Politics

Why I can’t form coalition with Peter Obi – Sowore

Published

2 weeks ago

November 13, 2024

Peter Obi and Omoyele Sowore

Why I can’t form coalition with Peter Obi – Sowore

Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, recently shared his reasons for not forming a coalition with Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s candidate in the same election.

In his appearance on the Honest Bunch podcast, Sowore asserted that, in his view, Obi is similar to other Nigerian politicians, describing him as “better at packaging.”

Sowore explained that his own journey in politics began long before Obi gained national recognition, emphasizing his dedication to advocating for systemic change in Nigeria.

During the podcast, co-hosted by Nedu, Husband Material, Deity Cole, and Ezinne, Sowore highlighted his belief in challenging the status quo, which he feels differs significantly from Obi’s approach.

Sowore said, “Before you discovered Peter Obi, I was already running for president. All these shouts about Peter Obi… He just knows how to package. Anyone can do it.

“If I form a coalition with Peter Obi, I will be going against what I have always stood for, which is that I will never support a Nigerian leader who has held any political office — whether at the federal, state, or local level — if I consider them non-performing.

“It’s the same reason I would never have joined hands with Atiku. And the Peter Obi you’re talking about was a vice-presidential candidate to Atiku when I was a presidential candidate in 2019.

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“So, what are we talking about? There is no lesser evil in my book. If you are evil, you are evil. If you are good, you are good. I have a general disdain for non-performance.”

He added that there is no such thing as “emotional attachment” in his dictionary.

“There was a friend of mine who kept saying, he doesn’t care if Peter Obi is Igbo, but that it is the turn of the Igbos. But it is beyond that; I have a natural disdain for poor performance,” he explained.

Sowore insisted that while many may not know it, he knew Obi before and during his time as governor, and he backed him.

“I had always known and supported him and stood against his removal when (Olusegun) Obasanjo wanted to use Andy Ubah to replace him—the twists and turns then.

“However, when Peter Obi finished his term in Anambra, the question I asked him was whether he could send his child to any university he had built in Anambra—he was mute and could not respond.

“I also asked him if he could enter any hospital he built in Anambra, which he governed for eight years, even if it was for the slightest headache—there was also no response.”

Sowore went on to challenge the four anchors or any other Nigerians, saying, “If they can pack their bags and head to Anambra for a vacation.”

PUNCH Online reports that President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress recorded 8,794,726 votes in the 2023 presidential election, followed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party who secured 6,984,520 votes.

In third place, Labour Party’s Obi garnered 6,101,533 votes, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party secured 1,496,687 votes.

Why I can’t form coalition with Peter Obi – Sowore

Related Topics:Coalition Peter Obi Sowore

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Politics

Court reinstates members of dissolved Benue APC executive

Published

21 hours ago

November 29, 2024

Trends Admin

Court reinstates members of dissolved Benue APC executive

A Makurdi High Court has ordered the reinstatement of Austin Agada and other elected executives of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Benue chapter, whose tenures were terminated by the party’s national working committee.

The presiding judge, Justice Tertsegha Kume, gave the order on Thursday in his verdict in a suit filed by Agada and eight others against APC.

Mr Agada and the eight others challenged the abrupt termination of their tenure in office as Benue executives of the party.

They dragged the party to court to determine whether it was right to terminate their tenures midway without giving them a fair hearing.

The plaintiff’s counsel, M. T. Alyebo, told the court that the party’s NWC was wrong to disregard the provisions of Articles 12(11), 17(i), and 21.1 of the Constitution of the APC 2022 (as amended).

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Mr Alyebo argued that the NWC decision was also in contravention of Section 223(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended) by not giving them a fair hearing before unlawfully terminating their tenures.

He therefore urged the court to make an order reinstating his clients until the expiration of their tenures on February 2, 2026.

However, counsel for APC, Matthew Burkaa, urged the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that the court had no jurisdiction over the matter as it was an internal affairs of the party.

The presiding judge, however, dismissed the argument of the respondents’ counsel and granted the reliefs sought by the applicants.

He declared that the tenure of office of Agada and other elected executives of the APC in Benue is still valid and subsisting till the completion of four years.

Court reinstates members of dissolved Benue APC executive
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Politics

PDP suspends lawmaker over alleged insubordination

Published

2 days ago

November 28, 2024

Trends Admin

PDP suspends lawmaker over alleged insubordination

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi State has suspended Habibu Umar, the lawmaker representing Kirfi Constituency in the State House of Assembly, for alleged insubordination.

In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, PDP State Chairman Samaila Burga confirmed Umar’s suspension, barring him from all party activities until further notice.

The decision was based on findings that Umar violated sections 58 (9) (1) and (f) of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended).

According to the letter, Umar was issued a query on November 5, 2024, following accusations of misconduct. A disciplinary committee was subsequently established on November 11 to investigate the matter.

After a thorough review, the committee found Umar guilty and recommended his immediate suspension under sections 59 (4) and (5) of the party’s constitution.

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The suspension, which was signed by members of the Beni Ward EXCO, highlights the party’s commitment to enforcing discipline and upholding its internal regulations.

“Effective from today, November 25, 2024, Hon. Habibu Umar is barred from participating in any party activities until further notice,” the chairman stated.

In another development, a former member of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Adamu Bello, has officially rejoined the PDP after leaving the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Bello, a founding member of the APC in Bauchi State and a key figure in the Bauchi North Senatorial District, served as the Sole Administrator of Giade Local Government Area.

The former APC leader, who played a crucial role in securing a victory for the APC in Giade LGA during the last general elections, cited the ongoing support of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, for his people as the primary reason for his decision to return to the PDP.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Adamu Bello explained that his constituents urged him to join the PDP in order to better advocate for the community’s interests.

“I have always been a voice for my people, and they have asked me to take this step so that we can continue to progress,” Bello remarked.

PDP suspends lawmaker over alleged insubordination

Politics

Breaking: Supreme Court affirms Sly Ezeokenwa as APGA National Chairman

Published

3 days ago

November 27, 2024

Trends Admin

Sly Ezeokenwa

Breaking: Supreme Court affirms Sly Ezeokenwa as APGA National Chairman

The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, affirmed Mr. Sly Ezeokenwa as the authentic National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.

A five-member panel of the apex court, in two unanimous judgements, invalidated Chief Edozie Njoku’s claim to the national leadership position in the party.

It held that its earlier verdict on the appeal marked: SC/CV/687/2021, delivered on October 14, 2021 and corrected on March 24, 2023, which Chief Njoku purportedly relied on to lay claim to APGA Chairmanship, did not confer any enforceable rights on him.

In the lead decision that was read by Justice Stephen Adah, the apex court stressed that the reliefs it granted on the protracted APGA leadership tussle, in 2021, were only declaratory and not executory.

The court noted that it particularly held that that issue of leadership or who becomes the Chairman of a political party, was an internal matter that is not justiciable.

Justice Adah held that it was wrong for Njoku to have gone before the lower court to enforce a judgement that had nothing to be enforced as no executory relief was granted to him.

He faulted the lower courts for wrongly relying on the previous decision of the Supreme Court to declare Njoku as the National Chairman of APGA.

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Consequently, Justice Adah vacated the judgement the Court of Appeal in Abuja delivered on June 28, 2024, which upheld the verdict of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory that declared Njoku as the National Chairman of APGA.

Besides, the Supreme Court awarded a fine of N20million each, against two members of the Njoku-led faction of APGA that were listed as 1st and 2nd respondents in the matter.