JUST IN; Kenneth Okonkwo dumps Labour Party, gives reasons

A former spokesperson for the Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign council, Kenneth Okonkwo, has declared his resignation from the Labour Party, effective February 25, 2025.

In a detailed statement shared on X this Tuesday, Okonkwo explained that his decision was driven by his belief that the party, as it stands today, is “non-existent.”

He wrote, “In the Constitution of Labour Party, the tenure of the ward, local government, and state party executives is three years (See Article 15(2)(3)(4) of the Labour Party Constitution). Having conducted no congresses at these levels within the constitutionally allowed tenure of the executives, their regimes have effectively expired.
“The former National Chairman of Labour Party, Julius Abure, and his former National Working Committee, having conducted no national convention known to law, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the courts having held that the issue of the leadership of a political party is the internal affair of a political party for which the courts do not have the jurisdiction to entertain, there’s no effective leadership of Labour Party at the national level.
“The Senator Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee, which was duly and legally set up by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Labour Party, after the non-recognition of Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) by INEC, and was given six months to conduct congresses and the convention, was the only viable option towards salvaging the Labour Party.
“Unfortunately, Abure and his colleagues, with the collaboration of outside forces, expectedly, being political jobbers, launched unnecessary legal challenges against this Caretaker Committee that have inhibited it from functioning.

“Since the party is non-existent as presently constituted, I am constrained to resign my membership of the party to all Nigerians of goodwill who supported us when we needed them most and to pledge my continued loyalty to the Nigerian people in all I will decide to do in my political future.

“This resignation takes effect from the 25th of February, 2025, which marks the second anniversary of the presidential election of 2023, after which I will be at liberty to join other well meaning, and like minded Nigerians in charting a great future of good governance for this great country blessed by God.”

El-Rufa’i Son speaks on conflict between his father, Gov Sani, gives shocking details

Son of former Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufa’i, and member representing Kaduna North in the House of Representatives, Hon. Muhammad Bello El-Rufa’i, has addressed the escalating feud between his father and the current Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani.

While acknowledging his father as his primary role model and Senator Uba Sani as his boss, Bello stated that reconciling the two figures was not his responsibility.

He emphasised that his main focus is to provide quality representation for the people of Kaduna North.

Speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, Bello expressed his disappointment over the conflict, comparing the situation to a Bollywood rivalry akin to that of legendary actors Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra.

He suggested that some individuals might be enjoying seeing the two prominent figures at odds, but for him, the situation was less than ideal.

Bello’s comments come as the tension between the former and current governors continues to intensify. Governor Uba Sani has raised concerns over a substantial debt allegedly left by the El-Rufa’i administration, claiming that the state’s finances are in such poor condition that it is struggling to pay salaries.

This led to a probe by the Kaduna State House of Assembly into the alleged mismanagement of N423 billion, resulting in investigations and arrests of several former officials.

Despite the heated exchange, Bello clarified that he had not been directly involved in the dispute and that neither of the two men had discussed the matter with him. He noted that he has never heard either party speak ill of the other in his presence, raising questions about the true nature of their conflict.

In the interview, Bello also reflected on the nature of relationships and how quickly life can change, pointing out that even friendships can break down over time.

He added that, despite the current tension, he hopes for peace and reconciliation between his father and his former boss.

The dispute, which has its roots in the transition of power between the two leaders, has grown as the investigation into the alleged financial irregularities of the El-Rufa’i administration unfolds.

While the former governor denies the accusations, the conflict shows no sign of resolution, leaving many to wonder whether the once close relationship between El-Rufa’i and Uba Sani can ever be repaired.

PDP Govs creating crises as a precursor to defecting and establishing their own Parties

National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Sam Anyanwu, has accused party governors and the Board of Trustees (BoT) of orchestrating efforts to remove him due to his close relationship with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. In an exclusive interview with Saturday Tribune, Anyanwu claimed that the calls for the inauguration of Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary, following his affirmation by the Court of Appeal, are part of a “proxy war” led by governors and the BoT against him.

The PDP has been grappling with internal strife, driven by factions loyal to Wike and those resisting his influence within the party. Anyanwu, aligned with Wike, has been perceived as a key ally of the former Rivers State governor, who was instrumental in his unsuccessful bid for the Imo State governorship. Anyanwu insisted that his detractors are solely motivated by his association with Wike. “The truth of the matter is that these people are fighting a proxy war. They know my relationship with Wike. That’s all. I don’t have any issue with any of them,” he asserted.

He dismissed the legitimacy of the governors’ and BoT’s actions, arguing that neither holds constitutional authority within the PDP. “The governors’ forum is a voluntary organization. Any governor can decide to be a member. It’s not a compulsory thing. It’s a social gathering,” he explained. Anyanwu emphasized that he has held his position as National Secretary since before most of the current governors took office. “I know these people. The party gave them tickets to become governors. I was National Secretary before most of them became governors,” he stated.

Anyanwu alleged that the state governors are manufacturing crises within the PDP as a precursor to defecting and establishing their own political parties. “There is no issue in the party. They are just creating tension, causing unnecessary problems for them to go to the respective parties they want to form,” he claimed.

The controversy intensified after the PDP Governors Forum, during a meeting in Asaba, Delta State, endorsed Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary. This endorsement came on the heels of a Court of Appeal ruling in Enugu that recognized Udeh-Okoye as the legitimate officeholder. Udeh-Okoye’s appointment follows Anyanwu’s temporary resignation to contest the 2024 Imo State governorship election. After his electoral defeat, Anyanwu sought to reclaim the National Secretary position, despite the South-East Zone’s nomination of Udeh-Okoye in line with party protocols.