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Tag: factions

  • APC: Parallel LG congresses hold in Ondo, Kwara, Kogi, 4 others

    Police arrest three over killing of man in Lagos

    Kwankwaso, supporters boycott exercise in Kano

    Commissioner escapes death in Edo State

    … Zamfara, Bayelsa, Kwara, Abia also

    In at least seven states, factions elected parallel executives during yesterday’s All Progressives Congress (APC) Local Government Congresses. Reports filed by state correspondents show that some of the states where parallel congresses held yesterday include Enugu, Kogi, Ondo, Zamfara, Bayelsa, Kwara and Abia.

    In Enugu State for example, Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, Special Assistant to the President on Judicial Reviews, Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku and the Director General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, emerged as delegates. But they were elected from parallel congresses of the Udi Local Council.

    Onyeama and Ibekaku, as well as other key officials of the Udi APC Local Government, were elected unopposed at a parallel congress held at Comprehensive High School, Abia-Udi.

    Okechukwu was elected at a parallel congress held at the Udi APC Local Government office, 9th Mile Corner, Ngwo, near Enugu.

    Okechukwu was returned unopposed likewise two other national delegates, Mr. Charlie Chime and Maureen Anosike, at the same venue.

    Onyeama, while commenting on the congress, said: “But unfortunately, those who want to be elected and the congress team that came here, the chairman, claimed that the National Working Council said they should only meet with the chairman of the state party.

    “The chairman of the state party himself is interested in competing, so you can imagine a situation where they said that the person who is interested in being elected should be the one that should carry out the election process.

    “So, what has happened is exactly what you would expect to happen; he now keeps all the forms for himself and completely excludes everybody else; in fact, he excludes the majority of the people. And we can’t allow that to happen.

    “So we have gone on with the parallel congress. I spoke to the chairman of the congress; I said to him you just impose a democratic process on the state; but he said no, he had instruction from Abuja that he should relate with the chairman, and that he knows is not fair, and that he knows that will just come up with a list without having gone through any electoral process at all.

    “But we are going to fight it today because you’ve seen so many people here, and by God’s grace, their votes must count.”

    The APC National Vice Chairman for South-East, Emma Eneukwu and the Acting Women Leader, Mrs. Oby Nwofor were among the party chieftains from the local government who attended the congress in which the VON Managing Director was elected.

    Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ?were also in attendance at the Udi APC office.

    Reacting to his election as national delegate, Okechukwu assured that he would use the mandate given to him to support the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari to improve infrastructure in the South-East geo-political zone.

    At the congress which held at the St. Luke Primary School, Adankolo in Kogi State, the Audu/Faleke faction of APC, elected Usman Mamanlafia and Abubakar Nagogo Maiyaki as the chairman and secretary, respectively, in the 27-man executive.

    The faction is alleged to be sympathetic to the embattled APC state chairman, Alhaji Haddi Ametuo.

    The congress was supervised by officials of INEC, amidst the presence of some operatives of the Special Anti- Robbery Squad.

    But Okene, the faction loyal to Governor Yahaya Bello, led by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Ohere, were observed putting final touches for the LG congress, at the popular Lafia Street area, while similar arrangements by Bello’s loyalist, led by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mathew Kolawole, were ongoing in Kabba, as at 2pm.

    In Zamfara State, a group loyal to the chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Kabiru Marafa, yesterday organised a parallel congress across the 14 local government areas of the state.

    The congress, according to a statement by the camp, signed by Bello Soja Bakyasuwa Maradun for the group, said the parallel Congress recorded a large turnout across the 14 local government areas of Zamfara state.

    The camp had last week threatened to block the local government Congress over the alleged refusal of Ambassador Dauda Danladi-led committee to organise ward Congress.

    Marafa’s group accused Ambassador Danladi of pitching tent with Governor Abdulaziz Yari to scuttle the will of Congress members of the party in the state.

    ” Our group is the only faction that fulfilled all the party conditions, having paid the prescribed fees through the designated banks for all our candidates during the just concluded ward Congresses that were held nationwide last week,” the statement reads in part.

    Parallel local government congress was also recorded in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

    Two  factions loyal to a former Governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, and a former Acting Governor, Chief Nestor Binabo, conducted separate congresses.

    Sylva commended the delegates and party members for the peaceful conduct of the congresses.

    But Binabo claimed that the LG congresses conducted by them were the real ones, describing Sylva’s faction as fake.

    Ondo is another state that recorded parallel congresses. At least, two visible factions held congresses across the 18 local government areas.

    One of the factions was loyal to the state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, and the Acting Chairman of the party, Ade Adetimehin, while the other group supported the embattled chairman of the party, Isaac Kekemeke.

    It was a supremacy battle between the two factions as they struggled for the group that is authentic.

    However, the congresses were devoid of violence.

    Some of the local governments where the parallel congresses were reportedly held included Akure South, Ifedore, Akoko South-West, Ondo West, among others.

    The Acting Chairman, Adetimehin however denied having parallel congress, saying the real congress which was conducted and attended by the congress committee, set up by the national secretariat, Abuja, was the authentic congress.

    Commenting on the exercise, a leader of the APC in Ifedore Local Government and leader of the Kekemeke’s faction in the local government, Bamidele Baderinwa, a federal lawmaker, said the congress was held at the APC secretariat, Igbara Oke, the headquarters of the local government.

    In Abia State, the congresses were peaceful across the 17 local government areas but reports confirmed that parallel congress was held in some areas.

    Our reporter who was at the party’s secretariat in Umuahia, Abia State capital, reports that materials for the congress in all the 17 local government areas of the state were distributed as early as 7:30am including Arochukwu, Ohafia, Isiukwuato, Ikwuano, Umunneochi, Bende, Ukwa East and West, Ugwunagbo, Obingwa, Aba North and South, Osisioma, Umuahia North and South respectively.

    Meanwhile, NAN reports that a faction of the party loyal to Chief Ikechi Emenike also held a parallel congress at Umuawa Alaocha Primary School in Umuahia North LGA.

    The congress, which also adopted Option A4, elected Chief Nelson Udenze (Chairman), Onyebuchi Igodo (Treasurer), Chigozie Oriaku (Secretary) and Mercy Uchechukwu (Women Leader).

    Speaking with newsmen at the end of the exercise, former Deputy Gov. Chris Akomas, who is a delegate and member, Board of Trustees of the party, expressed joy over the peaceful congress in the area.

    In Kwara also, two parallel congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) took place across the 16 local government areas of the state yesterday.

    A faction of the party loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari and another led by Senate President Bukola Saraki conducted different congresses.

    The congresses were conducted in a peaceful atmosphere.

    Just like what happened during last week’s ward congresses, APC stakeholders in most local government areas in the state picked their executives through a consensus arrangement

    The faction loyal to President Buhari said its grievances against the other faction included maginalisation and inaccessibility to nomination forms.

     

  • Our main thrust is to decapitate all terrorists’ factions, says Buratai

    Our main thrust is to decapitate all terrorists’ factions, says Buratai

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, declared yesterday  the main thrust of the military operations in the North East now is the decapitation of all the remaining terrorists’ factions.

    “With this feat achieved, the relevance of Boko Haram factional leader Ahmed  Shekau is no longer of any consequence,” the Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier-General  Sani Usman, quoted Buratai as saying in a statement.

    The army chief spoke as the 40-day ultimatum he gave the military to find Shekau dead or alive expired.

    He nevertheless expressed satisfaction with the zeal and determination of troops to capture Shekau, in line with his directive which is yet to be achieved.

    The army chief, on July 21, gave the Theatre Commander, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, 40 days to capture the terrorists’ leader.

    The deadline expired on August 30.

    However,he commended the Theatre Commander, Operations Lafiya Dole, and the troops for neutralizing five top commanders of the Boko Haram terrorists recently.

    He noted that the five key leaders of the insurgents recently eliminated by the troops “were the closest associates and right hand men of the terrorists’ group leader – Shekau.”

    He added: ”Within the same period, 82 of the Boko Haram terrorists were eliminated.

    “Therefore, the commander of the Theatre Command  was very close to achieving the directive.

    “The Theatre Commander has asked for the extension of the deadline and it was granted.

    “Given deadlines and extensions are strategic means of focusing troops’ efforts in the theatre,” Buratai said.

    He urged the people of the North East and indeed Nigerians to be more confident of the Nigerian troops and go about their normal activities.

     

  • Lagos PDP: One party, four factions

    Lagos PDP: One party, four factions

    With about four factions, Lagos State chapter has emerged the most factionalized state chapter of the People’s Democratic Party, reports Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan

    The leadership crisis that has bedeviled the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following its nationwide defeat at the hand of the then new All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015, has also affected the state chapters of the troubled party, leading to situations where the PDP is severally fictionalized in most of the states.

    In Lagos State, what started as a face-off between former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Bode George, and a former Minister, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has today resulted in the fragmentation of the party into not less than four distinct groups, with each refusing to accept the leadership of the other.

    Several efforts to unite the party in the state have proved abortive as the gladiators refuse to be placated. According to inside sources, at the root of the crisis is the control of party machinery in the state where PDP has never had the opportunity of producing the governor since the return to democratic governance in 1999.

    “The problem with PDP in Lagos State is that many of the so- called leaders are not interested in building the party into a virile party that can compete successfully for power in the state. Rather, they are more interested in having control of the party for their selfish interests. They don’t care if the party is losing, so far, they are the ones calling the shot,” a source said.

    Chief Ebun Fisher, a PDP chieftain and former member of the senatorial executive committee of the party in Lagos Central District, while speaking to The Nation, lamented that the PDP in Lagos State is suffering from self-inflicted crisis. He regretted that currently, there are four factions of the party in the state.

    “Today, the PDP in Lagos is the most fictionalised chapter of our party. At the last count, we should have about four different groups, each with its own leadership, within our party in Lagos. Ours is definitely the most fictionalised chapter in the country. We are affected by the leadership crisis at the centre but we are more affected by the internal scuffle within our leaders here in Lagos State.

    “Don’t forget that the crisis in Lagos started before the current crisis at the centre. We have been battling division in Lagos PDP since 2001. Up till now, it is the same set of people who divided the party then, that are still creating factions within the party. They have only been joined by some new gladiators in their power game,” he said.

    Many troubles within

    Speaking further, Fisher regretted that the implication of the crisis in the party is that the PDP in Lagos today is being controlled by multiple party chairmen, each with his or her own executives. He added that the situation has left party members confused and without direction. According to him, front-line chieftains of the party have also joined the unfortunate fictionalisation of the party in their bid to wrestle control of the structures from each other’s grip.

    “Our party is the worse for it all. The members are confused and without direction. We have as many as four camps within the party as we speak. Even party elders who should wade in and solve the problem have all taken sides. We are left without anything or anybody that can unite us.

    “A situation where you have our nationally recognised chieftains saying it publicly that they belong to this faction or that group, you will agree with me that the party is in serious quandary. Many efforts by a few of us who belong to what we now call the “non-aligned” group within the party have failed because of the attitude of some of our leaders.

    “But we also have sincere leaders who have tried severally to salvage the situation. That was why we formed the non-aligned group. It is a group of those of us who refused to join any of the camps when the crisis started. I remember very well that leaders like Chief Mrs. Remi Adiukwu were with us. Dr. Finnih was with us and many others. They tried unsuccessfully to nip the crisis in the bud,” he said.

    Hon. Segun Adewale is leader of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff- led faction of the PDP in the state. Aeroland, as he is popularly called, was also the senatorial candidate of the party for Lagos West Senatorial District in 2015. He confirmed that the party is in disunity and in need of immediate intervention for it to serve its purpose as an opposition party.

    “Right now, the PDP in Lagos State is scattered and we don’t know what is really going on in the party at the national level. What is happening at the national level is having some ripple effects on the Lagos State PDP. I will not call myself the chairman of the party in Lagos because the party is factionalised into groups. By extension, I am a factional chairman of the party in the state.

    “There are so many factions; we have the Jimi Agbaje faction, which does not have followership. We have the Bode George group and others. The various court cases raging at the national level are having ripple effects on the Lagos PDP. The Lagos PDP under Moshood Salvador is not really ready to move forward. They are aware that some of us in Lagos have track record of political success,” Adewale said.

    The Nation learnt that apart from the Adewale-led faction and the non-aligned group, there are two other factions of the party in the state. There is the Ahmed Makarfi faction led by Bode George with Hon. Moshood Salvador as the state chairman. The group is believed to control the larger percentage of party members.

    There is also the Jimi Agbaje faction. Agbaje, it would be recalled, joined the party shortly before the last gubernatorial election and emerged as its governorship candidate, ably assisted by Bode George. But the duo fell out shortly after the party failed to win the election in the state. Agbaje was even mentioned as one of those wrestling with George for the position of National Chairman of the party last year.

    Speaking about the fictionalisation of the PDP in the state, factional chairman, Salvador said, “I inherited a lot of problems on assumption of office; most of them are yet to be resolved. This is a bit disturbing, because without peace, proper reconciliation and collective resolve of members to work together, we would only be wasting time.

    At the same time, this should not distract us from forging ahead. We should be doing what is needed to be done. I can assure you that I have been open to peace. I equally thought that Segun Adewale will call me, so that we will agree on how to move the party forward. We should distance ourselves from the leadership wrangling at the centre, so that we can move our party forward in our own way.”

    Multiple chairmen

    But in spite of their call for unity, the factional chairmen of the troubled party are not relenting in their claim to authenticity. Not one is willing to let go of the position and they all want to be recognised as the real chairman of the embattled party. To worsen the situation, each of them wants the other factions to simply close shop and join his camp.

    According to Salvador, the other factions have no right to claim the leadership of the party. Rather, they should be seen as people who merely disagreed with the leadership. He is of the opinion that they should toe the path of reason and resolve their differences through the proper channels within the party.

    “I am the authentic chairman of PDP in Lagos State. I disagree when they start to talk of factions in the party. I must say that even within the family, there are disagreements between brothers and sisters. If there are disagreements, it is my responsibility to solve it. If someone falls out with you, because your ways are no longer tolerable, that should not be seen as a faction.

    “When you say a political party is factionalised, it means the party has factions with secretariats across the country. That is when we begin to talk of factions. And now few people disagree with their chairman or party and they try to label it as faction. What has happened is only leadership struggle. How can you even be a leader of five per cent of the whole party and call it a faction, when the leader of 95 per cent is there and remain calm? Ours is the true leadership of PDP in Lagos,” he said.

    But Adewale disagreed with Salvador’s claim. According to him, his faction controls the largest followership in the state chapter of the opposition party in the state. He lamented that people who have no members standing with them are laying claim to the leadership of a party they have refused to work for.

    The PDP factional chairman recalled that the failure of some leaders in the party to work for the PDP during the last general election led to the loss of the governorship and other elections across the state. He challenged Salvador and other groups to tell the world why they lay claim to the leadership of PDP in Lagos.

    “For instance, I have four House of Representatives members, six House of Assembly members; we have Baba Kola Balogun with us, Modupe Sasore and others. If you look at the record of these leaders in election matters, Baba Balogun won election in his polling booth, won in his ward and his local government.

    He delivered the local government to his right and left. He delivered all the Badagry Division, but the other faction, Senator Ahmed Makarfi’s camp, led by Bode George, lost his polling booth, his ward and his local government. He lost everything that had to do with senatorial district whereas, in my own senatorial district, which the result is there for any person to see, I won seven local governments,” he said.

  • Gombe APC factions unite

    Gombe APC factions unite

    Gombe State All Progressives Congress (APC) has extolled the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) to reconcile the warring factions and resolve the lingering crises bedevilling the chapter.

    However, the chapter rejected the activities of the four-man caretaker committee from neighbouring states constituted by the NWC to broker peace due to the non-compliance with the party constitution.

    The Gombe APC Steering Committee and Stakeholders’ Forum called for a “review of the terms of reference of the committee of four appointed by the NWC and convert them to an electoral body to conduct elections into the vacant positions of the State Deputy Chairman and State Secretary.”

    The Yakubu James Laubakta-led Steering committee called for the review of the sack of the State Chairman and State Legal Adviser, Magaji Doho and Duda Manu reviewed.

    The Forum said the crises rocking the party were multifaceted and has implored the national secretariat to investigate the root causes with a view to proffering solutions.

    The forum said the crises should be resolved in good time to enable the pary strategise for the forthcoming local government elections.

    It called on the APC National Secretariat to stop the Governor Danjuma Goje from parading himself as the leader of the party in the state.

    It also alleged a misappropriation or diversion of the N200 million deployed to prosecute the party’s presidential campaigns.

    The forum said the party should not condone corruption.

    It commended efforts to encourage people with political clout that can brighten the party’s chances in subsequent elections to defect to the fold.

  • We’ll unite, reconcile all factions in NLC – Wabba

    We’ll unite, reconcile all factions in NLC – Wabba

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday in Abuja expressed commitment to reconciling and uniting all the factions in its rank.

    The President of the congress, Dr Ayuba Wabba, expressed the commitment at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum.

    He said that the splinter groups within the union had created unavoidable challenges for the leaders, hence the need for reconciliation and unity.

    According to him;“It is true that we had challenges after our conference but it is usual in every system because the road is not also limited to NLC.

    “Every system and every organisation in our country also have had its own share of the challenge.

    “So, part of the challenge is what our colleague did, saying that they don’t agree with the outcome and instead of also following the process through the normal channel of either arbitration or resorting to normal processes, they then went to declare themselves.

    “Certainly two wrongs do not make a right and we don’t lament over that; they are our colleagues and we have made every efforts to try to bring them in, including the efforts made by our veterans.

    “All of them have been on the issue of reconciliation and we are committed to that, but it takes also two to tango.

    “While we have been able to forfeit all our own commitment in trying to accommodate our colleagues and ensuring also that we have a very strong united NLC, despite of our strength.

    “Even if it’s one person that has deviated, we are trying our effort to bring them in but that will not also water down our engagement, we will be focused, we will be committed.

    “Our work will also speak for us. “

    He said that the NLC leadership would always represent the interest of workers and initiate policies and programmes that will promote good governance.

    Wabba said that though NLC was passing through a rough patch at the moment, it would emerge stronger, united and better focused.

    He said that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) was against child labour and the casualisation of labour.

  • Anambra PDP: Two factions of a troubled chapter

    Anambra PDP: Two factions of a troubled chapter

    Two factions are locked in a supremacy battle in the Anambra State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the crisis and the its implications for the troubled chapter

    Peace has eluded the Anambra State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) again. Two factions are at daggers drawn in the crisis-ridden chapter. Following the recent party congress, Prince Ken Emeakayi has claimed that he is the authentic chairman. But, his rival, Comrade Tony Nwoye, the former governorship candidate, has objected to the claim, saying that he is chasing shadows. Reconciliation has been deadlock.

    According to sources, Emeakayi is leading the mainstream faction. The faction has the backing of the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh. Two weeks ago, Nwoye’s group set up a parallel executive committee. The faction declared that Prince Ossy Ezenwa is the Chairman and Chief Basil Ejidike is the secretary. Other members of the factional executive are Dr. Maduka Nwankwo, Mr Keluo Molokwu, O.C. Chinwuba, Mrs. Jessy Balonwu, Afam Odogwu, Golden Ilo, Ken Arinze and Chuba Oranusi, among others.

    Ezenwa is the former Secretary to Government. He served in Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju’s administration. He was also the Director-General of the Tony Nwoye Campaign Organization during the 2013 governorship election. Sources said that, during that period, he sealed a pact with Nwoye and his associates, including some money bags and influential Anambra politicians, to vie for the party chairmanship.

    Metuh and Nwoye went their separate ways, shortly before the congress. Nwoye, a  veteran activist, faulted the timing of the process. He said Metuh was in a hurry to publish an advertorial on the ward, local government and state congresses. He complained that the advertorial was published, shortly before the last Sallah holiday, leaving no time for aspirants to obtain the required bank drafts to obtain the forms for the party positions. The two days between the day of the publication and the commencement of the ward congress were public holidays. Therefore,  many aspirants could not to meet the requirements. Nwoye maintained that the arrangement was unfair.

    However, despite the objections raised by the Nwoye group, the PDP National Secretariat went ahead with the congresses. Nwoye’s supporters alleged that the exercise was tilted to favour Metuh and his associates. They alleged that an aide of Metuh from Enugu State was the leader of the Congress Committee that conducted the exercise. They also alleged that Emeakayi, an associate of Metuh, was returned as the chairman, despite his alleged anti party activities during the last governorship elections. But, Emeakayi fired back, saying that he is a loyal party man.

    Following the controversial congress, Nwoye camp convened a meeting of stakeholders from the 21 local government areas in Awka, the state capital, to decide on the next move. At the end of the meeting, the group issued a statement describing the congress held by the Metuh-led group as a nullity and of no effect. The camp said there was no level –playing field for aspirants. According to the group, there was a pre-determined agenda to foist the newly elected officials on the party, contrary to the wishes of the majority of party members for a full, participatory, free, fair and credible congress to foster party unity.

    Also, Nwoye’s group challenged Metuh and members of his group into a duel. It set up a parallel executive for the party. At its meeting held at Emma House, Akwa, 21 persons were elected into the SWtate Executive Committee. The committee comprise of 18 persons from each of the 21 local government area executives and 17 each from the 326 wards. A total of 6,941 officials at the three levels were elected.

    Nwoye explained his objection to Metuh’s style. He said the National Publicity Secretary has been behaving like an octopus, having stayed for too long in the national executive committee of the party.

    He said: “Metuh has stayed too long at the PDP headquarters and he should, therefore, leave the place as his presence there is having a bad influence on many people working in that office. We in the PDP believe in equity. Those who own this party, including the former  Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Prince Arthur, Sir Emeka Offor, Sir Cletus Ibeto, among others, said I should tell you that you are the authentic PDP.”

    Urging the national secretariat to intervene in the logjam, Nwoye said the crisis would have been avoided, if Metuh had followed the due process,

    He added: “What PDP members demand is to be allowed to conduct free and fair congresses to usher in a new leadership. This is where we need the assistance of the national leadership of our great party. Our members are known to accept defeat, once the process is credible. What has been causing disaffection in the Anambra PDP were attempts to foist unpopular persons as leaders. My belief is that, if we get it right this time, no political party will stop us in Anambra State. Our immediate move will be to go for the membership drive in all the 326 wards in the state and ensure that all the aggrieved members of the party are reconciled.

    “There have been speculations as to what will be our fate in this party. While we admit that the PDP remains ours, we want to use this opportunity to send signals to those who run the party that, if they do not get their acts together, the All Progressives Congress (APC) will take over this state.”

    But, Metuh’s supporters have insisted that the congresses were transparent, adding that they were conducted by a neutral panel mandated to do so by the national leadership.

    The lingering crisis may take its toll on the troubled chapter. The cracks are widening on daily basis. Party sources disclosed that the APC has been wooing Nwoye and his supporters to defect from the PDP, but the group is still resisting the pressure. According to them, a great blow would have been done to the party structure, if the camp succumb to the pressure.

    Many party leaders have acknowledged Nwoye as a big factor, judging by the way he emerged as the governorship candidate. His supporters are grassroots politicians, who have remained steadfast and committed to the party, even in the face of the protracted crisis in the party. Many members believe that, if the group defects, the chapter may be decimated.

    Nwoye said his group will nurture the parallel executive committee, adding that it will command influence. He said with the inauguration of the committee, the officials will be mobilised to carry out the activities of the party at the grassroots. He described the members of the parallel committee as loyal and committed chieftains, who have suffered for the PDP since its inception. He urged the national leadership to visit Anambra for the purpose of organising credible congresses.

    Nwoye said: “The era of some PDP chieftains conniving with the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in this state to undermine the PDP’s electoral fortunes is over. The acting national chairman of our great party, Uche Secondus, has assured us that ours is the authentic PDP and we are, therefore, waiting for the national leadership to organize credible congress for us in this state.”

    The factional chairman, Ezenwa, is a man of few words. Lamenting the crisis, he said it is a product of injustice. He promised to live up to expectation, adding that the team will swing into action and uphold the honour and reputation of the Anambra PDP as a promising chapter.

    He added: “The new executive is prepared to work. Our assignment sbeen made easy with the caliber of the new officials. There is so much work to do and we should start immediately.”

    There are puzzles: which faction will the national leadership recognise? Will the factional chairman operate from the party secretariat? Is reconciliation still possible? Will the national leadership intervene and conduct a fresh congress? Time will tell.

  • Fasehun’s OPC breaks into two factions, as new President emerges

    Fasehun’s OPC breaks into two factions, as new President emerges

    The Dr. Fredrick Fasehun’s faction of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) has broken into two with the emergence of Comrade Dare Olasope as its new President.

    In an interview with our correspondent, Olasope accused Fasehun for bringing the name of the organisation into disrepute and running it like a slave camp.

    While pleading for understanding and support from well meaning Yorubas for the organisation, Olasope said the OPC should no longer be judged based on the past actions of its founder, Dr. Fasehun, who he said was removed due to his refusal to heed to wise counsels from his associates.

    Arguing that the change of baton was imperative at this point in time, Olasope said: “We are not running a monarchical system in OPC and so no one must be allowed to run the organisation for 20 years. The way and manner we would run OPC henceforth will be in consonance with the constitution of Nigeria where decisions would be taken after due consultations with relevant stakeholders.”

    Speaking on the outcome of the 2015 general elections, Olasope congratulated Gen. Mohammadu Buhari on his victory, describing his election as the President-elect as divine despite the opposition to his candidacy by some Yoruba leaders.

    The OPC boss also praised the electorates in the South West for defying the call by some Yoruba leaders not to vote for Buhari, adding that he was in the vanguard of those who supported the mantra of change as propagated by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He tasked the next administration to spread the dividends of democracy to all the regions in the country and also find a lasting solution to the power problem in order to attract more investors into the country.

    On the successful conduct of the elections, Olasope commended the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, for his mature handling of several delicate issues, which he noted, could have scuttled the outcome of the process.

    Expressing optimism that the incoming president would correct all the mistakes made by the outgoing administration, Olasope praised the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the Governor-elect of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode for their doggedness in achieving victory, he while urging them to put the opposition of certain Yoruba elements to the APC behind them in the interest of the Yoruba race.

     

  • Ekiti PDP factions clash again

    Ekiti PDP factions clash again

    The crisis rocking the Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) worsened yesterday, with the reported clashing of two factions at the secretariat in Ajilosun, Ado-Ekiti.

    Some factional members led by the Publicity Secretary, Pastor Kola Oluwawole and Dr. Tope Aluko, who met reporters, said the hoodlums, allegedly sponsored by a top official of the party, attacked Deolu Aluko, the treasurer and others.

    Those also reportedly attacked were the Awo-Ekiti Ward Chairman, Alhaji Azeez Akanbi, Mr. Agboola Olajide and Mr. Alake Abiodun.

    A statement read by Oluwawole said: “The violence violates the decision of the Southwest PDP and the national leadership that peace should be maintained pending when the five-man committee set up by the Southwest Exco would visit Ekiti to intervene.”

    Sixteen PDP governorship aspirants yesterday declared their consent for the adoption of a consensus candidate for the party for next year’s poll.

    The group, through a communiqué issued at the end of an inaugural meeting, also supported the indefinite suspension of former Governor Ayo Fayose and others for their alleged involvement in the violence, which rocked the party a few weeks ago.

    They urged the leadership of the party to put measures in place to confirm Fayose’s suspension, adding that “consensus arrangement would produce a quality and marketable candidate with wide acceptability.”

    At the meeting were Chief Abiodun Aluko, Senator Bode Olowoporoku, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd), Senator Ayo Arise, Aribisala Adewale, Otunba O. O. Akerele, Prof. Adesegun Ojo, Dare Bejide, Femi Bamisile, Odeyemi Tunji and Prince Dayo Adeyeye.

    Others are Mr. Bodunde Adeyanju, Chief Obafemi Peters, Ropo Ogunbolude, Bimbo Owolabi and Dr. Kunle Afolayan.

    Fayose described the group as “mere conspirators”.

    His supporters, led by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Pastor Oluwawole, the Secretary, Dr. Tope Aluko and the Treasurer, Mr. Deolu Aluko, decried the 16-member list.

    According to them, “most of the names are unknown to the party going by the requirements that would qualify anybody as an aspirant.”

    Oluwawole said many of the people whose names were mentioned were also officially unknown to officials of the party and had never visited the secretariat since the present leadership assumed office last year.

    Ogundipe told reporters that the constitution of the party “is clear on the process of disciplining errant members.”

    According to him, the only three members of the party in the state, who could be suspended by the local chapter of the party, include “my humble self as the state chairman, members of the Board of Trustees, Senator Clement Awoyelu and the member representing the state at the zonal level, Temitope Ademiluyi.”

    He said: “These people are the only ones subject to discipline at the national level of the party.”

    Added he: “As at the last count, we have 23 aspirants in the party and one wonders why it is only one (Fayose) that faults every step taken by the leadership of the party.”

     

     

  • Delta PDP reconciles warring factions

    The reconciliatory moves by the Burutu chapter of Pastor Kenneth Ogheibiri- led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for aggrieved members who left the party during the 2011 general election in Delta State, recorded a big catch with the come-back of a Democratic People’s Party (DPP) chieftain in the area, Hon Julius Pondi, and hundreds of his followers.

    The come-back which coincided with the hand-over ceremony of the Burutu Council HPM, Dr Moses.M.Adagbabiri, to the Transition Committee Chairman, Navy Capt. Buckman Deinne, was witnessed by stakeholders, party faithful, ward chairmen and youth leaders.

    In his address, Hon. Pondi, who was the House of Assembly candidate for Burutu North on the platform of DPP in the 2011 general election, said, “I left the party due to some internal issues which resulted to my defecting to the DPP to actualise my ambitions but unfortunately, I could not also do that.

    “But with the harmonisation of aggrieved members of the party by the current party chairman and owing to his personality, I and my supporters are convinced of the sincerity of the party and decided to retrace our steps,” he added.

    While commending the come-back of Pondi, a PDP youth leader in the area, Mr. Jude Angodedeke, said the return of Pondi to the PDP fold is a true reflection of the harmonisation move by the party chairman.