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Tinubu’s action in Rivers a Coup, should be removed, tried for treason – Kenneth Okonkwo 

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Veteran Nollywood actor, politician and activist Kenneth Okonkwo has called for the removal of President Bola Tinubu for for what he termed declaration of Martial Law in Rivers State.

What he did is a coup not a state of emergency as people erroneously call it

Okonkwo’s reaction to the recent events in Rivers State is contained in a podcast shared on YouTube which the actor personally availed everydaynewsngr.net.

Hear him:

People have been making a mistake as to what the president did in Rivers State. Tinubu did not declare state of emergency in Rivers State, the president declared a Martial law in Rivers State.

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State of Emergency is recognised by our constitution. And has given the president the power to declare state of emergency under certain conditions.

The Nigerian Bar Association has made it clear that none of those conditions has been fulfilled to warrant the declaration of State of emergency. Meaning that the purported declaration is not a state of emergency.

The Supreme Court is very clear! In the case of Attorney General of Bendel State and Adeyo, It said any act of governance not covered under an enabling law is a nullity. So there is nothing like state of emergency in Rivers. What Bola Tinubu did is not a state of emergency because even when the situation has arisen it doesn’t include the removal of elected representatives of the people.

The constitution is very clear in Section 1(2) that Nigeria shall not be governed or any part thereof by any persons except in accordance with the constitution. Where is it in the constitution that Nigeria or any state shall be governed by a sole administrator. None.

So what the President did is akin to what the president of South Korea did when he declared martial law and wanted to remove the representatives of the people. The legislature moved in immediately.

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Including members of the party of the president and removed the president himself. Declaring martial law to remove representatives of the people; that is a coup against the federation.

The president of South Korea is awaiting trial for doing that.

What the legislature is expected to be thinking about doing is removing Tinubu for declaring martial law on a state, federating unit and trying to rule that state through the military; through Sole administrator, not contemplated by our constitution.

Tinubu usurped the power to make law for that state; he said the sole administrator can make regulation – regulation is part of law. So he usurped it through a decree; not our law. That sole administrator can make law and he, Tinubu, and his cabinet will be the one to authorise the law. Usurping power of the legislature- that is treason. That is trying to govern Nigeria or a part of it in a manner not contemplated by the constitution.

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Tinubu suspended numerous sections of the constitution in order to make his declaration. No state of emergency authorises the govt to suspend any provision of the constitution. But in declaring the martial law which Tinubu did he suspended Sections 1, 179,180, 188, 189, 120 and 121 including Section 117 and 110 of the constitution in order to make that declaration. That cannot be declaration of a state of Emergency.

What are these Sections talking, that you cannot govern Nigeria outside elected members of the representatives of the people. And these Sections enumerated the methods you can use to remove a member of the House of Assembly Or the Governor. One, by death, resignation, impeachment, by permanent incapacity and expiration of term. And for the House of Assembly member by recall. That’s the summary of the Sections I have enumerated.

So the president suspended these sections and wants to rule Rivers State by decree. Because he has already usurped the power of the legislature and that is why I am saying that what he declared was martial law, was a coup against the people of Rivers State.

Rivers State are the ones that elected the Governor and members of the Assembly. And even by interpretation act, it said, he that appoints is the only person that has the power to remove. So the President did not appoint the Governor, he did not appoint members of the Assembly, they were elected. The President has no right to remove them. And any govt in place on a democracy was instituted by laws; that’s why the Supreme Court say any act of governance that is not covered under an enabling law is a nullity.

Even the National Assembly that has the right, and I am talking now about the State of emergency, for us to know the difference between State of emergency and what Tinubu did. In state of emergency, Section 305 is very clear, you declare State of emergency when there is war, when there is imminent threat of invasion of Nigeria – that has not happened. Or when there is actual breakdown of public order and public safety as to warrant extra ordinary measure to correct the situation or where there is a danger that such a thing will happen or where there is a natural calamity of such that needs extraordinary measure to correct it or where there is a threat to the collapse of the federation of Nigeria. This is Section 305(3). Now, none of these has happened and the President came on TV to say there is a security report – security report Mr President is for you, it is not for Nigerians. So anything that Nigerians do not know should not know Nigerians. You that know your security report has not given you the right to remove elected representatives. So what the State of emergency actually is doing is that the president should empower the democratic forces to be able to overcome the danger even if it means using extraordinary measure. What is the extraordinary measure? The state of emergency that is talking about extraordinary measure is that you have the right to restrict the fundamental rights of Nigerians when you are taking away the extraordinary measure it does not mean removing elected representatives and it was stated in Section 45 of the constitution when they say that the provisions of the human rights cannot invalidate any law made by the National Assembly if that law is intended for the defense, public safety, public morality, public order or public health of the country and even that Section made it clear that the National Assembly has the power to make such law for the defense even if it affects the fundamental human rights. And in Section 11(4) the constitution made it clear that the making of the law by the National Assembly does not include the removal of the governor or the deputy. That is, even if the legislature is not functioning in that state. What does that tell you, that no law gives any right to any elected president to remove elected representatives of the people. Now let me tell you this catch, because the President is referring to one pipeline or two that was breached. During the regime of President Goodluck Jonathan the whole pipelines in Niger Delta were threatened; most of them were breached by the militants that had waged war against the federal Republic because of marginalisation of The Niger Delta. President Goodluck Jonathan…that was a situation that needed a state of emergency, he did not even declare a state of emergency because he didn’t believe there was anything extraordinary in what these people were doing which the security forces cannot contain. He simply made an order that security forces should restore order in that region and arrest the culprits and bring them to justice. That was what he did and the security forces moved in. No governor was affected, no assembly was affected and it led to the dialogue which resulted in the amnesty which brought peace to the region which we are enjoying today. When a competent president wants to make peace in any part of the country he goes by the way that Goodluck Jonathan, that Umar Y’adua did. You negotiate; you go into dialogue not going to support your appointee in order to destroy the state because you want to capture the state. That is why it is not a state of emergency he is doing because Y’Adua faced with problem in the entire Niger Delta which breached all the pipelines, which brought war against the federal government did not even declare a state of emergency and a president is telling you apprehension, there is tension not that there is something actual, no evidence, that is one. Secondly, when Goodluck Jonathan was faced with invasion, insurgency by a terrorist group called Boko Haram that had taken over local governments and three states were under threat, Goodluck Jonathan rightly declared a state of emergency and did not remove any governor and did not remove any representative of the people; why? Because he was not declaring any martial law he was declaring state of emergency and he took out that situation and in six weeks he wiped them out. Why he declared a state of emergency is to let the people know- your movement might be curtailed so don’t come and quote for us freedom of movement. You shouldn’t come out at so so time because stray bullet can catch you. And then if hit by stray bullet you can’t go to anyone and say the person was killed. That’s the essence of the state of emergency. Your fundamental human rights could be be involved.

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Now, let’s go to Obasanjo because he was the only leader that removed some governors while declaring state of emergency which the courts now have ruled illegal. But one thing Obasanjo did; he didn’t use it as an instrument of power grab. Obasanjo never declared or removed any elected representatives in the opposition party; it was only PDP members, his own party he removed. And there was another governor that had security issues from another party, Obasanjo refused to remove him because he knew it would be interpreted as power grab. He wrote a letter of warning to that Governor.

When Tinubu was governor there were security problems in Lagos. Obasanjo restrained himself from declaring state of emergency in Lagos.

.. it is a coup to forcefully and with military remove elected representatives so that he can take over the state and administer it with military people that’s a coup.

Tinubu is the first President since 1979 that has used the instrument of State of emergency to usurp power from the opposition party. There was nothing in Rivers State that necessitated a declaration of State of emergency.

When they organised local government election in Rivers State secretaries were burned by people who were against the Governor. Somebody was caught with a bomb; he detonated it, it wounded him. They arrested him, what has happened to him till date, nothing. People committed arson; people loyal to appointees of the president. Burned down secretariats in open glare, nobody was arrested, why? No state of emergency was declared, why? And then, now you have peace you are saying you declared state of emergency.

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I was really troubled When the president was mentioning Supreme Court judgement; Supreme Court said that appropriation act must be re submitted by the governor because the governor had submitted it to a legitimate House of Assembly and they were legitimate until the declaration of the Supreme Court.

They said he should re-present it to the 27 lawmakers. And the law is that no money of the state can be spent except it’s appropriated by the House of Assembly and that the Governor will present it for such appropriation.

Tinubu suspended the constitution because he wanted to go against the Supreme Court judgement which has ordered the governor to re-present the budget to the Assembly. This declaration is against the Supreme Court judgement and it is now Tinubu disobeying the Supreme Court judgement not the governor. The governor wrote to the Assembly; come let is discuss about the budget. What a good man. Why is he inviting them? Because the budget that contained only four members of the Assembly will not be the same as the budget that will contain 27 members. They refused. They gave him ultimatum. Ultimatum means we are waiting for you and you must come and present this within this time. The governor went to honour the ultimatum. They locked the gate against him and yet Tinubu is giving it as an example. And he is calling the governor who said he would obey the decisions of the Court and has obeyed all. And you are still calling him. That means you have a sinister motive to overthrow his government by force and that is exactly what he did, deploying the military which is against the judgement of the Supreme Court. It’s an impeachable offense for a President to go against the judgement of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court is very clear that no money should be spent. It even suspended the allocation. So saying that you will unilaterally make a law to overrule the Supreme Court and give Rivers State money to a Sole administrator who is not even from their State means that you want to use your power which is military power as Commander in chief of the Armed forces …if this is not military dictatorship tell me what it is…so what happened in Rivers State is coup and Nigerians must rise..like what happened in South Korea, Tinubu ought to be removed and ought to be facing trial for treason…”

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Politics

Ori Agba Zone Backs Egah Paul Chidiebere, Odii Ahead of 2027

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By Emmanuel Igwe
ABAKALIKI, Ebonyi State — The people of Ori Agba zone in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have declared their unalloyed support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency, Chief Hon. Egah Paul Chidiebere, popularly known as Double Chief, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The declaration was made yesterday when political stakeholders and residents from Ntezi, Okpoto and Agba communities gathered at the country home of Hon. Agu Chigozie Agu, the PDP contestant for Ishielu South State Constituency and Chairman of the PDP in Ishielu Local Government Area.
The gathering provided an opportunity for stakeholders from the Ori Agba zone to express their concerns over what they described as years of inadequate representation and marginalisation of Ishielu Local Government Area in the distribution of constituency projects and other dividends of democracy.
Addressing the gathering, members of the group argued that the federal constituency, which comprises Ezza North and Ishielu Local Government Areas, should benefit from equitable political representation and development.
They particularly expressed concern that Ezza North has occupied the federal constituency seat for about 12 years and indicated their desire for Ishielu Local Government Area to have an opportunity to produce the representative.
According to the stakeholders, the issue was not about antagonising Ezza North but about ensuring fairness and rotation between the two local government areas that make up the constituency.
The group therefore rallied behind Chief Egah Paul Chidiebere, describing him as a candidate capable of providing effective representation and attracting meaningful development to the constituency.
The political gathering also witnessed a wider endorsement of the PDP’s gubernatorial candidate in Ebonyi State, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii.
The Ori Agba stakeholders said their decision to support Odii was aimed at pursuing what they described as a strategic political objective—ensuring that the people of the area secured effective representation at both the federal and state levels.
They maintained that the emergence of Odii as governor in 2027 would provide an opportunity for a new approach to governance and development in Ebonyi State.
The stakeholders expressed optimism that an Odii-led administration would promote equitable development across the state and ensure that rural communities and constituencies receive greater attention in the implementation of government programmes.
They subsequently urged voters across Ntezi, Okpoto and Agba communities to remain united and mobilise massively for the PDP candidates in the 2027 elections.
The endorsement is expected to add another dimension to the emerging political contest in the Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency, particularly as stakeholders continue to debate the principle of rotation and equitable representation between the two local government areas.
For the Ori Agba stakeholders, however, the message from the gathering was clear: they want greater political representation for Ishielu and are prepared to support candidates they believe can deliver that objective.
The group also called on PDP supporters in Ishielu and across Ebonyi State to remain committed to the party and work collectively towards its success in the 2027 general elections.

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Vote-Buying Allegations Surface Across Osun Ahead of Governorship Election

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Accord Party have been accused of engaging in widespread vote-buying across Osun State, with agents of both parties allegedly offering voters between N10,000 and N20,000 ahead of today’s governorship election.

Unlike previous elections, the alleged vote-buying reportedly began six days before the poll.

Some voters claimed that the parties also collected the bank account details of thousands of voters about a week before the election, with plans to transfer money to them after they cast their ballots.

Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party is being challenged by Bola Oyebamiji of the APC, Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and nine other candidates.

A total of 1,906,390 registered voters who have collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) are expected to participate in the election.

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Findings by our correspondents revealed that agents of both Accord and the APC allegedly began distributing cash between Monday and Tuesday.

In some cases, the alleged inducement involved the distribution of food items and cash, with beneficiaries reportedly being asked to swear oaths promising to vote for the candidate of the party providing the items.

Our correspondents also came across viral videos purportedly showing supporters of Adeleke and Oyebamiji distributing cash, salt, rice and other items while urging beneficiaries not to betray them at the polls.

Ilesa

Voters in Ilesa alleged that the APC was distributing N20,000 to voters across polling units in Ilesa East, Ilesa West and Atakunmosa East Local Government Areas.

According to some beneficiaries, the money was being distributed at the residences of designated APC chieftains in various polling units.

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The voters said the alleged distribution began on Tuesday and continued until Friday.

One beneficiary, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “I collected my N20,000 at the Bonnke area of Ilesa on Wednesday. The cash was in N1,000 and N500 denominations. We had over 200 voters and it was done unit by unit. I collected mine around 11am at the bungalow belonging to one of the APC chieftains in our unit.”

A human rights activist in Ilesa, who also spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, corroborated the allegation.

“At the Coca-Cola area, people were given N20,000 each at one particular storey building. But you have to show your voter card before being paid.

“At Abiola Avenue, APC members gave N20,000 to each voter. I was there. The storey building where the money was shared belongs to an APC leader in the area,” he alleged.

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At Iroye and Imo areas of Ilesa, it was further alleged that APC supporters distributed rice and an undisclosed amount of money to voters.

“I saw them. They are APC supporters. They provided money and rice, but I don’t know the exact amount they were distributing. They were cursing the beneficiaries, saying it would not be well with them if they failed to vote for AMBO after collecting the money,” a student leader in Iroye said.

It was also alleged that while the APC was offering N20,000, Accord was distributing N10,000 to voters.

At Olowu Village in Atakunmosa East LGA, Accord was reportedly distributing N10,000 and asking beneficiaries to swear an oath of allegiance. A community leader said the alleged distribution began about three weeks ago.

The community leader further claimed that Accord leaders were distributing the money openly and without apparent fear of arrest.

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Other residents in Ilesa also alleged that the ruling party had begun distributing N10,000 in Ifofin, Iloro, Okesa and other parts of the city since Tuesday.

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Osun 2026: Adeleke’s Journey From Narrow 2018 Defeat to 2022 Victory

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Ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, the journey of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s governorship bid is one marked by a narrow defeat, a rerun loss, a legal battle and, ultimately, a major comeback.

Adeleke, the Accord Party candidate, first contested the Osun governorship election in 2018 under the Peoples Democratic Party.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola
The election produced a remarkably tight race between PDP’s Adeleke and the All Progressives Congress candidate, Gboyega Oyetola.

At the initial count, Adeleke polled 254,698 votes, while Oyetola scored 254,345 votes, giving the PDP candidate a lead of just 353 votes.

However, the Independent National Electoral Commission declared the election inconclusive after cancelling 3,498 votes in some polling units across Ife North, Ife South and Orolu Local Government Areas.

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Explaining the decision, the Returning Officer, Prof Joseph Fuwape, said the margin between the two leading candidates was lower than the number of cancelled votes.

“Since the margin between the two leading candidates was lower than the registered cancelled votes, the election had to be declared inconclusive,” Fuwape said.

INEC consequently scheduled a rerun in seven polling units.

The rerun that changed everything

The rerun was held across four local government areas on September 27, 2018.

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Oyetola won the rerun, polling 1,160 votes against Adeleke’s 325 votes.

The additional votes overturned Adeleke’s initial advantage, and Oyetola was eventually declared governor-elect.

Oyetola finished with 255,505 votes, while Adeleke ended with 255,023 votes — a difference of just 482 votes.

Adeleke rejected the result and vowed to challenge it.

Speaking through his brother, Dele Adeleke, he insisted that the PDP would seek legal redress.

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“Adeleke’s mandate can’t be stolen, it will be retrieved. The wish of the people will stand at the end,” he said.

The defeat did not end Adeleke’s governorship ambition.

Four years later, Adeleke returned

Adeleke returned to the race in 2022, again facing Oyetola, who was then the incumbent governor.

This time, however, the result was different.

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In the July 16, 2022 governorship election, Adeleke secured 403,371 votes, defeating Oyetola, who polled 375,027 votes.

Adeleke won 17 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyetola won 13.

The result gave Adeleke a margin of 28,344 votes, a sharp contrast to the 482-vote difference that separated the two men four years earlier.

Declaring the result, the Returning Officer, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, said:

“I declare Adeleke Ademola Jackson Nurudeen, on behalf of the chairman of INEC, of the PDP, having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby declared the winner and he is returned elected,” Ogundipe said.

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Adeleke was subsequently sworn in as governor on November 27, 2022.

The battle was not over

Oyetola and the APC challenged Adeleke’s victory at the Election Petitions Tribunal, alleging irregularities in the conduct of the election.

The legal battle lasted several months.

In January 2023, the tribunal annulled Adeleke’s victory after deducting votes it considered affected by over-voting and declared Oyetola the winner based on its recalculation.

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Adeleke rejected the judgment and described it as a “miscarriage of justice”, saying the tribunal’s decision represented “an unfair interpretation against the will of majority of voters.”

He subsequently appealed the decision.

Appeal Court restores Adeleke

The Court of Appeal later overturned the tribunal’s decision and restored Adeleke as governor.

Oyetola, however, proceeded to the Supreme Court.

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In March 2023, the Supreme Court upheld Adeleke’s victory, bringing the legal battle over the 2022 Osun governorship election to an end.

Now, ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, Adeleke is seeking another term in office as the Accord candidate, with other candidates including APC’s Bola Oyebamiji also competing for the Osun governorship.

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There’s No Division In Anambra APC, Sen Ekwunife

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As Renewed Hope Sets Up 134,000 Polling Unit Ambassadors

By Okey Maduforo Awka

The Senatorial Candidate for Anambra Central District and Director General of South East Governors Forum Sen Ekwunife has dismissed insinuations that there is fractionalization in the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra state.

This is coming as the Anambra state chapter of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors has so far set up a total of 143,000 Polling Unit Ambassadors ahead of the 2027 Presidential election in the area.

Ekwunife who attending a meeting of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors in Awka contended that the party is one and ever united in it’s bid towards delivering President Ahmed Bola Tinubu in the coming election.

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“No there is no division in Anambra APC and APC is one , one family, one people and the APC will win as one united family” she stated .

Ekwunife further described the Renewed Hope Ambassadors as a body of people who are determined to work for the reelection of Tinubu based on his track records of achievements so far in the South East geopolitical zone.

“The Renewed Hope Ambassador is for everybody. It is for us , for our President, for the Senators it is for Federal House of Representatives, for the State House of Assembly and for the stakeholders”

“We are here to reemphasize the need for the APC to win the coming elections like the Presidency Senatorial, Federal House of Representatives and state Assembly”

“This is because we have seen what Mr President has done for the South East and for Anambra state and Igbos ”

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“We have seen what Mr President has done for Anambra, for Imo , for Abia , for Enugu and for Ebonyi state ”

“As ambassadors it is aimed at rekindling the great thing that Mr President has done for us and that is why we are here today”

“We are here to state categorically that we shall vote for our party the All Progressives Congress (APC) and for President Ahmed Bola Tinubu , top to bottom”

“I am sure that what you saw today in the morning is not the same that you saw in the afternoon in terms of infrastructural development by Mr President and we have seen renewed roads, renewed infrastructure and a renewed hope and a renewed government which is a government that is working for the people and that means that democracy is about the people, democracy is about giving the people hope and it is about seeing the infrastructure, seeing it and touching it “she said .

Speaking shortly after the meeting the state Coordinator of Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Chief Okey Ezenwa;

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“You are aware that the Renewed Hope Ambassador in Anambra state have representation of the state local government, Wards and we have 25 man polling unit Ambassadors in every polling unit in Anambra state so that is already a viable machinery for election and we want the candidates to tap into this repository of electoral materials for there own election and this has already been put in place for the Presidential election” he said.

According to a communique issued by the Renewed Hope Ambassadors in Anambra state after it’s meeting and signed by the Coordinator Okey Ezenwa , the body stated ;

“All Renewed Hope Ambassadors in Anambra State are directed to make the RHA structures in their respective federal constituencies and senatorial zones available to APC candidates contesting the January 16, 2027 National Assembly elections”

“The RHA resolved to collaborate with other political groups and entities that share and support President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope vision and agenda”

” The meeting reaffirmed its commitment to the principle of one party, one message and one mobilisation framework in advancing the Renewed Hope agenda in Anambra State”

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“The meeting further called on all RHA coordinators and members across the state to remain committed, focused and united in their efforts to communicate the achievements of the Tinubu administration and mobilise support for the Renewed Hope agenda” the body said .

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Confusion In Anambra NDC Over Candidacy For Obi’s Constituency

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By Okey Maduforo, Awka

There is growing confusion in the Anambra State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) over the party’s candidate for Anaocha 1 State Constituency, following a dispute between two aspirants laying claim to the party’s ticket.

The constituency, which is the immediate constituency of the party’s presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has been embroiled in controversy as the serving member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Nkechi Ogbuefi, insists that she remains the duly nominated candidate of the party for the forthcoming election.

Ogbuefi, who is the Deputy Minority Leader of the Anambra State House of Assembly, said she participated in the party’s primary election and was duly returned and nominated as its candidate for Anaocha 1 Constituency.

She alleged that Hon. Azubuike Okoye had been parading himself as the party’s candidate despite, according to her, not purchasing the NDC nomination form, participating in the screening exercise or taking part in the party’s primary election.

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“I joined Mr Peter Obi when he went to the Labour Party and also joined him when he became a member of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

“We had our primary election and it was resolved that all serving members must be given automatic tickets. I, like other sitting members, was given my nomination form and we took part in the primary election of the party.

“After the primary election, I was returned and duly nominated as the candidate for Anaocha 1 Constituency,” she said.

Ogbuefi further alleged that Okoye, after purchasing forms in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and participating in its House of Representatives primary, had been parading himself as the NDC candidate for the State House of Assembly.

She said the matter had also been taken before the Federal High Court in Abuja, where, according to her, the NDC appeared and affirmed her as its candidate.

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“Another candidate who heard that I was returned went to the Federal High Court in Abuja and, because it was an originating summons, the NDC came there to affirm me as the candidate of the party.

“The court ultimately affirmed me as the winner of the primary election of the party.

“The party also stated that at no time was Azubuike Okoye’s name submitted as a candidate. He did not purchase the form of the party, he did not take part in the screening of aspirants and he did not participate in the primary election,” she stated.

Ogbuefi further claimed that the state chairman of the NDC, Chief Ikem Uzoezie, had advised her to disregard Okoye’s claim, saying that Peter Obi personally forwarded her name to him as the party’s candidate.

Efforts to reach Uzoezie for his reaction were unsuccessful, as several calls placed to his phone were not answered. Text messages and WhatsApp messages sent to him also received no response.

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However, reacting to Ogbuefi’s allegations, Okoye declined to make a definitive claim to the ticket, saying the matter would be settled when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) publishes the list of candidates submitted by the party.

He urged those involved in the dispute to remain calm, saying there was no need for individuals to engage in arguments or trade accusations on social media.

“My brother, I cannot say anything now and I cannot say I am the candidate of the party. I don’t want to join issues with those claiming to be candidates of the party in Anaocha Constituency 1 until the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) publishes the list of candidates sent by the party to the Commission.

“So I want the reporters to remain calm because if I say that I am the candidate and INEC publishes another name, what sense does it make?” he said.

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