Politics
Presidential Tribunal: Heavens Won’t Fall If You’re Removed, Atiku Replies Tinubu
Published
2 years agoon
By
Editor
A former Vice President and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has tackled President Bola Tinubu over his position that nullifying the outcome of the presidential election that held on February 25, may lead to anarchy in the country.
Atiku, through his team of lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, said he observed that President Tinubu, in the final written address he filed before the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja, misunderstood the depth of issues that were raised against his election.
The PDP candidate, who placed reliance on Supreme Court decided case-law, maintained that the heavens would not fall, should the court nullify President Tinubu’s election.
According to him, “the fact that a presidential election has never been nullified by the Courts in Nigeria before now, is not a good reason not to do so now, as it is very just to do.”
In the process he filed before the court, Atiku, who came second in the presidential contest, stated: “At this stage, it is pertinent to observe from the outset that the 2nd Respondent’s Final Written Address, with respect, reflects a complete misconception and unfortunate misunderstanding of the case of the Petitioners, notwithstanding the magisterial arrogance, condescending cynicism and overbearing misanthropy with which he has sought to trivialise the Petitioners’ case, as will be shown hereunder.
“Furthermore, a subtle threat of apocalyptic catastrophe of national chaos and anarchy if a judgment is not given in a particular manner cannot deter a Court of law from doing justice.
‘The Court must do justice, rather ‘let the heavens fall’; but as courageously stated by the Supreme Court per Oguntade JSC, in the epic case of AMAECHI vs. INEC & ORS (2008) LPELR-446(SC) (Pp. 67-68 paras. D): ‘I must do justice even if the heavens fall. The truth of course is that when justice has been done, the heavens stay in place.’
READ ALSO: Atiku Blackmailing Judiciary, Yet To Recover From Shock Defeat – Tinubu
“It is also pertinent to observe that the Final Written Address of the 2nd Respondent was filed in flagrant defiance of, and non-compliance with, the mandatory provisions of Paragraph 5(c) and (d) of the Election Judicial Proceedings Practice Directions, 2023, rendering same invalid.
“We urge your Lordships to discountenance as well as strike out the said Final Written Address for gross non-compliance,” he added.
Alleging that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, “clearly mismanaged the election as shown by evidence,” the former VP, said the sole witness the electoral body produced before the court, admitted that the technological innovation introduced through the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, and transmission to the IReV portal, was to guarantee the transparency and integrity of the election results.
Atiku stressed that despite the innovations, INEC, through its witness, admitted that there was a “technical glitch” that made the system to fail to work.
He said the witness, who is a Director in charge of Information and Communication Technology, ICT, at the INEC, “further admitted that the Presidential and National Assembly elections were held on same day and with same BVAS machines.
“He openly admitted that at the time the result was declared on 1st March 2023, all the results had not been uploaded to the IReV.
“He was shown the European Union Observers Final Report, which was admitted as Exhibit RA6, and he read out the relevant portions indicting the conduct and outcome of the presidential election.
READ ALSO: 2023 Polls: INEC Meets Collation, Retuning Officers For Post-election Review
“It is instructive to note that despite the uniqueness of the new regime of election management, INEC failed to call even one field officer, or agent or staff, or any ward collation agent, or local government collation agent or state collation agent or poll officials, any of its numerous registration area technicians (Ractechs), or even the Presiding Officers (PO), Assistant Presiding Officer (APO 1, APO 11, APO 111) who handled the BVAS machines or who person who operated any aspect of the technological system including the IReV to give evidence or to even explain the nebulous technical glitch,” Atiku added.
Besides, he argued that President Tinubu did not call any witness in support of his claim of victory in the election, “but only one witness, a certain Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who claimed to be practising law in the United State as well as in Nigeria and at the same time, a serving Senator, who came to speak on the qualifications of the 2nd Respondent, and admitted that the name of the 2nd Respondent is the subject of the US forfeiture judgment admitted in Court as EXHIBIT PBF1.
“He admitted that the 2nd Respondent did not score 25% of the votes cast in the FCT in the election.”
Atiku, therefore, prayed the court to declare that the return of President Tinubu as winner of the election, “was invalidated by reason of substantial non-compliance with the mandatory provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 on electronic transmission of results for collation and verification by deliberate bypass of and failure to transmit the election results electronically.”
“The Petitioners have established that the return of the 2nd Respondent as the winner of the Presidential election held on 25th day of February 2023, was unlawful and unconstitutional, having not secured one-quarter of the valid votes cast in the FCT, Abuja as required by the Constitution of the Federal of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended).
“The Petitioners have established that the 2nd Respondent was clearly disqualified under the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended) to contest the Presidential election held on 25th day of February 2023, having regard to order of criminal forfeiture on him arising from drug-related offence, his declaration of allegiance to a country other than Nigeria and acquisition of citizenship of another Country, and presenting a forged certificate to the 1st Respondent.
“The Petitioners have proved that 2nd Respondent was not duly elected by majority of the lawful votes cast in the election.
“The Respondents proffered very scanty evidence in defence, and virtually abandoned their pleadings by not calling necessary witnesses, not having any credible defence to the Petition.
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“We submit with all sense of responsibility that this Nation and its Judiciary stand at the threshold of history. We submit that the fact that a presidential election has never been nullified by the Courts in Nigeria before now, is not a good reason not to do so now, as is very just to do.
“As was eloquently put by the celebrated Law Lord, Denning MR in the case of PACKER vs. PACKER (1954) AC P.15 AT 22:- ‘What is the argument on the other side? Only this, that no case has been found in which it had been done before. That argument does not appeal to me in the least. If we never do anything which has not been done before we shall never act anywhere. The law will stand still whilst the rest of the world goes on and that will be bad for both.’
“May our law and our country no more stand still, while the rest of the world goes on,” the PDP candidate added in the final brief of argument he filed alongside his party.
It will be recalled that President Tinubu had earlier challenged the legal competence of Atiku’s petition which he said grossly lacked merit.
In a preliminary objection he filed before the court, Tinubu, described Atiku as a consistent serial loser that had since 1993, crisscrossed different political parties, in search of power.
He said: “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 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”.
Insisting that he was validly returned as winner of the presidential election by INEC, Tinubu, told the court that unlike Atiku, he has been “a most consistent politician, who has not shifted political tendency and alignment.”
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Politics
Ovia By-election, Litmus Test To APC Success In 2027, Says Edo Deputy Gov
Published
8 hours agoon
August 10, 2025By
Editor
The deputy governor of Edo state, Hon. Dennis Idahosa has described next Saturday’s Ovia federal constituency by-election as a litmus test for the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 general elections.
He, therefore, said that the leadership and members of the party must do all that is necessary in terms of mobilisation and canvassing for votes to secure victory for the APC.
The deputy governor stated this at the party’s flag off campaign for the bye-election in Ovia South West on Saturday.
He noted that on the part of the government, Governor Monday Okpebholo has embarked on infrastructural transformation of the federal constituency to make life more meaningful for the people.
READ ALSO: Use Edo By-election As Template For APC’s Victory In 2027, Idahosa Urges Residents
At Siluko Ward, Idahosa told the electorates that aside having a high population, the community is one of the gateways into the state and therefore need to open up the area for development.
He said that the only support needed for the governor to do more is to work for the success of the APC on Saturday.
“Saturday’s by-election is to show our preparedness for the 2027 general elections. I want it to be a 100 perxent win for the APC.”
He said: “Be reminded that all the good things that have come to Siluko ward were facilitated by the APC government.
READ ALSO: Edo Bye-Elections: Labour Party Missing As INEC Unveils Political Parties Participating
“We are not taking this election for granted. When you get home, tell your family and neighbours that APC is one way, vote for Omosede Igbinedion, the only female candidate for the National Assembly from Edo state.”
On her part, the party’s candidate foe the poll, Igbinedion, while describing the deputy governor as a grassroot politician who has worked for the transformation of the federal constituency.
She appealed to the people not to relent on their support for the deputy governor, as well as the APC for more infrastructural development.
“Even in the cause of this campaigns, he (Idahosa) has brought some more projects to our communities.
READ ALSO: Choice Of Dennis Idahosa As Deputy Gave Us Victory- Okpebholo
“With you votes on Saturday, I am going to complement his efforts in Abuja for the total transformation of our constituency,” she promised.
Similarly, Senator Neda Imasuen asserted that as a second term member of the house, Igbinedion would be able to identify lapses she made in her first term and correct them and influence projects for the betterment of her constituents.
The council Chairman Hon. Nosakhare Edobo, said that the governor has shown commitment to the people to deserve their support.
Politics
Why We’re Reviving Igueben College Of Education — Okpebholo
Published
8 hours agoon
August 10, 2025By
Editor
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has explained why his administration reviving College of Education, Igueben, Igueben Local Government Area of the state.
The governor said the pivotal role the institution will play in bringing development to Igueben informed his decision to revamp the College.
Speaking during the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign tour of several wards in Edo Central Senatorial District, including Ward 4, 7, 8, Uzea Kingdom, and Ebele Kingdom over the weekend, the governor assured residents that the state’s higher institutions would receive the attention they deserve.
READ ALSO:Enabulele Lauds Okpehbolo For Creating Enabling Environment For Football To Thrive
He said: “We will continue to march forward. We are reviving the College of Education, Igueben. We have rolled out a ₦1 billion bursary scheme to cater for Edo indigenes in tertiary institutions.”
Okpebholo, who was received by the Enogie of Uzea and the Enogie of Ebele respectively during the visits, also welcomed decampees from other political parties, led by leaders of various groups from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including the former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Friday Itula, in Okpoju Ward 4.
The governor, while highlighting other achievements of his administration, noted that under the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Edo State has purchased tractors to boost agriculture, revived the moribund Edo Line Transport Company and cleared its debts, procured security vehicles, banned illegal revenue collection, and intensified the fight against kidnapping.
He added: “Anyone that wants the progress of this country should vote for Mr. President because he loves Edo State. Before now, they could not do anything for us.”
Politics
By-Election: APC Round Off Campaign In Ovia North East LGA, Optimistic Of Victory
Published
1 day agoon
August 9, 2025By
Editor
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rounded off its campaign for the August 16th bye-election for the Ovia federal constituency in Edo state.
The party which concluded its campaign with the rally at Utoka and Iguoshodin wards in Ovia North East on Friday, said it is optimistic of victory for the next Saturday poll.
Speaking at the rally, the state’s deputy governor, Hon Dennis Idahosa, said that the party has effectively intimated the people across the 13 wards that in the council area of its campaign promises.
He, however, noted that it is not all about rhetoric for the party has a history of delivery of its campaign promises to the people of Edo state.
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Idahosa further said that the APC candidate, Ms Omosede Igbinedion, being a former member of the House of Representatives, has the capacity and experience to attract developmental projects to the constituency.
“Come August 16, with the support of the people, she will take the day. And, this is Iguoshodin Ward. We do not hope to get anything less than 98 percent.
“We are not taking anything for granted. We are going to campaign in the 23 Wards that make Ovia federal Constituency. We are going into the units as this election means a lot to us.
READ ALSO: By-Election: Idahosa Assures Of More Infrastructural Development In Ovia
“We want to send someone that is competent, reliable, and understands the workings of the National Assembly (NASS) to represent the people of Ovia Federal Constituency. That person is Gabriella Omosede Igbinedion,” he said.
Meanwhile, the APC candidate said her support system is growing against the background of the defection of the immediate past deputy governor, Marvelous Omobayo.
According to her, “he, Omobayo, paid a surprise visit to my house last night, requesting for my campaign cap. He stated that he was going to wear it throughout this period.”
Simirlarly, the Senator representing Edo South in the NASS, Neda Imasuen, stressed that it is in the intestinal of the APC to win both August 16 scheduled bye-elections in Ovia federal constituency and the Edo Central senate seat.
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