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Tag: NWC

  • PDP NWC members clash over Damagum’s counsel appointment

    PDP NWC members clash over Damagum’s counsel appointment

    • Disclaim lawyer in Court of Appeal, Supreme Court petitions

    The protracted crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has assumed a new dimension with 11 of the 17 members of the party’s National Working Committee challenging the authority of Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum to appoint a counsel to represent the party in a legal battle at the Supreme Court.

    The dissenting NWC members, including Deputy National chairman (South) Taofeek Arapaja, National Treasurer Yayari Ahmed and Deputy National Secretary Sotonji Koshoedo, are disclaiming Dr. J.Y. Musa (SAN) as the party’s counsel in the appeal filed by National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, at the Supreme Court.

    Anyanwu is contesting his removal as National Secretary by a high court and the December 20, 2024 affirmation of the judgment by the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu.

    He has filed a stay of execution of the judgments on his removal at the apex court.

    However, the dissenting PDP NWC members, in separate petitions to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, said the right to pick a lawyer for the party is solely that of the National Legal Adviser.

    The NWC faulted Damagum’s decision to pick a lawyer for the party, saying it “did not authorise the Acting National Chairman to issue the letter under reference for the party, the National Working Committee or the National Executive Committee.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the responsibility of appointing external solicitors to handle cases on behalf of the party is that of the National Legal Adviser pursuant to Article 42 of the party’s Constitution and not that of any other NWC member,” they said in the petitions.

    Continuing, the petitioners said: “The Party had reiterated this position in a public notice issued sometime in 2022, copy of which is hereby attached.

    “We therefore urge the Supreme Court to disregard the representation of Dr. J. Y. Musa or any other person appointed by the Acting National Chairman on behalf of the Party in any appeal or application emanating from the appeal under reference.”

    The petitions were dated January 21, 2025 and were addressed to the Chief Registrar, Supreme Court and The President/Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal.

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    Other signatories to the petitions were: National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN); National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba; National Financial Secretary Daniel Woyengikuro; National Women Leader Amina Bryhm; National Auditor Obi Okechukwu; National Vice Chairman (SE) Ali Odefa; National Vice Chairman (NE) Emmanuel Bovoa and National Vice Chairman (NW) Hayatu Gwarzo.

    Top members of the PDP, notably supporters of former vice president Atiku Abubakar and those of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, have been locked in a battle for the soul of the party following the emergence of Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election.

    With attention already shifting towards the 2027 polls, party members are actively positioning themselves to dictate who gets what in the party’s hierarchy.

    Many loyalists of Atiku who see Damagum and Anyanwu as too close to Wike want them out of the way and have been pressurising the Acting National Chairman to call a meeting of the National Executive Council by next month.

    There is nothing yet to show that the NEC meeting will take place next month.

    Damagum and his supporters say a court order restraining the PDP from removing him from office until he serves out his term in December still subsists.

    Party sources in Abuja told The Nation that the latest development is of strategic significance for both pro-Damagum and anti-Damagum forces in the NWC where a compromise of Anyanwu’s presence is seen as the easiest way to overwhelm Damagum and force him to call a meeting of the NEC – the only PDP organ that can ask him to vacate the chairmanship position.

    One source said the NWC members kicking against the hiring of Dr. Musa believed he is close to Wike.

    The sources said: “Are these people now saying that the Acting National Chairman cannot speak for the party as constitutionally authorised, especially when a matter directly involves him?”

    The source drew attention to Section 35 of the PDP Constitution which authorises the National Chairman to “provide firm and effective leadership and direct the activities of the Party” and also to “promote and defend the integrity, policies and programmes of the Party” as well as “assigning specific functions to any member or officer of the party”.

    However, the argument of the PDP National Legal Adviser and those sharing the same position with him is that the PDP Constitution gives him authority over all legal matters.

    Specifically, Provision 42 of the PDP Constitution affirms that the National Legal Adviser shall “advise the Party on all legal matters,”

    Also, Provision 42 (c) and (d) state that the National Legal Adviser shall “conduct all litigation and prosecute and defend actions on behalf of the Party, including its organs and officials in so far as the subject of the litigation affects the interest of the Party; and, (c) Interpret the laws, regulations and Constitution of the Party in the event of any ambiguities.

  • Akpeki lacks authority to submit report to NWC, says Delta APC

    Akpeki lacks authority to submit report to NWC, says Delta APC

    The Delta chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has distanced itself from the recent actions of Chief Paulinus Akpeki, the Vice Chairman for Delta Central Senatorial District on the purported submission of a reconciliation report to the party’s National Chairman.

    In a statement by Chief Francis Obigbor, Acting Chairman of the Delta APC, the party clarified that Chief Akpeki lacked the authority to receive or present the Olorogun O’Tega Emerhor-led reconciliation committee’s report on behalf of the State Working Committee. Chief Obigbor described Akpeki’s actions as an overreach and intentional attempt to create confusion within the party.

    The Delta APC called on the party’s National Chairman and the National Working Committee (NWC) to disregard any report or representation by Chief Akpeki, emphasising that these actions were unauthorised.

    Chief Obigbor reassured party members and stakeholders, urging them to remain calm and focused, despite the distraction caused by this incident. He reaffirmed that he, as Acting Chairman, was awaiting the formal submission of the reconciliation report from the Olorogun O’Tega Emerhor committee.

    Once the report is received, Chief Obigbor stated his intention to present it to the State Working Committee, the State Caucus, and the State Executive Committee for comprehensive deliberation and appropriate action.

    He also emphasized his commitment to serving as Acting Chairman until Elder Omeni Sobotie, the substantive chairman, resumes duties in person and presides over meetings held at the State Secretariat in Asaba.

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    The statement reads: “The attention of the Delta State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to an unauthorized presentation by Chief Paulinus Akpeki, the Vice Chairman of Delta Central Senatorial District, who purportedly received a report from the Olorogun O’Tega Emerhor-led reconciliation committee on behalf of the State Working Committee of the Party.

    “We categorically state that Chief Akpeki has no authority to receive any report or present the same before the National Chairman. His actions are a clear usurpation of power and a deliberate attempt to confuse within the party.

    “We urge the National Chairman and the National Working Committee (NWC) to discount this report and any actions taken by Chief Akpeki.

    “To all our party faithful and stakeholders, we urge you to remain calm and not be distracted by this unauthorized action.

    “As the Acting Chairman of the Delta State APC, I continue to await the O’tega Emerhor committee’s report. Once received, I intend to present it before the State Working Committee, State Caucus, and State Executive Committee for rigorous debate and further action, if necessary.

    “I will continue to act as Chairman until Elder Omeni Sobotie returns and physically attends to preside over a meeting called to and held at the State Secretariat, Asaba.”

  • ‘Blame Obaseki, NWC if PDP fails to field candidate’

    ‘Blame Obaseki, NWC if PDP fails to field candidate’

    Secretary, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Edo chapter, Mr. Hilary Otsu, has said Governor Godwin Obaseki should be blamed in the absence of a PDP candidate in the upcoming Edo governorship election.

    He said in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party should also share in the blame.

    Otsu was reacting to the prospects of the party failing to have a candidate for the election, given the crisis that trailed its ward congresses election.

    Most of the governorship aspirants rejected the outcome of the congresses, which will form the nucleus of voters in the primaries.

    However, the chairman of the congresses election committee, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu, said the elections were transparent.

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    Otsu said it was incumbent on Obaseki and NWC to initiate a genuine reconciliation process that would bring about unity in PDP in Edo.

    “I believe everything is about politics and can be resolved as such. The earlier this (reconciliation) is done the better.

    “But if it is left to fester, then we stand the unfortunate risk of not fielding a candidate.

    “In this case the governor and the NWC must be ready to take responsibility for, as far as Edo 2024 is concerned,” he said.

    The secretary also said the state executive committee was not satisfied with the ongoing process to pick the state’s party governorship candidate.

    According to him, no one can be satisfied with a process which he alleged is flawed from the start.

    “The mere fraud of depositing the congress materials in the custody of the state governor for “safe keeping” negates the principle of fairness in the process.

    “I am sure that is why nine aspirants out of ten have protested, coupled with the fact that they were excluded’’, he said.

    He said their reactions could not be faulted given the huge investment they made, including about N40 million each, just to buy forms.

  • Yahaya Bello, Ita Giwa, others storm APC secretariat to protest nominations for NWC vacant positions

    Yahaya Bello, Ita Giwa, others storm APC secretariat to protest nominations for NWC vacant positions

    Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello on Thursday, August 24, stormed the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress, Abuja to protest the emergence of Hon. Duro Meseko as a replacement for Hon. Ismaeel Bello, who was initially nominated for the position of deputy national organising secretary of the party.

    The governor told the newsmen that he won’t budge until the mistake is corrected, stressing; “This issue must be sorted out today.”

    In the same vein, some chieftains of the APC including Florence Ita Giwa, Allophous Ogar, and women from Cross Rivers state arrived at the party secretariat to voice their objections against the removal of Dr. Stella Odey-Ekpo from the state as national women leader and the selection of Mary Alile Idele from Edo state for the same position.

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    Earlier, a detachment of policemen mounted a siege at the Muhammadu Buhari House in Abuja to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

    The Nation gathered that the protesters were against some of the names announced to fill the vacant positions in the National Working Committee (NWC).

    Armed policemen and plain clothes operatives took over strategic positions along Blantyre Street, blocking both vehicular and human movement to the party office.

    Details shortly…

  • APC fills vacant NWC, zonal positions

    APC fills vacant NWC, zonal positions

    In line with the August 3 directive of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) has approved names of officers to fill the six vacant positions in the administrative organ of the party.

    The six positions to be filled are; Deputy National Chairman (North), National Vice Chairman (North Central), National Legal Adviser, National Women Leader, National Welfare Secretary and Deputy National Publicity Secretary.

    The committee also approved the filling of the Zonal Organising Secretary (North Central)

    The vacancies occurred following the ministerial nomination of two members of the committee, the resignation of three others and the demise of one.

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    Rising from its weekly meeting, the National Secretary of the party, Senator Ajibola Basiru on Wednesday told newsmen that the NWC has ratified the names sent to it by states and regions the positions were zoned to.

    According to Basiru, “During the last NEC meeting, the NEC empowered the NWC of the party to fill the existing vacancies occasioned due to the resignation and death of the national welfare officer of the party. In furtherance of the power vested on the NWC of the party we have elected the following persons to fill the existing vacant positions.”

    Those approved to fill the vacant positions are Ali Bukar Dalori, Deputy National Chairman (North), Hon. Garba Datti Muhammadu (National Vice Chairman (North West), Dr. Mary Alile Idele (National Women Leader); former Nasarawa State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Prof. Abdul Karim Abubakar Kana (National Legal Adviser), Hon. Donates Nwankpa (National Welfare Secretary) and Hon. Duro Meseko (Deputy National Publicity Secretary).

    The National Secretary also announced Ikani Shuaibu Okolo as the Zonal Organising Secretary (North Central).

    The Nation gathered that the elected officers will be inaugurated next week.

    The NEC at its August 3rd meeting directed the administrative organ to fill the vacant positions after receiving nominations from the State Executive Committee of state chapters that the positions were zoned before the April 2022 National Convention in line with Article 31.5 of the party’s Constitution.

    Article 31.5(i) reads: “In case of a National/Zonal Officer, the State Executive Committee shall propose a replacement to the State Congress and Zonal Executive Committee for endorsement. Thereafter, the name shall be sent to the National Working Committee, which shall forward sane to the National Executive Committee for approval”

    On the off-season governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states, the Secretary said works are in the advanced stage for the composition of campaign councils with the list of members of the councils released next week.

  • Group gives Oshiomhole 48hrs to quash Okorocha’s suspension

    …wants Senate Presidency zoned to S/East

     

    A pro-Buhari group, the Presidential Support Committee (PSC), Southeast Zone, has handed a 48-hour ultimatum to the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rescind the suspension of Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha from the party.

    The Committee at a Press Conference jointly addressed by the Director Inter-Party Affairs South East, Robert Ngwu, National Legal Adviser, Ejikeme Ugwu, and Director Political Matters, Comrade Maxwel Okoye in Owerri, the Imo State capital, noted that suspending a key stakeholder of the party like Okorocha, “did not speak well of the NWC and the Oshiomhole”.

    The group consequently threatened to embark on legal and mass action if the NWC of the party did not comply with the ultimatum by quashing the suspension.

    The Committee also made a case for the zoning of the Senate Presidency to the Southeast in view of the enormous support and the votes garnered by President Muhammadu Buhari from the zone in the February 23 Presidential election.

    They further observed that “the suspension is an orchestrated agenda to deny the Igbo presidency in 2023, knowing that Okorocha is one of the major contenders”.

    According to the Committee, “Okorocha’s suspension came to us as a rude shock. There is no way a cabal can suspend a major financier of the party. We give the NWC and the National Chairman 48 hours to reverse the suspension without delay or else we will resort to legal and mass action against the leadership of the APC. The suspension is aimed at disorganising Igbo ahead of 2023. Oshiomhole cannot wake up and suspend a major financier of the party. We plead with Buhari not to allow some few individuals to rubbish his friends because we know that Okorocha is a good friend of the President.

    The PSC, while congratulating Buhari on his victory at the February 23 polls, expressed happiness with the outcome, saying that “the results reflected the wishes of Nigerians, especially the people at Southeast as the President garnered more votes from the region in 2019 than in 2015”.

    They said, “We are happy with the results of the Presidential and National Assembly election as APC now has two senators, Okorocha and Orji Uzor Kalu. We are also happy with the votes the president got from the South east. The president got 400, 000 more votes in 2019 than in 2015, while the Peoples Democratic Party lost about 100,000 votes. The presidential support committee worked tirelessly to ensure that the president got enough votes.

  • PDP suspends Deputy National Chairman (North)

    The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) has suspended its Deputy National Chairman (North) Sen. Gamawa Babayo, over allegation of dereliction of duty and anti-party activity.

    National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan said that Babayo was suspended by the National Working Committee (NWC).

    The committee held an extra-ordinary session on Jan. 5, where it critically reviewed the petition against the deputy national chairman (North).

    “The NWC found merit in the petition on allegation of dereliction of duty and anti-party activity as contained in Section 58 (1) e, f, g, h of the PDP Constitution.

    “Therefore, in exercise of section 29 (2) a, b and c, the NWC hereby invokes Section 59 (1) d of the constitution of the PDP on the Deputy National Chairman (North) and accordingly suspends him from the party immediately.”

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    The PDP has been buffeted by a wave of desertions by members in both the North West and North East of the party.

    On Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari formally received various members of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Support Groups from the North East, who defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    In Kano, a former governorship candidate, Engineer Bello Sani-Gwarzo dumped the party and also joined the APC.

  • Imo APC ticket: I won’t succumb to threat, Nwosu tells NWC

    Former Chief of Staff to Imo State Governor, Mr Uche Nwosu, has said the threat by the National Working Committee (NWC) to aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to withdraw their suits or face sanctions amounts to arm-twisting.

    The APC NWC had threatened to sanction members who took the party to court over the fallout of the just-concluded primaries, if they refused to withdraw the suits.

    But Nwosu, who said he won the October 6 governorship primary, insisted that the threat of sanction would not stop him from pursuing the matter to a logical conclusion and reclaim his mandate.

    The APC chieftain insisted that before heading to court as the authentic APC governorship candidate in Imo State, he had made efforts to resolve the crisis with the party’s leadership through internal mechanism to no avail.

    Nwosu said he wrote several letters to National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole with the hope of bringing him to resolve the matter at the early stage but was rebuffed.

    The APC chieftain said he discovered that the Chairman of the APC Primary Election Committee, Ahmed Gulak, was allegedly assigned to deliver a certain aspirant.

    According to him, he raised the alarm through a letter to Oshiomhole but was ignored.

    He said: “It is unfortunate that the National Chairman of our party is just waking up now after causing the trouble. He had all the time to resolve the issue before now but refused to do so. In line with the constitution of the party, I exhausted all avenues to have my matter resolved, using internal mechanism, but nobody came to my aid.

    “I personally wrote three letters to the National Chairman and I have the acknowledgment, but he never responded to any of the letters.

    “My first letter was to inform that Ahmed Gulak was not coming to conduct a primary in Imo State, that he was coming to impose a certain aspirant. But he snubbed me. The second was to complain about how Gulak absconded to Abuja to announce a fake result; still, he didn’t respond. The last one was to tell him not to substitute my name as the winner of the governorship primary.

    “All the letters were never considered by the National Chairman, who substituted my name. He had a lot of time to resolve the issue, but he did nothing. Now that I am in court, I will pursue my matter to a logical conclusion and reclaim my stolen mandate. No amount of threat will make me abandon my mandate.”

     

  • Save Delta APC from collapse, stakeholders beg NWC

    The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been urged to save the party from collapse in Delta State ahead of next year’s elections.

    Stakeholders in Delta Central made the plea in a communique signed by their Chairman, Edewor Akpedafe, Dr. David Ejenobo, and six others, after a meeting in Ughelli, yesterday.

    They said the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, had not been fair to its leadership, led by factional Chairman Chief Cyril Ogodo.

    Stakeholders from the eight councils making up the district, passed a confidence vote in President Muhammadu Buhari, Ogodo, Sam Adjogbe and O’tega Emerhor, whose candidacy for Delta Central they affirmed, noting that without his effort, APC would not have been a party to reckon with in the state.

    Promising to ensure the re-election of President Buhari, they applauded him for projects in the state, signing of the bill for establishment of University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE), Naval Training Centre, and completion of Aladja-Itakpe-Ajaokuta rail.

    The communiqué reads: “Members were particularly appreciative of the various board appointments given to our sons and daughters at the national level, particularly the appointment of our son, Chief Sam Adjogbe, as executive director (Projects), NDDC.

    “Members pass a vote-of confidence in Olorogun Otega Emerhor as the undisputed leader of APC in Delta, and we shall work to ensure his victory at the polls.

    “We applaud the contributions of Chief Sam Adjogbe (EPD) and the leadership of the State Working Committee, headed by Chief Cyril Ogodo, to the growth of the party.

    ‘’It was noted with satisfaction the road construction and developmental projects of NDDC in Delta Central, which Dr. Sam Adjogbe brought to the people to enhance their standard of living.

    “We also affirm that the National Chairman of our party, Adams Oshiomhole, has not been fair in his treatment of Ogodo, who was duly sworn in as the authentic chairman of the APC in Delta by the erstwhile Chairman of the party Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

    “We will like to note with displeasure that despite a subsisting court order, the national chairman sworn in another person as chairman of APC in Delta State.

    “We appeal to the National Working Committee to save APC from collapse in Delta, and call on delegates in the district to remain steadfast to the ideals of the party, as victory is sure for us in court’’, the communique said.

  • NWC primaries report indicts Ogun APC Chair Adebiyi

    A report by members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) deployed in Ogun State for the October 7 primary has indicted the party’s state chairman, Chief Derin Adebiyi, for allegedly hijacking the process.

    Adebiyi was said to have favoured some aspirants, who eventually became the party’s candidates, ahead of the official announcement of the results by the NWC.

    But the chairman told The Nation that the allegations were “lies” to “witch-hunt” him by those he called mischief makers.

    In the report, dated Tuesday, October 9, signed and addressed to APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, a member of the NWC Legislative Primaries posted to Ogun State, Okey Nnonyelu, alleged that “the entire process was heavily compromised and surrendered to the party’s executive members”.

    Nnoyelu also alleged that “the state chapter, led by Chief Derin Adebiyi, recruited the returning officers, conducted the primaries, collated and submitted the results to the committee for declaration and submission to the NWC”.

    According to him, the alleged manipulation of the primaries began a day to the exercise, when Ogun State protocol officials allegedly made a surprise visit to the hotel where the NWC representatives had lodged in Abeokuta and evacuated all of them to the Mitros Hotel, which belongs to the Ogun State government, within the same precinct of Abeokuta.

    Chronicling how it happened, Nnoyelu wrote: “At this hotel, Mitros, the plan started to change with the visit of …Chief Adebiyi and some party stalwarts to members of the committee and the process, including materials, logistics and all, were surrendered and handed over to the Ogun State party hierarchy.

    “At this state, the committee ostensibly surrendered its mandate to the state structure (the Ogun State party chairman).

    “At 11 a.m, the chairman of the committee addressed all the aspirants and some stakeholders.

    “But, in a clear departure from the original position of the committee, issues about the ad hoc and inputs by the aspirants were rebuffed by the committee.”

    He noted that the NWC representatives were only privileged to be allowed to visit two wards assigned to him within Abeokuta metropolis, out of the 236 wards in Ogun State.

    Nnoyelu said the “ugly experience” witnessed in the wards made the NWC members to retire to their rooms at the Mitros Hotel.

    He wrote: “While all committee members were in the hotel, the collated results were brought in batches at 21:00 hours (9 p.m) by a fair-complexioned man, who introduced himself as the Chief of Staff to the Ogun State party chairman.