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BREAKING NEWS : APPEAL COURT QUASHES DISQUALIFICATION OF IKENGA IMO UGOCHINYERE AS IDEATO REPS, UNANIMOUSLY AFFIRMS HIS ELECTION AS MEMBER OF HOUSE OF REPS

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IKENGA UGOCHINYERE
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APPEAL COURT DECLARES IKENGA UGOCHINYERE INDISPUTABLE WINNER OF IDEATO HOUSE OF REPS SEAT, QUASHES HIS DISQUALIFICATION, DESCRIBES APC /LP MOVE TO COME FROM 3RD POSITION TO ATTEMPT ST£Al HIS POPULAR MANDATE. As he wrote on his Instagram page.

 

Recall that on Sept 10,2023 The Imo Sate National and State House of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sacked Ikenga Ugochinyere, who was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

In a unanimous decision on Sunday, a three-member panel of the tribunal which conducted its proceedings in Nasarawa State, held that Ugochinyere was not validly nominated by the PDP to contest the Ideato North/South Federal Constituency election that held on February 25.

Consequently, it ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to within 90 days, conduct a supplementary election in the constituency.

The tribunal, in its lead judgement that was delivered by its Chairman, Justice Anthony Olotu Akpovi, specifically directed the electoral body to conduct the supplementary poll in 55 polling units where elections did not hold on February 25.

It held that the PDP and its candidate should be excluded from the supplementary election.

The judgement followed a petition that was lodged before the tribunal by candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Abazu Chika Benson.

Cited as 1st to 5th respondents in the petition marked: EPT/IM/HR/10/2023, were; INEC, Ugochinyere, PDP, candidate of the Labour Party, Obi Paschal Chigozie and his party, the LP.

It will be recalled that INEC had declared the PDP candidate, Ugochinyere, as winner of the election with a total of 13, 026 votes.

Whereas the candidate of the LP, Chigozie, came second with 5,696 votes, the petitioner who was sponsored by the APC, came third with a total of 2, 368 votes.

However, dissatisfied with the outcome of the election, the APC candidate filed a petition wherein he contended that Ugochinyere was not qualified to participate in the House of Reps contest.

The petitioner, among other things, argued that all the votes that were credited to the PDP candidate, amounted to wasted votes.

He told the tribunal that contrary to the express provision of the Electoral Act, the PDP, conducted its primary election in a venue that was outside the constituency.

In its judgement, the tribunal stressed that documentary and oral evidence that was laid before it, established that the primary election the PDP conducted on May 25, 2022, which produced Ugochinyere as its candidate, was held at Aladinma Shopping Mall, a location that was outside Ideato North/South Federal Constituency.

Relying on the provision of section 84 (5) (c)of the Electoral Act 2022, the tribunal held that PDP’s primary election was invalid.

It held that a valid candidate could not have emerged from an invalid primary election.

“Failure of the 3rd respondent (PDP) to abide by the sacrosanct provision of the Electoral Act invalidated its sponsorship of the 2nd respondent,” Justice Akpovi held.

The tribunal maintained that for a primary election to be valid, it must be done in compliance with section 29 (1) of the Electoral Act.

It held that in view of the fact that Ugochinyere was not validly nominated, he was, therefore, not qualified as at the time the House of Reps election held.

More so, the tribunal held that owing to the principle of margin of lead, candidate of the LP, Chigozie, could but be declared the winner of the seat, since INEC admitted that it could not hold election in 55 polling units in the constituency, owing to activities of unknown gunmen.

It, therefore, directed INEC to conduct supplementary poll in the remaining polling units with a the parties participating, except the PDP.

Other members of the panel that concurred with the lead judgement, were; Justices Usman Kudu and Ibrahim Mohammed.

But on  November 8 The judicial triumph was brought to an end

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Councillors impeach two Edo LG Chairmen

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January 2, 2025

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Councillors impeach two Edo LG Chairmen
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Councillors impeach two Edo LG Chairmen

Two chairmen in Uhunmwonde and Orhionmwon local government areas of Edo State have been impeached by their councillors.

The events were marked by accusations of violence, illegal actions, and political interference.

A similar situation also unfolded in Owan East, where the chairman and his deputy faced what they described as an unconstitutional impeachment process.

In Uhunmwonde, the impeachment process turned violent as armed men attacked bystanders, leaving several people injured.

The council chairman, Kenneth Adodo, accused the attackers of being policemen sent from the government house.

In Orhionmwon, the councillors impeached the Leader of the House, Daniel Osariemen, on Wednesday.

They claimed Osariemen was working to remove the council chairman, Newman Ugiagbe, and his vice, Midwest Ogbebor.

Following his impeachment, Osariemen allegedly led unknown persons to take over the council secretariat in Abudu.

He reportedly resumed work there as the acting chairman, but Ugiagbe dismissed his actions as illegal.

In Owan East, the chairman, Prince Aminu Okodo-Kadiri, and his vice, Clement Ojebuovbo, were also impeached.

Okodo rejected the impeachment, calling it unlawful and saying it did not follow proper procedures.

He argued that the law requires a seven-member investigative panel to handle such cases, but no panel was formed. He also claimed he was not given a chance to defend himself.

Okodo further pointed out that the mace used during the impeachment was not the official one for the Owan East Council, which he said made the process invalid.

He accused two suspended councillors of being part of the impeachment, even though they had not been reinstated officially.

The chairman also responded to allegations from the state governor that council chairmen misused ₦50 million meant for salaries.

Okodo said these claims were false, explaining that monthly salary expenses in most councils are higher than ₦50 million.

He added that all salaries had been paid up to November and that bank records showed no mismanagement of funds.

Okodo described the impeachment as politically motivated and vowed to take legal action.

He expressed confidence that the court would overturn the decision and restore his position.

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Breaking News: I am An Igbo Man, Anioma is Igbo, Nothing like Delta Igbo. We are all Igbos – Ifeanyi Okowa

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January 2, 2025

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Breaking News: I am An Igbo Man, Anioma is Igbo, Nothing like Delta Igbo. We are all Igbos – Ifeanyi Okowa

Governor Okowa said there is nothing like delta igbo or Anioma igbo. He stated that we are all igbo people.
Igbo language to be included in school curiculum in all schools in all the igbo areas in delta state.
Me:
Okowa Dalu…Bini Land grabbers…Cry more…how can you even be claiming someone who does not understand your language, practice ur culture and bear your naive names… Anioma Igbo.
Follow us Sylvester Joseph

Almighty Unify IGBOS Now Deputy Jesus

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JUST IN: Governor Sim Fubara Signs N1.1 trillion Rivers state 2025 Budget Into Law.

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January 2, 2025

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JUST IN: Governor Sim Fubara Signs N1.1 trillion Rivers state 2025 Budget Into Law.

 

His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has signed into law the 2025 Rivers State Appropriation Bill, totaling 1.1 trillion naira.

Below are the statements of His Excellency as he signed into law the Appropriation Bill, tagged “Budget of Inclusive Growth & Development.”

“Let me first thank the Rivers State House of Assembly for doing a very diligent job and also realizing that what we have ahead of us is to continue to work for Rivers people. So, I want to thank you for working very, very hard and ensuring that we hit the ground running in this new year.”

“I want to say this, maybe for some persons somewhere who are still mixing up issues: we have only one Assembly, and that Assembly is headed by Rt. Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo. A group of friends about nine or ten months ago embarked on what they call a “Sinbad Journey.” Halfway through the journey, while they were coasting, they realized they were entering into the den of devils and sharks. They now retrieved, but it is too late. The truth is, we are not going back. We have given enough room for peace. As it stands now, our majority target is the interest of Rivers State and to continue to defend the integrity of governance. As far as I’m concerned, we have moved on.”

“Let me thank everyone who made this possible. We made a promise to you that we would continue to keep the interests of Rivers State first. So now that this bill has been signed, I can assure you that every projection in it will be kickstarted so that the record of performance accorded to this administration in the year 2024 will be surpassed in this year.”

“Let me thank my management team, that is, my exco, for all the support, most especially my deputy and everyone—the Commissioner for Finance, Budget, and the acting Internal Revenue Chairman—for the wonderful job they did last year. We expect you to do more because we have a bigger task ahead of us.”

“We have made some promises to our people in education, health, and agriculture. We must ensure we make a good impact, just like we have done in the areas of road infrastructure and other aspects of the economy.”

“Let me, on this note, thank everyone and wish you a happy and prosperous New Year ahead as we continue the journey of making Rivers State great again.”

“Thank you.”

– John Martins®️

Thursday, 02 January, 2025

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