PDP probe senators who voted lawan president.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is launching investigation into the role played by its members in the election of leadership of the National Assembly.

PDP had adopted Senator Ali Ndume and Hon. Umar Bago as President of the Senate and Speaker of House of Representatives respectively, and directed its members in the National Assembly to vote accordingly.
However, the Senators and Reps elected on the platform of the PDP defied the opposition party and voted for other candidates.

In the contest, Senator Ahmad Lawan, who is the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) preferred candidate for Senate Presidency, polled a total of 79 votes to beat his only challenger, Ndume, who scored 28 votes.
In a similar circumstance, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (APC, Delta Central), also floored Ike Ekweramadu, in the election of the Deputy Senate President.

Omo-Agege, whom many did not give a chance in the race, defeated Ekweramadu, the immediate past Deputy Senate President, by 68 votes to 37 votes.

The same scenario played out in the House of Representatives where Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila floored PDP’s choice and APC member-elect, Umar Bago.
Gbajabiamila secured 281 votes to Bago’s 76 in the House where PDP has 135 members.

The implication was that many PDP lawmakers defied the opposition to cast their votes for their preferred candidates.

In the race for Senate Presidency, PDP’s candidate and APC senator – Ali Ndume – did not garner the entire 44 votes of the PDP senators. Even with Ekweremadu on the ballot, the numbers still fell short of PDP’s population.

Consequently, the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, at the PDP’s 86th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting yesterday, described the election as a bazaar, adding that the positions went to the highest bidder.

He expressed displeasure at what it called the embarrassing roles played by some PDP members in the National Assembly during the election.

Secondus reminded the members in the National Assembly that party loyalty demands that they stick to the party at any given situation.

“When personal interest clash with party interest, personal should drown into that of the party, that’s what real democrats are expected to do,” he added.

According to the National Chairman, the level of corruption that preceded the emergence of the National Assembly leadership was capable of undermining the desired robust legislative activities.

He regretted that the APC that claimed to be fighting corruption was the one perpetrating the vote buying.
“The bazaar that took place during the election of National Assembly leaders clearly gives a picture of the anti-corruption status and how the APC has become home for looters,” Secondus stated.

He noted that the introduction of ‘green card’, ‘vote and snap’ fraud by the ruling party during the election was an unprecedented dimension to the growing corruption index of the administration.

The party chairman pointed out that the consequences “this brazen corruption would have in the legislative activities of the 9th Assembly” began with the refusal of the Senate to kill a motion to debate the June 12 speech of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Only a conquered parliament with credibility challenge can shy away from discussing a major address of a president just sworn into office, but that is a sign of what is to come when choosing legislative leadership in heavily monetized by a regime that claims to be fighting corruption.

“Having ‘purchased’ the leadership of the parliament, we expect the cabals to now fully take over and dictate the show at the legislature,” he said.

He noted that the hopelessness in the security situation in the country was underlined in the recent statement of the military hierarchy early in the week trying to blame the soldiers for the continued Boko Haram incursions.

“This is after they had severally declared the Boko Haram sect to be technically defeated.
“The killing of soldiers and civilians by Boko Haram terrorists in the North-E

ASUU condemn sack of Nigerian prof. In Ghana.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities , University of Lagos , has described as illegal the arrest and detention of a Professor of English, Austin Nwagbara , in Ghana. 

ASUU threatened that if anything untoward happened to the don , the Ghanaian government would be held accountable.

Nwagbara was on sabbatical at the University of Education, Winneba , Ghana , when a discussion he reportedly had with some members of the Nigerian community was leaked. 

A video clip of the meeting reveals the don berating Ghanaians for mistreating Nigerians despite their contributions to Ghana ’ s economy .

He asked Nigerian media houses to investigate the allegations against the Ghanaian authorities and broadcast to embarrass the government .

After the video went viral , the Winneba University sacked him. 

In a statement by the school ’ s registrar , quoted by Ghana -based Starr News , the varsity said the don ’ s sabbatical at the school , which started in October 2018, had been terminated over the controversy. 

“ In the said video, Prof . Nwagbara makes several unsavoury , unethical and damning comments about our country , its history as well as its educational system. 

“ The university totally dissociates itself from the grossly irresponsible comments and condemns it in no uncertain terms. 

“ The university after subjecting Prof . Augustine Uzoma Nwagbara to internal disciplinary process finds him culpable of gross misconduct and has, accordingly , dismissed him , ” the statement said in part.

According to Ghana ’ s Star FM , the Ghana ’ s Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs , Osei Mensah -Bonsu , backed the decision of the university. 

“ We can ’ t continue to have such persons in our midst . No country will encourage that sort of a thing in its backyard, ” he said. 

The lecturer was said to have been later invited by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service. 

He was reportedly accompanied by the Nigerian High Commissioner in Ghana , Ambassador Micheal Abikoye, and was allegedly subjected to hours of interrogation. 

A statement by the Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the CID , DSP Juliana Obeng, said the professor was arrested for “ offensive conduct conducive to the breach of the peace . ”

It added that he was later released on bail. 

Colleagues of Nwagbara at the UNILAG said the alleged harassment of the professor was wrong .

The UNILAG ASUU Chairman , Dele Ashiru, in a statement on Thursday , said the union received the reports of his alleged detention with “ anguish . ”

“ It is the opinion of our union that no matter how scathing the views of Professor Nwagbara may be to the authorities of the university at Winneba , the government and people of Ghana , the fact remains that Professor Nwagbara ’ s views should be viewed within the context of academic freedom guaranteed by Article 3 and 4 of the Kampala Declaration on Intellectual Freedom and Social Responsibility which states that

‘ No African intellectual shall in any way be persecuted , harassed or intimidated for reasons only of his or her intellectual work , opinions, gender , nationality or ethnicity. 

‘ Every African intellectual shall enjoy the freedom of movement within his or her country and freedom to travel outside and re - enter the country without let , hindrance or harassment. No administrative or any other action shall directly or indirectly restrict this freedom on account of a person ’ s intellectual opinions , beliefs or activity . ’

“ In the light of the above, our union condemns in absolute terms the unwarranted harassment, intimidation and illegal detention of the erudite professor . Our union calls on the authorities of the University of Education, Winneba , relevant government agencies and the people of Ghana to ensure the safety of Professor Nwagbara ’ s life and property .

“ They should take notice that should anything untoward happens to Professor Nwagbara , the authorities of the University of Wi