The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rejects in its entirety, the March 18, 2020 judgment by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue Certificate of Returns to Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume within 72 hours.
This is contained in a press statement signed by Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP on Monday.
This judgment further heightens our fears that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled Federal Government is bent on using certain officials within our judiciary to suppress the opposition and subvert the will of the people.
Our party wonders how could a matter which has been decided by the Supreme Court be overruled by a Federal High Court
It was clear to all that the Supreme Court on February 5, 2021, upheld the ruling of the Court of Appeal, which nullified the candidature of Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume as APC candidate for Imo North senatorial district bye-election. That verdict of the Supreme Court put to rest the candidature of Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume.
It is therefore bizarre that a Federal High Court presided over by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, which Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume had approached to declare him the authentic candidate and order INEC to issue him Certificate of Returns had done so in flagrant disregard to the Supreme Court ruling on same matter.
Our party holds that this is a direct miscarriage of justice, which poses great danger not only to our democracy but also to our survival as a people and should not be allowed to stand.
For the records, our candidate for the December 5, 2020, Imo North senatorial bye-election, Chief Emmanuel Okewulonu, polled the highest valid votes cast at that election since courts of competent jurisdictions disqualified the two APC candidates, Sir Frank Ibezim and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, less than 24 hours to the election.
On the strength of the disqualifications, the names of these two candidates were conspicuously excluded by INEC in the final list that was released. They were not part of the total election process.
Moreover, INEC’s refusal to declare Chief Emmanuel Okewulonu of PDP winner after the election quickly sold the electoral umpire out as being under heavy influence of superior power.
Had INEC done the needful at the time of the election by declaring Chief Okewulonu the winner, we would not have come to the current sorry pass where conflicting judicial orders are being churned out every second.
We therefore reject this recent judgement and call on INEC to handover the Certificate of Returns to Chief Emmanuel Okewulonu, who is the authentic winner of the Dec 5, 2020 Imo North senatorial bye-election, sequel to the ruling of the Supreme Court.
The Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, Taraba State Capital on Friday gave an order of interim injunction restraining Alhaji Abubakar Bawa from functioning as the state Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Justice Bala Usman issued the order in response to the application by the erstwhile acting Chairman of the party Mr. Inuwa Bakari, challenging the recent appointment of Bawa as the state chairman of the party.
A Certified True Copy of the injunction obtained by our Correspondent in Jalingo read in part that “upon this MOTION EX-PARTE dated the 31st day of March 2023 and filed on the same date coming up before this Honourable Court praying for the following reliefs:
“AN ORDER of INTERIM INJUNCTION restraining the 2nd Defendant Abubakar Bawa from acting, carrying out functions, and parading himself as the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Taraba State chapter pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“AN ORDER restraining the 1st Defendant from taking any step (s) that may negatively affect the membership right of the Plaintiff as the acting chairman of the 1st Defendant pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“AN ORDER restraining the 1 Defendant by itself or any of its organs at any level from expelling, suspending, reprimanding, censuring, fining, department from any party office and removal of the Plaintiff from office pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“AND for such further or other Order(s) as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances”.
The Injunction further read that “upon reading the affidavit in support of the Motion paper, sworn to by one Alhaji Bakari Inuwa, Male, Adult, Nigerian Citizen, of Old Pantisawa Road, Nyamusala, Jalingo, Taraba State, filed in the Registry of this Court on the 31st day of March 2023, and after hearing Chief C. C. Damba Mbanaso, Esq. of Counsel for the Plaintiff/Applicant moved in terms of the Motion paper, it is hereby ordered as follows:
“That an order of INTERIM INJUNCTION is hereby granted restraining the 2nd Defendant Abubakar Bawa from acting, carrying out functions, and parading himself as the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Taraba State chapter pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“That an Order is made restraining the 1st Defendant from taking any step (s) that may negatively affect the membership right of the Plaintiff as the acting chairman of the 1st Defendant pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“That an Order is made restraining the 1 Defendant by itself or any of its organs at any level from expelling, suspending, reprimanding, censuring, fining, debarment from any party office and removal of the Plaintiff from office pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice”.
Justice Usman, however, announced that the matter is adjourned to the 9th of May, 2023 for a hearing.
Recalled that Governor Darius Ishaku had recently appointed his Senior Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Bawa as the state Chairman of the party, a move some people described as trying to control the party machinery even after leaving office on May 29th.
When contacted through telephone, the embattled party Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Bawa confirmed that he was aware of the court case but did not receive any surmon.
“Frankly speaking I don’t know anything but I heard that I was taken to court but nobody bring a surmon to me, nobody call me and I did not go to the court, that is the only thing I know,” Bawa added.
When asked whether he will still go to the office on Monday, Abubakar Bawa said “I am a law-abiding citizen, so, since the court has given an order I will comply.”
Zababben Gwamnan Jihar Taraba, Kanal Kefas Agbu (mai ritaya) yace da yardan Allah zasu kawo chanji na zahiri cikin kwanaki dari na farko da za suyi a ofis.
Agbu ya sanar da hakan ne a lokacin da yake yiwa dunbin magoya bayan Jam’iyyar su ta PDP yawabin godiya jim kadan bayan ya karfi takardan shedan zaben sa daga ofishin hukumar zabe mai zaman kanta ta INEC dake Jalingo.
Kwamishinan zabe na hukumar zaben mai zaman kanta ta INEC dake Jihar Taraba, Umar Muktar Gajiram shine ya mikawa zababben Gwamnan Jihar, Kanal Kefas Agbu (mai ritaya) takardan shedan zaben sa a ranar laraba 29 ga watan maris na 2023 da muke ciki.
Hakanan kuma, Umar Muktar Gajiram ya mikawa suma zababbun ‘Yan Majalisan dokokin jihar ta Taraba guda 24 takardan shedan zaben su a dakin da aka gudanar da tattara sakamakon zaben Gwamnan Jihar wanda ya gudana a ranar 18 ga watan maris din dake cikin haraban hukumar zaben a garin Jalingo.
Da yake yiwa dunbin magoya bayan sa da Jam’iyyar su ta PDP yawabin godiya, zababben Gwamnan Jihar, Kanal Kefas Agbu (mai ritaya) yace da yardan Allah zasu tafiyar da gwamnati ne na kowa da kowa domin hada kan al’umma, samar da zaman lafiya da ayyukan cigaba.
Batun addini, na sahun gaba wajen farraka al’umman jihar ta Taraba, toh saide kuma ga sakon da Kanal Kefas Agbu (mai ritaya) ya baiwa Al’umman jihar.
“Batun addini wannan tsakanin Mutum ne da Allah, saboda haka Ina rokon ku ku taya mu da addu’a, dawan sukayi da wanda ma ba suyi ba dukkan mu daya ne, zamu sami zaman lafiya a Taraba, zamu hada kai, duk abinda gwamnati ya kamata tayi za muyi shi da yardan Allah,” inji Kanal Agbu.
Wasu daga cikin jama’an da suka dalarci taron sunyi fatan alheri da rokon iri daga sabuwar Gwamnatin mai zuwa.
Sun roki Kanal Kefas Agbu (mai ritaya) daya duba wadan da suka yi ritaya daga aikin gwamnatin jihar kuma ba’a biyasu hakkin su ba na tsawon shekaru.
Mr. Nelson Len, Uwargida Veronica Alhassan, Gimbiya Batulu Muhammed, Mr. Gideon Katabs, Alh. Musa Abdullahi Chul, da Tsohon Kakakin Majalisar dokokin jihar Taraban, Peter Abel Diah na daga cikin zababbun ‘Yan Majalisan dokokin jihar guda ashirin da hudu.
Gimbiya Batulu Muhammed daga Gashaka, da Veronica Alhassan daga Bali ta daya zasu kasance mata guda biyu cikin ‘yan Majalisar dokokin jihar kashi na goma.
Taraba State Governor-elect, Col. Kefas Agbu (Rtd) has pledged to transform the state within his hundred days in office.
Agbu made the promise on Wednesday while addressing a large gathering at his house shortly after he received the certificate of return from the resident Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Umar Muktar Gajiram in Jalingo.
The Governor-elect, Col. Kefas Agbu (Rtd) alongside his Deputy, Alhaji Aminu Alkali while thanking the people of Taraba State for believing in them and giving them the mandate also promised to run an all-inclusive government.
“I promise you that by the grace of God, we will have unity, peace, and development.
“We will create job opportunities for the teaming unemployed youth, and by his grace, we will do everything that a government supposes to do for its citizens to make Taraba great,” Agbu assured.
According to the Governor-elect, (rtd) Col. Kefas Agbu, the issue of religion is between man and God, therefore, he urged the people of the state to embrace one another and pray for the incoming administration.
“I am also urging you whenever you see us doing something that you feel is wrong, you should please call our attention in decent manners but not with insults, and I promise you we are going to carry everyone along,” he emphasized.
Some supporters and well-wishers who spoke to SAHEL REPORTERS Comrade Mannsir Audu from Gashaka, the former PDP state Women leader, Hon. Felicia Kaletus and the Taraba State Chairman of Rescue Teachers, Comrade Sylvanus Acha prayed for the new administration of (rtd) Col. Kefas Agbu for God’s guidance, and expressed optimism that the new government will change the narrative of the state in terms of development.
“Our expectations from his administration are very high from this new administration but we are very optimistic that he will do much better,”.
However, some elected new members into the Taraba State House of Assembly Mr. Nelson Len from the Nguroje constituency, and Mrs. Veronica Alhassan from the Bali I constituency all under the platform of the people’s Democratic Party PDP, appreciated their constituents and promised them good representation.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Veronica Alhassan and Hajiya Batulu Muhammed who also won the state house of assembly seat under the platform of the All Progressives Congress APC from Gashaka will be the two female legislators among the twenty-four house of assembly members in the state.