Cracks in Oyo Students’ Union over Guber Choice Ademola Babalola in Ibadan

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Read Time:1 Minute, 30 Second

There is serious cracks in the National Council of the Federation of Oyo State Students Union (FOSSU), following discordant tunes being sung by the leaders of the union.

The union president, Olalere Damola, had recently flayed Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s educational policies, and therefore threw the weight of the students behind the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Teslim Folarin ahead April 11 election.

But on Monday, the twelve other executive members in the union from the Vice-President down to other officers disowned their President and instead aligned themselves with Ajimobi’s ‘giant strides’ in the same sector.

The Vice-President, Yusuf Imran, at a press conference held at the state council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Iyaganku, Ibadan, pointedly declared that Olalere Damola’s statement ‘did not represent the decision and stance of the other twelve (12) executives and our association at large.’

To this end, Imran urged politicians in the state to base their campaigns on issues aimed at developing the state, just as he appealed to politicians to refrain from the distortion of issues for political gains.

The association lauded Ajimobi for the reduction of tuition fees in the state owned tertiary institutions by 50 per cent, resolving the lingering crisis at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), disbursement of bursary award to undergraduates and post-graduate students in the state, distribution of buses to 12 tertiary institutions in the state including FOSSU, granting autonomy to Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun Polytechnics, construction of new National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camp, as well as construction of six model schools in the state.

The association also used the medium to inform their colleagues that the state government has concluded plans to pay bursary to deserving students.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Former Anambra Governor Mbadinuju Defects to APC

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Read Time:2 Minute, 20 Second

 A former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju, has quit the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mbadinuju  who addressed Journalists in Abuja yesterday accused his former party of treating him unfairly by not only denying him the opportunity to run for a second term as governor but neglecting and dumping him afterwards.

He  said everything good about the PDP had vanished, adding that the recent dramatic exit of former President Olusegun Obasanjo is a symbolic attestation to the fact that the party is sick.

According to the former governor, he was the only serving governor that the PDP unjustly denied its ticket for a second term.

He also said he laboured to assist President Jonathan win the 2011 election, but that neither the president nor the PDP looked his way after the electoral victory.

“Having been forced by injustice to leave the PDP, I thought the best place to be is where General Muhammadu Buhari is. So, before I took this present step, I had the privilege of meeting and inform him. I had a short but in-depth discussion with him one-on-one, and I can confidently say that Buhari is a great man. The things going for  Buhari are his humility and accessibility to people, punctuality and responsiveness to issues,” he said.

Giving further reasons why he joined the APC, the ex-governor said, “ It is necessary to join the APC now because  the party has proven itself as a promising party of the present and the future.”

“We can all see glaringly that everything good about the PDP has since vanished. The tearing of the PDP membership card last week by no less a person than former President Obasanjo is a symbolic attestation to this truth.”

Mbadinuju  said he will be giving his unflinching support to the candidacy of  Buhari for the office of President of Nigeria and to all APC candidates in Anambra State and across the entire country.

With these qualities that Buhari possesses, at least I am confident that I would no longer send about 10 memos to the presidency and still fail to get even one response. Buhari is the kind of leader Nigeria needs today.

On hand to welcome the defecting ex-governor was the two former national chairmen of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Prince Tony Momoh.

Speaking on  Mbadinuju’s defection, Onu said the ex-PDP governor will no doubt add value to the electoral fortunes of the party, adding that the APC is expecting many more people from Anambra State to join its fold in the very near future.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Stop Taking Advantage of Children of the Poor to Unleash Attack on Opponents, Bello Advises Politicians

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Read Time:2 Minute, 14 Second

 A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sokoto State, Alhaji Muhammad Tahir Bello, on Monday urged politicians in the country to stop using children of the poor to perpetrate violence in order to achieve their selfish interest ahead of the general  election in the country.

He also said arrangements had been concluded by Mohtabe Holdings to organise a three-day public lecture between February 26 and 28, to sensitise the people of the state on the negative consequences of political violence in the polity.

Speaking in a chat with THISDAY in Sokoto yesterday, Bello described as worrisome and disheartening the way and manner youths were being used by selfish politicians especially in the North, to unleash mayhem on political opponents.

He noted that such politicians had enrolled their children  in reputable universities in Europe and the United States of America but take advantage of the children of the poor to perpetrate violence against perceived political opponents.

Bello however, attributed the high incidence of political thuggery and violence in the region to poverty.

According to him, such politicians take advantage of idle youths and the poverty situation in the North by providing the youth with a token and weapons to unleash violence on opponents.

“The truth of the matter is that the poverty situation in the North has made it easy for unscrupulous politicians to make use of idle youths for their selfish interest.

“In fact, these politicians provide these youths with drugs, weapons and some money to attack political opponents while their children are studying overseas,” he lamented.

He said Mohtabe Holdings decided to organise a three-day public lecture in commemoration of the doctorate degree in Transport Management awarded to its Managing Director, Mohammed Tahir Bello by the Ogun State University.
He stated that the theme of the public lecture which is “Youth should say Yes to Education and no to Political Violence” was aimed at sensitising youth in the state on the need to shun political violence and embrace education.

“The essence of this public lecture is to enlighten our youths on the need to avoid being used by politicians to unleash mayhem on opponents while their children are studying overseas.

“So, we have invited Islamic clerics and professors from University of Portharcourt, Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto and other institutions across the country,to sensitise our youth and parents on the importance of education and the negative consequences of political violence,” he added.

Bello to this end, called on religious and traditional leaders in the North, to sensitise their subjects on the negative effects of political thuggery in the society.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Buhari lacks integrity to fight graft —Group

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Read Time:52 Second

ABEOKUTA—A pro-Jonathan group, Goodluck and Gboyega Youth Movement in Ogun State, yesterday, said the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Gen. Muhammad Buhari lacks the integrity to fight corruption.

The group which serves as the promoter of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid and the emergence of the People’s Democratic Party governorship candidate in the state, Prince Gboyega Isiaka, said Buhari was too weak to fight corruption in the country.

The state coordinator of the group, Fatai Adesegun in his statement accused the APC of promoting gerontocracy which he said would make the youths to be in perpetual servitude.

“At 39, Buhari was Head of State and 39 years after, he wants to return to the same position. Does it mean there are no younger people to pilot the affairs of the country? Must we go back in time when other nations are moving forward?

“We shall resist the attempt to institutionalize gerontocracy as being promoted by the APC,“ Adesegun said.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Police re-arrest 110 escapee prisoners, 30 others in Ekiti

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Read Time:1 Minute, 10 Second

Ado-Ekiti—No fewer than 110 escapees from Ekiti State Prison have been arrested by the state police command.

The command has also arrested over 30 suspected armed robbers in the last few weeks.

A statement in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, by the Police Commissioner, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, revealed some of the measures put in place by the police, including rapid response squad, constant patrol and clamp down on criminal hideouts.

Lakanu said these measures had given rise to the high level of arrest of suspected criminals and escapee inmates.

The police boss, however, lauded the state government and the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, for his assistance through donation of patrol vans to the command.

According to him, this had helped in stemming the tides of robbery and other associated crimes in the state.

To ensure the safety of all residents, Lakanu said, the command would make all the hotlines that could be called during distress, available to the people.

He said: “We are determined to tackle crime and criminality headlong in the state.

“We have put in place many strategies, which include ensuring that the residents armed themselves with the numbers of the CP and other personnel.

“All these techniques have resulted in various arrests of armed robbers, burglars and other miscreants. The police cells are brimming with suspects due to the arrests so far made.”

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Customs officer’, four others arrested in Lagos

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Read Time:1 Minute, 30 Second

Awka—The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, yesterday, arraigned a Chinese national, Mr. Lu Pengqing, at the Federal High Court, Awka, on a five-count charge of alleged importation and distribution of unregistered and counterfeit diapers into the country.

The arrested suspects.

The charges included sale of counterfeit products, possession of counterfeit products, importation of counterfeit products, importation of products without registration and distribution of product without registration.

Pengqing, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr. Umar Shamaki, told the court presided over by Justice Gafa’i Bature that Pengqing was arrested with the unregistered and counterfeit diapers at 9, Awka Road, Onitsha, Anambra State, on February 10, as he was busy distributing the counterfeit and unregistered diapers products to unsuspecting members of the public.

He prayed the court to remand the accused person in prison custody and his international passport confiscated as he faced trial, in view of the gravity of the offence.

Counsel to the accused, Mr. Emeka Nathaniel, while arguing for the bail of the accused, claimed that his client was neither importing nor selling counterfeit and unregistered products as alleged.

In an 11-page affidavit, Emeka pleaded for an order of the court to grant the accused lenient and favourable bail condition.

In his ruling, Justice Bature granted the accused bail on three conditions, namely that he must produce two sureties, who must be senior civil servants working in Anambra State and who must be staff of the Federal Government or Anambra State.

He also said the court would verify the residence of the accused in Onitsha and directed that the accused shall deposit his international passport and other travel documents with the court.

The case was adjourned to May 6 for further hearing.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Lagos-Badagry expressway: Lagos shifts completion date

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Read Time:2 Minute, 48 Second

Despite the delay in completing the second phase of the ongoing N220 billion Lagos-Badagry expressway expansion, the Lagos State government last week, reaffirmed its resolve to complete the massive project.

Lagos -Badagry expansion… Government shifts completion date till..

But there are indications that the project would not be delivered by the Babatunde Fashola administration which fixed last month for the completion of the second phase of the ambitious scheme.

When the contract was awarded in January 2012 to Messrs China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, CCECC, the Lagos State government fixed January 2015, a 36-month time lag for its completion.

An up to date report however shows that the project is very far from being completed. The Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Kadri Hamzat an engineer, while assuring that the project would be completed and delivered after the expiration of the life of the Fashola administration, disclosed that the first phase or Lot 1 beginning from Babs Animashaun in Suru-Lere to Mile Two has been fully completed.

Similarly, Phase 2A which is between Mazamaza and Agboju has reached 90 per cent completion while Phases 2B and 2C have attained 45 per cent and 10 per cent completion levels respectively.

Hamzat made this disclosure while reacting to the comment of the Minister of State for Works who posited that without Federal roads, Lagos State is non-existent.

According to Hamzat, “The Phase 1 is practically completed while Phase 2A from Mazamaza to Agboju has recorded 80 per cent completion. Phases 2B and 2C of the project have reached 45 per cent and 10 per cent respectively”.

Admitting that the project cannot be completed under Fashola’s administration, Hamzat noted that government is a continuum, hence the incoming administration is expected to continue with it.

The Commissioner attributed the slow pace of work by the contractors to factors such as challenge of relocation of PHCN pylons and NNPC pipelines as well as the request for an expanded Right of Way (RoW).

Reacting to the Minister’s comment, Hamzat debunked the claim that only Federal roads in the state are functional. He described as ridiculous, the claim that only 11 per cent of 5500kms of road in the state are in good condition and those are Federal roads.

Stating that a number of federal roads have been ceded to the state government, Hamzat noted that the neglect of the roads by the federal government was the real reason the state had to intervene in the interest of the people. He said there are over 9,000 roads in Lagos state and managing this number of roads in a place like Lagos is not easy.

The Commissioner listed Federal roads taken over by the state government to include the Lagos-Badagry Expressway; Eko Bridge (34 expansion joints) and Mile 12 -Ikorodu Road.

“No state has done the number of roads Lagos state has done. One can dispute various things but cannot deny the obvious. Road development is everywhere in Lagos state,” he boasted.

Hamzat said Apapa Bridge is currently being evaluated for rehabilitation. According to him, the delay to commence work on the bridge is to allow the completion of Eko Bridge rehabilitation in order not to shut down the state if work has to go on simultaneously at the two bridges.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Delta North: My work plan for Jonathan, Okowa and myself — Ochei

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Read Time:5 Minute, 33 Second

The Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, Speaker Emeritus of the Delta State House of Assembly served as the presiding officer of the House from 2011 to 2014 having been elected three times as member of the House representing Aniocha North State Constituency. The bid by Ochei for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP derailed in the midst of political intrigues that preceded his resignation as speaker and his subsequent designation as speaker emeritus by his colleagues.

Ochei who first came to the House on the platform of the unfamiliar United Nigerian Peoples Party, UNPP, is now seeking to re-enact his defeat of the official candidate of the PDP in the ensuring Senate contest for the Delta North Senatorial district. A chemical engineer turned businessman and politician, Ochei who would be 46 tomorrow, in this interview speaks on the inspiration behind his bid, explains why he is campaigning for President Jonathan and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa for governorship and details his prospects among other issues. Excerpts:

What motivated you into this contest?

The inspiration to represent Delta North comes from the fact that I have represented my local government in the State House of Assembly and risen from there to become the speaker of the house.

In the course of this representation, I have been able to influence a lot of things both infrastructural and otherwise towards my local government, and then when I was speaker, I had the opportunity of doing it across the state.

I believe going out to represent Delta North will add a lot of value to our people of Delta North. Indeed, we have seen how Senator Ifeanyi Okowa who is now leaving there to go and occupy the seat of the governor, has done creditably well in the red chamber. Even though he is a first timer but he has shown his mettle and carried himself well and Delta North had the effect of good representation like we never had before.

So, we cannot afford to go back to play our second eleven this time, we must continue to play our first eleven, with him (Okowa) being the governor of the state we should also have someone who has legislative experience and understands the intrigues in the legislative house as senator.

I believe it will complement what he is doing at the state level while we can also synergize to work things out at the national level.

So, why did you choose the platform of Accord?

I went to Accord which is more like a child of the PDP because the party is a friendly platform that has been used severally in the state, particularly in Delta North where it has been used over four times to deliver candidates of our choice.

Some would criticise you as being desperate for office in this bid given that you lost out in the governorship contest. How do you respond to that?

Victor Ochei

Everybody will naturally criticise you for what they believe is their opinion. That does not change the fact that my intention remains to serve but you can only have one governor at a time. So, if you already have one governor and you cannot be governor, does that take away the fact that you can serve in some other capacity?

It doesn’t take away that fact, and if you know that you can better represent your people or better serve them in that capacity, what will stop you? So, it is not about what people say, it is about what you want to do for your people and I think that should be our guiding principle.

The (Accord) has officially adopted President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate and of course we are also working in Delta to do the same thing for Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.

One of your rivals, Chief Nwaoboshi has accused you of working against the governorship aspiration of Senator Okowa. Is it true and why?

That is laughable, the fact speaks for itself. I have supported Delta North much more than himself. I campaign for Dr. Okowa much more than him. He hides under Dr. Okowa, I campaign openly; vote Goodluck Jonathan, vote Sen. Okowa from the PDP, then vote me as Senator under Accord Party.

Getting desperate

I have no acrimonies towards Okowa, I am very happy for him and I know he is going to do a good job. So Peter Nwaoboshi is just on a mandate that I do not know where it is coming from. Maybe he is getting desperate.

It is my decision not to run for governor, I could have run for governor under the Accord Party, but I did not. I could have contested under any other party and opposed Okowa, but I did not do that.

I went to another party and took up the ticket for a senatorial candidacy. Does that in any way suggest working or not working with him? Even Senator Okowa asserted that all aspirants, including those who had left the party to contest for other positions were working with him.

What are your plans for the people of Delta North if elected senator?

Like I said, going to the Senate is the bigger picture. Now, the people of Delta North have several needs that plague them, just like other Nigerians.

But in particular, we want employment for our teeming youth population that are coming out of school and don’t have jobs. Even the ones that did not go through formal education, we have to create a platform to enable them start up things on their own.

My being in the Senate should be able to influence programmes for our people to avail themselves and the state will benefit a lot. We also have a lot of issues, we have ecological issues, we have environmental issues and so on. These are issues that we should talk about; they are bigger than the state government. We need someone who can echo these things to the federal government.

This is what I want to go and do in the Senate. We have children that want their health system to be better. Dr. Okowa started with the Health Insurance Scheme and we have to make sure it does not remain just an act but that implementation happens so we can begin to partake of it.

What are your prospects in the contest?

My prospects are very bright. Power belongs to God and I believe in the people. It is a personality election. It is no longer between parties, it is about individuals. Delta North will decide and I strongly believe that they will choose me.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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APC afraid of been exposed alleges plot by FG to create fake Shekau

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Read Time:2 Minute, 31 Second

The APC Presidential Campaign Organization, APCPCO, has alleged that the Presidency is planning to present before Nigerians a fake Boko Haram leader in its effort to show Nigerians they are winning the war against terrorism.

The party also alleged that credible sources have alerted APC that the fake Shekau might become a tool to blackmail members of the opposition by coaching the phantom terror Boko Haram leader to say he is working for General Muhammadu Buhari (retd). 

In a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity of APCPCO, Mallam Garba Shehu, he wondered where the ‘new Shekau’ will come from after government at several times in the past announced that they had killed the insurgents’ leader. 

In this screen grab image taken on February 9, 2015 from a video made available by Islamist group Boko Haram, leader Abubakar Shekau (C) makes a statement at an undisclosed location. Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau vowed in a new video released on January 9, 2015 that the group would defeat a regional force fighting the militants in Nigeria’s far northeast, Niger and Cameroon.”AFP PHOTO / BOKO HARAM” –

He said: “The charge to the military that they should catch Shekau alive by the President in the last 24 hours lends credence to the report that indeed a fake Shekau is about being created and we want to assert that the profile of the leader of the insurgents presupposes that the man is not likely to allow himself to be caught alive.

“APCPCO recalled that the attack on General Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna was seen and believed by most Nigerians that it was perpetrated by the Boko Haram and the police that is constitutionally empowered to investigate such incidents has not contradicted the widespread belief that this was a Boko Haram attack. 

“The view of APC is that it does not make sense for Buhari to be in league with or be associated in any way with people who have set out to kill him.

“Unfounded allegations linking the opposition to insurgency amounts to leaving the issues to pursue personal attacks as warned against barely 24 hours ago by leaders of the Catholic community in the country through Arch. Bishop John Onaiyekan.”

Quoting President Jonathan’s recent confession that he under-estimated Boko Haram, the APC presidential campaign said the admission was a direct evidence that President Jonathan had nothing to offer and must bow to the wind of change.

He said: “President Jonathan is out of touch with the realities of the lethal challenges posed by global terrorism including Boko Haram, which is affiliated to Al-Qaeda global terror network.
“For any President to under-estimate terrorism, it means that he does not take any national challenges seriously, including health, poverty, unemployment, power, education, infrastructure.” 

The APC presidential campaign organization said President Jonathan had passed a vote of no confidence on himself and his government.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Polls: Court joins Buhari, APC, PDP as defendants in anti-PVC suit

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Read Time:3 Minute, 3 Second

ABUJA—The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), yesterday, persuaded the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to join him as a defendant in the suit seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to make use of both the permanent and temporary voter cards for the forthcoming general elections.

Equally joined as co-defendants in the suit which was filed by a civil society group under the aegis of Society for Advancement and Protection of Public Rights, SAPPR , yesterday, were the APC, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the Incorporated Trustees of Fiscal & Civil Right Enlightenment Foundation.

Though it was only Buhari and the APC that initially applied to be joined in the suit, at the resumed sitting yesterday, the PDP through its lawyer Mr. I. A. Adeoke, SAN, urged the court to allow it to enter into the matter as a party.

Even though counsel to the plaintiff, Mr. Osita Nnadi, SAN, told the court that Buhari did not serve him with a copy of his own joinder- application , however, he said he would not oppose any of the applications.

*Court

Meantime, Buhari who was represented yesterday by six Senior Advocates of Nigeria and 42 other lawyers led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, agreed to serve the plaintiff with his application right inside the court room.

Delivering a short ruling on the applications, Justice Abdul Kafarati granted all the applications and joined Buhari, APC, PDP and the Incorporated Trustees of Fiscal & Civil Right Enlightenment Foundation, as the 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants, even as he adjourned the matter till March 18 for mention.

Besides, Justice Kafarati ordered the plaintiff to amend its processes to reflect the names of the new defendants.

It will be recalled that the plaintiff had originally cited the INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, as 1st and 2nd defendants in the matter.

Specifically, the plaintiff is seeking a declaration that by virtue of sections 77(2) and 117(2) of the Constitution, INEC, has no power to deprive any Nigerian who is eligible to vote at the election, the chance to vote on the ground of non possession of the PVC.

It is urging the court to order INEC to allow the use of the temporary voter cards issued legally to Nigerians in 2011 along with the permanent voter cards in order not to disenfranchise over 20 millions electorates yet to access their permanent cards.

It maintained that the use of both cards would enable all eligible Nigerians to vote in the election and thus make the process more free, fair and credible.

The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/06/15 is also seeking for an order of court to compel INEC to allow anyone with a voters’ card, either temporary or permanent, to vote, as long as it was duly issued by the electoral body.

To do otherwise, the group said would amount to dis-enfranchising millions of Nigerians, saying there was no law that empowered INEC to insist on PVC as the only acceptable card for voting.

On the contrary, the group argued that by refusing to allow people with temporary voter cards to vote, INEC is violating sections 77(2) and 117(2) of the Constitution.

It therefore prayed the court to declare that any provision of the Electoral Act 2010 or the Electoral Guidelines issued by INEC which prescribe the use of a card reader machine for screening of voters card or which has the effect of preventing a registered voter to vote, is beyond the powers of the electoral body and therefore unconstitutional.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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