Politics
Tinubu’s Campaign List: Onoh Excuses Nnamani
Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Aspirant in Enugu State, Dr. Josef Onoh, has given reasons for Senator Chimaroke Nnamani’s inclusion in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential campaign council of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to Onoh, even though Nnamani belongs to the PDP, he had come to share affinity with Tinubu in many ways, particularly since both of them became governors of their respective states between 1999 and 2007.
He recalled that Tinubu and Nnamani commenced the Southern Nigeria Governors Forum which has now crystallized into a major political force for balancing of power in the Nigeria federation. He further recalled that it was at the same Southern Governors Forum meeting hosted by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in Asaba that took a decision that the next President of Nigeria should come from Southern Nigeria, despite any political party affiliation.
Onoh said that he however regrets that the initial host of that Southern Governor’s meeting, Okowa, capitulated, sold out a decision taken in his house and went behind to negotiate for a selfish vice presidential slot at the detriment of the entire Southern Nigeria.
“Despite this, what is more worrisome is the PDP fatal error of negation of its own written constitution to elect a candidate of Northern extraction bearing in mind that the North has held power in the past seven and a half years.
“There is a caveat in the PDP constitution which says that zoning should be respected for the purpose of giving a sense of belonging to all members of the party and for all-inclusiveness except and only when a resolution of the National Executive Council (NEC) decides otherwise. Secondly, Section 7 (2) (c) of the PDP Constitution, states that in pursuance of the principle of equity, justice and fairness, the party shall adhere to the policy of rotation and zoning of party and public elective offices, and it shall be enforced by the appropriate executive committee at all levels,” Onoh said.
Exonerating Senator Nnamani of any wrong doing in his choice of which presidential candidates to support, Onoh said that it was up to Nigerians to determine their choices.
“If this problem of PDP governors led by Governor Nyesom Wike continues and it’s not resolved amicably, taking cognizance that Wike as a heavy pillar has stood by the PDP through thick and thin, more surprises await PDP in the buildup of elections. Wike was one of the standing pillars of PDP, when the party needed a messiah, he was the Moses that led the PDP, but unfortunately, when the PDP got to the land flowing with milk and honey, it decided to dump the ship it used in sailing across, and in the instead chose to use a speed boat.
“If the crisis is not resolved amicably for wisdom to prevail, more shockers await PDP that would be beyond the issue of Asiwaji Tinubu incorporating Chimaroke Nnamani into his campaign council. Nnamani is only running for Senate under the PDP and not for the President. Most of the PDP Governors have fallen out from the PDP presidential campaign and it’s only when the Wike crisis is resolved that the party can say it has a direction and so it’s only then that anybody can have recourse to Chimaroke Nnamani,” Onoh said.
However, the Tinubu Campaign has said that the inclusion of the name of Senator Nnamani in its campaign council was error.
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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