Tag Archives: Wada

Kogi Election Tribunal: Thugs Stone Wada

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It was a near-tragic outing for former Governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada, on Tuesday as thugs hauled stones at his vehicle at the State governorship election tribunal sitting at the Jabi district of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The incident occurred about 1:35 pm at the premises of an Abuja High Court where the tribunal was located.

Wada was at the tribunal where he is challenging the return of Alhaji Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the November 21, and December 5, state governorship election.

The thugs who besieged his vehicle outside the tribunal chanting solidarity songs in favour of APC, later went wild and started hauling stones at his vehicle.

His driver sensing danger quickly sped off at a neck- breaking speed even as security operatives were left helpless.

Reacting to the development, the governor described the attack on him as barbaric, acts of beastality and in responsibility to recourse to acts of thuggery.

His Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Jacob Edi who spoke on the matter condemned the development in its totality.

“To think that this took place in the premises of a court of law is highly condemnable whoever their paymasters are. For us, no condition will make us recourse to thuggery.

“Thuggery in obsolete and no longer lucrative. One of the cardinal achievements of Capt. Wada is that he put an end to thuggery because he believed that energies of the youth should be put into productive use and not destructive acts.”

Meanwhile, the tribunal has adjourned hearing of the petition between the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Yahaya Bello to April 11 and 12, 2016.
The petition by Labour Party (LP) against Yahaya Bello was adjourned to April 6 and 7, 2016.

In the petition by Wada, proceedings were stalled following the inability of counsel to parties to resolve the issues arising from the schedule of documents to be tendered by the petitioner.

Accordingly, the tribunal adjourned till April 13.

Wada’s petition, which is been handled by Chief Chris Uche, (SAN) leading two other Senior Advocates of Nigeria among other lawyers, had the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Alhaji Bello and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as respondents.

Credit: Thisday

Outgoing Wada Awards Flyover Contract

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Against the backdrop of the lingering indefinite strike embarked by the state civil servants, the governor, Idris Wada, has assured them that he will leave no stone unturned to pay the salaries owed them before the expiration of his administration.

The governor gave the assurance on Thursday in Lokoja during the flag-off of the graded separation interchange (fly-over) at the popular Ganaja junction in Lokoja metropolis.

The governor disclosed that the state has been obtaining bank facilities to augment the shortfall from the federation account to pay salaries since June last year, saying that the banks have stopped the facilities which militated against the regular payment of workers’ salaries.

“The truth is this, there was short fall in the revenue from the federation accounts. We have been obtaining overdraft to pay salaries since june last year.

“That was why we applied for bail out but I wonder why it has been subjected to politics, just to inflict financial pains on the civil servants. I assure them that  I will do everything within my power to pay the salaries before I leave office,” he promised .

The governor however noted that the construction of the fly-over bridge will no doubt give room for free flow of traffic and also improve the socio- economic activities of the people.

Credit: ThisDay

Wada Constitutes Transition Committee For Handing Over

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Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada, has constituted a Transition and Steering Committees to ensure a smooth transition of government from the present Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the incoming All Progressives Congress (APC).

The committees, which are expected to liaise with their  counterparts from the APC, is expected to draw out programs for the incoming government.

The Governor said that the committees became necessary in order not to fail in their duties and responsibility as a government.

He, however,  read out their terms of reference which he said would guild them to work better.

The Deputy Governor, Yomi Awoniyi, while giving the vote of thanks, assured the Governor that  the committees would ensure that all the ministries and parastatals  give their assignment the appropriate attention.

Governor Wada inaugurated the committees in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State on Saturday.

The outgoing administration will hand over power to the incoming one in the Confluence State on January 27, 2016.

Credit: ChannelsTV

Kogi: Wada Sets Up Transition C’ttee To Challenge Election Results

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Kogi State governor Idris Wada has set up a Transition Committee to drive the process of handing over to a new government in the state.

According to the governor, the committee which is headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Olugbemiro Jegede, is expected to manage the process leading to the handover of power to a new administration by January 27, 2016.

The transition committee, the governor noted, is to work with a similar committee by the All Progressives Congress, APC to ensure a smooth transition of power and to avoid any vacuum in government.

The governor also set up a Steering Committee to be headed by the deputy governor, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi.

The two committees which are expected to put the performance of the administration in clear perspectives before the handover date are to be inaugurated today.

Meanwhile, Governor Wada has said that he will challenge the result of the November 21 governorship election in the state in court.

The governor made this known while addressing stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP at a meeting in Lokoja.

Wada said the decision to challenge the result of the election in which the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared Alhaji Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the election is to seek proper interpretation of the law and relevant sections of the constitution and the Electoral Act in connection with the election.

Credit:Leadership

Massive Crowd Welcome Kogi State Governor-Elect, Yahaya Bello, As He Arrives Okene Town

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Kogi state governor-elect, Yahaya Adoza Bello arrived Okene to see the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, causing traffic lock-down as thousands of residents trooped out to the streets to welcome and celebrate their new governor. What was meant to be a quiet visit to the palace of Ohinoyi the Ebira nation, was hijacked by the people to welcome back home the man they described as a ‘saviour’

Court Dismisses Wada’s, Faleke’s Suits

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A Federal High Court has dismissed five suits arising from the death of the All Progressives Congress’ governorship candidate in the November 21 election in Kogi State, Abubakar Audu, clearing the way for the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct the supplementary poll scheduled for Saturday.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole in two separate judgments on Friday , held that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the five suits as the dispute had crossed the “threshold” of matters for the court since results in most of the polling units had been declared.
The judge ruled that the suits qualified as a post-election dispute that could only be entertained by the election petition tribunal which would be set up by the President of the Court of Appeal in line with section285(2) of the Constitution.
He ruled that he had not decided the cases on their merit, so “the issues can be re-argued at the election petition tribunal”.
The judge delivered the first judgment on four consolidated suits, including the one filed by the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, the incumbent Governor, Idris Wada.
In his suit, Wada sought to be declared as winner of the November 21 poll being the surviving candidate with the highest votes.
But the rest of the suits consolidated with it sought an order compelling INEC to conduct an entirely fresh poll.
By his own suit, Faleke asked the court to declare him the governor-elect on the basis that the joint ticket which he shared with Audu had already won the election and in view of Audu’s death he (Faleke) as deputy governor-elect?, should be declared the governor-elect.
The candidate whom the APC presented to INEC as substitution for Audu, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, was during the hearing on Thursday joined as a party to all the suits.
He opposed all the suits, arguing that there was no basis to grant the prayers sought by Wada, Faleke and the plaintiffs in the rest of the three suits.

Audu’s Votes Died With Him, Wada Tells INEC

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Governor Idris Wada of Kogi state has categorically told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the votes garnered by late Prince Abubakar Audu of the All Progressives Congress have died with him.

 

Wada, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party said in a statement issued in Lokoja on Sunday by his Wada’s Chief Communications Manager, Mr. Phrank Shaibu, said having had more time to study the INEC’s decision, he was left with no choice but to conclude that INEC embarked on a hatchet job.

 

Wada said in view of the death of the All Progressives Congress’ candidate, Abubakar Audu, he should be declared the winner of the botched election being the only surviving candidate with the majority of lawful votes cast in the election held on November 21.

 

“Whatever votes Audu scored in the election died with him,” he said, noting that INEC simply overreached itself, and wondered why a body established to be the custodian of the rule of law would ignore the fundamentals of the rule of law in arriving at the decision not to issue him a certificate of return.

 

“To us as a party (PDP), the most egregious of the faux pas committed by INEC is asking the APC to lawfully nominate a candidate for the supplementary governorship election without a valid and legally cognizable primary election of the party conducted within the mandatory timeliness specified by the Electoral Act.

 

“It is our considered opinion that, INEC, more than any other body, ought to know that havingregards to the provisions of Section 141 of the Electoral Act, 2010, votes scored by a candidate who died during an election cannot be inherited by or transferred to a person who was not a candidate at the said election and who did not participate in all stages of such election, for the purpose of concluding such election,” he said.

 

 

Credit : PM News

Declare Wada As Winner Of Kogi Election, PDP Tells INEC

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The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare its candidate, Governor Idris Wada, as the winner of the November 21 governorship election in Kogi State.

The party is also seeking the exclusion of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the supplementary election slated for December 5. The INEC had declared the election inconclusive following the cancellation of the poll in 91 units across 18 local government areas in the state.

The party’s position was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of its national caucus meeting held in Abuja Wednesday night.

The communiqué, signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, insisted that with the death of the APC’s candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu , during the election, the APC has legally “crashed out” of the race.

Credit: Nation

Anthony Ademiluyi: The Tragic End Of Prince Audu Abubakar

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The nation was jolted on November 22nd, 2015 with the death of former two time governor of Kogi State and APC candidate for the 2015 gubernatorial elections, Prince Abubakar Audu. In a string of coincidence, that day marked the 52nd anniversary of the death of the charismatic former United States President, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The only difference between the two deaths was that one was violent and the other was by natural causes.

Three possible reasons were adduced for his death which was rather untimely as he was on the verge of becoming a three time governor of the confluence state, a feat only achieved by Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim of Yobe state.

The first reason was that he was a victim of food poisoning as he was said to have vomited blood before dying.

The second was that he was hypertensive and vomited blood before he went to cast his vote in his hometown of Ogbonicha with the doctors having to give him a blood transfusion to give him the energy for the arduous trip. He returned home and started vomiting blood all over again.

The third was that his health had been failing for quite some time and may have died from complications from some serious medical condition which was not disclosed. His death was not sudden as he had been ill for quite some time.

Chinua Achebe in his treatise, “The Problem with Nigeria” put the failure of the Nigerian State squarely on that of leadership. He was meant to have been rushed to Abuja and then flown abroad for proper medical treatment before the inevitability of death played a fast one on them. Why can’t our leaders or rulers invest massively in our healthcare system? If Kogi state had a good healthcare system, there won’t have been any need to first take him to Abuja and then use that as a transit route to fly him abroad. Why wouldn’t death come when so much man hours had been wasted? What goes around seems to be coming around for our parasitic political class who have been worse than irresponsible with our enormous human and financial resources. Nemesis seems to be on the ruthless prowl. It has now become the norm for our rulers to meet their maker abroad. Billions of dollars is been transferred to the west and even India in form of health tourism because we have failed to get our axe together in the healthcare sector. It is a monumental shame that thousands of our doctors are servicing Western and Asian hospitals while ours have been left to deteriorate into something worse than mere consulting clinics apologies to the late General Sani Abacha. Former Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alameiyeseigha also died in similar circumstances when there was no functional clinic in his hometown of Amassoma. By the time, he got to Port Harcourt; he had given up the ghost. There is no consideration for the hapless common man who can’t afford the medical bills of the West or even India. The largely inept National Health Insurance Scheme does not even cover the treatment of the cancer ailment which has been ravishing Nigerians in recent times. The irony is that it is the looted funds that is been used by the inhumane political elite to fund their medical expenses abroad.

Some of late Audu’s critics opined that at 68 and having being in Lord Lugard House twice, he had no business contesting again for the coveted office. I see nothing wrong in his taking a shot at the highly exalted office. It was his constitutional right to do so and age is not a barrier to seeking to lead the people. Madiba Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s President at 76, Ronald Reagan became the oldest American President at 69, Winston Churchill was back to Downing Street for the second time at 76, Golda Meir became the first female Prime Minister of the State of Israel at 71. There was nothing wrong with his aspiration but he owed a duty to the people of Kogi State whom he wanted to serve to disclose his health challenges. As a servant-leader, they deserved to know. It would then be left to them to decide if they could take a gamble with him. There should be a constitutional provision compelling intending public office holders to make a full disclosure of their medical history to avoid this ugly reoccurrence.

His death has plunged the state into controversy. Technically, he won the elections as he had higher votes than that of the incumbent, Captain Idris Wada. However, it was declared inconclusive because the voided votes were more than that of the difference between his and that of Wada’s. This is the first time a death of this nature is happening in the country and the constitution is silent on its implication. It has propped up legal fireworks and the controversy is something that would linger for a long time to come. The National Assembly has a huge job to do to ensure this lacuna is well covered.

Whoever becomes the next governor of the state should devote a huge chunk of the resources to revamping the healthcare sector. There is no big deal in having a well-equipped hospital devoted to heart ailments for instance to avoid needless deaths. A lesson from Audu’s death which should have as a lesson to all future governors is to ensure that the masses have a better deal especially with regard to the health care sector as health is wealth. The death of two former governors because of the health sector neglect has shown that a boomerang can be the price of non challance. Two deaths from the lack of vision should be enough lessons for the present occupants of the various government houses and a lesson in the ephemeral nature of power. At the end of the day, the filthy lucre wouldn’t save the beneficiary from the harsh verdict of posterity. The fast cars, posh houses, voluptuous women, choice food and wines would fade into cruel oblivion. What would matter would be the worthy and positive legacies left behind? Health is wealth goes the age-long aphorism. It won’t be a bad idea for our leaders to etch their names in the sands of time by ensuring their led get a better deal in healthcare services and avoid the shame of having to turn into mendicants to foot their bills.

May the soul of Prince Abubakar Audu rest in perfect peace!

Tony Ademiluyi

Views expressed are solely that of author and does not represent views of www.omojuwa.com nor its associates

PDP Expresses Shock Over Prince Abubakar Audu’s Death

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Read the press statement from the PDP below…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is shocked by the news of the sudden death of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in last Saturday’s Kogi state governorship election, Prince Abubakar Audu. At this critical moment, the PDP refrains from comments on the conduct of the election. That is not important now. What is important at this point is the sanctity of human life.

Our deepest thoughts and prayers go to the family of Prince Abubakar Audu and indeed, the APC fold. On this note, the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince
Uche Secondus, charges all PDP members in Kogi and across the nation to keep Prince Audu, his family and loved ones in their prayers, as we mourn with them and the people of Kogi state over this monumental loss.

Signed: Chief Olisa Metuh
National Publicity Secretary

Lawyers To INEC: Death Of APC Candidate Does Not Invalidate Election

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Lawyers yesterday told the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) that the death of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) does not invalide the on-going election in the state.

They urged INEC to allow the deputy governorship candidate of the APC, Abiodun Faleke, to conclude the on-going election.

The former Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, Monday Ubani; a member of the Ogun State Judiciary Service Commission, Abayomi Omoyinmi and a lecturerý of Law at University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Wahab Shittu said the process should be concluded.

Ubani said: “Since the Electoral Act didn’t specifically provide for things like this happening in the course of an election, we would have to make recourse to the judicial pronouncement in the case of Rotimi Amaechi where the Supreme Court said in an election, it is the political party that is the beneficiary of election and not the candidate. That is why Amaechi that didn’t contest elections was sworn in.

“In this situation, the deputy governorship candidate would have to step in to conclude the process. If he wins the election, the APC would then decide on another deputy for him”.

According to Ubani, the time to choose a candidate through primary election had lapsed for all the political parties and it is not possible for any of the parties to go for primaries anymore.

Omoyinmi said: “In the eyes of the law, the deputy should ordinarily conclude the re-run election for the office of the governor and it is now left for him to pick a new running mate”.

Omoyinmi said the kind of situation in Kogi was not envisaged.

Shittu said the matter could be viewed from different perspectives.

Shittu said since the election was declared inconclusive, the running mate should be allowed to step in and conclude the process of the supplementary election.

This, he said, has become necessary because the electoral law did not envisage such an incident–Audu’s death.

On the other perspective, he said since it is the ýparty that fields the candidate, and that since the election has turned this way, the party would have to replace the governorship candidate.

“Which means that election might be conducted afresh. The death of a candidate during the process of an election automatically voids the election. It is not a question of an election being inconclusive. The entire electoral process is now altered with the death of the governorship candidate,” he said.

Constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Malam Yusuf Ali said the situation in Kogi is “very complex, because the election has been declared inconclusive”.

He said: “If he had won the election outright, it would have been a different matter, but with the way things are, it is very delicate.”

Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN) said: “There can be fresh election. INEC can only conduct supplementary election in the 91 polling units. The death of Audu cannot nullify the election. It was APC that contested the governorship election not Audu as an individual.”

Akintola explained that it is left to the APC to pick another candidate from among those that contested the governorship primary with Audu or ask the deputy governorship candidate, James Faleke to take over.

“The decision lies with the APC,” he added.

The presidential candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP) in the last general elections, Chief Chekwas Okorie, said it was a very shocking development that threw everybody off-balance.

He said: “ From every indication, it is a political party that wins an election; the result so far released suggests that the people of Kogi State are favourably disposed to an APC government to be in-charge of affairs in the next four years. What it therefore means is that the APC still has a chance, even his death, to govern the state, based on the result already declared.

“So, they should follow up the supplementary election with the same atmosphere of peace that we witnessed in last Saturday’s election. If their choice is the APC, then let the APC rule them in the next four years.”

Wada Visits Buhari, Seeks Level Playing Field

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Kogi State governor and flag bearer of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the November governorship election of the state, Mr. Idris Wada has sued for a level playing field for all participating political parties, saying it was absolutely necessary in the interest of peace.

The governor who spoke to State House Correspondents Wednesday after a private meeting with president Mohammadu Buhari revealed that his performance would secure him a second term.

He stated that the flagging off of his campaign on Tuesday recorded an impressive turnout, an indication that he was in the good book of the people of the state.

“I thank God that I am the candidate of the PDP for the election. Yesterday, we had a tumultuous turnout of our supporters and members of our party when I launched my senatorial campaign at the Eastern Senatorial Zone of Kogi State at Ayingba. It was a very successful rally and the turnout of people.

“In terms of preparation, we are working hard. I am also working with security agencies to ensure that there is a secured and safe environment for our people in the course of the campaign and during the election…”

Read More: vanguardngr

Wada Dissolves Kogi House Of Assembly

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Governor Idris Wada of Kogi on Wednesday dissolved the 5th Kogii House of Assembly after completing the statutory four-year tenure from 2011 to 2015.

Wada performed the function at a valedictory session held to mark the end of the assembly inaugurated on March 3, 2011 at the Ibrahim Saba Assembly Complex in Lokoja.

The governor said that the constitution of the country empowered him to dissolve the house.

“I, Capt. Idris Wada, Governor of Kogi State by the powers conferred on me by Section 105(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) today make a proclamation that the 5th Kogi State House of Assembly as presently constituted, having successfully completed its mandate, stands dissolved.”

Earlier, the out-going Speaker, Momoh-Jimoh Lawal said: “For every endeavour there is a time to begin and a time to end…as tenants of the house, we must by the same proclamation, vacate our seats.”

Lawal said that the house had upheld the principle of Separation of Powers as enshrined in the constitution and carried out its oversight functions with the cooperation of other arms.

He said that no particular arm of government could carry out its functions without carrying the others along, adding that the success of one arm was dependent on the other and the failure of one is the failure of all.

“The legal framework makes governance a collective responsibility and cooperation, a crucial element in the administration of state.
The speaker, who was full of thanks to the governor, the legislators and staff, said in spite of daunting challenges, he could say with pride that the house in the past four years had achieved remarkable success.

“We have worked very hard, using the instrument of legislation and oversight machinery to drive the economy effectively and accelerate development of the state.”

Members took turns to make their valedictory speeches.

Credit: NAN