Politics

Anambra: Where are Andy Uba’s 230,000 APC primary votes – Nigerians drag Gov Abiodun

Published

3 years ago

November 10, 2021

Andy Uba

Nigerians have called out Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, asking him to explain how the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra, Andy Uba, polled over 230,000 votes in the party’s primary election.

The reaction was coming on the heels of Uba’s poor outing in the just concluded Anambra governorship election.

During the APC primary election in Anambra in June, Gov Abiodun had announced that “Uba polled 230,201 of the 348,490 total votes cast, to defeat 13 other aspirants.”

Though the result was rejected by other aspirants and leaders of the APC in the state, the national leadership of the party fielded Uba as its candidate, relying on the result declared by the Ogun State helmsman.

It would be recalled that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen Chris Ngige, at the time, said there was no primary election held in the entire Anambra.

But Gov Abiodun, who was the Chairman of the APC primary election committee in the state, insisted that the election was transparent.

However, as the governorship election came to an end on Tuesday, Uba’s 230,201 votes became a mirage as he ended up polling just 43,285 votes.

Uba came a distant third in the election behind Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), who was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with 112,229 votes.

Reacting, Nigerians on social media wondered how Abiodun got the 230,201 votes he ‘awarded’ to Uba, who could only poll 43,285 votes during the election proper.

A former aide of former Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, Lere Olayinka, said: “Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, good morning this morning Sir.

“I am still asking Sir, where are those 348,490 APC members that you claimed voted at the party’s primary election that produced Andy Uba as Anambra State Governorship candidate?”

One Adesina Olufemi said, “About five months ago, during the party primary election, APC claimed its candidate, Andy Uba won by about 230,000 votes. In the gubernatorial election, the same APC had polled just a little more than 40,000 votes.

“In all the elections in Anambra state in the past 10 years, average voters turnout has been 230,000. Where did Give Abiodun got that score from?”

Another commentator, John, stated that “While several members of APC in Anambra are willing to swear before anything including amadioha, that there were no gubernatorial primaries in any ward in that state, those saddled with conducting direct primaries in that strategic Igbo State insisted Andy Uba won the primary with over 230k votes; not even the protest by the Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, that there was no primary in his own ward or LG nor the collective petition by other gubernatorial aspirants could dissuade them.

“They insisted over 348k APC members participated in the exercise and Uba won it. Well, they had their way. And during the gubernatorial elections held and results indicated that APC has performed very woefully.

“But the question agitating the minds of several patriotic APC members across Nigeria is where are those 348,000 members who purportedly voted in that direct primaries? At least, those 230,000 members who voted Andy Uba during the primaries should vote for their man on the election day. Where are they?

“These are the questions APC leaders in Abuja who brushed aside the protest by Dr Ngige and other aggrieved guber aspirants should urgently provide answers for.

“My bible tells me, Righteousness exacts a nation, but sin is a reproach (a drawback or stain).”

“As the APC races towards 2023 when some doomsday prophets have predicted APC will collapse, those running the party need to conduct a soul-searching and never wave aside complaint of its members.

“Going by the mass defection that hit APGA and the reported poor performance of the departing governor, Willy Obiano, Anambra was there for APC to win. But once again, APC blew it.”

Femi Oke, an APC member in Ogun State, opined that “As an APC man, I can say categorically that Andy Uba was the worst candidate on the debate, there is no contradiction.

“APC should stop fielding PDP Political Prostitutes as their candidates and should ensure free, fair, & transparent direct primaries are conducted to ensure our best possible candidates emerge.

“We can also have televised APC candidate debates before the primaries so the best candidates will showcase their abilities. Why has APC and PDP refused to adopt online membership, with a party membership app and membership subscriptions?

“It’s because the stinkingly corrupt, inept, moneybag politicians at the head of these parties want to continue to manipulate and deceive Nigerians ahead of 2023.”

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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.