Cross River: INEC re-affirms John Owan-Enoh as APC governorship candidate

POLITICS

Cross River: INEC re-affirms John Owan-Enoh as APC governorship candidate

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday at a renewed sitting of the Governorship Elections Petition Tribunal in Calabar, Cross River, reaffirmed the nomination of Senator John Owan Enoh as the lawful candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the March 9 governorship election.

The commission, while arguing in a suit no EPT/CAL/COV01/2019, however, said “Sen. Enoh was not excluded from the elections as claimed by the petitioner since he participated in the exercise having been re-listed.”

Senator Owan Enoh had petitioned the electoral umpire, which is the Second Respondent and Governor Ben Ayade, the First Respondent in the matter alleged unlawful exclusion from the election.

Counsel to INEC, Dele Adeshina had stated that “Sen. Enoh was the duly nominated candidate of the APC and that the commission had issued a letter dated 8th March to that effect.

Apparently smarting from the petition, Adeshina said “the candidate, however, participated in the election and so was not excluded.”

In his argument, Counsel to Sen. Enoh, Awa Kalu (SAN), said the petitioner would not have participated in an election if he was excluded.

According to him, the issue of faction as raised by the first respondent Counsel does not exist in internal democracy especially when it has to do with the sponsorship or nomination of candidates.

He contended that “the issue of factions applies only in the parliament when there’s a crisis within a party leading to cross-carpeting by legislators and not on the basis of nomination of candidates for election.

He averred that ”Sen. Owan Enoh was duly nominated for the Governorship election by his party but was unlawfully excluded for the March 9 polls by the commission”.

The legal luminary, however, challenged the first and second respondents to be the first to prove otherwise, the petition on exclusion stressing that INEC had never argued against a phone call made by the State Electoral Commissioner (REC) at 12 pm on the elections day congratulating the petitioner for being relisted as the APC Candidate for the race.

Counsel to Sen. Ayade, Paul Erokoro (SAN) had argued that “though the Petitioner was nominated for the election but his nomination was done by a faction of his party”.

Justice Josiah Majebi has put the ruling on the onus of proof on exclusion or otherwise for Tuesday, March 17th 2019.

 

SHARE THIS STORY

Kogi guber: APC divided as factional executives adopt direct primary

POLITICS

Kogi guber: APC divided as factional executives adopt direct primary

 

The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello and his supporters now have more mountains to climb ahead of the November 16 gubernatorial polls following the adoption of direct primary by the Hadi Ametuo-led faction in the All Progressive Congress (APC).

In a meeting of the APC state party executives and stakeholders held at the state’s capital Lokoja, on Monday, the party has resolved to adopt direct election format for the forthcoming primary in August.

This came on the heels of an earlier alleged meeting held by a faction of the party loyal to the state governor, Yahaya Bello; on Saturday, 15 June, in which they declared indirect election as the mode for the party’s primary election.

Addressing newsmen immediately after the meeting, Haddy Emetuo, the factional State Chairman of the APC, further elaborated on the situation.

“The executives of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State have just risen from a meeting and unanimously adopted direct mode for the APC primary election after deliberations in which every member was given fair hearing and all suggestions were put into consideration.

“We adopted the direct election format because we all agreed that it is the best method that strengthens and promotes internal democracy within our great party. It is the method that allows every voice to be heard and gives opportunity to every member of the APC to participate directly in the decision of who flies the flag of our great party to victory in November.

“I want also to use this opportunity to formally attend to the rumour flying around in the media that some supposed state party executives have held a kangaroo meeting and have declared indirect election as the method adopted by Kogi APC for the primary election.

“I want to categorically state that such meeting is illegal, null and void. The genuine state party executives and stakeholders have just held a meeting and what I tell you now is the official position of the All Progressives Congress, Kogi State Chapter, as regards mode of the forthcoming primary election. Any other meetings or resolutions should be disregarded by all party members and the general public as they are fake and illegal.

“We are working assiduously for victory in November and will not give room to nefarious elements who want to instigate internal wrangling capable of scuttling our chance.”

 

SHARE THIS STORY

Oshiomhole vs Oyegun: Orji Kalu advises Buhari on what to do

NEWS

Oshiomhole vs Oyegun: Orji Kalu advises Buhari on what to do

 

A former governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Kalu, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the dispute between the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Adams Oshiomhole and his predecessor, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kalu made the plea on Friday while speaking with newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2, Ikeja, Lagos State.

He said the intervention of the president was needed to restore peace to the party leadership and ensure that APC remains focused on delivering its manifesto to Nigerians.

Kalu said, “What is happening between them is the beauty of democracy because we agree to disagree.

“However, we are calling on Buhari to intervene just like the way he did in the Sen. Danjuma Goje and Sen. Ahmed Lawan matter which has seen Goje stepping down for Lawan for the Senate President position.

“Before, the president will say I don’t want to play politics but he is the chief politician and he has started changing his mind to intervene in such cases.

“So, I am sure that we will sort out Oyegun and Oshiomhole’s problems before next week with the intervention of the president and I am sure he is already working on that.”

He, however, urged some politicians to desist from using the name of the president to push their own agenda, stressing that Buhari’s integrity had remained intact despite their antics.

The Senator-elect for Abia North on the platform of APC also insisted that he was still in the race for the position of the Deputy Senate President in the Ninth Senate.

He said, ”I am not only restating it but I am saying that it is the most godly thing to do because I am ready to do that job to help the Senate in law making and help the executive to bring stimulus that would heat the economy.

“I am interested in the economy heating up because if we get the economy right, the insecurity that we are facing now will go away.

“Also, we need to look at candidates that have capacity to do the work and I have that capacity.

“Capacity to help the president actualise his economic goals because we need to put the Nigerian economy on track.”

Kalu assured Nigerians that the Ninth Senate which would be inaugurated on June 11, would engage in robust lawmaking and would not be a rubber-stamp assembly.

He also expressed confidence that Lawan would clinch the position of the senate president and that the lawmakers would work in harmony with the Executive to deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians.

SHARE THIS STORY

NASS leadership: Oshiomhole, Tinubu under fire over stance on Ahmed Lawan, Femi Gbajabiamila

NEWS

NASS leadership: Oshiomhole, Tinubu under fire over stance on Ahmed Lawan, Femi Gbajabiamila

Second republic federal lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, has said that while the All Progressives Congress, APC, had the right to show keen interest in those aspiring to lead the National Assembly, the dictatorial posture of its leaders was a turn-off.

Speaking with Sunday Telegraph, Mohammed said the utterances of the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, on the leadership tussle in the National Assembly portrayed him as someone who did not understand party leadership.

According to Mohammed, while the party had a right to demand the loyalty of its members elected into the National Assembly, its leaders must learn not to make careless utterances on the matter.

He said, “I admit that because of what happened last time (2015), the APC wants to make sure it gets it right this time. But it appears that the same carelessness with which they handled the matter last time is also repeating itself.

“Last time some members of the party felt that they had something called independence or autonomy of the parliament so they can do what they like. But it would have made a lot of sense of they had won the election as independent candidates. It is only then that they can talk about independence of the legislature.

“However, Oshiomhole has carried over his attitude as a labour unionist and enforcer of strikes into the running of a political party and nobody has called him to order.

“If he thinks that it is only by bullying members of party in the National Assembly that they would achieve their goal then he must have a rethink. He should never have been the National Chairman of the ruling party or any other party for that matter. We tend to think people will change their character when they occupy certain positions of authority but it doesn’t happen that way. It is not possible for leopard to change its spots,” he said.

Mohammed did not also spare a national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for inadvertently “playing roles” that could hurt the ruling party in the long run.

He said that the fact that both Senator Ahmed Lawan and Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila are perceived as Tinubu’s candidates had already become a challenge for duo who are seeking to lead the incoming National Assembly.

Junaid Mohammed said, “It is an open secret that Tinubu had a presidential ambition in 2023 and whatever he does now is perceived as designed to boost his own chances in the future.

“But how many votes can Lawan mobilise for him in Yobe and the North and how many votes can Gbajabiamila deliver for him in Lagos and the South West? But I don’t see how fixing certain people in certain places in the National Assembly can advance his political career. It will not and he needs to very careful,” he said.

Mohammed urged the ruling party to put their house in order by persuading their members to support their preferred candidates on the basis of merit rather than through coercion or godfatherism.

He warned that if the APC goes about it recklessly they may create another opportunity for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to cash in on their mistakes.

PLEASE SHARE THIS POST!

Court nullifies Adamawa APC Rep-elect’s election, gives reasons

NEWS

Court nullifies Adamawa APC Rep-elect’s election, gives reasons

The Federal High Court, Abuja on Friday sacked Abdulrauf Modibbo as member-elect representing Yola South/Yola North/Girei Federal Constituency of Adamawa State in the National Assembly.

Justice Inyang Ekwo nullified Modibbo’s election while delivering judgment in a suit filed by Mustapha Usman challenging the election, NAN reports.

Modibbo was declared winner of the All Progressives Congress’ primaries held on Oct. 7, 2018 in Yola, and eventually represented the APC in the 2019 general elections, of which he was also declared winner.

Usman dragged Modibbo to court after the election, alleging that he falsified his age and was not eligible to contest the APC primaries.

He prayed the court to disqualify Modibbo as APC candidate for Yola North/Yola South/Girei Federal Constituency.

He joined the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants in the suit.

Justice Ekwo, in his judgment, declared that Modibbo was not qualified to contest the APC primaries as well as the 2019 House of Representatives election for the federal constituency.

The court held that Usman was the lawful winner of the Oct. 7, 2018 APC primaries and candidate of the party for the constituency.

The judge further held that Usman had successfully proven beyond reasonable doubt that Modibbo falsified his age severally in order to contest election.

The court also noted that the plaintiff proved that Modibbo submitted the forged certificates for the purpose of contesting the party primaries.

The court also held that Modibbo was a serving National Youth Corps member when he contested the primary election, saying the action breached Section 4 of the NYSC Act 2004.

“A person who is a lawbreaker cannot be a lawmaker, this illegality is one that cannot be wished away,” the judge said.

The judge declared that in view of the disqualification of Modibbo, Usman, who polled the second highest votes in the Oct. 7, 2018 primary election of the APC for Yola South/Yola North/Girei Federal Constituency of Adamawa, was the lawful winner.

Justice Ekwo gave an order directing the APC and INEC to immediately replace Modibbo’s name with that of Usman as the lawful candidate of APC for the federal constituency.

PLEASE SHARE THIS POST!

APC Crisis: Oshiomhole Is Not An Alternative To Oyegun - Airhiavbere

​BREAKING NEWS

APC Crisis: Oshiomhole Is Not An Alternative To Oyegun - Airhiavbere

 

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Major General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), has faulted the endorsement of ex-Governor Adams Oshiomhole by the South-South caucus of the party for the national chairmanship position.

Airhiavbere insisted Oshiomhole was not an alternative to Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

He made it clear that Oyegun was the best option, given how he had kept the ruling party together despite all the challenges it had faced after winning the 2015 presidential election.

“The division in South-South is normal and I believe that if there is healthy competition, it means APC is still very vibrant and it is a party to beat. But, Oshiomhole is not an alternative to Odigie-Oyegun. That is the truth and that is my stand.

“If there is anything, I want my voice to be heard on this issue. Oshiomhole is not an alternative to Odigie-Oyegun if the APC national chairman is going to come from Edo State. He is not an alternative because we know the contribution of everybody to the party. So, my take is let Odigie-Oyegun remain.

“Why I said so is that Odigie-Oyegun has put the APC together despite all the challenges the party had faced after winning the 2015 elections. And overtime, because of the security situation and challenges of emergency of terrorism, there has been the need to stabilise the polity and so far so good, Odigie-Oyegun has delivered,” Airhiavbere said.

On the tribal politics he alluded to, Airhiavbere said: “Now, there is a convention coming up; this is the first time an Edo South person is there and it is tribal politics they are playing in Edo State. And tribal politics will definitely destroy the polity in the state.

“With all the records of Odigie-Oyegun, we found out that he retired as a permanent secretary almost 30 years ago and he has brought his weight to the APC. That is not the way to reward him for all that he has done, especially from his own enclave, from his own state.

“How can they say all of us endorsed somebody? Not all of us. Some of us are leaders and we were not consulted. And I will not succumb to the fact that Edo State APC has endorsed Oshiomhole? I am not one of them.”

                                                  

Please Share This Post