Daily Archives: Mar 26, 2013

The PDP has commended the intervention and efforts of Chief Tony Anenih, the Chairman of the party's Board of Trustees (BoT) in reconciling the aggrieved party members.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Olisa Metuh, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said that Anenih`s effort was complementary to the realisation of the goals of the current National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PDP NWC on March 15, commenced a tour of the six geopolitical zones of the federation to reconcile aggrieved party members.

The tour, which was rounded up on March 24 with a grand finale in Abuja, marked the one year anniversary of the Tukur led NWC of the PDP, which came into existence on March 24, 2012.

Metuh said that Anenih had lived up to his reputation as a consensus builder and a strong believer in the supremacy of the party since his election as BoT chairman.

He said that he had always been promoting the advancement of collective interests over and above narrow interests.

``His intervention at a time the NWC has embarked upon a tour to achieve total reconciliation and engender internal cohesion is worthy of commendation," the PDP spokesman said.

He expressed confidence in the BoT chairman's ability to use his experience, wide contacts and wisdom to bring all PDP members together for the common goal of providing qualitative service to the people.

Metuh said that the PDP national chairman was particularly delighted with the synergy between the BoT under Anenih, the NWC, and the PDP Governors forum.

``Anenih is knitting the party together in the midst of unfounded speculations of disunity,’’ Metuh said.

He said that the PDP remained the most united and formidable political movement and the best platform for political expression in Nigeria, a credential which could not be pocessed by other parties.

Metuh commended PDP Governors Forum under the chairmanship of Gov. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, for standing firm and remaining undaunted in spite of efforts by opposition to discredit the forum.

"Our governors are the pillars of our party, they are the vital channels for the translation of our manifesto to practical reality.

``It is, therefore, of utmost necessity that they remain united and focused for the sake of our people," Metuh said.

He gave the assurance that the PDP NWC would ensure that all individuals and tendencies within the party were totally reconciled in fulfilment of the party's national chairman's political development agenda.

House of Representatives' Speaker  Aminu Tambuwal on Tuesday in Abuja said the House would always follow due process in resolving crisis stemming from disputed seat.

The Speaker gave the assurance to the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) who had earlier protested the delay in  swearing-in of Nwoye as the new representatives of Anambra East/West Federal Constituency.

Tambuwal explained  that he was not in any way against the swearing in of Nwoye, adding however, that he would have to follow due process. 

According to him, the case between Tony Nwoye and Chriscato  Ameke is still in court, and  the House will ensure that none of the parties in dispute  suffers injustice.

"We will take up this matter to do the right thing, this matter will receive due attention," the Speaker assured.

Tambuwal stressed the need for the students protest of solidarity to be extended to other Nigerians aside from a former member of NANS.

Earlier, the  NANS President, Mr Yinka Gbadebo, presented a letter to the House leadership, issuing a 72-hour ultimatum within which Nwoye would be sworn in as Member of the House.

He later extended the ultimatum to April 16 when the House is scheduled to resume from recess.

The New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nwoye, on July 13, 2012, secured a court order mandating INEC to recognise him as the candidate of the PDP for the Anambra East/West  Federal Constituency.

The Supreme Court had earlier ruled  that Mr Chriscato Ameke, occupying the disputed seat, never participated in the said election in Anambra State.

INEC on July 16, 2012, issued Nwoye with a certificate of return and withdrew the initial one issued to Hon. Ameke in obedience to the judgement.

However, Nwoye did not  take oath of office on August 17, 2012 as anticipated because  the Office of the Clerk to  the National Assembly failed to do the necessary documentation in order for him to be sworn in .     

The students also recalled a letter dated March 14, 2013, and written by the Director of Legal Services at  the National Assembly,  advising  the Speaker and Clerk of the House to swear in Nwoye .

This followed the judgement of the  Enugu Division of the Court of Appeal of Feb. 27, 2013 striking out the  Notice of Appeal and Motion for Stay of Execution filed by Hon. Ameke.

They further noted that Nwoye was still not sworn in despite the fact that a four-man panel headed by Rep. Ishaka Bawa had recommended that he should be sworn in.         

Nwoye is contesting the Anambra East/West  Federal Constituency seat with Ameke currently occupying the seat.

The bone of contention  is about the rightful candidate of PDP in the  party's primaries in 2011 between Nwoye and Ameke as the PDP eventually won the seat. 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that it did not register the African People Congress (APC) as a political party because it did not meet the conditions for registration.

The INEC Director of Public Affairs, Mr Emmanuel Umenger, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja that the commission’s letter to APC was unambiguous on the issue.

Umenger said that it was left for the party to prove the commission wrong.

He said: “INEC as a law obeying body, relates with stakeholders in the electoral process basically on what the law of the land says. Our relationship with the stakeholders is determined by the relevant sections of the law.

“We don’t go outside the law, INEC has premised the non-registration of APC on its inability to satisfy the requirements of section 222a of the 1999 constitution as amended.”

Umenger said that the commission also observed that there were some gaps in the form PA1 which was given to the political association.

“In our acknowledgement, 20 copies of the commission's prescribed form PA1 were forwarded to the association for completion and return to the commission with affidavit in support of the claims in the form.

“Also, we listed other requirements to include establishment of party headquarters in the FCT with proof of ownership, constitution and manifesto of the political association,’’ he said.

According to him, the requirements also include evidence of payment of registration fee, and the association’s logo.

Umenger said as far as the law was concerned, APC did not meet the conditions, therefore, the commission had rejected the application of the APC to be registered as a political party.

However, the director said that the party was at liberty to apply for registration under a new name.

President Goodluck Jonathan has withdrawn the nomination of Prof. Akinola Salau of Oyo State as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Jonathan conveyed the withdrawal in a letter dated March 21, and addressed ...

The Minister of Niger Delta, Mr Godsday Orubebe, in Uyo on Tuesday reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment toward ensuring the completion of the East-West Road by 2014. Orubebe made this known when he presented the ministry’s Action ...

Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia on Tuesday expressed displeasure with the performance of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, saying that the ministry had not made any impact in Abia. Orji made the remark in Umuahia when the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs,...

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Former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor will today know whether or not he will face trial over an alleged N200m fraud committed when he was Minister of Special Duties in the former President Olusegun Obasanjo&...

The Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu yesterday adjourned to April 8, 2013 for ruling on a motion for stay of execution of the judgement of an Enugu High Court that restrained Victor Umeh from parading himself as the national chairman of the All Progres...