Concerns as Senator Ubah Defects from YPP to APC

The only Young Progressive’s Party Senator in the National Assembly, Ifeanyi Ubah, last week defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress barely a week to his arraignment at the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos over alleged indebtedness to Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, Sunday Aborisade reports

The Young Progressives Party ( YPP) member representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, defected to the All Progressives Congress (YPP) on the floor of the Senate last Thursday.

The APC Senators welcomed his defection with open arms because his action had increased their number to 60 while the minority parties now have 49 members.

With the development, the APC now has 60 members; Peoples Democratic Party (38); Labour Party (8); New Nigeria People’s Party (2); Social Democratic Party (2) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (1).

Although Ubah explained his reasons for dumping YPP, his action nevertheless raised some dusts.

The ranking Senator is the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Oil which he founded in 2001 with outlets mainly in the South-East and South-West regions of Nigeria with one of the largest Tank Farm for petroleum storage in Nigeria.

Ubah, in his  letter of defection, read by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, cited irreconcilable differences between him and the leadership of the YPP as reasons for his action.

He explained that his choice of APC as a new political platform, was borne out of the party’s commitment to good governance, economic development and social progress which it had demonstrated in governance at the federal level.

A part of his letter read, “I am willing to formally notify and inform the Distinguished Senate President and our colleagues of inconsiderable differences between me and the leadership of my party (YPP).

“I therefore, resolve to move from the Young Progressives  Party (YPP) to the most important party in Africa, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“As a dedicated politician and representative of my people, this has become exigent at this period of my political career and public service.

“After thorough evaluation of the political landscape in Nigeria particularly, the good works being done by the All Progressives Congress since the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the president of Nigeria, I have come to realization and conclusion that the All Progressives Congress is better suited to champion the ideals and principles that can move Nigeria forward.

“The APC’s commitment to good governance, economic development and social progress resonate deeply to my own conviction and the alignment of each members on key national issues for achieving the promises of any decent politician and particularly the promises that I made to my constituents to better the lot of all of them.

“I am particularly impressed by the renewed hope initiative of President Bola Tinubu (GCFR) and I have found it needful to join the trend so as to integrate my  senatorial district into the laudable mission of my President”.

While some stakeholders in the nation’s political space claimed Ubah joined the APC because of his governorship ambition in Anambra State, others maintained that he defected so as to enjoy a safe landing regarding his case pending before a Lagos High Court.

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos had in June this year, directed that criminal summons be issued on Ubah and his company, Capital Oil and Gas Limited in Charge No. FHC/L/383C/2019, which is pending before Justice Nicholas Oweibo.

The Federal Government had commenced a criminal prosecution against  Senator Ubah in an eight-count charge on account of his indebtedness to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), sometimes in 2019.

The charge include alleged conspiracy in making false claims in relation to the actual values of certain assets transferred to AMCON under a consent judgment obtained in 2012 contrary to Section 54(1) of the AMCON Act.

At the resumption of the proceedings on Tuesday, June 13 this year, the prosecutor, Tunde Lawal from the law firm of Kunle Adegoke (SAN) informed the court that the defendants had been served with the amended charge and hearing notice of the business of the day.

He also told the court that at the last adjourned date, Ubah was not in Court, despite a hearing notice of that date served on him. On that basis, he sought issuance of a bench warrant against the lawmaker

However, counsel to the defendants, Ifeoma Esom, informed the Court that the matter was for report of settlement/plea and that they were unformed that morning that settlement talks had failed.

He said it was on the basis of settlement that the 1st defendant was not in Court.

The prosecutor objected to the defense counsel’s argument, saying settlement cannot be reported in a criminal matter, as parties may choose to settle outside the court but that cannot form part of the proceedings in a criminal case and the best that can happen is a plea bargain.

He added that settlement outside court does not give the 1st defendant, (Senator Ubah), the authority to be absent from the Court.

The Court declined to issue a bench warrant but ordered that summons be served on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah through his counsel, to appear in Court on the next date, which is Wednesday, October 18, 2023.

The Court also warned that a warrant would be issued for his arrest, if Ubah fails to appear in Court at the next adjourned date.

The Court then adjourned the matter to 18th October 2023 for arraignment.

The Federal Government had on December 4, 2019, filed charges against Ubah, for alleged false claims and a debt of N135 billion to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

One of the charges reads: ”That you, Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah, and Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited, sometime between 2012 and 2018, conspired in making false claims in relation to the actual values of certain assets-transferred to Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) under the consent judgment delivered in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/714/2012 on the 1st day of July, 2013 in partial payment of the Indebtedness of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited with a view to defeating the realisation of the said judgment debt of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited to AMCON, then standing In the sum of 135 Billion Naira contrary to Section 54(1)(a) and (d) of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria Act, 2010 (as amended).”

It is not certain whether Ubah’s decision to join the ruling party would earn him a safe landing in the Court or not. Only time would tell.