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PDP says tribunal judgement declaring Lalong Senate seat winner “strange”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau has rejected the judgement of the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal that gave the Plateau South Senate seat to Mr Simon Lalong.
Its Chairman, Mr Chris Hassan, rejected the judgement while briefing newsmen on Tuesday in Jos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tribunal chairman, Justice M. B. Tukur, on Monday declared Lalong winner of the Feb. 25 national assembly polls.
It also nullified the election of Mr Peter Gyendeng of Riyom/Barkin Ladi Federal Constituency and declared Fom Dalyop of the Labour Party (LP), who came second, as the winner.
The duo had approached the tribunal to challenge the emergence of Napoleon Bali and Gyendeng, both of the PDP, as Senator and House of Representatives member respectively.
The tribunal, in knocking off the winners, relied on the petitioners’ claim that they were wrongly nominated as the PDP had no structure when they emerged as its candidates.
Hassan, while rejecting the judgement, insisted that justice was not served by the Judges’ opinions.
”The PDP watched with dismay and trepidation the nulification of the elections of our Senator representing Plateau South and House of Representatives Member representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency.
”We reject the outcome of the judgement in its entirety because justice was not served and it did not reflect the law and the interest of the majority of the people as freely expressed at the election.
”The judgement was an electoral robbery which is unacceptable to the people of Plateau because it is contrary to the will of the people of the constituencies which was freely expressed via the votes we got in the election,” he said.
Hassan maintained that the tribunal erred to have relied on the internal squabbles of the PDP to deliver its judgement in favour of the petitioners.
He explained that his party had since complied with the judgment of Justice S.P. Gang and conducted a fresh congress, insisting that the party currently has “a solid and valid structure”.
He added that the decision of the tribunal on the matter had utterly fallen short of expectation, saying that it was bereft of an iota of justice.
The chairman described the judgements as a diversion of the undiluted will and choices of the people in the light of the consolidated judgements recently delivered by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
”In this case, the PDP had since complied with the judgement of Justice S. P. Gang through a repeat congress in September 2021 which was dutifully monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as required by law.
”This same congress was affirmed by the Federal High Court sitting Jos in a judgement delivered by Justice D. V. Agishi in the case of Augustine Timkuk versus PDP validating the state executive of the Party as duly elected.
”This same judgment was also unanimously affirmed by the court of Appeal, Jos in favour of the PDP in a ruling by Justice T. Y. Hassan, Justice I. A. Andenyangtso and Justice O. O. Goodluck, delivered on 11 Feb., 2023.
”The fact remains that PDP has a valid and solid structure through which our mandate was given and we are optimistic that by the special grace of God, it will stand.
”This is because same position was affirmed by the seven judgments of panel two of the National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal which is a sister panel to this one,” he said.
Hassan, however, said that the party would explore legal means to retain its mandate, adding that the judgement would not destroy its confidence in the judiciary.
He called on the supporters of the party to be law abiding and support Bali and Gyendeng to succeed in office.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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