Nigerian Newspapers
PDP crisis: Tukur under fresh fire
A fresh crisis is looming between the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party over plans to conduct a fresh election in the South-West into the office of the PDP National Secretary.
The proposed election will lead to the replacement of the sacked National Secretary of the party, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola. Oyinlola was removed after a judgment delivered by Justice Abdu Kafarati of the Federal High Court Abuja on January 11, 2013.
Tukur had been quoted as saying: “The caretaker committee currently in place (in the South-West zone) will hold a fresh congress where a new secretary will be elected. It is a process and I can assure you that the office is not being taken away from the zone.”
Investigation, however, revealed that members of the NWC were shocked that Tukur made such a pronouncement in spite of the ongoing cases against the party at the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal.
A top NWC member said: “Some of us were shocked to read about the pronouncement of the National Chairman because we have not taken a decision to declare Oyinlola’s seat permanently vacant because there are many pending cases in court.
“Some of us will not be against any action that will be subjudice against the court process.
“I do not think we can be talking of reconciliation and at the same time be taking steps that are capable of complicating the crisis at hand.”
Another source in the NWC said: “This election is not a collective decision of the NWC. This is why our members have been calling for a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) to resolve this kind of challenge.
“I think the National Leader of the party, President Goodluck Jonathan, and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Tony Anenih, need to intervene and stop this plan to conduct election into the office of the National Secretary.
“And if you look at the constitution, it is the constitutional responsibility of the National Convention to elect National Secretary and not the Zonal Congress.
“I am also aware that there is a motion before the Federal High Court, Abuja where Oyinlola is seeking seven reliefs.”
In a Motion on Notice filed at the Federal High Court, Oyinlola sought seven reliefs, including an order to restrain the PDP from appointing a new National Secretary pending the determination of his appeal.
The reliefs are as follows:
“An order of stay of execution of the judgment delivered on the 11th day of January 2013 by this Honourable Court in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/504/2012 pending the hearing and determination of the appeal filed against it by the 1st Defendant/Applicant/Appellant.
“An order of injunction restraining the respondents by themselves, agents, servants, privies or otherwise from taking any step or further steps whatsoever to remove the applicant as the National Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) pending the determination of the appeal filed and now pending in the Court of Appeal.
“An order of injunction restraining any member of PDP from assuming or further assuming the office of the National Secretary of PDP.
“An order of injunction restraining any member of the PDP from performing or further performing the functions of the National Secretary of the party pending the determination of the appeal filed and pending in the Court of Appeal.
“An order of injunction restraining the PDP from convening any Zonal Congress or National Congress of the party with a view to electing or selecting the National Secretary of the PDP pending the determination of the appeal filed and pending in the Court of Appeal.
“An order of injunction restraining the PDP from rectifying the records of the applicant/appellant by deleting name of the 1st defendant as the National Secretary of the 3rd respondent and replacing it with any other name.”
Also, the Osun Central chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, of acting against the constitution of the party.
As at press time, it was learnt that Oyinlola and some concerned members of the party might table the issue before the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Tony Anenih.
A party source added: “Oyinlola and other leaders from the South –West are seeking the intervention of Anenih and the BOT. Things are getting out of hands in the party. No one is happy at all.”
The Chairman of PDP in Osun Central Senatorial District, Rev. Bunmi Jenyo, yesterday said: “Alhaji Tukur himself knows that he and Prince Oyinlola as national officers of the party were products of the national convention.
“No zonal congress can elect a national officer of the party. If it is true he actually made that statement, I am sorry to say, he would be seen as deliberately working to undermine the party and subverting its constitution.
“The constitution of our party is very clear on how to elect a national officer of the PDP. The constitution says clearly that the entire country shall be the constituency of any aspirant to the party’s national offices. Are we to assume that our national chairman is unaware of the contents of our party on how he and other national officers were elected?
“Alhaji Tukur himself is a beneficiary of that provision of our constitution. When the North-East zone met before the last convention and said it had elected Babayo Shehu as its candidate for the national chairmanship, the party said no, that no zone had that power. If those at the party’s helm of affairs at that time had reasoned and acted as Tukur does now, he would not be our national chairman today. I strongly believe he was misquoted.
“The removal of Oyinlola is already being contested by him at the appeal court where he is arguing that he was elected by the national convention of the party and not at the zonal congress as held by a Federal High Court which ordered his removal.”
Meanwhile, Oyinlola has launched another attack against the leadership of the party as part of steps to regain his seat.
He has written a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. J.K. Gadzama, protesting alleged illegal advice he gave to the PDP, which led to his removal from office.
He also forwarded the protest letter to the Nigeria Bar Association, the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Alooma Mukhtar, for the records.
He said Gadzama, who has been a long-time counsel to PDP, allegedly misled the party to ignore the ruling of a Court of Appeal to remove him from office.
He also queried why Gadzama has continued to represent him at the Court of Appeal, contrary to his wish.
In the letter, Ref.OO/34/34 and dated 26th March, 2013, Oyinlola insisted that Gadzama does not have his mandate to withdraw his case before the Court of Appeal.
He accused the counsel of allegedly violating the PDP constitution in connivance with Tukur.
The letter reads in part: “It sounds almost incredible that you could go ahead to advise the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, to willfully disregard the ruling of the Court of Appeal, Lagos, which granted a stay of execution on the matter; but obey the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which delivered a contentious judgment that invalidated my election as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party.
“This is against all known established rules and regulations which are capable of lowering the estimation of the Nigerian Bar in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society all over the world. It also has the potential of creating credibility problems, not only for the Nigerian Judiciary, but also for the PDP and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“Furthermore, it is interesting to note that you have in your correspondence cited above quoted profusely from the PDP constitution, the powers and functions of the National Chairman of the Party with intent to justify your curious position.
“I note, however, that out of the ordinary, you have failed to take cognizance of Chapter 1(7)1d which highlights the fact that PDP shall ‘’promote self-respect, self-reliance and human dignity.
“Curiously, you have turned a blind eye to the provisions of the same constitution, which prescribes the mode of elections of officers of the PDP, for you to be able to offer an untainted professional advice to the party.
“Rather, I am made to believe that you completely hijacked the functions of the National Legal Adviser of the PDP for the purpose of circumventing court rulings and proceedings.”
The embattled former governor insisted that he was legally elected as the National Secretary of PDP at the National Convention of the party, and not the South-West Zonal Congress.
The letter added: “For the avoidance of doubt, and I believe that you are very well aware, given your membership of the PDP, that all national officers of the party emerged at the national convention held on March 24, 2012.
“I wish to categorically point out that the South-West Zonal Congress of March 21, 2012, on which the learned judge rested his pronouncement did not put forward Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the adopted candidate of the zone for the position of the National Secretary.
“I applied like other interested candidates and was certified eligible to contest for election into the position of National Secretary by the National Headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party. This position is sacrosanct and ordinarily ought to earn me the support of the PDP since I was never called to question over actions taken on the Ogun State PDP crises.
“Besides, I hold the view that PDP is vicariously liable for all actions I took while in office as the National Secretary. Not once did I take any unilateral decision in line with my preference for due process in the administration of the PDP national headquarters.
“To refresh your memory and to point out the deliberate violation of the PDP constitution which you have actively encouraged in connivance with Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, let me recall that two (2) suits (FHC/L/CS/347/2012 of 27th April, 2012 and FHC/CS/282/2012) filed by the Plaintiffs at the Federal High Court had nullified the South-west Zonal Congress; from which the Plaintiffs erroneously claimed the PDP National Secretary emerged.
“However, convinced that the suits were an abuse of court process, the PDP challenged the decision of the Federal High Court at the Court of Appeal. The ruling of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division in CA/35/2 delivered on June 25, 2012, declared that the Learned Trial Judge at the Federal High Court erred in Law by admitting the Plaintiffs averments and further granted a Stay of Execution.
“Satisfied that the Defendants (including my humble self) had merit in our averments, the Court of Appeal, Lagos Judicial Division, in its ruling delivered on the 25th June, 2012, granted us a Stay of all Proceedings predicated on Suit No: FHC/L/CS/1241/11. In normal situations, the ruling of the Federal Court of Appeal must take precedence over that of a Federal High Court. I need not point out the implication of this development to you.
“I attach herewith, for purpose of clarity and compliance with my request, my earlier letter to you dated 7th March, 2013 and your Frank Egboh’s letter to me dated Tuesday, March 19, 2013; which I am sure he must have forwarded to you as your employee/partner; and for whose actions you are vicariously liable.
“Please permit me to inform you, out of expediency, that I am forwarding copies of these letters to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Aloma Mukhtar (GCON), who is also the Chairman of the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee; the President of the Nigeria Bar Association, as well as the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the Nigerian Bar, for purposes of their record, and possible further necessary action.
“Please note that if either your good self or your firm persists in imposing yourself as my lawyer without my consent, with the apparent immoral and mischievous intention of terminating my appeal and curtailing my constitutional right to appeal, I will immediately seek redress from the appropriate institutions saddled with the responsibility of protecting our noble and revered profession.”
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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. A DisNaija.Com network.
Source: The Nation Newspaper
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
Kamaru Usman has raked in a mammoth £1.1million, about N584.2 million after his impressive knockout victory over Jorge Masvidal on Saturday night, Sportivation.com.ng reports.
The Nigerian Nightmare has been handsomely rewarded for his stunning performance and he was the best-paid fighter on the card which was witnessed by 15, 000 fans in Florida.
According to Daily Mail, Usman earned £538,000 to show up, £459,000 pay-per-view bonus, a £43,000 sponsorship bonus and a well deserved £35,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
Jorge Masvidal also earned £358,000 to show, £186,000 in pay-per-view money and a £28,000 sponsorship bonus.
This is the biggest payday of Usman’s career so far and the Welterweight champion also benefited from the fact that Masvidal is also a top draw for the fans.
Kamaru Usman is a Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler.
Sourced From: Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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