Why we didn’t use server during 2019 elections – INEC

NEWS

Why we didn’t use server during 2019 elections – INEC

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has disclosed that the late release of budget by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government affected the deployment of servers for the 2019 general elections.

INEC’s National Commissioner in Osun State, Solomon Soyebi, however, admitted that the commission once experimented the electronic transmission of results but it was not deployed in the 2019 general elections.

Soyebi, in a statement he issued, explained that the commission only experimented the use of a server in the Anambra, Sokoto and Osun elections.

According to Soyebi: “We piloted the use of transmission of election results electronically in Sokoto, in Anambra, even in Osun. What happened was that we were trying to pilot to see the desirability of such technology in our electoral process.

“Once in a while, you will see an experiment going on but we have to pilot it before we will deploy wholesale for election. We did not use it because of circumstances beyond the control of the Commission.

“First, our budget came out very late. There was also (an) issue (with) the Electoral Act. For these and some other reasons, the commission did not adopt that option; 2019 elections were conducted according to the law.

“We used the Constitution of the Federal Republic, we used the Electoral Act and our guidelines for 2019 elections. If you look at the three instruments carefully, the issue of the server was not highlighted.”

 

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Cross River: INEC re-affirms John Owan-Enoh as APC governorship candidate

POLITICS

Cross River: INEC re-affirms John Owan-Enoh as APC governorship candidate

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday at a renewed sitting of the Governorship Elections Petition Tribunal in Calabar, Cross River, reaffirmed the nomination of Senator John Owan Enoh as the lawful candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the March 9 governorship election.

The commission, while arguing in a suit no EPT/CAL/COV01/2019, however, said “Sen. Enoh was not excluded from the elections as claimed by the petitioner since he participated in the exercise having been re-listed.”

Senator Owan Enoh had petitioned the electoral umpire, which is the Second Respondent and Governor Ben Ayade, the First Respondent in the matter alleged unlawful exclusion from the election.

Counsel to INEC, Dele Adeshina had stated that “Sen. Enoh was the duly nominated candidate of the APC and that the commission had issued a letter dated 8th March to that effect.

Apparently smarting from the petition, Adeshina said “the candidate, however, participated in the election and so was not excluded.”

In his argument, Counsel to Sen. Enoh, Awa Kalu (SAN), said the petitioner would not have participated in an election if he was excluded.

According to him, the issue of faction as raised by the first respondent Counsel does not exist in internal democracy especially when it has to do with the sponsorship or nomination of candidates.

He contended that “the issue of factions applies only in the parliament when there’s a crisis within a party leading to cross-carpeting by legislators and not on the basis of nomination of candidates for election.

He averred that ”Sen. Owan Enoh was duly nominated for the Governorship election by his party but was unlawfully excluded for the March 9 polls by the commission”.

The legal luminary, however, challenged the first and second respondents to be the first to prove otherwise, the petition on exclusion stressing that INEC had never argued against a phone call made by the State Electoral Commissioner (REC) at 12 pm on the elections day congratulating the petitioner for being relisted as the APC Candidate for the race.

Counsel to Sen. Ayade, Paul Erokoro (SAN) had argued that “though the Petitioner was nominated for the election but his nomination was done by a faction of his party”.

Justice Josiah Majebi has put the ruling on the onus of proof on exclusion or otherwise for Tuesday, March 17th 2019.

 

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Kogi guber: APC divided as factional executives adopt direct primary

POLITICS

Kogi guber: APC divided as factional executives adopt direct primary

 

The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello and his supporters now have more mountains to climb ahead of the November 16 gubernatorial polls following the adoption of direct primary by the Hadi Ametuo-led faction in the All Progressive Congress (APC).

In a meeting of the APC state party executives and stakeholders held at the state’s capital Lokoja, on Monday, the party has resolved to adopt direct election format for the forthcoming primary in August.

This came on the heels of an earlier alleged meeting held by a faction of the party loyal to the state governor, Yahaya Bello; on Saturday, 15 June, in which they declared indirect election as the mode for the party’s primary election.

Addressing newsmen immediately after the meeting, Haddy Emetuo, the factional State Chairman of the APC, further elaborated on the situation.

“The executives of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State have just risen from a meeting and unanimously adopted direct mode for the APC primary election after deliberations in which every member was given fair hearing and all suggestions were put into consideration.

“We adopted the direct election format because we all agreed that it is the best method that strengthens and promotes internal democracy within our great party. It is the method that allows every voice to be heard and gives opportunity to every member of the APC to participate directly in the decision of who flies the flag of our great party to victory in November.

“I want also to use this opportunity to formally attend to the rumour flying around in the media that some supposed state party executives have held a kangaroo meeting and have declared indirect election as the method adopted by Kogi APC for the primary election.

“I want to categorically state that such meeting is illegal, null and void. The genuine state party executives and stakeholders have just held a meeting and what I tell you now is the official position of the All Progressives Congress, Kogi State Chapter, as regards mode of the forthcoming primary election. Any other meetings or resolutions should be disregarded by all party members and the general public as they are fake and illegal.

“We are working assiduously for victory in November and will not give room to nefarious elements who want to instigate internal wrangling capable of scuttling our chance.”

 

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El-Rufai vs Ashiru: What happened in court on Monday

POLITICS

El-Rufai vs Ashiru: What happened in court on Monday

 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday presented 17 witnesses out of the 685 it lined up as it opened its case against the declaration of Gov. Nasir El-Rufai as winner of the March 9, 2019 Governorship election in Kaduna State.

The PDP and its Governorship candidate in the poll, Alhaji Isah Ashiru are asking the state Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to nullify the election of El-Rufai and declare its candidate the winner, having scored the majority of valid votes cast during the election.

The petitioners, who joined INEC, APC and El-Rufai in the case, alleged that the poll was characterised by massive rigging, ballot box stuffing and violence in 110 wards in 12 local government areas of the state.

The LGAs all of which the PDP lost to the APC as declared by INEC, include Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Igabi, Ikara, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Kubau, Kudan, Lere, Sabon Gari, Soba and Zaria.

The party said it had assembled 685 witnesses, mostly party agents and returning officers it assigned during the poll.

The PDP, at the resumed hearing on Monday, submitted names of 17 persons as first batch of witnesses who began testifying before the tribunal.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 684 PDP witnesses are expected to testify before the tribunal within 14 days.

Earlier, the Ibrahim Bako-led Tribunal had admitted in evidence various documents presented by the petitioners.

Elisha Kurah (SAN), Counsel to the petitioners, had presented certified true copies (CTC) of forms from polling units, ward collation centres, and local government collation Centres obtained from INEC.

Kurah also submitted INEC documents allegedly used to declare the winner of the March 9 election to the tribunal.

He told newsmen that the forms allegedly contained discrepancies that would be proved before the tribunal.

Kurah said: “the forms we tendered, were forms that INEC used during the election.

”Some of the forms were not signed by the agents, some were not stamped and, you find handwriting of one person on all the forms. I mean one person wrote everything in those forms we have presented.

“The Tribunal has accepted all the documents we presented and addmitted same in evidence.

“There are lots of differences between those INEC forms we presented to the Tribunal and that of the PDP agents,” he said.

The Counsel said: ” the witnesses have been assembled to speak on the forms and the lack of genuineness of the forms we collected from INEC.”

According to him, the witnesses would present genuine copies of the documents as they testify.

NAN reports that the witnesses are appearing based on the documents the Tribunal had earlier admitted.

Dr Musa Aliyu, Counsel to INEC said the commission had raised objection to some of the documents and would submit details of their objections when it address the Tribunal.

“The witnesses are coming to testify what happened during the March 9 poll.”

Also, Ibrahim Bawa (SAN), Counsel to the APC said his clients would present their objections in the course of the proceedings.

Bawa said the APC would also bring its witnesses to the Tribunal to prove that the petitioners had no case.

The Tribunal has adjourned to Tuesday, June 18 to continue, after taking three witnesses from Zaria LG.

 

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PDP reveals plans to disgrace Gov. Masari

POLITICS

PDP reveals plans to disgrace Gov. Masari

 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Katsina State has revealed plans to drag Governor Aminu Masari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to court over his educational qualification.

Legal counsel to the PDP, Goddy Uche, SAN, said Governor Masari had no requisite educational qualification to contest the last governorship election.

Uche spoke in a chat with journalists in Katsina yesterday.

According to him, the governor’s full name of Aminu Bello Masari did not appear in all the certificates submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Uche said the certificates only bear “Aminu Bello”.

The PDP counsel, also said the certificates were also faulted for having different dates, adding that some of them have no reference or identification details.

“The governor said he completed his primary school on its certificate in 1951. But his father, however, said his son was born in 1950.

“There is no basis for the governor to even remain there, the certificate from England has no logo and a higher diploma, you can’t do that without diploma. These are clear before the court,” he said.

 

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Akpabio reveals who is behind his lost in 2019 senatorial election in Akwa Ibom

POLITICS

Akpabio reveals who is behind his lost in 2019 senatorial election in Akwa Ibom

 

The Senator, who represented Akwa Ibom north-west district in the 8th National Assembly, Godswill Akpabio, has said God will soon expose those who “fraudulently orchestrated” his defeat during the 2019 general elections.

Akpabio stated this at Ukana, Essien Udim local government area of the state, while empowering some of his constituents.

The former Governor of the state accused the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner of the state, Mike Igini, of denying him of the mandate freely given to him.

He described Igini as the “most compromised electoral officer in Nigeria and should not be allowed to hold public office”.

“Please nobody should have any headache, nobody should cry because there is no need. You know your Senator cannot lose election because we were all there.

“But many of them thought they can go and write whatever they like and even cancel what you won. I have never in my life experienced a resident electoral commissioner like Mike Igini and my message to him is that his hypocrisy will be exposed.

“There is no way you can come into Akwa Ibom and commit that kind of electoral fraud you committed then you go back to Channels Television and sit down and talk as if you are a pope.

“Very soon the world will know… All the materials we are recovering everyday will expose you.

“Just yesterday, the police arrested people carrying materials from where they voted and were trying to sneak into INEC. The other day, they arrested someone with card readers. He was frantically calling and trying to say that they were used for training three months after election so that they will continue to manipulate,” Akpabio said.

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Benue South: Abba Moro wins as Supreme Court dismisses Joe Ojobo’s appeal

NEWS

Benue South: Abba Moro wins as Supreme Court dismisses Joe Ojobo’s appeal

 

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a case brought before it by Joe Ojobo over the outcome of the October 2018 senatorial primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Benue South.

Justices of the apex court validated the nomination of Comrade Moro as the authentic candidate of the PDP for the Benue South senatorial district.

Hon Ojobo had gone to the court to challenge the declaration of Comrade Moro, winner of the primary election.

In a unanimous decision, the five-member panel of judges led by Justice Bode Rhodes Vivour, dismissed the petition for lacking in substance and upheld the decisions the court of first instance and the appellate court.

Justice Amina Augie, who read the judgement of the court went through the main points of the judgement from the High Court and held that the appellant was not declared winner after the primaries of October 4 because the margin of lead which stood at 50 votes was less than the number of delegates from the three local government areas that didn’t vote (358).

She affirmed that INEC monitored both the inconclusive primaries of October 4th and the concluding part of October 7th which conferred legitimacy on them both.

Justice Augie further stated that section 87 (4) (c) of the electoral act says, “at the end of voting” and so voting was not concluded on October 4th.

She said there’s nowhere in the electoral act where it is stated that a primary election must be held in one full swoop.

She dismissed the appeal and said details of the judgement will be made available on a later date.

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Sokoto: Tambuwal blows hot over ‘plot to stop his second term inauguration’

POLITICS

Sokoto: Tambuwal blows hot over ‘plot to stop his second term inauguration’

The Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has vowed to resist any attempt to stop his inauguration for second term in office.

In a statement yesterday by his Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, Alhaji Yusuf Dingyadi, the governor alleged of plots to cause political chaos in the state.

He said that certain individuals were spreading lies and creating confusion that the court was going to remove him from office and give power to the APC.

Tambuwal added that his posters along Birnin Kebbi Road, Maiduguri Road, Airport Road and some other areas within the metropolis had been removed and replaced with those of the APC governorship candidate.

Tambuwal stressed that only legal means could stop his government.

The statement reads, “Election is over, we have won the election and we have offered a hand of fellowship, we asked them to come so that we develop Sokoto State, they refused and went to court, why can’t they allow the court to pass its verdict?

“You can’t take your case to court and start making political noise and telling people lies when even the court has not started its own assignment.

“We are still in the process of pre-hearing, we didn’t even get to the time witnesses are called to testify on the election manipulation they alleged, yet they have started going round telling people lies, especially in the rural areas, they want to show that government is coming to them.”

The governor advised the opposition to allow the court to do their work.

He continued, “PDP in Sokoto is not looking for any backdoor judgement. You allow the court to do what is needful, we have confidence in court because we won election with divine intervention.”

He called on law enforcement agencies in Sokoto to stop what he described as political rascality in Sokoto State.

“We don’t want any political crisis, we don’t want any tension in Sokoto, Sokoto people are peace-loving, we call on security agents to investigate and find out the sponsors of the political rascality in the state,” he said.

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Benue guber: Tribunal fixes May 28 for pre-trial of Benue governorship petitions

POLITICS

Benue guber: Tribunal fixes May 28 for pre-trial of Benue governorship petitions

 

The Governorship, National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Benue State has fixed May 28 to commence pre-trial on the only governorship petition before it.

Tribunal secretary, Deborah Musa, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Friday in Makurdi, said that all court processes had been completed and that the pre-trial was set to begin.

Mr Emmanuel Jime of the All Progressive Congress (APC), is challenging the re-election of Gov Samuel Ortom of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in the March 2, 2019 polls.

In the petition filed by Mr Sunday Ameh (SAN), Jime is asking the tribunal to upturn Ortom’s victory and declare him winner having scored the highest number of lawful votes cast.

Mr Michael Gusa, Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Benue, has,however, said that the governor was sure of victory at the tribunal.

“We are very hopeful of victory. The governor’s team of lawyers has raised a preliminary objection asking the court to dismiss the petition for lack of merit,” Gusa had told NAN while filing Ortom’s defense.

Ortom had polled 434,473 votes to defeat Jime, who garnered 345,155 votes

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Borno election: Tribunal strikes out PDP petition against APC victory

POLITICS

Borno election: Tribunal strikes out PDP petition against APC victory

 

The Borno National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, challenging the victory of Dr Haruna Mshelia of the APC.

PDP and its candidate, Emmanuel Bassi had gone to challenge the victory of Mshelia.

Joined in the suit were INEC, APC, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Borno and the Returning Officer, INEC Askira/Uba/Hawul Fed. constituency.

The petition filed on March 15 was marked EPT/BO/HR/2/2019.

Ruling in the motion to dismiss the petition, filed by INEC, APC and Mshelia, a member of the tribunal Justice Anthonia Ubaka, on behalf of the Chairman, Justice Peter Kekemeke held that the petitioners failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, NAN reports.

Ubaka, held that, ” there must be strict compliance to section 18 of the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended.

She said the petitioners filed out of time, thereby flouting the seven days time given by the law for filing of pre-hearing letter.

” The petitioners filed after the expiration of the seven days stipulated by the Electoral Act.

” The implication is that the petition is deemed abandoned and accordingly, the petition is hereby dismissed ” she held.

PDP and Bassi claimed that the 2nd respondent was not duly elected by a majority of the lawful votes cast at the election of Feb. 23rd, 2019.

The petitioners further averred that the election was void by reason of substantial non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended.

They further claimed that the 2nd Respondent did not score the majority votes cast and therefore urged the tribunal to nullify the return of the 2nd respondent as winner of the said election.

They also sought the order of the tribunal to direct INEC to issue a certificate of return to the 2nd petitioner as the duly elected member, House of Representatives for Askira/Uba/Hawul Fed. Constituency.

In the alternative, they sought an order of the tribunal directing INEC to conduct a fresh election.

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Abia APC: Court sacks Martin Apugo as APC candidate

POLITICS

Abia APC: Court sacks Martin Apugo as APC candidate

 

A Justice Daniel Osiagor-led Federal High Court in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, has sacked Ikechukwu Martins Apugo, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency in the just-concluded 2019 National Assembly election in the state.

Justice Osiagor ruled in favour of a pre-election suit filed by former Speaker of the State House of Assembly and one of the APC aspirants in the 2018 primary election, Rt. Hon. Stanley Ohazuruka, challenging the eligibility of Apugo.

Reading his judgment, Justice Osiagor said, “APC law says that it is only the Collation Officer that can announce the results of the primary election. That the announcement must be made in Abuja, after collating the results. The collation officer testified as The Plaintiff’s Witness as (PW1), telling the court that any other documents that any person brings or will bring to the court as per the results is fake.

“After testifying, the plaintiff’s witness could not tender any original result sheets signed by him and the APC National Chairman as result for Ohazuruka. That after collation of the results, the secretary of APC collated and announced the result here in Umuahia. It contradicted the evidence act and APC law. INEC could not prove that Apugo won the primary election.

“The law deemed it very fit and necessary that primary election does not correspond with the electoral act 2010 as amended. On this ground, the primary election is hereby annulled. The party (APC) should conduct fresh primary election in Umuahia South constituency, so that, substantive candidate will emerge.”

Reacting in an interview with newsmen shortly after the judgment on Tuesday at the court premises, Apugo faulted the position of the Justice Osiagor-led tribunal, cancelling the primaries.

Apugo said, “The judge did it just to say he gave judgment. So, we are still where we are. And again, I heard that he said, he is nullifying the primaries. How can he deliver judgment? Nobody ask him to nullify primary election.

“The people that brought the matter to the court did not ask for nullification; including me. What we want is either declare this person winner or the other person winner of the primaries. And you did not declare anybody the winner; he (judge) said he annulled primary election. So, what does it mean? That means it is neither here and there.”

Recall that Ohajuruka had dragged Apugo to court over the outcome of the primary election.

Ohajuruka had asked the court to declare him the winner of the October 5 2018 primaries of the APC following the excessive rigging that marred the exercise.

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Omokri Reveals Why Ali Modu Is Dumping PDP For APC

​BREAKING NEWS

Omokri Reveals Why Ali Modu Is Dumping PDP For APC

Reno Omokri, former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan has revealed why the former caretaker committee Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party is defecting to the All Progressives Congress,APC.

Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, is expected to rejoin the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) today.

Omokri in reaction on his Twitter page said Sheriff is defecting to APC in order not to be added to the looter’s list.

The former presidential spokesman wrote, “I congratulate former unwanted factional chairman of PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff, on his return to his natural habitat, APC. Sheriff is wise.

“With allegations against him and as soon to be released looters list round the corner, he has carried the broom so his problems will passover!

Recall that the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed had said the federal government is compiling fresh names of people alleged to have looted the nation’s treasury.

The Nigerian Government had already released two lists comprising mostly members of main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

                                                  

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APC Cannot Win In Bayelsa, They Are Killers And Terrorists - Dickson

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APC Cannot Win In Bayelsa, They Are Killers And Terrorists - Dickson

The Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has boasted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) can’t win elections in the state.

Dickson said APC can’t be entrusted with the people’s mandate because the party was harbouring, protecting and arming criminals to kill innocent citizens.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Francis Ottah Agbo, the governor insisted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was doing well in the state.

He said PDP through the restoration government under his watch had transformed the landscape of Bayelsa and provided credible leadership to the people.

Dickson said, “I’ve said it again and again, that the APC cannot win any elections in this state. Bayelsa remains a stronghold of the PDP. The people of Bayelsa know what the PDP is doing well for them in terms of leadership and development.

“So, they will not allow themselves to be deceived by the other parties that have clearly shown Nigerians they do not have anything to offer the country. APC in Bayelsa harbours, protects and arms criminals to maim and kill innocent Bayelsans. It is the same criminals who move about freely with police protection and Bayelsans know them.

“Election is not about terrorising people; it is not about using security to threaten and hound the electorate. Duba, you were deceived, but, now, that you have seen the difference and returned home to PDP, I expect you to join hands with government in bringing about more development, which only the PDP has the capacity to provide for our people.

“I also urge you to tell the few others, who are still in the APC, to cross over to the PDP fold, as our umbrella is big enough to accommodate every good Bayelsan.”

                                                  

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Akwa Ibom Govt Set To Demolish Buhari's 2019 Campaign Office In The State

​BREAKING NEWS

Akwa Ibom Govt Set To Demolish Buhari's 2019 Campaign Office In The State

Barely three days after the campaign office of President Muhammadu Buhari was opened in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital, the state government has marked the building housing the office for demolition, triggering political tension in the state.

The four-storeyed edifice on Wellington Bassey Way, not far from the Government House, is christened, “Hilltop Mansion” by the National Committee of Buhari’s Support Groups, NCBSG, which vowed to win the state in both the presidential and governorship polls.

Recall that Buhari had at NEC meeting of the All Progressives Congress, APC, last Monday before heading to London announced his intention to seek re-election in the 2019 presidential election, stating that he was responding to the clamour by Nigerians to seek a second term.

Following the launch of the campaign office in Uyo on Monday, Vanguard reports that the state government has been uncomfortable with the proximity of the campaign office to the Government House which informed the decision to pull it down with the allegation that the structure does not have the necessary papers.

The report has it that the office building is the only structure designated on the road for demolition by the Uyo Capital City Development Agency, UCCDA, an agency of the state government.

The government was saying to be also planning to revoke the building’s Certificate of Occupancy before proceeding on the demolition.

A source was reported as saying, “The plan is first to revoke the Certificate of Occupancy by the government before demolition. But the question is why would the government condescend so low as to do that? Recall that in 1999, 2003 and 2015, many politicians had their campaign offices on the same Barrack Road and the heavens did not fall. Is it because they were all PDP members and this is APC?”

The report stated that the state government had approached the owner of the building to take over the premises, but the owner was said to have told the state government that NCBSG had already acquired it for use.

Speaking on the development, Chairman, Uyo City Capital Development Agency, Enobong Uwah, told the newspaper that the building was not the only one in Uyo capital city marked, urging owners of such buildings to present their papers, or start the process of acquiring the relevant papers for their buildings.

He said, “Does it mean that any building marked is for demolition? The announcement has been on radio that anybody who does not have the necessary papers should come and do their papers. It is not just that building. It is an on-going exercise. We should not politicize everything.

“I asked my staff about the building and they said that the building was marked early April. So, go to other buildings and they are also marked. If you have papers, you come to the office and present them and if you don’t have, you start the process to obtain the relevant papers.”

                                                  

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PDP Is Irredeemable, It's Riddled With Impunity - SDP National Secretary, Gabam

​BREAKING NEWS

PDP Is Irredeemable, It's Riddled With Impunity - SDP National Secretary,  Gabam

The National Secretary, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alhaji Shehu Gabam, has said that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) cannot be cured of impunity.

According to him, the lack of remorse on the part of some chieftains of the Party who were alleged to have carried out acts of impunity during the Party’s last national convention showed that the PDP could no longer be redeemed.

He told Business Day in an interview: “We invested our time and resources to make sure we gave the party the best that any human can give. Our recommendations on how to remodel and restructure the party were well accepted. The NEC also approved it. But again it was jettisoned.

“At the Convention, there was no single semblance that everything that was generated by the committees was imbibed. There was no sign of remorse.

“PDP wasn’t built by people who were shortsighted. It was built by great visionary leaders and politicians who during the dark days of military regime damned the consequences and formed a formidable national party. I am happy that what they did gave this country democratic stability for 16 years. It revolutionised the political space and sparked massive technological and infrastructural development. But, of course, along the line some rascality manifested in the party.

“But, people assumed office and felt nobody could talk to them, the abuse of the party became entrenched. The basic structure of the party was abandoned by so-called contact men from outside the party structure.

“Not too long ago, we saw great personalities of the party move out to join the APC as a result of impunity. Yet, with all this consequences, and all the fact findings we did, collected and imputed in a document, some group of people still felt that they must have their way…

“PDP is irredeemable. You can quote me anywhere. There is no one with capacity to redeem PDP right now. The people that have the capacity to do so have all left. And I can tell you that we are some of those who have the capacity.

“We have the capacity to deal with any issue with any individual. I am not reducing anybody but I can tell you that if at this material time the political colossus like Professor Jerry Gana, who is the custodian of the power and oratory the party, who has ideas flowing like water and a commitment to defend the party at all cost, has left the party then it tells a lot.

“Another political juggernaut, Professor Tunde Adeniran, took the PDP to the South-west. Can you have one person that can replace him in the PDP today? None,

“I challenge any person in PDP. Who is that person that has the commitment and acumen of Adeniran in the PDP? So it is not about personal or parochial issues but personal interest. The country is tearing apart politically and we need a rescue team. And we have come as a rescue team to salvage the country.”

                                                  

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