By Michael Adigun

There is growing interest in the gubernatorial race in Edo state particularly as it concerns recent happenings in Labour Party in the state. The interest stems from the entry of Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata, a former Nigerian Bar Association President into race for the gubernatorial ticket on the platform of the Labour Party.

Keen observers noted that whilst the clamour and sentiment for a candidate of Esan extraction grew loud, there were also louder voices that tilted towards preference for competence, capacity and character.

As former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olumide Akpata distinguished himself in service. It is no surprise that he is bringing this to bear in his aspiration in Edo state Labour Party.

As is traditional, many politicians simply see their party as vehicle to simply drive their ambition and abandon or show indifference depending on whether they get their party ticket. What Mr Akpata is currently doing in Edo State Labour Party is novel in the annals of politics in the state. At different fora, he has reiterated that his concern for now is about building the party and encouraging other aspirants to do same.

One does not need a political scientist to understand that success can only be guaranteed by a political party that not only boasts of committed party men and women but is also equipped with human capacity and resources

Recall that in October 2023, he went round the entire 18 local governments of the state to meet with party executives at the State, Local government and ward level.

Akpata’s aim was not only to familiarize himself with the party at the state, local govt and ward levels but also to understand the challenges they face. In the course of the tour, there were three major issues he identified.

First, was the issue of human capacity development of party members especially those who will carry out designated party activities during elections. Key to strengthening the Labour Party in Edo state is building the capacity of party members to understand the electoral system. Consequently, he donated the sum of N3m for Edo South senatorial district human capacity training and challenged the party to organize similar workshops in other senatorial districts.

The issue of mobility was a recurrent issue as it was noticed that party men and women could not embark on aggressive campaigns due to the issue of mobility. The guber aspirant believes that without mobility, mobilising party for the election proper will be quite challenging.

In December 2023, Olumide Akpata toured the 18 local governments again. Many party stalwarts have called this action unprecedented as no aspirant in the current race has toured the state twice in a period of 3 months. This time around, he came to fulfil the promises he made to ensure mobility for party members by donating and transferring ownership of 21 Toyota Sienna Minivans and a brand new Toyota Hiace 2023 model bus to the party.

According to the plan, each local government will have one Toyota Sienna Minivan bus. The state secretariat will have the Toyota Hiace and a Sienna bus and women in the party will have a Sienna bus.

He was not done yet as he recently added another Sienna bus for the Edo South mobilization group.

In the course of the December tour to party executives at the State, Local government and Ward levels, which he called his Christmas visit, he challenged party members to remain committed and focused on delivering the state for the Labour Party. Olumide Akpata used the tour to pledge 26,000 Labour Party branded chairs and 230 Public Address systems to his party to be distributed at the state, local government and ward levels in January 2024.

Political analysts and watchers believe in the notion that no politician succeeds without reasonable investment in the party under whose platform he intends to run. This is what Akpata has done and still continues doing.

The task ahead will be daunting as the Labour party faces an incumbent People Democratic Party at the state and the opposition All Progressives Congress desirous of getting power back. From the look of things, the Labour Party in Edo state appears formidable and resilient. A united and strengthened Labour Party may be the party to watch in the gubernatorial elections in September 2024.

But before that can happen, the party must present a formidable candidate who is committed to its growth and development, a man who understands the challenges the state faces, a man with character and is relatable, a man with a proven pedigree pedigree of success. The Labour Party has a choice to make and it must do so between now and February 24^th 2024.

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The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) announced this in Strasbourg on Friday.

The order follows a ruling by the court in 2021, when the judges found that Russia had been responsible for “inhumane’’ acts against Georgian citizens after the end of the fighting, which lasted from Aug. 9, 2008 until August 12, 2008.

Georgia lost control of its breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the war against Russia.

The court concluded that Russia could not be held responsible for human rights violations during the five-day war.

After the ceasefire, however, the Russian authorities were responsible for the situation in the conflict region and should have enforced the Human Rights Convention, the judges said at the time.

Russia, however, had allowed looting, pillaging, abuse and torture by South Ossetian forces.

Georgian civilians had been taken prisoners, driven from their homes or killed. Until now, the question of compensation had remained unanswered.

Whether Georgia will actually get the money seems doubtful.

Russia was expelled from the Council of Europe because of its war against Ukraine and is, thus, no longer a member of the European Convention on Human Rights, which the ECHR ensures is observed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced that he would no longer recognise rulings by the court.

The Council of Europe, the Human Rights Convention and the court are all independent of the EU

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The INEC Returning Officer for the Election, Prof Ofo Iwe made the announcement on Sunday night after concluding the collation of results from the 17 Local Government Areas of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Mr Peter Mba of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is leading with a wide margin in the gubernatorial election followed by his counterpart in the Labour Party (LP), Mr Chijioke Edeoga.

The returning officer said that the commission would reconvene by 8am on Monday.

Other major governorship candidates in the race are Mr Frank Nweke of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Mr Uche Nnaji of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

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As indigenes and residents of Adamawa State, our dear State has again been tossed up for a political contest this year. With all sense of humility, one would say that we got it right in 2019 by voting His Excellency Ahmadu Fintiri as our Governor.

Looking at the progress the state recorded under his able leadership it is obvious that we cannot afford to miss the great opportunity to consolidate his achievements this Saturday March 18, 2023, when the governorship and State House of Assembly elections will hold. His Excellency, Fintiri should be returned in appreciation of the giant strides he has achieved and many more he will do in the next four years.

For those who follow events in Adamawa State, the records are clear that Governor Fintiri has delivered beyond our reckoning in his first term and is poised to even do more upon his re-election come Saturday. Since a popular saying has it that ‘’the reward for every good job done should ordinarily be more work,’’ we urge voters to return the governor and challenge him with more work as well as set new target for him and his administration.

Therefore, on Saturday, Adamawa voters should come out en masse vote for, and follow the man who knows the road. From what we have seen, Fintiri not only knows the road, but he has within his first term in office also mastered it for the good of the industrious people of Adamawa State.

The dividends of Fintiri’s stewardship are too enormous to be listed. But the impacts his policies and projects have made are all around us. We therefore at this point cannot afford to retrogress. We need Fintiri to achieve further progress and development through consolidation and continuity as governor of Adamawa State.

So, this is coming as a clarion call on all well-meaning Adamawa voters not to truncate the foundation already laid for the growth and development of Adamawa State by Fintiri and his administration. We should come out en masse from all nooks and crannies of Adamawa State to vote for His Excellency Governor Ahmadu Fintiri come March 18, 2023. I strongly believe that returning his to office through our ballot will be a vote for continuity, consolidation, progress, and development for the good people of Adamawa State. Fintiri for Adamawa State! Fintiri all the way! Fintiri for 2023!

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Agabi, who wore Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reflective jacket, was arrested at the collation center in Okpoma, Yala Local Government Area of Cross River by the security operatives.

He was later taken to Ogoja INEC’s office, where he confessed to have impersonated Abakedi.

After confessional statement, he was whisked away by the police to the Ogoja Area Command for further investigation by the CID unit.

The alleged impostor claimed to be a lecturer in philosophy department of the University of Calabar and hails from Ugoro Community in Bekwarra Local Government Area of the state.

He impersonated the INEC collation officer for Yache ward in Yala Local Government Area of the state, Dr Dominic Abakedi.

One of the BVAS found in his possession had the following details: “BVAS No: 09/18/10/012 with 216 accredited voters and 250 votes cast.”

The impersonator, who was alleged to have been playing the script of a party, had with collaboration with others, locked up all the agents of other parties  in that ward.

He was also alleged to have disappeared since the close of voting around 6p.m. on Saturday and only resurfaced at the senatorial district collation center in Ogoja at past 5p.m. on Sunday.

A senior police officer  at the scene, who preferred anonymity, confirmed the development.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in charge of elections in the district, Zannah Shettima, declined comment on the matter, stressing that he was yet to be briefed.

He said, “I don’t have the details and so I can’t speak on it.”

Agabi claimed to be a lecturer in philosophy department and hails from Ugoro Community in Bekwarra Local Government Area of the state.

NAN reports that collation of Cross North Senatorial results was ongoing at the time filing this report

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Dr Chibuike Echem, President of the forum, made the appeal at its maiden series of dialogue themed: “What kind of leaders should Nigerians elect’’, held on Friday in Abuja”.

Echem said’: ”Credibility at the forthcoming elections will enable Nigeria to recover its glory as the will of the people shall prevail.

“The 25^th day of this month will be remarkable for Nigerians as we will go to the polls which is our civic responsibility and this is one of the major tasks we owe this country.

“I want to call on Nigerians, especially the youths, to go out en masse and vote while INEC should ensure that the will of the people prevail,’’ he said.

Echem said that so much was at stake at the upcoming elections, ”because people are sensitive and more aware.”

Similarly, Mr Remy Chukwunyere, Executive Director of Ugwumba Leadership Center for Africa, said that Nigeria needed a leader with the political to impact positively on the citizens.

He added: ”Leadership is all about influence, hence a good leader should be able to influence positively.

“Nigeria needs a leader with political will to change the narrative.”

Ifeanyi Ngama, Chairman of Exwhyzee Technologies, said Nigeria needed a leader with capability to lead the country the right way.

According to him, the credibility of the political parties and the candidates was important in choosing a leader, adding ”but the credibility of the candidate is more important.”

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The matter which was instituted by the Enugu North Senatorial district candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) party, Chika Idoko,  seeks disqualification of all PDP candidates for breach of time frame.

Idoko claims that the PDP primary election was in contravention of Section 77 of the Electoral Act and should thus be voided, adding that the party should be punished in line with extant provisions of the Section 84 of the same Act.

His argument is that the party submitted its membership register to INEC on May 6, 2022, less than 30 days to its primary election, contrary to the provisions of the law.

Delivering judgment, Justice Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo, held that the plaintiff having been not a member of the defendant’s political party lacked the locus standi to challenge the internal affair of another party.

Giwa-Ogunbanjo held that the judicial authorities of the court of appeal at its various divisions in country had decided on the issue of locus standi where a non party member cannot challenge internal affair of a political party.

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