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Ogun : Tribunal Flays PDP For Blunder, Grants Prayers For Scrutiny Of Documents
The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, has carpeted Counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and it’s candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu, for commiting seeming blunder in the mode of it’s presentation before the Tribunal.
The party was flayed for it’s failure to comply with court’s directive which stipulates that documents scheduled to be presented before the court ought to have been tendered from the bar for parties involved to scrutinize and authenticate.
At the resumption of proceeding on Tuesday, Counsel to the PDP and Oladipupo Adebutu, Godwin Uche, SAN, had informed the Tribunal of the readiness of his team to formally commence trial immediately.
He added that they have filled the list of their scheduled of documents before the Panel and have also physically brought all the said documents before it.
Consequently, Counsel to the 1st Respondent (INEC), Remi Olatumura, SAN, in his objection on the point of law, cautioned the move to commit such blunder.
He said while his team was ready to move on with the case, it is always imperative for the petitioner to have shown the documents to all the parties before then, insisting that he had not set his eye on the document for authentication.
Olatumura further said he owed his client the duty to confirm and certify that those documents actually emanated from INEC and accordingly scrutinize it.
In the same vein, Counsel to the 2nd Respondent (Governor Dapo Abiodun), Kehinde Ogunwunmiju, SAN, opined that going by the volume of the tendered documents and in line with rules of procedure , which remain sacrosanct, the over 6,000 documents ought to have been presented from the bar earlier for the benefit of the parties to view and confirm it’s validity.
Ogunwunmiju also informed the Tribunal that the PDP’s Counsel had accordingly followed the procedure rules in a similar case involving the duo in Ebonyi State but decided to act otherwise in Ogun State.
He, then stressed that the parties needed more time to check and authenticate the documents, arguing that 24 hours might not be feasible and realistic to scrutinize the voluminous documents, as he also called for the list of witnesses at least 24 hours before the commencement of the case, in which PDP also failed to comply.
Corroborating the positions of the Counsels to the first and the second Respondents, Kunle Kalejaiye, SAN, who represented the 3rd Respondent (APC) unequivocally submitted: “We have to look at the documents. The Tribunal has the responsibility to ensure that the needful is done.
“These are very serious and strategic documents. They should have invited us to come and view.
“I adopt the submissions of the 1st and 2nd respondents accordingly that the undisputed documents should be admitted from the bar.
“For documents to be undisputed, such must have been seen by all parties involved in the case.
“These documents have been sought for many months. We should not be railroaded to admittance of documents.
“I urge Your Lordship to give us reasonable time to inspect.”
He subsequently prayed the court to grant two days’ leave for proper scrutiny of the documents.
Ruling on the arguments, the Chairman of the Tribunal, Hon. Justice H.N. Kunaza, agreed on the point of law that the PDP had failed to comply with the court’s directive, which is sacrosanct, that the tendered documents ought to have been presented from the bar for the purpose of thorough verification and authentication by all the parties involved.
He, as well, queried the reason why Uche refused to comply with the procedure rules in Ogun State, whereas he followed the same rules in a similar case in Ebonyi.
In his words: “We cannot force them to admit documents they have not seen. All of you should look at the documents.”
The Tribunal’s Chairman, therefore, granted the parties two days to thoroughly scrutinize the documents accordingly, as the case was adjourned till Thursday 6th July, for continuation of hearing.
A faith-based Civil Society Organization, (CSO), that monitors and reports Hajj and Umrah activities Independent Hajj Reporters, (IHR) has called on the Federal and state governments to make adequate security arrangements for pilgrims at embarkation points across the country.
This is coming as the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia begins on Wednesday this week.
In a statement on Monday signed by its national coordinator Ibrahim Mohammed the IHR indicated that over 65, 000 intending pilgrims from Nigeria will be leaving their homes to various Hajj camps for screening and onward transportation to about 15 airports within the next 30 days.
The Statement observed that such mass movement of people from one point to another creates serious security challenges that need a comprehensive and coordinated strategy by the various security agencies in the country.
“While we appreciate the efforts made by security agencies in previous operations, we call on the federal government to order and activate a high-level security surveillance system to monitor and protect the movement of pilgrims throughout the outbound and inbound airlift operations.
“We also urge State Muslim pilgrims’ welfare boards to advise intending pilgrims against coming to hajj camps with large escorts usually made up of family members as such increases the likelihood of security breaches especially
when airlift operations demand that pilgrims can be invited to hajj camps at any time of the day or night.
State governments should complement the federal security architecture by mobilizing local vigilantes and other volunteers to form a hajj security team and provide them with internal communication equipment with state hajj officials, airliners and other airlift stakeholders.
“As journalists who worked closely with security agencies during hajj operations, IHR had in the last few years honour security institutions during its annual hajj lectures and awards to appreciate and encourage them to improve on their daunting tasks of maintaining security of lives and properties across the country.”
IHR further appealed to Security forces to take necessary “measures to prevent evil-minded groups from exploiting the Hajj season to carry out acts of sabotage.
“Anticipating and preparing for potential security threats before they materialize will help in identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities and weaknesses ahead of time”. The statement said.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has clinched the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket as the candidate of the party for the forthcoming November 16 governorship election in the state by sefeating fifteen other aspirants in a landslide victory
The Chairman of the Governorship Primary Election Committee and Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo, made the declaration on Monday morning in Akure, the state capital.
Ododo said Aiyedatiwa clinched the APC ticket with a total of 48,569 votes followed by his closest rival, Mayowa Akinfolarin, who trailed behind with 15,343 votes, while Chief Olusola Oke secured the third position with 14,865 votes.
Below is a breakdown of the final results of the election.
Total number of voters – 117922
Total number of accredited voters – 95,178
Total votes cast – 95178
Invalid – Nil
Jimi Odimayo – 490
Omogoroye Judith – 115
Lucky Aiyedatiwa – 48,569
Isaacs Kekemeke – 1045
Soji Ehinlanwo – 492
Olugbenga Edema – 395
Jimoh lbrahim – 9456
Adekojo Funmilayo – 529
Akinfolarin Samuel – – 15343
Wale Akinterinwa – 1952
Olusola Oke – 14,915
Olamide Ohunyeye – 424
Morayo Lebi – 290
Diran lyantan – 348
Prof Dayo Faduyile – 353
Ife Oyedele – 462
1: Ilaje LG
Lucky Aiyedatiwa 2,485
Wale Akinterinwa. 26
Olusola Oke. 2,511
Jimoh Ibrahim 589
2: Ile Oluji/Okeigbo
Jimoh Ibrahim: 282
AIYEDATIWA: 1225
WA: 474
3: Ondo West LG
Jimoh Ibrahim: 2668
Aiyedatiwa: 10610
4: Ese Odo LG
Aiyedatiwa – 298
Akinterinwa – 0
Oke – 147
Jimoh Ibrahim – 174
5: Owo LG
Aiyedatiwa – 2,123
Akinterinwa – 345
Oke – 225
Jimoh Ibrahim – 192
6: Idanre LG
Aiyedatiwa – 1, 579
Akinterinwa – 119
Oke – 225
Jimoh Ibrahim – 120
7: AKOKO NORTH EAST LG
Aiyedatiwa 1, 664
Akinterinwa 135
Oke 138
Jimoh Ibrahim 505
8: AKOKO NORTH WEST LG
Aiyedatiwa 5, 430
Akinterinwa 198
Oke 2, 721
Jimoh Ibrahim 728
9: AKOKO SOUTH EAST LG
Aiyedatiwa 2, 533
Akinterinwa 43
Oke 391
Jimoh Ibrahim 67
10: AKOKO SOUTH WEST LG
Aiyedatiwa – 2, 747
Akinterinwa – 272
Oke – 415
Jimoh Ibrahim – 466
11: No results for IFEDORE LGA due to alleged violence
12: OSE LGA
Aiyedatiwa 1, 091
Akinterinwa 39
Oke 800
Jimoh Ibrahim 267
13: IRELE LG
Aiyedatiwa 1, 203
Akinterinwa 15
Oke 93
Jimoh Ibrahim 139
14: ODIGBO LG
Aiyedatiwa 2, 631
Akinterinwa 114
Oke 138
Jimoh Ibrahim 845
15: AKURE NORTH LG
Aiyedatiwa 2, 860
Akinterinwa 177
Oke 1, 239
Jimoh Ibrahim 1, 606
16: AKURE SOUTH LG
Aiyedatiwa 3, 265
Akinterinwa 86
Oke 328
Jimoh Ibrahim 294
17 OKITIPUPA LG
Aiyedatiwa 1, 622
Akinterinwa 27
Oke 1, 571
Jimoh Ibrahim 109
18: ONDO EAST LG
Aiyedatiwa 4, 803
Akinterinwa 141
Oke 1, 171
Jimoh Ibrahim 406
Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State and chairman of the Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election committee has applauded stakeholders and members of the party in the state for their orderly conduct and massive turnout during the direct primary election in the state.
Special Adviser on Media to the Governor Ismaila Isah in a statement quoted the Governor to have given the commendation while receiving reports from members of the APC Governorship Primary Election committee, security agencies and other stakeholders who monitored the conduct of the election in different parts of the 18 local government areas in the state.
According to the Governor
“I have received reports from our committee members and security agencies as well as NGOs monitoring the election including video footages and I can say that the process has been transparent and we are going to produce a candidate that will unify the APC ahead of the November, 2024 governorship election in the state.”
Responding to questions over delay in arrival of materials in some wards and local government areas, Governor Ododo said he was certain that the delay has no adverse effect on the conduct of the primary election.
The Kogi State Governor also expressed confidence that concerns noticed in the revalidated membership list would not have any major impact on the outcome of the primary election, stressing that the committee is well guided by the APC guidelines for the nomination of candidates for general elections and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.
Governor Ododo called on the aspirants and their supporters to see the primary election as a contest among brothers and sisters in one family seeking to make the family better as candidate of the party in the November, 2024 Governorship election in Ondo State.
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