News

JUST IN: Enugu APC Crisis: Former Speaker, Ex-governor, 39 Others Expelled

Published

4 years ago

September 12, 2021

The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Enugu State took a new dimension on Sunday as Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party, Dr. Ben Nwoye announced the expulsion of forty-one (41) members from the party.

This is following their alleged violation of the provision of the party’s constitution.

Nwoye who announced this when he addressed journalists on Sunday
said the members self-expelled themselves from the party by filing a suit in court without first exhausting the internal mechanisms as provided in the APC Constitution.

Those affected include a former Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Eugene Odo, former military governor, Group Capt. Joe Orji, a former Deputy Governorship candidate of the party in the State, Prince Chikwado Chukwunta, Gen. J.O.J Okoloagu, a former Reps member, Chukwuemeka Ujam and several others.

Article 21 (D), Section V of the APC Constitution provides that, “any member who files an action in court of law against the party or any of its officers on any matters relating to the discharge of the duties of the party without first exhausting the avenues for the redress provided for in this Constitution shall automatically stand expelled from the party on filing such action and no appeal against expulsion as stipulated in this clause shall be entertained until the withdrawal of the action from court by the member.”

DAILY POST learnt that the party members dragged Nwoye before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja seeking his removal from office.

In the suit No: FCT/HC/CV/2107/2021, they had sought an ex parte order to stop Nwoye from parading himself as the chairman of the party.

However, the vacation judge, Justice Sylvanus Chinedu Oriji refused to grant the interlocutory injunction. Instead, it ordered that the motion on notice and the entire case be assigned to a regular court at the end of vacation for full determination of the matter.

The Judge held that, “The Defendants/Respondents shall be put on notice of the application for injunction. The orders sought in the ex parte application No. M/5317/2021 are refused.”

Speaking on the development, Nwoye said 41 members who filed the suit had automatically expelled themselves from the party.

According to him, “I arrived at my home and I found a copy of a lawsuit pasted on my door, within that lawsuit is an order sought by the applicants but was denied by the court.

“One Prince Gilbert Chikwado Chukwunta and 40 others filed a claim against me; they sought an ex parte order before an FCT High Court, seeking to remove me as the chairman of the party in Enugu State.

“They sued me and alleged among other things that I was suspended by certain persons, who they attached their signatures, but the learned jurist denied giving the order. He directed them to serve me, but instead of serving me as ordered by the court, they pasted it on my door.

“But what is important is that for those who said that Ben Nwoye has been removed, the removal of Ben Nwoye is now a subject of court, and the court has refused to remove me. I wasn’t there but the learned judge refused to remove me.

“The other point is that the petition which they signed, they forged numerous people’s signatures; one of the people they forged their signature is Mrs. Kate Offor, she never signed a petition seeking to remove me.

“We also had many other people claiming to be members of State exco, and one of such persons are Eugene Odo. Enugu State APC is no longer running on SEC; it is a caretaker committee, so being a former Speaker does not make Eugene Odo a member of APC caretaker committee. Gen. J.O.J. Okoloagu is also not a member of the caretaker committee, so also the former member of the House, Hon. Chukwuemeka Ujam, who they alleged signed, he has never been and is not a member of state exco, we also have one Anayo Ene, we also have Group Capt. Orji, Dr. Mrs. Chukwuani, Hyacinth Nsude, are not members of APC caretaker committee.

“If indeed these individuals did not sign it, those who filed this suit have committed forgery. But if those individuals say that they actually signed it, they have committed fraud because they are not members of APC caretaker committee and that includes Chikwado Chukwunta.

News

MOWAA: Okpehbolo Receives Edo Assembly Resolution Indicting Obaseki

Published

42 minutes ago

December 24, 2025

Editor

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, received report and resolutions of the Edo State House of Assembly which indicted former Governor Godwin Obaseki on the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) and the Radisson Hotel projects.

Recall that the Edo Assembly raised a five-man committee to investigate funding and ownership of both projects following a request by Governor Okpebholo.

Okpebholo, who spoke after receiving the report said its findings and recommendations would be fully implemented.

Okpebholo said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would be invited to further examine issues raised in the recommendations.

According to him, the Edo State Government has significant stakes in the MOWAA and Radisson Blu hotel having invested ₦3.8bn respectively in both projects.

He said changes in the structure and nomenclature of the MOWAA project made the investigation unavoidable.

Okpebholo said it was unacceptable to suggest Edo State has only 10 per cent stake in the Radisson Blu hotem despite investing over ₦28bn.

“Edo State has spent over ₦3.8 billion on this project, yet some people are saying the state has no stake in it. That is totally unacceptable. I will work with your recommendations and forward them to the relevant authorities to investigate what truly happened. We will also involve the EFCC.

“Our investment in this project is over ₦28 billion. We must invite the EFCC to step in and determine if this is how businesses are conducted in Nigeria,” he said.

In its recommendations passed by the Assembly, the five-man committee headed by Hon Addeh Isibor, urged the Edo State Government to take possession of both projects.

It asked Governor Okpebholo to contract competent hands to complete renovation of the Hotel and take all steps to put the Hotel to use.

The recommendations urged the Edo State Government to revoke “the fraudulent Certificate of Occupancy to the property issued in the name of Hospitality Investment and Management Company Limited and revert same to the Edo State Government that purchased the property.

“That the Edo State Government initiate legal action and work with relevant Anti-graft Agencies to retrieve both the complete statement of account and the balance of the Seventeen Billion, Five Hundred Million Naira (N17,500,000,000.00) Bond proceeds still in the possession of the Escrow Agents. Meristen Trustees Limited and Emerging Africa Trustees Limited.

“The title to the MOWAA Property having never been revoked, same remains the property of the Central Hospital, Benin City

“That the Edo State Government immediately takes all necessary step to put the property to good use in the best and overriding public interest of the people of Edo State.”

Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, said the facts about MOWAA and Radisson Blu Hotel were now clearly documented in resolutions and outcomes.

News

Sheikh Gummi Sues Two Over Alleged False Facebook Publication

Published

3 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Editor

Prominent Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gummi, has approached the Chief Magistrate Court in Kaduna, seeking the issuance of a criminal direct complainant summons against two Facebook users over alleged criminal conspiracy, attempt to cause public disturbance and criminal defamation.

The application, filed at the Chief Magistrate Court sitting on Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Kaduna, listed the defendants as George Udom and Bello Isiaka.

According to him, the defendants allegedly published a “Breaking News” statement on their respective Facebook pages on December 23, 2025, between 7:00 am and 10:00 am, attributed to him, threatening that the family of the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, would be eliminated if military operations against bandits were not stopped.

Gummi alleged that the publication was falsely attributed to him, as his photograph was allegedly used alongside the statement, giving the impression that he issued the threat against the Defence Minister.

The Islamic scholar stated that following the publication, he received numerous phone calls from concerned members of the public who believed he authored the statement and was attempting to intimidate the Minister of Defence in the discharge of his official duties.

He further maintained that the publication portrayed him as a troublemaker and a threat to public peace, despite his long-standing reputation as a cleric known for preaching peace and harmony within and outside Nigeria.

The complainant argued that the alleged publication was capable of inciting public disorder in Kaduna State, particularly Southern Kaduna, and could expose him to danger by presenting him as a prime suspect in the event of any attack on the Defence Minister’s family.

He also contended that the actions of the defendants amounted to an attempt to cause public disturbance and criminal defamation of his character.

Dr Gummi told the court that the alleged acts contravened Sections 59, 57, 372, 116 and 117 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.

The application, dated December 24, 2025, was filed by a team of lawyers led by Suleiman Danlami Lere, with the complainant urging the court to summon the defendants to answer to the allegations.

News

JUST IN: Kano Lawmaker, Sarki Aliyu Daneji, Dies Hours After Colleague’s Passing

Published

3 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Editor

Hon. Sarki Aliyu Daneji, the lawmaker representing Kano Municipal in the Kano State House of Assembly, died on Wednesday, barely hours after the death of his colleague, Hon. Aminu Sa’adu Ungogo.

The Director-General, Media and Public Relations, Government House, Kano, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, confirmed Daneji’s death to journalists in Kano.

Daneji’s demise came shortly after the passing of Hon. Ungogo, who was the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations and represented Ungogo Local Government in the Assembly. Ungogo, a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), reportedly died after a brief illness.

He was said to have been at the Kano State House of Assembly earlier in the day, attending a committee meeting before his death.

The sudden loss of the two lawmakers within a short interval has thrown the Kano State House of Assembly into mourning, with colleagues, party members and constituents expressing shock and grief over the tragic development.