Politics
Adamawa APC Suspends State Chairman
Twenty-five members of the State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa state, Monday, impeached the chairman of the party, Ibrahim Bilal.
The executive members cited gross abuse of power, corruption, dereliction of duty, embezzlement, among other 23 allegations levelled against the embattled Chairman.
The SEC members also unanimously endorsed the deputy chairman, Samaila Taddawus as acting chairman.
This is contained in a press statement issued by the members of the State Executive Committee in Yola, Adamawa state.
While accepting his appointment as the acting Chairman, Taddawua, vowed to reconcile aggrieved members and refocused the party towards achieving overwhelming victory in 2023.
While passing a vote of no confidence on the chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Ibrahim Bilal, the SEC members said, “We the undersigned members of the state executive committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State wish to pass a vote of no confidence on the chairman of Adamawa State chapter of APC, Ibrahim Bilal, over gross misconduct.
“Our resolve to take this line of action follows the failure of the chairman to respond to the allegations of gross misconduct leveled against him as provided for in the constitution.
“We view his failure to respond to the weighty allegations as acceptance of guilt.”
The statement explained that, “On the 26th August 2022, twenty five members of the state executive committee, issued a formal complaint to three executive officers of the party over constitutional violations which constitute gross misconduct in line with the spirit of fair hearing as provided by the constitution.
“The persons involved are the chairman of the party, Ibrahim Bilal, the secretary of the party, Mr. Raymond Chidama and the treasurer of the party Alh. Yahya Hammanjulde.
“They were given seven day grace to respond to the allegations which elapsed on 1st September 2022.
“The secretary and the treasurer duly responded and made convincing submissions and hence cleared their names.
“But as at this day, the chairman of the party refused to respond to the grave allegations in other to clear his name. He has even refused to come to Yola from his Abuja base where he has permanently relocated.
The statement further adds that, “As a result of this gross failure, we hereby resolved to invoke article 21.5 (vi) of the party’s constitution which vested us with the powers to pass a vote of no confidence on him this day of September 2022.”
Outlining their grievances against the party chairman, the committee states that, “The chairman has through dubious means deceived the aspirants of the party and collected huge sums of monies from them running into hundreds of millions of naira.
“The chairman sold many vehicles belonging to the party and did not remit a dime to the secretariat.
“The chairman has shrouded the finances of the secretariat in secrecy and has been running the affairs of the party like a personal investment with no checks and balances and without auditing since he came on board.
“The chairman has converted some properties of the secretariat into personal use.
“The chairman collected huge bribes from the PDP to subvert the recent gubernatorial primaries of APC.
“He is living in stupendous opulence beyond his legitimate earnings enabling him to have a number of choice properties in Yola and Abuja.
“The chairman vehemently refused to create the necessary avenue for aggrieved parties to reconcile after the conduct of party primaries.
“The chairman blatantly refused to congratulate the winner of the gubernatorial primaries of our great party, Sen. Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani on time without any justification even though some party executive have prodded and advised him to do so.
“The chairman bought an eight seater bus at the cost of N29 million without consultation or due approval of the Executives or any organ of the party as stipulated in the constitution.
“The chairman in a very shameful manner unbecoming of a person holding such important position, threw caution to the wind and physically assaulted former Kebbi state governor, His Excellency Saidu Nasamu Dakin Gari.
“We have lost confidence in his stewardship on account of his abysmal conduct, disrespect for laid down constitutional provision, and impudence.”
The committee said the embattled Chairman has also been involved in, “Anti party activities in total contravention of party’s constitutional instruments which he used to partake in sublime misconduct by urging the people of his constituency not to vote for the candidate of APC Adamawa north senatorial zone, Sen Ishaku Cliff Abbo but urged them to vote Dr. Abdullahi Belel, the candidate of NNPP through his verified Facebook handle.”
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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