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Tag: All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain

  • Bamidele storms Ekiti, says he survived death by miracle

    …Relives shooting incident that nearly claimed his life

     

    Former House of Representatives member and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, on Friday made a triumphant entry into Ekiti State three months after he was shot by a trigger-happy policeman at a rally.

    Bamidele was received by a massive crowd of supporters who had been waiting for his return from Lagos where he landed from London about a week ago.

    He moved in an open roof Toyota Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) across the streets of towns and villages waving the broom and acknowledging cheers from the people.

    Read Also:Bamidele returns from U.S medical treatment

    The convoy of over 50 vehicles made a stopover at Artisans’ House in Dallimore area of Ado-Ekiti where a reception was held in Bamidele’s honour before he returned to Iyin-Ekiti, his hometown, where another party was holding.

    Bamidele had been appointed as the Director General of the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Council before the June 1 shooting incident at APC Secretariat in Ajilosun area, Ado-Ekiti.

    He had on that day joined thousands of party leaders and members to welcome the party’s candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, back into the state after he had resigned from the federal cabinet as the Minister of Mines and Steel Development.

    Bamidele was shot by a mobile policeman attached to one of the APC chieftains. Six other party members were shot as the officer was trying to contain the surging crowd.

    The former Commissioner for Information, Youth and Sports in Lagos State spent 96 days recuperating in London after a surgery was performed on him and was stabilized at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH).

    Bamidele, a former governorship aspirant, had declared interest to run for Ekiti Central senatorial district ahead of the 2019 National Assembly election.

    Reliving his experience in London, Bamidele while relaying his experience, revealed that doctors abroad told him in clear terms that he survived the bullet wounds “by miracle.”

    Addressing supporters at the reception held for him in Ado-Ekiti, Bamidele said: “Even the London Doctors told me clearly that I got my healing through miracle.

    “I want to say that it wasn’t money that saved me, but I received the grace of God. Many of the Doctors that treated me in London who were not Godly became born again because of me, while those who believed in God became more dedicated.

    “I was shot in the stomach and thigh, in spite of these, I escaped, I didn’t die. This was because of the prayers of my people here in Ekiti and all over Nigeria.

    “It was a miracle that I survived; it was God that did it.  I thought I would spend more than a year in the London hospital, but I only spent less than 50 days after which I got miraculous healing.

    “I want to thank the good people of Ekiti State across party lines and religious divides, it was their prayers and love that saved me from untimely death,” he said.

    On his senatorial ambition, Bamidele said he started the journey eight years ago and that this might be the appointed time for it to become a reality.

    “I started this journey eight years ago, but our party in its wisdom told me to withdraw and contested for the House of Representatives, which I won. With what I am seeing and outpouring of love and affections from our people, I know it shall be fulfilled this time,” he added.

  • Ekiti 2018: ‘Fayose’s unpaid salaries will make our victory easier’

    An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Ekiti State, Mr.Makinde Araoye, has said failure of Governor Ayo Fayose’s government to pay salaries as and when due would make victory easy for the opposition in the July 14 governorship election.

    Araoye expressed confidence that government workers would vote massively for the APC candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, having experienced hard biting poverty in the last three years due to alleged incompetence manifested in Fayose’s inability to pay workers’ salaries and pension.

    He said it was wicked for a governor to be owing workers and pensioners eight month arrears in an environment that was heavily anchored on civil service monolithic economy, saying this had further lowered the standard of living of Ekiti populace.

    Speaking with reporters on Ado Ekiti on Thursday, Araoye said time has come for workers to appropriate their votes in a more judicious and appropriate way, by voting for Fayemi based on his track records and belief in running worker-friendly policies.

    The APC chieftain said it sounded unfathomable for Fayose to intentionally kill those legacy programmes initiated by Fayemi that could have shored up the Internally Generated Revenue, pointing out that the measure was largely responsible for the failure of governance
    in Ekiti.

    Read Also:Ekiti 2018: 15,000 corps members to participate in election

    Araoye said: “When the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi came on board in 2010, he appreciated the fact that there was an urgent need to establish those investments that could generate money for our dear state.

    “That was why he took N20b from the capital market out of which he invested over N2 billion on Ikogosi Warm Spring, built  the State Pavilion located along Ado New Iyin Road, revived Ire Burnt Brick that was inaugurated by former Kano State Governor, Alhaji Rabiu Musa
    Kwankwaso, set a solid foundation for youth engagement in Agriculture and many others.

    “Before Dr. Fayemi’s exit, the Ikogosi Warm Spring was already generating over N45 million into the state coffers monthly. The Ire Burnt Brick had begun skeletal production and was attracting serious patronage within and outside Ekiti.

    “But today, those programmes have been abandoned. They have returned to that moribund States they were before Dr. Fayemi came on board.

    “One wonders why should those programmes be rendered impotent just because of politics by Governor Fayose, even when he makes noise everyday that the state is economically challenged.

    “This is the major reason why our people must divorce themselves from unnecessary emotions and vote wisely on July 14.

    “They should resist attempt by clever politicians to delude them into taking decisions that would land them in more sufferings and gnashing of teeth after all they have seen and made to pass through in the last few years.”

    Araoye advised Fayose to stop turning Ekiti into a beggarly State in the name of stomach infrastructure, saying: “making our people to queue under a scorching sun for several hours because of a kongo of rice and N200 was not only debasing but ridiculing Ekiti’s collective
    integrity.

    “The July 14 election is a reclamation war for all of us. It is a time we must seek our political freedom and this we must realize for those lost glory to return and for us to regain our pride as truly a set of Knowledge people.”

  • APC chieftain sues Odigie-Oyegun over tenure extension

    APC chieftain sues Odigie-Oyegun over tenure extension

    …‘Ruling party must not circumvent its rules’

     

    An aggrieved All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Dr. Wale Ahmed, has taken the national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, to court over what he described as an illegal extension of his tenure.

    Ahmed, a party stalwart from Lagos, said the ruling party has violated its rules and guiding principle on periodic national convention as stipulated by its constitution.

    The embattled chairman, Odigie-Oyegun, was elected chairman in June 2014 for a four year tenure, which had expires in June.

    The plaintiff said the chairman and other members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party were given illegal anticipatory tenure elongation to enable them put the national convention in abeyance, without due consideration for the APC constitution and 1999 Constitution.

    According to the Section 223 (1a) and (2a), of the 1999 Constitution, “the constitution and rules of a political party shall provide for the periodic election on a democratic basis of the principal officer and members of the executive committee or other governing body of the political party.”

    Also, “the election of the officers or members of the executive committee of a political party shall be deemed to be periodical only if it is made at regular intervals not exceeding four years.”

    According to the APC Constitution (2014 as amended), “all officers of the party elected or appointed into the party’s organs shall serve in such organs for a period of four years and shall be eligible for re-election or re-appointment for another period of four years only, provided that an officer elected or appointed to fill a vacancy arising from death, resignation or otherwise shall notwithstanding be eligible for election to the same office for two terms.”

    Joined in the suit No. FHC/L/CS/364/18 before the Federal High Court, Lagos Division, are the Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Segun Oni, Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Lawal Shuaibu, National Secretary Mallam Ibrahim Gubi, National Vice Chairman (Southwest) Chief Pius Akinyelure, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Ahmed is praying the court to declare as null and void and of now effect the purported elongation of the tenure of the NEC, contrary to the extant laws.

    In the originating summons taken by his counsel, B.A.M Fashanu (SAN), the plaintiff is claiming that the defendants, jointly or severally, have erred in law. His prayers include:

    “A declaration that the first to sixth defendants have no power under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,  1999, to extend the tenure of the elected organs/officers beyond four years from their election /inauguration

    “A declaration that the purported extension of the tenure of the extant National Working Committee (NWC) and /or other executive committees or their members of the All Progressives Congress at various levels for another 12 months from June 30, 2018 by the National Executive Committee of or by the All Progressives Congress, is illegal, null and void and of no effect

    “A declaration that any provision of the sixth defendant’s constitution or any memorandum, circular or pronouncement of the first to sixth defendants purporting to extend the tenure of the first to fifth defendants beyond their extant elected or inaugurated four year tenure is in conflict or is inconsistent with the provision of Section 223(1) (a) and  223 (2) (a) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and is null and void to the extent of its inconsistency.

    “An injunction restraining the first to sixth defendants, their servants and/or agents, from taking any steps to implement the purported tenure elongation of the presently elected/constituted organs/officers of the All Progressives Congress, which pronouncement or decision was made on or about the 27th of February, 2018, or in any manner howsoever, stay in office beyond four years from the date of their election/inauguration.

    “An injunction restraining the seventh defendant, its servants and /or agents, from recognising the decision or any decision of the first to sixth defendants to extend the tenure of the sixth defendant’s extant elected organs/officers beyond their elected/constituted four years, or, taking any step, in any manner howsoever, to implement such decision.”

    Ahmed, a former member of House of Assembly and one-time Commissioner for Special Duties said he went to court to protect the image of the ruling party and the sanctity of the constitution.

    He said the APC should, through its convention, create a level playing field for all qualified members of the party who may wish to contest for any party office at the convention when the tenure of the executive committee expires in June.

    Ahmed added: “We must avoid a situation whereby a dangerous precedent will be laid by the deliberate violation of party constitution, rules and regulations on leadership recruitment and renewal of tenure. Our party is known for its avowed commitment to the rule of law, the due process and the constitution. We must obey our own laws and respect the constitution of the country.”

    Crisis had hit the APC, following the purported tenure elongation for the NEC and the NWC, following their Abuja meeting of January 26 and 27.

    While Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello told reporters that the NEC had granted one year tenure elongation to the Odigie-Oyegun-led NWC, his Zamfara State counterpart and Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum, Abdulaziz Yari, said the NEC lacked the power to extend the tenure, adding that the power of the Convention to extend the tenure can only be exercised only by way of constitutional amendment.

    He stressed: “The power of the NEC of our party cannot go beyond doing so by way of constitution amendment. Article 30 of the APC Constitution and the schedules hereto, can be amended only by the National Convention of the party.

    “The process of amending the constitution is also expressly provided in Article 30 Sub-Section 2. This states: “Notice of any proposed amendment by any member or organ of the party shall be given to the National Secretary, at least, 14 days before the date of the National Convention. The Notice shall be in writing, shall contain a clear statement of the proposed amendment and reasons for the amendment.”

    Read Also: Odigie-Oyegun: APC NWC tenure extension in good fate

  • Pray for Buhari’s safe return, Yahaya urges Nigerians

    Pray for Buhari’s safe return, Yahaya urges Nigerians

    An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Gombe State and the party’s governorship candidate in the 2015 general elections, Alhaji Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya has urged Nigerians not to relent in praying for the safe return of President Mohammadu Buhari from United Kingdom.

    Yahaya who led thousands of Gombe residents to offer prayers to God on behalf of the president during a special prayer session in the state also described prayers as key to success in every human endeavor, regardless of their faiths.

    He said fervent prayers of Nigerians for their leaders at a time like this were strong indications of their patriotism and sincerity of purpose in helping to take the nation to the promise land.

    “President Buhari in the last twenty months at the saddle as president has demonstrated purposeful leadership, hence the need to offer prayers for his wellbeing and that of the nation as a whole.

    “It is our fervent prayer in Gombe for President Mohammadu Buhari’s good health and safe return to Nigeria to continue with his good work for the country.

    “We also hopefully prayed that the president will be steadfast in taking decisions that will better the lives of the downtrodden in our society,” said Yahaya during the event organized by a non-overnmental organization, Community for Peace and Corruption free Society.

    Engr. Ahmed Zakari Nguroje, convener of the event and National Chairman of the Community for Peace and Corrupt free Society, Nigeria said the idea of the special joint prayer session was conceived out of national interest and the patriotic zeal of his group.

    Notable among those who offered prayers for the president were top politicians and traditional rulers led by the Emir of Gombe Dr Abubakar Shehu III represented by Alhaji Lamido Abubakar (Durbin Gombe)