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  • Supreme Court did not bar Rivers APC, says Senator Uchendu

    The Senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District, Andrew Uchendu, at the weekend said that the Supreme Court did not bar the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State from fielding candidates in the February 16th and March 2nd elections.

    He said that the APC has the right to field candidates in the elections despite last Friday’s ruling by the Supreme Court on a case brought before it by some members of the party.

    Uchendu insisted that contrary to some reports, the APC and its candidates in the State will participate in the elections as scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    He noted that what the Supreme Court ruled on was the issue of jurisdiction which in no way shut out APC and its candidates from the elections.

    The lawmaker said that taking into cognizance the rulings of the apex court in other cases, it is settled that the courts do not have any jurisdiction on the internal affairs or disputes within a political party.

    He stressed that the APC in Rivers State was not factionalised as is being painted by its detractors.

    He noted that members of the party have remained under one executive committee duly recognized by the national leadership of APC.

    According to him:  “The Supreme Court did not say our candidates for the forthcoming elections cannot participate in the elections.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Court acquits Ladoja of N4.7b fraud case

    “What I am saying is that the import of the Supreme Court judgement was on the issue of legal representation. Who is the legally appointed counsel of the APC in Rivers State at the trial court level?

    “The Supreme Court said it is the counsel that was briefed by the APC lawyer. That was the matter that was settled yesterday (Friday) and it has nothing to do with whether there is a faction in APC Rivers or not  and whether we should take part in the election or not.

    “One issue I want to clear is that Tonye Cole is not the only person that is affected by what is going on.

    “Nigerians don’t know that all the National Assembly, Gubernatorial and State House of Assembly candidates; about 49 of us are affected. So it’s a whole state.

    All the candidates of APC in Rivers State are affected and not just the gubernatorial candidates. We are all involved in the case and we are very hopeful that we will triumph at the end of the day.

    “We see the issue in court as dispute within the party. Ordinarily, we expected that the trial court should have upheld our case that it had no jurisdiction but it went ahead and heard the matter. The Court of Appeal upheld that and we are now at the Supreme Court.

    “I am very, very hopeful, the court being the last hope of the common man and particularly when the courts have severally said that courts have no jurisdiction on the internal disputes of political parties.”

    He said that in the course of the struggle for the soul of the party, Senator Magnus Abe, one of the contending forces, went to court to challenge the outcome of the ward congresses conducted by the party in the State.

    Uchendu accused Abe of allegedly hobnobbing with Governor Nyesom Wike and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to undermine the fortunes of the APC in the state.

    He said, “I sympathize with him (Abe) because history will be most unkind to him. They didn’t go for any congress from ward to state level.  They didn’t have any office.

    “But after the national convention of the party, they now sat down and drew up some names of ward executives, local government executives and then hired an office, an after-thought. Somebody must have advised them to go and do this just to create the impression that there is a faction.”

  • Senator urges Wike to respect Rivers monarchs

    The lawmaker representing Rivers East Senatorial District, Senator Andrew Uchendu, has urged Governor Nyesom Wike to respect the state’s monarchs and not to treat them with contempt, but with decorum and honour.

    Uchendu, the Acting Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Procurement, on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, according to his media aide, Solomon Okocha, described as uncalled for, the comments made by Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), during the 108 and 109 general session of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers in the Rivers state capital on Monday.

    He said: “Let me congratulate the most respectable traditional custodians of our rich heritage for successfully hosting the council’s general session in Port Harcourt. It gives me great joy to know that our traditional institution is still waxing strong.

    “I am, however, deeply saddened that Wike, just to exert undue political influence, adopted the archaic tactics of intimidation, harassment and treated our revered royal fathers like a football, by publicly threatening to dethrone them as though they were merely his political appointees, whom he could hire and fire at will, thereby desecrating our culture.

    “This is clearly an affront to our respected traditional institution and we will not take it lightly. Wike should learn to treat our traditional rulers with decorum, respect and honour, especially in the public space. They are not his aides, rather they are rulers of various traditional kingdoms, and as such, they deserve to be treated with utmost dignity and not contempt.

    “Rivers governor should remember his age (51) and be humble, while talking to our traditional rulers and elders of our land. His duty is to preserve and protect them at all times. He should remember that the traditional institution has been in existence, long before he became governor and it will still be here after he leaves office.

    “Wike should go and study the history of the people of the Niger Delta, especially the ancient and great Benin Empire, and he will see how the traditional institution cut down the excesses of the colonial masters during the dark days.”

    Read Also: I didn’t nominate Peter Obi, says Wike

    Uchendu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), also urged Rivers traditional rulers to be vigilant and reject intimidation from any politician, stressing that they should guard the sanctity of their traditional stools against political manipulations.

    He said: “It is good enough that Wike said our traditional rulers should remain apolitical, but to go ahead and dictate whom they should see or not, in an attempt to restrict communication between them and their subjects or any other individual, is to treat our royal fathers, our culture, with the highest level of disrespect. In view of this, Wike should immediately tender an unreserved apology to our traditional rulers and the people of Rivers State.

    “The Rivers governor cannot choose for our traditional rulers whom they should interact with, because they are expected at all times to render pieces of advice across the board, whether in party A or B, no matter whose ox is gored.

    “Our traditional rulers must carry out their traditional functions without fear or favour, by consciously and consistently rejecting any form of intimidation from any politician, no matter how highly placed, and in so doing protect the sacredness of the traditional stools which they occupy. And as the saying goes, may our Royal Majesties, live forever.”

    The senator also urged well-meaning Rivers leaders and other lovers of democracy to call Wike to order, asking him not to he jittery about the fact that the state’s electorate would end his bad governance in 2019 with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

  • PDP loses Rivers senator to APC

    The Senator representing Rivers West, Osinakachukwu Ideozu, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Majority Leader of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, announced Osinakachukwu’s defection at plenary on Wednesday.

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    Lawan, who was moving a motion for the adjournment of plenary till November 6, welcomed and congratulated him for joining the majority party.

    With this, the three senators from Rivers, a PDP controlled state, are now members of the APC.

    The others are Senator Andrew Uchendu (Rivers East) and Magnus Abe (Rivers South East).

  • I’m not Abe’s headache, says Senator Uchendu

    The representative of Rivers East Senatorial District, Senator Andrew Uchendu, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has stated that he is not the headache of his counterpart in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Abe (Rivers Southeast).

    He admonished Abe, a former Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), who is also a governorship aspirant on APC platform in Rivers, to go back home and find a solution to his political problems.

    Uchendu, the Acting Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Procurement, gave this admonition, according to his media aide, Solomon Okocha, in an online statement on Thursday, while reacting to a statement by Abe, that he (Uchendu) reneged on his promise to spend only one term in the Senate.

    He said: “I understand that my good friend, Senator Magnus Abe, made some remarks concerning me. It is regrettable and sad. Abe is getting too desperate with his ambition. In the pursuit of his ambition, which he is entitled to, he must learn not to be quarrelsome.

    “As a candidate of the APC in the 2015 election in Rivers East Senatorial District, I pledged that I would run for only one term. One term is made up of four years. Nigerians know that I never went into the Senate until the later part of 2017. I do not know whether one year and six months in Abe’s own arithmetic is four years?

    “I have always maintained that if my party says that I should run, I will run, and If they say that I should stop, I will stop. Mine is not a do-or-die thing. I have always been a team player and an establishment person. I obey the rules. In the spirit of equity, my party has asked me to run again and I am running, in due obedience to my party, because one term in the Nigerian Constitution is four years.

    “I was drafted into politics by Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation in 1994, and ever since, my party has consistently asked me to run various elections. My party always tells me to run, because it believes that I am a credible candidate that can win elections. Election is about winning.”

    Read Also: Rivers APC: Sen. Abe faction adopts direct primaries

    Uchendu also stated that Abe’s political problem started in his Bera-Ogoni hometown in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers state, because he (Abe) was not in touch with his people.

    The lawmaker representing Rivers East said: “I am not Abe’s headache. His headache lies in his hometown. His people alleged that he is an ingrate and a serial betrayer.

    “He (Abe) should find out why he was stoned in his own hometown during the anniversary of Ken Saro-Wiwa’s execution. Why was he stoned by his own people? That is a very serious matter.

    “Abe should look for the solution to his problems somewhere else, because Senator Andrew Uchendu is not his headache. He should find out what is going on in his hometown.

    “When Abe met me sometime in 2014 to advise him on his governorship ambition, which he has severally acknowleged, I told him to go back home and make peace with his people. I think something is wrong somewhere.

    “I told him to build a solid home base. He should start politics from his hometown. I started politics from my hometown and I have built a solid home base. 

    “His (Abe’s) governorship ambition, which he is entitled to, seems to be driving him to desperation. Politics is a team thing, but he decided not to be a team player. If that is his nature, I wish him luck.”

    Uchendu also stated that he was fulfilling the promise of effective representation which he made to his constituents before the 2015 elections.

    He said: “I assured my people that if I got to the Senate, I would speak for them. I told them that I would be the voice of the voiceless and oppressed people. I have been doing that consistently. Go and check my records. That is representation.”

    The representative of Rivers East senatorial district also urged discerning minds to always ignore the destructive criticisms of the former Rivers commissioner for information (Abe), while assuring that he would continue to give effective representation, which he said made his constituents to ask him to vie again.

  • Why Wike is at war with his conscience, says Senator Uchendu

    The lawmaker representing Rivers East Senatorial District, Senator Andrew Uchendu, has stated that Governor Nyesom Wike is at war with his conscience, because he (Wike) betrayed his benefactor, Rotimi Amaechi, a former Rivers governor and current Minister of Transportation.

    Uchendu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, through his Special Assistant on Media, Solomon Okocha, described as shocking, the decision of Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to work against Amaechi who facilitated his re-election as chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government council, made him chief of staff, Government House, Port Harcourt in 2007 and recommended him to the then President Goodluck Jonathan for ministerial appointment in 2011.

    Wike, through Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications, Chief Emma Okah, a lawyer, earlier alleged that Uchendu, a three-term former member of the House of Representatives, was at war with his conscience over the sack of Senator George Sekibo of PDP by the Court of Appeal.

    Uchendu said: “I am not at war with my conscience over my electoral victory, because the same judiciary that ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to withdraw the certificate of return from George Sekibo of the PDP, and immediately gave it to me, having won majority of the lawful votes cast during the December 10, 2016 rerun, was the same institution that declared Wike governor of Rivers, even after the Supreme Court described the 2015 governorship election in the state as a theatre of war.

    “If there is anybody who is fighting with his conscience, then it should be Wike, who after so many years of eating from the same plate with his former master, Amaechi, turned around and betrayed him like the Biblical Judas Iscariot, simply because of inordinate political ambition. After treating the former Rivers governor in such a manner, Wike has no moral right to talk about who has conscience or not.

    “Wike’s conscience is also troubling him, because the six police officers, who he used to invade the Rivers East collation centre, to make sure that I was not declared the winner of the re-run election, have all been dismissed from service. The sack of the 23 INEC officials, who confessed to have received N360 million from Wike to rig the polls must be a terrible burden on Rivers governor’s conscience.

    “It is unfortunate that Wike, who did not contest any election with me, has continued to wail on behalf of my opponent. This is simply a case of one crying more than the bereaved. If Wike is not satisfied with the judgment of the appellate court, he should get ready to meet me in the field, if I eventually get the ticket of my party to run in 2019.”

    The Rivers governor, while also speaking, condemned the decision of Uchendu not to accept his gift of a brand new, 2017 model of Toyota Land Cruiser Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), which other members of the National Assembly from Rivers state recently accepted, to facilitate their jobs and positively project the image of the Niger Delta state.

    The representative of Rivers East senatorial district stated that he had not been officially informed of the allocation of SUV by Wike’s administration.

    He said: “As at today, no official of the Rivers State government has informed me of any vehicle allocated to me by Wike’s government. My written request to the Rivers governor over four months ago for a courtesy visit and a reminder a month ago were met with cold silence. So, saying that I refused to accept the SUV from Wike is an attempt to blackmail me.

    “I wish to advise Wike to stop fighting me, because I believe that the time is ripe to make peace for the greater good of Rivers State. Wike knows that I have the capacity to make peace happen. Fortunately, Rt. Hon. Amaechi has consented to my proposal for reconciliation, peace and development in Rivers State. Wike should take a cue from the Transportation Minister, by first responding positively to my request for a courtesy visit.”

    Uchendu also described as a huge success, last Saturday’s thanksgiving service in Port Harcourt, which was organised by his family to honour God for his electoral victory and quick recovery from serious sickness, making him to be flown overseas for medical attention, but expressed surprise that Wike, out of hatred for him, declared a “special” sanitation exercise for the first time this year, to frustrate the programme, insisting that God, however, took control.

     

  • Uchendu’s swearing-in, triumph of people’s power – Dakuku Peterside

    Uchendu’s swearing-in, triumph of people’s power – Dakuku Peterside

    Dr Dakuku Peterside, the Director-General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency ( NIMASA ), says the swearing-in of Sen. Andrew Uchendu is a triumph of people’s power and resilience over violence.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Uchendu was sworn-in as a Senator to represent Rivers-East Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ).

    Peterside, in a statement on Thursday in Port Harcourt, said that the victory of Uchendu at the tribunal and subsequent swearing-in had put a stop to election manipulation.

    “As Sen. Andrew Uchendu mounted the podium and took oath of office, it has marked the collapse of the manipulation of our electoral system.

    “The swearing-in of Sen. Uchendu also marks real victory of the people’s power and conquest of resilience and determination over violence.

    “I salute Sen. Uchendu for his moment of glory and our leader, the Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, for offering leadership that strengthens our resolve, courage and gives hope to ordinary people,” he said.

    According to him, those who celebrated the shortlived victory of electoral manipulation will definitely fear God and also know that there is a limit to which they can manipulate our weak institutions.

    “Sen. Uchendu represents the true spirit of the ‘Riversman’ and the state, and his victory marks a new beginning and never again will darkness becloud our land again.

    “I join all Rivers people and particularly the thousands of young men and women who are ready to go to any length to defend their conviction to celebrate this new era,” he said.

    Peterside, who was the Rivers APC Governorship candidate in 2015, thanked supporters of the party who made necessary sacrifice to be in Abuja to witness the historic swearing-in.

    “I thank those who invested resources to celebrate our brand new Senator in both newspaper publications and various massmedia platforms,” he said.

    The National Assembly Appeal Tribunal for Rivers on Aug. 24 sacked Sen. George Sekibo of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) to issue Certificate of Return to Uchendu.

  • Court didn’t ask us to vacate seats, say APC lawmakers

    Court didn’t ask us to vacate seats, say APC lawmakers

    All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers moved fast yesterday to correct what they saw as a wrong interpretation of the Federal High Court’s ruling.

    The party caucus in the House of Representatives said Justice Adeniyi Ademola did not ask the 37 lawmakers to vacate their seats.

    According to the caucus, the judgment was that the 37 members could not participate in the removal of principal officers.

    “Other pronouncements by the judge as to the status of our 37 members were mere opinion,” the caucus said.

    The lawmakers, who spoke with reporters after plenary, said the ruling had confirmed their worst fears and accused their colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of being “in collusion with a certain judge to turn facts and law on its head to achieve sinister ends”.

    Minority Whip Samson Osagie, who read a statement titled: “Justice Adeniyi Ademola’s judgment on 37 APC Representatives: at last our fears have been confirmed”, on behalf of the caucus, said: “The judgment has turned law on its head and cannot stand.”

    The caucus accused the judge of “veering off the course of the case before him to do the bidding of the ruling party.”

    The 37 affected members yesterday appealed the ruling via a letter from their solicitors, M.A. Mahmud (SAN) & Co.

    The appeal is on seven grounds of “Error in Law”.

    The statement, presented by Osagie, reads: “Yesterday (Monday) a Federal High Court presided over by Justice Adeniyi Ademola handed down a ruling in which he restrained 37 APC members, who joined our great party on December 18, last year from effecting the change of leadership in the House of Representatives, thereby granting the prayers of the plaintiffs – the PDP in the suit.

    “For us in the APC, we were not surprised because in the course of the proceedings, the same judge issued a preservative order as soon as the arguments against his jurisdiction in the case was taken. This was our first apprehension at the commencement of the case.

    “Our fears were further confirmed when the judge, after granting the reliefs sought in the suit, went ahead to render an opinion on the issues that were not before him nor solicited by the plaintiffs.

    “Consequently, a section of the media and indeed the public have been misled by the court ruling into believing that the judgment has terminated the tenure of office of the affected members. This is not only untrue, but also a mere obiter dicta expressed by a judge, who veered off the course of the case before him to do the bidding of the ruling party. At best, the judgment has turned law on its head and cannot stand.”

    Osagie said the affected members had taken steps to appeal the judgment and that they are confident that justice will prevail, adding that there is no judgment before the House, directing any member of the APC to vacate his or her seat.

    He added: “In any event, Section 68 (2) of the 1999 Constitution makes it clear that satisfactory evidence must be presented to the House before any of the provision, of S.68 (1) can become applicable. At the moment, the APC in the House remains strong and focused on the need to provide necessary checks and balances to the ship of the state as being piloted by the ruling party.

    “At a time when this government is unable to explain to Nigerians the whereabouts of huge missing funds; at a time when profligacy among ministers has reached its crescendo; at a time when scores have been sent to their graves under a scheme purported to be a recruitment sham; at a time when government assets in the power sector have been sold out with Nigerians experiencing more darkness than light; at a time when insecurity and insurgency have almost defied government emergency rule and at a time when mis-governance has taken a centre stage, while Nigerians are wallowing in penury, the PDP government has continued to run the country like the private fiefdom of those holding the reins of power.

    “Nigerians, we know, cannot succumb to the shenanigans of the ruling party that has plundered this nation for 15 years.

    “The House of Representatives remains the bastion of hope of the traumatised and pauperised Nigerians and we shall not give in to the attempt of some of our PDP colleagues in collusion with a certain judge to turn facts and law on its head to achieve sinister ends.

    “Finally, for the avoidance of doubt, let me state on behalf our members that the import of yesterday ruling was that our 37 members cannot participate in the removal of principal officers of the House; nothing more, nothing less.

    “Every other pronouncements by the judge as to the status of our 37 members of the House were mere opinion, In any event, this judgment was given in vain and in ignorance of the House rules, which govern the appointment of party leaders in the parliament. It is also an attempt by the court to meddle in the internal affairs of the parliament.”

    •Party protests verdict

    Andrew Uchendu (APC Rivers), who led the former new PDP members into APC, said they had no regrets joining the APC, adding that their decision was final and irrevocable.

    Another member, Asita Honourable (APC Rivers), said the judge had no moral standing to speak on the moral status of members who had defected.

    The House of Representatives was calm yesterday, despite the ruling, which brought apprehension in some quarters.

    Prior to the sitting, The Nation learnt there was a meeting in which PDP members planned strategies on how to fully maximise the court’s ruling, which they termed “declarative.”

    But a source said that Speaker Aminu Tambuwal urged the parties to sheathe their swords in the interest of Nigerians.

    According to the source, the Speaker was of the opinion that heating up the polity would not augur well for democracy, adding that the country was going through challenges and it was necessary to close ranks and find solutions to them.

    In the House, there was tension, as members of the PDP taunted APC members on the corridors of the National Assembly. While the APC members insisted that the ruling would not hold, the PDP members joked that their counterparts should start packing their luggage.

    The APC members also held a strategy meeting convened in the morning by Osagie. It was to prepare them for any development.