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Tag: Adams Oshiomhole

  • APC accuses INEC of leaking its official correspondences

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of leaking its official correspondences to the public and asked the commission to look into its internal mechanism for handling sensitive meals.

    The Party is not happy with the commission for leaking its letter notifying it of its proposed dates for party primaries in compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

    A time table for the primaries was published in a national daily, forcing the party to issue a denial, but a letter signed by the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole addressed to the INEC Chairman and received in August 17 by the commission surfaced media.

    Reacting to the development, Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena said the National Executive Committee of the party need to approve the time table for it became authentic.

    Read Also: 2019: Group asks NASS to pass INEC budget

    Nabena said “our attention has been drawn to a leaked letter the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole wrote to the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu informing the Commission of the schedule of the Congresses and Primaries to elect Party candidates for the 2019 General Elections.

    “These leaks of our sensitive and confidential correspondence to INEC is becoming commonplace and totally unacceptable. We strongly request that INEC looks into its internal handling of official correspondence and put a stop to these leaks.

    “While the leaked formal notification to INEC has been done by the APC pursuant to the provisions of Section 85 of the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended), we advise the general public particularly the media to wait for an official announcement from the Party as the leaked dates are subject to changes, if necessary.”

  • Delta APC chieftain commends Oshiomhole, Tinubu over direct primaries

    A chieftain of the Delta All Progressive Congress (APC), Hyacinth Enuha has commended the APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole for adopting direct primaries in the forthcoming party primaries, insisting that it will bring about progress in the nation’s democracy.

    He praised the national leader of APC and former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu for advocating it.

    Enuha said the party in Delta State is embarking on membership registration exercise to conduct direct primaries where candidates of the party would emerge for the 2019 general election.

    He said the party opted for direct primaries to discourage financial inducement of delegates by wealthy politicians which usually characterize delegates’ primaries leading to the emergence of unpopular candidates.

    According to Enuha, the registration exercise which is expected to begin nationwide from next week will cover old and new members, adding however that those who registered in 2013/2014, will be required to revalidate their membership.

    He said, “After the registration, permanent membership cards will be issued which will be the voting cards for the direct primaries. There will be no more issues of locking delegates in hotel rooms, feed them for three days and induce them with lots of money to vote for a particular person.

    Read Also: ‘Oshiomhole is God-sent to rescue APC’

    Continuing, “It will be difficult to bribe the entire members of the party at any level. So an aspirant does not need to have so much millions to emerge as candidate. What needs to be done is for the aspirants to mobilise the grassroots and convince them to vote for him or her. The direct primary is a popularity contest because the people know who they want.”

    The APC leader spoke in Ogwashi-Uku while playing host to an aspirant for the State House of Assembly seat for Aniocha South constituency, Mr. Victor Sorokwu who led his campaign team on a consultation visit.

    The APC leader in Delta North, who said he was overwhelmed by the level of commitment by the House of Assembly hopeful, assured Mr. Sorokwu of a level playing field for all the aspirants reminding him that the option of direct primary was adopted to make it easier for only those who are grassroots oriented to emerge as candidates.

    Sorokwu, a practicing journalist, had told his host that if supported and given the ticket, he is capable of dislodging the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and delivering the legislative seat to the APC.

  • ‘Oshiomhole is God-sent to rescue APC’

    A group, Buhari/Osibanjo Initiatives for Demonstrating Change in Nigeria has expressed satisfaction with the leadership ingenuity of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole describing him as God-sent to rescue the party from collapse for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

    In a statement issued in Abakaliki, the National Coordinator of the group, Comrade Chinedu Ogah noted that the National Working Committee of the party under the chairmanship of the former Edo state governor had brought sanity and rule of law to the party.

    He commended Oshiomhole for redeeming that image of APC which the group noted was in the precipice of destruction under the past leadership.

    Ogah stressed that the Open Direct Primaries proposed by the National chairman was apt, as it would bring power back to the people for the advancement of democracy both in the party and in the country.

    “I am particularly enthused with the leadership prowess of the national chairman of our party, Adams Oshiomhole. He has displayed enough expertise in party politics and that’s is why APC is gradually redeeming it’s image”.

    Read Also: How Saraki can retain Senate presidency – Oshiomhole

    “He is a God-sent to APC to rescue it from collapse and destruction. We are proud of him. The open direct primaries which he is proposing will certainly distinguish our party as the most democratic party in the country, where power rests on the people”.

    “His ability to unite most of the members of the party in the National assembly shows that the fortunes of the party in bright in the face of present challenges, Ogah said.

    He called on members of the party to support Oshiomhole in his efforts to rebuild APC, assuring that all the skirmishes and internal wrangling which made some people defect to other political parties were been sorted out.

    The group further enjoined other members of APC in the country to add voices on the agitation for the resignation of the Senate president, Bukola Saraki from the position.

  • Be patient with APC, Idahosa begs aggrieved APC members

    A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress in Edo State, Mr. Charles Idahosa, has begged aggrieved members of the party in the state not to defect from the party.

    Idahosa said those threatening to leave the APC should remain in the party and resolve their difference.

    Speaking at a press briefing in Benin City, Idahosa explained that the reason Edo APC must reconcile is because the party need work towards winning next year’s election now that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is the national chairman of the party.

    Idahosa noted that it was a shame that people are defecting from the APC even when President Mohammadu Buhari is performing.

    He said the solution to political problems is not defection but reconciliation for future victory.

    He debunked rumours mills that he planned to defect to other political parties.

    According to him, “Nobody should start threatening that we want to leave because we have a lot of work to do considering the fact that the President of this country, Muhammadu Buhari is doing very well.

    Read Also: Obaseki lauds Archbishop Margaret Idahosa at 75

    “Whether kings are dying or queens are mourning, Buhari is coming back as president of this country come 2019. We took this state from the clutches of dared devil politicians when we were in opposition and to God be the glory we fought battles, we won two elections in this state from the opposition.

    “Our son, Adams Oshiomhole is the national chairman. What shame will it be if he succeeds in doing all the job in 36 states of the federation and Edo state is in disarray?

    “You cannot leave this party for anybody because it is not their property when we voted. Did you see anybody’s name in the ballot paper? There is no Independent candidature here. All these things we are seeing are temporary and not enough to destroy the party.

    “I am one of the founding members of this party in the state, I know the role I played with other leaders. In the last few days and weeks, I have been very worried about the spate of defections, quarrelling and all that so I will use this medium to appeal to my people.

    “I have a lot of grievances against the party and I know a lot of our members have grievances too, but the truth of the matter is that when you are in a political party and you have any kind of disagreement with other members of the party, the solution to such problem is not to leave the party for another party, we all can stay inside this party and solve all our differences.”

  • Senate leadership not party positions – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday said Senate leadership positions did not belong to political parties but to Nigerians.

    National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, stated this in a statement in Abuja, and said principal officers in the chamber were elected by representatives elected by the people.

    Ologbondiyan, therefore, advised the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Adams Oshiomhole, to stop moves to change the leadership of the Senate, saying such was completely out of his reach.

    He said Oshiomhole should stop thinking that senate leadership could be changed by orders of a political party when the law settled that such power was vested only on two-third votes, representing 73 of the 109 senators.

    “Since Oshiomhole assumed office, the nation has witnessed various unimaginable constitutional infractions, including the invasion of Benue House of Assembly and the Ekiti State Government House by security agencies.

    “The escalated harassment of federal legislators and persons perceived to be averse to APCs’ re-election bid.

    “The siege at the residences of Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, by security agencies as well as the recent invasion of the National Assembly by security operatives.”

    Ologbondiyan called on Nigerians and the international community to note the activities of Oshiomhole, alleging that he was being directed from some quarters.

    He, however, said that the PDP held firmly that the APC was fighting a lost battle.

    Ologbondiyan said Nigerians could not be intimidated into their resolve to return the nation to the path of peace, national cohesion and economic prosperity, on the platform of the re-positioned PDP in 2019.

  • APC nullifies Shehu Sani’s suspension

    The National secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday declared the suspension Senator representing Kaduna Central senatorial district of Kaduna state, Senator Shehu Sani as null and void and lifted the suspension.
    The party direct the Kaduna state chairman of of the party to convey the decision to the Tudun Wada Ward of the party and ensure compliance inline with the peace initiatives of President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
    The senator who was expected to defect from the APC along with his aggrieved colleagues in the National Assembly opted to remain in the APC following the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari and the party chairman, as well as former Kaduna state Governor, Abdulkadir Baralabe Musa.
    In a statement on Sunday signed by the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Yekini Nabena, the APC said: “The National Secretariat has received the news of the suspension of Senator Shehu Sani by the Tudun Wada ward Chairman and wish to clarify that the purported suspension of Distinguished Senator Shehu Sani representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District is hereby lifted and is confirmed as a bonafide Member and leader of our party.
    “The Chairman Kaduna State Chapter has been directed to inform the relevant Ward and Local Government chapters appropriately, and also  put the necessary mechanism towards complementing the efforts of the National leadership towards ensuring lasting peace and unity in the party”.
    The Nation gathered that the Presidency is not happy with the decision to suspend the Senator few days after displaying his loyalty to the President and the party by staying back in the party.
    A senior member of the party said the leadership was shocked to receive the news of Senator Sani’s suspension and felt that those behind it cannot truly be working foe the interest of the party and the President.
    The party official who would not want to be names “because I do t have the mandate to speak for the party said “we feel that considering what is going on in the party, this is not the right time for anybody who has the interest of the President and the party at heart to think of suspending anyone, definitely not a Senator who is supporting the President
    It will be recalled that Senator Sani had shunned the idea of defecting to the PDP like other APC National Assembly members following the peace moves initiated by the National chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

  • Oshiomhole to PDP: I choose to be an attack dog

    National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has told the Peoples Democratic Party that he would rather be an attack dog than be a mushroom eater.

    Oshiomhole explained that the reason he opted for the tactics he is deploying as National Chairman of the APC was because of the party’s commitment to the Nigeria people.

    Oshiomhole who spoke to reporters at the Bénin Airport while en route to Sapele in Delta State said the APC would continue to engage and pro-attack whether the opposition called him attack dog or not.

    The former Edo Governor stated that the APC would deploy the labour tactics to humble the PDP in Kwara, Benue and Sokoto State.

    According to him, “I asked you to understand that what is at stake is beyond the APC and the PDP. Nigeria is much more than the sum total of all the political parties.

    “We will see who is who in February next year. In Edo, they made this argument that politics is different from labour but we used labour tactics to humble them and they became converted. Exactly the same tactics we used it in Edo, will be used either in Kwara, Benue or Sokoto or anywhere.

    “This is not about me, it is not about them, it is about the Nigeria people. I will not adopt the ruling class tactics to deal with a cankerworm of disease. I offer different style in order to get different outcome.”

    Addressing thousands of APC supporters who were at the Bénin Airport to welcome him, Oshiomhole said the APC under his leadership would not borrow what he termed other people’s style.

    Oshiomhole urged the APC supported not to despair as he would work with President Buhari to ensure the party meets their aspirations.

    He promised to work with Governor Godwin Obaseki to ensure that any concerns the party members have would be addressed satisfactorily.

    According to him, “I will represent the feelings, the aspirations and I will meet your expectations as far as the running of the All Progressives Congress is concerned. We will have to fight odds on the basis of our conviction and we will adjust our style; we will not borrow other peoples style. I am very proud of my working class background and we will bring those values into the leadership and management of the APC.

    Read Also: Resign now, Yoruba youths tell Saraki

    “I will ensure working together with President Buhari that government focuses on the people; that government will not focus on the welfare of the few at the expense of the majority; that government must do everything possible to ensure that those who work have something to show for their labour. We must support the President and the APC to remove all those thieves, all those looters who believe it is their birthright to continue to loot.

    “I want to assure you that the tradition of carry our people along will be sustained. You represent what I call our infantry division. You the ones on election day who ensure that our voters come out. You are the ones who ensure that the PDP rigging machine was defeated. We must keep you as a standing point, together we will match on and will ensure that everyone who works is looked after.

    “I know there are people with all kinds of stories but let me assure you that after the storm the weather will settle. Trust me, as you have not abandoned me, I will never abandon you. To our youths, I want to particularly appeal to you; don’t lose faith. There will be work, there will be participation; there will be involvement. We will not throw away anybody.

    “Nobody will be used and dumped. If yesterday has come beautiful, tomorrow will be better.”

  • I am not ready to dump APC – Kalu

    …..Says crisis in party will be resolved

     

    Former Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu on Wednesday said he is not ready to defect from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), because it is not moral for politicians to move from one party to the other preparatory to every election circle.

    He said people who are afraid of losing election in Abia State are responsible for spreading falsehood about loyalty to the APC.

    Kalu, however spared a thought for the ongoing EFCC trail, affirming that he will challenge the “No Case Submission “, at the Court of Appeal.

    He said he remains in the ruling party to deepen democracy, because only politicians who see politics as a do or die affair, that move from party to party

    Speaking to reporters at a private terminal at the international wing of the Lagos Airport, Kalu described as ‘capital naked fallacy’, insinuations that he was returning to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    He however described the gale of defections from APC to PDP, as an unhealthy development that is though driven by choice, but not good for democracy.

    Kalu said: “I am not leaving the APC. That is what l will call a capital naked fallacy; l am not going back to PDP. I left PDP  since 2006 and l have never been back, l have been a member of Progressives People’s Alliance  before l  joined APC when l found out that Nigeria has gone to two party systems. “Honestly going back to PDP is not really an option for me. I will rather go to my farm in Igbere and farm. I don’t think there is any truth in the rumour. It is just people who knew that they are already losing Abia because they no they will lose Abia with me standing.”

    Kalu, however, spared a though for the gale of defections hitting the ruling party, saying the development calls for caution, by the leadership of the party.

    He said “We are in trouble. Anybody saying APC is not in trouble is not saying the truth but we will come out of it,  but you see the President has remain like a true leader and father of all that he is, you have not seen him abuse  anybody. Defecting and not defecting is a question of choice.  We acknowledge we have a problem and we are going to fine-tune a strategy to resolve it.”

    We are in trouble of political business because we are in political business and we are going to find political solutions to the myriad of political business we have at hand. Every trouble has solution and we are going to find solution to the problem we have now.

    “It is the choice of the senate president to defect. You know we are all friends. He left PDP before to come to the APC. What l don’t like about the defection is that it shouldn’t be a recurring decimal whereby at any slightest thing, we jump to another political party.

    “Saraki father was my father; l was like his first son. I cannot speak ill of him. He has made his decision and l cannot stop him that will not stop me from going to his house to eat food. The other day l was in Atiku’s house but l am a core supporter of Buhari. People are just playing politics as if it is a do or die affair. One thing is clear, by 2019, one person must win this presidency not two people.”

    He said it is not moral to condemn the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki for defecting to the PDP, because the Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is already addressing the issue.

    Kalu said “I think Chairman Oshiomhole is looking at that and he will come out policy that we will present at the national executive committee of the party. The leadership of the party is looking at the present solution. Rome was not built in a day. PDP was a party formed barely 20 years ago and APC is just 3 years old so there must be fighting just like we saw in the early days of PDP up till 2006 we were fighting.

    “People like me were deregistered from my pdp but l didn’t leave PDP, we were de-registered by Obasanjo, myself, Atiku,  Boni  Haruna and the and rest. It is a continuous thing but l want people to be patient, we would be able to get what we  are looking for but if not we wont get to our desired destination because political processes evolves over time. I keep  saying that in political development, the hardware is not the selling point, successes of any political development is  the software. The software means obeying the rule of law.”

    Kalu, said the “No Case Submission “, will be addressed at a court of higher jurisdiction.

    Read Also: Judge gets leave to conclude Kalu’s trial

    He said “You saw on Wednesday l lost the case of my no case submission in the court and l am not abusing the judge talk ill of the judge, that was the opinion of the judge and l am going to a higher court to seek appeal and even go to the Supreme court where l will seek the opinion of another jurist. This is what l preach to government, individuals, corporations that we must obey the rule of law. Unless everybody sees a lion from the same point that it is a lion. I want to advice that government at all levels and individuals should start obeying the court record. Once we obey the laws of the court and those of the land, we become freer.”

    Kalu said his interest in running for the Abia North Senatorial Seat, under the platform of the APC, is to smoothen the relationship between the legislative and executive arms of government.

    He said “My interest has always been to be relevant politically and what l am going to do for the people of Abia north and Nigeria generally. I am going to be a very strong voice in the senate by making a lot of difference like l did when l was in the House of Representatives, in the aborted Third Republic. I was the one who sponsored the bill that was passed into law for dual citizenship of Nigerians which was the only bill that Babangida signed as a president.

    “I am going to also unfold a lot of things that will first come to my constituency in Abia north so that they will now know that they have a senator representing them; secondly the Abia people will know they have a voice of a vibrant senator and then Nigerians. I will work across board in the six geo-political zones to formulate policies on education, healthcare. Education remains the most important gift any government should give its citizens.

    “I am also going to be formulating on agriculture. My duty is to work with the President and ensure a cordial working relationship with the executive and legislature. It is only when we have such relationship that progress is made. I employ today 9, 000 workers in Nigeria, l am going to bring my management skill to bear on the discharge of my duties.”

    The former Abia State Governor, however lauded government on the proposed national carrier, Nigeria Air, describing it as one of the best decisions taken by the government.

    He said “The government has done fantastically what l believe should be done. It should be replicated in the rail, waterways, shipping line and others. Govt. should just owe five percent. I must praise the minister of state for aviation and the people that put the structure that is making waves today. Those structures are solid ones and if they can maintain it, Nigeria Air will compete with other foreign carriers that dominate our airspace. I laud the good initiative for a country like Nigeria spending all our money on foreign airlines; it is good we have a strong dominant airline back up by government.

    “Ethiopian airlines is still own by government. I maintain all my aircraft with them so l know that they are capable of doing. Government should not event stop at that, they should allow the private sector initiative to go into the new shipping line and others.

    “Those criticizing it never knew that it is only true government that you can build a strong economy. It is only when government invests in economy manage by private sector that we can have moved forward.”

  • Imo APC inaugurates State, LG Executives

    …party to embark on membership revalidation

    The Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has formerly inaugurated the state, Local Government and Ward Executives of the party with a call for massive membership drive across the state.

    The State Chairman, Daniel Nwafor who was inaugurated in Abuja, Tuesday, by the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomole, disclosed that the party will immediately commence membership revalidation.

    Newly elected State chairman of the party, Daniel Nwafor disclosed this on Wednesday during the swearing – in of the state executive officers, Local Government and ward chairmen of the party in Owerri.

    Conducting the oath of office on the members of the State Working Committee, Nwafor, assured that none of the party Executives will be shut out in the scheme of things, adding that the priority of the party is to unite every aggrieved member.

    He further assured that the state chapter of the party will continue to the Oshiomole-led National Working Committee, stating that the State Working Committee will mobilize massively to ensure landslide victory for the party in the state.

    According to him “APC will do more, I assure all  LGA Exco members that nobody would be shut out, we would recognize one leader and that is our Governor, Rochas Okorocha, we also promise to support the leaders at the national level. We will help our party Chairman to win convincingly and we shall also support Buhari to return in 2019”.

    Read Also: Imo APC chieftain murdered

    He continued that,  “APC is the only party that can win election in 2019 because we would present the best candidates, we shall continue to recognize governor Okorocha as our leader until a new governor emerges, the storm is over this is a new dawn, APC will grow stronger and claim our deserved victory soon”.

    Meanwhile the Imo state governor has congratulated APC State Chairman, Daniel Nwafor over his successful swearing-in by the National Chairman of the Party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

    The governor in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, noted that “with the election of Mr. Nwafor at the State Congress of the Party and his subsequent swearing-in as the State Chairman of Imo APC, members of the Party, no doubt, have gotten an active Chairman considering what was obtainable in the Party in the past four years”.

    The governor also noted that “With Mr. Nwafor’s wealth of experience in administration and his feat in education, he is fully equipped and enviably prepared to offer Imo APC the kind of leadership that befits a ruling Party”.

    He charged Mr. Nwafor to “pursue with vigour his promise to party members on the day he was elected that he would be Chairman to all and would provide a level playing ground for all those with aspirations”.

    The governor equally advised Mr. Nwafor “to work harmoniously with other members of the State Executive Committee since they are all partners in Progress and to reposition the Party so that the ugly experience that associated with the past Exco could be forgotten”.

    Comrade Oshiomhole for, not only swearing-in Mr. Nwafor but for also working hard to inject new life into the Party, to the glory of God and to the delight of members across the nation.

  • Ortom’s exit from APC a blessing to us – Oshiomhole

    Says Governor making political capital on the graves of Benue people

     

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said Friday that Benue State that the exit of Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom from the party was a blessing in disguise to the APC, saying his three and half years as governor in the stage was a waste as he had no single project to show for the mandate given to him by the party.

    Addressing a news conference at the party secretariat, Comrade Oshiomhole said even though the party leadership had attempted to wade into the conflict between the governor and leaders of the party in Benue State, he could not successfully defend the weighty allegation leveled against him by the leaders of the party in the state.

    He said that at the instance of the Governor, the National leadership of the party had arranged another meeting to bring north Gov. Ortom and party leaders in the state to a round table with the meeting scheduled to hold on Wednesday, July 24 only for the governor to turn governance to “nollywood”.

    Oshiomhole said “Within the last 48 hours we have watched the unfolding events in Benue State particularly the decision of Gov, Ortom to leave the party. Ordinarily, we would not have responded having already responded to the decision by the Publicity Secretary.

    “As you all recall, Gov. Ortom had said that the APC in Benue State gave him red card to leave our party and that they will not field him in the governorship election in 2018 and that because the door had been shut against him, he had no choice than to leave. Without going into investigations, we invited him to speak to us on the issues and we also invited our party leaders in Benue State to also brief us on what the issues were.

    “From the point of view of our leaders in Benue State, their position was clear that field Gov. Ortom On APC platform in 2019 can only lead to electoral defeat for a number of reasons.

    “They reminded us that inspite of the allocation accruing to Benue State, the bail our fund amount to over N20 billion and the huge sums of money collected from the Paris club refund, he was not paying salaries to Benue workers, including teachers, local government employees and civil servants. He owes some of the as much as 12months salaries.

    “So, the entire economy of Benue State that survives on civil servants salaries is to that effect compromised. What is not obvious is that those who live on rents paid by civil servants cannot collect their rents with which to survive, thereby having effect on the commercial live of the people. This explains a vicious circle of poverty in Benue State that has been deepened under Gov. Ortom.

    Read Also: Ortom appoints BIRS chairman

    “The second is that Gov. Ortom has complicated, by his own actions, and poor judgment the security situation in the state. They draw our attention to the fact that some of those that have been arrested as a result of the killings are people who have been associated with him, including people in his employment, especially a guy known to have been involved in Boko Haram whom he recruited to manage what they called forest guard.

    “These people have been arrested and are in police custody. If an appointee of a Governor is involved in a heinous crime, including killing that will be enough for a governor to worry about. Instead, he played up the ethnic dimension of criminality, even though some of those killed were killed not by Muslims, but Christian of Benue State origin, including those he employed.

    “These people have been in police custody, so, his attempt to explain away criminality by playing the ethnic card is unhelpful to what he should as governor to manage the situation better. After all, those in Benue State have always been there and his predecessors, including Suswam had found ways to manage these diversities. So, Ortom’s incapacity to manage it and even seek to make political capital of the death of Benue people is unfortunate.

    “It is important that Nigerians understand that the condemnable killings of two Reverend Fathers and some Christians in a church, those who have confessed to these crimes include people who have worked with Gov. Ortom an these killings were done few weeks after one of them was extremely critical during his sermon about the governance of the state and the style of governance of the Governor.

    “His price obviously was to pay with his dear life and not a few thought that the governor would celebrate that. I am not about to suggest that Gov, Ortom might have asked anybody to go and kill anyone, but that some of those involved in these killings are Benue State originated are Christians.

    “That is not to deny that some herdsmen have also been involved in the killings. But the responsibility of any government is not to seek to manipulate this, but to confront it.

    “There was also the fact that for three and half years that he has been in office, he cannot point to any concrete project that he has carried out. He cannot point to any major project that has been completed.

    “When we asked him these questions and allegations that why the Vice President and the President has visited other states to Commission projects, in Benue, they have only paid condolence visit. It is okay to lament the absence of federal presence, but what is the excuse for the absence of state projects in the state.

    “His argument is that he has diverted a lot of the resources to security issue. That raises the issue. Can you be spending N22 billion on security and the people are increasingly insecure? So if you accept that he spent money on security, it meant that he realizes that he has a responsibility to secure life and not pass the bulk.

    “So, I felt scandalized watching him saying he had to leave the APC because he did not feel secure. To be honest, I am relieved as National Chairman and the leadership of our party in Benue State are relieved that he has returned to where he came from.

    “So, we now have a clean platform to search for a credible Benue citizen that can provide the kind of leadership that the Benue State deserve and not one who seek to make political capital out of human graves and celebrating the death of his own people.

    “As a party, we condemn any life that has been wasted by criminals and we accept that government responsibility is to protect live and property. But I condemn anyone of us who seek to make political capital out of these killings because we have shared responsibility to protect their lives regardless of their religion or location. So, we are re lived that Ortom has returned.

    “When you look at it, he got our ticket on a platter of gold because he was never a participant in the building process of the party. He became a candidate by accident. The lesson to learn is that never again should people become candidates by accident.”

    On the allegation that he was being victimized for refusing to share state resources with the party leaders in the state, Oshiomhole said “If a governor confessed that he shared government money to party leaders, is that the reasons he will be re-elected?

    “Then if he has shared the government money with party leaders then the party leaders should try to keep in in office by guarantee him the ticket since he shared the money with them. If on the other hand he claimed that he refused to share the money, good therefore what have you done with the money?

    “You couldn’t pay the workers salaries with the money you refused to share, have you built more roads for the people of Benue state? What have you accomplished with this bailout fund and the Paris fund?

    “So let me assure that what I do promised, and please mark my word each time I speak, those negotiable and verifiable grievances we would address. And I said we won’t deny somebody ticket on account of a conflict between him and any other person if he is at home with his people, even yesterday I emphasized that.

    “When people say automatic ticket, does it guarantee automatic victory when people are against you? I said so. Because we didn’t give you departure ticket, so how are we going to gice you a return ticket?

    “So, I couldn’t assure gov Ortom that we will overrule the posution of our members and leaders in Benue state that come 2019 we will give him ticket. I wanted to simply cross chect with him in the allegations made against him and he was to come by Wednesday that is why he organised that drama.

    “And that tells you the quality of reasoning, with all due respect to Governor Ortom, how can you reduce governance to Nollywood, saying hen I wanted to go to Abuja to meet with the National Working Committee but my people have blocked the road that I will not go. When has it become a case that when a governor want to travel it is on the radio that he is travelling and this is the purpose.”