politics
Imo North: Supreme Court reverses Ibezim’s disqualification
The Supreme Court has reversed disqualification of Chukwuma Francis Ibezim as candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the December 5, 2020 by-election in Imo North Senatorial District of Imo State.In a unanimous judgment on Friday, the apex court set aside the February 6, 2021 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja which affirmed the December 4, 2020 judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja disqualifying Ibezim for submitting false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in relation to his age, name and academic credentials.
Justice Emmanuel Agim read the judgment of the Supreme Court on Friday during a virtual court session, in which lawyers to parties participated through Zoom.
Justice Agim faulted the competence of the suit on which the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court was given on December 4, 2020.
He also faulted the mode of commencement of the suit at the trial court.
Justice Agim held that the suit which led to Ibezim’s disqualification was statute barred because it was not filed within the stipulated time.
He noted that the suit was not filed within 14 days when the cause of action arose.
He added that Section 285 of the 1999 was not complied with by the plaintiff at the trial court, because being a pre-election case, the mandatory 14 days for such suit to be filed ought to be strictly complied with.
Justice Agim held that since Ibezim was disqualified by the trial court and the Court of Appeal based on a case that has been found to be statute barred, such disqualification amounts to a nullity.
He faulted the findings of the trial court judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, and held the plaintiff failed to discharge the burden of proof of false information that was alleged.
Justice Stephen Adah, had while dismissing Ibezim’s appeal in the judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on February 6, 2021, resolved the two issues identified for determination against the appellant, saying that the finding of the trial Federal High Court was unassailable to warrant any interference by the Court of Appeal.
Justice Adah found that the appellant (Ibezim) violated Section 66(1)(i) of the Constitution by presenting forged certificate to INEC.
He held that Ibezim was not qualified to contest the election. It also held that the suit was not statute barred, having been filed 11 days after the occurrence of the cause of action, thereby falling within the 14 days prescribed for the filing of a pre-election case under Section 285(9) of the Constitution (4th Alteration).
He warned that a candidate who wants to supply information to INEC in any general election “must be diligent and strictly faultless in respect of the entries made thereof; the arrangement of the name of an individual must be seen as a serious venture.
“The candidate must be diligent in doing that. If the name of a person is misspelt or is misarranged, it tells a lie about his name… if the name are written out of tune or out of order, the name will be manifesting names of the person other than the person claiming it.”
The judgment was in the appeal marked: CA/A/1085/2020 filed by Ibezim against the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Other members of the panel of the Court of Appeal that decided the appeal were Justices Abubakar Yahaya (who led) and Uchechukwu Onyemenam.
Justice Ekwo had, in the December 4, 2020 judgment in the suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1229/2020 filed by Asomugha Tony Elebeke, found the WASC certificate Ibezim submitted to his party, which the APC in turn handed to INEC, contained different and irreconcilable names – Ibezim Chukwuma Frank and Ibezim Francis Chukwuma.
The judge said: “There is something wrong with these results. The defence of the 1st defendant per the averments in paragraphs 26, 27, 28 and 29 of his counter-affidavit has not explained the variations in the three respective result sheets, neither have the said averments debunked the fact that Exhibits A26, 27 and 28 were submitted to the 3rd defendant by the 2nd defendant or that the certified true copies of these exhibits were not obtained from the 3rd defendant.
“The 1st defendant, having not taken any step to controvert the case of plaintiff concerning the falsity of Exhibits A26, A27 and A28, has therefore allowed the case of the plaintiff to remain uncontroverted.
“I therefore find that Exhibits A26, A27 and A28 submitted are not authentic results and are self-contradictory. Therefore, they are false in all material particular and I so hold. I resolve issue one in favour of the plaintiff.
The judge found that Ibezim failed to prove that the various names in his credentials are one and the same.
Justice Ekwo faulted Ibezim’s claim that it was his elder brother – Emmanuel Ibezim – who signed the declaration of age he submitted, noting that the signatures in the age declaration document and other documents he (Ibezim) admitted signing look the same.
“I find that the allegation that the 1st defendant signed the statutory declaration of age for himself (Exhibit A25) as the declarant/deponent, but purported to do so as his elder brother, Emmanuel Ibezim, is established with uncontroverted evidence in this case, ” the judge said.
Justice Ekwo also faulted the affidavit and newspaper publications Ibezim submitted in support of his claim that the names were all his.
“Again, I do not think that the 1st defendant can use affidavit to correct the names. It is common sense to state that the certificates were not issued by the court but the institutions authorised to issue them.
“If there is any error on any academic certificate, it is the institution that issued it that has the power to correct the error not the High Court Registry. It is in this regard that I find that Exhibit SF16 which is the affidavit of conciliation of name is bereft of probative value and I so hold.”
politics
BREAKING: Rivers State Assembly Begins Impeachment Process Against Governor Fubara and Deputy
The Rivers House of Assembly has commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Oduh.
The move followed a plenary session on Thursday presided over by Speaker Martins Amaewhule.
During the session, the Majority Leader of the House, Major Jack, formally read the notice of allegations and claims of gross misconducts levelled against Governor Fubara.
He disclosed that the notice was endorsed by 26 members of the Assembly, who alleged that the Governor had acted in violation of provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
Speaker Amaewhule stated that the notice of impeachment would be served on Governor Fubara within the next seven days in line with constitutional procedures.
The Deputy Majority Leader, Linda Stewart, read out a separate notice of allegations and gross misconduct against the Deputy Governor, Oduh, marking the formal commencement of impeachment proceedings against her as well.
politics
Breaking : Accord Party Faces Internal Crisis in Osun as Bamigbola Emerges for 2026 After Adeleke
A faction of the Accord Party has produced Clement Bamigbola as its governorship candidate for the 2026 Osun State election, just four days after the emergence of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the party’s flagbearer.
Newsthumb recalls that Adeleke had emerged on Wednesday as the party’s candidate, being the sole aspirant in the exercise.
However, a faction of the party rejected his emergence, insisting that Barrister Maxwell Ngbudem is not the legally recognised national chairman of the Accord Party.
In a fresh development on Sunday, about 300 delegates of the Accord Party from across Osun State elected Bamigbola as the factional candidate during a primary held at Regina Suite, Osogbo.
Bamigbola emerged through a voice vote conducted by the delegates, after which the Chairman of the Primary Committee, Hon. Olufemi Ogundare, declared him the party’s candidate for the 2026 Osun State governorship election.
Following his declaration, Ogundare and other party leaders formally presented the party’s flag to Bamigbola ahead of the 2026 contest.
politics
2026: Tinubu Hosts Osun APC Aspirants in Aso Villa, Emphasizes Unity and Consensus Building
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has appealed to governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2026 election for unity and consensus-building ahead of the party’s primary on December 13.
The President made the appeal when he met with the aspirants at the State House, Abuja, on Monday night.
The Osun State governorship aspirants who attended the meeting with the President include former Deputy Governor Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, Dotun Babayemi, Akin Ogunbiyi, Senator Babajide Omoworare, Kunle Adegoke (SAN), Babatunde Hareter Oralusi, Mulikat Abiola Jimoh and Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.
Also in attendance at the meeting were the National Chairman of the APC, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; the Chairman of the Progressive Governors, Hope Uzodimma; and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
President Tinubu, who praised all the aspirants for their contributions to the APC in Osun State, urged them to close ranks and support the consensus candidate the party will present for the governorship election in the state. He also advised them to avoid the internal bickering and disunity that caused the party to lose the last election in the state to the Peoples Democratic Party.
While harping on the importance of party supremacy, President Tinubu charged the aspirants to allow it to prevail in choosing the flagbearer, noting that only the party can benefit from it when it wins elections.
“You all have a duty and obligation to the party by ensuring the candidate of our party wins the next election in Osun State. You must strengthen the bonds of unity, party supremacy and collective responsibility. I have absolute confidence in your ability to deliver victory to our party in Osun State. You have my support and that of the National leadership of APC to win the coming election,” President Tinubu assured.
At the end of the meeting, a joint statement was issued in which the aspirants and the leaders committed to support the candidate who would emerge at the primary.
Here is the statement signed by all the aspirants and the APC leaders: “We, the undersigned aspirants for the 2025 Osun State Governorship Election under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), having met and deliberated in the presence of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the National Chairman of the APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and in the spirit of unity, discipline, and loyalty to our great party, hereby declare as follows:
That we affirm and uphold the supremacy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in guiding and determining the most appropriate process for selecting the party’s flag bearer for the 2025 Governorship Election in Osun State.
That we unanimously agree to abide by the party’s decision to nominate a consensus candidate for affirmation at the APC Primary Election scheduled for Saturday, 13th December 2025.
That we accept the outcome of the party-led nomination process in good faith, and pledge our total support to the candidate so nominated and affirmed.
That we commit ourselves to peace, unity, and cohesion within the APC, and pledge not to engage in any act, public or private, that may undermine the integrity of the process or the standing of the party.
That we will work collectively and individually to ensure the success of the APC at the polls and the consolidation of good governance in Osun State.
“We make this declaration voluntarily, in absolute loyalty to our great party, and in recognition of the guidance provided by Mr President and the National Chairman in the overriding interest of the progress and stability of Osun State”.
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