Nnaya Eziyi, Umuahia, Yakubu Busari, Jos and Ayo Kehinde with Agency Reports
Violated ballot boxes at the Ekiti Poll
An Abia State High Court sitting in Okpuala Ngwa in Isiala Ngwa has said Dr. Emmanuel Ndukwe remains the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state until it says otherwise.
On March 8, 2018, the court, presided over by Hon Justice C . O. Okoroafor ordered the sack of the former executive committee of the party which was led by Chief Donatus Nwankpa.
The sack followed a suit brought before the court by Barrister Fabian Okonkwo and two others against the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Nwankpa and three others.
But after hearing a motion filed by Nwakpa for a stay of execution of the order yesterday, the judge adjourned the matter to June 18, 2018 for ruling, adding that the status quo must remain.
The court restrained Odigie-Oyegun and the three others from dealing with lists of state, local government and ward delegates from the former executive committee in any manner until the substantive suit was determined.
It would be recalled that following the order, the Ndukwe-led executive committee took over the party secretariat along Azikiwe Road, Umuahia, for their inaugural meeting.
However, no sooner than the meeting adjourned, they were confronted by some leaders and supporters of Nwankpa who came in their numbers to retake the premises.
Speaking to our correspondent latter, Ndukwe said their take over of the secretariat was sequel to the order, insisting that he remains the chairman of the party in the state.
According to him, before the take-over they served the Nigeria Police, the Directorate of Security Service (DSS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSDC) copies of the order.
Similarly, Nwankpa said the Ndukwe-led committee were impostors attempting to reap from where they did not sow, vowing to resist any attempt to remove him from the office.
The ward congress to elect delegates for the national convention of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Plateau State yesterday was a mere endorsement exercise for candidates the leaders considered prepared to stabilise the party in the midsts of insecurity and lack of funds
Speaker of Assembly, Peter Ajang Azi who spoke to journalists at the headquarters of Jos North Local Government Area during the conduct of wards primaries expressed confidence that the party stakeholders who had come together to brainstorm on how to conducta hitch free exercise without any rancour adhered strictly to the endorsement exercise.
He congratulated all the wards delegates for the show of understanding and maturity during the affirmation exercise. “We ask each of the 20 wards to clarify their mind on whether those who are chosen to represent them have the quality and pedigree of holding the said office.”
According to him, the selection and the endorsement was dully followed according to the dictates from the national secretariat down the state and the wards level.
He said the reason for endorsement of all the candidates was in fulfilment of party decision because “we know we can not allow miscreants to take advantage to cause mayhem at the venue.
On his part, committee chairman of Jos North LG, Philip lzam, said going by the fragile nature of the local government, the committee cannot afford to risk going through the process for the sake of safety.
He said although a committee chaired by Governor Simon Lalong was set-up to deliberate on the modalities for the conduct of ward congress there leaders still considered it necessary to contingency plans, “Any time you made an arrangement, in any given time you discovered you have special needs. I don’t think it is out of place to bring plans to accommodate the special needs which we just did.”
Philip maintained that the congress is ongoing as the council is not in position to embarked on venture which is too bogus financially, security wise and other issues “which is the reasons we are taken it ward by ward for transparency. The difference is just polling units.”
The National Coordinator for Buhari Campaign Organization, BCO, Danladi Pasali lauded the delegates for their peaceful conduct and for choosing credible leaders that will spearhead the party to victory coming in the 2019 general elections.
He stresses that the mass turn up for delegates and peaceful conduct is an indication that the party is intact and ready to retain power in the state and at the centre.
According to him, the orderliness and endorsement of the same exco to run the affair of the party was a decision taken at the national convention. He thanked the delegates for agreeing with the directive and the INEC for coming to witness the “ exercise for affirmations only.”
In his contribution, former the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly Ibrahim Baba Hassan said that “they can’t afford to allow some selfish political class to hijack the exercise and divide us alone religion because the APC had good program aimed at promoting human capital development”
Ibrahim Hassan also urged politicians to avoid the politics of cheap blackmail and back biting but to ensure we all cooperate coexistence in promoting the economy well-being of common interests of the society.
Disagreeing with those who condemned the affirmation exercise, Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande, a Rep from Jos North /Bassa Federal Constituency, said “affirmation of candidates is the only best practice contrary to some people views of those condemning it”.
In an interview, Yahaya-Kwande said those who are threatening to defect to any political party are free to do so
“Affirmation is all over Nigeria. This is not a decision taken in Plateau or North Central but national for the overall interest of the party in conducting all elections in Nigeria.
“We have informed all the supporters of APC through sensitisation and enlightenment meetings with stakeholders across the wards on how the voting pattern should go. We organised peaceful election as family members to ensure that the party grow from strength to strength as we held sensitisation meetings so that the people will be fully participate actively in the election process.
The Police Command in Delta has confirmed that a chairmanship candidate died in the All Progressives Congress ward congresses in Ughelli South Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
The command’s spokesman, Mr Andrew Aniamaka, said Mr Jeremiah Oghoveta, was stabbed to death during the exercise at Jeremi Ward 3, Okwagbe.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the deceased was stabbed to death by one Tete Pippah.
Pippah was said to have attacked Ogheveta during an argument that ensued when the deceased accused him of hijacking the electoral materials meant for the congresses in the area.
It was further learnt that the deceased and the alleged assailant belonged to different factions of the party in the area.
Also, there were reported cases of ballot-box snatching during the exercise at Ogor and Orogun Wards 1 and 2 respectively in Ughelli North LGA.
It was reliably gathered that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were not present for the exercise in Ward 5, Ovu in Ethiope LGA.
Authoritative sources told NAN that the leaders of the ward decided to conduct the election for the candidates, using Option A4 after waiting in vain for the INEC officials.
One of the three contestants for the chairmanship reportedly stepped down, leaving the contest for the other two candidates.
Reacting to the protest that greeted the outcome of the exercise, a former labour leader who is from the area, Chief Frank Kokori, told newsmen that the issue would be resolved amicably.
Acccording to him, the contestants are “brothers.”
Another chieftain of the party in the state, Chief O’tega Emerhor, described the exercise at Evwreni Ward 8, Ughelli North LGA, as peaceful.
“Based on the reports that I have got concerning the exercise, things went on smoothly and peacefully,” he said.
The stalemated All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship primary in Ekiti State, which was on Saturday marred with violence over alleged fraud being perpetrated by one of the leading aspirants, has been postponed indefinitely.
The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that before the decision was taken, there was a serious violence at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, venue of the exercise, as agents of some strong contenders accused some security agencies of allegedly compromising the process in favour of former Governor Kayode Fayemi.
The Chairman of the APC Primary and Nasarawa State Governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura hurriedly entered his vehicle and left the venue after an emergency meeting with all the 33 aspirants, failed to yield result.
Though Almakura did not officially brief the press on the pact reached with the aspirants, NAN learnt the the need to extract commitments from them for a peaceful conduct in future topped their discussions.
Confirming the postponement, two of the aspirants, Mr. Bimbo Daramola and former Speaker, Mr.Femi Bamisile, said it was a unanimous verdict at the meeting that the process should be suspended indefinitely.
“There was an issue somewhere about the exercise and they raised observation about sharp practices that had compromised the process which led to protest and the feeling was that the process should be suspended to avoid bloodshed”, he said.
He dismissed insinuation that it was because Fayemi was leading with a wide margin in about five, out of the 16 local governments that caused the violence.
“I don’t believe that is correct. The results have not been counted , so that was an assumption .
“Ekiti APC is not in any way fractured, we are one big family. If Fayemi defeats us, we are all going to back him, because the party is supreme. But this must come through a free, fair and credible process”, he said.
NAN reports that only delegates from four local governments had concluded their voting and delegates of the fifth council were about to vote when the violence erupted .
Trouble started at about 5.30pm when some agents raised observations about how the process was being allegedly compromised, accusing the men of the Department of State Services(DSS) of dictating to delegates who they should vote for.
Police and other security agencies shot sporadically into the air when the situation was escalating into a full scale war among the camps.
When the violence broke out at Oluyemi Kayode Stadium , venue of the exercise, many of the delegates scampered out to seek refuge in the nearby buildings, they never returned.
It was learnt all efforts made by by the Al-Makura -led committee that supervised the failed primary, to calm down frayed nerves were rebuffed.
The protesters , most of whom were agents of the other 32 aspirants accused an agent to Fayemi , Mr. Samuel Abejide of dictating to delegates who to vote for and also writing the serial numbers of their ballot papers to authenticate who they actually voted for, probably for pecuniary gains after the poll..
The protest attracted their principals and other interested parties, who joined the fray and made spirited efforts to grab the ballot boxes to stall the entire process.
They threw sachet water indiscriminately while also chanting derisive songs against the former governor
The Director General of Babafemi Ojudu Campaign Organisation, Chief Ranti Adebisi complained that the process had been heavily compromised
“The guideline stipulated that each aspirant can only bring in four supporters, but Fayemi brought many. His agents, including DSS were issuing cards to delegates to fill when they vote for him , so that they can later come for the money he promised them
“I contested against Fayemi in 2007 and I knew what I am talking about. The process has been compromised. Even, Fayemi has been bragging around that he is a friend to Alhaji Tanko Al –Makura, so we are disappointed that this could happen”, he said.
But reacting, Fayemi’s agent said it was gang up against the Minister that led to the spurious allegation, accusing those peddling rumour as enemies of APC.
“It was a proviso that if you are a delegate who can’t read and write, you can call any of the agents. When they saw that I was the one being called, they started feeling the heat and they were determined to disrupt it”, he said
