Politics
PDP shifts NEC meeting over state congress crisis

Published
7 months agoon
By
Ekwutos Blog
Some members of the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Working Committee have faulted the further postponement of the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting to October 24.
According to the party chieftains who spoke to newsmen, the postponement of the NEC meeting from the earlier date of September 26 to March 24 is a deliberate move to undermine the party’s engagement on crucial issues.
The PDP 99th NEC meeting, initially scheduled for August 15 to discuss issues such as the replacement of the PDP acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, was first postponed to September 26 due to members travelling to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage.
On September 13, it was reported that the meeting was again rescheduled to October 24.
The party’s leadership, in a document sighted by our correspondent, explained that the postponement became inevitable due to unresolved congresses in eight states.
But the chieftains who spoke to newsmen dismissed the reason adduced for the NEC meeting postponement.
In a document dated September 16, the PDP National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, explained that the NEC meeting was moved to October 24 to ensure that the congress reports from eight states were complete and could be presented to the NEC as required.
The PDP National Secretary stated that the party would hold congresses in Abia and Ebonyi on a date yet to be announced, while ongoing congresses were taking place in Benue, Ekiti, Kano, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, and Sokoto.
The statement read, “Furthermore, pursuant to the directive of NEC to conduct congresses in 24 state chapters of the party, the NWC commenced the congresses but could not conclude the exercise in some states owing to various reasons, ranging from litigation, disagreement among stakeholders, logistical challenges, among others. States where congresses are yet to be concluded due to litigation are Abia and Ebonyi, while those still ongoing are Benue, Ekiti, Kano, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, and Sokoto.
“It is instructive to state that without concluding the congresses in these states, congress reports would not be complete to be presented to NEC as required within the earlier stipulated timeframe.
“In view of the foregoing, it is therefore imperative for the NWC to reschedule the September 26, 2024, proposed NEC meeting to a new date. Consequently, the NWC wishes to notify all members of the National Executive Committee of our party that the 99th NEC meeting will now be held on Thursday, October 24.”
A senior NWC member, who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization to discuss the issue, disclosed that many members were dissatisfied with the recent rescheduling. The source claimed that the postponement was intended to serve specific interests rather than the broader interests of the party.
He said, “This latest postponement of the NEC to October 24 did not sit well with our members. They were already prepared for the September 26 meeting to address and resolve issues affecting the party.
“It is unfortunate that this postponement was made to protect certain interests rather than the interests of the entire party. The claim that the postponement was due to litigation delaying the conduct of congresses in eight states is not credible. We wonder if it is feasible to resolve all litigation within a month. What if the litigation remains unresolved? In that case, they would likely reschedule again. The appropriate course of action would have been to hold the meeting and update the NEC on the situation, as litigation could take months and might lead to further delays.”
PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, similarly expressed his opposition to the postponement.
In an interview with newsmen, Osadolor acknowledged that while the reasons for the delay were legitimate, he believed it was intentionally done to frustrate members.
He stated, “The truth is that it is an open secret that there are challenges in some states and the congresses could not be held. However, this does not mean that it is not a deliberate attempt to frustrate party members who are coming to the meeting to address critical issues.
“The reasons for this postponement are cogent and largely unassailable. However, all issues affecting the party need to be resolved as soon as possible.
“Regardless, I am not in support of the further postponement of this meeting. There is an urgent need for party leaders to sit down and resolve all issues so that the party can move forward. All is not well with the party, and the NEC is the most important organ for resolving these issues.”
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Politics
High court dismisses Kwankwaso faction’s suit challenging NNPP leadership

Published
29 minutes agoon
April 3, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
A High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has rejected a lawsuit filed by a faction aligned with Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, which sought to challenge the leadership of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) under Chief Dr. Boniface Aniebonam and National Chairman Dr. Agbo Major.
The lawsuit, initiated by Dr. Ahmed Ajuji and 20 other individuals, aimed to invalidate the authority of the NNPP’s Board of Trustees (BoT) and its executive leadership, including Barr. Tony Christopher Obioha, National Secretary Comrade Oginni Olaposi, and Deputy National Chairman Chief Felix Chukwurah.
The plaintiffs requested that the court prevent these leaders from holding meetings, organizing congresses, or overseeing the party’s National Convention, asserting that they had been expelled from the party.
However, Justice M.A. Hassan ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case, emphasizing that internal matters such as party leadership and membership fall outside the court’s purview.
“The law, as affirmed by both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, is clear: courts do not intervene in internal political party matters, except when it concerns the nomination of election candidates,” Justice Hassan stated.
This ruling follows a similar decision from the Abia State High Court (Suit No.: HUZ/11/2024) on November 1, 2024, which had reaffirmed the legitimacy of the NNPP’s Board of Trustees led by Dr. Boniface Aniebonam and upheld the validity of the party’s congresses and National Convention.
Defendants’ counsel, Segun Fiki Esq., praised the judgment, calling the case an attempt to manipulate the party’s leadership through the legal system.
“The court’s decision is clear—this is a matter outside its jurisdiction. The NNPP’s legitimate leadership has been affirmed, and we now expect the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize and cooperate with the duly elected officials of the party,” Fiki said.
Politics
I’m healthier than those wishing me death – Wike declares

Published
57 minutes agoon
April 3, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike on Thursday declared that he is healthier than those wishing him dead.
Wike also vowed to signed the condolence letters of those behind the rumours of his death.
Several posts on the social media had claimed that Wike collapsed last week and was flown to France for treatment.
The minister had dismissed the claims,stressing that they were the handiwork of baseless politicians.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday after inspecting some projects, Wike insisted that he met with President Bola Tinubu twice last week amid the claims of his collapse.
“The day Mr President broke Iftar during his birthday, I was there and the next day, I led Abuja residents to pay Sallah homage.
“I see all those stories, this is politics but we have thick skin so those things don’t bother us. We are never distracted but focused on our jobs.
“I thank Nigerians for being worried. People should not wish their fellow human beings such things.
“We know that we will all die one day and nobody will remain in this world forever, it’s only God that will say the day you will die.
“Don’t bother yourselves, I’m healthier than most of them and I will write their condolence letters, I can assure you of that.”
Politics
US will stay in NATO, but it must be ‘stronger’, Marco Rubio tells his 31 counterparts

Published
4 hours agoon
April 3, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reassured NATO allies of the US’ commitment to the military transatlantic alliance at his first meeting of NATO foreign affairs ministers, while recalling Donald Trump’s message that the European countries and Canada need to further increase defence spending.
“The United States President Trump’s made clear he supports NATO, we’re going to remain in NATO,” Rubio told reporters in Brussels, stressing that the US wants the alliance to be stronger against any potential threat.
“The only way NATO can get stronger and more viable is if our partners, the nation states that comprise this important alliance, have more capability,” he added.
The top US diplomat said he expects to leave Brussels with a clear commitment from allies to spend 5% of their GDP on defence—an increase from the current 2%, which some European countries, such as Belgium, Italy, and Spain, still fail to meet.
“I understand there’s domestic politics after decades of building up vast social safety net that maybe don’t want to take away from that and invest more in national security, but a full-scale ground war in the heart of Europe is a reminder that hard power is still necessary as a deterrent,” he said.
Rubio’s comments come after Donald Trump said last month that the US would not defend its allies unless they increased burden-sharing within the alliance. “It’s common sense, right,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office in early March. “If they don’t pay, I’m not going to defend them.”
The transatlantic alliance is currently assessing its capability gaps before committing to a new defence spending target, but a final figure is not expected until the annual NATO summit in June in The Hague.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stressed that European NATO members have recently committed to the largest increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, though he agreed with the US that more must be done.
“It’s my assumption that what we need to spend, the Canadians and Europeans together, will be north of 3%,” the former Dutch prime minister said on his way in to the two-day meeting of the alliance’s foreign ministers in Brussels.
Rubio stressed that raising defence spending to 5% cannot be done “in one year or two”, but the US now demands a real way forward from its allies to build a stronger NATO capable of defending its territories.
The NATO chief also warned that the global security threats facing the Alliance are increasingly interconnected and that the Russian threat will persist for many years.
“We are seeing what China is doing. We’re seeing how these two theatres, the inner Pacific and the Euro-Atlantic are getting more and more connected by the fact that the Russians are working together with the North Koreans, with the Chinese, with Iran, so we have to look at all these theatres in conjunction and that will be our focus,” he said.
European NATO members are also expecting clear messages or a roadmap from Rubio regarding the US withdrawal of troops from Europe, where around 100,000 American soldiers are stationed. However, the US secretary of state has not yet addressed the issue, and Rutte indicated that no immediate drawdown is planned.
“There are no plans for them (the US) to all of a sudden draw down their presence here in Europe, but we know that for America being the superpower they are they have to attend to more theatres than one,” Rutte said.
Some NATO members consider that the US could reduce its presence by some 20,000 to 50,000 troops.
The NATO secretary general acknowledged that the US has long sought to pivot its attention toward the Indo-Pacific but assured that it will be done “in a very coordinated manner.”

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