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Tag: National Chairman

  • Igbo digging its political grave, says Oye

    •Aggrieved APGA members seek chairman’s removal

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Victor Ike Oye has said Igbo was digging its political grave following the outcome of Saturday’s elections

    Oye, who spoke with reporters yesterday at Amawbia, said the people of the Southeast play politics of emotions other than politics of pragmatism.

    According to him, what happened during the presidential election has made him lose hopes of Igbo presidency in 2023. He said the Igbo were easily swayed by emotion, adding that the greatest problem the zone had was disunity, which would be difficult to heal.

    He maintained that Igbo needed a new leadership in its apex body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, to take them to that elusive Promised Land.

    Oye said: “The more you play regional politics, the more you ostracise yourself. You have to align yourself with the centre and other regions. The type of politics Igbo play will never help them out.”

    Meanwhile, some aggrieved party members have threatened to work against APGA during the March 9 elections if Oye is not removed.

    The group, led by Onyeka Mbaso, gave Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano nine days to address the situation or face their wrath during the election. It said they were short-changed by the party leadership during the primaries.

    Mbaso said Saturday’s election was a preamble of what would happen to APGA on March 9 if necessary action was delayed.

    He said: “We, the aggrieved members of this party, are calling on the Board of Trustees Chairman, who is also the governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, and other concerned stakeholders, to sack Chief Victor Oye, who is a foreigner in the party, to enable the party maintain the existing relationship it has with Obiano”

  • Take over prosecution of election offenders, Falana tells INEC

    National Chairman, People’s Alternative Front (PAF), Femi Falana (SAN) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take over the prosecution of the electoral offenders arising from the 2019 elections.

    Falana, in a letter dated February 22 and addresses to INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, this has become necessary to prevent official impunity.

    He recalled that members of the political class have rejected the popular call for the establishment of Electoral offences Commission/Tribunal in an attempt to shield electoral offenders from prosecution.

    He said the request was sequel to confirmation that “hundreds of criminal elements were arrested by the Police and other security agencies while attempting to disrupt the Presidential/National Assembly elections held throughout the country on Saturday, February 23, 2019”.

    He also noted that prior to last Saturday’s elections, “scores of other criminal suspects had been arrested during the political campaigns of the political parties for breaching the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended”.

    “Going by past experience, the prosecution of the electoral offenders will be taken over by state attorneys-general who will turn round to file nolle prosequi for the termination of the cases due to political pressure from the ruling party in each of the affected states”, he noted.

    Falana argued that the suggestion by PAF to INEC to take over the prosecution of electoral offender is backed by section 150 of the Electoral Act, 2010 which has vested the commission with the powers to prosecute any person who violates the provisions of the electoral act.

    “Like other prosecutorial agencies of the Federal Government the INEC should request the Inspector-General of Police to deploy some trained police investigators to the Legal Department for the purpose of coordinating the investigation of the cases.

    “Upon the conclusion of the investigation of the cases INEC will proceed to file charges against the indicted electoral offenders in the appropriate courts”, he stated.

    He reminded the commission that  a number of young lawyers were mobilised to assist the INEC in the prosecution of the electoral offenders who were arrested during the 2011 general election.

    Although majority of the electoral offenders were successfully prosecuted the policy did not continue due to the change in the leadership of the INEC.

    Falana therefore suggested that the policy be revived by the INEC without any delay.

    “Otherwise, the detained armed thugs who engaged in the cold murder of unarmed voters, ballot snatching, burning of ballot papers etc during the election will soon be freed and allowed to continue to sabotage the inchoate democratic process in the country”, he warned.

  • Why we cut petrol price to N140 per litre, by IPMAN

    Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) National Chairman Chief Chinedu Okoronkwo has clarified that the association decided to reduce the pump price of petrol from N145 to N140 per litre as part of its contribution to ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians travelling to vote during elections.

    Okoronkwo told The Nation on phone that the N140 per litre directive would be carried out by IPMAN members nationwide.

    He said the reduction was a sacrifice that would be made by IPMAN members since no amount of sacrifice is much for national peace.

    Okoronkwo said: “Everybody must be involved in nation-building. This reduction of fuel price is our own contribution to nation-building, entrench peace and ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians. This is a sacrifice IPMAN members will make for the nation and Nigerians. No amount of sacrifice is too much for peace. The fuel price reduction will help reduce the expenses of Nigerians during this period of elections.

    “The reduction will last till March 12 to help reduce transport fares for Nigerians as they travel to vote for their candidates for the presidential, National Assembly, governorship and Houses of Assembly elections. After that date, we will review the price.”

    On how the association would monitor its members to ensure compliance, Okoronkwo said: “We have a mechanism of reaching every member and ensuring that all comply.”

    Okoronkwo had on February 17, through the Northwest Zonal Chairman of IPMAN, Alhaji Bashir Salisu Tahir in Kano, directed IPMAN members to reduce pump price of petrol from N145 to N140 as part of the association’s contribution towards encouraging voters to participate in the election processes.

    However, another IPMAN factional leader, Mr. Sanusi Fari, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), countered the directive and told IPMAN members to disregard Okoronkwo’s directive on price reduction.

    Fari called on members to disregard the national president’s directive on plans to reduce the petrol pump price from N145 to N140.

    He urged members to continue to render their services to the public in view of the one-week postponement of the elections. He urged members not to sell petrol above the Federal Government’s approved pump price of N145.

    The Deputy National President, IPMAN Western Zone, Alhaji  Debo Ahmed, said  Okoronkwo had no right to direct any member to sell at N140.

    Ahmed added that Okoronkwo did not have filling stations and he was not the association’s president.

    He wondered how marketers would reduce price when government as the sole importer and supply of the product had not reduced price.

    “Where will Okoronkwo get the product that would be sold at N140 from? The price of transportation to take product to station has increased due to increase in diesel price. It’s not possible to reduce price to N140 per litre. We don’t know where he got his information from, since he is not the president. He is on his own. The Southwest will not align with his directive; he should not politicise people’s business for his personal interest,” Ahmed said.

  • INEC working for PDP, says Oshiomhole

    ALL Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomhole yesterday accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of working for the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), ahead of the general elections.

    Oshiomhole was, however, quick to add that the governing party would not decent to the level of bringing down state institutions because the party believes that state institutions should be allowed to perform their functions.

    Responding to questions about an alleged collusion between the INEC and President Muhammadu Buhari, Oshiomhole alleged that at the moment, two Resident Electoral Commissioners in the Southsouth have been going about campaigning with the PDP.

    Oshiomhole, who asked Nigerians not to return the PDP to power, said the pledge by the PDP candidate to float the naira was a recipe for economic woes, adding that Atiku has always been part of problem facing the nation.

    He also dismissed PDP’s allegations that the APC was responsible for burning some INEC offices that have recently been engulfed in flame, stressing that he could easily allude to the fact that the PDP burnt the INEC offices because they are afraid of losing elections in those places.

    He said: “If anything, this INEC has been very unfair to the APC. But we just discovered that we have a responsibility. The fact that we are a governing party imposes on us a certain level of code that you can’t be seen to rubbish every institution, because if we rubbish everything, it would mean that we don’t want election. INEC believed everything the PDP says.

    “As we speak, there are two Resident Electoral Commissioners, who are virtually campaigning line by line with the PDP in the Southsouth. INEC, without giving us any explanation and without any concrete evidence, went ahead to say we can’t field candidates in Zamfara.

    “Is that the way your friends behave if they are your friends? INEC is working more for the PDP based on evidence I  can show. How can they explain that a court of competent jurisdiction gave orders in Zamfara to say this candidate is eligible to contest election and another high court in Abuja also gave a verdict saying APC did not conclude its primaries, but did not give order to INEC?

    “There is no order issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja. The Court of Appeal made a pronouncement on this matter today that there was no order from the court in Abuja, but that there was a concrete order from a Zamfara High Court, which upheld the primaries that was conducted in Zamfara.

    “The INEC Chairman has said that when there are two court orders, they will adopt the last judgment. In Zamfara State, the Abuja judgment came first and the Zamfara judgment came last, even though it is the same day.

    “More as INEC has said they will always obey the last judgment, when it came to the Zamfara issue, they changed the goal post. As  media practitioners, you have to be careful. When you say people alleged there were meetings and can’t even cite any, it is a disservice. We have been at the receiving end of abuse.

    “There is a candidate in Kano, whose nomination we forwarded to INEC, but they changed the nomination and as we speak, we are in court over that. We showed our evidence. When I saw Atiku talking about rigging today, I laughed.

    “Do you remember the confession of the former Deputy Senate President who, on national television and not social media where anything is possible, narrated how President Olusegun Obasanjo used him and Atiku to rig election, how they wrote results and how they collude with INEC. This same Atiku was in office when Mantu was doing those things.”

    “So, if PDP functionaries have enumerated how they use to rig election, how can in all fairness point to President Muhammadu Buhari, who has been victim of election rigging three times such that in our legal history, it is part of precedent that the Supreme Court was persuaded to accept that election, where ballot papers had no serial number was OK and not a major infraction.”

  • Atiku no match for Buhari – APC diaspora

    The National Chairman, APC Scandinavia and a member Presidential Campaign Council, Diaspora Directorate, Hon. Ayoola Lawal has said the Presidential Candidate of People Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar is no match for President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Ayoola statement is in reaction to PANDEF, AFENIFERE, Ohaneze, NEF endorsement of the PDP Presidential candidate.

    He also said the PDP has been rigging the presidential election since  2003.

    “The question they should be asking themselves is, what is the possibility of winning an election against Buhari, now that they are not in control of the state instruments to perpetuate election rigging?” he said.

    “A former United States Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell had revealed in a book co-authored with a former US intelligence expert on Nigeria, Mathew Page, on how Buhari was rigged out in those election years.  He further made it known during an interview on Channels Television`s “Diplomatic Channels” on Monday, October 15, 2018, that he spoke to sources confirmed that those elections were rigged against Buhari in those election years”.

    “The Nigeria former Deputy Senate President, Senator Mantu, who claimed to be a born again, also confessed on Channel television on how he normally perpetuates the crime of election rigging in favour of any candidate sponsored by his party, PDP, when they were in power in the past”.

    “If Nigerian were to be a sane country that President Buhari is making frantic efforts in transforming it into, most of the politicians across board in Nigeria will be in prison by now, especially the PDP former presidents and leaders for their orchestrated crimes of senseless looting of our commonwealth and elections rigging in the nation”.

    “Even the former president Olusegun Obasanjo, who claimed to be a saint elder statesman, is now exposed as not being the person he claimed to be. No matter who endorses Atiku as the next president of Nigeria, Nigerians are now wiser. Atiku, endorsers and his party, PDP, should rest assured that there is no vacancy in Aso-rock at least in 2019-2023”.

  • Court affirms Nwabueze as YDP National Chairman

    A Federal High Court in Lagos has upheld the appointment of  Henry Nwabueze, as Young Democratic Party’s (YDP) acting National Chairman.

    Justice Ayokunle Faji declared that Nwabueze’s appointment by the Founding Members Council (FMC) of the party, was lawfully done.

    The judgment followed a suit filed by an aggrieved member of the party, Mr Greg Fiberesima, seeking a declaration that he was entitled to assume the position of YDP acting National Chairman.

    In his originating summons, the plaintiff joined YDP and Nwabueze as first and second defendants respectively.

    Fiberesima sought an order for the defendants to submit his name as acting Chairman, pending the conduct of election to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the former Chairman, Ambassador Raphael Horsfall.

    The plaintiff claimed that as the highest ranking member of the National Executive Committee from the Southsouth zone, he ought to be appointed acting chairman, after Horsfall, who is also from the Southsouth.

    But, opposing him, the defendants, through their counsel, Mr O.H. Igwe, urged the court to determine whether in view of article 29.2 of the YDP Constitution, the resolution appointing Nwabueze as acting Chairman was lawful.

    They argued that by the resolution of the FMC, The NEC and the Board of Trustees, the appointment of the second defendant as acting Chairman was constitutional and lawful.

    In his judgment, Justice Faji upheld the defendants’ argument, noting that the YDP Constitution regulates how offices are held. He added that in case of national officers, they are elected by the National Convention of the party, which holds every four years.

    “By Article 31.3, where there is a vacancy in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level, shall appoint another person from the same area or zone where the officer originated from, pending the conduct of election.

    “It is instructive that plaintiff’s demand to be made acting chairman was directed to the chairman of the FMC by a letter dated 23/6/2018; this shows that plaintiff acknowledges the role of the FMC in the process.

    “However, from the counter affidavit, the FMC chose not to accede to this, because of a crisis generated by the situation, as it was contended that the tenure of Amb. Horsfall had itself expired at the material time.

    “Plaintiff did not file a reply affidavit to this,” the court held,”

    The court held that by plaintiff’s exhibit YDP4 letter dated 10/10/2016, the tenure of the National Executives of the YDP was to last till the National Convention of 2017.

    It held that it would therefore, seem that as at 22/6/2018, the tenure of the previous acting chairman from Southsouth zone had expired.

    According to the judge, by Article 29.2.1 of the YDP Constitution, the FMC is empowered to resolve all crises in the party, adding that the situation was a clear crisis, which it was proper for the FMC to resolve the way it did.

    The court held that Article 31.4 and 29.2 are strong pedestals upon which the FMC acted, adding that even though the resolution was not exhibited, the facts in paragraphs eight and nine of the counter affidavit were not denied.

    The court consequently held: “The first defendant was right in sending the name of the second defendant to INEC, as acting National Chairman.

    “I hereby, find no merit in plaintiff’s claim which is hereby dismissed,”

  • ANN elects Dania as national chairman

    •Olawepo: We are the third force

    The Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) yesterday elected Emmanuel Dania, an information technologist, as its national chairman at its national convention in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), attended by delegates from 36 states.

    He succeeded the Interim Chairman, Dr Osi Samuels, who became the Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), having declined to seek a fresh term.

    The party officers were elected unopposed through affirmation vote, following a motion for the review of the party constitution to permit voice vote.

    However, an election was conducted into the office of National Publicity Secretary, following the refusal of aspirants to step down for one another.

    At the Nicon Luxury, venue of the convention, two presidential aspirants-Dr Dan Musa and Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim-described ANN as the credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    However, two presidential aspirants- Fela Durotoye and Dr Esha Ideh- were not at the intra-party poll.

    Thanking God for the existence of the party, Olawepo-Hashim observed that Nigeria was at the eve of a new Nigeria.

    He hailed Samuels for stepping down for Dania, urging those in government to emulate him to permit new blood in national governance

    Describing ANN as the third force, Olawepo-Hashim said the party will fulfil its promises to the electorate, if they endorse the platform in next year’s polls.

    He stressed: “The GDP of Nigeria will grow seven fold. We will stop the killings in the land. We will bring Nigeria together again. The North voted for MKO Abiola and not Bashir Tofa. Venue voted for Kashim Ibrahim to go to the House of Assembly. Enugu once voted for a Kogi/Ebira as mayor. Nigeria is divided today. ANN will bring unity.”

    Musa said: “Nigeria is facing challenges; no good school, no work for our children. We want a new Nigeria.”

    The Chairman of the National Convention Committee, Terseer Tsumba, described the exercise as the beginning of a new dawn, adding ANN, which is the party of professionals, will protect the interests of the masses.

    The former chairman, Samuels, said the party is an ideological platform to move the country forward.

    He hailed members for their vision, determination and focus, adding that ANN has a mission to deviate from the past and provide a new generation of leaders.

    Samuels said:” We are fresh, strong and vibrant. It is a party of ideas; a party of youths. We do not have godfathers in ANN. It is a party of equal members. Our godfathers will be the people of Nigeria.

    “We are currently in the wilderness of the APC. ANN will take Nigeria to the promised land.”

     

  • Sani backs APC reconciliation, says I remain APC Member

    Senator representing Kaduna Central in the National Assembly, Sen. Shehu Sani on Thursday said he was confident in the ability of the party leadership to resolve all the issues pervading the party.

    The Senator who is one of those widely reported to be planning to dump the party however said he remains a member of the party.

    Read Also:APC will remain focused – Oshiomhole

    Speaking after a meeting with the party national chairman as part of reconciliation efforts, Sani threw his weight behind the ongoing reconciliation efforts undertaken by the Party’s National Executive led by the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

    “We are confident that the new leadership of the Party has the capacity the ability to address these injustices. In the words of Frantz Fanon, ‘We revolt because we cannot breathe’. So we revolted against the Party was run because it is suffocating us. Now we have a new surgeon who is doing everything possible to put it back on track. That is why we give him the benefit of doubt that the problem can be solved.” Sani said.

    Asked about his Party membership status, Sen. Shehu Sani retorted: “If I am here, I am an APC member. If I am not an APC member, you will not see me at the Party’s National Secretariat”

  • Breaking: JOHESU suspends six weeks strike action

    The striking health workers have suspended the six weeks nationwide strike action.

    The suspension is with effect from Thursday, 31st May, 2018.

    The health workers under the umbrella body of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) had proceeded on a nationwide strike action on midnight of 17th April, 2018 following the Federal Government inability to honour agreements between both parties. While the strike action lasted government hospitals were only operating skeletal services, as only serious emergency cases were attended to.

    However, following the intervention of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, the leadership of the unions met Thursday where it was agreed to suspend the strike.

    Read Also:Strike: Court orders FG, JOHESU back to negotiation table

    Announcing the suspension of the strike action at the end of the National Executive Council meeting of the unions held in Abuja, Com. Josiah Biobelemoye, National Chairman, JOHESU said the suspension is to pave way for further negotiations to continue on Monday 4th June 2018.

    Biobelemoye who briefed the media in the present of the president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Dr. Ayuba Wabbara and other leaders of the unions expressed dismay and the insincerity and unseriousness exhibited at the negotiation table by the Government negotiating team which led to the breakdown of further negotiations and unnecessarily prolonged the strike action.

    He stressed that JOHESU strike actions is neither ill nor politically motivated but in a bid to save the health sector from imminent collapse

    He therefore said that the suspension of the strike action was not as a result of the court injunction but for the sympathy for the people.

    He said, “Due to the intervention of His Excellency, the Senate President, Senator (Dr.) Abubakar Bukola Saraki who through his love for the suffering masses displayed high level of statesmanship and sincerity of purpose by putting some machineries in place with a view to permanently resolving the issues in contention. JOHESU having considered his intervention after holding just two meetings with leadership, where serious progress were made.

    “The various gains from the meetings with His Excellency, the Senate President were presented to the NEC of JOHESU, after an exhaustive deliberations and discussions, the NEC in session approved that the six (6) weeks old strike be suspended this day Thursday, 31st May, 2018 because of the sympathy the Unions have for the suffering Nigerian masses and also to pave way for further negotiations to continue on Monday 4th June, 2018.”

    He also added, “We would like to place on record that JOHESU strike actions is neither ill nor politically motivated but in a bid to save the health sector from imminent collapse.”

    On his part, Wabara assured the unions of the support of the NLC, stressing that it has justified case.

    He noted that there were interventions by people in high places.

    He hoped that there will be fairness and justice going forward between the government and unions.

  • Crisis: Accord Party leaders ask National Chairman to resign

    National Chairman of Accord Party, Alhaji Mohammed Nalado, has been given a seven-day ultimatum to resign his position over allegations of anti-party activities. The ultimatum was given by the leadership of the party in the South West zone after a meeting held at Grand Serene Hotel, Ibadan, Oyo State. All the state chapters of the party in the zone except Oyo, were unanimous on the ultimatum.

    Osun State chairman of the party, Otunba Segun Fanibe, who addressed journalists after the meeting, said Nalado has contravened Article 20 of the party’s constitution by allegedly engaging in acts that brought the party into public ridicule, disrepute and embarrassment. Fanibe was flanked at the press briefing by all the Southwest states chairman and other party leaders.

    Fanibe, who said the party had for the past three weeks sought audience with Nalado on some issues but the party boss could not be seen, stated that the failure of the national chairman to either resign within seven days or call for NWC meeting in order to set up a seven-man disciplinary committee “will cause the AP in the Southwest to meet again within two weeks, to decide on our continued membership of the party.”