News
LP subverting justice in Abia, group cries out *Cites alleged relocation of electoral panel to gvt house
Abia Renaissance Movement (ARM), has cried out over what it claimed was the relocation of the Abia State Governorship and House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal from Abuja to Abia State Government House, as a “desperate attempt by the Labour Party (LP) to manipulate the process and subvert justice.”
In a statement signed by its Convener, Comrade Ukachukwu Chukwunonso, and its Secretary General, Maria Nwokoma on Monday, in Umuahia, the group, which said while it is not in support of any political party, maintained that it would speak up against any attempt to manipulate the judicial process to favour any political party against another, arguing that keeping quiet in the face of injustice negated its cardinal principles of equity, justice and fairness to all.
Wondering why the tribunal handling an election matter in which the current Abia State Government is a defendant, would be relocated from Abuja to Abia, they said matters was made worse by the fact that all the circumstances that informed the initial relocation to Abuja are still prevalent.
The statement, read: “We have observed with grave concern the hurried and surreptitious relocation of the Abia State Election Petition Tribunal from Abuja back to Abia State, and wish to state that such a move is not only injurious to democracy but signals a grave danger to justice.
“We, just like every peace-loving Abian, view the relocation as a desperate attempt by the Labour Party (LP) to manipulate the process and subvert justice given that they are the party in office in Abia State. We also wonder why the tribunal handling an election matter in which the current Abia State Government is a defendant be relocated from Abuja to Abia, and to make martters worse, to an office right inside the Government House in Umuahia, when all the circumstances that informed the initial relocation to Abuja are still prevalent.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the delicate security situation in Abia State right now as a result of the impudent boasts to unleash mayhem on anyone with contrary political opinions and uncontrolled aggression by the supporters of the government and Labour Party in the State is still ongoing while government officials have issued veiled threats to members of PDP and even unlawfully arrested some appointees of the PDP, are still ongoing.
“Moreover, one of the key factors that led to the relocation of the Abia State Election Petition Tribunal to Abuja in the first place was the strike action embarked upon by members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Abia State Chapter, which led to the locking up of courts in the state. The situation means judges cannot sit as the support staff needed for the secure and convenience involved in the dispensation of justice to litigants are not available.
“One then wonders why the Labour Party in Abia State is so desperate to rush back the relocation of the Tribunal from Abuja to the State and manipulated it to hold within its own premises of Government House, Umuahia when Abuja has all the ingredients including neutrality, security and availability of judiciary workers to ensure a hitch-free legal process and impartial dispensation of justice to all parties.
“We also wonder how the President of the Court of Appeal could have acceded to such a request and fall for such manipulation by the Labour Party in Abia State when it is obvious that justice cannot be guaranteed in such circumstances, except it is, as we believe, that the Honourable Justice must have been lied to and hoodwinked by the Labour Party- led government in Abia State.
“Part of the falsehood and idea purportedly sold to the Appeal Court President was to force open relevant courts closed as a result of the strike action embarked upon by JUSUN and dominate the state with security personnel as a result of fears of breakdown of law and order that such a forceful opening of courts could cause. Aoart from being a gross abuse of the right of the judiciary workers to industrial action when necessary, this, no doubt, will further heighten tension and chaos in the state especially as judiciary staff are primed to resist such forced opening of the courts. In such a situation, the safety and wellbeing of the Honourable Judges will be in jeopardy.
“It is our considered opinion that the suggestion to use security agents to force open the courts and the subsequent tension and chaos such an action will generate between the judiciary workers and security agents will amount to the judiciary using agents of the executive to oppress its own workers. This will further malign the judiciary.
“On the part of the litigants, how does one expect PDP candidate who is a party to the case, their leaders and members, their lawyers and supporters who might want to witness the legal proceedings to feel seeing that they will be subjected to all manner of harassment, intimidation and provocation in the name of security checks while trying to make their way to the office inside the Government House where the tribunal has been relocated to? Boycott of the proceedings as a result of such impending harassment and intimidation in the name of security check by the security apparatus inside the government house might just be one of the civil actions available to the PDP governorship candidate, his lawyers, leaders, members and supporters of the party. Should the situation degenerate to that level, it will be an indelible stain on the fabric of the judiciary, and the only way to avoid such a danger is to relocate the tribunal back to Abuja.”
Qowiy Oloyede, a resident of Oriya Sokoto road, Atan Ota, is currently telling operatives of the Ogun State Colice command, the reasons that pushed him into making a video suggesting that a part of the state was under attack of terrorists, knowing same to be fake.
Oloyede, reports say, dragged to the police on May 23 by one Ayinla Sodiq, who accused him of creating and sharing a misleading TikTok video falsely claiming that bandits had invaded the Atan Ota community..
Zagazola Makama, a counterinsurgency publication, which broke the news, said on immediately being questioning by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Oloyed, allegedly confessed to fabricating the video to gain followers on social media.
Apart from admitting that that he created the fake bandit attack content to gain followers and trend online, said in a video currently on social media the herder featured in the clip was a cattle rearer who usually grazed cows behind his shop and had initially refused to participate before eventually agreeing.
Oloyede, who also claimed he could neither read nor write, adding that his apprentice wrote the caption accompanying the video posted online, maintained that he had only produced and posted two similar videos, one on Monday and another on Wednesday.
The command, said to have recovered photographs and video evidence linked to the fake publication during preliminary investigation, added that the suspect would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Abeokuta, for further investigation, warning residents against spreading false information capable of causing panic and public disorder, and for the public to verify information before sharing content on social media.
For the umpteenth time, President Bola Tinubu has once again, urged Nigerians to be patient with his government, saying the reforms he embarked upon in the last three years, which had begun to yield result would come to its full manifestation soon.
The President, also expressed gratitude to those who had remained supportive of his government during the period, praising them for their resilience and promising that he would not disappoint in the end.
Tinubu, who spoke on Sunday while accepting the fresh nomination of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after being announced as the winner of last Saturday’s presidential primaries across the country, was particularly grateful to the members for their support and renewed his commitment to national development.
With a total of 10,999,162 votes against Stanley Osifo, his only opponent during the exercise who polled 16,503 votes, the President told his audience: “In accepting this nomination, I renew my commitment to serve our nation with even greater determination.
“With another four years of discipline, focus and national cooperation, we will firmly place Nigeria on an irreversible path of economic expansion, industrialisation, energy security, infrastructural development, food sovereignty and democratic consolidation.”
Anyim Pius Anyim, former Senate President, Chairman of the Presidential Primaries Committee of the party, had announced the result of the exercise, subsequent upon which the President received the party flag for the 2027 presidential polls from Nentawe Yilwatda, the APC National Chairman.
Tinubu, while acknowledging the economic hardship experienced by Nigerians since the introduction of key reforms under his administration, including the removal of fuel subsidy and foreign exchange reforms introduced in 2023, told the party faithful: “You have given me the encouragement. Sometimes it is difficult, and I share the pain with you.
“I know what it is to reform an economy that was in tatters. If you lost sleep, I lost some too. If you have lost weight, I think I have lost some too. But I have always remembered one thing: in 2022, I asked for this job, you all supported me, and I got it, so I must do it.”
Highlighting several reforms implemented by his administration, including the student loan scheme, tax reforms, and infrastructure projects, he said more than ₦282 billion had been disbursed to about 1.5 million beneficiaries under the student loan programme, pledging to strengthen electricity supply and create more opportunities for young Nigerians and businesses across the country ahead of the 2027 election.
The president reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to security, promising intensified efforts against banditry and other criminal activities across the country.
Tinubu also urged Nigerians not to become “complacent” or allow politicians without “clear alternative visions” to derail the country’s progress, noting that the forthcoming election must be “a reaffirmation of Nigeria’s democratic maturity.”
“We feel that if the situation is not immediately checked, the citizens may rise against the owners of gas filling stations,” were the words with which gas marketers raised alarm on Sunday about the consequences of the continued scarcity of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), otherwise known as cooking gas across the country.
At the current prices, of ₦1,500 per kg, the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) warned stakeholders of an impending public anger against their operations, regardless of their innocence in the rising prices of the commodity.
They particularly drew the attention of the Federal Government, government agencies, industry regulators, importers, LPG producers, depot owners, LPG consumers, and the general public to the situation, exculpating members of blame, as they were now forced to pay between N25,200,000 and N26,200,000 for 20MT of cooking gas in parts of the country.
Part of the statement, read: “It is sad and rather very pathetic to inform the general public that the citizens of Nigeria have woken up to buy cooking gas, which should be a social item at a prohibitive cost of over N1,500per kg, while the Marketers are made to pay as much as N25,200,000, or, depending on location, N26,200,000 for 20MT of cooking gas.
“This sad situation has brought untold hardship to millions of Nigerian households, small businesses, food vendors, and low-income families who rely on LPG for daily cooking and livelihood.
“It is rather worrisome to state that this situation is seriously eroding the substantial progress made by the Government on the usage of Clean Energy in the country.
“We observe that where product is available, it is sold at rates far beyond the reach of average Nigerians. NALPGAM hereby observes that the current crisis is undermining years of progress achieved through Federal Government policies, public-private investments, and awareness campaigns aimed at deepening LPG penetration and promoting clean cooking energy as a safer alternative to kerosene, charcoal, and firewood in Nigeria.
“While millions of Nigerians have embraced cooking gas as a result of the national clean energy transition agenda, it is sad to state that those gains are at risk as households are struggling to refill cylinders, small businesses are folding under rising energy costs, while many families are reverting to firewood and charcoal despite the serious implications for public health, environmental degradation, and deforestation.”
On the wider socio-economic implications, the Association warned that if urgent and coordinated actions are not taken immediately, the current crisis could trigger broader consequences, including accelerated food inflation, the collapse of small-scale LPG retail businesses, job losses, reduced investor confidence, and a significant setback to Nigeria’s clean energy and climate commitments.
The Association is calling on the Federal Government, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd, domestic producers, terminal operators, international suppliers, and all critical stakeholders in the LPG value chain to take urgent, coordinated steps to stabilise the market before it degenerates further.
It called for immediate measures to improve the availability and accessibility of LPG nationwide, increased domestic LPG allocation to the Nigerian market, ensuring transparent and equitable distribution of available supply across regions, reduction of bottlenecks in product importation, storage, and distribution, implementation of strategic interventions to stabilise retail prices, and protection of consumers.
The marketers also called for other measures, such as investment in critical infrastructure, including storage and distribution facilities, and adoption of policies that support affordability, sustainability, and long-term growth of the sector.
NALPGAM reaffirmed its commitment to constructive engagement and collaboration with government agencies, regulators, producers, and other stakeholders to develop sustainable solutions that will guarantee an affordable, stable supply and continued growth of the LPG sector.
“In conclusion, it is apposite to state that “We cannot stand by and watch millions of Nigerian families suffer in silence while access to clean cooking energy becomes increasingly difficult and unaffordable. For years, Government and industry operators have worked to move Nigerians away from unsafe fuels. Those gains are now under serious threat”, the statement added.
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