The Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, has criticized the Delta State House of Assembly, led by the All Progressive Congress, APC, for declaring vacant the seat of Honourable Collins Egbetanah, who represents Udu Constituency.

Additionally, the House also labeled the lawmaker a persona non grata due to his defection from the APC to the NDC.

The NDC condemned the.Assembly’s action as politically abhorrent and unacceptable, characterizing it as an instance of vindictive politics and selective justice being enacted by the Delta State House of Assembly.

Honourable Egbetanah was elected on the APC platform and served as a minority member of the House until the Governor of Delta State and several members of the Assembly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to join him in the APC.

However, those who switched allegiance as loyalists of the governor began to perceive Honourable Egbetanah as a threat, given his status as an original APC member and his steadfast loyalty to the former Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege.

As a result, the Delta State House of Assembly has withheld Honourable Egbetanah’s salaries and entitlements for several months.

“We, at the NDC, consider this action to be politically abhorrent and unacceptable. The process by which his seat was declared vacant is unconstitutional and infringes upon Egbetanah’s rights to free assembly and association,” stated a release signed by Osa Director Esq, the National Publicity Secretary of the NDC.

“We are calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reject this act of illegality and political intimidation by the Delta State House of Assembly.

“As we take every legal step to resolve this matter we urge the Delta state house of Assembly to allow Hon. Egbetanah performed his constitutional duties for which he was elected to do by his people.

“The NDC as a party is committed to the people of Udu Constituency receiving the benefits and dividends of democracy through the effective representation by Hon Egbetanah. Our commitment to service to the people cannot be abridged by any form of legislative rascality.”

A former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Jackson Lekan Ojo, has said the controversy over the disowned “Presidential Investment Agency” has turned Nigeria into “a laughing stock” in the global community.

Ojo called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately suspend top government officials linked to the scandal pending investigation.

Ojo, a security expert and global affairs analyst, made the call in a statement issued Monday in Abuja.

The ex-APC chieftain listed those who should be sent on administrative leave to include the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Finance; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Head of Service of the Federation; and the Director-General of the Budget Office.

“I hereby make the following recommendations: that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation should go on administrative leave until after the investigations; the Chief of Staff should go on administrative leave; the Governor of Central Bank, the Head of Service of the Federation, the Head of Budget Office and some Directors should also go on administrative leave until after investigation.

“There are lots of other persons that should go because these are complicit and they must not be allowed to use their offices to cover up the investigation,” he said.

Ojo recalled that former ministers of Humanitarian Affairs, and Science & Technology were sacked over allegations of financial impropriety and forgery, insisting the current issue involving the President’s Chief of Staff should not be an exception.

He said President Tinubu and his administration would “woefully fail the integrity test” if Gbajabiamila is not suspended pending conclusion of investigation into allegations levelled against him by Prince Matthew Adeyemi, the self-styled Director-General of the purported agency.

The Presidency has since dismissed Adeyemi as an impostor.

The security expert faulted the Presidency’s quick dismissal, saying critical questions remain unanswered.

“It is so disheartening and disappointing that the presidency is taking Nigeria for granted and treating all of us as morons,” he said.

“How did a fake man get an office space at the Federal Secretariat? How did a fake man get his budget passed from the presidency to the National Assembly?

“How possible was it for an impostor to play host to ambassadors from different countries and other dignitaries, including the Chairman of EFCC? Also, how did a fake man get approval for the recruitment of 300 staff?”

Ojo urged the President to act decisively to protect Nigeria’s image.

“President Tinubu should please save Nigeria from further embarrassment and be courageous enough to suspend Femi Gbajabiamila immediately, pending the completion of thorough investigation over the issue.

“Mr. President should allow the SGF, CoS, Head of Service, Budget Office, Governor of Central Bank, Minister of Finance, etc to be thoroughly questioned and possibly suspended till investigation is concluded.

“Handling this issue with levity and unnecessary political sympathy will further damage Nigeria’s image globally,” he stated.

He warned: “If only one person could penetrate through the office of the Chief of Staff, to the Budget Office, to the Accountant General, to the Head of Service, to the National Assembly and to the Governor of Central Bank with fake documents and succeed, that is to say nothing is safe in this country.”

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), which is supporting the presidential candidature of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has dissolved the Kano State executive of the party and appointed a caretaker committee to oversee its affairs.

The Deputy National Chairman of the ADC (North-West), Hajiya Najaatu Mohammed, announced the development while addressing a news conference at the NUJ Press Centre in Kano on Monday.

According to her, the action was taken in line with the party constitution, the Electoral Act, and their collective responsibility to protect the future of the party in Kano State.

“This important action is not out of preference, but out of constitutional duty.
Every action taken has been guided by the Constitution of our party, the Electoral Act, and our collective responsibility to protect the future of the ADC in Kano State.

“Our Constitution exists precisely for moments such as this. It provides a lawful path to restore stability, preserve continuity and ensure that the affairs of the party continue uninterrupted,” she said.

According to her, the national leadership of the party had discharged one of its most important obligations—preserving the unity, continuity and constitutional integrity of the ADC in Kano State.

“When circumstances create a leadership vacuum within any political organisation, responsible leadership cannot fold its arms and watch uncertainty consume the institution. A political party is built on order, discipline and continuity. Without those pillars, confusion replaces organisation, and uncertainty replaces confidence,” she said.

She warned members of the party not to interpret the constitution of the caretaker committee as a judgement on the commitment or loyalty of faithful members of the party in the state.

“The constitution of a Caretaker Committee must never be interpreted as a judgement on the commitment, loyalty or contributions of the thousands of faithful members of our party across Kano State. Far from it. Our members remain the greatest strength of this party,” she said.

The Deputy National Chairman noted that many had sacrificed their time, resources and reputation to build the ADC from the grassroots, adding that many had remained steadfast even when it was politically inconvenient to do so.

She therefore called upon every stakeholder, elder, youth leader, women leader, ward executive and faithful member of the party to support the transitional arrangement in good faith.

She said: “Let us give the Caretaker Committee the cooperation it requires to succeed, let us replace suspicion with trust, let us replace division with dialogue, and let us replace uncertainty with confidence.

“Most importantly, let us replace personal interests with the collective interest of our great party.”

Najaatu Mohammed said that if they remain united, no challenge would be too great; and if they remain disciplined, no obstacle would be insurmountable. She added that if they remain faithful to the party constitution and democratic ideals, the future of the African Democratic Congress in Kano State would be stronger than ever before.

She expressed hope that the caretaker arrangement would mark a new beginning, the restoration of confidence, the strengthening of institutions, and the renewal of their common purpose.