The Nation Newspaper

Tag: resigned

  • Why I resigned from PDP, Chief Edebiri

    Former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Solomon Edebiri, has said that he resigned his membership of the PDP to focus on his business and reappraise his political affiliations and activities.

    Chief Edebiri came a distant third by scoring 38 votes at the PDP primaries and has since not been seen in the party’s political activists.

    He joined the PDP in 2014 after he was dissatisfied with the conduct of the defunct ACN congresses.

    Edebiri first contested for the governorship in 2007 under the Progressive Peoples Alliance. In 2012, he contested on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party and also failed to secure the PDP ticket at the party primaries conducted by Ahmed Makarfi’s faction.

    In a chat with our reporter, Chief Edebiri said he has not join any other political party because a lot of things were wrong with the political system in Edo.

    Chief Edebiri said those who wished for change were not encouraged and that the current leadership was not prepared for change.

    His words, “I want to refocus on my business and reappraise my political affiliations and activities. I haven’t left to join any other party. A lot need to be done because the political system has not changed and the current leadership are not prepared. Those who wish for change are not encourage.

    “I have told my followers to follow their heart politically. They have conscience.”

    He was however silent on whose party he would vote for during the elections.

  • I resigned because of Daniel’s threat, says LP chair

    I resigned because of Daniel’s threat, says LP chair

    The Chairman of the Ogun State chapter of the Labour Party(LP), Bode Simeon, has resigned, alleging “harassment, intimidation and threat” to his life by former Governor Gbenga Daniel.

    Daniel’s media aide, Mr Ayo Giwa, did not comment on the allegation when The Nation called him yesterday.

    In the resignation letter dated July 26, and addressed to the National Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, someone also accused a federal lawmaker from Ondo State of threatening his life.

    The letter reads: “You will also recall that since the coming of Otunba Gbenga Daniel in to the party, we have not known any peace. He colluded with the National Secretariat using financial inducements to destroy Ogun LP. My life has been a subject of harassment, threats and intimidation.

    “Regarding the on-going suits in Lagos; I did it to affirm my belief in the rule of law, and even after the order was made, you disobeyed it and continue to promote illegality in Ogun state. But because of the persistent threat by Otunba Gbenga Daniel (OGD), Hon. Akinlaja to my life to drop the suit.

    “You threatened to deal with me on many occasions, I have got threats from Otunba Gbenga Daniel to withdraw from the case or risk bad things happening to my life. I do not want to waste my life in the course of running the party and I put the blame at you, my National Chairman for your inconsistency.

    “In view of this confusion to my life by Gbenga Daniel through Otunba Olumide Osunsina,  I accept responsibilities and events that led to the current crisis in Ogun Labour Party.”

  • I have not resigned, says Imo deputy governor

    Embattled Imo State Deputy Governor Jude Agbaso yesterday denied media reports that he has resigned.

    The House of Assembly is probing Agbaso, following allegations that he received N458million kickback from a road contractor.

    He said the allegation was not only false but also politically motivated to malign his person.

    Agbaso said the contractor was introduced by Governor Rochas Okorocha.

    The deputy governor claimed that he was a victim of the political games being played by powerful forces over who becomes governor in 2015.

    He spoke to reporters in Owerri at the weekend amid the speculation that he was denied access to his office and being pressured to resign as a face-saving measure.

    Agbaso denied the stories, saying he was at his desk on Friday and would be there today.

    The deputy governor said there was an agreement between his elder brother and chieftain of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Martin Agbaso and Okorocha.

    In the agreement, the governor reportedly agreed to serve for only a single term after which power would be zoned to Owerri.

    Agbaso said his travail was a result of a carefully-planned political game aimed at breaching the agreement reached with his brother.

    The deputy governor described the impeachment threat against him by the House of Assembly as ill-informed and unfair.

    Agbaso called on the relevant agencies to investigate the allegation.

    He said: “Let me put it straight and, very categorical too, that at no time, have I contemplated resigning as the Imo State deputy governor.

    “As I stated earlier, the mandate was freely and massively given me by the people of this state.

    “So, I never resigned, I never intend to resign and I will continue to serve the people, until the mandate they gave me elapse.

    “I want to also seize this opportunity to state that at no time did I demand N458million or any sum of money from any contractor in Imo State.

    “And at no time did the contractor, Joseph Dina of JPRO, pay me N458 million.

    “JPRO is the contractor working on the present day Sam Mbakwe road.

    “I never knew the construction company or its owners.

    “The company was introduced to the state by Governor Rochas Okorocha, who approved a contract of N1.5billion.

    “Since they said the money had been paid to the bank, I think the onus is to call on investigative agents to trace the payment. N458million is not N458, 000 and it cannot vanish into thin air.

    “They should look for the money there (in the account the contractor claimed he paid to). It must be there.

    “If it is not there, they can track the money. It can be traced to the last account that it went into.

    “With forensics, they can trace the money into the pockets of those who took it.

    “But my dear people of Imo State, I state here one more time, I never asked for the money, I never received the money and I do not have any thing to do with it.

    “The other question is why all these things about bribery and impeachment at this moment?

    “This whole thing stems from the various players’ agitation as to the situation in 2015.

    “I have heard speculations about who runs in 2015 and who does not.

    “I know there is subsisting agreement, which is in the public domain in Imo State, between my elder brother, Martin and our dear Governor Rochas Okorocha, to hand over to the people of Owerri Zone in 2015.

    “I have heard that this has everything to do with it. But I can tell you it has nothing to do with the person of the deputy governor as we speak.

    “And I think that, sooner rather than later, this whole story would be unraveled.

    “Let me state that I have maintained a robust, cordial relationship with Governor Rochas Okorocha.”

    He also dispelled rumours that Okorocha has promised to prevail on the Assembly to stop the impeachment move.

    “’I’m determined to clear my name of all the allegations levelled against me and my conduct in office.”

  • We resigned from Mimiko’s govt, say ex-aides

    Opeyemi Igbede, an aide to Ondo State Deputy Governor Ali Olanusi, yesterday resigned his appointment from the ruling Labour Party (LP) administration.

    The three Special Assistants (SAs) to Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who quit office on Monday, said they resigned voluntarily as against the government’s announcement that they were sacked.

    The three former aides are: Kayode Agunloye (aka K.K), Soji Ojomo and Chris Anota.

    Agunloye was the LP Chairman in Akoko South West before he was appointed a Special Assistant (SA).

    Speaking with The Nation in Akure, the state capital, Agunloye, Ojomo and Anota said the Mimiko administration was deceitful.

    Agunloye said: “We were astonished to hear on the Ondo State Radivision Corporation (OSRC) on Monday that we were dismissed by the government. As early as 8am on that day, we were at the Governor’s Office to tender our letters of resignation. Immediately Deputy Governor Olanusi got the inkling of our resignation, he quickly phoned the OSRC General Manager to lie to the public that we were dismissed.

    “We resigned because of the bad leadership style of Olanusi, who is from the same Akoko South West Local Government as ourselves.

    “Our grievances arose from discrimination against Akoko South West Constituency I. In Akoko South West II, there are two commissioners, apart from the Deputy Governor. Nobody is representing us in Akoko South West I and there is no Oka-Akoko indigene serving in Mimiko’s Executive Council (Exco) except those in the local government areas.”

    The former aide alleged that Olanusi, who was supposed to be their leader, did not assist anyone of them in the area.

    According to him, in Akoko South West II, majority of the residents benefitted from two of their leaders, Col. Roland Omowa and Abiodun Ogunbi.

    Agunloye said Olanusi was at Supare when he instructed OSRC chief to carry the distorted news.

    He said: “We submitted our resignation letters to the Office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG). We discussed the development with a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor, Mr. Bamiduro Dada. But instead of the deputy governor to dialogue with us on the matter, he ignored us. We did not see him as a good political leader.

    “We are soldiers with followers; we are moving the whole territory in Akoko South West to our new camp. Our dismissal report is a joke. We are the leaders in Akoko South. We will shock Mimiko and Olanusi on October 20. The deputy governor has no weight in the area.”

    Igbede, who was the Special Assistant to Deputy Governor on Political Matters, decried the “use and dump policy” of the Mimiko administration.

    He said those who worked for the success of LP and Mimiko in 2007 were driven away or relegated to the background.

    The former aide said new-comers were made leaders in the ruling party in Akoko South West over old members.

    Igbede noted that despite the huge resources accruable to the government, the Mimiko administration is a failure.

    He said: “Look at public primary and secondary schools in the state; they are in a sorry state. The existing structures are falling down, roofs are leaking.

    “General hospitals are experiencing inadequate drugs and facilities. There’s no employment, no motorable roads; even a kilometre road has not been inaugurated in the last three and a half years of the Mimiko administration.”