Politics
Disquiet among Ndigbo as Ohanaeze elects new leaders today
- Factional heads emerge
There is tension among Igbo leaders in the South-East and others parts of Nigeria over the election of a new president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other executive members of the group scheduled to hold today, January 10, 2021.
Already, opposing interests are said to have elected or are warming up to elect parallel officials of the organisation.
A former Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Prof. George Obiozor, is favoured to emerge as the next PG of the group in the election holding today in Owerri, Imo State.
Obiozor’s chances became brighter when other top contenders for the office reportedly withdrew on allegation of irregularities in the process.
Before now, the electoral committee set up by the outgoing executive led by Chief Nnia Nwodo had thrown up six aspirants jostling to take over the baton of leadership from Nwodo when his tenure ends on January 21. They include Prof George Obiozor, Dr Joe Nworgu, Dr Chris Asoluka, Prof Chidi Osuagwu, Chief Goddy Uwazurike and Prof Nnaemeka Obiaraeri.
It is said to be the turn of Imo State to produce the next PG of the organisation. So, all the known aspirants for the top position are from the state.
An indication that all is not well came on Saturday when Uche Okwukwu led a faction to elect a parallel executive.
Also on Saturday, a report came that a former commissioner in Imo State, Engr Chidi Ibeh, had emerged the factional President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
According to the report, Ibeh emerged during a parallel election organised by the Prince Richard Ozobu-led election committee.
They also claimed to have elected Dim Uche Okwukwu as the Deputy President General and Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, from Abia State, as the Secretary General.
Okwukwu from Rivers State was the Secretary-General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation who had resisted his alleged suspension.
Many other aspirants have also reportedly disassociated themselves from today’s main election.
A top contender, Prof Chidi Osuagwu, said today’s election would outcome amount to a nullity.
He stated this at a press conference on Saturday in Owerri, the Imo State capital, adding that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo election process did not follow constitutional guidelines.
He said, “There is no official statement on nomination forms, yet some people have paid and names drawn up for LGA elections that did not hold anywhere. There are no official lists of national General Assembly statutory members and the ones that are associated with states, as required by the Ohanaeze Constitution.”
According to him, the election will be held outside the constitution, adding that any election held in contravention of the provisions of the constitution is illegal, null and void.
He said, “I’ve bought the forms for the candidacy at N500,000 which is very strange, considering that this is a socio-cultural organisation that service should be voluntary.
“Unfortunately, they have turned the exercise to a political party thing. We have a situation where people no longer distinguish between Ohanaeze Ndigbo as a socio-cultural organisation and political parties.”
A former Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Joe Nworgu, was quoted as saying, “I am disassociating myself from the election because it is fret with irregularities and capable of putting Ohanaeze Ndigbo into crisis. I wouldn’t want an organisation we have laboured so much over the years to build to go down.”
But Nwodo has maintained that “no amount of innuendos and blackmail will deter Ohanaeze from bequeathing a virile leadership to Ndigbo.”
He once also said through his Media Adviser, Emeka Attama, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, under the leadership of Chief Nwodo, is committed to the inviolate tradition of conducting a free, fair and transparent election to usher in its successors in January 2021.”
Politics
As Senate resumes, Akpabio denies sexual harassment, Natasha submits petition
As Senate resumes, Akpabio denies sexual harassment, Natasha submits petition
Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Wednesday denied allegations of sexual harassment brought against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
He spoke at the resumption of plenary in the Senate, after a week’s recess.
Senator Akpabio said, “At no time did I ever harass any woman. I was raised very well by my late single mother, and I have always upheld respect for women. I was even awarded the most gender-friendly governor in Nigeria.”
The Senate President, who said he had been inundated with calls on the matter since February 25, and that he was aware of the growing social media discourse, urged Nigerians, the media, and social media users to refrain from drawing conclusions and instead await the court’s decision on the matter.
However, immediately after his remarks, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan raised a petition under Order 40, accusing the Senate President of sexual harassment and abuse of office.
She requested permission to step forward and formally lay the petition before the chamber.
The Senate subsequently referred the petition to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, directing it to review the matter as soon as practicable.
The controversy started in February when a seat rearrangement led to a confrontation between Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate President.
This led to the allegation of sexual harassment by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, and raising fresh concerns about decorum and conduct within the legislative body.
On Wednesday, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan arrived at the Senate Chamber in the company with her husband.
She shared a brief kiss with her husband before proceeding into the chamber to take her seat.
However, she refused to stand on the arrival of Akpabio for the commencement of plenary.
Police fire tear gas at Natasha supporters
Police officers fired tear gas to prevent supporters of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from accessing the National Assembly Complex on Wednesday.
The protesters had converged on the National Assembly gate as early as 8am ahead of resumption of plenary.
They carried placards bearing inscriptions such as ‘Akpabio must go’, ‘Protect women’s rights’, and ‘Protect Natasha at all costs’.
The police moved in swiftly, firing tear gas cannisters at them.
The crowd later moved to the Unity Fountain.
Politics
I lost Lagos governorship election because of Peter Obi – Jandor
I lost Lagos governorship election because of Peter Obi – Jandor
The 2023 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has claimed that he would have won the election if not for Peter Obi’s victory in the presidential poll in the state.
Obi was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP).
According to Jandor, Obi’s victory altered the political dynamics against the PDP ahead of the governorship election, which was held weeks later.
He made this statement on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Jandor explained that the governorship race was a two-horse contest before the presidential election, but Obi’s win reshaped voters’ expectations.
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“The 2023 election came with its dynamics, and it was a two-horse race until the presidential election. If you look at what happened in the presidential election, Peter Obi came first (in Lagos), Asiwaju came second, and Atiku came third.
“The moment that happened, there was this belief that if we do this, we can get this state off XYZ. So, we were victims of that,” he said.
“Each time I address my people, I tell them: look, we did everything but that wave came and swallowed the whole thing; nobody saw that coming,” he added.
Jandor eventually lost the governorship election, securing 62,449 votes and finishing third.
The incumbent governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), won 762,134 votes, while Labour Party’s Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour came second with 312,329 votes.
On Monday, Jandor announced his resignation from the PDP, citing growing indiscipline and widespread anti-party activities within the party.
He specifically accused some PDP leaders, including former Deputy National Chairman Chief Olabode George, of working against the party during the 2023 elections.
I lost Lagos governorship election because of Peter Obi – Jandor
Politics
Tinubu’s 2027 Ambition: APC already has candidate, insists Orji Kalu
Tinubu’s 2027 Ambition: APC already has candidate, insists Orji Kalu
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has declared that President Bola Tinubu must complete two terms in office, insisting the All Progressives Congress (APC) has only one presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
“Well, in our party, we have only one presidential candidate now. And Tinubu has to do eight years. You can see the repairs he has done to the economy, and things are starting to pick up again,” Kalu said on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday.
The Senator representing Abia North and former Abia State governor also emphasised the need for an Igbo president but ruled out 2027 as a possibility.
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“I am not going to discuss anything about the Igbo presidency. But I still tell you there is a need for it,” he said.
“The Igbo must present an acceptable candidate to all Nigerians. No one zone can make a president. President Tinubu was not elected by the Yoruba. He was elected by all Nigerians.”
He further noted that while Tinubu has not personally declared his intention to run for re-election, the APC leadership has already endorsed him.
“This president is not even doing politics. He has never told anybody he wants to run for election or not. But as a party, we have mandated him to run and given him a vote of confidence,” Kalu said.
According to him, the National Executive Committee (NEC) reaffirmed its support for Tinubu’s leadership, with a motion moved by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma and announced by APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.
“So, things cannot just get better in one night,” Kalu added.
Tinubu’s 2027 Ambition: APC already has candidate, insists Orji Kalu
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