Politics

Edo Guber: Nine Aggrieved PDP Aspirants Threaten Legal Action Against Party

Published

1 year ago

February 11, 2024

Editor

Nine aggrieved aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the February 22, 2024, governorship primary in Edo State have threatened to institute legal action against the party if their grievances are not addressed.

Recall that the nine aspirants boycotted the ward congress held on February 4 and the local delegates congress held yesterday, February 10, across 192 wards and 17 local government areas of the state.

The congress was not held in Etsako Central Local Government Area, where the exercise was cancelled due to the alleged kidnapping of electoral officials while on their way to the local government for the ward delegates congress.

Recall that the nine aggrieved governorship aspirants had petitioned the appeal panel set up by the party over the composition of the party’s officials appointed to conduct the ward delegates congress in the state.

The aggrieved governorship aspirants are Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, Anselm Ojezua, Felix Akhabue, Martin Uhomoibhi, Hajia Hadizat Umoru, Omosede Igbinedion, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, and Arthur Esene.

Speaking for the aggrieved aspirants, in an interview, Aslem Ojezua said they boycotted the local government congress because it was the products from the ward congress that were used to conduct the congress.

Ojezua noted that they had approached the appeal panel set up by the national leadership of the party to right the wrong perpetrated by Enugu State’s Governor Peter Mbah-led Congress Electoral Committee.

According to him, if you build on a failed foundation, the result will still be faulty in the end.

“We will follow the party machinery, and if they persist in what they are doing we will continue to remind them about the danger involved in that level of arrogance and recklessness.

“We will take whatever steps available to us but at the moment we have an internal dispute resolution mechanism of the party. We are taking advantage of that, even though the party has not responded, but we will do our bit.

“If at the end the party didn’t listen to us, we will take any option available to us. It is when we exhaust all this that we can take legal action to protect our rights,” he said.

He appealed to their supporters and party members to remain calm, assuring that at the appropriate time, they should know who to hold responsible for the party’s misfortune in Edo State.

Politics

BREAKING: PDP Finally Reinstates Wike’s Ally, Anyanwu, As National Secretary

Published

5 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has reinstated Samuel Anyanwu to his position as National Secretary.

At a press briefing on Wednesday, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, the Acting National Chairman of the party, made the announcement.

Damagum, alongside Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and other key stakeholders, said the decision to reinstate Anyanwu into the National Working Committee, NWC, was challenging, but ultimately accepted by a majority of party members, led by the party’s organs.

He also announced the cancellation of the planned NEC meeting, saying, “We will have an expanded Caucus, at the next Caucus we will take a decision leading to a proper NEC.

“Anyanwu is resuming as the National Secretary, that is why I said it was a critical decision. Like INEC said they don’t have our notice, so what we will have on June 30th is an extended Caucus.”

Details later…

Politics

Two PDP, LP Reps Dump Parties For APC

Published

1 day ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) on Tuesday lost one lawmaker each in the House of Representatives to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The defectors — Hon. Peter Akpanke and Hon. Paul Nnamchi — formally announced their switch during plenary, with their defection letters read by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.

Akpanke, who was elected on the PDP platform, represents Obanliku/Obudu/Bekwara Federal Constituency of Cross River State. Nnamchi, elected under the LP, represents Enugu East/Isi Uzo Federal Constituency of Enugu State.

Both lawmakers attributed their defections to internal crises within their former parties and their desire to support and align with the policies and programmes of the APC-led Federal Government.

Their decision was greeted with applause by APC members in the chamber, as Speaker Abbas congratulated the duo on their new political move.

Politics

JUST IN: SDP Suspends National Chairman Gabam, Auditor, Youth Leader

Published

1 day ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has approved the immediate suspension of the National Chairman of the Party, Shehu Gabam, along with two members of the National Working Committee (NWC), Nnadi Clarkson, National Auditor, and Chukwuma Uchechukwu, National Youth Leader, over allegations of gross financial misconduct, embezzlement, misappropriation and diversion of party funds.

Their suspension was contained in a statement issued and made available to Vanguard by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba.

It reads, “The decision followed resolutions made by members of the National Working Committee (NWC), where overwhelming evidences were presented linking the suspended officials to a series of unauthorized financial transactions, personal enrichment schemes, and movement of funds from the party’s accounts without any approvals of the NWC.

“This development first came to light when it was discovered that the National Chairman had sent an unauthorised Financial Statement to INEC as demanded from all political parties.

“A summary of the fraudulent account was also published in the Newspapers. When the NWC got to know this, it made a resolution to report the fraudulent abnormalities to law enforcement agencies.

“The action of the NWC to suspend the National Chairman and two members of the NWC involved in the gross financial misconduct will also demonstrate to the general public that the Party, generally esteemed by Nigerians as a disciplined party and a credible alternative political platform for national redemption has zero tolerance for corruption and abuse of office.”

According to Aiyenigba, “The decision to suspend the National Chairman and other implicated NWC members is to allow for a thorough, investigation. Our integrity as a political party must be upheld at all times,” the statement read.

“An interim investigative panel has been constituted to audit all financial records and recommend further disciplinary or legal actions.

“In the interim, the Deputy National Chairman (North), Dr. Sadiq Umar Abubakar has assumed leadership of the party as Acting National Chairman as per the provisions of the Constitution of the party.”

Aiyenigba alleged that “the misappropriated funds amount to hundreds of millions of naira, including donations and resources realised from the sales of nomination forms in the 2023 general elections and other funds from the party accounts.

“The suspension of these officers has been communicated to the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and all relevant agencies.”

He said that “the suspension of Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, Nze Nnadi Clarkson, and Uchechukwu Ogbonna Chukwuma takes immediate effect.”