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PDP May Hold Mini Convention In February

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PDP May Hold Mini Convention In February

There are indications that the search for a new national Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been stalled due to the Supreme Court cases in the gubernatorial elections, involving the PDP governors.

A party source told Daily Sun that the PDP governors, who were expected to have a decisive say in who replaces Iyorchia Ayu, are focused on pending gubernatorial appeals before the apex court.

The PDP presently controls Edo, Osun, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Enugu, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba, Bauchi, Adamawa, and Zamfara states.

Nine of the PDP governors, including the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Bala Mohammed, are currently at the Supreme Court battling to secure their seats.

The Court of Appeal has affirmed the nullification of the election of Dauda Lawal and Caleb Muftwang as governors of Zamfara and Plateau states, respectively.

A source close to Atiku confirmed to Daily Sun that party leaders agreed to keep issue of a substantive national chairman for the opposition party in abeyance until the determination of all governorship cases involving the party at the Supreme Court.

He said, “The position of the party is that as soon as those election petitions are dealt with, they will look at those challenges and find solutions to them.”

Recall that the former PDP national chairman, Ayu, was removed after he was suspended by his ward in Benue State, immediately after the last general election.

Following Ayu’s removal, the party’s Deputy National Chairman (North), Umar Damagum, has occupied the office in acting capacity, while party leaders have been shopping for a substantive national chairman.

Those pencilled down as likely replacements include the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his predecessor, David Mark. Former PDP governorship aspirant in Ogun State, Segun Sowunmi, is also known to be eyeing the national chairmanship position.

However, party sources say Sowunmi, former spokesman of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation is being pushed by the former vice president, an allegation the former governorship aspirant has denied.

“I want to put it on record that Atiku is not the one pushing me for anything. I am not a small boy and I have been at this party for 25 years. The former vice president would be aware (of his chairmanship bid) because my name is flying about. I have not even sat down with him to tell him about it.”

There is possiblities that PDP might hold a mini convention in February 2024 to replace vacant offices in its National Working Committee (NWC).

A national official of the party told Daily Sun that some PDP members are pushing for a mini convention to enable them fill vacant offices in the NWC, as well as take decisions on other issues critical to the stability of the party in the aftermath of the 2023 general elections.

The party official stated that if the party reaches an agreement on the mini convention, it would be essentially to fill the vacant offices and address other pertinent issues.

He said, “We are looking at February next year. It is not a main convention; it is just a mini convention that will produce replacement for some of the offices. We have lost our national woman leader. We have replaced our deputy national woman leader.

“We are having issues with our national secretary. And there are people calling for the replacement of the national chairman. All of these issues are likely going to come up at the National Convention, subject to the approval of NEC.”

Ologunagba in a chat with Daily Sun stated that he is not aware of any plan by the party to hold a mini convention.

He said, “We are a party of processes. We are not going to be guided by any comment on social media. We might listen to whatever it is worth, but we don’t get moved by social media. If the party takes a decision through the relevant organ, it will be communicated to the public.”

He also described as untrue the story that the PDP governors are being distracted by the Supreme Court cases. “What you are saying about the governors being distracted by the court cases is your opinion. We believe that our governors are doing well. The Supreme Court cases that you referenced are part of the electoral process.”

POLITICS

Female banker reportedly commits suicide over ‘economic hardship’

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Female banker reportedly commits suicide over ‘economic hardship’

A female staff of Globus Bank in Lagos, Ikorodu, Amarachi, has reportedly committed suicide.

The deceased in a suicide note she left behind cited the degenerating economic situation in the country for her actions.

According to reports, the young staff took her last breath after consuming a dangerous chemical.

Reports claim the late banker indicated that nothing was working in her life and her future looked bleak alongside extreme hardship and a depleting economy.

She wrote that rather than continue to struggle, she chose to end things while apologising to her family and friends for her decision.

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POLITICS

Police arrest notorious arm robbery suspect, one fake soldier, recover AK-47 rifle

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Police arrest notorious arm robbery suspect, one fake soldier, recover AK-47 rifle

The Nasarawa State Police Command says its operatives have arrested one suspected notorious armed robber, Kabiru Alhaji Yusuf.

A statement issued on Thursday by the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ramhan Nansel said the arrest was carried out on Wednesday by the command’s anti robbery team.

According to the PPRO, the operatives, during an intelligence led patrol along Fadaman Bauna area of the state., intercepted a group of three young men suspected to be armed robbers riding on an unregistered Bajaj Motorcycle.

He said the criminal elements abandoned the motorcycle and took to flight upon sighting the police officers but were given a hot chase leading to the arrest of Yusuf.

The police spokesman said after a search was conducted on the suspect, one AK 47 rifle and a motorcycle were recovered as an exhibit.

In another development, Nansel said one fake soldier identified as Muhammed Haladu of behind Ozas Hotel, Karu Abuja was arrested on full military camouflage at Awe LGA by two army officers and handed him over to the Police at Awe Division.

“The suspect claimed to be a soldier attached to 231 Battalion Biu, Borno State, but investigation proved otherwise. The criminal defrauded unsuspecting members of the public under the pretext of securing employment into the Nigeria Army.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect attempted to join the military but couldn’t, thus, went to military barracks to purchase the uniform he’s using for his nefarious activities”, the statement added.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Shehu Nadada, while commending the officers, tasked them not to relent in the fight against criminals in the state.

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Court slams police inspector N5m damages over unlawful arrest of keke rider

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Court slams police inspector N5m damages over unlawful arrest of keke rider

An Akwa Ibom State High Court has ordered a Policewoman in the State Police Command, Inspector Iniobong Umoren to pay a tricyclist, Jeremiah Sunday Udo N5m for his unlawful arrest and impoundment of his tricycle, which he bought on hire purchase for the sum of N1.9m.

The Court presided by Justice Ntong Ntong gave the order, Thursday, in a judgment on an application for the enforcement of the fundamental rights brought by the applicant, Jeremiah Sunday Udo, a native of Ikono Local Government Area.

Justice Ntong also ordered the first respondent, Mr. Udoka David, a friend of the keke rider to pay the tricyclist another N5m for instigating the Police to arrest and detain him for five days without food and water.

The Court, however, extricated the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Police Command, Mr. Olatoye Durosinmi who was joined in the suit as the third respondent, but advised him to warn his officers and men to always carry out their duties within the ambit and purview of the law.

The tricyclist, who is a resident of Ifa Ikot Idang in Uyo, had told the Court that he has been fulfilling the hire purchase agreement with the owner of the keke, Mr Udoka David from his neighbouring village in Ikono to pay him N20,000 every week until last year when the Naira policy crippled the economy resulting in him owing a week returns of N20,000.

He said he was surprised to be ambushed and arrested on the 12th of February, 2023, after he had so far paid eight hundred and eighty-five thousand Naira (N885,000) out of the N1.9m agreed in the hire purchase for full recovery of the tricycle.

Justice Ntong in a one-hour judgement wondered why “Inspector Iniobong Umoren quickly impounded the tricycle and handed it over to the first respondent without an order of court which has the power to interpret the terms of hire purchase agreements between parties and enforce its terms and conditions.”

He said, “The first respondent, Mr. Udoka David took the law into his hands and lured the Policewoman, who also allowed herself to be led into jettisoning the rule of law using the name of Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police to authenticate her unlawful act” which the Court described as “satanic, nefarious and unwholesome antics against the applicant.”

Justice Ntong said, “Because of greed, Inspector Iniobong Umoren usurped the role of the Court and became a law unto herself, having encroached on the fundamental rights of the keke man, the law is there to protect the tricyclist from heartless people like Inspector Iniobong Umoren and Mr Udoka David.”

The judge said he “read all the processes filed by the parties and discovered that the evidence and documents including the bail bond, the petition and the statements exhibited by the first and second respondents, are doctored and fabricated to mislead the Court.”

The Court therefore ordered “Inspector Iniobong Umoren and Mr. Udoka David in the name of God Almighty, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Inspector General of Police to release forthwith, the applicant’s tricycle pending when a Court of competent jurisdiction will order otherwise under the hire purchase agreement”.

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