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Tag: Baraje

  • Odigie joins Baraje in Enyimba

    Odigie joins Baraje in Enyimba

    After weeks of speculations, two-time CAF Champions League winners, Enyimba have finally confirmed the names of coaches that would make up their technical crew for next season.

    Chairman of the Aba Elephants, Felix Anyansi Agwu told SportingLife from his base in Aba yesterday that after a marathon meeting which lasted for two days, the management eventually settled for the immediate past coach of El Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri, Zachary Baraje.

    “I’m happy to tell you that we have named Baraje as the new head coach of Enyimba for next season,” Anyansi began in the telephone interview. “We considered his pedigree in the Premier League and what he was able to achieve last season with a modest El Kanemi side to hand him the job.

    “Our aspirations for next season are huge because we intend to do well in both domestic and continental championships that we would participate in. We hope the new coach would do his best to sustain the tradition of Enyimba,” he said.

    Also appointed into the technical crew of Enyimba was former Bayelsa United and Rangers chief coach, Monday Odigie who officially would be at par with Imama Amapakabo as both of them hold the position of co-coaches.

  • Baraje to lead Enyimba

    Baraje to lead Enyimba

    Two-time African champions, Enyimba, are set to announce Zachary Baraje as their head coach for the 2013/14 season.

    Supersport.com has been informed that Baraje is now being considered and talks are nearing conclusion over personal terms with the coach. It is believed that the six-time Nigerian champions will unveil Baraje in a matter of days.

    Recently, Enyimba were said to be considering Dutchman Lodewijk De Kruif as one of their coaching options. But Baraje has now emerged as the man to take charge at the Aba club after the departure of Salisu Yusuf.

    “Zachary Baraje should be announced as head coach of Enyimba this week or next week barring any last minute hitch in agreement between him and the club,” hinted an official of the Aba club on Tuesday.

    Coincidentally, Yusuf has joined El-Kanemi Warriors, the club which Baraje managed last season and led to a fourth-place finish in the league.

    Enyimba have been forced into the market to hire a new manager after Yusuf and Paul Aigbogun left for El-Kanemi Warriors and Warri Wolves respectively.

    Currently, Imama Amapakabo is in charge of the first-team at Enyimba. The People’s Elephant will compete on three fronts in the CAF Champions League, the Glo Premier League and the Federation Cup next season.

  • PDP expels Baraje, Oyinlola, Jaja

    PDP expels Baraje, Oyinlola, Jaja

    The National Disciplinary Committee set up by the Bamanga Tukur-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has recommended the expulsion of Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Dr. Sam Sam Jaja.

    They were suspended on November 11 for what the party’s leadership described as anti-party activities.

    Baraje was the national chairman of the New PDP. Jaja was his deputy. Oyinlola was the national secretary. However, Oyinlola said he remained the national secretary of the ruling party.

    Oyinlola has been at war with the leadership of the PDP over failure to reinstate him as national secretary.

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja had, on November 6, ordered the PDP to reinstate Oyinlola as the national secretary. The party suspended him, instead.

    Announcing the committee’s recommendation yesterday, the deputy chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, pronounced Baraje, Oyinlola and Jaja guilty – as charged.

    Babatope, who spoke on behalf of the committee, however, said the case of Senator Ibrahim Kazaure, who was also suspended alongside the trio, had been deferred for one month.

    According to him, Kazaure would still have to appear before the committee on December 10 to clarify certain issues relating to his case. The committee extended his suspension by 30 days.

    Babatope, who initially declared that the party chieftains stand expelled, later said the recommendation was subject to ratification by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

    Babatope said: “We have examined all the charges very meticulously and very critically and we have arrived at this conclusion that we are passing on to the National Working Committee.

    “Three of them have been found guilty of charges brought against them. They are Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, and Sam Sam Jaja.

    “We have recommended to the NWC that they should be expelled immediately from the party. “

    Asked whether the committee gave the expelled party chieftains fair hearing, Babatope responded in the affirmative.

    He said: “We met last week; we gave them seven days to appear.They were duly informed and so if some people say our action is premeditated, fine. But all we know is that this committee is composed of men and a woman of integrity.”

    Reacting yesterday, Oyinlola maintained that he remained the national secretary of the PDP and that his expulsion cannot stand.

    A statement issued in Abuja and signed by his Principal Secretary, Femi Adelegan, insisted that Oyinlola remained the National Secretary of the PDP and would continue to lay claim to his legal and valid status as the National Secretary of the party.

    The statement added: “Oyinlola is deeply encouraged by the demonstration of solidarity by well-meaning Nigerians, locally and abroad; who have continued to call to commend him for his indomitable spirit, endurance, courage and the dutiful manner with which he has continued to respond to the political problems of the PDP.”

    He denied joining the APC although he was at the meeting on TUesday that preceeded the announcement of the defection of five governors to the APC.

  • PDP expels Baraje, Oyinlola, Jaja

    PDP expels Baraje, Oyinlola, Jaja

    The National Disciplinary Committee set up by the leadership of the Bamanga Tukur led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has recommended the expulsion of Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Dr. Sam Sam Jaja.

    They were suspended on November 11 for what the leadership of the party described as anti -party activities. Baraje was the national chairman of the New PDP while Jaja was his deputy. Oyinlola was the national secretary of the Baraje faction.

    He, however, said he remained the national secretary of the ruling party. Oyinlola has been at war with the leadership of the PDP over the latter’s failure to reinstate him as the party’s national secretary.

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja had on November 6, ordered the PDP to reinstate him as the national secretary of the party. The party suspended him instead.

    Announcing the committee’s recommendation on Wednesday, Deputy Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, pronounced Baraje, Oyinlola and Jaja guilty as charged.

    Babatope, who spoke on behalf of the committee however said the case of Senator Ibrahim Kazaure who was also suspended alongside the trio, had been deferred for one month. According to him, Kazaure would still have to appear before the committee on December 10 to clarify certain issues relating to his case.

    The committee therefore extended his suspension by 30 days. But in a reaction yesterday, Oyinlola maintained that he remained the national secretary of the PDP and that his expulsion cannot stand.

  • Oyinlola, Baraje, others won’t appear before Dikko panel, says New PDP

    Oyinlola, Baraje, others won’t appear before Dikko panel, says New PDP

    Suspended chieftains of the New Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not honour any invitation to appear before the Umaru Dikko-led National Disciplinary Committee, the faction said yesterday.

    The suspended chieftains are the New PDP’s National Nhairman, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje; its National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinloa; Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja and the Vice Chairman (Northeast), Senator Ibrahim Kazaure.

    In a statement yesterday by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Chuckwuemeka Eze, the party described the Dikko committee as an illegal contraption alien to the PDP and its members.

    It said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the New PDP wishes to state unequivocally that neither the aforesaid leaders nor any other New PDP member for that matter will appear before the Dikko Committee, either on next Wednesday, November 27, or at any other date for that matter.

    “The PDP constitution does not recognise the existence of the so-called Dikko Committee, as due process was not followed in its establishment. Besides, the fact that the committee, if at all it exists, did not have the courtesy to directly invite the accused to appear before it, strips it of any seriousness.

    “As clearly spelt out in the PDP constitution, the Disciplinary Committee can only be operational when the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP sits and approves it.

    “In the absence of any such approval by the PDP NEC, whatever function the committee is deemed to be performing is null and void.

    “In other words, asking the four chieftains to appear before the Dikko Committee is an insult and an attempt to pass through the back door to confer undeserved creditability on this illegal contraption.”

    The faction regretted that the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, had reduced the party to a level where due process was alien to its operations.

    Eze said the faction learnt of the invitation through the media.

    He wondered why the quartet, who had contributed to the growth of the PDP, could be summoned through the pages of the newspapers.

    The statement added: “We challenge the Dikko Committee to prove its seriousness by starting with the trial of Tukur and his cohorts for anti-party activities, as displayed during last weekend’s governorship election in Anambara State.

    “Instead of supporting the PDP, Tukur and his cohorts aligned with the APGA candidate, Chief Willie Obiano, thereby making a mockery of the efforts of the PDP candidate, Comrade Tony Nwoye.

    “Tukur and his promoters, by the Anambra election, have demonstrated enough disdain and hatred for the progress of the PDP as a party and this is unfortunate and sad.

    “According to facts, this was done for APGA to adopt President Jonathan as its presidential flag-bearer in 2015.

    “The committee should investigate this show of shame and discipline Tukur and those involved in this wicked act against a party, which they are in a hurry to destroy, even when they cannot tell the story of how it was formed.

    “Sadly, the loss of Anambra adds to the woes of the PDP under Tukur’s watch. Before now, the party had also lost Edo State and five of the six Southwest states as well as some states in the North.”

    While restating its respect for Dikko, the faction expressed sadness that he could accept such an “unholy task.”

    Tukur, the faction maintained, gave the appointment in appreciation of Dikko’s role in ensuring that he secured the governorship ticket of the old Gongola State in 1979 on the platform of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

  • Suspension of Baraje, Oyinlola, others done in bad taste – Saraki

    Suspension of Baraje, Oyinlola, others done in bad taste – Saraki

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday asked the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to review the suspension of former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Onyinlola, former acting national chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja and Ambassador Ibrahim Kazaure from the party.

    Saraki, who fielded questions from journalists in Abuja, said the suspension slammed on Baraje, Onyinlola, Jaja and Kazaure was done in bad taste.

    He noted that the action of the party had further united the G-7 governors and widened the crisis in the party.

    The former Kwara State Governor added that the court ruling that brought Oyinlola back to the party as national secretary was an opportunity for reconciliation in the party.

    He noted that the opportunity of reconciliation offered by the court ruling on Oyinlola had been lost through the action of the party.

    The suspension, he said, will not help the PDP in its effort to resolve the lingering crisis in the party.

    He said, “We woke up to read in the papers today that some key members of a faction in the PDP had been suspended. PDP as a ruling party, 14 years of democracy, I believe it’s unfortunate.

    “It is a means of circumventing the ruling of the court. We should not take the issue of the rule of law with levity. Since a court had ruled that Oyinlola should resume as Secretary of the party, PDP should comply with the judgment of the court.

    “These are some of the issues that some of us are angry about. The PDP will be there, long after Oyinlola, long after everybody. We should protect the institution.

    “We can’t win always. We would win some, we would lose some. By doing this now, how are we going to help the reconciliation? It will surely not help reconciliation. Some of us thought it was a golden opportunity to begin to reconcile.

    “I think the party should review its action and give peace a chance because to suspend key members of a faction and still expect the aggrieved governors to be sympathetic to the cause of the party and be attending their meetings will be difficult and would not help the party.

    “Apart from the issue of reconciliation, this cannot help our democracy. The party is an institution that we are all holding in trust. We must all protect that institution not by being emotional or by expressing sentiments.

    “ The process sometimes could work in your favour, sometimes it may not. The executive there now will not be there forever. It is very sad because some of us have continued fight how we can bring peace to the party. All these things being done behind the scene, we should give peace a chance.”

     

  • G-7 governors: no stopping us

    G-7 governors: no stopping us

    •Progressive governors, PDM, Atiku slam police

    The Group of Seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors and the Baraje faction of the ruling party yesterday declared that their activities cannot be stopped in spite of the harassment they are suffering.

    On Sunday night, their meeting proposed for the Sokoto State Governor’s Lodge was stopped by the police.

    But in a communiqué released yesterday, they claimed to have held the meeting at an undisclosed location, using the Sokoto Governor’s Lodge as a decoy.

    According to the resolutions of the meeting released by the Baraje PDP’s Publicity Secretary Chukwuemeka Eze, those in attendance were: Governors Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano); Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); former governors Adamu Aliero (Kebbi State); Bukola Saraki (Kwara State); Danjuma Goje (Gombe State); and Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa State).

    Others included the factional National Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje; Deputy Chairman Sam Sam Jaja; National Secretary Olagunsoye Oyinlola; and Vice-Chairman, North-West, Ibrahim Kazuare, among others.

    The statement added that the excuse by Governors Abdufatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Babangida Aliyu (Niger) to be absent from the meeting was tabled and accepted.

    The resolutions included: commendation for the Kawu Baraje-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party for exhibiting quality and purposeful leadership as opposed to “the draconian style of leadership being exhibited by the Bamanga Tukur faction of the party.”

    The enlargement of the Mobilisation/Contact Committee to include more governors and ex-governors.

    To explore other options available to the party “should the dialogue with President Jonathan fail to yield any positive result for its future political activity as the vision and mission of the party cannot be derailed by any force or group of people no matter the ploys and plots.”

    The Committee is expected “to liaise with the five other PDP governors and other leaders that have indicated interest to join the group and to submit their report during the next meeting of the caucus that will hold in a week’s time to ascertain how these distinguished new members would be received by the party.”

    The meeting also set up a Fund/Finance Committee mandated to source for extra funds to run the party.

    “The meeting reviewed all our Court cases so far and counselled the legal team to ensure that our water-tight cases are professionally handled and commended the team for filling the notice of appeal and also seeking an injunction and a stay of execution of Justice Chukwu’s ruling against us some days ago before the Federal High Court, Abuja.”

    The meeting expressed regret that its members have been unfairly treated and humiliated by the Tukur-led PDP.

    It called for the lifting of the ban on Rivers State Governor Rotime Amaechi and his recognition as the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum by the President.

    It fixed the group’s next meeting for next week.

    Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday described as an attack on the constitution, the police stoppage of the Group of seven (G7) Peoples Democratic Party governors and the Baraje faction meeting in Abuja on Sunday.

    The Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also criticised the action.

    In separate statements yesterday, they warned against a return to harassment of citizens by the police in a democratic set up.

    The progressive governors said: “In what is clearly an attack on Nigerians’ Constitutionally guaranteed rights of association and freedom of movement, the Federal Government yesterday, 27th October 2013, illegally used the coercive arm of the state – the Nigeria police to storm and forcibly dislodge seven governors as well as other citizens from the Sokoto Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.

    “From a government that purports to obey the rule of law, the disruption of a peaceful meeting by the police is not only crude, condemnable and unwarranted, but is a reflection of government’s growing intolerance and an affront on the democratic rights of Nigerians.

    “Particularly disturbing and worthy of note is that if seven governors, all of whom are constitutionally-guaranteed immunity from prosecution can be manhandled in such a brutal manner, what would be the fate of ordinary citizens who seek to exercise their rights to freedom association?

    “It is evident that the federal government is unlawfully using the police for its illegal and nefarious activities for the purpose of intimidation aimed at imposing the BamangaTukur-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on other party members and Nigerians.

    “The Progressive Governors Forum finds it unacceptable that Police have been reduced to partisan agents and attack dogs that only serve a part of a political party when the levels of insecurity in the country are so high. It is reckless to take partisan contest to levels of warfare as the federal government has done because this would only weaken the capacity of security operatives in responding to real security challenges. “

    The PDM also rose in defence of the embattled G-7 governors.

    In a statement by its national chairman Mallam Bashir Ibrahim, the PDM accused President Goodluck Jonathan of reckless use of state machinery against members of the opposition.

    Mallam Ibrahim’s statement, signed by spokesman of the PDM, Alaba Yusuf, described the President’s action as “nothing but political witch-hunting and shameless display of intolerance”.

    The reaction is coming on the heels of defiance by members of the Baraje faction to continue to win more members to the faction, regardless of the threat to their personal safety. A scheduled meeting of the G-7 governors and members of the faction was aborted Sunday night by armed policemen.

    The PDM said “President Jonathan should spend his energy fighting the rot inside his party and government. Let him deploy his uncommon zeal in dealing with the opposition to fighting the monumental level of corruption in which his favourite ministers are involved.

    “Let him cleanse the ministries of Petroleum, Aviation, Niger Delta and Defense of corruption and stop industrial-scale oil theft in the creeks. Then we will know he is serious about solving Nigeria’s problems. Jonathan should stop chasing shadows and overheating the polity.

    “It is no longer news the grave intimidation and harassment being dished out to the G-7. The precarious political situation in Rivers and Adamawa States where constituted political structures are daily being undermined or completely usurped is also unacceptable.

    “We call on President Jonathan to stop this fascism.

    Atiku criticised the police and the Federal Government for breaching constitutionally guaranteed rights of citizens who share contrary political views by assaulting their rights to freedom of association and assembly.

    According to him, the democratic liberties of citizens are more important than individual political ambitions.

    He deplored the incessant harassment and humiliation of political opponents insisting that it is indefensible.

    The former Vice President maintained that freedom of association and assembly are constitutional guarantees, which should not be violated at will by the any government.

    The Turaki Adamawa argued that these constitutional guarantees are superior to party politics.

    “I am alarmed at the level of impunity with which the Police are frequently breaching the rights of Nigerian citizens to association,” the former Vice President noted.

  • Baraje PDP secretariat for demolition

    The secretariat of the Kawu Baraje–led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is to be demolished having been marked by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

    The building located at Number 4, Oyi River Crescent, l Maitama District, was sealed off almost immediately after it emerged that the faction would use the place.

    They subsequently moved their activities to the Adamawa State Lodge along Katsina Ala Street in Maitama District of Abuja.

    That place was also was sealed off, with the FCTA claiming that the area is not for commercial activities.

    The FCTA’s inscription on red ink was visible on the wall and gate of the building but there is less security unlike when the place was sealed off.

    The National Publicity Secretary of the Abubakar Baraje faction, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze confirmed to our correspondent on the telephone last night that the faction was aware of the move to demolish the property.

    Eze said: ”We are aware of it. Nigerians should prepare for the worst because we have cried out enough. They are telling us that we are not entitled to own property in our own fatherland. They want to prove to the world that they are more Nigerians than the rest of us.

    “This is a property with all the necessary documents duly certified by the approving authority. They were calling us names when we cried out that these people never meant well for the country and its people.

    “ Now they have left no one in doubt that they are intolerant of opposing views. Nigerians can now see what we meant when we said that these people are no democrats. We certainly need prayers at this point in our nation’s history. We are pleading with the Nigerian people to be praying for us. We need serious prayers”.

     

  • Tukur, Baraje in war of words

    Tukur, Baraje in war of words

    The ruling by a Federal High Court, Abuja affirming Alhaji Bamanga Tukur’s leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sparked a fresh row between the Tukur and the Abubakar Baraje factions.

    In separate statements shortly after the judgment was delivered, the two factions renewed their media war.

    Reacting to the judgment, the National Publicity Secretary of the Tukur-led PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said henceforth, any group or persons parading themselves as leaders of a faction of the PDP would be treated as impostors and criminals.

    But the Baraje faction responded by saying that despite the judgment, it has every right to continue using the PDP flag, symbol and colours as bonafide members of the party.

    In a statement shortly after the ruling, Metuh said: “Henceforth, the leadership of the PDP will no longer tolerate or condone any meeting, utterances, press statements and/or activities whatsoever under the name, flag and colour of the PDP by any unauthorised person or group(s) under any guise.

    “As a law abiding party, the PDP remained calm in the face of the unwarranted attacks of the last few months. Our leaders chose the path of caution and decorum but our reconciliatory moves and offer of olive branch were treated with the highest disdain and viewed as signs of weakness.

    “The National Working Committee has therefore directed that the name, colour, flag and the provisions of the constitution of our party must be held sacrosanct by our members.”

    In his own statement, the National Publicity Secretary of the Baraje faction, Chukwuemeka Eze, vowed that the faction would pursue its case against Tukur up to the Supreme Court.

    Eze said: “Let us reiterate that we will see this issue to a logical conclusion, including going to the Supreme Court, if necessary, to ensure that a non-member of our party does not continue to lord it over us as our national chairman.

    “Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and his loyalists should therefore, not celebrate yet as any such celebration would be short-lived, as we are more than ever determined to show him the way out of the exalted position he is illegally occupying.”

    Metuh reflected that the challenges the Tukur-led PDP faced in the last few months, instead of detracting the party, had better positioned it to continue to win elections at all levels in the country.

    He reminded the factional members that the PDP has adequate internal mechanism for resolution of disagreements and advised them to channel their grievances to the appropriate organs of the party.

  • Sallah: PDP factions, Atiku, urge sacrifice, accountability

    Sallah: PDP factions, Atiku, urge sacrifice, accountability

    The Bamanga Tukur led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Nigerians to take advantage of this year’s Eid El Kabir festival to ensure total reconciliation and rededication to the ideals of sacrifice, patriotism and total submission to the will of God.

    Similarly, the Abubakar Baraje led faction also urged Nigerians to pause and reflect on the significance of the festive period, which highlights the need for sacrifice and the benefits thereof.

    In a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of Tukur’s PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, on Monday, the party urged Nigerians to always be guided by the lessons of the Eid El Kabir which emphaises selfless service, obedience to constituted authority and love for one another.

    Metuh said: “The lessons of this great celebration are of critical importance to our dear country at this moment in our political evolution. Nigeria will be a greater country if all citizens imbibe the culture of sacrifice, selfless service and support to constituted authority especially the current transformational efforts of the Federal Government.”

    He called on Nigerians to remain their brothers’ keepers and remember the less privileged as they celebrate the feast of sacrifice. He urged Muslim clerics and faithful to pray for the peace and unity of the country.

    In a statement issued by the spokesman of the Baraje faction, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, the party called on those in political authority to imbibe the culture of sacrifice.

    The party called for divine intervention in the affairs of the country, “which explains why our party chieftains led by our National Chairman, Alhaji Baraje went to the Holy land for this year’s pilgrimage, for the opportunity to pray for our troubled country.

    “We are confident that with prayers and the needed sacrifices, Allah will show us mercy and intervene to solve our current economic and political challenges”, Eze stated.

    On his part, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar observed that accountability and a sense of inter-personal love are two important values that Nigerians must continue to uphold.

    In a statement by his media office, Atiku said only accountability could ensure the freeing of government resources for development to end joblessness, insecurity and pervasive economic hardship being faced by Nigerians.