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Tag: Ajayi Boroffice

  • Direct primary, best option for Ondo APC – Boroffice

    A lawmaker representing Ondo North Senatorial District, Prof Ajayi Boroffice has said that adoption of direct primary is the only veritable means to elect party candidates in Ondo State and other All Progressives Congress (APC)- controlled states ahead of 2019 general elections.

    Boroffice in a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, (CPS) Kayode Fakuyi, maintained that the adoption of direct primary is a ‘settled matter’.

    According to him, the national leadership of APC, President Muhammadu Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other prominent leaders of the party have declared absolute support for it.

    Boroffice said”As the preparations for primary election rev up, it is necessary to reassure members of the APC in Ondo State that the National leadership of our party ably led by Comrade Adams Oshiomole has adopted direct primary as the only means of electing party candidates in the state.

    “The position of APC on direct primary is clear. It states that direct primary will hold in APC – governed states while indirect primary/delegate primary will hold in states where the state governments are not governed by APC.

    “It should also be noted that President Muhammadu Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other prominent leaders of our party have thrown their weights behind the party on the adoption of direct primary. Therefore, the adoption of direct primary is a settled matter. It is unambiguous. It is uncontroversial. It is clear”.

    The statement pointed out that the report credited to the Vice Chairman of the APC (Southwest) Bankole Oluwajana that, “The method to be adopted will depend on what the leadership of the party in the state wants”, is untrue.

    Read Also: Troops arrest ‘abductors’ in Ondo forest

    “It should be understood that the National leadership of APC with the exclusive responsibility to conduct primary elections across all states in Nigeria has adopted the direct primary.

    “It is neither the business of the zonal structure nor duty of state structures of our party. All party members are aware the constitution of the APC did not empower state chapters to choose or decide method of selecting party flag bearers.

    “Furthermore, the resolution of the National leadership is not subject to discretional amendment or modification by the zonal or state structures of the party”. The statement stressed.

    Boroffice contended that the adoption of direct primary by the APC would deepen democracy and ensure popular participation, saying” the national leadership has empowered all party members in Ondo State with voting powers for the purpose of nominating flag bearers of the APC in the 2019 general elections”.

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Science and Technology maintained that  “no individual or group can snatch or hijack such voting powers from members of APC in  the state”.

  • Ondo APC’s reaction to Boroffice’s statement

    The Ondo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticized the statement credited to the lawmaker representing Ondo Central District, Senator Ajayi Boroffice that elective congresses will be jettisoned for mere filling of the vacancies created  in the Ward, Local Government, State and National Executive Committee(NEC).

    The statement alleged that some party officials in the state have perfected plans to hoard nomination forms from legitimate party members

    But, in a statement by its Director of Media & Publicity, Steve Otaloro said members of the APC know that nomination forms are not yet out and those who are coming to conduct the election have not arrived the state yet, wondering why  Boroffice is cooking up this falsehood.

    He said “This electoral body would be responsible for the conduct of the election. They would call for stakeholders meeting where they would reel out the modalities of the election. We currently don’t know who are members of this electoral committee which would be sent down by the National secretariat in Abuja.

    “So, it is not the State Secretariat that would select and conduct the election. We are aware that Boroffice had compiled list of aspirants from his camp in his clandestine meetings, promising them nomination forms last week.

    “But to save his face from looming embarrassment, he’s now alleging the party leadership of hoarding the nomination forms even when they are not yet out.

    “No doubt, Boroffice has lost touch with our party as well as the people and it is obvious he would lose out in the coming congress.

    “This is another lie least expected of a distinguished personality like Senator Borofice Ajayi. It’s a sheer figment of his imagination. Nomination form is not yet out, so how could this be hoarded.

    “This falsehood revealed how distant Senator Boroffice is to our party and confirmed his scheming to defect from the party.  We know from good source that he has been holding series of clandestine meetings with some people in his bid to defect to another party to execute his obnoxious ambition.

    “How would a sitting senator be unaware of the happenings in his acclaimed party. Rather than contacting his party secretariat, he went to the media to cook up stories against our party leadership.

    “What would the party gain in disenfranchising its members or hoard nomination forms? The party stands to gain more with more aspirants accessing the nomination forms and participating in the election.

    “Senator Boroffice should know that APC Ondo State chapter has resolved to abide by the dictates of our party constitution. Boroffice is not in a position to tell us what our party constitution says about conduct of Congress because he’s double dealing.

    “No one knows where he belongs. He is far away from our party that’s why he doesn’t know what is going on in the party.

    “He should be asked when last he visited the party secretariat either in his local government or the state headquarters.

    “Boroffice is only trying to create crisis in our party by cooking up these allegations because he’s jittery having lost out in all his unholy scheming.  Although we are not surprised because this is his stock in trade, causing crisis and fighting constituted authorities right from when he was in Labour Party (LP)”.

  • No factions in Ondo APC – Spokesman

    No factions in Ondo APC – Spokesman

    The All Progressives  Congress (APC) in  Ondo State says  there are no factions  in the party.

    Mr Steve Otaloro, the Director of  Media and Publicity of the party in the state, said this in a statement issued in Akure on Wednseday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN )  reports that  some stakeholders  led by Sen. Ajayi Boroffice had on Nov. 27  passed a vote of confidence on the Isaac Kekemeke – led State Executive Committee (SEC).

    The group had also  reiterated its support for the APC – led Federal Government and the State Government.

    But Otaloro in the statement said: “It has come to our notice that some members of our party  who indulged in anti-party activities during the 2016 gubernatorial election in the state have regrouped to launch themselves back to limelight through all crooked means.

    “Nevertheless,  there are no factions in our party.

    “ We are one and our party chairman is Mr Ade Adetimehin and our leader is Arakurin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the executive governor of Ondo State who was a year ago overwhelmingly elected by the good people of Ondo State under the banner of APC.”

    Mr Kayode Fakuyi, the media aide to Boroffice, however, said the  senator was not ready to join issues with anyone.

  • I remain in APC- Sen. Boroffice

    I remain in APC- Sen. Boroffice

    Sen. Ajayi Boroffice, representing the Ondo North Senatorial District in the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Thursday, said that he had not joined another political party as being speculated.

    Borffice made this clarification in a statement made available to newsmen in Akure by his media aide, Mr Kayode Fakuyi.

    “Few days ago after a successful APC stakeholders’ meeting in Akure, a plot to link Sen. Boroffice to another party in Ondo State was hatched; the plot is diversionary.

    “The senator remains a chieftain of the APC in Ondo State and has not at anytime resigned his membership of the party nor at any moment joined another party,’’ Fakuyi said.

    “As a grassroots politician and one of the founding fathers of APC in state, if he has any reason to join another party, it will attract statewide rallies and political carnivals.

    “The evolution of the APC did not start with the 2016 governorship primary election in the state.

    “It started in 2011 when Sen. Boroffice, as the only elected member of the Action Congress of Nigeria ( ACN ) in Ondo State, mobilised fellow progressives to build the progressive family in the state,’’ he said.

    Fakuyi advised the citizenry to disregard any false report that the senator had left the APC, saying it was untrue.

    “On the circulated letter, which purportedly appointed the deputy chairman of our party as the acting chairman, the letter is fake.

    “Mr Isaac Kekemeke remains the state chairman of the party,” he said.

    “If there is any allegation against the state chairman, the allegation should be investigated.

    “Only the National Executive Committee of the party has the power to sack the state party chairman and appoint an acting chairman.

    “It is on record that the NEC of our party has not considered the matter and has not taken any position on it. Any letter seeking his removal is fake in its entirety.

    According to Fakuyi, Boroffice reaffirms his confidence in the state chairman of APC in Ondo State.

    He said, “about 75 per cent of the party’s followers have declared support for the state chairman and no outsider can impose any pro-tempore chairman on our party.

    “The letter, which purportedly appointed the deputy chairman as the acting chairman is fake.

    “The well-attended meeting held on Nov. 27 deliberated on a number of issues and made far-reaching resolutions.

    “Stakeholders passed a vote of confidence on Mr Isaac Kekemeke-led State Executive Committee ( SEC ) of the party and reiterated support for the APC-led Federal and Ondo State Governments,” he said.

    However, Mr Abayomi Adesanya, the state party spokesman, told us that the investigative committee did its work thoroughly and invited the former chairman three times but he refused to turn up.

    Adesanya said the hearing was open and transparent, adding that the national leadership of the party wrote and approved the Acting Chairman of the party, Mr Ade Adetimehin, pending the final resolution of the issue.

    Kekemeke was suspended by the State Working Committee ( SWC ) of the party on June 1, 2017.

    The suspension arose from a division in the party, occasioned by the outcome of the last governorship primary election, which produced Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu as the party’s flag bearer in the last governorship election.

    NAN

  • New jostling for Deputy Governorship ticket in Ondo

    Ahead of the November 26 governorship poll in Ondo state, some political parties among the 28 participants in the poll are in the process of selecting their deputy governorship candidates.

    Among the parties, only the Alliance for Democracy (AD) with, Chief Olusola Oke as its candidate have picked its running mate in person of the former lawmaker representing Akoko Northeast/Northwest Federal Constituency, Ganny Dauda.

    Dauda is a former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) like Oke, the duo dumped the party following the post-primary crisis.

    The former President, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) was declared the winner of the primary election which was rejected by three frontline aspirants including Segun Abraham, Olusola Oke and Ajayi Boroffice.

    The Election Appeal Committee had earlier recommended the cancellation of the shadow election because of alleged malpractices,while majority members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC ratified the decision of the Appeal Committee to conduct fresh primaries, but the National Chairman of the party overruled it and submitted Akeredolu’s name as the APC candidate.

    Since then, peace has eluded the progressive party in Ondo state. Aggrieved aspirants such as Oke had dumped the party, Abraham is now seeking redress in court to reclaim what he called his ‘Stolen Mandate’.

    Akeredolu’s name has been submitted with that of former PDP lawmaker representing Ilaje/Ese-Odo,Agboola Ajayi as his running mate.

    The one-time National Assembly Member who is from Southern District and a particular community where the mother of the candidate,Akeredolu hails from,political analysts believed must be a surrogate used by the APC flag bearer to meet the INEC’s deadline.

    Truly as being contended,the APC in the state has set up a five-man committee saddled with the responsibility of screening the Deputy Governorship aspirants to become the running mate to Akeredolu.

    The Committee is chaired by the only female governorship aspirant of the party, Mrs Jumoke Anifowose.

    Three governorship aspirants of the  September 3,shadow election including Tunji Abayomi, Victor Olabimtan and Ayo Akinyelure are also members with Bankole Oluwajana, Dr A.Shaba and Wale Akinterinwa.

    They are to screen the aspirants and shortlist the best among them to run with Akeredolu (SAN).

    Those interested in the position apart from that of Agboola Ajayi are mostly from the Southern and Central District.

    The aspirants are 19 in number out of which 13 are from the South while the rest six are from the Central.

    The APC candidate,Akeredolu is from Owo in the Northern district.

    Prominent among the aspirants are the United Kingdom (UK) based lawyer, Bolaji Odidi, Lucky Ayedatiwa, Sam Aderoboye, APC spokesman, Omo’ba  Abayomi Adesanya, Boye Adegbemisoye, a former Chairman of Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government and Commissioner for Public Utilities.

    Also on the screening list are,Ifedayo Abegunde, former House of Representatives representing Akure South/ North Federal Constituency and Ade Adetimehin, the incumbent APC Deputy state Chairman among others

    For Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)its candidate,Eyitayo Jegede has not picked his governorship candidate,but he may emerge from the Northern District.

    Other political parties have sent the names of their deputy governorship candidates to to INEC,but most of the names are still are unknown politicians.

    The names of the Deputy Governorship candidates for Social Democratic Party(SDP)is John Owoso,Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)which will soon be replaced is Olumide Ogunje, African Peoples Alliance (APA) Owoeye Jonathan, Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) Paul Oluwasesan, All Progressives Congress (APC) Agboola Ajayi (tentative) Labour Party (LP) Akinbamire Benson,Citizen Popular Party (CPP) Owolabi Yusuf and Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) Onisemo Oladapo.

    Others are Democratic Peoples Congress (DPC) Emilere Akinlose,Democratic People Party (DPP)Lawrence Festus,New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Dr Babafemi Famakinwa,Hope Democratic Party (HDP) Oladutire Ronke,National Unity Party (NUP) Ojo Oladapo, Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP) Olajobi Olalekan, Young Democratic Party(YDP)Egbeola Martins and Accord Party(A).

    The rest are All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Yaya Olasehinde, Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Oladele Bamitale,African Democratic Congress (ADC) Aganmayo Iseoluwa, Action Alliance (AA), Biola Ojo, Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) Omopekun John, Independent Democrats (ID) Famuagun Moses, Kowa Party (KP) Alhaja Fausat Aliu, Peoples For Democratic Change (PDC) Olatunji Segun, Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) Ikusika Olanike, United Democratic Party(UDP) Olasupo Wasiu and National Conscience Party (NCP), Owolabi Stephen.

    It is observed that most of the names are unknown in the politics of the sunshine state,they are mostly surrogates to fill the list.

    But the real running mates would emerge latest October 19 when INEC must have released the final list of the candidates and their running mates.

    Meanwhile,the Alliance for Democracy(AD)has appointed the former Special Adviser to Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state,Hon Bola Ilori as Director General,Olusola Oke Campaign Organisation,while the former Speaker,Victor Olabimtan who is a governorship aspirant is appointed the Director General to Rotimi Akeredolu Campaign Organisation of the APC.

    Meanwhile, Political Campaigns for all parties are commencing this week around the state.

  • Ondo: Boroffice calls for cancellation of APC primary

     

    The senator representing Ondo northern senatorial district, Ajayi Boroffice on Thursday called for the cancellation of the just concluded governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State.

     

    Boroffice, who came fourth, scored 471 votes in an election won by Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), who won the poll with 669 votes.

     

    Also, a member of the House of Represenatives, representing Akoko South West/Akoko South East, Hon. Babatunde Kolawole said the election was characterized with malpractice.

     

    The duo spoke at a reception rally organised by Kolawole and attended by thousands of indigenes of Oka town and its evirons at the Palace of Olubaka of Oka-Akoko in Akoko South West local government, Oba Adebori Adeleye.

     

    Borrofice said he was informed that those who were not delegates voted in the party’s primary election.

     

    He said if the committee finds out the allegation to be true, he is expecting a total cancellation of the exercise.

     

    He said “before the conclusion of the election, I kept hearing the rumor that the delegate list has been infiltrated.

     

    “That there are even some people who are not accredited, who are not even delegates but were given tags and induced to come and vote. And that has been substantiated now and it’s unfortunate.

     

    “I am in support of total cancellation of the election, we must do it again” Borrofice said.

     

    When asked whether he will contest under another party if the primary election result is not cancelled, the lawmaker said he will not leave the APC under any condition.

     

    He said “I am a loyal party man, I had the opportunity to leave the party in 2012 but I didn’t.  I was one of the three people that remained then, among the aspirants

     

    “I am not in this party to be a governor. I am in this progressive party to help build Nigeria

     

    “And if don’t become governor, another person will be a governor, as long as the process is free, fair and credible”, he said.

     

    Kolawole said the senator has just returned from a battle field and they are happy he returned safety despite all the odd against.

     

    The lawmaker commended the national leader of APC, Asiwaju Ahmed for ensuring the party remains united.

     

    The Monarch said the town is happy for the performance of the Senator in the last Saturday primaries of the APC.

     

    He said Boroffice stood tall among other aspirants in the election, adding that he had represented Oka town.

     

    The Monarch stressed that the people of Oka will keep pushing the aspirations of the Asiwaju of Akoko land until he attains the position agitated for, by the people of the community.

     

  • Court reserves judgment in suit seeking Saraki, Ekweremadu’s sack

    Court reserves judgment in suit seeking Saraki, Ekweremadu’s sack

    Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday reserved judgment in a suit filed by five serving Senators, who are seeking to void the election of Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu as Senate President and Deputy Senate President.

    The judge, after listening to lawyers to parties in the case adopt their final written addresses, announced that they would be contacted when the judgment is ready.

    The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/651/2015 has Senators Abu Ibrahim, Kabir Marafa, Ajayi  Boroffice, Olugbenga Ashafa and Suleiman Hunkuyi as plaintiffs, with Saraki, Ekweremadu, the National Assembly, the Clerks of the National Assembly and the Clerk of the Senate as defendants.

    It is the palintiff’s contention that the election of Saraki and Ekweremadu as President and Deputy President was invalid on the ground that the Senate Standing Orders 2015 used for the election was a forged document. 

    The plaintiffs argued that since the Senate Standing Order 2011, which was the valid Senate Rules as at the proclamation of the 8th Senate on June 9, was not known to have been validly altered before the election, the 2015 Rules could not be said to be a legitimate document.

    They stated, in a supporting affidavit,  that the Senate Standing ‎Orders 2015 was “contrived” from the amendment of the 2011 version of the Orders without following its (the 2011 edition’s) relevant provisions and those of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    The plaintiffs argued that the said amendment was in breach of the “prescriptive procedures” stipulated by the extant provisions of section 60 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Rule 110(1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) of the Senate Standing Orders 2011 (as amended).

    They therefore prayed the court for the following reliefs:

    • A declaration that the Senate Standing Order 2011(as amended) is the proper, valid, constitutional and subsisting Rules/Standing Orders of the 8th Senate.
    • A  declaration that the Senate Standing Order 2015(as amended), not being a product of any legitimate amendment pursuant to the extant provisions of Rule 110 of the Senate Standing Orders 2011 (as amended), is invalid, illegal, unconstitutional.
    • A declaration that the election of the 1st and 2nd defendants as the President and Deputy  President of the Senate of the 8th Senate pursuant to the Senate Standing Orders 2015 and contrary to the provisions of Rules 3(3)(e) and (k), Chapter II of the Senate Standing Orders 2011, is illegal and unconstitutional
    • An order setting aside the purported election of the 1st and 2nd defendants as Senate President and Deputy Senate President of the 8th Senate; an order setting aside the Senate Standing Orders 2015 and an order directing the 8th Senate to elect its presiding officers in accordance with the provisions of Section 54 of the Constitution and Rules 3(3)(e) and (k)of the Senate Standing Orders 2011.

    Justice Ademola, on Tuesday took arguments from parties on the substantive suit and defendants’ preliminary objection.

    Plaintiffs’ lawyer, Mamman Osuman (SAN) urged the court to disregard the defendants’ objection and grant his client’s prayers.

    The defendants, represented by Kehinde Eleja (SAN), Ikechukwu Ezechukwu (SAN) and Miss Nancy Odimegwu, faulted the competence of the suit and urged the court to dismiss the suit.

  • 2015: Boroffice assures electorate on project completion

    2015: Boroffice assures electorate on project completion

    The Senator Representing Ondo Northern Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Ajayi Boroffice, at the weekend, assured his constituent members of his commitment to complete all ongoing projects he had embarked upon in his district.

    Boroffice, who spoke with reporters in Akure, the Ondo state capital, recalled that he had embarked on some projects in the six local governments in his district to alleviate poverty in the society.

    While noting that there are various skills acquisition projects ongoing in the four local governments in his district in different phase of completion, he assured that the centres would help in training the youths, particularly the graduates who have no jobs to develop some skills in business planning.

    He said, “we are constructing hostels, workshops and business technology centres in the local governments. We are building a team of young Nigerians that will be financially assisted to start a company on their own that will be entrepreneur on their own.”

     

  • Boroffice gets nod for second term

    Boroffice gets nod for second term

    THE coast is now clear for the second term bid of Senator Ajayi Boroffice as he received the endorsement of the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the leaders of the party in the Ondo North Senatorial District.

    National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, and the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, said the endorsement is well deserved, while describing Boroffice for his commitment to the party ever since he defected to the party from the Labour Party (LP).

    The leaders of the APC in Ondo North Senatorial District have also endorsed the lawmaker, who is the Asiwaju of Akokoland, for providing the needed support at the teething stage of the party.

    “Senator Boroffice’s relentless efforts at seeing that the benefits of democracy gets to the very poor is unparalleled; you can see this in his diverse life-enriching schemes and other commitments to the senatorial district,” says Akinwunmi Adedotun, a beneficiary of the senator’s many empowerment programs.

     

  • Tinubu, Boroffice unveil APC logo in U.S

    Tinubu, Boroffice unveil APC logo in U.S

    •‘Power must change hands in 2015’

    The train of the All Progressives Congress (APC) crossed the Atlantic Ocean with the unveiling at the weekend of the party’s logo in the United States.

    The party’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was represented by Mr Idowu Ajanaku, while Senator Ajayi Boroffice, representing Ondo North, was the special guest of honour.

    At the event in Maryland, the hall was filled to the brim.

    Tinubu said the APC was formed to rescue Nigeria from collapse.

    The former governor noted that this seemed imminent with the ineptitude of the ruling People Democratic Party (PDP) in the last 15 years.

    The PDP misrule, he said, had taken its toll on Nigeria and Nigerians without sparing any sector.

    Tinubu said the formation of APC was human and divine because the people responded well to the clarion call to save the country and embraced the party wholeheartedly.

    The former governor noted that the implosion in the PDP was the result of the arrow of confusion God had fired into the ruling party.

    He stressed that the “monstrous, gigantic, visionless and directionless octopus cannot be allowed by God to continue to lead the people to utter destruction”.

    Tinubu added: “In fact, God has decided to liberate the Nigerians from the hands of this Pharaoh-like organisation, hardened by impunity and corruption, by afflicting them with the loss of the capacity to listen to the voice of reason or repentance.

    “But APC is not just a party but a mass movement where people of various ethnic groups, languages, classes and religions are welcome without any form of discrimination. It is the people’s party; it is the voice of God.”

    The frontline politician said the formation of APC fulfilled the prediction of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in one of his books, titled: The Hero.

    The late Western Nigeria Premier reportedly predicted that the best of conservatives and progressives would one day rule Nigeria.

    Tinubu said: “The APC has come to fulfil this prediction and will surely give Nigeria the desired new lease of life.”

    The former governor said the APC would provide massive infrastructure, jobs for the youth, restructure the nation, provide stable electricity, among others, all of which the PDP had failed to do.

    He urged Nigerians in the Diaspora to join their fellow citizens at home to save the country and expect the APC to form the Federal Government in 2015.

    Prof Boroffice, in a 15-page speech, titled: It is Time to Move Nigeria Forward, hailed Tinubu; APC Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; the party’s National Leader, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and former Anambra State governor, Chief Ogboonaya Onu for sinking their differences to form the APC.

    The senator noted that the APC chieftains made personal sacrifices to banish poverty, impunity and lawlessness from the country.

    He described them as great men with great minds for this great season.

    The academic called the PDP a party without vision, adding that as long as the party keeps ruling Nigeria, the nation would not progress.

    He faulted the government’s spending in this year’s budget, where N1.2 billion was earmarked for the extension of a VIP clinic at Aso Rock while only N750 million was budgeted for the teaching of hospitals of the Universities of Ibadan, Ilorin and Sokoto!

    Prof Boroffice said the money budgeted for the Niger Delta militants was far higher than the budget for the Army, Air Force, Navy and the police put together.