LP SEEKS REVIVAL THROUGH STAKEHOLDERS’ COLLABORATION, TO CONDUCT AN ALL-INCLUSIVE CONGRESS

"COMMUNIQUE' AT THE END OF A STAKEHOLDERS MEETING OF THE LABOUR PARTY LP HELD ON MONDAY, 8TH APRIL 2024 AT THE AGNL EVENTS CENTRE, GUDU DISTRICT, ABUJA FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, FCT.

PREAMBLE 

Owing to the current vacuum in the leadership of the Labour Party LP, the NLC Political Commission consequent on its status in the Constitution of the Labour Party LP as a registered trustee of the Labour Party LP, a status that was further buttressed by a Federal High Court Consent Judgement delivered on March 20, 2018 by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, convened this stakeholders meeting to address the leadership void in the Labour Party LP and to discuss the repositioning of Labour Party LP to deliver it's mandate as the political vehicle for the emancipation of Nigerian workers and people.

RESOLUTIONS OF THE STAKEHOLDERS' MEETING 

1- The STAKEHOLDERS MEETING noted the vacuum in the leadership of the Labour Party LP following the expiration of the supposed tenure of the immediate past National Working Committee, NWC of the Labour Party LP elected on 10th June 2019 in Akwanga Nasarawa State National Convention.

2- The STAKEHOLDERS MEETING following the unanimous adoption of a motion moved to accept the recommendation made in the address by the NLC Political Commission Chairman resolved that in order to reposition the Labour Party LP from a mere platform for contesting elections to a viable political vehicle for the emancipation of Nigerian workers and people, the following steps must be taken immediately:

i- Constitution of a Transition Committee under the leadership of the NLC Political Commission and working with all Stakeholders with a mandate to set up structures at National, States, Local Government Areas and Ward level for the conduct of an All-Inclusive- and expansive national convention of the Labour Party LP.

ii- The STAKEHOLDERS MEETING passed A VOTE OF NO-CONFIDENCE on the purported Labour Party LP National Convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State on 27th March 2024 and regarded it as INCONSEQUENTIAL the leadership that claimed to have emerged the illegal Nnewi Convention.

iii- That the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and all the relevant security organizations in Nigeria are hereby notified and should be officially written immediately to recognize the TRANSITION COMMITTEE AS THE INTERIM LEADERSHIP of the Labour Party LP pending the conduct of an All - Inclusive and Expansive National Convention of the Labour Party LP.

iv- That the Transition Committee once constituted should FULLY TAKE OVER THE SECRETARIAT of the Labour Party LP all over Nigeria.

v- That the Transition Committee shall immediately set up an assets recovery process of all the properties of the Labour Party LP. 

The Transition Committee shall also ensure that ALL THE CASES OF FRAUD, IMPERSONATION AND FORGERY OF GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS PENDING AGAINST A FEW DISCREDITED FORMER OFFICERS of the Labour Party LP are forensically audited and CULPRITS ARE DILIGENTLY PROSECUTED as demanded by the leader of the Labour Party LP - Mr. Peter Obi.

It is unfortunate that the actions of these few dishonourable characters have splashed mud on the white satin of the Labour Party LP.

vi- That the Transition Committee shall within three (3) months of its constitution ensure the conduct of an All - Inclusive And Expansive National Convention of the Labour Party LP starting from WARD CONGRESSES to LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONGRESSES, to STATE CONGRESSES & Culminating in an All-inclusive and Expansive National Convention in Abuja.

vii- Pursuant to the forgoing, the Transition Committee is mandated by the Stakeholders meeting to begin the process of REVALIDATION OF CURRENT MEMBERS of the Labour Party LP and the REGISTRATION of NEW MEMBERS through the issuance of new membership cards and receipt of membership dues for the purposes of the conduct of an All inclusive and expansive national convention of the Labour Party LP.

It is expected that this National Mobilization drive will yield in the first instance a total membership strength of Ten (10) million Labour Party LP card carrying members drawn from across all workplaces,marketplaces, professional groups, ethnic and religious organizations that Nigerian workers and people belongs to.

viii- The STAKEHOLDERS MEETING recognized, affirmed and commended the support of critical stakeholders in the Labour Party LP for their continued support and faith in the Labour Party LP.

We promise that your steadfast solidarity will surely count !

ix- Finally, we reiterate that the Labour Party LP is a party for all Nigerians regardless of ethnic, religious, regional, social and economic orientation or status.

Signed:

1: Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku 

For: Chairman 

NLC Political Commission 

2: Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, Mni

Former President 

Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC 

3: Comrade S.O.Z Ejiofor 

Chairman 

Board of Trustees, BoT 

Labour Party LP 

4: Engr. Gambo Daniel Balarabe

National Coordinator, CSF

5: Dr. Moses Paul (Mo)

Coordinator,

Obedient Movement 

6: Chief Yohana Yilpwan Margif

Labour Party LP Plateau State Governorship Candidate 2023

7: Dr. Kingsley Oghogho Okundaye

Coordinator, LPPMC

8: Hon. Jonathan Awake

Kaduna State Labour Party LP Governorship Candidate 2023

9: Barr. Ihekwoaba Paul

For: Disabled Persons, PWD in Labour Party LP"

Labour Party LP 

Forward Ever !

Backward Never !

Police Arrests LP National Chairman Julius Abure in Edo State

 

Labour Party National Chairman Julius Abure has been arrested in Beni City, Edo State capital on Wednesday.

According to the reports, the reasons for his arrest was not made public but can not be divorced from the LP Crisis.

Recently, some members of the national working committee loyer to Ahaji Basiru Lamidi Apapa Faction were stoned and massively beaten in Edo State.

More details later....

Labour Party Crisis: Apapa Faction Stoned, flogged and Beaten to Stupors in Beni City (videos)

In the videos, Abure expelled National Youth Leader Mr. Anslem and one other receiving the maximum beating, Flogging and stoning in Beni City, Edo State capital.

They were beatten to stupors on an account of atrocities committed against a party that bestowed her trust on them. 

A profile picture of Lamidi Apapa

Labour Party entered a crisis mode immediately after the general elections where the party was awarded third position after All Progressive Congress APC and the Peoples Democratic Party PDP.

Nothing was near free, fair and credible in Nigeria's 2023 general elections.

Meanwhile, attempts to reach Mr. Anslem Eragbe proved abortive as his phone number was perpetually

 not reachable.

 

RENOWNED U.S. BASED INTERNATIONAL LAWYER BRINGS JUSTICE TSAMMANI'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION JUDGMENT TO ASHES

Excerpts of "Mechanical Vs. Dynamic Justice" by Emmanuel Ogebe, Esq., US Nigeria Law Group, 2023 Nigeria Special Election Observer, September 8, 2023.

_*"The court’s failure to inquire into the gravity of allegations that a man who seeks to be president of Nigeria not only has a Guinean passport but lied about it on oath is a failure to protect national security and integrity.*_

_*"Sitting US President Bill Clinton lost his law license over the Monica Lewinsky Scandal not because he slept with the intern in the White House BUT BECAUSE HE LIED TO THE INVESTIGATORS ON OATH ABOUT IT. The sanction was to send the signal that a president should not set a bad example by lying to the government.*_

_*"This is the problem with mechanical justice versus dynamic justice. At no point did the (Justice Tsammani's PEPT) court show a concern for the safety of Nigeria from corrupt predators, fraudsters or charlatans which was the clear intent of the constitution and ancillary laws."*_

*------------------------------------------*

*NB:* Pls, take special note of all highlights.

The court (Presidential Election Petition Tribunal) should have allowed the testimony of the witnesses given in court and the cross-examination even if it disallowed their late-filed witness statements for the sake of equity and in the interest of Justice.

In my defamation lawsuit against the Buhari administration over the Chibok girls I sponsored to school in US, the Attorney General did not file FGN’s pleadings or statement of defense till I came from US, testified and was cross-examined by them.

After I closed my case as Plaintiff, they then rushed to the court seeking leave to file their defense. We opposed it because having discovered the entirety of my case, they were only now going to file their Defense *one and a half years after the case began when it should have been filed within a month!*

*Yet Abuja High Court Judge Abba Mohammed, now a member of the presidential election court, granted the FGN leave to file the pleadings late even after noting that they lied about not being aware of the case when in fact they had been participating for over a year.* This was extremely prejudicial to my case.

*However he said he did so “in the interest of justice.” Why couldn’t the (Labour Party and PDP) petitioners’ benefit from such magnanimity or mercy in the interest of Justice too?* Rather, Justice Mohammed said the petitioner failed by not serving spreadsheets of election irregularities with the petition on Respondents.

Yet *(in my 2017 suit)* if he had similarly denied FGN’s late filing of its statement of defense after I had presented my evidence, I would have won and my case would not still be dragging in the high court six years later! 

I also submit that the subpoenaed witnesses should not be affected by the time-limiting requirement to file evidence with the petition.

Per a social media post, “In ABBA YUSUF v APC, an unreported case of the Court of Appeal, Kano in Appeal NO CA/KN/EP/Gov/KAN/05/2023 of 24 August 2023, it was decided thus: *"Flowing from the catalogued statutory position of a subpoenaed witness, as a witness of a court, it will be incongruous and preposterous to hold that his statement on oath must willy-nilly accompany a petition. As a matter of fact, it will evince natural and human impossibility for such a court witness to file his deposition alongside a petition. The reason is simple. A subpoenaed witness appears in court on the invitation of a court on the application of a party. A subpoenaed witness cannot suo motu present himself before a court." The beneficiary of the judgment was APC!”*

The court should have aimed to mitigate the situation. In my defamation case, Justice Abba Mohammed awarded costs against the FGN and allowed them to file late. Myself and the other parties have paid penalties to the court for late filing as is standard practice. There are less drastic sanctions than expungement of the evidence for late filing more so in a sensitive like this of national and international significance.

This unfortunately is one drawback to the reservation of objections till the end of the case because if these had been ventilated earlier, petitioners would have had an opportunity to rectify the infractions eg by a motion for enlargement of time and to deem as timely filed.

*Selective Judicial Notice*

It is important to note that *the conclusion of the case is not that the allegations against Tinubu were not true. In summary - Tinubu had a Guinean passport and a fake university certificate but they were not tendered on time and had a drug forfeiture, oh but though it was tendered on time, it wasn’t a conviction.*

While it is unfortunate and inexplicable why the foreign citizenship and forged certificate were not filed timely, the court itself should have noted the gravity of the weighty allegations in light of national interest.

*Curiously, the court said they took judicial notice of the fact that Peter Obi had Anambra state indigeneship, even though it wasn’t an issue before them, but the court didn’t take judicial notice of the fact that Tinubu has a Guinean citizenship even though the issue was before them!*

A responsible court concerned for the integrity and security of the nation would not shut its eyes to sensitive evidence or explosive allegations of this nature.

*If they felt that the Guinean passport issue was smuggled in after the settlement of pleadings, they could have authorized extra time for the petitioners to respond to it.* Note that the trial ended earlier than scheduled as the respondents didn’t utilize all the time allotted to them. In fact, with the numerous SANs and lawyers in their retinue, taking them by surprise was not a serious capacity concern. After all, over a dozen SANs combined presented only one defense witness.  The respondents’ lawyers outnumbered the petitioners three to one. There were three sets of respondents’ lawyers to only one set of petitioners’ lawyers!

Indeed, the manner in which Olanipeku SAN, counsel to Tinubu, deconstructed LP’s Amazon Witness PW7 during cross examination one day after her bombshell testimony is the stuff of legends.

Therefore *the court’s failure to inquire into the gravity of allegations that a man who seeks to be president of Nigeria not only has a Guinean passport but lied about it on oath is a failure to protect national security and integrity.*

*Sitting US President Bill Clinton lost his law license over the Monica Lewinsky Scandal not because he slept with the intern in the White House but because he lied to the investigators on oath about it. The sanction was to send the signal that a president should not set a bad example by lying to the government.*

This is the problem with mechanical justice versus dynamic justice. *At no point did the court show a concern for the safety of Nigeria from corrupt predators, fraudsters or charlatans which was the clear intent of the constitution and ancillary laws.*

*There was scant effort to explore the mischief rule of what the drafters were trying to cure. All one saw was a mechanical and slavish adherence to the letter and not the spirit of the law thereby resulting in a catastrophic conclusion that criminality trumps (triumphs over) constitutionality.*

It is worrisome that criminal-minded elements are more creative than adjudicators and so exploit this to their advantage.

*On March 10th, 2017, the Supreme Court sacked a Benue state Rep member, for submitting a FORGED CERTIFICATE  to INEC.*

*Delivering the lead judgment, Sidi Bage, JSC held, “This court...must take the lead, righting the wrong in our society... Allowing criminality and certificate forgery to continue to percolate into the streams, waters, and oceans of our national polity will only mean that our waters are and will remain dangerously contaminated. The purification efforts must start now and be sustained as we seek, as a nation, to now change from our old culture of reckless impunity. The Nigerian Constitution is supreme. It desires that no one who has ever presented a forged certificate to INEC should contest election into the Nigerian National Assembly. This is clear and sacrosanct."*

To my mind, the court should have allowed the testimony of the witnesses given in court and the cross examination even if it disallowed their late-filed witness statements for the sake of equity and in the interest of Justice.

VIDEO: Why Peter Obi Heading to Supreme Court ?

 

HE Peter Obi

Apapa in charge of LP As Supreme Court Upheld Chief Ukaegbu Ikechukwu Joseph (Ikenga) As the Imo State Gubernatorial Candidate for the 11th November, 2023 Gubernatorial Election

Details of the Certified True Copy, CTC of the Supreme Court Judgement shall be made public within 48 hours.

Highly of the Labour Party LP Struggles.

This victory follows from the 16th April, 2023 primaries conducted by Alhaji Lamidi Basiru Apapa led National Working Committee, NWC for the off-season Gubernatorial Election in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States respectively.

1: That the gubernatorial primary for Imo state was conducted by the following Electoral Committee members of the Apapa led National Working Committee, NWC:

(a): Comrade Eragbe Anslem, the National Youth Leader, as the Returning Officer,

(b): Alhaji Alkali Ibrahim Mohammed, the National Vice Chairman North East, as the Chairman,

(c): Barr Monday Mawah, the Acting Deputy National Secretary, as the Secretary,

(d): Comrade Oko Eze Splendour, the Acting National Vice Chairman, as member of the Electoral Committee for the Imo governorship primaries of 16th April, 2023.

2: That the Supreme Court in it's Judgement of Monday 11th September, 2023 has finally put to rest the issues of the authentic candidates for the Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States 11th November, 2023 off-season gubernatorial election and the matter of who is the authentic National Chairmanship of the Labour Party LP; with Alhaji Lamidi Basiru Apapa As the Acting National Chairman of Labour Party LP in Nigeria.

3: That Nigerians would recall that Barr Julius Abure was Restrained by the FCT High Court Order of 5th April, 2023 as Acting National Chairman along with three (3) other National Working Committee NWC members of the Labour Party LP in Nigeria including:

(b): Umar Farouk Ibrahim, Acting National Secretary,

(c): Ojukwu Clement, National Organizing Secretary, and

(c): Mrs Oluchi Okpara, National Treasurer 

From parading themselves as National Chairman and Executives of the Labour Party LP in Nigeria and that matter is still subsisting in the court of Appeal in Abuja, FCT Nigeria.

4: That this matter of the Restraining Order on Barr Julius Abure and others bother on the Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID Investigation with Forensic Audit Report that indicted Barr Julius Abure and others for:

(a): Perjury

(b): Forgery

(c): Impersonation

(d): Criminal Conspiracy with financial malfeasance to the sum of over four hundred million naira (N400,000,000.00) 

5: That this matter is in furtherance of the illegal and unlawful substitution of the name of Comrade Oko Eze Splendour, the Governorship Candidate of the Labour Party LP in Ebonyi State in the INEC PORTAL using Forged FCT High Court Affidavits, Fake TSA payment receipts, forged withdrawal letters using forged and manipulated signatures and so many other infractions committed by Barr Julius Abure and others.

6: That the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC shall be required to comply with this Supreme Court Judgement without much Ado and without any further delays, to avert the scenario of the Ebonyi case in 2024 where INEC indulged in illegality and deliberately refused to upload the name of Comrade Oko Eze in the INEC PORTAL for the 2023 Gubernatorial Election.

That this vexatious action by INEC was to the extent that INEC defied the Supreme Court Judgement that affirmed Comrade Oko Eze Splendour as the Gubernatorial Candidate of the Labour Party LP for the Ebonyi State Gubernatorial Election 2023 by deliberately refusing to upload his name in the INEC portal.

7: That by this Supreme Court Judgement affirming Chief Ukaegbu Ikechukwu Joseph (Ikenga) as the Authentic Labour Party LP candidate in Imo state, INEC shall be required to give the PORTAL CODES to Alhaji Lamidi Basiru Apapa to upload the names of the Gubernatorial Candidates for Bayelsa, Imo And Kogi States respectively

8: That this Supreme Court Judgement shall give immediate force for the immediate removal from the INEC website the names of:

(a): Barr Julius Abure, 

(b): Umar Farouk Ibrahim, 

(c): Ojukwu Clement and 

(d): Mrs Oluchi Opara and to upload the names of:

(a): Alhaji Lamidi Basiru Apapa, as Acting National Chairman 

(b): Alhaji Saleh Lawan as Acting National Secretary and 

(c): other members of the Alhaji Lamidi Basiru Apapa led National Working Committee, NWC 

Stay Tuned For The Full Details

For

Labour Party LP National Working Committee, NWC 

Comrade Arabambi Abayomi

Acting National Publicity Secretary

By Eragbe Anslem

“INEC is bound by law to upload the names of those that we conducted Primary For" – Apapa says as he inaugurates new LP Excos in Lagos State

Says party will not condone any act of illegality

The Acting National Chairman of the Labour Party ALHAJI LAMIDI APAPA has said the independent National Electoral Commissioner INEC is duty bound under the law to accept and upload those the party has conducted Primaries for in different states which includes Imo, Bayelsa, Kogi among others.

He also affirmed that the party will no longer condom illegality.

Apapa made the statement in Lagos State on Saturday while inaugurating the new Excos of the party in the state.

“You are on the right side. If the other camp fails to join you, the train will soon move. 

Tell them to come and join us because we need more people,” he said.

The Lamidi Apapa-led factional national working committee (NWC) of the Labour Party, on Saturday, officially inaugurated the party’s 24-man caretaker state working committee (SWC) for Lagos.

The crisis rocking the Labour Party has worsened in Lagos State with the emergence of a factional chairman, Olumide Adesoyin, recently.

Apapa-led faction disowned the Dayo Ekong-led executive committee, which led the party into the 2023 general elections, constituted by Julius Abure-led NWC.

Inaugurating Adesoyin-led LP state working committee in Lagos, Mr Apapa, acting national chairman, in company of other NWC members, said that the LP remained a creation of the law and no one was above the law.

According to him, there is no going back in his faction’s readiness to steer the affairs of the party.

“Labour Party will not tolerate any act of indiscipline. Labour Party will not accept any act of illegality.

“Labour Party believes that nobody is above the law and this is why the level we are today is because of our belief in the court process.

“You are on the right side. If the other camp fails to join you, the train will soon move. Tell them to come and join us because we need more people,” he said.

According to him, the party’s grievances with former national chairman, Mr Abure, started when he allegedly presented himself as being above the law.

According to him, the courts have restrained Mr Abure from parading himself as national chairman.

“Nobody is above the law. Labour Party is a creation of law and if the party is created by law, anyone who violates the law is not a member of the party.

“There is nothing for us to fear. There is no going back, Abure has been restrained by courts. We are not joking,” he said.

The acting chairman said that rather than continuing in blackmailing, the Abure-led group should dissipate energy in legality.

Mr Apapa explained that he was not begging to become the national chairman of LP, but destiny, nature and right had made him the acting national chairman morally and legally.

Mr Apapa said that his faction had been winning all court cases at the Federal High Court and Appeal Court, “they still want to continue but whether they like it or not the truth shall prevail.”

On the forthcoming off-cycle elections, Mr Apapa assured the party faithful that INEC would soon accept the list of the LP candidates produced through the primaries conducted by the Apapa led Labour Party on 16th April, 2023.

“INEC is bound to accept our list because the commission is a creation of law and cannot be above the law. 

Whether INEC likes it or not, it must recognise our list of candidates.

“INEC is bound by law to upload the names of those that we conducted primary for. It is an issue of law,” Mr Apapa said.

He, however, said that the party was not opposed to reconciliation.

In his inaugural address, Mr Adesoyin said that his team had been given the power and authority to steer the affairs of the party in the state.

Earlier in his welcome party, Abass Aroyeun, the national vice chairman (South West) said that Mr Apapa had given the party a new lease of life and ability to breathe.

Mr Aroyeun urged the party faithful nationwide to remain pillar of support to Apapa-led NWC for the party to succeed.

The inaugurated SWC members include Messrs Omotayo Anjorin (deputy chairman), Olanrewaju Ibrahim (deputy chairman), Kayode Yusuf (deputy chairman), Felix Odusanya (deputy chairman), Peter Olusegun (deputy chairman), Nnaemeka Anajemba (secretary) and Richard Oliseyenum (assistant secretary).

Others include Azubike Peters (treasurer), Akinrele Abioye (financial secretary), Kunle Okunola (organising secretary), Ademola Hassan (auditor), Abass Ibrahim (legal adviser), Dupe Awe (woman leader), Elliot Ebije (youth leader), Samad Okufuwa (publicity secretary), among others.

The event was also attended by LGA and ward chairmen of Labour Party and other stakeholders loyal to Mr Apapa, including Moshood Salvador.

Some acting NWC members in attendance were Abayomi Arabambi (national publicity secretary), Saleh Lawan (secretary), Favour Reuben (national organizing secretary), and Mohammed Alkali (national vice chairman North East), among other leaders.

Culles from Gazette

IAM NOT DESPERATE TO BE PRESIDENT, I WANT NIGERIAN DEMOCRACY TO SURVIVE FOR BETTER — PETER OBI

The Presidential Candidate of Labour Party Mr PETER OBI who the world believe won the Last Presidential election, which INEC decided to go against the Electoral laws of chosen a President by constitutional rules,filled with a must attained height and winnings, when they said on National Telly "Go to Court" as they packaged below expectations from the Votes casted and Mutilation of BVAS, which Peter Obi obeyed and went to Court even with Television Sets that will be used to show evidences of manipulation , currently INEC seems to be scared about him staying in COURT just as they wished originally without considering that Peter Obi is a Son of Judiciary process.

While meeting with Press Doyens in Lagos yesterday, He provided answers to some Hostile feelings and lay many Fears to rest.

 When asked how he will feel if the Courts rules against him on the ongoing Election trial..

He said "i am not the one in Court as Mr Peter Obi for Peter Obi's interest, I am simply representing vast majority of Nigerians including the Families of the Judges and members of all Parties who want a better redeemed Nation, those who want to see a working NIGERIA that will come with people who actually want to see progressive Nigeria ,who believe that Nigeria has what it takes to be Better than many Nations if well handled ,those who believe that Nigerians deserve undiluted joy from the Government they elected".

Any judge should have that in mind ,to me it's not a do or die affair.

"The task is that of a driver who must work hard to take Passengers out of Hostile areas,take them through tough and rough roads to destination in one good piece no matter the odds, such driver should know that it's a big responsibility,so whatever the driver is doing He must remember that He has so many lives and interest to protect".

"Nigeria is in Court, the Future of Our Children including that of Grand Children of both Judges, Politicians, Securities are all in Court, I am just representing them ,We are in Court not to Drag for anything, we are in Court for the Court to look at what the masses demanded by casting Votes and casting it for who they believe will give them back hope and oiled Future, it's not about Peter but about the nation and our tomorrow".

He was asked why he still move about the Nation freely despite the fears of insecurities of the Nation and Fear of Harm coming to him ?

He said his "job is to restore sanity in the Nation, build back Hope for the common masses ,that if the common masses doesn't see him amongst them ,it will send a bad message , he went further to explain , if he recovers his Mandate that it won't take him away from the Masses,that he is working for them and he is accountable to them and will never create a barrier between him and the masses".

He recollected, During campaign He visited Many extreme hostile places where no politicians have ever Visited including some parts of Borno state, BENUE State, and places even Governor's of such states refused to go because of insecurities,He said We travel even against security intelligent Advise,I Will tell my Security that if they can't go ,let me go and if I die among my people out there ,then it's not a bad price for me to pay .

"I know there are insecurity in many places, but as long as there are Nigerian living out there,no one can be left behind ".

Asked about the SUBSIDY REMOVAL and the effect on the nation..

He smiled " I said that SUBSIDY is a Scam that I will remove, the first thing would've being to identify the Scam, remove the scam , restore a seamless PETROLEUM production and distribution, and not to cause the Nation lots of undeserved pains which can be avoided".

"We know that Subsidy is a Scam ,what should be removed is the Scam and causes of Subsidies".

Mr Peter Obi as we noticed still have stamina that dwarfed that of all his mates ,as he travels far and wide weekly on speaking engagement, social events and reaching out to the society,a situation that can't be seen with any Politician who lost Mandate and should be battling through thick and thin to win or recover such Mandate or get compensated by any person in power, to many Politicians it's not about the masses, it's Business extension.

Mr Peter Obi simply move around the Nation feeling freer than those in power with all National provided Security details for the people in power.

Peter simply can be said to be Boil between the Legs that gives you sleepless night on how to deal with it or allow it to be , whichever way ,it Means moral and physical torture.

The man is not one who believe when an elder takes what belong to a child and raise his hand up ,the child will wait,when the hand grew weary he bring it down for the child to take back what belong to him ,in peters case ,you take his belonging,he will be pissing on your legs and trousers, it's either you give him back his belongings and take back your sanity or He continues enjoying maximizing your pains.

Mazi Odera

If Tinubu is not disqualified by the Court, forget about justice in Nigeria

I have carefully perused the Petition of APM versus Tinubu, Shetima, APC and INEC and all I can say is that it appeared too mundane, but carries the strongest venom against Tinubu, Shetima, APC and INEC. 

Many looked down on the case and say that the Supreme Court has already determined the issue of double nomination. However, a close look at the Petition will show that the case was never about double nomination of Shetima, but one of invalid nomination. The core of the case is that as at the time Tinubu nominated his running mate, he himself was no longer a candidate by virtue of the a combine provisions of the Constitution and Electoral Act, 2022 in Section 142 (1) and Section 33 of the Constitution and Electoral Act, respectively. 

Let me bring you closer to the fact, law and the Petition before Court of Appeal by the APM. Due to the impression created about double nomination, the APC and Tinubu,  in concert with INEC have presented a case before the Supreme Court that got them out of the trap of double nomination. However, in the there bid to escape double nomination, they fell into INVALID NOMINATION. 

Follow me, patiently. Now, in the pleadings and final address, one fact remained consistent and undoubtedly solid as all the parties are in concurrence. The 1st, 2nd 3rd and 4th Respondents all agreed that the "placeholder" Alhaji Masari, withdrew as Vice Presidential placeholder on 24th of June, 2022. They also all agreed that the replacement was made on 14th July, 2022. It is not debatable that between the withdrawal and replacement, a period of 21 days lapsed.

Now, Section 142 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides that a Presidential Candidate is not qualified if he has not nominated another person to run with him/her as Vice President. So, without a Vice Presidential Candidate duly selected by the Presidential Candidate, the ticket is useless. So, in order to beat this provision and other requirements for time in the Electoral Act,  2022 that APC invented what we now call the "Placeholder" to secure the Presidential ticket. For the period before his replacement, Alhaji Masari was the Vice Presidential Candidate of the APC in the eyes of our laws. This was why he had to also explore the provision of the Electoral Act, 2022 to withdraw as Vice Presidential Candidate on the 24th of June, 2022.

Now, Section 33 of the Electoral Act,  2022 is also visible to the blind as it mandate a political party whose Candidate withdraws to replace such a candidate within 14 days. 14 days is 14 days and no Court can extend such a time for anyone. It is just like time for election petition can not be extended by any court.

APM is simply saying that as at the 14th day of July,  2022 APC had no valid Candidate for President as its Vice Presidential Candidate withdrew 21 days before a replacement was made, instead of within 14 days. You see, this is our law and no court can amend it because of one person. This is a clear case of power coming from God.

While they attempted to evade double nomination, they fell into INVALID NOMINATION. Isn't God's way above the ways of man?

A perusal of INEC's final address reveals the disgraceful partisan posture of an institution that ought to be neutral. INEC shamelessly claimed that APM did not plead that APC replaced its Vice Presidential Candidate outside 14 days allowed by law. But, luckily, the Petition was handy for APM to point INEC's blind eyes to the portion of the petition where the facts were copiously pleaded. What remains?

Now, the law, the facts and the case are all against the Candidacy of Tinubu and no one can say otherwise. I only wait to see how the law Lords will deal with this. It will be interesting to see a contrary position from what the law clearly is. But what do I know?

Silas Joseph Onu, Esq. 

Abuja - Nigeria.

#FACT: Julius Abure was never elected as LP chairman but secretary

 *A Synopsis of The Labour Party (LP) 2019 National Convention in Akwanga Nasarawa State Displaying The Authentic Labour Party LP National Working Committee, NWC Members in Nigeria And Submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC

The Elected National Working Committee, NWC members of the Labour Party at the 10th June, 2019 Akwanga National Convention in Nasarawa State are listed below:

1: National Chairman:

Alhaji Abdulsalam Abdukarim 

(Baraden Paiko), RIP

2: Deputy National Chairman (North)

Comrade Mrs Maria Lebeke

3: Deputy National Chairman (South)

Alhaji Lamidi Bashiru Apapa

4: Deputy National Chairmen (Platforms) 

NLC & TUC to be appointed by Platform 

5: National Secretary

Barr Julius Abure

6: National Youth Leader

Comrade Eragbe Anslem

7: National Women Leader

Mrs Dupe Seyaolu

8: National Legal Adviser

Barr Akingbade Samuel Oyelekan

9: National Organizing Secretary

Comrade Clement Gbazuagu Ojukwu

10: National Auditor

Comrade Lami Ahmed

11: National Publicity Secretary

Barr Innocent Lagi

12: National Financial Secretary 

Comrade Olugbenga Daramola

13: National Treasurer

Mrs Oluchukwu Opara

14: National Vice Chairman (South East)

Comrade Sunday Innocent Okeke

15: National Vice Chairman (South South)

Comrade Prince Favour Reuben 

16: National Vice Chairman (South West)

Comrade Bode Simon

17: National Vice Chairman (North Central)

Comrade Adi Shirsha Adi, RIP.

18: National Vice Chairman (North East)

Alhaji Alkali Ibrahim Mohammed

19: National Vice Chairman (North West)

Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim

20: Deputy National Secretary (North)

Alhaji Saleh Lawan

21: Deputy National Secretary (South)

Kennedy Chigozie Ahanotu 

22: Deputy/Assistant National Youth Leaders (SS, SE, SW, NC, NE, NW)

To be appointed by NEC

23: Deputy National Women Leaders

(SS, SE, SW, NC, NE, NW) 

to be appointed by NEC

Highlights of the present reality and dispensation from 5th April, 2023 till date.

1: That *Alhaji Lamidi Bashiru Apapa* was Elected As one of the Two (2) Deputy National Chairmen of Labour Party LP at the Akwanga National Convention of 10th June, 2019  with Comrade Maria Lebeke.

2: That *Alhaji Lamidi Bashiru Apapa* was appointed the Acting National Chairman of the Labour Party LP legally and constitutionally on 6th April, 2023 by the National Working Committee, NWC in line with the provisions of the Labour Party LP constitution 2019 as amended and ratified by the National Executive Council, NEC in session in Bauchi State on 3rd May, 2023.

3: That *Comrade Mrs Maria Lebeke* was the Acting National Chairman for three (3) months 20th December, 2020 when our late National Chairman Alhaji Abdulsalam Abdukarim (Baraden Paiko), RIP passed on till 21st March, 2021 when Julius Abure criminally breached the provisions of the Labour Party constitution and supplanted the office of the National Chairman of Labour Party LP on 21st March, 2021 in Benin City Edo State.

4a: That  *Julius Abure* was Elected As National Secretary and cannot become Acting/National Chairman of the Labour Party LP constitutionally as NEC in session in Bauchi State on 3rd May, 2023 voided Julius Abure's Acting National Chairmanship which he occupied illegally and criminally on 21st March, 2021 in Benin City Edo State after the demise of our National Chairman Alhaji Abdulsalam Abdukarim (Baraden Paiko), RIP on 19th December, 2020 and also supplanted the then Acting National Chairman, Mrs Maria Lebeke whom Abure also illegally suspended for two (2) years.

4b: That NEC in session also suspended Julius Abure in line with the FCT High Court Restraining Order of 5th April, 2023 predicated on the Nigeria Police Force FCID Investigation & Forensic Audit Report that indicted Julius Abure, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, Ojukwu Clement and Mrs Oluchi Okpara for Forgery, Perjury, criminal conspiracy with financial malfeasance.

4c: That Julius Abure's suspension by NEC in session was further predicated on his several contempt of court order and conduct of illegal Gubernatorial primaries in Bayelsa, Imo & Kogi States on 15th April, 2023 and in addition to Abure's illegal NEC meeting conducted in Asaba Delta State on 18th April, 2023.

4d: That Abure's criminal charges encompass his perpetration of several unlawful substitution of validly nominated labour party candidates for the 2023 election which he illegally removed from the INEC portal using fake and forged withdrawal letters, fake court affidavits and fake TSA receipts etc.

4e: That Julius Abure in line with the Nigeria Police Force FCID Investigation & Forensic Audit Report, was arrested on Friday 16th June, 2023 and granted bail on Saturday 17th June, 2023.

4f: That Abure shall be arraigned in Court for prosecution accordingly over criminality bothering on Forgery, Perjury and criminal conspiracy with unlawful substitution of party candidates in the INEC portal.

5: That *Comrade Eragbe Anslem* was Elected As the National Youth Leader and remains the National Youth Leader of Labour Party LP as NEC in session in Bauchi State on 3rd May, 2023 voided Abure's illegal suspension, impunity and criminality against Comrade Eragbe Anslem and reinstated Eragbe while declaring all actions by Abure against Eragbe null and void and of no effect from 20th October, 2022.

6a: That *Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim* was Elected As National Vice Chairman North West and cannot become National Secretary of the Labour Party LP Making his illegal occupation of the office of the National Secretary criminally null and void and of no effect.

6b: That Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim was suspended by NEC in session in Bauchi State on 3rd May 2023, in line with the FCT High Court Restraining Order of 5th April, 2023 predicated on the Nigeria Police Force FCID Investigation & Forensic Audit Report indictment over his criminality bothering on: Forgery, Perjury and criminal conspiracy with Financial malfeasance which he engaged with Abure by perpetrating unlawful substitution of party's 2023 candidates in the INEC portal.

7a: That *Kennedy Ahanotu* was Elected As Deputy National Secretary (South) and cannot occupy the office of the Acting/National Youth Leader of Labour Party LP. 

7b: That NEC in session in Bauchi State on 3rd May, 2023 suspended Kennedy Ahanotu for participating in the illegal NEC meeting conducted by Julius Abure and Umar Farouk on 18th April, 2023 in Asaba Delta State.

7c: That NEC in session on 3rd May, 2023 in Bauchi State further voided Ahanotu's illegal occupation of the office of the Acting/National Youth Leader of Labour Party from 20th October, 2022 declaring Abure & Ahanotu's illegality and criminality null and void and of no effect.

8: That *Alhaji Saleh Lawan* was Elected As Deputy National Secretary (North) and is legally and constitutionally entitled to occupy and now occupying the office of the Acting National Secretary of the Labour Party LP in line with NWC appointment of 6th April, 2023 which was further ratified by NEC in session in Bauchi State on 3rd May, 2023.

9: That *Clement Gbazuagu Ojukwu* was elected as National Organizing Secretary and was suspended as National Organizing Secretary by NEC in session in Bauchi State on 3rd May, 2023 by reason of the FCT High Court Restraining Order of 5th April, 2023 over criminal conspiracy with financial malfeasance benefited from involving in unlawful substitution of validly nominated party's candidates in the INEC Portal.

10: That *Mrs Oluchi Okpara* was Elected As National Treasurer and was suspended as National Treasurer by NEC in session in Bauchi State on 3rd May, 2023 by reason of the FCT High Court Restraining Order of 5th April, 2023 over criminal conspiracy with financial malfeasance benefited from involving herself in unlawful substitution of validly nominated party's candidates in the INEC Portal.

11: That NEC in session on 3rd May, 2023 in Bauchi State ratified *Comrade Arabambi Abayomi's* reinstatement as Acting National Publicity Secretary earlier approved by the National Working Committee, NWC on 6th April, 2023 in an emergency meeting of NWC after the FCT High Court Restraining Order on Abure and others on 5th April, 2023 and lifted the illegal suspension meted by Abure on Arabambi in November, 2022.

12: That NEC in session voided *Mr. OBIORA IFOH'S* appointment as Acting National Publicity Secretary and suspended him forthwith along with all other NWC & NEC members (States Chairmen and Secretaries) across 35 states and FCT except the Bauchi State Chairman and Secretary and warned them to desist from parading themselves as National Officers and NEC members of the Labour Party LP.

13: That *Julius Abure and Umar Farouk Ibrahim* were suspended by NEC on 3rd May, 2023 by reason of the FCT High Court Restraining Order of 5th April, 2023 over criminality bothering on Forgery, Perjury and criminal conspiracy with financial malfeasance to the sum of over four hundred million naira (N400,000,000.00) as benefits derived from involving themselves in  unlawful substitution of validly nominated Labour Party LP candidates in the INEC Portal.

14: That the Constitution of the Labour Party LP 2019 as amended did not make any provisions for Julius Abure and Umar Farouk to be Acting National Chairman and Acting National Secretary of the Labour Party LP for which NEC declared their Acting from 21st March, 2021 to 5th April, 2023 Illegal, unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect in line with the FCT High Court Restraining Order of 5th April, 2023.

15a: That *Alhaji Lamidi Bashiru Apapa* on the behalf of the Labour Party LP National Working Committee, NWC wishes to thank Nigerians for their steadfast support in this struggle.

15b: Apapa has declared his commitment to unveil the programs for the commencement of implementation for the Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States 11th November, 2023 Gubernatorial Elections for our candidates.

15c: Apapa declared that *Chief Ukaegbu Ikechukwu Joseph (Ikenga)* is the Labour Party LP validly nominated Gubernatorial candidate of the party in Imo State from the 16th April, 2023 primaries, while *Col Dr Abu Vincent Enemona* is the Gubernatorial for Kogi state and also declared that for Bayelsa State.

Obi, Atiku United in the Cause

POEM Deepens...

If you had time to study the HE Peter Obi and Labour Party final address on one hand and the HE Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party's own on the other, one would notice a path of unity in almost all arguments. Both addresses were in response to HE Bola Ahmed Tinubu and HE Kashim Shettima's own final address in defence of the heist called the February 25 presidential election conducted by the Prof Mahmood Yakubu-led Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Both petitioners' sets of legal teams brushed aside the arrogance, provocation and threats from the rabble-rousing team led by Wole Olanipekun, SAN to dwell on issues of their respective petitions. Drawing from both the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the 2022 Electoral Act, both teams cleanly pushed the dagger through the arteries of the Respondents by providing proofs evidently beyond every reasonable doubt in matters relating to non-compliance, Tinubu's drug-related forfeiture business, forgery of certificates, Shettima's double nomination and the matter of 25% votes in the Federal Capital Territory.

Most interesting of the arguments can be enjoyed from digesting the submissions both ventilated while supplying proofs upon proofs, including citations, of the intentions of the drafters of the constitution by the use of *AND* in reference to 25% of the votes cast in at least ⅔ of the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT, Abuja.

Though choosing their different sets of words, both teams arrived at exactly the same conclusion - any president of Nigeria *MUST* obtain at least 25% of the total number of the votes cast at the FCT in addition to other constitutional requirements, to be declared president-elect. Tinubu did not, and both parties are crying foul. 

It is significant to note here that even when Atiku and the PDP did not get up to the required 25% votes in FCT, they stoutly defended the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Kudos to Atiku, the PDP and their legal team for insisting on the right thing even when they would not benefit directly from the move. A new Nigeria is indeed POssible!

The Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-man Tribunal is on the spotlight. Expectations are quite high that they should rise to the occasion and deliver equitable justice. The nation is all eyes as much as the international communities, especially the European Union, who sunk a whopping €38 million into the exercise, having been convinced by Prof Yakubu and his INEC that the election was going to be free, fair and credible.

Tsammani has the yearning chance to clean up the mess of Yakubu and let the country enjoy the confidence of the EU and the watching world. No country lives in isolation from the rest of the world, and a country of over 200 million should not be an exception.

#ANewNigeriaIsPOssible

This is POEM

Re: Peter Obi and NADECO/DEMOCRACY Day; The Need for Facts of History

Peter Obi

One Wilson Ijide, whose identity is lost with those who embark on similar hatchet campaigns to recklessly smear the integrity of a man whose only crime is daring the old order to evolve a new Nigeria for the benefit of her citizens and assured future of her teeming youths, came out with the exceedingly ridiculous write-up so referenced in this response. Ordinarily, such disjointed attempt of extreme display of hate and unprecedented falsehood deserve no response from POEM but we live in a vulnerable society where such glaring distortions sometimes gain traction.

The internationally acclaimed writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie would refer to the danger of such single story - a stereotype, untrue, incomplete and straight-jacket telling - as satisfying only the invectives of an unknown quantity. Besides this, 'Ijide's' lone race in distortions brings to fore the need to return the teaching of history to our schools, otherwise people like him, whether they actually exist or manipulated to have form, would ear-plug themselves, fly high and get lost on wild imaginative compositions without interrogation! But we are POEM, we keep the records straight for our nation's sake!

We will not attempt to correct the very wrong impression of half-truths and unimaginable propaganda by the writer, regarding Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, IBB and his stewardship as a former Nigerian leader, who though erred terribly in the annulment of June 12 but not entirely the monster the writer described by reference to Egypt's Gamal Abdar Nasser. IBB is sound in mind and spirit, and quite capable of responding if the retired general finds it worthy.

But to connect HE Peter Obi to some of the actions leading to that annulment is not a a matter we intend to step aside in any way. The writer's poor sense of fiction writing descended to the abyss with his illogical and ahistorical concoction that the Labour Party presidential candidate was acting behind the scenes as the deputy to Chief Arthur Nzeribe of the notorious group termed Association for Better Nigeria, ABN, another child of perfidy on the IBB/JUNE 12 imbroglio. Again, we see a single story in an attempt to clap with one hand. Now, to the real facts of June 12 impasse as history is not produced in a science laboratory.

In 1993 when IBB and a certain cabal were playing a ludo game with our nation, Peter Gregory Obi was not anywhere near the military, neither with any political contractor nor group, either for nor against IBB. He was not interested in politics and was minding his trading business, took residence outside the country in far away United Kingdom. This much fact was revealed by himself on tape on video in a public conference. We refer readers to this video clip to listen in: https://fb.watch/l9pnMmc-dZ/

POEM does not, in any way, give leanings to ethnic narratives but trying to box PO into that unwilling wall, we will clarify that the leader of the so-called ABN was Abimbola Davies from Chief MKO Abiola's ethnic divide. Arthur Nzeribe was only his deputy. So, even if clandestinely, did Nzeribe appear like one to share his deputy functions with Obi (who Nzeribe would consider a boy then)? Isn't it simply nauseating how some people could sit down, possibly in filthy room and manufacture a single story of vulgar nonsense?

The formation of NADECO was a baby of necessity that had some membership which the jaundiced writer sliced. Slicing that only provided the names of the Yorubas. A clear revelation to this writer's sole intent - to create ethnic loathing. How does one deal with a mind that has been corroded with ethnic jingoism? Present more facts definitely. 

NADECO wouldn't have been without the muscle provided by true Igbo indigenes in the likes of Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Chief Sam Mbakwe, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, Alhaji Abdulazeez Ude and so many others. Is this faceless writer not aware or is he conveniently forgetting the ordeal Olisa Agbakoba, SAN went through in the hands of late Gen Sani Abacha while fighting with everything in him to actualize June 12? Is it a hidden knowledge that the USA representative of NADECO and Executive Director is Lloyd Ukwu, an Igbo man who single-handedly provided all the funds and hosting abroad? Again, correcting the dangers of a single story! 

At this juncture, it must be emphasised that this nation should remain eternally grateful to Pa Ayo Adebanjo and Afenifere for painstakingly scrutinizing PO, finding him very worthy and firmly stood by him before, during and after February 25. That has been the greatest sacrifice by any pan-ethnic group to banishing the monstrous ethnic politics from our shores.

Typical of those who are afraid of strong illuminations emanating from Obi in our dark democracy firmament, the writer played their usual record devoid of grooves, a worn-out noise about Obi being a killer, a bomber and opportunist making his money through a reward from Abacha in being the "CEO of Tin Can Island Port, thus becoming the chairman of Fidelity Bank at the age of 35". Oh what a poor soul being housed by this writer!

It is time to listen attentively to the attached video. Abacha made PO the chairman of decongesting Tin Can Island Port the first time the late head of state set eyes on the young billionaire. Obi led a group of traders whose containers were seized. Notably, no one dealing in illegal business like drug trafficking would have dared going to Abuja to meet an emperor like Abacha to release his goods. Such a person certainly wouldn't return to the comfort of his home. In that meeting, Peter Obi spoke so convincingly about measures to decongest the ports and surprisingly, the Head of State instantly made him the chairman of the committee. He never knew him before then.

But Obi did not lead the traders to Abacha because he was the most handsome. To be appointed to lead and speak on their behalf, his containers must have worth the most in money or at least close to that. And it wouldn't be a surprise.

While he supported and voted for the late Chief MKO Abiola in 1993, soon after the election he relocated to the United Kingdom with his family where he ran a decent successful business that received encouragement and support from credible finance institutions all over the World because of the integrity and reputation he put in it. Obi was not and is not a man to ever get involved in corrupt enrichment.

If he was such a Nigerian, he wouldn't have saved N75 billion as governor of Anambra State and handed over to his successor, when he had opportunities, like most of his counterparts all over the country, to have stolen all of them. So, claiming that he made his money from his brief stay as chairman of a committee set up by the head of state to decongest the Tin Can Island Port is not only absurd but also clearly shows the poor level of apprehension whoever was hired to write as Wilson Ijide possesses. 

PO did not win over 95% of the votes cast in Anambra State because he is from the state. He won so massively because the people tested him for eight good years and found him very sufficiently worthy. Majority of Nigerians voted for him because they studied his past and found a man of very appealing integrity, desirable honesty and admirable competence. All these attempts at distorting such facts with jumbo tales did not work before February 25 and certainly won't work now and even after.

 By POEM

Labour Party's Alex Otti sworn in as Abia State’s Governor

The Labour Party produced it's first governor in Abia State as Alex Otti and Ikechukwu Emetu were sworn in as Governor and Deputy Governor, respectfully.

The event which witnessed a tremendous crowd of supporters, friends and party officials had in attendance virtually all former leaders of the party across the party lines. 

National chairman of the Labour Party, Bar. Julius Abure led a strong delegation of party leaders to the occasion. They include National Women Leader, Dudu Manuga, National Treasurer, Oluchi Opara, National Youth Leader, Prince Kennedy Ahanotu, National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, and a host of other National Executive Committee members. Former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi and his wife were among the numerous guests that graced the occasion. 

At exactly 12:20 pm, the governor, Alex Otti took an oath of office officiated by the acting Chief Judge of the state, Justice Lilian Agbai. He pledged to defend the constitution and promised to be governor for all Abians and to do justice to all. He also pledged to work for the benefit of all Abians.

Peter Obi’s Address to Nigerians on the Eve of the Consumption of a Civilian-Led Coup By Mohammadu Buhari, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Yakubu Mahmood, APC and Other Nigerian Political Elites

“For all Nigerians, this is a time for deep reflection. It is also a time to re-examine our assumptions, even as we reaffirm our hopes. Let us calmly review our aspirations, in order to recalibrate our expectations and pin down the causes of our missed opportunities and disappointments. We stand at that critical moment in time when, as a people, we must collectively come to grips with the reality of our injured destiny as well as the reasons for that injury. It is for us to reassess our plight as a young democracy and identify clear pathways to a better and greater future for us all. As we await the verdict of the election tribunal, I urge all Nigerians to use this opportunity to renew their commitment to the Nigerian ideal. That ideal remains noble and worth every sacrifice we can make.

Nigeria remains our only patrimony and it is a patrimony we must protect, rather than violate. We have no other nation but this, so let us remain committed to rescuing and rebuilding it.

The judiciary is part of the democratic enterprise and a critical governance tool for determining the propriety of the decisions and actions of every citizen and every institution of state. To that extent, and for that reason,

I urge everyone to treat it with the respect and dignity it deserves.

We expect that the Nigerian judiciary will use the election cases now before it to reaffirm its independence and integrity. It has to do so, for all our sakes and for itself.

Nigerians must, therefore, remain peaceful and law abiding. No matter the depth of anyone’s reservations about what is going on in the polity today, no matter the real and imagined provocations, and no matter the disagreement out there,

we should remember that this will not last forever.

I remain committed, and untiring, in my determination to work with like-minded fellow Nigerians to end the curse of missed opportunities and squandered hope that has become our lot here.

I will never shrink from that original commitment, because I firmly believe that we must change from the present politics of criminality, and corruption, in order to make a new Nigeria possible.

I call on fellow Nigerians, especially the youths to remain steadfast, calm, patient, and peaceful. Our journey may be long and difficult but it is worth it in every way. Victory is assured.

We have to work together to move our beautiful country from corruption and criminality to a center of productivity rather than aimless consumption.

I am aware of some evil designs being hatched against me and my supporters in the coming months. Efforts will be made to taint my image. Campaigns of calumny are being perfected to defame my character and diminish my hard-earned integrity.

These schemes will aim at degrading our support base and confusing the public. But, no evil campaign will alter the substance of my character; nor diminish my patriotic commitment to a better Nigeria.

It is about the future of our youths. it is about ending the Years of Locust.

In all of this, I thank Nigerians, our great party (LP) and the media. The latter, as the Fourth Estate of the realm, has remained a trusted ally.

This Estate must continue to guide our people on the immense promise of a future in a new Nigeria.

God bless Nigeria and protect the troops keeping us safe in this season of vaulting insecurity.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. -PO

Tinubu's Inauguration : Peter Obi's words for Obidents, I'm going to be facing all shorts of allegations in the coming months ( VIDEO)

 

This is Peter Obi last words today as he spoke to all Obident about 100,000 people across all social media apps. *Do not in any way fill dammed we are in a long Journey but it's Possible*

THE INAUGURATION OF MAY 29TH, PUTTING IT IN PROPER CONTEXT

Few  opinions I have read captured my opinion on this prevailing issue of the international community especially the US position on this issue of stolen mandate and the coming inauguration. 

Two opinions from two former American officials capture the American idiosyncrasy and attitude in matters like this. One was the remarka of the former Secretary of states James Baker when he was reminded that one of the leaders they were dealing with was an evil and repressive dictator. The then Secretary of state retorted and said: Yea! He's a son of the bitch, but he's our son of the bitch. 

The second is the so called political attaché to the US embassy in Nigeria in the early 90s - I've forgotten his name. Reacting to the issue of annulment of the June 12th elections and the emergence of of Gen. Abacha, in his official residence as he was being sent forth at the end of his tour of duty, he said: I do not know what else they will do to the Nigerian people before thy will rise up.

So many misread what the United states has said or done regarding the issue of the illegal declaration of Tinubu as the president elect and the on going preparation for his inauguration on May 29th 2023. 

What so many seem not to understand is that, as long as there's no official sanctions against Nigeria or the leadership as we speak,  the American official and basic diplomatic formalities towards Nigeria will continue to flourish regardless of what may be the true realities as witnessed in this past presidential elections that INEC declared Tinubu the winner. 

The truth is that the US and other nations intelligence community perhaps have deeper knowldge of what transpired in the last elections in Nigeria. They knew it was a sham. More like a charade and state capture. They will express their disgust privately but must follow the official position of their policy until when such compelling reasons will cause them to alter such pre existing standing policy - we have not seen such compelling reasons from those their mandate was stolen through what's essentially a civilian coup.

They clearly understand that what happened in Nigeria is simply unprecedented. Like a good Judge who will never, regardless of how he feels about the circumstances of your case will never suddenly become your solicitor or advocate in that case before him or her. The Judge will remain focused as a judge, but can only pray and wishing that who ever you hire as a lawyer can raise such issues and the legal precedents and authority he could stand on to unleash opinion and judgement that will now truly convey how he or she as the judge had actually felt about the matter before his or honorable court. This has not happened in this case.

In this situation before us, it is on what the Nigerian people started here, the level of opposition and rejection of this open heist and state capture by the Lebanese global criminals like Gilbert Chagoury, the man standing behind Tinubu and his cohorts attempt to hijack Nigeria and deliver to them while Nigerians are either dwelling in ambivalence or are simply scheming around to be invited to the dinner table, even if only to pick the crumbs from under the table. This is what's playing out as it is today.

It is on the level of our rejection of this which will reach a considerable critical mass before the global official position will shift and as a good Judge, it is only then that we shall hear their true opinion and judgement on all that has transpired. 

So it is Nigerians that will make the case for the situation  Nigerians find themselves today. But it seems that even the educated are having such unreasonable expectations of others. It is like expecting from others what you are not willing to give to yourself and that aint going to happen. Nigerians must carry their own cross for liberation and freedom, and there's no better time as  PMB the last member of the axis of evil that have held Nigeria on a chokehold is facing the inevitable sunset on his career and life.

As a matter of fact, the US authorities in what appears as straddling their position, they've been doing alot of balancing act in this situation.  While some official reports condemned the process and the out come of the  elections, even as far as proposing a Visa ban on the arrow heads of election malpractices that produced the same leader they congratulated- more like a contradiction but in reality a deliberate strategy of reserving the right to play either way it goes. Afterall the US authorities are reputable to make deals with devils to remain relevant and protect their strategic interest as the case may be.

 The Biden Administration through Antony Blankin engaged the INEC declared winner Tinubu in a phone conversation and they also proceeded to put together what in my opinion as well, one of the lowest level of American official for the inauguration of President of the most populous black nation on earth as well as African economic giant and a net supplier of global energy. The caliber of the team sent by the Biden administration is the clearest indication of their very low opinion of the incoming administration - if you know you know.

Infact, if all things are equal,  this will be considered a slap in the face of this Country. But trust the desperate APC team. They have like the proverbial ant that went around boasting that the gift of yams it received from the grand parents are as huge as its legs. But then as it turned out the ant's legs are nothing to write home about. 

C.O.M

Labour Party: Lamidi Apapa's missing cap

Festus Adedayo

Turbulent anger of Obidients landed on Lamidi Apapa last week. By the time their anger petered out, Apapa had lost his cap to a God-knows-who. Esu Elegbara, the trickster deity of the Yoruba people, it will seem, lives in caps. Though most of the exploits of Esu exist in myths, Yoruba constructed a pantheon of beliefs that implicate the Esu as divisive and full of tricks. One of such, sauced in mythology, was translated into a very sobering track by ace Yoruba Awurebe musician, Alhaji Dauda Akanmu Adeeyo, popularly known as Dauda Epo Akara. Famous for his anecdotal offerings affixed to virtually all his songs, Adeeyo got this sobriquet, for which he was more known by than his actual name, while he was a pupil in primary school. His uniforms were always soaked in bean cake oil called Epo Akara.

The Ibadan maestro entitled the track under reference Itan Ore Meji – the tale of two friends – in a parent album he called My Mother. Like Epo Akara, in 1987, Donald Cosentino, a lecturer in the Folklore and Mythology Programme of the University of California, Los Angeles, wrote an article for The Journal of American Folklore which he entitled Who Is That Fellow in the Many-Colored Cap? Transformations of Eshu in Old and New World Mythologies (Vol. 100, No. 397. Jul. - Sep., 1987). In it, he also situated the Esu as author of dissent, “an exponent of ceaseless rearrangements” and a dissembler. Esu, said Cosentino, is a counterpart to Ifa, who the Yoruba see as the Lord of Divination and through whom sacrifices and propitiations are made to God for peace in the world.

Epo Akara and Cosentino’s narratives are not dissimilar. The two of them began this folklore thus: There existed two friends who were so fond of each other and inseparable. They were objects of discussions by the whole village. In fact, sang Epo Akara, won ki ja, won kii ta – they never had a word of disagreement since they began their friendship from their infancy. So, one day, Esu swore to cause irreparable discord between them. The object he cast for that dissention was a cap. So the Esu sowed a multicolored cap, something in the mould of Dolly Parton’s coat of many colours. The colours, says Cosentino, have been “variously described as red and white; red, white and blue; or red, white, green, and black.”

Epo Akara, however, put the colours of the cap as white and black. So the Esu transformed himself into an irresistibly dressed, handsome young man in dainty Aso Oke and Sanyan cap. As the two friends sat in a foyer chattering, Esu walked between them and in the words of Cosentino, “put his pipe at the nape of his neck and hung his staff over his back.” As Esu walked past the two friends, in the rendering of the Awurebe musician, the first friend called the attention of his pal to the cap, which he said was black. Once he had money, the friend remarked, it would be his delight to buy it – bi mo ri’ru e, ma ra’kan, Balarabi, Wali Muhanmonda. The friend fired back, insisting that the cap was white and insulted the other friend by asking if he was blind – ab’oju re o ri’ran? Then, a very deadly brawl ensued between the duo as they came to blows.

While Epo Akara insisted that, having achieved his dissembling aim, Esu transformed himself into who he was and settled the quarrel, Consentino argued that the tiff came to a halt when the disputants were brought to court. In court, the scholar said, Esu confessed to his trick, boasting that "sowing dissension is my great delight." In the rendering of the Folklore and Mythology scholar, Esu then fled. As he fled, Esu lit fire along the way, mixing up all the possessions of fleeing townsfolk. He also tested and exposed friendships along the way, thereby creating and destroying wealth. He then laughed at the ignorance of the people about his innate destructive nature.

Nigeria’s Labour Party, (LP) it will seem, is where Esu Elegbara has made his temporary home now. Last week, the party’s internal tiff reached a cancerous level at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja. In the glare of the whole world, the timely intervention of police officers prevented miffed supporters of Peter Obi from skewering the flesh of the party’s Acting National Chairman, Apapa. Apapa and Julius Abure, hitherto suspended national chairman of the party, were embroiled in a leadership tussle. This led to blood-baiting hounds, suspected to be sympathetic to the Abure faction of the party, pouncing on Apapa. The wolves had prevented Apapa from addressing the press and shoved him dangerously off television cameras. In the process, one of them took off Apapa’s cap. He later took possession of it.

Speaking at a press conference after the attack, the 73-year old Apapa rained curses on the person who removed his cap. He had said: "My cap is here as you can see it. It was not burnt, and the boy who removed my cap will suffer it in his life. I saw him, he's a young chap. He'll never grow old by God's grace. He deserves it, you know why? I didn't use cutlass on him."

Were Apapa’s curses of Janus colour and texture as that of Adedara Arunralojaoba, Ijesaland’s – domiciled in Osun State – most evocative musician who sang Adamo music during his lifetime? Janus, you know, is the Egyptian binary god with two faces.  Some installments away, I narrated this Adamo musician’s encounter with another musician, Ayinla Omowura, in Ilesa in the 1970s. Omowura’s drums began to get torn in subsequence as he set out to sing at a live gig where he and Adedara had been invited. In the words of Arunralojaoba, on arriving the bandstand to take over the evening belt of entertainment of invited audience, Omowura had been drunk to stupor with his assumed musical superiority. Speaking to Dele Adeyanju, a renowned broadcaster, in an interview, the Adamo musician had attributed the torn drums to God fighting his battle for him and not any traditional African spiritual attack. Adedara was known to have at one time been a member of the Ogboni fraternity. So, were the torn drums God’s own way of fighting for Adedara against his adversary, or the scenario was a product of metaphysical invocation?

The removal of Apapa’s cap reminds me of the same violence and indignity suffered by Chief Bola Ige, ex-governor of old Oyo State, in the hands of sponsored miscreants like those hooligans in the LP. It was at the height of the intra-party sabre-rattling of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). At a ceremony held on Saturday December 15, 2001 where Olusegun Obasanjo’s late wife, Stella, was conferred with a chieftaincy title by the Ooni of Ife, wolves suspected to be in the herd of Iyiola Omisore, erstwhile Deputy Governor of Osun State, pounced on Ige in similar cavalier but blood-baiting manner Apapa was to witness almost 22 years after. They seized the cap of the man, known as Arole Awolowo – Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s heir – caps which, unlike Apapa’s, he was never to set eyes upon again.

Five days before this, an attempt to impeach Omisore was held at the Osun State House of Assembly. Odunayo Olagbaju, believed to be one of Omisore’s Rottweilers, was at the forefront of the disruption of the impeachment proceedings. Allegations were rife that Olagbaju was also the coordinator of the violent seizure of Ige’s cap. Four days after the attack on Ige, Olagbaju was mysteriously assassinated in Ile-Ife. Exactly four days after Olagbaju’s assassination, Ige was also taken out in what appeared like cult-like revenge killings. Today, Omisore is Southwest progressives’ highest-ranking national official, representing the Yorubaland which venerated Ige as an avatar.

Beyond their ethno-cultural implications as significant aspect of dressing and fashion, caps also have mythic qualities among the Yoruba especially. Aside caps’ aesthetic and symbolic elaboration of the body, they are also seen as weapon in the hands of Esu. The cap perhaps gained that relevance due to the renowned place that the head has in African epistemology. The head receives special aesthetic attention as a result of its spiritual and biological importance. Among the Yoruba, the head, called Ori, is a site of spiritual intuition and destiny. It is as well a harbinger of a man’s reflective spark of human consciousness. It is an Orisa, or god, of its own and is not only venerated but worshipped. To acquire a balanced character – iwa-pele – the Yoruba believe that the individual, working in tandem with this Orisa, can achieve this desirable personality. When he does, the individual then receives an alignment with his Ori, the divine self. People whose destinies are skewed are advised to worship their Ori whose variant among the Igbo is chi. So, when a cap, the decorative ornament of the head, is rudely removed as was done to Ige and Apapa, Yoruba see it as bad omen, symbolizing a rude yank-off of the human person.

Immediately after the seizure of Ige’s cap, some knowledgeable elders in sorcery and witchcraft opined that there existed causality between the cap’s removal and his eventual killing. For a people who use metaphysics as human agency to explain what the common eyes cannot penetrate, when Ige eventually died, the narrative of the connect between the removed cap and his death took front burner. So, in the seizure of Apapa’s cap, was Esu Elegbara on the usual roller-coaster of his famous trickster prowess, or does the act just symbolize a fatality to either Apapa, the Labour Party or the boy who bit the bullet by removing the cap?

The chief accusation against Apapa is that he is the Esu Elegbara in the Labour Party who this destructive god lent his heart for a fee. As Epo Akara and Cosentino narrated in their works, could Apapa be the modern or Nigeria’s political party version of the trickster deity, who is sowing dissention in the party? Ask those who are ranged against him to explain why, they will tell you that Apapa has received humongous bribe from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to act as the Judas within the party. On an Arise television interview last week, Apapa asked those who leveled such allegations to provide evidence. Again, in his insular trickery, I saw Esu Elegbara laughing rambunctiously. Do those who give bribes leave traces? Should those who also leveled such allegation against this old man sincerely do this without providing evidence? Are they themselves the Esu, being on the payroll of Abure, to ensure that Apapa is fought to a standstill?

Precedent is however on the side of those who accuse Apapa of acting the script of the APC. Nigerian politics is so enmeshed in indignity and amorality that virtually all those who engage in it possess scarred souls like the devil’s. They even tell you that politics and morality are in perpetual enmity. If you observe, the highest fusillade of attacks, both judicial and verbal, from the APC to any party, is towards the Labour Party. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its commissars receive scant attention of that party. It must believe that that party is already mortally wounded. APC, peopled by a commune of scavengers, vultures and deadly hit-men, will logically rent an Apapa for a dissembling assignment. It is because the If I must hanker a guess, it must be because the LP poses the greatest social threat to the legitimacy that APC needs, not necessarily during the current judicial process but after it. Thus, employing an Esu Elegbara within the fold of the LP for this dirty job is a politically wise decision for a party whose men, in the name of politics, will kill their mother and rope their father for the murder without batting an eyelid.

Esu Elegbara seems to be on the trail of the Labour Party and is not relenting yet. At the tail end of last week, until the clarification given by the court, the Federal High Court in Kano was reported to have declared the votes polled by the Abia State governor-elect, Alex Otti, Labour Party’s only state governor in the last general election, as wasted. It however reportedly refrained from nullifying the certificate of return issued by INEC to the governor-elect. A newspaper later on published the clarification of the court, stating that it denied annulling the election of the governor-elect.

If you think it is only in LP that Esu Elegbara wrecks its havocs, you are mistaken. In the PDP, he began his life-sworn disruption and destruction, as they say, as a pre-election cancer. By the time Atiku Abubakar and his party realized that Esu was in cahoots with the party, Elegbara had destroyed all the cells within the body of the party, finally and permanently retiring the Adamawa-born politician from his serial quest for the Nigerian presidency.

Elegbara, it will seem, is on his way to the APC as we speak. From reports, the party is on its way to a political liaison with Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso, New Nigerian People’s Party (NPP’s) presidential candidate. President-elect, Bola Tinubu, was reported to have met the NPP boss for political talks in Paris last Monday. There is the need for enough senators to complete the circus of a pliable National Assembly. I imagine the mind of Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Kano State governor, at the moment. The Nigerian politician, in pursuing his persuasion that politics and morality are not friends, devised what is labeled a “no permanent friends, no permanent foes” lexicographic feature of politics. But, must politicians be indistinguishable from serial adulterers? Esu Elegbara must be somewhere now, devising his next trickery. Will he wear Ganduje like an apparel?