Year 2024 which runs out in a few days was shaped by some major political events, especially as it followed immediately after Nigeria’s general election in 2023.
The intrigues arising from these events, ranging from Supreme Court verdicts, to off cycle elections, contentious tax reform bills, internal tussles in parties, and defections in the National Assembly, altered measurably, political events in the outgoing year.
Re-run and Bye-elections
As a fall out of the 2023 general polls, the year opened with re-run and bye-elections into some national and state legislative seats across 26 states of the federation held on February 3.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted
the polls in 80 local government areas in the 26 states where the vacancies created by the resignation, death and removal of lawmakers through post election litigations were filled.
Some of the notable vacant seats filled were those of Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Sen. David Umahi, Sen. Ibrahim Geidam, Hon. Bumi Tunji-ojo Hon. Tanko Sununu who resigned to take up appointments as Chief of Staff President Bola Tinubu and ministers respectively.
Others included; Hon. Isma’ila Maihanchi, member-elect from Taraba who died before the inauguration of the 10th House of Representatives and Hon. Abdulkadir Danbuga from Sokoto who died in October 2023.
Edo and Ondo Guber Polls
During the year under review, INEC conducted the Edo state governorship election on September 21. At the end of the election reportedly marked by violence and some irregularities, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo emerged as the winner.
Okpebholo scored 291,667 votes, defeating Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, who garnered 247,274 votes while Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party came third with 22,763 votes. The APC candidate has since been sworn-in and resumed work as Edo state governor.
Also on November 16, INEC conducted the Ondo state governorship elections and declared the candidate of APC, Lucky Aiyedatiwa winner, having polled a total of 366,781 votes to defeat Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party, who got 117,845 votes.
Supreme Court Verdict on 2023 Guber Polls
Early in the year, the Supreme Court put to rest legal battles that emanated from the March 18, 2023 governorship elections in eight states through election petitions tribunal and appeal court.
That was as the Nigeria’s apex court affirmed the victory of Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Abia governor, Alex Otti; Bauchi governor, Bala Mohammed; Cross River governor, Bassey Otu; Ebonyi governor, Francis Nwifuru; Kano governor, Abba Yusuf; Plateau governor, Caleb Mutfwang and
Suspension of Defiant Lawmakers
The senator representing Bauchi Central senatorial district, and chairman of the senate committee on population, Senator Abdul Ningi was suspended for three months on March 12, 2024.
Ningi incured the wrath of the red chamber after he alleged that there were discrepancies in the 2024 budget, claiming the National Assembly approved N25 trillion while President Tinubu signed N28.7 trillion.
The PDP senator in an interview with the BBC (Hausa Service), claimed that the sum of N3.7 trillion in the 2024 budget was not traceable to any project of location.
First, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim ( APC, Ondo South) moved a motion that Ningi be suspended for 12 months but it was amended by Senator Asququo Ekpeyong (APC, Cross River South) that the punishment be reduced to six months.
However, Senator Garba Maidoki (PDP, Kebbi South) moved that Ningi be suspended for three months or that an apology be accepted if he wrote to the Senate within 24 hours it was seconded by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East) and motion was eventually adopted. The lawmaker was recalled 75 days after the suspension.
Some months after the Ningi saga, his kinsman from the northeastern state of Borno, the Senate Chief Whip and lawmaker representing Borno South senatorial district, Ali Ndume stepped on the tail of a tiger.
Though he narrowly escaped suspension this time, Ndume was removed as Senate Chief Whip and replaced with his Borno kinsman, Senator Mohammed Monguno(APC, Borno North).
The Borno lawmaker’s sin that earned him derobing as Senate principal officer was the interview on Arise Television in which he alleged that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is populated by kleptocrats.
The APC national working committee had in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, asked that Ndume be removed as Chief Whip for “making uncouth and rabid outbursts against the government before the international community” and replaced with Monguno.
There was another motion calling for his suspension but Senate President Akpabio said the decision of APC to remove Ndume as Chief Whip was enough deterrent for his outburst.
APC Crisis, Stalled NEC
Though the ruling PDP witnessed relative calm in the last one year especially at the national level, internal crisis brewed in some state chapters like Benue and Rivers over leadership tussle. While the party savoured its victories in Edo and Ondo states, there was anxiety over the indefinite postponement of the APC National Caucus and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings after all appeared set for the events.
PDP Crisis
The main opposition PDP was emeshed in one crisis or the other in 2024. The high point of the party’s internal wrangling was the suspension of the PDP acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu for alleged disloyalty to the party by a faction of the National Working Committee.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary Hon. Debo Ologungaba who had announced the suspension in statement earlier on Friday said, “Following the suspension of His Excellency, Amb. Illiya Damagum as the Acting National Chairman of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the National Working Committee (NWC) has approved the appointment of Alhaji Yayari Ahmed Mohammed as the Acting National Chairman.”
But the Federal High Court in Abuja, restrained the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from removing Damagun as the acting National Chairman of the party.
There has been agitations that Damagum should be removed for someone from northcentral to step in and complete the tenure of former national chairman, Senator Iorchia Ayu.
Just recently, the PDP Oguduokwor Ward in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State announced the expulsion of the suspended National Vice Chairman of the party in the Southeast, Ali Odefa, from the party.
Odefa was suspended from the party on September 11, 2024 by the ward wxecutives of the party over alleged anti party activities.
Also, the Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki further affirmed the suspension on November 29, 2024.
Announcing the expulsion of Odefa at a press conference on Wednesday evening, the Acting Chairman of the PDP in Oguduokwor, Onyeka Ovuta flanked by other Ward Executives,stated that Odefa’s suspension follows the recommendation of the party’s disciplinary committee that affirmed the allegations of anti-party activities leveled.
Battle For LP’s Soul
Labour Party (LP) came to limelight on the Nigerian political turf when a former Anambra governor, Peter Obi contested the 2023 presidential election on its platform and led the party to third position. The party had been engulfed in crisis for sometime, with different groups claiming ownership. Prior to the election, a faction led by Lamidi Apapa fought for control of the party against Julius Abure, but lost out.
There was a fallout between Abure and the NLC, which led to the NLC picketing the party’s national headquarters. The NLC, led by the chairman of its political commission, Theophilus Ndubuaku, demanded the resignation of Abure, whom he said was not properly elected.
A national convention was later held in Nnewi, Anambra state, where Abure was re-elected as the party’s national chairman but the NLC rejected his election which the union described as “illegal.”
Stakeholders of the party led by Obi and the governor of Abia state, Alex Otti, had met in Umuahia and appointed an interim leadership for the party headed by Senator Nanedi Usman with 90 days ultimatum to convene congress from ward level to the states, leading to a national convention to elect a substantive national executive leadership.
APGA Crisis
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), an opposition political party which controls Anambra state and a handful members in the National Assembly has been shrouded in leadership crisis which threatened its existence.
For sometimes, Sylvester Ezeokenwa (SLY) and Edozie Njoku had been laying claim to the national chairmanship of the party, creating a sharp division which became a subject of legal acrobatics. However, a recent Supreme Court judgement brought the matter to control.
Sequel to the judgement, INEC restored Ezeokenwa as APGA chairman and restored his name on its website.
“The Commission has been served with the judgement of the Supreme Court with Appeal No. SC/CV/824/2024 APGA & ANOR vs OYE & ORS, delivered on 27th November 2024 recognising Barr. Sylvester (Sly) Ezeokenwa as the Chairman of the party. In compliance with the judgement of the apex court, the Commission has restored Ezeokenwa as the chairman of APGA and restored his name on our website accordingly,” INEC national commissioner and chairman, information & voter education committee, Sam Olumekun said in a statement.
Tax Bills Political Intrigues
The four tax reforms bills namely,
Nigeria Tax; Nigeria Tax Administration; Nigeria Revenue Service and Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bills, 2024 transmitted by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly have taken political dimension with a lot of intrigues.
The pieces of legislations which have passed second reading in the Senate but put on hold in the House of Representatives are being viewed from regional lens with the northern political class kicking against them.
Northern Governors’ Forum had rejected the new derivation-based model for Value Added Tax (VAT) distribution proposed in one of the bills when they insisted that the provision do not aligned with the interests of the north and other sub-national entities.
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Article 77 of the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2024 provides that: “Notwithstanding any formula that may be prescribed by any other
law, the net revenue accruing by virtue of the operation of chapter six of the Nigeria Tax Act (VAT) shall be distributed as follows-
(a) 10% to the Federal Government;
(b) 55% to the State Governments and the Federal Capital Territory;
and (c) 35% to the Local Governments. Provided that 60% of the amount standing to the credit of states and local governments shall be distributed among them on the basis of derivation.”
While there appeared to be apprehension amongst northern lawmakers over the bills, members of the House of Representatives from the 17 southern states have thrown their weight behind the intended laws.
The southern caucus in the House led by Hon. Nicholas Mutu(PDP, Delta) made its position known at a press conference in Abuja recently when it welcomed the bills.
According to the leader of the group, the southern lawmakers were open to dialogue on the proposed legislations but they were not supporting them.
“The Southern caucus of the House of Representatives, we have met and welcome the tax reform bills with so much excitement. And at the right time, we’ll capture the people’s element that is missing in the bills. Yes, the bills are good for Nigeria…we are open to dialogue,” Mutual said.
Gale Of Defections
The year 2024 witnessed a gale of defections, mostly from opposition parties to the ruling APC. For instance, a former deputy governor of Edo state, Comrade Philip Shaibu dumped PDP and APC before the expiration of his tenure.
Also, the member representing Ukwa East/Ukwa West federal constituency of Abia state, Hon. Chris Nkwonta defected from PDP to APC just as the member representing Gumi/Bukkuyyum federal constituency of Zamfara State, Hon. Suleiman Abubakar Gumi who defected from PDP to All APC.
Similarly, Hon. Alfred Ajang who represents Jos South/Jos East federal constituency of Plateau and his fellow member representing Barkin ladi/Riyom federal constituency of Plateau state, Hon. Dalyop Chollom defected from LP to APC.
Furthermore, in one swoop, four members of the opposition party in the House – Erhriatake Ibori-Suenu (PDP, Delta), Tochukwu Okere (LP, Imo), Donatus Mathew (LP, Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (LP, Cross River), and Iyawe Esosa (LP,Edo) joined the ruling APC, citing internal crisis in their party and admiration for the APC-led Tinubu administration.
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Publish date : 2024-12-30 06:18:12
