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PC Crisis: Tonye Cole, 22 Others Lose In Rivers Court, Will Not Participate In 2019 Elections

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The Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State for the second time dismissed an appeal instituted by the All Progressives Congress, APC, challenging the ruling of the Justice Chiwendu Nworgu of the Rivers State High Court, which nullified the party’s Wards, Local Governments, and State Congresses.

Recall that the Appeal Court had on December 12, last year, struck out the same appeal against the State High Court decision for filing out of the stipulated time in the constitution.

Last Tuesday, the APC had approached the Court of Appeal again, challenging the ruling of the same court, stressing that the lower court did not have the jurisdiction to hear the matter on the first instance.

But the visiting Appeal Court Panel constituted to handle the matter, struck it out on Wednesday, saying it was a pre-election matter.

Delivering the judgment on behalf of the panel, on Wednesday, Justice C.N. Uwa stated that the matter, which the lower court handled was a pre-election issue and ought to have been appealed and disposed off within 60 days after the judgment of the lower court.

Justice C.N Uwa stated that the panel’s hands are tied to go into the substantive case, stressing that a preliminary objection which bothers on the status of the case had earlier been taken by the same court.

Uwa held that, where an action was status-bound, it means the court has no right to hear it, adding that the issue of filing out of time was a preliminary objection which is in itself a case.

She held that the court would remain consistent in its rulings because the same court had earlier struck out the appeal on the issues of time of filing.

“This is a pre-election matter. It has earlier been held by this same court in an appeal of the substantive matter. This court cannot seat against itself on the same matter.

“The appeal is fundamentally defective. The court cannot go into the matter, as doing so will amount to an effort in futility.

“It is unnecessary to continue on an appeal no matter the merit, which this court has held as status-bound. It would be an effort in futility to continue. This appeal is hereby struck out”, Justice Uwa stated.

Speaking with Journalists after the judgment, Henry Bello, Counsel for Ibrahim Umar and other 22 aggrieved APC members explained that; there is no appeal pending in this Court of Appeal against the decision of the High Court of Rivers State delivered by Justice Chiwendu Nwogu on October 10, 2018.

“This is that the judgment of the court on October 10, 2018, was validly made, subject to the decision of the Supreme Court in defending the appeals at the Supreme Court.

“The implication is that as from today (16/01/2019), there is no more challenge at the Court of Appeal against that judgment of the lower court, the High Court of Rivers State in the suit by Ibrahim Umar and 22 others against All Progressives Congress (APC).

“By this judgment, it is now declared null and void the indirect primary elections conducted in Rivers State by the APC”, Bello added.

Politics

Enugu LGA chairman appoints aides on garden egg, pepper, yam

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Eric Odo, chairman of Igbo Etiti LGA of Enugu state, has appointed Ezeugwu Ogbonna as senior special assistant on agriculture (yam and pepper).

The appointment is contained in a letter dated November 1 and addressed to Ogbonna.

“I am pleased to inform you that the executive chairman Igbo Etiti LGA has approved your appointment as senior special assistant to the local government chairman on agriculture (yam and pepper),” the letter reads.

“You should report to the executive chairman Igbo Etiti LGA, Ogbede, for briefing and deployment.

“It is pertinent to note that this is not a career civil service appointment but a temporary appointment which you hold at the pleasure of the executive chairman of Igbo Etiti LGA.”

Odo also appointed Nwodo Ugonna as special adviser on garden egg and pepper.

The council chairman did not outline the specific duties of the appointees.

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Ondo guber: Obi, NLC ruined my chances of winning, says LP candidate

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Ayodele Olorunfemi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the Ondo governorship election, says Peter Obi and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) ruined his chances of winning.

On Sunday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Lucky Aiyedatiwa, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as winner of the poll.

The governor secured 366,781 votes in all 18 LGAs to defeat his closest rival Agboola Ajayi, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 117,845 votes.

The LP candidate secured 1,162 votes, finishing fifth from bottom in the 17-candidate off-cycle election.

On the eve of the election, INEC substituted Olusola Ebiseni with Olorunfemi.

On September 27, the federal high court in Abuja directed INEC to recognise Ebiseni as the LP candidate.

The party appealed the ruling, and the appellate court struck out the earlier judgment for lack of jurisdiction.

The umpire said it had restored Olorunfemi’s name as the LP candidate in line with the court judgment.

“The commission was yesterday 14th November 2024 served with the certified true copy (CTC) of the judgment of the court of appeal which set aside the judgment of the federal high court (FHC), Abuja division,” the statement reads.

“In obedience to the court order, the commission has restored Olorunfemi Ayodele Festus, whose name was first published as the Labour Party candidate for the 2024 Ondo state governorship election, and uploaded the same to our website for public information.”

In the buildup to the election, Obi endorsed Ebiseni and described him as “someone who believes in a Nigeria rooted in fairness, equity, and justice”.

“It is this conviction that propelled me to travel by road to Ondo state yesterday to campaign alongside our Labour Party Governorship Candidate, Hon. Sola Ebiseni — a candidate I believe possesses the competence and capacity to govern the State effectively,” Obi said.

‘THEY SCUTTLED MY ASPIRATION’

Speaking with PUNCH, Olorunfemi alleged that Obi and NLC sabotaged his governorship bid.

He admitted that his last-minute campaign was poorly organised and ineffectual.

“My campaign for the election was neither here nor there. I have Peter Obi and the NLC to thank for that. They have scuttled my aspirations and chances to win this Ondo election,” Olorunfemi said.

“These people spoilt things for us with that PDP reject they wanted to force on the party. Their insistence on having Ebiseni on the ballot ruined everything for me.

“They just capitalised on the crisis between the Labour Party and the Nigeria Labour Congress to create problems.

“Can you imagine that Ebiseni wrote a letter to the court in my name without my knowledge, saying I have withdrawn from the race? They cannot exclude me from such a position.”

Olorunfemi admitted that he knew his chances of winning were slim after his reinstatement, adding that he is determined to “get his pound of flesh”.

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‘He wanted me to succeed him’ — Aiyedatiwa dedicates victory to Akeredolu

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Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Ondo state governor-elect, says he wishes Rotimi Akeredolu, his late principal, was alive to witness his victory.

Aiyedatiwa, the incumbent governor of Ondo, secured victory in all 18 LGAs, garnering 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 117,845 votes.

Aiyedatiwa took over the leadership of the state after Akeredolu died from protracted prostate cancer in 2023.

Speaking in an interview on Channels Television after his victory, Aiyedatiwa said Akeredolu wanted him as his successor.

“How I wish he was present in that banquet hall when I was declared in the company of other brother governors. That would have been really good, but God knows better,” he said.

“It is so sad and painful that he didn’t live to see the manifestation of what he himself spoke about. I do refer to him sometimes as the man who saw tomorrow.

“He knew that I was going to succeed him as governor. He knew because he wanted me to and was ready to give me the full backing.”

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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