NASS leadership: Abure denies collecting N500m from Akpabio, calls Apapa lier

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The National chairman of Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, has said the allegations by the suspended National Publicity Secretary of the party, Abayomi Arabambi, that he collected N500 million from one of the Senate President candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC), Godswill Akpabio as a tissue of lies that is unfounded.

Fielding questions from journàlists yesterday in Abuja at the party’s national secretariat, Abure said he never collected any money from Senator Akpabio.

On the issue of court ruling in Kano, Abure said though they still await the full text of the ruling, the matter in view remains a preelection matter that can only be entertained by the tribunal and not a regular court.

Abure’s statement reads in parts: “It has become imperative for me to address this press conference to properly put the legal issues surrounding the leadership of the party on their proper perspectives for quite some time now about the leadership of the party.

“It is pertinent to state categorically and clearly that the Labour Party has no faction. The Labour Party has only one leadership and that leadership is the National Working Committee led by myself, Barrister Julius Abure.

“Recall that some few members of the party burgled themselves into the office and appointed themselves, four of them, as officers of the party acting on the purported and upon a restraining order, an ex parte order granted by the FCT High Court.

“A cursory look at the originating summons which is pending before the High Court of the FCT, Apapa and his cohorts asking that court upon granting their reliefs in the final judgement to direct the NEC to appoint interim National officers for the party.

“Out of desperation they are not patient enough to wait for the outcome of the final judgment but employed self-help and appoint themselves as National Officers of the Party.

“However, our objection to the court jurisdiction was overruled by Justice J. Muazu of FCT High Court on the 12th of May. On the same day, we filled a Notice of Appeal. Then on Wednesday 17th May, the Appeal was entered at the Court of Appeal No. CA/ABJ/ CV/559/2023. Also we have filled our Appellant Brief of Argument which has been served on the trail courts.”

Bayelsa guber: Frank sues Sylva, seeks order for police to probe ex-Minister

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has filed a criminal complaints case against the immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, at the Chief Magistrate Court Abuja.

In the suit filed by his Counsel, Edward Omaga Esq. of Graylaw Practice LP chambers, Frank urged the Chief Magistrate of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to cause a direct criminal compliant to be issued against Sylva over alleged inconsistencies in his name and doubts over his participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, averred that based on documents before him, the actual identity of the former minister seems to be in doubt.

The suit reads in part: “Over the years, the complainant (Frank) has also shown his resolve in fighting and exposing corruption in public places and holding public officers accountable to their oath of office.

“The defendant (Sylva) on his part once served as the Executive Governor of Bayelsa state between2008 till 2012 and recently resigned his position as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources sometime around 30th March 2023.

“Facts and documents available to the complainant reveal that the actual identity of the aforesaid defendant is in serious doubt.

“Recently, the complainant while undertaking a private investigation visited the United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania where Chief Timipre Sylva instituted a libel case against one Jackson Ude.

“In the course of hearing, Chief Timipre Sylva signed a verification of interrogatories answers dated April l, 2022 and attached various documents in proof of his identity.

“The said academic documents include a First School Leaving Certificate with No. 092915 dated 1st July, 1976 issued to Anagha Timipere who finished from Ajeromi Central School, Araromi-Apapa, Lagos State.

“Also, the defendant claims to hold a West African Examination Council (WAEC) General Certificate of Education with certificate No. PO851528 and Candidate No. 21735215 dated December 1981 issued to Marlin Anagha Timipre…

“The complainant equally discovered that the erstwhile

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources parades a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English with Second Class (Upper Division) from University of Port Harcourt dated 19th August, 1986 issued to Anagha Timipre Marlin.

“The defendant equally holds a Doctorate in International Relations (Honoris Causa) from UBIS University in Geneva, Switzerland, dated 22nd September, 2011 and issued to Chief Timipre Sylva.

“The certificates mentioned above have visible anomalies and do not depict the true identity of Chief Timipre Sylva. It is confusing as to who Chief Timipre Sylva is.”

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Presidential Election Petition Court has been asked to dismiss in its entirety, a petition filed by the Allied People’s Movement (APM) challenging the declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winners of the February 25, 2023 presidential election.

Tinubu who was declared winner of the poll and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which conducted the election told the Court on Thursday in Abuja that the petition was grossly incompetent, has no focus and lacked legal direction.