Politics

Oyo LP Governorship Candidate Congratulates Tinubu on Supreme Court Victory

By Web News 364

By Olawale Asake

Oyo State governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 General Elections, Mr Tawfik Akinwale has congratulated President Bola Tinubu on his victory at the Supreme Court, signalling the end of litigation.

In a statement, Mr Akinwale urged the appellants, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, to rally behind the president and support his administration with valuable suggestions on policies and ideas that could be crucial in the journey of making country thrive.

The former governorship candidate implored every Nigerian to unite in support of the government through prayers for the success of the administration and its dedicated team.

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Judiciary

INEC Mounts Defence at Presidential Poll Tribunal

By Web News 441

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has opened its defence of the February 25 presidential election before the Presidential Election Petition Court sitting in Abuja.

This is coming after the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the Labour Party, LP, and their presidential candidates had successfully closed their cases penultimate on the 23rd of last month, at the Court.

When the matter came up, INEC’s lead counsel and former President of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Mr Abubakar Mahmood informed the Court of his plan to call three witnesses to counter the allegations of the Labour Party and its Presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi.

Mr Mahmood argued that none of the witnesses was in court due to domestic reasons for him to open the defense and pleaded for an adjournment.

The lead counsel for the petitioner, Dr Livy Uzuoku expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the electoral body.

However, Chief Wole Olanipekun, who stood for President Bola Tinubu and Prince Lateef Fagbemi, who represented the All Progressives Congress APC did not object to the request for adjournment by INEC.

The Chairman of the Court, Justice Haruna Tsammani subsequently adjourned until tomorrow for the electoral body to commence its defence.

FRCN Abuja/Adetutu Adetule

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Politics

Obi didn’t call for boycott, postponement of Presidential Inauguration – LP

By Web News 430

The leadership of the Labour Party has distanced its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, from the allegation that he called for the postponement of the May 29 inauguration ceremony for the swearing-in of the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The rebuttal was issued in Abuja on Thursday by the party’s Acting National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh.

Recall that the Lamidi Apapa-led faction of LP has disclosed that his camp was not among the party members calling for a shift in Tinubu’s swearing-in, pending the determination of the petitions before the Presidential Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja.

According to him, he has always been of the opinion that the inauguration “may not have any impact on the ongoing legal tussle on the presidential election involving our party, APC and INEC.”

Lamidi, who spoke through the faction’s image maker, Abayomi Arabambi, posited that the Electoral Act and the Constitution of Nigeria did not give room for a vacuum.

He said, “What Peter Obi is crying for is not supported by the law. A refusal to swear in Tinubu as President on May 29, will create a vacuum in the system, saying the law does not allow this.

“Even Peter Obi once benefitted from the system of being sworn into office despite pending petitions filed against him before the tribunal by Andy Uba. The law has to be complied with, which is to swear in Tinubu as president, and if anybody wants to change the narrative, they will have to change the law.

“So whether the president-elect is sworn in or not, there is right to remove him legally if it is found out that he was not duly elected.”

Reacting to his claim in a statement titled “Apapa’s statement on ‘swearing in’ reflecting ‘Hand of Esau, Voice of Jacob’’, Ifoh denied that his principal ever raised such an issue whether in a private or public conversation.

While alluding that the real enemies of the party are beginning to unfold, the LP acting spokesman noted that no amount of hatchet can distract Obi from reclaiming his mandate.

He said, “In all Peter Obi’s public and private statements, he has never said or by implication, insinuated that May 29 should be shifted. He is a Democrat and he is one person that believes so much in the judiciary as the last arbiter, and that is why he has resorted to the court to seek justice.

“I had refused to join issues with the expelled former acting National Publicity Secretary of Labour Party, Abayomi Arabambi and the suspended Deputy National Chairman, Lamidi Apapa on their mischievous narratives of the ‘May 29 handover’ to INEC’s declared winner of the presidential election. The Labour Party actually does not want to comment on the matter which hearing has since commenced at the presidential appeal tribunal.

“However, the text of the statement which was read as a commercial on about three television stations in prime time hours suggests that the real sponsors of the crisis in the Labour Party would stop at nothing in ensuring that they sustain the imbroglio.

“A few weeks ago, you will recall how we alerted Nigerians to plots by this faction to withdraw the cases filed by some of our candidates in the tribunals, allegations they are yet to exonerate themselves. Part of their plots to scuttle the ongoing presidential tribunal as shamelessly boasted by Arabambi is to desecrate the sanctity of the tribunal venue on the next adjourned date with Lamidi Alaba forcing himself to appear as a representative of the Labour Party. Nigerians already know that you are sponsored to work against the presidential ambition of Peter Obi. No one is in doubt about Apapa camp’s altruistic ambition to remain a destructive agent in the Labour Party.”

Punch/Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

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Politics

Okada Rider Wins House of Reps Seat

By Web News 827

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced the Labour Party, LP, candidate, Donatus Mathew, winner of the Kaura Constituency, Kaduna in the Federal House of Representatives.

Matthew, who is an Okada rider is the first LP candidate to win a legislative seat in the 2023 Reps election.

The returning officer, Professor Elijah Ella said he polled a total of 10,508 to defeat the incumbent member and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, member, Hon. Gideon Lucas Gwani came second with 10,297 votes.

Professor Ella said the candidate of All Progressive Congress, APC, trailed with 9,919 votes, while that of the New Nigerian People’s Party, NNPP, secured 5,354 votes to come third and fourth respectively.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after declaring him the winner of the poll, the member-elect, Mathew, thanked the electorate for the confidence reposed in him to represent them at the Green Chamber.

Mathew however, solicited support and cooperation from the people, while pledging to carry everyone along to achieve the desired success.

It was gathered that he resorted to riding okada after things went awry for him following his time as a Councilor.

“Mathew didn’t do many campaigns, he has few posters and he was once a councillor during Makarfi era, but later things went bad for him. He picked up Okada business, today he’s going to the Federal House of Reps, this is what Labour Party represents. It’s a party for all, no preferential treatment.”

The incumbent legislator who is also the Minority Whip in the House of Representatives, Mr GideonGwani, congratulated the member-elect and wished him well.

Mr Gwani urged his supporters to remain calm and accept the will of the electorate, even as he noted that God gives and takes power to and from whomever he pleases at the appropriate time.

ngnews247/Adetutu Adetule

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Politics

Protests Stall SW Parley with Peter Obi

By Web News 583

By Dayo Adu

The pockets of protests rocking the Ibadan metropolis have stalled the southwest stakeholders parley with the labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi.

There had been palpable fear in Ibadan following Friday and Saturday’s morning protests by aggrieved youths in some parts of the metropolis over the non availability of the New Naira Notes and scarcity of fuel.

The presidential parley organised by the Southwest Development Stakeholders Forum was billed for Saturday to dialogue and critique the LP presidential flagbearer’s intended programmes as regards the southwest region but left participants in disappointment as the former Anambra state governor couldn’t feature due to security reasons.

Our correspondent reports that the LP presidential candidate’s aircraft landed at few minutes past one in the afternoon on the premises of the Liberty Stadium but was prevented by the Director General of Obi/Datti campaign council, Mr Akin Osuntokun from attending the much publicised event at the Jogor Centre.

Addressing the various groups who had anxiously seated in the hall as early as eight o’clock in the morning, Chairman of the forum and Publisher Alaroye weekly magazine, Mr. Alao Adedayo dispersed the audience and assured that the parley would be reconvened.

Mr. Alao Adedayo who lamented the hardship experience due to non availability of Naira notes and Scarcity of fuel noted that life of the Labour Party presidential candidate could be at risk due to possible hijack by unsuspecting elements.

He however urged authorities concerned to prevail on the situation and entrenched normalcy so that people can go about their lawful activities, in a peaceful environment.

Mr. Peter Obi’s Saturday’s attendance would have made it a total of six Presidential candidates who had featured on the presidential parley series since it commenced on the 17th of last month.

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Politics

Obi Promises Meaningful Life for Nigerians

By Web News 592

The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi has promised to provide adequate security of lives and property, unite Nigerians and create enabling environment devoid of ethnicity.

Mr Obi made the promise during his presidential campaign at Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan.

He also pledged to create jobs for Nigerian youths, make Nigeria a production country and ensure agriculture development for export.

Mr  Obi who had earlier paid homage to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Mahood Balogun and inaugurated Obi-Datti Campaign office at Oke-Ado, Ibadan said the glorious pacing setting status of the city would be restored and Lagos to become the financial hub of Africa if he is elected president come 2023.

 The National Chairman of, the Labour Party, Mr Julius Abure called on the people of South West, Nigeria to use their democratic power to change government wisely, stressing that his party has human beings at the centre of its welfare programmes.

Labour Party chairman of Oyo state, Mr Sadiq Atayese said the current Nigerian situation required a different thinking approach and urged Nigerians to desist from voting trading.

Labour Party gubernatorial candidate in Oyo state, Alhaji Tawfiq Akinwale urged Yoruba people to vote for Peter Obi for his detribalized nature.

A leader of the socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo explained that there was a need for voters to choose leaders based on competence and ability to ensure true federalism and not on ethnic sentiments.

The Spokesperson for Peter Obi presidential Campaign Council, PCC, Dr Yunusa Tanko explained that Mr  Obi and the Labour Party symbolized the hope and happiness Nigerians are yearning for.

Highlights of the campaign rally which had Labour Party supporters across the six Southwest states in attendance were the presentation of the party flag to the Oyo state governorship candidate of the party, Alhaji Tawfiq Akinwale for campaign coordination, goodwill messages from students and coalition groups.

Sherifdeen Nasirdeen

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