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Why 4 Parties Filed Petitions Against My Re-election – Obaseki

Published

2 weeks ago

March 30, 2021

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Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State Tuesday said that petitions filed at the state election petition tribunal against his victory at the September 19 governorship election were motivated by greed, malice and a quest to undo a fair and just process, by deploying despicable means.

He stated this in reaction to the dismissal of the four petitions against his victory by the tribunal.

Recall that the tribunal on Monday dismissed a petition filed by the Action Democratic Party (ADP), against Obaseki.

The petitioners had contended the outcome of the election on the basis that Obaseki presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for the purpose of the election.

In a unanimous judgement read by Justice Suleiman Abubakar, the tribunal held that the 3rd Respondent (Godwin Obaseki), did not present either false or forged documents to the 1st Respondent (INEC).

It further held that the report presented by the Petitioners’ expert witness is not reliable, and that the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, has already resolved the issue and that the 3rd Respondent is not bound to attach his certificates to his INEC Forms 001 or EC 9.

The tribunal also held that the 3rd Respondent did not give any false information to aid his qualification in the light of the Affidavit of loss of documents dated 7 June 2016, attached to his INEC form 001 of 2016.

But, Obaseki in a video on his official Facebook page, described the judgement as another testament that the judiciary in Nigeria upholds fairness and justice.

“We are very happy with the verdicts of the Edo 2020 governorship election petition tribunal which dismissed all four petitions challenging our victory in the September 19, 2020 polls. This is yet another testament that the judiciary in Nigeria upholds fairness and justice.

“With the judgement at the tribunal today, we are once again reassured of the impartiality of the judiciary, as they continue to uphold the ethos of equity and rule of law.

“We cannot thank the judiciary enough for standing for the truth.

“The petitions against our victory at the election were clearly motivated by greed, malice and a quest to undo a fair and just process, by deploying despicable means aimed at thwarting the wish of Edo people.

“This victory is a victory for Edo people who have always believed in us. We want to thank them for believing in us,” he said.

The governor while appreciating his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, “for ensuring an impartial judiciary, which upholds the wishes of the people.”

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Okorocha Speaks On His EFCC Arrest

Published

7 mins ago

April 14, 2021

eghosa

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A former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has insisted he was merely invited and not arrested by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday.

EFCC Head of Media, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed Okorocha was picked up from his private office.

However, Okorocha in a statement signed by his spokesman, Sam Onwuemeodo, stated that the EFCC facility is not “a slaughterhouse” and was only investigating his activities while he was Governor, following several petitions written against him.

The statement read, “We have been inundated with calls by media houses and concerned Nigerians and beyond, trying to confirm the reported invitation of Senator Rochas Okorocha by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, later today, being April 13, 2021.

“The truth is that Okorocha left as the governor of Imo State on May 28, 2019. And shortly after his exit as governor, Imo State Government wrote petitions upon petitions against him.

“The EFCC investigated the petitions and has been in various courts of the land with Okorocha to that effect.

“And if the EFCC has decided to invite Okorocha for clarifications on the matters already in courts, especially with a new Chairman at the helm of affairs at the Commission, there is nothing wrong with that.

“The matters between EFCC and Okorocha over his governorship in Imo have been pendent in various courts of the land.

“At the end of the day, we would know whether the Commission will be withdrawing the cases in courts, or would continue with the cases already in courts.

“But to us, the Commission is doing its job and should be given the needed cooperation. And Okorocha being a law-abiding citizen, would always cooperate with the Commission over the matters in courts. EFCC is not a slaughterhouse, but a very responsible institution and should be seen as such.

“We have no reason to complain about the invitation of today, which Okorocha honoured as a patriotic and responsible Nigerian.

“As we stated earlier, the Commission didn’t invite Okorocha today, for the first time.”

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Court Reinstates Edo Commission Sacked By Oshiomhole 13 Years Ago

Published

1 hour ago

April 14, 2021

Ireporteronline

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The Court of Appeal, Benin Division, on Tuesday, set aside the dissolution of the Edo State Law Review Commission for the past 13 years over failure to follow due process.

The commission was dissolved in 2008 by the administration of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

In a unanimous‎ judgment, the court ordered that the commission’s members be reinstated and be allowed to complete their tenure, which should now run from March 25, 2021, to August 25, 2025.

In the judgment delivered by a three-person panel and read by Justice Biobele Abraham Georgewill, with justices Oyebisi Omoleye and Fredrick Oho as members, the appellate court held that Mr Oshiomhole’s government did not follow the laid-down procedure in dissolving the commission.

In the suit (No B/375/OS/2009), the appellants were Jonathan Aghimien (SAN), T. E. Ogbeide-Ihama, and Edward Aigbanbe, while the Edo governor, the attorney general, and the House of Assembly were the respondents.

The appellants challenged the ruling of Justice Nogi Aifuwa Imoukhuede of the state’s high court, which dismissed the appellants’ claims for being statute-barred.

In his ruling, Mr Georgewill declared that “the dissolution of the Edo State Law Review Commission and consequent termination of the appointments of the Appellants on 24/11/2008, without due compliance with the provisions of the Revised Edition Law of Edo state 2001, by the 1st Respondent, the then Executive Governor of Edo state is null, void and of no effect whatsoever.”

The court set aside the letter issued by the then-Secretary to State Government on behalf of the governor, saying it was issued without compliance with the Revised Edition Law of Edo State 2001.

He said, “An order is hereby given reinstating the appellants to their aforesaid position as Chairman and members of the Edo State Law Review Commission to serve out the remainder of their five-year tenure.”

He added, “Thereafter from the date of this judgment being 25/3/2021 to 25/8/2025 totalling five years in line with Section 7 (1) of the Revised Edition Law 2001 of Edo state, excluding the period from 24/11/2008 to 25/3/2021, unless the appellants are removed in line with the provision of the Revised Edition law of Edo State of Nigeria 2001.”

(NAN)

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Some Of IPOB’s Grievances Are Valid. They Should Be Addressed Squarely – Gov Ikpeazu

Published

2 hours ago

April 14, 2021

Ireporteronline

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The governor of Abia state, Okezie Ikpeazu, says some of the grievances of the proscribed Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) are valid and need to be addressed squarely.

Some of IPOB?s grievances are valid. They should be addressed squarely - Gov Ikpeazu

The group has over the years accused successive Nigerian governments of marginalizing the South East region and have called for the creation of the Biafran nation.

Speaking on Arise TV on Tuesday, April 12, Ikpeazu said some of the “issues raised” by IPOB should be addressed as they are valid.

In his words

“I have taken my time to listen to some of these issues raised by IPOB: issues about injustice, issues of marginalisation, issues of trust deficits within the polity called Nigeria as it concerns people from south-eastern Nigeria. And I think some of those are valid issues and they should be addressed and spoken to. They should be addressed squarely. So that everybody and those of us that are in government today can have a foothold within the southeast region to continue to promote the unity of Nigeria.

I do not subscribe to the strategy of IPOB in pursuing their goals. And the reason is because I’m yet to see the end of the tunnel from where I’m standing and I do not like to take a plunge in the dark. We must engage and discuss the issue which is bothering them and everybody and we can’t continue to pretend as if these issues are not valid.

Equal rights and justice is an indelible right of all citizens and if through impunity and carelessness we allow a group of people to begin to feel like they’re not rightly represented within the polity, it creates a lacuna where people are no longer confident in the government to protect them and take care of their interest within the polity. There’s bound to be agitation one way or another. Some of these reactions may extrapolate to levels that may undermine national convention and unity.”

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