Politics
Anambra APC Wants EFCC To Probe State’s Funds
Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State, Chief Basil Ejidike, on Monday in Awka, charged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the finances of the State to unearth “monumental deception” that thrives in the state.
He said in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Chief Dan Okeke, that the government had been fraudulent in the use of its monthly security vote amounting to billions of Naira.
“Anambra as a state has not recorded significant growth and development since inception of Governor Willy Obiano’s leadership. To maintain existing developmental structures in the state remains unattainable,’’ he said.
Ejidike called on APGA government to give account of all monies in its control meant for the development of the state.
“Development has neither been visible nor felt by the people of Anambra”, he stated.
He advised APGA to face its business of governance and stop calling APC names.
“We urge APGA to focus on its campaign and leave APC alone.
“Harassing the State House of Assembly members who left APGA for APC is a distraction for the party; profferring solutions to APGA’s internal problems should be paramount to its leadership,’’ Ejidike said.
He also reminded APGA that in a democracy, there is freedom of association.
He urged more members of the House of Assembly to leave APGA and join the ruling national party to take the South -East to mainstream national politics.
“Tread on the path of your colleagues to join APC so as to return the lost glory of Anambra,’’ Ejidike appealed.
He also alleged that APGA was losing focus and that there were infrastructural deficits in roads, potable water, power, healthcare delivery, quality education, women and youth empowerment and security.
He also called on the electorate to shun APGA at the governorship election holding on November 6.
Ejidike assured the electorate that APC’s candidate, Senator Andy Uba, would change the fortunes of the state, if elected.
Responding to the charges, State Chairman of APGA, Chief Norbeth Obi, said that the party did not have to waste energy on APC’s accusation and charged it to meet APGA at the November polls.
Obi said APGA was concentrating and consolidating its plans to ensure grand victory come November 6 and had no time to banter words with the APC.
Also responding, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr C-Don Adinuba, diffused the APC’s submissions about the APGA-led government in the state.
Adinuba said that for record purposes, APGA government invited the EFCC to look into its accounts in March 2018 and it gave it a clean bill of health after the exercise.
“APGA government is the only one that has ever invited EFCC to look into its accounts.
He added that the State had the lowest unemployment rate in Nigeria with 13.1 per cent rate against 27.1 per cent nationally.
“Economists all over the world regard employment rate as most important indicator of the performance of any government,’’ Adinuba said.
He added that the National Bureau of Statistics also declared Anambra’s economy as the best managed in Nigeria.
He said that the government led by Governor Obiano was the only one in Nigeria that built an international airport within 15 months and also built an international convention centre, the best in Africa with a sitting capacity of 12,000 persons.
He said that in the next one month, Anambra would deliver the newest international stadium all built without borrowing money from any bank.
Adinuba stressed that the APGA government under Governor Obiano had no fear of any checks on its financial records.
He advised APC to arm itself with verifiable facts at all times before going to press.
Adinuba also urged APC to clean up the image of its flagbearer at the governorship election, Sen. Andy Uba, and compare it with that of APGA’s “world class’’ candidate in the person of Prof. Charles Soludo.
The Rivers contest is expected to draw heightened attention in the oil-rich state, as political actors position for influence in a district long regarded as strategic to the balance of power in Rivers State.
INEC disclosed that the by-elections will hold concurrently with the Ekiti State governorship election, underscoring what promises to be a politically charged day across several parts of the country.
Beyond Rivers, the electoral body listed other affected constituencies to include Nasarawa North Senatorial District, Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency in Kano State, Ondo South Senatorial District, and Enugu North Senatorial District.
The vacancies, according to INEC, arose from a combination of deaths, resignation, and other constitutional developments. In Nasarawa, the demise of Senator Godiya Akwashika has left a gap in a district considered a stronghold of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In Enugu, the passing of Senator Okey Ezea has set the stage for a competitive race in the South-East.
Similarly, the Ondo South seat became vacant following the resignation of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, who now serves as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, while the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa seat in Kano opened up after the death of Hon. Muhammad Danjuma Hassan.
Analysts say the Rivers South-East by-election, in particular, could reshape political alignments in the state, as parties jostle to fill the void left by Sen. Mpigi and consolidate their foothold ahead of future electoral contests.
Stakeholder from Bayelsa East Senatorial District, on Monday, endorsed the incumbent Senator representing them to run for a second term.
Leading the stakeholders, the former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism and Special Adviser to Governor Douye Diri on Political Affairs (iii), Dr Iti Orugbani, said the reason for the endorsement was based on the federal lawmaker’s trajectory of good deeds and massive execution of projects across communities of the Senatorial district.
Dr Orugbani highlighted some of the projects to include landing jetties, telecommunication masts and town halls amongst others, noting that Sen. Agadaga’s performance has exceeded those of others who hitherto represented the oil rich area.
Bayelsa East Senatorial District comprises Ogbia, Brass and Nembe Local Government Areas of the State.
The Governor’s aide who called on the State’s Eastern political enclave to respect the 2022 new zoning agreement, which guaranteed second term for Senators from the District, stressed the need for political tolerance and peace in the forthcoming 2027 polls.
“In 2022 the leaders and stakeholders across party lines from Bayelsa East held a meeting and altered the old single term for Senators from the district’s agreement and signed that begining from 2023 any Senator emerging from the district must serve for a minimum of two terms.
“In 2023, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, then an incumbent Senator representing the Senatorial district under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was given a second term ticket by the party. Though he lost to the PDP.
“Now that the entire state is now APC and the District has an APC Senator in the person of Benson Agadaga from Ogbia LGA, why not also give him a second tenure?
“The stakeholders in 2022 changed the old political agreement because they saw that it wasn’t beneficial to the district any longer. And so, because it was Ogbia Local Government Area that started the old zoning arrangement by producing the first Senator in 1999, I want to plead that let Ogbia also begin the new two terms zoning agreement”, he said.
Also speaking, the duo of woman leader of a support group, ‘Agadema Women’, Mrs. Owadaba Jokori and the Information Officer of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Central Zone, Comrade Ikio, stated that the incumbent Senator has done well for the district in the past three years that he has been in office.
They lauded the federal lawmaker for his infrastructure projects, especially the construction of landing jetties in select communities of the three local government areas of the district, commending stakeholders for supporting the lawmaker in his second term bid.
In his remarks, Senator Agadaga thanked the stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him and the endorsements he has received lately from constituents and admirers across political parties.
The lawmaker noted that within the past three years that he has been Senator, he has delivered dividends of democracy to his constituents across the Senatorial District, emphasizing that the call for him to be senator from the Brass Senatorial District came to him as a surprise, noting that he accepted the clarion call when the clamour became so loud.
“I was Chief of Staff to the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, when various groups from the zone came calling on me to contest the 2023 Senatorial polls.
“Ever since winning the elections as a senator, I’ve continued to deliver on my mandate in both representation, lawmaking, oversight, project execution and support for constituents when called upon. And I shall continue to do more if elected for a second term”, the Senator said.
By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has set May 15 as deadline for definite hearing in a suit filed by a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The judge on Monday shifted the hearing date following the absence of the plaintiff, Mr Jideobi, and his lawyer in court without any information.
Apart from the absence of the plaintiff, who is a legal practitioner, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, who are 2nd and 3rd defendants in the matter, were also not in court.
Following the absence of the plaintiff and the two defendants, Chris Uche, SAN, representing Dr Jonathan, applied to the court to strike out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution.
Having joined issues with each other, Mr Uche said, the suit is liable for dismissal with a N5 million cost to be awarded against the plaintiff and payable to Dr Jonathan.
He argued that from all indications, the plaintiff has abandoned the suit and ran away upon sighting the preliminary objections raised against the suit, adding that the court is a busy place and not for unserious matters.
Justice Lifu, however, noted that there was no evidence of service of hearing notice on INEC and AGF to appear in court for the suit, adding that lack of service of hearing notice is fundamental.
The judge said rather than striking out the suit, he prefers to bend backward to accommodate the plaintiff and the two defendants for the last time.
While adjourning the matter to May 15, Justice Lifu ordered that hearing notice be served on the plaintiff and the 2nd and 3rd defendants who were not in court on Monday.
The plaintiff, Mr Jideobi, had filed the case seeking an order to restrain Dr Jonathan from presenting himself to any political party as an aspirant for the 2027 election.
He is also asking the court to stop INEC from accepting, processing or publishing Dr Jonathan’s name as a presidential candidate.
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