Politics
PDP Receives More Decampees From Rivers APC
It was like a canival of sort as hundreds of APC members from Obio/Akpor, Emohua, Etche and PH City Local Government Areas rejoined the PDP.
The reception for the decampees took place on Tuesday, at the Rumueme Civic Centre, Port Harcourt.
Speaking while receiving the decampees, Governor Nyesom Wike, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo urged Nigerians to vote out the APC-led government at the centre as the party does not have good intentions for the masses.
Governor Wike described the APC as a group of people who were hungry for power without the intention of making the nation great, noting that all the promises that the PDP-led government in the state made to the people had been fulfilled.
The State Chief Executive enjoined the people, particularly women to be ready to vote out the APC-led government which according to him, does not have any good intentions for them.
The Governor, who observed that the APC lacked internal democracy, opined that it is the reason it has been unable to conduct its congress.
“Look at their congress. Something as simple as congress, they could not conduct. See how PDP conducted its congress where everything went smoothly, Jeje, everything relayed live and everybody was happy, but this APC own, confusion, confusion, confusion. How can a party that cannot conduct a simple congress rule a nation”.
We thank God because their deceit has come to an end. Anyone that starts with deceit, one day that deceit must end. Today it has ended”, Governor Wike said.
He expressed delight that the level of development in Rivers State is unparalleled to the extent that even the blind can notice, saying that it is the same with other PDP-controlled states.
“Even a blind man will know that development in this state is unparalleled. It is not seen anywhere, and that is how development in all PDP states are.
“They are passionate about their people. They are all grassroots developers”.
He said, the state government is investing in critical infrastructure such as roads, hospitals and schools, in all local government areas across the state, maintaining that the special welfare package and enhanced salary being enjoyed by university lecturers in the state has made them not to join the ongoing nation-wide ASUU strike.
“You heard that ASUU is on strike, but Rivers State University is not on strike, why because the lecturers are well paid, they are being taken good care of. When we heard that Resident Doctors were on strike nation-wide for almost 2 months or more the ones in Rivers State were working, people were coming from neighbouring states to our state to receive health care.
“That is because we have a government that cares about the people, their education, their health and their infrastructure”.
The governor welcomed the returnees to the PDP and urged the various LGA party chairmen to properly integrate them into the scheme of things.
He used the occasion to congratule Rivers women on the occasion of the celebration of International Women’s Day , but regretted that the government in power at the centre has refused to recognise the role of women in nation- building, which explained why the five gender-related bills were rejected by the National Assembly.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, said that the returnees realised that they were deceived to join the APC and had decided to return to the PDP.
“The returnees have one message, they said they strayed into the APC because they were deceived.
They were told all sorts of things.
They were given hope. They were told that it will be one Naira to one Dollar.
They were told that women would be respected, they were told that the children would get better education, they were also told that there is going to be a Deep Sea Port at Bonny before 2023.
“They were equally told that there would be a railway line to Ubima by 2023 and finally they were told that they would get the Presidency in 2023, but they have just confirmed that they were all lies, and they have no other option than to run out of the house and go back to the PDP before it will collapse, which they did not know will collapse few days ago”.
The PDP chairman
while regreting that the government in power at the center had through the legislative arm decided to relegate women to the background and disrespect them, said Nigerian women had taken a decision not to support the APC again.
“The height of the deceit is what has happened today which is known all over the world as Women’s Day. And only one country in the world that has decided that women should be relegated to the background and women should no longer be respected.
“Nigerian women that remembered the Aba women’s riot, people like Margret Ekpo, and seeing themselves and how they have been relegated today, women have taken a decision in this county that never again will they support APC”.
The State PDP chairman who noted with nolstagic feelings that Nigerian children are at home today because people who could not produce their credentials during screening are at the helmes of affairs of the country, regretted that they have reneged on all the agreements reached with Asuu, disclosing that River State University was not on strike due to the fact that lecturers at the University are the highest paid among University lecturers in the county.
He disclosed that the State Government has given women their pride of place in the scheme of things , hinting that Rivers State is the only state to have a female Deputy Governor back to back, while the Vice chairmen of the 23 local government councils are women.
He told the returnees that PDP is a party with the largest umbrella which can accommodate every one, assuring them of equal opportunities in the scheme of things.
Ambassador Akawor who congratulated the returnees for their decision, informed that similar receiption would be held in Bori and Ahoada in few weeks time to receive those who are returning to the PDP in those Local government areas.
In their separate speeches, the returnees including the immediate past APC State
Treasurer and former ward 14 leader in Obio/Akpor, Owhor kinikanwo Friday, Sir Lord Nelson Wali, Former APC ward 3 leader, Obio/Akpor, Hon Christopher Obasiolu, former Director -General, Rivers State Water Services Regulatory Commission, Chief Solomon Chukwu, former Chairman, Task Force on Scrap Metal, Rivers State, Hon Princewill Ichemati Tobin, immediate past chairman APC, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Sir Kingdom Nwankwo from Etche among others spoke in unison that they were all deceived to join the APC.
In their solidarity speches, leaders from the four LGAs, including Frank Owhor of Obio/Akpor, Allwell Onyeso of Etche and Azubuike Mmerukini of Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas commended Governor Nyesom Wike for his unprecented level of development across the state and the decampees for toeing the path of honour.
The event which had the full complement of members of the State Exco of the PDP, including the Deputy chairman, Hon. Chukwuemeka Aaron, State Secretary, Dr. Benibo George, State women leader, Mrs Mariam Ogbonna, State Treasurer, Mrs Amadi and the State Publicity Secretary, Hon. Tambari Sydney Gbara among others, was also attended by other top Government functionaries, Council chairmen, political heavy weights and featured cultural dances from the various wards and LGAs.
The event, jointly organised by LP and ADC to publicly acknowledge the movement of party members, was first scheduled to hold at the LP secretariat in Idimu.
However, chaos erupted when more than 100 suspected thugs reportedly stormed the premises, forcing party members and officials to flee.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers, some armed with knives, canes and other dangerous objects, assaulted individuals they encountered during the invasion.
The assailants were also heard chanting hostile slogans, declaring that LP and ADC were not welcome in Lagos State.
Several party members sustained injuries in the process, while party property, including furniture and flags, were vandalised.
Despite the disruption, officials of both parties quickly relocated the programme to an alternative venue, the Eco Centre Event Hall in Egbeda, in a bid to continue the ceremony.
Speaking on the incident, the LP Chairman in Alimosho, Mr Olanrewaju Olushola, popularly known as Heritage, condemned the attack, describing it as unprovoked and alarming, especially with the 2027 general elections approaching.
“What is most painful is that most of my members sustained varying degrees of wounds. This is in spite of the hoodlums going into our party secretariat in Alimosho and destroying our furniture and flags,” he said.
Mr Olushola clarified that the defection itself had already taken place, stressing that Saturday’s gathering was merely a symbolic ceremony to inform the public of their decision.
According to him, nearly all LP members in Alimosho, including the party’s leadership structure, had collectively agreed to move to the ADC.
Also speaking, the party’s Secretary in Alimosho, Mr Moses Akujuobi, explained that plans for an open defection ceremony had earlier been halted by the police, who cited the absence of formal approval.
He said the organisers had reached out to the Area M Commander, ACP Abaniwonda, who reportedly informed them that only the Commissioner of Police could authorise political events in the state.
“Incidentally, we could not reach the CP, but we informed the DSS, after which we went ahead since it wasn’t a rally but a quiet ceremony,” Mr Akujuobi said.
He added that the situation became more tense upon arrival at the initial venue.
“When we got to the venue this morning, we were shocked to see police vans with heavily armed policemen. They informed us that we cannot hold the event and referred us to the police commissioner.
“While we were at it, the hoodlums besieged the place and began to beat people, leading to our deserting the venue,” he explained.
Mr Akujuobi said party officials subsequently contacted members by phone to proceed to the second venue in Egbeda, where the programme resumed briefly.
“We, however, began to contact our members through phones to move to the second venue, which is the Eco Event Centre, and everyone witnessed what took place here.
“The hoodlums got wind of our second venue and equally attacked us, beating up our members again,” he added.
He noted that the decision to defect to the ADC was driven by internal leadership challenges within the Labour Party and protracted legal disputes affecting the party.
Shortly after the hoodlums vacated the second venue, several police vans carrying armed officers reportedly arrived at the location.
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has strongly rejected calls by the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria seeking the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, over comments he allegedly made on genocide.
The Fellowship described the demand as unjustified and a threat to constitutional freedoms.
In a statement signed by its National Secretary, Bishop David Bakare, the PFN insisted that Prof Amupitan, like every Nigerian, has the constitutional right to express his views on matters of national concern, irrespective of the public office he occupies.
According to the PFN, the comments attributed to the INEC Chairman were made in his personal capacity and had no link whatsoever with his official responsibilities or electoral duties.
The Fellowship stressed that elections and electoral activities were not involved in the matter, arguing that there was no basis to connect the alleged comments to Prof Amupitan’s role as INEC Chairman.
“We strongly oppose such calls because Prof. Amupitan, as a Nigerian, has the right to make comments on what he observes to be happening in the nation, regardless of his appointment or assignment,” the statement read.
The PFN said it condemned “in every ramification” the suggestion that the INEC Chairman should be removed from office on the basis of his personal views, warning against attempts to punish public officials for expressing opinions outside the scope of their official duties.
The Tide source reports that the Fellowship also cautioned against what it described as a growing tendency to interpret national issues through religious lenses, noting that such an approach only deepens divisions and undermines peaceful coexistence.
“We must resist the temptation of profiling or judging people based on their religious beliefs or positions. Prof. Amupitan has a right to bear his mind, and this should not be at the cost of his job,” the PFN added.
The PFN called on all stakeholders to exercise restraint, understanding and mutual respect in national discourse, particularly on sensitive issues.
It emphasised that unity and peace must remain paramount in addressing national challenges.
The Fellowship reaffirmed its commitment to fairness, justice and mutual respect, urging that these values guide public engagement and responses to issues affecting the country.
In A Statement Issued On Saturday, Mr Obiorah Ifoh, The Factional Spokesperson, Described The Decision Of The Electoral Body As Strange.
Mr Ifoh Also Said The Sacked Factional Leadership Of The Party Will Protest The Action Of INEC.
Stating That Judgment Of The Court And The Decision Of INEC Will Not Stop Its Members From Putting Up A Strong Appearance In The Forthcoming 2027 General Election, Mr Ifoh Noted Legal Redress Would Be Sought By LP.
He Said, “Some Persons Who Are Applauding The Impunity By Some Politicians Should Retrace And Do Some Introspection, Because This Was How In The Past They Applauded Injustice In Our Democracy Because They Were Beneficiaries.
“At The End Of The Day, When Their Enthroned Leaders Began To Abuse Power, They Started Complaining.
“For Us In Labour Party, Our Faith Is Strong That The Appellate Court Will Do The Right Thing And Therefore We Advise Our Members To Remain Calm. We Will Continue With The Struggle To Take Our Party From The Godfather,” Mr Ifoh Said.
He Also Stated That The Labour Party Is A Party Formed On The Basis Of Social Democracy Where No One Man Is Permitted To Appoint Everybody.
According To Him, It Is Against The Party’s Principles For “One Man To Sit At A Place And Gather Everybody And Appoint Everybody From The National Working Committee To The State.
“That Is Impunity Of The Highest Order. This, I Believe, Negates The Principles Of The Party.
“If We Say There Is No Party Ideology In Nigeria, This Is How It Starts. We Are Very Sure That It Will Be Quashed On Appeal,” He Added.
Mr Ifoh Also Described The Celebration And Excitement Showcased By Senator Nenadi Usman And The Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti As Temporary.
He Said Dr Otti, Senator Usman And Their Cohorts’ Names Which Were Already Listed On INEC’s Portal Will Be Short-Lived.
“It Is For A Short Time. Their Victory Is Pyrrhic And There Is Nothing To Celebrate Because Doomsday Is Closer Than They Will Imagine; Which I Believe Will Be Very Catastrophic For Them.
“Moreover, It Is Very Clear That The Appointment Of The Caretaker Committee Did Not Go Through The Normal Procedure. Proper Notice Was Not Given In Line With The Party Constitution And The Electoral Act,” He Said.