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I Am Kogi’s Gov-Elect, Audu’s Running Mate Claims …Declare Wada Winner, PDP Tells INEC …Senatorial Zone Wants Audu’s Son As New Candidate
The running mate to late Abubakar Audu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Saturday’s governorship election in Kogi State, has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to declare him governor- elect.
James Faleke, in a November 26 letter to INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, insisted that under Section 187 of the 1999 Constitution, he was duly elected as deputy governor of Kogi State.
While expressing sadness over the demise of his principal, Abubakar Audu, the deputy governorship candidate said INEC had no right under the law to declare the election inconclusive.
He accused INEC of deliberately creating what he called “legal conundrum” and urged the APC not to be a party to the action.
“In law and logic, no new candidate can inherit or be a beneficiary of the votes already cast, counted and declared by INEC before that candidate was nominated and purportedly sponsored,” Mr. Faleke wrote through his counsel, Wole Olanipekun.
“Assuming without conceding that INEC is even right to order a supplementary election, the votes already cast, counted and declared on Saturday, 25th November 2015, were votes for the joint constitutional ticket of Prince Abubakar Audu and our client.
“Therefore, no new or ‘supplementary’ candidate can hijack, aggregate, appropriate or inherit the said votes.”
In another letter to APC Chairman, John Oyegun, Mr. Faleke urged his party to distance itself from the “Greek Gift” being offered to it to nominate a new candidate for a planned supplementary election in 91 polling units.
He said the election had already been won and lost, and that the party should rather support him in actualizing the mandate already given to APC and its candidates.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday called on INEC to declare its candidate in the November 21 Governorship election in Kogi , Mr . Idris Wada, the winner of the election. The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, made the call in a communiqué issued at the end of the party’s National Caucus emergency meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday.
INEC had declared the November 21 election inconclusive following cancellation of election in 91 polling units. Metuh said that the PDP caucus thoroughly considered the development arising from the November 21 governorship election , following the death of the All Progressive Congress (APC), candidate, Alhaji Abubakar Audu.
He said that PDP had resolved that with the death of Audu, on November 22, APC had ‘legally crashed out’ of the governorship race in accordance with Section 33 of the Electoral Act. Metuh said that APC lost out of the race as no known law or constitutional provision allowed the substitution of candidates, once the ballot process had commenced.
“We are not trying to take advantage of Audu’s death. Nigerians will bear us witness that PDP observes respect to the person and image of late Audu, but this is the law of our land’’. Metuh said that PDP completely rejected INEC decision on the directive of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) , Malam Abubakar Malami, to allow APC substitute its candidate in the middle of an election.
“The PDP insists that with the unfortunate death of Audu, the APC has no valid candidate in the election. ‘’This leaves INEC with no other lawful option than to declare the PDP candidate, Wada, as the winner of the election.’’ He said that if APC was allowed to substitute its original candidate, then, the party would have fielded two separate candidates in the same election.
“This is a scenario that is completely alien to our electoral laws and to any known democratic norm and practice world-over.’’ Metuh said that if after voting in the Saturday’s election, Audu said he was no longer interested in the election, would INEC have told APC to change its candidate?
“There is no difference between the death and withdrawal of a candidate in our laws. Laws never separated it. This situation can be termed as withdrawal. ”If Audu had withdrawn on Saturday, election would have continued and Wada would have been declared the winner’’.
Metuh said that caucus observed that INEC under the leadership of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had lost the confidence of Nigerians. He also restated the party’s demand for the immediate resignation of Malami, INEC chairman and all its national commissioners. The PDP image maker added that in order to save the nation’s democracy from imminent collapse, the PDP would immediately challenge the unlawful and unconstitutional decision of INEC in the court of law.
“We are confident that judiciary will restore the proper tenets of our democracy and that this matter will be settled before Dec. 5. ”APC cannot participate in Dec. 5 election because the time has elapsed for the party to substitute its candidate’’. Metuh who stressed that the PDP had not in any way accused APC of killing Audu, however questioned the rationale of AGF INEC and APC decision on the issue.
“They are creating a scenario where a loser in a primaries will patiently wait for the winning candidate to finish election and have him either poisoned or assassinated before the final collation of results.’’
In another development, leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC), in Kogi East Senatorial District have nominated Mr Mohammed, 43, first son of Late Prince Abubakar Audu, to replace him as the party’ s governorship candidate.Leaders, stakeholders and delegates who made this known in Lokoja on Thursday after a marathon meeting, said they arrived at the decision after due consultations .
Their spokesman, Mr Daniel Isah, the Vice Chairman of APC in Kogi East, said they have resolved and are determined to back Mohammed to replace his father if the National Working Committee orders fresh primaries.
Isah thanked the Independent National Electoral Commission and the national leadership of the party for the opportunity given to them to find a replacement for Audu who died on Nov. 23 at Ogbonicha, Ofu Local Government.
He appealed to the national leadership of the party to give their decision utmost consideration and approval in the overall interest of the party and the state.
Present at the meeting were Alhaji Lincho Ocheje, Hon. Hassan Omale, Hon. Benjamin Ikhani, and Sen. Emmanuel Dangana, among others.
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Elele Etche community Gets Interim Youth Leaders ….As traditional rulers Warned Against land grabbing

Elele Community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers state has inaugurated an interim Youth Executive to run the affairs of the Elele Central Youth Association for the next six months.Among those inaugurated are, Comrade Godspower Anaele as the youth leader, Godspower Nwala, deputy youth leader and Barrister Nnamdi Abel as General Secretary/Legal Adviser.Also inaugurated are,Mr Ifeanyi Emmanuel as Assistant General Secretary,Chibuike Nwamkpa as financial secretary, Michael Ogundu , public Relations officer,Miss Faith Nwaobilor , welfare officer and Charles I K.Agugoesi as provost.The Ochimba of Elele community Etche local government Area ,HRH Eze Innocent Anaemeje who inaugurated the youth executive warned them against involvement in anti social behavioursEze Anaemeje particularly warned them against involvement in land grabbing stressing that having eliminated land grabbing from the area, the community will frown at any attempt to bring it back.He said though the interim youth executive has six months to run the affairs of the Elele central youth Association, the community might return them if their performances are satisfactory.In an interview with newsmen, The Elele Etche monarch said his kingdom has only one youth body which is the Elele Central Youth Association, warning that private youth bodies will never be allowed to operate in the kingdom.He said his kingdom is laying a foundation that will promote hardwork and respect to constituted Authoritaties especially from the youth, adding that nobody irrespective of his position will be allowed to hold the community to ransomAccording to him, the youth of Elele Etche must respect their elders , the government and cultivate the virtues of hardwork and honesty, stressing that nobody will be allowed to bring shame to the kingdom.Anaemeje who is the chairman welfare committee of The Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers used the occasion to call on both the Rivers state Government and Etche Local Government Council to assist the community with the rehabilitation of its dilapidated health centreHe said the health centre which was constructed through communal efforts has become dilapidated leading to its abandonment.Eze Anaemeje also called for Government intervention on the epileptic power situation in the area and congratulated Governor Siminalaye Fubara for his reinstatement after six months of emergency rule in the state.Also speaking the Ezeoha of Etche ethnic nationality,HRH Eze Chima Nwagha called on youths in the community to respect their eldersHe warned that no indigene in the area should be allowed to use his position to destroy the kingdom and advised the newly inaugurated youth association to rule with the fear of God.
By: John Bibor & Birane progress
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Stop blaming leaders, take responsibility, CAN tells Nigerians

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Borno State chapter, has urged Nigerians to make the right choices and take responsibility for the nation’s progress instead of blaming leaders for its challenges.
Borno CAN Chairman, Bishop John Bogna Bakeni, made the call in Maiduguri on Saturday, stressing that national renewal requires both accountable leadership and responsible citizenship.
He said the transformation of Nigeria’s economic and political systems depends on deliberate moral choices and collective action by citizens.
“As I said in my message on the pulpit, Nigerians must make the right choices. We must hold our leaders accountable at all levels, but we must also take responsibility,” Bishop Bakeni stated.
He added that it is not enough to desire a better country without consciously choosing good over evil and making efforts to build it.
Bakeni noted that problems such as kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, and corruption stem from the failure of families to instill discipline and values in their children.
“We cannot continue to blame the government alone. Parents must monitor their children and instill discipline and honesty in them. Evil thrives when families abandon their moral duties,” he warned.
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NUJ hails DSS for releasing detained journalists

The Nigeria Union of Journalists has commended the Department of State Services for the prompt release of two journalists, Ruth Marcus and Keshia Jang of Jay 101.9 FM, Jos, who were recently arrested while covering the funeral of the late mother of the All Progressives Congress National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda.
The NUJ National President, Alhassan Yahya, in a statement on Sunday, said the union welcomed the intervention of the DSS Director-General, Mr Oluwatosin Ajayi, which led to the immediate release of the journalists.
Our correspondent gathered that the journalists had captured footage showing DSS operatives preventing some pastors from gaining access to the church premises where the funeral service was taking place.
Security officials were screening attendees, and in the process, some clerics were denied entry.
Marcus and Jang had been detained after posting a video report on social media showing a confrontation between a cleric and security operatives at the funeral, an incident that raised widespread concern over press freedom and the right of journalists to perform their lawful duties.
The statement partly read, “We are encouraged by the decisive intervention of the DSS Director-General, who not only ordered their release but also personally reached out to the Union to tender his apologies. He has also reiterated his directive to DSS operatives to conduct thorough investigations before making arrests.”
The NUJ president described the gesture as a positive shift in the culture of Nigeria’s security institutions.
“The willingness of the DSS leadership to admit errors, apologise where necessary, and commit to reforms is an important step in strengthening public trust and confidence in the agency,” he stated.
While commending the development, Abdullahi urged the DSS and other security agencies to sustain the new approach and respect the rights of journalists at all times.
“Press freedom is the bedrock of democracy, and journalists must never be treated as adversaries for performing their constitutional duties. We call on the DSS to institutionalise accountability by sanctioning officers whose actions undermine democratic values and constitutional rights”, he said.
He stressed that only by enforcing discipline within the ranks can such progress be consolidated.
Abdullahi further assured that the NUJ remains committed to constructive engagement with security institutions to strengthen mutual understanding, promote professionalism, and safeguard both press freedom and national security.
“We urge our members across the country to remain vigilant, courageous, and professional in the discharge of their duties,” the NUJ president added.
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