PDP suffers setback in battle to disqualify

Tonye Cole, APC from Rivers guber race

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suffered another setback in its legal battle to get the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its Governorship candidate, Patrick Tonye Cole disqualified from the 2023 gubernatorial election in Rivers State.

Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed PDP’s suit instituted against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC and Cole for want of diligent prosecution.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/1902/2022, PDP had asked the Federal High Court for an order setting aside the October 4, 2022 publication of names of Cole and APC from the list of eligible candidates for Rivers State gubernatorial election.

The party also sought another order prohibiting Cole and APC from parading or holding themselves out as eligible candidates for the March 11 Governorship election.

PDP claimed in the suit that the APC breached sections 285 (9) of the 1999 Constitution and 30, 32 and 73 of the Electoral Act 2022 by submitting the nomination form of Tonye Cole manually as against uploading through the online Nomination Portal of INEC as prescribed by law.

On the grounds of the alleged infraction of the Constitution and the Electoral Act, PDP demanded that both APC and its Governorship candidate be kicked out of the election in the interest of justice and fairness.

However, when the suit was

Vote for Tinubu, all APC candidates – Owoeye to supporters

By Christiana Ekpa

The electorates in Osun have been charged to vote for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all the party’s candidates for the National and State Houses of Assembly. This charge was given by Timothy

Owoeye, the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly during the flag-off of his reelection campaign in Ilesa East local government council area on Tuesday.

Owoeye who emphasised that Tinubu remained the only candidate that could bring about the needed turn-around of the country added that the APC candidate would bring about a better and more developed Nigeria to the delight of Nigerian citizens.

The Speaker also hinted that the Yoruba race would immensely benefit from it.

“Like I have said earlier, a vote for me is a vote for experience, the state House of Assembly needs people with experience to stabilize the state, the peace and good governance of the state depend on a Stable Assembly. called, neither the PDP nor its counsel was in court to argue the case and no information or excuse was offered for the absence.

“We also must look at what Tinubu did in Lagos when he was governor. He has given the state a roadmap, the way he governed Lagos showed that Nigeria will not be difficult for him to handle,” the Speaker stressed.

Justice Ekwo while checking the case file discovered that PDP and its team of lawyers have been absent from court three times without any explanation.

The Judge said he deemed that PDP has opted to abandon the matter and that there was no compelling reason to allow the suit to drag any further. Justice Ekwo subsequently dismissed the suit in its entirety.

Court extends order stopping PDP from suspending Wike

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

AFederal High Court in Abuja has extended the order restraining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from suspending or expelling Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers from the party.

Justice James Omotosho gave the directive on Tuesday after the counsel to the governor, Dr Joshua Musa, SAN, and lawyer to the PDP and others, Johnson Usman, SAN, agreed on March 6 to argue their case.

Justice Omotosho had, on February 2, given a restraining order against the party and others listed in the face of Wike’s motion dated February 2.

Others joined in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/139/2023 include its National Working Committee, NWC, and National Executive Committee, NEC, National Chairman of PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu.

The governor is praying for an order directing all parties to maintain the status quo and stay all actions in the matter relating to the threat to suspend or expel him from the party.

L-R:

Maxwell Mgbudem; National Youth leader Abdulrahmeen Mohammed and the Party National Treasurer, Comrade Mike Lerama during the party’s NEC meeting / State of the Nation press briefing, held yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo