Politics

Kogi guber poll: Tribunal adjourns hearing until April 1

Published

11 months ago

March 31, 2024

The Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja on Saturday, adjourned until April 1 for continuation of hearing.

The three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, fixed the date after six witnesses of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, gave their evidence and were cross-examined by the defence counsel.

Upon the resumed h

earing, the six witnesses gave testimonies contrary to their depositions on oath and confirmed that they were not polling agents as stipulated by law but voters.

In his evidence, Yakubu Dahiru, the 10th prosecution witness, who was confronted with the contradictions between his claims and depositions during cross-examination, said he was suffering from an eye problem and could not see for about a year.

However, Dahiru claimed to have written his witness deposition.

Another witness, Isah AbdulGaniu from Okene Local Government Area, who told the tribunal that he was a fashion designer, said he was neither a member of the SDP nor a polling agent.

He denied knowledge of Form DCE-41, which was part of his deposition.

While some of the witnesses denied averments in their depositions, others claimed they made mistakes when it was found during cross-examination that what they said in court was different from what they submitted.

Some of the witnesses said they dictated the statement to their lawyers and later crammed it before coming to the tribunal.

Even though their petitions showed the names of the petitioners, petition number and lawyers’ names, some of them interestingly claimed that they did not know the petitioners and their lawyers.

The testimonies of the six witnesses were similar but contradictory.

After the 6th witness concluded his evidence, the petitioners’ lawyer, Pius Akubo, SAN, sought an adjournment.

The tribunal consequently adjourned until April 1 for continuation of hearing.

Kanu Agabi, SAN, represented the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Alex Iziyon, represented Governor Usman Ododo, and Abdulwahab Muhammed, SAN, appeared for the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The witnesses from Okene Local Government Area, who testified, were Isa Abdulganiyu, Aliyu Musari Abdul, Ohieku Rebeka, Abdulsalam Baki, Yakubu Dahiru and Ibrahim Majeed.

Politics

BREAKING: Ex- Lagos guber candidate Jandor dumps PDP

Published

8 hours ago

March 3, 2025

Austin Ojomah

Dr. Olajide Adediran, popularly known as JANDOR, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The 2023 Lagos governorship candidate made the announcement on Monday during a press conference in Ikeja, Lagos.

While he did not disclose his next political move, JANDOR assured that he would make his intentions known in the coming months.

His departure from the PDP comes with the backing of his supporters across the 20 local governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of Lagos State.

Details to follow…

Politics

UPDATED: Present 2025 Budget in the next 48hrs, Rivers Assembly tells embattled Fubara

Published

10 hours ago

March 3, 2025

Naijablitznews

… Assembly insists on no account should Rivers people suffer

The Rivers State House of Assembly has given embattled Governor Siminalayi Fubara 48 hours to present the 2025 budget to the House.

Also, Fubara was encouraged to act fast and do the needful to stop unnecessary suffering by Rivers people over the stoppage of federal allocations to the state.

See details below:
The Rivers House of Assembly on the 3rd day of March 2025, amongst other matters deliberated on Judgements of
the Supreme Court in Suits numbers- SC/Cy/1174/2024 and sC/CV/1105/2024 delivered on the 28h day of
February 2025 and resolved as follows:

“That pursuant to the order of the Supreme Court in Suit no.: sc/CV/1174/2024 for the stoppage of
Statutory Federal allocations to the Rivers State Government and haltíng of spending from the
Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State pending the passage of an Appropriation Bill, you are
requested to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the House in line with the provisions of the 1999
Constitution as amended.

“That the House expects you to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill within 48 hours.

“That since the Supreme Court in the judgement delivered in Suit no.: SC/CV/1105/20
0/2024 nullified the
Rivers State Local Government Elections of 5th October 2024 for non-compliance with the
Electoral Act among other reasons, the House would soon commence the process of amending the
Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 and the Rivers State Independent Electoral
Commission Law No. 2 of 2018 so that they can be in tandem with the Electoral Act and pave the way
for the commencement of plans for fresh Local Government elections in the State.

That your attention should be drawn to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended; the Rivers
State Local Government (Amendment) Law, 2023 as well as the Judgement of the Supreme Court in
Suit No.: Sc/cv/343/2024 that prohibits the administration of Local Governments by HLGA’S or any
other persons other than democratically elected officials.

That the House would proceed on a 12- week recess as from Friday 7th March 2025 but Standing
Committees would be expected to continue statutory functions.

“Please be informed that our resolutions are geared towards a quick fix to the current financial quagmire
occasioned by the absence of an Appropriatíon Law for Rivers State.

“We do not want Rivers State people to
suffer.

“We, therefore, urge you to act fast and do the needful in the best interest of the good people of Rivers
State.