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Tag: Chief Edozie Njoku

  • NRM protests INEC’s failure to recognise Njoku-led NEC

    NRM protests INEC’s failure to recognise Njoku-led NEC

    The leadership of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) has expressed displeasure over the alleged refusal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Chief Edozie Njoku-led National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.

    In a protest letter by the party’s lawyer, Joe Agi (SAN) to INEC’s Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, NRM said Njoku and other members of its NEC were elected on January 17, 2025, at the emergency national convention of the party held in Abuja. 

    It added that since the emergence of Chief Njoku as National Chairman of NRM, INEC and its Chairman have allegedly refused to recognise him and the NEC members as leaders of the party despite a subsisting order of the Federal High Court, during INEC to recognise them.

    On January 16 Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja issued an order mandating INEC to “monitor and accept” the outcome of NRM’s emergency convention held on January 17.

    Following delay by INEC to recognise the leadership that emerged from the January 17 convention, the NRM went back to court and, on March 5, Justice Obiora Egwuatu issued an order of mandamus, compelling INEC and its Chairman to recognise the Chief Njoku-led NEC of the party.

    Speaking in Abuja on Thursday Njoku said he is hopeful that INEC will comply with a subsisting order of a court of competent jurisdiction and accord the necessary recognition to the NRam’s NEC that emerged from the party’s January 17 convention.

     Njoku said: “INEC is in direct disobedience of the subsisting orders of the court against which it did not utilise the 90-day window to appeal both the ex parte order and judgement as stipulated by law. 

    “Pertinently, the commission was a party to the suit and was duly represented in every proceeding leading to the judgment.

    “We have written to INEC and forwarded the court’s orders to it, hoping it will act accordingly,” Njoku said.

    In the letter, dated June 4, NRM stated that “it is abundantly clear that the orders of the Court were very explicit: to monitor and accept the outcome of the said Convention. 

    “The commission, for reasons best known to them, refused neither to monitor the convention of January 17, 2025, nor accept the outcome of the Ememergency national convention. 

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    “Going forward, INEC did not take up their option to appeal, either the order of January 16, 2025, or the judgment of March 5, 2025, up until now that their 90 days period of appeal has elapsed.

    “We have laboured to cite the above relevant judgments of our courts and to also notify you that we have commenced a contempt proceeding against you. 

    “We urge you to obey the judgment of the court and purge yourself of this contemptuous act.

    “Should you fail, we shall not hesitate to urge the court to commit you to prison in line with the rule of law. A stitch in time, saves nine.” 

  • Northern caucus pledges support for Njoku’s leadership of NRM

    Northern caucus pledges support for Njoku’s leadership of NRM

    The Northern caucus of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) has pledged its support for the leadership of party under Chief Edozie Njoku.

    Members of the caucus, led by Comrade Iliyasu Adamu, expressed delight about Njoku’s emergence as the party’s new National Chairman and promised to do all within their power to ensure his success.

    At a press conference in Abuja, leaders of the caucus from the 19 northern states, including Chairmen, Secretaries, members of the National Working Committee (NWC) said they resolved to back Njoku. 

    The party members said they took the decision after reviewing “the unnecessary and avoidable dissentions arising from the just concluded national emergency convention of NRM held on January 17.

    A communique issued at the end of the Northern Cacus meeting, endorsed by 17 party officials, said the emergency national convention was properly convened in line with the Constitution of the Party.  

    Adamu, who read the communique, explained that “the emergency national convention became necessary to address the lopsidedness in the composition of the then National Management Committee (NMC), which has been amended to National Working Committee (NWC), in the new Constitution at the emergency national convention held on January 17, 2025”. 

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    “That we unanimously passed a vote of confidence on the person of the National Chairman of NRM, Chief Edozie Njoku, and the leadership of our great Party. 

    “The emergency national convention was also convened to address the stepping down of the then National Chairman of the Party, Ambassador Isaac C. Udeh. 

    “We wholeheartedly accept the outcome of the emergency national convention under the leadership of Chief Edozie Njoku, the National Chairman of NRM. 

    “That we urge all members of our great party to rally around the Party’s new leadership for greater exploits.

    “That we support the President of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in his administration’s efforts to reposition the Local Government system, which will enthrone developments at the grassroots” the Northern Caucus of NRM stated in the communique. 

  • Ex-APGA chair Njoku pledges to lift NRM

    Ex-APGA chair Njoku pledges to lift NRM

    The former national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Edozie Njoku formally assumed office on Tuesday as the national chairman of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) with a pledge to uplift the party.

    Edozie gave the pledge at the inauguration of the party’s enlarged Executive Committee (EXCO), which members were elected at the NRM’s emergency national convention held in Abuja on January 17.

    During the event, held at the party’s secretariat in Abuja, the immediate past National Chairman, Ambassador Isaac Udeh formally stepped down, handed the party’s flag and other paraphernalia of office to Edozie, while the national legal Adviser, Oladimeji Ekengba administered the oath of office on him (Edozie).

    Edozie commended Ambassador Udeh for his sacrifice of electing to yield the party’s chairmanship to him, noting that the gesture was a challenge to him and his team to positively impact the fortune of the party.

    “Today, a bigger platform has been delivered to us. Today is not a day of speech making, but a day of celebration,” He was optimistic that himself and his team would be able to deliver on what is expected of them.

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    Edozie promised to improve on the party’s membership and reposition it to broaden its scope and make it attractive to be able to win elections across the country.

    Speaking before formally stepping down, Ambassador Udeh said the NRM leadership and members will, in the next few months, realise the reason for his decision.

    He added: “We should all know that the interest of the party supercedes any individual’s interest. 

    “That is why I chose to pay that price and made that sacrifice to ensure that this party is repositioned to attain the height that is required of it to win elections in this country.”

    He said the desire to broaden the impact of the party informed why he chose to accept the lower position of the National Organising Secretary of the party to ensure the actualisation of the dreams of the party’s stakeholders.

    Ambassador Udeh told party members that he elected to step down and yield the leadership seat to Edozie as a sacrifice for the growth of the party.

  • JUST IN: APGA’s ex-chair Njoku emerges NRM’s national chairman 

    JUST IN: APGA’s ex-chair Njoku emerges NRM’s national chairman 

    The former national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Edozie Njoku on Friday emerged as the new national chairman of the National Rescue Movement (NRM).

    Njoku was chosen as NRM’s national chairman at an emergency national convention of the party held in Abuja and which was duly monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    His emergency followed the decision of the party’s former national chairman, Ambassador Isaac Udeh, to step down. 

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    Ambassador Udeh is now the party’s national organising secretary.

    Members of the party were in agreement that Njoku be allowed to lead the NRM due to his wealth of experience and leadership capabilities.

    Upon being declared as the national chairman, Njoku thanked Ambassador Udeh for his huge sacrifice and promised to revamp and reposition the party for future elections, beginning with the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State.

    Details shortly…