Politics

2023: Obi-Datti reacts to alleged violation of Electoral Act

Published

1 year ago

September 4, 2022

Advocate News Nigeria

The Obi-Datti Media Office has responded to the alleged violation of the Electoral Act levied by a support group of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu dismissing it as desolate and baseless.

The support group of Tinubu-Shettima has allegedly called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi and his running mate, Ahmed Baba Datti, from the 2023 presidential election for allegedly violating a section of Electoral Act on election funding.

Obi-Datti while laughing off the allegations said the ruling party candidate has suddenly become jittery against a so-called structureless party that is only known for its social media presence.

“All of a sudden, the structure-less and social media candidates are now the headache of the ruling party that they now had to fabricate and imagine things they want the electoral Commission to act on.

“Obi’s successful trip abroad which is ostensibly to sensitize and carry along Nigerians aboard on his upcoming agenda of rebuilding the country is open and transparent and not fundraising.

”But we know why it is discomforting for some people because they cannot meet Nigerians in diaspora knowing that they contributed to their leaving the country in the first place.

“We have always said it umpteenth times that their own understanding of structure is the abundance of looted funds in their kitty that they plan to deploy on hungry Nigerian voters during the election to sway their votes.

“They know nobody has the kind of stolen funds they have and are always uncomfortable at anything suggesting to them that their opponents could match them. Obi did not go to beg for money but to sell himself and his mission to Nigerians outside the shores who are critical stakeholders in the Nigeria project.

“Since June 2022 when they deployed a lump of their loots to get the ticket of their party, the nation’s currency crashed and still battling for breath. And since then they have been mopping up foreign currencies ahead of the election to buy voters.

According to the Media office, Obi and his Running mate are knowledgeable enough to know the law and operate within it and who became what they are financially, politically and socially doing legitimate businesses.

“They have no bullion van history of questionable wealth and are ready and willing to be scrutinized.

“Just as Obi and Datti’s backgrounds and antecedents are verifiable so also is their source of income before and now unambiguous and auditable.

“Obi and Datti, reached where they are today in this 2023 journey giving no ‘shishi’ to anybody because they are investing in the suffering Nigerians impoverished by the greedy leaders of the past who diverted public funds to their private and family pockets.

“We understand their predicament, the dearth of contents from their principal, the lack of what to market, using the ample opportunity provided by the campaigns and the resort to searching blindly for reasons to disqualify the people’s only hope for a new and better Nigeria.

“Suddenly, they are beginning to realize that the social media giant, the structure-less and inconsequential candidates, are in the heart of the people who are convinced by their pragmatic messages. In frustration and envy, they are now desperately looking for all crooked ways to stop them.

“Finally, we like to advise all those in this school of thought that the old order that kept us down as a nation will still work, to read the writing on the wall and know that their time is up and that Nigerians are ready and determined to take back their county now.”

News

SDP begs President Tinubu to halt attacks, carnage in Kogi

Published

3 hours ago

September 28, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

• Kogi SDP Governorship candidate, Alhaji Muritala Ajaka

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) on Wednesday begged President Bola Tinubu to stop the incessant attacks and carnages occasioned by the governorship electioneering in Kogi State.

The Director General, New Media, SDP Campaign Council, Mr Isaiah Ijele, made muricthe plea during a news conference in Lokoja on Wednesday.

Ijele said that innocent citizens are being maimed and killed across the state by sponsored political thugs.

He alleged that members and supporters of the SDP Governorship Candidate, Alhaji Muritala Ajaka, were constantly under attack, allegedly sponsored by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

But the APC Campaign Council’s Spokesman, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, had denied sponsoring any attack against SDP supporters in the state.

Ijele, in his recounts, said: “There were gun shots through the night of Tuesday in Anyigba and Ankpa towns where houses and property of innocent SDP supporters were vandalised and destroyed.”

“Our campaign Coordinator in Anyigba and his family were victims as they were chased away from their house and property destroyed, including his motorcycle in Tuesday night attack.

“As it’s now two persons are missing as a result of the attacks being unleashed on Ajaka’s supporters across the Kogi East.

“We are under siege, given the intimidation, harassment and attacks on us simply because of the humongous support our governorship candidate is enjoying in the state.

“As law abiding citizens, we are appealing to the President and the Inspector General of Police to come to our aid by calling Gov. Yahaya Bello to order.”

The spokesman added: “Election is not a war nor do or die affairs, but a game of numbers based on candidates’ pedigree and acceptability before the electorate.”

According to him, nobody has the monopoly of violence but that courtesy demands that people of Kogi should be allowed to peacefully choose the person they want to govern them on Nov. 11.

The director general said that Bello’s administration has failed the citizens, who he claimed has decided to vote in Muritala Ajaka to rescue the state from poverty and hunger.

“We want the quick intervention of the President to save the lives of innocent citizens before they are brutalised and destroyed by sponsored political thugs,” he pleaded.

Responding to the allegations, Fanwo, the APC spokesperson, debunked the SDP’s claims, saying: “We are a Government and our priority is to protect all the people of Kogi State, irrespective of political leanings.”

Fanwo said that all allegations without proof are as good as no allegations.

“As a Government, our concern and responsibility is to create an enabling environment for all to pursue their normal businesses.

“The SDP is a nest of funny birds that cry by the pain of their losses rather than the action of anyone.

“We won’t glorify them and we won’t be dragged into their frivolities, gasping lies and lack of direction,” he said.

On its part, the Kogi Police Command’s Public Relation Officer, SP Williams Ovye-Aya, said that he was yet to be briefed on the alleged Tuesday night attacks by the Respective Divisional Police Officers in Anyigba and Ankpa towns.

He however promised to furnish the public on the development. (NAN)

News

Nnamani loses as tribunal affirms election of LP Senator, Kelvin Chukwu

Published

16 hours ago

September 27, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

•Former Governor of Enugu state, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared Chukwu, who replaced his late brother murdered during the campaign ahead of the February 25, 2023, as the winner of the Enugu East Senatorial district election. He scored over 69,000 votes to defeat Chimaroke Nnamani who secured about 49,000 votes.

Not satisfied, Nnamani alleged that the election was marred by over-voting, irregularities, election malpractices and non-compliance with the electoral guidelines and petitioned the tribunal and urged the tribunal to declare him the rightful winner of the election or cancel the election.

Giving its ruling today (Wednesday), the tribunal which consists of 3-man panel led by Justice Nusirat I. Umar unani upheld Chukwu’s victory and awarded a cost of N500,000 against the petitioners in favour of the three respondents, Kelvin Chukwu, Labour Party and INEC.

The three man honourable Justices unanimously dismissed the petition for being vague, lacking in merit, incompetent, generic and academic exercise.

News

KOGI GUBER: Former Dep. Gov Achuba endorses Muri, urges Kogites to reject Gov. Bello’s violence, 3rd term agenda

Published

4 days ago

September 24, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

Former Kogi Dep Gov, Hon Simon Achuba

…Says Bello brought his cousin, Ododo of APC, to elongate his grip on Kogi resources

Ahead of the November 11 governorship poll, a former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Simon Achuba, has declared his support for the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Yakubu Murtala Ajaka.

Achuba, who served under Governor Yahaya Bello, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), told journalists in Abuja at the weekend that he decided to back Ajaka because of his pedigree and capacity to retrieve the state from maladministration.

He charged voters not to be intimidated by the spate of kidnapping and killings that has permeated the state since the commencement of the electioneering.

Also, he tasked the people of Kogi East in particular to desist from causing mayhem against the people because of political gains.

Alhaji Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, Kogi SDP Governorship Candidate

According to him, Governor Bello brought his cousin, Ahmed Ododo, of the APC, to elongate his grip on the resources of Kogi State without any commensurate development.

“If this is allowed to go through, his wife may become our Governor in 2027. God forbid!!!. We call on all well meaning Kogites irrespective of political ethnic and religious divide to rise up and resist the evil seed being plotted in Kogi State.

“It has been 7 years and 8 months of reckless plundering of our state resources without any tangible legacy to show for his two tenures.

“Rather, all legacy projects by his predecessors has been sold off without reinvestment. I know as a matter of fact that about fourteen billion was paid to Kogi State by the Federal Government for a road constructed by his predecessor.

“Can the successor of Bello expect such legacy fund? It is like daydreaming to think so. He had the opportunity to write his name in gold but turned it down. He will be remembered for bad governance and violence perpetrated in Kogi State.

“Kogites have mastered your tactics and are at the game wisely. The result of the election come November 11 will prove to you that you have so much to learn.

“As you continue to receive decampees, we wish you state the disappointment that follows. Take note that your antics of violence and manipulation not withstanding, this time around will fail.”

He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies to be diligent in the discharge of their functions.

“We wish to call on INEC to be free and ensure that the election is free and fair. Thank God we have BVAS, Glory to God.

“Anywhere there are votes beyond what the BVAS has accredited the agents are expected to protest.

“On the issue of security, we wish to call on the inspector general of police and the chief of army staff to keep a close eye on Kogi.

“When I was a still the deputy governor in 2019, the State House of Assembly raised the alarm over importation of military software. What concerns a civilian government with military software? Sincere then, there has been killings and kidnappings. We cannot continue like that.

“We urge Kogites to face the evil and terminate it. November 11 is by the corner. We urge the people to reject bad administration through the ballots.

“We call on INEC to check what is happening. I want to ask the youths in Kogi East why have they accepted to be agent of the devil? They should stop destroying the property of their brothers and sisters. The intention of this is to make sure that the votes in Kogi East are suppressed.

“If you endorse it, your children will suffer it . You may enjoy it for now but later you will suffer it. Instead of using the money to develop the state, he has pocketed it. This time the voices of the people will be loud and clear,” he added.