Politics
BREAKING: Oyo’s only PDP senator Kola Balogun joins APC
The lawmaker representing Oyo South Senatorial District at the Senate, Senator Kola Balogun, has defected to the All Progressives Congress.
Balogun, who is the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun’s younger brother, was the only senator elected to the Upper Legislative on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in Oyo State in 2019.
The senator resigned from the PDP after Governor Seyi Makinde allegedly handed over the PDP ticker for Oyo South Senatorial District to Joseph Tegbe, who defected to the PDP from the APC.
Senator Balogun is already at the APC Secretariat in Ibadan with Senator Teslim Folarin, who is set to declare his governorship ambition at the same ceremony
Meanwhile, the Palace of Olubadan has distanced itself from the action of the monarch’s son, Femi, who was said to have visited Tegbe and declared support for his political aspiration.
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This was contained in a statement by the palace.
The statement read, “The purported visitation of Femi Balogun, son of Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba (Sen.) Lekan Balogun, to his schoolmate and a politician in the state, Mr. Olasunkanmi Tegbe, is a private and personal affair of Femi and has no blessings of the Olubadan palace.
“Femi, the Aremo Olubadan, was alleged to have endorsed the senatorial ambition of Tegbe during the visit, a position which is at variance with that of the Aliiwo Dynasty where the current Olubadan hails from.
“The Palace distances itself from the purported visit and endorsement of Tegbe by Femi and condemns such in view of the fact that the Aliiwo Dynasty which today sits on Ibadan throne also has a son, who currently serves as senator in the same senatorial district in person of Senator Kola Balogun and who still wishes to serve another term.
“As much as nobody can prevent Femi, being an adult, from holding a personal political view and democracy enjoins freedom of choice, the Palace frowns at the dragging of the exalted throne into such personal and unguarded visit and endorsement by a member of the family using the name of Olubadan.”
Politics
6 Labour Party lawmakers defect to PDP
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.
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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
Politics
More drama at LP as BoT announces takeover
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.
Politics
BREAKING: LP Re-elects Julius Abure As National Chairman
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.
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.
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