Politics
SDP faults INEC’s move to challenge court judgments on election timetable
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for deciding to appeal court rulings that struck out parts of its timetable for the 2027 general elections.
Speaking after a meeting between INEC and leaders of registered political parties in Abuja on Tuesday, SDP National Chairman, Prof. Sadiq Gombe, said the commission should not challenge the judgments because they would give political parties and candidates more time to prepare for elections.
Gombe said, “INEC has no right to appeal the ruling because of the timing of the election and so on.”
He added that the judgments would create more opportunities for campaigns and allow candidates who lost party primaries to still exercise their political rights.
While insisting that INEC was free to pursue the appeal, he said, “We don’t feel there is any need for INEC to appeal that. But it also has the right to.”
On the party’s leadership crisis, Gombe said the SDP remained open to reconciliation with members of the rival faction led by former National Chairman Shehu Musa Gabam.
According to him, the party’s constitution provides room for discipline and reconciliation.
Gombe also maintained that leadership disputes are internal matters for political parties and not for INEC to decide. He said, “INEC doesn’t determine who should be the chairman of a political party. It is the party itself.”
His comments came after INEC announced it had appealed two Federal High Court judgments that questioned aspects of its 2027 election timetable.
The electoral body said it was seeking clarification on important legal issues, warning that changes to the timetable could affect the smooth planning and conduct of elections.
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The National Secretary of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, Sunday Ogini, has accused the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Joash Amupitan, of incompetence.
Ogini made the claim on Wednesday while fielding questions on News Central Television.
He said that INEC’s chairman’s legal interpretations reveal incompetence in managing court rulings.
“Amupitan is not competent as a professor of law. The incompetence of Amupitan will cost us this democracy if we keep quiet.
“This leadership tussle in the NNPP, we were able to secure valid court judgment that affirmed the leadership of the Bito Abu-led executive, which I am the secretary.
“We got that judgment at the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and the Appeal Court in Owerri also confirmed us. Do you need to go to Harvard University to know that you, as the unbiased umpire, must obey court order and valid judgment?
“Amupitan is incompetent. I am telling you here. I met him one on one. We discussed on this matter. I want Nigerians to know the incompetence of Amupitan today,” he said.
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President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has said that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, is not a match for the president.
Onanuga said Obi isn’t at the same level with Tinubu because he hasn’t demonstrated original and genuine thinking.
Posting on X, Onanuga claimed that the former Anambra State governor has failed demonstrate proper leadership.
He wrote: “Peter Obi has never demonstrated original or genuine thinking.
“Nigeria needs a leader who can think and act in ways that go beyond what most people can understand, someone who has shown they can deeply think through problems and take real action.
“Peter Obi isn’t as strong as President Bola Tinubu, and they aren’t even in the same category.”
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Politics
‘I’ve been vindicated’, Rep Agbese says after barring of first-timers from principal offices
Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Philip Agbese, has expressed satisfaction over the resolution of the House of Representatives, barring Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere and other first-timers from principal offices in the Parliament.
The House, on Wednesday, while adopting a motion brought before it by Member representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency of Lagos State, Hon. Babajimi Benson, barred first-time members from holding principal offices, including the minority leadership in the House.
The motion titled “Need for a Precise Definition of Order Seven, Rule 15 of the House of Representatives” was unanimously passed without debate.
“The House notes that Order Seven, Rule 15 of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives states that ‘only members with cognate legislative experience as Members of the House of Representatives shall be eligible for appointment as Principal Officers of the House.
“Aware that global parliamentary best practices rule out first-term parliamentarians from holding Principal Offices and reserve Principal Offices for experienced legislators to promote institutional memory, deepen understanding of legislative processes, and enhance competence in constitutional
interpretation and intergovernmental relations.
“Also aware that the 10th Senate has recently specifically defined ‘cognate legislative experience’ to mean ‘Senators who have completed at least one full four-year term’, adding that those with multiple previous terms must have served in the immediate past Assembly”, the motion reads.
The House also took cognisance of the need to “prioritise institutional memory, deepen parliamentary stability and continuity, legislative experience, minimise avoidable turbulence and promote mature representation in the comity of international parliamentary associations”.
The House therefore defined ‘Cognate Legislative Experience’ as contained in Order Seven, Rule 15 of the Standing Orders of the House to mean – ‘Members who have completed at least one full four-year term. The House also stated unequivocally that there is no other definition to the term ‘cognate legislative experience’ other than as stated above.
Reacting, Hon. Agbese described the resolution as an act of God, saying he has been vindicated by God.
“No one goes to heaven through the back doors. The only acceptable and laid-down route to see God is through his son, Jesus. The Bible is clear on that.
“Order 7 Rules 15 is also clear on how to become a Principal Officer in the House of Representatives. You must be a ranking Member. You must have cognate experience. You cannot be a greenhorn and expect to lead the Minority Caucus. It’s not by gathering some of your colleagues or bringing a paper and saying so and so have endorsed you.
“It is in the Rules of the House. You can not smuggle yourself into an office you are not qualified for. Today’s resolution has vindicated me. It’s purely an act of God. This is good for the institutional memory of our dear Parliament”, Agbese, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency, added.
Recall that Hon. Ugochinyere, Member representing Ideato Federal Constituency of Imo State, had hinted the House, during a session last Thursday, that 61 Members affixed their signatures to nominate him for the position of Minority Leadership.
But Agbese raised a motion on Personal Privileges, dissociating himself from the purported nomination of Ugochinyere, alleging that his signature was taken for something different and wondered why he would read in the Media that he endorsed him.
The post ‘I’ve been vindicated’, Rep Agbese says after barring of first-timers from principal offices appeared first on Vanguard News.
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