Politics

Rivers APC Campaign Director Abducted, Party Blames Police

Published

2 years ago

January 31, 2023

The All Progressives Congress chapter in Rivers State has said its campaign director in Opobo/Nkoro Opobo Local Government Area, Boma Brown, was abducted by suspected political thugs at the venue of a scheduled rally in the area on Tuesday.

The APC in reaction accused the police of compromise as it claimed policemen were on ground when the attack happened.

The governorship candidate of the party, Tonye Cole, who disclosed this to newsmen said the thugs invaded the party’s campaign venue, shot indiscriminately, and whisked the party chieftain away.

Cole had called for the declaration of a state of emergency in the state due to the spate of political violence.

Also, the APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Darlington Nwauju, described the incident as another barbaric attack on democracy.

Nwauju disclosed that security operatives attached to the governorship candidate, Cole, and the former Director-General, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, however assisted in the rescue of Mr. Brown.

“This is another barbaric attack on our democracy. Parties should be allowed to campaign freely and electorate should be allowed to vote for the candidates of their choice. That is what democracy is all about and not the other way round,” he stated.

Speaking, Cole condemned the attack on the scheduled venue for the party’s rally in Opobo, pointing out that despite the shooting that dispersed everybody, the party would revisit Opobo to hold its campaign.

He said, “This morning, we were on our way to Opobo and they went into our rally ground, scattered everything and carried our local government coordinator forcefully. There was shooting and they dispersed everyone.

“Everybody should be allowed to choose freely who they want to vote for. We will still be in Opobo. Nothing is going to stop us. But right now, we have to go and find the kidnapped, abducted local government chairman.”

Meanwhile, an online video shows uprooted canopies and scattered chairs in an open field, even as the narrator alleged that the hoodlums were led by the Opobo local government chairman who is a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state.

In his remark, the spokesman for the state APC Governorship Campaign Council, Sogbeye Eli, called for the redeployment of the Commissioner of Police, Okon Effiong, over the spate of politically related violence in the state.

Eli in a statement issued on Tuesday accused the CP of compromise.

“The spate of attacks on the campaign trail of the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, took a more dangerous turn today at Opobo, headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area.

“Thugs blocked both ends of the only access road after the convoy of Tonye Cole arrived at the King Jaja Square. Gunshots accompanied by hauling of bottles and other dangerous projectiles at party members massed on the Square stopped the APC governorship candidate from proceeding to the venue designated for the Rally near St. Paul’s Church.

He added, “It is pertinent to note that a team of police officers led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations were on ground at Opobo and witnessed the mayhem.

“We maintain that campaign activities of the governorship candidates of Accord, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, and the Social Democratic Party, Senator Magnus Abe, have suffered similar unprovoked attacks at Etche, Oyigbo, Port Harcourt, Tai and Ahoada West LGAs over the last couple of days without any deterrence measure by the State Police Command.

“In the circumstance, we call on both the Inspector-General of Police and National Security Adviser to enforce their commitments at the commencement of the campaign season not to allow state governors suppress or interfere with the rights of other political parties involved in campaign activities in the build-up to the 2023 general election.”

“We maintain that is the only guarantee to restore sanity in states like Rivers that have been made volatile by anti-democratic forces working in active connivance with compromised Police Commissioners.”

Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, proved abortive, as her mobile telephone was switched off.

She had yet to respond to a text message sent to her as of the time of filing this report, Tuesday night.

Politics

Worst Of PDP Defections Yet To Come – Saraki Warns

Published

9 hours ago

June 28, 2025

Editor

Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Reconciliation Committee, and former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has warned that more defections from the party may still occur, even as efforts continue to reposition the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Saraki made this known during an interview on Arise TV on Friday.

He said: “PDP would likely see one or two more defections, and we should prepare ourselves for that; there is a possibility.

“We haven’t seen the worst of the defections for PDP. We would probably see maybe one or two governors who will defect, and we might see some senators who will defect.”

He, however, described the timing of the crisis as an advantage, arguing that it gives the PDP time to recover and rebuild before the election cycle begins in full swing.

“For some of us, this happening early in PDP is an advantage. We are lucky that this is not happening, let’s say, late 2026; we would not even have had time to recover and regroup,” he said.

“We have just under two years to the election, and we are lucky to have that. I think, with a lot of commitment and understanding, it is not a lost cause.

“A party with over 26 years of history that has been around, the largest party, we will definitely have low times like this.”

Despite the turbulence at the national level, Saraki said the PDP remains strong at the grassroots and across state structures.

He said: “When you go round the country, the state chapters, the local government chapters, the party is still very strong in the grassroots. In some areas in the country, they are not even aware of what is happening at our level, in Abuja.

“The reactions we are seeing at the grassroots give us a lot of encouragement. But what we need to do is to get to the bottom and start to build.”

He added that the party is already laying the groundwork for the 2027 elections but warned that the stakes go beyond just party survival.

“This is not just about resolving today’s issues. It’s about building for the future. The next convention must not be business as usual. We must bring in new, younger faces who represent the future of this party.

“If PDP fails, Nigeria edges closer to a one-party state. And that would be a disaster for democracy.”

Politics

CSO, PDP Bicker Over Fagbemi’s Stand On Osun LG Crisis

Published

1 day ago

June 27, 2025

Editor

An Osun-based civil society group, The Osun Masterminds, has urged the State Government to respect the opinion of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, regarding the leadership crisis rocking local government areas in the state.

The group said Fagbemi, being the number one law officer of the federation, his opinions on issues relating to law are not just official, but are also binding.

This was disclosed by the Executive Director of the group, Prof. Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, while speaking with journalists at the monthly media briefing of the organisation held in Osogbo on Friday.

Oyedokun-Alli, who said accused the state government of disregard for, not just the Appeal Court, but also the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, adding that the group has studied several legal positions on the Osun local government disputes and came to the conclusion that the government was swimming against the tide of clear court pronouncements.

“We are to point out, however, that the utter disregard for, not just the Appeal Court, but also the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, by the Osun State Government is a matter of grave concern. Where we understand that the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, is the number one Law Officer of the Federation, we must realise that his opinions are not just official, they are also binding.

“We have studied several legal positions on this matter, especially from highly revered silks who have dissected the pronouncements of the Court, and one thing remains obvious – the Osun State Government is swimming against the tide of clear Court pronouncements.

“The question that begs answers, however, is why the Osun State Government is so unwilling to work with Local Government Chairmen elected under a different political platform. Where we respect the principles of separation of powers, should we not be willing to work together even if the political parties are not the same? Has the APC-led Federal Government refused to work with the Adeleke Government because it is of the PDP?”, Oyedokun-Alli said.

Calling on the stakeholders to prevail on the Osun State Government to end the LG crisis, Oyedokun-Alli, however, urged the residents, regardless of party affiliation, to cohabitate in peace.

Responding to issues raised by the group, the spokesperson for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, Oladele Bamiji, said TOM was a partisan organisation that has consistently supported the All Progressives Congress in the state.

Bamiji further said, “Their so-called ‘civil society’ posturing has long collapsed under the weight of its hypocrisy and shameless servitude to the dictates of APC in Osun and beyond, and it is sad they are dead to their dented image out there.

“TOM has again confirmed to the people of Osun that it is nothing but a busy body propaganda irritant of the APC, issuing monthly rankings, not out of civic concern but to earn its monthly stipend from its political sponsors.

“We find it laughable and frankly disturbing that any group claiming to possess civic literacy would hold binding the personal opinion of a political appointee like the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, over and above the ruling of a competent court of law.”
(PUNCH)

Politics

BREAKING: Confusion As APC Chair, Ganduje Resigns

Published

2 days ago

June 27, 2025

Editor

National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, has resigned from his position, Saturday Vanguard has learned.

Although the exact circumstances surrounding his resignation remain unclear as of press time, a senior party official confirmed the development, stating simply, “Yes, it is true. He has resigned.”

Sources revealed that Ganduje’s personal belongings were earlier moved from his office at the APC national secretariat, further fueling speculation.

The development has thrown the party’s headquarters into confusion, with staff and visitors visibly shocked by the unexpected news.