Senator Kashim Shettima Archives

April 11, 2023

INEC tells Tribunal: Tinubu duly elected, Obi’s prayers not grantable

Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), Peter Obi, President-Elect Bola Tinubu, Senator Kashim Shettima

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has asked the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) to dismiss a petition filed by Labour Party (LP) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, saying the reliefs sought are not grantable.

The commission argued that while Shettima, the vice president-elect, was duly nominated and sponsored to contest the election.

It also said that Tinubu and Shettima were duly declared and returned as elected and issued Certificates of Return having fulfilled the requirements of the constitution to be declared winners and returned.

INEC, the 1st respondent, stated this in its reply filed on Monday night at the PEPC’s Secretariat by its lawyer, Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, in Abuja.

The commission prayed the court to either “dismiss or strike out the petition for being grossly incompetent, abusive, vague, nebulous, generic, general, non-specific, ambiguous, equivocal, hypothetical and academic.”

Obi, the 1st petitioner, and LP, the 2nd petitioner, had sued INEC, Sen. Bola Tinubu, Sen. Kashim Shettima and All Progressives Congress (APC) as 1st to 4th respondents respectively.

The petitioners are seeking the nullification of the election victory of Tinubu and Shettima 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.

Abubakar and PDP are also challenging the outcome of the poll in a separate petition.

However, in the petition marked: CA/PEPC/03/2023 filed by Obi and LP’s lead counsel, Livy Ozoukwu, they contended that Tinubu “was not duly elected by majority of the lawful votes cast at the time of the election.”

The petitioners claimed there was rigging in 11 states, adding that they would demonstrate this in the declaration of results based on the uploaded results.

They said INEC violated its own regulations when it announced the result despite the fact that at the time of the announcement, the totality of the polling unit results had yet to be fully scanned, uploaded and transmitted electronically as required by the Electoral Act, among others.

In its notice of preliminary objection, INEC argued that the grounds on which the petition was based were defective, having regard to the vague and imprecise averments supporting the said grounds.

It said that the ground of the petitioners bordering on non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 and corrupt practices did not disclose a reasonable cause of action for failure to plead specific particulars and figures as to how the alleged non-compliance complained of substantially affected the results of the election.

It said in view of the above argument, “Prayers 3, 5(i) and 5(11) of the petition predicated on the ground of non-compliance in Paragraph 20(11) of the petition are ungrantable.”

It further said that the ground of the petition that Tinubu was not elected by majority of lawful votes cast as contained in Paragraph 20(iii) of the petition was defective for failure to plead the alleged unlawful votes to be deducted and/or lawful votes to be credited to the petitioners.

INEC argued that the petitioners’ prayer to declare that Obi scored majority of lawful votes cast at the election and be declared winner was defective for failure to join necessary parties and for lack of requisite particulars and pleading to support same.

The commission said that though Obi was a candidate at the election, it however disagreed that denies that he has a right to be returned as elected, “not having polled majority of the lawful votes cast at the election and /or secured one quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all states in the federation and the FCT.”

The commission said all political parties intending to sponsor candidates in the election were required to submit lists of their agents and they were expected to observe the election process at their units, sign and collect result sheets on behalf of their political parties at the close of polls.

It argued that some of the political party agents whose names were on the list submitted to it were however absent at their polling units while some others who were present neglected to participate in the election process.

According to INEC, the petitioners (Obi and LP) did not have polling agents in all the polling units across Nigeria as they only submitted a list of 134, 874 polling agents which is 41, 972 short of the 176, 846 polling units across Nigeria.

It disagreed with the petitioners, insisting that they were not represented in many or some of the polling units in the country.

The commission argued that while Shettima, the vice president-elect, was duly nominated and sponsored to contest the election, it also said that Tinubu and Shettima were duly declared and returned as elected and issued Certificates of Return having fulfilled the requirements of the constitution to be declared winners and returned.

March 30, 2023

Shettima pays homage to IBB, Abdulsalami

Senator Kashim Shettima

Vice-President elect Senator Kashim Shettima on Thursday visited two former Heads of State Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Gen. Abdussalami Abubakar in Minna, Niger State.

Shettima with Emir of Minna Dr. Umar Farouq Bahago

He also paid homepage on the Emir of Minna HRH. Dr. Umar Farouq Bahago in his palace.

According to Shettima, he visited the former leaders to tap from their wealth of experience.

“They have a lot to offer the nation. We will continue to reach out to them for their advices, inputs and perspectives on issues confronting us as a nation”, he said.

March 26, 2023

You are busy body: Appeal court knocks PDP in case against Tinubu, Shettima

PDP, President-Elect Bola Tinubu, Senator Kashim Shettima

The Court of Appeal, Abuja has dismissed an appeal by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), seeking the disqualification of Sen. Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate, All Progressives Congress (APC), and his vice, Kashim Shettima, in the Feb. 25 election.

A three-man panel headed by Justice James Abundaga, in a unanimous judgment, held that the PDP failed to establish that its had locus standi to institute the case.

Justice Abundaga, who agreed with the submissions of lawyers to the respondents slammed the PDP as a busy body, who dabbled into issues that were internal affairs of the APC.

Justice Abundaga held that the trial court was right to have held that the PDP failed to establish its locus standi.

“The appellant, having failed to disclose its locus standi, this appeal fails and it is hereby dismissed,” he said and proceeded to affirm the judgment of the FHC.

The judge also awarded N5 million cost against the appellant’s lawyer, J. O. Olotu.

The PDP, in an appeal marked: CA/ABJ/CV/108/2023, had prayed the appellate court to reverse the Jan. 13 judgment delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja which dismissed its suit on the grounds that the PDP lacked locus standi to have instituted the suit.

While the PDP was the appellant, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC, Tinubu and Shettima were respondents in the appeal.

The PDP in the suit filed on July 28, 2022, challenged the validity of the Tinubu/Shettima ticket for the 2023 presidential election.

It argued that Shettima’s nomination as the running mate was in breach of the provisions of Sections 29(1), 33, 35 and 84{1)}(2)} of the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended), claiming that Shettima had double nominations.

It claimed that as at the time Shettima was nominated as vice presidential candidate, he had not resigned or withdrawn his nomination as candidate for Borno Central Senatorial poll.

The party argued that Shettima’s nomination as a vice-presidential candidate as well as the candidate for the Borno Central Senatorial seat contravened the law.

The PDP, which sought an order disqualifying the APC, Tinubu and Shettima from contesting the presidential election scheduled for Feb. 25, equally prayed the court for an order nullifying their candidacy.

It further prayed the court for an order compelling INEC to remove their names from its list of nominated or sponsored candidates eligible to contest the election.

The defendants, in their preliminary objection, urged the court to dismiss the suit for want of jurisdiction.

They contended that the plaintiff lacked the locus standi to institute the case, which invariably challenged APC’s decision and its nomination of candidates for the election, which were within the confines of the party’s internal affairs and thus, non-justiciable.

The issue determined in the appeal is one of the major planks of Atiku’s petition at the election tribunal.

The judges’ position is indicative of the fate that awaits the petition.

March 25, 2023

Yahaya Bello pays congratulatory visit to VP-Elect Shettima

Governor Yahaya Bello, Senator Kashim Shettima

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state has paid a congratulatory visit to the Vice President-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima at his residence in Asokoro, Abuja.

Governor Bello who is the National Youth Coordinator of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council visited Shettima on Friday to congratulate him on the party’s victory in the just concluded Presidential election.

Governor Bello expressed his belief that Senator Shettima will provide the support for President-elect.

He also expressed the optimism that Tinubu and Shettima will confront with renewed vigour the most urgent problems facing the country by formulating policies that will improve security and the living standard of all Nigerians.

Before moving into a closed-door session, Governor Yahaya Bello prayed to the Almighty to guide and protect the Vice President and President-elect in the task ahead.

February 26, 2023

Shettima donates N100m to victims of Maiduguri Monday Market fire

Maiduguri market fire, Senator Kashim Shettima

Sen. Kashim Shettima, APC Vice-Presidential candidate has donated N100million to the victims of Maiduguri Monday Market inferno.

The famous market, the biggest in North East was gutted by fire in the early hours of Sunday.

Shettima announced the donation during his visit to Gov. Babagana Zulum to sympathise with the government and people of the state.

He said: “I am here to commiserate with Gov. Zulum, His Eminence, the Shehu of Borno and the people of Borno State, over the sad development.

“As my modest contribution towards cushioning the effects of the sad incident, I am making a personal donation of N100million for the victims of the fire disaster.

“I have spoken with my Principal, His Excellency, Sen. Bola Tinubu and he requested me to convey his heartfelt sympathy to the government and people of Borno State.

“He promised to personally come to Maiduguri this week to condole the government and people of Borno State over the incident.

“Asiwaju knows the deep love and affection that the people of Borno hold for him and he wants to reciprocate by personally coming and also contributing handsomely towards assisting the victims of the fire incident.”

Shettima, who is the Senator representing Borno Central District, said he would be part of Zulum’s entourage that would be visiting President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja to solicit for Federal Government’s intervention in the reconstruction of the market.

February 21, 2023

Presidential Poll: Shettima As Atiku, Obi’s Achilles Heel

Senator Kashim Shettima

By Stanley Nkwocha

From years to months, months to weeks, and now in just a matter of days, the nation will head to the polls to elect the next president of Nigeria. Needless to state that President Muhammadu Buhari, with the constitution of his transition team headed by Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha – like the Americans would say- ‘knows what time it is’.

That the change in the naira denomination along with the cash swap policy of the Buhari administration, coupled with the attendant legal action before the Supreme Court, has distorted the mood about the 2023 general election, attempting to, in very clear terms, almost derail it, is to say the least in the mildest way.

While the federal government struggled to compete with electoral campaigns in terms of attention, it is now clear that come Saturday, the ballots would speak succintly – loud enough to make a definite and emphatic statement on the resolve of Nigerians to protect their democratic rights. Clearly, a new leadership for the country is in the offing!

I make bold to say that of the front runners in this election, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has pulled the most robust, technical, populist and indeed all-encompassing campaign. With a unique style of campaign, his lieutenants have left no stone unturned in marketing his vision and ideas as contained in his 80-page manifesto.

While critics of his age and the Muslim- Muslim ticket made lame issue about his eligibility at the initial stage, Asiwaju’s dexterity, vibrancy, energy and frankness made capacity, sacrifice, experience, vision and political will to top the discourse ahead of this election. Truth be told, Tinubu has indeed acquitted himself, especially in terms of capacity, straightforwardness and consistency of direction in the run up to the elections. He is undoubtedly not just the front runner but the favorite to win.

But beyond the rhetoric, permutations and political scheming about how this election would be won and lost is the content of the character of one man who has proven that he could as well bring class intelligence, unique political wizardry, experience and understanding of exceptional leadership qualities to the fore with the choice of his running mate. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s choice of Senator Kashim Shettima as vice presidential candidate has paid off. The former Borno governor is the one puzzle that is set to undo Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party ( LP) in this presidential election.

To have a clear shot at the presidency, it is my opinion that every presidential candidate must secure his base. While it can be argued that Tinubu has his South West base in the kitty and Peter Obi, another strong candidate, has the South East as a stronghold, PDP’s Atiku Abubakar sadly cannot lay claim to his North East base where Kashim Shettima’s strong footing in the region has left him helpless in the shadow of his own goal post.

While the former vice president will struggle to win his home state of Adamawa, he cannot beat his chest and say he has edge in neighboring states of Taraba, Gombe and Bauchi States. Borno and Yobe States are completely out of the the question. The two states with huge voter turnouts are under Kashim Shettima’s political enclave.

Shettima’s political doggedness has seen him move into Gombe, Taraba and Bauchi States ‘quietly’ resolving and reconciling powerful political figures in the region. It can be safely be said that these moves have left a distraught Atiku with a bloody nose in the home front. The depletion of PDP’s support in its hitherto political bases in the South East and South South further leaves the PDP candidate in a fix; hence his desperation for votes as he scavenges in the North West which ordinarily would have been his pathway to electoral victory.

But as if punching it in the bags of the opposition presidential candidates is not enough, Shettima’s reach, hard work, eloquence, sophistry, vibrancy and highly cosmopolitan nature has continually ridiculed other vice presidential candidates, proving to be the last nail on the coffin of other presidential candidates.

Of the prominent vice presidential candidates in this election, only Yusuf Datti hails from North West. Sadly, in terms of prominence, the LP vice presidential candidate has become a mere shadow of him’s boisterous self, surrendering the region to the exploits, visits, nexus and seeming political genius of Shettima. This has prompted not a few pundits to assert that not even his ward would Datti win on election day, not to talk of his local government.

I dare to say that were the G5 governors’ crisis inherent in the APC, Shettima would have been the man to fix it. Sadly, PDP’s vice presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, lost the capacity to contemplate a resolution of the crisis as he was a major dramatis personae in the unresolved issues that has rocked the PDP in this coming election.

When as governor of Borno State and chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum Shettima travelled to all the South East states reassuring the Igbos of their safety when the Northern Youths Forum led by Yerima Shettima gave Igbos in the North the infamous quit notice, he was demonstrating a leadership skill that sold him to Nigerians as a leader and bridge builder who is quite rare in this part of the globe.

Recently, just after the APC presidential campaign in Kano, while his principal headed to Edo State for the next phase of campaigns, Kashim Shettima stayed put in Kano for three days reconciling all factions and ensuring that all stakeholders at this crucial stage are all on the same page ahead of the polls. Needless to state that all issues in the state are today a thing of the past, with Kano ready to vote enmasse for the APC.

Juxtaposing this with Atiku’s VP candidate, Okowa, under whose nose intra party crisis has continued to unsettle its Delta, Edo, Abia, Rivers, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti and Lagos States chapters ahead the poll, it may well be safe to conclude that Atiku would go green with envy over Asiwaju’s successes. Ditto for Obi and Kwankwaso when their vice presidential candidates’ efforts are also calibrated.

Of importance too is the identification and deployment of local and cultural politicking. Of all the vice presidential candidates none has transversed singly to all states in their domains like Shettima. Unlike Atiku’s Okowa who is rarely seen campaigning or embarking on critical visits in the South for local campaigns, or even Obi’s Datti up North, only Kashim Shettima boasts of visiting virtually every traditional ruler up North, paying respects and soliciting for their support. If every politics is local, then Shettima depicts a perfect understanding of this.

Shettima’s recent exclusive media adverts and mobilisations for his principal shows how far a vice presidential candidate could go in firming up support for his principal.

Alexander the Great’s statement, “I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion”, might have been used over time in the depiction of strength in leadership and character. However, it will once more come into play on Saturday as the days wind down to hours, minutes and eventually to seconds.

One established fact remains that Shettima’s massive involvement and presence in the presidential elections has been a huge win for the presidential aspiration of Bola Tinubu. It can be said that in the choice of Kashim Shettima, the presidential candidate of the APC struck gold.

Nkwocha, a member of the Public Affairs Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, wrote in from Abuja.

January 29, 2023

Tinubu, Shettima lead them all on Google trends

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Google trends, Senator Kashim Shettima

Less than one month to the election, APC’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is still leading other presidential candidates on Google search interest.

The nation goes into a presidential election on 25 February, 2023 and many of the presidential candidates have been trending with Nigerians and others searching for interesting things about them.

Three other main contenders are Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

The latest Google search interest on Google Trends has been captured between December 29, 2022 and January 25, 2023.

In the latest ranking, Tinubu has 40 percent search interest on google to lead the others, while Obi came second with 30 percent. Atiku is in third position with 26 percent search while Kwankwaso is fourth with four percent search.

Where are they being searched most?

Tinubu is being searched mostly in the North, in places such as Jigawa, Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Bauchi and Taraba.

Others are Ebonyi, Ondo, Kano, Gombe, Kwara, Plateau, Benue, Borno, FCT and so on. These are also some of the places he had gone for presidential campaign.

Obi, in second place, is being searched the most in the East and North Central, such as Enugu, Ebonyi, Benue, Benue, Anambra and Plateau. Others are Cross River, Abia, Bauchi, Delta, Zamfara, Taraba, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, FCT and so on.

Atiku, on third position is being searched mostly in Northern places such as Gombe, Jigawa, Kogi, Adamawa, Sokoto, Yobe, Borno, Zamfara, Katsina and Kano. Others are Enugu, Republic of Niger, Nasarawa, Bayelsa, Kaduna and so on.

Kwankwaso, on fourth place is being searched in Adamawa, Kano, Bauchi, Katsina, Kaduna, Borno, Benue, Ekiti, Kogi, Osun and so on.

Vice Presidential candidates

Among the presidential candidate, the APC’s candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima toppled Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa of the PDP to be in the first position. Okowa had ended 2022 as the most searched vice presidential candidate, but the equation changed in the New Year as Shettima overtook him. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party’s vice presidential candidate is third on the list.

*Originally published by PMNEWS

January 28, 2023

Naja’atu Muhammad lies against Kashim Shettima

Naja'atu Mohammed, Senator Kashim Shettima

Naja’atu Muhammad, self-acclaimed human rights activist and politician is in the news again. As is usual with the fiery perpetual government and individuals’ critic, she is trending in dramatic circumstances. With a penchant for extreme views and indignant social criticism, she was described and rightly so, as a “professional character assassin” by a certain Muhammad Abubakar, sometime in 2019 in a rejoinder to her opinion piece “The Elephant in the Room: A Dent on its Trunk” where she gave a scathing account of the Nigeria Police Force and the leadership of the Police Service Commission (PSC). To puncture her self-righteous presentation of herself, to date she remains a member of the PSC she so vehemently excoriated!

A few days ago, she “resigned” from the ruling APC and from her high ranking position as a director in its Presidential Campaign Council. Since her resignation, she has visited the opposition presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar with photo ops and gone on a flurry of media interviews denigrating the APC, its presidential candidate and most recently its vice presidential candidate – Senator Kashim Shettima.

In a TV interview she gave Arise News she said and I quote: “Especially as it concerns security…..you cannot take someone that is virtually senile (in reference to Asiwaju) and another person that has been associated on several occasions with funding terrorism. That is Kashim Shettima.”

She further went on to say; “Kashim Shettima, we should not forget, Kabiru Sokoto was one of the most wanted terrorists and he was found and arrested in his house.”

Naja’atu was being dishonourable in twisting the circumstances of Kabiru Sokoto’s arrest by her mischievous rendition indicating that he was arrested in Kashim Shettima’s personal house.

Kabiru Sokoto was arrested in the Borno State Governor’s Lodge plotting the kidnap of Shettima’s children. Naja’atu very well knows the truth but chose the path of deceit. Hajia Naja an ji kunya Wallahi!

Naja’atu went on to further buttress her point on how terrorism and banditry is financed with the preposterous insinuation that Mr. Shettima is a terrorism financier.

Not to be taken lightly, Naja’atu Mohammed’s grievous accusation must be addressed and rejected in the strongest terms not only because she is lying but also because of the perpetuation of the stereotyping of northern Muslims as Boko Haram/terrorism sympathisers and the attendant hate crimes including mass murders that could follow.

These are some of the issues she herself has spoken against previously but has now turned around 360 degrees to propagate all in the name of politics. So much for a self touted defender of northern interests!

I advise Senator Shettima to seek legal redress against this grave character assassination. It may surprise the reader to know that Hajia Naja’atu was prior to this explosive interview a close friend of the Shettimas. According to sources close to the family, she had open access to the Shettima household, was a regular visitor and would often hawk her wares and the Shettimas; would continuously patronise her. Mrs Shettima treated Naja’atu with reverence just as she would treat her own maternal aunts. When in Maiduguri, Naja’atu was known to be accommodated in Kashim Shettima’s personal house and treated as a special guest. The pressing question is: what led to the sudden realisation by Naja’atu that her erstwhile friends and accommodators were terrorism supporters? As widely insinuated, was there a revelation aided by Atiku dollars?

As Naja’atu is so fond of making reference to Islam in her critical presentations in writing and on TV and radio, I rebuke her with the Mighty words of Almighty Allah when he spoke about the repercussions of character assassination thus: “Those who desire that indecencies should spread among the believers, will have a painful chastisement in this world and the hereafter. God knows and you do not know.” – Qur’an Chapter 24 verse 19. Respected American Islamic cleric, Shiekh Nouman Khan narrates a Hadith of Ibn Abbas where Abu Aljauza’a asked: “who are those people in whom Allah condemns with Wayl? (humiliation, punishment, doom) Ibn Abbas answered: “Those are the people who uncover secrets and disclose that which is not appropriate to be disclosed, those that cause divisions between those who love each other, and those who constantly describe people with flaws.” (Emphasis mine). Hajia Naja’atu may wish to learn that according to Islamic teachings, character assassination is a heinous crime.

Naja’atu’s penchant for quarrelsomeness and caustic criticism is rife – from President Buhari to Governors Kwankwaso, Shekarau and Ganduje (and many more; just ask Google!) and now Asiwaju and Shettima. As the saying goes “criticism is the power of the impotent.” At 67 years, the cantankerous Naja’atu Muhammad is nearing the twilight of her life – and it would serve her and her descendants better if she lives the rest of it with honour. She has every right to support Atiku Abubakar or whomsoever she wishes to support but she has no right to make such grievous and mischievous accusations against Senator Kashim Shettima.

Hajia Naja’atu, I leave you with the parable of the two wolves and I hope you take note of the lessons and free yourself of resentment, lies, anger and ego. An old Cherokee chief was teaching his grandson about life:

“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.
“One is evil — he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, self-doubt, and ego.
“The other is good — he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.
“This same fight is going on inside you — and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather,
“Which wolf will win?”
The old chief simply replied,
“The one you feed.”

January 13, 2023

Plot by PDP to stop Tinubu, Shettima collapses

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Kashim Shettima

The bid by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to disqualify from the February election Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima collapsed on Friday.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, dismissed the suit by the PDP on the ground that the it lacked locus standi to institute the suit.

Justice Ekwo, who held that the case was caught by the principle of issue estoppel, described the suit as an abuse of court process.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PDP, in its originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1734/2022, had sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC, Tinubu and Shettima as 1st to 4th defendants respectively.

In the suit filed on July 28, 2022, the party challenged the validity of Sen. Tinubu to contest for the 2023 presidential election as APC candidate on the ground that Mr Shettima’s nomination as his running mate was in breach of the provisions of Sections 29(1), 33, 35 and 84{1)}(2)} of the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended).

It argued that Shettima’s nomination to contest the position of vice president and Borno Central Senatorial seat contravened the law.

The PDP also sought an order nullifying their candidacy.

It further sought an order compelling INEC to remove their names from its list of nominated or sponsored candidates eligible to contest the poll.

But the defendants, in their preliminary objection filed by Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and argued by Thomas Ojo, urged the court to dismiss the suit for want of jurisdiction.

They argued that the plaintiff (PDP) lacked the legal right to file the case, which invariably was challenging the political party’s decision and its nomination of candidates for the polls.

They further submitted that such act was an internal affairs of APC which they argued was non-justiciable.

Justice Ekwo agreed with the defendants that the PDP had no locus standi to file the matter.

According to him,.where there is no locus, the court has no jurisdiction.

He said the court found that the action was incompetent.

Ekwo held that that matter bordered on the internal affairs of the APC in which the PDP lacked locus to file the case.

On argument about non-disclosure of cause of action against the respondents, the judge said that there was a nexus between locus standi and a cause of action.

He, therefore, said that since the PDP had no locus standi, it also did not have any cause of action against the defendants.

Justice Ekwo also agreed with the defendants that the suit was an abuse of court process.

“It is expressed in the provision of Section 29 (5) of the Electoral Act, 2022 that the right of action on the matter for which the applicant/respondent (PDP) has filed this action is given to ‘any aspirant who participated in the primaries of his political party’,” he said.

The judge said that it had been established that the PDP was not an aspirant of the APC.

“Therefore, there is no iota of law which supports this action. It is on this ground that I find that this case is an abuse of process and I so hold,” he said.

Justice Ekwo, consequently, dismissed the suit for constituting an abuse of court process.

Shettima meets the Emir of Gaya as Tinubu campaigns in Edo

January 5, 2023

Tinubu in Edo, Shettima continues APC campaign in Kano

Senator Kashim Shettima

The Vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Kashim Shettima has stayed behind in Kano to continue the campaign.

This was a day after the party’s highly successful mega rally in Kano, which was attended by the Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Many northern state governors also attended the rally.

Today, Shettima, along with the governorship candidate, Dr. Nasir Yusuf Gawuna and Deputy National Chairman of the APC (North) Senator Abubakar Kyari paid homage to Emir of Gaya, Dr. Aliyu Ibrahim Gaya.

Shettima’s visit to Gaya comes as Tinubu also mounted the podium in Benin, capital of Edo state.

Shettima also visited Rano, where he paid homage to the emir, as well.

In both palaces, the delegation was treated to another round of mass turn out as thousands of people quickly gathered to welcome the visitors.

At the Palace to receive the team in Rano, was the Emir, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad Inuwa Autan Bawo III.

In Gaya also, the Emir, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaya was at hand to receive the delegation.

In both Palaces, Senator Kashim Shettima paid tribute to the historical antecedents and relevance of the two emirates and linked the roles they have played in the evolution of a nation anchored on justice and fairness to why they are still relied upon to impact on the journey at hand.

He told the emirs and the very large gathering of people that Nigeria has a date with not just history, but with a golden opportunity to remake and reposition itself.

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