By Francesca Hangeior

Senator Samuel Anyanwu has resumed office as National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He drove into the party’s National Secretariat at Wadata House through the service gate located behind the building without fanfare.

Anyanwu then exchanged pleasantries with the handful of secretariat staff available before proceeding into his office.

This is coming barely 48 hours after he petitioned security agencies to come to
his aid to stop what he described as an attempt by the party’s 12 governors to cause chaos with their decision to recognize Hon. Sunday Ude-Okoye, another claimant to the position.

The Governor Bala Mohammed-led 12-member PDP Governors Forum had in a communique issued after their monthly meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital on Friday, recognized Ude-Okoye as National Secretary basing their decision on an Appeal Court Judgement.

However, Anyanwu who said he was in possession of a valid stay of execution order insists on remaining in office until his pending appeal at the Supreme Court is dispensed with.

Meanwhile, normal activities are going on at the Secretariat. Regular policemen and women attached to the Secretariat complex can be seen at their duty posts.

By Francesca Hangeior

A businessman and philanthropist, Olanrewaju George, has described All Progressives Congress as the right platform to drive development for the people.

George stated this in a letter to the APC Chairman of Ward 4, Sagamu Local Government, Ogun state on Monday when he officially defected to APC from the Labour Party alongside his team and key supporters.

He expressed confidence in the party’s vision.

He pledged loyalty to the party and a commitment to its growth and unity.

The LP defector emphasised his readiness to collaborate with party leaders and participate actively in its activities to strengthen its structure and electoral prospects.

“This decision marks a new chapter in our political journey. We are dedicated to working with the APC to achieve success and good governance,” he stated.

George, who is the Aare Tayese of Ikenne, said youth inclusion, provision of basic infrastructures and quality representatives were reasons why he re-joined the APC.

He said, “When you look around, you see the hopelessness on the faces of our youths from years of neglect by their elected representatives. When you look around, you can see that our people lack the basic amenities to make their lives easier.

“Everywhere you look, you see the glaring need for quality representation and APC is bridging the gap in these areas.”

George contested the Remo Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives in 2023.

*** INEC to open defence on Wednesday

By Francesca Hangeior

Satisfied with the evidence of 19 witnesses they produced to testify before the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, on Monday, closed their case.

The petitioners are challenging the declaration of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as winner of the gubernatorial contest held in the state on September 21, 2024.

At the resumed proceeding in the matter before, lead counsel for the petitioners, Mr. Robert Emukpoeruo, SAN, informed the Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member panel tribunal that they have concluded their case.

The application came shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, produced five additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, machines that were used for the election.

The electronic devices, which were tendered by a Senior Technical Officer in the ICT Department of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mr. Anthony Itodo, were admitted in evidence, though all the Respondents in the matter objected, saying they would give their reasons in their final written addresses.

It will be recalled that the tribunal had earlier admitted in evidence a total of 148 BVAS that were used in 133 polling units where results of the election are being disputed by the PDP.

Meanwhile, the tribunal has fixed Wednesday for INEC to open its defence.

INEC had declared that Okpebholo of the APC secured a total of 291,667 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ighodalo of the PDP, who got a total of 247,655 votes.

Aggrieved by the outcome of the poll, the PDP and its candidate approached the tribunal, praying it to nullify INEC’s declaration of the APC and Okpebholo as winners of the contest.

The petitioners, among other things, contended that the governorship election was invalid by reason of alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.

They equally argued in the petition marked EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024 that Governor Okpebholo of the APC did not secure the highest number of lawful votes that were cast at the election