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INEC and new parties: Go to court, APC tells Atiku’s coalition *Absolves Tinubu
Just like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and others who complained about being rigged out of the 2023 presidential election, in which the stood against Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressive Congress (APC), has yet again delivered the same message to them – go to court.
The ruling party sang the simple song to the complaints by the coalition of being denied registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which they said is sitting on scores of applications by Nigerians to register new political parties.
Incidentally, all the efforts of the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), to upturn the result of the election as announced by INEC, through the courts came to naught as their claims of rigging the process were wantonly thrown out.
Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation and member of the coalition, had alerted of the attitude of INEC in rebuffing attempts at new party registrations, when he appeared on Tuesday as a guest of Prime Time, a public affairs programme on ARISE NEWS, television network.
Berating Mahmoud Yakubu, Chairman of the commission, whom he said was worse that Maurice Iwu, his last but one predecessor, accused of supervising some of the most flawed elections in Nigeria, Amaechi, had told his host that unlike Attahiru Jega who took over from the former INEC boss, who conducted the 2003 and 2007 elections, the current boss was becoming a democratic disaster by taking the country back to the old days.
Hear him: “The current Chairman of INEC can only be compared to Iwu. When we were to register APC, Jega opened the door and we complied with the registration requirements. He got APC registered.
“The current man, if you comply with all these, he would not register you. Already INEC is biased. So, the only thing I can tell you now is that looking at the way Nigeria has run the election, even the option A4 led us forward. At least a lot of transparency.
“You were sure of what was going on. Then we came back to meet people like Iwu and others and the current one and things got worse. So, you don’t know whether to say we are progressing or we are regressing… there’s a state capture using the electoral institution as a machine.
“Jega was a man of conscience. Yakubu has already made it clear he would not register new political parties. Already he (Yakubu) is stopping parties from being registered. Already, INEC has taken sides. INEC is no longer the impartial umpire.”
But Felix Morka, spokesman of the APC, in a quick riposte, on Wednesday, wondered why the former Governor of Rivers State, would resort to crying alone instead of taking steps to remedy the situation, since INEC was a distinct institution, whose activities were actionable.
A guest of The Morning Show, a breakfast programme on ARISE NEWS, Morka, exonerated Tinubu from the ugly narrative, insisting that he had no hand in such anti-democratic moves, which he described in the first place as “idle speculations.”
His words: “INEC is an institution created by law. It has a clear mandate either to regulate political parties or to manage electoral process. We cannot second-guess that. INEC will deal with applications for registration of political parties based on legal criteria. It is not a political process. INEC is a statutory authority, meaning that INEC is a compellable agency.
“If there is anyone who has attempted to register a political party, who has been unfairly denied that facility to register, and he believes that INEC has ignored clear legal standards which they have met to register their party – look, I’m a lawyer, a senior lawyer for that matter – if I were in that position, I will take out a writ of mandamus to compel INEC to do its job.
“It’s not enough for people to just bandy allegations around. It’s like somebody who has not met the standards, has not met the requirements to register a political party and comes to the national television to put out a statement and say, we’re being denied. Nobody is being denied.
“If you assert, you must prove. If you think INEC is denying you unfairly, or that INEC is pandering to some executive or whatever instruction or manipulation, you must show evidence of that, and it’s not that hard to show evidence of such a thing. So, it’s not enough to come to Nigerians and say we’re being denied when you’ve not met even the simple threshold requirement that qualifies you to be registered.
“You think INEC will register you because INEC wants to pander to some sentiments or emotions. That’s not how it works. It doesn’t work like that in Nigeria, and it doesn’t work like that anywhere else. So, I think that those who are making that suggestion should go back and figure what they’re doing.
“If they think they have met the standard as I said, they need to take on INEC. They should go to court and compel INEC to do its job. INEC has a statutory, enforceable duties they should perform. So, I don’t buy that. I don’t buy that at all.”
Flaunting Tinubu’s performance in the last two years, he said: “This President has done more than all the presidents before him. His direction of ordering our priorities, tackling some of the most acerbic challenges faced by the economy of our country, he has decided that he’s not about looking for cheap popularity, but doing those things that may momentarily seem unpopular but are decidedly crucial to a long term good health of our country’s economy.
“All of the hues and cries by members of the oppositions whether its Rotimi Amaechi or former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, or former Kaduna Governor, Malam El-Rufai don’t cut it. The President is focused on matters that guarantee the long term health of our country.”
“What is funny is that all of these voices put together don’t even begin to speak to what they think this President should be doing different from what he’s doing. Not one of them has come with any kind of informed prescription of what the President should be doing.”
From the seat of the Presidency, came what indicates a clear and open support for the camp in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) fighting David Mark, National Secretary and Rauf Aregbesola, National Secretary, respectively.
The signal came from Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff (CoS) to President Bola Tinubu, who practically threw his weight behind Leke Abejide, one of the arrowheads wedging the war that could see the main opposition party in Nigeria not presenting a candidate for next year’s presidential election.
Against the backdrop of allegations that Aso Rock has been fuelling the various crises in the major political parties, Gbajabiamila, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and a key ally of President Bola Tinubu, all but clearly stoked the fire by egging the Kogi lawmaker on to launch a fiercer onslaught against the Mark leadership.
Urging Abejide, who had sworn that he would do everything to ensure Tinubu’s re-election not to leave the ADC, through which he won his election to the National Assembly in 2023, but to stay back and fight rather than exiting the party, the ex-Speaker praised him for his resilience so far.
Abejide, who on his own, has thrown his weight behind Nafiu Bala, former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, now laying claims to Mark’s position was one of those sacked at the convention organised by the Mark group last week.
But Gbajabiamila, who used the Kogi lawmaker’s birthday celebration on Monday to announce his support publicly, while hailing his political trajectory and resilience, including winning his election under the ADC – a relatively less-fancied platform in 2023.
His words: “For a man to contest in a place like Kogi, under a relatively unknown party, and win back-to-back elections, it tells you who that man is. You did not only secure re-election but also helped expand the party’s influence by bringing in other candidates. You’re a committed party man and a fighter.
“My charge to you is to stay in that same party. Fight them. Scatter them. Hold on to your party. Do not abandon them. We like what you are doing. Hold on to your party. Do not abandon it. Continue what you are doing. Win your election there. Nobody can take your party away from you.”
After the hammer from the Mark group, alongside Kingsley Temitope, Obinna Norman, Kennedy Odiong, and Stella Chukwuma, over the allegation of anti-party activities, Abejide dismissed his sack as null and void, coming from a “suya convention.”
President Bola Tinubu and others interested in the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will have to cough out a whopping N100million as fee for the nomination form of the ruling party.
This is coming as the party released details of its scheduled presidential primary election billed for May 15 and 16, 2026, as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Sulaiman Argungu, National Organising Secretary, who released the details of the activities of the party ahead of the nomination for the 2027 polls on its official X handle, including the sale of forms, screening of aspirants, appeals, and primary elections across all elective positions, said informed that the forms go on sale from April 25 to May 2, while the submission deadline was fixed for May 4.
The statement said screening of aspirants would commence on May 6 and end on May 8, with the publication of results slated for May 11 and appeals scheduled for May 12 to 13.
The primaries for the House of Representatives will be held on May 18, the Senate on May 20, State Houses of Assembly on May 21, and the governorship on May 23.
The party pegged the total cost of forms for presidential aspirants at ₦100 million, comprising ₦30 million for the expression of interest and ₦70 million for nomination.
Governorship aspirants are to pay ₦50 million, while fees for the Senate, House of Representatives, and State Assembly vary.
“Female aspirants, youth and physically challenged aspirants are to pay for the expression of interest and 50 per cent of the prescribed nomination fees for each position,” it added.
In the statement, the APC said the timetable was issued in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act 2026, and the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The party reaffirmed its commitment to conducting “credible and transparent primary elections” to strengthen internal democracy.
As of the time for filing this report, no member of the APC has formally declared interest in contesting the presidency.
Some APC leaders and key affiliations of the party have, however, endorsed President Bola Tinubu for re-election.
Although Tinubu has not publicly or officially declared his intention to run for a second term, he had last week dismissed the speculation that he was scared of the opposition ahead of the elections.
“The safety of our citizens rests on our shoulders. You must remain resolute and go after these criminals until they are eliminated. We must make Nigeria safe at all cost,” were the words with which Olufemi Oluyede Chief of Defence Staff, read the riot act for the umpteenth time against insurgents terrorising many parts of Nigeria.
Against the backdrop of renewed attacks in parts of the country days after the killing of Oseni Omoh Braimah a Brigadier General and I.A. Muhammed, a Colonel, each commanding troops in Borno State, one of the hotbeds of the nearly two decades onslaught in separate outbreaks, the CDS told troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA to intensify ongoing operations against the terrorists and other criminal elements in the North-West region, stressing the need to ensure security across the country.
At an operational visit to the Headquarters Theatre Command, Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA (OPFY), in Gusau, Zamfara State, the military boss who said the visit was aimed at assessing operational readiness, addressing challenges confronting troops, and boosting morale in the ongoing campaign to restore peace and security in the region, commended their resilience, courage, and sacrifices in defence of the nation.
Urging the troops to remain disciplined, professional, and relentless in the fight against banditry and terrorism, the CDS, whose encounter was conveyed by Samaila Uba, a Major General and spokesman, at the Defence headquarters was said to have assured the troops of continued support in the areas of welfare, training, and provision of necessary operational equipment to enable them to discharge their duties effectively.
Uba, Director of Defence Information, quoted his boss as reaffirming the commitment of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to sustaining pressure on criminal groups until lasting peace is restored across the North West and the entire nation, acknowledging the importance of air support in ongoing operations.
The Defence Chief, while noting that efforts were underway to enhance operational capabilities through additional platforms and improved coordination across theatres of operations, was said to have paid a courtesy call on the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, appreciating him for his continued support of Operation FANSAN YAMMA and the military.
ADC: Fight, scatter them! *Presidency goads Kogi lawmaker on Mark’s leadership
Presidency: Tinubu, others to pay N100million for APC nominations
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