Kwali: ANPP Thugs Attack PDP Members At Tribunal

by Usman Shuaibu

All Nigeria People Party (ANPP) supporters from Kwali and Gwagwalada Area council in the Federal Capital Territory have attacked the members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the FCT election petition tribunal sitting at life camp, Abuja following the petition filed by PDP candidate, Honourable Danlami Saleh Yebu against the chairman of Kwali, Honourable Joseph Shazin over the election fraud in April 10th 2010 Area council elections in the area.

This was made known in a statement issued by PDP cancus and made available to Newsday recently.
The statement alleged that the ANPP supporters who are notorious thugs attacked the former PDP councillor representing Wako ward in the Area council, Mr. Azaki Chetobe.

“The thugs who trooped in large numbers into the venue of the tribunal started with an insultive wards on the former Acting chairman of Kwali Area council, Honourable Danlami Saleh Yebu”, the statement noted.
The statement quoted the PDP cancus as saying that the situation was later put under control with the intervention of the men of police at the life camp police station while the alleged thugs escaped with the convoy of Kwali chairman and his Gwagwalada counterpart, Honourable Zakari Angulu Dobi who was at the tribunal venue.
The statement pointed out that a lot of cars were damaged by ANPP hoodlums at the tribunal.

According to the statement, “the damaged cars and man handled of the PDP members were forwarded to the life camp police station in which the Divisional police officer promised to investigate thoroughly to ascertain the causes of the ugly incidence and ensure that the culprit are brought to book”.

Speaking to newsmen after the sitting of the tribunal, the former Acting chairman of Kwali, Mr. Danlanmi Saleh Yebu alleged that the ANPP thugs were the people who attacked him in Kwali in which one of his cars was damaged, said the case is still pending in a magistrate court Abuja.

Honourable Saleh Yebu who is challenging the winner of the April 10th, 2010 Area council elections in Kwali at the tribunal, said as a Nigerian, he has the right to challenge the result of the election which was characterized by irregularities.
On his part, the returning officer of the PDP during the April 10th 2010 Area council polls, Barrister Enoh Etsu called for the cancellation of the results in the ten polling units where results were altered and mutilated to enable PDP candidate to be declared as the winner of the election.

Barrister Etsu noted that the total vote cast recorded by ANPP in the disputed units was 1,809 while that of PDP was 913
His words; “If 1,809 is deducted from the 8,845 used to declare Joseph Shazin as the winner of the election, ANPP will be left with 7,036 votes while if 913 is deducted from PDP's 8,228, it will be left with 7,315 votes thereby leading with 279 votes which met the requirement by PDP candidate to be declared as the winner”.

Meanwhile, both counsels to the Defendant and INEC disagreed with the submissions of the PDP returning officer, saying that the alterations in the election results were arithematic corrections.
The tribunal chairman, Justice Fatima Gurma adjourned the hearing till the 27th of July, 2010.

by Paul Effiong

The supervisory councillor for the Abuja Municipal Area council AMAC, Hon Williams Gade has promised to give more democratic dividends through unquantifiable job creation to the people, as well as provision of enabling environment to get what they want in live.

Hon. Gade who spoke in an exclusive interview with our reporter in his office pointed out that most people particularly his supporters have started reaping from him despite his short period since assumption of office, pointing out that he singly handled road project in his domain shortly after his election and subsequent swearing in as a supervisory councilor at AMAC.

According to Hon. Gade, provision of adequate provision for people empowerment has already been drawn out which he said includes good roads, provision of potable water, as well as, empowerment through scholarship scheme to students who may want to further their academic career but with no means from their parent to see them through.

He noted with joy that he went into politics not to enrich himself but to empower and assist his people who for years have been crying for proper and effective representation like him adding that their first hundred days in office would be marked by unprecedented display of projects which AMAC residents and indigenes have been yearning to see for some years.

Responding to questions on his Chairman two-point Agenda, the Hon. Councillor for Works commended the Chairman, Hon. Micah Jiba for the concept of his two-point Agenda pointing out that such is meant to bring sporadic improvement and empowerment in AMAC as the first and the best local government area in the whole federation.
Hon. Gade disclosed that some tractors have already been procured for the grand event of 100-day in office celebration, noting that such a step is aimed at show- casing to the people what they should expect from the new and people oriented leadership in AMAC.

He advised people and particularly their supporters to be patient with the new administration in AMAC, since according to him they are ready to teach and show them how to fish for themselves instead of giving them fish which could last for a short time.

Party Executive Inaugurated

by Usman Shuaibu
The executive of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) FCT Chapter has been inaugurated.
The Newly elected members are to run the affairs of the party for the period of four years. They are Alh. Abdulmalik Usman, Chairman, Alh. Yusuf Adam, Vice-Chairman, Alh. Isyaku Dauda Vice-Chairman 1, and Alh. Isma'il Hussaini, Secretary. Others included Ja'afaru Ma'aji Deputy Secretary, Hon. Bello Usman Assistant Treasurer, Hon. Musa Jatau, Legal Adviser, Alhaji Rabiu Mohammed, Auditor and Hon. Umar Zakari ex-officio among others.

In his acceptance speech, the ANPP FCT, Chairman Alh. Abdulmalik Usman charged members to live up to expectation and face the challenges before them in the forth-coming general elections.
He further told the gathering that his leadership will leave no stone unturn to deliver all the three seats in the National Assembly elections come 2011, explaining that change must be done this time around that all hands must be on deck.

Usman further noted that recently ANPP won two seats out of the six seats in the FCT Area Councils, adding that the party also got about 20 councillorship seats across the FCT.
Earlier in his speech, the former Senator representing FCT in the National Assembly, Sen. Jibrin Wowo charged ANPP members and supporters not to be discouraged with the manipulations of the ruling party, stressing that this time, the PDP will not steal their mandate.
Wowo further reminded members of the party of the need to regard themselves as members of one family citing example with the party's victory in recent times.

On his part, the host who is the Chairman, Kwali Area Council, Hon. Joseph Shazin, in his remarks thanked the party executive for giving him the ticket to run for the chairmanship position as well as the support that led to his victory.
Shazin further told the gathering that he would continue to follow the foot steps of Angulu's administration in order to bring rapid socio-economic development in Kwali Area Council and its environs.

He also reiterated the commitment of his government towards positive change saying that within one month of assumption to office he restored electricity in the area following a total black out in area experienced for one year. Added that, arrangement has been concluded to pay students their scholarship allowances which the outgoing administration denied since the past three years.

Prominent dignitaries who attended the function included the Executive Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Hon. Zakari Angulu, Secretary of Gwagwalada Area Council, Alh. Usman Yahaya and National Executive members of the Party.