Politics

Tribunal adjourns APP, Obi’s petition to Wednesday

Published

5 months ago

May 8, 2023

The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, Abuja, on Monday, adjourned the petitions of the Action Peoples Party and the Labour Party to Wednesday, May 10, 2023.

The parties are challenging the emergence of Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressive Congress as the winner of the February 25 presidential election.

In the petition marked CA/ABJ/PEPC/02/2022, the APP is challenging the results of the presidential election on the grounds of irregularities, including alleged mutilation of election results.

Furthermore, the APP, which is the only applicant in the petition, is also challenging Tinubu’s victory on the grounds that “the first respondent was not qualified to stand for the said election having knowingly supplied false information”, including the alleged falsification of age and educational qualifications.

It also stated that “the first respondent was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast at the election.”

The party also alleged corrupt practices by the staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, and voter inducement, among others, which, according to the APP, affected the outcome of the elections adding that the election was characterised by “monumental vote buying”

According to the party, “the overvoting took place under the watchful eyes of agents of the third respondent.”

Following the withdrawal and consequent dismissal of the petition by the Action Alliance, the APP’s petition was called and the parties announced appearances.

The national legal adviser of the APP, Peter Abang, announced his appearance for the Action Peoples Party, while Obed Agu announced his appearance as the party’s legal representative.

For the respondents, Wole Olanipekun announced appearance for Bola Tinubu; Lateef Fagbemi for the APC; and Abubakar Mahmoud for INEC.

Following, Fagbemi, the APC’s counsel, informed the court of his preliminary objection to the APP’s petition and INEC’s lawyer, Mahmoud, informed the court of his client’s pending applications in response to the APP’s petition

Consequently, the court adjourned the APP’s petition until Wednesday, May 10, for continuation of the hearing.

After the adjournment of the APP’s petition to Wednesday, by noon, the petition by the Labour Party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, were called up.

Parties announced their appearances after Obi, who is the first petitioner in the case, introduced himself.

The LP and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, are challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election on the grounds that Tinubu was not qualified to contest the elections “for an offence involving dishonesty, namely narcotics trafficking imposed by the United States District Court.”

They also cited non-compliance with the electoral laws as well as the guidelines of INEC.

Labour Party’s national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh, appeared as LP’s representative; May Agbamuche-Mbu appeared on behalf of INEC; Simon Lalong, the Plateau State governor, appeared for the APC.

Livy Uzoukwu appeared for Obi, while Mahmoud was the counsel for the electoral commission.

The duo of Olanipekun and Fagbemi maintained appearances for Tinubu and the vice president-elect, Kashim Shettima, and the APC respectively.

Counsel for Peter Obi, Uzoukwu, said they had filed their answers to the questions on April 22, 2023.

“We adopt and rely on them in this pretrial proceedings.”

Counsel for INEC, Mahmoud, told the court that the electoral commission had filed its responses to the pre-hearing questions.

Counsel for Tinubu, Olanipekun, also informed the court that his client had filed his answers to the pre-hearing questions.

He said, “We have filed our answers on the 3rd of May 2023 and my Noble Lords under paragraph 14 we have also listed the application subject to the preliminary objection in the reply.”

He adopted the answers therein.

Counsel for the APC, Fagbemi, stated also that he had filed answers on behalf of his client to the pre-hearing questions of the court.

Following that, the court adjourned Obi’s petition until Wednesday, May 10.

Politics

Kaduna Governorship Election Declared Inconclusive

Published

6 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

7 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.”