Politics

Group faults Masari’s exclusion in Tinubu’s govt

Published

1 month ago

August 29, 2023

The 4th Tribe Global Movement, has frowned at the exclusion of immediate past Katsina state Governor, Aminu Masari in President Bola Tinubu’s government.

The South-West based political group alleged that cabal in the Tinubu-led government, schemed out Masari in spite of his unflinching loyalty, investment and contribution to the emergence of the administration in the last elections.

In a statement signed by Mr Abayomi Mighty, the Convener and leader of the group, he contended that Masari was one of the Northern governors who spearheaded rotational presidency, power shift to the South and the choice of Tinubu as presidential candidate.

The statement was made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

‘It is on record that Masari was one of the few governors in the North who initiated and supported the rotation of the presidency to the South and the emergence of Tinubu in particular.

“He also led the way by talking to his northern colleagues to support Tinubu’s candidacy. He effectively weakened the opposition in Katsina state by his good governance,” he said.

Mighty described Masari as an “unrepentant supporter of Tinubu” who used his political acumen and influence in turning Katsina into stronghold for the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Former governor of Katsina state Alhaji Aminu Masari’s.

He noted that Katsina state’s contribution to the Tinubu presidency cannot be overemphasised.

According to him, in spite the security challenges and the naira scarcity that created apathy during the voting exercise, the APC in Katsina State came out for the 2023 elections with an impressive performance with only a marginal loss.

“In the presidential results, data made available by INEC showed that the APC scored 482,283 votes as against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with 489,045 votes.

“APC lost Katsina state in the presidential race due to anti-party activities, but Masari was not deterred as he led the party to an impressive victory in the National Assembly elections winning three senatorial seats and nine out of 15 House of Representatives seats for APC.

“As a grassroots politician, he used his influence and relevance to mobilise massive support to win the gubernatorial election for the current sitting governor of Katsina state,” he said.

Mighty said that with Masari’s contributions to the victory of Tinubu in the elections, he deserved the offer of first refusal in the ongoing horse-trading for political appointments.

He, however, alleged that some detractors used a purported Masari’s less presence at the national campaigns across the country to advance their nefarious course during the ministerial nominations.

According to him, the detractors drummed the beats of calumny and went further by ensuring that out of the two ministers from Katsina state, none came from Masari.

Mighty who described Tinubu as “a successful democrat who truly rewards loyalty and recognises capacity”, alleged that some of the decisions made so far were by the cabals without the President’s final approval.

He said that ,apart from Masari, other loyalists of the president were already distraught by some actions of the cabals negating the well thought-out plans that will deliver the renewed hope agenda for Nigerians.

“The Tinubu administration should be meticulous in identifying and rewarding stakeholders from Katsina state and other parts of the North-West states on the basis of contributions and political values.

“If by any reason, Masari is completely schemed out by the cabals, then a lot of compatriots and party faithful that are already surprised at the way he’s being treated will see this as a betrayal which president Tinubu is not known for.

“Every variable should be put on the table to share rewards based on deliverables,” he said.

Mighty, on behalf of the group urged president Tinubu to tread the path of meritocracy, equity and fairness on matters concerning the North and Katsina state, in particular .

Headline

Tribunal upholds Gov. Alia’s election

Published

7 days ago

September 23, 2023

Alero Danjuma

The Benue State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Makurdi on Saturday upheld the victory of Gov. Hyacinth Alia of the APC in the March 18 Governorship Election.

Delivering the judgment, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Ibrahim Karaye, held that the tribunal lacked jurisdiction to entertain pre election issues raised by the petitioners, Titus Uba and PDP.

Karaye, who read the unanimous judgment, stated that only the Federal High Court had the exclusive jurisdiction to entertain issues bordering on pre-election matters.

He further said the petitioners’ case was also an abuse of court processes because the same case was filed by the petitioners before the Federal High Court Abuja Division and its judgment was not challenged by the petitioners.

He said the petitioners lacked locus standi to challenge the nomination of the 2nd and 3rd respondents by the 4th respondent since they were not members of the 4th respondent.

Justice Karaye further said that the petitioners failed to prove their allegations of forgery against the 3rd respondent before the tribunal.

He said the 2nd and 3rd respondents were qualified to contest the March 18 Governorship Election and therefore, dismissed the case.

The petitioners, Titus Uba and the PDP, had dragged the respondents, INEC, Hyacinth Alia, Dr Sam Ode, and the APC before the tribunal, challenging their declaration by the INEC.

The petitioners argued that the 2nd and 3rd respondents, Gov Alia and Dr Ode, were at the time of contesting the election, not qualified to contest the March 18 Governorship Election.

They averred that the 4th respondent – the APC – did not follow the provisions of the law in the nomination of the governorship and deputy governorship candidates.

They also alleged that the 3rd respondent had presented a forged certificate to the 1st respondent, INEC, therefore, should be disqualified.

They, therefore, prayed among other things, for the nullification of their election and declare the petitioners as winners of the election, having scored second highest lawful votes.

The also contended that having not qualified to contest the election, their votes should be declared invalid and certificates earlier issued to them by INEC be withdrawn.

NAN reports that the petitioners in the suit did not challenge the result of the March 18 Benue Governorship Election but qualifications of the candidates.

However, the respondents in their counter arguments, urged the tribunal to dismiss the suit in its entirety as it was an abuse of court processes.

The respondents stated that the Federal High Court Abuja Division, had before the election, delivered judgment on the same matter which was filed by the petitioners but they did not appeal the judgment till date.

They also said that the issues raised were all pre election matter and only the Federal High Court had the exclusive jurisdiction to entertain same.

The 2nd and 3rd respondents clearly stated that since the prayers sought by the petitioners were all pre-election matters, the petitioners case was status bar and should be struck out.

They said the petitioners lacked locus standi to challenge the nomination of candidates of other political parties as they were mere meddlesome interlopers.

Headline

Court stops PDP from dissolving Rivers chapter EXCOS

Published

1 week ago

September 20, 2023

Olakunle Adeniyi

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, restrained the national body of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from dissolving the Rivers’ chapter of the State Executive Committee (SEC) over alleged anti-party activities.

Delivering judgment, Justice Inyang Ekwo, said he found that the case of the plaintiff, Mr Desmond Akawo, succeeded on merit.

Akawo, the Rivers’ PDP Chairman, had sued the party and Dr Iyorchia Ayu (the immediate-past National Chairman representing himself and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC)) as 1st and 2nd defendants.

The plaintiff also joined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 3rd defendant in the amended originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/112/2023 and filed on March 9 by his counsel, Dr Joshua Musa, SAN.

Akawo sought the court’s determination whether having regard to the provisions of Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 47(1) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended In 2017), they were not entitled to serve our their term.

He said he and other members of the SEC, the LGA executive committees and the ward executive committee were elected and sworn-in pursuant to the state’s congress held on March 21, 2020 and were entitled to complete their four-year term which expires on or about May 22, 2024.

Akawo, in the affidavit which he personally deposed to, averred that the PDP ans its national chairman on Jan. 4, prior to the general elections, threatened to unilaterally dissolve the Rivers’ chapter of SEC and replace the same with an Interim Caretaker Committee.

He, however, said that prior to the threat, neither any member of the state committee nor himself had ever been queried by them.

He, therefore, sought an order of injunction restraining the party and the national chairman from dissolving, suspending or truncating the tenure of the Rivers’ SEC, the LGA executive committees and the ward executive committees until May 22, 2024, when their four-year term would expire, among other reliefs.

Justice Ekwo held that the PDP and its national chairman did not deny Akawo’s averments.

“Essentially, the 1st and 2nd defendants have admitted the case of the plaintiff on this issue.

“The law is that facts admitted need no further proof;” he said.

The judge, who granted all Akawo’s reliefs, declared that the party and its national chairman cannot unilaterally and without reasonable cause, dissolve the state’s EXCOs who were democratically elected for a four-year period.

He also gave an order of injunction, restraining them from appointing any person or group of persons as interim caretaker committee in the state until May 22, 2024.

Justice Ekwo further gave an injunction order restraining INEC from according recognition or accepting any name as caretaker committee of the PDP in the state except those democratically elected and represented by Akawo in the suit.