Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso

The Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, on Friday, upturned a Port Harcourt High Court judgement on the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Cross River State chapter chairmanship tussle. The Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeal Calabar, Justice M S Owoade, who delivered the judgement in suit CA/C/386/2020, between Venatius Ikem and others versus PDP and Alphonsus Eba, held that the PDP rules and guidelines on election of its officials override whatever interferes with the election process. “Section 147 of the PDP Constitution has explicitly spelt out the qualification for anyone to contest for any position in…

Former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, is on his way to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Ogun-born politician met with Yobe Governor and Chairman APC Caretaker Committee, Mai Mala Buni, on Friday. Also at the meeting was Jigawa Governor, Abubakar Badaru. The trio discussed a wide range of political issues, including the entry of the former Speaker and his supporters into the party. The APC is strengthening its grip in Ogun State. The ruling platform witnessed a split before the 2019 general elections. During the grand rally for President Muhammadu Buhari’s in the state, Bola Tinubu, APC National…

Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has taken a swipe at the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, for accusing governors in the region of mismanagement of 13 percent derivation fund. He said it was disingenuous for Akpabio who as Governor of Akwa Ibom State to act like a demi-god, to accuse incumbent governors of financial recklessness just because they did not attend the inauguration of Niger Delta Development Commission ((NDDC) headquarters building in Port Harcourt on Thursday. The governor took a swipe at the minister during the inauguration of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Secretariat Building,…

Barely 24 hours after it demanded gender parity in party administration and control, women in the ruling All Progressives Congress APC have intensified lobby to get at least 108 members in the House of Representatives ahead of the 2023 general elections. There are, at present, 11 women in the 360-member House of Representatives, but the women representative in the party’s Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee CECPC, Stella Okotete, said the women are working towards having a platform that would produce at least three women federal representatives in each state in 2023. Consequently, the APC women wing has inaugurated a lobby…

Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Thursday, pledged support to federal government’s effort to stem the tide of growing security concern in the country. Sokoto state governor and chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Aminu Tambuwal stated this at the end of a meeting of the governors held at the Sokoto Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja. The meeting which had in attendance almost all the PDP governors, followed quickly on the heels of a similar one held by the party’s Board of Trustees at the party’s secretariat in Abuja. Addressing journalists at the end of the meeting…

The Senator representing the Imo West Senatorial District, Rochas Okorocha on Thursday, said he will succeed president Muhammadu Buhari in 2023. The former governor of Imo State, stated this when a group of youth under the umbrella of ‘Forward with Anayo Rochas Okorocha (FOWARO 2023)’ visited him in Abuja, the nations capital. Okorocha who stated that he had contested for the office three times but failed at the primary level, expressed optimism of winning the race in 2023. He said he aspired to become president of Nigeria long ago, stressing that the first time he picked the presidential ticket was…

Despite the court judgment ordering the swearing in of Hon. Daniel Ojata Enefola of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the elected lawmaker representing Ibaji State Constituency, the Kogi State House of Assembly has failed to honour the court ruling. Recall that Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, 29th January, 2021 ordered the removal of Mr Atule Egbunu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and directed that he be replaced with the candidate of the party with the next highest votes in the December 5, 2020 by-election in the constituency. TheInfoStride findings revealed that Hon.…

The Women Aid Collective, WACOL, has urged for more inclusion of women in the decision making process. WACOL, a leading organization championing the rights of women and other vulnerable members of the society is unrelenting in its push against gender-based violence, even as it pursues economic justice and empowerment for women. Speaking in Enugu during a consultative meeting organized in collaboration with Action Aid, the founder and director of WACOL, Prof. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo said women deserved more than their present position in the scheme of things. Ezeilo, represented by the programme manager on CBOs engagement, Mrs. Anuli Ezennia said…

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governors’ Forum on Thursday ruled out the defection of any of its members to the All Progressives Congress, APC. There has been defection rumour linking the PDP governors, with the APC leadership coming up at several points to claim that many PDP governors were on their way to the party. TheInfoStride reports that ever since Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State left the PDP, the ruling party had continued to boast that one or two more PDP governors from the South-East would soon join its fold. Other governors, Bala Muhammed of Bauchi have also been…

President of the Nigerian Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Thursday, revealed that certain gaps in the 1999 Constitution formed by the exclusion of traditional institutions in the governance and security architecture of Nigeria remains mostly responsible for the deteriorating security situation in the country. Lawan explained that the worsening activities of insurgents, criminals and bandits have placed the country in dire circumstances that need an urgent review of the 1999 Constitution along the lines of reorganizing the structure of governance to provide specific roles to traditional rulers in different communities across the country. The Senate President disclosed this in Abuja when…

Governor Hope Uzodinma Imo State has received the support of Former Members of Imo House of Assembly (FOMIHA) in his probe of the Rochas Okorocha administration and others. The Chairman, Ike Ibe, told reporters on Thursday in Owerri that all property illegally acquired should be retrieved. The former member representing Obowo constituency, said the assets recovery efforts deserved commendation. Ibe called for the prosecution of culprits, adding that it would serve as a deterrent to people who might want to tamper oublic resources. “In the fight against corruption, no stone should be left unturned and no cow should be sacred,”…

A chieftain of the All Progress Congress, APC, in Delta State, Chief Nelson Agbamuche, has alleged that some members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have threatened his life following the just concluded Local Government election in the state. The allegation was contained in a statement he personally signed and made available to the media on Thursday. According to the statement, the traditional chief alleged that some members of the PDP in the state, led by some of their leaders have vowed to unleash mayhem on him and his family members. He alleged that the national opposition party, during the…

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday said “anything could happen” in reference to the zoning of its 2023 presidential ticket. The main opposition, however, said a final decision will be announced after the resolution of all pending issues. The Board of Trustees Secretary, Adolphus Wabara, briefed reporters on the resolutions of an emergency meeting held on Wednesday. The board members discussed the situation in the party nationwide as well as the political and economic tension in the country. Wabara disclosed that the meeting deliberated the stability of all organs and placed them on alert as the party prepares to…

Governor Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday, accused Federal Government of shielding the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, from prosecution over alleged misappropriation of proceeds from sales of state assets while he (Amaechi) was governor. Governor Wike said this during the commissioning of the 6.1km Omuihuechi-Omuoko-Omokiri Link Road in Aluu, Ikwerre Local Government Area. However, Amaechi reacted on Thursday by saying he would not respond to a subordinate, noting “He (Wike) was my staff. I can’t bring myself low.” The minister reacted on Arise TV’s interview, noting that he was concentrating on building the rail system across the country. Amaechi said: “I…

The House of Representatives says it is broke and cannot afford to carry out its constitutional mandate effectively. Rep. Benjamin Kalu (APC-Abia), the spokesman for the House, said this when he spoke with newsmen on Thursday in Abuja. The lawmaker said the budget of the National Assembly should be reviewed upward to enable it to cope with the situation. “Yes the house is broke, I have said it before and I am saying it again and I am not afraid of saying it. “This is the fact until Nigerians believe that the appropriation that was made for the running of…

The National Chairman of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) says it has no plans to merge with any group or political party to form the proposed Mega Party ahead of 2023 poll. Mr Falalu Bello, National Chairman, PRP said this when he spoke at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday. According to Bello, the party is not merging with any group. “We are not. That is not to say that we have not been invited. About 10 days ago, their secretary got across to me and advised me of the fact that we are invited to belong to the committee.…

Amaechi appreciates officials of the APC in charge of the exercise for revalidating his membership. Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and his wife, Dame Judith Amaechi, have revalidated their membership of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers. Amaechi and his wife revalidated their membership at unit 14, ward 8 in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area (LGA) of the state on Monday. Mr Kola Omotinugbon, Chairman of the state APC membership registration/revalidation committee, commended the leadership of APC for its maturity and peaceful disposition in carrying out the exercise. He said while presenting APC membership slip to Amaechi, that he and…

The Abia State chapter of the Action Alliance (AA), has adopted Dr. Okey Prestige as its flag-bearer in the upcoming March bye-election for the vacant position of Aba North/Aba South federal constituency seat in the House of Representatives. The AA Flag-bearer is the younger brother of the former occupant, Late Hon Ossy Prestige, who was elected on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and died in Germany last month. The adoption of Dr. Okey Prestige as Candidate of Action Alliance, AA, for the coming bye-election was unanimously agreed by the party leaders, stakeholders and supporters in a…

The ruling All Progressives Congress APC has slammed the Peoples Democratic Party PDP for its lame attempt at returning to power in 2023, describing the opposition party’s ambition as ‘incredibly delusional’. National Secretary, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee CECPC of the APC, Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe stated this on Tuesday in Abuja. The statement reads; “The All Progressives Congress (APC) has no intention to trade words with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its governors and leaders on the propriety of infrastructure projects undertaken by the current administration and which state deserves a federal government project. “From previously abandoned to new projects,…

Women Affairs Minister, Pauline Tallen, said a female President of Nigeria was achievable. Tallen cited the feat in Liberia and Malawi in a chat with reporters at the All Progressives Congress (APC) national secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday. She led a delegation to submit a memorandum to the party’s Constitution Review Committee. The document was received by the Committee Chairman, Prof. Tahir Mamman. Tallen complained that women had been marginalised in the country and in the ruling party. She demanded affirmative action, noting that women give the highest votes in elections. Tallen expressed dissatisfaction about the absence of women in…