₦airaland Forum

Jubilation broke out at the secretariat of the Labour Party in Abuja when the Supreme Court on Thursday affirmed Senator Athan Achonu as the rightful candidate for the November 11 election in Imo State.

Achonu is aiming to become the first physically challenged governor in the country on the platform of LP in the off-season election taking place in the State.

An aggrieved aspirant at the last LP primary, Basil Maduka, had objected and challenged Achonu’s candidature at both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal.

But the apex court threw out the case on the ground that it lacked locus standi.

A panel of five justices led by Iyang Okoro also cautioned the Appellant for abusing the court process and wasting the time of the courts all through from the lower courts.

Two other respondents in the matter were the Independent National Electoral Commission and a candidate from the Lamidi Apapa faction, Joseph Ukaegbu, popularly known as Ikenga, whose request to seek a consequential order was also rejected by the Supreme Court.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja, the National Legal Officer of the LP Kehinde Edun hailed the Supreme Court justices, saying they did justice to the case.

He said, “The justices discovered the case lacked locus standi and threw it out. They also cautioned the lawyers of the petitioners for wasting their time.”


Counsel to Labour Party, Okwudili Anozie, also told journalists in Abuja that the judgement in favour of Achonu also legitimizes Abure as the national chairman of LP.

He said, “Today at the Supreme Court, the antics of Basil Maduka and his accomplice Joseph Ukaegbu, alias Ikenga, was put to an end as they met their Waterloo at the Apex Court. Today was a culmination of the deceit and lies to Imolites spanning from their misrepresentation of the true position of the judgments of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal.

“The Supreme Court didn’t entertain Ukaegbu’s counsel’s ignorant attempt to seek for a consequential order, which even a first-year student of law knows cannot be sought by a Respondent, especially in this case where the appeal was dismissed.”

An excited Achonu also disclosed that he knew that the apex court would vindicate him because he followed the due process to win the LP primary, which also had officials of INEC in attendance.

He said, “I refused to join issues with anybody or discuss anything on my court cases. I didn’t think it was necessary because first, I was not sued. Secondly, I won a free and fair election. Thirdly, INEC published my name and did not announce that I was no longer a candidate. That was the only time I would have been bothered. I have been concentrating on my campaign.”

jrusky:
Really? So have you ever seen any sane country with no foreign investors?

That is why I called you a Marxist motherfucker.

OBAMAKILLOSAMA:
Who is intelligent?

Ade?? This Yoruba people....

Tell me one thing he has done that can be term intelligent in that house.

Jen96:
don't mind mercy and Pere. I just pray this girl wins on Sunday if not.. These OGs will mock her

Jen96:
tune back o. She is saying she didn't come here to take care of anyone

Alheeri:
Adekunle saw her vomiting and went to tell the Hoh,the hoh told pere to go see her but pere was talking to Ceec .
Mercy went with Adekunle to go take care of her...
Adekunle said he told her not to take the Smirnoff but she said don't worry I will take care of myself....

Jen96:
kuku is wicked.. But tomorrow he will pretend to be nice to Baye. How many of Baye' s drink did Pere take?

Tatiana4u:
Sometimes I don’t understand Adekunle!
Tbh,he’s a piece of shit!

Shantyken:
Next person na mercy

Obakoolex:
Why should I explain when am not the owner of the certificate
Well in my own opinion which am entitled to, I believe it's because of age which obviously most civil servant are guilty of.
The institution never denied that he gained admission and graduated so what else should be my concern as a citizen.

You people make it sound as if it's the certificate that will guarantee a good governance, if that's the case why did Obi submit only his ssce and not first degree??

Obakoolex:
Every suspect is innocent until proven guilty by the court.
Don't look at it from a biased perspective.

ElSudani:
One of our problems in this country is the tendency to lie easily and muddle up the truth. The university already explained that these diplomas are ceremonial documents of which the university doesn't keep the records for any students including Tinubu.
If INEC did not require you to submit your academic records why should Tinubu submit his?
INEC needed to confirm whether or not Tinubu graduated from that university and this has been confirmed, what else do you need from him?

ElSudani:
The burden of proof will still be on Atiku to prove that Tinubu printed his own diploma and explain the motive behind it.
The university already confirmed the authenticity of Tinubu's degree, Atiku is not even contesting that.

ubimagos:
But Obi submitted O'Level and yet claimed to be a graduate!

ElSudani:
But what is really important to INEC and the Nigerian laws is that Tinubu graduated with honors as he said and as confirmed by the University.
The paper diploma which is handed to you on graduation day is a ceremonial document. The university have said so many times. They do not keep a record of these not just for Tinubu but all the students.
This is prpbably the legal reason the university would not under oath confirm it's authenticity.
This doesn't mean anything was forged. You cannot graduate with honors and then go ahead and go ahead and forge your documents.
I am happy the Atiku lawyers are getting paid, cases like this doesn't come often.

ElSudani:
The university already said under oath that Tinubu graduated with honors. Why then would he forge a certificate?
Does that make sense?

Obakoolex:
I love what Atiku is doing....

Trying to find a way by all means
He knows Tinubu beats him in the ballot but by strategy trying maybe he can outsmart Tinubu.

Sorry to disappoint you waziri....God or one powerful force is behind Tinubu and that makes him unstoppable by you.
Patience is the greatest virtue you lost after running to APC and helped to crumble PDP!

BTW, obidients are the joke in all this, because even if supreme declare Atiku as the winner, that means obi automatically helped installed another Fulani for 8 years and when it's southern turn again, all South will work against any S.E candidate.

The truth of the matter remains that Tinubu will rule Nigeria till 2031.

Alphagan:
Much as I disapprove of some statements Adekunle made most especially when he said he would invite Venita to his child naming ceremony, I mean, to a supposed “girlfriend”..? No level of provocation ought to have warranted that but Venita’s motive for that date wasn’t altruistic, it wasn’t out of love or care but an alibi to extract commitment that she will later capitalize on for emotional blackmail and to lunch unending vitriols. I knew their relationship abinitio was a game but was hoping along the way emotions will creep in, unfortunately, it never happened. So, before it gets messier a mutual agreement for a break up should be reached.