Inquirer Online

The Armed Forces of Nigeria has condemned the allegation that some of its officers met with a presidential candidate over the 2023 election.

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode alleged that the Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and top military personnel met.

A rebuttal Saturday evening by Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, Acting Director Defence Information, denied the military was involved in a plan to disrupt the general polls.

The spokesperson said the “wicked and very malicious propaganda indicated that a so-called Thursday meeting plotted a Coup d’etat to establish unconstitutional order”.

The Armed Forces expressed dismay that “politically exposed persons can denigrate themselves into joining agents of destabilisation and violence in making false claims just to heighten tension in the polity”.

The director stated that the military is loyal to the constitution of the Federal Republic and will never be part of any evil plot against democracy.

The Defence Headquarters maintains it remains apolitical and neutral in the current political process and will not engage in shenanigans.

“Those who engage in fabricating and spreading unfounded misinformation will be invited by the appropriate law enforcement agencies to substantiate their claims.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria will never be part of any ignoble plot to truncate our hard-earned democracy."

The camps of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu on Saturday exchanged words over the Labour Party, LP, presidential rally in Lagos State.

LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi’s supporters embarked on a road walk from Lekki-Epe expressway to the Tafabalewa Square in Lagos.

The rally was said to have caused a massive traffic gridlock along the Lekki-Epe expressway.

Reacting, Tinubu-Shettima Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga accused Obi of conducting an uncivilized campaign.

In a tweet, Onanuga accused Obi of causing discomfort to the people of Lagos State.

Onanuga wrote: “Peter Obi and his supporters are doing a road walk in Lagos, causing massive traffic jam on the ever busy Lekki-Epe expressway.

“His rally is at TBS on the island. But he chose to cause discomfort to Lagosians. An uncivilized way to campaign in our city.”

However, Atiku’s spokesman, Phrank Shaibu wondered why Onanuga should complain about Obi’s rally.

Shaibu recounted how MC Oluomo prevented Christians from going to church when he had a walk for Tinubu on October 9, 2022.

He asked Onanuga if Atiku and Obi complained about MC Oluomo’s action.

“@officialABAT’s ailment appears communicable! Did #MC Oluomo not prevent #christian worshippers from going to church when he held a walk for Tinubu on Sunday October 9, 2022?

“Did the @atiku or @PeterObi supporters complain? @OfficialAPCN & Moslem/Moslem ticket,” he tweeted.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has solicited the support of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in handling its numerous pre-electoral cases in courts across the country.

INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu made the call on Thursday when he hosted an NBA delegation led by its president, Yakubu Maikyau, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

He said that as of February 6, INEC had been joined in 1,241 intra-party lawsuits in different courts of law, not on elections conducted by INEC but on primaries conducted by political parties for the nomination of candidates for the 2023 general elections.

He said some cases had gone to the Federal High Court, some were before the Court of Appeal, and others were before the Supreme Court.

“On pre-election litigation alone, as of Monday this week, February 6, INEC has been joined in 1,241 cases, making us one of the most litigated against agencies in the country. These cases have nothing to do with elections conducted by INEC. They are primary elections conducted by political parties,” the INEC chair revealed.

He added, “But each time they go to court, they join the commission, and we have to engage either our own in-house lawyers or we transfer the cases out to external legal firms to represent the commission. Out of these 1,241 cases, over 300 are right now before the Court of Appeal. And 155 before the Supreme Court as of Monday this week.”

He requested the support of the NBA in handling some of the cases, particularly pro bono service to the nation. The chairman said the commission was committed to free, fair, credible and inclusive elections and equally verifiable elections.

Mr Yakubu explained that was why the INEC, over time, had been working to deepen technology usage in Nigeria elections.

“It is not just those involved in the elections as a coalition or returning officers, but even citizens must have access to results of election on election day. That is what we have been working for sometime now, our hope is that citizens will even know the outcome of elections before we make a formal declaration of results,” Mr Yakubu explained. “This is what has been encouraging us to strengthen and deepen the use of technology in elections.”