PDP Crisis: G5 Governors clear air on endorsing PDP Presidential candidate Atiku
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has refuted claims doing round in the media that the G-5 governors including himself have resolved to work for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to win the 2023 election.
According to a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Terver Akase, on Tuesday, the governor described the reports as fake and mischievous, urging members of the public to disregard it.
The statement said the report has been designed to embarrass the five Governors who have chosen the path of justice, fairness and equity.
It further disclosed that Governor Ortom, at a meeting with the state caucus of the PDP yesterday, maintained that the national leadership of the party had failed to utilize its internal conflict resolution mechanism, which has led to the crisis rocking the party.
The statement partly read: “We read a fictitious online report which claimed that the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and his colleagues in the G-5 have resolved to work for the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to win the 2023 election.
“The report is not only false but also mischievous as it is targeted at embarrassing the five Governors who have chosen the path of justice, fairness and equity.
“Manufacturers of the said report were apparently on a desperate mission to score a cheap political point. The report could not mention the place and date of the said meeting of G-5 Governors. The writers only sought to take advantage of the crisis within the PDP for their selfish purposes. Governor Ortom and other members of the G-5 have not endorsed the said presidential candidate.
“When the Governor met with the expanded state caucus of PDP yesterday, January 9, 2023, at the Benue Peoples House, Makurdi, his message to them was crystal clear that the national leadership of PDP has failed to utilize its internal conflict resolution mechanism, which has led to the crisis rocking the party. The Governor said during the meeting that if the crisis is not resolved before the elections, he would be left with no other option than to take a stand on the matter. He added, however, that he wouldn’t impose his decision on members of the party in the state.
“Governor Ortom did not address the press after the meeting. The online report is, therefore, fake and should be disregarded,” the statement added.
The prosecutor, PC Olapeju Durodola, told the court that the defendant and others now at large committed the offences on Nov. 30, 2024, at Mufu Lanihun, at Yidi Agugu in Ibadan.
She said that the defendant allegedly
added a substance to her boyfriend’s drink, one Waris Olamilekan, to make him lose consciousness.
According to her, the defendant stole the money after adding the substance in the complainant’s drink.
Durodola said the offences contravened Sections 390(9) and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Olabisi Ogunkanmi, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum.
Ogunkanmi said one of the sureties must be a property owner within the court’s jurisdiction, while the second surety must be a blood relation to the defendant.
She, thereafter, adjourned the matter until May 26 for hearing.(NAN)
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Supreme Court nullifies Rivers Local Govt elections conducted by Gov Fubara
Supreme Court nullifies Rivers Local Govt elections conducted by Gov Fubara
The Supreme Court on Friday, nullified the Local Government election in Rivers, which was conducted on Oct. 5, 2024.
A five-member panel of the apex court unanimously held that the election was conducted in violation of relevant laws.
Justice Jamilu Tukur, in the lead judgment, agreed with the appellant, the All Progressives Congress (APC), that conditions precedent were not complied with before the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) held the election.
Justice Tukur held that there was no evidence that the voters’ registration continued until 90 days before the election and that the requisite notices were issued as required by law.(NAN)
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Akpabio harassing me because I refused his s3xual advances – Senator Natasha alleges
Akpabio harassing me because I refused his s3xual advances – Senator Natasha alleges
The Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, reigniting a heated public dispute.
Speaking on ARISE TV on Friday, Akpoti-Uduaghan revealed her allegations, which follow a previous confrontation with Akpabio over the unauthorized change of her Senate seat.
The controversial seat change sparked a tense argument between the two, leading to Akpoti-Uduaghan being referred to the Senate’s Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for disciplinary review.
Chaired by Senator Neda Imaseun (LP, Edo South), the committee was given two weeks to present its findings after lawmakers revisited the matter. They emphasised the importance of adhering to parliamentary rules and maintaining decorum.
Adding fuel to the fire, Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a N100.3 billion fundamental human rights lawsuit against Akpabio. During her interview, she claimed to have evidence supporting her allegations, including screenshots of WhatsApp conversations between her and Akpabio.
She also stated that her husband is a witness to the events, and she challenged the Department of State Services (DSS) to examine the conversations for further details, as Akpabio frequently contacted her via the messaging platform.
She said: “My issue with Akpabio started on 8th of December, 2023 when myself and my husband visited Akwa Ibom for Senator Akpabio’s birthday. Akpabio was showing me around his house and was holding my hands with my husband following behind us when he said, he wants me to come and be spending special moments in his house. My husband heard him and later told me not to travel abroad alone or be with the Senate President alone.
“In February, I wanted to move a motion for the investigation on the ills of the corrupt practice in a Ajaokuta steel company. I listed that motion five times. It was the sixth time that it was listed on the order paper that was approved. Many senators can testify to that.
“Before the motion made the order paper, I went to the Senate President in his office, and I said, Senate President,’ you know how important this Ajaokuta Steel Company is to me, you know how important it is to my people and to Nigerians. I’ve noticed that you have stepped down this motion’. As a matter of fact, a number of senators told me to see him and plead with him so that he would take it. I was like, ‘sir, please, why can’t you take this motion? It’s very important’ Then, it was listed the third time and stepped down.
“He then said, ‘Natasha, I’m the Chief presiding officer of the Senate, you can enjoy a whole lot if you take care of me. Make me happy’. At that point, I said, ‘Sir, I’ll pretend that I didn’t hear this’. He said, ‘well, the ball is in your court’. I left his office
“My case is a case of a student being punished by a lecturer for refusing to sleep with him.”
Akpabio has not yet responded to the allegation, which is currently trending online.