COVER
Atiku Seeks Court Declaration as 2023 Presidential Poll Winner
By Jude Opara & Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday asked the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja, to declare him the winner of the February 25 poll or order a rerun between him and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.
In the alternative, he wants the entire election nullified and a fresh one conducted.
These are the key reliefs being sought in the petition filed for him and the main opposition PDP.
They are challenging the election on four grounds which are not limited to claims the election of Tinubu, is invalid by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.
That his election as President-elect, Is invalid by reason of Electoral corrupt practices.
The petition also stated that Tinubu was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast at the election, and at the time of the election, he was not qualified to contest the election.
They are also praying to the court for the following:
That it may be determined that the President-Elect was not duly elected by the majority of lawful votes cast in the election and therefore the declaration and return of him by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as the winner of the presidential election, is unlawful, wrong, unconstitutional, and void and of no effect whatsoever.
They also want it determined that the return of Tinubu by INEC, was unlawful, having not satisfied the requirements of the Electoral Act 2022 and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which mandatorily requires that he scores nothing less than one quarter (25 percent) of the lawful votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the states in the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
That it should be determined that Tinubu was, at the time of the election, not qualified to contest the said election.
That it Should be determined that Atiku Abubakar, having scored the majority of lawful votes cast at the Presidential election, be returned as the winner of the said election and be sworn in as the duly elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In the alternative, however, they are asking the court for an order directing INEC to conduct a second election (run-off) between Tinubu and Atiku.
As a further alternative, that the election to the office of the President of Nigeria held on 25th February 2023 be nullified and a fresh election (re-run) be ordered.
The constitution allows the courts 180 days to make a ruling on election matters and plaintiffs can then appeal to the Supreme Court.
Abubakar, who was on his sixth bid for the presidency, also challenged the results in 2019 when he lost against incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Supreme Court dismissed his fraud claims months later.
US Vows Sanctions Against Polls Saboteurs
The United States (US) government said it will consider “all available actions” against those who undermined the just concluded elections in Nigeria.
The US said it is deeply disturbed by cases of voter intimidation and the use of ethnically charged rhetoric during the gubernatorial and house of assembly elections held on March 18.
In a statement, the United States Mission in Nigeria called on the Federal Government and other relevant agencies to ensure those that aided voter suppression are brought to book.
“The United States is deeply troubled by the disturbing acts of violent voter intimidation and suppression that took place during those polls in Lagos, Kano, and other states,” the statement reads.
“Members of the US diplomatic mission observed the elections in Lagos and elsewhere and witnessed some of these incidents first-hand. The use of ethnically charged rhetoric before, during, and after the gubernatorial election in Lagos was particularly concerning.
“We call on Nigerian authorities to hold accountable and bring to justice any individuals found to have ordered or carried out efforts to intimidate voters and suppress voting during the election process.
“The United States likewise will consider all available actions, including additional visa restrictions, on individuals believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic process in Nigeria.”
While the Presidential and National Assembly polls held on February 25, the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections were conducted on March 18.
Following the declaration of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the presidential poll, opposition parties called for the cancellation of the exercise.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party and two other parties have already filed petitions at the election tribunal to challenge the result in court.
Some groups including the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) have also berated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the the 2023 presidential poll, describing it as fraudulent.
INEC Declares Otti Winner of Abia Guber Poll
The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Dr Alex Otti, has declared the winner of the March 18 governorship election in Abia State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
State Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Owerri, Prof. Nnenna Oti, declared the result on Wednesday at the State Collation Centre, INEC, Umuahia.
Oti said that LP polled 175,467 votes to defeat his closest rival, Chief Okey Ahiwe of the Peoples Democratic Party, who polled 88,529 votes.
Chief Enyinnaya Nwafor of Young Progressives Party scored 28972 votes, while Chief Ikechi Emenike of All Progressives Congress polled 24,091 to emerge third and fourth positions, respectively.
Oti said, “Alex Otti of LP having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”
The controversies surrounding the result from Obingwa Local Government Area was earlier put to rest at the resumption of the collation of the result on Wednesday.
The Collation Officer for Obingwa LGA, Dr Chimaroke Onyeabo, announced that PDP polled 9,962, while LP scored 3776 votes of the 27,664 accredited voters.
INEC had on Tuesday ordered the suspension of the collation of the result, following the alleged invasion of INEC office in the LGA and hostage taking of the LG Returning Officer.
In a remark, Oti said that “the pastor and mother in me would not allow me to go against Abia people’s voice and mandate”.
The state had been ruled by PDP since the return of democratic in 1999.
Meanwhile, the declaration of Otti as the governor was received with wild jubilation by residents of Umuahia, Aba, Arochukwu (Otti’s ancestral community) and other parts of the state.
Tension went high in the state, following the suspension of collation and subjecting the Obingwa result to review by INEC in Abuja.
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
As part of efforts to reposition the newspaper for optimum corporate performance, the management of Asset Newspapers Limited, Publishers of DAILY ASSET, has announced the appointment of David Torough as the Editor of the Abuja-based national daily.
A statement by the management said the appointments were part of the company’s new strategy to further penetrate the various states in the country and raise its readership and patronage.
“DAILY ASSET is widely acceptable across the country and to maintain our leadership position, we need to increase management presence, hence the need to create new Bureau offices in some locations outside Abuja and Lagos,” the statement quoted the Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief, Dr Cletus Akwaya to have said.
In a statement yesterday, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the fast-growing daily, Dr. Cletus Akwaya said the appointment was part of the new strategy to properly situate the paper for better productivity.
“DAILY ASSET has a commitment with the Nigerian people. We are determined to weather the storm and give Nigerian readers a Newspaper that satisfies their yearnings and reading pleasure and we can only do that with the right set of professionals,” the statement said.
Akwaya, a former Commissioner of Information from Benue State said the difficult times being faced by Nigerians posed a great challenge to the media as the people deserved credible information with which to make choices.
“We have a bond with the people, to offer credible information at all times in the best tradition of the Nigerian Press and on this scale of objectivity, truth and fairness, we pledge to remain steadfast no matter the challenges,” Akwaya was quoted to have said.
He said the newspaper will maiantin its daily print run and circulation to all states of the federation and urged advertisers to take advantage of the deep penetration of the Daily Asset brand to send their messages.
Torough, the new Editor has had a steady rise in the Newspaper in the last five years.
A graduate of Mass communication of the Benue State University, Makurdi, Torough joined the company in 2022 as Benue State Correspondent. He was spotted for his brilliance and redeployed to Abuja the following year and promoted to Deputy News Editor. He was subswuently named Deputy Editor of the paper, a position he held until the recent appointment.
Torough has attended several journalistic workshops and trainings to properly equip himself for the task ahead.
The statement also said the Management named Eze Okechukwu as Deputy Editor.
Before his elevation as Deputy Editor, Eze has been Deputy Politics Editor and DAILY ASSET Newspaper correspondent covering the Senate, having joined the organization in 2021.
Born on March 10, 1975, Eze holds a Masters Degree in Mass Communication from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
Eze began his journalism career with Daily Star, Enugu and later worked with Daily Trust Newspaper, Abuja as sports reporter.
Aside from his journalistic excellence, he has a great deal of passion for sports.
From Ngutor Dekera, Kaduna and Aliyu Askira, Kano
Northern governors and traditional rulers yesterday called for the suspension of mining activities across the region for six months, blaming illegal mining for worsening insecurity in many states.The resolution was contained in a communiqué issued after a joint meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.
The meeting, chaired by the Gombe State Governor and NSGF Chairman, Muhammadu Yahaya, had in attendance the 19 northern governors and chairmen of the 19 states’ traditional councils. The Forum expressed concern over the escalating violence in parts of the North, including the killings and abductions recently recorded in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kano states, as well as renewed Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe.“The Forum extends its deepest condolences and solidarity to the governments and good people of the affected states,” the communiqué said, noting that the attacks on schoolchildren and other citizens had become “unacceptable tragedies” that required urgent collective action.It commended President Bola Tinubu for what it described as the Federal Government’s “firm response” to recent abductions and insurgency threats, especially the rescue of some abducted pupils.The governors also saluted security agencies for their sacrifices on the frontlines.“We resolved to renew our support for every step taken by the President and Commander-in-Chief to take the fight to insurgents’ enclaves in order to end the criminality,” the Forum stated.A major highlight of the meeting was the North’s renewed push for the establishment of state police, with governors and traditional rulers insisting that decentralised policing had become inevitable.“The Forum reaffirms its wholehearted support and commitment to the establishment of state police,” the communiqué added, urging federal and state lawmakers from the region to “expedite action for its actualisation.”On illegal mining, the governors said criminal mining networks were fuelling violence and providing resources for armed groups.As a corrective measure, they asked Tinubu to direct the Minister of Solid Minerals to impose a six-month suspension of mining activities in order to allow for a full audit and revalidation of licences.“The Forum observed that illegal mining has become a major contributory factor to the security crises in Northern Nigeria. “We strongly recommend a suspension of mining exploration for six months to allow proper audit and to arrest the menace of artisanal illegal mining,” it said.To strengthen the fight against insecurity, the governors also announced the creation of a regional Security Trust Fund.Under the proposed arrangement, each state and its local governments will contribute ₦1bn monthly, to be deducted at source under an agreed framework.They said the fund would help provide sustainable financing for joint operations, intelligence-driven interventions and coordinated security responses across the region.At the end of the meeting, the Forum reaffirmed its commitment to unity and collective responsibility.“Only through unity, peer review and cooperation can we overcome the pressing challenges before us,” it declared.The Forum agreed to reconvene on a date to be announced.Meanwhile, Nigeria’s worsening security crisis took a grim turn on Monday as bandits launched fresh attacks in Kano State, abducting 25 villagers, even as the Federal Government raced to secure the release of more than 300 Catholic school children kidnapped in Niger State.In the early hours of Monday, armed bandits invaded Unguwar Tsamiya—popularly called Dabawa—in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State, whisking away nine men and two women after shooting into the air and assaulting residents. The attackers also rustled two cows.A resident lamented the community’s helplessness: “We cannot do otherwise; most of us cannot leave because we have nowhere to go. This is our place, our land and everything is here.”The assault came less than 24 hours after a similar attack on Yan Kamaye in Tsanyawa LGA, a community along the volatile Katsina border.In Niger State, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu has assured distraught families of St. Mary’s Co-Education School, Kontagora that the more than 300 students and staff abducted on November 21 will return home “soon.” Ribadu, who led a high-level federal delegation to the school on Monday, said the abductees are safe, though he offered no specifics on their location or the status of rescue operations.According to Daniel Atori, spokesman for the Catholic bishop overseeing the school, the NSA reassured officials: “The children are where they are and will come back safely.”The St. Mary’s attack is part of a worrying resurgence of mass kidnappings reminiscent of the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction. Security analysts warn that banditry has evolved into a “structured, profit-seeking industry,” with hundreds of Nigerians abducted in November alone.The Kontagora school abduction occurred the same week 25 girls were kidnapped in Kebbi State—victims who authorities say have since been rescued through “non-kinetic” means. About 50 of the St. Mary’s hostages have also managed to escape.Ribadu’s delegation, which included the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), reaffirmed the government’s commitment to securing the freedom of all abducted citizens.As communities from Kano to Niger continue to bear the brunt of these violent incursions, the escalating spate of kidnappings underscores the urgent national demand for a more decisive and coordinated security response.
By David Torough, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said former Attorney‑General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, will face a team of interrogators at its office daily throughout December.A credible source in the EFCC said on Monday that the daily appearance was part of an ongoing investigation into the whereabouts of an alleged 490 million dollars Abacha loot secured through a Mutual Legal Assistance (MLAT) request.
The source said that Malami, who was summoned for interrogation by the EFCC on Saturday, was barred from leaving Nigeria for the next one month.According to the source, one of the conditions for his release on Saturday was that he should report daily to the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja for further interrogation.The source said Malami would have to appear daily at the anti-graft office due to the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him.”We seized his passport, it is the normal routine during investigation, but he has to report at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja every day for the next month.”He will be reporting for further investigation throughout December.”He will be reporting every day, starting from Dec. 1st to Dec. 31st.He will appear before the team of investigators for the entire month of December.”He will be reporting to EFCC for investigation for the period because of the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him,” the source added.According to the source, a fact sheet on the former minister revealed that Malami had several issues to clarify with the EFCC within the coming weeks.“We have asked him to explain the whereabouts of the $490 million Abacha loot secured through MLAT.“We didn’t say he stole money, but he should account for the loot. This is one of the issues he will clarify to our investigators.”The commission cited the large volume of documents he must review and the need for extensive interviews as reasons for seizing his passport.The source said EFCC would not engage in a war of words but would release its findings after a thorough investigation.Malami, in a statement by his media aide, Mohammed Doka, on Monday in Abuja, however, described the EFCC investigation as a political witch‑hunt.He confirmed he honored an EFCC invitation on Nov. 28, describing the engagement as fruitful and expressing confidence that the probe would vindicate him.Malami described the EFCC’s allegations as baseless, illogical and devoid of substance, insisting they collapse under factual scrutiny.
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