Politics
Kudos To INEC Over Certificates Of Returns
The state chairman of the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Brother Felix Obuah has praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for issuing certificate of returns to its candidates who won the re run elections.
He described the move as a welcome development, saying however that the delay to issue the certificates was regrettable.
INEC is expected to release results and issue certificate of return after seven days as stipulated in the Electoral Act without any compromise.
Obuah called on INEC to urgently reschedule re run in the cancelled areas and conclude all processes required in the election in Rivers State.
Similarly, the Rivers State Chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has praised the electoral body for the move.
The State Chairman of SDP, Engr Joshua Worlu who stated this in an interview with The Tide noted that the exercise came a bit late.
He urged the electoral body to continue to be fair in all its activities even as he warned politicians to stop seeking powers and political offices by all means.
The SDP boss said the INEC should not be blamed of the violence that characterised the 19th March re run election in the state, stressing that the bulk of the blame should go to politicians who wants to win at all cost.
‘’INEC is to ensure that it conduct a free, fair election while the politicians should adhere to the rules lay down by the law’’, he said.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had, last Friday, presented certificates of return to candidates who were declared winners in the last March 19th re run elections in Rivers State.
The Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak who presented the certificates to the candidates said the re run election was marred by violence and wide malpractices, noting that there were places where Returning Officers and INEC officers were held hostage and made to declare results under duress.
He used the opportunity to express reservation some candidates who were declared winners, stressing that some of them did not meet the criteria but the law said the majority should be declared winner by the accredited returning officer.
He however said the House of representatives candidates will receive their certificate in Abuja.
Eleven House of Assembly candidates were issued certificate of returns, out of which 9 are Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and 2 All Progressive Congress (APC).
They are Messrs Martins Mina, Edison Nwole, Major Jack, Benibo Anagbraba, Samuel Oge and martins Amawhule. Others are Micheal Oke Chinda,Kelechi Worgu,christain Ahiakwo, Andrew Mila and Tonye Smart.
Politics
Alia Denies Calling For Ganduje’s Resignation
Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, has denied calling for the resignation of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje.
This was contained in a press statement issued on Wednesday in Makurdi by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr Tersoo Kula.
The Tide source reports that the CPS was reacting to some media reports that the governor had called for the resignation of the APC national chairman.
Kula said the governor at no time called for the resignation of the APC national chairman.
He said the governor enjoyed a good relationship with the Ganduje-led leadership of the APC.
“It is imperative to clarify that at no point did Governor Alia assembled, attended and sent a representative or participated in any meeting to discuss the removal or call for resignation of Alhaji. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
“The Benue State governor remains firm in his support and allegiance to the leadership of the National Working Committee of the APC, under the leadership of Alhaji Ganduje.
“Furthermore, at no point, whether publicly or privately, has the governor advocated or expressed any desire for the resignation of the national party chairman”, he said.
He said the governor was focused on positively changing the fortunes of the state.
“He is alive to his responsibilities as the leader of APC in Benue State and is doing everything legitimate to reposition the party for future victories,” Kula said.
Politics
LP Re-Elects Abure As National Chairman
The embattled national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Julius Abure, has been re-elected for a second term by a unanimous affirmation of delegates despite the protests by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The Chairman of the National Convention and Deputy Governor of Abia State, Mr. Ikechukwu Emetu declared him the winner during the party’s national convention that held in Nnewi, Anambra State, on Wednesday.
Other serving officers of the party were also returned unopposed.
Recall that the NLC had called for Abure’s resignation as party chairman and the immediate constitution of a caretaker transition committee to organize an all-inclusive national convention for the party.
Meanwhile, a factional chairman of the Labour Party in Anambra State, Mr Peter Okoye has boasted that the Nnewi national convention will not stand.
Describing the convention as a sham, Okoye said: “This is not a convention. We are on top of the matter. It’s purely illegal.
“There was no ward congress, no local government congress, no state congress, and now who and who are the elected delegates that are electing the National Working Committee, NWC, members?
“The NLC was not there, TUC was not there, the owners of the party and members of the NEC and BOT members were not there too. So, who is holding the convention?”
Politics
Suswam Blames External Forces For Problems In PDP
Former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is being undermined by external forces which have rendered the party ineffective as a viable opposition.
Senator Suswam stated this during a live television interview on Wednesday.
He lamented that the party had since after the 2023 general elections failed to live up to expectations of Nigerians as a viable opposition.
Senator Suswam, who blamed the current PDP leadership for the ineffective state of the largest opposition party in the country, said unless there is an overhaul of its leadership, the party would “go nowhere” because the current leadership has lost focus.
He said, “I think there are subterranean forces inferring in the party and they are determining what is going on in the party. And the leadership is acquiescing to it.
“Subterranean suggests that people are trying to control the party from the outside. They are controlling the party from the outside and they are keeping the party in a comatose state.”
The Benue senator accused the party of refusing to call a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to help resolve some of the issues arising in the party.
He regretted the inability of the party to resolve the fallout of the 2022 presidential primary election which saw a group of five governors work against the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 presidential election.
He added that the inability of the Iliya Damagum-led leadership to discipline erring party members worsened the situation.
Senator Suswam said it was wrong for the party not to have sanctioned the G-5 governors and their allies who openly declared that they would remain in the party and work against its interest.
“They were not sanctioned which made others become emboldened to act anyway they wanted. PDP has been weakened since then,” he said.
He said no serious organisation does that, stressing that, “A serious organisation would apply sanctions” based on the laid down rules as contained in its constitution.
He further accused the acting national chairman of the party, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, of occupying the position which belongs to the North-Central zone, following the removal of the substantive chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, who hails from the zone.
Amb. Damagum, who was the Deputy National Chairman (North), hails from the North-East zone but was, as permitted by the party’s constitution, made acting chairman after Ayu’s removal by a court order.
The party’s law provides that the deputy chairman from the same region as the chairman takes over in the event of the latter’s removal from office.
Senator Suswam further lamented that “PDP is comatose now, and nothing can happen now,” adding that it was regrettable that politicians are now preferring to hold talks with smaller parties and not the PDP.
Noting that the PDP was at the precipice, Senator Suswam said, “Until we provide that leadership, PDP will not be a viable platform. We need to overhaul the leadership of the party. There is no pretence about it, everybody in PDP knows it. Without discipline and reconciliation, the party goes nowhere.”
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