The Nation Newspaper

Tag: factional

  • Factional MASSOB ‘pardons’ Uwazuruike

    Factional MASSOB ‘pardons’ Uwazuruike

    •Relocates headquarters to Enugu

    The Uchenna Madu-led faction of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) yesterday said it had “forgiven” the embattled founder, Ralph Uwazuruike.

    Uwazuruike was suspended and evicted from the MASSOB headquarters, three years ago.

    The faction said it relocated its operational headquarters from Okwe in Okigwe Local Government of Imo State to Enugu State.

    In a statement by its National Director of Information, Samuel Edeson, the group said it closed all existing camps and the headquarters, adding that it will not condone the use of its name to perpetrate crime.

    The statement said: “In the spirit of Biafran brotherhood, MASSOB has forgiven Ralph Uwazuruike (former MASSOB leader), who ran away from Okwe after his expulsion.

    “He is urged to return to his family house, which incidentally houses MASSOB headquarters.

    “We consider Uwazuruike’s three years exile as enough punishment and he is hereby forgiven and can now return to his father’s house.

    “After our national officers meeting, it was resolved that all camps, including the headquarters, be closed because some disgruntled persons are using the name to perpetrate crimes.

    “We refuse to allow the platform of reformed MASSOB under the leadership of Comrade Uchenna Madu to be used for breeding anti-social vices that can cause breakdown of law and order.

    “That MASSOB being a non-violent organisation has redeemed its lost public confidence.

    “That MASSOB under the leadership of Comrade Uchenna Madu will continue to operate non-violently from our new descent office and not camps with respect and regards to other genuine pro- Biafra groups.

    “We know that many people will not be happy that MASSOB is closing the Okwe headquarters.

    “It is part of our internal reorganisation for strategic growth and positive functions.

    “MASSOB wishes to inform the Imo State government, security agents and Okwe community that any group of persons or individual camped or found inside the former MASSOB Freedom House, Okwe are criminals.”

  • Ondo PDP gets factional chairman

    Ondo PDP gets factional chairman

    •Governorship aspirants to pay N500,000 levy

    Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has elected a factional executive.

    The faction, which is led by Prince Biyi Poroye, is loyal to the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff- led national executive.

    A statement by its spokesman, Mr. Ayo Adeuti, at the weekend, directed the party’s governorship aspirants to pay N500,000 to the faction.

    The statement reads: “The Ondo State PDP Chairman, Prince Biyi Poroye, has directed all the party’s governorship aspirants for the November 26 governorship election, to pay an administrative charge of N500,000 to the party’s account.

    “Our chairman also directed all aspirants and members to await further directives from the National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, on guidelines and timetable for the primary election.

    “We wish to implore our patriotic members to remain calm, as PDP is one united family and our leaders are working hard to bring all members on board.

    “PDP members must remain law-abiding and shun any act  capable of causing disaffection or thwart the peaceful initiative of our national leaders.

    “We thank our loyal members for their steadfastness and abiding faith in the party.”

  • I ‘ll make Edo great, says factional PDP aspirant

    I ‘ll make Edo great, says factional PDP aspirant

    Governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party faction, led by Senator Modu Sheriff, Hon. Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, has said he would make Edo State great if elected as governor.

    The Sheriff faction has scheduled its primaries for this week and two persons have bought the nomination forms.

    Ehiozuwa who spoke to newsmen in Benin City said the experience he has garnered as a lawmaker made him the right person to succeed Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

    Displaying his nomination and Expression of Interest Forms to PDP supporters in Edo State, Ehiozuwa said he joined team with Senator Sheriff because of a subsisting court judgement and promised to backdown, if there is a contrary ruling before the party primary.

    He stated that he decided to contest to protect the state from those he described as poachers who do not want the progress of the state.

    His words, “If I win nomination, I assure you that I will give power back to the people. Until the is a contrary court judgement setting aside the subsisting court ruling, Alimo Sheriff remains the Chairman of our great party.

    “The previous preliminary PDP primary is a null and void, because the constitution of our great party, PDP, we must adhere to it. We must support the rule of law and as a lawmaker, I should not be violating the laws of the party or the country.”

    He added: “I’m a lawmaker and not a Law breaker. I’m not the only one contesting, there are many others.”

  • Govt receives NLC factional group

    The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Joel Danlami Ikenya and the Director-General, Department of State Security (DSS), Mr. Ita Ekpeyong, have endorsed the election that produced the Comrade Ayuba Wabba-led Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), saying the process was free and fair.

    NLC held its election with Wabba beating his sole challenger, Joe Ajaero to emerge as president.

    Both Ikenya and Ekpeyong expressed confidence in Wabba’s emergence when the NLC paid them separate courtesy visits in their offices in Abuja.

    Ikenya said: “For us in the Ministry, we want to tell you that you won your election. Actually, our Ministry also supervised it. We have not heard and we have not got any letter from anywhere in respect of any other NLC and it was in the knowledge of every Nigerian that there was an election here in Abuja and our Ministry participated in it.”

    Ekpeyong, who congratulated Wabba, said: “The election was free, the election was very fair and it was in a very conducive environment that you were elected. We want to really collaborate and partner with you. That you said you were going to work with the provisions of the constitution of the NLC cannot be what is not tenable; so, we are going to hold you to that so that at any point in time, you should always follow the due process and the law.”

    He appealed to the NLC to join in the fight against terrorism and other crimes in the country, urging Wabba to ensure that his actions are guided by the interest of workers.

  • ‘PDP cannot declare factional members’ seat vacant’

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cannot declare vacant the seats of lawmakers elected on its platform because they joined the new faction, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Emeka Ngige, said yesterday.

    He said the Supreme Court recognises that individuals cannot be punished for the factionalisation of their party.

    In an interview with The Nation, Ngige condemned the sealing off of the faction’s secretariat, saying it was illegal and unconstitutional.

    “So, what they are doing is primitive. It’s one of those elements of jack-boot democracy we’re witnessing under this present government,” Ngige said.

    He added: “The seats of members of the PDP faction cannot be declared vacant because the Constitution, particularly in Section 109 as it relates to a member of the State House of Assembly, and the corresponding section for members of the federal legislature recognises factionalisation or division of a party.

    “Once there is such a division, a member who decides to join another political party cannot lose his seat.

    “In so far as the Constitution recognises a situation where there could be factionalisation or division in a political party, sealing off the secretariat of the new PDP, to me, is a negation of the provisions of the Constitution.

    “It has happened before during Obasanjp’s regime, when Atiku Abubakar floated a rival PDP, and had Shuaibu Oyedeku as chairman, and Solomon Lar as one of the sponsors.

    “The following morning Obasanjo sent a lorry-load of policemen with armoured tank to seal off the place. But that did not stop Atiku from joining the Action Congress as it was then called, and becoming its standered-bearer.

    “Obasanjo went to court to get Atiku’s seat declared vacant, but the Supreme Court held that Atiku Abubakar has a right to join another party, particularly when there was a factionalisation of his party.”

    Ngige said the sealing of the faction’s office was an act of intimidation.

    He said: “It’s unconstitutional and it’s an act of intimidation of opponents. That act shows that the people who are doing it are not well-informed.

    “The sealing off the secretariat is only physical, but have they been able to seal up the faction’s website? That rival PDP can open a website off where they will be propagating their ideas or message. They cannot send the police to seal off the Internet website.”

  • Police arrest Oyo NURTW factional leader Tokyo

    The factional leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Oyo State, Alhaji Lateef Akinsola (a.k.a. Tokyo) has been arrested by the police.

    Commissioner of Police Joseph Mbu yesterday said Akinsola was detained to enable the command complete some investigations.

    He said he could be released anytime depending on how the investigations go.

    Mbu said Akinsola willingly reported at the command’s headquarters.

    He said Akinsola’s rival, Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi (a.k.a. Auxilliary) has pledged to report himself to the command as soon as he recovers from an illness.

    Deputy Commissioner of Police Clement Adoda, who announced the arrest in a statement, said Akinsola was undergoing interrogation in respect of pending criminal cases against him.

    He said the outcome of the investigation would determine subsequent actions by the police.

    Adoda said there was no need for residents to be apprehensive over the arrest.

    He said: “People are advised to go about their lawful businesses without any fear of molestation.”

    The police chief warned disgruntled elements, who may want to foment trouble, to think twice.

    Adoda said: “The command is combat ready to deal with such a situation and any trouble maker caught would be made to face the full wrath of the law. The interest of Oyo State takes precedence over any other consideration.”

    A police source told The Nation that Akinsola denied earlier provocative statements against the CP and blamed the media for “magnifying his utterances”.

    “He denied all he said in newspapers that the CP could not arrest him. He said journalists only magnified all that he said. He urged the CP not to judge him by those statements,” the source said.

    Akinsola had claimed that Mbu could not arrest him because there is a court order restraining the police from doing so.

    He made the claim when the CP invited him in August.

    The CP has insisted that Akinsola and Lamidi must answer for their roles in the violent crisis that claimed many lives at the height of the NURTW’s crisis last year.

  • Court refuses bench warrant on APGA factional chair

    Court refuses bench warrant on APGA factional chair

    A Federal Capital Territory High Court yesterday refused to grant a bench warrant to the police on the factional Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Alhaji Sadeeq Masalla.

    Justice Peter Kekemeke said the police know how to get him since he is on administrative bail.

    Masalla is facing an 11-count charge of forgery instituted by the police.

    He allegedly forged the signatures of some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

    Massalla, who is the Deputy National Chairman of APGA, is the leader of a faction that is enmeshed in a feud with the National Chairman, Victor Umeh, whom an Enugu High Court had restrained from office.

    Justice Kekemeke, on November 13, granted leave to the Inspector-General of Police to file the charge against Masalla, after listening to an application by the police prosecutor, Frances Irabor.

    The court fixed yesterday for the arraignment.

    At the resumed hearing, Irabor complained that Masalla had jumped the administrative bail granted him by the police and had been evading arrest.

    He said: “My Lord, today is for the arraignment of the suspect, but unfortunately he is not in court; the IPOs about four of them made frantic and several efforts to produce him in court, but without success. In fact, his mobile phones were switched off, his house address, which he gave as his last address as part of the conditions for the administrative bail, was visited, but there was nobody there.

    “The police met a big padlock on the gate. It seems the suspect has jumped the administrative bail that the police admitted him to.”

    Before adjourning the matter till December 3, the court urged Tochukwu Onwugbufor, SAN, “as a minister in the temple of justice” to ensure his client’s presence in court.