Politics
A’Ibom REC insists on Austin Ekanem-led State Executive of APC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will not change its report on the State Congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held in October 2021, Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, has maintained.
The Congress had recognised Mr. Austin Ekanem as the winner and chairman of the Akwa Ibom APC State Executive.
This clarification is coming, against the backdrop that the APC national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, had already inaugurated a parralel State Executive Committee of the party in defiance to a Court of Appeal order, asking parties to maintain Status quo.
Igini spoke while briefing newsmen on INEC’s preparedness ahead of the 2023 general elections. He reported an increase in voter registration in Akwa Ibom State, following the creation of new polling units.
Reacting to the leadership crisis in the APC Akwa Ibom State chapter, Igini told newsmen that INEC will not compromise its stance on sanctity of the processes that birthed the Austin Ekanem-led State Executive of the party last year.
APC conducted State Congresses across the country on 16th October, 2021. In Akwa Ibom State, the Congress conducted by the 7-Member Banki Sheriff-led Election Committee, dispatched for the exercise by the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Committee, produced Mr. Ekanem as chairman, having won the exercise, polling 1,278 votes.
However, in April 2022, the APC National Chairman inaugurated Mr. Stephen Leo Ntukekpo as chairman of the party in Akwa Ibom State.
Ntukekpo was shortly after arrested for forging the election results which he allegedly used to obtain a High Court judgement which sacked Mr. Ekanem and declared him winner of the Congress.
Reacting to the crisis in the Akwa Ibom State APC chapter, Igini wondered how Ntukekpo who had in the original result scored 006, now scored 1006 and the person who scored 1,278, now scored 278, stressing that “this was the abracadabra that led to a crisis that is completely unnecessary. Our [INEC] report cannot change.
“May the day never come when an umpire who took an oath to always keep its oath of office will see something in the morning and see something different in the evening. May the day never come when something that we have seen to be white suddenly become black.
“Those who desire the honour of a king, an honour of office must not break the Law of the land. As a Commissíon, since October last year we have not spoken on the matter, because it is a matter for them. They are in Court that is the much I can say with respect to that.”
He added: “In respect of INEC Ad-hoc staff, who generated false results and published same in 2019 election, the trial has been ongoing since December 2020 before an Akwa Ibom State high court. The Judge just recused himself at the last sitting.
“In a democracy, effective power to govern must lie in the hands of those who are duly elected, therefore those whose actions undermine the process must be brought to book.”
Asked if INEC feels frustrated over the ongoing trial, Igini said: “Because we are talking about due process we cannot be frustrated. Once you have chosen the path of due process you don’t worry about traffic. All that we need to do and we have done is to register through a petition to the Chief Judge to chronicle how we got to this point.
”Justice is three way directional- Justice to the Commissíon, the prosecution, to the accused person and more importantly justice to the society that its rules have been violated.
So what we are interested in, is that justice must be done.
“Five months after the prosecution had closed its case , the accused person have failed to open its defence, coming up with all manners of frivolous objections to avoid opening his defence. I must say that there are limits to some of these Shenanigans.
”Since 2020 the idea is to frustrate the case so that justice will not be done. The defense Lawyer accused the Judge of bias, without proof, no evidence, or instances where the judge could be accused in the entire trial of bias. Such an accusation must not be taken lightly.
“And where a counsel deploy accusation of bias as a strategy to blackmail a judge, the judge is required to demonstrate the courage in line with the judicial oath to continue with that matter because what he is trying to do is for the case to start afresh.
“As it stands, the crisis in Akwa Ibom APC chapter may lead to the party not filling candidates at the 2023 General Elections. INEC has not monitored any electoral activity by the parralel State Executive led by Mr. Stephen Leo Ntukekpo.”
***Party Receives Boost From Aggrieved Aspirants from APC and PDP
The Chairman of Labour Party (LP) Governorship Primaries in Ondo State, Mr Olusola Ayodele has declared the resolve of Party to take back Ondo State in the forthcoming coming Governorship elections of the state billed for November 2024 by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC)
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, quoted Olusola Ayodele to have made the declaration when he Addressed the Southwest Leadership of the Party on Friday in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
Ayodele who conducted the Ondo State Governorship Primaries of the LP in Akure a fortnight earlier stated that all preparations by the Leadership of the party to win the Ondo Governorship elections have been concluded with the formation of a proposed Southwest Task Force on the Ondo Governorship elections .
According to him, the Task Force being put together comprises key leaders of the party in the Southwest, who have been charged to mobilise a high-powered National Campaign Team of the Party for the Governorship elections to reenact the LP – Mimiko victory and 8 years good governance of Ondo State
He said, “To lead the Ondo National campaign committee is Mr Peter Obi, Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party and Mr Alex Oti, Governor of Abia State. They are to be supported by all LP Senators, Reps Members, State Lawmakers and other key leaders of the Party in the country with formidable solidarity from key members of the Obidient Movement in diaspora.”
While clarifying the rumour about the possibility of the party conducting a substitution primaries for the Governorship candidacy of the party, Ayodele said “this would only happen, if the current governorship candidate of the party decides to withdraw from the race during the substitution window created by INEC and if the National Working Committee, NWC of the Party also finds governorship aspirants who have the required competence and capacity as possible replacement to fly the governorship ticket of a mega party like the Labour Party, especially, a party which has ruled Ondo State for 8 years before”
Ayodele said although some aggrieved frontline governorship aspirants, especially from the APC and PDP are already discussing the possibility of crossing to Labour Party with the Committee, it is only the National Working Committee of the Party that can sanction such discussion before the close of the substitution window of INEC. He however applauded the youths, students and the masses of the people in Ondo State for remaining steadfast with the Party.
Apparently worried about the state of the nation and the increasing uncertainty in the living conditions of the poor and underprivileged, the 2023 Presidential flag bearer of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi has consulted some top opposition leaders to chart a way out.
Among those Obi consulted with were Former Vice President, and PDP Presidential Candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, the Former Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki and the Former Governor of Jigawa state, Alhaji Sule Lamido.
A statement Spokesperson Dr Yunusa Tanko indicated that his visit to the leaders is in continuation of his determination to live up to his expressed commitment to the peace and progress of the nation. “His abiding devotion has always been for the emergence of a Nigeria that works for all its peoples where the people are quickly pulled out of poverty.
“At the center of discussion during each of these visits was the state of the nation and how to reduce the suffering of all Nigerians irrespective of class and location.”
The statement explained that the desperate condition of the downtrodden in in the country was particularly highlighted.
“Of particular interest and emphasis in these discussions was the worrisome situation in the Northern parts of the country”
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The National Chairman of the Zenith Labour Party, Dan Nwanyanwu, has insisted only fresh election can reinstate the 27 lawmakers from Rivers State who who dumped the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him by voluntarily switching political allegiances, the lawmakers have effectively relinquished their previous seats, with no avenue for reinstatement.
Despite directives to INEC to refrain from taking action, Nwanyanwu argued that delaying elections merely prolongs the inevitable outcome.
According to
In an interview with Arise TV, he remarked, ”I agree with Wike that nobody will remove the 27 lawmakers but they have removed themselves.
They have on their own volition decided to leave the state assembly. And I want to say without mincing words that nothing will bring back the 27 lawmakers to their seats unless another election is conducted and they emerge victorious in the election.
As of today, any lover of democracy and laws would know that the constitution has written it clearly that if on your own, you decided to join another political party, there is no provision that you want to come back.
I’m aware that there are plethora of cases and INEC has been told not to do anything. But you see, they are just postponing the day of the election.
These lawmakers are no longer recognized members of the state assembly. I’m a lawyer and most lawyers are unanimous on this matter. When a law is clear and unambiguous, you don’t need to give it any strange interpretation.
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