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Tag: Adams Oshiomhole

  • APC has not shut out any governor – Oshiomhole

    Says security agents must wake up and act now on killings

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said on Monday that the party has not shut its doors to any governor elected on the platform of the party, dismissing reports of reported exit of Benue state Governor, Samuel Ortom as a mere rumor.

    Speaking with newsmen at the secretariat after a meeting of the National Working Committee, Oshiomhole also said Nigerians must come together with the same vigor they fought the Boko Haram insurgency to be able to defeat the menace of herdsmen killings rather than attaching ethnic and religious sentiments to the killings.

    He told the security agents to wake up to their responsibilities as no one will be satisfied with making explanations or try to explain away why we cannot secure human lives especially of a Nigerian citizen within the borders of Nigeria.

    Responding to a question on the reported exit of the Benue state governor who alleged that he was pushed out of the party, Oshiomhole said the governor had assured him on several occasion that he will not be leaving the party, pointing out that if he has actually left, the party would need to study the situation before formally reacting to it.

    He said: “I know that governor Ortom is a very senior member of the party and he has said so repeatedly in print and has said to me one on one basis that he will not leave the APC unless he was pushed out.

    “I have since assumed chairmanship of this party along with my colleagues in the NWC and I know of a fact that we have not shut out any governor and certainly not governor Ortom.

    “In these days of social media, I will not be responding on the basis of rumor and unverified reports. In fact, talking about unconfirmed sources, on Saturday, I was in Lagos to honour an appointment that had been booked for over the past six months and I felt obliged to honour that appointment and yet some of these merchants of untruth and fabricators of fake news posted all sorts of stories including one of which I was being interviewed in Ekiti.

    “I was only there in Monday to address Labour leaders and on Tuesday, to participate in the grand finale of the campaigns of which Mr President was there and I left Ekiti that same day on the same aircraft as Mr President.”

    Oshiomhole said the party is concerned about the rising wave of killings across the country, adding that security agents in the country must wake up and prove to the Nigerian people that they have the capacity to defend them and ensure the safety of lives and property.

    He said: “We have also deliberated on the unfortunate incident that occurred in Sokoto state last week in which a number of innocent Nigerians were killed in cold blood by gunmen.

    “We are worried about this and our preliminary investigations showed that those affected come from a part of the state that can be said to quite rural and probably a place where people don’t even have cattle. All they have is just their farm land.

    “This killing, like other killings across the country is condemnable and the NWC condemn them in the strongest words possible, we believe that every Nigerian, regardless of his location has a right to life.

    “We admit that the minimum obligation of government is to protect lives and property and we urge our security chiefs to do everything possible not only to arrest all those involved in this senseless killing, but to do everything possible to be seen to have the competence to protect lives and property.

    “No one will be satisfied with making explanations or try to explain away why we cannot secure human lives especially of a Nigerian citizen within the borders of Nigeria.

    “We want to strongly appeal to all Nigerians and the media should help us in this process. This is the only country that we have and so, we must do everything to give every Nigerian a sense of security regardless of his accident of birth place which some people refer to as ethnic origin or his choice of residence of religious belief.

    “It is not helpful to national efforts of security lives and property if any Nigerian, including religious leaders and Media seeks to explain criminality in terms of religion or ethnic nationality. This is unhelpful in terms of our collective responsibility to work with security agencies to provide useful information that can lead to the arrest of criminals and also help them to preempt any plan by criminals to undermine our collective security.

    Read Also: Oshiomhole gets spokesman

    “Those responsible for the wanton killings in Sokoto and those who are victims are of the same ethnic origin and unarguably of the same religious persuasion. It is the same thing in Zamfara state.

    “It is not between one ethnic group or the other and so, if these criminals found themselves in other parts of the country as they have done from time to time, and their victims are of different ethnic origin, we should insist that we treat them for who they are, criminals that government has a duty to pursue and chase out of the territory of Nigeria and all those who are perpetuating crimes be brought to justice in accordance with the provisions of our laws.

    “As a nation, we should all be united, not only in co democracy in this wanton killing, but also in helping government to do what it has to do compel security agents to live up to their mandate. It is clearly unhelpful and it bothers on divisive politics if we seek to disguise criminality either in religious terms or ethnic terms.

    “Government has a duty to protect all citizens regardless of their religious belief. I ask the Media to help us to educate the people that it does not help the process of law enforcement if crime and criminality are identified in terms of their ethnic origin or their religion.

    “But we are together as a party and Nigerians that this killings stand condemned and our security must do everything possible to convince Nigerians that under their leadership, we are safe and secured. They must continue to review their operational modalities in the light of emerging threats.

    “The Buhari government is determined to do everything possible to secure the live and property of every Nigerian. That is one of the key objectives that this government committed itself to.

    Unfortunately, as much as we have made progress, we cannot but commend the President and security agents in decimating Boko Haram.

    “Unfortunately, while we are making progress in this area, new form of criminality is emerging, we need the same kind of national effort and unanimity in working together to defeat this new criminals that are emerging. We will work with the government and encourage them to do everything it has to do to bring criminals to justice and secure the lives of every Nigerian.”

  • Ex-Oshiomhole ADC joins Kogi Senatorial race

    A former Aide de Camp to former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Yusuf Abiona Haruna, has declared his intention to run for the Kogi Central Senatorial seat in 2019,

    Haruna who is currently the Chief Security Officer in Governor Godwin Obaseki administration said he would be contesting the election under the All Progressive Congress.

    Speaking in a chat with newsmen in Bénin City, Haruna said he opted to join in the race because he has garnered political experience to make the society better.

    Haruna stated that he does not want to return to a regimented environment like the Nigeria Police Force because the political experience he has may not be useful there.

    He said he learnt a lot about management of funds and human beings while working under Oshiomhole.

    Read Also: Oshiomhole gets spokesman

    According to him, “It never crossed my mind to go into politics or run for elections but just like they said, the environment can change your life and can also change your lifestyle. Having served with Oshiomhole, I believe that I have acquired the experience.

    “Oshiomhole is a man who has eyes for details and being under his tutelage for eight years, he taught me how to manage humans. I also develop interest on how he manages the public fund under his care. Having acquired all this knowledge, what do I do with it?

    “Do I now leave and go back to the police or I transfer this knowledge into the political environment where it can translate to prosperity or assets to my people? Political experience may not be useful when you take it to a regimented environment like the police.

    “It does mean that if I leave this political environment to the Police, it then means I will need to start learning again to suit the lifestyle. I believe that I have all it takes to drive the wheel of change, I have all it takes to make a difference,  I have what the it takes the narratives of the people of Kogi Central.”

  • APC crisis: Oshiomhole meets Kwankwaso, Tambuwal

    Wants leaders to sacrifice for party

     

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has met with former Kano State Governor  Rabiu Kwankwaso and Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state in his latest round of peace talks with aggrieved members of the party.

    Oshiomhole had earlier met with Senate President Bukola Saraki,House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara  and the APC caucuses in the two chambers of the National assembly with a view to persuading from dumping the party.

    More meetings have been scheduled to resolve the issues at stake, his chief press secretary, Simon Ebegbulem told The Nation on Friday.

    Ebegbulem said Oshiomhole has been very busy since his assumption of office to salvage the situation.

    He said “Since he assumed office, he has not slept well, always meeting with aggrieved members till the early hours of the morning.

    “He has met with Saraki, Tambuwal and Dogara. He has been pleading that they should all remain in the party so they can build it together.

    “He also has this regret that the issues were allowed to linger for too long before he came into office.

    Read Also: Tambuwal, Wamakko crisis deepens

    “He met with the APC Caucus in the senate and the House twice seeking for peace. He met with Tambuwal, Kwankwaso individually and Saraki severally pleading for peace.

    “As we speak he is still talking to them. We believe that the kind of implosion that people are envisaging may not happen. So his efforts are yielding results and he is determined to ensure that he brings many of them back to the fold.

    “I want you to also know that he had experienced sleepless night dealing with the crisis in the party and the Ekiti state election. He has stressed the need for party leaders across board to bury their pride so they can achieve success.

    “For him, the re-election of President Buhari is a priority and he has made it abundantly clear that any party leader who fails to embrace peace may be axed.

    “For him ensuring peace ahead of the general election is not negotiable and any party leader who constitutes himself into nuisance in the search for peace may suffer the wrath of the party”.

  • RAPC members ask court to sack Oshiomhole-led APC EXCO

    …Seek to be made party leaders pending holding of fresh elections

     

    The Reformed All Progressive Congress (RAPC) has sued the National Chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole and 53 others before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

    The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1734/18, filed Thursday, has as plaintiffs, Buba Galadima, Kazeem Afegbua (from Edo State), Nicholas Asuzu (Anambra State and Alhaji Hadi Ametuo (Kogi State), who claimed to be suing for themselves and other national officers, state chairmen and executives of the APC.

    Named as defendants are the members of the National executives led by Adams Oshiomhole, members of NWC, the chairmen of each of 36 states executive council, INEC and APC.

    The suit was filed for the plaintiffs by their lawyer, through Tolu Babalaye.

    Read Also:Saraki, Dogara, Kwankwaso, Baraje, others form R-APC

    In their statement of claim, the plaintiffs claimed that the APC is harbouring intractable divisions and the party is awaiting a massive implosion and might collapse finally unless steps are taken by reform-minded members to address the issues.

    They stated that the trouble in the APC got out of hand after the congresses recently conducted by the APC at the ward, local government and state levels, which culminated in the purported national NWC of the party, held on June 23, 2018.

    The plaintiffs stated that APC has become factionalized and this is no longer a secret as the crisis tearing the party to pieces at the National and sub-national levels are in public domain.

    They argued that the manner in which the APC’s national convention was conducted has deepened the division within the party and exacerbated the leadership crisis from wards to the national level.

    They claimed that most members of the party feel alienated and this has resulted in open and massive divisions, fictionalization, and disenchantment within the rank and file of the party.

    The plaintiffs are praying the court for a declaration that having regard to the constitution of APC, particularly Article 20 thereof,  the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,  Electoral Act,  the election conducted by the party at Eagle on June 23,2018 is invalid,  null and void.

    They also want the court to declare that being no valid election at the National convention of APC, thereby leaving a vacuum, the reform-minded faction of APC known as the Reformed All Progressive Congress validly constituted the plaintiffs and the other National officers and state executives of APC to fill the vacuum and act in the interim capacities as officers of the APC.

    They therefore pray the court for an order of perpetual induction restraining 1st to 52nd defendants from parading themselves or claiming to be officers of APC  or performing any discussion as officers of the party in any capacity whatsoever as their elections and swearing in as officers of APC as invalid, null and void.

    The Galadima led group wants the court to grant an order of perpetual injunction restraining APC from holding the Oshiomhole led executive council and all the state executive council as either national officers, members of the NWC, zonal executives and state executives of the APC.

    They want an order of perpetual injunction restraining APC from harassing, intimidating, suspending or expelling any of or all the plaintiffs from the APC,  or taking any steps whatsoever to terminate the membership, rights and entitlements in the APC.

    The plaintiffs equally prayed for an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from recognizing or accepting the defendants as either national officers, members of NWC, zonal executives or state executives of the APC.

    They also want the court to grant an order directing INEC to recognize the plaintiffs who are members of the reform-minded faction of APC as current interim NWC, zonal executives or state executives of the APC and accord them all rights and privileges appertaining to the respective office pending the holding of valid elections by the party.

    The case is yet to be assigned to a judge for hearing.

    The plaintiffs’ prayers include:

    *A declaration that having regard to the Constitution of the All Progressives Congress, particularly, Article 20 thereof, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,, the Electoral Act, the election conducted by the party at Eagles Square, Abuja, on June 23, 2018 is invalid, null and void, particularly the purported election of the following persons in the the following respective offices, namely: National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; National Welfare Secretary, Alhaji Ibrahim Masari; National Financial Secretary, Alhaji Tunde Bello; National Physically Challenged, Misbahu L. Didi;  Zonal Secretary North-Central, Dr. Zakari Muhammad; Zonal Organising Secretary North Central, Ibrahim M. Abdul; Zonal Women Leader North-Central, Hajia Hassana Abdullahi; Ex-Officio North Central, Nelson Abba; Zonal Secretary North East, Abubakar Sadiq Ajia; Ex-Officio North-East Mallam Isah Azare; Zonal Secretary North-West, Tukur A. Gusau; Zonal Organising Secretary, North-West,  Abdulmunab Muhammad; Ex-Officlo, North West Nasiru Haladu Danu; Zonal Woman Leader South-South, Mrs. Rachael Akpabio; Ex-Officio, South-South Kotenten Ibadan; Zonal Secretary South-West,Ayo Afolabi; Zonal Women Leader, South-West, Mrs. Kemi Nelson; Ex-Offlcio South-West Omoloye O. Akintola.

    *A declaration that there being no valid election at the National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on June 23, 2018 at the Eagle Square, Abuja, thereby leaving a vacuum, the reform-minded faction of APC known as the REFORMED ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (R-APC) validly constituted the plaintiffs and the other National Officers and State Executives of APC to fill the vacuum and act In interim capacities as officers of the APC.

    “An order of perpetual Injunction restraining the 1st to 52nd defendants from parading themselves or claiming to be officers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) or performing any function as officers of the party in any capacity whatsoever as their elections and swearing in as officers of APC are invalid, null and void.

    “An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 53rd defendant from holding out the 1st -52nd defendants as either national officers, members of the National Working Committee , Zonal Executives or State Executives of the All progressives Congress.

    “An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 53rd defendant from holding out the 1st – 52nd defendant as either national officers or performing any function as officers of the National Working Committee, or state executive of the All Progressive Congress.

    “An order of perpetual Injunction restraining the 53rd defendant from harassing, intimidating, suspending or expelling any of or all the plaintiffs from the All Progressives Congress; or taking any steps whatsoever to harass, intimidate, suspend or expel or abridge or terminate the plaintiffs’ memberships’ rights and entitlements in the All Progressives Congress.

    *An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 54th defendant from recognising or accepting the 1st – 62nd defendants as either National Working Committee, Zonal Executives of the All Progressives Congress.

    *An order directing the 54th defendant to recognise the plaintiffs who are members of the reformed-minded faction of the All Progressives Congress as the current Interim National Officers, members of the National Working Committee, Zonal Executives or State Executives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and accord them all tights and privileges appertaining to the respective to the respective offices pending the holding of valid elections by the party.

     

  • Oshiomhole appoints Ebugbulem as chief press secretary

    The Nation Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has appointed the Vanguard Correspondent in Benin, Simon Ebegbulem as his Chief Press Secretary.

    The appointment of Ebegbulem was contained in a letter signed by the National Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni.

    In a letter signed by the National Secretary of the APC, Hon. Mai. Mala Buni, it said Mr Ebegbulem shall “perform all the functions of a Chief Press Secretary and any such duties as may be assigned to you by the National Chairman”.

  • Oshiomhole goes tough on ministers

    National chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has frowned at the delay by some cabinet ministers to inaugurate Boards of government parastatal under their ministries despite a Presidential directive for them to do so.

    He said the party will no longer tolerate any willful disregard to directives either from the party or from the government by any appointee of government.

    Oshiomhole is specifically not happy with the Ministers of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige and Minister of State, Aviation and asked them to immediately comply and inaugurate all the Boards under their Ministries within one week or face the wrath of the party.

    The Ministry of Labour and Employment is yet to inaugurate the Board of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund following an investigation of the activities of the agency for fraud by the government.

    In a letter addressed to the Ministers, dated 11th July 2018, the APC chairman expressed concern that the Ministers have failed to reconstitute the Boards in contravention of the position of the National Executive Council of the party and the Presidential directives to all Ministers, describing it as a great disrespect to the party.

    Read Also: Oshiomhole: Only mercenaries are leaving APC

    The letter said: “this is to inform you that the attention of the National Working Committee has been drawn to your refusal to inaugurate members of the re-constituted Boards under the supervision of your Ministry.

    “This contravenes the position of the NEC, National Caucus and the Presidential Directives to all Ministers to inaugurate Boards of Parastatals under their Ministries. We find this attitude as disrespect to the President and disservice to our great party.

    “The party will henceforth no longer tolerate any appointee of government at all level who continue to willfully disregard lawful instructions from either the government or the party.

    “In the light of the forging, you are hereby directed to inaugurate all the boards under your Ministry within one week, failure of which the party will take appropriate disciplinary measures against you”.

  • Oshiomhole: Only mercenaries are leaving APC

    Says PDP members still occupying top positions in government to go soon

     

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on Wednesday described those leaving the party as mercenaries who joined the party for personal gains, assuring party members all PDP members still holding sensitive positions in the current government will soon be flushed out.

    Oshiomhole who spoke while inaugurating the non-NWC members of the party leadership elected at its recently concluded national convention said while he is ready to go to any length to persuade and appeal to genuine people who are aggrieved, he will not intimidated by any coalition against the party.

    He said the formation of the Coalition of United Political Parties led by the PDP was a clear admittance by the main opposition and other political parties that they don’t have what it takes to unseat the current government.

    He said the party was “aware that even as at today, we still have a lot of PDP people occupying very important positions in federal agencies. We will do everything possible to purge these elements out of the system because we are a party of change.

    “They are the conservative right-wing party. We cannot entrust to conservative forces an agenda for change. Government is not in the Villa. Villa is the head of government. Government is in the agencies – what they do, how they do it, the quality of service delivery and the style of that service delivery.

    “That is how the ordinary man interfaces with power and if these agencies are in the hands of those who do not believe in our change agenda, then we cannot expect miracles from them.

    “And for those who are aggrieved as to how certain things are done, those who question that they do not seem to see the difference because substantially, PDP is still managing these agencies, we have a duty to convince the federal executive that this government has no business with any PDP in sensitive federal agencies and using their old tactics in service delivery. That, I believe is a task that all of us must pursue.

    “I believe that we now must work consciously to ensure that in replacing, we replace sinners with believers. Believers are those who are card-carrying members of our party and before we go outside the party family, we must convince ourselves that the persons we are taking, we are taking him because we do not have that particular expertise within the family.

    “But even so, he must first take the card and demonstrate loyalty because if you do not believe in a process, you cannot be entrusted with the management of that process. It is not because we are hungry to let our people have jobs, but because I have no confidence that PDP appointees can drive the changes that APC promised.

    “APC promises must be kept by APC activists at managerial level, at board level and at political level. That, we must all work to achieve. But while we are working on that, I will ask you to have patience because some people give up too early in life.

    “If you work with conviction, and you didn’t get exactly what you expected, that is not a reason to look the other way. I think the most fundamental purpose that brought the APC into being was to save Nigerians from the misrule of the PDP. That has been achieved, but the second challenge is now to take advantage of our being in office to work hard to deliver to Nigerians, first, before ourselves”

    Speaking on the R-APC, the former Edo State Governor said “We will do everything possible to assuage those who have genuine grievances who simply want fairness and justice. I believe on your behalf, I can give them all the assurance that there will be justice, there will be fairness.

    Read Also: Oshiomhole dismisses members of R-APC

    “However, for the mercenaries, who mistakenly joined the party because of what they can gain personally, not for the good of the country, not for the good of the party; they came in purely for greener pastures and they have found that they have had to work hard to plant the grass, to wet it, nourish it for it to become green and they cannot wait, they want to run, not because we have wronged them but because we just cannot satisfy a mercenary, for those ones, we will not only open the door, we are ready to open even the windows.

    “But I am ready to go to any length to persuade and appeal to genuine people who are aggrieved. But like I have said, I am not intimidated; I am not frightened, I am not impaired and I want to urge everyone of you individually and collectively that we cannot be intimidated.

    “And if any of us had doubts, from what we saw the other day, it is a collection of old coaches searching frantically for new ideas. The more they search, the more they get old players, not even the best of them, but the worst of old players and I do not think Nigerians can be fooled by a coalition of that.

    “If you harness the energy of one million snails and transform it into one snail to run, it cannot catch up with an Antelope. So, when we were told 50 political parties had merged to confront us towards 2019, I was excited because first, that is a clear admission that as things stand today, neither the one we defeated before, the PDP, nor the new one that claim they have formed has what it takes.

    “They are now saying to Nigerians that ‘we want to capture power even though we are different, but for the purpose of capturing power, we will unite’, and I do not think Nigerians need any further explanation that enough of this opportunistic politicking”.

    Speaking on the various options available to party to curtail money politics, he said “We have a lot of options in our constitution. We have the option of direct primaries. By direct primaries, you remove the power away from delegates to the party members and so if you think that you can compromise the delegates and undermine the wishes of majority of our members, we will call our members to do the voting.

    “So, all those options are open. If we ask you to do consensus, you refuse to do consensus and you want to do a one man show, we knowing that one man cannot do election, we will neutralize those abuse of privileges by allowing direct membership participation.

    “This leadership cannot be compromised. We will not be intimidated and we will not misuse our privileges to deny any one of our member’s appropriate opportunities to contests and have the opportunity to serve the country”.

    Speaking on this weekend’s governorship election in Ekiti, Oshiomhole said “You saw our outing yesterday (Tuesday) in spite of all the crude misuse of limited state power which Gov. Fayose chose to do. But our superior commitment to progress and to overcome challenges explains the huge crowd that you saw.

    “I was happy today that he was talking about crowd that was hired. If we can hire crowd, right, that is nice because he had demobilize the movement facility by paying off all the taxi drivers, bus drivers and Okada riders to make sure that there was no local transportation.

    “But like I said, you can demobilize all of those. But what you cannot demobilize is the will of the people to do what they believe in. And we saw a stadium that was packed full as if Fayose was not in town.

    “I was excited and I feel proud that our members in Ekiti know that for us to overcome and to win the forthcoming election against a man who has had to rely on instrument of violence not only to win but to retain power that they need to be one inch ahead of him. That point was made on Wednesday and I am sure it will be proven by the special grace of God on Saturday.”

  • Ekiti: PDP chair, Atiku deplore police attack on Fayose

    The national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar have deplored Wednesday’s police attack on the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose.

    The duo also deplored the invasion of the Ekiti State Government House by police and other security personnel, where Fayose was allegedly tear gassed.

    At a media briefing in Abuja, Secondus accused President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of making a self-succession cruise to turn the country into a fascist state.

    He recalled a recent statement by the national chairman of the APC, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, saying that the ruling party was going to crush the opposition.

    Secondus said the situation in Ekiti has reinforced the signpost of a manifest desire by the APC and its leaders to subdue the resilient spirit of Nigerians and set up a totalitarian regime in the country.

    The party said, “This morning, in its desperation to forcefully take over Ekiti State, the APC-led Federal Government deployed armed police personnel led by one Compol Mopol Echel Echel, who blocked the Ekiti State Government House, attacked and placed the democratically elected governor of Ekiti State, Governor Ayodele Fayose, under house arrest. At the moment, no one goes in or out of the government house.

    “The invading police squad sacked the official security at the Government House, fired sporadically into the premises during which Governor Fayose was beaten up by policemen and brought down by volleys of teargas while several others were injured.

    Read Also: Ekiti 2018: Ignore Fayose’s antics, he is a clown, says Adeyeye

    “This, we have been informed, is part of the ‘order from above’, in line with the earlier boast by the Buhari-led APC, to ‘cage’ Governor Fayose ahead of the July 14, 2018 Ekiti governorship election, so as to grant their agents a field day to rig the election.

    “In fact, we have been made aware that the invasion was a plot to assassinate Governor Fayose and blame it on accidental discharge by one of the policemen”

    The party chairman described the development as an assault on the governor and a siege to the government house, saying it constituted a recipe for violence.

    “It’s a complete attack on our democratic order and direct assault on the corporate existence of Ekiti and her people as a federating part of our nation.

    “We know that this is part of the desperate effort by the APC-led Federal Government to intimidate, subjugate, frighten and overawe the people and unleash a rigging mechanism for the election.

    “Information available to the PDP reveals that part of the rigging design includes the deploying of an APC state governor in each of the local government areas across the state to coordinate the plot.

    “We also know that the APC rally on Tuesday, which was boycotted by the people of Ekiti State, was a gimmick to import thugs from neighboring states.

    “Our supporters, who have been placed at red alert, have been monitoring all strange faces already milling around in various local government areas in the state.

    “Also our intelligence reveals that the 30,000 policemen as well as some compromised military personnel deployed to Ekiti state are being positioned to embark on mass arrest and harassment of Ekiti citizens with the view to frightening them and preventing them from participating in the election”, Secondus added.

    On his part, Atiku described the development in Ekiti as appealing. In a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, Atiku said

    It was an uncivil assault on democracy and fell short of democratic best practices.

    The former Vice President the administration that it came into being because the past administration of the PDP ensured free and fair elections at all levels in 2015.

    The statement said, “Having been a beneficiary of such propriety, it is incumbent on the Federal Government not to deprive others of the ladder it was provided by its predecessors.

    “Free, fair and credible elections are not a privilege. They are a right! The peaceful congregating of the good people of Ekiti State, be they members of the All Progressive Congress or the Peoples Democratic Party or of any other party, must be allowed by the Federal Government”.

    Atiku observed that it’s not in the place of any government to harass, intimidate, hound and humiliate political opponents in an election.

    He urged the Federal Government to provide a level playing ground and guarantee the security of the electorate and the principal political actors in the election.

    “The immunity that a president enjoys under the constitution is the same immunity being enjoyed by a state governor.

    “Thus, it is an aberration to democratic norms and practices in a federal system of government that one layer of government should muscle out another government on account of political differences.

    “The democracy and fundamental human rights that Nigerians enjoy today were earned at a very high price”.

    “Instructions must be immediately given to all law enforcement bodies on the ground in Ekiti State to act in the best interest of Nigeria”, Atiku added.

    He called on the federal government to stop anything that could jeopardise the nation’s democracy and urged those in charge of the security agencies to be aware that the whole world is watching.

    “It is too late in the day for anyone to think they can put that genie back into the bottle”, he said.

    Atiku admonished the Federal Government to do everything within its powers to douse the tension being generated over the governorship election in Ekiti State.

  • Fayose condemns ‘blockade’ of Ekiti govt house

    Says APC filled stadium with ‘hired’ crowd

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has accused the Federal Government of blocking the gate of the Ekiti State Government House with security forces on Tuesday.

    Riot policemen prevented vehicles from going in and out of the Government House but allowed pedestrians to gain access into the facility.

    Drivers’ union members had dropped their vehicles at the Government House as directed by Fayose Monday night where an all-night party held till Tuesday despite the heavy deployment of security men.

    But pedestrians were allowed to go in with many going to join the Ekiti drivers unions who assembled at the government house since Monday night.

    A musician was on the band stand to entertain the commercial drivers and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members on ground.

    Fayose also mocked the APC final rally held same day accusing the party of importing outsiders from neighbouring states to fill the stadium.

    Addressing the crowd at the party, Fayose criticized the Federal Government for blocking the gates of the Government House with battle-ready riot policemen.

    Read Also: Fayose faults DSS crackdown on supporters

    The Ekiti governor described the development as “an abnormality.” He thanked his supporters for shaming the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government by appearing at the Government House despite the security presence.

    According to him, the presence of the crowd had proved to the APC that the masses were for him.

    Leaders of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and Pickup and Lorry drivers Association of Nigeria (PLAN) and Okada Riders Association vowed to vote for PDP candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola at Saturday’s governorship election.

    He also mocked the APC final rally held same day accusing the party of importing outsiders from neighbouring states to fill the stadium.

    Fayose said: “It is an abnormality to block the gates of the Government House.

    “If they say I gave instruction to drivers unions to withdraw their services, let the APC give a counter-instruction to them if they are popular.

    “They (security agencies) blocked gates of the government house because they don’t want people to come in but you shamed them by still coming.”

    “They brought them from Ondo, Kogi, Osun and other neighboring states, they are all foreigners. They have no voting strength.

    “I will stand up to you (APC) in the election, we will match them bumper to bumper.”

    Fayose also took berated the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for questioning the PhD degree of Olusola at the party’s mega rally in Ado-Ekiti.

    He advised Oshiomhole to ask the president to tender his certificate to Nigeria first before he could raise an issue about others.

    “The president was asked to tender his certificate, he hired Senior Advocates of Nigeria. They said it was enough for him to present tissue paper as certificate, that’s why he is not performing.”

  • Don’t waste your votes, elect Fayemi, Buhari tells Ekiti electorate

    President Muhamadu Buhari on Tuesday asked the electorate in Ekiti  not to waste their votes  in Saturday’s governorship election.

    Rather,  the president urged voters to elect the candidate of the All Progressives Party (APC),  Dr  Kayode Fayemi, given the track record of the ruling APC  administration in the country.

    Buhari, who gave the charge in Ado-Ekiti  at the grand finale of the mega rally of the party, told the crowd of party faithful and supporters at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium that there was no better alternative to Fayemi.

    He said the people of Ekiti must not be deceived  by the “stomach infrastructure’’ programme  of the PDP government in the state, describing it as at variance with the norms in a functional democracy.

    Buhari said he was in  Ekiti not only to campaign for Fayemi but also to create  awareness as well as sensitise the people on the dividends of democracy so far made available to them.

    The president said his administration had so far executed 13 projects  in the state, with no fewer than 29 contractors handling them.

    He said the initiatives, most of which were  road construction projects,  had also provided direct and indirect jobs to  many residents.

    Besides, he said approval had been given by his administration for the construction of a Federal Secretariat in Ado Ekiti to ease the burden of  office accommodation faced by federal workers in the state.

    He also listed the engagement of many indigenes of the state in  the N-Power programme of the Federal Government, granting of  bailout funds to  the state as well as approval of School-Feeding Programme and Conditional Cash Transfer scheme as some of the achievements of  his administration.

    The president assured  the people of the state of more dividends of democracy if they support Fayemi in the election.

    Also addressing the crowd, the National Chairman of the party, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, said Fayemi  would redress all the wrongs of the Ayo Fayose administration.

    He also gave an assurance that all the salaries and emoluments owed workers by the Fayose administration would be paid.

    Speaking in the same vein, the National Leader of the party, Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu,  assured residents  that the APC was committed to the progress and development of the country.

    He accused the PDP of destroying the country’s economy, urging the people to embrace the change agenda of the APC.

    ” It was the PDP that destroyed the future of Nigeria and those yet unborn. PDP stole all the monies and made life difficult for all the citizens

    ” It is not easy to rebuild what the PDP has spent long years destroying; for  many of them that are now complaining,  where were they when our economy was being bastardised?

    ” You must not allow anybody to  intimidate you, I urge you to guard  your PVC and use it wisely on Saturday

    ” It is your turn in Ekiti to get a good government, it is not for you alone but for your children and their future,’’  Tinubu said.

    At the rally were 12 APC governors, seven serving ministers and national leaders of the party.

    The high point  of the event was the formal defection to   the APC  by  many PDP members including a  serving Senator,  Fatimah Raji-Rasaki, and a member of  the House of  Representatives, Oni Olamide.