Ahead of the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has fixed the state party primary for March 29, 2025

Already, three billionaires have indicated interest to vie for the ticket without the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, who died on July 27, 2024.

They are: Sir Paul Chukwuma, former national Auditor of APC; Prof Obiora Okonkwo, Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines (UNA); and Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, who once represented Abuja Municipal in the House of Representatives.

The date was revealed by the state chairman of the party, Sir Basil Ejidike to the State Working Committee (SWC), and conveyed to reporters in Awka by the state’s Publicity Secretary, Dr. Valentine Oliobi

“The decision was taken after the meeting of the National Working Committee held a few days ago at the APC National Secretariat.

“The meeting was in line with the meeting held with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) boss, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu with the heads of all the political parties a few days back.

“The All Progressives Congress found it imperative to meet and design a programme for the Anambra State Gubernatorial primary election and communicate to the INEC within the ambit of the Electoral Law.”

Oliobi, said the state chairman, Ejidike has assured that the state is ready and determined to conduct a free, fair and credible primary election that will be acceptable to all the aspirants.

“Under my watch, I will do everything humanly possible to continue to keep Anambra APC as one indivisible family through guaranteeing them a free, fair and credible primary election, coming March 29th.

“In achieving the above aim, the party will go for the election with an all-inclusive house and victory will be assured,” Ejidike said.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State has slammed a N100m damages on the embattled National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Southeast Zone,  Ali Odefa.

It gave the ruling in a consolidated Fundamental Rights suit with suit number:FHC/ AI/CS/197/2024 between Herbert Onyedikachi Ovuta & 4 ORS. v. Chief Ali Odefa and 2 others and another, ,FHC/AI/CS/ 199/ 2024 between Sabastine Idenyi &13 others v. Chief Ali & 2 others, the Presiding Judge,.

Listed among the respondents are Herbert Onyedikachi, Anoke, Egbe, Njoku Nwagu, Moses Idika, Ogbonnaya Idika, Obinna Chukwu, Chief John Igboke,  Mrs. Ijeoma Nome,  Okorie C. Okorie and nine others.

Odefa, the Commissioner of Police Ebonyi State and the Inspector General of Police were listed as respondents.

Odefa was first suspended from the party by Ward executives of his Oguduokwor Ward in Onicha LGA on September 11, 2024.

The Abakaliki Division of the Federal High Court also upheld the initial suspension of Odefa..

Odefa wrote a petition to the police accusing the ward executives of forging party documents and impersonation of ward executives of the party.

Four members of the party were subsequently arrested, arraigned and remanded in October, 2024 over the matter.

But, consequent upon his earlier suspension,  the Oguduokwor Ward Disciplinary Committee  after hearing the allegations leveled against Odefa recommended the expulsion of the former zonal Chairman of the party.

On December 12th 2024, the Executives of PDP Oguduokwor Ward announced the summary expulsion of Odefa.

Stakeholders of the PDP in Ebonyi also wrote to to the National Working Committee announcing the nomination of the Zonal Youth Leader of the party, Chidiebere Egwu to replace Mr. Ali Odefa as Zonal Vice Chairman of the party.

In the suit, the applicants, some of whom include those remanded last year, prayed the court for enforcement of their fundamental rights pursuant to Order two of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009 and Sections 35 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) respectively

Odefa as earlier stated, had accused them of forging documents purporting his suspension as the National Vice Chairman of PDP, South East

Lead counsel to the applicants, Mudiaga Ehrenede had in the suit filed in October last year sought seven reliefs from the Court among which was; a declaration that the threats, invitation, harassment and intimidation of the ward executives for suspending the former National Vice-Chairman (South East) were unconstitutional and a violation of their fundamental human rights.

The applicants had also prayed the Court to grant an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from threatening, arresting, inviting or intimidating the Respondent/applicants for their roles in the suspension of the former National Vice-Chairman (South East) of the PDP for anti-party activities.

Ruling on the suit, the presiding Judge, Justice Hilary I. O. Oshomah held that  Odefa had “maliciously”  used the police against the defendants by making criminal accusations against the applicants in a civil political matter.

The Court frowned at Mr Odefa’s used of the police to maliciously harass and intimidate the applicants in an attempt to prevent them from prosecuting the civil suit pertaining to his suspension which rendered the matter subjudice at the time of the police report.

The court held that Odefa who had alleged in his statement to the police that the defendants forged documents to suspend him as a member of the PDP in Oguduokwor Ward failed to show proof of any form of forgery in the court to support his claims.

The court issued an order restraining  Odefa and the police from harassing, arresting or in any form intimidating the defendants on the issue of his suspension from the PDP, Oguduokwor Ward.

It  awarded damages in the sum of N5, 000, 000 (five million naira) to each of the 20 defendants totaling N100, 000,000 (one hundred million).

The court also awarded another N2m as cost for harassing and attempting to arrest them using the instrumenalities of the Nigerian Police Force.

The court further ordered that the cost must be paid within seven (7) days of the judgement, failure to pay, according to the court will attract 10% daily interest.

Justice Oshomah further gave an order restraining the police and Odefa from harassing,  arresting , inviting any of the Applicants on account of facts pertaining to his suspension.

“That N100m is hereby awarded as general damages against Ali Odefa and N2m as cost in favour of the Applicants in these consolidated suits”, the judge ruled.

At the ruling, the OC Legal of the Nigeria Police,  Ebonyi State Command, Benson Emenike was in the court to represent the Commissioner of Police, while Odefa’s counsel was absent .

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdullahi Ganduje as Chairman of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) under the Ministry of Aviation.

This was disclosed in a statement released on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy.

In addition to Ganduje’s appointment, the President named chairpersons for 41 federal organizations, alongside new leadership roles, including a Managing Director for the Nigerian Railway Corporation and a Director-General for the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI).

President Tinubu disclosed that board chairpersons are non-executive roles and urged appointees to avoid interfering in the management of the respective organizations.

Complete List of President Tinubu’s Appointments for Federal Boards and Agencies
1. National Youth Service Corps, Ministry of Youth Development – Hon. Hillard Eta (Chairman, Cross River)

2. Nigerian Institute of International Affairs – Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi (Chairman, Lagos)

3. Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Ministry of Aviation – H.E. Abdullahi Ganduje (Chairman, Kano)

4. National Sugar Development Council – Sen. Surajudeen Bashiru Ajibola (Chairman, Osun)

5. Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company – H.E. Sulaiman Argungu (Chairman, Kebbi)

6. National Agency for Great Green Wall – Sen. Magnus Abe (Chairman, Rivers)

7. National Teachers Institute – Barr. Festus Fuanter (Chairman, Plateau)

8. National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) – Raji Kazeem Kolawole (Director-General, Oyo)

9. Nigerian Institute of Educational Planning and Administration – Chief Victor Tombari Giadom (Chairman, Rivers)

10. Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria – Comrade Mustapha Salihu (Chairman, Adamawa)

11. Industrial Training Fund – Hon. Hamma Adama Ali Kumo (Chairman, Gombe)

12. Nigerian Institute of Science Laboratory Technology – Donatus Enyinnah Nwankpa (Chairman, Abia)

13. Sheda Science and Technology Complex – Sen. Abubakar Maikafi (Chairman, Bauchi)

14. Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria – H.E. Nasiru Gawuna (Chairman, Kano)

15. National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion – Sen. Tokunbo Afikuyomi (Chairman, Lagos)

16. Nigerian Postal Service – Chief D. J. Kekemeke (Chairman, Ondo)

17. National Inland Waterways Authority – Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar (Chairman, Sokoto)

18. National Steel Council – Prof. Abdulkarim Kana Abubakar (Chairman, Nasarawa)

19. National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency – Hon. Garba Datti Muhammad (Chairman, Kaduna)

20. National Bio-Safety Management Agency – Mu’azu Bawa Rijau (Chairman, Niger)

21. Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute – Hon. Durosimi Meseko (Chairman, Kogi)

22. Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe – Hajia Zainab A. Ibrahim (Chairman, Taraba)

23. Nigerian Railway Corporation – Dr. Kayode Isiak Opeifa (Managing Director, Lagos)

24. Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti – Aare (Hon.) Durotolu Oyebode Bankole (Chairman, Ogun)

25. Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta – Mr. Abdullahi Dayo Israel (Chairman, Lagos)

26. Federal Medical Centre, Asaba – Dr. Mrs. Mary Alile Idele (Chairman, Edo)

27. Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja – Nze Chidi Duru (OON) (Chairman, Anambra)

28. Federal Medical Centre, Owerri – Hon. Emma Eneukwu (Chairman, Enugu)

29. Civil Defence, Immigration and Prisons Services Board – Major Gen. Jubril Abdulmalik Rtd (Secretary, Kano)

30. Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia – Mr. Uguru Mathew Ofoke (Chairman, Ebonyi)

31. Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa – Barr. Felix Chukwumenoye Morka (Chairman, Delta)

32. Federal Medical Centre, Yola – Alh. Bashir Usman Gumel (Chairman, Jigawa)

33. David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital, Ubuhu, Ebonyi State – Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu (Chairman, Imo)

34. National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency – Chief Edward Omo-Erewa (Chairman, Edo)

35. Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) – Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar (Chairman, Kaduna)

36. Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State – Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori (Chairman, Borno)

37. Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika, Zaria, Kaduna State – Hon. Lawal M. Liman (Chairman)

38. Federal Medical Centre, Katsina – Dr. Abubakar Isa Maiha (Chairman)

39. Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) – Isa Sadiq Achida (Chairman, Sokoto)

40. Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu – Dr. Mohammed Gusau Hassan (Chairman, Zamfara)

41. National Building and Road Research Institute – Hon. Yahuza Ado Inuwa (Chairman, Nasarawa)

42. Sokoto-Rima River Basin Development Authority – Amb. Abubakar Shehu Wurno (Chairman, Sokoto)

43. Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital – Augustine Chukwu Umahi (Chairman, Ebonyi)

44. Federal Scholarship Board – Engr. Babatunde Fakoyede (Chairman, Ekiti)

45. Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund – Hon. Shola Olofin (Chairman, Ekiti)