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APC Crisis Deepens As Party Chieftain Drags Oshiomhole, Ajimobi To Court
An aspirant for the vacant position of the Deputy National Chairman (South) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Michael Akinleye, has sued the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adam Oshiomhole, over alleged plot to impose former Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi on the party.
The plaintiffs, in an originating summon dated October 30, 2018, filed before a Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, through his counsel, Taiwo Omidoyin and Tunde Oke, said his right had been violated and grossly infringed upon by the action taken by the Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee.
Akinleye, who is the chairman of APC in Ado-Ekiti Local Government Area of Ekiti State, noted that he expressed his interest to vie for the position in a letter dated January 20, 2020, which he forwarded to Ekiti APC to nominate him for the position, and this he attached as exhibit.
Apart from Ajimobi and Akinleye, Senator Gbenga Aluko, is also contesting for the vacant and was the preferred candidate from Ekiti APC caucus.
The seat became vacant since 2019 following the nomination, clearance and swearing-in of as the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Chief Adeniyi Adebayo.
Joined in the suit apart from Oshiomhole included, the National Working Committee (2nd), National Vice Chairman, South West (3rd), APC South West Zonal Caucus (4th), Ekiti State Chairman of APC (5th), Ekiti State Caucus of APC (6th), All Progressives Congress (7th) and Senator Abiola Ajimobi (8th).
The plaintiff asked the court to restraint the party from nominating Ajimobi or anybody to the vacant position without following the due process and dictate of the APC constitution.
He also urged the court to determine whether Ajimobi’s imposition was not a violation of Articles 17 and 20 of the party, which stipulated that such position can only be filled by a consensus among aspirants or by elections during congress and convention.
The prayer of the claimant include, “an order compelling the party “to follow its constitution, customs and practices by filling the vacant position with a duly nominated candidate from Ekiti State to complete the unexpired tenure of four years mandate given to the state through the former occupier of the office, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, who is currently the Minister for Trade, Industry and Investment and not from Oyo State or any other states in Nigeria”.
“An order restraining the South-West APC Caucus from forwarding the name of Senator Abiola Ajimobi or any other name to the national chairman, National Working Committee, to fill the vacant office, having not followed the due process as enshrined in Articles 17 and 20 of APC Constitution, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
“An order of the court restraining the national chairman, National Working Committee and APC from accepting any nomination to the office of the deputy national chairman, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit in the case”.
Akinleye also asked the court to compel the national chairman and National Working Committee to reject and disregard any name sent by the APC South-West national vice chairman, the APC South-West Caucus, to fill the position of the deputy national chairman, in the event that any name has already been sent pending the hearing and the determination of the substantive suit in the case.
He further urged the court to determine “whether the purported nomination of Senator Abiola Ajimobi as the deputy national chairman by the party organs and personalities was done in accordance with Article 20 of APC Constitution, 2014, as amended.
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Let’s Approach Regional Development Issues Differently – Fubara …As S’South Govs Host Fubara To 50th Birthday Celebration
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has sued for a change in the current approach adopted by South South Governors in their pursuit to achieve holistic regional development and economic prosperity.
The governor insisted on de-emphasis in vested individuals’ political interests while looking at the bigger picture of achieving enduring regional integration that will strengthen unity of purpose to change the trajectory of development in the region.
Fubara made the appeal during the meeting of Governors of South-South States, under the auspices of BRACED Commission, at the Bayelsa State Government House in Yanagoa on Tuesday.
This was contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chukwudi.
BRACED is an acronym for Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta.
He said: “I want to appeal that if we have to succeed in this drive, we need to keep our political differences aside and understand that the struggle, as at today, is for posterity, for the development of our region.
“It is really sad that in Niger Delta that is the economic base of this country, the construction of a road that you tagged ‘East-West Road’ could be an issue, that we need to beg, protest, and complain to get it fixed. I don’t think it is proper.”
Governor Fubara stated that it is not that the federal authorities do not understand that Niger Delta needs the road but quickly added that they have seen that even the people of the region do not take themselves seriously.
The governor said the moment Niger Delta people stopped playing to the gallery, and place value on themselves, outsiders will have no option than to accord the region and its people due regard.
Fubara said: “On my part, I want to say this: This is not the first time we are meeting. For me, I followed the course of the region meeting in a forum that we tagged “BRACED Commission.”
“BRACED Commission is also one of the bodies that was constituted at that time to support and work out development strategies for this region. But what I am seeing today is just limiting this meeting to only BRACED COMMISSION.
“We need to widen the scope where other leaders of the region should be part of the discussion of the development of the region, and I think this is the direction that will help the region.”
Reading the Communique of the meeting, the new Chairman of the Forum of Governors of South-South States, and Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, said they support the Federal Government Tax Reform Bills, and urged President Bola Tinubu to extend the Value Added Tax (VAT) sharing percentages to oil and gas derivation.
He stated the Forum’s request to the Federal Government to urge relevant stakeholders and agencies to extend remediation of polluted environment ongoing in Ogoni land to other impacted communities and States in the region.
Governor Diri also said that the Forum resolved to establish a structural regional security network to enhance safety and security, foster stable Niger Delta region conducive for economic growth and prosperity.
Highlight of the event was the hosting of Governor Fubara to a surprise 50th Birthday celebration by the Governors of South-South States at the Government House in Yenagoa.
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Fubara Lauds Tinubu For Setting Up Education Load Fund … Vows To Ensure Rivers Benefit Maximally From Scheme
The Rivers State Government has applauded President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for conceiving the idea of setting up the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) which has opened up opportunities for youths to acquire tertiary education irrespective of their financial status.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, gave the commendation while playing host to a delegation from NELFUND who came on an advocacy visit to the Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Represented by his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, Governor Fubara said in developed countries it is common for people to go through school with loans which they sometimes pay all throughout their lives, noting that “for us, it is more accessible and more friendly because you would be required to pay back the loan two years after your National Youth Service.
“It is a win-win situation; it is a situation where the youths in Nigeria should not say because my parents are poor or passed away I cannot improve on my educational growth. This offers them a golden opportunity and I am glad you came for this advocacy.”
The governor urged NELFUND to intensify its advocacy to let the people know how they can benefit from it, adding that it is more important when talking about vocational institutions.
“If you look at the developed countries it is people that went to the vocational schools that make so much money, because it is pricey to get somebody to do anything, we need to instil this into our people, our youths, because people sometimes tend to look down on people that went to vocational schools, it should not be,” he said.
Fubara expressed delight with the NELFUND programme and assured that the State Government would do whatever it can to ensure Rivers State benefits maximally from the scheme.
In his remarks, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of NELFUND, Dr. Akintunde Sawyer, informed the governor that they were in Rivers State to seek the support of the State Government towards the loan, stressing that President Tinubu has directed them to ensure no Nigerian student who has the ability and desire to get educated at tertiary level is denied the opportunity due to lack of funding.
He explained that the scheme provides interest-free loans to students who apply, adding that these loans are not repayable until two years after their Youth Service when they must have gotten a job.
A British-Nigerian politician, Florence Eshalomi, has been appointed as the United Kingdom’s trade envoy to Nigeria.
Her appointment makes Eshalomi the second Nigerian to hold the position.
Confirming her appointment on X on Tuesday, she wrote: “It is an honour to have been appointed as the United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria.
“I’m looking forward to building on my close ties with Nigeria to promote a strong and flourishing economic relationship between our two great nations.
“I am looking forward to strengthening the UK’s relationship with Nigeria to explore shared growth and opportunities for both countries.”
Announcing the appointment in a statement on Tuesday, Jonathan Reynolds, the UK’s Business and Trade Secretary, said the decision was aimed at attracting investment into the UK and boosting economic growth.
“I’ve launched a new team of trade envoys who will use their experience, expertise, and knowledge to unlock new markets around the world for British businesses, attract investment into the UK, and ultimately drive economic growth,” Reynolds said.
Eshalomi, 44, is an MP representing the Vauxhall and Camberwell Green constituency.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Political and International Studies with Law from Middlesex University.