Politics
Former APC National Secretary Dumps Party
The immediate past National Secretary of Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator James John Akpanudoedehe, has resigned from the party.
It is speculated that what might have led to Akpanudoedehe’s resignation could be a face-off between him and the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, when he was the National Secretary, resulting in the latter paying him back now.
Apart from that, Akpanudoedehe supported Chief Austin Ekanem as the state APC Chairman, while former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Goodswill Akpabio is supporting Obong Stephen Ntukekpo, a disagreement that both parties could not resolve amicably.
In a letter of resignation dated June 4, 2022, and addressed to the Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Ward 6, Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Akpanudoedehe said the decision to part ways with the APC was a tough one.
“Henceforth, I cease to be a member of the APC in my ward (ward 6 in Uyo LGA) or anywhere for that matter. I hereby relinquish all rights which inured to me as a member of the APC, member of the National Advisory Council and member of the National Caucus of the APC,” he wrote.
Confirming the story to The Tide source on Monday, Solomon Johnny who was the state Publicity Secretary of APC under the Ekanem-led administration said, “It is true that the Senator has resigned.”
Recall that the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, swore in Stephen Ntukekpo as chairman of the party in Akwa Ibom State despite a court order directing parties to maintain the status quo.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja had on April 7 directed all parties “to maintain the status quo” in an appeal filed by Akpanudoedehe for a stay of execution as well as challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Abuja which declared Mr Ntukepo as chairman of the party in Akwa Ibom.
However, on April 11, 72 hours after the court’s directive, Mr Ntukekpo was sworn in by Mr Adamu as the substantive chairman of APC in Akwa Ibom State, in defiance of the Appeal Court order.
But last week, Senator Akpanudoedehe withdrew the matter from the court.
From the beginning, APC in Akwa Ibom State had been enmeshed in a leadership crisis before and after the state congress of the party in October 2021.
The state congress of the party resulted in two different sets of executives claiming leadership of the party in the state.
Two parallel state congresses of the party were held in October 2021 which produced two parallel state executives, both claiming to be the legitimate body in charge of the party in the state.
One faction led by Austin Ekanem as state chairman, which was loyal to Mr Akpanudoedeghe was said to have emerged from the congress conducted at Sheergrace Arena in Uyo reportedly monitored by a committee deployed by the party’s national headquarters and supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The second faction led by Mr Ntukekpo as state chairman, which is loyal to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, emerged from the congress conducted the same day but in another location – Kara Event Centre, also in the state capital, Uyo.
Leadership crisis amid legal tussle erupted immediately after the state congress, but Mr Akpanudoedehe’s faction, led by Mr Ekanem, had the upper hand when their principal was in office as Caretaker Committee Secretary of the party.
Mr Ekanem was, on March 7, sworn into office as the state chairman of the party along with others by the Niger State Governor, Abubakar Bello, who was then acting chairman of the party’s caretaker committee while the then chairman, Governor Mala Buni of Yobe State, was abroad for medical treatment.
However, the governorship primary that was held on May 26, 2022 broke the camel’s back.
Akpanudoedehe who was an APC governorship aspirant plotted to hold the primary at Sheergrace Event Centre, Uyo while Akpabio’s faction held its own along Ekpo Obot Street, Uyo, the Ntukekpo’s party office.
Eventually, the APC National body delivered election materials to Ntukekpo and Obong Akan Udofia emerged as the state governorship standard bearer for the 2023 general elections.
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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