Politics
Audu is dead, declare us winner, Wada, PDP beg court
Unsatisfied with the stance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the governorship elections held in the state, the Kogi State governor, Idris Wada and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have both approached the Federal High Court, Abuja to declare them winner of the election.
They are of the view that since the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Abubukar Audu is dead, Wada being the surviving candidate with majority of votes should be declared winner of the election.
They also prayed the court to order INEC to issue a Certificate of Return to Wada.
Those joined as respondents to the suit are the INEC, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and the APC.
Read also: APC to hold fresh primary to replace Audu
In a separate application, the plaintiffs through their counsel, Chris Uche (SAN), also asked the court to restrain the INEC from conducting the supplementary election scheduled for December 5.
The plaintiffs also asked the court to issue an order of injunction restraining the APC from organising or holding a fresh primary for the purpose of substituting its candidate ahead of the supplementary or other election for the 2015 Kogi State governorship election.”
The plaintiffs asked the court to declare that the AGF was not competent to issue directives to INEC, allowing the APC to substitute its candidate for the Kogi governorship election after its commencement, and that such directives are null and void for inconsistency with the provisions of the constitution.
They also asked the court to hold that the APC could not lawfully nominate a candidate for the supplementary governorship election slated for December 5 without a valid and legally cognisable primary election of the APC, conducted within the mandatory timeliness specified by the Electoral Act.
The case has yet to be assigned to any judge.
Meanwhile, reports say that the APC yesterday submitted the name of Yahaya Bello as the party’s new candidate for the Kogi governorship supplementary poll, to replace Audu.
It was also learnt that the APC has retained Hon. James Abiodun Faleke as the party’s deputy governorship candidate.
RipplesNigeria …without borders, without fears
Join the conversation
Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism
Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.
As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.
If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.
Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.
INVESTIGATION: In Kwara, multimillion-naira milk processing plant is abandoned, converted to a chicken outlet
After the government spent millions of naira to establish a milk processing plant in Kwara State that would provided jobs...
SPECIAL REPORT: For Sokoto communities, promise of healthcare is akin to death sentence
In this story, ABDULRASHEED HAMMAD delves into the dire realities of Primary Health Care services in Sokoto State, shedding light...
ICYMI…SPECIAL REPORT: NNPCL hides behind PIA to frustrate disclosure, accountability
Nigeria’s major oil company, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), in what appears to be a common practice of disregard...
INVESTIGATION: Multi-million naira Ekiti resort center remains uncompleted a decade after
The multimillion-naira project, expected to comprise recreational buildings, now consists of cassava farmland, a bush used for excretion, and a...
SPECIAL REPORT: Torturous experiences of students with disabilities in Oyo tertiary institutions
For students with disabilities in Oyo state-owned tertiary institutions, learning is a torturous and distressing experience, considering the building structures...