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Tag: Emmanuel Uduaghan

  • Ex-Delta Governor Uduaghan returns to APC

    Ex-Delta Governor Uduaghan returns to APC

    •Kano South Senator Sumaila dumps NNPP

    A former Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, yesterday formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), The Nation has learnt.

    Uduaghan, who collected the APC membership card at his Warri, GRA residence, was received into the party by its Delta South Women Leader, Alero Tenumah; the party’s Chairman in Abigborodo Ward 6, Mr. George Ino, and other party leaders in the ward and local government levels.

    The ex-governor, whose new APC membership card reads: ‘Delta WRN//023/32001’, praised the party’s leaders for their solidarity and honour.

    He assured them of synergy and continuous working relationship towards further development of Delta State.

    The Nation gathered that the ex-governor’s daughter and Delta State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Community Support Services and Child Development, Ms. Orode Uduaghan, also picked her APC membership card from the ward’s leadership of the party.

    Tenumah urged new members to contribute meaningfully to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as well as the M.O.R.E Agenda of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.

    She assured Dr. Uduaghan of a robust working relationship aimed at strengthening the party in Warri North Local Government Area and across the state.

    Read Also: What Drives the Nigerian Entertainment Industry?

    Also, the senator representing Kano South, Kawu Sumaila, yesterday dumped the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on the floor of the Senate.

    Senate President Godswill Akpabio read Sumaila’s defection letter on the floor of the Senate.

    In the letter addressed to the Senate leadership and titled: “Notification of defection from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC),” Sumaila hinged his decision on compelling and undeniable developments within the party, which he said have rendered the party severely divided and dysfunctional.

    The letter reads: “Pursuant to Section 68, subsection 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, I write to the Senate President on behalf of the Senate.

    “I write to formally notify the Senate through your esteemed office of my defection from the NNPP to the APC, the largest party in Africa.

    “My decision to bid goodbye to the NNPP is anchored on compelling and undeniable developments within the party, which have rendered the party severely divided and dysfunctional.

    “Over the past months, I have observed a growing number of litigations that have practically torn the party apart and left its structure fractured.

    “All of these clearly centered on issues of party disunity, functional leadership, and the legitimacy of its operations.

    “These legal battles have not only eroded internal cohesion but have created parallel and conflicting authorities within the party.”

    After Akpabio had read the letter, APC senators moved en mass to welcome Sumaila into the ruling party.

    They led him to his new seat on the aisle of the majority party.

    With the development, the APC now has 65 senators, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 33, Labour Party (LP) five, Social Democratic Party (SDP) two, and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) one, bringing the total number of senators to 107 with two vacant seats.

  • Tribunal sacks James Manager, orders fresh election

    THE Delta State Election Petitions Tribunal (Panel 11) on Saturday nullified the victory of Senator James Manager of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan (APC), dissatisfied with the victory of James Manager, had approached the court, seeking redress.

    The tribunal ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a rerun election in 90 days within the six local government areas of the affected zone.

    In the petition, Uduaghan alleged over-voting in the district, which resulted in massive ballot-box stuffing and distorted result sheets, which the tribunal averred that he proved through video clips, oral and written submissions.

    Justice O.O. Onyeabo, who presided over the matter in suit marked EPT/DT/SEN/11/2019, hinged his verdict on the ability of Uduaghan to prove his allegation of over-voting.

    Read Also: Delta communities now battleground for cultists

    In another judgement, marked suit no. EPT/DT/SEN/01/2019, judgement was given in favour of the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ovie Omo-Agege (APC) against Hon. Evelyn Oboro of the PDP in the Delta Central Senatorial District.

    The tribunal ruled that Oboro’s petition was dead on arrival as she could not prove her allegation of irregularities.

    Also Delta State Election Petitions Tribunal (‘Panel III’) in suit no. EPT/DT/SEN/13/2019, by Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP), judgement was given against Hon. Doris Uboh (APC), a former House of Representatives member.

    Giving verdict on the matter, Justice E. I. Ngene said INEC was right to have declared Nwaoboshi as the winner of the Delta North Senatorial Election, having pulled the highest vote cast, and thereby upheld his victory.

    He blamed Uboh for failing to prove her allegation of over-voting and padding of result sheets.

     

  • Uduaghan demands cancellation of Delta South poll

    Former Delta state governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Delta South Senatorial District election, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has called for cancellation of the presidential and National Assembly elections in district.

    Uduaghan, in a statement by his Media Assistant, Mr. Monoyo Edon, alleged the conduct of elections in five could areas of the senatorial district, namely Patani, Burutu, Bomadi, Warri North and Isoko North, was fraught with massive electoral malpractices and other irregularities, including ballot box stuffing and violence.

    The statement further said that the former governor had already addressed a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the unwholesome developments that attended the elections in his senatorial district on Election Day and after.

    The statement reads: “His Excellency, Dr, Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan wishes to state that the above election was fraught with a lot of electoral malpractices, irregularities, ballot stuffing and further crippled with electoral violence in some parts of Burutu, Bomadi, Patani, Warri North and Isoko North LGAs.

    “His Excellency, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan had already petitioned INEC in respect to paragraph two above during collation of results and the final announcement at the Senatorial Collation Centre in Oleh, Isoko South LGA.

    “His Excellency, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan in the petition called for the cancellation of the Presidential/National Assembly election held in Delta South. His Excellency, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan calls on his supporters and the good people of Delta South to remain calm and peaceful as further directives would be communicated.”

  • Political leaders hail conduct of elections in Delta

    Political leaders in Delta state have commended the conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

    While the former governor of the state and the candidate for the Delta South Senatorial District, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, said Nigerians have finally been given the chance truly vote, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Chief Great Ogboru, and the leader of the Mainstream Delta APC, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, expressed excitement over the smooth run of the exercise.

    Dr Uduaghan, while casting his vote at about 1:00pm in Koko Ward 6, unit 2 of Abigborodo, said the successful conduct of the exercise meant that democracy had come to stay in Nigeria, warning those who might have ambitions that could lead to violence to reign their ambitions in.

    “From what I have seen, it is quite good and I hope it will be like that in other parts of the country. Nigerians are anxious to vote and we give them the opportunity. Democracy has come to stay and we will do everything to make democracy to succeed in Nigeria. The accreditation and voting process have been very good.

    “I advised those who are very ambitious to weigh the gain and effect of their ambition, when you see that it will lead to violence, please control your ambition, four years is not too long,” he said.

    Read Also: Delta youths endorse Atiku, Okowa others

    Also speaking to journalists after casting his vote at Abraka ward 1, unit 8, expressed confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari would win the election, adding that he was excited the process had been peaceful.

    “The environment is quite peaceful, and I just voted, though there were rumours of some technical issues about the machines, though, l have no iota doubt about the victory of APC candidates.

    “l know we shall win, and I hope that the elections will be peaceful in other places, I heard that people are still trying to snatch ballot boxes in some places, but I don’t see the need for that when the election is peaceful,” Ogboru said.

    The leader of the Mainstream Delta APC, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, also speaking journalists after casting his vote at Ewvreni ward 8, unit 5, encouraged his people to be patient in the face of the logistics challenges experienced in the earlier part of the exercise.

    “Everybody is excited because we have the opportunity now, to elect the President and National Assembly members of our choice.

    “Based on some logistics relating to transportation,  they started late,  but I think they will extend the time,  so that everybody can vote,  am also a bit concerned about the time allocated to each person to vote, I hope the machine will pick up so it would be faster,

    “I encourage my unit, ward and local government and the state at large to be patient because this is important and will also give directions to the country,” Emerhor said.

  • Delta 2019: Group canvases support for Okowa’s re-election

    A labour-based political group operating on the platform of the PDP in Delta state, known as Option A Initiative, has endorsed Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for second term.

    Addressing its teeming members in Sapele, the Principal Coordinator of the group, Comrade Olumami Oyibo, said they were committed to the return of Governor Okowa for a second tenure so that the Delta North Senatorial District could complete its eight year’s turn of governance in the state and also because of the governor’s performance.

    According to the group, there is a subsisting arrangement for each senatorial district in the state to govern the state for eight years of two tenures of four years each, adding that the Delta Central and Delta South have had their turns and it is the turn of the North to have their second tenure to complete their eight year’s turn.

    Oyibo said: “Option A is all about Okowa; it’s just Okowa; it’s turn by turn. As far as Delta State is concerned, there is an arrangement. There is an agreement, whether written or unwritten that power must shift, power must rotate.

    “Delta Central under Chief Ibori took its turn of eight years and my own brother Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan took the turn of Delta South through the G3. Now the rotation has gone to Delta North and Okowa is just completing the first tenure. Naturally, for fairness, equity and justice, we expect him to take his second tenure”, he said.

    Read Also: Lawmaker commends Okowa on development

    Oyibo noted that group is also throwing its weight behind Okowa because of his excellent performances in the past three and half years, adding that in spite of the poor state of the economy inherited by him, he, indeed, performed beyond expectations.

    The Principal Coordinator, further emphasized that the group is supporting the second tenure Okowa because he has done very well, saying “we are not just supporting him because for the sake of it, we are supporting him because he has done very well and he deserves a second term.

    Commenting on the size of the membership of the group, Oyibo said that it is labour-based, adding that it include a massive grassroots movement that has its presence in the 25 local government Areas of the state, stressing that the billboards of Option A Initiative are in every local government secretariats in the state.

    “Option A is everywhere. If you go to any local government secretariat, you will see the billboards of Option A. I can also tell you that in every rally in the state you have the presence of Option A there because in all the local governments we have Option A members there”, he said.

    Oyibo, who is also the current chairman of the Delta State Local Government Service Commission, said that members of the group were engaged in canvassing for votes for the governor, adding that the group will be organizing a statewide rally for Okowa in Asaba in February.

  • APC now a formidable party, Says Uduaghan 

    …Says present APC crises not unusual

     

    Former Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan on Friday said that the crises rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), including irregularities in primary elections, showed that it has become a strong and formidable party.

    He spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    According to him, the present APC crises are not unusual.

    Read Also:‘APC risks not fielding governorship candidate in Zamfara’

    He noted that the practice is the same with any government in power since majority of aspirants will naturally want to align with a ruling party.

    He said “The crisis in the party shows that the APC have become a formidable party. It is only when a party is strong and formidable that everybody will be showing interest in it.

    “That we have this kind of issues that are going on. But I also know that the leadership is doing a lot to resolve the issues and with time the issues will be settled and everybody will move forward and move the party forward.

    “It is not unusual, what is happening is not unusual with a party that is growing and has become very strong,” he added.

    On alleged parallel primaries in Delta, he said it only existed in the imagination of many as nothing of such took place.

    He said “There is nothing of such, some people gathered somewhere and said they were doing primaries. If you notice, the person they declared winner has already disowned them.”

    The purpose of his visit to the Villa, he said, was to appeal to President Buhari to reopen the Osubi Airport.

    According to him, the continuous closure of the airport was rubbing off negatively on the state economy.

    “I also came to appeal to the President about the Osubi airport which is close to Warri, it has been closed for more than one month because of crisis between NAMA and a private firm handling the airport.

    “I appealed to him to give an order that they open it while the engagement process is going on between NAMA and the private firm and the line that is supposed to be handling the airport because right now most people travelling to Warri have to go through Benin and even Owerri and that is very discomforting.

    “For those of us who work in that area and you know that there are a lot of oil companies there and the workers have to travel by road from Benin so that’s why I came to appeal to him if they can quickly open it while discussions are going on whatever issues,” he stated.

     

  • Buhari meets Anyim, Uduaghan, Marafa in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met with the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, former Governor of Delta State and senatorial candidate in the 2019 election, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan at the State House Abuja.

    Also meeting with the President after the Friday jumat service at the State House mosque is Senator Kabiru Marafa who is a governorship aspirant in Zamfara State.

    The three came separately and were still at the President’s office at the time of filing this report.

     

    Details Later…

  • APC Senatorial Primary: Shehu Sani, Akpabio, Yari, Uduaghan cleared unopposed

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has cleared unopposed former Akwa Ibom and Delta State Governors, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Dr, Emmanuel Uduaghan and the Senator representing Kaduna Central, Senator Shehu Sani as Senatorial candidates for the forthcoming general elections.

    Also cleared unopposed are Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, Senate Minority Whip, Senator Francis Alimikhena, former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, former Sokoto state Governor, Aliyu Magatakarda Wammako, former Benue state Governor, George Akume and former National, Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Adebayo Adeyeye.

    Also, the three senators representing Lagos state, Senators Oluremi Tinubu, Solomon Adeola and Gbenga Ashafa as well as Senator Ajayi Boroface, Yele Onogunwa and Omotoyao Alasoadura from Ondo are flying the party flag unopposed as they emerged the only cleared aspirants from their states.

    Senator Ahmed Abubakar, Senator Binta Masi Garba (Adamawa) Senator Yusuf Abubakar (Taraba), Governor Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe), Senator Tijanni Kaura, Ikra Bilbis (Zamfara), Senator Buhari Abdulfatai (Oyo), Senator Andy Uba (Anambra) and Suleiman Abdu Kwari (Kaduna) are also running unopposed.

    In the list of cleared aspirants released by the National Working Committee and signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, former Kano state Governor is to battle for the Kano Central Senatorial ticket with Hajia Laila Buhari, while Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun is to struggle for the Ogun Central Senatorial ticket with Senator Adeyemi Tejuosho and Ganiyat Oladunjoye.

    Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi is to contest for the Oyo Central Senatorial district ticket with Senator Taslim Folarin and five others, Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura is to slug it out for the Nasarawa south ticket with Senator Salihu Hussein Egye, while Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima is contesting the Borno Central ticket with Ali Bukar Wurge.
    Also, Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan is contesting the Yobe North Senatorial ticket with Mohammed Lawan Yahuza, while Imo state Governor; Rochas Okorocha is listed as contesting the Imo West ticket with Senator Hope Uzodinma who is also contesting the governorship of the state.

    However, two former governors who have been in the senate for a long time, Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima of Zamfara State and Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe) were conspicuously missing on the list and it was not clear whether they were screened out of the contest or decided not to return to the Senate.
    The National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has said at different fora that it will be ungodly for the party not to reward loyal senators who stood by the party in its trying period, resisting all attempt to lure them away from the APC.

  • Flooding: Uduaghan calls for more aids for victims

    …as former governor visits ravaged communities, deliver Aids

     

    Former governor of Delta state, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has called on international aid agencies, religious bodies and public spirited individuals to rise up to assist communities across Nigeria currently being ravaged by floods.

    The former governor, who is also an All Progressives Congress (APC) hopeful for the Delta South Senatorial District seat, made the call Thursday evening during a visit to flood victims camped at an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Emede, Isoko South council area the state, where he delivered food items worth millions of naira.

    The items donated included, many bags of rice, beans, garri, many cartons of tin tomatoes, indomie noodles, several cans of vegetable oil, palm oil and over hundred tubers of yam.

    Uduaghan, who visit many flood-ravaged communities across Isoko land before stopping at the camp, said his mission to the displaced persons and the flooded communities was to draw attention of the world to the situation and to paint a proper picture of the disaster and thereby get more attention to those who need it most currently.

    “What I have come out here to do today is to ensure that people know that this kind of situation is on ground, it is to draw attention of our people to the seriousness of the flooding situation in Delta and other places today, and that people should empathize with those that are affected and try as much as possible to do one thing or the other to alleviate their situation.

    “But you see, we cannot leave everything for the government alone to do. These people, they need psychological support, they need physical support, they need all sorts of support, even spiritual support they need.

    Read Also: Uduaghan in APC: The shape of things to come

    “So, we must as a people who God has placed in various positions and who are not affected by this kind of situation to assist them go through the situation. It is not easy to be displaced from your house or home.

    “You just woke up suddenly and there is water in your home and you have to move to somewhere else, maybe a classroom where you are exposed to mosquitoes, exposed to all sorts of hazards, all you have to do is get a mattress or a pillow where you can lay your head on, it is not easy. You are not sure of where your meal is coming from, a lot of things, displacement is not easy”, he said.

    The former governor, however expressed fears that the situation might not be easing out yet, adding that it might even be worse than what was experienced in a similar disaster in 2012, as a result of the fact that water levels are still rising.

    Uduaghan promised to visit and donate to as many camps as possible across Delta State.

  • Why I decamped to APC – Uduaghan 

    One of the newest defectors to the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), Emmanuel Uduaghan, on Tuesday night listed the reasons that attracted him to the party.

    Uduaghan, who was the immediate past Delta State Governor, moved from the major opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Read Also:Uduaghan, Marwa, others join Buhari at APC meeting

    He was among those that attended the APC National caucus meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday night.

    He said that one of the factors that brought him to the ruling party was the massive developments coming to the Niger Delta area under Buhari’s administration.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, he said; “Politics is about interest, I’m from the Niger Delta and I managed a lot of crises from in Niger Delta. Sometimes I went to the creeks and engaged the boys and my principle when I was managing the Niger Delta was that of engagement and the current APC government has succeeded in managing the crises they met on ground through engagement.

    “The President was seeing a lot of leaders from the Niger Delta while the Vice-President went from state to state of oil producing states, making a lot of engagements and agreements were reached.

    “Nobody at that level had gone from state to state before in Nigeria, this was the first time and of course if that is happening, the crisis is not over, they need to be supported by those of us from the Niger Delta who are passionate about Niger Delta so that in moving forward we can have solutions to the crisis of Niger Delta.

    “If a new person comes he would start putting agreement up again and all that.

    “Secondly in the area of infrastructure, this government has done very well. Talking about my state, for the first time a rail line came to Delta, for the first time the gas city which we have been talking about, a committee has been officially inaugurated and for the time we have human capital development projects, school feeding and a lot is happening in Niger Delta.

    “So for me, let me join the party to be able to effect changes because we cannot achieve anything by working from the outside in the Niger Delta.

    “Some of us have to join the APC train and many people are going to come with me so that we can achieve a lot more in the Niger Delta for the APC government. Politics is about regional interest and I’m interested in the Niger Delta,” he stated.