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Presidential Election: Atiku,PDP Kick-Start Case Against Buhari …Tender 5197 Exhibits From Niger, Yobe …INEC, Buhari, APC Fail To Stop Proceedings

Published

7 years ago

July 5, 2019

The Presidential Election Tribunal, yesterday, opened hearing in the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, challenging President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory with 883 exhibits from Niger State admitted so far.
This is coming as the 88-year old erudite Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ben Nwabueze, yesterday, took over as head of the legal team representing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja.
He took over from Dr Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, on a day the five-member tribunal headed by Justice Mohammed Garba, okayed for the commencement of full-blown hearing on the petition challenging President Buhari’s re-election.
Nwabueze, who was granted permission to address the tribunal on a wheelchair, said his presence was to underscore the importance of the case to the constitutional development of the nation.
“I have chosen to appear on this auspicious day of commencement of hearing on this epoch day.
“I had to travel to attend, notwithstanding my age and attendant health challenges. This is to underscore the importance of this case to the constitutional development of this country, a matter that I have been passionate about all these years”.
Thereafter, Nwabueze prayed to be excused by the tribunal, but not after he dropped with the Registry, a copy of the speech he said he would have delivered at the inaugural sitting of the tribunal that held on May 15.
“I wish your lordships more grace and Nigeria well,” he added.
Shortly after he handed over a copy of his speech to the Registry, Nwabueze left the tribunal, even as Uzoukwu took over and announced that the petitioners would commence with presenting witnesses and evidence with respect to the conduct of the presidential election in Niger State.
Meanwhile, before the petitioners could kick-start the hearing process, all the respondents – the Independent National Electoral Commission, President Muhammadu Buhari, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), opposed the continuation of the proceeding.
Counsel to Buhari, Chief Mike Igbokwe, SAN, decried that despite the order of the tribunal that all documents that would be tendered from the Bar, should be filed and exchanged by parties, the petitioners only served him two schedules of documents to be tendered with respect to Jigawa and Niger states, before the proceeding commenced.
“I urge this court to suspend the trial until they comply with an order of the court made yesterday by consent of parties that schedule of documents to be tendered must be filed and exchanged between parties”, Igbokwe added.
Similarly, counsel to INEC, Yunus Usman, SAN, and that of APC, Yakubu Mekyau, SAN, accused the petitioners of attempting to ambush them.
All the respondents said they were not ready to go on with the hearing.
Nevertheless, Uzoukwu urged the court to ignore the objections he said was deliberately aimed to frustrate the hearing.
“Seriously, our time of presenting our petition is being compromised by the respondents, bearing in mind that this petition has a timeline that is fast approaching”, he added.
The petitioners’ counsel noted that all the documents to be tendered were originally listed in the petition, saying there was, therefore, nothing the respondents could be surprised about.
Uzoukwu expressed surprise over the observation made by the respondents’ lawyers.
He said his team “should be commended and not condemned”, as he could not have served the schedule earlier than Thursday morning, because the registry of the court only completed the processing earlier on Thursday.
He said the schedule to be used for Niger and Jigawa states was already with the respondents.
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.
The petitioners’ lead counsel later tendered Forms EC8A and EC8B (series of polling unit and ward results) in respect of the said local government area.
It would be recalled PDP and Atiku had in their joint petition, maintained that data they independently secured from INEC’s back-end server, revealed that they defeated Muhammadu Buhari at the poll with over 1.6million votes.
They alleged that INEC had at various stages of the presidential election, unlawfully allocated votes to Buhari, saying they would adduce oral and documentary evidence to show that result of the election as announced by the electoral body, did not represent the lawful valid votes cast.
They alleged that in some states, INEC deducted lawful votes that accrued to PDP and Atiku, in its bid to ensure that Buhari was returned back to the office.
The petitioners said they would call evidence of statisticians, forensic examiners and finger-print experts at the hearing of the petition to establish that the scores credited to Buhari were not the product of actual votes validly cast at the polling units.
The petitioners said they intended to call 400 witnesses, “or as many as possible within the prescribed time,” to prove their case.
However, all the respondents had since filed processes to challenge the competence of the petition, which they said, should be dismissed.
The tribunal had given the petitioners 10 days to present their case, while the respondents would take six days each to enter their defence.

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Tinubu Hails NGX N100trn Milestones, Urges Nigerians To Invest Locally

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu yesterday celebrated the Nigerian Exchange Group’s breakthrough into the N100tn market capitalisation threshold, saying Nigeria has moved from an ignored frontier market to a compelling investment destination.

Tinubu, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, urged Nigerians to increase their investments in the domestic economy, expressing confidence that 2026 would deliver stronger returns as ongoing reforms take firmer root.

He noted that the NGX closed 2025 with a 51.19 per cent return, outperforming global indices such as the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, as well as several BRICS+ emerging markets, after recording 37.65 per cent in 2024.

“With the Nigerian Exchange crossing the historic N100tn market capitalisation mark, the country is witnessing the birth of a new economic reality and rejuvenation,” Tinubu said.

He attributed the stellar performance to Nigerian companies proving they can deliver strong investment returns across all sectors, from blue-chip industrials localising supply chains to banks demonstrating technological innovation.

The President added, “Year-to-date returns have significantly outpaced the S&P 500, the FTSE 100, and even many of our emerging-market peers in the BRICS+ group. Nigeria is no longer a frontier market to be ignored—it is now a compelling destination where value is being discovered.”

Tinubu disclosed that more indigenous energy firms, technology companies, telecoms operators and infrastructure firms are preparing to list on the exchange, a move he said would deepen market capitalisation and broaden economic participation.

He also cited what he described as a sustained decline in inflation over eight months—from 34.8 per cent in December 2024 to 14.45 per cent in November 2025—projecting that the rate would fall below 10 per cent before the end of 2026.

“Indeed, inflation is likely to fall below 10 per cent before the end of this year, leading to improved living standards and accelerated GDP growth. The year 2026 promises to be an epochal year for delivering prosperity to all Nigerians,” he said.

The President attributed the trend to monetary tightening, elimination of Ways and Means financing, and agricultural investments, which he said helped stabilise the naira and ease post-reform pressures.

Nigeria’s current account surplus reached $16bn in 2024, with the Central Bank projecting $18.81bn in 2026, reflecting a trade pattern shift toward exporting more and importing less locally-producible goods.

Non-oil exports jumped 48 per cent to N9.2tn by the third quarter of 2025, with African exports nearly doubling to N4.9tn. Manufacturing exports grew 67 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter.

Foreign reserves have crossed $45bn and are expected to breach $50 billion in the first quarter, giving the CBN ammunition to maintain currency stability and end the volatility that previously fuelled speculation, according to the President.

Tinubu also highlighted infrastructure expansion in rail networks, arterial roads, port revitalisation, and the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry superhighways, alongside improvements in healthcare facilities that are reducing medical tourism costs, and increased university research grants funded through the Nigeria Education Loan Fund.

“Our medicare facilities are improving, and medical tourism costs are declining. Our students benefit from the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, and universities are receiving increased research grants,” he said.

He described nation-building as a process requiring hard work, sacrifices, and citizen focus, pledging to continue working to build an egalitarian, transparent, and high-growth economy catalysed by historic tax and fiscal reforms that came into full implementation from January 1.

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RSG Kicks Off Armed Forces Remembrance Day ‘Morrow …Restates Commitment Towards Veterans’ Welfare

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Government has reiterated its commitment towards the welfare of veterans, serving officers and widows of fallen officers in the State.

?The Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr. Benibo Anabraba, in a statement by ?Head, Information and Public Relations Unit, SSG’s ?Office, ?Juliana Masi, stated this during the Central Planning meeting of the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

?Anabraba thanked the Committee for their contributions to the success of the Emblem Appeal Fund Ceremony recently held in the State and called on them to double their efforts so that the State can record resounding success in the remaining activities.

?According to him, the remembrance day events will begin with Jumaàt Prayers on Friday, 9th January at the Rivers State Central Mosque, Port Harcourt Township, while a Humanitarian Outreach/Family and Community Day will be hosted on Saturday, 10th January, by the wife of the governor, Lady Valerie Siminalayi Fubara, for widows and veterans.

?”On Sunday, 11th January, an Interdenominational Church Thanksgiving Service will hold at St. Cyprian Anglican Church, Port Harcourt Township while the Grand-finale Wreath- Laying Ceremony will hold on Thursday, 15th January at the Isaac Boro Park Cenotaph, Port Harcourt”, he said.

?The SSG noted that one of the highlights of the events is the laying of wreaths by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Heads of the Security Agencies.

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Fubara Redeploys Green As Commissioner For Justice

Published

2 weeks ago

December 30, 2025

The Tide

The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has approved a minor cabinet reshuffle in the State Executive Council.

Under the new disposition, Barrister Christopher Green, who until now served as Commissioner for Sports, has been redeployed to the Ministry of Justice as the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

This is contained in an official statement signed by Dr. Honour Sirawoo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications.

According to the statement, Barrister Green will also continue to coordinate the activities of the Ministry of Sports pending the appointment of a substantive Commissioner to oversee the ministry.

The redeployment, which takes immediate effect, was approved at the last State Executive Council meeting for the year 2025, underscoring the Governor’s commitment to strengthening governance, ensuring continuity in service delivery, and optimising the performance of key ministries within the state.