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Bayelsa poll: Sylva rejects tribunal verdict, plans appeal
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State in last November governorship election and former Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, has stated his intention to appeal the tribunal judgment affirming the election of Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party as governor.
Sylva expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Julius Bokoru, saying he was heading for the Court of Appeal to liberate Bayelsans.
The statement said he immediately held a meeting with elders and stakeholders of the party after the judgment.
According to the statement, the decision to appeal the judgment was taken at the meeting and Sylva also directed his legal team to make the necessary preparation.
Bokoru recalled that Sylva had earlier accused the tribunal of bias following several infractions observed by his lawyers during the hearing of the case.
Sylva said: “We are not satisfied with the decision of the tribunal. But this is just a court of first instance and after meeting with the elders and critical stakeholders of our great party, the APC, we directed our legal team to seek justice for Bayelsa at the Supreme Court.”
But Governor Diri welcomed the tribunal verdict, saying it would serve as motivation for him to serve the state better.
The Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, in a judgment on Monday, upheld Diri’s victory in the November 11, 2023 governorship election in the state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared that Diri of the PDP polled 175,196 votes to defeat his closest rival, Sylva of the APC, who scored 110,108 votes.
Reacting in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, Diri said the tribunal judgment had proven again that the judiciary was the last hope of the common man.
While describing the lawsuit as “a needless distraction”, he said he could not squarely focus on governance and delivery of dividends of democracy to the people of Bayelsa State.
“Matters like these are mere distractions in delivering the dividends of democracy to the people, particularly against the backdrop that we had an election that was adjudged to be one of the freest and the fairest. And yet we have been distracted over this period. I want to let the Bayelsa people know that we are still for you and will continue to work for you and walk with you until the final day of our administration.
“Once again, l use this opportunity to thank my people of Bayelsa State who graciously and freely gave me this mandate. lt is actually not my victory but it is for the people of Bayelsa.
“As l always pledge, our administration is people-focused and people-oriented. So this will again give us a better latitude to continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to our people,” Diri said.
Diri expressed appreciation to his legal team for its commitment and passion and all those who worked hard towards securing a sound judgment.
A three-man panel led by Justice Adekunle Adeleye dismissed the petition filed by Sylva and the APC against Diri for lacking in merit.
In a unanimous decision, the tribunal held that the petitioners failed to prove any credible evidence to back up any of the allegations they raised against the re-election victory of Diri.
The tribunal held that the petitioners’ prayers were contradictory, adding that Sylva and APC did not tender any electoral material to show that any irregularity occurred during the election.
The tribunal also held that the petitioners were unable to discharge the burden of proof that was placed on them by the law.
The panel said the petitioners failed to show, “polling units by polling units evidence of the non-compliance submitted and how it substantially affected the outcome of the election.”
The tribunal struck out as incompetent all the additional proof of evidence as well as statements on oath of some of the witnesses who testified for the petitioners.
“The petitioners, having failed to establish all the pleaded facts, I hold that this petition failed on all the three grounds that it was predicated upon.
“I hereby dismiss the petition as lacking in merit. Parties are to bear their respective costs,” the tribunal held.
The First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, on Saturday, refuted reports that she will be leading a seven-day national prayer for Nigeria.
This followed a report last week that Mrs Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Mrs Nuhu Ribadu, will spearhead a national prayer session to tackle the country’s numerous challenges.
The reports quoted the Director-General of the National Prayer Forum, Segun Afolorunikan, announcing the event in Abuja.
Afolorunikan had said the initiative, coordinated with Christian and Muslim religious leaders, intends to seek divine intervention for the country’s socio-economic and security issues, under the theme ‘Seeking the Intervention of God in Nigeria’s Affairs.’
“Christians will meet at the National Ecumenical Centre for a week of intense prayer, with prayer warriors from various denominations focusing their efforts on the nation’s adversities,” said the convener.
However, the First Lady has denied knowing any such arrangement saying a call for prayer must be done “willingly, conscientiously and correctly.”
Mrs Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Busola Kukoyi, conveyed this in a statement she signed Saturday titled ‘First Lady of Nigeria Oluremi Tinubu, CON refutes organising national prayer.’
It read, “This is to clarify and inform the general public that the First Lady of Nigeria is not organising a national prayer.
“The news making rounds in some conventional and social media platforms is unfounded and misleading.
“Consequently, anyone who might have come across the purported news of the joint National Prayer for Nigeria should disregard it as false.”
Kukoyi said the First Lady, a Christian and strong advocate of prayer and praying for Nigeria, believes that prayer is an act that must be done willingly, conscientiously and correctly.
“She also believes that praying for Nigeria is the responsibility of every Nigerian, irrespective of religious belief, political affiliation, tribe or tongue.
“Members of the public are advised to verify the authenticity of any news or event involving the First Lady of Nigeria or her office through official channels,” the statement concluded.
A building of 25 shops has been gutted by fire in the early hours of Saturday in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.
According to the state fire service, the incident occurred at Adeta roundabout at about 02.39 hours.
A statement in Ilorin on Saturday by the spokesman of the service, Hassan Adekunle, said the firefighters, upon arrival, found a block of about 25 shops engulfed in flames.
“Thanks to the swift action and bravery of the Kwara State fire service officers, only three shops suffered damage, including a soft drinks and alcohol shop.
“Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire was caused by a power surge,” the statement disclosed.
The Director of the State Fire Service, Prince John Falade Olumuyiwa, expressed sympathy for the affected shop owners, offering prayers for the restoration of their losses.
He also urged the public to prioritize safety and ensure all electrical appliances are unplugged when not in use.
The newly emerged terror group known as Lakurawa, is reportedly offering as much as one million naira to young men in exchange for their allegiance.
This was made known on Saturday by Zagazola Makama, a Lake Chad Basin counterterrorism and insurgency expert, in a post on his X handle.
Makama disclosed that an impeccable source informed him that Lakurawa, allegedly composed of individuals from Mali, Chad, Libya, Niger, and Burkina Faso, was actively recruiting local youths in Sokoto through substantial financial incentives.
He stated that according to witnesses’ accounts, the financial lure is part of an aggressive recruitment campaign aimed at attracting followers to their cause.
The security expert said that Lakurawa, unlike traditional criminal gangs, reportedly adhere to extremist ideologies linked to the Khawarij sect, similar to the beliefs of Boko Haram.
Makama added: “Local sources suggest that they employ a combination of financial incentives and ideological influence to gain support among vulnerable communities.
“Beyond the recruitment, the Lakurawa reportedly confront and expel bandits and confiscate their cattle in areas under their control.
Watch video below:
https://twitter.com/ZagazOlaMakama/status/1855319733282758848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
First Lady denies leading national prayer
25 Shops destroyed as fire guts building in Ilorin
New terror group Lakurawa offers N1m incentives to recruit Sokoto youths + Video
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