Igbo Corner

Details of Peter Obi/Labour Party’s appeal at Supreme Court against PEPC judgment [pt. 1]

Published

2 years ago

October 4, 2023

On 9th September, 2023, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi and his Labour Party (LP) appealed against the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) at the Supreme Court containing 51 grounds of appeal.

The appeal was consequent upon the PEPC Judgment delivered on the 6th day of September 2023, which dismissed the Petition filed by Peter Obi/Labour Party “against the unlawful return and declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the presidential election held on 25th February, 2023.

The appeal is predicated on the Notice of Appeal filed in the Supreme Court of Nigeria holden at Abuja with file number SC/CV/937/2023 against petition number: CA/PEPC/03/2023 with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Shettima Kashim and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Respondents.

In the statement of relevant facts in the appellants’ brief of arguments, Peter Obi/Labour Party condemned the failure of INEC to play by its own rules in transmitting the result of the election in the polling units using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

Peter Obi/Labour Party stated:

“As the statutory background/foundation for the conduct of 2023 General Election, including the questioned Presidential election, the Electoral Act 2022, made significant introduction for the use of technology in the conduct of the election. Pursuant to the powers donated by the Electoral Act 2022, the 1st Respondent (INEC) promulgated the Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of General Election 2022 (“the Regulations”) and the Manual for Election Officials 2023 (“the Manual”) as subsidiary legislations.

“Both the Regulations and the Manual for Election Officials arc subsidiary legislation made under and pursuant to the Electoral Act 2022. It was provided for in the Regulations and Manual for Election Officials that, as a means of ensuring the integrity and transparency of the process, the result of the election in the polling units will be transmitted using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).”

Peter Obi/Labour Party also recalled how Bola Tinubu forfeited the sum of $460,000 being proceeds of narcotics trafficking and money laundering which was admitted as Exhibit.

The appellants also showed at the trial that in 18,088 polling units, the alleged results of the election uploaded on the IReV were blurred copies, besides the certified true copy (CTCs) of 8,123 blurred/blank/unreadable/irrelevant images as copies of the election results in their possession.

The appeal continues:

“At the trial before the Court below, the certified true copy (CTC) of the Order of Forfeiture made by the United States District Court of Northern Illinois “Forfeiting the sum of $460,000 against the Accounts in the name of Bola Tinubu” which said sum represents “proceeds of narcotics trafficking and money laundering” was admitted as Exhibit PAS.

“The Appellants also pleaded and adduced credible evidence to show that the 2nd Respondent was disqualified from contesting the Presidential Election on the ground of double nomination of the 3rd Respondent. It is also the Appellants’ case that the 1st Respondent failed to electronically transmit the result of the election as required by the Electoral Act, the Regulations and the Manual due to an unsubstantiated alleged “technological glitch” on the day of the questioned election.

“It was shown at the trial that in 18,088 polling units, the alleged results of the election uploaded on the IReV were blurred copies. Apart from the 18,088 blurred copies referred to above, the 1st Respondent gave to the Appellants CTCs of 8,123 blurred/blank/unreadable/irrelevant images as copies of the election results in their possession. The Court below expunged the evidence of ten (10) Witnesses who were subpoenaed to testify by the Court.

“The Court held so even when it is clear that the evidence of these subpoenaed witnesses was in line with facts on which issues have already been joined by the parties and was not new or fresh evidence. It is also common ground that the 2nd Respondent as the candidate of the 4th Respondent in the questioned Presidential election, did not obtain the mandatory 25% of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory as required by Section 134(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”

Peter Obi/Labour Party, therefore, underscored seven issues for determination as follows:

1. Whether upon a community reading of the Appellants’ Petition and the applicable law, the learned Justices of the Court of Appeal were right in striking out/expunging wine paragraphs of the Petition and the documentary evidence tendered by the Appellants for being vague, generic, imprecise, nebulous and inadmissible. [Grounds I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 16, 17 and 50 of the Notice of Appeal).

2. Whether upon a careful consideration of the Appellants’ Petition, the Respondents’ respective Replies to the Petition and the Appellants’ Replies to the Replies of the Respondents, the learned Justices of the Court of Appeal were right when they struck out some paragraphs of the Appellants’ Replies to the Replies of the Respondents to the Petition [Grounds 6 and 20 of the Notice of Appeal).

3. Whether having regard to the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 as well as the 1m Schedule thereto, the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019, Evidence Act, 2011 and current judicial pronouncements on the point, the learned Justices of the Court of Appeal, were correct in sustaining the objections of the Respondents to the evidence of PW3, PW4, PW5, PW6, PW7, PWS, PW9, PW10, PW1 I and PW13 and consequently striking out the evidence of the aforesaid witnesses and all the documents tendered and admitted in evidence through them for failure of the Appellants to file the written statements on oath of the witnesses along with the Petition. (Grounds 10, I I, 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the Notice of Appeal).

4. Whether having regard to the provisions of Sections 131(c), 137(1Xd) and 142(1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) [herein a (ler 1999 Constitution), Sections 31 and 35 of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the evidence before the Court, the learned Justices of the Court of Appeal were right when they held that the 21″ and 3s Respondents were qualified to contest the Presidential Election of 25 February 2023. [Grounds 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 and 44 of the Notice of Appeal).

5. Whether having regard to the evidence adduced by the parties, the Learned Justices of the Court of Appeal were right when they held that the Appellants were not able to establish that them was substantial non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, which substantially affected the overall result of the election. [Grounds 7, 8, 9, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31 of the Notice of Appeal).

6. Whether having regard to the explicit provisions of Section 134(2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution and the evidence adduced at the trial, the learned Justices of the Court of Appeal were right in coining to the determination that the 2nd Respondent was duly elected as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. [Grounds 45, 46, 47, 48 and 49 of the Notice of Appeal).

7. Whether from the totality of the pleadings and evidence adduced, the Court below was right when it dismissed the Appellants’ case [Ground 51 of the Notice of Appeal].

To be continued in Part 2…

Read more.

—

©Copyright 2023 News Band

(Click here for News Band updates via WhatsApp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to elstimmy@gmail.com. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook.)

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Analysis

Nigeria is radicalizing the Igbo, one injustice at a time ~ by Abolaji Rasaq

Published

3 months ago

May 21, 2025

kevin 'Jakpor

There’s something about persecution that does two things to a people: it either breaks them, or it makes them beasts of survival.

For centuries the Jews… they were hunted, hated, and humiliated by empires. But they didn’t vanish.

They evolved. They adapted. And today, the Jews are arguably the most powerful tribe in the world economically, intellectually, and politically. Ruthless when necessary.

They are unapologetic about their survival. Now, look at the Igbo. A tribe known for industry, resilience, and brilliance.

A people who just want to live, do business, and thrive. But Nigeria doesn’t want that. Nigeria wants control.

Nigeria wants submission. And the one thing the Igbo have never known how to do is bow. And that’s the real issue.

So what does Nigeria do? It sidelines them. Isolates them. Provokes them. Bombs their villages under the guise of security.

Locks up their agitators. Shuts down their businesses. Mocks their pain. Ignores their history. Prevent them from voting. Play politics with their education. Sponsored bigotry on them.

And then Nigeria pretends to be surprised that there’s growing radicalization in the East?

Let me be clear: The Igbo didn’t start this fire. Nigeria did.

And history, the very same history we keep refusing to learn from, has shown us that when you keep pushing a tribe that knows how to survive, they evolve into something stronger, something unstoppable.

It’s happened before. With the Jews. Europe tried to exterminate them. Instead, they became the backbone of global finance, media, tech, and diplomacy.

You don’t touch a Jew today without consequences. You don’t push them to the wall and expect them to stay quiet.

Now Nigeria is doing the same to the Igbo, pushing, prodding, provoking.

But here’s the warning: when you push an animal to the wall, it doesn’t stay calm. It fights back. It bites. And this time, when it bites, don’t act shocked.

But this isn’t just about the Igbo solely. Nigeria has perfected the art of creating monsters, then acting surprised when they bite.

The Niger Delta? Radicalized. The region was exploited for oil, polluted beyond repair, and ignored until their youths picked up arms.

The Fulani terrorists? Radicalized. Left behind by the same government that claimed to represent them, now manipulated by religion and resentment.

The Almajiri? Radicalized. Abandoned by an elite that used their poverty as a vote bank and then left them to rot.

The Agbero? Radicalized. Uneducated, weaponized, and unleashed as tools of political chaos.

Even the middle class is slowly being radicalized, not with guns, but with hopelessness. That, too, is a ticking time bomb.

A nation cannot continue to marginalize its most brilliant tribe and expect peace.

The Igbo are not docile. They are not quiet. They are not forgetful. They are survivors, and survivors don’t beg for space forever. At some point, they take it.

The Igbo didn’t set out to be radicals. They were made into one by a country that won’t stop seeing their confidence as a threat.

You can’t keep pretending unity means silence. You can’t keep preaching peace while planting injustice.

The Igbo are not asking for too much, they just want to live, build, and grow.

But if you insist on turning their dignity into defiance, their enterprise into enmity, and their survival into sedition, then you are creating a monster.

And if history has taught us anything, it’s this: when a persecuted people decide that survival is no longer enough, when they decide to stop running and start resisting, they don’t just fight back. They win.

Nigeria must understand this: you cannot keep pushing people into a corner and expect submission.

When you back a lion into a wall, don’t expect it to purr. It will roar. It will claw. It will tear through anything standing between it and freedom.

So here’s the final warning, for those who still care to listen: Nigeria is radicalizing the Igbo.

But worse, Nigeria is radicalizing everyone. And it won’t end well.

When the fire spreads, when the rebellion multiplies, when the beast we created begins to fight back, don’t act shocked; no tribe will be left untouched.

Don’t pretend it wasn’t preventable. We all made it happen. You don’t corner a lion and expect peace.

Abolaji Rasaq is a public affairs analyst.

Post Views: 41

Igbo Corner

Crisis hits Nnewi over Uruagu PG election, as BoT members protest, resign

Published

4 months ago

May 9, 2025

kevin 'Jakpor

Palpable crisis is brewing in Nnewi over the election of the President General of Uruagu Community in the industrial town of Anambra State, with a business mogul and owner of Organiser Plc., Chief Innocent Okoli, accused of upsetting the apple cart.

The crisis has led to protests and resignation of members of the Board of Trustees (BoT).

One of the resignation letters sighted by News Band was from a legal practitioner, J. N. Obi, Esq.

Barrister Obi, until his resignation served as the Secretary of the Executive Committee and member, Uruagu Board of Trustees.

Tendering his resignation letter, Obi cited brazen violation of the Constitution of Uruagu Nnewi Community Development Union.

The letter was referenced OB/03 /296/2025, dated May 8, 2025, and addressed to His Highness. Obi A. C. Obi (Ogidi IV).

In the letter entitled “Letter of resignation as member, Board of Trustees (B.O. T) Uruagu Nnewi. Obi announced his resignation based on the following reasons:

Article 8. 9 (a) of the Constitution of Uruagu Nnewi Community Development Union. 2022 (As Amended) states and I quote:
“The Board shall “Ensure the observance of this Constitution”.
Article 14.4 of the Constitution of Uruagu Nnewi Community Development Union 2022 (As Amended) states and I quote:
“Each ward shall submit a list of the Electors In writing to the Secretary General of the Union, one month before any election.
“The submission of the list of the Electors shall be done by the Ward Chairman In consultation with the Ward’s Obi.”
“The election sought to be conducted on Saturday, 10th day of May 2025, did not comply with the above provisious as it was on the Union’s general meeting of the I3th day of April 2025 that the expiration of the tenure of the Executives was announced.”

The legal pratictioner, however, noted that the election to be held on May 10 will not be up to one month.

He, therefore, resigned his membership of B. 0. T for failure to abide by the above provisions of the Constitution as stated above.

On his part, the former President General of Uruagu Nnewi, Chief Ambassador Charles Nwonye, decried series of illegalities in the proposed election championed by Chief Okoli.

He recalled the efforts of past and present stakeholders to ensure that Uruagu Nnewi Community Development Union is recognised as a legal and responsible entity in the state.

He, however, speaking in a voice note obtained by Diaspora Digital Media (DDM), regretted:

“It’s very, very unfortunate that those counsels that instituted Uruagu Development Union are no longer alive.

“They were the ones who were known for speaking out the truth. But at the same time, we will not all keep quiet.

“I, hereby, wish to bring the following to the attention of all Uruagu indigenes, scattered all over Nigeria and in the diaspora that four years ago, a similar thing happened.

“Uruagu Nnewi Constitution was also flagrantly violated four years ago.

“At the end, a lot of stakeholders asked the former Executive Committee to resign and leave en masse.

“The Constitution, however, allowed them to recontest.

“The Executive Committee then honourably resigned and no one of us recontested, ushering in a new Executive Committee.

“They argued that following the election, the Constitution will be amended to correct all the flaws and ensure no such flagrant abused repeats itself.

“They went for the election and what happened there was the same illegality we’re talking about.

“Some of our youths went and connived with mischief makers, disrupted the election and declared the present Executive Committee members winners.

“The youths stood by them in their misguided thoughts that the Executive Committee members enjoy special gains in the office.

“They disrupted the election and ensured that the present crop of Executive Committee members was ushered in.

“The election was heavily flawed and rigged in favour of Eloka Ike and Innocent Okoli, but we let go and left peacefully.

“The new Executive Committee promised to preside for only four years and leave, but we are currently seeing the same illegalities.

“I dare ask: Should Uruagu be known only for illegalities? I thought Ndi Uruagu are smart people?

“I have observed that there are certain individuals who are hell-bent on ensuring that the Uruagu leadership fails.

“They seem bent on destroying all our efforts, acting as agents of chaos and destruction.

“How can one man gather a bunch of Umuezeagu indigenes and take them to the court, claiming that they sued the union to court?

“They deceived the High Court and got a frivolous injunction against Uruagu people, all in the name of election!

“When I got this information, I knew that something was wrong.

“How can someone, after serving a tenure fraught with irregularities, fight his way to a second tenure against the people’s wish?

“I want to make it clear to all the delegates in the so-called election that it will not be possible to make an illegality legal.

“Anyone who casts a vote in that sham election is an agent provocateur, as well as a villain.

“Let it be on record that I denounced the so-called election founded on illegality and fraud and all participants, be it a delegate or participant in any manner is an enemy of the people.”

Chief Okoli and other responsible people of Nnewi leadership could not be reached for comment at the moment of this publication.

More details will follow…

Post Views: 36

Celebrity/Entertainment

Late Mbaise monarch—Eze Nwabueze Ugorji to be buried May 22, 2025

Published

5 months ago

March 14, 2025

kevin 'Jakpor

The remains of HRH Eze Stephen Nwabueze Ugorji, Orji Ukwu 1 of Lorji Nwekeukwu Autonomous Community in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area, will be laid to rest on Thursday, May 22, 2025.

The late Eze Ugorji will be buried in his palace at Orji Ukwu Estate, Lorji, following a Catholic funeral Mass at St. Andrews Catholic Church, Lorji.

News Band was informed that His Excellency the Catholic Bishop of Ahiara Diocese, Bishop Okezuo Nwobi, has been invited to officiate at the ceremony.

Bishop Nwobi, it was learnt, has also accepted the family’s invitation to officiate at the funeral rites of the late grand traditional ruler.

This information was provided to members of the press in Owerri by the Opara Eze (First Son of the Eze), former Commissioner for Homeland Security and Vigilante Affairs, Dr. Ugorji Okechukwu Ugorji.

His Lordship Bishop Okezuo Nwobi, the Catholic Bishop of Ahiara Diocese (Mbaise) and Eze Nwabueze Ugorji’s First Son, Dr. Ugorji Okechukwu Ugorji

“The family is grateful to His Lordship for granting us a rare request to officiate at a funeral on a Thursday,” Dr. Ugorji said.

“Our father will feel honored and appreciated because he was not just a devoted Catholic, he shouldered the building of the St. Andrews Catholic Church at Lorji until his death,” the former commissioner added.

Post Views: 44

Igbo Corner

EXCLUSIVE: Ngozi Orabueze dissolves Biafra Govt In Exile as Simon Ekpa may spend longer time in prison

Published

6 months ago

February 13, 2025

kevin 'Jakpor

Dr. Ngozi Orabueze has abruptly dissolved the Biafra Government In Exile following secret information that his former boss, Simon Ekpa may not be coming out from Finnish detention in a hurry.

News Band reported that Mrs. Orabueze, a former Chief of Staff to Mr Simon Ekpa, the self-acclaimed Prime Minister of Biafra Government In Exile, toppled his principal after he was thrown into prison for promoting violent agitation and terrorism in the Southeast of Nigeria.

Ekpa’s trial is scheduled to start in May 2025.

Ngozi, a former chairperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Atlanta, United States in a statement on Wednesday, announced the dissolution of Biafra Government In Exile.

She said all assets of the Biafra Republic Government In Exile and it’s affiliates shall be transferred to the secretary of the State of the United States of Biafra.

Orabueze also directed all officers of the former exile government to report to their counterpart with the United States of Biafra for reassignment.

The statement reads, “It is resolved that the Biafra Republic Government In Exile (BRGIE) is hereby dissolved as it’s reason for the existence has been superceded by the November 29, 2024 Declaration of the restoration of the Independent United States of Biafra

“All assets of the Biafra Republic Government In Exile and it’s affiliates(BRGIE corporation ID: D237527271) shall be transferred to the secretary of the State of the United States of Biafra.

“All officers of the former exile government shall report to their counterpart with the United States of Biafra for reassignment. All activities of the Biafra Republic Government In Exile shall cease as of February 15, 2025”.

Meanwhile, an insider source in the movement reliably told News Band that Ngozi decided to dissolve BRGIE after receiving intel that Simon Ekpa might spend longer time in prison.

The source also revealed that the Nigerian government is doing everything within it’s power to nail Simon Ekpa for all his atrocious acts in the SouthEast region.

So, the only way to keep the agitation going in the absence of Ekpa is to dissolve BRGIE.

“Yes, Ngozi Orabueze dissolved the Biafra Republic Government In Exile so as to be fully in charge of the assets belonging to the movement. With the way the Nigerian government is going about the case of Simon Ekpa, he may spend longer time in prison”, the source said.

Moreover, before now, Orabueze has been at war with some arrowheads of the separatist movement who refused to acknowledge her authority.

This however, has led to series of fights, accusation and counter accusations among the agitators.

Post Views: 31

Igbo Corner

A tribute to Mrs. Roseline Udu Eze

Published

7 months ago

January 29, 2025

kevin 'Jakpor

We celebrate the life of Mrs. Roseline Udu Eze, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and pillar of strength.

Her unwavering love, kindness, and selflessness left an indelible mark on all who knew her.

Though we mourn her passing, we take solace in the legacy she leaves behind and the cherished memories we hold. Rest peacefully in the arms of the Lord, dear Roseline.

You will forever be missed.

May her soul rest in perfect peace.

Amen.

Post Views: 34