Politics
APC crisis deepens as sacked Oshiomhole-led NWC sues caretaker committee
Crisis in the ruling All Progressives Congress may have deepened as a former National Vice Chairman and ex-acting chairman of the party, Hilliard Eta, has gone to court, asking to be declared the acting national chairman of the party.
He is asking a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to nullify the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the party.
The National Executive Committee of the APC had at its meeting at the Presidential Villa on June 25, 2020 dissolved the party’s National Working Committee led by the then national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.
The NEC, at the meeting presided over by the President Muhammadu Buhari set up the caretaker committee and appointed the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, to head the committee.
Eta on November 26, 2020 filed a fresh suit challenging the dissolution of the Oshiomhole-led NWC.
He sought an order to restrain the Buni-led committee from taking any further steps on behalf of the party including holding the party’s convention.
The suit was instituted on his behalf by his lawyer, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), with the APC made the first plaintiff and Eta the second.
Those listed as defendants in the suit are Buni as chairman of the caretaker committee; John Akpan Udoedehe as the National Secretary; as well as Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State; Governor Sani Bello of Niger State, and Stella Okotete, as members of the committee.
The plaintiffs joined the Independent National Electoral Commission as the sixth defendant.
The plaintiffs argued among others that by virtue of Section 183 of the Nigerian Constitution and Article 17 (iv) of the constitution of the APC, it was an illegality and a void act for a person to hold an executive office in the government simultaneously with an office in any organ of the APC at any level, in whatever capacity.
They also argued that by virtue of same Section 183 of the Nigerian Constitution, Article 17 (i) and (iv) and 20 (i) (a) of the APC constitution, the purported removal of the duly elected officers of the party on June 25, 2020, was void and did not affect the rights of the duly elected officers of the APC to continue with the discharge of the duties for which they were elected.
In an affidavit deposed to by Etagbo Eta in support of the originating summons, the NWC had reacted to the proposed illegal meeting in a document captioned “Press Statement by the APC NWC,” clearly expressing that the proposed meeting violated the APC Constitution.
He explained that the 1st to 5th defendants (members of the Buni-led committee) and those who projected them were duly alerted of the illegality of their act, yet they persisted in such illegality and willful disregard of the organic document of the 1st plaintiff.
He expressed the concern that INEC “no longer deals” with the duly elected executive of the APC but on the contrary recognised the 1st to 5th defendants in all matters concerning the 1st plaintiff, which contravenes the constitution of APC.
Politics
Support Damagum or leave party, elected PDP deputies tell opponents
Support Damagum or leave party, elected PDP deputies tell opponents
Elected deputies of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) have voiced their support for the party’s acting national chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, asserting that he will remain in office until December 2025.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the Deputy National Youth Leader, Comrade Timothy Osadolor, criticized calls for Damagum’s removal, urging dissenting voices to accept his leadership or leave the party.
Osadolor, joined by four other deputies, emphasized the need for unity within the PDP, stating that internal pride and blame games have contributed to the party’s current challenges.
“It is time for leaders to set aside personal interests and acknowledge their roles in the party’s predicament. Only by working together can the PDP reclaim its glory,” Osadolor remarked.
He said, “From 2013 to date, personal ambitions have driven us to heights of pure mischief and arrogant use of power.
“This has led to agreements not being kept and the ambiguities in our Constitution being exploited by those in position, even through the courts.
“We are all complicit by being perpetrators, supporters, or silent. No one is coming to save us; we must stand up and become heroes; we brought ourselves here.
“This is no longer the time for a blame game; all have sinned. From the BOT chairman, who endorsed an opposition governor, to candidates that negotiated and supported other party candidates in promises to get their return support, to NWC members and leaders that lost their polling units.
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“We must all come down from our high horses, forget pride for now, and join hands with the party as led by Amb. Illya Damagum to reposition this party back to winning ways.
“Court distractions and media demarketing of the PDP must stop forthwith. You do not need to like the officers, but the party is more important.
“If you want to resign and go, be a proper opposition; do not be here and go from TV house to radio house abusing the party
“The case of the acting national chairman is settled till December 2025, and on that of the National Secretary, we wait on the courts. Let’s learn to love and support PDP first and always.”
Osadolor maintained that the PDP is not only dealing with the tyranny of the All Progressives Congress-led federal government against the party and Nigerians but that it is equally dealing with the disillusionment of members across the country and beyond.
He listed some of the reasons for this situation to include distrust, insincerity, lack of firm enforcement of agreements, self-serving interests, and unnecessary eye service that is laced with smooth tongues.
Osadolor further chided unnamed party leaders whom he accused of lurking behind the scenes to cause misunderstanding within the party.
“This behaviour is apparently self-serving on their part, as it is not in the interest of the PDP in any way. It is ethically and morally wrong for members of the party to move around creating confusion instead of exploring our internal mechanism for peace,” he added.
Present at the briefing were Deputy National Youth Leader Timothy Osadolor, Deputy National Publicity Secretary Ibrahim Abdullahi, Deputy National Financial Secretary Ndubisi Eneh, and National Deputy Organising Secretary Pascal Adigwe.
Support Damagum or leave party, elected PDP deputies tell opponents
Politics
Senator Ned Nwoko explains decision to leave PDP for APC
Senator Ned Nwoko explains decision to leave PDP for APC
The lawmaker representing Delta North, Senator Ned Nwoko, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The disclosure was made by his media aide, Ms. Gloria Okolugbo.
According to the aide, the senator’s decision was due to the frustration he faced from the PDP leadership in Delta State.
Okolugbo revealed that Senator Nwoko had not received the necessary cooperation and support from his party to fulfil his campaign promises to the people of Delta North.
She said: “Senator Nwoko came prepared to serve and deliver the dividends of good governance to Anioma people, but regrettably, he had not enjoyed the cooperation and support of his party, the PDP, in pursuit of his vision, even as the only PDP senator in Delta State.”
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She added: “What I can tell you is that today Senator Ned Nwoko held a consultative meeting with his constituents to inform them of his interest to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party…”
“With the concluded arrangements by the senator representing Delta North’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling APC will now have all the three (Delta State) senators in its fold.
“There have been a lot of processes that he has gone through trying to speak to the internal party structures to see that the issues that we have in Delta North are resolved. As it is now, Delta PDP has lost all three senators to the ruling APC, a development that could spell doom for the PDP in Delta State.
“One of the key reasons for which a legislator or a serving member can defect is factionalisation. You don’t have to see violence before you know there’s factionalisation in the party.
“And as we move ahead, it’s very important for us to strengthen the democratic institutions. Representative democracy is actually about balance of power, transparency in governance and accountable use of resources.
“So, it took a lot of groundwork and a lot of service to the people before we got PDP to become the predominant party of Delta State that delivered the last set of votes.
“Distinguished Senator Ned Nwoko was on the field even after he had won his elections, promising the electorate that together they would deliver the dividends of god governance, because this is about representative democracy.”
Senator Ned Nwoko explains decision to leave PDP for APC
Politics
Rivers: PDP restores Fubara-backed exco after court nullifies Wike-won congresses
Rivers: PDP restores Fubara-backed exco after court nullifies Wike-won congresses
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has acknowledged and accepted the judgment of the Rivers State High Court, which nullified the party’s Ward, Local Government, and State Congresses conducted on July 27, August 10, and August 31, 2024, respectively.
In compliance with the court’s decision delivered on Monday, January 13, 2025, the NWC has reinstated the Hon. Nname Robinson Ewor-led Rivers State Executive to oversee the affairs of the PDP in the state, under the party’s constitution.
The NWC commended the court’s decision, emphasizing the PDP’s commitment to transparency, internal democracy, and adherence to the rule of law in its operations.
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