Politics

APC To Proceed With Convention Without Statutory Delegates, Despite Court Judgement

Published

3 years ago

June 4, 2022

The ruling party All Progressives Congress (APC) says it will proceed with its special convention without statutory delegates despite the pronouncement by the Federal High Court in Kano.

The party will hold the convention to elects its presidential candidate for the 2023 election from June 6 to 8.

The court on Friday, held that statutory delegates can participate in the primaries of political parties in accordance with the Nigerian constitution.

Statutory delegates include ward councillors, local government chairmen and their deputies, governors and their deputies, president and vice president.

Others are senators and members of the House of Representatives and of State assemblies, and chairmen of the parties in the 774 local government areas.

The judge, A.M. Liman, while delivering judgement in a suit filed by Masijde El-Jibrin Gogowa, a legislative aide to Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives; Habibu Sani and Bilyaminu Shinkafi, said Section 223 of the Nigerian constitution and the APC constitution “allow statutory Delegation (sic) to vote at convention, congress or meeting.”

In the suit filed on May 24, the plaintiffs listed the Senate President, APC National Chairman, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.

The spokesperson of the APC, Felix Morka, told PREMIUM TIMES that the party will proceed with its convention using the elected delegates as provided in section 84(8) of the electoral act.

Mr Morka said the APC was not a party to the case, as only the National Chairman, Abdulahi Adamu was included in the suit.

He noted that Mr Adamu is not APC.

“We are proceeding with our convention as planned—as originally planned,” Mr Morka said over the phone.

When asked about the court’s decision, he said “What court case? Was the party (APC) a party to the case? Go look at the parties to the case. APC is not a party to the case. They listed the national chairman– National chairman is not a juristic person, APC is the legal person. Nobody sued APC in that matter, so why would you bother with whatever judgement the court gave?”

In the new Electoral Act, the lawmaker had excluded statutory delegates from persons that can vote at congresses and national convention.

Section 84(8) provides that “a political party that adopts the system of indirect primaries for the choice of its candidate shall clearly outline in its constitution and rule the procedure for the democratic election of delegates to vote at the convention, congress and meeting.”

On May 10, the Senate passed an amendment to the Electoral Act following the consideration of the bill sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege. The bill was given speedy passage.

Leading the debate, Mr Omo-Agege noted that the initial section of the bill was an error on the part of the legislature.

Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act does not provide for the participation of what is generally known as statutory delegates in the conventions, congresses or meetings of political parties, he explained.

“Section 84(8) provides for the participation of elected delegates in the conventions, congresses or meetings of political parties held to nominate candidates.

“This was an unintended error and it can only be corrected with this amendment.”

The following day, the House of Representatives concurred with the Senate in passing the bill. The bill was transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent. However, no feedback has been gotten.

The APC has already approved elected delegates, three per local government area, to take part in the presidential primary. The ruling party has also held its other primaries, state and legislative, without statutory delegates.

The main opposition party, PDP, also used elected delegates for its presidential primary, which produced Atiku Abubakar.

PREMIUM TIMES

Politics

APC Defeats NNPP In Kano Re-run Election

Published

20 hours ago

August 17, 2025

Editor

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has defeated the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the Ghari/Tsanyawa supplementary re-run election in Kano State.

Announcing the result on Sunday, the Returning Officer, Prof. Muhammad Waziri of Bayero University, declared APC’s Garba Gwarmai winner with 31,472 votes, ahead of NNPP’s Yusuf Maigado, who polled 27,931 votes.

The supplementary election was conducted after the initial poll was declared inconclusive.

Hon. Gwarmai’s 3,541-vote lead marks a significant victory for the APC, further consolidating its political foothold in the state.

According to Tribune Online, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kano State Chapter, had expressed concerns over alleged irregularities in the rerun elections for Ghari/Takai and Bagwai/Shanono Constituencies.

Politics

Obi Blames Tinubu For 70% Investment Crash

Published

1 day ago

August 16, 2025

Editor

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of presiding over what he described as “a collapse in foreign direct investment.”

He blamed what he called “poor leadership, weak governance, and uncoordinated reforms” for the country’s economic woes.

Obi, in a statement shared on official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, noted that going by fresh figures from the National Bureau of Statistics, FDI into Nigeria plunged by about 70 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, falling to $126.29m from $421.8m recorded in the last quarter of 2024.

“While the President, ministers, and other government officials continue their global galivanting in search of FDI, our poor performance in key governance indicators – such as rule of law, regulatory quality, government effectiveness, and voice and accountability – continues to prove that you cannot attract sustainable foreign investment with poor leadership and governance,” Obi wrote.

While noting that the country’s investment inflows were largely speculative, Obi said, “Of the total capital importation of about $5.64 bn in Q1 2025, FDI accounted for only about 2.24 per cent, compared to 8.2 per cent in Q4 2024.

“Disturbingly, about 90 per cent of the imported capital went into speculative money market instruments, with negligible impact on industrial growth or job creation, given the ease with which such ‘hot money’ can exit the economy.”

He argued the sharp drop in manufacturing inflows further underscored the lack of investor confidence in the country.

“Capital flows to the manufacturing sector declined by 32.1 per cent, falling to only $129.92 million in Q1 2025 from $191.92 million in the same quarter of 2023. There is no better confirmation of the lack of trust in this government, whose reforms remain uncoordinated and largely reactive,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor further compared the country’s performance with other African nations that recorded major gains.

“In 2024, while global FDI flows declined, Africa’s FDI rose by about 75 per cent to $97 billion,” he stated.

“Egypt alone attracted $46.58 billion. Ethiopia received $3.98 billion, Côte d’Ivoire $3.80 billion, Mozambique $3.55 billion, Uganda $3.30 billion, DR Congo $3.11 billion, South Africa $2.47 billion, Namibia $2.06 billion, Senegal $2.02 billion, Guinea $1.83 billion, and Morocco $1.64 billion.”

According to him, Nigeria has been left trailing far behind.

“Most disappointingly, our dear nation, the so-called ‘Giant of Africa,’ received only $1.08 billion – about one per cent of Africa’s total FDI – representing a decline of about 42 per cent from 2023. Worse still, after that 42 per cent drop between 2023 and 2024, FDI to Nigeria has further declined by 75 per cent between Q4 2024 and Q1 2025,” Obi lamented.

He warned that unless Nigeria fixed its governance problems, it would continue to lose investment to more stable African economies.

“We cannot achieve sustainable growth and development with ineffective leadership and a weak government,” he said.

Politics

By-election: Edo Deputy Gov Lauds Credible Process, Encourages Voters

Published

2 days ago

August 16, 2025

Editor

Edo State Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, on Saturday commended the impressive turnout of voters in the ongoing by-election for the Ovia Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.

Idahosa gave the commendation after casting his ballot at Unit 3, Old Education Board, Iguobazuwa West Ward, Ovia South-West Local Government Area.

He described the process as seamless, peaceful, and encouraging.

Edo Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, on the queue at the Ovia Federal Constituency to cast his vote.

“I must commend the people for coming out in large numbers to vote. So far, everything is going well. We are expecting free, fair, and credible elections. Ovia people will be happy with the outcome. I am calling on more voters to come out and perform their civic duties.

“I just voted and I am going home while I wait for the result,” he said.

Meanwhile, at Okada West Ward Units 1, 4, and 6, voters were seen in long queues waiting to cast their ballots.