Kano REC, wife, children die in inferno

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kano, Munka’ila Abdullahi, his wife, and two children were burnt to death in what has been described as a mystery fire in Kano on Friday morning, when Christians are marking the Good Friday. Abdullahi died along with his family members following an outbreak of fire in his official residence on Kashim Road, Nasarawa GRA, Kano. The INEC Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Alhaji Lawal Garba, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria in Kano on Friday. He said the deceased would be buried after the Friday prayer at his home town, Gantsa, in Buji Local Government Area of Jigawa. Also confirming the incident, the State Director of Fire Service, Alhaji Balarabe Kabara, said his men received a distress call from the neighbours of the deceased around 4.30am on Friday. He said the commissioner, his wife and two children died owing to injuries they sustained during the incident.

I’ll lead massive campaign against APC – Bode George

The leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State, Chief Bode George, says the loss his party suffered in the presidential election has strengthened his resolve to ensure victory for his party in Lagos. He, therefore, said that he would strategise and lead a massive campaign against the All Progressives Congress, which has been in power in Lagos for the past 16 years. George told our correspondent during a telephone interview on Wednesday that he would lead the campaign of the PDP governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, like an army general. He said, “I am here and I will be at the centre of operation. The people of Lagos also want a change and we are going to be here to lead the battle. The battle is on and the people of Lagos want a change and we will ensure that we get it right. “Lagos people know that this administration has mismanaged their resources. We are not leaving anything undone. We will reach out to the people during the campaigns.” George said he would never defect to another party. “I will remain a member of the PDP till I leave this world,” he said. The PDP leader denied reports that he said he would go on exile following the victory of Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential polls. He said he would rather travel outside the country for a while in order to finish writing his autobiography, saying he had been unable to finish the book because of his busy schedule. He said, “I have been travelling long before now and now I need a long rest. I am 70 and I need to tidy up my memoirs and if you want to do that, you need a lot of time away from all of the hassles. But it does not mean I will no longer be a Nigerian. I have no personal grudge against Buhari or all the other people. “We are in two different parties with different ideologies and if he is the President, I have no objection and I wish him the best of luck. The break will give me time. Rather than running up and down to Abuja, I will be there (abroad) writing my memoirs and doing other things for myself. Of course I will come back, my mother is still alive. I am not scampering out of Nigeria.”

Buhari’s victory, will of God –Tompolo

A former Niger-Delta militant, Government Ekpemupolo, otherwise known as Tompolo, has described the victory of the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, as the will of God. Tompolo’s statement came less than 24 hours after another ex-militant, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, said he and his colleagues might be forced to return to militancy following President Goodluck Jonathan’s defeat. Tompolo, alongside other ex-militants, had also threatened to wreak havoc if Jonathan lost the election. However, Tompolo, in a statement by his spokesperson, Paul Bebenimibo, on Thursday appealed to Nigerians to accept the outcome of the March 28 election for the sake of peace. He said, “I believe that nothing can happen if God does not approve of it. I want to appeal to all our people to be orderly, calm and embrace peace. The will of the people is sacrosanct and the existing peace be maintained. “Peace is a prerequisite for national development. People should remain calm also during the governorship election.”

Clark blasts Oshiomhole over demolition of UNIBEN’s staff quarters

AN Ijaw leader and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has expressed indignation and surprise over the “unlawful, illegal and malicious destruction of the staff quarters of the University of Benin, by the Edo State government when the matter is in court.” In an open letter dated February 22, addressed to the Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, a copy of which was obtained by the Nigerian Tribune, Clark said he was embarrassed and shocked by some of the actions of Governor Oshiomhole. He said in the letter that the buildings Oshiomhole destroyed were property of the University of Benin in law and in fact challenged the governor to produce documents if otherwise. “You must remember the oath of office you took on assumption of office as a governor, as being just and fair in your decisions and actions. “In addition to being governor, you have been a defender of the oppressed as a unionist and for eight years, you were president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). “Nigerians love you for your uprightness and fair sense of justice, unfortunately, you have derailed of late,” Clark stated in the letter. The former Federal Minister of Information accused Oshiomhole of joining the “exotic club of some nonchallant governors, whose stock in trade is impunity and constant sabre- rattling in preparation to doing imaginary battles with the Federal Government and the regular breach of the constitution.” He said he was aware of the face-off between Governor Oshiomhole and the authorities of the University of Benin, which he said led to Oshiomhole supervising the demolition of the university’s staff quarters, which were donated to the university under the communal land tenure arrangements and not under the cumbersome Land Use Act. Clark said he has a genuine stake in the affairs of the University of Benin, as one of its founding fathers and a mentor who desired its continuous growth and progress. He said the wickedness that accompanied the demolition, where occupants were not given any opportunity to take their belongings was better imagined than experienced, saying it was a most callous and barbaric exercise designed to shatter the spirit and self esteem of the occupants. The buildings in question, he said were donated to the university by the Mid- West state government which later became Bendel State and now Edo/Delta states. The implication, he said, was that the buildings were assets that had been disposed effectively and permanently before Edo and Delta states were born. Clark said Oshiomhole had no right to demolish or acquire property of the Federal Government without appropriate negotiations and added that Oshiomhole’s action was a violation of the law. He advised Oshiomhole to, as a matter of reparation, rebuild the demolished houses immediately.

Omisore loses at Appeal Court, heads for S/ Court

Federal Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Thursday, dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) governorship candidate in the August 9, 2014 election in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore. Delivering her judgment, Justice Gana Msheila, said Senator Omisore failed to present substantial evidences to prove his case before the court, saying the appeal lacked merit and dismissed the case. Omisore had approached the Appeal Court, challenging the ruling of the Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Osun, which upheld the victory of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election. Omisore, in his appeal prayed the court to set aside the ruling of the tribunal, arguing that the tribunal erred for failing to examine the issues raised in his petition properly. Omisore’s appeal was premised on the ground that the tribunal failed to evaluate the evidences submitted before it by experts, arguing that there were electoral malpractices and rigging during the election. At the hearing of the appeal, counsel to Senator Omisore, Alex Isiyoung, had argued that the tribunal erred in its ruling, as it failed to examine all the allegations and issues raised by the petitioner. He also said that the tribunal failed to address the allegations of corrupt practices and non-compliance to electoral acts in the election which produced Governor Aregbesola and, therefore, prayed the Appeal Court to discountenance the judgment of the tribunal. He maintained that Aregbesola failed to obtain the required number of lawful votes in the election which eventually produced him, and thereby, prayed the court to upturn the ruling of the tribunal. Isiyoung stressed the need for the Appeal Court to declare Omisore as the winner of the August 14 governorship election in Osun State, arguing that his client had the highest number of lawful votes in the election. Counsels to Governor Aregbesola, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chief Akin Olujimi and Rotimi Akeredolu, respectively objected, arguing that the tribunal was clear and unbiased in its ruling. Also, counsel to Aregbesola, Chief Olujimi, said the ruling of the Elections Petition Tribunal which upheld the victory of Aregbesola was unchallengeable, as according to him, it was decided after thorough investigations. Reacting to the judgment, Senator Omisore disclosed that he pursued the case to the Supreme Court to challenge the ruling. Speaking through his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Victor Oriola. said “we know we have a good case and we shall not relax until we get favourable judgment. We shall, therefore, proceed to the Supreme Court to prove our case.”

GEJ message to Nigerians

Fellow Nigerians, I thank you all for turning out en-masse for the March 28 General Elections. I promised the country free and fair elections. I have kept my word. I have also expanded the space for Nigerians to participate in the democratic process. That is one legacy I will like to see endure. Although some people have expressed mixed feelings about the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I urge those who may feel aggrieved to follow due process based on our constitution and our electoral laws, in seeking redress. As I have always affirmed, nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian. The unity, stability and progress of our dear country is more important than anything else. I congratulate all Nigerians for successfully going through the process of the March 28th General Elections with the commendable enthusiasm and commitment that was demonstrated nationwide. I also commend the Security Services for their role in ensuring that the elections were mostly peaceful and violence-free. To my colleagues in the PDP, I thank you for your support. Today, the PDP should be celebrating rather than mourning. We have established a legacy of democratic freedom, transparency, economic growth and free and fair elections. For the past 16 years, we have steered the country away from ethnic and regional politics. We created a Pan- Nigerian political party and brought home to our people the realities of economic development and social transformation. Through patriotism and diligence, we have built the biggest and most patriotic party in Nigerian history. We must stand together as a party and look to the future with renewed optimism. I thank all Nigerians once again for the great opportunity I was given to lead this country and assure you that I will continue to do my best at the helm of national affairs until the end of my tenure. I have conveyed my personal best wishes to General Muhammadu Buhari. May God Almighty continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I thank you all. GEJ

PDP vows to challenge Buhari’s victory at tribunal

The Peoples Democratic Party has said it will challenge the outcome of the March 28 presidential election. The Independent National Electoral Commission, through its Chairman and Chief Returning Officer, Prof. Attahiru Jega, on Wednesday morning, declared Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.) of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the election. The PDP through its agent at the National Collation Centre in Abuja on Wednesday, when the final result was declared, had refused to sign the result sheet despite its candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, having earlier conceded defeat. The agent of the PDP, Bello Fadile, who was in attendance when parties were being called upon to sign the result sheet, told journalists shortly after the result was declared that the party was not satisfied with the outcome of the election and had decided to challenge it at the election tribunal. “Whether I sign it (the result sheet) or I don’t sign it, does not make any difference. It doesn’t invalidate the result. When we go to court, then we can challenge the result,” Fadile said. When asked to confirm if the PDP will challenge the result at the presidential election petitions tribunal, Fadile added, “Sure! The party petitioned. Don’t forget. So the party will follow through the petition. There are rules for this. The law is there. “The result was declared on the 1st of April, I think. We will follow the due process. Like the president (Jonathan) said, ‘If you have any grievances, follow due process and the due process in this instance is to go to the tribunal.”