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Tag: Prof. Wale Oladipo

  • PDP chair: Dokpesi flays role of BoT members 

    PDP chair: Dokpesi flays role of BoT members 

    One of the aspirants in the race for the national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Raymond Dokpesi has knocked some members of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) for campaigning for some of the chairmanship aspirants.

    Dokpesi, who accused the BoT members of trying to hijack the party ahead of the national convention, also faulted attempts by the BoT members in the Southwest to exclude some aspirants from the race.

    He called on members of the BoT wishing to become national chairman to first relinquish their seats in the BoT and join the race. Chief Bode George and Prof Tunde are two members of the BoT in the chairmanship race.

    Speaking shortly at the party’s Abuja secretariat shortly after returning his nomination papers, Dokpesi stressed the need for the PDP to have a chairman strong enough to lead the party to victory in the 2019 general elections.

    He said, “Members of the BoT want to take over the party. Some people want to use the BoT to take over the day to day running of the party.

    “Members of the BoT have been going round with some aspirants. They have been meeting delegates and stakeholders of the party.

    Some of them (BoT members) smart as they are, are peddling rumours that the BoT has endorsed some aspirants as their choice of national chairman. But we know that the BoT has not met”.

    Faulting the decision by some Southwest BoT members to exclude some chairmanship aspirants, Dokpesi said it’s wrong to exclude the aspirants without consulting them.

    In a November 3 document signed by Alhaji Shuaibu Oyedokun, the Southwest BoT had cleared Chief Olabode George, Prof Tunde Adeniran and Prof Taoheed Adedoja for the race.

    Other aspirants like Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, Mr. Akintayo Akin-Deko and Prof Wale Oladipo were excluded from the race.

    Dokpesi said the action of the BoT members has already done some damage to their aspirations.

    “For one or two persons, a lot of damage has been done to the persons said to have been excluded from the list”, stressing however that the affected aspirants would have to work hard to get their campaign rhythm back.

    The media mogul however said the issue picking a consensus candidate may still arise, adding that the aspirants will sign the terms of agreement in the days ahead.

    On his plans for the party if he emerged chairman of the PDP, Dokpesi said he will work hard to unify the party and ensure that all broken bridges are rebuilt.

  • PDP crisis: Sheriff welcomes political solution

    PDP crisis: Sheriff welcomes political solution

    • As BoT chair warns against divisive tendencies

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff has welcomed the decision of key party stakeholders to find a political solution to the leadership crisis rocking the party.

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan and governors elected on the platform of the party had, after a meeting Tuesday night, resolved to adopt a political solution to the crisis.

    Sheriff is locked in supremacy battle with the Ahmed Makarfi’s Caretaker Committee, which commands more followership than the Sheriff camp.

    A statement on Wednesday by the Sheriff-backed National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, commended Jonathan and the governors for resolving to settle for a political solution.

    Oladipo’s statement said, “The NWC notes with satisfaction the stand of the body of PDP Governors on the need to adopt a political solution in bringing lasting peace to the party.

    “The NWC restates its readiness to fully participate in the peace process”.

    The statement called on workers at the party secretariat who have stayed away from their duty posts in solidarity with the Makarfi camp, to resume duties immediately.

    Meanwhile, the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin has called on members and supporters of the party to shun divisive tendencies.

    In an SMS message to newsmen on Wednesday, Jibrin urged members to stay away from party meetings with tribal, religious and sectional undertones.

    “Such meetings are suspicious and full of sinister motives aimed at dividing or killing the party. Right from its formation, the PDP has never been portrayed as a northern or southern party.

    “Therefore, nobody should unnecessarily bring in any disagreeable methodology in the handling of the party’s affairs.

    “The PDP is a national party that embraces every Nigerian regardless of tribe or religion. Any attempt to drag members into such divisive meetings will be resisted, considering especially that party leaders are busy trying to find a way forward. Everyone should remain calm refrain from taking any rash decision”, the BoT chair stated.

  • Contempt: PDP asks court to jail Makarfi, Obi, others

    Contempt: PDP asks court to jail Makarfi, Obi, others

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has asked the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to jail his arch rival, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, and some of his loyalists.

     

    Apart from the former governor of Kaduna State, Sheriff, who is also a former governor of Borno State, also listed three other prominent leaders of the party as those to be jailed by the appellate court.

     

    Sheriff and the National Secretary of the party, Prof. Wale Oladipo, accused Makarfi and others of flouting the order of the court, which was delivered on February 17, 2017.

     

    The court, in the judgment, had pronounced Sheriff as the national chairman of the party while it also upheld that Oladipo remained its national secretary.

    Apart from Makarfi, others named as alleged contemnors are the two other members of the sacked National Caretaker Committees, Senator Ben Obi (secretary) and Mr. Dayo Adeyeye(publicity secretary).

     

    He also listed a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, among the alleged contemnors.

     

    Sheriff, in suit number APPEAL NO: CA/PH/349/2016, asked the court to commit the four persons to prison for one year over the alleged contempt.

     

    Apart from the four named above, the PDP national chairman also listed a former Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha; a former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana; Chairman, Board of Trustees of the party, Senator Walid Jibrin; and an aspirant to the office of the party’s national chairman, Chief Bode George, as alleged contemnors.

     

    However, he did not pray the court to commit Ihedioha, Gana, Jibrin and George to prison, rather, he asked the court for an order restraining them from “proclaiming or otherwise holding out to the public that the 1st to 3rd  alleged contemnors are national  officers of the PDP for any purpose whatsoever.”

    Listed as defendants in the case are the PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Inspector-General of Police and the Department of State Services.

     

    The duo asked the court to stop Makarfi and his group from parading themselves as national officers of the party.

     

    They also asked the court to direct the IGP and the DSS to close down the factional secretariat being operated by the Makarfi group.

     

    Apart from that, they also asked the court not to transmit the records of the court proceedings to Markarfi and his group, saying they didn’t have the permission of the party to get it.

     

    Oladipo, who signed an affidavit in support of the claim, stated that on February 17, “soon after the judgment was delivered, the alleged contemnors proceeded to address the media and to comment negatively, contemptuously, disparagingly and contumeliously on the findings and order of the court set out above.”

     

    He added, “Rather than accept that the justice of the matter as determined by this honourable court was as expressed in the findings, holdings and order set out above, the 4th to 8th Alleged Contemnors made statements encouraging the 1st to 3rd respondents to defy the order of the court and flout the purpose of the court’s judgment delivered on the 17th of February 2017.”

     

    He said it was on this basis that the alleged contemnors placed notices in newspapers, where they convened a meeting of what they called “PDP stakeholders.”

     

    He stated, “The said meeting was held on Monday, February 20, and was attended by the 4th to 8th alleged contemnors, who made further statements encouraging the 1st to 3rd alleged contemnors to defy the holdings and order of the court.”

     

    The motion on notice for the committal of the alleged  contemnors was filed by eight lawyers, led by a former Minister of Justice, Akin Olujimi (SAN), who was joined by two other SANs – Dr. Alex Izinyon  and B. E. Nwofor – among others.

     

    The lawyers said, “The actions of the alleged contemnors, as shown in the affidavit in support of this application, have the effort of flouting the purpose of the judgment of this Honourable court, which purpose is to properly regulate the exercise of powers by the alleged contemnors against the applicants and 1st Respondent; avoid any further anarchy, lawlessness and deepening crisis capable of heating up the Nigerian polity; and establish the requirements of the rule of law and due process in the administration of justice.

     

    “Although the alleged contemnors were not parties to the action in court, it is our humble submission that they have a responsibility to ensure that they do not aid and abet the disobedience of the judgment order or treat the said judgment with disdain and disrespect.”

     

    Markarfi and the other faction of the party are believed to have filed an application seeking for stay of execution of the judgment and leave for appeal.

    No date has been fixed for the hearing of Sheriff’s case, which was filed on February 24, 2017.‎

  • Court refuses to stop ex-PDP Secretary’s arrest

    Court refuses to stop ex-PDP Secretary’s arrest

    Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday rejected prayer by the immediate past National  Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof. Wale Oladipo stop his planned arrest over alleged  involvement in the unlawful disbursement of public funds.

    Justice Tsoho in his ruling threw out Oladipo’s fundamental rights enforcement suit on the ground that he failed substantially to substantiate his claim of threats  to infringe on his rights by the respondents.

    The judge said the reliefs sought by Oladipo in the suit are not “grantable.”

    Listed as respondents are the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Department of State Services (DSS).

    Oladipo, in his supporting affidavit filed with the suit in February this year, alleged intimidation, harassment, persecution or threat by the respondents.

    In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/89/2016, he expressed strong fears the alleged threats was based supposedly on his political leaning.

    To substantiate his claim, Oladipo referred to a text message he received on his telephone on February 1 supposedly from an operative of the EFCC, Adebayo Olatunji, inviting him for investigation by the commission Asset Tracing Unit.

    .

     

  • Sheriff takes over PDP headquarters

    Sheriff takes over PDP headquarters

    The ousted National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, on Monday staged a dramatic return to the national secretariat of the party to resume official duties.

    Sheriff stormed the party’s office in company of the erstwhile National Secretary of the party, Prof. Wale Oladipo, ousted National Auditor, Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju and a former presidential aide, Ahmed Gulak, among other supporters.

    Initial attempt by the party chiefs to enter the building as early as 9:00am was blocked by policemen manning the gate, apparently on the orders of the Ahmed Makarfi -led caretaker committee.

    Undeterred, Sheriff went to confer with the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, at the Force Headquarters and got permission to be allowed into the building.

    Briefing journalists on arrival at the secretariat, Sheriff said his tenure as chairman remained valid till December 2018, dismissing the caretaker committee as an illegal body.

    He said, “After due consultations with serious minded stakeholders of the party and my lawyers, against the background that I have remained committed to lawful procedures, I have come, fully armed with all the necessary court orders to resume as national chairman, as directed by a court of competent jurisdiction.

    “As we settle down to move the party forward, we wish to call on all party members within and outside the country to come around so that we can together reposition the PDP for future challenges.

    “We have to this served the necessary court orders on the Independent National Electoral Commission which is the impartial arbiter in matters like this, the police as custodians of the law and we will make same available to you gentlemen of the press, so that you can make informed analysis of the issues involved. We hereby seek your own cooperation as we continue the task of re-engineering the PDP.

    “I wish to use this opportunity to thank all those who stood on the side of the truth and the law, and wish to place on record that never again shall the PDP return to wallow in lawlessness and impunity.”

    Only last week, key party organs, including the governors, Board of Trustees (BoT) and National Assembly caucus had handed over the affairs of the party to the caretaker committee.

    But Sheriff said the caretaker committee is alien to the PDP constitution and that if there was any need for setting up such a committee, he, as chairman, ought to have presided over the exercise.

    “Against this backdrop, I hereby declare as null, void and of no consequence whatsoever, any action taken by any person or group of persons, except by my leadership which is recognised by law,” he declared.

  • I remain PDP chairman – Sheriff

    I remain PDP chairman – Sheriff

    The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a new turn as Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has told the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt that he remains the party’s chairman.

    He described the “caretaker committee” headed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi as a group of “usurpers” and a “contraption” that was set up in defiance of valid court orders.

    According to certified court processes made available to journalists in Lagos through his lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, Sheriff is praying the court to hold that only he can preside over a convention or meeting where party leaders could be chosen.

    PDP sued Sheriff, Prof. Adewale Oladipo (who was PDP National Secretary), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Department of State Services (DSS) before Justice I. Liman.

    The judge had restrained Sherriff and Oladipo from parading themselves as the chairman, Secretary or members of the National Executive Committee or National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP until the suit is determined.

    But, Sheriff and Oladipo, in a motion on notice dated May 27, said those who sued them in PDP’s name lack “the authority and locus” to institute the suit on the party’s behalf.

    They are also praying the court to discharge the ex-parte order restraining them from holding their office.

    According to them, Justice Liman made the order on May 24, which is 12 days after Justice Ibrahim Buba of the court’s Lagos Division had restrained the party from conducting elections into offices of national chairman, national secretary and national auditor.

  • Court restrains EFCC, DSS from arresting PDP Secretary

    Court restrains EFCC, DSS from arresting PDP Secretary

    Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja has temporarily restrained the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and others from arresting Peoples Democratic Party’s National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo.

    Also affected by the judge’s order for the maintenance of status quo are the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) , the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase; and the Department of State Services (DSS).

    The judge, upon a request lawyer to Oladipo, Ajibola Oluyede, directed parties in the fundamental right enforcement application by the PDP National Secretary to maintain status quo by sustaining the current situation until the determination of the case.

    Justice Tsoho said the order was intended “to allay the fear being expressed by the applicant.”

    He added that the respondents needed not to comply with his earlier order made ex-parte, requiring them to show cause why a restraining order earlier sought ex-part by the applicant should not be granted.

    He directed the respondent to proceed to respond to the substantive application and adjourned to March 4 for hearing.

    Oladipo had filed the suit on February 8 on the ground that he had received a text message on his mobile telephone from somebody, who claimed to be an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), attached to the Asset Tracing and Recovery Unit.

    H added that the author of the message asked him to call a certain phone number contained in the message in order to reach somebody else who would give the date and time  he was to report at the commission’s office in Abuja for an “interaction”.

    Oladipo alleged that he was being which-hunted, harassed and intimidated on the basis of funds which he received from members of the PDP “without guilty knowledge”.

    He is seeking among others, a perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from “the continued witch-hunt, harassment, intimidation and persecution of the applicant or threats by the respondents ostensibly on the basis of funds received by the applicant without guilty knowledge from members of his political party”.

    Oladipo wants the court to declare any plan to arrest, investigate or “fabricate evidence” against him as “constituting prosecutorial misconduct, malicious process, and misfeasance in public office by the respondents”.

    The applicant also wants the court to declare that the said acts “infringe unjustifiably and illegally upon the liberty, to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, to freedom of expression, association and movement”.

    He also wants the court to declare that “the pursuit of any excuse whatsoever and fabrication of evidence to incarcerate or justify the incarceration of the applicant in order to decimate and disorganize the Peoples Democratic Party.”

    He said his rights allegedly being threatened were “guaranteed and protected under sections 33, 34. 35, 36, 39, 40 and 41 of the Constitution as well as Articles 2,4,5,6,7,9,10,11,12  and 13 of the African Charter on Human and People Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

    Thursday, the AGF, EFCC and IGP were not represented by any lawyer.

    Lawyers to the ICPC and the DSS denied any knowledge of plan to investigate or arrest the PDP national officer.

    They also said they had not been served with all the necessary processes of the suit filed by the plaintiff.

    The judge directed the plaintiff’s lawyer to serve all the respondents and adjourned till March 4 for hearing.

  • PDP insists on Secondus as chairman

    PDP insists on Secondus as chairman

    The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has defied a directive by the party’s governors, asking the Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, to hand over to the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo.

    The governors, in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting in Abuja Wednesday night, had ordered Secondus to hand over to Oladipo pending the emergence of a substantive chairman to be picked from the Northeast zone.

    But the party in a statement issued on Thursday by its National Legal Adviser, Mr. Victor Kwom, insisted that Secondus remains the Acting Chairman.

    The statement said, “The NWC of the PDP wishes to assure all members of the party nationwide that there has not been any change whatsoever in the leadership composition of the party at the national level.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the statutory organs of the party, the NWC, National Caucus, BoT and NEC will be meeting next week to deliberate on some developments including the replacement, from the North East of Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, who resigned as the National Chairman of the party.”

    The statement added that replacement will be in strict adherence to the provisions of the party’s constitution, as specified in section 47(6).

    “Until then, the status quo remains, which means the Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, remains as the Acting National Chairman.

    “Furthermore, it must be reiterated that all relevant stakeholders of our party, including the PDP Governor’s Forum, National Caucus and the Board of Trustees (BoT) as well as our leadership structures at all levels are united behind the current National Working Committee in the efforts to rebuild, reposition and strengthen our party for the challenges ahead,” the statement added.

  • Bello on excursion in Kogi Govt House – PDP

    Bello on excursion in Kogi Govt House – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described Wednesday’s swearing-in of Alhaji Yahaya Bello as Kogi State Governor as a comical event, saying he was on excursion to the state Government House.

    A statement issued on Wednesday by the National Secretary of the PDP, Prof. Wale Oladipo, said Bello did not participate in the overall election to emerge as governor.

    The statement said, “The said Yahaya Bello, who cannot claim the overall winning votes in the election is therefore a shadow-chasing passerby on an excursion in Kogi State government house, as the so-called swearing-in ceremony, having no bearing from the votes at election is at best an APC function.

    “The people of Kogi are aware that the man being paraded by the APC is not the person they exercised confidence in at the election as he scored a paltry 6,885 vote in the so-called supplementary election as against the 204,877 votes polled by the PDP candidate, Alhaji Idris Wada in the overall election.

    “However, as a law abiding party, we hereby urge our members and the people of Kogi State to remain calm and not despair over this slap on democracy as the courts would soon deliver justice with regard to the authentic governor with the mandate of the majority at the election.”

  • PDP vows to resist APC’s ‘impunity’

    PDP vows to resist APC’s ‘impunity’

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed to resist what it described as the growing culture of impunity being exhibited by the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration.

    The party, rising from a one day national conference held in Abuja on Thursday, condemned the “growing authoritarianism “of the Federal Government.

    In a communiqué read at the end of the conference by the National Secretary of the PDP, Prof. Wale Oladipo, the party decried the sudden decline in the economy and quality of life of Nigerians.

    According to the PDP, the Muhammadu Buhari administration has been characterized by gross violation of human rights, constitutional infractions, invasion of a governor’s lodge and private homes, deliberate interference and instigation of crisis in the legislature.

    The opposition also listed arm-twisting of the judiciary, undermining of democratic institutions like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), nepotism in appointments, abuse of power and clamp down on opposition elements.

    It also called on the international community to note the constitutional infractions, violation of human rights, selective war against corruption, clamp down on the opposition, divisiveness and overall high-handedness.

    These, the party said, are tendencies that pose great threat to democracy and the unity of the nation.

    Party leaders at the conference also bemoaned what they termed the lack of direction of the APC government, in addition to the growing tension and rancour in the polity, as direct consequences of the divisive tendencies of the government.

    They viewed the administration’s anti graft war as being selective, targeted at opposition elements and perceived opponents of the regime.

    “APC members with corruption charges are being rewarded with ministerial positions and other juicy appointments as well as APC tickets in the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states.

    “We vehemently reject the current manipulation of the judiciary and security forces by the APC-led Federal Government in its desperate bid to subvert the sovereign will of the people and forcefully take over states genuinely won by the PDP in the last general elections and ultimately impose a one-party state in Nigeria”, the communiqué added.

     

    The PDP charged the new INEC leadership to assert the independence of the electoral body, resist all external influences and ensure free, fair and credible electoral process in the upcoming governorship election in Kogi and Bayelsa States.