| Source | Date | Story Title | Summary of Reports | Subject/Category | Page No/Weblink | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | Amaechi, Akpabio reconcile | The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and ex- Senate Minority Leader Godswill Akpabio have reconciled. Festus Keyamo, the Director, Strategic Communications, APC Presidential Campaign Council, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, said the reconciliation of the two frontline politicians will strengthen the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Daily Trust reports that the two former governors of Rivers and Akwa Ibom states were arch rivals in the past few years, a development that affected the fortunes of the APC in the South South. Keyamo said Amaechi and Akpabio met on Sunday and ironed out their perceived political differences. He said the meeting, which was at the instance of Senator Akpabio, was brokered by him and Alhaji Nasiru Danu, who was one of the Directors of Logistics of the APC Presidential Campaign Council and a long-time ally of President Muhammadu Buhari. He said the meeting between Amaechi and Akpabio marked a new chapter of cooperation within the APC family. | Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Festus Keyamo (SAN), Alhaji Nasiru Danu, APC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/amaechi-akpabio-reconcile.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | Bayelsa election tribunal relocates to Abuja | The Bayelsa State National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal earlier slated to sit in Yenagoa, the state capital, has been relocated to Abuja. Although no reason was given for the relocation, sources said the decision might not be unconnected with the security challenges in the state. In a statement, the Secretary of the tribunal, D. B. Akawu, urged the counsels, litigants and the general public who had business with the tribunal to visit the Court of Appeal at the Three Arms Zone, Abuja. ADVERTISEMENT He said, “This is to notify all counsels, litigants and general public that Bayelsa National and State House of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, has been relocated to Abuja. “The registry of the tribunal will now be at the Court of Appeal headquarters, Three Arms Zone, Abuja,” he said. | Bayelsa Election Petitions Tribunal, Bayelsa State, Court of Appeal | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bayelsa-election-tribunal-relocates-to-abuja.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | PDP accuses INEC of replacing servers across states to conceal rigging | "The PDP has accused INEC of replacing all the servers at its headquarters in Abuja and its offices in the 36 states of the federation in a bid to obliterate the “actual result” of the February 23 presidential election. The PDP in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the alleged act was completely reprehensible and further exposed the culpability of INEC in the manipulation and rigging of the 2019 presidential election. The party, however, said it would remain strong, alert and work relentlessly to reclaim what it termed its “stolen mandate.” “The PDP has been well briefed on how the INEC leadership and officials of the Buhari Presidency became jittery and resorted to the desperate measure, after they realized that the servers have information of Atiku Abubakar’s victory at the election,” the statement said. ADVERTISEMENT “Our party also has details of how the INEC leadership and the Presidency agents procured and detailed computer experts to the commission’s offices to switch the servers, mutilate vital information in the system and attempt to erase all trails of transmitted results to the main server. " | PDP, INEC leadership, presidential election, servers, rigging, stolen mandate | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-accuses-inec-of-replacing-servers-across-states-to-conceal-rigging.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | Senate directs trade minister to return N14.3bn diverted fund | A Senate panel has directed the Minxister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, to refund the sum of N14.3 billion diverted fund to the federation account. The Senate Committee on Trade and Investment chaired by Sen Mohammed Sabo Nakudu (APC, Jigawa), said the money was illegally transferred from the account of the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) to a private company, Nigeria Special Economic Zone account. It said the money was appropriated under the 2017 budget and that the ministry kept it somewhere, only to transfer it to the private company recently. The panel said information available to it revealed that the money is in the company’s account and that the minister must ensure that the sum was refunded within one week from April 26. | Okechukwu Enelamah, federation account, Sen. Mohammed Sabo, Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/senate-directs-trade-minister-to-return-n14-3bn-diverted-fund.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | Desperate politicians made things difficult for INEC — Monitors | Desperate politicians tried all they could to make the smooth conduct of the recent general elections difficult for INEC but the electoral empire succeeded in delivering its mandate, the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) said yesterday. The centre which released its observations of the conduct of this year’s general elections rated INEC high under the leadership of Prof. Yakubu Mahmoud. CTA which deployed over one thousand observers nationwide during the poll, also commended the security services for helping with maintaining law and order during the elections. Speaking at the unveiling of the report in Abuja, the Acting Executive Director of CTA, Ms Faith Nwadishi, spoke on the general conduct of the elections but picked special interest in the presidential election held on Feb. 23. “The electoral empire committed itself totally to the rule of law and went about the business of organising a free and fair general election methodically,” she said. “However, CTA notes that despite these efforts, forces beyond the control of the electoral body caused many problems, threw up many challenges, and exposed the lapses witnessed by domestic and international observers and Nigerians during the elections. | INEC, Centre for Transparency Advcacy (CTA), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Ms Faith Nwadishi, general election | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/desperate-politicians-made-things-difficult-for-inec-monitors.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | Omo-Agege: Court restrains Senate from considering mace theft report | An Abuja high court yesterday restrained Senate President Bukola, Speaker Yakubu Dogara, and eight others from considering the report of the Senate’s ad-hoc committee set up to probe the April 18, 2018 invasion of the Senate by some unidentified hoodlums. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Bwari, presided by Justice Othman Musa, in a ruling on yesterday, said the restraining order shall remain pending the determination of a suit filed by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, in which he challenged the legitimacy of the ad-hoc committee constituted by the Senate’s leadership on April 25, 2018 in the wake of the invasion, during which the Senate’s mace was also stolen. Justice Musa said “Leave is granted to the Applicant to serve the 1st – 10th respondents by substituted means, by serving the originating motion and other processes in the suit on any responsible clerk or staff at the office of the Clerk of the National Assembly, at the National Assembly Complex, Three Arms Zone, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja or publishing same processes on any national daily with national circulation. | Saraki, Dogara, mace theft report, Sen Ovie Omo-Agege, National Assembly complex, Justice Othman Musa | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/omo-agege-court-restrains-senate-from-considering-mace-theft-report.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | Kano gov’ship: Tribunal fixes May 6 for hearing | The Kano State Governorship, National Assembly and House of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal has fixed May 6, 2019, for the commencement of hearing on the petition filed before it against Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje and the APC by the PDP and its gubernatorial candidate. Barr. Bashir Yusuf Muhammad, who is Counsel to PDP and its candidate, Abba Kabiru Yusuf, told Daily Trust that they had filed two pending applications but struck out one based on a latest development, adding that the counsel had respected the court’s opinion on their second application. “We have two pending applications before the court. One seeking the order to serve the APC and the Kano State governor by substituted means because all effort to serve him through personal service proved abortive as stated to us by the registry. “However, we learnt today that the registry was yesterday able to serve the governor personally and subsequently we apply for the court to strikeout the application; which the court did,” he said. | Election Petitions Tribunal, Gov. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, APC, PDP, Abba Kabiru Yusuf | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kano-govship-tribunal-fixes-may-6-for-hearing.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | NASS leadership: APC risks 2015 scenario — Rep Okafor | A contender for the speakership of the House of Representatives, John Chike Okafor (APC, Imo), has warned that the APC risks a repeat of the 2015 scenario ahead of the election of leaders of the 9th Assembly in June. Okafor stated this yesterday in Abuja while briefing newsmen on the recent disagreement by some APC lawmakers, especially those from the South East, with APC’s zoning of the four principal positions in the forthcoming 9th Assembly. He said although the “APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, has been lobbying for his preferred candidates for the positions, Nigerians might be shocked with the final outcome of the election in June.” The lawmaker, who admitted that the party’s preferred candidate, Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos), was eminently qualified for the job, however, cautioned that APC must not put “seeming merit” above “federal character, social justice and equitable inclusion” as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution. | Speakership, House of Representatives, John Chike Okafor, APC, 9th Assembly, Oshiomhole, Gbajabiamila | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nass-leadership-apc-risks-2015-scenario-rep-okafor.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | Kogi: Bello tackles APC group over 2nd term bid | The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has carpeted an APC stakeholders’ forum over its letter to President Muhammadu Buhari and the party’s national leadership that he (Bello) should not be given the party’s ticket for the November 2, 2019, governorship election. The Kogi APC Stakeholders Forum, led by Sen. Alex Kadiri, had in the letter, alleged that the APC would lose Kogi if it fielded Bello for the election given his alleged poor performance. But reacting, the Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Bello, Mr. Onogwu Muhammed, described the petitioners as “amorphous group” who had been “dislocated and sent on political wilderness” and were now resurfacing to seek some political relevance in the state. “For a start, let it be categorically made clear that the leader of the APC in Kogi State is his Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, and any emergent group is nothing but a criminal assemblage out to hoodwink the good public. “Sen. Alex Kadiri can, therefore, seek genuine forum by aligning himself with the purposeful direction of his Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello – the only and recognised leader of the APC in Kogi State. “This group of elders led by Sen. Kadri have never been fair to our state and affairs of the people, but rather constitute themselves as a clog in the wheel of progress of our dear state. | Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, APC stakeholders' forum, Sen. Alex Kadiri, Mr. Onogwu Muhammed, Sen, Alex Kadiri | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kogi-bello-tackles-apc-group-over-2nd-term-bid.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | Coalition asks INEC to adopt electronic process for elections | The Coalition of Young Female Candidates (CYFC) has called on INEC to adopt electronic process for future elections in Nigeria to help curb anomalies. The President of CYFC, Dr. Doris Opara, while speaking at a press conference to review their grievances during the just concluded elections, said the elections came with so many challenges for women, adding that there was injustice and insecurity. Dr. Opara added that religion and ethnicity were used in some areas to vote against women. “If INEC adopts the electronic system, it would help curb lots of challenges during elections,” she said. | Coalition of Young Female Candidates (CYFC), INEC, electronic process, Dr. Doris Opara | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/coalition-asks-inec-to-adopt-electronic-process-for-elections.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | Bayelsa: Dickson declines assent to lawmakers’ life pension bill | Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, yesterday, declined assent to the bill seeking pension for former lawmakers from the state as proposed and passed by the Assembly. The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, in a statement in Yenagoa, said Governor Dickson conveyed the decision to decline assent to the bill in a letter to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr Konbowei Benson. The Governor had earlier held a consultations meeting with the House of Assembly members in his country home, Toru-Orua, in Sagbama local government area, where he stated his reason for declining assent to the bill. The statement said that the governor realized that the bill was inconsistent with Section 124 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. He said that he was of the view that the State Assembly lacked the powers to expand the categories of public servants who should be entitled to pension. | Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, Mr Konbowei, Toru-Orua, Sagbama local government area | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bayelsa-dickson-declines-assent-to-lawmakers-life-pension-bill.html | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | Lagos assembly passes N873.5b budget | "Lagos State House of Assembly has finally passed the 2019 budget of N873.5 billion into law. The passage followed the adoption of the report and recommendation of the House Adhoc Committee on Budget and Economic Planning, headed by Gbolahan Yishau. The house approved N497.6 billion as capital expenditure and N393.8 billion as recurrent expenditure. Meanwhile, the only member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the assembly, Dipo Olorunrinu, has formally defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC)." | Lagos State House of Assembly, Gbolahan Yishau, APC, PDP, 2019 budget | https://guardian.ng/news/lagos-assembly-passes-n873-5b-budget/ | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | APC identifies with Wike to develop Rivers State | "After years of political bickering, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has finally indicated readiness to accept Governor Nyesom Wike’s peace proposal to bring greater development to the state. Senator Andrew Uchendu, who spoke on behalf of state APC members, told journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday that Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi’s desire for peace has signaled an end to politics of acrimony and the beginning of good governance. Uchendu stated this while reacting to Wike’s April 17, 2019 broadcast, in which he extended an olive branch to all Rivers people, including political parties, which have been struggling for power to guarantee a better life for the people. He noted that two weeks have passed since the broadcast was made and as stakeholders in the Rivers project, the APC had waited in the hope that they would see deliberate actions arising from that broadcast geared towards rebuilding the state and restoring the dignity of every Rivers person." | APC, Senator Andrew Uchendu, Governor Nyesom Wike, political parties, Chibuike Amaechi | https://guardian.ng/news/apc-identifies-with-wike-to-develop-rivers-state/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | Afenifere Backs Lawan, Gbajabiamila for N’Assembly Leadership | "The Yoruba sociopolitical group, Afenifere, yesterday supported the choice of leaders for the National Assembly by the All Progressives Congress (APC), noting that the party is supreme and its interest is above that of any member. Speaking yesterday after a meeting in Osogbo, Osun State, which was hosted by the Second Republic senator, Pa. Ayo Fasanmi, the group noted that it “supported Senator Hammed Lawan for Senate president and Femi Gbajabiamila for Speaker of House of Representatives.” The group enjoined all Yoruba natives both currently serving and the incoming senators and members of the House of Representatives to abide by the decision of the APC by voting for all their candidates when inaugurated. It also urged all Yoruba sons and daughters both at home and in Diaspora to support the federal government in order to have relevance in the Nigeria politics and derive more dividends of democracy as the government of President Muhammadu Buhari will continue in office after May 29, 2019.”" | Afenifere, APC, Pa Ayo Fasanmi, Femi Gbajabiamila, Ahmed Lawan | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/30/afenifere-backs-lawan-gbajabiamila-for-nassembly-leadership/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, April 30, 2019 | House Speakership: Bago Dares APC over Choice of Gbajabiamila | "There are growing indications that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is yet to get its acts together in determining the leadership of the 9th House of Representatives, as leading candidates from different zones of the country are still rooting for the position of the Speaker of the lower legislative chamber on the party’s platform. Speaking with selected journalists yesterday in Abuja, a top APC contender, who has remained undaunted in his quest for the speakership of the 9th assembly despite his party’s preference for Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Hon. Umar Bago, said only some persons in the party who are working to impose the APC Majority Leader on the House of Representatives are insisting on Gbajabiamila. The ranking federal lawmaker representing Chanchanga federal constituency of Niger State, also maintained that while his North-central zone of the country deserves to have the speakership, he is a better choice than Gbajabiamila. This is coming as a member representing Ehime Mbano/ Obowo/ Ihitte Uboma federal constituency of Imo State, Hon. Chike Okafor, while briefin the House of Representatives media crew, contended that the ruling APC is about to make the same mistake it made in 2015 by its choices for the leadership of the two chambers of the assembly." | APC, Speakership, 9th House of Representatives, Hon. Umar Bago, North-Central, Niger State | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/30/house-speakership-bago-dares-apc-over-choice-of-gbajabiamila/ | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 26, 2019 | APC kicks as Bayelsa assembly approves life pension for members | "The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State has rejected the law passed by the House of Assembly yesterday which approves life pension for all former speakers, deputy speakers and members of the assembly, describing it as self-serving. The state Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, in a statement in Yenagoa, called on Gov. Seriake Dickson to reject assent to the bill sponsored by the Leader of the house, Dr. Peter Akpe, which was passed into law by members during emergency sitting yesterday. According to the law, when it is finally signed by Gov. Dickson, former speakers will earn N500,000 per month, while deputy speakers and members will earn N200,000 and N100,000 respectively, as their monthly pension." | APC, Bayelsa Assembly, former speakers, deputy speakers, life pension, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-kicks-as-bayelsa-assembly-approves-life-pension-for-members.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 26, 2019 | Senate demands special protection for foreign workers, tourists | "The Senate has urged security agencies to give special security cover to foreign workers and tourists in view of the killing of a Briton, Ms Faye Mooney, at the Kajuru Castle, Kaduna State, on Friday. Senators also urged the government to set up an inter-agency task force to tackle cases of banditry and kidnapping in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Niger states. Members of the Red Chamber urged security agencies to intensify the search for the perpetrators of the attack in Kajuru Castle, which led to the killing of Mooney and a Nigerian, Mathew Oguche. They equally resolved to invite the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu Abubakar to brief them on the actions taken against kidnappings and banditry so far." | Senate, special security cover, Kajuru Castle, Ms Faye Mooney, foreign workers, tourists, Kaduna State, Police | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/senate-demands-special-protection-for-foreign-workers-tourists.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 26, 2019 | Almakura, Ambode order commissioners to submit handover notes | "The Nasarawa State Executive Council has directed commissioners and members of the council to submit their handover notes by next Monday. The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Jamil Zakari, disclosed this to journalists yesterday after the council meeting chaired by Governor Umaru Almakura. In the same vein, Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has ordered all his commissioners, special advisers, special assistants and personal assistants to submit their handover notes by May 10." | Nasarawa State Executive Council, Jamil Zakir, handover notes, Almakura, Ambode | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/almakura-ambode-order-commissioners-to-submit-handover-notes.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 26, 2019 | My suspension as Plateau PDP chair illegal — Sango | "The embattled Chairman of Plateau State chapter of the PDP, Damishi Sango, has described his suspension and that of his deputy, Amos Gombi Goyol, by 16 members of the party’s executive as illegal. Sango and Goyol were both suspended on Wednesday over alleged diversion of presidential campaign funds during the 2019 general elections, as well as N9.8m meant for IPDs, among other issues. Sango, in a statement jointly signed by the party’s secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Tuang, said his suspension could not stand as it ran contrary to the party’s constitution. He also denied any wrong doing of misappropriating funds. “Their claim that they took the action to save the party does not hold water because we see their action as a morbid attempt to divide the party and cause disaffection and confusion.""" | PDP Plateau State, Damishi Sango, Amos Gombi Goyol, 2019 general elections, IDPs, Emmanuel Tuang, diversion of funds | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/my-suspension-as-plateau-pdp-chair-illegal-sango.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 26, 2019 | Tribunal strikes out petitions against Gombe gov elect | "The Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Gombe State, yesterday, struck out three petitions challenging the election of Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya as the governor elect on the platform of APC. The petitions were filed by Jungudo Adamu Jungudo of the People for Democratic Change (PDC), Muhammadu Auwal Ibrahim of the All Grassroots Alliance (AGA), and Aliyu Adamu of the Alliance for Social Democrats (ASD). The trio also joined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Returning Officer for the election. However, counsel to the petitioners, Barr. Abdullahi Abdulkadir, said his clients decided to withdraw the petitions due to ill health and inability to fund the processes." | Gombe Governorship Election Tribunal, Governor-elect Muhammadu inuwa Yahaya. Aliyu Adamu | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/tribunal-strikes-out-petitions-against-gombe-gov-elect.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 26, 2019 | Goje to declare for senate presidency next week | "The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Mohammed Danjuma Goje, will formally declare for the position of senate president next week after the passage of the 2019 budget, a ranking senator has said. The senator, who did not want to be named, said Goje delayed his declaration because of his commitment towards the quick passage of this year’s budget which was before his committee. The senate fixed Tuesday next week for the consideration and passage of the 2019 budget. It is after the passage that Goje will make his official declaration, the ranking senator said. Already, Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe), and Sen. Mohamed Ali Ndume (APC, Borno) have declared their intention for the race. The APC national leadership zoned the position to the North East and adopted Lawan as its sole candidate." | Sen. Danjuma Goje, Senate presidency, 2019 buget, APC North East | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/goje-to-declare-for-senate-presidency-next-week.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 26, 2019 | Sokoto gov’ship: Tribunal grants leave to serve Tambuwal through substituted means | "The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Sokoto State has given the candidate of the APC, Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, and his party the leave to serve Gov. Aminu Tambuwal through substituted means. It also granted the applicants’ prayer to physically inspect materials, photocopy some of them, and obtain true certified copies used by INEC for the conduct of the March 9, governorship election and March 23, supplementary governorship poll in the state. On the substituted service, Lead Counsel to the petitioners/applicants, Barr. Steve Nwoke, told the tribunal that it had been difficult to physically serve Gov. Tambuwal a copy of the petition challenging the outcome of the elections. In his ruling, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Abbas Bawale Abdullahi, stated that the tribunal had carefully perused the applications and that they had merit. He, therefore, granted the prayer of the applicants." | Sokoto Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, APC, Ahmad Aliyu, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal, INEC, APC, PDP, supplementary governorship poll | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sokoto-govship-tribunal-grants-leave-to-serve-tambuwal-through-substituted-means.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 26, 2019 | Osun gov’ship: We were denied 3,781 votes — PDP | "The PDP has asked the Court of Appeal in Abuja to restore the 3, 402 and 379 votes it lost to the APC in the September 22, 2018 Osun State governorship election. The PDP said the Osun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja failed to grant its relief seeking to restore the votes, which it claimed it lost through improper ballot accounting and over-voting, respectively, in 23 polling units in the state. Counsel to the PDP, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN) made this submission in a cross appeal he moved on behalf of the party and its governorship candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on Wednesday. This was even as Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, the APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had asked the Court of Appeal in Abuja to uphold their victory at the supplementary election of September 27, 2018." | APC, PDP, Osun State governorship election, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), Osun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, Gov. Adegboyega Oyetola, Senator Ademola Adeleke | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/osun-govship-we-were-denied-3781-votes-pdp.html | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Friday, April 26, 2019 | Senate summons IGP, moves to check banditry in northern states | "The Senate yesterday rose from a marathon debate on the insecurity in the country, particularly the rising cases of kidnapping, and resolved to invite the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to a meeting over how to effectively tackle these matters. In a motion to that effect sponsored by Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central) and 107 other senators, it was pointed out that many local government areas in Niger, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Borno and Yobe states as well as other key areas in the northern part of the country are under siege by kidnappers and other criminal elements. During the debate that lasted for over three hours, it was revealed that over 3,000 Nigerians are currently being held in captivity by kidnappers in Zamfara and other states in the North. The Senate was equally informed that foreign firms have adopted the option of making provisions for ransom in their annual budgets. Members of the elite and the governing political class were indicted for paying attention only to protecting their power bases." | Senate, IGP Mohammed Adamu, Shehu Sani, banditry, annual budgets | https://guardian.ng/news/senate-summons-igp-moves-to-check-banditry-in-northern-states/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Friday, April 26, 2019 | N’Assembly to Debate 2018 Senate Invasion Report Next Week | "The report of the Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah-led committee set up to investigate the April 18, 2018 invasion of the Senate chambers, which led to the stealing of the mace will be debated next week by the two chambers of the National Assembly. The invasion of the Senate chambers had thrown the legislative arm into utter shock and panic due to the audacity of the invaders and the manner in which they beat the tight security cordon around the Three Arms Zone where the National Assembly is located. The Senate mace was removed by the invaders who stormed out of the chambers. However, it was recovered around the National Stadium in Abuja two days later Reliable sources at the National Assembly told THISDAY yesterday that the report of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee, which investigated the invasion, has been slated for debate at plenary on Tuesday or Thursday next week. According to the sources, the committee headed by Senate Deputy Majority Leader, Na’Allah had actually competed its work some few months back. THISDAY further learnt that similar committee set up by the House of Representatives, which also looked into the matter, had also completed its assignment." | National Assembly invasion, Senator Bala Ibn Na'Allah, House of Representatives, Senate | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/26/nassembly-to-debate-2018-senate-invasion-report-next-week/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Friday, April 26, 2019 | Appeal Court Tells Kalu to Face His Trial | "The Court of Appeal in Lagos has asked a former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, to go and resume his alleged corruption trial at the Federal High Court in Lagos. The court’s pronouncement was the import its judgment when it upheld the dismissal of the no-case submission filed by the former governor. Kalu, who was a state governor between 1999 and 2007, is facing a N7.67 billion fraud charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In a lead judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Garba, the Court of Appeal said a judge of the Federal High Court in Lagos, Justice Mohammed Idris, was right to have dismissed Kalu’s no-case submission in July last year and ordered him to open his defence. Garba also dismissed the appeals filed byKalu’s co-defendants, Slok Nigeria Limited and Ude Udeogu, challenging the jurisdiction of Justice Idris to continue hearing the case after he was elevated from the Federal High Court to the Court of Appeal. The judge held that contrary to the appellants’ contention, Section 396 (7) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, which empowers a high judge to continue to hear a part-heard criminal matter after being elevated to the Court of Appeal, did not offend the Constitution. The appellate court, therefore, ordered the defendants to return to the high court to put in their defence." | Court of Appeal, former Abia State governor Orji Uzor Kalu, Federal High Court, Justice Mohammed Garba, EFCC | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/26/appeal-court-tells-kalu-to-face-his-trial/ | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 25, 2019 | Ogun Assembly passes bill renaming 3 institutions | "The Ogun State House of Assembly yesterday passed three bills seeking renaming of three state- owned higher institutions. The institutions are Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu- Ijebu; Ogun State College of Health Technology, Ilese-Ijebu and Gateway Polytechnic, Igbesa. Speaker Suraju Adekunbi said the institutions would now be known as Ogun State College of Education, Jobore-Omu; Ogun State Polytechnic of Health and Allied Sciences, Ilese-Ijebu and Ogun Institute of Technology, Igbesa and respectively. He said their renaming was to make them meet the present educational, administrative and cultural realities for improved service delivery." | Ogun State House of Assembly, State-owned Higher institutions, Suraju Adekunbi | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ogun-assembly-passes-bill-renaming-3-institutions.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 25, 2019 | Kwara assembly passes law to prevent dissolution of elected councils | "A bill for a law to amend the Kwara State Local Government (Amendment) Law No. 3 of 2006 has been passed by the House of Assembly. In the amended law initiated by the Member representing Oke-Ogun, Barr. Kamal Fagbemi, it is now unconstitutional for the governor to unilaterally dissolve democratically elected local government councils in the state. Speaking after the passage of the amendment bill into law, the Deputy Speaker, Chief Mathew Okedare, who presided over yesterday’s sitting, directed the Clerk of the House, Hajia Halimat Jummai Kperogi, to prepare a clean copy for the governor’s assent, pointing out that the third tier of government was strategic to accelerated socio-economic transformation of the state." | Kwara State House of Assembly, Barr. Kamal Fagbemi, Chief Matthew Okedare, elected councils | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kwara-assembly-passes-law-to-prevent-dissolution-of-elected-councils.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 25, 2019 | Senate defers 2019 budget passage again | "The Senate yesterday postponed the consideration and passage of the 2019 budget to next week due to non-availability of details. This is about the third time that the Red Chamber would be deferring the passage of the country’s money bill. Senate President Bukola Saraki said the budget would be passed on April 16 to no avail. The budget report was listed for presentation on April 9, but it was not liad. The Senate Appropriation Committee headed by Sen Mohammed Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe) eventually laid the budget report on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday, April 17, but it was not considered that day." | 2019 budget, Red Chamber, Sen Mohammed Danjuma Goje, Senate Appropriation Committee | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/senate-defers-2019-budget-passage-again.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 25, 2019 | S/West PDP petitions CP, DSS over Lagos chairmanship seat | "The South West chapter of the PDP has petitioned the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and the Directorate of State Security (DSS) disowning Segun Adewale who declared himself as the chairman of the party in the state recently. National Vice Chairman (South West) of the party, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, in the petition dated April 16, described Adewale as an “impostor” and reiterated that Dr. Adegbola Dominic remained the PDP chairman. Attached with the petition was the list of Ekiti governorship candidates in the 2018 election which showed Adewale as the candidate of ADP. “We wish to categorically state that the said impostor, Segun Adewale, is not a member of our party. It might interest you to know that this individual is the gubernatorial candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in the 2018 governorship election in Ekiti (see attached list), and we do not have any record of him decamping to our party, either in Lagos State or any other state chapter,” Olafeso said in the petition, a copy of which was sighted by Daily Trust." | South West PDP, DSS, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, Segun Olawale, ADP | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/s-west-pdp-petitions-cp-dss-over-lagos-chairmanship-seat.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 25, 2019 | Our victory seen on INEC server not concocted — Atiku tells tribunal | "The presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, and the party have told the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja that their victory as shown in the results from the INEC server were not concocted. Atiku and PDP were replying to the spokesman of the APC candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, Festus Keyamo (SAN), who had described Atiku’s claim to have scored the highest votes in the February 23, 2019, presidential election based on results from the INEC server as false. Keyamo had added that the APC had petitioned the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the State Security Service (SSS) against Atiku for “breaking or hacking into the 1st Respondent’s (INEC) server to obtain the said scores and votes.” Replying through his team of lawyers at the tribunal led by Levi Uzoukwu (SAN), Atiku stated that the results it claimed to have obtained from the INEC server were “neither false nor contrived or concocted. “Indeed, the ad hoc staff and officials of the 1st Respondent (INEC) in obedience to the training/instruction by the 1st Respondent transmitted the scores they got from the polling units to the 1st Respondent’s server.”" | PDP, Atiku, Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, INEC server, Buhari, Atiku, Festus Keyamo (SAN), Levi Uzoukwu (SAN) | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/our-victory-seen-on-inec-server-not-concocted-atiku-tells-tribunal.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 25, 2019 | Reps adjourn as Shiites threaten to pull down N/Assembly gate | "There was chaos at the main entrance of the National Assembly yesterday as members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) infiltrated an ongoing peaceful protest by the Advocates for Good Governance (AGG), and threatened to pull down the gate. The AGG protesters had stormed the National Assembly gate as early as 8.00am, demanding that an open voting process be used in the election of the leaders of incoming 9th Assembly. Few hours later, the IMN group joined the protesters. At that point the security personnel at the gate rushed and locked up the gate. However, the surging Islamic group rushed at the gate, and threatened to pull it down if the security personnel did not unlock it. It was at this point that words got to the Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun, who was presiding over a Committee of the Whole, after Dogara had finished presiding over the plenary proceedings in line with the tradition of the House." | National Assembly, Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), security personnel, 9th Assembly | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/reps-adjourn-as-shiites-threaten-to-pull-down-n-assembly-gate.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 25, 2019 | Plateau PDP suspends chair, deputy over alleged diversion of funds | "The Plateau State chapter of the PDP has suspended its Chairman, Damishi Sango, and the Deputy Chairman, Amos Gombi Goyol, over alleged diversion of presidential campaign funds during the 2019 general elections. Another allegation that prompted their suspension was that they diverted N9.8m meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The suspension was contained in a resolution signed by 16 members of the state executive of the party who met at the party secretariat in Jos, the Plateau State capital. In the resolution obtained by Daily Trust, the executives of the party said the suspension was with immediate effect and that the party’s Vice Chairman, Northern Zone, Chris Hassan, had taken over as the acting state chairman pending the outcome of the disciplinary committee set up to investigate and recover the funds." | PDP Plateau State, Damishi Sango, Amos Gombi Goyol, 2019 general elections, IDPs, Chris Hassan, diversion of funds | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/plateau-pdp-suspends-chair-deputy-over-alleged-diversion-of-funds.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 25, 2019 | PDP asks INEC to conduct rerun in Abia North | "The PDP has asked INEC to withdraw the certificate of return given to candidate of the APC, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, as “purported winner” of the Abia North senatorial poll. PDP also requested INEC to conduct rerun in all the polling units and wards where votes were cancelled in the senatorial zone. The PDP Zonal Chairman for Abia North, Hon. Matthew Ibe, told newsmen yesterday in Abuja that the party would not relent until its “stolen mandate” was recovered. The party claimed that it had overwhelming evidence to expose the alleged widespread manipulation of votes and result of the election. “This is the height of impunity and rascality for a man who was never returned in an election to be issued with the certificate of return. “Kalu only scored the highest number of votes by fraudulently allocating figures to himself, but still at that, the 10,000 votes margin of win remains a far cry from the over 38,000 total number of cancelled votes.""" | Certificate of Return, Abia North senatorial poll, PDP, INEC, Hon. Matthew Ibe, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-asks-inec-to-conduct-rerun-in-abia-north.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 25, 2019 | Omede Idris declares for Kogi gov’ship race | "The race for Kogi State governorship thickens with immediate past President, Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN) and former President, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Omede Idris, set to challenge Governor Yahaya Bello with a promise to turn the fortunes of the state for the better. Idris, who is vying for the office on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said if given the mandate, his agenda would be centred around economic growth, social inclusion, environmental protection, peace and security. In a statement he personally signed yesterday, the former Commissioner for Health in the state expressed his plan to revamp Kogi economy through state-backed power generation from renewable energy and human resources development." | Kogi State governorship race, Dr. Omede Idris, PDP, Governor Yahaya Bello | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/omede-idris-declares-for-kogi-govship-race.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 25, 2019 | Protesters demand open voting for 9th NASS leadership | "A group, Advocates for Good Governance (AGG), yesterday, stormed the National Assembly in protest against perceived plans to elect leaders of the 9th Assembly via secret ballot. Mr. Duro Meseko, who led the protesters, also alleged that the leadership of the 8th Assembly had perfected plans to select leaders who would constitute legislative cog in the wheel of progress of President Muhammadu Buhari. With placards which read: “No to secret ballots in NASS elections”, “Enough of this secrecy in NASS”, “We want open ballot”, among others, the protesters, numbering hundreds, demanded the use of open voting in the election of leaders of the 9th Assembly. “We are dismayed by information that the leadership of the 9th Assembly would be elected through a secret ballot process.""" | Advocates for Good Governance (AGG), 9th National Assembly leadership, Buhari, NASS elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/protesters-demand-open-voting-for-9th-nass-leadership.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 25, 2019 | Stakeholders want northern APGA nat’l chair | "Ahead of APGA’s elective national convention, the northern stakeholders of the party have demanded that the position of the national chairman be zoned to the North. The group further asked for equity in the distribution of other offices of the party in line with the Federal Character principle as stated in Article 18 of the party’s constitution. This was contained in a communique at the end of its meeting in Kaduna State at the weekend. The meeting had in attendance a former National Secretary of the party and governorship candidate of the party in Zamfara State, Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, Secretary of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Mr. Polycarp Gankon, state chairmen and secretaries from the northern states and all other constitutionally recognised members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party." | APGA, northern stakeholders, national chairman, Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, Mr Polycarp Gankon | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/stakeholders-want-northern-apga-natl-chair.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 25, 2019 | S/Court urged to sack Plateau lawmaker over forgery | "A lawyer, David Ibeawuchi, has filed a notice and grounds of appeal before the Supreme Court urging it to uphold the sacking of a Member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Baba Hassan, by a Federal High Court sitting in Jos. The lawyer also urged the Supreme Court to set aside the judgement of the Court of Appeal, Jos Division, that re-instated the lawmaker based on technical grounds. Recall that the Court of Appeal, Jos Division, recently re-instated Hassan (Jos North/North) who was sacked by the Federal High Court sitting in Jos over alleged certificate forgery. The lawmaker was taken to court since 2015 by Abdul Nasir Saleh who challenged the authenticity of the lawmaker’s Diploma Certificate in Business Administration which he claimed to have obtained from the University of Jos (Unijos)." | David Ibeawuchi, Supreme Court, Plateau State House of Asse,bly, Ibrahim Baba Hassan, Federal High Court in Jos, Abdul Nasir Saleh | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/s-court-urged-to-sack-plateau-lawmaker-over-forgery.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 25, 2019 | Senate rejects recognition of Kogi as oil state | "The Senate yesterday rejected an attempt to make the Federal Government declare Kogi as an oil producing state with all benefits and privileges. The Senate urged the governors of Anambra, Enugu and Kogi states to resolve the crises among the various communities in their borders. Senators also urged the Federal Government to direct the National Boundary Commission to immediately release its report on the determination of the boundaries of the communities continuous to OPLs 915 and 916. Adopting some prayers of a motion sponsored by Sen Isaac Alfa (PDP, Kogi), the Senate also urged the people of Ibaji, Igga and Aguleri in Kogi, Enugu and Anambra states to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign while the boundary commission delineates the correct boundaries." | Senate, Federal Government, Kogi State, Anambra, Enugu, boundary commission | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/senate-rejects-recognition-of-kogi-as-oil-state.html | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Thursday, April 25, 2019 | ‘Why Nigeria’s electoral politics is gender-exclusive’ | "Stakeholders have said that one of the growing concerns about democracy is the exclusion of women and other disadvantaged groups from structures of representation and decision-making. The stakeholders, who spoke at a roundtable on “Enhancing Women’s Active Participation in Politics” in Abuja, noted that it would persist despite the fact that equal rights for women are guaranteed in the constitution in country.Prof. Sam Egwu of University of Jos (UNIJOS) stated that the disparity between theory and practice raises fundamental questions of social justice when women are the majority of the electorate and yet few are elected as leaders.He also said that this would have negative effect on future generations, as ongoing imbalances in equal opportunities can affect the prospects for social and economic development in the longer term. According to him, many countries on the continent of Africa, including Nigeria, have not given adequate opportunities for women to participate in governance . Mma Odi of Alliance For Credible Elections said: “The outcome of 2015 polls, subsequent off-cycle, and party primaries held between 2015 and 2018 and 2019 showed that women performed below expectation.”She noted that the current statistics indicate that women are grossly under-represented in elective and appointive positions, saying, it stands short of desired 30 per cent by international standards. “There is need to open political space to accommodate all groups, especially women, to participate in active politics and nation-building and raise the consciousness to work assiduously to enhance it.”" | Nigeria's electoral politics, gender-exclusive, 2019 poll, 2019 general elections, women, Mma Odi | https://guardian.ng/news/why-nigerias-electoral-politics-is-gender-exclusive/ | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | Speakership: Dogara, loyalists in fix over Gbajabiamila | "The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and his loyalists are in a fix over who to nominate that will challenge current House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, who has been adopted by the APC for the speakership of the 9th Assembly, Daily Trust has learnt. Sources within the National Assembly told our correspondent that Dogara and his loyalists had been meeting for the past weeks to decide on who to bring out to face the Gbajabiamila, but that they could not zero in on anybody. There were four members of Dogara camp contesting for the seat: Mohammed Umar Bago (APC, Niger), Abdulrazak Namdas (APC, Adamawa), Babangida Ibrahim (APC, Katsina) and Muktar Aliyu Betara (APC, Borno). However, while Ibrahim is from the same state with President Muhammadu Buhari, Namdas and Betara are from the North East, where the position of the senate president has been zoned to, and all the three major contenders for the number three citizen’s seat are from the zone." | Speakership of House of Representatives, Dogara loyalists, Femi Gbajabiamila, 9th Assembly | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/speakership-dogara-loyalists-in-fix-over-gbajabiamila.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | Imo Assembly summons govt officials over state debt | "The Imo State House of Assembly yesterday summoned the state’s Accountant General, Casmir Ozuzu, and the Commissioner for Finance, Ugochi Nnanna-Okoro, over the financial position of the state. This followed the adoption of a motion by member representing Nkwerre State Constituency, Chika Madumere. The motion urged the house to cause the duo to appear and give account of the actual debt profile of the state since the governor had consistently said that the state was not indebted." | Imo State House of Assembly, State debt, Chika Madumere, Casmir Ozuzu, Ugochi Nnanna-Okoro | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/imo-assembly-summons-govt-officials-over-state-debt.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | Plateau NASS members reject Maje, endorse Lawan, Gbajabiamila | "The National Assembly members elected on the platform of the APC in Plateau State have thrown their weight behind the candidacy of Sen. Ahmad Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila for senate president and speaker respectively. Daily Trust reports that three of the four members of the House of Representatives recently elected and two APC senators in Plateau State, yesterday, signed a document endorsing Lawal and Gbajabiamila despite the interest of one of their own, Hon. Ahmed Idris Maje, in the speakership. The APC won four of the eight House of Representatives seats in Plateau and two of the senate seats. However, in a statement signed by all the elected representatives except Maje, they stated that: “We have consented to work in tandem with the decision of the party at the national level and that of the North Central Governor’s Forum in the choice of the leadership of the two chambers of the 9th National Assembly when it is inaugurated in June 2019.”" | National Assembly members, APC senators, PDP, Sen Ahmad Lawan, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/plateau-nass-members-reject-maje-endorse-lawan-gbajabiamila.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | Rep Onyejeocha makes case for S/East | "A contender for the speakership of the 9th House of Representatives, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (APC, Abia), has asked the leadership of APC to reconsider its stand for the sake of equity and allow the South East to produce the next speaker. Onyejeocha, who stated this in Abuja yesterday while briefing newsmen, called on the House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos), to step down for her. She said as a woman who had distinguished herself in private and public life, including 12 years in the House, it was time to support her to become the next speaker to use her skills and experience for national development. “I know that my party, APC, has indicated how it would distribute leadership positions in the 9th Assembly,” she noted. “However, it is important to point out the concerns of my people of South East zone, who are worried that inequitable distribution of the six key political leadership positions would further exacerbate the current lopsidedness and deep divides in the country,” Onyejeocha warned." | 9th House of Representatives, Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, South East, Femi Gbajabiamila, APC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/rep-onyejeocha-makes-case-for-s-east.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | ‘Taraba gov’ship tribunal should be in Abuja’ | "A concerned citizen from Taraba State, Abdulmumin Sangari, has advocated for the sitting of the Taraba State Governorship Election Tribunal in Abuja. Sangari who made the plea in a statement yesterday, said holding the sittings of the tribunal in Abuja would allay the fears of the people to give details on what transpired during the governorship election which favoured Gov. Darius Ishaku of the PDP. “The aftermath of the last governorship election has increased more security challenges for the people of state. The serious security situation is of concern to an average Taraban. As the state election tribunal is making preparation to begin its sitting on the petitions brought before it, some politicians are working assiduously to thwart the effort of the tribunal. “For obvious security reasons, the tribunal was advised to sit in Abuja instead of Jalingo, yet some politicians with ulterior motives are still scheming to see that the tribunal sits in Taraba.""" | Taraba State Governorship Election Tribunal, Abdulmumin Sangari, Gov. Darius Ishaku, APC, PDP | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/taraba-govship-tribunal-should-be-in-abuja.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | Sen Barau, Buba Galadima differ over Senate leadership | "The endorsement of Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, by the leadership of the APC to become the next senate president is a popular decision taken by all major stakeholders of the party, Sen. Barau Jibrin has said. Barau, who chairs the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education (TETFund), said on an AIT programme, Kaakaki, monitored in Abuja yesterday, that the endorsement aside, Lawan was the most qualified APC senator to hold the position. “What the party did in anointing or endorsing Lawan was not the decision of the president alone; it’s not his personal view. It’s the view of the entire APC,” he said. “The party observed that there was an aberration before in the election of the leadership of the National Assembly. So, the party thought that ‘let’s do the right thing and elect the right person.’ We should do things based on international parliamentary practices,” Sen. Barau said." | Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, Sen Barau Jibrin, Buba Galadima, National Assembly | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sen-barau-buba-galadima-differ-over-senate-leadership.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | PDP rejects Justice Oyewole as member of Osun gov’ship poll appeal panel | "The PDP has rejected the inclusion of Hon. Justice J.O.K Oyewole as a member of the Osun State Governorship Election Appeal Panel. The PDP said its position was predicated on the grounds that Hon. Justice Oyewole allegedly had strong connections with the APC which was an interested party in the appeal and therefore could not be neutral. Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the party had already petitioned the President of the Court of Appeal to replace Justice Oyewole with another Justice of the Appeal Court who had no link with Osun or the APC. Ologbondiyan argued that there was “clear likelihood” of Justice Oyewole being biased against the PDP and its candidate, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, in the appeal." | Hon. Justice J.O.K Oyewole, PDP, APC, Osun State Governorship Election Appeal Panel, Kola Ologbodiyan | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-rejects-justice-oyewole-as-member-of-osun-govship-poll-appeal-panel.html | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | Rivers Assembly backs suspension of 12 council chairmen | "Rivers State House of Assembly has approved the suspension of chairmen of 12 local councils of the state who were suspended by Governor Nyesom Wike last week for refusal to attend state functions. The suspension ratification followed a request by Wike to the lawmakers over his action, which many have condemned but he (Wike) in a letter of notification to the Speaker of the House, Ikuinyi Owaji-Ibani, premised his action on Section 64 (3) of the Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018. The lawmakers, while debating on the matter during plenary, said the governor’s action was in line with the laws made by the Assembly. Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government, Kelechi Nwogu, said the suspension of the council chairmen would serve as a deterrent to others who feel they are above the law." | Rivers State House of Assembly, Governor Nyesom Wike, local councils, Ikuinyi Owaji-Ibani, Kelechi Nwogu | https://guardian.ng/news/rivers-assembly-backs-suspension-of-12-council-chairmen/ | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | Sanwo-Olu replies to Lagos AD, LP guber candidates’ petitions | "Lagos Governor-elect, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday turned in his defence to the two petitions filed by the candidates of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and Labour Party (LP), Chief Owolabi Salis, and Prof. Ifagbemi Awamaridi, challenging his declaration as winner of the March 9, 2019 gubernatorial election in the state. Sanwo-Olu, who appeared alongside his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, and other All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains, including former Minister of State for Defence, Chief Demola Seriki, at the Lagos State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ikeja, submitted the response through his counsel, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN). The governor-elect though hopeful of victory at the tribunal, added that it was entirely the panel’s exclusive decision to determine the merit or otherwise of petitions. His words: “What we came here to do is to put an official deposition to the challenge by two gubernatorial candidates. We are certainly confident because Lagosians have spoken. The people went out on March 9 to cast their votes." | Lagos State Governor-elect, Babajide Samwo-Olu, Alliance for Democracy (AD), Labour Party (LP), Lagos State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal | https://guardian.ng/news/sanwo-olu-replies-to-lagos-ad-lp-guber-candidates-petitions/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | Senate May Pass 2019 Appropriation Bill Today | "The Senate may today pass the 2019 Appropriation Bill presented by President Muhammadu Buhari to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 19, 2018. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje who laid the 2019 budget report before the Senate last Wednesday, is expected to formally present the report at plenary today. After his presentation, the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, will lead debate on the bill before the Committee of the Whole will then consider clause-by- clause report of the bill. Passage of the bill today will however, depend on the content of the budget report but THISDAY learnt that all grey areas had been addressed and the Appropriation bill may scale through today. The Senate had last Wednesday received the 2019 budget report from its Committee on Appropriation. The committee had a fortnight ago been given up till this week to lay the budget before the upper legislative body. In line with the Senate directive, Goje (Gombe Central), laid the budget report before the Senate at about 3.35 p.m. Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, thereafter adjourned plenary to Wednesday, April 24 (today) to consider the report. President Buhari had on December 19 unveiled a federal budget proposal of N8.83 trillion for the 2019 fiscal year." | Senate, 2019 Appropriation Bill, Buhari, 2019 budget report, Senator Danjuma Goje, Saraki, 2019 fiscal year | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/24/senate-may-pass-2019-appropriation-bill-today/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | APC Governors Rally Support for Lawan, Meet Senators-elect | "The 22 governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have begun moves to rally necessary support for the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, towards his emergence as the Senate president of the ninth National Assembly. Already, the governors had met with APC senators-elect from their respective states and told them the need to support the ambition of Lawan in line with the directive of the national leadership of APC. A senator-elect from North-central zone told THISDAY yesterday that his state governor last weekend met with him and his two other colleagues and canvassed for necessary support for Lawan in his ambition to become the nation’s number three citizen when the ninth Assembly is inaugurated in June. The ranking senator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said his state governor told them at the meeting that he had strict instruction from the APC secretariat in Abuja that all senators-elect must work for the realisation of the Lawan project. Another senator-elect from South-west zone spoke in the same vein when he told THISDAY that his state governor actually met with the two senators-elect from the state shortly before the Easter break last week. He claimed that the governor informed them that Lawan for 9th Senate President is a task that must be done at the inauguration of the next Assembly in June." | APC Governors, APC senators-elect, 9th National Assembly, Sen Ahmad Lawan, South-West | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/24/apc-governors-rally-support-for-lawan-meet-senators-elect/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | Lawyer Drags Buhari, N’Assembly, Others to Court over Acting CJN | "A human rights lawyer, Chief Malcom Omirhobo, has dragged President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Assembly and five others to a Federal High Court over the appointment of Justice Tanko Muhammad as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). Omirhobo in the suit wants the court to stop the appointment of Muhammad as substantive CJN on the alleged grounds that Justice Muhammad “is not proper and fit” to be recommended for the office of CJN, having accepted the appointment of President Buhari to act as CJN last January without being recommended by the National Judicial Council (NJC). Other defendants in the suit include the NJC, the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), the Acting CJN, the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the Federation. The plaintiff in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/420/2019, is praying the court to declare that the Acting CJN, Justice Muhammad, having made himself available as a tool that was used in the violation of the Constitution, especially with regards to the alleged illegal removal of the former CJN, is therefore not a proper and fit person to be recommended for appointment to head the judiciary. The rights activist further prayed the court to declare that the suspension and/or removal of a CJN from office, is a shared responsibility of the 1st Defendant (NJC), the 5th defendant (Buhari) and 7th Defendant (National Assembly). He argued that President Buhari lacked the constitutional powers to unilaterally suspend and/or the remove a sitting CJN from office, as was done in the case of Onnoghen." | Chief Malcom mirhobo, Buhari, National Assembly, Justice Tanko Muhammad, Federal Judicial Service Commission | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/24/lawyer-drags-buhari-nassembly-others-to-court-over-acting-cjn/ | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | ‘Vote buying should be criminalized’ | "The co-founder of the Young Democratic Party (YDP) and its governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Arch. Nya Ezekiel Etuk, has called for the criminalization of vote buying. He told newsmen, yesterday in Abuja, that vote buying was an evil worse than any of the security challenges currently facing Nigeria and the citizenry. Etuk, who is also the director general of Nigeria First Project, said failure to curb vote buying was a veritable threat that may lead to the collapse of the nations’ nascent democracy. According to him, vote buying was the cancer that attacked the nation’s institutional framework, and that the recently concluded elections recorded political parties paying as high as N15,000 to voters to buy their votes." | Young Democratic Party (YDP), vote buying, Akwa Ibom State, Arch. Nya Ezekiel Etuk, democracy | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/vote-buying-should-be-criminalized.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | Presidency: Buhari not sleeping on duty as Commander-in-Chief | "The Presidency has described as unfair the comment by the Catholic Bishop of Yola Diocese, Rt. Rev. Fr. Stephen Mamza that President Muhammadu Buhari is sleeping on duty as Commander-in-Chief. Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, in a statement last night, said the religious leader’s statement was not a fair comment. The statement reads: “There is so much that has changed in the past three to four years in and around Yola, and the Catholic Church in particular that a true assessment would show that but for the Change Administration of President Buhari, things would have continued the way they were, or even get worse. These could not have happened if a Commander-in-Chief was asleep. “Bishop Mamza was, and is still a strong member of the Adamawa Peace Initiative, API, composed of religious and community leaders which did the lovely work housing and feeding 400,000 displaced people from Northern Adamawa and Borno States in 2015. The API also did the extraordinary work of easing tensions between Muslims and Christians during that period and ensured that both groups did not turn on one another based on suspicion." | Presidency, Rt. Rev. Fr. Stephen Mamza, Buhari, Commander-in-Chief, Garba Shehu | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/presidency-buhari-not-sleeping-on-duty-as-commander-in-chief.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | Only fear of God will make newly elected leaders succeed — Gamji | Alhaji Abubakar Sanusi Gamji, a Board of Trustees (BoT) member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and a leading contender during the governorship contest in Kogi State in 2015 spoke on the importance of fear of God by electe leaders. The philanthropist tasks newly elected leaders at all levels to fear God, articulate their policies and swing into action for the betterment of Nigerians. | Alhaji Abubakar Sanusi Gamji, APC BoT member, elected leaders | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/only-fear-of-god-will-make-newly-elected-leaders-succeed-gamji.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | Kwara South elders back North to produce state assembly speaker | "Elders from Kwara South Senatorial District, yesterday, called for the zoning of the position of Speaker of the House of Assembly to Kwara North in the interest of fairness and justice. The elders made the call in a statement issued in Ilorin by the Chairman of Elders of Kwara South Senatorial District, Chief James Bamisaiye Ayeni, on behalf of the influential group. “The people of Kwara South Senatorial Zone hereby echo their support for the emergence of the Speaker of the House of Assembly from Kwara North Senatorial Zone. We are totally committed to this position,” the statement read in part. He said it was only fair to concede the speakership slot to the North since the remaining two districts: Central and South, had each got the elective position of governor and deputy governor respectively." | Kwara South elders, State House of Assembly Speaker, Kwara North, Chief James Bamisaye Ayeni | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kwara-south-elders-back-north-to-produce-state-assembly-speaker.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | Prosecute electoral offenders before Kogi, Bayelsa polls- CSOs | "Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called for the prosecution of perpetrators of violence during the 2019 general election to serve as deterrent to others wishing to indulge in such act, ahead of Kogi and Bayelsa Nov. 2 governorship elections. The CSOs under the auspices of Nigerian Elections Violence Report (NEVR), made the call after evaluating the conduct of elections in the six South–South states of Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa, Edo, Delta and Rivers. A statement issued on Monday by leader of the group and Executive Director, Youth Alive Foundation (YAF), Dr Uduak Okon, noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must be proactive in dealing with issues of security during elections, if it must conduct credible polls in the future. Okon regretted that the heavy presence of armed gangs in the South-South facilitated violence during the recently concluded elections." | Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), 2019 general elections, Nigerian Elections Violence Report (NEVR), Dr Uduak Okon, Kogi, Bayelsa | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/prosecute-electoral-offenders-before-kogi-bayelsa-polls-csos.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | Sokoto PDP denies victimising c/servants | "The PDP in Sokoto State has denied alleged victimisation of civil servants perceived to be sympathetic to the opposition APC. In a statement, the state PDP Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma, described the allegations as lies. “Our party, as well as all the entire people in Sokoto State are aware that these allegations by the APC are actually their post-election blueprint if they had won. “It is common knowledge that the APC planned a massive sack of civil servants who did not support their party and targeted many of them for physical assault and other forms of humiliation,” he alleged." | Sokoto PDP, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma, post-election blueprint, civil servants, APC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sokoto-pdp-denies-victimising-c-servants.html | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | Anxiety as INEC holds supplementary poll in Lagos on Saturday | "The electorate in Ajeromi/Ifelodun Federal Constituency in Lagos State will file out on Saturday, April 27, 2019 for the supplementary election to conclude election in the affected areas, which was declared inconclusive by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on February 23, 2019. This was affirmed last Wednesday after a meeting with stakeholders. There were fears that the outcome of the exercise may further worsen the sour relationship between Yoruba and Igbo communities in the area if the election is not carefully and transparently handled. Concerned citizens of the state and indeed Nigerians are already urging the commission to ensure that the Saturday exercise is fair, transparent and devoid of any practice that can cast doubt on its integrity to avoid another ethnic crisis that may possibly spread across Lagos." | Ajeromi/Ifelodun Federal Constituency, House of Representatives, INEC, supplementary poll | https://guardian.ng/politics/anxiety-as-inec-holds-supplementary-poll-in-lagos-on-saturday/ | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | Rep says only members will determine National Assembly leadership | "The member representing Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Anayo Edwin Nwonu, has said that only the lawmakers and not President Muhammadu Buhari, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole and the APC will determine the National Assembly leadership. In a chat with journalists in Abakaliki at the weekend shortly after offsetting the medical bills of nursing mothers at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (AE-FUTHA), Nwonu maintained that the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) would definitely play a role in the emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly. He described APC National Chairman as a barking dog who cannot near the National Assembly to make any input during election of the new leadership. Nwonu, who was re-elected on the platform of PDP, faulted Oshiomhole’s insistence and his party’s claim that their preferred candidates must be elected, noting that the outcome of the results of the election of leadership of the Ninth National Assembly billed for inauguration in June will shock Oshiomhole and his party." | Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency, House of Representatives, Buhari, Oshiomhole, National Assemby leadership, APC, PDP | https://guardian.ng/news/rep-says-only-members-will-determine-national-assembly-leadership/ | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | Form your cabinet on time, APC chieftain tells Buhari | "The Director-General of Buhari/Osinbajo in the last presidential election in Ekiti State, Dr. Olusegun Osinkolu, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint his ministers in record time to hit the ground running and deliver the expected dividend of democracy. Osinkolu also said that the approval of the new minimum wage for workers was a fulfilment of a major campaign promise by the All Progressives Congress-led administration. He said the President’s action showed that Nigerians have a lot of benefits awaiting them in the second term tenure beginning from May 29. In a statement in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, the APC chieftain said the approval had further reinforced the confidence of Nigerians, especially the workers in the Buhari’s Presidency. He said: “In the first term of President Buhari that is gradually winding down, it took the President over six months before the ministers were appointed. We have to change gear this time and guard against delay in the composition of Federal Executive Council (FEC) members for the second term tenure. “Nigerians are hopeful that the second term would afford the APC the opportunity to consolidate on its policies and programmes and it would be foolhardy for the party to delay actions, for there won’t be any excuse for failure in 2023""" | Dr. Olusegun Osinkolu, Ekiti State, Buhari, APC chieftain, cabinet | https://guardian.ng/news/form-your-cabinet-on-time-apc-chieftain-tells-buhari/ | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | Ohanaeze Ndigbo youths urge National Assembly to be fair in choosing leaders | "The youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has urged members of the in-coming National Assembly to adopt competence, equity, justice and national balance in electing their leaders. In a statement issued yesterday by the deputy national leader, Dr. Kingsley Dozie, the youths of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation posited that no zone should be denied a principal position in the next National Assembly as a punishment for how it voted in the last elections. The youths endorsed the aspiration of Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi constituency in Abia State, who is returning for a fourth term, for the seat of Speaker, House of Representatives. “Onyejeocha has all it takes to be speaker of the House of Representatives. She has distinguished herself as an astute, articulate, courageous and experienced lawmaker with impeccable track records, and has shown dexterity, competence and capacity in the discharge of her responsibilities, even as chairman of the House Committee on Aviation,” Dozie said." | Ohaneze Ndigbo youths, National Assembly leadership, Dr. Kingsley Dozie, APC, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha | https://guardian.ng/news/ohanaeze-ndigbo-youths-urge-national-assembly-to-be-fair-in-choosing-leaders/ | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | PDP Assembly candidate seeks to void APC’s victory at tribunal | "Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the March 9, 2019 House of Assembly election for Ondo West Constituency II, Engr Abiola Oladapo, has filed a petition at the election petition tribunal to “retrieve his mandate” from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Oladapo said this while speaking with The Guardian in Akure. He called for the cancellation of the election that produced APC candidate, Adewale Adewinle as winner, based on gross irregularities and intimidation of voters. He stated that the conduct of the election defied all decent, civilised and acceptable approaches to democracy, declaring that such election could not be said to have held. “The House of Assembly elections in the state was characterised by violence, ballot snatching, ballot stuffing, vote-buying and threat to lives. The entire constituency and by extension the Ondo West and East local governments were riddled with uncivilised attitude to politics. “All in a bid by the APC, their candidate in the constituency, Adewinle and the governor of the state, Rotimi Akeredolu to have a majority in the Assembly in connivance with the Zenith Labour Party to win the available seats in the state by all means.""" | PDP, APC, House of Assembly election, Ondo West Constituency II, Engr Abiola Oladapo, Adewale Adewinle | https://guardian.ng/features/pdp-assembly-candidate-seeks-to-void-apcs-victory-at-tribunal/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | Atiku Asks FG to Take Urgent Steps to Stem Insecurity | "Following the alarming increase in insecurity across the country, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the just concluded general election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has called on the federal government to take urgent actions to stem the insecurity. The former vice president made the call yesterday in a statement, where he lamented that when the punishment for crimes are not forthcoming, criminals are emboldened to commit even worse crimes. He stressed the need to keep Nigeria safe for Nigerians and foreigners, noting that as long as there is impunity, the nation would lack unity and security. Atiku added that the death of any Nigerian or foreigner from terror, crime or insecurity grieves his heart, stressing that nobody’s life is worth taking to advance a religious, political or criminal cause. He stated: “Impunity must end and must end today. These crimes continue to reoccur because previous killings have not been met with justice. “I condemn the killing of British aid worker, Faye Mooney, and her Nigerian colleague, Mathew Oguche. I condemn these recent killings in the strongest possible terms and I want the government and people of the United Kingdom to know that these atrocious actions do not reflect Nigeria’s national character.""" | Insecurity, Atiku, PDP, federal government, Matthew Oguche, Nigerians, foreigners | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/23/atiku-asks-fg-to-take-urgent-steps-to-stem-insecurity/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | Presiding Officers: Election Results Transmitted to INEC’s Server | "Indications have emerged that about 13 presiding officers deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the presidential election have admitted under oath that they transmitted results electronically. THISDAY gathered that the presiding officers who are in Borno and Yobe States have agreed to testify before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal that they transmitted results of the February 23 presidential election to the server of the commission. The contention whether or not results were forwarded to a central database of the commission has been among the top grounds for contesting the presidential election results by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Atiku was the main challenger to President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential election. On February 27, INEC declared Buhari winner of the elections, and issued him a certificate of return for a second four-year term starting May 29. Atiku and his party, the PDP, challenged the results at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal last month, saying he won the election and was in possession of evidence that would upturn the declared outcome." | Presiding Officers, INEC, Borno, Yobe, Atiku, Buhari, presidential election | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/23/presiding-officers-election-results-transmitted-to-inecs-server/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | Osun Guber Poll: Appeal Court Begins Hearing of Oyetola, APC’s Case April 24 | "The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal will on April 24, 2019, commence hearing in the appeals filed by the Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenging the decision of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which sacked Oyetola from office. This is coming as the Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ilesha Branch, Osun State, Kanmi Ajibola, has protested the alleged membership of Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of the three-member panel that will hear the appeal. The tribunal, in a split decision of two-to-one in its March 22, 2019 judgment, voided the victory of Oyetola and the APC in last year’s Osun governorship election. Dissatisfied with the decision of the tribunal, Oyetola and the APC had approached the Court of Appeal to reverse the decision. Both Oyetola and the APC in the separate notices of appeal they filed against the tribunal’s majority judgment, urged the Court of Appeal to uphold their appeals, set aside the majority judgment and dismiss the October 16, 2018 petition by Adeleke and the PDP. The governor in his 39-ground notice of appeal filed on March 26, 2019 by his team of lawyers, led by Wole Olanipekun (SAN), claimed that the judgment was “perverse, replete with contradictions and not supported by evidence led by the petitioners”." | Abuja Division of Court of Appeal, Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, NBA, Osun State Election Petition Tribunal, APC, PDP | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/23/osun-guber-poll-appeal-court-begins-hearing-of-oyetola-apcs-case-april-24/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | Resign Now for Lack of Competence, House Member Tells Jigawa Gov | "National Assembly member representing Gumel, Gagarawa, Maigatari and Sule Tankarkar federal constituency in Jigawa State, Sani Zorro, has called for the resignation of the state Governor, Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar, for lack of alleged competence to manage security situation in the state. But in a swift reaction, the state government has dismissed Zorro’s call, describing the lawmaker as one who is still suffering from recent election defeat. Zorro, who cited prevailing invasion of the state by bandits and killing of innocent villagers in the state, insisted that the governor lacked the competence to nip the criminal activities in Jigawa in the bud. The lawmaker, who is a former President of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), told journalists in Kano at the weekend that Badaru has traveled to China for 14 times in three years on personal businesses instead of focusing on the social economic business and governance in the state. He alleged that Badaru had invited Chinese companies which are his business partners to forceful take over farm lands in the name of industrialisation." | National Assembly member, Governor Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State, Sani Zorro, lack of competence | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/23/resign-now-for-lack-of-competence-house-member-tells-jigawa-gov/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, April 23, 2019 | 2019 General Election: Group Vows to Take Vote Buying Case to ICC | "A group of concerned Nigerians under the name Project Nigeria First (PNF) has vowed to take the case of votes buying to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherland, saying if the president and the governors are aware that vote buying can be traced to them and punished by the ICC for crime against humanity, they would no longer support it. The National Coordinator of PNF, Nya Etok, disclosed this in Abuja yesterday while addressing journalists on the danger vote buying could cause Nigeria and the African continent. He said Nigerian politicians are no longer afraid of the Nigerian judiciary, but if they know that vote buying, which is a crime against humanity at the ICC, can be traced to them and punished for it, they will no longer encourage it. According to the coordinator, “I have decided with a few like-minded people, who were part of the last election and others who were not part of the election, to take the issue of vote buying to the highest level, not in this country, but at the ICC." | Project Nigeria First (PNF), International Criminal Court (ICC), Nya Etok, vote buying | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/23/2019-general-election-group-vows-to-take-vote-buying-case-to-icc/ | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Rep speakership: Dyegh dares APC, to contest against Gbajabiamila | "A Member of the House of Representatives, John Dyegh (APC, Benue), yesterday, formally declared interest to contest for the position of the Speaker of the 9th House. This came few hours after the leadership of the APC adopted House Leader, Femi Gabajabiamila (APC, Lagos), for the same position. Hon. Dyegh, who made his declaration in Abuja, acknowledged his loyalty to the APC, but said his North Central was neither convinced nor given reasons as to why the position should be ceded to the South West that already had the vice president. “I hereby declare my intention to vie for the position of Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives. The decision is based on my unyielding faith in a united and prosperous Nigeria,” he stated. “My party, the APC zoned the position to the South West. My loyalty to the APC is 100 per cent. However, the North Central has not been convinced nor given reasons why the position should be zoned to the South West that already occupies the position of vice president,” the lawmaker stated." | John Dyegh, 9th House of Representatives Speakership, APC, South-West, zoning | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/rep-speakership-dyegh-dares-apc-to-contest-against-gbajabiamila.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Ex-Senate president urges CAN to remain non-partisan | "A former Senate President, Ameh Ebute, has charged leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to leave politics for politicians and concentrate on soul-winning. He said this yesterday in Abuja at the opening forum of a two-day international conference on Politics, Religion and Ethnicity in Nigeria organized by the National Inter-Faith and Religious Organisations for Peace (NIFROP). “I caution all religious leaders in Nigeria, especially those of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), my primary constituency as a Christian, to de-robe themselves from the garments of partisanship or political parties. There is no need to heat the polity with inflammable comments at his delicate period of our history,” he said. Ebute also urged the Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Prof. Ango Abdullahi, to desist from reducing Nigeria or the geographical North to an ethnic or religious fiefdom." | Former Senate President, Ameh Ebute, CAN, National Inter-Faith and Religious Organisations for Peace (NIFROP), Northern Elders Forum (NEF) | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ex-senate-president-urges-can-to-remain-non-partisan.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | May 29: Buhari orders ministers to submit performance report in one week | "Ahead of the May 29 swearing-in of his administration for second term, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed ministers to submit a comprehensive “status reports on policies, programs and projects” from their respective ministries, departments and agencies. This is contained in a circular issued yesterday by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Gida Mustapha. The ministers have Wednesday, April 24, 2019 as the deadline for submission of the reports to the Presidential Audit Committee in the office of the Vice President. The circular also asked members of the Federal Executive Council to “ensure that all outstanding memoranda they intend to present to the Federal Executive Council are submitted to the Cabinet Affairs Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, not later than Tuesday, 30th April, 2019.”" | Second term, Buhari, MDAs, Mr. Boss Gida Mustapha, Presiential Audit Committee, Federal Executive Council | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/may-29-buhari-to-ministers-submit-performance-report-in-one-week.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Adewale proclaims self Lagos PDP chair for 2nd time | "For the second time in less than a month, a chieftain of the PDP in Lagos State, Otunba Segun Adewale, stormed the secretariat of the party insisting he is the chairman. This came after the PDP in the South West disowned him and declared Dr. Adegbola Dominic as the state party chairman. Dr. Dominic had also, last week, after a meeting of the party elders, stressed that Adewale was no longer a member of the PDP and that he (Dominic) remained the chairman. But Adewale, popularly known as Aeroland, stormed the party secretariat with scores of his supporters, declaring himself as the chairman, saying the tenure of Dominic expired since December, 2018. Adewale’s supporters were seen with placards with inscriptions such as “Please come and rescue us from Bode George”, “The solution of Lagos State PDP is Aeroland”, “Otunba Adewale is the right man for Lagos PDP” and “Aeroland contributed to the growth of Lagos State PDP”." | Otunba Segun Adewale, PDP Lagos State, South West, Dr. Adegbola Dominic, Aeroland | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/adewale-proclaims-self-lagos-pdp-chair-for-2nd-time.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Senators, Reps receive budget report, adjourns for Easter | "The Senate and the House of Representatives yesterday received the report of the 2019 budget estimates from their respective committees on Appropriation. In the Senate, the budget report was initially billed to be laid on the floor of the red chamber last Thursday, but that did not happen as some of committees did not conclude work on their reports. Also, Senate President Bukola Saraki two weeks ago promised that the budget would be passed on April 16, which was last Tuesday. That too did not happen. But at yesterday’s plenary, the chairman of the Appropriation Committee Sen Mohammed Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe), laid the report at 3:30.pm. Though it was thought that the budget would be considered at the same time, the Senate adjourned plenary to next Wednesday without passing it. Senate President Bukola Saraki announced that the Senate would adjourn plenary to next Wednesday, April 24." | Senate, House of Representatives, 2019 budget, Sen. Mohammed Danjuma Goje, Appropriation Committee | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/senators-reps-receive-budget-report-adjourns-for-easter.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Youths begin ‘40% representation in governance’ campaign | "Some youths, led by the National Youth leader of the APC, Sadiq Abubakar, have commenced a campaign seeking at least 40 per cent of their peers in governance. President Muhammadu Buhari had after winning election for a second term, said he would give priority to women and youths in his cabinet. The campaign featured members holding placards with inscriptions like “Investing in youths is investing in nation”, “We cook what the nation feeds on” and “Digital world needs digital leaders”. “Youth participation is not an end in itself rather, it is a means to create more sustainability, progress and growth in Africa,” Sadiq Abubakar said. “There is also need of quota system in political representation of which 40 per cent is to be reserved for youths,” he stated." | APC National Youth leader, Sadiq Abubakar, Buhari, second term, governance' campaign | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/youths-begin-40-representation-in-governance-campaign.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Senate rejects bills to phase out petrol cars, Nigerian citizenship | "The Senate on yesterday rejected a bill that sought to phase out the use of petrol cars and introduce electric cars in Nigeria by the year 2035. Senators also rejected another bill that sought to open up the Nigerian citizenship to other Africans. The two bills were sponsored separately by Sen Ben Murray-Bruce (PDP, Bayelsa). The senator told his colleagues that combustion cars were causing pollution and contribute to global warming and that developed countries were gradually phasing them out. However, Sen Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano), said there was no need to make any law compelling Nigerians to use electric cars at a particular period. He said in view of the economic strength of individual Nigerians, it would be unwise to come up with such legislation." | Senate, Nigerian citizenship, petrol cars, Sen. Ben Murray-Bruce, Sen Jibrin Barau | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/senate-rejects-bills-to-phase-out-petrol-cars-nigerian-citizenship.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Kogi PDP chairmanship aspirant vows to reposition party | "Ahead of July, 2019, PDP state congress in Kogi State, an aspirant for the chairmanship, Mr. Fidelis Alfa, has expressed determination to reposition the party for victory in the November governorship election in the state, and beyond. Mr. Alfa noted that the problem with PDP in the state was that of leadership, adding that the party “presently lacks discipline, transparency and what it takes to reconcile aggrieved members.” According to him, “As it is now, it looks as if there is no PDP in the state. If elected, I will ensure that the party is back to life as the people’s hope generally lies on the party. I will also run a party that can be self-reliant, focused and proactive in its activities.”" | PDP Kogi State, chairmanship aspirant, Mr. Fidelis Alfa, aggrieved members | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kogi-pdp-chairmanship-aspirant-vows-to-reposition-party.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Group urges APC to allow N/East senators decide on senate presidency | "A political group, Amalgamated North East Consultative Forum (ANECF) has called on the leadership of the APC to allow senators from the region to choose a candidate for the presidency of the 9th Senate. The group, which was rooting for Sen. Danjuma Goje to become the next senate president, made the call yesterday at a meeting in Bauchi. The convener of the group, Barr. Muslim Maigari, said since the party had zoned the senate presidency to the North East, the senators and other APC stakeholders from the area should be allowed to select a consensus candidate. The group said although it was a wise decision for the party to zone the major leadership positions to geo-political zones in order to avoid rancour and unnecessary competition, it would be better to allow internal democracy to work." | Amalgamated North East Consultative Forum (ANECF), Senate presidency, Barr. Muslim Maigari, APC stakeholders, leadership positions | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/group-urges-apc-to-allow-n-east-senators-decide-on-senate-presidency.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | APC primary: Court strikes out suit against Na’Allah | "A Federal High Court sitting in Birnin Kebbi has struck out a suit filed by Prince Sule Sani Iko challenging the victory of Bala Ibn Na’Allah in the primary election that produced him as candidate of the APC for the House of Representatives. Delivering the judgement that lasted for 40 minutes, Justice Sunday Onu Bassey said the suit was struck out because it was filed outside the 14 days duration required by the constitution. The judge observed that despite the irregularities, intimidation and police harassment during the primary election held on October 3 and 4, 2018, the inability of the plaintiff to file the suit within the stipulated 14 days rendered the case incompetent." | Federal High Court, Birnin Kebbi, APC, Sen. Bala Ibn Na'Allah, Justice Sunday Onu Bassey, primary election | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-primary-court-strikes-out-suit-against-naallah.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Reps: Lagos supplementary poll holds April | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, declared as inconclusive the Ajeromi/Ifelodun Federal Constituency election conducted on February 23, 2019. INEC, therefore, fixed Saturday, April 27, 2019, for the conduct of a supplementary election. The declaration was made at the Federal Constituency Collation Centre in Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government Area office of INEC during a meeting with leaders of political parties, candidates and their agents. The declaration was in compliance with the order of the Federal High Court sitting in Kubwa, Abuja, on March 7, 2019, compelling INEC to declare the result. Spokesman of INEC, Mr. Femi Akinbiyi, at the end of the meeting, said the election became inconclusive in view of the margin of lead principle where no candidate emerged clear winner as a result of cancellation of the election in 71 polling units." | INEC, Ajeromi/Ifelodun Federal Constituency, supplementary election, political parties, Federal High Court | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/reps-lagos-supplementary-poll-holds-april.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Kwara: Group roots for Popoola as speaker | "A group of members of the APC in Kwara State has said the rule of law and legislative experience should not be sacrificed on the altar of sectionalism when electing the Speaker of the House of Assembly. Speaking with journalists in Ilorin yesterday, members of Legacy Group/Foundation of the APC, said it would be counter-productive if rule of law and legislative experience were jettisoned. Led by their Chairman in Kwara Central, Alhaji Gani Saka, the members also called on leadership of the party, including President Muhammadu Buhari, the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and the state Chairman of the APC, Hon. Bashir Bolarinwa, to ensure that members of the party who laboured were not subjected to further injustice." | APC Kwara State, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Legacy Group/Foundation, Buhari, Tinubu, Oshiomhole | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kwara-group-roots-for-popoola-as-speaker.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Kogi: PDP begins move to reclaim Kogi in Nov | "Stakeholders of the PDP in Kogi State, yesterday, met with the national leadership of the party to reconcile the lingering crisis in Kogi East and map out strategies that will help them reclaim power in the November governorship election in the state. Addressing newsmen at the end of the meeting, which lasted for about two hours at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja, one of the stakeholders in the state, Halima Alfa, said they resolved to raise a reconciliation committee to be headed by the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus. She explained that the committee would be saddled with the responsibility of reconciling the aggrieved party stalwarts in the state to prepare grounds for victory at the poll. She said the party also took a holistic review of the last election in the state in terms of logistics, thuggery, betrayal, the current leadership of the party, and especially the tenure of the state executive." | PDP Stakeholders, Kogi State, national leadership, Prince Uche Secondus, Halima Alfa, aggrieved party stalwarts | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kogi-pdp-begins-move-to-reclaim-kogi-in-nov.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Sokoto: Tribunal grants leave for substituted service on APC reps – elect | "The Election Petition Tribunal in Sokoto state has granted Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the Bodinga/Dange Shuni/Tureta Federal Constituency election, Balarabe Shehu Kakale an order of substituted service on the APC Candidate Shehu Aliyu. Kakale had in a Motion-exparte by his counsel Barrister JC Shaka,sought leave for substituted service on Shehu Aliyu who is the 1strespondent in the case. When the case came up Wednesday, Chairman of the Tribunal Justice Yusuf Ubale Muhammad granted the Motion Exparte with an order of court to serve by substituted mean, by pasting same on the last known home of the 1st respondent within the jurisdiction of the tribunal, at no 5 Kalgo road Sokoto." | Election Petition Trbunal, PDP, Bodinga/Dange Shuni/Tureta Federal Constituency election, Justice Yusuf Ubale Muhammad, Sokoto State | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sokoto-tribunal-grants-leave-for-substituted-service-on-apc-reps-elect.html | ||||||
| The Guardian Newspaper | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Oni loses bid to unseat Fayemi as Ekiti governor | "The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed a suit filed by an All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, Chief Segun Oni, to unseat Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State. The suit was challenging the eligibility of the former Minister of Solid Minerals Development as candidate of the party in the July 14, 2018 governorship election. In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Amirul Sanusi, the apex court held that the application was statute-barred and a mere academic exercise. It ruled that the case of the ex-governor was caught up with Section 285 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which required that all pre-election cases must be filed within 14 days of the cause of action. Justice Sanusi stated that from the record before the court, the case was filed 42 days after, thereby making the suit legally incompetent to be adjudicated upon. Oni, who participated in the party’s gubernatorial primary, had dragged Fayemi to court praying for an order disqualifying him on the ground that he allegedly did not resign as minister three months ahead of the exercise as required by law. The APC faithful also predicated his prayer on the report of a Commission of Enquiry set up by the immediate past governor of the state, Ayodele Fayose, prohibiting the incumbent from holding public offices for a period of 10 years." | Supreme Court, Chief Segun Oni, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Justice Amirul Sanusi, APC | https://guardian.ng/news/oni-loses-bid-to-unseat-fayemi-as-ekiti-governor/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Kogi Gov Declares for Second Term | "The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, Wednesday declared his intention to contest for second term in office. The governor made the disclosure to run for another term at the meeting of the state executive council. According to him, another term in office would enable him consolidate on the good works he has started, saying he did well in the first term and he would not disappoint the people. He described the state as an All Progressives Congress (APC) state going by the outcome of the last general election, and promised to improve on his past performance by making the welfare of people of the state a priority. However, THISDAY reliably gathered that the governor disclosed to member of his cabinet that he is presently facing serious challenge on his second term." | Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, Second term, APC, first term | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/18/kogi-gov-declares-for-second-term/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | PDP NWC Meets Serving, Elected National Assembly Members | "The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last night met with serving and newly-elected lawmakers ahead of the inauguration of members of the 9th National Assembly. The meeting came 48 hours after the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) adopted Senator Ahmed Lawan, and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as the next Senate President, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively. The meeting, which was held behind closed-doors at the Lagos/Osun Hall, Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, had in attendance, all the serving and newly-elected lawmakers that are members of the PDP. The meeting had in attendance the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus; Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki; Speaker House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekeweremadu; Senate Minority leader, Abiodun Olujimi; Senator Dino Melaye and Senator Philip Aduda, among others." | PDP NWC, Newly-elected lawmakers, Prince Uche Secondus, 9th National Assembly, Saraki, Dogara | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/18/pdp-nwc-meets-serving-elected-national-assembly-members/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Nwaoboshi Fails to Stop INEC from Issuing Certificate of Return to Nwoko | "A Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja yesterday refused to hear the application brought by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi for an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from issuing Certificate of Return to Prince Ned Nwoko in respect of Delta North senatorial district. Justice Ahmed Mohammed in a short ruling yesterday refused to hear Nwaoboshi’s motion on the grounds that the court lacked the jurisdiction to do so, based on the fact that the Court of Appeal had already taken seize of the matter. Justice Mohammed had on April 3, 2019 sacked Nwaoboshi as Senator-elect representing Delta North senatorial district. In sacking the senator, the court had held that Nwaoboshi was not the winner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary held on October 2, 2018, conducted to nominate its senatorial candidate for Delta North district in the 2019 general election. Consequently, Justice Mohammed ordered INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued Nwaoboshi as winner of the Delta North senatorial district election held on February 23 and issue Nwoko with a new certificate of return." | Federal High Court, Abuja, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, Certificate of Return, Prince Ned Nwoko, Delta North Senatorial District, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, PDP primary, 2019 general elections | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/18/nwaoboshi-fails-to-stop-inec-from-issuing-certificate-of-return-to-nwoko/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | Women Demand 50% Positions from Buhari, Govs | "Women under the auspices of the Coalition for the Inclusion of Women in Governance yesterday advocated for a 50 per cent women’s share in all appointive positions at both federal and state levels in the incoming administration. Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the spokesperson of the women group, Ebere Ifendu, said the 2019 general election ended on a very disappointing note with women recording abysmally low number of elected legislators in the National Assembly. She lamented that though there is parity between male and female in Nigeria’s estimated population of 200 million, adding that most of the positions critical to national development are occupied by the male folk. She added that although 47 per cent of registered voters are women, according to the records of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), their political representation is limited. “Our prayer is that higher number of women should be appointed as ministers, board chairmen and heads of agencies and parastatals irrespective of the zoning formula. “We demand same at the state level. The appointment should be representational of all the states in Nigeria. For Nigeria to be compliant with the United Nations’ requirements and its own gender policy, we are demanding a 50 per cent affirmative action to reflect in the new appointment in the 9th republic,” he said. Ifendu urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership to ensure that they reciprocate the support from women by given them their due share. The women said that their demand for more inclusivity in governance is based on merit and the contributions they have been making in the political and economic development of the country." | Coalition for the Inclsuion of Women in Governance, incoming administration, appointive positions, 2019 general election, National Assembly, poltical representation, INEC, 50 per cent, Ebere Ifendu | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/18/women-demand-50-positions-from-buhari-govs/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Thursday, April 18, 2019 | REC: I Never Compromised Rivers Election Process | "The Rivers State Resident Electoral Commission (REC), Obo Effanga, has said he has nothing to regret in his handling of the last general election in the state. Speaking during an interactive session with journalists in Port Harcourt, the state capital, yesterday, Effanga said he never compromised the electoral process in the state contrary to claims by some interest groups. He insisted that in line with the dictates of his duty, he insisted that the commission conducted the last elections in the state in line with extant laws. He said: “I was not paid to work for the victory of any political party. Did I compromise the process? No, I did not. “When I came to Rivers State, even when I was in Edo State, I kept saying one thing that my job is to conduct an election and to conduct election in a manner that everybody will be given the opportunity to participate whether as a voter or a candidate. “Now, I use this analogy. If you cast you mind when you were in school, when it is examination time, students who are not prepared for examination will like to cause problem for the school to be closed down or cause the examination to be extended. “It seems to me that some people tried to do that during the election. Anybody who prepared for the election was ready to go into the election,” he explained." | Rivers State Resident Electoral Commission (REC) Obo Effanga, last general election, Edo State, political party | Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | At meeting with Buhari, Gbajabiamila endorsed for speaker | "House leader, Femi Gbajabiamila (APC,Lagos) was yesterday endorsed for the position of speaker, House of Representatives in the ninth assembly. The decision was taken at the Presidential Villa at a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari’s APC Reps-elect and the party executives. President Buhari hosted the Reps-elect to a dinner at the State House, Abuja. The closed door session that followed lasted for about an hour. Rep Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC,Kano) told newsmen after the meeting that Gbajabiamila has been endorsed for Speaker. He said the position of the deputy Speaker has been zoned to the North Central geopolitical zone. He said the four other principal officer positions, House leader, Deputy Leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Chief whip would be shared between North east, South east, North west and South-South geopolitical zones." | House leader Femi Gbajabiamila, APC, Speaker in ninth Assembly, Buhari, Abdulmumin Jibrin | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/at-meeting-with-buhari-gbajabiamila-endorsed-for-speaker.html | |
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | Borno elders deny endorsing Ndume for senate presidency | "The Borno Elders Forum (BEF), yesterday, denied endorsing Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) for the presidency of the 9th Senate. The clarification came less than 24 hours after Gov. Kashim Shettima had said the people of Borno would rally round the Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe), who was picked by the leadership of the APC for the senate presidency. Secretary of BEF, Dr. Bulama Mali Gubio, said the clarification became necessary in view of repeated media reports that prompted diverse reactions and enquiries from citizens of the state. Dr Gubio said the forum had ignored an earlier news report last week claiming Borno elders had endorsed Ndume, but with the second report this week, the forum became concerned." | Borno Elders Forum (BEF), Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, Dr Bulama Gubio, Gov. Kashim Shettima | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/borno-elders-deny-endorsing-ndume-for-senate-presidency.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | Wike gets certificate of return, says ‘I’m tired of being governor’ | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, presented a certificate of return to the re-elected Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, at the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt. Gov. Wike was re-elected on March 9, 2019, with the collation of election results concluded on April 3. Speaking, Gov. Wike dedicated the certificate to the people of Rivers State who he said overwhelmingly voted for him. He berated the Nigerian Army for the negative role they allegedly played during the 2019 general elections in Rivers State. During the speech, Gov. Wike reportedly declared that he was tired of being a governor and would not contest for a third term even if the constitution permitted him. According to Wike: “Nobody can be more than the state. So, for me, I want total peace in Rivers State. All of us should come back, wherever you are, whether in the federal or local government, come and work for the interest of the state. “I’ll not be governor forever. I only have four more years. After the four years, I’m gone. The constitution does not allow for third term. Even if it does, bye bye, I’m tired. I’ll not.""" | INEC, Governor Nyesom Wike, Rivers State, collation of results, Certificate of Return, 2019 general election | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/wike-gets-certificate-of-return-says-im-tired-of-being-governor.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | My lawyer qualified to practise in Nigeria, Atiku tells INEC | "The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, says his lawyer, Livy Uzoukwu, is qualified to practise in Nigeria against the position taken by the INEC. Atiku said INEC only exhibited “crass ignorance and incomparable low level wretched illiteracy” in faulting his choice of Uzoukwu in the petition challenging the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari as winner of February 23, 2019 polls. INEC had in a counter affidavit challenged the choice of Dr Uzoukwu as counsel in the petition claiming that the Senior Advocate of Nigeria was not on the roll call of lawyers called to the bar and therefore not eligible to practice in the country. But Atiku, in a reaction to the claim, said INEC has exhibited what he termed as “crass ignorance” as the use of abbreviations by counsel has been settled by the Supreme Court." | PDP, Atiku, INEC, Livy Uzoukwu, Nigeria, Buhari, 2019 presidential poll, Supreme Court | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/my-lawyer-qualified-to-practise-in-nigeria-atiku-tells-inec.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | Senate won’t be rubber stamp under me — Lawan | "One of the major contenders for the office of the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has said that he will not allow the Red Chamber to become a rubber stamp of the executive if he emerged. Lawan said those that have the notion that he would allow the Senate to be a rubber stamp of the executive did not really know who he is and what he stood for. However, he said if what the executive would bring to the Senate under him would be something that would bring food to the tables of Nigerians, he would gladly support it. Speaking when members of the All Progressives Youths Forum (APYF), Lawan said he believed the Senate under him would give the best to Nigeria and Nigerians in terms of legislation for good governance. “Some people said the Ahmad Lawan Senate Presidency will be a rubber stamp; they don’t know us. That’s not what I stand for. But if rubber stamp means what will bring food to the tables of Nigerians, so be it.""" | Senator Ahmed Lawan, Senate presidency, rubber stamped senate, APYF | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/senate-wont-be-rubber-stamp-under-me-lawan.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | Lack of accountability discredits Nigeria’s elections — ICPC boss | "The chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) Bolaji Owasanoye has said vote buying and lack of accountability by major stakeholders involved in the electoral process delegitimizes the outcome of elections. He said this yesterday at the National Policy Dialogue on Eradicating Electoral Corruption, focus on Vote Buying, held at the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN) in Keffi, Nasarawa state. He said, “Political larceny continues to challenge the integrity of the electoral process, delegitimizes the outcome of elections.” “Breeds corruption and creates a sense in political office holders that they purchased power and therefore not accountable to the people,” he added." | ICPC, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, Nigeria's elections, Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), Nasarawa state, political office holders | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/lack-of-accountability-discredits-nigerias-elections-icpc-boss.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | Senators begin fresh constitution amendment | "Senators yesterday began a fresh process of amending the 1999 constitution in an effort to override a presidential veto. President Muhammadu Buhari recently vetoed some Billspassed by the National Assembly, including one that seeks to compel the president to present annual budgets in September of every year. The Senate also said it would override the president’s veto on the Industrial Development (income tax relief) amendment, bill. Senators also agreed to rework 11 bills that the president rejected, and withdraw other four bills. Five of the bills to be reworked are on constitution amendment." | Senators, 1999 Constitution amendment, National Assembly, Senate | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/senators-begin-fresh-constitution-amendment.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | ‘NASS leadership should reflect national spread’ | "The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Yekini Nabena, has warned that if the party does not get it right on the zoning of key leadership positions in the 9th National Assembly, the 2023 elections may turn out to be a free-fall-all in the ruling party. Nabena, who gave the warning yesterday while speaking with journalists, called on the APC leadership to ensure that the zoning arrangement for the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives in the incoming 9th National Assembly reflected the remaining four geopolitical regions of the country since the president and vice president were picked from the North West and South West respectively. The Bayelsa-born APC chieftain, who said the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) under the leadership of the APC National Chairman, Com. Adams Oshiomhole, had already zoned the senate presidency to the North East, recommended a zoning arrangement for the remaining positions." | APC, Yekini Nabena, 9th National Assembly, Senate president, Speaker, zoning arrangement | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nass-leadership-should-reflect-national-spread.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | Commander tackles Tinubu over NASS leadership | "A Chieftain of the APC in Kano, Alhaji Abdulmajid Danbilki Commander, has stated that the northern part of the country will not allow itself to be used as a launch pad for waging a propaganda war by the party’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the wake of the current struggle for the leadership of the National Assembly. Commander, in a press statement he signed, said the APC being the ruling party in the country was almost on the precipice as a result of “Tinubu’s crafty design to stamp his imprimatur against the wish of prominent card-carrying members of the party who have different perceptions of how the NASS leadership should be formed.” He pointed out that the issue of reaching a consensus on the NASS leadership was just a figment of Tinubu and Oshiomhole’s propaganda stunt for them to score a cheap political point." | APC National Leaer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Alhaji Abdulmajid Danbiki Commander, National Assembly leadership, Oshiomhole | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/commander-tackles-tinubu-over-nass-leadership.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | Sokoto: APC, PDP trade blames over plan to burn INEC office | "The APC and the PDP in Sokoto State are trading blames over alleged plans to burn the INEC office in the state. The APC first raised an alarm over alleged plans by those it described as “mischievous elements” to set the state headquarters of INEC ablaze. This was contained in a statement by the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Sambo Bello Danchadi, and made available to journalists in Sokoto. The statement read in part: “The purpose of this nefarious action is to destroy all the available evidences that will be required in the ongoing Sokoto State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.” The APC said it viewed the development with serious concern, noting that “it is intended to derail the course of justice, negatively impact on our nascent democracy and endanger peace and unity in our dear state.”" | APC, PDP, INEC office, Sokoto State, Sambo Bello Danchadi, Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sokoto-apc-pdp-trade-blames-over-plan-to-burn-inec-office.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | Rep asks INEC to declare results of Ajeromi/Ifelodun Constituency | "The member representing Ajeromi/Ifelodun Federal Constituency of Lagos State, Rita Orji, has asked the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) to declare the results of the February 23 National Assembly election in the area, as earlier directed by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. Orji, who was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election, stated this yesterday in Abuja while briefing newsmen. The lawmaker explained that after INEC stalled the electoral process in the constituency, a Federal Court in Abuja had ordered the electoral body to release all collated results in the area, which showed her leading with over 11,000 votes. According to her, results from eight out of the 11 wards in the constituency, so declared that she was leading with over 11,000 votes." | Ajeromi/Ifelodun Federal Constituency, House of Representatives, Rita Orji, Federal High Court in Abuja, INEC, APC, PDP | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/rep-asks-inec-to-declare-results-of-ajeromi-ifelodun-constituency-2.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | Why I want to be speaker — Rep Okafor | "The Member representing Ehime Mbano/Ihite Uboma/Obowo Federal Constituency of Imo State, John Chike Okafor (APC, Imo), has said accumulated experience in the private and public sectors makes him the best candidate for speaker of the incoming 9th House of Representatives. Okafor stated this in Abuja yesterday while receiving a delegation of the Arewa Good Governance and Transparency Initiative (AGGTI) which paid him a solidarity visit, urging him to run for speaker. The lawmaker, who used the opportunity to formally join the race, however, asked the ruling APC to consider ceding the position to the South East in the interest of equity, justice and national inclusion. “I hereby formally declare my interest to contest for the Speaker of the 9th House. I enjoy the support of my colleagues, and as you can see, my supporters cut across the entire federation. “For equity, justice, fairness and national inclusion, it’s important that the APC should zone the position of speaker to the South East. It’s unthinkable that the party should abandon their supporters in the region,” he stated." | Ehime Mbano/Ihite Uboma/Obowo Federal Constituency, Imo State, John Okafor, APC, speakership, 9th National Assembly | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/why-i-want-to-be-speaker-rep-okafor.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | 160 women groups demand NASS leadership positions | "A coalition of 160 women groups has requested that the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives and Deputy Senate President of the 9th National Assembly be given to women. This was contained in a letter written to the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, which was jointly signed by leaders of the groups under the auspices of a campaign platform called “More Women”. The coordinators of the groups said Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha and Sen. Oluremi Tinubu should be supported for the position of house speaker and deputy senate president respectively. “More Women Campaign is concerned with the continued marginalisation of women in leadership positions in the country and committed to ensuring that women are in decision making positions in line with Nigeria’s international commitment on gender equality,” they stated." | 160 women group, Speaker of House of Representatives, Deputy Senate President, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/160-women-groups-demand-nass-leadership-positions.html | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | Taraba, Benue deputy governors move to end Tiv/Jukun clashes | "At last, the much-desired peace between the Tiv and the Jukun, which Governors Darius Ishaku of Taraba State and Samuel Ortom of Benue failed to achieve before leaving the country for holidays, is about being realised by their deputies. Deputy governor of Taraba, Haruna Manu, and his Benue counterpart, Benson Abounu, in the absence of their principals, seem to have brokered peace between the two warring ethnic groups. At the time of filing this report, normalcy had gradually begun to return on both lands. The two groups, according The Guardian checks, have been on each other’s jugular for the past two weeks, leading to massive killings and wanton destruction of valuables. Both deputies, who yesterday meet at the premises of the Federal University, Wukari in Taraba, did not hide their ill-feelings towards the two groups who recently threw caution to the wind. They both expressed disappointment at the people’s action, despite frantic efforts by the two state governments to ensure that peace prevailed." | Tiv/Jukun clashes, Taraba State, Benue State, Governor Samuel Ortom, Governor Darius Ishaku | https://guardian.ng/news/taraba-benue-deputy-governors-move-to-end-tiv-jukun-clashes/ | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | How varsity teachers undermined 2019 polls, by Jega | "Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Muhammadu Jega, yesterday came down hard on university lecturers for allegedly conniving with politicians to undermine the integrity and outcome of this year’s general elections. He regretted that the dons facilitated the faulty recruitment process of the political class during the polls, thus betraying the confidence the electoral body reposed in them. Teachers of Bayero University Kano (BUK) had severally come under stern criticisms for their roles in the last governorship election in the state. Jega, who spoke as chairman of the 15th yearly conference of the Fulbright Alumni Association of Nigeria at BUK, cited how prominent politicians in Kano “penetrated the academia to commit irregularities.” The erstwhile national president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) charged scholars to join the crusade of entrenching good governance in the country. He noted that not every university teacher had the integrity to add value to the polity. His words: “ Look at what happened during the last elections, and the story of irregularities being spread even in the four walls of BUK. The politicians, through crooked means, got alliances with lecturers in the university to compromise the system and they perpetrated all sort of irregularities, which pave way for a faulty process for the continued entrenchment of bad people in governance.""" | Former INEC boss, Prof. Attahiru Jega, politicians, general elections, varsity teachers, ASUU | https://guardian.ng/features/how-varsity-teachers-undermined-2019-polls-by-jega/ | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Wednesday, April 17, 2019 | Ekiti Assembly bars PDP lawmaker for six weeks over alleged misconduct | "The Ekiti State Assembly House of Assembly yesterday banned former Deputy Speaker and member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Adewumi, representing Ekiti West Constituency I for six weeks for alleged legislative misconduct. The suspension of the former deputy speaker was attributed to his undue interruption of the Speaker, Adeniran Alagbada, while presiding over the House at the plenary yesterday. Following altercation between the two high profile members of the legislative arm, the Speaker was said to have exercised his powers and banned him in accordance with Section 17 of the House Standing Order. The Speaker said the former deputy speaker during the period of his suspension would be prevented from participating in any plenary session, but could only involve in off-plenary activities of the House." | Ekiti State House of Assembly, Former Deputy Speaker, Segun Adewunmi, PDP, alleged misconduct, House Standing Order | https://guardian.ng/news/ekiti-assembly-bars-pdp-lawmaker-for-six-weeks-over-alleged-misconduct/ | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 15, 2019 | SERAP demands information on security votes | "The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent Freedom of Information requests to President Muhammadu Buhari and the 36 state governors, urging them to explain how they spend security votes. SERAP, in the FOI signed by its Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, also canvassed for the establishment of Joint Security Trust Funds between the federal and state governments “as a permanent replacement for the illegal and unconstitutional appropriation of public funds as security votes.” It stated: “SERAP urges you to open-up on the matter and provide information and documents as requested. This will be one step in the right direction. Unless the information is urgently provided, Nigerians would continue to see the appropriation of public funds as security votes and the institutionalization of this cash in ‘Ghana Must Go bags’ practice as a tool for self-enrichment.""" | Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, security votes, Buhari, 36 state governors | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/serap-demands-information-on-security-votes.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 15, 2019 | NASS Leadership: APC Governors endorse Lawan, Gbajabiamila | "Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno says former governors in the ninth National Assembly have endorsed the candidature of Sen. Ahmed Lawan for the seat of Senate President. Shettima, who confirmed this development when he fielded questions from newsmen in N’Djamena, Chad, said the affected senators-elect had also endorsed Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila for the position of Speaker of the House Representatives. The governor also revealed that all the Senators-elect and House of Representatives members-elect from Borno state have endorsed candidature of Lawan and Gbajabiamila. He, therefore, dismissed the insinuation in some quarters that former governors in the national assembly were against the election of Lawan and Gbajabiamila as leaders of the two chambers of the National Assembly." | Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno, 9th National Assembly, Sen. Ahmed Lawan, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nass-leadership-apc-governors-endorse-lawan-gbajabiamila.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 15, 2019 | NASS leadership: Lawan, others can meet opposition — APC | "The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) says it is not opposed to the consultations Senator Ahmed Lawan and others are holding with members of the opposition over the election of leaders into the 9th National Assembly. The APC National Publicity Secretary, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, who reacted yesterday, said contrary to the view that the party objected to such consultations, it was a normal democratic practice world over. Issa-Onilu said the actions of Lawan and other members did not contradict its position since APC has comfortable majority in both chambers with the number to produce the leadership. He said, “We are inundated with reports of our members in the National Assembly holding consultations with members of the opposition over the election of leaders into the 9th National Assembly. Let me state that our party has no objection to such consultations. It is a normal democratic practice world over to stretch hands across the divides. And contrary to some media reports, the actions of our members do not contradict the party’s position. APC has comfortable majority in both chambers, therefore; we have the number to produce the leadership.""" | APC, Senator Ahmed Lawan, 9th National Assembly, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, democraticv practice | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nass-leadership-lawan-others-can-meet-opposition-apc.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 15, 2019 | Gunmen kill PDP chieftain’s son in Benue | "Gunmen were said to have killed the son of Prince Yandev Amaabai, a national ex-officio of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gboko, Benue State. The victim, Orkuma Yandev Amaabai, was said to be returning home from an outing Saturday night when he was shot dead. The spokesperson of the state police command, Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident. Anene who noted that the incident was reported to the command, said investigation was already in progress." | Gunmen, Prince Yandev Amaabai, PDP, Gboko, Benue State, Orkuma Yandev Amaabai, Catherine Anene | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/gunmen-kill-pdp-chieftains-son-in-benue.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 15, 2019 | Sokoto APC wants N’West National Vice Chairman sacked | "The Sokoto State Executive Committee of the APC has passed a vote of no confidence on the party’s National Vice Chairman (North West), Malam Inuwa Abdulkadir. A statement signed by the state’s APC Chairman, Alhaji Bello Danchadi, yesterday in Sokoto, said the decision was taken after a meeting in Sokoto. “The executive committees of the party and their chairmen in the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state as well as elected national and state House of Assembly members under APC umbrella made the decision during a meeting in Sokoto. “The committee members condemned the actions of the National Vice Chairman in charge of the zone, Malam Inuwa Abdulkadir, and unanimously passed a vote of no confidence on him, sequel to sustained and flagrant anti-party activities. “The party regretted that Abdulkadir has continued to romance and openly work for the opposition party, rather than his supposed party, the APC." | APC Sokoto State Executive Committee, North West National Vice Chairman, Malam Inuwa Abdulkadir, Alhaji Bello Danchadi | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sokoto-apc-wants-nwest-national-vice-chairman-sacked.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 15, 2019 | S/Court receives records of appeal on Zamfara APC suit | "The Supreme Court has received the records of appeal in the appeal challenging the judgement of the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division, on the conduct of primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State. The appeal before the apex court was filed by the governor-elect of the state, Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Idris and 37 others, following the decision of the appellate court that there were irregularities in the conduct of the APC primaries in the state. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had relied on the decision to withhold issuance of certificates of return to the governor-elect and other members-elect of the State House of Assembly. It was gathered that though the apex court had received records of appeal, a date has however not been fixed for hearing the appeal." | Supreme Court, Court of Appeal Sokoto Division, Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Idris, APC primaries, INEC, Zamfara State | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/s-court-receives-records-of-appeal-on-zamfara-apc-suit.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 15, 2019 | 2 APC candidates claim Kwara assembly seat | "Two APC candidates, Abdulwaheed Gbenga Yussuf and Mariam Joy Adeniran, are laying claim to the Kwara State House of Assembly seat for Essa/Shawo/Igbodun constituency in Offa Local Government Area. A gender-based non-governmental organisation, under the aegis of Coalition of Women Associations in Kwara State, has also raised an alarm over alleged attempt to infringe on the rights of women in politics. “Our attention has been drawn to an attempt to cause injury on the womenfolk by struggling to use the court to snatch the mandate of Hon. Mariam Joy Adeniran thereby relegating us to the lowest ebb and allocating zero percent to females in the incoming lawmaking process,” the leader of the group, Ayobola Olupinla, said at a press conference in Ilorin." | Abdulwaheed Gbenga Yussuf, Mariam Joy Adeniran, Kwara State House of Assembly, Ayobola Olupinla | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2-apc-candidates-claim-kwara-assembly-seat.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 15, 2019 | Bauchi gov-elect: 5 SANs, others to defend me at tribunal | "Bauchi State governor-elect Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has said that five Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) and other lawyers will defend him at the Election Petitions Tribunal. Mohammed said this while answering questions at a meeting with over 100 members of the Body of Bauchi Lawyers of Conscience (BOBALAC) which promised to offer free legal service to him at the tribunal. He said it was commendable for him and the PDP to have lawyers that offered their unsolicited legal service at a time that their services were needed and paid for. The governor-elect promised an all-inclusive government that would provide opportunities to the citizens of the state to enable them have a space to contribute towards its development." | Bauchi State governor-elect, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, SANs, BOBALAC, Election Petitions Tribunal, legal service | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bauchi-gov-elect-5-sans-others-to-defend-me-at-tribunal.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 15, 2019 | Ilorin indigenes in Yola charge Kwara gov-elect | "Ilorin Emirate’s indigenes resident in Yola, Adamawa State, have charged the governor-elect of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, to engage the youth in his administration. Under the aegis of Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), Yola branch, the group also congratulated the governor-elect on his election. In a statement made available to our correspondent, the group expressed confidence that the governor-elect has the requisite experience to turn around the fortunes of the state. It however charged him to carry along the youth in the development of the state. The Yola IEDPU said the election of Abdulrazak was another success and a thing of pride for all indigenes of Ilorin Emirate at home and abroad. “We are confident that your wealth of experience will guide your new policy directions on youth engagement and development in Kwara State,” the group said. The union hailed the election of the senator-elect for Ilorin Emirate, Dr Ibrahim Oloriegbe and urged him to justify the confidence reposed in him by the electorate of Kwara Central Senatorial District." | Ilorin Emirate's indigenes, Kwara State governor-elect, Abdulrahman Abdulrasak, Dr. Ibrahim Oloriegbe | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ilorin-indigenes-in-yola-charge-kwara-gov-elect.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 15, 2019 | Involve more women, youth in your 2nd term, Buhari urged | "APC North West women and youth leaders have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that women and youth are well represented in his next cabinet. APC Zonal Youth Leader Abubakar Sadik Sa’adu Fakai made the call while speaking with journalists at a town hall meeting to appreciate the contributions of the youth, women and stakeholders of the North West Zone to the success of the 2019 general elections in Kaduna. Fakai said youth and women contributed to the success of the party in the last general elections." | APC North West women, youth leaders, Buhari, Abubakar Sadik Sa'adu Fakai, 2019 general elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/involve-more-women-youth-in-your-2nd-term-buhari-urged.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 15, 2019 | Okorocha tasks Ihedioha on free education | "Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has advised the incoming administration of Governor-elect, Hon Emeka Ihedioha not to abandon any of his legacy projects, especially the free education policy of his administration. Okorocha spoke when he received the new manager of Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Mrs Rejoice Ndudinachi, who paid him a courtesy call at the government house. He also tasked the management to ensure that the airport was totally free from the activities of touts." | Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Governor-elect Emeka Ihedioha, free education | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/okorocha-tasks-ihedioha-on-free-education.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 15, 2019 | Ohaneze demands NASS leadership slot for Igbo | "The leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Council has called on the National Assembly members-elect to give an Igbo person the opportunity to become either Senate president or Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 9th legislature. The South-South Coordinator of the council, Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, while speaking with journalists in Yenagoa, yesterday, blamed the current leadership tussle rocking the National Assembly on the meddlesomeness of the presidency and the leadership of the APC." | Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Council, National Assembly members-elect, Senate president, Speaker, Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ohaneze-demands-nass-leadership-slot-for-igbo.html | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Monday, April 15, 2019 | Lawyers back call for Buhari, govs to account for security votes | "Legal practitioners have backed the request by rights body, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), urging President Muhammadu Buhari and state governors to provide specific details of spending of security votes between 2011 and 2019. The Dean, Faculty of Law, Lagos State University, Prof. Funminiyi Adeleke, said the demand fulfilled Section 1(1) of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). He pointed out that security vote expenditure was not part of the privileged matters under the law. The don said: “Section 39(3) of the constitution permits non-disclosure of matters that concern certain security issues and this is an exception to right to freedom of press and information.”" | SERAP, security votes, Frredom of Information Act (FoIA), security issues | https://guardian.ng/news/lawyers-back-call-for-buhari-govs-to-account-for-security-votes/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Monday, April 15, 2019 | APC Middle Belt Group Backs Wase’s Speakership Bid | "The campaign by Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives, has thickened as the All Progressives Congress (APC) Middle Belt caucus has rallied behind him. The caucus known as APC Patriots, said that by experience, charisma and wisdom, no one is more qualified to be the Speaker than Wase. Leader of the group, Hon. Ignatius Mutumutu, in a statement said, Wase, representing Wase federal constituency, Plateau State, is eminently qualified to lead the House of Representatives as its Speaker. “Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase is currently the Deputy House Leader and an experienced legislator. He is a party man and this is the fourth time he is representing his constituency. “In terms of exposure to public service, Wase is a civil engineer, a public servant, alumni of Harvard School of Governance and he is a good governance advocate and grassroots development champion,” Mutumutu said. He said the APC Patriots are solidly behind Wase’s candidacy because the group believes he would efficiently and effectively coordinate the affairs of the House. “Wase is an advocate of good education and an activist. He is a member of the Governing Board, National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies, Regional Representative for West Africa, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association." | Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, APC Middle Belt caucus, APC patriots, Hon. Ignatius Mutumutu, Plateau State, Speakership Bid | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/15/apc-middle-belt-group-backs-wases-speakership-bid/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Monday, April 15, 2019 | Stakeholders Seek Genuine Reconciliation in Kogi APC | "Worried by the dwindling political fortune of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, some stakeholders have urged the party’s national leadership to address the drift and reposition the party for future polls. The stakeholders, under the auspices of Kogi Rescue Group, made the call on the heels of last week’s announcement by the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC) of November 2 date for the governorship election in the state. In a statement issued yesterday by Alhaji Yusuf Mohammed Idah, they cautioned against using the results of the recently conducted general election to rate the APC in the state, adding that only the presidential election, which was won by President Muhammadu Buhari, truly reflected the ruling party’s status in the state. “The question is what the status of APC in Kogi State today? During the general election, it won seven House of Representatives out of nine in the state. “It lost Kogi West senatorial seat and two seats of the House of Representatives, while the ADC and the PDP won the two seats in the House of Representatives in Yagba East/Yagba West/Mopa Amuro and Kabba Bunu/Ijumu Federal constituencies. APC, however, won in Lokoja/Koto Fedral Constitueny. President Muhammadu Buhari also won the presidential election in the state.""" | Political fortune, Kogi Rescue Group, Alhaji Yusuf Mohammed idah, APC, Kogi State | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/15/stakeholders-seek-genuine-reconciliation-in-kogi-apc/ | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 12, 2019 | Rivers: Supreme Court strikes out APC, Cole appeals | "The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeals of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, and factional governorship candidate, Tonye Cole. A seven-member panel of justices presided by the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad on Thursday ruled that two of the appeals are “defective” and “lacks merit.” The apex court held that being pre-election matters, they ought to have been brought in accordance with the rules of the court, adding that “no reliefs were sought from the Supreme Court.” The panel unanimously ruled that the citations made by counsel to APC, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) is inapplicable to the case, and therefore struck it out and upheld the submission of counsel to the PDP, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) that reliefs brought to the Supreme Court were directed at the Court of Appeal in the motion papers. Okutepa, who earlier requested the apex court to invoke its powers under Section 22 of the Supreme Court Act to set aside the judgment of the Rivers State High Court, which nullified the primaries of the APC, however withdrew the third appeal filed on March 23, 2019." | Supreme Court, APC, Tonye Cole, Acting CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), Rivers State High Court, Court of Appeal | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/rivers-supreme-court-strikes-out-apc-cole-appeals.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 12, 2019 | Defection: Court suspends judgment on Saraki, 53 others | "A Federal High Court in Abuja has suspended its judgment in the suit seeking to remove Senate President, Bukola Saraki and 53 other lawmakers over their defection. Justice Okon Abang yesterday suspended the judgment after counsel to the lawmakers, Mahmud Magaji (SAN) brought an application seeking to give a fair hearing to the lawmakers. In adjourning the matter indefinitely, Justice Abang expressed reservations that the lawmakers had sufficient time to defend the suit brought against them. “They allowed the plaintiff to incur a cost to prosecute this matter and also allowed the court to painstakingly prepare judgment. They are now in court trying to arrest the judgment,” he stated." | Federal High Court in Abuja, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Mahmud Magaji (SAN) | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/defection-court-suspends-judgment-on-saraki-53-others.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 12, 2019 | Abba files petition against Ganduje’s victory | "Twenty days after the declaration of Gov. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as winner of the March 23 governorship election in Kano State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP in Kano on Thursday finally filed petition against the victory. The petition filed by the party before the governorship election tribunal is contending that it’s governorship candidate Abba Yusuf, won the March 9 election, as such any result other than that was a nullity. The party is also contending that the supplementary election conducted by INEC was unconstitutional and unlawful. Speaking to journalists shortly after filing the petition, Yusuf said during the March 9 governorship election the PDP got the highest votes across the 44 local governments in the state." | Gov. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, governorship election, Kano State, Abba Yusuf, INEC, petition | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/abba-files-petition-against-gandujes-victory-2.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 12, 2019 | APC, guber candidate file petition against Tambuwal’s re-election | "The APC and its governorship candidate in Sokoto State have filed a petition at the election tribunal against the re-election of the PDP candidate, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal. The respondents include the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Gov. Aminu Waziiri Tambuwal, INEC and the PDP. Also, the tribunal granted an ex parte order to allow the APC counsels to inspect the electoral materials used for the polls. Speaking after the tribunal’s sitting, a member of the APC legal team, Bashir Mu’azu Jodi, who commented on behalf of the Lead Counsel, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), said the election of Gov. Tambuwal was being challenged on many cogent grounds. Jodi said it centered majorly on the infraction on the Electoral Act, 2010, as amended, during the March 9, 2019, gubernatorial election, as well as the March 23, 2019, rerun poll." | APC, PDP, INEC, Sokoto governorship election, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-guber-candidate-file-petition-against-tambuwals-re-election.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 12, 2019 | Senate appropriation committee fails to lay budget report | "The Senate appropriation committee failed to present the budget report that Senate President Bukola Saraki asked it to. Saraki had on Tuesday directed all committees to submit their budget reports to the appropriation committee. He also directed that the appropriation committee, after receiving the reports, should submit the entire budget report to the Senate yesterday. However, at yesterday’s plenary, the appropriation panel chaired by Sen Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe) did not submit the report. It was learnt that some committees were yet to produce their reports hence the inability of the appropriation committee to come up with a report." | Senate Appropriation Committee, budget report, Sen Danjuma Goje, Senate president Bukola Saraki | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/senate-appropriation-committee-fails-to-lay-budget-report.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 12, 2019 | Senate confirms ambassadorial, NBS nominees | "The Senate yesterday confirmed the nominations of three nominees as career ambassadors. Those confirmed were Mr Christopher C. Chejina from Delta State, Mr Bukar Kolo from Yobe State and Mr M. A. Mabdul from Benue State. The confirmations followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the committee on foreign affairs headed by Sen Monsurat Sunmonu (ADC, Oyo). Sunmonu told her colleagues that all the nominees appeared before her panel for screened as required by the Senate. She said based on the committee’s engagement with the nominees, they were qualified to occupy the positions. Therefore, the committee recommended that the Senate should confirm them. Similarly, the Senate confirmed Dr Kabiru Nakaura from the Northwest as chairman of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) board, while Mr Akinola Bashir (Southwest), Prof Moses Momoh (South South), Wallijoh Danladi Ahijoh (Northcentral), Adam Modu (Northeast), and Nwafor Paul Chukwudi (Southeast) were confirmed as members of the board." | Senate, Mr Christopher C. Chejina, Mr Bukar Kolo, Mr M.A. Mabdul, Benue State, Dr.Kabiru Nakaura, NBS, Ambassadorial nominees | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/senate-confirms-ambassadorial-nbs-nominees.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 12, 2019 | Redress 2015 political errors with speakership — S/East APC group | "A political group, APC South East Renaissance Group (ASERG), has advised the ruling APC to redress the “political errors” of the 2015 elections by zoning speakership of the 9th House of Representatives to the South East. ASERG’s convener, Chris-Lance Onyemechara, who spoke yesterday at a press conference in Abuja in company of the co-convener, Prince Magnus Okeke, advised the APC to embrace politics of inclusion. Onyemechara called on party members from other geo-political zones jostling for the speakership of the House of Representatives to withdraw from the race and support the South East in the interest of fairness, justice and equity. He said the APC denied the South East principal offices in 2015 on grounds that it did not have ranking members, but added that, “Four years after, we have produced two ranking members and now our party seems set to shift the goal post again. “The politics of exclusion did not work, why don’t we try the politics of inclusion? And under the circumstance, the best way to start is to zone the speakership of the House of Representatives to the South East,”" | APC South East Renaissance Group (ASERG), speakership, Chris-Lance Onyemechara, Prince Magnus Okeke, House of Representatives | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/redress-2015-political-errors-with-speakership-s-east-apc-group.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 12, 2019 | AA candidate wants review of use of INEC ad hoc staff | "The Imo State governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in the just concluded general elections, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, has asked INEC to review the use of ad hoc staff in the conduct of future elections. Nwosu said since the ad hoc staff did not owe total allegiance to the commission, they were susceptible to manipulative tendencies. Nwosu, who spoke to our correspondent in Owerri, described the level of irregularity that were uncovered in some local government areas during the governorship election in the state as alarming. He decried particularly what transpired in the four LGAs of Aboh Mbaise, Ahiazu Mbaise, Ezinihitte and Ngor-Okpala where he alleged that there were massive irregularities, saying that it was unhealthy for the nation’s democracy. The AA candidate blamed the irregularities on the ad hoc staff, especially those from the universities, who he accused of compromising the governorship election in Imo State." | Actiuon Alliance (AA), Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, INEC ad-hoc staff, Ngor-Okpala | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/aa-candidate-wants-review-of-use-of-inec-ad-hoc-staff.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 12, 2019 | Why Buhari should sign police fund bill — Sen Abu Ibrahim | "The recently passed Police Trust Fund Bill would help in checkmating the activities of bandits in parts of the country better equipment for the police, Sen Abu Ibrahim (APC, Katsina) has said. Ibrahim, who was the chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs and sponsor of an aspect of the bill, said President Muhammadu Buhari should waste no time in signing the bill into law so that certain security challenges in the country could be tackled head-on. The senator said the Police Trust Fund Bill would bring a lot of improvement in the policing work in the work, noting that the Nigeria Police Force has been battling with lack of funds. “It’s a combination of two bills: my own and another one, which came from the House. They merged the two into one so that they make it easier for passage. It’s a harmonised version. “But what is good is that at least there will be better funding for the police now, which I have been fighting for some time. I hope the Executive will sign it into law. I’ll pray that President Buhari signs it into law immediately it gets to his table. “I urge Mr President to sign it as quickly as possible because the police need it. At any rate, he had indicated that he would help the police by raising their pay. Obviously, the problem of police is beyond pay. They need funding in the critical area of arming themselves, training, other facilities and communications,” he said." | Police Trust Fund Bill, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Buhari, Sen Abu Ibrahim | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/why-buhari-should-sign-police-fund-bill-abu-ibrahim.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 12, 2019 | Buhari should support a woman for speaker — Barr. Uzoma | "A gender rights activist, Barr Esther Uzoma, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to facilitate the emergence of a female speaker for the 9th House of Representatives. In an interview with Daily Trust, Uzoma said the president should throw his weight behind women for the position of principal officers in the National Assembly as well as in his new cabinet as part of his pledge to women and as an affirmative action. Uzoma, who is the national coordinator of Proactive Gender Initiative, said Rep Nkeiruka Onyeajocha (APC, Abia) is a ranking member of the House with requisite experience having served as chairperson of several committees as a four-time representative. She listed some of the bills sponsored by Onyejeocha to include: Anti-torture Act 2017; National Senior Citizens Centre Act, 2017; Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshots Act 2017; and she co-sponsored the South East Development Commission Bill; and the National Council of Traditional Rulers (Establishment) Bill, 2015." | Barr Esther Uzoma, Buhari, female speaker, 9th House of Representatives, Rep Nkeiruka Onyeajocha, APC, Abia State | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-should-support-a-woman-for-speaker-barr-uzoma.html | ||||||
| The Guardian Newspaper | Friday, April 12, 2019 | 'APC,PDP can't guarantee Igbo's presidency in 2023' | "A chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Edozie Njoku, has said that the people of the South-East must join force to realise their clamour for 2023 presidency. He said neither the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) nor the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could give the Igbo the opportunity in 2023, hence they should rally round APGA to achieve that." | APGA, APC, PDP, Igbo presidency, Edozie Njoku | The Guardian Newspaper, Friday, April 12, 2019 (page 5) | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Friday, April 12, 2019 | North-central Group Endorses Wase for Speakership | "As the campaign for the Speakership of the House of Representatives continues, the representative of Wase federal constituency in Plateau State, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, has received the endorsement of North Central-based organisation, The Equity and Justice Forum. The body said it has thrown its weight behind Wase, a member of All Progressives Congress (APC), to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and it has started wooing political stakeholders and members of the House to support the Forum’s candidate. The Convener of the Forum, Femi Davies, who made this known in a press conference at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, said in the spirit of equity, fairness and justice, the group is supporting Wase to lead the House of Representatives in the next dispensation. According to Davis, the North Central zone of the country deserves to be given a sense of belonging being the region that has never enjoyed such position, noting that Wase has the experience and leadership qualities to preside over the affairs of the House. He described Wase as a genuine patriot and committed party member who has contributed immensely to the success of APC-led administration at the national level and in Plateau State." | Speakership of House of Representatives, Femi Davies, The Equity and Justice Forum, APC, Femi Davies | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/12/north-central-group-endorses-wase-for-speakership/ | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 9, 2019 | Niger Senate: Court of Appeal voids Sani Musa’s election | "The Court of Appeal in Abuja has nullified the election of Mohammed Sani Musa and declared Senator David Umaru as senator-elect for Niger East Senatorial District. In a judgment read by Justice Stephen Adah, the appellate court set aside the judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja on the grounds that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter having become statute barred by law. Justice Adah held that Sen. Umaru was duly elected candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue him with a certificate of return. Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo had on February 7 dismissed the preliminary objection by Umaru’s counsel, Chris Osuagwu, that the suit by Sani Musa was outside 14 days stipulated by the law on pre-election matters." | Court of Appeal in Abuja, Mohammed Sani Musa, Senator David Umaru, Niger East Senatorial District, APC, INEC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/niger-senate-court-of-appeal-voids-sani-musas-election.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 9, 2019 | ICPC asks National Assembly to make finances transparent | "The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Professor Bolaji Owasanoye has urged the National Assembly to remove the secrecy surrounding its budget to improve accountability and transparency. A statement yesterday from the ICPC spokesperson, Rasheedat Okoduwa said Owasanoye spoke during a lecture at the 9th National Assembly Induction Programme for new legislators, held in Abuja. She said in a lecture titled ‘The Legislature and Fight against Graft and Corruption’ ICPC boss spoke on the alleged outlandish allowances of members of National Assembly and the controversial issue of constituency projects. He said that the public perception of legislators as being corrupt would not go away until the National Assembly throws open its yearly budget to the public. He stressed that the execution of the National Assembly budget which has grown exponentially from N6.9 billion in 1999 to about N139 billion in 2018 for the same number of legislators has remained shrouded in secrecy thereby giving room for allegations of abuse and misappropriation of the funds." | ICPC, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, National Assembly budget, Rasheedat Okoduwa, constituency project | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/icpc-asks-national-assembly-to-make-finances-transparent.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 9, 2019 | Kogi judiciary asks court to nullify assembly’s resolution on CJ’s removal | "The judiciary in Kogi State yesterday approached the State High Court sitting in Koton-Karfe seeking nullification of the April 2 resolution of the House of Assembly recommending the removal of the Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah. The motion was filed by Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) leading 11 other lawyers, including five Senior Advocates of Nigeria on behalf of the claimants/applicants, Justice Ajanah and the Chief Registrar of the state High Court, Alhaji Yahaya Adamu. Awomolo said the motion was brought pursuant to Order 11, Rules 1 and 2 of Kogi State High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2006 to counter the action of the assembly in defying the court order in the impasse between the legislature and the executive." | Kogi judiciary, State High Court, Koton-Karfe, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), Alhaji Yahaya Adamu | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kogi-judiciary-asks-court-to-nullify-assemblys-resolution-on-cjs-removal-2.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 9, 2019 | Nigerians should judge us by performance in 2023 — APC | "The National Publicity Secretary of the ruling APC, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, has asked Nigerians to pass judgement in 2023 based on the party’s performance. Issa-Onilu, in an interview with journalists in Abuja over the weekend, said the chances of the APC would be brighter in 2023 with what happened during the 2019 general elections which saw the defeat of the incumbent Senate President Bukola Saraki with ease. He said the voters, who had come of age, now consider performance instead of sentiments that had always been the vogue. “You knew what a lot of clergies did. And election this time around, you could not say it went along divides, No! In most cases, voters passed judgment based on performance. “We now know that the only way for us in 2023 is to ensure that we have credible performance, which Nigerians can still claim that we have clearly done so well, that they can’t take the risk of not voting for us. So, we will be facing Nigerians in 2023 and we want to be judged based on performance,” he added." | APC, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, 2019 general election, Senate President Bukola Saraki | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nigerians-should-judge-us-by-performance-in-2023-apc.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 9, 2019 | Reps knock minister over N14bn NEPZA fund | "Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Commerce has faulted the transfer of N14 billion meant for the Nigerian Export Zone Authority (NEPZA) by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah. The lawmakers also stepped down the consideration of critical aspects of the Ministry’s budget until “Enelamah appears in person to explain the 2018 expenditure and 2019 budget estimates.” Chairman of the House Committee on Commerce, Sylvester Ogbaga (PDP, Ebonyi), disclosed this during the 2019 budget defence by the Ministry, which held in Abuja yesterday without Enelamah, after three previous postponements. Ogbaga said the Committee was not satisfied with explanations given on the NEPZA fund by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Sunday Edet, who represented Enelamah." | House of Representatives Committee on Commerce, Nigerian Export Zone Authority (NEPZA), Sylvester Ogbaga, Sunday Edet | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/reps-knock-minister-over-n14bn-nepza-fund.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 9, 2019 | Tribunal orders INEC to allow parties inspect materials in Gombe | "Gombe State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow candidates of the All Grassroots Alliance (AGA), Alliance of Social Democrats (ASD) and Peoples for Democratic Change (PDC) to inspect electoral materials used in the gubernatorial election in the state. The presiding judge, Justice B. Tukur, gave the order at the inaugural sitting of the tribunal, yesterday, in Gombe. The petitioners were Muhammad Ibrahim of AGA; Aliyu Adamu of ASD; and Jungudo Muhammad Jungudo of PDC, who are the gubernatorial candidates of their respective parties. Our correspondent reports that all the three petitioners listed the governor-elect of the state, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the first respondent." | INEC, Gombe State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, All Grassroots Alliance (AGA), Alliance of Social Democrats (ASD), Peoples for Democratic Change (PDC), gubernatorial election | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/tribunal-orders-inec-to-allow-parties-inspect-materials-in-gombe.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 9, 2019 | Dogara: Don’t force leadership on N/Assembly | "Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has urged the APC not to impose the leadership of the National Assembly on the members during the coming 9th Assembly. Dogara, who spoke to journalists on the sidelines of the ongoing induction course for members-elect of the 9th Assembly, said members should be allowed to choose their leaders among themselves without any interference of political parties. The speaker, who served as the chairman of the first session of the induction, yesterday, said the history of the National Assembly has shown that any imposition of leadership on the legislature did not endure. “I’m not here to dictate to parties. Parties have their manifestos, they know how they conduct their businesses. But one thing I have said, if you followed the business during this induction exercise, is that it’s always better to allow leadership to emerge from the people. “But where leadership has been forced upon the people, in the history of the National Assembly, we’re all part of this history in Nigeria, it has never endured. And the least we could afford in the National Assembly is crisis on account of the leadership selection process. “So, whoever a party is sponsoring or supporting, they should make sure that they have the buy-in of the legislators so that they accept it and own the process; they’ll own the leadership. That way, they’ll always come out to defend it.""" | Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Leadership of 9th Assembly, political parties, APC, leadership selection process | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/dogara-dont-force-leadership-on-n-assembly.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 9, 2019 | Probe Nigeria’s N24.38trn debt, PDP asks N/Assembly | "The PDP has asked the National Assembly to probe the increasing borrowing by the APC-led government which has allegedly led to a national debt of N24.38 trillion. The PDP, in a statement, yesterday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, argued that the debt profile in 2015 was N12.12 trillion but later rose to N24.38 trillion because of alleged APC government’s incompetence and lack of initiative to stimulate and run a productive economy. The PDP said the current government relied on heavy borrowings and unbearable tax regimes, which allegedly crippled productivity, caused untold hardship and mortgaged the economic future of the nation. The party specifically urged the National Assembly to commence a system-wide investigation into the borrowings by the Buhari administration, particularly the terms of the borrowing and the handling of the funds." | PDP, National Assembly, N24.38trn debt, Kola Ologbodiyan, APC, Buhari | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/probe-nigerias-n24-38trn-debt-pdp-asks-n-assembly.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 9, 2019 | European centre holds leadership training | "The European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) has hosted a Leadership and Conflict Management (LEAD) training for women, youth and Persons Living with Disabilities (PWD) who were candidates of different political parties in the just-concluded 2019 general elections. At the programme, which was hosted in Lagos, ECES Project Advisor- Gender and Inclusion, Cathy Latiwa, said the LEAD training programme aimed at strengthening the leadership capacities of electoral stakeholders, increase their level of confidence and self-awareness, provide them with the necessary tools to enhance dialogue development as well as dialogue-based decision making throughout the electoral cycle. According to the project advisor, the LEAD training is built around the core values of inclusiveness and the exchange of specific experience and knowledge between electoral stakeholders." | European Centre for Electoral aSupport (ECES), Persons Living with Disabilities (PWD), political parties, Cathy Latiwa, 2019 general elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/european-centre-holds-leadership-training.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 9, 2019 | ‘True democracy impossible with attacks, abductions’ | "Continuing attacks and abductions by Boko Haram and herders is a slight on democracy and the government has to stand up more purposefully against the trend if it is sincere about protecting the citizens and democratic governance, a church denomination has said. The Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, otherwise called Ekklesiyar ‘Yan’uwa a Nijeriya (EYN), which expressed the view at a conference of its leaders at the church’s headquarters in Kwarhi, Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State, said Nigeria had failed woefully in restoring peace and enriching democratic practice. The president of EYN, Rev Joel Billi, who delivered a speech at the 72nd General Church Council (GCC) conference, said people in government who had failed to secure the country were going about heavily guarded on public account while the rest of the people were left almost completely at the mercy of attackers. “Nigeria is drifting day by day towards state of anarchy while we are busy blowing big grammar that we are practicing democracy. Honestly, we are far away from real democracy,” the EYN president said." | Boko Haram and herders, democratic governance, Church of Brethren in Nigeria, Hong LGA, Adamawa State, attacks, abductions | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/true-democracy-impossible-with-attacks-abductions.html | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, April 9, 2019 | INEC: We’ll Not Pre-empt Committee’s Report on Imo North Senatorial District | "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it would not pre-empt the deliberations and recommendations of the committee it set up to investigate the issue surrounding Imo North senatorial district election. The electoral body insisted that its inability to take any further action warranted the setting up of the committee. This is coming as the Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, yesterday revealed that the timetable for governorship elections in both Kogi and Bayelsa states would be released this week. A Coalition of Civil Society Organisations had given INEC 24 hours’ ultimatum, to issue the Certificate of Return to Senator Ben Uwajimogu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) or it would have no choice than to occupy the headquarters of the commission. The coalition claimed that Uwajimogu, was returned elected as a Senator representing Imo North on March 9, 2019, in a supplementary election, but subsequently denied a Certificate of Return by the commission. It added that INEC cannot be the umpire and at the same time usurping the function of the judiciary. However, responding to THISDAY’s enquiry yesterday, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Festus Okoye, recalled that the commission issued an official statement relating to the Imo North senatorial Election last week. He stated: “The commission determined that there are issues that need further inquiry. And based on this, the commission set up a committee to investigate it. “The committee is already sitting and will submit its report to the commission on or before April 10, 2019. It will be presumptuous to pre-empt the deliberations and recommendations of the committee.""" | INEC, Imo North Senatorial District, APC, Certificate of Return, Mr. Festus Okoye, governorship elections | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/09/inec-well-not-pre-empt-committees-report-on-imo-north-senatorial-district/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, April 9, 2019 | Otti Asks Tribunal to Nullify Ikpeazu’s Victory | "Following the outcome of the just-concluded March 9 gubernatorial election in Abia State, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate, Mr. Alex Otti, has filed a petition challenging the declaration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate and incumbent Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, as winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Governor Ikpeazu was declared the winner of the 2019 gubernatorial election in the state on March 10. Ikpeazu polled a total number of 261,127 to defeat Uche Ogah of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). A copy of the petition sighted by THISDAY yesterday quoted Otti as saying that, the governorship election was not free, fair and was characterised by non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act (as amended) and disregard of the 2019 guidelines for the conduct of the general elections issued by INEC. The APGA candidate asked the tribunal to cancel the results of 15 local government areas in the state, which he (Otti) claimed, was marred by over voting." | Gubernatorial election, Abia State, Alex Otti, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, APGA, PDP, INEC, Uche Ogah | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/09/otti-asks-tribunal-to-nullify-ikpeazus-victory/ | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 8, 2019 | Certificate of return: PDP candidate asks judge to hands off Okorocha’s suit | "The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the February 23 National Assembly elections, Jones Onyeriri, has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to disqualify himself from the suit brought by Governor Rochas Okorocha seeking to be issued with certificate of return. Following the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s report that Okorocha allegedly held the Returning Officer under duress to declare him winner of the Imo West Senatorial zone election, the governor, through his counsel, Kehinde Ogunmwumiju (SAN) is seeking an order of the court compelling the electoral commission to issue him a certificate of return as the senator-elect of the zone. But in a motion on notice brought on his behalf by his lawyer, N.A. Nnawuchi (SAN), Onyeriri said the presiding judge, Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo should withdraw from the matter because of his utterances in which he “clearly prejudged the substantive issues that will be resolved in this matter and clearly showed he has taken sides with the plaintiff (Okorocha).”" | PDP, National Assembly elections, Jones Onyeriri, INEC, Governor Rochas Okorocha | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/certificate-of-return-pdp-candidate-asks-judge-to-hands-off-okorochas-suit.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 8, 2019 | Akume vows to reclaim Senate mandate | "The senator representing Benue Northwest Senatorial District, George Akume, has said that conviction to regain his lost victory at the just concluded general elections in the state had been re-enforced. Akume, who sought for a fourth term in the Senate under the APC, alongside other APC federal lawmakers in the state, lost his bid to secure the seat. “We may have made mistakes only to gain more experience for the task ahead now that we have re-enforced stronger conviction towards regaining our victory, for evil cannot triumph over truth and justice,” he said. Akume, leader of APC in the state, made the remark while commissioning constituency projects for the use of members of his district at Ikpayongo in Gwer East Local Government Area (LGA) at the weekend." | Senator George Akume, Benue Northwest Senatorial District, general elections, APC, PDP, INEC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/akume-vows-to-reclaim-senate-mandate.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 8, 2019 | Bauchi gov denies last-minute contract award | "Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar says his administration is not engaged in any last-minute award of contract. The state’s Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Sade, who said this yesterday, was reacting to an allegation by the incoming administration of the People’s Democratic Party. The commissioner said though no fresh contracts had been awarded recently, there were ongoing multi-million naira roads and other projects across the state. Dr Ladan Salihu, the spokesperson of the governor-elect, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, had at a press conference, alleged that the incumbent administration planned to award multi-million naira contracts through the Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board (BASUBEB) in order to leave a huge financial burden for the incoming administration." | Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, last-minute contract award, fresh contracts, Dr Ladan Salihu, Governor-elect Bala Abdukadir Mohammed | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bauchi-gov-denies-last-minute-contract-award.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 8, 2019 | How we were threatened during 2019 elections — Female candidates | "Some female candidates in the just concluded general elections have described how they were threatened, harassed and subjected to other inhuman acts by fellow politicians. They spoke weekend in Abuja at a ‘Strategy Meeting on Experiment Sharing of Female Candidates in the 2019 General Elections’, organised by the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) interested in improving women participation in politics and governance. A senatorial candidate of the PDP in Oyo State and former Leader of the House of Representatives, Mrs Mulikat Akande Adeola, said women believed in doing what was right. Akande, who sought to represent Oyo Central Senatorial District, said, “During the general elections, people were ready to do anything. We saw violence, militarization, voter inducement and lots more. I was the preferred candidate and my constituents were still in shock that I was not declared winner,” she said." | Female candidates, 2019 general elections, Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), Mrs Mulikat Akande Adeola | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/how-we-were-threatened-during-2019-elections-female-candidates.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 8, 2019 | Malami, Amaechi plotting constitutional crisis in Rivers — PDP alleges | "The PDP has alleged that the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) and the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, were engaging in acts capable of causing constitutional crisis in Rivers State. The party alleged that Malami, Amaechi and other APC bigwigs were prevailing on the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Mohammed, to reverse the judgement which stopped the APC from fielding candidates for the 2019 general elections. Addressing a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said it was strange that leaders of the APC at the federal level were allegedly making such move at a time the elections were already concluded. “If this is allowed to occur, it will also amount to the highest travesty of justice, apart from being a direct abuse of court process. The Supreme Court is the highest temple of justice in our country and as such must protect itself from all forms of manipulative tendencies of the APC." | PDP, APC, Abubakar Malami (SAN), Rotimi Amaechi, Rivers State, constitutional crisis, 2019 general elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/malami-amaechi-plotting-constitutional-crisis-in-rivers-pdp.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 8, 2019 | Court verdict: Declare me winner now, Rep Orji tells INEC | "The member representing Ajeromi/Ifelodun Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rita Orji (PDP, Lagos) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare her winner of the February 23 National Assembly election in the area. Orji, who made the call at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, was reacting to yesterday’s judgment by Justice Bello Kawo-led Federal High Court, Abuja, which ruled out a re-run, and ordered INEC to declare collated results of all polling units in the Federal Constituency. “I want to thank the judiciary for coming to the aid of Nigeria’s democracy. I also want to thank INEC for upholding the sanctity of the Electoral Act in good faith. “Ajreomi/Ifelodun gave me a wonderful support, just like in 2015. I won clearly in 7 Wards; in the 8th ward, results of some PUs were illegally cancelled. “But Justice Bello Kawo of Federal High Court Abuja, has ruled that it is illegal to cancel results that are already collated and announced. Besides, allegations of violence or faulty card readers are unfounded. “Since I was leading with over 11,000 votes until the process was interrupted, I want INEC to declare me winner of the election,” Orji said." | Ajeromi/Ifelodun Federal Constituency, House of Representatives, Rita Orji, Justice Bello Kawo, Electoral Act, APC, PDP | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/court-verdict-declare-me-winner-now-rep-orji-tells-inec.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 8, 2019 | Edo PDP demands prosecution of APC member- elect over certificate | "The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has urged the police to prosecute the APC member-elect for Ovia North East Constituency I, Dumez Onaiwu Ugiagbe, over alleged forgery. Addressing journalists at the weekend in Benin, the PDP candidate for the election, Nosa Victor Omoregie, alleged that photograph on the certificate of Ugiagbe for the November/December 2001 West Africa Examination Council was different from the one attached to the photocopy submitted to INEC for the election. He said they wrote to the examination body to authenticate Ugiagbe’s result and got a reply four days later in which they discovered that the slip carried different passports. However, Ugiagbe denied the allegation, saying the certificate belonged to him, noting that he had to petition the force headquarters in Abuja because he did not have confidence in the police in Benin." | PDP, APC, Edo State, Ovia North East Constituency I, Dumez Onaiwu Ugiagbe, certificate, INEC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/edo-pdp-demands-prosecution-of-apc-member-elect-over-certificate.html | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Monday, April 8, 2019 | CAN, clerics task governors on looting, good governance | "Chairman of the Northern Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Yakubu Pam, has urged newly elected governors in the 19 states of the region to hit the ground running to develop their states. This comes as General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) worldwide, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye charged winners of elective position at the Federal and state levels in the just concluded elections to take Nigeria to the next level through robust investment in education, health and entrepreneurship. Besides, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Egbu, Imo State, Geoffrey Okorafor, advised all outgoing governors to desist from looting public finances of their state governments. Pam in a statement issued yesterday in Jos, said: “All Northern states are in need of development that will touch the lives of the people. With the right government policies that address those needs, the current crisis in some states of the North will come to an end.""" | Northern Christian Association of Nigeria, Reverend Yakubu Pam, good governance, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye | https://guardian.ng/news/can-clerics-task-governors-on-looting-good-governance/ | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Monday, April 8, 2019 | Lack of internal democracy, others fuelling inconclusive polls, says INEC | "Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has said lack of internal democracy among political parties and desperation by aspirants and their supporters were contributing significantly to the inconclusiveness of polls in the country. Reviewing the just concluded 2019 general elections nationwide in Plateau State, Yakubu lauded Nigerians for deepening democracy, noting that the successful conduct of the sixth exercise in a stretch showed improved integrity in the electoral system. He stated that the polls were becoming more competitive, as the margins between winners and runners-up were fast decreasing to the extent of warranting declaration of inconclusive executive and legislative elections. Addressing stakeholders in Jos, the INEC chair submitted: “This explains why the phenomenon of inconclusive election appears to have increased, leading to the need for supplementary elections as was encountered here on the Plateau. To be sure, inconclusive elections existed prior to the present commission. It is also not surprising when a few big parties are contesting for power at every level. The lack of internal democracy in the parties and the desperation of candidates and their supporters, driven by the fear of losing everything, tend to compound the problem of inconclusiveness.”" | Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, INEC, inconclusive polls, lack of internal democracy, 2019 general elections, electoral system | https://guardian.ng/news/lack-of-internal-democracy-others-fuelling-inconclusive-polls-says-inec/ | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Monday, April 8, 2019 | Ayogu Eze has no valid petition, says Osita Okechukwu | "The Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in Enugu State, Senator Ayogu Eze, has no valid petition to withdraw from the tribunal. The PDP leaders had visited Eze to persuade him to withdraw his petition at the tribunal and join hands with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to develop the state. But Okechukwu, while reacting to a statement credited to Eze saying that he would not constitute a cog in the wheel of development of Enugu State following a visit to his residence by leaders of the PDP from Enugu North Zone, advised him to first apologise to the APC over his alleged anti-party activities, deception and divisiveness, which he said, killed the momentum the party gathered during the local council election of 2018 in the state. However, when contacted, Eze simply said: “ I won’t respond to him. I have no comment.”" | Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr Osita Okechukwu, Senator Ayogu Eze, APC, Governor Ifeanyi of Enugu State | https://guardian.ng/news/ayogu-eze-has-no-valid-petition-says-osita-okechukwu/ | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Monday, April 8, 2019 | Bauchi governor-elect gets pro bono from 50 senior lawyers at tribunal | "Not less than 50 senior lawyers in Bauchi State have offered free legal services to defend the governor-elect, Bala Mohammed of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at the tribunal. Body of Bauchi Lawyers of Conscience (BOBALAC) made this known in a statement signed by the chief convener, Shipi Rabo, and secretary, Musa Abdullahi, in Bauchi yesterday. The defeated Bauchi governor, Mohammad Abubakar, had hired for senior advocates of Nigeria (SANs) to challenge the PDP’s victory in the March 26 governorship re-run poll. Abubakar hinted that his party’s stance differed from his earlier concession of defeat, hence he decided, as “a loyal member of the All Progressives Congress (APC)” to appeal the result. BOBALAC said the governor’s decision to challenge the election’s outcome after conceding defeat necessitated the free legal services. It wondered why the governor would pretend as if it was the APC that planned to challenge the outcome of the election at the tribunal when, indeed, he was the one behind the move." | Bauchi governor-elect Bala Mohammed, Body of Bauchi Lawyers of Conscience (BOBALAC), APC, PDP | https://guardian.ng/news/bauchi-governor-elect-gets-pro-bono-from-50-senior-lawyers-at-tribunal/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Monday, April 8, 2019 | Lawan, Goje, Ndume Intensify Bid for Senate Presidency | "The race for the presidency of the 9th Senate gathered momentum at the weekend with the main contender and Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, intensifying his one on one campaign and meeting with senators-elect, those of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stock in their home states. Sources close to the camps of former governor of Gombe State, Senator Danjuma Goje, and former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, however, told THISDAY that in spite of the tough talk of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), they would not give up their ambition to become the next Senate president. Specifically, the Ndume camp said no intimidation from any quarter can force the three-time Borno South senator to abandon his ambition that had received the blessings of APC leaders in his senatorial district and the two other senatorial districts in Borno. Thisday further gathered that Ndume is still very much in the race with one of the sources close to him saying: “Don’t forget that he was the first aspirant to write the APC leadership of his intention to vie for the position of Senate president.” It was also learnt that Ndume had since stepped up his consultations with all necessary stakeholders, including senators-elect across party lines and members of APC National Working Committee (NWC) on the need for them to support him. Ndume’s close associates stated emphatically that no amount of threat from any quarters will stop him from realising his ambition “as he is presently looking up to God in his pursuant of what is right.”" | 9th Senate, Ahmed Lawan, Danjuma Goje,Ali Ndume, Senate Presidency, APC | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/08/lawan-goje-ndume-intensify-bid-for-senate-presidency/ | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 5, 2019 | APC hires four SANs to challenge PDP’s victory in Bauchi | "The All Progressives Congress (APC) has assembled four Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) to challenge the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in court over its victory in the just concluded governorship election in Bauchi State, Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar has said. Governor Abubakar, who returned to Bauchi on Wednesday evening, told his supporters at his campaign office that the APC as a party would go to court to reclaim its mandate from the PDP. The video of the meeting which was seen by our reporter was confirmed by the Commissioner of Information, Ibrahim Sade. Recall that Governor Abubakar had conceded defeat after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Senator Bala Mohammed of the PDP as the winner of the election." | APC, PDP, Bauchi State governorship election, Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, Bala Mohammed, SANs, INEC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-hires-four-sans-to-challenge-pdps-victory-in-bauchi.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 5, 2019 | Assets of politicians, public officials to be made public – NFIU | "The assets of all public officials and senior political office holders will soon be open for public consumption, the Director, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Alhaji Modibbo Hamman-Tukur, has said. Hamman-Tukur disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at a budget defence session with the House of Representatives Committee on Financial Crimes led by Rep. Kayode Oladele (APC-Ogun). The director said it was part of the conditions lifting the suspension of the NFIU by the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units. The director told the committee that the suspension, which was lifted in September, 2018 was based on certain conditions that needed to be met by the country. He said the Egmont Group would want the NFIU to work closely with other agencies of government in fighting terrorism, financial crimes and other related offences." | NFIU, politicians, public officials, Alhaji Modibbo Hamman-Tukur, Rep. Kayode Oladele, Egmont Group, financial crimes | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/assets-of-politicians-public-officials-to-be-made-public-nfiu.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 5, 2019 | Kwara gov-elect inaugurates transition c’ttee | "Kwara State governor-elect AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has promised to run a government that will serve the best interest of the people. AbdulRazaq made the promise, yesterday, during the inauguration of the 80-member transition committee in Ilorin, the state capital. “The huge margin of our victory at the polls suggests that our people are fed up with the status quo and want a new approach to governance. We therefore have a historic duty to serve their best,” he said. AbdulRazaq urged the committee to discharge it duty in a way that would help the new government to serve the people. Chairman of the committee Aminu Adisa Logun said their job was to bridge the gap between the outgoing and the incoming government." | Kwara State Governor-elect Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Transition Committee, Aminu Adisa Logun | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kwara-gov-elect-inaugurates-transition-cttee.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 5, 2019 | We’ll reclaim our stolen mandate — PDP BoT | "The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP has assured that it will work with other organs of the party and its candidates whose mandates were allegedly stolen in the just concluded general elections to reclaim them. Reading a communiqué at the end of the 65th meeting of the board held, yesterday, in Abuja, the BoT Chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin, said the board also decried the militarisation of the elections. “The BoT notes with dismay, the systematic erosion of the gains made under the PDP administration in enhancing the credibility of the electoral process over the years, and frowns at the way all those gains are being distorted and eroded by the present administration. “The BoT calls on all Nigerians, especially our teeming PDP supporters to stay calm and be law-abiding, as we believe justice will take its proper place despite the traumatization of the judicial arm of government by the present administration,” the board said." | PDP BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin, stolen mandate, militarisation of the elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/well-reclaim-our-stolen-mandate-pdp-bot.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 5, 2019 | 2019 Election: Corp members performance well NYSC DG | "The Director General, National Youth Service Coprs (NYSC), Major General Suleiman Kazaure, has praised the conduct and performance of corps member during the just concluded 2019 general elections. Kazaure stated this while answering questions from journalists shortly during an assessment tour of the facilities at the temporal Orientation camp Okada, Edo State. “I am satisfied with the conduct and performance of corps member during the 2019 general election. They have done well and made the NYSC proud,” he said. Kazaure who advised the Corp members to pay attention to the skill acquisition training programme during the orientation in order to acquire skills and be self-reliant and employers of labour, said it is no longer news that white collar job is no longer available." | 2019 general election, DG NYSC, Major General Suleiman Kazaure, corps member | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2019-election-corp-members-performance-well-nysc-dg.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 5, 2019 | Appeal Court sacks Gombe member-elect | "The Court of Appeal sitting in Jos, Plateau, has sacked Mrs Rabi Daniel, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Assembly Member-elect for Billiri East Constituency of Gombe State. The Court further asked the INEC to present certificate of return to Mr Rambi Iyalah as the duly elected member. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Daniel was said to have lost to Iyalah during the PDP Primary, held on Oct. 4, 2018. Iyalah was also reported to have defeated Daniel with 25 against 24 votes at the primary. Mr Jacob Lawal, a legal practitioner and returning officer of the primary election, alongside Mr Magaji Lafiaji, the chairman of the electoral committee for the state, later declared Daniel winner and the party asked her to fly its flag. Displeased by the outcome, Iyalah wrote a petition to the party’s appeal committee, but said that his appeal fell on deaf ears. The alleged inability of the appeal committee to give fair hearing prompted Iyalah to approach a Federal High Court in Gombe in search of justice on Jan. 9." | Court of Appeal, Plateau State, House of Assembly member-elect, Billiri East Constituency of Gombe, INEC, Mr Rambi Iyalah, Mr Jacob Lawal, Mr Magaji Lafiaji, Federal High Court | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/appeal-court-sacks-gombe-member-elect-2.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 5, 2019 | Zamfara: Election tribunal relocates to Abuja over insecurity | "The Governorship, National and State House of Assembly Elections Tribunal for Zamfara State has relocated from Gusau, the state capital to Abuja due to insecurity in the state. The secretary of the tribunal, Barrister Innocent Akidi, made this known on Thursday following the first sitting of the tribunal at the FCT High Court in Wuse Zone 2. He said there are at least 40 petitions already submitted before the tribunal. The governorship elections tribunal is presided over by Justices Binta Fatima Zubairu (Chairperson), Okey I. Nwamoh (Member) and A.Y. Ajanaku Makun (Member). Earlier, the tribunal, during its first sitting in Abuja on Thursday, ordered substituted service of processes on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the election, Idris Mukhtar Shehu, who is the governor-elect." | Elections Tribunal, Zamfara State, INEC, APC, Idris Mukhtar Shehu, governor-elect, APC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/zamfara-election-tribunal-relocates-to-abuja-over-insecurity.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 5, 2019 | 33 election petitions filed before Kano tribunal | "Following the inauguration of Governorship/National and State Houses of Assembly petition Tribunal in Kano state, by Justice Nayai Aganaba 33 petitions were filled before the tribunal. Eleven are related to the House of Representatives, and 22 for State House of Assembly. The three man committee inaugurated comprises Justice Nayai Aganaba as chairman, justice Ashu Augustine Ewah and Mustapha Tijjani as members. The spokesperson to Kano PDP gubernatorial candidate Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, told Daily trust that PDP is compiling all its evidence before filing a case before the tribunal. “We are not in a hurry to file a case, what we are after is having enough evidence to present before the tribunal. However, before the expiration of the stipulated period required we will definitely file our case,” he said." | Kano Petition Tribunal, Justice Nayai Aganaba, Justice Ashu Augustine Ewah, Mustapha Tijjani | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/33-election-petitions-filed-before-kano-tribunal.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 5, 2019 | Zamfara gov’ship: Tribunal grants APGA order of substituted service on APC, candidate | "The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Zamfara State, Alhaji Sani Abdulahi Shinkafi, yesterday, secured an order of substituted service to serve the APC and its candidate, Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Idris, by pasting all the processes on the wall of the APC National Headquarters in Abuja. The tribunal chairman, Justice Binta Amina, gave the order at the inaugural sitting of the tribunal which was relocated to Abuja due to the insecurity in Zamfara State. Counsel to Shinkafi and APGA, Ifeanyi Mbaeri, had in his motion ex-parte asked the tribunal for an order of substituted service on APC and its candidate, Idris, by delivering the petition and all processes on any adult staff at the APC National Secretariat at Plot 40 Blantyre Street Wuse 2 or by pasting the petition and all other processes at the entrance gate or any other conspicuous place at the APC National Secretariat, Plot 40 Blantyre Street Wuse 2 Abuja." | APG, Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, Zamfara State, APC, Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Idris, Justice Binta Amina | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/zamfara-govship-tribunal-grants-apga-order-of-substituted-service-on-apc-candidate.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Friday, April 5, 2019 | PDP better positioned for 2023 — Timi Frank | "A political activist, Comrade Timi Frank, says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is now in a better position ahead of 2023 going by its performance during the just concluded general elections. Frank, in a statement, yesterday, saluted the courage of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Bala Mohammed in Bauchi State and Umar Fintiri in Adamawa State for fighting hard to defend the mandate of the people for the opposition party. Frank also felicitated with all other PDP governors-elect, senators-elect, House of Representatives members-elect and all the State House of Assembly members-elect across the country. He said the opposition PDP fought a good fight throughout the country despite what he described as “evil marriage and conspiracy by the APC government with security agencies and the electoral body to turn Nigeria to a one party state.”" | Comrade Timi Frank, PDP, Governor Nyesom Wike, Bala Mohammed, PDP governors-elect, APC government, 2023 | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-better-positioned-for-2023-timi-frank.html | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Friday, April 5, 2019 | My mandate still intact as senator-elect, says Nwaoboshi | "Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Peter Nwaoboshi, whose re-election was quashed by the court on Wednesday, has said that his mandate remains intact. Nwaoboshi, at a press conference yesterday in Abuja, noted that contrary to report, no court sacked him as he was no longer the candidate of a political party but a senator-elect with certificate of return. An Abuja Division of the Federal High Court had on Wednesday sacked Nwaoboshi, as the senator-elect for Delta North Senatorial District. Justice Ahmed Mohammed gave the order while delivering judgment in a suit filed by Mr. Ned Nwoko challenging the election of Nwaoboshi as the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the primaries of the party held in Delta. The court held that Nwaoboshi, a serving senator, was not the duly elected candidate of the PDP in the primary election. Justice Mohammed ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to publish the name of Nwoko as PDP candidate, having established before the court that he scored the highest number of votes in the said primary election." | Niger Delta Affairs, Peter Nwaoboshi, Delta North Senatorial District | https://guardian.ng/news/my-mandate-still-intact-as-senator-elect-says-nwaoboshi/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Friday, April 5, 2019 | Election Tribunal Receives 736 Petitions against 2019 Polls | "A document from the Election Petition Tribunal, located in the premises of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, has revealed that 736 petitions against the Conduct and outcome of the 2019 general elections have so far been received as at April 4 The document which emanated from the office of the Deputy Chief Registrar, Election Petitions Tribunal, Court of Appeal, Mrs. Rabi Abdulazeez, showed that the petitions cut across all levels of the 2019 election, with the State House of Assembly election leading the pack with 381 petitions, while the presidential election had 4. A breakdown of the figures further revealed that while the tribunal has so far received 207 petitions against the outcome of the senatorial election, a total of 101 and 43 petitions have so far been recorded against the House of Representatives and Governorship election so far. The figures as released by the Information Officer of the Court of Appeal, Saadatu Musa Kachalla, stated: House of Representatives elections: 101; Senatorial elections: 207; Governorship elections: 43; State House of Assembly election: 381 and Presidential election: 4. Copies of the petition were on display at the premises of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, venue of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal." | Election Petitions Tribunal, Court of Appeal, Mrs Rabi Abdulazeez, 2019 general elections, Saadatu Musa Kachalla | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/04/election-tribunal-receives-736-petitions-against-2019-polls/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Friday, April 5, 2019 | Senate Berates Communications Ministry for Abandoning 104 Projects in 2018 | "The upper chamber of the National Assembly Thursday berated the Ministry of Communications for abandoning 104 capital projects approved for it in the 2018 fiscal year. Vice Chairman of the Senate committee on Communications, Senator Isa Misau (Bauchi Central), who spoke at the 2019 budget defence of the ministry condemned the ministry’s attitude, saying a situation where projects were approved with appropriated funds but abandoned was worrisome. Submissions made by the Ministry showed that out of the 121 capital projects approved and appropriated in 2018 for it, just about 17 projects have reached varying degrees of completion leaving a larger percentage either not funded or not executed at all. Also, out of the 82 projects listed in the 2019 budget, 52 were new projects, which made the senators to ask questions on whether such projects should be reviewed. According to Misau, “this scenario is worrisome. Does it mean that all budgetary items that were either poorly funded originally are actually not relevant and important to the ministry ab initio? “What is responsible for the underutilisation of the total releases by the ministry? From the document before us the ministry utilized N449 million (20.57 per cent) out of the N2.1 billion released.”" | National Assembly, Ministry of Communications, 104 capital projects, Senator Isa Misau, 2019 budget defence | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/05/senate-berates-communications-ministry-for-abandoning-104-projects-in-2018-2/ | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | Constituency projects: ICPC to prosecute politicians, contractors who divert funds | "The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has vowed to deal with defaulters in the execution of constituency projects in the country. The chairman of the ICPC, Bolaji Owasanoye, said this during the launch of the Constituency Projects Tracking Group (CPTG) in Abuja yesterday. Daily Trust reports that constituency projects have been dogged by controversy with many people including former President Olusegun Obasanjo describing it as corruption. Since its introduction about a decade ago, constituency or zonal intervention projects have gulped about N100 billion naira every year. But speaking yesterday, Owasanoye said in the light of annual budgetary allocations to constituency projects, and actual releases by the government, it is believed that the impact ought to be more visible. He noted that open source information on the level of implementation in 16 focus states in 2016, showed that out of 436 constituency projects that were tracked, 145 were completed, 77 on-going, and 211 not executed." | Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Bolaji owasanoye, Constituency Projects Tracking Group (CPTG), corruption, politicians, contractors | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/constituency-projects-icpc-to-prosecute-politicians-contractors-who-divert-funds.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | Buhari rejects Ajaokuta steel company bill, 7 others | "President Muhammadu Buhari has rejected the bill that sought to provide funds for the completion of the moribund Ajoakuta Steel Company. Buhari, in a letter read at yesterday’s plenary by Senate President Bukola Saraki, said he withheld assent to the bill like the $1 billion requests from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) for the completion of the steel company was not tenable at this time of financial constraints. In the letter dated March 19, Buhari said: “The nation cannot afford to commit such an amount in the midst of competing priorities with long term social and economic impact that the funds can be alternatively deployed towards. “Bills which seek to make an appropriation of revenues to fund public expenditure should be consolidated in the annual Appropriation Act such that these proposals pass through the traditional scrutiny that budget proposal is subjected to by the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Budget and National Planning and the National Assembly. “Furthermore, as the Excess Crude Account Funds belong to the Federation, it would be proper to consult with the National Economic Council where the States are represented. “Relevant stakeholders such as the Ministries of Mines and Steel Development, Industry, Trade, and Investment were not fully consulted.""" | Buhari, Ajaokuta Steel Company Bill, Saraki, Excess Crude Account, financial constraints, public expenditure, National Assembly | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-rejects-ajaokuta-steel-company-bill-7-others.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | FG seeks new revenue sources to fund 2019 budget | "The federal government has evolved a strategic agenda to augment its sources of revenue to fund the 2019 budget. This is according to submissions by heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to the Joint House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriation Bill, in Abuja yesterday. The 2019 budget defence, and consideration of the bases on which it is based, namely the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP) featured the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma and his Finance counterpart, Zaynab Ahmed. Others included Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, Ben Akabueze; Director-General, Debt Management Office (DMO), Patience Oniha; Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele; and Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs, Hameed Ali. There were also Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler; Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru; and Head of the Department of Petroleum Resources, Mordecai Ladan. Defending the 2018 budget performance, as well as the proposed appropriation for 2019 fiscal year, Udoma told the lawmakers that both the MTEF and ERGP aimed to diversify the economy, reduce unemployment and achieve sustainable economic growth." | Federal Government, 2019 budget, MDAs, Economic Recovery Growth (ERG), Udo Udoma, Zaynab Ahmed, Hameed Ali, Ben Akabueze, MTEF, Patience Oniha, Godwin Emefiele, Babatunde Fowler, Maikanti Baru | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fg-seeks-new-revenue-sources-to-fund-2019-budget.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | Kogi assembly recommends CJ’s removal | "Kogi State House of Assembly yesterday recommended the removal of the state Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah, over alleged gross misconduct. This followed the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Public Accounts on the Auditor General’s Report on 2016 Financial Statements.” The chairman of the committee, Ahmed Mohammed, said the Chief Judge should step aside to defend himself over the alleged indictment by the Auditor-General. Mohammed said the Public Accounts Committee was set up in line with Section 103 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) at the plenary sitting of the House on Monday 24th December 2018." | Kogi State House of Assembly, State Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah, 2016 Financial Statements | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kogi-assembly-recommends-cjs-removal.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | Rivers: Wike leads in 12 LGs as collation continues today | "The candidate of Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, is leading in 13 out of 15 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the governorship election results collated so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). INEC commenced the collation of the governorship election results at the Aba/Port Harcourt road office of the commission yesterday. From the results collated so far, Governor Nyesom Wike polled a total number of 476,279 in 12 LGAs of Andoni, Eleme, Opopo/Nkoro, Okrika, Omuma, Tai, Ahoada east, Etche, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni , Bonny , Emuoha and Ikwerre, while the African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate , Biokpomabo Awara, won only in Oyigbo and Akuku toru LGAs with a total number of 129,328 votes." | PDP, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, AAC, Biokpomabo Awara, INEC, LGAs | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/rivers-wike-leads-in-12-lgs-as-collation-continues-today.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | FG to propose bill on poverty alleviation | "The federal government will soon propose a bill to address the issues related to poverty alleviation in the country, the special adviser to the president on Social Investment Programme Maryam Uwais has said. Uwais, who spoke during an oversight visit by the joint National Assembly committee on poverty alleviation headed by Senator Lawal Yahaya Gumau (APC, Bauchi) and Rep Muhammad Ali Wudil (APC, Kano), said the bill would dwell on how to sustain the achievements made so far. Responding to a question from a member of the panel, Rep Sidi Karasuwa (APC, Yobe), Uwais said they were still working on the bill in collaboration with relevant stakeholders in the executive arm. “We feel that we should have a very good team and the same kind of structure with the steering committee. We want to also ask for the state to come up with the same kind of structure. What we need to do is to make it attractive for the states to key into.""" | Federal Government, Bill on poverty alleviation, Social Investment Programme, Maryam Uwais, muhammad Ali Wudil, Lawal Yahaya Gumau, Sidi Karasuwa, National Assembly | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fg-to-propose-bill-on-poverty-alleviation.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | Senate to pass 2019 budget April 16 | "The Senate has said that it would pass the N8.83 trillion 2019 budget proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari on April 16. Senate President Bukola Saraki, who announced this at yesterday’s plenary, said the Senate would do all it could to pass the budget on that day. Saraki said all committees that were yet to submit their budget defence reports to the appropriation committee should do that between now and April 11. He also directed that the appropriation committee headed by Sen Mohammed Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe) should ensure that the budget report is ready before April 16. Consequently, the Senate adjourned plenary to April 9 to allow committees to conclude work on the budget. Senators had a fortnight ago adjourned plenary sittings to allow the various committees to engage Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) on budget defence." | Senate, 2019 budget, Buhari, Saraki, plenary, Appropriation Committee | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/senate-to-pass-2019-budget-april-16.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | APGA to sponsor state chairmen for overseas training | "The National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Oye, has appealed to the aggrieved party members to sheathe their swords and join hands to lift the party higher. Chief Oye, who spoke, yesterday in Awka, Anambra State capital while reviewing his four years as the national chairman of the party, said APGA had concluded plans to send some of its members abroad for leadership training. He said that the party needed everybody to move forward for better, stressing that “APGA is sweeter when all members are together”. He said the first batch of the training would be for the 36 state chairmen of the party and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). “We want everybody that feels aggrieved to bury their hatchet; let us work together. We need everybody. In fact, APGA is sweeter when we are more. “Some of the people who felt aggrieved have their reasons, but I use this medium to ask them to sheathe their sword and let’s work together because the future is very rosy.""" | APGA, Chief Victor Oye, aggrieved party members, Anambra State, overseas training, FCT | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apga-to-sponsor-state-chairmen-for-overseas-training.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | Ogun Assembly leader returns to APC | "The Majority Leader of Ogun State House of Assembly, Adeyinka Mafe, yesterday, returned to APC barely a month after losing the House of Representatives election on the platform of Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM). Daily Trust recalls that Mafe, who represents Sagamu I Constituency in November 2018, had resigned his membership of APC and joined APM, citing injustice by the leadership of APC during the party’s primaries as part of reasons for the defection. However, yesterday, the Speaker, Suraj Adekunbi, read Mafe’s withdrawal letter on the floor of the house, stating his decision to return to the APC." | Adeyinka Mafe, APM, APC, Majority leader of Ogun State House of Assembly, defection | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ogun-assembly-leader-returns-to-apc.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | PDP gets relief to inspect election materials in Plateau | "The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Jos has ordered INEC to release materials used for the governorship election for inspection by the PDP legal team. This followed the urgent application filed by the PDP counsels requesting the tribunal to compel INEC to release the materials and other documents for inspection. A statement by the Chairman Media and Publicity of the PDP campaign, Yiljap Abraham, said the tribunal also ordered INEC to release the certified true copies of the election results. “The three-member tribunal had two-members at the Monday session, but has yet to fix a date for its inaugural sitting. Meantime, the PDP legal team has filed 10 petitions before the tribunal handling the National Assembly and State House of Assembly cases.""" | Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, INEC, governorship election, PDP legal team, Yiljap Abraham, APC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-gets-relief-to-inspect-election-materials-in-plateau.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | Oyo APC gov’ship candidate heads to tribunal | "The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 9 governorship election in Oyo State, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, has filed a suit before the Election Petitions Tribunal challenging the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr Seyi Makinde. Adelabu prayed that the tribunal should overturn the victory of the PDP candidate Mr Makinde. He filed the suit alongside his party, whose state chairman, Chief Akin Oke, hinted recently that the party was considering challenging the outcome of the election in the state. “I want to repeat what I said concerning the outcome of the last governorship election. First, I want to greet all the people who genuinely voted for us. But where there is a genuine case of fraud, of course, why not go to court?"" “Do you want us to continue to support fraud? I repeat we will go to court once there are enough grounds to do so,” Oke added. On Tuesday, the APC made real its threat as it was listed as the second petitioner. The petition has the Independent National Electoral Commission as first respondent while Makinde and PDP are second and third respondents respectively." | APC, PDP, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, Mr Seyi Makinde, Election Pettitions Tribunal, Chief Akin Oke, governorship election, Oyo State, INEC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/oyo-apc-govship-candidate-heads-to-tribunal.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | Nasarawa governor-elect tasks communities on peace | "The Nasarawa State governor-elect, Mr Abdullahi Sule, has called on the people to embrace peace and tolerate one another in the interest of the state. Sule, who made the call on Tuesday while addressing a delegation of the Migili communities in Lafia, said peace was important to the development of any society. The governor-elect assured communities that his government would give adequate attention to the protection of lives and property of the people of the state." | Nasarawa State governor-elect, Mr Abdullahi Sule, peace, communities, Lafia, lives and communities | Daily Trust Newspaper, Wednesday, April 3, 2019 (Page IV) | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | Court nullifies Adeleke’s nomination as Osun gov candidate | "Justice Oathman Musa of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Bwari, Abuja, has nullified the nomination of Senator Ademola Adeleke as candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 2018 governorship election in Osun State. Adeleke, who represents Osun West Senatorial District at the Senate, was PDP's candidate for the state in the 2018 governorship election. Two chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Wahab Raheem and Adam Habeeb, had in 2018, few days to the governorship election, taken Adeleke to court. Both of them had accused him of not possessing the requisite educational qualification (secondary school certificate) to contest the office of governor. They consequently prayed the court for an order to disqualify Adeleke from participating in the September 22 governorship election in the state on the ground that he does not have the required educational qualification." | Justice Oathman Musa, Federal Capital Territory High Court, Senator Ademola Adeleke, PDP, 2018 governorship election, APC, requisite educational qualification, Osun State | https://guardian.ng/news/court-nullifies-adelekes-nomination-as-osun-gov-candidate/ | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | Ndume intensifies campaign for Senate presidency race | "In spite of All Progressives Congress (APC)’s endorsement of Ahmed Lawan (Yobe North) for the position of Senate President in the ninth National Assembly, a former Senate Majority Leader, Ali Ndume, has insisted on taking the position. Unfolding a nine point agenda yesterday in Abuja, Ndume (Borno South), promised to improve upon the performance of the eighth Senate, saying he would make the position less attractive by reducing what he described as ‘unnecessary privileges’ attached to the office Promising to uphold the independence of the legislature, he, however, expressed willingness to “work harmoniously and inter-dependently with the executive without undermining the principle of separation of powers.” Ndume said he would prioritise and ensure the passing of the Constituency Development Bill to make constituency projects more transparent, accountable, efficient and effective in the country. “In synergy with fellow senators, I will ensure that the Senate will agree on timelines for confirmation, approval of bills, especially the annual budgets, which will not exceed 90 days from the date of submission. “We will make laws that will block leakages and devise improved means of generating revenue, especially through amendment and review of the nation’s tax laws, which will help to reduce reliance on local and foreign loans to finance budget,” he stated." | APC, Senator Ali Ndume, Senator Ahmad Lawan, Senate presidency race, nine point agenda | https://guardian.ng/news/ndume-intensifies-campaign-for-senate-presidency-race/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | Court Reaffirms Omo-Agege’s Candidacy for APC | "Less than two weeks after a Federal High Court in Asaba, Delta State, sacked the All Progressives Congress (APC) faction that produced Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for the just-concluded general election in Delta State, the same court sitting in Warri has upheld the candidacy of the senator and other APC candidates that emerged through the primaries supervised by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state. The presiding judge, Justice Emeka Ewite, in his judgment delivered yesterday, struck out the suit filed by the applicant, Mr. O’tega Emerhor, challenging the validity of the primary that brought Omo-Agege. Ewite struck out the suit on the ground of incompetence and lacking in merit. He noted that Omo-Agege and Rev. Francis Waive, the winner of the Ughelli/ Udu Federal Constituency were necessary parties that ought to have been joined in the suit. The judge further observed that Emerhor failed to deny the counter-affidavit filed by INEC, that it did not monitor the primary for which he purportedly emerged. “Failure to deny the counter-affidavit is an admission which required no further proof that INEC only monitored the primaries in which Omo-Agege emerged. “INEC is to supervise or monitor primary elections and not to conduct,” he stated." | APC, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, general election, Delta State, INEC, Justice Emeka Ewite | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/03/court-reaffirms-omo-ageges-candidacy-for-apc/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | Etteh, Tambuwal, Dogara, Others Mourn Amadi | "A former Speaker and the Governor of Sokoto State, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal; another former Speaker, Hon. Patricia Etteh, and one-time Deputy Speaker and governor-elect of Imo State, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, yesterday joined the valedictory session at the House of Representatives chamber to honour a late lawmaker, Hon. Bethel Amadi, who passed on recently at the age of 55. The House Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, also announced the adjournment of plenary till next Tuesday in honour of the late lawmaker representing Yauri/Shanga/Ngaski Federal constituency of Kebbi State, Hon. Mohammed Dantani. Dantani reportedly died on Friday, March 29, after a brief illness. Amadi, who represented Mbaitoli/Ikeduru federal constituency of Imo State on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, died in London after a protracted battle with soft tissue cancer. The late three-term lawmaker was also the immediate-past president of the Pan-African Parliament between 2012 and 2015. He also served as the Chief Whip of the House under Etteh. The duo of former Speakers Etteh and Tambuwal, paid glowing tributes to the deceased lawmaker, particularly for his steadfastness, dexterity and forthrightness, saying the late lawmaker was dedicated to his duties. Ihedioha also described Amadi as a “wonderful personality,” saying he would ensure that the late lawmaker was immortalised by his administration when he assumes office." | Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, Hon. Patricia Etteh, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, late Hon. Bethel Amadi, hon. Yakubu Dogara, Hon. Mohammed Dantani | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/03/etteh-tambuwal-dogara-others-mourn-amadi/ | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | CCT: Onnoghen’s driver testifies, tenders assets declaration receipt | "The driver of suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, yesterday gave evidence as the first defence witness in the ongoing trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). The witness, Alhaji Lawal Olanrewaju Busari, who was led in evidence by Onnoghen’s lead counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), told the tribunal that he is a chief driver/mechanic at the Supreme Court of Nigeria and he has been the driver of the defendant since 1999. He gave evidence of how he drove Justice Onnoghen to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in 2010 to obtain his assets declaration forms." | Suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen, Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCB), Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), ssets declaration forms | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/cct-onnoghens-driver-testifies-tenders-assets-declaration-receipt.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | Strategic locations shut as Rivers poll result collation begin today | "The Rivers State Police Command and other security agencies have beefed up security in strategic locations in Port Harcourt ahead of the collation of the gubernatorial and state assembly election results billed to commence today. The spokesman of the Rivers State Police Command Public Relation Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, in a statement yesterday, said a detachment of police and other security agencies had cordoned off the premises of the INEC Office on the Aba-Port Harcourt Road and the entire perimeter surroundings of the area. The popular GRA and Waterlines Roads leading to the INEC Office were also shut down. The INEC had, on March 21, announced the resumption of the collation and announcement of results in the state between April 2 and April 5." | Rivers State Police Command, Rivers poll result collation, INEC Office, Nnamdi Omoni | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/strategic-locations-shut-as-rivers-poll-result-collation-begin-today.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | Purge yourself of hypocrites, Obasanjo tells PDP | "A former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, insisted that the PDP presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, is better than President Muhammadu Buhari “by far”. Obasanjo also asked the PDP to purge itself of “bad eggs and hypocrites” who according to him, lacked the commitment and goodwill to return the opposition party to its lost glory. Obasanjo spoke when South West PDP leaders led by the party’s National Vice Chairman (South West), Dr. Eddy Olafeso, visited him at his Residence inside the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta in Ogun State. Among those at the meeting were Senate Minority Leader, Biodun Olujimi, Senators-elect, Kola Balogun (Oyo South), Ayo Akinyelure (Ondo Central), Rep-elect, Hon Ajibola Muraina (Ibarapa North and Central), a former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, a former Minister for State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada and PDP gubernatorial candidate in Ekiti State in 2018, Prof Olusola Eleka." | Former president OlusegunObasanjo, PDP, Atiku, 2019 general elections, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, Sen.Biodun Olujimi | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/purge-yourself-of-hypocrites-obasanjo-tells-pdp.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | Cross River election petition tribunal begins sitting | "The Cross River State Election Petitions Tribunal began sitting in Calabar Monday. The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Vincent Agbata, at the inaugural sitting at the State High Court on Mary Slessor Avenue in Calabar, vowed to dispense justice without fear or favour. Other members of the tribunal are Justices Ishaku Kunda and Abubakar Bello. Agbata said: “We are here to serve you, to serve the public. We are here to work, to render service. It is not an easy job. At the same time, it is equally as easy as it is. A lot depends on you if it will be easy or difficult.”" | Cross River State Election Petitions Tribunal, Justice Vincent Agbata, Ishaku Kunda, Abubakar Bello | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/cross-river-election-petition-tribunal-begins-sitting.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | Saraki to lawmakers-elect: Don’t stay out of NASS on inauguration day | "The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has told lawmakers-elect for the 9th Assembly not to stay out of the National Assembly on the inauguration day like some senators did in 2015. Saraki, who was speaking during the induction course for the senators and members-elect for the 9th Assembly in Abuja yesterday, said inauguration was done on the floor of the two chambers of the National Assembly and not any other place. Saraki was speaking against the backdrop of what happened in 2015 when the then national leadership of the APC summoned a meeting at the International Conference Centre (ICC) with the then senators and members-elect on the morning of June 9, 2015, when inauguration was to take place." | Senate president,Bukola Saraki, lawmakers-elect, inauguration day, 9th Assembly | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/saraki-to-lawmakers-elect-dont-stay-out-of-nass-on-inauguration-day.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | I’ll do my best in second term – Buhari | "President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that he will put in all efforts to ensure the best for the country and her citizens when he begins a second term in office on May 29, 2019, while appreciating all those that voted him during the elections. Receiving the Board of Trustees and Advisory Council of Gidauniyar Jihar Katsina (Katsina State Development Fund) led by Justice Mamman Nasir at the State House, President Buhari said his campaign to all states of the federation was an eye opener. “Thank you for supporting me. I assure you that I will do my best during the second term. We will work for Nigeria and her people,’’ he stated." | Buhari, Nigerians, second term, elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ill-do-my-best-in-second-term-buhari.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | Adamawa Governor-elect constitutes 65-member transition committee | "The Adamawa Governor-elect, Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri, has constituted a Transition Committee to ensure smooth take-over of administration from the out-going Gov. Muhammadu Bindow administration. Inaugurating the 65-Man committee in a ceremony in Yola on Monday, Fintiri said the measure was necessary for smooth handing over by the out-going administration. Fintiri said the committee should obtain the detailed description of the structures of government, its institutions and number of work force. The committee was also expected to get the number of those on pension roster and number of political office holders including members of the State Executive Council, Senior Special Assistants, Advisers and Special Aides." | Adamawa Governor-elect, Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri, Governor Muhammadu Bindow, 65-member transition committee | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/adamawa-governor-elect-constitutes-65-member-transition-committee-2.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | NASS leadership: Nigeria won’t balance if S/East is not considered - Okorocha | "The Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has accused the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, of turning the party into a “regional party”. Gov. Okorocha who was suspended from the APC over alleged anti-party activities, spoke to journalists after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House yesterday. He said the South East must be given the chance to produce either the senate president or deputy senate president for geo-political balancing and distribution of positions. “I’ve been watching carefully what is happening in the National Assembly; it’s a very funny drama. But all I ask from them is that they should consider the South East in their calculations. This nation will not be properly balanced if the South East is not carried along properly in the affairs of the National Assembly." | Governor of Imo, Rochas Okorocha, APC, National Assembly leadership, Buhari, State House, Oshiomhole | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nass-leadership-nigeria-wont-balance-if-s-east-is-not-considered-okorocha.html | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | CAN wants religious balance in 9th National Assembly leadership | "The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday said the appointment of principal officers of the National Assembly must be free from marginalisation along religious lines. The group’s call is coming ahead of the inauguration of the ninth Assembly. It stressed that the placement of officers must be done in the interest of equity, justice and fair play as enshrined in the nation’s constitution. The group specifically appealed to the incoming legislators to field a Christian as Senate President or Speaker to address “the religious dichotomy.” In a statement in Abuja yesterday, CAN President Rev. Samson Ayokunle said the association’s quest became imperative due to the existence of a Muslim president as head of the executive arm of government and another Muslim as acting Chief Justice of Nigeria." | Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), principal officers, national Assembly leadership, CAN President Rev. Samson Ayokunle | https://guardian.ng/news/can-wants-religious-balance-in-9th-national-assembly-leadership/ | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | Tribunal okays Akinlade’s request to inspect election materials in Ogun | "The Ogun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and its candidate in the March 9, 2019 election, Adekunle Akinlade, to inspect the documents used for the exercise. His All Progressives Congress (APC) rival, Prince Dapo Abiodun, won the polls with a margin of over 19,000 votes. Akinlade is at the tribunal challenging the outcome on the premise that the election was allegedly rigged. Justice Chinwe Onyeabor, chairman of the three-member panel, gave the order at its inaugural sitting following an ex-parte motion filed by the petitioners. Their counsel, Mamman Osuman SAN, who appeared with Ahmed Raji SAN, told the panel that the application was brought pursuant to Section 151, sub-sections 1 and 2 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). Among other prayers sought were: “An order directing the first respondent to forthwith grant access to the petitioners/applicants and their solicitors, agents, experts and other staff to inspect, photocopy, scan, pay for and obtain certified copies of all documents used by the first respondent for the conduct of the Ogun State governorship election held on March 9, 2019 for the purposes of instituting and maintaining election petition. The he said documents being the ones contained in the schedule attached to the supporting affidavit to this application.""" | Ogun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, INEC, Allied Peoples Movement (APM), APC, Adekunle Akinlade, Prince Dapo Abiodun | https://guardian.ng/news/tribunal-okays-akinlades-request-to-inspect-election-materials-in-ogun/ | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | CODER, others call for celebration of 20 years of democratic rule | "Despite some shortcomings recorded during the conduct of the 2019 general elections held on February 23 and March 9 respectively, the Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER) has called on Nigerians to use the occasion of the swearing-in of elected officials scheduled to hold on May 29 to also celebrate 20 years of interrupted democratic rule in the country. The group hinged its call on the fact that this is the longest democratic rule Nigeria ever witnessed since it obtained Independence in 1960. In a similar vein, a former lawmaker who represented Epe Federal Constituency in Lagos State, Mr. Lanre Odubote, and erstwhile chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who recently defected to All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Professor Taoheed Adedoja, who spoke separately with The Guardian on the telephone yesterday, said it was important for Nigeria to celebrate the 20 years of uninterrupted democratic rule along with the swearing-in ceremony. They said such decision would not only be significant but also symbolic." | 2019 general elections, CODER, democratic rule, APC, Mr. Lanre Odubote, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja | https://guardian.ng/politics/coder-others-call-for-celebration-of-20-years-of-democratic-rule/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | INEC: It’s Now Difficult to Protect Result Sheets | "The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that it is becoming difficult to protect result sheets from the polling units to the collation centres as armed gangs are getting more vicious when targeting result sheets of the commission. The electoral body has also decried inadequate constitutional provisions for the registration of political parties, saying that accommodating over 100 political parties in the electoral process has become cumbersome. The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye, disclosed this at the weekend, while presenting Certificates to the Governor and Deputy Governor-elect of Benue State and the members-elect of the State Assembly in Benue State. He stated: “INEC believes that the Nigerian people need a national conversation on the regime of political parties and their administration. The Nigerian people must on their own, through elected representatives determine whether we need, and can accommodate over a hundred political parties in our electoral process. “We must decide whether the constitutional conditions for the registration of political parties are adequate to make for the registration of political parties that genuinely sponsor candidates and have something new to offer to the Nigerian people. “The ballot papers are getting more complicated for the Nigerian people. Sorting, counting and entering the scores of candidates in Form EC8A series is becoming more cumbersome.""" | INEC, Result Sheets, inadequate consitutional provisions, Mr. Festus Okoye, political parties | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/02/inec-its-now-difficult-to-protect-result-sheets/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | NAFDAC DG Accuses N’ Assembly of Demanding Bribe | "The Director General, National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has accused some National Assembly members of demanding bribe during their oversight of her agency. She said they also asked the agency for N35 million for Drug Abuse Awareness Campaign; a programme clearly outside their job description, and only meant to save the lives of Nigerian children against drug abuse. The DG, who stated this during the 25th Anniversary Celebration of NAFDAC held in Lagos last weekend, said her agency’s budget defence has been suspended because she didn’t allow for extortion, adding that it was a shame that some members of the National Assembly were still extorting money from ministries, departments and agencies of government. She said: “On December 20, just less than a month into my tenure, they (National Assembly members) came for oversight function in NAFDAC, and I showed them that about 70 per cent of our equipment are not working, and that we need over 50 vehicles for our inspections, and that my directors do not have computers. They then asked if they can go into my office, I said fine. We got in, and they said they needed welfare, I said what? Are you kidding me? I told them I don’t spend money that I don’t have, and if I do, I would rather spend it on needs, and that there were models in this country that brought me up that way." | DG NAFDAC, Prof.Mojisola Adeyeye, National Assembly, Drug Abuse Awareness Campaign, bribe | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/02/nafdac-dg-accuses-n-assembly-of-demanding-bribe/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | Rivers APC Primaries: Supreme Court to Hear Abe, Cole’s Appeals April 4 | "The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned till April 4 to hear all pending appeals relating to the Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries. A 7-man panel of justices of the Supreme Court led by Justice Ibrahim Muhammad fixed the date for hearing on all the various appeals after addressing some preliminary issues on the appeals. The appeals are: SC/ 1972019 filed by Magnus Abe and some others, with APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) listed among the respondents; SC 295/ 20019, filed by APC, with PDP listed among respondents; SC266, filed by APC, with Magnus Abe and others as respondents and SC/267/2019 filed by Tonye Patrick Cole, with Magnus Abe and 48 others as respondents. The court granted the motion by the APC, represented by Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) for permission to merge the different respondents’ briefs, earlier filed by the 2nd to the 35th respondents, into a single brief. It rejected a similar motion filed by the appellants’ lawyer, Henry Bello, for leave (permission) to amend the notice of appeal on grounds that Bello failed to attach the old notice of appeal to the motion, as required. The apex court however ordered appellants to file their reply to the respondents’ brief of argument within 48 hours. The three appeals were adjourned to April 4 to allow the formal service of hearing notices and all other processes on INEC, which was not represented on Monday. Other members of the seven-man panel of the Supreme Court are: Justices Olukayode Ariwoola, Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, Amiru Sanusi, Paul Galinje, Amina Augie, and Uwani Musa Abba Aji. Senator Abe in his own appeal is asking the apex court to determine he authenticity or otherwise of the direct primary conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State for the nomination of its candidates for the 2019 general election." | Rivers APC Primaries, Supreme Court, Senator Magnus Abe, Tonye Patrick Cole | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/01/rivers-apc-primaries-supreme-court-to-hear-abe-coles-appeals-april-4/ | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 1, 2019 | Speaker: Gbajabiamila faces 8 contenders despite APC’s position | "House Leader Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos) formally joined the race for the Speaker in the 9th Assembly yesterday even as indications emerged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) might have zoned the position to the South West. Gbajabiamila, who declared his ambition yesterday at a ceremony held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, is being challenged by seven contenders. They are House spokesman Abdulrazak Namdas (APC, Adamawa), Mukhtar Aliyu Betara (APC, Borno), Idris Wase (APC, Plateau), Umar Bago (APC, Niger), Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (APC, Abia), John Okafor (APC, Imo), Babangida Ibrahim (APC, Katsina) and Mohammed Kazaure (APC, Jigawa)." | House Leader Femi Gbajabiamila, APC, Speaker in 9th Assembly, contenders | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/speaker-gbajabiamila-faces-8-contenders-despite-apcs-position.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 1, 2019 | PSC promotes 8,916 senior police officers | "The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the promotion of 8,916 senior Police Officers to their next substantive ranks to fill existing vacancies. A statement on Sunday from the spokesman of the PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, said the promotions were the high points of the 5th Plenary Meeting of the commission held in Abuja on Tuesday and Wednesday, 26th and 27th March 2019, presided over by its Chairman, Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police. He said the commission approved the promotion of three Commissioners of Police to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors General of Police. They are; Jona Jackson Mava; Olushola Babajide David and Titus Sumba Lamorde. He said the acting appointments of two Commissioners of Police were also confirmed. The beneficiaries are; Rudolf Echebi Obe, Works and Danladi B. Lalas, Air Wing." | Police Service Commission (PSC), Senior Police Officers, Assistant Inspectors General of Police, Musiliu Smith | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/psc-promotes-8916-senior-police-officers.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 1, 2019 | Shinkafi wants tribunal to order fresh polls in Zamfara | "The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Zamfara State, Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, has asked the state’s Governorship and State House of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja to nullify the March 9 governorship election conducted in the state and order for a fresh election without the participation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate Mukhtar Shehu Idris. Shinkafi had in his petition filed before the tribunal on March 29 filed through his Counsel, Ifeanyi Mbaeri, stated that by virtue of Section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution as amended “A person shall be qualified for election to the office of governor of a state if inter alia: he is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party to contest the said election.”" | Governorship candidate, APGA, Zamfara State, Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, Elections Petitions Tribunal, APC, Mukhtar Shehu Idris | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/shinkafi-wants-tribunal-to-order-fresh-polls-in-zamfara.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 1, 2019 | My case on Zamfara APC primaries beyond me — Marafa | "Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Sen Kabiru Garba Marafa (APC, Zamfara), has said that his legal battle on the Zamfara All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries was beyond him. Sequel to a suit by Marafa, the Court of Appeal on Monday set aside the judgement of the Zamfara State High Court, upon which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognised the candidates of the APC for governorship, national and state assembly elections. Marafa, who was at the Presidential Villa, Abuja at the weekend, told State House correspondents that the case was not all about him." | Sen Kabiru Garba Marafa, Zamfara APC primaries, Court of Appeal, Presidential Villa, INEC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/my-case-on-zamfara-apc-primaries-beyond-me-marafa.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 1, 2019 | PDP faults BMO on Kano poll violence | "The PDP chairman in Kano State, Alhaji Rabiu Sulaiman Bichi, has exonerated his party, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso and the governorship candidate Abba Yusuf from any act of violence that allegedly compromised the electoral process during the supplementary election. Bichi, who reacted to a statement credited to the Buhari Media Organization (BMO) over the violence that marred the recently held supplementary governorship election, said it was unfortunate for the group to take sides with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and his cohorts whose alleged sponsored thugs perpetuated massive votes buying. BMO was reported to have accused the PDP and Kwankwaso as perpetrators of the violence in the aftermath of the highly disputed governorship poll in which Governor Ganduje was declared winner." | Kano State governorship supplementary election, APC, PDP, Alhaji Rabiu Sulaiman Bichi, Abba Yusuf, BMO, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-faults-bmo-on-kano-poll-violence.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 1, 2019 | Youth issues my greatest challenge — Kwara gov-elect | "Kwara State governor-elect Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has said that issues concerning youth will be one of the greatest challenges his administration will tackle. Abdulrazaq said this at the weekend in Ilorin, the state capital, during a youth summit. The governor-elect, who was represented by his political associate, Kale Belgore, said his administration would pay optimum attention to the wellbeing of the youth. “Nigeria is a country blessed with huge population of youth. The United Nations estimates that Nigeria currently has a population of 199 million as at March 26, 2019. “This is neither good news nor bad one. A country’s youth population is often a double-edged sword. Higher youth population is an asset and a great element of power where the bulk of those young people are highly skilled, are engaged in very productive endeavors, and are duly mobilised for national development. But it could also be a burden or call it a time bomb where the young population is not so skilled, not properly engaged in anything meaningful." | Kwara State governor-elect Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, youth issues, Kale Belgore, youth population | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/youth-issues-my-greatest-challenge-kwara-gov-elect.html | ||||||
| Daily Trust Online | Monday, April 1, 2019 | Bamidele lauds Fayemi’s readiness to accommodate opposition | "An All Progressives Congress senator-elect in Ekiti State, Hon Opeyemi Bamidele, has hailed Governor Kayode Fayemi for voicing readiness to accommodate opposition’s views and suggestions for the smooth running of his government in spite of the litigation filed against his victory. The former federal lawmaker said Fayemi rose above partisanship after his triumph at the appeal court by making rapprochement to opposition party, stressing that his position would further reinforce the people’s belief that APC is populated by genuine democrats. Bamidele, who said the appeal court’s victory indicated that the APC remained a dominant party in the state, commended the judiciary for the landmark judgement. He said the judicial verdict had laid to rest the warped impression peddled by the opposition that the APC’s victories in Ekiti in the just concluded presidential, state and National Assembly elections were products of rigging and not hard work." | APC, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, Governor Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti State, opposition | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bamidele-lauds-fayemis-readiness-to-accommodate-opposition.html | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Monday, April 1, 2019 | Uzodinma takes Ihedioha, PDP, INEC to Imo election tribunal | "Imo State All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate, Hope Uzodinma, has petitioned the Election Tribunal, sitting in Owerri, over the outcome of the March 9 governorship poll in the state. Uzodinma in petition marked EPT/ Gov/Im/08/2019 is challenging Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s declaration and presentation of Certificate of Return to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Emeka Ihedioha as governor-elect. The petition has Uzodinma and APC as first and second petitioners, while Ihedioha, PDP and INEC are first, second and third respondents. Speaking to The Guardian in Owerri at the weekend, APC Caretaker Committee Publicity Secretary, Enyinnia Onuegbu, expressed optimism that the party would get justice at the tribunal. According to him, the party got majority of votes cast during the poll and deserved to win, but was denied victory due to manipulation of the electoral process. He said the poll was characterised by irregularities, wrongful cancellation of the party’s votes and one that does not represent the interest of the people." | Imo State APC gubernatorial candidate, Hope Uzodinma, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Imo Election Tribunal, PDP, INEC | https://guardian.ng/news/uzodinma-takes-ihedioha-pdp-inec-to-imo-election-tribunal/ | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Monday, April 1, 2019 | IPAC, CNPP say 17 parties didn’t adopt Audu’s son for Kogi gubernatorial poll | "Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC) and Conference of Nigerian Political parties (CNPP) Kogi State have dismissed Mustapha Audu’s claim that 17 political parties adopted him for the November governorship election, saying it is a fraud and open deceit. A statement signed by Badanga Ilias of IPAC and Haruna Yakubu of CNPP in Lokoja yesterday explained that the purported endorsement was staged-managed to cajole the Kogi electorate. Mustapha Audu, son of the late Governor Abubakar Audu, had claimed that 17 political parties adopted him to contest the seat in Lugard House. He laid the claim at the Children Amusement Park, Lokoja, last Wednesday, while declaring his intention to join the Kogi governorship race on the platform of the Young Progressive Party (YPP).Kogi gubernatorial poll comes up in November 2019. In the statement, IPAC and CNPP indicated that none of the chairmen whose parties fell victim of “the 419 declaration” had prior knowledge of Audu’s action. It pointed out that the aspirant carried out the fraudulent act in connivance with the YPP state chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Chinga. Chinga, he added, will be suspended indefinitely from all activities of Kogi IPAC and CNPP." | IPAC, Kogi State, CNPP, Mustapha Audu, gubernatorial poll, political parties, late Governor Abubakar Audu | https://guardian.ng/politics/ipac-cnpp-say-17-parties-didnt-adopt-audus-son-for-kogi-gubernatorial-poll/ | ||||||
| The Guardian.ng | Monday, April 1, 2019 | Foundation of democracy under threat, says Shehu Sani | "The incumbent senator representing Kaduna Central Zone in the National Assembly, Shehu Sani, has said that the 2019 general election is the worst the nation has ever conducted following the irregularities that trailed it.Sani, a human right activist who lost his bid to return to the upper chamber, has challenged the results of the election at the petition tribunal. The senator, who spoke with journalists yesterday, said the 2019 poll was the worst ever conducted in the country considering the irregularities and other malpractices that followed its conduct. According to him, though there is no perfection in the conduct of elections anywhere in the world, “but no sensible person will say the 2019 election was credible.” “We have also seen the decapitation of very principles and ethics of credible elections by those in position of authority.“You cannot use violence and public resources to get yourself into office and now claim any form of credibility. And I am saying it clearly that as long as leaders will perpetrate injustice, undermine the basic principles of democratic elections and rig themselves into power, they have lost the moral right to call for statesmanship or sportsmanship. You cannot rig elections and destroy the foundation of democracy and demand public order among the people.”" | Senator Shehu Sani, 2019 general elections, humna right activist, credible election, threat, Foundation of democracy | https://guardian.ng/news/foundation-of-democracy-under-threat-says-shehu-sani/ | ||||||
| ThisDaylive Online | Monday, April 1, 2019 | PDP Files Petition to Challenge Governorship Poll in Katsina | "The Peoples Democratic Party in Katsina State and its candidate, Yakubu Lado, have formally filed a petition before the Election Petitions Tribunal challenging the conduct of the March 9 governorship election. The filing of the petition on Saturday was to beat the April 1, 2019 deadline for filing petitions before the election tribunal. A member of the legal team and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Gordy Uche, who led others to file the petition, said his clients are challenging the victory and educational qualifications of the governor-elect, Aminu Masari of the All Progressives Congress, (APC). He said that more experts are joining the team to solidify their grounds when the hearing commences. Also, the deputy dovernorship candidate and state chairman of the party, Salisu Majigiri called on the party supporters to be law-abiding, urging them to pray for the party to emerge victoriously at the tribunal. The PDP is challenging the conduct of the governorship elections with governor-elect, Aminu Masari, of the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), as respondents before the tribunal." | PDP, Katsina State governorship election, Yakubu Lado, Governor Aminu Masari, INEC, APC | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/01/pdp-files-petition-to-challenge-governorship-poll-in-katsina/ |