….12 APGA  members of the House of Assembly led by Chief Whip Eze hail INEC’s decision, pledge to support Umeoji ….UNIZIK Dean and renowned female professor, Lillian Orogbu, emerges APGA deputy governorship candidate to Chuma Umeoji Ibe Pascal Arogorn, Awka Weeks of political manoeuvring within the rank of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State over who will fly the party’s flag in the governorship election holding in the state in November ended on Friday with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) making its decision known. In a sound decision that will shape political activities in the state, the electoral body recognised a member representing Aguata Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Chuma Umeoji, as the party’s duly nominated candidate for the election. The election umpire also recognised the Dean of Faculty of Management, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Lillian Orogbu, as the duly nominated deputy governorship candidate for APGA in the election. With the announcement, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Charles Soludo, put forward by an illegal faction of the party as its candidate is no longer in the race. The announcement led to jubilation on the streets of the state capital, Awka, just as it threw confusion into the camps of Soludo and those who have been pushing for his candidature, including the state governor, Willie Obiano, as well as Victor Oye who has been parading himself as the national chairman of the party illegally. It is noteworthy that this is the third time Soludo’s ambition to govern the state will be crashing before him and his sponsors. With the fate of Oye decided alongside that of Soludo, the electoral body has affirmed Jude Okeke as the authentic APGA Chairman in obedience to two court judgements. This is indeed a welcome development. It is also heart-warming that the Soludo and Oye camps have not succeeded in securing their desperately-needed stay of execution at the Court of Appeal. Expectedly, the development has led to a major political realignment in the state ahead of the November election. UNIZIK Dean and renowned female professor, Lillian Orogbu, emerges APGA deputy governorship candidate to Chuma Umeoji A female erudite professor, Lillian Orogbu, has emerged the running mate to the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the election in Anambra State holding in November. The Dean of the Faculty of Management, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, will be flying the party’s flag with the governorship candidate, Chuma Umeoji. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed their candidature in the list of candidates published at the end of the submission of the personal details of candidates by all the registered political parties participating in the November election. With the development, the electoral.body has sealed the fate of a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Charles Soludo, who emerged in a parallel primary organised by a faction of the party. It is expected that with this development, all stakeholders of the party, including the Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano; Soludo and others will rally round Umeoji and support him to win the forthcoming election. Umeoji will be flying the party’s flag with his rich political experience while his running mate will be complementing him with her deep experience in the academic. Obiano should be rest assured that he has a worthy potential successor who will sustain his legacies and uphold them in Umeoji. He should therefore support the governorship candidate and his running mate to succeed in the election Already, 12 members of APGA in the state House of Assembly led by the Chief Whip, Ezeudu, have hailed INEC’s decision. They have gone a step further by pledging to support Umeoji’s ambition. Their argument is that the federal lawmaker is the only key to APGA’s victory in the election. The massive supports coming the way of Umeoji and Orogbu are not limited to the state legislature alone. Some members of the state executive have also taken a position on the matter. Specifically, majority of Obiano’s aides have expressed their readiness to work for Umeoji’s victory. The Umeoji and Orogbu joint ticket promises to be a formidable one. It is a ticket of consolidation, inclusiveness and expansion. While Umeoji will be leveraging on his political prowess, Prof Orogbu is bringing academic excellence, women inclusiveness, youthfulness beauty and brain to the Government House. Soludo risks jail term Crimefacts.news reported how the Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday issued a direct criminal summons against factional APGA Governorship candidate and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo over serial abuse of office and breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. Crimefacts.news exclusively gathered that in a Direct Criminal Complaint brought pursuant to Sections 88 and 89 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 by one Oliver Bitrus complaining that between the period Prof Soludo held office as a Public Officer he flagrantly breached the Code of Conduct for Public Officer by buying or acquiring interest in a property known and described as No. 50 Brondesbury Park, London, NW6 7AT, United Kingdom. The property is covered by File Plan of Tile No. MX362301. Mr. Oliver claimed that this property was bought or acquired using a proxy and/or nominee company known as Universal Energy Company Limited, and which investigation revealed was incorporated in the Isle of Man; and now used to round-trip public funds for the purchase. As a matter fact, purchase price of £2,150, 000 was paid on 20th October, 2006 in a single tranche, which sum was not fairly attributable to his income as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria at the material time. Further investigation also disclosed that presently, the property is being occupied by Soludo, his spouse and children and used as their personal and official addresses for all their companies and other business undertakings. The Complainant listed companies owned and operated by the Soludos and domiciled at the said property to

Lawmakers from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have staged a walk-out over clause 52 of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. They insist that the clause was never carried. They also insist that they will disrupt the proceedings when the House resumes from recess. The new amendment provides that INEC may consider electronic transmission so far as the national network coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure by Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) and approved by the National Assembly. But they have been unable to reach an agreement. On Thursday, the representatives had also gone into a rowdy session after Deputy Speaker Idris Wase ruled against the electronic transmission of results despite a resounding vote in favour of electronic transmission. Subsequently, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, announced that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the NCC would be present on Friday to give further clarifications on the Electoral Act with a major focus on section 52(3). Another rowdy session, however, broke out afterwards.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said it cannot guarantee total safety for the electronic transmission of results, explaining that no system is completely free from hackers. Federal lawmakers had a rowdy session as debates over the inclusion of electronic transmission of results in the Electoral Act Amendment took centre stage in the chambers on Thursday in Abuja. But the Executive Commissioner of the NCC, Adeleke Adewolu told lawmakers at the House of Representatives on Friday that while concerns over the electronic transmission of results are genuine, no system can guarantee a 100 percent shield from hacking. The NCC boss also stated that elections results can only be transmitted by a 3G network, noting that 50 percent of the country has 3G coverage. He, however, explained that for areas without such coverage, poll results can be recorded and thereafter uploaded in places where there is a network. But Adeleke admitted that this cannot be compared with the real-time upload. The House of Representatives had failed to reach an agreement over the controversial clause. This was after Deputy Speaker Idris Wase ruled against the electronic transmission of results despite a resounding vote in favour of electronic transmission. Subsequently, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the NCC would be present on Friday to give further clarifications on the Electoral Act with a major focus on section 52(3). The Senate had on the same day voted for the conditional electronic transmission of election results. At the end of voting, 28 Senators mostly from the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) voted for the original amendment in the report while 52 Senators backed the amendment as proposed by Senator Sabi Abdullahi. This means the majority of Senators voted that INEC may consider electronic transmission provided the national network coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure by NCC and approved by the National Assembly.

….PDP also missing Ibe Pascal Arogorn The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dropped the name of ex-CBN governor and All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) factional candidate for the Anambra governorship poll, Professor Chukwuma Soludo from the list of cleared candidates for the November 6 Anambra governorship election, Crimefacts.news can report. The Commission, in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, cited Court Order for the exclusion of Soludo. Also missing on the list is the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Soludo emerged winner of the APGA faction loyal to Governor Willie Obiano. However the Commission cleared the candidate of the other APGA faction Chukwuma Micheal Umeoji for the poll, leaving the fate of Soludo, a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, hanging in the balance. Crimefacts.news had exclusively reported how the Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday issued a direct criminal summons against factional APGA Governorship candidate and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo over serial abuse of office and breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. Crimefacts.news gathered that in a Direct Criminal Complaint brought pursuant to Sections 88 and 89 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 by one Oliver Bitrus complaining that between the period Prof Soludo held office as a Public Officer he flagrantly breached the Code of Conduct for Public Officer by buying or acquiring interest in a property known and described as No. 50 Brondesbury Park, London, NW6 7AT, United Kingdom. The property is covered by File Plan of Tile No. MX362301. Details shortly…

Governor Aminu Tambuwal said it is unconstitutional for the Senate to subject INEC’s power to conduct elections to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). Tambuwal, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives and lawyer, said INEC constitutional power could not be shared with any institution. “For the avoidance of doubt, S.78 of the Constitution provides that ‘The Registration of voters and the conduct of elections shall be subject to the direction and supervision of Independent National Electoral Commission’.” “In the Third Schedule, Part 1,F, S.15: INEC has power to organise, undertake and supervise all elections. “The Constitution further provides that INEC operations shall not be subject to the direction of anybody or authority.” Tambuwal, who is the governor of Sokoto, said that unquestionably, the mode of election and transmission of results were critical parts of the conduct, supervision, undertaking and organisation of elections in Nigeria. “Of course, the National Assembly has power to flesh out the legal framework but that has to be consistent with the Constitution. “These constitutional powers have been solely and exclusively prescribed by the constitution to INEC, and cannot be shared with the NCC, or any other authority, and certainly not a body unknown to the Constitution.” Tambuwal said that the senate decision to subject INECs constitutional power to conduct elections to NCC was consequently patently void, unconstitutional and unlawful. “We had earlier counselled that that the mode of conducting elections and in particular the transmission of votes be left with INEC who would monitor developments and determine at every election the type of technology to be deployed to ensure free, fair and credible elections. “INEC also has constitutional power backed by the Electoral Act to make rules and guidelines to ensure that every vote is counted and that every vote counts. “If INEC determines that in any part of the country, electronic transmission is not possible, it would by regulations determine the appropriate thing to do.” Tambuwal, however, commended the leadership and members of the House for the decision to invite INEC to address the House and nation on its readiness by 2023 to deploy electronic transmission technology for the country elections, seems to be a wise one. He commended the leadership and Members of the House for the decision. He further admonished them to remain on the path of patriotism and deepening of Nigeria democracy by engendering and strengthening free and fair electoral process “In any case, I still believe that the best option is to leave this matter in the hands of INEC. “We admonish INEC to be solely guided by the National interest and the desire of all Nigerians for a credible, free and fair elections in using its constitutional powers and in the deployment of error free technology.”