Politics

More crisis as Labour Party expels Bayelsa gov candidate

Published

1 year ago

December 5, 2023

More crisis as Labour Party expels Bayelsa gov candidate

The Bayelsa State Executive Council of the Labour Party has declared the expulsion of Udengs Eradiri, its governorship candidate in the state’s just concluded governorship election.

During its weekend meeting in Yenagoa, the council also announced the dissolution of the local government and the ward chairmen of the party.

The state LP chairman, Eneyi Zidougha, who read the meeting’s outcome, stated that the executive council members resolved to dismiss Eradiri for allegedly violating the party’s standards and behavior.

But Eradiri advised Zidougha to leave him out of the crisis rocking the state leadership of the LP, and described him as “an acting factional chairman of the party”, adding that “the party’s constitution did not confer such powers on him (Zidougha).”

Zidougha claimed that the state LP leadership took the decision to expel the former governorship candidate after they received information on his alleged illegal activities after the governorship polls, warning members of the public not to have any dealings with him and the ward chairmen.

He said, “After the party primaries and the governorship election on November 11, 2023, the state executive council has unanimously agreed that Mr. Udengs Eradiri be expelled.

“All party members should remain calm because the exercise is meant to strengthen our party and prepare us for the challenge ahead. The general public is hereby advised not to have any dealings with the deposed local government chairmen or Mr Udengs Eradiri on behalf of the Labour Party.”

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The state LP chairman said the council relied on Article 12 sub-section 60 (2) of the party’s constitution, which conferred powers on the council, as well as the national council, to formally terminate all local government and ward chairmanship positions, adding that the chairmen’s tenure had expired since June 2023.

However, Eradiri, in a statement he issued on Monday, urged members of the public to disregard Zidougha’s recent claims that he had expelled him from the LP, saying the constitution of the party did not confer such powers on him.

He said Zidougha should deal with the crisis he invited upon himself when he betrayed his party ahead of the concluded election by leading some members of his exco to endorse the State Governor, Douye Diri, who was the governorship candidate of PDP.

Eradiri said, “We all know what transpired ahead of the election. The so-called chairman worked against his party. He was accused of collecting N100 million to endorse the state governor. He didn’t hide it. He and some of his exco members worked for the candidate of the PDP for the sake of their stomachs.

“They betrayed the Labour Party the same way they betrayed our Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi. He led some of his exco to play the highest level of anti-party and doesn’t have the locus standi to talk about disciplinary measures against anybody.

“The local government chairmen of the party were angry at their shameful and selfish conduct and decided to take over the leadership of the party. I called on him to stop dissipating his energy on me and channel it to dealing with the crisis he created for himself because of money”.

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Besides, Eradiri stated that Zidougha lacked the powers to flagrantly suspend any member of the party, much less the governorship candidate, insisting that the constitution of the party was clear on how disciplinary measures should be taken against a member, and none of them gave him (Zidougha) the authority to summarily dismiss or expel a member.

Meanwhile, members of the LP Local Government Chairmen Forum of Bayelsa have announced the indefinite suspension of the chairman, Eneyi Zidougha, and his executive committee “due to their involvement in anti-party activities during the just-concluded state governorship election.”

The chairman of the LP Local Government Chairmen Forum, John Tobi, who announced the indefinite suspension, said the action followed a unanimous decision by six out of the eight local government chairmen of the party and over 80 per cent of the party’s ward chairmen.

Tobi, who was chosen as the acting state LP chairman, said, “The local government and ward chairmen took this drastic decision against Zidougha and his executive for publicly endorsing the serving governor during the last governorship election.

“This is despite the party having a competent governorship candidate. The move smacks of greed and betrayal of the party’s principles.”

More crisis as Labour Party expels Bayelsa gov candidate

(Punch)

Politics

Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election

Published

17 hours ago

March 26, 2025

Trends Admin

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that he does not know if he will contest the presidency in 2027.

Atiku made the remark in a yet-to-be-aired interview for a television show, Untold Stories, with Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie, scheduled for broadcast today but exclusively obtained by Daily Trust.

The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recently announced the formation of a coalition of opposition leaders to wrest power from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.

However, there has been widespread speculation about who will lead the coalition and emerge as its presidential candidate, with former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi and former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, being considered among its key figures.

When asked if he would be running for the presidency in 2027, Atiku said: “I don’t know because there has to be, first of all, a viable platform, more than any other time in the political history of this country, particularly since the return of democracy.”

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Atiku, who has run for the presidency a record six times, did not rule out the possibility of contesting again in 2027.

“I have not seen Nigeria in dire need of, you know, an experienced and credible leadership than this time.

“We had a similar, you know, what would I say, merger in 2014. About four of us or is it three? We all ran for president and one of us emerged, and we all supported the one who emerged, and he won,” he said.

He agreed with former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s assertion that Nigeria’s democracy is deteriorating, saying the situation is “very dire.”

“No doubt about that,” he said.

Atiku also expressed his disappointment with the country’s political leadership.

“The next generation after me, many of them had been governors, had been senators. Instead of me to see an improvement in the level of governance at the state level and so on and so forth, I don’t see it. So I feel a little bit distressed.”

Atiku also questioned the credibility of the current legislative leadership, especially as it relates to the National Assembly’s ratification of the state of emergency in Rivers State

“I am not surprised,” he said, alleging that they are corrupt.

Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election

Politics

Africa’s democracy is govt by small for small number of people – Obasanjo

Published

2 days ago

March 25, 2025

Trends Admin

Africa’s democracy is govt by small for small number of people – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has advanced reasons for what he called abysmal failure of democracy in Africa.

According to him, African presidents work with a clique and wield enormous powers with little or no resistance from perpetuating illegalities and abuse of office.

The ex-President said the democracy being practised in Africa does not aligned with the people’s values, culture, and way of life.

Obasanjo said spoke on Monday at a colloquium in Abuja to mark the 60th birthday of Emeka Ihedioha, a former governor of Imo State.

The former Nigerian leader, who chaired the event, referencing Abraham Lincoln’s definition of democracy as “government of the people, by the people, for the people,” said the system should work for all citizens rather than a privileged few.

He however wondered if African countries are practising true democracy or only adopting Western Liberal democracy.

He said, “If you are talking about democracy failing in Africa, democracy in Africa has failed. And why has it failed?

“Because in context and in content, it is not Africa. It does not have any aspect of our culture, our way of life, what we stand for, what we believe.

“Today, we have democracy, which is the government of a small number of people, by a small number of people over a large number of people who are deprived of what they need to have in life. That is not democracy that will endure.

“It is ‘I am because I can grab.’ What sort of democracy brings you, and you grab everything and then illegally, corruptly, and you say go to court? When you know that even in the court, you cannot get justice.

“It’s not that democracy is failing, democracy is dying and if we are going to make democracy not to die, we have to look at democracy in the context and in the content of Africa. I hope that we will get to that stage so that democracy which will deliver will be the democracy that we will have in Africa.”

Obasanjo was Nigeria’s military ruler from 1976 to 1979 and democratically elected president from 1999 to 2007.

Politics

Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – Shekarau

Published

4 days ago

March 23, 2025

Trends Admin

Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau

Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – Shekarau

Former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, has cast doubt on the ability of a newly formed opposition coalition to unseat President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.

Shekarau described the alliance, which includes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, as a gathering of individuals with personal political ambitions rather than a structured and unified opposition front.

His remarks came just two days after the coalition’s formation was announced, with the stated goal of challenging Tinubu’s administration.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Dr. Sule Yau, Shekarau remarked, “This is just a gathering of certain individuals with political ambitions; none of them has officially consulted their party leadership.”

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He further argued that a coalition featuring prominent figures does not necessarily equate to an effective political alliance.

“The coalition of opposition figures is a good development, as seen in their recent meeting under what they call an opposition alliance. However, none of the key figures involved represents their party leadership,” Shekarau stated.

Emphasizing the legal framework for political mergers, he pointed out that only registered parties could formally unite, making the recent gathering an informal arrangement rather than an officially recognized coalition.