***insists, Appeal Court will rule on merit

National Coalition of All Progressives Congress (APC) under the aegis of Progressives Stakeholders has condemned a protest staged in London on Sunday against the Nigerian judiciary, accusing the leadership of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano of blackmail.

The APC group who accused Kano state governor Abba Yusuf and the state leadership of the NNPP of sponsoring the protest, described the London outing as shameful.

Kano State Governorship election petition tribunal judgement had sacked Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of the NNPP due to irrigularities where over 165,000 votes were tumprinted and stuffed into the ballot boxes unlawfully without the official stamp nor signature of the presiding officers.

Addressing a press conference Monday in Abuja, the group’s National secretary, Barr. Isabella Odunayo, called on the Inspector General of Police and the department of State Service to commence investigation of the sacked Kano state governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the leadership of the NNPP over the development.

Barrister Odunayo said: “After failed attempts to discredit the tribunal ruling, the NNPP desperation took them to London where it sponsored a protest to blackmail the Federal Government and discredit the tribunal judgement.
“Unknown to the organizers, Nigerians in diaspora had watch clips of the jubilation that trailed the APC victory at the tribunal and hence Nigerians in London ignored the sponsored protest.

“It is shameful that Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf and the Kwankwasiyya Movement only got eight persons for a protest which targeted about one thousand (1000) people, a sign that Nigerians both home and in diaspora accepted the judgement in good faith.

“The NNPP should be aware that, the judiciary can not be intimidated by its threat as security agencies in Nigeria are fully prepared to secure the Country. The eight people led by Dr Aminu Bello who embarrassed themselves yesterday in London does not represent the interest of Nigerians.

“It is barbaric and indeed archaic for the NNPP to toll the part of blackmail calling for justice in far away London when justice has already been served with the judgment of the tribunal.

“It is unpalatable to speak ill of the judiciary because your stealing antics were uncovered. Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf has no shame that is why he is still sponsoring Campaign against the judiciary.

“We advocate special trial for electoral offenders like Governor Abba Yusuf where he will be may be committed to jail for election theft.

“We call on the Inspector General of Police and the department of state service to commence investigation of the out-going Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the leadership of the NNPP ahead of their prosecution.

“It is by such actions that some desperate politicians may desist from rigging and instilling violence during elections.

“We are optimistic that the Apeal Court judges shall also deliver judgement on it merit.”

A group under the aegis of Stand Up Nigeria (SUN) has asked the leadership of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the sacked government of Kano state to prepare for another election in the next four years instead of intimidating the judiciary.

It made the called on Saturday at a press conference in Abuja, following the recent attacks on the judiciary before and after the verdict by the Tribunal sacking Governor Abba Yusuf in Kano state.

National Coordinator of the group, Patriot Sunday Attah applauded the Honourable Justices of the Kano State Governorship election petition tribunal who delivered what he described as “a bold and sound judgement that sacked Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf and declared Dr. Nasir Gawuna as the elected Governor of Kano State.”

The group made up of patriotic Nigerian youths across political parties and ethnic groups who believe in peaceful co-existence, rule of law and institutional governance.

According to Attah, the judgement serves as deterrent to politicians who float electoral laws and make elections do or die affair. We had warn politicians severally to discourage their supporters from rigging and violence during elections as democracy is the government of the people by the people for the people.

He said: “You don’t have to intimidate the judiciary or cause war because you loose an election. The tenure is four years after which a fresh elections would be conducted.

“You may prepare yourself to contest again instead of sponsoring people to blackmail highly respected Justices of the election petition tribunal and intimidate the Appeal Court Judges all in a bid to reverse a sound judgement already delivered.

“We understand that, Kano has an International market which makes it a home to all Nigerians irrespective of religion and tribe. Kano indigenes are also scattered in other States of the Federation without fear of molestation. No one has monopoly of violence.

“The Judges must be encourage and supported by all Nigerians as they deliver more critical judgements that would strengthen our democracy.

“The NNPP and it’s government must come out openly to retract its violent threat being issued by its supporters including a Commissioner under Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf.

“Here is a man ordinarily referred to as Honourable Commissioner, so, where is the Honourable? . It shows how deep the NNPP must have gone in term of intimidation of judicial officers in secret before it was made public.

“We believe that the intimidation and threat being mounted are targeted towards the Apeal Court judges in order to bully them.

“We urged our Honourable Justices of the Appeal Court to to scumble to their antic but always stand on the part of justice. We have offered to stand by the judiciary and help protect the institution once it continue to maintains the part of justice.”

While recalling similar judgement in the case of Edo State election petition tribunal tat nullified the election of Senator Osunbor of the Peoples Democratic Party and declared Adams Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria, winner, Attah said: “We condenm the leadership of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP who have being threatening the judges and general peace of Kano State using its supporters, to understand that, trying to intimidate the judiciary in order to force the Judges to their side would amount to miscarriage of justice.”

The group thanked President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing enabling environment for the judiciary to operate without interference.p2
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By Ishaq Dan-Imam, Lokoja

A Frontline member of PDP in Bassa local government area of Kogi state, from Kpata Ward, Alhaji Alhassan Seidu Agbem, an Abuja-based business man and philanthropist, has led 1,000 PDP members and followers to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area.

The philanthropist, a top notcher of the PDP in Bassa local government area, Seidu Agbem, announced the defection of over 1,000 members and supporters of the PDP to APC at a defection ceremony held at Gboloko, under the influence of Hon. Alhassan Salisu Adakeke.
I what seemed like a last-minute drive for a sweeping electoral victory there an aggressive mobilization of PDP members in Bassa local government for the APC.

Agbem, disclosed that he was moving into APC to complement the campaign efforts of Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello who in his words, “runs a youth inclusive government with gender sensitive policy direction.

Agbem said Governor Bello’s effort at promotion of youth inclusiveness and enhanced women participation in governance was commendable and should be encouraged for sustainability, progress and development.

The maverick politician said he and his supporters were desirous of APC victory and ready to put in all resources to insure victory for the APC.

Receiving the defectors, the Bassa local government party chairman of APC, Hon. Abdulmumin Umar, expressed happiness on the decision of the PDP members to join the APC. Abdulmumin said the APC as a party was opened to all Nigerians as every citizen is free to come into the party with hope and higher prospect of achieving self-esteem, personal development, Community transformation as well as prosperity and good governance. Umar said the decampees now have equal rights and opportunities in political participation in all the activities of the party.

In his contribution, the Special adviser to the Governor on Primary health care services, Hon. Adakeke, commended the wisdom of the defectors he described as game changers and influencers whose political movement to APC means a lot to the APC family in Bassa and the state at large.
He added that the defectors had swiftly collapsed the PDP structure into the winning structure of the APC. He also commended the decampees for appreciating and associating with the good work of governor Bello in the state.

He appealed to the youth of Bassa LGA and Kogi state to key into the development agenda for a consolidated democracy in the state.

The special adviser further indicated that APC had won the presidential, national assembly and state house of assembly elections on a clean slate and is obviously prepared to win the November 11 Governorship elections with convincing victory.