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Northwest Deserves Senate President Office, CSOs Tell APC

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The Northwest geopolitical zone deserves the senate presidency for delivering the hugest votes to the President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu during the February 25 elections, a coalition of civil society groups has said.

The coalition said the zone that produced 30 percent of votes will be left with nothing after President Muhammadu Buhari’s exit next month unless it gets the senate presidency.

This was revealed by a Coalition for Advance Democracy (COAD) on Wednesday while reacting to the statement credited to the National Vice Chairman, Northwest of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Salihu Lukman, where he said that it is unethical for senators-elect from the Northwest zone to aspire for the senate presidency.

The coalition of CSOs drawn from 36 states of the federation and the FCT said contrary to Mr Lukman’s claims, there is nothing unconstitutional or unethical in the Northwest region producing the next senate president.

Speaking after an emergency meeting held in Abuja, the convener of the coalition Malam Yousouf Zulkiflu said Mr Lukman’s intervention is “grossly unfounded and bereft of empirical evidence.”

“We found it seriously appalling for the APC Northwest National Vice Chairman to embark on such unnecessary religious and ethnic tirade at a time Nigeria is trying to move ahead. Nigerians have trooped out to vote for the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima ticket without considering their religious affiliations,” the coalition said.

The coalition said “it is unfortunate for Mr Lukman to seek to disenfranchise the Northwest for giving President-elect Bola Tinubu the highest votes in the February 25 presidential elections.”

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He said the Northwest deserves the number three slot having contributed 30.0 percent of votes in the presidential election. “What is the justification for Mr Lukman’s warped reasoning of rooting for the zoning of Senate Presidency to Southeast or Southsouth which contributed only 1.45 percent and 9.10 percent to Asiwaju Tinubu respectively?,” the CSOs said.

The CSOs said it’ll be unfortunate for the ruling APC to deny the Northwest the number three position despite its painstaking efforts of delivering astounding victory to Tinubu/Shettima ticket.

“Who is Mr Lukman working for? Why is he working against the Northwest? Is it a crime to garner highest votes for Asiwaju Tinubu? All these questions require urgent answers,” Mr Zulkiflu said.

The coalition said Mr Lukman is blinded by some cynical irredentism that he forgot that in 1978, “the NPN formed a government with a Muslim president, Christian vice president, Christian senate president and Christian House of Reps speaker. At the same time, except President Shehu Shagari, his deputy Alex Ekwueme, Senate President Joseph Wayas, Speaker Ume Ezeoke and NPN national chairman Alhaji Alani Bankole, were all southerners. The NPN had ran the country with majority Christians and majority Southerners heading most exalted positions and the heaven didn’t fall,” the coalition said.

The coalition said, “Mr Lukman’s misguided utterances that seek collective punishment of the Northwest – the zone that lays the golden eggs – is not only reprehensible, uncalled for, but capable of diminishing the huge fortunes of the party in the largest geo-political zone in the country.”

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The CSOs said the Northwest is blessed with veteran and productive politicians such as Senator Abdulaziz Yari to occupy the number three position.

The coalition urged the national leadership of the APC to disregard the primitive reasoning of Mr Lukman, by quickly zoning the senate presidency to the Northwest.

“Zoning the senate presidency to the Northwest will ensure justice, fairness, equity and fair play in the APC. With the current political algorithm in the APC, the senate presidency should be zoned to the Northwest- that is the surest way of engendering tranquility and mutuality among the political flora and fauna in the ruling party’s ecosystem,” the coalition said.

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Ighodalo Will Fail At Appeal Court—Edo Governor

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Monday Okpebholo, governor of Edo, says Asue Ighodalo, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 21 election, and the opposition party will fail in their bid to overturn his electoral victory at the appeal court.

On Wednesday, the Edo state governorship election petition tribunal affirmed Okpebholo as the elected governor of the state and dismissed Ighodalo’s petition.

Ighodalo, who rejected the tribunal’s ruling, said he respects the judiciary but noted that Edo people’s right to credible elections must not be compromised.

The PDP gubernatorial candidate also said his legal team has been instructed to challenge the judgment at the court of appeal.

However, speaking on Friday during a celebration hosted by his supporters, Okpebholo boasted that he would win at the appeal court and even at the supreme court.

The Edo governor said the opposition party is “wasting money on court cases,” adding that his “mandate cannot be hijacked”.

“The opposition party has been talking and shouting, but Edo people spoke very clear and loud with their votes on September 21, 2024,” Fred Itua, spokesperson to the governor, said in a statement.

“Edo people voted for the right person in Senator Monday Okpebholo. The people will speak again when the time is right.

“We have defeated them at the tribunal, and they said they want to appeal the ruling. If they like, let them appeal and even get to the Supreme Court. We will defeat them.

“They have stolen enough money from Edo State. So, they are wasting the money on court cases. If they like, let them spend the whole money they stole from the people.

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“They will never steal Edo people’s mandates given to me and the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the September 21st governorship election.”

In 2024, the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Okpebholo of the APC as the winner after he polled 291,667 votes to defeat Ighodalo, his closest challenger, who scored 247,274 votes.

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S’Court Verdicts: Abure Remains Chairman —LP

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The Labour Party (LP) says the judgment of the supreme court on Friday is an endorsement of Julius Abure’s leadership.

Reacting to the verdict, Obiora Ifoh, the party’s national publicity secretary, said Abure remains the LP chairman.

The apex court had nullified the judgment recognising Abure as national chairman of the party.

The court held that the issue of leadership is an internal affair of a party over which courts lack jurisdiction.

“Supreme Court strikes out Nenadi, Abure suits, says only Political Parties can determine who their leaders are,” Ifoh wrote on the party’s X page.

“It also said that the courts shouldn’t dabble into the affairs of the political parties. Abure is still the National Chairman of the Labour Party.”

The supreme court had allowed the appeal filed by Nenadi Usman, a former senator representing Kaduna south, and one other — and held that there were meritorious.

The apex court also dismissed the cross-appeal filed by the Abure-led faction of the LP, describing it as lacking in merit.

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Ighodalo vows to Appeal tribunal verdict upholding Okpebholo’s election victory

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 19 September governorship election in Edo, Mr Asue Ighodalo, has said he will challenge the tribunal’s judgment at the Court of Appeal.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Edo election tribunal, sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, reaffirmed Gov. Monday Okpebholo’s victory and dismissed the petitions from the PDP and Ighodalo.

Ighodalo, in a statement in Benin, said his decision to challenge the judgment aimed to protect Edo people’s collective rights and ensure they freely determine their future.

“Today, the Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal delivered its judgment on our petition challenging the outcome of the Sept. 21, 2024 election in our dear state.

“While we may not all agree with the verdict, we remain steadfast in our belief that the rule of law must continue as democracy’s foundational bedrock.

“Our pursuit of justice affirms our firm belief that Edo people’s right to freely choose their leaders through credible, free, and fair elections must always prevail.

“As a committed democrat, I respect the judiciary as the last hope of the common man and urge all Edo people to remain peaceful, calm, and law-abiding,” he stated.

Ighodalo said this was not the end of their journey but the beginning of a greater struggle for justice, democracy, and the sanctity of the people’s mandate.

He commended the people for their massive support, sincere love, and belief in their shared vision for a prosperous Edo, which had fuelled their journey.

“For us, this has never been about personal ambition but about our conviction to create a clear ‘Pathway to Prosperity’ for Edo while upholding democracy’s core values.

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“I have, therefore, instructed my legal team to proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge this decision, which we consider a serious miscarriage of justice.

“This is not about me or any single individual; it is about democracy’s essence, our collective right to determine our future, and our legacy for generations unborn.

“We remain resolute. We remain committed. We shall not waver in our pursuit of truth and justice,” Ighodalo said. (NAN)

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