- Nabena kicks over governor’s entry into ruling party
Vice President Kashim Shettima and governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are due in Yenagoa on Monday to formally receive Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri into the ruling party.
Diri had resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on October 15 ahead of his defection.
Functionaries of the APC are said to be working round the clock to ensure a successful event.
But some APC members in the state are displeased with the circumstances surrounding the governor’s defection.
One of them is Yekini Nabena,a former deputy national publicity secretary of the APC who, yesterday, sought to downplay the coming of the governor.
Nabena alleged moves to ‘destroy’ the existing leadership of the APC ahead of the governor’s defection.
He told reporters in Abuja that while he was not opposed to Diri joining the APC, it would be wrong of him (Gov) to “destroy some people and the existing leadership of the APC in Bayelsa state because he wants to take full control of the party.”
He said: “We have traced the recent happenings in Bayelsa state to Governor Douye Diri’s camp, especially the arrest rumours of NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku (PhD).
“The plan is to destroy the existing organs and prominent members of the party before he (Governor Diri) formally decamps APC on Monday.
“But up till now, we have not found an answer to the question of what Governor Douye Diri is bringing to the APC. This is a Governor that his Deputy is not defecting with him. Hence, he is plotting to impeach the deputy governor.
“This is a governor that even some State House of Assembly members have rejected. About 90 percent of the serving National Assembly members, including Senator Dickson and other high profile lawmakers are not on the same page with him.
“This is a governor who is not in control of his local constituency, not to talk of his entire Senatorial District. We ask Governor Douye Diri again to tell Nigerians who is running after him or what he is running after?”
Diri is the fourth PDP governor to defect to the APC in the last few months, following in the footsteps of Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Peter Mbah (Enugu).
Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas is also on the verge of joining the APC.
Kefas, at a meeting with APC youth stakeholders in Abuja on Wednesday confirmed that he was on his way to the APC.
Rikwense Muri, the Taraba State APC Youth Vanguard’s publicity secretary quoted the governor as saying at the meeting that Taraba could no longer afford to remain isolated from the mainstream of national politics.
He said his decision to realign politically was driven by the higher goal of ensuring greater development, improved security, and increased federal presence in the state.
He added: “I am guided by the need to put Taraba first. Our state must take its rightful place in national development, and that can only happen when we work hand in hand with the centre.”
Court sacks Zamfara Rep for defecting from PDP to APC
The Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked Rep Abubakar Gummi, for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC).
Gummi, represents Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara in the House of Representatives,
Justice Obiora Egwuatu, in a judgment, restrained House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, from recognising Gummi as member representing Gummi/ Bukkuyum Federal Constituency.
Justice Egwuatu also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission. (INEC) to conduct a fresh election to fill the vacancy for the constituency within 30 days from the day of the judgment.
The suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1803/2024, was filed by the PDP and its state’s Chairman, Jamilu Jibomagayaki, as 1st and 2nd plaintiffs.
The duo, in the originating summons dated Nov. 28 but filed Nov. 29, 2024, by Ibrahim Bawa, SAN, had sued Hon Abubakar Suleiman Gummi; Speaker of the House of Representatives and INEC as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.
The plaintiffs had set out four questions for determination and sought nine reliefs for determination.
They asked whether, having regard to the provision of Section 68 (1) (9) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), it was not unconstitutional for Gummi to retain his seat as member in the House.
They said he defected from PDP which sponsored him for the election to Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency to APC, when there was no division in the party, among other questions.
One of the reliefs sought was a declaration that it was unconstitutional for the Speaker to refuse/fail to declare Gummi’s seat vacant.
Gummi, in his response through his lawyer, filed a notice of preliminary objection and a counter affidavit.
The lawmaker, in his argument, argued that his decampment was due to the crisis within the PDP.
He said contrary to the deposition of the plaintiffs, the lingering unresolved internal and external crisis both at the national level and in his constituency is the reason for his defection from the party to APC.
Gummi said the crisis degenerated into a situation where he could no longer represent his constituents properly and ensure that they all benefit from shared distribution of the dividends of democracy within the bounds of law, and without undue interference from anyone or anything.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Egwuatu granted all the plaintiffs’ reliefs.
The judge condemned the attitude of some politicians who see defection as a normal culture.
“Before I take my fingers off the keyboard, let me just add that politicians should respect the wishes of the electorates that elected them into office.
“A situation where the electorates have made their choices between different political parties and their candidates based on the manifestos and marketability of such a political party, it is legally and morally wrong for such a politician to abandon the party under which platform he or she was elected into office and move to a rival party without relinquishing the mandate of his or her former party.
“If a person must decamp, don’t decamp with the mandate of the electorates.
“Don’t transfer the votes garnered on the platform of one party to another party.
“A politician has no such rights to transfer votes of a political party to another political party.
“The law must punish such moves by taking away the benefits bestowed upon the decampee politician by the electorates.
“And that is what Section 68 (1) (g) of the Constitution has done.
“Political prostitution must not be rewarded.
“In total, I resolve all the issues in favour of the plaintiffs and against the defendants,” Justice Egwuatu said.
The judge, therefore, ordered that Gummi, having defected from PDP to APC “before the expiration of the period the House was elected, automatically loses his seat as member of the House of Representatives.
He made an order restraining Gummi from further receiving monies as salaries, allowances or howsoever called in his capacity as member representing the constituency.
He also made an order directing the lawmaker to refund to the Federal Government all monies collected as salaries, allowances or howsoever called as member representing the constituency from Oct. 30, 2024 to the date of judgment.
“An order is made directing that the evidence of the refund of all monies collected as salaries, allowances or howsoever called be filed in the registry of this court within 30 days of the judgment of this court,” he said.
Justice Egwuatu consequently awarded a fine of N500, 000 in favour of the plaintiffs and against the defendants.
