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Tag: Donald Duke

  • Senator Ita Giwa a phenomenal woman of substance, says Donald Duke

    Senator Ita Giwa a phenomenal woman of substance, says Donald Duke

    In the intricate tapestry of Nigeria’s political landscape and entrepreneurial sphere, one name stands out as a beacon of inspiration, empowerment, and multifaceted success. This distinguished individual is none other than Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, a phenomenal woman who has transcended boundaries and shattered ceilings in both the realms of politics and entrepreneurship. 

    Her life’s narrative is a testament to resilience, ambition, and a tireless dedication to the betterment of her nation and the global community. Beyond her illustrious career in public service and business, she is celebrated as a fashion enthusiast, philanthropist, and humanitarian, embodying the essence of a modern Renaissance woman.

    Her background instilled in her the values of determination and hard work from an early age. Her training as a nurse, layed the foundation for her future accomplishments. However, it was her unwavering commitment to the welfare of her fellow Nigerians and her people from the Bakassi Peninsula that ignited her foray into politics.

    Senator Florence Ita-Giwa’s political journey commenced as she stepped into the tumultuous world of Nigerian politics. She emerged as a charismatic leader who resonated with the aspirations and concerns of her constituents. Her tireless advocacy for social justice, gender equality, and economic empowerment quickly earned her a prominent position within her political party. She went on to serve as a Senator, where she made impactful legislative contributions, championing initiatives that addressed critical issues such as healthcare reform, education, and economic development. Her ability to bridge divides and build consensus made her a respected figure in Nigeria’s political landscape.

    Parallel to her political career, Senator Ita-Giwa exhibited remarkable entrepreneurial prowess. She ventured into diverse business sectors, from Pharmaceuticals to Oil and Gas, establishing herself as a visionary entrepreneur. Her success in the business world not only created economic opportunities but also served as a shining example of female leadership in traditionally male-dominated industries.

    Read Also: Yahaya Bello, Ita Giwa, others storm APC secretariat to protest nominations for NWC vacant positions

    Beyond her professional accomplishments, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa is an ardent fashion enthusiast whose distinctive style has garnered admiration and acclaim. Her impeccable taste and fashion-forward approach have not only made her a trendsetter but also a symbol of elegance and grace.

    However, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa’s true essence shines through her commitment to philanthropy and humanitarian causes. She has dedicated herself to numerous charitable endeavors, ranging from The Bakassi Children Foundation to many others, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of countless individuals.

    In sum, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa is a woman of remarkable substance and achievement, an embodiment of the limitless potential that can be unlocked through dedication, vision, and unwavering determination. Her journey, from a promising young individual to a revered former Nigerian Senator, entrepreneur, fashion icon, philanthropist, and humanitarian, is an inspiration to all who seek to make a meaningful impact on society. As we delve deeper into her life’s narrative, we are certain to uncover the remarkable chapters that have shaped her into the extraordinary woman she is today.

  • I didn’t owe AMCON N569m, says Duke

    A former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke on Thursday denied ever owing the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) N537,334,360.77.

    He said what he owed AMCON was N350 million which he claimed to have paid a.

    The former governor said some people used the news of his alleged debt to jest at him.

    Duke said AMCON claimed that he owed an extra N137,334,360.77 and when he disputed this figure, it filed a suit against him to arm-twist him into paying the disputed sum.

    AMCON, on August 8, sealed off Duke’s Ikoyi home and gained interim control of his bank accounts, after obtaining an order from a Federal High Court in Lagos.

    But the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in this year’s general election accused AMCON of merely making a “media circus” with the suit.

    In a statement on Thursday, Duke said: “Recently, an obligation I had to AMCON has made the news. Whilst I do not understand the excitement this has generated, bearing in mind that debts far in excess of this have not received a whisper, clearly some people are having fun at my expense.

    “Nevertheless, I think it appropriate now that the issue has been laid to rest, to state my side of the matter, considering the fervour the story generated.

    Read Also: Court clears Duke after N350m payment

    “AMCON made a claim of N569 million against me, which I disputed. I guess to arm-twist me, they proceeded to court and created a media circus.  Having done what I consider their worst, I insisted on what I believe is the correct amount. We have since agreed to this amount and the sum of N340 million has been paid.

    “I hope this takes the air off the sail of those who made a mountain out of a molehill.  There was nothing to be excited about, after all.”

    On September 11, vacation judge Justice Nicholas Oweibo cleared Duke of the N537,334,360.77 debt after he paid N350 million as final settlement.

    The court discharged its August 21 interim order which had permitted AMCON and the United Bank for Africa (UBA) to seize Duke’s properties and funds in his accounts.

    Justice Nicholas Oweibo cleared the former governor, following the settlement terms filed and moved by AMCON’s legal team from Benson Reeds Legal Practitioners, Abuja.

    “All orders in the case stand discharged,” the court said.

    AMCON’s counsel, Mrs Juliet Benson, told the judge that Duke had fulfilled the terms of the out-of-court settlement and both parties agreed on the terms.

  • Breaking: Supreme Court upholds Donald Duke as SDP presidential candidate

    The Supreme Court in Abuja on Friday upheld the Court of Appeal judgment declaring Donald Duke, as the Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) presidential candidate.

    The judgment was delivered by the Supreme Court presided over by Justices Ejembi Eko, Kudirat Kekere, Amiru Sanusi, Paul Galumje and Uwani Aji.

    The court also awarded N3 million in favour of Duke.

    The appellate court in January reinstated Duke as the SDP presidential flag bearer after overturning the ruling of the FCT High Court that disqualified him as the party’s flag bearer.

    Read Also: Appeal Court declares Donald Duke SDP presidential candidate

    During the party’s primary held on Oct. 6, 2018 Duke had polled 812 votes to defeat his rival, Prof, Jerry Gana who polled 611.

    However, Gana was dissatisfied with the result had approached an FCT High Court seeking to disqualify Duke as the party’s presidential candidate.

    An FCT High Court had on Dec.14, 2018 declared Gana the winner of the party’s presidential primary and Duke had appealed the ruling and won.

  • Donald Duke’s family celebrates

    IT was party time at the home of the Dukes. What is in the air? A few days ago, Nela, the second daughter of the ex- Cross Rivers State governor, Donald Duke, and her hubby, Asuquo Ekpeyong, welcomed their first child, a girl.

    The couple had their traditional wedding in May,last year, and white wedding in August, 2018. Many came out to rejoice and show love for the Duke familybas the elated, joyful parents gave thanks for the new arrival into the family.

    The new baby has since been named Alexandra.

  • Adamawa SDP rejects NEC’s endorsement of Buhari

    The Adamawa State chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has distanced itself from the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for next week’s presidential election.

    The chairman of the SDP in Adamawa State, Mr. John Muva, said during a press briefing at the state secretariat of the party in Yola Friday that members of the party in the state will have nothing to do with Buhari come February 16.

    The NEC of the SDP in Abuja had endorsed Buhari on Thursday, attributing its decision to the “lingering legal battle” between the winner of the SDP presidential primaries, Donald Duke, and his major challenger, Jerry Gana, but the Adamawa SDP chairman insisted Friday that the stalemate over the party’s presidential candidacy is not a sufficient reason to mix the loyalty of members among different political parties and candidates when elections come.

    “We are not part of that endorsement and we were not a part of the meeting held in Abuja to decide that endorsement. We respect the rule of law and the constitution of the Social Democratic Party, but the differences between Donald Duke and Jerry Gana cannot put our state chapter in jeopardy. We are not part of that endorsement,” John Muva insisted.

    He said that in Adamawa State SDP members are not thinking of supporting Buhari or Atiku (of the People’s Democratic Party) for the presidency but of supporting the state SDP governorship candidate, Emmanuel Bello, and other party candidates at the other levels.

    “We won’t mix things up in Adamawa State. We can’t do SDP for National Assembly election, Buhari’s party in presidential election, and SDP in other elections. It is SDP top to bottom,” Muva asserted.

  • I remain SDP presidential candidate – Duke

    Former governor of Cross River, Mr Donald Duke, says he still remains the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and would present himself for the Feb. 16 poll.

    Duke said this in a statement on Friday in Lagos, while reacting to the decision of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party to withdraw from the election and adopt President Muhammadu Buhari as its preferred candidate.

    “Regardless and for the avoidance of doubt, I Donald Duke, remain on the ballot and the candidate of the SDP as recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    “This unfortunate saga is as a result of an aspirant who lost at the party primaries on Oct. 6, 2018, fair and square, does not query the conduct of the primaries but rather resorts to bigotry, querying my suitability to contest for the presidency on grounds that I come from the wrong part of the country.

    “The Federal Court of Appeal has put this matter to rest. The office of president does not belong to any party and therefore not for a party to zone,” he said.

    Duke identified internal management of party affairs as the bane of the nation’s democracy.
    He said his decision to run for the presidency was to afford the electorate a credible alternative.

    “My decision to run on an untainted political platform rather than on one which I was a founding member is grounded on a desire to afford our electorate and indeed our nation a clean break, options and alternatives to her current gladiators.

    “For the SDP NEC to thereby endorse the APC or any other party, is rather unfortunate and betrays in my opinion, the desire of the vast majority of our party members and Nigerians credible alternatives to our nation’s leadership.

    “I need not say more, suffice that I remain on the ballot and thereby still present myself as a candidate for the office of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Duke said.

    Read Also: Gana rejects Appeal Court affirmation of Duke

    The SDP NEC had on Thursday announced the party’s withdrawal from the presidential race while adopting Buhari, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, for the poll.
    It explained that the decision was based on the protracted legal issue facing the party.

    “We cannot campaign, we cannot do anything because of the protracted legal issue and we feel that it is impeccable to technically withdraw from the presidential election.

    “We want to focus on the National Assembly, Governorship and State House of Assemblies election for which we have fielded candidates across the country.

    “We are therefore adopting Buhari, the APC Presidential candidate, as our preferred candidate for the Feb. 16 election,” it said.

  • Gana rejects Appeal Court affirmation of Duke

    Former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, has rejected Thursday’s Appeal Court judgement, which affirmed former governor of Cross River State Donald Duke as presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    This came as national chairman of the party, Chief Olu Falae, called on all aggrieved members of the party to bury their differences and support Duke’s presidential ambition.

    Gana, addressing the media, on Friday in Abuja, through his campaign organisation, said having carefully weighed the views and options presented by SDP’s stakeholders and supporters, it was his considered opinion the judgement was erroneous, contradictory and a miscarriage of justice.

    Read Also: Appeal Court sacks Jerry Gana as SDP presidential candidate

    Director General, G19 Presidential Campaign Team of Prof. Gana,Dr Ike Neliaku, said: “Arising from the above and many other lacunas and contradiction in the judgement, we have carefully weighed the views and options presented by our stakeholders and supporters across the world and resolve to accede to what is in the long term interest of our democracy.

    “It is therefore our considered opinion that the judgement of the Court of Appeal is erroneous, contradictory and a miscarriage of justice.

    “The decision is therefore not acceptable to us

    “Accordingly, our candidate, Prof. Jerry Gana, has resolved to appeal the judgement at the Appeal Court.”

    Details later……..

  • Appeal Court declares Donald Duke SDP presidential candidate

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja has declared ex-Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke as the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    In a unanimous decision by a three-man panel, led by Justice Abdul Aboki, the court set aside the December 14, 2018 judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which had declared Jerry Gana the candidate of the party.

    The court awarded N500,000 cost against Gana and in favour of Duke.

    Gana, who came second with 611 votes, the SDP presidential primary held on October 6, 2018 had sued at the High Court of the FCT, challenging the competence of Duke’s participation in the primary in view of the zoning and rotation provision in the party’s amended constitution of 2018.

    Gana had contended that Duke, who came first at the primary with 812 votes, was not qualified to become the party’s presidential candidate because, by the zoning and rotation provisions in Article 15(3)(2) of the amended constitution, Duke, a southerner cannot be the presidential candidate while the party’s National chairman was also from the southern part of the country.

    According to Gana, under the amended constitution of the party, which provides for the zoning of the major offices including that of the national chairman and president, between South and North, and rotation among the six geo-political zones, a section of the country cannot produce both the national chairman and the president.

    In the lead judgment read on Thursday by Justice Aboki, the Court of Appeal held that as at when the SDP’s presidential primary was conducted on October 6 last year, the party’s constitution that was in operation was that of 2011/2012 which did not provide for either zoning or rotation.

    The court said although the party’s national convention adopted the amendment to the party’s constitution on October 6 last year, the amended constitution did not become operation until October 8, 2018 when it was registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as required under the Nigerian Constitution.

    The court said the FCT High Court ought not to have heard the suit filed by Gana because it was premised on a wrong understanding of the zoning provision in the party’s constitution.

    Read also: Reps pass bill to regulate peace-keeping for Armed Forces, others

    It further said the zoning and rotation provisions only apply to positions like the national chairman and president, but not presidential candidate. It said the provision could only be activated if the party’s candidate emerges as a president of the country.

    The court said it would have amounted to discrimination and a denial of constitutional guaranteed right for a member of a party to be prevented from contesting for a position solely because he is from a section of the country as the party’s National chairman.

    It said the trial court contradicted itself in its January 14, 2019 judgement when, after holding that the amended constitution of the party was not operational as at when all process leading to the presidential primary were concluded, went ahead to void the outcome of the primary.

    The appellate court wondered why Gana did not raise the issue before the conduct of the primary. It also wondered why Gana did not challenge the participation of the other three aspirants, who are all from the southern part of the country.

    The court, which held that Gana was bound by the undertaking he signed to abide by the outcome of the primary and to support the winner, only challenged Duke because he (Duke) won the primary.

    In his supporting judgment, Justice Emmanuel Agim, said Gana was seeking to achieve cheap victory, which he could not get at the primary.

    Justice Agim said having signed an undertaking, like every other aspirants, to abide by the outcome of the primary, it was wrong for Gana to have turned around to seek to contest the primary’s outcome.

    He said the conduct by Gana was responsible for why the nation’s political space was tense and violent prone.

    He said if political leaders learn to conduct themselves with decorum and civility, there will not be need for the unending litigation engaged in by them before and after elections.

    Both Gana and Duke were in court throughout the over three hours that the judgment lasted.

    Gana, who looked unhappy, bolted out of the courtroom immediately the court rose at the conclusion of the judgment.

    He failed to interact with anybody, not even the journalists, who sought his opinion.

    Duke, who was happy with the outcome of the judgment, greeted and hugged his supporters and friends who came to him after the proceedings.

  • Appeal Court restores Donald Duke as SDP presidential candidate

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja has declared ex-Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke as the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    In a unanimous decision by a three-man panel, led by Justice Abdul Aboki, the court set aside the December 14, 2018 judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which had declared Jerry Gana the candidate of the party.

    The court awarded N500,000 cost against Gana, in favour of Duke.

    Details Soon…

  • Appeal Court sacks Jerry Gana as SDP presidential candidate

    *Reverses judgment making Gana candidate
    *Asks Gana to pay Duke N500,000 as cost

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja has declared ex-Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke as the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    In a unanimous decision by a three-man panel, led by Justice Abdul Aboki, the court set aside the December 14, 2018 judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which had declared Jerry Gana the candidate of the party.

    Read Also; Imo APC expels guber candidate

    The court awarded N500,000 cost against Gana, in favour of Duke.

    Details later.