News
Ahead National Confab: Fresh Crisis Hits APC …Oshiomhole’s Endorsement Foolish,Childish -Oyegun
Fresh crisis has hit the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of its national convention.
This is as the South-South zone of the party has been divided following a controversial zonal meeting held in Benin, Edo State.
National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Odigie Oyegun has described as childish, Monday’s endorsement of former Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as the South-South consensus candidate for the office of National Chairman of the ruling party.
The convention has been fixed for May 14 with the position of national chairman retained in the south-south geopolitical zone.
Certain leaders of the party from the zone, led by its national vice-chairman, Hillard Eta at a meeting in Edo State pronounced Comrade Oshiomhole as the zone adopted candidate.
The resolution was however rejected by state chairmen of the party from Rivers, Akwa-Ibom and Bayelsa State, leaving the former Edo State Governor with the support of Edo State and scant backing from Cross Rivers and Delta.
Our correspondent revealed that Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi and his counterpart, in the Ministry of Niger Delta, Pastor Usani Usani were absent at the meeting which took place at the Edo State Government House.
But speaking with newsmen yesterday at the APC National Secretariat, Chief Oyegun said the endorsement was “childish, absolutely childish. The voting Congress is done at the convention and not in State Houses, not in government houses.”
Oyegun said he was not bothered by the purported endorsement which he claimed was stage managed by the Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki.
“No, it doesn’t because one of those who want my job is from Edo and he was the immediate past Governor and he was very instrumental in installing the present governor, so I think it is a case of rub my back I rub your back that is playing out.
“They have their reasons for what they did and you have to respect their own reasons, however wrong it is. Don’t bother about this teaser, I will give a comprehensive interview, to speak with you people when the time comes.”
The APC chairman was however silent on whether he would be seeking for a fresh mandate in the forthcoming national convention.
“Well, I’m going to know when the convention committee announces their programmes, then when I’m going to buy a form if I will re-contest I will let you know.”
Further findings revealed that sale of forms for the respective offices will commence today.
In a video recorded after the meeting, APC chairmen from Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers and Bayelsa, as well as some aggrieved zonal leaders, told reporters that whatever resolution reached at the South South zonal meeting was not binding on them.
They said the National Vice Chairman, South South, Ntufam Eta, of convened the meeting with the sole aim of getting an endorsement for a particular aspirant to the post of national chairman.
They said the national vice chairman does not have the power to convene any zonal meeting, without getting the clearance of the National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun, who is also from South South.
The Rivers State Chairman of the party, Chief Davies Ikanya, said, “The national vice chairman is from the zone. The national chairman is also from the zone. The national vice chairman cannot convene a meeting of the zone without the knowledge or approval of the national chairman.
“We were ambushed by the national vice chairman, to adopt a pre-conceived candidate he had already made up his mind about, based on whatever agreement.
“Even when someone raised a motion, asking him to disqualify himself from the meeting, having shown bias, he ignored it and sat there, and is now saying there was a decision. We want you to know that out of six states, four states are saying it was an ambush; it is not acceptable. There was no resolution.
“We have said every person is free to run for an election. We stand by the resolution of the NEC, that there is a waiver. The national chairman can re-contest if he so wishes. Anybody from the zone can contest. Whatever has come out of this meeting is a farce. It is not binding on anybody.
“It is null and void, because four states are saying no. Just one and half, Edo and some fraction of Delta, are the people saying they have a vote. This is not democracy. The majority view is that there was no consensus on any candidate.”
The Bayelsa State chairman, Tiwei Orunimighe aligned with the others, saying what happened was a fraud.
On his part, the Cross Rover chairman, Etim John, said, “As regards what happened here, I stand to dissociate myself. Whatever resolution so adopted is null and void.”
His Akwa Ibom state counterpart, Dr. Amadu Atai, said, “We came here to be ambushed by the national vice chairman. We, from Akwa Ibom State will not support any decision taken here today. Whatever decision taken today is out of context and we cannot accept it.”
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.