• Returning officer slams Babachir Lawal over presidential primary row
•Party’s guber candidate in Osun promises state that works for all
Chuks Okocha, Alex Enumah in Abuja and Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo
A Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered accelerated hearing in the suit challenging the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Justice Peter Lifu, who made the order in a short ruling, yesterday, fixed Monday, June 8, for hearing in all pending applications before the court.
The court also ordered all parties to exchange their processes within 48 hours, while the court’s bailiff was directed to serve hearing notices to all persons seeking to be joined as interested party within 24 hours.
The Supreme Court had in a judgement last month, ordered the return of the suit to the trial court for accelerated hearing, after dismissing the appeal filed by the National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark, challenging the interlocutory order of the Court of Appeal, which had ordered parties in the suit to maintain status quo ante bellum.
However, the trial could not go on at the last proceedings of May 8, due to request by the plaintiff, Nafiu Bala Gombe, for a transfer of the case from the former judge, Justice Emeka Nwite.
Besides, the former judge had adjourned the suit indefinitely, pending the submission of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgement of the Supreme Court as well as the decision of the Federal High Court Chief Judge (CJ), Justice John Tsoho, on the letter of the plaintiff seeking the transfer of the case to another judge.
But following the recommendation by the National Judicial Council (NJC), for the appointment of Nwite as a Justice of the Court of Appeal, the matter was reassigned to Justice Lifu.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, plaintiff’s counsel, Mr Robert Emukpero, SAN, who prayed the court for a short adjournment, drew the court’s attention to the Supreme Court’s order which directed expeditious trial of all pending processes, adding that the order subsisted since there was no appeal against the order.
Since the request was not objected by the counsel representing the respondents, the judge granted it and fixed June 8, for accelerated.
The plaintiff, Bala Gombe had approached the court for an order restraining the Mark leadership from parading itself as leaders of the ADC pending the hearing and determination of his suit challenging their leadership.
He had also asked the court to issue another order against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), restraining it from recognizing the Mark leadership.
But in his ruling in the interlocutory application, Nwite ordered Gombe to put the defendants on notice so that they appear before the court to show cause, why the application should not be granted.
Rather than appearing before the trial court to show cause, the defendant appealed to the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal, challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court to dabble into the matter they described as internal matters of the ADC.
The appellate court in dismissing the appeal for lacking in merit, ordered accelerated hearing in the suit and further ordered all parties to maintain status quo ante bellum.
Dissatisfied, Mark approached the Supreme Court for an order setting aside the status quo ante bellum order but, his appeal was dismissed and the matter returned to the trial court for accelerated trial.
Returning Officer Slams Babachir Lawal over ADC Presidential Primary Row
In a new development, the chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) electoral committee in Adamawa State, Dr. Nicholas Msheliza, has accused a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, of attempting to influence and alter the outcome of the party’s recent presidential primary, threatening to release evidence to support his claims.
Msheliza, who also served as Returning Officer for the Adamawa primaries, said Lawal personally contacted him after results were compiled and demanded that he reversed the outcome in Hong Local Government Area in favour of businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen over former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
He said he rejected the request, insisting the results reflected the actual votes cast.
“When Babachir Lawal got wind of the results, he called and requested that I reverse the results to favour his candidate. I refused to carry out his criminal directive,” Msheliza said.
According to him, Atiku won Hong LGA with 11,991 votes, while Hayatu-Deen polled 2,493 votes and former Minister Rotimi Amaechi got 377 votes.
Msheliza further alleged that shortly after his refusal, Lawal dissolved the local electoral committee and set up a parallel structure that conducted what he described as an “illegal exercise” across several LGAs, including Hong, Madagali, Michika and Mubi North.
He claimed the move produced “concocted results” and contradicted the official tally already recorded by the original committee.
“This was done without consultation and without proper electoral materials. The original results had already been documented before the parallel team arrived,” he said.
The Returning Officer challenged Lawal to release his own result sheets for public comparison with the official records, adding that he was prepared to present documentary evidence backing his account.
Osun ADC Guber Candidate Promises State That Works for All
Governorship candidate of the ADC in Osun State, Hon. Najeem Folasayo Salaam, has unveiled a 10-point development agenda for the state, declaring that his ambition was to build “an Osun that works for all.”
Salaam made the declaration while presenting his manifesto at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Osogbo, where he outlined his administration’s plans for workers’ welfare, economic revitalisation, youth empowerment, healthcare, education, agriculture, infrastructure, security and transparent governance.
Addressing party members, stakeholders and supporters, the former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, said Osun possessed abundant human and natural resources but has continued to grapple with unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, insecurity and limited economic opportunities.
“Today, I present myself before you with a clear vision and an unwavering commitment to building an Osun State that works for all.
“A state where workers and pensioners are valued, respected and prioritised. A state where our farmers are supported and agriculture becomes a major driver of economic prosperity. A state where our youths are empowered with skills, jobs and opportunities to thrive.”
The ADC candidate identified electricity as the foundation for economic development, promising to pursue an ambitious power agenda aimed at guaranteeing reliable electricity supply across the state.
