₦airaland Forum

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has replied Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Mr Oshiomhole while reacting to the verdict of the Supreme Court on Bayelsa State governorship election wherein his party lost out, said no one will be sworn-in to take over from the outgoing governor, Henry Dickson.

David Lyon, candidate of the APC was sacked because his deputy submitted false documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The judgement appears to favour the PDP which has continued to held sway since the return of democracy in 1999.

But Oshiomhole is insisting that if Mr Lyon is not sworn-in, then no other party will man the position.

Responding, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the comment as empty, saying the APC helmsman is ranting.

“The comments of the factional National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, on the ruling of the Supreme Court on the Bayelsa State Governorship election can best be described as an empty and inconsequential ranting,” Mr Ologbondiyan said in a tweet on Thursday.

Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has said Bayelsa State won’t have a new governor on Friday.

Mr Oshiomhole stated this while reacting to the judgement of the Supreme Court which sacked David Lyon, the governorship candidate of the party in the state.

The apex court had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Lyon over false documents presented by his deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, to the electoral body.

Although the court ordered that the next the party with the highest number of lawful votes and geographical spread be issued the certificate of return, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Diri Duoye, is projected to be the beneficiary.

Addressing newsmen at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja, the APC helmsman said if his party and its candidate are not worthy of the position then no other party will take the oath of office scheduled to take place tomorrow.

ALSO READ: Supreme court sacks Bayelsa APC Governor-elect over false documents of deputy

He said this is because aside from the APC, no other party met the requirement to man the position.

“Our lawyers are already studying the judgment to take the necessary legal action,” Oshiomhole added.

The presidency has blamed opposition politicians over the decision of Maiduguri residents who booed President Muhammadu Buhari when he visited Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, on Wednesday.

Mr Buhari, who was on a condolence visit, went to the state to sympathize with them over the recent Boko Haram attacks across the state and had his convoy booed.

The development came as a surprise to many because the president is said to be more popular there. He won over 90 percent of votes from the area during the last general election.

Speaking on the development, the presidency blamed opposition politicians for the embarrassment.

Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, in an interview with BBC Hausa, said those who booed the president are miscreants and were paid to do so.

“I was part of the delegation that entered Maiduguri right from the airport to the palace of the Shehu of Borno. The people came out to say thank you and welcome us,” Shehu said.

“But there was a group which came out shouting ‘we don’t want’. Some politicians gathered some miscreants and paid them money to boo Buhari,” he added.

Meanwhile, Boko Haram continued with its terror attack few hours after the president departed for Abuja.

StaffofOrayan:
Yes!!!
It's a federal toll!!
How dummb are you?
What is the FG's business with state roads?
Are you for real??
Those numbers are not real, stop quoting it
It just shows how stuck in your victimhood you are,
Can you be rescued? Doubt it

StaffofOrayan:
I am talking about your senators
You have quickly resorted back to other tribes
Let's stick to your senators show me a motion they have raised about the checkpoints in the south east or a protest on these tolls, they probably encouraged it like the governors did during IPOB issue

StaffofOrayan:
How does that even correlate with eachother?
There are not enough federal roads in the SE to accommodate that much tolls! It's practically impossible,
The problem with propaganda is that the FG would debunk this and then comfortablely place 20 tolls
That's the curse of crying wolf, nobody takes you serious.

StaffofOrayan:
My question is do you know what a toll gate is?
If you do how can 56 stand in the SE? What funds is going to be used? How many federal roads?
You gotta think man, stop being a biatch

StaffofOrayan:
When would your useless senators speak out

StaffofOrayan:
When Igbos say these things about bad roads and marginalization, I just wonder how smart they are, no offense
These same people are PDP die hard supporters, Massob, Ohaneze and majority of the region. But seems charmed by pdp

How many federal roads are in the SE?

About the checkpoints, I guess thats IPOBs contribution to the region, I specifically remember them daring the army to come to the SE. They were in their barracks and they were invited both online and offline, well they are here.

The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), has warned the Federal Government not to build toll gates in the South-East region.

The Federal Government recently made known it decision to reinstall toll gates on federal roads across the country.

In a statement by its spokesman, Uchenna Madu, the secessionist group vowed to dismantle any toll gate sighted in the Igbo predominantly area.

Describing the policy as a wicked plot against the people of the region, the group said available data before it indicates that the region will have more toll gates than other regions, despite the deplorable state of federal roads in the area.

“The six states of South-South will have 21 toll gates; South-West with six states will have 22 toll gates; five states of the South-East 56 totaling 99 toll gates from the 17 southern states,” the group said.

“The seven states of North-West will have 12 toll gates; nine toll gates in six states of North-East; while six states of North Central will mount 14 toll gates totaling 35 toll points from 19 northern states.

“MASSOB observes that South-East with only five states have 56 tollgates, which is more than the entire 19 states of the Northern region with 35 tollgates. Even the Northern region that claim to have the highest population, yet, it will pay the lowest tollgate.

“Igbo states are higher with 21 tollgates and this is in conformity that Igbo land is under siege and exploitation.

“South-East has more Police checkpoints than any other region; has the greatest number of dilapidated federal roads; has the smallest land mass and the shortest distances from one point to the other when compared with other zones, and also has the worst road network in Nigeria.

“Igbo land and Biafra can never be an experimental ground for exhibition of wickedness, malice, hatred, genocides, police extra judicial killings, military terrorism, political subjections and unprovoked massacre of innocent and armless citizens.

“MASSOB condemn and insists that there will be no toll gates in Biafra land as wickedly proposed by the Nigeria government. MASSOB wonders how establishment of these toll gates in Nigeria will ever work,” the statement added.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and commercial motorcyclists are currently confronting each other in Akwa Ibom State.

The chaos is taking place in Eket Local Government Area, according to sources in the area which confided on TODAY POLITICS.

As early as 8:00 a.m, motorcyclists in the town were seen protesting the dead of a young boy said to be the son of one of its members.

This medium gathered that insecurity ranging from kidnappings, killings and other criminal activities led to the restriction of the motorcyclists activities in the area. They are to operate from 6:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m

Defaulters caught before or after the stipulated time have their motorcycles seized from them by the Police.

The restriction began last week but on Sunday evening the young boy who is now late was been chased by the Police having failed to adhere to the restriction. It was while he was been chased that he fell and hit his head on the road.

ALSO READ: No going back on revolution wether they like it or not - Sowore says after arraignment

“My boy died this morning after I have spent over N18,000 in the hospital,” said the father of the deceased who refused to give his name when this reporter accosted him.

“We are taking our protest to the local government headquarters and on return we will dump the body of the deceased at the Police station,” which is located a few meters away from the seat of power.

On returning from the LGA headquarters, the protesters mainly motorcyclist, sighted a known police man who was on mufti and decided to attack him.

On sighting one of them being attacked, the Police trooped out from its base and gunshots rented the air, causing confusion with everyone running helter skelter including this reporter.

As at press time, the confrontation is still going on as Police men are now hunting for any motorcyclists in sight.

lalasticlala

Omoyele Sowore, the detained publisher of Sahara Reporters, has said there will be no going back on revolution across the country.

Mr Sowore stated this after being arraigned on a seven count charge of treasonable felony, fraud and cyber stalking at a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the last general election was arrested early last month for spearheading a revolutionary protest which the government described as an attempted coup to overthrow the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He was taken to court by the Department of State Services (DSS) who have continued to detain the publisher despite a court order that he be released.

Addressing his supporters before being taken back to its custody by operatives of the security agency, Sowore said there will be no going back on the revolution which is expected across the country.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please do not worry, we are on top of this,” he said in company of his legal counsels.

ALSO READ: Mind how you grant requests of those disobeying your orders, Shehu Sani advises Nigerian courts

“We are going to have a revolution, wether they like it or not,” he added.

Although he was absent on the scheduled day the revolution protest being planned by his group took off, some of his supporters managed to stage the protest amidst intimidation by security agencies.

The protest was aimed at drawing the attention of the government to rising cases of kidnappings, killings among other criminal activities bedeviling the nation.

Judge orders continued detention

Delivering her ruling, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, ordered the continued detention of the publisher by the DSS.

The judge said the bail earlier granted Sowore was not given on the charges on which he was arraigned on Monday, that a fresh bail had to be applied for.

She added that if she would have to grant fresh bail, it had to be based on the formal written application and not oral.

Ojukwu asked the defendants counsel to file a formal bail application, and adjourned the hearing to Friday.

lalasticlala

The Department of State Services (DSS) has denied media reports that it arrested Chido Onumah, a journalist and activist.

Mr Onumah was reportedly picked up at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Sunday evening.

The activist was said to have returned to the country from where he went for an international engagement when he was arrested.

But in a statement by Peter Afunanya, spokesman of the DSS, the agency said Mr Onumah was rescued from an intended mob attack on him over to the inscription on his dress.

This has been corroborated by the activist in his narration to Premium Times where he is a member of the editorial board.

“The DSS wishes to make clarifications regarding media reports that Dr Chido Onumah was arrested by the Service. To set the records right, Onumah was never arrested by the Service,” the statement read.

“He was rather engaged in an interaction during which an act of his capable of undermining public order and national security was explained to him.

“On his arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on September 29, 2019, it was discovered that Onumah wore a T-shirt with WE ARE ALL BIAFRANS inscription on it.

“With credible intelligence that he might be a subject of mob attack if allowed to go into town in same clothe, the Service invited him and drew his attention to the implications of his probable (un)intended action.

“It was strongly believed that an attack on Onumah would have sparked ethno-religious reprisals with dire consequences for law and order and public safety in the country.

“He understood the issues and pledged not to engage in activities that may cause disaffection in Abuja and the country at large. He subsequently removed the clothe with the inciting symbols and inscriptions and agreed not to use it.

“The interaction between Onumah and the Service held in a convivial atmosphere. He appreciated the courtesies extended to him. Afterwards, the Servcie arranged for him to go back to his accommodation in town.

“It is hoped that this clarification has dispelled the erroneous claims and reportage that he was arrested. The Service acted within the confines of its mandate and only carried out its routine security duty that could have been discharged by a similar agency in any part of the world.

“It is not out of place for concerned security agencies to have sought clarification from a traveller concerning a subject of security interest.

“The DSS reaffirms its avowed commitment to the rule of law and protection of citizens and national critical assets,” the statement added.

Premium Times, one of Nigeria’s investigative online news mediums, has lashed out at a national daily in the country.

The Nation Newspaper earned the attack of the online medium when it published a story reporting the intention of the federal government to file a petition of judicial misconduct against the Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who granted Omoyele Sowore, the detained leader of the RevolutionNow Movement bail.

Mr Sowore, who publishes Sahara Reporters was granted bail after the 45-day detention order granted to the Department of State Services (DSS) elapsed on September 21.

He has since remained in the custody of the DSS despite meeting his bail conditions. The security agency which earlier claimed not to have been serve the order of the court, chased away the court bailiff who, alongside the legal counsels of the publisher, went to serve them the order of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

After the report was published by the newspaper, the online medium while analysing the story said it was meant to: deliberately misinform and mislead the reading public; justify the unwarranted and irresponsible disobedience of the court order granting Omoyele Sowore bail and frustrate the prospect of his being granted a post charge and arraignment bail should he be arraigned on the seven count charge of treasonable felony, fraud and insulting President Muhammadu Buhari.

Premium Times also said the story is meant to “intimidate, harass and embarrass Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who acted appropriately, judicially and very judiciously in granting Omoyele Sowore bail, upon the expiration of the 45 days he had previously granted the SSS to detain and investigate Omoyele Sowore regarding the criminal allegations made against him.

“By the story, very sadly, the Nation Newspaper has lent its journalistic weight to the waging of a psychological warfare on a judge for doing nothing other than performing his judicial functions and exercising his judicial powers under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended,” it said in the analysis published on its website.

Nigerian Courts has been advised to review how it grant request of those who have shown disregard for previous orders that are yet to be complied with.

Shehu Sani, a former federal lawmaker, gave the advise two days after the Department of State Services (DSS) refused to release detained Omoyele Sowore, despite meeting his bail conditions, in disregard to the orders of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, that the detainee be released.

“Dear Courts,
If your Order for release of detainees is consistently disobeyed and disregarded,you have to review the manner you generously grant orders for arrest,for detention or for search,” the former lawmaker said in a tweet Saturday morning.

Backstory

The same court which gave the order for his detention had earlier granted the request of the DSS to keep Mr Sowore, who publishes Sahara Reporters, in its custody pending the conclusion of investigation into the planned revolutionary protest being spearheaded by the former presidential candidate.

ALSO READ: Sowore's lawyers, bailiff chased away from DSS headquarters

Although he was picked up before the day it was scheduled to begin, his supporters managed to stage the protest amidst intimidation by security agencies.

A day to the expiration of the 45-day mandate which elapsed on September 21, the federal government filed charges of treason, fraud and money laundering against the opposition candidate.

After the court ordered his release, the DSS refused to free Sowore, frustrating efforts of his legal counsels to get him out of detention.

The court bailiff alongside his lawyers were recently chased away from the headquarters of the security agency.

Mr Sowore is not the only one being detained by agents of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, despite being granted bail by competent court of jurisdiction.

A former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki and the leader of Shiites Movement, Ibrahim El-zakzaky, are some of those who have been freed by the courts but are still being detained by the government citing national security as reason for the continued detention.

The legal representatives of Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, were chased away from the premises of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Mr Sowore, who is still being detained as at press time, was granted bail by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, after being charged with treason, fraud and insulting President Muhammadu Buhari.

He was arrested for spearheading a revolutionary protest against the federal government who termed it an attempted coup.

Although the bail conditions has reportedly being met, the DSS has refused to comply with the directive, saying due process has not been followed as the agency has not received any order mandating it to release the former presidential candidate.

Despite the claim which has been described as lies by Femi Falana, whose chamber is handling the case, legal representatives of the publisher alongside the court bailiff showed up at the premises of the DSS to serve the agency the order of the court.

ALSO READ: N90bn election fund: Osinbajo ready to waive immunity for probe, sues two

TODAY POLITICS gathered that Inibehe Effiong and Sam Ogala were among the delegation who visited the premises.

The delegation were latter chased away as operatives of the DSS prevented them alongside the bailiff from gaining access to the premises, according to Mr Effiong.

“We went there but they chased everybody away; they were very hostile. We returned a second time and they also chased everybody away,” TheCable quoted the legal practitioner as saying when contacted.

“This is just persecution; an attempt to silence the man (Sowore). As far as we are concerned, it is an attack on the rule of law.

“They have continued to show open disregard for the court. We had to go with the bailiff of the court since they are claiming that they are not aware of the office. But everybody was chased away,” Effiong added.

The spokesman of the DSS, Peter Afunanya, when reached, confirmed efforts of the delegation to deliver the court order failed at the gate of the premises.

lalasticlala

Afamed:
But losing election can turn someone to Upper Iweka blogger over the night

Afamed:
Between the one that was denied Visa and the one that was denied votes . Which one is worse?

For asking Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to apologize to Nigerians rather than appeal his loss at the election tribunal, Lai Mohammed, Information Minister, has been told that he’s smoking weed.

Mr Abubakar lost his case at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) where he challenged the outcome of the election that ushered in President Muhammadu Buhari into his second and final term as a democratic leader.

In delivering judgement Wednesday, the tribunal struck out the entire petition of the former vice president for failing to prove beyond reasonable doubt why the PDP candidate and his party should be declared winner of the February 23 exercise.

Reacting to the decision of the PEPT, Mr Mohammed urged the PDP candidate, popularly known as Atiku, to apologize to Nigerians and shelve reported plans to challenge the decision of the tribunal at the highest court in the land.

Although he is yet to react to the judgement, TODAY POLITICS reports that legal counsel to the former vice president had hinted of plans to appeal the ruling.

”It is intriguing that a party that trumpets the rule of law at every turn will present, in open court, evidence it claimed to have obtained by hacking into a supposed INEC server,” a statement from Segun Adeyemi, media aide to the minister, partly read.

“Don’t they realize this is a criminal act for which they are liable? Instead of threatening to head to the Supreme Court, driven more by ego than commonsense, they should be sorry for allowing desperation to overwhelm their sense of reasoning. Enough is enough,” Mr Adeyemi quoted his principal, who is in Russia, to have said.

Responding, Paul Ibe, media aide to Atiku said asking his principal to apologize indicated that the minister was under the influence of smoked weed.

“Lai: Atiku should apologise to Nigerians,” Mr Ibe said in a tweet Thursday.

“Me: For real? What type of weed are you smoking? It can only be #CertifiedWeed,” he added.

The judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) will be challenged at the Supreme Court, the legal team of Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has said.

Mr Abubakar is challenging the election that produced President Muhammadu Buhari for another term of four years.

The petition of the former vice president and his party was dismissed in its entirety, by the PEPT led by Justice Mohammed Garba, as failing to prove beyond reasonable doubt why the petitioners should be declared winner of the February 23 exercise.

Addressing the media after the ruling, a member of the legal team of the petitioners, Mike Ozekhome, said the judgement will be challenged.

“It (judgement) is worrisome, we will appeal that judgement,” Mr Ozekhome said.

As at press time, the former number two citizen is yet to react to the decision of the tribunal.

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) has dismissed the application of Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that election results were transmitted electronically.

The former vice president popularly known as Atiku had approached the tribunal claiming results from the server of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showed he won the presidential election held February 23.

But delivering judgement Wednesday, the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Garba, dismissed the application, saying the electoral body has already said they do not own a server.

Mr Garba also said witnesses, who are officers of the electoral commission, called by the petitioners could not attest that they transmitted the results of the exercise electronically, having been unable to present login credentials required for transmission of the results.

More details later…