Yet another knock for Obasanjo 16/11/2007

WWW.TheNationonline.com
By Bunmi Ogunmodede

IF unfolding developments in the nation’s legal system are anything to go by, then of a truth, the evils that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), arguably Africa’s largest assembly of politicians do are here catching up with the party.
Yesterday’s voiding of the election of the PDP Governor, Murtala Nyako, retired Naval Admiral, by the Adamawa Elections Petition Tribunal made it six in a roll of the rule of law establishing its supremacy over the might of a political party.

The five-member tribunal led by Justice Oluwole Akinwalere faulted the April 14 governorship election which produced Nyako. Its reason was that the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), erred by shutting the door against the Action Congress (AC) candidate, Alhaji Ibrahim Bapetel. The AC standard bearer was prevented from participating in the election on trumped-up charges that he had been indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). His disqualification was announced by INEC on the eve of the April election.

But confident that such last-minute disqualification smacked injustice, Bapetel approached the election petition tribunal for judicial redress. And yesterday, judgment day came. The judgment offered him another opportunity to take a shot at the Adamawa State House, which Nyako had occupied illegally for the past 171 days, going by the ruling of the Justice Akinwalere-led panel.

Since June 14, exactly 17 days after the baton of leadership passed on from one tenure to another across all 36 States’ Government Houses, PDP Governor in Anambra State Andy Uba got a quit notice from the Supreme Court. The apex court ruled that the April 14 election, through which he became the state helmsman, was conducted in error by INEC, since incumbent Peter Obi had not yet served out his four-year tenure as the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate. A valid governorship election could be conducted only in March, 2010, after Obi must have enjoyed his mandate.

Also on October 10, Kogi State Governor, Ibrahim Idris, who was on holy pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia on Lesser Hajj, had his election upturned by the tribunal.

The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) governorship candidate, Abubakar Audu had approached the tribunal to challenge what he called unconstitutional denial to contest the election by INEC.

Ten days after, judicial hurricane was in Kebbi State, where the tribunal gave a similar ruling against PDP Governor, Saidu Dakingari after considering the ANPP’s petition, which said the electoral umpire unjustly excluded its governorship flag bearer from participation.

Rivers State had its own dose of the pill on October 25, when the Supreme Court in a landmark ruling sacked Celestine Omeiha from the Government House.

Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who lost his ticket ahead of the April 14 election to Omeiha due to high-stake politics within his party, the PDP was declared the beneficiary of the PDP victory.

The apex court in its ruling said Amaechi, and not Omehia, was the authentic flagbearer, having emerged winner at the December 9, last year primaries.

In times past, a directive from the PDP was all that INEC needed to either ban or unban based on phantom indictment of the EFCC. The party may have had its way, but Nigerians, with unflinching faith in the rule of law and course of justice ,are having their say.

Curiously, all those who have had their victories upturned through the judicial process are of the ruling PDP.

With volumes of petitions yet undecided by the various tribunals, only time would tell the number of those occupying elective offices on borrowed time. But from whatever angle the latest ruling from the Adamawa tribunal is viewed, it is yet another knock for the PDP, which could no longer manipulate the system with the posturing of President Umaru Yar’Adua on the rule of law.


Comment: Before long, we may see Obasanjo in shackles, being led to prison where he belongs. The man who thought he knew God's mind, is now feeling like one of his chickens.
Jimoh Ibrahim (Obsanjo's frontman in the stealing of NIcon) is now crying foul and labeling the country and the AG as lawless!. When he and other Obasanjo acolyths divided up and stole Nigeria's choise properties, he thought Bayo Ojo was good AG. Now that Nicon has been repossesed, he is crying foul.

The shoe is on the other foot now and it hurts. BOOHOOHOOOooooooooooo

I can understand why Maurice Iwu is still the INEC chairman.
In view of what has been happening at the tribunals, why haven't this shameless man who helped to inflict so much pain and disenfranchisement on Nigerians quit?
What is his relevance when the whole world has condemned his sham elections, calling it the worsst in Nigerian if not African history

Will Yar'Adua allow him to conduct new elections into the overturned offices, knowing his precedent??

Hmmmmm me wonder what Umar is waiting for before he shows Iwu the way out!!!!!!!!!!!

Murtala Nyako is still very much the popular candidate in Adamawa

A reason Atiku will prefer the Judiciary to Usurp the duties of INEC by pronouncing Baptel winner rather than go through re-election.

While the call for free election by the Tribunal is a demonstration of adherence to rule of law because they claimed "INEC erred in Law" by disqualifying Baptel. It has nothing to do with the popularity or otherwise of Murtala Nyako.

McKren:

Murtala Nyako is still very much the popular candidate in Adamawa

A reason Atiku will prefer the Judiciary to Usurp the duties of INEC by pronouncing Baptel winner rather than go through re-election.

While the call for free election by the Tribunal is a demonstration of adherence to rule of law because they claimed "INEC erred in Law" by disqualifying Baptel. It has nothing to do with the popularity or otherwise of Murtala Nyako.

This is not in the least about Nyako or Bapetel, nor does it have anything to do with Atiku.
This is all about Obasanjo, Iwu. His illegality and sham elections.
Obasanjo misruled Nigeria, imposing his will on hapless Nigerians. The elections were judged worst ever!. What we are seeing now is the repudiation of those lawless days.

Nyako just happens to be another one of the privileged friends Obasanjo used to frustrate and oppress Nigerians.
The hurricane (Adedibu) he unleashed on Oyo State is still running amock doing whatever pleases him.

The house of cards the evil lord of Otta built, is crumbling around him, and I say good riddance to the rubbish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why should it have anything to do with OBJ not Atiku

One was President and the other was Vice President

McKren:

Why should it have anything to do with OBJ not Atiku

One was President and the other was Vice President

Unless you are trying to be corny Mckren, you know full well who was in charge in Nigeria. Obasanjo had full sway over everything, including the powers of coersion which he used to his satisfaction, to the chargrin of Nigerians and to the detriment of his enemies.

Atiku even though the vice-president, fell among the enemies of State, where he was perplexed to the max!. he was houneded at every turn, not even allowed to have aides or security!, not to talk of being allowed in his office.

The buck stopped with Obasanjo, therefore this is about him and only he!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@bankole01

save the feable comment at the end of the article, there is nowhere obj appears in the article. i wonder why you are insinuating nyarko to be one of obj's many oppressors because he happens to be his friend. obj's past tense now my man. move on.

ojimbo IV:

@bankole01

save the feable comment at the end of the article, there is nowhere obasanjo appears in the article. i wonder why you are insinuating nyarko to be one of objs oppressor because he happens to be his friend. obj's past tense now my man. move on.

On the contrary, Obasanjo is still very relevant today as he had been the past eight years. His hand writing is still all over the country. His cronies still hold sway. Until all his misrule and evil deeds are corrected, there is nowhere to move on to. Without correctinh wrongs done and perpetrated by this man and his cronies, we cannot move on, for we will only be compounding wrongs done to Nigeria. This has been are problem, glossing over wrongs which should be openly addressed.

As to feable comments, it may appear so to someone who see, hear and speak no evil in Obasanjo.
Even if Obasanjo was not mentioned in the article, the discerning person can tell it is all about his and his house of cards. "Unless God builds the house, thet labor in vain who work, "

As for me, "a go shout o, a go hala patapata"

ojimbo IV:

@bankole01

save the feable comment at the end of the article, there is nowhere obasanjo appears in the article. i wonder why you are insinuating nyarko to be one of objs oppressor because he happens to be his friend. obj's past tense now my man. move on.

I could not have said it better

obj's past tense now my man. move on

ok. So IBB must past, past, paste tense?

May be you read your news upside down.

OBJ is life chairman of PDP

@babasin,

exactly what news are you talking about? is it the one in question or something you've found elsewhere?

OBJ is life chairman of PDP

pls don't insinuate things my man. show proof.

babasin:

ok. So IBB must past, past, paste tense?

May be you read your news upside down.

OBJ is life chairman of PDP

a wonda o!!!
Only a person who trying to play somantics, trying to confound or trying to be clever by a fraction, would pretend not to know the even of present days have very much to do with the repudiation of Obasanjo's illegality and misrule.

He changed the PDP constitution to make himself life BOT chairman. His days are numbered and he knows it.
Some of his friends can see the handwriting on the wall and are trying to distance themselves from the Otta sinking ship!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another of many knocks to come, Thank God he would return to where he came from JAIL,

yeah you're right on the money there. If Oba J lives long enough he might still end up at Kuje Prisons . The North (his adopted constituency) is about to close ranks against him. But they should also be getting ready to deliver IBB up for similar punishment.

ziddy:

yeah you're right on the money there. If Oba J lives long enough he might still end up at Kuje Prisons . The North (his adopted constituency) is about to close ranks against him. But they should also be getting ready to deliver IBB up for similar punishment.

Now we are really getting to think "sweet wind".  If we can smell it is another question entirely!  If we Nigerians can just imprison those 2, the rest will gladly turn themselves in.

IBB and OBJ are the 2 major problems we have in Nigeria today.  These old goons have held Nigeria at ransom with their selfishness and wickedness as long as can be remembered! They will not go free--EFCC or no EFCC!!!