Category: Politics

Former National Vice Chairman, North West of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has called on the party’s stakeholders in Kaduna State and at the national level to address the growing tension between the current governor, Senator Uba Sani, and his predecessor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

The plea comes amidst escalating disputes highlighted by Governor Sani’s recent disclosures on state debts at a Town Hall meeting.

Governor Sani shocked many when he disclosed the heavy debt burden the state is shouldering, amounting to $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities, allegedly accrued during El-Rufai’s tenure.

This revelation has intensified the discord within the Kaduna State APC, with Lukman expressing concern over the political climate in the state.

In his statement titled “Kaduna State Political Theatrics,” Lukman emphasized that Governor Sani should not be viewed in isolation from the actions of his predecessor, suggesting that the issues at hand are systemic and rooted in the governance style of the previous administration.

He said, “The hard truth also is that Mallam Uba was one of his strongest collaborators in Kaduna State.

‘The reality was that everything Mallam Nasir did during his eight-year tenure was endorsed and supported by Mallam Uba.

“Certainly, the decision of Mallam Nasir to anoint Mallam Uba as his successor must have been informed by the consideration of their strong personal relationship.

“That shortly after taking over, the two friends are falling apart is most unfortunate and only reminds one of what played out between Alh. Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi and Arc. Namadi Sambo between 2007 and 2010.

“These were very close friends and business partners, on account of which Alh. Makarfi anointed Arc. Sambo to emerge as his successor in 2007. Today, the relationship between the two is still very bad.

“The point is, we need to move away from noise-making to substantive issues of strengthening governance.

“Without prejudice to all the initiatives being taken by the government of Mallam Uba, the debate about the huge debt profile of Kaduna State must be about strengthening the capacity of the government to resolve the challenge.

“It is not simply about Mallam Nasir vs. Mallam Uba. Already, I have seen young people jump into the debate in a very disrespectful manner.

“We must caution that, as much as everyone is welcome to make a contribution, such contribution must be about what needs to be done to resolve the challenge, which is a function of knowledge.

“After all, we pride ourselves on Kaduna State as a centre of learning. Being a centre of learning requires that our politics be about the application of knowledge.

“My final appeal to Mallam Uba and all our leaders, both in Kaduna State and at the national level, is that we must summon the courage to admit our failure as a political party.

“Whatever could have been the shortcomings of Mallam Nasir as Governor of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023 would have been strengthened by the absence of a strong functional party structure, which could have checked or at the very least moderated the excesses of Mallam Nasir.

“Those realities are still there today, and if allowed to continue, they could lead Mallam Uba in the wrong direction, whose implication may only become another subject of contestation between him and his successor.

“The truth is, democracy is as bad as any dictatorship so long as political parties continue to behave as shadow participants or observers in the business of governance.

“Like Mallam Nasir once thought he was incontrovertible, if care is not taken, all the current issues about Kaduna State’s huge debt profile may end up only making Mallam Uba assume a similar incontrovertible outlook.

“Praise singers must not be allowed to take over a critical debate that is about the future of the state. Such a debate must not be reduced to the political theatrics of determining the future of the state in terms of only who is right or wrong between a predecessor and successor. Such an approach only stagnated the state in the past.”

The post Kaduna: Ex-APC Vice Chairman, Lukman Speaks On El-Rufai, Governor Sani Cold War appeared first on Naija News.

As LP’s crisis deepens, Peter Obi considers leaving the party, citing lack of consultation in party decisions.

The post Crisis Rocks Labour Party as Peter Obi Threatens To Leave Amid Leadership Tussle appeared first on Arise News.

The ongoing internal crisis within the Benue State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) shows no signs of abating, with the camp loyal to Governor Hyacinth Alia reportedly failing to adhere to the verdict of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

Naija News understands that despite the directive from the NWC to withdraw all legal actions initiated by party members within a specified timeframe, the camp loyal to Governor Alia has failed to comply.

Since the inauguration of the new government led by Alia, the leadership crisis has persisted without any visible resolution.

The strained relationship between Governor Alia and the party’s state leader, George Akume, has further deepened the divide within the Benue State APC.

While the State Party Chairman, Austin Agada, and the majority of the executive committee members remain loyal to Akume, a minority has aligned themselves with Governor Alia, exacerbating the internal strife.

The situation escalated when Dan Onjeh, the APC senatorial candidate in the 2023 Benue South election and a staunch supporter of Governor Alia, filed a petition against Agada before the APC national leadership, accusing him of undermining the party’s interests in the previous election.

In response to the political crisis, the former Ward Chairman of Ehaje 1, Owukpa, who now serves as a Supervisory Councillor with Ogbadibo LGA, announced the suspension of Agada.

However, the national body quickly overturned the suspension.

Following this, the State Welfare Secretary, Benjamin Omakolo, was reportedly appointed as the acting chairman of the party in the state.

Nevertheless, the party’s disciplinary committee in Apa LGA later suspended Omakolo due to allegations of fund misappropriation, gross insubordination, and persistent failure to pay party dues.

The faction aligned with the governor obtained a court order from the State High Court in Makurdi, restraining Agada from functioning as the party chairman.

However, a ruling by the Benue State High Court, led by Chief Judge Justice Maurice Ikpambese, reinstated Agada as the party chairman, citing legal timelines.

Justice Ikpambese highlighted that, according to Order 39, Rule 3 of the Benue State High Court Procedure Rules, 2023, the interim order’s seven-day duration had expired since its issuance on February 2, 2024.

One-Week Ultimatum Elapses

The ongoing legal dispute within the Benue State APC has caused significant turmoil, leading the national APC to take action.

The national APC has issued a one-week ultimatum for members to resolve their internal conflicts and withdraw all court cases. Failure to comply may result in suspension or expulsion from the party.

Naija News understands that the embattled state chairman and the governor have been instructed by the NWC to ensure full adherence to this directive.

However, it has been observed that the faction loyal to Governor Alia has not yet withdrawn their case from court. In fact, they have even established a parallel executive to lead the party.

This was made evident in a recent statement by Dan Onjeh, a loyalist to the governor, who criticized the party’s National Chairman and the NWC for their handling of the Benue party crisis.

Onjeh’s letter emphasized the NWC’s failure to address his petition and accused them of supporting injustice within the Benue State APC.

He demanded that the NWC either adhere to the party’s constitution or resign within seven days, asserting the rights of progressive APC members in the state.

“Let me state categorically that as long as the NWC fails to abide by the party constitution, we, the progressive members of the APC in Benue State, shall not abide by its directives. We shall not withdraw any case in court as we cannot be gagged into silence nor be cowed into submitting our necks to the slaughter slaps of injustice.

“Ubi jus ubi remedium is a Latin legal maxim that translates to ‘where there is a right, there is a remedy.’ It encapsulates the principle that when a legal right is violated, the law provides a corresponding remedy or relief to the aggrieved party,” Daily Post quoted Onjeh saying.

Agada, when approached by journalists, confirmed that he had given instructions to all parties involved in the court proceedings to withdraw their cases as per the directive from the national body.

He expressed his surprise and disappointment at the governor’s loyalists’ refusal to comply with the order from the NWC.

“I am not in court against anybody; in fact, they were the ones that initiated legal action against us,” Agada said.

“Nevertheless, I have issued a circular mandating the withdrawal of all court cases following the national body’s directive.

“We seek peace within the party, yet some are reluctant to embrace this path.

“There is no question about who is the APC chairman in Benue; I remain the only chairman of the party. There is no faction anywhere,” he added.

The post Benue APC Crisis Deepens As Hyacinth Alia’s Camp Shuns NWC As Deadline Elapses appeared first on Naija News.