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LG Polls: Oyo APC drags governor, OYSIEC to court

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to court over its exclusion from the forthcoming local government elections in the state.

Also joined in the suit was the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission(OYSIEC).

Oyo State Caretaker Chairman of APC, Chief Akin Oke, confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday in Ibadan.

Oke said the APC, through its lawyers, had prepared the originating processes and forwarded same to the state’s Chief Judge.

He expressed the hope that the case would be attended to timeously by accepting it for filing and assigning it to a judge for hearing.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Makinde had on assumption of office in 2019 sacked the elected local government chairmen and councillors on the platform of APC, a year into their tenure.

The sacked chairmen and councillors had approached the court to challenge the dissolution, which the Supreme Court ruled in their favour on May 7, 2021

NAN recalled that the OYSIEC had before the judgment commenced electoral processes for the conduct of local government elections for May 22, in which APC did not participate on account of the pending judgment.

Oke said that the courts were imbued with extensive powers under the High Court Laws of Oyo State, Nigerian Constitution and High Court Civil Procedure Rules of Oyo State.

“Gov. Makinde and OYSIEC are planning to go ahead with the conduct of the local government elections slated for this Saturday (May 22) without the APC and other registered political parties.

“This action of the governor and OYSIEC is a waste of the state’s resources. The action is aimed at making mockery of democracy and the rule of law,” he said.

Oke described APC’s exclusion from the elections by OYSIEC as deliberate and unconstitutional, adding that OYSIEC goofed by commencing the process while there was pending litigation.

He also noted that OYSIEC had in its guidelines imposed a nomination form fee of N250,000 and N100,000 to be paid by the chairmanship and councillorship aspirants, respectively.

“These fees are illegal because election processes cannot be monetised. The OYSIEC having realised this illegal imposition of fees have now decided to refund the candidates.

“But not after OYSIEC had closed every avenue for participation in the electoral processes,” he said.

The caretaker chairman said that the APC said was aware that some Magistrate Courts in Oyo State are sitting over criminal matters considered urgent, in spite of the ongoing JUSUN strike.

“If the Oyo State judiciary could permit criminal matters to be heard in a strike, we trust his lordship, the chief  judge would mandate the necessary units and personnel to effect filing, as well as assigning  timeously before election day,” Oke said. (N0AN)

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Uba Sani To PDP’s Ashiru: Join Hands With My Govt For Kaduna’s Development 

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Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has hailed the judgement of the Kaduna State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which upheld his victory in the March 18 gubernatorial election in the state.

Sani, in a statement on Thursday, September 28, 2023, urged his challenger in the election, Isah Mohammed Ashiru of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join hands with his government to develop Kaduna State.

Sani contested the gubernatorial election on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The governor, who commended Ashiru for challenging his victory in the court, stated: “I am extremely delighted and humbled by the ruling of the Election Petition Tribunal affirming my victory in the 2023 Kaduna State Governorship Elections.

“The judgement is an unequivocal affirmation of the popular mandate graciously given to me by the good people of Kaduna State. I commend the Tribunal for their thoroughness and lucidity. They have enriched our jurisprudence and practice of electoral democracy.

“I also commend my dear brother, Hon. Isah Ashiru Kudan for approaching the Tribunal to ventilate his grievances. This is a clear demonstration of his belief in the principles of democracy and the imperative of civility in the conduct of political actors.

“I call on Hon. Isah Ashiru and members of the opposition parties in Kaduna State to join hands with us as we strive to move our dear state to a higher level. We are all stakeholders in Project Kaduna.

“It is not about personal glory. Our people want all hands to be on deck to address the myriad challenges confronting the state. If political actors are united, a clear signal will be sent to our people that the quest for peace, security, progress, and development of our state are the driving forces of our participation in politics.”

He, therefore, enjoined the APC members in Kaduna State to moderate their celebration of his election victory, saying they should extend an olive branch to other members of political parties in the state.

“Instead of celebrating, we should bow down in prayers to the Almighty God for His continued guidance and protection. Let us focus on the tasks ahead,” Governor Sani added.

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Subsidy: NLC, TUC Declare Indefinite Strike From October 3

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The leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) will commence an indefinite strike on Tuesday, October 3.

This followed a joint press briefing held by both leadership of the union in Abuja, the nation’s capital on Tuesday (today).

The unions also asked their state chapters to mobilize for protests across the country.

It was gathered that the leaders of the two labour centres have resolved their differences that made only NLC embark on a two-day warning strike without the participation of TUC.

According to the notice of meeting signed by the NLC Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, the meeting is holding virtually.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong has appealed to the NLC leadership to shelve the planned strike, assuring them that the Federal Government is determined to address the concerns raised.

The minister also noted that one of the major demands of the NLC in their last meeting has been met, which has to do with the release of the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport workers.

A statement signed by the spokesman of the spokesman of the ministry’s Olajide Oshundu, urged the workers’ unions to give the government a little more time to address other issues.

On Tuesday, September 5 and Wednesday 6, 2023, NLC embarked on a two-day warning strike to force the government to address the mass suffering of Nigerians, especially workers.

Sources privy to the matter said the two sides after their separate organs’ meetings, commenced a joint press briefing at 3 p.m. on Tuesday to announce an indefinite nationwide strike following the Federal Government’s failure to address the suffering and other socioeconomic hardships occasioned by the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.

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Three Injured As Gunmen Kidnap Nasarawa Poly Student

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Three students have been injured following an attack by gunmen in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.

A student of the Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic in Lafia was abducted by gunmen who struck on Monday night.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ramhan Nansel, confirmed this to Channels Television in a telephone conversation on Tuesday.

He said the abduction was during a robbery raid at Ombi 1 in Lafia, a student village where most of the enrollees of the polytechnic reside.

According to the police spokesman, a distress call was received by 10 p.m. on Monday over an armed robbery taking place at a house at Ombi 1, Lafia.

“Upon receipt of the report, policemen were immediately drafted to the scene; on arrival, it was discovered that three people were injured,” the police spokesman said.

“The victims were rushed by the police to Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital for treatment. Upon their return to the scene of the incident, it was later discovered that one person named Jumoke (surname withheld) was missing.”

The police spokesman assured the public that the command had launched an investigation as the Commissioner of Police had deployed all tactical teams of the command to the area.

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