Politics
APC primaries: Group call for the disqualification of former Nat. Chairman, Comrade Oshiomole
A group under the ageis of
Concerned Afemai All progressives Congress (APC) members has urged the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC to disqualify the former National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomole from participating in the party primaries.
The group made the call while staging a protest at the APC national secretariat on Friday in Abuja, questioned the credibility of the former chairman to contest for any elective position under the ruling party in 2023.
Mr Steven Asemah while reading the statement signed by the group’s Secretary, Mr Ojo Evbouan,
expressed displeasure that the former chairman, despite several legal battles and controversial circumstances that pushed him out of office in 2020, went ahead and purchased both the presidential and senatorial nomination forms.
The group opined that Oshiomole was unqualified to participate in the 2023 general elections under the ruling APC as his membership status is illegal.
They said “We wish to draw the attention of our party to the serial controversies vis-a-vis legal burden hanging on Adams Aliu Oshiomole,especially relating to his non-credibility to participate in the ongoing APC Nomination Exercise for the 2023 general election.
“Based on a subsisting indictment in May 14th 2020, by Justice James Oyomire(rtd) Judicial Commission of Inquiry Report which indicted Adams Aliu Oshiomole on the gross breach of the Edo State Public Procurement Law in the N1.4billion Supply and Installations of medical Equipment by VAMED Engineering Nigeria Limited(January 4th 2015). And that on December 23rd,2015 Contract Awards of N12.2billion to A&K Construction Ltd and another N2.5billion to Sageto Ltd for Constructions of a Teaching Hospital and Senate building respectively in the Edo University Iyamho,were also fraught with breaches of the State’s Procurement laws.
“It is also a dent of credibiliy on Adams Aliu Oshiomole if he has not disclosed his aforesaid indictment in his 2022 APC Nomination and Expression of Interest Forms. Any such non-disclosure by Adams Oshiomole will be contrary Article 7(iv) and 21.2(v) of the APC Constitution”.
The group also alleged that the authenticity of Oshiomole membership status after his suspension remains an unsettled fundamental issue.
They said” We recall that as at August 24, 2021 Justice D.Z. Senchi of an Abuja High Court sitting at Jabi, ruled that “Pursuant to the Motion on Notice, No. FCT/HC/M/8148/2020, dated and filed on 1/7/2020 discontinuing this suit at the instance of the Plaintiffs/Applicants and the Defendants/Respondents not opposing the application for discontinuance, the application is hereby granted and suit is dismissed.
“Parties to bear their respective cost, if any.” it was a suit filed by Comrade Mustapha Saliu, Oshawo Steven and four others over the purported suspension of the former APC National Chairman by his ward 10 APC Executives, Etsako West L.G.A.
“An Abuja High Court had earlier asked Oshiomhole to step aside as National Chairman of the APC pending the determination of the substantive suit. The Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the Lower Court, and Oshiomhole stepped aside.
“The Plaintiffs were expected to return to the Lower Court to commence the hearing of the substantive suit, instead they filed an application seeking a withdrawal of the substantive suit.(Probably after a political mediation).
Although on June 20th, 2020 the suspension letter was purported lifted by 17 Wars Executives.but if the case was withdrawn from court,that does not validate the Membership status of Oshiomole. if the suspension was lifted,did it duely comply with Section 21C(I & v) of the APC Constitution”.
The group further questioned the appropriateness of the former APC Chairman in picking nomination forms for two positions.
“The validity of individuals picking dual Nomination Forms within the same Nomination process of a Political Party is not a controversial political habit that is exposed to legal challenge anytime.
“Consequently, Oshiomole’s dual aspiration(for Presidency & Senate) within APC 2022 Nomination process,is a disregard for internal democracy,APC constitution, INEC Guidelines, Electoral Act 30,35,115d, 115k &.1999 Constitution.
“In view of the precarious opposition status of APC in Edo state,wherein the ruling PDP under a draconic Governor Godwin Obaseki may lay ambush on the electoral prospects of APC if Adams Oshiomole’s is considered for nomination.
“We therefore advise the APC Appeal Screening Committee to curtail avoidable technical losses of APC in Edo-North(which remains the only APC stronghold in Edo state).
“The Appeal Committee should review and stepdown Adams Alliu Oshiomole from the ongoing 2022 APC nomination process” he added.
The immediate past deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Rivers State, Dr Emana Ambrose Amawhe has resigned her membership of the party with immediate effect.
In a letter dated 28th March, 2025 addressed to the Chairman of Edem Odo Ward in Akpabuyo Local Government Council of Cross River State, she said, her resignation was with immediate effect.
She pointed out in the letter that her resignation should not be taken lightly, while she reaffirmed her commitment to and readiness to serve the government of Cross River and Nigeria in general in any capacities.
She said, “I am writing to formally resign my membership from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect.
”I sincerely appreciate the opportunity given to me over time to contribute my quota to the growth of the party and the chance to serve as the Deputy Governorship Candidate in the last general elections.
”It was a privilege to be part of the PDP’s vision and engage with our people in meaningful ways. However, after much reflection in light of the current state of affairs within the party, I believe it is time for me to move on.
“This decision was not made lightly, but I remain committed to serving my community and contributing to the progress of our state and nation in other capacities.”
Ambrose-Amawhe was the running mate to Senator Sandy Onor in the 2023 governorship election in Cross River.
She had also contested for the House of Representatives seat for the Bakassi/Akpabuyo/Calabar South Federal Constituency under the PDP.
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers State Chapter, Chief Tony Okocha, has defended the emergency rule declared by President Bola Tinubu in the state, citing escalating security threats.
According to Chief Okocha, Rivers State was on the brink of anarchy due to increasing security concerns in various parts of the state.
Okocha made this statement while addressing journalists at the APC headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
Justifying the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the declaration of a state of emergency, Okocha commended the President for his “timely” intervention and criticized those opposing the decision.
“The state of emergency called by Mr. President saved Rivers State from anarchy. When you see non-state actors brandishing guns and making statements that promote lawlessness, then you should know there is a problem.
“I see some people jumping onto television platforms to cast aspersions on Mr. President and condemn what they do not understand. Mr. President knows more than they do.
“The truth of the matter is that Rivers State was headed towards anarchy. We all know Rivers is one of the states that sustain this country. Some of the same people criticizing the President now would have also condemned him if he had done nothing.”
Chief Okocha also questioned the silence of former President Goodluck Jonathan and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) when the Rivers State House of Assembly complex was demolished under Governor Fubara’s administration.
“Thank God, President Goodluck Jonathan has been president, General Obasanjo has been president, and they know that every day on their table, they receive security reports.
“I hear the NBA saying the suspension is an affront to democracy. But when the assembly complex was burned and the next day, eleven pieces of equipment were deployed to demolish it, the NBA was silent. They were alive, yet we didn’t hear anything from them”, he said.
Reacting to criticism over why the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, was not sanctioned despite allegations that he contributed to the unrest, Okocha argued that Wike was not involved in the crisis.
He said, “For those asking why the Governor and members of the State House of Assembly were suspended but not the Minister of the FCT—was he in the frame? The answer is no”
Former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the 2023 general election, Adewole Adebayo said, God has told him that the party will produce the next president in 2027 general election.
Speaking over the weekend in Abeokua when he met the members and executive who were led by the State Chairman, Yinka Ola-Williams, said he could confirm that a President of SDP will mount Aso Rock villa in 2027.
“One thing that God is telling me is that there will be an SDP president in the villa in 2027.
“For the first time in a long time, we will have people who care for the people. Let’s remain focused. The problems of Nigeria are our problems, not individuals.
“We are not against Tinubu as a person but we are against hunger, inflation, poverty, insecurity, unemployment. That’s what we are against,” he said.
Buttressing Adebayo’s position on modalities of joining the party, the SDP Chairman in Ogun State, Mr. Yinka Ola-Williams, disowned 30,000 membership cards and registers allegedly being flaunted by one of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants in the 2023 governorship election in the State.
Ola-Williams said the party’s door is widely opened to anybody who wants to join, but such a person or group, no matter how highly placed, must follow the procedure as laid down in the party’s constitution.
He emphatically stated that the party had nothing to do with the membership cards and registers claimed by the aspirant, who said he got them from the party’s National Secretariat.
“We want people to join us, and we want to work together to provide a better government than what we have now that will remove poverty, provide a better healthcare system for people, improve education and all.
“But not that they come to the party, hijack the party and take the structure away. That’s what we will not agree,” Ola-Williams said.
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