Politics

Enugu 2023: APC guber candidate, Uche Nnaji unveils George Ogara as running mate

Published

1 year ago

August 14, 2022

Advocate News Nigeria

• Barrister George Ogara, Chief Uche Nnaji and Chief Ugochukwu Agballah

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Enugu State, Chief Uche Nnaji, on Sunday, unveiled his running mate, in the person of Barr. George Ogara.

Presenting him to the media at the South-East secretariat of the APC, Nnaji said it took him time to find a running mate because he was looking for quality.

He disclosed that the task to find a Deputy was very tormenting, adding that “it wasn’t an easy one because I knew the kind of person I was looking for. I know my quality, so I needed to get someone in the same category.

“People say everywhere that I’m the best among all the guber candidates in Enugu State. For that reason, I must get the best deputy guber candidate.

“I have been able to get a professional in politics as my running mate, Barr. George Ogara.”

Nnaji further disclosed that the ward tour he undertook was an eye-opener on the situation of the party, as well as condition of infrastructure in the State.

“We have been on ward tour to thank our people and it was not easy, very revealing. We discovered people that are Abuja politicians and those that are grassroots politicians.

“The new APC is work in progress. We will keep getting the other ones that are reconcilable, the other ones we will reconcile when we get into Government House,” he said.

Earlier, the State Chairman of the party, Barr. Ugo Agballa declared the determination of the party to produce the next governor of Enugu State, saying the APC was resolute in its move to provide alternative come 2023.

According to him, “we have a party that is capable. We won’t allow some people to impose their crony.

“Everybody who loves Enugu State must converge in APC to stop the plan by the cabal. The ruling hegemony must be stopped. The political class in the PDP are opportunists.

“They talk about our tomorrow when they have destroyed our today. Let Enugu people converge here- politicians, religious leaders, professionals, artisans, the children, whose future have been destroyed. Uche Nnaji is equiped to lead the war against this rampaging cabal.

“They dominate Enugu politically and economically. I call on the people of Enugu State to rise against this opportunistic cabal, people who have reduced us to beggars.

“It is not a battle for Uche Nnaji alone, it is for the entire people of Enugu State.”

In his remarks, Ogara pledged total loyalty to Nnaji and the party.

“I’m overwhelmed by the support. I’m overwhelmed by the joy over my appointment as the running mate.

“I want to say that I will work for this party so that all our interests as politicians are protected.

“I want to assure everyone of my loyalty to our candidate and the party for the next eight years.

“I can perform and I will do this work without complaining and I will render account to you,” he pledged.

It will be recalled that Ogara, who hails from Igbo-Eze South local government area in Enugu North Senatorial zone of the state, was a factional governorship candidate of the APC in 2019 until the eve of the election when an Appeal Court judgement set aside his nomination in favour of Senator Ayogu Eze.

News

Tribunal verdict, victory for democracy and Enugu, says Gov Mbah

Published

13 mins ago

September 21, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah

…extends hands of fellowship to opposition
…restates commitment to campaign promises

Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has lauded the decision of the Enugu State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which dismissed the petitions of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and the Labour Party (LP) candidates challenging his victory in the March 18, 2023 governorship election, describing the decision as victory for democracy and the people of Enugu State.

Dr. Mbah, who also extended hands of fellowship to the opposition candidates and their political parties, said the task to build Enugu remained a collective one, adding that he was committed to working with all, irrespective of political persuasions.

The tribunal chaired by Justice Kudirat Akano, had earlier in the day dismissed the petitions of the governorship candidate of the PRP, Chris Agu, and the candidate of the LP, Chijioke Edeoga.

Addressing the state, at the Government House, Enugu, Mbah said: “This is another memorable day in the anal of our dear state, as the Enugu State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal affirmed the mandate, which you freely gave to us on 18th of March this year.

“This is victory for Ndi Enugu. It is also victory for democracy.

“It is a victory for massive development for Ndi Enugu. It is a victory for exponential growth for Ndi Enugu. It is a victory for Enugu’s greatness. It is a victory for the ban on Monday sit-at-home. It is also victory for our determination to restore water in all your homes in the next 68 days”.

While thanking God for making the victory possible, Dr. Mbah also commended the tribunal for painstakingly dissecting the petitions and “for coming out with fair and just decision that resonates with Ndi Enugu”.

According to him, “the verdict has further strengthened our confidence in the judiciary as the temple of justice and the last hope of the common man”.

Extending hands of fellowship to his opponents, Mbah said: “There is time for everything under the sun. There is time to strive and time to unite. We all put ourselves forward to serve Ndi Enugu. The people have spoken and the tribunal has also affirmed. If service was the motivation, then it is time to rise above partisanship and come together because there is so much work to be done.

“Our arms are wide open and I beckon on my brothers, who ran this race with us, to join us in the onerous task of building a new Enugu State of our dreams.

“In the same vein, I enjoin all our supporters to be magnanimous in victory. Politics is over. Governance began on 29th May when we were inaugurated. It is time to unite”.

Governor Mbah, who reiterated his resolve to deliver on his campaign promises, further stressed that the tribunal’s decision was an elixir to do more, and urged the people to hold him to account on those promises.

“Once more, I immensely thank the good people of Enugu State, who not only believed in us, but also vested their mandate in us. Above all also above, they have stood by us every step of the way.

“I want to assure them that I will work for them with every fibre of my being. I stand by every campaign promise I made as espoused in our Statement of Purpose. I also stand by the Citizens Charter that I executed on my first day in office. The Enugu people should hold me to account. I will not let them down”, he concluded.

News

BREAKING: Tribunal dismisses Edeoga, LP’s petition, affirms Mbah’s election as Enugu Governor

Published

52 mins ago

September 21, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah

…Edeoga’s petition lacks merit

The Enugu State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu has upheld the election of Dr. Peter Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the March 18 election in the state.

Chijioke Edeoga of the Labour Party (LP) had approached the tribunal to challenge the declaration on the grounds that Mbah wasn’t qualified to stand for the election.

He alleged that he forged his National Youth Service Corps, NYSC certificate and cases of over-voting in Udenu, Nkanu East and Enugu East local government areas.

The Tribunal chaired by Justice Kudirat Murayo Akano dismissed all grounds of petition saying his petition lacked merit.

The panel held that NYSC isn’t a requirement for contesting for the office of the Governor and there’s no where that the NYSC Certificate was attached to the documents Mbah submitted to INEC by the respondent.

On the issue of forging NYSC Certificate, the panel discountenanced all the evidences by the DSS, NYSC official and others because they weren’t in compliance with paragraph 4, sub-section 5D of the evidence act.

Only the witness of the pw26 which was described as a hearsay by the panel and those not help the petitioners and therefore resolved the issue of Certificate Forgery in favour of Mbah.

On the issue of wrong computation of results of the Labour Party in Udenu local government, the panel said they petitioners failed to prove his case and the witnesses they called gave the same report from different polling units and wards and wondered why their testimonies are the same even from different locations.

The panel also said that the witnesses presented by the Labour Party weren’t duly accredited agents by INEC and makes their testimony invalid.

The panel based on the witnesses from the right agents in 3 polling units, deducted 51 votes from PDP and added same to Labour Party.

The tribunal held that the deduction isn’t enough to Overturn the election of Mbah.

In Amagu polling unit in Nkanu East the panel cancelled the votes for all parties because the witness pw10 proved he was there and the right person.

In the remaining 11 polling units, the tribunal held that the witnesses didn’t sign the result sheet and their witnesses is discountenanced because they can’t prove they were party agents

After resolving all the matter, the tribunal dismissed the petition for lacking in merit.

Politics

Tribunal sacks Kano Gov, Yusuf, declares APC’s Gawuna winner

Published

1 day ago

September 20, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

The Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has sacked Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, declaring the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the March 18 election.

Yusuf, who contested on the platform of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), was declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

While Nasir Gawuna, his APC rival congratulated him, the party proceeded to court.

On Wednesday, the three-man panel ordered withdrawal of certificate of return which INEC presented to Governor Yusuf and directed a certificate of return to be issued to Gawuna.

The court deducted 165,663 votes from Gov Yusuf total as invalid votes, stating that the ballot papers (165,663) were not stamped or signed and therefore declared invalid.

Details later…