Politics
Shinkafi Faults Tribunal Judgement Upholding Gov Lawal’s Election
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Executive director, Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development (PAPSD), Dr Sani Abduallahi Shinkafi, has faulted the judgement of the Zamfara State Election Petition Tribunal that upheld the victory of Governor Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against Dr. Bello Matawalle of the APC.
He said in a statement in Abuja that the judgement is a travesty of justice and reckless assault on the rule of law, extremely partisan and a step backward on sustainable democracy in Nigeria.
Shinkafi wondered how the panel ignored gross violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, the INEC regulations, guidelines and manual for the 2023 general election, particularly the disenfranchisement of over 100,000 voters at Birnin Magaji and Maradun local government areas despite overwhelming oral witnesses and documentary evidences exhibited at the tribunal, adding that this is a calculated effort to undermine the nation’s democracy.
According to him, it is on record that election was not held in four registration areas of Birnin Magaji local government with 80 polling units and a total of 46,000 registered voters.
He also said that election was cancelled in several polling units with over 85,062 registered voters.
“The purported margin of lead declared by the Returning Officer, Prof Kasimu Shehu was 65,750 far below the number of voters in the areas where polls did not hold or were cancelled,” he stated.
Shinkafi said that the collation of results in Maradun local government area was successfully conducted and the result of the election effectively collated by the Registration Area Collation Officers and that the collated results in Form EC8B were taken to the Local Government Collation Centre and dully collated by the Local Government Collation Officer, while that the result in Form EC8C by the Local Government Collation Officer was taken to the State Returning Officer.
He said: “Curiously he refused to accept same in flagrant violation of the electoral guidelines. As if carrying out a hatchet job, the State Returning Officer purported to undertake fresh collation claiming he would only rely on the results on the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). The votes scored by political parties in Maradun Local Government as collated by the Local Government Collation Officers were APC 95,506 votes; PDP 618 votes.
“In electoral abracadabra, the Returning Officer substituted the said result and declared PDP winner.”
He said if result as collated by the Maradum Local Government Collation Officer in Form EC8C was included in the final computation, APC would have won the election.
“The final result was 377,726 in favour of PDP and 311,976 for APC. The purported margin of lead 65,750 of PDP could not stand in view of the 95,506 votes unlawfully rejected by the State Returning Officer in collaboration with the Zamfara State Resident Electoral Commissioner. Maradun Local Government Area is an APC stronghold. To rig out APC in its stronghold is justice juxtaposed. It will not stand unbiased judicial adjudication,” he said.
Shinkafi said that the Supreme Court, Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, Court of Appeal and High Court judgments are eloquent testimonies of the rule of law, due process, electoral integrity, sanctity of the ballot box in the conduct of elections and adjudication of election disputes in Nigeria.
“In its judgment in the petition filed by Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Allied People’s Movement (APM) against Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and INEC, the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal held that ‘nothing in the Electoral Act 2022 specifically states that BVAS should be used to transmit election result’. While it noted that sections 14 & 18 of the Electoral Act provide for the use of the Bimodal Verification Accreditation System (BVAS) for the purpose of accreditation of voters, the lead Judge, Justice Tsammani, stated that the ‘IRev is not a collation system’.
“The panel said INEC opted to transmit results manually from the polling units to the ward collation centre then from ward to local government, from local government to state and finally to the federal. The court equally held that the petitioners failed to prove that the system was deliberately programmed by the INEC to manipulate or rig election,” Shinkafi stated.
The Liberal Progressive and Patriotic Members Congress (LPPMC) has commended the Supreme Court of Nigeria for its pivotal ruling that reaffirms the rule of law and the integrity of democratic processes amid the ongoing leadership crisis within the Labour Party.
The LPPMC stated, “This judgement, which nullified the illegitimate conventions orchestrated by the defunct Julius Abure-led faction, is a triumph for democracy and a strong rebuke of political impunity.”
In a statement released by its National Coordinator, Dr Kingsley Okundaye, the LPPMC expressed unwavering support for the Sen. Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Political Commission, and members of the former National Transition Committee, whose relentless efforts to restore integrity, transparency, and accountability to the Labour Party have been vindicated by the judiciary.
The LPPMC praised their “dogged” commitment to rescuing the party from the clutches of political opportunists who sought to exploit it for personal gain.
Additionally, the LPPMC welcomed the swift clarification from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on 8 May 2025, which refuted misleading media reports claiming recognition of unauthorised individuals as Labour Party leaders. INEC’s statement, signed by Chief Press Secretary Rotimi Oyekanmi, reaffirmed that the Commission had not made any decisions regarding the Labour Party and emphasised its commitment to reviewing the Supreme Court judgement before taking lawful action.
Okundaye urged INEC to maintain its bold and impartial stance, stressing that democracy flourishes when institutions courageously reject undue influence and uphold constitutional mandates.
The LPPMC encouraged INEC to expedite its review process and formally recognise the Sen. Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee as the legitimate interim leadership of the Labour Party, in accordance with the Supreme Court’s ruling.
The LPPMC condemned the desperate attempts of the defunct Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC), whose tenure expired on 8 June 2024, noting that their recent efforts to suspend duly elected officials such as Governor Alex Otti and Senators Ireti Kingibe and Darlington Nwokocha are a ridiculous charade, and “a dead lion’s growl” lacking any legitimacy.
Joining millions of Nigerians, the LPPMC rejected any agenda to impose a one-party state or undermine the coalition of progressive forces ahead of the 2027 elections. It called on all patriotic Nigerians, civil society organisations, and the international community to support the Sen. Nenadi Usman-led Committee in auditing the Labour Party’s finances and revealing the years of corruption under the Abure faction.
Okundaye emphasised the need to pressure INEC to act decisively in recognising lawful leadership and removing impostors from its records, resisting anti-democratic coalitions that prioritise personal interests over national liberation.
“Democracy is not a spectator sport. It demands vigilance, courage, and collective action. Let us build on this momentum to rescue Nigeria’s democracy from predatory elites.”
The Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, has levelled serious accusations against the party’s former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, claiming he has attempted to utilise the party’s platform to incite insurrection in Nigeria.
In a recent appearance on News Central, Arabambi dismissed Obi’s assertions that he won the last presidential election, further igniting the ongoing internal disputes within the party.
This statement follows a significant decision made by the faction of the party led by Peter Obi, who recently announced the indefinite suspension of several notable members, including Abia State Governor Alex Otti, Senator Ireti Kingibe (FCT), and Senator Darlighton Nwokocha (Abia Central), citing alleged anti-party activities.
The announcement came after an emergency meeting of the faction’s National Executive Committee (NEC) held in Abuja, where members reviewed the findings of a five-member Disciplinary Committee established the week prior.
Chaired by Deputy National Chairman Dr. Ayo Olorunfemi, the committee included National Secretary Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim and three other senior party officials, tasked with investigating the misconduct allegations against those suspended.
Following what they termed “exhaustive deliberation” and in accordance with the Labour Party Constitution, the NEC ratified the committee’s recommendations.
Other members suspended with immediate effect include Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, Hon. Amobi Ogah, and Hon. Seyi Sowunmi.
Arabambi expressed disbelief at the audacity of Otti and Obi, stating, “How can Alex Otti and Obi claim to be chairman and secretary? They even have the nerve to write to INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) as chairman and secretary to convene a NEC meeting.”
He referenced specific sections of the party’s constitution, asserting, “Section 82(1) stipulates that such letters must be signed by the national chairman of the party, and Section 12 clearly states that any association wishing to register as a political party must have its own constitution. Furthermore, Section 3, number 222 of the Constitution forbids caretakers from managing the affairs of a political party.”
Arabambi went on to criticise the party’s leadership, saying, “They brought in Dr. Doyin Okupe; now they have turned to Nenadi Usman.” He alleged that Usman has an unresolved matter with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) dating back to 2015, adding, “Obi is synonymous with associating with corrupt individuals.”
He continued, “They claim to be nationalists, but they are nothing but intruders — people intent on setting Nigeria ablaze. Peter Obi and others do not love Nigeria; they require the platform to unleash chaos for political insurrection.”
Arabambi concluded, “They assert they were robbed in the 2023 election, but I am here to tell Nigerians through your station that were not rigged. The individuals Peter Obi relied upon were responsible for our electoral misfortunes.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday warned against the creation of a one-party state, saying any nation that must practice it must do so carefully and with a well-planned process and projected outcome.
He stated this in Abuja while paying tribute to the late elder statesman, Edwin Clark, at a memorial lecture and day of tribute.
Jonathan warned that any attempt to bring about a one-party state through political machinations to soothe only personal aspirations will be detrimental to the country.
The former president also called on the family of the late former federal commissioner to, among other things, set up a yearly memorial lecture in his honour to continue to push his ideas and what he stood for, which is a united, equitable, and prosperous Nigeria.
On his part, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, lamented that the labour of our heroes past was already in vain.
The former Anambra State governor highlighted the endemic poverty in rural areas, the state of insecurity, and the rising cost of living.
He maintained that the labour of people like Pa Edwin Clark had not paid off, as the sacrifices people like Pa Clark made were in vain today.
The chairman on the occasion and former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, said that the task of ensuring that Nigeria remains united and indivisible must be ensured by all, as the nation could only make progress if national interest was put before any personal interest.