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PDP cries out, accuses LP of plotting mayhem after losing Reps seat *Hails Akobundu’s victory
Labour Party (LP) members allegedly plotting to plunge Abia State into crisis, have been warned to shelve the idea as violence should not have a place in the political firmament of the state, as they must learn the hard way how to manage the pangs of electoral defeats.
This was the advice of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state as it weighed inhas congratulated Col. Austin Akobundu, the party’s Senatorial candidate in the Abia Central Senatorial zone on his victory at the Appeal Court.
This is even as the PDP said it has uncovered a plot by the Labour Party (LP) to cause mayhem in the state following the removal of its candidate, Darlington Nwokocha, who was the Senate Minority Chief Whip before the judgement that saw Akobundu defeat him.
Recall that Darlington Nwokocha of LP was declared the winner of the Abia Central Senatorial election following the February 25, 2023, National Assembly elections. This led to a petition by Akobundu at the Abia State National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal which equally upheld the election of Nwokocha.
Dissatisfied with the judgement of the Tribunal, Akobundu appealed the judgment of the lower court at the Court of Appeal which vacated the judgment of the Tribunal and pronounced Akobundu as the authentic winner of the Abia Central Senatorial zone election.
Abraham Amah, Abia PDP Vice Chairman/Acting State Publicity Secretary said his party has come across two disturbing documents with one of the documents in circulation on social media from the Labour Party in Ikwuano, calling on its members to a solidarity rally in black clothes to protest the judgement of the Court of Appeal.
His words: “This is unheard of in the history of our democracy that a political party would call its members to protest the judgement of a court. Another document is the press conference addressed by the Chairman of Abia Labour Party, Mr. Cheeky Igara wherein he assumed the position of Judge Extraordinaire to lecture Abians, Nigerians and the press on why the judgement of a validly constituted court should not stand because a member of his party was removed from office.
Amah, who said that it was extremely disturbing to hear the Abia LP Chairman refer to a judgement of a court of competent jurisdiction with derogatory words like, “the rascality of the judiciary, especially muscling judgements, divisive judgements,” added that it was unbecoming of a party to make a public declaration to reject the judgement of a court of competent and final jurisdiction and ask it to review its judgement because it was nothing but a call to anarchy.
“These infractions on the law by the Labour Party are jokes taken too far and it seems that the Labour Party is unaware of the actionable nature of their actions. In the first place, the Labour Party is quite ignorant of the fact that Abia PDP had 19 grounds of appeal, most of which the Labour Party could not defend against, which bother on noncompliance to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the 2022 Electoral Act as Amended. Their attempts to reduce the petition of the PDP to Section 77 of the Electoral Act is a careless and unforgivable display of ignorance.
“The Labour Party also refused to understand that a Court of Appeal had also determined that Section 77 of the Electoral Act is both a pre-election and post-election matter. Furthermore, the Labour Party also conveniently ignored the fact that the Court of Appeal also took cognizance of the rejected votes in some polling units which was on the petition of the PDP.”
While regretting that it was more grievous display of ignorance in the inability of the LP to provide a copy of the judgement to members of the Press even while making wild claims of reversal in sane breathe, he added that it was quite unfortunate that the party would also stay mute when judgements went in its favour but preferred to bully society whenever a judgement went against it.
“Since 1999 when Nigeria returned to democracy and the 24 years it was in power in Abia State, the PDP never disobeyed any court order nor did it ever call its members out to protest the judgement of a court. Following these developments, the Abia PDP is compelled to alert the security agencies in Abia State of the devious plans of the Labour Party to cause a breach of the peace in the State.
“The Abia PDP has consistently said that the Labour Party in Abia State portrays itself as a reckless organisation that does not respect the laws and has the tendency to push the State into the hands of autocrats and the events of today do nothing but to validate our proposition.
“Once again, we call on the vigilant security agencies in Abia to forestall any breakdown of law and order in the State by restraining the Labour Party from acts inimical to the peace of the State and cautioning its leadership from statements capable of causing mayhem and a breakdown of law and order in Abia.
“We also call on members of the PDP to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding even as we ask the good people of Ikwuano to call their children and wards to order and prevent them from engaging in acts that may lead to a crisis in the State.”
In a quick riposte on Saturday, Dave Umahi, Minister of Works, has cautioned Nigerians to be circumspect in the manner they react to the story of the death of a female student in his home in Ebonyi State, warning against the temptation of jumping to conclusion.
Conveying his position on the highly-volatile matter through Francis Nwaze, his spokesman, Umahi, former Governor of Ebonyi State and a key figure in the government of President Bola Tinubu, said caution was needed to enable the police conduct unfettered investigation into the matter.
It was his response to breaking of how one Mary Habila, a female physiotherapist reportedly died in his palatial home at Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, on June 27, hours after arriving the day before.
Nwaze, a Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, specifically cautioned against speculations by “tale bearers,” while conveying the Minister’s shock over the matter and his eagerness for the authorities to get at the root of the matter through forensic investigations.
He wrote in the statement: “The attention of the Media Office of the Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Nweze Umahi, has been drawn to a publication by a publication concerning the unfortunate passing of Miss Mary Habila in Uburu, Ebonyi State, alleging that the circumstances surrounding her death were shrouded in secrecy.
“The Honourable Minister received the news with profound shock and sadness and has since extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. For the avoidance of doubt, immediately the unfortunate incident occurred, appropriate emergency steps were taken. Medical personnel, including the Chief Medical Director of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, were contacted without delay, while the Nigeria Police was promptly notified in accordance with the law.
“Following confirmation of Miss Habila’s passing, the Honourable Minister personally received her parents, conveyed his sincere condolences, and advised that an autopsy be conducted to scientifically establish the exact cause of death. At the time, however, the family declined the recommendation.
“It is important to clarify that Miss Mary Habila and Miss Anita Baski are employees of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, who had been on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works as physiotherapists for the past three years until the unfortunate passing of Miss Habila.
“Following the recent developments and in the interest of ensuring that the truth is established beyond doubt, the Honourable Minister has again reiterated his position that an autopsy must be conducted. He remains convinced that this is the most credible and responsible path to resolving all questions surrounding the unfortunate incident.
“We therefore urge the public to exercise restraint, refrain from speculation or premature conclusions, and allow the relevant authorities to carry out their responsibilities without interference. At this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers remain with the family of the deceased, and we pray that God grants them the strength to bear this irreparable loss.”
The circumstances that led to the sudden death of Mary Habbila, a Nigerian female student died in the Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, home of Dave Umahi, Minister of Works, has now thrown the entire household and environs into serious quandary.
SaharaReporters, which first broke the revealed that the incident, which happened since June 27 this year, has been shrouded in secrecy, with both the Ebonyi State Government and the state police command maintaining silence over the matter.
The incident, the report, added, took place barely a day after Habbila and another woman, Anita Baski, both from Kaduna State, were reportedly brought to the minister’s residence, triggering a police investigation, with the case transferred from the Ohaozara Divisional Police Headquarters to the Ebonyi State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Abakaliki.
Habbila and Baski reportedly arrived at the minister’s residence on June 26 to “attend” to him, only for Habbila to be found dead inside the residence the following morning under circumstances investigators are still trying to establish.
Police sources were quoted by the paper as saying that Jonathan Bawado, a police officer who serves as Senator Umahi’s Personal Assistant and previously worked as his Aide-de-Camp (ADC) during his tenure as Governor of Ebonyi State, alerted medical personnel after Habbila was discovered unresponsive.
Subsequently, a doctor and an ambulance were dispatched to the residence, while Tobechukwu Godwin, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ohaozara Police Division, was notified of the incident, the report said, adding that at the hospital Chihurumnanya Alo, a Professor and Consultant Public Health Physician, Infectious Diseases Specialist and Chief Medical Director of the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH), Uburu, was also alerted about the incident.
The police who subsequently conveyed Habbila’s body to a mortuary, were said to have handed over the identification tag attached to Habbila’s to the Ebonyi State Police Command by the said DPO, as part of the ongoing investigation.
SaharaReporters, quoted a senior police officer, with knowledge of the case as saying: “The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Abakaliki,” but, however declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
Unlike in other cases, security operatives in Nigeria have upped the ante by adding the arrest of perpetrators to the menu of rescue operations, with the announcement of the capture of eight terrorists who participated in the abduction of school teachers and students in Oyo State on May 15.
All the 46 pupils, students and teachers abducted by terrorists from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, regained their freedom on Friday, after about 56 days in captivity, with several others reportedly also neutralised during the operation.
Giving a clue of what transpired during the operation, Bayo Onanuga, who broke the story of the feat, said it was the outcome of sustained security operations, which also foiled the attempt by the abductors to secure the release of one of their captured leaders.
Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, using his X handle to give details about the operation, said: “Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies. In the course of the rescue operation, eight of the kidnappers were arrested and are now in DSS custody, while some of them were neutralised.”
“There was no quid pro quo in the rescue as one of the terrorists, a kingpin, that the kidnappers demanded his release, is being prosecuted for his atrocities. The security agencies will give full account soon.”
The victims were abducted on May 15 when heavily armed bandits attacked Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area, seizing dozens of pupils, students and teachers.
The abduction sparked nationwide outrage, with parents, labour unions, traditional rulers and civil society groups mounting sustained pressure on the authorities to secure the victims’ release.
The incident also triggered an indefinite strike by the Nigeria Union of Teachers in Oyo State over growing insecurity in schools.
President Bola Tinubu had condemned the attack and ordered security agencies to intensify intelligence-led operations to rescue the captives and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The President subsequently dispatched a high-powered Federal Government delegation to the affected communities, approved the deployment of specialised rescue assets and authorised the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards to strengthen security across Oyo State.
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