Politics
APC To Fubara: You Can’t Abrogate Constitution Of Federal Republic Nigeria
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has told Governor Simi Fubara of Rivers State not to abrogate the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, pointing out that it’s an affront of the constitution for the Governor to declare that Rivers State House of Assembly doesn’t exist.
The APC in a press conference on Friday addressed by Felix Morka, Esq., National Publicity Secretary of the party, noted that it was confounded by the disturbing missteps of the Governor in Rivers State and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which staged a press briefing on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, where it dismissed the APC, Rivers state chapter’s call on the Rivers State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
He said, “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’s 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 doesn’t 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 doesn’t 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 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 didn’t lose their membership of the Assembly by virtue of their decampment. There is nothing homeostatic about Section 109(1)(g) of the Constitution. It’s 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.” he added.
“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 under the leadership of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule.
“The Governor’s attack on the House of Assembly and its leadership is in flagrant disrespect of the order of a court of law and a violent violation of the express provisions of the Constitution. His demolition of the Rivers state House of Assembly complex remains one of the most brazen attacks on democratic institutions in our nation’s history.
And there is now grave apprehension that he may be spoiling to demolish the House of Assembly residential quarters in Port Harcourt, built only two years ago, following his recent gestapo-like invasion of the Assembly quarters. Governor Fubara’s weaponization of demolition of public assets as a strategy to dislodge and punish legitimate members of the legislature is nothing short of petty despotism and must be roundly condemned.
“Governor Fubara continues to conduct the business of government unhinged, and in total contempt of the state legislature. The Governor expends the state’s resources without regard to appropriation and public procurement laws. The Governor has unlawfully withheld local governments’ funds as a punitive measure against perceived opponents, and only recently, directed that all heads and officials of the 23 Local Government Areas should ignore the summons of the State Assembly as he threatened to sack officials who flouted his directive.
“The power of the purse resides in the legislature. If, indeed, the House of Assembly does not exist, as Governor Fubara has declared, then the Governor must necessarily shut down the entire government of Rivers state, especially the office of the Governor, as he lacks the authority to expend public resources without valid appropriations by the legislature.
“Governor Fubara cannot abrogate the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He cannot be governor and be despot-in-chief of the Rivers state House of Assembly, at the same time. Attempting to impose an illegal 3-man House of Assembly is executive lawlessness in the extreme. Governor Fubara’s quest to repudiate the Constitution and govern in denial of the existence of the state legislature is, in and of itself, among other grounds, an impeachable offense.
“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,” APC added.
Politics
PDP chieftain opens a can of worm on Edo APC Chair
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo state, Barrister Richard Ihenaekhien has taken to the social media to bring out damning evidence of past misdeeds of the acting Chairman of the ruling All Program Congress, APC, in Edo state Emperor Jarret Tenebe.
In a well documented treatises pieced together by Penpushers, an online medium, Ihensekien’s angst stem from the APC’s chairman’s vituperations which culminated with the later calling his wife a prostitute on social media.
According to the PDP chieftain: “The APC Acting State chairman, Jarret Tenebe hate has been seriously exposed as he has been casting aspersions on people mainly in PDP. His penchant for a dog fight is being exposed particularly after calling the APC Governorship candidate,Asue Ighodalo, a thief on social media and afterwards putting up of Richard Ihensekhien wife’s pictures on Facebook calling her a prostitute on social media. A highly despicable act for which the entire party,APC that he leads should be ashamed.
“This has now led people to dig to know who the person Jarret Tenebe really is. People are surprised and disappointed that a character of Jarret Tenebe could be the Chairman of a major political party. Particularly a party that has serving senators, House of Representatives and State Assembly members. A man whose past is so despicable , nothing to be pleased about and so embarrassing”.
Further, he stated: “Tenebe was a corporal in the Nigerian Army, he deserted the Army (AWOL )after he was involved in armed robbery in lagos , along Badagry/ Seme expressway using the Army uniform.He was declared wanted by both the Army and the Nigeria Police authorities after the robbery incident especially for the loss of innocent lives that were involved. He has since then not reported to the military for investigation and yet prides himself everywhere as an ex-soldier.
On the homefront; “His family life is in shambles and tatters. He claims to be married but has abandoned his wife over the years and does not even see or communicate with her even when he visits lagos, which he often does. The wife is said to be suffering from acute depression resulting from abandonment by her supposed husband and only lives on proceeds from the rents she collects form the boys quarters of her house she rented out.However, he uses her name to beg for money all about, ranging from medicals to other unfathomable reasons.What an irresponsible man?
Jarret is also alleged to be at daggers drawn with his siblings with whom he is not on speaking terms over the years. His mother died while they kept malice. Yet,he started using her death to raise money for himself to survive.
“He is said to have been diagnosed with very serious diabetes and Erectile dysfunction. His man hood is not functioning anymore, he cannot have intimate affairs with a woman let alone make love to his supposed wife for years
“He is always seen in the company of young girls but they tell you he is not functional and just keeps them for company to deceive the public of his disability.
“He goes about claiming another person’s child in the US, saying the girl is his daughter. The pictures of the young girl and her mother will soon be released. The child in the US is not his. DNA results will reveal that. He is not capable of producing children after he took an oath in a shrine in lagos for money. The money he got and frittered away without any single thing to show.
“After over 20 years of living on people and begging from one person to the other he is now a habitual begger known to everybody.
“He was arrested and beaten up by soldiers from the 4th Mechanised Brigade of the Nigerian Army after he was caught stealing crude oil products from burst pipelines in Warri along side some miscreants. He was terribly beaten up thrown into a container and taken to Bayelsa and detained . He was thereafter handed over to the EFCC for prosecution. In his usual character of blackmail, he tried spiritedly to rope in some top level PDP members in his infamy, desperate attempt to secure temporary freedom.please google ( Jarret Tenebe;oil thief on the internet for more details)”.
Ihensekien therefore wants the Economic Financial Crimea Commission, EFCC, to revisit the case and explain to Nigerians why Jarrett Tenebe is not in jail today when he was hunted by the Nigerian Police and he couldn’t even leave the country using airports if not for his long time associate who was then an officer attached to the airport who severally smuggled him through the airport.
“Jarret is a confirmed thief and criminal as confirmed by Google reports. I wonder how he can open his mouth to call a renowned African bureaucrat like Asue Ighodalo and the former Edo state gov thieves , it is a sign of early stages of madness.
“He also is a drug addict, addicted to tramadol tablets and capsule which he takes at least 10 tablets at once after which he loses his senses and do unusual things like calling another man’s wife a prostitute on Facebook. He is a user of Indian hemp called loud and kolos, abusing these substances above his limits hence he suffers from disorganized thinking at most times. He is a drug addict.
“There are witnesses to testify that he sponsored some secret cult members to kill and create public disorders during the cult clashes in Edo state. He recently threatened one pharez okpere on FB, that if he doesn’t leave Benin, he will kill him. He is a disgrace and Apc should be ashamed to say Jarrett is their Acting chairman.
“He is a pretender and has vowed that if he is confirmed chairman of APC in the next congress the first people he would crush is Hon Gani Audu, Comrade Oshiomole and Lawrence okah. He is working with Philip Shaibu for him to replace Oshiomole at the senate. He hates them; Oshiomole, Joseph Ugheoke and Gani Audu internally with a passion. He is a political jobber.
When contacted, the APC chairman rebuffed this reporter and is quoted to have said; “You can go ahead and publish”
Politics
Ihedioha’s Ex-CoS, Others Dump PDP For APC
A former Chief of Staff to ex-governor Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State, Chris Okewulonu, alongside Ihedioha’s former deputy governorship candidate, Chuma Nnaji, have defected to the All Progressives Congress.
The duo, alongside their supporters, defected on Friday.
At the APC secretariat in Owerri, the state capital, Okewulonu addressed party members.
He said “You will recall that a few months ago, I tendered my resignations, both as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, and as a member of its Board of Trustees,” Okewulonu stated.
“My decision to leave that party was taken after deep introspection, coupled with lengthy consultations with members of my family, my political colleagues, and my well-wishers.
“My decision was equally rooted in my conviction that the qualities which formed the essence of the PDP as a political party, and which ab initio informed my attraction to it, had been continuously eroded, totally degraded, and finally and irretrievably lost,” he said.
Okewulonu explained that his break from political activity allowed him to observe Imo’s political landscape critically.
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“In the light of the protracted disagreements and schisms in both of the parties which should, and were actually looked upon to constitute the frontline opposition parties in Nigeria, I found myself questioning whether, as a veritable statesman in the polity of Imo State and even Nigeria at large, I could afford to continue paying lip service to being a member of an ineffective, nearly non-existent opposition, whereas I could position myself to actively contribute towards improving the lives of my people,” he added.
He acknowledged Governor Hope Uzodimma’s leadership and his achievements.
“Five years down the road, I have come to the inescapable conviction that the 3R administration of Senator Hope Uzodimma has meant well for the people of Imo State, and has been doing its utmost to effectively and efficiently deliver the dividends of good governance to them.
“The humongous roads and other infrastructural interventions, and the human capacity building initiatives undertaken by the Senator Hope Uzodimma administration are eloquent testimonials to my belief and assertion,” Okewulonu said.
Uzodimma welcomed the defectors, emphasising the significance of their decision.
“APC was seen as a foreign party because of the unfortunate outing in the past. We became victims of mistaken identity. Today, the only party that meant well for Imo citizens is APC,” Uzodimma said.
He described the defection as a testament to APC’s growing influence in the state.
“Genuine members of the political class who want Imo to move forward are joining the winning party. The real state owners are coming back to the party. If we don’t solve the problem of our people, history will not forgive us,” the governor added.
Uzodimma praised Okewulonu and Nnaji’s decision to join APC, likening the development to recruiting elite players in sports.
“Conscience is an open wound that only truth can heal. I thank Okewulonu and Chuma Nnaji for joining our party. We have the Ronaldos and Lionel Messis in our party now,” he remarked.
Politics
Ganduje declares Tony Okocha APC leader in Rivers
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, has affirmed that Chief Tony Okocha is the leader of the party in Rivers State.
According to Ganduje, the executive committee headed by Okocha, an ally of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, minister, Nyesom Wike, is the Rivers State APC leadership structure recognized by the national secretariat of the party.
Ganduje made this declaration on Saturday in Port Harcourt during the inauguration of the newly elected state executive committee of the party.
The APC national chairman congratulated the newly elected members and explained the party’s decision to hold the inauguration in Rivers State instead of at the APC National Headquarters in Abuja.
Ganduje said, “I’d like to congratulate the newly elected members of our state executive.
“Traditionally in APC the inauguration of a state chapter is usually done at the state headquarters of the APC in Abuja.
“But as part of the change that we are introducing, we decided to inaugurate these elected executive members here in Rivers so that our party is rooted to the grassroots; so that there is no dichotomy between the national executive and the state exco.
“We are all working together and we don’t feel reluctant even to go to the ward level and undertake our function that is for APC.
He emphasized that the move signifies the party’s effort to strengthen ties between the national and state leadership, ensuring there is no division between the two structures.
Ganduje charged the state executive committee to prioritize internal democracy, highlighting it as a cornerstone of their responsibilities.
He also underscored the importance of fostering unity and inclusiveness within the party at the state level.
Ganduje added, “Therefore the state is our constituency. We need to embrace the state. We need to be in contact with the state. We need to be in harmony with the state.
“We need to synergise with the state and we need to be in love with the state. That is why we are here.
“As members and leaders of our party in the state, you know your basic responsibilities, your functions as spelt out by the constitution of our great party.
“You have to ensure that there is internal democracy. You’re to ensure that you look for new entrants into the party and look for members into the party.
“Use your political dexterity to ensure that our party moves forward. Strengthen the party in your constituencies. It is absolutely necessary. It is your responsibility to ensure that there is peace and you must ensure an effective conflict resolution mechanism. As leaders of the party, I believe you are equal to the task.”
Commenting on APC’s performance in the South-South geopolitical zone, traditionally dominated by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ganduje noted that the APC has made significant progress, citing its control of Cross River and Edo states.
He further stated that Rivers State is the party’s next strategic target as it continues its expansion efforts in the region.
“You are from the South-South geo-political zone where the zone was dominated by the PDP.
“But you are fully aware that during the Buhari administration, we were able to take one state, Cross River, from the PDP.
“And in present President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration, we were able to win squarely in Edo State. Out of six states in the zone, we have recovered two.
“Rivers State is our target. Rivers, we are here for you. Rivers, you are on the way.”
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