Politics
2023: Trouble for Peter Obi in LP as factional presidential candidate emerges
THE crisis in the Labour Party took another dimension on Wednesday as its acting National Chairman, Calistus Uju Okafor, announced ambassador Jude Ezenwafor as the presidential candidate for the party ahead of 2023 presidential election.
Okafor who announced Ezenwafor as the candidate to fly the flag of the party next year at the Excel Hotel and Resort, Garki 2, Abuja, described the candidate as “a man of integrity.”
Ezenwafor, former Anambra State Chairman of LP, emerged through what Okafor described as affirmation during the party’s primary, with members drawn from across the country.
Speaking on the presidential candidate, Okafor said, “Having made all the requirements of the party, we hereby affirm you to be the presidential candidate of the Labour Party come 2023.”
The LP Acting National Chairman who noted that he was not fighting the former Anambra State Governor and the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi whom the other faction of LP had presented as its presidential candidate, said “I am not against you. My doors are open.
“I am fighting for what is my right. I am not fighting my brother. Those who think I’m being used should have a rethink.”
Speaking with journalists after his emergence, Ezenwafor disclosed that he was on “a rescue mission.”
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According to Ezenwafor who was Senior Special Assistant to former Governor Willie Obiano said that with the level of insecurity in the country, “Nigeria needs to be rescued. Labour is leading a revolutionary course, Labour party will win the general election.
“Our party is going to take over Nigeria and bring back the glory Nigeria needs.
“I have been in the corridors of government for the past 20 years. We are here on a rescue mission,” he said.
Ezenwafor who worked with former Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju; former Governor Chris Ngige, also served under former Gov. Peter Obi for four months.
Speaking further, Okafor said that his position and actions were based on the need to ensure justice,fairness and equity stressing that he had nothing against the person of former governor Peter Obi.
Okafor, who insisted that he remained the acting national chairman of the LP following the sacking of its late chairman, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, also clarified that there was no agreement yet between him and a former presidential Spokesperson, Dr. Doyin Okupe.
He said no meaningful discussion had taken place between him and Okupe, who is now the campaign manager for Obi, adding, “On Doyin Okupe, it is unfortunate that people takes someone else for granted. I wonder why people wants to use others for their selfish interest.
“I am fighting for Justice. There’s no where in any political party that an acting national secretary can take over the national chairmanship position. We have the deputy vice-chairman and the zonal vice Chairmen.
“There is no where in the constitution that says an acting national secretary could take over the leadership of a political party when the deputy national chairman and zonal vice chairmen. I am not witch-hunting Peter Obi.
“When Okupe called me, I told him that I was open for discussion. I was now surprised when he went to the media and said a different thing from what I told him.
“It is clear that he wanted to take me for granted. The leadership of the other faction is going about that I’m looking for recognition. It is an insult to me as a person.
“They should know that their leader is an acting national secretary while, I Calistus Uju Okafor is the acting national chairman. The court will soon remove them. I am very open to any discussion for the right thing to be done.
“The leader of the other faction should remain as the acting national secretary while I play my role as the acting national chairman. Every other positions in the Labour Party remain the same until we all obey the consent judgement that says an all inclusive and expansive convention be held.”
Politics
PDP crisis: Two ex-Senate presidents lead fresh plot to oust Damagum
PDP crisis: Two ex-Senate presidents lead fresh plot to oust Damagum
Two former Presidents of the Senate, Chief David Mark and Dr Bukola Saraki are leading a fresh charge aimed at removing Amb. Umar Damagum as the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The push by Mark and Saraki has received the backing of prominent stakeholders, including the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Muftwang and other political office holders elected on the platform of the PDP.
Similarly, former governors from the Northcentral zone who served on the party’s platform have also aligned forces with the group.
Rising from a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Thursday night, the party chieftains resolved to produce a candidate from the zone early 2025 to replace Damagum.
According to them, the move to replace Damagum with a substantive chairman from the Northcentral, has received the endorsement of key party stakeholders from the Northwest and the Northeast zones.
Among those being projected as potential candidates to take Damagum’s seat include Mark; a former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam; and a former House of Representatives member from Nasarawa State, David
David Ombugadu.
A communique issued after the meeting, said the stakeholders
reviewed the festering crisis in the party following the exit of the erstwhile National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
Ayu lost his seat to the crisis triggered by disagreements over the emergency of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2023 general election.
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The crisis has continued to deepen with the apparent overbearing influence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike on the Damagum-led national leadership.
The Northcentral stakeholders argued that Damagum’s continued occupation of the office breached provisions of the PDP constitution.
The communique states in part, “The PDP’s constitution clearly states that succession of offices in the party at all levels is largely to the extent that any vacant position can be replaced by appointment from the zone, as per Section 47 (6) of the party.
“The party is guided by its constitution at all times. Therefore, the leadership of the party needs to rise up to the occasion to restore goodwill and cohesion in the party by making necessary sacrifices and compromises to restore confidence and cohesion in the party.
“It is in the light of this that the stakeholders of the Northcentral Zone appeal to the conscience and goodwill of our compatriots in other zones of the Northern region to restore the seat of the chairmanship of the party back to the Northcentral Zone to serve out its tenure.
“That the stakeholders must strive to build consensus to get the buy-in to the position of Northcentral zone.
“The Northcentral is united and will strive to preserve the PDP as a veritable platform for good governance in Nigeria.”
The meeting, which was attended by Governor Muftwang, also had former Governors Jonah Jang (Plateau), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Idris Wada (Kogi) in attendance.
Others at the meeting included the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro; incumbent PDP National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN); and a former Information Minister, Prof Jerry Gana.
Also at the meeting were former senators Tunde Ogbeha, Philip Aduda, Suleiman Adokwe, Dino Melaye, Mohammed Onawo and Peter Jiya.
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Similarly, former Ministers, Labaran Maku and Sarah Ochekpe also attended the meeting. Other stakeholders like Simon Mwadkwon, Mrs. Margaret Icheen, Mr. Raymond Dabo, Maika Jiba, and Isa Dobi were also present.
Damagum, who is from Yobe State in the Northeast zone, emerged Acting National Chairman in March 2023 following the exit of Ayu who is from Benue State in the Northcentral zone.
Damagum was the PDP Deputy National Chairman (North) before his appointment as Acting National Chairman.
By virtue of Section 47 (6) of the party’s constitution, he ought to have relinquished the seat for a substantive National Chairman from the Northcentral zone where Ayu hailed from.
The Section reads: “Where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from to serve out the tenure of the officer.”
Ayu was elected chairman in 2022 for a four-year tenure that should expire in 2026 before his tenure got truncated in 2023.
Several moves by critical organs of the party, including the PDP Governors Forum, the Board of Trustees (BoT) and the National Caucus to replace Damagum have been thwarted by the Acting National Chairman, allegedly with the backing of Wike.
Miffed by the development, the PDP Governors Forum, led by Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, had, a few weeks ago, directed the Damagum-led leadership to convene the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting latest by February 2025.
The NEC meeting has suffered four postponements between August and November 2024, as Damagum, who is supposed to convene the meeting has been evasive.
The power to ratify any candidate chosen by the Northcentral zone to replace Damagum is vested only in the NEC.
PDP crisis: Two ex-Senate presidents lead fresh plot to oust Damagum
Politics
PDP expels South-East national vice chairperson over anti-party activities
PDP expels South-East national vice chairperson over anti-party activities
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oguduokwor Ward, Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, has officially expelled Ali Odefa, the suspended National Vice Chairperson of the party in the South-East, following allegations of anti-party activities.
Odefa had been suspended on September 11, 2024, by the ward executives, a move that was later upheld by the Federal High Court in Abakaliki. In its ruling on November 29, 2024, under suit number FHC/AI/CS/182/2024, the court affirmed the legitimacy of his suspension.
On Wednesday, Onyeka Ovuta, the Acting Chairperson of the PDP in Oguduokwor, announced Odefa’s expulsion in a statement. Ovuta explained that the decision followed recommendations from the party’s disciplinary committee, which confirmed the allegations against Odefa.
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The party announced that Mr Odefa by the virtue of his expulsion, “ceases to be a member of the party.”
Reacting, Mr Odefa laughed off the expulsion, stating that those who announced it were “frustrated charlatans”.
He said the expulsion cannot stand because “it did not take place in the ward but in Abuja”. He said those who made the announcement against him were not ward executives of the party.
“Let them come home come and announce it. Or is our ward now located in Abuja?”
PDP expels South-East national vice chairperson over anti-party activities
Politics
INEC recognises Sylvester Ezeokenwa as APGA national chairman
INEC recognises Sylvester Ezeokenwa as APGA national chairman
Sylvester Ezeokenwa has been reinstated as the national chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).
Ezeokenwa was reinstated by the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday, December 17.
According to Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, the commission had been served with the judgement of the Supreme Court.
The apex court judgement with the Appeal No. SC/CV/824/2024 APGA & ANOR vs OYE & ORS was delivered on November 27, 2024.
The court ruled that Ezeokenwa should be recognised as the national chairman of the party.
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“In compliance with the judgement of the apex court, the Commission has restored Barr. Ezeokenwa as the Chairman of APGA and restored his name on our website accordingly,” the INEC commissioner said.
He also stated that the reisnstatmemt of the new chairman would automatically lead to the withdrawal of the recognition of Njoku as the national chairman of the party.
The court also upheld an earlier judgement of the appeal which did not confer any enforceable rights on Njoku.
If also awarded N20 million each against the appellaants.
INEC recognises Sylvester Ezeokenwa as APGA national chairman
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