Politics

Bayelsa Governorship: Tribunal Reserves Judgment on Sylva, Diri

Published

7 months ago

April 23, 2024

The Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, on Monday, reserved its judgment in the petition filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timipre Sylvia, challenging the re-election of Douye Diri as Governor of Bayelsa State.

The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Adekunle Adeleye, made the announcement shortly after parties adopted and argued their written addresses in the suit.

He assured the parties that the panel’s verdict would be delivered within the 180 days statutorily allowed by law, adding that the judgment date would be communicated as soon as it is fixed.

At Monday’s proceedings, the petitioners prayed the tribunal to annul the declaration of Diri as the winner of the November 11, 2023 election.

Their lead counsel, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), told the tribunal that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) embarked on wrongful exclusion of results before arriving at the declaration of Diri as winner.

Ikpeazu further stated that the electoral body did not debunk the allegation of wrongful exclusion of results by not calling the state election result collation officer to testify.

He therefore urged the tribunal to objectively decide the petition on the strength of the evidence adduced by the petitioners especially because INEC did not call a single witness to challenge all the allegations.

However, Diri’s counsel, Chris Uche (SAN), informed the tribunal that the petition by Sylva died on arrival because it is grossly deficient in quantity and quality of evidence.

He said that the petition was baseless, frivolous and vexatious and grossly lacking in merit because the two petitioners did not discharge the burden placed on them by law.

Among others, Uche said that Sylva predicated his petition on alleged refusal of INEC to collate results in three local governments areas — Southern Ijaw, Nembe and Ogbia — but failed to call a single collation officer to back up its claim.

Besides, Uche said that Sylva did not tender the voter register, BVAS machines and form EC8A used for the purported election in the three local governments to establish his allegations.

The senior lawyer also said that the petitioner himself, despite having a witness statement on oath, refused to give evidence before the tribunal to substantiate his allegations.

Uche pleaded with the tribunal to discountenance the evidence of a former police commissioner in the state on the ground that the police officer admitted before the tribunal that he had issues with Diri when the Prado Jeep earlier given to him was withdrawn.

Uche also urged the tribunal not to invoke the spirit of the judgment that brought Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, into office, adding that INEC has established beyond doubt that election did not hold in the three local governments due to resistance by some hoodlums to the use of BVAS machines.

Similarly, INEC, represented by Charles Edosomwan (SAN), and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), represented by Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), canvassed for the dismissal of the petition on the ground that the petitioners failed and neglected to discharge the burden of establishing their allegations against the election beyond reasonable doubt as required by law.

INEC had declared Diri of the PDP winner of the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Bayelsa State, having won majority of the votes cast at the election.

According to the Returning Officer, Prof. Faruq Kuta, the PDP and Diri polled 175,196 votes to defeat his closest rival, Timipre Sylva of the APC, who scored 110,108 votes.

Dissatisfied, Sylva and APC had approached the tribunal to challenge the declaration of Diri as winner of the poll.

The petitioners are asking the tribunal to hold that contrary to the position of the electoral umpire, election held in some polling units and winners declared at the said units, adding that it was wrong of INEC to disregard the results at the ward and local government level.

It is their claim that if the said cancelled results were restored by the court, they would emerge winner of the November election.

But the respondents, especially INEC, which conducted the election, submitted that election in three local governments of Southern Ijaw, Ogbia and Nembe did not hold due to incidents of alleged diversions of materials and disruption of the electoral process over alleged bypass of the BVAS machine.

They had tendered the Form EC40G to confirm that there were no elections in the said polling units.

In addition, the respondents brought Certified True Copies (CTCs) of results from INEC to prove that the results brought before the court as evidence that election held at the polling units were forged by the petitioners.

Politics

PDP Govs Say Party Reviewing Ondo Poll, Fault Edo Election

Published

1 hour ago

November 24, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is reviewing the outcome of the Ondo governorship election.

This is according to the PDP Governors’ Forum which met in Jos, the Plateau State capital on Saturday.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had won the election by a landslide to earn a four-year ticket to the Government House in Alagbaka, Akure, Ondo State.

But governors of the PDP in a resolution reached after its meeting accused the APC of manipulation during the exercise which took place last weekend with the party taking a distant second.

“Meanwhile, we are still examining the documents on the Ondo elections where the APC manipulated results after openly buying votes,” Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state who is the chairman of the forum said.

“The forum calls on the judiciary to save Nigerian democracy and the National Assembly to look into our electoral laws to make it difficult for institutional sabotage of the will of the people.”

Last weekend’s poll in Ondo came about two months after the governorship election in neighbouring Edo State which the PDP governors described as a “rape of democracy”.

“The forum notes with concern the rape of democracy in the Edo governorship elections. It is clear to everyone with a conscience that INEC manipulated results in favour of the APC candidate, when in fact, the majority of the lawful votes were won by PDP candidate Asue Ighodalo,” he said.

The governors also advocated that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party should call for a NEC meeting by the first week of February 2025.

This, the PDP governors said, is to allow for more consultations with stakeholders of the party towards addressing the lingering leadership crisis in the main opposition ruling party.

Politics

Hardship: PDP Governors seek review of governance policies

Published

2 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, has sought a review of the economic policies of the Federal Government, to ameliorate the current economic hardship in the country.

This was part of its 8-point communique issued at the end of its deliberations during its forum, held on Saturday in Jos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau hosted the governors with party executives and other stakeholders in attendance.

Bala Mohammed, Chairman of the Forum and governor of Bauchi State, who read out the points, empathised with the masses over the current economic crunch.

Mr Mohammed called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, find ways of cushioning the effects of its policies or have a review.

“The forum expresses empathy for Nigerians suffering from economic difficulties and calls for a review of Federal Government’s policies to improve citizens’ welfare,” he said.

Similarly, the party addressed issues confronting its unity and called for more collaboration among members.

“The forum has emphasised the need for unity within the party, addressing concerns about divisions among its members.

“It expresses a commitment to maintaining the party as a trusted platform for democratic governance.

“The forum’s discussions reflect a strong commitment to party unity and addressing internal divisions while also focusing on the broader socio-economic challenges facing Nigerians.

“The forum aims to position the PDP as a proactive and responsive political entity in Nigeria’s democratic landscape.

“The party is also making a clear call for action regarding electoral integrity and governance, emphasising the need for reforms to ensure fair representation and accountability

“The party acknowledged recent tragedies such as the demise of the First Lady of Akwai-Ibom, and also expressed gratitude for local hospitality reinforcing the party’s connection to the electorate.

Politics

INEC Announces Date To Resume Nationwide Voter Registration

Published

2 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will commence nationwide continuous voter registration (CVR) in the first quarter of 2025.

The electoral body said the exercise will commence at the LGA level and later extend to registration areas.

In a memo dated November 20, 2024, sighted by TheCable, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, the commission’s secretary, asked resident electoral commissioners to make some arrangements for the exercise.

“Kindly provide the following information for adequate preparation for the exercise: Status of INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED) and accessories in the state,” the memo reads.

“Status of both coloured and black/white heavy-duty printers and availability of CVR Forms/materials.

“The commission is considering commencing the exercise at Local Government Area (LGA) level and later devolve to Registration Area (RA) level.

“The state offices are expected to identify and select staff that will work as voter registration officials.

“You are to please prepare the information of uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to facilitate the printing of the Register of uncollected PVCs for display during the exercise.”

In July 2022, the electoral body suspended the CVR exercise ahead of the 2023 general election.

However, INEC conducted voter registration exercises in states in which off-cycle elections took place.