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Tag: All Progressives Congress (APC)

  • APC will win Edo again, says Eta

    APC will win Edo again, says Eta

  • Osunbor joins Edo governorship race

    Osunbor joins Edo governorship race

    Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor says he will contest as governor of Edo State on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Osunbor told newsmen in Abuja on Thursday that he was back in the race by popular demand of the Edo people.

    It will be recalled that Osunbor was elected governor of Edo in April 2007 but the Edo State Governorship Election Tribunal declared the election invalid on March 20, 2008.

    He said during his stint in the Edo Government House, he left his footprint in the area of infrastructure, civil service reforms, health and education sectors.

    “I also fought for the accreditation of 30 out of 31 degree awarding courses in the Ambrose Ali University.

    “Since governance entails continuity, Oshiomhole continued with my legacies and I promise to continue from where he stopped.’’

    On whether Oshiomhole had an anointed candidate, he said: “at a meeting in March, Oshiomhole publicly declared that he had no anointed candidate and I believe him even if you don’t.’’

    He said although there were lots of qualified candidates in the race, Edo people should vote for the “first among equals’’, adding that he would bring his experience to bear as a professor and senator.

    Osunbor brings to nine the number of aspirants vying for the Edo number one seat on the platform of the APC.

    The gubernatorial primary will come up on June 18.

     

  • Ondo Poll: Core Progressives endorse Abraham

    Founding members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state, who were formerly members of the party from the Alliance for Democracy (AD) to the Action Congress (AC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has adopted the gubernatorial aspiration of Dr. Olusegun Abraham as their candidate.

    At the event held in Ile-Oluji, the former chairman of the ACN, Comrade Sola Iji said the decision to pick Olusegun Abraham came after an assessment and consideration of all the aspirants for seven months. He said the five cardinal parameters of consideration were acceptability, eligibility, sellability, sincerity, and integrity.

    Iji said: “The unanimous decision to adopt the candidacy of Dr. Olusegun Abraham was finalized on March 30, this year, after confirming that he is the only candidate that excelled in all the parameters of consideration.”

    “Among the gubernatorial aspirants contesting for the ticket of our party, it took us some time to come to the carefully thought-out decision to support the aspiration of Abraham to serve Ondo state.
    “We have informed the party and also mandated them to identify with this decision.”
    Another party leader and elder statesman, Pa Chief Adesola Adesoji, who is also a former Acting Chairman of the ACN aligned with the decision of the group, describing Abraham as the only aspirant with the experience and ability to truly transform the state.

    He said: “We know him, we trust him, his humility, philanthropy and longstanding loyalty to progressive politics right from the AD days are added characteristics that Olusegun Abraham possesses over the other aspirants.

    “We have not had anybody who is an international businessman at the helm of affairs in this state before. We now have the opportunity to have such in Olusegun Abraham”.

    “Abraham had mastered the ability to generate sufficient revenue to break the yoke of poverty in this state and remove the dependence on Abuja revenue which seems insufficient at the moment.

    Abraham said: “I thank you for choosing me. You’ve done this not just for me, but also for Ondo state. I appreciate the fact that you chose to identify with the mission to take Ondo to a truly prosperous level where no one will be left out in the experience of blessings from the fruits of practical governance.

    “My mission is to transform Ondo from a third world state to a first class state worthy of emulation for other states.”

    “Without your long-serving support, your loyalty, your consistency and dedication from the scratch, there will be nothing like the APC today.

    “This informed your decision to stand by me, we, want a sellable candidate who is experienced enough, a renowned industrialist, who has the independent financial ability, to win the main election come November.”

    The group is comprised of prominent party elders, former state Party chairmen, party faithful, past and present local government and ward excos, youth leaders, and staunch party leaders in all the 18 Local governments areas in the state.

    They all promised to work for the candidacy of Abraham.

  • “Reduction in Ondo Varsity reparation fee, unacceptable”

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state has rejected the reduction in the reparation fee of N25,000 to N15,000 imposed on students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, as a condition for their readmission into the institution.

    The development was the aftermath of the rampage that greeted the death of one of them, Afolabi Ojo

    APC said the reduction has not changed the fundamental that the levy is still unacceptable and a travesty of justice.

    A statement by the Director of Media and Publicity, Steve Otaloro said: “This reduction in fee has given credence to our earlier statements that the school authority erred in imposing levy on the students in the first place.

    “We are re-emphasising that this levy was hurriedly done to divert the attention of the public from government negligence in doing the needful for the state University.

    “It seems the school authority is not getting it yet. The point we (APC) are making is that there is no reason students should be punished for a preventable death of one of their colleagues when they are not the cause of the unfortunate death.

    “The government is as culpable when it refuses to provide a backup healthcare facility for Afolabi Ojo, as when it actually participated in his death.

    The statement said making scapegoats out of the students was a precarious move the government applied to save its face in the public.

    It said: “This is not working and will never work as the public had since exonerated the helpless students.

    “While not condoning any act of violence, we must however get things right. It’s natural that emotions always run high in human seeing the death of a colleague that could be prevented the way Afolabi Ojo seems to have been killed unattended to through non provision of good healthcare services at his disposal.

    “If adequate Medicare had been provided for him- as he might have probably paid for health centre fee as charged as part of school fee, the situation would have been different and understandable.

    “The students would not have gone on peaceful demonstration that was allegedly hijacked by hoodlums and resulted in violence.

    “As we all know times are hard in the state, people are hungry and consequently angry with the government for non payment of their salaries for an unprecedented five months which had resulted in low economic activities in the state.

    “Anyone could have tapped on the people’s anger for the PDP-led government in the state to perpetrate violence.

    “Therefore, forcing the students to pay reparation for a crime they did not commit- as there was no investigation that suggest otherwise, and having lost one of their colleagues to the cold hand of death in such a painful, shocking and unforgiving manner is excruciating enough to provoke another rounds of anger at the slightest provocation after their resumption.

    “This reparation fee that only the school authority will be the sole benefits, and not minding the death of their student is most pathetic to comprehend.

    “It is a callous reflection of their desire not to give value for life and a blatant disregard to the feelings of the parents of the deceased who are still grieving the lost of their son at this time and hoping to put a closure to the actual cause of the death of their only son by instituting a panel of inquiry to that effect instead of capitalising on their son’s death to raise unwarranted funds.

    “Public perception is very sensitive and not handling this situation properly, especially when the loss of life is concerned could be perceived as callous.

    ” This situation must be handled with care, sensitivity and dispassionately to make everyone involved calm down the boiling tension.

    “Any negative action as taken by the imposition of reparation fee such as this on students can spontaneously earned further provocation that would result in further uprisings in the future.”

  • APC to NLC: You are anti-workers

    APC to NLC: You are anti-workers

    The Ondo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted the encomiums passed on Governor Olusegun Mimiko by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

    The party noted that it was  ironical that the commendation came at a time workers in the state are currently groaning through the insensitivity of the same government that has failed to pay salaries for four months.

    NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, in a letter applauded Governor Mimiko over what he described as his sterling leadership qualities in the transformation of Ondo State to a modern and one of the leading states in the country.

    This he hinged on provision of physical infrastructure and services and other landmark achievements, which according to him have impacted on the lives of the people of Ondo State.

    APC in a statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Steve Otaloro said it did not denying the present leadership of NLC its right to opinion and decisions

    It however expressed concern on the “injury of inept” leadership foisted on the state in almost eight years of misgovernance which ironically found commendations from an organization that should indeed show empathy towards the challenges faced by the people.

    According to the statement”what should readily have been a succour to the civil servants in Ondo state through the Federal Government’s bailout intervention of over N15 billion has neither been accounted for nor have the workers been paid. Yet the NLC leadership believes such commendations at this struggling time for civil servants is in good faith.

    “Our concern is the obvious disconnect between the realities being faced by residents of Ondo state, who have not experienced pipe-borne water in seven years but are told to celebrate the error of a water fountain which obviously the NLC leadership must have found awe-inspiring in its ill-fated commendation”.

    The party however advised the leadership of the NLC to always seek the truth from the people it represents before putting undue commendations on rejected governments.

  • Minister to Bayelsa APC faction: Blackmail won’t distract me

    Minister to Bayelsa APC faction: Blackmail won’t distract me

    The  Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri on Monday said no amount of blackmail would distract him from discharging his functions in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Lokpobiri said all the allegations against him by the suspected faction of the state Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the party’s state Chairman, Chief Tiwe Oruminighe were laughable and baseless.

    Oruminighe and his group accused Lokpobiri of purchasing his ministerial slot from the state leader of the party and former Governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva.

    But Lokpobiri in a statement signed by his Media Assistant, Mr. Donald Ojogo, said he never got his appointment on the altar of financial inducement.

    He threatened to seek redress in court by filing libel suit against persons bent in damaging his hard-earned reputation.

    The statement said: “In the last few days, the Bayelsa state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has contended with  some unsavoury moments.

    ” Undoubtedly, these are orchestrated by an insignificant few within the party and oiled by some external forces who feel threatened about their political future, especially as the APC challenges the outcome of the last governorship election at the Election Petition Tribunal.

    “‎From the outset, the attitude of the Honourable Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri has been to ignore and avoid responding to all such untoward moves and circumstances around the APC. To him, such do not represent the much required cohesion, sincerity of purpose and political maturity.

    “Nonetheless, in the view of the deliberate fabrication of lies and misrepresentation of facts on the part of those who have allowed themselves to be used in this blackmail venture, it has become very compelling to state the following:

    “The Hon Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri never got his appointment on the platter of financial negotiations as expressly insinuated by the suspended State chairman of the APC in Bayelsa State, Chief Tiwei Oruminigha and his cohorts.

    “Like other appointees of Mr President, Senator Lokpobiri was duly considered worthy to be so appointed in his position.

    “It is a clear case of misrepresentation of facts to insinuate that former governor of Bayelsa who is the leader of the APC in Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva collected money from the Hon minister before his appointment as minister. This is an outright fabrication”.

    The statement added: “The reference by Tiwei Orunimigha to statements purportedly made by Hon minister in the build up to the 2015 elections ‎that he (Lokpobiri) never believed in the ability of the APC and its then presidential candidate (now president), Muhammadu Buhari to win election is nothing but an exhibition of either some form of delusion or  incurable  amnesia.

    “For the records, the Hon Minister’s political affinity with President Muhammadu Buhari dates back to 2003 when he was the senatorial candidate of the defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party ( ANPP) fro Bayelsa West Senatorial District.

    “He had vigorously campaigned for him to be president then. The assertion by Orunimigha can only be a fictionalised sermon heightened by defeated expectations. It is therefore a blackmail that cannot stand the test of time. It is neither capable of distracting the Hon minister.

    “Lastly, as a law abiding citizen, the Hon Minister wishes to state that while an unsuspecting section of the media has the liberty to publish unsubstantiated stories, he reserves the right to seek redress in the ‎law courts”.

  • Party chief’s position on Bayelsa, others personal, says APC

    Party chief’s position on Bayelsa, others personal, says APC

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed a statement by the party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Timi Frank.

      Frank had alleged that Minister of State for Agriculture Heineken Lokpobiri bribed ex-Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva to become minister.

    But APC’s National Secretary Mai Mala Buni, in a statement in Abuja, said: “The bogus and misleading allegations are distractions to the party’s resolve to support the President deliver on the promises made by our party to the electorate.

    “The APC national leadership remains united and committed to the task of bringing cohesion to the party at all levels.

    “Recently, the APC held its national caucus and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings where positive and far-reaching decisions were taken by the party’s leadership to drive the party forward.

    “The party will not deny anybody or interest the right to seek justice where he feels this has been denied him. However, we appeal that we play by the rules in our engagements and be guarded in our utterances.

    “The public is advised not to misinterpret or confuse Frank’s personal opinions to be the official position of the party or the true reflection of what is happening inside the party.

    ‘’For the umpteenth time, only the APC national chairman and national secretary are authorised to speak for the party.”

    The party’s deputy national publicity secretary, made the allegations yesterday while speaking on issues affecting the party at his residence in Abuja.

    He urged the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, David Babachir Lawal, not to jeopardise his office by accepting nominations from Sylva to occupy political positions meant for the state.

    But the SGF said the leadership of the APC in Bayelsa State should leave him out of their problem and find a way of resolving their internal crisis.

    When contacted on phone, the SGF said: “I want to reiterate that Timi Sylva is a  good friend of mine. That notwithstanding, it is not the SGF that does appointment. It is the President that does appointment.

    “In any case, l don’t know what they are talking about concerning Sylva and appointments because Chief Timipre Sylva is also a friend to the President and l am sure he doesn’t need to pass through me to get anyone appointed.

    “By the way, l don’t know these people, so let them go and fight the Bayelsa battles and leave the SGF out of it.”

  • ‘Buhari’s goodies ‘ll begin to manifest soon’

    ‘Buhari’s goodies ‘ll begin to manifest soon’

    The goodies promised by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will begin to manifest soon, Presidential Spokesman Femi Adesina said on Sunday.

    Speaking on Channels television  Programme Politics Today, he said governance is not a sprint, but a marathon, saying those who now crtiticise the president will be his praise-singers when they see his performance in the next three years.

    “It is a four years mandate. We still have 36 months to go. I just pray that those who have been so critical, so cynical will be humble enough to eat their words when the goodies start coming,” he said

    He said the economic retreat held last week by the National Economic Council, was not held because Professor Wole Soyinka called for an economic summit.

    “Professor Soyinka asked for an economic summit. But what happened was not what he asked for. Because before Prof Soyinka asked for the economic summit, the National Economic Council had decided to hold what happened.

    “Don’t forget that the President himself at an interview in Qatar said yes, if the people want to sit down and hold a summit, the government is not averse to it. But what happened last week was not what Prof Soyinka canvassed. The National Economic Council, had decided to hold that retreat before Prof Soyinka spoke.

    “To the best of my knowledge, it was fruitful. I was there at the opening ceremony. I guess a report is going to come out  after that report, we will be able to judge.”

  • Ekiti APC faults Adesina’s JSC appointment

    Ekiti APC faults Adesina’s JSC appointment

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    • Accuses Fayose of committing another ‘illegality’

    The Ekiti State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has kicked against the appointment of former General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dele Adesina (SAN), as member of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

    The party said the appointment has added to an alleged “long list of illegalities and constitutional breaches” committed by Governor Ayo Fayose since assuming office on October 16, 2014.

    APC Publicity Secretary Taiwo Olatunbosun said in a statement yesterday that Adesina’s appointment was a violation of the constitution, which stated that “no person can be appointed into the Judicial Service Commission twice”.

    “Adesina was first appointed as a member of the Judicial Service Commission by Governor Kayode Fayemi in 2012, and against the law, he was again appointed by Governor Fayose as the Chairman of the commission in 2015,” Olatunbosun explained.

    “By the provision of Section 200(3) of the 1999 Constitution, no person can be appointed to State Civil Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission or State Independent Electoral Commission twice.

    “ Adesina (SAN) was appointed by Fayemi to serve in the State Judicial Service Commission, now Fayose has re-appointed him to the same office.

    “This is illegal and unconstitutional. This provision of the law is an offshoot of Sections 197,198 and 199 of the 1999 Constitution.”

    He added that by this action, Fayose had breached the constitution for the umpteenth time.

    “It is unfortunate and regrettable that a senior advocate of Adesina’s stature could allow temporary allure of office to take precedence over professionalism and defence of the provisions of the constitution, his very constituency from where he made money and earned his fame,” he said.

  • APC sure of winning Bayelsa

    APC sure of winning Bayelsa

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that it is confident that it will still emerge victorious in the governorship election in Bayelsa state despite the poor performance in the seven local government areas where elections has been concluded.
    Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Timi Frank who expressed the party’s optimism on Thursday, said even though the party lost six of the seven local government where results have been announced so far, it was confident that when the supplementary election is conducted, the APC will emerge victorious.
    Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, Frank said the infighting within the party in the state was largely responsible for the poor performance of the party in six of the seven local government areas where elections have been concluded and results announced by INEC.
    He said that there were issues resulting from the conduct of the governorship primary in the state, pointing out that the governorship candidate of the party should be able to correct the mistakes he made that put the party in the current position.
    He said: “This is the beginning of the battle. The battle is not yet over because we still have a rerun election and we are waiting for INEC to give us a new date. By the grace if god, that local government t is a very big one that has a lot of votes.
    “Yes, we must have lost in the other six local government areas that has been announced. But we are still hopeful that if we come together as a party, we will achieve a lot.
    “I can tell you clearly that the only reason why we lost the local government areas we have lost is because there are internal crisis in Bayelsa and I made this clear before today. Those crisis are still there till today. For example, our governorship candidate has not spoken to me since after the primary election.
    “There are so many people still aggrieved within the party and there are those who don’t have the courage to speak out and that is why we lost in those a areas we lost. If we came together from the beginning as one, if you were united before the election and everyone seems to be happy what happened in Bayelsa would not have happened.
    “However whatever has happened is history today, but I pray that the candidate himself should be able to correct whatever wrong or mistakes he must have made to put our party in this situation. Now that we are expecting a local government that has a very big votes, if we do well to correct our wrongs, I believe that we can still get victory from that local government”.
    Frank who insisted that he was the constitutionally recognized spokesman of the party with the exit of the National Publicity Secretary said the party and indeed Nigerians were not prepared for what happened in Kogi state, but expressed satisfaction with the way the party handled the issue.
    “Sorry to say that we were not prepared for what happened in Kogi State. But as a party, we just had to take a decision. We were also conscious of the fact that who ever the party choose, people will still go to court. So, we can not be stagnant as a party and we had to come up with a decision.
    “Whatever decision was taken, the party consulted widely, spoke with the people of Kogi state, did all our checks before taking the decision that was taken. As a party, we have taken a decision and it is left for people who feel aggrieved to challenge it in the court of law. Whatever such the outcome of such litigations, as a party, we respect the rule of law. We I’ll give the judiciary the opportunity at this point in time to interprete the laws and what ever the court says, as a party, we will abide by it”.
    On who speaks for the party with the exit of Lai Mohammed, Frank said “I can tell you clearly that our party constitution is very clear and for anybody who does not understand the party constitution within the party, as at today, I am the Acting spokesperson of the party.
    “It is very clear that when either the National Chairman, the National Secretary or anybody is not there today, the deputy takes over automatically. This is the principle contained in the party constitution. We have this also existing today in the PDP. You can see that when Mauzu left, Secondus is today acting Chairman of the party.
    “It is not different. Today, Lai Mohammed is not there and so, I am the Acting spokesperson of the party. Any other person issue ing statements for the party is doing so in his personal capacity. But constitutionally, I am the Acting Spokesperson of the party. It is not something I need to lobby of beg somebody within the party for. It is skiing that is meant to be the trend and no by it”.
    On whether he believed that the Buhari government can sustain the N5000 payment to unemployed Nigerians. Comrade Timi Frank said “I can tell you clearly that for the President to come up with this kind of budget, I believe he must have commuted himself to Nigerians and is trying to key into his promises to Nigerians and see how he can turn things around to make sure that whatever promise he has made can really are sustained.
    “He has competent hands. You can see that he has been traveling from one country to another looking for solutions and how Nigeria can really move forward under his leadership. Sustainability is not going to be an issue because he has a team which can deliver.
    “I believe they are going to look for ways of sustaining what he has promised Nigerians. I will only appeal to Nigerians to give him the opportunity to see how he will achieve whatever he must have promised.
    “Let us just give him a chance and be hopeful and trust that Mr. president, known to be somebody who keep to his words, is going to achieve the promise he has made to Nigerians”.

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