Politics

APC Primary: Court Decides Jonathan’s Fate Today, Ex-President Gets Waiver

Published

2 years ago

May 27, 2022

Editor

A Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, will on Friday (today) rule on the eligibility of former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the presidential election even as The PUNCH learnt on Thursday that the Presidency cabal led by the President’s influential nephew, Mamman Daura, had thrown its weight behind Jonathan.

This is coming at a time the All Progressives Congress granted the former President waiver to contest.

Speaking with one of our correspondents on Thursday evening, one of Jonathan’s aides said, “The road is now fully clear, we give God the glory.”

Another source, in a message sent to our reporter noted, “GEJ has finally been given the waiver, he will contest on Sunday.”

In an origination summons filed by Andy Solomon and Idibiye Abraham, the plaintiffs are seeking an order of the court stating that Jonathan is not affected by the fourth alteration to the constitution barring Vice-Presidents who succeed their principals from serving more than one full term.

In the suit marked FHC/YNG/CS/86/2022 which is before Justice Isa Dashen, the All Progressives Congress, Jonathan and the Independent National Electoral Commission are listed as defendants.

Apparently in a haste to ensure that judgment is delivered before the APC primary which is slated for Sunday, the plaintiffs requested an accelerated hearing via a motion ex parte.

The court granted an accelerated hearing of the suit “having regard to the nature of the suit and the reliefs sought therein.”

The court also directed the respondents to be served with the enrolment order alongside the originating summons and the defendants to file their responses.

It was learnt that after affidavits, counter-affidavits and further affidavits had been filed, Justice Dashen fixed May 27 for judgment.

Jonathan, who was elected as Vice-President alongside the late President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2007, was inaugurated as President in 2010 following the death of Yar’Adua. In 2011, he ran for election and was again inaugurated.

In 2015, while running for another term, the courts ruled that Jonathan was eligible to contest as his first inauguration was done to complete Yar’Adua’s tenure.

However, in 2018, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), signed the fourth alteration of the 1999 Constitution which bars Vice-Presidents who succeed their principals from serving more than one full term.

However, some have argued that the new provision ought not to apply to Jonathan as the law ought not to take a retroactive effect unless it was expressly stated.

Meanwhile, it was learnt on Thursday that the Presidency cabal led by Daura, the President’s influential nephew, is supporting Jonathan to succeed Buhari.

Daura had visited Jonathan’s Abuja home on Wednesday and the two were seen shaking hands in a photo posted by Sahara Reporters.

Sources, however, told The PUNCH that Jonathan had given the condition that he would only join the race if he was endorsed by the President supported through a consensus.

The PUNCH had quoted sources within the APC saying that the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, had visited Jonathan twice in the last one week.

A Fulani group had purchased the N100m Presidential form of the APC for the ex-President. Jonathan had expressed his disapproval over the purchase of the form but he had continued to court the APC.

The PUNCH learnt that should the court give Jonathan the go-ahead to contest coupled with the support he is receiving from the President’s men, Jonathan may be taking part in the Presidential primary of the APC slated for May 30.

It remained unclear as of press time if Jonathan was a member of the APC. However, Section 31.3 of the new APC constitution titled ‘waiver’, reads in part, “Subject to the approval of the National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee may, in special circumstances, grant a waiver to a person seeking a national party office, who is otherwise not qualified under this constitution if, in its opinion, such a waiver is in the best interest of the party.”

Should he be allowed to contest, the former President will be expected to go up against 25 other aspirants including APC stalwart, Bola Tinubu; the immediate past Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Governor Dave Umahi, Governor Ben Ayade, Senate President Ahmad Lawan; Governor Badaru Abubakar, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Senator Ajayi Boroffice and several others.

As of Thursday evening it remained unclear if the President had bought into the Jonathan idea as he had failed to reveal his preferred candidate to the governors.

The party had also failed to hold its Presidential screening four days to the primary.

“Right now, only Buhari and the APC chairman (Adamu) really know what is going on. We are all confused,” said one of the APC Presidential aspirants who asked not to be named.

When contacted, the founder, Tinubu Support Group, Mr. James Faleke, said he was confident of Tinubu’s victory provided that the primary is conducted in a free and fair manner.

Faleke said a fair primary would be a condition for people not to defect. He added that those supporting Jonathan and visiting him were free to do so.

“For us we are still very confident of victory in a free and fair election whether Jonathan is brought in or not, we are confident. It is the right of Jonathan to join our party and to contest. As to whether the party will go back and praise Jonathan is another ball game. We are not afraid. We have our capacity. Let the process be free and fair and fair. That is the only thing that can make this party great.

“What we expect is for our party to follow the Electoral Act. It is their personal right of those visiting him to do,” said Faleke.

In a chat with The PUNCH, political analyst and Convener, Deji Adeyanju, said bringing Jonathan on board was a good strategy for the North to quickly return to power since the former President cannot spend more than a term.

Adeyanju, however, said it was morally wrong for the APC to attempt to sell Jonathan to Nigerians after demonising him for many years. He, therefore, advised the former President to ignore those wooing him.

“It is a good strategy by the North to give the South power for one term. It makes sense politically. However, I believe it is the turn of the South-East in the interest of equity. Constitutionally, Jonathan can still contest. No law should have retroactive effect because it is against the ethics of law

“I believe Jonathan should ignore these people. It is not worth it. What has he forgotten at the Villa? These are the people that campaigned against him. How will APC sell Jonathan to Nigerians?” he asked.

PUNCH.

Politics

Poll: APC Has No Sellable Candidate, Nothing To Campaign On – Edo Govt

Published

3 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government claimed on Monday that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no credible candidate for the September 21 governorship election.

This was an assertion made by the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, at a press conference in Benin City.

Nehikhare also alleged that the party is using lies and propaganda as its campaign strategy.

According to him: “The only APC strategy for the governorship election is to resort to lies and propaganda. When a party takes lies and propaganda as an election strategy, it means it has nothing to offer the people. The party lacks people with character, capacity, and intellect.”

The commissioner who took journalists through a screened shot WhatsApp chat said: “What we have here is the official APC WhatsApp platform, their own people screenshot their discussion. One of them who has a conscience asks, is this the only thing we have?”

Nehikhare, who said APC is ashamed to campaign for its candidate, noted that, as of today, nobody had heard of what the party has for the state.

“All we heard is how they are going to help their paymaster, lies and propaganda that will not help the state,” he added.

He opined that lies and propaganda are not strategies the opposition party, like APC, can use to win the September 21 governorship election.

The commissioner, who warned against misinformation and fake news ahead of the governorship election, urged media practitioners to be neutral in matters concerning lies and propaganda.

He, however, noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration has a lot of achievements to market and sell its candidate for the election.

Politics

Defection: Edo Govt, Ex-PDP BoT Member, Idahosa In Verbal War

Published

3 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

Edo State government and a former member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, Charles Idahosa, on Monday traded words over the latter defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Recall that Idahosa resigned
formally resigned who had last month resigned from PDP, rejoined the APC on Monday in Benin City.

Speaking during his formal presentation to the APC in Benin City, he noted that he left the party four years ago due to internal crisis.

Idahosa added that he dumped the PDP because of what he described as the “damning deeds of the Obaseki-led administration in the last four years”.

He took a swipe at Obaseki for saying that PDP would win the forthcoming September governorship election with 80 per cent of votes.

“I thank God, four years later we all are wiser now. Like the Secretary said, I was a founding member of ACD, ACN and APC. The damage we did four years ago, the APC never remained the same.

“But I am glad we are back to the family. I was nominated to the Board of the Railway when I was in the APC. When I moved to the PDP, I wrote to resign my membership but it was rejected and showed my wide acceptance.

“At 71, I am not here to contest position with anybody, I am here to work. I want to urge APC to keep their eyes on the ball. It is not over until it is over.”

While lambasting Governor Obaseki for his comment that those leaving PDP have been given money, he noted that his greatest regret was not allowing the governor to resign after his first four years in office.

“When he came to beg me like a weather beaten chicken, how much did he give to me? Anytime he goes religious gathering he would say those leaving PDP have been given money.

“He came to me three times in my house to say he wants to resign, that he was tired of being governor but I appealed to him, telling him it was not about him but Benin interest.”

But in a swift reaction, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare alleged that Idahosa was never a PDP member.

Nehikhare noted that Idahosa was also never a BOT member of the party, because the party in the state rejected his nomination.

He alleged that it was as a result of the rejection that he found his way back to APC.

“I heard that he claimed to be a member of BOT of PDP but I want to challenge him to tell us when he was sworn in as a member of PDP BOT. He was not a fit and proper person. Even though he was nominated he was shunned by the party.

“It was this that drove him back to APC which he never left in the first place. He was holding on to the board appointment which was offered him while in APC prior to 2020 governorship election.

“He has reached the end of his political career. He has nothing to offer any political party or any group he joins because he believes in bread and butter politics,” Nehikhare said.

Politics

Edo Guber: Ex-PDP BoT Member Joins APC, Says ‘I Regret Supporting Obaseki

Published

3 days ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

A former member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Charles Idahosa on Monday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying he regretted supporting Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki four-year ago.

Idahosa said his greatest regret is stopping Governor Godwin Obaseki from resigning in 2020 after he was frustrated out of the APC in his bid to seek reelection on the party’s platform.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after his declaration for the APC at his residence in Benin City, with leaders of the APC in attendance, Idahosa said his return to the APC is homecoming.

The former Information Commissioner in Edo State said in 2020, the governor had cried to him over the ill -treatment meted on him by his predecessor and National chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole and was considering resigning.

Idahosa noted that Obaseki was at the verge of giving up to allow the APC to pick another governorship candidate, but he (Idahosa) encouraged him to keep hope alive and he personally fought the battle for the governor to win his reelection .

Idahosa, however, lamented that Obaseki utterances during the inauguration of the PDP Campaign Council for the 2024 election was heartless and uncomplimentary when he accused the defectors from PDP as having received huge sums of money before their defection.

The former BoT member of the PDP, while urging the Edo APC leadership to work in synergy ahead of the governorship election, said that the greatest misfortune to befall the APC is for Godwin Obaseki to install a successor.

Idahosa who pledged his support for the governorship candidate of the APC, Senator Monday Okphebholo, said street survival instinct not doctoral degrees (PhD) or big grammar is needed as a criteria for the next governor that will succeed Obaseki.

He urged Edo people and the APC to put the damning deeds of the Obaseki-led government of 4 years ago in the past and unite to stop the governor and the PDP governorship candidate from taking over the governance of the state in the September 21st governorship election.

He said, “Four years later, we are all wiser. I am back to the APC, which is my family. It is homecoming for me and I am very comfortable. At 71 , I am not going to be a threat to anybody. I am joing the APC to work. Nobody should be afraid or scared that Charles Idahosa is joining the APC because I won’t be contesting any position. “

Earlier, the APC state secretary, Lawrence Okah, while receiving Idahosa into the party, said the former member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Charles Idahosa is a man of honour and a foundation member of the APC.