Amaechi asks his supporters to put their anger aside, vote for APC – Newstrends
Connect with us

Politics

Amaechi asks his supporters to put their anger aside, vote for APC

Published

on

Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has directed his supporters to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 polls.

He said this on Saturday when he arrived in Rivers State, on his visit to the state after contesting the APC presidential ticket.

Addressing aggrieved members of the party, who were said to have expected him to win the presidential primary, Amaechi said no matter their anger, they should still vote for the APC.

“Let me start by thanking all of you. I will make slight amends to the statement made by our leader. We have not won, because even the Bible we read says faith without work is dead. So, we will win if we are ready to work,” he said.

“It will be total arrogance to just sit at home and think you’ll win. Trust the courts, justice will be done. Don’t be afraid. Go home and work. Our job is to work; that is why I came. I came to thank you and to urge you to work. All of us are unit leaders; no more local government leaders.

“Let’s go home and win our units. We must praise INEC and the national assembly for reducing the level of rigging.

“I’ll be coming home regularly to make sure we win. I will not be an Abuja politician. You will see me here so that we can win.

“Please, the contest for the presidency, we should know that we should vote for our party, no matter how angry you are. Forget the stories you’re hearing; forget about those gossiping about a meeting in France. Let this place be your own France. Vote for your party.”

Speaking later at a media briefing, Amaechi said the panel set up by the Rivers State Government to probe him ought to submit whatever information they have on him to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

On June 10, Rivers State Governor, Nyelson Wike, said the state had filed a suit against the former governor over alleged fraud.

Wike set up a seven-man panel to probe Amaechi over an alleged withdrawal of N96 billion from the state’s treasury during the latter’s tenure as governor.

The panel had also investigated issues surrounding the “sale of assets” by the former governor.

Speaking on the development, Amaechi said his side of the story had not yet been heard.

“First, I hope the governor has a good lawyer. The Supreme Court has the overall say and has given the power to the panel. The work of the panel is to gather information and ought to give whatever they have gathered to either the ICPC, the EFCC or the police,” he said.

He also said, “The police has not invited methe EFCC hasn’t, neither has the ICPC. Secondly, there ought to be a fair hearing and I will be called to hear my side of the story, but I haven’t been heard. So, how do we just go to court?

“So, it’s not about being served. The Supreme Court says there has to be an investigation before it is decided if the case qualifies for court or not. The process must go through the law.”

Speaking further on his advice for aggrieved supporters, Amaechi maintained that they should still support the APC.

“For the aggrieved members of the party, there is no advice I can give them. The primary election was a contest and one must win. If I had won, the others would campaign and vote for me and it should be vice versa. Regardless of the presidency, let’s go out and vote for our party,” he added.

Amaechi also reacted to the rumours of plans to reconcile with Magnus Abe, a former senator representing Rivers south-east, saying “I am not aware of any reconciliation.”

Politics

6 Labour Party lawmakers defect to PDP

Published

on

6 Labour Party lawmakers defect to PDP

Six Labour Party (LP) members of the Enugu State House of Assembly have officially defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

They made their defection known on Thursday in Enugu in a letter read by the Speaker, Chief Uche Ugwu, during plenary.

The defectors include the Majority Leader, Mr Johnson Ani (Enugu North); the Chief Whip, Mr Ejike Eze, (Igbo-Eze North 1); and the Deputy Chief Whip, Ms Princess Ugwu (Enugu South Rural).

Others are Mr Pius Ezugwu (Nsukka East); Mr Williams Amuka (Igbo-Etiti West); and Mr Osita Eze (Oji River).

The defectors, in the letters, said their defection was as a result of the existence of irreconcilable division, incessant crisis within the labour party at the national level and across all the state chapters.

They regretted that the party had evolved into perpetual discord with various factions embroiled in legal battles, which undermine its ability to effectively serve the interest of the people.

READ ALSO:

According to them, the Labour Party, once considered a beacon of hope for progressive ideas, have regrettably become synonymous with internal squabbles, thereby reducing its capacity to fulfil the aspirations of electorates.

They cited the cases of Mr Julius Abure and Mr Limido Apapa factions as well as the national treasurer as some of the divisions within the party.

They expressed the hope that the PDP would give them the platform to continue to serve the interests of their people and thanked the leaderships of Labour Party for their supports.

The defectors also acknowledge that the letters were sent to the office of the Speaker by themselves, adding that they would work wholeheartedly for the progress of their new party in Enugu State.

In his remark, the Speaker welcomed the defectors into the PDP and promised that they would be carried along in the legislative activities of the House.

With the defection, the PDP now had the majority in the House with 17 members while LP had only six members.

6 Labour Party lawmakers defect to PDP

Continue Reading

Politics

More drama at LP as BoT announces takeover

Published

on

More drama at LP as BoT announces takeover

  • NLC rejects Abure re-election
  • INEC disowns national convention

The Board of Trustees at the Labour Party says it has taken over the administration of the party, indicating a fresh trouble in the LP’s internal crisis.

This was announced on Thursday in a statement issued in Abuja by the party’s BoT Chairman, Sylvester Ejiofor.

He said the takeover of the party came after the expiration of Julius Abure’s tenure as LP’s national chairman

Abure was re-elected as chairman t the party’s national convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State, on Wednesday, amid leadership crisis.

All members of the National Working Committee were returned at the convention.

But the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has described Abure’s re-election as “an illegality”.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also disowned the exercise on the grounds that it did not monitor the national convention.

INEC spoke through Rotimi Oyekanmi, media aide to INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The BoT’s statement read in part, “Following the expiration of the tenure in office of the immediate past National Working Committee of the LP headed by Mr. Julius Abure, the BoT, in line with the party’s constitution, has stepped in to steer the affairs of the LP.

“This step is to avoid any leadership vacuum in the LP.

“Furthermore, the BoT of the LP, in consultation with major stakeholders in the party, will soon communicate the processes for the conduct of an all-inclusive and expansive national convention of the LP.

“This is in line with the March 20, 2018 Federal High Court consent judgment delivered by Justice Gabriel Kolawole which recognised the Nigeria Labour Congress as the owners of the LP and mandated that an all-inclusive and expansive national convention of the LP be held.

“The decision of the BoT is also in furtherance of the agreement signed between the former national chairman of the LP, Mr. Julius Abure, and the NLC and the Trade Union Congress on June 27, 2022, which was mediated by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“Unlike the charade that took place today in Nnewi and in tandem with the principles of popular democracy, the all-inclusive national convention will start with grassroots congresses at ward, local government, state and ultimately at the national level.

“This process will not leave any genuine member of LP out and will be held in the full view of the Independent National Electoral Commission, media, civil society, security agents, and the general public.”

The Abure-led executive of the party had not responded to the new development as noon on Thursday.

 

A chieftain of the party was quoted in a report by The PUNCH as saying it was a hatchet job.

“Since many of you journalists have been covering this party, have you heard anything about LP Board of Trustees before? It is non-existent.

“How can one Sylvester Ejiofor wake up one day, tag himself as BoT chairman, and issue a statement that he has taken over the affairs of the party? Let him come over to the secretariat and take over then.

“Too many people and mercenaries are just bent on causing conflict in the party,” he said.

 

 

Continue Reading

Politics

BREAKING: LP Re-elects Julius Abure As National Chairman

Published

on

Julius Abure, the national chairman of the Labour Party

BREAKING: LP Re-elects Julius Abure As National Chairman

The Labour Party (LP) has re-elected Julius Abure as its National Chairman for a second term in office.

Abure was re-elected by a unanimous affirmation of delegates at the party’s National Convention in Nnewi, Anambra State.

READ ALSO:

The Chairman of the National Convention and Deputy Governor of Abia State, Ikechukwu Emetu declared him the winner during the event attended by party leaders and members.

More to come…

Continue Reading

Trending

Skip to content