News
The 2023 Presidential Election Tribunal Verdict: Unveiling Facts
By Tambaya Julius
The season of election tribunal judgments has dawned, and as expected by rational observers of our electoral landscape, the judiciary has once again upheld its reputation as the impartial guardian of democracy.
Across the nation, what we’ve witnessed is a reaffirmation that democracy and politics are governed by established rules and interpretations.
In this realm, everyone stands as equals, bound by regulations that prohibit the propagation of false narratives, emotional outbursts, and unfounded propaganda.
The pronouncements of the justices of PEP (Presidential Election Petition) have reaffirmed this truth.
The non-acceptance of the tribunal’s rulings by the losing parties and their candidates is a secondary concern.
It’s understandable that parties and candidates who approach the tribunal with legal irrelevancies, believing the elections were rigged, may struggle to acknowledge unfavorable judgments.
It’s no surprise that both the Labour Party (LP) and the PDP flag bearers have found faults in the verdicts.
To avoid preemption of the tribunal’s judgment, I refrained from publishing this piece until now when it’s suitable for public consumption.
Reflecting on the 2023 General Election, it’s disheartening that some political parties and candidates resorted to fabricating falsehoods to maintain their support base while contesting the presidential election at the tribunal.
The grounds upon which both the PDP and LP candidates, who secured the 2nd and 3rd positions respectively, contested the presidential election outcome seem far-fetched and unfounded.
Nigeria stands on a delicate precipice, and the actions of the major opposition parties indicate a disregard for the potential consequences of their actions on the nation’s unity.
The events leading up to the election and its aftermath, including divisive campaigns and disturbances, echo the ENDSARS protests, raising suspicions of orchestrated efforts to disrupt the 2023 elections.
The opposition and their allies appear to be gearing up for a rebellion following an expected loss at the tribunal.
This orchestrated plan involves inciting public protests and possibly seeking military intervention to topple the government.
These actions contradict their previous advocacy for democracy, revealing a concerning willingness to sacrifice the nation’s stability for political gain.
In March 2023, Nigeria witnessed a remarkable presidential election, characterized by unprecedented upsets.
The ruling APC lost in its strongholds, including Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, and the home state of the former President.
Even sitting governors faced defeat by relatively unknown candidates. These upsets, however, occurred across the nation.
Yet, the opposition, particularly LP supporters, cry foul, alleging election rigging. One must question the logic of rigging in states where the ruling party lost.
APC’s losses in critical areas put to rest claims of election rigging, especially among rational thinkers.
After the polls, a surprising alliance formed among divided parties, attempting to halt the election process.
Their reasons? Allegations of APC rigging and manipulation, despite their own victories.
APC won 12 states, PDP won 12 states, and LP also won 12 states, yet claims of APC rigging persisted, exposing hypocrisy and poor sportsmanship.
The losses turned out to be a blessing for the ruling party, debunking election rigging conspiracy theories.
The opposition parties could not contest the election figures effectively.
They failed to present evidence despite having polling agents and Form EC 8 records at their disposal.
Their attempts to influence the tribunal through social media pressure threaten democracy.
The opposition alleged that the President did not attend Chicago State University, claimed drug-related convictions in the USA, and questioned the vice president’s nomination.
Despite evidence to the contrary, they persisted with false narratives.
It’s crucial to learn from the consequences of promoting false claims, as seen in Donald Trump’s 2020 election rigging allegations.
Let’s continue to watch as the appeal process unfolds.
God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on New Media and Public Communications to Nyesom Wike, the former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has responded to the recent appointment of Bashir Ojulari as the new Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.).
Olayinka took to X (formerly Twitter) to address discussions surrounding this leadership transition. His post aimed to clarify that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not dismiss Mele Kyari, a northerner, to replace him with a southerner, as some speculated. Instead, Olayinka pointed out that Ojulari, like Kyari, hails from the northern region of Nigeria.
According to Olayinka’s post on his official X account, he emphasised that Bashir Ojulari is from Kwara State, located in North Central Nigeria. Additionally, the new Board Chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, originates from Borno State in the North East.
His post stated: “Bashir Ojulari, the new NNPCL CEO, is a northerner from Kwara State, North Central Nigeria. The new Board Chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, is also a northerner, from Borno State, North East Nigeria.”
Olayinka’s statement came in response to narratives suggesting that the appointment was politically motivated to favour one region over another.
By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has strongly condemned the extrajudicial killing of 16 travelers in Uromi, Edo State, while warning against retaliatory violence targeting Southerners in Northern Nigeria.
In a press statement released on Tuesday, MBF Spokesman Luka Binniyat denounced inflammatory threats from individuals claiming to represent Northern interests in response to the killings.
Recalled that the victims, were allegedly armed hunters, traveling from Port Harcourt to Kano when they were attacked by a mob that accused them of being kidnappers.
“The MBF strongly condemns the unlawful killing of any Nigerian citizen, including those who lost their lives in Uromi,” the statement read. “However, we categorically reject any attempt to use this tragic incident as a pretext to unleash violence against Southerners residing in Northern Nigeria.”
The forum assured that the Middle Belt would not become a battleground for reprisals, emphasizing that it remains a safe haven for all law-abiding Nigerians. It urged community leaders and youths to remain vigilant and prevent any attempts to instigate violence, calling for anyone with such intentions to be handed over to authorities.
The MBF also reaffirmed its commitment to justice for all victims of violence across Nigeria. The statement highlighted the ongoing security challenges facing Middle Belt communities, citing persistent attacks by armed herdsmen with little government intervention.
” We hope that the swift response to the Uromi killings would serve as a precedent for broader action against criminal elements terrorizing the region.
“Thousands of our people remain in captivity, and vast portions of our land are still under the control of violent outlaws—primarily Fulani militants,” the statement noted.
“Justice must be served across the board.”
The MBF concluded by reiterating its support for the ongoing investigation into the Uromi incident and calling for a fair and decisive crackdown on all forms of criminality across the country.
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
The Deputy Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Kabir Ibrahim kware, has commended governor Ahmed Aliyu for executing numerous developmental projects without taking loan from any financial institution.
Ibrahim Kware whp gave the commendation when he led other members of the State Assembly on Sallah homage to governor Aliyu, added that, the governor is very prudent in managing resources to achieve results.
“There was never a time you approached us with a request for permission to borrow money from any financial institutions whether at home or abroad,”he affirmed.
This , according to him, is worthy of commendation considering the myriad people- oriented projects the governor is executing across the state.
Speaking on behalf of the State’s Judiciary, Sokoto State Chief Judge, Justice Muhammad Sa’idu Sifawa, commended the governor for the construction of additional Court rooms at the State High Court.
Justice Sifawa also expressed delight over the way and manner the governor responds to issues affecting the Judiciary, which he said, is a clear testimony of the good working relationship existing between the three arms of government in the state.
Responding to the commendations, governor Ahmed Aliyu appealed for more synergy among the three tiers of government in the overall development of the state.
A statement by Abubakar Bawa, the Press Secretary to governor Alhmed Aliyu reaffirmed his principal’s unwavering commitment of the executive arm to providing the direly needed dividends of democracy to the people of the state,in line with his campaign promises.
The governor also urged lawmakers to present all the needs of their constituencies for prompt and diligent implementation.
“”I want to assure you that my doors are always open for you at any given time, to listen to the demands of your people.”
He reminded them on the need to put politics aside and work together with the executive arm for the progress and even development of the people they represent.
Turning to the members of the State Judiciary, the governor appealed to Judges and Khadis to ensure the quick dispensation of justice, so as to decongest the correctional centres.
“It is worrisome to see how inmates are languishing in correctional centres for minor offences in the name of awaiting trial.
“We recently appointed seven additional Judges and 7 Khadis, which is the first in the history of Sokoto State.
“The idea is to enhance the manpower in our Judiciary so as to speed up the dispensation of justice,” he added.
The governor further assured the members of the Judiciary of his administration’s readiness to ensure their welfare at all times.