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Tag: Petitions

  • APC asks tribunal to dismiss 3 opposition parties’ petitions against Tinubu’s victory

    APC asks tribunal to dismiss 3 opposition parties’ petitions against Tinubu’s victory

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has prayed the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC) in Abuja to dismiss petitions filed by three opposition parties challenging the victory of its presidential candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu, in the Feb. 25 election.

    The APC urged the tribunal to discountenance the petitions, in three separate responses filed at PEPC’s Secretariat, Sunday night, by Thomas Ojo, a member of the party’s legal team led by Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, in Abuja.

    The three political parties; Action Alliance (AA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Action People’s Party (APP) had, in separate petitions, challenged the emergence of Tinubu as president-elect.

    AA, in the petition, sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC, Tinubu and Hamza Al-Mustapha, its factional presidential candidate and former CSO to late Gen. Sani Abacha.

    APM, in its petition, joined INEC, APC, Tinubu, Kashim Shettima and Kabir Masari, who stood as vice-presidential placeholder during the primaries before he was substituted with Shettima.

    But APP dragged Tinubu, APC and INEC to court as 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.

    In the suits, marked CA/PEPC/01/2023, CA/PEPC/04/2023 and CA/PEPC/02/2023, AA and its presidential candidate, APM and APP are respectively challenging the outcome of the presidential election on the grounds of alleged substantial non-compliance with the electoral laws as well as the INEC guidelines.

    While the AA claimed that its candidate, Solomon-David Okanigbuan, was excluded from the presidential poll, based on which the election should be voided, the APM is contending that Tinubu was not qualified to contest the election on the grounds of the alleged double nomination of his vice-presidential candidate.

    It is also questioning Tinubu’s candidacy on the grounds of the substitution of the initial placeholder, Kabir Masari, with Shettima.

    On its parts, the APP claimed that Tinubu was, at the time of the election, not qualified to contest the poll by virtue of the provisions of Sections 131(c) and 142 of the Constitution and Section 35 of the Electoral Act 2022.

    Responding, the APC faulted the claim by the AA that its presidential candidate was excluded from the election, arguing that its known candidate, Mr Al-Mustapha, participated in the election.

    It stated that contrary to AA’s claim, Tinubu “was duly elected and returned as the President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, having won the majority of lawful votes cast in the said election devoid of corrupt practices or vices and in substantial compliance with the provisions of Electoral Act 2022 (as amended).”

    It argued that the ground on which the AA brought its petition “is not meritorious and facts in support of
    same are not availing to validate the petitioners’ claims and/or purported right to present the instant petition.”

    The APC added that Okanigbuan (listed as the 2nd petitioner “is not the 1st petitioner’s (AA’s validly nominated and sponsored candidate to contest the presidential elections held on Feb. 25.

    APC also argued that as against the AA’s claim, INEC (listed as the 1st respondent) did not unlawfully exclude Okanigbuan’s name because he was never the lawfully nominated and sponsored candidate of the petitioner, which did not submit his name to INEC as its candidate for the election.

    It added that there is no evidence that the AA conducted a valid primary from which Okanigbuan emerged as a candidate, noting that Al-mustapha was the actual candidate of the AA, who was recognised by INEC.

    The APC stated that Okanigbuan was not nominated and sponsored by the AA as its candidate to contest the presidential elections, adding that the party “was not and could not have been excluded from the election as it participated in the presidential election with the 4th respondent (Al-mustapha) as its candidate” who participated in the election and scored 14,542 votes.

    In its notice of preliminary objection, the APC questioned the competence of the petition, noting that it was based solely on pre-election issues.

    It said: “For an election petition to be competent, it must complain against the return and/or election of the winner of the disputed election.

    “The instant petition is neither challenging and/or questioning the election of the 2nd and/or 3rd respondent (APC/Tinubu).

    “The petition as presently constituted amounts to a pre-election matter of nomination and sponsorship of candidate(s).

    “The crux of the petition being the nomination and sponsorship of the 1st petitioner’s candidate is statute barred, having not been commenced within the mandatory 14 days provided for under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999;

    “Issues of nomination, sponsorship and exclusion of candidates for an election are issues that precede the conduct of an election and are pre-election matters that cannot be raised of canvased before an election
    tribunal.

    “Facts in support of the petition speak to intra —party issues, pre-election disputes and administrative actions of INEC triable by Federal High Court under Section 285 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as altered by the 4th Alteration Act and outside the original jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal being a Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.”

    Also in its reply, the APC prayed the tribunal to dismiss APM’s petition.

    The party, in its preliminary objection equally filed on Sunday, argued that “the petitioner (APM) alone in the absence of its sponsored candidate cannot benefit and did not have any special interest in the election or return of the 3rd respondent (Tinubu) as the winner of the election.

    The APC queried the legal capacity of the party to challenging the mode it adopted in nominating its candidate.

    The APC argued that since the APM was not a member of the party, it did not know “how it becomes the petitioner’s business how it nominates its candidates.

    “The petitioner does not fall under the category of persons that can challenge the internal working operation of the 2nd respondent (APC) regarding the nomination and sponsorship of the 2nd respondent’s candidates for the election.”

    The APC equally faulted the competence of the petition by the APP, arguing that the grounds on which it was founded is not sustainable.

    It described the petition as frivolous and an attempt to waste the court’s time.

    The presidential candidates of Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, are also challenging the election.

    Tinubu and Shettima, the vice president-elect, are, however, within time to respond to all the petitions.

    Based on provisions of the law, a respondent has within 21 days to reply to a petition after a service.

  • Court okays Atiku to serve Tinubu petition

    Court okays Atiku to serve Tinubu petition

    The Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has been granted permission by the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) to serve their petitions on Bola Tinubu through the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    According to  PDP and Atiku’s lawyer, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, he prayed the court to grant his client permission to serve the petition and other accompanying processes on the respondents through the APC.

    In his argument, the APM lawyer, Mr Oyetola Atoyebi, SAN, also asked the court to give him permission to serve Tinubu, Shettima and Masari through the APC.

    A three-member panel sitting in Abuja on Friday presided over by Justice Haruna Tsammani also granted permission to Peter Obi of the Labour Party to serve their petitions on Mr Kashim Shettima and Kabir Masari through the APC.

    The three-member panel granted the request while ruling on three separate ex parte applications filed by Atiku and PDP; Obi and LP and Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

    Arguing the motion on behalf of Atiku and the PDP, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, prayed the court to grant his client permission to serve the petition and other accompanying processes on the respondents through the APC.

    Arguing for the APM, Mr Oyetola Atoyebi, SAN, also asked the court to give him permission to serve Tinubu, Shettima and Masari through the APC.

  • It is criminal to pay to report cases or treat petitions – Police

    It is criminal to pay to report cases or treat petitions – Police

    The Nigerian Police Force has disclosed that it is criminal to pay to pay to report cases or treat petitions, and unacceptable.

    CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, disclosed this on Twitter in reaction to claims made by Twitter users that they were asked to pay money at the police station to report a case.

    A Twitter user @ifedibatobenna2 had taken to his handle to inform the police spokesperson that he was made to pay N150, 000 when he went to Zone 2 to write a petition against someone.

    ”sir I went to zone 2 to write a petition against someone…150k fiam..is it lawful??… please kindly give me a reply… Thanks”

    Adejobi took his time to respond, stating that Nigerians are not to pay for anything when they visit stations to report cases. According to him, the force tries to an extent to provide stationaries for stations so cases can be documented when reported.

    Read Tweets and his response below:

  • 2023: ICPC wont work on politically motivated petitions – Chairman

    2023: ICPC wont work on politically motivated petitions – Chairman

    Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has warned politicians against frivolous corruption petitions against their opponents.

    The ICPC Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye gave the warning on Friday in Abuja while hosting the leadership of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) at the Commission’s Headquarters.

    Owasanoye said the ICPC will not work on politically motivated petitions.

    “Usually when the season for competition comes, there is a spike in politically motivated petitions for wild-goose chase.

    “Some are brazen enough to tell you that “we should make sure to stop Mr A from contesting” and they will bring a petition forward.

    “That is not our job, and we will not get involved in those things. We pack those type of petitions aside basically.

    “Even if there is implication of merit within the complaint, we will say “go and compete first”. We are not going to be the ones to be used to give you fair or unfair advantage.

    “When the competition is over, we will decide on the merit or otherwise of what you have brought forward”.

    He, however, explained that ICPC has an existing understanding with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on how to go about genuine electoral petitions when the need arises.

    “We do have an understanding with INEC that in cases where contestants challenge each other in court and the decision says somebody forged a certificate for example, INEC will send those things to us. We are prosecuting a few of them at the moment.

    “Those are ways we will add value without compromising ourselves or exposing our officers to the compromise and desperation of politicians during the contest.” he said.

    The ICPC boss challenged political parties to conduct thorough check of their candidates in the interest of the nation, adding that the fortune of any nation depended on the type of leaders it gets.

    “The he pruning process should start with political parties, charity should begin at home, he added.

    Earlier, Chairman of IPAC, Mr Yabagi Sani, said that the visit was to enhance collaboration with the anti-graft agency in ensuring that politicians with questionable characters were not elected into office.

    “The activities that will lead to the emergence of a government that will preside over the affairs of this nation is something that all stakeholders must buy into so as to have a free, fair and credible election come 2023.

    “Politics is management of crisis and we believe that if we can get the recruitment of leadership right, which will come from due diligence we are expected to carry out, the leaders will conduct themselves in a manner that will give this country the kind of respect we expect in the comity of nations.

    “That is by ensuring that governance is free from all shades of corruption,” Yabagi said.

  • ICPC probing 100 petitions on recruitment scam

    ICPC probing 100 petitions on recruitment scam

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), says its has received and is investigating 100 petitions on recruitment scam from victim institutions and complicit individuals.

    ICPC Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, revealed this at the policy dialogue on “entrenching transparency in public service recruitment process in Nigeria” on Tuesday in Abuja.

    The policy dialogue was organised by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), which is the research and training arm of ICPC.

    The dialogue is aimed at producing a policy brief to guide the national response to the issue of curbing corruption and reducing the high level of irregularities in public service recruitment in Nigeria.

    It is also meant to assist governments to get the right number and quality of public service workforce.

    Owasanoye said that indiscriminate recruitment had continued to have a negative impact on personnel budget leading to rise in personnel wage geometrically and almost doubling.

    He said the personnel wage bill had risen from N1.832 trillion in 2015 to N3.494 trillion in 2022, adding that “in actual fact, many Nigerians in both official and non-official quarters have expressed serious concerns over the growing patronage system in the public sector.

    “The timing of this policy dialogue cannot have come at a better time than now. This is because there is near consensus across our country and across all political divides that there is a lack of transparency in the public service recruitment process across all tiers of government in our country.

    “This is regardless of which political party holds the reign of power in these three tiers of government (federal, state and local). To underscore the corruption prevalent in the process, ICPC has received and is investigating almost 100 petitions on recruitment scam from innocent victims. The situation festers due to lack of transparency,” he said.

    The ICPC boss said the policy dialogues generally were meant to deliberate on issues that focus on more systemic and institutional improvements.

    This, according to him, will be sustainable regardless of changes in political administration. He added that the concomitant policy brief was meant to offer solutions that were practicable and directly relevant to the improvement of the subject matter of the policy.

    Owasanoye said that the Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State had recently raised a serious concern that the recruitment into the security agencies (the police and others) had been politicised.

    He quoted Zulum as saying that “governors, ministers and other top government functionaries have recruitment slots who are not interviewed, whether they are qualified for the job or not.

    “These people do not appear to us that the meritocratic tradition in the public service which to some degree, up to the SOS in our counting, is gradually disappearing and very few islands of recruitment integrity only remaining.

    “This is a matter of grave concern that needs to be critically, objectively and robustly discussed in this particular dialogue session,” he said.

    However, the ICPC boss expressed the hope that the policy dialogue made up of experienced, knowledgeable and diverse stakeholder groups across official and non-official divides, would take a more dispassionate look into the problem which was almost becoming endemic.

  • Anambra 2021: Let APC, Uba petitions be, By Ehichioya Ezomon

    Anambra 2021: Let APC, Uba petitions be, By Ehichioya Ezomon

    By Ehichioya Ezomon
    Before Anambra 2021, previous governorship elections in the state since 1999 had only two formidable political parties battling for control of power, but the November 6 and 9, 2021, poll showcased four parties scheming for the prime position.
    While the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) needed a win to retain the state it has ruled for 15 years, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) a return to power that’s cut short in 2006; the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Young Progressives Party (YPP) wanted a foothold in Anambra for the first time.
    Each of the parties had a burden to discharge, with the poll serving as a referendum on the ruling APGA at the state level and the APC at the national stage, and a test case for the PDP and YPP.
    As the APGA and APC were judged on the achievements of the eight-year government of outgoing Governor Willie Obiano, and the six-year administration of President Mohammadu Buhari; the PDP and YPP were tested on their viability to take over power at the federal and local levels, respectively.
    Despite the fears that insecurity could mar the process, as witnessed pre-Election Day, the franchise, measured against past exercises, came out reasonably free, fair and credible. And the credit goes to all the stakeholders in the electoral management.
    From the results collated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Charles Soludo of the APGA polled 112,229 votes; Chief Valentine Ozoigbo (PDP) scored 53,807 votes; Senator Andy Uba (APC) received 43,285; while Senator Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP) garnered 21,261 votes to rank first, second, third and fourth, accordingly, at the poll that’s initially inconclusive.
    The margin of lead of 58,422 votes, and the highest scores in 19 of the 21 local governments satisfied the constitutional provisions for INEC to declare Prof. Soludo as winner and Governor-elect, and subsequently issued him, along with his Deputy Governor-elect, Dr Onyeka Ibezim, a Certificate of Return for his victory.
    But as Prof. Soludo commences observing the countdown to the March 2022 takeover of power from Governor Obiano for his first term in office till 2026, he’s cautioned to apply the breaks.
    Not so fast, say the APC and Senator Uba, who contend that the election, widely adjudged as passing the credibility test, was fraudulently conducted to favour the APGA and Prof. Soludo.
    They aver to have facts to puncture what INEC has declared, which said facts they’re willing to place before the Election Petitions Tribunal, and possibly the Appeal Court and Supreme Court.
    But the APC and Senator Uba are facing fierce criticisms and opposition within and outside the party, with pressure mounting on them to shelve the court process and accept defeat.
    All “interventionists” in the Anambra election follow the same or similar train of argument, urging that the APC and Senator Uba’s attainment of the third position at the poll was an unprecedented feat worth celebrating by the party members.
    However, the clamour for the APC and Senator Uba to drop their legal redress is verging on blackmail, with some claiming that the Anambra people “will hate Senator Uba more” for defying President Muhammadu Buhari’s congratulation of Prof. Soludo.
    The don’t-challenge-the-election-outcome crowd seems to suggest that were the APC and Senator Uba to triumph in the courts, President Buhari would refuse to accept Uba as Governor-elect!
    What an illogical spin! Because the election is perceived as free, fair and credible, any aggrieved political party or candidate, no matter the facts at their disposal, shouldn’t contest the poll in the courts!
    While politicians often claim that elections they lose are rigged against them, the public shouldn’t view any challenge to even remotely credible polls as an affront to the people’s mandate.
    This is the scenario that’s dogged the APC and Senator Uba, with even high-profile members of the party not prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt in their claim of fraud at the poll.
    A major counter to APC’s averment is that Senator Uba fell behind the purported 230,201 votes cast by party members at the APC primaries, to assume the candidate in the November balloting.
    Indeed, where did the 348,490 accredited APC members, or the 230,201 members that “voted” for Senator Uba at the primaries go to on Election Day, that he received only 43,285 votes?
    The next puzzle is that, the 348,490 accredited APC members at the primaries that returned Senator Uba as candidate exceeded, by 95,102, the 253,388 accredited Anambra voters in November.
    The arithmetic is simple. If the 348,490 APC members at the primaries, the 230,201 members that voted to crown Senator Uba as the APC candidate, or half of either figures had showed up for the APC on Election Day, Senator Uba would’ve received more votes than the 112,229 votes recorded by Prof. Soludo, and be declared as the Governor-elect of Anambra.
    Obviously, the above calculations, and permutations informed the clamour for the APC and Senator Uba to toe the path of honour and acknowledge their resounding defeat at the election.
    That said, it’s the right of the APC and Senator Uba to seek redress in the courts if they felt they’re robbed of victory at the poll they didn’t register any win in the 21 local governments of Anambra.
    At a meeting of APC leaders in Akwa, the capital city of Anambra, the state party chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike, and Senator Uba were empathic that the election was fraudulently conducted, and that they’d take legal action to remedy the alleged malfeasance.
    Ejidike said: “We are heading to court. APGA and INEC are aware that they compromised during the election and we have evidences to challenge INEC’s declaration in the court of law.
    “Ndi Anambra and the world at large would bear testimony to the fact that, on the eve of the election, the outgoing Governor Obiano administration had, through its Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. C. Don Adinuba, told everyone that the APC had written results of 10 Local Government Areas.
    “Unknown to us, however, that false alarm was aimed at deflecting attention from the manipulation of the BVAS machine by APGA and a top official of INEC – a fact which a national newspaper had, weeks earlier, drawn attention to.”
    In affirmation of that stance, Senator Uba said: “We will be heading to court with the discoveries we have, which show that the declaration of Soludo as the Governor-elect is faulty.
    “As governor, I was removed, after 17 days of being sworn-in, by (a ruling of) the Supreme Court of Nigeria and I did not die. So, the current development won’t hurt me… This, I can assure you.”
    So, let the APC and Senator Uba present proofs of the alleged manipulation of the November 6 and 9 combined election to the Election Petitions Tribunal, for the legal fireworks to begin.
    As Nigeria has, through the machination of politicians, ceded the final say on elections to the courts, we should salute the APC and Senator Uba for ventilating their grievances in the courts, and refrain from prejudging the outcome of the proposed writ.
    Mr. Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
  • NJC recommends retirement of two judges, dismisses petitions against 18 others

    NJC recommends retirement of two judges, dismisses petitions against 18 others

    The National Judicial Council has recommended the compulsory retirement of two judges and dismissed petitions against 18 others.

    In a statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Information, Soji Oye, the decision followed NJC’s 93rd Meeting which held in Abuja virtually on December 16.

    According to him, the affected judges are Hon. Grand Kadi, Shu’aibu A. Talba, the Grand Kadi of Yobe State and Hon. Justice Abdulkareem Babatunde Abdulrasaq of Osun State High Court.

    “The National Judicial Council at its 93rd Meeting of 16th December 2020 held virtually has recommended the compulsory retirement of Hon. Grand Kadi, Shu’aibu A. Talba, the Grand Kadi of Yobe State and Hon. Justice Abdulkareem Babatunde Abdulrasaq of Osun State High Court with immediate effect,” the statement partly read.

    “Similarly, Council considered the Report of the Interview Committee and recommended the appointment of Sixty-nine (69) Judicial Officers as Heads of Court, Judges of High Court of States, Kadis of States/FCT Sharia Courts of Appeal and Judges of the Customary Courts of Appeal.”

    SEE FULL STATEMENT:

    PRESS RELEASE

    18th December, 2020

    • NJC recommends the compulsory retirement of two Judicial Officers, dismisses petitions against 18 others;

     

    • Recommends appointment of 69 (Sixty-Nine) Judicial Officers

    The National Judicial Council at its 93rd Meeting of 16 December 2020 held virtually has recommended the compulsory retirement of Hon. Grand Kadi, Shu’aibu A. Talba, the Grand Kadi of Yobe State and Hon. Justice Abdulkareem Babatunde Abdulrasaq of Osun State High Court with immediate effect.

    Hon. Grand Kadi Shu’aibu Talba

    Hon. Grand Kadi Shu’aibu Talba was recommended for compulsory retirement following an investigation into a petition against him written by one Malam Zakar Adamu, Chairman, Movement for Justice in Nigeria, alleging that His Lordshipfalsified his age on two occasions, i.e. from 1st February, 1955 to 27th August, 1955 and later to 30th December, 1959.

    Findings revealed that he was supposed to have retired on 1st February, 2020 by virtue of his declared date of birth of 1st February 1955.

    Council, after deliberation, decided to recommend His Lordship’s compulsory retirement to Governor Mai Mala Buniof Yobe State. Furthermore, Council requested the Government of Yobe State to deduct all salaries received by His Lordship from 1st February, 2020 till date, from his gratuity, and remit same to the National Judicial Council that pays salaries of all Judicial Officers in the Federation.​

     

    HON. JUSTICE ABDUL-KAREEM BABATUNDE ABDULRASAQ

     

    Council also considered a petition by Chief Yomi Alliyu, SAN, and found merit in his allegation against Hon. Justice Abdul-Kareem Babatunde Abdulrasaq that His Lordship falsified his date of birth from 3rd September, 1955 to 3rd September, 1957.

    Council, therefore, recommended His Lordship’s compulsory retirement to Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State with effect from 3rd September, 2020. It also requested the Osun State Government to deduct from His Lordship gratuity, salaries received by him from 3rd September, 2020, and remit same to the National Judicial Council.

    Meanwhile, in the exercise of its disciplinary powers under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, the National Judicial Council has suspended Hon. Grand Kadi Talba and Hon. Justice Abdul-Kareem Babatunde Abdulrasaq from office pending the approval of the recommendation of their compulsory retirements by their respective Governors.

    REPORT OF PRELIMINARY COMPLAINTS ASSESSMENT COMMITTEES

     

    Council also considered the Reports of its two Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees and agreed with the recommendations to dismiss Eighteen (18) petitions against the following fourteen (14) Judicial Officers:

    Federal High Court

    Hon. Justice Simon A. Amobeda,

    Hon. Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo,

    Hon. Justice Nnamdi Dimgba

    Hon. Justice R. O. Dugbo Oghoghorie

     

    Delta State High Court

    Hon. Justice T. O. Uloho

    Hon. Justice Michael N. Obi

     

    Lagos State High Court

    Hon. Justice G. M. Onyeabo

     

    Rivers State High Court

    Hon. Justice A. I. Iyayi-Lamikanra, Chief Judge, Rivers State

    Hon. Justice A. U. Kingsley-Chuku

    Hon. Justice J. N. Ukpugwnum

     

    Taraba State High Court

    Hon. Justice F. B. Andetur, Chief Judge, Taraba State

    Enugu State High Court

    Hon. Justice Comfort C. Ani

    Gombe State High Court

    Hon. Justice M. A. Pindiga

    Kebbi State High Court

    Hon. Justice M. M. Umar

    INTERVIEW COMMITTEE

    Similarly, Council considered the Report of the Interview Committee and recommended the appointment of Sixty-nine (69) Judicial Officers as Heads of Court, Judges of High Court of States, Kadis of States/FCT Sharia Courts of Appeal and Judges of the Customary Courts of Appeal.

    In another development, Council also received and approved the Report of its Committee on Appointments, Promotion and Discipline which recommended the promotion of Seventy (70) Members of Staff of the National Judicial Council.

    NOTIFICATIONS OF DEATH AND RETIREMENT OF JUDICIAL OFFICERS

     

    The notifications of retirement of 12 Judicial Officers and notifications of death of three (3) Judges of Federal and State Courts were also received and noted by Council.

    Soji Oye, Esq

    Director, Information

  • 2019 elections: Tribunal receives 736 petitions from aggrieved politicians nationwide

    2019 elections: Tribunal receives 736 petitions from aggrieved politicians nationwide

    Aggrieved politicians have so far filed a total of 736 petitions before the various election tribunals established over outcomes of the last general elections.

    A breakdown of the number, made public on Thursday by the election petitions coordinating office at the Court of Appeal, revealed that four petitions have so far been filed in respect of the presidential election.

    The office, headed by Mrs. Rabi Abdulazeez, also revealed that 43 petitions have so far been filed in relation to the governorship elections.

    Court of Appeal’s spokesperson, Sa’adatu Musa Kachalla, revealed that 207 petition have been filed in relation to the Senate elections.

    A total of 101 petitions are pending in relation to the House of Representatives polls while 381 have been filed in respect of the state Houses of Assembly election.

    As regards the presidential election, the first was filed by Hope Democratic Party (HDP) and Ambrose Owuru, who claimed to be the party’s presidential candidate.

    The petition marked: CA/PEPC/001/2019 was filed on March 7 this year.

    The second was filed on March 8 by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar. It is marked: CA/PEPC/002/2019.

    The third marked: CA/PEPC/003/2019 was filed by the Coalition for Change (C4C) and Geff Ojinika, who claimed to be the party’s presidential candidate.

    The core contention of the authors of the third petition is that the election, held on February 23 this year, “was vitiated by substantial non-compliance with mandatory statutory provisions, which irregularity substantially affected the election, such that the 1st respondent (Buhari) was not entitled to be returned as the winner of the presidential election.”

    The fourth petition, marked: CA/PEPC/004/2019, was filed on March 19 this year by the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) and Pastor Aminchi Habu, listed as the party’s presidential candidate.

  • NJC orders Onnoghen, Acting CJN Mohammad to respond to petitions in seven days

    The National Judicial Council (NJC) on Tuesday gave the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, and the acing CJN, Tanko Mohammad, seven days to respond to petitions written against them.

    The body of Nigerian judges gave the ultimatum during an emergency meeting which took place in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, four days after the suspension of Onnoghen by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Recall that President Buhari last week Friday suspended the CJN on alleged order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) based on allegations that he violated the code of conduct for public officers by not declaring his assets as required by law.

    Justice Muhammad was sworn in on Friday as acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.

    Read communique from the meeting as released by the council’s director of information, Soji Oye (Esq) below:

    NJC ends Emergency Meeting

    …Gives Hon. Mr. Justice W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON and Hon. Mr. Justice I.T. Muhammad, CFR seven (7) working days to respond to petitions.
    …Refers petition against CCT Chairman, Danladi Yakubu Umar to the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).
    …To reconvene on 11th February, 2019.

    The National Judicial Council held an Emergency Meeting today and considered four (4) petitions filed at its Secretariat. The petitions are:
    Petition against Hon. Mr. Justice W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON by Zikhrillahi Ibrahim of Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civil Education;
    Petition against Hon. Mr. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, CFR by Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative;
    Petition against Hon. Mr. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, CFR by Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, OON; and
    Petition against Hon. Danladi Yakubu Umar, Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal by Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative.
    Council referred the petition against Hon. Danladi Yakubu Umar to the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) which is the appropriate constitutional body empowered to deal with it.
    In line with its procedure, Council also forwarded the petitions against Hon. Justices W.S.N. Onnoghen, GCON and I. T. Muhammad, CFR to them for their responses.
    In view of the gravity of the matters involved, Council abridged the usual response period from fourteen (14) to seven (7) working days for the Hon. Justices to respond.
    Hon. Mr. Justice W. S. N. Onnoghen, GCON and Hon. Mr. Justice I.T. Muhammad, CFR recused themselves from the meeting. Consequently, Council elected Hon. Mr. Justice Umaru Abdullahi, CON, former President of the Court of Appeal as Interim Chairman to preside over the meeting.
    Council will reconvene on the 11th February, 2019.

     

  • Ekiti poll: How INEC, tribunal are jointly frustrating my petitions – Eleka

    The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State, Prof Kolapo Olusola-Eleka, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of frustrating his efforts to duly file a petition at the election petitions tribunal.

    Eleka is challenging the victory of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Kayode Fayemi, as declared by the INEC.

    He alleged that his applications to INEC for the certified true copies of election documents and a motion ex parte made to the tribunal were rebuffed despite having fulfilled necessary steps.

    Eleka raised the alarm that the delay from INEC and the tribunal were plans to allow time to run against him in instituting the legal action within the 21 days.

    He urged the election petitions tribunal to expedite action on his two applications and allow the law to take its course.

    “We applied for certified true copies of election documents to assist in the preparation and presentation of my petition.

    “The application was filed on July 16 to the Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof Abdulganiyu Raji, and upon approval of the application, we made payment on July 20. Till now, no document has been made available to us by INEC.

    “We equally made an application for certified true copies of the document to the INEC Chairman, Abuja, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, on July 17, and upon approval, payment was made on July 18.”

    Eleka added that no document had been made available to him despite repeated visits to INEC offices in Ekiti and Abuja.

    “I, therefore, make a passionate appeal to INEC not to frustrate me further as the damage it has done to me is enough.

    “The action of INEC is showing that they are out to frustrate me so that time will completely run out against me in line with the expectation of their task masters.”

    The election umpire, INEC is however yet to respond to the allegation. Efforts made to reach the Public Relations Officer of INEC in Ekiti, Alhaji Taiwo Gbadegesin, was unsuccessful as at the time of filing this report.