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Tag: defect

  • Fears in Mimiko’s camp as more aides, associates defect

    Fears in Mimiko’s camp as more aides, associates defect

    These are not good times for the political family of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State as more of his aides and close associates are not only defecting to the rival All Progressives Congress (APC) but are also making eye popping allegations against his government. Late this week, when four of his close associates left his camp, they said openly that his government has failed Ondo State people.

    The defectors included Senator Ayo Akinyelure (a.k.a All Over); Technical Aid Corps Director- General Pius Osunyikanmi; Mrs. Cecilia Ifayase and Kenneth Olawale a former Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly.

    Osunyikanmi, who has been described as a long time close associate of the governor, had this to say of Mimiko and his government: “He is a governor who has failed our people. He is a man who I have served for years but he has consistently broken his promises.”

    Ripples gathered that since then, all have not been well within the camp of the governor as no one seems to be sure which aide or associate will be the next to decamp.

  • PDP chairman, 14 others defect to APC in Akwa Ibom

    PDP chairman, 14 others defect to APC in Akwa Ibom

    The rank and file of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)  top political  heavyweights in Akwa Ibom State was decimated at the weekend. Fifteen of the heavyweights led by the former Chairman, Mr Ita Toyo, who was also the Chairman of thePDP Chairmen, decamped from the Party and embraced the All Progressive Congress ( APC). The occasion was the prayer summit and reception organised by the APC and the supporters of Umana Okon Umana, the APC governorship candidate in the April 11,2015 general elections.

    The defectors include: Senator Aloysius Etuk, Hon. Eseme Eyibo ( former PDP House of Representatives member), Chief Ita Toyo former PDP State Chairman and former Chairman of of PDP Chairmen, Hon. Ita Udosen, Hon Okon Osung, Hon Mike Etim, Dr. Friday Etuk, former Chairmen of Okobo, Itu, Uyo, Ibesikpo/Asutan, Eket, Okobo Local government areas and others.

    The party members and supporters of the Obong Umana estimated at over a hundred thousand people, from 31 local government areas trooped out to give a resounding welcome to a man they referred to as ‘Governor’ and ‘symbol of freedom’.

    The prayer meeting was held by the party to give back to God all the glory for His manifold blessings upon the Nation, the State, the Party, victory won so far by APC in the State and generally for God’s benevolence on the Akwa Ibom people.

    The only Bible reading for the prayer summit, taken from the Book of Psalm chapter  62 verses 1 to 12, was taken by Obong Umana while the opening and closing hymns were: ‘Oh God our help in ages past and Through the love of God our Saviour’.

    At a short exhortation, Pastor  Daniel K. Ebong, noted that God had already completed what He had started by ensuring the governorship election of April 16, 2015 was completely cancelled. He likened Umana’s case to that of the Biblical Moses who was divinely guided until he was finally used by God to accomplish the task of delivering the people of Israel from the powers of Egypt. He said the battle for the deliverance of Akwa Ibom has been fought and that God was about completing His work of deliverance using Obong Umana as He did for Israel using Moses.

    Prayer sessions were  held led by eminent servants of God.

    Umana, who started his speech with a song of praise, said God has given the Akwa Ibom people victory at the election tribunal and the Appeal Court. He also called for prayers for victory at the Supreme Court and called on the people to prepare to vote APC at the incoming governorship re-run to produce a governor of their choice and no longer an imposition.

    “The victories at both the Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, respectively on October 21, 2015 and December 18, 2015, were not just for me as a person. They were victories for the people of Akwa Ibom State.

    ‘As a people and a state you have proven to be unconquerable; you have shown that no weapon or amount of money can break you spirit or bend your resolve. May God bless you all.

    “My special appreciation goes to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, for his able leadership that is stabilising the polity, and to the Judiciary for upholding the truth and confirming the verdict of international election monitors, including the US Government, the European Union and the African Union, all of who held unanimously in their reports last year that there were no elections in Akwa Ibom State.

    “I pay tribute to our great Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), under the able leadership of His Excellency John Odigie-Oyegun, which has stood firm and unbowed through all the challenges of our political odyssey. I equally salute the courage of our numerous members who have braved all the odds and faced the bullets because they prefer freedom to slavery”, he said.

    Umana said the battle is between freedom and slavery, adding that  the  people have chosen freedom and we  walked away from slavery and rejected enslavement to godfatherism. He thanked the people for insisting on freedom to decide who their governor should be.

    The APC National Vice Chairman for Southsouth, Prince Hilliard Ettah, who received the new members on behalf of the National  Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun,  presented broom, the party’s symbol to them. He urged them to make use of the platform before them to bring about the change much needed in Akwa Ibom State.

    Senator Aloysius Etuk thanked the leadership of APC for making the platform available for the emancipation of the people.

    Chief Ita Toyo  said by their mass movement, the PDP in Akwa Ibom is now history, while APC has now become the official state party.

    Hon. Eseme Eyibo said ,”never again will the Akwa Ibom people allow their destiny to be taken for granted”.

    One of the G22 governorship aspirants, who were schemed out by the PDP, Barr. Asuquo Asuquo noted that since the State did not allow former governor Victor Attah to impose a successor on the people, Senator Akpabio will not be allowed to do same. He said Governor Udom will leave government house for the governor the people will chose for themselves in the governorship re-run.

    Senator Ita Enang, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, said the year of jubilee has come for the people and their deliverance is assured.

  • Akwa Ibom PDP chair, 14 others defect to APC

    Akwa Ibom PDP chair, 14 others defect to APC

    No fewer than 15 leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State defeceted to the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the weekend.

    The defectors were led by its former Chairman, Ita Toyo.

    Their defection was held at a prayer summit and reception organised by the party and supporters of APC governorship candidate in the April 11, 2015 election, Umana Okon Umana.

    Other defectors are: Senator Aloysius Etuk, Eseme Eyibo (former PDP House of Representatives member), Ita Udosen, Okon Osung, Mike Etim, Dr. Friday Etuk, who were local government chairmen.

    Scores of APC members and Umana’s supporters from the 31 local government areas witnessed the defection.

    They described Umana as their “governor” and “symbol of freedom”.

    The prayer meeting was meant to praise God for His blessings upon the nation, the state, APC’s expansion in the state and God’s mercies on the residents.

    The only Bible reading for the prayer was taken from Psalm 62: 1 to 12. It was read by Obong Umana; the opening and closing hymns were: Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past and Through the Love of God, Our Saviour.

    A frontline cleric, Pastor Daniel K. Ebong, noted that God had completed what He started by ensuring that the governorship election of April 16, last year, was cancelled.

    The cleric likened Umana’s case to that of the Biblical Moses, who was divinely guided until he delivered the Israelites from Egypt.

    He said the battle to deliver Akwa Ibom had been fought, adding that God was about to deliver the state by using Umana as He did for Israel using Moses.

    Umana, who started his speech with a song of praise, said God had given Akwa Ibom residents victory by granting his efforts with series of victories from the election tribunal and the Appeal Court.

    The APC candidate called for prayers to enable the party triumph at the Supreme Court.

    He urged the people to vote for APC in the rerun so that the party would produce a governor of their choice and not through an imposition.

    He said: “The victories at the tribunal and the Court of Appeal – on October 21, 2015 and December 18, 2015, were not just for me. They were victories for the people of Akwa Ibom State.

    “As a people and a state, you have proven to be unconquerable; you have shown that no weapon or amount of money can break your spirit or bend your resolve. May God bless you all.

    “My special appreciation goes to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, for his able leadership that is stabilising the polity. Also the Judiciary, for upholding the truth and confirming the verdict of international election monitors, including the U.S Government, the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU), all of who held unanimously in their reports last year that there were no elections in Akwa Ibom State…”

  • Adeyemi’s group, others defect to APC

    Adeyemi’s group, others defect to APC

    The Senator Smart Adeyemi Political Organisation and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains from Ijumu and Kaba-Bunu local governments have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The Director-General of the campaign organisation and ex-Chairman of Ijumu Council, Fehinti Dada, led the defectors to the APC at a ceremony in Iyara, the headquarters of Ijumu Local Government.

    Receiving the defectors, the APC governorship candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu, hailed them for their courage, saying the wind of change blowing across many states had reached Kogi.

    He enjoined them to ensure the party’s success at the polls on Saturday.

    Dada said they left PDP because the party failed the people.

    He assured Audu that they would work with APC structure and deliver the council to the party.

    The lawmaker, who represented Kabba/Bunu Federal Constituency in the National Assembly between 2003 and 2007, Mr. Duro Meseko, has also dumped the PDP for the APC with his supporters at Iluke in Kaba/Bunu Local Government.

    He said they could not afford to be left out of the change blowing across the country.

    Meseko, who was the Kogi coordinator for former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), which sought to return him to power in the last general election, urged the people to vote for APC on Saturday.

    Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West, advised the defectors to join other members to remove the PDP administration, saying Prince Audu is the best among the candidates vying for the poll “because of his achievements.”

     

  • 2,000 Kogi group members defect to APC

    2,000 Kogi group members defect to APC

    The over 2,000 members of the ‘Idere De’ Political Group at Isanlu in Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    They promised to work for the party’s success in the governorship election.

    The group’s leader, Toyin Akanle, who led members to join the APC at a ceremony at the council headquarters at Isanlu, said it would be a political suicide to stand against the “wind of change blowing across the state and country.”

    Akanle, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the Kogi West Senatorial District poll during the general elections, said it became imperative to formally defect to the APC so as not to be left out.

    He said: “We are here to formally join the APC because we cannot afford to miss out on the change happening around us. The writing is clear on the wall. It will be a political suicide not to join the change train and follow in the direction the wind of change is blowing in Kogi State.”

    Akanle said the group would work for the success of the party in the governorship election scheduled for November 21.

    Receiving them into the APC, ex-Acting Governor Clarence Olafemi said with the kind of “defectors made up of strong politicians from the western axis, it is obvious that the party will record success at the polls.”

    He slammed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led

    administration for squandering the over N3.7 billion he left in the state’s coffers.

    Olafemi said: “I left N3.7 billion in the account after serving as an acting governor. Besides, I raised N400million for the state within three months. These were wasted by my

    PDP successors, who were more interested in developing their pockets

    than developing the state.”

    He dispelled rumour that he was interested in becoming the running mate of Prince Abubakar Audu, one of the

    leading aspirants for the APC ticket, saying: “I’m not looking for

    deputy governor. I am qualified to be a governor. I cannot relegate

    myself to a deputy governor, having served as a governor in an acting

    capacity”.

    Olafemi enjoined new and old members to see themselves as one and work

    towards APC’s victory at the polls.

  • Airhiavbere, others defect to APC in Edo

    Airhiavbere, others defect to APC in Edo

    National Coordinator of President Goodluck Jonathan Support Group Gen. Charles Airhiavbere and his supporters have dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Gen. Airhiavbere was the PDP governorship candidate for Edo State in 2012.

    He announced his defection at a news conference.

    Gen. Airhiavbere said he decided to join the team of change so that the state could enjoy benefits from the Federal Government.

    The former PDP governorship candidate said any politician who meant well for the state would join the APC.

    He denied collecting money from the PDP to finance his 2012 campaigns as well as getting any gratifications for his group’s support for Jonathan.

    Gen. Airhiavbere said:  “I know for sure that with APC at the national and state levels, there will be rapid development and all campaign promises will be delivered to our state.

    “My passion for Jonathan was my personal effort and group’s donation. I did not get any gratification but for the fact that Edo State should remain at the centre.

    “I will always be loyal to the centre. We delivered for PDP on March 28. We will deliver to APC on April 11. My desire is to have a peaceful Edo State. Oshiomhole should enjoy majority at the Edo State House of Assembly.”

    Thousands of PDP members led by the Coordinator of Grassroots Youths Initiative, Osarobo Idahosa and former senatorial aspirant, Richard Lamai, defected to the APC at a rally held in Benin City.

  • ‘Collapsed Synagogue building not caused by structural defect’

    ‘Collapsed Synagogue building not caused by structural defect’

    The collapsed Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCAN) building was not caused by structural defects, Coroner Oyetade Comolafe has heard.

    A consultant engineer, Oladele Ogundeji, who supervised the project, repudiated claims “that the collapse was caused by foundation defects,” saying: “The building had 28 columns.

    Ogundeji, who works Hardrock Construction and Engineering Limited, said a soil test was conducted by a geo-technical engineer whose report informed the building design.

    The coroner admitted the amended architectural and structural designs of the building, which were tendered through Ogundeji as exhibit.

    Led in evidence by SCOAN’s counsel Mr Olalekan Ojo, Ogundeji told the coroner last Friday that he was trained in Building Technology and Building Engineering in Yugoslavia, adding: “I will not agree that the collapse was caused by structural defect. If it was a structural defect the collapse will be gradual. There will be cracks visible even to a layman.

    “When I watched the CCTV footage, everything came down within four seconds. Speaking sincerely, I believe that it must have been induced scientifically but I don’t know the means.”

    The direction and the speed of the fall of the building were not consistent with structural failure, adding: “According to the drawing and based on the geotechnical reports, the foundations were okay. This project is a technological cause, it can be verified.

    “Now, when we were working on site, we did not envisage that something like this would happen but after the collapse, an agency of the state, the Lagos State Material Testing Agency came to the site, they instructed that three bases should be excavated, they took some samples and carried out laboratory tests. They came out with the result; the concrete pad footing passed the test, the reinceforcement passed the test and the columns passed the test. Apart from this, the foundation on site that the six-storey building stood upon are still there, they are intact, no rotation and no tilting.”

    According to Ogundeji, despite the stress occasioned by the collapse, the foundation still passed the test conducted by the agency. The results, he said, were in the court’s custody.

    When asked about the signs of a building that collapsed because of foundational compromise, Ogundeji said there would have been cracks in the foundation and the wall, adding that the building would have been tilting weeks before its collapse.

    Illustrating with a schematic diagram, Ogundeji said: “If it is a structural failure, the whole building would not come down suddenly on no account and when it is coming down it would be gradual, it may take days, weeks or months and it can take 10 years and there will be cracks that even a layman will see it.”

    The construction, the witness said, followed best practices, adding that though his client was responsible for the supply of building materials, he gave the specification and suggested the supplier.

    He said Dangote cement was used for the construction, adding that every bag of cement procured was used within two weeks of manufacture because the storage room was small.

    Ogundeji disagreed with the agency’s recommendation that a raft foundation should have been erected for the structure.

    Under-cross examination by Mr Akingbolahan Adeniran, counsel to the Lagos State government, Ogundeji said certified designs were sufficient for the start of the project.

    Hearing resumes today.

  • 400 PDP members defect to APC, shred membership cards

    400 PDP members defect to APC, shred membership cards

    No fewer than four hundreds members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos  State.

    They tore their membership cards after dumping the party.

    Receiving the defected members, the  ward chairman of APC, Ajasa Ward B , in Abule Egba area of the state,  Chief Adekunle Faworin said the defected  members of the PDP have resolved to work for the APC to ensure that the party wins the coming election in the state. He regretted that  the new members were not fairly treated in PDP  and assured  them that they are at home in the APC.

    He said: “ What happened will go along way to put our party in the lead, though we do not envisage any problem because Lagos is for the progressives. Now that these members of the PDP have joined us, they are fully welcome and we will work with them to ensure that our party triumphs in the coming election.

    I am so glad that  all of them said they  have their Permanent Voters Card (PVC).

    Speaking, the spokesperson of the defectors, Mr. Michael Babalola said: “We came here under the banner of Progressives Voters for Good Governance (PVGG). Right from the on set, we have used this group to work for the PDP but the party has not recognised our efforts.

    “Our members have not benefited anything from the PDP in the state Lagos. Besides, we are not happy with the way the country is being run by the PDP led government at the centre. Given that we want progress in the country and our believe that the APC can change the country, we have to defect to the party to ensure the success of the governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode,” he said.

    He said  PVGG has over 10,000 members  who were working for the PDP but would start working for the APC henceforth.

  • 3,400 PDP members defect to APC

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has suffered another major blow, as the former chairman of Abaji Area Council, Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim and 3,400 members of the party in the area have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim was the first elected chairman of the council. He also contested for a seat for the FCT senatorial election on the platform of the PDP in 2003 but lost to Senator Isa Maina at the party’s primary election.

    Among notable PDP members who defected were the former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Commissioner, who was also a delegate representing the FCT at last year’s Constitutional Conference, Mr. Musa Salihu, chairman PDP elders of Nuku Sabon Gari Ward, Idris Abdullahi, Samuel Baba, PDP youth leader, Nuku/Sabaon Ward, Labaran Ahmadu, PDP Caucus Leader and Gurdi Ward, among others.

    Speaking on behalf of other decamped persons, Alhaji Ibrahim, said he and some PDP elders, caucus and stalwart of the party decided to join the APC, because of lack of sincerity in the ruling party.

    “For the last three years, Nigerians have been experiencing insecurity in which many lives are lost on daily basis due to activities of the so-called Boko Haram. That alone has been touching my heart, let alone mentioning other challenges which the masses are experiencing. On this account, I and other members of the PDP resolved to join the APC,” he said.

    On his decision to join the APC, the former INEC Commissioner, said he realised when he was in PDP that the mess the country has been plunged into cannot be wiped out by the party, unless by the APC.

    “The ruling PDP have shown me and other members that they are not ready to put things right and if for nothing because of our younger ones. There is need for me to join the APC to ensure that change. At my age, I don’t need anything, but the younger ones coming behind need us to join the progressives to ensure that we leave good legacy for them, “he said.

    Receiving the decamped persons at the Adamu Shuaibu Memorial Town Hall, chairman of the (APC) in the FCT, Alhaji Usman Abdulmalik, said there was no doubt that some prominent individuals of the council were among those that decided to pitch their tent with the APC, even as he added that they must have reasoned very well that things are not going well with the people of this country under the PDP administration.

    He said he was elated with the mass defection of members of the PDP across the 10 wards of the council, saying APC was ever ready to carry them along in line with the party’s constitution to ensure victory at the polls.

    He said: “I know there are some that have benefited from the PDP, but then what is happening under the PDP administration over 15 years is nothing but a repeat of deceit and fake promise which I believe prompted some of these prominent people in Abaji to join the progressives train. And APC shall carry everybody along in whatever decisions we are making to ensure that the APC waxed stronger in the FCT.”

  • ‘Why I did not defect to PDP along with Obi’

    ‘Why I did not defect to PDP along with Obi’

    Former Anambra State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Dubem Obaze, is the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) senatorial candidate in the Anambra North District. He spoke with NWANOSIKE  ONU on his plans for the district and other issues.

    Why do you want to be senator?

    The whole idea of going to the Senate is to represent my people. And as far as I am concerned, when you know the people you are representing, you know the area, you know  their needs, you know their problems. That is the only time you can represent them. You can’t represent the Anambra North Senatorial zone from Abuja. So, the number one reason why I want to go to that place is to provide that representation to our people, the people of our zone, we keep presenting the  wrong people as candidates. We have  never had a Senator, how come we have been winning the gubernatorial election, winning Federal House of Representatives elections, winning State House of Assembly elections and we do not win the Senate. It is because we  field wrong people. So, am going to the Senate to represent my people. I am going there because our governors had never been supported before. Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju was never supported,  Dr Chris Ngige was not supported by any senator. Chief Peter Obi was not supported and Chief Willie Obiano is not being supported by any of our Senators.

    I don’t  see why my governor will come to Abuja and visit a minister and I won’t make time to follow up. that is the work of a senator, especially if it has to do with my state,  my zone in particular. Of course, as a senator, you are expected to participate in law making, to make sure we have good and enabling laws to make sure that we strengthen our nation, to strengthen democracy, to strengthen Nigeria as one unit, one indivisible unit. All these are things, of course you  need  to participate in lawmaking. So, for me when it comes down to our zone in particular, where we produce oil but we are not a member state of NDDC, I will work for Anambra State to become a member of Niger Delta  Development Commission, which is our right. It is a simple thing, you produce oil, you are a member. So, that we can begin to get our benefit like all the other nine  states of NDDC. So,  those are the three or four major things why I want  to go and represent our people. If you come into our party in our zone, we have  two sub-zones; we have the Omambala axis, which is made up  of Oyi, Ayamelum, Anambra East and West. And we have the old Onitsha Division, which is made up of Onitsha North and Ogbaru. The governor has gone that way and they got it based on equity. We got the governorship based on equity because Peter Obi, our former Governor promised the people of the North in 2010, which am one of them,  he called party stalwarts, he called traditional rulers from the zone  and said support us, I will support you people to ensure that we have a Northern governor  in 2013. And that promise, he fulfilled, so our governor is a product of equity and the governorship having gone that way, the next post is zoned to the Onitsha Division. Even our national chairman made that declaration in Central school Atani, where he declared that the senatorial ticket is zoned to Ogbaru. So, it is somehow our right and people are called upon and I made myself available. I am not one of those people that were asked to come and run. I offered myself.

    Why did you defect from APGA to the PDP along with former Governor Peter Obi?

    I am an APGA man. I have never been in any other political party. I have been a member of APGA since 2002.And this is the only partyI know. This is  a party that has developed Anambra State. I am from Ogbaru and you are in my community. The road, you went through used to take four hours to get to my house here, from Uga junction. And today it is a 20 minutes drive. So, there is no reason why I should dump my party.

    Moreover Peter Obi never consulted me. He never asked me to go with him. He didn’t,,,, I think he was decent in the way he handled things. But am an APGA man, in and out. I am not going to anywhere.

    Some people believe that your closeness with Obi is likely may make you lose the election…

    I don’t believe that. These are rumours. The primary will be open, free and fair. And the party members will vote for the people or the person they  perceive that will represent them better. My closeness to Peter Ob is  because, he is a friend and did well to my State, no doubt about it but having left for another party, on political basis we are two different divide. Anambra is an APGA state, not PDP state and I am sure even him, Peter Obi knows that. I don’t believe that our party or leadership of our party are trying to edge us out. Who is not close to Peter Obi? We are all his friends. Victor Umeh is his friend. Our current Governor is his friend. They have been friends and associates and colleagues or work in the same institution for  20 years. As far as we know he brought him. So, who in Anambra State today is not Peter Obi’s friend? Are we quarrelling? It is political… We don’t agree on a platform to do things. It is nothing personal.  I don’t think our Governor has any personal issues with Peter Obi. I don’t think there is anything like that. At least, he has not told me. Yes, he is no longer in our party. He is in his party, so we meet sometime in February.

    How do you see the recent appointment of Obiano as the Chairman of the APGA BOT?

     He is a very experienced person. He was an executive director in a bank for nine years. And you just don’t become an ED  just  like that. He is already a leader. He understands leadership and  I am sure he has done a lot of leadership studies. Yes, he is in a new terrain politically but, the governor as the highest ranking elected officer, I think automatically, the leadership falls upon him.