Politics

Poll: I’Ve No Age, Drug Record Controversy, Atiku Takes Swipe At Tinubu

Published

12 months ago

April 27, 2023

The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has taken a swipe at the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu, declaring him as unfit to preside over the affairs of the nation.

Atiku, in a fresh process he filed before the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja, admitted that though he had been contesting presidential elections since 1993, he, unlike Tinubu, has “a drug-free record.”

“The 1st petitioner, unlike the 2nd Respondent (Tinubu), has consistently been contesting presidential elections, given the 1st Petitioner’s drug-free record, and has never had controversy surrounding his age, circumstances of his birth, state of origin, gender, educational qualification, health status, working career, and citizenship, all issues bordering on constitutional qualification to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Atiku added in his reply to Tinubu’s preliminary objection to his petition.

It will be recalled that Tinubu had in his reply to a petition seeking to nullify his election, described Atiku as a consistent serial loser that had since 1993 crisscrossed different political parties in search of power.

The President-elect said he would during the hearing of the petition, lead evidence before the court to show how Atiku’s emergence as a candidate in the presidential election held on February 25, led to the “Balkanisation” of the opposition PDP.

According to him: “The 1st petitioner (Atiku) has been consistently contesting and losing successive presidential elections in Nigeria since 1993, whether at the party primary election level or at the general election; including 1993, when he lost the Social Democratic Party, SDP, primary election to the late Chief M.K.O Abiola; 2007, when he lost the presidential election to the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua; 2011, when he lost the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP presidential primary election to President Goodluck Jonathan; 2015, when he lost the APC primary election to President Muhammadu Buhari; 2019, when he lost the presidential election to President Muhammadu Buhari; and now, 2023, when he has again, lost the presidential election to the respondent.

“Further to (iv) supra, it was/is not a surprise and/or not by accident that the electorate rejected the 1st petitioner at the polls of the presidential election held on 25th February 2023,” he added.

However, in his response, Atiku, maintained that the President-elect had “demonstrated inconsistency as to his actual date of birth, secondary schools he attended (Government College Ibadan); his State of origin, gender, actual name; certificates evidencing Universities attended (Chicago State University).”

He added: “The purported degree Certificate of the 2nd Respondent allegedly acquired at the Chicago State University did not belong to him but to a female (F) described as “F” in the Certificate bearing the name Bola Tinubu.

“The 2nd Respondent did not disclose to the 1st Respondent (INEC) his voluntary acquisition of the citizenship of the Republic of Guinea with Guinean Passport No. D00001551, in addition to his Nigerian citizenship. The 2nd Respondent is hereby given notice to produce the original copies of his said two passports”.

Besides, Atiku, who came second at the presidential election held on February 25, told the court that Tinubu “has a record of criminal forfeiture of the sum of $460, 000. 00 for the drug-related offence before the United States Judge, John A Nordberg in the 2nd Respondent’s First Heritage Account No. 263226700, being proceeds of narcotics-trafficking in violation of 18 USC 1956 and 1947 for an offence involving narcotics”.

He insisted that the APC candidate did not meet the constitutional threshold and “is constitutionally disabled from contesting for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

Serial election loser

On the claim that he is a serial election loser, Atiku likened himself to President Buhari, who he said had equally contested presidential elections multiple times before he eventually won in 2015.

He urged the court to dismiss Tinubu’s contention that the petition was incompetent by virtue of the failure to join the candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi and that of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Rabiu Kwankwaso as necessary parties.

Atiku told the court that he does not have any grievance against both Obi or Kwankwaso as they were not returned as the winner of the presidential election by INEC.

Consequently, he prayed the court to dismiss Tinubu’s preliminary objection for being “frivolous, misconceived, face-saving, vexatious, absolutely and completely unfounded.

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Related Topics:#Bola Tinubu Atiku Abubakar Tribunal

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Politics

Edo Guber: Why I Want To Become Governor – APGA Candidate, Osifo

Published

1 day ago

April 23, 2024

Editor

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

The Edo State All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, governorship candidate in the forthcoming election, Dr. Isaiah Osifo, has said the yearning by Edo people for good leadership propelled him to join the race.

The former Chief of Staff to Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, who lamented that Edo State has been lacking good leaders for long, promised to deliver good governance if elected into office.

Dr. Osifo stated this during a chat with journalists in Benin City, the Edo State capital, over the weekend.

Rolling out some qualities expected of a good leader, the APGA governorship candidate said: “Many people have asked me why am I contesting? I have several reasons for contesting this election.”

He continued: “What is lacking in Edo State and in African democracy is good leadership. And that is what we’ve been battling with in Africa and Edo State.

“We have an abundance of young men and women, patriotic and talented young men and women that are ready to work. But what is lacking now is good leadership.

“It is that good leadership that’s motivating me to contest the election so that I can feel that gap; that vacuum of lack of good leadership. I said this repeatedly, and God has been so wonderful to me.”

“So, good leadership is needed for Edo State to develop. Good leadership is needed for Edo State to have democracy, because we already have the grace of God upon our life.”

Speaking on how some Edo South Elders are making moves to get the best candidate on board, Osifo noted: “When I met with them I told them there are three things that can make a state to be great: The grace of God; hardworking men and women, patriotism, and of course good leadership.”

He said in Edo people’s bid to elect a good leader in the September 21st governorship election, they must look out for three qualifications, viz: legal, political and moral qualifications, boasting that he is the only candidate that possessed all these qualifications.

He added: “Legal question: Now, you must meet some requirements as a law for you to contest as governor. You cannot go to the Oko prison to go and bring an ex-convict to contest for an election. The law does not allow it. A child that is 30 or 35 years below cannot contest for governor because the law says he must be above 35 years as a necessary requirement. That is a legal qualification.

“Session 182 of the constitution is so clear that if you have sworn to an oath of allegiance to a foreign country or to a foreign power, you are not qualified to contest for any public office.

“Ethically, a politician or a public servant who has sworn to an oath of allegiance is a traitor. Because patriotism is what defines citizenship. So, if you go and swear to an oath of allegiance to a foreign power, it shows you are a traitor. The Nigerian constitution forbids it. And that if you have sworn to an oath of office to a foreign power or country, you are not qualified to hold any public office.

“If you have sworn to an oath of office to foreign power and are still going about telling Edo people to vote for you, you are not going to be a good leader, because you have already lied, liars are not good leaders.”

He continued: “Political qualification: Franchise is defined as a right to vote and to be voted for. For you to be a candidate, you must be a voter here in Edo State. Now, if you have never voted in Edo state, and you are now trying to struggle to get a fresh voter card or to do a transfer, politically you are not qualified to run in this election.

“Moral qualification: I come from a cultural background, whereby a popular adage says you don’t use a stranger to make a head of a community. If you are an Edo man but you have not lived here before as an adult, your family is not here, your children don’t attend any school here, your wife does not go to any market here in Edo State, and you want to be governor, governor over who? “

Politics

Edo Guber Final List : Group Knocks LP, Commends, INEC, Yakubu

Published

1 day ago

April 23, 2024

Editor

A youth group within the Edo State Labour Party (LP), on Monday, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and Professor Mahmood Yakubu for adhering strictly to the rule of law in deepening democracy particularly in the party’s candidates list ahead of the September governorship election.

in Edo State (SYEG), Tuesday has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and Professor Mahmood Yakubu for adhering strictly to the rule of law in deepening democracy in Edo State Labour Party’s candidates list ahead of the September governorship election.

The statement by SYEG came in reaction to an earlier statement by the Edo State chairman of LP, Kelly Ogbaloi who faulted INEC’s listing Oluyinka Faith Alufohai as the running mate to Olumide Akpata.

A statement signed by chairman of the group, Comrade Jonah Ifada and Secretary, Osagie Omoregie also knocked the Edo State chairman of the party over his rejection of INEC final list and reminded the party that what the electoral body has done was in accordance with the law, hence deserves commendation.

The body under the umbrella ‘Shine Your Eyes Group’, also noted that what has become the lot and tragedy for the Labour Party in Edo State was a clear reflection of the shambles primary it conducted in the state where the “wishes of party’s faithful were subverted by those entrusted to run the affairs of the party.”

Ifada in a widely circulated statement in Benin noted, “Our attention has been drawn to the ranting by the Edo State chairman of the Labour Party, Kelly Ogbaloi, rejecting the nomination of Oluyinka Faith Alufohai in INEC announced final list of candidates as ludicrous.

“We want to state equivocally and remind Ogbaloi that INEC is not like the Labour party and that what INEC has done was in line with the rule of law and deserves commendation for being vigilance and thorough.

“We had warned the Labour Party to play by the rules of the game but they choose to bow to the weight of naira and dollars to subvert democracy and the wishes of our people.

“As stakeholders, we are however confident that the abnormality by the party would be corrected by the court as we have it on good authority that one of the aspirants, Barrister Kenneth Imansuangbon has gone to court to seek interpretation of the constitution as regards issues in the party’s primary.”

Recall that Imansuangbon in his petition stated that Barrister Olumide Akpata committed a horde of offences ranging from giving false information to the acquisition of citizenship of another country, which is a grand departure from the Nigerian Constitution’s accepted norms.

On the allegation of false information, Barrister Imansuangbon alleged that Barrister Akpata, while filling INEC form EC 9 “stated his name to be Akpata Olumide Anthony which is different from and not the same as Akpata Olumide Osaigbovo” which he earlier stated on oath to be his name and under which he contested and reportedly won the primary election of the LP.

Imansuangbon wanted the court to determine whether Akpata “has not supplied or otherwise given false information to the INEC within the meaning or contemplation of the provisions of section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022 read together with section 182(1) (a) and (j) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).”

On Akpata taking an oath of allegiance of Vanuatu, an independent and sovereign nation, Imansuangbon wanted clear interpretation of the Nigerian constitution to know if Akpata’s “claim on oath, in the said INEC form EC 9 that he has not voluntarily acquired the citizenship of another country is not or does not amount to false information, within the meaning of the provisions of section 29(5) of the Electoral Act, 2022, read together with section 182(1) (a) and (j) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria(as amended).”

On Oluyinka Faith Alufokhai, “who is parading herself” as the running mate of Barrister Akpata, the petitioner cited some information that she supplied in INEC form EC 9 which do not add up. The information includes that “she was born in 1981 and that she obtained her First School Leaving Certificate in the same year of her birth.

“Her name is Alufokhai Oluyinka Faith while her former name was Ikheafe and she obtained three certificates namely OND, HND and PGD the same year, 2005.”

Politics

Ondo APC Primary; A Disgrace To Democracy – Cleric

Published

2 days ago

April 22, 2024

Editor

…It’s a shame APC is taking Nigeria back to dark days

The Senior pastor of Awaiting The Second Coming Of Christ Ministry, Adewale Giwa, has faulted the conduct of the governorship primary election conducted by the All Progressives Congress, APC in Ondo state.

Giwa, described the exercise as a disgrace to democracy and called on President Bola Tinubu to quickly intervene.

Recall that the exercise was characterized with violence, protest in Okitipupa, ldanre, Akure, the state capital, Supare, Akoko South-West, and other areas, by governorship aspirants, party members across the state.

Political thugs who stormed voting centers, disrupted the exercise and prevent supporters of some governorship aspirants from voting.

The governorship aspirants complained that election materials were reportedly not taken to many wards across the state.

Giwa, while speaking in Akure, called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to invite the State Commissioner of Police for questioning.

“We all witnessed what happened in our state.The exercise in Ondo state was a season of great disappointment and embarrassment. We thought the era of thuggery was gone, not until it resurfaced.

“You deliberately bought sophisticated weapons for political thugs to wreck havoc on the people you intend to govern. It’s a shame that the APC is taking Nigeria back to the dark days.

“Thugs were freely moving around the state with AK-47 riffles in the presence of security agents, and nothing happened.

“What are they turning this Nigeria into? Why do politicians want to be in power at all costs?

” If people say they don’t want you, thank God and leave the position honorably.

“A journalist was beaten, harassed and attacked like a party member. What a shameful act!

“A good name is more desirable than great riches. I don’t know why people don’t think that nothing is permanent in life.

“As one of the stakeholders in Ondo state, it will be unfair for me to encourage or support rascality. The exercise is a disgrace to the nation’s democracy.

“If the APC could fail to conduct a primary election within themselves, how can they transform Nigeria?

“Let me call on President Bola Tinubu to quickly intervene for the interest of the nation’s democracy.

“Also, I urge the Inspector General of Police to invite the State Commissioner of Police for questioning why his officers failed to arrest the political thugs who were moving freely with guns and other dangerous weapons,” he said.