Jude Emecheta, a prominent figure in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra, has officially announced his campaign to replace the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, who represented Anambra South in the Senate. Ubah, who passed away on July 27, was laid to rest last week.

During a press briefing in Awka on Thursday, Emecheta, the former Managing Director of the Anambra State Signage and Advertisement Agency, presented himself as the best candidate to address the security and developmental needs of Anambra South.

Emecheta argued that, unlike other aspirants, none of them were prioritizing the region’s security challenges or aligning with Governor Charles Soludo’s development plans.

He emphasized the importance of security for the state’s growth, stating, “Governor Soludo can only achieve his vision for Anambra if the state is secure.”

Emecheta stressed that cross-border crime is a major issue in the state, which has deterred investment, especially from affluent Anambra indigenes, stalling the region’s economic growth.

He vowed to make security his top priority if elected, asserting that it would pave the way for local investment and long-term development.

In his critique of other aspirants, Emecheta said that distributing handouts like rice, yams, and motorcycles was not the solution for Anambra South. Instead, he believes the focus should be on securing the region to attract sustainable development.

Addressing claims that he was closely associated with Edozie Njoku, the former factional national chairman of APGA, Emecheta confirmed their friendship but clarified that he had attempted to discourage Njoku from taking actions that went against the APGA leadership.

He emphasized that his efforts to dissuade Njoku were known to both the former and current APGA national chairmen, Dr. Victor Oye and Barr. Sly Ezeokenwa.

A High Court in Makurdi has annulled the seven-member caretaker committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, reinstating the leadership of Austine Agada as the legitimate chairman of the party.

The ruling was delivered on Thursday by Justice T.A. Kume, in response to a lawsuit filed by Agada, who challenged the dissolution of the APC State Working Committee (SWC) by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

The court declared the dissolution unconstitutional, citing breaches of the APC constitution and the denial of due process for the affected members.

Justice Kume emphasized the importance of fairness and justice, drawing on biblical references to underline the principle of allowing all parties to be heard.

As a result, the actions taken by the caretaker committee appointed to replace Agada’s SWC were ruled invalid, and Agada’s leadership was reinstated.

Benue APC has been embroiled in a leadership crisis since the 2023 elections, largely driven by a divide between supporters of Governor Hyacinth Alia and those backing Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

This tension led to the establishment of rival APC factions, one led by Agada and the other by Benjamin Omakolo, a faction aligned with Governor Alia.

In January 2024, the Alia-backed faction set up a parallel secretariat in Makurdi, while Agada’s faction continued to operate from the original APC secretariat.

To address the crisis, the APC NWC formed a caretaker committee to bridge the divide, but Agada’s faction contested the legitimacy of the committee, leading to the court case.

Tensions between the factions deepened in August 2024 when both sides clashed over the conduct of local government primary elections.

The Agada-led SWC claimed to have held its primaries for the elections, while the Omale-led caretaker committee contested the process, stating that they had conducted their own primaries and were satisfied with the screening exercises.

Following the October local government elections, the caretaker committee’s candidates won all the council seats, but the crisis remained unresolved.

The caretaker committee has since filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Makurdi against the ruling, with a motion for a stay of execution pending.

Despite the legal battle, Omale has called on APC members in Benue to remain calm and assured them that the situation would be resolved peacefully.

Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South Senatorial District, has voiced his concerns over the swift passage of the Tax Reform Bill in the Senate, questioning the haste with which the legislation is being processed.

Ndume expressed his objections during a debate on the Senate floor, particularly over the issues of derivation and the Value Added Tax (VAT), emphasizing that these provisions are not likely to garner widespread support among his colleagues.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Ndume pointed out the unusual speed of the tax reform process, contrasting it with the decade-long delay in passing the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which he described as a critical piece of legislation.

He expressed suspicions about the rapid advancement of the tax reform bill, particularly regarding the involvement of the Executive branch in pushing the legislation through.

The senator called for a broader national consultation before the bill is debated further, urging the federal government to resolve outstanding concerns before advancing the legislation.

He also raised alarms over the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) proposal to centralize tax collection, warning that this could negatively impact the entire tax system.

Although Ndume expressed his general support for the president’s success and clarified that he is not opposed to the bill itself, he called for it to be withdrawn for further consultations to ensure broader agreement, particularly among state governors, many of whom, especially in the North, may not support the bill.

He cautioned that without proper consensus, the bill could lead to significant challenges.