Crime Facts

Kidnapped Catholic Priests Regain Freedom In Edo

Two reverend fathers kidnapped in Edo State, Rev. Fr. Peter Udo and Rev. Fr. Philemon Oboh, have regained freedom. Police spokesperson in the state, Chidi Nwanbuzor, confirmed the release of the clergymen, who were kidnapped last Saturday by gunmen. He said the priests were rescued by police officers in the early hours of Tuesday following intensive bush-combing. Meanwhile, the two Catholic priests, immediately after their release on Tuesday morning, paid a thank you visit to the Edo State acting governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu. Shaibu commended the state’s Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, on his men’s gallantry in rescuing the priests. He, however, restated the state government’s commitment to strengthening its security architecture and reviewing strategies to guarantee the safety and security of residents.

REPORT:Boko Haram Gave 15-Min Quranic Lecture to Kuje Inmates Before Setting Them Free

  The scores of terrorists who raided the Kuje Medium Security Prison in Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital, had so much free time on their hands that they first delivered a 15-minute Quranic lecture to inmates before setting them free, an insider who witnessed the horror show from start to finish has told FIJ. As widely reported by the media over the night, scores of terrorists raided the prison on Tuesday night, freeing hundreds of inmates after shooting and bombing their way into the prison yard. Speaking with FIJ on Wednesday, the insider said it took “only 50 minutes” for the attackers to gain access into the facility, subduing the entire facility with “eight or a little more bombs”. 10:05PM, FIRST BOMB “The first bomb sounded at exactly 10.05pm and as of 11pm security agents had taken cover while all the inmates were outside the cells in the compound,” he said. “The terrorists moved everyone out of the facility to an open place where they gave Quranic lectures for about 15 minutes before they started sharing transportation fares to their members whom they came to rescue. It was very clear they came prepared.” ‘SQUAT DOWN, EVERYONE’ “The terrorists then barked orders at the inmates… that they should all squat down,” he continued. “It looked, for a moment, like they were going to separate the Christians from the Muslims and pounce on them, but they didn’t. Instead, they separated their members from the rest and led their members away, while abandoning others to their fate.” QURANIC LECTURE IN FULANI, HAUSA, EBIRA’ FIJ can confirm that the jailbreakers spoke in Ebira, in addition to Fulani and Hausa. “Quite a few of them understand Ebira [spoken by a section of people in central Nigeria]; they preached in Ebira, Fulani and Hausa. “And there were many of them. They surrounded the facility, as big and well-equipped as it is, and still had more than 20 of them inside the prison. That tells you there were so many of them! ‘THE SECURITY PERSONNEL DISAPPEARED’ The prison service confirmed one Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) official and four inmates dead, and three prison officials injured. However, these must either be among the few security officials who didn’t “disappear” immediately or among the few who chose to fight back. “Sincerely, when we got outside, none of the security officers were around. Even those inside, nobody knows how they disappeared,” said the source. “Those Boko Haram guys came with sophisticated weapons and they overpowered the entire security systems of the facility. I saw GPMG (General Purpose Machine Guns) and launchers, machine guns with enough bullets in chains. And all they were shouting was ‘Allahu Akbar.’” CHRISTIANS DISGUISED AS MUSLIMS TO ESCAPE “There were Christians who escaped because they rather surprisingly tied clothes around their heads down to their jaws, just like Muslims, and were shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ like Muslims would. “My hunch is that some Muslims must have taught them during the time when news had filtered in that Boko Haram terrorists were the ones trying to gain entry to the facility.” 800 OUT OF 1,007 INMATES SET FREE FIJ understands that out of 1,007 inmates who were in the facility as of Tuesday morning, over 800 were set free. However, quite a number of them have turned themselves in, and more are expected to do so before the end of the day. A lawyer who spoke to FIJ but asked not to be named said any inmate with a lawyer will likely return. “I can assure you that any inmate who has a lawyer will definitely get the advice to voluntarily return to the prison because that is the safest thing to do,” he said. “However, from the information I have directly from inmates and fellow lawyers, no single inmate was captured; it was a free ride for them all last night. The ones who are back there are those who return of their own volition.” Culled from FIJ

REVEALED: How Red Cross’s Iron Doors Saved Abba Kyari from Death at the Hands of Terrorists in Kuje Prison

  The Boko Haram terrorists who invaded the Kuje Medium Security Prison, Abuja, on Tuesday night made an attempt on the life of Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and former head of the Inspector General of Police’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT), but they failed, FIJ can report. Scores of terrorists had raided the prison on Tuesday night, freeing hundreds of inmates after shooting and bombing their way into the prison yard. They even had the time to deliver a 15-minute lecture before freeing the inmates. And although the terrorists did not set out to harm inmates, it has now been confirmed to FIJ that gunshots were fired at the cell holding Kyari. “When they gained access into the facility, the first set of people they set free were inmates from the Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU) section (popularly called ‘Bombblast’ by inmates), and some of them pointed to direction of the cell where Abba Kyari was kept, popularly called ‘Segregation,’” said the source, who cannot be named for security reasons. “When they had opened everywhere and inmates were still within the compound, close to kitchen side, one of the commanding terrorists ordered that nobody should move yet because some of his boys had gone to Abba Kyari’s side. “Some two minutes later, three of his boys emerged from the side of the prison yard housing the hospital, which is the same route to the Segregation and the church. “Immediately he spotted them, he ordered everyone to move outside. He then led the line of inmates and his boys monitored every bend until the inmates got outside.” From FIJ’s longstanding knowledge of Kuje Prison, the CTU/’Bombblast’ is where inamtes with terrorism-related cases are held. Continuing, the source said: “They meant to kill Abba Kyari but God saved him because the doors of the segregation are stronger than other doors. They shot at his doors but the iron bed at the Segregation, where he hid himself under, saved him. “Not just the iron bed, but the door itself, built by Red Cross. It was well-built; the terrorists were unable to break it and I guess they did not want to expend all their time on it. It would have taken them a lot to break it down.” Meanwhile, the prison service has confirmed that Kyari and his men as well as ex-Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and his Taraba State counterpart are safe and in custody. However, it kept mum on the attempt on Kyari’s life. Kyari’s travails with the law started in July 2021 when a US court ordered his arrest for allegedly playing a major role in a multi-million dollar fraud perpetrated by Ramon Abbas, better known Hushpuppi, and his co-conspirators. In August, the Police Service Commission (PSC) officially suspended him, as he was probed by the Nigerian government. However, on February 14, 2022, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) declared him wanted for his “links to an international drug cartel”, subsequently arresting him the same day. The agency would later detail how Kyari “tried to strike a hefty deal with its officers over 25kg of seized cocaine”. FIJ

Convoy attack: State police only solution, says Akeredolu

  The Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has reiterated his position that state police was the panacea to the current security challenges facing the country. The governor condemned the attack on the convoy of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) by bandits in Katsina State on Tuesday, describing it as daring. He spoke on Wednesday while playing host to his former schoolmates at Loyola College Ibadan (1968/1972) set in his office, Alagbaka Akure, the state capital. According to the governor, the security situation in the country had gone from bad to worse. He noted that the country’s security challenges had gone beyond Fulani herdsmen to the menace of bandits and ISWAP. He said, “We governors in the South-West met and we are still more than convinced that there is no solution other than state police. The truth is that we will be prepared to protect ourselves and die in the process more than other people from outside. We can only protect ourselves better. “We will be more committed to protecting ourselves. By the time we have state police, we will be encouraged to recruit people in a local government to work in that local government as security (personnel). “For me, state police is not for self-aggrandizement, it is a reality of the time. For us in the South and even in the North, I know so many of them that have come to accept that a single command of police is not good for this country. This country is too big. “We will continue to make our voice heard everywhere. We are almost there. We are licking our wounds here over the June 5 attack in Owo. It is a serious wound. We will never forget. We are putting together a memorial in a conspicuous place in Owo.” Earlier, the Acting President of the Loyola College Old Boys’Association (1968/1972) set, Mr Ayodele Adigun condemned the June 5 attack in Owo, expressing shock that such a heinous crime could be carried out in the South- West. He said the attack was particularly aimed at tarnishing the image of the governor and rubbish his efforts so far, especially on the security of lives and property of the people.

AT A GLANCE: Maina, Osinachi’s Husband, Wadume, Popular Inmates At Kuje Prison

    Kuje Prison has been trending since terrorists attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre in the nation’s capital, on Tuesday night. Hundreds of inmates, including all the Boko Haram members in custody, were freed in the attack. There were reports that some the high-profile inmates had escaped until the spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) Umar Abubakar, confirmed that they were still in custody. Daily Trust lists some of the prominent inmates at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje. ABBA KYARI Abba Kyari, Deputy Commissioner of Police and former head of the IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT), was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), over his alleged involvement in the 25 kg cocaine deal. A federal high court had on March 28 remanded Kyari and four others at a correctional centre after their bail application was refused. JOSHUA DARIYE In 2007, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) preferred 23 counts of money laundering and alleged diversion of about N1.26 billion Plateau State Government’s ecological funds against Dariye, a former governor. Eleven years later, an FCT Court handed a 14-year jail term to Dariye. The sentence was then appealed and eventually the Supreme Court gave a final verdict of a 10 years sentence for the offence committed. He was serving his sentence in Kuje, but on April 14, 2022, the federal government granted him a presidential pardon. However, he is still in custody while perfecting his exit. PETER NWACHUKWU A Federal Capital Territory High Court had ordered that Peter Nwachukwu, husband of the late gospel singer, Osinachi, be remanded in Kuje Custodal Centre. Nwachuckwu was remanded pending the hearing and determination of the alleged homicide charge filed against him by the Attorney-General of the Federation. Nwachukwu was arrested by the Nigeria Police after his wife died on April 8 following widespread allegations by their children, family and colleagues that he battered her leading to her death. ABDULRASHEED MAINA A former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Force Team is being remanded at the Kuje Custodial Centre, pending the conclusion of his trial. Maina, who is being prosecuted by the EFCC on N2bn money laundering charges, had earlier jumped bail and fled to the Republic of Niger. He was extradited to Nigeria about two weeks after the court revoked his bail, ordered his arrest and directed that his trial would proceed in his absence pending when security agencies would be able to apprehend him. JOLLY NYAME Upon leaving office in 2007, Nyame, a two-term governor of Taraba State, was charged with N1.64 billion fraud, Nyame admitted to misappropriating N180 million out of N250 million meant for stationaries in Taraba State and offered to return the same. On May 30, 2018, Nyame was convicted by the High court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, under the ruling of Justice Adebukola Banjoko for the charges against him and was sentenced to 14 years in Kuje prison. He was asked to refund the monies he diverted. In November 2018, the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed his conviction on 29 counts. On 7 February 2020, the Supreme Court affirmed the 12-year jail term judgment and set aside the fines imposed on him by the courts on the grounds that they were outrageous and done without any prompting. Like, Dariye, Nyame was also granted a presidential pardon, though he is still in custody. WADUME Hamisu Bala better known as Wadume is a kidnap kingpin almost in the class of Evans. He was based in Taraba State but operated across the northern part of the country. He was arrested in August 2019 by the IRT and preliminary investigation revealed that he supplied arms and ammunition to terrorists. While he was being taken to Abuja for further investigation, police vehicle conveying him came under attack at a checkpoint manned by soldiers after passing the first military checkpoint. The soldiers at the second checkpoint said they were alerted that the occupants of the vehicle were kidnappers who had just kidnapped Wadume in his house and were taking him away to a hideout. Soldiers opened fire on the vehicle and three police officers and two civilians were killed while five others were injured. Wadume was freed by the soldiers but was later rearrested. He was arraigned on June 8, 2020 along with six others on a 13 count-charge bordering on terrorism and remanded in Kuje. DailyTrust

Peter Obi’s Presidential ambition threatened as LP faction says ‘his candidacy contentious

  THE Political quargmire in the Labour Party, LP took another dimension yesterday as former Deputy National Chairman of Labour Party, LP, Calistus Uju Okafor has described the Presidential ambition of former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi is still contentious. In an interview with Journalists yesterday in Abuja, Calistus Uju Okafor, who is currently challenging the constitutionality of the Abure-led national working committee of the party in Court said, “I have read in the news media where Dr. Doyin Okupe was quoted to have said that I was demanding for N48m for the lawyers who have been representing me in Courts before I would withdraw my case against the Labour Party. “I am however happy that he did not say that I have collected the said amount from anybody or group of people. I have also read the mischievous claim of a group that I had collected N15m draft to withdraw the case I instituted against the Labour Party. This is also not correct. “I am fighting for my right, I’m fighting for Justice. Mr. Peter Obi left the Peoples Democratic Party because of the injustice carried out against him there. If Peter Obi could dump the PDP for LP in order to get justice, he should consider the case of someone who is looking for Justice. “I have not been bought over by anyone. I want to let Nigerians especially the Igbo people know that I did not go to Court because of Peter Obi. I instituted my case in Court on December 21 2021 and 0bi joined the Labour Party on May 29. “I was in court in January, February, March and April. It was after Obi joined in May that people started saying that I had been bought. “Obi is fighting to become president while I am fighting to become the chairman of the LP based on the provisions of the constitution which empowers me to act as chairman if the chairman is removed or died. “Obi is an Igbo man like me. He has never offended me. I have no reason to fight him. “When the supporters of Obi came to me and demanded settlement. I asked where we would start from? I asked them whether it’s about the N48m I had spent on the case so far that they wasn’t to pay. “On the 30th of June, I went to court with my lawyers including SANs. I have sold my house in Gwarinpa. I am ready to sell another house in Wuse 2 to continue fighting. “If anyone thinks that anybody is sponsoring me, let that person have it in mind that when I started this battle, I did not see Obi in the picture. “If Obi thinks he can come to the Labour Party and carry out injustice against me, like the way he was treated in the PDP, he is making a great mistake. “If anyone also believes that I have collected money from Peter Obi, the person is making a mistake because I’m in Court. I have no hard feelings against anybody and I will not allow anyone to intimidate me with SANS. “My case is coming up again on July 8. I have brought in two SANs. I know that there are people benefiting from the current situation who are making Peter Obi not to see the reality of life. They didn’t allow him to come into reality that he has no ticket with which to contest next year’s election yet. “There are people telling Obi not to mind me thinking that my case had no merit. He (Obi) is paying lawyers, hundreds of millions instead of him to resolve the crisis in the Labour Party. “This is a man who wants to change the narratives politically, who wants to do something differently but he could not settle the crisis he met on the ground. He cannot resolve the Labour party crisis and he want to resolve the problem of Nigeria. “If anyone wants to crucify me for fighting for my my right, I’m also prepared to fight on, even to the logical end. “This issue of Igbo man fighting another Igbo man is not correct. Nobody is sponsoring me. Instead of resolving the issue in the LP, Obi is spending millions of naira to hire senior advocates of Nigeria to intimidate me in court, he believes that his money would get him what he wants but we shall see the outcome at the end of the day.” Okafor who reiterated the readiness of his faction’s national working committee to open discussions with former governor Peter Obi, who had emerged as the candidate of the Julius Abure-led faction of the party, insisted that he had nothing against the person of Peter Obi, but maintained that the former governor was in the faction of the party whose leadership was allegedly not recognised by the LP’s constitution, adding that the constitution of the party recognises him as the acting national chairman of the LP following the sacking of its late chairman, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam.

Kuje prison attack: PDP accuses APC of complicity

  The Peoples Democratic Party has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of complicity in the Tuesday night terrorist attack on Kuje Correctional Facility in Abuja. In a statement released late Wednesday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP queried the alleged redeployment of soldiers “who had become familiar with the terrain” from the facility 24 hours before the attack. The statement titled, ‘Terrorism: APC Complicit in Kuje Prison Attack – PDP Asserts…Queries Redeployment of Soldiers 24hrs Before Incidence’, partly read, “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemns in the strongest possible term, the spate of insecurity and the audacity with which terrorists ravage our country unchallenged under the rudderless All Progressives Congress (APC) administration. “The simultaneous terrorist attacks on the advance convoy of President Muhammadu Buhari in Katsina State as well as the Correctional Facility in Abuja, the nation’s capital, underscore the collapse of our security command and control structure under the failed, ineffective and uncoordinated Buhari-led APC administration. The terrorist attack on President Buhari’s convoy in his home State of Katsina as well as the ferocious invasion and the freeing of hundreds of terrorists and criminals from the Kuje Correctional Facility further confirm that Mr. President has lost control of the security of the nation and that Nigerians are no longer safe under the APC. “The escalated spate of terrorism across the country has heightened apprehensions of complicity by the APC to open up our nation to more terrorist attacks with the view to stall the 2023 general election. The failure of the APC administration to act on the intelligence provided by the Directorate of State Services (DSS) which on Tuesday July 5, 2022 reportedly warned of an impending attack on the Kuje Correctional Facility gives credence to fears by Nigerians of complicity at very high level of the APC administration. “This is in addition to further reports that soldiers deployed to the precinct of the Kuje Correctional Facility and who had become familiar with the terrain were redeployed 24 hours before the terrorists attacked.” The PDP called on the APC to explain to Nigerians who ordered the reported redeployment of soldiers 24 hours before the attack. The opposition party also demanded to know who failed to act on the intelligence reportedly shared by the DSS on the attack. “The PDP demands that the APC government should come clean on who ordered the reported redeployment of soldiers and who failed to act on the intelligence provided by the DSS. “Nigerians can recall the public confession by the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai at the wake of the bloody Abuja-Kaduna terrorist attack that the APC-led administration knows the whereabouts and the plans of the terrorists ravaging our nation but deliberately refused to act. Nigerians will also recall how APC leaders publicly romanced and paid money to terrorists,” the statement added. The statement further condemned the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)’s disposition to the attacks across the country, while questioning the president’s retention of the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, as head of a “very critical sector in the fight against terrorism in our country” in spite of his confession of affiliation to terrorists. “It is rather distressing that President Buhari appears helpless without any decisive and concrete steps taken to stem the tide of terrorist attacks in our country. “Even more curious is that President Buhari continues to retain Mr. Isa Pantami as Minister of Communication and Digital Economy to head and coordinate this very critical sector in the fight against terrorism in our country in spite of Isa Pantami’s confession of affiliation to terrorists. “With the sequence of events in the last 48 hours, it is clear to Nigerians that the APC government headed by President Buhari has failed in the basic purpose of government which is to secure life and properties of the citizens,” the statement added. The PDP, while asking Buhari to convene an emergency Council of State meeting for a review of the country’s security situation, called on the National Assembly to pass a vote of no-confidence in Pantami and insist on his immediate removal a minister. “Given the urgency of the security situation in the country, it has become imperative that President Buhari convenes an emergency Council of State meeting for a review of the prevailing dangerous security atmosphere in our country. The PDP also calls on the National Assembly to pass a vote of no confidence in Isa Pantami and insist on his immediate removal as a minister. “The National Assembly should also immediately summon the Security Chiefs for a thorough investigation on the circumstances resulting in the failure of our security system. “The PDP urges Nigerians to remain at alert and keep hope alive as the nightmare of the APC administration will be over by May 2023,” the statement concluded.

UK, US warn residents against travel near Kuje prison, 19 states

  The United States Embassy has warned its citizens in Nigeria against travelling on the airport road in Abuja. The warning came after suspected terrorists attacked Kuje prison and freed inmates on Tuesday. Also, United Kingdom citizens were warned not to be cautious of travelling to 19 states in Nigeria. Among the states are Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River. They were advised to only embark on essential travel to Bauchi, Kano, Jigawa , Niger, Sokoto, Kogi, within 20km of the border with Niger in Kebbi State, Abia and non-riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Plateau, and Taraba. In a statement on Wednesday, titled, ‘Abuja FCT prison break near the airport on July 5, 2022’, the US Embassy noted that crime has become endemic throughout Nigeria. The statement read, “On the night of July 5, 2022, an attack on Kuje Prison freed a large portion of the estimated 1,000 prisoners. The prison lies approximately 27 miles southwest of the Central Business District. “An increase in crime is expected in and around Abuja. It is recommended that U.S. citizens should maintain a high state of personal security awareness for the next two weeks and avoid unnecessary travel on the airport road. “Crime is endemic throughout Nigeria and tends to spike after dark. Avoiding locations and situations that increase the likelihood of being victimized is the best defence. Avoid displays of valuables and limit nighttime activity. “Terrorist groups and those inspired by such organizations are intent on attacking U.S. citizens abroad. Terrorists are increasingly using less sophisticated methods of attack –including knives, firearms, and vehicles – to target crowds more effectively. Frequently, their aim is focused on unprotected or vulnerable targets, such as: “High-profile public events (sporting contests, political rallies, demonstrations, holiday events, celebratory gatherings, etc.), hotels, clubs, and restaurants frequented by tourists, places of worship, schools, parks, shopping malls and markets and public transportation systems (including subways, buses, trains, and scheduled commercial flights). “Actions to take: Be aware of your surroundings, Keep a low profile, carry proper identification, monitor local media for updates, review your personal security plans, always drive with your windows rolled up and the doors locked, and avoid large gatherings and protests, review alternative travel routes in case of unexpected protests or unrest, exercise caution if unexpectedly in the vicinity of large gatherings or protests, always keep the doors to your residence locked, even when at home.”

APC Delegates Ask Court To Stop Masari’s Replacement As Tinubu’s Running Mate

  A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has been asked to stop the All Progressives Congress (APC) from replacing Kabiru Masari as the running mate to the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu. Shortly after Tinubu emerged as the APC flagbearer, the party submitted Masari’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the vice-presidential candidate, for the meantime. However, two chieftains of the party and delegates in the just concluded APC national convention, Zakari Maigari and Zubainatu Mohammed approached the court to stop INEC from accepting a change of vice-presidential candidate from APC. The plaintiffs joined, APC, INEC, Tinubu, and Masari as defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1059/2022 and dated July 4, 2022. They asked the court to determine whether it was legally permissible for Masari to withdraw as the vice-presidential candidate of the APC so as to be substituted or replaced with another person by the party, with regards to the combined effect of sections 142(1) and sections 29(1), 31 and 33 of the Electoral Act. Relying on the joint ticket provision in section 142(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the plaintiffs prayed the court to determine whether the withdrawal of Masari as the vice-presidential candidate does not entail the automatic withdrawal of Tinubu as the APC presidential candidate for purpose of the 2023 general elections. They, therefore, sought the following reliefs: Whether having regard to the combined effect of sections 142(1) and sections 29(1), 31, and 33 of the Electoral Act, it is legally permissible for the 4 Defendant, Masari, to withdraw as the vice-presidential candidate of the 1st Defendant, APC, and the running mate of the 3 Defendant, Bola Tinubu, so as to be substituted or replaced with another person by the 1st Defendant, APC as its candidate for the office of Vice President for purpose of the February 25, 2023, Presidential Election. Whether in view of the joint ticket provision in section 142(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the withdrawal of the 4h Defendant, MASARI, as the candidate for the office of Vice President does not entail the automatic withdrawal of the 3″ Defendant, Tinubu, as the candidate for the office of President for purpose of the 2023 General Elections. Whether having regard to the provisions of sections 29(1), 31 and 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, the 1″ Defendant , APC, is entitled to submit the name of any other person to replace the name of the 4 Defendant , MASARI, as the candidate for the office of Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, without holding a fresh primary election to produce a fresh presidential candidate. Whether the 3 Defendant, Tinubu, having nominated the 4 Defendant, Masari, in compliance with section 142(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the 3 Defendant, Tinubu, can subsequently validly undertake or effect nomination of any other person to replace the Masari, whether upon withdrawal of the 4 Defendant, Masari or under any other circumstances, in view of the provisions of section 33 of the Electoral Act, 2022. The plaintiffs pointed out that Section 187 (1) of the Constitution creates the governorship candidate and deputy-governorship candidate joint ticket, just as section 142(1) establishes the joint-ticket for the presidential candidate and vice-presidential candidate. “Accordingly, it is submitted that the same principles apply in both situations,” they said. “In the case of the governorship candidate and deputy governorship candidate joint ticket, it was held in PDP v. DEGI EREMIENYO (2020) LPELR-49734(SC), pp. 8-16, it was held: The sum total is that the joint ticket of the 1st and 2nd respondents sponsored by the 3 respondent was vitiated by the disqualification of the 1st respondent. Both candidates disqualified are deemed not to be candidates at the governorship election conducted in Bayelsa State, ” It is believed that if this suit truly represents the law, then not only the APC will be affected. Labour Party which also has Dr Doyin Okupe as placeholder and other political parties with similar arrangements would be affected.