Appeal court declares Sen. Dino Melaye's election tribunal should be re-tried

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday set aside the decision of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Kogi which struck out the petition of Sen. Smart Adeyemi. Adeyemi of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had challenged the election of Sen. Dino Melaye of APC, alleging electoral irregularities and malpractices.


Justice Muhammed Adume held that the tribunal was wrong in striking out Adeyemi’s petition on the grounds of technicalities, instead of substantial justice. The appellate court, therefore, remitted the case to the tribunal for “trial on merit’’.

The court further held that the decision of the tribunal that Adeyemi did not file his petition within the time frame allowed by law was wrong and nullified it forthwith. Adume said the respondents did not provide sufficient evidence before the tribunal that the petition was filed late.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the tribunal had dismissed the petition of Adeyemi, a one-time National President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) for late filing. The tribunal Chairman, Justice Akon Ikpeme, had in the ruling of June 18, held that the Kogi West ex-Senator’s case was “incurably defective’’.

Source: NAN

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US blasts Burundi elections as ‘deeply flawed’

US Secretary of State, John Kerry, on Friday called Burundi’s election “deeply flawed” and urged President Pierre Nkurunziza to hold a “meaningful, serious” dialogue with the African country’s opposition, the State Department said in a statement.
Nkurunziza won a third term in office on Friday after the opposition boycotted the vote, accusing him of violating the constitution by running for re-election.
Nkurunziza’s decision to seek a third term plunged Burundi into its biggest crisis since an ethnically charged civil war ended in 2005.

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Burundi's President Nkurunziza wins controversial 3rd term

Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza has won the controversial 3rd term. The country's electoral commission says he got nearly 70% of votes in Tuesday's poll following an election marred by violence and a boycott by the opposition. Nkrunziza's nearest rival, Agathon Rwasa, took 18.99%.

The president's decision in April to seek a third term had plunged the country into chaos, with many taking to the streets to protest. There was even an unsuccessful coup. Opposition say they won't accept the election result because Nkurunziza's 3rd term bid violated their constitution.

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Don Jazzy and Davido bet N5m on a Game of Fifa, winner takes all

The two music stars bet over a game of Fifa 15. Davido first struck by making a bet of $10,000 but Don Jazzy upped the game by raising the bar to N5million. See the rest of the tweets after the cut

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Poland to hold general election on October 25

Poland’s president on Friday announced that parliamentary elections would take place on October 25, with the country’s ruling centrists bracing for a stiff challenge from the conservative opposition.
Outgoing president Bronislaw Komorowski, an ally of the ruling Civic Platform (PO), called the election two months after being defeated in his reelection bid by Andrzej Duda, a conservative.
That election showed voters in the Central European powerhouse hungry for change after eight years of PO rule and polls show the parliamentary election could follow suit.
If the general election were held now, the eurosceptic, conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party of Jaroslaw Kaczynski — a former premier and twin of late president Lech Kaczynski — would score 33 percent, according to a Millward Brown poll published this week.
Civic Platform would receive 23 percent of the vote, while the movement of anti-establishment rocker Pawel Kukiz, a political newcomer, would score 18 percent.
Kukiz has yet to formally register a political party.
He burst out of nowhere to secure third place in the first round of the May presidential election, appealing in large part to disillusioned voters, especially young Poles struggling to find work.
Komorowski had been expected to easily clich a second term but lost to PiS candidate Duda, an energetic lawyer with a man-of-the-people image who will be sworn in as president on August 6.
Komorowski has ruled out running in the parliamentary ballot.

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PDP says it will reject results of any elections conducted by new INEC boss

PDP National Publicity secretary, Oliseh Metuh, says the party will reject results of elections conducted by INEC's acting Chairman, Amina Zakari whom they claim is like a "daughter" to President Buhari. Mr Metuh said this while speaking during a courtesy visit he made to the National Democratic Institute and International Republican Institute in Abuja yesterday July 16th.

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After previous failures, I was scared of contesting the 2015 election - Buhari

President Buhari says he was scared of contesting in the 2015 presidential election after his failures in past elections. He said this while addressing APC leaders during the breaking of the Ramadan fast at the presidential villa yesterday July 14th

"No matter the level you are, drop your influence so that we can help achieve the manifesto – security, economy, employment and corruption- because if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria. We have to ensure that people we bring forward are those that will move the society forward.
I always like to go down the memory lane to show how lucky we are as a political group. At no stage was the decision taken by chance, it was all deliberate. The leaders of the parties felt the only way to wrest power from the PDP was for us to come together. I, in particular, was scared after previous failures of the elections of 2003, 2007 and 2011. We dissolved our various parties to form APC, then we applied to INEC, for once I was grateful to INEC. We had gone with nine people to INEC to apply and INEC advised us that we needed at least 25 people to form a political party. We were able to go back and raised 35 members across the country and then successfully registered the party. INEC then informed the federal government that we have met the requirements hence we cannot be denied registration. Many doubting Thomases said merger had never succeeded in Nigeria but here we are. I went into this long explanation so that you will appreciate how far we have come and for a society as ours, if we respect the constitution, then all the greed and problems will be a thing of the fast.”he said

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Photos: Former INEC chairman Prof Jega resumes as a University lecturer

Professor Jega who retired as INEC Chairman on June 30th resumed as a lecturer at the department of Political Science, Bayero University Kano today July 6th. Professor Jega had said he would be returning to the classroom to teach once he retires as INEC chairman. More photos of him on the school campus after the cut...

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Photos: Professor Jega officially hands over!

Professor Attahiru Jega's pictured handing over as INEC Chairman today June 30th. More photos after the cut...

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Buhari appoints Mrs Zakari as Acting Chairman of INEC

President Buhari has appointed Mrs Amina Bala Zakari as the Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Mrs Zakari takes over from Professor Jega whose tenure as the Commission's Chairman ended today June 30th. Her appointment was contained in a statement released today from the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Danladi Kifasi. Her appointment takes effect from today June 30, 2015 until the appointment of a substantive Chairman.

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Prof. Jega bows out of office...Nigerians celebrate him on Twitter!

Professor Attahiru Jega officially bowed out of office as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC today June 30th. He was appointed chairman of the electoral body in 2010 and has conducted two elections, the 2011 and 2015 elections. Professor Jega has handed over to Mohammed Wali, a national commissioner of the electoral body from Sokoto state.

Nigerians have taken to twitter to celebrate him. #CelebrateJega is the No.1 trending topic in Nigeria this morning. See some tweets after the cut...

Mohammed Wali...

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Why my election is historic - President Buhari

Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, tweeted that the president said this while speaking at the ongoing African Union summit in South Africa.

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Inspiring! Meet the Nigerian Senator with just one hand (photos)

Despite the seeming 'odd' of having just one hand, Senator Nneji Athan Achonu realized his dreams of becoming a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as he was sworn into office alongside his colleagues yesterday June 9th. Popularly referred to as the one armed general, he campaigned, contested and won the election for Senator representing Okigwe Senatorial zone of Imo State. He is 56 years old, married with children. More photos after the cut...

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Buhari's Inauguration & the restoration of electricity supply: APC's change or civil servants eye-service? - PDP Watchdog

Press statement from PDP Media Watchdog. Read below..

The PDP Media Watchdog has queried the events in the last few days prior to the inauguration on Friday May 29th 2015 of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osibanjo. A situation were there was a total power outage and the whole country was shutdown for more than a week and the sudden restoration of electricity supply on the night of Democracy Day during the swearing of the APC's administration.

"Nigerians will recall the total blackout in the country in the last few weeks owing to shortage in power supply as a result of the vandalization of gas pipeline that powers the turbines and the gof major dam facilities in various part of Nigeria. However, after the prolonged wait by our people, suddenly, there was restoration of energy immediately President Buhari was inaugurated. Is this part of the APC's Change? Or an action taken by Civil Servants to impress the new government of APC of their total loyalty?"

The group reminded Nigerians of their earlier warning of the choice of APC to govern the country due to all the false propaganda by the Party before the elections and the die hard attitude of the All Progressive Congress not to see anything good in the administration of the PDP under President Goodluck Jonathan saying, "This same APC and their propaganda abused and condemned the Agricultural Policy of President Jonathan but chooses to make Goodluck's Agric Minister as the President of African Development Bank (ADB). We cannot also forget in a hurry of the noise by the APC and how they mobilized Nigerians against President Goodluck Jonathan on the total removal of fuel subsidy but now turned around 360 degree to campaign for the removal of the subsidy, we hope Nigerians have not entered into what is popularly called in our local parlance 'one chance'" the group said

The statement reads in parts, "While the PDP's administration since 1999 toiled hard to revamped Nigeria's economy and built several infrastructure for the people of this country, the opposition parties that has today metamorphosed into the present All Progressive Congress (APC) have been sabotaging the nation at every level in order to score cheap political capital. 

President Muhammadu Buhari and his party the All Progressive Congress, APC have deceived Nigerians to vote for change but instead rides on the back of PDP's policies and programs which remains the only solution to solve Nigeria's challenges.

A party that will decide to sabotage, blackmail, destroy the economy and make her people suffer to score political points should not be encouraged and Nigerians should prepare to challenge the APC on all their promises and programs during the campaigns and no amount of excuse will stop the people from holding them to deliver on these promises"

Tunde Lawal

For: PDP Media Watchdog

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Aggrieved PDP aspirants demand refund of money paid for nomination forms

Aggrieved members in PDP in Adamawa state who failed to secure their party's ticket in the last general elections have demanded a return of the money they paid for the party's nomination forms.

Addressing newsmen in Yola, the Adamawa state capital today May 14th, the leader of the aggrieved politicians who gathered under the aegis of PDP Aggrieved Aspirants Forum, Liazaru Aliada-Gugu, threatened to drag the party to court if their money is not returned.

“We the aggrieved PDP aspirants bought forms to contest the primary election and since they did not conduct any primary election, it is only natural for them to return our money. We have made our request known to the leadership of our party both at the state and national level. They have promised to address the issue but up till now they have not done anything. When we met the national leader of the party and the national chairman of the party, they agreed to do something about us and we were satisfied with that meeting. But after several weeks of waiting without response we are left with no other option than to take our case to court.”he said

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TAN Boss, Ifeanyi Ubah reportedly weeps over GEJ's election loss

The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria and key campaigner for President Jonathan Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah, reportedly wept profusely at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday April 30th over President Jonathan's loss in the 2015 presidential election.

Mr Ubah along with other PDP Chieftains were at the villa to present the PDP Presidential campaign report to President Jonathan. According to Sahara Reporters, while a chieftain of the party was speaking at the meeting, Mr Ubah suddenly burst into tears, weeping uncontrollably. He was later led out of the meeting room by a party member but later returned after he had gathered himself. He left the meeting immediately it ended without saying a word to anyone.

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Photo: Togo's President wins 3rd term

All these people that want to die in power. Togo's President Faure Gnassingbe, has been re-elected for a third term. Togo's electoral officials say Gnassingbe got 59% of the vote while his main opponent Jean-Pierre Fabre, took 35% of the vote. His family has been in power for 48 years.

Gnassingbe has ruled since the death of his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, who took power in a coup in 1967.

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Photos: Desmond Elliot receives his Certificate of Return

Actor Desmond Elliot who won the Lagos state House of Assembly seat for Surulere constituency I, received his certificate of return today April 29th. More photos after the cut...

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Photos: Road leading to Ikpeazu's home in Abia blocked after he's declared winner

There's chaos in Abia state this morning after PDP Governorship candidate in the state Okezie Ikepazu was declared winner of yesterday's governorship election. There's an ongoing fight between APGA and PDP Youths in the state. The road leading to Ikpeazu's house has been blocked by angry youths. PDP supporters dressed a coffin in APGA flag while chopping off fowls head which is a symbol for APGA. See the photos after the cut...

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