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Tag: Ndoma -Egba

  • C’River Central: I will appeal tribunal verdict, says Ndoma-Egba

    Former Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba has vowed to appeal the judgement of the tribunal dismissing his petition challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for excluding him from participating in the Cross River Central senatorial election.

    The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Calabar had struck out Ndoma-Egba’s petition on the ground that “the issues brought before the tribunal were pre-election matters and as such the tribunal lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matters.”

    The tribunal refused to grant the ex-Senate Leader’s request for a fresh senatorial poll, thereby affirming the election of Senator Sandy Onor of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    However, in a statement, he urged his supporters to remain calm and not be discouraged. The Director of Media and Communication of Ndoma-Egba Campaign Organisation, Sunny Udeh, said: “Without doubt the decision of the tribunal is a huge disappointment to all our supporters and indeed members of the All Progressives Congress in Cross River State.

  • Can Ndoma-Egba regain seat?

    THE Cross River Central senatorial battle has shifted to the tribunal. The tribunal secretary said the temple of justice will decide the winner.

    The contest was between a former Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Dr Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The district is made up six local government areas: Abi, Yakurr, Obubra, Ikom, Etung and Boki. Onor is from Etung while Ndoma-Egba is from Ikom.

    In result of the poll announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicated that Onor scored 80, 126 votes to beat Ndoma-Egba, who got 60,298.

    Ndoma-Egba had kicked, alleging rigging, violence, and the collusion of INEC and security agencies with the PDP. He is challenging the results in a petition to the Tribunal with number EPT/CAL/S/01/2019.

    The matter due to the political pedigree of both of them, is most likely to spring surprises at the tribunal. Also, there is the pervading feeling in the state that, in the history of politics, at least, since the beginning of the present democratic dispensation, the central district has always been  the hotbed.

    Observers feel Ndoma-Egba stand a good chance in the courts as his argument is hinged on the fact that the electoral umpire had gone ahead to announce his opponent as winner even when the number of cancelled votes were more than the difference between them.

    Both have had great political careers. They are grassroot politicians and stalwarts in their own right. Onor, a former local government chairman and former Commissioner  had earned a name for himself as the Original Caterpillar. According to supporters, this name is due to his ability to bulldoze and get his way. Ndoma-Egba had served in the Senate for three consecutive terms 2003 and 2015 and had risen to the position of Senate Leader. Known for his visibility and eloquence in the red chamber, he was seen as the guy who got things done, and expectations seemed to be high in anticipation of his return.

    Some feel that losing his bid for the Senate in the last election was a missed opportunity, which going to the tribunal may address.  Those who feel this way, think that it would be disadvantageous for the state to have a first time senator. Their sentiment  is steeped in the thinking that the ex-Senate leader had acquired the ranking in the Senate, which affords certain privileges a first timer would not get, and would have been advantageous to clinching the Presidency of the Senate. Owing to his legislative prowess and experience in tackling conflict situations, the Presidency may have wanted him to head the Red Chamber, thereby enhancing a smooth executive-legislature relation. They feel the present controversy over the leadership of the ninth senate would not have been so intense with Ndoma-Egba in the picture.

    “He would have been an active senator, especially at the leadership level, coming from a background of a wealth of experience, in the Ninth National Assembly. This would have been crucial to avoid the kind of relationship the executive had with the legislature in the eighth Senate. Ndoma-Egba is stable, has experience and ranking, good at resolving issues, level-headed and open and broad minded and would have seemed a natural for the leadership of the upper house of the National Assembly,” an observer noted.

    The complaints at the tribunal include violence, ballot box stuffing, multiple thumb printing, non-use of card readers, violence, and illegal cancellation of many elections in some areas.

    The petition reads in part: “Indeed the Returning Officer for Cross River State at the Presidential elections announced that 26, 000 votes were canceled in Boki. Clearly from the foregoing, serious infractions of the Electoral Law were copiously reported and duly noted by the INEC officials in all the local government areas and brought to the attention of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in a meeting with all concerned stakeholders on Monday 25thFebruary, 2019 in his office in Calabar.

    “Furthermore, the figures collated by INEC, including the disputed votes from Boki LGA shows a margin between the two leading candidates is far less than the registered voters in the areas were poll results were cancelled. The meaning of this is that in the spirit of the Electoral Act and 2019 Election guidelines issued by your office, the elections remain inconclusive.”

    With the three-man Election Tribunal in the state, headed by Justice Vincent Agata, granting Ndoma-Egba permission to serve Onor, by substituted means, the ball has been set rolling for a legal spar over the next couple of months.

    During the inaugural sitting of the Tribunal Ndoma-Egba’s counsel had told the panel that the court bailiffs had made futile efforts to serve Onor personally. Ndoma-Egba supporters feel this permission granted though seemingly mundane is a sign of the victory they hope to get from the courts.

  • Ndoma-Egba wins polling unit, Buhari also

    The senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Central Senatorial District of Cross River State, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, won his polling unit Akparabong in Ikom Local Government Area.

    The former Senate Leader polled 295 to beat Dr. Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 35 votes. The results were a combination of two voting points at the Playground Mkpanjem polling unit with code 003.

    Read also: Ogboru votes, says Buhari’ll be president till 2023

    In the same polling unit in the Presidential polls, President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC scored 171 votes, while Atiku Abubakar of the PDP got 146.

    For the Ikom/Boki Federal Constituency, House of Representatives polls in the polling unit, Victor Abang, of the APC scored 125, while the PDP candidate and incumbent, Chris Agibe, got 29 votes.

  • Ndoma-Egba urges supporters to remain calm

    The senatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) for Cross River Central, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, has urged his supporters to remain calm and patient for Saturday’s election.

    Ndoma-Egba, who addressed reporters in Ikom Local Government Area over the postponed election, called on the public to give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the benefit of the doubt.

    According to him, the postponement was not a setback to the development of the democratic process, but rather a part of the country’s learning curve.

    He said: “Let me not call it a setback, but a part of the learning curve. This is not the first time elections are being postponed. If you recall in 2015, elections were postponed. My concern is that we ought to have learnt from the 2015 experience to avoid a recurrence.

    Read also: Coca-Cola records 6% revenue growth

    “Well for any postponement, you repeat whatever expenditure you incurred. It is like spending twice. I mean when you mobilise people, there are issues of logistics and you have to go back to the campaign field, because by law the elections stop 24 hours to the election, which means that the field is open again for us to go back, which means new expenditure.”

  • In 2 years, NDDC has rehabilitated 90% of roads in C/River— Ndoma-Egba

    Chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, has said that 90 per cent of roads rehabilitated in Cross River between 2016-2018 were carried out by the commission.

    Ndoma-Egba, a former Senate Leader and the current candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for Cross River Central Senatorial District, disclosed this on Sunday in Calabar during an interaction with newsmen.

    The former lawmaker said that the initiative was to attract development to the state by way of expanding and rehabilitating urban and rural roads for easy movement of goods and commuters.

    “” I have said this before and let me say it again, whatever road you see anywhere in the state that was tarred in the last two years, 90 per cent of the chances are that they were tarred by NDDC or the Ministry of Niger Delta.

    “”I want to be challenged on this. We have roads right from Calabar South to Bakassi, right down to Obudu and Obanliku Local Government area of the state.

    “ “If you see any school renovated in the last two years, new roof, new building, new furniture; 90 per cent of the chances are that it was done by NDDC.

    “These are some of the achievements we have in Cross River. We remember that once upon a time, the Calabar-Itu Road was impassable, but the road became passable by the effort of NDDC,” he said.

    According to him, same goes for the Calabar-Ikom-Ogoja-Obudu road.

    He pointed out that from Ikom to Calabar that usually took up to five hours is now a journey of two hours plus.

    On the 2019 Cross River Central Senatorial District election, Ndoma-Egba said he was running the election based on his track records in the National Assembly from 2003-2015.

    According to him, he attracted over 74 projects within the period under review and facilitated federal employment for over 358 constituents.

    He added that he also provided scholarship for 700 undergraduates, organised skills acquisition training, and sponsored the Freedom of Information Bill, among others.

    “”I am seeking to return to the senate based on my track records, verifiable records, not promises. I am confident of winning this election because our people are going to vote for someone who can give them effective and quality representation.

    “”Some of my projects include the Faculty of Law in the University of Calabar; the Irruan Water Dam in Boki Local Government, the Edor Community Water Project and many others,’’ he said.

    He expressed confidence that APC in Cross River will sweep the polls in the Presidential, Governorship, House of Representatives and the State House of Assembly elections.

    He also drummed support for President Muhammadu Buhari, urging people of the state to come out en mass on Feb. 16 and vote massively for him. (NAN)

  • Southeast Presidency only possible through Buhari – Sen. Ndoma Egba

    Former Senate Leader and senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River state, Senator Ndoma Egba has said that for the South East to be in a position to produce the President of the country in 2013, they will have no choice than to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The former Senator said this in an interview with news correspondents at his Apo, Abuja office.

    He said no candidates can guarantee an Igbo Presidency in the near future.

    “let me hazard what may happen and I think they will go with President Buhari. They are hoping to produce a President in 2023 and that opportunity can only come through a President Buhari because by the application of the law, come 2023, Buhari will become illegible to contest because he must end his tenure and that is when the south east can have their turn” he said.

    “Any other person that comes, forget whatever promises they make. The moment they seat on that chair, they must take their constitutional two full terms. So, any other person will delay the chances for the south east. That is why I think the south east will go with President Buhari”.

    “It is not automatic though. We are talking about the opportunity and it is for the south east to go and organize themselves and ready itself for that opportunity”.

    “Will they have an opportunity in 2023 through President Buhari? The answer is yes, the opportunity will be there and you need to put your house in order. Will it be possible with other person in 2023 considering the fact that the person would have a constitutional two term. The answer is no.”

  • PDP short-changed Cross River for 16 years – Ndoma Egba

    Former Senate Leader and senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River state, Senator Ndoma Egba has said that the PDP government short changed the state in the 16 years it governed the country, depriving it of 76 oil well and the Bakassi peninsula.

    Senator Ndoma Egba also said that for the south east to be in a position to produce the President of the country in 2013, they will have no choice than to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari, saying any other candidate cannot guarantee an Igbo Presidency in the near future.

    Speaking to newsmen at his Apo, Abuja office, the former lawmaker who is seeking a return to the Senate after a short absence said even though his state gave the President what he described as paltry 28,000 votes, they have benefited tremendously from the APC government.

    The former Senator said the State governor who has always boasted of his closeness with the President should reciprocate the President’s good gesture to him and the state by mobilizing votes for him in the Presidential election.

    He also said the sentiments that played out in the 2015 elections in the south south are no longer there since former President Jonathan or any body for the zone is seeking election as President.

    “Yes, it was a traditional PDP ares because at a time, we had our son who was contesting the Presidency. There was that underlining sentiment that our son was contesting. But today, we don’t have that situation and we don’t have anybody who is contesting from that zone” he said.

    “The two major candidates are from the same region and from the same religion. So, that sentiment will not be there. Take the example of Cross River state. In 2015, President Buhari got a paltry 28,000 votes and inspite of the low level of support, see what he has done for Cross River”.

    “Cross River remain the only state that he has visited twice. The state is well represented in government. We have the Chief Justice of Nigeria even though he is not a politician. You can’t run away from the fact that he became Chief Justice under President Buhari, but anything could have happened.

    “The Head of Service of the Federation is from Cross River state, the Auditor General of the Federation is from that state, the Minister of the Niger Delta, the Chairman, NDDC, the Special Adviser on Prosecution are all from that state in addition to Chairmen of boards, all for a paltry 28,000.

    “What was the record under PDP? The best we ever had as a state under the PDP was when we had Kanu Agabi as Minister and Senator Liyel Imoke as Special Adviser. These are arguments that will be taken to the field in Cross River. It will be the height of ingratitude for any Cross Riverian not to vote for President Buhari and it will be uncharitable ingratitude.

    “Recently I had an interview with a radio station and I challenged the public. Any tarred road that was constructed in the last two years in Cross River, 90 percent of the chances is that it was tarred by the NDDC or the Ministry of the Niger Delta.

    Any renovation of any school in the last two years, the chances are that it was done by either the NDDC or the Ministry of the Niger Delta.

    “So, we have benefited a lot from this government. We also have our argument. What was the experience under the PDP government. It was one loss or the other for us as a state.

    “It was under the PDP that we lost Bakassi and also lost 76 oil wells. It was under the PDP that we lost the hosting right of the National Sport Festival. Cross River at a time was paradise game under Donald Duke when we had the Cattle Ranch and the Mountain Range. But it was still under the PDP that the paradise was lost.

    “These and many more are the arguments that we are going to confront the people with. The sentiments that our son is contesting is no longer there. We are now dealing with verifiable records which we are going to be dealing with and the records favour the President unequivocally and the APC.”

    On the agitation for a south east Presidency come 2023, he said “For the south east, let me hazard what may happen and I think they will go with President Buhari.

    “They are hoping to produce a President in 2023 and that opportunity can only come through a President Buhari because by the application of the law, come 2023, Buhari will become illegible to contest because he must end his tenure and that is when the south east can have their turn.

    “Any other person that comes, forget whatever promises they make. The moment they seat on that chair, they must take their constitutional two full terms. So, any other person will delay the chances for the south east. That is why I think the south east will go with President Buhari.

    “It is not automatic though. We are talking about the opportunity and it is for the south east to go and organize themselves and ready itself for that opportunity.

    “Will they have an opportunity in 2023 through President Buhari? The answer is yes, the opportunity will be there and you need to put your house in order. Will it be possible with other person in 2023 considering the fact that the person would have a constitutional two term. The answer is no.”

  • Ndoma-Egba, Shettima, Adeyemi, others clinch APC Senate tickets

    NIGER Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Chairman Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima Senator Smart Adeyemi, Alhaji Yakubu Oseni and Alhaji Jibrin Isah and Senator Sabo Nakudu have clinched the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to run for next year’s senatorial elections.

     

    Ndoma-Egba

     

    He is to run for Cross River State Central in next year’s general elections.

    Ndoma-Egba, a former Senate Leader, scored 50,729 votes to beat Prof. Oka Martins, who came second with 19, 349 votes in the direct primary.

    It was collated in Ikom Local Government Area. Other contestants Obol Akin Anderson Ricketts and Dr. Henry Ayuk scored 302 and 252.

    But in a parallel senatorial primaries for the Central District by another faction of the party, Obol Ricketts, a former Commissioner for Information, emerged as the winner. Chairman of the primaries committee for the exercise Tata Ifere announced that Ricketts polled 12, 311 votes; Ayuk scored 6, 520 votes; Ndoma-Egba, 251 votes and Martins got 100.

     

    Shettima

     

    Governor Shettima picked the APC ticket to represent Borno Central.

    He scored 2,735 votes as against his closest and only opponent, Alhaji Wurge, who got 5 votes.

    Chairman of the electoral committee Ahmed Elmaduzu declared the result in Maiduguri yesterday morning.

    Shettima, in brief acceptance speech after the official declaration, thanked his co-contestants, including his supporters for the confidence reposed on him.

    Senator Babakaka Garbai, the incumbent senator representing Borno Central, was Shettima’s agent at the election.

     

    Adeyemi, Oseni, Isah

     

    Adeyemi, Oseni and Isah emerged the winners of the senatorial district primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State.

    They were declared winners following the release of the results of the party’s primaries held from late Wednesday till the early hours of yesterday at Kabba, Okene and Idah.

    Mr. Bonnie Eneh, the chairman of the committee that coordinated the Kogi West’s primary, said 1,893 votes were recorded during the exercise held at Kabba. Thirteen votes were voided.

    He said Adeyemi polled 1,659 to defeat Dr. Toyin Akanle, who polled 104 votes, Tajudeen Bissimillahi (98 votes) and Mrs. Ibikunle Adedoyin who had 19 votes.

    At Idah, Isah scored 2,469 votes to defeat Mr. Yahaya Audu, who polled 308 votes.

    At the party primary held at Okene, the headquarters of the Kogi Central’s primary, Oseni polled 1,100 votes to emerge the winner.

     

    Nakudu

     

    Nakudu (Jigawa Central) won the primary election for his senatorial ticket to contest in the 2019 elections.

    Electoral Committee Chairman Mr. Ambiye Issa said Nakudu scored 1,170 votes to defeat his only opponent, Mr. Yusif Galambi, who garnered 1,012 votes.

    Issa said 2,219 delegates from the senatorial district were accredited, 13 votes declared invalid and 2,195 votes cast during the exercise.

    Also commenting, the Chairman, Local Organising Committee, Alhaji Umar Namadi, hailed the two candidates for exhibiting sportsmanship, during and after the election.

    Namadi urged Galambi to accept the defeat in good faith and support the winner to ensure a responsible representation.

  • APC studying court processes, says Ndoma-Egba

    •Aspirants dismiss consensus’ option

    SECRETARY of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Convention Planning Committee Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba said the party was studying court processes served on it from some states.

    Ndoma-Egba, who said the party will come up with its position, said the APC leadership has received court rulings in respect of delegates from some states and is studying them.

    He said: “We have received court processes in respect of some states and we are studying the process and probably, by this night, we should be able to arrive at something.”

    The party chieftain said about 20 persons are running unopposed and noted that there must, however, be voting for those positions to affirm them.

    However, one of the aspirants for the office of the National Secretary, Waziri Bulama, told The Nation that the convention committee only invited them to brief them on the modalities for the event and the logistics involved as well as how they are expected to conduct themselves.

    He said there was no mention of the issue of consensus during the meeting between the aspirants and the convention committee, adding that every candidate is expected to face the delegates.

    Bulama, who is believed to be the candidate of Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, expressed confidence that he will emerge the national secretary.

    Another aspirant to the office of National Secretary, Alhaji Abdulrahaman Terab, dismissed the much talked about consensus or unity list, saying the delegates will decide on who they want to vote for tomorrow.

    He said the issue of consensus has only succeeded in dividing the stakeholders.

    He said he is in the race because of his belief that the party is at a critical position at the moment and need those who can help in rebuilding it into veritable vehicle for national development.

     

  • APC names Ndoma-Egba convention secretary, as Uwajumogu quits

    •Ex-panel scribe says he resigned to attend children’s convocation

    The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has named Senator Victor Ndoma- Egba as secretary of its National Convention Planning Committee.

    He replaces Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu who resigned last Friday.

    National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, disclosed this yesterday.

    He also confirmed the resignation of Uwajumogu.

    The APC spokesman dismissed reports the former secretary was forced to resign as a way of acquiescing to the demands of his state governor, Rochas Okorocha who threatened to dump the ruling party should his request for a new Scribe be turned down.

    “It is not a tradeoff. To the best of my knowledge, the reasons he gave were personal and the National Working Committee NWC has appointed somebody else, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba.

    “I do not know how that can be a tradeoff because if it is so, I think his replacement should have been another person from Imo but the new appointee is from Cross River.”

    Uwajumogu explained his resignation was to enable him attend the convocation of two of his children in the United Kingdom(UK), which coincides with the party’s convention on June 23.

    The Senator, who is one of the APC chieftains in Imo state engaged in a running battle with Governor Rochas Okorocha, over the recently- conducted congresses, said the governor has been doing everything possible to implicate him.

    He said he is aware of some other social media reports that he was forced to resign over financial misappropriation, saying his resignation will clear the air on some of the accusations against him.

    According to him: “The reason I resigned primarily is that when I was appointed, the date for the national convention, as we were informed, was to be on May 14.

    “Eventually that date was moved to June 2 and there were hopes that the convention would hold between June 2 and 9.

    “However, the date has now been moved to June 23 and it will conflict with my family activities and responsibilities.

    “For example, two of my children are graduating from the university in England within this month and I have a responsibility to be there and I have some other jobs at hands too.

    “So, I decided that since I won’t have the time for this convention, I should resign so that the position can be given to somebody who has the time.”

    On his relationship with Okorocha, he said: “It is not a personal thing. It is something that all of us in Imo state are opposed to the way government in Imo state is being run.

    “Our opposition to that is something that is based on principle; based on the fact that 95 percent of Imo citizens and indeed south easterners are not happy with what is happening in Imo state.

    “South east citizens are ashamed, that the only state we, APC, have in the region is being run the way it is in the past three years and for me, I did not have a choice than to detach myself from that government.

    “As a matter of fact, I am happy that I have resigned. I am aware that the governor is supporting some south east citizens to run for offices zoned to the region and so now that I have resigned, nobody will accuse me of manipulating the process.”

    He dismissed claims his exit may threaten the convention, saying the committee had concluded virtually all arrangements to hold the exercise despite having received only N13 million so far for its activities.

    The Senator went on: “Now that I have resigned, I can only hope that my governor, Rochas Okorocha will spend more time in Imo state attending to the various issues that he has created for himself because in the last two weeks, he has been here in Abuja running around for the Convention and trying to put only people that are favourable to his policies.

    “Okorocha has always threatened to leave the party if the Congresses were not reversed. I hear he has threatened to leave if my position was not taken….

    “This started more than two weeks ago and it is just a coincidence because I had made up my mind to leave. I am just hoping that now that I have left, he will return to Owerri.

    “He has 27 hospitals he said he has built which have been overtaken by weeds. Imo state is a massive basket of fraud and I am very sure that the EFCC have their records.

    “It is very clear today, that this is no longer an Imo issue but a south east issue.

    “It is very clear now that the entire south east has lost confidence in the leadership of Rochas Okorocha and all we are saying is that Nigerians should take note that we no longer have him as our leader.”