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Tag: All Progressive Congress

  • Appeal Court sacks Edo APC lawmaker

    Appeal Court sacks Edo APC lawmaker

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin City has sacked the lawmaker representing Ovia South West Constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Sunday Aghedo.

     

    It ordered Mr. Godwin Adenomo, a member of the All Progressive Congress, to be sworn in immediately.

     

    Adenomo had dragged the APC and the Committee that conducted the party primaries to court over imposition of the sacked lawmaker as the winner of the party primaries to the State House of Assembly in 2014.

     

    He claimed he won the primaries but was denied the party’s ticket which was given to his opponent.

     

    A judgement of the High Court asked the APC to conduct a fresh primary for the position but Adenomo rejected the ruling and headed for the appellate court to get proper judgment.

     

    Reacting to the judgment, the sacked lawmakers said he was already consulting with his lawyers.

     

    His words, “I have no reaction. I am still consulting with my lawyers on what to do next.”

  • Edo poll: INEC to open defence Tuesday

    Edo poll: INEC to open defence Tuesday

    …APC counsel allays fears over recounting of ballot papers

     

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will Tuesday open its defence as the first respondents in the ongoing sitting of the Edo State Election Petitions Tribunal.

    Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ahmed Badamasi, had adjourned sitting to Tuesday after the Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu closed his case last Thursday with the recounting of ballot papers used in four local government areas.

    Counsel to INEC, Onyinye Azumonye, told the tribunal last week that the commission could not open its defence because it need to know the results of the ballot papers that were recounted.

    Local government areas that were recounted were Estako West, Estako East, Egor and Akoko-Edo.

    Justice Badamasi had earlier ruled that the tribunal’s secretary would today made known the results of the ballot papers recounting.

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu is asking the tribunal to declare him winner of the September 28 governorship election which was won by Governor Godwin Obaseki.

    Ize-Iyamu called a total of 91 witnesses for a period of 14 days against 400 witnesses that were to be called.

    Meanwhile, Counsel to the All Progressive Congress, Lateef Fagbemi, has allayed fears of the party’s supporters over the recounting of ballot papers.

    Fagbemi told newsmen that there was no problem with the recounting and that the issues would be dealt with at the appropriate time.

    His words, “There is no issue about recounting. When we get to that bridge we will cross it. There is no problem about recounting of ballot papers. What issues have been made out of the recounting?

    “I cannot be arguing my case in the media or the pages of newspapers. This is not the first time they are doing recounting but whether they are doing it the right way is another matter. I know that recounting of ballot papers is one of the weapons the petitioners can use effectively and the law has spelt out the procedure to follow. Our contentious is that the procedure had not been followed. It is not like the case of Oshiomhole.”

  • Edo government house not bank – Obaseki

    Edo government house not bank – Obaseki

    Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Tuesday said the Government House was not a bank where people went to collect money but a place to render service.

    Obaseki made this known while receiving executive members of Women’s wing of All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state in Benin.

    He assured the women of 35 per cent appointment in his administration but insisted that ‘’government house is not where you come to make money, but where you come to serve.

    According to him, I don’t have money to give anybody; the money I have is to work for the people.

    “I can create money going by my experience as an investment banker; I can organise things and people must be ready to work,” the governor said.

    He told the women that the days had gone when politics was about money sharing.

    “The question is what do you do with the political power. It is our level of commitment that gets us where we want to be.

    “People should be ready to work. We should prioritise and cut waste because our biggest problem is wastes.

    “God chose me for a purpose to change things at this time and politics of money and sharing is not possible,’’ Obaseki said.

    He commended the party women for supporting him during the 2016 governorship poll in the state and urged them to be the vanguard of the new politics.

    He called on the women to partner the government in the development of the state, especially in the area of ensuring quality basic and technical education for their children.

    In her remarks, the APC women leader in the state, Dr Aisosa Amadasun, commended the governor on his victory at the polls and pledged their support to the success his administration.

    Amadasun said that the visit was to solicit the fulfilment of the United Nation’s mandate of 35 per cent appointment position for women in his administration.

  • Heavy security at Edo tribunal sitting

    Heavy security at Edo tribunal sitting

    There was heavy presence of security presence at the premises of the Edo State High Court where the State Election Petition tribunal is sitting along Sapele Road in Benin City.

     

    To avert a clash of political parties supporters, roads leading to the court were cordoned off. 

     

    The tribunal was scheduled to hear applications filed Governor Godwin Obaseki and the All Progressive Congress against the petition filed by Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and the People’s Democratic Party.

     

    Vehicles were allowed to ply one way along the dualised Sapele Road.

     

    At the last tribunal sitting, thugs loyal to both the PDP and the APC stormed the tribunal premises and it resulted in a clash which left about three persons injured.

     

    The heavy security presence prevented suspected thugs from gaining access to the tribunal premises.

  • Nigeria needs $30bn loan – APC Chieftain tells Senate

    Nigeria needs $30bn loan – APC Chieftain tells Senate

    A Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Esan area of Edo State, Francis Onabis has called on the National Assembly to reconsider it’s rejection of proposed $30 billion loan by President Muhammadu Buhari.
    Onabis who’s the Chief Head of Italy-based financial consultancy outfit, Stillwater consult in a statement ‎said  accessing the loan will boast the nation’s ailing  ‎economy.
    Onabis said the Federal Government  should take the loan most importantly to complete the major on going infrastructure projects in Nigeria in the process kick starting the economy from recession.
    Adding that the people of Nigeria and the government should not be afraid to borrow money, Onabis stressed that it’s the only option left to the government to revamp the decayed infrastructures in the country.
    “I understand the people and lawmakers against the borrowing are worried on how the government will repay the loan,  if properly managed the investments will pay its loan.
    “The loan should be used exclusively to fund the completion of the ongoing major projects in the country‎, the government as a matter of urgency should set up special purpose companies to take over the completion and management of these projects funded with the loan.
    “These companies must be position in a way they can be quoted in the various stock exchanges around the globe, this way the government can get back all they have invested in the projects so far to be reinvested in other projects like hospitals and schools‎.”
    Onabis said there must be a change of policies on funding of infrastructures in Nigeria.
    “Most importantly, the loan must be used prudently on income generating infrastructures and  not to buy luxury cars and planes for the public servants or used for recurrent expenditures.”‎
    ‎Onabis while commending President Buhari’s anti corruption war, said recovered stolen funds can only be  spent after cases are determined in court.
    He called on the judiciary to expridate actions on various anti corruption cases before it, to enable the nation access recovered stolen funds.
    “The stolen money cannot be used until the case has been judged but am  sure what ever amount that is recovered at the moment is not enough to complete the complete decayed road network in Nigeria.‎”
    ‎He however said Nigeria has more than 200 billion dollars stolen funds stacked in various banks overseas.
    “The government must make deal with Nigerians and international agencies  to repatriate the stolen money from abroad with an agreement to grant them pardon. I am sure Nigerian has more than 200billion dollars in various banks overseas. If they bring back this money to be reinvested in the economy, Nigeria economy will pick up‎ and the loan could be repayed.
    He called on President Buhari to should setup a crack economic team to help him with solutions to the economic problem facing the country.
    “As a country, we have financial intelectuals both at home and abroad that can help solve these economic problems but the same people who will bring these people to the president attention are not doing so just to keep their importance in the society . They have forgotten if the presidents fail, our party fails and the party leaders fails. This is the time to keep ego aside and help the country‎,” Onabis added.
  • Declare me winner, Ize-Iyamu tells tribunal

    Declare me winner, Ize-Iyamu tells tribunal

    The People’s Democratic Party and its governorship candidate in the September 28 governorship polls in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has filed a petition against the outcome of the election.

     

    In the petition, Pastor Ize-Iyamu is asking the tribunal to declare him winner of the election.

     

    Candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, was declared winner of the election after polling 319,483 votes against 253,173 votes garnered by Pastor Ize-Iyamu.

     

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu beat the deadline by filing the petition at about 4:45pm even though party supporters and reporters had waited at the tribunal since 12noon.

     

    He was accompanied by the state party leaders and supporters. 

     

    State Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, said they filed the petition within the stipulated time as defined by the Electoral Laws.

     

    Chief Orbih said they presented what he termed ‘a very good case’ before the tribunal.

     

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu said they are asking the tribunal to declare him winner of the election.

     

    His words, “We just filed and in the next few days, you will begin to get brief about what is at stake. We are asking the court to declare us as the rightful winner of the election. 

     

    “Edo people know who won the election. We are law abiding despite the injustice. I thank Edo people for their patience despite their anger against the results announced by INEC. 

     

    “Throughout the campaigns, our people kept asking us if we were ready to defend the votes they are going to give to us. We assured them and they came out to vote for us. Democracy will not thrive if you allow people to allocate votes. Our case is a strong one and by the time sitting will start, Edo people will be amazed at the impunity to win at all cost.”

  • $16bn EPZ: FG’s delay stalling 150,000 jobs in N’Delta – Ayiri

    The Federal Government has been advised to use the prevailing ceasefire with Niger Delta militants to restart the $16billion Gas Revolution Industrial Park and Escravos Environs Power Supply Project in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.

    Niger Delta activist and chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, Chief Ayirimi Emami, made the call in an open letter to President Muhammad Buhari, a copy of which was made available to The Nation.

    He said the move would go a long way to bringing permanent peace to the Niger Delta, stressing that delay in restarting the project is hampering 150,000 possible direct and indirect jobs in the region.

    He said, “I have never been an advocate of the use violence to attract Federal or state governments’ attention, but that does not mean that the Niger Delta Region has not been suffering neglect, despite the huge resources derived from the area.

    “But now that the so-called ceasefire has been declared by the militants and their sponsors, permit me to strongly appeal that your administration immediately initiate steps to commence work at the multibillion dollar,” he added.

    Chief Emami said the determination of the present administration to diversify our economy from over-dependence on crude oil and gas would be greatly enhanced by the projects, which he said could mop over 150,000 youths off the streets.

    “The ongoing strides being recorded by the military hierarchy (against terrorists and militants) will maximally achieve its set goals if construction work resumes at the Gas Revolution Industrial Park, GRIP, Ogidigben as well as Escravos Environs Power Supply Project.

    “All the Federal and Delta State governments need to do is to create the enabling environment, set the right policy direction as well as ensure adequate security and the project with a massive employment capacity from ready-foreign investors will take-off in earnest.

    “The over $16 billion GRIP Project billed to accommodate a major Industrial Gas Hub and Petrochemical, Methanol as well as Fertilizer Plant will create over 150,000 direct and indirect jobs at the construction stage and set the tone for the eagerly anticipated diversification of our economy.

    “No doubt, the Agricultural, Manufacturing and Solid Minerals sectors will be greatly boosted, Niger Delta militancy will be brought to non-existence and the ongoing effort to take our country out of recession will be realized,” Emami stated.

    In the same vein, the Warri chief appealed to the federal government to revisit the Escravos Environs Power Supply Project, stressing that “This mega project is a part of NGC ELPS System-A Network, which passes the host communities in the Escravos Shore, Warri South-West LGA.

    “It must be explicitly stated that 30 oil and gas host/ impacted communities will benefit in the project, which is outside the power supply and distribution network of the National Grid. This is not forgetting the communities’ huge agro-based potentials.”

    He lamented that the recent attack on oil facilities have plunged riverside communities in the region into perpetual darkness, noting that with the completion of the project, host communities would have more stake and need to protect gas facilities in their communities.

  • Ondo poll: Professionals urge support for Akeredolu

    Ondo poll: Professionals urge support for Akeredolu

    Ondo State Professionals in Edo State have appealed to aspirants of the All Progressive Congress who lost at the party primaries to support the candidacy of Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu for the party to be victorious at the polls.

     

    The Ondo Professionals urged Segun Abraham to sheathe sword and not set the stage fire because he lost at the party primaries.

     

    Chairman of the group who spoke to journalists at the end of the group’s quarterly meeting in Benin City, Dr. Samson Falana, said Akeredolu has the capacity to solve unemployment problems as well as fixing infrastructural decay in the state.

     

    Dr. Falana appealed to National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to support Akeredolu for the overall interest of the APC.

     

    His words, “Ondo APC has spoken by electing Akeredolu to represent the APC in the elections. No external forces should circumvent their collective will.”

  • Edo: Result from Ize-Iyamu’s polling unit

    Edo: Result from Ize-Iyamu’s polling unit

    The All Progressive Congress (APC) score only one vote in Iguododo, hometown of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu voted in Unit 26, Ward five in Orhionmwon local government area.

    After the counting of the ballots, Ize-Iyamu polled 369 against one vote scored by the candidate of the APC, Godwin Obaseki.

  • ‘My purpose for being in politics’

    ‘My purpose for being in politics’

    Alhaji Abdulganiyu Kola Egunjobi is the Secretary, All Progressive Congress (APC) in Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State. The politician in this interview, Egunjobi talked about his ambition to become a local government chairman among other sundry issues…

     

    Excerpts

    As a grassroots politician and a graduate of School of Hard Knocks (laughter) and that of Lagos State University, LASU, where I read Sociology. I equally have a diploma certificate in Purchasing & Supply Management from University of Lagos. I attended Iloro Grammar School and State Primary School, now Ife-Oluwa, both in Agege. You may wonder, which school is the School of Hard Knocks, well it is just an idiomatic expression suggesting that I have gained a lot of experience and valuable knowledge in life. I grew up at Isale-Oja, an environment that is filled with tension and violence in Agege area and where people across West African countries, Ghanaians, Nigeriens, Togolese etc live. Yet in the midst of violence and diversity, there is love and harmony. I speak English, Yoruba and Hausa fluently. Also, I don’t believe in working for people but working with them because that way am more efficient. I was once Business Development Manager at Emporium Communications, a medium sized media relations firm and currently a Social Media Manager consultant with Secom Nigeria Ltd among others.

     

    The progressive party as your party, APC prides itself lost some seats to PDP and the opposition in Lagos State House of Assembly and House of Representatives in the last general election for the first time in the 16 year history of democracy, is that not an indication that the party is losing ground in the state?

    In life you win some and you lose some. It also goes to show that in Lagos State and in APC, election is never do-or-die affair like it happens in PDP controlled states. It was an unfortunate incident that will never repeat itself because the outcomes of the election in those places where we lost didn’t reflect our popularity in every nook and cranny of Lagos State. APC is too formidable a party to lose election in Lagos State even across Southwest with our able leader in the person of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

     

    There is fear in some quarters that due to the current bad economic situation, APC may lose election in the future?

    Personally I don’t share such view or fear. We all know this is a mono economy highly dependent on inflows from the sale of crude oil within a global economy in decline. Oil prices have fallen to their lowest level since 2003, at a time sinking below $28 a barrel. And this was because of a slowdown in economic growth in China and Europe among others. The effects of falling prices are being felt by economies around the world, particularly oil producing nations that rely on exports. There is crisis from Azerbaijan to Venezuela. Recently in Azerbaijan there was protest across the nation. The federal government is doing its best by diversifying, but the result will not be immediate.

     

    What is your view about godfatherism and imposition in party politics?

    Each time I listen to people’s opinion on the issue of imposition and godfatherism, I often laugh because it is quite a complex topic. It is not a straightforward issue as people tend to suggest in most of their discussions. Most times, they condemned it in its entirety, and failed to appreciate it, particularly when they are not the godsons or goddaughters. But the fact still remains that godfatherism has its origin in monolithic religion. It also depends on how you perceived godfathers because to me you can both be loyal to the people, that is the state, and your godfather, since what a reasonable godfather wants is the common good. Even where we patterned our democracy, after, the United States, there is godfatherism. As a student of history, I read that JF Kennedy as American president appointed his younger brother, a fresh law graduate, Robert Kennedy, the Attorney General of the United States. So what would you call that?

     

    Why did you venture into partisan politics and why do want to become the chairman of Agege Local Government?

    Politics is in my DNA. I joined partisan politics way back in secondary school and have been in the progressive party. I was the Assistant financial secretary of the defunct Social Democratic Party, SDP, in ‘Ward B1’ Gbogunleri/Isale zone, member of defunct UNCP, AD, ACN and currently APC, party secretary, Agege Local Government. My late elder brother, Sharafadeen Egunjobi of blessed memory, was once a councilor in Agege. Am of the conviction that I have all it takes to make Agege a better place, a commercial and social hub.

     

    You look stylish, what informed this?

    To me looking good is an everyday business. I don’t joke with the way I look. Appearance is the basis people formed their first impression of someone and I want them to have a great first impression of me. I believe that you can judge a book by its cover. While I was in secondary school, I and my late elder brother had a fashion school by the name, La frique Home of Embroidery.