Politics

Primary: Four Edo APC Governorship Aspirants Reject Uzodimma

Published

2 years ago

February 21, 2024

Four leading Edo All Progressives Congress governorship aspirants have rejected the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, as Chairman of the Elections Committee.

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Chief Lucky Imasuen, Senator Monday Okpebholo and General Charles Airhiavbere (retd.) said they do not trust his ability to conduct a free and fair election following the controversy that trailed Saturday’s poll.

The development came barely 24 hours to the re-run of the governorship primary in the state.

The APC had announced on Tuesday after an emergency meeting at the secretariat in Abuja that the shadow election was inconclusive and a fresh poll would be conducted on February 22.

The previous poll, which was conducted on February 17, had produced three winners.

Uzodimma had announced Dennis Idahosa as a winner, while returning officer, Stanley Ugboaja, declared Monday Okpebholo as a winner.

Elsewhere, Ojo Babatunde, who claimed to be representing the returning officers in all the local governments, declared Anamero Dekeri as the winner of the election.

Reacting to the re-run election in a joint statement, the four aspirants insisted that they no longer have confidence in the capacity of Uzodimma’s committee to conduct the election.

In addition, Ize-Iyamu, Imasuen, Okpebholo and Airhiavbere argued that Uzodimma did not observe the minimum requirements for compliance with the relevant provisions of the laws and regulations guiding the election as provided both in the Electoral Act and in the APC Constitution.

The statement read, “We strongly believe that whatever was responsible for his flagrant disregard for due process and unusual hasty declaration of unconfirmed fictitious results of the primaries outside the designated collation centre may not have abated from his mind, and therefore may be repeated if given the opportunity to play the same role as chairman in the process.

“In the circumstance, we are calling on Mr. President to kindly use his good offices to replace Senator Hope Uzodimma with any other respected member of our great party, as chairman whom the President strongly believes will comply with the law, maintain internal democracy, protect and defend the integrity and goodwill of the President which he has attained over the years that endeared him to both national and international stakeholders.

“Furthermore, we believe that this is the only way to remedy the ridicule and embarrassment that Uzodimma’s tactless and overzealous behaviour, which in the view of keen observers of happenings in the ongoing process of nominating a viable candidate of our party, runs within the borderline of mischief and clotted with antidemocratic vestments, unknown to law.

“We have implicit confidence in Mr. President’s devotion to justice, equity, and fairness in the process that will produce the governorship candidate of our party in Edo State which is now rescheduled for tomorrow 22nd February 2024, and also ensure victory for our party in the governorship election that is scheduled for September 2024.”

Related Topics:#edo poll APC Edo APC Edo Guber

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JUST IN: Mohammed Assumes Duty As PDP Acting Chair Amid Tight Security

Published

3 hours ago

November 3, 2025

Editor

Heavy security was deployed at the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja as former Vice Chairman for PDP North Central, Abdulrahman Mohammed, resumed his role as the party’s acting national chairman.

Earlier, Mohammed and his supporters gathered at the FCT office of the PDP, where he addressed the crowd, confirming that he would be taking over as acting national chairman.

Mohammed was declared acting national chairman by the Samuel Anyanwu-led National Working Committee (NWC), following the suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Umar Damagun, and National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.

Politics

Why We Suspended Anyanwu, Bature, Others – PDP

Published

19 hours ago

November 2, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has disclosed why its National Working Committee, NWC, suspended the National Secretary and the National Organizing Secretary of the party, Samuel Anyanwu and Umar Bature respectively.

The NWC-PDP on Saturday suspended Anyanwu, Bature, Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade and Deputy Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha for one month following a court ruling that halted the party’s planned national convention.

The NWC-PDP was said to have issued a formal warning letter on September 30, 2025 to Anyanwu and Bature.

The warning letter reportedly cited allegations of misconduct, including unauthorized communications, anti-party activities and actions that undermined party unity and protocols.

The letter was also said to serve as a final caution to Anyanwu and Bature, urging immediate compliance with NWC directives to avert further disciplinary measures.

“Despite these warnings, the pair’s continued involvement in activities deemed disruptive culminated in their suspensions.

“This underscores our commitment to upholding internal discipline, party democratic processes and transparency.

“The proactive steps, including the issuance of the warning, demonstrate the resolve to safeguard our integrity ahead of upcoming national engagements,” the party said.

Politics

Why Bayelsa Gov Delayed Defection To APC

Published

2 days ago

November 1, 2025

Editor

Facts have emerged on why the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, delayed his defection to the All Progressives Congress two weeks after resigning from the Peoples Democratic Party.

A senior official of the APC at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja confided in The PUNCH that Diri had requested the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, to hand over the party’s flag to him in a formal reception.

According to the APC official, the arrangement for the official reception delayed the governor’s defection.

Diri had, on October 15, announced his exit from the PDP during an expanded State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Yenagoa.

The governor said the decision followed “extensive consultations” with key stakeholders in the state, adding, “I am not resigning alone. I am here with Mr Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and all the members of our party in the Assembly who are with me on this. So today, I have formally resigned from the PDP for very obvious reasons.”

According to the APC official, who is involved in the party’s plan to receive Diri, the party is done with the arrangements to welcome the governor.

He said, “Governor Diri is coming to the APC, and he will join us on Monday. The party has put up a reception plan, and it is the wish of the governor that the Vice President hands over the APC flag to him. The national secretariat and the VP’s office have worked that out.

“The governor wants an official and befitting reception, and he deserves it. That is why he delayed his defection. But we are done with the arrangements.”

Similarly, one of the senior administrative officers at the APC secretariat in Abuja disclosed that arrangements were in place to receive the governor into the party on Monday.

“I am aware that the secretariat is preparing to receive Governor Diri on Monday. The governor wants an official reception, and we are working on it. As I am speaking with you, nothing will change the governor’s plan to join the APC,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State chapter of the PDP has insisted that its leadership would not join the governor in defecting to the APC.

The State Publicity Secretary, Ebiye Ogoli, while speaking with The PUNCH, said there was no reason to leave the PDP with Diri, stating that the party’s leadership remained strong.

Ogoli explained that the leadership decided not to defect with the governor because he is in his second term and will not be contesting again; hence, there was no reason to move with him.

“We are not defecting with the governor. We stand by our last statement. The governor did not compel anyone to move with him. Before we took the decision, we considered the fact that the governor is not contesting again and, therefore, there was no reason to move with him.

“The party remains strong. It is not true that we want to defect with him.”

Findings by Sunday PUNCH also revealed that three members of the State House of Assembly — Godbless Oyinke, Ted Elemeforo, and Wisdom Fafi — have refused to leave the PDP.

This is as the Deputy Governor of the state, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has dragged the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, its Speaker, Abraham Ingobere; the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Matilda Ayemieye; the Bayelsa State Attorney-General, Biriyai Dambo (SAN), the Inspector-General of Police; and the Director-General of the Department of State Services before a Federal High Court in Abuja to avert a reported impeachment plot.

Ewhrudjakpo, who has remained in the PDP, said there was a plot by the lawmakers to impeach him because he did not resign his membership of the party with the governor.

The deputy governor, in an originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/221/2025, according to TheCable, sought interim orders of the court to restrain the State House of Assembly from removing or impeaching him in violation of Sections 188(5)–(9), (11), and 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), on the grounds of his refusal to defect from the PDP to the APC or any other political party before the end of his tenure.

Ewhrudjakpo also asked the court to restrain the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, and the Bayelsa State Attorney-General from withdrawing his security protection as deputy governor, pending the determination of the motion on notice.

(PUNCH)