Politics

Anti-Party Activities: Gombe APC expels two more lawmakers

Published

1 year ago

May 3, 2023

Anti-Party Activities: Gombe APC expels two more lawmakers

Two weeks after expelling Sen. Danjuma Goje, Senator representing Gombe Central Senatorial District of Gombe State over his alleged involvement in anti-party activities during the just concluded General Elections, the Gombe State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expelled two other lawmakers for similar reasons.

The two lawmakers are Sen. Bulus Amos, the senator representing Gombe South Senatorial District, and Yunusa Abubakar, the member representing Yamaltu/Deba Federal Constituency.

It will be recalled that the spokesperson of the APC in the state, Moses Kyari, had on April 8 in a press statement announced the suspension of the two lawmakers by their ward executives.

Briefing newsmen on Tuesday, in the Bambam community of Balanga Local Government Area of Gombe State, the Chairman of APC in Bambam ward, Muhammad Kaka said the ward executives had no option but to expel the senator.

Kaka said the expulsion of the senator became imperative following the failure of the senator to defend himself against allegations levelled against him and instead went ahead to issue threats to party executives at the ward.

In his words, “We held elections in our ward during the just concluded general elections and we have Sen. Amos from our ward who didn’t come out to partake in our political activities.

“Instead the senator went around with his supporters telling them not to vote for the APC and in his polling unit and the surrounding polling units APC didn’t win any of those units because of his anti-party activities.

“This really disturbed the executives at the ward and we sat down to examine this and decided to summon him to defend himself and explain why he did what he did.”

The chairman said that though Amos appeared before them but could not explain why he did what he did and so “we gave him another chance but he failed to return.”

Kaka said that the action taken by the party executives in Bambam ward was endorsed by the LG and Gombe South zonal executives and “that’s why they are all here today.”

On his part, Mr Yunusa Abubakar, Member representing Yamaltu/Deba Federal Constituency was expelled from the party in his ward over the same allegations as that of Sen. Amos.

Secretary of the party at Lubo/Kinafa/Difa ward of Yamaltu/Deba Local Government where Abubakar is representing, Sama’ila Aliyu, said the lawmaker had failed to appear before the panel set up to investigate his alleged anti-party activities.

Aliyu further stated that the executives also extended an invitation to him to defend himself but Abubakar failed to appear before them.

“For all his anti-party activities and his inability to come and defend himself in the spirit of fair hearing and justice, it is clear that he engaged in anti-party and we all saw it.

“ We the executives have decided to expel Abubakar from our party,” he said.

Anti-Party Activities: Gombe APC expels two more lawmakers

Headlines

APC, Police disagree over attack on Okpebholo, Shaibu in Edo

Published

1 week ago

July 19, 2024

Matthew Eloyi

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo Staten has accused the state police command of complicity in the attack on its Governorship Candidate, Sen. Monday Okpebholo and the reinstated deputy governor, Philip Shaibu.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that gunmen attacked the two on Thursday while exiting Benin Airport shortly after they arrived from Abuja aboard a chartered flight.

The party, during a press conference on Friday in Benin, called for the sack of the Commissioner of Police, Funso Adegboye.

Kassim Afegbua, Director of Media, APC Campaign Council for the Sept. 21 election, said the ruthless shooting and killing of a policeman was witnessed by the police chief.

Afegbua said the party had petitioned the Inspector-General of Police to look into the case and check how the police commissioner undermined the role of the police.

According to him, some members of the party, who saw the commissioner at the airport shared the intelligence of what was about to happen, but unfortunately, he allegedly ignored it.

The director of media described the attack on the candidate as an assassination attempt as well as a disdain for peace that the state and its people were known for.

Reacting, Adegboye exonerated himself of any wrongdoing during the mayhem.

He refuted a claim that intelligence was shared with him ahead of the attack, saying there was no crisis throughout his stay at the airport.

The commissioner noted, however, that an investigation was ongoing and those whose names had been mentioned in the incident would be arrested soon.

(NAN)

Headlines

APC woos Shaibu after Benin airport attack

Published

1 week ago

July 19, 2024

Matthew Eloyi

The Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo on Friday called on the reinstated deputy governor of Edo, Philips Shaibu to join the APC following the Thursday attack on his convoy at the Benin Airport.

Mr Jarrett Tenebe made the call in Benin during a solidarity visit to Shaibu to his private residence.

Tenebe, who was joined by some chieftains of the party, described the attack as a calculated attempt to allegedly take the life of the deputy governor.

“What your party (allegedly) tried to do to you was actually planned to take your life.

“As it stands today, you are the deputy governor of Edo State.

“I have brought a message of APC and after now, our flag will be hanging in your office,” Tenebe said.

Responding, Shaibu commended the APC chair for always calling to uplift his spirit since his ordeal began with the PDP.

According to him, that level of care is what is needed in leadership.

“The state chairman of the PDP never put a call to me or tried to resolve the party crisis, even when I have demonstrated that I am a core party man.

“By God’s grace, Sen. Monday Okpebholo and Dennis Idahosa of the APC will be the next governor and deputy in the state,” Shaibu declared.

(NAN)

Headlines

Supreme Court grants LG financial autonomy

Published

2 weeks ago

July 11, 2024

Matthew Eloyi

The Supreme Court declared on Thursday that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold funds allocated for local government administrations.

The seven-man panel, in the judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, declared that the 774 local government councils in the country should manage their funds themselves.

The apex court held that the power of the government is portioned into three arms of government, the federal, the state and the local government.

The court further declared that a state government has no power to elect a caretaker committee and a local government council is only recognisable with a democratically elected government.

“A democratically elected local government is sacrosanct and non-negotiable,” the court said.

The court ruled that state governments are perpetuating a dangerous trend by refusing to allow democratically elected local government councils to function, instead appointing their loyalists who can only be removed by them.

Justice Agim dismissed the objections filed by state governors.

The Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Federal Government, seeking to grant full autonomy and direct funding to all 774 local government councils in the country.

The 36 state governments, through their attorneys general, filed a counterclaim, arguing that the Supreme Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case.

In Thursday’s ruling, Justice Agim affirmed that the AGF has the legal authority to initiate the lawsuit and uphold the constitution.

Justice Agim said, “I hold that the plaintiff’s request is hereby approved and all the reliefs granted.”