Politics
Bauchi APC Loses Six Election Petitions, Rejects Judgment
The Bauchi State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), On Monday, lost six petitions at the National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal.
While delivering judgements on the petitions brought before them by the defeated candidates of the APC in the last general elections, the two Tribunals dismissed the petitions for lacking in merit.
The two Tribunals that were headed by Chairmen, Justices Folabi Ajayi and A I Ebong respectively, passed judgements in their separate Courts sited within the Bauchi State High Court Complex.
At the NASS Elections Petition Tribunal which sat at High Court Two, where the judgements were passed by Chairman of the Three man panel, Justice A.I Ebong, journalists covering the election tribunals were denied access to the tribunal.
The staff and security personnel claimed at the entrance of the court room, that they have been directed not to allow Journalists inside the court room.
The five petitions dismissed by the NASS Tribunal are those of Bauchi Central Senatorial seat between the defeated APC candidate, Uba Ahmed Nana (pettioner) and the winner, Sen Abdul Ahmed Ningi of the PDP joined by, INEC, PDP as Respondents.
Another one is the .Ningi/ Warji Federal Constituency, between Abdulahi Sa’ ad Abdulkadir, Petitioners of APC against Adamu Hashimu Ranga, INEC, PDP as Respondents as well as the Darazo/Ganjuwa Federal Constituency, between Bashir Bello, Petitioner of APC and Versus Mansur Manu Soro, INEC, PDP Respondents
The rest are: Misau/Dambam Federal Constituency between Sabo Bappayo Ahmed, petitioner of APC against Bappa Aliyu Misau of the PDP INEC, Respondents and Katagum Federal Constituency, Gali Mohammed, pettioner APC against Auwal Gwallabe, PDP, INEC as Respondents.
The only State Assembly petition was for Dass state Constituency, between the Bala Ali, the petitioner of APC and Ahmed Abdullahi ,INEC, PDP as Respondents.
The Tribunals in their separate judgments on the petitions, declared that the petitioners and their witnesses failed to prove their allegations beyond all reasonable doubts.
The Tribunals averred that some of the witnesses’ statements presented were based on assumptions which is not admissible, citing section,137 paragraph 6 of the 2022 Electoral Act.
Counsels to the Petitioners, when approached on weather they were satisfied with the judgments of the Tribunals, they said they will meet with their clients for the next step of actions.
The Petitioners were awarded various sums of money ranging from N200,000 to N500 000 being fines imposed on the petitioners respectively.
However, the APC as a party has rejected the judgements delivered by the two tribunals against all its candidates who filled petitions against the declaration of INEC.
The Publicity Secretary of the APC, Ali Adamu Jalla, described the judgements as laughable wondering how the party would lose all 6 petitions for the same reasons from two different Tribunals.
He declared without hesitation that the APC would appeal the judgements, expressing hope and confidence that the APC candidates would get judgment at the higher court.
Ali Adamu Jalla said that the Tribunals abandoned all the reasons for the petitions and introduced new things that they could not understand, appealing to the party’s supporters to remain calm and peaceful.
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.
