Politics
Tension as Kano, others await S’Court verdicts on gov elections
There is palpable anxiety among party stakeholders and supporters ahead of the Supreme Court judgment expected to be delivered this January on the various petitions challenging the rulings of the Court of Appeal on the governorship elections.
After the March 18, 2023, governorship elections in the states, some of the aggrieved candidates and their parties went to court challenging the declaration of some of their opponents as winners of the exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Some of the governorship election cases began from various state tribunals and appeal Courts, before they eventually ended at the Supreme Court.
States like Kano, Lagos, Ogun, Nasarawa, Benue, and Bauchi are among those expecting the final judgment from the apex court.
Kano
In Kano State, anxiety has continued to mount as residents await the apex court judgment on the state governorship election dispute as supporters of the two warring parties in the state; the New Nigeria Peoples Party and the All Progressives Congress, stage protests and rallies against and for the judgment of the Appeal Court.
The appellate court had affirmed the verdict of the tribunal that sacked Governor Abba Yusuf and declared the candidate of the APC, Dr Nasiru Gawuna, as the authentic winner.
Supporters of the NNPP have continued to fault the Appeal Court ruling, especially the controversy surrounding the claim that two different judgments were delivered, which were against and also in favour of the incumbent governor.
On the contrary, the APC supporters continued to hail the two judgments which favoured their candidate.
The anxiety in the state had compelled the Kano State Police Commissioner, Gumel, to ban all protests or rallies and forced the leadership of both parties to sign a peace accord, even though this has not yielded much result as there were incidents of violence.
A chieftain of APC in the state, Alhaji Alhassan Yaryasa, said the NNPP supporters should be blamed for the tension in the state.
“You see all that the NNPP supporters are doing is just to get public sympathy because they didn’t win the governorship election at the beginning,” he said.
However, effort to speak with the state NNPP Chairman, Alhaji Hashimu Dungurawa, failed as he didn’t respond to several phone calls from one of our correspondents.
Residents fear in Benue
In Benue State, anxiety and expectations are high as residents await the Supreme Court verdict on the appeal of the governorship candidate of the PDP, Titus Uba, challenging the judgments of the tribunal and the Appeal Court, which upheld the election of Hyacinth Alia of the APC, as the winner of the governorship election in the state.
Some of the residents expressed fear over the possible outcome of the final judgment.
One of the residents, who simply identified himself only as Julius for security reasons, stated that the civil servants and retirees in the state were currently in prayers for the governor to win at the apex court.
Meanwhile, the PDP in Ogun State has re-echoed its optimism of upturning Governor Dapo Abiodun’s victory at the apex court.
The Secretary of the party, Dr Sunday Solarin, claimed that the mandate was given to the party’s governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu, but was allegedly stolen by the APC, even as he (Solarin) expressed the hope that the mandate would return as the rightful winner.
But the APC’s Publicity Secretary, Tunde Oladunjoye, in his reaction, charged Adebutu to concentrate on the allegations of vote-buying and money laundering levelled against him rather than misleading their members and the public with “boastful desperation, false hope”.
In Lagos, the Head, Media and Communications for Jandor4Governor Campaign Organisation, Gbenga Ogunleye, told Saturday PUNCH that the Lagos State chapter of the PDP and its governorship candidate, Dr Olajide Adediran, would be victorious at the Supreme Court.
He explained that the focus of their petition at the apex court was to challenge the qualification of the declared winner, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the APC, as laid down in the electoral law, adding that the Justices of the Supreme Court would look at the facts of the matter before delivering the justice.
Contacted for reaction, the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Cornelius Ojelabi, refused to comment on the matter, saying, “The judgment will soon be delivered and it doesn’t make sense for us to start making commentary on that.
“We’ve been to the tribunal and Appeal Courts and we won. They went for the first and second and they failed. It is a matter of days for the Supreme Court to pronounce the judgment and that will be the end of the story.”
In Nasarawa State, the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal had earlier in a split judgment of two to one, nullified the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule of the APC and declared David Ombugadu of the PDP as the winner of the election.
However, the Appeal Court, in a unanimous judgment, reversed the verdict of the tribunal and upheld the election of Governor Sule after which the matter was taken to the Supreme Court.
Commenting, the state APC Chairman, Aliyu Bello, expressed confidence in being victorious at the apex court and that the party was undisturbed as there were documents to back up their election victory at the court, advising members and supporters of the PDP to shun unguarded utterances capable of causing tension in the state.
The PDP Chairman in the state, Francis Orogu, noted that the available documents and evidence would give the party and its candidate the desired justice.
Bauchi APC optimistic
In a related development, the acting Chairman of the APC in Bauchi State, Muhammad Hassan-Tilde, explained tone of our correspondents that the party was hopeful of victory based on the grounds upon which the petitions challenging the judgments of the tribunal and the Appeal Court which upheld Governor Bala Mohammed of the PDP, were based.
Hassan-Tilde, who called on their supporters to remain optimistic and prayerful, further said that there was a strong belief that their candidate, Sadique Abubakar, would be victorious at the apex court.
PUNCH
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has warned President Bola Tinubu against allowing the alleged manipulation of the August 15 governorship election in the state, cautioning that any attempt to subvert the will of the people could trigger a political crisis reminiscent of the violence that followed the disputed 1983 elections.
Adeleke issued the warning on Monday while addressing thousands of supporters at Orita-Sabo in Olorunda Local Government Area during a campaign rally ahead of the governorship poll.
The governor accused leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun of allegedly sponsoring political violence and intimidation, urging President Tinubu to call party leaders and security agencies to order.
“Mr President, I want you to take note of my words. I am the Chief Security Officer of Osun. You are a Yoruba man and Osun is Yorubaland, yet your party chieftains are perpetrating political violence while you look the other way,” Adeleke said.
Calling for a peaceful and credible election, the governor said his administration was only demanding a transparent electoral process.
“Mr President, all we demand is a free and fair election. If anybody tries to do otherwise, the political crisis of 1983, when some people tried to rig Michael Ajasin in Ondo State out of power, may repeat itself again,” he warned.
Adeleke also alleged that security agencies, particularly the police, were being used to harass political opponents, urging the President to uphold the democratic principles he once championed.
“Mr President, call your people to order. Call the police chiefs to order. I am the governor here, not any other person. Accord has already endorsed you as its presidential candidate, so why are we suffering again?
“You fought for democracy in Nigeria and you must not allow your people to destroy it. Wake up to your responsibility, Mr President. Stop the shenanigans going on in Osun,” he said.
The governor maintained that protecting the integrity of the election was essential to preserving peace and democratic stability in the state.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Imole Campaign Council, Senator Lere Oyewumi, urged residents of Osun to turn out in large numbers on election day and vote for Adeleke’s re-election.
Oyewumi said the governor’s performance had earned him another term, urging eligible voters not only to cast their ballots but also to remain vigilant in protecting their votes.
“The good work of Governor Adeleke is enough reason for the people to return him to office. We urge all eligible voters to come out en masse, vote and protect their votes,” he said.
No fewer than 10 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are receiving treatment in various hospitals across Ebonyi State after suspected political thugs disrupted a party rally in Ikwuator Idembia, Ezza South Local Government Area, leaving several people injured and property destroyed.
The violence occurred on Saturday afternoon during a reception organised to welcome former All Progressives Congress (APC) member, Ifeanyi Nworie, into the PDP.
The event was initially scheduled to hold at a roadside village square in the community. However, eyewitnesses said suspected thugs wearing T-shirts bearing the image of a federal lawmaker stormed the venue, forcing the organisers to relocate the gathering to Nworie’s private residence.
The relocation, however, did little to prevent the violence, as the attackers reportedly traced participants to the new venue, where they allegedly unleashed another wave of attacks.
Several PDP supporters sustained varying degrees of injuries, while canopies, plastic chairs, public address systems and other valuables were vandalised during the incident.
Addressing journalists in Abakaliki after the attack, Ebonyi State PDP Chairman, Chukwuma Igwe, condemned the incident, describing it as a calculated assault on democracy and an attempt to intimidate opposition voices ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Igwe alleged that the attack was part of a growing pattern of intimidation against PDP members in the state, claiming that party supporters had faced repeated threats and assaults in recent weeks.
He said vehicles were damaged and several people were attacked with dangerous weapons, adding that at least eight victims were receiving medical treatment following the latest incident.
“We have called this press conference to draw the attention of Nigeria and Nigerians to undemocratic actions deliberately orchestrated to undermine the conduct of the 2027 general elections in Ebonyi State,” he said.
The PDP chairman called on the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Armed Forces and other security agencies to discharge their constitutional responsibilities by protecting all political parties and ensuring a level playing field ahead of the elections.
He maintained that the PDP would not be intimidated by what he described as anti-democratic forces, regardless of those allegedly behind the attacks.
“As political activities commence in the coming days, we urge our members to remain peaceful and law-abiding.
“We also call on the Ebonyi State Government to play by the rules of democracy, bearing in mind that no one has a monopoly on violence or misconduct,” Igwe stated.
He further urged security agencies to remain impartial in the discharge of their duties and safeguard citizens’ constitutional rights to freely associate and participate in political activities.
Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State chapter of the APC has denied involvement in the incident.
Responding to the PDP’s allegation, APC State Chairman, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, described the party as a peaceful organisation guided by the leadership of Governor Francis Nwifuru, whom he said strongly opposes political violence.
According to Emegha, individuals dissatisfied with Nworie’s political decisions may have masterminded the attack rather than APC members.
“So far as it has to do with APC in Ebonyi State, we watch the body language of our dear Governor. He doesn’t want to offend anyone. As such, we must toe his path.
“There is no time APC will have a hand in violence because if anyone gets involved, the governor will abandon such a person,” he said.
He added that Governor Nwifuru believes political disagreements should not degenerate into violence, stressing that political opponents could become allies in the future.
“People who are no longer comfortable with Ifeanyi Nworie’s political behaviour may be responsible for the incident,” Emegha added.
The violence also affected journalists covering the event.
No fewer than 10 journalists travelling in the official vehicle of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ebonyi State Council, were reportedly attacked while on their way to the rally at the invitation of Nworie.
The assailants allegedly smashed parts of the NUJ-branded vehicle in an attempt to gain access to it and reportedly searched for fuel with the intention of setting it ablaze before the driver successfully manoeuvred out of the area.
One of the alleged attackers, Friday Agbom, an APC chieftain and legal practitioner, reportedly warned the journalists against returning to the community, describing them as “political journalists.”
As of the time of filing this report, the police had not issued an official statement on arrests or an investigation into the incident.
Politics
Breaking: Court of Appeal Sets Aside Judgement Ordering Deregistration of ADC, Four Other Parties
The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has set aside the judgement of the Federal High Court which ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party and three other political parties.
The appellate court, in a unanimous decision on Tuesday, declared the judgement ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the parties “null and void.”
Recall that Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had ordered INEC to deregister the parties over their performance in the 2023 general elections.
Dissatisfied with the decision, the affected political parties — the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) — approached the Court of Appeal seeking to nullify the Federal High Court judgement.
However, the three-member panel of the appellate court, presided over by Justice Abba Mohammed, held that the trial court lacked the judicial power to entertain the case in the first place.
The Court of Appeal also faulted the Federal High Court for proceeding with the delivery of the judgement despite an order by the appellate court directing a stay of proceedings, which included the delivery of the judgement.
The appellate court described the Federal High Court’s decision as “a nullity,” stating that the action of the trial court amounted to “judicial impertinence” or what the Supreme Court had described as “judicial insubordination.”
The court further held that the first respondent lacked the locus standi to institute the action in the first place, and consequently set aside the judgement of the Federal High Court.
“The evidence before the court clearly shows compliance with Section 225A of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). The judgement of the trial judge was perverse,” the Court of Appeal held.
The former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has urged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, to focus on ensuring the conduct of free, fair, and credible elections.
In a statement on Sunday in Enugu, Okechukwu noted that credible elections remained the strongest antidote to intra-party impunity.
He was responding to the INEC Chairman’s recent call on political parties to adhere strictly to principles of internal democracy during a courtesy visit to former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, in Minna, Niger.
According to Okechukwu, the INEC Chairman has consistently emphasised the issue of internal democracy, having made similar remarks in Akwa Ibom in March 2026 and again in Abuja in June 2026.
He said, “Whereas one agrees with the Chairman that strict observance of internal democracy within political parties is of paramount importance.
“However, the greatest incentive for political parties to uphold internal democracy is the consistent conduct of free, fair, and transparent elections by INEC.”
He argued that political scientists had long maintained that political parties were more likely to respect democratic principles and popular will when electoral processes are credible and transparent.
“Political party leaders will do everything within the ambit of the law to keep their houses in order and present the most acceptable and popular candidates when they are confident that elections will be free and fair.
“In such circumstances, they are compelled to obey the wishes of the electorate. However, when elections are perceived as lacking transparency, internal party conflicts and impunity are more likely to thrive,” he said.
Okechukwu also dismissed the allegation of other political parties feelings that INEC is the handgun of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The APC chieftain said that APC needed free and fair elections as core patriots who are committed to the genuine growth of our fledgling democracy and overall progress of every Nigerian.
“I dismiss the handgun allegation, as APC needs free and fair elections,not only for legitimacy with our 31 state governors, but for the genuine growth of our fledgling democracy and overall good governance,” he said.
He maintained that the APC remained a formidable political force and that credible elections would ultimately strengthen Nigeria’s democratic institutions and political parties alike.
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, says Buhari didn’t publicly back Tinubu in the 2023 All Progressives Congress primary due to religious and ethical concerns.
In an interview with Symfoni TV released on Saturday, Lawal revealed that Buhari was initially hesitant to back Tinubu due to religious and ethical considerations regarding his suitability as a successor.
Lawal claimed that, however, after extensive discussions, the late president agreed to remain neutral and allow party delegates to decide the candidate at the convention.
According to the former SGF, Tinubu played a critical role in previous APC election campaigns by providing resources and political strategists, making it difficult for Buhari to oppose his presidential ambition outright.
“Bola Tinubu brought people and we coarced him to change the trajectory of the campaign through those his people.
“Buhari is a human and he’s a decent guy. So I am the only person that confront him with these facts.
“He will not say I don’t know. He would not say it’s a rumour because I was there.
“So why would he deny him (Tinubu)? Why would he… in the end he said okay,” Lawal said.
Lawal added that before the APC presidential convention, he advised Buhari to refrain from backing any aspirant and allow party delegates to choose the candidate.
“As we were going to the convention, I said, ‘Oga’, let’s make a deal. I said look, this man (Tinubu), we now know that on the basis of your religion and your ethics and your upbringing, you don’t want to hand over to this man, but he has helped us get here.
“So there’s no way. Let’s make a deal. Stay neutral and allow me to run the process.
“If we go to the convention and the party faithfuls defeat him, so be it. Your hand is not in it.”
Lawal said Buhari initially rejected the proposal, insisting that if he allowed him to manage the process, Tinubu would emerge as the party’s candidate.
“But Buhari said that’s not an excuse. I know you, you will give Bola Tinubu this ticket.“I say, are you God now, sir?
“Buhari said, no, you started with me since 2002. So I know how you work. I know your methodologies. That man, if I leave him to you, he’ll get the ticket.”
Lawal said he responded that even if Tinubu secured the APC ticket, Nigerians would still decide the outcome of the presidential election.
“I say, okay, okay, granted. If he gets the ticket, it means you are now a prophet. However, you’re ascribing to me qualities I don’t have.
“But let’s assume it happens. Supposing the general election rejects him, is that you?”
He added that Buhari also expressed concern over whether Tinubu would be fair to members of their political camp if elected president.
“He mentioned some things. This man, is he going to be fair to our people? Is he going to be this?
“I said, yes, as long as I’m there, you know, I can checkmate him.
“He said, ‘Okay, deal.’”
Ahead of the APC presidential primary in June 2022, Buhari repeatedly urged party delegates to choose a candidate they believed could advance the party’s ideals but stopped short of publicly endorsing any of the aspirants, despite intense lobbying by contenders, including Tinubu.
Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor, went on to defeat other leading aspirants, including former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, to clinch the APC presidential ticket.
He later won the February 2023 presidential election and was sworn in as president on May 29, 2023.
-
Crime4 days agoCivil Defence arrests suspected fraudster in Enugu
-
News5 days agoNPFL, Afrinvest push for digital revolution to drive club growth
-
News5 days ago
Abia 2027: Group backs Michael Chiemezuo for Isiala Ngwa South seat
-
News3 days agoEnugu intensifies fight against quackery in laboratory practice – Commissioner
-
News3 days ago
CJN bans use of ‘Barrister’ title as name prefix at Supreme Court
-
News3 days agoEnugu Govt urges Town Union PGs to embrace inclusive leadership
-
News1 day agoEnugu community alleges imposition of traditional ruler, insists on election
-
News4 days agoTinubu Dissolves Committee on Sale of Federal Assets