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Tag: All Progressives Congress (APC)

  • APC faults Fayose’s claim on alleged marginalisation of Ekiti

    APC faults Fayose’s claim on alleged marginalisation of Ekiti

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has challenged Governor Ayo Fayose’s claim that the state is not gaining anything from the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government.

    It said instances of the Federal Government’s assistance abound that should have lifted Ekiti people from their present sorry state if the governor had applied various financial aids by the Federal Government honestly.

    Fayose had said in his last media chat, Meet Your Governor, on state radio and television that the Federal Government has not rendered any assistance to Ekiti State.

    He also said that he had not borrowed any money since his assumption of office in 2014, maintaining that all the state’s debts were incurred by the administration of his predecessor, Dr Kayode Fayemi.

    He also said the loans taken by the last administration would be fully repaid in 2036.

    But reacting in a statement on Thursday by the Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the party berated the governor for always lying to the public to deny various aides he had received from the Federal Government to settle workers’ salaries and projects implementation.

    Listing various instances of assistance the governor had enjoyed from the Federal Government, Olatunbosun explained:

    “Besides regular payment of statutory monthly allocations, including the August allocation that Fayose himself put at N2.3b, the governor borrowed N10b from the Federal Government for projects and took another N2b from the Central Bank for small-scale business but diverted the money as no small-scale entrepreneur received kobo.

    “He took two tranches of bailout of about N20b, N14b in Budget Support Facility and the last Paris Club N4.7b refund largely for salary payment but diverted all to the flyover and new market projects awarded to his friends’ companies in which he allegedly has interest.

    “Fayose who said that the state has not benefitted anything from the Federal Government is in charge of the Federal Government’s N-Power project, school feeding programme and cash transfer programme in which beneficiaries take N5,000 and he has used his position as governor to ensure that it is only his supporters that have benefitted from some
    of these schemes.

    “The Federal Government has also commenced Federal Housing Project around Agric Olope area of Ado-Ekiti while the Federal Secretariat construction has started in the state capital even while his needless but most costly flyover in Nigeria in Ado-Ekiti is a Federal road on which he will be reimbursed by the Federal Government.

    “The question is, where is Fayose getting loans for these projects if it is true that the Federal Government is not patronising the state in spite of Fayose’s refusal to attend National Economic Council meetings where his colleagues in other states table their problems for the assistance of the Federal Government that he prefers to abuse through paid adverts in the newspapers?”

    Olatunbosun accused the governor of sabotaging the state’s interest in his needless fight against the President, explaining that while other governors were keying into the Federal Government’s development projects, Fayose preferred to launch attacks against the President.

    He added: “While Lagos, Jigawa, Kano, Benue, Osun, Ondo and Kebbi, among others, were keying into the agricultural scheme of the Federal Government in rice production and were showing the blue prints for the scheme, Fayose had nothing to show to the point that his Commissioner of Agriculture was asked to present the state’s agricultural agenda but the poor man was askance, as he was not able to say anything because Fayose has no plan for agriculture.

    “Again, recently, when other governors were being asked to show interest in mining prospecting licences, Fayose was at the time busy in the media talking about the non-existent 11 pictures of President Buhari on life-support machines while other governors were signing up for their states, including Governor Rotimi Akeredolu who was sworn in just a few months before the time.”

  • Sagay: DHQ right to declare IPOB a terrorist organisation

    Sagay: DHQ right to declare IPOB a terrorist organisation

    Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) Chairman Prof Itse Sagay (SAN) yesterday backed the military’s declaration of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organisation.

    He said he agreed with the Defence Headquarters’ description of IPOB as a terror group even if he was not sure whether the army complied with legal requirements in making the pronouncement.

    Sagay, in an interview with our correspondent, said IPOB exhibited characteristics that justified being so described.

    According to him, even if the group wanted secession, there were better ways of doing it than using abusive language and stoking violence, which he accused IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu of.

    He said: “Whilst I’m not sure of the legal parameters of that declaration, in practice, I agree. If you look at it, we’re very lucky that this thing did not get out of hand.

    “They (IPOB) were coming in their thousands, establishing road blocks, bringing out Northerners – for what, I don’t know – to kill some of them? If that is allowed, then the country is finished. Then they burned down a police station, killed a policeman.

    “For Christ’s sake, even if you want Biafra, you don’t have to be violent. If you look at the words that Kanu uses on the social media, how he has described our President and the rest of us as living in a zoo – abusive, violent, intemperate words – kill, kill, kill, all those in my view, constitute in totality acts of terrorism in which they can push undiscerning youths into rage and violence, which can be destructive.

    “You saw Moslems seeking protection in Port Harcourt. If you start killing Northerners and the North reacts, then we’ve had it.

    “I just thank God that the North is showing some maturity and some sense of restraint while this is being curbed. But we really need to curb IPOB, otherwise they will turn this country into a tinderbox.”

    Sagay said he would not stop expressing his views on issues of national importance despite the Senate asking President Buhari to call him to order.

    When reminded that the All Progressives Congress (APC) also once cautioned him about his criticisms of the National Assembly, the law professor described the party’s leadership as “a failure”.

    He said: “As for the leadership of the APC, I think they are the most unprincipled group of people. They are lily-livered, weak, and cannot run any organisation. The whole party is collapsing under them. They cannot control anybody.

    “In fact, they’re now encouraging and accepting ‘rogue elephants’, pampering people who are destroying the party, saying ‘let’s not annoy them too much’, but they’re destroying the APC house.

    “So, I think the APC leadership is weak, is too compromising and is certainly a failure as far as I’m concerned.”

    Sagay said the war against corruption could not be won without committed judges.

    He accused some judges of “deliberately” sabotaging the crusade by obstructing justice.

    His words: “We are very concerned about the judiciary. Without the judiciary, we can kiss the anti-corruption war goodbye. We must have a committed judiciary, otherwise they will keep messing up any case that comes. It’s so easy to give a reason, which will appear to be reasonable, and the public will say the anti-corruption agencies have not done their homework. It’s not so.

    “Quite a number of the judges are deliberately taking decisions which I’d say indicate their hostility to the anti-corruption war. There are judges who are hostile. There are judges who interfere when such cases are going on, using their position to ensure that government loses.

    “Government is aware of all this. It’s just that some of us are not in a position to take decisions. People who should be stopped are slipping through and still being relevant when in fact they should be pushed aside into retirement where they will not interfere in the anti-corruption struggle.

    “There are reports on these judges, some by the Department of State Services (DSS). I feel that judges who are not committed to the eradication of corruption should be eased out of the system.”

    Sagay said he stood by his assertion that the Senate was self-centered and unsupportive of the anti-graft war.

    “One of the most critical Bills pending before them – the Special Crimes Court Bill – was yet to be passed,” he said.

    The PACAC chairman said it was rather the Senate that owed him an apology for abusing him for speaking the truth.

    “I didn’t abuse them. I merely said they’re not committed to the Nigerian people, that they’re there for themselves alone. I provided the figures to show it. I know the worse exists.

    “There are certain things I didn’t say. I did not even mention what the Majority Leader, Deputy Senate President and Senate President get as extras. Those extras run into hundreds of millions of naira. What I said at that lecture is a tip of the iceberg.

    “Our aim is for the National Assembly to finally admit that they’re frittering away our national assets and preventing these funds from being used for various other vital sectors to create more employment and fix infrastructure.

    “If you recall, former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Lamido Sanusi said they were consuming 25 per cent of our budget. They didn’t deny it. Instead, former President Jonathan forced Sanusi out.

    “If we look at the senators’ allowances, we should ask ourselves questions. Should we be the ones clothing senators? Should my tax be used in hanging agbada on a senator?

    “How many times has government provided clothes for workers? But these men who are overpaid are still asking us to clothe them as if they arrived in Abuja naked.

    ”These same people ask us to pay them hardship allowance for doing their job. What of the man who is earning N18,000 a month, who operates machinery and sweeps the streets? No one pays them hardship allowance!”

    “Yet, people who live in tremendous luxury get paid hardship allowance running into billions. Why are Nigerians quiet about it? I don’t understand it,” Sagay said.

    On the Senate’s refusal to confirm Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu, Sagay said it was the President’s exclusive prerogative to decide how long he remains in office.

    “Magu can act indefinitely. The Senate does not have jurisdiction in this matter. It is the President who does because of Section 171 of the Constitution. This government is being a bit gentle, not wanting to ruffle feathers. Maybe that’s why they’re politicians and in government.

    “If people like me who are not politicians were there, these people (senators) would have heard a different message. I’d have rammed things through and damned them to go and do whatever they like, and let’s see who would come on top.

    “I believe that ultimately, righteousness, a good cause, a belief in principle will prevail. We’re dealing with people who are undergoing all sorts of investigations; they cannot face the righteous.”

  • I’ll succeed Ajimobi in 2019 – Shittu

    I’ll succeed Ajimobi in 2019 – Shittu

    Mr Adebayo Shittu, the Minister of Communications, has expressed confidence that he would succeed Gov. Abiola Ajimobi as governor of Oyo State in 2019.

    Shittu made the declaration when he spoke with newsmen in Ibadan after a meeting with members of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) from Egbeda Local Government and Ajorosun Local Council Development Area.

    The minister, who is a governorship aspirant, said he would take over from Ajimobi to improve on the good work already started.

    According to him, he is the most experienced of all the aspirants, having held several public offices and learnt politics from late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

    “I was a member of the State House of Assembly in 1979 and two-time Commissioner in the State. I have also contested the governorship seat in the state twice before I became a minister.

    “These are experiences you cannot buy. Oyo is advanced and sophisticated to be handled by inexperienced administrators,’’ he said.

    Shittu dismissed the ongoing re-alignment in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the party was a non-starter at the state and federal level.

    He stated that no fewer than 38 road contractors had abandoned work across the country two years before President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office.

    The minister stated that the development had contributed largely to unemployment as several workers, including labourers, bricklayers and iron benders were laid-off.

    He alleged that the PDP administration’s negligence and incompetence in handling the Boko Haram at inception was responsible for the magnitude of the present security challenges the country was confronted with.

    “Boko Haram would have overrun the country if not for Buhari’s emergence.

    “The Buhari administration on assumption of office had evolved several efficient and effective strategies at reducing the threat drastically,’’ he said.

    Speaking on the call for restructuring, he stated that the APC was presently collating views of Nigerians so as to ensure the people chart a new course for the future.

    He said that the outcome would subsequently be presented to the National Assembly.

    The minister said that the National Assembly was the only constitutionally recognised institution vested with the powers to amend the Constitution.

    NAN reports that the minister donated an 18-seater bus and cash to the party in the local government.

  • Why Wike is silent on killing of Policemen, destruction – APC

    Why Wike is silent on killing of Policemen, destruction – APC

    …’Rivers gov is raising false alarm against security agencies’

    The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has disclosed why Governor Nyesom Wike is silent on the killing of two policemen, violence and destruction of valuable property in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers by protesting members of the Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    Rivers APC, at a news conference Thursday at the state secretariat of the party on Forces Avenue, old Government Reservation Area (GRA), Port Harcourt by its Publicity Secretary, Chief Chris Finebone, who was accompanied by the party’s state Secretary, Chief Emeka Beke, and other leaders of the party, declared that Wike was benefiting from the IPOB’s violence in Rivers and not up to the game of ensuring good governance.

    The main opposition party in Rivers (APC) also accused the state governor of raising false alarm against security agencies, in order to divert attention from what he was planning to do, having earlier sewed police uniform for thugs that were used by his People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the 2015 elections and rerun in Rivers, with some of the criminals caught in Bori-Ogoni.

    It stated that Wike ought to have emulated his Abia State counterpart, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, who was proactive by immediately declaring three-day dusk to dawn curfew in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia, with the curfew later extended to today (Friday), in order to prevent further breakdown of law and order.

    Rivers APC noted that the failure of Wike’s government to engage in productive ventures, the cultists, kidnappers and other criminals, who recently surrendered their arms, ammunition and other dangerous weapons in the state government’s amnesty offer, was responsible for increase in the crime rate in Rivers, with the hungry and angry youths now returning to criminal activities with full force.

    Rivers governor, while addressing reporters at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Wednesday, alleged that most of the kidnapping and armed robbery taking place in the state were perpetrated by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    Wike also alleged that the SARS Commander in Rivers, Mr. Akin Fakorede, and operatives of the squad were indicted by an official police signal, which he claimed indicated that they were responsible for the series of kidnapping and deadly robbery across the state.

    The main opposition party said: “Ordinarily, the APC has no business involving in any matter between the Rivers governor and any other entity, but in the instant case and even in previous related cases, Wike has either alluded to or expressly stated that the APC benefited from whatever allegations he raised against the police or particularly the SARS. The APC has also been at the receiving end of the false alarms Wike had previously raised against the police, which in all cases turned out to be mere smokescreen by the governor to mask his real intentions.

    “From all indications, the Rivers governor’s accusation on Wednesday that members of SARS abducted some persons and forced them to withdraw N500, 000, is manifestly cooked up to directly smear members of the SARS and the Commander, Akin Fakorede, who is known to have resisted all the advances made by Wike to compromise the officer.

    “Wike has never hidden his disdain for the SARS commander, due to the officer’s principled and professional stance in rejecting the governor’s baits in the past two years. Wike seems to have sworn to have Akin Fakorede compromised or transferred out of Rivers State, to pave way for a replacement that may play ball with him.

    “Just before the killings in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA (ONELGA) of Rivers State assumed a frightening dimension, Wike had raised the alarm, accusing the military and police of invading ONELGA. Just after his blackmail of the army and police, his private army, led by Don Wannie, launched his massive killings and beheadings in ONELGA. Same was the case when Wike sponsored a campaign of calumny against the military personnel that tried to normalise security in Ogoniland. He made all manner of accusations against the army that had gone in search of Solomon Ndigbara, Wike’s private army general in Ogoni. Shortly after the sponsored campaign against the army in Ogoni , Ndigbara launched his killings in Ogoniland.

    “Part of the concerns of the APC is that whenever Wike is about committing some security infractions, he diverts attention from himself, by raising false alarm against the security agencies, especially the police. In the instant case, Rivers governor is raising these alarms to distract the police and pave way for his killers to undertake further killings in Rivers State. Without doubt, we believe the security information in our kitty to that effect.”

    Rivers APC also called on Rivers people and Nigerians not to fall for the antics of Wike, stressing that they must remain vigilant.

    It admonished the various security agencies to refuse to be dismayed, demoralised or distracted by the antics of the Rivers governor, but must continue to work to secure the state from the grip of Wike’s killers, who it said were on rampage across Rivers 23 LGAs.

    The party said: “Rivers State APC considers the yesterday’s (Wednesday’s) accusation against the police, particularly against the SARS, as patently malevolent, mischievous and intended to mask the next phase of killings by Wike’s killers.

    “The police and other security agencies must remain focussed and have their eyes on the ball, to forestall worsening security situation in the state, a situation that is already getting out of hand.”

    Rivers APC also urged the peace-loving people of the state to continue to endure Wike’s bad governance till 2019, when they would have the opportunity of effecting the much-needed change through their votes, asking them to prepare to vote wisely for all the candidates of the main opposition party, in order to move forward.

     

  • Makarfi cautions intending PDP returnees against delay

    Makarfi cautions intending PDP returnees against delay

    The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Ahmed Makarfi, has cautioned defectors from the party but who are willing to return, to do so without further delay.

    Asking the would be returnees and intending joiners to make up their minds in good time, the chairman said the PDP would not wait for anybody, as jostling for prime positions would soon commence.

    He revealed that Accord Party, led by a former Oyo State Governor, Alhaji Rasheed Ladoja; the Social Democratic Party (SDP), led by Mr. Seyi Makinde; and the Labour Party have already joined the PDP

    Makarfi said the Accord Party presently has six lawmakers in the Oyo State House of Assembly and that a 40-man committee has been set up to look into see to the registration of the new entrants.

    The chairman, who spoke on Wednesday at the meeting of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) said, “While we reconcile and accommodate, we are not waiting for any individual to make up their mind”.

    Many of the prominent chieftains that dumped the PDP for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) before the 2015 elections are being rumoured to be working their way beach to the PDP.

    Makarfi added that the party’s success in the 2019 elections would largely depend on timely preparations and getting its forthcoming national convention right.

    “We have to get it right because this is what will determine whether we succeed in 2019 or not. We are working on the time table for the convention. We will consult and brief the BoT”, he said.

    He cautioned members against the antics of sycophants, saying that such could boomerang on the party because it would be difficult to carry everybody along.

    According to him, the leadership of the party was ready to wield the big stick, stressing that henceforth members would be made to face disciplinary actions if they worked against the interests of the party.

    Also speaking at the meeting, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu urged the party’s leadership to be cautious in handling issues surrounding the emergence of a substantive chairman.

    Describing the issue of chairmanship as very sensitive, the lawmaker warned that poor handling of the matter could affect the party’s chances in the 2019 elections.

    Ekweremadu said, “We have gone through trial, through the wilderness, but we are now out of it and heading to the Promised Land. It is expected that the BOT will play a prominent role in guiding the party; otherwise, we may never get to the Promised Land.

    “2019 is almost here, so let us not sit back and say we are watching what will happen. We can’t afford to remain in the opposition after 2019 (God forbid).

    “So, I want to appeal that going forward, we should have more meetings and more consultations to ensure that we make minimal mistakes and avoid the mistakes we made in the past.

    “As we approach the convention to elect our national officers, I want to appeal that the BOT must show more than passing interest in who becomes what.

    “Because the issue of who becomes the chairman is so critical that if we don’t get it right, nothing will happen in the aspect of the President. We should have the type of National Working Committee we would be proud of, to direct our party very well”

    The meeting however failed not elect a new Secretary for the BoT to fill the vacancy created by the death of Chief Ojo Maduekwe who died late 2016.

    Some sources at the meeting cited disagreement arising from insistence by some stakeholders from the South East zone to have one of the own occupy the position as reason the meeting failed to elect a new Secretary. The late Maduekwe hailed from the South East.

    Others sources attributed it to lack of quorum at the meeting, saying that matter had been shifted to the next meeting for a larger house to decide.

  • APC women endorse El-Rufai for 2019

    APC women endorse El-Rufai for 2019

    National zonal and state women leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) and other stakeholders on Wednesday met in Kaduna and declared their support for Governor Nasir El-Rufai ahead of 2019.

    The party women who met at the popular Arewa House Kaduna were in Kaduna to deliberate on how to fix some of them into political space before 2019, in order to have good representation.

    Leader of the Stakeholders , Hajia Binta Mua’zu said, to achieve that, they sought and secured the support of the governor for the meeting hence the early preparation to see how to fit-in in men dominated environment especially in the northern part of the country.

    Wife of the Governor, Arch Hadiza Isma El-Rufai who was impressed with large turnout of women told the gathering that, her husband was ever ready to support and empower women’s course because without them, he would not have possibly emerge as the state governor.

    She opined that, the best thing to do is to rally support for her husband so he can move the change mantra beyond 2019 while women in the state have the opportunity of fulfilling their potentials.

    Addressing the women, the Facilitator and Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development in the state, Hajia Hafsat Mohammed Baba said, there is no better time to mobilise women and reawaken them especially those with political ambition than now.

    According to her, “we are here today to see how the women leaders and followers can come together and chat a way forward as regarding the political sphere of our dear state. We need to be well represented so our yearnings and aspirations for improved social well-being of our children can well channeled.

    “From the theme; ‘Keep the Change’, we want to see change in Kaduna beyond 2019. That is why my ministry brought all the leaders and followers together to discuss our issues. This meeting is targeted at arousing women consciousness in running for political position starting from counsellor, chairman and lawmaking.

    “For example to my greatest dismay, no single woman is in current State Assembly which is why this meeting is very important now.

    “We have been handling issues of rape and child abuse which will be better if we have more women at the helm of political affairs in the state and the country at large. So, if we put all these together, the only person that can help us as women to have a lesser crime society is Mallam El-Rufai and he need s our support”, she added.

  • APC leader hailed for Human Development Initiatives

    APC leader hailed for Human Development Initiatives

    The National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS) has commended a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Otunba Dele Ologun over his recent donations in the area of human development to some students and youths in the state.
    In a statement made available to newsmen In Akure, the state capital on Friday, the National President of the student organization, Comrade Olanrewaju Akeredolu said the human capital development initiative of Ologun in the state is second to none. 
     
    The statement reads: “Great leaders have vision and enthusiastic to achieving results. They can see into the future. They have a clear, exciting idea of where they are going and what they are trying to accomplish. They dispassionately focus on the needs of the people as well as their situations
     
    “Leaders focus on results, on what must be achieved by themselves, by others. Suffice to say great leaders focus on strengths, in them and also in others for the overall good of the larger society and these are the virtues displayed by Otunba Dele Ologun, the founder of Dele Ologun Foundation”. 
    Listed by Akeredolu as part of the empowerment initiatives of Ologun in Ondo State of recent are; distribution of 100 JAMB forms free and N5 million grant to indigent students; donation of Books and food stuffs to orphanage homes;
    Several trainings on entrpreneirship and skills acquisition for the unskilled youths and launch of Dele Ologun football club designed to provide opportunities for the sport loving youths of the state to showcase their football skills to foreign scout.
    Akeredolu urged Ologun to continue the good work his foundation has started, calling on other privileged indigenes of the state to borrow a leave from the APC chieftain. 
  • Lagos bye-election: We are stepping up campaigns – AD

    Lagos bye-election: We are stepping up campaigns – AD

    The Alliance for Democracy ( AD ) said on Sunday that it was stepping up preparations for the Sept. 30 Lagos State House of Assembly bye-election for the Eti-Osa State Constituency.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC had scheduled the bye-election to fill the vacant seat in the house following the death of Mr Kazeem Alimi on July 18.

    Mr Kola Ajayi, the State AD Chairman, told NAN in Lagos that following the emergence of Mr Sofe Samson as the party’s candidate for the poll in a recent primary, the party would soon begin its campaign for an “impressive showing” in the bye-election.

    AD, formed in 1998 by the late Sen. Abraham Adesanya, ex-Lagos State Gov. Bola Tinubu, now National Leader of the ruling APC and others, was until 2003, a vibrant opposition party in Nigeria under the President Olusegun Obasanjo-led government.

    Following a leadership tussle between Sen. Mojisola Akinfenwa and Chief Bisi Akande, erstwhile Osun governor, the Akande faction merged with other opposition parties to form the Action Congress of Nigeria and subsequently, the All Progressives Congress ( APC ).

    Ajayi said:“We have conducted our primary during which Mr Sofe Samson emerged by consensus.

    “His name has been submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as our flag bearer.

    “We have perfected plans for the election and campaign will soon begin and we are sure of doing well.”

    According to Ajayi, AD is a popular party in the state with a carefully designed programmes to meet the yearnings of the people.

    On calls for the country’s restructuring, the party chairman said: “It is time for the Federal Government to act.”

    He said the current structure of the country needed to be tinkered with to “fortify the country and help it meet its aspirations.”

  • Ebonyi APC SWC denies working against pro-Buhari rally

    Ebonyi APC SWC denies working against pro-Buhari rally

    Ebonyi State Working Committee (SWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied media reports that members of the committee plotted against the rally held by a faction of the party in the state on Monday in support of President Muhammadu Buhari’s recovery and his safe return to the country.

    Briefing journalists in Abakaliki, the State Woman Leader, Princess Adol Awam said that against speculations and insinuations in some quarters that the committee worked and plotted against the rally, those who masterminded the plot where those who desired to use the
    antics to achieve cheap political propaganda and discredit the members of the working committee.

    “We the State Working Committee members of APC Ebonyi State frown totally with the radio announcement made with our name in 2 local radio stations in Ebonyi State”, she said.

    Continuin, Mrs Awam said: ”We want to use this medium to disassociate ourselves from such announcement and want to state categorically that we are happy with the return of Mr. President’’.

    ‘’We made well to say that it’s a known fact that there is a faction in APC in our state and we are aware that people will be taking an undue advantage of the problem to discredit the names of the highly respected congress members of SWC of our great party in the state to buy cheap popularity and we know that sooner or later, posterity will judge the Jonas in the ship of APC in Ebonyi state.

    ‘’We made it clear to pray anyone no matter highly placed to please consult and liaise with the SWC of the party before saying anything on behalf of the party.

    She said that despite the fictionalization of the party in the state, members of the State Working Committee are intact
    and would stop at nothing in ensuring that peace is restored to the party in the state.

    Mrs. Awam while extolling the leadership qualities of the President said ‘’we the members of the party are happy with the return of the president upon his recovery and transformation by God almighty. We are also in total support of his administration especially in both infrastructural development and the peace in the country’’

  • Buhari: APC chieftains react to Alhassan’s comment

    Buhari: APC chieftains react to Alhassan’s comment

    There is an apprehension and anxiety in the All Progressives Congress (APC) over Hajia Aisha Alhassan’s comment on President Muhammadu Buhari undeclared plan to run in 2019.

    Hajia Alhassan who is the Women Affairs Minister has been in the spotlight for saying she will not back Buhari, if he wishes to run.

    The Minister who had ran for governor in Taraba State in 2015, defended her position at the Presidential Villa yesterday.

    She said “God gives and takes position” when asked whether she expected to be fired from her position, following her declaration of support for former Vice-President Abubakar Atiku.

    Besides, the minister said President Buhari declared in 2015 that he would do one term. She spoke during a visit to the former vice-president and in an interview on BBC Hausa

    A party leader said last night. “The remarks rattled us. It is totally unexpected. But it is her view, not a collective opinion.”

    Senator Shehu Sani (APC Kaduna Central) advised the minister to resign.

    Sani said: “The difference between that woman who made the statement as a minister and others is that she was open and others are still having it in their minds.

    “If she is prepared to work for the former vice-president, she can easily excuse herself from this government and concentrate on what she believes in for 2019.”

    A chieftain of the APC in Bayelsa State, Preye Aganaba, said: ”She has a right to her choice but I think she is not being fair. If she wants to make such public statement as a serving minister, she should resign her appointment.”

    Aganaba, who expressed confidence in the Buhari administration, however, urged the President to bring into his cabinet “capable hands” who understand the ideal of the change mantra which the party stands for.

    “So, I don’t think for now that the APC has any other choice than to re-elect President Buhari, though people are free to contest; nobody is stopping them. This is APC where we usually have free and fair primaries. The last presidential primaries in Lagos, President Buhari won more than half of the votes.

    “During the last APC presidential primaries, the campaign slogan for Buhari was ’12 million assured votes’ and I don’t think one single vote has left that 12 million assured votes. In fact, more have even been added.

    “I am not bothered about the economy because that will be fixed. For me, I’m looking at the politics of various zones because that will determine how much we win the election. To win, we will win, but by what margin? These are my issues and then if we can also do well at National Assembly elections.

    “In government wise, I think we have done well. Yes, may be not where we are supposed to be because we also did not know about what we met when we came in 2015 but we have done well. A few days ago we heard that Nigeria exited the recession. The prices of food stuff are coming down, in Abuja here where I live I get minimum of 20 hours of electricity and some days light doesn’t go off for five days and so on.

    “If President Buhari runs election today, he is going to win. I don’t think the President is terminally ill and, like every other human being, people fall sick but the problem is because he is the President, is in government you begin to hear stories, but he is back. I saw him yesterday; he was looking very fresh, atleast he rested very well in Daura.”

    Asked by State House reporters why she made the statement, Mrs. Alhassan said: “No, I have no comment. What will I say now? I have said all in BBC Hausa. Get someone who speaks Hausa very well to translate it to you.”

    On her relationship with Buhari, she said: “How will I know? I have not seen the President but I don’t think the President is a naive person.”

    Asked if she is not afraid of losing her job, she said: “God gives and God takes. That is all and I have said it all in Hausa. You know that there is an end to everything.”

    On Buhari supporters attacking her on social media, Mrs. Alhassan  said: “Let the will of God be.”