Politics
Bayelsa Guber: APC Members Call For Sylva’s Disqualification
Published
2 years agoon
By
Editor
For allegedly not resigning his position as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, some card-carrying members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Bayelsa State, have called for the disqualification of Timipre Sylva from contesting the governorship primaries of the party.
The party faithful drawn from over forty wards in Ekeremor, Ogbia, Sagbama, Kolokuma/Opokuma and Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas of the State, in a petition to the party’s national leadership, pointed out that as at the time the minister was screened, he had not resigned his ministerial position which is a clear violation of the party’s constitution.
The petition which was addressed to the national chairman, national secretary, legal adviser and national organising secretary of the party, was signed by Doubra Kpoku, Nelson Gbeinbo, Charles Fyneman, Ogbel Joseph, Dressman Isowo, among others.
They vowed to approach the court to seek the disqualification of Sylva if the party hierarchy fails to disqualify the Minister who is also a former governor of the state adding that it is the same scenario that played out during the nomination and expression of interest for the presidential ticket of the party by political office holders.
READ ALSO: Guber Election: PDP Constitutes Screening Panels For Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi States [FULL LIST]
The petition reads: “The grounds for our objection are as follows: as at 25th March 2023 when the Honourable Minister, Chief Timipre Marlin Sylva presented himself for screening at the Ladi Kwali Hall, Abuja International Hotel, Abuja in his bid to contest the primaries which is expected to be conducted any time soon, the Minister had failed, refused and or neglected to resign his ministerial position as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.
“This is against the extant provisions of Article 31 paragraph (iii) APC Constitution, as amended; the minister and now aspirant for Governor of Bayelsa State is a member of the APC, holding political office by virtue of his membership of the APC and as leader of the party in Bayelsa State.
“It is only reasonable that he should respect the party Constitution by resigning 30 (thirty) days before the primaries (scheduled for April 14, 2023). It is clear that as at 25th of March, 2023 when the Minister presented himself for the screening, it is already less than 30 days to 14th of April, 2023 being the date schedule for the APC Governorship Primaries in Bayelsa State for which the Honourable Minister is an aspirant.
“In our opinion, the Honourable Minister cannot and should not be encouraged to eat his cake and have it. This was the same scenario that played out during the nomination and expression of interest for the Presidential ticket of the party by political office holders in the Government of President Muhamadu Buhari as all political office holders as Ministers in the Federal Executive Council resigned before the APC Presidential Primaries: Cases in point are Chief Rotimi Amaechi and Chief Godswill Akpabio all resigned as Ministers of Transport and that of Niger Delta Affairs respectively ahead of the Presidential primaries.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: APC Releases Imo, Kogi, Bayelsa Gov Primary Elections Timetable
“Of more fundamental import is the implication of the Honourable Minister who has been sworn in twice as Governor of Bayelsa State in 2007 and 2008 bearing in mind the clear provision of section 180 (2A) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended. The Honourable Minister’s ambition in the circumstance is one likely to be mired in controversy and ultimately cause the party in Bayelsa State to lose its fortunes at the polls in November 2023,
“It is in view of the above that we now request that the aspiration of Chief Timipre Marlin Sylva to partake in the primaries be refused and he be disqualified by the Screening Panel set up by our beloved party.
“Take notice that where this Petition is not considered in its merits and the Honourable Minister is not disqualified as requested, we shall have no other option than to approach the court for redress.The APC in Bayelsa State must get it right this time around.”
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Politics
Amaechi: I Will Resign As FCT Minister If… Wike
Published
5 hours agoon
July 4, 2025By
Editor
Federal Capital Territory FCT minister, Nyesom Wike has begged President Bola Tinubu to release the report of the forensic audit on the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, which he said indicted the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
Wike vowed to resign if the report is released and its contents do not indict Amaechi.
Speaking on ‘Politics Today’ on Channels Television monitored on Friday in Abuja, Wike who was responding to allegations by Amaechi that he was corrupt, said Amaechi’s wife received N4 billion monthly from the NDDC to train Niger Delta women.
He said, unlike Amaechi, he does not come from a poor background, hence his sophisticated taste.
READ ALSO: Coalition: Why ADC Leaders Stepped Down — Nwosu
Wike said, “First of all, Amaechi’s wife was not an industrialist. She has never been, and that is why I call on Mr President to release the forensic audit of NDDC.
“Amaechi’s wife company, every month, got N4 billion to train Niger Delta women. That is N48 billion in one year alone, and the forensic audit report is there. Who killed it? It was Malami, then the Attorney General.
“That is one of the people who is now talking. Mr President should help Nigerians. You see, this is what I have always said. Mr President should help Nigerians. Please, release the forensic audit of the NDDC.
“I have said, let Mr President please do us a favour to release that document. Former Attorney General, Malami, killed that document to protect those who were concerned.
READ ALSO:Ex-minister Amaechi Dumps APC, Says Tinubu Can’t Govern Nigeria
“I am not just saying what I am saying, let them release the document. If what I am saying is not in the document, I will resign at the Minister of the FCT. I said I will resign.
“I don’t worship office. What I am saying, let them release the forensic audit of the NDDC. I didn’t say the forensic audit was right, but I said, release the report of the forensic audit.
“That is how the wife became an industrialist – N4 billion every month to train Niger Delta women”, he stated.
Wike challenged the academic qualifications of Amaechi, describing them as less than average, and also faulted Amaechi’s claim that a Senator gave him (Amaechi) a Rolls-Royce but that he does not use it.
According to the FCT minister, the vehicle was given to Amaechi by a contractor who was executing about -0 percent of the projects in Rivers state. In contrast, the former Transport Minister was the governor.
Politics
Coalition: Abure-led LP Gives Obi 48 Hours To Leave Party
Published
1 day agoon
July 3, 2025By
Editor
The Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has given the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, a 48 hours ultimatum to leave the party haven formally joined the coalition party.
This was contained in a statement signed by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, in Abuja, on Thursday.
He explained that the Labour Party under Abure’s leadership remains vehemently opposed to joining the coalition while dismissing members of the coalition as “power mongers whose only interest was self and not the people.”
The party warned Nigerians that the often mouthed ‘new Nigeria is Possible’ is a ruse and cannot be achieved with the assemblage of old, recycled, desperate and frustrated politicians in the coalition.
READ ALSO::Only A Formidable Coalition Can Salvage Nigeria, Says Peter Obi
Ifoh said the party is aware that all those who mismanaged Nigeria over the years are the ones that gathered themselves in the coalition while noting that desperate politicians can’t birth new Nigeria.
He said, “We are aware of several nocturnal meetings between Peter Obi and some of our members, lobbying them to join him in his new party. We’re also aware that a number of them has refused to defect with him.
“Labour Party has consistently said it is not part of the coalition and therefore, any of our members who is part of the coalition is given within 48 hours to formally resign his membership of the party.
“Labour Party is not available for people with dual agenda, people with deceptive persona. The party will not avail itself to individuals who have one leg in one Party and another leg elsewhere.
“People who in the morning they will claim to be in the Labour Party and in the evening they are in coalition.
READ ALSO: Peter Obi Condemns Tinubu’s Saint Lucia Trip
“Nearly 70 per cent of the Nigerian population are youths who are tired of the old order, tired of gerontocrats deciding their fate. The new Nigeria that the youths are dreaming of, is not what can be realized from what we are seeing in the coalition.
“These people are opportunistic politicians who are only interested in relaunching themselves into circle of power, people who are desperate to continue holding on to power.
“The new Nigeria of our dream can only be realised through the Labour Party, and the party is willing to lead Nigerians along that trajectory.
“I therefore urge all members of the party to remain loyal and keep the party structure intact ahead of future elections.”
Politics
Only A Formidable Coalition Can Salvage Nigeria, Says Peter Obi
Published
1 day agoon
July 3, 2025By
Editor
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has given his full support for the coalition of opposition parties aimed at ending President Bola Tinubu’s rule in 2027.
He explained that it was a fact that no single group can change Nigeria alone, hence the need for people to come together to pursue the goal.
The former Amambra State Governor said this in a post on his verified X handle, on Thursday.
READ ALSO: Peter Obi Condemns Tinubu’s Saint Lucia Trip
He said this just as the Julia Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has given him 48 hours within which to formally resign from the party or risk expulsion.
Obi in his post wrote, “Yesterday, the coalition members formally adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 Nigeria General Elections with Distinguished Senator David Mark serving as the National Chairman and H.E. Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola serving as the National Secretary.
“Our commitment is to sacrifice and work together towards the 2027 General Elections, ensuring that Nigeria gets a competent, capable, and compassionate leadership that will prioritise the nation’s future by putting the welfare of Nigerians first.
REAS ALSO: Peter Obi Speaks As Port Harcourt Refinery Begins Production
“This decision was not made lightly. It comes from deep reflection on where we are as a country and what must be done to move forward.
“No one group can change Nigeria alone. To dismantle the structures that keep our people in poverty and insecurity, we must build bridges, not walls even when those bridges are uneasy. A New Nigeria is Possible. -PO.”
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