Factional chairman, Okwu, rejects INEC’s verdict on APGA leadership crisis

Published: May 10,2013

Party leadership holds convenes emergency meeting on Monday.
Maxi Okwu, who was elected the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, last month, has rejected the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s recognition of Victor Umeh as the substantive national chairman of the party.
This is contained in a statement he personally signed on Friday.
The Commission had, in a letter dated May 8 and signed by its Secretary, Abdullahi Kaugama, said it will relate with Mr. Umeh as the national chairman of the party based on the stay of one of the reliefs of the Enugu State High Court of February 8 by the Court of Appeal.
Mr. Umeh had been removed from the position by the Enugu High Court, prompting some senior members of the party, including Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, to name Mr. Okwu as its acting national chairman.
A national convention of the party held in Awka, the capital of Anambra State and monitored by INEC on April 8, elected Mr. Okwu as a substantive national chairman even though Mr. Umeh appealed the judgement that sacked him.
However, INEC based its latest action on a relief granted by the Enugu State High Court presided over by Innocent Umezulike, the state Chief Judge, but which Mr. Okwu denounced.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, by letter dated 8th May 2013, and signed by its Secretary Alhaji A. Kaugama says that based on the stay of one of the reliefs of the Enugu state High Court judgment of 8th February 2013 by the Court of Appeal, it shall relate with Victor Umeh as National Chairman of APGA,” Mr. Okwu said.
“We do not accept the Commissions’ posture for so many reasons. We will therefore work assiduously to see that this position is reversed as soon as possible.”
The embattled APGA boss said that the NWC will give a detailed response on INEC’s action after its meeting on Monday. He also said that 21 out of the 26 NWC members Mr. Umeh headed belong to his own NWC.
According to him, “It may be useful to mention that in this NWC, twenty one of then served in Victor Umeh’s twenty-six member NWC.

Okorocha dumps APGA, formally joins APC

The nation’s political landscape was redefined, yesterday, after Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State defected from the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, to the yet unregistered All Progressive Congress, APC.
The defection during a public rally at the Heroes Square, Owerri was witnessed by eight governors from opposition political parties.
Okorocha indicated that as many as 12 governors possibly from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had given indication to boost the ranks of the opposition governors to 23 from 11.
The move was immediately flayed by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. According to Imo State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Blyden Amajirionwu, this was another indication of Governor Okorocha’s determination to hang on to power in any shape.
National chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh shied away from commenting on the matter as he didn’t respond to a text message sent to him on the issue.
Okorocha’s defection was witnessed by governors from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti, Edo, Osun, Nasarawa and Borno states.
Flanked by his wife, Nkechi and the visiting governors, an elated Okorocha explained that the merger of some political parties was being engineered by those he called “a crop of seasoned, patriotic politicians who want to rescue the nation from the quagmire inflicted on it by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.”
Okorocha gave assurance that Ndigbo have embraced APC because of what he termed their sad experience in the hands of the PDP at the federal and state levels, pointing out that the party has been consigned to the dustbin of history in Imo State.
He advised Imo people to sustain their spirit of democracy and good governance through the rejection of the PDP and all that the party stands for in all future electoral exercises.
“I must commend all the governors that have chosen to come under the APC umbrella, especially as this is a sure way of ending bad administration in this God blessed country”, Okorocha said.
Lamenting the fate of the country in the last 12 years under different PDP federal administrations, Okorocha who derided the party as “people deceiving people”, said: “this ugly trend has pauperized Nigerians through poverty of vision and project implementation. Never again will Nigeria represent a nation in bondage.”
In his speech, Governor Babatunde Fashola, SAN, of Lagos State, commended Okorocha for his spirit of patriotism in joining the APC family, adding that the coalition marked the beginning of a veritable change for positive transformation and reformation in the country.
Fashola, Ajimobi laud Okorocha
Fashola said: “We in APC are committed to a change for the betterment of our dear nation and our people. The coming of APC is neither borne out of selfishness nor greed but a positive step to liberate our people from a state of hopelessness”.
Adding an element of humour into the event, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, announced that Okorocha had been conferred with the title of “Girigi of Oyo State”.
Ajimobi said: “Those who have accepted to join and identify with APC would enjoy everlasting divine blessing, while those still procrastinating on when and how to do so, would have their blessings deferred”.
He commended Governor Okorocha for “his landmark achievements that have ultimately brought smiles on the faces of Imo people,” stressing that Imo people should continue to support him.
Meanwhile, the state capital, Owerri virtually stood still yesterday as schools, markets and a good number of business centres were closed for most of the day on account of the defection.
Responding to the defection, the PDP spokesman, Chief Amajirionwu said:
“What he did is one of those unserious things that are always associated with him.
“In the history of Nigeria, the South East was never known to play opposition politics. What is counted today as APC is a Yoruba party and if you come to the political history of this country we in the South East have always played along the national tendency, not playing along sectional issues. I want to assure you that in Imo State not even a ward, not to talk of a local government would go the way of APC.
“Rochas is on his own and that is his nature which we have been saying to everybody. Rochas is not dependable, look at the party that sponsored him, look at how he has dumped and disgraced APGA. APGA is not even backing him on what he is doing and this is APGA that sponsored him to where he is now. And that is a lesson for those now with him because he would also one day dump them and move on.”

Ngige declares governorship ambition in Anambra

Former governor of Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige, yesterday, declared his intention to run for the 2014 governorship election in the state.
Senator Ngige made the declaration in Awka on the occasion of Rainbow Coalition stakeholders’ meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), and Democratic People’s Party (DPP).
Speaking on the occasion, convener of the meeting and coordinator of Rainbow Coalition, Chief Ben Oranusi, explained that after due investigations and understanding of the personalities aspiring for the 2014 gubernatorial election, they found that Ngige was the person good enough and better experienced to take up the task of piloting the affairs of Anambra State.
Oranusi said: “We are urging him to come and contest this election and continue from where he stopped. We have been holding this meeting for months now and now is the time to call him up and say ‘go for us and become our governor again.’”
Former lawmaker in the House of representatives for Anambra East and West Federal Constituency Chief Ralph Okeke, later moved a motion for Senator Ngige to contest 2014 gubernatorial election.
The motion was seconded by Ezike Nwosu, an APGA member from Ezinifite Aguata in Anambra South and supported by Chidi Abasilim of Idemili South and Paul Obianaso who do not belong to any political party.
Speaking on the occasion, Ngige said: “While I was there as governor, I worked with about N80 billion as total budget and executed about N69 billion and if we go by this data and figure, you will discover that the four budget which I prosecuted I had about N150 billion, including the Internally Generated Revenue.
“Yet we delivered services and built roads and lifted the embargo on employments and promotion which the then governor placed while in office.
“But when you compare my administration with that of the incumbent, Governor Peter Obi, you will see the difference.
“He had received N1.2 trillion in total as allocation from Federal Account and about N800 billion as local government allocation which makes it up to roughly N2 trillion in the last seven years, yet we have nothing to show for it.
“I wish to ask, what do we have in Anambra State in terms of infrastructure to show for the N2 trillion received by the governor?
“Even if you allow for inflation by doubling the N150 billion to N300 billion, does the situation in Anambra State justify the huge resources that has come into the state since then?”

Large number of Nigerian citizens in various prisons in South Africa

Posted on May 7 2013 - 5:33pm

President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed shock over the large number of Nigerian citizens in various prisons in South Africa, reports the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.
Jonathan told the Nigerian community in South Africa on Monday in Cape Town, South Africa that the high number of Nigerians in South African prisons did not speak well about Nigeria.
“I was told that more than 250,000 Nigerians are living in South Africa and that more than 400 are in prison serving various jail terms.

“This is a bad example of what Nigerians in the Diaspora should be; there are some countries like Malawi and Uganda that no Nigerian is in prison.
“Most Nigerians are doing very well abroad in various professional callings.
“There are Nigerians living in South Africa making good name for us but a few of you are doing things in different ways.
“There is need for these few Nigerians to be good ambassadors of Nigeria so that people will not see Nigeria and Nigerians as corrupt and criminal-minded people and nation,” Jonathan said.

He said that issue of corruption, security and crime were important to him and his administration.
“From my experience as deputy governor up till the time I was elected as the vice president I know those who talk more about corruption are the most corrupt.
“Peoples’ perception about corruption in Nigeria was over amplified than the corruption that happens in the country.
“The perception index is very high, we are not saying there’s no corruption in the country, all of us must work hard to fight corruption,” Jonathan said.
He said that the problem of insecurity in some parts of the country was being addressed by government.
“The issue of insecurity, threat to peace and stability in some parts of the country is being addressed; threat to peace and stability in the country must be stopped,” Jonathan said.
The president said he was totally committed to what was right for the country at all times.
“I promise Nigerians that issue of power will be solved as soon as the privatisation of power sector is completed.
“Power is key to the transformation agenda of this government; in no distant future the type of transformation in the telecommunication sector will be experienced in the power sector.
“We as government are doing everything to build a Nigeria of our dreams. Our airports are being renovated and modernisation and expansion of our railway transport system is ongoing.
“All what we request from all Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora is support and understanding.”
Jonathan assured that insecurity and molestation of Nigerians by various South African authorities would be discussed with President Jacob Zuma during the state visit.
The President of the Nigeria Union in South Africa (NUSA), Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, commended the president for conducting what was considered the most credible election in the history of Nigeria.
“It will never be out of fashion to say congratulations to you for the election of May 2011 that brought you to office.
“We congratulate you not because you won but because you made Nigerians all over the world proud by staging what has been dubbed as the freest and fairest election.”
Anyene said the action changed the tide in the way politicians came to power in Nigeria.
“We salute the courage and wisdom with which your administration is dealing with the delicate and monstrous security challenges we are faced with at the moment in our country.”
He urged the president to continue to explore every avenue to achieve peace in Nigeria.
“We must achieve a Nigeria that is safe and secure, where all ethnic groups can live peacefully side by side with one another.
“Peace and unity is a necessary pre-condition for the development of any country.”
He said that insecurity was preventing Nigeria from becoming a destination for foreign direct investment.
Anyene said the visit of the president to South Africa would help to strengthen the relationship between the two countries and their peoples.
He said, however, that Nigeria and South Africa should find a better way of translating government-to-government talk into person-to-person relationship between the citizens of the two countries and organs of state.
“Nigeria still receive inhuman, disrespectful and degrading treatment that suggest negative social profiling in this country within the South Africa Police Service as well other government departments, especially the Home Affairs,” Anyene said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Jonathan will attend the World Economic Forum on Africa on Wednesday, before leaving South Africa on Thursday for Namibia.

The APGA war

Not long after its inception, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA) got into a crises that is threatening to end its existence. Already, the party is divided into two factions, one led by Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State and the other led by the party’s embattled Chairman, Victor Umeh. CHINELO OBOGO writes.
Okorie vs Umeh
APGA has experienced various crises since its inception in June 25, 2002, resulting in a prolonged court battle between the founder, Chekwas Okorie and the incumbent embattled National Chairman of the party, Victor Umeh. The litany of court cases started when the party, supported by Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State expelled Okorie on grounds of financial misappropriation and anti party activities. Okorie went to court to challenge his expulsion and for many years, the country witnessed one of the fiercest and prolonged court battles in the history of political parties in Nigeria. From the High Court to the Court of Appeal, to the Supreme Court, the case dragged on until the Supreme Court declared Umeh the authentic chairman of the party and maintained that Okorie remained expelled. That battle came to an end when Okorie handed over the documents of the registration of the party to Umeh.
The crises continues
When political observers thought peace had returned to APGA which is presently controlling two states in the South east, the party started experiencing a fresh round of crises. This time it is between Governor Obi and Umeh. Initially, there were indications that all was not well with the duo. But when asked by newsmen, they kept insisting that all was well and in fact, that the relationship between both of them was rosy.
Things however came to a head when Umeh started complaining about the refusal of the governor to conduct local government elections. According to him, “The wrong thing I did was to tell the governor to conduct Local Government elections so that our party people would be empowered at the grassroots. I fell out with him in March 2010 shortly after he was sworn in and he sent people to tell me that he wanted to put caretaker committees in the local governments. I said no, that it was a breach of an agreement between me and him and Ojukwu. That if we campaign for him and he wins the election,  he will conduct local government election immediately so that APGA people will get involved in governance so that the party will settle down at the grassroots. As soon as he won that election, he wanted to change it, I disagreed with him. We had that problem for two months until Ojukwu resolved it and he agreed there will be local government election.”
Besides the issue of the Local Government elections, Umeh also complained that the governor was not releasing sufficient funds for the smooth running of the party and said that because of that, a lot of party members were not empowered. But the Special Adviser on Parks and Markets, Sylvester Nwobu-Alor refuted this. He told Daily Sun that the governor cannot conduct local government elections because  the case brought up by the local government chairmen against the state government is still pending in court. On the issue of the non funding of the party, Nwobu-Alor said it was unfair for Umeh to accuse the governor of not funding the party as the governor gives the party N20 million every month to ensure the party activities are run smoothly.
At this point, it became obvious that the party was no longer cohesive and Umeh who used to have a rosy relationship with Governor Obi, found a new ally in Okorocha of Imo State. He was seen at every function organized by the government of Imo State and did not spare any moment in singing Okorocha’s praises. Thus, with Umeh and Okorocha on one side, and Governor Obi on the other, the tussle for the control of the party became even more intense.  After the passing away of the party leader, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, his widow, Bianca Ojukwu pitched her tent with Obi and did not spare any moment in telling Umeh to submit to the authority of Obi. During a stakeholders meeting of party members at the late Ojukwu’s Enugu residence, Bianca was reported to have told Umeh not to scatter the party or else he would be made ‘a general without an army.”
Okorocha’s angle
No sooner than Umeh and Okorocha became buddies that things started falling apart. Okorocha, to the consternation of other party members, publicly declared support for the merger of opposition political parties which would emerge as the All Progressives Congress (APC). Already, there are speculations that he may soon be expelled from the party for anti party activities. In his reaction, Nwobu-Alor  who is also an uncle to Obi told Daily Sun that Governor Okorocha can leave if he wants, and maintained that his departure would not affect the fortunes of the party.
The party on its own declared its stance in a statement, signed by Former Minister for Health and member of the party’s Board of Trustees, Dr Tim Menakaya. He said, “The party’s attention had been drawn to a press conference by a group of Governors, including Owelle Rochas Okorocha of Imo State after meeting in Lagos endorsing a ‘merger of some opposition parties in Nigeria’ While we are not against the establishment of a mega opposition party, we believe that the issue of merger of political parties is a very serious matter that needs adequate consultations before a Governor participates and makes public statement. We wish to state after due consultations with most party members, including Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State and other party stakeholders, that the party wish to state that we were never invited, consulted or informed about any political parties merger.”
As the crises in the party further deepened, Umeh’s faction appointed the late Ojukwu’s son, Chukwuemeka Ojukwu jnr as a member of the Board of Trustees. Ojukwu later told newsmen that the cause of the crises in the party was because Governor Obi wanted to impose a candidate on the party.  This revelation further laid credence to the speculations that Umeh was in support of Ifeanyi Ubah, the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Oil who has publicly declared his intention to run for the governorship election in Anambra State, while Obi is rumored to favour someone else. This conflict of interest, according to insiders is the underlying reason Umeh and Obi have been engaged in a battle to control the party and by extension, the South east.
The crises came to a crescendo when the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu ousted Umeh as the National Chairman . The party, led by Obi went ahead and conducted a convention where Maxi Okwu was elected Chairman. However, Umeh filed a suit asking for a stay of execution at the Court of Appeal which was granted. This victory may give Umeh a further grip of the party with the support of people like Senator Annie Okonkwo, Ifeanyi Uba and a few other state chairmen in the South East.
But Obi seems to have a stronger hold in the party as those who support him include Ambassador Frank Nchita Ogbuewu, the 2011 APGA Governorship Candidate in Ebonyi State, Former Minister of Culture and Tourism and 2011 APGA Governorship Candidate in Abia State,  Chief Reagam Ufomba  and  2011 APGA Governorship Candidate in Enugu State,  Obiora Obiegue. The support of these people further strengthens Obi’s grip of the party since according to APGA”s constitution, the governorship candidate and governor in each state should be regarded as the leader of the party in the state.
Other APGA political office holders  who are on his side are Senator Chris Anyanwu, representing Imo Central, Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu, Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, Eddie Mbadiwe- APGA Leader, House of Representatives (Imo State),  Chris Azubogu , Emeke Nwogbo and  Victor Ogene, members of the House of Representatives, Chief Chris Uche, Deputy National Chairman, South-east, Odi Nwosu, Nigerian Ambassador to Burundi, Prof. Dora Akunyili , 2011 APGA Senatorial Candidate, Anambra State, and Former Minister of Information and Communications,  Menakaya and Chuma Nzeribe, Former House of Representatives member.
With the saying that ‘when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers’, political observers are pessimistic about the survival of the party as many believe that the squabbles may affect the party’s fortunes.

Achebe: Nigerians to hold memorial service in London, May 18

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

LAGOS — NIGERIANS in the United Kingdom, will hold a memorial service and cultural reception for late literary icon, Professor Chinua Achebe on May 18 in London as part of global farewell activities for the literary legend.
Professor Achebe’s body will arrive Abuja May 12, sparking off a series of festivities that will continue until his final interment in Ogidi, Anambra State on May 23.
The programme is being organised by the United Kingdom chapter of Nigerians in the Diaspora in conjunction with his family, the High Commission and the wider literary world. The activities will kick off with a memorial service at All Saints Cathedral, New Cross, London, which will be presided over by the Bishop of Southwark.

Late Prof Chinua Achebe

Ubaka Alex Achebe, a family spokesman, said: “Apart from the Bishop of Southwark, the Bishops of Woolwich and London will also be there. There will be several cannons and vicars coming too, so we are expecting about a dozen clergymen.
“After the service, guests will be treated to an evening of African culture, literature at the nearby Millwall Football Club’s reception hall. There will be cultural troupes from all over Nigeria performing as well as those from Ghana, Kenya, the Caribbean and Congo, and a re-enactment of Things Fall Apart.”
Dignitaries expected include former Commonwealth Secretary General, Emeka Anyaoku; Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida, Chi Onwurah, MP; Chuka Umunna, MP, and the Mayor of Enfield, Kate Anolue.
Also expected are the embassies representatives of Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Côte d’Ivoire. The Anambra Women Group has offered to take care of catering for the day and treat guests to the best of Nigerian cuisine.
Dan Otuonye, the chairman of the Organising Committee said: “We will print T-shirts, women’s head ties and men’s caps, which will be made available on the day. Igbo Youth Organisation will also entertain guests to the best of our culture.”
Organisers have been split into cultural, security, publicity, catering and organising committees to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day. Several Nigerian authors and poets will also be expected to read from their books, while academics who worked with Professor Achebe will read out eulogies.
Ayo Akinfe, the chairman of the publicity committee, said: “Achebe was a global icon who cared passionately about humanity and we want this event to reflect his life.
“There will be cultural troupes there to showcase how Achebe brought the attention of the world to the fact that we Africans actually have a culture. there to highlight the fact that he was a genuine global icon.”

Anambra state 2014 Governorship contestants: This is not an exhaustive list:
1. Uche Ekwunife
2. Cheif Joe Ikebudu
3. Chief Emma Nweke
4. Senator Chris Nwabueze Ngige
5. Senetor Annie Okonkwo
6. Hon. Victor Afam Ogene,
7. Mr. Mike Udah,
8. Dr. Alex Obiogbolu,
9. Princess Stella Oduah,
10.Chief Paul Odenigbo,
11.Patrick Obianwu,
12. Nnamdi Egweogwu,
13. Chief Chike Obidigbo,
14.Chief Goddy Ibekwe,
15. Chief Willy Obiano,
16. Chief Dubem Obaze,
17. Mr. Oseloka Obaze,
18. Dr. Obinna Uzo
19. Andy Ubah
20. Chief George Muoghalu
21. Proff charles Soludo
22. Mr. Ifeany Ubah
Out of all the political parties registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), only three actually have strong followership in the state. They are APGA, the ruling party in the state, PDP and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). The consensus here is that the chances of any of the major political parties emerging the winner in the election would depend on the credibility of its candidate as well as its ability to conduct free and fair primaries.
These considerations notwithstanding, political watchers, however, believe that APGA has brighter chances of retaining the governorship seat. The achievements of Governor Obi administration in the state have endeared the party to majority of the citizens

Martin OGBOOGU
Political Analyst