Politics

Edo Tribunal: SDP Withdraws Case Against Gov Okpebholo’s Election

Published

11 months ago

February 4, 2025

The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, dismissed the case the Social Democratic Party, SDP, lodged to nullify Governor Monday Okpebholo’s election.

The Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member panel tribunal terminated further proceedings on SDP’s petition against Governor Okpebholo after the party withdrew it.

At the resumed sitting on the matter, the petitioner informed the tribunal through its counsel, Mr. Jackson Ehiavhie, that it was no longer interested in pursuing the case to its logical conclusion.

Mr. Ehiavhie told the tribunal that he had received instructions from the National Secretariat of the SDP to withdraw the matter.

Following a no-objection stance by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Governor Okpebholo and the All Progressives Congress, APC, the tribunal’s chairman, Justice Kpochi, dismissed the petition in a short ruling.

It will be recalled that the SDP was among six political parties that approached the tribunal to invalidate the Certificate of Return issued to Governor Okpebholo of the APC as the winner of the governorship election held in the state on September 21, 2024.

INEC declared the APC candidate winner of the election with 291,667 votes to defeat 17 other candidates, including his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who scored 247,274 votes.

Aside from the PDP and its candidate, Ighodalo, other parties that also filed petitions to challenge the outcome of the poll were the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP; Action Democratic Party, ADP; Accord Party, AP; and the Allied Peoples’ Movement, APM.

In the petition it withdrew, the SDP maintained that the election was held in fundamental breach of the provisions of the Electoral Act and the Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of the Election, which were issued by INEC.

Insisting that no valid winner would have emerged from a flawed electoral process, the SDP further alleged that INEC’s failure, through its Presiding Officers, to electronically transmit collated votes at polling units as required by law rendered the votes allocated to the second Respondent, APC, invalid.

It prayed the tribunal to hold that INEC’s declaration of Okpebholo of the APC as winner of the gubernatorial contest amounted to a nullity.

Politics

PDP Crisis: INEC Rejects Turaki-led NWC

Published

3 days ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said it will not recognise the Kabiru Turaki-led National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, citing existing court judgments and unresolved legal processes.

This was as contained in a letter dated December 22, 2025, signed by INEC Secretary, Dr Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

The Commission stated that it could not act on demands to acknowledge or upload on its website the list of national officers said to have been elected at the National Convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan.

According to INEC, its position was guided by subsisting court decisions and pending litigation relating to the leadership crisis within the PDP.

The electoral body further noted that it would be improper to recognise any factional officers while the matter remains before the courts.

Politics

Govt That Fails To Protect Its Citizens Has No Business Remaining In Office – Kwankwaso

Published

4 days ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has accused the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of lacking the political will to tackle Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

Kwankwaso spoke on Tuesday in Kano while unveiling 2,000 operatives of the Kano State Neighbourhood Security Network.

He urged President Tinubu to “rise to the occasion and truly act as the Commander-in-Chief” in addressing banditry and other security challenges.

According to him, Nigeria’s military “remains one of the most gallant in the world,” having served in international peacekeeping missions in Darfur, Liberia, and other conflict zones.

However, he said the armed forces are not being adequately supported to perform optimally.

“Today, many innocent Nigerians are being killed, while the perpetrators walk freely as if nothing happened. The government must apologise to Nigerians for its laxity in the fight against insecurity,” he said.

Kwankwaso, who once served as Minister of Defence, added: “When I was Defence Minister, I knew the capability of the Nigerian military. They are courageous and professional but need clear direction, support, and political will to do the needful.”

He stressed that Nigeria’s armed forces had historically ranked among the best globally and urged the government to equip them properly to change the current security situation.

Kwankwaso also said that if elected president in 2027, he would recruit over one million additional military personnel to strengthen national security.

“Any government that fails to protect the lives and property of its citizens has failed woefully and has no business remaining in office,” he declared.

He further called on the Federal Government to integrate community-based security initiatives, like the Kano Neighbourhood Security Network, into the national security system to boost morale and improve intelligence-driven operations against criminals.

Politics

ADC Announces Temporary Closure Of Secretariat

Published

4 days ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

The African Democratic Congress, ADC , says it has temporarily closed its National Secretariat as part of the end-of-year break.

A statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said full operations are scheduled to resume in the New Year.

According to the statement, the secretariat will close on December 23, 2025, and reopen on January 5, 2026.

The party, however, said essential skeletal services will remain available throughout the period, while all other official activities at the National Secretariat will be suspended to allow staff and party officials observe the Christmas and New Year holidays.

“This is to inform the public that the African Democratic Congress National Secretariat will close for the year on 23rd December 2025 and will resume full operations on 5th January 2026.

“During this period, only skeletal services will be available, while all other official activities at the Secretariat will be temporarily suspended,” the statement said.

The party thanked its members, partners and supporters for their continued loyalty and cooperation throughout the year, noting that their support remains critical to the growth and stability of the party.

The ADC also said it is committed to its ideals and to democratic engagement as it prepares for activities in the coming year.