Politics

Enugu LP Candidate, Edeoga Closes Cases Against Mbah, INEC With 30 Witnesses

Published

2 years ago

July 17, 2023

The Labour Party and its governorship candidate in the March 18 governorship election in Enugu State, Chijioke Edeoga have officially closed their case against the election that produced Peter Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party the governor.

Edeoga and his party are challenging the election of Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party insisting that it was rigged and that Mbah didn’t score the highest valid votes cast during the poll.

He is also praying the tribunal disqualify Mbah over an alleged forgery of the National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate.

The LP candidate closed his case after he tendered several documentary evidence and called a total of 30 witnesses that testified before the Enugu State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Enugu.

Among the exhibits he tendered before the court included polling unit results (form EC8A) in all the areas in contention; ward collation results (form EC8B) in the affected areas and a summary of the results as well as the declaration of the results.

The petitioners also tendered among many others, the NYSC produced documents of Oma and Partners; form EC9 of Chijioke Edeoga and Governor Peter Mbah as well as the BVAS machines which was brought to court by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), who was subpoenaed to appear before the court on Sunday.

Though Edeoga initially told the court that he would call a total of 37 witnesses to testify in the matter, he closed his case on Sunday with the testimony of the Enugu State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), who appeared as the 18th witness for the petitioners.

At the resumed hearing on Sunday where the REC was subpoenaed to produce, BVAS machines, one of the senior staff of the commission, Victor Okafor, brought only five BVAS machines as against the number demanded by the petitioners.

Edeoga had applied for a subpoena on the REC to produce the BVAS machines from Owo, Ugbawka 1 Registration Areas in Nkanu East LGA as well as some other polling units in Igboeze North LGA.

But, during cross-examination by the petitioners’ counsel, Okafor who appeared on behalf of the REC, Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, said he was mandated to produce five BVAS machines before the tribunal.

He said that the information that was generated on the BVAS machines during the governorship election on March 18 was now contained in the BVAS report from the Headquarters in Abuja.

He said that he did not have the BVAS machines for the Owo and Ugbawka 1 registration areas of the Nkanu East Local Government Area, adding that the machines could only be identified by their codes.

According to him, the codes of the five BVAS machines brought included 14/08/06/003, 14/08/01/002, 14/08/06/005, 14/08/17/012, 14/08/01/003,

“All the machines contained the BVAS and accessories,” he said.

He said that he could not operate the BVAS machines beyond the information he earlier gave concerning them because they (machines) had not been used since after the election.

He also did not provide the certified true copies of the BVAS report of the 2023 governorship election polling unit- by-polling unit, as well as the CTC of voters, register used in Owo and Ugbawka 1 Registration Areas in Nkanu East LGA of the state.

He however insisted that he was not holding back any information, as according to him, all the documents they applied and paid for have been supplied to the petitioners.

The LP counsel, Mr Eyitayo Fatogun (SAN) tendered the five BVAS machines to the Tribunal as the PDP counsel, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu, and Mbah’s counsel, Mr Alex Izinyon objected to the tendering of the machines, saying that their reasons would be made known during their final addresses.

The tribunal, however, admitted the BVAS machines as evidence.

Responding to the question by the counsel to Mbah, the INEC staff said that the machine could contain only successfully uploaded accredited information.

The two last witnesses called by the LP, Mr Abba Godwin and Amos Onyebuchi, who were LP agents, from Ette Central and Ikwele Ugbele respectively, both from Igbo-Etiti North LGA said that there was overvoting at their polling units during the governorship election.

Upon the close of the petitioner’s case, the lead counsel to the petitioner, Dr V.J Azinge (SAN) commended the Tribunal for their patience as she closed the case.

The INEC counsel, Mr H Okoli applied for a date to open their defense.

The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice M. K Akano adjourned the matter till July 18 for INEC to open its defense.

PUNCH

Politics

APC Explains Suspension Of Senator Gbenga Daniel

Published

20 hours ago

November 20, 2025

Editor

APC Ward 4 in Sagamu says it suspended Senator Gbenga Daniel because he refused to appear and defend himself over allegations of anti-party activities.

Speaking to journalists at the ward office in Sabo, Sagamu, the Ward Secretary, Hon. Oluwole Aduroja, said he spoke for the 19-member executive committee.

He explained that their clarification was necessary after a statement issued by MJS Partners on behalf of Senator Daniel, reacting to a November 17 letter from the APC National Secretariat.

Aduroja, who stood with the Ward Chairman, Hon. Adebayo Ismail, said the Ward Executive Committee agreed to suspend Senator Daniel because he failed to appear before a panel set up to review petitions against him.

The petitions accused him of working against the party.

He said the problem started during the last general elections, when Senator Daniel “acted in open defiance of the party and engaged in actions inimical to the interest of the APC and its candidates in Ogun State.”

Aduroja added that after the elections, the senator, “attempted to obstruct and frustrate the course of justice during the Election Petition Tribunal sittings through actions and interventions that were directly hostile to the interest of the APC and its candidates.”

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He said these actions remain unchallenged.

Reacting to the position of the APC National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Bashiru, in the November 17 letter, Aduroja insisted that the APC Constitution allows Executive Committees at all levelsward, local government, state, zonal or national to discipline any member.

He said Article 21(5)(vii) gives the National Working Committee the power to suspend members, but does not override the powers of Executive Committees at other levels, and does not require them to seek approval from the NWC.

He explained that “any disciplinary action taken by an Executive Council, including suspension, is subject only to appeal as outlined in Article 21(4).”

He added that nothing in the constitution makes their decision dependent on NWC review.

Aduroja said Ward 4 is committed to discipline, fairness and due process, and stressed that the suspension of Senator Gbenga Daniel remains in full effect.”

Politics

Irresponsible Of You To Blame Trump Over Rising Insecurity – ADC Blasts Tinubu’s Govt

Published

21 hours ago

November 20, 2025

Editor

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has criticised the Federal Government of Nigeria for blaming the wave of attacks, especially in Kebbi and Kwara States on remarks by US President Donald Trump.

Recall that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, George Akume on Wednesday, said recent statements by Trump concerning the security situation in Nigeria have emboldened violent groups across the country.

Responding to the SGF, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement said Akume’s comment was an attempt to deflect responsibility.

According to him, it is appalling that the APC-led government suggested that insecurity in Nigeria was triggered by a statement made by a foreign president.

The ADC mouthpiece further stated that the claim amounted to a shameful abdication of responsibility and a confirmation that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is overwhelmed by the security crisis.

He added that Nigerians had endured massacres, mass abductions and attacks on schools and places of worship for years under the APC-led government.

Abdullahi said the situation has worsened under the current administration because of the government’s failure to respond decisively.

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“It is therefore disingenuous to blame one tweet for the state of insecurity in Nigeria,”

“Those killing Nigerians did not need to be instigated by Trump; they were already actively encouraged by a government that consistently fails to act decisively to stop the carnage, a government that is, even after nearly three years in office, still celebrating its electoral victory while the country is turned into a killing field,” he said.

Politics

Top NNPP Mobiliser In Kano Resigns, Cites Neglect, Lack Of Recognition

Published

1 day ago

November 20, 2025

Editor

A key member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Bichi Local Government Area, Hon. Jamilu Kabir Bichi, has resigned from the party, saying he has been consistently sidelined despite his contributions.

Kabir, who was the NNPP Director-General of the 2023 Campaign in Bichi, announced his resignation in a letter dated November 19, 2025, and addressed to the party’s ward chairman.

He described his decision as “painful yet necessary,” explaining that he and his supporters had faced neglect in the party, especially in his home community.

He said the leadership had failed to acknowledge the sacrifice and effort of loyal members.

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“The leadership’s refusal at all levels to recognize our progressive agenda, loyalty, patience, and endurance has been deeply disheartening,” he wrote.

Kabir also said many committed members who worked hard to build the NNPP were denied chances to serve in the party or in government after the party won elections.

According to him, this made it impossible to remain in the party.

“As a principled individual with a political vision and mission… I can no longer, in good conscience, remain in a party that compromises my values,” he stated.

He thanked his political mentor, former Minister of Commerce and Industry, Hon. Ahmad Garba Bichi, praising his patience, loyalty, and straightforwardness.

Kabir added that he would continue to practice “politics without bitterness.”

He ended his letter with a prayer, asking Allah to guide the people of Bichi, Kano, and Nigeria, and pledged to stay committed to serving humanity.