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Fubara Faces Impeachment Threat as Damagun Allegedly Files Suit to Reinstate Rivers Lawmakers Loyal to Wike

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Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s tenure is under threat as allegations emerge against Umar Damagun, the acting National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)

Damagun is accused of secretly filing a lawsuit to reinstate 27 state lawmakers loyal to Nyesom Wike, the former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

These lawmakers had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and subsequently had their seats declared vacant.

The coalition of opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives, known as G60, led by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP, Imo), has brought these allegations to light. During a press conference, Ugochinyere revealed documents allegedly proving the party’s involvement in a lawsuit aimed at reinstating the ousted Assembly members.

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The reinstatement is perceived as an attempt to impeach Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The lawmakers claimed that the suit aims to reinstate these members, whose seats were declared vacant, and to revive a plan to illegally impeach Rivers state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

he group’s spokesman, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP, Imo), displayed copies of the suit allegedly filed by the party.

He described the party’s actions as a shameful betrayal and evidence of a compromised NWC that must be dissolved immediately.

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In suit no: FHC/PH/CS/90/2024 dated 14th May 2024, the party is seeking an order joining the PDP as 30 defendants in the suit, and an order for the amendment of all processes in the suit to reflect the name of the People’s Democratic Party as the defendant in the suit, and for any other orders as the honourable court may seem fit to make in the circumstances.”

In the affidavit in support of the motion, the PDP said it has not received any notice of resignation from the wards of the 1st -27th defendants yet and consequently cannot say that they have defected.

Paragraph 10 states of the affidavit in support said: “In further response to paragraph 20(1) of the affidavit in support of the originating summons, the 30th defendant is not aware that the 1st – 27th defendants renounced their membership of the People’s Democratic Party or defected to the APC aside the rumours being peddled on social media.”

Ugochinyere who said the National Legal Adviser of the party earlier denied the existence of the suit by the party said Damagun is set to destroy the party and allow APC sacked lawmakers to come back and impeach the governor.

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He said: “Recall that the PDP through the legal adviser deliberately misled the public and party members when he denied the allegations of the existence of such a legal process where PDP Headquarters gave authorisation for the sacked APC Lawmakers to be reinstated using one Dr.Musa Joshua SAN.

“Fellow Party men, the party headquarters lied and here today, we have the hard evidence and copy of the documents to show what those we left in Wadata house are capable of doing to their own party which is the reason we insisted we can’t leave those already in bed with APC as our party’s Officials.

“We can confirm to you that the Peoples Democratic Party PDP has filed a Motion for joinder in Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/90/2024 filed by the remaining members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to declare the seats of the 27 defected members of the Assembly vacant.

“We can also confirm that the PDP led by Umar Damagun and his legal adviser Ajibade using a personal lawyer of FCT Minister Wike also filed a Counter Affidavit to the said suit and a written address opposing the prayers to declare the seats vacant and insisting that the sacked APC lawmakers are still PDP members and should be left alone to continue the activities against the PDP led govt in Rivers State.

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“The position of the PDP was that it was the only party that could say who its members are and that the 27 members are still members of the Party.

“We can also confirm to you that the processes were filed by Dr. Joshua Musa, SAN who is a well-known lawyer of the Minister of FCT Nyesom Wike and his interests.

“The legal adviser with permission of the PDP Chairman deliberately assigned and authorised the FCT Minister lawyer to take the case knowing fully well that PDP Interest will be butchered. So we can say for a fact that Wike’s lawyer is representing the PDP and is pushing Wike’s interest which is clearly against that of the PDP as these defected lawmakers are seeking ways to illegally impeach the PDP Governor of Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

“Again whether money exchanged hands to allow this type of absurd situation cannot be confirmed but that information by Mallam Abubakar Isa who alleged that there was financial inducement pushed us into the field to ascertain the true position and these are our findings.

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We are aware that the Federal High Court in Abuja counter-claimed and asked the Court to declare the seats of the defected lawmakers vacant for the sole reason of their defection is still the same party that is now purporting to stop another court from doing the same thing they are asking another court to do.

“The PDP is now approbating and reprobating at the same time. So what happened? When was this new alliance forged? When did the PDP start defending the defected lawmakers? What are the terms of that negotiation? Are the terms in the interest of PDP or APC, the new party of the now former Assembly members?

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Politics

Obi Urges Nigerian Graduates to Seek Opportunities Overseas if Needed, Vows to Fix Nigeria for Their Return

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Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in Nigeria’s 2023 election, has encouraged Nigerian students to seek better opportunities abroad if local conditions don’t meet their needs.

Obi shared this advice during his visit to Anambra State, where he made donations to Peter University in Achina/Onneh and the College of Nursing Sciences in Adazi-Nnukwu. Addressing nursing students, he reaffirmed his commitment to supporting institutions that nurture skills, professionalism, and character.

Obi advised students that, if career opportunities are limited locally, they should feel free to explore options abroad.

“If things aren’t working here, go where they will work for you,” he said, expressing optimism that, with efforts to improve the country, Nigerians working abroad would eventually return.

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Speaking at Peter University, Obi urged students to dedicate themselves to their studies, highlighting education as a transformative force essential for national development.

Emphasizing that investment in education is an investment in the future, he encouraged them to aim for excellence, assuring that a stronger Nigeria would await them.

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Parliamentary system better option for Nigeria -Aregbesola

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By Gloria Ikibah.
Former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, has called  for Nigeria to dump the presidential system of government and return to the parliamentary system.
Aregbesola made this revelation at a National Dialogue on Home-Grown Parliamentary System in Abuja on Monday.
The immediate past Minister of Interior, who said he is opposed to the executive system of government currently practiced in Nigeria, insisted that the arrangement in the parliamentary system is best suited for a country like Nigeria.
“If you go on believing that an individual, no matter how beautiful, no matter how good, could have the capacity to govern 120 million people all alone without checks, we are joking. So, by that consideration alone, I am opposed to executive system of government.
“I believe the collective arrangement which the parliamentary system guarantees is best for a nation like Nigeria if indeed we are committed to advancing the interest of the large population and mass of our people,” Aregbesola said.
In February this year, a group of lawmakers in the House of Representatives brought a bill seeking amendments to the 1999 Constitution to transit from the current presidential system to the parliamentary system of government.
According to the group made up of about 60 lawmakers, the transition has become necessary to reduce the cost of government in the face of dwindling revenue.
Titled, ‘The Bills Proposing Constitutional Alterations For a Transition To Parliamentary System of Government,’ the bill was sponsored by the House Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, and 59 others.
The bill was read on the floor of the House during plenary session in Abuja on Wednesday, February 14, 2024.
In a statement, a Spokesman for the Parliamentary Bill Sponsors, Abdussamad Dasuki said, “Today, we stand on the cusp of history, as lawmakers across party affiliations and regional backgrounds come together to present bills proposing Constitutional Alterations that seek a transition to Parliamentary System of Government.
He added that over the years, the imperfections of the Presidential System of Government have become glaring to all, despite several alterations to the constitution to address the shortcomings of a system that has denied the nation the opportunity of attaining its full potentials.
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Politics

2027: Kwankwaso’s visit to Otti sparks possible alliance

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Governor Alex Otti of Abia State at the weekend played host to the former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, at his Nvosi country home in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area(LGA).

Speaker of the House of Assembly  Emmanuel Emeruwa, some aides of the governor, and members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement were  present.

Although Kwankwaso said he was in the state to condole with Otti on the passing of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, the first governor of old Abia State, rumours of a possible political alliance between him and Otti, the only Labour Party(LP) governor in the country, spread.

Onu was buried in Uburu, his hometown in Ohaozara LGA of Ebonyi State on Friday.

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Kwankwaso’s visit coincided with a reception held by the governor for 15 Abia indigenes who recently graduated from the Nigeria Police Academy in Kano.

Shortly after he departed the state, political analysts said they were sure that the visit was partly informed by efforts of the Peter Obi-led LP faction to align with other opposition parties ahead of 2027.

‘’Don’t forget that  2027 is near. Do you think the two men would meet like they did now with talking about the next presidential election? That is impossible,’’ one of them told  The Nation.

Another said Kwankwaso and Otti were  ‘’very much aware that the only way to oust   President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progress Congress (APC)  from  the centre is   a formidable alliance.

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‘’They know that now is the best time to start talking about how to defeat those in Aso Rock. And that, I believe is the core reason for the visit.”

Last month’s  local government poll in the state produced a stunning result with candidates loyal to Otti winning  nearly  all the chairmanship positions on the platform of the Zenith Labour Party(ZLP)

The governor backed the winners because of court cases on the authentic leadership of the leadership of the LP.

One faction of the party is led by Julius Abure while the other supported by Obi and Otti is headed by  Nenadi Usman, a former Finance minister.

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Political analysts argued that if Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Obi, and Kwankwaso fail to put their political differences behind and field an acceptable presidential candidate in 2027, they might end up not making a significant impact.

Otti had while welcoming Kwankwaso recalled how he offered him a  ‘’platform in May 2022  to run ’’ as a governorship candidate.

He thanked  Kwankwaso for his guidance and patriotism.

His words: “Thank you for your guidance, for your patriotism, for everything that you have done for this country.

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“I want to thank you for encouraging me in 2022  not to lose faith,  though we were in different parties, and it appeared as if everything was going to be lost.

“That call that you made about the 20th of May 2022,  for also making your platform available for me to run if I had wanted to use the platform, the rest is now history.”

Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor, congratulated Otti on his emergence as governor. He also    lauded his achievements in the state

“For the little time I have been here, I have had the opportunity of talking to a few people who confirmed to me that you are doing very well. We have seen your project everywhere” he said.

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The governor and his visitor urged the new Police officers to work hard,  contribute to the security of the country, and be good ambassadors of the state.

“The challenge is for you to now work very hard, knowing fully well that in this society, the son of a nobody can be the father of somebody,” said Otti.

“If people like us who grew up here without any hope at that time can be here, there is no reason why you can’t get here. But I am challenging you to be the best you can be.

“Always do things right and do the right things. You can always get to where you are headed. Cutting corners does not take you too far, “ the governor added.

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Kwankwaso charged the new police officers to be professional in the discharge of their duties.

“Let me take this opportunity, based on my experience, to advise you to first and foremost fear God.

“Two, you need to be professionals. Now you are fresh, just coming out of the prestigious institute.stay there as professionals,” he said.

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