The Nation Newspaper

Tag: chairman

  • We will appeal judgment, says ousted chairman

    The sacked Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rivers State chapter, Chief Godspower Ake, yesterday spoke of a plan to appeal the sack of his committee by an Abuja High Court on Monday.

    He also expressed optimism that members of the PDP in Rivers State would come out of the crisis stronger and more united.

    Ake, who is also a former National Vice Chairman, Southsouth of the PDP, spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, through the party’s Publicity Secretary, George Ukwuoma-Nwogba.

    The Ake-led executive, which enjoys the backing of Governor Rotimi Amaechi, was sacked on Monday by an Abuja High Court judge, Justice Ishaq Bello.

    The court gave recognition to the Felix Obuah–led executive, being supported by the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike.

    Obuah, who hails from Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local government Area, the political constituency of Rivers’ former Governor Dr. Peter Odili, approached the court to challenge the emergence of Ake, who was elected PDP chairman in February 2011, alleging that the elections of Ake and members of his executive were not democratically conducted.

    In the judgment, Justice Bello declared that his court had jurisdiction over the matter and adopted the affidavit of the Chairman of the PDP, Edo State chapter, Dan Orbih, who stated that the results being paraded by Ake did not emanate from the congress that he conducted in Rivers State.

    Justice Bello also overruled the video evidence to prove that Ake was the duly-elected chairman of PDP, through the congress.

    Ake, in his reaction to the judgment, said: “We should hold on and allow the full process of the law. We will appeal the judgment.

    “We strongly believe that at the end of the day, justice will be done and done properly. The PDP is one. We will come out of this stronger and more united as a family.”

    Amaechi, an Ikwerre from Ubima in Ikwerre Local Government Area, who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), stirred the hornet’s nest, when he declared that it would not be fair for his kinsmen to succeed him in 2015.

    The statement did not go down well with the minister of state for education, also an Ikwerre, from Rumuepirikom community, who intends to either run for governor or the Senator race in 2015. The ambition is said to have propelled him to lead the opposition within the ruling PDP in Rivers.

    Wike, according to sources, has the backing of President Goodluck Jonathan, who is believed to be uncomfortable with Amaechi’s leadership of the NGF.

     

  • PDP BoT fails to elect chairman

    PDP BoT fails to elect chairman

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT) last night failed to elect its chairman.

    At the end of a three-hour meeting at the banquet hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the board raised a six-member committee to review it membership which generated controversy at the meeting.

    Former Information Minister Prof Jerry Gana is chairman of the committee. Other members are: Alhaji Shettima Mustapha, Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shema, Senator Hope Uzodimma, Senator Stella Omu and fomer Deputy Nationa chairman Chief Olabode George. The committee was given three weeks to submit a report.

    The committee will determine the authentic members of the board. These will include those who are statutory members, the founding members and those elected for a period of time.

    Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada Chief Ojo Maduekwe spoke to reporters early today on the outcome of the meeting alongside Board’s Secretary, Senator Walid Jibrin, who was asked to continue in that position, Prof. Gana, and Presidential spokesman Dr. Reuben Abati.

    Maduekwe said the committee would align the membership of the board to ensure that the election is a model of internal democracy.

    He said the meeting did not discuss or endorse any of the twelve candidates.

    “The meeting did not come close to election, nomination or endorsement of any aspirant. There was no deadlock and no gridlock,” he said. He also denied the existence of major cracks in the PDP family.

    He however admitted some form of disagreements as a result of different interests.

    On the Adamawa crisis, Gana said the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) has set up a committee made up of President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, leaders of the National Assembly and some elders to resolve the crisis.

    Jibrin confirmed the 12 members who showed interest in the BoT chairmanship as: Dr Alex Ekwueme, Dr Ken Nnamani, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, Dr Amadu Ali, Chief Tony Anenih, Chief Emmanuel Iwuayanwu, Chief Don Etibet, Chief Yekeen Adeojo, Senator Onyeabor Obi, Chief Harry Akande and Chief Shuaibu Oyedokun.

    President Jonathan presided over the meeting which was attended by Vice President Sambo; President of the Senate David Mark and Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwwal.

    Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo was absent.

     

  • Sokoto NUJ: Dundaye re-elected chairman

    Labaran Lumo Dundaye of NTA Zonal Centre, Sokoto Chapel has been re-elected as the chairman of the Sokoto State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

    Dundaye scored 83 votes to defeat his opponent, Isah Abubakar Shuni of the state Ministry of Information who got 69 votes.

    Also, Abdallah El-Kurebe of the Correspondents’ chapel was elected as Secretary after defeating Abdulnasir Abubakar of the Rima Radio by 105 to 58 votes.

    Jabbi Illela Dabbore of NTA narrowly beat Gazali Muhammad of The Path newspaper by two votes to pick the position of Treasurer with 77 against 75 votes.

    Dundaye’s election broke the one term “jinx” that has long been in existence in the Council.

    The election had earlier suffered cancellation last September following a boycott by three chapels with subsequent support by two thirds majority from a fourth chapel out of six in the state on grounds of constitutional violation.

    In his victory speech, Dundaye assured members of his readiness to carry them along for the unity and stability of the union.