Politics

Confusion In Abia APC Over Multiple Nominations For Vacant NWC Slot

Published

9 months ago

August 11, 2023

The battle to fill vacant slots in the National Working Committee NWC of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC assumed a curious twist on Friday as it emerged that the Abia state chapter of the party had nominated two persons for the office of the National Welfare Officer.

Vanguard gathered that the State Executive Committee had on 28th March 2023 nominated a certain Rev. Dan Imo, a development which some stakeholders in the state were said to have kicked against, following the fact that he was just two years old in the party and with no political experience or clout.

A party official who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity said the SEC acted in violation of extant laws regarding such nominations.

On “Vacancy”, Article 31.5 of the APC Constitution states; “In the event of vacancy, the office shall be filled as follows:

“In the case of a National/Zonal Officer, the State Executive Committee shall propose a replacement to the State Congress and Zonal Executive Committee for endorsement. Thereafter, the name shall be sent to the National Working Committee, which shall forward same to the National Executive Committee for approval”.

It was gathered that the Abia SEC failed to organize a state Congress and also by-passed the zonal executive committee but instead forwarded the nominee directly to the NWC.

Within a space of four months, “The Abia Chairman without any consultation with the stakeholders in the state and state congress sent another letter proposing another individual Deacon Obinna Atuonwu at their discretion without a state congress to replace the late National Welfare Officer. Assuming without conceding that they even ha e the powers, which of their two nominees would the NEC now honour?” a top party chieftain from Abia, queried.

He said; “There is no place for proposing a replacement without calling for a congress in the Constitution which states that the state executive shall propose a replacement to the state congress and then to Zonal Executive Committee for endorsement.

“The purposive interpretation of Article 31.5 in the writers mind is that a proposal, just a proposal, not a nomination will be raised by the state executive committee who will call for a state congress to make the presentation of such proposal seeking for the acceptance and the adoption by the state congress before presenting such to the zonal executive for endorsement. This must be done before sending any name to the National Working Committee who will then send it to the National Executive Committee for approval.

“For the state executive committee to ignore this provisions in their action amounts to an infraction and a ground for a strong petition to the National Working Committee. The question remains: what exactly are they afraid of? Why are they struggling to go through a back door to choose someone who will add nothing to the party? The way Abia APC and the way it was operated added nothing to the quest of Mr president in the last election. When is Abia APC going to wake up to take over their party and its leadership to add value to the national project? Old style, old system with old poor result will keep Abia below expectations. Abia APC needs to move on .

“As it appears, what is before the Chairman and all those they copied in their letter remains only a mere expression of an interest to propose as every proposal must go through the normal channels as laid down by our constitution. Abia APC should call a state congress that is truly a congress to be monitored by the National Working Committee – a real congress for the first time”.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that stakeholders of the party are rooting for a former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Martins Azubuike as NWC nominee.

Azubuike who served as the 5th Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly was also a Deputy gubernatorial candidate in the 2019 general election.

“He is not a political neophyte and won’t be a liability to the party leadership. Most of us believe and know that Azubuike will bring a lot of value to the NWC, using his wealth of experience and huge network of contacts”, said the party official.

Politics

[BREAKING] Edo Guber: PDP Peace Committee Secretary Dumps Party

Published

3 hours ago

May 21, 2024

Editor

Engr. Efosa Aguebor, the Secretary of the Peace Committee saddled with the responsibility of investigating divisions within the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in seven local government areas of Edo State, has dumped the party.

This development comes as a blow to the already troubled PDP ahead of the forthcoming guber polls in Edo State.

Aguebor expressed frustration and disappointment the party leadership’s lack of political will to confront and resolve internal conflicts.

He said, “Despite submitting a comprehensive report to Governor Godwin Obaseki, no decisive action has been taken, and the divisions continue to fester.”

In a strongly worded letter addressed to the PDP Ward 2 Chairman in Oredo Local Government Area, Aguebor cited the party’s failure to address deep-seated divisions and its entrenched culture of impunity, cronyism, and political inertia as also reasons for his resignation.

He further stated, “I will not stand idly by while our party’s potential is squandered by petty squabbles and selfish ambitions” with a vow to “continue championing the causes of justice, equality, and progress out
side the confines of the dysfunctional party structure.”

Politics

Fubara Blows Hot, Says ‘I’m Not Scared Of Anything, Anybody

Published

5 hours ago

May 21, 2024

Editor

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has said he is neither scared of anything nor anybody, saying he has records to show all his activities followed approval.

The governor said everything he is doing is in a white paper devoid of any manipulation.

Fubara assured that his administration will continue to deliver projects that impact positively on the people directly while also empowering them to live better lives.

The governor stated that the Egbeda Internal Roads Project has been accomplished to both satisfy the needs of the people by making them happy and solving the perennial flooding problems experienced in the area.

He gave the assurance at Egbeda Community Secondary School field, the venue of the inauguration of the Egbeda Internal Roads project in Emohua Local Government Area on Tuesday.

Acknowledging the support of the people before, during and after the elections, he said what his administration owed them was the dividends of democracy that included projects and social service delivery.

He said, “One thing is awarding a job, another is delivering in record time. I want to thank the contractor for standing by his words.

“Let me also thank the great people of Egbeda, and by extension, the Emohua Local Government Area for your support before, during and after the elections. You have shown so much support.

“And for us, what do we owe you? We owe you the dividends of democracy. And what are the dividends of democracy? Service to our people!”

Fubara further said, “There is nothing wrong in rebuilding a road, there is nothing wrong in promising to develop an area. But what is important is when you want to do those things, do them to the satisfaction of the people.

“And what we have done here in Egbeda today is not just building the internal roads, but meeting your needs, solving your flood problem, that is what we have done.

“So, I want to also thank you for your support, because you cooperated with the contractor, that is why he delivered in record time.”

Fubara reiterated that the projects people are seeing were accomplishments of four months because his administration started taking decisions and confronting governance in February 2024.

He said, “We are just starting but I assure you more attention. If in four months, we can do this, and we are getting this level of applause, you can imagine what will happen when we do one year of our record time and two years of our own record time, Rivers State will have experienced something different from the regular governance.

“I know why I said four months. We started full governance in February 2024. That was when we started making decisions when we started confronting governance. And I am proud to say that our people are happy with what we have done.

“What we want to do is to bring governance to our people, service delivery at record time, and in a cost-effective way.

“Everything that we are doing is in my white paper. I carry it along, so, there is no issue of any manipulation. Call me any day, anytime, it is there. Even the ones I did before this time, I still have all the records.

“If you call me any day, I will bring the records of all my activities in government, because I know that as a civil servant, what is most important is record keeping; so that if you are not there, and something happens, it is just for somebody to pick up the file and he will see the history.

“That is how I am trained, and I have that in my mind before I do anything. So, I am not scared of anything. Anybody who calls me any day, anytime, I have my records to show. I have all the approvals to show that I acted based on approval and not personal decision,” he said.

In response to the request made by the Egbeda community, Fubara granted the extension of work on the road from Egbeda to Omerelu and promised to upgrade the community secondary school without inclusion of boarding facilities.

Performing the inauguration of the project, Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, said he drove with Governor Fubara on the road while accessing the venue of the event, and can testify of the commitment of his brother governor to sustain infrastructure development in the State.

He said, “This road project at Egbeda bears true testimony of the commitment of the Rivers State Government towards fulfilling its promise of sustainable infrastructure development of the State.

“It is reassuring that these all-season roads will economically empower, not only the people of Egbeda but the entire Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

“With these roads, the people will enjoy better socio-economic empowerment and integration between the local government and the rest of the state.”

Describing the project, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Works, Atemea Briggs, said the construction of the Egbeda Internal Roads project was delivered within schedule and fully paid for.

He explained that the internal roads were initially awarded by the immediate past administration on March 9, 2023, to Monier Construction Company Nigeria Limited (MCC) at a cost of N3.87bn.

“Later on November 27, 2023, the contract was reversed to include additional roads to better serve the Egbeda community. As a result, the reverse contract sum was increased to N12bn.

“Before our Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara took office on May 29, 2023, only N1.5billion of the contract sum had been paid by the previous administration,” he said.

Engr Briggs said the roads entailed an increase of the total lanes from 9.32 kilometres to 21.5 kilometres, and the total drainage length to 25.4 kilometres.

On his part, the Chairman, Board of Directors of Monier Construction Company, Senator John Azuta Mbata, expressed gratitude to the governor for giving them the honour to handle the project.
PUNCH

Politics

Rivers Crisis: Clark Asks PDP, APC Chairmen To Caution Wike

Published

1 day ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

Elder statesman and national leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Chief Edwin Clark, has asked the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagum, and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdulahi Ganduje, to dissociate themselves from the alleged attempt by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to bring down the government of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

Clark made the call in a letter dated May 20, 2024 and addressed to both party chairmen.

The letter was made available to The PUNCH on Monday

According to him, the letter was in the interest of peace and stability in the country, adding that the support given to Wike by both men resulted in the attempt to topple the Fubara-led administration.

“I am therefore appealing to you, in the interest of peace and stability in Nigeria to disassociate yourselves from plan by Wike for no just cause to bring down the government of his successor, Governor Fubara.

“I strongly advise both of you to retrace your steps and take charge of your political parties in Rivers State and not leave it for Wike who is neither PDP nor APC.

“The support given to Nyesom Wike by both party’s chairmen has made him courageous enough to intimidate and anger the Rivers State Governor and government and this is seen as an act to overthrow the duly elected Governor, which is criminal”, the letter read.

He faulted the Chairman of the APC for relating with the Caretaker Committee in the state, whom he alleged Wike appointed under the former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Chief Tony Okocha, after the legitimate Chairman, Emeka Beke, was suspended.

“One may be tempted to ask the National Chairman of the APC why he chose to deal with a caretaker committee of APC which the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, had earlier presented the committee to him in the APC secretariat in Abuja, before constituting it as a caretaker committee.

“But curiously, you now deal with a caretaker committee instead of the elected Chairman. I hope you are aware of the court action filed against you and APC by the elected Chairman of APC in Rivers State, Emeka Beke. The old APC members by law are the APC leaders because they were never removed before the illegal caretaker committee was imposed on Rivers State, who are loyalists to Wike.”

The Ijaw leader similarly questioned the PDP Chairman’s knowledge of the FCT Minister’s anti-party activities, by seeking court injunctions against certain party chieftains, to prevent them from attending the National Executive Council meeting of April 18, 2024.

“Ambassador Damagum cannot honestly claim to be unaware of the grave anti-party activities being executed by Wike when he (Wike) secretly took court injunction against founding and senior members of PDP and senior officials from Rivers State like the former National Chairman of PDP Prince Uche Secondus, His Excellency Celestine Omehia, former Governor of Rivers State, Austin Okpara who was Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives in Abuja, Dr Abiye Sekibo, former Minister of Transportation, Sen Lee Maeba, etc to prevent them from attending the PDP NEC meeting of 18th April 2024.”

Clark therefore asked the party chairmen to caution Wike and to withdraw from what he described as the “madness of politics” of Rivers State while alleging that both men were equally involved in the crisis.

“As a patriotic old statesman, I strongly believe that I should address this letter to you to call to order FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike because he is dancing naked in the open market in the politics of madness in Rivers State with one leg each in the two parties.

“I know both of you are fully aware of and involved in the political crisis in Rivers State, which is caused by Wike, who is controlling the two parties in Rivers State, particularly the PDP. I strongly advise both of you to withdraw from the madness of politics of Rivers State to avoid the dangerous crisis facing Rivers State, one of the most important states producing the resources used to sustain the economy of this country,” he added.