Politics

Delta Guber: APC Accuses Okowa, PDP Of Arranging Fake Army Officers To Intimidate Voters

Published

2 years ago

March 16, 2023

The Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused Governor Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa and the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of perfecting plans to “compromise” the March 18th gubernatorial election in the State through the use of fake Army officers by intimidating and harassing voters who intend to vote for the APC governorship candidate, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Delta State APC Publicity Secretary, Valentine Onojeghuo Esq.

The APC said, “That in furtherance of this perfidious plans, the Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, had directed the requisitioning of all Hilux cars of governmental ministries, agencies and Parastatal are now being branded at an undisclosed location within the State, in the camouflage army colours and be deployed to convey these fake army officers in military fatigues to various polling units across the State, with the sole aim of intimidating voters and truncating the free will of Deltans in exercising their democratic rights.”

“We have every reason to believe that these fake army officers are political thugs and miscreants who have been recruited by the Okowa PDP administration from neighbouring PDP states of Edo and Bayelsa States, whose governors are noted supporters of the State Governor Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, with the directive to ensure the suppression of votes in the State, particularly in Delta central senatorial district.

“Recall that before now, the Delta State APC had raised the alarm of plans of the Okowa PDP administration to use all manner of political subterfuge and intimidation to compromise the governorship and house of assembly elections in order to maintain the hegemony of the PDP in Delta State.

“This is more, particularly the fact that the State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, having realized that his cockamamie schemes of inducement of civil servants and other voters in the State with payments of ten thousand naira to individuals accounts and other forms of enticements have dramatically failed to yield the desired results, now opted for a more crude and sinister plan that portends deadly consequences for the security of voters in the State.

“Still suffering from the pains of his woeful and ignoble defeat at the presidential polls that put an end to his ill-fated vice presidential ambition, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has thrown caution to the wind and is fixated on pushing through his more desperate life and death modus operandi approach in order to scare voters away from the electing their preferred candidate in the person of HE Sen Ovie Omo-Agege as the next governor of Delta State and illegally installing his hand-picked successor, Sheriff Oborevwori with the intention of providing a buffer zone to ward off potential investigation and prosecution for his unparalleled acts monumental corruption and embezzlement of Delta State funds running into over 85 billion naira, which has been used to acquired multi-billion naira mansions in the USA, Nigeria and the establishment of a commercial bank in the State.

“These information are to say the least, indeed troubling and poses a clear and present dangers to our cherished democracy and we are left with no other option, then to urge the hierarchy of the Nigeria Army to take every concrete steps not only to ensure the security and safety of voters in the State, but also to conduct a thorough and sweeping investigation of this wicked and evil attempt of the Delta State Governor Dr Ifeanyi Okowa to shamefully compromised the free will of the people of Delta State to voluntarily elect candidates of their choice in the forthcoming governorship elections.”

Politics

CSO, PDP Bicker Over Fagbemi’s Stand On Osun LG Crisis

Published

13 hours ago

June 27, 2025

Editor

An Osun-based civil society group, The Osun Masterminds, has urged the State Government to respect the opinion of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, regarding the leadership crisis rocking local government areas in the state.

The group said Fagbemi, being the number one law officer of the federation, his opinions on issues relating to law are not just official, but are also binding.

This was disclosed by the Executive Director of the group, Prof. Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, while speaking with journalists at the monthly media briefing of the organisation held in Osogbo on Friday.

Oyedokun-Alli, who said accused the state government of disregard for, not just the Appeal Court, but also the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, adding that the group has studied several legal positions on the Osun local government disputes and came to the conclusion that the government was swimming against the tide of clear court pronouncements.

“We are to point out, however, that the utter disregard for, not just the Appeal Court, but also the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, by the Osun State Government is a matter of grave concern. Where we understand that the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, is the number one Law Officer of the Federation, we must realise that his opinions are not just official, they are also binding.

“We have studied several legal positions on this matter, especially from highly revered silks who have dissected the pronouncements of the Court, and one thing remains obvious – the Osun State Government is swimming against the tide of clear Court pronouncements.

“The question that begs answers, however, is why the Osun State Government is so unwilling to work with Local Government Chairmen elected under a different political platform. Where we respect the principles of separation of powers, should we not be willing to work together even if the political parties are not the same? Has the APC-led Federal Government refused to work with the Adeleke Government because it is of the PDP?”, Oyedokun-Alli said.

Calling on the stakeholders to prevail on the Osun State Government to end the LG crisis, Oyedokun-Alli, however, urged the residents, regardless of party affiliation, to cohabitate in peace.

Responding to issues raised by the group, the spokesperson for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, Oladele Bamiji, said TOM was a partisan organisation that has consistently supported the All Progressives Congress in the state.

Bamiji further said, “Their so-called ‘civil society’ posturing has long collapsed under the weight of its hypocrisy and shameless servitude to the dictates of APC in Osun and beyond, and it is sad they are dead to their dented image out there.

“TOM has again confirmed to the people of Osun that it is nothing but a busy body propaganda irritant of the APC, issuing monthly rankings, not out of civic concern but to earn its monthly stipend from its political sponsors.

“We find it laughable and frankly disturbing that any group claiming to possess civic literacy would hold binding the personal opinion of a political appointee like the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, over and above the ruling of a competent court of law.”
(PUNCH)

Politics

BREAKING: Confusion As APC Chair, Ganduje Resigns

Published

18 hours ago

June 27, 2025

Editor

National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, has resigned from his position, Saturday Vanguard has learned.

Although the exact circumstances surrounding his resignation remain unclear as of press time, a senior party official confirmed the development, stating simply, “Yes, it is true. He has resigned.”

Sources revealed that Ganduje’s personal belongings were earlier moved from his office at the APC national secretariat, further fueling speculation.

The development has thrown the party’s headquarters into confusion, with staff and visitors visibly shocked by the unexpected news.

Politics

‘Peace Has Returned To Rivers’ — Wike, Fubara Speak After Meeting Tinubu

Published

22 hours ago

June 27, 2025

Editor

After months of political tension and division in Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, have publicly declared an end to their rift, assuring residents that peace has finally returned.

The truce followed a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Thursday night, where both leaders, along with other stakeholders, reached a resolution to work together for the state’s progress.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, expressed gratitude to God for the breakthrough.

Wike said, “I want to give God the glory that today is the 26th of June 2025, that peace has finally returned to the state. We all agreed to work together with the governor, and the governor also agreed to work together with all of us. We are members of the same political family.”

He acknowledged that disagreements are part of politics but emphasised that the resolution marked a fresh start for the state.

He said, “Just like humans, you have disagreements, and then you also have a time to also settle your disagreements, and that has been finally concluded today, and we have come to report to Mr President that is what we have agreed.

“So for me, everything is over, and I enjoin everybody to work together with everybody. There is no more acrimony; there is nothing to say. We have disagreed; we have all agreed on everything, so thank God. For me, it’s a day we have to thank almighty God.”

Governor Fubara, who also spoke to journalists, said the return of peace is crucial to the state’s development.

He said, “For me, it’s very important that this day has come to be. What we need for the progress of Rivers State is peace, and by the special grace of God this night, with the help of Mr President and the agreement of the leaders of the state, peace has returned to Rivers State.”

Fubara pledged to do everything within his power to sustain the peace, describing it as a step toward lasting stability and governance in the oil-rich state.