April 12, 2023

From 2nd left, Keyamo, Ajuri, Sunday Dare in Washington D.C.

April 12, 2023

Opposition members sore losers, hypocrites: Tinubu’s team says in Washington D.C.

2023 elections, President-Elect Bola Tinubu

TEXT OF THE PARLEY HELD WITH THE U.S. MEDIA AT THE NATIONAL PRESS CENTER, WASHINGTON D.C, UNITED STATES ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12TH, 2023 BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PRESIDENT-ELECT, SENATOR BOLA AHMED TINUBU – MR. FESTUS KEYAMO, SAN (CHIEF SPOKESPERSON AND MINISTER OF STATE, LABOUR); MR. SUNDAY DARE (MINISTER OF YOUTH AND SPORTS); MR. AJURI NGELALE (ASST. PRINCIPAL SPOKESPERSON).

(1) It is our pleasure and privilege to welcome you to the National Press Center in Washington D.C for this interactive session on Nigeria’s Presidential Election, 2023. We do not intend to make this a long-winding and boring session, so we shall go straight to the points we intend to make to clear some of the fallacies that have been peddled around the world by the sore losers at the said election.

PREPARATION FOR THE ELECTIONS: A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD

(2) The country’s out-going President, Muhammadu Buhari, signed into law a Bill that seeks to improve our electoral process by introducing technology as a means of accrediting voters at the polling units. This is known as the ELECTORAL ACT, 2022. The opposition and international observers hailed him on this.

(3) There was also complete non-interference in the political process by State institutions. There were no reports of deployment of security agents or State apparati in support of the candidate of the ruling party. In fact, in some instances, the opposition celebrated the fact that our candidate had no support of the Government. These led to well-published reports (albeit false) that the President was not in support of the candidate of his own party.
THE STATE OF THE LEADING PARTIES BEFORE THE ELECTIONS

(4) The ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled 21 out of the 36 States of the country and the FCT before the elections with elected Governors; whilst the main opposition, the People’s Demoratic Party (PDP) had 14 Governors and the All Progressives Grand Alliance had one Governor. The Labour Party had no single Governor or elected official at any level of Government.

(5) About eight months to the elections, the main opposition, the PDP, suffered some major set-backs. Its Vice-Presidential Candidate in 2019, Mr. Peter Obi moved to the Labour Party with his supporters, mainly from his region of origin, the South-East. Another of the Party’s main pillar of support in the North-West, Alhaji Musa Kwakwanso moved to the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP), taking with him a chunk of the party’s supporters in that region. Five (5) out of the 14 Governors of the PDP, publicly announced they would not be campaigning for or supporting its Presidential Candidate (Alhaji Atiku Abubakar). Meanwhile, the ruling party remained one huge, indivisible entity with no departure of any of its elected officials or public dissent from them. It was in this state of affairs that all the parties went into the elections.

THE ELECTION OF FEBRUARY 25TH, 2023

(6) Contrary to the false outcry by the opposition, the main technological device, Bi-modal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) did not fail on the election day. All the local and international observers scored the use of BVAS very high, with one local body called YIAGA, working in coalition with the EU and other International Observers, saying it recorded 88% success in all the polling units it monitored. The Nigeria Bar Association also issued its report saying only 8 percent of voters were not satisfied with the process on that day. The portal that the opposition made so much noise about, IREV, is just a viewing portal, which has nothing to do with accreditation or verification of voters or even the counting or recording of votes.

(7) Whilst we hold no brief for the Electoral Commission, it sufficiently explained to Nigerians the next day that the delay in uploading the results to the viewing portal was as a result of a technical glitch. And since the results have since been uploaded eventually, none of the parties have produced their own copies of the result sheets obtained at various polling units that substantially contradicts the results released and announced by the Electoral Commission. Even in their Election Petitions presently before the Court, no such alternative figures have been provided. So, what is all the fuss about?

(8) It is significant to note that some other elections into the Senate and House of Representatives held on the same day, at the same time and with the same personnel. The opposition candidates have since gleefully gone to collect their Certificates of Return for the various seats they won. Why did they not reject the outcome of those elections too and reject their Certificate of Return? This is hypocrisy taken too far.

THE RESULT OF THE ELECTION
(9) On Wednesday, the 1st of March, 2023, the Electoral Commission announced the results as follows:
§ APC – 8,794,726 (36.61%)
§ PDP – 6,984,520 (29.07%)
§ LP – 6,101,533 (25.40%)
§ NNPP – 1,496,687(6.23%)

Other smaller parties scored some negligible figures.

(10) The winner, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu has since collected his Certificate of Return and the Transition Committees are working hard towards a smooth transition.
THE ANALYSES AND CREDIBILITY OF THE RESULTS

(11) Our Constitution requires a Presidential candidate to secure the highest number of votes and score at at least one-quarter of the votes in two-thirds of the States of the Federation which includes the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Only Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu met these requirements especially that of the spread (he scored 25 percent and above in 29 States), even though all 3 top candidates won 12 States each. The candidate of the PDP scored 25% and above in just 21 States, falling short of the 24 States required and the candidate of the Labour Party scored 25% and above in 15 States plus the Federal Capital Territory, making it 16 States. There was just no pathway to victory for these candidates who did not have the requisite national acceptability. So, how tenable is the claim of rigging the elections? We see none

(12) It is significant to note that the elections were so credible that it threw up some upsets in our otherwise settled demography. For the first time, 20 sitting Governors lost their States, mostly those of the ruling party. Seven Governors who sought elections into the Senate failed to scale through. This has never happened in the history of Nigeria. In addition, the President-Elect lost his home State (Lagos State); the sitting President lost his home State (Katsina State); the Director-General of the Campaign lost his home State (Plateau State); the ruling Party Chairman lost his home State (Nasarawa State); the Chairman of the ruling Party’s Governor Forum lost his home State (Kebbi State) and the ruling party lost some of its traditional strong holds like Yobe State, Kaduna State and Kano State. All these go to show that it was a keenly contested election and one of the most credible in our history.

(13) The reports of some irregularities and violence in some polling units could not have affected the overall outcome of the elections too. There are 176,974 polling units in Nigeria and infractions and violence were recorded in less than one percent of these units. How could these have affected the overall results of the elections? Whilst we look forward to an era when there would be no single casualty during elections in Nigeria, however, the statistics show that 2023 recorded the lowest casualty rates ever. During the 1964/65 elections about 200 deaths were recorded as a result of election violence; 1993 election recorded 100 deaths; 1999 election recorded 80 deaths; 2003 polls recorded 100 deaths and 2007 polls recorded 300 deaths. The 2011 polls recorded 800 deaths, the 2015 polls recorded 100 deaths and the 2019 polls recorded 150 deaths. However, the 2023 polls recorded no more than 28 deaths as a result of election violence. So, the claim that this is the “worst” election so far is totally unfounded.

(14) In conclusion, our laws have provided for settled means by which election disputes are resolved. The aggrieved parties have taken advantage of this remedy by filing their cases in Court. We urge them to have faith in our judicial system and desist from spreading false tales about our election across the world.
Meanwhile, arrangements for the handover ceremonies are in full gear. The President-Elect will take his Oath of Office as President of Nigeria on May 29th, 2023. You are all invited.
Thank you.

FESTUS KEYAMO, SAN, FCIArb (UK)
For and on behalf of the team

April 12, 2023

Northern Elders call for the arrest of Peter Obi, Datti Baba-Ahmed

Coalition of Northern Elders, Peter Obi

The Coalition of Northern Elders has called for the arrest of Labour Party presidential candidate in the February 25 election, Peter Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed.

The group urged Nigerian security operatives to be alive to their responsibility and maintained that nothing must stop the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu as the next Nigerian President on May 29, 2023.

Accusing Obi and his Vice, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed of making inciting statements capable of disrupting the country’s democracy maintained that their arrest would guarantee peace and unity of Nigeria.

The coalition made the demands in a communique issued at end of its meeting held in Arewa House in Kaduna State which was tagged: “Convention of Arewa Elders.”

The communique signed by all participants in the meeting was read by Chairman of Gamji Heritage, Alhaji Suleiman Usman Jere.

The Arewa Elders also accused LP candidate of promoting civil disobedience after losing February 25 presidential election.

The communique partly read: “Particularly worrisome, are the pronouncements of Mr. Peter Obi and Mr. Datti Ahmed, the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates of the Labour Party, as well as other Labour Party leaders including sources said to be linked to IPOB, ESN, which are known terrorist organisations.

“It is on record that Mr. Peter Obi engaged a very divisive ethno-religious campaign during the 2023 elections and has continued to brazenly display anti-democratic tendencies opting for civil disobedience and threats in place of constitutional means through the courts.

“We are calling on all our security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities. It amounts to treason for anybody to call for truncating our democracy by whatever guises, be it Interim National Government let alone the call for a military coup. Perpetrators must be arrested and be brought to book with immediate effect!

“Elections have been held and the Winner has emerged. The people of the North massively voted for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in National interest.

“We are mindful of our voting and will stand firmly to protect our democracy. We remain committed to the May 29th swearing-in date in line with Nigeria’s constitutional provisions,” the group said.

Reported by Sahara Reporters

INEC chairman Yakubu with some foreign observers

April 12, 2023

What foreign observers said about Nigeria’s election: Facts and fiction

2023 elections, foreign observers

By Temitope Ajayi

The outcome of Nigeria’s presidential election won by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has thrown up all kinds of analysis on social and mainstream media.

A review of the post-election reportage of a section of the media with a patently nattering anti-Tinubu stance continuously project the election as “rigged” and “manipulated” in favour of the APC candidate, while citing reports of foreign observers and those of some rabidly partisan local observers.

It is apparent that there is a grand and devious scheme to sway the minds of members of the public to accept the unfounded rigging claims by the opposition elements who have deployed all manner of misinformation, blackmail, threats, intimidation, subterfuge and even coercion.

It is disconcerting watching otherwise respected individuals on primetime television taking up the enviable role of salesmen and women for lies.

Often cited to support their treacherous and perfidious vituperation on radio and television stations are supposed reports of foreign observers who monitored the February 25th, 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections. These blatant distortions of the reports of foreign observer missions will no longer go unchallenged.

What are the facts and what did the foreign observer missions say about the conduct of general elections, and the presidential election in particular?

First, let’s bring to the fore what each of the missions opined in their reports as regards the general conduct of the election and substantiality in terms of compliance with the governing laws under which the polls were conducted vis-a-vis global best practices.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Observer Mission, the sub-regional bloc under the leadership of former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Koroma, who led delegation, noted that the Presidential and National Assembly elections were “generally peaceful and transparent.” This runs contrary to the vile propaganda overdrive by the opposition that the election was marred by violence, voter suppression and intimidation.

Though it admits that voter turnout was generally low, the leader of the team, ex-President Koroma declared: “Vote counting and tallying processes were carried out in a transparent, simple and professional manner in the presence of party agents, observers and security agents in the daytime in some polling units and with lamps in others places where voting was delayed.”

Like every human exercise prone to hitches, the ECOWAS Team acknowledged late arrivals of election materials in few polling units and pockets of violence in less than five out of the 36 states of the Nigeria federation.

The continental body, African Union (AU), sent 32 teams of observers to 17 states in Nigeria covering the six geo-political zones. In total, the AU Observers, according to the Election Observation Report posted on the AU Commission website, visited a total of 438 polling units to observe the voting, closing and counting procedures in urban and rural areas.

The AU Observer Mission, in its report signed by former President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, the leader of the delegation said: “In 95 percent of polling units visited, the atmosphere was generally calm and peaceful, except for isolated incidents of violence in Kano, Lagos, Delta, Abuja and Cross River.

“The Mission further notes the positive measures undertaken by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reschedule polls to 26th February, 2023 in specific areas where voting could not take place due to insecurity or logistical reasons.”

From available records from various local and international observers, media reports and security agencies, the polling units where there was any form of incidence due to logistics challenges, malfunction of BVAS machines or violence are not up to 500 nationwide out of over 176,000 polling units. Statistically, the number is too insignificant to impact on the outcome of the election or cause a major shift in the final results.

Africa’s outstanding statesman and former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, led the Commonwealth Team of Foreign Observers.

In their report, the Commonwealth Mission stated that they deployed their Election Observers to the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja), Benue, (Makurdi), Edo (Benin City), Kano, Lagos, Ondo (Akure), Rivers (Port Harcourt) and Sokoto States.

Mbeki, in his team’s preliminary assessment of the electoral process at a press conference in Abuja on 27 February, 2023, noted that the election was “largely peaceful” despite administrative and logistical hurdles at many polling units, adding that, “Nigerians were largely accorded the right to vote.”

Addressing local and foreign journalists, Mbeki said further: “We congratulate all Nigerians for their determination, patience and resilience displayed throughout the electoral process…we call on all those with grievances to address disputes through prescribed legal channels.”

While the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in their joint report devoted more attention to some of the logistical challenges and identified gaps which they have already advised INEC to address in future elections, the two institutes validated and attested to the peaceful conduct of the election and substantial observance of the rules and procedures by electoral officials at all levels.

IRI and NDI specifically affirmed the good use of BVAS and how the electronic accreditation system enhanced the transparency of the election.

The 40-person IRI/NDI delegation, with members from 20 countries, was led by Dr. Joyce Banda, former President of the Republic of Malawi.

In her delegation were Ambassador Mark Green, President and CEO of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and former Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development; NDI Board Member, Ambassador Johnnie Carson, former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, IRI Board Member, Constance Berry Newman, former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, NDI Board Member, Stacey Abrams, American political leader, lawyer and voting rights activist, and IRI Board Member, Dana White, former Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, NDI President, Ambassador Derek Mitchell and IRI President, Dr. Daniel Twining.

The Mission visited Nigeria from February 20 to 27, 2023, and deployed Observer Teams to 20 states covering all the six geo-political zones and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Excerpts of the IRI/NDI Election Observation Report: “Observers noted that the BVAS largely functioned properly, although some polling officials struggled to understand how to operate the system and, in many cases, the BVAS failed to authenticate voters via fingerprints, while the facial recognition feature functioned well.

“Closing and Counting: Most observers reported that officials followed guidance to allow all voters in line to vote, which in some cases extended voting well past the 2.30pm closing time as a result of the late openings. Ballot counting extended into the night in some locations, necessitating the use of cellphone lights to record results and pack up materials.

“Observers noted that in polling units with more than 1,000 registered voters, sorting and counting of ballots moved slowly. In one instance where only 202 ballots were cast, sorting, counting went on smoothly, but despite delays, voters engaged enthusiastically in the ballot counting process and polling officials generally followed procedures by counting ballots transparently in the full view of the public. Voters were generally informed of the closing and counting procedures, with a few observers noting that voters insisted that the polling officials transferred the results electronically before proceeding to the ward collation centre.”

From the foregoing, it is trite to state that there is nothing in the reports of the foreign Observer Missions that suggested a flawed election and doomsday scenario the opposition figures have repeatedly made a song and dance of in the aftermath of the 2023 general elections.

Fact remains that the leaders of the two leading opposition parties, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) knew long ago that they lost the election fair and square to the APC candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Every credible pre-election forecast projected Asiwaju Tinubu as the clear winner in spite of the turbulent and orchestrated socio-economic quagmire the nation was thrown into as a result of scarcity of fuel and naira notes, which made living unbearable for generality of Nigerians.

-Ajayi, a Public Affairs Commentator served as a member of Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council

April 12, 2023

Erdogan joins world leaders in congratulating President-elect Tinubu

President Tayyip Erdogan, President-Elect Bola Tinubu

PRESS RELEASE

Turkish President Erdoğan congratulates Tinubu as Nigeria’s next leader

President Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey, has joined the list of world leaders that have sent congratulory and goodwill messages to Nigeria’s President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

President Xi Jinping of China, United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, President of France, Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, are among global leaders that have since sent goodwill messages to Asiwaju Tinubu.

In his congratulatory letter, President Erdoğan, who described Asiwaju Tinubu as a brother, called for mutual cooperation and partnership that would further the friendly relationship between Turkey and Nigeria.

Erdoğan, in his letter, also underscored the importance of Nigeria as the “strongest nation in the African continent” while wishing Asiwaju Tinubu a successful tenure of office that will usher in progress for the people of Nigeria.

President Erdoğan wrote:
“On behalf of the Turkish Nation and my own, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Your Excellency on the occasion of your election as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the elections held on February 25, 2023.

“I believe that as our strategic partner, Nigeria, under your leadership, will continue its course to a prosperous future. Türkiye attaches great importance to improving its relations with Nigeria, as the strongest nation in the African continent.

“With this understanding, I have no doubt that with our joint efforts we will develop the friendly relations and the growing close cooperation between our countries to the mutual benefit of our people.

“I avail myself of this opportunity to express my heartfelt wishes for the health and happiness of Your Excellency, as well as, the wellbeing and prosperity of the friendly people of Nigeria.”

Office of the President-Elect
Tunde Rahman
April 12, 2023

April 12, 2023

I stand by my warnings to Obi, Datti: Lai Mohammed

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Datti Baba-Ahmed, Peter Obi

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the call for his arrest and prosecution for admonishing Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, over inciting the public to violence is unjustifiable.

The minister stated this on Wednesday in London while reacting to the call by Elder Statesman and Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, that he should be arrested and prosecuted for spreading “fake news” about Obi.

Mohammed said he stood by his admonition of Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, insisting that his advice was never premised on falsehood.

“What will be my offence? Is it by chiding Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour Party who said on live television that if the President-elect Bola Tinubu is sworn-in on May 29 that that would be the end of democracy in Nigeria?

“Is it for chiding him for saying that swearing-in Tinubu in May 29 is like swearing-in the military?

“What is the fake news in that?” the minister queried.

He said Baba-Ahmed had never denied his statement made on the live television

Mohammed also said that Obi had also not publicly called his running mate to order over the treasonable utterances.

“The position of the law is clear that anybody who is aggrieved over election results should go to court

“It is not to start threatening Nigerians and heating up the polity simply because you lost an election,” he said.

Mohammed stressed that the APC won the presidential election “fair and square” and INEC was right in declaring Tinubu the winner.

He reassured Nigerians and the international community that the president- elect would be sworn-in on May 29.

INEC chairman Yakubu, Tinubu and his wife Senator Remi Tinubu

April 12, 2023

INEC replies Atiku: President-elect Tinubu did not need 25% of votes in FCT

Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), President-Elect Bola Tinubu

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Tuesday, told the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) that Sen. Bola Tinubu, did not need to win 25 percent of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory to be declared winner of the election.

INEC stated this in its reply by its lawyer, Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, to the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, before the tribunal.

INEC said the APC candidate met all the legal requirements to be so announced as the winner of the election.

It argued that a candidate must not secure 25 per cent votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to be declared winner, because the FCT was not accorded any special status in the constitution as being erroneously portrayed by some political parties and candidates who lost the election.

On why it returned Tinubu as the winner, INEC said the APC candidate scored 25 per cent of the valid votes cast in 29 states of the federation.

“Having scored at least one-quarter of the valid votes cast in 29 states, which is over and above the 2/3 states threshold required by the constitution, in addition to scoring the majority of the lawful votes cast at the election, the 2nd respondent was properly declared winner and returned as the president-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The 2nd respondent, having scored 25 per cent of the valid votes cast in the 29 states, has satisfied the requirement of the constitution to be declared winner of the presidential election, thus rendering the requirement of having 25 per cent of the valid votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory unnecessary”, the commission said.

“The 1st respondent denies that scoring 25 per cent of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory is a condition precedent to the declaration and return of a candidate in the presidential election,” it said.

INEC added that by the margin of lead, it did not act hastily, as claimed by Atiku and the PDP in declaring Tinubu the winner of the election.

It stressed that Tinubu scored “25 per cent of the valid votes cast in 29 states of the Federation to wit: Ekiti, Kwara, Osun. Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Yobe, Lagos, Gombe, Adamawa, Katsina, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Niger, Benue, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Kogi, Bauchi, Plateau, Bayelsa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kano, Zamfara, Sokoto, Taraba, Borno and Rivers.”

While faulting the petitioners’ claim on the status of the FCT, INEC argued that “the provisions of the constitution apply to the FCT as if it were one of the states of the Federation.

The commission also argued that the use of the word ‘and’ in Section 134 (2) of the Constitution indicates nothing more than that in construing two-thirds of the states of the federation in which a candidate is required to score one-quarter of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory.”

It argued that by the provision of the constitution, the FCT “has the status of a state and ought to be recognised as if it was a state of the federation.”

It added that the FCT, beyond being the country’s capital, ‘has no special constitutional status over and above the other 36 states of the Federation to require a candidate in the presidential election to obtain at least 25 per cent of the votes cast in the FCT before being declared winner of the presidential election.

“The Federal Capital Territory is regarded as the 37 state of the federation and as such, a candidate needs to score 25 per cent of the valid votes cast in at least two-thirds of 37 states ( to be declared as winner in the presidential election).’

Abubakar, 1st petitioner and PDP, 2nd petitioner, in the petition marked: CA/PEPC/05/2023, had listed INEC, Tinubu and APC as 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.

The petitioners are seeking the nullification of the election victory of Tinubu in the Feb 25 presidential poll.

Tinubu, who defeated 17 other candidates who took part in the election, scored a total of 8,794,726 votes, the highest of all the candidates.

While former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came second with 6,984,520 votes in the poll; Obi came third with 6,101,533 votes.

However, the petitioners are asking the tribunal to set aside Tinubu’s victory and to declare Abubakar winner of the election.

They want an order mandating INEC to retrieve the certificate of return issued to the APC candidate or in the alternative conduct a fresh election.

Abubakar and PDP are contending that Tinubu was not duly elected by majority of the lawful votes cast during the poll and that INEC violated its own regulations and provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, in the election conduct.

INEC argued that the declaration and return of Tinubu was not wrongful and was made in accordance with the provisions of Section 134 (2) (b) of the Constitution, having scored one quarter (25%) of the valid votes cast in 29 states which is beyond the constitutional threshold for such declaration.

It argued that, as against the request by Atiku and his party, he could not be declared winner by the tribunal because he failed to fulfil the constitutional requirement.

“The 1st petitioner (Atiku), failed to score, at least, one quarter of the votes cast in at least two-thirds of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory and as such could not have been declared the winner of the Presidential Election held on the 25th day of February 2023.”

As against the claim by the petitioners, INEC stated that “the election was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022 and was not marred by any corrupt practices.

‘That the 2nd respondent (Tinubu) was duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast in the election and his declaration and return as winner of the presidential election conducted on the 25th day of February, 2023 is lawful, valid and in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act, 2022.

“Having satisfied the requirements of Section 134 (2) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the return of the 2nd respondent as the winner of the presidential election conducted on 25th February, 2023 is lawful, valid and constitutional.

“The 2nd respondent was at the time of the election qualified to contest the election.

“The petitioners neither scored the majority of the lawful votes cast at the election nor scored not less than one-quarter of the lawful votes cast in at-least two-thirds of the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory and therefore the 1st petitioner (Atiku) is not entitled to be returned as the winner of the presidential election conducted on Feb. 25.”
INEC, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the petition

April 12, 2023

Obiajulu Uja anti-Tinubu Ibom Air protester denied bail

Obiajulu Uja

A Zuba Magistrate Court in Abuja on Tuesday refused to grant bail to Obiajulu Uja, arrested by the Police onboard Ibom Air Abuja-Lagos flight, for making anti-Tinubu statement.

Ruling on the bail application filed by Uja, through his counsel, Senior Magistrate Mohammed Abdulazeez Ismail, held that the application was premature

He held that the exhibits attached to the application did not say the defendant was unfit to face trial but rather indicated he was of unsound mind.

He also held that while the constitution guarantees every person’s liberty, a court can deprive a person his liberty based on health ground.

Citing the provisions of Section 35(1)(e) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 278 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, the Magistrate held that Uja cannot be granted bail.

He held that where mental capacity of a defendant is an issue, the court has the duty to ascertain the medical situation of such defendant.

He added that the exhibits attached to Uja’s bail application raised the issue of his medical capacity.

He subsequently turned down the bail application and ordered that Uja be held at the Kuje Correctional centre of Nigerian Correctional Service.

He further ordered that the head of the centre to take the defendant to a government hospital to ascertain his mental capacity.

He then adjourned until April 20 for report and hearing.

Uja had held up the aircraft for over an hour, and it took the efforts of six airport security officers to evacuate him after he started the protest.

The police accused Uja of threatening violence and causing a breach of peace.

Betta Edu, middle, gives out the food packs on behalf of Tinubu

April 12, 2023

Tinubu, wife Oluremi donate 100K food packs to Muslims, Christians

Betta Edu, President-Elect Bola Tinubu, Senator Oluremi Tinubu

The President-elect Bola Tinubu and his wife, Senator Oluremi have donated over 100,000 combo packs of food items to Muslims and Christians in Abuja.

The donations were made on their behalf by the National Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Betta Edu.

At the commencement of the donations at the National Mosque, Abuja, Edu said that the gesture was in the spirit of Easter celebration and Ramadan fast for both Christians and Muslims.

She said that the idea behind the donations was to show love to Nigerians as she called on everyone to pursue peace, security and p pray for the country during this period.

She enjoined Nigerians to reflect and pray for the nation’s unity, peace, love, security and more blessings for the country.

“The President-elect and his wife actually asked us to be here to distribute combo packs to Muslim faithful during this period of Ramadan which of course is a period of giving and love.

“We will also reach out to the Christians faithful. Different churches within the FCT and its environs will be receiving this combo packs in the spirit of Easter celebration.

“Let us pursue peace, Nigeria belongs to all of us and everyone has a role to play in nation’s building ” Edu said.

She called for unity amongst Nigerians so as to enable peace and national development.

“Let us come together as one nation under God to ensure that we see the development that we wish for our children by working together to achieve the sets objectives, ” she said.

Edu urged Nigerians to support the President-elect and his deputy, assuring Nigerians that she has no doubt that they would make a difference.

At the Wuse Zone 3 Mosque, Imaan Suleiman-Ibraham, the Director-General, National Commission for Refugees, said that Nigerians had worked hard in the last few months to ensure a good leader emerged as president of the country.

“In the last few months, we worked together so hard to ensure that we actualise the Nigerians dream.

“It is important for us to come together now to pray to achieve the Nigeria of our dreams and I believed that Tinubu’s government is going to be for everybody.

“We will be distributing over 100,000 of this max combo pack in the Mosques and churches.

“They actually contain different food items to Christians for the Easter celebration and to Muslims during the Ramadan fast, ” she said.

Salihu Bala, the Director, Muslim Community Center, Abuja, appreciated the President-elect and his wife for this gesture, while praying for Allah’s blessings upon his family.

He assured the delegation that the items donated would be distributed to the needy among them in the Mosque.

He also prayed for a peaceful hand over of government in May 29, and wished Tinubu a successful tenure.

Bala also donated some copies of the holy Quran to the President-elect on behalf of the Mosque, which where received by Suleiman-Ibrahim.

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Day: April 12, 2023