News
BREAKING: I’ll pay with my blood! Angry Dino, reenacts Orubebe drama *Attempts to stop INEC result collation in Abuja
But for the intervention of security agents who stood in his way, Dino Melaye could have physically stopped the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to protest the further proceeding in the announcement of the presidential election results, which continued on on Monday in at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.
But he did enough not only to cause a stir at the National Collation Centre, but raised some apprehension, when Dino, the agent of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), raised an observation that the figures of results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission for Ekiti State did not correlate.
INEC had declared the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, winner for Ekiti State with 201,494 defeating his closest rival Alhaji Abubakar Atiku of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who scored 89, 55, while Peter Obi of Labour Party polled 11,397 votes and Rabiu Kwankwaso of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) polling 264 votes
In what appears a replay of the Godsday Orubebe drama, almost physically challenging INEC’s announcement of results eight years ago, the lawmaker, also the spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PDP-PCC), who was prevented from returning to the upper legislative chambers of the National Assembly, in the 2019 election, reenacted a fresh edition on Tuesday, by putting up a similar act.
Dino, who represented Kogi Central at the Senate between 2015, practically moved to stop the announcement of results being being made by Mahmood Yakubu INEC chairman, who was leading the various states to brief the public on the outcomes of the elections in their various states.
No sooner did the INEC boss started receiving the results of the election in Kwara did the Senator, raise an objection that they were not being backed with the figures on INEC server, which ought to have been pre-loaded from the ward level, so that the party agents could collaborate and follow.
However the INEC boss had overruled him even though he was supported by other agents, such as Kenneth Udeze of the Action Alliance (AA), and Labour Party (LP), Umar Farouk, insisting that the commission stood by the result declared by the collation officer of Ekiti State, Prof. Akeem Olawale Lasisi, who is the Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila Orangun, Osun State.
“I still insist that the figure presented by the state collection officer for the presidential election for Ekiti state of the total number of accredited voters is 315,058. This is what is on the spreadsheet that we screened yesterday. And this is also what is on the actual result manual recorded by the scope and signed by the PDP agent and agents of other political parties back in Ekiti state.
“But having said that, I’ve taken note of your observations, let us make progress on that one. But what we have here is exactly what I’ve said. And any other figure that is at variance with this one cannot supersede the official result presented. Let’s make progress.”
But Melaye, who was visibly agitated insisted on either the uploaded results be shown on the screen or for the state collation officers making a pronouncement before the commencement of their briefing assuring that the results they were presenting were the same as what had been uploaded.
“Out of the two things one must happen. We’re Nigerians, we must defend our votes. This election, we will fight with our blood to make sure the right thing happens. If they have difficulties in uploading us, it’s not difficult for the collation officers telling us that the result is what was uploaded.
Cautioned by the INEC boss that he was now being disruptive, the Senator, who was now inching forward to the podium where the officials were sitting, said if the request was not acceded, there would be no further announcement of the results, but was prevented by security operatives from reaching his target.
The session of national collation of the presidential election results, by Yakubu, who is the national collation officer, has since paused for the third time since it started from the morning of Sunday.
Clement Ikolo, traditional ruler of Ewu Kingdom, on Friday, got into the safe hands of Ede Dafinone, Senator representing Delta North at the National Assembly, ending a three-week ordeal in the custody of the Nigerian Army, who named him as one of those linked the brutal murder of four officers and 13 soldiers in Okuama community, Ughelli South Local Government of Delta State, on March 14, 2024.
But, there is a caveat – nobody is full exonerated yet over the incident, Defence Headquarters, said on Friday, adding that his release was because nothing had been connected to him yet, coupled with the fact that some prominent people from his kingdom have come out to speak to his good character.
The traditional ruler was earlier declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) alongside seven others on March 28, a day after he turned himself in, for their alleged involvement in the killing of the soldiers in Okuama community of Ughelli South LGA of the State while on peace mission.
Onyema Nwachukwu, a Major General and spokesman of the DHQ, who handed the monarch over to the Senator, explained that the Army took the decision after painstakingly reviewing every available information on the incident, and came to the preliminary observation, that while the culpability had not conclusively established anything against him, there was insufficient evidence to exonerate anyone at this stage.
He however added that due to the intervention of eminent personalities, and the fact that the monarch voluntarily turned himself in, he has released to Dafinone on the condition that he would always assist in the ongoing investigations.
Others declared wanted, included Prof. Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Dennis Bakriri, Akevwru Daniel Omotegbo (Aka Amagben), Akata Malawa David, Sinclear Oliki; a traditional ruler, Clement Ikolo Oghenerukeywe; Reuben Baru, and Igoli Ebi.
Before surrendering himself to the police, who eventually handed him over to the military, the monarch, had in a public statement, claiming innocence of complicity in the murder of the 17 military men: “I am very surprised that my name as the monarch of the kingdom will appear in the list of wanted persons.
“I have no hand in the killings, I have no hand in encouraging anybody to kill anybody. It is against my philosophy as a human being and my faith as a Catholic. It is a serious crime against humanity. They need to look at the appropriate places and do thorough investigation to know all those who committed this, bring them to book and let justice prevail.
“I am not a party to this. And like I have said earlier, the state government is aware of the turbulence I have been going through. And as I speak, an arrangement was made by the government to invite the opponents recently just before these happenings.
“(The arrangement was) To invite those who are fighting me in the kingdom to reconcile the differences and allow me to go into the kingdom and start to rule as the monarch of the place. I have not been able to set up anything. Not even my traditional council.
“I have done nothing in the kingdom. So I barely know anything right now. I have no information, I know nothing. I’m only just in the process of setting up a structure to enable me rule in the kingdom.”
There is no valid order stripping Abdullahi Ganduje of his position of National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), known to the party and therefore, he will continue his duties as prescribed, the National Working Committee (NWC), has insisted, debunking that he is no longer a member of the party by the orders of the courts.
Felix Morka, spokesman of the party, who made this declaration on Wednesday, on Arise Television, maintained that neither Ganduje himself nor the party, was served with the orders, said to have been obtained against the party boss by his ward in Kano State, where he served as a two-term governor between 2015 and 2023.
Insisting that Ganduje’s position remained intact, explained that the ruling party would disregard the said court order affirming Ganduje’s suspension as APC national chairman and only honour the recent Kano Federal High Court ruling ordering a stay of the order.
The declaration is coming on a day Justice AM Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja overturned the said suspension of Ganduje by his ward executives in Dawakin Tofa Local Government area of Kano State.
The party boss, had obtained the ruling through another ex-parte motion in which he sought to enforce his fundamental right to a fair hearing, in a suit, in which he also joined the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Department of State Services (DSS ), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and nine other individuals.
Morka told his hosts: “The order issued by the first court was very disturbing, for some reasons. First, the plaintiffs who purportedly filed that action are not recognised members of our party and therefore shouldn’t have the locus standi to invoke the authority of the court to make any such order.
“Secondly, every lawyer in this country is aware that from the Supreme Court up to the NJC, there is this cautiousness that judges don’t make orders that are far-reaching in effect on an ex parte motion or application”
Habeeb Okikiola, maverick Nigerian popstar, popularly known as Portable, has alerted Nigerians that he might be the next in the radar of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) currently hunting down Nigerian celebrities involved in the abuse of the Naira, the nation’s local currency.
Last Friday, a Federal High Court sent Idris Okuneye, Nigeria’s popular crossdresser, also known as Bobrisky, for pleading guilty to a four-count charge over the offence, after which it began the trial of Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, on Tuesday after his arrest for the same offence, on Monday.
Citing an alleged campaign by self-acclaimed social media activist, VeryDarkMan to push the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to come after him, the Zazu crooner who is currently abroad, fearing that the anti-graft agency could pick him up upon his return, pleaded that he should be spared.
Begging the commission’s operatives to forgive him should they have any evidence of his abusing the currency, the singer, told his fans during an Instagram live session: “I am scared. The EFCC is planning to arrest me when I return to Nigeria because VeryDarkMan name-dropped me.
“VeryDarkMan abi VeryDarkBrain, you talk too much. Leave talk for people who have something reasonable to say. Are you a law enforcement officer? Your opinions on public affairs are for people in the law enforcement agencies. When you were arrested it was Nigerians who begged for your freedom. When you came out, you were lean; all your muscles disappeared. And now you’re bragging. Leave talk for people who are sensible. You talk about women, politics, everything. What do you do for a living? Talk talk.”
Okuama killing: Released monarch not fully cleared yet – DHQ
We don’t know about any removal order, Ganduje remains Chairman – APC
Naira abuse: Please don’t arrest me, Portable begs EFCC
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