APCMonitor Newspaper

30/12/2023

APC, NNPP AND THE JUDICIARY: FACTS OF THE MATTER

Justice John Inyang Okoro: What is the source of the disputed ballot papers?

INEC Lawyer (A.B Mahmoud: The ballot papers belonged to INEC.

Justice Inyang Okoro: Is there any law that emphasizes stamping, signing and dating of ballot papers?

INEC Lawyer (A.B Mahmoud: Yes. There is the Exhibit P17 (Official Manual of Elections).

APC's premise hinges on three (3) issues:

1. 165,616 unsigned, unstamped and undated Ballot Papers, which constitute gross violation and non-compliance with the Electoral Act Section 63(1).

2. Abba joined the NNPP only after the General Elections.

3. Abba's Forgery of Form EC9 Affidavit.

The following is a brief explanation regarding serial numbers 2 and 3 above:

* APC presented to the Tribunal a copy of NNPP's register submitted to INEC in April, 2022 before the primary elections. But the register did not contain Abba's name.

* NNPP also presented, to the same Tribunal, a copy of its 'Ward' updated register, which it submitted to INEC in July, 2023 after the elections, with details as serial number 001 bearing Abba Kabir Yusuf and his address as Diso Quarters. The updated register tallied with his Form EC9 Affidavit.

* The updated 'State' register presented by the NNPP to the Tribunal, however, contained his name, with details as serial number 103690 bearing Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, while his address as Chiranci Quarters. This did not tally with his Form EC9 Affidavit. Moreso, on this same register, serial number 1 (not 001) is Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

The critical facts relating to the non-qualification of Abba rest on his non-membership of, and non-sponsorship by the NNPP.

1. Abba's name is not contained in the register of members of the NNPP submitted to INEC in April, 2022.

2. In his Form EC9 Affidavit submitted to INEC bearing NNPP/HQ/KN/GWL/DS/001, there is no such number in the register of members submitted to INEC. This clearly denotes the issue of forgery claimed by the AP

20/12/2023

An Hour with Shekarau
By Dankano Auwal

I received a call informing me that our appointment with the former governor of Kano State had been approved from a buddy who also happens to be a Senator Shekarau aide.

Shekarau was chosen to provide his testimony in relation to the project I worked on, which involved compiling the positive deeds carried out by His Excellency Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the Kano governor throughout his eight-year tenure.

The Senator's hour-long explanation of how Ganduje altered the status quo of government by carrying out the projects started by his predecessors—a departure from the customs of every Kano state governor before Ganduje—was what shocked me the most.

The Senator said that two hospitals in Kano Metropolis, located on Guginyu and Zoo Road, were among the projects he left unfinished. Ganduje not only finished these projects, but also outfitted them with cutting-edge amenities.

In addition, Kwankwaso started road construction and finished the unfinished bridges, leaving them halfway completed.

Ganduje's record as a governor is inspirational, and he possesses extraordinary humility.

26/11/2023

Justice for Gawuna Garo
By Auwal Dankano

Law exists to ensure justice prevails and in the court of judges, the truth is unveiled and justice is served to those who deserve it. This was evident in the case of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kano.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted the Kano governorship election in March of this year and declared Abba Kabir Yusuf of NNPP as the winner, despite numerous irregularities associated with the election.

APC promptly lodged a petition challenging the emergence of Abba Kabir Yusuf, and after careful deliberation and heated arguments in court, the judges declared Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna of APC as the rightful winner.

The judgement overturning NNPP's victory was based on the deduction of over 165,000 votes that lacked the INEC official stamp and the signature of the presiding officer. These missing elements rendered the votes invalid.

Although the issue of Abba Kabir's NNPP membership was raised in APC's petition, the tribunal judge left it open, perhaps for a higher court to decide.

Upon cross-appeal by APC's legal team, the appeal court upheld the tribunal's judgement and, furthermore, declared that Abba Kabir is not a member of NNPP based on the evidence before them.

The court relied on facts and the law itself. According to the law, votes without the necessary stamp, date, or signature of the presiding officer must be deducted. This is evident in the case of AMADASUN & ANOR V. ATIVIE & ORS (2009) LPELR-3761(CA), where the Court of Appeal ruled that votes conveyed by invalid ballot papers ought to be canceled.

As for the issue of party membership, one might argue that it is an internal affair of a party and not justiciable. However, our legal experts have stated that if the complaint revolves around a breach of the Constitution, the Electoral Act, party guidelines, or party constitution, it can be accommodated under Section 84(14) of the Electoral Act. This has been supported by cases such as SC/CV/176/2023 BETWEEN: IBRAHIM SANI V. HON. SANI UMAR DAN GALADIMA & ORS (unreported) and SC/CV/142/2023 BETWEEN: SEN. (DR.) ITA SOLOMON ENANG V. MR. AKANIMO ASUQUO & ORS (unreported), both delivered on 7th March, 2023.

The case of PDP & ANOR V. KAWUWA & ORS (2015) LPELR-26044(CA) further emphasizes this. It clarifies the interpretation of Section 65(2) of the 1999 Constitution, stating that for contesting an election, one must be a member of a political party and be sponsored by that party. Independent candidacy is not recognized.

It is imperative that we respect the court and accept defeat. The two courts have affirmed Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna and Murtala Sule as the governor and deputy governor. It is in the best interest of the opposition NNPP to accept these court verdicts and not mislead their few supporters, thereby distorting our young and vibrant democracy.

Auwal Dankano
From Kano.
[email protected]

12/11/2023

BREAKING NEWS:
APC ON COURSE TO WINNING 27 OUT OF 27 LGAs IN IMO GUBER POLL
From the results so far declared by INEC, 90.37% of the election results show the APC are in clear lead.
Ojiaku, Imo Media House International
*November 12, 2023.
*Live Owerri Imo State

Orsu LGA = APC ✅
APC 18,003.
LP 813.
PDP 624.

Okigwe LGA = APC ✅
APC 55, 585.
LP 2,655.
PDP 1,688.

Nwangele LGA = APC ✅
APC 29,282.
LP 895.
PDP 2,132

Mbaitoli LGA = APC ✅
APC - 12,556
APGA - 222
LP - 4007
PDP - 5,343

Ideato South = APC ✅
APC 16, 891.
LP 1, 649.
PDP 2,469.

Onuimo LGA = APC ✅
APC 13, 434
LP 1, 753
PDP 2,676.

Ngor-Okpala LGA = APC ✅
APC 14, 143.
Lp 2,716
PDP 3,451.

Orlu LGA = APC ✅
APC 67, 315.
LP 443
PDP 2, 202.

ISU LGA = APC ✅
APC 11, 312.
LP 1,253.
PDP 2,508

Ahiazu Mbaise = APC ✅
APC 8,369.
LP 2,214.
PDP 3,507.

Nkwerre LGA = APC ✅
APC 22,488
LP 1,320.
PDP 2,632.

Aboh Mbaise LGA ✅
APC 9,638.
LP 2,455.
PDP 1,724

Owerri West = APC ✅
APC 9,205.
LP 2,592.
PDP 3, 305.

Isiala Mbano = APC ✅
APC 10,860.
LP 2,419.
PDP 1,659.

Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA = APC ✅
APC 8,473
LP 3,332
PDP 2,737

Oguta LGA =APC ✅
APC 57,310
LP 1,941.
PDP 2,653

25/09/2023

*ANALYSIS OF THE JUDGMENT OF THE KANO STATE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION PETITION CASE:*

By *@⁨~Chief Okoi Obono-Obla⁩*

Having read the judgment of the Kano State Governorship Petitions Tribunal delivered on 16 September 2023; in the petition filed by APC against the declaration by INEC of Yusuf Abba Kabir of NNPP as the winner of the Kano State governorship election held on 18 March 2023; I am of the firm belief that an appeal against the judgment stands no chance of success.
The 1st Respondent(INEC) somewhat capitulated evidence to the case of the Petitioners by its failure to deny positively or properly traversed specific paragraphs of the Petition, where the Petitioners specifically made allegations of overcoming, violence, emergency declaration, disenfranchisement of voters and voters' resistance to the use of BVAS of BVAS bypass.
The tribunal was invited by the 1st Respondent to use documentary evidence rendered by it to resolve all the issues it was invited to resolve including whether the 1st Respondent was duly declared the Governor by INEC or that the election was held in compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
The 1st Respondent by not properly traversing or denying specifically paragraphs of the Petition filed by the Petitioners admitted all the facts pleaded by the Petitioners.
Strangely tribunal was invited by the only witness called by the Respondents to consider documents tendered by them to resolve the case.
In law what has been admitted needs no proof.
The tribunal found that from the evidence adduced before it, the Petitioners successfully proved that there was substantial non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act in respect of ground one of the petition having regard to the case of over-voting, disruption, non-accreditation, nonconduct of the election, voters resistance to the use of BVAS in 165,667 polling units and wards in Kano State listed in Table 6 of the Petition.
INEC admitted that in all the polling units listed under Table 7 on pages 86-89 of the Petition.
INEC further ADMITTED that in any of the polling units where election results were canceled, it did not collate the results of the election from such polling unit but gave reasons for such cancellation of results in the appropriate forms.
INEC emphatically admitted that hoodlums brought their already thumb-printed ballot papers wherein they brutally forced the presiding officers to fill the result sheets in form EC8A and upload the same at gunpoint.
See page,189 of the Judgment.
The Tribunal held strangely hoodlums in a Gestapo fashion akin to the attitude of hardened criminals and marauders who vigorously resisted the use of BVAS devices for accreditation.
The Tribunal found and held that even though INEC had asserted that it would at the hearing of the petition show that some of the wards and polling units contained in Table 6 of the Petition of the Petitioners did not exist.
However, contrary to the bold stance of INEC in the course of the hearing of the petition never proved that the polling units and wards listed in Table 6 of the Petition never existed.
The tribunal found that the 1st petitioner proved by the documentary evidence and by the admission of INEC, alleged cancellation of election results for overvoting in these polling units and wards.
The case was mainly fought based on the evidence adduced by the petitioners (who called 32 witnesses), and documentary evidence tendered by the only witness called by the Respondents.
The only witness called by the 2nd Respondent invited the Tribunal cross-examination to rely on documentary evidence supplied by INEC to resolve the issues in contention.
This is precisely what the Tribunal did. Documentary evidence is usually the hangar which the court will normally rely on to evaluate or appraise oral evidence.
All in all, NNPP barely defended the petition. Its defense was threadbare, tenuous, and feeble.
NNPP made massive admissions of the petitioners's case and called only a single witness.
This is incredible taking into account the robust case forward by APC.

Shared
*Hon Bello Billgate Kano*

16/09/2023

A UNIQUE, REMARKABLE AND JUSTIFIABLE GESTURE TO KANO STATE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

APC Intellectuals Forum lauds the Federal government commitments for its remarkable and commendable effort by bringing in 50m dollars grant from a donor agency to tackle malaria and other diseases in Kano State.

The forum appreciates the minister of health Prof. Ali Pate for choosing Kano state as a pilot state of the program, initiated and to be financed by a donor group called Global Fund.

AIF further noted that, the choice of Kano state was as a result of healthcare programs and unprecedented achievements in that area going by the uncountable projects executed by the past administration of His Excellency Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

The AIF urges the Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to keep sentiment aside and emulate the good works of the past governor, and use the fund judiciously for the betterment of the state.

AIF also wants to thank their Grand Patron, Eng, Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, who led the delegation of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, Executive Director of Global Fund, Mr. Peter Sands and their entourage to Kano State


Chairman, APC Intellectuals Forum
A.K. Mustapha

11/09/2023

List of 25 Governors Tribunal May Remove Before End of September and Why
LegitSept 10, 2023Read original

There is anxiety in some states as no less than 25 governors in Nigeria are expected to receive their verdicts from the tribunals hearing the governorship election petitions in their respective states.
According toThe Punch, verdicts on the petitions are expected to be delivered before the end of September.

Of the 28 states where the March 18 governorship elections were held, at least 25 of them were being contested at the tribunal.

The tribunals in the affected 25 states have reserved their judgments after the parties are done with their hearings and adopted written addresses in compliance with the Practice Director of the petitions issued by Justice Monica Dongban-Mensen, the president of the court of appeals.

Below is the list of the governors and their states:

Governor Nwifutu of

Ebonyi State
was one of the Nigerian governors whose fate would be decided before the end of September.

This is as the state governorship election

petition
sitting in Abuja had reserved its verdict on the petition to sack him as the winner of the March 18 governorship election.

Chief Ifeanyi Odii and Prof. Benard Odoh of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) filed the petition against Nwifuru and the All Progressives Congress (

APC
).

Also, the APC Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State would know his fate this month over the petition filed against him by Sa’idu Umar of the PDP against his victory in the March 18 governorship election in the state.

The petitioner has argued that there were gross irregularities in the election and that the governor had some discrepancies in his secondary and university certificates.

Governor Yusuf of

Kano state
has gone spiritual over the petition filed by the APC as the tribunal has reserved its judgment for this month.

There is tension in the state ahead of the ruling as supporters of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the

APC
have alleged some external influences on the court.

The tribunal sitting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, was yet to fix a date to give its verdict on the petition filed by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege of the APC against Oborevwori of the PDP over his victory in the March 18 governorship election in the state.

Both the APC and

PDP
have expressed optimism of winning the tribunal.

The camp of the

APC Governor Dapo Abiodun
of Ogun State and his major challenger, Ladi Adebutu of the PDP, hope to secure victory at the tribunal.

Adebutu has alleged that the victory of Abiodun was full of irregularities, rigging and violence.

Other governors whose fate could be decided at the tribunal in September are listed below:

S/N State Governor Ruling Party
1 Abia Alex Otti Labour Party
2 Adamawa Ahmadu Fintiri PDP
3 Akwa Ibom Umo Eno PDP
4 Bauchi Mohammed Bala PDP
5 Benue Hyacinth Alia APC
6 Borno Babagana Zulum APC
7 Cross River Bassey Otu APC
8 Enugu Peter Ndubuisi Mbah PDP
9 Gombe Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya PDP
10 Jigawa Umar Namadi APC
11 Kaduna Uba Sani APC
12 Katsina Dikko Umar Radda APC
13 Kebbi Nasir Idris APC
14 Niger Mohammed Umar Bago APC
15 Lagos Babajide Sanwo-Olu APC
16 Nasarawa Abdullahi Sule APC
17 Plateau Caleb Mutfwang PDP
18 Taraba Agbu Kefas PDP
19 Yobe Mai Mala Buni APC
20 Zamfara Dauda Lawal PDP
Earlier,

Legit.ng
reported that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) won the majority of the seats in the Senate in the February 25 National Assembly election.

Being the party with the highest number of senators in the red chamber, the APC took over the principal officers' positions in the senate.

11/09/2023

APC Intellectual Forum congratulates Honorable Munir Babba Danagundi.

03/09/2023

Residents of Gwarzo town in the Kano North Senatorial District are protesting the “planned demolition” of a bridge constructed by an opposition lawmaker.

The bridge located at the Gwarzo town bypass was washed away three weeks ago after a torrential rain.

Residents of the area subsequently appealed to the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who is the representative of the area in the Senate to help fix the damaged bridge.

Mr Jibrin is a member of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

They said Mr Jibrin responded promptly and repair work on the bridge was completed on Friday.

A driver, Sule Wanzam, who witnessed the protest said residents started protesting on Friday after they learned that the Kano State government was reportedly planning to demolish the bridge so as to build a better one. The protest continued on Saturday morning.

The bridge is strategic because it is along the road leading to the residence of the deputy governor who is from Gwarzo town, Mr Wanzam said.

“The bridge connects to the residence of the state’s deputy governor, Aminu Abdulsalam, which made some of the government officials and members of his party (New Nigeria People Party) in the town feel offended over the speedy construction of the bridge, by Mr Jibrin, who is member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

The residents described the “planned demolition” of the bridge as political.

The incident led to tension in the area on Friday and Saturday as the supporters of the two main parties, the APC and NNPP pointed accusing fingers at each other.

The APC members in the town vowed not to allow the demolition of the bridge.

When reached for comment, the state’s Commissioner for Works, Marwan Ahmad, said the state was yet to decide the fate of the bridge.

He explained that Mr Jibrin did not obtain an approval before repairing the bridge, which is on a state government road.

“It’s the work of the state government but they went ahead to do it. Even at that, they ought to have sought our approval (state government) before embarking on the state government project,” said Mr Ahmad.

“It’s not a matter of delay from the state government in fixing the bridge, the (state) government has a bureaucracy, we have completed all the processes, and we were about to start the work when they went and started.

“The problem emanated from the reluctance to seek approval before embarking on the work. If they had sought our approval we would have briefed them about our level of engagement about the repairing of the bridge.

“I can’t say whether the work will be demolished or not until the government decides on the next steps,” Mr Ahmad said.

But one of the aides of the deputy senate president, Muktar Gora, said the local government council okayed the request of the lawmaker to embark on the projects.

“The local government council has approved our request, It’s an emergency work that affects the lives of the locals, and we can’t fold our hands to see our people suffering, We decided to take the emergency work following the request of the locals and the work has been done with the consent of the local government council,” Mr Gora said.

The bridge is strategic because it is along the road leading to the residence of the deputy governor who is from Gwarzo town.

03/09/2023

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

PRESIDENT TINUBU APPOINTS NEW EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN / CEO OF NASENI

President Bola Tinubu on Friday approved the appointment of Khalil Suleiman Halilu as the new Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).

By this appointment, Khalil Suleiman Halilu will serve for an initial term of five years in accordance with the relevant sections of the NASENI Act, 2014.

Mr. Halilu, 32, is expected to bring his significant experience as an innovator and technology expert to bear in this important new national assignment.

The tenure of Dr. Bashir Gwandu as EVC/CEO of NASENI is hereby terminated.

By the directive of the President, this appointment takes immediate effect.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
September 1, 2023

03/09/2023

Go And Register Your Own Party, NNPP Founding Fathers Tell Kwankwaso As Crisis deepens

The crisis rocking the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has taken another dimension as the faction of the party loyal to the Board of Trustees pulled out of the memorandum of understanding signed between the party and Kwankwansiya Movement in 2022.

The memorandum of understanding which was signed in February 2022 saw the emergence of former Kano state governor, Rabiu Kwakwanso as the national leader of the party, while the founder of the party, Boniface Aniebonam was named the chairman of the Board of Trustees.

Aniebonam and the erstwhile National Publicity Secretary, Agbo Major, were expelled from the party on Tuesday by the National Executive Committee, while the BoT also announced the suspension of Kwankwaso for three months.

However, in a statement on Thursday, August 31, Mohammed Abdullahi said to be the Secretary of the BOT announced an end to the romance between the NNPP, The Nigeria Movement and Kwankwansiya Movement.

Abdullahi said leaders of the TNM and the Kwankwansiya Movement have been informed of an end to their MOU which he said was signed with the sole purpose of winning the election.

While wishing them well in their future endeavour, he asked them to approach the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for registration as a political party.

He said: “Wearing a red cap as a member of the New Nigeria People’s Party is a very big embarrassment and avoidable violation of terms of understanding between NNPP and the Kwankwasiya movement. This is because the Kwankwasiya Movement is not a political party other than the New Nigeria Peoples Party.

“For the avoidance of doubts, Kwankwasiya movement, TNM are mere pressure groups under the canopy of NNPP and for the purposes of elections in Nigeria.

“Therefore and henceforth, wearing of red cap is not an appropriate dress code of NNPP during political activities. At this point, all members of the Kwankwasyia Movement are hereby informed that other than being deceived by their leaders, NNPP was not sold to the Kwankwasiya Movement or anybody or a group of persons.

“What we had was a mere memorandum of understanding with Kwankwasiya and TNM to work together for the purposes of winning elective positions. It is not an alliance because none of the group is a political party.”

He said further that the need to end marriage became necessary as parties in the memorandum of understanding have since withdrawn.

He named those who were party to the MOU as Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi who served as National Organising Secretary and Prof Angwe who served as National Legal Adviser and signed on behalf of TNM, while Dr Aniebonam and Dr Agbo Major signed for the NNPP.

He said further that the exit of these people left “Senator Kwankwaso and elder Buba Galadima floating and swimming in violations of the memo of non-existing understanding.

“It is on record that Prof Alkali who also represented TNM and served as National Chairman of the party had since stepped aside as the chairman of the party to avoid destroying his political career.

He also said that another member of the alliance, Avm Ihemeje, who served as the Deputy National Chairman “equally resigned due to high handedness, constitutional violations, anti-party activities and all sorts of arrogance and avoidable self-pride of senator Kwankwaso and elder Buba Galadima”.

He appealed to all members of the New Nigeria People’s Party from 2001 to date who, out of anger left the party to return and help in the rebuilding process of the party.

He said: “We made an honest mistake but we did not lose out entirely. Today we have one Governor, two Senators, over fifteen House of Representatives and several House of Assembly. We won elective positions as NNPP and not Kwankwasiya Movement and we are very proud.

“It is most unfortunate that NNPP went into political understanding with Kwankwasiya group, but unfortunately it is apparent that a case of highjack from the backdoor may have been established against Senator Kwankwanso and elder Buba Galadima.

“In the opinion of the leadership of NNPP, founder and founding members, the duo of Senator Kwankwaso and elder Buba Galadima may be better described as cowards and gold diggers.

“It is unheard of that a tenant can eject a landlord from his home. We can only put Elder Buba Galadima and Senator Kwankwaso into prayers and ask God to have mercy upon them and forgive their sins against humanity”.

03/09/2023

Dear friends and well-wishers,

Greetings to you all.

As we approach the anniversary of my birth on September 2nd, I am utterly grateful for the warm wishes and kind sentiments that many of you have expressed over the years. Your thoughtfulness has touched my heart and has been a source of immense joy.

At the same time, I would like to take this opportunity to humbly request that you consider celebrating this occasion in a different way. In the spirit of our nation's commitment to responsible resource management and responsive governance, I kindly ask you to refrain from placing birthday wishes on newspaper pages or utilizing paid channels to convey your greetings.

I invite you to join me in channelling our collective efforts towards a nobler cause. Instead of spending resources on such messages, I encourage you to contribute to the betterment of our society by donating to charity organizations in need, or your preference, in our collective pursuit of a humane and functional world.

Thank you for your understanding and for being my all-weather friends and allies.
Warm regards.