Politics

Agitators disturbing peace of Southwest

Published

3 years ago

September 20, 2021

The Director-General, Strategic Planning and Implementations of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ambassador Tony Obizoba has called for cessation of hostilities by those behind the Sit-at-home that has disrupted socio-economic activities in the Southeast

He said the “madness” should end, urging stakeholders to rise to the occasion.

In a statement, he said the nefarious activities of the agitators can no longer be condoned.

Obizoma said: “The security situation in the South East of Nigeria, occasioned by the activities of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its Eastern Security Network (ESN), is becoming a thing that must no longer be condoned, especially with the way the group appears to be having upper hand over constituted authorities without the governors ever being able to stop them.

“While Nigerians, who blame the Igbo residents operating businesses in the region for complying with the SIT-AT-HOME order of the IPOB, an organisation that has now grown wings stronger and thicker than the political elites that pampered and nurtured them in the first place, may be correct, it must also be spelt out clearly that there is little or hardly anything those residents can do in a situation where the group use force and violence to implement the SIT-AT-HOME order whereas the governors that have the constitutional powers to enforce the law to their security and safety are doing nothing. To do otherwise can be suicidal for the ordinary citizens in the region.

“We can give it to the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Nzodinma, because he has tried a little as he has made bold statements against the IPOB’s order. However, bold statements of the governor could bite, only if they are followed with action.

“The governors, national and state lawmakers of the South East and other political elites in the region should bear it in mind that, for their incessant conspiracy of silence and inaction, they risk the Federal Government of Nigeria taking required action as a last resort and it will have overbearing effects. And knowing full well that the Presidency of the country will, constitutionally, not fold its arms and allow a section of the country to be taken over by powers that are strange to recognition of the law, nobody can do anything about whatever action is taken by Abuja because, owners of town cannot allow their town to scatter, says an adage.

“Some people claim they are fighting for the emancipation of Igbo Land due to what they claim to be lack of development. Under President Muhammadu Buhari, the odds of the past have started coming to even. We have seen elements of development. We have seen roads that were, in actual fact, neglected under politicians that claimed to be our own sons now being fixed. We have seen the Second Niger Bridge, upgraded Enugu International Airport and have seen completed modular and groundbreaking of full fledge refineries brought to the region just like we also have the South East state of Anambra now enlisted as one of oil producing states now accessing the 13 percent derivation and other benefits that are expected to improve the lives of our people.

“In the wake of all of these, it will be out of place that a group of supposed fighters for the ‘liberation’ of Igboland will be the ones leading the fronts for the destruction of the same land they claim to liberate. Now, from whom are they liberating the land when, of a surety, they are physically witnessed destroyers that everybody can see? You cannot continue to blame the Hausa-Fulani for the problem of Igboland because, the resemblance of hope that we have seen so far, which was impossible for the 14 years of our fellow Southerners in power, has been made possible only by the same Hausa-Fulani man that you hate to see in power.”

We should throw sentiments and self deceit to the bin and allow the common sense in us to lead our way for us to access better life. We once witnessed in recent past when this led Federal Government kickstarted the construction of Second Niger Bridge and our own Igbo youths went and blocked the contractors demanding for for N500 million before they could allow the development of their own region take place. Same done to contractors upgrading the Enugu Airport. And we have the same people now claimed that they are doing SIT-AT-HOME for the liberation of their land. Which land?

Again, because of SIT-AT-HOME order of these group, many souls of Igbo people have been destroyed due to blind killer spray that has taken place in the name of implementation of this said order. Travelers coming from other regions of the country to the South East region have had their vehicles set on fire and also got killed. They are fellow Igbo people. What is their offence?Our own children was chased out from exam hall and their motorbikes were destroyed. What is the other characteristic of terrorism if not this?

Funny enough, they fail to extend their SIT-AT-HOME order to Igbo doing businesses in other region in solidarity with their cause. They should have also enforced it on Igbo in Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto and other parts to show they really care.

For how long will governors of South East continue to remain in this conspiracy of silence and allow this group reign to the detriment of the land and the people? What has happened now by their attitude is nothing more than two governments now running the affair of each state of the South East.

It must be stopped immediately because, if the Federal Government will come to do the governors’ work for them, they should know that they will not be the ones in power to witness it as the constitution empowers President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency to restore normalcy, common sense, security peace and order in the place. Gentility of Buhari’s lion, our people should not take it for a coward.

A stitch in time, the adage says, saves nine”

Politics

PDP crisis: Two ex-Senate presidents lead fresh plot to oust Damagum

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Trends Admin

Umar Iliya Damagum, Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

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

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Trends Admin

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

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Trends Admin

APGA National Chairman, Sylvester Ezeokenwa

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.