah, Hon. Ochepo Yakubu, Hon. Terse Tange, Favour Adah Paul, Samuel Msonter Ijoho, Iorbee Bajah, Ashi Bajah, Terseer Iorbee Bajah and Movement Against Fulani Occupation(MAFO), while the President of Nigeria, the Inspector General of Police, the Chief of Army Staff and the Minister of Internal Affairs are 1st to 4th defendants respectively.

The plaintiffs had dragged the federal government to the sub-regional court to address the issue of the alleged violation of their fundamental human rights.

A statement from the Communication Division of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, said the applicants claimed that within the last three years, Fulani herdsmen had carried out over 50 major attacks on Benue communities, the most prominent of them taking place in 15 out of 23 local government areas of the state including Agatu, Gwer East, Gwer West, Makurdi, Guma, Tarka, Buruku, Katsina Ala, Logo, Ukum, Kwande, Oju, Obi and Konshisha.

They further alleged that the affected communities have been completely overwhelmed and are now desolate and devastated as they have suffered wanton destruction of their properties and lives including burning down and general destruction of houses and homes, sundry household items, farms, crops, economic trees, vehicles, machineries, food stuffs, and  schools, among others.

The plaintiffs claimed that over 1,000 people had been killed, according to documents filed before the court with hundreds of thousands displaced while others are living in deplorable make shift camps and properties worth billions of naira destroyed in their communities by these ravaging Fulani Herdsmen this year alone.

They claimed that the action of the Defendants’ by not constituting an investigation panel nor taking measures to forestall a reoccurrence, amounted to negligence, was oppressive, arbitrary, capricious, and for Injuring the dignity and pride of the Applicants and for causing them great physical and psychological trauma.

The court was presided over by the President, Honourable Justice Edward Asante, but the judgment was read by Honorable Justice Dupe Atoki, wherein the Court also ordered the government to provide adequate security by deploying more security personnel to 

Election: Returning Officer Denies Declaring Ubah Winner under Duress

 

The returning Officer for Anambra South senatorial election in last Saturday poll, Prof Meshach Umenweke, on Thursday denied publication by some national dailies that he declared the candidate of the Young Progressives Party(YPP), Ifeanyi Ubah, winner to save his life.

Umenweke in a letter addressed to the Anambra State Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC) of Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji, said the publication by the national dailies were untrue.

He said: “I never at any point said I announced the result of the Anambra South senatorial election under duress nor in the mode that is implied (by the newspapers).

“No gun or knife was pointed at me at the material time of the election result announcement. The election tribunal remains the constitutionally recognised means for any aggrieved party,” he said.

Umenweke had last Sunday announced Ubah of the YPP as winner of the Anambra South senatorial election against Chris Uba of PDP;  Andy Uba of APC and Nicholas Ukachukwu of APGA.

The Nnamdi Azikiwe University professor who worked as the returning officer in the election said: “By the virtue of the foregoing, I hereby re-affirm my declaration that Ifeanyi Ubah, the candidate of the YPP, is the winner of the Anambra South senatorial seat.”

Father of Five Kills Wife over Sex in Niger

 

A father of five has been arrested by the police in Niger State for allegedly killing his wife.

35-year-old Mohammed Manu was nabbed by the police in Barusa village in New Bussa, Borgu Local Government Area of the state last Wednesday after reportedly hitting his wife Hassana Bulous with a pestle on the head.

Hassana was said to have died instantly.

According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Muhammad Abubakar, the suspect said he was angered by his frequent denial of sex by the deceased.

The police said Manu narrated that every time he wanted to have sex with the deceased, she would deny him, adding that after being frustrated, he used a pestle he picked from the kitchen to hit Hassana on the head resulting in her death.

The suspect, when paraded before journalists, did not deny the allegation, but said he was pushed to the wall by his late wife who constantly denied him of sex.

He wondered why a house wife would be claiming one thing or the order when the husband demanded sex from her.

The police described the incident as wicked, saying the case would be charged to court immediately.

Police Disrupt Free-Lagos Movement News Conference Against Tinubu …Teargas conference participants, invited leaders

 

A team of armed police officers from Area ‘F’ Police Command on Thursday disrupted a world press conference organised by the ‘Free Lagos Orange Movement’ to end the political dynasty of the national leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.  

Just before the conference started at about 11:30 a.m. yesterday, the police officers arrived at the Airport Hotel Ikeja in six patrol vehicles and one Black Maria van and blocked the entrance for two hours, a situation that kept customers from coming into and going out of the hotel.

Also, the police officers blocked the gate that led to the Oranmiyan Hall, the venue of the news conference, where a sizable number of Tinubu’s critics had already gathered for the formal inauguration of the movement, a resemblance of political campaign that foiled the re-election of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, in Kwara State. 

The police action prevented the conveners of the movement, including former President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba; the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, and spokesman of the Alhaji Atiku Abubakar Campaign Council, Mr. Segun Sowunmi, among others, who claimed violated their right to freely associate under the 1999 Constitution.

Apart from some conveners that were denied access to the venue, other members of the movement, who came for the conference in five BRT buses, were stranded at the main gate of the hotel, thereby causing protracted traffic congestion on both sides of the Awolowo Road and stoking stern reaction from the concerned citizens.

Amid the stand-off, scores of hoodlums, who were allegedly acting on the directive of the senator representing Lagos West, Senator Olamilekan Solomon, stormed the venue from Ikeja and asked the members of the movement to leave the entrance of the hotel immediately, though they refused to honour the directive of the hoodlums.

Their decision to remain at the main gate of the hotel culminated in confrontation between the members of the movement and scores of hoodlums, thus degenerating to free-for-all that forced the police officers to fire teargas and gunshot to disperse the two aggrieved factions.

While the confrontation lasted at the main gate, one of the conveners and a political rights activist, Mark Adebayo, alongside leaders of the movement quickly addressed the news conference inside the Oranmiyan Hall before it came to the knowledge of the police officers. 

Just after Adebayo read the text of the news conference address, some police officers intruded into the venue, directed journalists and participants to leave, invited the political activist to the Area ‘F’ Police Command and ended the question-and-answer section of the conference.

Speaking at the press conference yesterday, Adebayo decried the violence that characterised the presidential and National Assembly elections in some parts of the state, especially Somolu Local Government Area and Oshodi-Isolo Local Council Development Area.

He said the problem prevented many voters from exercising their civic rights as they were intimidated by those he called agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC), noting that the development was not good for democracy as it threatened the emergence of the choices of the people.

Adebayo said the movement was deeply concerned about the control of the state resources by a group of people for several years, saying it was time to free the state from what he called bondage and allow the will of the people to prevail.

He asked Lagos residents “to challenge what he called the political hegemony that had maltreated them and cornered their resources. Are we so stupid and ignorant in Lagos to allow one man manipulate and maltreat us this way? The clear answer is resounding No!

“So Lagosians, Enough is Enough! Lagosians arise and shine. Liberate yourselves from the iron grip of one man. Stand up and free yourselves and your future from the captivity of a roguish system of power succession that lacks basic respect for free choice of leadership.”

US Military to Support Offensive against ISWAP, Boko Haram

In a renewed bid to rout terrorists in the North-east, the United
States Army said it would provide support for the ongoing military
offensive against Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP) and  Boko Haram by
countries of Lake Chad Basin Commission.

Member-countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, notably Nigeria,
Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic, are presently engaged  in a military
offensive tagged: 'Operation Yacin Tafki' to rid the Lake Chad fringes
of terrorists.

The Commander,  Special Operations  United States Africa Command (US
AFRICOM), Major General Marcus Hicks,  made the disclosure during a
recent visit to the Tactical Headquarters of the Multinational Joint
Task Force in Diffa, Republic of Niger.

Addressing officers of the MNJTF, Major General  Hicks noted that the
aim of the visit was to share intelligence and build confidence
between the two organisations towards the achievement of operational
objectives.

Earlier, the Deputy Force Commander of the MNJTF, Brigadier General
Seydou Badjie, commended the US AFRICOM for its interest in the
activities of the MNJTF.

He also solicited the continued cooperation of the two agencies in
order to successfully deal with Boko Haram insurgency.

In a related development, the Commanding General of the United States
Army Africa Command, Major General Rogers Cloutier,  also visited the
MNJTF Headquarteres in N'Djamena, Republic of Chad.
"Discussions between the Force Commander, Major General Chikezie Ude
and General Cloutier focused on the role of the MNJTF in combating the
threat of Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa", a
statement by Colonel Timothy Antigha, Chief of Military Public
Information
MNJTF Headquarters, said.

2019 Election Worst In 30 Years, Says Atiku

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the just concluded 2019 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has described it as the worst held Nigeria in the last 30 years.

He condemned the election while addressing party supporters on Wednesday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Atiku, who rejected the outcome of the poll, said even the military government conducted a better election than the one conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on February 23, 2019.

“As I have always said, this year is my three decades in Nigeria’s struggle for democracy; but this is the worst election in those 30 years,” he said.

“And I told that to General Abdulsalami (Abubakar) two nights ago, when he called me. I said not even the military has conducted such a worst election.”

The PDP candidate alleged that there were a lot of irregularities in the election which saw President Muhammadu Buhari extend his stay in the Aso Villa by another four years.

He highlighted the cases of violence recorded in some states, as well as the alleged inflation of votes in the strongholds of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Despite his loss in the election, Atiku insisted that he was confident of victory and vowed to challenge the President’s victory.

He also told his supporters not to lose hope and asked foreign investors to be patient with the nation, saying he was on the quest of reclaiming his mandate.

The PDP candidate said, “Let me start by thanking you all for choosing democracy as a certain system of government for our great nation. As you all know, democracy is a government of the people by the people only when the people’s choice prevail.”

“This is a long journey, but I am confident of victory. All hope is not lost; stay strong, by the grace of God we shall triumph,” he stated.

Read Atiku’s full speech below;

Dear citizens of Nigeria,

Let me start by thanking you for choosing democracy as the settled system of government for our great nation.

Democracy is a government of the people by the people, only when the people’s choice prevails. That did not happen on Saturday, February 23, 2019.

On Election Day, we saw the implementation of grand theft of the people’s will. I am not one for hyperbole so I will just let the facts speak for themselves.

In Akwa-Ibom for instance, the results showed a statistical impossibility of a 62% drop in voter numbers from the 2015 elections even where voter registration and PVC collection rates were much higher than in 2015.

This pattern was repeated in strongholds of the Peoples Democratic Party, including in Delta, Rivers, Abia and Benue states.

As this was occurring, we saw another statistical impossibility wherein voter turnout and numbers increased astronomically in Borno State by an almost miraculous 82% in the midst of increased insecurity.

This pattern was also repeated in other strongholds of the All Progressive Congress.

One begins to ask if insecurity is conducive to higher voter turnouts and security is antithetical to high voter turnout.

It is further curious that the Peoples Democratic Party’s margin of victory in states outside the Southeast and South-south were extremely slim across board. That again is a statistical impossibility.

The fact is that when you calmly look at the numbers declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission as results of the February 23, 2019 elections, they do not add up.

Let me say that I am not speaking as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party. I am speaking as a Nigerian when I say that the electoral fraud perpetrated by the Buhari administration this past Saturday cannot produce a government of the people for the simple reason that it does not reflect the will of the Nigerian people.

It is for this reason that I, Atiku Abubakar, reject the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission declaring Muhammadu Buhari as duly returned by the majority of lawful votes.

I am conferring with not just my party, but also with the Nigerian people, on next steps, which will be revealed to the public shortly.

For my fellow Nigerians who feel angry, disillusioned, and let down by the process, I appeal to you to remain calm and steadfast. Rome was not built in a day. We have the real figures, we have the facts that were spoken so loudly on Saturday, February 23, 2019.

This is a long journey, but I am confident of victory. All hope is not lost. Stay strong, by the grace of God we shall triumph.

And to investors and friends of Nigeria now pulling out of Nigeria, I urge you to be patient and keep faith with the Nigerian people. Your quarrel is not with the Nigerian people. Your quarrel is with those who stole their mandate. Please do not punish the people by divesting from Nigeria.

Thank you all and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Mixed Feeling Hits Parts of Kaduna over Buhari’s Victory, as Residents Jubilate

 

It was a mixed feeling  in Kaduna metropolis as President Muhammadu Buhari was declared winner of the presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In the Muslim-dominated northern part of Kaduna metropolis, it was celebration galore as residents of the area, mainly supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC), took to the streets in jubilation as soon as Buhari was declared winner.

A resident of Kurmin Mashi, who identified herself simply as Ummi, said the celebrations started by 1:00a.m. yesterday.

She said the area was agog with celebration which lasted till dawn.

She said; “We did not sleep at all with the celebration of Buhari’s victory. These people were going from house to house, disturbing people and knocking on our gates in the name of celebration. They didn’t allow us to sleep.”

The situation was said to have been the same in areas like Angwan Sarki, Tudun Wada, Rigassa, Angwan Dosa, Kawo among several others.

The city centre was deserted yesterday as most shops were yet to open since Saturday’s election.

The area was therefore taken over by the celebrants who drove  round some of the streets in convoy of cars and motorcycles with party music  from loud speakers mounted on a vehicle.

Some of them were seen driving dangerously on motorcycles and cars, without regards to traffic rules and regulations.

 

Many shops in the city centre, especially along the busy Ahmadu Bello Way, Independence Way, Lagos Street and Katsina road among others, had been closed since after Saturday’s elections.

However, in the Christian-dominated southern part of the metropolis, there was no such celebration as everywhere was quiet and solemn.

Some residents of the area, especially traders, stayed away from the city centre to “avoid any form of provocation in the name of celebrating Buhari.”

One of the residents in the area, Clement Joseph, said: “There is nothing wrong in celebrating your victory, but when you do it provocatively in other to anger your opponent, it is better to stay away for the sake of peace.

“Some of us didn’t go to the town because we want to avoid such provocation.”

Also, some people said the fear of the outcome of the election and the recent killings in a community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State made them not to open their shops.

Kalu Mba, a textile dealer, said the fear of the violence after the election results as well as the recent killings in Kajuru created fears, and people were not ready to open their shops.

Appeal Court Reserves Judgment on Onnoghen's Appeal

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Wednesday reserved judgment to a date to  be communicated to parties in the appeals filed by the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen against the decision of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

A three-man panel of the court led by Justice Stephen Adah, made the announcement after counsel in the matters adopted their briefs of argument in the four appeals filed before the court.

In the first appeal, Onnoghen is challenging the jurisdiction of the CCT to hear the charge against him, being a serving judicial officer.

In the second appeal, he is challenging the decision of the Tribunal to hear all pending applications together, including his application challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to entertain the suit.

In the third appeal, the suspended CJN is challenging the veracity of the ex-parte order directing him to vacate office as CJN and for President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint an acting CJN.

Although Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, had announced appearance for Onnoghen, however Chief Chris Uche SAN, who argued the appeal on behalf of Onnoghen, emphasized that there was the need for the appellate court to examine the circumstances surrounding the grant of exparte order by the tribunal.

"The court should interrogate the circumstances which we consider questionable," Uche said, adding that granting of the exparte order has had far-reaching consequences on the rule of law in the country.

According to the senior lawyer, the CCT ought not to have made the order in the first place considering the pendency of a motion questioning the jurisdiction of the tribunal.

Questioning further the circumstances in which the exparte order was obtained, Uche noted that the tribunal granted the order a day after it had adjourned to the following week on agreement of parties.

"The matter was adjourned on January 22 to January 28, on agreement of parties and the order was made the next day, January 23", he said, adding that from the tribunal's record, no counsel applied for the exparte order.

In a brief response, counsel to the federal government, Aliyu Umar (SAN), informed the court that neither the appellant nor the respondent made available any material that would enable the court take a look at the circumstances surrounding the granting of the exparte order by the tribunal.

Before Wednesday's proceedings, the Appellate Court had on three consecutive occasions postponed hearing in the appeals filed by Onnoghen challenging the decisions of the CCT where he is standing trial on alleged breach of code of conduct for public officers.

The suspended CJN, who was eventually arraigned on February 15 after several failed attempts to stop his arraignment on the grounds that the CCT lacked jurisdiction to try him being a judicial officer, however pleaded not guilty to the six-count charge preferred against him by the federal government.

He was consequently admitted to bail on self-recognition.

Buhari's Mandate Illegitimate, Says CUPP

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has described the election that gave victory to President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in last Saturday's  as the worst in the history, claiming the mandate is illegitimate.

At a press conference in Abuja, the spokesperson of CUPP, Ikenga Ugochinyere, alleged that President Buhari insulted Nigerians' sensibilities and raped her electoral decency. 

The opposition coalition noted that in a bid to hang on to power with alleged crooks under him, the president murdered democracy. 

"Only a person who lacks understanding will congratulate a man who set out to burn down our electoral system. We ask, how do you accept this madness? Accepting this without as much as stiff resistance and exposing the fraud that was committed by President Buhari and the APC in this election is the recipe for future stealing of votes and massive voter apathy since voters will not have confidence in the system and this vicious cycle will continue perpetually. There must be an end to vote stealing.

"President Buhari refused to sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law. His supporters aided by security forces silenced burnt card readers, stole electoral materials and sabotaged distribution," CUPP said.
It alleged that soldiers, acting on Buhari's instruction against court judgment chased Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agents out of collation centres, while returning officers were held at gun point with security forces watching as was the case in Imo where the returning officer was made to announce fake figures.
"In Akwa Ibom, votes were destroyed and cancelled to reduce figures. In Lagos, he supported ethnic violence. Votes, for the first time were burnt  because of President Buhari. Hundreds of thousands of citizens in Sabon Gari in Kano never voted because President Buhari ensured they never did because he was afraid he did not have their votes. "He planned this onslaught on the people because he already knew he failed to perform and that the people had rejected him," CUPP said.
CUPP lamented that nobody was shot dead for ballot snatching but rather innocent Nigerian voters and citizens opposing the robbery were killed in Kogi, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Delta State, among others, by security forces.
The opposition coalition further alleged that President Buhari had penciled down his stooges to take over and run the parliament.
"Ahmad Lawan as Senate President, Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker, Ovie Omo-Agege as Deputy Senate President with Abdulmimin Jibrin as Deputy Speaker. Cross party alliances must be formed to upstage him again.

"It is now obvious to Nigerians why President Buhari destroyed the Supreme Court and violently and undemocratically removed the Chief Justice of Nigeria even against the clear provisions of the Constitution," CUPP said.

The opposition parties coalition said the alleged cooked figures will not recognise  Buhari as the holder of legitimate mandate beyond May 29, 2019.
"We will do everything within civil and legal means to stop his enjoyment of a mandate soaked in the blood of his people. We assure all Nigerians that the CUPP shall, starting from today, continue to lead the struggle to expose him and ensure what he stole is returned by the force of law," the CUPP spokesman assured.

Don’t Go To Election Tribunal – Agbakoba Advises Atiku

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Olisa Agbakoba, has advised the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in last Saturday’s election, Atiku Abubakar, not to approach the court because of his loss.

Atiku lost the presidential election to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and has rejected the presidential election outcome on Wednesday, saying he would challenge it in court because it was not free or fair, and that it was full of many irregularities.

But in a piece titled: ‘2019 Presidential Election: Ethnic Consideration vs Governance Consideration,’ written by Agbakoba on Wednesday, the legal practitioner advised Atiku against approaching the court, but to accept the outcome in faith.

“I understand the PDP is aggrieved at the outcome of the election and alleged massive irregularities. I urge former Vice President Atiku Abubakar not to approach the Election Petition Tribunal.

“He might have (been) moved backwards by his loss, but he should not lose sight of the legacy and greatness that lie in front of him.” 

The SAN described Atiku as being in a position to take up the mantle of a statesman and build a ‘new Nigeria movement’ from the array of small parties, third force actors, change actors and millions who were desperate for a strong and united Nigeria.

“There is also a lot of work to be done in both political and electoral reforms. I request former Vice President Atiku to step into the shoes.

“I can see how tempting it is to take the option of the Election Petition Tribunal. But that, in my view, is not the right decision.

“We look forward to a new Nigeria, strong and united; a new Nigeria that will not vote on the basis of ethnic and primordial sentiments,” he stated.

Presidential Election: 10,000 Imo Women Protest Military, Police Misconduct …Accuse Okorocha, INEC of fraud

Over ten thousand women in Imo State on Wednesday took to the streets of the state capital, Owerri, to protest against alleged misconduct by the military and other security agencies in last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.

The women, adorned in black, stormed the headquarters of the 34 field Artillery Brigade in Obinze, calling on the army high command to caution the soldiers to stay away from politics.

Presenting a petition to the representative of the Commanding Officer (CO), leaders of the group, Mrs. Uju Ihejiagwa and Nwando Anyasinti, lamented what they described as day-light robbery of the people of the state.

They described the announcement of Governor Rochas Okorocha as senator-elect for Orlu zone as fraudulent.

According to them, “Okorocha committed electoral fraud by using the military, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and thugs to intimidate, harass and maim unsuspecting and unprotected Imo voters.

“He connived with some staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to subvert the wish of the masses by manipulating the outcome of the election and ensuring the announcement of fake results.

“We also protest the brutal assassination of two of our sons at Ejemekwuru in Oguta council area during the governor’s campaign rally in the area. The governor used security agencies to harass, intimidate and rig the February 23 election. Collation agents were intimidated and molested. Electoral materials were stolen and fake results written, submitted and announced with the aid of INEC.”

“We hereby request that the military and other security agents desist from being used to rig elections anymore in Imo State. We call on the Brigade Commander of 34 Field Artillery Brigade in Obinze to warn and caution his boys to desist from getting involved in electoral fraud.

“We also call on the state Commissioner of Police to give same orientation to his men in the Police Force to stay off actions that aid electoral fraud and subversion of the people’s wish.” 

The protesters also stormed the Imo State headquarters of INEC, where they warned the commission to desist from aiding electoral fraud in the state, while calling on the commission to restore the people’s mandate.

In his response, while receiving the protesters, Head of Voter Education of the INEC in the state, Mr. Sunday Adedoyin, assured them that the commission will look into the issues raised with a view to ensuring that necessary steps are taken to forestall future occurrences.

The protesting women also marched to the Imo State Police headquarters, headquarters of the National Security and Civil Defense Corps in the state, as well as the Department of State Services (DSS), where they also delivered the same message.

The over ten thousand women were drawn from the 12 local government areas that make up Orlu senatorial zone of the state.