Court Orders INEC to recognise Udofia As Akwa Ibom APC Candidate

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the name and particulars of Obong Akan Udofia as the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) for the March 18th Governorship election in Akwa Ibom State.

The order was given following an application filed by Mr Udofia’s Counsel, Emeka Etiaba SAN seeking to compel INEC to publish Akan Udofia’s name as the candidate of the party.

The Supreme Court had on 7th March 2023 delivered a judgement dismissing the appeal of Ita Enang and upheld the January 19th, 2023 Judgement of the Court of Appeal which affirmed Obong Akan Udofia as the duly nominated Governorship Candidate of the APC in Akwa Ibom State.

In his ruling, Justice James Omotosho ruled that the application was justiciable and expeditiously granted the application.

He held that the case of the Applicant succeeds and he is entitled to have his name listed as Governorship Candidate of the APC in the upcoming Gubernatorial elections in Akwa Ibom State.

He therefore proceeded to grant an order of mandamus compelling the commission to list Akan Udofia’s name accordingly.

APC LEADER URGES VOTEUR TO COME OUT IN LARGER NUMBERS

An APC stalwart Senator Abu Ibrahim has urged the electorate to come out en masse to vote for Apc on the election day, and not discouraged by any circumstances.

The Senator was addressing the party supporters from his zone in a get together to thank God for the victory of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other law makers at the last election.

The Apc family in the Funtua senatorial zone gather together in re union after the presidential election to further review the last successful polls and ways to consolidate on the success during the further coming Governorship and state assembly elections.

They are brought together by a former lawmaker who is also presenting over 1000 bags of fertilizer and leises worth over 50milliom to appreciate the party official and supporters from the zone.

The Senator is not happy with the low turn out of voters in the last elections and pleads with the electorate to consider voting as a civic responsibility.

He also reassures the public that the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu blue print on security and agriculture will restore normalcy to troubled areas.

Abu Ibrahim is convinced that Nigeria will overcome all it’s challenges under the Tinubu Administration.

SUPREME COURT AFFIRMS RUFAI HANGA AS KANO CENTRAL GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE OF NNPP

The Supreme Court has affirmed Rufai Hanga as Senator Elect for Kano Central Senatorial District under the platform of the New Nigeria People’s Party.

The Apex Court removed former Governor of Kano State, Ibrahim shekarau as the candidate of the NNPP in the February 25 National Assembly Election.

Delivering Judgment In an appeal brought before it by the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Court upheld the Judgments of the Federal high court and the Court of Appeal which had earlier upheld the candidature of Rufai Hanga as the candidate of the party.

In the Judgment prepared by Justice Uwani Aba-Aji but delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the Supreme Court held that the INEC’s appeal lacked merit and substance and dismissed it.

The Federal high court and the court of appeal had in their previous judgment upheld Rufai Hanga as the Senatorial Candidate of the NNPP for Kano Central following the withdrawal of Ibrahim Shekarau as a member of the party and Senatorial Candidate due to irreconcilable differences he allegedly had with the party.

Rather than obeying the federal high court order, INEC appealed the judgment at the Appellate Court and lost.

Not satisfied with the Judgments of the Trial and Appellate Courts, the electoral body proceeded to the Supreme Court to challenge the judgements which upheld Rufai Hanga as the lawful candidate of the NNPP Kano central Senatorial District

Despite postponement of the Governorship and State Assembly Elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, five chieftains of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP from three senatorial districts of Ondo State have defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The State Chairman of APC, Ade Adetimehin, who received the defectors into the party, described their coming as a blessing.

The camp of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP has been hit by defection of some of its prominent members to the camp of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in Ondo State.

The postponement of the Governorship and State Assembly Elections did not stop these PDP chieftains from embarking on this voyage.

Among them are a former member of the House of Assembly in the state, Adeyinka Banso, former council chairman among others.

While receiving the defectors into APC, the state chairman of the party, Ade Adetimehin said their defection will add value to the party.

Adetimehin assured them of equal treatment in the APC, saying they were all entitled to benefits available in the party.

The defectors said they dumped the PDP because the leadership of the party has lost focus and vision.

The defection has boosted the chances of the ruling APC ahead of the elections, as more of such realignments are expected ahead of the elections.

COURT DECLARES OBOREVWORI’S ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS AUTHENTIC

the Federal High Court, sitting in Asaba has declared the suit against the PDP governorship candidate Sheriff Oborevwori and the Independent National Electoral Commission, as statute barred and an abuse of court process

The court also ruled that the suit obviously violated constitutional provisions which requires that action should be filed within 14 days from the date INEC published particulars of candidates.

The plaintiff, Ikie Aghwarianovwe had earlier approached the Court to stop PDP from fielding Sheriff Oborevwori, as her candidate on the grounds that there were alleged falsification in his date of birth and names variations on his WAEC certificate.

Reacting to the judgment, Spokesperson of Delta State PDP Campaign Council Fred Oghenesivbe, commended PDP and Oborevwori’s legal team for their individual iconic legal capacities and good knowledge of the Law.

EXTENSION OF RESUMPTION DATE FOR ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES IN LINE WITH THE UNIVERSITY SENATE’S EARLIER DECISION ON THE MINISTERIAL DIRECTIVE ON THE CLOSURE OF ALL UNIVERSITIES AND INTER UNIVERSITY CENTRES DURING THE UPCOMING 2023 GENERAL ELECTIONS

The Vice Chancellor and Chairman of the Lagos State University Senate, Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, has granted executive approval on behalf of Senate for the extension of resumption date for academic activities at the University to Tuesday, 21st March 2023. This is in view of the rescheduling of the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly General Elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from Saturday, 11th March to Saturday, 18th March 2023.

She further directed that all students should resume on Tuesday, 21st March 2023 and examinations should continue on Wednesday, 22nd March 2023.

Recall that Senate at its 295th Statutory Meeting held on Thursday, 23rd February 2023, had reviewed its decision at the Emergency Meeting held on Monday, 13th February 2023, on the Ministerial Directive on closure of all Universities and Inter University Centres during the upcoming 2023 General Elections.

The Vice Chancellor and Chairman of Senate, Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello , mni, re-affirmed that other activities of the University should continue to run with particular reference to:

✓ provision of skeletal services by staff members from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm and other essential services by the University; and

✓ students who have registered for their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) and have their polling unit (24 – 17 -05 – 065) at the open space at LASU gate should be allowed to exercise their franchise.