The Nation Newspaper

Tag: All Progressives Congress (APC)

  • 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.

  • APC members hail EFCC over probe of Fayose

    APC members hail EFCC over probe of Fayose

    • Say Ekiti commonwealth must be recovered

    Leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ado-Ekiti Local Government Area of Ekiti State have urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ensure that all the state’s funds and assets purchased with state funds are recovered.

    The plea was made at the APC members’ monthly meeting at Ward Five in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, where about 15 people in the ward were empowered by a chieftain of the party, Faleye Rotimi.

    Faleye, who distributed cash in aid of their businesses, said the gesture was to assist the less privileged in line with the party manifesto.

    Addressing the gathering, Ayodele said the people of the state are happy with the EFCC probe of Fayose maintaining that all illicit funds traced to the governor must be recovered.

    Ayodele said: “We APC members are happy with EFCC for investigating Fayose, what is happening to our treasury? What is happening to our funds? Fayose must face the music for the way he has been handling our funds and the arms funds diverted to his campaign.”

    Former Chairman of the State Sports Council, Ade Adetola, called for the understanding of Nigerians saying the 16 years of alleged destruction of the economy by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration cannot be rectified within two years by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Ward Chairman Olumide Ajibade said the ongoing economic recession was not caused by Buhari but “unprecedented corruption wreaked on Nigerians by the PDP government” urging Nigerians to repose their confidence in the President.

    He described the PDP administration in the state as “non-responsive and irresponsible to the welfare of Ekiti people” adding that the move to instal the people’s government led by the APC had just commenced.

    APC members in Ekiti State hailed the EFCC on the probe of Governor Ayo Fayose over alleged money laundering and purchase of some assets after assumption of office.

    Party leaders who attended the meeting include former Ekiti House of Assembly Speaker, Femi Bamisile, former House of Assembly member, Tope Olanipekun, former Commissioner for Culture, Alhaji Jinadu Ayodele, ward and local government executives.

     

  • PDP leader Owie blames Anenih’s impunity for Edo loss

    PDP leader Owie blames Anenih’s impunity for Edo loss

    A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Senator Roland Owie, is not on the same page with other leaders of the party on the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in last Wednesday’s governorship election, Mr.Godwin Obaseki.

    While the generality of PDP leaders have been alleging manipulation of the election result in favour of the APC, Owie, Senate Chief Whip in the Second Republic and a PDP elder in the state said Obaseki deserved his victory.

    He said the PDP could not have won with the way former Works minister, Chief Antony Anenih was playing god and imposing candidates at will.

    Anenih, he said, was wrong “to impose the deputy governor slot on Esan people after what he did with the governorship slot.” Anenih is from Uromi in Esanland.

    Continuing, Owie said: “Any leader who takes political decisions on selfish interests gets destroyed at the end. Such leader is like a spider. Whatever a spider eats turns to poison.

    “Why on earth will Chief Anenih impose a Deputy Gov on Esan people after what he did with the governorship slot?

    “He has been playing god and now God has told him that all powers belong to God.”

    He was even more damning in his assessment of the votes garnered by the PDPP in the election.

    His words: “the higher percentage of the votes our PDP got in this election were votes against hunger and hardship brought by the APC federal government and not for the PDP.”

    “I hope Chief Anenih will enter his house now and allow people of goodwill to re-organize the PDP. I congratulate Godwin Obaseki and not the APC because there is hunger and hardship in the land.”

    Chief Anenih who is fondly called Mr. Fix-it by his admirers on account of his political dexterity is the PDP leader in the state.

    Soon after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC declared Mr. Obaseki winner on Thursday, Governor Adams Oshiomhole named Anenih as one of the political godfathers humbled by the APC victory.

    He said: “In Esanland, the senatorial zone of the PDP godfather, we won two out of the five local governments.

    “We gave him a fight that he managed to escape. He used the factor of his age to play on the emotion of the people.

    “Edo people are now proud they can now determine who rules them and no one godfather can choose a leader for them.”

  • Buhari congratulates Obaseki, Oshiomhole on victory at poll

    Buhari congratulates Obaseki, Oshiomhole on victory at poll

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday congratulated the government and people of Edo State on the successful conclusion of the gubernatorial election and the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Godwin Obaseki at the polls.

    In a telephone call to Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, President Buhari commended the well-articulated campaign programme of the APC in the state, the doggedness of the governor, governor-elect and party members in going round the state to reach the people with records of good governance over the years and a promise of continuity.

    In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said that the outcome of the election clearly reflected the mood of the people to sustain the pedigree of responsiveness, forthrightness and diligence that Governor Oshomole brought into the service of his people.

    ‘‘The victory is good for democracy, for Nigeria and the people of Edo State,’’ he said.

    President Buhari also said that the victory was well-deserved as the campaign train, which he joined, worked hard to sell its people-centered manifesto.

    He applauded the conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, corps members and electorate in ensuring a peaceful election.

    INEC had announced that Obaseki won the majority of the votes cast, with a total of 319,483 votes, and he was closely followed by Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the PDP, who polled 253,173 votes.

  • Edo poll: KOWA calls for cancellation of results

    Edo poll: KOWA calls for cancellation of results

    • LP, NNPP objects

    The KOWA Party on Thursday called for the cancellation of the Edo State gubernatorial election results following reports of violence and irregularities in certain areas.

    KOWA’s agent at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Benin City, Thompson Osadolor had raised called for the cancellation  following the commission’s cancellation of results in areas where ballot boxes were snatched or card readers not used for authentication.

    He said that since it was obvious that such issues including the open inducement of voters at polling units occurred at different places, INEC should out rightly cancel the entire results and bar parties found culpable from contesting a new election.

    His submission was however countered by agent of the  New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) Joyce Edekere and her Labour Party counterpart.

    According to Edekere, NNPP would not back the call for cancellation because it was unnecessary.

    “We’re not joining the call for a cancellation of the elections because we think there’s no justification for such. The elections were fair and INEC gave direct answers to the questions that were raised about elections.”

    Similarly, Labour Party said the elections were generally peaceful, free and fair, insisting that it was baseless to demand cancellation, considering the resources and time put into achieving the outcome.

    “This election was very peaceful. On as much as there were a few issues in some places, INEC has done the accurate thing by cancelling the results of the places affected. We do not see the need for cancellation and we do not support the call.”
    Of the 18 Local Government Areas result announced, the All Progressives Congress (APC) won 13 leaving the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with five.

    Earlier, both PDP and Action Alliance (AA) agents demanded that the votes for Etsako Central released by INEC be recounted on grounds that it differed from the copy they got at the collation centres.

  • Edo: Heavy rainfall greets Obaseki’s victory

    Edo: Heavy rainfall greets Obaseki’s victory

    Heavy fall of rain is currently being experienced in Edo State after the keenly contested gubernatorial election between candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and Mr. Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Our correspondence reports that Benin City is witnessing a heavy rainfall after the announcement of Mr. Obaseki as the winner of the election.

    Details shortly….

  • Ondo APC congratulates Obaseki

    Ondo APC congratulates Obaseki

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has congratulated the Governor-elect of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki on his victory at the just concluded September 28, 2016, Governorship election in the State.

    A statement issued by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Omo’ba Abayomi Adesanya said the victory is well deserved by the party especially in a keenly contested poll.

    APC lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for ensuring the exercise when on smoothly.

    The party noted that the simultaneous Accreditation and Voting system introduced by the commission has largely reduced rigging and violence.

    It therefore, advised INEC not to lose sleep on the new strategy it adopted, but to improve on it for future elections, especially, the November 26thGovernorship election coming up in Ondo State.

    APC appealed to its members in Ondo state to work assiduously for the victory of APC and it candidate, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN).

  • BREAKING: PDP rejects Edo election result

    BREAKING: PDP rejects Edo election result

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday morning distanced itself from the results of the gubernatorial election announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    In a press conference held at its governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s Ugbo Raod residence in Benin City, PDP said the results being announced by INEC, which indicates the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Godwin Obaseki was in a comfortable lead, were predetermined fabrication.

    At the briefing were the state chairman, Dan Orbih, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, Ize-Iyamu and Henry Duke Tenebe. Orbih said the official results from INEC were at variance with the result collected by their agents at the polling units, insisting that the PDP was the winner of the election. He claimed that from the results available to them, the PDP won the election with at least 30,000 margins.

    “It was too early to pass comment yesterday (Wednesday) without reports from agents. We have since received reports from party agents across 192 wards and all polling units in Edo State. The results being announced by INEC are not true reflection of the election.

    “INEC started the process of announcing results in the election at their headquarters in Benin. They suspended the announcement at some point and promised to continue this morning.

    “We took time to look at results from our agents and independent observers. From the results, PDP clearly won the APC in all the local government areas of the state with a minimum of 30,000 votes. But, we have compared them with INEC’s figures and observed there is a wide difference between the figures from party agents and independent observers with INEC’s

    “The result by INEC has confirmed our statement less 48 hours to the election that the Edo State Governor was telling his party members and leaders that they have written the results of the election. Everything the PDP said is playing out.

    “INEC disregarded results from various polling units. Decided to announce the one they wrote before election was held. While we continue to study this results still coming in from riverine areas, we are going to reject the result currently announced by INEC officials.

    “Even areas we won, they have removed most of the votes with claims that card readers did not function in those areas. I wonder what the incident forms are meant for. They were supposed to address such problems. But in this instance, it is convenient for INEC to cancel all the results in areas we won.

    “INEC should take full responsibility for malfunctioning card readers. What they are doing at the INEC is in line with what we said before election. All INEC officials are working in collaboration with Edo State Government who has taken pains to go into INEC office for no cause.”

    Similarly, Ize-Iyamu condemned the results being released by INEC, accusing the commission and security agencies of connivance with APC, describing the outcome as a rape of democracy. The PDP candidate raised serious allegations against the ruling party, claiming that Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s government spent not less than N3billion to buy votes at polling units.

    He said: “Contrary to claim that PDP brought in 8,000 militants, the election showed that PDP are law abiding and did not involve in illegality. The delays in announcing official result by INEC was in order to announce predetermined fabricated results.

    “The Figures being announced by INEC do not represent the massive turnout. We have told our agents to bring all the results issued at the polling units. We do not want to rely on the messages they sent. In the next three or four days, will have complete record. From findings, it is clear a lot of manipulation has taken place.

    “At George Idah Primary School, thugs came in, shot into the air and carted away election materials. Till now he has not been apprehended nor declared wanted. At Ward 10 Ikpoba Okah, APC thugs carted away materials. At Ohrionwon LGA, a PDP agent was arrested on the instruction of INEC because she complained about illegality.

    There were over 300 non-Nigerians, whose names were put in the register at Ohrionwon to vote. We wonder why non-Nigerians would be allowed to vote in Edo election. At Etsako East, security agencies were shooting and driving people to perfect rigging plan.

    “The results being announced by INEC were obtained by fraud and use of arms, ammunitions. There was no election at Etsako Central. Materials were seized. We talked about it, condemned it but yet, the results were accepted.

    “The arrest of the journalists I invited from Abuja to cover the election was clearly an orchestrated plan to ensure PDP does not only lose the election but wouldn’t have the evidence of malpractices.

    “INEC used the same result sheet whose serial numbers were disclosed on September 8 before the postponement of the election. These same result sheets were deployed to bring in fake results. Ballot papers and sensitive materials have been thump printed and shifted into the government house since two days.

    “INEC has failed, connived and in conjunction with security agencies, betrayed the confidence of Nigerians. What transpired in Edo is rape of democracy. Everyone is aware that Edo government spent not less than N3b to purchase votes at polling units. PDP does not have that kind of resources at its disposal.

    “A night before the election, APC members were caught with 3,000 PVCs and N15m but nothing happened to them. Within INEC, we have got calls from people who said we should protest the manipulation. Dissatisfied with outcome.”

  • Edo: Oyegun debunks allegation of thugs importation

    Edo: Oyegun debunks allegation of thugs importation

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Oyegun on Wednesday debunked the allegation that the APC imported thugs for the ongoing gubernatorial elections in Edo State.

    Oyegun, who spoke to journalists after voting at ward ll, unit ll, denied reports that the party gave bribe to Edo people to secure their votes during the governorship election.

  • Edo poll: Oyegun accredited for voting

    Edo poll: Oyegun accredited for voting

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Oyegun has been accredited at ward ll, unit ll for voting at the ongoing gubernatorial elections in Edo.

    Oyegun who came out at about 10:45A.M said that was the best time to vote at his Polling Unit, adding that democracy has become widespread.

    He also observed that the election has been peaceful so far while commending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as the security operatives.

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