Politics

Enough Is Enough, APC Sends Strong Warning To Governor Fubara Over Rivers Crisis

Published

2 years ago

May 11, 2024

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has stated that Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State was wrong to declare the state House of Assembly as nonexistent.

In a press statement dated May 10, 2024 issued by Felix Morka, the party’s national publicity secretary said was the governor’s argument that the 27 state lawmakers who defected from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to APC had lost the seats did not conform with constitutional provision.

The statement reads: “Confounded by the disturbing missteps of its Governor in Rivers state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) staged a press briefing on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, to dismiss the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rivers state chapter’s call on the Rivers State House of Assembly to impeach Govenor Siminalayi Fubara. The PDP tendered a hogwash argument that by Section 109 of the Constitution, the 27 House of Assembly members who defected from PDP to APC have forfeited their seats, and echoed the Governor’s declaration that the Rivers State House of Assembly is non-existent.

“Contrary to PDP’s assertions, it is not APC that is calling for the impeachment of Governor Fubara. Rather, by his egregious actions, conduct and infantile comments, Fubara is actively and vehemently precipitating his own impeachment.

“Governor Fubara’s declaration that the Rivers State House of Assembly does not exist is not only reckless, it is a direct affront to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The House of Assembly is a creation of the Constitution, and vested with the legislative authority of the state. The members of the Assembly were elected by the good people of Rivers state in the same manner that Fubara was elected Governor.

“The Assembly does not exist at the Governor’s pleasure or fanciful whims. The legislature is at the core of the idea of democracy. It is co- equal with the executive and judicial arms of government. The constitutionally entrenched principle of separation of powers among the three arms of government guarantees essential checks and balances.

“It required to ensure observance of the rule of law. The rule of law is indispensable to democracy and constitutional order.

“If his declaration that the House of Assembly is nonexistent is based on the fact that the 27 members who decamped from PDP to APC have lost their seats, then Governor Fubara is sorely misled.

“To be clear, the 27 Assembly members did not lose their membership of the Assembly by virtue of their decampment. There is nothing homeostatic about Section 109(1)(g) of the Constitution. It is not self- executing. The Proviso to the said Section 109(1) (g) established exceptional grounds to the applicability of Section 109(1)(g) Section 109(1) states: A member of a House of Assembly shall vacate his seat in the House if – (S.109(1)(g) – being a person whose election to the House of Assembly was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before expiration of the period for which that House was elected:

“Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored.”

“Therefore, only a properly constituted court of law can make a determination as to whether a member of the House of Assembly has vacated his seat in accordance with that provision of the Constitution. As no such judicial determination has been made, the 27 APC members of the House of Assembly remain the constitutionally recognized and authorized members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“The Governor’s declaration flies in the face of a matter pending in court as instituted by some elders of the state on the very question of the legal status of the 27 members that decamped from PDP to APC. The court ruled that the plaintiffs in the matter lacked necessary_locus standi_ to bring the action. An appeal against that ruling remains pending in the Court of Appeal. Governor Fubara is a party to that suit. And there is the subsisting order of injunction issued by a Federal High Court restraining the Governor and his agents from impeding or frustrating the House of Assembly.

“We strongly counsel Governor Fubara to submit himself to the dictates of the Constitution and the rule of law. In any and all contests between Governor Fubara and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Constitution shall prevail, always. The good people of Rivers state deserve so much more than the seemingly unending chicanery of Governor Fubara.”

Politics

Rare political resignation: Serving LG chairman dumps ruling APC in Sokoto

Published

6 days ago

July 8, 2026

Austin Ojomah

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In a rare political development that has sent shockwaves through Sokoto State, the Chairman of Tangaza Local Government Area, Isa Kalanjeni, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and simultaneously stepped down from his elected position as council chairman.

The twin resignations were contained in two separate letters made available to journalists in Sokoto on Tuesday.

In a letter dated May 5, 2026, addressed to the APC Ward Chairman of Kalanjeni Ward in Tangaza Local Government, Kalanjeni announced his immediate departure from the ruling party.

I wish to formally inform you of my decision to resign from the APC with immediate effect. This decision is borne out of purely personal reasons. I appreciate the opportunity given to me to be part of the party.”

Resignation from Office

In a separate letter dated July 7, 2026, addressed to the Secretary to the Sokoto State Government and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Kalanjeni formally resigned as Executive Chairman of Tangaza Local Government Area with immediate effect.

Please accept this letter as formal notification that I am resigning from my position as Executive Chairman of Tangaza Local Government Area, effective immediately from today.”

Reasons Cited

The embattled chairman explained that the “difficult decision” followed extensive consultations with family, political associates, and community stakeholders.

He also cited administrative constraints, stating:

“Due to recent unavoidable administrative challenges, I find that I am no longer able to execute the responsibilities of this office to the high standard expected of me.”

Despite the abrupt exit, Kalanjeni expressed appreciation to the people of the council:

“I am incredibly grateful to the electorate, the council’s legislative arm, and the entire staff for the privilege and opportunity to serve our people. I wish the incoming leadership and administration continued success.”

Politics

2027: APC moves to beat INEC deadline, set to upload Tinubu, running mate this week

Published

1 week ago

July 6, 2026

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) says it is on course to meet the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) July 11 deadline for the submission of its presidential and National Assembly candidates for the 2027 general elections.

A senior member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the upload of candidates’ details was at an advanced stage, with the details of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate expected to be uploaded by the middle of the week.

“We are progressing smoothly with the uploading of the details of our National Assembly candidates,” the source said.

“We hope that on or before next Wednesday, we shall upload the details of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate. We are completely sure of meeting the July 11 deadline for uploading all our candidates on the INEC portal.”

Checks at the APC’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) department at the Muhammadu Buhari House headquarters in Abuja on Sunday indicated that the party’s technical team has continued to interface with the INEC portal without disruption.

Sources in the department said the details of most principal officers of the 10th National Assembly and several serving lawmakers had already been uploaded.

They added that the details of four serving governors — AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State — had also been uploaded to the INEC portal.

The race to meet the deadline followed a review of the party’s primary elections. The APC recently submitted a revised list of candidates to INEC after the NWC removed six senatorial and 19 House of Representatives candidates who had earlier emerged from the party’s May primaries.

The changes affected constituencies in Abia, Kogi, Taraba, Benue, Ebonyi, Ondo, Kaduna, Niger and Kwara states and followed the recommendations of the party’s Primary Election Appeal Committee.

The revised list was forwarded to INEC in a letter jointly signed by APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru.

APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said the party received more than 700 petitions from aggrieved members after the conclusion of its primaries.

“The party received over 700 petitions from aggrieved members following the conclusion of our shadow elections,” Morka said.

He declined to state when the final list of candidates would be released publicly, saying the party’s immediate focus was to ensure compliance with INEC’s nomination requirements.

“Our absolute immediate priority right now is ensuring that our designated candidates properly complete and return their Form EC9 nomination documents for upload ahead of the strict INEC deadline, rather than focusing on the public release of the list,” he said.

Despite the changes made by the appeal committee, the final list submitted to INEC retained many of the party’s leading figures, including four serving governors who secured the party’s tickets to contest Senate seats in the 2027 general elections.

Politics

Senator Ogoshi Onawo resigns from ADC over incessant legal battles

Published

1 week ago

July 6, 2026

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Lawmaker representing the Nasarawa South Senatorial District, Senator Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo, has officially resigned from the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

His resignation was contained in a letter dated July 2, 2026, and addressed to the ADC Ward Chairman in Galadimawa Ward, Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

The lawmaker attributed his decision to the party’s lingering internal crisis and protracted legal disputes at the national level.

In the letter sighted on Sunday by our correspondent, Onawo said his resignation takes effect from June 15, 2026.

The lawmaker said the persistent internal wrangling and legal battles within the party made it difficult for him to pursue the developmental mandate entrusted to him by the electorate.

“It is driven by my firm belief that the prevailing circumstances within the current party structure and the endless legal battles it is currently embroiled in no longer provide the cohesion, support, and enabling environment for me to focus squarely on effectively representing my constituents and to fully realise the developmental and progressive mandate they entrusted to me,” he said.