My Running Mate Betrayed Me — Rivers AAC Gov’ship Candidate

The governorship candidate of African Action Congress (AAC) in Rivers State, Mr Biokpomabo Awara, has described his running mate who joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after resignation on Monday as a betrayer. Awara, who spoke to journalists after submitting a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, claimed that his former running mate was financially induced by the Rivers State government before taking the decision. The candidate, who cautioned Governor Nyesom Wike to be wary of him, urged INEC to stop the collation of governorship election results. Awara, who requested the results already announced in seven local government areas (LGAs) to be upheld, also demanded fresh election in 16 LGAs. He sought the removal of Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for being allegedly compromised during the exercise. He said, “In view of the careless crisis arising from all elections conducted by the REC in Rivers State since 2015, we appeal that the activities of the officials of INEC should thoroughly be investigated. “We also demand the removal of the REC and the heads of department at Rivers State INEC as it is clear that they and indeed most of the Rivers State INEC ad hoc staff have been compromised and cannot be trusted to regulate and superintend the conduct of credible election in Rivers State,” her said. The running mate to AAC governorship candidate, Mr. Akpo Bomba Yeeh, who announced his resignation from the party, said he took the decision over alleged complete hijack of the party structure by a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi. He also claimed that Amaechi planned to rig the governorship election using officials of the Nigerian Army, police, Department of State Service (DSS) and the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS).

Orji Kalu To Jostle For Senate Presidency

Abia North Senator-elect, Orji Kalu, has told the leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) to make him Deputy Senate President or he would contest for Senate presidency. Kalu said this on Wednesday while speaking with journalists at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. His interest in the top Senate office adds to the troubles of the APC which is currently going through a cold war in its selection for leadership of the 9th National Assembly. Kalu said: “I am a very loyal party man. The party has zoned the senate presidency position to the North-East and I want to respect the party’s will but the second position is what we are not going to allow to leave the South-East. “So, as far as I am concerned, in the South-East, I am going to run openly on the floor of the House for the position of Deputy Senate President. “I am not going to listen to the party neither will I listen to anybody. Nobody that wants to be the Deputy Senate President is more loyal than I am to the party. “I have suffered for the party and have been called by Nigerians to come out. I want the party to respect the will of every other person and I am committed to democracy and contesting on the floor of the House.” Besides Article 50 of the Constitution and Article One, which he said gives lawmakers the right to elect their principal officers, Kalu reasoned with the APC that “if justice must prevail, you have to bring the Senate President from the North-East and you bring the Deputy Senate President to the South-East.” He added: “The chairman of the party is from South-South. The President is from North-West. The Vice-President is from South-West and also the Senate President will come from North-East. “Whether it is Senators Ahmed Lawal or Ali Ndume, this will be decided on the floor of the House.”

Adeleke: Why Police Re-Arraigned Osun Guber Candidate

The Nigerian police, on Tuesday, re-arraigned the Osun State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ademola Adeleke, on allegations of examination malpractice.

Adeleke, who was first arraigned on a four-count charge brought against him in September, for alleged conspiracy and impersonation among other offences, was re-arraigned on Tuesday, with the charges increased from four to seven-counts, still bordering on similar offences. The police have accused him of conspiring to procure illegal examination results with workers at the Ojo-Aro community grammar school and arraigned him along with a principal and three others accused of conspiring to commit the alleged crime. The police force also accused Adeleke, a serving senator, of making false documents, regarding his age and violating the exam malpractice act, CAP E15, 2004. Meanwhile, Adeleke, who contested closely with his counterpart from the All Progressives Congress, (APC) Adegboyega Oyetola, is challenging the outcome of the election which saw Oyetola emerge winner. He is accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC of colluding to ensure the candidate of the APC emerges winner in the September elections in the state.

Appeal Court Sacks Kashamu As Ogun Gubernatorial PDP Candidate

The Ibadan Division of the Appeal Court, on Tuesday, sacked Senator Buruji Kashamu and other ‘candidates’ in the Adebayo Dayo-led faction of the Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). With this judgement, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu and others who emerged through the party’s primaries are now the authentic candidates of the party in the 2019 election. The three-man appeal panel set aside the judgment of a Federal High Court in Abeokuta which threw up Kashamu and his factional members as the authentic PDP candidates. The panel headed by Justice A. B. Bada, resolved the four issues raised for determination in the appeal in favour of the PDP, saying the appellants were not properly served in the case at the lower court which breached their rights to fair hearing. Both Justices Bada and N. Okoronkwo agreed with Justice H. S. Samani who read the lead judgment. The PDP had dragged the Adedayo Bayo-led faction to the appellate court to challenge the lower court judgment which threw up its candidates. They prayed the court to set aside the judgment on the grounds that they were not properly served before judgment was delivered and that the lower court judge was wrong in his judgment.

Jubilation As Fayemi Defeats Oni in Court

Jubilations broke out in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, on Monday as the Ado Ekiti Division of the Federal High Court dismissed the suit filed by former Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Segun Oni, to challenge the eligibility of Governor Kayode Fayemi to contest in the July 14 governorship election in the state. Fayemi’s supporters and well-wishers gathered at the pavilion and Fajuyi Park to celebrate the court victory amid drumming and dancing. Oni, who was an All Progressives Congress aspirant in the election, in the suit, challenged Fayemi’s eligibility on the grounds that the governor did not resign his appointment as a minister 30 days before the party primaries and as well that he was indicted by the Justice Silas Oyewole-led commission of inquiry last year. The commission of inquiry was set up by the former Governor Ayodele Fayose to probe the finances of the state government when Fayemi was governor of the state between 2010 and 2014. Among others, Oni, through his counsel, Chief Anthony Adeniyi, prayed the court to void the votes cast for Fayemi in the primaries for refusing to resign and the indictment, withdraw the certificate of return issued to Fayemi, declaring Oni as duly nominated APC candidate and as well duly elected governor in the July 14 election. But Fayemi, though his lawyer, Chief Rafiu Balogun, who urged the court to strike out Oni’s suit for lack of merit, said Fayemi was not a public servant nor an official of the APC hence the resignation clause was not binding just as he said an Abuja court had quashed the decision of the commission of inquiry. The case, which had earlier begun at an Abuja Division of Federal High Court was transferred to Ado Ekiti last month. Security was beefed up in the court area as no fewer than 17 police pick up vans were stationed around the court in addition to an armour personnel carrier stationed at the pavilion area. Justice Uche Agomoh, while delivering her two-hour judgment on Monday, dismissed the suit for lacking in merit, saying, “I am of the firm view that the originating summons is hereby dismissed.” Agomoh, who resolved the issues for determination in favour of Fayemi, said the governor could not be disqualified on the basis of the report of the Commission of Inquiry whereby an Abuja court had quashed the indictment. The judge said: “Indictment does not satisfy the definition of conviction. He cannot be disqualified”. Agomoh also said: “The issue of 30 days resignation before election does not apply in this case,” saying the applicant’s claim that Fayemi was an official of the APC and a public servant could not be proved. According to the judge, Fayemi, as a minister of the federation was not a public servant but a political office holder and an appointee of the President, hence the 30 days resignation stipulation did not apply. Counsel to Oni in his response, said, “We are going to study this judgment to determine the next cause of action”, The Punch reports

How I Spent N400m Per State To Campaign For Buhari In 2015 – Saraki

Nigeria’s Senate President, Bukola Saraki has said the people of Kwara would not have been suffering today if they had been given enough federal appointments after he allegedly spent N400 million per state to campaign for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.
Saraki said had Kwara people been given appointments, they would have been able to approve money for party supporters which would have eased their sufferings.
The Senate President was heard saying this in an audio clip while addressing Peoples Democratic Party members recently.
The audio was first posted by blogger, Kayode Ogundamisi, on his verified Twitter handle.
Saraki said during the run-up to the 2015 general elections, he campaigned for President Muhammadu Buhari in every state of the country except the six South-West states.
He said he spent between N200m and N400m per state with the hope that when the All Progressives Congress got into office, party faithful would be rewarded either financially or through appointments.
The Senate President, however, said Buhari decided to punish the people of the state by starving them of appointments.
Saraki said, “What is the benefit of people that are campaigning for the APC? What is their track record? Use me as an example. When I left the PDP for the APC in 2014 and was campaigning for the APC like never before, we went to every state to campaign with Buhari up until the election time.
“Out of the 36 states, I paid election money in 30. Some collected N300m while some collected N400m, some collected N200m. The only states, where I had nothing to do with was in the South-West.
“Even on the phone I was calling and giving banks instructions. Our thinking was that when we get elected, we would get the majority of appointments. I even told majority of you then that we shall all be going to Abuja together after the election.
“I thought some of you will be appointed to head federal agencies like road maintenance, like FERMA, NITDA, NPA and others. Because I know that if any Kwara son becomes even just the ED of UBEC, I know what he can approve from his desk. Whether N1m or N2m.
“But for the first time, since we joined politics, you have a President of the Senate or even speaker that cannot appoint a cleaner. I am not referring to board appointments like board appointment which just collect money per sitting. If you look at the agencies they appoint executive positions, what do you want me to say?”
–Punch

Buruji Kashamu Picks Reuben Abati As Running Mate

Senator Buruji Kashamu has emerged as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the Ogun State governorship election following the withdrawal of Adeleke Shittu from the race.
Shittu emerged as the governorship candidate of PDP via the primary conducted by the Bayo Dayo faction of the party in the state
However, he has allegedly withdrawn from race voluntarily for Kashamu, who represents Ogun East at the Senate.
Confirming the development, Kashamu’s media aide, Austin Oniyokor, said the leaders of the party prevailed on Kashamu to replace Shittu to brighten the party’s chances of winning the governorship poll.
However, it was gathered that the party retained former presidential spokesman Reuben Abati as the party’s deputy governorship candidate.
“The party’s stakeholders, leaders and elders met and decided that it would be better for Senator Buruji Kashamu to run if the PDP wants to win,” Oniyokor said.
“Mr Adeleke Shittu, who was at the meeting, also saw reason with them.
“I can confirm to you that Mr Shittu last week Friday signed the withdrawal letter and at the Senate he has informed INEC of his withdrawal from the race.”