Politics

Why Obi Visited Abure — Spokesperson

Published

1 month ago

May 22, 2024

The campaign team of Labour Party Presidential flag bearer, Peter Obi, on Wednesday, announced that the recent visit of the former Anambra governor to the party secretariat in Abuja was a reconciliatory move and not an endorsement as being twisted in a section of the media.

This was disclosed in a statement issued in Abuja by Obi’s Campaign Spokesman, Yunusa Tanko.

To further buttress his point, Tanko also stressed that his principal also met with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress political arm in the early hours of Wednesday to seek an end to their conflict with the party.

The media was awash with news of Obi and his supporters’ visit to the leadership of the party at the national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday.

Wearing a black kaftan and his trademark glasses, the former governor was received by the National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, and members of his National Working Committee.

A few hours after their visit, a section of the media described the meeting as an open endorsement of the embattled leader of the party and his NWC members following the contentious national convention that returned them to office.

In his statement on Wednesday, Tanko kicked against the report, insisting that it was a reconciliatory visit.

He said, “Obi’s visit to Labour Party headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday was a reconciliatory move not to endorse any group interest in the party. Obi had repeatedly maintained that his interest was to carry everybody along into one strong family and not to endorse anyone’s interest.

“The visit was part of the consultations Obi has been embarking on in search of peace in the party. In line with this, he also met with the political arm of the NLC and TUC on Wednesday in continuation of his search for peace in the party.

“At his meeting with the workers’ union, the leadership of the NLC/TUC political commission led by comrade Titus Amba and comrade Chris Uyot was also disposed to peace in the party. He clearly made the point that the party needed to reconcile all various positions in a peaceful atmosphere to have a united house that should be all-inclusive.

“He thanked the leadership of the political commission for their understanding and expressed the hope for a good working relationship very shortly. The LP standard bearer also plans to meet with other critical stakeholders like the Obidient to have an all-inclusive political family with a common dream of rescuing Nigeria.”

Tanko’s rebuttal, however, didn’t go down well with the Abure-led NWC.

In a counter statement released barely an hour later, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, warns against twisting the ‘well-intentioned’ visit of their presidential candidate.

Ifoh also reiterated that both Obi and Abure were on the same page on reconciliation of aggrieved members and stakeholders of the party

He said, “As a party, we are pleased that our leader has chosen to reconcile all aggrieved members and stakeholders of the party. This noble step taken by Mr. Obi is in line with the call made by the Labour Party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure during his maiden press conference last week of Abure-led NWC wherein he pleaded with all the warring parties including the NLC to sheath their swords and join in the rebuilding process in the party.

“Obi’s visit and speech on Tuesday during the FCT solidarity rally has been variedly described in some quarters as an endorsement on the Abure leadership being his very first visit after the successful national convention of the party held in March. To us as a party, we cherish this visit on whatever nomenclature as a positive wind blowing on the party.

“We believe that very soon, the reconciliatory efforts will be consummated and metamorphose into a political force that will usher in a government to liberate Nigerians from the shackles of maladministration we are presently facing in the country.

“Finally, we urge the NLC and its political commission to understand we are not the foe. They see us as an ally in the battle to rescue Nigeria. They should emulate the Trade Union Congress, which has shown greater understanding and willingness to partner with the party in our efforts to make a new Nigeria possible.”

Politics

Bayelsa Poll Murder: Sylva Blasts Diri For Ordering His Prosecution

Published

1 day ago

June 21, 2024

Editor

A former Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, has lambasted the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, for ordering his prosecution over the death of George Sibo in the last governorship election.

Sylva was responding to a call by Governor Diri at the burial of the deceased in Twon-Brass on Thursday, directing the state Attorney-General to commence legal action against him (Sylva), and those who stormed the collation centre.

Diri alleged that the 31-year-old George Sibo was killed when Timipre Sylva, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the November 11 governorship poll, led his party members and supporters to invade the collation centre and held INEC officials hostage.

The governor expressed sadness over the dastardly killing of the young man and promised that the state government would bring the culprits to book.

Sylva, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant, Media, Julius Bokoru, said the directive, which Diri gave to his attorney-general, had shown the governor’s desperation to deploy diversionary tactics and distractions against his case at the Appeal Court.

The statement said: “Chief Sylva is curious at what Diri’s apparent desperation can push him to. It is clear this recent effort is a symptom of fear, shortly after Diri tried to conjure some phantom EFCC case against Sylva he devised a new method of distraction which, of course, is dead on arrival.

“Sylva knows nothing of the murder of George Sibo, an illustrious and promising youth of the state, it is important to note that by the time the young man died, Sylva was well out of the Island.”

The statement alleged that Diri had continued to spend huge amounts of taxpayers’ money on heavy propaganda to distract Sylva’s focus on his case.

The statement further said: “It is clear that this is fear, anxiety and everything to distract Chief Sylva after his attempt to bring up EFCC issues failed in the wake of a long and relentless string of propaganda against Chief Sylva with taxpayers monies.

“It is clear that any attempt to drag Chief Sylva into this issue is either inspired by fear and anxiety or by a thoroughly jaundiced mindset.

“Everything imaginable has been put in Sylva’s way to distract him. After Diri’s attempt to bring up phantom EFCC issues failed. After the endless and relentless string of propaganda failed against Chief Sylva. Now this.”

The statement also stated: “Chief Sylva, concerned Bayelsans and the APC are trying everything within the law to get a stolen mandate back. Until justice is done, Diri’s Governorship remains illegitimate in the minds of every sincere Bayelsan and every sincere person of goodwill.”

Politics

Edo Guber: Asue Ighodalo’s Campaign Council Member Dumps PDP

Published

1 day ago

June 21, 2024

Editor

Barely four months to the governorship election in Edo State, a member of the Asue Ighodalo Campaign Council, Prince Felix Isuku, has resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Isuku’s resignation was contained in a letter addresed to the PDP state chairman and other relevant officials on Friday.

The three time Executive Director of Edo State Internal Revenue Service, under the current administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki and his predecessor, Comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole, attributed his decision to the power struggle that started with the factionalization of the party in the state.

Isuku, who was before now a member of the campaign committee of the PDP governorship candidate, Ighodalo, said in the resignation letter, “I write to inform you that after extensive consultations with my enlarged political family in Owan constituency in Owan East and Owan West, I have decided to formally resign as a member of the above named party (PDP).

“The reason for my resignation is because of the high level of power struggle that started with the fractionalization of the party and metamorphosed into an unprecedented and unending faction or political divide that has continued to affect the internal politics of the party (PDP).

“Another reason is the continued megalomaniac attitude of some party leaders which cannot be over emphasized or ignored.

“I have lost interest in the leadership of the party and have as well lost confidence in the ability of the party to win any credible elections.

“Before now, I was the PDP Leader of Wards 3 and 4 of Ihievbe, as well as one of the foremost Leaders of PDP in Owan East and West Local Governments.

“I also was a three time Executive Director of Edo State Internal Revenue Service under the current administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki and his predecessor the then Revered Comrade Governor Adams Aliu Oshiomhole.

“I have worked tirelessly for the PDP using my personal resources and influence to wholeheartedly support the party at all times especially during electoral processes.

“However my interests and ideologies are no longer aligned with that of the party as a house divided against itself can never stand, hence my resignation.

“Kindly consider this as my resignation from every party responsibility henceforth including my service as a member of the campaign committee for Dr Asue Ighodalo.”

Politics

Edo NNPP Suspends Vice Chairman , Others For Alleged Anti-Party Activities

Published

1 day ago

June 21, 2024

Editor

Edo Central Vice Chairman of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, Hon Fidelis Odiase, suspended indefinitely for alleged anti- party activities.

Another person suspended alongside Odiase is a leader of the party, Patrick Alikali.

A letter signed by the State secretary of the Party, Mr F Okodolor and made available to newsman said, the erring leaders were suspended for alleged “anti-party activities, insubordination and actions capable of bringing the Party into disrepute among others.”

“It should be noted that the suspended leaders of the Party, who were alleged to have been campaigning for the opposition on online platforms, have been at the centre of a purported declaration of support for the opposition by the Edo Centre arm of the Party, recently,” the statement added.

His campaign for the opposition is said to have caused disaffection within the party.

Contacted on phone for his own side of the story, Odiase, after knowing well that he was been contacted by a journalist for the suspension, hurriedly said ‘I will get back to you’ and ended the call but never get back.