Akpanudoedehe tackles Adamu over Ntukekpo’s inauguration

•Dalung dumps APC
•Buhari, Lawan, Gbajabiamila, govs for NEC meeting
•Women wing moves for mass mobilisation of voters

Erstwhile caretaker secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator John Akpanudoedehe, yesterday, faulted the recent decision by the National Working Committee (NWC) to inaugurate Stephen Leo Ntukekpo as chairman of the Akwa Ibom chapter of the party.

In correspondence to the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led NWC, the ex-scribe warned against the admittance of Ntukekpo in today’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, arguing that the action would amount to a breach of the law.

Akpanudoedehe, through his counsel, Tawo Tawo (SAN), claimed that the swearing-in of Ntukekpo, an ally of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, was in contravention of the Abuja Court of Appeal order, which allegedly recognised Augustine Ekanem as state chairman of the party.

The appellant court, on April 7 this year, reportedly directed that the status quo be maintained pending the determination of the extant motion for stay of execution and the motion challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the appeal.

Akpanudoedehe, however, said it was unfortunate that the “NWC still went ahead to swear in Ntukekpo in spite of the fact that they were privy to the directive of the Court of Appeal.”

He thereby warned of the dire consequence Ntukekpo’s attendance of the NEC meeting would pose to APC.
THIS comes as former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung, dumped the ruling party.

Dalung, who served in the current administration between 2015 and 2019, transmitted his letter of withdrawal to the party chairman in Sabon Gida Ward, Langtang South Local Council of Plateau State.

The letter, dated April 1 and signed by him on April 18, was distributed to journalists yesterday.

The communication reads in part: “This is to convey my withdrawal of membership from the APC with effect from the date of this notice. It is worthy of mention that recent developments in the party conflict with my core principles of values, which define the basis of allegiance to the party.

“Of note is the fact that internal democracy is critical to the survival of representative democracy without which political participation remains a mirage.”

The ex-minister earlier condemned the APC for not living up to expectations, citing insecurity and other challenges facing the country.

It is being alleged that he is heading for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

BESIDES, President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and members of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) are to grace the post-national convention meeting of the party’s NEC meeting today.

Participants at the parley, to be chaired by the national chairman, Adamu would deliberate on the timetable/schedule of activities for the primaries, as well as the nomination of candidates for the 2023 general elections.

The gathering is pursuant to Article 25.2.ii of the APC constitution.

ALSO, the women’s wing of the party has expressed readiness for a door-to-door mobilisation of voters.

APC National Women Leader, Betta Edu, made the disclosure at a parley with the women wing of the Governor Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign at the party’s national secretariat, in Abuja, yesterday.

Although she did not mention when the exercise would commence, Edu added that a bountiful reward awaits Nigerian women, who are card-carrying members of the party, with duly registered permanent voter’s cards (PVCs).

She described Bello and his rivals as eminently qualified to lead the country from May 29, 2023.

Secretary to the Kogi State Government, Mrs. Folashade Ayoade Arike, who led the women’s group, rallied support for Bello’s emergence as the party’s candidate for the polls.

Director, Women Mobilisation, Hope 23, Yahaya Bello Campaign Organisation, Zara Gift Onyinye, also spoke in similar vein.