Politics

2023 elections will be credible, Jonathan predicts

Published

2 years ago

February 22, 2022

Former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, said he believed that there will be credible elections in 2023. Going forward, he advised that elections will come and go but Nigeria will still remain.

He said this, yesterday, during the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Council of the Wise, COW, two-day strategic retreat and planning workshop in Lagos.

Jonathan said he is optimistic that the forth coming elections in Nigeria will be credible elections.

He said: “I believe the elections in Nigeria will be credible. Elections will come and go. From 1999 when this present political dispensation started, we have been going through elections. I have participated in a number of them that you know very well.

“When election is coming, there is always this fear that the country will implode but you see that the country has remained stable. When I was in office, in 2015 elections, I learnt that some people were even sending their wards out of the country but nothing happened. So, 2023 will come and go but this country will still remain.”

Speaking on the issue of trust deficit, Jonathan said the council is an advisory body, and that it doesn’t have the force to compel member states to behave in a particular way, adding that the issue of trust deficit, to some extent is a bit objective, but that when they reason together and come up with a programme, they take it up with the commission.

Jonathan in his welcome address said that as members of the Council of the Wise, one of the key mediation organs of the ECOWAS peace and security architecture, they have been handed the task of leading in peace efforts, preventive diplomacy and initiatives that will promote democracy and good governance in sub-region.

Also speaking at the event, ECOWAS President, Jean Claude Kassi Brou described as disturbing, the coups and other security, socio-economic challenges plaguing the sub-region.

Brou who was represented by the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Gen. Francis Behanzin said they were working hard to support member states initiate and implement important institutional reforms, especially around governance architecture as well as strengthening early warning and response mechanisms.

The retreat had in attendance representatives from Ghana, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Cote D’Ivoire, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone as well as foreign partners, German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and Folke Bernadotte Academy, FBA.

Vanguard

Politics

Kaduna Governorship Election Declared Inconclusive

Published

3 days ago

September 28, 2023

Yinka Rahman

Tribunal Declares Kaduna Governorship Election Inconclusive

The Kaduna Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has declared the governorship election in the state held on March, 18 as inconclusive.

In a split decision of a ratio of 2:1, the tribunal declared the election inconclusive and directed that a supplementary election should be held by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) within 90 days. INEC is to conduct election in 7 wards in 4 Local Government Areas.

LAGOS READY TO DRIVE YOUR PASSION, SANWO-OLU TELLS YOUNG CEOS IN TECH SPACE

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is challenging the election of Uba Sani as the Governor of Kaduna State on the grounds of alleged irregularities and electoral fraud, saying that its Candidate (Isa Mohammed Ashiru) won the election.

During the hearing of the petition, the PDP and Ashiru called 24 witnesses and presented claims and documents to prove their case.

More details later

Kindly Subscribe To Our Youtube Channel

Politics

Lagos Governorship Elections: Rhodes-Vivour Takes Next Step After Tribunal Verdict

Published

4 days ago

September 27, 2023

Yinka Rahman

Lagos Governorship Elections: Rhodes-Vivour Takes Next Step After Tribunal Verdict

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Lagos, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour has announced his intention to appeal the verdict of the Lagos Governorship Elections Petitions Tribunal.

Rhodes-Vivour stated this in a press release on Tuesday while sharing his stance on the judgement.

He insisted that the essence of democracy not only lies in one’s ability to vote but also the capacity to defend the votes.

The essence of democracy lies not only in our ability to vote but also in our capacity to defend the integrity of that vote.

“Consequently, our laws allow Governorship candidates to challenge the decisions of the electoral tribunals at the Court of Appeal, and up to the Supreme Court. In light of this, my lawyers have been instructed to appeal this judgment, as we remain confident of getting substantial justice at the appellate courts,” he said.

While urging his supporters and Lagosians in general to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding, Rhodes-Vivour expressed the hope of getting substantial justice at the appellate courts.

“In these trying times, your unwavering support means the world to us, we must remain united, vigilant, and hopeful.

The ultimate victory may take time to come our way, but it is, we strongly believe inevitable as we have come to understand that the wheels or justice may sometimes grind slowly but it definitely grinds to a sure end,” the LP candidate added.

Kindly Subscribe To Our Youtube Channel

Politics

I’ll continue to fight – Atiku breaks silence on tribunal judgement

Published

4 weeks ago

September 5, 2023

Yinka Rahman

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election, Atiku Abubakar, has vehemently rejected the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT).

We recall that PEPT on Wednesday struck out the petition filed by Atiku and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Peter Obi, challenging the victory of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25 election.

The tribunal held that the petitions by the candidates and their parties lacked merit, upholding the election of Tinubu.

The judgement was delivered by the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Haruna Tsammani, assisted by other members of the panel, namely justices Monsurat Bolaji-Yusuf, Stephen Adah, Moses Ugo, and Abba Mohammed.

Reacting, Atiku, in a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, rejected the verdict, saying the battle to upturn Tinubu’s victory continues.

The former Vice President, who called himself a fighter, said he had instructed his legal team to file an appeal at the Supreme Court.

He said:

“I am here today to give my official reaction to the judgement delivered yesterday by the Presidential Election Petition Court on the 2023 presidential elections.

“As you already know, I approached the court following the declaration by the INEC that the APC and its candidate are the winners of the February 25 elections. My decision to go to court was anchored in my belief that the court is the sanctuary of justice.

“Indeed, I am no stranger to legal battles. I can say that I have a fair idea of how the court system works. All through my career as a politician, I have been a fighter, and I will continue to fight.

“Our aim of conducting credible elections in the country was compromised by INEC through the way it managed the presidential election.

“I am afraid that the judgement of the PEPT yesterday failed to restore confidence in our dream of free and fair elections devoid of human manipulation.

“I am here to tell you that though the judgement of the court yesterday is respected, it is a judgement that I refused to accept.

“I refuse to accept it because I believe it is devoid of substantial justice. I have asked my lawyers to constitutionally activate the guaranteed right to appeal in the higher court.”