The Court of Appeal Abuja has affirmed Olumide Akpata as the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Edo State.
In June, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja dismissed a suit seeking to void the nomination of Akpata as the LP candidate in the September 21 election.
In the judgement, Justice Omotosho upheld the arguments by Akpata’s lawyer, Johnson Usman, (SAN) that the plaintiffs were without the legal right to institute the suit.
Details Soon…
In a disturbing development, the Nigeria Police Force has arrested Kunle Wizeman Ajayi, the African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate for Ondo State, and Patrick Owolabi, a member of the Take It Back (TIB) Movement.
The arrests occurred in Akure, the Ondo State capital, during the 10th day of a nationwide protest against hunger, hardship, and what protesters describe as bad governance under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Ajayi and Owolabi were participating in the ongoing #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest, which has seen Nigerians across the country expressing their dissatisfaction with the current economic conditions and governance through peaceful demonstrations.
The protest, which started as a nationwide hunger protest, has entered its 10th day, with citizens demanding urgent reforms. The TIB leadership has condemned the arrests, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of both Ajayi and Owolabi. In a statement on social media platform X, the group criticized the police’s actions, calling them “unfortunate and shameful.”
The TIB’s post read, “It’s unfortunate that the @PoliceNG is yet to learn. The continued clampdown on peaceful #EndBadGovernceInNigeria protesters is a total shame. We condemn the unlawful arrest of Ajayi Wizeman & Patrick Owolabi in Ondo State and we demand their immediate and unconditional release!” Earlier reports indicated that Ondo State residents took to the streets on Saturday for a one-million-man march, marking the 10th day of the protests. The demonstrators carried banners and placards with messages such as “#We are hungry. End Bad Governance in Nigeria,” reflecting the deepening frustration among citizens. . The protest, initially peaceful, has turned violent in various parts of the country, including the Nigerian capital, due to the heavy-handed response from police and other security agencies. Journalists and media professionals covering the events have also been targeted in the crackdown. As tensions continue to rise, the demand for accountability and better governance remains at the forefront of the protests.
The Leadership of the APC in Kogi has finally screened Alhaji Murtala Yakubu-Ajaka, a frontline governorship aspirant after his purported suspension by the party on Thursday.
Also screened by the party were the State Deputy Governor, Chief Edward Onoja and Sen. Smart Adeyemi, all anxious to lead the people of Kogi come Jan. 27, 2024.
Yakubu-Ajaka ‘s screening was made possible after Gov. Yahaya Bello waded into the crisis.
He was suspended for alleged anti-party activities, which the governor frowned at.
Bello, being the leader of the party in Kogi, warned against bickerings that could undermine the peace and unity the APC had been known for, under his leadership.
He had directed all aspirants in the forthcoming governorship primaries in the state to focus on their strengths in wooing party members and refrain from divisive tendencies in the interest of the party.
Yakubu-Ajaka from Kogi East is also the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC.
Shortly after his screening, Yakubu-Ajaka described his purported suspension as an “avoidable distraction” and thanked the governor for his fatherly role at solving the matter.
“I will rather remain focused so as to emerge victorious in the forthcoming APC primary election scheduled for April 10.
“All I want is for all members of the party, especially my supporters across the state to remain calm, because in a political contest of this nature, there is room for clash of interests.
“By the grace of God, everything legitimate will be done to ensure a well deserving victory for me at the forthcoming primary election, ” he assured.
20 people from different political parties are jostling for the number one seat in Kogi after Bello’s exit on Jan. 27, 2024.
The Enugu State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council has described the allegation of forgery of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate against its governorship candidate, Dr. Peter Mbah as false.
The party said the allegation was the conjecture of an indolent opposition and the last kick of a dying horse.
This is contained in a statement by the Director of Public Communications and Spokesperson Enugu State PDP Campaign Council, Mr. Nana Ogbodo on Monday in Enugu.
The statement said the opposition in Enugu had since came to terms with the fact that they had no prospects in the 2023 governorship election and resorted to smearing campaigns.
According to the statement, there is no truth whatsoever to the allegation.
“Our attention has been drawn to a press conference by a faceless group in Abuja, which claimed to have conducted a check at the NYSC under the Freedom of Information Act 2011.
“The check purportedly showed that our governorship candidate, Dr. Peter Mbah, submitted a forged NYSC certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“We make bold to say that Mbah was duly mobilised for the one-year mandatory National Youth Service in Lagos in 2002, duly completed the exercise, and was issued with an NYSC discharge certificate.
“We state unequivocally that these purveyors of malicious falsehood are the real forgers, as everything about the letter they claimed to have emanated from the NYSC bears all the imprimaturs of forgery.
“The language too inelegant and unofficial to have emanated from the NYSC.
“We have equally observed that the said malicious press statement was not signed by any official of the faceless group.
The statement added that the campaign group called on media organisations and interested Nigerians to approach the NYSC to confirm the veracity of the purported letter.
“We are however, taking steps in accordance with the provisions of the law to bring the perpetrators to book,” it said.
The Enugu PDP Campaign Council recalled that the opposition had tried their hands in other malicious and criminal falsehoods, including forgery of court processes to malign and bring down Dr. Peter Mbah.
“Rather than present and market their manifestos to the Enugu electorate, they had earlier forged court processes.
“They filed frivolous and malicious lawsuits claiming that Mbah had entered into a plea of guilt and plea bargain, hence not qualified to stand for election.
“We call on the Nigerian public to disregard this latest perfidy as the umpteenth mischief by an indolent opposition and last kick of a dying horse”, the statement added.
The governorship candidate of the National Rescue Movement in Adamawa State, Alhaji Aliyu Maina, was on Thursday confirmed dead one month to the general election.
Maina died the same day that Prof Eleazar Ikonne died at the National Hospital Abuja.
He was said to have died on Wednesday, January 25 after a brief illness in Abuja, the same day the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abia State, Prof. Uchenna Ikonne, was confirmed dead.
The National Publicity Secretary of the NRM, Olusola Afuye, confirmed the incident in a statement.
According to the statement from the family, late Alhaji Abba Maina died on Wednesday, January 25 at his residence in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, after a brief illness.
He has been buried according to Muslim rite. We pray to Almighty Allah to protect his family and all his loved ones.
“We are also calling on all his family members, business and political associates to show late Maina’s family love and care during this mourning period.
Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, on Monday confirmed that the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Governorship Candidate, Prof. Uche Ikonne, is ill.
Ikpeazu made the confirmation in a local radio programme, monitored in Umuahia.
The governor, however, said that Ikonne was “recovering gradually and progressively”.
According to him, Ikonne attended some rallies organised by the PDP in Abia, including the Nov. 24, 2022, launch of the party’s state-wide campaign at the Umuahia Township Stadium.
He further said that Ikonne left the stadium for a gala night, organised in honour of the G-5 Governors in his (Ikpeazu) Umuobiakwa country home in Obingwa, “where he managed to give a speech and then he took ill”.
“It is unfortunate that he is lately indisposed but I want to report some progress and the progress is that Ikonne is recovering gradually and progressively.
“He has left the hospital and is going through convalescence.
“I am sure that he will be strong enough in the future to join,” the governor said.
Ikpeazu urged residents of the state to keep hope alive, assuring them that Ikonne would soon bounce back.
He contended that his absence from the political space this time “will not define the progress of the campaigns or agenda of PDP in the state.
“It might be the wish of detractors that Ikonne’s absence will linger,” he said.
He recalled that when he was ill himself, “permutations changed and people were allocating positions to themselves.
“I’m sure they even appropriated my wife to themselves,” the governor said.
NAN reports that speculations about Ikonne’s health challenge became rife, following his sudden withdrawal from public functions after the stadium event.
Meanwhile, Ikpeazu has assured the people that no other party had the capacity to displace PDP in the state.
He said the “PDP is very very powerful” in Abia and that no other party compared with it in terms of strength.
He said, “Some of them may have supporters in one or two local governments but they cannot put 100 people each across Abia.”
He also spoke about some of the achievements of his administration, including the expansion of business opportunities in Aba and socio-political stability in the state.
Ikpeazu, who is the Senatorial Candidate for Abia South, promised to replicate his achievements in the Senate, if given the mandate.
He is up in the race against the incumbent, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, who is seeking reelection to the Upper Chamber for the fifth consecutive time.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State has said it’s governorship candidate for next year’s election, Sheriff Oborevwori is riding high and above his contenders in the race.
The party said Oborevwori, with his M.O.R.E. Agenda, is set to deliver to Deltans a state where love, peace, prosperity for all is the principal focus.
PDP made this known in a press release issued by the Deputy Director, Media and Publicity Committee, PDP Campaign Council, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza.
Osuoza who was reacting to claims by the main opposition party in the state, All Progressive Congress (APC) that the PDP was in crisis, urged Deltans to ignore the APC cycle of lies, illusion and delusion.
With a wave of the hand, Osuoza dismissed APC’s claims that PDP excos, unit leaders and canvassers had dumped the umbrella party.
Rather, Osuoza said the reality is that the PDP in Delta State is united, peaceful and working hard collectively across the state to ensure that all its candidates across board win the 2023 elections with convincing votes.
According to him, the opposition party’s false claims confirmed “the persistent disinformation embarked on by the clueless APC even in the face of strong contradictory evidence, proves the opposition party and those behind the propaganda as possessing symptom of a psychiatric condition.
“It’s inconceivable that anyone, will against all caution imposed by the ambiance of peace and calm that pervades the PDP across Delta State prefer to live in delusion by claiming and wanting the good and right-thinking people of the state to believe the deception that ‘Peoples Democratic Party in Delta State has been thrown into further crisis as party executives, unit leaders, party canvassers.’”
Urging Deltans to ignore the APC lies and figment of its imagination, the PDP said there is “no iota of truth in the APC story, but propaganda with the intention to trick the unwary to believe something that does not correspond with the known and observable fact.
“The observable fact is that PDP in Delta State is united; it is in peace and working hard collectively across the state to ensure that all its candidates across board win the 2023 elections with massive votes.
“The party that has just concluded the arduous runs when its campaign trains cruised through all the wards in the state, selling its candidates and evangelizing for the people’s votes in an atmosphere that was devoid of rancour cannot be the same party that APC wants people to believe is a party in crisis.
“Indeed, all the party leaders, chieftains, followers, and supporters received the campaign train with fanfare, turning the ward campaigns into carnivals even as the candidates were introduced to the people on each occasion. Besides, many former members of the APC dumped the party, made bonfires of the broom, the party’s symbol, and were received into the PDP.
“At the PDP ward campaigns, APC was exposed and likened to the ‘expired bad drug’ that Nigerians must avoid like the leper. It has even been said severally that those who will vote for APC will define the number of mad people in Nigeria. Is it the party with this type of profile and perception that Deltans want to go with?
“It is no news, therefore, that APC is Nigeria’s Achilles heel, and has been rejected.
“In Delta State, our governorship candidate, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori is riding high, and with his M.O.R.E. agenda, he is set to deliver to Deltans a State where love, peace, prosperity for all is the principal focus.
“PDP therefore, calls on Deltans to ignore the APC cycle of lies, illusion, and delusion.”
The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Gombe State Jibrin Barde has outlined ten concrete things he would do if voted governor to transform the state into the business hub of north eastern Nigeria.
TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports, Barde disclosed this while flagging off his campaign in Gombe stating his plans to change narrative of the state to a joyful noise.
He explained that the ten concrete things will cut across all segments saying:
“Firstly, we will create an education fund to intense financing and commence rebuilding and equipping 250 primary and secondary schools each to world class standard in the first 100 days. This will reduce our out of school children and improve our education outcomes.
“We will open all tertiary institutions that have been closed down by this administration including the state university of technology Kumho for the benefit of our people, our children and restore the government bond for our medical students on day one of our administration.
“We will fix the dilapidated healthcare facilities with the focus on equipments, drugs and staffing to reduce maternal and child mortality across the state commencing in the first 100 day of our office.
“We will build economic and climate smart infrastructure and create modular factories in mining, cement production etc to drive industrial growth.
“We will also ensure that we provide, tax breaks to big businesses and also wave taxes to our small businesses in order to ensure that they grow and provide their own support to the society.
“We will expand Gombe regional water supply and implement Gombe south regional water supply in the medium to long term.
“We will make Gombe the regional hub of agricultural marketing in the northeast by providing policy and financing support to our farmers to procure all the needed farm implements and inputs as well as easy means of transporting farm produce. This means better returns for our farmers and better access to produce for our consumers.
“We will return all lands and farm lands taken away unjustly from the owners and from farm owners and from farmers.
“We will restore the N5,000 monthly stipends paid the women and expand it to cover the vulnerable and indigents and reintroduce the state marshals in the first 100 days.
“We will make Gombe civil service the envy of Nigeria by right recruitment and placement.
“We will pay a minimum living wage, institute a periodic review and ensure that a service culture is in place, top-down so that when you deal with the state government you will know that there is zero corruption and we are on your side.
“We will settle all outstanding pension, gratuity and severance allowances in the first 100 days of our office to all our workers who have served this state diligently.
“We will operate data driven and evidence base governance, safeguard our treasury, be prudent with our resources and make public our financial affairs of the state on a quarterly basis.
“We will restore rule of law and ensure the independence of the legislature and the judiciary.
“When we leave office insha Allah, Gombe state will have changed to an economically driven, prosperous state that is fully integrated as a world class state with efficient public service, transport system, as a tourist destination for healthcare and education, with a thriving airport city.
… flags-off campaign with 10-point-agenda
…vows to take Gombe to greater heights
…tackle unemployment and poverty
… promises to build 250 world class pry and Secondary schs in first 100days
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Gombe guber candidate Jibrin Mohammed Barde has alleged that the outgoing APC government has frittered away N300billon on virtually nothing.
Barde while speaking at the party’s flag-off gave a catalogue of woes bedeviling Gombe despite its many natural endowments.
He explained that the outgoing administration had frittered away over N300billion without anything tangible to show for it despite not servicing any inherited loan but accumulated loans for the state.
“Yet the economic prosperity is absent, the situation is still in very bad shape, there’s no guarantee for life, our farmers struggle to farm, herdsmen have no where to graze.
“Our traders are losing their capital and resources everyday without support from government.
” It’s not the case of no resources and not Abuja question, it’s the question of governance and lack of leadership.
“Unfortunately the public service the last stabiliser of governance has been weakened and disenfranchised with accountability mechanism being ignored and flouted.
“Several loans obtained and 62percent of our indigenes are wallowing in poverty and hunger staring the citizens and this is a question of leadership.
“As we speak now over 700,000 children are out of school and 69percent of our youths are currently unemployed.
“As we witness this unprecedented mismanagement of of our common wealth where’s is then the foundation of of our future and future of our children and as part of our vision we will put ten concrete things into place.
“As such we are here offering ourselves not with the desire for power or ambition but to provide accountable and pragmatic leadership to our people to which you can hold me to account.
“Create an education task fund to enable us galvanise education within 100days.
“In the first 100days of our administration we shall provide 250 world class primary and secondary schools each to world class standard.
” This will reduce the number of drop out children from our schools for the benefits of our children.
“Open all tertiary institutions in our State, including State University of Technology in Kumho immediately for the benefits of our people and children within the first day of our administration.
“We will fix the dilapidated health care services in the State, with a focus to get good health equipment, reduce child and mother mortality rate, restore government bond with medical students on day one of our administration, tax breaks to big businesses and small scale businesses to ensure they grow.
“We will create modular factories in mining, cement production turn Gombe into a regional agricultural hub of the north east.
“Expand Gombe north Water supply and implement Gombe south regional Water supply in the medium and long term.
“Provide policy to support for farmers and return all lands illegally taken away from our indigenes.
“Provide transportation for our farmers as this will reduce the cost of produce.
“Pay all outstanding pensions to pensioners and restore the rule of law in Gombe and by the time we leave office we will be leaving behind a world class state.
The Ogun State governorship candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party, Prof. David Bamgbose, is dead, six days after he announced himself as the party’s candidate.
Late Prof. David Bamgbose
Bamgbose’s death was confirmed by his personal assistant and Asst. Senior Pastor of Peace and Love Church, Mr Oduntan Olayemi.
He explained that Bamgbose had complained of tiredness a day earlier, and was taken to hospital around Olomore, where he was referred to Federal Medical Central, Abeokuta.
He was then admitted at Lantoro where he was given oxygen till today (Friday).
“He complained of tiredness yesterday and we decided to take him to an hospital around Olomore. We were referred to the FMC for further checks
“We opted for the state hospital, Lantoro because of the urgency and he was admitted at the emergency ward where he was administer oxygen till today (Friday).
“I got back to the hospital this morning and I met him breathing too fast and heavy. I was at where I went to get him some prescribed medication that he has passed on”, Olayemi narrated.
Bamgbose had recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party over allegation of taking away the PDP Ogun West Senatorial ticket from him.