Politics

Controversies Trail Priest’s Emergence As Benue APC Gov Candidate

Published

3 years ago

June 6, 2022

Controversies have continued to trail the emergence of the suspended Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia as the All Progressive Congress governorship candidate in Benue State in the 2023 election.

A purported report of Benue State Governorship Appeal Panel of APC recommendation to the National Working Committee to nullify the party’s governorship primaries had gone viral on social media.

But the state’s APC Working Committee had dismissed the trending report, clarifying that no panel had the right to nullify the party primary election.

Some aspirants, among them, one-time national chairman of PDP, Barnabas Gemade; former Attorney General of Federation, Michael Kaase Aondoakaa; Prof. Terhemba Shija and Matthias Byuan had made their submissions to the governorship panel, calling for the nullification of the primary.

In the 11 page report dated May 31, 2022, circulating on social media, the chairman of the appeal panel, Princess Uzoamaka Onyeama and Secretary, Gyang submitted to the APC National Chairman, Abdulahi Adamu pointed out that from the various petitions filed by the guber aspirants, there was glaring evidence that the primaries did not take place in Benue.

The report recommended outright cancellation of the purported primary in its entirety.

Part of the report reads, “It is the submission of the Appeal Committee members that from the foregoing, the past event of Zamfara State and the more latest and potent danger of Anambra State; that no governorship primary election held in Benue State and we recommend as follows.

“That the NWC cancel in its entirety the gubernatorial primary election in Benue State and conduct a fresh election as INEC has extended its time limit to 9th of June, 2022.

“To avoid putting the party in public ridicule and odium as in Anambra State. That the party should avoid uncalled for litigations.

“The few result sheets the aspirants presented to us had more curiously no agent of the guber aspirants or agent of the declared candidate to prove the results sheets produced and declared genuine.”

“How can any election result of the magnitude of total votes cast of 815, 452 not have at least one invalid vote?

“We the appeal panel unanimously agreed that it is not a true reflection of a credible election result, it is too flawless in figure a clear proof of the assertions of the aspirants/stakeholders submission that it was written in somebody’s house, the state party secretariat, in hidden places”, it said.

But the APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Daniel Ihomun, described the report circulating on social media as “fake, malicious and contorted”.

“The purported report is fake and has no substance, that an appeal panel by a political party lacks the powers to cancel any primary election.

“That the election that produced the candidature of Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia is valid and reflects the wishes of the majority of APC members across Benue State.

“That Rev. Fr. Alia remains the flag bearer of our party in Benue State and poised to take victory from the weaken and perforated Umbrella party.

“That our teeming members across the state should disregard the information and continue to support and have faith in the APC.”

Politics

Coalition: Abure-led LP Gives Obi 48 Hours To Leave Party

Published

23 hours ago

July 3, 2025

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.

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.

“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

24 hours ago

July 3, 2025

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.

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.”

Politics

I Don’t Owe Anybody Explanation On Truce With Fubara – Wike

Published

1 day ago

July 3, 2025

Editor

Federal Capital Territory FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday, declared that peace has returned to his home state, Rivers, saying he does not owe anyone an explanation on the terms of the truce.

Wike disclosed this during a Media chat monitored in Abuja.

According to him, several people had turned the crisis in Rivers State into an “oil well”, from which they were drawing illicit funds for their selfish interests, saying such fifth columnists are no longer happy that he has reconciled with the suspended Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara.

Details later…