Seven Imo PDP Working Committee members resign as party crisis deepens

Sir Martins Ejiogu, deputy chairman, Ray Emeana, secretary, and Greg G.O.C. Nwadike, youth leader.

Others include Collins Opurozor, publicity secretary; Mrs Maria Mbakwe, women leader; Josiah Eze, treasurer; and Chibuisi Obido, vice chairman, Orlu Zone.

The group of seven members of the Imo PDP SWC claimed that there is no indication that Senator Anyanwu is running for governorship in November. “If he claims to be running, it is not to our knowledge as members of the State Working Committee,” they claimed.

According to the statement: “The party does not know what his program looks like. That is, if he has any. Governorship campaigns have started, yet the party does not also know if there is anything like a campaign council.

“The rent for the Party Secretariat has since expired, and the landlord has kept harassing us. Party staff have gone without salaries since Senator Anyanwu emerged as the candidate of the party. The party cannot afford to fuel our power generating set and even purchase stationery for our offices.

“Yet, someone is parading himself as our governorship candidate. This deceit cannot be allowed to continue, and we cannot lend ourselves as tools for the deception of the Imo people. Never.

“In view of the foregoing and many other shocking discoveries which will soon be made public, we, the undersigned members of the Imo State Working Committee of the PDP, have resolved to resign our various positions in the party and dump the party en masse.

“We have today opened the floodgate of resignations and defections, and in the next couple of weeks, there will be only Senator Anyanwu left in the party.”

On why they resigned their positions, the party officials said: “It is heartbreaking to inform all that some of us in the State Working Committee have severally escaped assassination attempts because of the wicked lies which our National Secretary sold to his violent supporters, that they misappropriated party funds.”

They avowed that when Emeka Ihedioha held sway as leader of the party, they saw a robust, vibrant, inclusive, and functional political party system.

“Every success recorded by Imo PDP is owed to the ingenuity, resources, and outstanding leadership of former Governor Ihedioha,” they claimed.

Their statement further reads: “Conversely, all the maladies that have lately befallen us are squarely the making of Samdadday. And the unjust imposition of Samdadday on us as governorship candidates by the Ayu-led National Working Committee is the second most cruel occurrence in history after Cain murdered Abel.

”When Senator Anyanwu eventually succeeded at crowning himself the governorship candidate of the party, he convened a meeting of all the LGA Youth Leaders at his residence in Owerri and confessed openly that he had lied to them about financial mismanagement in the party by the State Working Committee.

“He also apologised to the State Youth Leader for the attacks and elimination attempts he had passed through because of the falsehoods he (Samdadday) had propagated. He also recanted the lies and repeated the apologies during the only meeting he has had with us as members of the SWC since he emerged as a governorship candidate. He said all the falsehoods peddled against us by him were a result of his fight for survival.

“When the State Chairman, Charles Ugwuh, made efforts to bring the police to investigate the attack, Senator Anyanwu stood against it. Is that not shocking? How can a man who says he wants to make Imo safe again be caught aiding and abetting acts of violence and insecurity, even against his own party members?”

Oil bunkering: Stop denigrating our military – APC Rep Agbese cautions Asari Dokubo

By Christiana Ekpa

Chief Philip Agbese, the lawmaker representing Ado/ Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, has urged former Niger Delta militant Asari Dokubo to stop undermining the efforts of the Nigerian military. Dokubo had alleged that the bulk of cases of oil theft recorded in the oil-rich region of the Niger Delta were traceable to troops.

He expressed this view when he paid a visit to President Bola Tinubu at the State House on Friday.

The lawmaker, who admitted to sharing the same views with the Niger Delta leader on numerous issues, said he doesn’t buy into his latest statements.

A statement by Agbese reads: “I appreciate Dokubo, who is my good friend, for his unequivocal stand on a lot of issues, but I think he missed the point on this particular subject.

“Our officers are not in any way complicit, even though much can still be achieved in the area of protecting our national assets in the Niger Delta.

“Dokubo simply wants to be involved, which is in his right. We must, however, not destroy the reputation of others to get what we want.

“The sacrifices of our military officers and men, who make all the sacrifices to keep the country together, should not be taken for granted. If there are lapses, we expect Dokubo, as an elder statesman, to provide relevant information and support to the troops.

“We have gone past the era of militancy. If that is what Dokubo is clamouring about, I’m sorry it is not an option. Our military has shown itself to be equal to the tasks.”

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has assured Nigerians and the international business community of the readiness of the 10th National Assembly to work with the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to provide an enabling business environment and also make life worth living for the generality of Nigerians.

Akpabio gave the assurance in his goodwill message at the Reception Dinner in honor of the newly appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, at the Transcorp Hotel, Abuja at the weekend.

According to Akpabio, “I believe strongly that Nigerians are in for the best of times under this administration. Members of the National Assembly will enjoy a lot of cooperation and support from the Executive because for the first time, we are going to have a very serious accord between the Executive and the Legislature. I see good things coming for Nigerians.”

Speaking further, Akpabio noted, “in less than 20 days in office, the Stock Market has gone up allover the world. The world is already applauding Nigeria. I believe strongly that Senator Akume has a hand in most of the policies that are coming out and you are just starting. You can imagine the celebrations that would come again, in the first 100 days of this administration in office. You are indeed a square peg in a square hole.”

“We are celebrating two things tonight; Excellence and Humility. You are a man of excellence. You leave your mark in everything you do and I have no doubt you are going to leave your mark in the present administration of President Tinubu. Your humility disarms all,” he declared.

Akpabio said the 10th Senate would work seamlessly with Senator Akume as the SGF to develop policies that will change the economic situation in the nation.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, in his message stated, “Senator Akume has a proven track record in coordinating government activities and stringing government, while the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, described Akume as “a welfarist who puts the needs of others first. His appointment, he noted, ‘is an evidence of efficient representation of the North Central in President Tinubu’s administration.”

In his response, the SGF thanked all the dignitaries for their goodwill messages, assuring

Nigerians that he will do his best and he will not disappoint