Politics

Aregbesola/Oyetola Feud: Oyetola can’t be judge in own case — TOP Chair

Published

3 years ago

January 11, 2022

Oyetola and Aregbesola

THE crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun State, yesterday, deepened, as leaders and members of the party urged the National Reconciliation Committee to disregard the petitions forwarded to it by members of the group known as The Osun Progressives, TOP.

The party, which described TOP’s requests as self-serving, misleading, sarcastic, spurious and baseless, called on the committee to dismiss it in its entirety, as it was meant to clandestinely destroy the corporate image of the party in the State.

The party’s position was made known when the Reconciliation Committee met with stakeholders of the party at Government House, Osogbo.

Defence against TOP

Responding to some of the issues raised and prayers made by TOP members to the Reconciliation Committee, the Secretary, State Congress Committee, Mr. Sunday Akere, said the allegation of alienation of party leaders was false and way off from the truth.

On the allegation that the present Governor hinged most of its policies implementation and execution on the platform that ushered his emergence, Ilerioluwa, Akere noted that the emergence of Ilerioluwa was more or less like the emergence of Oranmiyan created by the immediate past Governor Rauf Aregbesola that ushered him to power.

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He added that since Oyetola was elected Governor, the party has taken the front burner in all decision making and implementation.

He said: “For TOP members to say they participated in the Ward, Local and State Congresses is laughable and it amounts to building something on nothing because they know there was no basis for such, and the allegation of nepotism levelled against the Governor is not only baseless but spurious.

“He who alleges must prove. All they wanted is juicy appointments.

“Their prayer asking the Reconciliation Committee to recognise their Congresses is misplaced and distractive because the Committee is to appeal to frayed nerves to give peace a chance and not deciding on the long-concluded Congress.

“The Committee should take note that these so-called TOP members have constituted themselves into a team more vicious than the opposition.

“They don’t have respect for the Governor or the leadership of the party headed by Gboyega Famodun.

“How they deride the programmes and achievements of the Governor shows clearly that some of them have made up their minds on leaving the party if they cannot get what they want.

“They are already holding meetings with the opposition and a faction of the said opposition in the State now takes the responsibility of protecting and defending them as a matter of life and death.

“The TOP members have no right whatsoever to dwell on issues that do not concern them as their demand for resignation of Mr. Governor from the APC National Caretaker Committee connotes.

“The Governor as the leader and father to all is always ready to embrace and welcome back those willing to retrace their steps.

“This Committee in the spirit of the minority having their say while the majority have their way should appeal to TOP members to join hands with Mr Governor in sustaining the progressive legacy in Osun State.

“And finally, this Committee should implore the immediate past Governor and current Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, to rein in TOP members because he publicly declared that he is their patron and that he supports whatever they do.”

Speaking in turns, the Chairman, Osun APC Elders’ Caucus, called Sola Akinwumi, Senate Spokesman and Senator representing Osun Central Senatorial District, Bashiru Ajibola; former Osun Deputies Governor, Senator Christopher Iyiola Omisore; Mrs Titilayo Ponle; Prince Adeleke Adewoyin; Deputy Speaker, Osun House of Assembly, Mr Simeon Popoola; the Party Chairman-elect, Prince Gboyega Famodun; reaffirmed the commitment of the party’s leadership to ensure unity and oneness.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Abdulahi Adamu, noted that their presence at the Government House was part of efforts to ensure a fair hearing, equity and justice as it would serve as a forum for the party leadership to respond to and defend some of the allegations raised and petitions filed before it.

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Oyetola can’t be judge in own case — TOP Chairman

But in a swift reaction, the chairman of the TOP, Mr Lowo Adebiyi said the governor cannot be a judge in his case.

Adebiyi, who spoke with Vanguard, said: “The law of natural justice demands that you can’t be a judge in your case. Our call for his resignation from the committee is predicated on the fact that he has indicated his intention to seek re-election.

“As a member of the APC CECPC, it cannot be a guarantee that we will have a free and fair primary election, that is why we demanded that he should resign.

“Before now, he has the right to be a member, but the moment he decided to seek re-election, he should excuse himself and allow somebody else to replace him.

“I do not even believe they could be describing our demand as baseless, it is in the interest of the party.

“We insisted that with him as a member of the committee, we cannot have a free and fair primary.

“We are already putting a petition to be sent to Mr President on the matter.”

Vanguard

Related Topics:Aregbesola/Oyetola Featured feud Judge Oyetola

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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.