September 21, 2022
Members of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike camp in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have pulled out of the campaign Council of the party’s presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Rising from a meeting in Port Harcourt early morning on Wednesday, members of the team vowed not to partake in Atiku’s campaigns until the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu resigns.
September 19, 2022
Former state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abba Gana Tata has decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yobe state.
The former deputy governorship candidate of the PDP in the 2011 general elections resigned his membership of the party on Monday, September 13 2022.
At a civic reception held at the Event Centre of the Government House Damaturu held in his honor by the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni , the former PDP Chairman announced that he had come to the APC with all the 178 ward executives of the PDP, including the state secretary of the party and the administrative secretary and ad hoc delegates totaling 1,051.
He promised to key into Governor Buni’s vision and to contribute to the development of the state.
Governor Buni described Tata as an asset to the APC because he has been a loyal party man who understands the working of politics.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has filed a lawsuit compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission to prevent All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu; and that of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, from replacing their running mates or risk disqualification.
In the originating summons with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1016/2022, the PDP is seeking an order barring the Independent National Electoral Commission from replacing the running mates of Bola Tinubu and Peter Obi.
Those listed as first to seventh respondents in the case are INEC, APC, Tinubu, Masari, Labour Party, Obi and Okupe.
Recall that Tinubu had nominated Masari as a surrogate running mate or placeholder in order to beat the June 17 INEC deadline. Obi had also nominated his campaign manager, Okupe, as an interim running mate. However, INEC gave a grace period of about one month to substitute their names.
After weeks of consultations, Tinubu and Obi nominated Shettima and Baba-Ahmed respectively while Masari and Okupe resigned.
However, the PDP asked the court to determine if by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the constitution, Section 29(1), 31 and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s timetable, Tinubu and Obi are bound by the submission of Masari and Okupe respectively as their running mates.
The party also asked the court to determine if “by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sections 29(1), 31, 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, the first defendant (INEC) can validly accept any change or substitution of the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Okupe) defendants as running mates of the 3rd (APC) and 6th (Labour Party) defendants.”
The PDP is also seeking five reliefs including a declaration that by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the constitution, Section 29(1), 31 and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s timetable, both Tinubu and Obi must be bound by their submission.
The party asked the court to rule that both Tinubu and Obi will be disqualified the moment they substitute the names of their running mates.
One of the reliefs reads, “A declaration that by the combined interpretation of Section 142(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Sections 29(1), 31, 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, the 1st defendant’s (INEC’s) election timetable, the 3rd (Tinubu) and 6th (Obi) cannot validly contest the 2023 Presidential election without the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Obi) respondents as their respective running mates.”
The PDP also based its argument on the fact that the term ‘placeholder’ is unknown to Nigerian law.
Earlier, INEC National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, had in an interview with Arise TV, described the issue of placeholder as a unique invention that had no place in the constitutional and legal framework of the country.
He had said, “Political parties’ candidates have submitted names of associates to run with them, and that is the position of the law as of today and nothing has changed.
“For there to be a substitution of a candidate, the vice-presidential candidate must write to the INEC, with an affidavit stating that he is withdrawing from the race within the time frame provided by the law, as that is the only way there can be a substitution of candidates.”
The Electoral Act makes no provisions whatsoever for placeholder or temporary running mates. The acts of the 2nd (APC), 3rd (Tinubu), 5th (Labour Party ) and 6th (Obi) defendants in nominating and forwarding the names of the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Okupe) defendants as running mates for the 2023 Presidential elections is valid and subsisting, the party added.
In a supporting affidavit sworn to by Evelyn Oroh, a litigation secretary in the law firm of Gordy Uche (SAN), it was stated that some of the defendants had stated openly that they were mere placeholders.
“I know that the 3rd (Tinubu) and 6th (Obi) defendants have stated in interviews and publications that the 4th (Masari) and 7th (Okupe) defendants are not their real running mates but merely holding the place as placeholders for the real running mates,” it stated.
June 16, 2022
Alhaji. Atiku Abubakar, has announced Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate ahead of the 2023 elections.
Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 elections, made the announcement at a meeting attended by PDP executives at the party’s headquarters in Abuja.
PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, said a 17-member committee had been set up by the party to pick a running mate.
He said the committee had submitted three names to Atiku to choose from.
The final decision however, Ayu said, was Atiku’s.
Speaking at the announcement event, Atiku said making a choice between the three names was been a difficult decision.
He also noted that some of the qualities he looked out for include someone who understood the enormity of the challenges facing the country and one who had demonstrated, from experience, that he could proffer some solutions.
According to Atiku, all the three names submitted were qualified, but he had to settle for Okowa as the man with the best fit.
