Ogun Parrot

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Friday declared that it would not give the Senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Rochas Okorocha, his return certificate until a court of competent jurisdiction says otherwise. Disclosing this at a press conference in Abuja, INEC’s National Commissioner and chairman of information and voter education committee, Festus Okoye said since the case is in the court, the commission would not do anything but obey the verdict of the court. If Imo state had boasted that nobody has the right to deny him his merited certificate of return and thus went to court. But for INEC, Okorocha was declared winner under duress as claimed by returning officer for Imo west senatorial election Francis Ibeawuchi. In view of the above therefore, Festus opined that; “The position of the commission has not changed. The position of the commission is that we will not issue certificate of return to Governor Rochas Okorocha in rela...

After taking the Ogun State political landscape by storm for eight years, and sustaining himself as a force for another eight years after leaving office as governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s latest political body movement is an enchanting spectacle to some. For some seven years, after he left office, Otunba Daniel laid low until 2017 when he made an abortive move for the office of national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He later got an offer as Director- General of Atiku Campaign Organisation, a job he did successfully helping the former vice-president to win the PDP presidential ticket. However, Daniel’s effort to install Gboyega Isiaka as his chosen successor when he left office as governor in 2011 had been unsuccessful. The crisis in the party at that time had forced him to direct his supporters to move to the Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN to realise the plot which, however, derailed with the emergence of Senator Ibikunle Amosun as governor on the platf...

The federal government has closed its case against Walter Onnoghen, suspended chief justice of Nigeria (CJN). The government closed after calling three witnesses to the stand. At the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Thursday, Aliyu Umar, counsel to the government, announced that they closed the case despite the fact that they had initially listed six witnesses. Umar said the three other witnesses could still be called to the stand if the defence wants to cross-examine them. “I have called three witnesses. If the defence needs them, I can call the other three,” the lawyer said. Responding, Adeboyega Awomolo, counsel to Onnoghen, rejected the offer. “I don’t want them, I don’t want them,” he said. Awomolo then informed the tribunal that they intend to file a no-case submission but they would need time to write an address. “We intend to take advantage of section 303 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 on no-case submission,” he said. “If your lordship p...

The Gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos state, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, Wednesday squashed canards making round that he has dumped his party. In a statement disclosed by Felix Oboagwina, his Director of Media and Publicity, Agbaje opined that no one can ever force him to quit PDP. He attributed insinuations that he had dumped PDP to mischief-makers determined to soil his reputation, provoke crisis within the party and dampen the spirit of party members and his supporters. Agbaje therefore, denied jumping his party, saying, PDP remained his party. “I have never discussed with anyone any plan to dump PDP, neither has such a prospect crossed my mind” he maintained. “There is no reason for it. It is uncalled for.” He vowed to remain in the party, despite the campaign of calumny being waged against him in the media by a few leaders. The PDP flag-bearer said he only on Monday released a message encouraging members to rise above the questionable de...

Amidst concern of a free for all by three leading candidates for the office of Senate President, a senior national officer of the All Progressives Congress, APC yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to step in to avoid the party losing out in the end. The call came as the three leading candidates for the office of Senate President continued to dig in. It also emerged yesterday that the national leadership of the APC had commenced discussions on the zoning of the leadership of the 9th National Assembly. Irrespective of the deliberations of the party leadership, the three leading candidates, Senate Leader Ahmad Lawan, Senator Danjuma Goje and Senator Ali Ndume all of whom are from the Northeast have continued to lobby senators-elect for support. The same game Vanguard learned is also going on in the House of Representatives where the outgoing leader, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila may have emerged as the frontline contender. However, sources in the House say that the Gbajabi...

 PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari Monday met behind closed doors with the Lagos State Governor-elect, Babajide Sanwolu, and the deputy governor-elect at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. This is as the governor-elect has decried the incessant building collapse in the state and said that Lagos requires regeneration. Speaking to State House correspondents on his mission to the State House, Sanwolu said, “I think it is important for His Excellency, the deputy Governor-elect and myself to have a one-on-one short discussion with the Commander-in-Chief and it’s a rare privilege. It was a short one, just to say congratulations to him in his own election and he also said the same thing to us. So it’s a very short courtesy visit to Mr President.” He also said that the incoming administration under his leadership has many good packages for the Lagos people. According to him, “We are actually very excited. We are excited because we’ve seen all the challenges ahead of us and we know that ...

…lines up 400 witnesses, 20 SANs …we have solid case against Buhari, his lawyers insist  ABUJA – In a rush to beat the 21 days deadline provided by the Electoral Act, lawyers to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Monday evening, stormed the tribunal to lodge a petition against President Muhammadu Buhari. The Independent National Electoral Commission had on February 27, declared President Buhari who was the flag-bearer of the All Progressives Congress, APC, winner of the presidential election. Under section 134 of the Electoral Act, 2010, any candidate that was dissatisfied with the outcome of the presidential contest, was mandated to approach the tribunal with a petition, not later than 21 days after the result was announced, a deadline that will expire on Tuesday. While the tribunal must deliver its judgment in writing within 180 days from the date the petition was filed. As at the time of filing this report...

The former director-general of Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, Gbenga Daniel, Sunday said that he is being coerced by his supporters to lead them to the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC. Gbenga who announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and retirement from partisan politics, had a meeting at his Sagamu residence with his supporters who told him that they were satisfied with his decision to leave PDP but would be grateful to him if he (Gbega), leads them to the ruling party. INEC under pressure to subvert Benue guber rerun election, youths allege His words, “Basically, they said I could resign from PDP… they said I must lead them to APC and they also said I could not retire from politics. That is the summary of what I heard.” Asked if he was ready to join APC, Daniel said, “What else can I say? My people have spoken.”

Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi told journalists in response to media enquiries that the panel which is headed by Prof. Anthonia Simbine would submit its report to the commission for further action. “The Rivers Fact Finding Committee is back and will submit its report to the Commission, which will study it and decide on the next line of action”, he said on Friday. Pressed for specific timelines on the above, Mr Oyekanmi said the commission would make its decision public after studying and deliberating on the report. Saturday Vanguard learned that the committee whose deadline lapsed since Wednesday could not submit its report the following day as the commission spent all day presenting certificates of return to over 400 federal lawmakers. Following reports of widespread violence and disruption of elections in the state, INEC had announced the suspension of all electoral processes. While the suspension was indefinite, the commission also launc...

A MINUTE WITH VIBRANT The Principles Of Justice, The Rule Of Law And Accountability    For too long, successive regimes have attempted to unite Nigerians via overbearing centralism and coersion.  Their dismal failure is a conclusive demonstration that we must utilize a different strategy to unite our people.   Justice is the only glue that keeps a country in harmony. Unfortunately, ours is a countey where justice is constantly denied, continually perverted and habitually mocked. In Nigeria, because of the lack of accountability, giant camels, even if they are carrying hippopotamuses on their backs, easily pass through the eye of a needle.    We must summon  the courage to terminate ongoing impudent criminality from  sacred cows within and near the corridors of power. No nation can know lasting peace or progress until its public officials are fully accountable to the people and to law.   Hence, we must wage a peaceful revolution for ...

President Buhari who stated this when he received a delegation of non-career Ambassadors, who came to State House, Abuja, to congratulate him on his re-election, said, “and with some luck, our best will be good enough.” He said Nigeria was trying to live within her means, “so we can improve our lot,” adding that government was determined to upgrade the country’s profile, both locally and internationally. The President said it would be inexcusable for government not to take care of its Ambassadors in their various stations, hence the special attention being paid to the country’s foreign missions. Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Ambassador Ashimiyu Olaniyi, said President Buhari’s election in 2015, and his recent re-election, were divine interventions in the affairs of the country. Ambassador Olaniyi in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina said, “You are God-sent. You have always come on stage at the critical m...

PORT HARCOURT –The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC is expected to give today a fresh directive on how it expects to resolve the crisis that stalemated the Rivers State governorship election. The process had been suspended last Sunday by the election management body after some casualties that exceeded past levels of violence in the restive political state. In suspending the process last Sunday, the commission had given itself a 48-hour limit within which to resolve the crisis. Among the casualties from the election was a policeman attached to Governor Nyesom Wike. Not even the suspension of the process by INEC was able to lessen the security cordon around the commission’s office in the state. Indeed, the stretch between Waterlines and GRA Junctions remained shut to traffic yesterday by a team of military and SARS operatives. Before news of the suspension filtered out, the social media had been inundated with several reports and video footages of various u...

March 13, 2019 Deji Adeyanju, former People’s Democratic Party’s social media strategist on Wednesday announced his resignation from civil rights group “Our Mumu Don Do”. Adeyanju took to social media to express his resignation from the group.  He said he was no longer confident in the leadership of the organisation and accused Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy of betraying the aims of the movement. I have resigned my membership of Our Mumu Don. I no longer have confidence in the leader of the movement, Charly Boy. He betrayed the cause while I was away in prison and compromised with the oppressors.

Van  | March 13, 2019 Barrister Mike Igini, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, has become a sort of democracy hero after reportedly standing in the way of attempts by some interest groups to compromise the recent elections in Akwa Ibom State. The outcome of the election has broken myths and mystified many. From the issues that preceded the conduct of the polls, Vanguard sought an interview on the pressures and pains that attended his preparation for the election. Excerpts On speculations for his removal from Akwa Ibom State? I am focused on the job at hand. What I have promised here is to give a fair and equal opportunity to all the political parties and their candidates in the state. I have assured the people of Akwa Ibom State that elections will be credible and for the first time after 1999, election materials can now be delivered in all the polling units and audited by party agents before the commencement of polls. People should disregar...

March 13, 2019 A three storey building housing a school has collapsed at Ita Faji, Lagos Island, this Wednesday morning. Many are feared dead including school children with many more still trapped in the collapsed building. Emergency agencies have already arrived at the scene of the collapse. More details shortly…..

March 13, 2019 A three storey building housing a school has collapsed at Ita Faji, Lagos Island, this Wednesday morning. Many are feared dead including school children with many more still trapped in the collapsed building. Emergency agencies have already arrived at the scene of the collapse. More details shortly…

March 13, 2019 A three storey building housing a school has collapsed at Ita Faji, Lagos Island, this Wednesday morning. Many are feared dead including school children with many more still trapped in the collapsed building. Emergency agencies have already arrived at the scene of the collapse. More details shortly…

March 13, 2019 A three storey building housing a school has collapsed at Ita Faji, Lagos Island, this Wednesday morning. Many are feared dead including school children with many more still trapped in the collapsed building. Emergency agencies have already arrived at the scene of the collapse. More details shortly…