Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, has upheld the suspension of Chief Ali Odefa as the National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the South East zone.

Odefa, who was suspended on October 4, 2024, by the PDP Executive Committee at his Oguduokwor Ward in Onicha Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, faced allegations of engaging in anti-party activities.

In a ruling on Suit No. FHC/AI/CS/182/2024, Justice Hillary Oshomah affirmed the suspension, stating that it was in accordance with the PDP constitution.

The court further ordered Odefa to refrain from presenting himself as the South East National Vice Chairman of the party.

This decision is a significant step in ensuring internal discipline within the PDP, particularly in the South East, reinforcing the party’s commitment to upholding its rules and regulations.

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling, which affirmed Barrister Sly Ezeokenwa as the authentic National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Prof. Gregory Ibe, the Abia State governorship candidate for the party in the 2023 elections, has extended his warm congratulations to Ezeokenwa.

In a statement, Prof. Ibe commended the judiciary for upholding the truth and validating the National Convention that saw Ezeokenwa emerge as the legitimate leader of the party.

He described the Supreme Court’s decision as a significant endorsement of the democratic process and the leadership structure within APGA.

According to Prof. Ibe, the ruling is a testament to the authenticity of the convention that elected Ezeokenwa to head the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

“I congratulate Barrister Sly Ezeokenwa on his well-deserved affirmation by the Supreme Court”

“This victory is not just for him but for the entire APGA family, and I commend the judiciary for standing firm in its role as the last hope of the common man.”

The Abia State political leader further called on Chief Edozie Njoku, whose claim to the APGA chairmanship had been contested, to accept the Supreme Court’s ruling in good faith and refrain from any actions that might cause further division within the party.

He urged Njoku to seize the moment to contribute to the party’s unity and progress, rather than pursue factionalism.

Prof. Ibe emphasized that the current period presents a crucial opportunity for APGA to rebuild and reposition itself as a strong political force in future elections.

He also urged Barr. Ezeokenwa to show magnanimity in victory by reaching out to Chief Njoku and initiating a national peace and reconciliation committee aimed at healing the party’s wounds and fostering unity.

“I call on all APGA members to rally behind Barr. Ezeokenwa and the newly constituted NWC, as we work towards building a people-centric political platform”

“Our party must now turn this page to focus on its vision of providing better political leadership for the nation, as was envisaged by our founding fathers.” he said.

Prof. Ibe also appealed to party members nationwide to remain steadfast in their support of the party’s legitimate leadership, urging them to work collectively towards strengthening APGA for the challenges ahead.

“Once again, congratulations to Barr. Sly Ezeokenwa on this well-deserved validation. May this victory herald the dawn of a new era of growth and success for APGA,” he concluded.

Workers in Rivers State have expressed jubilation following the state government’s implementation of the newly approved N85,000 minimum wage.

The development came after public school teachers and other state employees received their November salary alerts, revealing the wage adjustment had been fully applied.

In July 2024, President Bola Tinubu approved a N70,000 national minimum wage, a decision influenced by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in response to the country’s economic challenges.

However, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara opted for a higher rate of N85,000, which he promised to sustain through the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

Governor Fubara also announced a significant increase in the state’s IGR, which surged from N11 billion under the previous administration to N27 billion under his leadership.

Chukwuma Osunna, Chairman of the Nigeria Civil Service Union (Rivers State chapter), confirmed the payment of the new wage. He expressed satisfaction, stating: “The governor has fulfilled his promise. As of today, November 27, 2024, workers have received the N85,000 new minimum wage and are very happy.”

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kano State have both commended the local government for its approval of the N71,000 minimum wage.

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano announced this wage increase in October, with a commitment to implement it with November salaries.

The NLC Kano State chapter extended its appreciation to the state government for fulfilling its promise, while the NMA, represented by Dr. Mohammed Aminu Musa, applauded the upward revision of the CONMESS structure for doctors working in state hospitals.

Kabiru Inuwa, the NLC chairman in Kano, praised the decision, noting that the wage increase is a crucial step towards improving the welfare and living standards of the state’s workforce.

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Jamiu Abiola, the son of the late MKO Abiola, as his Senior Special Assistant on Linguistics and Foreign Affairs.

The appointment was officially announced on Wednesday by Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, in Abuja.

According to the statement, Jamiu’s appointment took effect from November 14, 2024, in accordance with the provisions of the Certain Political and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) Act 2008, as amended.

Before this new role, Jamiu served as the Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties in the Office of the Vice President.

President Tinubu urged Jamiu to collaborate closely with the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and leverage his extensive experience in his new role.

Jamiu Abiola’s father, MKO Abiola, was the winner of the 1993 June 12 presidential election, which was annulled by the military government.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi State has suspended Hon. Habibu Umar, the lawmaker representing Kirfi Constituency in the Bauchi State House of Assembly, for alleged insubordination.

The suspension was officially communicated in a letter signed by Samaila Burga, the PDP State Chairman, and sent to the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly.

The letter stated that Umar was found guilty of insubordination following an investigation carried out according to the party’s constitution.

The party had issued Umar a query on November 5, citing violations of sections 58 (9)(1) and (f) of the PDP Constitution (2017, as amended).

The allegations stemmed from a report by the executive committee of his ward in Beni, accusing him of actions contrary to the party’s rules.

In response to the report, the PDP formed a disciplinary committee on November 11 to investigate the matter.

Burga explained that the committee’s findings led to Umar’s indefinite suspension, in line with sections 59 (4) and (5) of the party’s constitution.

As a result, Umar was prohibited from engaging in any party activities from November 25, 2024, until further notice.

Lawmaker Denies Fair Hearing

Hon. Habibu Umar has since spoken out against the suspension, accusing the party of denying him a fair hearing.

In a phone interview, he expressed dissatisfaction with the process, claiming that despite receiving a query and responding to it, he was not invited to present his side of the story before the disciplinary committee.

“I have not been given a chance to explain myself,” Umar stated.

“I am currently consulting with key stakeholders on my next steps. Normally, a fair hearing would require that I be given the opportunity to defend myself before any decision is made, but that did not happen here.”

The Supreme Court has resolved the prolonged leadership crisis in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), ruling in favor of Barrister Sly Ezeokenwa as the legitimate National Chairman of the party.

In a unanimous decision on Wednesday, a five-member panel of the apex court declared that Edozie Njoku’s claim to the APGA chairmanship was unfounded and without legal merit.

The court specifically stated that its earlier judgment, which Njoku had relied upon to assert his claim, did not grant him any enforceable rights over the party’s leadership.

Justice Stephen Adah, who delivered the lead judgment, clarified that matters concerning party leadership are internal issues for the political party itself and cannot be adjudicated in court.

The Supreme Court further set aside a previous ruling from the Court of Appeal, which had controversially recognized Njoku as the party’s chairman.

In addition to its ruling, the court awarded a total of N60 million in costs, with N20 million awarded against two individuals from Njoku’s faction, following the three appeals in the case.

Reacting to the judgment, Barrister Sly Ezeokenwa, who has now been fully affirmed as the party’s rightful chairman, expressed his appreciation to the judiciary for putting an end to the dispute and reaffirming his position.

The Supreme Court’s decision has sparked celebrations among APGA members nationwide, many of whom have consistently supported Ezeokenwa as their true leader throughout the course of the leadership crisis.