News
20 lawyers volunteer to represent LP candidates at Tribunal
No fewer than 20 lawyers have volunteered to represent the Labour Party, LP at the Election Petition Tribunal in Lagos State to help the party and its candidates retrieve their allegedly stolen mandates.
Lagos State chapter of the Labour Party’s candidates in the 2023 general election disclosed that lawyers and professionals who are sympathetic to their plight have agreed to offer services to candidates who felt cheated following the outcome of the Feb. 25 and March 18 general election in the state.
Dayo Ekong, the Lagos State LP Chairperson, disclosed this while addressing the frontline candidates and other critical stakeholders at the party’s Secretariat in Ikeja on Tuesday evening in Lagos.
“We have a group of professionals and lawyers who want to volunteer their services for free to help our candidates retrieve their stolen mandates.
“Feel free to contact them in case your need legal advice. We are hopeful that the legal practitioners will help those who do not have money to hire lawyers to fight their cases in court.
“All eyes are on the judiciary. We are going to win,” Ekong said.
The chairperson expressed optimism that the party would recover allegedly stolen mandates.
“This is the time for us to stand strong, tall and stay focus no matter the attacks and intimidation.
“We are with you. We want to feel more of you, we want you to support us and together we can move this party forward,” she said.
Ekong assured that the state excos would continue to stand behind all candidates challenging outcome of the last general elections.
According to her, the leadership challenges rocking the party will fizzle out very soon, as the party has commenced processes to expose and show the infiltrators the way out.
“We cannot allow people who are playing the script of some pay masters in our midst to continue. Our children must grow up to see a new Nigeria and that is our passion and commitment.
“Be part of of the history, fight the battle no matter the castigation and intimidation. If our country is better, out children will sing a new song,” she added.
According to her, the chapter is solidly behind the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee and would not be part of any back door coup against the party leadership for any monetary gain.
Urging the candidates not to be distracted but be focused, Ekong assured that the truth would prevail at the end of the tunnel.
She urged all the candidates to be closer to the party hierarchy in the state.
“We are at a period in this party when everything looks uncertain because of infiltrations,” she said.
She begged all aggrieved candidates to shelve their grievances and work to promote the party and its ideas in their various constituencies.
Corroborating the chairperson, Sam Okpala, the LP Secretary in the state, said that some people had become ‘comrades in crimes’ to destroy the party and its structure in the state because of selfish gains.
“We need your support to stand and face the shenanigans who are hell bent to destroy the party. They are out to play the spoilers role but God will continue to expose them.
“The party is standing strongly with you in the efforts to reclaim these mandates. We want you to help defend interests and cause of this party in your various constituencies.
“We have almost 20 lawyers working together with some other professionals working together on this,” Okpala said.
Stating that the Lagos State LP chapter remained the bedrock of the party, Okpala described the interaction as a confidence building meeting to clear airs on myriads of false narratives making the round about the party.
Commenting, the candidates and leaders of the party unanimously agreed to work with the party and Ekong-led state executive committee of the party.
The meeting had in attendance some House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senatorial District candidates of the party in the last general elections with other stakeholders in the state.
News
State of Emergency in Rivers: $5,000 shared to Reps as ‘Sallah gesture,’ not bribe – Hon. Betara
Member representing Biu/Bayo/Shania/Kwaya/Kusar Federal Constituency of Borno State, Hon. Mukhtar Aliyu Betara has disclosed that he shared $5,000 with members of his committee as a “Sallah gesture”.
Betara who is the Reps Committee Chairman on FCT said the money was not a bribe to pass resolution declaring a state of emergency in Rivers as being insinuated.
The was posted by a Nigerian investigative journalist, Jaafar Jaafar on his X handle.
Jaafar said Betara explained this to him after the lawmaker reached out to clarify that the $5,000 given to lawmakers was merely a “Sallah gesture” and not an inducement.
He quoted Batara to have said the gesture was a long standing g tradition and has nothing to do with the state of emergency I Rivers.
Jaafar wrote:
“The chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Mukhtar Aliyu Betara, has clarified to me that he only shared $5,000 with each member of his committee as a ‘Sallah gesture,’ not as an inducement to support emergency rule in Rivers State.
“According to him, he maintains the tradition—like Santa Claus—every year.
“As we say in Hausa, not thigh but hind leg.”
The clarification by Betara came amid strong speculations that Senators received $15,000 bribe to pass a resolution to sustain declaration of state of emergency rule in Rivers.
The bribe was reportedly shared on Tuesday before they voted on Wednesday.
News
INEC holds crucial meeting to look into petition recalling Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from Senate
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proceeded into a crucial meeting to study and look into a petition submitted to it by constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District.
CAPITAL POST gathered, it a top management meeting as it was claimed that over 250,000 constituents signed the petition out of 480,000 registered voters.
The meeting was confirmed on Monday by the Acting
Director of Publicity, Esther Chibuikem, stating that the meeting held at a committee room at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
It was also confirmed that the Secretary to the commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, on received the petition against Natasha on Monday.
The petition follwed the nod given by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja on Friday where the earlier judgement restraining INEC from accepting the petition was set asid3.
Last week, constituents from Kogi Central were said to have i initiated a recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, but some constituents claimed that they were d3ceived into exercise as they were told to gather with their voters card for 3 powerment.
However, the Court, in a judgement delivered in Lokoja, affirmed that the recall process is constitutionally valid and aligns with the civic rights of the constituents.
The court urged the constituents to continue exercising their rights in an orderly and peaceful manner.
The development was after the court on Thursday granted an interim injunction restraining INEC, its staff, agents, privies or assigns from receiving, accepting or acting on any petition containing signatures of members of Kogi Central Senatorial District.
As at press time, INEC hasn’t release information on the next action as signatures may have to be critically compared with its register to determine validity.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on Monday received a petition to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Uduaghan from the 10th Senate.
The petition was submitted by the constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District to recall Natasha having signed the petition which claimed to have met the requirements as stipulatedby the Constitution 1990 as amended.
Our correspondent who monitre the development at the Maitama headquarter of INEC report that th3 petition was submitted with over 250,000 signatures out of 480,000 registered voters.
The Constitution however required above 50% register3d voters’ recall signatures before it could be recognised and acceptable.
Senator Natasha is currently on suspension for six months for breaching Senate Rules and has proceeded to Court to challenge the Senate decision which was yet to determined.
She also alleged sexual harassment by the Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio.
CAPITAL POST gathered that the former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has highjacked the recall which is being pursued through proxies disguised as constituents in order to contest for the Senate if the exercise succeeds.
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