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Tag: dumps

  • Gemade dumps PDP again for SDP

    A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Barnabas Gemade, has defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    He currently represents Benue North East in the Senate.

    The lawmaker has allegedly bought the party’s senatorial form and he is expected to submit it today.

    The senator, three weeks ago, picked the expression of intent and nomination forms of the PDP but it was learnt that he did not submit the form.

    SDP’s former Publicity Secretary Philip Wuhe said Gemade would submit his senatorial form today in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

    He added that the senator would be battling two other aspirants: Senator Joseph Akargerger and Torgem Malu for the ticket.

    Few weeks ago, Gemade’s aide, Alaga Udu, said his principal was not planning to leave the PDP.

    But PDP’s Publicity Secretary Bemgba Iortyom said the party was not aware of the senator’s exit.

    He said: “I am not aware if Senator Gemade has left the party. I don’t know if he picked the party’s form because aside the House of Assembly form, which was bought here, others picked their forms in Abuja, though they were asked to submit to the state. But Gemade did not submit the form here.”

    Gemade, who was PDP National Chairman, left the party in 2015 and won the senatorial election on APC’s platform.

    Two months ago, he returned to the PDP with Governor Samuel Ortom, but moved to SDP and bought the nomination form for Sone A senatorial seat, leaving former Governor Gabriel Suswam as a sole candidate in the Zone A contest.

    Gemade blamed Ortom for his defection to SDP, saying the governor betrayed him.

  • Shekarau dumps PDP

    Former Governor of Kano State Malam Ibrahim Shekarau has dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    The 2011 presidential aspirant on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) left the PDP after the party leadership dissolved the Kano State Executive Council and set up a caretaker committee dominated by supporters of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, who has just returned to the pary.

    Shekarau has met with Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and was expected to meet with his supporters before formalising his return to the APC, four years after he left the party.

    Shekarau yesterday left Abuja for Kano for consultations with his supporters and other stakeholders on his defection.

    It was learnt that Shekarau and his supporters were unhappy that the PDP defied an order of the Federal High Court to dissolve the Kano Chapter of the party.

    Also, out of the seven-man caretaker committee put in pace, Kwankwaso was allotted five sots and the remaining two were left for Shekarau and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs Amb. Aminu Wali.

    The Special Adviser on Media to the former governor, Dr. Sule Yau Sule, said Shekarau would meet with stakeholders yesterday or today.

    “After meeting with the stakeholders, he will announce his plans either to defect to APC or otherwise.”

    Yau described how PDP treated the ex-governor as an act of injustice.

    He added: “We obtained an order from the Federal High Court in Kano stopping the PDP from dissolving the legally elected PDP Executive Council in  the state. The party disregarded the order and went ahead to put in place a seven-man caretaker committee.

    “Out of the seven members, five came from Kwankwaso’s camp and two were conceded to Shekarau and Amb. Wali. These two leaders were not allowed to even nominate who should be their representatives in the committee.

    “To represent ex-Governor Shekarau, a former Chairman of Bebeji Local Government Area, Namadi Bebeji, was handpicked. He was once Shekarau’s supporter before he ported to Kwankwaso’s camp. He is politically no longer in Shekarau’s group.  Bebeji even attended Kwankwaso’s declaration rally in Abuja.

    “So, it is like Kwankwaso controlling the entire caretaker committee. Yet, the national secretariat of PDP does not see anything wrong with it.”

    Sule added:  “The defection of Shekarau to the APC is not yet official but there are moves to that effect.  We are going to hold stakeholders meeting that will finally decide the next direction.

    “My boss has met with Governor Ganduje in Abuja and they have discussed “.

    The leadership of the PDP is making a last ditch effort to prevent Shekarau’s defection.

    A statement by its spokesman Kola Ologbodiyan said: “The National Working Committee (NWC) assures that no stone will be left unturned in the overall quest to bring good governance to Kano state, while putting in place machinery to hedge the infiltration of fifth columnists into the party’s fold in the state.

    “The party leadership further assures of its preparedness to engage with all stakeholders in Kano provided all matters in court against the party are withdrawn, as all members work together to build a united PDP that can confront and send out incompetent and insensitive people in governance in Kano state and Nigeria at large.

    “Furthermore, the NWC urges all stakeholders to always emulate our members in Benue state in the way and manner they united to resolve all issues concerning party structures of their state”.

  • Imo coalition ‘dumps’ APC

    MEMBERS of the Coalition Group, a pressure group within the Imo State All Progressives Congress (APC) are set to dump the party.

    They were reported to have rebuffed efforts by the Reconciliation Committee set up to reconcile aggrieved members after the state congresses.

    Leading the likely defectors is Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo North), who is to join the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    The chieftains, it was gathered, have perfected plans to join APGA where they were promised senatorial tickets.

    The Nation investigation shows that Senator Ifeanyi Araraume has dumped the APC for APGA.

    The defectors were members of the APC Coalition Group, who disagreed with Governor Rochas Okorocha on the state congresses.

    It was gathered their  supporters and close aides have registered with APGA and rebranded their campaign vehicles with APGA logo.

    But Uwajumogu’s media aide, Emeka Ahaneku, said the senator had not joined APGA. Ahaneku, however,  joined APGA to pursue his House of Assembly ambition.

    He said: “Uwajumogu has not left APC but I have officially joined APGA and that is where I will be pursuing my ambition.”

    Citing poor leadership by Okorocha and a loss of confidence in the national leadership of the APC, supporters of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume have called on him to quit the party.

    Araraume, who is bidding to be governor, was advised to get another platform to contest the election because “he cannot get justice in ongoing efforts to resolve the crisis in the Imo APC.”

    Ararume’s Director of Mobilisation Vitalis Ajumbe said Ararume’s  supporters have moved to APGA and are prevailing on him to dump the APC.

    He said: “I can tell you that we have all moved and the Senator will soon make his next move known. We can no longer remain in APC with the current crisis.”

    However, APC said the defection of the “big names” will not affect its chances.

    Publicity Secretary Onwuasoanya Jones reiterated that the party is intact and not perturbed in any way.

    “Although the news of the defection is still a rumour, but even if it turns out to be true, it won’t take anything from the party because APC in Imo State is masses-based so we don’t rely on big names.

    “Those leaving cannot stand credible primaries and would prefer to buy the tickets, but that is not possible in APC.”

  • National Assembly dumps plan to override Buhari’s veto

    SENATE and House of Representatives yesterday made a U-turn on  their plan to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto  of the order of Elections Bill.

    Buhari refused to assent to the bill.

    Attempts to pull through a new bill sponsored by Chairman, Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Senator Suleiman Nazif, failed on the floor of the Senate.

    The bill was entitled: “A Bill for an Act to amend the provisions of the Electoral Act No. 6, 2010 to further improve the electoral process  and for related matters, 2018.”

    The Bill was withdrawn following a proposal by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu to that effect.

    The Senate and the House of Representatives had in their passage of the 2010 Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018 in February this year,  proposed a new sequence of elections, which placed the National Assembly election first, followed by State Houses of Assembly/ Governorship elections and Presidential election last.

    Buhari vetoed the bill last month on three different grounds.

    Senator Nazif, in his lead debate, noted that the new reordered sequence of elections would start with Governorship/State Houses of Assembly elections, followed by the National Assembly election and Presidential election last.

    Majority of the senators in their contributions opposed the bill.

    Ekweremadu apparently saw that the bill was on its way for defeat and rescued.

    He proposed that the bill be reverted to the committee for more legislative inputs.

    Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North), who was the first to oppose the bill, noted he is totally and comprehensively against the proposed legislation..

    Lawan insisted that the right thing to do was not to legislate for new sequence of elections but to support INEC in the conduct of the elections.

    Senator Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara Central) also kicked against the bill.

    Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio was even more categorical in his opposition of the bill.

    Senate Chief Whip, Senator Olushola Adeyeye ( Osun Central) also kicked against the bill.

    Adeyeye described the bill as unconstitutional and called the action of the Senate as legislative rascality.

    Senators Dino Melaye ( Kogi West) and Mao Ohuambuwa ( Abia North)  made spirited attempts to get the bill passed for second reading.

    Ekweremadu said: “President has made observations in respect of some aspects of that bill, he did not say that the bill we passed was entirely useless. In other to safe those noble provisions in the Electoral Act, it is important that we remove all those areas that the President had objected to and pass the remaining items as a separate bill and send it back to him, Then we can now deal with the issues where he has issues as a separate bill altogether and then we either defeat it or have it succeed.

    “If it succeeds, we send it to the President, he decides what to do, if he brings it back, we also decide what to do. We need to clean up that bill so that we will be able to safe all those provisions that were already made in the Electoral Bill.”

    Ekweremadu’s proposal was unanimously adopted.

    Also yesterday in House, the lead sponsor, Dukku was not on the floor and the Chairman Rules and Business, Emmanuel Orker-Jev (APC, Benue) requested the leave of the House to step down the bill, which was on electronic voting.

    This did not, however, go down well with a pocket of lawmakers who were heard shouting no, no no.

    The next bill for an Act to amend the provisions of the Electoral Act, No. 6, 2010 to make provision for sequence of elections in Nigeria; and for related matters sponsored by Edward Pwajok (APC, Plateau) and seven others also suffered the same fate.

    Though the lead sponsor, Pwajok, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria  (SAN), was on the floor, he nonetheless asked that the bill be stepped down.

    Before he could conclude his speech, shouts of no, no no broke out, which forced the presiding officer, Deputy Speaker Yussuff Lasun to calm his colleagues down, saying the lead sponsor has every right to step down the bill.

    No sooner had the Lasun ruled on the bill that the Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, in a point of order on privileges, disclaimed being a co-sponsor of the bill, having been listed on the order paper as one of the eight sponsors.

    His point of order was sustained.

    Having been stepped down, the bills can, however, be presented again for debate on another legislative day.

  • JAMB dumps Computer-Based Test for ‘eight-key device’

    JAMB dumps Computer-Based Test for ‘eight-key device’

    •Board to establish centres for blind candidates
    •300,000 to sit for mock exams on April 8

    THE Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced its resolve to abolish Computer Based Test (CBT) method for Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) due to low computer literacy level of candidates.

    It has also, in collaboration with a private institute, resolved to set up dedicated UTME centres for visually impaired candidates in Abuja, Lagos and Kano in 2018.

    Registrar of the board, Prof. Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, who said this in Kaduna yesterday, however, said the board would not revert to the old paper and pencil mode, but an “eight-key device”.

    He spoke at the opening of Strategic Planning Retreat on Monitoring and Supervision of 2017 UTME at Arewa House in Kaduna.

    Oloyede said the device would eradicate the challenge of low computer literacy and phobia for mouse by some candidates.

    He said: “From the general feedback on the adoption of the Computer-Based Test mode, we have noted the challenge of computer low level literacy of some candidates, especially with the phobia for the mouse. This has been responsible partly for the call by some people for reversal to the Paper and Pencil Test mode.

    “To ensure equity and level playground for all candidates taking Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, the board has designed a system that will allow candidates use only eight keys without the use of mouse.  All the candidates need to do is to press the letters A, B, C, D for responses to questions and keys: P, N, S and R representing; previous question, next question, submit and reverse, respectively.”

    On the new arrangements for the visually impaired candidates, the JAMB Registrar said Digital Bridge Institute in partnership with the board has agreed to set up three dedicated centres in Abuja, Lagos and Kano in 2018.

    He added that the board would support the centres with necessary inputs.

    Ahead of 2018, when the project of dedicated centres will come to fruition, the board has reached an understanding with the association for the blind persons in Nigeria and blind students in Lagos that an abridged approach would be used for the 2017 UTME, whereby all prospective blind candidates would be invited to three centres in the country for special assessment in their subjects of choice and relevance to their desired courses and programmes.

    Oloyede while addressing the participants, most of whom are external supervisors and other stakeholders drawn from various tertiary institutions and education sector, said concerned stakeholders must take UTME as their own and make it a project.

    He noted that the conduct of the board’s examination, which is a selection examination, is the foundation of quality education.

    Oloyede, therefore, advised stakeholders to see their involvement in UTME as a call to national duty and personal sacrifice.

    The registrar said the agency may reduce the timeline for the UTME from three hours to two hours.

    He added that the question papers will be uploaded five minutes to the examinations to check malpractice.

    He said: “As for the 2017 UTME, it is likely we reduce the duration of the examinations. We are looking at two hours for the examinations instead of the present three-hour timeline. This is in line with international best practices.

    “As for the candidates, for their age, the maximum time they can sit for examinations is two hours. Even in terms of international standard, for primary school pupils, the maximum time for examinations is between 45minutes and one hour.”

    He confirmed that about 300,000 candidates might sit for the mock UTME examinations on April 8, which will be used to test-run its new technology to make its examinations easier for students.

  • …Chime dumps PDP,dubs it dead

    …Chime dumps PDP,dubs it dead

    The immediate past governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime, sensationally dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing it as dead.

    He said the PDP, on which platform he won governorship election twice, is “no longer in existence in the true sense of it.”

    “The PDP, we used to be members of, is dead,” Chime told the News Agency of Nigeria in Enugu.

    “The party I joined in 1999 and had the opportunity of leading in the state for eight years is no longer in existence.

    “We have two groups claiming to be in charge of the party as chairman. These two, none of them can actually lay claim to the chairmanship of the party.”

    Chime said, however, that he had yet to join another political party, contrary to speculations that he had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said that he was still making consultations to determine the political party to join, pointing out that his decision to dump the PDP had nothing to do with his corruption case with the EFCC.

    On the crisis now tearing the PDP apart, Chime said: “There is no provision in PDP’s Constitution for the interim caretaker committee led by Sen. Ahmed Maikarfi.

    “The PDP convention has no power to set up a caretaker committee and did not seek to amend the party’s constitution.”

    The former governor explained that Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, on his own, was brought in to serve out the tenure of former PDP National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, adding that the tenure had long elapsed.

    Chime said that remaining in the PDP would be a deceit

    He advised his supporters to look for a better platform to actualize their political aspirations.

    He said that he could not explain why the INEC had not deregistered the PDP.

    “It is surprising that the INEC has not deregistered the PDP because the organization is no longer working in tandem with the constitution that created it.

    “The PDP, as originally formed, has been cremated and no serious-minded politician will remain in it.

    “If those still remaining feel strongly about coming together, they can come back, secure de-registration of the party and then form another party.”

  • Igbo nation dumps PDP?

    SIR: General Collin Powell says: “A dream does not become reality through magic, it takes sweat, determination and hard work” John Lennon also tells me that “Being honest may not get you many friends but it will always get you the right ones”.

    The biggest political news in Nigeria today is the massive movement of Igbo political leaders into APC. From Enugu to Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo and Abia the story is the same – APC all the way. Now what did they see? Why this unprecedented movement? Did they just wake up from the slumber? Did they learn anything different today? Are there emerging tendencies they suddenly discovered? What are those emerging tendencies? Why APC now? What are the political calculations? Will it be beneficial to Igbo and Nigeria as a political entity? Can this move reintegrate Igbo into the mainstream proper? There are other many questions that bother me.

    In 2015, few of us appealed to Igbo nation to join APC because we know PDP will die because of corruption and impunity and what did they do? They abused us and called us names like saboteurs, traitors and betrayers. Today they are lining up to join APC.

    I welcome my brothers and sisters into APC because of one man called, Senator Ken Nnamani, a great son of Igboland, a decent man, very intelligent, honourable, wise, cerebral, sensible, honest, and truthful. When they descended on me, it was only Senator Ken Nnamani that consoled me. No wonder he is now the South-east leader of APC. Do not forget that it was Senator Ken Nnamani as the President of the Senate that led the onslaught that killed the Obasanjo’s third term agenda. God is not unjust! He chooses whom to lift up and who to bring down!

    Today history has taught that every leader writes his own history through his own actions, deeds and choices he makes. I have also learnt from history that all the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of one candle. It is always good to follow the majority in a democracy but it is always good also to listen to the voices of the minority because the majority can be wrong and foolish.

    The lessons are there for the Igbo leadership. Proper analysis, permutations and calculations in any issue that concerns Nigeria, Igbo and other Nigerians should be strictly adhered to.  Jumping into serious political decisions with heads, hands, legs, mouths, ears, eyes etc. portends grave danger for the Igbo commonwealth. The decision to support Jonathan in 2015 to rule Nigeria for 10 years when Obasanjo had done eight years was a terrible decision that was at once potentially dangerous for Nigeria’s corporate existence. The permutation that an incumbent cannot be defeated in Nigeria was an attack on history and civilization. The lazy and timid assumption that Jonathan would hand over to Igbo in 2019 if he had won the 2015 was a celebration of mediocrity and poor understanding of the dynamics of Nigerian politics.

    Now let me use this medium to appreciate men like Governor Rochas Okorocha, Dr Chris Ngige, George Moghalu, Osita Okechukwu, Osita Izunaso, The Igbo Conscience(TIC) the late Chukwuma Azikiwe, and few others. Thank you for accepting all the abuse. Governor Okorocha was the biggest victim of this assault. I appreciate Rochas for taking the heat with courage, power, love and a sound mind.

    My advice to Igbo: please work with other Nigerians to make sure the North complete its eight years as adopted in 1999 for equity, justice and fair play. We must begin now to position ourselves for 2023.  Igbo Presidency in 2023 must never be negotiated away again the way we did in 2011 with Jonathan. Old ways will not open new doors. The difference between an animal in the bush and human being is education not money. The future belongs to be efficient.

     

    • Joe Igbokwe,

    Lagos.

  • Victor Moses dumps Nigeria

    Victor Moses dumps Nigeria

    West Ham United forward Victor Moses has pulled out of Nigeria’s friendlies against the DR Congo and Cameroon, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have announced.

    The Super Eagles play the Leopards of DRC in Vise, Liege on Thursday and will then confront Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions in Dendermonde on Sunday, October 11.

    Victor Moses, in a letter to the NFF through the Super Eagles’ Administrator, Enebi Achor, said he was pulling out in a precautionary move against injury.

    Earlier, Turkey –based defender Kenneth Omeruo was ruled out of the double header in Belgium this week owing to injury.

  • Osanga King dumps Enyimba for 3SC

    Osanga King dumps Enyimba for 3SC

    Former Nigeria youth international Osanga King may now play for 3SC when Nigeria Professional Football League resumes as he is now training with ‘The Oluyole Warriors’.

    Osanga, who has been training with Enyimba and was expected to be registered by the two-time CAF Champions League winners, has changed direction and will play for Shooting Stars if club and player reach an agreement.

    An inside source in 3SC told AfricanFootball.com Osanga is in the team to negotiate a deal, so too experienced striker Chibuzor Ozorumba.

    “Osanga King may play for us when the league resumes, he is here to negotiate and has been training with us, same for Chibuzor Ozorumba,” the source told AfricanFootball.com.

    Osanga has played in Tunisia and France before he headed back home.

    Shooting Stars are bottom of the Nigeria premier league after 10 rounds of matches.

  • Rep dumps PDP for APC

    A Member of the House of Representatives, representing Birninkudu/Buji Federal Constituency in Jigawa State, Alhaji Muhammed Sabo Nakudu, has said he dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) because the PDP lacks internal democracy, fairness and justice.

    The lawmaker spoke at his first outing with his supporters, following his defection to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

    Addressing scores of his supporters and executive members of APC in Dutse, the state capital, Nakudu said: “We took the decision because of our concern on the national interest and the PDP attitude of a lack of internal democracy, unfairness and injustice.”

    The lawmaker said he left the PDP with his supporters, including a former chairman of Birninkudu Local Government Area, two-time Buji Local Government Area’s chairmen Sani Abdu Jigawa and Barau Abdullahi Gambasha.