The River State government has been advised to wake up to its sacred responsibility of protecting lives and properties in the state.
This was reiterated by the president of Ijaw National Congress Benjamin Okaba at a press briefing held in Yenagoa, where alleged attacks on some opposition political parties in the state were also condemned by the body.
Recent events unfolding during political campaigns in River State have raised concerns over electoral violence barely 20 days before Election Day.
Alleged attacks on some Governorship candidates including Senator Magnus Abe of the Social Democratic Party, Dumo Lulu-Briggs of the Accord Party, and Tonye Cole of the All Progressives Congress, have become a source of worry for some key players in the Niger Delta region.
During a press briefing at the Ijaw House in Yenagoa, The Ijaw National Congress lends its voice to condemn the disturbing events taking place in the state, especially in some key Ijaw communities.
The need for a state and federal government collaboration to ensure adequate security in River State was also highlighted at the event.
The INC also warns all sons and daughters of Ijaw descent to desist from being used as agents of electoral violence or face tribal curses and the full weight of the law.
APC URGES VOTERS TO DELIVER 17 MILLION VOTES FOR TINUBU IN SOUTHWEST
Just one month to the Feb 25th Presidential election, the Chairman of APC in Lagos state, Hon Cornelius Ojelabi has urged the people of the South West to deliver the 17m votes to the party’s Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.
He also said that Lagos must not be found wanting in delivering 7.Im block votes to the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu in the coming Presidential Election and also return Babajide Sanwo’Olu as Governor of the state for the 2nd Term.
While speaking at the Strategic meeting of the APC Directorate of Religious Affairs with the Traditional Chiefs, Ojelabi assured them that their demands will receive adequate attention at the state and federal levels.
Also speaking, the Opeluwa of Ikate, Abdulahi Elegushi assured of full support for the election of Tinubu for what he did for them as Governor of the state.
He reminded the gathering of the need for Governor Sanwoolu to honour their request for August 20 as Public holiday for traditional rulers in Lagos.
On his part, the Head of the Directorate of Religious Affairs, Hon Oyinlomo Danmole explained that the forum was to actualize plans to ensure victory for Tinubu and other party’s candidates.
AGAIN, PRINCE OTU FLOORS SANDY ONOR, PDP AS APPEAL COURT THROWS OUT SUIT SEEKING DISQUALIFICATION OF APC GUBER TICKET.
A Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar has delivered a judgement in a matter brought before it by the People’s Democratic Party, PDP and her governorship candidate, Sen. Sandy Onor in favour of the All Progressives Congress, APC and her governorship candidate, Sen. Prince Bassey Otu.
The Appellant, PDP and Sandy Onor had appealed the judgement of the trial court last year and delivered by Justice Rosemary Oghoghorie in Calabar.
Counsel to the Appellant, First Baba Isa had argued that the APC deputy governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, being a 3rd defendant on the matter, apart from not being a member of the 1st defendant (APC) was also a British citizen. He had prayed the court to disqualify the APC governorship candidate, Sen. Bassey Otu being the 2nd defendant and the 3rd defendant, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, because their ticket was a joint one.
In an unanimous decision by the three justices, R.C Agbo, O.F Omoleye and B.B Aliyu, Justice O.F. Omoleye who delivered the judgement unbehalf of their Lordships submitted that on the issue of membership of a political party, the Appellant had no business in the activities of another political party. She upheld the judgement of the trial court, insisting that the issue of political party membership was not justiceable and therefore the court lacked the jurisdiction to determine it.
She maintained that as much as the constitution of Nigeria recognizes political party membership, the business of such political party remains an internal affair of the party.
Although she acknowledged the right of the Appellants to institute a pre-electoral matter, she insisted that the matter itself was not justiceable.
“The domestic affairs of a political party is an internal issue of that political party and the court will not dabble into the internal affairs of any political party” she said.
“The issue of leadership and membership of political partties is an internal affair of a political party and the court will not interfere in it. The court therefore, cannot be dragged into the internal issue of if the 3rd defendant is a member of the 1st defendant or not. This therefore means that the action of the Appeallants is not justiceable. This matter is therefore struck out for lacking in merit and a cost of N500,000 awarded against the Appeallants” she concluded.