By Admin
The Local Government Collation Agent of the All Progressive Congress APC, Mr. Valentine Undeshi was caught on camera sleeping while collation is ongoing.
Undeshi may have been frustrated by the result that was turned in by the various in Obudu, resorted to sleep while collation was going on.
Seven wards had turned in result as the People’s Democratic Party PDP is leading with a very wide margin.
By Admin
PRESS RELEASE
The attention of Young Progressives Party (YPP) Cross River State Chapter has been drawn to the purported endorsement of Dr Stephen Odey, the PDP Candidate for the 5th December, 2020 Cross River North Senatorial District by-election by our party’s candidate, Dr. Francis Agaba.
Ordinarily, we would have ignored it as another ploy to distract the party that has since positioned itself as the major opposition political platform in Cross River State but the danger this information portends may be damaging to the image of the party, hence the need for this rebuttal.
Expectedly, this unfortunate incident was hurriedly reported by a media happy aide of the PDP. As a party, we hereby state as follows;
That we totally dissociate ourselves from the alleged endorsement as it does not reflect the decision of the party.
That the party has immediately commenced investigation into the reason behind the presence of our candidate in the meeting of the PDP campaign organisation.
The party equally condemns in very strong terms the desperation of PDP to leverage on the rising profile of our great party without due process.
That the party has no plans whatsoever either now or in the foreseeable future to align or form any coalition with any political party.
Although, our candidate has explained his side of the story, we are currently studying the situation and will soon communicate appropriate sanctions in line with the constitution of the party. Our party will not tolerate any form of anti party activities from any member.
Thank you!
Comrade Anthony Bissong Attah
State Chairman (Chief Servant)
By Admin
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has alleged that another Governor, elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is on his way to the ruling All Progressive Party (APC).
Wike disclosed this when he spoke as a guest Channels television programme ‘Politics Today’, while reacting to the defection of the Ebonyi State Governor, Engr. Dave Umahi who defected from PDP to the APC.
Wike, however, maintained that the PDP remains undaunted and is prepared for the 2023 elections. He however failed to disclose the identity of the governor he referred to.
The Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, told the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja on Tuesday that he was leaving the party.
He said he would join the ruling All Progressives Congress which he claimed would protect the interest of the South -East in the 2023 elections.
Our correspondent gathered that Umahi told the members of the National Working Committee of the PDP that his decision to join the APC was irrevocable.
The members of the PDP NWC , who were led to the meeting by its National Chairman , Prince Uche Secondus , were said to have tried in vain to convince the governor not to abandon the party.
Apart from Secondus, among those that were at the meeting at the Ebonyi Governor’s Lodge in Abuja were Deputy National Secretary, Agbo Emmanuel ; National Organising Secretary, Austin Akobondu; Financial Secretary, Abdullahi Maibasira; National Women Leader, Mariya Waziri and Senator Sulieman Nazif.
The governor was said to be friendly when he received the PDP delegation, but stuck to his decision to leave the PDP when the issue came up.
It was gathered that the PDP delegation impressed it upon the governor that there was no need leaving the PDP for the APC , which they argued had become unpopular.
Sources at the meeting, however, said the governor was not convinced, insisting that the APC was planning to zone the 2023 Presidency to the South-East.
He was said to have promised to stay in the PDP if the party could make a pronouncement that it would zone the Presidency to the same zone.
One of the sources said, “I think his (governor’s ) mind was made up. We told him there was no need for him to abandon the party that had made him a deputy governor , state chairman of the party , two -time governor and all that. But he refused.
“He wanted us to unilaterally zone the office of the Presidency to his area . We cannot do that. Parties are not run that way. He told us he was leaving . That is what we got from him.”
When contacted, Secondus confirmed that the party ’s leadership met with Umahi .
He, however, refused to declared the details of the meeting , insisting that the meeting was on ‘‘ national issues. ’’
Punch
By Admin
A front line supporter of Rt. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe for the Cross River Northern Senatorial District, Mr. Peter Akpanke has dissociated self from the publication of a faction of the People’s Democratic Party PDP, supporting Dr. Stephen Odey.
In release made available to The Lumine News and signed by Mr. Peter Akpanke, indicates that he was never consulted and that the action of the mischief makers violates every known democratic tenets, principles and practice.
Akpanke however noted that he has no intention to join issues with any person or group of persons and called on the public to disregard the publication which has the intent of misleading the public.
The release reads in full “My attention has been drawn to a misguided and purported list circulated in the social media under the Finance sub committee as member of a campaign council.
“For the purpose of the records, I wish to state categorically that I was not at any point consulted to be part of any campaign council, and therefore dissociate myself from any form of membership of any campaign council.
“My name as contained in that document violates every known democratic tenets, principles and practice. However, I have no intention whatsoever to join issues any person or group of persons.
“The general public is hereby intimated to take note and disregard the purported publication of my name as a member of the Finance Committee of the campaign Council. This was done to mislead the public”
Culled from Thisdaylive
The Niger State National Assembly Election Tribunal has nullified the election of Alhaji Kasim Danjuma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Magama/Rijau federal constituency by-election held in the state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Danjuma winner of the by-election held on March 27, 2020.
However, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the by-election, Mr. Emma Alamu, had approached the tribunal, accusing Danjuma of submitting forged documents to INEC thereby making him ineligible to contest the by-election.
According to the petitioner, Danjuma presented fake primary school certificate and forged declaration of age certificate to INEC for the clearance.
The counsel to the petitioner, Mohammed Ndayako, therefore asked the tribunal to quash the victory of the APC candidate and declare the PDP candidate the winner.
In its judgment on Monday, the three-man tribunal headed by Justice B. F. Zubairu, in a unanimous judgment, upheld the petition and declared the victory of Danjuma null and void.
The tribunal said the petitioner proved beyond reasonable doubt that the first respondent presented forged documents to INEC which enabled him to contest the election.
The tribunal therefore annulled the election and directed INEC to conduct fresh election in the constituency within the next 90 days.
It also ruled that Danjuma and his party, the APC, will not be eligible to contest in the by-election.
The APC had recently lost three local government chairmen seats to the PDP on similar grounds.
September 18, 2020
Press Statement
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) protests the clampdown on its governors by security agents in Benin City, Edo state capital, ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The national leadership of the party, in a press conference addressed by the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, alerted the nation and the international community of the security siege on PDP governors in their lodging in Benin City.
The party expressed shock that security agents were detailed to surround the lodging of our governors to harass and intimidate them, whereas APC governors, including the governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Ganduje, his Imo state counterpart, Hope Uzodimma as well as the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, are left free in the comfort of the residence of the sacked national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole in GRA, Benin City.
Our party considers this siege as provocative and completely unacceptable as there cannot be two sets of laws for the citizens of our nation. In as much as the APC governors are given the liberty to stay in Benin City, our governors must not be harassed or stampeded to leave the state.
At any rate, we are confident that our governors will not allow themselves to be stampeded.
The PDP calls on all stakeholders in the Edo governorship election, particularly the security agencies, to work towards a peaceful, credible, transparent, free and fair election on Saturday.
Signed:
Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary
At the close of yesterday, after pondering some of the comments I read on the social media, I woke up with the mindset to rather enlighten and inform because most people are actually ignorant of the issues surrounding the burning concerns in PDP Cross River State. Funny enough people on both sides of the divide. This is understandable, given the many cases in Court, the incoherence of the NWC with regards to the simple matter of party executives and of course the Govt’s refusal to play by the rules of the game unless it’s “victory” for her!
The facts and issues first!
1. The wards and chapter Excos of the party that were elected in February this year were bugged down by some controversies until all activities leading to the state congress were terminated due to covid-19 pandemic.
Subsequently, sometimes in April or so the list of the executive as approved by the NWC was released alongside other state’s Excos for inauguration. The list was essentially of the Excos from the Gov, and the National Assembly members. The Gov protested that he as the Leader of the party has to have 100% of all the Excos or nothing!
The Excos were inaugurated despite his protest as the process was well on it’s way. The inauguration was adjudged as being in order and due process followed as set out in the guidelines, given the covid-19 situation.
In all subsequent hearings and inquiries conducted by the NWC, it was clearly evident that the list of Excos is the legitimate outcome of the Congresses, promoting the NWC ( NOS) to stamp it “Authentic”! giving rise to the acronym we have adopted to subsequently address the said list of Excos.
2. The Legal Battles begin…
Some chapter Chairmen, were fronted( ostensibly by the PDP CRS and allegedly sponsored by the Gov), as litigants the same day and went to the High Court in calabar to challenge the authenticity of the Exco. They were granted an Injunction on an ex parte application, restraining the PDP from inaugurating the Excos that had been inaugurated earlier that morning against all known legal process.
Subsequently, some chapter Chairmen who were inaugurated applied to the Court to be joined in the suit as defendants so that they could defend their Election.
Justice Eneji granted the said request as he should.
In addition he granted an Order discharging his earlier ex parte order restraining the party from inaugurating the Excos. When, however Counsel to the defendants went to obtain the written order, the judge possibly realized that he had contravened the understanding he must have had with the Gov’s People and refused to sign the Order..
Before the next adjourned date, to the utter embarassment of all, the Judge had allowed the Gov’s People to sneak back and again apply for and obtain the same order he had earlier discharged!
On the next adjourned date, counsel for the defending PDP chapter Chairmen, Barrister Mba Okweni ( SAN) leading Attah Ochinke, former Attorney General and others, applied for a transfer of the case from Justice Eneji being that he had clearly acted in a manner that could not guarantee a fair trial. The judge granted the order as he should and transferred the case file to Justice Elias Abua.
Justice Abua was similarly made to issue another ex parte order restraining the defendants from inaugurating the Excos, against all known practices because the inauguration had long taken place some two months or so earlier, making the urgency for which such an order should be granted non existing!
Subsequently, Justice Elias Abua sitting as vacation judge, after sneaking in an order extending the ex parte order restraining the defendants, being that the Courts had entered into their annual Vacation, under pressure from some quarters was again petitioned and decided to wash his hands off the case pleading his integrity!
The matter was transferred to the second Vacation Court sitting at Ikom.
3. High Court Ikom.
At the resumed sitting at Ikom, the Plaintiffs( PDP Lawyers, surprisingly came and requested for out of Court settlement. It was granted but no efforts were made to create an avenue for settlement. Instead the Plaintiff again sneaked behind the defendants and applied for another ex parte order against the defendants! The judge found it ridiculous and declined and instead offered to put the defendants on notice as should be, being that it was the same Plaintiffs who asked for an adjournment to settle out of court!
At the resumed hearing yesterday, the Judge decided also to wash his hands off the case! He returned the case file to the Chief Judge, whenever one is appointed..
4. High Court Abuja..
While all the drama was playing out in the Cross River State judiciary, some of the inaugurated chapter Chairmen also decided to take an action at the Abuja High Court, to protect their Mandate.
They successfully obtained an ex parte order restraining the PDP headquarters from interfering with their Election having been duly elected and sworn in as the Exco of the party. The party subsequently filed a defense and protested that order, but the Court extended the Order pending the determination of case.
The Party petitioned the Chief Judge of The FCT judiciary and he directed that the case be transferred to Calabar. Subsequently that directive was rescinded and later reinstated, bringing the case to Ikom vacation Court too.
Nevertheless, the order restraining the party from interfering with the list of Excos as sworn in remains in effect.
5. Federal High Court Port Harcourt..
As has been said above, the Courts all over the country started their vacation while these legal gymnastics were playing out. Consequently, litigants can only have resort to what we call a vacation Court. Few courts are usually left behind to attend to matters that may arise during the legal vacation. In Cross River State, they are Justice Elias Abua in Calabar and the second Judge at Ikom whose name eludes me momentarily.
For the Federal High Courts it’s in zones. This year the vacation courts are in Port Harcourt for the SS/SE, the Abuja for the North and Lagos for the SW. That’s how we found ourselves in PH.
6. I first approached the Federal High Court PH seeking amongst other things to set aside my purported Disqualification from contesting at the state congress and an order restraining the party from interfering with the list of delegates to that congress as that would jeopardize my chances at the Congress. Since that matter is sub judice and as a party in the case I will not comment much on it. Suffice it to say that one interloper in Pius Awah wrote a letter to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court alleging that the judge had been compromised, on the day judgement was to have been delivered. I describe Mr. Awah as such because he is neither a party in the case nor is PDP Cross River State. My purported disqualification is from Abuja and so I sued PDP HQ. He has also forgotten that he is no longer the State legal adviser of the party their tenures having expired since May. Holding on desperately as “Caretaker Committee” doesn’t confer him any status as “Legal Adviser”! Maybe he doesn’t know. In any case the National Legal Adviser disowned him in open Court as having no such authorization to write such a letter on behalf of the Party! We are awaiting further directives from the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt.
7. Hon. Jarigbe at the Federal High Court PH.
Hon. Jarigbe again sought the order of the Court restraining the party from interfering with the list of party Excos as there was information that the NWC was contemplating such an action under pressure from the Gov of CRS and alleged. The order was granted..
After Hon. Jarigbe’s clearance , for some strange reason, Hon.. Pius Awah wrote a letter to the Screening Apeal Committee claiming that the PDP in CRS didn’t clear Hon. Jarigbe or something to that incoherent effect.
On the basis of this, the so called screening Appeal Committee purported to have disqualified Hon. Jarigbe ,for having taken the party to court, against their clear mandate.
Hon. Jarigbe appealed to the NWC alleging bad faith. He also filed another action at the Federal High Court to set aside the purported disqualification. The order was granted, clearing the way for him to contest.
8. The NWC in embarrassment, apparently, decided to turn the process against Hon. Jarigbe. They looked the other way and accepted the result from a faction of the panel against the background of unwarranted intimidation, violence and death of at least two delegates to the Congress and without consideration for the INEC monitoring Report. Clearly, the panel did not use the authentic list of party delegates as confirmed by the NWC and ordered by the Courts.
9. Hon. Jarigbe promptly went back to the Federal High Court and obtained an Order stopping the Party from forwarding the name of the purported winner to INEC as well as stopping INEC from accepting any name forwarded apart from his own, pending the determination of the case in court.
The matter comes up today in PH.
10..With this I hope you can separate the myths from the facts.
We did not choose to go to Court in PH because of anyone. We went to the Federal High Court with Jurisdiction to hear our case.
In all the Courts we have been to we have won. Those who didn’t have the courage to do justice to our cases as required at least had the decency to wash their hands off the cases, maybe not unlike Pontius Pilate!
Those who deceive you that Hon. Jarigbe is out of contention are telling you half truths. The NWC is unfortunately acting a script to justify certain allegations that we would rather not believe because their exalted position demands equal treatment of aspirants so as to put forward the most acceptable candidate for the party.
That’s the only way to guarantee victory at the polls and ensure that Justice is served..
Vena.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are strictly that of Barr Vena Ikem and does not represent The Lumine News.
By Admin
The Leader of the 9th Cross River Sate House of Assembly, Rt.Hon Peter Odinga, has stated that the PDP in Cross River State cannot continue to loose it members and thinks that it will not affect the political fortunes of the party.
The leader took to his Facebook verified account to air his views on the recent squabbles going on within the party in the state.
Mr. Odey however, advocated for a roundtable discussion to end the skirmishes that are able to undermine the success of the party in the 2023 general election.
Find below complete text of Rt. Hon. Peter Odinga Odey’s opinion.
“MY ONE PENNY.
“I have been following developments with very keen interest in our politics and I am compelled to drop a few lines.
“We are gradually disintegrating as a party and as such, most of our members have joined the APC in the State. It is on good record that many of the decision makers in the APC were members of the PDP and at some point founding members of our great party, the PDP. A lot of our foot soldiers and fine players and political tacticians have left the party due to one reason or the other. It can be seen that from the Honorable Minister, Prince Goddy Jedy Agba, Senator John Owan Enoh, Chief Ray Ugba Murphy, Chief Jude Ngaji, Hon Tom Agi. Barrister Joe Agi and even Prof. Zana Akpagu were all members of our party. We cannot continue to loose our members and think it won’t affect our political fortunes. Our brother, Chief Alex Egbona was one of us before he left for the APC, today, there is a huge vacuum in Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency. We cannot continue to pretend that all is well when it is not. There is a need to immediately restrategize and put our family in order as we progress towards 2023.
“So much has been written and said in recent time by political observers and party Faithfuls . The time has come for us to put a stop to every lingering issues as party men. It’s time we come together and resolve our issues amicably with the aim of winning for our party. The truth is , all we see daily is getting messy and frustrating. Truth be said, 2023 started too early for us. The fighting is not about the senate. “Authentic list” “conquered ” or “confused ” generations. It’s who gets what in 2023. This is the simple truth.
“I understand egos have been brushed but we cannot continue on this narrow road. The time has come for all and sundry to settle our differences and work together as a people with the sole aim of winning for our party and people and we cannot continue to play politics of bigotry, bitterness, acrimony, hate, anger and over zealousness. Everyone is important and mutual respect, understanding, love and absolute forgiveness for one another is the way to go. Like I said, it is my one penny . Then again, what do I know?
“With love, humility and oneness we can achieve great milestones together”
By Admin
The National Working Committee of the People’s Democratic Party PDP has set aside the controversial Appeal panel report that disqualified Rt. Hon. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe from contesting the September 5th primaries for CRNorth by-election.
Hon. Agom a two time House of Reps member for Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency was disqualified by the Appeal Panel on grounds of a frivolous petition bothering on Hon. Jarigbe and claimed that he took the party to court.
In the report submitted to the NWC of the party, the panel alleged also that when Hon. Jarigbe Agom was invited to defend the allegation, he was rude to the panel and asked the panel to meet him at Abuja, instead of Calabar where the Appeal Panel sat.
This however sparked controversies with many pointing accusing fingers to the government of cross river state as being the architect of the disqualification.
In view of the disqualification, the Rt. Hon.Jarigbe had written to the NWC of the party demanding that the Appeal Panel apologize to him and retract his character defamation.
Arising from the NWC meeting today, 31st August, 2020, to review the report and having considered all issues pending in the circumstance, the NWC cleared Rt. Hon. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe to participate in the September 5th 2020 party primaries for the Cross River Northern Senatorial district ticket.
As the time of filling this report, it was unclear whether the NWC granted the prayers of the lawmaker as efforts to reach the lawmaker proved abortive as calls to his phone number were not connected.