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Court Fines PRP Presidential Candidate, Kola Abiola, Over Late Document Submission

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A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has slapped the presidential candidate of the People’s Redemption Party, Kola Abiola, with a fine of N20,000 over failure to file his court documents within time.

Justice Fadima Aminu, in a ruling, also fined the PRP over its delay in filing its counter affidavit in opposition to the aggrieved presidential aspirant’s amended originating summons.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Justice Aminu had fixed November 25 for a definite hearing in a suit filed by Madam Patience Ndidi Key, a female presidential aspirant in the June 5 primary election conducted by the party.

The judge, who granted the application filed by Madam Key to amend her originating summons on Nov. 18, ordered all parties to file their processes before the next adjourned date and adjourned to Friday for a definite hearing.

NAN reports that the plaintiff, Key, had, on June 28, sued PRP, the Independent National Electoral Commission and Mr Latifu Abiola as 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively.

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READ ALSO: 2023: APC Political Bandits Seized Buhari From Nigerians,  SDP Alleges

Key, in her earlier originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1001/2022, had challenged the emergence of Mr Abiola as the party’s presidential candidate.

She had prayed to the court to nullify the poll that produced Abiola as the PRP’s presidential candidate.

She also prayed for an order setting aside the declaration of Abiola as the winner of the primaries conducted across the country.

Kola is the son of the late MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

Upon resumed hearing in the matter, the plaintiff’s counsel, Magnus Ihejirika, informed that the matter was adjourned for definite hearing.

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Ihejirika said that the defence lawyers were yet to serve on him their counter-affidavits to enable him to respond appropriately.

Lawyer to the 1st defendant (PRP), Regina Audu, explained that there was a network failure on Thursday at the FHC filing office when she tried to file her application.

According to her, there was no network to generate a remittal for us to pay the filing fee yesterday (Thursday) for our counter affidavit.

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The lawyer, who said she could only do that on Friday, prayed to the court for an adjournment.

Also, Ijeoma Madu, who appeared for Mr Abiola, spoke in the same vein.

But Ihejirlrika described the defence counsel’s act as “a deliberate attempt to stall proceedings in the suit.”

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The lawyer said that the case was filed on June 28, “time is of the essence in its determination.”

He said by provision of the constitution, the court had only 180 days to dispose of the matter, saying practically now, the court has less than a month to have the case determined

He argued that the defendants were only employing a delay tactic to stall the hearing and determination of the suit.

Ihejirika, who told the court that he comes to the court from Kebbi, said if the court would be inclined to grant the defence application, a cost should be imposed.

READ ALSO: 2023: Tell Atiku To Stop Running, Tinubu Begs Gbaramatu Monarch In Delta

He asked for a cost of N200, 000.

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The defence counsel, who disagreed with him, prayed the court to dismiss the request.

In her ruling, Justice Aminu said an award of cost should not be a punishment but compensation.

The judge, consequently, ordered the PRP (1st defendant) and Abiola (3rd defendant) to pay the sum of N20,000 each to the plaintiff’s counsel.

She adjourned the matter until December 2 for a definite hearing.
NAN/PUNCH

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INEC Disowns LP’s National Convention

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has disowned Wednesday’s Labour Party‘s national convention held in Anambra.

The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, said this in Abuja on Thursday.

Oyekanmi said that the conduct of the convention was not monitored by INEC, declining to state further why it was not monitored.

The LP had on Tuesday shifted the national convention from Umuahia in Abia to Nnewi, Anambra State.

Speaking on the venue change, the LP National Legal Adviser, Mr Kehinde Edun, told newsmen that the party had duly informed INEC about the change in venue and date.

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READ ALSO: [BREAKING] Edo Guber: Labour Party Aspirant Withdraws From Race, Cites Monetisation 

No, it is holding in Anambra. Nnewi, to be precise, not Umuahia in Abia State again. In fact, Umuahia was not even the first venue we chose. Benin was the first choice before we changed to Umuahia and now Nnewi.

“So, we are at liberty to pick any venue of our choice. We only need to inform INEC about the change in venue and the time,” Edun said.

Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022 states that political parties shall give INEC at least 21 days’ notice of convention, congress, conference or meeting.

This includes the convention or meeting convened for “merger” and electing members of its executive committees and other governing bodies or nominating candidates.

(NAN)

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Labour Party Reserves 2027 Presidential Ticket For Peter Obi

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…Oti Gets automatic ticket for Abia Guber

The Labour Party’s highest decision making body, the National Convention, has announced it has reserved its 2027 ticket for the party’s leader, Mr. Peter Obi.

In the same breath, the party also announced a right of first refusal for the Abia State Governor, Alex Oti, should he decide to seek reelection on the party’s platform.

This decision was contained in a Communique issued after the party’s National Convention, held in Nnewi, Anambra State, on Wednesday.

It was signed by the re-elected National Chairman of the party, Comrade Julius Abure, and National Secretary, Umar Faruk Ibrahim.

READ ALSO: Abure Re-elected Labour Party National Chairman; NLC Kicks

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The communique read in part: “The Convention in session based on the antecedents of the Presidential candidate before, during and after the 2023 General Election recommend that the 2027 Presidential ticket of the party be solely reserved for His Excellency, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, the National leader of the party.

“Furthermore, the Convention in session reviewed ongoing development and performance of its Governor in Abia state, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti and pass a vote of confidence on him and recommend the 2027 Abia state Gubernatorial ticket of the party be reserved for His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti.”

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Edo Guber: 17 Parties Beat INEC Deadline For Candidates’ Nomination

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Seventeen out of 18 political parties who conducted primaries for the forthcoming Edo State Governorship Election have beaten the deadline for the nomination of their candidates on the special portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, disclosed this in a statement issued Tuesday in Abuja.

He said, “Following the conclusion of party primaries, 27 political parties have uploaded their candidates’ nomination forms for the Edo State Governorship Election by the deadline of 6 p.m. on March 24, 2024, when the dedicated portal automatically shut down.”

According to him, the personal particulars of the governorship candidates and their running mates will be published on Saturday, March 30, 2024, a week from the last date for the submission of nominations as provided in Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.

READ ALSO: Edo 2024: Igbinedion Breaks Silence On Obaseki’s Handling Of PDP, Party’s Choice Of Running Mate

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The Commission shall publish the personal particulars by displaying copies of Form EC9 along with all academic credentials and other documents submitted by each candidate at the state headquarters and the 18 local government offices across Edo State.

“We appeal to Nigerians to scrutinise the documents. Any aspirant who participated in his/her party primaries with reasonable grounds to believe that the information provided by the candidate is false can challenge the nomination in a Federal High Court as provided in Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022.

“The Edo State Governorship Election is scheduled to hold on Saturday, September 21, 2024,” he stated.

 

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