Politics

Ekiti: ADC gov candidate regrets contesting, vows never to contest again

Published

1 year ago

June 23, 2022

The governorship candidate of African Democratic Congress in Saturday’s Ekiti State governorship election, Wole Oluyede, on Wednesday expressed regret for joining politics, following the turn of events in the poll.

Oluyede, an Australia-based medical doctor, who said he had lost hope in the electoral process in Ekiti State, said, “I am not going to run again because I think any contest now is for the highest bidder and I won’t waste my time and energy”.

The ADC candidate, who came fourth in the election, said that he deliberately refused to buy votes in Saturday’s election, adding, “I have lost hope in the entire process in the state, it is a tragedy. I didn’t buy votes of Ekiti people deliberately.

“I can’t use my hard-earned resources to run around talking to people on why I should be elected and I will still need to buy people, security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission. It appears politics here does not mean the best will emerge,” he said.

Oluyede said he would not challenge in court the outcome of the election which he said was highly monetised, saying such would amount to time wasting as he alleged that the entire election process including the electoral umpire and security agencies were hijacked by vote-buyers thus making it easy to induce voters without any hindrance.

He said, “Ekiti people have chosen the leader they want by collecting money to vote and they should not complain of lacking basic and social amenities in the future. The problem Ekiti has now is that the people are poor and that was why they could buy their conscience. That was what All Progressives Congress used in gaining the heart of many people.

“More worrisome is the fact that the people do not want a solution to the problem of poverty. That was why even when we came with an agenda to address the poverty confronting them, they still expected us to buy their votes before we could help them. The winner is not the best, but he is the one the people deserved.

“It was consensual. Nobody can say that the inducement was forced on them. Personally, I have learned a new lesson about Ekiti. If I had known, I would not have become a politician, much more contest for election.”

Oluyede, who denied insinuations that APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, bankrolled his campaign, said, “I have not seen Tinubu since 2018. I ran my political activities with my hard earned fund. I was part of the South West Agenda for Tinubu 2023 team that supported his emergence as APC presidential candidate. I gave financial support to SWAGA”.

However, APC governorship candidate and governor-elect, Biodun Oyebanji, had exonerated himself and APC from vote-buying, saying victory in the election was based on people’s trust for the party following his manifesto and Governor Kayode Fayemi’s impressive performance in office.

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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

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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.

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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.”