₦airaland Forum

Tribunal: It’s wrong to say results of presidential poll were not transmitted —INEC technical officer


Petitioners’ second witness at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, Mr. Peter Uzioma Obi, on Monday, said it was wrong to say the results of the February 23, 2019 presidential election were not transmitted electronically.

Obi took the witness stand at the instance of the Peoples Democratic Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who are by their petition challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress.

Obi, who said he functioned as Registration Area Technician at a ward level in Rivers State during the election, said the Independent National Electoral Commission trained him and others to transmit the results of the poll.

Obi, who earlier adopted his witness statement on oath which he deposed to on April 26, as his evidence-in-chief, said this while fielding questions from INEC’s lawyer, Yunus Usman (SAN), under cross-examination.

“You are not supposed to transmit results because you are not a presiding officer,” Usman asked.

Responding, Obi said, “You are wrong sir. INEC trained us to transmit results. I was not a presiding officer. I was not a polling agent. I was a registration area technician appointed by INEC. I was trained by INEC.”

Fielding questions from Buhari’s lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), he said he was not aware of the guidelines used by the INEC for the presidential election, but added that there was a specific guidelines booklet issued for his roles as a RATECH.

“I was a RATECH in charge of the use of card reader,” he said.

He said he was not aware of Olanipekun’s claim that there was no designation in the INEC’s guidelines as Registration Area Technician

He said he operated at the ward level with the Local Government Technician and the State Technician as his superiors.

He added that he was not stationed at any polling unit during the election but visited the ones where his attention was needed. He said he visited seven polling units in the course of the election.

Fielding questions from APC’s lawyer, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Obi said the lawyer was not entirely correct to say that it was the duty of the Presiding Officer “to do accreditation, verification authentication, and collation at the Poling Units.”

The witness said, “You are not entirely correct sir, because we were told at the training that the Assistant Polling Officer 1, was in charge of accreditation.”

Fielding more questions, he said, “I did not serve as APO1 and I did not serve as the Presiding Officer.”

He said he did not act on his own, contrary to Fagbemi’s suggestion.

“I have a letter to show that I was shortlisted.”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/tribunal-its-wrong-to-say-results-of-presidential-poll-were-not-transmitted-inec-technical-officer/amp/

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Sunday said it would commence investigation into the petitions against ex-governor Abdulaziz Yari

by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in the 2019 elections, Sani Shinkafi, after ascertaining that they had merit.

The commission spoke in response to enquiries by Us to confirm if the acknowledged stamped copy had been received and if investigation had commenced.

Shinkafi had in a petition demanded that the EFCC should commence investigation into the tenure of Yari and the immediate-past Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Abdulahi Shinkafi.

According to him, the former SSG should be invited to defend his claim that the administration of Yari spent N35bn on the procurement of vehicles for security agencies as well as relief materials for Internally Displaced Persons.

The spokesperson of the EFCC, Tony Orilade, informed Us that investigation would commence to ascertain if the petition had merit or otherwise.

He said, “To answer your question succinctly, Sir, going by the acknowledged petition you sent to us now, the first thing is to confirm if the acknowledged stamp on the document in question is indeed from us. That I shall do tomorrow (Monday).

“Once received, it will be sorted, assigned and investigation will commence to ascertain if the petition has merit or otherwise. Thereafter, the petitioner will be invited to adopt his petition; thereafter, discreet investigation would commence. From the forgoing, you will agree with me that it is a process…not a one-off activity.”



Read more here https://thickmatch.com/well-investigate-petitions-ex-gov-yari-says-efcc/

Modele, the wife of the embattled founder of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly, Biodun Fatoyinbo, has said whoever does not celebrate her husband cannot be her friend.

“I’m not your friend if you don’t celebrate this man,” Modele told worshipers at the service on Sunday in Abuja headquarters of the assembly.

She asserted that her husband remains the father of all branches of the church.

Fatoyinbo was accused of rape by Mrs. Busola Dakolo, wife of inspirational musician, Timi Dakolo; and another unidentified lady within the space of a week.

The COZA founder, however, has since denied the allegations and taken a leave of absence.

But Modele, during the church’s service on Sunday, affirmed her husband as the “father” of all COZA churches.

The church has branches in Lagos, Rivers, Kwara and Dubai, with the headquarters located in Abuja.

Modele, who was barely audible amid the loud cheers of worshipers, said, “One of the things that I say about my husband is that I would have never had the opportunity — I used to be so shy to talk to one person. I used to let him do all the talking because I was a very introverted person.

“But he was able to help me see, like he was able to help a lot of us see, that there was greatness in me.

“So, I don’t have a problem standing before you this morning. The Lagos church, the Ilorin church, the Port Harcourt church — anywhere he is, Pastor Biodun is the father of that church.

“I’m not your friend if you don’t celebrate this man.”




Read more here https://thickmatch.com/im-not-friend-dont-celebrate-man-fatoyinbos-wife-tells-coza-worshippers/

Senegal forward, Sadio Mane, has opted to stop taking penalties for the Teranga Lions, after missing two at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Mane missed a penalty against Uganda, but scored the winner as the West Africans progressed to the quarter-finals.

The Liverpool attacker who has three goals to his credit, has now decided to take a step back from spot-kick duties.

“I will not be selfish.

“I will stop playing penalty shootouts after being twice wasted so far in the tournament.

“My team comes first, and I will give another colleague a chance to pay penalties if we get it in the future,” Mane said in a press statement after a team meeting.

Senegal will next face Benin in the last eight on Wednesday, July 10.



Read more here https://thickmatch.com/afcon-2019-mane-stop-taking-penalties-senegal-gives-reason/

The Presidency on Friday tackled former Vice President and presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over his comments on the Supreme Court judgement affirming the election of Mr Gboyega Oyetola as governor of Osun State.

Commenting on the judgement, Atiku, in a statement, had said: “I urge the nation’s judiciary to take a pulse of the nation and reflect it.

“In their hands, God has placed a great responsibility. The duty to ensure that justice is done, irrespective of the pressure to do otherwise by the powers that be.”

But the Presidency, in a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said that it found Atiku’s reaction very ridiculous, and comical.

The statement reads: “Many things fly in the face of logic, reason, and legality in this portion of the statement.

“Alhaji Abubakar urged the judiciary to reflect the pulse of the nation in their judgments.

“Learned people know that the judiciary comes to conclusions drawing from matters of law placed before it, and not sentiments, or so-called “pulse of the nation.”

“A pertinent question is: how does the judiciary gauge the pulse of the nation? Is it even positioned to do such? Is the judiciary established for that purpose, or to dispense justice, even if the heavens fall?

“Again, there is insinuation of inducement in the statement when the PDP candidate said the judiciary should ensure justice is done, ‘irrespective of the pressure to do otherwise by the powers that be.’

“We see this as an attempt to browbeat the judiciary, thus causing it to entertain sentiment in the ongoing petition on the presidential election before the tribunal.
“If anybody has the tendency or proclivity to put pressure on the judiciary, Nigerians knows where the finger points, and it is definitely not at President Muhammadu Buhari.

“This was a man who had thrice taken his electoral challenges to the judiciary, up to the Supreme Court, and not once was he accused of trying to influence the process, or put pressure on the courts.

“When the All Progressives Congress (APC) lost Zamfara and Rivers states, arising from judicial proclamations then, there was no “pressure to do otherwise, by the powers that be.

“But now that the victory of the party in Osun was upheld, there is insinuation of pressure from those who have never learnt to play straight.”

According to him, President Buhari has always been committed to fair play, which he noted was clearly evident in the last general elections.

Buhari, he said, remains committed to even-handedness and justice always.




Read more here https://thickmatch.com/presidency-tackles-atiku-comments-judgement/

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, and spokesperson of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign organization, Festus Keyamo, has accused the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of attempting to blackmail the Supreme Court.

Keyamo told Atiku to always expect the Supreme Court to do justice even if heavens fall, while reminding the former Vice President of the court judgement which nullified the All Progressives Congress, APC, elections in Zamfara.

This is following Atiku’s reaction to the Supreme Court judgement on Friday that went in favour of the All Progressives Congress APC, and its governorship candidate in Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola.

The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of Senator Ademola Adeleke of the PDP, challenging the declaration of Oyetola as the winner of the Osun State governorship election.

In his reaction, Atiku had said, “I urge the nation’s judiciary to take a pulse of the nation and reflect it. In their hands, God has placed a great responsibility. The duty to ensure that justice is done, irrespective of the pressure to do otherwise, by the powers that be.”

Keyamo, who replied directly to Atiku’s tweet, said, “Your Exellency, with great respect, this comment is beneath you.

“The S/Court administers justice based on law and not on the ‘pulse of the nation’.

“This is a veiled attempt to blackmail the S/Court. The Supreme Court will always do justice ‘even if the heavens fall’. Remember Zamfara?”




see more here https://thickmatch.com/osun-keyamo-tells-atiku-expect-supreme-court/

The Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, have opened trial at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja in respect of their petition challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari, at the February 23, 2019 poll.

The petitioners’ legal team led by Dr. Livy Uzoukwu (SAN), on Thursday, opened the trial by tendering electoral document, Form EC8C for Agaie Local Government Area of Niger State.
The tendering was opposed by the respondents’ lawyers, but as earlier agreed among the parties, the lawyers said they would give the reasons for their objection to the document at the final address stage.

The trial finally opened after the five-man tribunal’s dismissal of the respondents’ earlier request for the suspension of the trial on Thursday.

The respondents comprising the Independent National Electoral Commission, Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress, had earlier called for the suspension of the proceedings on the grounds of alleged late filing and serving of the petitioners’ schedule of documents on them shortly before sitting began on Thursday.

But ruling, the five-man bench led by Justice Mohammed Garba, dismissed the respondents’ request, saying that the agreements reached between the parties at the pre-hearing session concluded earlier on Wednesday, had stipulated that trial would commence on Thursday.

Justice Garba, who delivered the ruling of the tribunal added that the agreement reached which was adopted at the tribunal’s directive on Wednesday did also not make the service of the schedule of documents a condition-precedent for the commencement of trial.

He added that the respondents could also not validly claimed to have been ambushed by the alleged late filing of the schedule since the documents listed in it had been referenced in the petition filed and served on the respondents months ago.

The tribunal has admitted the Form EC8C for Agaie Local Government Area of Niger State tendered by the petitioners as Exhibit P1.

As of the time of filing this report, the petitioners’ lead counsel has asked to tender Forms EC8A and EC8B‎ (series of polling unit and ward results) in respect of the said local government area.




Read more here https://thickmatch.com/atiku-pdp-open-trial-tribunal-overrules-call-suspension-proceedings/

“To err is human and to forgive is divine” was the major caption in the apology note of the ‘slapping senator’ who was caught on camera assaulting a woman in an Abuja sxx toy shop.

Causing serious waves on the internet, Senator Elisha Abbo’s actions in the sxx toy shop he visited on the 11th of May 2019, was captioned in a CCTV camera that was made public on the 2nd of July 2019.
Dishonouring the acts, the two major rival parties in the country, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), took turn to demote the behaviour of Abbo as ‘unacceptable’, which shames the office he occupies as a distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The senator, representing Adamawa North senatorial district, in his response to the video exposing his in-humane reaction to the slight disagreement that ensued between him and the shop owner, was curated with doses of apology.

Since her emancipation from colonisation, Nigeria has made conscious effort to build herself under the directory of ‘Democracy’, which has since been bleak because the voice of the people matters less.

But time has allowed her democracy to mature and the nation is beginning to experience the power behind one voice, as Nigerians in accord have demanded the prosecution of the senator, to serve as a deterrent for others who think they can use their opportune position to mishandle a subject.

Elisha Abbo’s acknowledgement of his deeds, and going further to apologise for them, reveals a leadership strength that even most of those other political leaders calling for his persecution do not have.

I submit to you that Senator Elisha Abbo should be punished for his crime, but if it justice we seek, let’s alienate it from vengeance, then we can truly mete to him the punishment he deserves.

Remember it is human to err and divine to forgive, but even human must know that he has the capacity to forgive himself and others.




Read more here https://thickmatch.com/senator-elisha-abbo-forgiven-instead-persecuted

Victoria ‘Ella’ Nnabuchi is one of the housemates of the BBNaija season 4 show tagged “Forget Wahala”. She is no stranger to the limelight as she was a runner up in a popular music talent search show, a television presenter, voice-over artist, actress and model.

The industry preaches that one should fake it until they make it. Not Ella, she says it’s better to “faith it, until you make It.”

Recall that Ella denied having a boyfriend and claimed she is single, well, it has been revealed by bbnaijagist.com that Ella actually has a boyfriend. Her boyfriend, Joshua, is a recording artist at Okulaja Entertainment and Performing Act and a song writer at Xocean music.

This reminds us of Jackye who told fellow housemates that she’s a virgin, only for her to come out today to reveal she’s not a virgin. It triggered a lot of reactions on social media, with people blasting her.

Well, there’s obviously more hot gist to be expected and revealed concerning the housemates. The show has just begun, so let’s sit back, relax and watch as more drama unfold.



See more here https://thickmatch.com/bbnaija-meet-housemate-ellas-boyfriend-claiming-shes-single/

See more here https://thickmatch.com/aggrieved-nigerian-lady-blasts-big-brother-not-selecting-show/

Eve stated that the show is supposed to admit people who need a platform for people to showcase themselves, their talents, explore and become a better version of themselves and not people who have already made it in life and are doing well for themselves.

She said Big Brother was partial and unfair. That she should have been picked so she can do something for herself. The obviously aggrieved lady stated that she is way better than some of the ladies in the house and yet she wasn’t chosen.

Naturally, some will feel envious and that might be the case of @eve-hauti who was turned down and not selected for the show. In a recently released clip, Eve was ranting about the show and stating that the show is to promote people not amplify the profile of already rich and made people.




See more here https://thickmatch.com/aggrieved-nigerian-lady-blasts-big-brother-not-selecting-show/

President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to the death of former lawmaker, from Hong/Gombi constituency in Adamawa State, Haske Francis Hananiya.

The President expressed sadness over the death of the former House of Representatives member.

This was contained in a statement to Us on Wednesday by his Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

The deceased is the younger brother of Major-General Haladu Hananiya (rtd), the former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC and President Buhari’s friend and companion in the Nigerian Army.

In a condolence message on Wednesday, President Buhari said he was “deeply touched by the demise of the budding politician.”

While extending his condolences to General Hananiya and his entire family over the tragic loss, Buhari “prayed to God to bless the soul of deceased and grant those he left behind the fortitude to overcome this irreparable loss.”




Read more here https://thickmatch.com/president-buhari-reacts-former-federal-lawmaker-dies/

The Federal Government originally planned to have the controversial Ruga settlements in every part of the country and not only in 11 states.

But the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum and Ekiti Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said the Ruga initiative had been blown out of proportion.

There are strong indications on Saturday that members of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, may call for the investigation into the Federal Government sponsored Ruga projects for Fulani herdsmen across the country.

We learnt on Saturday that funding arrangements, as well as other things that would ensure a seamless operation of the settlements, were still being discussed.

Senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, who had earlier given one of our correspondents the names of states where the settlements were currently being perfected, stated that the affected states and the Federal Government were still discussing many other issues about the settlements, including funding.

The source said, “Generally, it is a policy conceived by the Federal Government to cover the entire country. But the government decided to discuss it with the states and said states that are willing should indicate interest.

“Of course, the Federal Government is going to carry the states that are interested along. It is mainly between the Federal Government and the interested states, discussions are still ongoing and we can’t give a final figure on funding now.

“But we are surprised at the political undertone that this issue is having. Why will a group from Benue stage a protest that government wants to invade their land?”

Umar also said the state governments that indicated interest had been visiting the ministry to get details about the initiative, as discussions were still ongoing to perfect the scheme.

He said, “Already state and local governments are buying into the initiative. Many states have indicated interest. They have been coming to the ministry and stated their interest to join to ensure that we set up Ruga settlements in their states so that their nomads will have a place. They will also have cattle markets and modern abattoirs in their states.”

On May 21, 2019, the immediate past Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, announced that Buhari approved the Ruga settlement initiative earlier in the same month.

No state can be forced to surrender land, says Fayemi

Fayemi, while responding to an inquiry from one of our correspondents via a text message, said the initiative had nothing to do with the NGF, stressing that issues surrounding land use were at the discretion of respective governors.

He said, “The so-called Ruga initiative has nothing to do with NGF. We have never discussed this and none of my colleagues has raised the matter in my period in office.”

Fayemi said no state could be forced to surrender land within its jurisdiction and as such there was no cause for alarm.

The governor added, “I don’t believe any state is under threat of its land being taken over for this purpose. Governors have exclusive preserve over the land within their states jurisdiction. This is a storm in a teacup.”

PDP senators to demand probe

They described as unfair any action by the Federal Government to take over other people’s land for the establishment of herdsmen settlements with billions from the national treasury, promising to initiate probe into the project.

He said, “We have to study the provisions in the 2019 budget and see whether the Fulani herdsmen settlements projects were adequately captured in it. We will know what to do if the project was captured in the budget or not. But definitely, we should look into it.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has allocated the sum of N2.26bn in the 2019 budget for the development of national grazing reserves.

The amount is contained in the 2019 budget signed into law by the President on May 28.

Specifically, the N2.26bn is contained under the budget of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
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Read more here https://thickmatch.com/ruga-settlements-fg-woo-colonies-n2-26bn-grazing-reserve-budget/

The Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party National New Media Group (PDP-NNMG) has alleged that Governor Kayode Fayemi’s “2023 presidential ambition” was reason for his refusal to act decisively on herdsmen menace.

It said Fayemi was acting in a way that he would not be seen as offending the interests of “presidency cabal”, adding that “only selfish and insensitive leaders will sacrifice the security and well-being of their people for politics.”

In a statement on Sunday, State Coordinator of the PDP-NNMG, Bola Agboola, said Ekiti people were not surprised that the governor had not deemed it fit to visit victims of herdsmen killings in the last six months because “one of the promises he made before he was manipulated to power for the second time was to protect the interests of herdsmen”.

“Up till now, Governor Fayemi has not visited Orin Ekiti, Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State, where a community leader, Ilori

Emmanuel was killed yesterday morning by suspected herdsmen.

“The governor has not taken a single drastic action against the menace of herdsmen in the state.

“Even when one of his aides, the Coordinator of Anti-Grazing Task Force Marshals, Sola Durodola insisted that Fulani herdsmen must be registered in Ekiti, the governor sacked him.

“Also, it is on record that during his electioneering campaign in 2018, Fayemi said that killings by herdsmen will only stop if lands were provided for the herdsmen as their permanent settlements.

“He reportedly added then that it was better to give lands to herdsmen and live than for them to be killing people.


Read more here https://thickmatch.com/fayemi-accused-pampering-fulani-herdsmen-2023-presidential-ambition/

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Read more of his statements here https://thickmatch.com/stop-blaming-tribe-nations-insecurity-sultan-nigerians/

The Sultan of Sokoto,  Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar lll, has charged Nigerians to stop blaming a particular tribe for the insecurity challenges facing the country.

Rather than blaming a tribe, the Sultan tasked every Nigerian to be patriotic to correct things that are wrong in the society, saying “it is important for us to be courageous and expose those behind unlawful and criminal activities in the society.”

Speaking at the commissioning of Sheikh Idress Faazazi Morgaji Central Mosque in Iwo, Osun State on Saturday, the Sultan said habouring such a belief could cause an enemity among the ethnic groups and consequently affect the nation’s peace and unity.

Represented by the Executive Secretary, Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN), Prof. Dawud Noibl, the Sultan condemned the pronouncement that one ethnic group brought insecurity to Yorubaland.

He maintained that those engaging in criminal activities in Yorubaland could not operate successfully without the collaboration of the natives and local people.

The Sultan said: “Some people in Yorubaland must surely cooperate with those involving in kidnapping and others social vices to succeed. Foreign criminals don’t know how to move around without the assistance of the insider. They are given accommodation and they are also supplied food

“Some Yoruba people must be giving the evil perpetrators the moral support to describe the area where the families of victims can pick them after collecting their ransom.

He advised Imams to use their position to change the mindset of the people from bad behaviour to doing the will of God.

Maintaining that mosques are owned by Allah, he advised that  Muslims must pray together without any form of discrimination, irrespective of colour, tribe or nationality.

He said: “The Prophet, Muhammad, (SAW) has told us that who ever builds a mosque on earth for worship of Allah, Allah will build a house for he/she in paradise. It is a reminder for us that we should not focus only on earthly materials. We should also prepare for our end in the above after which we go to paradise.”

The monarch, who corroborated the Sultan that Allah owns the mosques, charged the Imams to always follow the footsteps of Prophet Mohammad in caring for the spiritual needs of the people, saying mosques remain places of worshipping God “and people must be encouraged to enjoy have free access at all times.”



Source https://thickmatch.com/stop-blaming-tribe-nations-insecurity-sultan-nigerians/

see more Reasons here https://thickmatch.com/coza-pastor-biodun-fatoyinbo-boycotts-sermon-reveals-next-step-concerning-busola-dakolos-rape-allegations/