Politics
Ifeanyi Ubah’s defection: APC has gotten solution to the disunity in the South-East – Ganduje
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Umar Ganduje has described Senator Ifeanyi Ubah who decamped from the Young Progressives Party, YPP, to the ruling Party, as a big fish who will unite the people of the South-East.
Ganduje made the comment on Thursday at the party headquarters Abuja, when delegation from the National Assembly, led by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, came to present Ubah to him.
APC, according to the National Chairman is graudally gaining ground in the South-East geopolitical zone and will soon take over from the other parties in charge of the three other states in the zone.
In his words, “Let us see what is happening in the Southeastern part of this country. You have five states, three states are controlled by different political parties, we have Labour Party, PDP, APGA and the remaining two controlled by APC. Now a region, a geopolitical zone with five states but having four political parties controlling that geopolitical zone, i usually say let us discuss this.
Is it a sign of unity? Is it a sign of wisdom, is it a sign of collective decision in other to participate in national politics? No.
“Now, we have started seeing the answer. Liberation. During the civil war, it was, this state has fallen. This big town has fallen. In our politics of today, it is liberation. Already we have two states from the Southeastern part of the country and with this nucleus, with this timber and calibre, with this jaganut, i think we have found the answer”.
He also said the presence of Ubah will assist the ruling party profer solution to the issue of marginalisation in the South-East region.
“It is very very disturbing, and marginalisation is a common concept in our political dictionary. We as student of political party, when we hear people are being marginalized, we develop interests because they are making a point. I discuss with many senior politicians from the southeastern part of this country and in all cases, the issue is marginalisation.
“Let us discuss marginalisation of the South-East in Nigeria. That is an issue to me”, he said.
Dr Ganduje who expressed joy in the defection of Senator Ubah to the party, noted one of the primary objectives of the party was to increase its membership.
“Since i assume office, this is the biggest fish. There is no doubt, this is a big success.
“When we came in, we decided to introduce some reforms into the party. The first is to make this party active throughout the year, not just during election period.
“The second is to widen and deepen advocacy. Our primary objective as a political party as an institution is to recruit membership into the party both elective, appointment and fellowship of the party. So we decided to swing into action” , he said.
On his part, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah assured the leadership of the ruling party that he will work assiduously for the progress of the party in the South-East.
He said the Igbos have benefitted and still benefiting from the leadership and policies of President Tinubu’s administration. He however urged them to support the President for the good of the nation.
“I want to take the message to my people because we have a new sheriff in the building in the person of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I want to be sincere because i know that i am talking before Nigerians and the media is here.
“I’m from the Igbo nation. It has always been difficult for the Igbo people to key into the national party because of our sentiment and emotion. But since our president has emerged, and i put that challenge to each and every Igbo man today in Nigeria, If we have had 80 percent of wealthy Igbo today, i am sure 70 – 80 percent of them derive their wealth from a legacy our president has kept in Lagos Nigeria.
“Our president is a politician that understands how it pains and how to console everybody that is in need. He has that capacity.
“One of the most important thing for me to tell my people is the appointment of Engr. Dave Umahi, the Minister of Works for the very first time irrespective of our low turn of vote to him.
The former president said, he cannot reward who did not vote for him but our president is rewarding even those who did not vote for him. For that it will be very difficult for any man with conscience not to look at the direction of the centre party. And for that, i, my family and my constituency, i consulted widely , i dont think you will come tomorrow and see anyone within my family, my political family which is far more important in this business or in this movement that will come against my coming into All Progressives Congress.
“My president, just take it from me. I am going to deliver. The most important thing in every politics, is for you to have connection with your grassroot, your people and to know the needs of your people”.
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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