Politics
Abia Guber: Otti Accepts S’Court Verdict Poll …Insists Ikpeazu, PDP Rigged
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr Alex Otti, has asked the Supreme Court to annul the results of the 2019 governorship poll in 13 of the 17 Local Government Areas of Abia State, alleging irregularities.
But a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, reaffirmed the election of Ikpeazu as the governor.
However, Otti, in a press release issued by his Media Assistant, Ferdinand Ekeoma, yesterday morning in Umuahia, insisted that Ikpeazu and PDP rigged the March 9 gubernatorial poll conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Abia state.
The APGA chieftain disclosed that he and his party, APGA, have accepted the judgement with equanimity, devoid of anger and bitterness.
He urged the people of Abia to accept the temporary setback and remain peaceful and law abiding.
Otti’s press release read partly, “On Wednesday January 8, 2020, the Supreme Court of Nigeria finally resolved issues concerning the 2019 Abia governorship election. Sadly, the court dismissed our appeal mainly on technical grounds that revolved around the Electoral Act, and not on the basis of lack of evidence or inaccuracy of our facts.
“In spite of what the Supreme Court says, we remain convinced that Dr Okezie Ikpeazu and his party did not, and could not have won the 2019 governorship election, especially when he had a disastrous outing in his first term, the climax of which was his nationally acclaimed oppression of Abia workers and pensioners who were being owed 12 months and 22 months arrears respectively as at the time of the election in question, a record that has gotten worse since after the election.
“We were also not surprised that Abians received the judgement with graveyard silence and sorrow while the governor and his allies celebrated the verdict, expectedly. Let’s thank all of you that have kept faith and remained supportive; just like us, you want a much better deal of good governance for our dear state of Abia. You want an Abia you can proudly call your own. May we remind you that sometimes, in disappointments come greater strength, opportunities, and better results, this shall be our case in the end.”
“Let us restate with every sense of humility, that the struggle to end the leadership mediocrity ravaging Abia State is not about Alex Otti, neither is it Alex Otti’s fight against Okezie Ikpeazu, sadly that is the divisive and misleading narrative the Abia political demagogues have tenaciously upheld to deceive the gullible, sow a seed of discord, and perpetually indulge in grand thievery while subjecting the Abia masses to undeserved slavery.
“We are convinced that to be a loser, is to accept an unfounded verdict of defeat from your inferiors; we are much better in all facets than those who seek to mock us over our temporary political setbacks. So let’s boldly remind them that the greatest losers are those who have exhibited conscientious and conspicuous cruelty against the suffering masses whose happiness should be a top priority of every leader with genuine victory.
Politics
2024 Budget: Funds Were Shared Among Senators -Abaribe
The lawmaker representing Abia South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has explained how the Zonal Intervention Project funds were shared among senators.
Recall that the senator representing Cross River North, Agom Jarigbe on Tuesday revealed that ranking senators got N500 million each while he got nothing.
Senator Jarigbe made the revelation on the floor of the Senate while speaking on allegations of budget padding raised by the lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, Senator Abdul Ningi.
The lawmakers who have spent at least four years in the Senate are regarded as ranking senators.
Speaking on the development on a live television interview on Wednesday, Senator Abaribe denied receiving N500 million as alleged by Senator Jarigbe.
Senator Abaribe said he got N266 million from the money allocated to lawmakers in the six geo-political zones.
According to him, lawmakers from some zones, like the Northwest, which has seven states, would expect to get less than what he got, as his Southeast zone has only five states.
He said, “I have been saying that all fingers are not equal and by privilege of office, certain people will get but not every Senator gets an equal amount.
“These are six zones in the country, and every zone gets its own N10 billion in intervention. Now, if you are from the Northwest zone, because you have seven states, the senator will get less than me who comes from the five-state zone.
“My state, Abia, gets N2 billion and if we break it down for both the Senate and the representatives, the Senate is getting 40% and the House gets 60%.
“I got about N266 million as zonal intervention. The person in the Northwest who has seven states, will necessarily get less, about a hundred million and something.
“So it’s not correct when we say every constituency must get an equal amount.”
Politics
Dump PDP, Enhance Your Value, APC Woos Gov Mutfwang
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has been advised to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) so that his good works and value can appreciate more.
The call was made on Wednesday by the North Central APC Forum in Jos, the Plateau State capital, during the forum’s first quarter of the year meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, the APC Forum Chairman, Saleh Zazzaga, said they were meeting to review the state of the party in the region as well as the region’s economic and security situation, adding that the position of the Plateau State Governor was vital in the overall development of the region.
Zazzaga, who was also a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in the last election, commended Governor Mutfwang for carrying the citizenry along in his developmental efforts, noting that his approach to boost peace and security of the state as well as his calm personality was impressive.
However, he said for the governor to attain a robust and exhaustive achievement of his agenda, policies and the development of Plateau State, he should defect to the APC.
He said the governor’s defection would not amount to relegating his former party to the background, but would rather strengthen him more to develop Plateau State.
According to the Chairman, the FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, is a good example of someone who seeks development for his people and the nation at large, using any vital and handy platform or party to advance his cause.
“Governor Caleb Mutfwang has so far shown that he is a progressive governor through his works, words and deeds since assuming office. But for him to advance more, he should consider joining the APC.
“This is because joining the APC will put him on the same page with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu who has the interest of Plateau in his heart and has been doing his best to advance it.
“Besides, Governor Mutfwang will be on the same page with his other counterparts in the North Central who are of the APC, and together they will have a common ground and work for the interest and development of the region in general and their specific states in particular.
“Also, most of the legislators from the state are in APC, and they can work hand-in-hand to move the state forward, because the relationship between the executive and the legislature cannot be overemphasized in the pursuance of progress and development.
Politics
Step Aside Over Alleged Budget Padding, PDP Urges Akpabio
The Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) on Wednesday demanded that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, immediately steps aside and allow for an independent investigation into the allegation that a staggering N3.7 trillion was discreetly inserted into the 2024 budget for alleged non-existent projects.
In a statement released by Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary, the main opposition party also demanded that Akpabio immediately report to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the pending case relating to N108 billion belonging to the people of Akwa Ibom State, allegedly looted under his watch as the governor.
The party similarly told the Senate President to speak out on the reported N86 billion contract scam that allegedly occurred in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) during his tenure as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
The PDP condemned the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi by the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership in the Senate “without a detailed inquest into the issue of budget padding which he raised.”
Recall that Ningi blew the whistle on the alleged unexplained N3.7 trillion inserted into the budget, leading to his suspension from the chamber for allegedly disparaging the legislature.
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