| Source | Date | Story Title | Summary of Reports | Subject/Category | Website Link/Page Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ThisDayLive Online | Thursday, 30th January 2020 | PDP urges INEC to conduct Fresh Elections for Seats of Defected Imo Lawmakers | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday, 29th January 2020 urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh elections in the constituencies in Imo State where its lawmakers defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, during a media briefing in Abuja, stated that the defected lawmakers had lost their seats according to Nigeria’s constitution. He stated thus: “It is settled under the 1999 Constitution (as amended), that a legislator who decamps from a party upon which he was elected a member of a legislative house automatically loses his or her membership of that house as the seat belongs to the political party upon which platform the election was won and not the individual", citing Section 109 (1)(g) of the Constitution. He added that, “Consequent upon the above constitutional provisions, these defectors have vacated their seats, they no longer have a place in the State Assembly, as there is no division or merger of any kind in the PDP at any level whatsoever. The PDP is therefore left with no other option than to request INEC to immediately commence the processes for the conduct of fresh elections into the respective State Constituencies where the legislators have vacated their seats, in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution”. | PDP, Imo State House of Assembly | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/01/30/pdp-urges-inec-to-conduct-fresh-elections-for-seats-of-defected-imo-lawmakers/ |
| ThisDayLive Online | Thursday, 30th January 2020 | Ekpenyong Takes Oath As Senator | The Senate on Thursday, 30th January 2020 administered the oath of office on Senator Christopher Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), representing Akwa-Ibom North-West Senatorial District in the National Assembly. The legislator took the oath administered by the Deputy Clerk of the Senate, Musa Abdullahi, at about 10:40am after the adoption of the votes and proceedings. Ekpenyong defeated the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the supplementary election for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial district, held on Saturday, January 25 in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. | Christopher Ekpeyong, Akwa-Ibom North-West Senatorial District | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/01/30/ekpenyong-takes-oath-as-senator/ |
| DailyTrust Online | Thursday, 30th January 2020 | Lawan, Adamu kick as Abaribe asks Buhari to resign | The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, on Wednesday, January 29 asked President Muhammadu Buhari to resign because of the rising insecurity in the country. Abaribe stated this while contributing to a motion entitled ‘Nigerian security challenges: Urgent need to restructure, review and re-organise the current security architecture’, moved by the Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, and 105 other senators. He tackled the President for failure to protect the lives and properties of Nigerians. However, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan cautioned him against being partisan. Lawan, thereafter, asked the lawmakers to contribute to the debate with an aim proffer solutions to the problem. In his contribution, Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West), condemned Mr. Abaribe’s comments and demanded that he withdraw them. | Senate, President Buhari, Enyinnaya Abaribe | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/insecurity-lawan-adamu-kick-as-abaribe-asks-buhari-to-resign.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Thursday, 30th January 2020 | INEC issues certificate of return to House of Representatives-elect | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a certificate of return to the Member of the House of Representatives-elect for Okigwe/Onuimo/Isiala Mbano Federal Constituency, Princess Miriam Onuoha. Onuoha, who contested election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was on Sunday, 26 Jnauary declared winner of the last Saturday re-run election, following the annulment of the election of Obinna Onwubariri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Onuoha is one of the two women who won the court-ordered re-run and supplementary elections in the State. The second is Hon. Uju Onwudiwe, who won the supplementary election for Njaba State Constituency. The certificate was presented to her at the INEC headquarters by the INEC National Commissioner representing the South East in the Commission, Prof Okechukwu Ibeanu. | Miriam Onuoha | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/inec-issues-certificate-of-return-to-apc-reps-elect.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Wednesday, 29th January 2020 | Re-run: Why we accepted results in violence-hit areas — INEC | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained that it accepted the results of some re-run and supplementary elections held on Saturday, January 25 despite violence and disruption of the processes in some areas across the 11 States where the elections took place. The commission had also rejected results in many parts of Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State and Orlu in Imo State, where INEC officials were abducted and diverted to an undesignated location and forced to compromise the elections. Mr. Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC) who spoke after the commission’s management meeting stated that, “Regrettably, deviant behaviour by a few persons determined to subvert the people’s will was noticed in a few areas in the course of the elections. These isolated incidents minimally affected the peaceful and orderly exercise in only four of the 28 constituencies where elections were conducted. | INEC, Re-run Elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/re-run-why-we-accepted-results-in-violence-hit-areas-inec.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Wednesday, 29th January 2020 | PDP loses majority in Imo Assembly as Speaker, 7 others defect | Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chiji Collins has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). APC now has two-third majority of 18 lawmakers, 8 PDP lawmakers and Uju Onwudiwe of Action Alliance (AA) who was declared winner of the supplementary election held on Saturday, January 25 but is yet to be inaugurated. The lawmakers announced their defection when they resumed sitting after a one-week break. The gale of defections rocking the legislature might not be unconnected with the sacking of Emeka Ihedioha of PDP and declaration of APC’s Hope Uzodinma as governor of the State. It could be recalled that shortly after the 2019 general elections, he dumped the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the PDP to enable him to emerge as the Speaker after the position was zoned to Okigwe State Constituency. His defection to APC, according to political watchers, is to enable him to retain his position. The Speaker announced his defection and that of his seven colleagues during plenary on Tuesday, January 28, 2020. | Imo Assembly, APC, Defection | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-loses-majority-in-imo-assembly-as-speaker-7-others-defect.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Wednesday, 29th January 2020 | House Majority Leader: APC endorses Doguwa again | The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, on Tuesday, January 28, stated that the decision of the leadership of the House of Representatives not to fill the vacant position of Majority Leader was an indication that his colleagues were optimistic that Alhassan Ado Doguwa would be re-elected. Oshiomhole stated this when Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje-led APC members in National Assembly to pay him a solidarity visit in his Asorokoro office in Abuja. Doguwa was re-elected at the re-run election conducted on Saturday, January 25 to continue to represent the people of Doguwa/Tudunwada Federal Constituency of Kano State. The APC National Chairman dismissed the view that the APC was losing ground to the opposition due to the crises in some State chapters of the party, stressing that Doguwa’s victory underlines the acceptability of the APC by the electorate in Kano State. | APC, House Majority Leader | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/house-majority-leader-apc-endorses-doguwa-again.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Wednesday, 29th January 2020 | We will disappoint those calling us rubber stamp lawmakers – Reps | Lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, January 28 collectively vowed to disappoint some aggrieved Nigerians who allegedly call them a “rubber stamp assembly”. The Chairman, House committee on Media and Public Affairs, Benjamin Okezie Kalu (APC, Abia) disclosed this while addressing journalists at the National Assembly complex. He stated that the 9th Assembly will disappoint the people who call them a “rubber stamp assembly" as a result of the speedy passage of the 2020 budget and the Finance Bill sent by President Muhammadu Buhari to the lawmakers. He reiterated that the House has set out goals, to be achieved, aimed at bringing needed development and transformation to the lives of Nigerians. It would be recalled that some aggrieved Nigerians had raised questions as to the speedy passage of the annual national budget, among others. | National Assembly, House of Representatives | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/well-disappoint-those-calling-us-rubber-stamp-lawmakers-reps.html |
| ThisDayLive Online | Wednesday, 29th January 2020 | Court bars Oyo Local Government Chairmen from resuming Duties | The Local Government crisis in Oyo State took a new turn on January 28, with an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, the State capital, restraining the removed Chairmen of the 33 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 35 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), from forcible takeover of the council offices across the State. The Chairmen, however, returned to work on Tuesday, January 28 for the second day running, amidst tight security provided by the police. The court, presided over by Justice Moshood Abass, granted the reliefs sought by the lead counsel to the Oyo State Government, Dr. Akin Onigbinde (SAN), including an order of interim injunction restraining the chairmen from forcibly taking over the local government councils or taking steps capable of causing breach of the peace in the State. The parties and their agents were restrained from taking any step that could tamper with the hearing and determination of the motion on notice. However, while the court was making its order, some of the Chairmen were in their offices. Reports from all the 33 LGAs and 35 LCDAs in the State showed that majority of them turned up at their offices on Tuesday, January 28, though there were reports of violence in some of the councils such as Ibadan North East Local Government. | Oyo State, Local Government Administration | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/01/29/court-bars-oyo-lg-chairmen-from-resuming-duties/ |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Wednesday, 29th January 2020 | Yahaya Bello takes oath of office, urges support | Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has urged the people of the State, particularly his political opponents, to put aside all differences of politics, ideology or affiliation and join hands with him to provide the State with the best of governance. Bello, who stated this on Monday, January 27 at the Lugard House, Lokoja, shortly after he was sworn in by the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Nasiru Ajanah, for a second term, also named 17 Commissioner-designates. The governor appealed to the State House of Assembly to ensure speedy clearance of the 17 Commissioner-designates to allow them settle down quickly for the task of governance. According to him, his next level in Kogi State will rely on synergy at every stage, primarily the one between the people and the government but also with a wide array of domestic and international investors, service providers and development partners spread across the public and private sector. He stated thus: “By the grace of God, the oath of office I have just taken is a pact to do right by all citizens as the fourth Executive Governor of Kogi State. In this second and concluding term of my constitutional tenure as governor, it shall be the principal pre-occupation of my administration to bring revitalised energy to bear in delivering refocused governance. We will sustain focus on agriculture for improved food security, mass employment and increase in internally-generated revenue. We will take the agricultural revolution, which we started in the first term to the next level". | Yahaya Bello, Kogi State, Second Term | https://guardian.ng/politics/yahaya-bello-takes-oath-of-office-urges-support/ |
| DailyTrust Online | Monday, 27th January 2020 | PDP wins Bauchi re-run and supplementary polls | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Bauchi State has declared the two candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winners of the Gamawa and Zarki Federal constituencies re-run and supplementary elections held on Saturday, January 25. INEC declared Hon. Auwal Jatau of PDP as winner of Zaki Federal Constituency of Bauchi State supplementary eelection and Ahmed Madaki Gololo winner of Gamawa Federal constituency re-runelection. Jatau was declared winner after polling a total of 15,405 votes against Umar Tata of the APC who got 15,307 votes. The returning officer for Gamawa constituency declared that Ahmed Madaki Gololo of PDP scored 21,223 to defeat the candidate of New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) who scored 15,004 votes. | Bauchi State, PDP, Re-run elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-wins-bauchi-rerun-polls.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Monday, 27th January 2020 | APC, AA win re-run election in Imo | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the January 25 re-run election in Isiala Mbano/Okigwe/Onuimo Federal Constituency. Miriam Onuoha of the APC defeated the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Obinna Onwubariri by 23,690 votes to 10,010 votes. In the Njaba State Constituency, Hon. Uju Onwudiwe of Action Alliance (AA) won the supplementary election with 6,142 votes, while Hon. Charles Abia of PDP got 5,487 votes, and the APC scored a total of 2,662 votes. | Imo State, APC, Re-run Election | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-defeats-pdp-in-rerun-election-in-imo.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Monday, 27th January 2020 | PDP wins Benue Supplementary election | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Benue State has declared candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chris Adaji, winner of Ohimini State Constituency supplementary election. Adaji polled 6,742 votes to defeat his closest rival, Musa Alechenu of the All Progessives Congress (APC) who scored 6,341 votes. The result was declared by the Returning Officer, Prof. Nichodemus Abulu, at the INEC office in Idekpa, headquarters of Ohimini Local Government Area. | Benue State, PDP, Re-run Election | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-wins-benue-supplementary-election.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Monday, 27th January 2020 | Kano Re-run polls: Doguwa reclaims seat, Jibrin fails to return to the National Assembly | A former majority leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, has reclaimed his seat for Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal constituency in the January 25 re-run election. Announcing the result, the Returning Officer of Doguwa/Tudun Wada, Professor Mansur Auwal Bindawa stated that Doguwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 66,667 votes, while Air Commodore Yusha’u Salisu (rtd) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) got 6,323 votes. It would be recalled that the Kaduna Division of the Appeal Court nullified Doguwa’s election in November, 2019 and ordered a re-run election in the constituency. For Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency re-run election, PDP’s candidate, Alhaji Ali Datti Yako, was declared winner of the poll. He defeated Abdulmumin Jibrin of the APC. The Returning Officer for the Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency election, Professor Abdullahi Arabi, declared Yako as winner, having scored 48,601 votes against Jibrin’s 13,507. Similarly, APC won the elections in Minjibir, Bunkure, Madobi and Rogo Local Governments for the State Constituency supplementary elections. | Kano, APC, Re-run Elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kano-rerun-polls-doguwa-reclaims-seat.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Monday, 27th January 2020 | PDP clears all seats in Akwa Ibom supplementary elections | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won all the seats contested in the January 25 supplementary elections in Essien Udim for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District. Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Prof. Robert Dode declared Senator Christopher Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the Senatorial District re-run election. Ekpenyong polled 134,717 votes to defeat the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 83,820 votes. Also, INEC declared Nsikak Ekong of the PDP winner of the Federal Constituency supplementary election, having polled 45,366 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Emmanuel Akpan of the APC, who scored 22,757 votes. PDP’s Esse Umoh also scored 18,999 votes to defeat Nse Ntuen of the APC who scored 7,108 in the State Constituency election. | Akwa Ibom State, Re-run Elections, PDP | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-clears-all-seats-in-akwa-ibom-rerun-elections.html |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Monday, 27th January 2020 | Ihedioha returns to Supreme Court, seeks review of ouster verdict | The last may not have been heard about the contest for the Imo State governorship seat as Emeka Ihedioha returns to the Supreme Court on Monday, January 25 to seek a review of the judgment that removed him from office. The Court had on January 14, 2020 nullified the election of Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the ground that he did not score the lawful majority votes in the March 9, 2019 governorship election. The Supreme Court, after adding the excluded results of 388 polling units to the votes scored by Senator Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC), ordered that he be immediately sworn in as the duly elected governor of Imo State. | Ihedioha, Supreme Court, Imo State | https://guardian.ng/news/ihedioha-returns-to-supreme-court-seeks-review-of-ouster-verdict/ |
| DailyTrust Online | Friday, 24th January 2020 | Sokoto Re-run: Tambuwal calls for peaceful conducts | Ahead of the January 25 re-run and supplementary elections scheduled to hold in Sokoto state, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has urged the supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to shun violence and exhibit a high sense of maturity. Tambuwal also urged the PDP supporters to come out en masse and vote for PDP candidates in the elections, so as to enable the party consolidate its recent gains of clinching two seats at the National Assembly, one each at the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Governor made the call Thursday, January 23 at the Giginya Memorial Stadium, Sokoto, when he endorsed the party’s candidates for the Sokoto North and South Federal Constituency re-run and supplementary elections for State House of Assembly, in Sokoto North Local Government. The governor expressed optimism that, the PDP candidates would emerge victorious after the election. | Sokoto State, Re-run election | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sokoto-re-run-tambuwal-sues-for-peaceful-conducts.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Friday, 24th January 2020 | PDP: We will resist attempt to rig Akwa-Ibom Local Government re-run | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was planning to unleash violence on the people and rig the re-run election in Essien Udim Local Government of Akwa Ibom State slated for Saturday, January 25. The party however stated that it would resist any attempt to invade the local government to rig the election, adding that any such move would attract dire consequences. The PDP called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, to avert the allegges imminent crisis, adding that the Police would be held responsible for any death or mayhem arising from the re-run election. | Akwa Ibom State, Re-run Election, PDP | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-we-will-resist-attempt-to-rig-akwa-ibom-lg-rerun.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Friday, 24th January 2020 | Ondo Local Government Poll: APC begins screening of aspirants | In preparation for the April 18, 2020 Local Government election in Ondo State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reeled out its screening programmes for councillorship and chairmanship aspirants. The State Chairman of the party, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, disclosed that the State electoral body, Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC), had sent correspondences to all political parties in the State on January 8, 2020 to begin preparations for the election. He disclosed that the party (APC) opened the window for more people to obtain the party’s nomination forms to encourage more participation among party members, adding that sale of forms closed on Thursday, January 23. Speaking on the mode of choosing party candidates for the council election, Adetimehin assured that the aspirants would be given level-playing field for popular and well-acceptable candidates to emerge at the screening and primaries. | Ondo State, Local Government, APC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ondo-lg-poll-apc-begins-screening-of-aspirants.html |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Friday, 24th January 2020 | Delta Assembly passes State Judiciary Financial Autonomy Bill | The Delta State House of Assembly on Thursday, January 23 passed the State’s Judiciary Fund Management (Financial Autonomy) Bill, 2019. Speaker of the House, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori who presided over plenary described the passage of the bill as a milestone for democracy in Delta State. According to him, “The bill will strengthen the financial autonomy granted to the judicial arm of government. At the Committee of the whole, members painstakingly went through the Delta State Judiciary Funds Management (Financial Autonomy) Bill, making contributions and amendments, which aided in the consideration of the Bill". | Delta State, Judicial Financial Autonomy | https://guardian.ng/news/delta-assembly-passes-state-judiciary-financial-autonomy-bill/ |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Friday, 24th January 2020 | Edo PDP, others protest against Supreme Court’s verdict on Imo | Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held a peaceful protest to condemn and reject the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Imo State governorship election on Thursday, January 23. The protest, with civil society groups, public sector workers, private sector individuals and students from several tertiary institutions across in the State, was themed ‘Deepening Democracy In Nigeria: Signing the Electoral Law Amendment by Muhammadu Buhari’. According to the publicity secretary, Chris Nehikhare, the protest was aimed at reinforcing the previous protests nationwide, which rejected the apex court’s ruling on the Imo governorship election, as well as highlighting the need and exigency of signing the electoral law amendment to substantially eliminate electoral malpractices in the country. He stated that, “The Imo State ruling is a clear misuse of judicial authority and an usurpation of the statutory duties of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)”. According to him, the PDP believes that only the people should be empowered to elect their leaders. | Edo State, PDP | https://guardian.ng/news/edo-pdp-others-protest-against-supreme-courts-verdict-on-imo/ |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Friday, 24th January 2020 | Ubah: Court stops INEC from issuing certificate of return to Uzor | The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday,January 23, restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from giving effect to the judgment delivered by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory against Senator Ifeanyi Ubah. The court had ordered the electoral umpire to issue a Certificate of Return to Obinna Uzor as the Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District. However, Justice Taiwo Taiwo in his judgment after listening to Counsel to Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, Charles Ndukwe, held that INEC and the other defendants cannot proceed to comply with the order of the FCT High Court in defiance to the subsisting judgments of the National Assembly Elections Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, which had affirmed Senator Ubah as the Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District at the National Assembly. Justice Taiwo held that the Court of Appeal is the final adjudicator on issues pertaining to the declaration of Ubah as the duly elected Senator for Anambra South Senatorial District. | INEC, Ifeanyi Ubah, Obinna Uzor | https://guardian.ng/news/ubah-court-stops-inec-from-issuing-certificate-of-return-to-uzor/ |
| DailyTrust Online | Wednesday, 22nd January 2020 | PDP Governors, NWC hail Supreme Court verdict on Sokoto, Bauchi, Benue, Adamawa; insist on reversal of Imo Judgment | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party have commended the Supreme Court for upholding the elections of governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Ahmed Fintiri (Adamawa). They however appealed to the Supreme Court to review and reverse its judgement on Imo governorship election which sacked Emeka Ihedioha as governor elected on its platform and declared candidate of the APC in the 2019 governorship election, Hope Uzodinma, as winner. The NWC in a statement by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on January 21 stated that the judgment on the four States would not in any way sway it to abandon or diminish the nationwide agitation for a judicial review and reversal of the verdict on Imo. The statement further read that: “The party notes that by upholding the Sokoto, Bauchi, Benue and Adamawa elections, the Supreme Court has shown that it can still be trusted to assert its independence and can further redeem its image by immediately reversing its defective and widely condemned judgment on Imo State”. The PDP Governors’ Forum in a statement on January 21 by its Director General, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, also congratulated four of its members on their victory at the Supreme Court. | PDP, Supreme Court | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/s-court-pdp-govs-nwc-hail-verdict-on-sokoto-bauchi-benue-adamawa-insist-on-imo-reversal.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Wednesday, 22nd January 2020 | Bye-elections: INEC rules on Candidate Substitution, swears in 2 new RECs | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says there will be no substitution of candidates in the 28 bye-elections holding this Saturday, Jnaury 25, 2020. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu stated this on Tuesday, January 21 in Abuja while swearing-in two new Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) recently appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari and confirmed by the Senate. The two RECs are Dr. Alalibo Sinikiem Johnson from Bayelsa State and Umar Mukhtar Gajiram from Borno State. Dr. Johnson from Bayelsa State is replacing the former REC of Cross River State, Mr. Frankland Briyai, who resigned to contest for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries in Bayelsa State, while Mr. Gajiram replaces the former REC of Taraba State, Alhaji Baba Yusuf who died in September 2019. According to Yakubu, the only exempted constituency for the substitution of candidates is Gamawa Federal Constituency in Bauchi State and Agwara State Constituency in Niger State, where elections will be held without the candidates and parties that were declared winners in the general election. | INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioners | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/by-elections-inec-rules-our-candidate-substitution-swears-in-2-new-recs.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Wednesday, 22nd January 2020 | Imo Deputy Speaker resigns as nine lawmakers defect to APC | Onyekamma’s resignation letter dated January 20, 2019, the Speaker of the House stated that Onyekamma’s resignation was as a result of convention and zoning, which prescribe that the Deputy Speaker should be from the same State geo-political zone of the sitting governor. His resignation is coming at a time about nine members of the House defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State. Four of the nine lawmakers who joined the APC are from Action Alliance (AA), three from the PDP and two from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). With the defection, the APC now has 11 out of the 27 members of the Assembly. The Minority Leader of Imo State House of Assembly, Ekene Nnodimele, has also resigned his position. Nnodimele of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) representing Orsu state constituency, also joined the ruling All Progreesives Congress (APC) after resigning his position in the House. The Speaker, Chiji Collins announced the defection of the nine lawmakers during plenary on Tuesday, January 21 2020. | Imo State House of Assembly, APC, Deputy Speaker | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/imo-deputy-speaker-resigns-as-nine-lawmakers-defect-to-apc.html |
| Punch Newspaper | Wednesday, 22nd January 2020 | NEC insists that Akpabio remains APC Candidate for re-run Election | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the senatorial rerun scheduled for January 25, 2020. The clarification came amidst moves by the APC to substitute Akpabio with another member of the party, Ekperikpe Ekpo, in the election for the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District. Akpabio had been appointed Minister of Niger Delta Affairs by the President Buhari. INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye has however stated that, “The commission has consistently maintained that only duly nominated candidates that contested the nullified election are eligible to contest the court-ordered re-run election. There is no room for withdrawal or substitution at this point. The votes of the parties in places not affected by the re-run are warehoused and on hold for integration with the votes that will be harvested during the rerun. “Only candidates and political parties that contested the nullified election will be on the ballot. New political parties and candidates cannot be admitted into the contest. | INEC, Re-run elections, Godswill Akpabio | https://punchng.com/inec-says-akpabio-remains-apc-candidate-for-rerun/ |
| Punch Newspaper | Wednesday, 22nd January 2020 | Uzodinma promises to conduct fresh council election | Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, has assured traditional rulers in the State of his readiness to conduct a fresh local government election in line with the local government laws of the State. He stated this when the chairmen of the traditional rulers from the 27 local government areas of the State led by the Chairman Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Agunwa Ohiri, paid him a courtesy call on Tuesday, January 21, 2020. Uzodinma reminded the monarchs of their roles in ensuring peace and tranquility. He also assured them that his policies would meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people of the State. | Imo State, Local Government Council, Hope Uzodinma | https://punchng.com/uzodinma-promises-to-conduct-fresh-council-election/ |
| Punch Newspaper | Wednesday, 22nd January 2020 | Malami writes Oyo State Government to reinstate sacked ALGON members | The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN), has asked Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to reverse the dissolution of local government administration in the State. This was contained in a letter dated January 14, 2020, addressed to the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Oyo State, Prof. Oyewo Oyelowo. The AGF stated that in view of the decision of the Supreme Court on the matter, which is binding on all the 36 States of the Federation, “The common practice by some State governors in dissolving elected local government councils is unconstitutional, null and void. So, any system of local government run by caretaker committee is illegal and unconstitutional. The need to immediately disband all caretaker committee and restore democratically elected representatives to man the local governments has, therefore, become obligatory". | Oyo State, AGF, Local Government Council | https://punchng.com/malami-writes-makinde-to-reinstate-sacked-algon-members/ |
| Punch Newspaper | Monday, 20th January 2020 | Supreme Court affirms Ganduje's Election as Kano State Governor | The Supreme Court on Monday affirmed the 2019 election of the Kano State governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, as the Governor of Kano State. A seven-man panel led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, in a unanimous judgment, dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party’s Abba Yusuf to challenge the victory of the governor at the March 2019 poll. Justice Sylvster Ngwuta, who delivered the lead judgment of the apex court, held that Yusuf failed to demonstrate any cogent reason to warrant the setting aside of both the judgments of the Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal which had both affirmed the victory of Ganduje and his party, the All Progressives Congress in the election in the State. | Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, Abba Kabiru-Yusuf | https://punchng.com/breaking-supreme-court-affirms-ganduje-as-kano-gov/ |
| DailyTrust Online | Monday, 20th January 2020 | Governorship tussle: PDP protests in States, demands reversal of Imo judgment | Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday, 19th Janaury 2020, staged protests in a number of States to express their displeasure over the judgment of the Supreme Court on the Imo governorship election. The apex court had sacked PDP’s Emeka Ihedioha and declared Senator Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the March 9 governorship election in the State. The protests were in compliance with the directive of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP. Uzodinma had since assumed office. The protesting PDP members in their hundreds took to the streets, singing solidarity songs and carried placards with various inscriptions to drive home their grievances. The party has directed its members to stage a peaceful protest in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday, 20th January 2020. The protesters are to be led by the party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus. It is expected that they will converge at the PDP Presidential Campaign Office, popularly called Legacy House, in Maitama before moving to other locations. | Imo State Governorship election, Supreme Court | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/govship-tussle-pdp-protests-in-states-demands-reversal-of-imo-judgment.html |
| ThisDayLive Online | Monday, 20th January 2020 | Stakeholders move to reconcile APC Factions in Rivers | Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State have commenced moves to bring peace to the party. APC in Rivers State has been in crisis following disagreements between the two major factions led by Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, and the former lawmaker representing Rivers South-east Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe. The division in the party and litigations arising therefrom caused the Supreme Court to declare that the party could not field any candidate for any position in the 2019 general elections. In a meeting held on Sunday, 19th January 2020 in Port Harcourt, stakeholders comprised of former elected and appointed members of the party from the State expressed sadness that despite losing the right to field any candidate in the last general election, the party was still on the track of making more mistakes. Convener of the meeting and former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emmanuel Deeya, in his opening remarks, dismissed insinuations that they were being sponsored by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike. Deeyah stated that the only way forward for the APC in the State was for the leaders of the party to go into dialogue first before talking about organising congresses. He described the caretaker committee set up by the national leadership of the party as unconstitutional, as former elected lawmakers and political appointtees are statutory members of the State Executive Council of the party. In his remarks, another former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Igo Aguma, expressed regrets over efforts by some APC members in the State to scuttle moves to return peace to the party. In attendance at the meeting were former members of the National Assembly, former members of Rivers State House of Assembly and former political appointees. | APC, Rivers State | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/01/20/stakeholders-move-to-reconcile-apc-factions-in-rivers/ |
| DailyTrust Online | Monday, 20th January 2020 | Sustain my achievements, Dickson begs Lyon | Governor of Bayelsa State, Henry Seriake Dickson has urged the incoming governor of the State, Chief David Lyon, to sustain the legacy projects he has initiated for the development of the State. Dickson, while inaugurating the ultra-modern golf course and teeing off the inaugural golf invitational open championship in his honour in Yenagoa stated that his eight years’ administration has worked assiduously for the development of the State. He also stated that he will be “leaving a very big shoe of achievements” when he leaves office on February 14, 2020, and advised his successor not to allow his dream for better Bayelsa to die. According to Dickson, “My advice to the incoming government is to nurture and sustain these dreams; these are not dreams that ordinary people can immediately relate to, but if you have this kind of golf course, you have an airport, you have a polo club and we have built, they add to the tourism development of the State". | Bayelsa State, Governor Seriake Dickson | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sustain-my-achievements-dickson-begs-lyon.html |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Monday, 20th January 2020 | South South Elders Forum seeks South West, South East support for 2023 presidency | The South-South Elders Forum (SSEF) has warned that there will be chaos in the country if the North insists on retaining power in 2023 and urged the South West and South East zones to support its quest for the presidency. National Coordinator of the forum, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, stated this during an interview with journalists in Abuja, stating that the only honorable thing to do was for the North to allow power to return to the South. He argued that this would peace, fairness, justice and stability of the country, as acting otherwise would be an invitation to chaos on completion of President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term in 2023. He argued that there was an unconventional agreement that the presidency should go North and South, adding that presently, the presidency was in the North and that by the end of Buhari’s administration in 2023, the North should have completed its two terms, which implies that the presidency should return to the South. He stated that the South is comprised of the South West, South-South and the South East, adding that the South West completed its tenure through President Olusegun Obasanjo, the South-South had one tenure through President Goodluck Jonathan, while the South East has was yet to hold power in this new democratic dispensation. According to him, “it is right of the South-South to complete its two tenures and thereafter the South East will have it. But besides that, the South East today is insisting on Biafra Republic and not insisting on presidency. We in the South-South believe in restructuring of this country, but we are also interested in the presidency. So, we want to complete our second tenure. | South South Elders Forum, 2023 Presidency | https://guardian.ng/news/south-south-elders-forum-seeks-south-west-south-east-support-for-2023-presidency/ |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Monday, 20th January 2020 | Supreme Court affirms Governor Tambuwal’s victory | Nigeria’s Supreme Court has affirmed the victory of Governor Aminu Tambuwal in the 2019 Sokoto State governorship election. In its ruling on Monday, 20th January 2020, the apex court dismissed an appeal filed by All Progressive Congress (APC) and its candidate Ahmed Aliyu challenging Tambuwal’s victory. In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, the apex court dismissed the appeal on the ground that the appellant failed to prove his allegation of non-compliance with the Electoral Act and issues of over-voting. | Governor Tambuwal, Sokoto State, Supreme Court | https://guardian.ng/news/supreme-court-affirms-governor-tambuwals-victory/ |
| DailyTrust Online | Friday, 17th January 2020 | PDP to CJN: Recuse yourself in Bauchi, Sokoto, other governorship appeals | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday, 16th January 2020 challenged the Justice Tanko-led Supreme Court panel that heard the 2019 governorship appeal on the Imo State governorship election petition to recuse itself from the pending cases on Bauchi, Sokoto, Benue and Adamawa States. The PDP argued that sequel to the judgement delivered on the Imo state governorship election on Tuesday, 14th January 2020, it was clear to it that the panel cannot be neutral in the pending cases. Addressing a press conference on Thursday, 16th January 2020 in Abuja, the PDP National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus stated that the party would resist any attempt to subvert the will of the people in Sokoto, Benue, Adamawa and Bauchi States. Secondus who asked the apex court to review and reverse the judgement on Imo governorship election in favour of the PDP, alleged that the verdict was a product of executive manipulation and recipe for crisis. He also argued that the judgement was a miscarriage of justice and coup against the PDP and the people of Imo. According to him, “What is more perplexing is the fact that INEC produced a schedule of reasons why results were not produced from the 388 polling units. Indeed election did not even take place in most of the units for one reason or another, like violence, and so no result could possibly be obtained from those units. The results were not merely rejected or cancelled by INEC. None of the candidates or their counsel, except perhaps APC, is aware of the number of votes scored by each party from the 388 polling units. The tribunal or Court of Appeal did not mention or ascribe any figure from the units to any party in their decisions". | PDP, Uche Secondus, Imo State Governorsrchip election | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-to-cjn-recuse-yourself-in-bauchi-sokoto-other-govship-appeals.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Friday, 17th January 2020 | APC repositioning to win Anambra 2021 governorship poll — APC Chair | Ahead of 2021 governorship election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State has stated that it has embarked on grassroot mobilisation to win the poll. The State Chairman of the party, Chief Basil Ejidike stated that the party will soon receive over 200,000 supporters from the All Progressives Ground Alliance (APGA) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the end of January, 2020. According to him, with the unity the party is currently enjoying with the State leadership, many people are likely to join the party ahead of 2021 governorship election in the State. He added that with the coming together of the likes of Dr. Chris Ngige, Chief George Mogahalu, Chief Johnbosco Onunkwo, Hon. Tony Nwoye, among others, APC in the State is better repositioned to take the leadership in the State comes 2021. | Anambra State, APC, 2021 governorship poll | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-repositioning-to-win-anambra-2021-govship-poll-chair.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Friday, 17th January 2020 | How we will work with Uzodinma — Imo PDP lawmakers | Members of the Imo State House of Assembly on Thursday, 16th January 2020, stated that they will work harmoniously with the newly sworn in Governor of the State, Senator Hope Uzodinma in the interest of the State. Uzodinma was sworn in following the sack of Emeka Ihedioha by the Supreme Court on Tuesday, 14th January 2020. APC has only two out of the 27 members in the Assembly. Rt. Hon. Chiji Collins, the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, who described Uzodinma’s emergence as a good development, stated that, “The members of the House of Assembly are all Imolites and we represent Imo people. So we have not come to fight anybody. We are sons of daughters of Imo and we are representing them. Therefore, anything we will do will be in their best interest”. However, a member of the House, who preferred anonymity, stated that the co-operation to be extended to Uzodinma depends on the steps he takes. | Imo State House of Assembly | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/how-we-will-work-with-uzodinma-imo-pdp-lawmakers.html |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Friday, 17th January 2020 | Ganduje replies Galadima, dispels claims of tension over Supreme Court’s ruling | Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has described claims by former leader of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Buba Galadima that the Supreme Court’s expected verdict on the State’s governorship election is causing tension, as baseless and lacking merit. Galadima on Thursday, 16th January 2020 declared that the Supreme Court verdict that removed Emeka Ihedioha as governor of Imo State should not spare Ganduje because the Kano election witnessed similar incidences as that of Imo. He told journalists in Abuja that the technicalities considered and applied by the apex court, which affirmed Hope Uzodinma as Imo State Governor, tied to the cancellation of votes that allegedly belonged to Abba Kabiru Yusuf of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Kano State governorship election. He stated thus; "In Kano, votes were not cancelled at the polling units or ward level, but at the local government level. So, it goes without saying that Ganduje is gone, and anything to the contrary, Nigeria will see the fire”. Responding to the statement, Coordinator of Governor Ganduje’s legal team, Mohammad Abdullahi Lawan, argued that Galadima’s view has absolutely no correlation with the facts and circumstances of the Ihedioha case and that of Ganduje, insisting that Galadima’s point was an exhibition of crass ignorance of the law. In a statement made available to journalists, Lawan explained, “In the former (Ihedioha case), while there was glaring evidence of cancellation of results by officials other than the presiding officers, in governor Ganduje’s case, there was no evidence of such cancellation by officials other than the presiding officers". | Kano State governorship election, Abdullahi Ganduje, Buba Galadima | https://guardian.ng/news/ganduje-replies-galadima-dispels-claims-of-tension-over-supreme-courts-ruling/ |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Friday, 17th January 2020 | PDP holds Emergency NEC Meeting Friday | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would hold an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Friday, 17th January 2020. The National Secretary of the party, Senator Umaru Ibrahim Tsauri stated in a brief notice announcing the meeting with the title: “Emergency NEC Meeting,” stated that, “All members of the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) are hereby invited to an emergency meeting of the NEC today, Friday, January 17, 2020. Venue is NEC Hall, PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja and time is 10.00 a.m. Members are enjoined to attend as the meeting will discuss the state of the nation”. The NEC meeting is expected to primarily consider the party’s guidelines for the various congresses in Edo State. The ward congresses ought to have started on Wednesday, 15th January 2020 but was shifted to enable the NEC approve the guidelines to be used in the conduct of the congresses. Also, the NEC as one of the highest organs of the party outside the national convention is expected to a take a holistic view at the Supreme Court verdict that nullified the election of Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as the governor of Imo State. PDP had scheduled to address a press conference on Wednesday, 15th January 2020 after the Supreme Court verdict on the Imo state election, but it was postponed till after the NEC meeting, to enable stakeholders take a holistic and informed look at all issues before stating the party’s position. | PDP, NEC meeting | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/01/17/pdp-holds-emergency-nec-meeting-friday/ |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Friday, 17th January 2020 | CSOs to protest against Supreme Court’s verdict on Imo | Piqued by the January 14 judgement of the Supreme Court nullifying the election Emeka Ihedioha as governor of Imo State, a number of civil society organisations (CSOs) have called on Nigerians to rise up and defend the country’s democracy, as they plan to protest against the ruling on Saturday, 18th January 2020. The apex court, in a unanimous judgement replaced Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who finished fourth in the March 9, 2019 governorship election in the State. In the same vein, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), Democracy and Good Governance, and the Civil Liberties and Rule of Law have declared the sack of Ihedioha as a tragedy, and the apex court’s decision, a conspiracy. The Human Right, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders’ Foundation (HURIDE) advised Nigerians to prepare for a massive protest on Saturday, 18th January 2020 in Owerri, Imo State, against the judgement. Chairman of HURIDE, Uzor A. Uzor, while speaking to journalists in Awka, Anambra State, stated that the judges showed that the judiciary could not be trusted by Nigerians as “the last hope of the common man”. | CSOs, Imo State, Supreme Court | ,a href="https://guardian.ng/news/csos-to-protest-against-supreme-courts-verdict-on-imo/">https://guardian.ng/news/csos-to-protest-against-supreme-courts-verdict-on-imo/ |
| DailyTrust Online | Wednesday, 15th January 2020 | Uproar in PDP over NWC’s failure to summon NEC meeting | There has been some outcry in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over failure of the Prince Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee (NWC) to convene a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC), which is the second highest decision-making organ of the party. Some PDP stalwarts who spoke with journalists in Abuja, expressed worry that the NEC meeting had not been summoned for two quarters of 2019 and had rolled into the third quarter. The PDP held an emergency 86th NEC meeting on June 20, 2019, but since then no other NEC meeting has been summoned. According to a a fromer executive of the party who spoke to journalists on a basis of anonimity, the party needs to deliberate on a number of issues, such as the zoning formular for the 2023 presidential ticket and the 2020 Edo State governonrship election. | PDP, National Executive Committee | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/uproar-in-pdp-over-nwcs-failure-to-summon-nec-meeting.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Wednesday, 15th January 2020 | Supreme Court ruling: Police, DSS grill Katsina PDP Chair over alleged plot on Local Government administration | Katsina State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Salisu Majigiri was invited by the State police command and Department of State Service (DSS) on Tuesday, 14th January 2020 over alleged plans by the party to take over local government administration, following a recent Supreme Court ruling. Majigiri, while confirming the invitation by the security outfits, explained that the PDP was not asking its dissolved members to forcefully take over their former offices. According to Majigiri, “We, as law abiding citizens, are confident that the reinstatement of the local government officials would, to a greater extent, reduce the prevailing insecurity, promote economic growth and the general well being of the people. We only want the government to do the right thing and return our dissolved councils, they will just be there for not more than 15 months to complete their tenure". The opposition PDP and the APC in the State are at loggerheads over the dissolution of the local councils, which case is now before the Supreme Court. The PDP is putting pressure on the State Governor to implement a recent Supreme Court judgment on Local Government administration by reinstating their sacked councils. | Katsina State, Local Government | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/s-court-ruling-police-dss-grill-katsina-pdp-chair-over-plot-on-lgs.html |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Wednesday, 15th January 2020 | INEC warns against acts inimical to due processes in Akwa Ibom’s senatorial re-run | Akwa Ibom State’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Mike Igini, has appealed to political stakeholders in Essien Udim Local Government Area not to exhibit the vices that led to the cancellation of the last election in the area. Referring to the the Appeal Court judgment on reasons elections were cancelled in the area to include unprecedented violence, intimidation, thuggery, hijacking of election materials among others, he stated that these informed the decision of the court to order a re-run in the area. Igini made this appeal while addressing chairmen and secretaries of the 19 political parties that would participate in the January 25 re-run election in his office on Tuesday, 14th January 2020 in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital. He reminded the people that since the re-run would hold only in Essein Udim council area, movement would only be restricted in that council area, and called on political stakeholders from other parts of the State to restrict themselves to their areas. The REC further explained to the affected parties that the re-run would affect senatorial district, federal constituency and State Houses of Assembly elections, adding that in the senatorial and federal constituency elections, voting would take place in all the 159 polling units, while voting would take place in 137 polling units out of 159 in the House of Assembly elections. This, he stated was as a result of the Appeal Court judgment, which confirmed and preserved subsisting results of 22 polling units out ofthe 157 in the council area. It would be recalled that following the Appeal Court judgment, Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial elections was cancelled and the court ordered a re-run for one out of the 10 council areas in the senatorial district, which is Essein Udim. | Akwa Ibom, Re-run elections, INEC | https://guardian.ng/politics/inec-warns-against-acts-inimical-to-due-processes-in-akwa-iboms-senatorial-re-run/ |
| DailyTrust Online | Wednesday, 15th January 2020 | 2020: APC campaigning for us with poor performance — PDP Edo Chair | The Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in Edo State has stated that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State was already campaigning for it following the poor performance of the ruling party in the State. PDP Chairman in the State, Chief Dan Orbih, stated this in Agenegbode, Etsako East local government while addressing PDP supporters in Edo North Senatorial District. Orgih stated thus: “The task in our hands is simple; the APC is the one campaigning for us. We have done so well against intimidation and have also done very well in Edo North. We have the governorship election coming up very soon and as you know only one person will be our candidate”. | Edo State, PDP | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2020-apc-campaigning-for-us-with-poor-performance-pdp-chair.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Wednesday, 15th January 2020 | Supreme Court victory: APC congratulates Senator Uzodinma | The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed delight over the Supreme Court’s declaration of Senator Hope Uzodinma as winner of the 2019 Imo State governorship election. The APC National Publicity Secretary, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement issued on Tuesday, 14th January 2020, called on all stakeholders to come together in support of Senator Uzodinma to ensure the success of its Next Level agenda and to entrench the ruling party in the State and the entire South East. Part of the statement read thus: “Even as we are still wondering why we lost Zamfara State at the Supreme Court and how the same court ruled our party out of the electoral race in Rivers State, we have never, as a political party, lost faith in the judiciary. We salute Senator Hope Uzodinma, our supporters and members for their temperance displayed in the aftermath of the blatant rigging of the Imo governorship election. We chose to focus on the judicial route to reclaim the party’s mandate. We are confident that our other stolen electoral mandates will be restored by the courts”. | Imo State Governorship election, Hope Uzodunma, Emeka Ihedioha | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/supreme-court-victory-apc-congratulates-senator-uzodinma.html |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Tuesday, 14th January 2020 | APC implores Ishaku to make public refunds for federal roads repair | On Monday, 13th january 2020, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State urged Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku to disclose the exact amount the State collected as refund from the Federal Government for federal roads constructed across the State by the administration of late Governor Danbaba Suntai. The leadership of the party, while making the demand through its State Chairman, Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi and the Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Alhaji Hassan Ardo Jika, expressed dismay at the snail speed of development in the State despite the refund of the said fund and the monthly allocations received. The duo alleged that over N10 billion had been refunded to the State in 2019 but the amount had not been made public, even though Ishaku had severally told the media that the State had written to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing demanding for such refunds to enable the State government continue the rehabilitation of roads across the State. While Jika held that it was in the spirit of public accountability and transparency that the State government should make public what it had received as refund to enable stakeholders monitor the use of such funds in the public interest, El-Sudi admonished the State House of Assembly to appropriate all funds accruing to the State to ensure transparency and accountability. | Taraba State, APC, Governor Ishaku | https://guardian.ng/news/apc-implores-ishaku-to-make-public-refunds-for-federal-roads-repair/ |
| DailyTrust Online | Tuesday, 14th January 2020 | Calls for bye-election as Kalu spends 40 days in prison | Forty days after a former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North) was sent to prison, some of his constituents have petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) demanding for the conduct of a bye-election to fill the vacuum created by his incarceration. Kalu, the Chief Whip of the Senate was found guilt of fraud charges on 5th December 2019 by a Federal High Court in Lagos and remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre. His conviction and sentence to 12 years in prison came 12 years after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed N7.65 billion fraud charges against him. Apart from his absence at the Senate chamber, the annual December parley between the people of Abia North Senatorial District and their senator was not held. The parley serves as an avenue for “stock taking” between the lawmaker and his constituents. Some of his constituents have served a letter on INEC to fix a date for a bye-election, relying on the provision of Section 166 of the 1999 Constitution in light of the fact that he has vacated his seat following his conviction for fraud by a competent court. According to Barr. Ukpai Ukairo who spoke on behalf of the constituents, “We may have to go to court and compel them to fix a date because we cannot be without a senator”, he said. The petition was submitted to INEC on 10th December 2019 in Abuja. | Abia North Senatorial District, Orji Uzor Kalu | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/calls-for-by-election-as-kalu-spends-40-days-in-prison.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Tuesday, 14th January 2020 | agos Assembly screens 3 commissioner-nominees Thursday | The Lagos State House of Assembly has fixed Thursday, 16th January 2020 for the screening of three Commissioner-nominees of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The three Commissioner-nominees earlier screened by the House ad-hoc Committee last Friday, 10th January 2020 included Mr. Ganiyu Ayuba, Mr. Olugbenga Oyerinde and Bamigbose Martins. The Assembly had on 16th August 2019 rejected three of the nominees presented to it for approval by Sanwo-Olu, necessitating their replacement. The house also invited nominees for the Civil Service Commission and Lagos State House of Assembly Service Commission (LAHASCOM) for final screening. Giving the report of the eight-man ad-hoc Committee on Screening of Governor’s nominees during plenary on Monday, 13th January 2020, the committee Chairman, Rotimi Abiru stated that all the nominees met the criteria of the committee. Abiru stated that all the nominees were screened by the committee on December 13, 2019 and that they all answered questions put to them and provided all the necessary documents. | Lagos Assembly, Commissioner-nominees | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/lagos-assembly-screens-3-commissioner-nominees-thursday.html |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Tuesday, 14th January 2020 | Rights groups, Omo-Agege disagree over Senator’s alleged forgery, perjury | A coalition of civil society groups has demanded the immediate resignation of the Deputy Senate President, Mr. Ovie Omo-Agege, over alleged forgery and perjury, in contravention of the 1999 Constitution. Convener of the coalition, Solomon Adodo, who addressed reporters in Abuja on Monday, 13th January 2020, enjoined the Senate to immediately initiate impeachment proceedings against Omo-Agege in the interest of the nation. The group also called on law enforcement agencies to initiate fresh prosecution against the senator for allegedly concealing his conviction by the State Bar Court of California, Los Angeles. In the event that the call was not heeded, the coalition threatened to mobilise thousands of civil society and youth groups to occupy the National Assembly. The group claimed that available evidence at its disposal showed that Omo-Agege was convicted by the State Bar Court of California in case No. 94-C-14401, adding that he wilfully concealed the fact from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigerian Senate, thereby contravening the provisions of the Constitution and the rules of the Senate. Omo-Agege, who spoke through his media aide, Mr. Yomi Odunuga, claimed that he was cleared of all charges in the said case and that he was never a convict in the United States of America (U.S.A.), as alleged till date, as he had been travelling to the U.S. without harassment. According to Odunuga, “Over the past few days, Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, visited U.S.A. and Canada for personal and official reasons respectively, holding aloft the beacon of progressive ideology and an agenda for improving Nigeria’s image internationally”. | Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege | https://guardian.ng/news/rights-groups-omo-agege-disagree-over-senators-alleged-forgery-perjury/ |
| ThisDayLive Online | Tuesday, 14th January 2020 | Justice Okoro’s Illness delays Supreme Court Judgments in Seven Governorship Election Appeals | Hearings in seven governorship appeals at the Supreme Court were on Monday, 13th January 2020 stalled following the illness of a member of the seven-man panel hearing the appeals. The Supreme Court had listed 13 political cases, which included eight appeals and five cross-appeals, for hearing and possibly determination, owing to the time bound nature of the cases. Among the appeals listed for Monday were that of Alhaji Abba Yusuf against the election of Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje; Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu against Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State; and Alhaji Mohamed Abubakar against the election of Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State. Others are the appeals of Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, Senator Hope Uzodinma and Mr. Uche Nwosu against the election of Governor Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State; Senator Jeremiah Useni against Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State and Mr. Emmauel Jime against election of Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State. However, with the exception of Bauchi governor, all other governors whose elections were being challenged filed cross-appeals also in the matter at the apex court. However, the court rose few minutes after it commenced sitting for the day’s proceedings. Chairman of the seven-member panel and Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, had announced a stand down of the cases, to bring sanity into the courtroom, which at the time had been virtually taken over by politicians and their supporters. However, when the court resumed sitting, circumstances beyond the court’s control forced a second stand down of proceedings. This time, it was due to the ill-health of a member of the panel, Justice Okoro. Being a constitutional case, the various appeals must be heard and determined by a seven-member panel. | Supreme Court, 2019 Governorship elections | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/01/14/scourt-justices-illness-delays-judgments-in-six-govs-election-appeals/ |
| ThisDayLive Online | Monday, 13th January 2020 | No Plans to float new Party with Tinubu, Atiku, says Maku | The National Secretary of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Labaran Maku, has described news reports that he has met with Bola Tinubu and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, among others, to float a new political platform ahead of 2023 elections, as fake. Maku, a former minister of Information, dismissed the speculation on Sunday, 12th January 2020 while fielding questions from journalists in Wakama, Akun Development Area, Nasarawa State. Maku, a 2019 APGA governorship candidate in Nasarawa State, urged his supporters and other Nigerians to disregard the reports in its totality in the interest of peace. Maku called on APGA supporters to remain firm and support the party to engender the party's victory in future elections. The former minister also urged his supporters and other well-wishers not to be provoked by the fake news but to continue to be law-abiding and respect constituted authorities for development to thrive. | PDP, Edo State | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/01/13/pdp-holds-nec-meeting-thursday-on-edo-congresses-holds-nec-meeting-thursday-on-edo-congresses/ |
| ThisDayLive Online | Monday, 13th January 2020 | PDP holds NEC Meeting ahead of Edo Congresses | The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will meet on Thursday, 16th January 2020 to determine and approve the guidelines and other regulations for the party’s congresses in Edo State. This decision was the high-point of the meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) that took place on Thursday, 9th January 2020 at the PDP Legacy House in Abuja.The Edo State PDP State congresses scheduled to commence on January 15, 2020, requires the approval of the guidelines by the NEC of the party. The State congress is expected to produce the State party executives, including a new State Chairman. Also, ahead of the 2020 governorship election in Edo State, the PDP in the State has adopted a no-zoning policy in picking the party’s governorship candidate. The party also resolved that the position of State Chairman would not be zoned as well. The party stated that the adoption of a zero-zoning option for both the governorship candidate and State Chairman is one of the measures to present a united party ahead of the 2020 governorship elections in the State. | 2023 Presidency, Ahmad Yarima | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2023-yarima-declares-interest-to-contest-for-presidency.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Monday, 13th January 2020 | Masari to PDP: I am not afraid to conduct Local Government poll | Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State has stated that his administration is ready to conduct local government elections if there is a clear pronouncement on the situation in the State, which is now before the Supreme Court. The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration are at loggerheads over the dissolution of local councils and the case is before the Supreme Court. The State PDP Chairman, Salisu Majigiri, stated that the party was looking forward to the State Governor implementing a recent Supreme Court judgment on Local Government administration by reinstating sacked council officials. Masari, while speaking to journalists, stated that, “The fact that some pronouncements are made somewhere, they don’t directly affect Katsina State unless there is pronouncement from the Supreme Court, on our own case". He added that, “We followed the law that was enacted by our predecessors to dissolve the local government councils. So until and unless there is a clear pronouncement on our own case that is before the Supreme Court, before we can decide". | Masar, Katsina State, Local Government | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/masari-to-pdp-im-not-afraid-to-conduct-lgs-poll.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Monday, 13th January 2020 | Lokpobiri supporters fault Appeal Court ruling, head to Supreme Court | Supporters of the former minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, have rejected the judgment of the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, which dismissed Lokpobiri's appeal against the emergence of the Bayelsa State governor-elect, Chief David Lyon, as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 4, 2019 governorship primary of the party. Speaking on behalf of Lokpobiri's supporters on Sunday, January 12, 2020 in Yenagoa, Sunday Frank-Okputu described the judgment as unfortunate and the grounds of striking out the case at the appeal court based on timing as “extravagant and having no legal basis”. Okputu explained that the decision to head to the Supreme Court was to determine if it is really out of time as claimed by the appeal court judges. He explained that on the court record, the case was filed on September 17, 2019 while the primaries of the APC was held on September 14, 2019 because the laws of the land, including the Electoral Act gives every applicant 14 days to file pre-election matters. | Bayelsa State 2019 Governorship Election, APC, Heineken Lokpobiri | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/lokpobiri-supporters-fault-appeal-court-ruling-head-to-supreme-court.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Monday, 13th January 2020 | INEC seeks new approach to election security | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called for a new and different approach to election security in the country. The INEC Chairman and co-Chair of the ICCES, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the call on Friday, 10th January 2020 in Abuja, at the first and expanded meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES). The meeting also had the Inspector General of Police, representatives from the Department of State Security Services, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), respectively in attendance. According to Yakubu, while it is the responsibility of the security agencies to secure the environment for the successful conduct of elections, the purpose of security deployment during elections is to protect the voters, election officials and materials, accredited observers, the media and to safeguard the integrity of the processes generally, including the polling units and collations centres. He added thus: “We must translate the new approach to reality in the forthcoming re-run elections such that Nigerians will see a qualitatively different security arrangement. No thugs and hoodlums can be more powerful than the Nigeria Police and other security agencies. It is the failure to act decisively and collaboratively that encourages thuggery and serves as an incentive for bad behaviour”. | INEC, ICCES | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/inec-seeks-new-approach-to-election-security.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Monday, 13th January 2020 | Freedom Party challenges INEC at the Supreme Court over Kogi governorship | The leadership of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) has challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the Supreme Court for unlawfully excluding the party from the November 16th, 2019 governorship election in Kogi State. The National chairman of the party, Dr. Onwubuya Abraham told journalists on Friday, 10th January 2020 in Abuja, that the party fully complied with the election timetable issued by the electoral umpire by conducting its governorship primaries in Lokoja on the 5th of September, 2019 in the presence of the representatives of the INEC, and also met all other requirements but was unlawfully excluded from the ballot. According to him, the party is dissatisfied with the earlier judgements of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal and has taken the matter to the Supreme Court. Dr. Abraham stated that, “We were surprised that FJP was unlawfully denied the opportunity to file the nomination papers of our candidate by INEC on the ground that we did not arrive INEC Headquarters for filling of necessary forms before 6pm on the 9th of September, 2019". He also stated that there was evidence at the party’s disposal to prove that INEC had confirmed that the party duly complied with the rules and should have participated in Kogi governorship election. He added that INEC’s reason for the exclusion of party was their own fault, vowing that the party would pursue the matter diligently. | Freedom and Justice Party, Kogi State 2019 Governorship Election | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/freedom-party-drags-inec-to-supreme-court-over-kogi-govship.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Friday, 10th January 2020 | APC will not participate in Niger rerun poll — INEC | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Niger State has disclosed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not participate in the re-run election for Agwara State constituency. Twelve political parties are expected to participate in the election fixed for January 25 2020. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Professor Samuel Egwu, spoke on the issue in Minna during a general stakeholders’ meeting held at INEC office. Prof. Egwu stated that the APC would not be participating in the election because the party was challenged in court after the last general elections. He stated that the commission would not deploy any ad-hoc staff apart from its internal staff. According to him, “We have 36, 411 registered voters with 59 polling units, 65 voters points, 279 INEC staff. Collation officers are likely to be deployed from federal institutions and not INEC staff”. The REC added that the commission was still expecting formal communication from the Speaker of the House of Representatives on the vacant seat in the lower chamber of National Assembly due to the death of the occupant. | Niger State, Re-run Elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/inec-apc-wont-participate-in-niger-rerun-poll-inec.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Friday, 10th January 2020 | Exclusion: ACPN takes INEC to Supreme Court | The Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) stated that it has taken further legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over unlawful exclusion from the November 16, 2019 governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States. On Thursday, 9th Januanry 2020, the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Ganiyu Galadima, told journalists in Abuja that his party fully complied with the election timetable issued by INEC, by conducting its governorship primaries in Lokoja and Yenagoa, respectively on September 5, 2019 in the presence of the INEC representatives. Alhaji Galadima also stated that the party met all requirements but was unlawfully excluded from the ballot. Both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal had earlier dismissed the ACPN’s case but its National Chairman stated the party was dissatisfied with the judgements of the lower Courts and has taken the case to the Supreme court. | ACPN, INEC, Kogi Governorship Election | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/exclusion-cpn-takes-inec-to-supreme-court.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Friday, 10th January 2020 | PDP, biggest obstacle to good governance, says Presidency | The Presidency has frowned at the activities of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stating that the party represents the single biggest obstacle to good governance and change in the country. Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, 9th January 2020, stated that the country’s main opposition party had no business in the internal affairs of the governing party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). According to Shehu, “Both self-respect and sound political judgement demand that the party (PDP) takes an introspective look at itself after two successive defeats in national elections, to ask what went wrong and how it can fix its battered image. As for the APC, the geographical expansion of the party is nothing short of a testimony to the rosy future that lies ahead. The party has come to stay, and the President and the country will ensure that this is achieved”. | Presidency, PDP, APC | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-biggest-obstacle-to-good-governance-says-presidency.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Friday, 10th January 2020 | Abia APC needs peace to achieve success — Chieftain | The leader of the Abia State Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Sam Nkire, has called on all aggrieved persons in the party to put their differences aside and work for the success of party in the State come 2023. Chief Nkire made the call at a reconciliation meeting held in Aba, Abia State to reconcile two senatorial candidates in the 2019 general elections, Sir Marc Wabara and Dr. Nyerere Anyim who had been at loggerheads since the last election. According to Nkire, although the Supreme Court had delivered judgment and concluded the matter, it failed to deliver peace to the APC family. Chief Nkire also disclosed that a peace and reconciliation committee would soon be set up to ensure that all issues of disunity among members become things of the past. He further appealed to the various factions and aggrieved members to tow the path of peace. | APC, Abia State | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/abia-apc-needs-peace-to-achieve-success-chieftain.html |
| ThisDayLive Online | Friday, 10th January 2020 | Okorocha challenges Ihedioha to provide details on missing N6bn | Former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, has challenged the incumbent State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, to provide details of how he claimed he allegedly diverted the sum of N6 billion fund allocated to the Imo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (ISOPADEC). Okorocha was indicted for alleged misappropriation of N6,044,774,341.37, being fund allocated to ISOPADEC in a report by a panel set up to investigate the activities of the Commission from May 2011 to May 2019, which has been submitted to the Governor Ihedioha. However, Okorocha in a statement issued on Thursday, 9th January 2020 by his Special Adviser on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, explained that he was never invited by the said panel set up by the State government. The statement further revealed that Ihedioha’s government had written 32 petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and 15 petitions to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) against Okorocha and his family. According to Okorocha, who represents Imo West senatorial district in the Senate, the panel on ISOPADEC was a "smokescreen" because a serious panel would have invited him or any of the former chairmen or managing directors of the Commission under his administration for questioning or fact-finding. | Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, Emeka Ihedioha | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/01/10/okorocha-challenges-ihedioha-to-provide-details-on-missing-n6bn/ |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Friday, 10th January 2020 | Factional crisis in Cross River APC threatens LG polls | The factional crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) party in Cross River State is far from over as Elder Etim John and Sir John Ochala-led executives are at loggerheads over the forthcoming Local Government elections in the State. During the 2019 elections, both factions battled over supremacy leading to the party's poor performance at the polls, even when the Appeal Court had declared the Ochala group as the authentic executives. However, both factions still run separate offices in Calabar. While the Ochala group maintains the known APC office at Okoi Arikpo Estate at Barracks Road, Calabar, John’s group has a different office. As the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC) schedules council polls for March, the factional state working committee of APC, led by John has accused the Ochala-led executive of planning to disrupt the polls. The faction in a statement signed by its secretary, urged CROSIEC and relevant stakeholders "to continue to keep faith in our desire to conduct free, fair, and credible polls, which is the accepted norm in our electoral system nationwide”.CROSIEC had fixed March 2020 as the date for Local Government elections in the State after about three years of not conducting Local Government polls in the State. The National Chairman of the APC, Oshiomhole, had, in a letter dated November 29, 2019, to INEC, declared the Ochala faction as the legitimate executive of APC in the State. | Cross River State,APC, Local Government Polls | https://guardian.ng/politics/factional-crisis-in-cross-river-apc-threatens-lg-polls/ |
| ThisDayLive Online | Thursday, 9th January 2020 | Supreme Court upholds Okowa, Ikpeazu, Bello, Ishaku’s Elections | The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 8th January 2020 upheld the elections of four governors, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta State), Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia State), Chief Darius Ishaku (Taraba State) and Alhaji Abubakar Bello (Niger State). The apex court in unanimous decisions in the different appeals against the governors’ elections, held that appellants failed to substantiate claims of irregularities and electoral malpractices against the declaration of the governors as winners of the March 9 governorship election in their respective states. The Supreme Court in arriving at its decisions in the various appeals held that it could only interfere in the decisions of the lower courts when it was able to establish that such judgments were perversed or occasioned a miscarriage of justice. However, the four justices who delivered lead judgments in the various appeals all held that the appellants did not adduce credible evidence to warrant judgment in their favour. | Supreme Court, 2019 general elections | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/01/09/supreme-court-upholds-okowa-ikpeazu-bello-ishakus-elections/ |
| ThisDayLive Online | Thursday, 9th January 2020 | Imo APC berates Ihedioha for resisting resumption of elected LG Officials | Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has frowned at the decision of Governor Emeka Ihedioha to resist the resumption of elected council officials across the 27 Local Government Areas of the State. Imo State APC Publicity Secretary, Onwuasoanya Jones, in a statement released on Wednesday, 8th January 2020, recalled that the Supreme Court had reaffirmed the independence of local governments in a case that was brought before it by some illegally sacked local government officials in Ekiti State. He added that the Supreme Court judgement on issue of constitutionality is binding on all Nigerians and officials of government. “Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress is saddened by recent developments in our dear State, where the present governor and his agents have shown a most disturbing and ridiculous disdain for the rule of law, democracy and decency, among other things by resisting the long overdue resumption of duty by legitimately elected local government officials across the 27 local government areas of the State”, the statement said. Jones insisted that the Local Government elections held on August 25, 2018 was held in line with extant provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Imo State Local Government Administration Law 15, 2000. APC, however, lamented that instead of recognising the elected officials, the governor appointed caretaker chairmen across the 27 local governments. | Imo State, APC, Local Government Administration | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/01/09/imo-apc-berates-ihedioha-for-resisting-resumption-of-elected-lg-officials/ |
| DailyTrust Online | Thursday, 9th January 2020 | Jonathan denies bid for 2023 Presidency | Former President Goodluck Jonathan has denied online reports that he stated that he was under intense pressure to contest the 2023 presidency. Jonathan also denied claims that that he was billed to be allotted the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the poll. The fomer President’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Ikechukwu Eze, told journalists that the reports were incorrect and untrue. | Goodluck Jonathan, 2023 Presidency | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/jonathan-denies-bid-for-2023-presidency.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Thursday, 9th January 2020 | Lagos APC elects Secretary, Spokesman | he Lagos State chapter of the APC on Wedneday, 8th January 2020 elected three members into vacant positions in the State working committee. Those elected include ex-Commissioner for Special Duties, Oluseye Oladejo (Publicity Secretary), former member of Lagos House of Assembly from Ojo II Constituency, Lanre Ogunyemi (Secretary) and a legal practitioner, Mrs Abimbola Ladigbolu, as Assistant LegalAadviser. The positions became vacant, following the appointments of former occupants as Commissioner and Special Advisers by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The new officers were elected during the Special Congress held at the party’s secretariat. | APC, Lagos State | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/lagos-apc-elects-scribe-spokesman.html |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Thursday, 9th January 2020 | Fayemi reiterates commitment to rule of law, judicial reform | Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi on Wednesday, 8th January 2020 inaugurated Mr. Obafemi Fasanmi as a judge of the State High Court, restating the commitment of his administration to strengthen the judiciary and promote rule of law in the State. While performing the ceremony at the Conference Hall, Governor’s Office in Ado-Ekiti, Fayemi stated that his vision for the independence of the judiciary remained sacrosanct, adding that the three arms of government are crucial to the effectiveness of the rule of law in the State. He further stated that the good governance agenda of his administration had the rule of law, respect for fundamental human rights and unhindered access to justice embedded in it. | Ekiti State, Governor Kayode Fayemi | https://guardian.ng/news/fayemi-reiterates-commitment-to-rule-of-law-judicial-reform/ |
| The Guardian Newspaper | Thursday, 9th January 2020 | Panel indicts Okorocha, others over N6bn ISOPADEC funds fraud | Immediate past Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha has been indicted for misappropriating over N6bn funds allocated to the State’s Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC). The committee set up to investigate ISOPADEC’s activities from May 2011 to May 2019 disclosed this while presenting its report to Governor Emeka Ihedioha. Presenting the report at Government House, Owerri on Wednesday, 8th January 2020, the Committee Chairman, Romanus Ezeogu stated thus: “It is painful to note that citizens and some Managing Directors colluded with Okorocha to misappropriate ISOPADEC’s funds with impunity. Okorocha’s administration handled the funds during his eight years tenure with recklessness. The shortfall in revenue that accrued from the Federation Account unaccounted for, stood at N6, 044, 774, 341. 37.” The committee also indicted Chike Okafor and Paschal Obi, who represent Okigwe South and Ideato South at the House of Representatives for their involvement in the misappropriation of ISOPADEC funds. Before their election into the House of Representatives, they were Commissioner for Finance and Principal Secretary to the governor, respectively. | Imo State, Rochas Okorocha | https://guardian.ng/news/panel-indicts-okorocha-reps-over-n6b-isopadec-funds-fraud/ |
| DailyTrust Online | Wednesday, 8th January 2020 | Elections: Let Nigerians elect their choice, Buhari warns INEC, police | President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his determination to give Nigeria an electoral system that meets with best practices anywhere in the world. President Buhari stated this on Tuesday, 7th January 2020 at State House, Abuja, while meeting with Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, other top officials of the electoral body, and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu. The President stated that with a minimum of 28 re-run and bye-elections in January 2020 alone, the commission should ensure that the game is played by the rules, without fear or favour. He charged the electoral umpire to stick to the rules of fair play and adherence to justice, in line with a resolve to engender a free, fair and credible electoral process. President Buhari added that he expected nothing but a scrupulous securing of the electoral process, without bias or favouritism from the Nigeria Police Force. “Our elections must be done in violence-free atmosphere. The process must be free, fair, decent, devoid of intimidation or malpractices. It is the duty of the police to accomplish that, and it is what I expect in the elections immediately ahead, and going forward”, he said. Both INEC and the police committed to upholding the rules and regulations, stating that they know President Buhari to be passionately committed to fair play. | INEC, Bye-elections, President Buhari | a href="https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/elections-let-nigerians-elect-their-choice-buhari-warns-inec-police.html">https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/elections-let-nigerians-elect-their-choice-buhari-warns-inec-police.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Wednesday, 8th January 2020 | Sacked Local Government Chairmen: PDP asks Masari to implement Supreme Court judgement | The Peoples Democratic PArty (PDP) in Katsina State has stated that it is eagerly waiting for the State government to commence the implementation of the Supreme Court judgement on local government administration. The State party Chairman, Salisu Majigiri, while speaking at the end of closed-door meeting with suspended council Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and Councillors over the Supreme Court judgement, stated that the PDP was set to take over the 34 councils in the State. Majgiri added that the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the State has no option but to implement the ruling, given the fact that it was delivered in good faith by the Apex court. He further stated that the court decision should be accepted by the ruling party to make an example of itsels as a government that has regard for the rule of law. Majigiri added that they do not want a repeat of the occurrence in Imo State over Local government administration. Instead, they want due process to be followed. It will be recalled that on 11th December 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that State Governors have no power to sack elected Local Government Chairmen and Councillors. | Local Government Administration, Katsina State | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sacked-lg-chairmen-pdp-asks-masari-to-implement-supreme-court-judgement.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Wednesday, 8th January 2020 | Imo APC plans for January 25 re-run polls | Leaders and chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State are meeting ahead of the re-run election in Isiala Mbano/Onuimo/Okigwe North federal constituency of the State slated for 25th January 2020. The office became vacant, following the nullification of the election of Obinna Onwubariri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In one of such meetings, the Chief Executive of New Partnership for African’s Development (NEPAD), Princess Gloria Akobundu, stated that the move was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to all APC leaders to begin the process of rebuilding the party from grassroots in their various localities. She stated that the party’s future rested on the ability of leaders to brace up for challenges and fight for a common goal without witch-hunting one another. Akobundu, who delivered President Muhammadu Buhari’s New Year message to APC members in the State, urged members to remain committed to the party and its programmes. In his speech, the State APC Chairman, Maicon Nlemigbo, stated that the meeting would help to galvanize more support and commitment from the grassroots. He expressed optimism that Supreme Court will give the party favorable judgment, adding that the massive vote Imo electorate gave Sen. Hope Uzodinma in the last governorship election must be reclaimed. | APC, Imo State | a href="https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/imo-apc-plans-for-jan-25-rerun-polls.html">https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/imo-apc-plans-for-jan-25-rerun-polls.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Wednesday, 8th January 2020 | Imo State: Court restrains suspended Local Government Chairmen, Councillors from taking over LGs | An Imo State High Court on Tuesday, 7th January 2019 restrained the suspended Local Government chairmen and their councillors from invading Local Government headquarters with the intention of taking over the administration of the councils, pending the hearing of the substantive suit filed at the court. The embattled Chairmen, all members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), were elected on August 25, 2018 in an election conducted by the immediate past administration of Rochas Okorocha. They were, however, suspended by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administratrion led by Governor Emeka Ihedioha shortly after assumption of office. However, while ruling on an ex-parte motion filed by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Imo State, Ndukwe Nnawuchi, Justice Eze Ohiri Njemanj, gave an interim order restraining the suspended Chairmen from taking any action that could disturb the administration of local government areas pending the determination of the suit filed by the Chairmen against their suspension. He asked them to maintain the status quo from June 17, 2019 when they were suspended. The judge, therefore, fixed 28th January 2020 for the hearing of the substantive suit. | Local Government Administration, Imo State | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/court-restrains-suspended-lg-chairmen-councilors-from-taking-over-lgs.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Wednesday, 8th January 2020 | Zamfara APC chieftain denies defecting to PDP | A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State and former commissioner for Higher Education in the State, Professor Kabir Jabaka has stated that he has not defected to the Peoples Democratic PArty (PDP) contrary to the insinuation in some quarters. Prof. Jabaka explained that statements attributed to him were only meant to declare support for Governor Bello Matawalle in view of his exemplary leadership, regardless of party affiliation. He added that he was supporting Governor Bello Matawalle’s administration based on his ability to restore peace and turn things around in the State. | APC, Zamfara State, Kabir Jabaka | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/zamfara-apc-chieftain-denies-defecting-to-pdp.html |
| Wednesday, 8th January 2020 | PDP governors refute Umahi’s alleged anti-party activities | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum has condemned online reports that one of its members, David Umahi of Ebonyi State belongs to the PDP, as well as the All Progressives Congress (APC). It described the report as falsehood intended to tarnish Umahi’s image. A statement issued by the Director-General of the forum, Earl Osaro Onaiwu in Abuja read thus: “The news circulating online that Governor David Nweze Umahi said he belongs to both the PDP and APC is a blatant falsehood aimed at tarnishing his image and as distract him from his focus. The author of the publication acted in bad fate, with malice and certainly with ulterior and sinister motives. On several occasions and at all times even in the face of stiff opposition and blackmail, Umahi has always proven to be a committed party man. He loves the party and the Governors Forum, and they love and cherish the friendship and bond between them". Governor Umahi debunked claims that he belonged to both PDP and APC on Tuesday, 7th January 2019, insisting that he remained a loyal and committed member of the former.A statement issued in Abakaliki by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Uchenna Orji, noted that the governor was mischievously quoted out of context. | David Umahi, PDP | https://guardian.ng/politics/pdp-governors-refute-umahis-alleged-anti-party-activities/ | |
| DailyTrust Online | Tuesday, 7th January 2020 | Presidency: Buhari will not hand pick his successor | The Presidency on Monday, 6th January 2020, stated that President Muhammadu Buhari would not hand pick his successor in 2023. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, stated this while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today. Adesina added that the President would however provide an atmosphere that would guarantee free, fair and credible election. “The President will not pick a successor. Will he be interested in the process? Yes, he will. He will ensure that there is a free, fair and credible election; that nobody will come to use money and resources to bamboozle his way into the leadership of the country", Adesina states. On whether the president would act early enough on the proposed amendment to the Electoral Act, Adesina stated that the timeframe in which the President will act is relative bit underscored that he will do whatever is needful before the next set of general elections. | President Buhari, 2023 general elections | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/presidency-buhari-wont-hand-pick-his-successor.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Tuesday, 7th January 2020 | One shot dead as suspended Imo LG chairmen try to resume office | The rancour between suspended Local Government Chairmen in Imo State and the Interim Management Committees (IMC) claimed the life of one of the suspended councillors on Monday, 6tth January 2019. The councillor was shot dead by suspected thugs while attempting to force his way into his former office. The suspended Councillor, identified as Ahamefule Maduabuchi, was shot at Umundugba, the headquarters of Isu Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo State, as he attempted to resume duties. On Monday, 6th Januanry 2019, the suspended Chairmen and their Councillors across the State besieged the 27 LGAs headquarters with the intention of resuming duty. They cited the Supreme Court judgement in a case between suspended Ekiti State LGA Chairmen and the State government in which the court had ruled that the Governor had no legal power to suspend duly elected LGA Chairmen. It took the intervention of policemen to restore normalcy in some of the LocalGgovernment Areas, while teargas was used to disperse them in other places. | mo State, Local Government Chairmen, Interim Management Committees | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/one-shot-dead-as-suspended-imo-lg-chairmen-try-to-resume-office.html |
| DailyTrust Online | Tuesday, 7th January 2020 | APC crisis: Why we rejected Oshiomhole’s reconciliation committee – APC | The Publicity Secretary of the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Joseph Osagiede stated the party has rejected the reconciliation committee set up by Adams Oshiomhole to sit over the issues within the party in the State. He stated that the reason for rejecting the committee is that most of its members have vested interest in the crisis. Osagiede, who disclosed this on Monday, 6th January 2020 in Benin, while taking inventory of his office, adding that the APC crisis will soon come to an end. He further stated thus:n“We have always said that we are willing and ready for reconciliation but you cannot be constituting a reconciliation body when you are an interested party in an issue. That is why we rejected the committee set up by Adams Oshiomhole. We expect that a neutral body, for instance, the presidency or Benin Traditional Council, can setup a committee for reconciliation”. | APC, Adams Oshiomhole | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-crisis-why-we-rejected-oshiomholes-reconciliation-committee-apc.html |
| ThisDayLive Online | Tuesday, 7th January 2020 | INEC to re-open Kogi Governor's Double Registration case | The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday, 6th January 2020 stated that it had not abandoned the criminal case of double registration against the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Voters Education and Information Committee, Mr. Festus Okoye, stated that the Kogi State Governor is currently shielded by the immunity clause which protects him against any form of prosecution in his position as Governor. He disclosed that the issue of the double registration would be reopened at the expiration of the Governor’s immunity, at the end of his tenure of office. Three INEC staff were indicted in the case of Governor’s double registration. At the end of the investigations, two of the officials were dismissed, while an Assistant Director among them was suspended. | Governor Yahaya Bello, INEC, Double Registration | https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/01/07/inec-to-reopen-kogi-govs-double-registration-case/ |
| Punch Newspaper | Tuesday, 7th January 2020 | Plateau PDP crisis deepens as faction locks party secretariat | On Monday, 6th January 2020, the Plateau State Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Jos was locked up following a fresh leadership crisis between factions in the party. The development which occurred in the morning was reported to have stirred confusion among party supporters and other stakeholders, who gathered at the secretariat to condemn the situation. It will be recalled that the party in the State had been polarised into two factions since the resignation of the former Minister of Sports, Mr Damishi Sango, as the State Chairman. It was led on one hand by a Deputy Chairman, Mr Amos Gombi, while another faction is being led by a zonal Chairman, Mr Chris Hassan. Both Gombi and Hassan are laying claims to the State party chairmanship position. The factions also placed suspension orders on members from either side at various times. They also hold separate meetings at the party headquarters. However, the most recent development between the factions was as a result of the entrance to the party secretariat was being allegedly locked on the orders of the Gombi-led faction, to prevent the Hassan’s group from having access to the building. It was further gathered that the prompt arrival of security operatives from the Police Command in the State, who ordered the barricade at the party secretariat to be removed, prevented both factions from any further clash. | PDP, Plateau State | https://punchng.com/plateau-pdp-crisis-deepens-as-faction-locks-party-secretariat/ |
| DailyTrust Online | Tuesday, 7th January 2020 | "I will be fair to all geopolitical zones of Nigeria", says Buhari | President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated his commitment to be fair and just to all geopolitical zones of the country, irrespective of political affiliation. The President made the statement during the commissioning and official handing over of Umunze Erosion/Flood Control and Road Improvement works in Orumba South of Anambra State. Buhari represented by the Minister of State for Environment, Mrs. Sharon Okeazor stated that no part of the country would suffer any neglect owing to its geographical location or political considerations. According to President Buhari, “The present administration under me, promised that no part of the country will suffer any neglect owing to its geographical location or political considerations and i am committed to making sure that everybody is treated equally in the country. I will remain faithful to all parts of the country”. | President Buhari | https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ill-be-fair-to-all-geopolitical-zones-of-nigeria-says-buhari.html |