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LSHA Candidate, Moshood Abiodun, Not a Card Carrying Member of APC – Hon Onamade

Published

2 years ago

July 30, 2022

Eric

The Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly candidate for Ikorodu Constituency 2, Aro Moshood Abiodun, popularly known as AMA, is not a card carrying member of the party, Hon Oluwatosin Onamade, a House of Assembly hopeful alleges.

Onamade alleged that AMA was registered with registration number 62011 as a member of the Lagos APC on April 29, one week after the expiration of deadline for membership while also insisting that AMA, who had contested three times on the platform of the PDP remains a card carrying member of the opposition party.

The All Progressives Congress Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee had announced April 21, 2022 as the closing date for the nationwide membership registration/revalidation exercise after three extensions.

He however urged the state party leadership and the electoral body, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to crush the candidacy of AMA and recognize him as the party flagbearer for the election scheduled to hold next year.

He said, “AMA is and remains a member of the opposition party, the PDP. He had contested an election three consecutive times into the Lagos state House of Assembly after which he left the party for the APC where he contested the May 27, 2022 primary election using an invalid APC membership.

Meanwhile, his membership of the PDP remains intact as he failed to resign from the PDP.”

Supporting his claims further, Onamade said a request for verification dated May 13, 2022 was made on the Ward Chairman of the PDP in Ikorodu constituency to ascertain the membership status of AMA.

According to him, his suspicion was confirmed as in the response dated May 16 and 17, 2022 from the leadership of the party confirmed AMA as a member of the party.

Earlier, Onamade had written a petition to the Chairman, APC Appeal Panel for 2022 Lagos House of Assembly Primary Election, challenging the conduct of the primary election.

He alleged that the election was characterised by ballot snatching, lack of transparency, conspiracy between collation officers and Primary election representatives committee, prevention of delegates to access voting venue and diversion of delegates’ list.
In an affidavit filed at the High Court of Lagos State in the Ikorodu Judicial Division by the PDP Ward D2, chairman, Ijede, Ikorodu, Lagos state, Mr Akeem Daodu, sworn on oath that AMA is an active and financial member of the PDP with membership card number 3230425 in Ward D2.

Daodu declared that AMA is one of the party leaders in the LCDA and has neither officially resigned or renounced his membership of the PDP.

The affidavit dated 25th of July, 2022, read in part, “Mr. Abiodun Moshood Aro is a party leader in my ward in Ward D2, Ijede LCDA, Ikorodu, Lagos state. That Mr Abiodun Moshood Aro informed me of his intention to contest under the Peoples Democratic Party as aspirant for the Lagos State House of Assembly in preparation for the 2023 election in Ikorodu constituency 2.

That by virtue of my position as Ward D2 chairman, I was informed by the Ikorodu Local Government party chairman that Mr Abiodun Moshood Aro has officially declared intention to run and contest under the Peoples Democratic Party as Lagos state House of Assembly aspirant for the PDP in 2023.

That as at this moment, as the party Ward D2 chairman of the PDP in Ikorodu, I have not received any letter of resignation of membership from Mr Abiodun Moshood Aro or any related information. That I make this solemn fact declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true by virtue of the provisions of the Oaths Act.”

Reacting to the allegations, AMA, in an Affidavit dated July 19, 2022, denied being a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.

He claimed to have resigned his membership of the PDP at his former Ward B2 in Imota, Ikorodu, on February 2, 2021 before joining the APC.

Featured

PDP Retains Demagum As Acting National Chairman

Published

1 hour ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

The acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagum, has survived attempts to remove him from office.

In the lead-up to today’s National Executive Committee meeting, the issue of whether Damagum should maintain his position or be substituted has been the focal point of discussions among party officials.

Formerly serving as the PDP National Deputy Chairman (North), Damagum assumed the position of acting National Chairman after the court suspended the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

The court’s decision followed a request by a PDP member, Terhide Utaan, triggered by a prior vote of no confidence passed on Ayu by his ward executives in Igyorov ward, Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.

Recently, 60 members of the House of Representatives called for Damagum’s ouster and called for the appointment of a substantive chairman from the North Central region.

However, shortly after this announcement, members of the House minority caucus, led by Kingsley Chinda, distanced themselves from the group, dismissing it as an unrecognised entity within the parliament.

The PDP Caucus meeting in the House of Representatives on Tuesday ended in discord, with lawmakers divided between those supporting Damagum’s continuation and those opposing it.

However, the primary goal of the pre-NEC meeting, which aimed to endorse Damagum with a vote of confidence by lawmakers aligned with FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, faced hurdles and did not proceed as intended.

Recall that, on Wednesday, the PDP’s National Working Committee expressed full support for Damagum.

Nevertheless, after its caucus meeting on Wednesday, the North Central Zone of the party unanimously decided that the zone should nominate the next national chairman of the party following Ayu’s removal.

Speaking to reporters after the National Caucus meeting in the early hours of Thursday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed that Damagum will continue to serve as the acting national chairman of the party until another NEC meeting after today’s session.

The PDP National Caucus is a crucial assembly of party stakeholders that convenes before the NEC meeting and sets the tone for every major decision to be made at the NEC meeting.

In many instances, when the National Caucus reach a consensus on matters, the NEC simply approves it, but when there is disagreement, other members of the NEC will vote either for or against the issue in question.

Ologunagba disclosed that the PDP National Caucus endorsed Damagum’s continued acting role to allow for broader consultations.

The Punch

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Cubana Chief Priest Arraigned, Granted N10m Bail

Published

18 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Eric

Instagram celebrity, Pascal Okechukwu aka Cubana Chief Priest, on Wednesday, pleaded not guilty for alleged Naira abuse.

He pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The socialite was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Lagos before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on Wednesday.

The anti-graft commission filed a three-count charge against Cubana Chief Priest accused of abusing the naira at a social event, an act said to be contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.

After pleading not guilty, the court granted him bail in the sum of N10million with two responsible sureties in like sum, who must be gainfully employed with the federal or state government and not less than grade level 16.

The sureties, the court emphasized, should have landed property and the document must be verified by the court.

Cubana Chief Priest is also to submit his travel passport to the custody of the court.

The bail conditions must be perfected within seven days but in the meantime he was released to his lawyer who must give an undertaken to produce him later. Failure to do so, he will be remanded in correctional facility.

The charge filed on April 4 by EFFC’s prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) alongside seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the Commission, are as follows:

Count 1: “That you, Okechukwu Pascal on 13th February, 2024, at Eko Hotel, within the jurisdiction of the court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

Count 2: “That you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in 2020, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

Count 3: “That you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in January 2024, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

Meanwhile, the defendant also informed the court of his pending application to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to hear the charge.

Justice Ogundare has adjourned till May 2nd to hear the application

This is coming days after the EFCC arraigned controversial cross-dresser Idris Okuneye better known as Bobrisky on similar charges for which he was sentenced to a six-month jail term.

Featured

EFCC Charges Cubana Chief Priest to Court over Naira Abuse

Published

2 days ago

April 16, 2024

Eric

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a three-count charge against Instagram celebrity, Pascal Okechukwu aka Cubana Chief Priest, for allegedly spraying and tampering with the Naira at a social event, in violation of the provisions of Central Bank Act of 2007.

Cubana Chief Priest will be arraigned on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, before Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

Reports say the charge against Okechukwu was filed on April 4, 2024 by EFFC’s prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) alongside seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the Commission.

In Count 1, it was alleged, “that you, Okechukwu Pascal on 13th Feb. 2024, at Eko Hotel, within the jurisdiction of the court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

In count 2, it was alleged, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in 2020, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

In Count 3, it was alleged, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in January 2024, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

This is coming days after the EFCC secured the conviction controversial cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye aka Bobrisky, on similar charges. He was subsequently sentenced to six months imprisonment without an option of fine.