Politics
C’River: INEC Issues Fresh Certificate Of Return To Jarigbe
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a fresh Certificate of Return to Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe as the winner and duly elected candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to represent Cross River North Senatorial District.
The decision followed the judgment of the Court of Appeal which declared Jarigbe as the candidate of the party which won the election.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja had, last Thursday, affirmed the judgment of an FCT High Court which had earlier declared Jarigbe as duly elected PDP candidate for the December 5 Cross River North Senatorial seat.
The Certificate of Return was handed over to him on Monday by the National Commissioner of Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye.
The withdrawal of the Certificate of Return earlier issued to Senator Odey was in compliance to the Appeal Court judgment last Thursday.
By the issuance of the fresh Certificate of Return to Jarigbe, the one earlier issued to Dr Odey is deemed cancelled and withdrawn.
Meanwhile Hon Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, has promised his constituents a senatorial district of their dreams devoid of personal or family dynasties.
Jarigbe stated this in a terse statement made available to reporters in Calabar shortly after INEC had issued a Certificate of Return to him in Abuja on Monday, following an Abuja Appeal Court’s judgement declaring him as the duly nominated candidate of the PDP and the rightful winner of the election and ordered the withdrawal of the one earlier issued to Dr Stephen Odey.
In its unanimous judgment on December 17, the Court of Appeal upheld the judgment of the trial court that the primaries which produced Jarigbe were conducted with the correct and authentic list of delegates and that Hon Jarigbe, having scored the highest number of valid votes in the primary election, is the validly nominated candidate of the PDP.
The judgement comes six days after Dr Stephen Odey was sworn in by the Clerk of the Senate, Ibrahim El-Ladan, and barely two weeks after the same Commission issued a Certificate of Return to him.
Senator-Elect Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe is expected to be sworn-in in January 2021
According to Jarigbe, ‘unlike those who were coerced by their boss to run for the Cross River North bye-election, I came for the good people of Cross River North.
‘I’m motivated that they believe in me and find me worthy to reclaim the lost glory of our region. Like I have always said, Cross River North and her people remain my topmost priority.
‘Together we shall build the Cross River North of our dreams and not personal or family dynasties. We shall build reliable institutions for the benefit and prosperity of all.’
Hailing the Appeal Court judgement and subsequent issuance of Certificate of Return to Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe as Senator-elect by INEC, some Cross River state PDP stakeholders have described it as a judgement of ‘equity and justice to the people of Ogoja.’
Commending the ruling, the Coordinator of Movement for the Restoration of Cross River PDP, (MFTROCR), Raymond Takom, said the turn around of events and eventual issuance of CoR to Hon Jarigbe Agom by INEC is a demonstration of the popular support he enjoys among his people and a reflection of the fight for equity and fairness the Ogoja people have been yearning for.
Takon said: ‘The Appeal Court ruling has restored total confidence in the Judiciary and their commitment to upholdin’ democratic tenets which is the voice of the people. We all want a man who has the people mandate and not a crony.
“We equally commend INEC for acting swiftly by honouring the Appeal ruling. It shows democracy is at work and we shall stop at nothing to protect the mandate to any level.’
In an emotion-laden tone, a member of the State PDP Caretaker Committee, who doesn’t want his name in print, expressed happiness that he is alive to see an Ogoja son become a senator after decades of denial by their brothers in the northern senatorial district.
He said: ‘We are very grateful to Appeal Court and INEC as well as all good people of the north who have fought this battle to this level. It is the Lord’s doing and we plead with all to join hands and end the fight.
‘We are all form one stock in old Ogoja and now is the time to queue behind Ogoja man to at least test the Senate seat as every local government in the north has their turn. So, we are waiting for the inauguration.’
According to him, now is the auspicious time for all to close ranks and move PDP forward rather dissipating energy in several court cases that would weaken the party in the long run.
The event, jointly organised by LP and ADC to publicly acknowledge the movement of party members, was first scheduled to hold at the LP secretariat in Idimu.
However, chaos erupted when more than 100 suspected thugs reportedly stormed the premises, forcing party members and officials to flee.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers, some armed with knives, canes and other dangerous objects, assaulted individuals they encountered during the invasion.
The assailants were also heard chanting hostile slogans, declaring that LP and ADC were not welcome in Lagos State.
Several party members sustained injuries in the process, while party property, including furniture and flags, were vandalised.
Despite the disruption, officials of both parties quickly relocated the programme to an alternative venue, the Eco Centre Event Hall in Egbeda, in a bid to continue the ceremony.
Speaking on the incident, the LP Chairman in Alimosho, Mr Olanrewaju Olushola, popularly known as Heritage, condemned the attack, describing it as unprovoked and alarming, especially with the 2027 general elections approaching.
“What is most painful is that most of my members sustained varying degrees of wounds. This is in spite of the hoodlums going into our party secretariat in Alimosho and destroying our furniture and flags,” he said.
Mr Olushola clarified that the defection itself had already taken place, stressing that Saturday’s gathering was merely a symbolic ceremony to inform the public of their decision.
According to him, nearly all LP members in Alimosho, including the party’s leadership structure, had collectively agreed to move to the ADC.
Also speaking, the party’s Secretary in Alimosho, Mr Moses Akujuobi, explained that plans for an open defection ceremony had earlier been halted by the police, who cited the absence of formal approval.
He said the organisers had reached out to the Area M Commander, ACP Abaniwonda, who reportedly informed them that only the Commissioner of Police could authorise political events in the state.
“Incidentally, we could not reach the CP, but we informed the DSS, after which we went ahead since it wasn’t a rally but a quiet ceremony,” Mr Akujuobi said.
He added that the situation became more tense upon arrival at the initial venue.
“When we got to the venue this morning, we were shocked to see police vans with heavily armed policemen. They informed us that we cannot hold the event and referred us to the police commissioner.
“While we were at it, the hoodlums besieged the place and began to beat people, leading to our deserting the venue,” he explained.
Mr Akujuobi said party officials subsequently contacted members by phone to proceed to the second venue in Egbeda, where the programme resumed briefly.
“We, however, began to contact our members through phones to move to the second venue, which is the Eco Event Centre, and everyone witnessed what took place here.
“The hoodlums got wind of our second venue and equally attacked us, beating up our members again,” he added.
He noted that the decision to defect to the ADC was driven by internal leadership challenges within the Labour Party and protracted legal disputes affecting the party.
Shortly after the hoodlums vacated the second venue, several police vans carrying armed officers reportedly arrived at the location.
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has strongly rejected calls by the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria seeking the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, over comments he allegedly made on genocide.
The Fellowship described the demand as unjustified and a threat to constitutional freedoms.
In a statement signed by its National Secretary, Bishop David Bakare, the PFN insisted that Prof Amupitan, like every Nigerian, has the constitutional right to express his views on matters of national concern, irrespective of the public office he occupies.
According to the PFN, the comments attributed to the INEC Chairman were made in his personal capacity and had no link whatsoever with his official responsibilities or electoral duties.
The Fellowship stressed that elections and electoral activities were not involved in the matter, arguing that there was no basis to connect the alleged comments to Prof Amupitan’s role as INEC Chairman.
“We strongly oppose such calls because Prof. Amupitan, as a Nigerian, has the right to make comments on what he observes to be happening in the nation, regardless of his appointment or assignment,” the statement read.
The PFN said it condemned “in every ramification” the suggestion that the INEC Chairman should be removed from office on the basis of his personal views, warning against attempts to punish public officials for expressing opinions outside the scope of their official duties.
The Tide source reports that the Fellowship also cautioned against what it described as a growing tendency to interpret national issues through religious lenses, noting that such an approach only deepens divisions and undermines peaceful coexistence.
“We must resist the temptation of profiling or judging people based on their religious beliefs or positions. Prof. Amupitan has a right to bear his mind, and this should not be at the cost of his job,” the PFN added.
The PFN called on all stakeholders to exercise restraint, understanding and mutual respect in national discourse, particularly on sensitive issues.
It emphasised that unity and peace must remain paramount in addressing national challenges.
The Fellowship reaffirmed its commitment to fairness, justice and mutual respect, urging that these values guide public engagement and responses to issues affecting the country.
In A Statement Issued On Saturday, Mr Obiorah Ifoh, The Factional Spokesperson, Described The Decision Of The Electoral Body As Strange.
Mr Ifoh Also Said The Sacked Factional Leadership Of The Party Will Protest The Action Of INEC.
Stating That Judgment Of The Court And The Decision Of INEC Will Not Stop Its Members From Putting Up A Strong Appearance In The Forthcoming 2027 General Election, Mr Ifoh Noted Legal Redress Would Be Sought By LP.
He Said, “Some Persons Who Are Applauding The Impunity By Some Politicians Should Retrace And Do Some Introspection, Because This Was How In The Past They Applauded Injustice In Our Democracy Because They Were Beneficiaries.
“At The End Of The Day, When Their Enthroned Leaders Began To Abuse Power, They Started Complaining.
“For Us In Labour Party, Our Faith Is Strong That The Appellate Court Will Do The Right Thing And Therefore We Advise Our Members To Remain Calm. We Will Continue With The Struggle To Take Our Party From The Godfather,” Mr Ifoh Said.
He Also Stated That The Labour Party Is A Party Formed On The Basis Of Social Democracy Where No One Man Is Permitted To Appoint Everybody.
According To Him, It Is Against The Party’s Principles For “One Man To Sit At A Place And Gather Everybody And Appoint Everybody From The National Working Committee To The State.
“That Is Impunity Of The Highest Order. This, I Believe, Negates The Principles Of The Party.
“If We Say There Is No Party Ideology In Nigeria, This Is How It Starts. We Are Very Sure That It Will Be Quashed On Appeal,” He Added.
Mr Ifoh Also Described The Celebration And Excitement Showcased By Senator Nenadi Usman And The Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti As Temporary.
He Said Dr Otti, Senator Usman And Their Cohorts’ Names Which Were Already Listed On INEC’s Portal Will Be Short-Lived.
“It Is For A Short Time. Their Victory Is Pyrrhic And There Is Nothing To Celebrate Because Doomsday Is Closer Than They Will Imagine; Which I Believe Will Be Very Catastrophic For Them.
“Moreover, It Is Very Clear That The Appointment Of The Caretaker Committee Did Not Go Through The Normal Procedure. Proper Notice Was Not Given In Line With The Party Constitution And The Electoral Act,” He Said.
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