TheNewsGuru

Tag: SDP

  • BREAKING: Former Deputy Governor of Osun State defects to APC

    BREAKING: Former Deputy Governor of Osun State defects to APC

    The former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Omisore defected to the APC at his polling Unit at Ward 6 in Ile-Ife, where he subsequently picked his membership card of the party.

    Omisore contested the 2018 governorship poll on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    Omisore in Ile-Ife arrived at the St. Gabriel Polling Unit, Yemoo Moore, around 12:47 pm to register with APC.

    APC State Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun, who welcomed Omisore to the party, said his registration has proved wrong the rumour that Omisore was only deceiving the APC.

    Famodun said Omisore’s official registration as an APC member would be of immense benefit to the ancient city of Ile-Ife, Osun State and Nigeria at large.

    In his remarks, Osun Deputy Governor Benedict Alabi said it gladdened his heart that Omisore, an erstwhile deputy governor of the state, had joined APC.

    Alabi said that Omisore had since 2018 decided to team up with the APC.

    “His (Omisore’s) support has brought progress and development to Ile-Ife which will also attract more infrastructure,” he said.

    Mr Bashir Awotorebo, a former Minister of Water & Resources, said that Omisore’s registration with the APC marked a special day in Ile-Ife’s history.

  • SDP loses Cross River chairman

    SDP loses Cross River chairman

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP) on Sunday announced the death of the Chairman of the party in Cross River, Chief Etta Onghiri.

    The National Chairman of the SDP, Chief Supo Shonibare, made the announcement in a statement, signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Alfa Mohammed, in Abuja.

    Shonibare described Onghiri as an active progressive leader, who spent most of his life championing the cause of the party and the people of Cross River.

    He said that Onghiri’s death was shocking to both the SDP and the people of Cross River.

    “Onghiri was a man, who spent a considerable period in the progressive wing of politics and made great efforts in deepening the support base of SDP in Cross Rivers State.

    “It is a pity that we have lost his continuing participation in the struggle and efforts to elevate SDP into a prominent position in the leadership of competing parties.

    “He would have made SDP to emerge as the truly progressive party with the well being of the people being the main objective policy of government.”

    Shonibare commiserated with the family of the late chairman, the SDP leadership and members of the party.

  • BREAKING: Tribunal upholds election of Yahaya Bello, fines petitioners

    BREAKING: Tribunal upholds election of Yahaya Bello, fines petitioners

    The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has dismissed the petition filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Natasha Akpoti, and upheld the victory of Governor Yahaya Bello in the last Governorship election in the State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the ruling was delivered by the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Kashim Kaigama, who awarded the cost of N100,000 to be paid by each of the two petitioners to each of the three respondents – the Independent National Electoral Commission, the APC and Bello.

    The total costs to be paid by the petitioners amount to N600,000. However, the three-man panel was yet to fix a date for the judgment of the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Musa Wada.

    Recall that Akpoti and her party had, in December 2019, filed their petition before the tribunal, praying for an order nullifying the election on the grounds that it was conducted substantially in contradiction to the Electoral Act and the electoral guidelines issued by INEC.

    They alleged that the election was marred by corrupt practices, violence, and over-voting in all the polling units in the 21 local government areas of the state.

    They also alleged that Bello and his running mate, Edward Onoja, should be disqualified to contest in the election on the grounds that Onoja gave false information in his Form CF001 submitted to INEC concerning the circumstances of his exit from the banking industry.

    They alleged that while Onoja was sacked by the bank, he claimed that he retired from the service.

    They also alleged that Onoja falsified his age and forged his educational certificate to aid his qualification to stand the election.

    In the lead judgment, Justice Ohiamai Ovbiagele held that the petitioners failed to prove the alleged corrupt practices and falsification of results by any credible evidence.

    He added that the petitioners merely dumped their exhibits on the tribunal without linking them to the petition.

    He also noted that none of the petitioners’ 15 witnesses gave any evidence concerning over-voting, implying that the allegation was abandoned.

    He held that testimonies by many of the witnesses were “patently hearsay devoid of any evidential value,” while those of some others were “ludicrous,” “unreliable” and “doubtful.”

    “They are all doubtful illogical and some instances patently unreasonable,” the judge said.

    He added that some of the witnesses, who claimed to have been eyewitnesses of violence at various polling units, failed to tender the video evidence they claimed to have and also failed to tender the voter cards, even though they claimed they voted in the election.

    “Any voter without a voter card should not be taken seriously,” he said.

    He described as “absurd,” the attempt by the petitioners to “to prove their petition without polling unit agents.”

    Justice Ovbiagele also noted that “the pieces of evidence that emanated from the cross-examination of all the petitioners’ witnesses, like a dynamite, shattered the testimonies of these witnesses.”

    The judge also dismissed the age falsification allegation on the grounds that the petitioners failed to prove that either Bello or his running mate was less than 35 years old as of Nov. 16, 2019, when the governorship election held.

    The judge dismissed the petitioners’ claim that Onoja was dismissed from banking industry but falsely claimed in his Form CF001 submitted to INEC that he retired.

  • INEC, APC, PDP shut operations nationwide over Covid-19

    INEC, APC, PDP shut operations nationwide over Covid-19

    As Nigeria grapples with the deadly Coronavirus, several democratic institutions in the country have been forced to shut down operations to curtail the spread of the killer-virus.

    Among these institutions include, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); political parties, All Progressive Congress (APC); People Democratic Party (PDP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    INEC, has said that all regular and non-essential activities will be suspended in its headquarters and offices nationwide for 14 days in the first instance.

    The suspension is to take effect from Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

    In a statement issued by the National Commissioner in charge of Voter Education and Publicity Committee, Festus Okoye, the Commission said the suspension order is in view of the Coronavirus pandemic and the preventive and containment measures put in place by the Federal and State Governments and in line with the advisory on social distancing from the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), to protect staff, visitors, and the general public.

    The Commission said the regular quarterly meetings with political parties, civil society organisations, the media, security agencies, and all other meetings, have been suspended until such a time when normalcy returns.

    The statement further noted that the Commission will no longer monitor the conventions, congresses, conferences or meetings of political parties until further notice.

    It, however, restated its commitment to openness, consultation, and continued communication with its stakeholders and expects to understand the emergency situation that informed the suspension of contact engagements.

    INEC, however, emphasied that the new measures taken do not affect the activities for Edo and Ondo governorship elections scheduled for September 19 and October 10, 2020, respectively.

    Similarly, National chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, on Monday, announced the closure of the party national secretariat.

    While addressing the workers, Comrade Oshiomhole said the national working committee took the decision to protect its workers from the contagious ailment, coronavirus.

    He said the closure, which would be for two weeks, could be extended.

    Announcing the shutdown of its party secretariats, the PDP via its official handle, @OfficialPDPNig tweeted: Sequel to the earlier decision of our party, the @OfficialPDPNig, to shut down activities at our secretariats and offices across the country, the party has further resolved to suspend all activities bordering on congresses, rallies and other large gatherings of members of our party across the federation, with effect from Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

    “This decision has become imperative in respect to the need for continuous social distancing and other health safety measures against the spread of COVID-19 in our country.

    The @OfficialPDPNig enjoins the Federal Government to continue to review situations as they concern the fight against the spread of COVID-19 and take measures, even if stringent, to safeguard lives.”

    Alo, Social Democratic Party (SDP), on Monday, directed all its offices to close down immediately for preventive measures.

    This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by Amb. Rufus Aiyenigba, the Chief of Staff to the National Chairman of the Party, Prof Tunde Adeniran.

    The statement indicated that the closure order would be in force till April 14, this year in the first instance.

  • Ondo LG elections: Gunmen attack SDP chairmanship candidate

    Ondo LG elections: Gunmen attack SDP chairmanship candidate

    Mr Gbenga Fasua, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Chairmanship Candidate in Akure South Local Government in the upcoming local government elections, has alleged that he was attacked by gunmen on Friday.

    Fasua, in a chat with journalists in Akure, Ondo Sate, on Sunday, said that the attackers destroyed some of his property including campaign vehicles, doors, windows and television set in his house.

    The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) has scheduled local government elections for April 18.

    Fasua alleged that the incident happened around 11:45 p.m. after he featured in a political programme titled “Oselu” on Ondo State Radio Corporation (OSRC).

    He said that armed men, numbering about five, scaled the fence into his house located behind Golden Filling Station in Irese, Akure.

    Fasua said immediately the attackers entered the compound, they “shot sporadically” and asked his wife about his whereabout.

    According to him, the gunmen seized his ATM cards, mobile phones, car keys and ransacked the compound looking for him.

    The SDP candidate said that the gunmen left at about 1:12 a.m. with one of his vehicles which was later abandoned at Ijare, a nearby community.

    “When they saw my wife, they asked after me and she said I was not at home, but they told her they saw me from outside before gaining entrance, but at that time I was already hiding somewhere in the house.

    “After 35 minutes of a serious searching for me, they requested for all ATM cards and destroyed many of my properties.

    “They left with the salon Benz car around 1:12 a.m. which was abandoned at Ijare, a nearby community.

    “I came out from where I was hiding at about 1.35 a.m., went to Ijapo Police Station and reported the matter.

    “The patrol team came to my home at about 2:00 a.m., saw the broken burglary doors and expended bullet pellets.

    “When l heard that the vehicle was abandoned at Ijare, l went back to Ijapo Police Station and reported the development to the DPO.

    “The DPO called the Commissioner of Police, Mr Undie Adie, who directed him to provide two officers and special patrol around my house,” he said.

    Fasua, who attributed the attack to his political ambition, appealed to security agencies to ensure adequate protection for all candidates in the forthcoming local government elections in the state.

    Confirming the incident, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Tee-Leo Ikoro, told the NAN that investigation was ongoing to apprehend those involved in the crime.

    “Investigation is ongoing and certainly the command shall round up those involved in the crime,” Ikoro said.

  • Ebonyi SDP governorship candidate accepts defeats, congratulates Umahi

    The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Ebonyi State, Chibueze Agbo, on Thursday, accepted the results of the last governorship election in the state.

    He also congratulated the winner of the election and incumbent governor of the state, David Umahi.

    Umahi, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had defeated the candidate of the All Progressive Congress, (APC), Sonni Ogbuoji and Agbo in the election.

    The governor, according to the State Returning Officer, Chukwuemeka Eze, garnered a total of 393,343 votes cast across the 13 local governments in the state.

    Ogbuoji got a total of 81,703 votes cast to place a distant second while Agbo place third will just 10,129 votes.

    However, Ogbuoji rejected the outcome of the election and vowed to challenge the result at the tribunal.

    But Agbo, in a letter to Umahi said he accepted the result as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the spirit of sportsmanship.

    He noted that he did not set out to contest for governorship election in the state.

    He said he was prepared for the House of Representatives seat for his federal constituency-Ebonyi/Ohaukwu on the platform of the APC.

    “It was the irregularities, impunity and wanton abuse of the party’s guidelines and constitution, disrespect for the party elders, and killings that characterised the primary, and my realisation that the managers of the party in Ebonyi state lacked the understanding, preparedness, zeal, training, exposure and charisma needed for effective, engaging and fruitful opposition in the state that made me to leave the team immediately and join the SDP where I was given the opportunity to fly the flag and participate in the Governorship Election”, he said.

    Agbo urged the governor to carry everyone along in his policies and programmes, going forward.

    “One thing is instructive, you are the Governor of Ebonyi State de facto and de jure. You are the Governor of everybody in the state irrespective of party, religion, color, tribe, creed, and status. I, therefore, appeal that you strive to keep that in mind in all your policies as you lead us in the next four years”

    He also appealed to the governor to give succour to those whose home and property were destroyed in political-related violence in the heat of the elections in Izzi and Ezza North local government areas.

  • Polls: SDP sues INEC, Ekwunife over ‘wrongful exclusion’

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its senatorial candidate for the Anambra Central zone in the Feb 23 election, Chief Tony Chukwuelue have approached the National Assembly Election Petitions tribunal in Awka with a petition seeking to nullify the exercise in the zone.

    The party sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Sen. Uche Ekwunife and her party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), seeking for a fresh election to be conducted in the zone where his name and party logo shall be included in the ballot papers.

    Addressing newsmen in his Abatete country home, Idemili North council area of the state, Chukwuelue decried his wrongfully exclusion from the poll without any reason, saying he had already put the electoral umpire on judicial notice.

    “My name and party logo were inexplicably removed from the ballot papers for the Feb 23, 2019 election, which threw my teeming supporters who trooped out to cast their votes to me into confusion on the voting day,” he said.

    Describing the experience as harrowing, Chukwuelue lamented that the situation has extensively eroded his name, image and public standing.

    He said, “Many of my supporters were erroneously informed that I sold my opportunity to some other candidate.

    “Those that masterminded the wrongful removal of my name from the ballot were clearly afraid of my burgeoning political popularity ahead the exercise in the area.

    “I have hired a team of lawyers who had put together all the necessary documents and filed the petition waiting to take off proceedings.”

     

  • Rivers polls: Opposition parties laud INEC, as PDP kicks

    Opposition parties in Rivers have lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for suspending the electoral process in the state.

    The Governorship Candidates of the parties, incuding Action Democratic Congress (ADC), Labour Party (LP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) made the commendation on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Port Harcourt.

    The candidates also called on INEC to cancel the governorship election entirely and order a fresh election in the state.

    Mr Victor Fingesi of the ADC described the suspension of the process as a welcome development.

    Fingesi alleged that the March 9 Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in the state was marred by violence and irregularities.

    He further alleged that many thugs, allegedly dressed in military uniforms, were engaged to disrupt the process.

    He called on the major political stakeholders in Rivers to come to a roundtable to discuss the way out of the current logjam in the state.

    Similarly, Mr Isaac Wowon of the LP condemned the brazen show of desperation for power by some politicians.

    Wowon called on Nigerians to resist impunity and lawlessness in the electoral process.

    Also, Mr Precious Elekima of the SDP called on INEC to declare him winner of the March 9 governorship election.

    Elekima claimed that he polled the highest number of votes cast during the election, judging by the results so far collated.

    He further called for a summit where politicians and prominent Rivers people would sit to take a stand on how to resolve issues of governance in the state.

    Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the suspension of all electoral processes in the Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state by INEC.

    The party in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, called on INEC to immediately declare the result of the state governorship election.

    INEC on Sunday announced the suspension of all electoral processes in Rivers until further notice.

    The suspension, according to the statement, issued in Abuja by Mr Festus Okoye, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, was due to widespread violence and disruptions that characterised the state’s elections.

    Ologbondiyan said that the PDP rejected INEC decision to suspend the electoral process, after results had been collated.

    He described the suspension as a premeditated plan by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government to change the wishes of Rivers people as shown in the polling units.

    “Our party contends that elections have been concluded in Rivers state; results of the Governorship and House of Assembly polls have been declared at the various polling units, wards and local government collation centers and all returning officers and political parties in the ballot conclusively have the figures.

    “It is therefore directly incumbent on INEC to declare the final results instead of deliberately creating openings for the subversion of the final process; a development, which exposes the commission’s complicity with the Presidency and the APC to enmesh the election into unnecessary crisis.

    “Our party cautions INEC to note that a lot of innocent Nigerians have already been killed by the APC in its desperation to forcefully take over Rivers state.

    “The commission should therefore save the state from more bloodletting by immediately declaring the results.”

    Ologbondiyan called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reflect on the bloodletting that characterised the election and call the military to order.

    “Mr President should immediately call the security agencies to end their siege to our electoral process. Any further delay is a recipe for escalation of crisis in our nation.”

    Ologbondiyan added that many Nigerians believed that the violence would have been averted if the Amendment to the Electoral Act was signed.

     

  • Falae officially writes INEC over retirement as SDP chairman

    Falae officially writes INEC over retirement as SDP chairman

    Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and presidential candidate of the Alliance for Democracy in 1999 elections, Chief Olu Falae has officially written to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, on his retirement as Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    According to the letter dated February 19, 2019, and made available to The Nation on Thursday by the SDP’s Director, Media and Publicity, Hon Yemi Akinbode, Falae said the Deputy National Chairman 1 from his Zone, Prof. Tunde Adeniran assumes the position of National Chairman in an acting capacity for the rest of his tenure which expires in March 2020.

    The letter reads in part: “I write to inform you that I have retired voluntarily from active partisan politics with effect from February 8, 2019, and therefore ceased to be the chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), from that date. In accordance with the provision of Section 13.2 (ii) of our party’s constitution, Professor Tunde Adeniran, the Deputy National Chairman 1 from the chairman’s Zone, assumes the post of National Chairman in an acting capacity for the rest of his tenure which expires in March 2020.

    “I wish to thank you, your fellow commissioners and other staff for the courtesies you always extended to me while I served as the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party.”

  • JUST IN: SDP expels Gana, suspends Duke

    JUST IN: SDP expels Gana, suspends Duke

    The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), on Tuesday expelled former Minister of Information, Prof Jerry Gana and Chief Supo Shonibare over what it described as anti-party activities.

    The party also suspended the former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke of the same offence.

    Details later…