Politics

Edo Poll: Shettima, Akpabio, Ganduje, Others Rap Up Campaign For APC

Published

9 months ago

September 14, 2024

Editor

Nigeria’s Vice President, Kassim Shettima; Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and nine All Progressives Congress (APC) governors attended the mega rally of the party to rap up its campaign for the September 21 governorship election.

Others at the rally were serving ministers and members of the House of Representatives, amongst other dignitaries.

Shettima said Edo State needs a strategic thinker, builder and a man with a compassionate heart that can lead his people right, adding that intelligence is not determined by the size of the head but ability to solve problems that affect the people.

Shettima said he has “absolute confidence in Senator Monday Okpebholo and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of the state”

He urged the people of the state to come out in large numbers to vote for the candidates of the APC next Saturday.

He said the people don’t need somebody who can speak grammar but one who can perform.

On his part, Senator Akpabio said Okpebholo as a senator, has been living up to his billings in the Senate and that there is no doubt about his ability to deliver the dividends of democracy.

Addressing the crowd, former governor of the state, Sen. Adams Oshiomhole said Governor Godwin Obaseki “has been insensitive to the plights of the people of the state. There is nothing to write home about his eight years in office as the governor of the state.

“Markets that were burnt during his tenure were not rebuilt; rather the hospital and the state library have been converted into museums and a shopping mall, respectively.”

On the part of the national chairman of the party, Umar Ganduje, he said the state has been mismanaged for the past eight years as it was marred with insecurity, and unemployment and that it is time for them to take it back by voting for the APC.

On the part of the governorship candidate of the party, Senator Monday Okpebholo, he said he would employ 5000 teachers within his 100 days in office as governor of the state.

He assured the market women of soft loans to boost their businesses just as he promised to build primary healthcare around the 192 wards in the state.

Earlier the national chairman of the party, Ganduje received a former senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Senator Francis Alimikhena and the former member representing Oredo federal constituency, Engr. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama who decamped from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into the APC.

Alimikhena said he was glad to be back in the APC and that he was going to mobilize his followers to vote for the party in the forthcoming governorship election.

Ogbeide-Ihama, said he had earlier advised his former party, the PDP against its decision when it brought in Governor Godwin Obaseki in 2020 but they didn’t listen to him.

He also advised when they again brought in Asue Ighodalo, the governorship candidate of the PDP they still not listen to him

Politics

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

Published

6 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.”