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Tag: Daniel Nwafor

  • Court insists on Imo APC Exco’s legitimacy

    *To hear motion for Oshiomhole’s committal

    A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Bwari, Abuja has insisted that its judgment and orders affirming the legitimacy of the Executive of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State, led by Daniel Nwafor, remain in force.

    Justice Othman Musa made the clarification on Monday at the resumed hearing in post-judgment proceedings initiated by the national office of the APC, its National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole and Nwafor.

    The court had in a judgment delivered on August 14, 2018 upheld the legitimacy of the Nwafor-led Executive of the APC in Imo State and forbade the dissolution of the state EXCO.

    After the judgment, Nwafor filed an application, seeking Oshiomhole’s committal to prison, on the grounds that he allegedly moved to dissolve the Nwafor-led state EXCO, in violation of the August 14, 2018 judgment.

    Oshiomhole and the APC equally filed an application, challenging the validity of the judgment, which they argued, was delivered without jurisdiction. They also filed a counter-affidavit to the application by Nwafor.

    On Monday, Damian Dodo (SAN), representing the APC and Oshiomhole urged the court to, first hear and determine his clients’ motion, challenging the court’s jurisdiction and the validity of the judgment.

    Nwafor’s lawyer, Chidozie Ogunji objected and urged the court to first, hear his client’s application for the committal of the APC’s National Chairman to prison, before hearing any other application.

    Ogunji argued that it was wrong for Dodo to asked the court to hear his (Dodo’s) application, challenging jurisdiction before taking the contempt proceedings.

    He contended that a court of law has a duty to protect its proceedings and processes from invasion.

    Ogunji added that up and until the court deals with the issue of contempt, which is an affront on the court, the issue of jurisdiction, in whatever manner, it is raised, is inconsequential.

    He stressed: “This is so, because, by the court dealing with the affront on it, the court is and will be protecting it’s jurisdiction.

    “Today, the party sought to be committed, is not in court. And, whether the said party is challenging the jurisdiction of the court or not, once it is a contempt proceedings, the defendant must be in court.

    “We do not intend, for now, to apply that a bench warrant be issued. But we ask that the court makes an order that the party sought to be committed, (Oshiomhole) attends court on the next date, so that there will not be a continuous show of disrespect to this court.”

    Dodo, in his reply on point of law, faulted Ogunji’s argument and urged the court to first, consider the challenge to its jurisdiction, before conducting any other business.

    He argued that the orders and judgment being challenged by his clients were allegedly got without their knowledge.

    Dodo added that the position of the law is that, where a party is challenging the validity of an order or judgment, that person cannot be proceeded against, by way of contempt proceedings until the question about the jurisdiction of the court is resolved.

    On Ogunji’s claim that Oshiomhole disrespected the court by being absent, Dodo argued that the APC National Chairman has shown respect for the court by retaining a lawyer to canvass legal argument, on his behalf, before the court on whether or not the court has jurisdiction.

    Dodo argued that, until the issue of jurisdiction was resolved, Oshiomhole’s presence in court was still unnecessary.

    Ruling, Justice Othman agreed with Dodo that, though the court must protect its dignity and proceedings, it was necessary that it first, resolve questions about its jurisdiction when raised, before conducting further proceedings.

    The judge consequently elected to first hear the applications by the APC and its National Chairman, on the issue of jurisdiction, before hearing Nwafor’s application for committal.

    He, however, insisted that the court’s judgment of August 14, 2018 and the consequent orders made, remain in force until the question about the validity of the judgment and orders was resolved.

    Justice Musa adjourned to March 20 this year for the hearing of the application by the APC and its National Chairman.

  • Breaking: Imo APC expels Uzodinma

    The Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ), on Thursday, expelled its governorship candidate, Senator Hope Uzodinma over alleged anti-party activities.

    The state Chairman of the party, Hon Daniel Nwafor, who announced the expulsion during a media briefing at the party’s secretariat, said that the action became necessary to save the party from disintegration.

    According to him, it has been established that the APC governorship candidate is sponsoring opposition candidates against the party’s candidates in the state, adding that such action is capable of ruining the chances of the APC in the elections.

    “Senator Hope has been sponsoring the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Senatorial candidate, Senator Osita Izunaso as against the APC Senatorial candidate in Imo West, Governor Rochas Okorocha, he has also been running parallel Exco in his Omuma Ward and issuing party cards without recourse to party Exco”, Nwafor alleges.

    Read Also: APC enraged over PDP’s N388m U.S. lobbying deal

    A statement jointly signed by the Chairman (Daniel Nwafor) and the Secretary, Hon Obioma Ireagwu, reads “this is to inform you that the All Progressives Congress (APC) Omuma Ward of Oru East Local Government Area in Imo State has expelled Senator Hope Uzodinma from the party due to certain inordinate and anti-party activities perpetrated by him and his cohorts.

    “The Imo State Working Committee (SWC) of our great party has examined the processes and procedures of the sanction on Senator Hope Uzodinma by his Ward as affirmed by the Local Government organ of the party in Oru East. Conclusively, the State Working Committee satisfied with the procedures and decision of Omuma Ward, hereby affirm the expulsion order as well”.

    Further justifying the expulsion, Nwafor submitted that “we are saving the party, we have an election in three weeks time and we cannot allow our governorship candidate to be sponsoring opposition candidates. We will no longer recognize Senator Hope Uzodinma as our governorship candidate because he is no longer a member of our party”.

    He continued that, “we will not allow one candidate to jeopardize the chances of our other candidates who are vying for various positions across the state. We have communicated the National Working Committee of our party on our decision and we have also instructed all APC members in the state not to have anything to do with Senator Hope Uzodinma and his ambition forthwith”.

  • Imo APC inaugurates State, LG Executives

    …party to embark on membership revalidation

    The Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has formerly inaugurated the state, Local Government and Ward Executives of the party with a call for massive membership drive across the state.

    The State Chairman, Daniel Nwafor who was inaugurated in Abuja, Tuesday, by the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomole, disclosed that the party will immediately commence membership revalidation.

    Newly elected State chairman of the party, Daniel Nwafor disclosed this on Wednesday during the swearing – in of the state executive officers, Local Government and ward chairmen of the party in Owerri.

    Conducting the oath of office on the members of the State Working Committee, Nwafor, assured that none of the party Executives will be shut out in the scheme of things, adding that the priority of the party is to unite every aggrieved member.

    He further assured that the state chapter of the party will continue to the Oshiomole-led National Working Committee, stating that the State Working Committee will mobilize massively to ensure landslide victory for the party in the state.

    According to him “APC will do more, I assure all  LGA Exco members that nobody would be shut out, we would recognize one leader and that is our Governor, Rochas Okorocha, we also promise to support the leaders at the national level. We will help our party Chairman to win convincingly and we shall also support Buhari to return in 2019”.

    Read Also: Imo APC chieftain murdered

    He continued that,  “APC is the only party that can win election in 2019 because we would present the best candidates, we shall continue to recognize governor Okorocha as our leader until a new governor emerges, the storm is over this is a new dawn, APC will grow stronger and claim our deserved victory soon”.

    Meanwhile the Imo state governor has congratulated APC State Chairman, Daniel Nwafor over his successful swearing-in by the National Chairman of the Party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

    The governor in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, noted that “with the election of Mr. Nwafor at the State Congress of the Party and his subsequent swearing-in as the State Chairman of Imo APC, members of the Party, no doubt, have gotten an active Chairman considering what was obtainable in the Party in the past four years”.

    The governor also noted that “With Mr. Nwafor’s wealth of experience in administration and his feat in education, he is fully equipped and enviably prepared to offer Imo APC the kind of leadership that befits a ruling Party”.

    He charged Mr. Nwafor to “pursue with vigour his promise to party members on the day he was elected that he would be Chairman to all and would provide a level playing ground for all those with aspirations”.

    The governor equally advised Mr. Nwafor “to work harmoniously with other members of the State Executive Committee since they are all partners in Progress and to reposition the Party so that the ugly experience that associated with the past Exco could be forgotten”.

    Comrade Oshiomhole for, not only swearing-in Mr. Nwafor but for also working hard to inject new life into the Party, to the glory of God and to the delight of members across the nation.

  • Imo APC condemn assassination of party Chieftain

    …”we won’t tolerate political killings”

    The Imo State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC), has condemned in strong terms the gruesome murder of deato North Local Government Chairman of the party, Sunny Ejiagwu, by gunmenwho are suspected to be hired assassins.

    The party warned that it will not condone politically motivated killings in the state, while urging security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act and make them face the wrath of the law.

    Briefing newsmen, Friday, at the party’s Secretariat in Owerri, the newly elected state Chairman of the party, Mr Daniel Nwafor, described the killing as barbaric and unwarranted, adding that “the Imo political space has been peaceful and we must resist any attempt to introduce political killings in the State”.

    APC condemns such killing he suspected to have been politically motivated.

    Read Also: Gunmen assassinate Imo APC Chieftain

    According to Nwafor, “APC condemn such killing, this should not be happening when our party known for its peaceful existence and has been preaching peace , we cannot start to have political killings, politics should be played without bitterness, people should be allowed to join any party they wish to join because the Nigerian Constitution provides for freedom of association”.

    While narrating how the incident occurred, Nwafor said that the gunmen had trailed the victim from Owerri where he attended a meeting of the party on Thursday to Akokwa, his home town.

    Nwafor narrated that, “the victim after noticing he was being trailed increased the speed of his vehicle but unfortunately, his assailants caught up with him, double crossed him as he fell into a gutter in the process, leaving the gunmen little effort to shoot him at close range and he died immediately on the spot.

    “Ejiagwu was with us in APC meeting with us on Thursday, after the meeting he complained to us how volatile his local government was, only for us to hear today that he has been murdered . It is normal for people to disagree in politics but to degenerate to this level is highly condemnable”.

    “We call on the IG of police and other security agencies , all culprits must be brought to book , we can’t afford to play this kind of politics in Imo, this has not existed for a long time, we would not tolerate it”, Nwafor stressed.

    When contacted, the state Police Public Relation Officer(PPRO) Andrew Enwerem confirmed the incident but promised to call back for details.