Politics

APC chieftain accuses Amaechi, Giadom of working against Tinubu

Published

2 years ago

May 2, 2023

The South-South Zonal Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Blessing Agbomhere, has accused former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, of working with his allies to frustrate the victory of Bola Tinubu during the February 25 presidential election.

This is even as he insisted that Victor Giadom, until recently, the Zonal Chairman of the party will no longer act in that capacity after a vote of no confidence was passed on him and the ex-zonal secretary, Ita Udosen.

Agbomhere has now taken over as the Acting Zonal Chairman of the party.

According to reports, Giadom was removed on Sunday after five zonal officers of the party, at a special meeting in Port Harcourt, moved against Giadom and Udosen, citing their running of the zone like a personal fiefdom, failure to call for meetings, among others, as reasons for their removal.

Reacting to the development however, the leadership of the party in a statement issued by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, dismissed the action of Agbomhere and four others, saying they lacked the constitutional authority to sack zonal officers of the party.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Agbomhere faulted the statement credited to Morka, noting that Amaechi and Giadom, who in the build-up to the election doubted the chances of Tinubu and the APC, ought to have been disciplined for frustrating the efforts of a party that have given them opportunities to serve in the past.

In his words, “The ex-zonal chairman (Giadom) never mobilised for our party, the APC in the general election. He never supported our candidate. Before the election, Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima took out time to come to them knowing that Rotimi Amaechi contested the primary election and failed and that Giadom is his lieutenant, they were begged to join hands with party members to ensure that they were voted for. Amaechi and Giadom did not work for the party. They came out publicly, called meetings in the South-South, and urged people to vote against the APC and vote for Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party. We consider this a great disservice to our party because the APC has done everything for Amaechi.”

He specifically condemned the comment made by the ex-Transportation Minister when during the election, he claimed that the Independent National Electoral Commission chairman was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari following a recommendation by a member of Tinubu’s camp.

“Do you know what such statements can cause the party? By that statement, he was ready to incite Nigerians against the candidacy and election of Bola Tinubu,” he added.

Justifying the decision to sack Giadom, Agbomhere said, “The zonal officers of the South-South had their extraordinary meeting, and, in that meeting, we are eight officers in the zone, all of us were present. The constitution requires that we call for a zonal meeting at least once every quarter and for almost six months now, he (Giadom) has not called for a meeting. He has been running the party alone and doing whatever he likes with the party. Every attempt to make the secretary call for a meeting also failed. He and the secretary are running the party together, without carrying the other six executive members of the zone along.

“Even after the elections were over, there have been a series of petitions and suspensions from across the states in the region. The zone is supposed to set up a committee that would receive these petitions, do fact-finding to find out what is wrong and find a way to resolve these issues in the zone but Giadom allowed the zone to be enveloped in internal disputations because he does not care.”

He also accused Giadom of abandoning his duties as the chairman of the zone and also not supporting Tinubu’s campaign.

As the National Working Committee of the party meets on Wednesday, Agbomhere said a letter notifying the leadership of the party would be transmitted informing it of development in the zone. When that is done, the NWC being “A higher committee than the one that took that decision, is to set up a fact-finding committee. After their findings, they can then make a pronouncement of either supporting our position or otherwise.”

Related Topics:Amaechi APC Bola Tinubu Giadom

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Politics

Gov Yusuf directs aides to declare their assets

Published

3 months ago

March 21, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

Gov Yusuf directs aides to declare their assets

Gov. Abba Yusuf of Kano State has instructed all his political appointees to declare their assets.

Yusuf gave the directive during an Iftar (Ramadan breaking of Fast) with Heads of Government Agencies and Special Advisers at Government House, Kano.

The governor said that 60 to 70 per cent of the appointees had yet to comply with the Code of Conduct rules.

He urged them to promptly obtain, complete, and submit the necessary forms, to ensure compliance with the law.

Yusuf also addressed special advisers on the importance of providing counsel and submitting reports on governance matters.

He encouraged them to actively monitor government affairs and offer advice, whether positive or negative.

Yusuf also said that 13 Hajj seats bad been allocated to the Heads of Government Agencies.

Responding on behal of the appointees, Dr Rahila Mukhtar, the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Contributory Health Care Management Agency (KCHIMA), thanked the governor for his support.

The Secretary to the State Government, Malam Umar Ibrahim, reminded the appointees of their oath to execute their duties with justice.

Ibrahim urged them to remain committed to Yusuf’s mission and vision, prioritising transformation and improving the standard of living for citizens.

Headlines

Supreme Court nullifies Rivers LG elections

Published

3 months ago

February 28, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

The Supreme Court on Friday, nullified the Local Government election in Rivers State, which was conducted on Oct. 5, 2024.

A five-member panel of the apex court unanimously held that the election was conducted in violation of relevant laws.

Justice Jamilu Tukur, in the lead judgment, agreed with the appellant, the All Progressives Congress (APC), that conditions precedent were not complied with before the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) held the election.

Justice Tukur held that there was no evidence that the voters’ registration continued until 90 days before the election and that the requisite notices were issued as required by law.

Headlines

Supreme Court dismisses Fubara’s suit seeking to remove 27 pro-Wike lawmakers

Published

4 months ago

February 10, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the suit by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara seeking to remove 27 members of the State House of Assembly on ground of their alleged defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Uwani Aba-Aji delivered the judgment following the dramatic withdrawal of the appeal by Fubara through his lead counsel, Yusuf Ali, SAN.

Fubara in the notice for withdrawal of the case simply informed a three-man panel of justices of the court that events have overtaken his suit and that the lawmakers are their friends.

The request for the withdrawal of the contentious suit was not opposed by the Rivers States House of Assembly and its Speaker, Martin Amaewhule who were represented by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN.

Olanipekun, however, demanded for outright dismissal of the suit on the premise that parties have filed and exchanged their brief of arguments and thus, joined issues with each other.

He argued that the proper order to be made in the circumstances is the dismissal of the case which the court agreed with.

Following no objections from parties, the apex court dismissed it and awarded two million each against Fubara to be paid to the House of Assembly and Amaewhule.

Addressing newsmen shortly after the dismissal of the suit, Ken Njemanze, SAN said that the coast has been finally cleared for the 27 lawmakers to take over the House of Assembly fully.

Njemanze said that all steps taken by Fubara in the absence of the 27 lawmakers, including presentation of the 2024 and 2025 budgets to only four lawmakers among others, have become a nullity.

The Court of Appeal had on October 10, 2024 dismissed Fubara’s an appeal on the same matter.

The Federal High Court in Abuja

presided over by Justice James Omotosho on January 22, 2024, also nullified the passage of Rivers State’s N800 billion 2024 budget by four members of the House of Assembly.

The court had described the bill’s passage by the four lawmakers, led by Hon. Ehie Edison, as an aberration and illegality.

It consequently ordered Fubara to re-present the budget to the Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly.

The suit filed by the 27 members of the Assembly loyal to former governor of the state and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike filed the suit which got the blessings of the lower court.

Listed as defendants of the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023 are the National Assembly, the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Clerk to the National Assembly.

Others include Governor Fubara, Hon. Edison, the Rivers State Civil Service Commission, and the Inspector-General of Police(IGP).

Justice Omotosho had while ruling on an ex-parte motion by the 27 legislators issued an interim order restraining Fubara and his agents from obstructing the pro-Wike legislators from carrying out their constitutional duties.

He also restrained the governor from removing/redeploying the Clerk of the Assembly and withholding funds meant for the Assembly, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The governor had also prevented the pro-Wike legislators from sitting by demolishing a part of the Assembly complex and withholding funds for legislative functions.

Delivering judgment, Justice Omotosho had held that the four lawmakers’ passage of the budget and other actions taken while the 30 November 2023 order subsisted amounted to a nullity.

He said the governor acted like a tyrant in the manner the Assembly complex was partially demolished and funds for legislative activities withheld.

The judge had issued an order restraining Fubara from frustrating the Assembly-led by Hon. Amaewhule from sitting or interfering in its activities.

He also described as unlawful, Governor Fubara’s redeployment of the Clerk and Deputy Clerk out of the Assembly, stating that the action amounted to an affront on separation of power.

The judge ordered the Clerk and the Deputy Clerk to resume office immediately and unhindered.

Apart from also asking Fubara to promptly release all monies standing to the credit of the Assembly, he also ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to immediately deploy his operatives to the Assembly complex.

The judge had also barred the National Assembly from taking over the Assembly or accepting or treating any request by Governor Fubara on any matter affecting the Legislature.