Politics

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

Published

3 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

Court Declines Kachikwu’s Motion Against INEC, ADC Leaders

Published

2 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday declined to hear an application filed by the African Democratic Congress’ 2023 presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, against the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the party.

Justice James Omotosho, in a ruling, refused to entertain the motion.

Kachikwu, through his counsel, Dayo Akinlaja (SAN), had sought an order compelling INEC to withdraw the publication of Mark and Rauf Aregbesola’s names as national chairman and secretary of the ADC, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

INEC had recently recognised Mark, a former Senate President, and Aregbesola, a former Governor of Osun State, as the party’s national chairman and national secretary.

On July 7, Kachikwu and four others – Adikwu Elias, Etimbuk Umoh, Muhammed Khala, and Alaku Godwin William – filed an originating summons challenging the recognition of the duo.

The suit lists INEC, ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, Mark, and Aregbesola as the first to fifth defendants.

When the matter was called on Friday, Akinlaja told the court that a motion dated September 19 had been filed. He argued that despite the pendency of the suit, INEC went ahead to recognise Mark and Aregbesola as party leaders.

The plaintiffs asked the court to set aside the recognition and publication of their names, describing it as a breach of the doctrine of lis pendens. They also sought an injunction restraining Nwosu, Mark, and Aregbesola from further relating with INEC as ADC’s national officers.

However, counsel for the ADC, Shaibu Aruwa (SAN), along with other defence lawyers, opposed the application.

After hearing arguments, Justice Omotosho declined to entertain the motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1331/2025.

He said, “This court is not inclined to nullify anything at this stage, whether done before or now. This is a political case. I am not taking any interlocutory matter.”

The judge held that all processes filed by the parties, including preliminary objections, would be taken together with the substantive case.

Despite repeated pleas by Akinlaja for the motion to be heard, the court stood its ground.

Justice Omotosho also granted an application for joinder filed by Nkemakolam Ukandu, the ADC deputy national secretary, and ordered that his name be added as a defendant.

He directed the plaintiffs to file the amended processes within 48 working hours and gave the defence seven days to respond. The case was adjourned till October 23 for hearing.

Politics

Fubara Sacks Commissioners, Others

Published

1 day ago

October 2, 2025

Editor

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has sacked all commissioners and other public office holders serving in his administration.

The decision, according to a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday evening by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, takes immediate effect and followed the recent Supreme Court judgment.

The governor, during a valedictory session with his cabinet to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary at Government House, Port Harcourt, thanked the outgoing officials for their services and contributions to the state’s development over the past two years.

The statement read in part, “Rivers State Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has thanked members of his cabinet for their services and contributions to the development of the state in the last two years.

“The governor highlighted the significance of Nigeria’s Independence, and called on all Nigerians to work together with Mr President to build a peaceful, secure and prosperous country and a brighter future for all.

“Furthermore, the Governor has relieved all Commissioners and other public officers affected by the recent Supreme Court judgment of their appointments with immediate effect.”

Fubara also reiterated his commitment to serve the state “with renewed vigour,” while expressing gratitude to Rivers people for their support and wishing Nigerians a happy Independence anniversary.

Recall that the immediate past administrator of the state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), upon assumption of office during the emergency rule imposed by President Bola Tinubu, suspended all commissioners, special advisers, and assistants appointed by Fubara. Ibas also dissolved boards and suspended heads of parastatals he met in office.

Since Ibas exited the state on September 18, the fate of Fubara’s appointees had remained uncertain. The Rivers State House of Assembly, at its first sitting after the lifting of the emergency rule, had called on the governor to submit a fresh list of commissioner-nominees for screening, alongside the 2025 budget for passage.

Politics

2027: Crisis Rocks Kaduna ADC Over Power Tussle

Published

2 days ago

October 1, 2025

Editor

The Kaduna State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is enmeshed in crisis as a fierce power struggle among leading figures threatens the party’s chances in the 2027 general elections.

ADC stalwart, Malam Salihu Lukman, raised the alarm on Wednesday, warning that the party may not make a meaningful impact at the polls if the internal rift persists.

In a statement, Lukman alleged that some party leaders have aligned with certain aspiring candidates for the 2027 elections to the exclusion of others.

He called on former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, Malam Jaafaru Sani, Alhaji Bashir Saidu, and other opposition leaders in the state to halt what he described as “the madness” of candidates bent on hijacking party structures.

According to him, “anybody who is not ready to work as part of a united opposition in Kaduna State is consciously or unconsciously working for the APC.”

Expressing concern over the infighting, Lukman said his efforts to mediate had largely failed.

“The fact that Senator Musa Bello is aggressively seeking to control structures of ADC in Zone 2 is a reflection of my failure, largely because I am associated with him.

“Senator Lawal Adamu (Mr. La) has avoided all my requests to meet him. I have met Malam Jaafaru Sani on this matter and had discussions with Malam Nasir. Sadly, we are not united, and the perception is that I am part of the problem.”

Lukman stressed that he has no political ambition but remains committed to building a united front. “As a citizen from Kaduna State, I am willing to make every necessary sacrifice to move our state forward. Without sounding immodest, I made every sacrifice to contribute to forming the coalition and negotiating the agreement with ADC.

“May I therefore appeal to Malam Nasir and all our leaders to please seek to unite us. It is only if we are united in ADC that we can unite our people in the state to defeat the APC in 2027. We must bear in mind that it is not just about defeating APC but about producing a government controlled by our party based on collective leadership.

“We need to put an end to the era when we produce emperors as governors. Anything short of a government managed by collective leadership under ADC will be unacceptable.”