Politics
Edo Tribunal: SDP Withdraws Case Against Gov Okpebholo’s Election
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.
READ ALSO: Edo Internal Generated Revenue Hits N10bn
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.
READ ALSO: Okpebholo Signs Two Bills Into Law
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
Defection: Peter Obi Simply Looking For ‘Food Is Ready’ Party – Wike
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe on former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his recent defection.
Speaking during a media parley on Wednesday, Wike said Obi is looking for a ‘food is ready’ political party.
READ ALSO:JUST IN: Why I left ADC For NDC With Kwankwaso – Peter Obi Opens Up
The minister said, “Obi was in APGA, he couldn’t build APGA. He went to Labour, he ran away again from Labour. All he’s looking for is food is ready political party.”
Recall that Obi and Rabi’u Kwankwaso, former presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, on Sunday officially joined the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Politics
2027: Nobody Wants Fubara – Wike
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims that there is widespread support for Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to return in 2027.
Speaking during his monthly media parley on Wednesday in Abuja, Wike suggested that Fubara can’t claim to enjoy unanimous backing from the public.
He explained that the political crisis in Rivers State had earlier been addressed through the intervention of President Bola Tinubu, particularly during impeachment proceedings initiated against Fubara.
According to Wike, the President advised all parties to embrace peace, leading to the withdrawal of the impeachment move by the State House of Assembly after agreements were reached.
READ ALSO:Rivers APC Suspends Fubara Over Alleged Anti-party Activities
Wike, however, alleged that the governor failed to fully adhere to the terms agreed during the arbitration process.
Reacting to claims that the people were urging Fubara to seek re-election in 2027, Wike rejected the assertion, insisting that such narratives were misleading.
Wike maintained that appearing before the President for arbitration required respect for the outcome, noting that all parties were expected to uphold their commitments.
He said: “The President, intervened in the impeachment proceeding. I said withdraw, let their be peace. And the governor said, look, I’m ready for peace. Look, I’m no longer interested for this. I will not do this. The Assembly went and withdrew the impeachment.
“Having withdrawn the impeachment, he is now too smart on what you agreed before the President. It’s like when you go on arbitration.”
READ ALSO:Court Restrains Rivers Assembly, CJ From Impeaching Fubara, Deputy
Wike continued, “This one is what I don’t like. Nobody wants anybody. Please, don’t tell me that. Excuse me.
You can go and tell that to the market people or children. Two years that people say he should come out. Who told you that?
“Which politician will say that I was sleeping they came and woke me? Even if people people come to wake you, can’t you say, no, I won’t do it. I’m not prepared for it.
“That you appeared before a President of the country on arbitration, the two parties on arbitration, and these people respected Mr. President, and have done their own part.”
Politics
2027: Wike Opens Up On Preferred Rivers Guber Candidate
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday said he hasn’t endorsed any candidate for the Rivers state gubernatorial election in 2027.
Wike stated this on Wednesday during his monthly media parley in Abuja.
Wike said that the endorsement will come only after a meeting by the joint coalition in the state.
READ ALSO:2027: Wike Refuses To Confirm Or Deny Chinda’s Governorship Bid
He said: “I haven’t endorsed anybody. And I can’t endorse anybody until the joint coalition meets.”
DAILY POST reports that questions have been raised concerning the fate of current governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, in 2027.
The FCT Minister was reported to have endorsed former State Commissioner for Works, Alabo Dakorinama George Kelly, as his preferred candidate for the Rivers State governorship election.
Sources told DAILY POST that Wike settled for George after a closed-door meeting with key political stakeholders in Port Harcourt on Monday.
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