The RIVERS State House of Assembly members loyal to the state Governor Siminalayi Fubara have insisted on a bye-election to fill the vacant seats in the House.
They took the decision on Friday, July 5, despite the Court of Appeal ruling that nullified the expulsion of the former Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, and 24 others.
The group, led by the factional speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo, said it would challenge the the Appeal Court’s decision on the Assembly crisis.
They called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to promptly conduct a bye-election to fill the vacant seats in the House.
Oko-Jumbo in his opening remark said the splinter lawmakers believed that the Appeal Court erred in its decision.
He added that the Court of Appeal erred when it held that the Rivers State High Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear and determine the case on the conflict involving two factional groups at the House.
“The Court of Appeal did not make any declaration that Martin Amaewhule and 24 ORS did not defect from the PDP to APC.
“The Court of Appeal also did not make any declaration that Martin Amaewhule and 24 ORS are still members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“Accordingly, we have instructed our lawyers and they have filed an appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, challenging the judgement of the Court of Appeal delivered on the 4th Day of July 2024,” Oko-Jumbo stated.
Following Fubara’s executive order in December 2023, the four-member legislators have been meeting at the Government House in Port Harcourt as a temporary chamber..
The Court of Appeal, Abuja, had on Thursday, July 4, nullified the expulsion of Amaewhule and 24 others from the Rivers State House of Assembly by the Rivers State High Court.
In the appeal, marked CA/PH/198/2024, the lawmakers who were sacked by a High Court judgement urged the appellate court to stay the execution of the court judgement.
They further prayed to the appellate court to invalidate all the legislative actions that have been taken by the Jumbo-led Rivers State House of Assembly.
The lawmakers, who won their elections on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on December 11, 2023, announced their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) shortly after their inauguration.
Thereafter, the Rivers Assembly, led by the former Speaker, Edison Ehie, on December 13, declared their seats vacant, following to their defection.
The lawmakers are widely believed to be loyal to the state’s immediate past governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Wike and Fubara have been at loggerheads over who controls the PDP structure in the state.
Though a PDP member, Wike serves in the government formed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the national level.
In its ruling on Thursday, the three-member panel of the Appeal Court, headed by Jimi Olukayode-Bada, held that the High Court lacked the jurisdiction to consider the suit, adding that such matters could only be heard and determined by a federal high court.
The court, therefore,invalidated all the restraining orders that were issued against the litigants by the high court.
THE Nigerian stock market recorded a bullish performance in the first half of the year as investors gained over N15 trillion despite the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) rate hike that discouraged investment in the stock market.
The CBN has raised the benchmark interest rate by 750 basis points to 26.25 per cent from 18.75 per cent within the first half of the year to bring down inflation. However, the apex bank’s orthodox method has yet to yield the expected result.
According to market analysts, an interest rate hike discourages investment in the stock market and pushes investors to invest in the fixed-income market including in bonds and treasury bills.
Checks by The ICIR show that the stock market performance, in the first half of 2024,saw investors gain approximately N15.68 trillion, representing the highest gains recorded in the history of the Nigerian stock market.
The market capitalisation, which represents the total value of companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), rose to N56.60 trillion as of the last trading day in June from N40.92 trillion when the market opened for trading in January this year.
Also, the All-Share Index (ASI) crossed the 100,000 mark to settle at 100,057.49 basis points at June end, from 74,773.77 points it opened in January.
On sectoral performance, except for the banking index which closed in the red, all other indices closed in the green.
Nigerian stock market sectoral performance in half year 2024. Chart by The ICIR
Notable challenges in the market
Although the stock market is expected to remain bullish in the second half of the year on account of banks’ capital raising, however, there are worries that the market is still burdened with increasing concerns over market manipulation, insider dealings, unclaimed dividends, regulatory failures, and interest rate hike that might dampen investor appetite towards stock.
There are even more worries that the improvement in the market generally has not necessarily translated into an improved economy for the country.
Last year investors in the stock market gained N13 trillion, The ICIRreported.
“This is because the government has failed to rally around the market and tap into various ways the market can impact the government’s developmental project,” the national president of New Dimension Shareholders, Patrick Ajudua, told The ICIR.
Already, the federal government is apprehensive that low oil production would put its 2024 budget revenue at risk, making analysts query why the government has yet to maximise the opportunities in the market for economic development.
Re-awakening foreign investors’ confidence
Every month, the NGX polls trading figures from market operators on their domestic and foreign portfolio investment (FPI) flows.
Between January and May, which was the latest data released by the NGX, foreign transactions in the Nigerian market rose by 134 per cent to N124.28 billion from N53.11 billion.
“Yes, we noted some level of improvement in foreign portfolio investment in the Nigerian equity market in the first half of the year which is quite commendable,” Ajudua said.
He pointed out the reasons to include the recent upward review of interest rates by the CBN, which propelled more investment in treasury bills and government bonds.
Other reasons are the federal government’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for foreign investors to repatriate their returns on investment, the reduction of external debt, and the improvement of the economic rating of the country by rating agencies.
He noted that no amount of investment would be required to stimulate foreign investors’ participation in the Nigerian stock market to sustain the boom.
He pointed out, however, that all that is needed to continually enjoy foreign investors’ participation is to provide the enabling environment that will guarantee the safety of their investment, ensuring the availability of foreign currency for repatriation of their returns and reducing operational costs.
“Once they can be assured of good returns on their investment, the market will experience more significant improvement,” Ajudua maintained.
An investment and portfolio analyst, Abel Ezekiel, told The ICIR that the reawakening of investors’ interest could be traced to companies’ earnings, especially the banks.
He noted for instance that the United Bank for Africa (UBA) with a price of below N25 per share did pay a dividend of about N2.80, and Zenith N3.50 at a price of below N40 per share, which were quite commendable.
“At the same time, CBN’s rate hike, which to an extent leads to more returns for fixed-income investors, has boosted the interest of foreign investors and local investors too,” Ezekiel said.
Pointing also to the banks’ capital raising, he said Fidelity Bank has offered N9.25 for its rights issue and N9.75 for a public offer in its ongoing N127.10 billion capital raising to give a reasonable premium on the price to encourage investors.
“Again, in most of these banks, a lot of the directors have an interest in them. They want to increase and maintain a reasonable number of shares to maintain their holdings so that when the rights issue comes, they will be able to have appreciable units that will come to them to maintain or even increase their holdings in those banks.
“A classic example is what is going on in FBN Holdings. Even though the bank’s performance went as high as N43 per share within the first quarter before it slowed to about N24, you will find out that the dividend declared is not that encouraging, but because the chairman (Femi Otedola) wants to maintain a stronghold on the bank that boosted the performance of the bank.
“We can now see that most of the banks’ directors are increasing their shares in the banks for that by the time the rights issues are offered it would not significantly dilute their holdings in the banks,” he explained.
He believes that no amount of foreign investors’ participation can keep the market booming, but that the focus should be on driving the market towards the N1 trillion economy as envisaged by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Continuous boom anticipated for second-half
Shareholders prospect that the stock market will record a higher performance in the second half of the year on account of capital raising by the banks.
The CBN had approved a variety of measures, including rights issues, private placement, and public offers, for banks to raise capital and meet its recapitalisation requirements.
The banks are to raise their capital base to N500 billion, N200 billion, N50 billion, N20 billion, and N10 billion depending on their authorisation.
“We need to realise that investors are already taking positions in anticipation of capital raising by banks.
“So it is anticipated that there will be more activity in banks’ shares in the second half leading to improvement in share prices of bank stock. Also, investors are taking positions for the declaration of interim dividends by some banks which will further spur their interest in the recapitalisation process,” Ajudua said.
On his part, Ezekiel expressed that investors anticipate that a lot of companies come into the market, and said, “We expect Dangote Refinery and NNPC to be listed.”
“The capital raising from the banks is expected to boost liquidity, attract more investors, and lead to a paradigm shift from the paper documentation we used to have in capital raising to a digital system where everything will be done electronically,” he added.
Race to acquire banks’ shares
As banks’ recapitalisation intensifies, an analysis of directors’ dealings with the NGX between May and June shows that bank directors have acquired about 1.86 billion shares worth around N39.32 billion to increase their stakes.
For instance, the FBN Holding Chairman, Femi Otedola, after buying N18.95 billion shares to regain his stake later raised it to about N36.35 billion, making him the largest shareholder in the banking group.
THE Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said it has suspended the licences of 10 private jets over failure to begin the recertification of their operation.
The suspension also followed concerns about alleged money laundering, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities by some private jet operators in the country as earlier raised by the minister of Aviation and Aerospace, Festus Keyamo.
The NCAA director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, disclosed this in a statement on his X handle on Friday, July 5.
He said the NCAA suspended the Permit for Non-Commercial Flight Operations (PNCF) of Azikel Dredging Nigeria Ltd, Bli-Aviation Safety Services, Ferry Aviation Developments Ltd, and Matrix Energy Ltd.
Others are Marrietta Management Services Ltd, Worldwide Skypaths Services, Mattini Airline Services Ltd, Aero Lead Ltd, Sky Bird Air Ltd and Ezuma Jets Ltd.
“The Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023 Part 18.3.4 forbids holders of PNCF from using their aircraft for CARRIAGE OF PASSENGERS, CARGO or MAIL for HIRE or REWARD (commercial operation or charter services)
“As a result of flagrant disregard of this rule, the NCAA had earlier directed all holders of PNCF to undergo re-evaluation which should have been concluded by the 19th of April 2024,” Achimugu stated.
He said it was illegal to engage PNCF holders for commercial purposes as the NCAA would not hesitate to initiate enforcement actions against any PNCF holder found guilty of illegal operations.
Keyamo had in April issued a directive for private jet owners to cease using their flights for commercial purposes following the suspension of three private jet owners.
At the time, Keyamo stated that in line with the Nigeria aviation zero tolerance for violation of regulations, the authority had suspended the PNCF of the three operators to further sanitise the general aviation sector.
He further directed a reevaluation of all holders of PNCF to be carried out on or before April 19, 2024, to ascertain compliance with regulatory requirements.
The order was also directed at existing Air Operator Certificate (AOC) holders, who utilise aircraft listed on their PNCF for commercial charter operations.
To address alleged money laundering, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities by private jet operators in Nigeria, the minister had last month inaugurated an eight-member ministerial task force committee on illegal private chartered operations and related matters.
“To stem the practice of illegal chartered operations including illicit activities raising security and safety concerns culminating to significant financial losses to the Federal Government, Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, FciArb. (UK), has inaugurated a Ministerial Task Force Committee on illegal private chartered operations and related matters,” Keyamo said.
THE Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has commissioned 12 new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations to provide alternative fuel for Nigerians.
The commissioning is expected to provide an alternative to high petrol costs in the country with high energy prices constituting a major determinant to Nigeria’s rising inflation at 33.95 per cent.
Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) prices locally referred to as fuel are nearing N700 per litre in major retail outlets in the country, however, findings have shown that CNG sells below N300 per standard cubic meter for those whose cars have engine options for gas.
The NNPC’s chief corporate communications officer, Olufemi Soneye who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, July 7 said, the 12 new CNG stations were commissioned simultaneously in Abuja and Lagos state.
Soneye quoted the group chief executive officer of NNPC Limited, Mele Kyari as saying during the commissioning that in addition to the massive deployment of CNG stations nationwide, the NNPCL and its partners would also build three Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) stations in Ajaokuta.
“There is no way to turn back on delivering CNG for all Nigerians. It is the right thing to do. Is it late? Yes, but we will make progress, we will cover the gap to ensure that the volatility we see with Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) does not apply to gas,” Kyari stated.
The GCEO lauded the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing the needed support to drive domestic gas utilisation aimed at delivering cleaner and cheaper sources of energy to Nigerians.
While assuring that the NNPCL will continue to deliver more strategic gas projects for the benefit of Nigerians in line with the Presidential CNG Initiative of bringing prosperity to all Nigerians, Kyari reaffirmed the determination of the NNPCL to guarantee the nation’s energy security.
Also speaking at the occasion, the managing director, of NNPC Retail Limited, Huub Stokman revealed that in the next year, NNPCL Retail would have launched over 100 CNG sites, including 16 NNPC Gas Marketing and NIPCO Gas JV sites.
“CNG provides Nigeria with affordable alternatives to existing available fuel products. It will be about 40 per cent cheaper than petrol in Nigeria and with continued investments, it will become a significant part of our energy mix,” Stockman added.
In his remarks, the minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo said the commissioning of the stations will not only provide economic benefits by creating jobs and stimulating local economies, but it will also contribute significantly to Nigeria’s national goals of reducing emissions and combating climate change.
On his part, the NNPC board of directors chairman, Pius Akinyelure, said increased CNG adoption will foster economic benefits by reducing fuel costs for consumers and businesses alike.
Following the removal of fuel subsidies and the declaration of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiatives, NNPC Limited has taken the lead in deploying Auto-CNG Stations across Nigeria.
Already, NNPC Gas Marketing Limited, a subsidiary of NNPC Limited, in partnership with NIPCO Gas Limited has developed an Auto-CNG rollout plan for the construction of thirty-five (35) CNG stations across the various geographical zones of Nigeria.
The ICIRreported earlier that the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources met with officials of a Chinese company, Wen Advisor, to firm up an agreement to build compressed natural gas-powered CNG stations in Nigeria.
The pact will see the firm deploy CNG-enabled vehicles across the country.
LABOUR Party’s Kier Starmer has won the just-concluded United Kingdom (UK) election, emerging as the country’s new Prime Minister, and ending the 14 years of Conservative rule.
The UK held its national election on Thursday, July 4, for the first time in five years to elect a new Prime Minister and other officials.
The ICIRreported that despite having three major candidates from the Conservative, Labour and Reform parties vying for the position of Prime Minister, the Conservative and Labour parties were the front-runners.
The Conservative Party has ruled for 14 years, hence the election had the potential to significantly change the political landscape of which the Labour Party was perceived to have the strongest candidate.
Delivering his victory speech, the Prime Minister-elect, Keir Starmer, declared that he would usher in a period of “national renewal” and that the British people had given the UK the chance to “get its future back” and return to “the service of working people.
“Our task is nothing less than renewing the ideas that hold this country together. National renewal. Whoever you are, wherever you started in life, if you work hard, if you play by the rules, this country should give you a fair chance to get on. It should always respect your contribution, and we have to restore that.
“Make no mistake, that is the great test of politics in this era. The fight for trust is the battle that defines us our age. It is why we’ve campaigned so hard on demonstrating we are fit for public service.”
He added that service was the precondition for hope and urged the people respect: the bond that united the country.
“Together, the values of this changed Labour Party are the guiding principle for a new government. Country first, party second”, he added.
Conceding defeat, the outgoing Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, took responsibility for the Conservative Party’s losses and congratulated Starmer on his victory.
Starmer is a 61-year-old British politician and lawyer who has led the Labour Party since 2020.
He was a member of parliament in 2015 for Holborn and St. Pancras and also served as the Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales from 2008 to 2013.
SOME reports have documented the reactions of clerics, civil society organisations (CSOs) and human rights activists condemning the signing of the Samoa Agreement by the Nigerian government saying it attempts to promote LGBTQ, transgenders among others.
The Samoa Agreement signed on 15 November 2023, is a framework agreement for cooperation between 27 countries of the European Union and 79 countries of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS).
The agreement also has a trade component of $150 billion. Currently, 46 OACPS countries and 27 EU countries have signed it. For the agreement to be fully implemented, all 27 EU members must sign it.
The partnership agreement lays down common principles and covers the following priority areas: human rights, democracy and governance; peace and security; human and social development; inclusive, sustainable economic growth and development; environmental sustainability and climate change; migration and mobility.
Meanwhile, on Monday, July 1, the minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu confirmed the development at a reception organised by the European Union (EU) in Abuja.
A report said that Bagudu’s media assistant, Bolaji Adebiyi, when contacted noted the documents signed by the federal government, which the minister of Budget referred to during the reception by the EU, were strictly for the economic development of Nigeria.
“He said nowhere in the documents were LGBT or same-sex marriage mentioned even remotely, and emphatically stating that it would be wrong for anyone to imply that Nigeria had accepted those tendencies,” the report noted.
The same report said the chairman, Human and Constitutional Rights Committee, African Bar Association (AfBA), Sonnie Ekwowusi, noted that some articles of the Samoa Agreement promotes LGBTQ among others. Ewowusi according to the report referenced Articles 2.5 and 29.5 of the agreement.
“The Samoa Agreement, named after the Pacific Island, Samoa, where it was signed on November 15, 2023 is a celebration of perversity. Certain Articles of the Agreement especially Articles 2.5 and 29.5 legalise LGBT, transgenderism, abortion, teen sexual abuse, and perversity in African countries. The signing of the Agreement by Nigeria constitutes a threat to the sovereignty of Nigeria and Africa. It further debases our democracy.
“I can wager that neither Minister Atiku Bagudu nor the Nigerian officials or diplomats who signed the Samoa Agreement on our behalf, understand the import of the agreement to Nigeria’s sovereignty, let alone the destructive impact of the Agreement in Nigeria. This explains why many African bodies including the AfBA have condemned the agreement and respectfully urged African countries not to sign it.
“Not infrequently, Nigerian officials in Geneva, New York, and other places sign international agreements or treaties over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine with little or no knowledge of their contents”, Ewowusi was quoted as saying.
What do the referenced articles say?
The two articles referenced have been used by many people when discussing the Samoa Agreement.
“Why most it be named “Samoa agreement” knowing fully well article 2.5 and 29.5 of the said legalized the LGBT?”, a X use Aminu with the username @aminu_bala queried in reaction to an update from Nigeria’s minister of information.
What does the articles say? The ICIR obtained a copy of the Samoa Agreement that has been signed by multiple countries to check.
The articles in the agreement which is 172 pages [the 403 pages is the the draft copy] titled ‘Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, of the other part’ states:
Article 2.5:
“The Parties shall systematically promote a gender perspective and ensure that gender equality is mainstreamed across all policies.”
Article 29.5:
“The Parties shall support universal access to sexual and reproductive health commodities and healthcare services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.”
Article 2 of Samoa agreementArticle 29 of the Samoa agreement.
The ICIR went further to filter the documents with specific keywords like “LGBTQ”, “homosexuals” and “transgender” to check if there were used in the agreement. The result came out negative.
The ICIR also compared the referenced articles in the signed document and the draft and they were the same.
Article 29 in the 403-page draft copy.Article 2 in the 403-page draft copy.
More concerns
Some other parts of the articles that raised concerns about promoting these rights are:
Article 9.2: “The Parties shall commit to the promotion of universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without discrimination based on any ground including sex, ethnic or social origin, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, disability, age, or other status. They commit to fighting all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and all forms of violence and discrimination, including all instances of advocacy of hatred. They commit to the recognition and advancement of the rights of Indigenous peoples, as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)”
Article 36.2: “The Parties commit to the full and effective implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 9 and the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development 10 and the outcomes of their review conferences and commit to sexual and reproductive health and rights, in that context.”
The chief executive officer of TAO Energy, Tobi Oluwatola, spoke to The ICIR saying, “There is no reference to LGBTQ in the document. We shouldn’t be looking for a reason to discriminate against a minority group where there is not one. I think Nigerians should respect the human rights of everyone”
Recall that in 2014, former President Goodluck Jonathan signed into law a bill that criminalises same-sex relationships with penalties of up to 14 years in prison and bans gay marriage, same-sex ‘amorous relationships’ and membership of gay rights groups.
The ICIR has reported how in Nigeria, the discrimination against members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) community exposes them to attacks, abduction, and sometimes leaving them without adequate access to healthcare.
Note: The report was updated to include images of the draft copy.
THE Provincial Council of Seville, Spain, and the Press Association of Seville are inviting applications to its new edition of the International Journalism Award “Manuel Chaves Nogales,” which will award four prizes in print or digital media, radio, television and photography.
This contest seeks pieces that capture daily realities, offering insights gained from on-the-ground efforts to observe, listen and report on issues relevant to the public, with a strong ethical commitment.
The contest is open to Spanish-language works published, broadcast or aired between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024, in Spanish or foreign media.
For the photography category, images published in print or digital formats are eligible.
Journalists and photojournalists from any country can participate in this contest.
Each winner will receive EUR6,000 (US$6,435).
The deadline for the submission of application is September 27, 2024.
THE Reinventing Media Business Forum, organised in partnership with the Stockholm School of Economics Riga (SSE Riga), is seeking entries to its event.
The programme will take place on October 17 and 18, 2024 in Riga, Latvia.
The forum brings together the media business community to inspire and provide the latest professional knowledge, to help discover hidden opportunities and sustainable business models in the ever-changing media business world.
The ticket price varies from EUR129 to EUR349.
Media professionals, journalists, editors, digital and tech innovators, marketing specialists, media and journalism researchers, designers, and those in related industries are invited.
The Centre for Media Studies at SSE Riga offers special scholarships to journalists and media professionals running a newly established independent media and/or not making any profit while demonstrating an entrepreneurial mindset.
The scholarship does not include travel and accommodation.
THE University of Benin (UNIBEN) has shut down academic activities indefinitely, following a protest by students of the institution over poor power supply.
This was contained in a statement by the school’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Benedicta Ehanire, on Thursday.
“Following the insistence of students of the University of Benin (not) to shift grounds on their demands for twenty-four hours supply of electricity and more, considered unrealistic by the University’s Senate, the University has shut down academic activities indefinitely.
“Students are to vacate the hostels immediately while all the relevant units of the university are to take note and comply. However, non-teaching staff and staff on essential duties are not affected by the shut down,” the statement read.
Students of the institution had taken to the streets of Benin on Wednesday, July 3, carrying placards and blocking the Benin-Ore highway in protest against weeks of power outage on campus.
With only two weeks to their first semester examinations, the students stated that the situation was having adverse effects on preparations for the examinations.
“We only had one hour of electricity every day since this issue started. We are tired of studying in the dark. We need electricity to read and prepare for our exams. The university management needs to take responsibility and fix this issue,” John Afolabi, one of the protesting students was quoted as saying.
The power outage began after the university failed to reach an agreement with the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) over a contentious electricity bill.
The BEDC reviewed the institutions monthly electricity bill upward by over 200 per cent forcing the school to turn to generators and rationalising power supply.
The students, however, disclosed that they only got electricity for an hour a day, leaving them to study in the dark.
The institution’s Senate threatened to shut down activities on Wednesday, if dialogue between the protesting parties and the authorities failed to yield positive results.
A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has nullified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary that produced Asue Ighodalo as the party’s candidate for the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.
The judge, Inyang Ekwo, in his ruling on Thursday, July 4, said the PDP’s primary held on February 22 failed to comply with the Electoral Act 2022.
He added that the party did not also adhere to the guidelines for the conduct of the poll and the party’s constitution.
Ekwo held that the plaintiffs were able to prove their case against the defendants by using the exhibits that were tendered.
According to the judge, he discovered from the PDP’s submission that the returning officials who filled the result sheets merely sat down in a location to fabricate the poll’s results.
He declared that it was illegal to exclude the 381 delegates, which included the plaintiffs.
Even though the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the initial defendant in the lawsuit, submitted a memorandum of appearance, the judge held that it was regrettable that the commission failed to submit any paperwork in the matter.
Three delegates filed a lawsuit against the INEC, PDP, the party’s national secretary, and its vice chairman in the South-South as the first through fourth defendants, respectively, on behalf of the 378 other party members.
The plaintiffs requested two orders in the complaint filed on February 8 but dated February 7 under the file number FHC/ABJ/CS/165/2024.
One of these orders sought the defendants or their representatives to explain why the plaintiffs’ reliefs in their original summons should not be granted regarding the plan of the second, third, and fourth defendants to bar them and 378 other delegates from taking part in the primaries.
The plaintiffs, Kelvin Mohammed, Gabriel Okoduwa, and Ederaho Osagien on behalf of others in 12 Local Government Areas and 127 wards submitted that granting their reliefs would be in the best interests of justice.
According to NAN, the 381 delegates are supporters of the former deputy governor Philip Shaibu.
Asue Ighodalo, a former Chairman of Sterling Bank, who is backed by the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, emerged as the winnerof the Edo PDP primary election in February 2024.
Ighodalo was reportedly elected at the primary election held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, the state capital.
The election became controversial when Shaibu (the former deputy governor) also emerged winner at a parallel primary elsewhere.
Ighodalo scored 577 votes in the primary that produced him as the winner to beat his closest rival, Shaibu, who scored one vote while other candidates scored zero votes.
Other aspirants include Anselm Ojezua, Arthur Esele, Omosede Igbinedion, Osaro Onaiwu, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, Martins Uhomoibhi, Hadizat Umoru, and Felix Akhabue.
The INEC scheduled the state governorship election for Saturday, September 21, 2024.
