.As 18 APC govs, others storm Gusau to receive Matawalle
. You can’t take our mandate to APC , PDP warns Zamfara gov.,Lawmakers
Obiora Ifoh, Abuja
Benue State Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom on Monday warned that the current trend where corrupt politicians who join the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC are shielded from prosecution is wrong and should be discouraged forthwith.
Ortom spoke at the Benue Peoples House Makurdi when he received the National President Nigeria Civil Service Union, NCSU, Comrade Lawrence Amaechi and his delegation on a courtesy call where he was presented with ‘Defender and Shepherd of the Masses’ award.
Though he did not disclose the identities of such tainted politicians, his remark came ahead of Tuesday’s defection by Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and some lawmakers to join the APC. No fewer than 18 APC, governors are expected to receive them.
But reacting to the planned defection, the PDP said it is watching developments in the state. It cautioned Gov Bello Matawalle to know that his plans amount to a decision to vacate office as no law allows him to cross over to any other party with the governorship mandate statutorily given to the PDP through the ballot box, as already established by the provision of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the standing judgment of the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, Ortom noted that there is no law in the 1999 Constitution as amended that shields corrupt leaders who are members of the APC from prosecution, adding that doing so encourages corruption by a government that used fight against corruption as one of the campaign promises to come into power.
He lamented that the APC-led administration seems to be the worst in terms of corruption, saying that a serving minister who allegedly stole billions of naira was currently being shielded from prosecution.
Ortom said he remains committed to the fight for justice, equity and fairness for all, stressing that he chose to remain the mouthpiece of the oppressed and those who have no voice.
Insisting that no intimidation from any quarter would force Benue people to rescind the anti-open grazing law, he said the award would spur him to be more proactive and sensitive to the plight of his people and civil servants.
Leader of the delegation, Comrade Amaechi sympathised with the government and people of the state over the spate of insecurity and other unfortunate happenings and prayed for a solution.
He thanked the Ortom for appointing one of them, Comrade Ojotu Ojema in his administration and pledged the union’s continued support for government.
In a related development, no fewer than 18 APC governors are expected to receive Governor Bello Matawalle on Tuesday.
The Chairman, Publicity Sub-Committee of the ceremony and Zamfara Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Dosara, disclosed in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Gusau on Monday.
Dosara said, “the Progressive governors will be led by the APC Chairman Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) and Governor Mai Mala-Buni of Yobe state.
“We are also expecting all our National Assembly members as well as state legislators to declare their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the APC during the occasion.
“Similarly, all the 14 local government caretaker committee chairmen who just finished their tenure, council members and teeming supporters will join the hundreds of thousands of the Matawalle loyalists, friends and supporters in our movement to our new party, the APC.’’
According to him, the event which is considered a historic one in the state will further unite politicians and strengthen the APC in the state.
Also speaking, Mr. Mohammed Mamman, the Director-General, Press Affairs, to Governor Mala-Buni said the governor had been able to convince three governors to defect to the APC.
“With Matawalle joining the APC, it means Mala-Buni, as the chairman of the Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee, has been able to convince three governors into the party.
“They are Dave Umuahi of Ebonyi, Prof. Ben Ayade of Cross River. This is also a confirmation that the APC is doing well both at the national and state levels under the purposeful, focused and people-oriented leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari,’’ Mamman said
But addressing newsmen in Abuja, Monday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan said a combined reading of Section 221 of the 1999 Constitution as the pronouncements of the Supreme Court in Faleke v. INEC (2016) is clear in holding that it is the political party that stands for election, that votes scored in election belong to the political party and that the candidate nominated to contest at an election by his party, acts only as the agent of his party.
The PDP also cautions members of the National Assembly as well as members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, not to allow themselves to be pushed into losing their seats as the provisions of the constitution is very clear in barring lawmakers from cross carpeting, except in a situation of a division in the political party upon which platform they were elected.
“There is no division in the PDP to warrant to defection of any of our lawmakers. The PDP hopes that Bello Matawalle as well as members of the National and State Assembly from Zamfara state will take caution.”
Kola Ologbondiyan said meanwhile, the National Working Committee (NWC) has approved the dissolution of the Zamfara State Executive of the party.
“The decision is in line with the provision of Section 29 (2)(b) of the PDP Constitution 2017 (as amended). All party leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our party in Zamfara state should, by this, be guided accordingly.”
