Politics

BREAKING: S’Court Dismisses PDP’s Suit, Affirms Bola Tinubu’s Eligibility For Presidency

Published

3 years ago

May 26, 2023

The Supreme Court, has affirmed the eligibility of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to contest the presidential election that held on February 25.

The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel, on Friday, held that an appeal the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, filed to challenge the legality of Tinubu’s candidacy, lacked merit.

PDP had in the appeal marked: SC/CV/501/2023, sought Tinubu’s disqualification on the premise that the Vice President-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima, allowed himself to be nominated for more than one constituency, ahead of the 2023 general elections.

It told the court that Shettima was nominated twice, both for the Borno Central Senatorial seat and for the Vice Presidential position.

PDP argued that Shettima’s dual nomination, was in gross breach of the provisions of Sections 29(1), 33, 35 and 84(1) and (2) of the Electoral Act, 2022, as amended.

Consequently, aside from praying the court to nullify Tinubu and Shettima’s candidacy, the Appellant equally applied for an order to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to expunge their names from the list of nominated or sponsored candidates that were eligible to contest the presidential poll.

Meanwhile, the apex court, in its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro, held that PDP lacked the locus standi (legal right) to interfere in affairs of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, which nominated both Tinubu and Shettima for the presidential election.

The apex court upheld the concurrent decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court in Abuja, which earlier dismissed PDP’s case.

It agreed with the respondents that section 285 (14) (c ) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and section 149 of the Electoral Act, 2022, did not confer the locus standi (legal right) to challenge the candidature of Shettima on the ground of double nomination.

The apex court held that section 84 of the Electoral Act only empowered an aspirant that participated in the primary election of a political party, to challenge the nomination of a candidate by the party.

It held that the PDP failed to establish the injury it suffered as a result of the nomination by the APC, stressing that the law does not permit a political party to dabble in domestic affair of another political party.

The Supreme Court said the PDP was unable to prove that its civil rights and obligations were in danger of being infringed upon.

It described the appeal as the action of “a nosy busy-body and a meddlesome interloper that is peeping into the affairs of its neighbour.”

More so, the apex court berated the PDP for filing the appeal which it said was frivolous and capable of exposing the judiciary to public ridicule.

The apex court held that evidence before it showed that Shettima duly withdrew as the candidate of the APC in the Borno senatorial election, on July 6, 2022.

“In whichever angle this appeal is veiwed, it is frivolous and bound to fail.

“From the trial court, down to this court, it has been a waste of precious judicial time.

“The instant appeal was unnecessary and counsel should do better to advice their client against filing this sort of suit in future,” Justice Jauro added.

While dismissing the appeal, the Supreme Court okayed N2million damages that was awarded against the PDP, in favour of the respondents.

Politics

Fubara: Mistakes Of 2023 Will Not Be Repeated In 2027 – Wike Vows

Published

5 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Editor

Amid renewed conflict between him and Rivers State governor Sim Fubara, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has vowed that mistakes made in the 2023 elections will not be repeated in 2027.

Wike made the vow while speaking during a visit to Akuku-Toru and Degema Local Government Areas on Tuesday.

He emphasized the importance of acknowledging past errors and taking corrective action.

He stated, “As for Rivers state, let me make it clear what’s important in life is that you make a mistake and come out to tell people, ‘I made a mistake, and therefore I want to correct the mistakes we made.

“The mistake we made in 2023 will not be repeated. Where we voted in the state is not where we will vote again in 2027.”

Tho comes after the minister declared “total support” for President Bola Tinubu, even as tensions brew between him and leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Politics

We Are Not Traitors, PDP Is Dead – Bagos

Published

8 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Editor

Former Federal House of Representatives member, Dachung Bagos, has explained that his recent defection, along with other politicians, is a result of the Peoples Democratic Party’s failures.

Bagos made the remarks on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, shortly after announcing his move from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“We are not jumping parties for political ambition. We are jumping parties because of the platform that wants to give our people a voice, and leadership that says, ‘You can trust us to be able to address this very issue,’’ he said.

His statement comes amid the increased wave of defections from the PDP to both the APC and the African Democratic Congress.

Bagos, who served as the representative for Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency, Plateau State, from 2019 until November 2023, officially joined the APC on January 4, 2026, alongside other key figures loyal to Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang.

This move followed Governor Mutfwang’s own resignation from the PDP and subsequent defection to the APC, citing the opposition party’s ongoing internal crises and the need for clearer direction.

Rejecting suggestions that the defections were motivated by sycophancy, Bagos emphasized principle as the driving factor.

“We are not jumping parties because of sycophancy. We are jumping party because the PDP has failed at this particular moment, and it is irredeemable at this particular moment, so the platform that we see that goes with our own ideology is where we are today,” he said.

Bagos explained that his decision to join the APC was based on the party’s agenda, which he believes aligns with the aspirations of the people of Plateau State.

He underscored that governance goes beyond party lines. “Governance is beyond party lines. It is about those agendas on the table that you can make your people believe and understand that, look, this is the solution,” he said.

He highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s focus on key governance issues such as state police and local government autonomy.

“Our governance has now keyed into the issue of state police,” he said, adding, “If he has re-emphasised the issue of local government autonomy and to ensure that every state has local government elections.”

Bagos also spoke about the importance of creating opportunities for ordinary citizens and engaging young people in politics.

“We want the son of nobody to be a local government chairman, we want the son of a to be this and that, and we want to see the youth that have never believed in politics to believe in politics,” he said.

Politics

Joe Igbokwe Reacts As Wike, APC Secretary Lock Horns Over Fubara

Published

23 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Editor

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and social media commentator, Joe Igbokwe, has condemned the verbal war between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the National Secretary of the ruling party, Ajibola Basiru.

DAILY POST reports that following the renewed hostility between Wike and the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, the APC Secretary had expressed support for the governor.

However, during an event in Rivers State on Monday, Wike asked the APC National Secretary to stay away from Rivers politics.

Reacting, Basiru, in a statement, asked Wike to resign his appointment and focus on what he described as an “obsession” with Rivers State politics.

Wading into the matter, Igbokwe, in a post on Facebook, said the face-off is uncalled for and unnecessary.

He said, “The altercations between Hon. Minister FCT, Nyesom Wike, and the National Secretary APC Nigeria, Ajibola Basiru, are totally uncalled for and unnecessary. It is a needless distraction.

“If out of annoyance you remove your cap and throw it away, a made man will pick it up and use it forever. Let the misunderstanding cease to exist now.”