Politics

Tinubu Faces APC Presidential Screening Today, Jonathan Missing On List

Published

3 years ago

May 30, 2022

Editor

A presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is scheduled to be screened today.

The APC would hold its presidential screening for two days, starting today.

This is as the name of former President Goodluck Jonathan is missing on the list of spirants expected to be screened.

Twenty-three aspirants are included in the list obtained by The PUNCH.

A source told our correspondent that the screening would hold in a top hotel in Abuja.

Apart from Tinubu and Osinbajo, others included in the list are Senate President Ahmed Lawan and former ministers Rotimi Amaechi, Ogbonnaya Onu, Godswill Akpabio, and Chukwuemeja Nwajiuba.

Serving governors who are also listed for the screening are Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa).

Others are former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole and serving Senators Ibikunle Amosun, Ajayi Boroffice, and Rochas Okorocha.

President Buhari’s running mate in 2011, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Uju Ken-Ohanenye, Nicholas Felix, Ahmad Rufai Sani, Tein Jack-Rich, Ikeobasi Mokelu are also expected to face the screening panel.

Jonathan’s exclusion

Earlier, the National Vice Chairman, North-West of All Progressives Congress, Salihu Lukman, said Jonathan is not yet a member of the party.

Lukman in an interview with The PUNCH, said, “Jonathan is not a member of the APC as far as this party is concerned. Jonathan is not a member of APC as far as we know. Besides, our membership in the political party is not a secret. Feel free to quote me please.”

How court ruling heightened speculation

A ruling of a Federal High Court had last week heightened speculations that Jonathan may contest the presidency under the APC.

According to some unconfirmed reports, Jonathan was considered as a consensus candidate by the APC leadership.

A Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, had ruled on Friday that the former President is eligible to contest the 2023 presidential election.

Mr Andy Solomon and Idibiye Abraham (plaintiffs) appròached the court, seeking an order to prevent Jonathan from running for the office of president by invoking the provisions of Section 137, (1b) and (3) which states that a person cannot take an oath for the office of the President more than twice whether elected or constitutionally appointed to complete the tenure of a president.

Delivering judgment in a suit marked FHC/YNG/CS/86/2022, Justice Isa Dashen, held that the argument of the plaintiff which is hinged on the introduction of Section 137 subsection 1b and 3 into the constitution in 2018 cannot be applied retrospectively to challenge the eligibility of Jonathan to run for president in 2023.

Why Jonathan can contest – Court

Justice Dashen held that before Section 137 (1b) and (3) was birthed in 2018 and there was no clear restriction on the number of times a person should run for the office of president.

He held that even in the said Section 137 (1b) and (3), the legislature did not clearly state if the law should be applied in retrospect or not.

Citing the case between Cyriacus Njoku and Goodluck Jonathan, Justice Dashen said that the appeal court in 2014 ruled that Jonathan was eligible to run for the office of president and that since there has been no appeal to contest the judgement of the appellate court, from that moment Jonathan acquired the right to run for president for a second term.

“The office of president is different from that of the vice president. And that is how the election into the two offices is different.

“Jonathan was constitutionally appointed to complete the office of the late president, Umaru Musa Yar’adua. And when Jonathan took the oath of office in 2010 there was no general election in Nigeria.

“The only time he took the oath of office through the election was in 2011. And in 2014 Cyriacus Njoku took Jonathan to court and the appeal court found that he was eligible to contest the election.

“And after that judgment, there has been no further appeal on the matter. This simply means that if he had not lost the 2015 election, he would have taken the oath of office twice without any legal impediments.

“The section stating how many times a person can take the oath of office twice took effect in 2018. And that section cannot be applied retrospectively in this case because, for a law to be applied retrospectively, the legislature must state clearly the intention for the section to be applied retrospectively.

“I have taken the pain to go through the law, and there is nowhere the legislature stated clearly that this section should be applied retrospectively.

“Based on these facts, the court holds that the suit seeking to declare the first defendant, Jonathan ineligible to run for the office of president for a second term, is dismissed,” he held.

PUNCH.

Politics

Two PDP, LP Reps Dump Parties For APC

Published

4 hours 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

5 hours 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.”

Politics

Drama As PDP Staff Shut Offices, Reject Anyanwu’s Return

Published

7 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

In a dramatic fashion, management and staff of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Secretariat, yesterday shut their offices and staged a mass walkout in protest against Senator Samuel Anyanwu’s attempt to forcibly reclaim his position as national secretary.

The protest came after the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, appointed Setonji Koshodeo as acting National Secretary, an appointment the staff had earlier pledged to support.

According to multiple sources who spoke to Vanguard in Abuja, Anyanwu arrived at the party headquarters with suspected thugs and tried to take control of the national secretary’s office.

But staff members, determined not to recognise or work with him, quickly mobilised and vacated the premises, leaving Anyanwu stranded and visibly embarrassed.

One of the protesting staff members said: “Anyanwu and his people entered the building. It wasn’t just an attempt, they actually went straight into the national secretary’s office with some of his aides.”

As the standoff continued, the PDP secretariat remained deserted, with staff insisting they would not return until Anyanwu vacated the office.

The protest was a show of loyalty to the NWC. Back in May, the staff had publicly pledged to support the committee’s decision, insisting that Koshoedo’s appointment followed the party’s internal procedures.

Another source revealed that Anyanwu was later advised by his aides to leave quietly to avoid further humiliation.

“We had all left our offices and walked out in protest. That firm action led to his exit,” the source said.

Explaining further, the staff added: “When he realised the atmosphere was hostile and there was no one left to work with, apart from the few people he came with, his aides advised him to leave, rather than remain in such an awkward situation.”

The incident has triggered accusations within the party, with some staff alleging that Anyanwu is a ‘mole’ planted by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to cause chaos within the PDP, ahead of the 2027 elections.

Although unconfirmed, these allegations have added to growing tension within the party.

The walkout has raised fresh concerns about the PDP’s internal unity and its preparedness for the 2027 general elections.

As the main opposition party, some fear its credibility could suffer if the leadership crisis is not quickly resolved.

The situation highlighted the growing factionalisation within the party and the challenge of staying united.

The PDP has not yet issued an official statement on the matter. Attempts to reach the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, were unsuccessful as he did not answer calls to his phone.