POLITICS
Kano Guber: APC’s Failure to Pay N700 Stalls Tribunal Proceedings

The commencement of pretrial session in the ongoing petition filed by All Progressives Congress, APC, challenging the victory of Kano Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, was stalled on Tuesday.
This is owing to the failure of the Petitioner’s counsel to effect a mandatory fee.
The APC lead counsel, Nuraini Jimoh, SAN, told the Tribunal that failure of the network prevented them from generating REMITA and paying the Federal Government the sum of N700.
He told the court that they faced a slight hitch to access the Network and generate REMITA to pay and upload the pretrial session forms.
“My Lords there was a serious technical problem to access and generate REMITA.
The Secretary of the Tribunal contacted Headquarters over the technical issue being encountered by the petitioner but they said we will not continue until the process is completed electronically,” he stressed.Nuraini Jimoh told the court that the petitioner has 7 days within which to file the pretrial forms, explaining that they are within time.
The counsel prayed for an adjournment to enable the petitioner to file their pretrial forms.
In the Petition, the APC is praying the tribunal to declare that Abba Yusuf was not qualified to contest the election, arguing that his name was not in the list of members of NNPP sent to INEC.
APC is also praying the Tribunal to declare that NNPP did not win the election with the majority of lawful votes because some of the votes cast for them were invalid and if removed from their scores, APC will have the highest number of votes.
In his response, Abba Kabir Yusuf, through his counsel Chief Awomolo Adegboyega, SAN, described APC’s petition as dead on arrival for lacking in merit and competency to stand the test of time.
Consequently, when the Tribunal asked respondents their stand on the prayer by the APC, counsel to INEC, Barrister Emmanuel Osayomi and that of Abba Kabir Yusuf Chief Awomolo Adegboyega, SAN, didn’t oppose the prayer for adjournment.
However, Counsel to the INEC, Osayomi urged the Tribunal to allow him file an application to amend processes.
It was gathered the INEC made a mistake by referring to the All Progressives Congress, APC, as All Progressives Party.
But counsel to the Petitioner told the court that they need time to study the application to decide whether they would object or not.
The Tribunal fixed 7th June, 2023, for hearing of INEC application and commencement of pretrial session.
POLITICS
Buhari Felicitates Tinubu at Midterm, Calls for Nigerians’ continue support

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated his successor, President Bola Tinubu, on his midterm, calling for Nigerians’ continue support for his administration’s efforts to address poverty and inflation.
This is contained in a statement issued by Buhari’s former Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Wednesday.
Buhari also called for steadfast support for the All Progressives Congress-led government as it marks its second year in office, saying reforms would achieve success gradually, not overnight.
He warned that necessary reforms and desired changes must not fall victim to mettlesome domestic politics.
According to him, as the party and the government celebrate, the country should be reminded that leadership is a continuous journey.
Buhari expressed support for the ongoing efforts by the Tinubu-led administration to curb poverty and inflation, which, he said, had hit the poorest families.
Seeking Nigerians’ support for Tinubu-led administration, he said that the task of reducing poverty and inflation mustn’t be left only for the government.
“The private sector and all of us, as citizens, must join in all ways we can,” he said.
The former president urged Nigerians to remain optimistic and stay confident about the country’s future, saying ‘our expectations from our governments should not get heavy’.
While expressing his heartfelt felicitation to Tinubu on his two years in office, Buhari prayed God to keep and grant him the wisdom and care to continue to lead the country. (NAN)

President Tinubu Appoints Ex- Speaker, Enugu Assembly, Odo, as UNN Governing Council Member
President Bola Tinubu has appointed the former speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Chief Eugene Odo, and Mr. Muhammad Tahir, as governing council members of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
The appointment comes as part of the President’s renewed efforts to reposition federal tertiary institutions for excellence and global competitiveness.
Odo served as a two time speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly between 2007 and 2015.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftain also served under the previous administration of Muhammad Buhari as a governing board member of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.
Also appointed were the governing councils members of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) and Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka.
The appointments were contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, in Abuja.
Onanuga said President Tinubu charged the new council members to justify their appointments by ensuring that their respective universities move forward.(NAN)
POLITICS
PDP NEC Gets Under Way in Abuja

By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja
All is set for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 99th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting today at the party’s Presidential Campaign Office, Legacy House, located in the Maitama District, Abuja. After a marathon meeting of the various organs of the PDP at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge, officials of the party have converged on Legacy House for the long awaited NEC meeting, which had been postponed for several times.
Security in and around the house has been beefed up with the deployment operatives from the Police, DSS and NSCDC. Many prominent members of the party, including its 2023 Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, were absent from the marathon meeting.The NEC, one of the highest decision-making organs of the PDP, comprises of Party National Chairman and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC), state governors, serving and former presidents, former vice-presidents, the chairman and secretary of the Board of Trustees (BoT), principal officers of the National Assembly, state chairpersons, former governors, and founding members, among others. The NEC meeting is expected to address critical issues affecting the party, including strategies for upcoming political engagements, leading to the 2027 general elections.On Monday, barely 24 hours to the much expected NEC meeting, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) keep to its threat and sealed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat, Wuse Zone 5 for failure to ground rent, a situation the party described as temporary set back.However, reprieve came to the PDP and others who had their properties sealed as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, intervened and gave them 14 days to pay their ground rent.