Politics

APC Congress: Ebonyi adopts Option A4 voting system

Published

4 years ago

August 1, 2021

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ebonyi adopted Option A4 voting system in the conduct of the party Ward Congress in the 171 electoral wards in the state.

According to reports, the Option A4 or open ballot voting system is a method whereby people queue behind pictures of their preferred candidate in an election.

The system was introduced by Prof Humphrey Nwosu, the then head of the electoral body in 1993 under the regime of the former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida.

State party officials in conjunction with congress committee from the party’s national headquarters distributed materials for the 171 wards at the state party secretariat in Abakaliki.

The election materials were distributed to the local government areas through the senatorial zonal headquarters for onward distribution to the various wards.

Some APC chieftains who spoke to newsmen in separate interviews said that the exercise was peaceful and successful.

They added that the peaceful conduct of the congress was eloquent testimony of the excellent leadership of Gov. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi.

Dr Kenneth Ugbala, Secretary to State Government told newsmen at Onueke that the party had made seamless arrangements for peaceful exercise in the state.

He said that everybody involved in the exercise was ready and commended the party faithful for their level of compliance with the party’s directive and guidelines for the congress.

“I think it is very transparent, democratic and in line with the directives of the party and we look forward to supervising the local government congress and the processes that would follow,” Mr Ugbala said.

Dr Eni-Iduma Chima, chairman of Afikpo South LGA who spoke to newsmen at Ndeoke ward in Ugwuma, Edda after monitoring the exercise, said that those who emerged were the choice of the people.

He described the exercise as transparent, credible and met the requirements of the guidelines stipulated for the conduct of the congress.

“The stakeholders met, harmonised the lists and agreed on consensus which were validated in field as attested by the large number of party faithful that participated in the exercise.

“There was no parallel congress in any part of the LGA and the exercise was violence free,” Mr Chima said.

In a similar vein, Chinyere Iyioku, chairman of Ohaozara LGA told newsmen at Obiozara, the council headquarters, that the congress was peaceful and witnessed large turnout of party faithful in all 10 wards.

According to her, stakeholders adopted consensus mechanism to determine the new party officials in the various wards which were validated in the field by their votes.

Mrs Iyioku however, said that elections were conducted at Obiozara ward 1 to choose ward leaders due to failure of stakeholders to agree on consensus candidates.

“We have the election materials and anywhere there is no consensus, we will do normal election.

“We are not anticipating any crisis because the whole process is very transparent and open for people to see,” she said.

Also, at Onueke, headquarters of Ezza South LGA and zonal senatorial headquarters for the Ebonyi Central zone, Ken Eze described the exercise as transparent, credible, fair and devoid of violence.

He noted that the elected officials in all the wards emerged through consensus arrangements which were however, validated by the people themselves in the field.

“Distribution of materials to the various LGAs for onward transmission to their various wards began early and ended around 1.pm.

“The congress is a family affair and we don’t anticipate any problem but where there is, we have inbuilt mechanism to resolve such.

“The consensus that the party talked about is a consensus where those who will emerge will have to test their popularity in the field,” Mr Eze said.

Meanwhile, collation of results are underway in the exercise which witnessed large turnout of party faithful held on Saturday at the various ward collation centres of the state using.

NAN

Politics

Gov Yusuf directs aides to declare their assets

Published

4 weeks ago

March 21, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

Gov Yusuf directs aides to declare their assets

Gov. Abba Yusuf of Kano State has instructed all his political appointees to declare their assets.

Yusuf gave the directive during an Iftar (Ramadan breaking of Fast) with Heads of Government Agencies and Special Advisers at Government House, Kano.

The governor said that 60 to 70 per cent of the appointees had yet to comply with the Code of Conduct rules.

He urged them to promptly obtain, complete, and submit the necessary forms, to ensure compliance with the law.

Yusuf also addressed special advisers on the importance of providing counsel and submitting reports on governance matters.

He encouraged them to actively monitor government affairs and offer advice, whether positive or negative.

Yusuf also said that 13 Hajj seats bad been allocated to the Heads of Government Agencies.

Responding on behal of the appointees, Dr Rahila Mukhtar, the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Contributory Health Care Management Agency (KCHIMA), thanked the governor for his support.

The Secretary to the State Government, Malam Umar Ibrahim, reminded the appointees of their oath to execute their duties with justice.

Ibrahim urged them to remain committed to Yusuf’s mission and vision, prioritising transformation and improving the standard of living for citizens.

Headlines

Supreme Court nullifies Rivers LG elections

Published

2 months ago

February 28, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

The Supreme Court on Friday, nullified the Local Government election in Rivers State, which was conducted on Oct. 5, 2024.

A five-member panel of the apex court unanimously held that the election was conducted in violation of relevant laws.

Justice Jamilu Tukur, in the lead judgment, agreed with the appellant, the All Progressives Congress (APC), that conditions precedent were not complied with before the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) held the election.

Justice Tukur held that there was no evidence that the voters’ registration continued until 90 days before the election and that the requisite notices were issued as required by law.

Headlines

Supreme Court dismisses Fubara’s suit seeking to remove 27 pro-Wike lawmakers

Published

2 months ago

February 10, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the suit by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara seeking to remove 27 members of the State House of Assembly on ground of their alleged defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Uwani Aba-Aji delivered the judgment following the dramatic withdrawal of the appeal by Fubara through his lead counsel, Yusuf Ali, SAN.

Fubara in the notice for withdrawal of the case simply informed a three-man panel of justices of the court that events have overtaken his suit and that the lawmakers are their friends.

The request for the withdrawal of the contentious suit was not opposed by the Rivers States House of Assembly and its Speaker, Martin Amaewhule who were represented by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN.

Olanipekun, however, demanded for outright dismissal of the suit on the premise that parties have filed and exchanged their brief of arguments and thus, joined issues with each other.

He argued that the proper order to be made in the circumstances is the dismissal of the case which the court agreed with.

Following no objections from parties, the apex court dismissed it and awarded two million each against Fubara to be paid to the House of Assembly and Amaewhule.

Addressing newsmen shortly after the dismissal of the suit, Ken Njemanze, SAN said that the coast has been finally cleared for the 27 lawmakers to take over the House of Assembly fully.

Njemanze said that all steps taken by Fubara in the absence of the 27 lawmakers, including presentation of the 2024 and 2025 budgets to only four lawmakers among others, have become a nullity.

The Court of Appeal had on October 10, 2024 dismissed Fubara’s an appeal on the same matter.

The Federal High Court in Abuja

presided over by Justice James Omotosho on January 22, 2024, also nullified the passage of Rivers State’s N800 billion 2024 budget by four members of the House of Assembly.

The court had described the bill’s passage by the four lawmakers, led by Hon. Ehie Edison, as an aberration and illegality.

It consequently ordered Fubara to re-present the budget to the Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly.

The suit filed by the 27 members of the Assembly loyal to former governor of the state and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike filed the suit which got the blessings of the lower court.

Listed as defendants of the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023 are the National Assembly, the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Clerk to the National Assembly.

Others include Governor Fubara, Hon. Edison, the Rivers State Civil Service Commission, and the Inspector-General of Police(IGP).

Justice Omotosho had while ruling on an ex-parte motion by the 27 legislators issued an interim order restraining Fubara and his agents from obstructing the pro-Wike legislators from carrying out their constitutional duties.

He also restrained the governor from removing/redeploying the Clerk of the Assembly and withholding funds meant for the Assembly, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The governor had also prevented the pro-Wike legislators from sitting by demolishing a part of the Assembly complex and withholding funds for legislative functions.

Delivering judgment, Justice Omotosho had held that the four lawmakers’ passage of the budget and other actions taken while the 30 November 2023 order subsisted amounted to a nullity.

He said the governor acted like a tyrant in the manner the Assembly complex was partially demolished and funds for legislative activities withheld.

The judge had issued an order restraining Fubara from frustrating the Assembly-led by Hon. Amaewhule from sitting or interfering in its activities.

He also described as unlawful, Governor Fubara’s redeployment of the Clerk and Deputy Clerk out of the Assembly, stating that the action amounted to an affront on separation of power.

The judge ordered the Clerk and the Deputy Clerk to resume office immediately and unhindered.

Apart from also asking Fubara to promptly release all monies standing to the credit of the Assembly, he also ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to immediately deploy his operatives to the Assembly complex.

The judge had also barred the National Assembly from taking over the Assembly or accepting or treating any request by Governor Fubara on any matter affecting the Legislature.