POLITICS
Kalu Denies Colluding with Buni to Undermine APC Convention, Urges Buhari to Always Listen to Both Sides of the Story
By Blessing Bature Akpakpan, Abuja
The Chief whip of the Senate, Sentor Orji Uzor Kalu, has denied an allegation by the former Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum Dr. Salihu Lukman, that he connived with the Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Mai Mala Buni to undermine the March 26 national convention of the party.
Kalu denied ever participating in any collusion to frustrate the National Convention of the ruling party in a statement he made on Saturday.
The former Abia Governor also urged the President to listen to the two sides of the story involving the leadership of the APC in the interest of the party.
Kalu said that the impression the former DG of the Progressives Governors Forum, Lukman, was trying to create was indeed erroneous.
Kalu recalled that he appealed to the leadership of the CECPC on December 15, 2021 to postpone the national convention earlier scheduled for February in the pursuit of party cohesion.
According to him, he had warned that holding the convention in February without sorting out the “minor disagreements that arose during the Congress would lead to implosion .’
He said, “I have read the unfortunate accusations leveled against me by a former Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Dr. Salihu Lukman .
“In a statement credited to Lukman , he alleged that some party leaders are working with the Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Mai Mala Buni to undermine the March 26 national convention of the party.
“He specifically said “there are other party leaders, including Sen Uzor Kalu who have actively supported His Excellency Mai Mala to undermine the decision to organise the National Convention of the party.”
“It is on this note that I consider it necessary to correct the wrong impressions Lukman must be making efforts to create.
“There has been no time I participated in any collaboration or collusion to ensure that attempts to organise the APC National Convention are blocked.
“It will be recalled that on the December 15, 2021 , I made an appeal to the party and the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee members to consider postponing the national convention earlier slated for February.
“I had warned that holding the convention in February without sorting out the minor disagreements that arose during the Congress would lead to implosion .
“I was worried that , the creation of factions which denied the party victory in so many states in the past elections may repeat itself. I therefore called for a peaceful resolution of the crisis before holding the Convention. No peaceful and tactful leader, would support a terrible scenario to reoccur.”
Kalu commended Buni for his exploits in the APC saying his sterling leadership quality stabilised the party across the six geopolitical zones, with high profile defections on its favour.
“It is imperative to state that Buni has done very well for the party . His sterling leadership quality is what helped stabilise our great party across the six geopolitical zones, with high profile defections in our favour .”
He called on party leaders to guard their utterances to avoid causing more division within the party.
Kalu who said that there are always two sides to a story urged the President Buhari to listen to the two stories involving the leadership of the APC in the interest of the party,
“Going forward, whether it is Gov Mai Mala Buni or Gov Abubakar Sani Bello, I would always give the party my maximum support and drive for stronger growth.
“There is always a danger with single story and I encourage Mr President to hear the two sides of the story so that the party can win together.” He said
POLITICS
APC Instigating Crises in Opposition Parties, NNPP Alleges
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
The National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Ajuji Ahmed, has alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been instiating crisis in major opposition political parties as a strategy to weaken them ahead of 2027 general election.
Speaking during the flag-off of the party’s campaign in Akure, Ondo State capital, ahead of the forthcoming off-cycle governorship election in the state, the ANPP Chairman declared that the party will support opposition parties going into alliance to upstate the ruling party and sack President Ahmed Tinubu.
While emphasising that there will be no room to manipulate the result of the poll, Ahmed said, “The fear that APC might want to manipulate the election is being expressed everywhere, no doubt in Ondo State.
Wherever you have a ruling party, the ruling party might not want to have a good opposition around it.“But at the end of the day, it is left to us to guard our votes on the voting day by having a credible agent who will protect the votes and who will also be in charge of supervising the counting. Once we have that, we believe that there is nothing the APC can do as such.
“I do not believe that the APC is trying to create crises in opposition parties; I believe that the APC is doing whatever it can to ensure it wins the 2027 general elections.
“Certainly, there is evidence everywhere that they are interfering in other parties, but it is left for the other parties to maintain their integrity and ensure that they remain one and a viable opposition to the APC before and after the 2027 general elections.
“I believe there should be a plan by the opposition parties to unite ahead of the 2027 election. The NNPP will also be part of it if at all it materialises. We have our doors open in such a way that if there is going to be a coalition of all the political parties to go into the election, we are ready for that. But if every individual party wants to go on its own, the NNPP is also preparing for that eventuality.”
On his part, Edema, who urged the electorate not to be intimidated by the power of incumbency, appealed to them to resist any form of vote-trading capable of prolonging the current hardship in the land.
While maintaining that the antics deployed by the ruling party in Edo State will be resisted by the people of Ondo State, the NNPP standard-bearer said, “We are saying Ondo State is not Edo State. Ondo is not Lagos State. The people of Ondo are one of the most enlightened in the whole country and we are capable of protecting our votes and we will protect it.
“We do not fear them. We will dare them.
POLITICS
S/South APC Annul Suspension of Lokpobiri
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
South-South zone of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has annulled the purported suspension of the Minister of State (Petroleum) Heineken Lokpobiri by the party’s executive in his local government in Bayelsa State.
In a statement by the Zonal Legal Adviser of the, Chukwuemeke Ogbuobodo, the party said the APC executive in Lokpobiri’s Ward lacks the power to suspend him as the action runs afoul of provisions of the APC constitution.
The APC South-South Zonal officers described the action as “illegal, null and void,” contending that the local government area executive cannot be a judge in its matter.
Ogbuobodo referred the local government council party executive and “whoever that is sponsoring it, to see article 21.
3 (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (a) (b) (c) (d) and (e) of the party’s Constitution and see the procedure for hearing and determination of complaints or allegations.”He also warned the local council executive that they are not above the law and not to see any other person as beneath it; “APC is not a party for supermen but a party guided by rules of law.
Recall that the APC in Southern Ijaw and Ekeremor local government areas in separate press briefings had last week purportedly suspended Lokpobiri and the 2019 gubernatorial candidate of the party in Bayelsa State, David Lyon.
But Ogbuobodo warned the persons behind the purported suspensions to be mindful that the entire executives in the state were invalidated by the decision of the Bayelsa State High Court in Suit No YHC/16/2022.
“As a consequence, the decision by the so-called LG Executive of APC is unknown to both the party’s Constitution and the laws of the land.”
He stated that to avoid this kind of unwholesome intervention by imposters in the affairs of the party in Bayelsa State given the current vacuum created by the judgment of the High Court of Bayelsa State in suit no. YHC/16/2022 and as a law-abiding entity, party chieftains in the South-South zone would now move swiftly to get the APC National Working Committee, NWC to appoint a caretaker committee to help oversee the party’s activities in the state in the interim pending the election of a substantive state executive.
POLITICS
PDP Mourns Victims of Jigawa Tanker Explosion, Calls for Inquest
By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed deep sorrows over the tragic petrol tanker explosion which resulted in the death of over 150 people with many others injured in Majiya Town, Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
The party in a statement by its Spokesman, Hon.
Debo Ologunagba, on Thursday called on the Federal Government to investigate the remote and immediate cause of the explosion in order to take measures to ensure safer transportation and prevent recurrence of such sad incidents.“This is another sad commentary on the wave of calamitous events that have befallen our nation as a result of worsening infrastructure, economic hardship and social disorientation in the last nine years.
“Our party is saddened that innocent and heavily deprived Nigerians especially our youths and bread winners of families continue to bear the ugly brunt of misgovernance in our country,” the statement said, and lauded the efforts and courage of the police, firefighters and other Nigerians who helped to put off the fire and rescued some of the victims.
The PDP commiserated with the Government and people of Jigawa State and prays to God to grant speedy recovery to the injured and fortitude to the families of the deceased.