The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria’s 2023 election of culpability in the crisis rocking opposition parties in Nigeria.

This was contained in a statement on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka.

The statement was issued under the subject, ATIKU, YOUR POLITICAL DESPERATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PDP’S CATASTROPHIC DISINTEGRATION.

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It reads, “The former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, like a badly broken record, has continued to point fingers at the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the festering rot in his party, and the spectacular dysfunction of opposition parties generally.

“At the national conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria held in Abuja on Monday, January 27, 2025, Atiku, warned that the nation’s democracy was somewhat imperiled by judicial involvement in electoral matters. Also, without a shred of evidence, Atiku alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was paying certain opposition leaders a whooping 50 Million Naira each to discombobulate opposition parties in the country.

“It was in the Atiku era as Vice President, particularly in 2003 and 2007, that the PDP conducted the worst elections in our political history. We cannot possibly forget how Atiku’s PDP heavy-handedly captured most South-West states and vowed to remain in power for 60 years. It was in those same years that Atiku’s former boss and then President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, infamously described election as a “do or die affair” in a desperate attempt to annex Lagos. If democracy was neither derailed nor endangered in those perilous days, is it now that elections are by far freer, fairer and more credible that Nigeria risks losing democracy?

“The judicial branch of government is a constitutional creation like the executive and legislative branches with its constitutionally defined powers to adjudicate disputes among citizens and between citizens and the state. Atiku cannot wish away or seek to abolish enshrined power of the courts to intervene in civil disputes, including electoral disputes, in cases where the authority of the court is validly invoked by a litigant.

“It is a thing of irony that Atiku, who is Nigeria’s most prolific electoral litigator, would make such a ludicrous claim that judicial involvement in electoral matters is a threat to democracy. His criticism of the courts and the electoral process rings hollow given his long history of using the courts to further his political agenda. It’s time for him to take a step back and let the democratic process unfold without his interference.

“Nigeria’s democracy is far stronger than Atiku’s political ambitions. We deserve better than petty politicking and alarmist rhetoric from an elder statesman. As a veteran politician, one would expect Atiku to understand that while democracy may be about winning election, it is, more importantly, about respecting the will of the electorate and working towards the greater good of all. Atiku should focus on rebuilding his party and offering constructive solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.

“Atiku’s allegation that the APC-led administration was paying out 50 Million Naira to some opposition figures is simply bogus and laughable. Atiku knows that his political desperation is responsible for the PDP’s catastrophic disintegration. Peddling rumors and unsubstantiated allegations should be beneath anyone in the standing of an elder statesman, a former Vice President and a serial contestant for the exalted office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The bizarre suggestion by opposition figures like Atiku, Peter Obi, and recently, aggrieved leaders like Mallam Nasir El-Rufai that our great Party may be complicit in the internal corrosion of opposition parties is pitiful, and only an incompetent alibi for their crass failure to manage their own affairs. They cannot govern their parties but tout their ability to govern Africa’s most populous country.

“As discerning citizens, Nigerians know better than to be distracted by the false alarm and hollow allegations of desperate politicians whose only goal is shore up their political relevance in the build up to 2027 general elections.”

The National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has reaffirmed his position, stating that his election at the party’s national convention ensures that only another national convention can remove him from office.

Anyanwu made this assertion during a meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) members of South East extraction with party stakeholders from the region on Tuesday.

Addressing concerns about his tenure, the Senator detailed past attempts to undermine his position, which he described as politically motivated.

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He recounted, “In 2023, I expressed my intention to contest the governorship of my state. I formally informed the party that I would be away for three months and delegated my deputy to oversee my duties during my absence. However, unknown to me, the former South East Zonal Vice Chairman, Ali Odefa, was orchestrating plans to remove me from office.”

Anyanwu further alleged that Odefa manipulated the region’s sole PDP governor, Peter Mbah, into supporting his removal.

“He deceived the only governor we have in the South East to believe that I needed to be removed,” he said.

More to follow……….. 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the last Edo State governorship election, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, has filed a ₦500 million defamation lawsuit against the acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Jarret Tenebe.

The suit, which was filed at the Lagos State High Court, Tafawa Balewa Square, seeks damages, a retraction of the alleged defamatory statement, and a public apology from Tenebe.

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The case stems from a statement made by Tenebe in a viral video on December 10, 2024, where he accused Ighodalo of corruption and misappropriation of state funds.

In the video, Tenebe alleged, “Asue Ighodalo will not make such a mistake because he has stolen billions before.”

The controversial remarks were made in response to a gaffe by Governor Monday Okpebholo during the presentation of his ₦605 billion budget estimates to the Edo State House of Assembly.

Prior to filing the lawsuit, Ighodalo, through his legal representatives, Banwo and Ighodalo, issued a pre-action notice on December 11, 2024, demanding an apology and a retraction of the statement within seven days.

However, Tenebe, through his lawyer, Dr. Blessing Agbomhere, denied any wrongdoing and refused to comply with the demands.

“We further want to state unequivocally that our client did not defame your client in any way, and as such, there is no need for a public apology or retraction of comments made in the alleged video,” Agbomhere said in a written response.

“But if your client decides to stretch this issue further by going to court, we will rely on the defence of justification in accordance with the report of the Edo State Vehicle Recovery Committee, whose report indicted your client, and the preliminary report of the Edo State Asset Verification Committee.”

In his suit, Ighodalo argues that the viral video was intended to damage his reputation and expose him to public ridicule.

He claims the statement has caused significant distress and embarrassment, as many of his colleagues, business partners, and stakeholders have questioned the allegations.

“Undoubtedly, this development has exposed our Client to great distress, hurt, and humiliation,” the pre-action notice stated.

Ighodalo is urging the court to order Tenebe to issue a public apology and retraction within seven days of the judgment, alongside awarding him ₦500 million in damages for the harm caused to his reputation.

The case is scheduled to be heard by Justice A.O. Opesanwo on March 5, 2025.