Armed bandits on Saturday attack the village of Sabon Sara village in Kidendan town of Giwa Local Government of Kaduna State and killed five people.

The incident happened around 1:45 am after the bandits attacked the village shooting sporadically.

Details of the attacked remain sketchy but a resident of the area who simply identified himself as Malam Yahaya said seven ‎people were injured and taken to hospital in Zaria.

The victims that lost their lives were Lawal, Ibrahim, Umar, Lawal and Tukur. While those injured and are now receiving treatment include Rabilu, Sani, Mohammadu and Malam Aminu.

“The bandits came in around 1:45 am and shooting sporadically in the community. It was during the attack that five people were killed and about seven injured. We just buried them this morning,” he said.

‎Chairman of Giwa Local Government Area Abubakar Shehu Giwa through the Secretary of the Local Government Usman Ismail confirmed the attack on the community to journalists via phone.

He said the bandits stormed the small village and attempted to kidnapped an old woman but the locals around resisted them and five people were killed.

The‎ Secretary said the chairman ordered policemen to be deployed to the affected village and the security succeeded in killing one of the bandits.

He said the bandits were about 20 or more and were at the village to kidnap an old lady but failed because the locals resisted them.

“The bandits tried to kidnapped an old woman but the people resisted and five were killed. The chairman of the local government Abubakar Shehu Giwa attended the burial of the victims this morning,” he said.

Meanwhile, when contacted the State Police Command Spokesman Yakubu Sabo ‎promised to call back but didn’t do that as at press time.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/gunmen-kill-5-in-kaduna-attack-2.html

Lalasticlala Seun Mynd44 Oam4j

Fifty-eight (58) Governorship Candidates in Rivers State on Friday re-affirmed their endorsement of the re-election of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike , declaring that they would work for his success during the Governorship Election on 9 March, 2019.

The 58 governorship candidates condemned the ongoing plots by the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disrupt the March 9, 2019 Governorship Election in the state.

They spoke through their chairman, Pastor Samuel Ihunwo during a solidarity visit to Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

They condemned the killings by the military during the Presidential and National Assembly elections, stating that immediate steps must be taken to avert using the military against Rivers people during the Governorship/State Assembly elections.

“We observed that our people were killed by the military. We have come for a solidarity visit because as the father of the State, you are pained on what is happening. We condemn in totality, the unwarranted killings by the military.

“We are not in support of the evil that INEC is conniving with APC to disrupt the Governorship/ State Assembly elections on March 9. The APC knowing they are not on the ballot , plan to perpetrate evil and ensure that elections don’t hold”.

They noted that they will remain resolute to ensure the elections hold and Governor Wike duly elected.

“The 58 Governorship Candidates maintain their endorsement of Governor Wike. What we have said still remains. We will give all necessary support for the Governor to be re-elected”, he said.

The governorship candidates declared that the exclusion of the APC from the ballot was an act of God. He said even without being on the ballot, APC has unleashed violence on Rivers people.

Responding, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike stated that no one man born of woman can determine the political destiny of Rivers State.

He said: “No one man born of a woman can say that he must be in charge of the state. That is unacceptable to the people of the State.

“If we rely on the security agencies, by now we will not be here. Only God protects us in Rivers State. If you see the connivance between the APC and the security agencies, you will marvel how we have gone so low. The security agencies aiding individuals to perpetrate crime. It is unfortunate”.

Governor Wike wondered why the APC in Rivers State is neck-deep in the killing of Rivers people over a self-inflicted crisis.

“You cannot cling to power through the blood of innocent people. Those people who believe that the only way they can come to power is when they finish killing everybody, should emulate these Governorship Candidates.

“The crisis in APC is self-inflicted. Even the PDP had its own crisis. Instead of APC sorting out their own crisis, they are shifting it to innocent people. It is not only in Rivers State that APC has crisis. They have the same problem in Cross River State. But you have not seen them killing anybody. They have not said that they will destroy everywhere because they are struggling on who becomes a Governorship Candidate.

“A particular party is threatening that if they are not on the ballot, there will be no election in Rivers State and nobody has done anything. The security agencies are always by their side, supporting evil”, he said.

Governor Wike said that Rivers people are committed to the peaceful conduct of the Governorship and State Assembly elections. He said that the March 9, 2019 elections will be conducted peacefully and Rivers State will emerge victorious.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/03/58-governorship-candidates-re-affirm-endorsement-of-wikes-re-election/

Samuel05364:
Read below it

Lalasticlala, remove this rubbish abeg...

In the aftermath of the February 23 presidential poll, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said that there is no going back on its decision to challenge the election result in court.

The PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, who stated this at a press briefing in Abuja, on Friday, dismissed speculations that the opposition party gave the National Peace Committee some conditions for peace when they met on Thursday.

Secondus said during the party’s meeting with the Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar-led peace committee, there was no mention of any condition.

He stated that the committee only asked the party and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to list their misgivings about the just-concluded presidential, which they did.

The PDP chairman noted that it was imperative for the result of the presidential election to be challenged in court so that all the alleged malpractices could be exposed.

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/pdp-denies-abdulsalamis-panel-declares-nothing-ll-stop-party-from-going-to-court/

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has suspended the Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun and the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha for anti-party activities.

Also suspended by the APC NWC over anti-party activities are the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani and the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu.

This decision was reached on Friday at a meeting of the Party’s NWC, presided by the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole at the APC National Secretariat.

The NWC has also taken a decision to recommend the expulsion of the suspended individuals to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.

A statement by APC spokesman, Lanre Issa-Onilu said “the NWC would also issue a query to the Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu over his glaring anti-party activities, which greatly affected the fortunes of our candidates in the recently-conducted Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

“Recall that the NWC had earlier written to the suspended governors on their anti-party activities, and several other steps were taken to ensure they desist from taking actions that are inimical to the interests of our party and candidates. Notably, these individuals have not shown any remorse and have actually stepped up their actions.”

It reads: “The party reviewed the serial anti-party activities of the concerned individuals before and during the last Presidential and National Assembly elections in their respective states and resolved to enforce party discipline in line with our constitution.

“The NWC noted how the suspended members have continued to campaign openly for other parties and candidates that are unknown to our great party, even while they have constituted themselves as opposition to APC candidates in their respective states.

“Importantly, the NWC is closely monitoring the activities of our members across the country, and particularly, in the states these suspended members belong to. We wish to reiterate that any member of our party who takes any action solely or in line with the directives of the suspended members to undermine our party’s candidates in the coming governorship and House of Assembly elections would face disciplinary actions.

“We wish to congratulate our members nationwide for the victories we recorded across the country in the last elections and particularly, the renewal of our party’s mandate for President Muhammadu to continue to pilot the affairs of this country for another four years.

“This could not have happened if not for the hardwork and commitment of our members. We therefore urge all our members to unite and work ever harder to ensure victory for our candidates across the states in the coming governorship and House of Assembly elections.

“Consequently, the NWC calls on our members to disregard directives and actions of the suspended individuals as APC would continue to live by the dictate of our constitution.”

Lalasticlala Mynd44 Seun

http://dailypost.ng/2019/03/01/suspended-amosun-okorocha-usani-okechukwu-queried-akeredolu-apc-releases-full-statement/

[center][/center]At last, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Plateau North Hon. Istifanus Dung Gyang, winner of Plateau North senatorial election.

Gyang, who is currently the member representing Barkin-Ladi/Riyom Federal constituency of Plateau State in the House of Representatives polled 269, 555 votes to defeat Hon. Rufus Bature, the candidate of APC who scored 171233 votes.

The result which was declared amidst tight security by Professor Christopher Vande, the Returning Officer for the district, said Istifanus Gyang of the PDP scored the highest vote and was declared elected.

Meanwhile, Prof. Francis Kwese, a returning officer for National Assembly election from Jos North has declared the election for Bassa/Jos North federal constituency inconclusive following the cancellation of election results from Tudun-Wada/ Kabong ward.

He said APC scored 114, 705 votes while PDP 89, 262 votes. He said: “The election is declared inconclusive becauseTudun-Wada/ Kabong ward results were canceled hence a re-run will be scheduled by INEC at a later date.

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/five-days-after-pdp-picks-plateau-north-as-inec-declares-bassa-jos-north-inconclusive/

The police in Enugu State have received heavy knocks over alleged demand of the sum of N50,000 from some robbery victims in the State.

DAILY POST reports that residents of Uwani, in Enugu, the state capital, were on Wednesday night robbed by a three-man gang.
However, luck ran out of one of the members of the gang, as a mob chased after them, following shouts of help from the victims.

One of the suspects was said to have been caught by the mob, with a laptop and mobile phones stolen from the victims recovered from him.
According to our source, “the mob descended on him and beat him to stupor. The police from Uwani Division later came and took him.

“However, the matter took another dimension as the police started demanding money from the victims.”

One of the victims told our correspondent that, “The policemen earlier collected N15,000 from us after taking our statement.

“After that, they started again demanding N50,000 from us. They said the money will be used in taking care of medical bills of the armed robbery suspect.

“They threatened that if we don’t bring the money, we will go to prison should anything happen to the robbery suspect.

“As I speak to you, some of our items have not been recovered. We were severely macheted by the robbers and right now, nobody is talking about how we will be treated.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Ebere Amaraizu said he would get back but was yet to do so several hours after.

Text message sent to him was also not responded to.

Meanwhile, a brother to one of the victims, who spoke to DAILY POST, said, “They are being held right now at the Uwani Police Division for failing to bring the N50,000.

“We are calling on the police hierarchy, the Enugu State Government and Civil Society Organizations to come to their rescue.”

http://dailypost.ng/2019/02/28/outrage-enugu-police-demands-n50000-robbery-victims/

Mynd44, oam4j, seun

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, an elections observer group, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide clarification on why over one million votes were cancelled in the presidential and national assembly elections.

Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, on Tuesday declared President Muhammadu Buhari winner of Saturday’s presidential election with 15,191,847 votes.

However, in its fourth interim statement which assessed the credibility and fairness of the electoral process, the Situation Room said: “There is a lack of clarity in the rationale for cancellation of polls. We have recorded 1,084,358 cancelled votes across 1175 polling units in 18 States. The pattern of this cancellation requires some close interrogation to show fairness and objectivity.”

It was reported that overvoting, card reader malfunction and violence are reasons provided for the cancelled votes.

“Situation Room demands that INEC provide clarification on rationale and compliance with its guidelines regarding cancellation of polls,” it said.

The organisation, which comprise of over 70 CSOs working in support of credible and transparent elections in Nigeria, rated the February 23 election as worse than 2015 owing to the violence and other logistical problems.

“A careful look at some of the figures of accredited voters and the total number of votes show discrepancies. As at 6:47pm Tuesday 26th February, the discrepancy was a total of 513,214, in 27 states including Nasarawa, Kogi, Adamawa, Edo States and the FCT. Situation Room calls on INEC to transparently address this confusion before the completion of result tabulation,” the statement further read.

“Situation Room calls on INEC to address the discrepancies in the vote tally and provide cogent explanations for the rejected votes and clearly clarify what amounts to cancelled votes.

“Our observers were denied access to 10 Ward Collation Centres in Abia State, 7 in Lagos State and 5 in Akwa Ibom and Ogun States respectively. Other reports received indicate that there was no collation in some Wards; rather, polling unit results were directly collated at Local Government level, raising questions about violation of the collation process.”

In 2015, 844, 519 were rejected out of the 29,432,083 votes cast.
https://www.thecable.ng/situation-room-demands-explanation-for-1m-cancelled-votes

Barely few days after the Presidential election, Adamawa State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), is engulfed in fresh crisis, following alleged disagreement and lopsided distribution of campaign funds, allocated to the state by the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation.

Sources told Vanguard that the failure of some party chieftains to evenly distribute the N2.5billion funds for the purpose of winning the presidential election was responsible for the defeat of President Muhammadu Buhari by his major challenger, Atiku Abubakar who is an indigene of the state.

The source alleged that the sum of N2.5 billion was allocated to the state through a top government appointee of President Buhari who also lost his local government council area to the opposition.

The fund was for the purpose of mobilizing support and logistics for the conduct of the elections.

It was alleged that instead some stakeholders sat on the campaign fund.

The development which has been causing ripples in the party, reportedly led to moves by aggrieved party members to move for the removal of a top party official who they suspected of being behind the alleged mismanagement of the logistics funds.

The source said many of the stakeholders like the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha, General Buba Marwa, Dr. Idi Hong, the chairman of Nigeria Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah, Senator Binta Masi Garba lost in their local governments.

The APC entered the election with much crisis in its wings.

Only a few days to the election, a top party functionary, Dr.Mahmud Halilu accused Governor Muhammad Umar Jibrilla of working in favour of the opposition political party.

Responding to the issue, the commissioner of Information and strategy, Mallam Ahmed Sajoh said the crisis in the party was caused by those who took Governor Bindow as an enemy.

He added that party stalwarts deliberately sabotaged the party, leading to its defeat in some areas so as to humiliate Bindow.

Also responding, the publicity secretary of the party, Ahmed Lawal said the party lost the election as a result of the internal party wrangling culminating in some party stalwarts openly campaigning against the election of others.

‘’The party was seriously concerned about the attitude of some party members who openly rejected some candidates of the party. Any party member found wanting will be sanctioned according to extant constitutional provisions,’’ he said.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/how-n2-5-billion-presidential-election-fund-caused-buharis-fall-in-adamawa/

Lalasticlala

Until March 09?

DAZED by the poor performance of the All Progressives Congress, APC in last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections in Ondo State, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu yesterday summoned an emergency meeting of political office holders and other party stakeholders across the state.

Yesterday’s meeting was held at the Government House and lasted several hours.

The outcome of last Saturday election according to findings unsettled the governor, members of his cabinet, the party and other party stakeholders in the state.

He was alleged to have threatened to sack political appointees who failed to deliver their constituencies in the March 9 House of Assembly election in the state.

But in a swift reaction the information and Orientation commissioner Yemi Olowolabi denied the threat to sack political officer holders by the governor.

Olowolabi told Vanguard that the governor at the meeting encouraged and charged them to work harder in the March 9 election.

According to him the governor was said to have been peeved that the party did better as an opposition party and wondered “what has now happened to the party, we have all gone to sleep.

The governor’s meeting with the stakeholders is coming ahead of the March 9 House of Assembly election which many party leaders are apprehensive may nailed the coffin of the party in the state.

The Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress Muhammadu Buhari was defeated by the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Atiku Abubakar by 34, 132 votes.

Also, the APC won four seats in the House of Representatives election while the PDP won in three, the African Democratic Party ADP won one and one remained inconclusive.

Reliable sources told Vanguard that the government asked the party leaders to go back to their constituencies and ensure that they deliver their candidates.

Akeredolu was said to have expressed concern over the poor performance of the party which led to the party losing the state to the opposition in the presidential election and conceding three seats also in the National assembly election.

He was, however, said to have remained adamant and unapologetic about the option AA adopted in the last election which invariably spelt doom for the party.

Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered that party leaders are spoiling for war with the governor who they blamed for the party’s defeat.

They reportedly are bent on ensuring that the party fail to control the majority seats in the state assembly election.

A party leader who spoke with Vanguard in confidence said “ the governor caused the party defeat by the option AA in the national assembly election. Some of us are also ready to engage in anti party activities on March 9.

”His action had caused the defeat of President Buhari in the state. We will also ensure that he fails to control the majority in the 9th state assembly on March 9.”

“We are set for him because only a selfish and wicked man could starve the elections of the president and even his imposed candidates of funds and then turn around to expect the party to support his puppet assembly.

“I can bet you, we are going to mobilise for the PDP candidates because of it was good for the trio of the governor, his deputy and the State chairman to engage in anti party, we will rehearse same on the 9th of March.”


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/gov-akeredolu-initiates-probe-into-apcs-loss-in-ondo/

cassidy1996:
hmmm... this life

Atiku i beg nor fall my hand

E no fall anybody hand nah....He just lost....

However, this kind of incidents should have stiffer punishments. It is the laissez-faire attitude of handling it by the authorities that have provoked occurrences.

Set one real example, others will sit in.

A distraught mother, Tope Ogba, on Monday, explained to a Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja, how her husband, Gabriel Ogba, allegedly raped their two adult daughters and their 13-year-old sister.

Gabriel is standing trial for sexually molesting his daughters aged 25 and 20 years, and their underage sister at their residence in Oke-Ogbe town, Atura bus stop, Badagry, Lagos, and almost setting ablaze his wife when she reported him to the authorities.

Tope, while being led in evidence by the state counsel, K. A. Momoh-Ayokanbi, said she did not notice the sexual molestation, which according to her, had gone on for a number of years until it was revealed by the youngest daughter.

She said, “I did not know what was going on; it was when he molested my third daughter that I got to know about what was going on and I later heard about the sexual act on my older daughters from people outside.

“When I asked my older daughters about the rumours, they initially denied them; I got to know about the molestation of my third daughter from her teacher, who told me that she saw her (the victim) crying and upon enquiries, she told the teacher that her father was sleeping with her, and when I asked my third daughter about what she told her teacher, she kept mute and was staring at me.

“I confronted my husband; he said that it was a conspiracy against him by our daughters; I told him that a young child could not come up with such allegations against him. Ever since I confronted him, I have had no peace at home; he used to beat and threaten me.

“The last atrocity he committed was that he prevented our third daughter from going for a vigil in the church; she’s a twin and he prevented her from going to church. Our second daughter, who is 20 years old, returned home and met her sister crying, but she did not reveal what was wrong.”

Tope added that following the incident, the third daughter was kept in the custody of their pastor and that Gabriel continued to harass the pastor to release their daughter to him.

She noted that following the harassment, Gabriel was reported to the police but he absconded and took two of the children with him, adding that a month after he was reported to the police, he aggressively approached her where she was trading at the Seme border, but she was protected by bystanders.

She added, “When I got home, I didn’t know that he had a hidden agenda to set me ablaze with petrol. When I alighted from the vehicle, he came out from the bush and started hitting me with a stick.

“I ran to a trader’s kiosk and I noticed that I was soaked in blood; I attempted to call my children on the phone, but he approached me and poured petrol on my body. A bystander rescued me by preventing him from setting me ablaze; I was taken away in a car by the person who helped me who, unknown to me, is a human rights campaigner.

“We went to the Morogbo Police Station and my husband was arrested and transferred to the Agege Police Station. He was thereafter moved to the Kirikiri Prison.

“My daughters were taken to a hospital in Ikeja, where it was confirmed that they had been sexually abused.”

Tope, under cross-examination by Gabriel’s counsel, E. N. Obelu, said the children could not speak up about the molestation because their father had threatened them.

Following Tope’s testimony, the 13-year-old testified against her father but the presiding judge, Justice Sururat Soladoye, ordered everyone in the courtroom gallery to leave, because the witness was underaged.

Following the teenager’s testimony, the case was adjourned till March 7 for the continuation of trial.


https://punchng.com/father-allegedly-rapes-three-daughters-attacks-wife/

Lalasticlala, correct politicsngr oooooo

The Independent National Electoral Commission has replaced Senator with Usani Usani as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Cross River.

INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr Frankland Briyai, announced the decision on Friday at INEC’s head office in Calabar.

He said the commission’s decision is pursuant to the order of court in suit no FHC/CA/CL/731/2018-Honourable Godwin Etim John Vs APC and others.

“The commission pursuant in other of court in above matter have directed that the names of candidates summited by APC for Governorship, Senatorial, House of Representative and State House of Assembly for Cross River State be removed from the list of candidates for the election in compliance with the said order.

“However the logo and names of the party shall be retained pending the submission of the list of candidates from the Godwin Etim John-led state executive by the national working committee of APC in compliance with the above order.”

https://www.channelstv.com/2019/02/22/inec-replaces-owan-enoh-with-usani-as-apc-gov-candidate-in-cross-river/

Lalasticlala Mynd44 Seun OAM4J

Lalasticlala

The Presidency on Thursday took a swipe at ex-president Goodluck Jonathan over his contribution to the Niger Delta region during his tenure as a president in Nigeria.

The social media aide to the Nigerian President, Mrs Lauretta Onochie, while reeling out projects the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, President Muhammadu Buhari had completed, said Jonathan as a Christian abandoned Niger Delta region and did nothing for his people.

According to her, Jonathan failed to construct roads for his people but Buhari made the change, even as a Muslim.

She added that Buhari constructed Otuoke road, ex-president Goodluck Jonathan’s village which he (Jonathan) could not construct when he was the president.

Onochie on her Twitter page wrote: “Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian, PhD, and core Niger Delta son, led this nation for six years. The Niger-Delta has little or nothing to show for it.

“Otuoke, his own village, had no road leading to it nor water. Along with water, the road has only been constructed by the administration of Muhammadu Buhari, a man so much hatred has been galvanized against in the Niger Delta.

“But the people know better and they know who their leader is. They know the one who truly loves them; they know the one who cares about them; they know the one that is bringing development to their region; they know the one who is fighting their corner; they know it is President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Even Goodluck Jonathan Expressway was abandoned. Thank God for Completer general, President Buhari who completed the road.Now, commuters are a lot happier because it has eased the traffic logjam occasioned by the non-completion of the road.”

http://dailypost.ng/2019/02/22/nigeria-election-2019-jonathan-failed-christian-nothing-niger-delta-presidency/

Barely 48 hours to the Saturday’s rescheduled presidential and National Assembly elections, bandits have sacked 10 communities, forcing over 2,000 residents to relocate from their ancestral homes in Batsari Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State.

The affected communities are Tudun Garin-Yara, Kwandatso, Garin Labo, Shigi, Sabon-Garin Dunburan, Garin Dodo, Inwala, Madattai, Sabon-Garin Shigi and Kasai.

Our correspondent who visited Batsari Modern Primary School where the victims, mostly women and children, were relocated, gathered that the crisis started last Sunday in Kasai community but later spread to other nine villages between Monday and Wednesday, rendering thousands of residents homeless.

The attack, which claimed seven lives, including an army captain, also led to the abduction of many women and children who were declared missing after the invasion.

One of the victims, Inatu Labo who could not control her tears while speaking to THISDAY at the camp, said: “We were asleep when the well-armed bandits numbering about hundreds attacked us. They killed some of our villagers and went away with our animals.”

Conducting THISDAY round the 12 classrooms occupied by the displaced persons, the Council Director of Education and Social Services, Kabir Abba Umar, said government had provided some palliatives in form of food items and sleeping materials to the displaced people.

“We have activated the temporary camps with profiling of the affected persons, and health personnel have been deployed to the camp. The local government has provided water tank, mats, blankets and buckets.

“As of yesterday, we registered more than 2,000 Internally Displayed Persons (IDPs) in this temporary camp and more are trooping in today. The displaced persons trek from their ancestral homes, which are about 10 to 15 kilometres away from Batsari.

“The local government area has also directed that provision of other requirements for camp operation should be giving to the displaced persons immediately”, he explained.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/02/22/bandits-sack-10-katsina-communities-displace-2000-residents/?amp

L

There is controversy over whether the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal cleared the Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to contest the governorship and national and state Assembly elections in the state.

Yesterday evening, reports indicated that the state APC had been cleared by the Appeal Court in Abuja to present candidates for the elections they had earlier been barred from.

Hours after, fresh reports indicated that the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal set aside the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which affirmed the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that barred the APC from fielding candidates in the elections in Zamfara.

On January 25, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had, in a judgement held that INEC was right to have delisted names of candidates the APC presented for the elections, stating that the APC failed to conduct a valid primary within the period scheduled by the electoral body.

But, an earlier report, yesterday, indicated that a three-man panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Abdul Aboki, held that the trial court lacked the jurisdiction to have entertained the suit, that it was an abuse of court process.

He stressed that the suit at the federal high court was filed out of time, the Electoral Act provides for 14 days to institute a suit after the cause of action had arisen, the suit was filed 15 days after, and therefore rendered the action incompetent.

But the Court of Appeal in Sokoto did not order INEC to accept Zamfara APC candidates.

Rather, the three-member panel of the court gave an order, through Justice Jummai Sankey, dismissing a suit filed by a member of the House of Representatives, Aminu Jaji.

The suit was challenging the ruling of a high court of Zamfara State, which ordered INEC to accept candidates from the APC.

Jaji, one of the governorship aspirants of the APC, approached the Court of Appeal to inform it of his decision to withdraw the suit. Following his request, the court dismissed the suit based on its rules and the request of the plaintiff.

A certified copy of the dismissal, reads: “It is ordered as follows: That the appellant, having met all the conditions for the withdrawal of the appeal, as set out under order 11, rule 1.

“This appeal under No. CA/S/23/2019 is hereby dismissed pursuant to order 11, rule 5 of the court of appeal rules 2016.”

Jaji asked the Sokoto Division of the Court of Appeal to nullify the judgement by the Zamfara State High Court which had directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to accept candidates from the APC.

At about the same time as the Zamfara high court ruling, another high court in Abuja also ordered INEC not to accept candidates from the governing party in the state.

INEC announced that it decided to comply with the order of the Abuja court.

INEC had declined to accept APC candidates in Zamfara because, according to the commission, the party failed to meet the deadline for holding primaries.

Ibrahim Dosara, a spokesperson for Abdulaziz Yari, governor of Zamfara State, had, in a message claimed that by Wednesday’s dismissal, the judgement by the Zamfara State High Court stands.

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/controversy-trails-appeal-court-rulling-on-zamfara-apc-candidates/

Lalasticlala Seun Mynd44