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Lagos LG polls: Over 500 aspirants jostle for APC tickets

From Abdullateef Aliyu, Lagos

Ahead of the local government election in Lagos State, 570 aspirants have indicated interest to contest for the chairmanship election on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), findings by Daily Trust have revealed.

Though no date has been fixed for the election, last week’s appointment and confirmation of members of the State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) have further increased political activities in the state.

Our correspondent reports that aspirants, especially those seeking to get the APC ticket, have started campaigns with their posters adorning their respective localities and areas.

It was learnt that at least 10 aspirants have indicated interest in each of the 20 local government areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

In some local governments, the list of aspirants under the APC is between 15 and 20.

An aspirant from one of the LCDAs, said, “presently, we are so anxious about the election. It is just unfortunate that no date has been fixed and the guidelines have not been issued by the political parties.”

It was gathered that the 57 executive secretaries, who have been running the affairs of the councils, are also lobbying to remain onboard.

Both the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have expressed readiness for the election, though the latter had last week raised eye brow over the composition of the LASIEC, which it alleged was populated by APC sympathisers.

Speaking with our correspondent yesterday, the spokesman of the APC in Lagos, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, defended Governor Ambode’s LASIEC composition, saying the governor did not breach due process in the appointments.

The conduct of the election would be determined by the pending appeal filed by the state government, challenging the order of a state high court for the immediate conduct of the election.

Groups call for re-introduction of gender bill

By Abbas Jimoh

As reactions continue to trail the non-passage of the Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill by the Senate, the National Coalition for Affirmative Action (NCAA), Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) and OXFAM Nigeria have called for the immediate re-introduction and passage of the bill.

A joint statement by the three organisations titled “Urgent call for the passage of the Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill” ?said the non-passage of the bill for the third time by the Senate was regrettable.

The statement, signed by Oby Nwankwo of NCAA, Hajiya Saudatu Madhi of WRAPA and Constant Tchona of Oxfam Nigeria, ?said failure to pass the bill had denied women and girls the power they require to live their lives free from poverty and their ability to work side by side with men and to challenge inequalities and retrogressive social norms.

INEC shouldn’t have done rerun in Rivers – Nwuche

By Musa Abdullahi Kirishi

A former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche, has described last Saturday’s rerun elections in Rivers State as total sham and lawlessness which should not be allowed to stand.

Nwuche told some journalists in Abuja yesterday that based on the security threats and the killings of many people prior to the rerun polls, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should not have gone ahead with the polls.

He said going by the way and manner people were freely killed before, during and after the polls, there appeared to be “tacit support of the powers that be.

“If I call the elections in Rivers a sham, I think I’ll be dignifying the whole exercise. What happened was a violent lawlessness, whose perpetrators shouldn’t be allowed to go unpunished.

“The idea of holding the elections in the first place was misplaced. Before the elections, people in many communities paid protection fee to some criminals. Some thugs went to the extent of announcing that anybody that voted APC would be beheaded and they went ahead to do that in many communities after the elections. With this kind of situation on ground, I didn’t expect INEC to conduct the elections at the time they did,” he said.

Senator advises Christians to use Easter for reflection

By Zulei Mohammed

Senator Jeremiah Timbut Useni (PDP, Plateau South) has advised Christians to use the Easter period for sober reflection on the teaching of Jesus Christ.

Sen. Useni said Christians should, in consideration of the current situation in the country, commit the festive period for fervent prayers for Nigeria’s prosperity in the area of security, peaceful coexistence, social and economic development.

A statement signed by his spokesman, Atiku Yusuf, said the senator called on all Christians to live a life of love and assistance to one another, as exemplified by Jesus Christ, who lived all his life serving God and humanity.

Kogi: Wada to present 8,000 election documents to tribunal

By John Chuks Azu

Former governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada, said he will tender 8,000 election documents before the Kogi State Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja.

Wada’s counsel, Chris Uche (SAN), who disclosed this Tuesday at the tribunal, also sought to tender the covering paper of the schedule of the election documents presented before the tribunal as exhibit.

But defence counsels, Joseph Daudu, Magaji Mahmud, Akin Olujimi, and Alex Izinyon, all of them Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), opposed the manner of the schedule. They argued that the exhibits have been counted and signed by counsels and registrar of the tribunal after working till 7pm on Monday.

But Uche maintained that exhibits 39 to 44, containing electoral forms and voters’ registers, have not been tallied to enable them be tendered easily before the tribunal.

After listening to the submissions, chairman of the tribunal, Justice Halima Muhammed, granted additional time to conclude the counting of the documents and scheduling.

Wada, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the November 21 election, is asking the tribunal to invalidate Yahaya Bello’s candidacy as a ‘stranger’ to the December 5 rerun election on the grounds that he did not satisfy the requirements of the law.

Wada is further contending that having scored the highest lawful votes of 25 per cent cast in at least two-third of the area councils in the state, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should return him as governor.

Meanwhile, the tribunal chairman has adjourned Wada’s petition to April 13 for conclusion of the documents’ tally.

Abia North rerun: Youths advise Kalu against litigation

From Linus Effiong, Umuahia

Chairmen and secretaries of various youth organisations in Abia North, under the auspices of Abia North Youth Leaders Forum, have written a letter to the former governor of the state, Orji Uzor Kalu and other contestants in the last senatorial rerun election in the state to “sheath their swords and not go to court”.

Chairman of the organisation, Comrade Jasper Kelechi, who spoke to journalists in Umuahia, said Senator Mao Ohunabunwa would be voted out in 2019 if his performance was below expectation.

Kelechi said: “History was made in the state when court ordered a rerun in the senatorial district, and in every election, there must be a winner. Over the years, Abia North lacked effective representation in the Senate. However, now that someone has been elected, we call on all contestants to kindly sheath their swords and make the interest of the senatorial district paramount.”

Why Gombe yet to appoint commissioners- PDP

From Ahmed Mohammed, Gombe

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State has said that court litigations filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and others, challenging the victory of Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo were the reasons for the delay in the appointment of commissioners.

State secretary of the PDP, Alhaji Buba Shanu, stated this while answering question from reporters in Gombe.

He said constitutionally, a democratic government is supposed to have political appointees to head ministries and parastatals, but legal tussles delayed the process in Gombe.

He, however, said both the legislature and the judiciary are intact, adding that the procedure of running a government, which lies essentially with the civil service, is also intact.

He said now that the cases were over, processes of appointing commissioners have commenced.