Politics

Leadership crisis rocks Ohanaeze Ndigbo over Nwodo’s successor

Published

4 years ago

December 27, 2020

Ohanaeze Ndigbo may have run into a serious crisis over succession politics of the choice person that will replace its current president, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, whose second term ends on January 11, 2021.

Curiously, the development has led to intense plots on how to get a replacement for Nwodo in January 2021, when the new leader is also expected to emerge by consensus and sworn in. All previous leaders of have emerged by consensus. But this time that consensus appears elusive.

Interestingly, the race to lead the Igbo comes at a time, when there is high hope that the Igbo Presidency could materialise in 2023, hence the various groups and personalities had been trying to have a say in who emerges Nwodo’s successor.

Both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are believed to have been using proxies to realise their position on the anticipated Igbo leader.

In line with the Ohanaeze constitution, the three-year tenure of the presidency of the organisation rotates in alphabetical order among the five Igbo-speaking states of Southeast and the Igbo speaking parts of Delta and River States.

Abia State had the first slot with Prof. Joe Irukwu as the president. Thereafter, it shifted to Anambra, with the late Dr. Dozie Ikedife, picking the leadership ticket. The late Ambassador Raph Uwechue from Delta State took over the leadership, but later vacated the position for Ebonyi State’s Chief Gary Igariwe.

Presently, Nwodo from Enugu State occupies the office. But starting from January 9, 2020, when a successor would be chosen, the mantle of leadership of the socio-cultural organisation would move to Imo State, and by 2023, it would move to Rivers State.

Already, five prominent Igbo sons are aspiring for the position of President-General. They are Dr. Joe Nwaorgu, Dr. Chris Asoluka, Chief Goddy Uwazuruike, Prof. Chidi Osuagwu and Prof. George Obiozor.

All of them are from Imo State that the office has been zoned to in accordance with the rotational arrangement of the union.

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma was alleged to have endorsed Prof. Obiozor, but has been rejected by others on the ground that the constitution of the Ohanaeze does not recognise endorsement. All elections in the past were by consensus.

So far, various attempts to reach a consensus had failed, while disagreements trail the composition of the electoral committee that would conduct the January 2021 election.

For instance, a 40-man electoral committee headed by Chief Ben Obi, a chieftain of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faced series of criticisms and opposition from a fellow Anambra son and Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige.

Understandably, Ngige is of the All Progressive Congress APC.

For peace to reign, Obi has voluntarily stepped down paving the way for a former president general of the organisation, Gary Enwo Igariwey from Ebonyi State to head the electoral committee.

Ngige felt the committee comprised of people of a particular political party and stressed that, “Ndi Anambra would meet and decide the people that will represent the state in the committee.”

On his own part, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Maurice Iwu, alleged that a political party was trying to influence the election.

There have also been accusations that the governors in the region were trying to influence the election. There are five governors in the zone belonging to three political parties. Two belong to the APC, (Imo and Ebonyi States), PDP has two governors in Enugu and Abia States, while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is in control of Anambra State.

Apart from Uzodimna, all the four other governors would have ended their constitutional two terms by 2023 and have eyes for higher office.

The defection of Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi to the APC and the capture of Imo State by the party is also an indication that one way or the other, ‘Abuja’ might show interest in who emerges Ohanaeze leader. This is an area the Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other militant groups in the region would be watching out for.

Meanwhile, at an expanded meeting of the Imeobi (the highest organ of Ohanaeze), last Sunday, Imo state consensus candidate for the post of President-General, Obiozor was carried out unconscious from the venue of the meeting.

His adoption was, however, still being resisted by individuals and groups like the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC).

Knowing the republican nature of the Igbo, the intense race for Ohanaeze leadership might not surprise a few, who expect it to go down the wire.

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.