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Tribunal Trashes A’Ibom APC Gov Candidate’s Petition Against Gov Eno

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The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo on Thursday, September 28, Quashed a petition brought by the Akwa Ibom state governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Akanimo Udofia, challenging the election of Pastor Umo Eno of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the March 18, elections.

The grounds Udofia sought for the disqualification of Pastor Eno was that he presented forged documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and also did not score the highest number of valid votes in the March 18, 2023 Governorship elections.

Udofia also accused the 2nd respondent of being convicted by an Abuja Magistrate Court, hence not qualified to be fielded for elections.

But in favour of Gov Umo Eno, the 2nd respondent, the Tribunal in its unanimous decision ruled that the allegations of substantial noncompliance with the electoral law in the conduct of the elections, was not sufficiently proven by the petitioners in their case.

The Justice Adekunle Adeleye headed panel also unanimously ruled that the magistrate court in its judgment, nullified its earlier conviction of Pastor Umo Eno and that once a judgement is nullified, it ce ases to exist.

The tribunal disagreed with the petitioner on the legality of the setting aside of judgement by the same magistrate.

It read: “It is not the duty of the tribunal to determine if the decision of the magistrate court to upturn its own judgment was justified. That falls under the jurisdiction of the Abuja High Court.”

On the issue of the qualifications of the 2nd respondent, the Tribunal maintained that the Supreme Court had already determined that Pastor Eno was the authentic owner of the WAEC certificates he submitted to INEC.

The lead judgement read by Justice Kadi Usman Sikudu, also held that the petitioners have alleged that Pastor Eno was not the owner of the certificate he submitted to the 1st Respondent, INEC, did not produce any other person, as the authentic owner of the said 1981 WAEC certificate.

The tribunal also expunged the evidence tendered by the petitioners’ subpoenaed witness, an acclaimed Interpol officer, who came to tender a report on the 2nd respondent’s WAEC results.

On the petitioners’ allegation that the PDP made use of public office holders such as one Uwem Ekanem as a collation agent in Ikot Abasi local government area, the tribunal ruled that Uwem Ekanem’s membership of the board of Ibom Power Company, cannot be classified as political office and that a party agent’s membership of a company’s board was not sufficient reasons for a candidate to be disqualified.

Akanimo Udofia’s petition, according to the Tribunal, lacked merits as the petitioner was not able to establish one polling unit in which there was noncompliance with the electoral law in the March 18 Governorship elections.

The tribunal also dismissed the ground of the petition by Mr Udofia, challenging the eligibility of Senator Bassey Albert, who came second in the election.

The tribunal insisted that at the time of the elections, there was a subsisting appeal by the convicted YPP candidate and this made him eligible to contest in the elections.

The tribunal also dismissed the claims by APC that Senator Albert was not qualified to be fielded by YPP having already vied for the same office in the PDP.

It ruled that the petitioner not being a member of the YPP, had no basis to challenge who that party fielded and how he emerged as their candidate.

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo earlier had the previous day, thrown out petitions by Governorship candidates of the NNPP, Senator John James Akpan Udoedehe, and ANC, Ezekiel Nyaetok, as lacking in merit.

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BREAKING: Tinubu, Chinese PM Xi Jinping currently meeting in Beijing

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OLUTAYO AMOO- LAGOS.

 

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu in a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Prime Minister Xi Jinping.

The meeting is part of the China-Africa Collaboration Summit expected to attract more foreign direct investment to Nigeria.

Among those attending the meeting are prominent officials of the Chinese government’s economic team, members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum led by its Chairman, Governor Abdulrazak Abdulrahman of Kwara State, and Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani.

Others in attendance are members of the economic team of President Tinubu’s administration and other cabinet members.

The Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, had last week informed journalists at the State House, Abuja, that one of the reasons for the official visit would be the interaction between both leaders on behalf of their countries.

He had stated, “Mr. President will also meet with his Chinese counterpart in the person of President Xi Jinping, where several MOUs will be signed.

“The MOUs will involve agreements in deepening cooperation, in green economy, in agriculture, in satellite technology development, in media enterprise development and promotion, as well as blue economic development and national planning cooperation.

“This is going to be part of a broader engagement where the two heads of state will discuss matters of mutual interest across, not just the economy, but also on issues of national, regional and international security.”

The meeting also comes amidst recent reports of seizure by a Chinese company of some aircrafts belonging to the Nigerian government.

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ECOWAS Defence Chief At A Crucial Meeting In Abuja

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All the Chiefs of Defence Staff of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are meeting at the Defence Headquarters Abuja, except Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

The meeting is chaired by Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, who is the chairman of the ECOWAS committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff.

Present at the meeting are the Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, Chairman Senate Committee on Defence Ahmed Lawan, Chairman House Committee of Defence, representative of the National Security Adviser, Chief of Defence Staff Christopher Musa and service chiefs, and the Chief of Defence Staff of ECOWAS countries.

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OSUN OSOGBO FESTIVAL:  Protesters Suspends Demostration

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OLUTAYO AMOO

The organizer of ongoing protest against hunger and others in Osun State have suspended demonstration over the upcoming 2024 Osun Osogbo festival.

The decision was reached after presenting protest letter to Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, which was received by his deputy, Kola Adewusi at state secretariat.

Adewusi assured the protesters that the governor would deliver the letter to President Bola Tinubu and also do everything possible to continue delivering dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

The protesters under the aegis of coalition for concerned Nigeria Citizens, Osun state through Comrade Adetunji Ajala during a news briefing at NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, Osogbo declared that the demonstration is suspended indefinitely because of the upcoming 2024 Osun Osogbo Festival which grand finale slated for Friday.

Ajala said: “We, the coalition of Concerned Nigerian Citizens, the organizing body of the EndBadGovernance protest in Osun state, wish to address the public and the media regarding the ongoing protest, which began on the 1st of August 2024 and marks its 6th day today.

The protesters under the aegis of coalition for concerned Nigeria Citizens, Osun state through Comrade Adetunji Ajala during a news briefing at NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, Osogbo declared that the demonstration is suspended indefinitely because of the upcoming 2024 Osun Osogbo Festival which grand finale slated for Friday.

Ajala said: “We, the coalition of Concerned Nigerian Citizens, the organizing body of the EndBadGovernance protest in Osun state, wish to address the public and the media regarding the ongoing protest, which began on the 1st of August 2024 and marks its 6th day today.

“Since the inception of this peaceful protest, we have made our demands clear, seeking immediate action from our leaders to address the pressing issues affecting the citizens of our beloved state and country.

“We acknowledge the recent address by the President of Nigeria; however, we express our profound disappointment as the President speech failed to address any of our specific demands. Despite this setback, today we successfully presented our demands to the Governor of Osun State through the deputy governor and secretary to the state government who told us that the governor will forward our demands to the federal executive Council.

“Furthermore, we reviewed the security situation vis-a- vis the Osun Osogbo festival presently ongoing at Osogbo. It is worthy of note to establish that protest is incidentally taking place in Osogbo which is of concern.

“Considering the safety of the influx of tourists coming for the global Osun osogbo festival and the possibility of hoodlums disguising as tourist and unleashing attacks on peaceful protesters amidst other security concerns, we consider it imperative to put the protest on hold today 6th August, 2024.”

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