APC stakeholders in Benue endorse Tinubu for second term

Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State have endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term as President of Nigeria.

The endorsement was made during a stakeholders’ meeting attended by elders from the 23 local government areas of the state.

The party’s elders, led by Second Republic Senator Jacob Tilley Gyado, praised President Tinubu’s support for the people of Benue State, as evident in the appointment of prominent individuals from the state into his administration. They vowed to reciprocate this support by giving President Tinubu massive votes to win again in 2027.

The stakeholders also condemned a plot to remove Senator George Akume as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). They acknowledged Senator Akume’s immense contributions to the political development of Benue State, the North Central region, and the country as a whole.

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“Akume is a round peg in a round hole,” the elders said. “We want the whole world to know that Senator George Akume remains our leader, the leader of Benue politics, and indeed North Central in general.”

The stakeholders assured President Tinubu that Benue State would repeat its massive support for the APC in 2027, giving him “100 over 100” votes. They also condemned any calls for Senator Akume’s removal and affirmed his leadership in the state.

The elders attributed Senator Akume’s appointment as SGF to his experience, maturity, and understanding of politics. They expressed confidence that he would deliver Benue State and the North Central region to the APC in future elections.

In addition, the stakeholders restated their support for the leadership of Comrade Austin Agada and Senator Akume, condemning the fractionalization of the APC in the state. They regretted that despite their hard work in putting the party in a strong position, some elements had conspired to hinder the party’s progress.

Rivers APC crisis: You’re dictator, Beke’s group tells Ganduje

The crisis rocking the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a complex turn, with the Emeka Beke’s faction of the party flayed  the National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje over his handling of the conflict in the state.

The lambasting was centered on Ganduje’s alleged disregard for court orders and his attempt to rewrite the history of the party in Rivers State.

At the heart of the crisis is a judgement delivered by Honourable Justice Sika Aprioku of the State High Court on August 12th, 2024, in favour of all elected officers of the party in the state.

The judgement, which was delivered in Suit No PHC/3592/CS/2023 – Sam Sam Etetegwung & Otrs Vs Alhaji Ganduje & Otrs, and Suit No. PHC/3735/CS/2023 – Chief Barnax Ezeboy Enyi & Otrs Vs APC & Otrs, restrained Ganduje from dissolving the party’s executives in Rivers State.

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The party in a press briefing in Port Harcourt on monday noted that despite the judgement, Ganduje’s National Working Committee (NWC) has continued to recognize and inaugurated another State  Executive committee a move that has been described as contemptuous of court.

Nwauju argued that Ganduje’s actions are not only undemocratic but also unconstitutional, citing Section 46 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He also pointed out that a similar move by Ganduje to dissolve the party’s executives in Benue State was nullified by a Makurdi High Court on November 28th, 2024.

Nwauju accused Ganduje of trying to delete the memories of APC supporters who lost their lives during the 2015, 2019, and 2023 elections.

He also alleged that Ganduje is trying to ensure that justice is not served on the sponsors and perpetrators of the violence.

The Rivers APC spokesperson also criticized Ganduje’s decision to sanction media briefings by members of his NWC, which sought to justify his illegal decision to set up caretaker committees and denigrate court judgments.

In addition, Nwauju pointed out that another court presided over by Justice Godswill Obomanu has nullified the so-called congresses a development that has further complicated the crisis.

Rivers APC crisis: You’re dictator, Beke’s group tells Ganduje

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