Politics

Rivers Guber Tribunal: Tonye Cole Speaks On Alleged Withdrawal Of Petition

Published

1 week ago

May 23, 2023

Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) 2023 governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, has assured supporters that he will pursue his petition challenging the outcome of the March 18 election to a logical conclusion.

Cole in his social media handles gave the assurance Monday night following the withdrawal of the APC from the petition challenging the victory of Peoples of Democratic Party (PDP) Similiayi Fubara as Rivers governor-elect at the tribunal hearing on the petition in Abuja.

The APC candidate stated, “I formally denounce the false rumours that have been circulating regarding our petition against the results from the Rivers State governorship election. I assure you that our petition remains firm and steadfast, and we will not waiver in our pursuit of justice.

“Despite attempts to undermine our efforts, I want to emphasize that we are working tirelessly to ensure that our voices are heard. We remain undeterred and resolute in our efforts to fight for what is right until justice is served.”

Meanwhile, chieftain of the Rivers APC, Joe Korka-Waadah, has accused Rivers PDP of inducing the reported withdrawal of the APC from the petition challenging Fubara’s victory.

Korka-Waadah alleged, “What more will the PDP in Rivers state not do in order to distract APC from the case of a stolen mandate before the tribunal. Why are they scared if they do have a strong case?

“I advise our good people of Rivers state to ignore these deliberate antics. It is as flimsy as it is intended to deceive. Rivers APC is in court, and Pastor Tonye Cole is willing and able and is standing tall in his quest to redeem the mandate Rivers people gave in that election.

“Do not be deceived. We will not waiver, and we shall not be moved.
At the end of the day, we shall claim back our stolen mandate.”

Responding, a PDP chieftain and former Reps member, Ogbonna Nwuke said, “No amount of blackmail or baseless claims can change the fact that Fubara won clean and square.

“There is nothing Cole won’t blame PDP for as a sore loser. Cole and his confused troop ask for the tribunal to be moved to Abuja. Now they are in Abuja and he’s abandoned, yet he blames PDP. People should know when to end a fruitless chase.”

Politics

UPDATED: Why I Resigned From PDP – Sen. Urhoghide

Published

3 hours ago

May 31, 2023

Editor

Senator Mathew Urhoghide, representing Edo South Senatorial District, on Wednesday announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

This was contained in a letter to the acting chairman of the party and made available to newsmen in Benin.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Account in the letter, said that the decision was due to the irreconcilable differences and squabbles within the PDP at the national and in the state.

His letter reads in part: “I write to formally inform you and entire member of the PDP that I am resigning my membership of the party, effective immediately.

“My decision arose out of the negative political energy emanating at the moment from the irreconcilable differences and squabbles within the PDP at the national level and especially in my dear state.

“These squabble have spiked to the level that have made it impossible for someone who is a confirmed democrat to function and grow as I envisage in my political journey

“This letter is fulfilling the promise I made to the leader of the PDP that I will consult and inform formally when and if I decided to step out of the PDP.

” I am grateful to the party which yielded me the opportunity to achieve the mission of serving as a two-term Senator .

“Which afforded me the opportunity to express my self and in a way that I have been able to affect my senatorial district,” he said.

Urhoghide noted that the opportunity has helped him to build lasting friendship within the national and state party hierarchy and at the Senate.

He added: “These friendship I shall draw on going forward, and above all imbibed in me knowledge and experience that I could not have gotten anywhere else.”

Urhighide, however, solicited for prayer as he took the bold step in the belief that it was the purpose of the almighty God in his interference in the affairs of men.

Politics

Edo 2024: Edo Senator, Urhoghide, Resigns Membership Of PDP

Published

4 hours ago

May 31, 2023

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has lost the membership of Senator Matthew Aisagbonriodion Urhoghide, an influential member and leader of the party in the state.

Urhoghide is the current senator representing Edo South in the National Assembly.

Urhoghide’s resignation is contained in a letter sent to the press of the senate today.

The former Senator is rumored to be oiling his political machinery to contest the 2024 governorship election in the stats on the platform of the Labour Party.

Politics

Wike No Longer In PDP, Says NEC member

Published

7 hours ago

May 31, 2023

Editor

A member of the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Executive Committee, Timothy Osadolor, says the immediate-past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, is no longer a member of the party, given his conduct before, during and after the 2023 general elections.

Osadolor, who gave the hint in a telephone conversation with The PUNCH on Tuesday, noted that the leadership of the party had decided to isolate Wike and render him inconsequential in the affairs of the PDP.

According to him, Wike’s recent public outings wherein he appeared to be leaning towards the All Progressives Congress, give him away as a man in perpetual craving for the spotlight at all times and regardless of the cost to his image as an opposition political leader.

He said, “The PDP has ignored Wike because the man is no longer himself. There are more ways to deal with people apart from sanctioning them. You can keep someone in isolation. He (Wike) can boast that he is the one that stayed away but is it not better to stay away than come to party activities and nobody wants to associate with you? He has been given a cold treatment because he went to court to procure a judgment that says he cannot be suspended but there is no judgment that says he cannot be avoided. That is what the PDP has been doing to him and technically, if Wike wants to say the truth, he will tell you that he is no longer a member of the PDP. No PDP leader or member behaves the way he does.”

But in a swift reaction, a chieftain of the PDP and immediate past Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Chris Finebone, said Wike remained a bona fide member of the opposition party.

Describing Osadolor’s comments as wishful thinking, Finebone said he does not have any power to speak for the party.

He stated, “We can’t identify who he represents, but I think it is wishful thinking. It is wishful thinking and the man who is said to have said that is inconsequential as far as we are concerned.

“And so, whatever he has said is of no effect. His Excellency, the former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, is 110 per cent a member of PDP and nothing has changed. And nothing can change it.”

On the accusation that Wike has been hobnobbing with Tinubu, he said it was petty and frivolous.