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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
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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RSG Approves Full Rehabilitation of State Secretariat …Unveils Housing Scheme for Civil Servants, Honours Veterans
Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Eteh Ibas (Rtd), has approved the complete rehabilitation and modernization of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex to enhance efficiency and productivity in the civil service.
Ibas made the announcement at the 2025 Civil Service Week Gala and Awards Ceremony held at Banquet Hall, Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday,.
He disclosed that “initiative is designed to transform the secretariat into a modern, efficient and conducive work environment, directly supporting the civil servants who form the backbone of the state’s governance.”
The Administrator also approved the provision of 106 housing units for civil servants in the State.
Ibas paid glowing tribute to retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries, describing them as the bedrock of the state’s administration.
He stated that the awards ceremony was a symbol of deep appreciation for decades of sacrifice, resilience, and commitment.
“These interventions are designed to not only recognize your service, but also to improve your welfare in tangible and lasting ways,” the Administrator stated.
“We must build an administration that is efficient, effective, and truly citizen-centric,” he added.
The Administrator urged serving officers to draw inspiration from their predecessors and strive to make a meaningful impact in the lives of citizens.
He emphasized the importance of embracing innovation, technology, and continuous training to build a civil service equipped for the future.
The Acting Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Inyingi Brown, in her welcome address, described the civil service as the “engine room of government” and expressed profound gratitude to the Administrator for his unwavering support and commitment to its modernization.“
“A society that does not honour its heroes is not worthy of emulation,” Dr. Brown remarked, lauding the retirees as torchbearers of discipline and loyalty.
She pledged to build on their legacy through reforms and innovation, projecting that the Rivers State Civil Service would become a model of efficiency and transparency by 2030.
Speaking on behalf of the retirees, President of the Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries, Sir Promise Njowhor,
expressed heartfelt appreciation for the historic recognition.
“For once, since the creation of the State, we are being honoured,” Njowhor said, adding, “Our morale has been lifted.”
He pledged the association’s continuous support for government programmes, describing the body of experienced retirees as a resource available to contribute to state development.
The rehabilitation of the State Secretariat and the new housing scheme represent a major investment in the infrastructure and dignity of public service in Rivers State, signaling a new era of support for the civil servants who drive the government’s policies and programmes.
The Tide reports that the Administrator also conferred awards of meritorious service on retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries in the State
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won 20 out of the 23 local government areas in the just concluded local government election in the State, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clinched three local governments.
According to the results released by the Rivers State independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), yesterday, the APC won the chairmanship seats in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Opobo Nkoro, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Khana local government areas.
APC also won in Gokana, Tai, Oyigbo, Bonny, Eleme, Etche, Omuna, Akuku Toru, Asari Toru, Degema, Ikwerre and Emohua local government areas.
The Commission, however, said the PDP won in Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, and Ogba Egbema Ndoni local government areas.
Chairman of the Commission, Dr Michael Odey, who announced the results at the Commission headquarters in Port Harcourt, said Ofori Owolabi of the APC scored 28,755 votes to emerge winner of the election for Abua Odual while Solomon Ochomma, also of the APC, emerged chairman elect for Ahoada East after scoring 54,509 votes.
Odey said Eugene Epelle also of the APC scored 84,125 votes to emerge winner in Ahoada West, while Bob Fubara was elected the chairman-elect for Akuku Toru after scoring 63,593 votes.
Similarly APC chairmanship candidate Lucky Otuo Promise emerged chairman-elect for Andoni after scoring a total of 126,181 votes, APC’s George Onengiyeofori emerged winner in Asari Toru after scoring 56,383 votes, while Pepple Blessing Abinye garnered 13,543 votes to emerge winner in Bonny Local Government Area.
Other APC candidates elected include Michael John Williams who scored 16,536 votes to emerge chairman-elect for Degema Local Government; Obarlllormate Ollor (77,452) for Eleme; Dr Chidi Julius Lloyd (114,380) for Emohua; Njoku Boniface (100,649) for Etche; Confidence Deekor (96,478) for Gokana, while Wobodo Charles got 62,746 votes to emerge winner in Ikwerre Local Government Area.
Other APC winners from the APC include Akuro Tobins (32,285 votes) for Okrika; Hon Obasi Uchechukwu (38,530) for Omuma; James A James (38,822) for Opobo Nkoro; Vincent Nemieboka (36,374) for Ogu/Bolo; Hon Mbakpone Okpe (70,080) for Tai LGA, while in Oyigbo, Okechukwu Akara scored 101,495 votes to emerge winner.
Meanwhile, the RSIEC chairman announced Dr Gift Worlu of the PDP with 328,823 votes to emerge winner in Obio Akpor; Shedrack Ogbogu, also of the PDP, scored 51,051 votes for Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area, while in Port Harcourt City, Sir Alwell Ihunda garnered 235,054 votes for PDP to emerge winner.
The APC also cleared the councillorship seats in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Khana, Oyigbo, Bonny, Eleme, Etche,Tai, Khana Opobo/Nkoro and Degema local government areas.
Similarly APC councillorship candidates also emerged winners in Asari Toru, Degema, Akuku Toru, Gokana and Khana while PDP cleared the councillorship seats in Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt city, and Ogba Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Areas
Meanwhile, the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions has passed a vote of confidence on the just concluded local government election in the State.
National Chairman of the forum, Hon. Mamman Nda Eri, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt.
Eri said all the chairmen across the country were in Port Harcourt to monitor the election as well as gain experience in an election under emergency rule.
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